Guyanatime 12 april 2018

Education sector requires improvement for oil P12 industry – Deputy VC Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Issue No. 3531

PRICE

Govt launches scathing attack against Indigenous leaders

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Govt to hire P7 overseas experts to staff energy dept

Page 3

…accuses vocal NTC members of disrespecting President’s Office …says leaders too demanding, refusing to toe the political line

International financial groups distance selves Page from Rusal 13

…over 500 Guyanese workers in limbo

$80 vat included

Page 7

4 escape from NOC P10 …1 recaptured

LGE 2018

Guyana eager to tap into Asian counterparts for climate change strategies …new Pakistan, Thailand diplomats accredited

APNU has not reengaged AFC as yet P9 – Granger No charges for driver P14 in Patentia accident – Police

…as victim stabilises

50 sugar workers injured after lorry topples Page 8

This was the scene on Wednesday morning after a lorry turned over on the Zee Zight Public Road, West Coast Berbice, Region Five

Port Mourant residents 6 nabbed after foiled picket NDC office robbery on poultry farmer Page 11

Page 16

GPF to launch advanced inter-agency digital P10 database …in effort to help battle crime

No response from Govt on flooding compensation – NDC P13 Chairman

2 news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Teen blames GPHC for post-delivery infection …says medical gauze left inside womb

By Yanella Dalrymple

T

he Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) is being accused of negligence after a young mother discovered that a piece of gauze was left inside her womb after she delivered her first child in October 2017.

“Pretty” (alias given), gave birth on October 13, 2017, but remained in pain after she was discharged from the hospital on October 15.

The 18-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped, became concerned after a strange odour began emanating from the young woman’s vaginal area.

“After I came out of the hospital, I told my mother I was feeling like if clot blood was left inside of me, I couldn’t sit, I couldn’t even walk properly and I started smelling similar to my grandmother who died with cancer. My family was telling me to sit over hot water and all these things but it was after I went back to the hospital two weeks after, then they realised it was the gauze that was left inside of me,” the young mother related.

In an effort to assist the young woman, her family took her to a pharmacist after suggesting that she may have contracted an infection, after which she was provided with antibiotics for treatment.

However, despite using the antibiotics for several days, her pains persisted and she began to feel her vagina swelling.

“I was feeling really miserable, in a lot of pain and passing clots all the time,” she told Guyana Times.

It appears that the midwife who delivered the woman’s son left gauze in the young woman’s vagina.

The young mother suffered a “tear” during labour and received several stitches to repair the perineum (the area between the vagina and rectum). However, the gauze, which had been used to stem her bleeding, was apparently sutured inside the woman.

According to the young woman, the treatment that

The maternity ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital

was meted out to her by the midwife (name given) at the hospital was atrocious.

She explained how it was something she would never want to experience again in her lifetime.

“After I began feeling labour pains, I called for the midwife who told me to open my foot and start pushing but I told her I was getting the urge to push and she started saying yall lil girl does want tek big things and when is time to push out the baby yall closing yall foot.”

She told Guyana Times that the doctor who removed the gauze that was left inside her body told her family that it was not long before the wound would’ve become sep-

tic and killed her.

The family was incensed at the hospital’s negligence, which has marred what should have been a happy time. “At first I didn’t make a big issue out of it because I know they would cover it up but I’m being open about it because the other person it happens to may not be as lucky as me to be alive,” she said.

More so, she is calling on the relevant authorities to do more training at the hospitals so that cases like these can be decreased.

The woman filed a report with the hospital’s authorities last year but has not received an update on the outcome of their probe.

US sanctions on Russian tycoon

Finance Minister caught “sleeping” as Rusal’s shares tumble – PPP advisor

A

s Rusal’s shares continue to tumble following United States sanctions against one of the company’s co-owners, President David Granger and Finance Minister Winston Jordan are being heavily criticised for having been caught “sleeping at the economic wheel” as hundreds of jobs and the availability of foreign exchange are under threat.

This contention was made on Wednesday by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) advisor, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, who, in a statement, observed that Guyana could fall prey to the spin-off effects of the sanctions by US President Donald Trump’s Administration.

“The move against Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska to freeze all of its US assets will no doubt have crippling effect on Rusal and by implication, its Guyana operations,” Dr Ramsaroop noted.

Deripaska is the main owner of the EN+ conglomerate, which is the co-owner of Rusal. US special counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating Russia's involvement in the 2016 US

President David Granger

Peter Ramsaroop

presidential election. The US Treasury Department, in a statement on Friday, announced the sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, 12 companies they either owned or controlled, and 17 senior Government officials – who Washington said were profiting from the Russian Government’s engagement in “a range of malign activities” around the world.

Hong Kong-listed Rusal is one of the world’s biggest aluminium producers and is a key player in Guyana’s bauxite industry. The company’s exports to the United States accounted for over 10

per cent of its output. The company also owns assets in Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Nigeria, and Guinea as well as a stake in Australian QAL, the world’s top alumina refinery.

Following the steep shares’ drop, Guyana’s Government has been called upon to state an official position on the matter.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said on Wednesday that the Administration was analysing the situation. However, in Dr Ramsaroop’s view, the reaction has “again exposed a weakness in the David Granger Administration to

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

accurately forecast international developments and put in place mitigation strategies”.

“A bailout of Rusal and a Government takeover of the Berbice operations is not out of the question, but will no doubt become an additional strain on the economy,” the advisor observed.

He questioned if Government would really want to bail out the Guyana’s bauxite industry “traditionally seen as supportive of the PNC” or if the Administration would shut it down as with the downsizing of the Guyana Sugar

Corporation (GuySuCo).

“Businesses in Guyana and no doubt the sugar workers will be critically looking to see what action the David Granger Administration will take in the bauxite industry, if any,” he pointed out.

He used the opportunity to highlight Government imposing “200 new taxes” in addition to now contracting “massive loans” which he said would lead to debt and no revenues. He opined that this would cause the economy to “go into a tail spin” which could see exchange rates skyrocketing.

“Minister of Finance Winston Jordan has now gone to the Islamic Development Bank and secured what he calls a resource envelope – tantamount to a loan – but in the absence of any specific plans by the administration, it is clear Government’s resorting to debt to run the country.

“Guyana’s foreign exchange earnings continue to give slimmer and slimmer returns each year; the foreign reserves are now being used/abused and now even more jobs [are] to be lost,” the Opposition advisor conturn to page 9 tended.

3 Govt launches scathing attack against Indigenous leaders news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Thursday, April 12 – 02:30h and a day-time retraction at 13:30h-15:00h and Friday, April 13 – 03:00h and a day-time retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, April 12 – 14:15h-15:45h and Friday, April 13 – 15:00h-16:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals with light cloudy skies can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 6.70 metres.

High Tide: 02:10h and 14:29 reaching maximum heights of 2.29 metres and 2.37 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:03h and 20:25h reaching minimum heights of 0.92 metres and 0.78 metres respectively.

wednesDAY, April 11, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS B

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01 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 03 07 15 23 25 LUCKY 3 5 3 8

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…accuses vocal NTC members of disrespecting President’s Office …says leaders are too demanding, refusing to toe the political line

By Samuel Sukhnandan

T

he Government of Guyana on Wednesday accused the country’s independent National Toshaos Council (NTC) of disrespecting President David Granger as it launched a scathing attack on several vocal Indigenous representatives who were not towing the line but exposing serious malpractices of the current A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Government.

In a scathing attack on the NTC and its Vice President, Lennox Shuman, the Indigenous People Affairs Ministry on Wednesday accused the Council of being confrontational, demanding and disrespectful in their writings to President David Granger.

The Ministry said it has observed a trend of public posturing by NTC executives and Shuman in particular, stating that the NTC executive has so far not distanced itself from what they described as rather divisive, disingenuous and sometimes incoherent statements being made by these officials.

“Simultaneous with calls for meetings with His Excellency President David Granger, Lennox Shuman, and Vice Chairman of the NTC issued a call for mass public protest against the Government by our Indigenous citizenry. The Ministry will allow the Guyanese public to judge Shuman’s intentions,” a statement said.

Further to that, the Ministry said it is aware of countless complaints of alleged disrespectful and inhumane treatment of the residents of St Cuthbert’s Mission

by Shuman.

“The horrifying stories told by residents of this 129-yearold village of proud, mostly Lokonos, range from threats of dispossessing them of lands for disobeying Shuman to referring to residents as “refugees” as well as forcibly expelling church leaders from the village,” it claimed.

According to the statement, residents paint a picture of Shuman being a “leviathan Toshoa.” This, the Ministry said, is inconsistent with known and revered traditional leadership, love and respect for others. The Ministry described the NTC Vice Chairman as a “failed leader” who is now being rejected by his village.

“The Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs rejects the Shuman-led attack against Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples.

The Ministry believes that the upcoming village elections provide a vehicle for the resolution of all of these issues by the people themselves…,” it added.

Now that the current NTC executive is nearing the end of its three-year term in office, the Ministry reminded that the Council is yet to explain to its membership and the Ministry why it continues to resist the legislative obligation of accounting for the finances placed at its disposal.

President David Granger

“This current NTC executive has never ceased to condemn the $16 million subvention provided it by Government… It is a statutory obligation of the NTC’s executive committee to prepare and present ‘annual reports’ of its financial operations, a requirement which it has never satisfied,” it explained.

Meanwhile, the Ministry also accused the Chairman and Vice Chairman for not addressed ‘opposition political interference’ into the affairs of the NTC. While claiming that it was not unexpected, the Ministry said it remains clear that the ill effects of political domination will take some more time to undo.

When contacted for a comment on Wednesday, Shuman said he was in his village and could not comment on the matter unless he reads the statement in its entirety. The NTC Vice Chairman said he would also like to be given sometime to ‘digest’ what was written about him. He said he may respond Friday.

Indigenous People Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock

NTC Vice Chairman Lenox Shuman

4

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, April 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

Jumpstarting development

M

any of those who accepted a smaller, less intrusive government after Desmond Hoyte accepted the “conditionalities” of the 1989 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) have now failed to acknowledge the flip-side of the argument.

To wit, the Private Sector was supposed to fill the vacuum in investment occasioned by the withdrawal of the State from the “commanding heights of the economy” in the ensuing privatisations. But even more incongruously, even though the Government has been flagellated for not achieving higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rates to impact more quickly and more positively on our standard of living, it still continues to flounder as it “muddles through”, bereft of an overarching vision for development.

Government, in the neo-liberal model unleashed by Hoyte, was supposed to be a “facilitator” of business by creating an environment that did not place too many constraints on economic activities. Over the last three decades, almost all of the reforms demanded, under the rubric of liberalisation, stabilisation, and privatisation were completed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration. Additionally, President Bharrat Jagdeo removed the US$2.1 billion debt albatross bequeathed by the People’s National Congress (PNC).

Under the Hoyte Administration of 1989-1992, as the controls were lifted, the economy recovered and expanded rapidly towards the production-possibility frontier (PPF) that had been stifled through the corrupt PNC bureaucratic labyrinth. But while there were marked improvements in investment rates from what had prevailed previously, once the PPF had been reached, the PPP Government’s consistent average of five per cent growth was not sufficient to catapult us into the trajectory that transformed countries like China. There were several reasons for the investment gap, not least being the politically-instigated violence between 1999 and 2008 that created a vicious circle of a crime-ridden societal image.

But it has now been three years with the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Government at the helm, and the growth rate has now reportedly dropped to half of that of the PPP/C years – 2.4%.

The Government cannot escape the logic that more investment is needed. But even if the Exxon oil strike has lowered our investment risks, the suggested infrastructural development as hinted in the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) loan facility, and satisfying our minuscule domestic market, will not justify significant investment in production just to satisfy our needs.

A repeat of the 1970’s PNC’s “import substitution strategy” is not the way to go. We have to invest in exportable products and from the foreign currency earned, import other goods to satisfy a higher standard of living. Our investment, then, must be export oriented. To support this, we will have to broaden our export base by both product and market diversification.

But none of this is new. The million-dollar question is how do we achieve this investment and diversification in the face of our underdeveloped and anaemic business climate in Guyana?

We return to the proposals floated in this space: public-private partnerships. We remind those now in government, countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea forged ahead of us even though we were on par back in the sixties, because none of them had governments that were mere bystanders.

Their successes were built on the concrete support that their governments provided to targeted export-oriented businesses.

In this way, a virtuous cycle is created. Business risks are lessened, investment encouraged, exports increased, quality improved because of world competition, employment created, the Government collects more taxes, and more companies can be supported. The speciality hospital identified by the PPP/C, for instance, was a good example of diversifying exports: medical tourism brings in substantial foreign exchange. But public hospitals have rarely provided the service demanded for success in this field: a public-private partnership would be best. Agro-processing in support of the Government’s “Grow More Food” campaign is another fertile area for the concept.

The latter programme will never grow to its potential unless the perennial gluts at harvest time are processed.

Before this approach is unleashed, however, the Government would have to demonstrate much more confidence in the business sector by making them partners and being much more open and transparent with its plans.

The National School of Theatre Arts and Drama held its ninth production of short plays at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) on Tuesday evening under the name “Ahwe Cultcha”. The production comprised four plays namely “Ol’ Higue”, “Baccoo”, “Celebration of Life” and “Matacoor Night”; the performance was part of the practical requirements for students at the school (Carl Croker photo)

Bulkan seems reluctant to submit to constitutional checks and balances

Dear Editor, I happened to have read the well-articulated letter

by Norman Whittaker in another section of the media captioned “The Government employing manipulative tactics to suppress work of Local Government Commission” and am in full agreement with the general tenor of the letter. Using Whittaker’s word, out of the “bowels” of our Constitution, Article 78 to be exact, the people through their representatives saw it fit to establish a Local Government Commission, not as a rubber stamp constitutional body, but as one that functions and carries out its role as per the wishes of the people.

The problem in my opinion appears to be a President, through his politics creates the Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, who seems reluctant to submit to a constitutional system of checks and balances. These are the characteristics of a creeping

dictatorship. This was exactly how Burnham started out until he moves to the point of rigging elections to keep himself in office by a process of selection, rather than election. Is this what President Granger is attempting to do today?

To subvert the work of the Local Government system until they all become subservient to his diktat?

The work of the Minister has outlived its relevance constitutionally once the Commission was appointed in October 2017. Thus, I struggle to comprehend the level of political insecurity of President Granger. After all, the Chairman of the Commission is a die-hard People’s National Congress man, Mortimer Mingo, who I believe is quite capable of doing his master’s political bidding.

Why can’t President Granger respect our Constitution that mandates the Commission “to deal

with, as it deems fit, all matters relating to the regulation and staffing of the Local Government organs”. Why six months after their appointment, we have a situation where Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, a political creature of President Granger, is undemocratically usurping the role of the Commission?

The people in their wisdom did not authorise a singular political creature to be in charge of our Local Government system, so how dare Granger overturn their decision? Why this inconsistency from President Granger? Isn’t he the one who unfailingly claims that he is a staunch adherent to the Guyana Constitution so why is he breaking the rules today? Or is it a case of do as I say but do not do as I do? These acts of gross hypocrisy from President Granger must be exposed and opposed and he must know that there is no room

at the top for untruthfulness, non-transparency and deception.

The question of the empowerment in accordance with the Constitution of the Local Government Commission is of all importance now that we are set for a December 2018 Local Government Elections.

Guyana has had enough of these stale minds and demands a boldness of spirit from President Granger that will allow a thousand new flowers to bloom by allowing the system to function according to the wishes of the people.

What President Granger and Minister Bulkan are practicing is akin to that of pouring new wine into old skins and leaves a bitter taste of democracy Burnham style, where only the wishes of the “Kabaka” mattered.

Regards, Sasenarine Singh

Wikipedia is not a credible, authentic academic source of information

Dear Editor, An editorial in sections of the media of March 20, 2018, on the late Cheddi Jagan, was timely, given that it was his 100th birth anniversary.

