Guyanatime 22 february 2018

Command Centre to be built to tackle crime

– as Govt looks to implement ‘Smart City, Safe City’ programme Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Issue No. 3482

Govt to borrow $15B to reopen Skeldon, Enmore Estates Page 3

…says privatisation proceeds from sale to repay bank loans

Orinduik Block may contain in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil – ECO Relatives foil Foulis father of plan to sell baby 2 shot to head for $1.5M

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Ailing man P8 begs for bail on gun charge Children’s P7 court to be established …after passage of new Juvenile Offences Bill – acting Chancellor

Page 16

…trailed after conducting business at Bank …believes act was organised

Page 14

Page 11

Wales severance cries

Ex-sugar workers call for Agriculture Minister’s removal

Guyana Peace Council relaunched P14 P9 Guyana Stores given 3 weeks to fix labour, other infractions

Govt denies interfering P7 in GRO registration process

Pages 12&14

No reason to celebrate Mashramani – Wales housewives …say their children are starving, pots empty Ex-workers of the Wales Sugar Estate on Wednesday protested outside the Ministry of the Presidency, demanding their severance pay from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)

Schoolgirls kidnapped, taken to abandoned house …Police arrest three Page 14

Region 3 rice farmers defrauded of close to $500M Page 13

President to swear in new 10-member ERC today P9

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thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Thursday, February 22 – 09:00h-10:30h and Friday, February 23 – 10:00h-11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, February 22 – 08:05h-09:35h and Friday, February 23 – 09:10h-10:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Partly to lightly cloudy skies with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, with partly cloudy skies in the evening. Overall temperatures are expected to range between 20 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 08:55h and 21:30h reaching maximum heights of 2.50 metres and 2.38 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 02:26h and 14:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.76 metre and 0.73 metre respectively.

WEDNESDAY, february 21, 2018

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DAILY MILLIONS 03 09 11 19 24 LUCKY 3 7 9 3 Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE 01

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Govt to borrow $15B to reopen Skeldon, Enmore Estates …says privatisation proceeds from sale to repay bank loans

By Samuel Sukhnandan

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s part of plans to temporarily reopen two sugar estates, Government has now made a decision to borrow over $15 billion which it hopes to repay over the next three to five years.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan said on Wednesday that money will be used specifically to fund the operations of the Skeldon and Enmore sugar estates, which is likely to reemploy some workers.

In defending the decision to separate the estates’ operations from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the Minister said the plan is to keep them operational as it searches for buyers.

PriceWaterhouse Coopers is conducting a valuation exercise of GuySuCo’s assets.

The British company is helping the National Industrial Commercial and Investments Limited (NICIL) to prepare for buyers.

But estates will not be opened for one month according the Jordan, but could possibly be opened for several months. He noted that the idea is to close deals in another six to nine months.

“If it is closed and mothballed and buyers come, they probably are not going to be impressed as if they were working and seeing the estates are valuable properties to be acquired,” he told the media.

Shifting his attention back to the process by which the Government hopes to acquire this loan, Jordan said the loan to fund the operations of these two estates should be acquired before mid-March.

He also declared that revenues generated from the sale of estates and other assets would be used to repay the loan. The Government will be turning to commercials banks for this syndicated bond.

“These estates potentially are not going to be producing sugar per se or the kind of volumes that you know.

It’s going to do some molasses. There is an interesting model for Enmore prior to its complete diversification and that will be involving hopefully DDL (Demerara Distillers Limited),” Jordan explained.

Jordan again defended Government for the move to close the estates and to temporarily reopen them. He said it would have been a difficult task to keep them opened, because of the dayto-day expenses involved and still meeting other obligations, including a huge wage bill.

He explained that the reopened estate will operate on a smaller scale when compared to the previous years.

According to him, this also sends a good signal to potential buyers.

“Here, you pull them away from GuySuCo; you

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

try to make them efficient and so on. The balance sheet looks better and the attraction to the investor is different plus these are now separate entities as opposed to be one global family under the GuySuCo arrangement,” the Minister added.

It was reported in sections of the media last week that the Skeldon and Enmore sugar factories are expected to be reopened by the end of March to reap over 300,000 tonnes of sugar cane.

The Special Purposes Unit (SPU) will also use the reopening of these estates as an example to prove to potential investors that all of the estates are viable. But Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, said this now proves Government’s move to close sugar estates was purely political.

Jagdeo said, “The Government must admit it made a blunder, it treated the sugar industry in a political fashion when they should have done more technical

work, we called on them to do the technical work, they never did, they made the wrong decision and once they admit that, then that’s fine.”

As part of plans to reopen these estates, some of the already retrenched sugar workers will be reemployed to assist with harvesting canes. It is not clear why the Government took the decision to retrench workers, when they were aware that 300,000 tonnes of sugar cane was still to be harvested.

Jagdeo said it was an illogical move that has no basis for the reality on what is taking place on the ground. “We need to understand what the

thinking of this Government is. Do they sit down and go through the numbers first before it makes a decision as critical as the one it did, to close an almost 300-year industry. In three years’ time, they have practically shut down half of the industry.”

The downsizing of the sugar industry has been fiercely resisted by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the parliamentary Opposition and a number of other agencies.

Some 4000 sugar workers from Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon were dismissed from their jobs.

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thursDAY, February 22, 2018

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Secularism in Guyana

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uyana, we all know, may be one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of its population, but at the same time it is also one of the most multi-religious. Our 753,091 citizens (as of 2012) practice Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Bahaism, Rastafarianism and a host of other syncretic hybrids. Most of us become aware of this religious diversity on account of public holidays being granted by the State to specific commemorations of the several religions. We just observed the beginning of the Christian Lent, which will end in Easter in April, and between that Hindus will celebrate Holi. In June, Muslims will observe Eid-ul-Fitr.

The generally peaceful cohabitation of these religions is generally attributed to the principle of secularism that is an integral aspect of the British political philosophy of Liberalism that undergirded their rule during the colonial period. Coming out of a long and bloody history of internal and external religious conflict in Europe, the secular view of religion heralded an enlightened approach to the sometimes incommensurable premises of the different religions and even their sects and denominations.

Because our ethnic divisions have been such strong forces in dictating the contours of our political competition for control of the State, there is always the danger of one or more ethnic group achieving the latter goal, using their position to prioritise a religion the majority of their supporters may practice. We must guard against this tendency. In fact, even though the fundamental tenets of secularism is that the State must be separated from religion and must adopt an equidistant position towards the several religions in the country, the British actually undermined this principle because, in practice, they gave much greater priority to the Christian denominations.

The several constitutions following independence all honed to liberal secularism and Art 145(1) forms the bedrock: “Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience, and for the purposes of this article the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

However, because of the historical dominance of Christian practices in several State institutions especially schools, there are still vestiges of those practices being favoured into the present. For instance, Christian prayers are still routinely mandated in several schools for all students regardless of their religious orientation. This is contrary to Art145 (3): “Except with his own consent (or, if he is a person who has not attained the age of 18 years, the consent of his guardian), no person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instructions or take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if that instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion which is not his own.” However, last year when one Pastor was allowed by the Headmistress of a school to deliver talks that condemned other religions, the Ministry of Education did instruct this was against the policy of the State.

Especially when Art 38F, introduced as a modification in 2003 specifically declares, “No person’s religion or religious belief of religion shall be vilified.”

The fact of the matter is that in practice, a liberal State cannot make choices that would amount to preferring one vision of the public good over another – and religion is one of the most vital public good. We have seen this preference exemplified in the activities promoted in Mashramani, which is supposed to be a “national festival”, emblematic of all cultures.

In like manner, there have been disturbing signs of a vocabulary redolent from one particular religion being deployed by several prominent members of the present Government, to buttress their claims to moral superiority.

We have seen the problems that abandonment of secularism can precipitate in many countries. Let us guard our secular credentials jealously.

As guests begin to arrive at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the Guyana Tourism Authority welcomes them with true Guyanese hospitality, music and dance in the spirit of Mashramani (DPI photo)

Attack on Councillors by M&CC’s PRO Dear Editor, It was with considerable disgust that I read a missive appearing in the letters columns of the newspapers recently, which seems to be nothing more than a vulgar attempt to disparage two sitting City Councillors, which has the name of the Council’s Public Relations Officer subscribed to it as its author.

I believe that this is the only country where a public servant would seek to, and get away with, ridiculing two members of its Board using the public media. And make no mistake about it, the elected Councillors are the em-

ployers of this officer and constitute the Board or city government of Georgetown.

Have the rules, policies and standard operational procedures become so unravelled at City Hall, that an officer can casually run to the press to publicise what she perceives as transgressions by Councillors, rather than reporting them to the Mayor, the Communities Minister or the Local Government Commission?

But more galling than the patent disrespect shown by this action, is the manifest duplicity and hypocrisy being practiced by this officer. Why

only now “up from the ashes of the Georgetown Municipality has the Public Relations Officer arisen”? She was right there as Press Officer when the former Town Clerk was constantly harried, persecuted and assaulted by the preceding Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown and did nothing. She was right there when attempts were made by the previous Council to lock the former Town Clerk out of her office, when pickets and vulgar demonstrations against her including a fake funeral service with an effigy were organised by them, when a microphone was snatched

from the former Town Clerk’s hand in the midst of a statutory meeting by a Councillor, and she was chased out of the Council’s Chamber and out of her office and compound with chants of “we had enough,” “time to go” and “get out the place.” The present Public Relations Officer failed to lift a pen or even a finger in the defence of a lady like herself, but now she is so fired up.

Why? I end with the famous line in Martin Carter’s poem “…all are involved, all are consumed”.

Sincerely, Anu Bihari

Why wreck something and then sell it?

Dear Editor, It is difficult to discern whether this Government is serious about intelligence gathering for decision-making purposes, or if it is just involved in political patronage by creating jobs for the ‘boys’, or it is downright incompetent and only seeking self-aggrandisement. While the list seems not to be exhaustive, there seems to be a common trend: nothing it does is liable to benefit the country and its citizens. There is no dearth of examples either when one looks at the hiring of foreign ‘experts’ and professionals; the potpourri of CoIs and the lack of benefits to us from the oil deal.

The current GuySuCo fiasco takes us into the realm of the unbelievable. The closing down of Wales and the diversification into rice and now the attempt to reopen and the closing down of Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates and the redundancy of the workers and now the attempts to reopen them make it undoubtedly conclusive that this Government has no clue of what it is doing to the industry and I could recall an old cliché which says that ‘one should not cut his nose to spite his face’.

This Government spent a total of $175 million in two years on CoIs and these are still continuing. Of this

amount, $51.8 million was spent on the GuySuCo CoI and it is public knowledge that the CoI recommended ‘privatisation’ and not ‘closure’, yet the recommendation was thrown aside by the Government which paid for it.

The CoI comprised a team of ‘experts’, which included the now Chairman of GuySuCo’s Board of Directors, Dr Clive Thomas. He did the ‘financial and economic’ analysis.

If this recommendation was heeded, then the current situation which GuySuCo finds itself in would have been avoided. It would not have needed the Special Purpose Unit to educate this Government that if you want to sell an ‘asset’ profitably, then you need to sell it as a ‘going concern’.

What is alarming is the fact that many apologists for this Government concluded that the Government did well!

At our Regional Democratic Council (RDC) statutory meeting a few months back, I told the Council that this is a wrong move and I was supported by my colleagues on the Opposition side of the Council. The Government side supported the Government’s move to close down the Estate in Region Six. Mr Samuel Fraser, an APNU Councillor, complimented the Government! The Regional Chairman, Mr David Armogan, had then told him

that if you want to sell your car, you cannot remove the wheels and then invite offers. Why would anyone want to wreck something and then sell it?

This Government, through its Cabinet and the Minister of Agriculture, did exactly the opposite of what the CoI recommended. They closed down the estates, cannibalised the factories, abandoned the hundreds of millions of dollars of sugar canes in the fields, sent home the workers and triggered a debilitating economic decline, which is being felt not only in the sugar belt but across this country. Additionally, the diversification programme at Wales has failed miserably and some workers are yet to receive their severance pay. Entire communities across these sugar belt areas are on the brink of starvation. What is also clear is the valuation process of the assets should have been done before any closure.

This is typical of how the PNC works. It is unimaginable that a Government can be so incompetent! It leaves us to wonder what our fate will be in the next two years!

Now it is becoming more evident that this Government did all of this to spite the PPP and its supporters who are perceived to be sugar workers.

It is a show of ‘who’s the boss’.

However, the fact is that the

AFC and APNU received more than its share of support from its traditional base and their conclusion is incomprehensible. Many sugar workers voted for them for the 20 per cent increase, which was peddled on TV by the AFC and by the distribution of leaflets in the sugar estates area. I confronted the AFC member from Fyrish who was distributing this leaflet in my community in the presence of some sugar workers. So, this is not a figment of the sugar workers’ imaginations.

In my opinion, the situation will worsen, since it is now accepted that the valuation process will take longer than anticipated and the SPU attempts to recommence sugar production at these estates will fail with the huge stock of sugar canes being spoiled beyond salvage. The closure not only destroyed the workers but the estates as well. This Government has succeeded in utilising $40 billion of taxpayers’ money to further destroy the industry.

The action of this Government reminds me of Sir Walter Scott’s Marmion, “O, what a tangled web we weave…when first we practice to deceive.”

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf Region Six RDC Councillor

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

Suggestions to save System of Old Age Pension payments needs to be addressed sugar (Part 2) Dear Editor, During last week, it was reported that the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) and the Public Telecommunications Ministry are currently researching the introduction of a “debit cardlike system” for pensioners to receive their monthly payments. In effect this research is focused on linking the GPOC with the banking system.

I have no problem with this research, however, it is my view that the pension payments at the post offices need to be thoroughly reviewed. I say this based on my experiences and observations of the operations of GPOC. As a pensioner, I would normally go the post office after the second working day in the month to cash my pension voucher. I have experienced at three post offices (refrained from naming them), “sorry sir we have no cash, please return tomorrow” over the past two years for approximately 50 per cent of my visits. On Saturday, February 3, payment ceased at that post office at 07:30h,

since it was out of cash and was awaiting reimbursement.

I left that post office, frustrated as usual and went to the main branch post office where I received my pension.

Could you imagine the number of pensioners who would also have been told to return for their pensions? Whenever I ask to see the Officer in Charge (the Postmaster), the usual response is he/she is unavailable.

It is obvious to me that there is a critical management problem existing at GPOC when it comes to pension payments. If there is proper financial planning, a post office should not be out of cash for pension payments. Each post office should be preparing a monthly cash budget for pension payments. As an example, this monthly budgeted amount should be the average actual payments over the last three months, as well as another 10 to 15 per cent on that average monthly amount, for unforeseen circumstances. Hopefully with proper financial planning, a post office should possess adequate cash

to meet the monthly pension payments.

On day one at the post office there is only one wicket open, invariably not promptly at 07:00h. There should be at least two wickets open on days one and two respectively in order to process these payments, and if there is an unusual large number of pensioners on hand, then open a third wicket temporarily. If there are pensioners to be paid at closing time – 15:00h, then the post office should be open beyond the closure time so as to make those payments.

On the research of payment of pensions through the bank, if GPOC wants to interface with the banking system, today’s pensioners may hardly want to be using a debit card. Those pensioners who are presently using debit cards would be inclined to use a card for pension. They may be a less than 20 per cent however, it can be adopted.

An alternate system should be established with the banks for them to pay old age pensions similar to the bank system for National Insurance

Scheme (NIS) pensioners. On the presentation of the NIS voucher, the bank pays accordingly. It will require that the Social Protection Ministry to promptly reimburse the respective banks each month on receipt of the bank’s invoices for old age pensions. Involving the banks will result in fewer numbers of pensioners going to the various post offices, and this will apply to geographical areas where commercial banks are established.

In closing, it is imperative that I state my experience and observations on the payment of pensions in order to justify a review of the present system. The decisionmakers of the GPOC need to address the weaknesses of this system and then to strengthen it in keeping with best practices. Now is the time for less talk and more positive action to be taken by the respective authorities. Our pensioners who have served this country well, need a revised and efficient system of pension payments.

Sincerely, John Seeram

PAC's and Audit Office's uphill task Dear Editor, The current difficulties being experienced by members of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament in getting information regarding millions of dollars in funds provided by Central Government since 2015 to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, though disappointing and worrying should come as no surprise to anyone in this country.

