Guyanatime 31 january 2018

P14

Guyana, India ink 3 more agreements ...bilaterals on renewable energy, cultural exchange to be heightened Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Issue No. 3467

PRICE

Guyana-Venezuela controversy

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

UN sends case to International Court of Justice for settlement

Region 2 head teachers lament P11 insanitary conditions at schools

Page 3

Bag snatching lands man in P8 jail

Crime wave CoI

Govt has much to account for – Jagdeo Page 7

Convicted rapist acquitted of 2 child rape P8 charges

...questions PNC's role in civil disturbances, missing weapons City Hall alleged cover-up

DPP recommends rape charges for City P10 Constable

Mining body demands answers on Romanex P11 dispute …questions method of licence renewal …Ministry urges miners to be “patient”

Students of the Comenius Primary School addressing parents via song on the dangers of keeping children from school. The song, "Stop Keep dem Pickney Home" highlights that the school’s curriculum starts from first day of school and parents need to stop believing that children will not be learning from day one. The students were performing at the National Cultural Centre as the schools' 2018 Mashramani competitions continue

Gunmen beat, rob Housewife nabbed with bulletproof couple during vest, fake money home invasion

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2 taxi drivers carjacked P9 …1 vehicle retrieved during Police chase

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news

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BRIDGE OPENINGS

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, January 31 – 05:00h-06:30h and Thursday, February 1 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, January 31 – 15:45h-17:15h and Thursday, February 1 – 16:35h-18:05h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, with sunny weather expected in the late afternoon. Partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 4.02 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 04:24h and 16:40h reaching maximum heights of 2.68 metres and 2.83 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:13h and 22:41h reaching minimum heights of 0.54 metre and 0.37 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, january 27, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS D

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10 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

DAILY MILLIONS 06 13 20 23 24 LUCKY 3 3 2 5

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Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

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Evening Draw

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

UN sends case to International Court of Justice for settlement

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fter years of mediation, the United Nations (UN) has finally moved to send the ongoing border controversy between Guyana and neighbouring Venezuela to the International Court of Justice (ICJ); an outcome which Guyana has long been calling for.

This was confirmed by both the UN and Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, which on Tuesday hailed the move as a welcomed one.

According to the UN’s Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, the decision came after careful analysis of the good offices process.

Dujarric explained in a statement that enough progress was not made towards a solution on the controversy.

As a result, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres referred the matter to the ICJ. This is in accordance with the framework left by his predecessor, Ban Kimoon.

However, Guterres did not rule out the continuation of the good offices process of the UN to complement court proceedings. In addition, the Secretary General also committed to accompanying both Guyana and Venezuela in their bid to settle their differences.

Welcomed move

In an address to the nation on the issue, President David Granger welcomed the Secretary General’s decision to refer the matter to the world court. According to Granger, “Guyana remains confident in the correctness of its case (and) looks forward to the reaffirmation of the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award before the (ICJ).”

The Head of State reminded that Guyana’s position has always been that the basis of the controversy is a legal question and as such, should be resolved peacefully and conclusively through a legal process.

“Guyana will take all the necessary steps to ensure that its national patrimony will be protected for all time.

Guyana remains committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for international agreements and treaties and to maintaining friendly relations with its neighbours,” Granger said.

Guyana, the Head of State noted, will pursue the path ahead in furtherance of the preservation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity with quiet confidence and with the assurance in ever improving relations with its neighbours, Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement hailed the referral of the matter to the ICJ. The Ministry stressed that it would not let extraneous factors hinder the case; but would continue to advance peaceful relations with

made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, he will choose the International Court of Justice as the next means of settlement, unless the Governments of Guyana and Venezuela jointly request that he refrain from doing so.”

President David Granger along with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and previous Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, share a three-way handshake over the course of a lengthy Good Offices process

Venezuela.

According to the Ministry, Guyana’s reliance on the rule of law supports its national sovereignty. It pointed that despite the inequalities between the two countries, Guyana has stood its ground on the side of the law.

Controversy

The border controversy gained new life when oil giant ExxonMobil announced in 2015 that it had found oil in Guyana. Venezuela has staunchly been against oil exploration in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, where multiple oil deposits were found

by ExxonMobil.

In fact, Venezuela’s National Assembly had approved an agreement to reject the oil exploration activities in March 2017.

Venezuela had claimed the entire territorial sea of Guyana by means of the Leoni Decree in 1968.

In 2015, the Government of Guyana requested then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to take steps to-

ward resolving the controversy. In 2016, as a consequence of a stalemate on the matter, the outgoing Ban Ki-moon agreed with his successor, António Guterres, to continue to use the Good Offices Process until the end of 2017 as a means of arriving at a settlement.

It is with that intention that Guterres appointed special representative to Guyana Dag Halvor Nylander as an envoy to resolve the border spat. According to the mandate of the Personal Representative, if, by the end of 2017, the Secretary General concludes that “no significant progress has been

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

In a previous statement on the matter, the Foreign Affairs Ministry had noted that this referral does not require Venezuela’s approval beyond what is allotted in the 1966 Geneva agreement.

Guyana will now have to get lawyers to present its case on the international front. (Jarryl Bryan)

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

Domestic violence

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omestic violence has been described as “… behaviour which causes one partner in a relationship to be afraid of the other. Domestic violence can take the form of physical or sexual abuse and forced social isolation away from friends and family members.” However, domestic violence has many victims besides spousal partners.

The laws of Guyana prescribe one’s rights regarding this issue which are laid out in the Domestic Violence Act as “recognised under the law and law enforcement agencies, such as the courts”, and stipulate that the Guyana Police Force must help to enforce the rights of, and offer protection to, any man, woman, or child who may be experiencing domestic violence.

Some signs of domestic violence are described as persistent verbal abuse such as quarrelling and cursing (one can add to that derogating one’s character and making unjustifiable insulting remarks about one’s self and one’s loved ones); threatening the person with physical violence (threatening to hit the person with hands or objects) as well as actually hitting the person; damaging the property of a person (such as breaking a person’s cellphone, tearing or burning a person’s clothing, among other things); following a person from place to place, even though that person does not want to be followed; hiding clothing or property used by the person (for example, hiding a person’s cellphone, their clothing, their identification card, their passport, and even their money); making persistent and/or unwelcome contact with the person (such as calling the person on their cellphone or home phone many times per day, watching the person’s house, waiting for the person to leave work or place of study, following the person from home or work, even though that person does not want to be followed or watched); and using abusive language to a person, or behaving towards a person in such a way that could result in that person being illtreated. For example, cursing and quarrelling with a person in front of others, and then encouraging others to do the same.

An initiative by the former Administration to deal with the scourge of domestic violence suggested actions one should take to protect oneself (and possibly others) from domestic violence, and to provide a descriptive analysis of a Protection Order. One of the suggestions made is to make a report to the nearest Police station, and therein lies a conundrum.

Those whom are supposed “to protect and serve” most often have provided the catalyst for a tragedy to occur by their attitude, attention – or lack thereof, and plain don’t-give-a-damn behaviour when a complainant drums up the requisite courage (most often with great difficulty) and lodges a complaint.

Many victims of continuous abuse are killed because of the complacency of a few members of the Police Force who refuse to investigate complaints and lay charges, or take the actions necessary to protect the victim from further abuse.

Guyanese have stopped being our brother’s (and sister’s) keepers, because, in many communities, neighbours witnessing a continuum of, and escalating instances of, abuse refuse to become involved. They prefer to enjoy the enfolding tragedy, even adding to it with malicious rumour-mongering and strifemaking, because the titillation of feuds and wars within families find a corresponding resonance in the dark nuances resident in every soul, and the average person refuses to rise above their more decadent equivalencies to achieve a higher plane of thought and action, enough to maybe intercede – and probably save, a family from ultimate destruction.

And one wonders what part the church bodies and religious leaders play in melding communities into units cohesive enough to fashion strategies for interventions within families and the general society in efforts to divert energies into more productive and peaceful approaches to conflict resolution – even to the point of empowerment.

The acceleration in violence-prone conflicts within families and societies is spiralling out of control, to the extent where many lives have been lost, with many more dislocated, and there seems to be no end in sight.

Unless there is a holistic, proactive approach, where all stakeholders in the nation are made aware that this cause and this fight is a national one, every effort made – valiant and committed as they may be, will prove woefully inadequate, because domestic violence is a national tradition entrenched in the Guyanese psyche.

Persons within communities most often do not think it is their business to report instances of abuse, and many women and children have suffered violations, and even been murdered, when a timely intervention could have saved someone’s life.

Evil can only perpetuate if good people think it is not their business; so unless we return to the era when each of us was our sister’s or brother’s keeper, there will be many more victims who would suffer even more tragic outcomes to their lives.

Palestinian children hold bread patties during a protest against aid cuts, outside the United Nations' offices in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip (voanews.com)

CoI – more than 6 years of killings

Dear Editor, I refer to a story written by an excellent Guyanese journalist on his website on January 28, 2018, captioned “Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into 1000-odd extrajudicial killing to be named….” But when one digs into the story, it appears that the Granger regime is only inquiring into

six years? Guyana’s social cohesion bond was not destroyed in six years, it was deliberately interfered with by both sides since 1963 and maybe a year or two before that, if the history books inform me correctly (Read a book by Stephen Rabe). There were acts of violence in the 1973 elections

to which an allegation was made against Mr Granger himself that demands an inquiry too. Therefore, it is nothing but political opportunistic and premature to restrict the CoI to six years; let us do the full 60 years from the 1960s to now – similar to the Mandela model.

So, for the record, I wel-

come a CoI into the 60 years of troubles that Guyana and its people experienced, but be a man and embrace the truth and do it competently and properly. Bring it on Mr Granger!

