Guyanatime 21 february 2018

ExxonMobil contracts Bristow for helicopter services locally P11

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Issue No. 3481

PRICE

Govt collected over $1B in environmental tax in 2017

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Govt financing 45% of GWI operational costs

…as company admits it can clear costs P9 without rates' hike

Page 3

…no concrete plans outlined for usage of funds

Granny killer jailed for 23 P11 years

"Kick down the door" robbery

Enmore families brutalised, robbed by gunmen Page 9

Puruni Landing operations under microscope Page 7

Boat bursts into flames, sinks in Moruca River

…injured captain, sailor rescued P9

4 years for Buxtonian P8 charged with $3.3M robbery Hugh Ghanie Park residents decry deplorable roads, poor drainage P13

Amelia's Ward Primary

…businesses encroaching on road Page 16

Wales job fair

Misleading: 800 persons were not hired “on the spot” – PSC

"Fix it" – P15 Region 10 Chairman demands 6 nabbed P10 with ganja in speaker box

…says fired sugar workers were placed on waiting list Region 1 political interference

Opposition concerned about integrity of birth certificate issuing process Page 7

Missing US$5M

P12

Negotiations for GT&T shares' payment for March deadline

– as NICIL denies collecting outstanding monies

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news

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wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Wednesday, February 21 – 05:00h-06:30h and Thursday, February 22 – 09:00h-10:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, February 21 – 07:25h-08:55h and Thursday, February 22 – 08:05h-09:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Lightly cloudy skies with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, with partly cloudy skies in the evening. Overall temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to North North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 08:05h and 20:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.59 metres and 2.51 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 14:03h reaching a minimum height of 0.62 metre.

SATURDAY, february 17, 2018

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tuesDAY, february 20, 2018

DAILY MILLIONS 07 10 18 25 26 LUCKY 3 4 6 5 Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE 03

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Govt collects over $1B in environmental tax …no concrete plans outlined for usage of funds

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he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has managed to collect close to $1.2 billion in environmental taxes as of the end of last year, ever since its implementation on February 1, 2017.

This is according to GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia, who told Guyana Times on Tuesday that companies were generally compliant with this relatively new tax.

“Companies are compliant because we actually have officers going in and do the inventory and for importation they would have paid their environmental taxes of course,” he explained.

While noting the purpose of this special tax, Statia said since its implementation, it has also shown some progress in recycling and re-exports of bottles, something that never happened in the past.

The Commissioner General noted also that there has been a substantial reduction in plastic being used by local manufacturers, because “the GRA has a way in which we check the weight and so on”.

“And there is at least one company other than Banks DIH that recycles their plastic. And we give them a credit for what is recycled. It has been helping in a major way,” he posited.

The new environmental tax was implemented from February 1, 2017 by the GRA. A fee of $10 per bottle on non-returnable containers is now being charged.

However, even as Government rakes in millions from this tax, environmental analysts are worried that not much is being done to ensure that Guyana’s environment remains pristine.

This concern arose since no concrete plan has been outlined by Government on how this money would be used for proper environmental management.

The levy, which accords with amendments to Section 7A (1) of the Customs Act, Chapter 82:01, became applicable to non-returnable units imported, locally manufactured or produced in Guyana.

The Customs Act provides for the levy to be charged on every non-returnable unit of metal, plastic or glass container of any alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage or water, whether imported, locally manufactured or produced in Guyana.

The levy also applies to the said products whether they are imported and not warehoused or imported and removed from a warehouse, factory, bond or other place of storage. Exports, on the other hand, are exempt from the environmental levy.

The law outlines that any person who fails to pay the levy will be liable upon summary conviction to a fine of $50,000, together with a sum of twice the amount of the levy payable.

According to the explan-

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

atory memorandum, the environmental levy will be charged per unit on non-returnable containers of any beverage.

Under the previous Administration in the year 2013, the Opposition (now the Government) was opposed to a $5 levy for importers and local manufacturers of beverages in non-biodegradable containers.

But many of the then Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) who argued against the $5 levy for importers of bottles harmful to the environment threw their support behind the imposition of the $10 fee for all categories of bottles.

MP Anil Opposition Nandlall had raised concerns that these charges were imposed without any prior consultation with stakeholders, particularly businessmen.

In May last year, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ordered the Guyana Government to refund Trinidad-based beverage company SM Jaleel (SMJ) and its subsidiary in Guyana, the environmental tax im-

posed between 2011 and 2015 which can amount to millions of dollars.

CCJ President, Sir Dennis Byron had ruled that the taxes levied during this period were in violation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy rules.

In handing down the ruling, Sir Dennis stated that Guyana has been clearly unjustly “enriched” at the expense of SMJ and Guyana Beverages Inc (GBI), having collected an unlawful tax directly from them in clear breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Additionally, Guyana will also have to pay an aggre-

gate sum paid by the company to the Government in environmental tax from March 7, 2011 to August 7, 2015, together with interest at four per cent per annum from the date of judgment.

According to Sir Dennis, the environmental tax did not promote cross-border trade but tended to frustrate free movement of goods, distorted competition and discriminated against the companies which should have been protected as belonging to the Community.

Additionally, Guyana was ordered to pay 70 per cent of the cost of the court proceedings.

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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

Local Government and City Hall’s politics

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he existence of Local Government has always been defended on the basis that it is a crucial aspect of the process of democratisation and intensification of mass participation in the decision-making process. No political system is considered complete and democratic if it does not have a system of Local Government.

Local Government, therefore, serves a two-fold purpose.

The first purpose is the administrative purpose of supplying goods and services; the other purpose is to represent and involve citizens in determining specific local public needs and how these local needs can be met.

Back in 2016, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister and the current political Lleader of the United National Congress (UNC), Kamla Persad-Bissessar recognised the important role that local governance played in the wider scheme of things. In October 2013, her coalition Government lost the Local Government Elections (LGE).

Soon after, her Government was booted from office by the people who had complained over the highly unpopular policies being pursued by their elected local officials, the continuous problems being faced in their communities with respect to crime and the sad state of affairs there in relation to drainage and irrigation, and the road network.

It was also learnt from her post-mortem after being defeated, that one cannot underestimate the power of local democracy and the ballot, especially when people feel put upon or discontent with some policies.

She now remarked that “it is through Local Government that we understand the things people feel, not only what is reported in the news. It is through Local Government that we can touch the lives of people individually, encourage them, help them, support them and stand and fight with them.

This Local Government Election will be most important in taking down the face of arrogance that the Rowley PNM is hiding behind. We must show them that they will not be allowed to use political power as a weapon against people in the way they have… It will be challenging, difficult at times, and even discouraging.” Her words and experience should serve as a lesson to those Councillors and officials who are currently serving at the helm of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, which has, for the past few years, been dogged by a string of controversies relating to its mismanagement and poor administration of the affairs of Georgetown.

The situation has reached such a low that the city’s chief politician, Mayor Patricia Chase Green and her associates -- Town Clerk Royston King and Treasurer Ron McCalmont – are now expending their energies to fight the citizens, who elected them to office as they seek to ramrod two controversial projects down the throats of the electorate.

But at every level of the struggle, the citizens, who have united against the questionable Parking Meters Project and the plan to transfer lands at Bel Air Park in Georgetown, are winning.

The integrity of the Town Clerk and Mayor is being questioned daily as citizens voice their discontent with the mismanagement, misallocation and misuse of the Council’s scarce resources by the elites at City Hall. The fact that persons have already started to lobby the ruling People’s National Congress-led A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government to have King and Chase Green removed is also indicative of the level of widespread concern about their conduct and ability to perform. And the coalition Government has already signalled its disapproval of many decisions by the utterances of Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan.

Moreover, the recently-released Audit Report for 2016 has not helped in boosting the image of those at the helm of City Hall. It must change course. It must perform better.

Those officers who continuously stand against the residents of Georgetown must step down especially if the public does not hold confidence in them.

The Public Health Ministry launched its Mash band for 2018 under the theme “Empowering healthy living by promoting healthy lifestyles” on Tuesday. In photo, revellers decked out in their costumes ready for the Mashramani float parade on Friday

Suggestions to save sugar (Part 1) Dear Editor, On the evening of January 6, 2018, at the reception to observe India’s Republic Day, the Indian High Commissioner and Guyana’s President spoke at the event. Both of them alluded to India’s readiness to assist Guyana to develop the sugar industry.

That has put to rest some Government spokesperson’s claim that they knew nothing of this, which I had mentioned on several occasions before. Now, all have admitted that the offer is there for the taking.

Therefore, there is no sound reason to continue the programme to close estates. Indeed, the argument can be made not just to halt that programme, but also to reopen Wales Estate.

The reopening of the Wales Estate should be done now before its infrastructure is destroyed.

The task of GuySuCo’s management and the Government is to clearly identify the help that is

needed and to make concrete proposals to the Indian Government and allow the industry to emerge from its present difficulties and become prosperous again.

In this regard, I wish to make some proposals, not exhaustive, but some which I think can help change the fortunes of the industry.

In the first place, it is clear that we need to immune the industry from the crisis which has come from outside, that is mainly low prices on the international market.

To do so, we have to move towards producing new products. The PPP/C Administration had begun that process. It needs to be continued. New revenue streams must be pursued.

One of the important products that can be produced by GuySuCo is ethanol. This offers great possibilities. Ethanol can take the place of 10 per cent of the gasoline that is imported for vehicles immediately.

That would be a big revenue

enhancement to GuySuCo. The fact that GuySuCo is still State-owned and we have in our hands Guyoil, another State-owned company, helps to facilitate this easily. The two companies can partner to blend ethanol with gasoline and sell at the pumps. Both companies stand to gain greatly.

Our country can save valuable foreign exchange in reducing our gasoline imports for vehicles and equipment by 10 per cent.

This is another cost-cutting measure for GuySuCo, whose fuel bill is significant.

It can use fuel that it produces.

Moreover, it is a product that can be exported to many countries. That can earn us quite a bit of foreign exchange and enhance GuySuCo’s fortunes greatly.

GuySuCo was already pursuing a value-added policy.

We have established packaging plants at Blairmont and Enmore.

That can allow us to get higher prices for our sug-

ar and we can become independent of the world market prices. This process has gone a far way.

We have also seen the concern of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) in relation to getting molasses for its own distillery. It is also a fact that Banks DIH Limited spends millions to import raw alcohol to produce its brand of rum.

It is clear that both or one of these companies can partner with GuySuCo to produce raw alcohol right here. It would save our country the foreign exchange that Banks DIH Ltd now expends to import this product. It could earn money by supplying alcohol to our hospitals and export to the Caribbean. Banks DIH Ltd and DDL are already branded product, therefore, our returns here would be great. We could get premium prices.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

APNU/AFC fully responsible for woes of the city Dear Editor, Over the decades, the municipality of Georgetown was always won and controlled by the PNC, PNCR and now the APNU/AFC coalition, in which the PNCR holds the largest controlling representation. Their representatives have always held overwhelming voting control as elected Councillors, and have largely controlled the key Administrative Committees which effected planning, implementation of projects and evaluation of performance, regarding the services required for citizens of our capital city. It cannot

be denied, that their high level of continuous mismanagement has been replicated in the miserable failure results for decades.

The controlling influences in this APNU/AFC Government prove that they are hell bent on running this municipality as a one-party dictatorship until it becomes non-functional.

Their behaviour actually addresses the continuance of the one-seat majority tempo used in the National Assembly while in Opposition, as they sought to use every good project as a bargaining chip or bury

it. The results were so impacting in 2015 that they found themselves in the same hole they dug to bury the projects. They now demonstrate that they do not have a clue about getting out of it.

