Guyanatime 2 june 2018

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Saturday, June 2, 2018

Issue No. 3582

PRICE

PPP questions mysterious deaths of 4 GGMC workers …claims deaths linked to mercury poisoning

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Page 3

Skyrocketing fuel prices

Gunmen rob pensioner of P10 $1.5M “Otiesha” charged with rape of teen P8 boy Page 9

Minibus association threatens fare hike Linden/Lethem trail

Govt announces plan to fix road

$80 vat included

Page 11

After running for 18 years

Enmore man slapped with murder P7 charge

Esso Exploration, Banks DIH discuss mutual P13 interests …after weeks of outcry from commuters Government has finally announced that works will commence soon on several interior roadways when the May/June rainy season is over. In photo, several vehicles struggle to traverse the almost impassable trail linking Linden and Lethem

Gunmen strike 9-hour power again in Eccles outage for Page 7

…another family terrorised, robbed

city today

Page 2

Jagdeo calls Govt out on absence of new, major investments Page 9

Fire guts ECD home P11

US assists P10 Guyana to enhance port security

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Pradoville lots

9-hour power outage There is nothing to “settle” – Jagdeo for city today

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has denied having any knowledge of former Government ministers, officials, or close associates of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration contacting the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) to settle payments for lands at Pradoville Two, East Coast Demerara.

It was reported that former Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Ramesh Dookoo, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar AliHack, and former Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud are some of the persons who have contacted SARA and have expressed willingness to settle.

Jagdeo, however, said he has not received any such information, and as a recipient of one of the properties in that village, he would not take that route, even if it were true regarding the settling.

“I don’t know about that…I was not contacted, and I don’t intend to settle,” Jagdeo told the press on

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Thursday.

It has been reported that several persons close to the last Government had received land belonging to the state at extraordinarily low cost.

SARA claimed that they paid as little as $114 per square foot, while citizens were being made to pay as much as $500 a square foot for ordinary land. SARA had threatened criminal charges against the Pradoville

beneficiaries, but later advised that those persons can settle the matter instead of having charges pressed against them.

Those questioned over the Pradoville properties include former PPP/C Ministers Shaik Baksh, Dr Nanda Gopaul, Irfaan Ali, Priya Manickchand, and Dr. Jennifer Westford.

The daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, Lisaveta Ramotar; former Deputy Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Marcia Nadir-Sharma; Dr Gansham Singh, the son of Dr Gopaul, former Minister of Housing; former Chief Financial Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Taslim Baksh; and former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds were also questioned.

SOCU has only recently instituted charges against former Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, Winston Brassington, for the sale of three plots of land which are claimed to have also been undervalued.

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everal communities in Greater Georgetown will today experience a nine-hour power outage, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL Inc) announced earlier this week.

According to the power company, this interruption to the electricity supply is necessary to facilitate the Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue Road Expansion Project.

The areas that will be affected are Laing Avenue to

menced earlier year.

The contract for the project was awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Ltd back in November last year and the contract was signed the following month. The project, which will cover approximately seven kilometres of road, is being funded by the Inter-American Bank (IDB).

Works for the two-year project include the relocation of utilities, lane and shoulder improvements,

Adelaide Street and Middle Road; Broad and Russell Streets Charlestown; Aubrey Barker Road and South Ruimveldt Gardens; Roxanne Burnham Gardens and Guyhoc Gardens; Shirley Field Ridley Square and East Ruimveldt; North East, East and West La Penitence; Worthmanville, Louisa Row and Newburg; as well as Independence Boulevard, Nora, Callender, James and Hunter Streets Albouystown.

The power outage will be between 08:00h and 17:00h today. GPL on Friday said it regrets any inconveniences this may cause.

Works on the US$31.03 million Sheriff StreetMandela Avenue Road Enhancement Project com-

placement of sidewalks and paved shoulders, traffic signals, traffic signs, streetlights, drainage, a pedestrian overhead walkway, culverts, bridges and a Roundabout.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry had cautioned back in March that during the period of construction, residents living close to the road, road users, and the wider community may be inconvenienced by traffic delays, dust, as well as general construction activities.

“The Ministry wishes to emphasise that these impacts will be temporary and will be constantly monitored to ensure their minimisation. The Ministry advises that persons take all necessary precautions,” it added.

Teenage pregnancy high in Indigenous villages – UNICEF report

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he United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has uprooted a number of findings in their studies that were conducted on the women and children of Guyana’s hinterland areas. However, one of the main alarms was the increase in the number of cases in teenage pregnancy among many young girls from these remote communities.

According to the final report, it was estimated that one in every four births occurred to a mother who is younger than 16 years old. When looked at from a wider scale, the collected data shows that 21 per cent of adolescent girls from Indigenous communities have already begun child bearing, a number which is six per cent higher than the national average.

Additionally, in the Moruca sub-district, out of the 350 births that were recorded in 2016, approximately 90 were born to adolescent mothers.

In their conclusion to ad-

dress this matter, UNICEF has deduced that the most liable cause for the high birth rates among young girls is due to the absence of women empowerment in these areas. It is very difficult for women in those areas to access contraceptives since they do not have the authority to make those decisions.

Additionally, the high levels of violence in the home are not reported, since it is seen as a normal occurrence that has been happening for generations.

The report states, “They have smaller salaries than their husbands, few are in leadership positions and they are constantly suffering at home and in society, among other challenges that they face. In sum, they are seen by many as second class citizens, stuck to old perceptions about their roles in the community.”

It was also indicated that few women are active participants in the decision-making process in the villages. turn to page 7

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, June 2 – 05:30h-07:00h and Sunday, June 3 – 05:30h-07:00h.

PPP questions mysterious deaths of 4 GGMC workers

…claims deaths may be linked to mercury poisoning

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

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Saturday, June 2 – 06:10h-07:40h and Sunday, June 3 – 06:50h-08:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery rain showers can be expected throughout most of the day, while light to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the afternoon and evening hours.

Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 6.25 metres.

High Tide: 06:25h and 18:54h reaching maximum heights of 2.56 metres and 2.40 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 00:00h and 12:27h reaching minimum heights of 0.78 metre and 0.67 metre respectively.

he parliamentary Opposition has raised questions over the recent deaths of four Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) staffers; a matter that has seemingly been shrouded in an information blackout.

In a statement issued on Friday, the party expressed condolences to the relatives of the deceased staffers, whose names were given as Dwayne De Jonge (ranger), Latchman Chiti (surveyor), Leroy Green (carpenter) and Clement Proffit (lab technician). According to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), the issue is one that must be addressed urgently by the relevant authorities.

The Party also raised possible links to the mercury poisoning that had afflicted workers at the GGMC during amalgam burning

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and junior Minister Simona Broomes

people. We therefore urge immediate action by the relevant authorities, including management of the GGMC and the Ministry of Public Health, to ensure the occupational health and safety standards are in place.”

According to the Party, precautionary measures

men were employed at the GGMC and indeed died but did not have any more information.

When contacted, President of the Guyana Civil Servants and General Workers Union (GCS & GWU) Gregory Gaspar declined to comment on the issue. According to Gaspar, he could not confirm the deaths of the men.

Sources have informed this publication, however, that the men died in close proximation with the last one as recent as a few days ago.

Mercury exposure

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exercises. According to the PPP, all four men were documented to have been affected by mercury poisoning.

“These four deaths, which follow each other in such a short period of time, should be a cause for serious concern. It is disturbing that the Government and the GGMC have been reluctant to inform the staff and public about actions taken to ensure protection of not only staffers, but also those in surrounding communities.”

“This is not a political issue,” the Party continued. “The PPP will support the Government of Guyana to ensure that every effort is made to guarantee the health and safety of our

such as testing and treatment for all staff must be operationalised by the GGMC and the Public Health Ministry. The cost for this, the Party advised, should be borne by the GGMC. “The PPP also supports the sourcing of specialists to respond to this matter before it becomes a bigger health crisis,” the party added.

Calls by this publication to Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and his junior Minister Simona Broomes went unanswered. When contacted, a top-level official within the Ministry was also at a loss to provide information about the men. He could only confirm that the

A few months ago, a number of GGMC staffers had walked off the job citing concerns over exposure to mercury. The decision

resulted in the authorities trying to mediate around the issue.

Following the discovery of high levels of mercury in its laboratory, which is in the GGMC compound, the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) had contracted the services of Trinidad-based Kaizen Environmental Services to conduct an independent investigation of the effect of the emission, and that company has said the mercury levels are back to normal.

According to the report, the study was conducted on March 28, 2018, at 10 locations primarily located within the Guyana Geology and Mines Commissions’ compound and the surrounding areas.

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

Out of over 130 staffers tested, it was discovered that more than 60 reported high levels of mercury in their system. Trotman, appearing before the National Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee, had subsequently revealed that the Gold Board had moved its gold burning operations to a private dealer.

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018

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

National Symbols

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his year, Guyana celebrated its 52nd Independence Anniversary with a number of events being held to mark the auspicious occasion, ranging from the Government’s staging of a concert and cultural extravaganza which saw over 2,000 youths in attendance, to the staging of a ‘Guyana Carnival’ event by a private group, which featured a parade and a “Stink n Dutty” party among other things.

As expected, the country’s national flag, The Golden Arrow Head, was hoisted in the presence of those at the multi-billiondollar D’Urban Park, Georgetown, and thousands around the world who joined in via various live television and social media feeds.

But as the flag was being hoisted, something seemed amiss, as it appeared to have not the regular five, but six colours. This led to many Guyanese mounting their own investigations and sharing their findings on social media. It wasn’t long before the matter drew the attention of the politicians, and then rightly so, the media.

The opposition Peoples Progressive Party charged on Tuesday that there was a “despicable and unconstitutional alteration of Guyana’s national flag” as it called for answers and lambasted the Government. Among other things, the PPP argued that there were examples in the past where national symbols were being treated as the property of the APNU/ AFC Administration, before pointing out that the Constitution clearly describes the colours and its shades that constitute the national flag.

The opposition also charged that the alleged altercation “connects one of Guyana’s most significant national symbols to the People’s National Congress Reform” via the inclusion of that party colour along the end of the flag, and it was reminiscent of “the repressive regime of the PNC pre-1992.”

The Guyana Defence Force, upon the inquiry of the media, and not independently from the outset, was forced to admit that the flag was indeed altered and repaired at the ends since it was badly damaged and shredded. The GDF’s argument is that it did not want to hoist a damaged flag, hence it repainted the ends in green even though it resulted in a darker shade.

Also, the Government seemed not to be aware that the flag had had an alteration, since the Social Cohesion Minister admitted that he only learnt of the ensuing controversy via the media. The minister conceded that a damaged flag should not have been hoisted, while his more senior colleague, the State Minister, is reported as distancing the governing coalition from the issue, but not before calling the opposition “foolish” to suggest the APNU/AFC’s deliberate involvement and desire to change the flag’s colours.

It cannot be credibly asserted that the PPP’s response was over the top, given Guyana’s political history, wherein the PNC’s flag was once flown over the Appellate Court, and the current political culture that obtains. Also, the GDF, as the guardian of Guyana’s sovereignty, cannot be so cavalier with our flag, which represents that sovereignty.

And the Ministers’ response to the PPP’s concerns, which were shared by Guyanese at home and abroad, in the absence of any official statement from the GDF or Government before or immediately after the hoisting of the flag, confirms the notion that Guyanese are still suspicious of the Coalition’s political ambition, because its main actor is still the PNC which is associated with some serious transgressions against the State during its tenure.

In the end, there are still serious questions to be answered about the saga. Why was it not recognised at rehearsals, or prior to the staging of the mega event, that the flag was in a state of deterioration? Why wasn’t a newer flag borrowed or sourced? Is it that the GDF or Govt felt that no flag raising event would have been held? Who made the decision to alter the flag and hoist what still was a damaged flag? Why wasn’t the Government informed immediately? Why wasn’t an apology issued soon after? The truth is, the country’s National symbols and Flag cannot be treated in an ‘anyhow’ manner. They must be properly maintained, stored, and displayed with the honour benefiting of national symbols. They must not be displayed when damaged, or even when poor remedial work is done, as was allegedly the case with the flag at Durban Park when the country was turning 52.

The Government ought to address the issue more seriously, and must ensure that at least ten flags of varying or same size are kept at Durban Park and other important mega-Parks/ Centers whenever they need to be hoisted or displayed.

To dismiss the PPP’s concerns and those of Guyanese as a trivial matter is not the right approach to good governance. Like all Guyanese, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it pays keen attention to not just the use and treatment of stamps, but all symbols and monuments associated with nationhood.

Students of School of the Nations on Friday celebrated International Children’s Day with a grand exhibition. In photo, these students display their projects on poverty alleviation

Red Thread has been failing over the past 3 years Dear Editor, Red Thread’s involvement in the protest intending to advocate for the rights of Amerindians, in front of the privately-owned Mae's Schools, has been hailed as admirable work. However, the organisation has now exposed itself to criticisms of inaction on similar causes.

Just consider its silence in the face of the APNU/AFC assault on Amerindians over the course of the past there years.

Where was Red Thread when 1,972 young Amerindians were fired, and there has since been no effort or initiative to re-engage them in productive areas that see their welfare addressed?

Where was Red Thread when a Government Minister, Keith Scott, in no less a place than the National Assembly, castigated thousands of Amerindians for be-

ing greedy?

Where was the outrage when Minister Scott not only rose and told the National Assembly that Amerindians were avaricious in their request for more lands, but also refused to apologize for his comments?

Editor, it is not only the silence on the attacks on Amerindian people that is objectionable, but Red Thread’s silence on the violation of liberties of women in the public sector. We have seen countless professional women in the public service being bullied out of their jobs on less than substantial grounds.

We have seen the despicable display of a pregnant woman being hauled before the courts, accompanied by her lawyer, Nigel Hughes, on baseless charges, and being booted out of her post.

Where was Red Thread then?

The organisation’s Karen de Souza had boasted some years ago about the focus of her organization, and had argued that Red Thread has three priorities, including protection and justice for women and increased visibility and voice for grassroots women.

Where were the protests when thousands of female sugar workers were callously fired?

Where was Red Thread when the current Government blatantly disrespected and ignored the laws of Guyana by failing to pay their full severance?

Where was Red Thread when there were multiple calls for a decision of such magnitude to be based on solid information, not just based on a whim?

Where was Red Thread when the Government ignored its own Commission of Inquiry Report which made

it clear that no sugar estate should be closed because of the consequences?

Red Thread has repeatedly rejected association with the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) by saying it is an ‘old story’ that is repeated. But how do you explain Red Thread’s silence in the face of actions taken by this Coalition Government, which the WPA is part of?

How can the association between the WPA and Red Thread be discounted as an ‘old story’ when the organization is inconsistent in defending the causes it is supposed to represent?

Editor, I would like to submit that credibility as an organization hinges on its consistency in fighting issues; but, in this regard, Red Thread has been failing over the past three years.

