Guyanatime 28 december 2017

Overhauling of City P2 Constabulary coming in 2018

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

Issue No. 3434

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, December 28, 2017

PRICE

Deadly holidays

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

2 murdered; 4 dead in separate accidents Pages 7,10&16

Bandits P7 snatch $500,000 gold chain New morgue to cater for high murder rate in P17 Baramita

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

PSC stands with Guyana Govt …as time winds down on Good Offices process Page 9

Sugar workers to take to the streets in 2018

...vow to continue fight for severance pay

Page 14

New housing schemes slated for P5 2018

Corriverton NGO gets P17 $13M for after-school programme Page 3

...as GAWU distributes food hampers to dismissed workers

25 newborns recorded on Christmas Day

North West man charged for murdering P9 “Ninja”

2 jailed for robbing church members

P8

2 news Overhauling of City Constabulary in 2018 thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

…Superintendent Laurel Gittens to be new Deputy …as King receives bashing for non-payment of allowances

By Lakhram Bhagirat

T

he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is set to begin overhauling the City Constabulary following several concerns raised by the administration over the functioning of the city’s police

department.

At Wednesday’s statutory meeting, Mayor Patricia Chase Green told Councillors that the overhaul exercise would be discussed at length and commence at the next statutory meeting slated for January 8, 2018.

The issue of the re-

structuring of the City Constabulary arose when a report was tabled requesting monies to pay acting Chief Constable, Superintendent Laurel Gittens, her acting allowance. Gittens would have acted while substantive Chief Constable Andrew Foo was on annual vacation leave in

Mayor Patricia Chase Green

Town Clerk Royston King

Superintendent Laurel Gittens

2016 and 2017, but is yet to be paid her allowance for both instances. In trying to justify the non-payment of Gittens’ allowance, Assistant Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick said that the Council only accepted the report relating Gittens’ allowance in November 2017.

“The recommendation was forwarded to the Legal Affairs and Security Committee meeting of which it was accepted and, however, that report was deferred by Council and was only accepted at the first meeting of November,” Jerrick explained.

However, Mayor Chase Green was having none of the excuses and bashed Town Clerk Royston King for his inability to have the payments made since he was directly responsible for the administra-

tion of the city. Additionally, she then questioned the administration’s failure to fill the vacancy of Deputy Chief Constable since the former Deputy, Steven Bailey, resigned over two years ago.

“There is no Deputy Chief Constable for months and years now, so who carries out the responsibility of the Deputy Chief Constable?” the Mayor questioned. “I don’t expect this to last until the end of next year. The Deputy Chief Constable has resigned in excess of two years and while I know we have difficulties in the promotions of the City Constabulary, we will have a meeting to have to discuss that (Deputy Chief Constable) promotion alone,” she added.

Nevertheless, Town Clerk

King asked that the issue of the City Constabulary be discussed at a special forum since the body ought to be addressed holistically.

“I respectfully ask that this matter be dealt with at another forum. There are a number of implications to all that is going on in the Constabulary…we would also have to get the Legal Affairs and Security Committee involved,” he said. In relation to the payment of Gittens’ acting allowance, King told the Council that the monies were in the process of being paid to the officer and she was expected to receive it before the end of 2017. “I recall during the budget discussion, we did go into the question of the restructuring of the City Constabulary. turn to page 9

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thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Thursday, December 28 – 12:30h-14:00h and Friday, December 29 – a night retraction from 01:30h and a day retraction from 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, December 28 – 11:50h-13:20h and Friday, December 29 – 12:55h-14:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day and into the evening, with temperatures expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between East North Easterly and South South-easterly and from 0.89 metres to 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 12:22h reaching a maximum height of 2.42 metres.

Low Tide: 05:49h and 18:27h reaching minimum heights of 0.87 metre and 0.78 metre respectively.

SaturdaDAY, december 20, 2017

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Sugar workers to take to the streets in 2018 …vow to continue fight for severance pay

W

ith the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) having denied its efforts to have the local Court of Appeal “urgently” adjudicate its application to prevent the closure of the East Demerara and Rose Hall sugar estates, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) will be moving to the streets in the coming year to ensure that displaced workers are adequately compensated. This was revealed by President of GAWU Komal Chand who told Guyana Times on Wednesday that the Finance Minister should announce a substantial budgetary allocation to pay workers their severance. He pointed out that in the meantime, the displaced employees will turn out in large numbers to protest the non-payment of severance in early January.

“We have to ascertain for certain that there will be a budgetary commitment to pay the workers,” the longtime GAWU head stressed.

The two Unions – GAWU and NAACIE (National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees) had appealed Chief Justice (ag) Roxanne George’s November 10, 2017 denial of their application to quash the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and Cabinet’s decision to close the East Demerara and Rose Hall estates.

They contended that the closure decisions were improper and there were insufficient consultations among the Government and GuySuCo, and the GAWU and NAACIE. Now that the CCJ has denied the Union’s request to the matter to be called up before December 31, Chand revealed that GAWU will petition the local courts to ensure that workers receive adequate compensation for their loss of employment and lack of benefits.

“We were trying to speed them up and have a decision before the 31st but that unfortunately didn’t happen so we have to wait until the court hearing. The appeal is not only for them to hold hands on the closure but to compensate the workers... many of them will not be able to sustain a proper livelihood during the rest of their working life,” he observed.

Meanwhile, sugar workers formerly attached to the Wales Sugar Estate related also on Wednesday that they have had enough of waiting on the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to pay their severance.

They highlighted the many far-reaching challenges of not having consistent employment over the past 12 months.

Wales ended operations on December 31, 2016, and many workers since then

Many of these Wales workers were protesting since early February for their severance pay (Shemuel Fanfair file photo)

are still to be paid severance after refusing to take up employment at Uitvlugt Estate, some 22 miles from the West Bank Demerara estate. Those workers were affected and thousands more family members and the surrounding villages also faced the impact of the closure. Earlier this month, the retrenchment of nearly 4000 workers attached to Rose Hall, East Demerara and Skeldon Estates was revealed and those employees have expressed fear of facing a similar fate to their former colleagues at Wales who are still awaiting their outstanding packages.

Many civil society bodies and other interest groups have been urging the coalition Government to re-think the closure of estates and to implement plans that will tackle the welfare of workers. In its end of year statement, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) highlighted that come 2018, it will in fact be 5000 sugar workers who will be left unemployed if Wales is factored into the current numbers. The body is of the view that this action will have “serious repercussions” for the New Year.

“The Commission stands

by its proposal which was previously submitted asking that Government reverses these decisions and rethink a plausible solution that would alleviate the dire economic and social consequences of layoffs and hardships,” the PSC noted on Wednesday.

It was in August that the PSC had proposed for Government to enter into public-private partnerships

to invest in and manage selected estates.

However, in the coming days, estates at Rose Hall, and Enmore would cease operations, while Skeldon is slated to be privatised. Meanwhile, only three would be kept in operation – at Albion in East Berbice, Blairmont in West Berbice, and Uitvlugt on the West Coast of Demerara.

(Shemuel Fanfair)

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, december 28, 2017

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

What is for Guyana in the oil contract?

W

hen in mid-2016 Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman indicated he was going to “renegotiate” the oil contract signed in 1999 with ExxonMobil, as became necessary with the expiration of the latter, this newspaper expressed great scepticism about the ability of the Minister to competently undertake that mission. Subsequent events have, unfortunately, proven us correct in our assessment.

After the Government then remained mum on the details of the renegotiated contract, we asked in this space for specifics on behalf of the people of Guyana.

In the editorial “Oil Share” of 12-18-16 – more than one year ago – we wrote: “The GoG has advised the people of Guyana it is looking to the experience of Uganda, which has a head start on Guyana in having oil discovered offshore and working out the modalities for production. In terms of the fiscal regime, Uganda combines a royalty with a shareof-profits package. This serves to ensure Uganda obtains funding regardless of the profitability of the operations since royalties – ranging from 5-12.5% -- come off the gross. Guyana will not impose the payment of royalties on oil production.”

Six months later Trotman announced his renegotiation had actually resulted in royalties of two per cent to be paid on gross revenues/production – which he boasted “doubled” this revenue stream from the one per cent negotiated in 1999. This newspaper expressed great shock and disappointment that while a one per cent royalty in 1999 might have been reasonable because of the high risk involved with no inkling oil was actually present under the more than one mile of the Atlantic Ocean to be drilled, when Trotman was “renegotiating” in 2016, one field was already confirmed with over one billion barrels of petroleum.

We continued: “In skeletal form, the Guyana fiscal regime consists of a “Production Sharing Agreement” in which the [International Oil Company] IOC “shall be allowed to share the profit oil with Government so that Government shall have no less than 50 per cent on a “per field” basis. Being “ring fenced”, losses from one field cannot be transferred to other fields. But while this “50 per cent share” sounds generous, since the IOC “can enjoy a maximum or a ceiling of 75 per cent of recoverable costs per month”, Guyana will receive 50 per cent of very little after all those exploration and other costs are deducted – especially in a depressed oil market.

Finally, in a remarkably generous gesture, unlike the Tanzanian 30 per cent income tax on the IOC’s profits, in Guyana, “the tax obligations of the contractor under the Income Tax, Corporation Tax, and Property Tax shall be satisfied through the Government’s share of profit oil”. In effect, Guyana will pay the IOC’s income taxes.

On February 13, 2017, in our Editorial “Oil Fiscal Regime”, we noted: “We have not been told whether Additional Oil Entitlements (AOE) have been made part of the contract. This standard clause in the contracts of most oil-producing countries adds an element of progressivity to the fiscal regime in that the State collects additional revenues if the after-royalty, after-tax, inflation-adjusted Rate of Return (RoR) to the IOC’s exceed a stipulated level. The base ROI, for instance could be set at seven per cent, which is par for the industry, and would allow Guyana to share in windfall profits if the price of oil spikes for some reason.

Similarly, were interest expense capped? If not, this would encourage thin capitalisation so that the IOC, in effect would be siphoning away funds in the guise of interest payments and again reducing declared profits.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has since issued a Technical Assistance Report, “A Reform Agenda for Petroleum Taxation and Revenue Management”, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance, which evidently echoes most of our concerns expressed earlier.

The details of the contract were promised to be released by the end of this year. We hope that the IMF’s Report will also be released. It might be useful to know how valuable the horse that has bolted was.

An acrobat performs incredible jumps, flips and tricks on Main Street, Georgetown on Tuesday during the “Main Big Lime” (Carl Croker photo)

How many more burdens can our people bear?

Dear Editor, The fragility of the Government failed local government policy, is being embarrassingly exposed by the elements. Many parts of Georgetown, EcclesRamsburg and several Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC), are experiencing and have reported a significant accumulation of flood waters with the sprinkling rains. The reality is that the continued undemocratic parliamentary suppression and stifling of the elected councils in Local Government Areas (LGAs), will not camouflage the failures.

The Communities Minister is talking up in the media, about his 2018 Budget, which provides $110 million for the functioning of the Local Government Commission (LGC). This is indeed shameful as the elusive Commission is still to get its footing, in contemplation of taking off functionally. The recent budget debates woefully exposed the amounts appropriated may be insufficient to pay the Commissioners at the salaries published in the Gazette, and certainly deficient to fund full operations. At the same time, the Commission’s members have been holding meetings at Parliament Building.

It is of note that the new Property Value Assessments next year, is certainly a sneaky and clandestine operation of the Communities Minister. Minister Bulkan and the Finance Minister have spoken extensively regarding the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) interest in ensuring property value is current, to improve LGAs rates and taxes.

Concurrently, the former delays budgeted subventions for these areas; and without mentioning the impact these would have on Property Taxes payable to the Guyana Revenue Authority.

How much more burden can our people bear and why is it that these people feel they have a right to treat citizens as idiots?

It is very serious that the inability of the Commission to function properly will lead to more frustration and the numerous unsolved issues at the LGAs. Even before the approval of the LGC, several NDCs have complained bitterly about the role of some political stooges as administrative staff members to the councils that are being protected by the Minister for being disruptive.

Recently, the overseer at the Soesdyke NDC bun-

gled and one member of the Council was not invited to the annual election to elect the Chairman and Vice Chairman. As a result, there are serious problems and the elections held should be nullified. There are numerous issues to solve at the NDCs and the fact that the 2016 Local Government Elections was never completed is a matter of serious concern.

Relevant to the completion of any elections it the fact that nothing much has come from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) since President Granger imposition of his Government’s advisor as the new Chairman. Yet we have noticed that an APNU Commissioner of GECOM is now talking about a national integrated database.

Is Commissioner Vincent Alexander the new mouthpiece of the institution?

