Guyanatime 16 may 2018

$545M contract signed for P13 creation of new housing schemes

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Issue No. 3565

NICIL under APNU/AFC Govt still retains billions in dividends – source ...despite pre-election criticisms, forensic audit recommendations Page 3

Minister Patterson’s brother nabbed with 2.2 kg cocaine Page 7

Lindo Creek CoI

Arokium insists Joint Services was responsible

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Body of P7 fisherman found in estate canal

Woman charged for attempting to kill Cop P8 Doctor robbed by bandits after leaving bank P14

…former PM for interview by CoI Pages 12&14 …Police Station’s records contradict GDF’s testimony

‘First oil’ 2020

Guyana taking P9 US$1.7M advance from World Bank

GuySuCo P9 operating without Board …acting CEO claims operations not affected

Officer Cadets (OCDTs) of the Standard Officer Course Number 50 during their jungle exercise held at the Jungle and Amphibious Training School

Skeldon Energy Inc now using firewood for co-gen plant Page 11

Former teacher to face Judge P8 and jury for rape

Overseas-based Guyanese P10 charged for fraud

2 news

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Sophia, Ruimveldt squatters’ relocation looming – CH&PA

T

he Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is confident that it will be able to successfully remove squatters both in Ruimveldt and Sophia, Georgetown and will have them relocated to suitable areas.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lelon Saul said work in this regard has started.

According to him, lands have been identified in Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara for this project.

“Some of the persons that are living in informal settlements that are not suitable, some of those persons are earmarked to be relocated there (Cummings Lodge),” he explained.

The CEO reiterated that his agency has an overall plan to have all squatters relocated and reminded that they have been successful in some areas, but admitted that it will take some time.

“The agency is currently working on a plan to develop additional areas and over a period of time, in the medium to long-term, we hope

Government has still not managed to remove squatters from Broad and Lombard Streets, Georgetown

that we would be in a position to address the issue of squatting,” he said.

But when questioned as to whether the relocation of squatters in areas which have proven to be difficult in past circumstances, particularly under the previous Governments, Saul said it will not deter them from trying.

Saul told Guyana Times on Tuesday, “Once there is a will, there is a way.”

But since February, the relocation process for the squatters at Broad

and Lombard Streets, Georgetown has been put on hold as a result of resistance from Mocha Arcadia residents, among other issues.

This is not the first time that squatters in that particular area have been presented with the option to relocate. In fact, previous attempts to have them removed from the area have proven unsuccessful.

President David Granger had asked for the project to be placed on hold pending the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry into ancestral

lands. Notwithstanding the request of the resident, the location was deemed inappropriate due to the unsuitable soil content at the relocation site.

Some 68 adults and 100 children are living in the area under severe poverty and the land belongs to a private individual, who has been granted a judgement against the squatters in the High Court. They were supposed to be relocated to Barnwell North, but the residents of Mocha Arcadia, East Caost Demerara held protests over it.

The Department of Housing, in collaboration with the Food For The Poor (FFTP) organisation, was expected to construct 72 homes for the squatters. Government said it will match the $42 million contribution by FFTP, but President Granger was not pleased with the current house model.

Taking that into consideration, the CH&PA would be making slight alterations to create more space by add-

ing a back patio and a shaded veranda to the house design. Each home was expected to cost $1.2 million and minister with responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood said they were working out a plan with the prospective owners for them to stand the cost of water meters, among other.

Despite these arrangements, some of the squatters are still opposed to relocating.

Persons squatting along the embankment of the East and West Front Road were also earmarked for relocation. When the idea was presented to the squatters in 2017 by the new Government, they out rightly opposed it and had asked for their present location to

be regularised.

However the Communities Ministry along with the CH&PA said this move would have serious environmental implications and other issues.

The previous Government had discussed plans to have these squatters relocated at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara and on the East Bank Demerara.

Government through the CH&PA has been working aggressively to either remove squatters or regularise areas that can be regularised. These exercises are being carried out across the country and in communities including Sophia, Plantation Great Diamond, and Angoy’s Avenue, among others.

(Samuel Sukhnandan)

Father of 1 remanded for illegal firearm

O

ne of the men arrested

by Police ranks over the weekend with an illegal firearm along with ammunition was on Tuesday charged for the offences.

Christopher Rogers of Lot 193 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, denied the charges read to him, which stated that he had a .38 revolver along with five .38 rounds of ammunition in his possession while being unlicensed for same.

The prosecution is contending that on May 13, 2018, the 28-year-old man was stopped by a Police rank of the anti-patrol unit while traversing with four others in motorcar HC 4061. It was during this stop that he was found with the gun and ammo hidden in his pants crotch.

As such, he along with the other occupants was

arrested but he was later charged.

His attorney, Dexter Todd, in his bail application questioned why only his client was charged with the offence and shut down claims that the gun and ammunition were found in Rogers’ pants.

He told Magistrate Judy Latchman that the gun and ammunition were reportedly found in the car, which led the ranks to take all the occupants into custody.

Todd explained that since his client had a previous incident involving a justice officer, he alone was charged with the present offences.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore objected to bail being citing the prevalence and seriousness of the offence. He was nonetheless remanded to prison.

news

3

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Wednesday, May 16 – 05:00h- 06:30h and Thursday, May 17 – 05:00h- 06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, May 16 – 17:00h- 18:30h and Thursday, May 17 – 05:15h-06:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light cloudy skies with light rain showers are expected in the morning and early afternoon, followed by thundery rain showers in the evening. Temperatures will range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 6.25 metres.

High Tide: 04:55h and 17:24h reaching maximum heights of 2.89 metres and 2.77 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:56h and 23:11h reaching minimum heights of 0.30 metre and 0.49 metre respectively.

sUNDAY, MAY 12, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS E

03

08

12

19

20

26

13 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2018

DAILY MILLIONS 01 02 10 12

18

LUCKY 3 5 2 5

1

Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

02

03

07

09

2

4

Evening Draw

10

13

16

NICIL under APNU/AFC Govt still retains billions in dividends – source …despite pre-election criticisms, forensic audit recommendations

P

rior to the change in administration in 2015, the then parliamentary Opposition parties, APNU and AFC, had been heavily critical of the powers wielded by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). There had specifically been much criticism of NICIL retaining dividends from several state-owned entities.

However, now that the coalesced APNU+AFC are in Government, nothing about the operation of NICIL has changed, in spite of a forensic audit having been conducted by former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, According to a closely placed source, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to run NICIL the very same way it used to be run when they were heavily critical of its operation.

“APNU+AFC continues to use NICIL in the same way. In fact, they’ve taken all of GuySuCo’s (Guyana Sugar Corporation’s) shares and transferred (them) to NICIL,” the source said.

“And they’ve taken all of the assets of GuySuCo and invested (them) in NICIL. They continue to run NICIL along the same lines (they previously criticised).”

According to the source, the Government has taken one of Guyana’s largest entities and placed it under the control of NICIL. “They took the biggest entity in the country and they transferred it to NICIL…the shares and all of the assets. They created the Special Purpose Unit. They bought the shares in the Berbice Bridge,” the source said, adding that a change was expected when the new Government took over, but nothing has changed.

Following Government’s decision to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Sugar Estates, and sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, a Special Purpose Unit (SPU) operating out of NICIL has been leading the

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

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Headquarters of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)

divestment process. Run by Colvin Heath-London, the SPU has contracted an overseas firm to do the valuation of assets, while advertising for various bidders who would tender for parts of the estate -- from land to scrap metal.

On the other hand, Government, in 2016, purchased the 40 million shares Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) had in the Berbice Bridge. NICIL had previously held shares in the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated, but these were sold to the National Insurance Scheme.

The 2015 forensic audit of NICIL was one of 50 such

audits the Government had launched after it entered office. Goolsarran, who handled that audit, had noted that from 2002 to 2014, NICIL retained $26.8 billion in dividends and divestment proceeds.

Back then, Goolsarran had called this a breach of Article 216 of the Constitution.

However, the then NICIL Executive Director, Winston Brassington, had sought and received legal advice from London House Chambers, an international law firm that directly contested Goolsarran’s finding.

According to advice from London House Chambers at-

torney Devindra Kissoon, “Section 216 applies specifically to revenues raised by the State. NICIL is not the State, but rather has a separate legal personality. The fact that the State is the sole shareholder of NICIL does not render its corporate form defunct; and accordingly, the automatic transfer provision contained in 216 does not apply.”

“These forensic audits have become tools for witch-hunting. And some of the other auditors have come to the table with their hands not clean. They’ve come with prejudices and biases,” the source noted, in commenting on the audits.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, may 16, 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

Important role of Judiciary

F

or decades, there have been concerns about the strength, effectiveness and efficiency of Guyana’s Judiciary and its ability to discharge its functions with the highest level of independence.

These concerns have never disappeared despite the fact that there have been successful efforts, from all parties involved especially successive Governments, to modernize the functions of the Judiciary, insulate its officers from political and other forms of interference, and professionalize its operations in line with the developments taking place in the wider world with respect to the advancement in technologies and the shifting social world order.

The modernisation of the Judiciary has also been impacted by alternative interpretations of certain religious beliefs and the shift in cultural norms and traditions which are redefining criminality, humanity and the concepts of moral and social justice which are the bedrock and foundation of modern democratic societies and independent judiciaries, the world over.

In Guyana’s case, the Judiciary plays the most important role as the defender of the public’s interest and the custodian of the Constitution. The framers of this country’s codified and supreme laws ensured that enough provisions were made to safeguard the Judiciary from the whims and fancies of politicians and the influence of the wealthy.

All Guyanese are, therefore, equal before the law and deserving of equity and fairness whenever they are the subject of judicial action regardless of their race, sexual orientation to a limited extent, creed or religion beliefs.

Our judicial officers at every level of the Judiciary are schooled, baptized and re-cultured to understand the importance of the role they play in safeguarding the rights of the ordinary citizens from the excesses of the powerful.

They are also encouraged to reject any inducement or attempt to interfere with the dispatch of their duties because of the sensitive and untenable position in which it places the Judiciary and the reputation of those who serve within its hierarchy.

The Judiciary at home and abroad knows too well that it has a commitment to discipline those who seek to unjustly malign its character, image or reputation by even suggesting that it is somehow compromised or incapable of delivering independent judgment free from interference unless evidence and facts could be provided.

It is in this context that the recent statements made by senior functionaries in the coalition Government about the perceived outcome of the Sovereignty of the People Case, the charges brought against former Government Ministers of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic Administration, and a slew of other private charges filed against opposition politicians must be analyzed and contextualized.

The utterances are worrying because they paint the picture that the current Government and executive has some perceived or real power or even influence over how the court is handling these specific matters.

The fact that Ministers of Government believe that they can make statements which suggest that they have inside “information” undermines the integrity of the decision in the minds of some even if it was arrived at within the confines of reasonable law and jurisprudence.

Even a blanket rebuke or caution from the local and regional courts would have eased the minds of an understandably worried populace who continue to fear that the Government may be exhorting undue influence over not only supposedly state-owned independent agencies like the Special Organised Unit, and Special Assets Recovery Agency et al but now the sections of the Judiciary, constitutional judicial offices like that of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Caribbean Court of Justice.

The Judiciary here must not allow ‘loose statements’ made by politicians or any citizen publicly to go unchallenged within Guyana’s fragile democracy because of the concomitant implications that may follow if the public loses confidence in its ability to discharge its functions without duress or partisanship.

There must be a clear line drawn between the executive and the Judiciary.

The symbolic release of white balloons on the terrace of the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston to mark International Day of Families (Carl Croker)

Elevate women’s rights in Guyana Dear Editor, We have seen, in our small country, far too many cases of severe and deadly abuse against our mothers, sisters, aunts and friends. We have grown to accept a system that encourages against women abusive behaviours that are unacceptable, and which pave the way for deadly levels of violence to take place.

Women in Guyana have, for far too long, not been given enough attention and protect from our legal and enforcement systems. We have come to accept men speaking to women with disrespect; as if, when married, these women became their property, instead of their having entered a partnership of complementing abilities and mutual respect.

Indeed, women also contribute to this dynamic by not setting, at an early stage, the boundaries that would allow the relationship to take the right path.

I have, on many occasions,

seen where men took out their frustrations on women, and expressed their dominance just because they were emboldened to so do.

According to the UN body on women’s rights, even though Guyana has a strong legal framework for the protection of women’s rights, its implementation and enforcement arms are weak and susceptible to neglect and bribery, thus Guyana is unable to make cases of abuse disappear. The responsibility is therefore vested in our legal system to drive accountability, and at the feet of our leaders to create a higher sense of awareness regarding gender-based violence, so that we can change the course of our longstanding poor behaviours towards women.

Another of our responsibilities is to empower women to take action at the slightest gesture of abuse; which should include arming them with the knowledge to detect early signs of abuse, and pro-

viding them with clear avenues to seek and obtain help.

However, this is where it sometimes falls through, since many women would change their minds and turn a blind eye to the early warning signs.

In many cases, women’s actions are driven by commitment to their children and other social pressures, such as what society would think and say about them.

But the sad reality is that once a space is created for abuse to take place, it is almost certain that it would escalate to a severe type of violence against females. That is why parents should do more to teach their daughters self-defence techniques such as karate, and imbue them with a higher sense of independence when married or in a relationship.

Parents also should do more to elevate the level of expectations their sons should satisfy when it comes to treating with women.

There seems to be a dis-

parity in the way men regard women who are unrelated to them from the way they regard their mothers, sisters and other female relatives.

But, in reality, there should be no difference in the way men regard all women.

In terms of leadership, we are seeing that women are doing a much better job of being leaders than men. For example, in politics, a woman leader of Germany has been showing stronger results and delivering more peace and stability than her male counterparts. We have also seen the power of Michele Obama, who has inspired women across the globe with her strength and fearless approach to challenging the status quo in regard to how women are viewed by some men.

As Guyanese, we must not accept mediocrity, but should instead strive to raise the bar in all aspects of life.