It seems that the names Jagan and Burnham are symbiotic in that any reference to one always seems to occasion the mention of the other. Your editorial was no different. It is in relation to that reference that I pen this letter.

Your editorial stated that: “Cheddi Jagan founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), fashioned out of a merger of the PAC (Political Action Committee) and the then British Guiana Labour Party (BGLP) led by Forbes Burnham”. The correctness of that assertion is hereby questioned and the truth proffered based the following irrefutable facts.

1. The BGLP’s formation predated Burnham’s return

to Guyana.

2. There was no merger between the PAC and the BGLP. The two were established in the same year.

Ashton Chase was a founding member of both. Nanda Gopaul in the Bengal Tiger, his biographic work on Ashton Chase, in reference to the BGLP noted that “The party went out of existence shortly after the 1947 elections”, in which it had participated.

3. The PAC remained in existence until 1949.

4. Burnham returned to Guyana in 1949 and the PPP was formed in 1950.

5. The PPP’s website (www.ppp-civic.org) in the article “History of the People’s Progressive Party” does not acknowledge any such merger between the BGLP and the PAC to form the PPP. continued to page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, April 12, 2018

5

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

Bullish tactics to local governance approach Dear Editor, Convincing evidence of willful discrimination and futile cover-up attempts of shameless bullish tactics, permeates almost every aspect of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Local Governance approach.

With these on the rise, the often-complete silence from the Government, or the contradicting attempts to convey acceptance, spurns and flies in the face of even the ordinary supporters.

The muteness may have come from a rather alarming number of times APNU/AFC Ministers were exposed for making empty and shallow public pronouncements.

It cannot be denied that this Government has utilised tremendous amounts of State resources in political witch-

hunts, while turning a blind eye to glaring breaches of standing legislation by many among its ranks.

Such approaches will never constitute any acceptable measure of democratic governance. Rather, it implies the handing down of internal political party directions to get unacceptable things done outside of the approved approach, and often in violation under the Constitution.

The deaf ears tactic is equally revealing and tantamount to telling citizens, that their outcries are damned in the eyes of the Government.

The demonstration of disrespect by this Government towards citizens, reaches a new threshold daily.

How can a known People’s National Congress activist, who is appointed as Regional Executive Officer in a region,

be allowed to divert budgeted appropriations for key production support projects, to plant palm trees on the road shoulders.

The actions of REO Rupert Hopkinson in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) deserves strongest condemnations and firm sanctions.

He has admitted to utilising monies allocated for up-keeping the ‘Roads and dams and clean trenches to plant palm trees on the road shoulders.

Citizens could and must visit the Essequibo Coast and look at millions of dollars that are being spent to grow and maintain the Palm trees, while farmers are suffering and losing millions of dollars because of Government neglect.

The time is most opportune for the Local Government Commission

to open their mouth and start speaking out on all these serious ‘staff’ issues.

It is the Local Government Commission that has direct responsibilities for all staffing matters in the Local Authority Areas.

On another front of significant community importance, the increasing propensity of armed robberies has reached new heights almost unchecked. It is indeed distressing to know that a poor and dedicated market vendor was shot in the presence of three City Constables.

According to reports, the unarmed Constables saw the bandits lurking around and suspicious of their intent, urged the vendors to hurry-up and pack their goods and leave the place.

The reluctance of the City Constables to seek assistance

from the Ruimveldt Police Station which is within walking distance from the spot where the vendor was shot is questionable and perhaps reflective of lack of training.

There is a less than shallow approach in dealing with these emerging treats, and one must not forget that in 2015, the collation Government had done much to undermine the policing group relations with communities. There is no comprehensive strategy to protect the citizens and the Government has demonstrated their cluelessness in this regard, leaving citizens at the mercy of the bandits who often quietly walk away.

The situation begs the question: what is City Hall doing with its failing Constabulary Officers who continues to prey on the ven-

dors on a daily basis for their perks?

Notably, City Hall has increased its 2018 budgetary allocations to the Constabulary for employment costs and training. It suggests that the staff complement of the Constabulary would be increased and training would be enhanced. One only hopes the funds allocated for training is not wasted.

The municipality of Georgetown needs to have security professionals with psychologically based knowledge, to assess situations and provide the relevant and courteous services to the vendors and the people to avoid the transgressions at the municipal Council of Georgetown.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

City Council not listening to concerned citizens Dear Editor, The PNC controlled City Council of Georgetown for decades now, continues to mismanage the resources of the City and ignoring the voice of the people. They have demonstrated their inability to manage the city roads and regulate orderly motor vehicle parking. They have also demonstrated an inability to consider smarter alternatives to collect more revenue than what is considered by many, including the Movement Against Parking Metres, as an ill-conceived, burdensome and expensive venture for a small return, even if all the meters are fully used.

The negotiating brains in the City Council failed to explore other possible options for revenue generation. The Council failed to be transparent and accountable, failed to carry out a careful study of the proposal, or canvassed views of the consuming public, residents and businesses in the city.

An option was published the press in February 2017 suggesting that the

City Council negotiate with Central Government for a subvention to cover the estimated net income from the parking meters. It was suggested that the “Government can institute a small increase in the price for each gallon of fuel, collected up front from the few distributors for this venture. This small increase in the price for fuel can be extended to the entire country as vehicles use and park in other cities and along public roadways. This can contribute to the subventions for other Municipalities and Regional Councils. This is a more equitable solution.

The parking meters should therefore be abandoned along with Smart City Solutions.

The same negotiators of the Council should negotiate the scrapping of this venture”.

There should also be cost cutting measures such as more prudent execution contracts based on need and value for money. There should also be a comprehensive personnel and organizational audit at what is widely believed to be over staffing and pad-

ding in employment at the City Council. A serious audit should be undertaken to justify every single position on the Council’s pay roll.

The Auditor General and staff of the Audit Office must be fully supported in the execution of their lawful duties including of a forensic audit,

including management audit, and value for money audit with the support from experts in the relevant fields.

The Auditor General should

not be subject to not subtle threats from politicians.

Yours faithfully, Joshua Singh

Wikipedia is not a credible, authentic...

In fact, three years had elapsed between the expiration of the BGLP and the formation of the PPP. 6. Burnham was a co-founder of the PPP and its first Chairman. He did not transition from the BGLP to the PPP. 7. Burnham’s role as Cofounder/Chairman of the PPP was essayed before his return home when Ashton Chase, a founding member of the BGLP and the PAC,

declined the offer and eminent Caribbean leaders proposed Burnham as being best suited, in view of the potential that he portrayed as a student leader in the West Indian community, in London; and his political and progressive activism, while in London.

8. In preparation for his activist role in the anti-colonial struggle in British Guiana, Burnham detoured to Jamaica, on his way

home, for an induction into, and orientation on, the anti-colonial struggle in the West Indies. His political association, upon his return home, was with the PPP, as a founding member.

Unfortunately, Stabroek News’ version seemed to have been pulled from Wikipedia which facilitates lay versions and discourses on matters of public interest. Wikipedia is not a credible nor authentic academic

from page 4

source of information.

It is my sincere hope that Stabroek News acknowledges that it would have been revisionist and thus misinformed its readership on an important matter in the country’s history; and the biography of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.

Yours truly, Vincent Alexander Chairperson Burnham Foundation

6

thursDAY, April 12, 2018

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Foundation

Kids behaving badly: abandoning blame and finding a fix …how a concrete plan of action can change the way your child behaves

By Paula L White, MA

E

very parent hopes to raise a warm, kind, socially-adjusted child, but inevitably, lots of moms and dads are tasked with loving and guiding a young person who others have come to know as a playground bully, a "problem child", or the meanest kid in class. When children’s behaviour defies community standards or contradicts good family values, parents will likely feel judged, ashamed, helpless or afraid. Trying to play detective to get to the root of a child's behaviour is tough, and adding shame or blame to the landscape won't help at all.

The good news is, a concrete plan of action holds great promise for positively transforming a downward trend of childhood behaviour.

Crucial questions to ask Research shows that when a child displays disruptive behaviour, a combination of consequences and connection is most effective in turning things around.

To evaluate your situation, begin by asking yourself two questions about your child’s behaviour: 1. Is your child almost always argumentative, oppositional, or rude?

2. Based on your own observations and on reports from others, does your child seem indifferent to other people’s feelings OR does your child seem to take pleasure in someone else’s pain?

If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, follow the concrete actions outlined below, and also seek outside help to provide your child with additional emotional &/or mental health support. If you answered “no” to both questions above, the disciplined, caring structure here can be singularly effective in managing your child's occasional misbehaviours.

Concrete actions for your parenting toolkit Always respond to wrongdoing.

guyanatimesgy.com

For parents of disruptive kids, ignoring bad behaviour may be viewed as a way of keeping life peaceful. However, if someone is on the receiving end of your child’s actions, life for that person won’t feel peaceful at all. As a parent, you must let your children know that every violation of someone’s personal boundaries causes harm, and they must be challenged to accept responsibility for the harm they cause. Yanking on a sibling’s ponytail or destroying her favourite toy are hardly criminal offenses, but behaviours like these can and do have psychological impacts on their victims. (link is external) It is your job to be your child’s emotion coach, helping her to label and accept her emotions so that she can progress to self-regulation and appropriate problem-solving. If you ignore bad behaviour when it occurs, you can't coach your child to improve.

Map out clear, predictable responses to inappropriate behaviour.

Far too often, parental responses to a child’s bad behaviour are reactionary, depending on a parent’s mood or circumstance in the moment. A father may overreact to a child's rudeness, and give a very harsh consequence when his daughter pouts or mumbles rude statements under her breath, yet he might later give a much lighter consequence when she initiates a fight and gives a friend a black eye. Or, a mother might ignore her son's bullying behaviour at home on Monday, but then assign a major consequence for the exact same act on Friday of that week. When a parent acts erratically with no transparent value system guiding their decisions, children are left directionless and confused. A set of progressive, predictable consequences communicates a consistent message about where certain actions fall on the continuum of appropriate behaviour.

Strengthen the parent-child relationship. Building connections with children is the most vital aspect of par-

enting, a fact often forgotten by parents in the workshops I lead. Punishments and consequences alter behaviour temporarily, but they don't have a lasting influence; only a trusted relationship can do that over time. Physical touch is a good way to start to stimulate the presence of oxytocin, a calming hormone that engenders feelings of care. It's also important to show love in ways that differentiate between a child and his or her behaviours. This means that although you may withhold your daughter’s allowance for aggressive behaviour in the morning, you shouldn’t withhold the “I love you” that you always say to her as she heads out the door to school. This way, she will come to understand that your love for her remains intact despite the fact that you dislike a behaviour she displayed.

Know also that relationships thrive on validation. When parents validate children’s feelings, they strengthen the parent-child bond, while providing children with a model for validating the feelings of the people they encounter in their everyday lives. Even in the midst of misbehaviour, a parent might say “I’m sorry that you’re feeling like this," or “I can see that this is tough for you." Such empathic statements do not condone wrongdoing nor should they erase a warranted consequence, but they do assert that a child’s feelings are valid. This is crucial, because attunement to other people’s feelings lies at the root of pro-social behaviour.

Moving your focus away from fault The fact is, there are puzzling factors related to why children might be disruptive, menacing, or placing others at risk, and it's virtually impossible to figure out the precise combination of parental actions and attributes that affect what a child decides to do. Parents need not internalise guilt or blame; choosing to focus instead on setting clear boundaries while being emotionally supportive is the best course of action a parent can take. (psychologytoday.com)

Reading tips

for parents of kindergarteners

P

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)

7 Guyana eager to tap into Asian counterparts for climate change strategies news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…new Pakistan, Thailand diplomats accredited

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s Guyana continues to forge ahead with its Green State initiative, it is looking to capitalise on the strengthened diplomatic relations to tap into strategies adopted by its Asian coun-

terparts, aimed at fighting the effects of climate change.

This was revealed by President David Granger on Wednesday morning as he accredited new diplomats from the Islamic

Guyana's new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand, Surasak Suparat, presenting his Letters of Credence to President David Granger as Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and the Ministry’s Director General Audrey Waddell look on

Republic of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Thailand, with the acceptance of their Letters of Credence at State House.

The new Pakistani High Commissioner, Najm Us Saqib, said his country is looking to deepening relations with South American and Caribbean nations including Guyana, which offer opportunities for both countries to explore and gain from each other’s best practices.

“Pakistan considers Guyana as an important country in the Region and would wish to strengthen bilateral relations in our States. Pakistan and Guyana have friendly relations and it is our desire that these relations should be strengthened in all fields including trade, agriculture, health, IT

Govt to hire overseas experts to staff energy dept

G

overnment will be moving to hire overseas experts in the oil and gas industry to staff the department of energy, which falls under the Ministry of the Presidency, President David Granger has revealed.

While admitting that there might be some challenges in getting the right skillset of people, he thinks if Guyana attracts the best, then it stands to benefit tremendously from this sector.

“It is bound to be a challenge because this is an international industry and we are aiming at a worldclass industry. So, we are aiming to get the best persons,” he explained.

According to the Head of State, Guyana has no experience in the field and because there is only a small petroleum unit which is now in the Natural Resources Ministry, there is need for expansion.

“And we obviously have to attract the best people from around the world. So we are not attempting to avoid that responsibility.

We will ensure that those things happen,” he added.

In providing an update on the setting up of this department, the Head of State said a road map is being developed so as to attract the best in the business to work for the local oil sector.

“We have to identify personnel, we have to identify buildings, and we have to start advertising to at-

tract the quality personnel that can lead this important department into the future,” he explained.

The President said his Government is being very careful about its approach because it wants the best outcome for this new industry. He said by the end of May there will be some further announcements.

Cabinet in March officially approved the creation of an energy department that would now oversee Guyana’s oil and gas sector. Ministerial responsibility for the sector was stripped from Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and given to Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

Government said the reason for this change was mainly to bring some organisational structure to the sector that will look at legislation to be introduced, negotiation with potential investors, exploration and production licences, public communication, and the engagement of experts, among others.

They also assured that energy-related responsibilities lying with Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson would remain untouched for now, especially responsibility for the Guyana Power and Light.

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

There have, in the past,

even been calls to have Trotman removed from his position.

The main reason for this was because of the discovery that Government had stashed in a private account in the Central Bank, US$18 million it had received from ExxonMobil as a signing bonus.

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

Many have argued that Article 216 of the Guyana Constitution dictates that all public revenue be placed in the Consolidated Fund.

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

Even the Government’s own adviser on petroleum, Dr Jan Mangal, has been sceptical of Guyana’s two per cent royalty on earnings from oil sales, which he said is low compared to global standards.

While Dr Mangal has not objected to the 50 per cent profit share Guyana will receive, he does believe that the generous tax concessions and two per cent royalty is nothing to boast about. Others have also come out criticising Trotman, including outspoken Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram, who believes Trotman’s handling of the oil sector could lead to future disaster.

The newly accredited Pakistani High Commissioner to Guyana, Najm Us Saqib; along with President David Granger; Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge; and the Ministry’s Director General, Audrey Waddell

(Information Technology), investments and joint ventures…

As High Commissioner of Pakistan (to Guyana), it would be my honest endeavour to work towards these objectives,” the Pakisanti Diplomat stated.

Meanwhile, President Granger noted that Guyana looks forward to strengthening its 50-year-old relations with Pakistan in the areas outlined by the new High Commissioner. However, he posited that Guyana is particularly interested in working with the Asian country to advance policies which will arrest the adverse effects of climate change and promote green growth.

“Guyana is moving towards the establishment of a Green State, one that would place emphasis on the protection of our environment, the preservation of our bio-diversity, promotion of energy from re-

newable sources and the adoption of practical measures to ensure climate adaptation,” he outlined.

To this end, the Head of State noted that Guyana is happy to learn that the Ministry of Climate Change in Pakistan has started a project with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency titled ‘Geomatic Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development.’

“That project encourages application of Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Geographical Positioning System (GPS) technologies in environmental monitoring and decision-making.