Regards, Baldeo Mathura

Damage control after public exposure Dear Editor, My attention was drawn to a recent article from the Department of Public Information (DPI), published under the title “$200M road to open up intermediate Savannahs -road from Berbice River to Ebini ranch to be completed by September”. This was published on May 30th, 2018. It is obvious that DPI was seeking to do damage control after the public exposure of this project

by Citizens’ Report, in an article titled “$100M later and Ebini road yet to be completed, contractor handpicked”.

In that article, by way of an invited comment, I asked ten questions and called upon the National Drainage

and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Ministry of Agriculture to provide answers and to come clean on this issue with the taxpayers.

My colleague,

Parliamentary spokesperson on agriculture, Mr Dharamkumar Seeraj, also commented on the issue.

Notably, none of the concerns raised by us was ad-

dressed in the DPI report.

Rather, we saw an attempt to justify this project by explaining that it is to open up the Intermediate Savannahs for farming as a mitigating factor for climate change.

The concerns raised, and I reiterate, are the secrecy, the lack of due process, and the alleged numerous breaches of the Procurement Act to facilitate a hand-picked contractor and a now-believed incestuous relationship between the Deputy Director of NDIA, who is believed to be supervising the works and signing off on payments to the contractor he hand-picked. No amount of “fancy footworks” will stop us from pursuing this matter. continued on page 5

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Skyrocketing fuel prices

Corentyne hire car operators seeking 40% increase H

ire car operators plying the New Amsterdam/ Corriverton route on Friday temporarily parked their cars in protest over the increase in the price for gas, while demanding that short drop (five miles) fares be increased.

The drivers parked their cars at Port Mourant, Berbice, from about 10:00h and stayed until midday before resuming duty.

The drivers are seeking to have fares increased by up to 40 per cent to compensate for the recent hike in the price of gas which has increased by 15 per cent.

Fuel prices at the pumps in Berbice moved from $198 per liter at the start of the year to $231 per liter. However, the drivers are demanding that short drop fares move from $100 to $120 of $140.

Two weeks ago, it was

The Corentyne hire car operators outside the office of the Prime Minister at Port Mourant, Berbice on Friday

$940 per gallon of gas at some Guyoil stations in Berbice; now it is $1040.

At the start of last month, most hire car operators were using $7500 to fill their car tank, now it will cost them over $8000.

Drivers on Friday argued that at the current price for fuel, they can only stay in business if they increase fares.

The operators are nevertheless demanding that commuters be made to

pay the proposed increases. They called for the increase to be implemented immediately.

At Port Mourant, scores of operators on Friday parked their cars and went to the Office of the Prime

Minister, however, no one was at the office.

Thakur McLeen, a father of five, who operates his car says since the increase in fuel cost, he has only been taking home under $1500 daily. “$100 for a short drop will not work because the gas price going up every day; it will not work out plus we have to get new tires, oil and filter.”

While the drivers argue that spare parts have also been increasing since the fare was set at $100 for a short drop, it should be noted that the price for all of the other expenses was factored into the price when the fare was set.

Meanwhile, Subhas Singh, a hire car driver for eight years, said the increase in competition is also another reason for proposed increases to be implemented. He claimed the following the recent

increase in fuel prices, he has been taking home less than $1000 at the end of the day.

He explained that there are more hire cars on the road today as against when he started operating.

Many of the drivers who ply the New Amsterdam/ Corriverton and New Amsterdam/Rose Hall route are contending that with current prices for gasoline at the pump, the hire car business cannot sustain them and their family.

Many of them have to pay a rental for the vehicles while a large number of the operators have loads on the vehicle. They say they are operating at a loss.

The operators are seeking to stage another demonstration on Monday and hope to get the support of a larger number hire car operators and owners who are non-operators.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Arrogance that pervades political, administrative power (Pt 1) Dear Editor, Firstly, let me clear my debt to Cicero by thanking him for crystallizing the four Cardinal Virtues: Justice, Wisdom, Courage and Temperance. Courage, in my opinion, is the greatest virtue, and underpins all other virtues; yet lack of temperance is the most challenging of virtues to inculcate into your character.

The gains in character and honour from not acquiescing to ill-will, ingratitude, insolence, arrogance and disloyalty far exceed any soup one may receive from the process of grovelling and prostrating oneself to persons in high office.

The pure joy garnered from sports in terms of inspiring the masses of a nation is unparalleled; the ethos of cohesion, solidarity and connectivity is immeasurable; be it in cricket, foot-

ball, basketball or any of the other sports.

To a considerable extent, certain sports are played by the underprivileged, and for these individuals, it is the platform for the building of self-confidence, opportunities to travel, self-esteem, discipline, status, love of country, development of friendships, and the perseverance to succeed. Studies have shown that participation in Sports has reduced crime, indiscipline and idle behaviour.

The Guyana Basketball Federation is at a sweating point, not a breaking point.

We sent, on May 7, 2018, letters seeking funding from the Government, letters written to Minister Norton of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Minister Harmon of the Ministry of State, for Guyana’s Men and Women to partici-

pate in the 2018 Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championships in Suriname from June 15-30.

By some quirk in the structure of the Government apparatus, Senior Minister Harmon is the subject Minister of Senior Minister Norton, among other Minister/s under his domain. In addition, Minister Harmon is de facto the most powerful Minister in Guyana, and his decisions can only be counteracted by President Granger, especially since he is the spokesperson for the President.

We have not received a formal response from the Government, since we hand delivered the letters to the above-mentioned Ministries on May 7th, 2018, with the letters emailed days earlier.

Of course rumours abound about my writings in the media, causing

a backlash against funding for our female team, which includes: five high schoolers from President College, one from Mackenzie High School, two from St. Roses, one from Bishops, one from the Guyana Police Force, one from Marian Academy, one from Guyana School of Agriculture, two from Kwakwani under the age of twenty-three, among others.

Most of the players from the Men Squad have completed High School. Six are from Region 10, one from Region 6, and ten from Region 4; all are Guyanese born.

Aside from the great honour to play for Guyana, it is a great psychological boost and an impressive achievement to represent your country, as many of us know.

Where is the common-sense juxtaposition for my writings in the media

Damage control after...

from page 4

It is clear that all is not well in the way things are being managed at NDIA, because since the publication of the article, a number of individuals have made contact with me concerning other alleged wrongdoings at NDIA, which again involve the Deputy Director, Dave Hicks.

One such revelation has to do with the consultant and the contractor, allegedly for works being done at the rehabilitation of the Three Friends pump station in Essequibo. It has been brought to our attention that the consultancy firm, C.B & Associates Inc., which shares a close relationship with the Deputy Director of NDIA, received a letter of credit of $15 million from Samaroo Investments, the

contractor on this project, to secure his bid, and was subsequently awarded the consultancy services for this project.

Therefore, a consultant is supervising a contractor on a project the financial security of which is dependent upon that contractor.

All of this is known at NDIA, yet nothing has been done to bring an end to this incestuous relationship that exposes the state and taxpayers. This is real Misconduct in Public Office. I hope that the goodly gentleman, Mr Fredrick Flatts, the Director of NDIA, will not allow himself to be used again by the DPI to provide a cover up to obvious corruption. Further, I take this opportunity to call upon the Public Procurement

Commission (PPC) and the Office of the Auditor General to immediately investigate these glaring breaches of our

procurement laws.

Sincerely, Juan Edghill, MP

and the failure to action letters requesting funding for national teams to represent Guyana at regional championships? For that matter, where is the logic in this protracted delay?

Over $150,000 in costs are incurred daily, just too keep the basketball squads in training. The Guyana Basketball Federation is owed $4.3 million since 2016 by the National Sports Commission (NSC). During the hosting of the U16 Caribbean Championships in Guyana, we expended

more than $7.8 million on structural improvements to the Sports Hall, which the NSC Chairman and other Commissioners promised to reimburse promptly. So far, only $3.5 million has been repaid. My fervent wish for our country is that leadership from the green and red parties be forward-looking, and disavow our decadeslong political culture that has been filled too often with callous vendetta and spite.

Sincerely, Nigel Hinds

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Page

Foundation

– the foundation for trust in the adult lives of twins continued from Friday

By Barbara Klein

What does individual attentiveness for parents look like in actual behavioural terms?

Experience each child as an individual from the moment of “first connection” Humour your intuitive emotional connection with each twin as they grow.

For example, Twin A, Hug, is a calmer baby who is less demanding than Twin B, Slug. Slug cries easily and needs more holding. Temperamental Slug is more high-strung than his brother. Slug can be calmed down by Hug, but both boys need to be engaged with their parents through holding, singing, playing games, and of course feeding and soothing.

Time with each child alone that is interesting and creative and develops curiosity on a daily basis Do not impose a goal in this interaction when you begin. Let the goal or structure evolve from being together.

As you develop a unique relationship with each child, talk with them about what is going on and make up a narrative that you can repeat to them.

Play time together for both children that is non-structured but also in a safe place.

Separate time alone every day to prevent the overdevelopment of enmeshment and interdependence Find toys, videos and books that belong only to one child.

While these items can be shared, the owner needs to be consulted first and give permission to use his/her toy, book, game, etc.

Assessing differences between your children and developing their

strengths and weaknesses is essential For example, Paul is the pushy child. Polly is the quiet “stand behind” supporter for her twin brother Paul.

Both twins favour their own styles of interacting and have difficulty at school for different reasons. But Paul is given more negative attention without his sister Polly and he learns to expect that he will get in trouble. Polly hides in the corner without Paul to give her interactions meaning as she has been overly focused on her brother and has difficulty focusing on herself.

Learning to share friends Twins at first will make friends together, which involves learning to share friends. Parents should monitor these experiences to make sure that one twin is not dominating the other.

Making friends

outside of the twinship Making friends outside of the twinship can provide opportunities for parents to understand the uniqueness of their child.

Nurturing each child’s differences will be easier when your children have their own special friends.

Respect and encourage their differences Make sure that outside caregivers and relatives respect how your twins are different from one another and that they encourage their differences in their actions and reactions.

Find separate activities Find separate activities that each child is interested in doing alone. And limit the shared activities that are done together.

Language development Language development shows the development of the strength of the self. If twins are talking for one another or have developed their own special language, consult with a speech therapist.

The above interventions will help parents develop authentic relationships with their children. In turn, the parent-child attachment will not be replaced by the twin attachment. When a problem arises twins can turn to their parents for help as well as one another. Parental attachment will limit twin estrangement in later life.

(Excerpt from p s y c h o l o g y t o d a y. com)

Children working in ship propeller-making factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 7, 2018 (Zakir Hossain ChowdhuryBarcroft Media/Getty Images)

O

ver half of the world’s children may be robbed of their childhoods owing to poverty, conflict and gender discrimination, according to a new report

by Save the Children.

Released ahead of International Children’s Day on June 1, the report reveals that 1.2 billion children are at risk from one of these threats, while 153 million children are exposed to all three.

“More than half the world’s children start their lives held back because they are a girl, because they are poor, or because they are growing up in a war-zone,” Save the Children’s Regional Director, David Wright, said in a statement. “Early marriage, child labour and malnutrition are just some of the life-changing events that can rob children of their childhood.”

The aid organisation’s second End of Childhood index ranked 175 countries on where children are most and least at risk for factors, including death, malnutrition, lack of education, labour and forced marriage.

While most of the world improved from last year, conditions for children worsened in 40 countries.

All 10 of the countries where children were deemed most at risk were on the African continent, with Niger, Mali and Central African Republic at the bottom, while Singapore and Slovenia earned rankings as the best places for children, followed by Norway and Sweden.

While the United States made progress in some areas compared to last year, it was ranked 36 of 175, positioning it between Belarus and Russia. The report found children in the US to be victims of extreme violence, with the child homicide rate comparable to Yemen, Afghanistan, North Korea and the Philippines.

The report also emphasised that more than six million children in the US live in “deep poverty”.

“The United States, Russia and China may well be the three most powerful countries in the world — in terms of their combined economic, military and technological strength and global influence — but all three badly trail most of Western Europe in helping children reach their full potential,” the report says.

According to Save the Children, 10 major trends require action, including the finding that 20 people are newly displaced every minute as a result of conflict or persecution. By 2030, it estimates over 150 million girls will marry before their 18th birthday, and says teen pregnancy is also set to increase. (Time)

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Gunmen strike again in Eccles …another family terrorised, robbed

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ours after armed men had terrorised and robbed the occupants of a home in Eccles, East Bank Demerara, gunmen stuck again, this time relieving a trio of an undisclosed sum of cash and valuables in the wee hours of Thursday.

Based on reports received, two armed men gained access to the ‘EE’ Eccles, East Bank Demerara home at about 02:30h through a “high lighter” window located on the lower flat of the two-storey building. At the time, Krista Vicente, 29; Mohamed Zameer Bana, 30; and Prathish Madan, 19, were at home, having earlier secured their home and retiring to bed at about 00:15h on Thursday.

Having reportedly kicked open the bedroom doors of the victims, the two armed intruders ordered them to assemble in one room. There, holding the trio at gunpoint, the intruders demanded cash and other valuables.

Retaliating to the trio’s

initial reluctant to cooperate, the men tied Bana’s feet with a belt and his hands with his shirt, even as they continued to terrorise and intimidate the trio to hand over their valuables.

While one of the men held the trio at gunpoint, the other ransacked the home and found two Movado wrist watches, one gold wedding band, to high-end mobile phones, one electronic tablet, a laptop computer, and an undisclosed sum of cash.

Apparently satisfied with their booty, the intruders reportedly left the scene, after which the occupants raised an alarm and contacted the Police.

When the Police arrived, they took statements and dusted the area for finger prints. However, nobody has as yet been arrested, but investigations continue.

Last Wednesday, four persons were terrorised and robbed after four armed man burgled their home in the wee hours of the morning. In that robbery, cash and several pieces of jewellery were taken.

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After running for 18 years

Enmore man slapped with murder charge A

n Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) man was on Friday arraigned for a murder that he allegedly committed 18 years ago and appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

Deonarine Bhikari, 53, of Log Wood Enmore, ECD, was not required to plea to the indicated charge which stated that on May 21, 2000, he murdered Daniel Singh. The accused was 35 years old when reportedly hacked Singh to death in front of his four children.

The presiding prosecutor informed the court that the file is incomplete but assured the Magistrate that it will be at the next hearing. He was remanded to prison by Magistrate Peter Hugh. The case will continue on June 15.

However, on Friday, several family members of the dead man turned up at the court to get a glimpse of the accused, who was in cuffs and chains. The relatives related that they were confident justice will be served.

Although waiting for 18 years, Dochand Singh, a son of the dead man related that he was extremely happy that the suspect was charged. He related that he does not mind waiting another 18 years as he is confident that justice will be fully served.

Eighteen years ago,

Deonarine Bhikari leaving the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court on Friday (Leroy Smith photo)

49-year-old Daniel Singh, of Hope West, Enmore, ECD and Bhikari usually had confrontations, since the suspect and Singh’s daughter, Nalini, had reportedly liked each other but Singh did not approve of that.