One may admit however, that every effort must be made to keep the list of registered voters current; and that integration with the Deaths and Births Division will be useful. It is however no panacea and his silence on the urgent need for a thorough house to house registration to produce an acceptable Register of Registrants could be construed with undercurrent

motives.

It is a fact that thousands of electors are not registered at the place where they are living as citizens continue to move housing wise and in search of jobs. As a result, the thousands of transfers that were never done must now be corrected with a genuine house to house registration to produce a proper voter list where these details can meaningfully represent the regional content.

Importantly also, for many persons who have died, their information is often never properly documented at hospitals or reported to the Deaths and Births Division. The house to house approach is definitely an approach of absolute validation.

In the context of databases, Commissioner Alexander must then tell this nation whether he is aware of, or why is it that the Information Technology Department at GECOM was not working since before the 2015 Regional and National Elections.

The fact of the matter is that Guyanese must not be subjected to, nor must our people accept any form of rigged elections.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

PPP needs Jagdeo to reform the Party Dear Editor, Sean Ori writes: "PPP should take back the party from Bharrat Jagdeo".

Jagdeo is the most liked person in the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)

base and remains the most popular leader in the country. His presence is necessary to reform the PPP to make it electable. And aside from Jagdeo, the Party has limited leadership options.

Only he has shown some understanding of the need for the Party to reform and to be all embracing (recruit credible outsiders), and it is hoped he will pursue this advice.

Guyana is desperately in need of enlightened leadership to address wide ranging socio-economic and political transformation and to attract cross racial support.

CONTINUED ON page 5

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guyanatimesgy.com

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News

New housing schemes slated for 2018

T

he Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) is working towards identifying areas for new Land Development Schemes for the year 2018.

This is according to Commissioner Trevor Benn, who last week said: “When people come to the office to apply for new land, we don’t have a plot number to say we have these available. So, we are looking at developing new areas like the Linden Highway so that people can

have access to lands.”

According to Benn, GL&SC has been challenged to open new areas for houselot distribution as a result of limited resources.

M e a n w h i l e , Commissioner Benn said the GL&SC has received many expressions of interest for lands in 2017 from citizens, here and abroad.

Benn said the Commission during 2017 worked on compiling plans for various areas for the benefit of all clients.

GL&SC Commissioner Trevor Benn

“Most of our plans are individual plans, relating to a specific plot of land across the country. This has not been very helpful to investors and the Government who want to engage in infrastructural work,” Benn is quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying.

Benn said work has already been done in the Houston, Great Diamond, Herstelling, Eccles to Peter’s Hall and Farm to Covent Garden areas. In 2018, the

Commission hopes to continue the exercise to ensure that all the areas in all the regions are completed, “so that customers can visit the office and acquire one plan”, Benn said.

In the long run, he explained, the Commission hopes to have a national plan showing in greater detail the information required.

According to Benn, the Commission has been able to provide new forms, which reflect applicants for commercial and individual purposes.

He also highlighted that “chief among the Commission’s challenges” was the issue of squatting.

“No matter what part of Guyana you go, people are squatting. Many times, they are encouraged by local authorities to squat on the embankment and reserves. We are trying to push back on that. In 2018, we will work a little harder to enforce that [squatting is illegal],” Benn warned.

PPP needs Jagdeo to reform... from page 4

A genuine transformational leader affiliated with the PPP will run away with the election.

A transformational leader or party is one who (which) helps to attract new or unaligned or cross ethnic voters and that (who) also motivate workers (from all sections of society) to help the party win an election.

He or it is a team builder and motivational to inspire people to join it or him. It (he) attracts vote mobilisers (canvassers or those who campaign for a party) to get voters to support the party towards victory. The transformational leader or party embraces all and considers the advice and opinion of all.

The transformational leader makes decisions by consensus and shares powers with others rather than govern in an authoritarian manner.

People have faith in him or it to bring about development. And he or it appoints people from all sections of the society to important positions and in the leadership. That has been missing in our society in both parties when they governed at different times.

The People’s National

Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have not given any signs that they will be transformational (as promised during the 2015 election campaign), and they are averse to advice to give the country good governance. David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo were sold and touted as transformational leaders.

The coming together of the two of them influenced the outcome of the elections of May 2015. But they have disappointed the nation.

They were leaders who were supposed to make Indians feel comfortable in joining the PNC. Instead, they have done the opposite – isolated and marginalized Indians making them most uncomfortable. Granger has addressed concerns and served the interests of his constituents while Nagamootoo has failed to do likewise for his constituents. The coalition Government has been a dismal failure, with no sign of improved rule in the horizon. Because people are giving up hope on APNU/AFC to be transformational as they promised, attention

is redirected on the PPP to make it a transformational entity that will address national concerns and bring about development which has eluded the country. But the currently constituted PPP lacks a transformational leader, and none is in the offing.

Jagdeo has the skills and capacity to make the PPP transformational, and he has been reaching out to others outside of the PPP. As I suggested, the PPP needs reform in order to attract credible individuals, who will help in the transformation process, making the party even more attractive to voters. There is no doubt in my mind, based on recent surveys I conducted, that a transformed (reformed) PPP will win a resounding victory in the next election.

In meetings in New York, Jagdeo hinted that he wants to make the PPP all inclusive (including former members and critics) but faces resistance from within. The PPP’s Central Committee

may feel confident it will win the next election (because of the countless blunders of the APNU/AFC coalition) and as such may not (want) need to embrace others. But in elections, a victory is not guaranteed even when analysts feel it is a foregone conclusion as we saw in the US presidential election in 2016 or Ramotar’s fate in 2011 and 2015. A coalition victory in 2020 must not be ruled

out because the PNC is known to have creative ways to win an election. Besides, it has the backing of the US which does not particularly care for a PPP return but will accept a Ramkarran or a Joe Singh.

So Jagdeo must find a way to reform the party and reach out to outsiders.

Jagdeo has shown the willingness to do so. The Central Committee members must

do the same by embracing those they attacked in the past. In politics, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests and the Party must be prepared to do what is necessary to enhance its electoral position.

PPP supporters will accept Jagdeo’s decisions of embrace outsiders.

Yours faithfully, Dr Vishnu Bisram

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thursDAY, december 28, 2017

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

BY JESSICA SPERA

Have a dance contest with candy prizing (we bet there’s some old Halloween candy in the back of the pantry cupboard) and then declare everyone a winner.

1. Toast to the new year with a tasty mocktail

Create a signature cocktail and mocktail for

8. Make resolutions

4. Make holiday crackers to celebrate

the kids. Give it a long and important sounding name and drink it in your fanciest glassware to toast the new year. Try out our yummy Sparkling ‘Champagne’ Mocktail.

2. Countdown

Trick your kid into thinking it’s midnight with Netflix’s NYE on-demand countdowns. Just search countdown on Netflix and characters from one of your kids’ favourite shows like Trollhunters, Beat Bugs, Word Party and more will help them ring in the New Year – at 20:00h.

3. Watch fireworks

Find out where they’re hosting your city’s

Add some sparkle to your dinner table and gather the kids for a craft corner. All you need are some toilet paper rolls, treats, wrapping paper and some other supplies that you can find around the house! It’ll give the kids something to do and you’ll have some fancy holiday crackers for the New Year!

5. Set up a photo booth

Hit your local art supply store and buy a roll of craft paper in crispy white or a great, bright colour. This will be the backdrop for your photo booth and you and/or your kids can paint on it, draw on it, write out your resolutions – really, the possibilities are endless! Raid your house for silly props or buy a pack of coffee stirs and cut out moustaches to glue or tape onto the stick – now you’ve got props! Download a photo booth app like Pocketbooth and just be silly with your family and friends!

6. Play dress-up

fireworks event, and ring in the New Year with a warm blanket, some sparklers for the kiddies and an awesome fireworks show. For Torontonians, they have a spectacular New Year’s Eve kick-off at Nathan Phillips Square each year that includes entertainment and skating.

Pull that vintage little black dress out from the back of your closet. Dust off your sharpest suit. Gussy up your kids. Your night will feel special and fun if you get dolled up for it – plus it will make for excellent pictures for that family photo album. Feel free to be over the top: White gloves, pearls, bow ties and tiaras are easily found at your local party store, in your kids’ dress-up trunk or, if you’re really lucky, in grandma’s closet. Paint everyone’s nails.

Wear hats. Break out the glitter and get fancy!

If you’re heading out to celebrate, let the kids dress themselves – it’ll be less fuss and it will get them excited for the big night.

7. Dance it out!

Make a playlist that includes favourite grown-up and kids’ tracks. Roll up the rug and dance with wild abandon. When you get tired, sit down and check out your kids’ moves.

Sit down and discuss what goals and resolutions you can make, individually and as a family, for the New Year. Once you’re finished, hang them up on the fridge so that you can keep motivated in the New Year. If it’s something specific, set a date to have it done by (this is a good way to get the kids on their best behaviour!) Need help to get things started?

9. Make a fort

Staying in this year? Your theme for this New Year’s Eve can be a pyjama party! If you think you’re too old to thoroughly enjoy building an elaborate blanket fort with your kids, we encourage you to try reawakening

your inner child and to commit to building a NYE fort. On top of the fun you’ll have making it together, the upside of a blanket fort is that once it’s built, you can sequester the kids in there until they pass out – win-win, right?

S

ince my last article focused on Christmas Traditions, I decided to use this one to speak about Boxing Day. For many of us, Boxing Day is the added bonus to Christmas, a day to recuperate from the stress of the holiday, to sleep in, or to make the terrible joke to our siblings that we will “box” them to celebrate the day. Ashley Anthony However, have you ever stopped to wonder from where the day originates? No one is incredibly sure, but there are a few prevailing theories. One is that in the Wealthy would often give servants a day off after Christmas, and the “box” in Boxing Day comes from a box each servant would be given that held food, a bonus and gifts. A similar theory claims the name comes from the fact that tradespeople would collect Christmas boxes of gifts or money on the first weekday after Christmas, to reward them for dedicated service. An outlying theory however says that the name comes from all the way in the Victorian Era, when churches displayed boxes for churchgoers to do-

10. Play games

If you’re indoors and need some entertaining ideas to occupy the family, try creating a New Year’s Eve word search for them to complete or play one of these 20 fun indoor games. You can always turn to good ol’ fashioned family games (like Candy Land and Monopoly) if you run out of ideas.

11. Party!

Pull out the traditional shakers (you can make your own), party hats, confetti – the works – and enjoy a happy new year! (Excerpt from todaysparent.com)

nate money.

Regardless of how it came about, Boxing Day has become nearly as certain as Christmas. It is recognised worldwide, and with that recognition comes many, many peculiar Boxing Day traditions. In Aberdeen, Scotland, there is a similar event called “Nippy Dipper” where people dress in elaborate costumes and jump into the waters of the North Sea. Popular costumes include Santa Claus, Superheroes, Elves, and even characters from popular TV shows and movies. Organised by the Aberdeen’s Lion’s Club, funds raised can go to a charity of the dipper’s choice, or towards Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust. Dips have raised up to £13,000 in one day. There are several such events around the country, including one organised by the Rotary Club of Redcar, in Teesside and another in Norfalk. Some say it is a cure for a hangover, whilst other swear it helps them burn off some Christmas fat. Either way, every Boxing Day, hundreds plunge into the cold waters.

Boxing Day is also said to be the feast day of Saint Stephen, who was stoned to death for believing in Jesus Christ. In Ireland, there was a tradition where ‘young men, known as ‘Wren Boys’, would go around the city stoning wrens as a reminder of what happened to St Stephen. Although these stonings no longer happen, young boys still dress up and parade through the streets, collecting money for charity. Saint Stephen is also known as the patron saint of horses, and consequently on Boxing Day, horse races are incredibly popular.

There are many other Boxing Day traditions, and a whole host of history surrounding their creations.

Nevertheless, the holiday brings some time for relaxation, which I think everyone is thankful for.

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thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Young biker dies in Mandela Avenue crash A

young biker lost his life tragically on Boxing Day at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.

Twentytwo-year-old Shaquille Browne met his demise on Tuesday after his motorcycle crashed into a car that was proceeding along the eastern carriageway in the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens.

The man’s father, Mr Browne, recalled that

fast rate, reportedly overtook a number of vehicles and ended up in the opposite lane before colliding with the front of motor car PTT 4575, after which he fell on to the road surface

The scene of the accident on Tuesday evening

Dead: Shaquille Browne

his son left his residence around 20:00h to purchase a prepaid electricity card and minutes later, he received a call that he was involved in an accident.

According to the man, after he received the news, he rushed to the scene and found his son lying on the road with multiple injuries to his body.

“He had injuries to his head, shoulders, feet, face and all over his body. His

body was lifeless when I reach the area. He was already dead,” the father told Guyana Times.