Regards, Sasenarine Singh

Unions have become deaf, dumb and blind

Dear Editor, It’s a unique piece of psychology whereby if you want to take away everything from someone, then go straight ahead and do it, so that when you throw some crumbs at them, they will grab it gleefully and bless you with all their heart.

This is a type of psychological reactance and manipulation now meted out to the sugar workers.

Let me illustrate this.

In the past, every year the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) had bargained for increased wages and salaries and would go on strikes when their demands were not met.

However, since the commission of inquiry, which recommended privatisation accompanied by veiled threats from the Government to close some estates, the unions have become deaf, dumb and blind. There is no further talk about wage increases. The focus has then been on keeping their jobs!

Moreover, the sugar workers, the unions and the Opposition were adamantly opposed to privatisation of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) therefore the Government proposed closure.

The Wales Estate was closed.

After this the Government proposed privatisation and this was accepted with open arms by the workers and their union. This proposal has now become a blessing according to Mr Ramjattan.

The next scenario concerns the redundancy of the workers and their severance payments. The Government and GuySuCo decided to terminate the employment of at least 5000 workers. No severance was offered. The union and the Opposition fought tooth and nail for the payment of the severance.

The Government agrees to pay the severance but in installments. This satisfied the unions, both GAWU and NAACIE. It is agreed that the final installment will be paid six months after the first and that those workers entitled to severance below $500,000 will receive theirs

in full. The fact is that 5000 workers have lost their jobs and that has now become irrelevant!

Now for the crème de la crème, the Government is now the savior of 11,000 jobs. They have not destroyed the livelihood of 5000 sugar workers but they have saved the jobs of 11,000 workers since they had the option to close the sugar industry and they did not. The Government is now capitalising on its failure to turn around the sugar industry after injecting more than $40 billion.

The sum of $40 billion is equivalent to the cost of the Skeldon factory. Moses Nagamootoo at the Rose Hall Estate outreach pontificated that the money spent on the Skeldon Modernisation Project could have been spent to make the other estates such as Albion, Rose Hall, Blairmont and others more efficient and profitable. So, the question for Nagamootoo is: Why after spending the same $40 billion on the industry it has to be closed and privatised?

The Prime Minister is very poor with figures. He should try spinning words instead of figures!

Eventually after months in hiding, the Prime Minister and the Agriculture Minister mustered the courage to face the sugar workers at Skeldon and Rose Hall Estates where they received the way they should-with disapproval and protests. So, the ‘spin doctor’ went to work immediately. He lambasted the People’s Progressive Party for the failures of the sugar industry and began ‘selling dreams’ to the sugar workers. He painted a nice picture about the workers being trained to become entrepreneurs, their children will be trained to work in the oil and gas sector, the workers will be given loans from a fund of $100 million (this works out to 20 thousand dollars per worker), the sugar workers will be given one acre of land each to cultivate, they will be trained to do other skill jobs, and the list goes on. continued on page 5

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

Sugar workers’ plight Dear Editor, It was really sad on reading the melancholic sentiments expressed by sugar workers at Skeldon and Enmore on January 29, as they receive their severance, or rather correctly redundancy allowances, and simultaneously not to discount the harrowing experiences they went through in the process of collecting their cheque.

They told tales of an anticipated future full of miseries and hopelessness.

Notwithstanding, it was highly commendable to those, who despite the amount that they received,

were determined to invest a portion of it in some form or order to assure an endeavour that could provide some amount of sustenance.

It takes more than business acumen for someone to invest as little as $200,000 on cash-crop farming to generate an income to sustain a family. The investment plans articulated by these workers go to show not only how determined they are prepared to survive against all odds, but how oriented they are to make that little investment go a far way.

It is extremely disappointing, or rather depress-

ing and unacceptable, for the sugar company and the Government for that matter to embark on a massive redundancy exercise, never before experienced in this country, and failed to make any tangible, sensible plan on how those severed workers will continue to make a living, before they severed them. It borders on heartlessness to send workers home packing who would dedicate an average of almost 15 years of back-breaking service. The 4800 workers who were severed from Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore would have dedicated, collectively,

almost 72,000 years of service to GuySuCo. They were sent home without any plan on what their future will be.

Simply, go and fend for yourself!

Whilst almost 7000 ordinary workers, including Wales, were sent packing, there is no word from the sugar company or the Government on the status of the top-heavy, super-salaried executives ensconced at its head office and those estates that have been closed.

It is business as usual for them.

On a related matter, the Private Sector Commission

Mayor, Town Clerk disgrace the Council Dear Editor, With reference to correspondence dated January 22, 2018, from Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan to Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase Green and copied to Councillors, regarding “Green Spaces” I find the Minister’s views apposite regarding the Bel Air Play Field and by extension the Farman Play Ground. I fully support the Minister’s position.

The Mayor and Town Clerk Royston King have led us Councillors into another faux pas with the citizens of Georgetown and have shown a total disregard for the Municipal and Districts Councils Act 28:01 which in adumbrating the role of the Council, sets it as the supreme decision-making body

at the municipal level for the City of Georgetown, our National Capital City.

The Mayor and Town Clerk continue to arrogate to themselves powers and roles which are not prescribed by 28:01. Their actions are deliberated, calculated and continue to damage the image of the Council irreparably.

The issue of Bel Air Play Field and Farman Play Ground have never come before the Council.

Additionally, I wish to bring to the public’s attention “Minutes” to the Social Development Committee, dated January 23, 2018.

The “Minutes” in this form is merely a request from the Town Clerk’s office for the committee to consider a matter. In this instance, for the

A couple of questions Dear Editor, How come the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government of President David Granger had difficulty finding the money for sugar workers severance pay yet can suddenly find the money to pay for several com-

missions of inquiry into the unprecedented crime spree of 2002-2009? Why the specific dates of 2002-2009? Why not go back further and investigate all killings since independence?

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

Unions have become deaf...

Nagamootoo should understand that the Wales Estate was closed since December 2016 and the sugar workers and the surrounding areas are still reeling from the fallout. Will Skeldon and Rose Hall be any better? Sugar workers are not that naïve!

I listened to the Prime Minister at Rose Hall and was shocked at the venom he spewed and the vulgarity of his presentation. His ‘outreach’ was meant to appease the workers by explaining the way forward and to explain the measures to be put

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in place to ensure that they received their severance, but instead his vitriolic loaded speech did nothing to improve the image the sugar workers have about him.

On that day at Rose Hall, the pretensions fell apart as the true Nagamootoo emerged. Ironically it was at the same location where he pledged to ‘light a candle’ for the sugar workers!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor, Region Six

first time, the Committee is being asked to consider both matters.

In the first instance, the Minutes read: “Minute from the Town Clerk forwarding correspondence from Ms Mayfield Rodrigues to assist with upgrading and utilising Farman Play Ground”.

In the second instance, it reads, “Minute from the Town Clerk requesting the committee to address the Bel Air Play Field”.

If the Committee is yet to consider these issue and full Council yet to accept or reject the Committee’s recommendations, why did work on these grounds begin?

I also note with concern the public response of the Mayor to Minister Bulkan’s correspondence.

I have thought that some particu-

lar parts of his missive, for instance, “I inform you further, that the undertaking by the Council to convert green spaces in residential areas into housing and other commercial ventures does not find favour with Central Government”, would be enough to allow the Mayor to recalibrate her ill-advised position, contrary Her Worship seems more embolden.

Both Mayor and Town Clerk should resign as they continue to disgrace the Council. In the March 15 election for Mayor, the people of Georgetown through their Councillors cannot, must not re-elect this Mayor.

Sincerely, Sherod Avery Duncan City Councillor

must be commended on its initiative to promote job fairs on those affected estates, starting with Wales on January 31. It is hoped that this initiative will alleviate the rank unemployment that plagues these communities.

One cannot help to observe the tit-for-tat that goes on between the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, which is totally uncalled for. What the affected sugar workers need is a joint collaboration between the two bodies that will bring hope and relief to their plight, not jockeying for positions.

From what was communicated in the media, including the Union’s press statement, is that the engagement between the sugar unions and Government on January 19 was a meeting, and not a negotiation, since the matter at stake, payment of severance allowance, was, and still is, a non-negotiable matter. The Union was pellucid in its statement, it did not negotiate.

The Government, reportedly, communicated a decision on the phased payout of the severance, which has either two options – accept or challenge it legally. It has not been legally challenged, and if it was challenged there is every likelihood the payout on January 29 would have been stayed pending the outcome of the legal pro-

cedure. It would have been the case of ‘damned if you do, and damned if you don’t”.

One could only presume that GAWU was caught in this dilemma. It had the workers’ plight in its hands.

I could only implore that all hands be on board to help in whatever way or form to bring hope, life and relief to the lives of the sugar workers. They have dedicated and sacrificed for centuries through “blood, sweat and tears” to bring hope, life and a fulfilling future to lives of thousands who have lived in this beautiful land of Guyana. They deserve it, now more than ever.

Yours faithfully, Selwyn Narinedatt Clifton Settlement Corentyne, Berbice

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Helping your daughter gain a sense of empathy It’s no cakewalk...but the rewards are great

By Dena Kouremetis

T

eaching teenagers –especially girls – to think about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes (including our own) can be one of the hardest jobs we face as parents, since once the ‘tude starts, girls live intensely within any given moment. Their sights are set only on their own perceptions and needs, in addition to a frightening, totally illogical sense of invincibility that scares the crap out of us.

Search around the web, and you'll find real exercises moms and daughters can do together to help foster their daughter’s sense of empathy and even moms can learn something in the process. BrightHubEducation.com’s article “Empathy: Teaching Your Teenager to Care About Others” by Lotus Snow, tells us that when teens identify or feel that another person is similar to them, they are more likely to feel empathy for that individual. So one way to teach teens to develop their empathic skills would be to help them discover what they have in common with other individuals. Moreover, in this age of “cyber-ism" where the line between the real and the imaginary is blurred and where there is seldom a set of direct consequences for their actions, the more we can humanise a victim's distress, the better our teen will be able to respond with empathy.