Financial management at the Georgetown Municipality has to be the worst not just in Guyana, but surely breaks a record in this region and possibly across the globe.

The fact that City Hall’s yearly budget is never published in a detailed way to be scrutinized by the public is no oversight on the part of the Council, it is deliberate. The fact that Council gives out hundreds of millions of dollars yearly in contracts without adherence to the policies and guidelines of the National Procurement & Tender Administration (NPTA) of Guyana is no mistake on their part, it is intentionally and knowingly done in order to award grossly bloated contracts to friends and family.

It is just unimaginable that the Council would have been allowed to avoid having its accounts, its financial records and its systems audited during the life of this Council

and the previous Council from 1994 to now. Which other public entity in this world would be allowed such laxity?

But most worrying in all of this is that in spite of this wellknown negligence and venality that has been going on at City Hall, successive central governments have been bailing them out with billions of dollars over the last 24 years without insisting that their books be audited. Simply incredible!

Expenditure allocated by Parliament for the Ministry of Communities should have never been handed over to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown, without strict conditionality and should have been stringent-

ly monitored every step of the way. Handing over hundreds of millions of dollars to the City Council was asking for trouble, the trouble that the PAC is now encountering.

The members of the PAC should not expect answers or explanations to the discrepancies discovered any time soon, because the Council is not accustomed and is unwilling to answer to anyone regarding its errant behaviour.

The Audit Office of Guyana has admitted that it has been awaiting the supply

of the documents for several months from the Georgetown Municipality. It must be pellucid by now that none are forthcoming.

I wish the Public Accounts Committee and the Audit Office of Guyana, the best of luck in unraveling the mysteries of the Georgetown Municipality. There are so many secrets there, so many hidden facts that a book could be written of the City Council.

Sincerely, James Mc Onnell

Dear Editor, We have started the production of electricity from the baggasse at Skeldon.

We can establish two others at Albion and Enmore to supply our grid! More revenue streams for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). In the absence of the hydro-power project, this offers an important source of renewable energy.

Here again, the Stateowned GuySuCo and GPL can partner to make this profitable for both companies. The social benefits of having reliable energy is incalculable. With cheaper energy more businesses can grow.

With such a project, we can reduce the importation of fuel for electricity generation and even bring down the price to consumers. It is a win-win situation.

On the agricultural side of the business, Indian technical assistance can make a huge contribution. GuySuCo spends millions to import fertilisers for the sugar cane.

India is using liquid fertilisers made from the cane leaves and other materials now thrown away. The cost is a fraction of fertilisers coming as a byproduct of fossil fuel. Here too the rice industry can benefit. It will reduce their costs appreciable.

We were experimenting with that while the PPP/C was in office. This is worth persuing with Indian technical assistance.

We were also in the process of buying a compactor for baggasse so that we would make ‘bricks’ from the baggasse and use them in our boilers to eliminate the use of wood. That would

save millions for the company. Successful trials were already done with the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) at the University of Guyana.

At the factory level, we need to do much re-capitalisation. India is one for the largest producers of spare parts for sugar factories. Its prices are a fraction of the prices if parts are sourced from Europe and North America. This can be a major help to the industry and the country. It would help us to rapidly improve efficiency of the factories, increase recoveries and earn more.

One of the most important benefits is the amounts of jobs that could be created; technical and good paying jobs for our youths leaving school.

Right now, because GuySuCo is not hiring, graduates in agriculture from the University of Guyana cannot find employment. They are kicking bricks on the road.

If the regime can remove its animus towards sugar workers and the industry and view the situation objectively, we could see that sugar will still play a leading role in the development of Guyana.

All our people stand to gain, directly and indirectly.

The Indian offer has now been acknowledged. Go for it and help our Guyanese people who are suffering from the lack of jobs and a slothful economy.

It is time to have a national conference on the future of the sugar industry and stop the closures.

Respectfully, Donald Ramotar Former President

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lthough there is never a time and a place for sexual abuse we think that there is always a time and place for open discussion about sexual violence prevention with your children. Discussions of sex in Hollywood movies tend to happen once, and are stereotypically (and often humorously) delivered by an uncomfortable parent in the child’s bedroom (think “American Pie”). But what the research tells us is that these are not one-time discussions to have when your children are adolescents but rather these discussions should start early – and take place often – in the very contexts where parents and children find themselves every day. Sexual violence prevention is not just teaching your children to stay away from strangers. Rather, these discussions should be broad – to include discussion of sexual abuse as well as discussion of healthy sexuality and consent. And these discussions should be delivered with some regularity in the environments where parents often find themselves. This may be in the car while bringing a child to football practice, in the neighbourhood while out for a walk, or in the home while waiting for the school bus to arrive. While these discussions can happen anywhere, they are typically better received when they are natural and organic and arise in response to a question or observation. For example, if a five-year-old asks about a baby animal, it might be an opportunity for the parent to briefly broach the subject of human sexual relations. This won’t be the only discussion about sex, but it might be a good opportunity to have the

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first of many. Since the child’s natural curiosity is already piqued, he or she will be more likely to listen closely to the parent’s response. Alternatively, a visit to the doctor for a yearly check-up may be an appropriate time to talk about touch and who is, and who is not, allowed to touch you and under what circumstances. Likewise, a relative’s attempt to tickle an unwilling child may later prompt a discussion about consent. These conversations don’t need to be long and are best delivered in matter of fact ways, in the same tone that the parent

talks about a variety of important matters, whether the need to exercise caution when crossing the street or the importance of completing homework. And it goes without saying that these conversations should be made appropriate to a child’s developmental level.

The discussion of consent that a parent has with a young child, one in which you introduce the idea that a child has a right to say no to touch they do not like, will be very different from the conversation about consent

with a child who is heading off to college.

In the last several months we have been bombarded in the news about cases of sexual abuse – with the Larry Nassar case and the #metoo movement. These can be hard topics to talk about with your children, even harder than sexuality in general. But these events also underscore the importance of having these discussions.

Although rates of sexual abuse have been falling over the past couple of decades, the Nassar case and #metoo movement remind us that we are nowhere near the end of this problem.

Children need to know what kind of touch is appropriate, who can touch them, and what to do if they feel uncomfortable in a situation.

Teenagers need to know that they do not have to engage in sexual behaviours that they do not want to and also need to know what to do if they find themselves in a situation that does not feel safe. Open and regular conversations with parents about sexuality and abuse can help kids to be more comfortable with this topic area, and more likely to open up to their parents if they feel uncomfortable in a situation. The Nassar case serves as a reminder to parents and professionals that we must take children seriously when they report abuse. Helping children to identify and later report abuse is only half of the equation. We must carry through on our end too as abuse flourishes in environments where victims are either not believed and/or are unlikely to make a report. (psychologytoday.com)

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hen children are outdoors, it's important to protect their skin to prevent melanoma and skin damage from too much sun exposure.

Here's how to help children enjoy fun in the sun safely.

Why is sun protection important?

We all need some sun exposure. When skin is exposed to the sun, our bodies make vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium for stronger, healthier bones. It only takes a little time in the sun for most people to get the vitamin D they need (and most vitamin D needs should be met with a healthy diet and/or supplements).

Too much unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and skin cancer. Even people in their twenties can develop skin cancer.

Who Needs Sun Protection?

Every child needs sun protection. The lighter someone's natural skin colour, the less melanin it has to absorb UV rays and protect itself. The darker a person's natural skin colour, the more melanin it has. But both darkand light-skinned children need protection from UV rays because any tanning or burning causes skin damage.

Here are the key ways to protect children' skin: Use Sunscreen Avoid the Strongest Rays of the Day Cover Up Wear Sunglasses Double-Check Medicines

What if my child gets a sunburn?

When children get sunburned, they usually have

pain and a sensation of heat — symptoms that tend to get worse several hours after sun exposure. Some also get chills. Because the sun has dried their skin, it can become itchy and tight.

Sunburned skin begins to peel about a week after the sunburn. Encourage your child not to scratch or peel off loose skin because skin underneath the sunburn is at risk for infection.

To treat a sunburn: Have your child take a cool (not cold) bath, or gently apply cool, wet compresses to the skin to help ease pain and heat.

Apply pure aloe vera gel (available in most drugstores) to any sunburned areas.

Give your child an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen or use acetaminophen to ease the pain and itching. (Do not give aspirin to children or teens.) Over-the-counter diphenhydramine also may help reduce itching and swelling.

Apply moisturising cream to rehydrate the skin and treat itching. For the more seriously sunburned areas in children over 2 years old, apply a thin layer of 1 per cent hydrocortisone cream to help with pain. (Do not use petroleum-based products, because they prevent excess heat and sweat from escaping. Also, avoid firstaid products that contain benzocaine, which may cause skin irritation or allergy.)

If the sunburn is severe and blisters develop, call your doctor. Tell your child not to scratch, pop, or squeeze the blisters, which can get infected and cause scarring.

Keep your child out of the sun until the sunburn is healed. Any further sun exposure will only make the burn worse and increase pain. (Excerpt from kid-

shealth.org)

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thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Reduction of hunger could be affected by shift in labour towards oil sector – FAO – as Minister calls for better policies to address hunger

FAO country representative, Reuben Robertson

T

he movement of labour from the agriculture sector to the oil industry is something that is being closely monitored by the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

FAO representative, Reuben Robertson told a FAO-sponsored workshop on Wednesday that this shift could affect the overall agenda of eliminating hunger and poverty in Guyana.

“Let us, through this dialogue, recognise the real challenges to the sector with the coming of oil in 2020. The movement of labour from a highly labour intensive agriculture to more lucrative paying jobs could create shortage of labour for agriculture production in a sector,” Robertson said.

The FAO official said the agriculture sector is already plagued with an aging population, low productivity, and one that requires creativity and incentives to stimulate

young people to join.

In order to reduce the chances of this happening, Robertson said there would be a need for urgent modernisation of the sector to make it more competitive as the demand for food increases. It was noted that the already high food import bill and poverty levels will increase if this is not done.

He said, “We have very little time, less than 20 months to strengthen existing systems and to find new approaches to agriculture and rural development in Guyana if we are to fight inequality, overcome poverty, and position the country to achieve the sustainable development goals.”

If all of these are done, then it would make way for a competitive and sustainable agriculture in a green state, Robertson added. The FAO representative pointed also to the need for partnerships with universities, businesses and other organisations to improve the local agriculture sector.

Nevertheless, Robertson committed to continued partnership with Government on food security. He also gave a commitment to ensure that vulnerable groups, which include, but are not limited to school aged children, are targeted when developing programmes to fight poverty and eliminate hunger.

With the impending oil and gas expected to come on stream in 2020, Guyanese will have the opportunity to join

Participants at the opening of the FAO-sponsored workshop

this industry at various levels.

There are already talks from Government that the sector could create jobs for as many Guyanese as possible from all administrative regions.

Meanwhile, in presenting the feature address, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder highlighted the role agriculture plays in the fight against poverty and food and nutrition insecurities.

According to the Minister, the contributions of the sector can be easily undermined by both obvious and less visible disasters, with varying levels of damage and loss to all its sub-sectors.

“As such, an inclusive development approach is necessary in realising the potential for agricultural advancement in the hinterland regions, and since taking office in 2015 this Administration has placed great focus on exploiting the potential of those regions,” the Minister said.

On the issue of food security, the Agriculture Minister reiterated the call for better policies to address the in-

Children’s court to be established …after passage of new Juvenile Offences Bill – acting Chancellor

A

cting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards recently disclosed that with the passage of the new Juvenile Offences Bill in the National Assembly, a children’s court will be established.

Justice CummingsEdwards said the Judiciary is proactive and has implemented measures in preparation for the court’s opening.

The new Juvenile Offences Bill is expected to be laid in the National Assembly shortly and according to the acting Chancellor, “We are not waiting until it is law, we have already started training of our Magistrates.”

The two Magistrates that will preside over the court have already been identified.

In 2017, four Magistrates including Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, attended a study tour in another jurisdiction to observe the operations of their children’s court, to learn the best practices and the pitfalls to ensure that Guyana’s system is efficient and adheres to international standards.

“We are getting assistance from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in this regard and we are going to start that court in a short while,” Justice CummingsEdwards informed.

She noted that the existing legislation, the Juvenile Offenders Act also makes provision for the establishment of

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards such a court.

These matters are currently heard in camera, where the public is disallowed in the Chambers, but with the new court, there will be dedicated personnel “because our children need more than what obtains at present,” Justice Cummings-Edwards said.

In relation to domestic violence cases, the acting Chancellor is assuring that these are being handled expeditiously by the Magistrates in spite of the many constraints.

She disclosed that in 2017 various agencies were engaged as well as non-governmental organisations were given the opportunity to share their thoughts on how these matters can be effectively handled.

“We have to see the situation from all angles, so we have had courses… the Magistrates do their best but they are some

persons who come to court and say they have made up with the perpetrator and they do not wish to proceed and that is their right.”

Training is ongoing for Magistrates since the bulk of the domestic violence cases are dealt with in the Magistrates’ Courts, however, those that result in felonious wounding, murder or manslaughter are handled at the High Court.

Further, the acting Chancellor alluded to the fact that having specialised courts to deal with juveniles, sexual offences, domestic violence and other sensitive matters will eliminate re-victimisation and trauma for victims, as well as the speedy disposal of the cases.

She said as an example, in any given session of the November 2017 established Sexual Offences Court there are over 100 cases to be tried coming from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“There is also a component which comes through the Ministry of Social Protection and we are working with them in that regard for a Victim Support Unit and we are working with all stakeholders in relation to the Sexual Offences Court,” she added.

A Trinidad specialist in child abuse and sexual offences cases will be in Guyana, within the next month, to provide psycho-social training to Magistrates and Judges.

creasing incidences of hunger in Latin America, pointing to the fact that while availability of food is not a cause for concern within the region, access however, remains a challenge.

He also reminded that with the assistance of the FAO, his Ministry has developed and recently revised the National Food and Nutrition Security Strategy and Action Plan.

The Agriculture Ministry has been working with a number of international agencies to target vulnerable groups in its efforts to achieve all of the FAO’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry, Vibert Welch, who also addressed the gathering, said there is a huge link between hunger and educational development, noting that some of the policies implemented by the Education Ministry are aimed at ad-

dressing this gap.

“Given the fact that studies have shown that children who are properly fed learn better, the Ministry over the years has developed and implemented several programmes to ensure children have balanced meals at school,” Welch said, while highlighting some of them including the ‘Hot Meals’ programme.

The workshop was hosted in preparation of the 35th FAO Regional Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean. The national dialogue for the upcoming event garnered the inputs from stakeholders on regional issues which are scheduled for March 5 to 8 in Jamaica.

Govt denies interfering in GRO registration process

M

inister of Citizenship, Winston Felix on Wednesday publicly legitimised Member of Parliament, Richard Allen’s involvement in the outreach activity, which was conducted by the General Register Office (GRO) in Region One (BarimaWaini) last week to provide registration services for residents there.

Minister Felix was at the time responding to allegations made by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) against Allen and published in Wednesday’s edition of the Guyana Times.

The Opposition claimed the MP had compromised the integrity of the GRO’s work by discriminately facilitating registrations and subsequently handing out birth certificates to select civilians.

In an invited comment at

his office at the Ministry of Citizenship, Waterloo Street, Georgetown, Minister Felix said that the allegations were without truth.

“None of the allegations mentioned has any truthfulness behind it… I, Winston Gordon Felix, Minister [of] Citizenship has authorised Mr Allen since last year to mobilise and assist the GRO staff with moving around… MP Allen has not interfered in the work of the GRO staff. He is of help to them,” he said.

The Citizenship Minister said that the GRO was obligated to register all citizens and would not display any partiality to any persons being registered over others.

“We are ensuring that this is a transparent process. It is done in the open. The public is invited. No one is there to discriminate as to who should be

registered and who should not be registered. The registration process takes place in the full glare of the public… We are endeavouring to ensure that the public interest is served by having children registered…

That is what we’re after. We’re not after any other ulterior motive. Each child that is born in Guyana must have a birth certificate,” he said.

Minister Felix also stressed that only registrations were made during the outreach, thus demonstrating the illegitimacy of claims that Allen had handed out birth certificates.

