Guyanatime 17 february 2018

P16

UG hosts Career Day THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Issue No. 3484

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Sanctity of contracts must be respected – Exxon Page 3

UK agrees to reopen negotiations on greenheart P2 ban

…says investment under contract terms already commenced

Royston GAWU wants King to get decision to be the boot made permanent …writes Minister of State insisting that – source all dismissed workers be rehired Sugar estates’ temporary reopening

Page 7

Page 9

…as PNCR expresses no-confidence in performance

Another exPoliceman P8 charged for carjacking Brickdam Lockups’ repairs

Ramjattan admits delay a “major P11 embarrassment”

New $228M annex for Finance P9 Ministry

Talented students participate in Children’s Mash finals

Page 15

Some of the students who participated in the Children Mashramani Competition 2018 at the National Cultural Centre on Friday displaying their costumes.

Friday’s competition saw participants showcasing their talents in Calypso and Dramatic Poetry

CJIA cocaine bust

Mother, daughter slapped with narco trafficking charge Page 2

Cop charged for raping female colleague Page 8

Online training P16 mulled for prisoners’ rehabilitation – Director

2 news

saturDAY, February 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

UK agrees to reopen negotiations on Greenheart ban

C

ommissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commission, James Singh, has said that while there are no immediate signs to indicate a lifting of the ban on the export of Greenheart logs, the United Kingdom has agreed to reopen dialogue in this regard in efforts to move forward.

Singh told stakeholders on Friday that the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency made the commitment to reopening dialogue, and it would commence with a scheduled video conference sometime soon.

He made the statement while responding to questions at a presentation of the revised National Forest Policy and Plan to forestry stakeholders.

“The plan is to have a video conference with the relevant personnel very shortly, and then, based on that, we will invite the relevant persons to come to Guyana and see what is happening in the forest. That is the game plan for now… We did a very comprehensive paper on the stocking of Greenheart in Guyana: about the harvesting, about the amount in the forest, and we found that there is absolutely no threat to the sustainability of Greenheart,” he explained.

Singh also said he is optimistic that some headway would be made by the end of 2018, as things move closer to the lifting of the ban.

Since the ban came into effect in 2015, Government

GFC head, James Singh

has been in talks with United Kingdom to have it reversed.

Greenheart exports to the UK went from US$3.2 million in 2014 to US$1million in 2015.

Ever since the ban came into effect, the Guyana

Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has labelled it “unfair,” and has called for a review.

It was pointed out by the GMSA that given that the markets for tropical forest products were declining and proving challenging, “Incorrect labelling of our forest management practices in this negative way can only be detrimental to the future lives and livelihoods of the 25,000 people directly employed in this industry.”

The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) had identified Guyana as one of only six tropical forest-producing countries in the world practising sustainable forestry management at the forest-con-

cession level.

In an effort to the stamp out illegal logging, Guyana joined the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative. The FLEGT system mandates countries to use the Wood Tracking System to tag logs and their stumps, so that when they reach the point of export, they could be traced backed to the origin to ensure their legality. The system is not new to Guyana, since loggers have been mandated to tag their produce, so they can track them to ensure they are within their licensed agreement.

The EU FLEGT Regulation of 2005 empowers the European Commission to ne-

gotiate Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) with timber-exporting countries. Under these agreements, VPA partner countries ensure they export to the EU only legal products carrying FLEGT licences.

A Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is a legally binding trade agreement between the European Union and a timber-producing country outside of the EU. The purpose of a VPA is to ensure that timber and timber products exported to the EU come from legal sources. The agreements also help timber-exporting countries stop illegal logging by improving regulation and governance of the forest sector.

CJIA cocaine bust

Mother, daughter slapped with narco-trafficking charge

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ineteen-year-old Rachael Narine and her mother, Kavita Persaud, who were nabbed by ranks of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) at the Cheddi Jagan Intentional Airport with almost six pounds of cocaine concealed in the teen’s purse, were on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a joint charge of trafficking narcotics.

According to the Prosecution’s case, on February 14, 2018 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the defendants -- of Annandale, East Coast Demerara -- attempted

Rachael Narine (right) and her mother, Kavita Persaud

to traffic 2.6660kg of cocaine.

Both women have denied the charge before the Chief Magistrate.

CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford told the Chief Magistrate that Narine was an outgoing passenger heading to the United States when her handbag was searched

and the substance was discovered. The teen was accompanied by Persaud, who was also apprehended for questioning.

Sandiford informed the court that both women confessed to the crime.

The women were remanded until February 22.

news

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saturDAY, February 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Oil and gas sector

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

Saturday, February, 17 – 05:00h-06:30h and Sunday, February 18 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, February, 17 – 05:15h-06:45h and Sunday, February 18 – 05:40h-07:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Thundery to light rain showers can be expected throughout the morning, with light cloudy skies expected in the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies with light drizzles can be expected in the evening, with overall temperatures ranging between 20 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tides: 06:08h and 18:25h reaching maximum heights of 2.69 metres and 2.74 metres respectively.

Low Tides: 11:59h reaching a minimum height of 0.51 metre.

WEDNESDAY, february 15, 2018

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Sanctity of contracts must be respected – Exxon …says investment under contract terms already commenced

By Jarryl Bryan

T

he polarising issue of the 2016 oil contract was recently resurrected at cabinet level, but when it comes to renegotiating the agreement between the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil, the oil giant is a firm believer in the sanctity of contracts.

When contacted for a comment on the new development, ExxonMobil’s senior Director of Government and Public Affairs, Kimberly Brasington, noted the importance of respecting contractual provisions in the oil and gas, or indeed, in any other industry.

“The 2016 Stabroek Petroleum Agreement is based on the Government’s terms and conditions of the 2012 model contract with minimal revisions.

which in the case of Guyana was an unproven basin,” she related. “According to a Wood Mackenzie study, state share, or government take, is generally lower in frontier plays than in established areas.”

Brasington added that this was because “governments need to incentivize companies to undertake high risk exploration in the absence of a proven hydrocarbon system. For Guyana, which is a frontier area, Government’s take at $60 per barrel is in the middle of the range of all jurisdictions evaluated in the Wood Mackenzie study.”

Wood Mackenzie is a United Kingdom-based equity research company. Its consultancy operations and research range from studies in renewable energy and chemicals to mining and oil.

Exxon’s operations in the Stabroek block

Investment has commenced for the development of Liza Phase 1 under the terms agreed and under an approved petroleum production licence,” she explained.

According to Brasington, the 2016 agreement is “actually a globally competitive one relative to countries with a similar oil and gas profile.” She noted that the agreement’s provisions are in line with the present Government opting to garner revenue from profit oil and royalty, rather than a tax regime.

“The Stabroek Petroleum Agreement is globally competitive for countries with a similar oil and gas profile,

The contract

The contract was, on October 7, 2016, finalised between the coalition Government and ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek block.

However, ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil’s senior Director of Government and Public Affairs, Kimberly Brasington

and its partners in the Stabroek block were able to secure exemptions from paying Corporation, Excise or Value Added Tax on their earnings from petroleum.

Article 15.4 of the renegotiated contract also provides for the Government itself to pay the company’s income tax. To facilitate this, the oil company has to submit tax returns to the Government.

That’s not all. Article 32 stipulates that Government cannot modify the contract or increase any fiscal obligation the company has.

This therefore puts a cap on the taxes, royalties, duties, fees or charges outlined in the contract. Government also has to compensate the operator if a change to existing laws causes loss of revenue for the company.

In light of comments that Guyana undersold itself in regard to the petro-

leum agreement, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has repeatedly defended the Government’s deal.

According to the Natural Resources Minister, the team used the contract model that was prepared after negotiations with US oil company Anadarko Petroleum Corporation back in 2012. Trotman said the team built on that contract, deciding against generating a new one.

That did nothing to mitigate the scepticism of sections of society, as there have been incessant criticisms of the terms agreed upon. Although Government has managed to get two per cent royalty on gross earnings and 50 per cent of the profits of the oil proceeds when production starts in 2020, many political, financial and social commentators have claimed that the percentage is too low.

Earlier this week, President David Granger revealed that the contract was before cabinet again, but there was no immediate plan to review it.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who has repeatedly criticised Government for renegotiating a bad oil deal, told a media conference on Thursday that his party would support changes that would benefit Guyana where the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil is concerned.

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saturDAY, February 17, 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

Tough talk P

resident David Granger has again brought to the fore the issue of corruption within the Guyana Police Force (GPF). At the opening of the recent annual Officers’ Conference, the President talked tough against corrupt practices, and sent a serious message to senior officers that the issue should be tackled head-on; from the top levels to junior levels of the Force.

For many years now, we have been hearing about corruption at all levels of the Force; sometimes with the involvement of senior officers themselves. When certain cases are brought to the fore, either by private citizens complaining or by way of media reports, nothing much comes out of these cases, even after investigations are carried out. Very often it comes down to officers simply being transferred or demoted, or put to perform ‘administrative duties’.

However, during his presentation at the Officers’ Conference, the President made his views clear when he stated that the practice of transferring and demoting rogue elements will not bring an end to the scourge of corruption within the GPF. He correctly stated that a Force contaminated by corruption cannot ensure the security of citizens; hence the service provided must be based on values in commitment, competence and incorruptibility.

On many occasions, senior officers turn a blind eye to corruption, and put on the line the lives of not only honest Police ranks, but those of the public as well. Just recently, the former head of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Deputy Superintendent Motie Dookie, was being investigated for alcohol smuggling. He has since been “temporarily transferred” to the Force’s Strategic Unit.

There are several other examples of officers being accused of involvement in corrupt practices, but very little comes out of these cases.

Then there is the issue of some ranks moving around in heavily tinted vehicles in spite of several warnings for them to remove these tints. There is a tint law in place, but for quite some time now, ranks were allowed a free pass with their tinted vehicles, giving the impression to the general public that there is one law for Police officers and another for the public.

The law should apply to everyone, irrespective of their status; except in cases when the chief licensing authority grants an exemption, and in a few other special cases. As it currently stands, only certain vehicles are permitted to have tints without the expressed permission of the Public Security Minister. These include diplomatic vehicles and those belonging to senior Government and high-ranking military officials.

Added to this is that some Police officers openly break the traffic rules; and they do so with certainty that they would not be made to face the necessary charges. This level of lawlessness has reached enormous proportions, and many times, even though citizens observe the unprofessional and illegal conduct of ranks, they feel it is a waste of time to lodge the necessary complaints, as nothing would come out it.

We had stated before that the Police must lead by example. If they want to win the public’s trust, they must be seen as having integrity and decency. They must engage in serious introspection, and monitor themselves to ensure they, too, are held to higher standards. Police officers cannot be seen as breaking the same laws they expect the public to abide by.

While we do not intend to paint the entire Police Force with the same brush, as there are many professional and honest officers within the Force, we are convinced that unless what is perceived as the endemic corruption in the organisation is addressed in a holistic manner, efforts being made at Police reform would be in vain.

It should be mentioned that the Government has promised that the Security Sector Reform, which is expected to commence soon, would seek to tackle this issue that is plaguing the GPF. It would be in the Force’s own interest to employ every effort to eradicate corruption and strive to rebuild trust in the organisation. It is well accepted that the success of any organisation depends on the integrity of its officials.

Students of Corriverton Primary in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) performing their piece, titled “Embracing Diversity, Loving Unconditionally”, at the National Cultural Centre in the Fantasy category (5-7 age group) as part of the Mashramani 2018 celebrations

Insurance companies must stop this nonsense Dear Editor, It is totally unacceptable that insurance companies are now forcing prospective customers to declare their political affiliation on a ‘Customer Verification Form’, because this is a flagrant violation of every citizen’s right to freedom of association, as enshrined in the founding charter of the United Nations (UN).

Guyana is a member of the UN, and officially recognises the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This means Guyana has an obligation to protect and promote human rights, including Article 20, section (1), which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association”.

Freedom of association means individuals enjoy the intrinsic right to form and join groups of their choice without interference or penalties. One of the most effective ways of protecting this right is to give persons the choice to keep their membership of such groups private. One sure way to vio-

late this right is to compel persons to disclose such affiliations.

Local insurance companies are now abusing this right by taking away their clients’ choice to keep their associations and affiliations private, and forcing them to reveal their relationship with Government officials, military officials, politicians and political parties.

What many people do not realise is that this is done under threat because customers of insurance companies are required to affirm that the information they provide on the form is true and correct, which unmistakably implies that they will be penalized for giving false information.

I reject the insurance companies’ claim that the requirement is linked to the 2015 AML/CFT Amendment Act and regulations with regard to “Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)” who can abuse their influence to commit crimes, or their close relatives and associates.

In effect, they are illegally treating every pro-

spective customer as a PEP, or relative or close associate of one, but the Act clearly does not provide for this.

If it did, attorney-at-law Christopher Ram pointed out, it would have violated the Constitution and the law.

I believe it is dangerous to let insurance companies interpret the Act arbitrarily and for their own advantage. Insurance company representative Paul Braam reportedly referred to “due diligence” under the Act, and a “judgement call” about how close are “close relatives”.

Insurance companies are already allowed reasonable grounds to discriminate against potential and actual customers on the basis of such things as medical conditions, vehicle accident history etc., and they use these to raise premiums and protect their business interests.

That is why I think they are using the AML/CFT Act to violate people’s human rights for purely selfish reasons. When they get per-

sonal information to which they are not entitled, they will use this information to reduce their ‘actuarial risk’ and potentially increase their profits.

What do you think the insurance companies will do with the information they get about people’s family connections to PEPs, or links to political parties?

The answer is simple: The same as they do with all customers’ personal information -- let their actuaries use it to assess and reduce the insurance company’s business risks.

Ask yourself: Where else in the world would insurance companies be allowed to get away with using anti-money laundering legislation to violate a UNenshrined human right? I am sure your answer will be: Nowhere else in the world.