It is utterly repulsive that the Georgetown municipality did not conduct their election for the year 2017. By law, all the municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) must conduct their internal elections where Councillors would elect all the Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and the Mayors

and Deputy Mayors before the end of December of every year. However, the eye-pass continues in total disregard for the law of this country. The elected Councillors should be ashamed of themselves and wake up to earn some measure of respect.

The ingrained administrative failures and misappropriations that have resulted from the PNCR manipulations at City Hall justify the need for a forensic audit and a Commission of Inquiry. continued on page 5

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News

“Don’t play politics with Guyana’s oil and gas” – Ramson …calls for release of 2016 contract with Tullow and Eco

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t t o r n e y - a t law Charles Ramson Jr on Tuesday said the selective release of the CGX contract is the Government’s way of attempting to play political mitigation, and is nothing but a red herring seeking to deflect from a bad or “suckered” renegotiated deal with ExxonMobil after nearly three billion barrels of high quality oil were discovered in Guyana in March 2015.

Ramson noted that if Government released the contract with CGX in an attempt to say that “our terms

are not much different from the previous contracts, so do not beat us up,” then this is yet another example of the march of folly.

He added that the true test of whether the Government is protecting Guyana’s interest and patrimony are the fiscal terms contained in the contract/ licence signed in 2016 with the oil companies Eco and Tullow for the Orinduik Block, since that would have been signed after “we knew we had a proven petroleum system with commercial quantities of oil of high quality – let the

Attorney-at-Law Charles Ramson Jr

Government release that contract! Don’t play politics with Guyana’s oil”, he

charged.

Eco’s website reports that in “January 2016, Eco Atlantic signed a Petroleum Agreement and is party to an Offshore Petroleum Licence with the Government of Guyana and Tullow Oil for the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana. The 1800 km² Orinduik block is situated in shallow water 170 km offshore Guyana in the Suriname/Guyana basin, and is located 6.5 km from the recent ExxonMobil Liza discoveries.”

Ramson pointed out that all of the contracts/licences issued prior to the discov-

ery of commercial quantities of oil are only tangentially relevant. The contract with ExxonMobil was re-negotiated in 2016, so at that point we had a fairly good appraisal of what we had, and the Government should have secured a better deal.

“Even if you attempt to say that was our first contract, what did you get for Guyana with the contract/ licence with Eco and Tullow for the Orinduik block in 2016, which is adjacent to the Stabroek block, where the world class discovery was made and (is) likely to have fairly similar geolo-

gy? Don’t selectively release to try to beg for mercy”, he challenged.

The attorney added that the true test of whether the Government is trying to be transparent is not whether it released two contracts, but whether it released all the contracts.

“Release all the contracts and stop playing political cloak and dagger with Guyanese resources.

Guyana’s resources belong to all the Guyanese people, and not the Government, so release all the contracts now,” he demanded.

Jaipaul Sharma missed the point

Dear Editor, I believe Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma deliberately missed the point and put a political spin on a non-political issue when he recently attempted to justify the President’s decision to keep the US$18 million signing bonus from ExxonMobil a secret.

I say so because, according to media reports, Sharma tried to whitewash the two most controversial aspects of the signing bonus saga and deflected legitimate criticism by throwing up a smokescreen of rhetoric about perceived misdeeds of the past Administration.

Let me deal with the uncomfortable truths Minister Sharma tried to brush aside.

First, the act was unlawful, because the law required the bonus to be put in the Consolidated Fund. Second, the act was a secret kept by the President and a small band of insiders leaving most Cabinet Ministers and parliamentarians in the dark.

On this issue, Minister Sharma reportedly acknowl-

edged the law requiring Government to place such funds in the State’s account, but said there were “real” national security issues, alluding to problems with the Consolidated Fund in terms of converting US dollars to local currency and back again at a higher rate, etcetera.

Is the Minister saying that the Constitution does not provide ways of dealing with national security issues without violating the law? Is he saying that a president has discretionary power to define national security issues and to break any law, or all laws, to deal with them?

I do not accept that the President needed to break the law to protect the nation.

Mr Sharma also sidestepped the issue of the unusual secrecy of the deal.

Why put the money in a secret account and why keep this from most members of Cabinet and Parliament?

The funds should have been put in an escrow account with Cabinet approval and parliamentary scrutiny.

APNU/AFC fully...

When the APNU/AFC took office in 2015, the M&CC had a positive bank balance of $180 million, but that was not for long as the present Administration has spent ‘Wild West’. Information received indicates that the Councillors were given fake statements and reports when they sought details in preparation of the Municipality 2018 Budget.

In addition, the Councillors were asked to consider the statements without any proper explanations.

Further, inside sources informed me that the staff strength at the M&CC is more than 1000. Given that the monthly payroll is in excess of $130 million, why is everything that is being done contracted out to private contractors?

It is also known that the Georgetown M&CC owes millions of dollars in deductions

Guyana’s need to put funds aside to pay for the best legal representation possible in its controversy with Venezuela is quite obvious.

Indeed, Venezuela would be foolish not to expect Guyana to do so. So why treat such an obvious and necessary provision as a national security issue requiring great secrecy?

I do not buy Sharma’s take on it at all.

To me, a government that was elected on a platform of honesty, accountability, and transparency has no business getting involved in secret accounts that are only accessible to the President and a small group of confidantes. A law-abiding government’s actions must be above suspicion; this is not.

The signing bonus rightfully belongs to the people of Guyana. The rightful owners and their elected representatives in Cabinet and Parliament had a right to know about it up front: how much it is, where it is deposited, what it is to be used for, how it will be accessed and who is authorised to access

From page 4

from workers’ salaries for remittance to the GRA and NIS. Utility companies such as GPL and GWI are also owed even as monies continued to be expended with very little accountability as to when these payments would be made.

As the residents and businesses are asked to pay more in taxes, other miscellaneous fees are imposed on them, including fees for garbage collection, while the services provided continue to remain poor and sub-standard. Various areas in the city and its surroundings that the municipality has responsibility for continue to be flooded despite the millions of dollars that were expended over the last two years to address the drainage issues. Negligence is the order of the day and the commitment to provide the necessary services to the rate payers is been put aside for more monies to be spent on overseas

travelling and benefits for the elite few at the Council.

The APNU/AFC leaders on the Council are fully responsible for the woes of the city. The AFC, like the PNC, has proven that it cannot be trusted, as the promises have turned full circle and are now held like the swords of Damocles over our heads.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

it.

No law should have been violated in the handling of the signing bonus and its availability and proposed purpose should have been disclosed to Cabinet and Parliament. At least, it should have been disclosed that funds have been earmarked for a national security purpose to be disclosed at an appropriate time.

Minister Sharma had an opportunity to offer the nation an apology and give citizens the assurance that this deception will not be repeated. Instead, he opted to do damage control by shifting the focus of his remarks to the transgressions of the past Administration.

But note that the past Administration had committed transgressions and the people, the official bosses of this country, fired them. In the same way, if transgressions are being committed again, the people will fire the transgressors.

I find it strange that the

President of Guyana, His Excellency, David Arthur Granger, a man I have respect for, would take so long to acknowledge that he was responsible for the clandestinely entombed account.

Being a man of honour, he must realise that people

have a high regard for him.

Is it possible that he did not know about the entombed account and only claimed responsibility for politically expedient reasons?

Sincerely, Roshan Khan Sr

Two wrongs do not make it right Dear Editor, The article appearing in sections of the media implying that the duty-free provisions for ExxonMobil negotiated by the current Government are the same as what was negotiated between CGX and the previous Government appears to be condoning the lame-duck argument that ‘two wrongs= one right’! One logical ex-

tension of such flawed arguments is that there is no need to change Governments and, therefore, the previous government (irrespective of its philosophy/following, etc) should be allowed to rule ad infinitum!

What a frightening thought, enh!

Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

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Foundation

Messenger Kids has helped them stay in touch with their children and has ore than 100 child health exenabled their children to stay in touch perts are urging Facebook to with family members near and far. withdraw an app aimed at un"For example, we've heard stories of der-13s. parents working night shifts being able In an open letter to Facebook boss to read bedtime stories to their chilMark Zuckerberg, they call Messenger dren, and mums who travel for work Kids an "irresponsible" attempt to engetting daily updates from their kids courage young children to use Facebook. while they're away."

Facebook is forging The letter questions ahead with its messagwhether there is a need ing app for kids despite for Facebook to fulcriticism from child exfil such a role, saying: perts. The company "Talking to family and launched Messenger friends over long disKids last Wednesday on tances doesn't require a Android; the app landMessenger Kids account. ed on Amazon devices in "Kids can use parJanuary. ents' Facebook, Skype, Children's advocates or other accounts to are pressing the comchat with relatives. pany to shut it down, They can also just pick children’s od social media is for go w while others question ho n up a phone." tio ks es lin g qu s tin Studie e sugges wing body of evidenc Facebook's financial ties s The letter cites a ter gs un health. There is a gro yo in use and depression with advisers who providrange of research linkbetween social media ed input. Young children ing teenagers' social media use are not ready to have soc i a l healthy development. with increased depression and anxiety. media accounts, they say.

"Adolescents who spend an hour a "Younger children are simply not Facebook says the app was designed ready to have social media accounts. day chatting on social networks report with online safety experts in response "They are not old enough to navi- less satisfaction with nearly every asto parental calls for more control over gate the complexities of online rela- pect of their lives. how their children used social media. tionships, which often lead to misun"Eighth graders [13- to 14-yearIt is a simplified, locked-down ver- derstandings and conflicts even among olds] who use social media for six to sion of Facebook's Messenger app, re- more mature users." nine hours per week are 47 per cent quiring parental approval before use, In response, Facebook said: "Since more likely to report they are unhappy and data generated from it is not used we launched in December we've heard than their peers who use social media for advertising. from parents around the country that less often." (BBC News) The open letter says: "Messenger

By Jane Wakefield

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Kids will likely be the first social media platform widely used by elementary school children [four- to -11-yearolds].

"But a growing body of research demonstrates that excessive use of digital devices and social media is harmful to children and teens, making it very likely this new app will undermine children's

guyanatimesgy.com

Ashley Anthony

news

Region 1 political interference

Opposition concerned about integrity of birth certificate issuing process

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

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pposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, has said the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) is paying keen attention to reports of political interference in the work of the Guyana Registration Office’s Outreach Team in Region One (Barima-Waini)

by Government MP Richard Allen.

Reports are that Allen is directing the outreach team which areas they should visit and to whom they should issue new birth certificates. In some instances, Allen is even uplifting birth certificates and issuing them to civilians.

Teixeira said the Opposition PPP/C are aware of the Government MP embedding himself in the work of the GRO and ultimately bringing into question the integrity of the process.

“It is alarming that a politician is involved in this; and his active involvement in

guiding the team in issuing birth certificates in Region One and taking back birth certificates that were issued and distributing them brings into question the integrity of the process,” she noted.

“It obviously equates the question about what could and could not happen in relation to the (voters) list, because right now there is continuous registration going on and claims and objections period as well,” Teixeira added.

She called on the GRO to launch an investigation into the incident, to ensure there is an investigation launched to determine whether the integrity of the process was compromised or not.

Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley was the one who brought the issue to light in a statement to the media. He identified Allen as interfering in the business of several state agencies and elected bodies in the region.

The Citizenship Ministry Outreach Team is currently in the region, and is reported to would have registered over 170 persons for birth certificates in two days.

However, Ashley is questioning the process used to identify the persons for birth certificates, since, according to the ministry, “the team is being guided by Allen.”

