Guyanatime 13 february 2018

Cheddi Jagan commemorative stamp to launch soon P13

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

Issue No. 3480

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Local sugar price increases

PRICE

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Teenager electrocuted by loose GPL wire Page 9

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: PUC hearing

GWI, P11 customers face off over proposed rate increases

Porter stabbed to death by drinking buddy

ExxonMobil announces P5 19% reserves growth

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Page 10

3-year-old raped by 24-year-old man President meets with GDF top brass to discuss defence concerns

City workers to strike P12 today

…over non-payment of union dues, NIS, PAYE

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Female cop allegedly raped by colleague after night out P10

GGMC issues P9 mining permit for private land

President David Granger on Monday met with Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Patrick West and other top brass of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). Also at the meeting were Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, Ministry of the Presidency's Communications Director, Mark Archer and other officials

Ailing Nagamootoo for heart surgery today

…bypass scheduled at US hospital

Page 14

…regional officials express concern over issue at Moblissa

Pensioner on $100,000 bail for breaking P10 woman’s arm

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

President meets with GDF top brass to discuss defence concerns

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n the wake of the recent visit by a high-level delegation from neighbouring Brazil last Friday, led by Brazilian Defence Minister Raul Jungmann Pinto, President David Granger on Monday convened a special meeting with the high command of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to discuss ongoing defence concerns.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who was also present at the meeting, which was held at State House, explained that the purpose of this follow-up meeting was to review the discussions that emanated from the deliberations with the Brazilian delegation and to prepare the GDF to chart the way forward in terms of defence cooperation.

Visiting along with the Brazilian Defence Minister were Justice Minister Torquato Lorena Jardim and Minister Head of Institutional Security/ Presidency of the Republic, General Sérgio Etchegoyen.

President David Granger meeting with the top brass of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Monday

During the meeting with Guyana’s Head of State, the Defence Minister called for a peaceful resolution of the ongoing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.

Minister Jungmann outlined the need to promote peaceful relations among nations on the South American continent.

“Like in anywhere else in the world, there is no place for force or opposition… but we have to enforce international rights of sovereignty…(and) we will need to make an effort to get it done,” he stated, adding that it was imperative that Brazil and Guyana work together for justice to be had peacefully.

According to the Defence Minister, “Brazil believes in the establishment of borders within all ways; the principle of diplomacy; respect for sovereignty; independence; and our endurance between us and our neighbours.”

The Brazilian Defence Minister asserted that his country did not believe in the use of force. In fact, he pointed out that for a century and a half, Brazil has not had any conflict with its neighbours, nor had need to resort to the use of force in

determining issues between itself and its neighbours in South America to preserve its existence on the continent.

During the visit, President Granger conferred the Brazilian Minister with Guyana’s second highest award, the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH).

Prior to Friday’s investiture ceremony, Minister Jungmann and his team met with several Government Ministers, during which the two countries committed to review the September 2012 Joint Communiqué, which followed the official visit to Guyana by Ambassador Celso Amorim, then Defence Minister of Brazil.

The review is intended to update the agreements in that document, and bring them in line with present-day realities, as well as to deepen defence cooperation.

Bus driver freed of rape charge F

ifty-two-year-old Jack Mangal, of 114 Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was freed on Monday after Justice Simone Ramlal upheld a nocase submission and directed the 12-member jury to formally return with a notguilty plea.

Attorney Maxwell McKay represented Mangal, a bus driver, who was accused of raping a 19-year-old female student at Agriculture Road on August 1, 2014. He was committed to stand trial in the High Court in February of 2015.

Freed: Jack Mangal

According to the particulars of the case, the teenager

was running errands for her mother when she was raped.

Prosecutors Seeta Bishundyal and Orienthia Schmidt presented the State’s case.

At approximately 11:40h on Monday, Justice Ramlal instructed the jury to return with the not-guilty plea upholding McKay’s no-case submission. Following the not-guilty verdict, Justice Ramlal turned to Mangal and said: “Mr Mangal, you are a free man.”

The man breathed a visible sigh of relief, smiled and made a beeline for the first exit out of the courtroom.

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

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

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 13 – 15:15h-16:45h and Wednesday, February 14 – 15:50h-17:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light cloudy skies can be expected throughout the day and into the evening, with light rain showers expected in the late evening hours. Overall temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to North North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 03:07h and 15:21h reaching maximum heights of 2.29 metres and 2.42 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:55h and 21:21h reaching minimum heights of 0.91 metre and 0.76 metre respectively.

Local sugar price increases L

ocal consumers will now have to pay more for sugar, as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has moved to increase the cost of each bag of sugar on the local market.

This was confirmed on Monday by acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Paul Bhim, who told Guyana Times that this new increase was implemented early in February.

“The price for local sugar has not been increased for about eight or nine years.

So, we had just finished reviewing the price on the local market and we thought it was an opportune time to increase,” he said.

Asked whether this increase was also triggered

Acting CEO of GuySuCo, Paul Bhim

to take effect, the Opposition has been vigorously defending the rights of workers and has even urged Government to rethink its position.

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as a result of the reconfiguration of GuySuCo and the sugar industry as a whole, the acting CEO tried to brush aside those assumptions.

“Well, no. We haven’t increased the price for a number of years and we thought that now is the best time to do it. I mean, it was only increased by five per cent, so it won’t make a huge difference,” he added.

The increase is for each 50-kilogram bag of sugar, which has now increased from $4900 to $5145.

Since this increase is catered for the local market, Bhim was asked by this newspaper whether he thinks local consumers will in any significant way be affected by it, the acting CEO responded in the negative.

“I mean the increase has been active for about three weeks already and we haven’t had a single complaint about it. I haven’t seen anything or anyone coming into GuySuCo,” he added.

GuySuCo has been undergoing several major changes ever since Government announced plans to downsize the industry and close several of the remaining sugar estates in Guyana.

Already, the closure of the estates and the sacking of thousands of workers have affected on the economy, and even Government has acknowledged this several times.

As Government’s plans to downsize the industry start

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has outlined that in Guyana, sugar is not a company, but an industry, hence Government needs to be more thoughtful when making decisions about the industry.

He was quoted as saying, “No viable decision can

be made without a feasibility study.” The PPP maintains that the decision to downsize the industry was purely based on politics.

In May 2017, Government announced plans to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Sugar Estates, sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, reduce the annual production of sugar, and take on the responsibility of managing the drainage and irrigation services offered by GuySuCo. Late last year, GuySuCo announced plans to retrench thousands of workers, which it did.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, February 13, 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

T&T Facebook ruling

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n Monday, Trinidad and Tobago’s Justice Frank Seepersaud ruled that a woman would have to compensate an entire family that she libelled on social media through the posting of falsified and untrue information which had caused the family “shame and embarrassment” while bringing them into countrywide and international ridicule.

The woman had posted information on Facebook in which she alleged that there was an incestuous relationship taking place between siblings in the family as she uploaded photos of the father and two children who were underage.

This had forced the country’s Child Care and Protection Unit to visit the family after the post went viral.

In the end, the Unit determined that the allegations were all false. In her defence, she told the court that someone else may have uploaded the libellous information after gaining access to her account. She did acknowledge removing the offensive material after it was brought to her attention. Luckily, the victims whom the posts were directed at had saved and screen-grabbed the posts. They were later tendered as evidence in the libel suit against the woman.

But Justice Seepersaud, while delivering his ruling, warned that the damage to the family’s reputation had already been done as it has made its imprint in cyberspace and cannot be destroyed as is the case with a book or newspaper. He said that social media should be utilised in a responsible and cautious manner.

The Judge then said anonymity cannot obviate the need to respect people’s rights and users cannot recklessly impugn a person’s character as words matter. He then dispelled the perception that things posted on a social media platform were private as opposed to public, as once uploaded there they are offered no privacy protection but are subject to the laws that regulate traditional media. He reasoned that people who engage in acts like the woman were now taking on the roles of journalists and, therefore, had to be treated accordingly. He reminded of the old phrase that “you will pay for your mouth”, proffering that social media users need to ensure their accounts are secured because legally they can “pay for their posts”.

The ruling by the Trinidadian Judge must be seen as a step in the right direction and is being welcomed in several parts of the Caribbean and further afield as a victory for victims of cyber bullying, character assassination and social media libel/defamation. For far too long, people have watched from the sidelines as irresponsible users of newer forms of media upload dishonest, private and false information which is later reposted millions of times. They often feel as though they have little or no recourse and the Police are baffled as to how to charge and prosecute those engaged in shameless and reckless dissemination of other people’s personal information with the intent to malign or shame them.

In Guyana, the Police and justice system are also beginning to dispense justice to victims like the Trinidadian family, but more needs to be done to discourage social media users from posting information that is false and damaging to people’s reputation, especially families’. Many times there is an attempt to hide behind fake profiles or the argument that an account was hacked in order to escape culpability, but slowly the justice system here is developing ways of dealing with those issues.

There are far-reaching implications of posting sensitive information in public spaces and Justice Seepersaud’s ruling explains these implications in a simplified manner. There are political and diplomatic implications too.

There is a need for a paradigm shift in order to change the manner in which people utilise social media especially since some are coming to grips with the reality that they are not totally immune from prosecution, because there are no explicitly codified laws that speak to social media use here. Other Judges should follow the example set by their Trinidadian counterpart.

Brides display their hands decorated with henna around another bride during a mass marriage ceremony of 70 couples in Ahmedabad, India (www.voanews.com)

Today is Maha Shivaratri – the great night of Lord Shiva C

elebrate the overcoming of ignorance with this Hindu holiday.

An important Hindu festival, Maha Shivaratri means “great night of Shiva,” and is celebrated the 13th night and 14th day of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna – this falls within either coincidentally this falls toady, on the 13th of February this year. This solemn holiday venerates Lord Shiva, one of the most important deities in Hindu culture.

In Hinduism, Shiva is that aspect in the absolute Brahman, conceived as a triumvirate and responsible for creation preservation and dissolution of all creation over billions of years, with the other two of which are Brahma and Vishnu.

Brahma is the creator, while Vishnu is the preserver of the world. Shiva’s purpose is to “dissolve” creation so that it can be recreated.

When Shiva is depicted as a man, he has a blue throat and face, and a white body. He has a third eye set in his forehead that represents wisdom and insight, a cobra necklace that signifies his power, a trident, which represents the Hindu triumvirate, and the vibhuti, which are three lines on his forehead that represent Shiva’s all-powerful nature.

Hindu believers feel that Shiva’s power of destruction is used to destroy not only matter, but illusions as well, thereby lending Maha Shivaratri a

spirit of celebration from the darkness of ignorance.

The origin – the most prominent of several – of Shivratri lies in the story of how Shiva saved the world.

According to the Puranas – Sanskrit writings containing Hindu legends – a

ternate name of “Nilkantha,” the “blue-throated one”.

Maha Shivaratri celebrates Shiva’s brave actions that ultimately saved the world.

The Rituals of Shivaratri It all begins on a moonless night, when Hindus offer up prayers to Shiva. This

the night, bathing it every four hours in the offerings of the cow – milk, sour milk, butter, dung, and urine.

The five foods of immortality are also placed before the lingam – these are clarified butter, milk, curd, honey, and sugar.

Shivratri is also especially important for women, as married women use this day to pray for their sons and husbands. Unmarried women pray that they might receive a husband who is as like Shiva as possible.

The most important hindu festival

In Hinduism, Shiva is that aspect in the absolute Brahman, conceived as a triumvirate and responsible for creation preservation and dissolution of all creation over billions of years

container of terrifying poison rose up in the mythical churning ocean called Samudra Manthan. Demons and gods alike were terrified at this poison’s power – it was said to hold the power to destroy all creation.

These beings went to Shiva for help, and help he did. Shiva, in order to protect all creation, drank the poison, holding it in his throat rather than swallowing it.

This caused his throat to become blue, giving him the al-

is the night when Shiva is said to have performed the Tandava Nritya – the divine dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction.

Celebrating devotees remain awake all through the night of the 13th, visiting their local Shiva temple or their private Shiva mandir.

One of the most solemn and important rituals is the bathing of the lingam – the symbol of Shiva. Adherents worship the lingam through

The Maha Shivratri observation at the Cove and John Mandir is well-attended by thousands of devotees each year, and, for many, it is the most sacred of all Hindu festivals, with devotees who perform sincere acts of worship for Shiva being absolved of all sins, attaining moksha – the escape from the cycle of death and rebirth.

This, for Hindus, moksha is one of the four primary goals of human life, alongside virtue, prosperity, and fulfillment, and so we can see why Maha Shivratri is so widely celebrated and revered.

Above all, this is the night and day when darkness is cast out of the human mind and heart, and illusions are destroyed by the cleaving sword of Lord Shiva, driving humanity out of its blindness and into the light.

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

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News

ExxonMobil announces 19% reserves growth E xxonMobil Corporation recently announced that its oil and gas reserves grew by 19 per cent in 2017 owing to growth in several places like the US, the United Arab Emirates and Guyana. ExxonMobil reported its reserve update following its fourth-quarter earnings, which failed to meet expectations.

In 2017, the company added 2.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) to its reserves, which marks 183 per cent production replacement. It brings the company’s total proved reserves to 21.2 billion BOE. ExxonMobil believes that the proved reserves hold significant development opportunities, which can grow shareholder value in the coming years.

Of the total proved reserves, 57 per cent was liquids, which increased by four per cent from 53 per cent in 2016. At the current production rate of the company, its

reserves are expected to last for 14 years.

ExxonMobil spent more than $6 billion in 2017 to increase its presence in the Permian Basin.

The company added more than 800 million BOE to its reserves in the basin. The Upper Zakum field in the United Arab Emirates contributed another 800 million BOE.

The company’s Guyana assets provided proved reserves of 3.2 billion BOE, where it is partnering with Hess Corporation HES and others.

The company’s press release stated, “ExxonMobil’s resource base totalled approximately 97 billion oil-equivalent barrels at yearend 2017, taking into account field revisions, production and asset

sales.”

In May 2015, Exxon confirmed more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs was encountered at its Guyana Liza 1 exploration well.