Sincerely, Malcolm Watkins

More questions than answers for proposed amendments Dear Editor, After all the ‘gyaff’ about Local Government Elections, the Minister of Communities is now taking to Parliament the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2018.

It is widely recognised that the minister has seriously bungled the Local Government System following the still incomplete 2016 Local Government Elections.

His highly questionable decisions regarding the ties in Local Authority Areas and also a tie in a Constituency at the Rose Hall Municipality Area have been justifiably challenged in the courts.

It is recalled that the initial results of the 2016 Local Government Elections revealed six ‘ties’ in the NDCs and one ‘tie’ at the

Mabaruma Municipality.

Further, there was also a Constituency ‘tie’ at the Rose Hall Town Council, and these issues were never sorted out in an amicable manner. The result is that there were serious, incomplete issues after the 2016 Local Government Elections.

At that time, the minister had taken a hands off approach, even as GECOM’s disarray at the time had resulted in non-pronouncements with respect to the way forward. The minister’s approach to resolving the issue of “ties” was to impose APNU/AFC/PNC Councillors to manage the Local Authority Areas as chairmen and mayor, as is the case at Mabaruma. The minister’s action was completely illegal and in breach

of the Local Government Act, Chapter 28:02, which states that a by-election should first be utilized in resolving any ties between contesting parties at the Local Government Elections.

The minister’s decisions have clearly botched the legally approved mechanism for resolving ‘ties’, and resulted in non- or sub-optimal functioning of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and the Municipality of Mabaruma.

This, in effect, had sacrificed the community-driven development of the Local Authority Areas, as the consequences were evidently dire, since there was no chairman, and no meetings were held.

Very troublesome were the instances when little or no services were provided to the com-

munities. Further, with the NDCs not functioning, there was no work programme.

The minister’s intervention was the vehement imposition of whom he chooses to have on the Council as Chairman and ViceChairman, regardless of the countrywide criticisms and consequences.

In 2018, the minister also ran into serious criticisms, as his intervention in two NDCs in Region Five were undoubtedly unacceptable.

He authorised the holding of internal elections while the matter was having the attention of the courts. In Regions Three, Four and Six, there were Local Authority Areas that were tied, and of which GECOM was supposed to run off by-elections.

Continued on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesdAY, may 16, 2018

5

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

No "gifting" of tug and barge: nailing a gross distortion Dear Editor, I refer to the article in sections of the media on Saturday, May 12, 2018, entitled, “[People’s Progressive Party/Civic] PPP/C ‘gifted’ $M tug and barge to Kwakwani supporter”. “We recovered the barge and leased it to the [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] NDC” – Patterson.

That article was adorned with pictures of the Minister and the Alliance For Change Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford.

Editor, that article was a gross distortion. There was no ‘gifting’: the tug which at the time was partially sunk and virtually scrapped, was sold and bought via an open, advertised invitation of bids and subsequently rehabilitated sufficiently by its new owner, a river-crossing operator; the barge was leased as both the Minister and the MP concede after alleging that it was ‘gifted’. That barge-crossing operator (Mr Edwards) was not known at that time, nor even today to be a supporter of the PPP/C although I acknowledge that we of the PPP/C work with the hope of fairly earning the earnest approval of every Guyanese in the quiet of their hearts, and their precious votes in the privacy of the polling booth.

Editor, if the article is read dispassionately, it would become clear how the Minister and the MP are playing with the emotions of the reader, going one way then another, and attempting to smear the PPP/C each way.

The Minister said when he contacted National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) initially, he could

get no information, and we know what is insinuated (lots of corruption and hiding all that gifting to a claimed supporter) but when he readily contacted the much-maligned Winston Brassington, he directed him to where he found a full disclosure.

Rather than leaving damning insinuations and innuendos hanging, the Minister and MP should be heaping praise on Brassington and the PPP/C for a job transparently, honestly and well done and documented! And, also, they should be complimenting Edwards who took the risk, ventured forth and established a service to satisfy the needs of the community.

Editor, in the circumstances that prevailed, the praise should be extended even more widely.

The Minister and the MP are old enough to know the state to which the bauxite companies and communities would have deteriorated by 1992, after years of huge difficulties and losses, and the reasoning and insistence of the supporting multilateral financial agencies that special subsidies from our national Treasury should be brought to an end.

Services provided countrywide by the Government should be handed to and handled directly by the Government. It was in such circumstances that the river-crossing service (and others) provided earlier by the bauxite company and which had ground to a virtual halt, was to be reoffered.

You can imagine therefore how heartened I was when two persons, from the area (Edwards and Vandenburg), began barge

More questions than...

Since GECOM had never got around to ensuring completion of these critical activities; or, rather, was seemingly pre-empted by the minister, who had said it was his responsibility to have the Overseers and Town Clerk declare the LAAs tied; and also request GECOM to conduct by-elections, it had contributed to the non-resolution of the issues. Widely considered, these have been the most frivolous of excuses.

These Amendments to the Municipal and District Councils Act 28:01 -- along with the Amendment of Section 28 of the Local Government Act, Ch 28:02, the Amendment of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, 28:03, and the Amendment of Section 20 of the Local Democratic Organs Act, 28:09 -- are not very important in the context.

However, the minister is now trying to remove himself from making objective decisions, and is now handing over decision-making to the Administrative Officers of LAAs, who function as servants under his Ministry,

From page 4

along with a designated magistrate. This is very serious, because the APNU/ PNC Government are trying to justify their wrongdoing and their partisan appointments with involvement of the independent judiciary The big questions, therefore, are: who will appoint the overseers and who will decide on the designated magistrate? Who will call the meetings with the public, and who will determine the time and place of the meetings? All these issues are relative, and knowing the PNC and their thirst for power, the people do not have any confidence in such a system, because it can be easily manipulated. Hence there are more questions than answers in these proposed amendments.

One has to guard against manipulation of the system to an extent that the amendments are trampled upon to further the actions of the Coalition at the grass roots’ Level. There needs to be equity and transparency.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

crossing services, both of them at Kwakwani and Vandenburg additionally at Aroiama. They were worthy of commendation for their initial wooden barges each coupled with a small boat with outboard engine. In much the same vein allow me to mention the encouragement and facilitation we provided to Mendonca, of Kwakwani (not a known supporter of the PPP/C though I tried so greatly to win him over) to set up the gas station in Kwakwani

and our search to encourage some other in Aroiama or Hururu to offer a gas station at that location, also.

It is true, much to my consternation that the leased big steel barge was taken away from Edwards, unceremoniously, without notice and without cause.

The Minister seems to be boasting about and finding glory in how “he had to pull out all stops to get the barge back”. And this from a member of a Government which is carried on the backs of

many Afro-Guyanese who are easily agitated about the evident low number of black-owned businesses and made to blame the PPP and the PPP/C. Please allow me to set the record straight with respect to ‘other barges’ and tugs.

At the time of the merger of Bermine into AMC/ABC, most of the Bermine owned barging fleet which had suffered the prevailing level of deterioration, and many of which were tied-up or sunk at various points along the

river were offered by way of openly advertised tender on an as-is, where-is basis. No offers were made for a number of sunken barges and in time they were made available on a self-help, recovery basis. Some may still be available for whomsoever so wishes.

Yours truly, Samuel A A Hinds Former Prime Minister and former President

A sledgehammer blow to free speech Dear Editor, The Cyber Crimes Bill with its obnoxious and evil “sedition clause” will unleash a sledgehammer blow to free speech and deny citizens their God-given right to criticise the Government of the day and demand accountability in public office.

The sedition clause criminalises statements or words “either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing, that brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana.”

This looks very strange to me.

Who decides what words or statements evoke “hatred or contempt” against the Government? Who decides what words or statements “excite disaffection” against the Government?

By what criteria will this be decided? Will the very same Government being criticised define what constitutes seditious words or statements?

Honourable Security

Minister Khemraj Ramjattan contended that the Bill allows for criticisms of the Government and its Ministers, but sedition will apply for words or actions that cause civil strife, disorder and violence. Tell me, brother Ramjattan, is it sedition if legitimate criticism or exposure of gross Government crimes or misconduct provokes public anger and civil unrest?

Also, when the sedition clause refers to “the Government established by law in Guyana” my alarm bells go off. Every election in Guyana from the 1950s up to now, even the last one in 2015, was tainted by public allegations of fraud. But whether or not there really was fraud, the winners of elections always became “the Government established by law”.

My point is: Suppose there is a rigged election and this fraud creates public outrage with citizens calling, online and elsewhere, for the vagabonds to be resisted and kicked out. What is to stop that criminal regime

from claiming to be “the Government established by law” and using the sedition clause to get rid of citizens who legitimately condemn and resist them?

I do not know if it is by design or by accident, but I can see clearly that the proposed Cyber Crimes Bill and controversial sedition clause can be abused by corrupt politicians to suppress criticism of any sitting Government. As a long-time fighter to make Guyana a peaceful, democratic, free and open society, this is totally repugnant to me.

I noticed that Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes said persons raising concerns had two years to do so before the Parliamentary SubCommittee submitted its proposal. This delay does not matter to me; better late than never. We were very fortunate to find out about the controversial sedition clause in time to oppose it before it became law.

I expected the sub-committee that crafted the Bill to focus on protecting the

public from serious dangers on the Internet such as terrorist recruitment, extreme violence, pornography, paedophilia, gambling and online scams aimed at stealing people’s hard-earned dollars. I did not expect to see a sedition clause to suppress persons’ right to criticise and oppose governments that they have hired and they have a right to fire and criticise.

Any Government that wants to shut down criticism and opposition on the Inter is a Government that needs to be questioned. Trying to block public discourse and journalism because of politics will only bring a backlash of international ridicule on our beloved nation from lovers of democracy worldwide.

I call on the coalition Government to scrap the entire Bill and replace it with a better plan to deal with cybercrime and promote the peaceful and democratic development of Guyana.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan Sr

6

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018

Page

By Daniel L Shapiro, PhD

E

very parent knows the nightly ritual: You read your child a bedtime story, say “lights out,” and then brace for the storm of “I do not want to go to bed!!!” Night after night, we parents all suffer from this same malady, until we finally lose that last sliver of patience and snap back at our child with some notso-nice words. Our child eventually falls asleep, but we lay awake worrying about what we said and wondering whether we may just be the single worst parent in the world.

You’re not. In reality, every parent and child fight – and a whole new set of tools offers powerful methods to resolve conflict, whether you are struggling to put your four-year-old to sleep or tussling with your teenager over screen time. Here are four crucial guidelines: Don’t fall into “vertigo” Perhaps no relationship in life is as intense as that between parent and child.

So as conflict intensifies, you risk having the tension emotionally consume you, to the extent that you can think of nothing else in your life. I call this experience vertigo, for you feel like the world is spinning out of control. Every time you try to regain focus, your child makes a new demand of you or a child lobs a punch at a sibling, pulling you one step further into that emotional swirl.

The best way to break out of vertigo is to avoid getting into it. As tensions escalate, ask yourself one critical question: “Do I really want to get caught up in this conflict?” Most likely, the answer will be no. So take a moment to regain perspective: Take a deep breath and imagine yourself an hour from now, alone in the shower or in your bed relaxing and reading a book. Or imagine yourself on the moon looking down at your interaction. Is it really worth getting so worked up over your kid’s bedtime?

Probably not.

Appreciate your child’s concerns We parents tend to think that we know all the right answers, especially

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

when we are in arguments with our children. But just because we have power over our children doesn’t mean that there is no validity to their perspectives. Children often have a good rationale motivating their behaviour, and it pays to take the time to enquire, listen, and try to understand. When your 10-year-old starts shouting that you treat him unfairly, don’t just defend your behaviour. Ask why he thinks that way. He may be jealous of the leniency you show in disciplining his younger brothers, or he may be making a call for more attention.

Give your child some autonomy Imagine how disempowering it can feel to be a child: Your parents tell you what time to wake up, what to eat, when to sleep, and even how to talk.

Unsurprisingly, then, children want some freedom to determine their own destiny.

Even my four-year-old son Liam will break out in a temper tantrum if I choose his dessert for him. “Daddy! I want to choose!!!” So the next time your child asks if she can stay up an extra half hour, don’t just say no. Ask why. Listen to her reason, and give her a choice: “If you stay up later tonight, you will have to go to bed earlier tomorrow night. Which do you want?”

Resist the repetition compulsion Notice the patterns of conflict that you tend to repeat when in a fight with a child.

In my own family, I noticed a common pattern develop with my 10-year-old son, Noah. The moment he started to tease his younger brothers, I would immediately step in with tough words: “Noah … stop!” He tended to ignore those words and persist with his behaviour, which undermined my authority but elevated his status in his brothers’ eyes. Of course, I would then further assert my authority, again demanding he stop. Inevitably, our conversation would end in a verbal clash.

But our relationship was not doomed.

The key is to notice a dysfunctional pattern of conflict and commit to changing one or two actions in that process. In my relationship with Noah, I came to understand our typical pattern of mutual confrontation, and I sought to change my behaviour. When Noah next teased his brothers, I stepped in and asked him to stop. He refused. But instead of escalating my demand, I asked his advice on how we might deal with the situation. He appeared caught off guard, and told me that his younger brothers had been invading his space on the couch. Now we were talking, listening, and effectively communicating.

By asking Noah for advice, I jolted us out of our typical pattern of discord, which created space for us to have a more productive conversation.

So take action today, tomorrow, and the next.

As I write this article, I realise that the advice I am sharing is as much for me as for you. My three boys are loving and adorable, but they certainly test their daddy’s patience on a daily basis. Patterns of conflict are hard to change. But with conscientious effort, you can avoid falling prey to vertigo, to the repetition compulsion, and to the usual fight. As you keep trying, your fights will start to feel more manageable, and your relationships will feel more constructive. And with enough effort, you may just be able to master the fine art of conflict resolution by the time your child grows up. (psychologytoday.com)

By Chuck Schaeffer, PhD

Reconsider naps. once your little one is sleeping well. In the early days of parenthood – when nights are riddled with wake ups – naps can be critical to getting the rest you need for your physical and mental health. But once your child is sleeping well at night, they could work against you.