“Local Government elections are due this year, and birth registration documents are critical for the national registration of voters. In the

Government MP Richard Allen

past, the toshaos and other community leaders have been the ones who have worked with the GRO team, as they are knowledgeable of the eligibility of residents in their communities. However, M.P Allen’s accompanying and directing the GRO team to who needs birth certificates, and subsequently distributing birth certificates, is highly questionable and suspect,” Ashley noted.

He also identified that Allen is distributing pension books to residents, despite the Social Protection Ministry informing the Regional Democratic Council that “no individual that is not employed by the Social Protection Ministry can uplift pension books to distribute.”

Additionally, he noted that Allen has all these privileges despite not being employed with any state agency in the Region.

Minority interest acquired in Eco's Guyana subsidiary

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co (Atlantic Oil & Gas Ltd), an oil and gas exploration company with licences in highly prospective regions in South America and Africa, has announced that Eco (Guyana) Oil and Gas (Barbados) Ltd, has acquired the remaining six per cent interest in its Guyana operations.

Eco Guyana holds a 40 per cent working interest in the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana, with the remaining 60 per cent held by Tullow Oil. The acquisition is being effected via share purchase agreements entered into between Eco Barbados and the minority shareholders of Eco Guyana (the “Minority Shareholders”).

The total consideration paid by the Group will be US$200,000, with US$100,000 payable upon closing, expected to be on February 27, 2018, and US$100,000 payable 60 days thereafter, in addition to the issuance of a total of 1,700,384 common shares of the company. The common shares, which will be issued to the minority shareholders, represent approximately one per cent of the company’s share capital on a fully diluted basis.

According to a release, the closing of the acquisition is conditional upon TSX reg-

ulatory approval and admission of the Common Shares to trading on AIM. “In connection with the acquisition, each minority shareholder has agreed not to dispose of more than onethird of (its) common shares, issued to them at closing of the acquisition, for a period of 90 days. An additional one-third of the common shares issued to each minority shareholder may be disposed of from day 91 after closing, with the remaining common shares held by the minority shareholders being eligible to be disposed of after 181 days following issuance.”

Application will be made for the admission to trading on AIM of the 1,700,384 com-

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mon shares issued to the minority shareholders in conjunction with the acquisition of the Eco Guyana shares. Admission is expected to take place March 5.

Following admission, it is understood, the issued share capital of the company will consist of 159,195,217 common shares.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (Exxon’s subsidiary) is the operator, and holds a 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds a 25 per cent interest.

Puruni Landing operations under microscope …businesses encroaching on road

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inister within the Natural Resources Ministry, Simona Broomes, is examining how operations at mining landings, particularly Puruni, can be better regularised.

Puruni Landing is strategically located in Mazaruni, Region Seven, and connects the lower and middle Mazaruni in Mining District Three. It is a thriving business hub and many miners have taken up residence there, with elaborate buildings and structures, some of which encroach on the roadway and water crossing.

While the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) grants yearly licences for business and residential purposes in mining districts, however, that permission does not include the establishment of permanent structures.

“So all these buildings that are going up around here, they are going up at a risk: no permission. Meaning to say, if somebody comes tomorrow and say, you got to take it down, you got to take it down,” Minister Broomes told miners and shop operators during a meeting on Sunday at the Puruni Landing.

Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC), Trevor Benn accompanied the min-

A section of Puruni Landing

ister on her follow-up visit to the Puruni Landing. During the meeting, Benn encouraged operators to visit the GLSC’s Bartica Office to regularise their status.

“For those of you who want to make the area your residence, your home, you have no security of tenure. You have no security to the land that you are on, and the only way you can do that is by applying to get a full lease for the land that you are occupying,” Benn is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

The GLSC will be working with the GGMC to survey the area and plan the way forward to ensure regularisation is achieved. Minister Broomes pointed out this is critical to the development of infrastructure at Puruni.

“Some businesses that are encroaching on the road got to be moved; (those) businesses that will disturb the develop-

ment that is coming that way.

So it is very, very important,” Minister Broomes noted.

Government has budgeted for the construction of a bridge over the Puruni River, where the crossing currently exists.

Meanwhile, Minister Broomes pointed out that regularisation is also aimed at deterring those who are exploiting the system.

She explained that business operators and miners are paying paltry sums for their licences, while erecting extravagant buildings and businesses in these mining districts.

“GRA has to go in there with what is happening. The Guyana Gold Board…a lot of business (is happening) right there.”

The minister will also be collaborating with other ministries and agencies to address other issues, including security, trafficking, and health in the Puruni backdam.

8 news

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

4 years for Buxtonian charged with $3.3M robbery

S

haquille Wilburg, the 21-year-old mechanic, who was charged in October 2017 for carrying out a $3.3 million robbery at Brickdam, was on Tuesday afternoon jailed for four years

by Magistrate Annette Singh.

The Lot 14 Buxton Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident on Monday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and

changed his previous plea of not guilty to guilty.

The charge against Wilburg stated that on October 13, 2017, at Brickdam, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Linden Wilson of $3 million in cash along with two cellphones valued $300,000.

Wilburg had been on remand since his first appear-

ance on October 23, 2017.

When he appeared before the court on Tuesday, he told Magistrate Singh that he wished to change his plea and he was “very sorry”.

Magistrate Singh took into consideration the apology given by Wilburg and the fact that he did not further waste the court’s time, so she deducted one year from his sentence. Time served in

prison since the defendant was on remand was further deducted from the jail sentence.

The Magistrate then reprimanded Wilburg informing him that the life of crime did not pay. She advised the defendant that after serving his time, he could acquire additional certification in his profession of auto mechanic and get a high-paying job.

Teen slapped with attempted murder charge

N

ineteen-year-old Morris Khan of Lot 1 Old Road, Craig, East Bank Demerara was on Tuesday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on an attempted murder charge, which detailed that on February 15,

2018 at Old Road Craig, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Oswald O’Brien with intention to murder him.

Khan was not required to enter a plea to this indictable charge.

According to Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru,

the virtual complainant (VC) is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). Mangru revealed that on the day of the incident, Khan had taken up a bicycle bar and had dealt the VC several lashes about his body.

The VC fell to the ground and

was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the hospital, where he remains in a serious condition.

Khan was denied bail and was remanded to prison. The case will continue on March 16.

Return of…

T

…Kick-down-door bandits he horrific incident over in New Amsterdam of five armed “kick-down-the-door” (KDTD) bandits invading the home behind a modest shop of a couple and beating them mercilessly to force them to hand over their cash and jewellery didn’t receive banner headlines in the dailies. But it should since the incident is as significant as any of the headlined stories involving oil contracts and the Constitution.

It signals that – with the President’s promise of continuing Burnham’s legacy – the terror inflicted by the KDTD bandits from that era has returned. The modus operandi was the same – striking in the “heat of the night” when most law-abiding folks are asleep. While three bandits entered the home, two remained outside as lookouts. The ones inside viciously kicked the husband after gun butting him and when the wife protested there was no need for that since they were willing to give up all their valuables, she received several kicks for her pains.

They insisted there had to be more cash. A young son had a cutlass held to his neck and the two lookout bandits chased a relative who was returning after working till midnight. She luckily escaped and raised an alarm.

Ever since APNU/AFC got in, the incidence of KDTD banditry has been steadily increasing. A Google search spews out the sickening litany of attacks and violent beatings – “Bandits kick down door at Herstelling”; “Kickdown-the-door bandits execute Berbice domestic”; “Bandits kick down door, terrorise Glasgow family”; “Five armed ‘kick down the door bandits’ rob Sophia couple”….

And it goes on and on – just as it started in the late 1970s under Burnham and reached a crescendo in 1985.

The other type of headline that pops up tells the second part of the KDTD syndrome: “Dead bandit was prison officer; gun, ammo, stolen items found in his possession”.

During the Burnham days, it was common knowledge that House of Israel thugs were given arms – including those collected after Jonestown – and encouraged to break into homes of PPP supporters and violently terrorise them.

Soon, with PNC complicity, soldiers and Policemen loaned their arms to thugs to join in the new sport of “KDTD banditry”. This was noted for the first time in a Crime Chief release towards the end of 1979. Hoyte did introduce hanging by the end of the 80s and with Balram Ragubir at the head of the Police Force introduced some rough and ready methods and squads that ended the KDTD banditry. Until now.

Not so incidentally, when Granger complains of Government support for killing squads during the post1997 Troubles, he would know which government started the practice.

The dogs of war have been let loose again. …TT troubles?

While we Guyanese think of TT as the land of carnival, calypso and soca…they haven’t escaped the same contradictions gripping our poor mudland. It’s a reminder that even if the PNC allows some of our OIL money to trickle down, nothing much will change unless they change their ways. And one of those “ways” is convincing its supporters – like the PNM in TT – that bullyism and crime are OK, once it’s deployed against political opponents.

But the problem is, the criminals won’t stick to the script and start preying on their ‘own’ and – the Police who’re supposed to be their “kith and kin”. On Monday morning, a TT joint service patrol went into a slum area to arrest a convicted criminal. They ended up killing him – claiming he had a gun while neighbours insisted he was unarmed.

Mass protests began and large armed contingents had to be deployed to quell the burnings and blockades.

Will it be a turning point for TT like Shaka Blair was here? …GTT US$5M It’s really remarkable how “big” men could make serious claims against Guyanese patriots; be proven wrong but not a word of apology is ever uttered.

Remember when “Nassau” Trotman insisted the US$5 million for GTT shares had been paid to NICIL under the PPP??

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

News

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wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt financing 45% of GWI operational costs

…as company admits it can clear costs without rates’ hike

T

he Guyana Water Incorporated has sought permission to hike its fees, citing operational costs, but the entity’s own finance director has admitted that if the GWI can make all customers pay their fair share, a fee increase would be unnecessary.

The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly was treated to this surprising admission on Monday. Under questioning from PAC Chairman Irfaan Ali, GWI Finance Director Jaigopaul Ram admitted that 45 per cent of GWI’s operations are financed by Government, with the 2016 subvention for

GWI’s Finance Director, Jaigopaul Ram

electricity amounting to $1.8 billion.

A breakdown of GWI’s expenses was then provided. It was established that another 45 per cent of expenses being borne by the entity included salaries, maintenance and supplies, and 10 per cent related to miscellaneous expenses.

Ram admitted that if the entity could collect all its payments at the existing rate, an increase would not be necessary.

“If you were to collect all the rates from all your revenue at the existing rate,” Ali posited, “this means that there is no need for tariff increase. So your first objective would be that all

“Kick down the door” robbery

Enmore families brutalised, robbed by gunmen

T

wo Enmore, East Coast Demerara families were, in the wee hours of Tuesday, terrorised and robbed by three masked men who were all armed with handguns.

Chatterpaul Persaud and his wife were reportedly confronted by the gunmen at about 02:00h on Tuesday, after the gunmen had reportedly gained entry into the Persauds’ home via a door they pried open.

Upon entry into the home, the gunmen reportedly dealt Persaud several lashes to his head after he refused to cooperate in handing over his valuables. The men then bound the hands of their victims and proceeded to ransack the home.

During their search, the gunmen found a quantity of gold jewellery and an undisclosed sum of cash, which they bagged.

And after leaving the man’s home, they went to his mother’s home, which is adjacent to his.

There they held the 51-yearold woman at gunpoint and demanded cash and jewellery.

Out of the fear for her life, the woman cooperated and handed over a quantity of gold jewellery and a sum of cash.

Upon collecting same, the gunmen fled the scene.