In late June 2016, Exxon’s drilling results at Liza 2 revealed more than 58 metres of oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs in Upper Cretaceous formations. The well was drilled to 5475 metres, at 1692 metres water depth. Drilling results confirmed recoverable resources to be between 800 million and 1.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

The company had announced that it made its third significant discovery in its drilling explorations offshore Guyana. Its partner, Hess Corporation, had noted that the Liza 3 exploratory well’s net value could be US$6.2 billion based on calculations from the Bank of Montreal (BMO) Capital

Markets.

Drilling on Payara began on November 12, 2016, with initial total depth reached on December 2, 2016. In January of 2017, the oil giant had announced it had struck some 95 feet of oil reservoirs in its Payara-1 well, targeting the same type of reservoirs as the well’s Liza counterpart.

Oil was discovered in the Turbot-1 well in October of 2017.

According to the oil company following the discovery, the well reservoir was 75 feet deep. Drilling has been ongoing at the Turbot well since August 2017.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is the operator and hold a 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds a 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds a 25 per cent interest.

Piggybacking mental health training Dear Editor, The media recently reported on the consolidation of key youth programmes and organisations into the Guyana Youth Service (GYS) and the subsequent offering of a standardised education and training curriculum as measures to significantly improve youths’

marketability and prospects for gainful employment. The Caribbean Voice once again urges that this is a perfect opportunity for the standardised curriculum to include modules on mental health.

This is a critically imperative given that in Guyana, among other things, the

Why was the President missing from the oil & gas summit Dear Editor, I watched the news reports pertaining to the recently-held oil and gas summit at the Marriott Hotel last week and could not help but notice the absence of our Head of State, President David Granger. I read the ideas and concerns coming out of the discussions and searched to read what our President had to say about the event. I later learnt that President Granger never made the event.

I thought this was strange that at our first-ever oil and gas summit dealing directly with this new wealthy, nation-changing industry, the leader of

our country was nowhere to be seen. I am very surprised that the President did not attend the event. In fact, I would like to know why President Granger did not attend the summit. I would hate to think that the President allowed someone to give him such poor advice or even worse, he chose on his own not to go, at a time when Guyana is making baby steps toward this new and intriguing shift.

Mr President, why did you, the face of Guyana’s leadership, not attend the oil and gas summit?

Sincerely, Winston Mars

15 to 25 age group has the highest suicide rate, and subject themselves and/ or are subjected to significant abuse including increasing alcohol and drug use, involvement in gangs, a propensity for violent behaviour and physical and sexual abuse.

In effect, many Guyanese in general and youths especially, struggle with self-esteem and self-confidence, lack enduring coping skills and an overarching capacity to deal with challenges and stress; all of which are important traits that foster

personal advancement, the ability to manoeuvre in the market place and the drive for increasing success in the work place. Such attributes also arm individuals with the wherewithal to resist impulses that can lead to self-harm, depression, anxiety, and pathological and anti-social behaviour.

The bottom line is that without the tools to foster mental health and wellbeing, all the training in the world can end up being an exercise in futility. And adding relevant mental modules in the current training

curriculum – self-esteem, coping skills, emphatic communication, anxiety and depression, suicide and abuse – will ensure that the campaign to significantly improve youths’ marketability and prospects for gainful employment attains significant success. Besides, this kind of piggybacking is tremendously more cost-effective than separate mental health training, not to mention more far-reaching as well.

Sincerely, The Caribbean Voice

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018

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n Valentine’s Day, many people eagerly anticipate romance, roses, and more.

However, the joy of sending a Valentine or small token of love or appreciation goes beyond just the romantic and

can extend to others that you love or care for, such as your children, your parents, nieces and nephews, and anyone else.

Kids excitedly await Valentine’s Day as well.

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

Cards, treats, maybe a class party (or at our school, it would be Valentine’s Day themed educational centres), and more make the day special. Parents can make the day extraordinary for their kids (and vice versa) as well

through thoughtful ways to show our appreciation of one another. We have 14 ideas of fun things to do with your kids this Valentine’s Day, and maybe some of them can become Valentine’s Day fam-

ily traditions for your entire family. Establishing family traditions is a fun way to celebrate and gives your children (and the adults too) something to anticipate. It also shows your children that Valentine’s Day means more

than just spending money on cards, chocolates, and candy.

Enjoy 14 fun ideas for spending your Valentine’s Day with your kids to let them know how much you care for, love, and appreciate

them.

Make Valentine’s themed meals

Breakfast.

Make pink pancakes, a Valentine’s waffle bar, or heart shaped toast if you don’t have much time.

If oatmeal is on the menu to-

with this red snack day kid’s buffet. Another idea is to cut strawberries into heart shapes (and serve with a side of yogurt or almonds). Or make beautiful red applesauce.

Lunch. Make the sand-

past to decorate as well.

Do a random act of kindness together

Visit a nursing home and hand out homemade Valentine’s Day cards. Give a drawing of a flower to each

wich heart shaped. Use a smaller heart shaped cookie cutter to cut the veggies.

Add a chocolate covered strawberry. Throw in a love note. It can be that easy to transform lunch into part of your Valentine’s Day theme.

Bento-logy has an adorable school lunch idea with a sandwich in the shape of an

of the elderly on your street.

Bake cookies to deliver to the police station. Do something for those who may not have someone to share the day with. Valentine’s Day is a great day to express love for fellow humans, even those you don’t know.

envelope.

Dinner.

Another lovely idea is to nosh on heart shaped spinach calzones with strawberries or a strawberry and spinach salad on the side.

Have the family make gift cards for one another. A few that would be well received in my house would be “I will do one chore for you”, “I will play Legos with you for 15 minutes,” and “Let’s make a Saturday morning pancake breakfast.”

Do something that your kids love that you don’t often do.

Some ideas follow: Have a picnic at one of your meals.

Play a favourite board game.

Have a candlelit meal and use your china or special dishes that you rarely use.

Make Valentines for each other. (superhealthykids.com)

Make gift certificates

day, dress it up with a red fruit, such as strawberries or raspberries. It doesn’t have to take a long time to cook to be festive and fabulous.

Snack.

Snack on red snacks throughout the day

Make Valentine heart love notes

Decorate your child’s door with love notes. Use construction paper hearts and fill them with things you love or appreciate about him for him to wake up to on Valentine’s Day.

Decorate the house

Have everyone participate in decorating the house with homemade or store bought decorations.

Use Valentine’s cards from years

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Porter stabbed to death by drinking buddy …suspect accused him of having affair with wife

The house where the stabbing incident took place

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porter of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was on Monday morning found dead in a pool of blood in the village with a stab wound to his arm.

Dead is 29-year-old Nair Khan of Bud Street, Line Top, Vergenoegen.

Reports are the now dead man and the suspect, Owen Accra, 36, were seen imbibing on Sunday evening at the suspect’s house in Burn Street, Vergenoegen.

During the drinking spree, an argument erupted between them after Accra accused the now dead man of having an affair with his

wife.

Guyana Times was told that the argument quickly escalated, and about 22:00h the suspect armed himself with a knife and stabbed Khan, who attempted to escape, but collapsed and died some distance away.

His body was found about 06:00h lying face down on the roadway. After some time, the hearse arrived, and the body was removed.

The suspect has since gone into hiding.

The suspect’s wife, who was at home at the time of the stabbing, is being questioned.

At the home of Khan, an

aunt, Shamie Razack, explained that about 06:00h, the suspect’s mother-in-law went to her home and informed her that her nephew was stabbed and his body was found along Burn Street.

Without hesitation, the aunt and other relatives rushed to the scene where they saw Khan lying in a pool of blood. Upon enquiring what transpired, she was told that there was an argument between the two men.

“The mother-in-law tell me that meh nephew and her son-in-law were drinking and some old grievance come up…another story we hear was that the rum finish and the suspect ask he wife for money and after she didn’t give him, the husband start cuss she. Meh nephew apparently tell he not to curse he wife like that and it was then he accused Nair of sleeping with he wife,” the woman stated.

Razack told this publication that she last saw her nephew alive on Sunday afternoon after he was finished working about 17:30h.

“He come and ask me for an umbrella because he was going to buy something.

That was the last time.”

The man’s body lying along Burn Street, Vergenoegen on Monday morning

She went on to say that she took care of the now dead man since he was a child and after he grew up, he started to work with them to operate a chicken business.

She could not recall getting any complaints about her nephew except for his alcohol problem.

The now dead man was the only child of his parents.

Meanwhile, his body was

taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home to await a post-mortem. Police are nevertheless continuing their hunt for the alleged murderer.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Crum-Ewing’s murder trial

Magistrate reluctantly obeys DPP’s orders …maintains insufficient evidence presented to court

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rincipal Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday reluctantly committed Regan “Grey Boy” Rodrigues to stand trial in the High Court for the 2015 murder of Courtney CrumEwing.

In tears, Rodrigues stood as Magistrate Latchman disclosed to him that she was compelled by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to commit him to stand trial for the murder even as she maintained that there was insufficient evidence to do so.

According to Latchman, based on orders from a High Court Judge after the DPP sought an intervention, she had to reluctantly comply having lost an appeal for a stay of execution, that is, a delay in carrying out a court order in the matter.

Special Prosecutor in the case, Nigel Hughes spoke to Guyana Times following the committal and noted that the DPP has the power to direct a magistrate, in this case Latchman, on the matter.

In 2017, following the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into Crum-Ewing’s murder, Latchman had announced that the evidence present-

Regan “Grey Boy” Rodrigues

ed to the court was not sufficient and a prima facie case was not made out against Rodrigues .

She highlighted evidence given by the Crime Scene Analyst, Delicia Brown, whose submission to the court revealed that the .32 pistol, along with five .32 bullets, found at the accused’s home was indeed the gun used in the execution of Crum-Ewing.

However, she stated that no actual evidence was presented to the court to prove that Rodrigues pulled the

trigger, thus committing the heinous act.

She also noted that the oral statements given by Rodrigues during the course of the investigation did not implicate him in the killing.

As such, the Magistrate told the court that the accused has no case to answer to, as the evidence that the tribunal might request was not available.

Upon hearing the decision, Rodrigues burst into tears and as he was being led back into the lock-ups, he screamed, “Freedom!

Freedom!”

However, the DPP subsequently issued a letter to the Magistrate instructing her to reverse her decision to commit Rodrigues to the High Court for trial.

In part, the letter stated, “In accordance with section 72 (2) (ii) (a) of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act, Chapter 10:01, I hereby … direct you to comply with Sections 65 and 66 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act, Chapter 10:01, with a view of committing the accused.”

The letter was read to Rodrigues , who broke down

in tears, falling to his knees and questioning why he was being faced with such “injustice”.

Magistrate Latchman had refused to comply with the order and had told the accused that she would not be committing him as she was maintaining that the evidence presented to her was not sufficient for her to do so.

Latchman’s ruling made it the third time Rodriquez would have been freed of the murder, the first time being in 2016.

However, in April of 2017, he was rearrested after the DPP ordered that the case be reopened.

According to the DPP, “The sole purpose of this remit is to take further evidence from Police witnesses and to rule on the voluntariness of all oral statements of the accused.”

Crum-Ewing was gunned down as he was at the time urging residents of Diamond, East Coast Demerara, to cast their ballots in the May 2015 election.

He was shot twice to the temple, once to the back of the head, and twice to the stomach. (Kizzy Coleman)

Jury empanelled for North Ruimveldt septuagenarian’s murder

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12-member jury was on Monday empanelled for the murder trial of 75-year-old Joyce Lewis in the Georgetown High Court before Justice Navindra Singh.

It is alleged that on March 26, 2014, Kevon Alfred, of Second Street, Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara

(WCD), murdered Lewis at her Lot 3630 Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt home.

The State’s case is being presented by Prosecutors Tiffini Lyken, Abigail Gibbs and Narissa Leander while Alfred is being represented by Attorney Stanley Moore. The State is expected to call several witnesses

when the trial commences on Wednesday.

According to reports, Lewis’s lifeless body was found in her home by Police and her sister, Veronica Deen, about 08:30h on the morning of March 26, sprawled on a bed with her underwear pulled to her ankles and dark marks around her neck.

Murdered: Joyce Lewis

It was believed that the remigrant was strangled during an early morning robbery.

Five months after Lewis was killed, Alfred was arrested and charged with the murder. Reports are that Alfred’s fingerprints were among several that detectives found in the slain woman’s home.

It is believed that Alfred allegedly gained entry to Lewis’s house through a window at the back of the two-storey house. The window was broken and the grille barring entry to the home was clipped.

The accused was committed to stand trial in the High Court on October 19, 2015

by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

During the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), 15 witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution. Alfred was unrepresented throughout the PI despite being given time to source an attorney. He also refused, on several occasions, to sit in on the PI after claiming that Chief Magistrate McLennan was being unfair to him.

Preserving…

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…dead meat? nquiring minds wanted to know what’s the status of the long demanded “re-negotiation” of the Cummingsburg Accord between APNU and AFC. The demand, of course, had been made after Nagamootoo discovered he’d gotten what his erstwhile comrade in arms, Donald Ramotar, indelicately described as “larwah”, when in fact he’d been promised “largesse” of power.

Leader of the AFC, Raphael “Nassau” Trotman, however, said there ain’t going to be no list of rectificatory demands submitted to APNU the day after Valentine’s Day, as everyone assumed. After all, Nagamootoo’s nagging about the crumbs he received rather than the milk and honey (not to mention Pharaoh/Executive’s staff of power) the Accord promised started right after he discovered he was neither going to chair Cabinet nor be in charge of “governance”! He and Ramjattan were real miffed that the fatted calf was being killed for Harmon, while Moses had to make do with “larwah”!

After a year of grumbling and muttering and getting further sidelined, on May 1 (Labour Day!!) 2017 a highlevel, impressive sounding “Cummingsburg Accord Review Committee” (CARC) from the AFC top tier had been constituted to enumerate the ways in which the AFC had been “dissed” and to demand what APNU would do about it. The team was made up of Dr Vincent Adams and Dr Rohan Somar (from foreign), GS Marlon Williams, former GS David Patterson, Joel Edmond, Sherod Duncan (the man who would be Mayor), a Woman For Change and a Youth For Change.

