Guyanatime 21 april 2018

Harbour Bridge to be P14 closed for 4 hours today Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3540

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, April 21, 2018

PRICE

Private Sector bodies object to Govt’s new VAT policy

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Ganja farmer P8 jailed

Page 3

…Finance Ministry denies making changes

D’Urban Street stabbing

P8

Wortmanville man remanded for stabbing ‘child mother’

“We don’t need a gold refinery” – Jagdeo Page 7

…as GGMC workers walk off job over mercury issues

SARA to move to the courts to recover state assets P11

Rusal asks Russia for liquidity support P9

$700M to P14 rehabilitate Shelterbelt water treatment plant

As various stakeholders on Friday participated in an anti-corruption walk hosted by the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Transparency Institution Guyana Inc (TIGI) representatives joined the walk calling on SARA to recover the US$18 million signing bonus Government collected in 2016

Guyana prisons, Police lock-ups condition life threatening Page – US report 9

Suspected fuel smuggling

Seized vessel linked to senior Govt, sport officials Page 9

PNC’s call for new house-to-house P10 registration reeks desperation – PPP Region 8 P16 suffers from high poultry mortality rate … Guyanese advised to desist from importing animals – GLDA

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, April 21 – 08:30h-10:00h and Sunday, April 22 – 09:30h-11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, April 21 – 07:35h-09:05h and Sunday, April 22 – 08:45h-10:15h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers can be expected throughout the day and into the evening. Thundery showers can be expected later. Temperatures will range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 08:11h and 20:56 reaching maximum heights of 2.53 metres and 2.33 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 01:44h and 14:40h reaching minimum heights of 0.80 metre and 0.69 metre respectively.

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FRIDAY, April 20, 2018

DAILY MILLIONS 01 04 06 07

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Private Sector bodies object to Government’s new VAT policy …Finance Ministry denies making changes

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number of private sector organizations have come out swinging against measures from the state's tax regime -measures that have started biting into the livelihoods of exporters. However, this development comes even as Government is distancing itself from such changes.

In a letter seen by this publication, the private sector bodies cited the recent troubles of the Guyana Rice Exporters Association (GREMA), which had complained that changes were made to the policy that allowed them to recoup costs.

Where they had previously been allowed to reclaim costs associated with Value Added Tax (VAT) inputs in goods they produced for export, they contended that Finance Minister Winston Jordan had, in a correspondence, backed GRA's discontinuance of this policy.

“Such refund claims were allowed since 2007, when VAT was first introduced,” the letter dated April 19, 2018 stated.

“We consider the decision by the Government and the GRA a reversal of a commitment you gave the country less than four months ago: that none of these proposed amendments will negatively affect any individual or business. We also consider your new position ill-advised and counterproductive to the interests of the businesses we represent and to the economy of our country.”

“Responding to concerns raised by the President of GREMA that the action by the Government is negatively affecting the competitiveness of the rice exporters, you advised that the export of rice is an exempt item, and that the provisions of the Value Added Tax Act which provide for zero rating of exports do not apply. In justifying the position, you volunteered that you had consulted with the Commissioner- General of GRA.” The letter went on to point out that it appeared the minister was “badly misled”. The bodies in the letter reminded the Finance Minister that it is he, and not the GRA, that bears responsibility for setting policy. It urged the minister to

remind GRA of its duty to just administer the tax laws.

Wasn't me But the Finance Ministry, in a statement on Friday (April 20), strongly denied that any changes have been made, or will be made, that will impact exporters in a negative way.

The ministry's denial came on the heels of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo alerting the public to this impending change.

In fact, the ministry accused this publication of not telling the truth in the story published on Friday (April 20) while failing to make known the minister's correspondence to GREMA. “The Ministry categorically denies this allegation, and makes pellucid that the export of taxable items remains zero rated. Since the implementation of VAT in 2007, it has not been charged on exports, and that has not changed. Furthermore, there have been no discussions or contemplation to charge VAT on exports.”

“Please be assured,” it had continued, “that such a proposal with far reaching consequences would not be introduced without proper consultation and analysis of the impact on the manufacturing sector and the export and local economy. It should be noted, in accordance with section 17 and 18 of the VAT Act, where the local supply of goods is taxable, they are zero rated for export. In these cases, input VAT can be recovered. However, if the local supply of goods is exempt, then the export of these items is considered an exempt supply.”

At a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo had revealed that local Guyanese exporters are next in line to be taxed by the current Government as serious consideration is being given to have the zero rating of exports for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes removed.

Jagdeo had said that this new development was brought to his attention recently.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

According to Jagdeo, exporters were shocked to learn of the coalition Government’s plans to implement this new taxation initiative. He said it is a misguided approach to collecting more taxes. He had said this decision could destroy the entire local export sector, where goods are going to become internationally uncompetitive, factories will have to close, and more people could lose their jobs.

“Almost every country in the world where VAT is in place, they have a zero rating of the exports. So, it allows the producers to claim back their input VAT on their imports, so they can be internationally competitive. In our case, this will change,” Jagdeo told the media conference.

The PPP General Secretary said this mat-

ter has been engaging the attention of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), where there are “serious worries in those quarters.”

Jagdeo said he hopes the organisation will take some urgent action to represent people in this regard, and to call on the minister to reverse this decision forthwith.

He said, “It will harm our economy and damage all our exports the way it is now being treated.”

GMSA President Shyam Nokta previously blasted the Government’s tax measures and lack of an economic plan, saying Government’s policies were harming, rather than helping, the manufacturing sector.

There is no positive indication that Guyana has so far managed to manoeuvre its way out of the economic slow lane in which it has been stuck for the past three years due to the minimal GDP growth.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan made this admission during a press conference last week.

Revealing that the 2017 end-of-year economic report has been completed, he linked the dismal figures to sectors, including sugar.

Initially, Government had projected that Guyana’s economy would have grown by a 3.8 per cent growth rate for 2017. This projection was reduced to 3.1 per cent, and then again to 2.9 per cent.

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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

Violence against women and children

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ecently a number of cases involving women and children being sexually assaulted engaged the attention of the High Court here. During the hearings, in quite a few of them the nation was shocked to learn of the details which emerged of how the victims were sexually and physically abused. In one of the cases, a logger was found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a child family member by the jury at the High Court. A relative of the victim read out the girl’s statement in court where the child outlined that she lives in discomfort and harbours difficulty relating to males. According to the victim, since the sexual abuse, she often has nightmares and bad dreams, with constant flashbacks of the harrowing attacks inflicted upon her. She related that she does not play with friends and spends much time self-harming herself.

She was quoted in the media saying: “I feel messed up about what happened to me”.

Then there was another case in which a man appeared in court for a similar matter. He is currently serving a life sentence after being found guilty last year of raping a male family member, who was seven and eight years old when he was violated. These are just two of a long list of cases of our children being sexually violated. While life would never be the same again for the victims involved, it is good to see that the perpetrators are facing justice for these despicable and cruel acts. However, this might just be the tip of the iceburg, as it is highly believed that many child sexual abuse cases are deliberately hidden and go unreported due to varying reasons.

Sexual violence against children is considered to be a gross violation of children’s rights. According to United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), sexual violence can take the form of sexual abuse, harassment, rape or sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography. It can happen in homes, institutions, schools, workplaces, in travel and tourism facilities, within communities. Increasingly, the Internet and mobile phones also put children at risk of sexual violence as some adults look to the Internet to pursue sexual relationships with children. There is also an increase in the number and circulation of images of child abuse.

The UNICEF study, ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’, estimates that worldwide, around 120 million girls under the age of 20 (about one in 10) have been subjected to forced sexual intercourse or other forced sexual acts at some point in their lives. Boys also report experiences of sexual violence, but they do so to a lesser extent than girls.

Evidence shows that sexual violence can have serious short- and long-term physical, psychological and social consequences not only for girls or boys, but also for their families and communities. This includes increased risks for illness, unwanted pregnancy, psychological distress, stigma, discrimination and difficulties at school.

In Guyana, stakeholders must seek to obtain empirical data about the incidences of these crimes against children, especially in the geographical areas in which it is known to occur and put systems in place to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.

The Guyana Police Force is also a key partner in the fight against child sexual violence. The Force must continue to provide the necessary training to its officers to properly investigate sexual crimes against children.

Our children need to be assured that when violence against them is reported, the law will act quickly to prosecute the perpetrators and that our judicial system will function efficiently and equitably to bring such criminals to justice.

Importantly too is that all the necessary support systems must be put in place to ensure victims and their families are provided with the counselling, etc, to overcome the trauma of sexual violence.

Women and children, irrespective of their ethnic, religious, cultural or social backgrounds, deserve to grow up in an environment where they feel safe and are part of loving and nurturing families.

Brazilian soldiers of Armed Forces participate in a parade during an Army Day ceremony, in Brasilia, Brazil (Reuters)

Agri Minister needs to do what is right Dear Editor, The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), we are sure, like many Guyanese were surprised when they read the April 19, 2018 in sections of the media and learnt that Agriculture Minister Noel Holder said he was searching for persons to name to the Board of Directors of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). One may have had to read this article, twice, thrice and even more to confirm that their eyes were be-

ing honest. For us, this has to be probably the most interesting about-turn for the Agriculture Minister who proclaimed, just weeks ago, that GuySuCo was no longer on his table. Interestingly, the Minister offered no explanation for the change-of-heart or mind. Maybe he is on autopilot or forgot what he said.

Nevertheless, whatever the case may be, this is another sad turn in the confusion that has beset the sugar industry in recent weeks. The Minister’s nominees would

be interesting, especially in view of the ‘differences’ in the Administration that has been reported in the media. Now, more than ever, there is a strong need for capable, committed and motivated leadership of the sugar industry.

We can no longer continue to inflict blunder after blunder as we have seen in the last two years.

The industry is capable of success, as we have consistently held and from what, we believe, is driving the direction being laid out

by the current leadership of the Corporation. We should not lose this opportunity for the renewed sense of hope to be wasted by the appointment of a Board which may have dissimilar intents and views. The GAWU urges the Minister to be bold and to do what is right, in the interest of all Guyanese now and in the future.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

Politically neutral, professional public service Dear Editor, The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service (CoI) 2016 addresses employment and related issues in the public service. The many recommendations from the CoI aim at fostering and developing a professional and politically neutral public service, a public service that is based on merit and non-partisanship.

Inherent in the CoI report are the principles of fairness and non-discrimination in employment in keeping with our Constitution and labour laws.

The CoI report noted the progressive decline in political neutrality and professionalism in the public service, which for decades now has been subservient to the political directorate in the management of public administration services to the public.

Progressively over the years, many Permanent Secretaries and heads of departments, neglect of their constitutional and statutory duties, demonstrate professional weakness, and allow political alignments to influence their actions and decisions. This point to general

incapacity and unsuitability for such positions of high trust. Many heads of departments and permanent secretaries function as “clerks” and allow Ministers to get into day-to-day public administration and operational management of Ministries and departments, and micro manage. Ministers must, in the spirit and intent the Constitution and the applicable laws, learn, understand and practice their constitutional and other statutory duties with prudence.

Some Ministers throw their weight around, essentially on account of their positional power, rather than demonstrating the capacity and skills required in their ministerial responsibilities.

The constitutional stipulation of “fit and proper persons” to hold high public offices should include ministerial office holders. His Excellency, President David Granger may wish to reign in those Ministers who want to, or function also as Permanent Secretaries and heads of departments, to hide their inability to discharge the higher their duties of their portfolios.

This must be a source embarrassment to the President.