Guyana looks forward to learn about the application of these technologies from Pakistan,” he stated.

On the other hand, the Head of State posited that Guyana is also looking forward to joining forces with the Kingdom of Thailand

to tackle climate change.

“Guyana and Thailand both face the common threats of climate change.

Both countries are taking actions to improve climate adaptation and mitigation. The agriculture and fisheries sectors of both countries are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. We could learn from each other’s experience in building climate resilience economies,” President Granger stated.

On this note, the newly accredited Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand, Surasak Suparat, committed to deepen diplomatic ties between the two countries, which were first established some 31 years ago.

The two newly accredited diplomats are non-residence appointments and are both based in neighbouring Brazil.

8 NEWS

thursDAY, April 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Jury convicts man of raping teen A 12-member jury at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown on Wednesday found Trevon Giles guilty on one count of raping a 15-year-old girl on January 14, 2016 in the county of Demerara. For a similarly matter that was allegedly committed some three days later on the same female, the jury foreman announced a not guilty verdict.

Both jury verdicts were unanimous and returned after almost two hours of deliberation. The decisions were made after the 12-member jury heard evidence presented by a few witnesses that last several days. Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs and Tiffini Lyken appeared for the State.

Sentencing for Giles on the first count was delayed

Trevon Giles being escorted from court on Wednesday

after his attorney, Clyde Forde requested a probation report to be prepared for his client. Forde said after this is prepared, he will offer a plea in mitigation.

Giles, meanwhile, had little reaction after being found guilty. In fact, he walked out of court calmly accompanied by several Policemen who escorted him to the prisoner’s holding area.

Giles will know his fate on April 26 when a prison term is expected to be handed down by High Court Judge, Justice Jo Ann Barlow. Giles was indicted on two counts of rape of a child under 16. The Sexual Offences Court is a specialist court set aside in the Demerara district to hear cases that are listed in the Sexual Offences Act.

Mason remanded for robbery under arms

A

mason of Sophia, Greater Georgetown was on Wednesday arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to charges of robbery under arms.

The court heard that on February 25, at Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, Patrick Goodluck, being armed

with a dangerous weapon, robbed Felicity Carmichael of $50,000 and articles for a total value of $218,000. However, he denied the charge.

The prosecution objected to bail based on the seriousness of the offence. The defendant’s alleged possession of a gun was also pointed out as grounds for objection

to bail.

Goodluck’s lawyer told the court that her client was recently released from prison. The man, who was serving time for another robbery, was released on February 25. This disclosure angered the visibly upset Goodluck, resulting in him hurling a series of insults at the law-

yer for revealing to the court that he was recently released from prison. Following this episode, he pleaded with Magistrate Fabayo Azore to make his own bail application, but was denied that opportunity.

Goodluck was remanded to prison. The case will continue on May 2, 2018.

Homeless man on bail for theft

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homeless man, who claims to be a stranger to the capital city, pleaded with Magistrate Fabayo Azore for his freedom after he was arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday.

Paul McKenzie, 27, pleaded not guilty to the charge

which read that on April 7, 2018, he stole a packet of powdered milk, costing $240 and a quantity of Gillette razors valued $3803; the property of Bounty Supermarket (Regent Street branch).

The Bartica resident made his own bail application, explaining that

he is not acquainted with the city and only came to Georgetown after his family “passed out”.

McKenzie related to the court that after he came to Georgetown, a stranger took him under his wing and would rent him a push cart in order for him to make a

living. He further disclosed that he sleeps in a hammock ‘under the clock’ [Stabroek Market] and does not have any family members to help him post bail. The prosecution did not object to bail, and as such, Magistrate Azore released McKenzie on $5000 bail.

50 sugar workers injured after lorry topples

M

ore than 50 sugar workers were on Wednesday morning injured when the lorry – GRR 2574 – in which they were passengers turned over on the Zee Zight Public Road, West Coast Berbice.

The incident occurred at about 05:05h while the men were on their way to work.

At the time of the accident, there were 55 persons at the back of the lorry and the supervisor and driver in front. The crew, that forms the 6B2 gang, was on its way to bath Settlement to harvest cane.

A woman at Lot 5 Zee Zight Public Road, whose concrete fence was destroyed as a result of the impact from the lorry, said she heard a loud sound and was of the opinion that something had happed on the road.

“So I run outside and I did not expect to see the truck in my yard and so much of workers, some of them lying down and they taking out some of them; I couldn’t look at it,” she said.

Reports are that the driver was attempting to

stop the lorry when he lost control and ran off the road.

An eyewitness to the accident, Khemraj Hunt, had a good opportunity to see what transpired. He had missed his lorry and when GRR 2574 was passing, he yelled out for the driver to stop and take him along. He explained that as the driver attempted to stop, he experienced brake failure and as a result, all the wheels locked.

He said the driver also attempted to avoid hitting a parked truck laden with paddy on the road shoulder.

“After the brakes lock off, he tried to save the truck because anytime he

did hit the truck is dead all two of them in the front seat would have dead. But by the road was wet, the truck just keep on sliding and when it reach on the concrete then it turn over. I throw down the food bag and I run to assist... they start jumping out from the side of the truck,” he related.

The injured men were rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital by lorries, private cars, vans, the hospital’s ambulance and the Blairmont Estate ambulance.

Most of them were treated and sent away. However, two were admitted because of the extent of their inju-

ries.

Those admitted are Fazeem Latiff and Rashad Alli, both of Cotton Tree.

Meanwhile, after the lorry came to a halt, there was confusion.

One of the workers onboard the lorry when it turned over, Kadar Nauth, noted that he was sitting on the side of the lorry that landed on the ground, hence he was at the bottom.

So I had to relax and let them boys come out first.

“But good kick and so catch me,” he revealed.

Several other workers also gave accounts of being trapped momentarily on the tray of the lorry.

The driver of the lorry who is from the same village, was also treated and sent away after being pinned in the driver’s seat when the lorry crashed.

This is the second time the lorry turned over with workers inside.

In 2016, the said lorry turned over while transporting some workers from one field to another at Blairmont. No one was seriously injured.

Lightly grilled…

I

…Facebook boss t’s not every corporate head that gets their life story presented by Hollywood just after they hit 26! But then Mark Zuckerberg – the founder of Facebook – ain’t no ordinary Chief Executive!! He’s a larger than life figure who’s so altered the world through Facebook’s connectivity, we can’t even figure out where it’ll all end.

(The connectivity…not the world!!)

After creating what’s got to be the biggest unregulated monopoly in the history of capitalism, the baby-faced tycoon faced a Senate hearing after it was revealed that his company sold personal details of millions of users of the platform in the US. Fifty-seven million? Eighty million?? Whatever’s the final number, it doesn’t even include those plucked in other countries –including Guyana!!

The company that bought the data – its name doesn’t really matter, does it? – mined them for all sorts of purposes including voting preferences. In a nutshell, just like you start getting those ads on drill bits the moment after you look up “drills” on Google, the “data mining” companies can direct personalised information about why you should vote for their candidate. And these won’t even be “ads” – it could simply be articles from magazines you read (and most likely trust!) that take similar positions with the candidate!

Anyhow, from the moment Zuckerberg slipped into his (extra-cushioned) seat in a suit and tie rather than his trademark T-shirt, it was clear this was going to be more of a star-struck session than an interrogation.

Especially when 44 of the 50 Senators showed up – compared to the seven that served on the Watergate Pane to impeach Nixonl!! For most, it must’ve taken all their self-control not to request an autograph!! A most well-briefed Zukerberg – his speaking notes were placed on twitter! – was even told when to say “sorry”!!

The thrust of those that did want to ask some questions – and not throw powder-puffs – was to find where Zuckerberg stood on whether – for instance – Facebook ought to be regulated. And to all these (comparatively) hard questions, Zuckerberg was given a stock answer: I’m not sure…but my staff will get back to you important adults!! That’s right, the man who showed his killer instincts by going for the jugular while he was still in college – played up his baby-faced charm to the hilt. He even got a few laughs – but no threats to draft a bill to regulate the Leviathan, Facebook had become.

For what it was worth, Zuckerberg played his role so well, the market made his personal wealth increase by US$3 billion – since he eased fears about regulation.

The notorious bank robber “Baby Face Nelson” died at 26. Baby Face Zuckerberg had only started OWNING the banks by then!! …on bonus No one can say for sure where that purported US$18 million bonus – which Exxon gave to the Government for signing the biggest giveaway since Manhattan was sold for US$24 in beads and trinkets – is right now. It was supposed to be in a “special account” at the Bank of Guyana – which isn’t meant to take deposits. But now we’ve been told it’s in the Consolidated Fund where it was supposed to be in the first place. Yet we still don’t know for sure.

Be as it may, we were told the banking runaround – which appears suspiciously close to fit the description of “money laundering! – was occasioned by the specification the money was supposed to be held (“in escrow”, said the President!!) for our ICJ legal bills.

Trotman was afraid someone else may claim first dibs on it!?! Presumably, that fear has been eased? How? Anyhow, Greenidge – in charge of the ICJ matter – says the US$18 million actually allocated for the legal fees ain’t gonna be enough.

So are we gonna ask Exxon to cover the shortfall? …on private schools First it was the privately owned Berbice Bridge tolls.

And now the Government’s intervened to jawbone the privately-owned Mae’s to lower their school fees!

What’s next? Nationalising the banks to lower their interest rates?? Galloping Burnhamism?

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

News

9

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bourda stalls upgrade APNU has not reengaged to be discussed AFC as yet – Granger LGE 2018

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hairman of the A Partnership for National Unity coalition (APNU), President David Granger, has confirmed that discussions are ongoing with coalition partners as they prepare to campaign and contest the constitutionally due Local Government Elections (LGE) which are slated for yearend.

The five parties include the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Justice For All Party (JFAP), Guyana Action Party (GAP), and the National Front Alliance (NFA).

“As you know, I belong to a five-party partnership. The (Alliance For Change) AFC is one party in the coalition but I have to consult with my five parties and that consultation process has started,” he said.

The Head of State explained that the APNU has not reengaged the AFC as yet but they are aware of the comments that are being made in the media of working together for the LGE. “And we are still consulting with our partners to ensure that we come up with a way forward. “What I’m happy to say is all six partners are committed to coalition politics and this is the face we will present to the electorate at Local Government Elections later this year. So that is our objective and it is just a matter of working out the modalities,” he added.

The President has also confirmed receiving a letter from the AFC, which speaks to the elections. This comes against the backdrop of recent comments made

by AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan, who said on April 5 that the party has decided to contest the election under one ticket.

“We have made a decision

A

Bourda Street at the time it was under reconstruction

APNU Chairman David Granger

that we are going as a coalition. We have to thrash out a number of issues preferably in relation to candidacy candidates, and number of other things,” he told the press, while noting that the AFC has noticed some unfortunate development in the Georgetown municipality.

Ramjattan was referring to the attitude of APNU Councillors, including Town Clerk Royston King towards AFC members, which he claimed is “bothering us.”

The AFC Chairman indicated that statements in this regard have been made and will be officially raised through communication with APNU officials.

In mid-January, Trotman had announced the possibility of the party breaking away from the APNU for this year’s elections. The AFC leader went as far as to reveal that there was a strong opinion of body within the party that the AFC should go alone, which may have been prompted over delays with reviewing the Cummingsburg Accord.

The AFC has, of recent, come under fire for the perceived submissive role it played when it joined forces with APNU. In 2017 top leadership of the AFC had decided to revise its governing agreement with APNU.

Days later, General Secretary of the People’s National Congress (PNC), the leading party in the APNU coalition, Amna Ally, said the APNU is prepared to contest the LGE without the AFC. However, the President had hinted that contesting LGE as a coalition would have been the best option.

Meanwhile, despite several infightings among coalition members, especially at the level of the City Council, Ramjattan sought to defend both parties when he was asked to comment on the issue. He claimed that the relationship particularly at the Central Government level is cordial. “We have tremendously cordial relationship at that highest level.

I have a very good relationship with President Granger and his entire team and it’s not reflective of any kind of relationship at the bottom there as had happened in the municipality,” he explained to the media. The Minister admitted that the AFC’s Opposition to the controversial parking meter project might have resulted in APNU controlling both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor positions. Only recently, the PNC-dominated Council voted to replace AFC member Lionel Jaikarran as Deputy Mayor.

fter completing the asphaltic resurfacing of Bourda Street, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown is now hoping to sit down with vendors who ply their trade along the rehabilitated roadway to discuss the much-needed upgrading of their stalls.

This announcement was made by Town Clerk Royston King at the Council’s most recent statutory meeting.

The Town Clerk explained that since the road works were completed, the next step was to upgrade the stalls, so that the area could

have a uniform neatness.

“What we need to do now is to lift the standard and change the aesthetics of that area by allowing the vendors, particularly those people who ply their trade there, to upgrade their stalls,” King said.

King explained that the M&CC’s administration, especially those from the market department, would meet with the vendors to discuss the improvements, which would be done according to the municipality’s specifications. “We have some artistic impressions we would

like to discuss with them, a model of financing and all of that,” King further explained.

The once deplorable Bourda Street was rehabilitated in February of this year; the project was a collaborative effort between the City Council and the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

The project was met with some criticisms from vendors who were hindered from plying their trade.

However, others were happy with the work done, noting that the road was in dire need of repair.

Finance Minister caught...

His concern over the sanctions has followed that of President of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU) Lincoln Lewis who said on Tuesday that the Union was in the process of analysing the possible effects on local workers. The Rusal subsidiary, Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) currently employs over 500 persons.

According to reports, the sanctions against Rusal caused aluminium prices to surge, since all of the company’s assets under US jurisdiction are frozen. In fact, Reuters reported that as of Monday Rusal’s shares plunged as much as 41.8 per cent.

A senior management official at BCGI had said they were yet to receive information from their Moscow

from page 2

headquarters about the implications of the sanction on the local sector. The manager, however, related they were monitoring the situation since Friday, but thus far operations were progressing normally. Rusal, Reuters had reported, had said it regretted its inclusion on the US sanctions list, adding that its advisors were studying the situation.

10 news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

4 escape from NOC …1 recaptured

T

hree juvenile offenders are currently on the run after they along with another – who has since been recaptured – escaped from the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) on Saturday last.

The escapees are between the ages 16 and 17.

They are from Pamala Backdam, Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) respectively. The one who has been recaptured is from

Blueberry Hill Squatting Area, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The teens were placed at the NOC on offences of larceny, unlawful wounding, disorderly behaviour and wandering.

Reports are on Saturday last, at about 16:00h, the teens opened binding wire attached to the chain-link fence, making way for their escape out of the compound and into the backlands.

However, Guyana Times was informed that on Sunday, at about 18:10h, the NOC Administrator (acting), Parasram Singh and staff, were able to re-capture the teen from Linden along

The New Opportunity Corps in Region Two

the Airy Hall Public Road, on the Essequibo Coast.

On Monday, the teen was escorted to the Suddie Public Hospital by a Constable to be examined by medical practitioners.

Investigations are ongoing.

Prior to this report, there have been several instances where teenagers from the fa-

cility have escaped from the juvenile detention centre.

Just last month, some 10 minors committed to the institute escaped. However, it was reported that they were all recaptured.

In February last, a senior official attached the NOC was being accused of covering up several instances of sexual activity between

teens at the correctional facility and staff members of the institution.

Over the past months, several female inmates have reported that they were either forced or experienced inappropriate behaviour from two particular staff members at the facility.

Back in 2013, an investigation was launched by

the then Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry after three inmates were discovered pregnant.

The NOC houses youths between the ages of 10 and 18, after they are committed there by the courts to participate in correctional programmes lasting up to three years. (Ramona Luthi)

GPF to launch advanced inter-agency digital database …in an effort to fight crime

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s the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues in its quest to improve its service to society, quite a number of advances are being made to ensure that the necessary background information of criminals is readily available to members of the Force countrywide.