It should not be done here either. Guyana has to stamp out this nonsense as soon as possible.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan Snr

Where is the evidence?

Dear Editor, Where are all the evidence and prosecutions that the APNU/AFC must have about wide-scale corruption under the democratically elected PPP/C before they came into power?

When in Opposition, the

APNU and AFC screamed “Corruption, Corruption” by the PPP/C. Clearly, before they screeched “Corruption, Corruption”, they must have had evidence of corruption.

It was only after they came into power that we

found out they did not actually have any evidence, but needed to do “audits” to find evidence. This is clearly going on a fishing expedition for evidence of corruption.

The APNU/AFC lied to themselves about widescale corruption under the

PPP/C, then lied to their supporters to get into power.

Now they have to go on fishing expeditions to find evidence.

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

guyanatimesgy.com

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

M&CC in a perpetual state of financial crisis (Pt one) Dear Editor, Most citizens of Georgetown, stakeholders and men-in-the-street are aware that the City Council is being mismanaged, because they are feeling the brunt effects on a daily basis.

The frequent garbage removal disruptions is fresh in everyone’s mind, and will continue to be a problem, since those services have been outsourced to highly paid contractors.

Georgetown continues to experience flooding in some areas due to the drains and canals not being cleaned, with some not being cleaned for years. Many of the buildings owned by Council have been falling apart for years, including the main City Hall building, the City Abattoir, and the markets -- inclusive of Bourda, Stabroek and Albouystown.

Many roads are in a state

of disrepair, even though Council is responsible for their repair and maintenance. There is chaos and congestion on the streets and pavements due to lack of enforcement of existing laws and unlawful/selective permissiveness.

Rates and fees are going up, but services are not being performed; while Council maintains a massive and highly paid staff of over 800 employees, in addition to highly paid contractors.

Building codes are constantly being violated, and the City Constabulary has been embroiled in one scandal after another, while crime is prevalent in many Council areas.

The Council is in a perpetual state of financial crisis, with no proper accountability or transparency for the billions of dollars spent over the years. In fact, it is so

bad that the Auditor General has been unable to completely audit the books of the Council for many years, due to sloppy recording-keeping and missing records even though the necessity for proper accounting records and procedures have been raised and should be known to the Town Clerk and City Treasurer.

The Council’s Finance Committee, headed by Councillor Oscar Clarke, approves all expenditure for the Council, but it has never presented any detailed reports of payments it has approved, or contracts which it has examined and approved.

In other words, no contract for any project has ever been presented to the full Council for examination and approval, except for the parking meter contract, which was released under extreme public pressure.

The Finance Committee has never presented any report on the people who were granted amnesty, reductions or waivers on interest on rates & taxes owed to Council. The 2018 budget for the Council has not yet been presented, and while some discussions were held, it was discovered by myself and a few Councillors that highly inaccurate and misleading financial information was included in the draft budget proposal, including $414 million in liabilities without any meaningful details.

Laws governing tendering for products/services over $250,000 are routinely being disregarded, while the Town Clerk’s office waits until the problems become so large that massive contracts have to be handed out for issues that could have been resolved with routine maintenance and repairs.

The Town Clerk must go!

Dear Editor, If the article, “Calls grow for King’s removal”, in regard to a recent correspondence from Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan to Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase-Green is accurate, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, I welcome the minister’s wise counsel, and hope Her Worship acquiesces to giving the information the Minister has requested.

Editor, while I agree with our subject minister in principle, my only reservation here would be that all the information necessary might not be forthcoming, especially since the very information being sought has the potential of indicting the suppliers.

I will not be brash to suggest culpability or complicity by any means on any individual; but what would the reasonable man think?

Additionally, while I dare not impugn the noble office of the minister, or his wisdom on such matters, my own humble reading on such delicate issues suggests that no reasonable person would want to incriminate themselves: exposing oneself to an accusation or charge of crime, or bringing oneself in danger of a criminal prosecution.

As I have said before Local Government Elections 2016 and subsequently, there is a dire need for an independent, complete financial audit of City Hall. Information indicates that we, the “new” Councillors, inherited $180 million in our city coffers,

since that time to now, even with numerous financial injections from Central Government, City Hall records billion-dollar debts currently with no end in sight.

The Auditor General’s Report to the National Assembly on the spending of funds of the Georgetown Restoration Programme left little to be desired of the Council’s financial and accounting system. And with the $200 million earmarked for the city in the 2018 Budget, I am not confident the people of our beloved city would feel the full benefit if we put new wine in old wineskins.

Editor, I have offered before that we ought to sit down as a Council and construct a business plan for the city, but we need to know where we were, and where we are, before we can know where we ought to be heading. We need, as is said colloquially,

to “ketch our bearings”.

Having the right information, accurate information, would be a good compass.

And this city, with it latent potential to be a real international city, needs a better captain. Let me be clear at this point: I am not interested in the job as much as I am ready to exert more energy at the oars and chart a new course with my fellow Councillors.

The potential and promise of City Hall must become performance; must become reality.

That our Honourable Minister had to require “a complete list of all contracts, leases, sales, and any other transactions involving assets (real estate, equipment, etc.) under the control of council between the dates of assum-

ing office in April 2016 to the present” tells us of the gravity of the situation, and locates for us where we are.

This is a crisis of administration and management.

We have a crisis of leadership. When a billion-dollar company is failing, the board does not fire all the workers; it fires the management, and brings in new people to turn things around. It is time!

I believe in our Government to understand the fierce urgency of the moment. The Town Clerk has, by his own actions, disqualified himself from playing any meaningful role in the city going forward. We must act.

Sherod Avery Duncan City Councillor

Council has been deducting National Insurance Scheme, Guyana Revenue Authority and Credit Union contributions from employees’ salaries, but has not been paying these sums of money to those entities which I first raised in the Council.

In fact, the union representing the employees threatened strike action a few days ago, demanding that those contributions and outstanding salaries be paid immediately.

No reports have ever been presented on the amounts owed to those entities, but when the City Treasurer Ron McCalmon was pressed for details at the last statutory meeting, he verbally reported that $138 million was

owed to Guyana Revenue Authority for employees’ income taxes; $116 million plus $9 million in interest was owed to the National Insurance Scheme, and $36 million is owed to the employees’ credit union.

I demanded that a written report be presented to all Councillors, but I am doubtful that it will ever be presented, since requests for many other reports have not been fulfilled by the Town Clerk, who is in charge of administration.

Yours sincerely, Bishram Kuppen – Councillor Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown

Kudos to the Guyana Police Force in the ‘carjacking’ spree Dear Editor, I wish to take this opportunity to highly commend the work of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), particularly on their success in placing a dent (so to speak) in the rampant carjacking spree recently.

We saw that a fellow columnist of this newspaper was also a victim of this chronic crime.

The prevalence of a growing crime rate in a country can lead to serious adverse economic consequences with respect to investors’ confidence in the economy, and attracting new foreign investors to our country, and even for the tourism industry.

I also wish to emphasize the need to commend the Force at a time when there

seems to be quite a number of rogue elements within the Force and among former members. This, again, has the potential to deter the workings of the GPF and damage the reputation and confidence of the citizenry in the GPF. It is against this background that I take this opportunity to highlight the positives of the GPF, and to encourage them and the citizens at large to continue to support and co-operate with the GPF to solve more crimes, which have become very worrisome for the country at large.

Yours sincerely, Author of the Economy & Finance Column Guyana Times

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Foundation

Helping children cope with stress

By Maye Yao Co Say

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he reality of today’s parenting life is multifaceted and demanding to say the least. With information readily available and opinions shared through social media, we’re pressured to study so many aspects of our child’s growth. From basic health, education and religion to future competitiveness, empathy and emotional health, we can’t help but worry most of the time.

Through the years, I’ve confronted many of these questions. I’ve had my share of parenting trials and errors and I can definitely say, I’m not a perfect parent. Yet I look forward to each parenting day with much eagerness and content.

I believe this attitude comes from my personal belief of always extracting the “important basics”— whether tangible or intangible – in any decision I make. My important basic as a parent is: I love my kids and want what’s best for them.

Everything else is peripheral. What does this mean? When it comes to choices that get presented to me as a parent, I immediately focus on those that matter more. This is my first principle in “simplifying parenting”.

For example, when I was choosing my firstborn’s diaper, I chose one that had the extra-small size. I didn’t worry about which was the most high-end brand. As long as my baby was not having rashes, I was okay with it. For my son, since his skin was more sensitive, I had to use Pampers Comfort Dry. I don’t ever imagine my kids questioning me when they get older why I chose a certain diaper brand.

My principle for tangible things: compartmentalise what you see in stores into three groups – “Basic,” “Nice to Have” and “Innovation.” I always try with “Basic” first because this is what probably worked for generations. Baby’s needs for me are not like fashion trends. So, for me, my choice of brand is key as a minimum safety

requirement. Nice to Have’s are more about “frills” but serve the same purpose. I consider purchasing Innovations if it serves a new need, like when I wanted to expose my kids to new food, I found a 5-in-1 blender/ steamer/sterilizer. I tell younger moms about feeling how we’d like to splurge on our kids when they’re babies, but the reality is there are so many expenses coming up that we should be more mindful about: the right preschool, enrichment classes, and even travel.

My second principle is don’t be afraid to ask questions. I remember when my daughter was in her Terrible Twos. I felt so helpless. I chanced upon a forum at Geobaby.com. I typed in my questions and got at least eight suggestions. It’s an added benefit if you can find your own mom peer-mentors, which are moms whom you personally know and are somehow in tune with your parenting style, or at least the parenting style you aspire for.

They can be your sister, close friends, people you meet or longtime acquaintances whose opinion you value. I will share some

of my mom peer-mentors throughout this year.

Ndi Manzano Reyes: “It starts with making that decision to simplify.” She shared her tips about knowing your priorities: “Realising you can’t do it all, you have to delegate work and that’s okay.” For nutrition, she shared little things like starting with egg first if one wants to go organic— the decision to use coconut sugar, organic eggs and the like.

Cat Juan Ledesma: “Prioritise. Know when to say no.” She also shared that moms must make quality time for their children. “You may not be there all the time, but when you’re there, be there – let’s say after work, the phone’s off, the laptop is gone, it’s just you and your children communicating.

Your children feel that, your children feel that mom or dad is giving me all the attention right now, and that’s what they remember.” Her last tip: “Don’t worry too much. Children don’t really remember whether theirs is a stay-at-home mom or a working mom; they just remember a happy home and if you’re happy with the way your life is going. That’s what your children will feed off on.”

Hindy Weber-Tantoco: “Actions speak louder than words.” She shared how she and her husband “walks the talk” on the values they espouse. She said it lessens the arguments, builds trust and automatically simplifies everything. Second, she talked about “rhythm.”

“I think if you have a healthy rhythm at home, it simplifies things so much. Like the sleep rhythm, the getting to school, eating together and even celebrating occasions, festivals and even like prayer time or meditation time, when they have a rhythm to expect, their whole lives also go together with that rhythm.” She continued: “Rhythm is not schedule; schedules can be rigid.

Sometimes we have to be malleable as well, especially for children.” (Businessmirror.com)

T

o adults, childhood can seem like a carefree time. But children still experience stress.

Things like school and their social life can sometimes create pressures that can feel overwhelming for children. As a parent, you can’t protect your children from stress – but you can help them develop healthy ways to cope with stress and solve everyday problems.

Children deal with stress in both healthy and unhealthy ways. And while they may not initiate a conversation about what’s bothering them, they do want their parents to reach out and help them cope with their troubles.

But it’s not always easy for parents to know what to do for a child who’s feeling stressed.

Here are a few ideas: Notice out loud. Tell your child when you notice that something’s bothering him or her. If you can, name the feeling you think your child is experiencing. (“It seems like you’re still mad about what happened at the playground.”) This shouldn’t sound like an accusation (as in, “OK, what happened now? Are you still mad about that?”) or put a child on the spot. It’s just a casual observation that you’re interested in hearing more about your child’s concern. Be sympathetic and show you care and want to understand.

Listen to your child.

Ask your child to tell you what’s wrong. Listen attentively and calmly — with interest, patience, openness, and caring. Avoid any urge to judge, blame, lecture, or say what you think your child should have done instead. The idea is to let your child’s concerns ( a n d f e e l ings) be

heard. Try to get the whole story by asking questions like “And then what happened?” Take your time.

And let your child take his or her time, too.

Comment briefly on the feelings you think your child was experiencing. For example, you might say “That must have been upsetting,” “No wonder you felt mad when they wouldn’t let you in the game,” or “That must have seemed unfair to you.”

Doing this shows that you understand what your child felt, why, and that you care.

Feeling understood and listened to helps your child feel supported by you, and that is especially important in times of stress.

Put a label on it. Many younger children do not yet have words for their feelings.

If your child seems angry or frustrated, use those words to help him or her learn to identify the emotions by name. Putting feelings into words helps children communicate and develop emotional awareness — the ability to recognise their own emotional states. Children who can do so are less likely to reach the behavioural boiling point where strong emotions come out through behaviours rather than communicated with words.

Help your child think of things to do. If there’s a specific problem that’s causing stress, talk together about what to do. Encourage your child to think of a couple of ideas. You can start the brainstorming if necessary, but don’t do all the work.

Your child’s active participation will build confidence.

Support the good ideas and add to them as needed. Ask, “How do you think this will work?”

(Excerpt

from

kidshealth. org)

news

7

saturDAY, february 17, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sugar estates’ temporary reopening

GAWU wants decision to be made permanent

…writes Minister of State insisting that all dismissed workers be rehired

By Michael Younge

T

he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) on Friday wrote Minister of State Joseph Harmon as it lobbied the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change coalition-Government to not only rehire all of the workers that were dismissed but to ensure that the decision is made absolute and permanent.