With the forgoing back ground, reality and the need to restore public trust and confidence in the public service, the CoI accordingly recommended: * The enactment, as in other Commonwealth countries, of a public service law, with related regulations which could promote the effective management and administration of the public service and insulate and protect it from irregular and undesirable influences to enhance its status and productive capacity (R 1) * That the Constitution and other applicable laws be appropriately amended to empower the Public Service Commission (PSC) to appoint Permanent Secretaries and Regional Executive Officers.

(R9) * That all recruitment and appointments to positions in the public service be undertaken through open internal and external competitions to obtain the best from the labour market (R10) * That all appointments by the PSC be on the basis of

merit and be free from political influences, and meet the essential qualifications and requirements for the jobs to be performed (R11) * That contract workers on all grades holding public service positions be absorbed into the pensionable public service establishment provided that they are suitably qualified to fill established positions (R13) * That contracted employees/workers should be restricted to high level professional skills not available in the public service, and should be recruited and selected through open competition to obtain the best available candidates from the job market.

(14).

There is widespread support for these and other recommendations proffered by the CoI. The public waits anxiously for the acceptance and implementation of the CoI recommendations which can contribute to the transformation of the public service into a politically neutral and professional Service.

Yours sincerely, Joshua Singh

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Guyana prisons, Police lock-ups life threatening – US report

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uyana has recently been flagged, in a human rights report prepared by the United States Department of State, over the conditions of its prison and lock-up facilities, which have been deemed “life threatening”.

This is even as local authorities continue to grapple with issues regarding Guyana’s penal system.

The 2017 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices compiled by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor was released on Friday.

It leads US’ efforts to promote democracy, protect human rights and international religious freedom, and advance labour rights globally.

In its profile on Guyana, the report cited that among the country’s most significant human rights issues are the “harsh and potentially life-threatening” prison conditions.

However, it noted that Government officials do not enjoy impunity from human rights abuses, and there are independent and transparent procedures for handling

allegations of abuse by security forces.

Under the ‘Prison and Detention Center Conditions’, the state’s “Prison and jail conditions, particularly in police holding cells, were reportedly harsh and potentially life threatening due to gross overcrowding, physical abuse, and inadequate sanitary conditions and medical care”, the report outlined.

It outlined that the Guyana Prison Service had reported back in September that there were 2,004 prisoners in five facilities with

a combined design capacity of 1,179. As at July, a total of 1,018 prisoners were in Georgetown’s Camp Street Prison, a facility designed to hold only 550 inmates.

“Overcrowding was in large part due to a backlog of pretrial detainees, who constituted approximately 30 percent of the total prison population.

“In July, inmates at the Camp Street Prison were moved to Lusignan Prison after they rioted and started multiple fires that destroyed the prison.

Prisoners reported unsan-

itary conditions and a lack of potable water. Prisoners also complained of lengthy confinement in their cells with limited opportunities for sunlight,” the report stated.

It was recognised that while offenders 16 years and older were placed with the adult prison population, younger offenders were held in a juvenile correctional centre that offered primary education, vocational training, and basic medical care.

The US report further highlighted that prisoners often circumvent pro-

cedures for submitting complaints of inhuman conditions or mistreatment by passing letters addressed to Government officials through family members. It added that authorities investigated and monitored prison and detention centre conditions, and committees prepared monthly reports on their visits.

While Government has permitted outside groups to monitor prison conditions independently, there were no requests for such visits during last year.

Turn to age 9

Guyanese need answers on the How the DPP will act role of Sittlington in Guyana will be of great interest Dear Editor, Government’s Advisor Sam Sittlington continues to cement himself in operational matters of the Special Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU). Isn’t it about time that the British High Commissioner comes clean on Sittlington’s role with SOCU? Is he an advisor? Or is he more involved? Are the British taxpayers aware of what their monies are being spent on?

Editor, it has been over a year since concerns were publicised about a Government Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, engaging Sittlington. It was the Minister who let the ‘cat out of the bag’ anyways. He had said, according to the report, that: “The fact (is) that I had some wine with Sam on Wednesday evening (March 8,2017) at Oasis was because I wanted to thank him for the great work he did at SOCU.” This ‘wine-drinking’ happened days after top leaders of the former Government were hauled into SOCU. By now most Guyanese are clear on what the role of SOCU was supposed to be, most Guyanese except those in this current coalition Government, which is strange because it is as if they forgot what they said only four years ago. As a former Leader of the Opposition, David Granger, at a press conference on October 11, 2014, acknowledged that SOCU was assigned “as the investigative arm of the FIU.” Another Cabinet Minister, Carl Greenidge (former Shadow Finance Minister), also in 2014 said: “The FIU, after receiving that report (from its reporting institutions), will now send it off to the SOCU which will operate as its investigative arm.”

Editor, many people seemed to have forgotten not only this, but also the questions about what SOCU has been turned into, especially after Guyanese read reports of the deaths of a Guyana Defence Force rank, Robert Pyle and his wife, Stacy Pyle, as well as a truck driver, Linden Eastman, on December 30, 2015. The Guyana Defence Force said the deaths occurred during a legitimate operation in which the Force was supporting the work of SOCU. What work remains the ques-

tion. Coming back to present happenings – with the controversy surrounding shift in the work of SOCU from the purpose it was set up for, the questionable operations of the Unit under this new Government and the personalities involved – Guyanese need answers on the role of Sittlington in Guyana.

What do we know about Sittlington?

Other than he was a Police Officer in Ireland, has a company, ‘The Fraud Company, Ltd’ and that he has worked in other third world countries. Is Sittlington the latest ‘consultant/advisor’ using Guyana to bolster his resume? The truth is also that the ambitions of personalities like Sittlington seem to find a happy synergy with the goals of the new APNU/AFC coalition Government – it fits what we heard on the campaign trail about jailing for-

mer Government officials.

For example, only days ago the newspapers reported that the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams berated SOCU and the FIU over their inability to secure convictions. But, as I said earlier, most Guyanese are clear on what the role of SOCU was supposed to be.

Because Guyanese know what the role of SOCU is supposed to be, the British High Commissioner must say what exactly is the nature work being done by Sittlington and the Government must justify the current operations of SOCU, particularly since Guyana will be reviewed by CFATF soon and the work of SOCU is linked to that review, with the mandate of SOCU being to support the Financial Intelligence Unit to tackle money laundering.

Sincerely, Cedric Lord

Dear Editor, The report from the Stateowned newspaper on April 20, 2018, that an unnamed “legal luminary” thinks that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has the power to discontinue the private criminal charges filed on April 19, 2018 against Minister Lawrence and Minister Norton must be viewed with some misgiving.

The charges that were reported are not light charges.

In fact, they are heavier than some of the other charges that have been the day’s news on the front pages of some of the newspapers in the past few months.

How the DPP will act will be of great interest.

It is not easily forgot-

ten that the DPP is under pressure from political higher-ups. It is not easily forgotten that the DPP is under pressure because she has land in the Pradoville areas and this is part of another case brought by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. It is also not forgotten that the husband of the DPP has been on at least one foreign trip with President David Granger. A section of the media reported on May 19, 2017 reported that Moen ul Hack was with President David Granger at the ArabicIslamic-American Summit in Saudi Arabia in his post as Director of Education at the Central Islamic Organisation

of Guyana. It is also not forgotten that only the other day the Hack’s name was among the list of recipients of national awards.

Importantly, for the most part, the DPP has acted professionally. But what seems like a clear instruction from this “legal luminary” used for the Guyana Chronicle’s article for the DPP to act in a certain manner is grounds for worry.

The actions moving forward will tell the Guyanese people much about the state of play in Guyana under the APNU/AFC Government.

Sincerely, Zeniah Talbot

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By Jamie Zibulsky, PhD

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’m stating the obvious but reading books about the natural world is a great way to help children learn about science. I mean this in two ways.

First, if you are anything like me, certain information that you know you learned at some point in time (how long dinosaurs roamed the earth; why Pluto stopped being considered a planet; what the sun is busy doing when the moon is waning) has gradually escaped from your brain. I am here to reassure you that there are many wonderful texts that can answer your child’s questions much more eloquently and accurately than you can.

In addition, modeling for your child that there are places you can go to get answers to questions that stump you is an added benefit. That way, he or she knows that even grown-ups sometimes don’t have all the answers but that there are experts who might. You can seek out those answers together in the library, online, or at places like museums, farms, or zoos. Making this process of seeking information fun and normal will pay off over the years, as your child continues to wonder about new things, begins to look for answers more independently, and has to distinguish between reliable and unreliable information sources.

Second, interacting with the natural world helps kids think like scientists. Planting a garden, watching a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, or leaving a grape out in the sun gives children the opportunity to come up with a hypothesis, test it out, and make sense of cause and effect. These experiments can even help children think through the complexity of the world. Seeing that some vegetables may grow better in your garden than others, or that four-legged visitors might stop by to nibble one of the things you are hoping to eat yourself, can help them recognise that many dif-

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ferent factors affect the outcome of a situation. This type of scientific thinking is important for children to develop. Their new knowledge of actions and reactions can be applied to the interpersonal and social realm as well, but these relationships are often easier to understand and discuss using the concrete language and tangible examples associated with the physical world around us.

As Earth Day approaches, you may also want to help your children celebrate the world around us and think about how to be a gentle and appreciative guardian of its resources. Kids enjoy feeling like they have control over their environment and having the chance to participate in adult activities, so many things that we may perceive as chores (remembering to water the plants, separating

the recycling or compost, checking to make sure all lights are off before leaving the house) can be exciting for them.

Again, this type of caring and responsible behaviour might be something you want to cultivate in many domains of life but starting off by focusing on something as tactile as where to dispose of garbage can be a simple way to get started.

Each of these explorations and lessons can be joyful, and your children (who are often thrilled to explore on a cold or rainy day, unconcerned about dirt or bugs, or curious about things adults may not even notice) might actually be the ones to model this joy for you.

Selecting some books that depict children as explorers, activists, gardeners, and role models can inspire children and start some good conversations.

Great books to share around Earth Day: Finding Wild by Megan Wagner Lloyd A particularly great read for city kids, this book focuses on the ways we can see nature peeking out at us through the cracks in the sidewalk or in other places where we might not expect it. Through poetic language and beautiful illustrations, it depicts nature as sometimes exhilarating, sometimes scary, and sometimes soothing… but always around us. After reading it together, your child will be likely to start sharing examples of when he or she sees nature hiding in plain sight.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner The languorous pace of this book can help children relax into the details of the story, and its vibrant illustrations of life above and below ground will help them become more aware of all of the action going on around them when they are outside. As the main character figures out what to do with “hands full of seeds and a head full of dreams,” readers can vicariously experience the pleasures and curiosities she and her grandmother experience throughout their planting and harvest. Because it is a story about enjoying and observing nature together throughout the year, this is a perfect book to read before embarking on your own outdoor adventure – even if you are just headed to a nearby park.

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown Another excellent book for city kids, this story tells the tale of Liam, a curious boy who explores an old railway trestle and begins to nurse an abandoned green space back to life.

There are so many aspects of this book that are empowering for children – Liam figures out how to garden without any adult intervention and he inspires other people to embrace gardening too. The pictures throughout show how much one person’s loving care can transform the environment. This book can be a great springboard for conversations about your family can make changes to your own backyard, block, or town. (psychologytoday.com)

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ven young children can learn the importance of recycling, especially if you make it fun for them. This is the time to teach your kids to respect their world and be resourceful rather than wasteful. Here are six tips to get you started and keep it fun for the kids:

Assess the situation

Help your kids conduct a waste assessment in your home to identify any inefficiencies, such as wasting electricity, or ways in which the amount of trash they generate might be reduced. Encourage them to be more aware of how many items they are wasting or underusing both at home and away. When they understand that there is a need to make a difference, they will be more willing and excited about the change.