The former Central High School student was a construction worker, who assisted his father. The man described his son as a kind, loving and generous individual, both to family and friends.

Asked how his son’s death has affected the family circle, the father had this to say, “It isn’t easy for us. He was a good person and we didn’t expect things to happen that way. He is the eldest of my children and all of his family is here and it is so fresh and so

sudden…He was my backbone.”

This newspaper understands that Browne had been a biker for many years and first learnt to ride a motorcycle at the age of 13. He was previously involved in a fatal accident, on December 24, 2015.

The Police Public Relations Office said in a statement issued to the media that Browne was riding an unregistered motorcycle at the time of the accident and was not wearing a safety helmet.

Browne, who was reportedly proceeding north along the western carriageway allegedly at a

Bandits snatch $500,000 gold chain

A

n Independence Boulevard, La Penitence, Georgetown resident was in the wee hours of Wednesday pounced upon by armed bandits and robbed of his gold chain valued at half a million dollars.

Reports are Dandkumar Jeeboo, 34, of Lot 100 Independence Boulevard, was

attacked around 01:00h by two armed men.

According to reports, Jeeboo was at a family member’s house celebrating a wedding when he was approached by the two men.

One of the men pointed a handgun at him and relieved him of the gold chain he was wearing.

The bandits then attempted to remove his gold band, but were unsuccessful as Jeeboo put up a fight.

After their failed attempt, the men made good their escape north on Independence Boulevard.

The matter was reported.

Police are presently investigating.

and sustained injuries. He died on the spot.

The body is at Sandy's Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The driver of the vehi-

cle, who sustained minor injuries, received medical attention. He was given a breathalyser test, which he passed. He is now assisting the Police with the investigations.

8 NEWS

thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

2 jailed for robbing church members

Jailed: Negus Lamaizon

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ormer murder suspect in the Laing Avenue shooting, Negus Lamaizon and his alleged accomplice, Corinth Taylor, made their final court appearance on Wednesday before Magistrate Dylan Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts as their robbery trial

closed with a guilty verdict.

In April last, the two were arraigned before the court and remanded to prison for robbing four church members at gunpoint when they crashed a farewell party on Regent Road in Georgetown.

They had denied the allegation and were remanded to prison.

On Wednesday, the Magistrate declared that the prosecution had successfully proven its case against the two beyond reasonable doubt.

After taking into consideration, several mitigating factors in the circumstances, Magistrate Bess was inclined to deduce some time from the sentence he otherwise would have handed down, considering the length of time spent on remand.

Lamaizon was sentenced to four years and two months

Jailed: Corinth Taylor

in jail, while Taylor would serve four years and six months in total.

The men were found guilty of robbing Adidre Liverpool, Robin Tibruce, Lester Andrews and Quacy Waldron, of a quantity of jewellery, smartphones and other valuables totalling over $500,000.

In a separate incident brought earlier this year, Lamaizon was hauled before the courts after he was implicated in the murder of Orin Malik David, but was freed

by Magistrate Bess after the prosecution’s evidence was ruled to be largely insufficient to commit him to stand trial in the High Court. He was slapped with the robbery charge two weeks after the murder charge was dismissed.

The second suspect, Samuel McIntyre also walked away a free man while their alleged accomplices, Jermaine “Smokey” Jeffers and Howard “Spleen” Rambarose were committed by Magistrate Judy Latchman in a separate Preliminary Inquiry (PI) as the prosecution managed to make a prima facie case against them.

La Grange man ordered to stay away from neighbour’s farm

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abindra Singh, who was accused of invading his neighbour’s farm at Lot 13 Independence Street, La Grange, West

Bank Demerara, was ordered by the court to stay away.

Singh, who claimed that he could not have afforded the $7000 bail on which he was

released, was granted selfbail by Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool late last week.

The Magistrate ordered that Singh must stay

50 feet away from Isaac Bhagwandin’s farm or his bail would be revoked. The case will continue on March 25, 2018.

The day after Christmas…

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…we boxed? uesday was “Boxing Day” and it was a public holiday here and in most of the rest of the old British empire. When he was still in short pants, your naïve Eyewitness was convinced by his older brother that he (the cad of a brother) could “box” him (your wet-behind-theears Eyewitness) on his head!! Discovering fact-checking, your Eyewitness soon unearthed the real roots of this holiday following Christmas – and that didn’t help matters much.

Back in the day, it would’ve been infra dig for the British posh classes to (God forbid!!) do any work like, say, making up their beds. So, servants and tradespeople provided those services day in, day out – and actually lived with their employers. Perhaps, dear reader, you’ve seen the “Downtown Abbey” or “Upstairs, Downstairs” series? The servants, of course, were “Downstairs”!!

Christmas was the big dig of the year for the hoity-toity crowd and this needed all the help to man (and woman) their stations so that (God forbid) there wasn’t a servant nearby to sop up that drop of tea that might slip between the cup and the lip!! Now these servants would’ve been recruited from villages in the vicinity – or even further afield – and wouldn’t have seen their families all year long.

So in a burst of generosity and noblesse oblige, the masters allowed their servants to collect all the Christmas leftovers in BOXES and return to their villages to share their good fortunes with their bucolic relatives! And this was the origin of “Boxing Day” – as a holiday! A tear comes to your Eyewitness’ eyes when he thinks of the big-hearted British upper classes!

The economic nouveau riche that developed with the colonial empire that begat the Industrial Revolution, pathetically tried to ape the ways of the nobility and therefore introduced both the superciliousness of the latter to servants and the corollary that the said servants should be grateful for their Christmas leftovers!! In Guyana and the sugar colonies, the riff raff that constituted the civil servants, managers and overseers of sugar estates kept up Boxing Day for their servants and boxes were duly taken to their homes in the villages.

For most of the female servants, they would have already taken home other presents in the form of “mixed” babies, courtesy of the masters! But soon the babies stopped coming – along with the boxes – yet the holiday remains. Now your Eyewitness doesn’t mind the extra day off…but with his eyes now opened, he’s bothered by the reminder of old humiliations.

With our own spirituous Christmas traditions developed since Independence, shouldn’t we rename the holiday, “Recovery Day”? …and walkabouts The President and his Prime Minister – each surrounded by a battery of Ministers – descended from their specially equipped SUV’s and Mercedes and mingled with the masses on the day before Christmas. Well, they mingled with the masses at Stabroek Market and Bourda Market.

You’d think with all the licks they inflicted over the last year, they’d have walked with a gift or two to hand out to salve the open wounds.

But it looks like they figured the grace bestowed by their august presence was enough to earn them the requisite brownie points to take them into 2020!! Now you’d also think, with the greatest damage done to Nagamootoo’s Berbice base after the closure of Rose Hall and Skeldon, the Prime Minister might’ve parted the Berbice River and pressed some flesh there, rather than in “GT”.

After all, he justified the purchase of his special $100 million SUV back in 2015 because of his pressing need to visit his “constituents” back in the Ancient County!!

Or was discretion the better part of valour?!! …and oil contract details Even though Christmas is over and the Black cake has been consumed, the excitement isn’t over. We have the details of the Exxon oil contract, Trotman RENEGOTIATED, to look forward to!!

The heart palpitates in anticipation!!

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

News

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thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

PSC stands with Guyana Govt …as time winds down on Good Offices process

G

uyana’s main Private Sector umbrella representative organisation, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), has reiterated its support for Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, and in particular the Guyana Government, in ensuring that claims to local lands be refuted.

The PSC commitment comes in light of the recent border controversy that was sparked between Guyana and Venezuela. The decades-old controversy was brought back into the spotlight following the discovery of oil in Guyana which led to Venezuela reiterating its land claims.

Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have worsened ever since United States oil giant ExxonMobil announced in 2015 that it had found oil in Guyana.

Venezuela has staunchly been against oil exploration in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, where multiple oil deposits were found by ExxonMobil.

Venezuela has long claimed a huge tract of land in Essequibo, which comprises nearly 40 per cent of Guyana’s current territory.

But Guyana has maintained that Venezuela’s claim on the nullity of an award is a legal matter that must be resolved at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Minister Greenidge said

the country is awaiting the final decision from the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, now that another year of the Good Offices Process is almost done.

The Secretary General’s Personal Representative, Norwegian Diplomat, Dag Nylander, had to submit his report on the meetings he facilitated between the two countries to Guterres.

The engagements between the UN representative and the two countries were concluded in November and according to Greenidge, there have only been three meetings between the two countries since.

Greenidge said Guyana has intensified its bilateral activism with other countries to ensure the Secretary General honours his obligations which is to refer the matter to the Court (International Court of Justice) at the end of 2017 unless there is significant progress in resolving the matter.

The 1966 Geneva Agreement identified the UN Secretary General to resolve the matter using a menu of measures under Article 33 of the UN agreement. Minister Greenidge said, “We call on the Secretary General to look at his mandate and to refer the matter to the highest court in the world, the ICJ.”

At the recently concluded MERCOSUR Summit held in Brazil, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said Guyana’s South American neighbour has been updated on Venezuela’s contention that the 1899 Award is null and void, and remains resolute to its original position.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the border controversy issue was recently raised with Brazil and that country has maintained its support for Guyana, noting that the boundaries of the sub-continent should remain where they are and have existed for decades.

“The matter was raised with Brazil as per normal.

As neighbours, we always have exchanges on this. The President gave them an update as to where we are, and Brazil has not indicated any movement from its traditional position, which is that the boundaries of the sub-continent should remain where they are,” Minister Greenidge explained.

In addition, Minister Greenidge said Guyana is awaiting the final decision of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, who undertook to have the matter sent to the World Court, should there be a failure to have an amicable settlement between Guyana and Venezuela.

Venezuela, with almost

North West man charged for murdering “Ninja”

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hat was supposed to be a festive holiday drink turned tragic when a 33-yearold gold miner allegedly stabbed his friend to death during a row over alcohol at Waramuri Mission in Region One (Barima-Waini).

Exactly one week following the incident, the miner was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate, Ann

McLennan on Wednesday when he was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

According to the prosecution’s case, Navin Harris murdered Rondea Peters, called “Ninja”, on December 20, 2017 at Waramuri Mission, Moruca in the North West District.

Reports indicate that the two men were imbibing

when the now deceased man accused Harris of stealing his liquor. An argument ensued and quickly escalated to a physical scuffle during which Peters was reportedly stabbed to death with a knife.

The case was transferred to be heard at the Aquaro Magistrate’s Court in Region-One.

40 times the population of Guyana and a territory that is several times bigger, claimed, in 1968, the entire territorial sea of Guyana by means of the Leoni Decree, which has never been withdrawn. For decades now, Venezuela has occupied the Guyana side of Ankoko Island, objected to the development of hydro power

stations in Essequibo, and has been staunchly opposed to Guyana exploring for oil offshore and onshore its Essequibo territory.

The Venezuelan Navy had, in 2013, intercepted and detained a Malaysian seismic vessel that had been conducting surveys in an offshore concession granted by Guyana to the United

States-based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, causing that company to leave and never return.

There have also been incidents inland Guyana, with Venezuelan aircraft attacking vessels operating on the portion of the Cuyuní River that the arbitration court has awarded Guyana.

Overhauling of City Constabulary...

from page 2

I know that it will take some time to have this done…I hope that we move to ensure the restructuring of the Constabulary to ensure that we get the best possible performance from the present members of that constabulary,” Councillor Oscar Clarke noted.

Meanwhile, Councillor Sherod Duncan posited that it was gender discrimination, noting that had it been a man then the administration would not have had him waiting for over one year to receive his money. But this was quickly shot down by both the Mayor and King, who noted that the city owed several men large sums of monies for a number of years.

Additionally, there was a call by most of the Councillors to dissolve the statutory meeting into a committee meeting to have Gittens appointed as the Deputy Chief Constable since she executes the duties of that office exceptionally.

However, the Mayor informed that the appointment would be made at the next statutory meeting when the overhauling of the City Constabulary begins.

For a number of years, the City Constabulary has been in the spotlight with several instances of Constables assaulting members of the public or executing their duties unprofessionally.

One of the biggest scandals to hit the Constabulary was the sexual assault of a minor in August 2017. The incident allegedly occurred when a 15-year-old boy was taken into custody on August 17 and placed before the court on a charge of wandering. At some point during his detention, for reasons unknown, the minor was transferred to the Regent Street outpost where the alleged incident occurred between August 22 and 23.

Corporal Quacy Baveghems claimed that he

witnessed Lance Corporal Clifton Pellew, of the City Constabulary, engaged in a sexual act with a minor, and the matter has been referred to the Police, but charges are yet to be laid.