So, imagine your Eyewitness’ surprise when “Nassau” Trotman hemmed and hawed on the demands and said the National Executive Council (NEC) had been scheduled to meet this coming Saturday they’d “decide on the way forward”!! What’s to decide?? Didn’t the party already draw a line in the sand? Or have the blue waters of “Nassau” washed away the line?

From where your Eyewitness sits – as far away as possible to get perspective (and not so incidentally, to avoid that smell of dead meat!) – it’s clear the Nassau Accord between PNC-leader Granger and AFC-leader Trotman has trumped the Cummingsburg Accord. When asked about that Accord’s “review clause”, Granger pointed to its “sunset clause”, and assured all and sundry Trotman would handle it. Of course he will!!

“Nassau” Trotman, after all, has extensive experience in “renegotiations”!! Look how well he did with the Oil Contract! Two years later folks are still compiling a list of his giveaways!! And that’s why Granger can lie back like the Cheshire Cat that just swallowed the canary!!

His man from Nassau’s got it covered!! But the question is, can he cover the stench of the “dead meat” the AFC’s become?

Then again, does it matter?? …culture Your Eyewitness is more than a tad amused by the storm in the (enamel) teacup over the lyrics in one of the entries in the Junior Calypso Monarch competition.

Someone complained it was vulgar. The composer then published the lyrics via the letter pages and to be honest, how different from the norm is “So I took out ma dog and put licks in her cat”? The “dog”, the fella explained, was made of “leather with some balls inside”. Or about another (female) neighbour inviting him over and “pushing her saltfish into his mouth”?

Now wasn’t it the King (Sparrow) himself who spoke about telling a kid his name was “Ben-wood Dick” who’s looking for the kid’s sister Mildred, and had “gi’e she already”?? Or when he sang about wanting to see “Miss Mary ‘one pound” – big and hairy one pound”? The fact of the matter, the majority of calypsos have always been smut – thinly disguised as “double entendres”. Is we culcha!!

Why no one’s complaining about what passes for “dancing” during Mash. Dogs in heat have more decorum. …unpatriotic anonymity Why doesn’t Go-Invest expose the person who warned away investors from our sinking Guyana? They said the fella tried to blackmail them.

So it’s also a Police matter?

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

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Teenager electrocuted by loose GPL wire

GGMC issues mining permit for private land …as regional officials express concern over issue at Moblissa

The area where the teen met his demise

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teenager met his death on Sunday evening after a Guyana Power and Light electrical wire fell on him at Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Dead is 17-year-old Vivek Bridgemohan of Lot 18 Alliance, Canal Number Polder. Reports are the teenager went to a shop to purchase an item for his father and on his way home, he stopped to chat with a friend. It was while chatting with his friend that the electrical wife fell on him.

He was picked up by his father who was summoned to the scene and rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His father, Nazoor Azeez in tears told Guyana Times that his son chose to go the shop towards Belle West instead of going in the opposite direction due to the distance. The father recalled being in his bed at about 19:00h when one of his son’s friends frantically called out to him informing the family of what had happened.

The father rushed to the scene and attempted to save his son, but it was too late. “After I see meh

Electrocuted teen: Vivek Bridgemohan

son with the wire on top of him, I used a piece of board to remove it but me too get shock… like the shock get me so confused, I pick up meh son and put he in the car and drive to the hospital,” he explained.

He noted that as he picked up his son, he felt his body jumping which meant that he was still alive but soon after, there was no pulse and no movement. Azeez noted that as soon as he reached the hospital, the doctor examined the young man and pronounced him dead.

“The doctor tell me that it had to be that my son heart give away because of the shock,” he added. The young man usually assists

his father when he goes to sell at Bourda Market, in Georgetown. In addition, he assisted around the house and also in the farm.

A woman who reside a short distance away from where the incident occurred explained that she heard screams in the area but due to the darkness, they saw nothing when they looked out. It was until another young man shouted for help that they realised something was wrong.

She added that the young man’s hands and abdomen were severely burnt.

From all indications, after the wire fell on the young man, he attempted to slap it off but instead slipped on a bridge.

“The live wire fell on him and due to the voltage, it burnt him severely,” the woman stated.

Guyana Times understands that officials from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) have visited the home of the young man and have extended their condolences to the relatives. The teenager leaves to mourn five siblings, his parents and other relatives.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted on Friday.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

A section of the land at Moblissa

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fficials of Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) and Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) have expressed concern over the actions of a contractor who is removing loam from the Moblissa, Linden-Soesdyke community.

Recently, several officials from both regions, including Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian, visited the area following complaints from residents.

The community forms part of Region 10 though it is administered by Region Four.

According to Morian, the work of the contractor is disrupting the environment, as well as the livelihood of residents and the contract has not stimulated any mutual benefits.

"We did get a complaint from the folks at Moblissa, concerning a contractor who is removing loam and in the process, they're damaging roads, jeopardising the environment," the Region 10

Chairman stated. Morian said he has written to the Ministry of the Presidency, the Natural Resources Ministry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Communities Ministry to have an intervention into the matter.

According to reports, a permit had been granted by the GGMC for the contractor to conduct mining at the location. Morian said, however, during the meeting with affected residents in the area, he learnt that despite a contract, there had been no previous consultation with residents and that there have been no financial benefits for the community. Additionally, he noted that the contractor was mining on private property, which should automatically make the contract null and void.

"We recognised that 300 feet of a private resident's land was also covered under this contract which immedi-

ately makes this contract null and void, because a contract should not be issued to include a private person's land.

Nevertheless...nobody made that contract null and void,” Morian said.

In moving forward, he added that the issue would be brought back to the community and discussed, and officials would seek to remove the private land from the contract.

He noted that the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) of both regions would work collaboratively to resolve the issue as he pointed out that residents have requested that the contract be put on hold and for a consultation on the issue to be held with the GGMC. "Myself and the Region Four Chairman came to the conclusion that together the people must not suffer,” Morian said, noting that he was also awaiting word from Government on the matter.

(Utamu Belle)

10 news

tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Female cop allegedly raped 3-year-old raped by 24-year-old man by colleague after night out A A n 18-year-old female Special Constable was allegedly raped by a colleague in the wee hours of Saturday at a Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown hotel after a night out together.

The rank claimed that after a night of partying together, she, along with the Constable, booked a room at the hotel since they were too drunk to drive home.

However, about 03:45h, the male Constable forced himself on the female rank despite her resistance.

Reports are immediately after the act, the woman lodged a complaint at the

Brickdam Police Station and the alleged rapist was arrested.

She was further taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was examined by a doctor, who

confirmed that she was sexually penetrated. The Constable is presently in custody assisting with the investigation.

The file is expected to be sent for legal advice.

three-year-old girl was raped by a 24-year-old man in Corentyne, Berbice on Friday.

Guyana Times was told that the child’s mother, who is a farmer, left the child in the care of the suspect’s mother, who also resides in the same village, since she had to go to her farm in the backlands.

Reports are it was a norm for the toddler to be left with the villager whenever her mother had to tend to her farm.

However, on Friday, the child was left unattended by the suspect’s mother and he used the opportunity to carry out the act. This newspaper was told that based on investigations, the suspect placed the child on a chair to stand and removed all of

her clothing and committed the act.

In the afternoon hours, when the mother took the infant home, she showed her mother her private parts, indicating that the suspect (name given) did something to her.

The mother contacted the Police and the threeyear-old was medically ex-

amined, which confirmed that she was sexually assaulted. Police are now on the hunt for the suspect.

Just two weeks prior to this incident, a New Amsterdam, Berbice man appeared in court after he allegedly raped a five-yearold, who was also a family member. He was placed on bail.

Bicycle bandits rob vendor

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La Penitence Market vendor is now counting her losses after she was on Monday afternoon robbed by two armed bicycle bandits.

Chandroutie Mahatoo, 24, of Sideline Dam, La Penitence, Georgetown, was attacked about 13:00h as she was being towed by her brother, 22-year-old Pooran Mahatoo.

According to reports, the

two were proceeding along James Street, Albouystown, when they were confronted by two males, who rode up alongside them on separate pedal cycles.

The bandits then came off their bicycles and blocked the siblings’ path. One of the perpetrators then whipped out a firearm and pointed it at them.

His accomplice proceeded to draw an ice pick and

demanded that the vendor hand over her bag which contained $50,000 cash, US$250, one High-5 cellphone valued $30,000, one ID card, and one gold chain valued $40,000.

The perpetrators then went back to their respective pedal cycle and escaped, east along James Street.

The matter was reported, and the Police were investigating.

ly and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on Adams.

According to the prosecution’s case presented by Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore, the 68-yearold man and the Virtual Complainant (VC) had an argument at his premises and he requested that she leave.

However, Adams refused to do so which prompted Stewart to take up a piece of wood and strike her about her body, breaking her hand.

Adams was rushed to the Diamond hospital, where she was treated for the injuries that she sustained.

In court, the VC indicated that she and the pensioner have entered into an agreement whereby he has volunteered to compensate her for her injuries.

However, Latchman placed Stewart on $100,000 bail and told Adams to reconsider whether or not she wanted to pursue the matter.

The case will continue on February 26.

Pensioner on $100,000 bail for breaking woman’s arm

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Charlestown, Georgetown man was on Monday released on $100,000 bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for breaking a woman’s arm.

Joseph Stewart, of Lot 2 Charlestown, Georgetown, appeared before city Magistrate Judy Latchman and denied that he struck Oslyn Adams causing her the injury.

The charge read to him stated that on February 8, 2018 at Russell Street, Charlestown, he unlawful-

NEWS

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PUC hearing

GWI, customers face off over proposed rate increases

By Jarryl Bryan

T

he Guyana Water Incorporated’s (GWI) attempts to increase rates in a number of categories were staunchly resisted by consumers; some of whom vented their frustrations with the utility company during a public hearing on Monday.

status of its audited financial statements and when they would be available to the public. In response, GWI Chief Executive Officer, Dr Richard Van West-Charles revealed that the entity was still in the process of finalising 2016 statements.

Gaskin stated, “When can we get the audited financial statements of this place?

and you come here for more rates? Are you kidding me?

If you don’t have it, you can’t come here for more rates.”

West-Charles’ belated explanations that the audit was being carried out by external auditors failed to assuage the former presidential advisor. According to Gaskin, as the CEO, WestCharles had an obligato-

The panel, from left: GWI Executive Finance Director, Jajopaul Ram; Attorney Tiffany Daniels; GWI CEO, Dr Richard Van West-Charles; and Executive Director of Commercial Services and Customer Relations, Marlon Daniels

GWI’s proposed ancillary charges

On Monday, GWI was forced to defend its proposed increases to consumers at a public hearing at Cara Lodge, in Georgetown. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) facilitated the hearing, however, it soon turned into a fiery exchange.

Political commentator Ramon Gaskin, who was present in the audience, confronted GWI’s head on the

He told me 2016 they are working on. We’re in 2018!

If we cannot have audited financial statements, how can you come to the Commission for an increase in rates?”

“It’s unacceptable and matter of fact, its illegal! The audited financial statements of GWI have to be tabled in the National Assembly at a certain time.

You’re still working on 2016

ry responsibility to get the statements done.

Gaskin also stressed the need to see disaggregated statistics on GWI’s revenue; so the public could better understand where the company’s shortfalls lay.

Meanwhile, another customer complained of receiving bills with incorrect meter numbers and poor treatment meted out to him at

GWI’s offices.

“It’s not good enough to come to the PUC for a rate increase when consumers are not treated the way they ought to be treated. And I stand with Mr Gaskin as it relates to the accounts for the company. People are paying; they would like to know what, how and why they are paying. You can’t just come and bombard the PUC for increases when the consumers are not satisfied with the treatment they are getting. Without the consumer, (there would be) no GWI,” another consumer pointed out at the hearing.

In the end, the PUC chair, Deb Britton ordered GWI to make the pertinent documents available, so that the Commission can review them. She also instructed GWI to address issues raised about the possible effects of ancillary rate hikes.

West-Charles undertook to make unaudited financial statements available before the scheduled end of the exercise. He also noted that claims of poor customer service would be investigated, as he had a zero tolerance policy for such staff.

Rates

For unmetered residential properties, a monthly fixed charge of $500 along with $1500 per month is on the table. Their metered counterparts face charges of $500 per month and $112 per cubic meter. For unmetered pensioners, a water usage charge of $740 per month is proposed, while the fixed charge will be waived.

Metered non-residential customers face a monthly charge of $500 and a monthly consumption charge of $150 per cubic meter. Unmetered non-residential customers

are charged based on the category of their operations – small, medium and large.

All these categories are proposed to pay a fixed monthly charge of $500. In the case of small operations, it is proposed that they pay $3750 per month, while medium operations are facing a $12,000 charge. Large scale consumers can end up paying $24,000.

For the sewerage tariff, GWI is proposing $417 per month for residential customers and pensioners; while a monthly charge of $2860 is being proposed for non-residential metered and unmetered small-scale consumers. Medium-scale consumers face paying $4350 and large-scale consumers $6375 per month.

These charges exclude ancillary charges, which will encompass fees, including reconnection charges.

12 news

tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

City Hall workers to strike today

…over non-payment of NIS, PAYE, Credit Union dues …although municipality deducts $280M from wages

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ity Hall may find itself in hot water today if workers decide to follow the advice of the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) and go on strike until monies are remitted to the Credit Union, the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme.

At Monday’s statutory meeting, the City’s Welfare Officer, Wesley Adams, informed Councillors that the administration met with the Labour Department; the General Secretary of the GLU, Carvil Duncan; the Deputy Town Clerk and other staff representatives on February 5, 2018, where it was decided that the municipality would be given two weeks to begin addressing the issues.

“This morning (Monday) a member of staff brought a notice to my attention in which Mr Duncan sent out this notice informing members of staff because of the failure of the (City Hall’s) administration to address the issues there will be a withdrawal of the workers’ service tomorrow (today) and they are required to meet at the Union Hall,” he related.