One such initiative being undertaken by the GPF includes the development of a current up-to-date digital database system, which would enable a rank in any part of the country to access the criminal history of a person.

Crime Chief Paul

Williams on Wednesday told Guyana Times that this update for the GPF is very important and will be useful to fight crime. The database being established by the Force will seek to include all Government agencies, he said.

It was explained that, “If the Police have an arrest warrant for you… and you end up now at the GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) to renew your driver’s licence, from the time they put in that [information], they would immediately be able to see that you are wanted by the Police”.

“Also if you have gone to the court and you have a criminal conviction, from the time the court makes the pronouncement and enters the information into the database, it will spread across all the relevant agencies.”

The new database being developed, he said, will also ensure that the suspect can be identified using more than one method of identification. The new methods of identification the Force is striving to include into its database include the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) number, Tax Identification Number

Crime Chief Paul Williams

(TIN) and even a person’s passport number.

The current database

system uses fingerprints, photographs and name recognition.

“If that person was never convicted or was never charged, we would have to get started, but even if we brought you in now on an investigation and we find that the investigation doesn’t reveal any criminal charges that they are not any criminal charge on record, we can keep that information, we can keep that same photograph, so that is one way how we build our database,” Williams explained.

As it relates to the cost of the database, Williams explained that there is no

specific figure as yet.

“The IT (Information Technology) Department is handling that, so they will get the figures and everything… as it is, they have various persons who will have their role to play and to comment on cost and equipment and materials and so,” he told this publication.

While giving a brief background on the project, he told Guyana Times that when the programme was in its initial stage, the Police Force only used photographs and fingerprints to identify criminals.

Businessman aiming to provide computers to visually-impaired students

A visually-impaired student utilising a specialised computer to communicate and study

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rominent business executive, Dr Leslie Chin has teamed up with his son, who is based in Canada, to establish a hub that would see them collecting and refurbishing laptop computers for the benefit of visually-impaired students in Guyana, including the blind.

The initiative would target donors both here in Guyana and in Canada.

The hub was established after it was explained to Dr

Chin, on behalf of the blind community, that being the owner of a computer was an essential component to bridge the communication gap that existed between the blind and sighted world.

It was further highlighted that the computer has made learning, research, employment, social interaction and so on, much easier for persons who were visually impaired. Prior to the advent of the Jobs Access With Speech (JAWS) software, it

was extremely difficult for persons who are visually impaired to communicate with the sighted world.

The computers received by the hub would be refurbished and equipped with the JAWS software to enable text-to-speech conversion for the benefit of the blind user. The refurbished JAWS-enabled laptops would be given mainly to persons with vision disabilities that are on the path of academic or professional development. Dr Chin and his family made the first donation of a laptop to the Guyana Society for the Blind to benefit the organisation’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Programme. The donation was made in response to the need that arose as a result of the theft of the computer system that was being used for the programme by armed bandits, who stormed the organisation’s headquarters earlier this year. Persons wishing to donate to the computer hub can call (592) 226-5551 for more information.

11 6 nabbed after foiled robbery on poultry farmer news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

The property which the six men attempted to rob

S

wift action by Police ranks of the A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) saw six bandits being nabbed after they attempted to rob a Supply, East Bank Demerara (EBD) poultry farmer.

The six men who escaped from the scene after the

failed robbery on Tuesday night at the Lot 13 Supply, EBD premises were apprehended in Grove, EBD. Reports are the business is owned by 69-year-old Michael Chang Yuen. At the time of the attempted robbery, Yuen was at home with his wife and his two sons relaxing when they heard a noise coming from outside

their house about 19:30h.

Upon checking, Yuen saw four men at the eastern door of his property.

As such, an alarm was raised, which prompted the men to quickly enter a waiting motor car, HC 4543, which was parked some distance away, and flee the scene.

However, the Police were alerted, and a roadblock was set up in the vicinity of the Grove Public Road, which saw the four men, along with two others in the said car, being captured.

A search carried out on the motor car saw the discovery of two 9 mm Glock Pistols, one with the serial number filed off, along with 22 live rounds; one Beretta Pistol with 11 live rounds, one .32 Taurus Pistol, with the serial number filed off with six live rounds; one sledgehammer, two pairs

The business owner, Michael Chang Yuen

of latex gloves, and trade plates.

The men, two of whom were previously before the courts, were all arrested and taken into Police custody.

Further investigations carried out revealed that the motor car in which they were found was stolen from a Princes Street, Georgetown

The guns, ammunition and other items found in the getaway car

resident on March 25, 2018.

When Guyana Times visited Yuen’s home, his sons were hesitant to speak; he, however, revealed that this is the second time in the last two months that bandits attempted to rob his home.

They were unable to en-

ter the property on that occasion as well. He noted that CCTV footage was handed over to the Police.

Yuen has been working in the poultry business for some 30 years.

Investigations are continuing.

Zeeburg Secondary sweeper-cleaners forced to work Easter holiday

…complain of ill-treatment by school’s head

S

weeper/cleaners attached to the Zeeburg Secondary School are now lamenting the gross mistreatment being meted out to them at the hands of the head teacher of the said educational facility.

It is being reported that they were forced to work throughout the Easter holiday season even as school was out and there was nothing to be done.

During the said period, the cleaners were placed to clean the old, condemned building which previously housed the secondary school.

According to a reliable source close to the school, clean-

ers have never worked on holidays at the establishment in the past.

However, the head teacher of the school, who reportedly is in the habit of punishing those under her authority, demanded for the first time that the cleaners report for duties during the two-week holiday period.

The source revealed to Guyana Times that after sitting for hours on a daily basis after cleaning on the old building was completed, the cleaners were then asked to carry out a general cleaning on the new school’s building even as “ they’re was nothing to do, the

school was already cleaned”.

Additionally, this newspaper was informed that the cleaners are given limited cleaning supplies, including mops, detergent, buckets etc.

Requests made by them to the head teacher for the issue to be rectified on numerous occasions reportedly went unanswered.

Several reports have been surrounding the Zeeburg Secondary School after the school received new management in 2017.

Letters of complaint written by teachers attached to the school, parents and students

have been published in a number of newspapers with one titled “Disgraceful leadership at Zeeburg Secondary School”.

In those letters, it was pointed out that parents are constantly being asked for finances for various projects which have not materialised.

It was also reported that the school is taking hard-earned money to put up cameras which

it is said cost over $900,000.

Reports are that the head teacher uses her office to run a very lucrative cook house, while at the same time demanding and squeezing monies from parents to sustain this new industry at Zeeburg Secondary School.

The transfer rate of teachers has been at an all-time high since the change of manage-

ment in 2017. The source revealed that currently, six teachers have requested a transfer from the educational establishment.

As such, calls are yet again being made for the Education Ministry to launch an investigation into these reports.

Calls made by this publication for a comment on the issue went unanswered.

12 news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unscheduled power outages

GPL, Region 2 Chairman at loggerheads

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hairman of Region Two (PomeroonS u p e n a a m ) , Devanand Ramdatt and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) are at loggerheads over unscheduled power outages in the region.

Ramdatt claimed the power company had made a commitment to inform residents of the region about scheduled power outages, but this has not been honoured. However, GPL has refuted his claim, saying residents of the region are being informed.

During an interview with Guyana Times, Public Relations Officer of the utility company, Shevion Sears, said the entity did commit to informing residents in Region Two of the scheduled power outages and this has been honoured.

Sears’ denial came following a statement from

Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt

Ramdatt, who complained bitterly of the impact of the unscheduled power outages over the past few months.

He said that GPL’s commitment to inform residents, via text message and local media (RCA TV), before the power failures, was not being

fulfilled.

Sears, however, refuted the claims of the Regional Chairman and said the power company has been informing residents of the power failures. She told this newspaper that she would provide more details, but was unreachable when this publication called for the relevant information.

Ramdatt on Wednesday again vented his frustration and disappointment over the issue which he says has been ongoing for some time now.

He informed that during a special meeting the Board of officials from the region had with the utility’s executives back in June 2017, GPL gave their word to send out the advisories of power outages; however, it was just a mere few months before the power company started “slacking off”.

GPL PRO Shevion Sears

In a much frustrated tone, the Regional Chairman stated that the past month have been the most difficult for residents in Region Two. Ramdatt said he can provide all the dates that GPL has sent advisories and alluded to the fact that as recent as Tuesday morning,

several communities were without power, and without notice.

The Regional Chairman on Monday explained that an email from Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, dated July 9, 2017, stated, ‘“I will ask GPL to provide advance notice on any load-shedding activities; on the long-term, a new set for Anna Regina has been procured already, it is expected to be on site by October; however, we have to complete ground works and other infrastructure issues before we can connect it and have it in full service; it is anticipated all to be completed

by November.”

“We are now in April 2018 and the region is still suffering from constant blackouts which is causing disruption to all GTT landline phones, GWI water flow and Internet

service, just to name a few,” the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) said in a statement on Monday.

As such, the RDC’s statement added that residents, especially the business community, are calling on the Government and GPL to speed up the process at the Anna Regina Power Plant and bring some relief to the region.

Only last week, Deputy Mayor of the town of Anna Regina, Darshan Persaud expressed his outrage at the service being offered by the power company.

In an interview, Persaud said residents in the township were complaining about the long periods of power outages, which have contributed to the loss of thousands of dollars in ice cream, chicken, meat, and other frozen foods.

Education sector requires improvement for oil industry – Deputy VC

T

eachers attached to the various institutions in Guyana, from the nursery to tertiary level, are advised to be transformational leaders to the students whom they educate.

These opinions were stated by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University

of Guyana (UG), Dr Paloma Mohamed, during her address at an educational leadership conference that was hosted by School of the Nations earlier this month.

This is amid the recent discovery, and creation of, the oil and gas sector, which is expected to

provide employment for a substantial number of persons. However, she believes Guyana does not possess the calibre of human resources required to work in those respective areas.

Furthermore, Dr Mohamed added that if there are opportunities for

Deputy VC of UG, Dr Paloma Mohamed

employment in Guyana in the future, persons from other countries who meet the qualification requirements will most likely be given the jobs.

“The oil and gas and all of the green technologies and energies that are likely to be unleashed in the country in the next two years. We will not have people at this point to really work in those areas. But in five years, 10 years we need to start thinking about how we teach people, what we are going to create them to do,” Mohamed stated.

Dr Mohammed noted that while there have been some fundamental shifts in

the way education is conveyed in the changing world; educational leaders must embrace this change and modify their techniques used in the classrooms to achieve favourable results. As such, new ideas should be formulated to suit the country and its requirements.

“The things that we say and do and teach by modelling or by propagating ideas from elsewhere are not conducive to people living in peace and unity,” she stated.

She explained that Guyanese have a different interpretation of what is expected from the oil industry.

As such, Dr Mohamed stated that from this instance, the angle from which students are taught must be modified in order for people to acquire the wider picture as there are certain technicalities that students must be taught to handle.

While focusing on the oil and gas sector, a critical component in Guyana’s economy, Dr Mohamed requested the audiences of predominantly teachers, to question their role in the development of this component of the country and the type of citizens they intend to create.

“It is our job, I believe as a nation, to ensure that kind

of education. What are we and who do we want to create? What kind of country do we want to live in? Who are we creating for the next 20 years?” the Deputy Vice Chancellor questioned.

However, while Guyana may not possess the human resources needed right now, the Deputy Vice Chancellor noted that the country’s aspiration should be towards the fulfilment of this necessity for the future, adding, “It has to be our aspiration as teachers to try to create those people to take those jobs.”

To address the improvement of this issue, a similar conference was also hosted by the Education Ministry on Monday, which saw educational leaders from the various administrative regions gaining additional information on leadership qualities.

Additionally, a five-week teachers’ training exercise will be conducted by the Limited Resources Teachers Training (LRTT) over the next months to improve the sector – from a teaching perspective – in remote areas of Guyana. The LRTT has been working in Guyana for the past three years in various areas of developmental studies.

news

International financial groups distance selves from Rusal

13

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No response from Govt on flooding compensation – NDC Chairman

…over 500 Guyanese workers in limbo

A

lthough the Russian Government has announced plans to provide Rusal with shortterm liquidity and other assistance owing to the US sanctions it is now faced with, several international financial groups have distanced themselves from the shares, bonds and metal of the aluminium giant.

Reuters has reported that shares of the company will be deleted from global equity and debt indexes while its metal will not be allowed on the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the CME Group. The company will also be deleted from FTSE Russell’s equity indexes effective from the open on April 13.

Rusal will also be excluded on April 30 from JPMorgan’s CEMBI index group of emerging market corporate bonds. Also, Bloomberg users in Europe have stopped displaying share prices of Rusal, EN+ Group and Swiss pumpmaker Sulzer, all of which are subject to the sanctions, Reuters also reported.

Rusal’s shares on the Hong Kong index have slumped by half since the sanctions were imposed on Friday and they gave up another 1.9 per cent on Wednesday.

Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev claimed that the new sanctions were an attempt to capture global markets for US companies.

On the local front, however, Government said it was monitoring developments relating to the sanctions. Rusal is one of the

Shocked

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

largest aluminium producers in the world and has operations in Guyana in the form of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI), employing over 500 persons, whose jobs could be in limbo as a result of the crash the company is facing on the international market.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said on Wednesday that it would not be easy to give an immediate analysis of the situation, but the developments were being monitored. He said the Administration was concerned as to any adverse consequences the situation may have on employment of locals.

“But at this point in time, I don’t think that either we or the company would be in a position to say ‘this is what will happen tomorrow’ as a consequence. It (the situation) will evolve,” the Minister stated.

Guyana Times spoke with a few of Rusal’s employees, who chose to remain anonymous, to see how they were affected by the issue of the sanctions.

An employee said ships could not enter at the moment, but operations were normal apart from the loading of the barges.

The employee said workers were shocked to learn of the issue as they thought the company would be shut down. However, it was explained that employees were told by management at a meeting on Wednesday that the company should not be affected by the sanctions, but was awaiting word from the parent company which should be forthcoming by April 15.

"They say is just some things got to put in place and back, we back in operation (loading of barges).

Everybody just working as per normal. Ships can't come in, so it ain’t make no sense loading the barges here...if they load the stuff and leave it there with stuff inside, the company that Rusal hire would have to pay more money. When the barge is empty, they pay less money. So they just cease the operations from loading barges. By the 15th, we're supposed to get a word to start back the operation,” employees said.

They added that in the meantime, mining was still ongoing in Aroaima. "We still hoping that by the 15th we could start back in operation. If not, I think the whole country would suffer, because we have about 700 workers here

and in the Berbice River, we don't have anything else to do. Five hundred workers can't do farming.

It would be great pressure on us so we're hoping, but in the meantime we could try to prepare."

The employee said this should serve as an eye opener for the company to ensure necessary plans were in place. Another employee attached to the company explained that while workers were currently working as per normal with the 12-hour shift, the company that usually shipped bauxite from Rusal to New Amsterdam took back the barges so that aspect of work was presently at a standstill.

Workers further explained that suppliers were refusing to do business with the company at the moment owing to the sanctions. "Right now things ain’t looking too nice," one employee said. The employee also complained about the working conditions at the company, noting that local employees were still being ill-treated, especially those attached to the Union. "If they can pay us off and go back to wherever they come from, it would be good for me," the worker said.

The US Treasury on April 6 announced sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or control, saying they were profiting from a Russian State engaged in “malign activities” around the world. These included Oleg Deripaska, Rusal, and his newly-created holding company EN+ Group.

National Indian Orchestra to be launched …series of events for Arrival Day

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he fifth day of May, which marks the anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana, and is better known as ‘Arrival Day’, is expected to be the grand launch of the Guyana National Indian Orchestra, a newly introduced style of music to Guyana.

This idea was introduced by the founder of the band, a legendary musician and recording artist, Bhaskar Sharma, who disclosed that during his trip to Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) to be part of the annual regatta, the need for this was essential and so it was organised. It is expected to feature individuals from a number of different musical groups and background in order to highlight their compositions.