A report of the city’s Legal Affairs and Security Committee recommended that Chief Constable, Andrew Foo, and ASP Virjanand Gafur – a supervisor of investigations – be sent on 14 days’ leave for serious neglect of duty as it related to their roles in investigating the sexual assault. As it relates to Corporal Baveghems, the Committee found that he failed to record the alleged incident as well as his departure time in the station diary and failed to inform the duty officer of the incident. As a result, the Committee recommended that he be strongly reprimanded while Pellew’s disciplinary actions would depend on the outcome of the Guyana Police Force’s investigations.

10 news

thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Suspect confesses to killing Corentyne labourer

Dead: Anand Sookram

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ollowing the gruesome murder of a Corentyne labourer late Saturday night, Police have arrested one of the suspects who has since confessed to the crime. They are currently seeking his brother, who is believed to have fled the country.

The suspect goes by the nickname “Saltfish”.

Reports are the duo killed Anand Sookram, also called “Radesh” and “Halfway” at his Lot 50 Friendship, Corentyne, Berbice home on Saturday evening. The 42-year-old labourer’s body was discovered in a pool of blood on his bed about 07:30h on Sunday morning

with his throat slit.

Guyana Times was told that the deceased man’s 17-year-old son made the gruesome discovery after he went to check on his father.

According to the teenager, when he arrived at his father’s house, the door was open and after calling and receiving no answer, he ventured inside, only to see blood on the floor. The teen said he realised something was amiss and ventured to his father’s bed where he saw his motionless body lying in a pool of blood. The 17-year-old related that he then raised an alarm and neighbours and other relatives gathered. The Police were subsequently summoned.

This newspaper was told by a neighbour that screams were heard coming from Sookram’s house.

According to a neighbour, the man was shouting a particular name, which has since been related to the Police. However, despite his screams, no one went to his assistance.

The dead man’s brother Alan (only name given) told this publication that on

Let them eat cake

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The house in which Sookram was killed

Saturday night he saw the two suspects on the road, adding that they had previously threatened to kill his brother over an old grievance.

According to Allan, on he was also threatened by the brothers previously. ‘“All you nah get long moh to drop; one all you got to dead before this year out,’” he related was the threat to him.

Sookram had moved from the house after the brothers threatened the family, but returned on Friday.

Police were able to arrest the prime suspect, who

has since admitted to committing the crime. However, even as the other suspect remains on the run, another son of the dead man, a 14-year-old, said he had a frightening encounter with the “Raju” since the incident.

He said he and some of his siblings and friends were on the road when the wanted suspect was passing by and he called out to him saying he was going to kill him.

The 14-year-old said he ran away. The incident has since been reported to the Police.

Meanwhile, another son of the now dead man had one of his ears severed two years ago by the suspect who is in custody.

Sookram leaves to mourn seven children, a wife, his mother and several siblings.

atiricus was all confused. He and the fellas had visited some friends on Boxing Day at the sugar estate where Bungi and Cappo had worked before it was shut down.

Even though Satiricus had read about what was going on with fired sugar workers, he wasn’t prepared for what he actually saw. They were conducting their post-mortem – and postmortem IT WAS, concluded Satiricus – at the Back Street Bar. “I thought now your friends didn’t have to work, they’d be enjoying themselves for the holidays,” said Satiricus in a puzzled tone.

“Which worl’ yuh live in Sato?” asked Cappo. “Wha’ dem guh enjai demself wid?”

“Well, they did get their severance, didn’t they?” said Satiricus.

“No, they didn’t get their severance, Sato,” said Hari. “And even if they did, you think they’ll ‘sport” it out?”

“Ah da how yuh t’ink about abee cane-cuttah people?” enquired Bungi sourly.

“Even if they didn’t get their severance,” replied Satiricus.

“At least they could’ve killed a duck and bunjal it for us – like they did last year!”

“Dis year na las’ year, Sato,” said Cappo patiently. “W’en wan man na know whe’ de next payday a come, a hard guava season, Budday!”

“But the Government just trained some of them to find new jobs,” protested Satiricus. “Surely that would give them hope!”

Bungi looked at Satiricus and shook his head, “5000 people get fyaah and dem train 30 people fuh bake cake,” he said sadly. “An’ dem cane-cuttah mus’ feel good?”

“It’s a start, you know,” said Satiricus. “Maybe the fired cane-cutter families could eat the cake.”

“Suh how come Nagga Man an’ Rum Jhaat na guh an’ tell dem cane-cutta who get fyaah, fuh guh bake cake?” asked Cappo.

“He woulda get a good cut-rass!” chuckled Hari. “Where would the 5000 cane cutters get the materials to bake cake!?”

“Da wha’ mek ‘e guh walk about a Bourda Market in tung,” said Bungi. “Lucky nobady na pelt wan baigan pan am!”

Sophia man stabbed to death

A

34-year-old father of one is now dead after he was repeatedly stabbed on Christmas Day after ‘hailing up’ residents of C Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Celwyn Alleyne, also called “Marcus”, formerly of Lot 936 C Field Sophia and of 1342 Cummings Park, E Field, Sophia, was stabbed several times by the suspect, “Spoonhead”, a known character in the community.

The dead man’s girlfriend, Dead: Celwyn “Marcus” Alleyne

Nalydiah Henry was also stabbed a few times – once to her neck, head, right shoulder and back.

According to the Police, the incident occurred about 19:30h. Initial investigations so far revealed that the now dead man interfered with a friend of the suspect and although he was warned not to do so, he continued.

The suspect, who also goes by the name Kevin, retaliated by whipping out a knife and attacked Alleyne and his girlfriend.

After committing the act, the suspect fled the scene and the injured couple were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where Alleyne was pronounced dead on arrival. Henry was treated and sent away.

The suspect was later arrested and has reportedly confessed to the crime.

However, at the house of the now dead man’s mother, the injured Henry relat-

ed a different story. She told Guyana Times that they were walking up the street when Alleyne greeted a few persons, but was told by a ‘tall boy’ to desist from doing so.

“The boy come up and start chasing Marcus and when we walk up the road and pass the street, a boy name Kevin come up to he (Alleyne) and pull he by he clothes and drag he back to Fine Man shop and the ‘tall boy’ hold he and the other boy (Kevin) jook he up,” she said.

“When I hold on pon the boy that jook up Marcus, the boy turn around and start jooking me up and then he pick up a 2x4 and lash Marcus in he head and then throw he in the trench and then lash me in the head,” Henry added.

Meanwhile, the dead man’s mother, Judy Alleyne, related that her son and his fiancée were returning from her home when the incident occurred. The grieving woman told this publication that her son was mistaken for someone else; hence, the reason he was attacked.

“By the time I could have run out there, the Police was going with him and they said I have to go to the hospital, but everybody on the corner saw my son and his fiancée going home quietly and didn’t trouble anybody, but this man just run and stab him up … when I go to the hospital I see my son lying down and his eyes open, I rock him, rock him; no response but I close his eyes,” she related.

The suspect will be arraigned shortly.

guyanatimesgy.com

11

THURSday, DECEMber 28, 2017

I

New Year’s Resolutions #2018!

t’s the last few days of 2017! Time flies no doubt, so if you are wondering where to go and break the New Year, the place to be is The Blue Martini! They have popular DJs to entertain you, an Indian chef to entice your taste buds with delicious cutters and, of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without their signature cocktails.

They have entertainment for you all week long.

Don’t miss out on a great night just because you can’t find a great place. Don’t just put it on your list of things; make it happen!

When you have partied and have had a feast, you may want to take a look at some of the following New Year’s resolutions! Don’t make another year past.

Let 2018 be the year of changes!

New Year’s Resolutions #2018!

1. Get in shape: Losing weight is the top resolution for most, and combined with “exercise more” and “stay fit and healthy”, it is something that over a third of the population wishes to achieve. It’s easy enough to start an exercise and diet programme, but the trick is to find a decent one that will give you steady results and will be easy to stick to in the long run.

2. Start eating healthier food, and less food overall: This is usually an extension of the previous resolution. Switching to a healthier diet can be incredibly tricky when we are surrounded by cheap junk food. However, with a good amount of determination and some basic tips, you can slowly develop healthier eating habits. Learn to control emotional eating, be aware of reasons for diets to fail, and research awesome and healthy recipes.

3. Stop procrastinating: The biggest barrier that keeps most people from reaching their goals is the desire to relax and do something fun instead of working hard. Once you get used to procrastinating it’s difficult to snap yourself out of it, so you’ll need to put in a lot of work to change this bad habit. There are many useful tips out there to find your way to stop procrastinating. There are also tools

which can help you achieve this task.

4. Improve your concentration and mental skills: People have been trying to find ways to improve their focus and cognitive capacities for thousands of years, and most ancient civilisations had some combination of mental exercise and herbal medicine to help them reach this goal. Today, we can use anything from apps to ancient meditation techniques to boost concentration and hone our mental skills. If you go through with this, you will be able to control your mood, learn faster and have an easier time solving problems.

5. Meet new people: When we get stuck in a rut, we usually end up staying at home most of the time, missing out on a lot of interesting opportunities for networking and having fun.

Meeting new people can be beneficial to your mental well-being and help your career, so don’t be afraid to get out there and make some friends. Overcome your shyness, get some knowledge and go and get to know new and interesting people.

6. Become more active: Some people don’t really have a big weight problem, and they even get some exercise a few times a week, but they just sit around the most of the time at home and at work, which can have a negative effect on their posture and health. In that case, all you need is to find ways of moving around more throughout the day instead of staying hunched over the computer. It’s even more fun if you share your activity with friends and family.

7. Become more confident and take some chances: If you are confident other people notice it, and it is much easier to have your opinions heard, ask people out on dates and get ahead at work. A good dose of self-confidence will help you lead a much happier life overall. Don’t hesitate to get some input on ways to boost your confidence.

8. Earn more money: Even billionaires are always looking for ways to earn more money, and we common folk can definitely use an additional source of income to make

life a bit more comfortable.

Fortunately, there are plenty of options available, like having side jobs, working as a freelancer or using the Internet to your advantage.

9. Become more polite: Good manners have always been an important part of a civilised society.

They make it easier to connect with others, avoid offending people and will ensure that others perceive you as a good and trustworthy person. So know the etiquette, be prepared for other manners in other countries, deal with rude people in the right way and learn how to say no.

10. Reduce stress: They say that stress is one of the biggest killers out there, and it can have a very destructive effect on your relationships as well as your health. It may be an unavoidable side effect of our hectic modern lifestyles, but it can be effectively managed with the help of useful, unconventional and easy to practice tricks for stress management.

11. Learn to be happier with your life: Even those that are in decent shape, make a good living

and have stress under control can still be unhappy. It takes time and patience to learn how to find joy in the little things and not to let problems bring you down.

12. Get more quality

sleep: With big TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets and all sorts of gadgets with glowing lights and beeping alerts, it can be hard to get enough sleep at night. You should be

gunning for at least eight hours of sleep a night, and there are fairly simple ways to achieve this number if you make use of science and everyday hacks. (lifehacks.org)

12

thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

New Year's Eve is definitely the biggest party of the year. While it is great to pop the cork on a bottle of Champagne as the ball drops, there's plenty of time before that to enjoy an exquisite cocktail or two.

To help you find the right drinks to ring in the new year, we've collected recipes that are filled high-class style. You will find Champagne, of course, though there are also a few fancy drinks that lack the bubbles, but not the sparkle.

HAPPY NEW YEAR New Year's Eve is definitely the biggest party of the year. While it is great to pop the cork on a bottle of Champagne as the ball drops, there's plenty of time before that to enjoy an exquisite cocktail or two.

To help you find the right drinks to ring in the new year, we've collected recipes that are filled high-class style. You will find Champagne, of course, though there are also a few fancy drinks that lack the bubbles, but not the sparkle.

A perfectly simple cocktail recipe, few drinks are as perfect for your New Year’s Eve party as the “Happy New Year.” It really is the name of this cocktail and it’s a fabulous way to dress up your favourite Champagne.

The drink has layers of flavour but it’s very easy to make. The sparkling mix begins with brandy, ruby port, and orange juice, which are shaken and strained into a flute before they’re topped with the bubbly. It’s a vibrant drink with great appeal.

What you'll need

• 1 1/2 ounces brandy • 3/4 ounce ruby port • 3/4 ounce orange juice • 4 ounces Champagne

•

• • •

How to make it

Pour the brandy, port, and orange juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

Shake well.

Strain into a Champagne flute.

Top with Champagne.

BLACK VELVET This stunning cocktail is another favourite and one that's been around for well over a century. If you don't want to choose between Champagne and beer on New Year's Eve, the black velvet is the fix you need.

Beyond simple, this cocktail is nothing more than equal pours of Champagne and stout. The dark, heavy beer works perfectly against the light, effervescent wine, creating a perfect balance and the best of both worlds.