Recycle regularly

It’s simple to recycle if you have a plan, so teach your kids early to look for the recycling symbol on all products. Show them how bottles, containers and other items are to be recycled in your home and encourage them to take ownership of their own trash. They should know about the most important items to recycle, as well as just how many things around the home can be recycled.

Make it fun

Share some interesting facts about things like water consumption, the number of diapers in landfills or any other startling statistics which are likely to make an impact. Turn a family outing in the park into a recycling game, gathering

random materials for some creative fun once you return home. Challenge everyone in the family, individually or in teams, to make something unique out of something they would normally just throw away.

Create a compost bin

Explain the purpose of composting and then create a compost bin to add to your recycling plan. Have the kids take turns mixing the compost and then let them use it to plant their own little garden plot.

Having their own small garden or plant to take care of gives them a sense of responsibility.

Repurpose with purpose Before you throw away old toys or give away old jewellery, see how creative your kids can be in making something different and useful out of those

items. Changing a brooch into a necklace or scrap metal into a mini picture frame will allow them to find new usefulness for the items as well as stimulate their imaginations.

Scrap and save

Save scrap metal until you have enough to take to a local scrap metal recycler. The metal will be re-used to make cars, and the money can be applied to something specific for which your kids are saving. This provides a double incentive to recycle.

Recycling can be fun and educational. The habits your children develop now will stay with them into adulthood, when they will be able to teach their children by example just as you are teaching them. (www.ifcs.org)

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saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No need for gold refinery – Jagdeo …as GGMC workers walk off job over mercury issues

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ne week after Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman had announced the impending arrival of a South African team to explore the possibility of setting up a gold refinery, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has there is no need for a refinery. Rather, he suggested, Government should be looking at ways to fix the mercury issue at the Guyana Gold Board’s Laboratory.

Trotman had announced that representatives from South African Precious Metals were expected to arrive in Guyana to explore the possibility of setting up a gold refinery here, but efforts to confirm the arrival of the experts have proved futile.

Trotman had said Government has already received a number of proposals from both local and foreign companies to set up a processing plant in Guyana, and the move towards a refinery was to modernise the sector.

Responding to the announcement, Jagdeo said Government is parading the proposal as though it were something new. He revealed that during the People's Progressive Party’s tenure, they had received a number of

those proposals, but had decided against them.

“There is a critical macro-economic reason for this (rejection). This Government is walking blindly into this, and I don’t want them to do this, because this will destroy the country further. So, if you have a private refinery they will buy the gold here, and they will export the gold on their own and they will keep the foreign currency, and that now the transactions move from the Gold Board to a private refiner, and they sell it there and then it is exported, not much value added,” Jagdeo explained.

The PPP General Secretary said the Central Bank gets a significant part of its foreign currency reserves from the Guyana Gold Board through export of gold, hence the reason Government continues to export gold rather than simply allowing the Private Sector to control the sector.

“Central Bank needs this money to pay our debts and often to make it available to people who import fuel, because if the fuel importers were to all go to cambios every week and buy large transactions in a shallow foreign currency market, it can drive the price.

You can have a wide volatility

Board. We should make that decision right here right now in the best interest of our people,” he advised.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

for the exchange rate, and you can drive it out because there will be lump transactions. The Central Bank smooths this out so we can have stability in the foreign currency,” he further stated.

The former President related that Guyanese do not need a South African company to tell them whether they need a refinery or not. He said it seems as though Government is intent of farming out intellectual work to foreigners.

“This is a pattern; we farm out intellectual work to foreigners. We need to fix the issue of the mercury at the Gold

Walk out Meanwhile, despite assurance that the mercury content in the Guyana Gold Board’s Laboratory -- housed in the Brickdam compound of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) -- is safe, workers walked off the job on Friday, protesting the high levels of mercury in the compound.

According to information, the workers do not believe the

reports, and are of the view that the Commission is not doing enough to address their concerns; hence the reason for their walking off.

Since discovery of high levels of mercury in the Laboratory, the GGB has contracted the services of Trinidadbased Kaizen Environmental Services to conduct an independent investigation of the effect of the emission, and that company has said the mercury levels are back to normal.

According to the report, the study was conducted on March 28 at ten locations primarily within the Guyana Geology

and Mines Commissions’ compound and surrounding areas.

“The Mercury (Hg) levels monitored at all ten (10) locations were within the United States Occupational Safety & Health Administration (US OSHA) eight (8) hour Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL),” the report stated.

Out of over 130 staffers tested, it was discovered that more than 60 reported high levels of mercury in their system. Additionally, the Guyana Public Service Union has said it has written the GGMC and Trotman, seeking a meeting to have the concerns addressed.

8 NEWS Ganja farmer jailed saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

K

enneth Thompson, a farmer of Aruwau Village, Deep South Rupununi, was on Friday jailed for three years and fined $15,000 by Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman after admitting to cultivating 12 cannabis plants on his farm at Aruwai.

Facts presented to the court detail that Police ranks acting on information went to Thompson’s farm on April 18 last and confronted him about planting

Kenneth Thompson leaving the court room

the prohibited substance, and a search carried out on the farm unearthed the 12 plants.

In his defence, Thompson told the court he and his brother cultivate the plants.

Magistrate Latchman said fining Thompson $15,000 and sentencing him to three years in prison was based on his early guilty plea and the need to stop others from committing the offence for which he was charged.

D’Urban Street stabbing

Wortmanville man remanded for stabbing ‘child mother’

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leveland Williams who allegedly stabbed the mother of his child in D’Urban Street, Wortmanville on Tuesday, April 17, was on Friday remanded to prison by Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The 46-year-old maintenance worker of Lot 70 D’Urban Street Lodge faces an attempted murder charge alleging that he stabbed Lashawna Boyce twice in her lower back with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

The incident allegedly occurred when he confronted

Boyce while she was walking along D’Urban Street.

Having arming himself with a knife, he began pushing Boyce about her body, and a scuffle ensued between the two, during which he allegedly wounded Boyce and left her in a nearby drain as he made good his escape.

Public-spirited persons rushed Boyce to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where she was admitted a patient.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore objected to Williams being placed on bail, citing the serious nature of the of-

Cleveland Williams being escorted by Police

fence and the prevalence of domestic violence. Moore explained that Boyce is still a patient at the GPHC, where her condition is listed as sta-

ble.

Magistrate Latchman accordingly remanded Williams to prison, and adjourned the matter to May 4.

Return of…

T

…the Empire his business going on in London with the “Commonwealth” is getting to be just too ridiculous for your Eyewitness. First of all, there’s Queen Elizabeth’s reminder to the gathered heads of the 53 member states that the whole shebang was created for all intents and purposes back in 1949 by her father. What she didn’t say was it was a rear-guard move to hold on to his “British Empire” after WWII, since they had neither the power nor the will to keep the status quo that had fattened them for three centuries.

It was then that the newly-independent India announced, at the London gathering of PMs, that the following year, when she became a Republic, she’d accept the King as “head of the Commonwealth as such”. To which King George quipped, “So I’ve become ‘as such’!”

And ‘as such’ it was - as the rest of the Empire cut their ties as quickly as Britain reluctantly allowed them to.

In our case, she used us as a bargaining chip with the Americans, who had just declared their “Cold War” against Russia, for some handouts…and we still haven’t recovered.

But so it also was for most of the other Commonwealth members – with the notable exception of the white “Dominions” – Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In many countries, wars had to be waged against the Empire. The black majority Dominion of South Africa, of course, was a special case, since it was accepted officially by Britain as a “white” country, since the Blacks, Coloureds and Indians were “whited out” when they were stripped of their civil rights under Apartheid. Has this present generation of leaders forgotten the struggle that was waged within the Commonwealth – and on the ground in Africa -- just to get Rhodesia and South Africa to recognise non-whites as equal??

So where is all of this leading to? Well, the “as such” referred to above means that the Monarch of Britain isn’t AUTOMATICALLY the head of the Commonwealth. It’s the Commonwealth nations that have to make this decision.

And if Elizabeth can have the chutzpah to ask that her son Charles become head of the Commonwealth, isn’t it high time this request be used as a bargaining chip for something we want from Britain? Like, say, reparations for genocide, slavery and indentureship??

Imagine, this woman hasn’t stepped aside for Charles to be the figurehead for their dwindling little island, and should he now be the symbol for 2.4 billion souls who were left psychically underdeveloped and even crippled, by her country?? Well they should be made to pay for that!!

Forget the sop to the Windrush descendants. What about reparations for us?

Your Eyewitness will take his portion in cold cash. …“ungodly” acts??

Stung by PPP’s criticism of PNC shenanigans with the registration process – eerily reminiscent of the 1967 moves that led to the rigging of the 1968 elections – PNC General Amna Ally insisted the “ungodly” acts of the PPP are no more, and they have nothing to fear!! Well!!

Talk about rubbing your doo-doo on someone else’s bamsie!!

The PPP ran elections in 1997, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2015. All were certified “free and fair” by international observers, and only the local courts ruled that the 1997 requirement to produce IDs – which didn’t affect any vote count – was illegal. The 2011 election produced a tie, and 2015 a victory for the PNC!! Can’t be “freer” that that!!

So Ally’s reference to “ungodly acts” had to be a flashback from the PNC years: 1968, when English horses voted; 1973 when the Army seized ballot boxes and murdered civilians; 1980, dubbed “more crooked than barbed wire”; and 1985, when Hoyte outdid Burnham in rigging.

Maybe Amna and the PNC need an exorcism? …foot-and-mouth disease After America threatened sanctions against Deripaksha’s holdings – including RUSAL -- Finance Minister Jordan yet insisted it wouldn’t affect our bauxite workers.

Now Trotman just admitted bauxite hauler Oldendorf’s pulled out. How’d you produce bauxite if you can’t ship it?

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

News

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saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Suspected fuel smuggling

Seized vessel linked to senior Govt, sport officials

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n the heels of a dramatic Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) operation that netted a ship suspected of smuggling fuel, it has emerged that persons ranging from senior Government functionaries to sport officials may have links to the vessel.

According to reports in sections of the media, the vessel called the Jubilee purchased fuel from neighbouring Trinidad with Suriname as its destination port. After the deal fell through, however, the vessel reportedly docked in port Georgetown last week Friday.

Reports indicate that GEA agents boarded the vessel, which was carrying over 500,000 litres of fuel and sealed the tanks and pumps after the crew was unable to provide the requisite documentations.

It is understood that the matter is before the GEA and the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Attempts by Guyana Times to seek an update on the matter on Friday were futile.

But according to information reaching this publication, a senior Government official and a local sport heavyweight have direct links to the vessel, which is owned by a company incorporated in Guyana under the Companies Act in 2016.

This publication has been informed that these individuals have been shareholders of the company since 2017. One of the aforementioned company shareholders is in fact the

designated secretary of the company.

Last year, the GEA's Fuel Marking Division (FMD) reportedly was able to seize over 11,000 gallons of illegal fuel for 2017 as part of its fight against fuel smuggling.

The GEA usually dispatches teams of inspectors across the various administrative regions in Guyana to take and test samples of fuel to determine whether it has been legitimately imported into the country.

“At the end of November 2017, 32,027 samples were collected from 12,033 sites representing 91 per cent and 83 per cent of the respective targets for 2017. The total quantity of fuel seized for the same period was 11,794 gallons of diesel and gasoline as a result of 28 discoveries of illegal fuel at various locations,” the GEA had said.

Additionally, the GEA had been able to secure five convictions for 2017 and according to the body’s legal officer, Thandiewe Benn, since the im-

plementation of the fuel marking programme in 2004; they have been able to secure a total of 49 convictions.

She had added that the work of the GEA to stamp out fuel smuggling is heavily dependent on the support from the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Revenue Authority, and the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard.