In the letter seen by Guyana Times, GAWU states that it has noted the statements made by Minister Harmon and his Cabinet colleague, Finance Minister Winston Jordan in sections of the press, which quoted them as saying that a decision to temporarily reopen two estates – namely Enmore and Skeldon – was arrived at by the Special Purposes Unit (SPU) of the Government.

“While this is indeed welcomed news, and you recall that was among the suggestions that our Union put to the Government at our January 19 meeting engagement, we also recognise that if the media reports are indeed accurate that the estates will be operated on a limited basis, while the me-

dia did not spell out what limited basis meant, it is our view that all the affected workers should be reengaged,” the Union said.

The letter dispatched to Harmon also raised concerns over the fact that no

Secretary Seepaul Narine confirmed that the Union’s position had not changed as it was primarily interested in the reopening of all estates which were closed or significantly downsized.

He maintained GAWU

Skeldon Estate

mention was made of the fate of the Rose Hall Estate or the employees there who were equally negatively affected by the closure.

It said, “the ex-workers there are really facing trying times” and called on the Government to “consider what can be done in a shorttime to alleviate the hardships that the workers have to face,” in general.

When contacted on Friday, GAWU’s General

was fully on the side of the workers and batting for their interests, as he explained that the livelihood of the thousands of affected workers was more important than financial figures at this point.

Nonetheless, GAWU said the Union wanted the decision to be a long-term one as he denied rumours that it had agreed to only reopening certain estates.

In fact, GAWU was not

even properly consulted ahead of the sudden decision to temporarily reopen two of the three closed estates.

While there may have been engagements between the Special Purposes Unit and the worker’s union, no formal discussions or consultations were initiated by the Government outside of the meeting with the President and team back in January.

Once a decision is taken to reemploy hundreds of workers, Seepaul said conditions of work, contracts and pay as well as benefits would have to be discussed.

He said GAWU is prepared for any form of engagement that is governed by the international labour laws that may involve officialdom.

Meanwhile, GAWU in a statement on Friday emphasised that significantly too, are the conditions of work that the soon-to-be re-employed workers would be re-engaged under.

“This situation could very well present a new host of difficulties while, at same time, we cannot be certain how many of the distressed workers will not be re-employed. On this score, we urge the Government not to forget that not just a few weeks ago it embraced and

GAWU’s General Seepaul Narine

Secretary

espoused the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Programme which speaks to, among other things, fair income, job security, respect for workers’ rights and freedoms, and equality”, the statement said.

Rose Hall

GAWU expressed an alarming level of concern over what was happening with the Rose Hall Estate and workers.

“While encouraged by the developments we, at this time, cannot fail to recognise that no mention has been made about Rose Hall Estate where the people are

facing too a very pitiful situation,” the Union said, adding that at a press conference, just two days ago, a number of ex-workers from Rose Hall shared with the Guyanese people the terrible times they are facing since their estate was closed.

GAWU said too that the people of Rose Hall find themselves now-a-days between a rock and a hard place as they are made to contend with a jobless life explaining that as the exRose Hall workers explained at the press conference on February 14, 2018, the opportunity for jobs in the surrounding areas is near to non-existent.

But Head of the Special Purposes Unit Calvin London, when contacted on Friday, did confirm that a decision was made to reopen two estates. He was in a meeting at time and pointed our newspaper in direction of the entity’s public relation personnel.

Guyana Times understands from sources close to both the SPU and GAWU have stated that a process is to be rolled out over the coming weeks that would scores of workers from Enmore and Skeldon being reemployed.

8 news

saturDAY, February 17, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS ex-Policeman charged for Another charged for carjacking

Cop raping colleague A P olice Constable Dillon Crandon was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge detailing that on February 10 instant, at John’s Hotel in Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, he engaged in sexual penetration of a woman without her consent.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, the 20-year-old Crandon denied the charge when it was read to him.

The prosecution is contending that following a night out with a female colleague, in which they both had lots to drink, the Policeman and his colleague checked into the hotel at about 03:45h, because they chose not to drive. However, while in the hotel, Crandon

Police Constable Dillon Crandon

allegedly pounced on his colleague and raped her.

He was placed on $150,000 bail, and the case has been set to continue on March 22.

nother ex-Policeman -- apprehended in Monument Hill, Kuru Kururu, Linden/Soesdyke Highway when “A” Division ranks swooped down on a property and discovered vehicle parts -- was on Friday arraigned in City Magistrate Leron Daly’s Court for the offence of carjacking.

Now a taxi service owner, Jason Harry, represented by Attorney Melville Duke, denied the charge which stated that on May 26, 2015 at Durban Backlands, Georgetown, while being armed and in the company of others, he robbed Phillip King of his Toyota Premio motor car valued at $3.2 million, along with other items.

Harry was apprehended on Friday last, along with a couple and four women, after ranks acting on information swooped down on the Monument Hill premises at Kuru Kururu.

The prosecution is contending that the 36-year-old Harry was unable to give an explanation for the large quantity of car parts that were in his possession.

Harry was later placed on an identification parade, and was positively identified by King.

Police Prosecutor Richard Harris revealed that Harry is being investigated as part of the carjacking ring.

His Attorney, Melville Duke, however questioned the reasoning behind the charge being laid three years after the alleged robbery, and revealed that the parts found in Harry’s possession belonged to his deceased stepfather, who had been a mechanic.

Harry was, however, remanded to prison until March 23.

Reports are that, in total, 15 persons are now in Police custody for some sort of involvement with carjacking, and Police are hunting the prime suspect as they continue to bust this carjacking ring.

Shawn Archibald and Timothy Waldron were on Thursday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on allegations that they had carried out a series of carjackings.

“A” Division Commander Marlon Chapman has applauded his ranks for their success in this probe thus far.

He has also thanked the public for their cooperation with the Police.

“I have to say at this stage that the cooperation has been excellent from members of the public, particularly in that Kuru Kururu/Yarrowkabra area, as the information was forthcoming when we acted upon it. The ranks that were heading the investigation, kudos to my entire team in the “A” Division!” Chapman applauded.

Police have thus far carried out four raids, successfully netting motorcars and seizing vehicle parts.

On Wednesday night, investigators swooped down on the Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown home of the prime suspect in this investigation, and conducted a search during which they found a black Mazda Axela motorcar with licence number PTT 2794. They also unearthed twelve certificates of registration for various vehicles, including some that were seized from the home of an ex-Policeman who is currently in custody. The ranks have since taken into custody a 52-year-old woman who was at the Lodge residence.

Her name was found on the registration of two of the seized vehicles.

Earlier this week, ‘A’ Division ranks conducted a 10-hour operation which concluded at 03:00h at Kuru Kururu, Linden-Soesdyke Highway. It resulted in six persons being arrested.

Two motor cars and a canter truck which is registered to a Barr Street, Kitty resident were also seized and lodged. This truck was loaded with the shell of a silver Toyota Spacio and a quantity of vehicle parts suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

On Friday last, the ex-Policeman and the women were apprehended in the home at Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway.

Additionally, Police ranks from the Major Crimes Investigation Unit swooped down on a North Vryheid’s Lust premises, East Coast Demerara, occupied by a 29-year-old taxi driver and his 25-year-old wife, and found several car mirrors with engraved licence plate numbers, doors, lights, wipers and other vehicle parts for Toyota Allion, Spacio and Premio motor cars.

NO… P

…review of Exxon contract resident Granger has announced that there’s no prospect for a “review” of the Exxon contract… but it’s “before Cabinet and it depends on what determination Cabinet arrives at”!! Now, what the heck does that mean? If Cabinet is going to make a “determination” on the contract…how can it do so without ‘reviewing” the said contract?? Or is Cabinet now possessed of the powers of divination??

From where your Eyewitness sits, its members are ‘possessed” all right – but with hubris, which actually not only precludes divination, but in seeing what’s right in front of them!! The President then demonstrated that his Attorney General had briefed him on Contract Law 101 on the nature of a contract. He pointed out: “The contract is an agreement between two parties, and these things have to be approached very carefully.”

Well, golly wiz, Mr President! Didn’t Williams think to brief your fair-haired boy, Raphael “Nassau” Trotman, BEFORE he jetted off to the Texas prairies to “re-negotiate” the contract? You bet your last medal, Mr President, that changing the terms of a contract after it’s been signed, sealed and delivered isn’t something you can do on a whim. You might just end up in a worse “plimla bush” than the one that snagged Nassau’s pants!!

But your Eyewitness is a nationalistic Guyanese, and he’ll suggest an argument you can toss out at Cabinet as they try to conjure up some ways to “relook” at the contract. Notice, dear readers, we did NOT say “review”.

Even though a “contract is an agreement between two parties”, the contract is VOID if one of the parties “was not of sound mind while signing the agreement”. Now, Mr President, you know -- and we all know -- that “Nassau” Trotman took his future wife-to-be to COP 25 in Gay Paris when she was a mere assistant…and was immediately smitten! That Eiffel Tower will do that to you!!

Anyhow, when he later faced the Texas legal squad six months later, in June 2016, to hammer out the contract, the poor slob was already hammered by love!! Even though it’s been a while, you surely remember what Cupid’s arrow can do to you!! So let’s put it to the Texans: your chief “re-negotiator” was “not of sound mind”.

Why would he then take his wife-to-be on that later allexpenses-paid to Texas last year?? She wasn’t even a member of his Ministry any more. “Not of sound mind,” due to being besotted!!

Now, we know, Mr President, you’re a man of honour, and you gave your word to Trotman at Nassau. You’re loath to break your promise. But look at it this way: It’s not only the right thing for the country, but for “Nassau” as well. …witness for Lindo Ah…what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!! And we don’t only have to quote the Bard…our own old folks warn us that “all smart fly does get caught on cow’s backside!!” And look at how big a pile of cow’s manure the Government found itself in with the Lindo Creek CoI!! Remember the fear you’ll throw a party and no one’d come? Well, the Government threw a CoI, and not a solitary soul turned up!

It’s clear that whatever witnesses there might be, they were downwind and caught more than a whiff of the “BS”!! Look at this from the perspective of anyone who may have info on that tragedy. Since the Government had all those massacres that occurred BEFORE Lindo Creek, isn’t it fishy they’re started at the end? Even the village idiot would suspect something “na regulah”!! The word on the street is the Government wants to continue degutting the Disciplined Forces to ensure only the diehard faithful remains for what lies ahead.

Dictatorship!! …factory; no sugar So the SPU now wants to have Skeldon and Enmore as “going concerns”!!? The question your Eyewitness has is: How come producing sugar at Skeldon at four times the selling price now shows it’s a “going” concern?

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

News

9

saturDAY, february 17, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Royston King to get the boot – source …as PNCR expresses no-confidence in performance

D

issatisfaction with the performance of the Georgetown Town Clerk Royston King is spreading from the Chambers of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to now the realm of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), as several top executives there are calling for his removal.

Unhappiness with King’s conduct was first expressed at a PNCR General Council meeting on February 10.

Following that meeting, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan had written Mayor Patricia Chase-Green to inform her that there were concerns expressed in regard to the conduct of both herself and King, who are senior members of the party.

“At a meeting of the General Council of the PNCR, a delegate and Councillor called for the removal of the Town Clerk (TC)

Town Clerk Royston King

of the City of Georgetown.

That call was premised on the opinion of the delegate that the TC’s conduct, deportment, and actions constitute an embarrassment to the administration,” Bulkan told Chase-Green in the letter.

According to sources close to the PNCR, a special meeting was called on

Friday to discuss the conduct of both Chase-Green and King, and it was decided that full support would be given to the no-confidence motion against King, expected to be tabled by Alliance For Changer Councillor Sherod Duncan at the next Statutory Meeting on February 26.

At this special meeting, several of the top executives shared the same view that King should go, but they were very conservative when it came to discussing Chase-Green’s leadership. Chase-Green has been in a public disagreement with Bulkan over the direction in which the city is being steered. She has since accused the subject minister of meddling in City Hall’s business, and King has consistently registered his dissatisfaction with that ministry’s interference.

When contacted, General

Secretary of the PNCR, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally, related that “party matters” are not to be discussed in the media, and declined to comment on the issue.

In relation to the conduct of the Town Clerk, Minister Bulkan had, in his letter, indicated that Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran had indicated that he was unaware that an appeal had been made against the court order regarding the Bel Air Park fiasco.

At Monday’s statutory meeting, King and several of the Councillors became embroiled in a passionate argument regarding his overstepping boundaries where the appeal of the Bel Air Park Playground decision was concerned.

A number of town houses were slated for construction on the Bel Air Park Playground. Those would

New $228M annex for Finance Ministry

T

he Finance Ministry is set to construct a new multimillion-dollar annex at the site of the former sports club of the Guyana National Cooperative Bank (GNCB), on Winter Place and Croal Street in Georgetown.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan on Friday turned the sod at the location, in the presence of contractor, Courtney Benn Contracting company.

The annexe which stands at a cost of approximately $228M will house the ministry’s training room, a sports complex, a gym and the Camp Street valuation office.

Speaking at a simple ceremony today, Minister Jordan said the annexe has always been a project he wanted to take on board.

“This is a passion of mine because almost all

An architect's impression of the new annex

my life I worked at the Ministry of Finance, with short periods at the State Planning Secretariat.

I know the Ministry of Finance very well.”

According to Minister Jordan that he decided to put in place the necessary human resources and sys-

tems to improve the conditions of the ministry.

The minister said with these developments, the population at the ministry has grown beyond the building’s capacity and the building is somewhat unsafe structurally.

“You know it is un-

safe because we have added more features to the existing building and we have added more buildings within the yard. We have added more electrical equipment in the building and we have not changed the wiring.”

Minister Jordan said the construction of the annexe is coming at an opportune time.

Echoing similar sentiments, Finance Secretary, Dr. Hector Butts said the construction of the annexe is most welcomed since it is something that the ministry has been pursuing for some time. The building is set to be completed by the end of this year.

have been reserved for high-ranking officials of the M&CC, such as Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Town Clerk Royston King, the City Engineer, and the Medical Health Officer. However, the council was barred from commencing construction by a ruling from Justice G i n o Persaud.