The article suggests getting your teen to figuratively turn a mirror into a window, with the mirror symbolising self-centeredness and the window representing a sense of empathy – where she can look beyond her own needs and put herself in another person’s position. Some questions to ask her that may lead to meaningful discussions include: Just how much do you know about another person anyway?

Were you there with this person throughout their entire childhood?

Do you know much about the neigh-

bourhood that person grew up in or what their family is really like?

Then have her put the shoe on the other foot. Apart from your daughter’s clothing, ask her what others may notice about her on the surface that just might give them a clue about who she really is. How might others perceive her based on her own behaviour, habits, way of speaking, etc.?

In her post Grow a Child's Empathy in 3 Easy Ways, Dr Marilyn PriceMitchell lists a wealth of ways to get your daughter involved in community services and offers links to wonderful programmes, helping her not only see the plight of others less fortunate, but also realizing we are all in this together no matter what our age or income.

Stories with paradigm shifts abound, showing how we may see one person on the surface but are clueless as to what that person has experienced, suffered or is even gifted at, for that matter. An excellent 2009 movie that deals directly with empathy is Flipped, the simple but touching tale of a young boy who moves into a new neighborhood directly across the street from a very outgoing girl his own age.

He instantly dislikes her, finds her annoying, and judges her. In the meantime, the boy’s father becomes almost instantly critical of her entire family since they don’t keep up their front yard – something he believes speaks to their character. The boy hears his dad assume all sorts of things about the family over many a family dinner, even though the two neighbouring families had never truly interacted. The story is told first from the standpoint of the boy and then the girl’s narrative is aired throughout the story, telling how she sees everything that is going on between them from her own perspective and family dynamic. I highly suggest watching this very meaningful movie with your children and even discussing it afterward.

Indeed, movie scripts can take some

of life’s most poignant moments and boil them down to a few scenes that have the potential to move our hearts in directions we never thought possible. One of my favourite movies depicting the mother-daughter dance, “Spanglish”, deals with an immigrant housekeeper mother and her Americanborn daughter, 12-year old Christina, who is tempted by a new life she experiences outside her Los Angeles barrio when she is invited to spend a summer in Malibu with her mother’s employer’s family. She is overwhelmed by the beauty and luxury in which she is suddenly immersed, juxtaposed to watching her mother cleaning her employer’s house in the background. The daughter begins to see her single mother as “less than” and out-of-step with the rest of the world as she experiences entirely new vistas of her own, causing more and more conflict between them. At the end of the movie, Christina’s narration fast-forwards to her high school-aged self as she speaks aloud the words from a personal statement she has written to accompany her college applications.

She writes that back when she and her mother clashed the most, her mother found herself asking her a very basic question of her at such a young age.

“And then she asked it,” she says. “‘Is what you want for yourself...to become someone very different than me?’"

The daughter goes on to finish her letter. “I have been overwhelmed by your encouragement to apply to your university and your list of scholarships available to me. Though, as I hope this essay shows, your acceptance, while it would thrill me, will not define me.

My identity rests firmly and happily on one fact: I am my mother's daughter.”

Consciously making the decision to help your daughter develop a sense of empathy is an exercise that may well serve her for a lifetime, helping her navigate a number of life's obstacles as well as place her experiences in perspective. (psychologytoday.com)

Invisible disabilities A

ccording to the World Health Organisation, about a billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. A disability, here, being defined as a physical or mental condition which limits a person’s movements, senses or activities, often Ashley Anthony times affecting their ability to complete daily tasks.

When we think about disabilities, we tend to think about people who are visually or aurally impaired, people who are suffering from some sort of paralysis, or people who have been born without or lost certain limbs. These things are very easy to see. Such people cannot hide their disabilities, and as such, we, the general public, can both recognise and acknowledge their struggles.

Yet, millions of people suffer from what are termed “invisible disabilities”. There is no comprehensive list describing all invisible disabilities, but the definition of the term is a disability that is not immediately apparent. This can range from anything from epilepsy or lupus, which causes chronic pain and fatigue to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

None of these have any obvious physical signals, but can still be extremely debilitating for an individual who has any of them. Such a person might find doing daily tasks tedious or even exhausting, but will have difficulty explaining to the people around them why they need to be accommodated. Often times, because there is no physical indication of the disability, people will feel as though the sufferer is making up excuses to get out from doing as much work, or to get special benefits.

However, I think in the context of Guyana, invisible diseases are incredibly important to acknowledge. We tend to not believe things we cannot see. This is why we have such a problem with mental health illnesses.

Even though there are treatment and facilities available, many Guyanese just do not believe that there is something wrong enough to seek treatment.

Undiagnosed, a person suffering from a disease that makes them easily fatigued can be labelled as lazy, and believing this of themselves, they can unintentionally overexert themselves trying to ameliorate their image.

Similarly, a person suffering from depression may feel guilty about not being able to meet deadlines, and this feeling of guilt can cause their depression to worsen.

Yet, because they do not acknowledge their illness, they won’t take any time off or seek out the help they need to feel better and ultimately function better.

What can we do? I suppose the best advice I can give is try your best to be open to learning about new types of people and their challenges. If someone trusts you enough to disclose to you details of a disease which affects their ability to function, do not try to compare it to feelings you have every day or lessen the severity of what they are going through. Try your best to be supportive (even if you do not completely understand the illness), and ask them what they personally need to help manage their disability and how you, as their friend, can help.

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Crime wave CoI

Govt has much to account for – Jagdeo

Housewife nabbed with bulletproof vest, fake money

…questions PNC's role in civil disturbances, missing weapons When will we see an inquiry into the death of the ballot box martyrs at a time when current top Government officials were entrenched in the GDF? When will we see an inquiry into the post-1997 elections violence, including the ‘slow fyah, mo fyah’ campaign, the burning of buildings, the looting of businesses, the beating of innocent people and the sexual abuse of women?”

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

W

ith continued but vague references to a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the crime wave under his presidency coming from the Government, former President Bharrat Jagdeo is insisting that the only way his party will support the move is if it is a credible one.

According to Jagdeo in a statement on Tuesday, events pre-2002 have to be taken into account.

Questioning the involvement of the People’s National Congress (the majority partner in the coalition) in the killings and civil disturbances preceding that year, Jagdeo urged that this be investigated.

“I have noticed Minister (of State, Joseph) Harmon’s comments about several inquiries, as opposed to a comprehensive CoI into the crime wave. I believe that no inquiry will be complete unless there is a comprehensive review of what took place and who the operatives were, particularly the political operatives,” he said in a statement.

He noted that there were many questions that have to be answered. “What was the level of support, moral and material, which was extended to criminals by certain PNC political operatives? How did guns, which

Old politics

According to Jagdeo, the were stolen or given out to Granger Administration has the PNC, at a time when failed to deliver jobs and the Granger was prominently ‘good life’ it promised during positioned in the GDF, sur- the election campaign. He face in the hands of crimi- said that in an effort to polanals years later? Where are rise society, the Government the 155 high-powered mil- has returned to old politics.

“They should apologise itary weapons that were loaned to the PNC’s Ministry to the victims of Bartica, of National Development?” Lusignan and Lindo Creek.

They should apologise to Jagdeo questioned.

The former Head of State those massacred in Agricola; noted that in August 2014, one remembers the infaLieutenant Colonel Sydney mous conversation between James testified and submit- senior public officials, who ted documentation at the are current Ministers in the Walter Rodney Commission coalition Government, in of Inquiry (CoI) to show that an attempt to divert attenthe GDF had loaned these tion from themselves. They should apologise to all the weapons to the PNC. “What were the roles other victims of the crimiof current Government nals they labelled as ‘freeMinisters and presidential dom fighters’. The fact is that advisors, who held leader- many of the current leaders ship positions in the armed in the coalition Government forces, in compromising the were complicit in many of ability of our security forc- these crimes.

“I have already made es to apprehend politically supported criminals? What available to the media and was the political involve- publicly gone through the ment in Buxton when wom- list of 400 young black men, en and children were organ- which was circulated by the ised to block members of the PNC, and shown that the ausecurity forces from enter- thors of that list unashaming Buxton in April 2002?” edly included the names of victims of the crime wave, ciJagdeo continued.

“When will we see an in- vilians and members of the quiry into the theft of bal- security forces, both Indo lot boxes at a time when and Afro-Guyanese. Now, Granger, who has publicly that number has been mysidentified himself as a PNC teriously increased to 1431 member for 52 years, served by Minister Harmon. A credin a key GDF position? ibly-constituted Commission

of Inquiry, staffed by international jurists, will expose the intellectual authors behind the crime wave of the 2000s, including the political operatives who were involved,” Jagdeo stated.

During a brief interview, Harmon had announced that Commissioners for the CoI would be appointed this week and that work on the inquiry would commence on February 1. Jagdeo has already expressed a willingness to help in drafting the CoI’s Terms of Reference and to also make his former Government officials available for questioning once they had specific information.

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The bulletproof vest and the US dollars suspected to be counterfeit

Corentyne, Berbice woman was on Tuesday arrested after ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) unearthed a quantity of counterfeit US currency and a bulletproof vest in her house during a raid.

Reports reaching Guyana Times revealed that acting on information received,

CANU ranks went to the Lot 1805 Grant Crabwood Creek, Corentyne house of the 38-year-old housewife and conducted a search.

They subsequently discovered 25 US$100 bills and one US$50 bill, which were suspected to be counterfeit, along with a white bulletproof vest in the closet of the home.

Turn to page 12

8 news

wednesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS Convicted rapist acquitted of 2 child rape charges

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onvicted child rapist Mark Campbell was on Tuesday afternoon acquitted of raping another boy when his case came up before Sexual Offences Court Judge Simone Morris Ramlall.