The GEA added that the FMD’s inspectorate arm continues to conduct surveillance activities on suspects in the fuel smuggling network, with support from the collaborative agencies.

To date, several personalities and their suspected areas of operations have been under surveillance at various times and at least 37 operations have been conducted during the nights targeting suspected smuggling operations.

It is reported that the joint operations, as well as surveillance operations, have significantly contributed to the discoveries of illegal fuel recorded for the year 2017.

Rusal asks Russia for liquidity support

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euters reported on Friday that Russian companies hit by US sanctions, including aluminum giant Rusal, have asked for 100 billion rubles (US$1.6 billion) in liquidity support from the Government. The country’s Finance Minister, Anton Siluanov, was quoted by Interfax news agency making the announcement, Reuters reported.

The United States on April 6 imposed sanctions against several Russian entities and individuals, including Rusal and its major shareholder Oleg Deripaska, to punish Moscow for its suspected meddling in the 2016 US election and other alleged “malign activity.”

Rusal, the world’s second-biggest aluminum producer, has been particularly hard hit as the sanctions have caused concerns among some customers, suppliers and creditors that they could be blacklisted too through association with the company. A “temporary nationalisation” is an option for some sanctions-hit companies, but not Rusal, Siluanov was quoted as saying. He did not name the companies he was referring to.

According to the Reuters report, a Kremlin spokesman had said on Thursday that temporary nationalisation was one of the options for helping Rusal.

According to another news agency, RIA, Rusal has only requested government support with liquidity and with demand for aluminum so far, Siluanov said.

Guyana prisons, Police lock-ups life...

Further, the report went on to note that while authorities generally do not hold suspects in custody past the 72 hours’ detention period, except in capital offences and narcotics trafficking, they occasionally do not respect persons’ rights to “prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and to family members” which the law provides for criminal detainees.

Another issue that the re-

port highlighted was the long period of detention that defendants and accused face awaiting trial.

“Lengthy pretrial detention remained a problem, due primarily to judicial inefficiency, staff shortages, and cumbersome legal procedures.

The average length of pretrial detention was three years for those awaiting trial at a magistrate’s court or in the High Court. This was often beyond

the maximum possible sentence for the crime for which they were charged.

With regard to ‘Denial of Fair Public Trial’, the report found that “Delays and inefficiencies undermined judicial due process. Shortages of trained court personnel, postponements at the request of the defence or prosecution, occasional allegations of bribery, poor tracking of cases, and Police sluggishness

RIA quoted the Minister as saying the Government was not considering State purchases of aluminum for now.

Locally Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman was expected to meet with a team of Rusal leaders but is it uncertain whether the meeting was held. Efforts to contact the Minister for an update on the local position were futile.

Meanwhile, despite assurances by Finance Minister Winston Jordan last week that Government was guaranteed that Oldendroff Carriers would not be affected by the sanctions on Thursday reports surfaced that the company has begun scaling back its operations ultimately putting over 200 jobs in jeopardy.

However, Trotman has since stated that the decision was expected and that measures are being put in place to cushion the effect. So, it is unclear as to what is the exact position of the Government.

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

The Treasury Department warned that US entities would be “gen-

erally prohibited” from dealings with the persons and firms on the sanctions list, while added that companies outside the United States could face sanctions for “knowingly facilitating significant transactions for or on behalf of” the sanctioned entities.

The US Government’s decision to include Deripaska on its sanctions blacklist will reverberate around the world because his business empire has a global footprint and counts major multinationals as partners.

Deripaska, estimated by Forbes magazine to have a net worth of $6.7 billion, is the main owner of the conglomerate EN+, which in turn is the co-owner of some of the world’s biggest metals producers, Rusal and Nornickel.

Deripaska’s inclusion on the US sanctions list could potentially create complications too for companies with which he does business; they include German car giant Volkswagen and commodities trader Glencore.

Rusal had said it regretted its inclusion on the US sanctions list, adding that its advisors were studying the situation. Hong Kong-listed Rusal is one of the world’s biggest aluminum producers.

It says exports to the United States account for over 10 per cent of its output.

Rusal owns assets in Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Nigeria, Guyana, and Guinea. It owns a stake in Australian QAL, the world’s top alumina refinery.

from page 5

in preparing cases for trial caused delays.”

The report also revealed that there were allegations of mistreatment of inmates by prison officials, as well as claims that Police abused suspects and detainees.

Under the ‘Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’ sub-heading, the report cited the Winston Carlos Haynes case, a former

soldier of the Guyana Defence Force, who was accused of raping a minor in March last year. Haynes was fired and prosecuted in a civilian court for the offence. He was committed to stand trial in the High Court, but is out on bail.

Moreover, there were no reports that the Government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings.

However, the report did mention the July 2017 fatal Police

shooting of Charles Peters, a mentally ill man, whom they said was acting in a suspicious manner, and that he was killed as he reportedly attempted to escape custody. The August 2016 killing of Winston Hinds by Police was also mentioned. Police officials had claimed the measure was warranted within the circumstances, and no further action was taken, the report stated.

10 news

saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PNC’s call for new house-to-house registration reeks desperation – PPP

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Friday said it has noted the desperate call by General Secretary of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Amna Ally, for a new houseto-house registration.

According to the party, it was after the 2015 General and Regional Elections that the PPP called not only for a new house-to-house registration by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), but for electronic voting utilising enhanced biometrics with a paper-ballot trail which could be audited.

“Having ignored our calls, the PNC, having completed almost three years in Government, is now mak-

ing calls for a new house-tohouse registration. After the completion of two cycles of continuous registration and two periods of claims and objections, the PNC has discovered the harsh reality that its supporters are not heeding their calls to register,” the PPP said on Friday.

This reluctance to engage in the process, the Party noted, is as a result of the despondency precipitated from the economic hardships that the PNC Government continue to stack on the backs of Guyanese.

“The visionless PNC Government through its woefully inept management, not only decimated a once vibrant economy, but has made

it virtually impossible for Guyanese, including their own supporters, to eke out a living after falsely promising a good life. Their failed economic policies have removed confidence from local and foreign investors, thereby compounding the woes of a now wary Guyanese populace,” the PPP said.

It added that house-tohouse registration is a meticulous process that necessitates a protracted time period for its completion and accuracy. Therefore, “having realised that its support is diminishing, this desperate call for a new house-to-house registration by the PNC three years hence, can only be seen as a deliberate attempt to

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

postpone or even derail Local Government Elections (LGE) scheduled for later this year and General and Regional Elections constitutionally due in 2020.”

The PPP added that it is urging all Guyanese not to be misled by a now worried and desperate PNC through its usual diversionary tactics.

On Tuesday, the PPP had expressed some level of satisfaction over the fact that GECOM and various stakeholders are engaged in a process to update and sanitise the list of registered electors.

However, the Party is also calling for due diligence to be exercised.

One of the tasks undertaken by GECOM and stakeholders is to cleanse the list of deceased persons, based upon information generated by the General Registrar’s

Office (GRO), which is responsible for the issuance of certificates of death. This is something the Party has repeatedly called for.

“The PPP calls upon GECOM to exercise greater care and due diligence in their attempts to sanitise the list. We will continue to partner with GECOM and other stakeholders, in a concerted effort, to produce a list of registered electors that is accurate and whose integrity can withstand objective scrutiny,” it stated.

The removal of names of persons who have died from the list of registered electors is a responsibility of GECOM and is guided by strict laws and rules, the Party reminded. Only on the basis of a certified list of persons who have died, issued by the GRO, can GECOM remove a person’s name.

“It is, therefore, imperative that we emphasise that names cannot be removed from the list on the ground that persons are dead, unless confirmation is received from the GRO,” the PPP asserted.

The Party therefore noted that GECOM issued five lists of persons who have died between December 2015 and March 2016. One of the lists, according to them, is of persons who have died but whose names are not on the list of registered electors

PNC General Secretary Amna Ally

(that is persons who never registered).

The PPP said it has conducted a review of this particular list and has discovered a significant number of names which are in fact on the list of registered electors. “This list is, therefore, not accurate. As a result, the names of deceased persons will continue to be on the list of registered electors,” it pointed out.

In March, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo called for an audit to be done on the digitisation of records at the General Registrar’s Office (GRO). His comments were followed by Citizenship Minister Winston Felix, who claimed that the process is transparent and one that does not include partisanship.

news

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saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

85-year-old visually impaired Berbice woman raped

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n 85-year-old Corentyne, Berbice woman has been raped while in bed.

Reports are the woman is also visually impaired and has difficulty hearing.

Guyana Times was told that the woman, who was at the time in adult pampers, was left unconscious after the incident occurred sometime at about 04:00h Sunday morning.

According to information received, the woman lives alone in her Corentyne home but one of her children lives

close by. Following the incident, a relative said the perpetrator gained access to the house by breaking a window to the bedroom where the elderly woman was asleep. During the alleged attack, the woman lost consciousness.

However, when she regained consciousness, she was heard screaming by her son who lives in close proximity.

“I lie down on the bed; I cover from head to foot. I wasn’t asleep and suddenly somebody come and pull the coverlet and pull out the pam-

pers and jump on me… ah feel like ah suffocating and ah say a can’t do that thing…,” the elderly woman recalled.

The relative said the Police were contacted at about 06:00h on Sunday by the woman’s son. According to the woman’s son, when he went to the Police station, he was told the Police will respond promptly and he should go and wait on them. However, according to the young man, it was not until midday that the officers arrived.

“She was in pain and real-

ly wanted to go to the hospital but I said the Police have to come first and they have to take her to the hospital because her eyes were swollen; blood was in her eyes. Her entire body was in pain. If we go to move her she start screaming because of the pain. The whole place was with blood; all on the pampers and on the bed,” he said.

When the Police finally arrived, they took her to the Port Mourant Hospital where it was confirmed that she was sexually assaulted.

He further related that when he inquired form the Police Officers at the hospital what was the next step, he was told that the matter is now in the hands of the Police and they were going to take it from there.

According to the man, he made a request for the Police to commence their investigation at the scene of the crime and suggested that they could check for fingerprints.

“They say everything is in the Police hands and they will do what is necessary, so

ah say that I will keep updated. When I went the next day then they told me that I have to take my mother to the station in order for them to take a report.”

The woman was eventually taken to the Police station on Tuesday where statements were taken from both the elderly woman and her son at the Whim Police Station.

He said he left his telephone number with the officers and have not heard from them since. (Andrew Carmichael)

SARA to move to the courts to recover State assets

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he State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) is currently in the process of preparing court proceedings to file with the aim of recovering State resources which the body claimed ended up in the hands of persons through “ill-gotten means”.

Speaking with reporters on Friday, Director of SARA, Professor Clive Thomas said the Agency intends to file these proceedings in the second half of the year.

“The cases are in process of preparation (and) they may not all be held in the courts in Guyana… (but) the court cases will start in the third quarter of this year,” According to Professor Thomas, the overseas cases being pursued by SARA are mostly financial instruments, such as cash and bank accounts, while local cases are related to State lands in addition to cash.

However, he noted that with

Director of SARA, Professor Clive Thomas

the overseas cases, SARA will have to meet a certain target value before they could start initiate the recovery process.

“They have to be above a certain figure for the cases to proceed overseas to make it worthwhile for the (relevant overseas) agencies to pursue the cases…The Act in Guyana says we can only proceed with

recovery in cases more than $10 million Guyana dollars but that’s chicken feed overseas.

So, we have to get cases that we can at least ask the courts overseas to deal with at least $10 million US dollars,” Professor Thomas said, adding that they are currently working on these cases.

He further sought to explain that these proceedings will be just to recover the State assets and not to criminally indict anyone.

“We don’t charge individuals but anybody who has unlawful ownership of public assets or where public assets have been transferred to them as a result of misconduct, we go after the property and that is where the (States Assets Recovery) Bill focuses our efforts,” he posited.