Upon realizing that the men had left, Persaud managed to untie himself and his wife and raise an alarm. The injured man was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where he was treated. The Police have since launched an investigation into the robberies, but no arrest has as yet been made.

Meanwhile, there have been an increased in reports of home invasions.

Only, on Sunday evening a gang of five men, all armed with guns, invaded the Angoy's Avenue, New Amsterdam home of 44-year-old Ameer Bacchus and his 40-year-old wife Somawattie Bacchus, called

"Samantha".

Reports are the men at about 11:35h, invaded the Lot 767 Timmers Dam, Angoy's Avenue, New Amsterdam home which also houses a business in the lower flat.

Somawattie Bacchus told this publication that her husband went to open the gate for her brother when the gunmen pounced on them.

"Them start fuh kick he and then I ask why them beating he, why y'all don't take what ya'll want and go... I bend down fuh help me husband and then the bandit start to kick me up in my face and back and asking for my bangle and the cash," the still traumatised woman related.

This publication understands that the gunmen escaped with several cellular phones, a Samsung tablet, a total of $90,000 in cash and an estimated $200,000 in jewellery. An investigation has been launched.

your customers in the database are paying?”

The finance director concurred. He further revealed to the PAC that the utility company’s 2016 audited financial statements are completed. This comes after consumer representatives had demanded GWI make its statements available before seeking hikes in fees.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communities, Emil McGarrell, explained that subsidising GWI’s operational costs has been the case for years. This was done so that the rates to consumers could be maintained.

“Mr Chairman, for several years, the Ministry of Finance, out of a sum at the end of the year, would make payment to (Guyana) Power and Light on behalf of GWI, to cover its energy costs. That has been going back for as long as I can remember,” he disclosed.

“That was done as part of the Government’s continued assistance to (the) company, because it was obviously not charging economic rate for the supply of water. So one area was covered, and that was energy charges,” McGarrell ex-

plained.

Rates

For unmetered, residential properties, a monthly fixed charge of $500 along with $1,500 per month is on the table. Their metered counterparts face charges of $500 per month and $112 per cubic metre. For unmetered pensioners, a water usage charge of $740 per month is proposed, while the fixed charge will be waived.

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

Unmetered non-residential customers are charged based on the category of their operations… small, medium and large.

For all these categories a fixed monthly charge of $500 is proposed. In the case of small operations, it is proposed that $3,750 per month be charged,

while medium operations are facing a $12,000 charge. Large scale consumers can end up paying $24,000.

For the sewerage tariff, GWI is proposing $417 per month for residential customers and pensioners; while a monthly charge of $2,860 is being proposed for non-residential metered and unmetered small scale consumers.

Medium scale consumers are facing a monthly charge of $4,350 and large scale consumers $6,375 per month.

These charges exclude ancillary charges, which will encompass fees that include reconnection charges.

GWI was forced to defend its proposed increases to consumers at a public hearing at Cara Lodge on February 12. At the Public Utilities Commissionfacilitated hearing, however, Political Commentator Ramon Gaskin confronted GWI head on about the status of its audited financial statements, and when those would be available for public perusal.

In response, GWI CEO Dr Richard Van West-Charles had said that the entity was still in the process of finalising 2016 statements. Another public hearing on the GWI increases is scheduled for today.

Boat bursts into flames, sinks in Moruca River …injured captain, sailor rescued

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wo persons are now patients at the Suddie Hospital in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) after the boat in which they were travelling went up in flames while on the Moruca River in Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to Police reports, Ramesh Maniram was

captaining the vessel, named “Three Brothers”, and there were four sailors on board when it burst into flames.

Maniram and a sailor, Ventle Jainarine, are currently warded at the Suddie Hospital, nursing injuries to their lower limbs as a result of the fire.

The incident occurred at

about 10:00h, when a loud explosion was heard in the vicinity of the engine room. The fire quickly spread to other parts of the boat, resulting in the men being forced to abandon ship.

The names of the other sailors are yet to be released.

Police investigations are ongoing.

10 news 6 nabbed with ganja in speaker box wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

told of the offence and taken into custody.

A case file was prepared and sent for advice in rela-

The compressed cannabis unearthed by Police

S

ix persons, including a female, were taken into Police custody following the discovery of a quantity of compressed marijuana at Itabali Puruni Road, Mazaruni River.

Guyana Times understands that on Monday, Police ranks stationed at the checkpoint at Itabali stopped and searched a vehicle. A thorough search unearthed 662 grams of com-

pressed marijuana wrapped in cotton.

Another 557 grams of the illegal substance was found hidden in a speaker box belonging to one of the suspects. The six persons were

The speaker box in which 557 grams of cannabis was found

tion to the charges that will be instituted against the suspects.

Just desserts S

atiricus was in a feisty mood. He’d just read the WAPA representative saying his party KFC had gotten more than its fair share after the elections, from the Peean-See. “What a crock!” he fumed to himself as he stalked into the Back Street Bar. He downed his beer without even as much as a “hello” to the fellas.

“If you want the truth, it is WAPA that got more than it deserved!” he blurted out firmly, as he put down his bottle rather abruptly.

“Tek am easy, Sato,” said Cappo who knew his friend very well. “Ah wha’ deh pan yuh min’?”

“These WAPA people don’t have any shame!” Satiricus exploded. “Pot calling kettle black!”

“Slow dong, ole fr’en,” interjected Bungi. “A wha’ WAPA do yuh?”

“Imagine this WAPA fella said we got too much after the election!” Satiricus said indignantly as he tried to calm down. “It’s they who got too much!”

“Oh, now I see what you’re upset about,” said Hari mildly. “But the man right!”

“What stupidness you talking?” said Satiricus angrily.

“We brought in our 11% that put the Pee-an-See over the tape!”

“But de WAPA people bring back all dem Region 4 vote, who na bin like Pee-an-See,” said Cappo.

“Yes, Sato,” said Hari. “The increase in Reg 4 votes for the coalition was just as much as all the vote they got from Reg 6!”

“Suh WAPA shoulda get jus’ as much as KFC!” said Bungi gleefully.

“But you guys miss the point,” said Satiricus grimly.

“Even if it was one vote we brought in, we put them over the tape!!”

“But WAPA cou’d seh dem vote fram Region 4 put dem ovah de tape too!” smiled Cappo.

“But WAPA never brought in big votes!” Satiricus almost screamed. “KFC did!!”

“But how do you know KFC repeated what it did in 2011?” demanded Hari.

“An’ even if dem bring in 11%, wha’ mek dem get 40% a de Cabinet?” Bungi wanted to know.

“Yes!” smiled Bungi. “De WAPA fella wan’ fuh know how KFC get ovas!”

Satiricus was silent.

NEWS

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wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Granny killer jailed for 23 years

Jailed: Kevon Alfred

A

fter weeks of delay and professing his innocence, 26-year-old Kevon Alfred on Tuesday admitted to killing 75-yearold re-migrant Joyce Lewis at her home at Lot 3630 Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Alfred, who appeared in the High Court before Justice Navindra Singh, was set to go on trial after switching his attorney, Senior Counsel Stanley Moore, last week, and rejecting advice to plead guilty. However, after a discussion with his new attorney, George Thomas, Alfred changed his mind and pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Alfred, of Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara, maintained in court that his friend -Cordell Eastman, called “Gaza” -- who had hired him as a taxi driver, was the one who had killed the elderly woman on March 26, 2014.

Alfred claimed he had sim-

ply witnessed “Gaza” chasing after the re-migrant, and going into her home.

In his explanation, Alfred declared that he had met up with Eastman one day prior to his sister’s birthday (March 25, 2016), and had agreed to transport him via a car that he had borrowed.

The accused also claimed that after he was directed to the Ruimveldt area where Lewis lived, his friend went inside the house while he waited outside. Adding that he did not know the area since he was from West Demerara, Alfred said he became tired waiting, and that is when he went into the elderly woman’s residence and saw what he alleged to had transpired.

State Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs, however, retorted that Alfred was an unwanted guest, who had entered Lewis’s home, strangled the woman to death, robbed her, and had used her mobile phone to sell the items to a witness, who was set to testify.

Before sentencing him to 23 years in prison, Justice Singh told Alfred that even though he had pleaded guilty, he showed no sign of remorse. The sentence passed on Alfred took into account that he did not waste the court’s time.

According to reports, Lewis’s lifeless body was found in her home by Police and her sister, Veronica Deen, on the morning of March 26, 2014. She report-

Murdered remigrant Joyce Lewis

edly was also found with her underwear pulled to her ankles and dark marks around her neck.

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

ExxonMobil contracts Bristow for helicopter services locally

U

S oil giant ExxonMobil has contracted the services of leading global industrial aviation services provider Bristow Group Inc out of the United Kingdom to deliver helicopter offshore crew change and search-and-rescue (SAR) services to support its operations in Guyana.

Senior Manager for Business Development at Bristow, Kade Monlezun, said the five-year deal, which is a renewal of an existing contract, commenced on January 1, 2018.

“We are honoured to continue to serve ExxonMobil in this region, and appreciate their continued confidence in Bristow… This contract is the result of our team’s proven dedication to delivering exceptional aviation solutions,” Monlezun is quoted as saying by offshoreenergytoday.com Bristow will operate three existing Leonardo AW139 helicopters from its base of operation at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, located in Guyana’s Atlantic coast.

“The contract is strategically important for Bristow, as the company continues to pursue additional growth opportunities in the region,” said Monlezun. Our greatest strength is our ability to be flexible and offer tailored, cost-effective solutions. We are more competitive and more responsive than ever before, and our clients are rewarding us for it,” Monlezun said.

Bristow also provides aircraft support services to Government and civil organizations worldwide. It has operations in the North Sea, Nigeria, the US Gulf of Mexico, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and Trinidad.

Bristow provides SAR services to the private sector worldwide, and to the public sector for all of the UK on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

ExxonMobil is operator of the giant Stabroek block offshore Guyana, which contains the Liza oil discovery. The oil company is working to develop this discovery with plans to bring the first phase of the Liza field online in March 2020. Exxon is also already thinking about phase two of the Liza development, which would include an FPSO and subsea systems larger than the ones for phase one.

Exxon is working to select the concept for the development of the nearby Payara discovery off Guyana.

12 news

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Missing US$5M

Negotiations for GT&T shares’ payment for March deadline – as NICIL denies collecting outstanding monies

By Jarryl Bryan

A

fter years of back-andforth, negotiations for the US$5 million owed by a Hong Kong company for the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company shares it bought are expected to be completed by March of this year.

In an interview with this publication, National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICIL’s) CEO, Horace James, confirmed that talks are wrap-

ping up. Optimistic of a March deadline for the negotiations to end, James strongly denied that NICIL had collected any of the outstanding money from Hong Kong Golden Telecom Company (HKGTC).

“Both parties set ourselves

by the 15th March for everything to conclude. (So) we’re still in negotiations,” James related. “We await some recommendations, and we have to get approvals; but nothing has been signed between the two parties as yet. Only when everything is fully finalised and agreed… but nothing has been signed,” he explained.

“Both parties have made recommendations how we ought to settle the matter.

We’re reviewing, and the final decision will have to be made on that. We haven’t received

anything. At least they say they will pay something, but we haven’t finalised anything.

We’re hoping to get that signed off soon,” James told this publication.

Last month, NICIL Chairman Dr Maurice Odle had informed this publication that an interim agreement between the state and HKGTC was in force. He had explained that the state entity was considering collecting the US$5 million in parts -- US$3 million first, and negotiations would have continued for the remaining sum.

NICIL CEO Horace James

The sale

In 2012, NICIL had disposed of its 20 per cent shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph company in a sale to Hong Kong-based HKGTC to the tune of US$30 million.