The unrepresented accused was indicted on two counts of child sexual activity with a family member in a case that was presented by State Prosecutors Orinthia Schmidt and Shawnette Austin.

The 12-member jury returned an 11-1 not guilty verdict on the first count after three hours of delibera-

Convicted rapist Mark Campbell was acquitted of additional child rape charges

tions. The jury was, however, unable to reach a formal

verdict on the second count, and Justice Ramlall announced that it was up to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide if Campbell would face another trial.

Guyana Times was told that the incidents allegedly occurred in the county of Demerara during September 2011 and July 2013 when the child was three and five years old respectively. The particulars of the charges contended that the acts were allegedly penetrative in nature.

Campbell walked out of court smiling, but he would

remain incarcerated having been sentenced to 30 years in prison in October last year for raping another male family member who was seven and eight when he was violated in 2011 and 2013.

At that trial in 2017, the jury had unanimously found Campbell guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child that was left in his care by a mother who was working nights. At that time, Campbell, who was unrepresented, claimed that he did not receive a fair trial.

Chihuahua costs owner $30,000 bail

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woman who allegedly left her Chihuahua unattended was charged after the dog attacked and bit a child.

Alvaveen Alberts denied that on November 16, 2017 at Wortmanville,

Georgetown, she failed to restrain her Chihuahua, which attacked the child.

However, in her defence, Alberts told Magistrate Leron Daly, before whom she appeared that the boy was in the habit of teasing

the dog which caused it to bite him.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh told Magistrate Daly that the excuse given by the defendant was not valid.

He asked that bail in

a substantial sum be imposed in order for Alberts to take better care in the future.

Bail was granted in the sum of $30,000. The defendant is expected to return to court today.

Repeat offender charged for narcotics possession

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man who on his last appearance before the courts was charged for fighting over a woman found himself before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts again, this time charged with being in pos-

session of cannabis.

Shawn Sam, 33, of Lot 74 Middle Road, La Penitence, denied the charge read to him by Magistrate Leron Daly.

The prosecution is contending that on January

25 at Stabroek Market, Georgetown, he was found to be in possession of 21 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Police Prosecutor Richard Harris objected to bail.

However, Sam told Magistrate Daly that he was at the Market waiting for his children when he was arrested by Police and later told that he had cannabis in his possession. He further explained that no narcotic was found on his person.

As such, he was granted bail in the sum of $60,000.

The case will continue on March 2, 2018.

Bag snatching lands man in jail

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man who allegedly snatched and made off with a woman’s purse as she was walking in Campbellville, Georgetown found himself before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly.

Shawn Gonsalves was made to answer to the larceny charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He denied that on January 23, at Campbellville, he robbed Abigail Eric of her handbag which contained her spectacles, chain pendant, and other items valued $294,000.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh made a petition for bail to be denied on the grounds that similar charges were soon to be laid against Gonsalves.

He also revealed that Gonsalves gave a statement to Police confessing to some of the offences.

As such, the defendant was remanded to prison.

The case will continue on February 16.

Twisting…

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…the crime inquiry

uddenly the Government’s all hot and sweaty about holding a “crime inquiry”. In fact, it’s now been “pluralised” into “crime INQUIRIES”!! One reason could be because of the indignation over the period the President picked to be covered in the inquiry: 2002–2009.

It was immediately clear to one and sundry this would just be another attempt to throw shade at the PPP. Serious crimes didn’t begin in 2002. But your Eyewitness accepts we need to have some cut-off point.

So, he suggests if we really want to inquire into our crime history, why don’t we pick up from where the Rodney Inquiry left off?? That is, after June 13 1980. After all, that Inquiry did a good job about what really went down in the 1970s as far as crime was concerned, didn’t it?? It’s still fresh in people’s minds. But hold it!! The PNC wouldn’t like that!! Look how they refused to extend the life of the Commission. Or to have the Report debated in Parliament.

And why don’t they want to publicise that report?

Because, dear readers, it exposed how the PNC was up to its neck in the instigation of the most serious crimes in Guyana – including murder most foul! Now don’t get your Eyewitness wrong…of course, like any other society, they’ll be folks who will commit crimes for reasons of their own.

But that’s not what the Government is talking about. No siree Bob!!

The President’s already pronounced that POVERTY’s the reason for crime in Guyana. But a year ago, his Security Minister had proposed GREED as the mother of crimes.

So your Eyewitness figures that was just because he was speaking from personal experience!! The time frame chosen also suggests the Government’s talking about political crimes – since that was the period of crimes following the Mas Jailbreak of 2002.

So returning to your Eyewitness’ suggestion, the postRodney assassination period Inquiry would shed some light as to whether the Disciplined Forces – who’d been ordered to do the PNC’s dirty deeds on the WPA – were the same ones who became the “kick-down-the-door” bandits starting, from the end of the Rodney period. Or rented their guns to those who committed the mayhem and murder amongst the populace. That would bring us up to 1989 when Hoyte reintroduced hanging which put a crimp on the kick-down-the-door bandits’ style!!

Then there would be the post 1992 elections violence that started with the attack on the elections headquarters while the vote were being counted. Then, of course, onto the open violence between 1998 and 2002 that accompanied the PNC protests.

But can’t have that. It would stain the PNC not the PPP!!

…sugar workers in the wind

They say elephants have loooong memories…but if the truth be told, they have nothing on the PNC when it comes to never forgetting! And don’t even THINK about “forgiving”!! Recently, GAWU’s been in the news…but it hardly compares to their actions in their glory years. WE could do worse than 1977 when they struck for 177 days to force the PNC – which had just nationalised the sugar industry – to recognise them as the official sugar union!!

But guess what the new PNC owners of GuySuCo did immediately after the strike?? They shut down the Leonora factory which had been the centre of the strikes both in 1964 and 1977!! Burnham didn’t forget!! And so we come to the present PNC Government and their callous treatment of sugar workers – of whom they’ve thrown 5700 into the streets. Want to know why? Just think of all the letters you’ve seen about how sugar workers “burnt canes” during the first PNC’s regime.

This PNC not only didn’t forget…they obviously believe revenge is best served cold!!

…sick ex-sugar workers

The folks in the PSC obviously never spent time in the sugar industry. They want to keep their “health centres” – which had two medicines, red and green – to treat ALL illnesses!

Now with the PNC, they’ll only have the green one!!

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

News

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WednesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 taxi drivers carjacked …1 vehicle recovered during Police chase

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arjackers went on a spree Monday evening attacking two private-hire operators in separate incidents on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) and East Bank of Essequibo (EBE). The modus operandi by the perpetrators has caused investigators to believe that they were either part of the same network or that the attackers were the same in both cases.

In the first instance, two young males exit a minibus about 21:20h on Monday and hired taxi driver Harry Narine, 28, called “Danny” from the base on the Zeelugt Public Road to transport them into the New Scheme.

Guyana Times was told by a relative of the victim that the men directed him to the back of the Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, which was reportedly dark. As he was driving in, Narine ob-

The car which was stolen from taxi operator Harry Narine served two men standing by a koker, but continued driving further into the scheme.

However, after reaching some distance, the two passengers informed him that they had given him the wrong directions and asked that they turn around.

The taxi operator quickly complied and as they

were heading back out of the scheme, they again passed the two men at the koker and his passengers ordered him to stop. Immediately after, the two lurking men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, reportedly pounced on Narine and began hitting him about his head and body. The two

passengers subsequently joined in beating the driver.

The four men then dragged Narine out of the car and threw him into a nearby trench before escaping in the man’s silver-grey Toyota Premio car, bearing registration number PSS 9929.

About an hour later, a similar incident occurred on the West Coast of Demerara; however, Police ranks managed to retrieve the stolen motor car after the hijackers abandoned the vehicle during a chase.

According to reports, taxi driver Jailall Mohadeo, 30, of Cornelia Ida, was at his service base located at De Willem Public Road when two males hired him about 22:30h to transport them into CI New Housing Scheme.

On arrival at their destination, the two passengers,

Gunmen beat, rob couple during home invasion

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Chinese couple are now left in a traumatised state after armed men invaded their East Bank Demerara (EDB) home on Monday evening, terrorising them before carting off their motor car along with cash and valuables.

The couple, Rong Yan Yao, 41, a businesswoman, and Rong Jie King, 40, a businessman, both of Garden of Eden, EBD was attacked about 21:40h.

Guyana Times understands that the victims were in the upper flat of their two-storey home when six heavily armed men invaded the premises and held them

The couple’s Garden of Eden, EBD home

at gunpoint.

One of the bandits demanded that the couple

hand over their valuables, but they refused to do so.

As such, they were both

beaten in their heads before the men ransacked their home and relieved them of an undisclosed sum of cash and a large quantity of gold and silver jewellery.

The men then demanded the couple’s car keys and made good their escape in the Toyota pickup, BSS 5412. An alarm was raised, and the Police were called.

The injured couple were taken to the Diamond hospital where they were treated.

When this publication visited the couple’s home, the victims were too traumatised to speak.

An investigation has been launched.

The car retrieved by Police after hijackers abandoned it along with two other armed men, attacked the driver and escaped with the man’s Toyota Premio car, bearing registration number PNN 1952.

However, the suspects subsequently encountered a Police road block in front of the Den Amstel Police Station and immediately changed direction. This caught the attention of the ranks, who in turn pursued the vehicle.

Shortly after, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and escaped into some nearby bushes. The lawmen have since taken possession

of the vehicle, which is currently at the Leonora Police Station.

Detectives are working diligently to apprehend the carjackers, whose actions appeared to have been well-coordinated.

Last year, there was a spike in vehicular hijacking cases. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) had issued several notices previously, warning taxi operators of carjackers who have amped up attacks on drivers of Toyota Allion and Toyota Premio motor cars under the pretext of wanting taxis.