“Mr Allen, in this year, 2018, could not have issued or could not have handed out, or could not have received any birth certificate from anyone, because there were no birth certificates handed out or to be received from anyone in those areas,” he said.

8 news

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Wortmanville woman remanded for ganja trafficking A 2 7 - y e a r - o l d Wortmanville, Georgetown woman who was reportedly caught with two kilograms of marijuana was on Wednesday remanded to prison.

Anisha Daniels appeared

before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to charges of possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. However, when the charge was read to her, Daniels denied that she

had the drug in her possession.

In an application for bail, Daniels’ attorney informed the court that she occupies the home with her grandparent and seven cousins.

He noted that his client was

not at home when the illegal substance was found.

However, the attorney’s submissions were overruled and Daniels was remanded to prison. The case will continue on March 21.

Handyman, bartender remanded for gun possession

O

n Wednesday two men appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore to answer to charges of illegal gun and ammunition possession.

Colwyn Wright and Akeem Simeron both denied the charges which stated that on February 20, 2018,

they had in their possession a 9mm pistol along with 29 live rounds ammunition.

The prosecution is contending that Wright, 26, and Simeron, 21, were caught with the gun and ammo at 239 Green Acres, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

In a bail application, the duo’s attorney informed the court that the firearm was hidden in the ceiling of the home which is under renovation and it is possible that someone else could have placed the items there.

However, the Police’s prosecution object to bail on

the grounds of it being a serious offence. The prosecution also informed the court that the defendants were aware that the items were hidden in the ceiling.

The two men – a handyman and bartender, were denied bail and will return to court on March 21.

Ailing man begs for bail on gun charge

A

father of two battling renal failure on Wednesday pleaded with the court to consider his health and grant him bail on an illegal possession of a semi-automatic weapon charge.

The court heard that on February 20 at Lot

196, Block 3 Green Acres, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Rajendra Harrichand had in his possession a quantity of .9mm ammunition and a semi-automatic pistol. The 39-yearold man denied the charges when it was read to him by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

The prosecutor in objecting to bail told the court that Harrichand should not be placed on bail owing to the seriousness of the crime.

He also stated Harrichand had confessed to Police that he used the item for protection and obtained it from a “Spanish man”.

However, Harrichand’s attorney in a bail application told the court that if the confession were true, it could be that the man did not understand the line of questioning on account of him being illiterate. The court was also informed that Harrichand was suffering from renal failure and as such, had to report to hospital for dialysis every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The defence attorney presented Harrichand’s medical records to the court in support of his bail application. The Attorney-at-Law also informed the court that

his client had a party at his house, just a few days prior to the Police’s discovery, hinting that one of the partygoers could be guilty of the offence.

Harrichand was placed on $150,000 bail on the condition that he lodge his passport and report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters every Friday. The case will continue on March 21.

Elderly man fined for theft

A

n elderly man was on Wednesday fined $65,000 for stealing a number of items after he admitted to the crime and apologised.

Derrick Burrowes admitted to Magistrate Fabayo Azore that he stole 17 fourinch saddles, eight six-inch saddles and four water meters, property of Guyana Water Inc (GWI).The remorseful man did not hesitate to plead guilty to the charge, stating that he had an explanation for his action.

The push-cart man told the court that he saw the items in a bag and thought that they were scrap metal, so he took the items to a scrap metal yard to be sold.

The 53-year-old man begged the court for leniency, as he would not have taken the items if he knew that they were new.

The prosecution informed the court that Burrowes cooperated with Police and this led to the items being recovered. He was fined $65,000.

False alarm…

Y

…or falsification on audits ou’d think the Government would be suffering from the “Crying Wolf Syndrome” by now, wouldn’t you?? You know…what happened to the boy who yelled “wolf!!” even when he was facing absolutely no danger. But yet the supporters of the Government keep on supporting the scapegoating of the PPP. How many times this Government screamed “wolf!” when it accused the PPP Administration of “siphoning off billions and billions” from the national coffers??

Asked what’s happening to 20 of the 45 audits that cost $133 million but haven’t even been reviewed by Cabinet, much less triggering any investigations, the subject Minister said there was “nothing alarming” about them!!

Well, excuse me!!! Almost half of the agencies that the then Opposition cried “wolf” about being financially raped were actually “sheep”?? So what was all the hullaballoo about? Just throwing shade on the PPP…which is about the only thing this Government’s very good at.

Is this why the two auditors who conducted the majority of the audits have now become the two most trenchant critics of the Government?? Is it they were led to believe all the “wolf” cries were legitimate and now they’re really teed off at how they were bamboozled and led to become PPP baiters? Point of the matter, the PNC-led coalition was really only projecting all the “thiefing” that was on their mind, onto the PPP! Because even on the audits that were passed on for prosecution, there needs to be an audit on how well founded any of them were. For sure there ain’t no 25 prosecutions going on right now!! At the very best, there may be a handful – the GRDB, Pradoville 2; and NICIL comes to mind. And with the last, it is now revealed that the US$5 million that was supposed to’ve been received by the unit from the GTT share sales – have now been finally paid over – TO THIS PNC LED GOVERNMENT!!

Yet on the flip side, there are so many “siphoning off” shady deals by the PNC which, while we don’t expect them to “audit”, they shouldn’t be so brazen to stymie the Auditor General whose job it is to look into these matters!

He can’t get no info from City Hall – which even their own Councillors have charged is a cesspool of corruption into which money simply disappears as if into a black hole!!

The AG just demanded info for the umpteenth time as well as from the folks that gave us the Jubilee “woodants” Park – the Homestretch Development Inc (HDI). The worthies in the latter scam include the former Education Minister who seems to have disappeared!

Is SOCU going to be “sic’d” on him?

…or dead end on Lindo Creek?

Your Eyewitness had objected to the Lindo Creek CoI because the PNC was starting at the end, rather than the beginning of the crime wave and attempted overthrow of the Government 1997-2008. But it seems that the best laid plans of mice and the PNC can go awry. And it has!! As we reported, the CoI was “postponed” when the lone Commissioner remained on his lonesome when no witnesses showed up.

Now there’s been an announcement which leaves it’s future up in the air – which is where the idea of this CoI was plucked from in the first place! – for the foreseeable future since no further hearing is being scheduled. They claim the witnesses are in remote locations. But really!!

Isn’t the solution staring them in the face?? Since there’s only one Commissioner and (supposedly) many witnesses, why don’t they send the Commish to the witnesses?

Mahomet oing to the mountain and all that!!

After all, he’s being paid a pretty hefty sum to just sift through the meagre “papers” on the case! …or amnesia?

Why are the other dailies studiously refusing to call the recent spurt of home attacks for what they are? KICK DOWN THE DOOR BANDITS??

If it walks like a duck…

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

9 President to swear in new 10-member ERC today News

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

S

ome seven years after the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) expired, President David Granger will be swearing in the 10 new members of the body today.

The ceremony will be held at the State House.

This comes over a month after the National Assembly approved the appointment of the nominees from 10 stakeholder entities as members of the Commission.

The new members to be appointed are: Pastor John Smith from the Christian community; Rajkumarie Singh from the Hindu community; Roshan Khan from the Muslim community; Norris Witter from

the labour movement; Norman McLean, the Private Sector representative; Deodat Persaud for youth organisations; Ruth Howard for women’s organisations; Ashton Simon for Amerindian groups; Barrington Braithwaite for African groups and Neaz Suban for Indian groups.

The Opposition had raised concerns with the length of time it took for persons to be appointed to the Commission.

However, when the Third Report of the Standing Committee on Appointments was presented to the National Assembly for adoption and approval on January 19, Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George

President David Granger

Norton, told the National Assembly that while an earlier time would have been appropriate for such an im-

portant body, there were several hindrances to the process.

He disclosed that the Committee held nine meetings, but difficulties were encountered with one of the bodies selecting a nominee.

The Minister added too that while there could have been more consultations with citizens, persons were not as responsive even when the deadlines were extended.

The ERC plays an integral role as a constitutional entity which serves to protect and preserve the in-

terests of all stakeholders as far as creating an atmosphere of tolerance and harmony among the different races and ethnic groups in Guyana’s diverse society.

The Commission initially comprised representatives from seven different constituencies, but in 2015 it was increased to 10.

The ERC is a constitutional body established under the Herdmanston Accord. It works with persons and agencies to promote harmonious ethnic relations. The Commission

also deals with complaints, promotes training in racial harmony, and fosters a sense of security, among all ethnic groups.

The Commission had been virtually dysfunctional since 2011 when then Opposition Leader Robert Corbin had secured an injunction against the body, barring the Chairman and two Commissioners from taking any decision, recommendation or issuing any direction on behalf of the constitutional body.

Guyana Stores given 3 weeks to fix labour, other infractions

Bungled sugar estates’ write-off

Economist calls for Jordan’s resignation

“I

magine coming into an inheritance of a profitable business.

This business is the umbrella corporation for a range of successful companies. When you took over this umbrella corporation, you decided you didn’t like a bunch of employees from one of the larger companies under your control, so you fire them and decide to sell out the company. You then realise that you made a bad decision despite everyone’s warnings that it was a bad decision from the beginning. You now have to borrow money to get back to some semblance of square one.”

Economic Advisor to the Opposition, Peter Ramsaroop on Wednesday said that this was the predicament Government now found itself in as a result of the asinine decision-making that was embarked on by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who, he noted, has clearly misled the President into thinking he was the man for the job.

Ramsaroop gave what he called a layman’s breakdown of the dangerous developments taking place at the highest levels of Government – decisions that will leave countless Guyanese in debt.

He was at the time speaking to the most recent pronouncement by Minister Jordan that Government would now have to borrow $15 billion to reopen the Skeldon and Enmore Sugar Factories that were fully functional at the time the coalition took office.

Ramsaroop spoke to Guyana Times following the protests by sugar workers at the closed Wales Estate and sought to again warn of the coming financial crisis that the Administration has set the nation on course for.

According to Ramsaroop, while the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) did have its problems, it earned much-needed foreign currency for the country in addition to providing jobs for thousands of Guyanese – sugar workers on whom untold thousands depend for their livelihoods.

“Jordan’s financial card tricks as he calls them have real consequences for real people….the Minister cannot be making blunder after blunder only to come change them subsequently to be forgiven.”

The economist, in speaking to the mismanagement of the industry at a macro level, questioned, “How is it the Minister only realised after shutting the factories down that it would be more profitable to sell them as working facilities?”

Ramsaroop added: “Recall the Minister had introduced VAT on education, thinking that was a bright idea and he had to backpedal on that; recall the Minister had increased the taxes for miners, he had to backpedal on that too.”

He said for each year the coalition has been in office and sought to tinker with a complex taxation system it has backfired, but the real consequences were lost on those in high office.

“I am honestly wondering now if we can survive to 2020 as a viable economy…Billions of foreign currency earnings will be lost with the closure of the factories, not to mention the societal and other economic pressures that are still to be brought to the fore as the impact begins to sink in.

“This is February…people are going to celebrate this week a festival after

hard work, but for thousands of sugar workers, while Minister [George] Norton and his acolytes palance on the front pages with skimpily clad models, sugar workers are now coming to grips with the fact that the part payment of a severance will soon be used up and the reality of another paycheque not forthcoming will eventually begin to boil even more uncontrollably.”

According to Ramsaroop, “had President Granger heeded the advice of those that had been in office and do the right thing in ensuring there was a continuity of fiscal policies that had been yielding fruits, Guyana’s economy would not have been faltering as it is now because of the ill-advised and downright illogical policies that are being presented by the Finance Minister.”

He told this publication that the Finance Minister should do the honourable thing and resign or the President should quickly dismiss him.

Guyana Stores Limited was flagged for labour, other infractions

L

ocal department store Guyana Stores Limited (GSL) is in hot water after it was flagged by the Social Protection Ministry for various infractions, including unsafe and insanitary working conditions.

Following a workplace inspection carried out by the Ministry on February 13, the company was given an ultimatum to rectify the breaches that were unearthed.

According to the Ministry on Wednesday, the inspection was carried out by Minister with responsibility for labour, Keith Scott, who observed the infractions of the Labour Act, Chapter 98:01 and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:10.

Among the breaches were

the absence of a Health and Safety Policy, the absence of required records such as accident and wages registers which are mandated by law to be kept by employers, and a failure to have a fire extinguisher in the workplace.

“Most disturbing of all the breaches were the unsafe and insanitary working conditions which obtained. For example, there were holes in the walls of the ablution area which also had stagnant water on the floor, posing a danger to the health and safety of employees; non-functioning toilets and few working fans and light,” the Ministry outlined in a missive.

It went on to say that in addition to oral advice to remedy all observed breaches, the management of Guyana Stores was issued

with a written ultimatum to correct the infractions within three weeks beginning February 15, or face prosecution.

On this note, the Ministry issued a stern warning to businesses on upholding the labour laws.

“The Ministry of Social Protection wishes to reiterate that it has no intention to compromise with the health and safety of the nation’s workforce and will do everything possible to enhance workers’ protection,” the statement added.

In light of Guyana Stores Limited being flagged for various infractions and now being asked to correct them, other employers are being encouraged to enhance the level of social protection which they provide to their employees.

10 news

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police still hunting for Enmore robbery suspects

…as victims’ traumatisation continues

The Persaud home

T

he trauma of being held at gunpoint, beaten and robbed while your young child lies just in the other room is now settling in for the Persaud family as they take new security measures to protect their Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home.

Four gunmen reportedly invaded the home of Chatterpaul Persaud during the wee hours of Tuesday and carted off over $7 mil-

lion in cash, jewellery, a DVR and television set.

The incident occurred around 02:00h, and the gunmen gained entry through a door they pried open. The men then pounced upon Persaud and his wife, Naleni Deonarine, and held them at gunpoint, tied them up, and proceeded to ransack their home.

Upon entry into the home, the gunmen reportedly dealt Persaud several lashes to

his head after he refused to cooperate in handing over his valuables. During their search, the gunmen found a quantity of gold jewellery and an undisclosed sum of cash, which they bagged. In addition, after leaving the man’s home, they went to his mother’s home, which is adjacent to his. There, they held the 51-year-old woman, Haimwantie, and her 51-year-old husband, Gahansham at gunpoint, demanding cash and jewellery.

Out of fear for her life, the woman cooperated and handed over a quantity of gold jewellery and a sum of cash. Upon collecting same, the gunmen fled the scene.

Chatterpaul related that after he realised the men had left, he began to untie himself and raised an alarm.

“After them man beat we up and tumble up the house

Chatterpaul Persaud and his wife, Naleni Deonarine

and left, me try and loose out meself and then me wife. We run up to me mother house and me uncle them call the Police,” he related.

“We call the Enmore Station first, but them man nah come, then we call the Cove and John Station and them come about half hour after and then when them come, them do them investigation and then today them

tell we that them still looking to see if them find anybody,” Chatterpaul added.

The vegetable vendor related that his family was so traumatised that they have begun locking all their gates and doors while at home during the day.

The man received head injuries and had to get 10 stitches.

“I never feel so in me

life, but when them man come in the house them tell me that we can’t face one another and then them take the sheet and one of he (Chatterpaul’s) jersey and tie we up. When I turn next to he, I see he face cover in blood and I tell them man ‘ayo, take everything but nah do we nothing, me got one lil baby’ and then them start tumbling up the house,” Deonarine related.

She added that they were still trying to recover from the incident and were having trouble dealing with the effects.

The men reportedly removed some staves from the fence and gained access to the yard. The property was secured and was protected by security cameras; however, the DVR that was stolen had all the footage. The family has since increased security.

Mash bands ready to take the streets by storm tomorrow

Members of the GTT/Pulse band as they prepare to transform this truck into a moving costume

I

n a matter of hours, Guyana will celebrate its 48th Republic Anniversary with its annual costume and float parade in its capital city, Georgetown.

This year, the celebration is expected to be grand with

over 23 floats already registered to participate.

One such is the collaboration between Guyana Telephone Telegraph and Pulse Entertainment. On Tuesday, Guyana Times took its camera to the Pulse/

GTT mash camp where the final touches on the costumes are being added.