According to Sharma, “We will invite all heads of

The founder of the orchestra, Bhaskar Sharma

the Hindu religious organisations in Guyana – including the Arya Samaj and also Islamic groups nationwide to participate and support this musical initiative, as we will be introducing and teaching both Hindi and Urdu to all practitioners of

this sublime art.”

The activities surrounding the orchestra will be managed and directed by Sharma, who possesses substantial knowledge as it related to music since he assisted the then Indian Cultural Centre in Corentyne, Berbice in its activities of teaching classical Indian music with the harmonium, an instrument of which he is adept.

According to the organisers, the format of the group will include the presentation of Indian classical instruments such as the harmonium, sitar, dholak, table, flute and tassa among others that are popular in Guyana and other parts of the world. Real Indian classical music will be pursued, which is known as “Shastri Sangeet” and also other contemporary rhythms of the

best Bollywood music to suit the younger generation.

Additionally, there will be a number of other genres being performed by the talented musicians.

There will be auditions opened to the general public and is targeted at individuals who possess the varying talents that are associated with the classical music being portrayed by the new orchestra. Persons who are willing to welcome the new idea can contact Bhaskar Sharma on 1-416-759-6397 or the Guyana representative Ramkissoon Singh at 592-220-7475. Meanwhile, the organisers of the series of events, which are scheduled for the latter part of this month and May, have disclosed that more details will be provided as the time winds down for the official performances.

A

Massive waves hit the Uitvlugt sea defence with blinding force

fter six weeks of awaiting their compensation, an official from one of the communities on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), which experienced flooding last month, has revealed that there has been no information forthcoming from the Ministry of the Presidency as it relates to the settlement which was promised by the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.

While speaking with Guyana Times on this matter, Uitvlugt-Tuschen Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman Vishal Ambedkar stated that since the area was visited by Minister Harmon after the flooding, there has been no communication from the Ministry.

“Nobody from the Ministry of the Presidency or the Minister of State’s office has made contact with me to update me as to what progress is required from us at this point or what we need to do in collaboration with them to compensate the residents here,” he said.

Ambedkar further added that Minister Harmon indicated that there were plans to do a joint assessment with officials from both local and central government. However, the regional bodies were neither contacted nor informed of any intention to do so after that encounter.

“When we met with the Minister of State, he said that the various levels of local and central government would do an assessment together. That has not taken place. We made our assessment before and we were not informed of any other assessment that would’ve taken place,” he said.

Additionally, all the information with regard to the assessment of losses from the residents of the affected communities was submitted to the Minister by the Geographical Representative of the area and Member of Parliament (MP), Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Despite this, they have not

received any response.

“The Ministry hasn’t fulfilled their end of the bargain. We’ve submitted all (of) the information that we had to the relevant agencies, which is the Ministry of the Presidency, and we haven’t received any response. With regard to members of the Ministry meeting with the NDC to do an assessment together with us, we haven’t had any meetings as such.”

The NDC Chairman reflected that the last time they heard from Central Government was the only time the area was visited

by Minister Harmon, approximately a week after the area was inundated by high tides that overtopped the sea defences. During that time, one of the main focuses was the sea defence structures, which were damaged in some sections.

Apart from that, there has been no communication between the two parties despite attempts to contact the Ministry.

Meanwhile, in relation to the sea defence works, only temporary mechanisms have been set in place thus far which included the placement of boulders along the sections of the seawalls which were destroyed.

Presently, efforts are still being made by the regional officials to contact Minister Harmon so as to receive an update on the intention of the Ministry to compensate the flood victims.

“We will be officially writing to the Minister for a response on this matter and reminding him of the discussions that we would’ve had. We will be writing in this regard and asking for an update and what the Ministry plans to do,” said Ambedkar.

Over the past weeks, there has been widespread outcry from persons of the communities that suffered flooding, primarily those whose livelihoods and properties were severally damaged.

14 news

thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PSC signs MoU to foster exemplary No charges for driver in Patentia accident – Police corporate governance

Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute, Denise Deonarine (right) and PSC Coordinator Ramesh Dookhoo shaking hands after signing the MoU

G

uyana’s Private Sector has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute to foster exemplary models of corporate governance in Guyana.

The MoU, which was the first of its kind to be signed, was done in Port of Spain, Trinidad on Monday last, the Private Sector said on Wednesday.

Signing the MoU was Coordinator of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) of Guyana, Ramesh Dookhoo; and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute, Denise Deonarine.

Speaking to the gathering on Monday, Dookhoo expressed his gratitude of being able to partner with the Institute. He said, “Our focus remains on addressing national issues and influencing policies that will promote socio-economic growth and development.

Corporate Governance is

one of those issues that the Commission wants to bring to the forefront. It is a must in Guyana and the Region as a whole. Fostering an even greater regard for corporate governance in practice in both the Private and Public Sectors in Guyana is critical, given our commercial trajectory and the expectations of international bodies.”

Deonarine, who expressed similar sentiments stated, “corporate governance should be a core pillar of any serious-minded organisation because it assists boards and executives alike with defining how to go about achieving this in a value-added manner. At the heart of corporate governance is the premise that organisational trust amongst current or future shareholders, international investors and talent works in tedium with corporate sustainability.

Corporate governance is more than mere compliance, it is about directorial professionalism,

strategic and entrepreneurial thinking from the top, it is in essence directing and not managing a business.”

The Institute, being one which is dedicated to foster good corporate governance within the Caribbean, has partnered with the local organisation to execute a series of events locally, with the first being a seminar, scheduled for May 23, at the Marriott Hotel.

The seminar, according to the PSC, will be themed “Leading With A Progressive Perspective”.

The feature address is expected to be delivered by international faculty member of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute and global expert of Corporate Governance, Alison Dillon Kibirige.

Additionally, in July of this year, both parties will be hosting a corporate governance seminar dedicated to family owned businesses with a focus on success planning.

The Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute is a membership-based organisation for governance professionals. It is headquartered in Trinidad.

The Institute is duly incorporated, non-profit and is self-funded.

Established in 2012, the Institute is dedicated to being a part of a solution-oriented ecosystem that fosters good corporate governance within the Caribbean region. The Institute has an objective to enhance the professional standard in all boardrooms in the Caribbean. To this end, the Institute focuses on executive education and professional programmes, co-authoring standards and guides and advocacy.

…as victim stabilises

Position of the car after several men pushed the vehicle into the road corner (Shemuel Fanfair photos)

E

ven as Police and some eyewitness accounts differed on a recent accident at Patentia Public Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD), it was on Wednesday confirmed that the taxi driver involved, 59-year-old Cyril Joseph, will not be charged.

This was disclosed by acting Guyana Police Force (GPF) Public Relations Officer, Shivpersaud Bacchus, who noted that based on statements provided and the report of investigators on site, the motorcyclist, John Walcott, 18, was at fault.

Multiple eyewitnesses said that the teenager was speeding at the time and persons familiar with the young man claimed that he was in the habit of speeding and not wearing his helmet.

According to information received, the teenager was not wearing a helmet at the time of Tuesday’s accident.

Guyana Times was told that he remained a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

On Wednesday, his condition was listed as stable, and it was also confirmed that he suffered broken bones,

avoid the collision, but to no avail.

According to the account provided by ranks attached to Wales Police Station, Joseph was proceeding north along the western side of the road while the teenager, proceeding in the opposition direction, on the eastern side “swerved” in a zigzag manner into the car’s path.

Police further noted that the car driver then swerved to the eastern side to avoid the motorcycle, after which the cyclist supposedly swerved back to the eastern side and

John Walcott’s badly damaged motorcycle

bruises and other injuries about the body.

Despite the claims of Walcott speeding, the decision to not pursue charges against Joseph follows the revelation that the HC 7212 motor car was moved by several men on the scene without Police markings.

Moments after the accident, the car was initially seen on the eastern side of the public road some feet away from solid double yellow lines.

However, the civilian team of men repositioned the car to the road corner less than one hour after the accident occurred. The second position was consistent with the Police’s account of the driver swerving into that area to

collided with the left side of the car.

However, this publication was told that Joseph was reportedly heading toward Vreed-en-Hoop when he attempted to overtake another vehicle. Information from eyewitnesses stated that it was then that Walcott’s CJ 668 motorcycle came head on into Joseph’s Toyota car.

Walcott was thrown into the air and landed some 30 feet away where blood was seen on the roadway. The teen was bleeding profusely and was picked up by the driver of a Toyota Tundra, who assisted in transporting him to hospital.

PPP condemns hike in rental, drainage fees for Region 5 farmers ….calls on Govt to withdraw increases

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he Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has strongly condemned what it describes as an “ongoing assault” against rice farmers, particularly those in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and calls on the coalition Administration to immediately scrap the increase in land rents and drainage charges.

The Party said Government should also withdraw the notices sent forthwith, especially since it “destroyed” the lucrative Venezuelan market for rice in just a few months after assuming office and has since been unable to find a suitable substitute.

According to the Opposition, the coalition then imposed Value Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural equip-

Farmers earlier in the year protesting the 600 per cent increase for land rental and drainage and irrigation services

ment, accessories and various items needed for the rice industry that were all VAT free under the PPP/Civic Administration.

The Party went on to point out that President David Granger has revoked over 50 agricultural leases issued

by the PPP/C Government to rice farmers in the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary/ Agriculture Developmental Authority Scheme (MMA/ ADA), without affording these farmers a hearing and for no apparent reason, other than that these leases were grant-

ed by the PPP/C Government.

“We represented these farmers in the High Court, which ruled that the President revocation of these leases was unlawful and unconstitutional. Not content with the destruction that they have done so far, the

MMA/ADA, upon instructions of this Government, increased land rents from $1000 per acre to $7000 per acre and drainage and irrigation charges from $2500 to $8000,” the Party said in a statement on Wednesday.

The missive further stat-

ed that a few days ago, the MMA/ADA issued hundreds of notices to rice farmers informing them that unless they pay these exorbitant increases in land rents and drainage charges, legal proceedings would be instituted against them.

Many rice farmers say that were they to pay these new charges, they would have to stop cultivating because they simply cannot afford to sustain such high increase in expenditure at this point in time, the Party said.

“Rather than assist the rice industry, as we have demanded the Government to do, they are driving more nails into the coffin of the industry. To now threaten the rice farmers with litigation is simply callous and unconscionable,” the Opposition said.

The PPP declared that it resolutely stands by rice farmers on this issue and would even defend them in the courts, if necessary.

thursDAY, April 12, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

15

The dynamic Stacey Rahaman: “Stay curious and think positive” S

tacey Natalie Dos Santos Rahaman is one half of the dynamic husbandand-wife Christa Marketing team promoting Guyana and the best of Guyana online and offline. The company provides fullservice online and offline marketing and advertising solutions.

It is also the owner

called Social Media Guyana in 2012. Visit Guyana the brand many Guyanese would be more familiar with was also started in 2012. My husband and I then joined forces (he does web design) and Chri-sta Marketing (Chris and Stacey) was born and was registered in 2014.”

She said her proudest moment (apart from having her kids) was when she saw and held the very first print edition of the “Visit Guyana: Lime, Dine and Unwind” Magazine.

personality is very much a part of her success, it is clear she is not afraid to make waves to ensure excellence is achieved.

Her biggest influence, she says, is her mother who raised Rahaman and her brother in Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara and Georgetown. “Not only was she an educator for many years, as a single mom she did many other things to supplement her income and educate my brother and I. She stayed up nights to study with us, took us to church every

of the brand Visit Guyana and publisher of the Visit Guyana and Visit Guyana Lime and Dine Magazines.

“Our objective is to achieve customer goals and to promote Guyana through creative use of modern marketing tools, media, and technology.”

With more than 100,000 followers on her Visit Guyana Facebook page and the glossy high-end publications and websites aimed at the tourism market, the former Saints girl has built an enviable brand from the ground up.

“I started freelancing when I was pregnant with my first daughter about seven years ago, but officially registered my first business (which was previously

Questioned on what was next for the business that is making Guyanese feel patriotic and proud of their country, Rahaman, whose passion and steel-invelvet-glove charm were very much evident in person, said: “Christa Marketing has always been low-key and focused mainly on social media management. We have gotten most of our clients from referrals or word of mouth. We recently expanded our portfolio to include full marketing plan development and execution and it’s been going very, very well. We plan to add new services as are requested by our clients inclusive of training. With respect to our Visit Guyana Brand, we will be releasing our new Restaurant and Food Guide in May. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet, but we are in discussions to do both a Visit Guyana Show and Radio programme.”

While Rahaman’s effervescent

Sunday. She was mom, teacher, nurse, guru, mentor to not only us but to her students as well. I honestly do not know how she managed it all.

Rahaman also draws inspiration from her children. “Kids are naturally curious and always see the good in everyone and the positive in every situation. My kids remind me daily to do both. Stay curious and think positive.”

Asked how she juggles business and family life, the 36-year-old handson mother of two responded: “Great question!... I’m still trying to figure it out, lol. On a serious note though, to stay on top of work, chores and ensuring we spend quality family time together requires everyone to pitch in. It’s a team effort. It also takes a lot of pre-planning which means I am a very organised person. I tell people I always have a list in my head.”

Market statistics

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

Calculated at 94% purity, April 11, 2018

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

USD

$1350.75

GBP

$292.06

$295.75

Gross

$254,234

CAN

$163.27

$165.16

Net

$236,438

USD

$205.98

$208.44

EURO

$254.95

$258.19

Indicators as on April 11, 2018 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$72.06

Price

USD

Change %

-1.42 Change %

Rough Rice

$281.88/ton

+0.08

London Sugar

$345.60/ton

0.00

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1352.40

$1353.40

Low/High

$1340.40

$1365.90

Change

-0.40

-0.03%

Business Concept – Speculation Deliberate assumption of above-average (but analysed, measured, and usually hedged) short-term risk of financial loss, in expectation of above-average gain from an anticipated change in prices.

Organised speculation (as conducted through commodity and stock exchanges) adds capital and liquidity to financial markets, and helps dampen wild fluctuations in prices in normal times. In times of speculative hysteria or economic/political crises, however, speculation exacerbates price swings and may swamp usual trading activity. In terms of degree of risk assumed, speculation (short-term acquisition of assets) falls between investment (long-term acquisition of assets for income and/or capital appreciation) and gambling (wagering on random outcomes without acquisition of assets).

(Business Dictionary)

Reflecting on her entrepreneurial journey thus far, Rahaman cited some of the lessons she has learnt: “1) Failure can be an opportunity to learn and improve.

2) Never burn your bridges. 3) It is important to be genuine and humble. 4) Pay success forward. 5) The saying “What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve” is completely true.”

“We have been given both the power to imagine an outcome, and the means to achieve it. I truly believe that our thoughts are powerful and go hand in hand with the kind of vibes we attract into our lives.

We have the power through thought and action to harness our desires, wishes and energies, and turn them into reality,” the Georgetown resident declared.

“Nothing comes easy and as cliché as it sounds, it’s true. Prepare to work hard, prepare to make mistakes, prepare for sleepless nights. Keep a list of your goals printed out on your mirror or where you can see them daily and never ever stop learning,” she added in sharing her advice for would-be entrepreneurs.

Rahaman, who says discipline is the most important trait of entrepreneurs, noted that to boost entrepreneurship locally, business mentoring should start from an early age. “I think schools should introduce entrepreneurial programmes which promote and foster entrepreneurial culture which encourage young people to be innovative and creative. Things like how to define your goals, how to do a business plan, ways to get financing.

That way our young people will have a mindset along the lines of “How can I create a job” rather than “where can I get a job”. Of course, programmes like these require both Private and Public Sector involvement to become a reality.”

The social-media savvy entrepreneur, whose dream mentor is Barack Obama, noted: “Success to me is being in the position to help others achieve their goals. None of us become a success without the help or influence of others and it’s important that we pay it forward.”