It was reported that Singh was on the front step of his home when he was reportedly attacked

by Bhikari with a cutlass.

Bhikari also killed three of the family’s dogs, while injuring Nalini Singh and another one of their dogs during the brutal attack.

One of the then young sons had recalled being awakened by his sister’s screams, and upon looking through the window, he saw the attacker firing chops at his father.

At the time of the attack, Nalini was shouting

at the suspect, asking him what he was doing to her father. The man reportedly then turned his attention to her, also inflicting chops to both of her hands. She managed to escape, seeking refuge in a neighbour’s yard.

Meanwhile, two of Singh’s young sons were reportedly standing in shock watching helplessly as their unconscious father lay bleeding on the ground.

Upon noticing that the attacker was charging towards them, the two young boys ran into the bedroom and locked the door.

After realising that he was unable to get the door open, the man reportedly left the yard by scaling the back fence and made good his escape. He then went into hiding.

Singh was picked up by neighbours who were awakened by screams and rushed him to the hospital where he was admitted and subsequently died a few days later without regaining consciousness.

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

“Otiesha” charged with rape of teen boy Going around

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tis “Otiesha” Pearson was on Friday arraigned before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly on a charge of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 years. This incident allegedly occurred on December 24, 2017.

The 40-year-old Pearson, of Lot 61 Station Street, Kitty Georgetown, was not required to plea to the indictable charge. He was placed on bail in the sum of

$300,000, and is expected to return to court on June 19.

Recap

Otis “Otiesha” Pearson

Otis Pearson was arrested by Police on March 6, 2018 after the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) had closed its investigation into the alleged rape of a child in February.

According to CCPA Head Ann Greene, the Agency had gathered statements from a number of persons, including the child in the middle of the

controversy.

The investigation was launched when Pearson was reportedly heard in an interview reporting that he has “a little boy for every day of the week.”

The statement quickly became a serious matter when a photo of Pearson hugging a lad was leaked on Facebook.

Investigations revealed that the lad was indeed below the age of 16, and was being bullied after the photos were leaked.

Campbellville brawl lands 6 people in court

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ix residents of Campbellville Housing Scheme in Georgetown on Friday appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly to

answer a total of 14 assault charges altogether.

Crystal Burrowes, Tiffany Adams, Shyon Adams, Moses Adams and Terrence Forde all pleaded

not guilty to the charges that were read to them; while Atesha Burrowes pleaded guilty with an explanation.

The Prosecution’s facts presented to the court state

that the Burroweses and the Adamses used threatening language against each other on May 25 and May 28, 2018, and the incident ended up in a brawl.

Atesha Burrowes told the court that she went to visit her mother, who lives next door to the Adams family.

She said her mother asked her to open the shop which she operates, and upon doing so, she made contact with Shyon Adams, and an argument ensued.

The two allegedly became abusive while using threating language to each other, and this caused relatives of each party to intervene.

Atesha Burrowes was fined $10,000 for abusive language and $10,000 for breaching the peace. Crystal Burrows was fined $10,000 for abusive language, and placed on $15,000 bail for breaching the peace; and Shyon Adams, Tiffany Adams, Moses Adams and Terrence Forde were each placed on $15,000 bail.

The matter is expected to continue of June 8.

Alberttown man slapped with assault charge

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eon Meredith of Alberttown, Georgetown appeared on Friday before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly to answer a charge alleging that on May 27, 2018, while in the vicinity of Fourth Street, Alberttown Georgetown, he assaulted Dorrel Gill with intent to cause him actual bodily harm.

Meredith denied the charge after it was read to him by the magistrate, and Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh had no objection to Meredith being placed on bail.

Meredith was accordingly placed on bail in the sum of $30,000, and the case will continue on June 18.

in circles…

T

…on the Judiciary he recommendation by the Bar Association that President Granger confirm the present acting Chancellor and Chief Justice raises once again, his high-handed modus operandi in governance.

It is now exactly 6 months since he nominated – seemingly out of the blue – Justice Benjamin of Belize for the Chancellorship and to demote the incumbent Cummings-Edwards, to Chief Justice. What this did was to throw Justice Roxanne George – the present Chief Justice - under the bus.

Granger tried to cover up his arbitrary selection of Benjamin by advertising for applicants for the two positions. Something unheard of in the history of the Guyanese Judiciary. But who did he think he was fooling?? In every appointment decision for substantive positions in government over the last three years, Granger has shown he’d rather have one GDF ex-officer or another. The revelation that Benjamin was once a GDF officer back in the day just made Guyanese more cynical about his “politricks”. Granger, after all, would’ve inducted Benjamin into Burnham’s authoritarian philosophy of governance – since he was in charge of the indoctrination programme in the army.

Further revelations that Benjamin had some blots on his judicial copybook over in Belize, didn’t even earn a comment from Granger. His mind was made up – just as it was when he demanded the 80+ yearold Justice Patterson as his GECOM Chair. Who cares that he stretched – if not violated - the constitution to deny the Opposition Leader any input into the process.

Up to now we see that what Granger wants – Granger gets – one way or another. The fundamental feature of democracy that “the other side must be heard” doesn’t seem to have percolated his consciousness.

Your Eyewitness figures army officer training doesn’t make democratic decision making one of its central tenets!! Decisions are made by the fella with the most stars or stripes – and you’d better carry them out since death by firing squad is the usual riposte!!

Guess Granger feels he’s been pretty lenient up to now since he hasn’t shot anyone – yet!! And it’s clear Justice George has earned Granger’s ire, for handing in some decisions that went against him – and his erstwhile AG! But while not shooting her, Granger clearly intends to banish her. How dare she insists on her “perceptions”!!

Your Eyewitness is tired of pointing out concrete evidence of our slide into authoritarianism - without any response by ordinary folks. Like the trained tactician he is, Granger’s lining up his ducks one at a time to control key institutions of the state. The Judiciary remains the last one standing – and Justice George is the only block in his path.

Guyanese must stand up for her!! …on petrol prices How many times do the Guyanese people have to go over this government’s responsibility to moderate petrol-price spikes?? Why exactly did we form Guyoil?

Just a spot to give some old PNC stalwarts like Lance Carberry tenure in retirement? When prices of petrol and petroleum products rise in the world market, private companies immediately jack up prices ostensibly to compensate for the rise – but actually to gouge consumers with price increases way beyond their increase in costs.

And this is where Guyoil’s supposed to come in.

They’re supposed to cover just the actual cost increase and hold the private companies’ feet to the fire on price gouging. Right now Guyoil says it’s doing this; but after disaggregating the numbers, your Eyewitness thinks Guyoil’s still profiteering. What they’re doing is holding on to the profits for government to spend rather than leaving money in the consumers’ pockets for them to spend and stimulate the economy.

This spike in petrol prices in just another nail in the coffin of the ailing Guyanese economy. …on the roundabout There’s no question that roundabout can assist in moving traffic at intersections that have massive traffic flow in all directions. But this is absolutely NOT the case at Kitty!

Vanity…vanity…It’s all vanity! $79Million worth of vanity!!

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

9 Jagdeo calls Govt out on absence of new, major investments O News

saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has come out swinging against the continued absence of new, major investments; criticising Government for the reliance on investments brought under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

The Opposition Leader zeroed in on this issue at his press conference on Thursday. There, he challenged the Government to identify a substantial investment it brought to Guyana since taking up office in 2015.

“They have not done a single major investment,” Jagdeo posited.

“The two, large gold mines; ExxonMobil… now the Manganese plant… That is their mantra. And they didn’t bring the company

here. Can they point to a single investment that they brought to Guyana? The answer is no.”

According to Jagdeo, the PPP was once heavily criticised by the then Opposition based on their management of the economy. This is even though data shows that economic growth, as well as other indicators, is on a downward slide.

“These were the same people who were criticising us in the past and saying we are not doing a good job on the economy. They have not brought a single investment. They’re latching on to these investments that came under the PPP and they have no prospect of bringing any investment here.”

Foreign Direct Investments have been

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

shown to play a major role in the economic health of a country. An example of this can be seen in the mining sector, where just two foreign mining companies produced over half the output of local small and medium-scale miners combined.

In February, it was announced that a number of Barbadian manufacturers and services exporters would participate in an exploratory mission to Guyana to seek new trade and market opportunities.

Organised by the

Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) in collaboration with the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), the event was intended to facilitate 10 recently formed companies from the island as they seek to network with local businesses.

The companies themselves were drawn from the food and beverage, Information Technology, construction, garment and fashion, footwear, media publishing and health and wellness fields. The participating firms included Artel Cimtect Inc (construction), Bibi’s Snacks Inc and Eve’s Creations (food and beverage).

In addition, companies such as Carepoint Solutions (ICT), Eastlanders

Manufacturing (craft), Locks Protector (hair accessories), Regal Elegance (garment sector), Spa E’scentials and the Healing Power of Touch (health and wellness) and Thorne Publishing and Productions (media publishing) were also supposed to participate.

BIDC is a statutory agency of the Barbados Government, with special responsibility for export development and promotion; the establishment and expansion of business enterprises. But even then, the MoU in question was signed in 2014, during the GuyExpo Investment forum, under the previous Administration.

There had also been talk over a number of oil companies looking to invest in Guyana.

Skyrocketing fuel prices

Minibus association threatens fare hike …calls for meeting with Govt … as Corentyne hire car drivers seek 40% increase

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he President of the United Minibus Union (UMU), supported by leaders and representatives of several minibus routes, on Friday threatened to hike public transport fares as they plan to meet with the Government to decide a way forward, as fuel prices continue to escalate.

President of the Association, Eon Andrews, said plans are being put in place to meet with subject Minister, Dominic Gaskin, to draft a way forward.

Andrews noted that the Union would be unwilling to lower the proposed fare hike even if the price for gasoline decreased, since they are faced with many burdensome expenditures, which are also compounded by the fluctuating gas prices.

“The prices that we would have agreed to must remain the same… until such time we negotiate anything further. I say that to mean that it is not for the minibus union and its members and I think that the minibus industry to just decide that they must and should just raise fares. We think that there must be discussions. Things must be done in a civil manner,” Andrews explained.

It was further noted that he was made aware of the fact that drivers and conductors of the buses being used for public transportation have been overloading the busses with passengers, which they are afraid may very well become a norm if the Government does not step in and agree to the proposed hike of $20 and as much as $40 in some routes.

The President of the Union, who represented 13 routes, on Friday however did not hesitate to announce that these proposed fares are not to be imple-

From right: James Cowsil, head of the 32 minibus zone; Eon Andrews, President of the UMU; and Sookdeo Singh, a representative of the 44 minibus zone

mented by the drivers, until the Government would have agreed.

Andrews pointed out that the proposed hike for transportation fares comes as a result of drivers complaining bitterly about their livelihood being adversely affected by the climbing fuel prices. The drivers also said they are also burdened with the new hefty prices they are being made to pay for their licences, fitness for the vehicles, other necessary documentation, in addition and maintenance of the vehicles, which remains a major burden especially since Government recently took a decision to ban the use of used tyres.

The Union asserted that they will continue protest action until a resolution is made to the burdensome issue they are forced to cope with. On Thursday, minibus operators who ply their trade at various routes along the Georgetown to Mahaica, East Coast Demerara route continued their strike action, demanding that Government give immediate attention to the rising fuel prices.

As a result of the increase in fuel prices, a group of irate minibus operators on Thursday morning blocked the Vryheid’s Lust access junction along the East Coast railway embank-

ment. There, several tyres were burnt, and an old car was set on fire to garner the attention needed with the hope of addressing the situation.

The minibus operators posited that they were adversely affected by the sudden hike in the price for gasoline and diesel at gas stations across the country.

They said too that they are already struggling to run profitable enterprises when one looks at the various expenses they are faced with on a daily basis.

Others said over 100 minibuses are supporting the strike action while others are finding it difficult to physically support the action because of their dire fi-

nancial situation.

Gas station prices for fuel have increased rapidly from $215 per litre last week to prices ranging from $230 to $250 per litre this week.

That situation continues as the Government remains indifferent and mum on the matter. Nevertheless, the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday issued claims of price structures which appeared to be cheaper than what recent reports suggest.

This comes after the Federation of Independent

Trade Unions of Guyana urged Government to act swiftly on the matter.

On Wednesday, the trade union said this sudden hike in fuel prices will burden consumers. In a strongly worded statement to the media, the union said Government must stop “turning a blind eye to what is taking place” and proactively act in the interest of people.

However, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin had disclosed that the matter was still to be addressed

by Cabinet.

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US assists Guyana to enhance port security

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he Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Friday received from the United States Government computerised Identification Card reader equipment that would be used to enhanced local port security.

The Transportation Workers Identification Card system (TWIC), which is valued at just under US$8000, was handed over to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson at the MARAD Head Office in Kingston.

In brief remarks, Minister Patterson explained how the equipment would help enhance port security.

“The card which will be used by the port facilities in Guyana will be known as PSAC (Port Security Access Card)…The purpose for this machine is…to produce identification cards for employees working at port facilities, and reduce the security checks for other stakeholders who frequent port facilities,” the Minister stated.

He further noted that the card would improve the security standards at port facilities in terms of access control. According to

Patterson, persons wanting to become a Port Security Officer would be required to complete four modules of training.

The implementation of this new system comes as Guyana continues to take the necessary steps to improve security standards at the various port facilities, in accordance with the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code, which was adopted here in 2004 following the 2001 terrorist attack.

US Ambassador Perry Holloway explained that after a series of capacity building sessions and quarterly facility visits here by U.S. experts, including the Coast Guard, as well as assessments done, it was determined that this electronic ID Card system is what is needed in Guyana to build on its ongoing improvements in port security.

“This ID card programme will allow MARAD to have greater governmental oversight on who is allowed access to the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code-compliant facilities in Guyana… Once the equipment is installed, Guyana will have a port facility identification card

US Ambassador Perry Holloway handed over the equipment for the ID card system to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson on Friday

programme similar to that in the United States,” the Ambassador stated.

The US diplomat went on to note that with oil production on the horizon, business here is expected to bloom, and as such, it is important that MARAD is equipped with the necessary tools to monitor the port facilities.

“One of the weaknesses that were identified was access to the port. It was quite easy to get access to the port, and now it’s going to

be much more difficult; and not only is it difficult, but if there is need for an investigation or there are accusations, they are going to able to go to this electronic sys-

tem and have a record of who was in the port, in what part and at what time. So this just gives you control of your port…,” he stated.

According to Ambassador Holloway, over US$100,000 has been spent on technical assistance and training, since it is the human expertise that will be needed to detect and determine if anything is amiss using information collected on the ID card system.

To this end, Director General of MARAD, Claudette Rogers, noted that the constant training from the US Government has boosted the local maritime capacity, which in turn had increase Guyana’s port security compliance by 26 per cent.