However, Professor Thomas noted that some of the local cases that SARA is pursuing with the aim of recovering State as-

sets, are also before the criminal court.

According to the Director, SARA currently has between 50 to 60 active cases that it is investigating. However, some of these cases, he pointed out, involve multiple individuals who were part of the process.

Professor Thomas went on to note that SARA based its investigations on complaints and referrals from other State agencies. “There is no single case that we’ve ever pursued that has not been referred to us either by another criminal agency – let’s say SOCU (Special Organised Crime Unit), the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions), the Police or whoever it might be –

or a Government department, that’s the mechanism we’ve used so far,” he noted.

However, the SARA Director further noted that the agency is also open to reports from the public, but this is being done cautiously. In fact, he added that SARA’s website will soon have the procedure that would be adopted on deciding whether or not to pursue these publicly reported cases and how they will be pursued.

“Because we have to also be careful that people don’t make false accusations against others or deliberately seek to create mischief. So we can’t take an allegation of theft as anything more than an allegation.

So we have to some preliminary discussions and evaluations of that. But that’s the best practice internationally, and that is what we are doing,” Professor Thomas said. He further outlined that international crime of this sort against State assets is the fastest growing crime globally but is the least crime for which persons are convicted. To this end, he noted that many countries have adopted a collective approach to tackling the issue. In fact, Professor Thomas noted that some nations such as England have put laws in place where private firms can also go after stolen State resources and get a cut from the recovered assets.

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saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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ensington Palace confirmed via Twitter on December 15 that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will marry on May 19, 2018. The couple’s decision to wed on a Saturday goes against tradition, as royal weddings usually take place on a weekday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wed on a Friday and the Queen on a Thursday.

It will be the most important day of their shared lives to date, imbued with centuries-old tradition as they take vows before God, their families and the Queen.

But not for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a day of too much solemnity, as they promise a wedding focused on fun, joy and a chance to celebrate with the public.

The couple, who announced their engagement in November, are planning their own wedding celebration that “reflects the characters of the bride and groom”.

With just weeks to go until the big day, the happy couple are taking charge of the planning which is designed to incorporate both families, their wide circle of friends, and welcome the public into their lives.

The Big Day

The wedding is on Saturday, May 19 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor

and reception, will be paid for by the Royal Family, with Ms Markle’s parents both set to attend.

The schedule

The couple will exchange vows at noon (7 a.m. EDT).

At 1 p.m. (8 a.m. EDT), the newlyweds will leave Windsor Castle in a carriage for a roughly two-mile procession, traveling along the High Street through the town of Windsor, before returning to the castle by the Long Walk, according to the Palace.

The couple and guests will then attend a re-

St George’s Chapel

ception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at St. George's Hall in the castle grounds, prior to a smaller evening reception for around 200 friends and family hosted by Prince Charles, Harry's father.

A very traditional ceremony

The couple will be making their vows at Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel, which last hosted a royal wedding in May 2008 when Peter Phillips - son of The Princess Royal - married Autumn Kelly. Prince Edward also wed Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, there in June 1999.

B Prince William’s Royal Wedding Procession

Castle, where Prince Harry was christened. It is said to have become a "very special place" for the couple in their relationship so far. The service will begin at 12pm.

The Lord Chamberlain's Office at Buckingham Palace is responsible for organising royal weddings, but Harry and Ms Markle

are leading the show.

However, under the guidance of Harry's private secretary, Edward Lane Fox, the Lord Chamberlain's Office is dealing with the ceremonial aspects of the day.

The "core aspects" of the wedding, including the church service, associated music, flowers, decorations

ookmakers suspended betting on the designer of Ms Markle's wedding dress in March when British couture company Ralph & Russo pulled ahead to become 1/3 favourites.

The label, helmed by Australians Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo (a couple in real life) have shot to prominence after a string of celebrity endorsements. In 2014, Angelina Jolie wore the label to Buckingham Palace to receive an honorary damehood, in 2016 Gwyneth Paltrow to the Oscars. Add to that list of fans Beyonce, Rihanna and, finally, Meghan Markle herself, who chose a £56,000 embellished couture gown for the official photos taken to mark her engagement to Prince Harry.

Before betting was suspended, London-based designer Erdem was at 3/1.

Ms Markle's stylist and close friend Ms Mulroney runs a bridal store in Toronto was said to have helped the bride choose her gown.

The fact is, we're unlikely to know anything about Markle's wedding dress until the bride steps out on May

Florist Philippa Cradock

19. But that hasn't stopped the rumor mill.

Designers tipped to be among the likely candidates include the Canadian-born Erdem Moralioglu, French designer Roland Mouret and the Ralph & Russo duo, who designed the gown Markle wore in her engagement photographs.

“The princess-to-be seems to have a lot of personality, which is what royalty should be about,” Vogue fashion critic Anders Christian

Madsen shared, “so I would love to see her in something brave and daring on her wedding day: a Victorian Erdem number with cascading ruffles, a magical John Galliano for Maison Margiela gown with mad embroidery, or a dramatic Giles Deacon haute couture dress with that air of British majesty!”

Flowers

The couple have chosen high society florist Philippa Craddock to design their day, using seasonal plants and flowers from the Crown Estates and Royal Parks chosen particularly for their pollinator-friendly properties.

Aisles, pews, tables and halls will be lined with plants from wildflower meadows, picked to “provide a great habitat for bees and help to nurture and sustain entire ecosystems by promoting a healthy and biodiverse environment”, Kensington Palace said.

Ms Craddock has been named “Queen of London florists” by British Vogue and “a floral mastermind” by Tatler.

Peonies are one of Ms Markle's favourite flowers, so it is likely her floral bouquet will include these fragrant blooms, which are in season in May. (vogue.co.uk)

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saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T

I

nvitations have been posted to 600 lucky guests, with a select 200 close friends invited to an after party at Frogmore House.

Produced by Barnard & Westwood, which has held the "Royal Warrant for Printing & Bookbinding by Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen" since 1985, the company also has a second royal warrant with the Prince of Wales.

Die-stamped in gold and then burnished, the invitation features The Three Feather Badge of The Prince of Wales. They also reveal that the dress code is Uniform, Morning Coat or Lounge Suit, or Day Dress with Hat. It's not yet clear who has received an invite, although that information is likely to emerge in the next few weeks.

While Ms Markle’s father Thomas has not yet met Prince Harry, he gave his blessing for the wedding and is expected to attend along with Doria Ragland, the future mother-in-law the Prince described as “amazing”.

US president Donald

he prince will be putting pen to paper to write his speech for their reception.

But Ms Markle, who is an accomplished public speaker, is expected to break with tradition and deliver her own as well, offering “affectionate” praise of her new husband, thanks to the Queen and a few suitable jokes.

The former actress, is “ready” to speak at the reception, should her father Thomas Markle choose to avoid the limelight, the Sunday Times reported earlier this year.

Mr Markle, an awardwinning Hollywood writing director who now lives a quiet life in Mexico, is expected to walk Ms Markle down the aisle, but may not make a formal speech in front of hundreds of guests and senior members of the Royal Family.

Attheweddingof theDukeand Duchess of Cambridge, reception speeches

Trump is not expecting a coveted invite, but some of those who might be include former American leader Barack Obama, tennis star Serena Williams and Ms Markle's Suits co-stars Sarah Rafferty, Patrick J Adams and Wendell Pierce.

Not one, but two receptions

Following the carriage ride, the congregation will await the happy couple in St George's Hall, for the first of two receptions.

The first, more formal afternoon reception for some 600 guests, will be hosted by the Queen. The 180-ft long room, traditionally used for state banquets, seats up to 162 people and was redesigned in a modern Gothic style – with walls lined with suits of armour – following the fire at the castle in 1992.

The second evening reception, for 200 close friends and family, will be thrown at Frogmore House by the Prince of Wales.

Standing about half a mile south of Windsor Castle in Windsor Home Park, Frogmore House has been a Royal Residence since 1792.

It is where Harry and Ms Markle posed for their official engagement photos in November.

The location of the venue - away from the Castle - will offer the pair privacy as they celebrate with friends and family.

Scant details have emerged about the reception so far, but we do know that the couple have asked Claire Ptak, an east London pastry chef, to make an organic lemon and elderflower cake for their wedding.

Kensington Palace said Ms Ptak, owner of the Violet Bakery in Hackney, will create a cake for the Royal wedding incorporating "the bright flavours of spring". It will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.

It is believed to be the first time a Royal couple have eschewed tradition by not serving a fruit cake to their wedding guests. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose Fiona Cairns to make their 2011 wedding cake, a traditional multi-layered fruit cake with a floral design. (tele-

graph.co.uk)

The singer, known to fans as “Scary Spice”, claimed she had received a “proper” invitation, appearing to disclose the band are set to perform, during an appearance on a television chat show.

Sir Elton John has reportedly cancelled two of the dates of his Las Vegas residency to attend the royal wedding, amid speculation he could also be performing.

Security will be tight

included words from best man Prince Harry, the groom’s father the Prince of Wales and Michael Middleton, who affectionately described how he knew his daughter’s relationship was serious when her boyfriend landed a helicopter in his garden.

In February Mel B, one of the five original Spice Girls, hinted that the Spice Girls were expected to reunite for the Royal wedding, confirming that they were to attend.

Plans are almost certainly in place for policing the grand royal occasion, with thousands of people expected to descend on the Berkshire town of Windsor to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom.

While the total cost of this wedding is still unknown, it is reported that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's nuptials topped £10m, including the cost of policing and security. (edition. cnn.com)

14 news Harbour Bridge to be closed for 4 hours today C saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

oncerns raised by citizens regarding tonight’s four-hour closure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) are centred on the weekend’s increased activities relative to entertainment gatherings in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), but the DHBC has said those timings are final and the bridge will be subjected to closure and maintenance during that period of time.

General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), Rawlston Adams, on Friday noted he is aware that commuters who expect to utilize the bridge during that time would be inconvenienced by the works, but the company is expected to work on a schedule which is not influenced by any public matter.

“Those works will inconvenience them because [of] the timing. We do apologise

GWI’s Board members look on as Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles presents the project agreement to Hi-Pro Ecologicos Luis Fabela

Demerara Harbour Bridge

for that, but unfortunately we don’t schedule our works around entertainment activities; (our works are) based on what needs to be done,” he stated.

Commuters are being advised to traverse the bridge before its closure, to avoid any disruption in their scheduled activities.

“We do apologise to those people, and we tell them to go over (the bridge) early, they’ll have more time to

US$3.5M to rehabilitate Shelterbelt water treatment plant

have more fun. So I’m hoping that they get over early.

We’re finishing at two, so if they’re finished by then, we’ll just be finished for them to come over back,” he said, referring to those who would be travelling to the West Coast for planned entertainment activities.

The bridge is expected to be closed for four hours, from 22:00h to 02:00h Sunday morning, for emergency maintenance works.

G

uyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has signed a US$3.5 million agreement with Mexican company, Hi-Pro Ecologicos for commencement of the rehabilitation and expansion of the Water Treatment Plant at Shelterbelt in Georgetown.

The project is one component under GWI’s Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure Improvement Programme.

The entire project, which includes three water treatment plants at Utivlugt, West Coast Demerara; Diamond, East Bank Demerara; and Sheet Anchor, Berbice; is being funded with a US$16.8 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank and a 10.6 million Euro grant from the Caribbean Investment Facility (CIF) of the European Union.

Hi-Pro Ecologicos representative, Luis Fabela, signed the agreement at Shelterbelt on Friday.

GWI’s Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles said the project is aimed at improving the water quality and making the system more efficient, while reducing operating costs. He noted that the current network in the City is

over a century old and requires rehabilitation until a complete overhaul can be done.

