Guyanatime 6 february 2018

Banks DIH New Amsterdam records $2.7B in sales

P11 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3473

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

PRICE

Revaluation of GuySuCo pension fund needed to determine status – CEO

…fund has been destabilised – source …Hand-in-Hand Insurance tightlipped

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Teen charged for stealing P10 adopted father’s gun 75 mentallyill inmates in prison system – Samuels P9 Page 3

City Constable slapped with rape charge Page 2

…as officers receive mental health training

Spurned P2 teen tries to burn ex, new boyfriend alive

– rearrested after escape

Fish vendor remanded P10 for narco trafficking Police on hunt for money P10 changer’s killer

…2 others in custody

Student Anisha Rodrigues, along with her back-up team from Two Miles Primary School, rendering a song on Maths Intervention during the Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) Department of Education's Children’s Mashramani Competition 2018 at Three Miles Secondary School

Guyanese nabbed with 16kg of cocaine in milk Govt unmoved by Wales workers’ call for severance Port Kaituma man gets 15 years for killing brother Page 8

Page 13

Page 7

…will wait on High Court’s decision – Holder

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Govt, advisors, legal counsel already in talks – Greenidge P9 …as Guyana prepares to present case to ICJ

2 news

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

teen tries to burn ex, new boyfriend alive City Constable Spurned – rearrested after escape slapped with rape charge

A

Accused: Clifton Pellew

Lance Corporal attached to the City Constabulary accused of raping a 16-yearold boy was on Monday remanded when he appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The corporal, Clifton Pellew, stood before the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

The charge stated that on August 15, 2017, at the Constabulary Outpost at City Hall, he engaged in sexual activity with the minor.

According to reports, the teenager who had been taken into custody after he was found loitering was taken to the outpost on Regent Street when the incident occurred.

Another officer attached to the City Constabulary,

Quacy Baveghems had reportedly witnessed the crime and reported to his supervisor; the information was subsequently conveyed to Mayor Patricia Chase Green and Town Clerk Royston King.

However, as an investigation began into the matter, it was discovered that Baveghems did not make a written entry of the incident in the station diary.

Pellew and Baveghems were fired, after receiving a letter signed by the Town Clerk.

Mayor Chase Green had said that the decision to dismiss the officers came following the discovery of new evidence.

Following protests by activists in Guyana and calls for Pellew to face the courts for his crime, the matter was handed over to the Police who sought legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Guyana Times was told that after reviewing the file, the DPP has advised that Pellew be charged with the rape of a child under the age of 16 years. Protesters also called for the Mayor and Town Clerk to be criminally charged for failing to report the matter immediately.

Susanna Culpepper

M

onths of prolonged abuse have resulted in a Charity teenager and her new lover nursing first-degree burns while her ex-lover is now in Police custody.

Susanna Culpepper, 17, of Charity Extension Scheme, Essequibo Coast, received injuries to her face, both hands, stomach and feet while Chavez Watson, 21, of Charity Housing Scheme, was burnt on the right side of his torso.

Kyle Goddette, 21, also of Charity Housing Scheme, attempted to burn the couple alive.

Reports are that on Friday night, Culpepper went to visit Watson, a “jet man” and later opted to spend the night. They retired to bed about midnight, leaving the louver windows in the home open. In the wee hours of Saturday, the teenager recalled feeling a sweltering heat and woke up to

“a ball of fire” on the bed that she and Watson were sharing. It is alleged that a jealous Goddette threw an unknown object into the home.

Watson stated that he saw Goddette at one of his windows and he subsequently ran away. The “jet man” then raised an alarm and a bucket brigade was formed to oust the fire. The bed which the couple shared was burned, along with the walls of the home.

The couple were later taken to the Suddie Public Hospital, where Watson was treated and discharged; however, Culpepper was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Burns Unit in critical condition.

Recaptured: Kyle Goddette

Facebook that he wanted to turn himself in and was innocent.

In a phone interview with Guyana Times, Culpepper’s mother, Cheryl Benn, outlined the unfortunate events

The burnt bed the couple were sharing

Meanwhile, Goddette was apprehended by Police and denied the allegations against him. The labourer later escaped Police custody and before being rearrested hours later after posting on

of the abusive relationship her daughter shared with Goddette. Benn noted that her daughter was in a relationship with the labourer for about seven months and they had lived together on the riv-

er dam for that period of time.

“Apparently he used to beat she and got she running naked on the river dam,” Benn revealed. “I didn’t know ‘cause she wasn’t living with me,” she continued. Benn also mentioned that Goddette would also burn her daughter’s clothing.

The distraught mother explained that this was not the first time that Goddette has tried to seriously harm her daughter. She noted that after her daughter broke up with the labourer around August last year, he continued to harass her. In October of last year, Goddette allegedly wounded the teen in her face causing her to have to receive stitches at the Suddie Public Hospital. After she was released from the hospital, the teen was visited by the assailant’s family who begged her not to pursue the issue with the Police or the court. The teen gave in to their request only to be assaulted again on a later occasion. On the second instance, Culpepper was severely beaten by her ex-lover, leaving a number of scars about her body.

Benn also informed this newspaper that she has tried contacting the commander regarding the re-capturing of the labourer. The teen’s sister, who visited her on Monday, stated that her condition has improved to the point where she is eating and talking.

3 Revaluation of GuySuCo pension fund needed to determine status – CEO news

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 6 – 09:30h-11:00h and Wednesday, February 7 – 10:30h-12:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 6 – 08:35h-10:05h and Wednesday, February 7 – 09:30h-11:00h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light rain showers and lightly cloudy skies will prevail during the day, with partly cloudy skies in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 7.15 metres.

High Tide: 08:36h and 21:01h reaching maximum heights of 2.44 metres and 2.36 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 14:33h reaching a minimum height of 0.80 metre.

SATURDAY, february 3, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS D

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15 06 20

17 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

DAILY MILLIONS 07 09 15 18 21 LUCKY 3 7 4 1

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…fund has been destabilised – source …Hand-in-Hand Insurance tightlipped

T

here have been major concerns expressed regarding the status of the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo’s) Pension Fund, which is said to be at crisis level, but GuySuCo’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Paul Bhim, has defended the sugar company’s stewardship of the fund by stating that certain untruths about the fund are being circulated.

Bhim told Guyana Times on Monday there are currently two pension funds for sugar workers. One is for all unionized employees, and it is fully funded by GuySuCo, and there is another for senior staff. In the case of the General Employees’ Fund, the Hand-in-Hand Trust Corporation is the trustee.

Asked about the status of that fund, Bhim said, “It is there…still operational.”

Probed further to find out whether the fund is in fact in deep trouble, Bhim said that prior to the recent retrenchments, the fund was properly managed and everything was intact.

“There was no problem.

The fund had a surplus, and the last evaluation was done in 2016,” Bhim told this newspaper.

But asked further to provide a financial figure for the fund, Bhim declined to comment. “I can’t give you all the details. Before the evaluation, there was no problem with the pension fund,” he declared.

He, instead, told this newspaper that there is usually a three-year valuation exercise done, and the next one was due in June 2019, but had to be brought forward to this year due to the massive changes.

Bhim stated that the valuation would be conducted following the completion of the entire retrenchment process. “…because we need to know exactly how many employees will remain in that scheme. Don’t forget that the retrenchment; once all is done, we will do an evaluation and determine where we are,” Bhim said.

Despite the vague comments provided by the GuySuCo senior executive, several employees – past and present – have expressed concern about the status of their full pension benefits.

A source close to the company’s financial management told this publication on Monday that the company has been examining the fund ever since the retrenchment process started. According to the source, with the dismissal of workers, the fund has been destabilized. However, Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company has been tightlipped on the matter when contacted by this publication.

Reports are that the Employees Retirement Benefits are in negative ter-

Acting Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo, Paul Bhim

ritory by $1.1 billion as opposed to $2.4 billion in 2014, according to the 2015 financial statements produced by GuySuCo. A GuySuCo source had told Guyana Times that the fund has seen a constant decline over the past few years, and the closure of the estates will add enormous pressure on it.

“It was under severe pressure before, and now that GuySuCo is now retrenching, several employees who would have been eligible for the pension may suffer,” the source opined.

It was also noted that the scheme, which is open to salaried employees of GuySuCo who would have been contributing to the pension scheme, may have been severed.

“That will be an onerous pressure to the scheme, because you have new people who are coming in to receive a pension,” the source added, noting that this was a major worry for many fired employ-

ees.

Meanwhile, a former employee of the Corporation had told this newspaper also that Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) pulling out from the fund has added pressure to the fund.

The employee, who asked not to be named as well, is of the firm view that Government had to be aware of the dilemma.

He said this on the basis that there was no likelihood that foreign investors would have joined the fund, as the Financial Act currently prohibits certain levels of offshore investment.

According to the former employee, there is likelihood that the scheme will lose its viability to provide a pension for those who are already receiving a pension, because of

the lack of investment portfolios.

“The pension is already burdened by those already receiving a pension, and it will be exacerbated by the additional people who will now become eligible for pension as a result of being severed from the company,” he added.

While the pension fund had been in trouble before the new Government took office in 2015, there was no move made to stabilise the fund, especially in light of plans to downsize the industry.

Asked to comment on the status of the fund on Wednesday, President David Granger said he was unaware of the issues relating to the fund, and has not been apprised of information about it.

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tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

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

Funding saves lives

W

orld Cancer Day 2018 was observed on Sunday.

The Public Health Ministry partnered with several NGOs to host a ‘Teal Walk’, which was also held in commemoration of the conclusion of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

In the Caribbean and South America, there are 96,000 women who die every year from breast cancer and 36,000 who die of cervical cancer. According to officials the Cancer Institute of Guyana, because of these high numbers, a myriad of programmes has been adapted and are being implemented in partnership with regional and international organisations, the main purpose of which is to eliminate cervical cancer by 2025.

Recent statistics reveal that Afro- Guyanese are mostly affected by cancer in terms of absolute numbers, accounting for 44.4 percent of all cases. This was followed by IndoGuyanese, who accounted for 37.5 percent; and mixed group accounting for 7.8 percent of cases.

Based on data collection published by the Ministry of Public Health in ‘A profile for Cancer in Guyana’ from 20032012, Cervical Cancer accounts for 22.2 percent of deaths among females. Guyana recorded 6,518 new cases of cancer for the period 2003-2012, of these, 2561 (39.9 percent) were males. It was also revealed that prostate cancer accounts for 1/3 deaths in men.

According to PAHO/WHO, in 2012, cancer accounted for 1.3 million deaths, 47% of which occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The number of cancer deaths in the Americas is projected to increase from 1.3 million to 2.1 million between 2012 and 2030.

When the Public Health Ministry released a Cancer Surveillance Report in 2015, which highlighted the recorded state of cancer over the period 2003-2012, it was revealed that in excess of 6,000 individuals were diagnosed with cancer.

It was reported then that while on a global scale lung cancer was deemed the leading cause of cancer deaths, breast cancer was responsible for the highest number of cancer-related fatalities in Guyana. Cervical cancer has reportedly since taken the lead.

The Cancer Surveillance Report also revealed that there were 1,090 cases of breast cancer over the period under consideration in the report. Following the prevalence of breast cancer was cancer of the cervix, which accounts for 1,014 cases; prostate (865 cases); colo-rectal (440 cases); uterus (325 cases); stomach (240 cases); lung (233 cases); liver (219 cases); ovary (212 cases) and lymphoma (136 cases).