Contact: 678-4992/225-8816; christamarketingy@gmail.com

What’s urgent vs what’s important Presented by Rosh Khan

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he truth is that, with practically every worthwhile job or career, we can all get caught up in the "pinball syndrome". Think of a pinball machine as a metaphor for all the urgent things that demand our attention throughout the day. And while we may not feel like we're playing a game, per se, when accomplishing such tasks, we might feel attracted to (or even seduced by) the rapid pace and focus that's required to get them done. Add a small endorphin rush as we check off the next item on our to-do list, and it's easy to see how the urgent can feel gratifying, even addictive at times. The challenge is that some of the urgencies might also be important, but the allure of the game gives everything equal weight. As a result, we can end up spending time and energy on the less important.

By contrast, important things often require us to act on them. Important things are those that contribute to our values and align to our highest goals. They are intentional and long term rather than ad hoc and transitory. In almost all cases, they include important relationships.

The nature of the pinball syndrome is to confuse urgency with importance. And since organisations often reward urgent behaviours, work can provide a powerful incentive to pull the plunger back and play round after round. Of course, urgencies will come up that require our attention.

Many things are both urgent and important. The pinball game is rigged and, in the end, will eventually have its way. Despite whatever totals we've racked up on the scoreboard, or the long hours we've devoted over nights and weekends, the ball eventually slips through. Any win is temporary at best, and we're only given a small respite before the score resets and the next ball ratchets into place.

It's what we do in that moment – between reaching for the plunger and taking our hands off and stepping back – that will make all the difference.

Rather than just a to-do list, think about which activities will have the greatest impact on your relationships and the outcomes you care most about.

Consider which actions would build trust, make work easier for people, help you be more patient in your dealings with others, or create value for your customers. Try thinking about

your weekly calendar as rows of empty containers, each limited by a finite amount of space (ie, time). People who suffer from the pinball syndrome kid themselves into believing they can fit everything in – all the numerous small and urgent tasks along with the fewer, more valuable, and important ones. We tend to focus on the quick wins first, shoving as many urgent tasks into our limited containers as we can.

And although the containers are full, they're not often filled with meaningful accomplishments. But, here's the problem: Once these limited spaces fill up with urgencies, the important things naturally fall by the wayside. If we thoughtfully identify and schedule the most important things first (the priorities that require us to act on them rather than react to them), what falls by the wayside are the urgent, less important things.

And because they're less important, we won't get derailed if they don't get done right away.

Dr Rosh Khan is the President of the Masterclass Institute, an approved education and training centre for the worldrenowned FranklinCovey organisation.

16 NEWS Port Mourant residents picket NDC office thursDAY, april 12, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

By Andrew Carmichael

R

esidents of Port Mourant on Wednesday morning staged a picketing exercise calling for the removal of the Overseer of the Johns/Port Mourant Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

The situation hit crisis proportions on Tuesday after the Overseer was suspended from her duties and refused to hand over the keys making it impossible for staff to enter the office or for residents to make payments.

The NDC held its statutory meeting for the month of April on Tuesday, and the decision was taken to suspend her.

The NDC had previously suspended Boodmattie Ramnarine in 2017, but the Communities Ministry overturned the suspension. Back then, the Overseer was accused of assaulting staff members, collecting revenue and not issuing receipts, and asking vendors to lie about the issue.

A year ago, Magistrate Charlyn Artiga issued an arrest warrant for her. She was also placed before the courts for assaulting a reporter.

According to NDC Chairman Ishwar

Johns/Port Mourant NDC Overseer Boodmattie Ramnarine

Narinesammy, the NDC’s staff is of the view that the Overseer is mentally unstable.

“At the conclusion of the statutory meeting, we had a set of statements from all the staff, including market staff, and also residents.”

He pointed out that two employees of the NDC were forced to resign after being pressured by the NDC Overseer.

“The recommendation taken at the statutory meeting was to have her suspended and go and seek some psychiatric treatment, because we think she is becoming insane,” the Chairman said,

while pointing out that the Overseer’s allegedly unprofessional actions in the office and work environment did not start at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Her behaviour is abnormal and her unprofessional attitude is now becoming a regular occurrence. We have been receiving complaints from the staff about the Overseer’s unprofessional attitude.”

Guyana Times understands that a decision was taken by the NDC to have Ramnarine hand over some of the keys which she controls to the Assistant Overseer Deodat Thakoordeen some time back; however, this was never done. According to the Chairman, not only has Ramnarine refused to hand over the keys, but she has also not been carrying out some of her responsibilities in an efficient manner.

“Staff have been complaining that their wages and salaries are not being paid on time and upon checking, we found that the Overseer had not been completing her task in the preparation of pay sheets [to] get to the Region in a timely manner for them to be signed,” the NDC Chairman said from the picket line.

Guyana Foundation working to help the helpless

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he Guyana Foundation says it is committed to devising projects and initiatives that are aimed at improving the livelihoods and quality of life of the lesser fortunate and Guyanese who do not necessarily have the means to help themselves on a continuum.

As a result, keys members of the Foundation held a press conference on Tuesday in the conference room of New Thriving to discuss the meaningful contribution the Foundation has order towards the rebuilding of Guyana.

Executive members of the Canadian and Chinese embassies, and other individuals across the world, as well as locally, have stepped forward to share ideas, develop projects, and fundraising events to assist the people who are not able to assist themselves.

According to founder of the Foundation, Supriya Singh Bodden, the Foundation is a charitable trust that has been created to contribute meaningfully to the rebuilding of Guyana.

“Our mission is to release the power of people globally to assist Guyanese to transform their communities, bring fulfilment and well-being to their families, enabling them to build relationships of trust and friendship among themselves irrespective of race and beliefs,” Singh-Bodden ex-

Members of the Guyana Foundation pose for a photo after the Foundation’s conference

plained Driven by the conviction that great change can be made by people who are encouraged and supported, the Foundation has conducted large and small-scale projects across the country in an effort to restore hope and purpose, rebuild lives, and create a better future for all Guyanese.

Three recipients of the programme shared their heart-warming stories of how they were assisted and guided by the Foundation with the gathering.

One of the beneficiaries, Natavia John, 18, said before she was introduced to the Foundation, she was so frustrated that she considered suicide at one point in her life.

“I was so depressed I would usually keep to myself, nothing was happening for me and the only thing I thought about was death,” the tearful teenage said.

To develop the skills set of persons in these villages and enhance their access to economic opportunities, the Foundation offers training courses in a variety of areas, including hairdressing, pho-

tography, IT training, floral and craft, wedding planning, music lessons, leather craft, massage techniques, soap-making, catering techniques and practices, makeup artistry and more.

These programmes are offered six days a week by paid professionals from Guyana, and volunteers from around the world who wish to visit and dedicate an allotted amount of time to facilitate training workshops.

The Foundation noted that there were countries that could and were willing to help, as well as other international NGOs that can bring their resources and experience to Guyana and assist in addressing these societal ills. The religious bodies – Christian, Muslim, Hindu and others – are willing to help if they are given the right signals from these Ministries, the organisation further stated. In the meantime, the Guyana Foundation says it will continue to strengthen and expand its work in communities and is inviting citizens to go out and volunteer with the organisation.

GACC mourns death of Colin Mayers T Region 2’s Early Childhood

he Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) on Wednesday said it was saddened and shocked by the sudden and untimely passing of the Consul General of Barbados in the State of Florida, Colin S Mayers.

“The late Consul General was a true friend of the GACC and was among the main speakers at the official launch of the Chamber in February 2016. Mr Mayers was also a true son of the Caribbean, always supportive of efforts to protect and

The late Colin Mayers

advance the cause of the [Caribbean Community] Caricom Region and its Diaspora in the United States, especially in the promotion of culture, trade and investment and the game of cricket”, the Chambers said in a statement to the media.

GACC President Wesley Kirton said Mayers’ willingness to share advice, to participate in and support Caribbean activities, his vision and certainly his warm friendship will surely be missed.

Consul General Mayers

died suddenly on Friday, April 6, after suffering a massive heart attack. The GACC said his untimely passing occurred as he was preparing to be sworn in later that morning as the Dean of the Consular Corps in Florida.

“The GACC extends its heartfelt sympathy to his wife, family, the staff of the Barbados Consulate and the Barbados Community in Florida,” the statement.

The late Consul General will be buried on Saturday, April 21, in South Florida.

Electronic Single Window project in development phase

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he Electronic Single Window (ESW) project under the Business Ministry is progressing despite a few hiccups along the way. This was disclosed by Business Minister Dominic Gaskin who explained that the ESW project relies heavily on several agencies to execute the mandate of the scheme. “I do not think there has ever been a project of this type that requires different types of agencies to be involved in it.”

He noted the cooperation of various agencies is vital to the project’s success, especially since it allows access to an electronic platform, through which they can conduct numerous types of transactions.

The ESW is mainly trad-

ed facilitation; as such it would involve the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) as the major stakeholder.

It will also involve other licensing agencies and agencies that endorse permits or import and export licenses, among others.

However, Minister Gaskin indicated that a number of agencies have not yet begun the digitisation process, which poses some challenges in electronic information sharing.

Nevertheless, the Minister noted there are other agencies indicating “readiness” towards the project.

The ESW project is one that will be loan funded, and the Business Ministry is hoping the funds will be approved by the end of 2018.

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin

Minister Gaskin said once the loan is approved “it will speed up the process”.

On February 21, the Business Ministry in collaboration with the Inter-

American Development Bank hosted the first ESW workshop with public and private stakeholders at the Pegasus Hotel, with the focus of “Developing a Roadmap to Electronic Single Window in Guyana”.

The workshop aimed at identifying and analysing conceptual models and challenges for the implementation and global practices for the development of the ESW in Guyana.

The Electronic Single Window aims to expedite and simplify information flows between trade participants and the Government, by bringing meaningful gains to all parties involved in the domestic and cross-border trade.

Centres to be commissioned soon

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wo Early Childhood Development Centres in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are to be commissioned this month. The facilities are stationed at Suddie and Dartmouth.

This was made possible through a collaborative effort between the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and the office of Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment Unit (PAYEU). The contract was awarded to Builder’s Hardware and General Supplies at a cost of $32,655,130 and was part of several projects signed under the seventh BNTF programme.

Regional Executive Officer (REO), Rupert Hopkinson said the centres are “a wonderful initiative that will not only help with the development of the children as they aim to meet their full potential but the development of the country.” According to the REO, these centres will provide training for unemployed and underemployed youths in the region.

Hopkinson disclosed that Finance Minister Winston Jordan; junior Minister Jaipaul Sharma; Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment

Regional Executive Officer (REO), Rupert Hopkinson

Aubrey Norton; and Chairman of BNTF oversight entity, Bernard Lord; among other Government officials will be attending the official commissioning ceremony of the centres at Dartmouth.

Last year, the Ministry of the Presidency through the Office of the First Lady, and the Ministry of Social Protection facilitated an early childhood development workshop for 38 women. The aim was to provide the stakeholders with basic information and skills in early childhood development and nurturing care practices for the growth and development of young children.

thursDAY, april 12, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Algeria military plane crash: 257 dead near Algiers

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n Algerian military plane has crashed near the capital killing 257 people on board, officials say.

The aircraft came down just after taking off from Boufarik military airport, west of Algiers.

An inquiry is under way into the cause of the crash – Algeria's worst-ever air disaster. The Government has declared three days of national mourning.

Most of the dead are army personnel and their families, the Defence Ministry says. Ten crew members also died.

Passengers from Western Sahara, a disputed territory annexed by Morocco after Spain withdrew in 1975, were among the fatalities.

The Polisario Front, which is seeking independence for the territory and is backed by Algeria, says 30 Western Saharans, including women and children, died. A senior member of Algeria's ruling FLN party said those killed included 26 Polisario members.

Footage of the crash was broadcast on Algerian TV

The plane, an Ilyushin Il-76, was travelling to Bechar and Tindouf in the south-west of the country.

The Tindouf region, which borders Western Sahara, is home to refugee camps and serves as a base for the Polisario Front.

As one might expect in the immediate aftermath of such incidents, there

are more questions than answers over this latest deadly plane crash in Algeria.

For now, it is not known whether the cause was due to safety or mechanical problems, pilot error or interference – but these are elements that will likely be examined during the course of the investigation. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20 dead in attempted breakout from Brazil prison

Trump tells Russia to “get ready” for Syria missile attacks

U

S President Donald Trump told Russia in an early morning tweet to prepare for "nice and new and 'smart!'" missile attacks in Syria after an alleged gas attack on the last rebel stronghold in the country.

The tweet came after the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon said in an interview on Tuesday with Hezbollahowned al-Manar TV that "if there is a US missile attack, we – in line with both Putin and Russia's chief of staff's remarks – will shoot down US rockets and even the sources that launched the missiles".

Trump further chided Russia for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Wednesday's tweet, saying it "shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his

people and enjoys it!"

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded to Trump's tweet saying: "Smart missiles should fly towards terrorists, not [Syria's] lawful government, which has spent several years fighting against international terrorism on its territory."

The warnings come as the United States and several European countries threatened to use military action against the Syrian Government and its main ally, Russia, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town of Douma.

Saturday's attack in Eastern Ghouta has killed dozens of people, mostly women and children, according to activists and local medics. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Nicaragua fires: aid from Costa Rica rejected as blaze destroys rainforest

At left is the entrance of the Santa Izabel prison complex. Prison guards took on attackers from both inside and outside the prison

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number of inmates at a jail in the northern Brazilian city of Belem have died during an attempted mass breakout.

They were aided by an armed group outside the jail which used explosives against one of the prison walls. One guard died, as well as 19 prisoners and those helping them from outside.

The fighting at the Santa Izabel Prison Complex outside Para’s state capital had been as intense as in warfare, the state security service said in a statement.

Four other guards were injured, including one seriously.

The security service said the prison guards took on attackers from both in-

side and outside the prison.

The authorities are now trying to determine if any of the prisoners managed to escape.

Last year 56 people were killed in an uprising in a prison in the city of Manaus in Brazil’s Amazon region. (BBC

News)

International community ramps up action on Venezuela crisis

Venezuelans arrive in Pacaraima, Brazil's border city with Venezuela, and wait at the office of Federal Police, the entity responsible for receiving Venezuelans seeking asylum or special stay permits in Brazil

O

ne year into the most recent series of protests and a humanitarian crisis with no end in sight, international groups have called for action to help protect Venezuelans.

A complex political and economic crisis in Venezuela has left millions without access to basic services and resources, prompting UN agencies and human rights groups like Human Rights

Watch to speak up and urge action.

The campaign, launched ahead of the Summit of the Americas where world leaders will discuss the situation in Venezuela, asks the public to tweet at Latin American presidents to confront Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro about Government abuses.

Such abuses include the suppression of dissent as

Government critics are often arbitarily detained and prosecuted in military tribunals.

An estimated 700 civilians have been prosecuted in military courts for offenses such as rebellion and treason.

Meanwhile, Venezuela has been facing a severe economic crisis since global oil prices plummeted in 2014.

The South American nation now has the highest inflation rate in the world which now

exceeds 6000 per cent, making it nearly impossible for Venezuelans to access medicine and food and causing a health crisis.

Over 80 per cent of the country now lives in poverty. Driven by the lack of access to basic services as well as political tensions, almost two million Venezuelans have left the country, causing the humanitarian crisis to spill over. In order to implement its regional response plan, UNCHR made an appeal of US$46 million to donors. So far, it is only four per cent funded.

Similarly, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) launched a regional action plan to strengthen response to the large-scale of flows of Venezuelans.

The upcoming presidential vote in May in Venezuela could determine the future of the country and its citizens.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Soldiers fight a forest fire at the Indio Maíz biological reserve, near the community of San Juan de Nicaragua

F

ires have raged in one of Nicaragua’s most important protected areas of tropical forest for more than a week, but the government has rejected an offer of assistance from neighbouring Costa Rica.