“They were able to identify what are some of the deficiencies, and we would’ve been able to take the corrective actions going forward in terms of correcting

those deficiencies. And that in itself would have helped us significantly to move our score from 58 to 84 per cent,” she posited.

Ambassador Holloway had outlined that deficiencies identified within the local port security had to do with their basic functions, which are monitoring, inspecting and reporting.

“We recognised that those who were operating at those port facilities were not adequately trained, did not truly understand and comprehend their roles as port state security officers, and so we were able to point them in that direction, which has helped significantly going forward,” the MARAD Director General noted.

MARAD is expected to hold sensitization programmes with owners and operators of the various port facilities before implementing the ID Card system.

Gunmen rob pensioner of $1.5M

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65-year-old pensioner who was overseeing construction work at his D’Urban Street, Georgetown home was relieved of $1.5 million and other valuables by two gunmen who entered his premises.

According to information received at about 14:00h on Thursday, the businessman, Noor Ally, was standing by his kitchen door overseeing the construction of a shed in his yard. He recalled observing a man entering his yard and walked towards him.

As he looked closer, he realised the man was armed with a gun and immediately made his way through the main access door with the intention of hiding but in-

stead was confronted by a second gunman, who placed a gun to his head.

Ally and the carpenter were forcefully taken into a shop operated by the pensioner instructed to lie on the ground. The men then opened a drawer in the shop where they took out a sum of cash along with a quanti-

ty of phone cards and other items.

The two gunmen then made good their escape. The Police were summoned and detectives were up to late Friday evening reviewing CCTV footage collected from nearby buildings. No arrests were made as Police continue their investigations.

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Linden/Lethem trail

Govt announces plans to fix road ‌after weeks of outcry from commuters

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perators commuting the almost impassable LindenLethem trail complain bitterly over its worsening condition as a result of the ongoing persistent rainfall, but Government has announced that works would soon commence on several interior roadways when the May/June rainy season is over.

This was announced on Friday by the Natural Resources Ministry, which said that with the support of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), it would be moving forward with the maintenance of several roads in hinterland communities that were in a deplorable state. These rehabilitative works will be done also in collaboration with the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

At the beginning of last month, six road contracts valued at over $650 million were awarded to various contractors for the maintenance of the Rockstone-

Mabura, KurupukariAnnai-Lethem, and the Linden-Ituni-Kwakwani roads. This is in addition to a previous contract that was awarded to JR Ranch for the Manari Bridge realignment in Region Nine, Rupununi that was valued at $83,003, 620.

Particularly, rehabilitation of the Linden-ItuniKwakwani Road in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) will recommence at the end of the May-June rainy season. The contracts were awarded for repairs to the roads to International Imports and Supplies to the tune of $239.7 million.

The contractor has mobilised equipment at site, and marking out of the roads has commenced.

Meanwhile, maintenance of the Annai to Lethem Road should commence in the first week of June, pending facilitating weather. For this project, the contractor has submitted all bonds, and the mobilisation advance is currently being processed. The

contract for the continuing section of the road from Annai to Kurupukari was awarded on the same date.

The roads were identified following discus-

Fire guts ECD home

A

fire of unknon origin on Friday evening engulfed a two storey building at Non Pariel, East Coast of Demerara.

Guyana Times was told that no one was at home at when the fire started at about 22:00h. More details in Sunday’s editon.

GRA seizes large quantity of foreign alcohol

A quantity of the alcohol seized by GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division

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n intelligence-led operation by the Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) resulted in a large quantity of uncustomed alcohol being confiscated at a location on the East Coast Demerara on Tuesday.

The seized goods, which

included about 50 cases of assorted uncustomed foreign alcoholic beverages, has a revenue value of approximately $6 million.

One person was arrested and subsequently put on station bail.

The GRA on Friday said it has been relentless in its pursuit of smugglers, acting in accordance with

the law. Once caught, perpetrators and accomplices can be fined up to three times the value of smuggled items in addition to the items being seized.

It added that it will continue to put systems in place to ensure its enforcement activities are enhanced.

sions with the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and several miners and forest operators, whereby concerns were raised that the condition of the roads was hindering their production efforts and costing them more to move supplies in

and out of the interior.

Concerns raised by hinterland residents during outreaches conducted by the Natural Resources Ministry also guided the decision by the ministry to see its re-engagement into hinterland roads rehabilitation and maintenance.

The Linden-Kwakwani road is an important conduit for forest operators, and repairs will also benefit the residents of these two communities and those along the corridor, including the residents of Ituni and Aroaima. The works will include ditching, excavating, section repairs of soft spots, and filling with laterite.

In his 2018 National Budget speech, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman had indicated that his ministry plans to work with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to improve the intricate road network in the six mining districts.

Approximately $2 billion has been earmarked so far for repairs under this initiative. This joint initiative of the GGMC, Natural Resources Ministry and

Public Infrastructure Ministry is aimed at maintaining and rehabilitating the roads, and providing the physical infrastructure necessary for these operators to maintain production in the extractive industries.

Residents are urged to monitor the works in their communities, and to make reports on the progress of these activities.

Since the May-June rainy season began, the already deplorable LindenLethem trail has become almost impassable, posing risks to commuters. In fact, it was pointed out that, almost daily, vehicles are overturning along the trail, with the most recent incident being on Wednesday.

Only last week, commuters had complained bitterly about the condition of the roads, and had called on Government to intervene and repair the sections that are almost impassable. More recently, small operators have called on authorities to suspend heavy duty vehicles from traversing the trail, since those vehicles are further damaging the roads.

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Motor vehicle Black Bush Polder, Blairmont get ICT Hubs registration “XX” B series to start shortly

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he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday said registration of the motor vehicle series “XX” will soon commence in keeping with the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act. In accordance with the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act Chapter 51:02, a motor vehicle registration series elapses after 9999 vehicles have been registered by the Licence Revenue Office under that series.

In his capacity as Chief Licensing Officer, the Commissioner General of the GRA, Godfrey Statia, has given his approval for

the new “XX” series to be introduced.

Motor vehicle owners are reminded that the motor vehicle licence expires on the registration anniversary of the vehicle.

Vehicle licences can be renewed at GRA’s headquarters or any GRA branch office.

However, when the registration for a vehicle has to be amended, for example, transfer of ownership, change of colour, change of intended use, etc, the vehicle must be physically examined by the Licence Revenue Office of the GRA before registration is issued.

lairmont on the West Bank of the Berbice River in Region Five, and Black Bush Polder on the Corentyne Coast in Region Six are the most recent beneficiaries of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Hubs, bringing the total hubs to 119.

The ICT hubs were on Friday officially opened by Public Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes, who, speaking during the opening ceremony of the Black Bush Polder Hub, said it is a perfect example of public-private partnership.

She pointed out that young people in Guyana with access to ICTs are being afforded the same opportunities as those in developed countries. Access to the internet, the Minister underscored would improve the life of every Guyanese. She

Students of the Joanna Primary School receiving their laptops from Chairman of the Yakusari Culture Centre, Mohabir Ramnauth, as Public Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes looks on

pointed to the numerous possibilities for entrepreneurship as just one example. The Public Telecommunications Minister said the ICT hub initiative augurs well for the education sector, allow-

ing students to complete research in a safe and comfortable space.

She announced that, in a few weeks, Grade Six Assessment applications, curriculum guides and the

CXC applications will be loaded on the computers in the ICT hubs.

At Blairmont, Minister Hughes explained to residents the administration’s vision of making available over 200 government services online, such as passport applications.

Speaking along similar lines, Chairman of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Floyd Levi, said Government is not only providing the laptops and free wi-fi, but training.

He called on the management committees to ensure that every citizen, regardless of age, is given access to the hubs and computers.

The Centre houses the Black Bush Polder hub, while the Blairmont hub is housed at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) office.

Father discharged from GPHC with memory loss A

pproximately two weeks after an accident on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), rendered a father almost helpless, he has been discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) after losing most of his memory and mobility.

Valmeek Persaud, a 53-year-old father of three, who hails from New Road, Charity, Essequibo Coast, was struck down on May 18, 2018, during a heavy downpour by a motorcyclist who was not only allegedly drunk, but also riding with-

out lights.

One of the man’s saddened sons, Prakash Persaud, said his father was only discharged from the hospital on Tuesday and is still trying to adapt to his new lifestyle.

According to him, his father has steel placed inside his leg, which has been helping him to become more mobile and which is also still being treated. Meanwhile, the man has returned to his normal diet, with the exception of a few foods for medical purposes.

The man, who farms for a living, has not been able

to ply his trade since he suffered these injuries, along with severe brain damage, which has taken a toll on his memory, among other side effects.

The man’s son told Guyana Times on Friday, “Sometimes he knows you and sometimes he doesn’t.

Sometimes he is be sitting right there and call you someone else’s name. It’s like he has amnesia because he forgets everything in like a few minutes. Up to now he still questions us like what happened to his foot because, he like, he doesn’t remember the accident”.

Valmeek Persaud while he was hospitalised

Added to that, he said his father is being monitored by the Georgetown Public Hospital. He noted in an al-

most tearful voice that as much as he wants his father to recover, he does not know how soon it can be made pos-

sible, since his father’s condition does not look “promising”.

In relation to the rider of the motorcycle, Persaud said he learnt the man was released on bail by Police who told the family that they are not allowed to give them any other information.

Persaud was rushed to the Charity Hospital, along with the rider of the motorcycle who fractured his jaw and reportedly cracked his skull. The men were subsequently taken to the Suddie Public Hospital before finally being transferred to GPHC. The 53-year-old man was reportedly on his way home during a heavy downpour around 19:00h that evening when the motorcyclist struck him.

He was being treated at GPHC for a fractured right leg, internal bleeding, brain damage, spinal injuries, a cut in his right eye and several lacerations about his body.

13 GBTI awards Early Savers news

saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Esso Exploration meets with Banks DIH to foster mutual interests

Chairman/Managing Director of Banks DIH Limited, Clifford Reis, shares a handshake with Country Manager of EEPGL, Ron Henson, in the presence of other officials

E

sso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), the partner of US oil giant ExxonMobil, recently met with the Directors of Banks DIH Limited as well as its subsidiary companies, in its quest to foster discussions of mutual interest.

Banks DIH Limited on Friday said the visiting team from the oil company

received a tour of the local facility.

The Banks DIH Limited team at the meeting included Chairman and Managing Director Clifford Reis, CoManaging Director and Marketing Director George McDonald; Operations Director Michael Pereira; Engineering Services Director Shabir Hussein, and Managing Director of

Citizens Bank Guyana Inc, Eton Chester.

“The visiting delegation expressed great satisfaction with both the tour and the mutual discussions with the management team of the company, and thanked the Chairman and Directors for hosting the EPPGL delegation,” Banks DIH said on Friday.

Guyanese top performer awarded University of Toronto scholarship

G

uyanese Vamanadev Upendra Hiralall, one of two students to top CSEC in Guyana, has been awarded the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship to pursue studies in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto.

Hiralall, a former student of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) School, is among 40 international students who have been selected for the scholarship.

The SVN School on Friday said Hiralall has been an exemplary student in terms of his singular commitment to academic work.

“Such has been his keenness (that) he spotted a num-

Vamanadev Upendra Hiralall

ber of errors in his Physics textbooks, a fact attested to by his Physics teacher, Alfred Bhulai, who heads the Physics

CAPE programme at SVN. According to Mr Bhulai, who has been teaching Physics for almost 50 years, Vamana easily ranks as his best student,” the school said in a statement.

The school noted that Hiralall continued his studies with CAPE at SVN, and gained 13 Grade One passes and three Grade Two passes, and was SVN's 2017 Best Performing CAPE Student.

While he was given a spot to pursue medicine at the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine, he felt he had a good chance to compete for international scholarships. As a result, he was awarded a number of scholarships, but has opted for the Pearson Scholarship instead.

T

he Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) continues to promote savings, and believes that an early start to good saving habits could influence a good lifestyle.

Every year, the GBTI awards three customers from its Early Savers Account Club in a bid to encourage them and others to continue practising good habits in regard to saving.

The winners are selected from new and active customers depositing $1000 or more annually. Twoyear-old Nathan Budnie of Tabatinga, Central Rupununi; Kavita Rohan, of Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara, and Jaden Persaud of Kitty, Georgetown are the bank’s 2018 Early Savers Winners.

Budnie won a tricycle, while the other two winners received tablets.

The GBTI Early Savers Club has many benefits for members. Their savings account starts with a minimum balance of $1,000 and has an attractive interest rate.

Every year, the bank recognises eligible members who have successfully completed the National Grade Six Assessment and submitted an entry for the Bursary Award. As a club member, family and friends can also purchase GBTI’s gift certificates without additional transaction

Nathan Budnie receiving his prize from GBTI Staff Aruna Hari in the presence of his mother, Miriam Saba

charges.

In addition, parents of Early Savers Club members can enjoy a 0.50% reduction in loan rates to purchase educational items and pay school and tuition fees.

An early saver is gifted a free ATM card on their 12th birthday, pays no ATM

transaction charges, and can withdraw up to $15,000 per day. Special discount packages at several local merchants also form part of the package benefits.

Additionally, every year, the GBTI organises a one week summer programme for Early Savers Club Members.

Teenage pregnancy high in...

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Out of the 250 Indigenous villages scanned in 2017, only 11 had a female Toshao. UNICEF has noted that there is the need for self-empowerment discussions among all women of these communities.

Meanwhile, incest in the household is an act that has been prevalent for some time

now and it spans between not only father-daughter abuses, but also among siblings. It was indicated that these cases are never reported. In fact, the Police within the communities have heard words on the street about the frequency of incest in communities but it would seem as though that is ha-

bitual among relatives.

Final deductions conclude that the Indigenous people of Guyana “live in deep vulnerability, with historical changes that are rooted in the social, economic, administrative and political structures of the country”.

14 news CDB approves grant for rehabilitation of UG library T saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved a grant tune of US$149,985 for the infrastructural enhancement of the University of Guyana library.

The grant, approved by the Board of Directors of the CDB at its annual meeting held in March this year, will fund a comprehensive assessment of, and prepare final designs and cost estimates for, the construction of a modern, gender-responsive, social-

President of CDB, Dr Warren Smith, and Finance Minister Winston Jordan signing the grant

ly-inclusive, and environmentally resilient facility.

This grant would also help to address the adequacy and suitability of the current infrastructure.

The new library will be situated on a plot of land west of the current library.

The Government and UG will contribute approximately US$26,000 towards the full realization of the project.

The CDB had previously assisted the institution with technical assistance to examine its governance

and other structures.

Over the years, UG has had difficulty accessing funds to maintain the present library, its other buildings, or to construct newer buildings to cope with its ballooning student population.

The CDB is currently hosting its 48th Board of Governors’ meeting in Grenada. In attendance are Minister Jordan, Dr Griffith, and other senior functionaries of the Ministry of Finance.