That company made a downpayment of US$25 million and the outstanding US$5 million was to be paid by October 22, 2014, but this was never done despite written requests from NICIL. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, and NICIL Legal Counsel Natalia Seepersaud had subsequently travelled to China with the intention of collecting the money, but were informed that the money was already paid.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman had later announced that Harmon was able to retrieve some documents which showed that the money was paid. But following the controversy this revelation

sparked, NICIL later refuted that the money was ever paid.

In the confusion that shrouded the transaction, it was even reported that a waiver of the payment was arranged with the Chinese company. This claim was promptly denied by former President Donald Ramotar.

Initially, the Government had insinuated that the money was paid to someone else or some other entity other than NICIL prior to the May 2015 elections. But the former President Ramotar had such that such an insinuation is a distraction from “the real issues”, adding that the cantankerous claims of massive corruption under the PPP/C administration have yet to be proven.

Meanwhile, former Executive Director of NICIL Winston Brassington in an invited comment on the matter had told Guyana Times he was unaware the outstanding monies were paid to NICIL up until December 31, 2015.

“If it was paid, then the seller can easily produce evidence showing this. Payments of this nature are transferred via the banking system (wire transfer) from one bank to another and easy to check and validate. Given that the first payment was wired directly to NICIL’s US dollar bank account in Guyana, I would expect the remaining US$5M to have followed the same course,” Brassington said.

Turn to page 16

NEWS

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wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Hugh Ghanie Park residents decry Work to commence deplorable roads, poor drainage on Consolidated Stock Yard – GFC They (the authorities) need to put some system in place so that we can control this, (so) we will get some sort of relief,” a female resident related.

Additionally, the residents are complaining that their vehicles are being damaged, and they have to pay exorbitant sums for taxis.

In a previous interview with Guyana Times, Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had related that

One section of the deplorable road

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esidents of Hugh Ghanie Park in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown are calling on the relevant authorities to heed their pleas, fix their roads, and clear the drainage networks to bring them some amount of relief.

The residents report that they have made several representations to both the Public Infrastructure Ministry (MPI) and the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) to have their deplorable roads fixed and the drains cleared. They claim that the roads have been rapidly deteriorating over the past three years, with very little intervention being made to stem this deterioration.

Sylvester Shim, a resident, related that Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has indicated that monies were disbursed to the M&CC to ensure that road projects under care of the M&CC are taken over.

“When we went in there, (Mayor Patricia) Chase-Green told us that

A section of the clogged, overgrown drain

they’re cash strapped. About 15 years ago, the road was in pristine condition, but due to development, it deteriorated, and we are trying to have it fixed,” he said.

“Everybody is frustrated and fed up with the Government. We had a meeting with the minister, and he promised to have the roads fixed and the drains cleaned, but we are still waiting,” Shim added.

The residents indicated that they had written letters and submitted photos to the authorities, but nothing has been done. They explain that people are encroaching on the reserves and this is contributing to the clogging of the drains.

“We have some people on the reserves there, and they are dumping garbage in the trench and the bush plenty.

the M&CC has money for upgrading the roads, but she could not say whether the Hugh Ghanie Park area was destined for upgrade.

She had indicated that following completion of the City’s budget, more focus would be placed on executing those duties.

The residents indicated that they would be putting additional pressure on those in charge to ensure that their pleas are answered.

On a visit to the area, it was observed that large potholes were lining the roads in addition to the area being overgrown with bush. The residents related that, over the years, they have used builders’ waste to fill the potholes, but due to development, it does not hold.

T

he Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) said it was about to commence work on the establishment of a Consolidated Stock Yard with the intent of bridging the gap in obtaining quality lumber.

In 2018, $50 million was allocated for the development of a Public-Private Partnership to undertake the establishment of the facility. The facility is expected to be run by the Private Sector with management inputs by the Government.

The Commission said that the quality of locally produced lumber was not at the level needed to make it competitive, both locally and internationally, adding that only few operators were producing the desired quality of lumber.

The GFC noted that the Consolidated Stock Yard was intended to bridge the gap in obtaining improved quality lumber in sufficient quantity.

“Thus, it will be a Public/ Private Sector initiative that will be managed by an oversight body. The facility will work with operators so that orders will be consolidated to meet a particular demand or market in accordance with set quality standard,” the GFC said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the Commission, the facility will not compete with the Private Sector, since there will be no price disadvantage or compulsory requirements.

Chairperson of the Board,

Jocelyn Dow, in giving an overview of the Board’s work, expressed satisfaction with the achievement of the allocations.

The Stockyard would consolidate and facilitate trading of wood products in addition to creating a secondary market for tropical wood products in Guyana.

The Commission noted that the initiative was proposed by the Private Sector to improve growth in the forestry sector.

Additionally, funds will be used to set up the regulatory framework of the facility, the governance and administrative structure, site preparatory activities inclusive of minimal capital equipment, and marketing efforts.

In 2017, the forestry sector produced 377,111 cubic metres of lumber representing a seven per cent increase from 2016. The GFC is projecting an increased production of 400,000 cubic metres in 2018.

Dow noted that they were also pleased with the restrictions on the importation of pinewood and associated products.

She noted that pine lumber amounted to over 60,000 cubic metres annually and placed local producers at a disadvantage – in some cases, forcing them out of business.

When asked about the implications of banning pine lumber, the Commission noted that it was too early to do an impact assessment.

14 news

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Public Health Ministry launches Mash band

T

he Public Health Ministry on Tuesday launched its Mash band for 2018 under the theme, “Empowering healthy living by promoting healthy lifestyles.”

The event was held at the Ministry’s Secretariat,

Brickdam.

Speaking at the short launching ceremony, designer of the costumes, Olympia Small-Sonaram explained that the costumes focused on various diseases affecting Guyanese.

The vibrant yellow cos-

tumes with splashes of red and blue depict the red blood cells in the human body while the headdress represents a no-smoking sign.

The Ministry’s vision is for Guyanese citizens to be among the healthiest in the Caribbean and the Americas.

Public Health Ministry revellers are ready for the 2018 Mashramani float parade

The male and female revellers will be decked out in super hero costumes, with the king float focusing on mental illness and the queen float, non-communicable diseases. The audience got a taste of what could be expected on February 23.

Present at the launch was Deputy Permanent Secretary Glendon Fogenay, who encouraged persons to get registered to be in the band since limited spaces were available. He said that the Ministry is well-prepared and energised for the event

come Friday.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary stated that it was important for the Ministry, since it was working assiduously to spread awareness and to ensure that all Guyanese live a long and healthy life.

Quamina Street fatal stabbing

Accused, deceased had “fine scuffle” – Police witness

A

jury was on Tuesday empanelled before High Court Judge Navindra Singh to hear the murder trial of Kelvin Chisholm, who has denied the May 1, 2014 murder of Nigel Lawson, who was fatally stabbed at Quamina Street, Georgetown.

Chisholm pleaded not guilty when the charge was read by Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken at Tuesday’s arraignment.

Police Lance Corporal Quinn Sandy testified that he

Accused: Kelvin Chisholm

was performing duties on the day in question when he was summoned to the scene via radio set. He recalled seeing Lawson’s motionless body lying on the southern grass parapet on the road. Sandy told the 12-member mixed jury that he later met the accused, who told him that the now deceased man had gone into his yard and stolen his cellphone and I-pod. The Policeman told the jury that Chisholm told him that the two men had a “fine scuffle”.

Turn to page 16

news

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

APNU/AFC absolutely, recklessly bungled management of the sugar industry

I

n December 2016, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) insisted that sugar remained too large in the economic and social footprints of Guyana that any decision to close or downsize must be made only after a technical study that provides clear guidelines on whether or not to and how to proceed. A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) arrogantly rejected that Dr Leslie Ramsammy position. It even rejected a report of the Commission it had established to make recommendations on the way forward. The events of the past year and especially the recent announcements, first that the factories should have been kept open and, second, that two factories will reopen are visible proof that the demands for a technical study by the PPP and GAWU were sound and proof that APNU/AFC acted cluelessly and irresponsibly.

No one should underestimate the harm done by APNU/ AFC’s reckless, bungled mismanagement of the sugar industry. Sugar was the major contributor to Guyana’s economy for more than 200 years before the year 2000.

While new pillars of the economy emerged since 2000 and while oil will become an important footprint in the economic landscape of Guyana, there are several reasons for sugar to be a significant player in the Guyanese economy of the future. The mismanagement of the industry by APNU/AFC since 2015 has not only now threatened the very existence of a sugar industry, but has inflicted a serious wound on the economy of Guyana forever. Replacing sugar is impossible, reckless and a demonstration of a frightening political malfeasance intended more to inflict harm on the PPP, rather than on correcting any weakness in the industry.

The recent announcement that the Government has instructed GuySuCo to reopen Skeldon and Enmore was a welcome announcement until it announced the absurdity that the reopening is intended to be temporary for a week or two. It is proof enough that APNU/AFC and its various agencies, such as its Special Purpose Unit for privatisation of sugar, are clueless. The reason they have advanced for this temporary reopening is that they need to get rid of the sugar cane in the fields at Enmore and Skeldon. The reopening of the two factories at this time begs the question how much it will cost to reopen and how much money will the reopening generate. Given that they are talking about an amount of cane that will only support a week or two of factory operation, it appears that the revenue generation will not be near the cost of reopening.

It is reported and my information from sources within GuySuCo is that parts are to be imported from China to support the reopening. These parts are unlikely to arrive within weeks. In addition, the conditions in the field have become deplorable with weeds constituting “obstacles” that will make cane harvesting difficult. In addition, drainage and irrigation canals used for cane transportation are clogged and then there is the need for employees. Will they be able to have workers return for a week or two while they are busy trying to make a living and finding permanent employment?

Even as they blunder from one reckless action to another, there is still no indication that they ever had a plan on what to do with the closed estates, the employees, and the economy of the sugar estates. They announced there was a plan to introduce 485 hectares of rice cultivation and plans for aquaculture and livestock. In fact, in December 2016, the Minister of Agriculture, announced that the first rice crop was about to be harvested. Within days, the then Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and now acting CEO clarified that no harvesting was on the horizon, but that rice cultivation was about to start. It is now 14 months later and all that could be seen is 485 ha of weeds and clogged fields. Holder’s rice is fictional, as are aquaculture and livestock. In the meantime, dozens of workers who were kept on have now been told that their employment ends in March.

When Minister Harmon admitted that APNU/AFC was too hasty and that the closed sugar estates should have been kept in operation, some were hopeful that the epiphany would lead to an effort to “right the wrong”. But no one should hold their breath. No epiphany was a real hoax. It was never about the right thing, it was always about political machinations, vendetta and a hatchet job. Sugar, sugar workers and their families are collateral damage in a war against the PPP.

15

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Amelia’s Ward Primary

“Fix it” – Region 10 Chairman demands

C

hairman of Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), Renis Morian, has instructed the Works Department of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to fix what he describes as jeopardising issues at the Amelia’s Ward Primary School in Linden.

Following a recent visit he made to the school, accompanied by a Regional Councillor, Morian pointed out that the issues unearthed are in need of urgent attention.

Morian said there were makeshift classrooms made out of faulty materials, which was done in an attempt to provide relief to overcrowding at the school.

Presently, the school’s auditorium is being used to

Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian

facilitate extra classrooms.

Morian said while there are plans to construct two new schools at the site, the issues need to be fixed as soon as possible.