T h e January 8 decision has prevented the Mayor& Councillors of the City of Georgetown and the Town Clerk from leasing or selling the Bel Air Park Playground to a private land developer. The Mayor has also defended the move

by Council, stating that the plans were not made in secret, and that the matter was discussed at the council level after being raised by the Investment and Development Committee.

King was supposed to bring the notice of appeal to full council, but failed to so do, and went ahead with a planned appeal. When

asked at Monday’s meeting, he informed Councillors that the matter was “administrative,” and he saw no need to bring it to council.

This defiance led to Duncan moving ahead with the motion against him.

M i n i s t e r Bulkan also called on the Mayor to provide information relative to business transactions made by the council. “ Be informed that I require the following: a complete list of all contracts, leases, sales, and any other transactions involving assets (real estate, equipment, etc) under the control of Council, between the date of assuming office in April 2016 to the present,” the letter stated.

Since his ascension from Public Relations Officer to Town Clerk, King has been heavily criticized by both Councillors and the general public for attempting to usurp the powers of the Council.

10 news

saturDAY, February 17, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

18 victim-friendly Police stations by yearend

T

he Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP)

will facilitate the construction of 18 victim-friendly Police stations, which are

slated to be completed by the end of 2018. The project is being funded by the Inter-

American Development Bank (IDB) These stations are being redesigned to address the capacity issues in responding to crime and violence within the country, which includes physical violence against women.

Project Manager of the CSSP, Clement Henry, in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), described domestic violence as a “serious issue.”

It is within this context that the stations are being fashioned to include materials, equipment, and rooms that are convenient for reports and complaints against perpetrators to be made. The modernisation of these stations is expected to foster an environment conducive to the efficient reporting system that caters specifically to victims.

Henry claimed that the CSSP is currently procuring a consultancy firm to conduct a full diagnostic review in order to understand and resolve any and all issues victims have relating to re-

CSSP Project Coordinator, Clement Henry

porting matters and identifying perpetrators.

“We are designing the Police stations in a user-friendly manner… we’ve noticed from the safe neighbourhood surveys that many times people are reluctant [to make reports]… sometimes they complain that when they make a report, particularly domestic violence reports, [that] there

is not enough confidentiality in the way they have to make the report at the open enquiries desk.”

Plans are onstream to construct special rooms for domestic violence interviews as well as rooms for Identification Parades so that victims are not placed face-to-face with and intimidated by perpetrators.

Construction began on 12 Police stations in the last quarter of 2017 and another six are slated to commence by the second quarter of 2018.

The Cane Grove Police Station is almost entirely completed using the refurbished design and is currently awaiting Intercom Systems.

Construction of redesigned stations in Mibicuri, La Grange, Kwakwani, Mackenzie, Issano, and Annai are moving apace.

Among the six stations that are slated to commence construction this year are those located at Whim, Albion, and Springlands.

Internet in Region 9

Needs assessment for connectivity being explored

Minister Catherine Hughes handing over five laptop computers to students of St Ignatius Secondary School

P

u b l i c Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes and a team comprising officials from the ministry and the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) are in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region (Region Nine) meeting with residents and regional executives to address concerns relative to Internet connectivity.

In her first engagement with officials from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Regional Executive Officer Kerwin Warde and other sector representatives at Lethem, Minister Hughes informed that the team would be conducting a needs assessment in an effort to determine what is required to strengthen the e-Government service.

She explained that the administration’s overall thrust is to create access to more online Government services in the hinterland, and to ensure that educational facilities and other

agencies are equipped with Wi-Fi. The meeting, the minister said, offers an opportunity for the representatives to interface and discuss ways in which the residents of the region can capitalise on Internet connectivity for enhancing their lives.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Chairman of the NDMA, Floyd Levi, who said this visit is the first for 2018 in the region, and marks the beginning of the initiative to extend e-Government services to remote communities.

He disclosed that the NDMA would soon be establishing an office in the town of Lethem, with at least one administrative staff member to assist the region with technical issues that may arise.

Levi said the vision is to foster a close relationship with the regional administration, to ensure the efficient execution of the Authority’s mandate.

A smart classroom equipped with teleconferencing facilities is soon to be launched as well.

NEWS

Brickdam Lock-ups’ repairs

11

saturDAY, February 17, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramjattan admits delay a “major embarrassment”

Remedial workers at the Brickdam Police Station continue to be delayed

P

ublic Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has said he considers the prolonged delay in effecting remedial works on the Brickdam Police Station lock-ups as a personal embarrassment.

“That has been a major embarrassment for me, because the monies were there and construction works (were done, but) the design of it is a problem,” Ramjattan told reporters when asked for an update on the project.

The minister explained that the contractor retained to complete the works was working on another building at the Force’s Eve Leary Headquarters, and afterwards he would have moved on to doing the work on the lock-ups.

“But I think they were supposed to finish (the other building) by now,” he explained.

The condition of the Brickdam lock-ups has come in for much scrutiny and criticism over the years. This has resulted in that detention facility undergoing a major overhaul back in 2009, when some $14.4 million were expended to rehabilitate the once odious and unsightly facility that was once referred to as a ‘dungeon horrible’ by a Commission of Inquiry several years prior. However, because of the design flaws of those renovations, more money had to be pumped into the project to correct the flaws.

Ramjattan had previously explained that as with any prison system, construction has to be of a specific design, especially as it relates to air circulation. However, the contractor had indicated that with the monies allocated for the initial project, he could have done works only in accordance with the flawed design.

“You have to have a perfect design that will aerate if you’re not going to make it air conditioned, and there were some problems with that initial design… It was done to specifications, but (whether or not) it was done to specifications, we can’t put prisoners in there, we gonna kill them. So now we have to have remedial works,” he remarked.

Monies were allocation in the 2016 budget to carry out the remedial works on the facility, but there were some issues regarding the tendering process which further detained the process.

The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) had found that the three contractors who had tendered for the project were non-responsive. As such, the flawed tenders had been sent back to the evaluation committee, which then returned them to the respective bidders with indications of where they were “non-responsive”. However, only one of the three bidders re-tendered, and was awarded the contract months later.

In the meantime, top officials of the Police Force had called the facility a “travesty” to law enforcement efforts in ‘A’ Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara), saying it was affecting the work of the Police in that Division.

“The burden of shifting serious-crime suspects to other lock-ups on a daily basis is one we have been bearing with tremendous patience over the years. I wish to take this opportunity to urge the officials concerned to spare no effort to realise this much-needed facility in the capital city of Georgetown,” one top official had implored.

The scope of works of phase one of the initial contract entailed fumigating the lockups environment; demolishing of, and alteration to, metal doors; rehabilitation of the existing steel grills and door framings; rehabilitation of the enquiries area; and redoing of defective concrete works, which were followed by a process of plastering.

There was also the demolition of exiting plumbing works and restoration of plumbing to each of the 15 cells that were rehabilitated, as well as constructing a concrete reservoir and concrete trestle which supports six new water tanks, and tiling of the floors and walls of the lockups.

The latter phase included the installation of 15 penal-style toilets, one for each cell, done at a cost of US$700 each. There was

also fabrication and installation of 42 metal bunks; rehabilitation of the holding area grill, and construction of seating accommodation.

It also entailed the tiling and painting of the enquiries staff area, including toilet and bath; and painting of the general facility.

12

saturday, februARY 17, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Put the pep back into your kitchen with Peppy’s Foods

M

ohamed’s Manufacturing Enterprises, the manufacturers of Peppy’s Foods, was established in the year 1971. This company offers a wide range of noodles, sauces and spices of the best quality. As we grow higher in the food industry, we learn that customers not only look for the best quality but also the best prices. “We put the pep back into your kitchen with Peppy’s Foods,” so come and try our products today and add a little flavour to your dishes!

Sauces are sold in various sizes, including 284 ml, 340 ml, 750 ml and one litre. Noodles are packaged in quantities ranging from 340 and 400 grams. Seasoning and spices are available in 25, 40 and 100 grams packets.

Products Seasonings: There seasonings range from Jerk, chicken, meat and fish, fish, chowmein,

fried rice, all purpose, cook-up seasonings to paprika, onion, garlic and ginger powder, green seasoning, etc.

Spices: Five spice, cinnamon spice, clove and Chinese spice.

Noodles: Chowmein (both regular and whole wheat) and vermicelli.

Sauces: Pepper sauce, ginger sauce, garlic sauce, cassareep, hot sauce, and much much more!!

From Asian sauces to Indian spices, Peppy’s can cater to any recipe you desire, whether it may be a hot chicken Curry with our masala, curry powder and geerah or even cooking something like vegetable fried rice with our fried rice seasoning and soy sauce and put a dash of our cook up seasoning to your cook up to flavour.

At Peppy’s, we’ve got you covered this Mashramani! Spice up your finger-licking dishes like never before…

Peppy’s Cook Up for Mash Day

What you’ll need * 3 pounds chicken (cut into large pieces; drumsticks, thighs, and wings) * salt to taste * black pepper to taste * 2 teaspoons canola oil (vegetable or other neutral oil) * 1 cup onions (diced, divided equally) * 4 sprigs thyme (divided equally) * 1 cup black-eyed peas (dried, or dried peas of your choice, soaked overnight) * 4 cups coconut milk (fresh or substitute with 2 cups canned coconut milk and 2 cups water) * 2 cups rice (long-grain, parboiled, washed and drained) * 10 large basil leaves (sweet, torn) * 1/2 cup tomatoes (diced) * 2 green onions (sliced thinly; white and green parts) * Peppy’s Cook Up Seasoning * Peppy’s Soy Sauce How to make it 1. Pat chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high heat.

3. Add chicken to heated oil and brown lightly on both sides. Remove chicken from

pot and set aside, keeping it warm. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.

4. Add half of the onions and 2 sprigs of thyme to pot and sauté for 2 minutes or until onions are translucent.

5. Drain peas well and add to sautéed onions. Stir and cook together for 2 minutes.

6. Add lukewarm water to cook peas and cook until the peas are cooked 3/4 of the way through and the water has significantly reduced.

7.

Add coconut milk, reserved parcooked chicken, rice, remaining onions, remaining 2 sprigs of thyme, basil, Peppy’s cook up seasoning, Peppy’s soy sauce, tomatoes and green onions to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix.

8. Cover pot and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, let cook on high heat for 6 to 7 minutes or until you begin to see the surface of the rice. Reduce heat to low, recover pot and let cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until the liquid has completely evaporated.

9. The rice should be glossy, the grains loose and cooked through.

10. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

13

saturday, februARY 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

W

hether it is about necklaces, bracelets or earrings, jewellery is extremely popular. The fact is jewellery has always been an important part of human cultures, serving several purposes that are deeply significant to each of us. Accessories such as jewellery are often t h e

“cherry on top” to an overall outfit or look.

Jewellery has been an integral part of the human culture since time immemorial. It serves different purposes that are significant to us. Today, jewellery is the new fashion accessory that enhances the appearance of an individual. Gone are the days when jewellery was thought to be a woman’s thing.

Modern men wear various types of jewellery too such as rings,

without beautifully designed colored stone wedding rings. Jewellery has a lot of importance in our lives… be it every day piece or something else. We at Raj’s Jewellery have what you need.

Check us out at the Giftland Mall, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, or call us on telephone number 222-7283.

bands, and bracelets to improve their look and personality. A few decades back, gold and silver were the only metals used to make beautiful and attractive jewellery such as necklaces, rings, earrings and others. But today, we have diamond, platinum and coloured stones and gems to create masterpieces and designs.

One cannot imagine an engagement or marriage today

14 news

saturDAY, february 17, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Revised Forest Policy, Plan for Cabinet

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

forestry sector.

“This revision fulfills a part of Government’s commitment to maintain an excellent standard in the sector, and (it is) also internationally acceptable.

We are happy to see that the process of review was successfully completed,” Minister Trotman stated.

The minister explained that the policy and plan was last updated in 2011, and with advancement of the sector it became outdated, hence the reason for the re-

to humanity and the promotion of sustainable energy initiatives within the forestry sector,” Trotman added.

“Importantly also, the revised National Forest Policy and Plan have been developed within the framework of the Constitution of Guyana and with regard to relevant international commitments on the environment, particularly as they relate to forests and biodiversity,” he noted.

He further related that the revised Forest Policy

T

he Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) on Friday held a presentation on the reviewed National Forest Policy Statement and Forestry Plan in an effort to finetune the revisions before the Natural Resources Minister presents it to Cabinet.

The revision of the National Forest Policy Statement and Forestry Plan began in 2017, and the GFC’s consultants, The Consultancy Group headed

by Dr Rory Fraser, would have held over 211 consultations with various stakeholders in the sector.

According to the Natural Resources Minister, he would have received the revised policy and plan some two weeks ago, but he advised that a final review be held so that when he takes it to Cabinet he could say all consultative approaches were exhausted.

He noted that completion of the review is another step towards ensuring a well-managed and orderly

multi-ethnicity of our country and enhances quality of life for all Guyanese,” Minister Trotman related.

Additionally, GFC Commissioner James Singh outlined the objectives of the Forest Plan and Policy, and discussed the revision with the stakeholders.

“A National Forest Plan can be considered as the work programme for the Forest Policy. It contains details and logically ordered programmes, activities, expected outcomes and indicators. It also identifies roles and responsibilities for various stakeholders, and establishes a strong foundation to monitor and evaluate imple-

mentation, and make relevant recommendations,” he noted.

Singh explained that there would be a collaborative effort between the private sector and various Government agencies for the implementation of the policy. He, like the minister, said the need for updating the 2011 National Forest Policy and Plan was influenced by the significant changes in the sector, coupled with the implementation of the Green State Development Strategy.

“It was further noted that we must now increase our efforts to accurately value…there was also a need

for national level integration, streamlining of work plans of the relevant agencies,” he noted.