Guyanese are poised to enjoy a ‘cloud nine’ experience with GTT and Pulse Entertainment since the duo has promised to deliver an electrifying atmosphere on Mashramani Day. While there, Guyanese Designer, Olympia SmallSonoram was seen busily making sure the outfits are in order and ready. They are expecting over 300 revellers on the streets on Mash Day. In addition, several Government Ministries have already launched their bands and ready to storm the streets of Georgetown.

Another band that will be partaking is the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport which falls under social co-

Coworkers for designer Olympia Small-Sonaram as they put the pieces together for one of the many costumes

hesion within the Ministry of the Presidency. The department launched its band on Monday last.

The band will be boasting some 300 plus costumes and revellers. The

Ministry’s Mash band takes on the look and feel of ‘everything Guyanese’ by utilising only the colours of the Golden Arrowhead and costume decorations utilising representations of the

Cacique Crown and the Victoria Regia Lily.

Meanwhile, the floats for the King and Queen of the band are decorated with the popular Hibiscus flower; the country’s national bird – the Canje Pheasant – and several butterflies, birds and frogs.

On Mash day, the revellers will assemble on Thomas Lands, West of Albert Street, then proceed on to the first judging point at the National Park then the parade will move East along Thomas Lands, then South into Vlissengen road and make their way into D’Urban Park for final judging. “Let’s cooperate and celebrate Republic 48”.

Quamina Street fatal stabbing

Verdict looms for accused

Accused: Kelvin Chisholm

K

elvin Chisholm, who recently denied he committed the May 1, 2014 murder of Nigel Lawson, who was fatally stabbed at Quamina Street, Georgetown, will soon know his fate as the State rested its case after star witness Rawlin Sarrabo testified at the High Court on Wednesday.

Sarrabo, who now lives in the United States, testified via Skype that in May 2014, he was living at 252 Quamina Street, Georgetown, where he witnessed the two men having an argument in front of his home on the day in question.

The 12-member jury heard that Sarrabo knew Lawson from doing odd jobs in the area and he would of-

ten ask for money. The witness also recalled that the argument between the two was loud and that Lawson was swinging his hands. Sarrabo claimed that there was no struggle and Lawson was trying to get away from the accused. He further testified that he did not see the phone or iPod in Lawson’s hands.

The accused man allegedly told Police that the now deceased man had stolen the said items from him. Sarrabo meanwhile testified that he witnessed the stabbing, but did not see what “the man on the bicycle” used to stab the now deceased man. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Compton Richardson, it was suggested that the star witness was not telling the court the whole truth of what he saw that night, but Sarrabo said that this was incorrect and maintained his story.

Earlier in the trial, Police Detective Inspector Herbet Henry testified to witnessing the caution statement of Chisholm and that he took him back to the scene on

Quamina Street. According to the witness, the accused said the deceased “thief me thing and I went behind he and he cuff me; we had a scuffle and ah tek me knife and bore he.”

Henry told the jury that he went to the place where Chisholm said he was guarding and recovered the cellphone, iPod and bicycle.

It was on Tuesday that Police Lance Corporal Quinn Sandy testified that the accused told him that the now deceased man went into his yard and stole his cellphone and iPod. The Policeman had also told the jury that Chisholm told him that the two men had a “fine scuffle”.

Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh testified that Lawson’s cause of death was perforation to the heart and lungs visa stab wound.

State Counsels Narissa Leander and Abigail Gibbs are assisting the prosecution’s case while Chisholm is also being represented by defence counsel Hewley Griffith.

The matter is expected to conclude before Justice Navindra Singh today.

NEWS

11

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Foulis father of 2 shot to head

…trailed after conducting business at Bank …believes act was organised

A

38-year-old electrician is now a patient at the Woodlands Hospital, nursing a gunshot wound to his head as he was shot during a robbery, shortly after leaving the Republic Bank, Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD) location early Wednesday afternoon.

Reports are that around 13:30h, Terry Chand, of Hope West, Enmore, ECD, was just entering his Foulis worksite after visiting the financial institution when an identifiable male armed with a handgun apprehended him, while another kept lookout. The man then ordered Chand to hand over his bag containing $600,000 cash; when he refused, he

was shot to the head.

The bullet grazed the back of his head and he was now at the private hospital in stable condition.

Preliminary Police investigations have, so far, revealed that the men used a CG motorcycle to commit the crime. Police said the motorcycle bore no licence plate and they have recovered a single spent shell at the scene.

The injured man’s boss, Rudranauth Roopdeo, related that he has been employed with R Kissoon’s Contracting Service for the past five years as an electrician and received his salary on Tuesday.

“He works as an electrician and he was paid via

a cheque and he went to transact his business. He went to Republic Bank at Triumph to cash a cheque and when he went back to his worksite at Area L Public Road, Foulis, the two men on the motorcycle robbed him,” he explained.

Roopdeo said that the men could be easily identified since they were not wearing masks and several persons witnessed the shooting.

According to one of the man’s co-workers, Latchodat, he was just finished speaking to Chand when the bandit shot him.

“About 11:30am, Chand say he got a meeting and he left and he come back after 1:00. So when he come

back we just come off lunch so me went ripping t-shore with the chainsaw and I say ‘you come back’ and same time me say that a man just come run in and just point the gun up to he and just shoot he and take off the bag,” he related.

“So now, me get me chainsaw and I go fuh turn, but the (gun) man say ‘you don’t turn’ and the man point the gun to me, so me had to switch off the chainsaw so the man just jump on the CG and ride off,” Latchodat added.

He further stated that the gunman was tall and light-skinned, approximately six feet tall with short hair. Additionally, he explained that the bike was

15 Chenapou families to receive support to rebuild homes

S

ome 15 families of Chenapou Village, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) will benefit from the sum of $5 million, to assist in rebuilding their homes which were completely destroyed during the floods in May 2017.

Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Valerie GarridoLowe visited the community on Wednesday and engaged the residents on the project.

The Minister explained that the village has decided how the monies would be spent to ensure all affected families benefit equally.

During the meeting at the Chenapou Primary School, Toshao Edward McGarrell explained that the Village Council would have to meet with the residents to discuss what form the project would take.

The Toshao suggested the monies be spent on procuring nails, zinc sheets and other equipment that will aid in the rebuilding process.

The Village Council is required to provide a list of beneficiaries and a propos-

al to the Ministry outlining how the funds will be spent, after which the money will be released.

A similar project will also be executed in Kaibarupai, where some 20 families will receive similar support.

Equipment such as generators, zinc, and nails to assist in constructing the new homes, will be handed over.

The community has opted to use the funds to create a uniform housing area where there is access to basic services.

Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Chenapou Toshao Edward McGarrell and other Ministry officials during the community meeting at the Chenapou Primary School

Injured: Terry Chand

black and silver and after Chand was shot, a neighbour rushed to render assistance and they transported him to the hospital.

Speaking from his hospital bed, the injured electrician related that he went to the Bank to cash a cheque for $800,000 depositing $200,000 of the amount and was taking the remainder home, as he was currently renovating.

He noted that he observed a woman leaving the line after he completed his transaction. He then hopped onto his motorcycle and was riding back to his worksite when he observed a Nissan Bluebird motor car driving alongside him.

“Whilst riding as I passed Mon Repos coming down past the market that was by Good Hope a Bluebird PVV was driving at the same rate I was rid-

ing and it never try to pass me, because there was way he could pass me. While I slow up and thing, the vehicle keep slowing up, bouncing Lusignan by the market I observed this bike coming at a fast rate so I start accelerate, now as I accelerate, I lost them a good distance, but the car was still behind me,” he related.

Chand said he became suspicious and accelerated and upon arriving at his work place, he observed the car driving slowly past him and was almost immediately ambushed by the man.

“So like by Melanie I see back the car and the bike and I ride as fast as I could and when I watch back at my worksite, the car was still there. The car pass slowly past the worksite.

So I just put off my helmet and try to take off my bag and rest it on the bench, then I hear a loud noise and I know is a gunshot. I feel me head and it get numb plus I start feeling dizzy, so I know I get shoot in me head. The guy come and try pull off the bag and say loose the f*@%king bag. It was two of them; the pillion rider had the gun,” Chand added.

He further related that he did not remember anything after being shot, but indicated that the doctors said there was no major damage.

The investigations are ongoing with no arrests made so far.

12 news

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Wales severance cries

Ex-sugar workers call for Agriculture Minister’s removal

Enough is enough! Former Wales workers and their supporters gathered outside the Ministry of the Presidency and Agriculture Ministry, calling for severance benefits (Carl Croker photos)

A

s Wales sugar workers continued to decry the challenges they are facing since the closure of the Estate, the former employees, their family members and other supporters once again protested the refusal of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to give them severance pay as they called for Agriculture Minister Noel Holder’s re-

moval.

“Who must go? Holder must go,” was the resounding call by the ex-employees on Wednesday as they gathered outside the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) and Ministry of Agriculture. The former employees made it clear that they must be paid their severance.

This was underscored by father of four Alvin

Bradford, who is demanding his termination benefits.

“I does plant and I does cut lil broom and sell, but I can’t go at no company for wuk, they paying $1500 and $2000 a day – that can’t do nothing for me and I got four children and that ain’t easy to maintain. When the Estate shut down, that was the last one I get,” Bradford noted.

Guyana Times was told that Minister Holder was upset that the protest was held outside his Ministry as the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) took over management of the Wales Estate, which was transferred from GuySuCo to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) last December.

The workers said on Wednesday that not being

able to earn was not only affecting the education of their children but their family life as a whole, since couples have had many arguments over declining finances.

“Whatsoever thing you plant and sell, that’s it.

You’re not getting work.

Work hard at Wales, you can see it’s like ghost-town right now. Before when the Estate was alive, we were happy, but now we getting more sad, getting more quarrels, everything not right in the home,” a retrenched worker observed.

Young men in their late teens and early twenties were also affected by the Estate’s closure.

Supporting their colleagues, they indicated that they too were facing challenges. Amos Sookram told this publication that he was “expecting changes” from President David Granger, but as of now, he did not know “what is going on” in Guyana. A father of one, “Sonny”, said that he worked for five years and was waiting on his severance.

He voiced concerns over the conduct of Education Ministry officials and the Police when going about “picking up children” in the Wales area, as he contended that the parents “have no choice” other than

to keep their children at home.

More than 300 former Wales employees who refused employment at Uitvlugt are still waiting on severance. The workers declined to take up work at the West Coast Demerara Estate since it is 22 miles away from Wales, noting that this violates the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA). A court action since was filed on behalf of the workers in March last year. However, to date, the matter is yet to be assigned to a judge by the acting Chief Justice.

Official operations at Wales Estate were shut down in December 2017.

Earlier this month, the former Wales sugar workers staged similar action and expressed much frustration that their colleagues from other estates were paid all or part of their severance, just weeks after the entities were closed.

However, their former employer has long maintained that they were not entitled to this benefit with acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State entity, Paul Bhim, saying earlier this month that GuySuCo has honoured all its obligations regarding the payment of severance at the Wales Estate.

Guyana can win the fight against obesity …Guyanese should diet, check Body Mass Index – Indian specialist asserts

A

senior surgeon and health specialist from India, Dr Sangram Jadhav on Wednesday joined Radio Guyana 89.5FM so as to spread awareness on the impact of obesity on today’s generation.

The surgeon, who has been in the profession for around 25 years, explained that carrying extra body weight can contribute to obesity in the future. It does not depend on the religious or cultural aspect of a person’s life but their weight and height.

However, there are many other factors that contribute to obesity. Over the past decades, studies have shown that it is mainly caused by lifestyle, diet, exercise and environmental factors.

As such, one’s self-esteem and confidence can be diminished. Dr Jadhav explained that obesity could lead to diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian diseases, and infertility and heart problems. Obesity can also affect a person’s intellectual capacity.

“Obesity is not consid-

Dr Sangram Jadhav

ered as a disease by the World Health Organisation, it is the mother of all diseases,” he stated. “Different body constitutions have different weights and weight losses,” he added.

Nevertheless, he emphasised the importance of tackling the issue, as he explained that much work has to be done to fight obesity and restore the health of those affected. If certain techniques are used as it relates to diet and exercise, an obese person can lose the weight.

Turn to page 14

NEWS

13

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Command Centre to be built to tackle crime – as Govt looking to implement ‘Smart City, Safe City’ programme

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hen it was implemented in Mexico, the ‘Smart City, Safe City’ programme was lauded for its success rates.

Plans are currently being developed for Guyana to get its own version of this programme; including the construction of a unified command centre.

According to Citizenship Strengthening and Security Programme (CSSP) Project Coordinator Clement Henry, all that was being awaited was approval to begin construction of this command centre… for which a design has already been sourced.

In a sit down with the media, Henry explained how it would work.

“All information coming in will be processed and observed at the unified command centre. We have been negotiating with these other agencies,” he related.

“There’s a design already out there and it is just for us to move, once we get the go ahead, is to proceed with the procurement for the construction of that building.”

“We believe that this surveillance system will contribute greatly to both crime prevention and crime investigation. Because with the videos that come into the command centre, they can do post event analysis that will be helpful in tracking down offenders.”

Citizenship Strengthening and Security Programme (CSSP) Project Coordinator, Clement Henry

It was in 2016 that Government officials went on a trip to China on a quest to secure smart city technology for the programme.

While in China, they were supposed to observe innovative ways to upgrade Guyana’s surveillance system and further develop the Smart City Project, which has been identified as one of the CSSP’s initiatives under the US$15 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Local law enforcement officials have been able to use footage from surveillance cameras around the city to assist in investigations into criminal activities; however many are critical, stating that the cameras are either

inferior or too few.

Besides this initiative, Henry had recently announced that the CSSP will facilitate the construction of 18 victim-friendly Police stations, which are slated to be completed by the end of 2018. These stations are being redesigned to address the capacity issues in responding to crime and violence within the country, which includes physical violence against women.

Henry, in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), described domestic violence as a “serious issue.” It is within this context that the stations are being fashioned to include materials, equipment, and rooms that are convenient for reports and complaints to be made against perpetrators.

The modernisation of these stations is expected to foster an environment conducive to the efficient reporting system that caters specifically to victims.

Henry claimed that the CSSP is currently procuring a consultancy firm to conduct a full diagnostic review in order to understand and resolve any and all issues victims have relating to reporting matters and identifying perpetrators.

“We are designing the Police stations in a user-friendly manner… we’ve

Morakobai Village to host Savannah Drive 2018

Coordinators of the event and the Toshao of Morakobai, Colin Adrian (second from right) at the launch

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he Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) on Wednesday launched the Savannah Drive expedition which is scheduled for Friday, February 23. Once again, the Morakobai Village will be part of this event so as to develop their tourism sector.

This is the second of 13 planned events which have been organised by the GTA, for individuals who enjoy the adventures and adrenaline rush.

Present at the launch was the Toshao of Morakobai, Colin Adrian, who explained that Moraikobai, being the only Indigenous community in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), is hoping to use these expeditions as a method of introducing tourism in the region. He stated that there is a lot to experience and witness on the wildlife aspects of the region.

The expedition will feature approximately 30 bikers and is set as a team challenge. Each team is comprised of three bikers and the objective is to complete a series of obstacles while incorporating teamwork among their fellow teammates.

The drive will cover approximately 40 miles commencing from the Linden Highway. However, those who wish to stay in the village can do so where there are other outdoor activities such as fishing, bird-watching and camping with the villagers.

The main purpose of this event is not only to promote tourism, but to gain international recognition, and give those who love motorsports an opportunity to experience the different terrains in Guyana.

For those who wish to participate, there is an en-

try fee of $25,000 per team and registration closes today (February 22). However, there is a late registration fee of $35,000. Participants are asked to wear protective gears and practice safety at all times. There will be several medical personnel and first aiders to assist in any emergencies.

This will be the second event that Morakobai will be featuring for this year. The first is a safari expedition by the Pakaraima Mountain Safari Club, which is set for February 23-25. Morakobai is the only Arawak village in Region Five. Since the village’s main economic activity, logging, has not been displaying significant progress, they have decided to shift towards the tourism sector. There are plans to further develop this initiative by constructing an eco-lodge in 2019.

An example of a convergent command centre at the Huawei Safe City Summit in 2016

noticed from the safe neighbourhood surveys that many times people are reluctant [to make reports]… sometimes they complain that when they make a report, particularly domestic violence reports, [that] there

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

Plans are on stream to construct special rooms for domestic violence interviews as well as rooms for

Identification Parades so that victims are not placed face-to-face with and intimidated by perpetrators.