10 news

wednesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

City Hall alleged cover-up

DPP recommends rape charges for City Constable

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he Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended that charges be brought against City Constable Clifton Pellew for the alleged rape of a minor, who was in his care at the City Constabulary last year.

After much public pressure, City Hall turned the matter over to the Police, who following an investigation, sought advice from the DPP on the matter.

This publication was reliably informed on Tuesday that the file has been returned to the Police with instructions that the charge be instituted.

The incident allegedly occurred when a 15-year-old boy was taken into custody on August 17, 2017 for wandering. At some point during his detention, the minor was reportedly transferred to the Regent Street, Georgetown Outpost, where the alleged incident occurred between August 22 and 23.

City Constable Clifton Pellew

It was only after allegations made its way into the public domain that City Hall acted on the matter. In the aftermath of the allegation, Pellew and another officer, Corporal Quacy Baveghems, were sacked by authorities.

It was at this point that the name of the accused found itself in the public domain.

The Local Government Commission (LGC) is also expected to launch a probe

into the allegation. Town Clerk Royston King had announced that following the receipt of legal advice, it was decided to forward the matter to the LGC. For its part, LGC Chairman Mortimer Mingo was quoted in sections of the press committing to investigating the matter as soon as possible. It is unclear at present if the Commission is ensconced in an office of its own. Previously, it had met in Parliament Buildings in order to conduct its affairs.

Protests

Not satisfied with the mere sacking of two officers, protesters have been holding impromptu demonstrations in front of City Hall.

There have been accusations that authorities have been trying to cover up the issue.

This is something that City Hall has denied.

Culpable

While commending the

DPP for recommending rape charges, noted child rights activist Nicole Cole stated that the matter did not end there. When contacted by Guyana Times, the Rights of the Child Commissioner, the Child Protection Act applies to persons who knowingly do not report child abuse to the rightful authorities.

“I applaud the DPP for recommending the rape charge against the perpetrator because the crime of rape is Guyana has become normalised simply because in many instances justice is extremely slow. Rape of a child or children is a very serious offence in every society,” she related.

“The Child Protection Act of 2009 applies here.

That Act clearly outlines that all citizens have to report the rape of a child and failure to do so is guilt (by) conspiracy,” the activist said.

Sleeping with the enemy

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atiricus was furious with what was happening to his leader Nagga Man. Here he was, a faithful follower of the KFC, trying to toe the party line, but was getting confused about that line. Satiricus was fuming about the coalition Government’s relationship with India as he strode towards the Back Street Bar. “Suh who upset yuh dis time?” asked Bungi mildly, as Satiricus dropped into his seat.

“Lemme ask you fellas something,” said Satiricus while accepting the bottle of beer from the waitress. “Am I living in a parallel universe, or something?”

“Well, to tell the truth,” grinned Hari. “Sometimes I wonder!”

“No seriously,” replied Satiricus earnestly. “Wasn’t it only last week my leader Nagga Man’s media hack announced India was the source of all that was evil on the planet?”

“Me rememba ‘e seh somet’ing like da,” said Cappo as he downed his beer. “But me na pay am no mind. ‘E bassidie!”

“But the man is the Director of Public Information!” exclaimed Satiricus. “What he says comes directly from my leader Nagga Man.” “OK…OK, Sato,” said Bungi placatingly. “Suh wha’ de problem now?”

“Well, the Media Hack pointed out India was interfering with our internal politics,” said Satiricus. “And now we have the proof!”

“What’s that?” asked Hari as he signalled the waitress for refills. “This is serious!”

“Didn’t you read Greenbridge and Trot Man just went to India to sign all kinds of agreement?” demanded Satiricus indignantly.

“Yes, me read da,” said Cappo. “Suh wha’?”

“So what? So What?” exploded Satiricus. “That’s the political interference!!?

“Really?” asked Bungi. “Me t’ink Nagga Man Watah-Bai bin seh India a interfere fuh Jagdesh.”

“Man, like you forgot Trot Man took away the Speaker and Minister of Governance jobs from Nagga Man!” said Satiricus angrily.

“And Green Bridge wanted Grain Ja job in the Pee an’ See!” said Hari with surprise. “It now makes sense!”

“Well, I hope the Government now break ties with India!” said Satiricus.

“Leh abee drink to da!” said Bungi.

NEWS

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WEDNesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mining body demands answers on Romanex dispute …questions method of licence renewal …Ministry urges miners to be “patient”

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ar from being placated by the Government’s stance on the issue, the Rupununi Mining Association is demanding answers on the Romanex mining controversy and the Marudi Mountain dispute.

According to the Association, the Government is not taking the livelihood of thousands of persons seriously.

Association President Marlon Johnson said the group was “distraught” at the statements attributed to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, when he had described the matter as one under the Natural Resources Ministry.

“There are a few issues that we would like to bring to the forefront. In the first place why was Romanex license suspended? If there was an ongoing issue, why or how was their license renewed?

Has the Government received any royalties and taxes since Romanex started operating?”

He questioned in a missive on Tuesday.

“If the Government knew they were not giving us the small miners any access to the mountains to work, why didn’t they say so in the beginning, why are they giving us false hope and prolonging

concerns were raised by residents with Minister within the Natural Resources Ministry, Simona Broomes during an outreach to the South Rupununi.

Broomes had met with 200 residents and said they informed her that the situation had worsened since they

signed an agreement to resolve the issue with Romanex.

The controversy was sparked when the company sought the removal of the miners from the area in order to conduct an Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) before beginning largescale mining.

A 19-month standoff then ensued between the miners and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), before finally being resolved with several mining blocks recently being earmarked for miners in the Marudi area in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo).

Region 2 head teachers lament insanitary conditions at schools Marudi miners with Government officials

the situation?” the executive also questioned.

According to Johnson, the Association needed answers and could no longer wait for talks “intend(ed) to frustrate us even more” to be completed. Johnson argued that his membership was in a desperate situation and needed an immediate resolution.

Mediation

Meanwhile, the Natural Resources Ministry in a press statement acknowledged the concerns expressed over the weekend by the Mining Association. It claimed that it was working to arrive at a solution.

The Ministry also called on the miners to exercise patience, reminding them that during a September 8, 2017 meeting the miners had been

informed that preference would be given to those who were cooperating.

“Finally, we ask that miners prospect the lands allocated before pronouncing on the geological viability of those lands, in the spirit of the agreement they signed in 2016. For its part, the Ministry will ensure that the GGMC supports the process of prospecting the lands to ascertain geological viability and will also be engaging miners shortly to discuss and agree on a way forward.”

Since July 2016, residents have been complaining of a breach in the agreement. The

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recent engagement with head teachers in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) has unearthed wide-ranging challenges that extend to the insanitary conditions under which educators work and students receive their education.

The concerns were highlighted by Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Chairman Devanand Ramdatt, who disclosed that leaking roofs, as well as bee, termite and bat infestations; the need for landfilling and drainage, fencing and repairs to washrooms were among the issues plaguing schools in his district.

Ramdatt specifically iden-

tified the challenges of the Reliance Nursery School, where reports surfaced that “snakes usually come into the school compound”.

It was explained that the school requires repairs to solar panels and invertors.

Ramdatt observed that once this many issues persist, they would have a negative impact on the school system since the “insanitary” conditions are “unhealthy and unsafe” and would result in a loss of teaching hours.

“Parents and guardians [have] to provide funds to aid in repairs and maintenance,” the Region Two Chairman pointed out.

He stated that the matter

has been engaging the RDC whereby it was recommended that a timely intervention be made by the Regional Executive Officer (REO) and the engineering department to address the concerns.

The RDC further noted the absence of a maintenance schedule for schools and their infrastructure, and there was a reactionary approach by the engineering department to complaints and the numerous requests to do repairs and maintenance. The Council further observed that capital and current projects should be implemented during the August vacation and school holidays when staff and students are not in school.

12 news Guyana moves 3 places up rule of law ranking W wednesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

hile a majority of countries worldwide saw their scores decline since the publication of the last World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index (in October 2016) in the areas of hu-

man rights, checks on Government powers, and civil and criminal justice, Guyana climbed three positions in overall rule of law to 73rd out of 113 countries in the 2017-2018 edition.

Guyana’s performance

was measured on the basis of: constraints on Government powers, absence of corruption, open Government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice and criminal justice. While its global ranking was 73, regionally it is 20th of 30.

Guyana was not the only country that was surveyed in the Latin America and Caribbean.

Other countries include: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and Suriname.

Regionally, Latin America and the Caribbean’s top performer in the Index is Uruguay at 22nd out of 113 countries, followed

by Costa Rica and Chile.

Neighbouring Suriname showed the biggest fall in rankings, moving down 10 places to 69th out of the 113 indexed countries worldwide.

Three countries in the

A table showing Guyana’s overall performance on the WJP Rule of Law Index

Region experienced negative trends in Constraints on Government Powers, while three countries showed positive trends in Open Government. Finally, Venezuela once again had the lowest overall rule of law score among all 113 indexed countries.

The top three overall performers in the 2017-2018 WJP Rule of Law Index were Denmark (1); Norway (2); and Finland (3); the bottom three were Afghanistan (111); Cambodia (112); and Venezuela (113).

The WJP Rule of Law Index is the world’s leading

Housewife nabbed with...

Additionally, searches of the premises unearthed two more sets of US$100 notes in the ceiling of the house.

Following the discovery, the 38-year-old suspect was subsequently taken into custody. She is being questioned

in relation to the items found.

Meanwhile, the items have since been lodged at the Springlands Police Station, where the money was counted by CANU ranks before being handed over to the Police.

source for original data on the rule of law. The Index relies on more than 110,000 household and 3000 expert surveys to measure how the rule of law is experienced and perceived in practical, everyday situations by the general public worldwide.