“It (the project) will overhaul the entire chemical mixing and dosing systems for alum lime and chlorine and this is because 60 per cent of the water to the citizens of Georgetown comes from surface water. It comes from the Lamaha Canal; it comes from the (East Demerara Water) Conservancy. It is going to be looking at the insulation of sludge extractors for the flocculators, valves for the better treatment of the surface water,” he said.

Additionally, Dr Van WestCharles said the filter systems were neglected for a very long time thus reducing the quality of water. He further explained that now the water quality is on par with the World Health Organisation’s requirements, adding that he drinks tap water “all the time.”

“The other issue is installation of water quality monitoring system. Presently we didn’t wait for the project, now the water is monitored on an hourly basis 24/7 and that is why we can boast on the quality of water coming here. We

know water is life but it requires a sound infrastructure in the lines, the distribution network we have to be looking at that. We want to get to the point where the black tanks that dots the landscape would be reduced significantly and at the same time ensure that citizens have got the requisite information for them to be able to maintain their black tanks,” he said.

“This project will support and bolster the strategies that we have embarked on and we can definitely witness the completion of the project with a significant impact for the citizens of Georgetown,” Dr Van WestCharles added.

He further stated that for the utility company to overhaul the main distribution network in the city, it would cost US$60 million but guaranteed that the current distribution network provides safe drinking water.

Representing the Mexicobased company Hi-Pro Ecologicos was Luis Fabela who expressed his gratitude and promised to deliver before the deadline. The project commences immediately with a deadline of October 2019.

15

SaturDAY, april 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

16 NEWS

saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Region 8 suffers from high poultry mortality rate …Guyanese advised to desist from importing animals – GLDA

I

n light of Guyana’s accomplishment of the foot -and-mouth disease-free status, residents are advised to desist from importing animals from its neighbouring country, Brazil, as this can pose a threat to the country’s status.

This was revealed by the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), which noted that although this may not be the case, it is important that residents are made aware and precautions are taken to avoid any negative effects in the future.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the GLDA, Dr Dwight Waldron, noted that the organisation is trying to avoid the importation of animals from the country by efforts to maintain the availability of these animals in Guyana.

“This is why as part of our Agricultural Development Plan for the region, we are making the animals available to you to ensure that such incidences are avoided,” he noted.

If in any case, an animal is found to be positive when

Dr Waldron preforming an autopsy on a dead chicken

tested for the disease, it was revealed that the GLDA would be forced to slaughter all the animals of the respective region and embark on a countrywide Livestock Health and Production Sensitisation programme.

This in turn, would have implications for the current status which the country holds.

However, persons are reassured that there is no need to buy vaccines for Foot and Mouth disease which is currently a practice since as Guyana is free of the disease, and has been so for more than a decade.

In wake of the recent

epidemic of high poultry morality in Region Eight, Dr Wadron had been dispatched to the region to address this issue.

The situation of improper animal husbandry began some months ago with the frequency of just a few chickens dying every week in Itabac. Recently, the number has skyrocketed to 20 at once and was brought to the attention of the Agriculture Minister Noel Holder during an outreach to the region.

While addressing the concerns of the residents, Waldron noted that a proper diagnosis would only be possible with an analysis be-

ing conducted by the veterinary laboratory, after collecting samples of the dead birds. Consequently, he advised that arrangements should be made by the village to have the remains of a dead bird sent to the city for analysis.

During his visit, an onthe-spot autopsy was conducted on a bird which had recently died to determine the preliminary cause of death. At the end of the procedure, it was determined that there was a high rate of

parasites and signs of haemorrhage in the intestine.

“When you look at the colour of the faeces it is consistent with coccidia and electrolyte which is a bacterium [and] the coccidia is a protozoan. The good thing is that both can be treated,” Waldron stated.

Findings from the autopsy also revealed that there was congestion in the lungs due to the infection. The officer highlighted that animal husbandry should be properly conducted so as to not only prevent the loss of birds but also to ensure that diseases are not transferred

during human consumption.

“It is important that you follow the advice of our extension officers when it comes to feeding your animals... in addition to feed, probiotics are also important,” he advised.

The Toshao of Itabac, Alexander David and Regional Councillor, William Peters who were present during the autopsy, were advised to look for similar symptoms in the remaining poultry and the medications that are to be administered.

Driver in Linden fatal accident on $400,000 bail

M

ichael Stewart, who allegedly struck down motorcyclist Florenda Benjamin resulting in his death on Tuesday last, was granted bail in the sum of $400,000 when he appeared before Linden Magistrate Clive Nurse to answer a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

It is alleged that the 31-year-old Stewart of Amelia’s Ward Mackenzie, Linden caused the death of 37-year-old Benjamin of Block 22, Wismar, Linden due to careless driving committed on April 17 last.

As a condition of bail, Stewart has to report to the Mackenzie Police Station every Friday until the conclusion of the case. He is scheduled to return to court on

Dead: Florenda Benjamin

May 21.

Reports are that Benjamin, who was riding motorcycle CJ 1644, died at Sir David Rose Avenue, Mackenzie after allegedly being struck by motorcar HC 6299, being driven by

Stewart.

At least three other persons were injured in that accident: Leinani Ally, 31, of 26 Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward; Emily Ally, 11 months old, of the same address; and Mary Fraser, 16, of 24 Cinderella City, Amelia’s Ward.

The accident occurred at about 16:30h when Stewart, who was proceeding north, reportedly overtook another car and in the process hit Benjamin, who was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road. The deceased and the injured were rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), where Benjamin was pronounced dead on arrival and the injured were treated and sent away.

news

17

saturDAY, april 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

More anti-corruption training required – SOCU adviser

…as 2-week UK funded inter-agency training concludes

By Jarryl Bryan

W

ith the conclusion of anti-corruption training that had involved investigators drawn from different agencies, United Kingdom white collar crime expert Sam Sittlington cited the need and possibility for more training to be provided.

He made this statement during the conclusion ceremony of the UK funded, twoweek long training exercise.

Sittlington, who is an adviser to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), zeroed in on some of the areas the ranks covered during the training; including preserving the continuity of technical evidence such as computer.

“Over the course of the past two weeks, the participants have been involved in learning about fraud investigations, typologies, body language of suspects, trying to identify if someone is a believable liar or unbelievably lying or both.”

One aspect, besides power point exercises, involved Sittlington and the trainers presenting ‘facts’ about themselves, which the participants in practise had to decipher the truthfulness of. The SOCU adviser noted some other aspects of operational training when handling fraud probes that the investigators were exposed to.

Investigators from several law enforcement agencies pose for a group photo. In the front row, from left: the two UK-based trainers; acting Crime Chief Paul Williams; SOCU Adviser Sam Sittlington; and Senior Adviser to the President, Lieutenant Colonel Russell Combe

“In terms of the fraud investigations, they learned about the fraud model, they learned about independence, how to conduct their investigations with integrity without conflict of interest. They learned about expertise, how to gather their evidence, they learned about scope of investigations and proportionality.”

“They learned about reporting and how their case files may go to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) or Police legal adviser. And then, of course, dealing with technical support and how you deal with computers if you’re seizing computers and other technical equipment, how it is done properly and how you should deal with continuity of evidence,” he related.

Trans-national crime

Meanwhile, acting Crime Chief Paul Williams noted the usefulness of partnering with experts from different jurisdictions. Observing that local authorities don't have the answers to everything, Williams said that an important part of training is acknowledging the culture of the jurisdiction and the existing gaps.

He spoke of the severity of trans-national crime.

According to Williams, mutual assistance is essential to tackling this scourge. Williams charged the ranks to speak out whenever they observe breach of ethics, even from those in authority.

It is understood that the training was arranged by the UK High Commission through its Special Adviser attached to

the Special Organised Crime Unit. Training was conducted by two UK experts who are experienced in anti-money laundering and white-collar crime investigations.

Trainees were drawn

from several law enforcement agencies, including SOCU, the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), the Criminal Investigative Department, the State Asset Recovery Unit and the Financial Intelligence Unit.

There have been several training initiatives for locals where UK specialists have been involved. Last year, local immigration officers underwent the Risk and Liaison Overseas Network (RALON) training conducted by the UK’s Immigration Enforcement International.

The training had covered three fundamental issues: the overview of human trafficking, the enhancing of interview skills when dealing with arriving passengers and overall in-

creased awareness of the latest trends and concerns in the wider Caribbean.

The UK has done much of its security sector collaboration through the security reform project, which began in 2007, was scrapped in 2009.

It was subsequently reintroduced after talks with the administration.

Government believes that, once implemented, Guyana’s security sector will be significantly strengthened; and, hopefully, this will lead to a reduction in the number of illicit activities that take place.

President David Granger has also said there is need for a stronger Police Force, one that is better equipped with all tools necessary to function adequately.

Foiled robbery suspects slapped with another charge

T

he six men reportedly found with a quantity of firearms and ammunition while travelling in a stolen car after allegedly attempting to commit a robbery two weeks ago were slapped with another charge when they appeared before Providence Magistrate Sunil Scarce.

Mark Prince, 39, a taxi driver of La Parfaite Harmonie, WBD; Nabadingi Gobin, 24, of Georgetown; Leonard Khan, 31, a fish vendor of Albouystown, Georgetown; Edward Skeete, 30, of Albouystown; Marvin Blackman, 27, a fish vendor of South Ruimveldt Georgetown, and Steve Hercules were each charged with attempting to commit a felony, and each de-

nied the additional charge.

The men had appeared before the same court on Tuesday last, charged jointly with two counts of conspiracy and nine counts of gun and ammunition possession without being licensed firearm holders at the time.

With the exception of Steve Hercules, who was the driver of the stolen car, each of the men had entered a not guilty plea.

Hercules admitted to all of the charges, except the charge of changing the identification mark on the stolen car.

The six accused were nabbed after they reportedly attempted to rob poultry farmer Michael Chang Yuen of Supply, East Bank Demerara.

Four of the men had reportedly entered the man’s yard, but upon spotting them, the family raised an alarm. The men quickly retreated to the waiting motorcar, parked a short distance away, and fled the scene.

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

A search carried out on the vehicle unearthed one sledgehammer, two pairs of latex gloves, trade plates, and the weapons and ammunition.

The men have all been remanded to prison, and the case will continue on May 10.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, april 21, 2018

ARCHIE

Moodiness will not go over well. Put your differences aside (March 21- and get along with the people April 19) you need in your corner to get things done. Diplomacy, patience, and compromise will be necessary.

ARIES

Learn all there is to know TAURUS before you make a decision.

(April 20- Understand what is expected May 20) of you and be sure to let others know what you want in return.

dilbert

Joint ventures should be GEMINI (May 21- handled with caution. You June 20) are likely to end up with more responsibility than you anticipated. Speak up and let your position and your demands be known.

A creative idea should be looked at closely. Network (June 21- with people who could have July 22) an interest in something you want to pursue. Romance is in the stars.

CANCER

Peanuts

Take care of personal paLEO perwork. If you leave your re(July 23- sponsibilities up to someone Aug. 22) else, you are likely to be disappointed with the outcome.

Change begins within.

Calvin and Hobbes

Participate in events that VIRGO are geared toward something (Aug. 23you enjoy and do well. Being Sept. 22) given the opportunity to show off will attract compliments as well as a romantic gesture.

Make alterations to your LIBRA living space that will help (Sept. 23Oct. 23) lower your overhead or add to your comfort. Get approval from anyone affected by your planned changes before you begin.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — NOMADIC

Average mark 14 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 21 or more words in NOMADIC? The list will be published tomorrow.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY’S WORD — PASTEL plat plate plea pleat apse sale salt sate seal seat

sepal sept seta setal slap slat slate slept spat spate

spelt splat stale staple steal stela step tale tape taps

teal east lapse lase last late leap leapt least lest

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

health and habits will make a difference to how well you do.