Construction began on 12 Police stations in the last quarter of 2017 and another six are slated to commence by the second quarter of 2018. The Cane Grove Police Station is almost entirely completed using the refurbished design and is currently awaiting Intercom Systems.

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

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

Region 3 rice farmers defrauded of close to $500M

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he lives of over 50 rice farmers of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) are now hanging in the balance following the fraudulent activities of the Chairman of the Ruimzeigt Rice Industry Limited, who is also the director of some 28 other rice companies.

As such, the rice farmers from the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara, Essequibo, Leguan and Wakenaam on Tuesday joined hands as they picketed the Ruimzeigt Rice Industry Limited, West Coast Demerara (WCD) calling for Chairman Turhane Doerga to pay some $500 million owed to them.

Picketing actions are being taken after the farmers received what they called “the last straw”, that is, bounced cheques. These cheques were presented to them by an investor who they claim is just a face being used by Doerga to carry out his “fraudulent activities”.

Guyana Times understands that after not receiving payments since 2016, Doerga was taken to the High Court which ordered that he pay all outstanding debts.

According to Balram Seeraj, Secretary of the Rice Producers Association (RPA), the unpaid farmers have recently received a favourable judgement against Doerga and his son Vijay Doerga. However, it has been difficult to get them to pay up as the Doerga’s owns a number of companies and are dodging farmers.

Documents seen by this publication show the name of some 28 different companies, and as such, the farmers are uncertain who to contact for their monies.

“In the process of taking the court action, it was found out that a number of companies are operating out of these complexes and it is difficult to ascertain which

Some of the workers in a rice field

company owns the assets in order for you to go against that specific company and the assets of that company to get your money,” Seeraj explained.

One of the investors, Andre Poonai, of the Golden Grains Investment, when taken to court in November of last year, informed the farmers that he was unable to pay them as a result of issues he encountered with the companies he purchased from Doerga.

Doerga reportedly visited the farmers and introduced Poonai as the new operator of the companies, this they call a regular ploy to give them new hope that payment will come soon.

“The ploy of this operator is to go after fresh victims every season without paying the old farmers that they owe and they seem to be succeeding. They come with a lot of sweet talks and bring news face, some of whom look foreign and saying that they have sold out the places and that these new faces will be making payments to us,” the Secretary revealed.

Poonai also reportedly issued cheques for millions of dollars which all bounced.

As such, the struggling farmers, some of whom are unable to work due to

lack of finances are calling on Doerga to pay his debt as they called for the intervention of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

“Everytime is a kinda promise and then is another six months you got to wait.

One time he supposed to get loan from the bank and then he say that he got somebody line up to come buy the mill, that was fake also,” one angry protester explained.

Another said “twenty eight hundred dollars per bag, he did not want me to take the paddy to someone else, he keep promising me payment and promising me to take the paddy right over here, now this man cut me off”.

This newspaper had previously reported back in July of 2017, the rice farmers would receive all payments.

That was the promise from the General Manager of GRBD, Allison Peters who had noted that the Board will continue to monitor the situation.

However, to date, there has been no change in the situation and the farmers have revealed that they are losing faith in the ability of the Board.

14 news

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No reason to celebrate Mashramani Schoolgirls kidnapped, taken to abandoned house – Wales housewives …Police arrest 3

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hree men are in Police custody assisting with investigations into the kidnapping of two schoolgirls in New Amsterdam on Tuesday, but the relatives of one of the girls are of the view that the Police are condoning the crime by not arresting the driver and sending home one of the girls who claimed she is above the age of consent.

Reports are that the girls were on their way home from school on Tuesday afternoon when the incident occurred.

According to reports, the black Toyota Allion pulled up alongside the two girls who were walking and after a brief moment, both the front door and back door of the car were opened and the girls were pulled into the vehicle.

Guyana Times understands that the girls put up some amount of resistance causing onlookers to become suspicious. The car was followed to an abandoned house at 36 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam where the girls were housed. Both the Police and a relative of one of the girls were contacted and within moments were at the scene.

The two Police Officers who were both armed with firearms were forced to call for backup after voices coming from within the building

threaten to shoot the officers if they did not remove from in front of the door.

When the back-up came and the door was kicked open, three male adults and the two schoolgirls were found inside the building.

Meanwhile, as the Police were concentrating on the building, the driver of the car who is known to the Police and was waiting in the vehicle outside of the building, fled the scene with the car.

The three suspects were taken into custody and the girls to the New Amsterdam Hospital to be medically examined. It was then confirmed that no sexual activity occurred on Tuesday. It is believed that the quick response by the Police prevented either of the girls being injured.

The medical examination, however, revealed that both of the girls are sexually active.

At the hospital, one of the girls reportedly said she was 16 years old and above the age of consent.

At the Criminal Investigation Department at the Central Police Station, the girl continued her claims stating that she lived with a grandparent. She was asked to bring her guardian and a teenage girl turned up claiming that she was her cousin

and the girl was released into the teenager’s custody.

“This is nonsense,” a relative of the other girl told this publication. “They did not even ask for any supporting documentation to verify her age. The incident happened when they were in school uniform, something is wrong,” the relative related.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the mother of the other girl was asked to produce documents to verify that she is indeed 14 years old. While the Police continue to investigate, the 14-year-old stated that she had sexual intercourse with one of the men on more than one occasion.

A relative told Guyana Times that the Police need to arrest the driver of the Allion who is an accessory to the crime. “He is part of it; he drove the vehicle and was the lookout. He is just as guilty.”

According to a source close to the investigation, the Police are not treating the driver as a suspect. Meanwhile, the source also said the allegedly 16-year-old has not provided any information to the Police that a crime was committed.

Eyewitnesses say the girls were in their school uniforms at the time they were pulled into the vehicle. The investigation continues.

Relatives foil parents’ plan to sell baby for $1.5M to Surinamese national

By Andrew Carmichael

T

he relatives of a newborn baby have expressed concern that the parents of the child have made arrangements to have the infant sold to a Suriname national for $1.5 million.

Guyana Times understands that the arrangements were made several months ago with the child’s father who is a tractor operator. The 24-year-old mother of five reported that it was her husband who made the arrangements.

Relatives say the mother from Number 68 Village, Corentyne, confided in one of her sisters and out of concern that sister communicated with other family members.

Reports are that the family have children ages 12, 10, seven and two years old and are of the opinion that the new infant might bring unwanted hardship to the

The newborn infant at the New Amsterdam Hospital

family. However, family members are concerned that the Surinamese is purchasing the child for the purpose of sacrifice.

Records at the New Amsterdam hospital indicate that the woman gave birth to a baby girl on February 18, 2018, and she

gave her address as Number 63 Village. However, the woman confirmed with this publication that she lived five villages away.

The mother had reported only taken three diapers as clothing for the infant when she was admitted to the maternity ward.

It was also reported to this publication that the foreigner visited the New Amsterdam Hospital on the day of the child’s birth and some documents were signed and the baby and the money were to be handed over on Wednesday.

However, several persons were contacted and the Child Care and Protection Agency visited the mother at the hospital on Wednesday and she was not discharged as promised.

The matter is being investigated. Meanwhile, the baby is still in the hospital and family members have agreed to take care of the baby.

Guyana can win...

“One should go for conventional and contemporary diet and exercise methods.”

These include consuming foods that are low in calories and avoiding snacks.

Exercise routines should also be changed every eight days. This is because after a while, our bodies become aware of the techniques that are used to lose weight. As such, the brain programs

the body to stop losing weight. However, when the routines are changed often, it confuses the body and an obese person can continue to notice results.

“Stay away from sweets, stay away from oils and stay away from spices, carbohydrates like wheat and rice is not really needed. Consume adequate vegetables, adequate fruits,” Dr Jadhav

From page 12

said.

This is the surgeon’s second visit to Guyana and he aims to broaden the minds of Guyanese, as it relates to spreading more awareness and what can be done to reduce the number of obese persons.

“Let fitness and being fit be a way of life,” the surgeon insisted.

…say their children are starving, pots empty

Housewives are demanding that severance be paid

if you don’t have money you can’t do nothing,” Iris, only name given, observed.

Mashramani marks 48 years since Guyana became a Republic which meant that the country broke links from the British monarchy but for the housewives, there is no freedom given their current economic plight. Mother of five, Shada Narine, told Guyana Times

By Shemuel Fanfair

S

everal housewives who supported their spouses at Wednesday’s protest against the year-long non-payment of severance, complained bitterly of their dwindling finances and indicated that they have no reason to celebrate Mashramani.

The Wales housewives told Guyana Times that they will not be participating in any celebration since they can barely maintain their households, as many of the men are unemployed and others are finding difficulty getting consistent work.

“We don’t have Mashramani because we don’t have money, so we cannot celebrate; we want we severance and then anything could happen,” one housewife shouted.

Other women, including a mother of five, Salima Bacchus, are demanding that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) honour its legal arrangements and pay off the former workers.

“We need we severance!”

Bacchus exclaimed. Her husband, Asser, has not

Several protesters marching outside the Ministry of the Presidency

been working since 2016 and she has been on the protest line since then.

“Right now we children starving and then we must study Mashramani?

We don’t have money since Wales Estate close, me husband not working so how you could get the money to celebrate Mashramani,” another housewife added.

Pensioners who also supported Wednesday’s protest indicated much dismay at the economic situation at Wales and on this basis noted that finances are not there for them to celebrate.

“Mashramani, you have to get nice clothes, footwear and you got to dance up but

that she too would be celebrating the holiday. Narine stressed that she has to rotate sending her children to school and she is calling on the Agriculture Minister and President Granger to look into her plight.

“I glad if the President and Mr Holder could come out and tell the cane cutters if they will get their severance or if they will find jobs for them. I think they have a heart and children and they should see the suffering of the cane cutter dem,” Narine remarked in a show of much frustration.

Mashramani will be celebrated on Friday.

Guyana Peace Council re-launched

T

he Guyana Peace Council (GPC) founded in 974 by late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan was on Tuesday afternoon re-launched at Red House, High Street, Georgetown.

Elected President of the Council is Member of Parliament Clement Rohee, with the Vice President being Juan Edghill. The Treasurer was named Mark Constantine along with Executive members Bhisram Kuppen, O Satyanard, Bibi Shadick, Andrew Bishop, Mitra Alli, Hydar Ali, Carvil Duncan and Badri Persaud.

The Council began operations since August 17, 2016, but was officially relaunched on Wednesday.

Under the theme “In pursuit of peace”, the objective of the Council is to encourage people from around the world to work together to contribute to peace, progress and development.

According to Rohee, there are many issues that divide peace and solidarity around Guyana and around the world, which prompted the re-launch of the Council.

“In our view, our preference is to find a harmonious blend of the national and international. After all, our mission in this peace movement is to educate and enlighten Guyanese about war and peace. We would be failing in our responsibility if we did not do so. It is a huge task but we must in the end fulfil our mandate. There is also the need to involve both young and old persons in the peace and solidarity movement,” Rohee explained.

Rohee added that the GPC will work in solidarity with peace movements around the world advocating for the reduction of military budget, the freezing of armed sales and the conversion of military spending etc.

February 20 is observed around the world as International World Day. Member of the Local Government Commission, Norman Whitaker, said the objective was the decision to re-launch the GPC. “The United Nations General Assembly named February 20 as the Annual World Day of Social Justice.

The overriding objectives behind this decision were discussed and agreed on, that is among the representatives of the member states, and to make the conquest of poverty and full employment, as well as stable safe and just society, the overriding objectives and so also the need to put people at the centre of development plans” Whitaker said in his address.

Member of the GPC and former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar in his remarks reflected on the life of Dr Cheddi Jagan, “The re-launching of the peace council is something that Jagan gave a lot of his strength and energies toward promoting and throughout his life, he continued to fight not only for social justice in Guyana but for social justice for the world as a whole and he was a champion for world peace”.

For the year, over 12 activities have already been planned by the Council that list of activities concluding with Human Rights Day to be observed in December.

thursDAY, february 22, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Saajid Husani Photography.

Of his entrepreneurial endeavour and the lessons learnt along the way, he said, “It’s a long and tiresome journey, no shortcuts, but it’s all worth it.”

The artist, who says willingness to sacrifice is the most important quality of an entrepreneur, noted that he drew inspiration from other entrepreneurs and “a lot of things”, adding that his dream mentors, whom he has all met, are local Guyanese people “since they are the ones who

S

aajid Husani is a risk taker, an innovator, a photographer unlike any other with lots of edge who says his job is his hobby and he wouldn’t mind doing it for the rest of his life.

One of the first local photographers to use drones to elevate his work, Husani had a different path planned for his life than photography, as after graduating from the West Demerara Secondary School, he successfully pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences at the University of Guyana. But in his third year, when a “random Facebook friend” offered him his first paid job in photography, his hobby became more than a pastime, as he decided to follow what made him happy and started a photography business.

Describing his business as “art first, business second”, he explained that his philosophy was to focus “on the craft itself and the business aspect will follow”. The approach seems to be paying off, as the response has

T

been “tremendous”. The De Willem native, who currently resides on the East Coast of Demerara, says he is very grateful for the support he gets from thousands of Guyanese. From weddings to commercial shoots with Rafieya Husain, Miss World Guyana 2014 and Miss Universe Guyana 2017, Husani has covered a wide range of subjects, utilising myriad techniques. In fact, he says pushing himself to keep delivering better quality all the time is the goal of

worked right here and made it big”. He further revealed that his mother was his biggest influence and he wished he could be half the person she was.

The 23-year-old advised aspiring entrepreneurs to “have good composure when dealing with problems, and be willing to put in all your time, cause it’s not simple, a 9-5 business when it comes to entrepreneurs”.

“Whenever something has to get done, time of the

Calculated at 94% purity, Feb 21, 2018 Selling

USD

$1330.50

GBP

$286.67

$290.29

Gross

$260,615

CAN

$162.71

$164.60

Net

$242,372

USD

$205.98

$208.44

EURO

$253.57

$256.79

Indicators as on February 21, 2018 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$65.42

Price

USD

Change %

0.26 Change %

Rough Rice

$263.78/ton

0.25

London Sugar

$356.70/ton

-0.34

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1323.20

$1324.20

Low/High

$1321.60

$1336.70

Change

Business Concept – Sector

o change the economic landscape of Guyana, financial empowerment of her citizens is essential. That was the key message of the recent Digital Wealth Creation Summit (DWCS) at the Guyana Marriott.

The audience of mostly young entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs were encouraged by a power-packed lineup of speakers, including Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, IPED CEO Ramesh Persaud, Geotech founder Valrie Grant, Telkom

Caribe CEO Mike Singh and Bitt Founder Gabriel Abed, to gain financial security for themselves and families by utilising the digital tools and platforms available to them.

In fact, Persaud suggested that the sum of $300,000 per month would see locals attaining the first level of financial security, in a statistics-filled presentation that highlighted opportunities for the entrepreneurial-minded.

Blockchain technology and its most familiar form, cryptocurrency, were also a focal point, with speakers

urging the more than 700 participants to embrace the new technology that would undergird the next technological wave.

The event, organised by The Masterclass Institute, is the second edition of DWCS, which was conceptualised

by Dr Rosh Khan to empower others to use digital and social media to create financial success.

Dr Khan, in his keynote address, stressed that current and future digital shapers needed to use the resources at their disposal to network and bring change to their communities.

Investor’s Guide

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana

-0.80

-0.06%

1. General: Distinct and large subdivision defined on the basis of some common factor. See also segment.

2. Data storage: Smallest addressable division of a storage area on a magnetic disk, created when a disk is formatted. The operating system of a computer breaks data into sector size chunks and stores it in the free (unoccupied) sectors which may be together (contiguous) or separated.

(Business Dictionary)

sense of humour was quite evident, laughingly said “eating what I want when I want”, before turning serious: “…it’s to look at what you do, feeling content with what you have accomplished in the time you did it.”

Contact: 641-1622, www.facebook.com/Saajid.

Husani.Photography/

Financial empowerment key to financial security

Cambio Rates Buying

Noting that it was a slow upward climb for his business in Guyana’s present economy, Husani said more local startup groups where entrepreneurs could engage and communicate with each other freely were needed.