A sudden rain shower on Tuesday offered some hope that the blaze in the Indio Maíz biological reserve on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast could be contained, but environmentalists in the Central American country have called on the government to appeal for international help after the fires consumed more than 5000 hectares (12,400 acres) of tropical rainforest.

Jaime Incer Barquero, a prominent Nicaraguan environmentalist, told the newspaper La Prensa that the fire was possibly “the most dramatic ecological disaster ever experienced

by Nicaragua” because it had struck such a delicate ecosystem.

Earlier this week, Costa

Rica dispatched a team of firefighters – equipped with trucks, pumps and drones – to its northern border with Nicaragua, but they were turned away, the Costa Rica Government said in a statement.A Mexican air force helicopter equipped for fighting fires has been allowed to operate in the affected area, and Nicaraguan officials say at least 800 soldiers have been dispatched. The Nicaraguan government says fires have charred 3,585 hectares in the reserve, but environmentalists warned the figure was likely to be much higher.

The official response to the fires has drawn criticism, however, as Nicaragua lacks the expertise and specialised equipment to extinguish the fires in the reserve.

Incer Barquero said his country should appeal for help from neighbouring countries with firefighting helicopters. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURsDAY, april 12, 2018

ARCHIE

Listen to what others say, but don’t share your personal (March 21opinions. It’s best not to make April 19) unnecessary changes or upset the applecart without good reason. Keep the peace.

ARIES

Make minor changes to TAURUS your image and you’ll receive (April 20- compliments. Help and faMay 20) vours will be granted. Love and romance will lead to a closer connection to someone special.

dilbert

Emotional deception can GEMINI (May 21- be expected to surface when June 20) dealing with people from your past. You are best off letting go of people or situations that have created havoc in your life.

A change will do you good, but first do some research or (June 21- simply make observations.

July 22) Socializing will lead to an interesting encounter, and romance is highlighted.

CANCER

Peanuts

Look over legal and fiLEO nancial documents and make (July 23- sure you have everything in Aug. 22) order. A mistake could end up costing you. Don’t be giving out more than you’re getting back.

Calvin and Hobbes

An unusual event will VIRGO open up new possibilities. A (Aug. 23chance to team up with someSept. 22) one quite different from you will broaden your outlook and teach you to be accepting and tolerant of others.

Look for ways to improve LIBRA your surroundings and do(Sept. 23Oct. 23) mestic environment. Get rid of things you no longer use so you can have more space to enjoy with your friends or loved ones.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — INTAGLIO (INTAGLIO: in-TAL-yo: An incised or engraved design.)

SUDOKU

Be careful how much SAGITTARIUS you share with your peers, (Nov. 23friends or relatives. You will Dec. 21) be judged by what you do and should take measures to avoid being gossiped about.

Average mark 35 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 46 or more words in INTAGLIO? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — RELIQUARY rail rale rare rarely real rear relay rely rile rule

ruler rural earl early equal lair layer liar lieu lira

lire lure lyre quail quale quarrel quarry quay query quire

Expand your interests SCORPIO and make changes to how or (Oct. 24where you live that will betNov. 22) ter suit the goals you want to achieve. Be your own master and follow your dream.

urea aery airy aril yare year yule

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

solution

Make adjustments at CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- home that are conducive to Jan. 19) something you enjoy doing.

Personal improvements will turn out well, as long as you refuse to let anyone meddle in your affairs.

Don’t fall for someone’s AQUARIUS fancy talk or a friendly ges(Jan. 20- ture. Look past all the fluff Feb. 19) and hype coming your way and you’ll avoid getting involved in something unsavoury.

You’ll see things clearly PISCES (Feb. 20- and should base your opinMarch 20) ions and decisions on what you discover, not on what someone else tries to lead you to believe. Trust in yourself.

thursDAY, april 12, 2018

19

Draughts team soars in Trinidad

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two-man Draughts team from Guyana defeated Taylors’ Draughts club in Trinidad; Taylors' club is the top club in the twin island with outstanding National Players. The game was played on Friday at the Rock N Sanctuary Sports club, Felicity Chaguanas Trinidad.

The two Guyanese Jiaram and Khemraj Pooranmall used their mental faculties to edge passed their strong opponents.

In the first round Pooranmall drew with Nicholas Ramsundar; Nicholas was a former youth champion and ranking fifth in Trinidad and Tobago. Khemraj also drew with Madhoo and then defeated Kurt. On the other hand Jiaram lost to Nicholas Ramsundar, Kurt and Madhoo in succession placing the Guyanese at a grave disadvantage. After the first round Trinidad took a commanding lead with an 8 - 4 points lead over the Guyanese.

In round two the successful Pooranmall drew with Kassim them he defeated J. Father and Bickie. He was beaten by Joshua in his final game. Seeing this was not enough to give Guyana a victory the invulnerable Jiaram defeated the 18 year- old youth champion Joshua who had just

Rufus Foster hands the trophy to Jiaram with Khemraj Pooranmall alongside

Blairmont, DCC to lock horns in T20 bash on Friday

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lairmont Blazers and the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) will contest a friendly Twenty20 showdown under lights on Friday in Queenstown from 19:00h.

The Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) are the organizers of this hardball match which is sponsored by Trophy Stall, Citi Mall, Rohan Auto Spares of Mahaica and #64 Village Corentyne, Motor Trend of Enmore and Steve’s Jewellery.

The organisers indicated that admission is free to the event which will have live entertainment and commentary.

Blairmont Blazers have already announced their squad which includes Shabeer Baksh (Captain), Kevon Jawahir, Zameer Inshan, Martin Singh, Keon Dejesus, Javed Karim, Parmanand Ramdhan, Derrick McCalmon, Avishkar Sewkarran, Suresh Dhanai, Kassim Khan, Artley Bailey, Alex Algoo, and Wakar Hassan.

DCC squad reads: Christopher Barnwell (Captain), Raymond Perez, Sherfane Rutherford, Tevin Imlach, Ashmead Nedd, Steven Sankar, Nkosie Beaton, Carlton Jacques, Jaron Byron, Joshua Persaud, Sagar Hetheramani, Alphius Bookie, Qumar Torrington, Tameshwar Permaul and Samuel Quallis.

Meanwhile, the GFSCA hosts another match up that will feature a Suriname Select X1 going head-to--head with Floodlights X1 in a 20/20 match on April 20.

defeated Jiaram's team mate Khemraj Pooranmall. Jiaram stroked Joshua to the King Check demonstrating the casualties than can be inflicted by the wise old owl.

Jiaram then defeated J. Fathers and another two point from Ajai to put the final nail to the coffin before losing his final game to Kassim.

In that round Guyana ended with a massive lead over the host’s, 11 - 5 points. The final count saw having Guyana 15 points compared to Taylors' Draughts Club 13 points.

The two Guyanese also used their six days stay in that country to interact and play with other players gaining new strategies and tremendous experience. The two players witnessed the final round in the National Playoff in the Pan American qualifiers. They were introduced to the National players by tournament organizer Mr. Peter Ramsundar. Pan American Draughts is scheduled to be played in Curacao from June 2 – 10.

The National Draughts Association in Guyana is an invitee to that event. At the end of the Playoff, Jairam who is also the President of the National Draughts Association addressed

the players. He reiterated the need for Government involvement to contribute monetary, at least airfares for these bigger games. He said that Draughts is a mind game which helps to develop the mental faculties of someone especially the youths.

He called on the President and vice President of the Pan American Draughts Federation to escalate this subject at the CARICOM level if needs be. Jiaram also commended the Trinidad players for their high playing level at this game.

Notable persons present at this session were Dicksen Maughn who is an eight times Trinidad and Tobago National Champion and Master as recognized by the World Draughts Federation, Andy Charles present National Champion and high rated Pan American Player and Rufus Foster Vice President Pan American Federation.

On Tuesday Peter Ramsundar arranged a short meeting between Jiaram and Foster at his office on the way forward for the Draughts Association in Guyana and their entry into the Pan American Draughts. Foster also donated one board and pieces to the Guyana Draughts head.

GGRA/IPSC Level 2 Open Pistol Championships

“Top gun” cops C-Class gold G

uyana’s most active Smallbore shooter on the international stage Harold ‘Top gun’ Hopkinson has continued to fly the Golden Arrowhead with great success having won gold in the ‘C’ Class at the Grenada Gun and Rifle Association (GGRA), IPSC Level 2 Open Pistol Championship held in the Spice Isle on Sunday.

The 63 year-old Hopkinson who is also the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Regional Director informed that the competition against younger shooters was intense but he was able to maintain accuracy during the seven stage shoot to come out with ‘C’ Class gold.

Hopkinson’s winning weapon was his 9mm/ CZ Shadow 2 which was used for the first time in Grenada last year June when he won the ‘B’ Class of their Second Annual Six Stage, Level 2 IPSC competition.

“It was a very competitive shoot and despite a few blunders on my part I was able to prevail over the younger physical shooters. I relied on my accuracy, they were faster but I was more accurate.”

Competitors from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the host national also participated. The Stages competed were Keep Moving, Rapid Fire, Reverse Classifier 41, Swing Meets Swinger, CLC 65, Cradle to Heaven and Forest Monkey 11.

Hopkinson who competed in March in the Open Division at the Amazon Level 3 Shoot held in Suriname will next compete at the Tobago IPSC All Steel competition.

He is extending gratitude to acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine DSM, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia A.A and Tricia Fiedkou of Connections Travel.

Harold ‘Top gun’ Hopkinson

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, april 12, 2018

GCB/Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-County…

Yadram, Nedd leave U-17s staring at massive defeat – Algoo smashes ton in Berbice’s triumph

By Akeem Greene

T

he National Under-17 Select team has an uphill task of saving face on the final day of their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB),Hand-inHand Insurance sponsored Under-19 Inter- County match against Demerara after ending Wednesday’s play in need of 289 to make the defending champions bat again.

The under-17s conceded a heavy deficit after Windies Under-19 left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd rebounded from a tardy opening spell to find his wicket-taking grove and unravel the middle-order.

Nedd snatched 5-38 from 14 overs while off-spinner Nkosie Beaton accounted for 3-20 in his 11-over spell which ensured the U-17s only managed 180 in response to Demerara’s mammoth first innings total of 489-8 declared.

Opting to impose the follow-on, the U-17s reached 11-1 at stumps with marque batsman and captain Sachin Singh back in the hut after being trapped leg before to the off-spin of Dwain Dick for just 10; Navendra Persaud is unbeaten on one while Andrew Samaroo is yet to score.

Their first innings be-

Man of the Match, Alex Algoo collects his award from GCB’s PRO Andy Ramnarine

gan with Singh and Persaud showing great grit to fend-off a steamy Qumar Torrington who peppered the duo with some shortpitched bowling. Singh, an elegant left-hander who is

known for his flamboyant drives, kept his bat close to his pad, only playing under his eyes and rotating the strike spritely.

The tactic certainly frustrated the fielding

unit and the small audience much of whom are relatives of the players felt he was in for a long haul, reaching 47 at lunch.

Singh, capitalised on some loose bowling by Nedd early in his spell crashing him through cover for boundaries on the lush Everest greens. The spinner could have had his club mate before the interval but wicket-keeper Adrian Hinds missed a thin deflection.

The skipper shruggedoff the lapse in concentration and continue his assault smashing 7 fours and 2 sixes in his attractive 60 which had a century written all over it until Hinds made amends off the bowling of Nedd.

After the first dismal at 74, it became a procession as Persaud who weathered the early storm failed to progress, falling for just 13.

The next meaningful fight came off the bat of Yeudistir Persaud with a score of 48 (6x4s) and what looked to be a promising fight, ended in 68 overs. *300-man Yadram* The tale of the first session was young batting prodigy Bhaskar Yadram progressing from his overnight total of 260 to reach 301 not out. The innings was a monumental record-breaking feat, eras-

ing Leon Johnson’s 193 for Demerara against Essequibo at Bourda in 2004.

The 18 year-old’s stats were astounding as the triple figure score came off 252 balls for which he spent over four and half hours at the crease, smashing 28 fours and 17 sixes.

Speaking to Guyana Times Sport after the majestic knock he expressed great delight in being able to achieve such a score and this level, one which he plans on cherishing for a life-time. The right-hander who braved through the pain of an ankle injury further revealed he was still hungry for an even bigger score. Play continues today from 10:00h.

Over at the Lusignan Community Centre ground, Berbice defeated Essequibo by nine wickets chasing just four runs for victory. Berbice resumed from their overnight first innings total of 149 and reached 222 all out from 84.5 overs.

Opening batsman Alex Algoo top moved his overnight score 83 to 111 and gained support Kevlon Anderson (35) and Javid Karim (15).

Essequibo who were routed for 80 in their first innings, showed greater

Indian Premier League 2018…

Royals win rain-affected homecoming R

ajasthan Royals claimed a 10-run Duckworth-Lewis Indian Premier League win over Delhi Daredevils in the early hours of Thursday morning on their long-awaited return to for-

tress Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

The Royals, back in the IPL after a two-year ban, had not played at the Jaipur venue since 2013 and they made up for lost time in a rain-affected encounter to

SCOREBOARD

Rajasthan Royals Innings (17.5 overs maximum) A Rahane (c) c Morris b Nadeem 45 D Short run out (Shankar) 6 B Stokes c †Pant b Boult 16 S Samson b Nadeem 37 J Buttler † b Mohammed Shami 29 R Tripathi not out 15 K Gowtham not out 2 Extras (lb 1, w 2) 3 Total (5 wickets;17.5 Overs) 153 Did not bat: S Gopal, DS Kulkarni, JD Unadkat, B Laughlin Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Short, 1.2 ov), 2-28 (Stokes, 4.1 ov), 3-90 (Samson, 10.6 ov), 4-112 (Rahane, 13.4 ov), 5-150 (Buttler, 17.4 ov) Bowling: Boult 3-0-261, Nadeem 4-0-34-2, Morris 3-0-34-0, Shami 3.5-029-1, Tewatia 4-0-29-0

Delhi Daredevils Innings (target: 71 runs from 6 overs) G Maxwell c †Buttler b Laughlin 17 C Munro run out (†Buttler/ Gowtham) 0 R Pant † c Gowtham b Unadkat 20 C Morris not out 17 V Shankar c Stokes b Laughlin 3 S Iyer not out 0 Extras (lb 2, w 1) 3 Total (4 wickets; 6 Overs) 60 Did not bat: G Gambhir (c), R Tewatia, S Nadeem, TA Boult, Mohammed Shami Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Munro, 0.1 ov), 2-34 (Maxwell, 3.4 ov), 3-46 (Pant, 4.6 ov), 4-50 (Shankar, 5.4 ov) Bowling: Gowtham 1-0-10-0, Kulkarni 1-0-4-0, Unadkat 2-0-24-1, Laughlin 2-0-20-2

claim their first victory of the season.

Captain Ajinkya Rahane top scored with 45 in a Royals innings which was cut short due to the weather when they were 153-5 after 17.5 overs.

The Daredevils, who had also lost their first game of the season, were set 71 to win from six overs after a lengthy delay.

But they could only muster 60-4 in a frantic run chase, Ben Laughlin taking 2-20 in a contest which ended after midnight.

Deja vu for Stokes, D’arcy caught short

Trent Boult dismissed Ben Stokes twice in New Zealand’s recent Test series triumph over England and he got rid of the all-rounder again with a beauty.

Big-money signing Stokes, batting at number three, slapped Chris Morris for six over square leg in the previous over, but nibbled

the Black Caps left-armer behind to fall for just 16.

D’Arcy Short was dismissed for single figures for the second time in as many innings, the Australia opener trudging off after he was run out by Vijay Shankar well short of his ground.

Nadeem takes his chance

Shahbaz Nadeem came into the Delhi side at the expense of Amit Mishra, who conceded 46 off his four overs in the Daredevils’ loss to Kings XI Punjab on Sunday.