The revised policy addresses issues arising from the economic, ecological, social and governance standpoints. The principles that guides the policy include balanced decision-making, inter-generational equity, local benefit, and the protection of the natural capital base.

The revised policy and plan reflects moving away from utilizing forests for just wood, and is a cornerstone of the country’s national patrimony.

Repeat offender charged for attempted murder

L

vision.

“It is critical that we have an updated Forest Policy and Forest Plan. Guyana has publicly committed to a Green State Economy, as described in the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). This strategy highlights the importance of forests in combating climate change, and also emphasizes the ecological and environmental services of forests

effectively embraces the Green State Development Strategy and the framework laid out for the advancement of a green economy in Guyana.

“Guyana serves as a model of sustainable development and environmental security worldwide, demonstrating the transition to a decarbonized and resource-efficient economy that integrates the

isa Bobb -- charged multiple times and arraigned in various Magistrates’ Courts in Georgetown for a series of offences -- was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on an attempted murder charge.

This charge alleges that she, on February 14, 2018 at Royal Drive, Campbellville, Georgetown, wounded Christel Bobb with intent to commit murder.

The court heard that virtual complainant Christel Bobb and defendant Lisa Bobb are cousins who reportedly have had several misunderstandings in the past.

The Prosecution is contending that on the day in ques-

Lisa Bobb

tion, Christel Bobb had just returned home when she was pounced upon by Lisa Bobb, who dealt her a stab to her upper left arm. This

attack reportedly stemmed from another misunderstanding the two cousins had had the previous night.

Christel was rushed to the public hospital, where she continues to be a patient.

Lisa Bobb has been remanded to prison, and the case will continue on March 2. The 25-year-old Lisa Bobb, of Lot 84 Campbellville Housing Scheme, was heard screaming, “If I had the chance to murder that b***h, I would!” as she was being led out of the courtroom of Magistrate Ann McLennan.

On her last appearance at the Court, Lisa Bobb had been sent to be mentally evaluated. She has been a frequent offender since 2013.

15 Talented students participate in Children’s Mash finals news

saturDAY, February 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Mainstay Lake Primary School student collecting his prize for his piece titled “Education Fuh We”

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he finals of the Children’s National M a s h r a m a n i Competition continued on Friday at the National

Cultural Centre as part of the Education Ministry’s Mashramani celebrations for 2018. Proceedings were carried on under the

theme “Let’s Cooperate and Celebrate Republic 48”.

Students from every region in Guyana were required to perform a talent piece in the categories Calypso and Dramatic Poetry. In the morning, children of ages five to 10 preformed their talent pieces, and in the afternoon, students aged 11 to 17 took to the stage.

The winners of the Calypso piece for ages five to seven were Mainstay Lake Primary School of Region Two. Their piece was titled “Education Fuh We”.

In the Dramatic Poetry category, grasping first place were the New Diamond Grove Primary of Region Four. Their performance was titled “Oil in Guyana is We Own.” Meanwhile, in the afternoon, the older students performed their poetry and calypso pieces, mostly in theme with the current affairs of Guyana. Some of the topics highlighted and demonstrated were the country’s 48th republic anniversary, the GuyanaVenezuela border controversy, the increasing crime rate, the oil industry, child abuse, and domestic violence.

One of the competitors related that the calyp-

UG hosts Career Day

A chemist explaining to students the science behind his career

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he University of Guyana (UG) on Friday held its annual Career Day at the Turkeyen Campus on the East Coast of Demerara.

Despite the light showers of rain, students and teachers from various secondary schools across Guyana graced the event so as to educate themselves about the career paths that some businesses and intuitions have to offer.

A number of booths were set up by representatives of entities to effectively communicate what can be expected from them, as well as advise on future career plans.

A representative of the Business Ministry booth, Gillian Edwards, explained the importance of this event, stating that students should be aware of the career path they would like to pursue, as the unemployment rate in Guyana is very substantial.

“We’re trying to steer youths here to think about what they’re going to do when they leave school.

Most likely, they have to cre-

because before I came here I didn’t know what I actually wanted to do. Since I’ve been here, I’ve got a lot of ideas, and it’s been great.”

There was also a booth set up by the University’s Berbice Campus, featuring the agricultural science faculty with the main focus being entomology and soil science.

Agricultural science student of the Berbice campus, Daniel Jacobs, told this publication that many persons are not aware of what

Students exploring the Agriculture Science Department of UG

ate a job,” she said.

Many of those present were students who were attending the event for the first time, and they detailed that it was an amazing experience for them.

St Rose’s High School student Tonya George related, “This is my first time here, and since I’ve been here, I’ve been to the booths and I’ve seen different things; and it’s helping to develop my mind to see what career path I want to actually take,

that campus has to offer. As such, the campus would like to enlighten the young students on the services being offered, and illustrate the resources it presently has.

Samples of the books at the library were on display for students who are desirous of studying at the Berbice Campus.

At the end of the day, many students had an idea as to what career path they might be interested in.

A student performing his dramatic poem during the final day of competition at the National Cultural Centre

so competition will bring about the rise of calypso singers in Guyana, as it is a part of our heritage.

The event saw spectators of all ages, who went to support their favourite performances. The audience was filled with laugher as the students entertained them with their amusing pieces.

The national competition will conclude on Saturday with the costume parade, travelling from Parade Ground all the way to the National Park.

Arya Samaj donates land for new Gurukula

The proposed plan of the completed building

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he community of Uitvlugt on the West Coast of Demerara will see the construction of a new Gurukula (learning institution) which is expected to be completed by the year 2020. A ground-breaking ceremony was consecrated with a havan on February 4, 2018, to commence the construction of the building.

The land, measuring 300 feet by 100 feet, was donated by the Uitvlugt Arya Samaj.

According to Dr Satish Prakash, who spearheads the operations, the building will function as a residential school but following the lines of an ashram as it relates to discipline. The cur-

riculum will be dual-secular and religious and students will live at the institution.

The aim of the secular curriculum will be to assist those persons who were not successful at their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination and wish to rewrite eight of them, so as to gain admission at a university. Dual curriculum caters to CXC subjects, Hindi, Sanskrit, Shastras, yoga and music.

Another objective of the organisation is to make it a centre for social service, and also function as a health centre, providing basic health care.

Around 400 persons were present at the ceremony.

Funds were donated for the construction and many have pledged to donate in the future to complete the institution.

Dr Prakash aims at improving the moral values amongst Guyanese which have been diminished under the influence of suicides, broken homes, alcoholism, school dropouts, crime and economic slide. He will also lead the recruitment of teachers. This institution will be the first of its kind in the Caribbean and students will set across Guyana after studying to serve their society.

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saturDAY, february 17, 2018

News

Online training mulled for Adventists roll out annual prisoners’ rehabilitation community service campaign – Director

Guyana Prison Service Director Gladwin Samuels

T

he Guyana Prison Service (GPS) is considering the introduction of online training as efforts to rehabilitate inmates and reduce recidivism continues. This was disclosed by acting Director of the GPS, Gladwin Samuels, in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

“I am quite sure, as it relates to broadband becoming something readily available across Guyana more and more every day, soon we will be able to tap into that aspect of training. So that those high-profile prisoners who we know are in need of exposure to training, but for various reasons cannot be placed into the general pop-

ulation, will be able to enhance themselves,” Samuels explained.

In addition, the acting Director said this practice is already being utilised in facilities around the world.

He noted that with the necessary precautions in place to prevent access to unauthorised websites, the introduction of technology-assisted training will reduce the hindrance caused by the unavailability of space for training within the prison facilities.

“I recognise as well, they are making adequate use of that sort of technology, Internet-based training for inmates, where they have their own computer or tablet and a number of programmes are actual-

ly pre-downloaded to the instrument, which are prevented from accessing unauthorised websites,” the Director added.

According to Samuels, the institution is also focusing its energies on attracting higher quality staff while providing training opportunities for those currently on staff, to upgrade their skill set wherever necessary and possible.

“What we are also doing is ensuring that we do not only build the capacity of prisoners but also ensuring that staff is adequately exposed to training. This is not only institutional training but at the technical and tertiary levels so that they can be able to offer even more to those prisoners in terms of security. It is always important that we pay attention to security and we are trying to boost our capacity in terms of our intake of staff. We have 39 recruits currently in training.”

Further, Samuels told DPI that, the Prison Service is in a better position to realise its role of inmate reformation. It has received assistance from the British Funded Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP) and the Inter-American Development Bank’s citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) toward this end.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church last year built this house in Amelia’s Ward, Linden

S

tarting this Sunday, S e v e n t h - d a y Adventists across the country will embark on the annual ‘ingathering’ campaign – a community service outreach during which the church solicits funds from the community to help with its humanitarian programme.

Last year the church spent well over $55.3 million in humanitarian assistance, which ranged from the construction of homes to school feeding programmes among other initiatives.

In an invited comment, Director of Community Service of

the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventist, Pastor Jumoul Sancho, quoted John Holmes who said, “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

He said this is exactly what the annual harvest ingathering of the Seventhday Adventist Church is all about.

“Your generous contributions in the past have enabled us to reach down and lift thousands of persons throughout Guyana in the past.”

According to Pastor Sancho, during 2017, the church was able to build

and renovate 10 houses for homeless persons and a few bus sheds in several communities.

“Our 223 congregations in Guyana have given out more than 6000 food hampers to the needy; 30 churches conducted weekly feeding programmes for school children and the elderly; moreover, we have had free health fairs conducted in several communities,” Pastor Sancho said.

He added that “many of our churches have also offered relief for fire victims as well as medical, education, transportation and welfare assistance.” This year he said the church’s desire is to lift more persons higher and as such is inviting to once again give generously and “help us bring hope to hopeless.”

Meanwhile, Pastor Sancho gave a breakdown of how the funds solicited last year were used: $28.8 million went to 30 weekly feeding programmes; $15.3 million was used to distribute over 10,000 food hampers; $6 million was injected into building and renovating 10 homes; $1.8 million was spent on relief for fire victims; $1.225 million on education assistance; $250,000 on building three bus sheds; $1 million in medical assistance; and some $960,000 on transportation assistance.

Husband, wife arrested after 251 T&T citizens suspected Police find gun on window ledge

of financing terrorism

A

significant increase in suspicious transactions related to financing of terrorism was reported to local and international law enforcement agencies by the Financial Intelligence Unit of T&T (FIUTT) in the past year.

The FIUTT said that between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017, 112 of the 877 suspicious transaction reports/suspicious activity reports (STRs/SARs) detected were related to suspected financing of terrorism—up by 62 per cent from the previous year.

These were highlighted by director Susan Francois in the FIUTT’s Eighth Annual Report which was posted online by the Ministry of Finance on Thursday.

“To date, the FIUTT’s intelligence reveals 251 citizens of Trinidad and Tobago suspected of being involved in the financing of terrorism and related offences,” Francois said.

“The FIUTT completed analysis on 647 of the 877 new cases received which generated 182 operation-

al intelligence reports, of which 136 related to suspected money laundering and 46 related to financing of terrorism. Of these reports, the FIUTT sent 140 to local law enforcement authorities and 42 to foreign law enforcement authorities and foreign FIUs.” Francois said the FIUTT has developed three strategic intelligence reports— Foreign Terrorist Fighters and their Facilitation Networks in Trinidad and Tobago, Real Property Fraud and Fraud in the Insurance (motor vehicle) sector—which have been shared with local and foreign law enforcement authorities, FIUs, regulators and other reporting entities.

The report on foreign terrorist fighters recommends action to build intelligence and investigative capacity, prevent radicalisation and other deterrents.

According to Francois, 176 money laundering charges involving $7.2 million were laid against seven individuals.

“The criminal conduct

which led to the money laundering charges were illegal gambling, fraud, larceny and drug trafficking,” she said.

In addition, the Attorney General petitioned the High Court to designate several individuals and entities as terrorists and to freeze their assets.

Francois said the 877 STRs/SARs detected were a record number and an increase of 19 per cent from the 739 in the previous reporting year. The monetary value was more than $22 billion in suspected proceeds of criminal conduct.

She said: “This is an unprecedented increase because the cumulative monetary value of suspicious transactions reported for the previous five years of 2011 to 2016 was only $4.5 billion.

“Of the 877 STRs/SARs, 94 per cent were completed suspicious transactions with a monetary value of $8.4 billion while six per cent were attempted transactions with a monetary value of $13.6 billion.” (T&T Guardian)

T

hree people including a common law husband and wife were arrested on Thursday by officers of the Southern Division Task Force for the possession of a pistol, a revolver and a quantity of ammunition, according to a release issued by the police service.

The release stated that

the couple, both aged 21, were in the company of the man’s brother at their Princes Town home at around 5 pm on Thursday when a team of officers led

by Sgt. Roland Ramlogan and Cpl Neil Nanan executed a search warrant.

The officers discovered one Smith and Wesson revolver loaded with four

rounds of 9mm ammunition on a window ledge, one Browning pistol loaded with three rounds of 9mm ammunition and 93 grammes of marijuana with an estimated street value of $930 under a bed in the apartment.

The three suspects were arrested in connection with the finds. (T&T Newsday)

Professor arrested over Grace Mugabe’s ‘fake’ PhD

Z

imbabwean anti-corruption investigators said Friday they had arrested a university professor over the suspected fraudulent awarding of a doctorate to former first lady Grace Mugabe.

Levi Nyagura, the vice chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe, was arrested by the Zimbabwe AntiCorruption Commission following an investigation into the PhD. It emerged that Grace was awarded the degree by the university in 2014 after just months of study.

Doctorates typically require several years of fulltime research and writing.

Grace Mugabe

“Nyagura has been arrested. We cannot have people who award fake degrees,” Goodson Nguni, a ZACC commissioner told AFP over the telephone.

The professor will be charged with abuse of office, he said, refusing to say

whether Grace also faces arrest.

Grace Mugabe’s apparent desire to succeed her 93-year-old husband prompted the army takeover that saw Robert Mugabe ousted from power in November last year.