Adams noted that many of the issues that were being brought to fore were being addressed.

“The administration met

with NIS as it relates to deduction and remittance and also the Credit Union. However, this afternoon (Monday), I met with some members of staff and I told them clearly, while it is their prerogative to go on strike because the administration is trying its utmost best, I think they should think clearly before they go on strike,” Adams added.

The Council was also informed that although monies are being deducted from the workers’ wages and salaries for NIS, Union dues and PAYE, those monies are not remitted to the agencies.

According to the City Treasurer, Ron McAlmont, the municipality owes the Credit Union over $26 million; NIS $127.4 million; and the GRA, $132 million. He explained that on Friday last,

the Council would have made payments of $10.3 million and $10.4 million to the NIS and Credit Union respectively.

Meanwhile, Town Clerk Royston King explained that the current financial status of City Hall should be taken into account when looking at the overall picture. He, however, noted that steps are already being put in place to address the issue in a timely fashion.

With all of that being said, some Councillors were at a loss as to how monies could be deducted and not paid over to the entities. Councillor, Andrea Marks, said it is a “shame” that workers are being denied their benefits when they go to NIS because of the administration’s ineptitude. Meanwhile, Councillor

assaulted Donnette Miller when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on February 8, 2018 at Duncan Street, Kitty, he unlawfully assaulted Miller.

According to Police

Prosecutor Arvin Moore, the 41-year-old man grabbed and choked the Virtual Complainant (VC) after they were reportedly arguing.

Magistrate Latchman released the defendant on $20,000 bail and he was expected to return on February 26, 2018.

Software specialist charged for assaulting woman

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self-employed software specialist was on Monday taken to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a charge of assault.

Joseph Hoyte, of Lot 725 South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown denied that he

Bishram Kuppen, called for a written report on the issue and for it to be addressed urgently by the Finance Committee.

Finance Committee Chairman, Councillor Oscar Clarke, said the issue has been engaging the attention of the Committee and noted that with the current financial position of the municipality, had it gone ahead and made those payments, then workers would have been waiting longer periods for their wages

and salaries.

At an Extraordinary Statutory Meeting on November 14, 2017, Clarke had suggested that the municipality consider downsizing the number of staff since salaries account for 68 per cent of the Council’s revenue.

That came in light of the cash strapped municipality failing to pay its workers’ their wages and salaries on time leading to protests.

The chairman had suggested the Council should begin looking to reduce its 800 staff. He noted that the current financial state will remain if the Council continues to pay 68 per cent of its reve-

nue for staffing.

For quite a while now, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been cashstrapped, and on multiple occasions, work around the city had to be halted, since the municipality was unable to pay workers. The City’s major garbage contractors – Cevons Waste Disposal and Puran Bros Disposal Service – were forced to withdraw their services after the administration was unable to pay over $300 million owed to them. This resulted in Cevons laying off a number of its employees and Central Government stepping in to pick up the tab.

(Lakhram Bhagirat)

Women trained in first aid response for elderly

First Lady Sandra Granger with coordinators, facilitators and participants of the workshop

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omen of various organisations were trained in providing essential first response care, as part of the First Lady’s ‘Care for the Elderly’ Workshop. The one-week training which was held at Barrack Street, Kingston, concluded on Monday.

The event saw a total of 35 participants from the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG), Women Across Differences (WAD) and the St John’s Bosco Orphanage, who were trained by facilitators at the Guyana Red

Cross Society (GRCS) in First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Present at the workshop was First Lady Sandra Granger who addressed the gathering and emphasised the importance of first aid, adding that it is important in everyday life. She also added that with the completion of this workshop, the participants will receive a recognised certificate that will be certified by the Board of Industrial Training. With this, they can acquire a job in this field.

“You are going to learn something that is not only going to help you professionally as caregivers, but something that will help you in your day to day life.

It is something that you can take into your ordinary life with your family, neighbours [and] friends, so you will know how to render first aid,” the First Lady said.

Coordinator of the First Aid Programme, Devon Lewis, revealed that the aim of the workshop is to provide the participants with the knowledge of first aid training that can help save lives.

Local law school

AG’s silence “unacceptable” – Nandlall

Opposition MP Anil Nandlall

S

everal weeks have passed since Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams has said anything about plans to set up a local law school here. In fact, his predecessor, Anil Nandlall, is questioning the Minister’s sudden silence on the matter

Attorney General Basil Williams

and has described this action as “unacceptable”.

The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) said in a scathing statement on Sunday that the AG’s information about the process still did not seem to add up, and hinted that he may be untruthful about it. The MP

again also rubbished claims made by Williams that Guyana received permission.

Nandlall noted that the Council of Legal Education (CLE) met over a week ago in Barbados, and the AG attended. Having attended the meeting of the Council where the matter was scheduled to be addressed, the AG is obliged to inform the nation on the outcome, Nandlall insisted.

The former AG recalled that Williams resolutely maintained in the media that Guyana was granted permission to establish a local law school. This contention of the AG was, however, contradicted by the Chairman of the Council, Reginald Armour, who revealed that there was no record to prove that the CLE ever granted Guyana any such permission to set up a local law school.

“Both the Chairman of

the CLE and the AG told us that the matter was placed on the agenda for the Council meeting, which took place last week. A week after, we have not heard a word from the AG, who was hitherto very vociferous and emphatic on his position that the Council granted Guyana permission. He doggedly held firm to this position, notwithstanding his inability to produce any evidence of this alleged permission,” Nandlall recalled.

Nandlall also pointed out that former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, was dragged into the issue, as Williams had stated that the former Chancellor had knowledge of this alleged permission. However, Justice Singh later denied having any such knowledge.

Only recently, Nandlall told Guyana Times that the said issue was a straightfor-

ward one that has been made ambiguous, complex and confusing by the alleged lies being peddled by his successor, who has, in fact, given several different statements regarding the same issue.

One major concern for Nandlall is the move taken by Williams to proceed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with what he described as two unrecognised institutions.

The CLE did indicate that Guyana was not granted permission although the AG declared several times that Guyana did obtain permission in 2017.

Williams has attacked CLE Chairman Armour, claiming that he (Armour) responded to a request from Nandlall to have the matter of Guyana establishing a law school put on the CLE agenda.

While the AG has named

Guyana’s committee for the setting-up of the law school, he said he was not yet ready to inform the CLE. When contacted on Monday for a comment on the issue, Williams told this newspaper that he planned to hold a press conference to discuss that issue, among other things. He could not provide a date for the press conference.

Government announced in January 2017, it would start a project to establish the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas. This school is being established through a public-private partnership between the Government of Guyana, the Law School of the Americas (LCA) and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC), and will add to the existing options available to holders of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

NEWS

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tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cheddi Jagan commemorative stamp to be launched soon

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s Guyana prepares to celebrate the birth centenary of former leader and President of Guyana, Dr Cheddi Jagan, the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) in collaboration with the Public Telecommunications Ministry has announced plans to launch a commemorative stamp in his honour.

Minister Cathy Hughes said on Monday that the initiative was decided following an agreement with the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre. A decision was taken

Dr Cheddi Jagan

to produce a philatelic stamp to commemorate his birth anniversary of the former President who is still referred to as the “father of the nation.”

The Minister said the stamp is being produced and designed by the Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corporation, which is headquartered in the United States.

This company, according to the Minister, has a long-standing relationship with the GPOC and has produced many stamps over the past years.

“This special Cheddi Jagan

commemorative stamp will be launched and unveiled and made available to the public in March.

We look forward to the relationship we have with the Research Centre,” she added.

The University of Guyana, which was co-founded by Dr Jagan, will also be hosting a series of academic activities in honour of the late Guyanese premier and President in March.

Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which was founded by the late President, will be hosting sever-

al activities throughout 2018 to mark his 100th birth anniversary.

The party plans to have an academic conference and special cultural events across the country.

Cheddi Jagan was born March 22, 1918, at Plantation Port Mourant, British Guiana. He was a politician and union activist, who in 1953 became the first popularly-elected Prime Minister of British Guiana (now Guyana). He headed the country’s Government again from 1957 to 1964 and from 1992 to 1997.

US$100M capital fund for Guyanese entrepreneurs launched …Govt urged to liberate Guyanese from “digital constipation”

G

uyanese entrepreneurs will soon have the opportunity to access financing as a Guyanaborn businessman and telecommunications expert, Mike Singh on Saturday launched a US$100 million venture capital fund at the 2018 Digital Wealth Creation Summit.

Singh, who was one of the featured speakers at the event held at the Marriott, which saw the attendance of hundreds of persons, said that many brilliant ideas died because very often borrowers did not have the collateral to access loans.

While declaring that sometimes banks “kill entrepreneurship”, Singh, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Telkom Caribe Group, a telecommunications company based in Miami, Florida, announced the setting up of this fund to the applause of a receptive audience of mostly young people.

Singh, whose business

the entire hinterland region was without Internet.

The Indigenous people of Guyana account for 12 per cent of the total population, and they should demand from Government that they too are connected, he said. “If I were them, I would have hold whoever is in power and say that ‘don’t fix the net, we not voting for you’.

They are Guyanese too and they are being left behind,” he told a cheering audience on Saturday.

Speaking of his experience of working and travelling to different countries around the world, Singh said even Afghanistan in the midst of war had Internet service, but the Kaieteur National Park had “literally no Internet there”.

The businessman and philanthropist said for the coastal region, the bandwidth was also poor and stated that it must be improved in order for Guyana to reap the full benefits of digital wealth. “What we need is fi-

Telkom Caribe Group Chairman and CEO Mike Singh

bandwidth. Bandwidth helps to fuel intellectual capital growth and innovation. Your competition is not here in Guyana, but some man from India, or Shanghai.”

While declaring that many jobs would be replaced with technology in the near future, Singh said before Guyana could begin to create Internet wealth and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies, “we need to solve the bandwidth quagmire and liberate the people of this

A section of the gathering at the Digital Wealth Creation Summit held over the weekend

has offices in Abu Dhabi and South Africa, was critical of Government’s efforts to promote and capitalise on the use of modern digital technology. He shared with the audience how surprised and shocked he was that almost

bre. We don’t need 50 megawatts, we need one gigabyte,” he asserted.

Singh continued, “Because you cannot fuel innovation and wealth creation in the country in the Internet age unless you have

country from the digital constipation they are forced to live with”.

Intellectual capital

Another important topic Singh touched on was the need to safeguard intellec-

tual capital of locals. The businessman is of the strong opinion that the laws in relation to this are sadly inadequate. He has advised that policy decision makers have more discussions around this with the aim of trying to set a stage for this to take effect in Guyana. This area, he claimed, has the potential to create massive wealth.

Singh also raised concerns over the country’s reluctance to embrace fully the new Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). This most recent version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the communications protocol that pro-

vides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the Internet, is already being used in many countries, especially those in the developed world.

The Summit, which was hosted for the second year, was aimed especially for entrepreneurs (whether veteran or aspiring); service professionals; students; or anyone who has a burning dream and desire to do what they love and to relentlessly pursue their dreams.

Some of the speakers and presenters included: Dr Rosh Khan, the brain behind

the event who is the CEO of the Masterclass Institute and SocialRankMedia as well as the local franchise holder/lead consultant of FranklinCovey; Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes; Gabriel Abed, the founder of Bitt.com, a Barbadosbased blockchain startup; Ramesh Persaud, the CEO of the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED); Valrie Grant, founder and Managing Director of GeotechVision, and Samantha Sheoprasad –a 2017 recipient of the Queen’s Young Leaders Award.

14 news

tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ailing Nagamootoo for MP files legal action for heart surgery today US$18M oil bonus

…bypass scheduled at US hospital

transfer into Consolidated Fund

ment went on to express optimism for the recovery of the Prime Minister, who is being accompanied by his wife, Sita.

Overseas medical treatment

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

J

ust days before the third anniversary of his party forming the coalition, it has been revealed that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo will require urgent heart surgery in the United States of America.

According to a medical bulletin from Government, Nagamootoo recently undertook a routine medical examination at which point it was revealed that he had an existing cardiac-related

health problem.

“Prime Minister Nagamootoo was advised to seek further medical intervention and brought forward a planned private visit to the United States. As a result of further examinations, Prime Minister Nagamootoo will undergo bypass heart surgery (today), Tuesday, February 13 at a medical institution in the United States,” a release from Government said on Monday.

The Government state-

The issue of Government officials seeking treatment overseas rather than at the Georgetown Public Hospital or even local private hospitals has a long and contentious history.

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

However, Government Ministers have been flying to Ireland and other overseas territories for medical treatment.

It was further disclosed that a health insurance policy was being prepared for Government officials.

O

Opposition MP Anil Nandlall

pposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall has filed a legal challenge seeking to have Government transfer the ExxonMobil US$18 million signing bonus into the Consolidated Fund.

Nandlall in his legal challenge said the deposit of the signing bonus into a private back account is

New parking meter by-laws for next statutory meeting – King

G

eorgetown’s Town Clerk, Royston King said that the new by-laws for the controversial parking meter project were being redrafted and would be ready for the next Statutory Meeting on February 26.

He was, at the time, responding to questions from Councillor Noelle ChowChee at Monday’s statutory meeting.

“We have looked at the amendments of the contract and those amendments have been included in the contract and we will now go forward to sign off on the contract, since the amendments have already been adopted and Council agreed to them,” he stated.

“With respect to the bylaws, those are being redrafted and that will come to the Council I’m sure if not at the next meeting, a special meeting for Council to review it and for us to go forward, but currently the bylaws are being redrafted,” King explained.

The M&CC had entered into a contract with Smart City Solutions (SCS) Inc on May 13, 2016, for parking meters to be implemented in Georgetown, but following strenuous objections and intense protests from citizens, Central Government suspended the by-laws of the project.

On January 23, 2017, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan signed the

A parking meter

by-laws that were approved at the December 13, 2016 Statutory Meeting of the Council. However, Bulkan was forced to suspend the by-laws some nine months ago.

In February of last year, the New Building Society (NBS) challenged the bylaws governing the project and in December, Justice Naresh Harnanan ruled that the procedure used to bring the by-laws into effect was breached, resulting in them being invalid.