What you'll need • 4 ounces Champagne • 4 ounces chilled stout

How to make it

• Pour the Champagne into a beer mug, pint glass or Champagne flute.

• Slowly pour the stout on top.

Midnight martini The midnight martini is a perfect fit for New Year's Eve. It not only gives you a nice cocktail to sip, it will also help you stay awake until midnight.

This is a very simple recipe that can include either two or three ingredients. While you could use any ordinary vodka, we prefer a coffee infusion like Van Gogh's Espresso. Mix that with your favourite coffee liqueur and a little cinnamon syrup, if you like, and there's no way you'll crash during the party.

What you'll need • 1 1/2 ounces vodka or coffee vodka • 1/2 ounce • coffee liqueur • Optional: 1/4 ounce cinnamon syrup • Garnish: lemon twist How to make it • Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

• Stir with a bar spoon.

• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

• Garnish with a lemon twist.

Ways to Straighten Up After a Party

Water rings Try rubbing a bit of nongel toothpaste onto a water ring, then buff with a clean cloth. Or substitute full-fat mayonnaise for the toothpaste; leave it on for at least an hour before wiping clean and buffing.

Tissue paper and ribbon Separate layers of clothing in a suitcase with gift-bag tissue to prevent wrinkles; crumple it into little balls to

prettily cushion homemade treats in a gift tin; or wrap it around votive candle holders for instant mood lighting.

Use leftover ribbon to tie up clusters of silver-ware at the table or to hang ornaments from the tree.

Sore feet Try a rejuvenating ginger foot bath. Simmer 1 tablespoon of dried ginger in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes.

Cool, then soak feet in it for 10 to 15 minutes.

13

thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

I

t’s the biggest party around town, and this time around, it’s Aidonia who will be in the house. 704 Sports Bar, Club and Sky Lounge proudly presents its Old Year’s Night bash.

Guests entering between 11:00pm and 12:00am on Old Year’s Night will each receive two numbers for the drawing (two chances to win), and guests entering between 12:01am and 1:00am will be entitled to one number for the drawing ( one chance to win).

Prizes for the shows are as follows (all prizes will be drawn on the same night and winners must be present when their numbers are called to claim their prize).

More surprises In addition to the above, there will be more surprises and giveaways for persons entering the Club before 11 (and 1 am on New Year’s). Santa will also be in the house with a bag of goodies and hanging out with the party people.

There will be drink specials and specials on cutters at every event. Stage-front tickets cost $15,000 (delicious complimentary cutters available all night and cocktail bar) and the Club Experience - $5000.

Ticket locations: - Colours Boutique – Robb St - Guinness Bar – Durban St - S&S Supermarket – Lusignan - Survival Supermarkets – Sheriff St and Vlissengen Rd - Pieces and Things – North Road - New GMC – Robb St

14 news

thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

25 newborns recorded on Christmas Day T

he joy of December 25 was celebrated by 25 new mothers across the country as they gave birth to their Christmas babies.

The New Amsterdam Public Hospital had its first delivery, a boy, weighing two kilograms (kg), from Tricia Hazel, 23, of Number 75 Village, Corentyne at 03:43h on December 25.

The young mother disclosed that she never expected to have a Christmas baby and all she wanted was to have a safe delivery. Hazel said she was excited that her baby has arrived safe and healthy.

Just over an hour later at 05:04h, Drupattie Looknauth, 36, of Bush Lot Village, Corentyne, delivered her ninth child, another boy weighing 3kg.

Within an hour of Drupattie’s delivery, Hemwattie Samaroo deliv-

President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger share a light moment with Malinie Rose, mother of the first 2017 Christmas baby. Also in photo are Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence and another official

ered a beautiful baby girl weighing 2kg.

At 11:25h, Nandy Nanlall, of West Canje, delivered her first child, a boy weighing 3.1kg. The youngest Christmas Day mother was Akash Lockhan, 20, of Belvedere, Corentyne, who delivered her second child –

was delivered to Jasmatie Lonston of Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice, joining two siblings.

At the Linden Hospital Complex, seven healthy babies were born, while at the Georgetown Public Hospital, five births were recorded (four girls and one boy), and another two babies were expected to be delivered, bringing the total to seven.

Malvin Heywood was the first Christmas newborn at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings alongside two of Linden’s new mothers and their babies

a boy weighing 3.3kg Bibi Lockraj, 24, of Blairmont, West Bank Berbice, also delivered her second child – a boy weighing 2.9kg at 19:15h.

At the Fort Wellington Hospital, midwife Hully Semple made a safe delivery at 19:10h. The 3kg baby girl

Hemwattie Samaroo and her baby girl

Born to Malinie Rose, little Malvin arrived in the world at 00:02h on December 25, 2017.

At the time, 68 mothers with babies (36 boys and 32 girls) have been registered in the Georgetown Public Hospital Maternity Ward’s post-natal unit.

Meanwhile, on the Essequibo Coast, two births were recorded.

Serita Latchman gave birth to a healthy baby girl while Dorothy Daniels delivered a bouncing baby boy at the Suddie Public Hospital.

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thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations 2017 ends with Guyanese in despair, none more so than sugar workers

M

any terminated sugar workers from Wales Sugar Estate have not yet received their severance payment, in accordance with the law, even one year later. More than 4000 newly terminated sugar workers have been told by the Agriculture Minister that they will be paid their severance, as the law mandated, by the end of January 2018. But he cannot say where the sum Dr Leslie Ramsammy of money required to pay the stipulated severance to the terminated sugar workers has been budgeted for in Budget 2018. He knows that it is not in the budget of the Agriculture Ministry, which had a $1.3 billion cut. In fact, those of us experienced in analysing national budgets cannot find anywhere in the Budget where the money has been allocated. Hopefully, the Minister was not deliberately lying.

Thousands more sugar workers are expected to receive termination notices in the next few weeks. The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) will deny this, but as day follows night, we will see them cruelly terminating more sugar workers in the next few weeks.

For a large mass of Guyanese, 2017 has been a miserable year. The misery was reflected in the quietness of the Christmas season. It was not a peaceful quietness. In fact, the quietness and the toned-down festivity during this Christmas season is a quietness pregnant with despair, when even those better off appear uncertain of the future. For most Guyanese, 2017 is ending with a future that by all accounts appear bleak. Only those that make up the APNU/AFC Government seem comforted by the under-development that was apparent in 2017.

More than 4000 sugar workers and their families have reasons more than most to worry. For them, 2017 is ending with despairing news of lost employment. APNU/AFC has admitted that they have no plans for these people and for the communities being affected by closure of sugar estates. The despair is heightened by the familiarity with what happened to the 2000 sugar workers and their families from Wales and to the community of Wales. Sugar workers and their families from Wales were in the same place at the end of 2016 as sugar workers and their families in Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore are right now at the end of 2017. Wales has become a poster child for impoverishment and this is what communities in Rose Hall, Skeldon and Enmore are now facing at the end of 2017.

The news was all bad for sugar in 2017; not only for workers throughout the industry, but for Guyana as a whole.

Poor management by a hand-picked APNU/AFC management team led by Errol Hanoman, deliberate efforts to sabotage the industry and a fierce determination by APNU/AFC to end sugar, have brought sugar to a stage of total collapse. Even the low target of 174,000 tons proved too insurmountable a target. Worse even, the 154,000 tons the Finance Minister just a few weeks ago estimated as the final production proved too herculean a task. GuySuCo is still trying desperately to end 2017 not falling below 140,000 tons, the lowest production for more than 100 years.

For sugar workers, the bad news is not only the termination letters. Sugar workers have been denied wage increases for 2015, 2016, 2017 and, for those lucky ones who will still have a job in the industry in 2018, there is no signal that finally they will end the drought and earn a wage increase in 2018.

Sugar workers API and other incentives have been essentially ended. GuySuCo and APNU/AFC have established a shameful 115,000 tons as their target for 2018. But their posture is one that makes the 115,000-target unachievable. There will be only three functioning sugar factories – Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt, in 2018 and these sugar factories only managed about 85,000 tons in 2017. It means that workers will feel the brunt of austerity measures once again in 2018.

Not everyone is unhappy. APNU/AFC is happy that they are on target in implementing their long-held plan to close the industry. The CEO is leaving and might already have left Guyana a richer man. Having earned a super-salary and allowances, he was hand-picked to carry out the hatchet-job of closing sugar. He is smiling for the holidays having brought the industry to a stage where international players will buy over GuySuCo’s properties for a song and dance.

In the meantime, as Government Ministers and high officials frolic during the end of the year festivities, the terminated sugar workers will contemplate the bleakness of 2018.

16 news

thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

La Parfaite Harmonie Health Centre returns to former state

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bout three months ago, Guyana Times reported on the insanitary conditions at the La Parfaite Harmonie Health Centre, where the washroom had no doors and no proper flowing water and grass was as tall as four feet in some sections of the compound.

Some of the issues were rectified to facilitate a visit from Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings. However, three months later, the Centre has returned to its former state with the grass as tall as three feet, no running water and no medication for patients.

On Wednesday, this publication revisited the La Parfaite Harmonie Health Centre, where it was observed that in addition to overgrown grass, the dumping of garbage continued at the back of the facility and there was an inadequate water supply.

Additionally, a source within the Health Centre told this newspaper that the facility did not have drugs to treat the patients. It was re-

The current state of the La Parfaite Harmonie Health Centre

lated that the nurses were forced to turn away pregnant mothers and the elderly since the medication supply was almost exhausted.

Efforts to contact Minister Cummings and the Regional Executive Officer, Dennis Jaikarran, proved futile.

When Guyana Times initially visited the healthcare facility, in addition to a bushy compound and the aforementioned conditions, there was garbage at the back of the yard that was poorly disposed of – an attempt to burn the garbage was evident, but the fire did not destroy most of it. In addition, there were no rubbish bins in the compound, while the water tank and

trestle were surrounded by bushy vegetation, with no water flowing through the standpipe in the front of the yard.

After the initial report on the state of the facility was published, the Regional Administration hurriedly had the yard weeded, the plumbing redone and garbage bins installed. This was all done to facilitate Minister Cummings’ visit to the facility, where she said that she was pleased with the conditions at the Health Centre.

Additionally, the Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall, refuted the report, although photographic evidence was published.

Speeding mechanic dies after slamming into lamp post

T

he holiday road carnage continued on Tuesday night when a 43-year-old mechanic was killed after he lost control of the speeding car he was driving and slammed into a lamp post in front of the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Dead is Salim Deen, called “Tony”, of Lot 158 Marty’s Ville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara. He was reportedly celebrating his birthday on Boxing Day when the accident occurred just after 20:00h.

According to reports, Deen was driving motor car PGG 2276, heading in the northern direction along the western carriageway on the East Bank Road, reportedly at a fast rate when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a lamp post erected at on the median in the center of the Providence Public Road. The impact resulted in the vehicle turning turtle and in the process, the mechanic was flung out. He sustained severe head injuries causing his brain matter to splatter on the roadway.

The mangled car after the accident

news

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thursDAY, december 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Corriverton NGO gets $13M Agricola roadside robbery/murder for after-school programme Accused proclaims innocence

T

he United States Government has partnered with a community-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) to encourage positive development among young people.

Family Awareness Consciousness and Togetherness (FACT), a Corriverton-based NGO, received a US$64,800 (GY$13,353,000) grant from the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) programme to carry out after-school activities in Corriverton.

The programme will provide 80 children, between the ages of 10 to 18, from five schools, with after-school activities which include lessons and homework support integrated with creative arts, life skills, and sports.

This follows a call for

proposals to organisations operating in five target communities in Guyana, including Corriverton.

The successful grantees will deliver comprehensive interventions in Corriverton, East La Penitence, East Ruimveldt, Lodge, and Sophia. The activities will encourage student participation in positive youth development activities that reduce vulnerability to risky behaviours that lead to violence.

Although the event focused on the Corriverton community, the after-school programmes will eventually reach the remaining aforementioned communities. The programme will increase youth’s self-efficacy, improve their computer knowledge and skills, and ultimately improve school attendance by engaging them in a stimulating and

rewarding set of activities.

Moreover, parents will be encouraged to get involved in the academic life of their children and share in the journey by participating in regular meetings for the duration of the programme.

CFYR is a USAID programme designed to reduce youth involvement in crime and violence. It features a comprehensive package of interventions that build the resilience of youth ages 1029, strengthen family support, and encourage community cohesion.

Each of the five communities participating in the CFYR programme is supported by a group of volunteers who form Community Enhancement Committees that help residents to identify and implement local solutions to reduce violence and support positive youth development.

New morgue to cater for high murder rate in Baramita

A

morgue will be constructed in 2018 in the Amerindian village of Baramita in Region One (Barima-Waini) to cater for the high murder and suicide rates in that particular community.