A copy of the 226-page doctoral thesis, titled “The Changing Social Structure and Functions of the Family” was only published last month following public calls for Grace to be stripped of her PhD. Critics had argued that Grace, 52, had not actually studied or undertaken research to earn the doctorate.

(AFP)

saturDAY, february 17, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Robert Mueller charges 13 Russians with Ethiopia declares US election interference to help Trump state of emergency

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hirteen Russians have been criminally charged for interfering in the 2016 US election to help Donald Trump, the office of Robert Mueller, the special counsel, announced on Friday.

Mueller’s office said 13 Russians and three Russian entities, including the notorious state-backed “troll farm” the Internet Research Agency, had been indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington DC. A 37-page indictment alleged that the Russians’ operations “included supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J Trump ... and disparaging Hillary Clinton,” his Democratic opponent.

Mueller alleged that Russian operatives “communicated with unwitting indi-

Special Counsel Robert Mueller

viduals associated with the Trump campaign”, but the indictment did not address the question of whether anyone else in Trump’s team had knowingly colluded.

Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, said at a press conference in

Washington: “There is no allegation in this indictment that any American had any knowledge.”

Rosenstein added that the charges did not mean the Russian activity had an effect on the outcome of the election.

Trump and the White

House seized on Rosenstein’s remarks to falsely claim that the indictment proved there had been no collusion and that the election result had definitely not been impacted.

In a statement on Friday, Trump suggested that what he called “outlandish partisan attacks, wild and false allegations, and far-fetched theories” relating to possible collusion were serving to further the Russian agenda.

The Russians allegedly posed as Americans to operate bogus social media accounts, buy advertisements and stage political rallies.

They stole the identities of real people in the US to post online and built computer systems in the US to hide the Russian origin of their activity, according prosecutors. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

after PM quits

E

thiopia has declared a state of emergency, a day after the country’s Prime Minister abruptly resigned. The measure was announced on Friday by the Council of Ministers, the Ethiopian Government’s Cabinet, according to state broadcaster EBC. Local media said the measure is effective as of Friday, but it was not immediately clear how long it would last.

Quoting an unnamed source “close to the Government”, the Addis Standard newspaper reported that the Council was debating whether to make the measure span three or six months.

In August 2017, Ethiopia lifted a 10-month state of emergency imposed after hundreds of people were

killed in anti-Government protests demanding wider political freedoms.

Ethiopia’s Oromo and Amhara people – who make up about 61 per cent of the country’s population – have staged mass demonstrations since 2015 demanding greater political inclusion and an end to human rights abuses.

Jawar Mohammed, an Oromo rights activist and head of the Oromia Media Network, said the state of emergency declaration was “unnecessary, unhelpful and unwise”.

“The best way to ensure stability at this time is not to declare state of emergency that was tested and failed,” Mohammed wrote on Facebook earlier on Friday.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Rio de Janeiro violence: Brazil Lunar New Year: Chinese TV gala Army to take control of security includes ‘racist blackface’ sketch

Rio de Janeiro has seen levels of violent crime soar amid a financial crisis

T

he Brazilian Government has appointed an Army General to oversee security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in response to growing gang violence.

President Michel Temer compared the violence to “a cancer” and said organised criminals had all but seized control of the state. Rio’s Governor issued an appeal

for help after the annual carnival celebrations were marred by violence.

The Army will oversee police and other security services.

Overseeing the operation will be Gen Walter Souza Braga Netto, head of the Eastern Military Command.

He was widely praised for his part in co-ordinating security for the 2016 Rio

Olympic Games. Signing the decree, Termer said he was taking “extreme measures” because circumstances demanded it.

“The Government will give tough and firm answers, taking all necessary measures to eradicate organised crime,” he said. There were chaotic scenes during the famous Rio carnival, with gun fights and looting. Three police officers died in violent clashes.

National TV news bulletins also broadcast footage of gangs surrounding and robbing tourists. With the security situation apparently spiralling out of control, state governor Luiz Fernando Pezao made a plea to the national government saying military intervention was the only way to tackle the heavily armed gangs.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

By some estimates, the show is the most watched entertainment programme on earth

A

skit on China’s biggest Lunar New Year TV show has sparked widespread criticism and accusations of racism. In a comedy routine celebrating Chinese-African ties an Asian actress appears in blackface and with exaggerated buttocks.

Using make-up to lampoon black people – a practice known as “blackface” – is seen by many as deeply offensive.

The annual state media variety show is hugely popular, and has up to 800 million viewers. Some observers have pointed out that this sketch would not have been intended as offensive to Africans.

However, this is not the first time Chinese entertainment shows have caused controversy with their portrayals of other ethnicities.

The controversial sketch was part of the four-hour CCTV New Year Gala –

also known as the Spring Festival Gala – which aired on Thursday night. By some estimates, the show is the most watched entertainment programme on earth.

The skit praises ChineseAfrican cooperation, showing how much Africans benefit from Chinese investment and how grateful they are to Beijing.

In China, the vast majority of people have no experience of interacting with black people and are less aware of Europe’s and the US’ history of slavery and racism.

Nonetheless, Chinese users on the country’s biggest social media website Weibo have condemned the programme. Comments included “it’s full of racism,” that “it makes me feel like I’m living in the last century,” and that “we are going to lose face internationally”.

Florida school shooting: FBI mishandled tip on gunman’s ‘desire to kill’ Mexico’s Foreign Minister to

T

he FBI has said it did not properly follow up on a warning that Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz might carry out an attack. Last month, a person close to the 19-yearold contacted the law enforcement agency to warn of “the potential of him conducting a school shooting”.

But protocols were not followed and the tip line did not pass along the complaint, the FBI said. It was not the first potential warning to the FBI regarding Cruz.

He has confessed to carrying out the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and has been charged with 17 counts of murder.

It was the deadliest US school shooting since 2012.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said in furious statement that the director of the FBI must resign because of the law enforcement agency’s “failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable”.

“The families will spend a lifetime wondering how this could happen, and an apology will never give them answers they desperately need.”

The Republican governor said Americans must have confidence in the FBI to act on “see something, say something” tips. A group of Florida lawmakers who travelled from the state capitol to visit the school on Thursday agreed to tear down and re-

place Building 12, where the massacre occurred.

On January 5, a person close to the teenager contacted the FBI tipline to provide “information about Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behaviour, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting”, said an FBI press release.

The agency said that under established protocols, the caller’s information to the Public Access Line should have been assessed as a potential threat to life and passed on to the Miami field office. “We have determined these protocols were not followed,” the FBI said. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

(Excerpt from BBC News)

visit Caricom countries

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exico’s Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray is to visit three Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries as part of the efforts to erode Venezuela’s influence in the Caribbean.

Foreign media reports said that while there has been no official confirmation of the visit to Jamaica, Grenada and St Lucia, Videgaray’s visit comes on the heels a visit to Latin America and the Caribbean

by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who announced

plans to study how possible oil sanctions against Venezuela could be mitigated in the Caribbean.

Last June, Cancun, foreign ministers from the 34-member Organisation of American States (OAS) failed to reach agreement on a resolution criticizsng Venezuela, with only 20 countries backing the proposal.

St Kitts-Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica voted against the resolution, while Grenada, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago

and Antigua and Barbuda abstained. Jamaica and St Lucia backed the proposal.

The Mexican official told Reuters that officials from other Caribbean countries will be present in Jamaica when Videgaray visits the island, adding that the Caribbean trip represents an attempt to end the stalemate in the June OAS meeting.

“It’s a result of Cancun.

There was a bloc in the Caribbean that wasn’t pulling in the same direction as the OAS,” he added. (Excerpt from

Jamaica Observer)

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, February 17, 2018

ARCHIE

Making a financial gain or negotiating a deal is fea(March 21tured. Step up and wheel and April 19) deal. If you leave this task to someone else, you won’t do as well.

ARIES

Share your feelings with TAURUS someone you love and re(April 20- spect. A joint effort will help May 20) you hash out all your problems, and although it won’t be easy, the results will be worthwhile.

dilbert

TODAY’S WORD — FEARSOME (FEARSOME: FEER-sum: Capable of causing fear.)

Average mark 34 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 49 or more words in FEARSOME? The list will be published today.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — TENSILE

teen tense tile tine tinsel elite else enisle enlist ensile nest nestle seen seine

Peanuts

senile sent silent silt sine site sleet slit snit steel stein stele stile inlet

Calvin and Hobbes

inset isle islet istle lees lenis lens lent lest lien line lint list listen

A legal or financial disGEMINI (May 21- pute should be handled careJune 20) fully. Anger is never a good way to deal with controversy if you want to move forward.

Look for an appropriate solution.

Get involved in projects that will help you advance.

(June 21- Revamping your resume or July 22) exploring new ways to use your skills will encourage you to take on a new position or income opportunity.

CANCER

Discuss what you want LEO to see happen and get the (July 23- go-ahead. If you are open to Aug. 22) suggestions, it will help you bring about changes that will encourage saving and ease stress.

You may have a good plan, VIRGO but don’t expect things to run (Aug. 23smoothly when it comes to Sept. 22) settlements, joint finances or issues that affect your health.

Have a good excuse at the ready.

You’ll be drawn to someLIBRA (Sept. 23- one who requires assistance.

Oct. 23) What you get in return will be a lesson or experience that will serve you well when you deal with future relationships.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD —NEGATED

SUDOKU

Someone close to you SAGITTARIUS will take advantage of your (Nov. 23generosity and good nature.

Dec. 21) Offer nothing more than affection. Make positive personal changes. A new look and a healthier lifestyle are encouraged.

(NEGATED: nih-GATE-ed: Nullified; ruled out; denied.)

Average mark 15 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 21 or more words in NEGATED? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — ASCRIBES acre arise arsis saber sari scab scabies scar scare scribe sear serac

sire caber carb care caress caries case cire crab crass cress crib

cries crises rabies race raise rase rice rise bare baric base baser

basic basis bass bear bias bier brace braise brass brassie bris

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

Old habits are hard to SCORPIO break.

Look at the mistakes (Oct. 24you’ve made and the people Nov. 22) who have been bad influences or have taken advantage of you, and alter your course.

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle

Getting together with an CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- old friend or attending a reJan. 19) union will do you good and give you something to think about. Be proud of your accomplishments instead of envying others.

Take up a creative hobAQUARIUS by or show a greater inter(Jan. 20est in different cultures, lifeFeb. 19) styles or beliefs. What you learn will encourage you to improve your own life.

PISCES Getting angry will not (Feb. 20- help solve a problem. Address March 20) matters head-on, and if you must step down or make a move, you’ll end up further ahead when you do so.

saturDAY, february 17, 2018

19

Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series…

Australia ace record chase E

– Guptill hits 49-ball ton

den Park was transformed into a T20 batting paradise as Australia pulled off a world-record run chase in Auckland, reducing Martin Guptill's 49-ball hundred and a host of other records - to a footnote. D'Arcy Short and David Warner hammered aggressive fifties to set the tone of the reply and Australia's middle order kept the pedal to the metal at a stage where New Zealand had stuttered to seal victory with more than an over to spare.

The stands were peppered for 32 sixes - equalling the T20I record - as the oddshaped boundaries at Eden Park produced a lop-sided match in which batsman were able to swing with impunity and bowling became an exercise in damage limitation. No team had successfully chased as many in all T20 cricket.

New Zealand were left to rue a passage at the back end of their innings when they didn't score a boundary for 18 balls, but the point at which the game tipped decisively came in the 17th over of the chase. Australia needed 42 from 24 but Ben Wheeler, in the side after an injury to Mitchell Santner, delivered a no-ball that Aaron Finch struck for six, followed by a four and another high full toss.

Wheeler was removed from the attack, the equation had become 29 from 23,

D’Arcy Short hit three sixes and eight fours in his T20I maiden 50 (@AFP)

and although his replacement, Trent Boult, had Short caught behind top-edging a pull, another four and a six from Finch left Australia needing less than a run a ball. Finch's unbeaten 36 off 14 at No. 5 provided a muscular contrast with the way New Zealand had faltered and it was probably apt that he finished things off with the final six of a gluttonous encounter.

Australia had ransacked

their way to victory, leaving Guptill in the shade despite several personal milestones.

Their fourth win from four in the tri-series left the home fans muttering quietly to themselves but would have been cheered down in Hamilton, as it helped keep England in with a chance of pipping a shell-shocked New Zealand to a place in the final.

Guptill became the leading run-scorer in all T20 in-

ternationals, surpassing Brendon McCullum, while also striking the fastest hundred by a New Zealander (one delivery quicker than McCullum) and moving up above his former teammate to second on the alltime six-hitting list, too. But from Guptill's dismissal in the 17th over, New Zealand stumbled. Kane Richardson picked up two wickets as New Zealand lost 4 for 12 and it required a couple more sixes from Ross Taylor - one of which was competently held by a fan in the crowd wearing a sponsor's shirt - to ensure the innings didn't dribble to a conclusion.

This was a night to make bowlers question their life choices. AJ Tye conceded 64 from his four overs, soothed a modicum by two wickets, but he could probably spare some sympathy for New Zealand's Wheeler, who was left with 0 for 64 from just 3.1. Perversely, the most economical bowler on either side - Ashton Agar - did not deliver his full quota.

Having been on the receiving end of untrammelled aggression from Guptill and Colin Munro, who struck six sixes of his own in making 76, Australia's openers took the Spinal Tap route and turned the amps up to 11.

Short's first three boundaries all came off the edge of the bat - the first flying all the way over the rope at third man - and he might

Gavin Kennard Memorial RaceWalk heads to Mon Repos T he cream of the country’s race-walkers in all categories will match steps on Sunday February 18 when the Cavaliers Sports and Tour Club stages the Gavin Kennard Memorial 10k memorial Race-Walk in memory of one of the country’s most prominent sons.