Decades of research on insomnia suggest that the body's natural hunger for sleep is the key to sleeping through the night. If you think of sleep as the feast you have been waiting for all day, then napping is like snacking – it can ruin your appetite for dinner.

Try this: If your child is sleeping well, and you are emotionally recovered from the transition to parenthood, skipping that nap will likely result in a significant improvement in your night-time sleep.

Make your bed feel sleepy. Associating your bed with sleep and feeling sleepy is essential for quality sleep. Make your bed an oasis for rest by only using it for sleep, and unwinding. (That means no watching TV or using a tablet or other stimulating electronics.) Another exception is nursing in bed, which can help new moms return to sleep quickly when the feed is finished.

If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get out of bed. Trying to force sleep results in a lot of tossing and turning, anxiety, and frustration, which then becomes associated with your bed. Instead, get out of bed and do something boring or not stimulating until you feel sleepy. (Think: sorting junk mail and reading a magazine NOT making chore lists, checking the baby, surfing the Internet, or watching TV.) Go easy on yourself. Most new parents are understandably anxious about being a good caregiver, but many suffer unnecessarily under the pressure of feeling like they need to be the perfect parent, housekeeper, family financial planner, provider, and the list goes on. These worries keep many parents awake months and even years after their children have learnt to get good shut-eye. There are no new mom or dad Olympics. You're going through an incredible life transition, and you are working hard.

Give yourself a break and know that getting good sleep and recharging are the keys to being a good parent.

If you have persistent difficulty adjusting to your new role, find yourself constantly worrying that your baby would be better with a different parent, or believe that you'll never be good enough for your new family, you may be experiencing a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. These are common and treatable conditions, and it's worth talking with a trained clinician to help you reduce stress, recover, and get rest. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

7 Minister Patterson’s Body of fisherman found in estate canal brother nabbed T with 2.3kg cocaine news

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he body of a fisherman was on Tuesday fished out of a canal at Experiment, West Coast of Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The dead man has been identified as Heerolall (only name), 59, of Bath Settlement.

According to the man’s daughter, Kumarie, she last saw her father on Sunday evening at about 20:00h.

The 37-year-old woman told Guyana Times that it was usual for her father to leave home in the wee hours of the morning to go fishing and pick up bottles to sell.

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson Derrick Patterson at court on Monday (Photo by The New Today)

D

errick Patterson, the younger brother of Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, has been arrested by Grenadian Police and arraigned in court on charges of cocaine trafficking.

According to reports from The New Today, a Grenadian news agency, Patterson was remanded to Grenada’s Richmond Hill Her Majesty’s Prison after appearing in court before Chief Magistrate Tamara Gill at the St George’s

Number One Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

It is understood that Patterson was charged with trafficking a controlled drug; a total of 2.325kg of cocaine, with an approximate street value of $232,500, that was found in his possession on May 2.

According to reports Patterson, who resides in Captain Harris Apartments in Grand Anse, was driving a vehicle in the vicinity of Springs, St George’s when officers from the drug squad

of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) intercepted his vehicle.

A search was carried out and the drugs were found in a plastic bag. Patterson, who was represented by Attorney Darshan Ramdhanny, was scheduled to reappear in court on Tuesday.

When contacted, head of Guyana’s National AntiNarcotics Agency (NANA), retired Major General Michael Atherly confirmed that the agency was made aware of the bust and is in contact with authorities from the island. Calls to Minister Patterson went unanswered.

Dead: Heerolall

She however said it was

strange when he did not return home on Sunday and on Monday she made several enquiries about his whereabouts.

The woman related that on Tuesday morning his body was seen floating in the canal by some men who were on their way to work in the backdam. At the time of his discovery, he was clad in all his clothing including a hat and a pair of shoes.

However, the cast net he usually goes fishing with was not in the vicinity.

An autopsy will be conducted shortly to determine Heerolall’s cause of death.

8 NEWS

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Former teacher to face Judge and jury for rape

E

mbattled former teacher of The Bishops’ High School, Coen Jackson, will now answer to a Judge and jury on a rape charge after he was on Tuesday committed by City Magistrate Judy Latchman to stand trial in the High Court.

Magistrate Latchman handed down the decision to a sober looking Jackson following a paper committal.

Thirty-nine-year-old, Jackson, who has been a teacher for the past 15 years, is being accused of abusing his position of trust as a teacher after he began

Coen Jackson

grooming female students for sexual activity.

He has vehemently denied the accusations but did admit to having sexual relations with two former students who are now both in their early 20s.

The embattled teacher recently got married to one of his former students who is said to be in her early 20s.

According to him, their relationship has been ongoing for a number of years.

The prosecution case stated that between December 2010 and May 2011 at D’Urban Street, Lodge, Jackson raped one of

his students. The Education Ministry had launched an investigation into the allegations and upon completion, authorised the Police to begin conducting a criminal investigation.

After the charge was instituted, Jackson was released on $300,000 bail. On Tuesday, after the committal, Jackson was informed that he will remain on the same bail.

The Bishops’ High school’s administration was also accused of covering previous complaints made against the former economics teacher.

Woman charged for attempting to kill Cop

A

financial officer was on Tuesday remanded to prison when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for attempting to murder a Police Constable.

Twenty-five-year-old Maryanne Daby of Lot 127 D’Aguiar Park, Houston, Greater Georgetown, was also slapped with two possession charges.

She was not allowed to plead to the first charge read to her by City Magistrate Judy Latchman. The charge

alleged that on May 13, 2018, at Albert Street and Thomas Lands, Georgetown, Daby attempted to murder Police Constable Christopher Kissoon.

However, the financial officer denied having a .32 pistol along with five live .32 rounds of ammunition in her possession while being an unlicensed firearm holder.

The court heard from Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore that the 25-year-old was seen firing shots in the air while partying at a rac-

Maryanne Daby

ing club when she was approached by Kissoon and commanded to stop.

However, according to the Prosecutor, the irritated young woman took the said pistol and pointed it to the officer’s head and pulled the trigger. The prosecutor informed the court that the gun jammed and did not discharge.

Attorney for Daby, Mark Waldron, in his bail application told the court that his client was unlawfully detained by ranks as there is no evidence to support the claims of the Virtual Complainant (VC).

He argued that no spent shells were acquired by the Police to date, which shows that they would be unable to prove that a gun was indeed discharged.

Addressing the possession charges, Waldron noted that his client was a licenced firearm holder; however, said licence expired and Daby is still within the grace period to have it renewed.

Waldron questioned why no efforts were made to solicit the Department of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) advice in the matter.

Magistrate Latchman however remanded the woman to prison. The case will continue on May 23.

Bringing back…

R

…the good, ole Burnham state ight after the PNC-led Government under Brigadier (rtd) David Granger took office, he announced he would continue the “legacy” of the Founder-Leader Burnham, whose shoes he’d slipped into as Leader of the PNC. Not long after, he announced the Disciplined Forces would be reloaded (no pun intended). This was not coincidental! The GDF would be enlarged, the GPF would be boosted by another 1,500 recruits, the People’s Militia would be re-launched, and ditto for the Cadet Corps. He didn’t say anything about the National Service…but maybe he’s just waiting to have the other units in place.

Now, some may think that with Granger being a military man, and because to a hammer everything’s a nail, he was just doing what he knows best. But his action goes beyond that. The Military explosion under Burnham was a carefully-thought-out plan by Burnham; who, like the Haitian despot Dessalines, believed that the society was “too soft,” and needed to be “disciplined” -- by any means necessary. And now you know they’re called “Guyana’s DISCIPLINED Forces”!

With Guyana having the highest civilian- armed forces ratio in the world – 1:32, Burnham expected these forces would discipline the rest of society. Granger was the young officer who was placed in charge of ensuring the rest of the army – including the traditional officers the British had left – get with his programme. Of course, as the economy collapsed and PNC supporters fell on hard times -- where PPP supporters had always been – Burnham turned the Disciplined Forces into a pacification force! Walter Rodney was a victim of that pacification.

Now back to the present, where Gail Texeira tried to ask in Parliament: since the Government had been spending the people’s money to launch the People’s Militia, what was “the criteria and methodology of recruitment of persons into the People’s Militia; the number of persons who have been recruited into the People’s Militia in the last two years; the means by which those persons have been recruited, whether via public advertisement in the media, in social media, or by any other means.”

The Speaker of course denied the request, since it wasn’t “important” enough, in his unbiased opinion, to be asked without the arcane formalities. But we hope Texeira isn’t holding her breath waiting to have the question answered. Did Burnham ever reveal what he was doing with HIS Disciplined Forces? Why should Granger? Your Eyewitness is sure Texeira saw reports in the newspapers about members of the People’s Militia in “march past” activities in Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Linden.

Weren’t the optics - as presented in the pics - sufficient to give her the answers she was seeking?? …teachers’ dignity On Labour Day, President Granger dropped in at the Teachers’ Union Hall, and gave them his old campaign speech about how high he holds them in his esteem. Most teachers, being trained nowadays – obviously including “anger management” – didn’t tell him anything untoward.

But it looks like they now feel a decent interval has passed to reveal what’s on their minds.

They’ve just announced they’ll let the PNC Government know where they stand at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE). That’s a good move; it hits the Government in the only place where it hurts: threatening their feeding at the public trough by withholding votes!! Teachers aren’t just an important constituency because of their huge numbers, but in the influence they wield in their communities. While this mightn’t be as extensive as back in the day, it’s still a potent threat.

Teachers and other public servants should not succumb to the “sweet talk” that’ll be directed at them.

Fool me once (last elections), shame on you; fool me twice (upcoming LGE), shame on me!! …Labour??

The PPP kept their promise to move a motion for a free-standing Labour Ministry to be launched. But to show they’re serious, they have to simultaneously move a motion of no- confidence in Keith Scott.

What’s that party he represents, again?

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

News

‘First oil’ 2020

GuySuCo operating without Board

Guyana taking US$1.7M advance from World Bank …acting CEO claims operations not affected

O

Ministers Raphael Trotman and Simona Broomes meeting with technical experts from the World Bank

G

uyana is expected to access an advance to a US$20 million World Bank loan to build capacity in the oil and gas industry by June.

Natural Resources Minster Raphael Trotman said Government would like to access an advance of US$1.7 million but needed to “urgently” establish a Project Implementation Unit (PIU).

The PIU, spearheaded by the Natural Resources Ministry, must include a coordinator, financial director and have procurement capacities among other requirements. “Once those are in place we can receive the advance, and the larger tranche [portion] will be forthcoming towards the end of the year,” Minister Trotman is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

The loan will be used to build oil and gas capacity in three important areas.

“Strengthening the regulatory framework, working with the Government on the issues of bringing the gas to shore and the other one is just general capacity building,” he further explained.

Funds will also be used to build the capacity of the

9

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and other institutions that will monitor cost recovery and similar measures in the oil and gas industry.

On Tuesday, Minister Trotman and Minister within the Natural Resources Ministry Simona Broomes met with the World Bank’s Country Director for Caribbean Countries and Latin America, Tahseen Sayed, along with other technical experts to discuss the loan which was secured by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

Sayed noted that the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) has “significantly increased more than three folds the allocation for Guyana” from mid-2018.

IDA is the concessional financing window of the World Bank.

Guyana’s allocations now stand at US$85 million over a three-year period, Sayed explained. The US$20 million loan is part of this allocation, she added.

Minister Trotman stated that the World Bank will be the country’s primary financial institution in the development of the oil and gas industry.

ne month after confusion surfaced over the Board of Directors at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), to date, the Government has not managed to come to a definitive decision to name a substantive Board, neither have there been clear about whether one would be appointed soon.

Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Paul Bhim has however said that GuySuCo is still operating without a Board.

The GuySuCo official said while he was recently told by the Government that a Board will be named shortly, he was not given any specific time when this could happen.

“There is no Board at the moment. They have indicated that a Board will be named. They didn’t give

fecting the current operation. “Not really. I report to the Minister of Agriculture (Noel Holder) directly, at this time. We have well established systems in place in terms of our operations here too. So, no, it is not affecting that,” he explained.

However, the acting CEO did admit that with a functioning Board, it will help to advance the operations and bring some level of effectiveness to the industry.

Questioned further on whether the operations of GuySuCo has been affected in any way by the sudden downsizing, Bhim said production based on the three estates that it now has responsibility for (Blairmont, Albion and Uitvlugt) is doing fairly well, especially for the first crop in 2018.

“Let’s remember that estates closed falls under SPU

me a timeline, but they did indicate that a Board would be appointed shortly,” he told Guyana Times on Tuesday when quizzed about the functioning of a Board.

But questioned as to whether, with the clear absence of a Board, this could affect the operation of GuySuCo and by extension the sugar industry, Bhim affirmed it is not af-

(Special Purpose Unit). We don’t have any operational oversight but come into contact with the SPU often… because we are helping to tidy up things. Aside from that we are carrying on as

Acting GuySuCo CEO, Paul Bhim

per normal on the three estates,” he added. In late April, Minister Holder has revealed that Cabinet was looking at some new names for the new Board. It was reported early March that Finance Minister Winston Jordan had allegedly proposed for Head of SPU, Colvin Heath-London, to be the Chairman of the new GuySuCo Board after the previous body had expired on February 14. The purported proposal was reportedly not accepted by all Cabinet members.

However, Minister Jordan had subsequently issued a statement denying making such a suggestion, saying that he was in Jamaica for a pre-Governors meeting of the InterAmerican Development Board (IDB) and thus was not present for the Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, about two weeks later, NICIL published the names of the new Board, naming HeathLondon as Chairman while the other members included Fritz McLean, Komal Singh, Verna Adrian, Vishnu Panday, Annette Arjoon, Arianne Mc Lean, Roshan Khan Jr and George Jervis, with two other names to be added to the 11-member body. A full-page ad had detailed that the new Board was approved by Cabinet on February 26, 2018. Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said the same day that there were some issues with regard to the timing of the ad and Cabinet was reviewing the matter.