“We have some jeopar-

dy in that school that will be more costly than the repairs...downstairs is supposed to be the auditorium, but (it) is (being) used (for) classrooms. And because it’s a long building stripped into classrooms, there are adjoining fabrications, like walls, to facilitate the new classrooms,” he explained, as he noted his fear of those materials collapsing one day.

Addressing the Clerk of Council, Department of Education, and the Department of Public Works, the Regional Chairman called for serious consideration to be placed on the issue, as he pointed out that he hadn’t seen any tenders out at the time. He said the issue should be given priority.

“The teachers are very

fearful. One teacher spoke to me with literal tears... (she said there has been) constant talking, constant writing (about the issues) and nothing ain’t happening. The impression is like, as a Council and an administration, we just don’t care... we’re sitting on a time bomb that is not only going to embarrass us, but is going to cost millions of dollars (to get fixed), because people’s children will get hurt. Fix it, that is my instruction...this school needs the attention of the Works Department,” Morian stressed.

Similarly, multiple issues have been highlighted at the Coomacka Primary School by the Regional Chairman, including electricity and water woes.

Judicial appointments

Harmon assures public: President will not breach Constitution

G

overnment has given its commitment that President David Granger will not make any moves outside of the Constitution and push forward with the appointment of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice, although the President himself has already announced that he is seeking legal advice on the matter.

This comment was made after a statement was issued by the Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) on Monday when it stated that Government must stick within the limits of the Constitution, especially Article 127, which speaks directly to these top judicial appointments.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said he was concerned at the dangerous path the Association was treading with its insinuations and strong assertions, despite the public statements made by the Head of State with regard to upholding the Constitution.

The GBA has warned that “any action outside of the said Article 127 is unconstitutional, void, of no legal effect and would have embarrassing consequences”.

Harmon also described as reckless the statement attributed to the Association, which states that the climate surrounding the appointment of the two office holders is “repugnant and shakes the public confidence in the legal system. It further unfairly undermines the dignity of the offices and office holders”.

The Minister of State claimed that every action taken by President Granger was underpinned by the provisions of the Constitution and it was, therefore, surprising that the Association having regard to what the President has said, has arrived at a conclusion that basically stated that the cur-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

rent climate was repugnant.

Further, he said while Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo would have rejected the nominations for the two

posts, no explanations were provided. He noted, however, that when the Head of State had rejected the nominations for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the GBA was one of the many organisations, which voiced discontent and called for explanations to be given. encouraging While both Government and the Opposition to work towards reaching a consensus, the Bar Council of the GBA reiterated that the appointment of the Chancellor and Chief Justice was governed by Article 127 of the Constitution of Guyana, the country’s supreme law, which states that these persons shall each be appoint-

ed by the President in agreement with the Opposition Leader.

The Association, therefore, reasoned that acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards and acting Chief Justice Roxane George could not be removed and replaced by other acting appointees.

Given the current circumstances surrounding this issue, the GBA has urged both parties to work to break the impasse and arrive at a consensual resolution, especially in keeping with the spirit and intent of Article 127, which it reminded was amended from its original form to foster collaboration.

16 news

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Wales job fair

Misleading: 800 persons were not hired “on the spot” – PSC …says fired sugar workers were placed on waiting list

P

rivate Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Eddie Boyer has disputed reports carried in the State media that some 800-plus persons were instantaneously hired at a recent job fair it held for ex-Wales workers at Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

He clarified that over 800 jobs were available and not that hundreds of persons were provided with employment.

The Private Sector organised the event in light of the noted challenges of hundreds of dismissed sugar workers, their family members and other persons in the surrounding communities who have been affected owing to the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate.

The job fair was seen as a welcomed initiative, but an onslaught of criticism followed in the subsequent days when the State-owned newspaper reported on February 4 that the job fair “saw close

Private Sector Commission Chairman Eddie Boyer

to 800 residents of Patentia and surrounding areas being hired on the spot by various private and public companies”. This contrasted with an earlier edition of the newspaper which pointed out that “workers [were] sensitised about job opportunities”.

Speaking with Guyana Times in a recent interview, the PSC Chairman observed

Negotiations for GT&T...

He clarified that after the payment of the initial US$25 million by Datang, there has been no amendments to the sale contract up to the time of him being a part of NICIL. “Any amendment is required to be executed in writing by both parties. As such nonpayment would be deemed a breach of contract. The Chinese buyer should bear the responsibility to prove evidence of payment per the contract terms,” he stated, adding that his comment was simply to avoid speculation on NICIL’s actions while he was at the helm.

NICIL has noticeably been engaged in divesting its assets. This includes the sale of its shares in the Guyana Stockfeeds Incorporated, but the most famous example of this divestment is, of course, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), under the auspices of a Special Purpose Unit (SPU).

The Unit has begun the process of selling the Corporation’s assets, including a number of estates. It has solicited proposals from companies or persons, either individually or as part of a joint venture or consortium “with

that the job-hiring process was something that was continuing: “We never said that 800 and something persons were employed by the business community. We said 800 and something jobs were available at the job fair.” He added that the names were entered into a waiting list of applicants.

While Boyer declined to disclose just how many of the 800 vacancies were actually filled, he indicated that such events must be encouraged to give the displaced workers hope that they would garner employment.

“It was well-received and there are a number of persons that were qualified with over 25 or 30 years’ experience in their field and they are not old people; they started work at 16 and worked their way up to management....some of the businesses have indicated their willingness to employ some of the people because... they were GuySuCo-trained From page 12

an interest in the privatization and/or diversification of Skeldon, Rose Hall, Wales and East Demerara ‘Enmore’ factories”. In the interim, however, Skeldon and East Demerara will be reopened on a limited basis to recover crops.

An announcement was also made recently that NICIL had sold properties in New Amsterdam and Linden. A Queenstown, New Amsterdam property was sold to the Guyana Revenue Authority for $50 million, while 1.06 acres of land in Linden were sold to M&L Land Development for $2.2 million.

Persons seeking employment information at last month’s job fair held at Patentia, WBD

from mechanics and welders, so the possibility of employing them is ongoing,” Boyer said.

This publication understands that the PSC is making arrangements to coalesce with additional companies to host a similar job fair at the East Demerara (Enmore) Estate, which saw many sugar workers losing their jobs.

Despite these plans, the Private Sector was accused of displaying an inability to pressure Governments against

dismissing thousands of sugar workers. In fact, Advisor to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Peter Ramsaroop echoed such sentiments on claims that contempt for the working class was shown when the PSC hosted the job fair on January 31, calling it “nothing but a public relations stunt”. He strongly stated earlier this month that the PSC, “to date”, “has not sought to correct the blatantly false headlines emblazoned

on the State newspaper suggesting that 800 persons had been hired on the spot”.

The business leaders, he noted, instead of presenting workable and viable options, plans and information to the sugar workers and others who were seeking employment, “chose instead to pontificate on the disillusioned people learning to accept change and pointing to cultural shifts, in an attempt to placate those devastated by the ad-hoc decision-making of the Government of the day – decisions they in the Private Sector stood by and watch the unfolding of these callous actions”.

Nevertheless, when Boyer spoke to this newspaper, he said that he supported calls for the establishment of a new industrial zone at Wales. Boyer had, however, cautioned that training was needed to provide former sugar workers with skills to get gainful employment in other fields. Last month’s fair saw 22 participating companies, both from the Private and Public Sectors.

Accused, deceased had...

Sandy noted that, based on instructions, the accused man was arrested, taken back to the crime scene, and handed over to Policeman “Arjune”; and was later escorted to the Brickdam Police Station and placed in custody.

The witness indicated that while there, Chisholm requested a telephone call, which was granted.

Also testifying before Justice Singh and the jury was former Police Constable Delicia Browne. The former policewoman told the jury

that Lawson was clad in bluegrey three-quarter pants and grey slippers. She said that after Constable Grant was taking photographs of the crime scene, she observed a red jersey soaked in a reddish substance that appeared to be blood. She noted that she later examined the man’s body and noticed that there was a wound to the left side chest and that his arm appeared to be broken.

Lawson’s relative, Petal Jeffery, testified that Lawson had lived at Lot 198 Camp

From page 14

Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown. Jeffery, who attended the post-mortem examination, also noted that Lawson was buried on May 6, 2014.

State Counsels Narissa Leander and Abigail Gibbs are assisting the Prosecution’s case, while Chisholm is being represented by Defence Counsels Hewley Griffith and Compton Richardson. A total of nine witnesses are expected to testify over the next few days. The case continues before Justice Singh today.

17

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018

ARCHIE

Harness your energy and your skills and put every(March 21thing you’ve got into your reApril 19) sponsibilities. Getting ahead takes work and reliability.

You’ll be judged by your performance.

ARIES

Your insight into trends TAURUS and instinctive knowledge (April 20- of the best place to put your May 20) time and energy will pay off.

Popularity and recognition are within reach. Romance is on the rise.

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

Plan to stabilize your GEMINI (May 21- friendships and financial June 20) matters by keeping the two separate. Joint ventures are not in your best interest.

Enforce proper exercise and diet to protect your health.

Working in coordination with someone you find inspir(June 21- ing will bring out your creJuly 22) ativity. A unique opportunity will stem from volunteer work you sign up for. Romance is on the rise.

CANCER

Peanuts

A joint venture may tempt LEO you, but going it alone is rec(July 23- ommended. Alterations to Aug. 22) your living space will have to be budgeted carefully.

Projects will cost more than anticipated.

Be open and receptive to VIRGO new ideas and friendships.

(Aug. 23Try hard to understand what Sept. 22) others are going through, and offer good advice and support.

Romance will be enticing as well as confusing.

Calvin and Hobbes

Fix up your place and take LIBRA (Sept. 23- care of personal responsibiliOct. 23) ties. Someone will complain if you don’t do your share or renege on a promise.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — SPATIAL (SPATIAL: SPAY-shul: Of or relating to space.)

Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 28 or more words in SPATIAL? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — UNTAMED amend ante aunt made mane mate mead mean meant meat mend

menu mute edema dame damn date daunt dean dent duet dune

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

your ideas into a reality will impress others. Love, romance and personal improvement are highlighted.

Listen carefully, but SAGITTARIUS don’t fall for hearsay. Not (Nov. 23everything you are told will Dec. 21) be legitimate. Make up your own mind.

Average mark 21 words

unmade name neat nude tame tandem team tend tuna tune amen

Start talking and follow SCORPIO through on your words. Living (Oct. 24up to promises and turning Nov. 22)

solution for Puzzle

Take hold of whatevCAPRICORN (Dec. 22- er situation unfolds and folJan. 19) low through with your plans, no matter what others do.

Stability and reliability will win out in the end.

Emotions are best controlled.

AQUARIUS Revealing too much will put you (Jan. 20- in a vulnerable position. Stay acFeb. 19) tive and avoid emotional situations that lead to temptation and indulgent behaviour. Silence is golden.

Reconnect with an old friend.

PISCES Know your limitations (Feb. 20- and concentrate on your March 20) strengths. A chance to excel is within reach if you can curb your emotions and temper. Gravitate toward those willing to help.

wednesDAY, february 21, 2018

19

New Windies coaching and management teams unveiled

– Griffith lands A Team post

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) has announced changes to the coaching and support teams for the current WINDIES squads. The main aim over the next year is to ensure that the WINDIES qualify for the ICC World Cup 2019 and defend the ICC Women’s World T20 title.

The confirmed coaching and support teams have seen the appointment of a number of persons in specific posts that include direct and full-time employment, mixed with supplementary and support services while on tour.

Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, congratulated the new appointees.

“Rawl Lewis has been promoted to be team manager and Floyd Reifer steps up from his former U15s coaching role. I’m delighted that we’re promoting from within the CWI coaching and management set up.”