The race-walk will commence at 06:30h at the Guyana School of Agriculture, Mon Repos East Coast of Demerara and proceeds to the main highway before returning to the

The late Gavin Kennard

place of origin for the finish.

There will be trophies, medals and other prizes at stake for the first top three finishers in the following categories; Male (seniors), Female (seniors), juniors, veterans and the differently abled.

Kennard was Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture between 1974 and 1980 and Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada who passed away on February 12, 2007 in Canada at the age of 86 years old.

have been caught on 18 gloving a pull at Tim Southee, but Tim Seifert could not hold on one-handed down the leg side.

Warner, whose run of poor form in white-ball cricket had extended 10 innings without a fifty, had 12 off seven balls when he twice latched on to Wheeler for leg-side sixes. Five wides over the keeper (among 20 extras down by the New Zealand attack) turned the fifth into a 22-run over, and Warner cleared the ropes two more times in the next as Australia equalled the Powerplay record of 91 in T20 internationals.

A 20-ball fifty from Warner had clearly shaken New Zealand's resolve, though he fell shortly after missing an attempted pull at Ish Sodhi's googly. Chris Lynn struck one towering blow before being caught

by Guptill - who had dropped him two overs before - but Short crashed two sixes and a four from his next four legitimate balls to keep Australia on track.

The final preliminary match is on Sunday when England will be looking for a resounding victory to sneak into the February 21 final against the red hot Australians. (ESPN

Martin Guptill has played 73 matches and has become the leading run getter in T20Is (@ AFP)

Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD New Zealand Innings (20 overs maximum) MJ Guptill c Maxwell b Tye 105 C Munro c Maxwell b Tye 76 TL Seifert† c Finch b Agar 12 MS Chapman hit wicket b Stanlake 16 C de Grandhomme b Richardson 3 LRPL Taylor not out 17 KS Williamson* c Tye b Richardson 1 BM Wheeler not out 1 Extras (lb-3, nb-1, w-8) 12 Total (For 6 wickets; 20 Overs) 243 Did not bat: TG Southee, IS Sodhi, TA Boult Fall of wickets: 1-132 (C Munro, 10.4 ov), 2-155 (TL Seifert, 12.5 ov), 3-212 (MJ Guptill, 16.4 ov), 4-220 (MS Chapman, 17.6 ov), 5-222 (C de Grandhomme, 18.2 ov), 6-224 (KS Williamson, 18.5 ov) Bowling Richardson 4-0-40-2 (w-2), Stanlake 4-0-43-1 (w1), Tye 4-0-64-2 (w-4), Stoinis

4-0-50-0 nb-1, w-1), Agar 3-0-24-1, Short 1-0-19-0 Australia Innings (target: 244 runs from 20 overs) DA Warner* b Sodhi 59 DJM Short c †Seifert b Boult 76 CA Lynn c Guptill b de Grandhomme 18 GJ Maxwell b Southee 31 AJ Finch not out 36 MP Stoinis run out (Wheeler/†Seifert) 4 AT Carey† not out 1 Extras (nb-2, w-18) 20 Total (For 5 wickets; 18.5 Overs) 245 Did not bat: AC Agar, AJ Tye, KW Richardson, B Stanlake Fall of wickets: 1-121 (DA Warner, 8.3 ov), 2-143 (CA Lynn, 11.1 ov), 3-199 (GJ Maxwell, 15.2 ov), 4-217 (DJM Short, 16.4 ov), 5-238 (MP Stoinis, 18.3 ov) Bowling Boult 3.5-0-42-1 (w2), Wheeler 3.1-0-64-0 (nb2, w-3), Southee 4-0-48-1 (w1), Sodhi 4-0-35-1 (w-1), de Grandhomme 3.5-0-56-1 (w-3)

20

Kohli’s 35th gives India 5-1 series

I

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, february 17, 2018

ndia’s Virat Kohli set a new batting record as he put on another masterclass with an unbeaten century against hosts South Africa on Friday to secure an easy eight-wicket victory and win the one-day international series 5-1.

India strode to a comfortable win at Centurion as they reached their victory target with 107 balls to spare after putting South Africa into bat and bowling them out for 204. India,

tal of 558 runs at an average of 198, easily eclipsing the previous mark of 491 runs achieved by team mate Rohit Sharma against Australia in the 2013-14 season.

South Africa had been hoping for a consolation win at the end of the series, but were again in trouble early in their innings as talisman AB de Villiers struggled once more with the bat and wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. Khaya Zondo, in only his third

Pybus’ appointment 'strategic' – Grave

C

CWI High Performance Director, Richard Pybus

India captain Virat Kohli finished the series with a staggering average of 198 runs per innings (BCCI photo)

SCOREBOARD

AB deVilliers woes with the bat continues upon his return to international cricket (BCCI photo)

who have taken over from South Africa as the world’s top-ranked ODI team, were 206 for two wickets in reply in another dominant performance with captain Kohli again leading from the front.

He scored 129 not out to set a new record for the most runs in a six-match ODI series. Kohli reached his 35th ODI ton in just 82 balls, was dropped on 103 and finished the six-matches with a to-

ODI, top scored with 54 as Shardul Thakur took 4-52.

South Africa were all out with 19 balls still to face, setting India a modest target that Kohli comfortably reeled in with a flourish of stroke play.

India, who lost the threematch test series 2-1, now play South Africa in three Twenty20 internationals at end of their two-month tour.

(Reuters)

South Africa Innings (50 overs maximum) AK Markram* c Iyer b Thakur 24 HM Amla c †Dhoni b Thakur 10 AB de Villiers b Chahal 30 K Zondo c Pandya b Chahal 54 H Klaasen† c Kohli b Bumrah 22 F Behardien c Bumrah b Thakur 1 CH Morris c Dhawan b Kuldeep Yadav 4 AL Phehlukwayo c & b Thakur 34 M Morkel c Iyer b Pandya 20 Imran Tahir c Kohli b Bumrah 2 L Ngidi not out 0 Extras (w-3) 3 Total (All out; 46.5 Overs) 204 Fall of wickets: 1-23 (HM Amla, 6.3 ov), 2-43 (AK Markram, 9.5 ov), 3-105 (AB de Villiers, 20.5 ov), 4-135 (H Klaasen, 30.3 ov), 5-136 (F Behardien, 31.2 ov), 6-142 (CH Morris, 33.3 ov), 7-151 (K Zondo, 36.6 ov), 8-187 (M Morkel, 43.4 ov), 9-192

(Imran Tahir, 45.4 ov), 10-204 (AL Phehlukwayo, 46.5 ov) Bowling Thakur 8.5-0-52-4 (w-3), Bumrah 8-1-24-2, Pandya 10-0-39-1, Kuldeep Yadav 100-51-1, Chahal 10-0-38-2 India Innings (target: 205 runs from 50 overs) S Dhawan c Zondo b Ngidi 18 RG Sharma c †Klaasen b Ngidi 15 V Kohli* not out 129 AM Rahane not out 34 Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-5) 10 Total (For 2 wickets; 32.1 Overs) 206 Yet to bat: SS Iyer, MS Dhoni †, HH Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, SN Thakur, JJ Bumrah, YS Chahal Fall of wickets: 1-19 (RG Sharma, 3.4 ov), 2-80 (S Dhawan, 12.4 ov) Bowling Morkel 7-0-42-0 (w2), Ngidi 8-1-54-2 (w-3), Morris 6-0-36-0, Phehlukwayo 4-027-0, Imran Tahir 7.1-0-42-0

ricket West Indies has defended the re-hiring of the former director of cricket Richard Pybus as a ‘strategic’ one in light of strong opposition outside of the organization to the move.

Pybus’ previous tenure in the Caribbean, which began in 2013 and lasted for three years could be described as a stormy one as it often featured spats with the region’s elite players. In light of his return, a few former players and officials have not just taken exception to the re-hiring but also the method in which it was done.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave has since confirmed that the post was in fact not advertised, but that the board were confident Pybus was the right man for the job.

"Everyone, including the senior management at CWI, is behind Pybus' appointment," Grave told ESPNcricinfo.

"It is a strategic appointment," he added.

"It is a two-year consultancy role and it is specifically to do with establishing the HPC at the Coolidge Cricket Ground [in Antigua]. And ensuring the franchise-based Professional Cricket League that Richard set up four years ago becomes an even more elite, professional environment."

CWI recently revamped its retainer contract system for players competing in regional competitions last month, but Grave argued there was a lot more work to be done before the Caribbean product could compete with the best domestic competitions abroad. With the experience of already working in the region under his belt, Grave argued Pybus fit the role perfectly.

"Richard is specifically coming in to work with our franchise teams, establishing the HPC in Antigua, and to allow us to produce better cricketers on the international stage," Grave said.

(Sportsmax)

Afghanistan seals series win over Zimbabwe

– Mujeeb bags maiden 5-for

M

ujeeb Ur Rahman's maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs led Afghanistan to a series-clinching ten-wicket win over Zimbabwe, with one match still left to play. The win confirmed Afghanistan would end the series at No. 10 in the ICC ODI rankings, one place above Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan have now won four of the five ODI series between these two sides, the other ending in a 2-2 draw.

Mujeeb, aged 16 years and 325 days, also became the youngest to clinch a fivefor in ODIs - beating Waqar Younis' record, who had clinched his first five-for aged 18 years and 164 days.

Zimbabwe chose to bat first and were immediately pushed onto the back foot by Mujeeb's mystery spin. Opening the bowling, as usual, he sent back Solomon Mire and Hamilton

Masakadza - both openers bowled - in his first spell, leaving Zimbabwe 15 for 2.

Brendan Taylor counterattacked, hitting two sixes in one Mujeeb over and rushing to 30 at over a run a ball before falling to Sharafuddin Ashraf's leftarm spin. Either side of his dismissal, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan also struck key blows to reduce the visitors to 74 for 5.

Craig Ervine kept fighting at one end, but no one

Mujeeb became the youngest to clinch a five-for in ODIs

stayed with him long enough as Afghanistan's spinners kept making regular incisions. Mujeeb returned to the attack in the 28th over to send back Graeme Cremer and Kyle Jarvis off successive balls, the latter bowled through the gate by a perfectly pitched offbreak.

Eventually, a last-wicket stand of 31 between Ervine and Blessing Muzarabani - who made a 17-ball duck - took Zimbabwe to 134.

Ervine ended up unbeaten

on 54 off 73 balls, having struck six fours and a six.

All ten Zimbabwean wickets fell to spin. Their innings only lasted 38 overs.

This meant there would be a dinner break just under an hour into Afghanistan's chase. By that point, they had already motored to 75 for no loss in 12 overs, with Mohammad Shahzad leading the charge with a 40-ball half-century and Ihsanullah going to the break on 17 off 31 balls.

Post-dinner, the roles were almost reversed.

Shahzad added 24 to his score off 33 balls, while Ihsanullah clattered 34 off 22, bringing up his half-century with the winning boundary off Ryan Burl in the 22nd over of the chase.

The final match in the series in on Monday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe Innings (50 overs maximum) SF Mire b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 9 H Masakadza b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 4 TK Musakanda c & b Mohammad Nabi 9 BRM Taylor† c Ihsanullah b Sharafuddin Ashraf 30 CR Ervine not out 54 Sikandar Raza lbw b Rashid Kh an 4 RP Burl c & b Mohammad Na bi 10 AG Cremer* c Ihsanullah b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2 KM Jarvis b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 TL Chatara c Ihsanullah b Rashid Khan 4 B Muzarabani b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 Extras (lb-1, w-7) 8 Total (All out; 38 Overs) 134 Fall of wickets: 1-14 (SF Mire, 3.5 ov), 2-15 (H Masakadza, 5.4 ov), 3-54 (TK Musakanda, 12.6 ov), 4-66 (BRM Taylor,

15.4 ov), 5-74 (Sikandar Raza, 18.2 ov), 6-88 (RP Burl, 23.4 ov), 7-98 (AG Cremer, 27.3 ov), 8-98 (KM Jarvis, 27.4 ov), 9-103 (TL Chatara, 28.5 ov), 10134 (B Muzarabani, 37.6 ov) Bowling Dawlat Zadran 7-2-220, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 10-050-5 (nb-2, w-2), Sharafuddin Ashraf 4-0-15-1, Mohammad Nabi 7-1-18-2, Rashid Khan 10-228-2 (w-1) Afghanistan Innings (target: 135 runs from 50 overs) Mohammad Shahzad† not ou t 75 Ihsanullah not out 51 Extras (lb-2, w-7) 9 Total (For no wicket; 21.1 Overs) 135 Did not bat: Asghar Stanikzai (c), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Nasir Jamal Bowling Jarvis 3-0-23-0 (w-3), Chatara 4-0-27-0, Cremer 8-138-0 (w-1), Muzarabani 4-025-0 (w-3), Burl 2.1-0-20-0

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Trophy Stall hands over Magnum Cup spoils

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O

rganisers of the Magnum Mash Futsal Cup, Legacy Promotions, received the winning trophies from popular suppliers Trophy Stall on Friday morning at their Bourda Market location.

At the simple handing over ceremony, representative of Trophy Stall, Eshwar Bharrat was proud to be associated with the futsal event.

“Just keep coming back to us every year and we will be here for you guys, we are proud to give youth the chance to express themselves and we are proud to be a part of this event so keep coming to us every year,” Bharrat adamantly noted.

Coordinator of Legacy Promotions, Dennis Reece highlighted that the match-ups set for the semi-final on Saturday should be “exciting”

and urged the fans to come and support their clubs.

Meanwhile, Lomel Johnson who thanked Trophy Stall for the support explained that because of the Elite League Football, the semi-final had to be pushed to Saturday but still expects full fan support for the final lap of the tournament.

The tournament will conclude this weekend with semi-finals on Saturday and the final on Sunday.

The semi-final will feature, Sparta Boss taking on Leopold Street while Bent Street will battle Silver Bullets.