Romance is encouraged.

Look over personal paSAGITTARIUS pers, agreements and settle(Nov. 23ments.

You'll discover someDec. 21) thing you have overlooked in the past. Tie up loose ends.

Avoid getting involved in a joint money venture.

(NOMADIC: no-MAD-ik: Moving from place to place with no fixed residence.)

pale palest past paste pate peal peat pelt pest petal

Make physical changes SCORPIO that will help build your con(Oct. 24fidence and strength. Good Nov. 22)

solution AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Plan to spend more time with the people you love. Don't let an outsider's wants disrupt your plans. Stick close to home and enjoy what you've worked so hard to achieve.

Consider how you earn your living and whether it is satisfying, worth it financially or emotionally draining. A different approach or mindset will help you overcome any pitfalls.

Not everyone will agree with what you want to do, but it's you who needs to be satisfied. If you do your own thing, you'll eventually overcome any adversity you face.

saturDAY, april 21, 2018

19

Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day

Registration closes today for all events

Gaitree Harricharan (right), company secretary of Trailboss Interior Trucking and Security Service, hands over sponsorship to Boyce/Jefford Chairman Colin Boyce

R

egistration for the menu of sporting events in tomorrow’s Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day will close today, ahead of what is expected to be a riveting day of fun and competition at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

Eight athletics clubs have already committed to registration in the athletics relay competition, including Police Progressive Youth Club, Guyana Defence Force, Mercury Fast Laners, Upper Demerara (Linden), Super Upcoming Runners, Flames Athletics Club (Hopetown, Berbice), Region Five Education Department (Berbice) and the University of Guyana.

The Relay events are: 4x100 females; 4x100 males; 4x400 females; 4x400 males; 4x200 mixed relay; 4x400 mixed relay; sprint medley females (100m,100m, 200m, 400m); sprint medley males (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m); distance medley females ( 2400 metres ) (400m, 600m, 600m, 800m); distance medley males (2800metres) (400m, 600m, 600m, 1200m); distance 4x800 male and female relay.

Cash prizes of $25,000; $20,000 and $15,000 will be awarded to teams finishing first to third. Total prize money of $720,000 will be handed out in the relay events.

In addition, a minimum of eight top local football teams will compete in a small goal football competition, expected to kick things off tomorrow from 10:30am. Among these teams are Future Stars, West Front Road, ‘Goal is Money’, Alexander Village, YMCA, Albouystown ‘A’, California Square, Bent Street, Power Producers Distributors, Police, and Agricola Champion Boys.

Teams are expected to complete registration today. Cash prizes of $50,000 (winner) and $25,000 (second place) + Champion and Runner-Up Trophy will be awarded in the football.

In the cycling contest, sponsor of those events, former national cyclist Jude Bentley, has indicated that all cyclists desirous of competing

are encouraged to participate once they are in possession of the required gear, bicycle and helmet.

Cash prizes of $25,000; $15,000 and $10,000 will be awarded to cyclists finishing first to third. Total of $200,000 will be up for grabs. Trophies will accompany incentives.

Meanwhile, in the cricket contest: Trophy Stall Masters will play United States Embassy Foreign Service Association in a male showdown, while Trophy Stall Angels take on Mike’s Wellwoman in the female contest.

Cash prize for females $50,000 (winner) and $25,000 (second place) + Champion and Runner-Up Trophy.

Domino: In excess of 20 teams for $200,000; $100,000 and $50,000 for first to third.

Multi-talented Rodrigues tackles football H

aving displayed his prowess in the boxing ring, Region One's (Barima Waini) Ravin Rodrigues will next take to the football field this weekend, in a bid to continue his conquering ways.

Just weeks ago, Rodrigues travelled to Georgetown to participate in the Pepsi/Michael Parris U-6 Boxing Championships at the National Gymnasium.

Representing the Moruca Power boxing gym located in the North West District of Region One, Rodrigues copped a gold medal and the title of best junior boxer.

The teenager has now set his sights on domi nating football. He has officially joined the Golden Eagle football club, and will team up with ten other youths to participate in the Guyana Football Federation’s Moruca sub region’s U-17 Namilco league.

The Golden Eagles will come up against the Dynamite Club on Saturday at Kumaka. In anticipation of the upcoming match,

Rodrigues noted that he will be playing to the best of his abilities. "Saturday will be the day of the eagle," he boasted.

Ravin Rodrigues

MVP $10,000. Total prize money of $360,000 will be handed out in the Domino competition.

There will be novelty events for participating patrons, and Kids Zone featuring bouncy castles, trampolines, face painting and many more attractions Four lucky patrons will go home with impressive prizes, including a microwave, $20,000 cash, and the largest family will win a ‘Household Hamper’ including Ariel soap powder, Swinger matches, Rage insecticide, Hefty garbage bags, TrinChloro bleach and Squeezy, compliments of ANSA McAL. Ganesh Parts, National Sports Commission, K&B Mining, R&D Engineering, C&L Construction, Trail

Sales Manager of Hallmark Guyana, Stephan Ramroop (right), a subsidiary of C&L Construction Inc, hands over their support to Colin Boyce

Boss Interior Trucking and Security Service, Antarctic Maintenance and Repairs, Romano Builders, Starr Party

Rentals, Jude Cycle Shop, Stag Beer, Heineken and I Cool Water are the sponsors of the event.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, april 21, 2018

Indian Premier League 2018…

Watson’s hundred flattens Rajasthan Royals

S

hane Watson returned to haunt former team Rajasthan Royals with a 51-ball hundred to lead Chennai Super Kings to a comprehensive 64-run victory at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Former Australia international Watson spent eight

Indian Premier League campaigns with the Royals, getting two centuries during his stint with the franchise.

The 36-year-old now has one against them after posting a brilliant 106 that saw him notch 15 boundaries, clearing the ropes on six occasions, as the Super Kings posted an imposing total of

204-5.

Krishnappa Gowtham felt the full force of Watson's blistering attack, with three of his deliveries – including two in the same over – bludgeoned for maximums by the veteran Australian.

Suresh Raina (46) made his return from a calf injury and formed part of an inte-

gral 81-run partnership with Watson, before being denied a fifty when Gowtham dived underneath his mistimed shot at deep midwicket.

Late on, Dwayne Bravo continued his good form with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 24 from 16 deliveries to

keep the runs ticking over after Watson's carnage.

Rajasthan struggled to get going and despite the efforts of England duo Ben Stokes (45) and Jos Buttler (22) they never looked like avoiding a second defeat in succession, which came when they were bowled all out for 140 with nine balls remaining.

A costly drop

It could have been very different had Rahul Tripathi not let an outside edge from Watson squirm through his grasp at first slip in the opening over of the match.

The all-rounder punished the Royals emphatically, bringing up his fifty with a sweet six over long on after 28 deliveries and going on to complete a match-winning knock.

Watson - who later claimed the scalp of Gowtham (1) to cap a fine day - was not able to see out the innings, though. He was out caught behind by wicketkeeper Buttler off the penultimate ball from Ben Laughlin (2-38).

Cagey Klaasen

With former captain Steve Smith barred from this year's IPL following the ball-tampering scandal that engulfed Australian cricket, the Royals turned to South

Shane Watson struck his fourth T20 hundred© BCCI Africa's Heinrich Klaasen to replace him in the batting line-up.

The 26-year-old opened alongside new skipper Ajinkya Rahane (16) and endured a disappointing debut, bowled by the impressive Shardul Thakur (2-18) after a run-a-ball seven.

Stokes and Buttler's 45run stand gave Rajasthan hope, but Stuart Binny (10) and Jaydev Unadkat (16) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures in a lacklustre chase.

Bravo, although not his cheapest two overs, accounting for 16 runs, was back in the action with the ball as well, picking up two wickets in the effort.

On the house

The Super Kings' display will have been a boost for the 1,000 fans who made the 1,000-kilometre journey from Chennai to Pune, with safety concerns stopping them from hosting matches at home.

It is not as bad as it sounds for the loyal support, though. The team chartered a train to take their supporters to the match, supplying match tickets, food and accommodation, all for free! (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD Chennai Super Kings Innings (20 overs maximum) S Watson c †Buttler b Laughlin 106 A Rayudu c †Buttler b Laughlin 12 S Raina c Gowtham b Gopal 46 MS Dhoni (c) † c Gowtham b Gopal 5 S Billings c Stokes b Gopal 3 D Bravo not out 24 R Jadeja not out 2 Extras (nb 1, w 5) 6 Total (5 wickets; 20 Overs) 204 Did not bat: D Chahar, K Sharma, S Thakur, I Tahir Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Rayudu, 4.3 ov), 2-131 (Raina, 11.5 ov), 3-151 (Dhoni, 13.2 ov), 4-161 ( Billings, 15.1 ov), 5-202 (Watson, 19.5 ov) Bowling: Binny2-0-33-0, Gowtham 3-0-35-0, Unadkat 4-0-39-0, Stokes 3-0-39-0, Laughlin 4-0-38-2, Gopal 4-0-20-3 Rajasthan Royals Innings (target: 205 runs from 20 overs)

A Rahane (c) b Chahar 16 H Klaasen b Thakur 7 S Samson c Sharma b Chahar 2 B Stokes c Billings b Imran Tahir 45 J Buttler † c Imran Tahir b Bravo 22 R Tripathi c Billings b Bravo 5 S Binny c & b Thakur 10 K Gowtham c †Dhoni b Watson 1 S Gopal not out 8 J Unadkat b Sharma 16 B Laughlin c †Dhoni b Sharma 0 Extras (w 8) 8 Total (all out; 18.3 Overs) 140 Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Klaasen, 1.5 ov), 2-25 (Samson, 2.6 ov), 3-32 (Rahane, 4.3 ov), 4-77 (Buttler, 10.1 ov), 5-96 (Tripathi, 12.2 ov), 6-111 (Stokes, 13.5 ov), 7-115 (Gowtham, 14.4 ov), 8-117 ( Binny, 15.3 ov), 9-140 (Unadkat, 18.2 ov), 10-140 (Laughlin, 18.3 ov) Bowling: Chahar 4-0-302, Thakur 3-0-18-2, Watson 3-0-13-1, Tahir 4-0-44-1, Bravo 2-0-16-2, Sharma 1.30-13-2, Jadeja 1-0-6-0

sports

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GSCL Inc, Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise, Elegance Jewellery Softball Competitions

18-team contest begins on Sunday

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Fishermen Masters have been in good form and will be looking to go deep in this tournament

T

he exciting sport of softball cricket has been further boosted with the inaugural Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise and Elegance Jewellery-sponsored softball competitions, which begin on Sunday.

In all, there are 10 teams registered for competition in the Masters over-40 years old category, while eight All Star teams will do battle on a round robin basis.

Organized by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL Inc.), the tournament will open with Savage Masters taking on HS

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Masters, and Albion Masters battling Ariel Masters at 09:30h at the Everest Cricket Club ground; while Fishermen XI and Success Masters take to the field at 13:00h to round off the Masters’ action on the opening day. The lone All-Star game is at 13:00h, and the teams will be decided at the venue.

The organizers are reminding teams that despite there being no entrance fee payable for the tournament, they are responsible for paying the umpires for every match. For the masters’ matches, which will be 20 overs

per side using the big white ball, the fee is $2,500 per match, while the fee for the all-star games is $2,000 per match. Those will be 15 overs per side using the small balls.

Additionally, masters’ players are reminded that the use of white clothing is not permitted.

The winning all-star team will walk away with $50,000, while $25,000 will go to the runner-up team.