But despite these statements, Government had made it clear that the Board of Directors of GuySuCo, headed by Professor Clive Thomas, is the legitimate one. The life of that Board expired a month ago. The new Board, which was named with Heath-London as the head was gazetted at the Deeds and Commercial Registry. According to filings on March 1, 2018, there were several documents including a copy of the Cabinet decision of the new Board, notice of change of Directors and consent forms to be Directors. There were also supporting documents that listed the members of the new Board as the same.

(Samuel Sukhnandan)

10 news

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unemployment rise blamed on fall of ‘underground’ economy – SARA ...local economists disagree, fault Govt’s lack of job creation, firing of thousands of Guyanese

SARA CEO Aubrey Retmyer

W

ith the unemployment rate of persons over 15 years lingering at 12 per cent and youth unemployment at 21.6 per cent, Guyana’s woeful joblessness rate has been linked to the Government’s fight against financial crimes and the so called ‘underground’ economy.

In an interview with the media on the sidelines of a training exercise on Monday, State Assets Recovery Agency (SARU) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aubrey Retmyer spoke about the entity’s fight against capital flight. He noted that policy analysts are still trying to quantify the Government’s impact on problems like capital flight and procurement fraud.

“That’s something that we’re working on to determine after 2015, what difference has occurred. And it’s an exercise we do have some people in the agency, the policy analysts, are working on to determine by how much have we reduced procurement fraud and capital flight.”

“People for example complain that when the drug money was here, they use to get jobs.

That’s evidence that we’ve impacted the underground economy,” Retmyer claimed. “But by how much I can’t say. We have to find a way to quantify that.”

A quarterly Labour Force Survey done during the period July to September 2017 had re-

vealed that the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above was 12 per cent, with the situation for women being substantially worse than that for men.

The survey was done from a total population of 550,831 persons 15 years and above, with some 72.2 per cent living in urban areas. From this figure, only 271,068 comprised the total employed population during the time of the quarterly survey.

Males accounted for 166,873 and females 104,195. Urban workers totalled 188,774, while the rural area had 82,294 workers. The labour force participation rate for all persons aged 15 and above is 56 per cent, roughly equal to the corresponding 2012 value of 55.7 per cent. All other data gathered were compared to information continued in the 2012 census.

According to the findings of the survey, unemployment among women was 15.3 per cent and among men 9.9 per cent. The youth unemployment rate among 15 to 24-year-olds was almost twice that of adults, with 21.6 per cent. Young women were found to continue facing severe hardship, with 28 per cent of them being unemployed.

Anti-corruption policy

Retmyer also noted that SARA would have to work with other Government agencies that have lost due to financial crimes; in order to get this data.

In the case of gold smuggling, Retmyer spoke of Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) that will be inked to increase collaboration between agencies. In addition, Retmyer said that an anti-corruption policy is being developed.

“In terms of the gold, we’ve begun to draw a Memorandum of Understanding with agencies in the country. The United Nations sent a long list and

Taking the lead

A

Chief Statistician Ian Manifold handling over a copy of the quarterly Guyana Labour Force Survey to Finance Secretary Hector Butts in March at the Marriott Hotel

we’ve been working with the anti-corruption representative to this country to answer those questions and to begin to formulate an anti-corruption policy.”

“We have the AML (Anti Money Laundering) people; they’ve been here and will be returning to deal with money laundering. And various other agencies, they’re overlapping, but we will have to respond to each and we are working to ensure that we have a common position on each.”

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between SARA and the Financial Intelligence Unit on Monday. It is understood that at this signing, SARA Director, Professor Clive Thomas announced that persons who stole and want to voluntarily return State assets could strike a deal.

The MoU in question addresses issues relating to the sharing of information between the two agencies in the fight against financial crimes. Interagency collaboration is an important part of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism fight.

However, when contacted by this publication, several local economic commentators disagreed with Retmyer’s state-

ment.

According to one economist, continued growth and improvement in Guyana cannot continue if investors’ confidence continues to be eroded. He noted that the high unemployment rate is as a result of the more than 10,000 Guyanese, who have lost their jobs since the present Administration took office.

The economist pointed to the 2000 Amerindian Community Support Officers (CSO) who were the first on the breadline, then thousands of sugar workers, who were fired from Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Additionally, Barama Company Limited was forced to close its operations after several of its concessions were taken back by Government. The booming construction sector has since faded, the expert noted, causing a lot of labourers and ordinary tradesmen to lose their jobs.

He noted that added that there are also thousands of persons, graduating from the University of Guyana each year but are unable to jobs.

According to another economist, there has been lack of significant new investments in the last three years since investors and the business sector has lost confidence in the Government’s ability to honour agreements that were made by the past Administration.

Added to this, the economist said, is the agenda and unchecked power of Special Orgainsed Crime Unit (SOCU) and State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA). The economist noted that investors and the business community will look at the charges against former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and former head of NICIL, Winston Brassington, and may be intimidated into entering contracts since they will be unsure if these will be honoured in the future.

s Satiricus ambled over to the Back Street Bar, his face was lit up. He knew it would come down to this. Even though his party, the KFC, was so much smaller than its coalition partner, Pee an’ See, it was now carrying most of the fight against the Pee Pee Cee. He admired his leaders, Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat, for standing up and pushing the Government’s policies.

After taking his place at the table with the fellas, he shared his opinion.

“Sato, ah wha’ wrang wid yuh? Yuh head saaf”, said Bungi indignantly. “Dem a use yuh leadah!”

“On the Sedition Bill?” asked Satiricus. “You think people should convince other people over the Internet to overthrow the Government?”

“But da na wha’ de Bill seh,” objected Cappo as he sipped his beer. “De Bill seh if yuh just mek people na like de Guvment, dem can charge yuh!”

“That’s right, Sato,” said Hari in his usual mild manner.

“Your Government will be able to arrest every person opposing them.”

“Like how your Pee Pee Cee Government arrested Bench Kak?” countered Satiricus aggressively. “And jailed him!” He’d been listening to his leader Nagga Man. “Ah Ha!!” said Bungi. “But Bench Kak na bin jus’ TELL people fuh ova-t’row de Guvment; ‘E attack de President Affice!!”

“Sato, yuh mus’ pick sense fram nansense,” advised Cappo. “Nah tek yuh mattie eye fuh see.”

“Especially when yuh mattie ah Rum Jhaat!” chuckled Bungi.

“Why you making fun of the man’s eye?” demanded Satiricus.

“Me na mean nuttin’,” said Bungi innocently. “Me jus’ mean Rum Jhaat bias, and yuh cyaan trus’ wha’ ‘e seh ev’rytime!”

“You may disagree with the man’s position,” huffed Satiricus. “But you have to admit he’s brave to defend an unpopular position.”

“Or stupid,” interjected Hari. “The Pee an’ See’s cranking him up so they won’t be blamed.”

“Rum Jhaat’s a lawyer, he’s not stupid,” said Satiricus.

“He’s taking the lead.”

“But ‘e sh’ud rememba,” said Cappo firmly. “Mo’ high monkey climb, de more ah ‘e backside does show!”

Overseas-based Guyanese charged for fraud

A

Guyanese woman, who resides in Canada, was on Tuesday remanded to prison after she was charged for fraud.

The 31-year-old woman, Amrita Dyal, denied that she forged a document purporting to show that monies were paid

by Attorney Bibi Shadick.

The first charge against her alleged that between March 12 and 13, 2018, at Georgetown with intent to defraud, she uttered a forged promissory note purporting for the sum of US$547,000 to be paid to Kelwattie Sahibdeen by Bibi Safora Shadick, knowing same to be forged.

Additionally, it is alleged that on March 13, 2018, Dyal procured her father, Bhagwandeen Dyal to utter

a payment note to Shadick to pay the sum of US$547,000.

Attorney for the accused, Bernard De Santos, told City Magistrate Judy Latchman that the promissory note seen by him in no way implicates his client, as her hand writing or signature does not appear on it.

In his bail application, De Santos explained to the court that Dyal, who is a nurse, has an autistic child who is in Canada, and needs to be taken care of.

He further explained that his client has been cooperating with the Police since the investigation started and will continue to do so.

However, Magistrate Latchman nevertheless remanded Dyal to prison. The case will continue on May 22.

news

11

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Skeldon Energy Inc now using firewood for co-gen plant place, and they take on the responsibility and the contract to undertake (supply), they will employ persons from the community (to do so). Essentially, this project is about creating (employment), but we are not getting involved in that directly; we are getting into a contractual arrangement for the supplying and delivery of the material we need, including the gathering and handling of bagasse that we

Plant was purchased from GuySuCo for an announced price of US$30 million by Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI) – a special purpose company owned by the Government’s holding company, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma had taken members of the media on a

The Skeldon Co-generation plant

W

ood is now being touted as the main source of fuel to operate the Skeldon Cogeneration Plant. Following successful tests of its power steam generation using firewood, SEI is now saying that the firewood can produce more steam for the plant than bagasse. (SEI) reported on Tuesday that it is currently using wood as fuel for the plant.

Chairman of SEI, Lloyd Rose, has said efforts are being made to have the Co-gen Plant operate year-round, and not seasonally. As such, fuel will be needed for the plant all year. This means that bagasse alone cannot be used.

Late last month, SEI completed a test utilizing firewood chips sourced from within the community. The test revealed a smooth boiler operation, which often contains much higher moisture content.

Rose said the test revealed a much more stable and smoother boiler operation than that achieved using bagasse fuel, which often contains much higher moisture content. The successful utilization of other biomass fuel -- firewood pro-processed into wood chips, which was demonstrated -- with its significantly less moisture content (forty-percent), provided much greater ease of operation for the fuel feed system. There was the absence of frequent blocking of pinhole grate air-ports normally associated with mud-content embedded in the sugar cane delivered to the factory and the bagasse delivered to boilers.

“We are going to have a mixture. There is going to be some bagasse which we will get from the Albion Estate, (and) there is going to be some firewood, as we call it, from the forest. There is going to be a blend of rice husk -- and we can only accept a portion of up to about twelve percent -- and there is also going to be waste from the sawmills. So we are really seeking no one source or solution; there will be a mixture of all those things with the equivalence being about one to one,” Rose explained.

This, he said, means that the same tonnage of bagasse previously used with be equalled with the proposed mixture.

Sheldon Energy Inc.

aims to utilize a mixed co-generation in the short term, irrespective of sugar production. In spite of anticipated difficulties associated with prolonged use of the severely damaged boilers, the company’s goal is to preserve the productive utilisation of its energy assets, and to avoid their further deterioration and possible vandalism, which could occur if the Co-generation Plant is left idle.

According to Rose, Boiler One has been repaired, and efforts are now being made to carry out remedial repair and maintenance on Boiler Two. When this is done, the two 15MW turbines will be pushed. Boiler One will then be stripped and fully replaced, and when completed, will have the ability to push both turbines, with Boiler Two being a backup.

Rose says it should take 18 months to completely effect this plan. Already, the tubes for rebuilding Boiler One have been secured from South Africa at a cost of US$1 million.

“We have reached out to the community, and mainly the business community, (which) can act as reliable suppliers. We believe that if we put systems in

Wood that is being used by the Skeldon Co-generation plant

will get from Albion,” Rose explained.

The SEI Chairman said SEI might take on the responsibility of transporting the material which the contractors would source. “It is likely to be cheaper if we do the transporting,” he said.

While producing sugar at the Skeldon Factory may no longer be an option, SEI is still hoping to ensure the continued use of the Co-gen Plant, and job creation.

In June 2017, the Cogen Plant was described as a ‘ticking time bomb’ that required US$2.5 million to restart the 30MW bagasse-fuelled component of the facility, and an additional US$17 million in order to fix other deficiencies.

The Co-generation

tour of the facility in June 2017. Minister Sharma had said he would be recommending to the Cabinet Counsel of Ministers a full forensic investigation into the facility. However, there has since been no word on that investigation.

During the guided tour of the boilers, it was observed that the piping used

to circulate the pressurised steam has eroded to a point where it had become a safety hazard and risked an explosion.

Speaking to the design of the facility, it was pointed out, too, that the boilers were not even protected

from the elements, including the salt air. There is no roof in place.

Other visible deficiencies on the boiler were evident at the furnace doors, where the insulation was almost completely burnt out as a result of the heat.

12 news

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Lindo Creek CoI

Ituni Police Station’s records contradict GDF’s testimony

W

hile under oath on Monday, Guyana Defence Force Lieutenant, Colonel Fitzroy Ward told the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Lindo Creek Massacre that he took a caution statement from gang member Dwane Williams at the Ituni Police Station detailing the killings; however, when the books from the station were presented on Tuesday, there were no records of the interaction.

Deputy Superintendent Gary McAllister presented the Station Diary and Occurrences Book from the Ituni Police Station, Kwakwani Police Station, Wisroc Police Outpost, Wismar Police Station and the McKenzie Police Station.

McAllister was tasked by the Commissioner of Police to inspect the books of several Police stations in E (LindenKwakwani) and F (Interior locations) Divisions to look

for entries of the June 2008 killings at Lindo Creek.

He told the Commission that with the exception of the Ituni and Kwakwani Police Stations, there are no records of any incidents relating to the Lindo Creek killings. He said he found an entry dated June 16, 2008, detailing Williams’ arrest in the Ituni Police Station Diary while he found an entry of Leonard Arokium’s report of the killings.

The CoI heard that despite Arokium making the report on June 21, 2008, the officers at the Kwakwani Police Station never made the entry into the Station Diary until July 3, 2008.

According to the report, read

by McAllister, Arokium told Police that he received information that his eight employees were murdered but did not name a suspect.

Contrary to the testimony of Lieutenant Colonel Fitzroy Ward, who on

Deputy Superintendent, Gary McAllister reading from the Ituni Police Station Diary

Monday told the CoI that he took a caution statement from gang member Dwane

Williams at the Ituni Police Station, McAllister testified that the records showed no entry of such being conducted.