Data out of the Cancer Registry, drawn from both public and private medical institutions, suggest that since access to treatment has been near non-existent, more than half of those inflicted with the disease died.

There have been many successes as a result of partnerships with other regional Cancer Organisations; in addition, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Public Health Ministry also have several successful progammes underway. These initiatives ensure that Guyanese are screened and that they have access to the necessary treatment, many times at subsidised costs.

The Public Health Ministry is finalising a comprehensive cancer prevention and control programme for the country.

This will aid in ensuring that common risk factors for cancers, such as tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets, are addressed.

However, many health care professionals have expressed concern that if these and other efforts to battle the dreaded disease are to be successful, there needs to be more partnerships and collaboration with corporate Guyana. Additional funding is needed to offset the cost of early diagnosis programmes and to provide access to better treatments for those who need them.

This enhanced collaboration and increased support from business will then ensure that a wider percentage of the population can access health care.

In short, programmes need to be funded in order to save more lives.

The Region Four Department of Education Children’s Physical Display Competition kicked off at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Monday with primary and secondary schools from Georgetown competing in five categories – Combination, Freestyle, Pyramid, Skipbe-fit and Last Man Standing. In photo, students from the Tucville Secondary displayed their “Great builders” piece (Carl Croker photo)

Possible oil contract risks and associated solutions

Dear Editor, According to section 32 of the released contract, it is clear that in the event of an oil spill, the contractors Hess, Esso (Exxon) and CNOOC Nexen will be responsible for the cleanup and associated costs of an oil spill.

However, it is still the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that clear provisions are made based on the environmental impact assessment in the case of such an event. The contract outlines the usage of the 300 thousand US for annual environmental projects, but does not make clear what has been set aside in the event of an oil spill. This is an area of opportunity, as in the event of an oil spill, it is not clear what impact this will have on resulting profit

sharing.

A financial provision for such an event could possibly be carried on the Government’s books, thus safeguarding a section of the earnings for such an event.

Creation of such a liability in ExxonMobil’s books may not be possible, given existing accounting rules. However, this should be discussed and further investigated.

Another point that could be further clarified is whether 100% of these costs would be considered as operating costs, or categorized in such a way that it only impacts the contractor’s portion of the profits; thus creating a liability for the contractor in the event of a spill. This is important to ascertain, given the current level of risksharing in such an event.

That is to say, the portion of operational control held

by the contractor is significantly higher than that of Guyana.

However, it should be noted that, in section 8, there is a requirement for training of Guyanese nationals with the involvement of the GGMC to ensure the safety of petroleum operations. Given the possible evolution of involvement by the Government in the future, it will become a bit more ambiguous as to how much fiscal responsibility could be placed on the Government for the cleanup cost of an oil spill as would be reflected in the after-tax earnings if such an event were to occur. It does not hurt to make this clear within the contract, even if discussed verbally during the creation of section 32.

Of further concern is that section 26 places arbitration in the hands of or-

ganizations that are heavily influenced by the USA, and given the influence that ExxonMobil’s ex-CEO has in Washington DC, could make the favourable resolution of such a dispute tenuous at best. It should be noted that section 26 also impacts any dispute associated with the abandonment program and its corresponding budget.

Thus the terminal value of the contract could be significantly negatively impacted.

Mitigation of this risk could be achieved if this portion of the development plan is clearly outlined in the annual review, with a clear understanding of the associated costs; thus also helping in clarifying long-term profitability prospects.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

Another day, another episode in a crime-ridden state Dear Editor, It is another day, and another murderous assault has taken place on another citizen of this country. The media reported the spine chilling statistics of 32-gun crimes in 35 days of the year so far.

These are the occurrences in an area of the seat of Government where that very same Government has promised to deal with crime and bring back safety and security to its citizens.

Guyana is a far cry from the ideals of what that Government promised. Today crime is at an all-time high,

with a Government that is clearly looking the other way, or one that pretends that these things are not happening.

Another media report captioned “Guyana edging towards another crime wave”, this in referral to the crime wave that engulfed Guyana from 2002 to 2008.

During that time, the PPP/C Administration was in office and much of the blame for that crime wave was laid upon it. The then Opposition -- which included many of the Coalition members -- levelled some of the most hu-

miliating criticisms at the PPP/C; even calling for the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Mr Clement Rohee.

That Coalition is now in Government, and the crime situation remains; in fact has escalated to an all-time high.

So what has become of the Public Security Minister now?

Is he asleep? And what of the Government? Have they forgotten their moral and legal obligation to this nation?

Quite interestingly, and food for thought for the Coalition, is that although workers were brutally axed from their jobs without any

means of sustenance in the foreseeable future, they are not the ones doing any of these brutal armed robberies. Further proof also is that armed robberies are not a statistic that is mentioned in the constituency of the dispossessed sugar workers. Armed robberies and murder continue to be a prominent feature, as well as the way of life of the constituents of the PNCled Coalition. It is a horrible disgrace on their part. I rest my case.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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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

Responsibility for operation, Reckless behaviour, maintenance of Charity wharf irresponsible actions at City Hall Dear Editor, In a letter which appeared in the news media on Feb. 2, 2018, David Patterson, Minister of Public Infrastructure (MPI), disclaimed responsibility for operation and maintenance of the Charity Wharf, which is located on the right bank of the Pomeroon River in Region Two. He further emphasised that the wharf was never a responsibility of the MPI and, by implication, the Government of Guyana; and therefore, MPI is regrettably not in a position to answer questions on the wharf’s operation and repairs.

These responses were made to the National Democratic Council (NDC) Administration of Region Two, who had earlier informed MPI that the Charity Wharf was in a state of disrepair, unsafe for its users, and was adversely affecting commerce. Remedial assistance was therefore requested from MPI to renovate

the Wharf while providing accommodation and/or relocate its users.

The Charity Wharf was built, maintained and managed by the Transport & Department Harbours (T&HD) under Guyana’s Colonial Government. After the country gained its independence, the assets of T&HD were ceded to the newly formed PNC/UF Government, and subsequently to the PPP/C Government, and presently to the APNU/AFC Government, under which T&HD is a Division and not a Department. Wharves located at Parika, Bartica, Leguan and elsewhere, including Charity, are collectively under the jurisdiction of MPI, as their management, operation and maintenance have demonstrated over the years.

Now that the Charity Wharf is in need of costly repairs, it was astounding to the people of Region Two that Minister Patterson declared that the Charity

Wharf was never the responsibility of MPI, although the Government of Guyana has never officially ceded its ownership of this property to the Region 2 Administration.

If what Minister Patterson said were really factual, he never stated how the transfer was made, and when.

Like the Coastal Road, the Charity Wharf is necessary and vital for the economic development and transportation needs of the people of the Essequibo Coast and those living in the riverine areas of the Pomeroon and Moruca Rivers.

The Charity Wharf is also important for the conveyance of materials and people to and from the Dawa Pump Station, which provides irrigation water for the entire Tapakuma Project. It has also been providing critical support for growing tourism in regions One & Two, as well as the sawmilling and mining industries operating in the country’s interior.

Furbishing the Charity Wharf for its intended pur-

pose will be a costly and technically challenging project for the NDC of Region Two, since it does not have the resources -- financial and technical -to undertake such a project.

Therefore, Minister Patterson should not be naive in thinking otherwise, if he is serious about Guyana’s development and where the resources for this project should come from.

It is imperative that the APNU/AFC Govt. consider this project a national priority and provide the funding to approve the appointment of a competent consulting engineer (not the one who had designed the adjoining revetment south of the wharf some years ago) to start the design process, followed by quick contract award and construction for this vitally necessary project to improve the living standards of Guyanese inhabiting one of the poorest regions of the country.

Yours faithfully, Charles Sohan

Help us save our green spaces Dear Editor, Several events over the last year got me thinking in a deeper way about Georgetown’s green spaces, especially its trees. It began with conceptualizing a five-year Strategic Plan for Constituency 14, which included the preservation of our green spaces and our trees.

This was eclipsed by Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan’s and Central Government’s Tree Planting Programme. And sadly, more recently, my thoughts turned to the brutality and ecological destruction of our green spaces in the city, the Bel Air Park Playground and the possibility of similar actions on the Farnum Playground.

The Botanical Gardens has a catalogue of over 288 plants, including numerous trees. My research yielded no such record for the city proper. At the city level, it is evident that we don’t have an appreciation for what Smart Cities Dive’s online article, “Two New Tools for Planning a Healthy Urban Canopy” points out, “Trees are a vital part of urban communities, providing social, environmental, and economic benefits”.

There used to be a great tree in Georgetown where the monument to the conservation of sea turtles now stands in the vicinity of Pegasus

Hotel; at least two huge trees fell on Main Street over the last year, and I remember another on Merriman’s Mall.

Additionally, there used to be trees, among other places, around Bounty Supermarket on Orange Walk and Regent Street.

After the store was rebuilt, the trees disappeared. And likewise many home builders rid parapets of trees, seeing them as obstructions, and with a chainsaw or cutlass wiped out whole ecosystems.

In Constituency 14 we use to have Eucalyptus trees lining Aubrey Barker Road. Now most are gone.

Similarly, last year I came across a post on Facebook by the New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council. The post read, “Why was the decades

old tree in Esplanade Park Cut down?” It went on to state, “The tree was infested with bees, and sessions at the High Court and at the All Saints’ Primary School were frequently interrupted when the insects became agitated.

Athletes who use the Park on a daily basis were also affected.”

The M&TC granted permission to the Region 6 RDC to cut down the tree since hives were discovered in the hollow trunk of the tree. It was such a noble gesture by the municipality to think of the welfare of its citizens, but

I keep wondering, in the delicate ecological balance that is life, if more could not be done to save the tree.

We have to save our city from callous hands, people who pay only lip service to Government’s Green Agenda, who wouldn’t think twice to raze an urban forest to needlessly build a house or two for themselves. God save us, and help us save our green spaces.

Sincerely, Sherod Avery Duncan City Councillor

Dear Editor, By now it must be pellucid to the youngest child why the City Council is always broke, and in fact totally bankrupt; and that is because of the reckless behaviour and irresponsible actions of the administrative leadership at City Hall.

How could the Town Clerk explain maintaining a staff strength of nearly 1000 employees with a monthly payroll of $130 million, whilst contracting out almost all of its services, from refuse collection to brush cutting, for hundreds of millions of dollars.

This is just not sustainable, and benefits only the senior administrators at Council.

But quite disconcerting is the propensity of the administration of the City Council to boast and pat itself on the back when it finally does something that it should have been doing all along.

Examples of this would be the debushing of the Le Repentir Cemetery and the repair of the Kitty Market, where they criticized the previous Central Government for not maintaining these facilities. News flash: these facilities belong to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown, and therefore it is the duty and responsibility of the City Council to maintain them, as was done in years gone by.

But this current Council has become so accustomed to bailouts from Central Government that it thinks it is an obligation. It is not.

Quite dishonestly, City Council continuously announces that property rates have not been increased for more than twenty years. Just

two years ago, property rates were increased by a whopping 10%.

For such treachery, the senior administrator of Council should be sanctioned.

But very alarming is the cavalier approach the administration has taken to its indebtedness to the Guyana Authority, the Revenue National Insurance Scheme, and the utility companies; stating it is not the only entity that has outstanding payments to entities. These entities should take them to court to receive their monies.