Green Guyana Expo launched T

he Green Guyana Expo and International Small Business

Summit was on Friday launched at the Ramada Hotel with the intention of

promoting innovation and driving Guyana towards the Green State Development

Strategy under the theme “Sustainable economic growth through small businesses innovation, entrepreneurship and transformative Government policies”.

At the launch, ideas were exchanged by the partnering organisations on the exhibits and sectors that are being promoted as well as the various inputs that will be made.

Chairman of the African Business Roundtable (ABP), Eric Phillips stated that Guyana needs to steer clear of the use of fossil fuels which make it a brown economy and move towards sustainable sources of energy.

As such, many stakeholders with innovative technologies and creations will be on site to brief the public on their services and what can be achieved using renewable resources.

“Our Expo and Summit is about Guyana’s future for job creation, innovation and entrepreneurship. Guyana cannot compete effectively in a brown economy. We do not have comparative or competitive advantage. The green economy will offer us both of

those.”

He also revealed all varieties of business establishments will be allowed to participate in the summit with the intention of capturing new markets and partnerships with international companies.

“Whether the business is in its startup phase or it is a well-established business, this summit will provide them with the transformational experience to help them stay ahead of the competition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Finance Director, Hector Butts, related that with the expo in mind, their focus will also be on widening the tax base and capturing partnerships at a lower cost, with the increased enterprises and new businesses that are expected to be produced after the completion of the event. He highlighted that one of the main sectors being promoted will be the increase in entrepreneurship among many youths.

“As we move towards expanding the success of small businesses, as we widen the

economic base we also widen the tax base,” he stated.

Additionally, Professor Leyland Lucas of the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SIBI) shared what is in store for the small businesses and his institution at the end of the summit. He too called for organisations to participate in green economical activities.

“Sustainability is driven by necessity. Small businesses are the engine of growth.

SIBI sees itself as playing a vital and important role in the transformation of the Guyanese economy, as we balance the needs of our existing economy especially with the onset of gas and the need for us to have a green economy,” the professor explained.

The exhibition and summit is slated for September 17 and 18, featuring over 100 innovative booths. The summit will be held at the Ramada Hotel, while the exhibition will be hosted at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

news

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Gaitree Rookhum re-elected as President of Women Lawyers Association

G

aitree Ramona Rookhum has been re-elected to serve as president of the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL).

The GAWL said on Friday that during its recent annual general meeting, several persons from the previous year were re-elected to continue serving along with Rookhum.

Serving as GAWL Vice President alongside Rookhum will be Shellon Boyce. Meanwhile, Chandrawattie Persaud has been elected to serve as Secretary, Alanna Lall as Treasurer, and Coleen Sparman-Stephens as the Assistant Secretary Treasurer.

Pretima Lall receiving her token from the Honourable Chief Justice Roxane George

Jaya Singh Backreedy, Denise Hodge, Anita Mohan Hamilton, and Keshia Chase were also elected as commit-

tee members.

“The President, in her report for the year 2017-2018, highlighted the work of the

Association for the past year, which included outreaches undertaken, partnerships created, consultative meetings attended, and pro bono services offered to the wider public.

She also thanked members for their donations towards hurricane relief for the region, back-to-school supplies, and Christmas presents to the children at the Sophia Care Centre, and toiletries hampers to the women at the New Amsterdam Prison and the girls at the Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre, among others,” the release said.

In addition, the president also noted how pleased she was to see the promotion of women in the profes-

sion to high offices throughout the year.

She also voiced concerns over the non-confirmation of the acting Chief Justice and Chancellor to the present date.

The term has seen notable achievements, which include the public education outreach programme done through a monthly television appearance on the NCN Morning Show ‘Guyana Today’, which is slated to continue.

In addition to the elections, the GAWL also hosted a brief presentation ceremony for the winners of the Essay Competition, which was the final activity in the Association’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

Renika Anand of Marian Academy received an award for participating in the competition to represent Forms 1-3. She was handed her award by the Honourable Madame Chancellor Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards.

Meanwhile, Pretima Lall of the Bishops' High School was rewarded for her participation in the Forms 4-5 category by the Honourable Madam Chief Justice Roxane George; and Timothy Richmond, also of The Bishops' High School, received a token for participating in the Forms 4-5 category by the Honourable Madame Justice Nicola Pierre, Commissioner of Title.

Yello Guyana launches 2018 directory Y

ello Guyana media has launched this year’s directory as the media entity took the opportunity to thank its unwavering supporters who have been the main reason for its success.

This edition of the directory was revealed on Thursday at the Pegasus Hotel. It exhibits the winning photo of the Click the Cover competition on its cover page. The entry was submitted by an employee of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Simon Alvaro, who captured the photo along his journey from the Upper Mazaruni area to Kamarang.

Senior General Manager of Sales, Keith Rowley of Yellow gave an insight on the transitions that were made in the past

by the organisation in his feature address. Recently, the name of the entity was changed from Yellow Pages to Yellow, to facilitate the other services that were introduced to the public.

“Last year, we embarked upon a major milestone with the transformation from Yellow Pages to Yello. This transformation symbolises the inward and outward evolution of our company from more than just a director business to a full service media industry,” Rowley stated.

Along with the rebranding, the services were expanded to provide search engine marketing, website development, social media management and advertising.

At the brief ceremony, President of the Guyana Chamber of Commerce and

that home to take care of their children.”

Yello Media exists in 20 markets and provides employment for 12 Guyanese at its company. It is also

Simon Alvaro (right) being presented with his winning prize from Reneta Bahadur

Industry (GCCI), Deodat Indar also shared his remarks on behalf of the business community.

“Guyana is poised to take off; something that I term as an economic ex-

plosion. I would like to see that explosion and economic prosperity transfer into businesses and businesses transfer that into the hands of their employees and their employees take

the only premier Google partner in the region and is recognised as one of the top five successful companies in mobile marketing.

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018

Regional

Jamaica to get US$4.5M from 3 jailed in US for US to fight child trafficking smuggling guns to T&T

T

T

he Governments of Jamaica and the United States of America have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership, which is aimed at combating the trafficking of children in Jamaica.

Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ministry, Marcia Gilbert-Roberts; and Chargé d’Affaires, United States Embassy in Jamaica, Eric Khant, signed the agreement on Thursday at the Ministry’s New Kingston headquarters.

As part of the agreement, the United States will provide Jamaica with funding valued at US$4.5 million for projects and other related activities over a period of four years. Gilbert-Roberts, in her remarks, said that the objective of the partnership is to save Jamaican children and at-risk youth from being trafficked. “One of the most valuable assets for the future of any country is its

Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ministry, Marcia Gilbert-Roberts (left); and Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the United States in Jamaica, Eric Khant, signing copies of the Memorandum of Understanding or the Child Protection Compact Partnership

young people – our children. We are pleased, therefore, that Jamaica was invited by the Government of the United States to participate in this project,” she noted.

She said that the MoU signing represents another milestone in Jamaica’s relations with the United States.

Khant, for his part, said his Government is pleased to be partnering with

Jamaica on this initiative, and stressed that human trafficking is a very serious offence which must be eliminated.

Khant said the fouryear agreement will help to strengthen Jamaica’s ability to prosecute and punish traffickers, identify and provide comprehensive services to victims and prevent these crimes from happening.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

hree US residents have been sentenced for illegally purchasing 36 guns and smuggling them into Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) from Atlanta, Georgia.

The men are Errol Alfred, 40; Kerry Fernandez, 34 and Jordan Dunham, 26, all from Georgia.

According to a report on NBC’s 11alive.com, Alfred and Fernandez were sentenced for their respective roles in illegally purchasing and trafficking the weapons, whilst Dunham, a co-defendant in the case, was sentenced for illegally purchasing some of the shipped firearms for the two men.

According to US Attorney Byung J Pak, between August 2013 and September 2014, Alfred and Fernandez purchased the guns from a local firearms licensee for the purpose of shipping the firearms to T&T for resale. Officials said the defendants hid the weapons in shipping barrels without the shipping company knowing.

Last Thursday, Alfred was sentenced to five years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Fernandez received

Officials said the defendants hid the weapons in shipping barrels without the shipping company knowing

a sentence of two years and three months, followed by three years of supervised release, while Dunham was sentenced to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Special Agent in Charge, Arthur Peralta, said the unlawful acquisition and trafficking of firearms was a serious crime that “feeds and

intensifies the violence that plagues so many communities here (referring to the US) and abroad.”

“This investigation illustrates the collective resolve of ATF and its law enforcement partners to stem the flow of illegal firearms within the US or anywhere these criminals choose to operate,” Peralta said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Venezuela begins releasing Nicaragua protests: 15 dead and 39 jailed opposition activists scores injured in latest clashes

V

enezuela on Friday began releasing a group of Opposition activists jailed for protesting against President Nicolás Maduro, a move that the Government said would foster dialogue but that critics dismissed as a token gesture by a dictatorship.

Opposition critics and rights groups say Maduro’s Government is still holding hundreds of political prisoners who were jailed for leading anti-Government street demonstrations, pri-

marily in 2014 and 2017.

About 170 people died during the protests.

A group of 39 Opposition activists will be released from prison including Daniel Ceballos, former Mayor of the restive western city of San Cristobal, according to a list published by Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno.

The list, posted on Moreno’s Facebook page, does not include Leopoldo Lopez, former Mayor of the Caracas district of Chacao who is the best known

of Maduro’s critics to be jailed.

Lopez, originally arrested in 2014, was granted house arrest last year.

Maduro was re-elected on May 20 for a six-year term, and last month called for a prisoner release to foster good will.

He says the country is victim of an “economic war” led by the Opposition with the backing of the United States and that Opposition protests were in fact efforts to overthrow him. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

Antigua and Barbuda is first Caribbean country to ratify Convention against Racism and Intolerance

A

ntigua and Barbuda is now the first Caribbean country and the third nation in the Western Hemisphere to ratify the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance.

The Instrument of Ratification, signed by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, was presented by Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, to Secretary General Luis Almagro at a ceremony at the OAS headquarters in Washington, DC this morning.

In presenting the Instrument for deposit,

Ambassador Sanders observed that “the Gaston Browne administration is in the forefront of efforts to end discrimination based on race, racial discrimination and intolerance”.

He recalled the Prime Minister’s apology last month to the Rastafarian community and the historic occasion at the OAS marking it.

Sir Ronald expressed appreciation to Joy-Dee Davis Lake of the Antigua and Barbuda delegation to the OAS who, he said, “did outstanding work in navigating the Convention through its many difficult stages before it was signed”.

His sentiments were echoed by Secretary General

Almagro who noted Antigua and Barbuda’s pioneering role and the importance of the Convention in specifying for the signatory countries the democratic meaning of the principles of equality under the law and nondiscrimination.

Ambassador Sanders praised those nations that have signed the Convention and expressed regret that others, including powerful OAS member states, have not. The 12 of the 34 OAS member states that have signed the Convention are: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Uruguay. (Excerpt from

Caribbean360)

F

ifteen people have died and dozens more have been injured in the latest protests against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, officials say. Activists say pro-Government forces opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters who marched through the capital Managua on Wednesday.

The Government and Police blamed “delinquent groups” for the violence. More than 90 people have now died in the protests, which began in April and were triggered by social welfare cuts.

The cuts were later scrapped but the protests evolved into a rejection of the Ortega Government and thousands of people have since taken to the streets. “The number of people killed as a product of the actions of delinquent groups who operate wearing masks is 15,” Deputy Police Director Francisco Diaz said on Thursday.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets since April

He added that scores of people had been injured, in what was one of the worst days of violence since the protests began.

Some of the demonstrators were reported to have thrown projectiles during Wednesday’s march. The army said it was treating some of the injured, which included Police Officers.

The country’s Catholic Church condemned

Wednesday’s clashes as “organised and systematic aggression” and suspended talks with the government that had been scheduled for Thursday.

It said it could not preside over a dialogue between the protesters and the government following the violence.

The Government has responded by setting up a commission to look into the deaths of the demonstrators. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Brazil Petrobras oil boss Pedro Parente resigns amid protests

T

he head of Brazil’s oil giant Petrobras, Pedro Parente, has resigned, following a nationwide strike by lorry drivers that caused huge disruption. The strike against diesel prices, which ended this week, caused major shortages in the country. Many of the protesters blamed Parente for rising costs, after the company stopped subsidising fuel prices for its domestic consumers.

However, Petrobras gave no specific reason for the resignation. In his resignation letter to President Michel Temer,

Parente said the strike challenged the pricing policy he had implemented. Parente said his role “as CEO had stopped being positive” and the government needed to consider “alternatives” to its pricing policy going forward, according to Reuters news agency.

Two years ago, former Energy Minister Parente pegged the price of fuel in Brazil to international oil prices, which have since almost doubled. After years of corruption scandals involving senior politicians and officials, his pol-

icy had helped Petrobras recover its market value.

The oil giant is controlled by the Brazilian Government and is regarded as one of the world’s biggest oil companies.

In January, the company agreed to pay almost US$3 billion (£2.18 billion) to settle a class action suit in the United States, after investors said their holdings were damaged by a corruption scandal facing the firm. Brazil’s Government had said it will not use Petrobras to subsidise fuel. (Excerpt from BBC News)

saturDAY, june 2, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

New twist to diplomatic dance: Italy's Conte sworn Trump says N Korea summit now on in as PM of anti-

P

resident Donald Trump said on Friday an unprecedented nuclear arms summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the United States pulled out of will now go ahead as scheduled on June 12 in Singapore, adding another twist to a highstakes diplomatic dance.

After giving North Korea's former intelligence chief the rare honour of a meeting in the White House Oval Office, Trump dampened expectations for a breakthrough at the summit, which US officials want to use to press Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons arsenal.

"I think it's probably going to be a very successful, ultimately a successful process," Trump told reporters on the White House

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korean Kim Yong Chol (left) outside the White House on June 1, 2018 in Washington, DC as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo(C) looks on

lawn. Trump described the Singapore summit as the start of a process and not the place where the two lead-

ers were likely to sign any agreement, a stark contrast to his previous insistence that the summit had to yield

real progress toward North Korea's denuclearisation.

"It'll be a beginning. I don't say, and I've never said, it happens in one meeting," Trump added.

His comments represented an extraordinary change in tone toward North Korea from a president who last year threatened to rain "fire and fury" on the country because of the threat its nuclear weapons and missiles pose to the United States.

Trump even backed away from the words "maximum pressure" that his administration had used to describe its approach to North Korea, combining the toughest-ever US and international economic sanctions with diplomatic actions and the Republican President's military threats and preparations. (Excerpt from MSN)

establishment Govt

G

iuseppe Conte was sworn in on Friday as Italy’s Prime Minister, heading western Europe’s first anti-establishment Government bent on overhauling European Union rules on budgets and immigration.

Conte, a little-known 53-year-old law professor, is backed by the 5-Star Movement which grew out of a grassroots protest network, and the right-wing League who together have issued a budget-busting agenda of tax cuts and higher welfare spending.