Referencing the background to these changes, Adams added, “We are focused on improving team performance, as well as broadening and deepening the coaching expertise in the region. We know we’ve got vital games and tournaments this year and we’re confident that these appointments will strengthen the WINDIES squads for this

year and our future plans.”

Johnny Grave, CWI Chief Executive confirmed, “We have assembled support teams for all three WINDIES squads that we believe will best assist the players in preparing and competing in their forthcoming series and tournaments.” In relation to the specific changes Grave confirmed, “Joel Garner has agreed to become an Ambassador, supporting the fundraising IT20 match at Lord’s at the end of May and helping us launch the WINDIES Foundation planned for later this year.

Ronald Rogers will remain in the region working with Alzarri Joseph on his rehabilitation programme following his stress fracture.”

Here are the full lists of the coaches and support teams for each squad: WINDIES Men; Team Manager Rawl Lewis, Head Coach Stuart Law, Bowling Coach Alfonso Thomas, Batting Coach Toby Radford, Fielding Coach Ryan Maron, Physiotherapist David Kershaw, Strength and Conditioning Coach Corey Bocking, Massage Therapist Matthew Laubscher, Team Psychologist Steve Sylvester, Team Analyst Dexter Augustus and Team Media Officer Philip Spooner.

team bowling coach) –specialist bowling coach over the shorter ‘white ball’ for-

Lancashire CCC and one of the ECB’s team of physiotherapists, Dave has

New Windies A Team Head Coach Floyd Reifer and Assistant Coach Rayon Griffith at the top of the huddle prior to the start of the series against England Lions (Windies Media photo)

WINDIES Women; Team Manager Eugena Gregg, Head Coach Hendy Springer, Assistant Coach Gus Logie, Physiotherapist Marita Marshall, Strength and Conditioning Coach Shayne Cooper, Team Psychologist Olivia Rose Esperance, Team Analyst Gary Belle and Team Media Officer Nassira Mohammed.

WINDIES A Team; Head Coach – Floyd Reifer, Assistant Coach/Manager – Rayon Griffith, Assistant Coach (Bowling) – Roddy Estwick, Physiotherapist – Khevyn Williams, Strength and Conditioning Coach – Gregory Seale and Analyst – Dinesh Mahabir.

Alfonso Thomas (senior

mats, hailing from South Africa. Alfonso has held specialist roles in the UK with Somerset and Kent as well as with franchises in Australia and Bangladesh.

David Kershaw (senior team physio) – formerly Head physio for

worked with the likes of Murali Muralitharan, Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson and is expert in the treatment and rehabilitation of spinal, shoulder, knee and ankle disorders.

Corey Bocking (senior team Strength and

Conditioning Coach) – Australian Physical Performance Manager who has worked with the Bangladesh Cricket Board as well as with Franchise teams in Australia and India.

Marita Marshall (women’s team physio) – Barbadian who has previously worked with the Barbados Women’s and the Combined Campuses cricket teams.

Rayon Griffith (A Team assistant coach) – Successful Level 3 qualified regional coach who has been involved in Guyana’s successful run of 4 domestic titles in the last 4 seasons Gregory Seale (A team Strength and Conditioning Coach) – Trinidadian practitioner who has previously worked with the Trinidadian Cricket squad.

He also has experience with women’s international football and he’s been involved in the regional franchise fitness testing program that begun last year. (Windies)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, february 21, 2018

Demerara U17 Inter-Association tournament 2018

ECD bounce back to beat Georgetown N

…2 more games on today

ational youth player Sachin Singh’s all-round exploits, helped East Bank Demerara whip East Coast by 29 runs on the first day of the Demerara Under-17 inter-association tournament played at Everest Cricket Club ground.

Singh hit 48 and bagged two wickets while Navindra Persaud’s 44 and Zakary Jodah’s 4 for 13, formed a formidable team which was instrumental in the East Bank’s trashing.

Reduced to a 32 over a side contest due to early morning rain, East Bank won the toss and elected to take first strike posting 135 from their allotted overs; Shivanand Gossi was the most effective bowler, collecting three wickets while Himnauth Dindyal and Vinod Sundar collected one wicket each.

In reply, East Coast was bowled out cheaply for 106 in 31.2 overs after Jodah began his assault. Singh returned with the ball to dis-

miss Davanand Khemraj for 12 and Sundar without scoring while Jodah took out Michael Pooran 6 and Trevon Clarke for four in successive overs with Dindyal being the top-scorer with 33.

Meanwhile, in the second contest played over at the Zeeburg ground, Georgetown recorded a 79 run win as they posted 159 from their 40 overs as the match was also reduced due to rain with Tameshwar Permaul who top scored with 36 while Jerry Benjamin contributed 20 not out.

Joshua Gobin 3 for 29, Andre Seepersaud 3 for 24 and Dominic Hussain 3 for 29, were the key wicket takers. In reply, West Demerara struggled to 89 from just 27 overs with Waarova Balgobin top scoring with a patient 25 and Nicholas Rajpat scoring 18 they were the only two batsmen to get to double figures.

Ronaldo Mohamed and Tredon Jones wrapped up

Himnauth Dindyal hits out during his top score against Georgetown

the West Demerara team grabbing 3 for 6 in 3.3 overs and 3 for 16 in 8 overs respectively. Georgetown won by 70 runs.

Meanwhile, in Tuesday’s

only second round match played at Everest, East Coast Demerara beat Georgetown by 117 runs after racking up 200 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs.

Dindyal again proved to be the big difference with an impressive 59, while Andre Samaroo and Elnathan Sukhanand scored 26 runs respectively.

Niron Bissu grabbed 3 for 35 in 10 overs, Ronaldo Mohamed took 2 for 42 in 10 overs while Jason Holder and Tameshwar Permaul took one wicket a piece.

In reply Georgetown was kept to 83 all out in 33.3 overs with Ariel Tilku and Garrick Persaud scoring 17 and 12 runs.

Bowling for East Coast Demerara, Trevon Charles and Andrew Samaroo collected 3 for 9 and 11 runs separately while Aaran Beharry supported with 2 wickets for 6 runs.

The East Bank Demerara versus West Demerara match did not take place on Tuesday but will be played on Thursday to wrap up the competition.

The action continues today with two matches; at Bourda, East Bank Demerara play Georgetown while East Coast Demerara tackle West Demerara at Everest Cricket Club ground. Both matches begin at 09:00h.

GFF strengthens technical capacity in Region 1

– 47 coaches and referees empowered

From right; Toshao Sherwin Williams, Dr Allister Collins, Lawrence Griffith, Mark Bradford, Region One Committee Members - Ormielindie Giadarie, Graham Atkinson and Rowena Williams

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) held a two-day training course for a total of 47 coaches and referees of the Moruca Sub-District as part of strengthening the capacity of the Region for football development.

The programme, which took place on February 17 and 18 in Moruca was led by Lyndon France, GFF’s Coaches’ Education and Development Officer and Stanley

Lancaster, GFF’s Head ofRefereeing Department.

Among the key areas covered by the coaching facilitator were the coaching philosophy and objectives and Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) teaching technique. Amber Enyart, a Peace Corp and Health Worker based in Moruca, complemented the session by providing a talk on nutrition, alcohol and substance

abuse. The referees addressed the Laws of The Game and its application.

Additionally, Lancaster implored the 25 new candidates to look beyond refereeing in Moruca, Georgetown and Guyana and shared his career experiences with them as a form of encouragement.

France, for his part, urged patience on the part of the coaches. He advised that they should develop the

love to teach and share knowledge to all as he delivered the technical and tactical aspect of the game to them.

Meanwhile, on Sunday February 17, the region witnessed the official start of two nationwide Intra-Association youth tournaments at Moruca – the GFF-Pele Alumni Frank Watson National U15 Tournament and the GFF-NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National U17 IntraAssociation Tournament respectively. It was on the final day of the training programme that participants were able to exercise their skills at these two torunaments.

Among those addressing the gathering at the official launch, following a march pass, was Toshao of Santa Rosa Village, Sherwin Abrams.

He said the region has been dreaming of this opportunity and urged the participants to respect the rules of the game: “History has been made today. In Santa Rosa and Moruca, we have been dreaming of this opportunity. We now have this opportunity to mold it together with you. Most of the times when things like these are

launched we often leave it to the club members or a few members to carry the mantle but we will speak collectivity here. We want to see this thing bear fruit, we want to see success. We want at the end of the day to talk good about football.”

This capacity building initiative is part of the mandate of the GFF’s Executive Committee to integrate Region 1 as a Regional Member Association of the GFF and follows the establishment of a steering committee in December, 2017. The President of the GFF at that time had said the steering committee is considered an ad hoc committee under the GFF’s Constitution, with a sixmonth lifespan and with the ultimate goal of proposing same to the May 2018 Congress: “Our goal is to propose Region One’s membership to the Congress in May 2018 but, of course, that will be based entirely on the work the steering committee does to demonstrate to the Executive Committee that they’re worthy of being inducted as members of the Guyana Football Federation.”

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enior Karateka Roger Peroune dominated the dojo this past Sunday when the Association Do Shotokan Karate – Guyana (ASK-G) held its 2018 National championships at the YMCA, Thomas Lands.

Peroune, who was recently appointed VicePresident of the Guyana Karate Federation (GKF), snared the first place spot, ascending to first place kumite after beating veteran Keith Beaton in an intense showdown.

Among the top Kata performers; Joel Kellman’s Empi Kata saw him excel to the rank of Brown Belt level despite not winning a medal.

Kellman, one of the future stars of the sport once again performed creditably in the Kumite, placing 3rd place amongst the Black belts.

Peroune’s display of speed, accuracy and skill saw him steal the show in the senior category, despite having to contest with a few seasoned fighters. Peroune eliminated his first opponent in very short time and the final match against seasoned Beaton saw him being victorious acquiring the coveted Kumite first place.

In the 15-17 males, strong performances from Trevon Miller and Charles Benjamin earned them first and second place respectively in the Kata division. The Kumite saw just as fiery com-

Karatekas pose following Sunday’s Championships at the YMCA Dojo

bat as the adults resulting in Trevon Miller and Shemar Parkinson placing first and second.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s tourney featured some 40 categories with over 80 competitors drawn from the East Bank, East Coast, West Bank, West Coast and Georgetown.

The martial artists participated in 20 Kata

by innings and 17 runs – Warrican takes 12 for 103

R

ahkeem Cornwall and Jomel Warrican each enjoyed four-wicket hauls on Tuesday as the Windies ‘A’ completed a comprehensive innings and 17-run victory over the England Lions at Sabina Park.

Cornwall had figures of 4 for 88 and Warrican 4 for 69 as England Lions were dismissed for 260 runs in their second innings. The only real effort of resistance came during a sixth-wicket partnership of 83 between top-scorer

It was Cornwall who broke the stand when he dismissed Livingstone exposing the England lower order.

Resuming on 34 without loss overnight, the Lions needing 277 to make the Windies bat again. Keaton Jennings (20) and Haseeb Hameed (18) had extended their opening stand by nine runs when Hameed was run out by Jeremiah Louis.

Jennings and Nick Gubbins added 22 for the second wicket when Cornwall

ing Gubbins leg before for 22 and Alex Davis for 21.

England offered some late resistance with Jack Leach showing his proficiency with the bat in a 43-run partnership with Mason Crane, who remained unbeaten on 25 at the end. Leach eventually became Warrican’s third wicket, out for a defiant 29.