Vice Chairperson of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region One, Sarah Browne, made this disclosure during a recent interview with Guyana Times.

Browne said this is part of the capital works to be undertaken in Region One in 2018. “And that is part of our upgrade. Last year we would have focused most of our capital resources towards that area since we all know the situation, that Baramita has a high murder and suicide rate,” she said.

In addition to this, the regional official also pointed out that the community, which is located in the Matarkai Sub-district, is also faced with high school drop outs and teenage pregnancy.

“They also have different sorts of violence including rape, exploitation,” Brown explained, while noting that women in particular are taken advantage of by persons in that community.

The RDC official said an entire complex within a compound was constructed, and extensions were done to the hospital, the schools, and the doctors and nurses quarters to improve the services offered.

“We will be upgrading staff quarters at Mabaruma Hospital, constructing a doctor’s quarter at Waramuri and Moruca and that is to house a resident doctor to serve additional satellite villages.”

Region One RDC Vice Chairperson Sarah Browne

Upon assuming office in 2015, the regional Vice Chairwoman of Region One said the issues were too much for the RDC to take charge of, since it does not have responsibility for social services.

“So we would have engaged the Minister of Social Protection on this issue, as well as the Minister of Amerindian Affairs.

Subsequently, a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) was launched into Baramita, which we were a part of and which we would have also gone out to the areas,” she explained.

The CoI found that children were not attending school because of the reports of constant violence in the village. Parents in particular were afraid to send their children to school because of complaints. Hospital records also prove that there were large influxes of patients treated for lacerations.

She said, “Alcoholism is also very rampant in that community and we are hoping that once we have these facilities in place, we are going to make the school child-friendly. We would

have already invested in the 2017 Budget to purchase a minibus. That would take students to and from school.”

Browne told Guyana Times that the RDC has also received credible information that proves that mining plays a major role in the violence that is taking place rampantly in Baramita. “We find that coast landers are coming into Baramita and more or less exploiting the people since we have them mining gold and we have persons being exploited, the women particularly raped and so forth.”

The RDC has raised these issues with the Police in F Division (Interior locations) and as a result of the discussion, there is now a higher Police presence and more female ranks were stationed at the Police outpost.

Reports in 2015 stated that Baramita had recorded 48 suicide cases in four years before that time and from 2007, over 73 Carib persons from the community have committed suicide by hanging.

In that same year, a sixyear-old attempted to end his life. One year later, an 11-year-old boy succumbed after being given “high wine (high proof alcohol) and Banko (wine),” to consume.

Additionally, there is the issue of mistreatment of women and children, which also requires urgent measures.

Amerindian Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock has noted the issues facing Baramita and acknowledged that the suicide rate has increased over a short period of time, which could be caused by the abundance of alcohol distributed within the village by business people.

after jury finds him guilty

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he weeks-long murder trial of Agricola native Jermaine Savory reached its conclusion on Wednesday evening, with the accused proclaiming his innocence after the 12 member-jury unanimously found him guilty of the shooting to death of Melissa Payne who was killed during the course of a robbery on November 5, 2008.

The State’s case was that Savory – in the company of at least one other person, allegedly murdered Payne after the woman and her reputed husband, John Fraser, had stopped at Agricola on their way to Georgetown in an effort to correct a mechanical fault of the Toyota Canter truck, GHH 5399, in which they were travelling.

The jury returned its verdict after three hours of deliberations during which further directions were requested. Just before 18:00h, Savory was found guilty and had a look of astonishment and disbelief, telling the Judge, “I’m innocent, I didn’t kill nobody.” Justice James

Murdered: Melissa Payne

Bovell-Drakes adjourned the matter to January 15, 2018, when the accused will be sentenced after his probation report is read to the court. After the verdict was handed down, Savory’s relatives were equally astonished at the jury’s decision and were heard murmuring as they left the court.

Reports back then were that while Fraser was attending to the vehicle around 08:30h that morning, armed bandits approached them. Fraser managed to escape, but Payne, from Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara, was

Found guilty of murder, Jermaine Savory

eventually shot after refusing to hand over her bag, which reportedly contained some $100,000 in cash and other valuables.

After she tried to escape with her handbag, the bandits had swiftly pursued her and opened fire; they then made off with the bag and her gold chain. Payne subsequently died while being transported to hospital.

Savory was represented by Attorney Maxwell McKay; while the Prosecutors for the State were Mandell Moore and Orinthia Schmidt.

Solid Waste Director accused of forcing workers to admit to non-existent accident …investigation ordered into incident

By Lakhram Bhagirat

C

ity Hall’s Solid Waste Director, Walter Narine, is being accused of pressuring two of his junior workers to take responsibility for an accident, involving Councillor Khame Sharma that never occurred, according to the Personnel Officer, Paulette Braithwaite.

At Wednesday’s Statutory Meeting, Sharma submitted a letter to Mayor Patricia Chase Green where he alleges that a garbage truck belonging to the City of Georgetown damaged his motor car, PGG 6938 and is claiming compensation.

“Once again I am submitting documents relating to this incident hoping that this matter will receive the consideration this matter deserves. Madam Mayor, once again I am appealing to you to address an issue that is now reaching one year in breach of completion,” his letter stated.

The incident allegedly occurred sometime in December of 2016 and since then, Sharma has been seeking compensa-

City Hall’s Solid Waste Director Walter Narine

tion from the city but the administration claims its vehicle was not involved in the accident.

Initially, both Narine and the workshop manager said the garbage truck showed no sign of being in an accident and that Sharma could not have produced any evidence to substantiate his claims.

“On investigation of my drivers and loaders they all denied any involvement. A check was made for paint or scratches and nothing was found and I advised Councillor Sharma to speak with the workshop manager. The driver and loader were sent to the HR

Manager and from our end, the drivers and loaders denied it and I can only go with that (and) there were no evidence to substantiate the damages he (Sharma) claims,” Narine said.

However, when Braithwaite presented her oral report to the Council, she said the two junior officers who indicated that they were being forced to sign a statement saying that they were involved in the accident visited her.

“The Director of Solid Waste attempted to get them to sign the statement to say that they were involved in the accident and they refused to sign so they came down to me to say that they were protesting because the Director said based on what Councillor Sharma said, they ought to sign the statement,” she revealed. She noted that she became suspicious and then launched an investigation and it was found that the officers were being truthful.

The Council has since ordered a report into the allegations and a report is expected to be submitted by the next Statutory Meeting.

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, december 28, 2017

ARCHIE

A short trip will give you a chance to reflect and reas(March 21sess your current situation.

April 19) Personal changes may be necessary to reverse a problem you face with a loved one.

ARIES

Share your feelings, plan TAURUS an excursion with a loved one (April 20- or take on a creative projMay 20) ect that will ease your stress.

Nurturing an important relationship will bring you and the other party closer together.

dilbert

Look over personal paGEMINI pers and make sure you have (May 21taken care of any necesJune 20) sary updates. A cautious approach to your finances will help ease stress.

Get involved in community projects. Share the evening (June 21- with a person you love to be July 22) around. A physical or creative activity will motivate you to take on a new venture.

CANCER

Peanuts

Emotions will surface if LEO you have been taking on too (July 23- much debt or have not pulled Aug. 22) your weight or taken care of your responsibilities. Step up and get things done.

Get involved in social VIRGO events going on in your com(Aug. 23munity. Participate in life Sept. 22) and look for ways to update your look or meet new people.

Companionship is highlighted.

Calvin and Hobbes

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Look for a way to cut your overhead. Don’t feel the need to spend on frivolous entertainment when trying to impress someone. Only offer what you feel comfortable spending your money on.

Share your feelings and show SCORPIO those you love how much you (Oct. 24care. A little romance or a celeNov. 22) bration with friends will get you in the spirit of the season.

Don’t give in too easily SAGITTARIUS when you should be cautious (Nov. 23- if someone asks you for help Dec. 21) or a contribution. Don’t let anyone play on your emotions or take advantage of your generosity.

Consider what you want CAPRICORN to do or where you see your(Dec. 22self this time next year, and Jan. 19) lay out a game plan that will help you achieve your goals.

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle Refuse to let an emotionAQUARIUS al situation lead to a costly (Jan. 20event. Listen to what others Feb. 19) want or are asking for, but don’t be too quick to pay for someone else’s mistake.

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

Tidy up any unfinished PISCES business so that you can fo(Feb. 20cus on the end-of-year festivMarch 20) ities. An interesting proposition will grab your attention.

Romance will improve your personal life.

thursDAY, december 28, 2017

19

Joshua Persaud

P

Bhaskar Yadram

r e s i d e n t , Executives and members of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) recently showered the five Guyanese West Indies U19 selectees, with best wishes as they embark on their World Cup campaign.

The five players; Bhaskar Yadram of the Everest Cricket C l u b , R o n a l d o Ali Mohamed of the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Joshua Persaud (GNIC) along

Ashmead Nedd

with Ashmead Nedd and Raymond Perez of the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), were selected to represent the defending champs, West Indies U19 in the 2018 ICC U19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Raymond Perez

Ronaldo Ali Mohamed

The GCA executives took time to wish the young ambassadors the best in their journey as all five of the players were products of various junior tournaments and competitions facilitated by the association in the past.

Coaches from the respective clubs and the Associations were also praised by the GCA for their tireless work in guiding the young cricketers; especially Nedd, Perez and Ali Mohamed who started their careers in the GCA’s Pee

Wee Cricket competition.

West Indies won the last World Cup thanks to consistent performances by the Guyanese trio of then Skipper and current West Indies Test player; Shimron Hetmyer, Vice-Captain Kemo Paul and wicket-keeper and opening batsman Tevin Imlach.

In remembrance of the past performances of Paul, Hetmyer and Imlach, all who have gone on to play for Guyana or the West Indies (except Imlach); the GCA executives called on the current five players to remain humble, disciplined and to keep on showcasing their talent to the world during the course of the tournament; as they seek to help the West Indies WI retain their crown.

Time running short Liverpool to sign for Warner and Webb van Dijk for £75M S

T

Jeffrey Webb (left) and Jack Warner

he futures of former CONCACAF bosses Jack Warner and Jeffrey Webb are likely to be decided next month with both scheduled to face the courts for crucial rulings.

When the FIFA trials continued last week former Paraguay Football Association and CONMEBOL president Juan Ángel Napout and José Maria Marin a former president of the Brazil football federation were both handed guilty verdicts and now await sentencing from jail in the United States.

Napout was found guilty of two wire fraud charges and one count racketeering

conspiracy, while Marin was found guilty of six charges relating to money laundering and involvement in wire fraud conspiracy.

Attention is expected to soon shift to the Caribbean officials who are at various states of the legal process. Webb, like Napout and Marin, is expected to know the length of his prison sentence when he faces the US court in late January. The former Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire-fraud conspiracy and three counts of money-laundering conspiracy. Webb, who is currently under

outhampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk will join Liverpool when the transfer window re-opens on 1 January in a world record £75m deal.

The Netherlands international had been expected to join the Reds last summer after he handed in a transfer request.

But a move fell through when Liverpool apologised for making an alleged illegal approach for the 26-year-old.

The fee is the most ever paid for a defender - Manchester City paid £52m to Monaco for Benjamin Mendy in July.

Van Dijk said in a statement he was "delighted and honoured" to sign for the Merseyside club and accepted he had had a "difficult last few months" at St Mary's.

He was left out of Southampton's squad for their 5-2 Premier League defeat by Tottenham on Tuesday, prompting speculahouse arrest in the US, has tion he was set to leave the club. seen his sentence delayed "Southampton have agreed a fee that five times. will set a new world record for a defendWarner is currently er," the south coast club confirmed on fighting extradition from his Wednesday. homeland in Trinidad and The player only signed a new Tobago, where an appeal six-year contract last year, having against the local court’s dejoined the Saints from Celtic for cision to uphold the legality of the extradition request £13m in September 2015.

However, Liverpool's will be held next month. In a submission to the court interest in the summer Warner’s legal team argued prompted a transthe that the order stood in vi- fer request from player olation of aspects of T&T law, the claim was rejected. which saw Warner is facing fraud and him forced to money-laundering charges train alone by manrelated to his two decades ager Mauricio Pellegrino. as a vice-president of world He returned to first team football’s governing body. action in September, featuring in (Sportsmax)

a win at Crystal Palace.

Van Dijk's former club Celtic will benefit from the record transfer fee - the Scottish champions are understood to have had a 10% sell-on agreement on any future deal.

Though he will join the club on 1 January, Van Dijk will not be able to register as a player until 2 January so will not be available for Liverpool's trip to Burnley on Monday.

The Anfield club also announced he will wear the number four shirt.