Mishra might have to wait for a recall after Shahbaz took 2-34, removing Rahane and Sanju Samson (37 from 22 balls) when they were well set.

Rahane has scored more runs against the Daredevils than any other IPL side - averaging 63.20 before this match - and struck five boundaries in a 40-ball knock before departing in the 14th over with his side

112-4.

Woe for Munro, Laughlin strikes

Colin Munro is capable of producing the sort of fireworks Delhi needed but he was run out without facing a ball.

Munro set off for a run from the first ball of the innings, but Glenn Maxwell sent him back and the New Zealander was unable to get back in time.

Laughlin took the big wicket of Maxwell, who missed Delhi’s first game to attend Aaron Finch’s wedding, the all-rounder edging his fellow Australian behind for 17.

Morris smashed a quickfire 17 from seven deliveries, but the Daredevils never really looked like getting home. (Sportsmax) Sanju Samson punches the ball down the ground (BCCI)

Let it sink in! Bhaskar Yadram savours reaching 300 on Wednesday at the Everest Cricket Club ground

fight with the bat to make 145 all out on their second outing due top-scoring knocks by Joshua Jones (39) and Quintin Sampson (27); Kurt Lovell made 22.

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Secretary of Everest Cricket Club, Satyendra Khemraj (standing at front at right) hands over the winning trophy to Rajesh Singh. Man of the Match Robert Perreira is second from right

he visiting Barbadian side, Maxwell Sports Club was completely outplayed when they ran into Everest Cricket Club Masters on Friday at the Everest ground.

The visitors won the toss in the feature 25-overs a side match and were kept at bay by steady Everest Masters bowling and fielding. The pitch played in typical fashion but the Barbadian batsmen were unable to get the ball away on the slow track. After the allotment of 25 overs, they were 60 for

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7 with captain Glenfield Griffith (13) and low-order batsman Orville Riley (13 not out) were the only batsmen in double figures.

Everest Masters captain, Rajesh Singh was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 12 from five economical overs.

In reply, the hosts used just 10 of their overs to reach 65 for 3 to win by seven wickets with 15 overs to spare.

Man of the Match, Robert Perreira carried his bat for the top score of 22 (4x4) while Ramesh Narine made 11 and

Ucil Armstrong, who finished the game with a huge six that landed close to the seawall, finished on eight not out. Offspinner, Terry Odle grabbed 2 for 13 in a losing cause for Maxwell Sports Club who was on a week-long tour of Guyana.

Trophies for the match were donated by Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall on South road, Bourda.

Packed cycling programme this weekend

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21

ational coach Hassan Mohammed is set to get back into action with cycling this weekend as the 14th edition of the Universal Auto sales 11-race programme and the 8th annual Powerade 46-mile Road Race will be contested.

On Saturday at the inner-circuit of the National Park will come alive with the Universal Auto Sales and General Supplies sponsored event set to pedal off at 9:00 hrs.

Expected to be on the programme are the 12-14 boys and girls 3-lap event,

Juveniles 5-lap showdown, Veterans and mountain bikes and the feature 35-lap race.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the race set to pedal off at 8 hours 30 with the likes of Micheal Anthony, the inform Hamza Eastman, Orville Hinds and Christopher Griffith in the platoon.

Jamal John is also expected to defend his title since he won the 2017 title in a time of one hour 57 minutes and 16 seconds.

Fishermen gather big haul against Regal Masters For the second consecutive week, Fishermen Masters beat Regal Masters in the final of a softball competition.

Last Sunday at the Everest Cricket Club, Fishermen beat Regal Masters by the wide margin of 90 runs in the final of a four-team softball extravaganza that was organized by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc and sponsored by The Trophy Stall of Bourda Market.

Fishermen had first strike and clobbered their way to 220 for 3 off of their 20 overs with Man of the Match, Robert Mohan blasting 116 not out with six fours and 12 sixes. He got useful support from Unis Yusuf with 41 (6x4; 2x6).

The Regal Masters bowlers were roughed up but Parsram “Pacer” Persaud picked up 2 for 47 while David Harper bowled very quickly but finished wicket less but conceded just 15 runs from his four high intensity

The victorious Fishermen XI with their spoils at the Everest Cricket Club Ground last Sunday

overs.

In reply, the more fancied Regal Masters lost wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bowled out for 130 in 16.1 overs falling short by 90 runs.

The hard hitting, Rudolph Baker top scored with 25 with four sixes but was not given

the support at the other end as the required run rate kept climbing with the fall of every wicket. Parsram Persaud came back with the bat to hit 24 (2x4; 1x6) while Pooran Singh was the pick of the Fishermen Masters bowlers with 3 for 39.

Ramo Malone supported with 2 for 16.

Just a week earlier, Fishermen beat Regal Masters by 12 runs at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground to win the four-team competition that was also organized by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc after Unis Yusuf lead the way with a fine century and a three-wicket haul.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, april 12, 2018

Commonwealth Games 2018...

Another topsy-turvy day for Table Tennis – Doris qualifies for Triple Jump final Round of 64 of the Men’s singles, Badminton star Narayan Ramdhani who is based in Canada on a scholarship lost to a Canadian.

Jason Ho-Shue won 2-0 as the games went 21-7 and 21-10 and lasted just ten minutes in the round-of-32 category.

Shemar Britton

fullbore shooting even a flawless day can see you down the grid and this was exactly the scenario with Guyanese Lennox Braithwaite who did not drop a single point on day one of the Queen's Prize Individual Finals.

Athletics

I

The Guyanese shooting team Down Under, from right: Lennox Braithwaite, Paul Slowe and Ransford Goodluck

t was again joy and heart-break for some of members of the National Table Tennis team at the XXI Commonwealth Games being held in Australia.

The promising duo of Shemar Britton and Priscilla Greaves saw the pendulum swing both ways in the Mixed Doubles. They defeated Vanuatu’s Priscilla Tommy and Ham Lulu 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, & 11-6) in the round-of-64, however, in the round-of-32 they lost to Singapore’s Shao Poh and Lin Ye in straight sets (4-11, 2-11 & 5-11).

Trenace

Britton for their roundof-32 tie against India’s Harmeet Desai and Sanil Shetty 6-11, 5-11 & 7-11.

Cummings and Nigel Bryan suffered a similar faith to Trinidad and Tobago’s Rheann Chung and Dexter St. Louis (1012, 4-11 & 5-11).

Olympian Troy Doris with a leap of 16.33m qualified for the Triple Jump final on Saturday after finishing second to Dominica’s Y o r d a n y s Garcia who leaped 16.75m on Wednesday e v e n i n g .

Heading into the event, Doris stood a strong chance of making the final cut and possibly medalling given he had a Season Best of 16.80m.

Rifle Shooting

In the sport of

T h e leading Caribbean marksman, shot possible at the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges 35:2, 35:5, 35:3 for a total of 105:10 and even w i t h

Badminton

A f t e r steamrolling Saint Helena’s Vernon Smeed in t h e Troy Doris

Lowe and Christopher Franklin went down to the host’s Trent Carter and Tracy Feng 4-11, 8-11 and 9-11 in the mixed doubles.

Today, Lowe partners with Natalie Cummings to play Singapore’s Tianwei Feng / Mengyu Yu. Franklin partnering with

Priscilla Greaves

such a performance ended the day in 8th place as seven other shooters also fired possible at each of the ranges but had more Vs. Braithwaite’s partner in the Pairs competition where Guyana

ende d 11th of the sixteen competing nations and the top Caribbean country, Ransford Goodluck dropped 4 points and will go into today’s second day in the 25th place.

At the three ranges, Goodluck posted scores of 33:4, 34:0, 34:2 for a total of 101:6. In the top spot is Australia’s Jim Bailey (105:15) followed by New Zealand’s John Snowden (105:14) and Brian Carter (105:14) in 2nd and 3rd, David Luckman of England (105:13), Ben Emms of Australia (105:13), Jersey’s Barry Le Cheminant (105:12), Parag Patel of England (105:12) just ahead of Braithwaite.

Young Barbadian shooter Jason Wood is 23rd (102:4) two spots ahead of Goodluck. Jamaican Denis Nelson is 26th (99:6), Delborn Joseph of Trinidad and Tobago is next (98:7), Barbadian Richard Arthur (96:1) in 28th, Jamaican David Rickman (95:2) 30th, T&T’s Michael Perez (94:5) 31st with the Antigua and Barbuda duo of Desroy Maile (92:3) and Edworth Benjamin (85:4) in the 32nd and 33rd positions.

Braithwaite would be aiming to replicate Wednesday’s performance today while Goodluck will seek to emulate his countryman when they aim from the same 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges. Tomorrow would be a practice day and dress rehearsal for Saturday’s final two ranges, 900 and 1000.

V-Net 10/10 hits Golden Fleece on April 28 O Safraz Sherifudeen will be eyeing some more big hits come April 28 at the Golden Fleece ground

rganised by the New Opportunity Core (NOC) Sports Club, the V-Net Communications sponsored Super 10 Cricket Competition will bring a wealth of stars from the Cinderella County on April 28 at the Golden Fleece ground.

V-Net who brandishes themselves as the “home of Satellite Communications in Guyana” at their 25 Delph Street Campbellville location, will be sending their V-Net Vipers to compete. The Vipers unit will be led by lanky fast-bowler Siddiq Mohamed and much will be expected from the likes of Kemol Savoury , Kevon Boodie, Raun Johnson

Anthony Adams and star batsman Safraz Sherifudeen, who, if gets going can certainly provide some fireworks for his large Wakenaam following.

It is understood a South All-Star team and one possibly from Leguan will be in the mix. The organisers assured there will be a minimal of four teams.

Based on information reaching this publication only trophies and the long-lasting bragging rights are up for grabs currently but the organisers explained they are working assiduously to have some lucrative cash prizes for players. Match time is 09:00h.

thursDAY, april 12, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

23

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

Tanveer feels “it’s time to deliver a title” for Guyana

L

eft-arm seamer Sohail Tanveer has been retained by the Guyana Amazon Warriors for this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL). This will be the Pakistan allrounder’s third season with the franchise after he was selected in the US$160,000 salary bracket. Tanveer, also an explosive batsman, says he is looking forward to his third year with the team.

“I played the last two seasons with them and I enjoyed my time with them,” he said. “We have got good communication and good relationships with the management and the owner. We don’t have big names in the team – even last year we didn’t have big names – but the reason we do well is that we jell very well and play as a team.”

The Amazon Warriors have come close to winning the Hero CPL, making the knockout stages in each of the previous five editions of the tournament, including three appearances in the final. Tanveer feels the team have not handled pressure situations well enough in the last two years, which has prevented them from going all the way.

“My feeling is maybe we panic when it comes to crucial stages,” conceded the all-rounder. “Maybe because we don’t have enough experience in our dugout in terms of our playing XI. Yes, we

don’t have big names but we play as a team. But on the other hand, with lack of experience, that’s what happens sometimes. Players get under pressure.

“I still remember a game against Trinidad [when] we dropped too many catches – otherwise we would h a v e won that game. In 2016, we were cruising until the final. We were playing great cricket, but in the final

again I think it was panic or a lack of experience. But I think we have the capability and we will try to win it this time somehow. We have to try to give something to Guyana.”

Tanveer finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2017 tournament, and his five wickets for just three runs against Barbados was the best bowling performance of last year’s event.

He says everything just clicked for him that night at the Kensington Oval.

“Well, to be honest, at the early part of the tournament I was struggling a bit with my back,” he recalled. “I didn’t do well in Florida and the first couple of games but I knew I had the ability. I have done i t in the past many times, so I was waiting for my moment.

“As a bowler or a batsman, when you are out of form you only need one good innings or spell. That’s what happened.

It was the game before, when we played against Barbados in Guyana – that was the turning moment when I got some confidence back.

My back injury was sorted, I was running in well, got three or four wickets and I scored

some runs [too]. I think that was the turning point for me and for my team because at that time we had only one win out of five and we had to win the last four games out of five.

“Coming back to the Barbados game, the day before I looked at the pitch and there was a greyish look. That means the moisture was there and I told my teammates that tomorrow is going to be my day.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to be 5/3 but I knew the ball would do something. When it’s swinging I know I have that strength to do well against any batsman.

“I played alongside Eoin Morgan at the T10 tournament. He mentioned to me that if you bowled this ball to any left-hand batsman you will get him out nine times out of ten. That was one of the days that comes hardly once or twice in your life – when everything goes well.”

A window for the sixth edition has been finalised, with the tournament to take place between August 8 and September 16.

The opening matches will take place in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Providence is also expected to host an additional two matches towards the back-end of the fiveweek tournament.

Tanveer celebrates another Hero CPL wicket with his teammates

Boyce/Jefford Relay

Kool Kidz

GFF “ ” Grassroots Outreach Programme underway Fest returns April 22

Chairman of the Boyce & Jefford Committee Colin Boyce (centre) is flanked by his organiser Edison Jefford (right) and Technical Director Mark Scott at the launch of the Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day III, Windjammers Hotel

O

T

These ‘Kool Kidz’ get some advice and training in the sport of football

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) began the first in a series of “Kool Kidz” Grassroots Outreach Programmes on Sunday at Parade Ground, Georgetown.

The programme, launched on February 24 in partnership with the Guyana Beverages Inc., will see the GFF hosting bi-weekly sessions and targeting children of vulnera-

ble communities.

The day saw approximately 25 children from the Tiger Bay and neighbouring wards being guided through fun activities to introduce them to the sport of football.

This was conducted by the Technical staff including Technical Development Officers and Youth Development Officers.

Members of the GFF Executive Committee, in-

cluding President Forde, were also on hand to interact with and serve the children snacks following the activity.

While youths of Tiger Bay and surrounding areas were already targeted, the schedule for additional sessions is Roxanne Burnham Gardens, East Ruimveldt (April 22); St. Phillips, Leopold Street (May 6); Punt Trench – Albouystown Tarmac (May 6).

n April 22 the Police Sports Club Ground will be the main attraction as the Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun day enters its third year with Track and Field, Cycling, Dominoes, Cricket and Football.

The event was officially launched on Wednesday at the Windjammer Hotel, Pooliside where brief remarks were made by Chairmen of the Boyce/Jefford Committee, Colin Boyce and Edison Jefford and Technical Director Mark Scott.

According to Jefford, the fixture has evolved into the premier relay festival and family fun-day in Guyana and has gained significant contributions from other

groups like Hits and Jams Entertainment which stages a similar event.

Meanwhile, aside from the relay races which is the main attraction, the day’s activities will be complemented with two cycle races, domino competitions and football and cricket matches.

It was also disclosed that this year’s event will see the addition of a 4x800m relay race. This event will add to the other eight already on the card.

The sum of $30,000 will go to winning team, $20,000 for the first runners-up and $10,000 for third place.

The cycle races will also carry prizes of $50,000 each with a breakdown of $25,000.

$15,000 and $10,000 for the top three. The two races will be a male Devil Takes The Hindmost and a female 2000m.

The new attraction will be the amputee race which already has competitors signaling their intent to compete. There will be a “Kid Zone” with bouncy castles, trampolines, face painting and other attractions. Three gate prizes from $20,000 in cash and household items will also be up for grabs. In total, there will be in excess of $1.3 million; up from $1M last year to be won.

Gates open from 10:30h and admission is listed at $500 for adults and $200 for children. Gate prizes are also up for grabs.

thursDAY, april 12, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

Pg 23

Tanveer feels “it’s time to deliver a title” for Guyana

Sohail Tanveer kisses the pitch after a devastating spell of 5-3 against Barbados Tridents in 2017

GCB/ Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-County…

Yadram, Nedd leave U-17s staring at massive defeat Pg 20

– Algoo smashes ton in Berbice’s triumph Former Windies U-16 Captain Sachin Singh waged a valiant attack against the formidable Demerara bowling unit with a classy 60 in the first innings

Windies Youth player Ashmead Nedd found his rhythm and wrecked the Under-17s with 5-38 (Akeem Greene Photos)

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