A committee was previously set up on April 26, 2017 to review the project and its life ended on August 2, 2017. The Committee report made three recommendations – renegotiating the contract with SCS, scrap-

ping the entire project or awaiting the outcome of the pending court cases.

On September 7, 2017, Councillors vote 13:5:7 in favour of continuing the metered parking system with a renegotiated contract, which led to the formation of the renegotiating committee.

The renegotiating committee was chaired by Councillor Peter and consisted of Councillors Chow-Chee (VC); Oscar Clark; Jameel Rasul; James Samuels; Heston Bostwick and Ivor Henry. The Mayor mandated that two members of the public also sit on the committee and Civil Engineer Owen Godfrey Edwards and Accountant Robin Hunte were selected.

The renegotiation com-

mittee was tasked with engaging SCS with a view to renegotiating the terms of the agreement entered into between the parties and more specifically, to seek to take into account the concerns raised and addressed in the reports of the Special Committee in relation to costs, fines, enforcement, profit-sharing, areas, times and other factors identified in relation to the project and any other relevant actions, as the committee may, in its discretion, determine or as may be suggested by the general council. Upon completion of the negotiation period, the new committee would have to prepare a report.

Following the renegotiation, SCS and the M&CC reached a new agreement under the controversial Parking Meter Project, which will now see persons paying $150 per hour and $800 for eight hours of parking in the city.

Meanwhile, residents of the city would be issued with a restricted residential pass for free parking from 19:00h to 07:00h (7pm-7am) Monday to Friday, while parking would be free on Saturdays.

All of those changes are expected to be reflected in the new contract and bylaws as the city gears towards re-implementing the controversial project later this year.

contrary to, and in violation of, the Constitution and the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

In his application, the MP is also seeking, among other things, an order from the court directing that Finance Minister Winston Jordan transfer and deposit the bonus into the Consolidated Fund forthwith.

He argued that Government is in breach of Section 38 of the FMAA, which provides that all public moneys raised or received by the Government shall be credited fully and promptly to the Fund.

In accordance with Article 216 of the Constitution and Section 38 of the FMAA, Nandlall said the US$18 million bonus and such other sums collected by the Government under the Petroleum Agreement with ExxonMobil are public moneys and must therefore be paid into and form one consolidated fund.

This legal challenge follows a lawsuit that was filed in January by Attorney Christopher Ram, on behalf of anti-corruption activist Troy Thomas who also asked the High Court to order Minister Jordan to immediately deposit the US$18 million received from ExxonMobil as a signing bonus into the Consolidated Fund, while saying his failure to do so is unlawful.

When the matter was called, however, the challenge had to be retracted after Chief Justice Roxane George had ruled that the litigation’s format was flawed. It now has to be refiled and served on all parties before the court can proceed. The legal team, headed by Ram, is currently in the process of reframing the documents and plans to file a new application soon.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has repeatedly debunked the Government’s excuse for holding the funds outside of the Consolidated Fund.

Government has said that the money was kept in a private account to pay legal fees for Guyana should it have to take its border case with Venezuela to the International Court of Justice.

Jagdeo is contending that the Government’s intention was always to hide the money, but they were caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar.

The bonus in question was paid to the Government’s Central Bank account by US oil giant ExxonMobil in 2016. The

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

existence of this bonus and the renegotiated oil agreement with the company was kept a secret until evidence of the transaction was leaked in December 2017.

The correspondence of September 20, 2016, which was leaked to the media was addressed to the Governor of the Bank of Guyana with the subject being, “Signing bonus granted

by ExxonMobil – Request to open bank account”.

It showed Finance Secretary at the Finance Ministry, Hector Butts, requesting that a foreign currency account be opened at the Bank in order to receive a deposit in the form of a ‘signing bonus’ to be given by the oil company.

The letter stated, “This account should not be treated as part of the Bank’s reserves. Instead, the proceeds should be held in the currency of the deposit, that is, United States dollars, and invested in secured interest-bearing securities.”

After mounting criticism, President David Granger defended the transaction by saying it was the thing to do at the time. He also noted that the money was placed in an escrow account, though observers have disputed this.

After the fact, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman also defended the secrecy by saying the money would be used to defend Guyana’s sovereignty in the legal process.

At present, Guyana is awaiting a ruling from the United Nations Secretary General on whether or not the country would have to proceed to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In the meantime, however, this sum of money remains outside of the Consolidated Fund.

The proceedings by Nandlall were filed on Monday, and a hearing on his application is fixed before the Chief Justice on March 13.

news

15

tuesDAY, February 13, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

NDIA to take over maintenance of New Deputy Solid drainage, irrigation systems from GuySuCo Waste Director

C

hief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Frederick Flatts, said some systems are already in place for the agency to assume control of the maintenance of drainage and irrigation canals previously controlled by the now reorganised Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

“We have received some additional money to carry out those works. So, we have had discussions with GuySuCo to that end, and shortly, the NDIA will take over that responsibility,” Flatts told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a recent interview.

NDIA CEO Frederick Flatts

Additionally, Flatts said the NDIA will strive to have a smooth transition of work-

ers from GuySuCo to the agency. The CEO also said there is not likely to be any redundancy of workers from this take-over.

“We will ask GuySuCo to carry out the works and GuySuCo will decide what they do. It is expected they will have the same staff.

The way we discussed with GuySuCo is that at least for the first, we will have to depend upon them [GuySuCo] to assist. For example, with the pump stations, we do not want to go there and remove all the men and take new men.

So, virtually we would have the same people. It makes sense to continue to use the people who were em-

ployed by GuySuCo and I suspect it is the same thing which will happen with the drains the canals, the structures,” the CEO explained.

GuySuCo throughout its years of operation has played a strategic role in the maintenance of drainage and irrigation canals linking several communities across the coastlands of Guyana.

With its reorganisation, many were concerned about these canals being left to become clogged and dysfunctional, increasing the threat of floods when it rains heavily or drought which has the potential to destroy farmers’ produce during the dry season.

appointed

New Deputy Solid Waste Director Floyd Rollins

NGSA app launched T

he City Council’s Solid Waste Department now has a new Deputy Solid Waste Director, who will seek to lessen the workload of the current Director of Waste, Walter Narine. At Monday’s statutory meeting, the recommendation to appoint Floyd Rollins to the position was discussed.

An internal vacancy was posted within the M&CC for qualified and able-bodied persons to apply for the time-consuming post. Rollins, who current-

F

irst Lady Sandra Granger on Monday attended the launch of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) app and placed on record her support to the Education Ministry and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Guyana team who have used technology to create a new and innovative way to further strengthen and enhance the learning process. The launch was held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Battery Road, Kingston.

The First Lady said the Education Ministry has now opened doors for children to access education, through STEM and urged parents and guardians to take full advantage of what the Ministry has to offer.

“Our children in Guyana have proven that they have the capacity to learn something new, and it doesn’t matter what school you go to or which part of the country you live in… The Ministry is opening up these apps to you which will help you in your Grade Six exams and hopefully, inspire you to get into robotics and Mathematics…,” Granger said.

ly serves as an environmentalist for the M&CC, was singled out for the position. The job will entail assisting Narine in running the affairs of the city’s Solid Waste Department, which is currently busy with consulting citizens on implementing a fee for garbage collection.

Councillor Noelle ChowChee stood before the Council and attested to the efficient work that Rollins is said to be doing. She noted that he was conscientious and she supported the idea to appoint him 100 per cent. After which, Councillor Alfred Mentore moved the motion to act on Town Clerk Royston King’s proposal to appoint Rollins.

The motion garnered a total of 14 yes votes, zero opposing and three persons in abstention.

Councillor Akeem Peter, who was acting as chair of the meeting in the absence of both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, was the first to congratulate Rollins on his new position and expressed hope that he would act well in his capacity.

Crime, high unemployment hampering economic growth in Caribbean – IMF First Lady Sandra Granger, seated right, listening attentively to Education Minister Nicolette Henry highlighting the significant strides the Ministry has made in promoting the use of technology in the school system

The Education Ministry and the STEM Guyana team have collaborated to make education exciting for NGSA students. She noted that over time, technology has evolved and likewise, learning must evolve as well.

The First Lady also noted that the app is a great tool that can bring children together, as it allows for the sharing of educational information. Granger added that the app has now provided students in the hin-

terland with the equal opportunity to learn, grow and to develop in STEM, like children on the coast and elsewhere.

“I am excited because I think [this] app is going to [give] that little boost that children need to be inspired and any child can do it, once they have a phone and once they have teachers who are interested,” First Lady said.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Nicolette Henry said the app was designed with every Grade Six stu-

Colin Sawh giving an overview of the app and a demonstration of its user friendly interface for students and teachers

dent in mind and they should take full advantage to improve in their academic performances.

Co-founder of STEM Guyana, Karen Abrams, noted that in order for children to thrive in learning, education must be reimagined.

“We therefore thought that it was important to work with the Ministry of Education to make available, a technology tool which will allow access to test questions, it will allow for explanation to those questions and it will allow answers. A tool that will also allow parents to monitor how long their children study and what they study,” Abrams said.

The current app now provides students with past papers of the four core subjects: Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science, which they are tested in at the NGSA Exams. The app also provides an interface, whereby students’ studies can be monitored by their parents and teachers. The app is available for download on Google Play Store.

E

conomic growth in the Caribbean is being hampered by high unemployment among young people regarded as the highest in the world and crime, according to a IMFBlog, a forum for the views of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff and officials on pressing economic and policy issues.

In its “Chart of the Week,” the IMFBlog noted that the 2008 global financial crisis had an especially strong effect on the unemployment rate for those between the ages of 15 and 24, which jumped on average by five percentage points between 2007 and 2013, from 21 per cent to 26 per cent.

“In some countries, for example, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Jamaica, youth unemployment rates are nearly three times that of those aged 30 and over”.

The IMFBlog noted that the difficult job market has led to an increase in crime in many of the islands. “In several Caribbean countries, crime has risen sharply since 2004 and murder rates are now among the highest in the world.

“More specifically, violent crime in the Caribbean is significantly higher than in any other region, with 6.8 per cent of the population affected versus a world average of 4.5 per cent, accord-

ing to a recent IMF book, Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean,” the IMFBlog added.

It said that about 40 per cent of the Caribbean population identifies crime and security-related issues as the biggest problem facing their countries, even more than pov­erty or inequality.

According to the 2012 United Nations Caribbean Human Development Report, young people are both the primary victims and perpetrators of crime in the region.

Victims of violent crime are mainly between the ages of 18 to 30 and from lower levels of income, while 80 per cent of prosecuted crimes were committed by people aged 17 to 29 years.

The IMFBlog argued that efforts to fight crime will require an integrated solution.

“Balancing crime suppression programmes with prevention, including youth vocational training that increases job opportunities in the formal sector and keeps youth off the street, targeting interventions in high crime areas, and developing indicators to more accurate monitor the effectiveness of anticrime programmes can deliver good results.” (Jamaica

Observer)

16

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

Regional

Oxfam: Deputy resigns over Venezuela kidnap: sex claims amid crisis talks Baseball star Elías

Díaz’s mother freed

O

xfam's deputy chief executive has resigned over the handling of a sex scandal involving aid workers. The British charity is accused of concealing the findings of an inquiry into claims staff used prostitutes while delivering aid in Haiti in 2011.

Penny Lawrence said she was "ashamed" and takes full responsibility.

Oxfam – which denies a cover-up – has met with the International Development Secretary in a bid to prevent its government funding from being cut.

Lawrence joined Oxfam GB in 2006 as international programmes director, leading teams across 60 coun-

Penny Lawrence (left) says she took "full responsibility" for the behaviour of staff in Chad and Haiti.

Oxfam staff had been in Haiti as part of the relief effort following the 2010 earthquake

tries, according to the charity's website. "Concerns were raised about the behaviour of staff in Chad as well as Haiti that we failed to adequately act upon," she said in a statement.

"It is now clear that these allegations – involving the use of prostitutes and

which related to behaviour of both the country director and members of his team in Chad – were raised before he moved to Haiti."

The allegations emerged in The Times on Friday, which said Oxfam's country director for Haiti, Roland van Hauwermeiren, used prosti-

tutes at a villa rented for him

by Oxfam in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.

According to the paper, Oxfam knew about concerns over the conduct of Mr van Hauwermeiren and another man when they worked in Chad before they were given senior roles in Haiti. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Barbadian Minister robbed at gunpoint while anticrime legislation sits in Parliament

B

arbados Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Maxine McClean, was robbed on Saturday morning by a gunman as she used an automatic teller machine in the St Michael parish. The attack comes amidst the impending ratification of the new Police Amendment Bill 2017 that was passed in the lower house of parliament on January 23, 2018, but now sits in the senate awaiting ratification and passage.

McClean was also struck

in the face during the brazen daylight attack but did not suffered serious injuries and is reported to be fine although the robber got away with her handbag.

This robbery comes on the heels of a heightened awareness by the Barbados police force as they try to crack down on gang violence and other domestic related incidents that have been reported to be crimes of passion and circumstance.

However, the new Bill has sparked considerable outrage and drawn concern

Barbadian Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Maxine McClean

about the powers it proposes to be granted to the police force.

The Bill seeks to give police officers expanded powers of declaring curfews, imposing cordons, stopping and searching persons and vehicles and entering homes without a warrant.

The Bill also seeks to impose a fine of up to BB$10,000 (US$5,000) on individuals that use insulting or derogatory language towards a police officer and/ or jail time of up to three years. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

2 killed, 1 injured in Trinidad Carnival

A

t least two people, including a 17 yearold schoolboy, were stabbed to death as Trinidad and Tobago celebrated the annual Carnival celebrations with street parades on Monday.

Police said that the teen, Reshad Singh, was stabbed during an altercation during the J'Ouvert celebrations in Chaguanas, south of here.

They said three people have since been detained and are assisting in the investigations.