It is illegal, and it is not that the Council does not have the money, it is that they spend it recklessly on foreign travel and contractors who do not have to subscribe to Tender Board procedures.

And about the holding of Mayoral elections until March 15, I must say that I smell a rat. Why did all the other municipalities except Georgetown have theirs in December? Why did the Georgetown Municipality have theirs the last time in December? I believe that there is some jiggery-pokery afoot. Bearing in mind that the next Mayor would only have at best a term of nine months, it would make perfect sense for that individual to know three months in advance that they have been elected, so that they could plan their programmes and policies.

Benjamin Franklin once said: Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools that don’t have brains enough to be honest.

Sincerely, Shanta Singh

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Foundation

Sometimes words get in the way…

By Paula J Schwanenflugel, PhD, and Nancy Flanagan Knapp, PhD

U

ndergraduate education classes are tutoring kindergarteners on reading skills in a local high poverty school. We are trying to support the children as they get on the road to reading with a lot of one-onone help. Teaching kindergarteners to read this early is now the norm in most schools. It is the result of the downward compression in the curriculum that occurred decades ago in response to state testing. The thought seems to be that, the sooner we start teaching kids to read, the better off they will be later, when the tests matter. Whether this is true or not is another blog for another time.

When working with children this young, particularly ones who are struggling, we find many without the requisite skills needed to begin to learn to read. Their struggles make us appreciate all the obvious and less obvious issues involved in learning to read. Lately, we are struck by how a child’s lack of vocabulary can get in the way of reading (or listening) with comprehension. If you have ever tried to read a jargon-filled book on an unfamiliar topic, you know exactly how vocabulary can get in the way of comprehension and how vocabulary is aligned closely with what you know about a subject.

Pretty much by definition kindergarteners do not have a large vocabulary. This lack of vocabulary is likely to get in the way of comprehension for most of them at least some of the time. Even simple, easy-toread words such as fig or jig, if they show up in a text, may not be understood. Unfortunately, the variation in breadth of vocabulary among preschoolers a n d kindergarteners is also quite large, though just how much variation one might expect to find in an ordinary classroom is unclear.

Early studies, such as one by Hart and Risley sampled the language children heard from their caregivers and the language that the children used in conversation.

They found a two-

fold difference in vocabulary between economically advantaged and disadvantaged three-year-olds. A better-designed recent study by Mayor and Plunket observed that 2 ½-year-olds in the bottom quartile in vocabulary size had fewer than 900 words while their peers in the top quartile had twice as many. So, big variations in vocabulary size across children at school entry and before are the norm.

Vocabulary is important for comprehension The good news is that schooling seems to grow children’s vocabularies – estimates are that children learn eight or nine words per day throughout the school years, or maybe just two or three per day if you discard all those prefixed and suffixed words. The socioeconomic gap in vocabulary eclipses a bit by the end of elementary school, thanks, in part to reading. Throughout life, if we stay avid readers, our vocabulary continues to grow. Indeed, maintaining the reading habit throughout life has an overall positive and protective impact on our aging brain.

Vocabulary is important for comprehension. The correlation between vocabulary and reading comprehension is somewhere between .35-.75 in elementary school. Children with larger vocabularies simply understand what they read better.

Talking about the difficult vocabulary in a book ahead of time helps children understand a text.

So, what about our kindergarteners?

What can we do for them? First, we can make sure to scan texts f o r words that

children might not know. To illustrate, we pulled How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Priceman, 1996) off our bookshelf.

This is a typical picture book that an adult might read to a child (or that kindergarteners might attempt to read to themselves).

Selecting a random page from the middle of it, we see the sentence, “Sri Lanka is a pearshaped island in the Indian Ocean. The best cinnamon in the world is made from the bark of the native kurundu tree… If a leopard is napping beneath the tree, be very quiet” .

Wow, we found lots of potentially unknown words here, and it is easy to see how children might have difficulty. So, when we read aloud, we can pause and provide a quick, kid-friendly definition perhaps (e.g., “pearshaped – you know how a pear is smaller at the top than it is at the bottom? That’s pearshaped.”). We can point to the picture of the napping leopard on the page (“Look at that leopard lying there with one eye closed!”).

Frontier knowledge We can have children repeat the new words. The next time children see the words, they will have some minimal concept of them, a vague familiarity perhaps. (This level of word knowledge is called frontier knowledge, akin to “I’ve heard that word before!”). From this point onward, children will build their knowledge and vocabulary related to these ideas.

With some children, our support of vocabulary will need to have an intensity that follows them throughout school.

We will need to make sure to engage in conversations that challenge their vocabulary. We can use dime words (less frequent words) instead of nickel words (common words) when we talk to them (“What an incredible din!” instead of “It’s too noisy!”).

Over time, this is effective for improving children’s vocabularies.

We can try to foster word consciousness and a love for finding the interesting and perfect word. Eventually, with the accumulation of experiences from reading, schooling, and the home, vocabulary will not be a major impediment to reading comprehension on an ordinary basis. (psychologytoday.com)

Growing pains: the parental kind ...controlling expectations is hard (and necessary) for parents

By Meredith Resnick, LCSW

A

braham Lincoln said, “You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.”

“Growth” is often painful for the parent to watch no matter how much they say they want their child to be responsible and grow up.

A child’s growth often goes hand in hand with a parent’s loss of perceived control or importance in the child’s life. It might even be one of the reasons behind intense helicopter parenting – and also behind the freewheeling parent style, the kid that lets the kid do whatever he or she wants, remaining very insouciant and lax. Both extremes, as I see it, are forms of control. The first in which the parent tries to see everything; the second in which the parent tries to see nothing.

Both are in service of the parent.

Being a parent is such an intense state. It’s profound and profoundly humbling. As parents we are being asked (I believe) to strike and restrike and again find a new way to strike a fluid and recalibrated balance between caring for ourselves and caring about our child(ren) (once they are old enough to care for themselves at each age-appropriate age and stage).

Caring for versus caring about. Do you see the subtle difference?

Caring for, to me, means doing for. Caring about means encouraging and maybe asking “how can I help?” and listening to what the child is saying. It might be action but it doesn’t always. The following little exercise can be a gift to yourself. It can be very revealing and also useful to realign your thinking about who you’re doing what for as a parent: Think about yourself at your child’s age.

Imagine yourself as though seen through the eyes of your own parents List your perceived failures using your parents’ perspective of you Notice which of their perceived failures turned out to actually not be so terrible for you Consider if the same be true for your child.

What did you learn – about you? (psychologytoday.com)

7 Govt unmoved by Wales workers’ call for severance news

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…will wait on High Court’s decision – Holder

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

D

espite being protested against at the Ministry of the Presidency and the High Court, Government has remained steadfast in its decision not to pay severance to Wales cane harvesters, as they feel this would add to the already huge severance bill that is currently before them.

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder told Guyana Times on Monday that the matter is a legal one. The minister did not buy into questions in relation to whether Government would consider paying the severance to these workers. He maintained that the Government has already taken a position.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) had indicated that, during discussions with

President David Granger and members of the Cabinet, they had vowed to withdraw the court matter for any guarantee that the Wales workers receive their severance.

Asked if consideration would be given to the issue on that basis, Holder reiterated that the matter is before the courts. He, however, stated that careful consideration has to be taken into account because making such a move, as it could potentially cost the Government to be placed in a bad situation.

“We have to be very careful with this; because if that is done, then every single person who has been transferred from Rose Hall to Albion and Rose Hall to Blairmont could have the same argument. and therefore the severance would be $5 billion to now $10 billion,” he told this newspaper.

Minister Holder asserted that Government would stick with the current process of having the court decide on the outcome. He recalled that prior to the closure of the Wales estate in 2016, an offer was made to the cane harvesters to work at the Uitvlugt Estate, but the workers refused.

GAWU had said that the workers were being pressured by the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) when they are

aware that the estate is located more than 20 miles away from Wales. The Union still contends that this move is contrary to the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. The workers’ argument was that it would have been uneconomical for them to travel beyond 10 miles for work, and that there was not enough harvesting at the estate to cater for the large workforce that Wales intended to send home.

Te workers are pushing for a date to be set for a court hearing. They promised to put pressure on both Government and the Court to move swiftly to have the matter involving the former cane harvesters of that estate heard as speedily as possible.

GAWU lawyer Ashton Chase had compiled and filed documents for the matter regarding the non-payment of severance packages to hundreds of sugar workers to be called up at the High Court.

Several of these former cane harvesters picketed on Thursday last, as they renewed calls for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government to pay their long overdue severance immediately, as they declared that President David Granger’s Government had failed them.

Some of the former cane cutters protesting for their severance last Thursday

This picketing exercise has added to the mounting complaints and massive denunciation the coalition Government has already received over the past few months, -- since the announcement of the downsizing of the sugar industry and the firing of thousands of workers whose livelihoods depend on this key sector.

Close to 1,600 fired sugar workers who are eligible to receive $500,000 or less in severance pay have been paid in full, others would be paid 50 percent of the amounts due to them.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had put Government on blast for its decision to pay the sacked sugar workers their severance payments in two tranches. A move by Opposition Leader Bharat Jadgeo as well as others had on multiple occasions outlined it as being illegal.

According to Jadgeo, the Government knew that over 4,000 severance letters were issued even before Budget 2018 was passed, and had made no provision for severance, hence the move to approach the National Assembly recently for additional funds.

In what is described as the largest retrenchment by a private or public corporation in recent history, state owned GuySuCo, as part of its plans to restructure the sugar industry, has dismissed in excess of 4,500 sugar workers from various estates.

Even as workers at Wales fight for their severance, hundreds of sugar workers and senior persons in the sugar industry are dissatisfied with the way the GAWU had handled the sudden closure of sugar estates along with severance benefits and other issues relative to the sugar industry, and they are calling

on GAWU President, Komal Chand, to resign.

The case for the Wales workers was filed by GAWU on behalf of the workers but workers have lamented that even as the court system is slow, their Union has not been pushing the issue in the public domain so as to bring about swift response.

Wales ended operations in December 2016 and some 375 workers who refused to take up employment at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, remain without severance payments.

As the former employees continue to anticipate their payments, many from Wales and the surrounding communities on the West Bank of Demerara are finding much difficulty in garnering consistent employment since the closure. Many have noted the reduced earnings they have been garnering since losing their jobs one year ago.

8 news

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Port Kaituma man gets 15 years for killing brother

A

fter admitting to stabbing his own brother, Richard France, to death on December 12, 2013 at Falls Top, North West District (NWD), Neville France was on Monday sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment by High Court Judge James Bovell-Drakes.

The Judge said that the court must dispense justice, while being mindful of the circumstances that led to the man’s death, as both men were intoxicated at the time of the deadly altercation.

The Judge’s comments came after France’s lawyer, Siand Dhurjon, pleaded for leniency, saying that the deceased’s brother was the aggressor and referenced similar court cases where the accused in those matters were given sentences of under 10 years. However, Justice Bovell-Drakes observed that the sentence could not be too short even as Dhurjon conceded that the public was “clamouring for justice” moments before the Attorney

petitioned the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Bovell-Drakes in handing down the sentence said that the court was satisfied that it was Neville who used the knife to kill his brother after he took it away from him.

“Your mistake was that you used the knife on him,” the Judge stressed, adding that both brothers were found to be aggressive.

“You and your brother both acted senselessly, but I am unable to concur with Counsel (Dhurjon) to impose a sentence of five or six years.