Meanwhile, the entry of June 16, 2008, related that Officer Morrison would have arrested Dwane Williams,

who was just 14 at the time.

The entry detailed the appearance of the then minor, who had several marks of violence about his body but made no allegations against the arresting officer.

Ward would have testified that Williams told him, under caution and in the presence of other ranks of the Special Joint Services team, that the criminal gang headed by Rondel “Fine Man” Rawlins murdered the miners at the Lindo Creek camp. The allegations were made at the Ituni Police Station on June 16, 2008, some five days before the discovery was made and six days before the remains were brought to Kwakwani.

Additionally, he told the CoI that Williams related that “Fine Man” took a hammer and smashed one of the miners’ skull, which was confirmed when he saw the burnt remains.

McAllister during his testimony said the function of the Diary and Occurrences Book is to record movements and incidents in the jurisdiction.

Counsel for the Guyana

Defence Force, Roysdale Forde, sought to question the integrity of the books by getting the officer to admit that the entries were not entered in sequential order.

Furthermore, Detective Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo returned to the stand on Tuesday to continue his testimony. He reiterated that he was responsible for compiling a report and taking a few statements and related that Morrison supplied a detailed statement of what occurred at the Ituni Police Station.

The Lindo Creek CoI is the first of what Government has said would be a series of inquiries into the hundreds of killings, which occurred during a crime wave that began in 2002.

Sometime between June 12, 2008 and June 24, 2008, miners Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres were shot and killed, and their bodies burnt at the Upper Berbice River mining camp, which was being operated by Leonard Arokium.

news

13

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

$545M contract signed for creation of new housing schemes

G

overnment through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will be fast-tracking the development of two new housing schemes on the East Bank of Demerara, following the signing of several contracts on Tuesday at the agency’s Brickdam, Georgetown office.

Seven firms were awarded with contracts to complete roads, drains, culverts and other infrastructure works at the Peter’s Hall Phase 2 – and Providence – Phase 4 – housing schemes.

The contractors for the project are Chung’s Global Enterprise, Guy-America Construction, Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works, Colin Talbot Contracting Services, H Nauth and Sons, KB and B Contractors and Romell Jagroop General Construction.

Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lelon Saul said on completion of the works, 368 persons will be issued with house lots in these new schemes in November. The investment

distribution networks.

Meanwhile, the development of two lots at the Perseverance Phase III housing scheme, which began in 2017, is expected to be completed this year.

CEO of CH&PA, Lelon Saul (centre) and Projects Director, Omar Narine (right) with the contractors standing with their contracts in hand

for this critical housing project is $545.8 million.

Saul noted that these contractors were selected through a fair and open tender process. “Those who would have satisfied the requirements were evaluated and were deemed suitable to execute the work. The process was overseen by the National Procurement and Tender Board,” he said.

The CH&PA CEO also urged the contractors to ensure the works are completed in a timely manner. “I trust that you will adhere to the terms and condi-

tions of the contract which you signed. If you fail to do so, as an agency, we will be forced to take appropriate actions,” Saul said to the contractors on Tuesday.

Director of Projects at the CH&PA, Omar Narine, said he was confident that the projects will be completed on time as some of the contractors have done work for the agency previously. He also revealed that works will begin in June and are expected to be completed within next five months.

According to him, there will be con-

struction of 5.4km of crusher-run roads, construction of 10.4 earthen drains, construction of 47 concrete culverts, and insulation of 5.4km pure water distribution network.

In January, $1 billion was put towards general infrastructure works at Peter’s Hall and Providence on the East Bank Demerara (ECD) and Cummings Lodge in Greater Georgetown. These works also included construction of roads, drainage, land preparation and the installation of electrical

In 2017, works were completed in Section B and D Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, Farm Phase II East Bank Demerara, and Zeelugt Phase III East Bank Essequibo.

14 News

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Lindo Creek CoI

Arokium insists Joint Services was responsible …has no evidence to prove theory …former PM for interview by CoI

L

eonard George Arokium, co-owner of the mining camp at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River where, in 2008, eight employees were killed and their bodies burnt, remains convinced that notorious criminal Rondel “Fine Man” Rawlins and his gang did not commit that horrendous crime.

Rather, he remains convinced that Joint Services ranks were responsible.

Arokium lost a son and brother when armed men invaded his mining camp at Lindo Creek, shot and killed, then burned the bodies of miners Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres sometime between June 12, 2008 and June 24, 2008.

Since the issue came to the fore, Leonard Arokium has repeatedly stated that he was reliably informed that members of the Joint Services were responsible for the men’s deaths.

When he took to the stand before the Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, it was re-

vealed that in the interest of closure, he chose to appear as the Commission’s last witness at the public hearings regarding the 2008 horrendous happenings at Lindo Creek.

Leonard Arokium testified that he has no evidence to prove who had killed his workers, but he said that while there was a heavy Joint Services’ presence in the area, it was “impossible” for the Fine Man gang to have ventured to the location, killed the men, burnt their bodies, and then go along their way.

He further related that because of the tight security at the Unamco checkpoint, and the distance between Lindo Creek and Christmas Falls – where the criminal gang had last encountered Police -- it was highly “impossible” for the gang to have ventured to the area without being seen.

Recollecting when he had initially received information of the incident, Arokium said the mother of one of the miners, Yonette Torres, had, on June 18, 2008, contacted him about the incident.

He further related that he

Leonard George Arokium, coowner of the mining camp at Lindo Creek, Upper Berbice River

had received an anonymous call from someone, informing that Joint Services ranks had killed the workers.

He said that after he had received the information, he called a fellow miner who had been expected to visit the area and arranged a ride up to the site. He said they reached the Lindo Creek area sometime during June 21, 2008, and when he got to the site of his mining camp, he was confronted by the horrendous scene.

The CoI heard that the miner had seen the burnt remains of his workers stacked one on the other, and that the tarpaulin on one of the camps was missing. Further, while on his way to the camp, Arokium had had a conversation with a man named “Anthony,” who related to him that two of his workers would venture to the Unamco Trail and interact with the Joint Services ranks.

He said “Anthony” told him that the ranks had been inquiring when the miners were “washing down”.

However, Arokium’s credibility was questioned when Counsel for the GDF, Leslie Sobers, put it to him that all his evidence was hearsay, and

that “Anthony” had given the Police a statement refuting all the information he had allegedly given.

Sobers caused Commission Counsel Patrice Henry to comb through the report compiled by Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo and find three statements made in the name of Anthony Herber, one with the sole purpose of denying the information produced by Arokium.

Further pressed, Arokium said he remains convinced that Joint Services ranks were responsible for the men’s deaths, since, in his opinion, the “Fine Man” gang had no motive to kill the men and then burn their bodies.

Sam Hinds to be interviewed

Following discovery of the bodies, a high-level team comprising acting President Sam Hinds, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, late Police Commissioner Henry Greene, and other senior Police officers had visited the affected families. Arokium testified that Hinds had tried to convince him that “Fine Man” was responsible for the killings, but he had refuted those statements. In light of that revelation, CoI Commissioner Donald Trotman, through his counsel, related that, during the upcoming days, the Commission would interview Hinds, since the public hearings had come to an end on Tuesday.

Doctor robbed by bandits after leaving bank

D

r Holly Alexander, wife of former Registrar of the University of Guyana and People’s National Congress member, Vincent Alexander, was robbed by armed bandits, after transacting business at a Georgetown bank.

Reports indicate Dr Alexander exited the bank at about 13:00h and went to make a purchase at a store on Brickdam, Georgetown.

As she was heading for her South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, home she stopped at the intersection at Norton and Bishop Streets, Georgetown. It was

Dr Holly Alexander

there that two-armed men on a motorcycle rode up in front of her car preventing her from moving forward.

The pillion rider then came off the bike and held the woman at gunpoint, taking away her handbag valued $15,000 and contained $560,000 cash along with her Samsung Galaxy S6, which valued $200,000, a purse valued $2000 and other important documents including her national Identification Card, driver’s license, passport and two bank cards.

The men then made good their escape, riding along the southern side of Norton Street, Georgetown.

Police are currently investigating the incident.

news

15

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations The national debt will ruin us

J

ust a couple of weeks ago, in this column, I called attention to the frightening and rapidly out-of-control debt orgy that APNU+AFC are engaged in. As APNU+AFC mark three years in office this week, one of the things which are certain is that APNU+AFC are an administration determined to outdo the People’s National Congress (PNC), which made Guyana one of the most indebted nations in the world in the 1980s.

Last Friday, APNU+AFC used their majority in Parliament to raise the debt ceiling, so that they do not need to seek approval for taking loans up to G$50 billion Dr Leslie Ramsammy (US$250 million) per project.

The motion was introduced without warning.

This is a dangerous move, one that could make the debt crisis that bankrupted Guyana in the 1980s look mild in comparison. APNU+AFC have now given themselves parliamentary imprimatur to take larger loans -- up to G$50 billion per project -- without informing any of us, and without seeking parliamentary approval. This will allow them to take a loan of G$30 billion from the Republic Bank for GuySuCo, and to begin drawing down on the US$900 million (G$180 billion) from the Islamic Bank up to G$50 billion at a time. In less than three years, they want to double the international loans that the PPP left after 23 years.

With these loans, Guyana’s international loans would increase to more than US$2.7 billion, almost 30% larger than the US$2.1 billion the PNC had left in 1992, and 145% more than Guyana’s international loans had been at the end of 2014.

There is a hypocrisy that is galling: When the PPP had sought to have parliamentary permission to increase the loan ceiling to G$30 billion, in order to allow GPL to provide a guarantee to purchase the electricity generated by AMAILA, the APNU+AFC had cried foul, and had used their one seat majority in 2013 to reject the request. At that time, Greenidge, Ramjattan, Trotman, Nagamootoo and others had insisted that the Government should never be given permission to take any loans as large as G$30 billion, unless they sought parliamentary permission. They killed the AMAILA Project by rejecting the PPP’s request to increase the debt ceiling for any single loan.

Now they have lifted the ceiling to G$50 billion -- a sum that was once considered unfathomable, and which, just a few years ago, this same APNU+AFC had deemed unacceptable.

Clearly, APNU+AFC have not learnt the lessons of the PNC in the 1980s -- when the PNC took us into the quicksand of unbearable debt. The foreign debt was more than US$2.1 billion in 1992. At that time, the foreign debt was 951% of Guyana’s GDP, and the debt servicing annually was 153% of our total earnings.

Guyana’s economic and social development had suffered immeasurable damage. Our poverty rates were an unbelievable 66% to 88%, depending on whose statistics you want to use.

The 66% was what the then PNC Government had wanted us to believe, the 88% was what people like Dr Clive Thomas and the WPA had estimated. Our industries were all on death beds; our infrastructure was the worst in the Caribbean and the Americas; health, education, water and housing sectors were dreadful; and Guyana was essentially bankrupt.

This is what Carl Greenidge, Guyana’s present Foreign Affairs Minister, and Finance Minister in the 1980s up to 1992, had said about Guyana at the time: “Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere. In 1990, the external debt to GDP ratio was 951%. Between 1986 and 1990, Guyana’s average annual debt service payments were 153% of fiscal revenues.

During the mid-1980s, the Government had fallen into such serious arrears with its multilateral, bilateral and other lenders that lending institutions such as the IMF, the Caribbean Development Bank, as well as bilateral lending, was cut off, and its cessation resulted in further deterioration of the economy, creating an economic crisis so severe (that), if not remedied through drastic measures, (it) would have resulted in complete collapse, from which recovery would be impossible”.

This is what the PPP inherited in 1992, and through sound macroeconomic and astute fiscal management, avoided the collapse that Greenidge had warned about at that time.

In 2015, APNU+AFC inherited the fastest and most consistently growing economy in the Caribbean, with a debt to GDP ratio among the best in developing countries around the world. From the 953% of GDP in 1991, the PPP reduced it to about 44% by the end of 2014.

Today APNU+AFC are on a debt orgy, and Guyana’s debt is once again one of the fastest growing debacles in CARICOM. The motion to lift the loan ceiling to G$50 billion per project will simply make this debt uncontrollable again. The Guyanese people will be victimized again, and generations to come will pay the price.

Accidents on the Linden Highway

Linden community raises concern about logging trucks …calls for stern, serious action against errant drivers

O

fficials have expressed concerns over dangers posed by defaulting logging trucks which traverse the Linden community and the LindenSoesdyke Highway, during a meeting which was called to address the issue at the office of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Regional Democratic Council in Linden on Tuesday.

Several issues were highlighted and discussed with Minister within the Communities Ministry, Valerie Yearwood; Minister Simona Broomes; Regional Chairman Renis Morian; the Police; Councillors; and representatives of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). The discourse was also geared at finding solutions on the way forward.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian, in chronicling numerous fatalities involving logging trucks in Linden and on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway over the years, said the time has come to put an end to defaulting logger trucks.

Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, who was also at the meeting, noted that the issue can be considered a plague to the community as these trucks pose eminent and consistent danger to road users, utilising both internal roads and on the Linden Highway.

“Too many lives were lost,” he said. Figueira said often times these trucks lack suitable lighting and are not properly equipped with the necessary reflectors.

Commander of E Division (Linden-Kwakwani), Anthony Vanderhyden, noted that logging trucks have been restricted from traversing the area from 18:00h to 06:00h in an effort to minimise the dangers they pose.

Additionally, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Orrin Gordon called for stern and serious action to be taken against errant drivers, while Councillor Wainewright Bethune expressed concerns over the haphazard way the trucks are parked. Bethune also pointed out that many internal roads are destroyed as a result of the utilisation of these trucks.

Deputy Commissioner of Forests within the Forest Monitoring Division of GFC, Gavin Agard, urged that logging trucks follow the stipulated regulations, including being equipped with functional lights, reflectors and cones and must not be overloaded.

Meanwhile, Minister Yearwood said the issue lies with enforcement as she pointed blame on the Logging Association

Officials at the meeting discussing the dangers of logging trucks traversing the Linden-Soesdyke Highway without proper lighting and reflectors

which was unrepresented at the meeting. Minister Yearwood pointed out that there are containers which now transport logs concealed along the highway as she also suggested that logs be transported via the river.