Police said they also ended the J'Ouvert celebrations in the southern town of San Fernando a few hours early, after an unidentified man was stabbed to death and

Trinidad and Tobago security officials are on high alert after eight men have been detained amid reports of a terrorist plot to disrupt the Carnival celebrations

another injured. The authorities said the man was involved in an altercation with a group of men and they began fighting. He was stabbed in the chest and ab-

domen. He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police also reported that 21-year-old, Keon Jack,

two men in the video are apparently the two agents of the federal attorney general’s office who went missing on February 5 in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit.

The gunmen bear no identifying marks on their clothes, but Nayarit is dominated by the Jalisco New Generation cartel. One of the pair reads from an ap-

parently prepared script in which he claims agents and military personnel committed rape, torture and theft.

It was unclear what rank the two had, but the gunmen apparently thought they were undercover intelligence agents, because the script included the line “understand, the fact that we dress up as normal work-

who was liming with friends, was shot and is in a critical condition at the SFGH. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago security officials are on high alert after eight men have been detained amid reports of a terrorist plot to disrupt the Carnival celebrations that end on Tuesday with the traditional street jump-up.

Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams told a news conference on Sunday that investigations were continuing into the alleged plot but urged residents and visitors alike to be vigilant as they participate in the celebrations.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Video appears to show missing Mexican intelligence agents held at gunpoint

A

chilling video apparently shows two kneeling, bound Mexican intelligence agents confessing supposed rights violations while surrounded by five masked gunmen pointing machine pistols and assault rifles at them.

A federal official who was not authorised to be quoted by name said on Monday the

ers doesn’t mean they don’t know who we are”.

However, the attorney general’s office said the two missing agents had been off duty and attending a family event in Nayarit when they disappeared. It said the two were assigned to the Criminal Investigation Agency, a sort of federal detectives’ bureau. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

The head of Venezuela’s investigative Police Force (CICPC), Douglas Rico, tweeted this picture of Ana Soto being given something to eat and drink after her successful rescue

P

olice in Venezuela have freed the 72-year-old mother of Elías Díaz, a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in US Major League Baseball.

Ana Soto was kidnapped on Thursday in her hometown of Maracaibo, in western Venezuela, by a group of men who bundled her into a van.

Special Forces tracked her down to the home of a Police Officer, where she was being held, not far from the city. Sports stars are popular targets for kidnappers due to their large salaries.

Six people, five of them officers in the Zulia state Police Force, have been arrested in connection with Soto's abduction. Officials said one of the officers arrested was a neighbour who "provided all the information needed" to carry out the kidnapping.

Soto was taken for a medical check-up at a near-

by hospital and is reportedly in good health.

The head of Venezuela's investigative Police Force (CICPC), Douglas Rico, tweeted a picture of Soto being given something to eat and drink after her successful rescue.

Rico said no ransom had been paid.

Elías Díaz had appealed for the safe return of his mother after she was abducted on Thursday morning while she was chatting to neighbours in a working-class area where she lives.

Díaz said she had been taken just 15 minutes after he had left her home, which he had been visiting before the start of spring training in Florida. Major league teams have warned their Venezuelan players to be careful when taking trips home as sports stars and their relatives are a popular target for kidnappers. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Antiguan Govt to make more changes to strengthen human trafficking laws

T

he Government of Antigua will be making further changes to the Trafficking in Persons Prevent Act to make it harder for offenders to escape justice.

Steadroy Benjamin, National Security Minister, made the disclosure over the weekend, following an operation on Friday in which 19 potential victims of human trafficking and four other persons were picked up from two night clubs.

He also revealed that recently a secretariat was established to monitor cases of human trafficking in Antigua and Barbuda. The joint operation on Friday was executed on two establishments – the Jam Dung Night Club and Wendy’s Bar and Restaurant.

According to a news release, the joint operation dubbed “the rescue mission”, targeted establishments based on information of possible unlawful activities relating to human trafficking and other offences.

At the end of the operations, a total of 19 potential victims were identified and four persons are assisting with the ongoing investigations. According to a source close to the operation, 11 of the potential female victims were taken from Wendy’s Bar and Restaurant and eight from the Jam Dung Night Club.

Minister Benjamin said while the issue of human trafficking is not rampant in the country, it must be addressed before it escalates. (Excerpt from Antigua

Observer)

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

ANC expected to order Russia hunts for body fragments, Zuma to resign or face clues after fatal plane crash no-confidence vote H

T

he executive body of South Africa’s ruling party is expected to order Jacob Zuma to resign as President on Monday or face a no-confidence vote in Parliament that he would almost certainly lose.

A special meeting of the African National Congress’s National Executive Committee was convened when it became clear that nearly five days of talks between Zuma and the Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, who took over the leadership of the ANC in December, had failed.

According to ANC rules, all members, including elected officials, fulfil their functions according to the will of the party. Zuma has overseen a tumultuous nine years in power marked by economic decline and faces multiple charges of corrup-

President Jacob Zuma has overseen a tumultuous nine years in power

tion.

The ANC, in power since the racist apartheid regime came to an end in 1994, has been thrown into crisis by an increasingly chaotic transfer of power from the incumbent president to his deputy and rival.

“Obviously we have reached the end of the road with the man – we will recall

him,” an NEC member told the South African TV network News24, using a technical term for the process of ordering an ANC official to leave their post.

“Zuma has humiliated the ANC enough, we must end this thing on Monday,” a second committee member told the network. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

Palestinians condemn alleged settlement annexation plan

R

eported discussions between Benjamin Netanyahu and US officials over plans to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank only confirm "Israel's commitment to apartheid", a senior Palestinian official said.

Saeb Erekat of the Palestine Liberation Organisation said on Monday any unilateral moves to annex Palestinian land would violate their right to self-determination and independence, while confirming "US complicity

with Israeli colonial plans".

"This is a confirmation that final status issues are being unilaterally decided upon by Israel in coordination with the US administration," Erekat said in a statement.

His comments came after Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, was quoted as saying he had been in discussions over the settlements with US officials.

"On the subject of applying sovereignty, I can say that I have been talking to the Americans about it for

some time," Netanyahu was quoted as telling a meeting of Likud legislators.

Netanyahu was referring to applying Israeli law to the settlements, which are currently under the jurisdiction of Israel's military.

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem in 1967.

Today, between 600,000 and 750,000 Israeli settlers live in more than 200 Jewishonly settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Disconnect between US and South Korea grows amid rapprochement with North

S

outh Korea has announced it will press ahead with improving ties with North Korea, arranging family reunions between those divided by the Korean war and seeking to cool military tensions – despite the US’s commitment to a policy of “maximum pressure” on Kim Jong-un.

The announcement from Seoul’s Unification Ministry comes a day after a high-level North Korean delegation – including Kim’s sister – concluded a visit to the South that culminated in an invitation from Kim Jongun for his counterpart Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang.

The growing rapprochement between the two neighbours – still technically at war – has exposed a disconnect in policy between Seoul and Washington, a split Pyongyang has been trying to encourage since the end of the 1950-53 Korean conflict.

It became plain after US Vice President Mike Pence

US Vice President Mike Pence and North Korea’s Kim Jongun’s sister Kim Yo-jong attend the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games

visited South Korea for the opening of the Winter Olympics at the weekend, experts said.

“There’s a definite fissure in the alliance. You can see it in Pence’s face if nothing else,” said Van Jackson, a former policy adviser to the US Secretary of Defence.

“The US and South Korea want to present a united front, but they have completely different priorities: South Korea doesn’t want

war, and the US doesn’t want North Korea to have nuclear weapons.”

Despite Washington’s hardline approach to dealing with North Korea, Pence made a small concession on Monday, saying the US was willing to talk directly with North Korea in what he called “maximum pressure and engagement at the same time”, according to the Washington Post.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

undreds of emergency workers in Russia scoured snow-covered fields outside Moscow on Monday, collecting body fragments and clues after a plane crash a day earlier that killed all 71 people on board.

President Vladimir Putin has ordered a special commission to investigate what caused the AN-148 plane operated by Saratov Airlines to crash outside Moscow shortly after taking off for the city of Orsk about 900 miles (1500 km) southeast of the capital.

Among the possible causes investigators are looking into are weather, human error and the plane’s technical condition. The crew did not send any distress signals.

Experts on Monday started studying the plane’s two flight recorders, as well as some of the around 500 plane fragments recovered so far. Footage from a CCTV camera that captured some of what happened was posted online on Monday. It showed what looked like a large ball of fire streaking through the sky.

Investigators, who have

opened a criminal case into the tragedy, said in a statement however that the plane had been in one piece when it plummeted toward the ground and not on fire.

An explosion had occurred only after it crashed, they said.

Debris and human remains were spread over a radius of one km (less than a mile) around the crash site and recovery teams had found over 1400 body fragments so far, the RIA news agency reported, saying the search could carry on for a week. (Excerpt from Reuters)

South African lions eat 'poacher', leaving just his head

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suspected big cat poacher has been eaten by lions near the Kruger National Park in South Africa, Police say. The animals left little behind, but some body parts were found over the weekend at a game park near Hoedspruit.

"It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions," Limpopo police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe told AFP. "They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains."

Police have not yet established the victim's identity. A loaded hunting rifle and ammunition were found next to the body, South

Local Police said the lions ate almost all of the man's body (file picture)

African website Eyewitness News reports.

Lion poaching has been on the rise in Limpopo province in recent years. The big cats' body parts are sometimes used in traditional medicine, both within Africa and beyond.

Wildlife charity the Born

Free Foundation says lion bones and other body parts are increasingly sought-after in South East Asia, where they are sometimes used as a substitute for tiger bones. In January 2017, three male lions were found poisoned in Limpopo with their paws and heads cut off.

(BBC News)

Ukraine deports Opposition Leader Saakashvili to Poland

O

pposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili was deported from Ukraine to Poland on Monday after being detained by armed, masked men at a restaurant in Kiev and rushed to the airport, Ukrainian officials and his supporters said.

Ukraine's border guard agency had to use force to counter Saakashvili's supporters at the Kiev airport, Oleh Slobodyan, a spokesman for the agency, said on Facebook.

He confirmed the deportation of the former Georgian president-turned-Ukrainian

opposition leader, citing rulings by Ukrainian courts that said Saakashvili was staying in the country illegally.

Saakashvili called the move "a kidnapping."

Saakashvili was stripped of Ukrainian citizenship while he was abroad last year, but he forced his way back into the country from Poland in September. Since then, he has led repeated protests against Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the official corruption that still plagues the country.

Poland's border guards said on the agency's website that Saakashvili was

admitted to Polish territory Monday at the request of Ukrainian immigration authorities.

He was permitted into Poland as the spouse of a European Union citizen, the Polish guards said.

Saakashvili's wife is Dutch, and both the Netherlands and Poland are EU nations.

Upon his arrival in Poland, Saakashvili said his deportation showed Poroshenko's weakness. He denounced the Ukrainian president as a "sneaky speculator who wants to destroy Ukraine" in a Facebook statement. (Excerpt from MSN)

1 killed, 22 hurt in Austrian train crash – Police

O

A view of where the two trains collided in Nicklasdorf, Austria, February 12, 2018

ne woman died and 22 people were hurt when two trains collided in the Austrian province of Styria on Monday, Police said.

Three children were

among those injured in the crash, which took place just before 13:00h (1200 GMT) in the South-eastern town of Niklasdorf, Police said on Twitter.

Austrian state railways said an intercity and a regional passenger train collided, causing several cars to derail.

The cause was under investigation. (Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, February 13, 2018

ARCHIE

Watch your back.

ARIES Concentrate on whatever will (March 21- help you advance. An inevitaApril 19) ble change should be handled openly and objectively. Take the initiative and live up to your expectations.

Take a moment to make TAURUS personal changes that will lift (April 20- your spirits and set you on a May 20) goal-oriented path. Ask someone you’ve helped in the past to reciprocate.

dilbert

You can make personal GEMINI (May 21- improvements, but take care June 20) of your responsibilities before you do so. The order in which you do things will make a difference to others.

Consider your options before you make a fuss or get into (June 21- a disagreement with someJuly 22) one. Making a point to cooperate and compromise will better serve you when it comes to work or money matters.

CANCER

Peanuts

Friendships, love and posiLEO tive interactions with the peo(July 23- ple you deal with on a daily Aug. 22) basis will help you get along with others. Join forces to bring about positive change.

Be friendly but distant VIRGO when dealing with peers. Tell (Aug. 23them just enough without ofSept. 22) fering personal information.

Being a good listener will give you the edge when competitive situations crop up.

Calvin and Hobbes

LIBRA You’ll have good luck deal(Sept. 23- ing with matters pertaining to Oct. 23) your relationships with others. Speak up and share your suggestions and solutions.

Positive change is within reach. Romance is favoured.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — VERANDAS (VERANDAS: vuh-RAN-duz: Porches.)

YESTERDAY’S WORD — CRIBBAGE race rage rice babe barb bare barge baric bear berg bier brace

brag bribe brig abbe acre ager garb gear gibber gibe grab grace

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

dividual, you are better off retreating and doing something creative and productive.

Some of your old ideas SAGITTARIUS will work well now. Changes (Nov. 23to your home, lifestyle or livDec. 21) ing situation will encourage greater stability and financial security.

Average mark 23 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 30 or more words in VERANDAS? The list will be published tomorrow.

cabbie caber cage cagier carb care cigar cire crab crag crib rabbi

Emotional matters will esSCORPIO calate when discussing personal (Oct. 24matters with a friend or relative.

Nov. 22) When faced with a stubborn in-

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle

Dealing with an older relCAPRICORN ative or the personal affairs (Dec. 22- of someone close to you will Jan. 19) leave you thinking about your own records and documents. Ease stress and unclutter your life.

Share your emotions and AQUARIUS memories with someone (Jan. 20whom you feel will benefit Feb. 19) from what you have to say.

Words of wisdom will lead to a closer bond and wiser choices. Love conquers all.

PISCES Update personal docu(Feb. 20- ments and make decisions March 20) regarding your investments and interests. Don’t miss out because of your inattention to detail. Stand up and be accountable.