The circumstances are too grave to exercise such leniency. The court has a weight of responsibility,” the veteran Judge observed.

He started with a base sentence of 62 years and subtracted 20 years for the age Richard was at the time of his death. The Judge also took off five years for the time the accused spent awaiting trial and another 10 years for not wasting the court’s

Neville France will spend the next 15 years behind bars

time by pleading to the lesser count of manslaughter. A further 12 years was subtracted in light of his Attorneys’ plea in mitigation. This computation gave a total of 15 years for which France must serve.

According to the facts of the case, a drunken Richard France was arguing with a neighbour when the accused, Neville, intervened, and his brother instead turned on him, striking him with a brick. A scuffle ensued and

Sussex Street man charged for possession of illegal firearm

A

Sussex Street, Charlestown, Georgetown man who was reportedly found with a gun, along with matching ammunition, stood before Magistrate Judy Latchman

on Monday charged for illegal possession.

Twenty-four-year-old Steve Armstrong denied that on February 2, 2018 at Lombard Street, he had in his possession one .32 pis-

tol, along with nine rounds of matching ammunition.

The excavator operator was reportedly in a minibus, which was stopped by Police in the vicinity of GNIC wharf.

When the Police descended on the minibus, Armstrong reportedly ran out and into the GNIC compound where he was apprehended with the illegal items. Armstrong, however, denied that the weapon and ammunition belonged to him, stating that he was taking them to someone.

Prosecutor Arvin Moore objected to bail.

The defendant was remanded to prison until February 2, 2018.

Neville took away a knife his brother had and stabbed him.

In a probation report read

by Probation Officer Remesia Lewis, the deceased was described as having suffered from “mental issues” and was in the habit of cursing people on the road. His father reported that Richard had injured him in the past. Meanwhile, Lewis reported that the accused, Neville France, had begun consuming alcohol from age 12 and this continued into adulthood, affecting his relationships. The father of three, who is illiterate, was, however, described as a good prisoner who has taken steps to curb his alcohol use.

The accused said that he was sorry for his actions which occurred on a day that he consumed vodka while his brother was using High Wine. Both siblings were said to be alcoholics by persons known to them.

State Attorneys Lisa Cave and Mandell More presented the prosecution’s case.

(Shemuel Fanfair)

Alleged halfmillion thief remanded

A

Stabroek Market vendor who reportedly snatched a man’s haversack containing $500,000 on Monday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge.

Jermaine Fraser, of Lamaha Street, Georgetown, denied that he carried out the offence before city Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The 24-year-old allegedly robbed Parmadan Bharrat of one haversack valued $5000 which had the cash on January 16, 2018 at Robb and Water Streets, Georgetown.

Fraser reportedly used violence during the course of the robbery.

According to Prosecutor Arvin Moore, the vendor asked the Virtual Complainant (VC) to use his phone to make a call.

However, as the VC attempted to hand over the phone, he reportedly pushed him to the ground, grabbed the haversack and escaped.

He was later identified

by Bharrat at the Stabroek Market area and the Police were summoned.

However, in court on Monday, the defendant claimed that the charge was laid against him as a result of a vendetta by a particular Policeman.

Magistrate Latchman refused Fraser bail and remanded him to prison until February 26, 2018 when he will next appear in court.

It’s only money…

S

…why should City Hall worry?

eems like one City Councillor woke up from the slumber into which most of his cohorts seem to have fallen. Given a bald statement after numerous requests -- that the City has liabilities of some $3 billion as at last December, when it inherited a POSITIVE balance of $180! -- he wanted to know how in God’s name (read “in King’s name”!) could the City be spending $6 million over revenues collected DAILY!!

Easy!! It’s just like when some hottie has a sugar daddy to pick up the tab after every shopping spree!!

No worries about spending!! In this case, the Central Government’s the sugar daddy and the Mayor and Town Clerk are the hotties!! As we all know, such relationships are quite simple and straightforward – even though the morality (or lack thereof) is another matter entirely.

The hottie provides required services for the sugar daddy without even being demanded – the unwritten contract at the beginning of the relationship is observed even more faithfully than Trotman with his oil contract! In the case of City Hall, the services to Central Government are the Mayor, Town Clerk and Councillors pushing the PNC’s message in their wards!! That’s it!!

And once these folks can dole out patronage for the party, the money spigot will be kept open!

How much have they received up to now? Well, there was that $475 million to pay off the garbage companies last year; then there was the $25 million to complete the Kitty Market (sorry…no AC!) and make the bailout a cool half-a-billion!! And we won’t mention the billions spent directly to spruce up the City for the Jubilee bashes beyond the $300 million budgeted!! We know the wood ants’ stadium alone set the Government back some $1.5 billion!!

Now the Minister of Communities – Ronald Bulkan -- who’s supposed to be in charge of liaising with municipalities, obviously doesn’t understand the sugar daddy relationship and its protocols. He had the temerity to inform the Mayor that the Town Clerk (who reports to him) can’t just take over a public playground and have a contractor prepare it as house lots for the Gang of Four and their inside Councillors!!

Boy, was he bitch-slapped by the mayor for “meddling”!! The Minister was suffering from the misapprehension that there ought to be a quid pro quo from the City for all the bailouts!! Poor slob…he doesn’t get it that the services to be rendered are of a completely different colour!!

So expect him to be embarrassed once again, when he has to eat his words that City Hall can’t expect bailouts all the time.

It ain’t bailouts, Bulkan…it’s sugar daddy’s payments!!

…why worry about oil?

Some folks still don’t get it when it comes to oil and the Third World (or, as President Trump put it more elegantly, “Shithole Countries”!!) There’s also some racism operating here when these folks seem to think it’s only in Africa that oil revenues don’t reach the people!! They seem to think Africa is some sort of jungle, and the rulers are satisfied to receive mirrors and beads for the oil.

If you look at the contracts those African countries negotiated with the foreign oil companies, you will discover that, IN EVERY INSTANCE, their contract terms are better for them that Guyana’s - which was “renegotiated” by Raphael “Nassau” Trotman.

Exploration fees…rental fees…bigger signing bonuses… bigger royalties…bigger share of profits…bigger taxation of oil companies’ profits (which is easy, since WE pay the oil company taxes!!) etc…etc…

In Africa, however, the money goes into the rulers’ pockets…and this is where we seem to have much in common. But the oil companies wised up…

After considering Guyana’s rulers’ cut, they made up with the terms, we see!!

…and gold!!

The cry in the US west during their “gold rush” was: “there’s gold in them thar hillS!!! With Goldfields’ decision to go underground for gold here, ours could be: “There’s gold UNDER them thar holes!!”

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

News

9

tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Govt, advisors, legal counsel already in talks – Greenidge …as Guyana prepares to present case to ICJ

By Jarryl Bryan

G

overnment has commenced preparations to present its arguments to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, with high-level meetings between the Foreign Affairs Ministry, its advisory committee and legal counsel being held over the weekend.

This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, who on the side lines of the United

Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IMO) consultations on Monday said that immediate work has already begun.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its advisory team and its lawyers met all day yesterday (Sunday), into the evening. And they mapped out the broad options, the issues that needed immediate attention and those that Cabinet has to give policy guidance.”

Greenidge, who only recently returned from an official trip to India, admit-

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

75 mentally-ill inmates in prison system – Samuels

…as officers receive mental health training

Participants of the workshop on Monday

A

group of Prison Officers and other support staff are participating in a comprehensive training programme on how to handle mentally ill inmates and other vulnerable groups.

Sponsored by the British High Commission of Guyana through the Security Sector Review Programme, the training commenced on Monday at the Police Officers’ Training Centre in Georgetown.

Acting Director of Prisons, Gladwyn Samuels, in remarks at the opening of the sessions, highlighted the importance of the training while announcing that there are some 75 mentally ill inmates in the prison system.

Samuels told the small gathering that most of the 75 inmates were housed at

the Camp Street Prison, but were all dispersed to other prisons following the 2017 prison unrest.

He recalled that inmates who received treatment from the Mental Health Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital continue to receive treatment on a regular basis.

“I see this training as a step in the right direction -- that will make us more equipped, and help us to identify persons with special needs and those deemed vulnerable, so that they can be adequately catered for. The Prison Officers and Police (ranks) are expected to pass on the knowledge,” Samuels added.

The Prison Director has said that despite their challenges, these inmates are part of the general prison

population. He emphasised their need to be treated with the same respect as others.

“They ought to be protected from bullying, because, in a prison environment, if someone is deemed weak, several things could happen. They can be made to wash people’s clothes, which is a violation of their rights; their food can be taken away by persons who are stronger,” he said.

Turn to page 13

ted that the UN Secretary General’s decision has not yet been discussed at the level of Cabinet because of the short timeframe. But he said that the matter would be engaging the attention of Cabinet this week.

“In the course of the week, that report will be presented to Cabinet, and Cabinet will be asked to make some decisions on the legal team… decisions to make on issues to do with timing, how exactly it will treat with the Court… there are a number of things.”

Negotiations

Following the UN ruling, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been quoted publicly affirming that his Government did not agree with the decision and that continued negotiations would have been preferable.

It is understood that now that the matter has been referred to the ICJ, this referral is not contingent on Venezuela’s agreement.

When asked about this, Greenidge made it clear that the time for the Good Offices Process had passed, but Government was open to new methods of resolution if prescribed by the UN. “The Good Officer’s Process, as Guyanese know

it, has finished. It has been completed. We have been at it for 25 years and within the post-1966 period the mechanisms set out there have all been exhausted. We are now moving towards the one chosen by the SG. We are and will continue to be members of the UN. “Within the framework of the UN, the SG has a role in any dialogue between countries that may pose challenges. I take it that Venezuela is aware of that framework.

In that regard, we stand ready to work along with the SG, Venezuela and anyone else in this phase. But the old arrangement, the Good Offices and the attempt by the UN to have other forms of resolution have been exhausted.”

Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have been rocky ever since 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, with almost 40 times the population of Guyana and a territory that is several times bigger,

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

In 2015, the Government of Guyana requested then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to take steps toward resolving the controversy. In 2016, as a consequence of a stalemate on the matter, the outgoing Ban 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 Dag Halvor Nylander as an envoy to resolve the border controversy. According to the mandate of the UN SG’s Personal Representative, “If, by the end of 2017, the Secretary General concludes that no significant progress has been 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.”

That process expired and Guterres last week ruled that the matter would engage the attention of the Hague, Netherlands-based ICJ, where a panel of distinguished judges will hear Guyana’s case.

10 news

tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police on hunt for money changer’s killer Teen charged for

…2 in custody

P

olice are reportedly on the hunt for the prime suspect in the murder of Shawn Nurse, also called “Fabulous,” who was gunned down on Sunday in the vicinity of Avenue of the Republic and America Street.

A Police source has told Guyana Times that, based on information received from persons who had witnessed the murder, the shooter is reportedly a character that is well known to the Police.

He allegedly resides in Georgetown, and reportedly has had several brushes with the law, including robbery-under-arms.

Detectives have reportedly visited this suspect’s home and other locations that he frequents, but he remains on the run.

Police have however arrested two men who are suspected to be known associates of the prime suspect. They remain in custody and are assisting with

investigations.

Well-known money changer Shawn Nurse, also called “Fabulous”, late 47-year-old resident of Lot 33 Shopping Plaza, South Ruimveldt Georgetown, had been sitting in a chair at the corner of Avenue of the Republic and America Street when he was approached by a man armed with a handgun.