This is a change from $100,000 & $25,000 Matches will be played weekly at various venues across Georgetown.

GCB/Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-County…

Anderson’s ton headlines Berbice dominance in final round

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evlon Anderson’s stylish ton guided Berbice to the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) U-19 Three-Day Inter-County title, after Friday’s encounter versus the U-17 XI at Everest, which ended in a draw.

Resuming in a commanding position of 1984, after Alex Algoo had hit 62 and skipper Kevlon Anderson had carved an unbeaten 73 on day two, Berbice eventually declared on 295-8.

Anderson, who showed his class in his knock, hit some 14 boundaries a few sixes in his 120 not out, a Captain’s innings, which gave his team more lever-

age over the U17s.

In support of his skipper, Steve Deonarine chipped in with a useful 31, as spinners Niron Bissu and Nigel Deodat ended as the most successful bowlers with two wickets apiece for the U-17 side.

Chasing a huge total proved too much for the U-17 team, who made 1233 batting again, with opener Sachin Singh smoking nine fours and a six in his unbeaten 68.

He was complemented

by Mavendra Dindiyal who made 32 during the pair’s blazing partnership, as Kevin Umrao followed up his 5-for in the first innings with two wickets. The game

ended in a draw after some intense action.

Earlier in the match, it was the pair of Trevon Stanislaus and Leon Swamy who both scored 47, which helped rescue Berbice from a position of 88-5 to 176 all out in their first innings. Stanislaus struck six fours and two sixes, while Swamy hit three sixes and a single four, as Kevin Sinclair fell for 21. National youth pacer (U-17) Sheldon Charles snared 3-20 in an impressive spell of bowling, while leg-spinner Bissu took 2-12 in the first innings.

The U-17 XI resumed on 76-4, trailing by 100 runs with hopes resting

in the clutches of Andre Seepersaud. Umrao was again a menace with the ball, bagging 5-34, while the all-rounder Sinclair chipped in with 3-15, which restricted the U-17 lads to 111 all out in their first innings, with Seepersaud ending on 26.

Not much could be done to combat the class of Umrao and Sinclair, who shared 8 wickets during their spell, although notable players like Sachin Singh (15) and Nigel Deodat (14) briefly resisted.

With the longer format now over, teams will now shift gear ahead of the 50Over format, which bowls off on Sunday.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, april 21, 2018

Busy weekend for chess T

–1st female national championship gets underway today

he Guyana Chess Federation will be hosting two tournaments this weekend. For the first time ever in our chess history, the Guyana Chess Federation will be hosting a Women's National Chess Championship.

Slated to kick-off this Saturday at the Guyana National Resource Center, this prestigious event will be played as a six- round tournament with a time control of 1hr sudden death.

The top 5 finishers will be eligible for inclusion in the Guyana Female National Team that will be representing Guyana from Sept 22 - October 1st at the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia.

This is the federation’s first planned step towards development of Women in chess in Guyana. The federation will be aiming to increase the total number of females who play chess in Guyana, and providing them with the countless opportunities associated with the game.

The female players will have their first national championship, which gets underway today at the National Resource Centre

Tournament favourite will be Guyana's first FIDE Master and highest rated female WFM, Maria Thomas, who is vastly experienced and has been romping with the top 5 players of Guyana for the last 5 years.

Also participating in this event is Guyana's only female Candidate Master, CM Sheriffa Ali, who was part of the Female National

Team at the last World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. She will be battling FIDE Developmental Coach and local lawyer Yolanda Persaud, who was also part of the last female team in Baku.

The more experienced Shazeeda Rahim will be fighting for her place in the National Female Team.

However, rising young stars

such as 12-year-old Chelsea Juma of St. Stanislaus College and 14-year-old Sasha Shariff have thus far been playing chess competitively this year. They played in the National Juniors’ Qualifiers and qualified for the Guyana National Junior Chess Championships.

Both Juma and Shariff have just returned for the 7th Carifta Chess Championships, where Guyana were represented for the first time in their chess history and are determined to make their mark among the big girls.

A keen eye must be kept on the Johnson sisters, Nellisha and Waveney.

Nellisha participated in the National Juniors’ Qualifiers and qualified for participation in the

Guyana National Junior Chess Championships and the 7th Carifta Chess Championships. She plays promising chess.

Other players to watch are Cassandra Khan and Sharara Gill. Hopefully, there will be the return of the Clementson sisters, Jessica & Julia.

GCF will be hosting the Georgetown Chess Classics concurrently with the women’s clash.

This event will be organized for various regions across Guyana, but begins in Georgetown. Top male players Anthony Dratyon, Taffin Khan, Loris Nathoo and Ronuel Greenidge are expected to participate as they prepare for the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia.

The Georgetown Chess Classics is set to bring some live action on the chessboards, since other players such as Davion Mars, Glenford Corlette, Chino Chung, Roberto Neto, Saeed Ali and Veteran Errol Tiwari will be looking to defeat the players of the elected national team.

Visitors and viewers are welcome. Registration fee is G$1000, and interested persons can contact Tournament Director Irshad Mohammed at 664-1650 or Tournament Assistant Anthony Drayton at 613-2083.

Rounds will begin at 10:00h on both days, and all games will be played in accordance with FIDE (World Chess Federation) rules and regulations.

Guyana’s Curling Team to make debut against Germany G

uyana’s National Curling Team will battle with Germany at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship to be being held in Oestersund, Sweden from April 21 to 28.

The team, comprising of Rayad & Farzana Husain, held its final training session on Friday, and in a post on social media, expressed readiness for the encounter.

Guyana are placed in Group E, alongside Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chez Republic, Germany, Ireland and Korea in the 40-team competition.

Mixed doubles is a dynamic form of curling, where it is all about stone positioning, a lot of play to the four-foot circle, and a lot about angles. It is a faster version of curling, and requires only two players on each team.

Farzana and Rayad Husain

saturDAY, april 21, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

GMR&SC “King of the Strip” 2…

23

Trinidad, Suriname T

arrive for drag racing fiesta

rinidad and Tobago and Suriname have graced these shores on Friday as they prepare to bring a stern challenge to the home side at Sunday’s King of the Strip 2 Drag Racing Meet, being staged at the South Dakota Circuit.

Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) President Ramez Mohamed told this publication on Friday afternoon the GMR&SC were in the process of clearing the vehicles and bikes at the wharf, while the Surinamese are already in the country, heading to the city.

Mohamed also indicated the track is close to full preparedness for the intense speed that is expected.

He also explained that the Trinidadians would have brought some materials to further bolster the track’s preparation.

One of the cars from Trinidad is be a rail car owned and piloted by Andy Bissessar. The purpose-built drag car has the ability to achieve sub 10-second times, while the two bikes are engineered specifically for quarter-mile strips. All six of the machines are in a container en route to Guyana.

LGC/Grand Coastal Open tees off April 28

In December 2016, at the Wallerfield Raceway in Trinidad and Tobago, Bissessar rocketed his way to a new track record of 7.29s at 180.57mph!

Regarding the number of competitors, he noted that 60 have already registered, and that number is expected grow.

The event is sponsored by Tropical Shipping, JAPARTS, Mohamed’s Enterprise and ANSA McAL, with tickets being $1000 for adults and $500 for children. Start time is 09:00h.

All eyes will be on how the GT-R will be going on Sunday

Azad leads WestSide All Stars to crushing win A

muscular 40-ball 119 from Azad Azeez propelled West-Side All Stars to a 59-run win over Legends XI in the Royston Ramsarran Welcome Home feature softball match at Thirst Park on Thursday night. Azeez hit 13 massive sixes and nine fours in an entertaining knock that saw the West-Side All-Stars putting up a respectable 219 all out from 17.3 overs under lights, before returning to restrict the star-studded

more experienced Legends side picked up wickets at regular intervals, they were unable to slow down Azeez; and they paid the price for bowling too short and down the leg side.

In support of Azeez, Jermaine Maxwell hit two sixes in a brisk innings of 19 runs from 13 balls to take the score past the 200-run mark after the top and middle orders were kept quiet, except for Azeez.

Seasoned campaign-

Azad Azeez in action on Thursday night at Thirst Park

Legends lost Mohamed Rafeek early, but opener Unis Yusuf and Patrick Khan consolidated and took the score to 73 in the eighth over. Khan went for 14, while Yusuf went on to hit the top score of 48 retired. In all, the right-hand-

Grand Coast Hotel CEO Kevin Daby; LGC executive, Ravi “ Pandit” Persaud and LGC PRO Guy Griffith during Friday’s launching

T

he Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) on Friday partnered with the Grand Coastal Hotel as it prepares to host a massive Open tournament, set to tee off on April 28 at the Lusignan Course.

The simple ceremony was held at the Hotel’s location at Lot 1 & 2 Area ‘M,’ Plantation Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, where Grand Coastal CEO Kevin Daby presented LGC Secretary Ravi “Pandit” Persaud with the sponsor’s check.

Daby, prior to his presentation, said he was thrilled to be a part of the Open, as his father, who was also a member of the club, was a strong supporter of the development of the sport. He added the there was no hesitation in sponsoring such an event, as it only helps to further

expand the sport locally.

Persaud added that the LGC is currently expanding its reach by helping players to enhance their social fabric. He added that lessons from 8-time Guyana Cup champ Avinash Persaud are free from 13:00h weekly at the course.

The tournament will tee off from 12:30h next weekend, and participation from a number of top ranked golfers is expected. They will battle for top prizes, including nearest to the pin, best gross and top three.

Apart from donating the sponsorship cheque for the upcoming golf tournament, the Hotel was also the first to announce its partnering with the LGC to include golfing in the package offered to its guests.

(Clifton Ross)

The victorious West-Side All-Stars with Royston “The Don” Ramsarran after the game

Legends side to 160 for 5 from their 20 overs.

The left-handed Azeez opened the batting alongside Captain Ryan Boodhoo, who opted to bat in cool conditions. And although the

er Laurie Singh led the Legends’ bowling with superb figures of 4-0-39-4, while Samuel Kingston snapped up 2 for 30 from three overs.

In the run chase, the

ed batsman Yusuf faced 37 balls and accounted for four fours and two sixes.

However, the Legends were stifled in the middle overs due to good bowling and fielding from their

youthful opponents, which saw the required run-rate climbing steadily. Kingston then came and gave the innings a late push with a cameo of 17 runs from five balls (1x4; 2x6) but it turned out to be not enough to get his team over the ropes.

There were also 27 extras, including 18 wides.

Ayume Mohamed was the pick of the West-Side All -Stars bowlers with 2 for 19 from four overs. He was supported by Maxwell with 1 for 18 from three overs.

The game was played in good spirits, and a moment of silence was observed from the late Amreith “Rocky” Rai, who had been an excellent softball player and ambassador of the game before he died in 2017. The former Organizing Secretary of the Guyana Softball Cricket League, Royston Ramsarran, in whose honour the game was played, thanked the players and spectators for coming out, and urged everyone to keep the game of softball cricket alive. In his playing days, Ramsarran, who now resides in New York USA, hit nine centuries in softball cricket, including three in succession. He is now an active umpire in the ‘Big Apple.’

saturDAY, april 21, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

GMR&SC “King of the Strip” 2…

Trinidad, Suriname arrive for drag racing fiesta

Pg 23

Trinidadian Andy Bissessar and his rail-car are in Guyana and ready for Sunday’s drag racing meet at the South Dakota Circuit

GCB/Hand-in-Hand U-19 Inter-County…

Anderson’s ton headlines Berbice dominance in final round Pg 21

Sachin Singh once again looked in good touch for the National Under-17 Select team (Akeem Greene photo)

Well done! Kelvon Anderson walks back after a sublime and unbeaten 120 against the National under-17 Select team

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