She also pointed to the situation whereby reflectors have been stolen from the Highway. Minister Broomes also pointed to several irregularities including speeding and double parking by these trucks along the Highway,

noting that there have been numerous complaints. The Minister said preventing accidents should be the utmost priority as she urged all agencies to work in close collaboration.

(Utamu Belle)

16 news

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Families, inclusive societies” focus of Int’l Day of Families

T

he International Day of Families was officially launched by the Social Protection Ministry’s Department of Social Services on Tuesday focusing on ‘Families and inclusive societies.’

Being the agency with responsibility for social services in Guyana, the ministry has designated one month (May 15 to June 15) as International Month of the Families. During

this period, the ministry will embark on a series of activities to encourage and strengthen families.

In her remarks at the event held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Chairperson, National Commission of the Family, Sandra Hooper said that the family unit is the lynchpin of any society. Its main responsibility is the socialisation, education and protection of its members, par-

ticularly children and the elderly. She noted that in today’s ever-changing societies, the family often faces challenges in the execution of its role.

Meanwhile, Director of Social Services, Whentworth Tanner explained that a functioning family is a microcosm of a functioning society, and that “parents and children have to work together in order to build a functioning family,

A section of the participants at the event

Similarly, each of us has to do our part to create and sustain a functional society.”

Tanner added that the family is the first school in which a child receives the ba-

sic values of life, that moulds his/her character and lays the foundation for their analytical capability. He noted that the ministry is cognisant of the changing complexity of the

modern family – nuclear families are reducing and extended and single-parent families are on the increase.

The International Day of Families provided an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and can become a powerful mobilising factor on behalf of families in all countries, allowing them to lobby for the protection and support of family issues appropriate to each society. A series of panel discussions will be held throughout the month with key stakeholders deliberating family-related issues.

The event will culminate with a march for elderly awareness on June 15.

Israelis and Palestinians in fierce exchanges at UN

T

here have been angry exchanges between Israeli and Palestinian envoys at the UN, as the diplomatic fallout over deadly violence in Gaza gathered pace.

Some 58 Palestinians were killed when Israeli troops fired on protesters on Monday, with funerals held on Tuesday.

The Palestinian envoy spoke of a "crime against humanity", while Israel accused Hamas, who are in control of Gaza, of taking their own people hostage.

This week was the culmination of a six-week protest against Israel.

Monday was the 70th anniversary of the founding of the

state of Israel and also the day the US made the controversial move of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The emergency meeting of the UN Security Council began with its president, Poland's Joanna Wronecka, calling a minute's silence for those killed in Gaza on Monday, along with "others who have died as a result of a conflict that has endured for far too long".

After a number of nations expressed concern at the violence and some called for an inquiry, the Palestinian and Israeli envoys engaged in a fierce exchange.

Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said: "We con-

demn in the most emphatic terms the odious massacre committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip."

He called for a halt to Israel's military operations and a transparent international inquiry into what he said was a "brutal Israeli attack on Palestinian people who expressed their resistance".

He said it was "a war crime, a crime against humanity".

Mansour criticised the UN for not pursuing inquiries in the past, saying: "How many Palestinians have to die before you take action? Did they deserve to die? Did children deserve to be taken away from their parents?" (Reuters)

17 GRA hosts 2-day Tax Farmer charged Complaint Workshop for Haslington man’s murder O news

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

fficers of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Communication and Tax Advisory Service, met with business owners and residents Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) for a two-day Regional Tax Complaint Workshop.

The workshop was held in the board room of the regional office, in Anna Regina. On Monday, the officers from GRA met with the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and the business community and on Tuesday they met with the general public, including members of the Disciplinary Services.

Presenters were Fabian Clowes and Roopnarine Ramkishun, who both informed the participants of the

D

A section of the gathering at the Region Two Tax Complaint Workshop

new and existing tax laws, how to calculate your own tax, fill up tax returns and how to access online services.

They also educated res-

idents on the stamping of cigarettes and alcohol. A similar workshop will also be conducted in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper

Takutu-Upper Essequibo); Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

eonarine Sasenarine Chow, 49, a farmer of Wash Clothes, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was on Tuesday charged for killing 39-year-old Sean Waldron.

He appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Court and was remanded until June 11.

Waldron’s badly decomposed body was found floating in the Mahaicony Creek after he was reported missing by his sister.

An autopsy conducted revealed that the dead man was strangled and also suffered blows about his body.

The dead man’s sister

had reported that she was informed by a cousin that Waldron had left for the interior with a “one foot” man.

However, the woman became suspicious after she did not hear from her brother and made a report at the Cove and John Police Station.

On Tuesday last, when the woman returned to the station for a follow up on her report, she heard that there was a report of a body found floating. She later went to see the body and realised it was her brother. Following an investigation, Sasenarine was arrested and slapped with the murder charge.

GPL linesman recovering from electric shock

D

ara Singh, 41, a linesman attached to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), who suffered electric shock on Sunday last outside Demico House (opposite the Stabroek Square), where technicians were replacing some old power poles, has regained consciousness and is in a stable condition at the Burns Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).

According to Singh’s wife, Moreen Kattow-Singh, he received third degree burns to his chest, back, abdomen and hands.

She noted that the father of four is currently in a semi-conscious state but is slowly recovering. Mrs Singh said on Sunday she received a call while at her Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara home imploring her to go to the GPHC since her husband was involved in an accident.

“When I reach to the hospital and I go and I see him, he was on the bed, unconscious, I couldn’t do anything. After a while, the doctor came and they told me they have to do a CT scan,” the woman explained.

Her husband, who has

been working with the power company for the past 12 years, was at the time of the incident holding wires, which suddenly became live with electricity, thus pelting him a few feet backwards.

He reportedly landed on his back with the wires resting across his stomach.

Singh’s colleagues were able to get the wires off his body, and he was rushed to the GPHC. The GPL team – about two dozen members – had started working sometime about 10:00h on the day of the incident to replace the poles that were beginning

to rot.

Power had been cut from the wires that were lying on the ground for some time prior to the incident. One crew member said it reportedly came into contact with another live wire, thus injuring Singh.

Eyewitnesses on the scene had related that the men were working on two sets of posts on each side of Croal Street, Georgetown.

“I stand by my car watching them men work.

It had one man on the post and this man (Singh) was at the bottom…I don’t know where this current come

[from], but the way it come – and he had the wire in he hand – it pitch he back, and he drop on the ground and buss he head all,” the eyewitness said.

The eyewitness went on to relate, “The wire drop pon he stomach, and all you see he left stunning pon the ground. You know how long they tek fuh pull the wire [off]. A man had to run till at the middle [of Longden Street] to get something and come and pull off the wire off he. Then a bus man pull up and they throw the man in the bus and rush he to the hospital.”

According to the taxi driver, the incident seems to have traumatised the crew members, particularly the one who was up on the pole at the time the incident occurred.

However, a senior engineer attached to the power company told Guyana Times that at this time, they are uncertain as to what exactly transpired, since different versions of the incident are being related by the workers who were on the ground.

He further noted that an investigation will be launched into the incident.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, May 16, 2018

ARCHIE

Take a closer look at the way you present who you (March 21are and what you have to ofApril 19) fer. A subtle change will give you the edge you need to get ahead.

ARIES

Listen and learn from an TAURUS expert. Narrow your focus to (April 20- substantive things. An attenMay 20) tion to detail and precision will pay off.

dilbert

Emotions will surface, GEMINI (May 21- making it necessary to chanJune 20) nel your energy into something physically challenging to avert stress. Making a personal change or updating your image will be uplifting.

Take a moment to help others. The rewards will be (June 21- meaningful and informative.

July 22) Participation in events will open doors and encourage you to get out more and meet interesting people.

CANCER

Peanuts

Keeping busy will be half LEO the battle. Don’t let what oth(July 23- ers do slow you down or cause Aug. 22) you to take on responsibilities that don’t belong to you.

Concentrate on your goals.

Calvin and Hobbes

A receptive mind and open VIRGO discussions with experts, (Aug. 23teachers or a mentor will give Sept. 22) you something to think about.

Short trips and networking events will encourage you to bring about change.

Getting in touch with LIBRA (Sept. 23- your feelings and making a Oct. 23) focused effort to bring about positive change are favoured.

Question anyone offering something that sounds problematic or costly.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — ALLOWANCE

Love, companionship and SAGITTARIUS putting more time and ener(Nov. 23gy into building a strong reDec. 21) lationship should be your priorities. Refuse to let someone from your past stir up trouble. Don’t jeopardize trust.

(ALLOWANCE: uh-LOU-ens: Something, as money, given regularly for a specific purpose.)

Average mark 32 words Time limit 50 minutes Can you find 48 or more words in ALLOWANCE? The list will be published tomorrow.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY’S WORD — LAMPOONS lamp loam loan loom loon loop alms also mano mason

moan mola mono moon palm plan polo pool psalm oops

opal nopal salmon salon saloon samp slam slap sloop slop

snap snoop soap solo solon soon spam span spool spoon

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

Open up to someone you SCORPIO find fascinating and you’ll (Oct. 24find out something that will Nov. 22) motivate you to take on a new challenge. Partnerships look fortuitous and will promote new endeavours.

solution AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Put a plan in place and follow through. Refuse to let someone else’s agenda dismantle what you are trying to achieve. Make changes based on research and common sense.

Share your feelings and make a physical gesture to let someone know your intentions. Changing the way you do things, dealing with children or updating your look is encouraged.

Trust, honesty and integrity will play a big role in the way things turn out.

wednesDAY, may 16, 2018

19

Lady Jags name 26 for CONCACAF qualifiers …forge partnership with Guyana Carnival

By Jemima Holmes

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Tuesday announced a 26-member team that will seek to keep Guyana’s FIFA World Cup 2019 dreams alive.

The team will come up against four other Caribbean countries in their group for the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Caribbean Women’s qualifiers, slated for May 23-25 at the Leonora Stadium on the West Coast of Demerara.

The Guyanese team, featuring talents from clubs in Guyana, Canada, USA, England and Singapore, are listed in Group E, along with Barbados, Bermuda and neighbouring Suriname.

Although admitting that their opponents will be tough to beat, Lady Jags Technical Director Ian Greenwood expressed confidence in the team.

“We also have to stress that these players are in our merit, as opposed to being tokens that are coming along for the ride. We have players who can start in international fixtures; they’ve proved that.

We’re very

GFF President, Wayne Forde; Director of Guyana Carnival, Kerwin Bollers; and GFF Technical Director, Ian Greenwood, at the press briefing on Tuesday

confident in terms of what we’re putting together,” Greenwood stated.

The Guyana squad consists of: Taylor White (G), Natalie Nedd (G), Aneesa O’Brien (G), Sasha James, Odessa Romeo, Nikita Persaud, Sydney Cummings, Brianne DeSouza, Alicia Zaban, Allison Heydron, Collette Hope, Brittany Persaud, Miriam El-Masri, Tiandi Smith, Jade Vyphuis, Ghilene Joseph, Lakeisha Pearson, Horicia Adams, Brianna Desa, Hannah Baptiste, Calaigh Copland, Ashlee Savona, Annalisa Vincent, Cameo Hazelwood, Jalade Trim and Otesha

Charles.

Meanwhile, to add a little spice to the qualifiers, the GFF have announced that they have entered into a partnership with the Hits and Jams Entertainment that would see the event becoming a part of the Guyana Carnival’s roster of activities.

Director of Guyana Carnival, Kerwin Bollers, shared the reasoning behind the initiative. He said, “When we heard about what the GFF was doing, we thought that it was a perfect opportunity to partner with them, especially based on the fact that they have

Powerlifters excel at Intermediate/ Masters Championships A

Colin "Mr Clean" Chesney flexing his muscles during Sunday’s Powerlifting Championships

n impressive display of exceptional strength was recorded this past Sunday when the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) hosted its Masters and Intermediate Championships at the St. Stanislaus College on Sunday.

Among those who starred in their performances were Noel Cummings, Nadina Taharally, Colin Chesney, and others who set new benchmarks in the realm of powerlifting. Cummings, of Buddy’s Gym, set a new record competing in the masters 66kg division, pressing some 120kg and deadlifting 160kg. Taharally bench-pressed 70kg, squatted 135kg, and deadlifted 165kg to rack up a total of 370 Wilkes points and set her new record. Runita White, also from Buddy’s Gym, managed to deadlift 195lbs in the 84+ kg class, thus setting a new junior record. She starred in the 84+kg class, squatting 165kg, bench pressing 67.5kg and deadlifting 195.0 kg. Sunday’s championships saw other notable feats of strength being displayed by the likes of Martin Webster, Bjorn Williams, Tineisha Toney, Vijai Rahim and others. (Clifton Ross)

teams that will be coming in

from across the Caribbean to participate.”

Describing the occasion as an opportunity to expose the other players to Guyana’s culture, Bollers disclosed that a special package would be available to them, should they want to participate in the Guyana Carnival.

“We had some conversation with Mr. [Wayne] Forde and his team, and one of the things that we came up with is to offer some discount packages to those persons who will be coming to Guyana for the football,” he said. The qualifying action will kick-off on May 23 with

Guyana coming up against Bermuda. Guyana will face Suriname on May 25, and Barbados on May 27.

Should Guyana end at the top of their group, the team would join the other first place winners in a battle to see which three teams will travel to the USA. That competition will run from August 25 to September 2.

Those top three teams will travel to Edinburgh and to Frisco in Texas to participate in the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championships which will qualify three teams for the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

Caricom doesn’t want ICC to fix Windies cricket – Gonsalves P

rime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Chairman of the Caricom subcommittee on cricket, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is clearing the air on some misconceptions surrounding the latter organisation’s entreaty for a meeting with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

According to Gonsalves, Caricom had approached the ICC in a bid to ensure there was an understanding about what the heads of government were trying to achieve with its intervention in West Indies cricket.