Without hesitation, the man demanded that Nurse hand over a bag he had been carrying, which contained an undisclosed sum of local and foreign currencies.

Nurse resisted the man, and in retaliation he pulled the trigger, shooting Nurse once to his head. Nurse collapsed and died almost immediately.

Police have retrieved a 9MM spent shell at the scene, and have questioned several persons, who have given a description of the shooter. At the time of the shooting incident, the sus-

Dead money changer Shawn Nurse, also called “Fabulous”

pect was reportedly clad in a red hoody and a pair of brown trousers.

Nurse had reportedly been robbed two months ago, when gunmen had swooped down on him as he was entering his yard. The money and other valuables they had taken were reportedly returned, and the matter was quashed.

Nurse’s grieving mother

-- inconsolable at the scene on Sunday – could not say whether his gunning down was related to the robbery stated above. In anguish she told reporters that she was at home when she received the news that something had happened to her son.

Upon arriving at the scene, she recalled seeing her son’s body lying in a pool of blood.

This mother had last seen her son alive on Saturday evening, when he had gone to her home for dinner. She could not state whether he had had any issue with anyone, but was adamant that her son had been committed to his work, although, because of the danger associated with his type of profession, his daughters would often tell him to engage himself in another profession.

Nurse leaves to mourn his mother, wife, three children and two siblings.

The Police are confident that the perpetrator would be brought to justice.

stealing adopted father’s gun

A

teenager who allegedly stole his adopted father’s gun along with ammunition was on Monday arraigned before city Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to the offences.

Chris Pollard, 17, of Lot 46 D’Urban Street, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Courts and pleaded guilty to the offence.

However, he changed his plea to not guilty when Magistrate Latchman cautioned him that his guilty plea would send him directly to prison.

The charges against him stated that on January 28, 2018 at David Street, Kitty, he stole a .32 pistol, along with 10 matching rounds of ammunition valued $252,600 from Peter Pollard.

Prosecutor Arvin Moore revealed that the teen visited his father and stolen the weapon and ammunition from under his pillow where they were being kept.

He was apprehended by Police and reportedly immediately admitted to the offence.

As such, he was remanded to prison until February 26.

Fish vendor remanded for narco trafficking

A

fish vendor who was found with a small quantity of cannabis at the Stabroek Market Square was on Monday remanded to prison.

Forty-two-year-old Troy Nedd, of Charlestown, Georgetown, denied that on February 2, 2018, he was found with 27.4 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of traffick-

ing.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore objected to bail, telling the court that Nedd gave Police two different addresses.

Moore disclosed the facts of the case which revealed that Nedd was caught by ranks of the City Constabulary with the cannabis in his pocket.

He was remanded to prison until February 26, 2018.

Five Star Backdam killing

Victim was bleeding when body discovered – Police

A

t the trial of Marlon Marion Freeman before Justice James Bovell-Drakes and a 12-member mixed jury at the Demerara High Court, Detective Corporal Collis Duke testified on Monday that he was stationed at the Matthew’s Ridge Police Station at the time of miner Timothy Adams’s murder.

He recalled that on the day in question he had travelled to Turtle Creek Road, where he examined the area and found an all-terrain (ATV) vehicle, CG 6335, facing north in a stationary position, and had observed the body of a male lying face down.

He said he later learnt that the deceased was named Timothy Adams and had been a gold miner and dredge owner.

Duke informed the jury that the man had on a jersey, brown three-quarter pants, and a pair of yellow slippers. Duke also recalled seeing on Adams a 10.3 cm wound, with what appeared to be blood oozing from it.

The late Timothy Adams had reportedly met his demise while en route to a mining camp.

Corporal Duke further recalled escorting the body

Dead: Timothy Adams

to a district hospital. He testified that on December 27, 2013, he was present at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) Mortuary, where Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh performed the Post Mortem Examination (PME) on Adams.

The defendant Marlon Marion Freeman has denied that he was responsible for the murder of miner Timothy Adams, who was killed at Turtle Creek, Five Star Backdam, North West District on December 22, 2013.

He is being represented by Defence Counsel Folio Richards, while State Counsels Lisa Cave and Mandell Moore are presenting the Prosecution’s case.

The case continues before Justice Bovell-Drakes.

11 Banks DIH New Amsterdam outlet records $2.7B in sales T NEWS

tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Banks DIH Outlet at New Amsterdam has been adjudged top performer among the DIH outlets with a whopping $2.7 billion in sales recorded for 2017.

This was announced when the company held its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on Sunday.

The record sales last year saw the New Amsterdam Branch reclaiming the coveted Chairman’s Trophy which is given to the most outstanding branch.

New Amsterdam Branch Manager Reginald Mathews had vowed to have it returned to Berbice when he lost it last year.

Addressing shareholders, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Clifford Reis, acknowledged the efforts of the New Amsterdam Branch and noted that it had sold 1,600,011 items in 2017.

Reis said the New

bank had approved loans totalling $64 million.

“The shares that you own (are) worth money, and if you go into the bank with your shares, you can borrow money on those shares; and they have a high value,” Reis told the gathering.

Last week Monday, the company’s $10.00 shares were being sold on the stock market at $45.10, and by the end of the week, they were selling at $40.00.

Half a decade ago, some advocates had been saying that those shares were worth

of sales of our malt products, aerated, liquor beverages, and food products.

Additionally, further benefits accrued from improved production efficiencies resulting from our capital investment in plants and machinery.

The company also benefited from a reduction in prices for several key raw and packaging materials, which include sugar and pre-forms.”

Reis said the overall performance by Banks DIL Ltd last year was also because of prudent management of the company’s assets and finan-

Magistrate Krisondat Persaud collecting from Marketing Director George McDonald a cheque for the Domestic Violence and Counselling Centre

Amsterdam Branch made $13.7 million in after-tax profit, which is an increase of $8.5 million over 2016.

Demico Quik Serve New Amsterdam was able to contribute $109 million in sales

last year.

Meanwhile, Citizens Bank New Amsterdam, which is in operation for now a third year, had deposits totalling $392 billion.

Reis also noted that the

Infrastructural works to begin soon at West Dem Hospital

T

he much-needed improvement that the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) needs will soon commence.

This is according to Region Three Executive Officer (REO) Denis Jaikaran.

Speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Jaikaran said the plan is to expand and improve the various departments in the health facility.

The REO noted that though the image of the hospital has been comprised due to past incidents, he is optimistic that the initiative will help to improve its image.

“Things are going to be well for 2018 in the region, more specifically the healthcare services. We have been engaging with the Indian Government about providing enhancement to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), where it is needed the most,” he explained.

The REO highlighted the visit by Minister within the

you are getting about 2.3 percent on your investment taxfree. And if you put the same money in the bank you will get $1.34 interest, and by the time they charge you banking charges, you will get less than one percent back.”

Reis noted that Banks DIH was able to weather the effects of an artificial increase in foreign exchange rates, which affected the acquisition cost for raw and packaging materials, machinery spares, and the availability of foreign exchange for the payment of

REO Denis Jaikaran

Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings, in 2017, which served as an impetus for the administration to push forward with the initiative.

Jaikaran said that at that meeting, the challenges facing the health institution, such as a lack of human resources, proper equipment maintenance, and drug procurement, were highlighted among the department heads and the Minister. The administration has since begun to address and rectify these issues, the REO

noted.

Of the $1.270 billion approved within the 2018 National Budget for the current expenditure of the region’s Health Services programme, $379.65 million was allocated for the purchase of drugs and medical supplies, whilst $42 million was set aside for the maintenance of buildings.

Last year, Finance Minister Winston Jordan signed a US$17.5 million line of credit with the Export/Import (EXIM) Bank of India to upgrade primary health care facilities. It is said that the funds are set to be used for the refurbishing of existing facilities and the construction of new buildings at the Suddie Hospital in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), West Demerara Regional Hospital, and the Bartica District Hospital in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). It will also be used to procure medical equipment to furnish the new and renovated facilities.

A section of the gathering at the shareholders meeting in Berbice

$6.00 while the company was advising shareholders not to sell, Reis said.

“If you put $10.00 in the bank five years ago, and you go back tomorrow, you will get back $10.00; you will not get back $11.00.

But if you are a shareholder in Banks DIH and you sell those shares tomorrow, you will get $45.00; that is over a 300 percent increase,” he declared. Explaining further, the company’s chairman said, “If you purchase a share and the company paid $1.04 dividend, it means that

goods and services.

The overall effect of reduced export earnings in the agriculture sector affected overall retail sales, Reis said, while noting that the focus for the new financial year is on further investment in solar energy, an initiative which was tested and introduced in 2017 at the company’s Main Street Qik Serv restaurant.

Overall, last year the company registered a $4.243 billion after-tax profit.

“Shareholders, this was made possible as a result

cial resources.

Meanwhile, as is customary, the company presented a cheque to two schools to assist with a project which would benefit current and future children. This year the schools chosen were Black Bush Polder Secondary and Number 48 Primary.

The beverage giant also assisted a non-governmental organisation with a monetary contribution. This year the presentation was made to the Domestic Violence and Counselling Centre located at Corriverton.

12 news Govt downplays concerns of a rejected ICJ ruling tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…says Venezuela bound to honour int’l treaty obligations

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overnment is downplaying concerns that with the recent referral of the border controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Venezuela may choose not to recognise the court’s ruling.

According to Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, binding international obligations compel Venezuela to accept whatever ruling comes its way. Speaking to the media on Monday, he noted that whether Venezuela chose to come to court or not, Guyana would press on for a final, legal resolution.

“The international community has a forum and that’s the United Nations,” Greenidge explained. “The decision has been made that the problem before us is a le-

A diplomatic three-way handshake: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President David Granger

gal problem. Therefore, it is to be resolved by the highest court in the international arena. The arbitral award was an award handed down and signed by Venezuelans.

“The boundaries were marked by Venezuelans and

Britons, not by Brazilians or Germans or people from Iceland … representatives from the Venezuelan Government. This direction is to resolve an allegation that an international treaty is null and void. And it

doesn’t matter who doesn’t want to support their argument. It is a legal issue.”

While there are concerns that the ICJ can only offer an advisory opinion, Greenidge noted that this opinion would still carry weight.

Region 9 children participate in Children’s Mash parade

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he streets of Lethem came alive on Friday when some 356 primary and secondary school students tramped along the main street, from the airport junction into the Lethem Wadapna Community Ground for the Region’s Children’s Mash Competition.

Earlier that day, persons were entertained by students from the nursery level who paraded from the Republic Bank junction to the Takutu Gas Station Square. One of the organisers, Region Nine’s School Welfare Officer, Mattias Thomas told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the annual event was one of the mainstays of the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region’s Mashramani activ-

Kumu Primary School’s float display at Region Nine’s Children’s Mashramani Float parade

ities.

The primary schools participating in this year’s event

were Annai, Arapaima, St Ignatius, Parikwaranau, and Potarinau. Meanwhile,

at the secondary level, Parikwaranau, Sand Creek, North Annai and St Ignatius participated.

The schools competed for trophies provided by the Education Ministry and the Region’s business community. St Ignatius and Annai Nurseries took first and second place in their category. At the primary level, St Ignatius, Arapaima, Annai, and Kumu placed first, second, third and fourth respectively. In the secondary school category, St Ignatius prevailed taking the first prize while Annai came second and Sand Creek third.

Other competitions are slated for the latter part of February, including a Spelling Bee and General Knowledge Quiz, Thomas stated.