All matches will be played at the National Gymnasium beginning at 21:00h.

Williams unveils 2018 machine W

illiams say they have no concerns that their inexperienced driver line-up will affect their performance in 2018, as they revealed images of their new car.

With Canadian Lance Stroll and Russian rookie Sergey Sirotkin, they have the least experienced lineup on the grid.

"If we didn't think they would do the job, we wouldn't put them in the car," team boss Claire Williams said.

She added: "As a team, the constructors' championship is the most important thing."

Both drivers bring substantial sponsorship budgets to the team, but Williams pointed out that Stroll, 19, scored only three points fewer than experienced team-mate Felipe Massa last season.

Stroll became the youngest man in history to score a podium finish and qualify on the front row, but was generally significantly slower than Massa during the season.

Russian Sirotkin, 22, was Renault's reserve driver last year and won the

Williams has unveiled its FW41 car for the 2018 Formula 1 season

Williams drive after impressing the team in a post-season test in Abu Dhabi last November.

Williams said she was "excited" about the season ahead.

"It's always quite nerve-wracking when you bring in a new talent," the deputy team principal said.

"But we have been doing it for years now and they have always paid off.

"Sergey did a phenomenal job for us at the Abu Dhabi test and I think he is going to surprise a lot of people this year.

"Lance has been working

really hard over the winter to make sure he delivers an even better performance for us than last year.

"I have no question in my mind that they can deliver for the year this year."

Williams also denied that the money Sirotkin and Stroll would bring was the main factor in the choice.

"Our decision-making process is so much more complex than just deciding to put a driver into the race seat because they have some cash," she said.

"Yes, we are an independent team, and yes, sponsorship is really difficult

to come by these days... so clearly if a driver has some financial backing then that is an added bonus, but it's not the foundation for a decision-making process at Williams."

Williams finished fifth last season and new technical chief Paddy Lowe, who moved from world champions Mercedes early last year, said they hoped to have made a much more competitive car this season.

He is one of a number of new leading engineers at the team, including former Ferrari and Renault aerodynamicist Dirk De Beer.

Lowe said he believed the team had made "some really good steps" with the new FW41.

Lowe said: "We're trying to achieve an element of step-change and not just a progression. We were two seconds or so a lap slower than the front-runners last year and that is something we are looking to close considerably."

Lowe acknowledged the threat faced by expected improved performances from McLaren, following their switch to Renault engines from Honda, and the factory Renault team. (BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, february 17, 2018

Bounty Farm Ltd Handicap Squash Tournament 2018…

Action heats up as big names advance

Part of the action between Joe Mekdeci (right) and Jonathan Antczak

A

ction in the ongoing Bounty Farm Squash tourney continued on Thursday evening with tons of exciting encounters at the Georgetown Club.

In the ‘A’ Category, the Verwey brothers were good in their respective matches with Nicholas (5) beating Ethan Jonas (-2) in a nail-biter. Jonas conceded the first game 12-15 but Nicholas then racked up 6 straight points to tie up the second game 15-13 before clawing his way up from 6-14 in the final game to take the match.

Meanwhile, Nicholas’s brother Joshua also had a tough match as he stepped up in a fight to the finish with Monisha Persuad; both games reaching 14 all before Joshua stitched it up 15-14, 14-14.

Nyron Joseph (-22) did not disappoint in the open Category coming from -22 to tire out Brian Young (8). After a master display, Joseph almost let it slip allowing a 14-all in the second game before finishing off the match 15-9, 15-14.

Samuel Ince-Carvalhal put in a valiant effort in the second game against Alex cheeks who had him at 1412 before Ince-Carvalhal dug deep to bring it to 14all, but he couldn’t bring it home and acrobatic Cheeks won in two straight games; 15-11, 15-14.

Also, Taylor Fernandes, father and son Mekdeci, Adam Alves, Ashley Khalil and Nicholas Naraine were among those to join Cheeks and Joseph as those who advance to the next rounds.

Scores for Thursday Evening: Open Category Adam Alves (5) beat Robert Natiello (10) 15-12, 13-15, 15-11.

Ashley Khalil (-4) beat Javid Rahaman (-2) 15-7, 15-7 Ian Mekdeci (8) beat Regan Pollard (-12) 15-3, 14-15, 15-3 Alex Cheeks (-2) beat Samuel InceCarvalhal (5) 15-11, 15-14 Nicholas Naraine (-12) beat Robert Hiscock (11) 7-15, 15-11, 15-11.

Joe Mekdeci (2) beat Jonathan Antczak (7) 15-14, 15-10 Taylor Fernandes (-4) beat John Maikoo (8) 15-14, 15-13 Nyron Joseph (-22) beat Brian Young (8) 15-9, 15-14

New LPL to clash with CPL, T20 Blast

Passionate Sri Lankan cricket fans welcome the return of a T20 franchise league

S

ri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has finalised dates for its Lankan Premier League (LPL) T20 tournament, but its ability to attract foreign talent may be limited due to scheduling clashes with the Caribbean Premier League and England's T20 Blast.

The LPL is scheduled to run between August 18 and September 10, while the CPL is set to be played from August 8 to September 16, and the English domestic season ongoing throughout.

The LPL will feature six teams in its inaugural edition.

Although the clash seems an oversight, perhaps there was no way around it. With the IPL taking up almost two months, and the southern-hemisphere T20 leagues being played roughly from December to January, the Sri Lankan board is hamstrung by a busy schedule, not to mention the island's monsoon season. An August-September window

Category A Ethan Jonas (-2) beat Nicholas Verwey (5) 15-12, 15-13, 15-14 Joshua Verwey (9) beat Monisha Persaud (13) 15-14, 15-14 James Mekdeci (5) beat Zachary Persaud (7) 8-15, 15-8, 15-10 Madison Fernandes (2) beat Jared Saul (12) 15-12, 15-11 Paige Fernandes (8) beat Grant Fernandes (13) 15-6, 15-8 Keenan Naraine (13) beat Noah Rahaman (13) 15-14, 15-14 Kirsten Gomes (0) beat Chad De Abreu (10) 15-12, 15-10 Demetrius De Abreu (-4) beat Kamir Khan (7) 15-12, 10-15, 15-10 Jason Gomes (7) beat Beau Fernandes (11) 15-8, 15-9 Louis DaSilva (6) beat Lajuan Munroe (12) 15-7, 15-8.

Michael Alphonso (-6) beat Teija Edwards (11) 15-11, 15-13 Lucas Jonas (2) beat Brenno DaSilva (13) 15-12, 15-11 Osmond Mack (10) beat Malia Maikoo (13) 15-1, 15-2

may be the best of a poor set of options.

There is, at least, a slight lull in the international cricket schedule in those months. SLC may target players from New Zealand, Bangladesh and Australia, with those teams likely to be free during this period.

Pakistan players could also be an option, particularly if their tour to Zimbabwe is called off.

As the T20 blast and the CPL in particular - are bigger-ticket tournaments, the LPL may struggle to attract the marquee players that other T20 tournaments boast.

Nevertheless, news of a high-profile Sri Lankan T20 tournament will be welcomed by local players, who have not had a regular domestic T20 tournament over the past few years.

SLC had hosted an IPLstyle T20 event in 2012, called the SLPL. That tournament collapsed after its first edition, largely due to lack of interest. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Grand pool competition billed for Caribbean Beat

C

aribbean Beat pool shop which is known for pool competitions on a regular basis is at it again. On February 25 they will be hosting an open tournament with the winner set to cart off $60,000 and a trophy compliments of Carib Beer.

All players must pay an entrance fee of $2,000 and will be given two complimentary bottles of Carib Beer and will have the opportunity of other huge prizes.

The second place winner will walk away with the V-Net Communications Trophy and $40,000, the third place finisher will win $20,000 and the Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop trophy while the fourth place finisher will gladly accept the Ariel Enterprise Trophy and $10,000.

The action begins at 13:00h at the popular Pike street and Stone avenue Campbellville location.

saturDAY, february 17, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

23

ICC Women’s World T20 West Indies 2018

Guyana officially declared as host By

Clifton Ross

G

uyana’s leg of the 2018 ICC Women's World T20 was unraveled on Friday during the official launching at the Umana Yana in Georgetown.

Attended by executives of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), local government officials and media operatives, the ceremony which saw the official ICC T20 bat being presented, made for a special prelude leading up to year end’s spectacle.

GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie during his brief moment at the podium said that it was certainly an honor to have such a prestigious competition gracing local shores. The GCB secretary made special mention of Minister George Norton whom all praises were directed to for ensuring the dream of making an event of such importance and magnitude, a reality.

He further said it was the Minister’s quick action and strong desires to help put Guyana further on the map; which was the catalyst behind Guyana’s success in hosting the event.

The highlight of the ceremony was given by West Indies’ lone female Director and ICC T20 Director Jennifer Nero, who delivered an empowering address to the nation. Nero said the entire event was special in many ways not only for Guyana but the two other hosts; Antigua and St Lucia.

Minister Dr George Norton along with national cricketers, from left; Heema Singh, Cherry Ann Fraser and Mandy Mangru strike a pose with the symbolic bat

She recognized the efforts of the local cricketing body, including the executives of the GCB and the Government of Guyana whom she showered with praises for ensuring that the country’s rich heritage continues with the first ever standalone international tourney.

Usually the West Indies ladies, the current defending World T20 champs would have been playing alongside the males during the campaign. Rather this year’s edition which will be Guyana’s third Cup will highlight the importance of women’s progression and success in cricket.

Nero added that the spectacle was “An Open invitation to Guyana” and hoped that it will widen the horizon with Guyana and the rest of the world.

In closing, she hailed the three nations for meeting all the necessary re-

quirements fit for hosting a World Cup and hoped that in return it will aid in their developments.

She said, discovering new champs for the West Indies, providing a legacy, engaging with the Windies fans, economic impact, worldwide media attention and the opportunity to host more international matches can all be extracted from being hosts of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Minister of Social Cohesion/Sport Norton during his brief remarks said the country itself exhibited high levels of competency in order to reach all the required mandates. He went on to say that Women’s cricket which saw its first international match being played on 1934 had certainly changed.

Norton added that while in the early 1900’s the stakes were barrels of

Women Power! From left; Assistant Director of Sport Melissa Dow Richardson, Jennifer Nero and Permanent Secretary Melissa Tucker of the Ministry of Social Cohesion wrapped their hands around the Women’s World T20 Trophy

ale and laced gloves, due to the women playing being maids, these days players stand to rake in millions of dollars annually.

He further confirmed that Guyana’s hosting of the Cup will feature warm up preliminaries which will run up to 8 days. Some 10 teams will play in 2 groups of 5. With warm up games set to bowl off from November 4, the Minister promised to work with CWI and GCB to make the event a success, adding that the move will further help Guyana embrace gender equality through cricket.

In a video clip, ICC Chief Executive Officer David Richardson said that is was good for the Windies women to have the honor of defending their cup on home soil in an event that will showcase the talent of each country.

He said women’s cricket itself was the perfect crossover of sport and entertainment mixed with dedication and determination. “I believe that T20 is one of the fastest and the competition will help supercharge the country's growth in one of the greatest celebrations of women's cricket,” he said.

Tournament Operations Manager Fawwaz Baksh in his vote of thanks, credited the hard work of all the entities involved, saying “It takes a tremendous effort to make this a success” and further extended wishes to the government and the ICC for putting Guyana on the map.

The next stop will be St Lucia on Tuesday, February 20 and the three-country tour will end in Antigua and Barbuda on Friday, February 23.

Willian stars as Chelsea beat Hull 4-0 O

Willian scored in the second and 32nd minutes in the comfortable win at home

livier Giroud and Willian helped Chelsea thrash Hull City to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals - and boss Antonio Conte says they have given him "good doubts" about his team to face Barcelona on Tuesday.

Willian was fantastic throughout against the Championship strugglers and scored the opener with a curling effort from outside the box.

Pedro scored the second when he slipped the ball under David Marshall after latching onto Cesc Fabregas' excellent halfway line

pass.

Willian then scored his second from 25 yards after playing a one-two with Giroud.

The France striker then scored his first goal since his move from Arsenal - a smart finish from close range following debutant Emerson Palmieri's left-wing cross.

Hull improved slightly after the break and David Meyler had a penalty saved by Willy Caballero.

Willian almost wrapped up a first career hattrick late on, but he hit the post from 20 yards.

Chelsea will discover their next FA Cup opponents on Saturday at 20:00 GMT.

After that comes Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg at home to Barcelona.

Conte told BBC Sport: "It was a positive night, Olivier Giroud got his first goal and Willian had an impressive performance.

"For sure when I go home, I have many good doubts because I have to try to make the best decision for Tuesday and to have many options is good for me and good for the team."

Conte's Premier League champions are 19 points off leaders Manchester City, and face the La Liga leaders in the Champions League - so the FA Cup is probably their best chance of winning a trophy. (BBC Sport)

saturDAY, february 17, 2018

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

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ICC Women’s World T20 West Indies 2018

Guyana officially declared as host Minister George Norton poses with the commemorative bat along with the ICC Women’s World T20 Trophy while other key stakeholders share the moment on Friday at the Umana Yana (Carl Croker photo)

CWI/ Regional Super50 Cup 2018

Hemraj, Barnwell put Jaguars in semis

– Walton hits 105 in vain

Guyana Jaguars beat Jamaica Scorpions by four wickets in Friday’s day/night game at Coolidge to advance to the semifinals of the Regional Super50. Set a revised target of 212 from 40 overs after rain interrupted the run chase, the Jaguars were taken over the rope by Christopher Barnwell with 56 and Chandrapaul Hemraj 80 to finish on 213-6 from 38.4 overs. Earlier, the Jamaica Scorpions made 264 for 8 from their 50 overs with captain Chadwick Walton hitting his second ton of the series. See full details in Sunday’s edition of the Guyana Times

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Sport: sport@guyanatimesgy.com Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 SALES AND MARKETING - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

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