The Van Dijk fee tops the £48m release clause the Reds have agreed for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, who will move to Anfield next summer. (BBC Sport)

Virgil van Dijk

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, december 28, 2017

Cook’s drought-breaking hundred puts England on top A

lastair Cook completed a stirring century in a stellar return to form as England savoured a rare day of domination in the fourth Ashes test against Australia on Wednesday.

Cook raised his 32nd test ton with a pull-shot to the fence in the final over before stumps, and strode off the ground unbeaten on 104, having pushed England to 192 for two on day two at a sweltering Melbourne Cricket Ground.

His successor as captain, Joe Root, was 49 not out, the pair having helped reduce Australia’s lead to 135 runs.

English cheer has been in short supply this series after Australia took back the urn with victory in Perth but Wednesday’s fightback thrilled sun-

baked Britons in the raucous crowd of 67,882.

Stuart Broad, another Englishman under scrutiny after playing a negligible part in the series, captured 4-51 as Australia’s day one resistance melted in the morning heat.

The hosts started the day in a position of strength at 244 for three but were bowled out for 327, losing their last seven wickets for 67 runs.

“Bowling Australia out for 320-odd, we’re absolutely delighted,” Broad told reporters. ”We’re in a fantastic position in this test match.

“We want that scorebread pressure going into getting those next 10 wickets.”

After labouring on a slow and flat pitch on day one, England’s bowlers were transformed in the morning, with debutant paceman Tom Curran proving the unlikely catalyst.

The 22-year-old Surrey seamer bowled Steve Smith for 76 with the second ball of his first spell, having the skipper drag a wider, short delivery onto his stumps.

It not only secured Curran his first test wicket but ended Smith’s unbeaten reign at

the MCG since his

last dismissal in the Boxing Day test against India in 2014.

It was also a huge relief for Curran, who had opener David Warner caught on 99 on day one but missed out on the wicket for over-stepping his mark.

Acrobatic dismissal

Smith was one of three Australian batsmen out chopping onto the stumps, with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (nine) and wicketkeeper Tim Paine (24) falling in the same fashion.

The home captain finished a disappointing day by conceding 11 runs in the final over with his parttime leg-spin, allowing Cook his century and England a rousing finish.

“If we can come tomorrow morning ... and hopefully challenge their defence a lot more than we did today, then hopefully we can get a

c o u ple of breakthroughs and see where we get to,” Australian spinner Stuart Broad collected 4 for 51, his best analysis in a Test innings since November 2016

Nathan Lyon told reporters.

Shaun Marsh dug in to raise his third half-century of the series before being trapped leg before by Broad for 61.

James Anderson bowled Paine and dismissed Lyon lbw for a duck to finish with 3-61.

Starting England’s response after lunch, Cook and Mark Stoneman fended off Australia’s opening pace salvo before Lyon intervened with a brilliant caught and bowled.

The off-spinner coaxed a leading edge from Stoneman (15) and leaped high to pull down a one-handed catch, reviving memories of his acrobatic dismissal of Moeen Ali during the second test at Adelaide Oval.

Vince (17) was given out lbw when paceman Josh Hazlewood sent a full, straight ball thudding into his pads.

He neglected to review the decision and would have regretted it later, with t h e ‘snicko’ technology showing he had nicked the ball with his bat.

Cook and Root then combined for a 112-run partnership to give England hope of grabbing a substantial first-innings lead.

Australia’s task was

made more difficult with Pat Cummins hampered by a stomach ailment.

He battled

through 11 overs but Lyon said the sickly seamer would see a doctor in the evening to restore fluids and hopefully be ready to play on day three.

(Reuters)

Alastair Cook got droughtbreaking hundred

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings C Bancroft lbw b Woakes 26 D Warner c Bairstow b Anderson 103 U Khawaja c Bairstow b Broad 17 S Smith b Curran 76 S Marsh lbw b Broad 61 M Marsh b Woakes 9 T Paine b Anderson 24 P Cummins c Cook b Broad 4 J Bird lbw b Broad 4 J Hazlewood not out 1 N Lyon lbw b Anderson 0 Extras (lb-1 nb-1) 2 Total (all out, 119 overs) 327 Fall of wickets: 1-122 C. Bancroft,2-135 D. Warner,3-160 U. Khawaja,4-260 S. Smith,5-278 M. Marsh,6-314 S. Marsh,7-318 T. Paine,8-325 J. Bird,9-326 P. Cummins,10-327 N. Lyon Bowling: Anderson 29 - 11 61 – 3, Broad 28 - 10 - 51 – 4,

Woakes 22 - 4 - 72 – 2, Ali 12 - 0 - 57 – 0, Curran 21 - 5 65 – 1, Malan 7 - 1 - 20 - 0 England 1st innings (Overnight: 192-2) A Cook not out 104 M Stoneman c&b Lyon 15 J Vince lbw b Hazlewood 17 J Root not out 49 Extras (b-4 nb-3) 7 Total (for 2 wickets, 57 overs) 192 Fall of wickets: 1-35 M. Stoneman,2-80 J. Vince To bat: D. Malan, J. Bairstow, M. Ali, C. Woakes, T. Curran, S. Broad, J. Anderson Bowling: Hazlewood 12 - 2 - 39 – 1, Bird 12 - 2 - 38 – 0, Lyon 17 - 2 - 44 – 1, Cummins 11 - 0 - 39 – 0, M Marsh 4 - 0 - 17 – 0, Smith 1 - 0 - 11 - 0

Proteas thrash pitiful Zimbabwe inside 2 days

Keshav Maharaj took 5-59 to help Proteas thrash the visitors by an innings and 120 runs

Z

imbabwe slumped to a huge defeat in Port Elizabeth, losing 16 wickets on the second day of the one-off Test against South Africa.

South Africa needed less than half of the inaugural four-day Test to wrap up a crushing victory by an innings and 120 runs, as sorry Zimbabwe were twice bowled out cheaply at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

The tourists resumed at 30-4 on day two in reply

to 309-9 declared and were forced to follow-on by AB de Villiers after collapsing to 68 all out - their fifth-lowest Test total - in Port Elizabeth, where Morne Morkel took 5-21.

Zimbabwe threatened to salvage some pride in their second innings, but folded from 75-1 to 121 all out to suffer an emphatic defeat in just five sessions of the lone Test.

Keshav Maharaj (5-59) exposed Zimbabwe’s bat-

ting frailties by claiming his third five-wicket Test haul and Andile Phehlukwayo took 3-13 in the day-night match, which was being trialled over a shortened duration.

Morkel’s burst under the lights on day one gave the Proteas a firm grip on the Test and the paceman struck again early on the second day, removing Ryan Burl’s off stump for 16 with a peach of a delivery which nipped in.

Hostile quick Morkel had a seventh five-wicket Test haul to his name when Sikandar Raza edged behind to De Villiers, wicketkeeper in the absence of hamstring injury victim Quinton de Kock, without scoring, reducing Zimbabwe to 36-6.

Kyle Jarvis (23) was the only other batsman to reach double figures, Kagiso Rabada and Phehlukwayo both taking 2-12 in a feeble Zimbabwe first innings which spanned only 30.1 overs.

Hamilton Masakadza took a blow on the elbow and retired hurt early in Zimbabwe’s second innings after they were asked to bat again, but the South Africa attack was not as potent with the new ball.

Zimbabwe were 54 without loss when Rabada got the breakthrough, De Villiers taking the catch behind to remove Chamu Chibhabha (15), and Hashim Amla held a superb one-handed catch at first slip when Brendan Taylor (16) got an attempted sweep all wrong to give Maharaj a first wicket.

Phehlukwayo got in on the act by trapping Craig Ervine (23) leg before as Zimbabwe capitulated, los-

ing eight wickets in only 12 overs in another almighty collapse.

Masakadza was able to return to the crease, but fell for 13 when De Villiers took his eighth catch in

what was his first Test for almost two years after the opener nicked a delivery from Maharaj, who put Zimbabwe out of their misery by cleaning up Blessing Muzarabani. (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD

South Africa 1st innings 309 for 9 decl Zimbabwe 1st innings H Masakadza lbw b M. Morkel 0 C Chibhabha c Bavuma b M. Morkel 6 C Ervine lbw b Philander 4 B Taylor c de Villiers b M. Morkel 0 R Burl b M. Morkel 16 K Jarvis c de Villiers b Phehlukwayo 23 S Raza c de Villiers b M. Morkel 0 P Moor b Phehlukwayo 9 G Cremer c de Villiers b Rabada 2 C Mpofu c Bavuma b Rabada 0 B Muzarabani not out 4 Extras (lb-2 nb-2) 4 Total (all out, 30.1 overs) 68 Fall of wickets: 1-0 H. Masakadza,2-11 C. Chibhabha,3-11 B. Taylor,4-14 C. Ervine,5-36 R. Burl,6-36 S. Raza,7-55 K. Jarvis,8-63 G. Cremer,9-63 P. Moor,10-68 C. Mpofu Bowling: M Morkel 11 - 5 21 – 5, Philander 10 - 4 - 21 – 1, Rabada 6.1 - 2 - 12 – 2, Phehlukwayo 3 - 0 - 12 - 2

Zimbabwe 2nd innings C. Chibhabha c de Villiers b Rabada 15 H. Masakadza c de Villiers b Maharaj 13 C. Ervine lbw b Phehlukwayo 23 B. Taylor c Amla b Maharaj 16 R. Burl c de Villiers b Phehlukwayo 0 S. Raza c Phehlukwayo b Maharaj 5 P. Moor c de Villiers b Phehlukwayo 1 G. Cremer not out 18 K. Jarvis b Philander 5 C. Mpofu b Maharaj 0 B. Muzarabani b Maharaj 10 Extras (b-8 lb-7) 15 Total (all out, 42.3 overs) 121 Fall of wickets: 1-54 C. Chibhabha,2-75 B. Taylor,3-75 C. Ervine,4-80 S. Raza,5-80 R. Burl,6-87 P. Moor,7-91 H. Masakadza,8-98 K. Jarvis,9-103 C. Mpofu,10-121 B. Muzarabani Bowling: M Morkel 4 - 0 12 – 0, Philander 7 - 3 - 10 – 1, Maharaj 17.3 - 5 - 59 – 5, Rabada 7 - 3 - 12 – 1, Phehlukwayo 7 - 2 - 13 - 3

sports

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washed out

Another section of the track that is badly damaged by rain on the Corentyne coast

T

he ongoing rainy season has taken its toll on sport once again in Berbice, this time taking to the horse racing track and forcing a cancellation to the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee’s Guyana

Cup Rematch.

The 8-race card was heating up to be highly competitive and a fitting way to end the year on Sunday December 31 but the prolonged rainfall has left the Rising Sun Turf Club in-

accessible thus making it impossible for the track’s preparation.

The organizers are now looking as far as February 2018 for their next major event since a break in the current rainy season is not

within sight.

The annual Boxing Day race programme organized by the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club was also cancelled since the track at Bush Lot Farm was severely affected by the rain.

Overwhelming turnout for Kendalls Union SC’s Christmas party

T

he recently resuscitated Kendalls Union Sports Club held their first Christmas Party for children within the Don Robin to Number 19 Village area that attracted 112 children.

The delighted children, mostly under 12 years old, were treated to a mini concert that was jointly put on by the Number 19 Bible Church and Hephiziah of Rose Hall town. Additionally, Santa Claus distributed toys to the children who were all given a complete meal of food and drink that made the occasion more memorable.

Speaking on the club’s behalf, President Albert Budhoo thanked those who have contributed to make the event a success and he also reminded the children

The happy faces at the Kendalls Union Sports Club

of the reason for the season with a story.

The event is on the Kendalls Union Sports Club calendar of events and

Budhoo said based on the success they will do it again in 2018.

The club which is more known for their exploits in

cricket in the east Berbice zone, has been diversifying giving members the opportunity of other sporting disciplines.

Holder laments another batting collapse

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W

indies skipper Jason Holder has again decried another implosion by the team’s batting order which ensured its winless run against New Zealand continued.

In the third ODI, which was heavily hampered by rain, the West Indies were set a revised target of 166 in 23 overs after restricting New Zealand to 131 for four in 23 overs.

In what has become a pattern all too familiar the New Zealand pair of Trent Boult and Matt Henry took five wickets for nine runs as the Jason Holder

Windies innings imploded in the first four overs and gave the runs chase little chance of success.

Holder made 34 from 42 balls to help the Windies reach 99 for nine by the end of the innings but the first five batsmen were dismissed with just nine runs on the board.

“It’s unfortunate with the batting, we lost wickets up front again and were not able to build momentum,” Holder said.

His batting talisman Chris Gayle started the slide when he was out for four in the first over.