World Cancer Day

Linden-based NGO spreads cancer awareness

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inden-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) For the Children Sake Foundation is taking a stand against cancer by promoting cancer awareness.

World Cancer Day was observed on Sunday under the theme “We can. I can.” The observance aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness of, and educating people about, the disease; and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action towards its eradication.

In an effort to so do, the For the Children Sake Foundation, in collaboration with the Guyana Cancer SocietyLinden Chapter, One Mile Health Centre and the Adolescent Health Unit within the Ministry of Health (MoPH), hosted a Satellite Table on the Wisroc/ Amelia’s Ward bus park. Scores of persons participated by viewing the exhibition, and were educated about the disease.

Executive Director of For the Children Sake Foundation and regional representative for peer educators under the MoPH, Vernon Todd, emphasised that World Cancer Day aims to raise awareness of cancer, and en-

A Linden resident collects pamphlets on cancer

courage prevention, detection, and treatment.

He called on persons to join in the movement to bring happiness to the lives of patients who are living with the disease, and noted that World Cancer Day 2018 is aimed at exploring how everyone, as individuals or collectively, can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.

“Just as cancer affects everyone in

different ways, all people have the power to take various actions to reduce the impact that cancer has on individuals, families and communities.” He said.

“World Cancer Day is a chance to reflect on what you can do, make a pledge, and take action. Whatever you choose to do, ‘We can. I can.’ make a difference in the fight against cancer,” Todd appealed.

According to Greenidge, an advisory opinion solves Guyana’s problems regarding perception of Guyana’s rights and sovereignty.

“The appropriate body to decide on the validity is the court. Once the court pronounces on that, it solves our problem of perception and people’s understanding of our rights and our borders and our sovereignty.

It’s quite clear.”

“An advisory opinion will say this treaty is still in existence. Nothing has come to displace it. That is fine.

We’re not setting out in the court to get the court to go and mark boundaries. That is not the issue,” the Foreign Affairs Minister stressed, adding that “it is very comforting (to investors) because it is not for a country to decide unilaterally what its obligations are. It is not a Venezuelan law or a Guyanese law. It is an international treaty and you are obliged, under the UN framework, to honour international law. That is very comforting.”

Secretary General António Guterres last week referred the border controversy to the ICJ. This is in accordance with the framework left by his predecessor, Ban Ki-moon. While the referral has been hailed by Guyana, Venezuela is another matter entirely.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has since said publicly that his Government did not agree with the decision, and that continued negotiations would have been preferable.

It is understood that now that the matter has been referred to the ICJ, this referral is not contingent on Venezuela’s agreement.

In a previous statement on the matter, the Foreign Affairs Ministry had noted that this referral did not require Venezuela’s approval beyond what was allotted in the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Guyana will now have to procure international lawyers to present its case on the international front.

Faith-based leaders to tackle HIV/AIDS

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orty faith-based leaders and representatives of key populations from across the Caribbean will, between February 7 and 9, participate in a consultation on the Right to Health and Wellbeing for All in Paramaribo, Suriname.

The forum is being hosted by the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP).

The consultation is the first of its kind in the Caribbean and is one of the 15 actionable recommendations stated in the Declaration of the PANCAP Consultation of Caribbean Religious Leaders held in Trinidad and Tobago, February 1-2, 2017.

The objective, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported, is to create an ideal space for faith leaders and key populations to discuss ways of collaborating to reduce AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. It is hoped too that there would be a respectful and productive dialogue between faith leaders and key populations including sex workers, the LGBT community, and other stakeholders.

The consultation will also seek to establish a mechanism for enhancing partnerships between the key populations and religious groups; articulate clearly the major determinants of stigma and discrimination and the requirements for the Partnership to remove these barriers. The promotion of a viable legislative environment with regard to human rights, human sexuality, and human dignity will also engage the attention of participants.

PANCAP is the mecha-

nism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, in collaboration with the Regional Consultative Steering Committee for the Implementation of Recommendations to end AIDS by 2030.

According to the Caricom Secretariat, the three-day event will include highly interactive discussions on the gaps in the Treatment and Prevention of HIV with emphasis on access to data in order to address the prospects and requirements for achieving 90-90-90 targets by 2020; prevention gaps with special reference to public education and reducing stigma and discrimination faced by key populations.

Chair of the Regional Consultative Steering Committee for the Implementation of Recommendations to end AIDS by 2030, Canon Garth Minott underscored the critical need for religious leaders and representatives of key populations to share testimonies of their experiences in working with each other. He explained that the purpose was to identify models of collaboration or partnership between the groups, which have positively benefited People living with HIV and reduced AIDS-related discrimination.

The overarching purpose of the consultation is to create a regional partnership between religious leaders and key populations to advocate, lobby and monitor regional governments to ensure they adhere to all international agreements that protect the right to health.

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tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese nabbed Children’s physical display competition amazes crowd with 16kg of cocaine in milk

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Guyanese was on Monday remanded to Her Majesty Prison Dodds in Barbados, after he was slapped with several drug-related charges.

Andrew Mullin was charged with unlawful possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of cocaine with intent to supply, trafficking of cocaine, and importation of cocaine.

The 29-year-old Guyanese man arrived in Barbados on Saturday after departing the Eugene F Correia International Airport on a Liat flight.

Upon his arrival at the Grantley Adams International Airport, customs officials conducted a search on his luggage during which 15 milk powder packages containing the illegal substance were found hidden.

The drug was weighed

and amounted to 16.8 kilograms with a street value of Bds$840,000. Mullin was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him

by Magistrate Laurie-Ann Smith. He was remanded to prison until March 5, 2018.

Over the past years, Guyanese, as well as foreigners, have been nabbed at the main ports of entry in Guyana while attempting to smuggle cocaine out of the country. It is not quite clear how that amount of drugs managed to pass through the security checks at the Eugene F Correia International Airport.

A probe has commenced into the alleged breach in security at the Airport by both the customs and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

O

A fascinating piece that was performed by South Ruimveldt Secondary

nce again, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall was filled with excitement as the Regional Children’s Mashramani Competition attracted a crowd.

This time, it was the physical display category, which concluded the Georgetown leg of the competition on Monday, with entries from both primary and secondary schools.

The event saw a colossal turnout from numerous

schools in Georgetown, who expressed their support for the participants. The loud cheers echoed throughout the intense atmosphere and encouraged the competitors to do their best. To make things even more exciting, it was hosted by the comedic duo of Christopher Gopaul and Lyndon Jones.

This year, the focus of the event was being health wise, and skipping was introduced to the spectacular competi-

Guyana throws support behind int’l migration pact – inter-governmental negotiations slated for this month

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s consultations on effectively managing migration got underway, Guyana has thrown its support behind a global compact designed to have nations facilitate and manage the safe migration of local and foreign nationals.

On Monday, Guyana hosted an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) consultation session.

There, issues relating to the safety and management of migrants were discussed by the United Nations agency and Government officials.

During his address to the gathering, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge made the case for the benefits of migration, which include remittances and skills transfer.

“Migration isn’t just advantageous to the source nation. As we know, remittances have boosted the national income of many developing nations. And Diaspora communities have created and strengthened bonds between countries. And I don’t have to isolate Guyana in that regard, where remittances in particular have constituted a significant proportion and at times as greatly as 17 per cent of GDP [Gross Domestic Product] in any one year.”

In 2017, he added, some US$450 billion in remittances were transferred to developing countries.

“Migrants are linked to improvements in skill, and returnees have brought with

Alfred of Richard Ishmael Secondary. Fellow Richard Ishmael Secondary student Elijah Morris expressed that skipping could be considered exercise and it aided in cardiovascular fitness. He encouraged younger children to participate in this healthy activity.

Other winners included FE Pollard Primary in the Combination category with an entry called “We are the Champions” while Tucville Secondary won with their piece entitled “Team builders”.

However, the climax of the day was the last performance – a last man standing skipping competition in which 10 students participated. It was won by Earl Morris of the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, who ended with the highest time of eight minutes,

The North Georgetown Primary students at the competition

tion.

The schools that participated included FE Pollard Primary, Comenius Primary, North Georgetown Primary, South Ruimveldt Secondary, Tucville Secondary, St John’s College, St Stanislaus College, and Richard Ishmael Secondary.

Participants showcased their performances in different categories which included Combination, Freestyle, Pyramid, Skip-befit and Last Man Standing.

The freestyle skipping was won by Courtney

ten seconds. He breathlessly stated how happy he was to win this category.

“I feel excited. I feel great.

I’m so happy I win the last man standing. It was my dream,” he said.

Morris further stated that it has almost been a year since he has taken up skipping.

The national category will kick start another aspect of the competition and this is set for February 15, with students competing from all across Guyana.

75 mentally-ill...

Participants at the opening ceremony of the consultations at Pegasus Hotel

them many insights, new approaches and a certain energy that goes with such persons. And it has served to motivate (others). Diasporas have contributed to their home countries with investments and philanthropy.”

But Greenidge emphasised that the potential negative consequences from poorly-managed migration were not lost on the Government. He noted that basic challenges such as ensuring human rights were maintained must be dealt with.

Head of the Diaspora Unit of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Michael Brotherson, expressed the Government’s support for

the compact. He noted that having played a part in IOM talks previously, Guyana was looking forward to continuing the discourse. It is understood that inter-governmental negotiations will commence later this month.

IOM is an inter-governmental organisation that works with UN Member States to ensure safe and orderly migration. Guyana has not only experienced a migration of its skilled and unskilled workforce in the past; it has most recently experienced an influx of migrants and re-migrants from Venezuela.

Venezuela, once an economic powerhouse in the Region driven by oil reve-

nues, has been dealing with issues such as a downwardly spiralling economy and civil unrest. And despite the border controversy, there have been several instances where Guyana has either been called upon to render assistance or has offered such assistance.

There have been persistent reports of a shortage of basic services in Venezuela, including health services, due to the failing economy and unrest that has gripped the nation. Back in May 2017, Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Reina Diaz had called on Guyana to support her Government’s efforts to end this unrest.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has said the training is in response to the Patterson Report on the prison fire in 2016, which had several recommendations listed under the subject ‘vulnerable persons.’

The minister recalled that one of the recommendations was to house inmates with mental issues together.

“But in the context of very difficult financial times, the best that can be done is at least the training of officers to take care of these vulnerable prisoners,” he disclosed.

Given the serious nature of the training, Ramjattan urged the participants to make use of the tools they would be given, so they can pass on the knowledge to their colleagues. He requested that they also attend every session, be punctual, and participate as much as possible.

The opening of this training session was also addressed by Acting British

From page 9

High Commissioner Ron Rimmer, who noted that “this training is the latest in a series of tangible outputs that the United Kingdom had undertaken, or would be undertaking in the near future.”

An inquiry into the March 2-4, 2016 Camp Street Prison Riot recommended that several interventions be taken to correct the deficiencies at the courts and Police and Prison systems.

The classification “vulnerable group” within the prison system is not specific to persons with mental health issues, but also include Indigenous people, substance abusers, HIV positive persons, old persons, and children.

The training is being facilitated through the non-profit organisation CreateBetterMinds, with two experts in the areas of mental health. The five-day training will end on Friday, February 9.

14 news

tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Surinamese among nonGuyanese utilising local healthcare services

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ersons from neighbouring countries continue to receive medical services at the New Amsterdam Hospital in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Director of Health Services in the Region, Jevaughn Stephens told the Department of Public Information (DPI), this was largely due to the fact the Hospital’s data entry forms do not require information on the person’s nationality.