The Government was formed after three months of political deadlock following inconclusive March 4 elec-

tions, with the former rivals striking a last-minute deal on Thursday to avert a fresh vote in high summer amid growing market turmoil.

Widespread voter disenchantment has seen anti-establishment parties upset mainstream politics across the continent, including Germany and France, but it is the first time they will run the government of a major western European country.

Conte made no comment to reporters after his swearing-in ceremony in the president’s 16th century palace in Rome, in a room with a huge gilt mirror flanked by Italian and EU flags. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Visa apologises after Russian pilot found after 3 system crash causes decades missing in Afghanistan card payment chaos M

illions of people were left unable to pay for goods and services in shops, petrol stations and railway stations across Britain and Europe after an unprecedented crash in Visa’s payment system.

Shoppers and travellers were unable to use their debit and credit cards when the meltdown began at around 2.30pm on Friday across Europe. Visa apologised for the hardware failure late on Friday. The company said it had fallen “well short” of its goal to ensure cards worked reliably at all times, but assured customers that Visa is now operating at “close to normal levels”.

A Visa spokesman said: “Earlier today, Visa had a system failure that im-

pacted customers across Europe. Our goal is to ensure all Visa cards work reliably 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We fell well short of this goal today and we apologise to all of our partners and, most especially, to Visa cardholders.

“Visa cardholders can now use their Visa cards as we are currently operating at close to normal levels.

“The issue was the result of a hardware failure. We have no reason to believe this was associated with any unauthorised access or malicious event.”

Major retailers had earlier confirmed that card purchases were failing, as queues built up at petrol stations, with frustrated drivers unable to pay after filling up.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Burkina Faso abolishes death penalty in new penal code

B

urkina Faso's Parliament has abolished the death penalty by adopting a new penal code that strikes it as a possible sentence. Justice Minister Rene Bagoro said on Thursday that the revised document paves the way for "more credible, equitable, accessible and effective justice in the application of criminal law".

The death penalty was kept in the version of the criminal code adopted in 1996, but Burkina Faso has

not imposed capital punishment recently.

Many rights movements, including Amnesty International and Catholic Church activists have pressed the government for a decade to remove it from criminal statutes.

The decision to abolish the death penalty comes amid a landmark trial this year over a failed 2015 coup.

Two former presidential aides are among more than 80 people facing the military tribunal. (News24)

Missing Soviet soldier Bachretdin Chakimov, who was found in Afghanistan after 33 years

A

Soviet soldier who disappeared more than 30 years ago on the battlefield in Afghanistan has been found alive and

well and living under the name of Sheikh Abdullah in the western Afghan city of Herat.

Russian officials at-

tempting to trace soldiers still missing from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan said they had discovered Bakhretdin Khakimov, last seen in September 1980.

Khakimov – then aged 20 – had been serving with the 101st motorised rifle unit, stationed near Herat.

He was seriously wounded during a battle near the city and presumed dead.

A black-and-white photo from the time shows Khakimov as a fresh-faced draftee, dressed in Soviet army uniform and with the hammer and sickle badge on his furry hat. He now looks rather different, with a wispy beard, lined features and a large turban. A widower, he had been living as

a nomadic sheikh and working as a traditional healer.

According to officials, local residents rescued Khakimov from the battlefield and treated his wounds with herbs. The Soviet soldier remained with the man who helped him, and acquired medical skills. Khakimov – an ethnic Uzbek, originally from Samarkand – married a local Afghan woman and settled in the Shindand district. His wife later died. The couple had no children.

The Soviet soldier could still recall the names of his mother, brothers and sisters, as well as the place where he was first drafted into the Red Army. (Excerpt from

The Guardian)

Israeli Army kills Palestinian nurse in Gaza border protest: medics

I

sraeli forces killed a Palestinian nurse on Friday as she tried to help a wounded protester at the Gaza border, according to health officials and a witness, while Israel said militants had attacked its troops with gunfire and a grenade.

Razan Al-Najar’s death brought to 119 the number of Palestinians killed in weekly demonstrations launched on March 30 in the Gaza Strip, an enclave controlled by the Islamist group Hamas and long subject to grinding Israeli and Egyptian embargoes.

Najar, a 21-year-old volunteer medic, was shot as she ran toward the fortified border fence, east of the south Gaza city of Khan Younis, in a bid to reach a

Female Palestinian medic Razan Al-Najar works at the scene of clashes at Israel-Gaza border, in the southern Gaza Strip April 1, 2018

casualty, a witness said.

Wearing a white uniform, “she raised her hands high in a clear way, but Israeli soldiers fired and she was hit in the chest,” the witness, who requested anonymity, told Reuters.

An Israeli military spokeswoman had no immediate comment on Najar’s killing. Israeli officers have previously said that army snipers target only people posing a threat, but that the bullets can sometimes run through them or ricochet, hitting bystanders.

Gazan medical officials said at least 100 Palestinians were wounded by army gunfire during Friday’s mass demonstrations.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

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saturDAY, june 2, 2018

ARCHIE

Be careful what you say to your peers. Someone will (March 21- turn on you if you are too April 19) open about your personal situation. Protect yourself against rumours and people meddling in your affairs.

ARIES

Refrain from making a TAURUS snap decision or a change (April 20- you’ll end up regretting. Do May 20) your research and interrogate anyone using persuasive tactics to get you involved in something questionable.

dilbert

Short trips will lead to GEMINI (May 21- valuable information. Discuss June 20) plans with someone who has something to offer in return.

A reunion will remind you to let go of the past.

Partnerships should be nurtured. Don’t fear the un(June 21- known or trying something July 22) new. Change can be good if it’s incorporated into your life properly. Romance should be a priority.

CANCER

Peanuts

Look for a cause that could LEO use your skills, and dig in and (July 23- help. Keeping busy will help Aug. 22) you avoid trouble and people who entice you to be indulgent.

Calvin and Hobbes

Take a day trip, visit an VIRGO old friend or relative or sign (Aug. 23up for a retreat that will help Sept. 22) you feel balanced and ready to take on the world.

Out of sight, out of mind, LIBRA (Sept. 23- so steer clear of anyone putOct. 23) ting demands on you if you want to get the tasks that are important to you taken care of.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — INHALER (INHALER: in-HALE-er: A device for breathing in a medication.)

Say what’s on your mind SAGITTARIUS and find out where you (Nov. 23stand.

If someone is evasive, Dec. 21) ask direct questions. It’s time to sort out your differences and make appropriate changes.

Average mark 30 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 44 or more words in INHALER? The list will be published tomorrow.

Don’t hide from change.

CAPRICORN It’s in your best interest to (Dec. 22- experience all that you can Jan. 19) and to share what you discover with a loved one. Personal gain is apparent.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — REPAYS

rape rase rasp raspy reap easy espy

pare parse payer pear prase pray prey

pyre aery aper apse yare year sayer

sear spar spare spay spear spray spry

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

Look at alternative opSCORPIO tions.

Check out different life(Oct. 24styles and cultures to find moNov. 22) tivation to incorporate unique changes and friendships into your life. Personal changes and romance are favoured.

solution AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Put some muscle behind your plans. Stick close to home and make room for the changes you want to implement into your daily routine. Set up a workspace or fitness area.

If you engage in something different, it will open your mind to a host of interesting new options. Use your skills to bring about change in your community or help loved ones.

SATURDAY, june 2, 2018

19

England quicks swing the momentum as Pakistan fumble

S

arfraz Ahmed had never before won the toss in his four previous Tests as Pakistan’s Test captain.

And after a first-day collapse at Headingley that looks set to be as match-defining as England’s own meltdown at Lord’s proved to be last week, he’d be forgiven for wishing he’d saved that duck-breaking call for another day.

Instead, Sarfraz took the bold option - leading 1-0 in the series after Pakistan’s flawless victory in the first Test, he trusted his batsmen to front up once more on a bright Leeds morning and on a straw-coloured wicket, and moreover against an England team whose stock in Test cricket arguably hasn’t been lower for two decades. It was a show of intent from a captain with faith in his troops - a move that would have been hailed as going for the jugular had it paid off. It didn’t.

By the close, England had moved along to 106 for 2 - a deficit of 68 - and it was at least clear that Sarfraz hadn’t been wrong in his estimation of the pitch. The trouble was, his team had already been rolled aside for 174 in just under two sessions - and even that total had owed almost everything to another defiant half-century from their young legspinner, Shadab Khan, whose 56 from 52 balls hauled his side out of a swing-induced tailspin at 79 for 7.

In truth, England (as a unit) did not bowl as well as Pakistan’s collapse might imply.

The exception was Stuart Broad, who dismissed Imamul-Haq twice in his very first over of the day (the first was an lbw, overturned on review) and whose new-ball length was, according to CricViz, the

Stuart Broad claimed the early breakthrough for England

fullest he has ever bowled in a Test in England.

What England did do, however, was shamelessly stack their side with horses for Headingley’s traditionally swing-friendly course. This was in part a move borne of necessity - when Ben Stokes was ruled out before the toss due to a hamstring strain, the 19-year-old allrounder Sam Curran was pitched into the fray to become the third sub-21-year-old, after Mason Crane and Dom Bess, to make his debut for England this year.

But it was also a knee-jerk reaction to England’s thumping defeat at Lord’s last week. So much for Andrew Strauss’s appeal to select cricketers who will play key roles on overseas tours - all that matters right now is getting off the mark in home conditions, so in came another swing merchant, Chris Woakes, in place of the luckless Mark Wood, whose split-field bang-it-in length at Lord’s had not exactly reaped the rewards that seam bowlers

might expect in early season England. Better luck in Galle and Colombo, eh?

Pakistan, so disciplined in the first Test, where they had strode on to the front foot and visibly sniffed the leather in playing the ball right under their collective noses, were all too often complicit in their own downfalls. Imam’s firstover slash to slip off Broad was a dereliction of duty from a man who had sealed both runchases at Malahide and Lord’s, while Haris Sohail was another to give his innings away tamely - a fishing-rod snick to slip off Woakes, after he and Asad Shafiq had pieced together the innings after the loss of both openers.

Asad himself departed shortly before lunch, to Woakes as well, leaving Pakistan four-down for 62, but it was straight after the break that their innings went into freefall.

James Anderson had bowled an in-between length in his new-ball spell - as at

Lord’s, he appeared reluctant to leak runs by inviting the drive. However, he was noticeably fuller after the break and having induced a big deflection off the pads into the stumps to send Sarfraz Ahmed on his way for 14, he followed that up by nailing Faheem Ashraf on the kneeroll for a duck. At the other end, Broad had cause to set off on a trademark celebrappeal as he too struck the debutant Usman Salahuddin in front of middle and off, as three wickets tumbled for one run.

Shadab, however, wasn’t fazed by the scoreline, and for the third time in consecutive Tests, he pieced together an invaluable half-century - and coaxed key partnerships out of his lower-order colleagues - to help Pakistan add 95 precious runs for their last three wickets.

It took a wide longhop from Anderson to prise England’s next breakthrough, as Mohammad Amir slashed a nick through to the keeper, and when Hasan Ali was undone by a classic bounceryorker combo from Woakes for 23, Shadab could only punch his bat in annoyance at the non-striker’s end. But he kept on throwing the bat, with Mohammad Abbas loitering alongside him, until he picked out deep midwicket to allow Curran to wrap up the innings with a maiden Test wicket.

Curran’s 7.1 overs had been dispatched for 33, but he had found more swing than any of his colleagues. A promising start, if nothing more than that.

In reply, England’s innings got off to a peculiar start when Keaton Jennings - back in the side as Alastair Cook’s new-old opening partner - was warned by the umpires for encroaching on the danger area of the pitch while facing up to Abbas.

Jennings had been tormented

by Vernon Philander in his last Test appearances against South Africa, and chose to bat way out of his crease to counter Abbas’s similarly medium-paced wiles. But in doing so, he transgressed a law that had been quietly tweaked

by MCC back in October.

However, Jennings seemed unruffled by the umpire’s intervention, and it took a decent delivery from Faheem to extract him for 29 - albeit a familiar crease-bound dismissal to a tight delivery angled across his body.

After that, it was once again over to Cook, who continued his renaissance

personal contribution was 46 from 106 balls, including one of the sweetest cover-drives of a Test career that has now encompassed a world-record 154 consecutive appearances.

But he was crestfallen at his dismissal, five minutes before stumps, as he swung into a pull against Hasan, and gloved down the leg side.

It was a crucial strike for Pakistan too. Cook had, after all, been head and shoulders above the rest of England’s batting at Lord’s. And with Dominic Bess joining Root as a nightwatchman, it was a reminder, too, that there is a callowness to England’s Test team beneath their record-

SCOREBOARD Pakistan 1st Innings Azhar Ali lbw b Broad 2 Imam-ul-Haq c Root b Broad 0 Haris Sohail c Malan b Woakes 28 Asad Shafiq c Cook b Woakes 27 Usman Salahuddin lbw b Broad 4 Sarfraz Ahmed (c) † b Anderson 14 Shadab Khan c Jennings b Curran 56 Faheem Ashraf lbw b Anderson 0 Mohammad Amir c †Bairstow b Anderson 13 Hasan Ali c & b Woakes 24 Mohammad Abbas not out 1 Extras: (lb 5) 5 TOTAL allout(48.1Overs,RR:3.61) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Imam-ulHaq, 1.6 ov), 2-17 (Azhar Ali, 9.1 ov), 3-49 (Haris Sohail, 20.6 ov), 4-62 (Asad Shafiq, 24.3 ov), 5-78 (Sarfraz Ahmed, 28.1 ov), 6-78 (Usman Salahuddin, 29.2 ov), 7-79 (Faheem Ashraf, 30.2 ov), 8-113 (Mohammad Amir, 38.5 ov), 9-156 (Hasan Ali, 43.6 ov),

form with another foot-dominant innings and Joe Root added the second wicket.

frontas he 51 for Cook’s

10-174 (Shadab Khan, 48.1 ov) BOWLING: JM Anderson (15-6-43-3), SCJ Broad ( 15-6-38-3), CR Woakes (11-155-3), SM Curran (7.1-0-33-1) England 1st Innings AN Cook c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 46 KK Jennings c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Faheem Ashraf 29 JE Root (c) not out 29 DM Bess not out 0 Extras (lb 2) 2 TOTAL: for 2 (37 Overs, RR: 2.86) 106 Yet to bat: DJ Malan, JM Bairstow †, SM Curran, JC Buttler, CR Woakes, SCJ Broad, JM Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-53 (KK Jennings, 16.6 ov), 2-104 (AN Cook, 34.5 ov) BOWLING: Mohammad Amir (10-1-37-0), Mohammad Abbas (9-4-22-0), Hasan Ali (8-2-241), Faheem Ashraf (7-2-16-1), Shadab Khan (3-0-5-0)

smashing grandees. For the time being, however, they are just about doing the needful.