From page 7

CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford confirmed the bust to Guyana Times and explained that the matter had to be handed over to the Police since no narcotics were found during the operation.

news

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wednesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Nagamootoo and Ramjattan – Earning their epithets as traitors

Local law school

Govt putting ‘cart before the horse’ – Nandlall

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ven as more than 300 rice farmers are threatened with lease revocation at Hope Estate unless they pay a 300 per cent increase in lease payments, more sugar workers are staring at loss of employment in the coming months.

The so-called champion of the sugar workers has gone from silence to outright, despicable lying as they for the first time in over a year face the sugar workers in their communities in an obvious, sordid PR stunt; a stunt that only reinforced their traitor epithet. They have betrayed the sugar workers and the sugar workers know that.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) messengers of ill-tidings in their PR blitz blamed the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and God for closure of sugar estates and loss of employment. APNU/ AFC sent the ones who identified themselves pre-2015 election as the champion of the sugar workers to meet with sugar workers and explain to them why it was necessary to close sugar estates. Really, no joke, they told the sugar workers it was the PPP and God to be blamed for closure of sugar estates and the end of employment for thousands of sugar workers. The excuses made by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Security who are both Vice Presidents might sound like a bad joke, but they were nothing less than ludicrous and reprehensible.

Ramjattan wins the price for the most preposterous of the lies APNU/AFC has provided for closing estates. He claims that God wanted sugar to close in exchange for giving Guyana oil, that God took away sugar from us because he wanted to give us oil. This senior lawyer, an MP for more than 20 years, a Public Security Minister and a Vice President, was so desperate to give an excuse that he resorted to blaming God. He ignored that Guyana confirmed an oil find before the election 2015, at a time when the PPP was providing a blueprint for a larger sugar industry. God’s bounty of oil resulted because President Janet Jagan and the PPP signed the EXXON contract that eventually identified oil fields in our territory. There was never any wicked deal between God and Guyana to give up sugar for oil.

Nagamootoo’s explanation was as usual – premised on a despicable lie. He claimed that the PPP intended to and had initiated the closure of the sugar estates. In his desperation to find some way of extricating himself and APNU/AFC, he invoked the tired and ugly PPP bogey man excuse. In fact, the PPP had promised that had they return to Government they would have invested $20 billion annually for its new term to ensure that sugar returned to its glory days. The PPP provided a blueprint to not only keep all the sugar estates open, but to expand production to 300,000 tons by 2020 and to work towards 400,000 tons of sugar and a diversified commodity portfolio, including production of bio-ethanol and energy. To claim that APNU/AFC is now just implementing a plan of the PPP is a blatant and preposterous lie.

It is now more than 30 months since APNU/AFC has been in control of the Government. In that time, four sugar estates have been closed and more than 7000 workers employed by the Guyana Sugar Corporation and by private farmers have lost their jobs. In that time, sugar workers have not been given a wage increase for 2015, 2016 and 2017 and APNU/AFC is making it clear that there would be no wage increase for 2018 also. It would be four successive years of zero wage increases, an unprecedented period of time for a wage freeze. In that time also, the workers were denied their legal right to Annual Production Incentives (API). Fired workers have been denied timely and full payment of their severance. Throughout all of this, APNU/AFC avoided any engagement with the workers. Nagamootoo and Ramjattan hid from the workers. They drove past them in their luxurious convoy of vehicles.

Finally, Nagamootoo and Ramjattan, more than 30 months in Government, were forced to engage the workers.

It was nothing short of a desperate PR game. They did not go voluntarily. They were shamed into going and APNU/AFC needed to show some concern and sensitivity for ripping apart the livelihoods of more than 7000 workers after the closure of four sugar estates. They entered into the grounds of the sugar workers and their families, they entered in shame and left even more disgraced. They entered as traitors and they left carrying the albatross of betrayal which they will carry with them to their graves. This will be their epithets.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

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overnment’s proposed plan to establish a law school here has been questioned since there are concerns over whether the process being used is the right one, and if on establishing this school, Guyanese will have a recognised qualification to practise law throughout the Caribbean.

Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said the issue was a straightforward one that has been made ambiguous, complex and confusing by the alleged lies being peddled by his successor, Basil Williams, who has, in fact, given several different statements regarding the same issue.

One major concern for Nandlall is the move taken by Williams to proceed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with what he described as two unrecognised institutions.

The former AG told Guyana Times that he believes Williams also misrepresented to Cabinet that he obtained permission from the Council of Legal Education (CLE) to establish a law school in Guyana.

“I believe that he didn’t even know that he had to have permission from CLE. When I pointed that out to him through the press publicly, he said yes. That’s the first lie he told. Now to cover up that lie, he has been lying consistently and persistently ever since,” Nandlall opined.

In fact, the CLE did indicate that Guyana was not granted permission although the Attorney General declared several times that Guyana did obtain permission in 2017.

Nandlall said this was a clear case of Government putting the “cart before the horse”.

Williams has attacked CLE Chairman Reginald Armour, claiming that he (Armour) responded to a request from Nandlall to have the matter of Guyana establishing a law school put on the CLE agenda.

In his defence, Nandlall said he did write the CLE Chairman questioning him whether he was aware that Guyana was establishing a law school. The former Minister also sought to find out whether permission was granted and whether the CLE had in fact authorised Guyana to establish such a law school.

“The CLE responded to me and said we are surprised as you are, because we haven’t given any permission. And we (CLE) are the regulatory body in relation to setting up law schools,” Nandlall told this publication, explaining that is how the matter was discussed at the CLE meeting.

The former Minister said it was not his intention to block any development that Government may seek but to ensure that if a law school was established here, students would be able to get a recognised qualification.

He said, “I suppose the feasibility study will answer a few questions in relation to whether there is a need for such a school, what is the extent and nature of the

Attorney General Basil Williams

need that will determine the capacity… or whether there is need for a law school, the programmes and qualifications,” he added.

Nandlall maintains

that if Government is going about establishing a law school, then it should be done in stages.

While the AG has named Guyana’s committee for the setting-up of the law school, he said he was not yet ready to inform the CLE. Government announced in January 2017 it would start a project to establish the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas. This school is being established through a public-private partnership entered into between the Government of Guyana, the Law School of the Americas (LCA) and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC), and will add to the existing options available to holders of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

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wednesDAY, january 31, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana, India ink 3 more agreements …bilaterals on renewable energy, cultural exchange to be heightened

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ndia and Guyana on Tuesday signed three agreements, including one on renewable energy and another on cultural exchange, the New Indian Express has reported.

According to the local newspaper, the signing was done following bilateral talks between India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma

Swaraj and Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, in New Delhi.

Minister Greenidge is leading a high-level delegation which includes Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman for a one week visit to India. “Three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), namely, renewable energy, cultural exchange programme

and framework agreement on International Solar Alliance (ISA) were signed,” the newspaper quoted the External Affairs Ministry as saying in a statement following the meeting. New Indian Express went onto say that the missive outlines, “Guyanese delegation also presented the Instrument of Ratification of the International Solar

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj hold the MoUs on cooperation on renewable energy and cultural exchange programmes on Tuesday

Alliance.”

The India-initiated ISA, launched at the UN Conference of Parties (CoP) climate summit in Paris on November 30, 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande, is conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy

needs and provide a platform to collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach.

It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

According to the External Affairs Ministry statement, Sushma Swaraj, during the meeting, referred to the his-

Herstelling man remanded on resisting arrest charges

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41-year-old unemployed man from Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was refused bail by Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting a Police rank in his bid to resist arrest him on Friday last.

The defendant, Christopher Trim, of Second Street, Herstelling, EBD, was arraigned at the Providence Magistrate’s Court but was not required to enter a plea

as the matter was laid indictable.

The particulars of the case contended that Trim allegedly assaulted Daphne George but when Police Constable Dwayne Mingo attempted to arrest him, he was assaulted with intent to prevent lawful apprehension.

Magistrate Scarce remanded the defendant to prison until February 13 for a report and psychiatric evaluation.

torical and multifaceted ties between the two sides, the newspaper said.

“The subsequent discussions focused on further strengthening India-Guyana bilateral relations, through cooperation in capacity building, promotion of business and trade, enhancement of people to people contact, cooperation on pharmaceuticals, sharing India’s experience in information technology by setting up IT centres of excellence in Georgetown,” the New Indian Express quoted the Ministry.

Views were also exchanged on regional and multilateral issues such as climate change, solar alliance and UN Security Council reforms, the newspaper added.

Bilateral trade between India and Guyana stood at $34.58 million in 2016-17.

India has done some high-visibility projects under line of credit (LoC) in Guyana, including a cricket stadium, traffic lights in Georgetown and supply of 14 irrigation drainage pumps.

An line of credit of $17.50 million for modernisation of three primary health centres has been approved by the Indian Government.

Guyana is also home to a large number of people of Indian origin, comprising nearly 40 per cent of the country’s total population of around 738,000.

Most of them are descendants of indentured labourers brought from India in the 19th century and early 20th century to work in sugarcane plantations.

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Johnson, Stephens to officiate in Caribbean Club Championship – Skeete retained as FIFA-accredited Match Official

Kevin Stephens

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wo locally-based FIFA referees have been appointed match officials for the Caribbean Club Championship being held in Trinidad and Tobago from January 31 – February 4.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) through a media release stated that Gladwyn Johnson and Kevin Stephens are among 12 match officials appointed by CONCACAF to serve at the event.

In an invited comment, Johnson said he was hap-

py for his first appointment of 2018: “I really appreciate this appointment. It’s always a pleasure to officiate, doing what I love doing. I’m looking forward to having a wonderful tournament officiating as I strive for excellence as I go along in my refereeing career,” according to the release.

Stephens, for his part, considers this appointment as a step to achieve his goal of officiating at the FIFA World Cup: “I will continue to strive for excellence and to develop an attitude and habit to that of a professional referee since my goal is to officiate at the FIFA world cup. With this, I'm hoping to pave the way for other young aspiring referees to follow in my footsteps and bring more glory to our beautiful Guyana.”