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

19

Smith, Warner Australia Captain Steven Smith has lots of reasons to smile

A

ustralia's captain Steven Smith has crowned a rare year of Test match achievement with his second Allan Border Medal, taking out the most prestigious cricket award down under by a wide margin from his deputy David Warner and the spin bowler Nathan Lyon.

Smith's performances over the voting period also earned him the Test player-of-the-year award.

Warner instead claimed the ODI award

win big on Allan Border medal night

as Australia's leading run-maker over the voting period, which was characterised by strong displays at home against the eventual Champions Trophy winners Pakistan, before giving way to less impressive results in New Zealand, England and India. Opener Aaron Finch, Australia's leading run-getter in T20Is last year, collected the T20I player-of-theyear award, while 21-yearold Australia and Western Australia quick Jhye

Richardson was announced as the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year.

In a year when the Australians faced down considerable doubts about their capacity to compete in Asia and then followed up by regaining the Ashes at home, Smith was the central figure in tallying 1305 Test runs over the voting period at 81.56, asserting himself as the pre-eminent long-form batsman in the game and also building his reputa-

low. Everyone wants things faster these days and things evolve so maybe Twenty20 could have a monopoly on cricket.

"We all love the history of Test cricket - you will never have situations thrown up in T20 that Test cricket can do to you and you will never be tested as a player as you would in Test cricket. It's a complete test of everything and it would be sad [if it dis-

Instead, Buttler plied his trade as a T20 globe-trotter, appearing in the Bangladesh Premier League and then the Big Bash League. In April, he will return to India for a third season in the IPL and he conceded that he is likely to put T20 opportunities ahead of furthering his Test chances by playing more first-class cricket.

The softening of England's stance towards the IPL saw several players bought for hefty amounts during last month's auction - Ben Stokes commanded a fee of 1.37m from Rajasthan Royals, who also signed Buttler for 480,000 - and the financial rewards on offer in T20 are unmatched in other forms of the game.

"Hopefully the administrators can find a way of making the Test game more popular - it's awesome and I'd love to be playing in it," Buttler said ahead of England's T20 against New Zealand in Wellington, when he is again set to captain the side in Eoin Morgan's absence. "[Not making the Ashes squad] was a wakeup call that I have slipped down the ladder in red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket is obviously my strength. I thought if I'm serious about playing red-ball cricket I could give up the white-ball stuff for two years and spend winters playing red ball, but I feel like there are too many opportunities to go down that route." (ESPN Cricinfo)

tion as a leader. Smith had also accepted the medal in 2015, thus joining Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Warner as multiple winners.

An overall tally of 246 votes put Smith well out in front of Warner (162) and Lyon (156). Pat Cummins polled a notable 111 votes in his first year as a consistent member of the Australian bowling attack in all forms of the game after being carefully managed over seven years of in-

David Warner narrowly missed the Test Player award

juries and false starts since his Test debut as far back as 2011 in Johannesburg.

As the leading figure in both the India series and the Ashes, Smith mastered two contrasting challenges - how to find a way to succeed in the subcontinental conditions with which Australians are most unfamiliar, and then how to deal with the suffocating pressure of a home bout with England - in comprehensive fashion. Though Australia were narrowly

unable to beat India away, their efforts won plenty of admiration around the world, particularly when lined up against previously abject displays in the UAE against Pakistan in 2014, and in Sri Lanka in 2016.

These performances, which also reaped Smith the Test award, were enough to ensure he wrested the overall garland of the Border Medal from Warner, who claimed it in each of the past two years. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Red Bull to unveil T20 could have a monopoly on cricket – Buttler J

os Buttler, England's limited-overs wicketkeeper, has suggested that T20 could kill off all other forms of cricket within the near future. Buttler said that while he still viewed Test cricket as "the pinnacle", he could see a time - in "15 to 20 years" or sooner - in which T20 dominated.

His comments are likely to fuel fears that 20-over cricket, which has only been

Jos Buttler has already had two seasons with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League

played professionally for 15 years, will eventually eclipse the more traditional formats.

"I feel cricket could become a one-format game in the future - whether that's soon or in 15 to 20 years," Buttler told Sky Sports.

"Test cricket is still, for me, the pinnacle of cricket but T20 fills out stadiums and is easy to keep up with and fol-

appeared], but as a product T20 is going from strength to strength."

Buttler has played 18 Tests, the last of which was as a specialist batsman on the 2016-17 tour of India, but was not selected for the Ashes tour party with Ben Foakes preferred as Jonny Bairstow's deputy in Australia.

new F1 car

Red Bull finished the last Formula One season in third place

F

ormer world champions Red Bull will be ahead of their Formula One rivals at least when it comes to showing off their new car, after announcing a February 19 launch date on Monday.

The team, who won four drivers’ and constructors’ championships in a row with Sebastian Vettel between 2010 and 2013, will unveil the RB14 a week before testing starts in Barcelona on February 26.

No details of the launch were given.

Champions Mercedes, with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton going for his fifth title, and 2017 runners-up Ferrari will both present their new cars on February 22.

Red Bull, with Dutch driver Max Verstappen and Australian Daniel Ricciardo, were one of the last Formula One teams to reveal their car last season and did so with an online launch on the eve of testing.

Team boss Christian Horner said last year that Red Bull aimed to make the

most of testing right from day one in Spain after some teething problems last season.

“We are focusing on a slightly earlier release target, which only involves about five days,” he said then.

“But the design is so concertinaed and production schedules so tight, that those five days are actually pretty valuable in terms of being on the front foot rather than the back foot.”

Red Bull won three of last season’s 20 races and finished the season third overall. (Reuters)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

Winter Olympics 2018, Pyeonchang…

'Olympic Destroyer' malware affected opening ceremony – firms

S

everal U.S. cyber security firms said on Monday that they had uncovered a computer virus dubbed “Olympic Destroyer” that was likely used in an attack on Friday’s opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Games.

Games Organizers confirmed the attack on

Sunday, saying that it affected internet and television services but did not compromise critical operations. Organizers did not say who was behind the attack or provide detailed discussion of the malware, though a spokesman said that all issues had been resolved as of Saturday.

Researchers with cy-

ber security firms Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O), CrowdStrike and FireEye Inc (FEYE.O) said in blog posts and statements to Reuters on Monday that they had analysed computer code they believed was used in Friday’s attack. All three security companies said the Olympic Destroyer malware was designed to

Holder puts Pride back on top W

indies skipper Jason Holder’s four-for led Barbados Pride to a 32 run win over Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the CWI Super50 at Kensington Oval on Sunday.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat Shai Hope (45) and Roston Chase (46) led the way for the Pride batsmen as they compiled a competitive 235-7. In response, the Red Force were in trouble early but clung on grimly before eventually being all out for 203.

The Red Force secured an early breakthrough after opener Kevin Stoute was run out on 5 by Imran Khan. His opening partner Kraigg Brathwaite (34) was next to be dismissed as he was caught by Roshon Primus off a Khary Pierre delivery which left the Pride struggling at 2 for 64.

A 47 run partnership between Hope and Jonathan Carter (30), however, put the Pride back in good shape and another lower-order partnership between Holder (32) and Carlos Brathwaite (31) worth 53 runs pushed the score along. Shannon Gabriel was the Red Force’s most lethal bowler after claiming 2 for 43.

A furious opening from Holder would seriously handicap the Trinidad and Tobago response. The Red Force lost both openers Tion Webster and Amir Jango to find themselves struggling at 2 for 29 when Holder struck twice in the first five overs.

Experienced batsman Denesh Ramdin followed soon afterwards as he was dismissed lbw to become Holder’s third victim. Nicholas Pooran (29) and Isiah Raj (39) briefly gave the Red Force some stability with a fourth-wicket stand of 58.

The partnership was however broken when Pooran was caught by Hope off the bowling of Carlos Brathwaite before Holder return to account for Raj. Up next Roshon Primus and Sunil Narine did little to boost the Red Force run chase and only powerful lower order batting from Imran Khan who made 33 from 54 and Sheldon Cottrell 30 from 23 kept the interest going in the contest. (Sportsmax)

Jason Holder

knock computers offline by deleting critical system files, which would render the machines useless.

The three firms said they did not know who was behind the attack.

“Disruption is the clear objective in this type of attack and it leaves us confident in thinking that the actors behind this were af-

ter embarrassment of the Olympic committee during the opening ceremony,” Cisco said in its blog.

The attack took the Olympics website offline, which meant that some people could not print out tickets and WiFi used by reporters covering the games did not work during the opening ceremony, ac-

cording to Cisco.

Drones that were intended to be used in the programme failed to deploy, prompting organisers to insert pre-recorded footage of the drones in global telecasts.

It was not immediately clear if the issue with the drones was caused by the cyber-attack. (Reuters)

Conte pleased after Chelsea beat West Brom 3-0

O

Antonio Conte (right) congratulates Olivier Giroud on his impressive debut

livier Giroud was in the wars on his Chelsea debut to win the admiration of head coach Antonio Conte and the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Antonio Conte hailed the contribution of Olivier Giroud after the France striker marked his full Chelsea debut with an all-action display against West Brom.

Eden Hazard's excellent brace either side of a Victor Moses 63rd-minute strike got the Premier League champions back to winning ways with a 3-0 triumph, repairing some of the damage done by the heavy shock defeats to Bournemouth and

Watford.

Giroud produced a classic piece of target man play to set up Hazard's opener after a tricky opening for Chelsea, underlining precisely why Conte was eager to sign him in January and fill the void left by Diego Costa's return to Atletico Madrid.

"We must be pleased for Giroud's performance.

It was the first time he has played from the start for us," Conte said at a post-match news conference.

"He needs to improve but to have a point of reference like Olivier is very important.

"Giroud is coming back from a muscular problem so

it's important he goes into our idea of football, into the right position. The first goal was a clear example of our idea."

Alvaro Morata was a shock inclusion on the Chelsea bench after almost a month out with a back injury and the Spain international turned in a lively halfhour cameo after replacing Giroud, who hobbled out of the action with a bandaged head – the price of a bruising tussle with West Brom's centre-backs.

"We must be very pleased because Morata played very well in the last 30 minutes, with great personality and speed," Conte said. (Sportsmax)

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sports

Kendall’s Union SC gets strong corporate support

I

n a kind gesture, five Demerara based businessmen pledged their support for the Kendall's Union Sports Club (KUSC) located on the Lower Corentyne Coast, Berbice to aid in the club’s upgrade.

The businessmen are Ramchand Ragbeer of Ramchand’s Auto Spares, Surendra Nauth of Nauth’s Motor Spares, Lalta Gainda of Gainmart and Bel Air Rubis, Rickey Deonarain of 4 R Bearings and Dharam Persaud of Ariel Enterprise who contributed handsomely to help with the establishment of children’s corner in the No 19 Village Cricket Ground.

At a simple ceremony held recently, Albert Budhoo, president of the club, said that to keep the children away from idleness and get them involved in sports has to start at an early age. As a result, he and his executives came up with the idea to locate the project in the cricket ground so as to encourage them not only to play on the slides, swingers etc., but to fall in love with sports, cricket in particular.

He expressed gratitude to the donors and call on the general public to support these businesses so that they can continue to contribute to the development of communities across Guyana. He also thanked

Anil Beharry, who was born in the same village and started his cricket there, for his role in soliciting the donation.

Beharry in response, said that he is pleased to be part of this very important project. He thanked his

T

he Ministry of Foreign Affairs Staff would be hosting their Republic Anniversary knock-out Domino Competition Friday February 16 at the Ministry's Parking Lot on Charlotte street.

Registration for competition goes up un-

Floodlights teammates for readily coming on board. He added that he is always connected to the village of his birth and commended Budhoo and his executive for this initiative.

He called on overseas based persons born in the area, private citi-

til Wednesday February 14 with no late entries accepted. The competition which targets government ministries only will have trophies, medals and cash prices up for grabs. For more details, kindly contact 6281656 or 666-5857.

zens and Corporate Guyana to also come on board and make the project a reality. He said with this kind of vision, this community and all the communities in the country will produce better children for the future.

GFF shares in Professional Football Conference

T

he Acting General Secretary, Renella Bourne and Competitions Director, Ian Alves are currently in Orlando, United States of America as representatives of the Guyana Football

Tahir “racially abused by spectator”

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Albert Boodhoo, left, collects donation from Anil Beharry in the presence of players of KUSC

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21

The Pakistan-born Imran Tahir has so far featured in 140 international matches for South Africa

outh Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir was racially abused by a spectator during victory over India in the fourth one-day international in Johannesburg, says Cricket South Africa (CSA).

Tahir, 38, reported the alleged incident to stadium security, who accompanied him to identify the spectator at the Wanderers on Saturday.

CSA said it is investigating in a statement on Monday.

"Imran Tahir was verbally and racially abused by an unknown man," it said.

"Tahir reported the incident to the stadium security, and was subsequently accompanied by two security personnel to identify and to have the man

ejected from the stadium."

CSA said it was aware of footage circulated on social media appearing to show Tahir confronting spectators in the stands.

"Tahir made no physical contact with the offender or any of the children in the vicinity," the governing body added.

Spectators who engage in racist conduct may be ejected from the stadium and can face further bans and criminal prosecution, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-racism code.

Pakistan-born Tahir has played 20 Tests, 84 ODIs and 36 Twenty20 internationals for South Africa and has represented six English counties, including four different stints with Hampshire.

The Proteas beat India by five wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method and trail 3-1 in the six-match series, with the fifth game at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday. (BBC Sport)

Acting General Secretary, Renella Bourne

Federation (GFF) in the 2018 FIFA Professional Football Conference.

The two-day conference which began on Monday, is being hosted in collaboration with CONCACAF and serves “as a platform to provide member associations with comprehensive information on professional football matters (such as club licensing and national dispute resolution chambers), to share best-practice approaches from around the globe and to feature experts on specific areas.”

The event is open to Club Licensing Managers and other senior managers including General Secretary, Competitions Director, Legal Counsel, League Chief Executive Officer among others.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” West Dem Zone

Is there any stopping Showstoppers?

B

ased on form, Showstoppers are foxing their way to a third successive title in the West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” Football Championships after playing unbeaten thus far.