(ESPNcricinfo)

CONCACAF Girls’ Under-15 C’ship to feature record number of teams

T

he Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) on Thursday announced the details for the 2018 CONCACAF Girls’ Under-15 Championship. This year’s girls’ under-15, which will be the largest CONCACAF tournament ever for female participants, will feature the participation of a record amount of CONCACAF Member Associations and two invited teams from UEFA. The developmental tournament is scheduled for August 6-13, 2018 at the world-renowned IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, Florida. CONCACAF returns to IMG following a successful Boys’ Under-15 Championship held there last year, which featured a record 39 teams from across the Confederation.

“This year’s Girls’ Under-15 Championship exemplifies CONCACAF’s commitment to providing access to world class

USA defeated Canada 2 – 0 in the final of the 2016 CONCACAF Girl’s U-15 Championship to claim the title

playing environments for more of our young players from across the region,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio. “We’re pleased to return to IMG Academy,

and we’re especially excited to see so many young women from across the region get the chance to experience a top-level CONCACAF competition.

This event will be a positive influence

for these girls in both their playing careers and young lives.”

“We are thrilled to welcome CONCACAF and its Member Associations back to our campus and community,” said IMG Academy CoManaging Director Chip McCarthy.

“Like CONCACAF, our mission is to provide the best opportunities for athletes from around the world and we look forward to seeing their athletes compete on an international stage.”

As part of a year of women’s football in CONCACAF that includes the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, and the Women’s Under-17 and Under-20 Championship, the expanded Girls’ Under-15 Championship will provide access to international football for over 500 girls from across the CONCACAF region, enhancing opportunity for long-term development and growth of the women’s game in the region.

In total, nearly two-thousand

female athletes will participate in CONCACAF championships this year across the region. Centralized tournaments such as the Girls’ Under-15 Championship and regional qualifying tournaments in the Caribbean and Central America are providing more football for more of CONCACAF’s women’s teams across levels, assuring that the region’s women are well served through the One CONCACAF philosophy of access to quality football for more CONCACAF athletes.

The participating member association, groups, schedule and format of the tournament will be announced in the near future. To ensure sporting balance and fully leverage this unique development opportunity for the full contingent of young CONCACAF and invited players, member associations will be divided into divisions. All will be guaranteed a minimum number of competitive matches during the week-long.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

SATURDAY, june 2, 2018

Al Jazeera postpones ICC meeting over spot-fixing investigation

T

he ICC’s efforts to secure raw footage of the Al Jazeera documentary on spot-fixing have been rebuffed after the Doha-based television network said that an imminent meeting with cricket’s governing body would be “premature”.

Two days ago, the ICC chief executive David Richardson said both parties would sit down in London this week to discuss the ICC getting access to the unedited version of Cricket’s Match Fixers which went on air on Sunday. However, a spokesperson for Al Jazeera’s investigative unit has now said such a meeting should be pushed back to a later date, considering the “potential” investigations that may happen in India and Sri Lanka, where the documentary alleges spot-fixing took place.

Al Jazeera had stated in its documentary that it would “cooperate fully” with the relevant authorities. On that basis, the ICC’s anti-corruption unit got in touch, seeking full and unedited content - which ESPNcricinfo understands to be 15 hours’ long - to conduct its own investigations. Richardson suggested the two parties were likely to meet today to discuss a way forward but the Al Jazeera spokesman said, “with regard to a potential meeting with the ICC, the broadcaster had to take into account ongoing legal considerations, including potential criminal investigations into the spot-fixing allegations in Sri

Lanka and India. That being the case, a meeting with the ICC would be premature at this stage”.

Other than allegations that five players three from England and two f r o m Australia had agreed to score at a rate spec-

ified by fixers for the purposes of betting in two Test matches, the documentary also contended that ICC’s ACU officials were either compromised or could easily be sidestepped by fixers with money and connections.

Richardson disagreed but added the ICC would be happy to investigate

this matter as well.

“It should also be borne in mind that in certain respects the broadcast puts the ICC itself under the spotlight, although we are confident that this will not ultimately be a bar to cooperation in due course,” Al Jazeera said in its statement, which came soon after one from Richardson, saying it was important for the ICC’s ACU to see the evidence first-hand to “prove or disprove” the allegations presented in the documentary.

“I ask Al Jazeera to release to us all the material they have relating to corruption in cricket,” Richardson said in the statement. “We will conduct a full, thorough and fair investigation and will ensure ICC Chief Executive no stone is left unDavid Richardson turned as we exam-

ine

all alle- gations of corruption made in the programme. To do so, we need to see all the evidence they state they possess.

“I am encouraged by their public commitment to cooperate and now ask that they do so, in releasing all relevant material.

We understand and fully respect the need to protect journalistic sources and our ACU team have worked with other media companies on that basis.

However, to prove or disprove these allegations, we need to see the evidence referred to in the programme.” (ESPNcricinfo)

Philadelphia 76ers considering 4 new teams dismissal of Bryan Colangelo in the ICC's P

hiladelphia 76ers team president Bryan Colangelo is in the midst of an investigation into anonymous Twitter accounts that have reportedly been linked to him. According to ESPN.com and Philly.com, the investigation is ongoing, but it may not end well for Colangelo.

According to both websites, some league sources say that Colangelo may lose his job as Sixers president as a result of the incident. The Ringer website alleged in a report Tuesday night that Colangelo is connected to anonymous Twitter accounts that have revealed sensitive team information and criticized players and coach Brett Brown.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, the Sixers have focused their investigation on Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, and her possible connection with the burner Twitter accounts.

Keith Pompey of Philly.com reports that Colangelo has not been absent for the last two days of the agent-run predraft workouts being held on the West Coast this week. In addition, a league source told Pompey that Colangelo was visably shaken when the report broke while he was attending the workout in Los Angeles.

According to ESPN’s league sources, the Sixers also commissioned an outside law firm to investigate the matter, an investigation that has already included Colangelo surrending his cell phones. In addition, league sources told ESPN that Colangelo has told close associates he knows who made the tweets. But he also insisted to those inside and outside of the investigation that he had nothing to do with the tweets and was unaware of them until The Ringer brought them to the team’s attention prior to publishing the story.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver responded the Colangelo/Sixers issue at his Finals news conference Thursday, saying the investigation will be get done, but not by cutting corners.

“Well, for the league there is always that balance of speed and doing things in a deliberate and appropriate way,”

ODI rankings

Bryan Colangelo has been the Sixers’ president of basketball operations since April 2016

Silver said. “So I have talked to management at the 76ers, and the notion here was let’s find out what’s going on.

“So, of course, from the league standpoint, here we are, Game 1 of The Finals, it’s not necessarily something we want to be talking about, but it’s the reality of this league,” Silver added.

“So I have no information beyond that other than that investigation is underway.”

The Sixers started their investigation into tweets linked in a report to Colangelo that criticized Sixers players Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz, among other NBA figures.

The burner accounts also took aim at former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri and former Sixers players Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, according to a report by The Ringer website.

“The allegations are serious and we have commenced an independent investigation into the matter,” the Sixers said Wednesday in a statement. “We will report the results of that investigation as soon as it is concluded.”

The website asked the team about five Twitter accounts it suspected Colangelo was operating. He said in a statement that he used one of the accounts to monitor the NBA industry

and other current events, but that he was “not familiar with any of the other accounts” brought to his attention and that he didn’t know who was “behind them or what their motives may be in using them.”

Embiid, the 24-year-old All-Star center, tweeted that he didn’t believe the report.

“I don’t believe the story. That would just be insane,” he wrote.

Colangelo was hired as president of basketball operations for Philadelphia in April 2016. He served as Toronto’s general manager from 2006-2013.

Colangelo, the son of longtime sports executive Jerry Colangelo, stepped in with the Sixers after Hinkie resigned.

He lost his GM job in Toronto after the Raptors missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, and Ujiri took over basketball operations.

According to The Ringer, one of the Twitter accounts it connected to Colangelo downplayed Hinkie’s role in the franchise’s turnaround. It also lamented in another post that Ujiri hadn’t done anything to make the Raptors better.

Another account accused Embiid of “playing like a toddler having tantrums,” and one criticized Fultz for his work with his “so called mentor/father figure.” (nba.com)

T

he four latest teams to gain ODI status have been integrated into the ICC team rankings for ODIs, effective June 1, 2018.

Scotland and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have slotted into 13th and 14th places respectively, while Netherlands and Nepal will be added after they've played four more ODIs (teams need to play a minimum number of ODIs to get a ranking). The addition of these teams did not affect the standings of the 12 Test-playing nations above them on the table.

Netherlands secured ODI status by winning the World Cricket League Championship last year, while Scotland, Nepal and UAE earned ODI status by finishing as the leading Associates (along with Netherlands) at the World Cup Qualifier 2018.

The introduction of these four teams means that any matches they play against each other or the 12 other ODI teams now count for rating points, which will influence their ranking. The initial rankings for the four new teams are based on games played - under various criteria - since May 2015. For all teams on the rankings, matches played between 1 May, 2015, and 30 April, 2017, will be weighted at 50%, while matches played after 1 May, 2017, will be weighted at 100%.

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The ICC ODI rankings

England (125 points) India (122) South Africa (113) New Zealand (112) Australia (104) Pakistan (102) Bangladesh (93) Sri Lanka (77) West Indies (69) Afghanistan (63) Zimbabwe (55) Ireland (38) Scotland (28) UAE (18)

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sports

21

Djokovic battles through to last 16 at French Open N

ovak Djokovic came through a gruelling four-hour match against Spanish 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the last 16 at the French Open.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion was given his toughest test this year but won 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 after three hours and 48 minutes.

The Serb, 31, is seeded 20th as he searches for his best form following his return from an elbow injury.

"It was a great test. I had to earn my victory," said Djokovic.

"The last set was actually the best set that I have played so far in the tournament. I don't feel too exhausted. That's the good news."

He will play Spain's 30th seed Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round.

Verdasco, 34, earned a shock 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-4 win over Grigor Dimitrov - the Bulgarian fourth seed and reigning ATP World Tour Finals champion.

Fourth seed Svitolina loses in straight sets

After a quarter-final defeat by Dominic Thiem last year, Djokovic returned to Roland Garros not expected to challenge for the title following a year disrupted by an injury which needed surgery after the Australian Open in January.

A lack of action since has resulted in him dropping to 22nd in the world rankings - below Bautista

Djokovic took his temper out on his racquet as the tension mounted in the second set

Agut.

But his greater pedigree eventually shone through in a physical encounter on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

The former world number one has now made the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the 43rd time, tying with Jimmy Connors on the all-time list.

Djokovic's history with the French Open has been a varied one, having suffered three final defeats in 2012, 2014 and 2015 before eventually landing the prize in 2016 - finally sealing his career Grand Slam with victory over Andy Murray.

And he again experienced a range of emotions - delight, disap-

pointment, anger - at Roland Garros in an epic match which ended with two weary players smiling as they hugged at the net.

Djokovic 'not proud' of tantrum

Djokovic took his temper out on his racquet as the tension mounted in the second set Djokovic controlled the opening exchanges without earning a break point and, after a slight wobble midway through a tight set where the pair traded baseline blows, converted his first opportunity to clinch the set.

Momentum continued to flow

with Djokovic at the start of the second, breaking at the first chance, only to allow Bautista Agut back into the set when the Spaniard claimed his first break point of the match for 4-3.

Bautista Agut saved a set point on his serve at 5-4 down, fighting off two more at 6-5 to force the tie-break, then taking his third set point in the decider to level.

That came immediately after a furious Djokovic lost his temper when he missed a simple forehand, breaking his racquet by hammering it three times into the ground, drawing whistles from the crowd as he went to grab a new one.

"It was a big point and in these kind of circumstances emotions get the better of you," he said.

"I'm not proud of doing that to be honest. I don't like doing it, but at times it happens."

Djokovic still had a moody expression when he returned to court for the third set - but that release of anger eventually seemed to work in his favour.

There were six breaks of serve in an erratic set before Djokovic clinched the tie-break shortly after the match clock passed the threehour mark.

That gave him the impetus in the fourth set, going two breaks up before taking his second match point with a thumping overhead that Bautista Agut could not reach.

(BBCSport)

Kiprop says he gave drugs testers money out of ‘generosity’

T

hree-time world champion Asbel Kiprop said he paid drugs testers because he “thought they wanted the money for fuel or tea”.

Kiprop, who won 1500m gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, tested positive for EPO out of competition in 2017.

The 28-year-old Kenyan alleged his sample “turned positive” because he did not give the testers enough money.

“It is rare for them to ask for money. They didn’t specify the amount,” Kiprop told BBC Sport.

“To me, I could trust them. It didn’t even come into my mind that I was in a sensitive position.”

Kiprop also said: He was visited by the same testers three times that week; He would frequently be asked by testers to go to their houses to give samples; He would always be forewarned

he was going to be tested, which is against anti-doping rules; He has since texted the testers to ask why they no longer test him themselves, and has received no reply; He “almost wishes” he had doped so that he could deal with the situation better, He believes dopers should serve a jail term In May the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) rejected claims his sample was tampered with and that testers had asked him for money.

Kiprop (left) was upgraded to Olympic gold after Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi (centre) failed a drugs test

’I could trust them’ what happened?

Kiprop was tested on 27 November 2017 in Iten, Kenya, having been told the previous night that doping control officers would be visiting.

Although that is against protocol, Kiprop said he did not take it as “something serious” because it had happened before.

The AIU said Kiprop’s sample was not tampered with but said it is “extremely disappointing” he was given advance notice of the test.

He alleges a doping control officer - one of two present - asked for money before he had given a urine sample.

After supplying his sam-

ple, he left it unattended with the testers while he went to his bedroom to get his mobile phone, through which he paid them via electronic transfer.

“I have never violated the anti-doping rules or try to avoid the testers because I am sincere to myself

and I support anti-doping,” Kiprop said.

“I was so confident about my sample. I never even doubted myself.

“The minute I went into my room to send them the money, probably something happened there on the table to my urine sample.” (BBC Sport)

8-ball Pool tournament on today T he Guyana Snooker and Billiards Club will be hosting a grand eight (8) ball pool tournament on Saturday, June 2.

The venue for this event will be the Grand Central sports bar, popularly known as Jerries Bar, located at

Public Road Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

This competition will be the inaugural four-playerper-team knockout tournament in Guyana.

Attractive prizes will be

up for grabs for the champs, along with first and second runners-up.

Participating teams are kindly asked to be at the venue by 4pm for registration. Starting time is 5pm

sharp, and entrance into the competition will be prohibited after the first round has been completed. An action packed evening is anticipated.

For more information on the tournament, contact Ryan Baksh on 6528152 or 656-2488.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, june 2, 2018

Interclub CONCACAF praises progress of football reform in Guyana swim c/ships on today T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is among the first CONCACAF member associations to have their financial statements approved, according to knowledgeable sources.