“All that we are doing with the ICC with respect to their position as the international body responsible for the superintendence of world cricket is to indicate to them broadly what our position is,” said Gonsalves in an interview with SportsMax.tv.

“We (Caricom ) are moving to set up a legislative framework for the governance of West Indies cricket, this public good which has been run by a private entity, with an insufficient responsiveness and responsibility to the people – that’s what it is in a nutshell.

The 2015 Barriteau report, had as one of its suggestions, the abandonment of the West Indies Cricket Board, now called Cricket West Indies. The willingness of Caricom to follow

through with the report led to the suggestion that the organisation wants to take the reigns of West Indies cricket.

Gonsalves points out that this is also a misconception.

“The governments are not interested and won’t be involved, in ‘running West Indies cricket’- that is for the relevant stakeholders in our region.”

While saying the Heads of Government do not intend to take over West Indies cricket, Gonsalves continues to champion the idea that Cricket West Indies, as a private entity, cannot continue to operate in the way it has.

“The current (CWI) situation really allows for one man or a small group of people to administer this game in a manner that has a lot of irrationality about it and the mode of management, the governance, has created a lot of dissonance and distraction,” he said.

“When you h a v e

that level of dissonance and distraction, they (CWI) can become a limiting force and they can metamorphose quite easily into anti-developmental attitudes; and I think that is what is happening currently,” Gonsalves explained.

The prime minister, while pointing to the inadequacies of the CWI, pointed out that he is not pointing fingers at any particular person within the organisation.

Gonsalves also wants to make it clear that, unlike popularly banded about, Caricom is not targeting the head of Cricket West Indies, Dave Cameron, but rather the system of governance the organisation fosters.

“Notice I’m not talking about any individual person. An individual person in such a board structure depending on how they carry themselves will either make worse or ameliorate the governance arrangements which are inadequate,” he said. (Sportsmax)

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

WEDNesDAY, may 16, 2018

Indian Premier League 2018…

KKR edge closer towards play-offs four balls of the chase.

He fell for 21 in the next over to the impressive Stokes, who went on to claim 3-15 including a maiden, while Ish Sodhi also did his bit with a tidy 1-21.

The Knight Riders always looked to have enough in reserve, however, and even though Lynn compiled a more circumspect knock than usual before falling to Stokes, Dinesh Karthik (41 not out) and Russell (20no) finished the job. (Sportsmax)

C

h r i s L y n n guided Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket success as Jos Buttler's Rajasthan Royals fell short in Tuesday's crunch Indian Premier League encounter.

These sides came into the meeting at Eden Gardens as part of a five-way race to claim the two remaining playoff spots behind Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings.

Buttler was celebrating his recall to the England Test set-up and looked on course to make an IPL-record sixth straight half-century before he fell for 39 from 22 balls.

From 63-0, the Royals crumbled to 107-7 and eventually limped to 142 all out as Kuldeep Yadav (4-20) produced his best IPL figures, and Lynn's 45 from 42 atop the order then underpinned KKR's chase the target reached with two overs to spare.

Kolkata move onto 14 points with one match remaining, while after their penultimate fixture Rajasthan remain on 12, level with Kings XI Punjab and two clear of Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore - all of whom have two to play.

Kuldeep Yadav shapes to take a catch © BCCI

Chris Lynn shapes to pull one away © BCCI

A royal boundary blitz After just three runs from the first eight balls, Buttler and opening partner Rahul Tripathi (27 off 15) went ber-

serk, striking all of the next 10 deliveries for four or six between them.

Tripathi tucked into Prasidh Krishna, going 6-4-4-4, before Buttler took over in clubbing 28 runs from Shivam Mavi's over to race to 30 from only 11.

Sunil Narine and Andre Russell applied the brakes, however, the latter ousting Tripathi before Kuldeep played his starring hand.

Kuldeep the catalyst for a collapse The left-arm chinaman castled Ajinkya Rahane as he

attempted a reverse sweep, before claiming the big wicket of Buttler, caught at short third-man trying a similar stroke.

Stuart Binny (1) was next, stumped having been bamboozled by a googly, before Ben Stokes (11) chipped a tame return catch to ensure Kuldeep claimed a wicket in each of his four overs, bowled on the reel.

Amid the chaos, Narine and Mavi picked up Sanju Samson (12) and Krishnappa Gowtham (3) respectively as Rajasthan lost seven wickets for 44 to hand the Knight Riders the initiative.

Narine's flyer and Lynn's steady hand Continuing his role as a pinch-hitting opener, Narine took the fight to Gowtham, smashing 20 from the first

SCOREBOARD Rajasthan Royals Innings (20 overs maximum) R Tripathi c †Karthik b Russell 27 J Buttler † c Searles b Yadav 39 A Rahane (c) b Yadav 11 S Samson lbw b Narine 12 B Stokes c & b Yadav 11 S Binny st †Karthik b Yadav 1 K Gowtham c †Karthik b Mavi 3 J Unadkat b Krishna 26 I Sodhi c †Karthik b Krishna 1 J Archer c Gill b Russell 6 A Singh not out 3 Extras (lb 1, w 1) 2 Total (all out;19 Overs) 142 Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Tripathi, 4.5 ov), 2-76 (Rahane, 7.2 ov), 3-85 (Buttler, 9.2 ov), 4-95 (Samson, 10.3 ov), 5-96 (Binny, 11.1 ov), 6-103 (Gowtham, 12.6 ov), 7-107 (Stokes, 13.5 ov), 8-128 (Sodhi, 16.3 ov), 9-135 (Archer, 17.3 ov), 10142 (Unadkat, 18.6 ov)

Bowling: Mavi 4-0-441, Krishna 4-0-35-2, Narine 4-0-29-1, Russell 3-013-2, Yadav 4-0-20-4 Kolkata Knight Riders Innings (target: 143 runs from 20 overs) S Narine c Gowtham b Stokes 21 C Lynn c Singh b Stokes 45 R Uthappa c Tripathi b Stokes 4 N Rana lbw b Sodhi 21 D Karthik (c) † not out 41 AD Russell not out 11 Extras (lb 1, w 1) 2 Total (4 wickets;18 Overs) 145 Did not bat: S Gill, S Mavi, J Searles, K Yadav, P Krishna Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Narine, 1.2 ov), 2-36 (Uthappa, 3.5 ov), 3-69 (Rana, 8.2 ov), 4-117 (Lynn, 15.2 ov) Bowling: Gowtham 2-0-32-0, Stokes 4-1-15-3, Archer 4-0-430, Sodhi 4-0-21-1, Unadkat 3-0-23-0, Singh 1-0-10-0

Imam-ul-Haq guides Pakistan home after Ireland scare

I

reland's historic Test debut ended in a five-wicket defeat, but only after they had given Pakistan a major scare on the final day at Malahide.

The tourists ultimately prevailed with a degree of comfort, reaching a target of 160 thanks largely to Imamul-Haq's unbeaten 74 and 59 from Babar Azam.

However, Pakistan had crumbled to 14-3 in Tuesday's morning session, raising the prospect of a stunning Ireland victory after the hosts had been made to follow on.

Mohammad Abbas finished with a five-for and match figures of 9-110 as Ireland were dismissed for 339 having resumed on 319-7, the dangerous Kevin O'Brien failing to add to his overnight score of 118.

Pakistan's subsequent wobble left the match fascinatingly poised, but Imam and Babar restored order and the chase was completed before tea, allowing Pakistan to look ahead to facing England, while

Ireland reflect on a promising first venture into the Test arena. O'Brien's hundred, which will go down in the history books as his country's first in this format, kept Ireland alive on day four, but he departed to the first ball he faced on Tuesday, edging Abbas to

perbly, though, taking three quick wickets to bring the contest to life.

Tim Murtagh had Azhar Ali (2) caught at first slip and bowled Asad Shafiq (1), either side of Sohail (7) departing to an excellent Ed Joyce catch in the gully off Rankin.

ter was dropped by Andrew Balbirnie off Murtagh on nine.

Babar was eventuall y run out by Balbirnie and Pakistan capt a i n Sarfraz

Ed Joyce scooped the wicket of Haris Sohail in the gully © Sportsfile/Getty Images

Haris Sohail at slip.

Abbas swiftly removed Boyd Rankin (6) and Tyrone Kane (14) to return second-innings figures of 5-66.

Ireland fought back su-

However, debutant Imam and Babar maintained their composure to combine for 38 runs before lunch and their alliance continued well into the afternoon after the lat-

Imam-ulHaq brought up a fifty on Test debut © Sportsfile/Getty Images

Ahmed (8) fell lbw to Stuart Thompson, but the second Ireland rally came too late

and top-scorer Imam fittingly contributed the winning runs. (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD Pakistan 1st innings 310-9 Ireland 1st innings 130 Ireland 2nd Innings (overnight 319-7) (f/o) E Joyce run out (Ashraf) 43 W Porterfield (c) c †Ahmed b Am ir 32 A Balbirnie lbw b Abbas 0 N O'Brien † b Amir 18 P Stirling lbw b Abbas 11 K O'Brien c Sohail b Abbas 118 G Wilson c Sohail b Amir 12 S Thompson b Khan 53 T Kane b Abbas 14 B Rankin b Abbas 6 T Murtagh not out 5 Extras (b 1, lb 20, nb 2, w 4) 27 Total (all out (f/o);129.3 Overs) 339 Fall of wickets: 1-69 (Joyce, 28.5 ov), 2-69 ( Balbirnie, 29.4 ov), 3-94 (N O'Brien, 42.5 ov), 4-95 (Porterfield, 44.4 ov), 5-127 (Stirling, 57.1 ov), 6-157 ( Wilson, 67.5 ov), 7-271 (Thompson, 102.2 ov), 8-321 (K O'Brien, 123.1 ov),

9-332 (Rankin, 127.4 ov), 10-339 ( Kane, 129.3 ov) Bowling: Amir 29.2-9-63-3, Abbas 28.3-10-66-5, R Ali 233-75-0, Ashraf 18-3-51-0, Khan 30.4-7-63-1 Pakistan 2nd Innings (target: 160 runs) A Ali c Stirling b Murtagh 2 Imam-ul-Haq not out 74 H Sohail c Joyce b Rankin 7 A Shafiq b Murtagh 1 Babar Azam run out (Balbirnie/ Thompson) 59 S Ahmed (c) † lbw b Thompson 8 Shadab Khan not out 4 Extras (nb 5) 5 Total (5 wickets; 45 Overs) 160 Did not bat: F Ashraf, M Amir, R Ali, M Abbas Fall of wickets: 1-2 (A Ali, 0.4 ov), 2-13 (Sohail, 3.4 ov), 3-14 (Shafiq, 4.3 ov), 4-140 ( Azam, 37.1 ov), 5-152 (Ahmed, 41.3 ov) Bowling: Murtagh 16-3-55-2, Rankin 12-1-57-1, Thompson 11-4-31-1, Kane 6-1-17-0

CLASSIFIED ADS wednesDAY, may 16, 2018 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

ACCOMMODATIONS COSMETOLOGY – FULL COURSE $100,000. TECHNICIAN $40,000.

Aracari Salon & Spa, WBD 264-3312, 600-3927 Conferences & Retreats – Full Service: Hotel, Catering & Facilities. Aracari Resort WBD – 264-2946 Alex Wayne Weddings & Anniversaries: Rental or Full Service: Banquet Hall & Catering.

Aracari Resort WBD – 264-2946 Alex Wayne Aracari Hotel, WBD (Near Harbor Bridge) – All Modern Amenities – Rates from $25. Phone 264-2946-8

Design Services Design Services: Websites, Logos, Flyers, etc. FB: Creative Lab IG: @ creativelab.gy Call/WhatsApp: 6860729 or 626-0075

EDUCATION Electronic Course Beginning 1st June.

Practical’s. Learn to repair all major electronic appliances including flat screen TVs. Earn extra cash in our spare time. Boost your income. Abdul Electronics. Tel: 225-0391/226-6551 Jean offers courses in Dressmaking, curtains, floral, cake decorations. 6702653, 638-8499

LAND for sale COMMERCIAL LAND FOR SALE. 17,990 SQ FT. NO 7 BELAIR, WOODLAND VILLAGE DISTRICT, BERBICE. $35 MILLION. CONTACT# 592 639-4644.

One transport land for sale 100x50ft at Hope Town village West Coast Berbice Price 1.2M Contact # 6801009

property for sale PRIME LOCATION-PUBLIC ROAD, LOT 2 SARAH JOHANNA, EAST BANK DEMERARA. SIZE: 35*101 FT PRICE $6M NEGOTIABLE. TEL: 673-9231, 216-4063, 685-5476 LOT 38 BELLA DAM, WEST BANK DEMERARA, SIZE: 120*40 FT PRICE $4.5M NEGOTIABLE. TEL: 673-9231, 216-4063, 685-5476 Lot 15 Public Road, #2 Village, West Coast Berbice. 49ft x 10,314ft Length. $18M. Contact: 648-7109 or 686-4818

services Shalom Enterprise. Lot 2 Croal Street, Stabroek. Obtain an international driving permit covering 131 countries. Tel: 227-3835, 644-2052.

Join us on Facebook

spirituality & ASTROLOGY Spiritual healing: remove blockages, voodoo, excurse, black magic, spell, business, upliftment, pregnancy, love & marriage problems, clearance, etc. Contact: 694-9569 or 683-5228 Sri Guru Raghavendra Astrology.

Master: VEERA BHADRA. Specialized in: PALM, FACE, PATRA READING & HOROSCOPE BOOK OPENING. An expert in clearing negativity in life by using ancient prayer methods. Gives complete solution to your problems like: love, children, finance, job, marriage, finance and education.

Meet him once to get guidance.

All religions are welcome. Private and confidential. Tel: 695-9805 & 652-6427.

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 225-7878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

To Rent One bedroom apartment at Parfaite Harmony (Dairy) Call: 670-2653, 638-8499

sports

21

Oviedo shines in weekend Farewell golf tourney

N

ineteen of Guyana’s top golfers participated in last weekend’s Farewell club tournament as the fraternity to celebrate the imminent departure of Argentine Defence Attaché Colonel Ariel Fernando Lescano.