Questioned about his definition of success, the photographer, whose ready

DWCS 2018

Market statistics Cur

day is irrelevant,” he declared when questioned about his most productive times during the day.

Such moments of intensity break through Husani’s relaxed yet edgy exterior; when coupled with his professionalism, they offer a glimpse of his complexity and many nuances.

15

Wall Street falls as Fed minutes send bond yields higher

U

S stocks closed lower on Wednesday in a rocky session after the release of the minutes from the Federal Reserve’s January meeting pushed yields on the benchmark 10year US Treasury note to a four-year high.

After the Fed left interest rates unchanged in January, minutes showed the US central bank’s rate-setting committee grew more confident in the need to keep raising rates, with most believing inflation would perk up amid an improving economic landscape.

Stocks initially reacted positively, with each of the major Wall St indexes touching session highs. Stocks began to pare gains, however, as bond yields US10YT=RR climbed to a four-year high of 2.957 per cent on the likelihood of further rate in-

creases this year.

“The Fed meeting minutes indicated Fed members weren’t too worried about inflation, so that was music to the market’s ears,” said Michael Arone, Chief Investment Strategist at State Street Global Advisors in Boston.

“Since then the market is recognising the meeting happened at the end of January and since then we have had the strong jobs report, the average hourly earnings pickup, the CPI figures and they also said it is going to be appropriate to raise rates.”

Expectations for a quarter-point hike at the Fed’s next meeting in March are currently 93.5 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters data. The Fed has forecast three rate hikes in 2018.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell

166.97 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 24,797.78, the S&P 500 lost 14.93 points, or 0.55 per cent, to 2701.33 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 16.08 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 7218.23.

After inflation worries knocked the S&P 500 down more than 10 per cent from its January 26 high, stocks had rebounded in recent sessions as yields on the 10year US Treasury note had stabilized around the 2.9 per cent mark. Even with the recent rally, the index has been unable to convincingly hold above its 50-day moving average, seen as a key support level.

“It is unusual for it to make that V-shaped recovery that it did and keep going,” said Jeff Zipper, managing director at the US Bank Private Client Reserve in Palm Beach, Florida. (Reuters)

16 news

thursDAY, February 22, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Orinduik Block may contain in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil – ECO

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everal months after announcing plans to conduct a seismic survey on the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana, Eco Atlantic and its operating partner, Tullow Oil has now revealed that it has identified leads that could potentially contain in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

The companies said in a release on Wednesday that leads are up dip from the Liza discoveries located on the Stabroek Block and are currently being evaluated and matured to prospect status on recently acquired 3D survey data.

It said Gustavson Associates of Colorado has been contracted to provide independent interpretation services. And Total is now interpreting the first batch

of the 3D survey data from the Orinduik Block, completed last year.

As per the option agreement with Total announced on September 26, 2017, delivery of the final processed data to Total will trigger a

formal review period of up to 120 days.

During this period, Total will be given the option to determine whether to exercise its option to acquire a 25 per cent interest in the Orinduik Block from the Group. A fur-

ther announcement will be released once the formal review period commences.

Director and Chief Operating Officer of Eco Atlantic, Colin Kinley, said it is an exciting time for Eco, and the company is being careful to ensure a comprehensive and conservative interpretation of the Orinduik data as it is being delivered.

“We have a great deal of faith in the quality of seismic data processing by PGS, whom we have used many times in the past. Tullow also has a team of leading industry experts who understand the play and are providing an excellent paced and thorough oversight of the data. We are sharing the data with Total now, who have worked on projects with Tullow in the past, as they have significant experi-

ence in this stage of the processing and interpretation.

This will help the group define drilling targets.”

He stated further, “I was delighted that we were able to secure Gustavson as an independent team to work with us on Guyana.

Gustavson have extensive expertise and knowledge of the region and will provide a CPR and NI-51-101 on the block as the interpretation matures. Drilling is expected to commence in late 2018 or early 2019 and the potential scale of this resource requires a detailed strategy and confident interpretation.”

Eco Atlantic (Guyana) Inc, a subsidiary of Eco Atlantic, holds a 40 per cent Working Interest in Orinduik, and Tullow, the Operator, holds the remain-

ing 60 per cent.

The Orinduik Block is located up dip and just a few kilometers from Exxon’s recent Liza and Payara discoveries confirming, by Exxon’s estimates, in excess of 1.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil. The company and Tullow have completed the first phase of exploration, including evaluating all existing and regional 2D data.

Following the results of this study and the ongoing regional success, both parties had agreed to accelerate and significantly increase the originally proposed 1000km2 3D survey commitment on the block to circa 2550 kms2, thus covering the entire block area, fully overlapping current prospective 2D leads and downdip trends.

Guyana looking to reduce cross-border processing time – forging ahead with Single Window

I

n light of the emerging oil and gas sector, Guyana is expecting an influx of investors and as such, Government is looking to make the regulation process easier and less time-consuming for import and export activities by implementing the Electronic Single Window (ESW).

The Single Window is a global platform that facilitates standardised informa-

tion from State agencies on trade and transport so as to expedite the regulatory process.

In efforts to get Guyana onto the facility, the Business Ministry in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on Wednesday hosted a workshop to identify and analyse conceptual models, challenges for implementation and global best practice for

an Electronic Single Window here.

It is expected that the information exchanged during the one-day seminar will lead to a determination of the best model for ESW development in Guyana. Currently, the model adopted by Trinidad and Tobago is the option being touted for Guyana.

IDB’s Integration and Trade Lead Specialist, Mario Umana, pointed out that

IDB’s Integration and Trade Lead Specialist Mario Umana

while there are a couple of Single Windows operating right now in the Caribbean, the twin islands had the most leading and more mature facility. As such, representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Trinidad were invited to offer their experiences.

“We thought that was important because Trinidad is

Trinidad and Tobago 102 out of a total of 190. To this end, the Finance Minister pointed out that Guyana will have to look at dissecting the indices and see where it can improve its ranking.

This point was also recognised by the Trinidadian representative, who explained that despite having joined the Single Window system, Trinidad still records now ranking. This, he noted, is because the criteria used to determine these indices changes every year and are not accurately reflective of a country’s situation.

Meanwhile, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin addressing the gathering at the workshop highlighted the importance of having an infrastructure such as the Single Window to compete in the global market.

“This initiative is a key element in the Ministry of

a key component in making it work is collaboration.

“The key word is collaboration and collaboration is a challenge in itself because typically in Government… and in almost anything we’re trying to do, we’re used to being comfortable in our own turf and with these projects, it’s a little bit the opposite,” Umana noted.

Among the stakeholders in the project are the Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest), the Business Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Private Sector.

While Guyana is now forging ahead with the implementation of the Single Window, it has done ground work back in 2009 when United Kingdom-based Crown Agents conducted a consultancy survey on the implementation of the Single

A section of the gathering at the ESW workshop

very close to Guyana, same region, similar challenges so we believe that we have the opportunity to learn a lot from their experience,” explained the Integration and Trade Specialist.

However, during the discussions, Finance Minister Winston Jordan observed that while subscribing onto the ESW will reduce the time taken to process trade documentations, it will not in any way improve or impact Guyana’s ranking on the ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’.

Guyana ranked 126 in the 2018 Report on Ease of Doing Business, while

Business’ Strategic Plan.

We understand the impact that the Electronic Single Window system will have on businesses operating in Guyana, we also understand the consequences of not keeping up with the rest of the world when it comes to improving the way that we do business. The global market place is competitive and we will not be able to compete if we cannot effectively facilitate trade and other transaction,” he stated.

Furthermore, the IDB Lead Specialist went on to outline that the Single Window facility will have a significant impact on improving Guyana’s trade and

Window in Guyana.

The company had recommended, among other things, that Guyana look at a draft Single Window legislation and establish specific rules for data-sharing between Government and the Private Sector.

IDB is facilitating the implementation of the Electronic Singh Window and with funding from South Korea, will be hosting a series of activities. This includes Wednesday’s workshop which was held under theme: “Designing and implementing Electronic Single Window in Latin America and the Caribbean: Defining a Path for Guyana”.

thursDAY, February 22, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Billy Graham: Influential US evangelist dies at 99

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S evangelist Billy Graham – one of the most influential preachers of the 20th Century – has died aged 99.

Graham became one of the best-known promoters of Christianity, beginning his worldwide mission in large arenas in London in 1954. He died at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said.

In a 60-year career, he is estimated to have preached to hundreds of millions of people. Graham reached millions of them through TV – the first to use the medium to convey the Christian message on that scale.

Born in 1918 and raised on his family’s dairy farm in Charlotte, North Carolina, Billy Graham became a committed Christian at the age of 16 after hearing a travelling evangelist.

He was ordained a min-

Billy Graham died at his home in North Carolina

ister in 1939, aged 21.

Graham’s public profile was raised in the United States when he held a two-month ministry in a giant tent in Los Angeles in 1949.

His global mission took him to all corners of the world including Nigeria and communist North Korea.

An early sermon outside the US took place before 12,000 worshippers in 1954

in Haringay Arena, London.

At first ambivalent about the civil rights movement in the US, he became more sympathetic in the 1950s, preaching to racially integrated congregations.

His fiery delivery became more measured with advancing years and controversy surrounding the techniques of mass evangelism.

Florida school massacre survivors push lawmakers for assault gun ban

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ozens of teenaged survivors of the second-deadliest public school shooting in US history marched on Florida’s capital on Wednesday to ask lawmakers to ban sales of assault rifles of the sort used to kill 17 students and educators last week.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, became the latest school targeted by a gunman using a semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle, stirring the nation’s long-running debate about gun rights and public safety.

Dressed in jeans and T-shirts and carrying signs with the slogan “#Neveragain,” survivors of the February 14 mass

shooting met with lawmakers in Tallahassee, to ask for stricter controls on gun sales.

Investigators said the assault was carried out by 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz, who purchased an AR-15 nearly a year ago. Police have charged Cruz, who had been kicked out of Douglas for disciplinary problems, with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

President Donald Trump, a strong supporter of gun rights, was due to meet later Wednesday with parents, students and teachers who have been victims of gun violence, including those affected by the Valentine’s Day shooting in Florida.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

In this file photo, Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US, September 23, 2017

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remain in power despite the end of his elected mandate in December 2016.

Switzerland has long held a reputation as a favoured international destination for stashing ill-gotten wealth, owing to its banking privacy laws. But in recent years, in the face of international pressure, it has sought to demonstrate greater transparency, including increased cooperation with other nations’ tax authorities.

The sanctions list published by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs largely mirrors one already enforced by the European Union. The United States has also imposed sanctions on senior Congolese officials over the past two years.

Regime figures targeted by the Swiss measure include former interior ministers Emmanuel Ramazani Shadari and Evariste Boshab, ex-national police commissioner John Numbi and Kalev Mutond, the head of the National Intelligence Agency.

Information Minister Lambert Mende, who serves as Congo’s government spokesman and is also on the sanctions list, was not immediately available to comment on the Swiss announcement.

In power since 2001, Kabila struck a deal in December 2016 with the main opposition bloc to stay on after his mandate expired on the condition elections were held by the end of 2017. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Japanese man wins sole custody of 13 surrogacy children

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wealthy Japanese man at the centre of a “baby factory” scandal in Thailand has won sole parental rights to 13 children he fathered through Thai surrogate mothers.

Mitsutoki Shigeta, 28, reportedly wanted a large number of children so they could inherit his fortune in the future. The court ruling on Tuesday means he will now

make preparations to take them to live in Japan, according to his lawyer.

Some campaigners have raised concerns over the case, suggesting it was “way outside the norm for cross-border surrogacy” and highlighted the need for strong regulation. The court found the father had no history of bad behaviour and would provide for the children’s happiness.

The case attracted international attention in 2014 after nine infants – then estimated to be aged between two weeks and two years – were found under the care of 24-hour nannies in a luxury Bangkok apartment. They were subsequently cared for by the Thai state, while another four infants were deemed also to have been fathered by the same man. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

The White House meeting comes a day after Trump said his administration would take steps to ban bump stocks, an accessory that enables a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute. A spokeswoman said the administration was open to the idea of setting national age limits on sales of assault rifles.

The state Senate on Wednesday postponed discussion on a proposed gun control bill, with Senate President Joe Negron, a Republican, saying the chamber will take up other measures. The legislative session wraps up on March 9, leaving lawmakers little time to act. (Excerpt from Reuters)

India film star Kamal Haasan launches political party

Switzerland imposes sanctions on allies of Congo’s Kabila

witzerland imposed sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans on 14 allies of Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Joseph Kabila on Wednesday amid a worsening political crisis linked to his refusal to step down.

Congolese security forces have killed dozens of protesters in violent crackdowns on a series of demonstrations organized in opposition to Kabila’s decision to

17

Kamal Haasan (centre), seen here at an awards ceremony in Mumbai last month

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ndian film star Kamal Haasan has launched his new political party in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Haasan, 62, made the announcement in the town of Madurai before

crowds of his party supporters.

The state has a history of actors-turned-politicians - three have even served as chief ministers. In December, Rajnikanth, another Tamil movie star, told

his fans that he would form a political party before the next state election due in 2021.

Haasan said in October he wanted to enter politics. His new party is called Makkal Needhi Mayyam, which roughly translated means Centre for People’s Justice, the Press Trust of India reported.

He had said he would work towards becoming the state’s chief minister so he can “right the wrongs of corruption and communalism” in the state. Tamil Nadu has been politically unstable since the death last year of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram, also a former film star. (BBC News)

Hundreds dead in ‘relentless bombing’ of Eastern Ghouta

This is the highest casualty figure the city has seen since a chemical attack struck the area in 2013

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yrian forces backed

by Russian warplanes have continued to hit the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, with at least 27 killed on Wednesday. This brings the number of civilian deaths to more than 270, including 60 children, over the past three days.

The civilians who lost their lives on Wednesday morning were in the town

of Kafr Batna, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets.

More than 300 others were wounded in one of the most fierce attacks in the area since 2013 when a gas attack killed more than 100. The “relentless” bombing, which Amnesty International said amounted

to war crimes, has damaged or destroyed six hospitals and medical centres across the city, residents say.

“We stopped comprehending where the bombing is coming from, either from the sky or the ground,” Khalid Abulwafa, an ambulance driver and member of the Syrian Civil Defence, told Al Jazeera.

Earlier this week, the United Nations and other international bodies expressed outrage at the number of civilian casualties.

The UN called for an “immediate” stop to the “escalation” of violence.

Eastern Ghouta is the last remaining rebel-held area east of Damascus and has been under siege by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces since 2013.

Aid workers struggle to treat the wounded with basic medical equipment and damaged facilities. (Excerpt from Al

Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, February 22, 2018

ARCHIE

Work until you have mastered what you want to pres(March 21ent. Winging it may have April 19) worked in the past, but this time you will have to get your facts straight.

ARIES

Open up and let others TAURUS know where you stand and (April 20- what you intend to do. Taking May 20) control will give you a sense of freedom and the ability to get what you want.

dilbert

Little gestures can turn into GEMINI a big deal if you are forthright (May 21in the way you go about helping June 20) others. What you receive in return will surprise you.

Participate in group endeavours to work alongside (June 21- people from all walks of life.

July 22) The information and experience you gain will encourage positive personal changes.

CANCER

Peanuts

Stay under budget and don't

LEO promise more than you can de(July 23- liver. Timing will be importAug. 22) ant, along with moderation and emotional control to avoid a misunderstanding that affects an important relationship.

Address an issue you have VIRGO with a friend, relative or col(Aug. 23league. Keep an open mind to Sept. 22) find a way to turn a negative into a positive.

Calvin and Hobbes

Make every moment count.

LIBRA (Sept. 23- Look for the positive in any Oct. 23) change that comes your way.

Accepting others and yourself and doing your best with what you've got will lead to peace of mind.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — REGALES (REGALES: rih-GALES: Entertains sumptuously.)

Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 41 or more words in REGALES? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — SPATIAL splat split pail past pasta pita plait plat alas alias

alit atlas tail tapa taps last lisp list

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

ing spree, stop. Only spend your money on something that can help you advance.

Put more energy into SAGITTARIUS how you earn your living or (Nov. 23your volunteer work. Being Dec. 21) responsible will give you a greater sense of self-worth and confidence.