“It’s not an easy place to start with the ball swinging, but we’ve got to give ourselves a bit more of a chance to get started,” the West Indies captain added. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, december 28, 2017

‘Sons of Champions’ Boxing Day Card…

"Lightning" Allicock too fast for Gibson

T

Keevin Alliock (blue) breaches the defence of Clairmont Gibson with a stiffening right-arm jab

he return of the Boxing Day fist fight action to the National Gymnasium proved to be wholesome entertain-

ment for all that the attended the sizzling collaboration between the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) and Briso Promotions themed

‘Sons of Champions’.

The talk of the town prior to the event was can Clairmont "Vibesman" Gibson stop the "Lightning" Keevin Allicock but the latter once again proved to be unstoppable for the Guyana Defence Force fighter in the bantamweight bout.

The pocket rocket Alliock, a Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist ensured there is no doubt as to who is the better in their rematch, winning across the scorecards on his way to the unanimous decision.

More so, Desmond Amsterdam who was on the hunt for policeman Dennis Thomas was instead served Alloko Best and had his gloves off in no time with a second round stoppage.

Julius Kesney was also in a class of his own and put on a boxing clinic against Junior Hyman to pull out a victory inside the distance (round two).

Meanwhile, in three very competitive fights which could have arguably gone either way, Isiah Moore defeated Omar Pollard while Sherman Morrison and Deshon Elcock got the judges nod over Christopher Moore and Emanuel Pompey.

Allicock gladly accepts the winning prize from promoter Seon Bristol on Tuesday night at the National Gymnasium

Other winners on the 11-fight card included Shaquancy Wright (over Deron Williams), Travis Inverary (versus Richard Howard),

GCB/Jaguars 50-Over League 2017…

Qualifier postponed until further notice

Mickel Worrell (versus Justin Winfield) and Aubrey Headley who fought John Mars.

GFF Super 16 moves to Leonora

T

Leon Johnson

Jonathan Foo

Royston Crandon

Robin Bacchus

he Play-offs of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) Jaguars 50 Overs League, originally scheduled for Thursday December 28 at the Albion Ground, has been suspended until further notice due to inclement weather.

When weather permits, Georgetown will face defending Jaguars 50 Overs Champs Lower Corentyne in the play-offs with the winner squaring off against the unbeaten Essequibo in the

finals.

After some calculations, Georgetown who were tied on points with West Demerara, earned the coveted third placed position by virtue of the better Net Run Rate. Both Georgetown and West Demerara aggregated an equal number of wins (2) and points (26) at the end of the final preliminary round, with Georgetown ended with a NRR of - 0.34 and West Demerara - 0.36.

Guyana Jaguars Captain Leon Johnson, who is on the

verge of his fourth consecutive Regional 4-Day title, will look to possibly add this mini trophy to his collection.

Apart from the out-of-favor West Indies Test batsman, Georgetown is expected to field the caliber of; Christopher Barnwell, Robin Bacchus, Paul Wintz and the returning Travis Blyden whenever the weather allows for the contest to go on.

Meanwhile, the defending champs Lower Corentyne have been good

this season and with the availability and form of a few of their top players including; the hard-hitting Jonathan Foo, ex-West Indies all-rounder Royston Crandon, current Guyana U19 star Kevlon Anderson along with Guyana Jaguars academy pacers Nial Smith and Raun Johnson; it is expected that the champs ease their way into the finals.

With the qualifier being shifted, the final which was set for December 30 is also suspended until the weather permits. If there is no further play in the tournament, Essequibo may be awarded the title.

The current Jaguars 3-Day champions are unbeaten after seven rounds and have not lost more than their top three batters so far in the tournament. Led by leading wicket-taker; Guyana Jaguars left-arm spinner Anthony Adams, Essequibo have been flourishing in both formats as they seek to wrap up 2017 with both major senior domestic titles.

T

Points Table: After the seven preliminary rounds Teams

Matches Points

Wins

Loses

Tie

No result

Super Bonus

Super Bonus

Total

Essequibo

33

4

0

NA

3

NA

2

39

Lower Corentyne

30

3

0

NA

4

NA

6

36

Georgetown

24

2

1

NA

4

NA

2

26

West Demerara

24

2

1

NA

4

NA

2

26

Upper Corentyne

19

1

1

NA

5

NA

NA

22

West Berbice

17

1

3

NA

3

NA

NA

17

Upper Demerara/East 12 Bank

Nil

3

NA

4

NA

NA

12

East Coast Demerara

Nil

4

NA

3

NA

NA

9

9

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Super 16 yearend tournament will now have its remaining matches played at the Leonora Stadium. The inclement weather has caused the organisers of the Corona Beer sponsored tournament to place all remaining matches at the facility on the West Coast of Demerara.

Action was initially set to continue on Boxing Day at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) with Fruta Conquerors battling Buxton United and Grove Hi Tech running against the Guyana Police Force FC but were shifted to Leonora on Wednesday night.

Those matches would have marked the end of the quarter-finals since Milerock and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have earned their semi-final berths already.

On Christmas Day, the two sides would have played at the Mackenzie Sports Club and secured victories over Den Amstel and Winners Connection respectively.

Milerock defeated their West Demerara opponents 3-1 with Denzel Fordyce scoring a brace. He had scored in the 32nd and 53rd and got assistance from Lorenzo Miller who scored in injury time (90+2). Gideon Payne had initially levelled the scores at the start of the second half (47th minute) after Milerock had a 1-0 lead at the interval.

In the other fixture, which went down to the wire, the army won 3-2 on sudden death penalty kicks after the match ended 2-2 after full-time.

Kenard Sampson (11th) had given GDF the lead until Marley Davidson levelled the scores in the 28th. Travis Henry returned the lead to the soldiers in the 58th but in the dying minutes (89th) Davidson again found the critical equalizer.

Teams are playing for the grand cash prize of $2million, while the losing finalist will receive $1million, third place $500,000 and fourth $250,000.

The semi-finals are slated for Friday while the final is carded for January 1.

Denzel Fordyce

thursDAY, december 28, 2017

Sheldon Cottrell

Ronsford Beaton

guyanatimesgy.com

23

Hetmyer, Cottrell drafted to Windies T20 squad – T20I series bowls off tonight

G

uyanese left-handed batsman Shimron Hetmyer and Jamaican fast-bowler Sheldon Cottrell were named in the West Indies T20 squad as replacements for Kieron Pollard and Ronsford Beaton.

The Selection Panel of Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced changes ahead of the three-match T20 International series tour of New Zealand, on Wednesday.

Cottrell, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots pacer had a decent One Day

International (ODI) series despite his team’s otherwise poor run, will replace fellow pacer Beaton; after the Guyanese endured a tough ODI debut series. Beaton was reported for a suspect action before picking up a side strain.

Hetmyer, the aggressive left-hander who recently made his Test and ODI debuts could wrap up the trifecta and possibly make his T20 inauguration when he replaces the big hitting all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who is unavailable due to personal reasons.

The series will bowl off on Friday December 29 (Thursday Caribbean time)

Kieron Pollard

at Saxton Oval in Nelson with the first ball set to be delivered at 22:00h Eastern

Caribbean time.

West Indies are the World T20 champions but they were swept in the two-match Test Series and the three-match ODI series since in New Zealand. The shortest version is perhaps their best chance of getting in the ‘win’ column but the hosts are very formidable especially at home.

Windies squad read; Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Samuel Badree, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton and Kesrick Williams

Guyanese depart for Windies Baijnauth World Cup title defence Sawmills 20/20 draw is today B U haskar Yadram, Raymond Perez, Ashmead Nedd, Ronaldo Alimohamed and Joshua Persaud departed Guyana on Wednesday morning for Barbados where they will join the rest of the Windies under-19s for the journey to New Zealand where they play the 2018 ICC Youth 50-over World Cup. They are expected to leave Barbados today to have a camp in the host country as the beef up preparations for their title defence.

Yadram and Persaud both would have been on tour with the squad since they began their preparations earlier this year. The dashing Yadram is one of the most senior figures in the squad given his First-Class exposure and is expected to be the engine room of the top-order.

Given captain Emanuel Stewart is a wicketkeeper, the talented Persaud may not have the glove job but has the ability to deliver with his eye-catching stroke-play.

The late entrants to the squad, which would have come on the heels of their splendid performances in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) under-19 tournaments this year are also expected to play key roles.

Based on the recipe for success at the 2016 edition, where head coach Graeme West made full use of all-rounders Keemo Paul and Shemar Springer, the cunning medium-pace and power hitting of Alimohamed could be the side’s ‘x-factor’ in conditions where seam bowling should be dominant.

Likewise, Nedd’s previous knowledge of the conditions, since he played in January 2015 for Trinidad and Tobago’s Tony Hartford U-17 Academy, will be useful. Albeit just aged 16, the left-arm spinner is an immense revelation for a cricketer his age.

His best known attributes are being able to starve batsmen for runs at the business end of an innings and at a same time is still a genuine wicket-taking option.

The hopeful stardom at the top comes in form of shot-filled Perez.

Simply but yet attractive is usually the

pper Corentyne Cricket Association’s ( U C C A ) Competitions Committee recently announced that the drawing for 2018 Baijnauth Sawmills 20/20 tourney is Thursday December 28 at the Number 73 Cricket Club Ground.

The UCCA is asking that all Captains, team managers and secretaries of each Club attend this drawing which starts at 16:00h. The preliminary round fixture of the competition will further be based on the results of the drawing and as such, clubs are asked

and said that players have much to gain from their participation in these games.

He acknowledged the state of cricket in the area and reassured the Clubs that he and his executives will work arduously to ensure the glory days of cricket are returned to the area.

Furthermore, the Association confirmed that a representative from the Guyana Cricket Umpires and Scorers Council will be in attendance to explain the rules of the competition to t h e representatives of the teams.

The UCCA noted that it is compulso-

to provide a list of 15 players who will represent their respective clubs in the competition.

Secretary of the UCCA, Vadanand Persaud is also asking for clubs to select their best 15 players, since the rules of the competition will not allow clubs to introduce players into the competition who are not on their list.

President of the UCCA, Hamant Jagdeo is optimistic that this competition will be one of a kind in the area,

ry for Clubs to fall within the boundaries of the Association’s control to attend this drawing, since those who do not attend will be at a definite disadvantage.

Also, it was hinted that an under-17 competition is also expected to commence in the near future which will be used as a measuring stick to select players for trials to the Berbice U17 inter county team. Clubs will be notified shortly of the details of the competition.

(L-R) Raymond Perez, Ashmead Nedd, Ronaldo Alimohamed and Bashkar Yadram at the Eugene F Correia International Airport on Wednesday morning (Johsua Persaud took the photo)

modus operandi for the opening batsman when at the crease and though he previously told this publication he is not under any pressure to live up to expectations, much will still be expected.

He was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the regional under-19 tournament held in St Kitts in 2017 where he complied 348 runs from six innings finishing unbeaten on three occasions finishing with a staggering average of 116 runs per innings.

The defending champions are installed in Group of A and will play their first match against hosts, New Zealand on January 13 followed by a clash with South Africa four days later then their final group match is against Kenya on January 20.

Full Squad: Emmanuel Stewart – Captain (Windward IslandsGrenada), Kirstan Kallicharan –

Vice Captain (Trinidad & Tobago), Ronaldo Alimohamed(Guyana), Alick Athanaze- (Windward IslandsDominica), Cephas Cooper- (Trinidad & Tobago), Jarion Hoyte- (Barbados), Kimani Melius- (Windward IslandsSt. Lucia), Ashmead Nedd- (Guyana), Kian Pemberton- (Leeward IslandsSt. Kitts & Nevis), Raymond Perez(Guyana), Joshua Persaud- (Guyana), Jeavor Royal- (Jamaica), Keagan Simmons- (Trinidad & Tobago), Bhaskar Yadram- (Guyana) and Nyeem Young- (Barbados).

Management Team: Graeme West- (Head Coach), Dwain Gill(Team Operations Manager), Corey Collymore(Assistant Coach), Khevyn Williams- (Physiotherapist), Zephyrinus Nicholas- (Strength & Conditioning Coach) and Dinesh Mahabir- (Analyst). (Akeem Greene)

THURSDAY, december 28, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Hetmyer, Cottrell drafted to Windies ‘Lightning’ Allicock T20 squad Pg 22

‘Sons of Champions’ Boxing Day Card…

– T20I series bowls off tonight

Pg 23

too fast for Gibson

Clairmont Gibson (left) and Keevin Allicock await the judges’ decision after their gruelling bout

Guyana Cup Rematch

washed out Pg 21

Shimron Hetmyer is in line for his T20I debut in tonight’s series opener

The flooded Rising Sun Turf Club just five days before the grand finale of horse racing for 2017

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