Warrican eventually had James Porter trapped in front for his fourth wicket as England were dismissed for 260 to take Windies 2-0 up in Rahkeen Cornwall supported with six wickets in the match

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and 20 Kumite contested among athletes aged 5-6, 7-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17 years old. The officiating judges were Clinton Moriah, Bhagwandin Persaud, Roger Peroune, Keith Beaton, Mahadeo Ramotar, Malcolm Francis, Laurence Lowe, Patrick Gurahoo, Leonard Leuwassie and Rebecca Wesley.

Windies A thump Lions

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Liam Livingstone, who got 48 and Paul Coughlin, 47, but the Lions still lost the battle of attrition having held out for 100 overs before they finally yielded.

had the former trapped leg before with the score on 65.

From 65 for 2, the Lions slumped to 102 for 5 as Warrican picked up the first two of his four wickets claim-

the three-match series. The final ‘Test’ is a day/night affair at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua beginning on February 26.

(Sportsmax)

England Lions 1st Innings 145 West Indies A 1st Innings 422 England Lions 2nd Innings (Overnight 34-0) KK Jennings lbw b Cornwall 20 H Hameed run out (Louis) 18 Gubbins lbw b Warrican 22 Clarke b Reifer 6 Livingstone c Louis b Cornwall48 Davies c Hamilton b Warrican 21 P Coughlin lbw b Cornwall 47 Roland-Jones lbw b Cornwall 2 Leach b Warrican 29 Crane not out 25 Porter lbw b Warrican 0

Extras (b-5, lb-1, nb-16) 22 Total (All out; 100.2 Overs) 260 FOW: 1-43 (Hameed, 21.4 ovs), 2-65 (Jennings, 29.1 ovs), 3-77 (Clarke, 34.1 ovs), 4-80 (Gubbins, 36.1 ovs), 5-105 (Davies, 44.6 ovs), 6-185 (Livingstone, 71.5 ovs), 7-188 (Roland-Jones, 73.4 ovs), 8-215 (P Coughlin, 83.2 ovs), 9-258 (Leach, 98.4 ovs), 10-260 (Porter, 100.2 ovs) Bowling Reifer 13-5-25-1, Louis 9-1-27-0, Joseph 135-45-0, Cornwall 38-10-884, Warrican 27.2-9-69-4

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018

Magnum "Mash Cup" Futsal

CWI/Regional Super50 Cup 2018…

Bent Street edge Sparta on penalty kicks for title

Defending champs battle spirited visitors for final spot

T

he first semifinal of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 goes down on today with the visiting English county side, Kent Spitfires challenging defending champions, Barbados Pride in Antigua.

Group A winner, Pride are looking for a repeat of the Super50 Cup but will first have to dislodge Group B’s runner-up Kent Spitfires in the first day/night semifinal at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Pride who won six matches in the group stage in Barbados will begin as favourites but h a v e lost the c o r e of their players to Windies international duties.

However,

registered six convincing wins in group B that was played in Antigua.

The defending champions will be banking on experienced players in the likes of captain Kraigg Brathwaite with 159 runs so far, Roston Chase with 433 runs including one century and three 50’s and Jonathan Carter 218 runs for a winning score while rookie seamers Chemar Holder and Shamar Springer and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn are their main weapons with the ball.

While the Pride lost their last game to CCC, their semifinal opponents Kent Spitfires beat the Hurricanes and will be look-

The winning Bent Street unit collect their spoils from Magnum Brand co-ordinator Edison Jefford and organiser Esan Griffith

Barbados Pride skipper Kraigg Brathwaite’s highest score this season is 42

Roston Chase is the tournament’s leading run scorer

Alexander Blake is Kent’s fourth leading rungetter with 157 runs

they are hoping that their replacements are good enough to get them past the English County Side that also

ing for that momentum to take them through to the final.

Kent’s opener and lone centurion Daniel BellDrummond with 287 runs is

their leading run scorer and is expected to lead their batting charges. Useful batting support is expected from Zak Crawley who has scored 262 runs in the tournament so far including 99 not out against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and South African born Sean Dickson (200 runs) who is the third player in their side with more than 200 runs.

In the bowling department, right-arm seamer Ivan Thomas with 11 wickets and Will Gidman and Joe Denly with 10 victims each are expected to deliver once again at a venue where they have played two preliminary matches.

The pitch that has so far hosted 10 matches in the first 20 days of the tournament could once again be a batting paradise with assistance for the spinners especially.

The winners will advance to the final on Saturday and will await the winners of semifinal two when the Guyana Jaguars take on the Windward Islands Volcanoes on Thursday.

The first ball in the day night encounter is at 14:00h with live coverage ESPN.

B

ent Street got the better of Sparta Boss to win the inaugural Magnum ‘Mash Cup’ Futsal Tournament which concluded on Sunday at the National Gymnasium. Watched by a close to capacity crowd, Bent Street showed who the new bosses in futsal are by securing a hard fought 3-2 penalty kick-out victory.

Ryan Hackett had given Bent Street the lead in the 12th but Jermin Junior responded three minutes later which was the last of the goals in the first half.

Junior went one better in the second stanza by giving his side the lead in the 42nd minute but just like the first half, the lead was only

temporary as three minutes later Kelsey Benjamin drew the scores level 2-2 and it remained that way until the end of regulation time.

For the win, Bent Street went home with $400,000 while Sparta had to settle for $200,000.

In the third place playoff, Leopold Street won the goal spree thriller against Linden’s Silver Bullets.

Okeene Fraser scored a hat-trick in the seven goals scored by Leopold while Jermaine Samuels and Keiron Cameron scored doubles in the six goal netted by the Linden town boys.

Leopold Street walked away with $100,000 and $50,000 went to Silver Bullets.

Imran Khan marries for 3rd time

Imran Khan and his wife (centre) during the wedding celebration with relatives

I

mran Khan, the talented Pakistani fast bowler, who tormented West Indies batsmen for more than a decade, got married for a third time on Sunday, SportsMax.TV understands.

The 65-year-old retired fast bowler married to Miss Bushra Manika, who was getting married for the second time.

Bushra Maneka is in her 40s and belongs to the Wattoo clan, of which the Manekas are a sub-clan.

She was previously married to Khawar Farid Maneka, a senior customs official in

Islamabad but parted ways in recent times. The ceremony reportedly was held at her residence.

Khan played 18 Tests against the West Indies between 1977 and 1990 taking 80 wickets at an average of 21.13. He was one of Test cricket’s greatest players, mastering the art of swing bowling with which he terrorized some of the world’s best batsmen.

In all, he played 88 Tests for Pakistan between 1971 and 1992 and took 362 wickets at an average of 22.81.

(Sportsmax)

wednesDAY, February 21, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

GBI, Fruta Conquerors renew fruitful partnership

From left: Fruta Conquerors Acting President Daniel Thomas, Nicholas McArthur, FCFC Vice President Colin Gittens, FCFC Assistant Secretary Joylan Harry, GBI Commercial Manager Samuel Arjoon, GBI Category Manager Andre Noel and Jeremy Garrett

T

he Guyana Beverage Inc. (GBI) and Guyana’s premier football club; Fruta Conquerors; marked their 20year anniversary with the renewal of their multi-million-dollar partnership.

Arguably the most organized club in Guyana, Fruta Conquerors and the beverage company have been promoting the sport and producing stars for more than two decades, continued their conglomerate with GBI pumping millions into the club’s agenda for 2018.

Conquerors FC secretary, Daniel Thomas who is performing the duties of president, at Tuesday’s press conference at the Red Cross Building in Kingston Georgetown, said the contract which is renewed yearly by the GBI, is a multi-million-dollar one which fetches a lot of responsibility, meaning the club and its players need to live up to high expectations.

Coupled with the recent acquisition of few of the country’s top soccer players including Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson, Job Caesar and others, Thomas feels the renewed sponsorship as well as their beefed up roster can help them win the Elite League, despite a shaky start.

From a perspective of ensuring that

players and coaches are suitably trained and are well polished in every aspect, Thomas said he has a lot planned for the development of the club from a grassroots level.

Meanwhile, the secretary added that he was poised ahead of the upcoming plans for the club which will not only target the on-field aspects but off-filed as much will be done to assist players with uniforms and other gear.

Also, the lucrative assist will play a huge role for both the club and the company as both entities have been in the top tier of the respective business and sport worlds, this is according to GBI Category Manager Andre Noel who said he was happy to have been associated with the club for such a long successful period.

Noel said that the time spent had done wonders for the image of both entities, adding that he hoped the club continue its stride to greatness and he was further excited to see what they do this season in the Elite League.

The club also unveiled their new brightly-colored playing outfits which boldly flaunt the Fruta logo on the front with the respective player’s name and number on the back. (Clifton Ross).

23

Corona Futsal Tournament…

MVP, super fan to ride off in style … kick-off set for Saturday

Flashback! Part of the riveting action in the 2017 showpiece at the National Gymnasium

A

s part of the third annual Petra Organization/Corona Futsal tourney, sponsors Rose Ramdehol Auto Sales on Tuesday donated two of their signature Hero motorcycles to the organizers.

The two motorcycles which will be won by the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and one lucky fan, was donated by Joshua Ramdehol, Managing Director of the auto sales company at Tuesday’s handing over ceremony held at the company’s South Road Georgetown location.

Petra’s co-director, Troy Mendonca said the gesture was a special one as he complimented the company for ensuring that players and fans alike have something tangible to look forward to during the tournament.

“I’m happy the management and staff of this company, see it fit and have the confidence in us to join in awarding the best player and spectators as such we thank them and wish them well in their endeavors,” said Mendonca.

Ramdehol during his remarks said that Hero and the auto sales are happy to be a part of the futsal cup and they were pleased that they were considered for sponsorship of the event.

He said the Hero brand is associated with sports internationally and that the brand will continue to be an ambassador for sports here in Guyana and around the world. Ramdehol added that as sponsors,

they are eager to see the happy faces of the fan and the player who receives the bikes at the end of the competition.

Some 24 of the top street teams including; Sparta Boss, Back Circle, Tiger Bay and West Front Road are set alight the National Gymnasium from February 24 when action kicks off. In Saturday’s opening round Plaisance will go up against Mocha at 19:00h with Future Stars and Xtreme Campbellville clashing at 19:50h. YMCA gets down to business against Albouystown at 20:40h with Alexander Village and Leopold Street playing 50 minutes later. The final games of the evening will see Back Circle playing Broad Street and Sparta Boss against Tiger Bay. In group A, the teams are Alpha Warriors, Tucville, Show Stoppers and Kingstown while Group B is where Sparta Boss, Tiger Bay, Plaisance and Mocha are classed.

Group C has Old School Ballers, Future Stars, Xtreme Campbellville and New Market Street are slated to compete while West Front Road, YMCA, Sophia and Albouystown are down for action in Group D. Group E features Bent Street, North East, Channel 9 and California Square while Back Circle, Leopold Street, Alexander Village and Broad Street play in Group F. The tournament is sponsored by Corona Beer and Namilco under its Wheat Germ brand.

wednesDAY, february 21, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Demerara U17 Inter-Association tournament 2018

ECD bounce back to beat Georgetown Pg 20

…2 more games on today

Georgetown’s seamer Jason Holder celebrates the first breakthrough against East Coast Demerara at the Everest Cricket Club Ground on Tuesday (John Ramsingh photo)

Corona Futsal Tournament…

MVP, super fan to ride off in style

Pg 23

… kick-off set for Saturday

Managing Director of Rose Ramdehol, Joshua Ramdehol (left); Jackie Boodie (centre) and Petra Organisation’s Co-Director Troy Mendonca at the symbolic ceremony on Tuesday

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