Average mark 30 words

sail salt silt slap slat slip slit spat spilt spit

Before you make a purSCORPIO chase, consider your motives. If (Oct. 24you're on an emotional spendNov. 22)

solution for Puzzle

How you were raised and CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- the way you handle money Jan. 19) and domestic situations will be what elevates you to a place of comfort. Ease your stress by knowing what's right and then doing it.

Avoid arguments with peers

AQUARIUS or relatives. If you don't agree, do (Jan. 20- your own thing. Arguing will be a Feb. 19) waste of time and will make mat-

ters worse. Avoid excessive behaviour.

PISCES Be grateful and use whatev(Feb. 20- er is generously offered to help March 20) spin things your way. Don't ignore what's available to you or dismiss what you are capable of achieving.

thursDAY, february 22, 2018

19

Trans-Tasman T20 Tri Series…

Australia whip New Zealand in final – Lynn injured again

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time last winter but this time it was his right shoulder that popped out.

ustralia won the T20 tri-series final against New Zealand at Eden Park by 19 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method after rain intervened.

Cruising at 3/121 after 14.4 overs in pursuit of the Kiwis’ 9/150, wet weather stopped play and the Aussies were gifted the trophy.

It was only light rain and former New Zealand great Mark Richardson was critical of the decision not to let play resume, saying the Aussies would only have needed a couple of overs to hit the 30 more runs required for victory.

D’Arcy Short was the star of the run chase, belting three sixes and six fours en route to 50 from 30 balls.

Glenn Maxwell (20 not out) and Aaron

Ashton Agar claimed three wickets to rock New Zealand's middle order (Getty Images)

Finch (18 not out) were looking comfortable at the crease when the umpires ordered them back to the

Chris Lynn suffered a dislocated shoulder while fielding, and was sent for a scan during Australia's chase (Getty Images)

He stood at the crease in disbelief, unable to comprehend how he’d been bowled by a rank long hop from leg-spinner Ish Sodhi for 25.

He tried to cut the short ball off the back foot but missed it and he was castled. A shell-shocked Warner didn’t move, looking down at partner Ashton Agar and shrugging his shoulders, as if asking for confirmation

sheds.

After Short put on 72 with David Warner (25) for the first wicket it looked like the visitors would stroll home, but a mini collapse gave New Zealand a glimmer of hope as Warner’s men lost 3/12.

But that was where the jitters ended as Maxwell and Finch wrested back control.

Warner’s wicket prompted a stunned reaction from the left-hander.

that he was in fact bowled.

Not used to missing out on easy run-scoring opportunities, the Aussie captain must have thought the wicketkeeper had knocked the bails off with his gloves.

Ross Taylor led a rescue mission in New Zealand’s innings but the home side’s total was never going to be challenging enough once Short got going.

On the same ground where both sides scored upwards of 240

from their 20 overs last Friday, the Kiwis found batting a lot tougher at Eden Park this time around.

An opening partnership of 48 between Martin Guptill (21) and Colin Munro (29) should have provided the impetus for another run-fest but the middle order failed to come to the party as Australia’s bowlers found their groove.

The home side lost 8/62 as spin and clever changes of pace did the damage.

Left-arm tweaker Ashton Agar was the best for the Aussies, outsmarting Kane Williamson and Mark Chapman in the same over before deceiving Colin de Grandhomme in flight to have him caught on the fence.

Agar finished with 3/27 from his four overs and was ably supported by the quicks. Kane Richardson and Andrew Tye both picked up two scalps while Marcus Stoinis was miserly, picking up 1/23 in four overs.

It wasn’t all good news for the visitors though.

Injury-prone batsman Chris Lynn dislocated his shoulder after landing awkwardly following a desperate dive in the field.

Lynn has missed large periods of cricket for T20 sides, Queensland and Australia because of his shoulder woes. They prevent him from throwing in the field and he has been told he’s not allowed to dive, but that advice went out the window.

He had surgery on his left shoulder for the third

D'Arcy Short teed off on the way to a 28-ball half-century (Getty Images)

SCOREBOARD New Zealand Innings (20 overs maximum) MJ Guptill c Warner b Stanlake 21 C Munro c Agar b Richardson 29 KS Williamson* b Agar 9 MS Chapman lbw b Agar 8 LRPL Taylor not out 43 C de Grandhomme c Maxwell b Agar 10 MJ Santner c †Carey b Tye 0 TL Seifert† b Stoinis 3 TG Southee c Maxwell b Richardson 5 IS Sodhi b Tye 13 TA Boult not out 1 Extras (lb-3, w-5) 8 Total (For 9 wickets; 20 Overs) 150 Fall of wickets: 1-48 (MJ Guptill, 4.3 ov), 2-59 (C Munro, 5.2 ov), 3-72 (KS Williamson, 7.4 ov), 4-73 (MS Chapman, 7.6

ov), 5-91 (C de Grandhomme, 9.5 ov), 6-93 (MJ Santner, 10.2 ov), 7-101 (TL Seifert, 12.4 ov), 8-110 (TG Southee, 13.4 ov), 9-148 (IS Sodhi, 19.4 ov) Bowling Stanlake 4-0-37-1 (w-3), Richardson 4-0-30-2, Tye 4-0-30-2, Agar 4-0-27-3, Stoinis 4-0-23-1 (w-1) Australia Innings (target: 103 runs from 14.4 overs) DA Warner* b Sodhi 25 DJM Short c Chapman b Munro 50 AC Agar st †Seifert b Santner 2 GJ Maxwell not out 20 AJ Finch not out 18 Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-1) 6 Total (For 3 wickets; 14.4 Overs) 121 Did not bat: CA Lynn, MP Stoinis, AT Carey †, AJ Tye, KW Richardson, B Stanlake Fall of wickets: 1-72 (DJM Short, 7.6 ov), 2-78 (DA Warner, 9.2 ov), 3-84 (AC Agar, 10.3 ov) Bowling Boult 3-0-27-0, Sodhi 4-0-21-1, Southee 2-021-0, Santner 3.4-0-29-1 (nb-1), Munro 2-0-18-1

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, february 22, 2018

Klaasen assaults India to level series H

einrich Klaasen smashed 69 from 30 balls to steer South Africa to a six-wicket victory over India in the second Twenty20 International at Pretoria on Wednesday and level the three-match series at 1-1.

After being put into bat, India reached 188 for four in their 20 overs, their innings anchored by a magnificent 79 from 48 balls

by Manish Pandey, while MS Dhoni pitched in with a brilliant 52 from 28 balls.

The pair put on an unbeaten 98 in 56 balls to see their side post an above par score.

Yet wicketkeeper-batsman Klaasen tore into the tourists’ attack, in particular leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (0-64 in four overs), as he smashed seven sixes in his best score in the international 20-over format

Kendall’s Union Stars win “Brother” Appiah Memorial title

Manish Pandey's highest T20I score propelled India to 188 for 4 (BCCI photo)

SCOREBOARD

in just his second match.

Captain JP Duminy (64 not out from 40 balls) saw the side home with an innings that did not produce the same explosive power, but was clever in its execution, as South Africa reached 189 for four with eight balls remaining.

The third and series-deciding match will be played in Cape Town on Saturday.

Heinrich Klaasen was eager for boundaries, pulling fast bowlers to oblivion to bring up his fifty in only 22 deliveries (BCCI photo)

India Innings (20 overs maximum) S Dhawan c Behardien b Duminy 24 RG Sharma lbw b Dala 0 SK Raina lbw b Phehlukwayo 31 V Kohli* c †Klaasen b Dala 1 MK Pandey not out 79 MS Dhoni† not out 52 Extras (w-1) 1 Total (For 4 wickets; 20 Overs) 188 Did not bat: HH Pandya, B Kumar, JD Unadkat, YS Chahal, SN Thakur Fall of wickets: 1-0 (RG Sharma, 1.1 ov), 2-44 (S Dhawan, 4.2 ov), 3-45 (V Kohli, 5.3 ov), 4-90 (SK Raina, 10.4 ov) Bowling Morris 4-1-42-0, Dala 4-1-28-2, Paterson 4-0-51-0, Duminy 2-0-13-1 (w-1), Shamsi 2-0-24-0, Phehlukwayo 2-0-151, Smuts 2-0-15-0

South Africa Innings (target: 189 runs from 20 overs) RR Hendricks c Pandya b Thakur 26 JT Smuts c Raina b Unadkat 2 JP Duminy* not out 64 H Klaasen† c †Dhoni b Unadkat 69 DA Miller c Thakur b Pandya 5 F Behardien not out 16 Extras (lb-2, w-5) 7 Total (For 4 wickets; 18.4 Overs) 189 Did not bat: AL Phehlukwayo, CH Morris, D Paterson, CJ Dala, T Shamsi Fall of wickets: 1-24 (JT Smuts, 3.5 ov), 2-38 (RR Hendricks, 4.6 ov), 3-131 (H Klaasen, 13.1 ov), 4-141 (DA Miller, 14.5 ov) Bowling Kumar 3-0-190, Thakur 4-0-31-1 (w-1), Unadkat 3.4-0-42-2 (w2), Pandya 4-0-31-1 (w-1), Chahal 4-0-64-0 (w-1)

(Reuters)

U

Mukesh Appiah, left, presents the trophy to the captain of the winning team

nder overcast skies and on a pitch with lots of moisture, the star studded Kendall's Union Sports Stars emerged champions of the Ramnarine 'Brother' Appiah T20 oneday tournament played at the Kendall's Union Cricket Ground, No 19 Village, Berbice.

The champions beat arch rival Kendall's Union Sports Club (KUSC) in a nail biting final by 7 wickets in a game reduced to 8 overs a side due to fading light.

In the first semifinal, Seawell won the toss and took first strike scoring 71 for 9 wickets off their 10 overs allotment with Martin Baker and J. Chunilall contributing 15 runs each.

Bowling for KUSC, Samuel Baker and Ravin Seecharran took two wickets apiece.

In reply, KUSC raced to their 9-wicket victory after finishing on 74 for one off 7.2 overs with Daniel Baker leading the way with 45 not out (4x6; 4x4). E Garnett supported with an unbeaten 26.

In the second semifinal, Kendall's Union Sports Stars (KUSS) plundered Jai Hind by 59 runs after trashing their bowling to all parts of the ground to amass 126 for 2 off their 10 overs.

Former national under 19 player Khemraj Mahadeo made 47 not out and got support from another import, former national wicketkeeper/batsman Delbert Hicks with 46 and Dasrath Debiden 23.

In reply, Jai Hind struggled to 69 for 5 off ten overs with Khemraj Sumair 22, Balram Baldeo and Anil Beharry 14 (n.o) each offered resistance. Joshua Tayah took 2 wickets for the winning team.

In the grand final, KUSC batted first and made 60 for 3 off 8 overs with Errol Garnett scoring an unbeaten 23 and Seecharran 16.

Tayah took 2 wickets. In reply, KUSS made 63 for 3 in the final over to win by 7 wickets. Debiden, Mahadeo and Rudolph Baker made double figures.

The champions took home a trophy and a cash incentive while the runner-up received cash as well.

Tayah was named Man of the Match in final while Daniel Baker and Mahadeo were Players of the Match in the semifinals.

Mukesh Appiah, son of the late Ramnarine Appiah thanked everyone who made the event possible which was held in honour his late father.

GCB/Dave West Indian Imports U-15 Inter-County Championship 2018…

A

fter three completed preliminary rounds of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) Dave West Indian Imports Under-15 Inter-County tournament, the rains came and washed out the final that was set for February 10 at the Georgetown C r i c k e t Club (GCC) ground, Bourda.

Berbice off-spinner Jonathan Rampersaud

However, the organizers and sponsor were committed to have the final played at a date and venue that were favourable. The new date is now set and will see hosts Demerara challenging defending champions, Berbice for the title.

In the build up to the championship match, defending champions Berbice who came through the preliminary rounds unbeaten were heavy favourites for a repeat.

However, Demerara whose only defeat came at the hands of the champions in round two at the Everest Cricket Club ground could spring a surprise.

When the date and venue for the final is known, Berbice off-spinner Jonathan Rampersaud will look to add to his tally of 13 wickets while inform skipper Zeynul Ramsammy will look to register the first half century of the tournament to spur their team on. On the other hand, Demerara will hope that Shamar Yearwood,

Berbice captain Zeynul Ramsammy

captain Mavindra Dindyal, Nicholas Rajpat, Zachary Jodha and Rommel Datterdeen show up on the big stage in their quest to reclaim the title.

Other teams in the tournament are Essequibo who registered one win and the GCB President’s XI going winless after three matches.

The first ball on Sunday is at 09:30h.

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Floodlights clash with Bush Lot on Friday

21

…then Albion on Saturday

G

eorgetown based softball team, Floodlights will travel to West Coast Berbice on Friday February 23 for a feature hardball match against Bush Lot Sports Club.

The match will be a 20 overs a-side affair and is a fund raising event for the Bush Lot Mandir.

The match starts at 11:30h and at stake will be trophies compliments

of Trophy Stall and 4R Bearings. After the match, there will be some side attractions including male and female track and field events, tug-o- war, buns eating competition, needle and thread race and catch the greasy pig.

Admission is $200.

Meanwhile, Floodlights have announced their squad from which their final 11 will come from. They will be lead

by Stephen Naraine and fea-

tures some tested names in the hardball arena including current youth players Aaron Beharry and Ajay Gainda.

Full squad reads; Stephen Naraine (captain), Anil Beharry (vice-captain), Aaron Beharry, Ajay Gainda, Ricky Deonarain, Robin Bacchus, Alex Algoo, Ramo Malone, Surendra Nauth, Khalid Baksh, Vicky Ramsaywack, Steve Massiah, Lloyd Ruplall,

Navin Samlall.

Floodlights who are more known for their exploits on the softball arean will then take on Albion Sports Club on Saturday night from 19:00h at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground in Georgetown and have added Rakesh Arjune, Ariel Persaud, Reyaz Hussain and Romeo Deonarain to their squad.

Rose Hall Town cricket teams making positive difference

A

s part of their C o m m u n i t y O u t r e a c h Programme, the cricketers and Management of the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division Teams recently assisted several organisations and individuals. The two teams are part of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS and have been mandated by the club Management to successfully complete 50 activities in 2018 under the Sub-headings of Sports, Education, Community development, Religion, AntiDrugs, Anti-Crime, AntiSuicide and Coaching among others.

The teams donated two cricket trophies to the Port Mourant Secondary School for their annual fundrais-

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RHTY&SC Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster

ing cricket tournament while the organisers of the Ministry of Education Mash Sub-Committee also received a trophy. The teams also make a financial contribution to the Organisers of a Religious Revival

Outreach Programme.

Meanwhile, the Belvedere based New Start Play School received a donation of Guyana Flags and other materials to enable them to organise their Annual Mash Parade while the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association benefitted from a donation of Exercise Books, Pens, Pencils and Reading materials.

The Upper Corentyne Cricket Association would use the donated items to reward outstanding players in a Primary School Cricket Competition.

Twelve years old Rohan Sundar of Belvedere also received a financial donation to purchase a bicycle to enable him to attend school.

Seven less fortunate families on request to the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports

Anil Beharry

Club also received groceries while three senior citizens received assistance for medical care and medication. The teams in request also assisted in the funeral expenses of a senior citizen of Rose Hall Town.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that with cricket not being played in Berbice currently, the Club is placing emphasis on completing its targeted off the cricket field activities. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and its cricket teams strongly believes in assisting others as the more you get, the more you would receive in blessings. Special emphasis, he stated would be placed on assisting Senior Citizens and less fortunate families while the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association would continue to benefit from the

assistance of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club because they are known to be hard workers.

The Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 team is led by Kelvin Sinclair while the First Division team is led by former National Under-19 Captain Shawn Pereira with National Player Clinton Pestano as his deputy. The two teams would next week hand over a donation of anti-crime bumper stickers to the ‘B’ Division of the Guyana Police Force while they are also preparing to host the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Annual Children Mash Parade on Friday.

Khan is youngest No 1 ODI bowler

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– Kohli is highest ranked batsman

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sports

Rashid Khan is number one at age 19 years and 153 days

fghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan and India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah have jointly risen to the top spot in the ICC rankings for bowlers in ODIs. Rashid, aged 19 years 153 days, became the youngest ever No.1 in men’s rankings history. The pair displaced South Africa legspinner Imran Tahir, who slid to sixth spot after taking only one wicket in four ODIs at home against India.