“So, you realise they’re not Guyanese based on their accent and sometimes some are honest enough to tell us their nationality. Our data form is not designed to capture nationalities. It is designed this way because we do not want to discriminate; however, we do want to give free healthcare to everyone,” Stephens explained.

Nationalities benefiting from free healthcare services here include Surinamese, Brazilians, and Haitians.

Stephens said given the fact that the bulk of Guyana’s

Jevaughn Stephens

healthcare was free, this large influx, of particularly Surinamese, remained constant.

According to Stephens, last year, 13 Surinamese gave birth at the Port Mourant Hospital while approximately nine Haitians received health services at New Amsterdam Hospital.

He noted that offering free healthcare services to non-nationals was not ille-

gal and was in keeping with the mandate of not discriminating. However, this may result in drug shortages, which is currently being addressed by the Public Health Ministry.

Along with these issues, there are many referrals from the Skeldon Hospital in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice). “They (Skeldon Hospital) send a lot of their patients over here, especially for maternity treatment. Most persons having their first child would leave Region Five and come to Region Six for their delivery,” the Director of Health Services explained.

He pointed out that this may be as a result of the expertise of the obstetricians and gynaecologists attached to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

In 2017, the Government stated that plans would be implemented to monitor the number of Surinamese who travel to Guyana to seek free medical attention at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Region 10 hosts children’s costume competition

Region 10 students during the physical display competition

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chools from across Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) joined in the celebration spirit of the annual Mashramani observances in Guyana, with the hosting of the Children’s Mashramani Costume Competition.

Intense competition was witnessed at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Ground and the Lichas Hall in Linden over the course of three days (January 31 to

February 2), in keeping with this year’s theme, “Let’s Cooperate and Celebrate Republic 48”.

The action commenced on Wednesday, January 31, with the nursery competition at the MSC Ground, which saw students from schools across the Region competing in the areas of dance, physical display, masquerade, costume display and jump rope competitions. On February 1,

the primary and secondary schools’ competitions were hosted at the same venue.

On, February 2, the dramatic poetry and calypso competitions were hosted at the Lichas Hall. This saw creative presentations from students, who highlighted issues such as the GuyanaVenezuela border controversy, violence and abuse and Guyana’s oil discovery, among others.

Candy vendor remanded Caribbean States to build capacity on cannabis charge to respond to drug problem

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ineteen-year-old candy vendor Keno Lampkin of Lot 445 Croal Street, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara was allegedly found with 20 grams of cannabis at James Street Albouystown, Georgetown on February 4th last.

He was taken to the Ruimveldt Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed and he was charged with the offence.

Appearing on Monday before a city magistrate, Lampkin pleaded not guilty to the charge, but the Prosecution contend-

R

ed that Police on patrol in Albouystown spotted him with a black shoulder bag, which when searched was found to contain leaves,

stems and seeds suspected to be cannabis.

He was remanded to prison, and his case was set for recall on February 26.

epresentatives of the Forum of Caribbean States (CARIFORUM) will hold technical discussions on the Seventh Round of the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) process on Wednesday in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The one-day technical meeting will be followed by two days of intense training, February 8-9, with senior policy-makers and technical staff from a number of line ministries in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the establishment of its National Drug Council and on the MEM. MEM is a process designed to measure the progress of actions taken by OAS member states to address the drug problem.

The use of illicit drugs continues to rise in CARIFORUM countries and a review of the MEM points to a lack of institutional capacity.

The technical meeting on the MEM 7th Round process, and the training workshops with stakeholders are part of the response under the Tenth European Development Fund (EDF) Crime and Security Programme between the European Union and CARIFORUM. The Drug Demand Reduction component of the programme seeks to strengthen institutional capacity of national and regional drug demand reduction entities and practitioners to effectively develop strategies and implement policies and programmes in CARIFORUM. The meetings and work-

Caricom and CARIFORUM SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque

shops are specifically aimed at strengthening national capacity and systems for monitoring and evaluation. In this light, stated objectives include to: “foster a deeper understanding of the MEM process, particularly its seventh round which commence in 2018; outline the impact on the design and implementation of hemispheric drug policies; provide a forum where the Caribbean countries can discuss areas of interest in counter drug efforts within the region and feasible areas of cooperation.

A number of regional and international agencies and bodies have partnered to hold these events which target permanent secretaries and technical officers from the government ministries and agencies, national coordinating entities and other technical persons engaged in illicit drug matters. Partners include the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community in collaboration with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the European Union, Organisation of American

States/ Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS/CICAD).

The importance of partnership and collective approaches were underscored last month at the launch of the Tenth EDF CARIFORUM/EU Crime and Security Programme, in Barbados. CARICOM and CARIFORUM SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque in his remarks called for “closer collaboration and a strengthening of the relationships in and between institutions charged with responsibility for crime and security” to respond to the trafficking of drugs, which he noted was “the driving force for the high rates of crime and violence”, in the region.

Head of EU Delegation for Barbados and the OECS, Ambassador Daniela Tramacere too noted in her Remarks that “regional integration and collective security mechanisms are imperative given the scarcity of resources required to address such a multiplicity of security issues”.

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tuesDAY, february 6, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

OCC advancing sustainable land development

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he Office of Climate Change (OCC) continues to implement and execute projects articulated in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), mainly since these are tied to the bilateral agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Kingdom of Norway.

Head of the OCC, Janelle Christian, speaking recently on the advancement of several of these projects said: “the whole thing is what is good for Guyana, what is good for the country and how we manage our resources, how do we address the gaps in governance and other legislative and policy areas.”

She noted the Office is building on all the work conducted over the years under the LCDS while ensuring that development is approached across all sectors along a low emissions path, as stipulated in the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS).

The OCC is ramping up all the work started under the LCDS with the focus on Guyana emerging into a truly ‘green state’.

Christian informed that the Project Management Office, which leads the process with respect to identification and elaboration of proposals for submission to the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) Steering Committee, would have successfully, in 2017, received approval for the Information and

Office of Climate Change Head, Janelle Christian

Communication Technology (ICT) Hinterland Connectivity Project.

The Office has also advanced the process of the National Opt-in Mechanism, successfully completing consultancy in 2017, which has led to the development of a framework document.

“We are looking to continue that initiative in terms of having more country-wide engagement with communities and also seek to do some piloting,” Christian said.

Another priority of the LCDS which has progressed is the recently launched Sustainable Land Development Project which deals with land use planning and governance, Christian highlighted.

The OCC with support

from its partners has conducted work in the Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo Region (Region Nine) in the area of water resource management.

A pilot project is being financed under the JapanCaribbean Climate Change Partnership (JCCP).

According to the OCC Head, “we are going to be undertaking the assessment, the Ground Water Hydrology Assessment to have a better understanding of water resources in that area and then come up with the best solution to address the scarcity that the communities experience there”.

Information and data coming out of that pilot project will then inform a larger

programme.

Christian alluded to several other important projects coming out from the LCDS, which fall under the Natural Resources Ministry such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Guyana’s application to become an EITI candidate was approved in October 2017 during the 38th Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Board Meeting held in Manila, Philippines.

The LCDS is a national strategy launched in 2009, under the previous administration, which seeks to create a low deforestation, low carbon, climate resilient economy with the objective of transforming the economy while combating climate change, mainly through incentives to avoid deforestation.

The policy document titled ‘Framework of the Guyana Green State Development Strategy and Financing Mechanisms’ was completed in April 2017 and is intended to provide guidance on the prioritised areas to be developed in the GSDS. The document represents a roadmap for Guyana’s development along a reduced emissions pathway and builds on the successes of the LCDS and several other national documents such as the Nationally Determined Contributions, Climate Resilience Strategy Action Plan (CRSAP), Draft National Energy Policy, and National Adaptation Strategy for the Agriculture Sector (2009 -2018).

Caribbean IDB Governors to meet in Jamaica

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aribbean governors of the Washingtonbased Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will meet in Jamaica later this month with a focus on helping the Caribbean embrace strategically, the reality of the digital revolution.

The seventh annual Caribbean Governors’ Meeting from February 2627, will be held under the theme “Jump Caribbean” and the IDB said it wants the region to tap technology and to apply innovative methods as a means to solve problems, improve productivity, generate employment and advance development.

IDB Governors are expected from the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago.

IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno, other senior IDB officials and Dr William Warren Smith, president of the Caribbean Development Bank are also expected to attend the two-day meeting of the governors.

Global business leader Sir Richard Branson and Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the former president of the Republic of Estonia, will also participate in the high-level meeting to provide insight on how the Caribbean can

take advantage of the opportunities for accelerating growth, building resilience to natural disasters, developing policies to improve productivity, and creating vibrant sustainable economies through the digital and technological revolutions.

“At the upcoming meeting, the Caribbean has the opportunity to seize the moment, to ignite the changes needed to create a better and brighter future,” said Therese Turner-Jones, general manager for the IDB’s Caribbean Country Department, “As the leading development partner in the region, the IDB looks forward to fresh ideas and innovative perspectives that take full advantage of the digital and technological revolution.

This is key to improving lives of the people of the region,” added Turner-Jones.

The meeting will include a series of bilateral and plenary sessions and is intended to prepare the Caribbean Governors and the IDB’s management for the substantive deliberations on the future direction of the institution that are anticipated at the IDB’s annual general meeting to be held in Argentina on March 22-25

Woman to pay for defamatory Facebook posts Larry Nassar jailed for A another 40 to 125 years woman who posted defamatory statements on the social media website, Facebook, will have to compensate an entire family.

The woman was sued after a series of post appeared on her personal page in 2016.

In a ruling in the Trinidad High Court on Monday, Justice Frank Seepersad said the words posted were “reckless and scandalous.”

He ordered her to pay compensation and the family’s legal bill, which are to be assessed by a Master of the High Court.

Seepersad said it was “difficult to fathom how any right thinking member of society would contemplate to publish words” such as those posted on Janelle Burke’s Facebook page.

‘Sadly however, far too often, social media is used as a forum to engage in this type of irresponsible and cruel discourse. This state of affairs cannot continue unabated... There is entrenched in local parlance

the phrase, “You will pay for your mouth”.

Given the technological revolution which now characterises modern life, this traditional phrase has to be subject to an update and all social media account holders need to understand that they may now have to “Pay for their posts”, if it is established that their posts are defamatory.”

In their lawsuit, the family claimed Burke published a number of libellous statement on Facebook that resulted in them suffering “shame and embarrassment” since those statements were false and may have been seen by thousands.

They said the posts were intended to disparage them in their work, social, community and family lives.

Two of the family members are minors.

In her posts, Burke allegedly accused the family of engaging in incest. Her posts further alleged that the father of the family was a rapist who was engaging in sexual activities with

his stepson and daughter, while the seven-year-old was involved in prostitution at school.

The posts also went on to claim the mother of the family had sex with other men and women.

The family’s telephone numbers and their photographs were also shared along with the posts.

The posts even resulted in officers of the Child Protection Unit (CPU)interviewing the family at home at a police station.

The police, the mother testified, cleared she and her husband of any wrongdoing and told them there were no longer under investigation.

The family also denied any of the other activities ever took place.

A number of police reports were made and a private harassment complaint was filed by the family against Burke.