Among the other match officials are those from Jamaica, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Cuba, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Cayman Islands, Curaçao

Guyana’s lone FIFA-Accredited Match Official Maurees Skeete

and El Salvador.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Stephens are among eight locally-based FIFAaccredited match officials retained for 2018 – three male, one female referee and four Assistant Referees.

The lone female official, Maurees Skeete, is listed as a CONCACAF Tier 2 referee. Johnson maintained his status in the CONCACAF Targeted Advanced Referee Program (TARP) while Stephens regained his status as a CONCACAF Tier 2 Assistant Referee and

Sherwin Moore maintained his status as a CONCACAF Tier 3 referee.

According to Stanley Lancaster, Head of GFF’s Refereeing Department, the list of referees renominated to the FIFA 2018 panel is encouraging. However, he was disappointed that it also signals a reduction to the number of locally-based FIFA-accredited match officials: “The team of re-nominated referees has been consistent in their performance over the past year and signals the confidence the governing body has in the local-

ly-based match officials.

Unfortunately, two have not been re-nominated for 2018 – Lenval Peart and Odessa Caleb – but we hope the re-nominated team will inspire other referees to work and commit even harder to the process.”

The total list of re-nominated referees are: Male Referees Sherwin Moore, Gladwyn Johnson and Sherwin Johnson Male Assistant Referees Venton Mars, Kevin Stephens, Trevor Porter and Kleon Lindey

Gladwyn Johnson

Female Referee Maurees Skeete

Babar, Santner top T20 standings

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ew Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner has displaced team-mate Ish Sodhi as the No. 1 bowler in T20Is, following his haul of four wickets in the home series against Pakistan. Ish Sodhi, who took two wickets in the series at an economy rate of 8.66, has moved down to third place. Santner leads the second-placed Rashid Khan by one point. He is the fourth New Zealander after Daniel Vettori, Shane Bond and Sodhi to secure the top spot for bowlers.

Pakistan batsman Babar Azam, who was the leading scorer in the series with 109 runs in three innings at an average of 54.50 and strikerate of 125.28, has vaulted 11 places to become the No.1 batsman in T20Is. Babar is only the second Pakistan batsman, after former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, to the landmark. Colin Munro, who had held the top spot before the start of the series, slipped to fourth after managing 50 runs in two innings.

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan continues to be the top-ranked T20I allrounder followed by Australia's Glenn Maxwell.

Shakib was also the No. 1 allrounder in the ODI rankings, having reclaimed the top spot from Mohammad Hafeez. In the ODI rankings for bowlers, Hasan Ali dropped to fifth

from first. South Africa legspinner Imran Tahir leads the list followed by Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood.

Left-handed opener, Evin Lewis is Windies' high-

est ranked batsman at number five while former number one bowler Samuel Badree occupies the number five spot on the bowling charts as well. (ESPN Cricinfo)

BCB names 14-man U15 squad

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he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) recently named its squad for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Dave West Indian Imports Inter County U15 competition which is set to bowl off from February 6.

The team comprises mainly of newcomers to the Inter County circuit but some who are capable of making their mark in this their maiden tournament.

The selectors after three weeks of intense training and assessment, trimmed from an initial group of 32 players to 24. The players were after engaged in three trial matches after which the final selection was done.

Chairman of Selectors, Leslie Solomon said the players have been showing a tremendous amount of commitment and progress during their sessions, and he is optimistic that with such talent and determination, the lads will once again win the title.

A final practice match for the defending champions is

set for Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at the Jai Hind Cricket Club Ground in Albion.

The Berbice team reads: Vettorie lathman, Rampertab Ramnauth, Mahendra Gopilall, Tomani Ceaser, Zeynol Ramsammy, Antoine Alexander, Jonathon Rampersaud, Darius Joseph, Jeremy Sandia, Isia Thorne, Latchman Dhanna, Matthew Pottaya, Pavanand Ganesh and Boodram Lakeraj The Stand Byes are: Hemendra Goordial, Vikash Singh, Tameshwar Mahadeo, Saffie Shazad, Shreedat Roopnarine and Rudra Goderdhan.

sports

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Queen’s

Gambit

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he Queen’s Gambit is probably the most popular gambit and although most gambits are said to be unsound against perfect play the queen’s gambit is said to be the exception. After 1. d4 1…d5, white stakes claim to center control by playing 2. c4. The objective of the queen’s gambit is to temporarily sacrifice a pawn to gain control of the e5 square.

Jessica Clementson If black accepts the gambit 2…dxc4 white should reply 3. e3 which not only gives the d4 pawn an extra defender but also frees up the bishop to attack and regain the pawn. Black will have a hard time holding onto the pawn after 3…b5 4. a4 c6 5. axb5 cxb5 6. Qf3. In the Queen’s Gambit accepted line, white is able to gain a center presence, good attacking chances and his pawn on d4 threatens to advance. Black will have to concede his pawn on c4 and focus on counter attacking white’s advances. This is why the queen’s gambit is not considered to be a true gambit. There are many different variations for black if he chooses to decline the gambit.

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set for May 5

ennady Golovkin will face Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in a world middleweight title rematch on 5 May. The first fight in Las Vegas ended in a controversial draw in September, with a location for the second bout yet to be confirmed.

Kazakh Golovkin, 35, will again put his WBA, WBC and IBF titles on the line against Mexican Alvarez, 27.

"This is the fight the world wants," said Golovkin, who is unbeaten in 38 fights.

A closely fought first bout saw one judge score it 118-110 for Alvarez, another 115113

Saul Alvarez

for Golovkin and the third a 114-114 draw, with Golovkin calling the result "bad for the sport".

"I didn't agree with some of the judges' decisions in the first fight," Golovkin added on Monday.

"This time there will be no doubt - I am leaving the ring as the middleweight champion of the world."

Alvarez's record stands at 49 wins (34 KO), two draws and one defeat from 52 fights.

"I'm delighted to once again participate in one of the most important boxing events in history," he said.

"This second fight is for the benefit and pleasure of all fans who desire to see the best fight the best.

"This time, Golovkin won't have any excuses regarding the judges because I'm coming to knock him out."

The fight

Gennady Golovkin will take place on the same date as the postponed heavyweight rematch between Britain's David Haye and Tony Bellew at London's O2 Arena. (BBC Sport)

MCG to host Women’s World T20 2020 final

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Plan for White: After the bishop exchange, white plays e3. This is a very good move which sets up a strong c4-d4-e3 pawn chain, allowing a battery of light-squared bishop and queen on the b1-h7 diagonal. White is getting ready to castle. His plans would include relocating the rook to c1 and playing e4 at the right moment, generating a strong central presence. This is a very good position for white to play because he has an edge in space and can get some activity going in the center with the e4 advance.

Plan for Black: Black is slightly behind in development. However, he has the advantage of the bishop pair and can castle straight away. On the other hand, black has a problematic bishop on c8, blocked in by its own e6 pawn. Black needs to figure out how to free it as well as getting a piece of the center.

That can be done with a well-timed c5 strike.

The Queen’s Gambit Declined is one of the best openings for beginners to try, especially if they don’t want to play e4 openings for one reason or another. It is playable for both colors and can either lead to a slow, positional or a sharp tactical game depending on the choices made in the opening. It is always a good idea to go over grandmasters’ games played with the opening you are studying.

Famous Games using the Queen’s Gambit Anand vs Ponomariov, 2002 Kasparov vs Gulko, 1982 Topalov vs Kramnik, 2006

Windies Women won the tournament in 2016 in India and will defend their title in the Caribbean this year

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he Melbourne Cricket Ground, which has a capacity of more than 100,000, is set to be named as the venue for the Women's World Twenty20 final in 2020.

The International Cricket Council will confirm the venue on Monday for the tournament in Australia.

The 2020 men's and women's World T20 competitions will be held separately for the first time since 2009.

About 66,000 were present in Kolkata's

Eden Gardens in 2016 as both West Indies women and men won their finals.

The next women's World T20 will be in the Caribbean in November, but there is no men's competition scheduled until 2020. Last year, 26,500 tickets were sold as England won the World Cup final at Lord's at the end of the most-watched women's cricket tournament.

The record attendance for a women's sporting event is 90,185 for the 1999 football World Cup final. (BBC Sport)

22 Inaugural Triple Crown begins February 18

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, january 31, 2018

Nedd's reign as BVA President continues

– JJTRC taking horse racing to another level

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he Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee (JJTRC) is again taking the lead with introducing a new style of racing to local horse owners and turfites with the first ever Triple Crown.

Promotor, Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr. was very elated at the announcement of the dates and said “As I always say, we are going international.”

Mohamed noted that this

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The elected executive body of the BVA following Sunday’s AGM

The rivalry and competition are always intense at the Port Mourant Turf Club

is the first Triple Crown for Guyana while the USA is miles ahead with more than 100 events already.

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, often shortened to Triple Crown, comprises three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses.

Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment in Thoroughbred racing.

The first leg takes place at the Rising Sun Turf Club on February 18 where seven events are carded for the day in total. These include the ‘C’ Class and Lower covering a distance of 1200m for a top prize of $1,000,000; ‘F’ Class and Lower and the ‘E’ Class Non-Earners (last Start);

three-year old Guyana Bred; ‘H1’ and Lower; ‘J&K’ and Lower; and the ‘L’ and Lower all running for 1200m except the ‘K’ Class NonEarners (last start) who are set to cover a distance of 1100m.

The second stanza is a copy of the first leg and is set to run off on March 4 at the same venue while the final leg which is the critical stanza is slated for the Port Mourant Turf Club on Easter Sunday April 1.

The closing date for entries is Sunday February 11.