Moreover, the GFF has made significant strides in reforming and rebuilding football, according to senior CONCACAF official Howard McIntosh, who was in Guyana to observe the 2018 GFF Congress.

McIntosh is a Senior Manager of ONE CONCACAF and Caribbean Projects, and is a former FIFA Development Officer for the region.

He declared to delegates at the GFF Congress, “I am happy to hear and see the tremendous strides that football in Guyana has made. What we want to see is professionalism in football, and that starts with the administration off the field. You must be one of the first CONCACAF member associations that have actually approved your financial statements.”

The GFF Congress approved the administration’s financial statements

CONCACAF’s Howard McIntosh

on Monday, after the GFF achieved full compliance status with FIFA. This status means the GFF can now access full FIFA funding, which had been restricted due to issues dating back to previous administrations.

“You need to be proud of the transition that has been made,” McIntosh

told the GFF Congress. “I can tell you it is a significant improvement. I want to congratulate all of you for the work you are doing.”

As the GFF seeks to restore the image of football, reform and stabilise its governance, and invest in developing the game in all regions, this CONCACAF endorsement is a welcome development, and follows public support from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani.

GFF President Wayne Forde also met FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura on Tuesday, during the inauguration of the FIFA Caribbean office in Barbados, to discuss future funding for football development projects.

Guyana’s first national football training centre is due to be completed at Providence in the coming weeks.

Under the FIFA Forward programme, fully compliant national member associations have access to US$5 million every four-year cycle, for football development and running costs.

P&P donate to Lodge Secondary ahead of ExxonMobil Competition

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& P Insurance Brokers recently made a donation of 10 pairs of football shoes and balls to Lodge Secondary School, to assist in that school’s preparation for the ExxonMobil InterSecondary School Football Competition which is scheduled to begin today.

This is not the first time P&P have made a donation to Lodge Secondary.

Last year they made a sizable donation to Lodge

Executive Director of P&P Insurance, Vikash Panday, handing over some of the equipment to Leon Bishop in the presence of other representatives of the school

Secondary to participate in the Digicel Football Tournament.

In brief remarks, Vikash Panday, Executive Director of P&P, said he was happy to make the presentation, and wished the team every success.

In response, Leon Bishop, Sports Coordinator of the school, thanked Panday for the timely gesture, and assured that the donation would benefit the school considerably.

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The National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal

he National Aquatic Centre is set to be the venue for the Sea Otter Inter-Club Championships which are set to commence today.

This, the second annual meet, will see top clubs engaging in battle in the pool for top honours in the oneday event. Swimmers from Dorado, Orca, Silver Sharks, Dolphin and Torpedo are set to compete.

Executive member of the club, Dave Ramnarine, has said immense op-

portunity presents itself for local clubs at the Sea Otter Swim Academyorganized championships after defending champions Verlengde Gemenelandsweg (VOS) from neighbouring Suriname pulled out.

The meet will also serve as a fundraiser for the club’s developmental programmes.

There will be a 25-metre freestyle category for the first time in this competition.

The event is set to paddle off at 14:30hrs.

Sri Lankans end on a high note

Guyana lists 13 Griezmann among for CMRC T&T scorers as France cruise past Italy encounter

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strong group of drivers and riders has been confirmed to represent Guyana at the second leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship at Wallerfield Raceway in Trinidad and Tobago.

The June 24 event will bring together rivalry from Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica and the host nation.

The experienced duo Andrew King and Mark Vieira will lock horns with the Group Four competitors, along with Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club president Rameez Mohamed and Danny Persaud.

King is the reigning Group Four (2WD) champion.

Mohamed is also slated to compete in Groups Two and Three, while Persaud will also do battle in Group Three.

Reigning local Group Three champion Vishok Persaud will lead Guyana’s challenge in that category, along with Mohamed, Danny Persaud,

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Kusal Mendis

Andrew King

Motilall Deodass, Haniff Mohamed and Rafeeq Khan.

Khan and Haniff Mohamed are also down to compete in Group Two. Other drivers confirmed are CMRC newcomer Sharima Khan (Groups One and Two) and Shan Seejatan (Group Two). Representing Guyana in the Bikes category are Matthew Vieira, Paul Yearwood and Matt Truelove.

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On-loan Paris St-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe impressed on what was his 14th start for France

rance continued their impressive build up to the World Cup with a comfortable 3 – 1 victory over Italy in Nice.

Samuel Umtiti set the hosts on their way after Kylian Mbappe's effort was parried by the Italian goalkeeper, Salvatore Sirigu.

The French doubled

their lead when Antoine Griezmann converted a penalty after Lucas Hernandez had been fouled.

Leonardo Bonucci reduced the arrears for Italy but Ousmane Dembele's chip rounded off a fine French display.

France beat the Republic of Ireland 2-0 on Monday.

he Sri Lankans have dominated the threeday warm up match against Cricket West Indies (CWI) President’s XI, which ended on Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Ground in Tarouba, Trinidad.

At stumps on the final day, the visitors were 135 without loss in their second innings, still adding to their lead from the first innings.

Sri Lanka posted 428 in their first innings, and bowled out CWI President’s XI for 272 to start the second innings with a lead of 156 runs.

Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera were the chief contributors in the 135 total, as Mendis was unbeaten on 60 and Perara retired on 50.

Roshen Silva replaced his fatigued team mate and was left not out on 22 at stumps, with the deficit at 291 runs.

Earlier in the day, the President’s XI tried to keep the opposition at bay, but with openers John Campbell (62) and Kieran Powell (60) back in the pavilion, Rakheem Cornwall was the only other batsman to put up resistance, as he was unbeaten on 54.

Meanwhile, Dilruwan Perera, Lahiru Kumara and Akila Dananjaya picked up three wickets each.

Sri Lanka now have their sights set on the first Test match against West Indies, which begins on Wednesday, June 6 at 10:00am at the Queen’s Park Oval.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, june 2, 2018

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Sri Lanka tour of West Indies 2018…

Openers keep Windies President’s XI afloat SCOREBOARD F

Sri Lanka 1st Innings BKG Mendis b Cummins 0 MDKJ Perera c Powell b Cornwall 65 LD Chandimal (c) c Brooks b Reifer 108 AD Mathews lbw b Cornwall 41 ARS Silva c Cornwall b Warrican 28 N Dickwella † c Campbell b Warrican 74 MDK Perera lbw b Warrican 17 A Dananjaya b Cornwall 30 PLS Gamage st †Hamilton b Warrican 22 CAK Rajitha lbw b Reifer 2 CBRLS Kumara not out 5 Extras (b 12, lb 5, nb 19) 36 TOTAL all out (119.4 Overs, RR: 3.57) 428 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (BKG Mendis, 0.1 ov), 2-130 (MDKJ Perera, 36.3 ov), 3-244 (LD Chandimal, 65.2 ov), 4-263 (AD Mathews, 70.3 ov), 5-288 (ARS Silva, 81.4 ov), 6-318 (MDK Perera, 89.1 ov), 7-390 (A Dananjaya, 104.4 ov), 8-404 (N Dickwella, 111.1 ov), 9-409 (CAK Rajitha, 116.4 ov), 10-428 (PLS Gamage, 119.4 ov) BOWLING: ML Cummins 205-70-1, RA Reifer 19-2-75-2, K Joseph 16-1-61-0, JA Warrican 29.4-8-81-4, RRS Cornwall 35-7124-3 West Indies President's XI 1st Innings JD Campbell lbw b MDK Perera 62 KOA Powell (c) run out (Mathews) 60 SSJ Brooks c Mathews b Dananjaya 29

SW Ambris b Kumara 14 VA Singh c Kumara b Dananjaya 12 JN Hamilton † b Dananjaya 4 RA Reifer lbw b Kumara RRS Cornwall not out 54 JA Warrican lbw b Kumara 8 ML Cummins lbw b MDK Perera 10 K Joseph b MDK Perera 0 Extras: (b 3, lb 11, nb 5) 19 TOTAL:all out (77 Overs, RR: 3.53) 272 Fall of wickets: 1-98 (JD Campbell, 13.3 ov), 2-146 (KOA Powell, 30.6 ov), 3-164 (SSJ Brooks, 37.1 ov), 4-183 (VA Singh, 45.1 ov), 5-184 (SW Ambris, 46.1 ov), 6-188 (RA Reifer, 50.2 ov), 7-192 (JN Hamilton, 51.1 ov), 8-223 (JA Warrican, 60.2 ov), 9-270 (ML Cummins, 74.2 ov), 10-272 (K Joseph, 76.6 ov) BOWLING: PLS Gamage 13-258-0, CAK Rajitha 9-0-41-0, MDK Perera 19-2-50-3, CBRLS Kumara 12-4-47-3, A Dananjaya 20-2-463, BKG Mendis 4-0-16-0 Sri Lanka 2nd Innings BKG Mendis not out 60 MDKJ Perera retired hurt 50 ARS Silva not out 22 Extras (lb 1, nb 2) 3 TOTAL:(33 Overs, RR: 4.09) 135/0 Yet to bat: AD Mathews, LD Chandimal (c), N Dickwella †, MDK Perera, PLS Gamage, A Dananjaya, CAK Rajitha, CBRLS Kumara BOWLING: ML Cummins 5-1-250, RA Reifer 6-0-33-0, K Joseph 5-1-22-0, JA Warrican 5-1-17-0, RRS Cornwall 4-2-4-0, VA Singh 4-0-16-0, JD Campbell 3-0-12-0, KOA Powell 1-0-5-0

ifties from John Campbell and Kieran Powell kept the Windies President’s XI in the hunt after day two of their match versus Sri Lanka at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad.

The left-handed Powell found form with a classy 60 as he shared an opening stand of 98 with Campbell, who top-scored with 62.

Having blazed to 146 for 1, the CWI President’s XI were trailing the tourists by 205 runs at the end of day two; when they were on 223-7, chasing the Sri Lankans’ massive 428.

Off-spinner Akila Dananjaya was the star of the contest with 3 wickets for Sri Lanka.

Windies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican finished with 4 -81, while off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall grabbed 3-24, as Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed on the stroke of lunch.

Resuming Thursday’s second day on 318 for six, the Sri Lankans were lifted by the flashy Niroshan Dickwella, who batted for almost 3 hours to convert his overnight 26 into 74, with 8 fours off 117 balls. He added a solid 72 for the seventh wicket with off-spinner Akila Dananjaya, who made 30 from 54 deliveries, smashing six fours in the process. However, once the two were separated, the last four Sri Lankan wickets went down for 38 runs.

Campbell and Powell then punished the Sri Lankan bowlers in an attractive stand of 98, Campbell top-scoring with 62. This has put the hosts in control of the contest.

Campbell’s knock was a typically breezy one, requiring only 52 balls, and including 11 fours, while skipper Powell faced 81 balls and struck seven fours.

The partnership was ended before tea when Campbell missed a slog sweep at off-spinner Dilruwan Perera and perished lbw. Powell added a further 48 for the second wicket with Shamarh Brooks, who made a patient 29 from 71 balls in nearly 1-1/2 hours at the crease.

The final day’s play concluded on Friday as teams prepare for the 3-Test series which bowls off on June 6.

Openers John Campbell and Kieran Powell struck fifties for the CWI President’s XI

Grand Coastal Hotel’s Annual GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL Golf Classic tees off Sunday Anna Regina Multilateral crowned Essequibo District Champs

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he Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) concludes its double-header this weekend with the Grand Coastal Hotel’s Annual Golf Classic Tournament.

Officially launched a few months ago, the event was billed for April, but rain forced organisers to postpone the event to a more conducive time.

Despite inclement weather that prevailed over the past week, Lusignan Golf Club course Superintendent Deanand Bissessar said, the doubleheader -- which starts with the Torginol Open on Saturday and concludes with the Grand Coastal on Sunday -- will be hosted, given the improved drainage conditions of the Grounds.

This year, Grand Coastal began partnering with the LGC by offering a special incentive to its guests: special rates and free coaching lessons to play golf at the LGC. This is a joint initiative of Grand Coastal’s CEO Kevin Daby and LGC President Aleem Hussain.

Daby has ventilated Grand

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Flashback! Grand Coastal CEO Kevin Daby presenting a sponsorship cheque to LGC Secretary Rabindranath Persaud and PRO Guy Griffith

Coastal’s pleasure to continue the years of sponsorship begun by his father in support of golfing in Guyana. On Sunday, as a gesture of appreciation for Grand Coastal’s long and continuing support of the LGC, the Club will induct Daby as an Honorary Member.

Past first to fourth placed Best Net Winners in recent Grand Coastal tournaments were: 2016 -- 1st: ‘Max’ Persaud; 2nd: Aleem Hussain;

3rd”: Richard Haniff; and 4th: Joaan Deo. In 2015 – 1st: Fazal Haniff; 2nd: Max Persaud; 3rd: Lakeram Ramsundar; and 4th: Patrick Prashad. In 2014 – 1st: Richard Haniff; 2nd: Patanjalee ‘Pur’ Persaud; 3rd: Sam Harry, and 4th: Bholaram Deo. Meanwhile, prizes will be awarded for 1st to 4th Best Net scores, the Best Gross score, the Longest Drive, and the Nearest to a designated Pin. Tee off time is set for 8:30 am.

nna Regina Multilateral School became the first side to qualify for the 2017/2018 National Secondary School Cricket League sponsored by the Guyana Cricket Board, the Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, and the National Sport Commission (GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL) and played at the Imam Bacchus ground on the Essequibo Coast.

The champs earned their crown by defeating Essequibo Islands Secondary by 51 runs, thanks to Anna Regina’s opening pair of Kamesh Lall and national youth player Sheldon Charles piloting their side to 76 without loss.

Apparently reinforced in their confidence from earlier wins, Anna Regina Multilateral looked and played like the champions, and eventually earned the Essequibo Coast District title.

The visiting Essequibo Islands team had been equally buoyant, having won the District that covers the region of Bartica, Wakenaam, Leguan and East Bank Essequibo. The Essequibo Islands players had appeared well prepared for the contest, exhibiting great teamwork in the field, this being particularly demonstrated in their accurate bowling and excellent fielding.

Nevertheless, they were restricted to 25 for 5 off their allotted overs, as the Anna Regina bowlers reciprocated torture on these visiting

Kamesh Lall (left) and national youth player Sheldon Charles set a big win for their school

batsmen with their mesmerizing control of length and line.

Batting for Essequibo Islands Secondary, Davindra Hamraj, with 12, was the only batsman to reach double figures. Bowling for Anna Regina Multilateral, Badesh Parsatom grabbed 2 wickets, while Raphael David, Lance Roberts and Kamesh Lall each grabbed one.

friDAY, june 2, 2018

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

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Paul, Hemraj in Windies ‘A’ squad for England and India ODI series Pg 23

Keemo Paul and Chandrapaul Hemraj are the two lone Guyanese in the Windes A squad for the upcoming Tri-series

Interclub swim c/ships on today

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