Rashid took 16 wickets in five matches against Zimbabwe, at an outstanding average of 7.93.

He also scored 51 runs in two innings with the bat, including a match-winning 43 off 29 balls in the fifth ODI on Monday, to break into the top five among allrounders. Afghanistan overtook Zimbabwe as the tenth-ranked team following their 4-1 series win in Sharjah.

Among batsmen, India captain Virat Kohli, who became the first batsman to rack up 500 or more runs in a bilateral ODI series, breached the 900-point mark. As a result, he now holds a rare feat of crossing 900 points in both Tests and ODIs - one among five batsmen to have done so - and only the second batsman after AB de Villiers to do it simultaneously. Kohli had amassed 558 runs

in six innings, including three hundreds, to lead India to their first ODI series win in South Africa.

Kohli’s 909 points took him ahead of Brian Lara in the all-time list, led by Vivian Richards, who had aggregated 935 points. Kohli now occupies the seventh spot, and his aggregate is the highest since Brian Lara reached 911 points in March 1993. Shikhar Dhawan, who was the second-highest score behind Kohli in the ODIs in South Africa with 323 runs in six innings, jumped four spots to tenth.

Other big movers included the wristspinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal, who rose 21 places places to eighth, and Kuldeep Yadav, who climbed 47 places to 15th.

Marlon Samuels is the highest ranked West Indian batsman at number 53 while Sunil Narine is the Region’s best at number 12.

The top five batsmen are Kohli, South African AB deVilliers, David Warner of Australia, Pakistan’s Babar Azam and England captain Joe Root while trailing Khan and Bumrah are Trent Boult of New Zealand, Australia’s Josh Hazelwood and Hasan Ali of Pakistan round out the top five bowlers. (ESPN Cricinfo)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, February 22, 2018

DCB/U- 17 Inter-Association Tournament 2018

West Dem pip East Coast by 2 runs W

est Demerara recorded their first win of the Demerara Cricket Board’s (DCB) Inter-Association Under-17 tournament when they narrowly beat East Coast by two runs on Wednesday at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

West Demerara, who lost their opening match to Georgetown last Monday by 70 runs, won the toss and elected to bat first but were bowled out before the scheduled lunch interval for 110 in 41.2 pf their allotted 50 overs.

Andrew Seepersaud top scored with 29 while Nicholas Rajpat contributed 13 and Avinash Khamraj 10.

Andrew Samaroo (3-19) was the most successful bowler for East Coast who lost their opening match to East Bank on Monday but bounced

…Georgetown beat East Bank

Niron Bissu had a crucial 8-over spell for Georgetown against East Bank at Bourda

back to beat Georgetown on Tuesday.

He was supported by Travon Charles and Aaron

Beharry with two wickets a piece.

In reply East Coast were pegged back from the get go and at lunch were 12-3 from nine overs. When they were further reduced to 47 for 8, there must have been thoughts for an early day but Trevon Charles and Aaron Beharry had other plans.

The East Coast all-rounders frustrated the West Demerara counterparts for 59 runs that almost saw their team home. However, Charles had a rush of blood and was dismissed for 23 with just five runs needed for their second win of the round-robin competition.

When the last batsman, Keion McKenzie was adjudged LBW to Rajesh Budram at 108 after 43 overs, there were still lots of time in the game with sev-

Joshua Reddy was on target for West Demerara against East Coast at Everest

en overs still to go. Beharry was left stranded on 22 not out.

Joshua Reddy and

Usaardiva Balgobin were the best West Dem bowlers with 3 for 11 in 6 overs and 3 for 33 in 10 overs respectively while Captain Andre Seepersaud took 2 for 11 in 10 overs and Rajesh Budram and Dominic Hissain took one wicket a piece.

In the other third round match of the day over at the Georgetown cricket Club (GCC) ground (Bourda), Georgetown also got by just by a whisker in another low-scoring match beating East Bank by seven runs.

Hosts, Georgetown won the toss and decided to bat first and posted 105 from their 40 overs since the match was reduced due to rain.

Garrick Persaud top scored with 20, Wayne Bollers contributed 17 not out and Roynaldo Mohamed was not out on 12. Sourav

Singh and Zakary Jodah took 2 for 12 each, while Sachin Singh and Marlon Boek took one wicket a piece.

In reply East Bank were on course but were turned back tidy bowling from Niron Bissu and Wayne Bollers. Bissu grabbed 3 for 16 from eight overs as East Bank fell for 98 all out in 39 overs. Mavindra Dindyal top scored with 16 not out while national youth player Sachin Singh also scored 16.

Bollers grabbed the winning wicket to take Georgetown to their second win in the competition while East Bank, East Coast and West Dem all have one win.

The final match in the competition will be played today between East Bank and West Demerara at Bourda from 09:00h.

“Polished female Kohli closing in on Richards’ record boxers on the

horizon” – Ninvalle G

uyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle is of the view that female boxers are steadily improving to deal with the new demands of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, IOC had requested that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) increase the number of female divisions and decrease the male. Though the request was met with strong opposition on the basis of decreasing the male divisions, there is the inevitability an increased surplus in female boxers will be needed.

Also an AIBA Executive Member, Ninvalle was questioned on how can Guyana meet those demands in the not so distant future.

“AIBA has more or less amended its constitution for women to be included in the executive; it says we realize the importance of having women in all of our departments; in every confederation there must be at least one executive committee member who is female,” he explained.

But on the local scene he revealed Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton who has responsibility for sport has been leading the charge in the both the decentralisation and inclusion of females in the spot. “Minister Norton has been instrumental in the decentralising of boxing; he would have singlehandedly supported the creation of [Savannah Boxing] gym in Region Nine.”

That gym participated in the Pepsi Michael Parris Under-16 competition where Julicia Rodney won a gold medal. Rodney is also slated to fight at Saturday’s Patrick Ford Memorial Open being held at the National Gymnasium.

Norton sent coach Orland Rogers to Region Nine for a twoweek stint who has continued to extend his reach by developing a gym in Mabaruma (Region One) which according to Ninvalle has “at least eight females participating.”

“In another five months or so we will see a new crop of females, some are already there but we will see a crop of polished female boxers coming from region nine and from Mabaruma and they will not stop there since Rogers will continue going around the country,” the GBA head posited. Since the 2012 Summer Olympics, women’s boxing became part of its programme and it is understood Young Julicia Rodney is being toutedapart from wrestling boxing has the lowest female participating at the Games. as a future star for the sport

Sir Vivian Richards

P

rolific India batsman Virat Kohli is closing in on a record held

by Windies legend Sir Viv Richards as he continues to dominate the bowling during the ongoing tour of South Africa.

Kohli, who has hit a real purple patch of form, has scored 830 runs in South Africa so far and is just 175 runs shy of matching the record created by Richards, 42 years ago.

Richard set the mark during the West Indies tour of England in 1976, where he scored 1045 runs after amassing 829 runs in five Test matches and 216 runs in three ODIs. The batsman remains the only player to score over 1000 runs in a series.

Kohli scored 286 runs in the three-match Test series, and 558 runs in ODIs.

The 29-year old then scored 26 runs in the first T20I bringing his tally to 870 runs. With two T20s left and given Kohli's current form, the India skipper might well be the second batsman after Richards to break the 1000-run barrier in a single series but it won’t be easy.

With a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, India will look to seal the series at Centurion on February 21. The final T20I will be played at Cape Town on February 24. (Sportsmax)

Virat Kohli

thursDAY, February 22, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

23

Milo Schools Football 2018...

Business School book round-of-16 spot

– blackout cut short Chase-Annandale battle

Business School’s captain and goalscorer Jermaine Padmore

B

usiness School edged Charlestown Secondary 2-1 to book their round-of-sixteen spot in the sixth annual Milo Schools

Football Tournament which continued on Wednesday at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

National player Jermaine Padmore orchestrated The Business School’s second victory when he opened the scores in the 27th which was the only real excitement for the first half. Raymond Boddie brought it level via a curling chip from left side in the 64th.

With the result looking all certain for a share in points Padmore engineered a lapse in Charlestown's defence which led to an own goal in the 68th.

Meanwhile, what was poised to be scorching topof-the table clash between Chase Academic Foundation and Annandale Secondary

was cut short after the first half due to a power outage at the facility. However, the organisers confirmed that the match will be replayed at a later date.

The entertaining first half saw three goals, all by the three-time defending champions but not before they resisted some pressure from the East Coast Demerara unit.

Early into the proceedings, Annandale had a freekick just on the outskirts of the penalty area but lacked the finishing edge to grab the early lead.

Chase rebounded with captain Jeremy Garrett leading from the front with a sensational penalty kick in the seventh minute. From about 25 yards Garrett pulled one of the top draw, beating the

Captain Jeremy Garrett on the attack for Chase Academic Foundation against Annandale Secondary on Wednesday evening at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta (Akeem Greene photo)

wall and the diving custodian to the top right of the net.

Next was Stephon Reynonlds acrobatically guiding a lose-ball into the net in the 22nd minute followed by Nicholas McArthur scoring a penalty in the 33rd.

With the competition taking a break on Saturday due

to the Republic Anniversary celebrations, the lifeline battles will continue on Sunday with Friendship Secondary tackling Carmel Secondary from noon followed by South Ruimveldt Secondary and Buxton Youth Development from 13:30h.

The final two matches

pit Queen's College against Queenstown Secondary from 15:00h then a duel of Masters Academy and Lodge Secondary from 16:30h.

The under-18 tournament which is a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health is played under the theme “there is excuse for violence”.

CWI/Regional Super50 Cup 2018…

Jaguars hunting final date with Pride – Kent sent packing

B

arbados Pride have advanced to their third consecutive final of the Cricket West Indies Regional Super50 Cup after beating English county side Kent Spitfires in their rain affected semifinal on Wednesday at Coolidge in Antigua.

Defending champions, Pride won the toss and got a brilliant 105 from captain Kraigg Brathwaite who allowed the top order to bat around him to put 263 for 3 on the board.

In reply, Kent set a revised target of 230 from 43 over fell 13 runs short finishing on 216 for 8.

Pride will now await the winners of semifinal two which pits Guyana Jaguars and Windward Islands

Windward Islands Volcanoes will be no pushovers.

With six victories and 26 points the Jaguars have qualified for today’s meeting after topping Group B in Antigua while the Volcanoes managed 22 points from five wins which was one win more than Trinidad and Tobago Red Force who had the same amount of points.

Since walking back into the side as a replacement for Raymon Reifer, allrounder Christopher Barnwell has propelled the Jaguars to the position they are in with some useful performances in five games.

With 215 runs so far including 89 in a winning cause over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Barnwell will carry the Jaguars’ batting along with rookie opener, Chandrapaul Hemraj who is having a dream

start to his List A career. The left-handed batsman has so far notched up 223 runs and is the Jaguar’s second leading run scorer behind Shimron Hetmyer (284 runs) who, like Raymon Reifer, Devendra Bishoo and Keemo Paul has, left the squad for Windies international duties.

And while captain Leon Johnson has been exceptional with marshalling his pack, he has been too inconsistent with the bat and needs to stamp his authority at the crease despite tallying 189 runs so far including 99 against the Hurricanes.

With the enforced absence of Paul, Bishoo, Reifer and Keon Joseph the Jaguars have more than useful weaponry to get the job done in the likes of left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (11 wickets) and right-arm seaming all-rounders Romario Shepherd (10 wickets), Sherfane Rutherford and Barnwell with four wickets each. Additionally,

SCOREBOARD Barbados Captain Kraigg Brathwaite made a brilliant 105 not out in semifinal one on Wednesday

Volcanoes together.

Meanwhile, today’s second semifinal is expected to be another cracking affair when two of the pre-tournament’s dark horses clash at the Coolidge Cricket Ground with the coveted spot in the Christopher final on the line.

Barnwell could The Jaguars who are be the man to take the Jaguars the more experienced to their first final of the two will begin in three years as favourites but the

Barbados Pride Innings (50 Overs Maximum) K Brathwaite* not out 105 O Phillips lbw b Riley 62 J Carter c Dickson b Qayyum 4 R Chase c Quyyam b Stewart 81 S Springer not out 0 Extras (lb-2, w-8, nb-1) 11 Total (For 3 wickets; 50 Ove rs) 263 Did not bat K Williams, H Walsh Jr, D Drakes, C Holder, K Stoute, T Walcott FOW: 1-93 (Phillips, 21.3 ovs), 2-119 (Carter, 28.6 ovs), 3-263 (Chase, 49.5 ovs) Bowling Thomas 9-1-57-0, Stewart 10-0-53-1, Haggett 6-046-0, Riley 10-1-34-1, Gidman 5-0-31-0, Qayyum 10-0-40-1 Kent Spitfires Innings (Target 230 runs from 43 Overs) D Bell Drummond c Walcott b Dr akes 23

Z Crawley lbw b Drakes 5 S Dickson c&b Walsh Jr 51 A Blake b Brathwaite 6 A Rouse+ b Chase 45 W Gidman lbw b Walsh Jr 8 C Haggett c&b Springer 31 G Stewart not out 18 A Riley run out (Springer) 0 I Qayyum not out 1 Extras (b-5, lb-4-w-18, nb-1) 28 Total (For 8 wickets; 43 Overs) 216 Did not bat I Thomas FOW: 1-13 (Crawley, 2.5 ovs), 2-41 (Bell Drummond, 8.1 ovs), 3-62 (Blake, 13.5 ovs), 4-126 (Dickson, 28.1 ovs), 5-143 (Gidman, 32.2 ovs), 6-170 (Rouse, 37.4 ovs), 7-205 (Haggett, 41.6 ovs), 8-212 (Riley (42.2 ovs) Bowling Drakes 8-0-49-2, Holder 5-0-25-0, Brathwaite 10-0-371, Springer 7-0-25-1, Walsh Jr 8-1-45-2, Chase 5-0-26-1

Paul Wintz who is a replacement player and Clinton Pestano are seam options while off-spinner Ramaal Lewis and left-arm spinner Anthony Adams have proven to be tidy.

On the other hand, the Volcanoes’ leading bowler is experienced off-spinner Shane Shillingford with 21 scalps and with the pitch expecting to turn after being used since the start of the tournament, the Jaguars batsmen will have their work cut out. Additionally, left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge with 12 victims has been among the wickets and can play a big part as well.

In the batting department,

none other than the ever-green Devon Smith has once again proven to be the man to look out for. So far he has tabulated 263 runs but is second to Andre Fletcher with 283 runs including the Volcanoes’ lone century. Kirk Edwards (189), Johnson Charles (161) and Kyle Mayers (157) are the other batsmen with more than 150 runs that have been chipping in periodically.

The toss could be important with the team winning may want to chase and while the weather is expected to be fine again a full and exciting day/night game is on the horizon when the action begins at 14:00h.

FIFA’s Regional Director due for 4-day visit

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will host the recently appointed FIFA Regional Director, Marlon Glean, from February 23 to 26, 2018.

During his four-day visit to Guyana, Glean will meet with the President and Executive Committee, visit the GFF’s National Training Centre and participate in the youth development programmes – visit to two GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATCs) and one GFF-Pele Alumni Frank Watson U15 Intra Association Tournament.

He will also visit a GFF Elite League Match.

Among the highlights of the visit will be the launch of a partnership between the GFF and Guyana Beverages Inc., which will see bi-weekly “Kool Kidzs” grassroots

Marlon Glean is a Grenadian but is based in Barbados

programmes being held in vulnerable communities. This launch is set for Saturday February 24 at the GFF Secretariat at 11:00h.

Additionally, as part of their partnership with the GFF, Scotiabank will issue vouchers to selected footballers who have excelled academically and are part of the ATCs.

THURSDAY, february 22, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

DCB/U-17 Inter-Association Tournament 2018

West Dem pip East Coast by 2 runs Pg 22

…Georgetown beat East Bank The winning moment! East Coast Demerara player Keion McKenzie was adjudged LBW to Rajesh Budram to give West Demerara the win on Wednesday at Everest

Milo Schools Football 2018...

Business School book round-of-16 spot

Pg 23

– blackout cut short Chase- Annandale battle Business School (green bib) and Charlestown Secondary played an enthralling match on Wednesday afternoon at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue (Akeem Greene photo)

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