The highly anticipated quarter-final duels followed by the semi-finals go down tonight at the Pouderoyen Tarmac and all eyes will be on who can stop the juggernaut.

For the champs whose quarter-final fixture is against Boom Bang, Dexroy Adams and Stephon Jupiter have been in scintillating form and are expected to lead the team’s charge for a semi-final berth.

Boom Bang on the other hand has shown a propensity to not be perturbed by

…as quarter-final battles ensue tonight their opponents on the other half of the pitch so ruling out their chances of registering another upset might not be a wise choice.

The star-studded ESPN team will face another side that many felt did not have the quality to reach this far, but they did so at the expense of the much fancied Brothers United who they defeated 2-0 in a penalty shootout in the preceding round.

ESPN is loaded with players of high pedigree in the Lythcott brothers Trevon and Kevon and the slippery Pernell Schultz, all of who have been in terrific scoring form.

The Hustlers versus Dream Team matchup is another encounter that should produce fireworks from the first whistle.

The Sunil Logan led out-

Showstoppers seemed to be in a rush to secure their third consecutive title

fit has kept under the radar so far in the competition, but by now fans and opponents alike will be having second thoughts about ruling them out following a string of impressive perfor-

mances.

Their 3-0 triumph over a strong Mocha unit has put teams on notice about their ability to reduce opposing sides defence to shreds.

Kwame Holder is anoth-

Eastman rides to historic R&R double

Patrick Ford Memorial boxing card…

4 countries, 14 bouts billed for February 25

P

lans are going full steam for the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in conjunction with McDonald Promotions Patrick Ford Memorial boxing card slated for February 25 at the National Gymnasium.

The card initially was slated for February 17 but GBA President Steve Ninvalle told Guyana Times Sport flight issues caused the date to be shifted but confirmed fighters from St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago will attend.

Fourteen bouts, two of which are female fights are carded for the event which is being laced with many eyes due to some of the fireworks anticipated. Guyana’s marque youth fighter and Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist, Keevin Allicock will touch gloves with Trinidad’s Christopher de Freitas in the bantamweight bash.

Another crowd attraction should be the highly anticipated junior welterweight grudge match between Guyana’s Collin ‘Superman’ Lewis and St Lucia’s Nathan

Ferrari. The boiling water stems from Lewis flooring Ferrari at home on his way to gold at the Caribbean Boxing Championship in 2017.

Ninvalle commenting on the bout expressed “I have stated unequivocally to my college from St Lucia that while they may be paying airfare to meet here we will provide accommodation and meals which entails providing the canvas and the pillow for him [Nathan Ferrari] to sleep.”

He added, “We expect what Lewis will do what he did in the Caribbean championship when he stopped

Keevin Allicock

Ferrari, they of course thought it was fluke but we will show it is not”.

The GBA further explained the card was name after Forde in keeping with their new routine of honouring top pugilist from the country.

Ford died at age 56, won sixteen consecutive professional bouts at the start of his career in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Nigeria, between 1978 and 1980.

After stopping Eddie Ndukwu in August 1980 to win the Commonwealth (British Empire) feath-

er one of their players with the skills to destroy the best of defences.

Kester Alleyne and Orville Stewart will no doubt be the players whose responsibility it is to lead

them to victory.

West Side Ballers and Rising Stars is the other game that is too close to identifying the outcome.

The attendance and atmosphere throughout the competition to date has been tremendous and the organisers are anticipating another bumper crowd this evening as the event head into the homestretch.

Apart from Banks DIH under the Guinness brand being the main sponsor, Colours Boutique has also added support.

Up for grabs is the winning purse of $400,000 and a spot in the national playoffs; the runners-up will be given $200 000 and a trophy while third- and fourthplaced finishers will receive $150 000 and $100 000 respectively along with trophies.

erweight title, on September 13, 1980, Ford lost a majority decision to Salvador Sanchez for the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title in Texas. One judge had the bout a draw at 145–145.

On February 14, 1981, Ford was knocked out

by Eusebio Pedroza in a failed attempt to win the WBC featherweight title.

After losing his next two fights, Ford retired in 1987.

Collin Lewis

The historic double began on Saturday in the National Park when Hamza Eastman (second left in photo) had to battle hard to get to the front

T

eam Cocos talisman Hamzah Eastman showed great strength and stamina to crown a fruitful weekend on the saddle winning the R&R International double.

In the process, he successfully defended his road race title on Sunday making it the first time in the event’s 27-year history that a rider has won it back to back.

The race which started at Schoonord, West Bank Demerara and turned back at Bushy Park and back to the point of origin for the finish, saw Eastman completing the 46-mile route in a time of one hour 43 minutes and 14 seconds (01:43:14).

He had to fend off fierce competition and heavy rain but did so just ahead of Paul De Nobrega (Team Evolution) as was the case on Saturday when the riders tackled the inner circuit of the national park.

We Stand United’s Deeraj Garbarran recorded his best finish of the season to finish third while Trojan’s Romello Crawford clocked in fourth and Jamaul John (Cocos) and Christopher Griffith (Evolution) finished the top six in that order.

Meanwhile, in the Juniors division, Adelie Hodge was successful while Briton John who won the equivalent of the event in the national park the previous day settled for second and Ajay Motilall completed the top three.

We Stand United’s Mario King notched up his first win of the season in the mountain bike category ahead of Shane Bourne.

Also, Junior Niles was dethroned as Warren “40” McKay stole top honours in the veterans’ category.

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

Trans-TasmanT20 Tri-Series

CWI/ Regional Super50 Cup

Barnwell, Hemraj put Jaguars back on winning course

A

fter being wounded by two consecutive defeats, the Guyana Jaguars hit back very hard to dispose of the United States of America (USA) by seven wickets with 29 overs and five balls to spare to get their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 campaign back on the right trail.

The victory was set up by a maiden half century from opener, Chandrapaul Hemraj and a four-wicket burst from Christopher Barnwell in the day match at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in North Sound Antigua on Monday.

The USA who are languishing at the bottom of the points table in Group B with just one victory from six matches, were sent in to bat but were never allowed to get away due to aggressive bowling from the Jaguars.

Only Jaskaran Malhotra with a well composed knock of 80 passed 19 that allowed the North Americans to tally 144 all out from 43.1 overs. The opener faced 116 balls and hit six fours and one six before he was ninth out in the 43rd over. By that time, he featured in a few partnerships of significance in the context of the innings. Along with former Windies opener, Xavier Marshall, Malhotra put on 39 for the second wicket before joining forces with Adil Bhatti to put on 40 for the seventh wicket. As wickets continued to tumble, he brought up his half century and began to open his arms. He then found another useful partner in Elmore Hutchinson to put on 24 for the eighth wicket to see the Americans recovering from 6-69.

It was right-arm seamer Barnwell, who got the breakthrough when he dismissed Marshall to trigger a collapse and after the USA lost three

Johnson, Hemraj was sent back for a well decorated 64 from 59 balls with six fours and four sixes.

Barnwell then joined Johnson and they knocked off the remaining 31 runs in such a quick manner that allowed the Jaguars to assume the top position in Group with a bonus point to move to 18 points, one clear of Kent Spitfires.

The Jaguars will next meet the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on Wednesday in a return fixture this time at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. In the earlier rounds, the Jaguars defeated the hosts by 16 runs in a high-scoring encounter at Coolidge.

The other match of the day will see Kent taking on Jamaica Scorpions as the race for the top two positions in Group B intensifies.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

middle order wickets for four runs they never recovered.

The Jaguars who handed Essequibo all-rounder, Ricardo Adams a debut at the expense of Romario Shepherd began the run chase with left-hand openers Shimron Hetmyer and Chandrapaul Hemraj.

After losing Hetmyer early on, Hemraj and Shivnarine Chanderpaul took the attack to the Americans. The Everest Cricket Club players, put on 89 runs from 108 balls for the second wicket which took the wind out of the sails of the Americans.

However, Chanderpaul perished to a loose stroke and was taken at long on. Hemraj then brought up his maiden List A half century when he hit Noshthush Kenjige back over his head a huge six. After dominating a 20-runs partnership with his captain Leon

SCOREBOARD

USA Innings (Maximum 50 Overs) S Sohal b Rutherford 1 J Malhotra c Barnwell b Bishoo 80 X Marshall b Barnwell 19 M Patel b Barnwell 0 I Khaleel*+ b Permaul 0 R Silva c Paul b Barnwell 0 T Patel b Barnwell 2 A Bhatti run out (Paul) 19 E Hutchinson c Johnson b Paul 9 S Netravalkar c Hetmyer b Paul 3 N Kenjige not out 1 Extras (w-9, nb-1) 10 Total (All out; 43.1 Overs) 144 FOW: 1-1 (Sohal, 3.5 ov), 2-40 (Marshall, 18.3 ov), 3-52 (Patel, 20.5 ov), 4-53 (Khaleel, 21.6 ov), 5-56 (Silva, 22.5 ov), 6-69 (Patel, 26.5 ov), 7-109 (Bhatti, 37.1 ov), 8-133 (Hutchinson, 41.4 ov), 9-141 (Malhotra, 42.4 ov), 10-144 (Netravalkar, 43.1 ov) Bowling Paul 8.1-1-25-

2, Rutherford 6-2-23-1, Permaul 9-1-14-1, Barnwell 9-0-35-4, Bishoo 8-0-331, Adams 3-0-14-0 Guyana Jaguars Innings (Target 145 from 50 Overs) S Hetmyer c Khaleel b Netravalkar 5 C Hemraj c Silva b Patel 64 S Chanderpaul c Patel b Silva 39 L Johnson* not out 19 C Barnwell not out 19 Extras (lb-2, w-2) 4 Total (For 3 wickets; 30.1 Overs) 150 FOW: 1-5 (Hetmyer, 1.5 ov), 2-94 (Chanderpaul, 19.5 ov), 3-114 (Hemraj, 24.3) Did not bat A Bramble+, S Rutherford, K Paul, R Adams, V Permaul, D Bishoo Bowling Hutchinson 6-1-7-0, Netravalkar 8-0-52-1, Bhatti 2-0-12-0, Silva 5-0-35-1, Kenjige 6-1-15-0, Patel 3.1-0-27-1

Mashramani swim meet dives off Friday T

he Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) will be hosting their annual Republic Anniversary event, the Mashramani Swim meet which gets underway from Friday and concludes on Sunday at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.

On the opening day of the long course meet, warm up commences at 05:30h followed by the 1500m Freestyle from 06:15h then the 200m Backstroke; the afternoon session gets going with warm up at 15:30 hrs then

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intense action gets underway from 16:30h with the 400 Individual Medley, 100m Backstroke and 200m Butterfly.

The penultimate day is the most hectic; the morning session starts at 05:30h then 800m Freestyle from 06:30h and unto the 200m Breaststroke.

Post lunch session starts at 15:00h and includes, 200m Individual Medley, 50m Butterfly, 100m Freestyle, 50m Breaststroke and 400m Freestyle.

After the warm-up on 14:00h, the

final day competition starts with the 200m freestyle from 15:00h then the 50m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, 100m Breaststroke and the 50m Freestyle.

According to a GASA representative, the event will serve as selection for the country’s team for the CARIFTA Games which will be held in Nassau, Bahamas from March 30 to April 2. It will also be used to select the preliminary squad for the Goodwill Championships in Barbados from August 17-19.

Race for points is on

‌Williamson doubtful for Wellington clash

T

wo teams, no points.

The Trans-Tasman T20 moves across the water with New Zealand and England looking to get on the board. Australia and the Australians were hard on both, as David Warner led a resurgent short-form side packed with BBL talent to three wins from three, guaranteeing them a place in the final. The identity of their opponent for the decider will be determined over the next seven days, across games in Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton.

New Zealand have faced scrutiny from within about their T20 set-up - in particular the role of captain Kane Williamson - and subsequently called a couple of new faces into the squad for the home leg of the series. Mark Chapman is the most intriguing, already an international with Hong Kong but now focused on the alternative path provided by his Kiwi father. Like Chapman, wicketkeeper Tim Seifert enjoyed a strong Super Smash and is set to take over wicketkeeping duties from Tom Blundell.

England's back-to-back to defeats to Australia have exposed problems with their T20 approach, too - notably a misfiring batting order, albeit one missing a few key cogs. One of the absentees was pencilled in for a return in this game, but a court appearance in Bristol shortly after the Wellington T20 concludes will prevent Ben Stokes from making his international comeback just yet.

Both teams are on a run of three consecutive defeats in T20I - New Zealand losing twice at home to Pakistan in January; England beaten by West Indies at the end of their summer - and both have injury concerns over their captains. But, barring an intervention by the weather, their fortunes are about to diverge.

Should he be passed fit after suffering a back niggle, Kane Williamson is likely to be the focus of attention.

Since dropping to No. 3 to accommodate Colin Munro at the top of the order, his returns have dipped sharply, with scores of 28, 12, 8, 17*, 19, 0, 9 and 8. He averages only 21.66 at first drop, compared to high 30s

as an opener, while his strikerate (111.11) remains pedestrian by modern standards.

Williamson is determined to play all formats and Joe Root and Virat Kohli have shown that classical virtues have a place in T20.

Jason Roy is, by contrast, the epitome of an aggressive, ball-striking T20 batsman.

His role for England is to attack from the outset at the top of the order in white-ball cricket, which inevitably leads to something of a feast-or-famine output. However, since making an England ODI record 180 against Australia last month at the MCG, he has four single-figure scores from six innings, only once passing 20. His T20 form, albeit spread over eight months, is particularly barren: 8, 0, 9 and 8 since a half-century against South Africa at Taunton in June.

England: (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 James Vince, 5 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 6 Sam Billings, 7 David Willey, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Liam Plunkett/ Tom Curran, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Mark Wood. New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson (capt), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Mark Chapman, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Tim Seifert (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish Sodhi. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Kane Williamson

tuesDAY, february 13, 2018

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

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Mashramani swim meet Pg 23

dives off Friday The three-day event will be the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association's first event for 2018 at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal (Akeem Greene Photo)

CWI/ Regional Super50 Cup

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