Entries may be done by contacting the JJTRC members Chandu Ramkissoon on 624-9063, 608-9063 or 2320633, Alan Padmore on 2329115 or 619-1909 and Nikita Ross on 662-4668.

he Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) on Sunday, held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections for the year 2018 at the Port Mourant Training School Hostel.

National coach and BVA President Levi Nedd, was unanimously returned as President following two years of leadership. Albert Budhoo was voted new Vice-President with Errol Chase appointed Organising Secretary.

Amanda Mohan was named the Recording Secretary while Rashaad Razak also returned as the Assistant Secretary / Treasurer, with Samuel Whyte still the Public Relations Officer.

A five committee members elected will see three males and two females serving in the positions. They are Richard Samaroo, Jared Jhingree and Govind Singh the males, while Candacy

Mentore and Telissa Williams are the females.

Former BVA President and GVF Vice-President Gregory Rambarran was the Returning Officer. The Executive Committee met immediately after the meeting and formalized the 2018 yearly Planner, which will again pay keen emphasis on youth and female development.

Nedd in his report thanked a number of entities for their support of the association some of which include the National Sports Commission (NSC), The International Olympic Association (IOC), Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF), Guysuco, Businessman Balram Shane, Department of Education, Ansa McAl, Banks DIH, the Overseas TV Alumni, Saint Francis Community Developers (SFCD) and the various News Media houses amongst others.

GHB/Bounty, Antonio’s Grille One-Day Competition

Old Fort snare title

– female final abandoned due to bad light

Female Category:

The Guyana National Stadium, Providence was a hive of activity last Sunday

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ld Fort Carriers bagged the Male title of the Bounty/ Antonio’s Grille One-day outdoor hockey tournament, in their drawn final against GCC Bounty played at the Providence Stadium on Sunday night.

In the semis which ended 1-1, GCC Bounty beat Pepsi Hikers 3-2 in the end thanks to some good penalty shots,

which favored Old Fort who got past GCC by 3-1 margin. At the half time point, both side were yet to score until Omar Hopkinson and Jason Clarke fired from the Penalty spot for Old Fort, as Mark Sergeant hit in GCC Bounty’s consolation goal.

Meanwhile, the Female Final between GCC Spice and Woodpecker Hikers was abandoned due to bad light.

Pizza Hut beat Saints 4-0 Woodpecker Hikers beat Bingo Spartans 1-0 Pizza Hut GCC beat Old Fort Rising Stars 3-0 GCC Spice drew with Woodpeckers 1-1 Saints defeated Old Fort Rising Stars 1-0 GCC Spice beat Bingo Spartans 3-1 Woodpecker Hikers hammered Old Fort 7-0 Saints beat Bingo Spartan 2-0 Woodpecker Hikers beat Pizza Hut GCC 4-1 GCC Spice beat Saints 1-0 Pizza GCC beat GCC Spice 5-0 Woodpecker beat Saints 4-0 Male Category Pepsi beat Saints 2-0 Bounty GCC beat Hikers Cadets 7-0 GCC Sequel lost to Old Fort Warriors 3-0 Old Fort Carriers beat SHC New Tricks 2-0 Pepsi beat GCC Sequel 5-0 Old Fort Carriers beat Bounty GCC 2-0 Bounty GCC beat SHC New Tricks 4-0 Old Fort Carriers beat Hikers Cadets 2-0

wednesDAY, january 31, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

CWI/Regional Super50 Cup 2018

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Jaguars hunt Kent G

as elusive title chase begins

uyana Jaguars will kick off the 2018 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 tournament against English County side Kent today at the Sir Viv Richards Ground, Antigua.

The reigning 4-Day champs winged out on Sunday for Antigua & Barbuda where the elusive Super 50 title campaign officially gets underway as they began fine-tuning ahead of the clash against the English County Champs.

The Jaguars will be brimming with confidence after winning the Regional 4-Day title for a record 4th consecutive year, thus entering the 50 over tourney driven by form and momentum.

With six newbies in the side, Guyana seemed poised to bring a new exciting flair to this year’s competition as they have not been in the best limited overs form; last winning the title some 15 years ago.

Guyana has a good blend of experience, youth and form given their makeup and their recent performances. Given the makeup of their side, it is clear that Guyana will be seeking to win their games on the backs of their star-studded batting line-up.

The Jags will field a team led

The hosts, the Leeward Islands, had an extended session at the Coolidge Cricket Ground and will also open their campaign today (CWI Media Photo)

by skipper Leon Johnson and features players; likes veteran Shiv Chanderpaul, current West Indies trio of Shimron Hetmyer, Devendra Bishoo and Raymon Reifer along with 4-Days leading keeper/batsman Anthony Bramble.

Rookie opener Chandrapaul Hemraj, who enters the 50 overs with more than 600 runs under his belt from the 4-Day tournament, will be tasked with giving the Jaguars a good start along with the aggressive Hetmyer, who scored a ton in the Jaguars practice match

on Friday at Providence.

Meanwhile, their likely aggressors who will be tasked with most of the power-hitting as well as the part-time seam and spin; include all-rounders; Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Ramaal Lewis, Keemo Paul and Ricardo Adams.

The new balls will most likely be in the hands of Shepherd and Paul while spin twins Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul are likely to control the middle overs.

Kent is no shy of talent or

firepower as 28 year-old Sam Northeast, with more than 8,000 First Class runs; leads as side of talented young Englishmen who have been nipping at the selectors ears back home.

Opener Daniel Bell-Drummond, former England T20 skipper James Tredwell, all-rounder Matt Coles, Alex Blake are among Kent’s top players to watch out for in the competition.

The Jaguars got in some much need practice on Monday and Tuesday as they fine-tune for to-

Guinness "Greatest of the Streets" West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Zone

Teams battling to stay alive tonight the group round, the top two finishers will advance to the knockout round.

Winner of the tournament will take away $400,000 and the championship trophy, while the runner-up will be given $200,000 and a trophy.

The third and fourth placed finishers will receive $150,000 and $100,000 respectively along with trophies.

Meanwhile, the other playing dates are February 2nd, 7th, 9th, 13th and 17th.

The intensity and rivalry on the court will resume tonight at the Pouderoyen tarmac

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ervous energy will be rampant tonight when the action resumes in the 4th Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Zone at the Pouderoyen Tarmac. Having lost their opening fixtures, teams such as Agricola, ESPN, Front Line Ballers and Ballers Empire will be under pressure to stay in contention to advance to the knockout phase.

With only two teams progressing out of the group, these four teams will need

to win big tonight to stay in contention for places in the business end of the tournament.

A number of teams will be appearing in their first fixture and will be aiming to commence their quest for top honours on a positive note.

Among those teams are Police ‘A’, Harmony Warriors, Gold Getters, Parfaite Hard Ball, Cayenne Massive, Gas Team, Hustlers and Brothers United.

Upon the conclusion of

See complete fixtures below: Harmony Warriors versus Police ‘A’ Gold Getters vs. Parfaite Hard Ball Cayenne Massive vs. Gas Team Hustlers vs. Brothers United Boom Bang vs. West Side Ballers Young Ballers vs. Jetty Ballers Mocha vs. Ballers Empire Asylum Youths vs. Agricola Terror Squad vs. Torture Squad Up Like Seven vs. Nismes Ballers ESPN vs. Front Line Ballers Police ‘B’ vs. Dream Team

day’s crucial encounter which will set the tone for their first 50-overs title since 2005.

The first ball will be sent down at 09:00hs local time at the Sir Viv Richards Ground.

The other Group B match which is also slated for today, will see hosts the Leeward Islands Hurricanes battling the United States in a day-night match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground beginning at 14:00h.

Kent full squad: Sam Northeast (Captain), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Adam Ball, Hugh Bernard, Alex Blake, Matt Coles, Sean Dickson, Will Gidman, Calum Haggett, Matt Hunn, Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley, Oliver Robinson, Adam Rouse, Ivan Thomas, James Tredwell Guyana Jaguars squad: Shimron Hetmyer, Shiv Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Leon Johnson, Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Clinton Pestano, Ricardo Adams and Ramaal Lewis.

(Clifton Ross)

RHTY&SC congratulates quartet on U-15 selection

Jeremy Sandian, Matthew Pattaya, Mahendra Gopilall and Jonathan Rampersaud of RHTY&SC have been called to represent Berbice

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he management and members of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS with great pride would like to congratulate their four members who were selected to the Berbice Under-15 Team for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board Inter-county Under-15 Championship.

In a media release, the Berbice club stated, “We are delighted that the hard work of Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Jeremy Sandian and Matthew Pattaya have been rewarded.”

The release further noted the four players are the products of our Cricket Development programme and massive investment into the development of each one of our members. Since our formation in 1990, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club has produced a total of 105 cricketers for Berbice at all levels. We produced our first Berbice Cricketers in 1995 when Neil Williams and Ingram Dey played for

Berbice Under-19 Team. Over the years, players like Assad and Abdel Fudadin, Royston and Esuan Crandon, Shawn Grant, Clinton Pestano, Shemaine Campbelle, Shawn Pereira, Eon Hooper and Kevlon Anderson have made us very proud and we are totally confident that Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Jeremy Sandian and Matthew Pattaya would continue this rick tradition of success. There has been no magic trick to our success but each one of our members are taught that success is only achieved through sheer hard work, dedication, faith in the God you believe in, personal discipline and a desire to be the best. We would like to encourage them to perform to the best of their ability, so that they can be considered for selection to the Guyana Under-15 Team. Special wishes to the Management and other members of the Berbice Team and it is our hope that you would return home with the Championship.

wednesDAY, january 31, 2018

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

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CWI/Regional Super50 Cup 2018

Jaguars hunt Kent as elusive title chase begins

Shiv Chanderpaul leading the Guyana Jaguars in their fielding drills on Tuesday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground (CWI Media Photos)

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Inaugural Triple Crown

begins February 18

– JJTRC taking horse racing to another level Horse racing action returns in grand style with the first-ever Triple Crown

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