Emerging victorious was Miguel Oviedo (69/28), followed by Guillermo Escarraga (71/26) and Nazeem ‘Papo’ Haniff (72/9), who capped off the spots for the top three net scorers.

Other top performers included Mike Mangal – best gross; Brian Hackett – nearest the pin; and Fazil Haniff – longest drive.

Top net scorers were: Mike Mangal, 72/8 (tied with Papo Haniff); Patrick Prashad, 73/9; Aleem Hussein, 73/11; Brian Hackett, 73/19; Brian Glasford, 74/15; Satrohan ‘Robin’ Tiwari, 76/14; Fazil Haniff 76/16; Ariel Lescano 91/20; and Mario Acuna, 96/28.

Following conclusion of the tournament, guests and invitees were entertained with some very emotional farewell greetings from Colombians, Brazilians, Guyanese, and of course

From left: Fazil Haniff, Mike Mangal, Guillermo Escarraga, Miguel Oviedo, Papo Haniff and Brian Hackett

the Guyana Defence Force.

There was a well-attended informal ceremony for the distinguished officer, who had taken up his post some two years ago, back in April 2014.

Several members of the diplomatic corps, including those from the American, Argentinian, Brazilian and Chilean Embassies, along with representatives from several Consulates, were on hand to join Col Lescano in this celebration of the culmination of his two-year stint in Guyana.

Colonel Nazrul Hussain and several top officials of the Guyana Defence

Force represented the GDF. Official excuses from some diplomatic agencies, including the British and Indian High Commissions and the CARICOM Secretary General, were received.

According to Lescano, there were many lovely, irremovable memories acquired from his stay in Guyana, and the lovely Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), with its great camaraderie among members, is one of those poignant memories.

Meanwhile, Jorge Medina, head of Macorp Guyana and a close friend of Col Lescano, lavished

Titans ready to “hold their own” at GTTA seniors

T

hough largely comprised of junior players, Titans Table Tennis Club is confident of providing a good showing at the Guyana Table Tennis Association’s (GTTA’s) National Senior Championships, slated for this weekend (May 19-20) at the National Gymnasium.

Titans’ Head Coach, Dwain Dick, in an interview with this publication on Monday evening at the Red Cross Society building in Kingston, opined that Titans’ members have what it takes to record impressionable performances. “We will hold our own, because at that level it is more mental than anything else. So, hopefully, we can go there, stay mentally strong, and come away with some good wins,” he disclosed. Leading the charge for this dynamic club will be talent-

ed national players Miguel Wong and Kyle Edghill in the men’s category; and for the females, Natalie Cummings who recently returned from the Commonwealth Games in Australia, together with Neveah Clarkson and Thuraia Thomas. The categories to be contested in these championships are the Men’s and Women’s Singles, B Class Open Singles, C Class Open Singles, and 21 Years and Under Male and Female.

Success Of Juniors

Having been established since 2011, and having consistently held intense practice sessions, this club has essentially formed the core of the country’s junior teams; and according to Dick, a former national

player, it has been the structure in place for the junior teams.

“We take what we do seriously. Tennis is myself and other coaches’ livelihood, so we approach it seriously; do a lot of recruiting, to bring new players into the game; and also try to retain our talented players by organising competitions and seeking scholastic opportunities for them through the sport. Titans (club) is like a big family, and it keeps growing,” Dick said.

For the year, the club would have already organised two tournaments, sponsored by Scotiabank and Banks DIH respectively, which have seen a return of competition to the Queen’s College Auditorium. A fair judge would conclude that the competitions were highly successful in giving mainly juniors seed time.

(Akeem Greene)

Much will be expected from Miguel Wong, who is fresh from the Youth Olympic qualifiers in Paraguay (Akeem Greene Photo)

praise on the departing club member, whom he said was like a brother to him.

He recalled that their mutual passion for golf had led to many weekly competitions that were keenly contested. LGC Club President, Aleem Hussain, indicated that Col Lescano had been the instrument of tremendous material support to the golf club, and along with everyone present, he wished the Colonel a safe return home, and desired his return some time to the LGC, where he would always be considered a welcome member.

I don’t compete with Ronaldo to be the best, says Messi

L

ionel Messi insists he does not compete with Cristiano Ronaldo to be considered the world's best player, although he admits he finds it motivating to see Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

The attacking duo have shared the Ballon d'Or between them since 2008, winning five each, and are widely considered to be the greatest footballers of their generation.

Debate continues to rage over who should be considered the better player and Ronaldo even claimed in December, after winning his fifth Ballon d'Or, that he should be seen as the finest in history.

Messi, though, says he is not interested in striving to be acknowledged as the very best, even though watching Ronaldo and Madrid prepare for a third European final in a row has given him an extra drive to succeed.

"I don't compete with Cristiano," he told TyC Sports. "It stimulates me to see them win leagues or to be in the Champions League final. I want to win LaLiga and the Champions League together."

He continued: "It's not an objective to be the best in history. The fact that these things are spoken of about me, well, that's that. I never set out to be the best, second best, third or fourth.

"I compete to improve myself year after year, to surpass what I have done before. The more trophies I've won at the end of the season, the better, and obviously with the national team, which is something I still don't have."

Ronaldo was a huge success in England with

Manchester United before joining Madrid in 2009, having started his career with Sporting CP, while Messi's entire professional life has been spent at Camp Nou. However, the 30-yearold does not think he has to move to another league before retiring in order to prove any doubters wrong.

He has since changed his mind, though, stressing: "After saying the words, I thought about it with a cool head and realised that leaving the national team gave the wrong message to the youngsters and the people who fight for their dreams.

You have to keep trying.

"The fact we were finalists and weren't able to win is a weight that we carry.

We want to overcome that barrier."

Argentina have been written off by some observers due to their 6-1 friendly thrashing by Spain in March, but Messi, who missed that game through injury, says the scoreline did not tell the whole story.

"It was a false result because Argentina were much better in the first half, had more possession for quite some time, and that's not at all easy," he added. (Sportsmax)

Lionel Messi

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

WEDNesDAY, may 16, 2018

Windies, Bangladesh to play historic day/night ODI at Providence

T

he National Stadium at Providence, EBD will, for the first time ever, host a day/night One Day International (ODI) match on July 25, when the Windies and Bangladesh clash.

These two teams will also play another One Day International (day) match at Providence on July 22, which would comprise two of the three ODIs in their itinerary. The last ODI is scheduled for play at Warner Park in St Kitts on July 28.

The Bangladesh tour of Two Tests, three ODIs and one Twenty20 International was initially scheduled for February, but a change was necessitated by the World Cup Qualifiers scheduled for March in Zimbabwe.

Bangladesh players celerating the fall of an opponent's wicket

Bangladesh have last toured the Caribbean in August/September 2014, on an identical tour. The hosts

Saints’ junior chess championships begin Thursday

J

unior chess players will this week have opportunity to show off their skills when the Saint Stanislaus College host their third annual chess championships from Thursday, May 17, from 16:00h at the Saints auditorium. Competition will run until Saturday, May 19.

Organized by the Saints Chess Club, Guyana Chess Federation, the Wendell Meusa Chess Foundation and the National Sports Commission, this competition will have play in two categories, namely Invitational and Open.

The Invitational section will feature Guyana’s top junior players, such as Jaden Taylor and Ethan Lee, who recently received international chess ranking from

the World Chess Federation (FIDE). Ghansham Allijohn, Keon Scott, Akili Theophil, national junior champion Joshua Gopaul, and defending Saints Champion Jarrell Troyer will also be competing for supremacy.

Players from the Saints Stanislaus Chess Club, Marian Academy Chess Club, Mae’s Schools, Albouystown Chess Club (Open Minds), and Christ Church Secondary School Chess Club have already confirmed their participation in the event.

The tournament is open to any primary or secondary school student who wishes to participate. Interested persons can contact Wendell Meusa on 664-0124 for any additional information.

had swept the Tests and ODIs before the lone T20 was abandoned due to rain.

Bangladesh are currently

ranked seventh by the ICC on the ODI charts, ahead of Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

Wed, May 30 to Fri, Jun 1 Wed, Jun 6 to Sun, Jun 10 Thu, Jun 14 to Mon, Jun 18 Fri, Jun 23 to Tue, Jun 27

International cricket was last played at Providence back in April 2017, when the Windies lost the three-

m a t c h O D I series 2-1 to Pakistan.

International cricket will again be held in this country when Guyana co-hosts the Women’s T20 World Cup, to be played from November 3-24. International cricket also returns to Florida, at the Central Broward Regional Park, as reigning ICC World Twenty20 champions, Windies, will face Bangladesh in two T20 Internationals under the lights.

The Bangladesh tour immediately follows a threeTest series against Sri Lanka, which includes the first ever day/night Test in the Caribbean when the final match of the Series is contested in Barbados.

Tickets for matches in the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh series will go on sale at the end of May.

Tour Match – Brian Lara Cricket Ground, Trinidad (10 am daily) 1st Test – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad (10 am daily) 2nd Test – Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia (10 am daily) 3rd Test – Kensington Oval, Barbados (3 pm daily) BANGLADESH TO WEST INDIES 2018 (Start time in brackets)

Thu, Jun 28 to Fri, Jun 29 Wed, Jul 4 to Sun, Jul 8 Thu, Jul 12 to Mon, Jul 16 Thu, Jul 19 Sun, Jul 22 Wed, Jul 25 Sat, Jul 28 Tue, Jul 31 Sat, Aug 4 Sun, Aug 5

Tour Match – Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua (10 am daily) 1st Test – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua (10 am daily) 2nd Test – Sabina Park, Jamaica (10 am daily) Tour Match – UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI vs Bangladeshis, Sabina Park (9:30 am) 1st One-day International – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana (9:30 am) 2nd One-day International – Guyana National Stadium (2:30 pm) 3rd One-day International – Warner Park, St. Kitts (9:30 am) 1st Twenty20 International – Warner Park (8 pm) 2nd Twenty20 International – Central Broward Regional Park, United States (8 pm) 3rd Twenty20 International – Central Broward Regional Park (8 pm)

Registration closes today for KMTC’s Pre-Independence meet T

he initial closing date for registration for the Pre-Independence Horse Race Meet was last

Sunday, but organisers, exercising leniency, have brought forward the closing date to today.

Meet Organiser Justice Cecil Kennard had previously taken a firm stand against granting an exten-

sion of the closing date, but the inclement weather that assailed Berbice over the past few weeks -- which pre-

vented horse owners from properly testing their animals’ readiness -- influenced him to grant a closing date extension as an act of goodwill.

Justice Kennard explained this to Guyana Times Sport on Tuesday, and also said that, over the last few days, there has been significant improvement in the weather.

To date, 50 horses have entered to compete in Sunday’s Pre-Independence Meet, to be held at the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) at Bush Lot Farm on the Corentyne.

The seven-card meet is expected to feature the usual crowd attractions, such as T&T, who won its last two starts in the H & Lower Class; Midnight Blue; Red Jet; MerryAnn, and Miss Olympic.

With registration ranging from $11,000 to $28,000 per horse, depending on class, the big prize of the day will come in the H & Lower race which has a top prize of $240,000. The J1 & Lower race has a prize of $160,000.

The rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority will be used to govern the action.

23

A dream come true! guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNesDAY, may 16, 2018

… Garrett succeeds at D.C United audition

Garrett notes that his years at Fruta Conquerors have to date been pivotal to his success

By

J

Akeem Greene

e r e m y Garrett’s dream of becoming a professional footballer has landed on the doorsteps of reality, because he has proverbially struck ‘gold’ and will now join the Washington-based professional club D.C United for a two-month training programme with its Under-23 squad.

The season, running from May 14 to July 27, includes five to eight matches along training sessions three times per week.

Firstly giving praise to the Almighty, then to family members, close friends and coaches, the 18-year-old excitedly expressed himself by stating, “It’s a dream come true!”

“It’s a great feeling for me to be selected by DC United to be a part of their U-23 team. I must say it’s almost a dream come alive for me to have such a splendid opportunity. The hard work and dedication I’ve been putting in both on and off the field is finally paying off, and now I am happy for such opportunity on my side”, the national player

told Guyana Times Sport on Sunday.

Garrett said the audition was intense, but it was not anything he was not able to comprehend, since he kept his composure, given he had had similar opportunities at the said club in 2017, and with Portugal's Sporting Lisbon in 2016.

The club competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top level of professional American soccer; and based on reports, is in talks with the great Wayne Rooney of England to form an alliance. Garrett hopes to interact with such outstanding personalities in order to absorb a wealth of knowledge.

“Interacting with Rooney, should he sign for the club, could help build my character. A part of the programme stated (that) U-23 players may be selected to train with the first team, depending on performance over the season. If I can keep my performance up and get a chance to train with such great players, it would be a great accomplishment,” he disclosed.

Paving the way

Garrett could be following in the footsteps of Fruta Conquerors’ team mate Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson -- the first Guyanese player to sign a contract with an MLS team, when he joined Colorado Rapids in 2009. While the youngster’s accomplishment is in no way yet commensurate with what Richardson did in that era, he knows it can spark greater interest among youngsters.

“If I can do well here, I think that (many) more doors and opportunities

Leading the way! Young Jeremy Garrett was successful at his audition for a spot on the under-23 team at Major League Soccer D.C United

may be opening for Guyana on the whole. I think that once I can remain focused and (am) guided correctly, I can reach even to the MLS senior division; and by doing that, I can possibly (pave the) way for all those young talents coming out of Guyana,” the former Chase Academic Foundation student expressed.

WEDNesDAY, may 16, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Jason Holder

Pg 22

Windies, Bangladesh to play historic day/night ODI at Providence Shakib al-Hasan

Pg 20

Titans ready to “hold their own” at GTTA seniors Thuria Thomas (left) and Neveah Clarkson are two young players that are throwing their hats in the seniors’ ring (Akeem Greene photo)

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.