Burke, in her defence, used what the judge referred to a “Shaggy defence” of “It wasn’t me.” (T&T

Newsday)

(Trinidad Guardian)

D

isgraced ex-sports doctor Larry Nassar has been jailed for another 40 to 125 years for molesting young gymnasts.

Nassar already faced a lifetime in jail for two prior sentences for sexually abusing girls at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.

The judge said while it ends Nassar's criminal legal proceedings, "it does not end the emotional and physical suffering he has caused".

The number of women who accuse Nassar of abuse has grown to more than 265.

With Monday's sentence, Nassar has now been given at least 300 years in jail for his crimes.

He was sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges in December and received up to 175 years in jail on sexual abuse charges in January.

This case, which regarded abuse at the Twistars gymnastics training centre, follows weeks of emotional testimony from scores of young athletes.

More than 200 women in total have delivered impact statements on his abuse in both hearings.

"It's impossible to convey the depth and breadth of how sorry I am to each and every one involved," Nassar said in an apology on Monday.

"The visions of your testimony will forev-

Ex-sports doctor Larry Nassar

er be present in my thoughts."

But Judge Janice Cunningham dismissed his remarks, saying: "I am not convinced that you truly understand that what you did was wrong, and the devastating impact that you have had on the victims, their families and friends."

"Clearly you are in denial. You don't get it."

The Nassar case has rocked the US Olympic Committee, the sport's governing body USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, where he also worked as a sports doctor.

Top officials at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University have resigned in recent weeks amid the fallout, and the case has prompted several investigations into whether complaints against the doctor were ignored. (BBC)

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, february 6, 2018

Regional

Chile sex abuse letter contradicts Paraguay’s EPP Pope over ‘cover-up’ rebels free two Mennonite hostages

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victim of a paedophile priest in Chile has revealed he wrote to the Pope in 2015 about an alleged cover-up after Francis denied getting evidence.

Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim of cleric Fernando Karadima in the 1980s, accused fellow priest Juan Barros of witnessing the abuse and doing nothing.

The Pope caused outrage after a visit to Chile last month by defending Bishop Barros, who was made a bishop in 2015.

The Vatican refused to comment on the letter when approached by BBC News.

Pope Francis has said in the past that dealing with abuse is vital for the Church’s

Pope Francis’s trip to Chile and Peru was overshadowed by the row

credibility and perpetrators must face “sanctions”.

Cruz sent the text of his letter (written in Spanish) to BBC News, showing it was addressed personally to Pope Francis and dated March 3,

2015.

That was more than two weeks before the Bishop’s ordination in the south Chilean city of Osorno, an event dramatically disrupted by hundreds of protesters accusing

Bishop Barros of covering up Karadima’s sex attacks on young boys.

The Bishop has denied ever knowing about “the serious abuses” committed by Karadima, who was never prosecuted in Chile because so much time had passed but was convicted and sentenced by the Vatican to a lifetime of “penance and prayer”.

“Holy Father, I decided to write this letter to you because I’m tired of fighting, crying and suffering,” Cruz writes.

“Our story is well known and there’s no point reminding you of it, except to tell you of the horror of having experienced this abuse and how I wanted to kill myself.”

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Guantanamo to remain open

U

nited States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to keep America’s detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, open.

He signed it just before presenting his first State of the Union Address on Wednesday, saying that the

US must “continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists, wherever we chase them down, wherever we find them. And in many cases, for them, it will now be Guantanamo Bay.” The order reverses one signed by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, to close the prison.

The American President was adamant the move would help in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaeda.

“In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds and hundreds of dangerous terrorists only to meet them again on the battlefield, including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi, who we cap-

tured, who we had, who we released,” he said, referring to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was released from Camp Bucca in Iraq in 2004.

No new prisoners have been sent to Guantanamo in more than a decade, and when Obama left office in 2017, it housed 41 inmates.

A

Paraguayan guerrilla group has freed two Mennonite men it had been holding hostage for five months.

The two were released after their families paid a ransom and handed over food to local communities, Paraguayan media report.

They were abducted by the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP), a Marxist rebel group which has carried out a string of kidnappings and killings.

A third kidnapped Mennonite farmer was found dead in January.

The family of 36-yearold Abraham Fehr said they were not able to pay the US$500,000 (£357,000) ransom the rebels had demanded after his kidnapping in August 2015.

His body was found in a grave in the north of the country. Forensic tests suggested he had died months after being taken. The cause of his death could not be established.

The families of the

two Mennonites freed on Monday, Bernhard Blatz and Franz Hiebert, reportedly paid US$750,000 and US$500,000 in ransoms.

They were found in a rural area by a farmer driving a tractor, the spokesman for the joint military and police task force Víctor Urdapilleta said.

Mennonite Christians settled in Paraguay in the first half of the 20th Century and have more recently been joined by Mennonites fleeing drug-related violence in Mexico.

Hiebert, 32, is one of the Mexican Mennonites who settled in northern Paraguay.

The Mennonite community has become one of the main targets of the Paraguayan People's Army, which is thought to be trying to gain control of the area the Mennonites farm because it is a strategic route for marijuana smuggling, one of the rebels' main sources of income. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Plane makes emergency US Coast Guard seizes nearly 2 tonnes landing in Bermuda of cocaine in Caribbean Sea

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he US Coast Guard has offloaded nearly two tonnes of cocaine, worth more than US$46 million, that was seized in the Caribbean Sea over a twoday period.

The 1580 kilogrammes of cocaine, seized during Operation Unified Resolve and Operation Martillo, were offloaded last Friday in St Petersburg, Florida.

Of the cocaine which officials say has a value of US$46,681,100 wholesale, 820 kilogrammes were indicted during a joint boarding conducted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa offloads nearly two tonnes of cocaine in St Petersburg, Florida (US Coast Guard/Petty Officer 1st Class Michael De Nyse)

Joseph Napier and Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez, two Sentinelclass cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on

December 20 last year.

The remainder was seized two days later by the Coast Guard’s Tactical Law Enforcement Team

(Caribbean360)

(TACLET) South deployed aboard HNLMS Van Speijk, a Royal Netherlands Navy ship, operating in the Caribbean.

“This offload represents nearly two tons of illicit drugs that will never hit our streets,” said Commander Nick Simmons, commanding officer of the Tampa.

“This is the result of the combined efforts of our partners and allied men and women who continue to work day and night to stop these criminal organisations from profiting off transnational crime and smuggling.” (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Pilot charged in drug bust at Antigua Airport preparing for takeoff from the VC Bird International Airport.

Their search uncovered 105 pounds of cocaine in several packages in two suitcases on the aircraft.

The pilot was among four

The private charter plane on which the drugs were found (photo credit: ONDCP)

A

n Antiguan pilot has been charged in connection with a recent drug bust in which almost EC$1.7 million (US$629,634) worth of cocaine was found on a private plane.

Colin Murraine, 31, appeared in court on Monday morning on charges of possession and exportation of cocaine, and being in con-

cern with the supply of cocaine and drug trafficking, and he was denied bail. He faces up to life in prison on the latter charge.

Murraine’s court appearance came three days after officers from Antigua and Barbuda’s Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) intercepted a private charter plane that was

people who were arrested.

The other three were subsequently released.

The aircraft remains in the custody of law enforcement authorities, pending further investigations. (Excerpt

from Caribbean360)

The American Airlines flight on the tarmac of the LF Wade International Airport in Bermuda (BerNews)

A

n American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Bermuda on Sunday after a “possible fire in the cargo hold”.

American Airlines flight AA973, which was headed from New York to Brazil with 201 people, landed at the LF Wade International Airport at 00:42h.

Ten fire vehicles and 12 firefighters from the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service met the aircraft, and it was evacuated. However,

no fire was found and no one was injured.

Among those on board the flight was Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls who posted about her experience on social media.

Most passengers remained at the airport overnight and were rebooked on American Airlines scheduled flights to JFK and Miami today.

Others are staying in hotels while alternative flight arrangements are made.

(Caribbean360)

System for reporting substandard, falsified medicines in the Region launched

T

he Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) has launched VigiCarib – a voluntary regional system for Caricom States to report adverse drug reactions (ADRs), suspected substandard and falsified products.

Medicines safety and monitoring systems are often limited in the individual small States of Caricom, and

the rationale for a regional approach is that with pooling of resources, sharing of information, and coordination of activities, there will be efficiencies of scale that can lead to stronger systems overall.

The programme will help to protect patients and bolster their confidence in health care, as well as send a signal to manufacturers and distributors that their products are

being monitored for safety and quality.

VigiCarib is endorsed by Caricom Ministers of Health.

It allows health professionals, members of the public, and other stakeholders to report to the CRS for regulatory analysis and action. Through this system, CRS may share information about problematic products with Caricom states, pool data to identify

signals, and make recommendations to governments about regulatory actions.

The CRS is an initiative of Caricom and is managed as a regulatory unit by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in close partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO).

(Caribbean360)

tuesDAY, february 6, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Maldives declares state Dow Jones index tumbles nearly 1500 points of emergency T P resident Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of emergency and security forces stormed the Supreme Court amid a deepening political crisis in the island nation.

Police also arrested former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom at his residence on Monday on charges of trying to overthrow the Government of his half-brother, according to a family member and a lawyer.

Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor made the state of emergency announcement on State television, giving security forces sweeping powers to make arrests and curtailing the powers of the judiciary.

The move followed a ruling by the top court on February 1, which ordered the release of imprisoned Opposition Leaders.

President Yameen Abdul Gayoom is escorted by bodyguards in the capital Male on Saturday [Mohamed Sharuhaan/AP]

Shakoor said the verdict has "resulted in the disruption of the functions of the executive power, and the infringement of national security and public interest".

"The Government does not believe that the Supreme Court ruling to release the political prisoners can be enforced," she added.

Hours after the declaration, soldiers forced their way into the court building, a spokesman for the Supreme Court said.

Yameen, who critics accuse of corruption, misrule and rights abuses, has also suspended the country’s Parliament, where the Opposition have a majority.

Eva Abdulla, an Opposition Member of Parliament, called the emergency declaration "a very desperate move".

It shows Yameen has "lost everything – confidence of the people, Parliament, other institutions and the courts," she said in a post on Twitter. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Air strikes pound Syria's ANC steps up pressure last rebel strongholds, on Jacob Zuma S gas chokes civilians

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arplanes launched heavy attacks on the two last major rebel-held areas in Syria, killing at least 29 people in the Ghouta suburb near the capital and choking people with gas in Idlib in the northwest, rescue workers and a war monitor said on Monday.

President Bashar al-Assad’s Government has vowed to retake all of Syria from rebels who have lost large swathes of the ter-

ritory they have held in a war now entering its eighth year.

A years-long siege on the last major rebel-held area near the capital Damascus, the suburb of eastern Ghouta, has tightened in recent months.

In the northwest, the Government and its militia allies have been trying to advance in mostly rural Idlib, the last province still largely under rebel control.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

outh Africa's ruling party has called a meeting of its top body for Wednesday, amid growing pressure on President Jacob Zuma to stand down.

In a statement, the ANC said that the meeting was called to discuss the "management of the transition" between the Zuma and Ramaphosa administrations.

On Monday, senior politicians held an emergency meeting in Johannesburg to discuss Zuma's future.

The President has resisted calls to quit over corruption allegations.

Zuma, 75, was replaced as party leader in December, and his deputy and successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, 65, would step into the presidency if he were recalled by the ANC. An ANC spokeswoman told Reuters news agency that the removal of President Zuma was not on the agenda at Monday's meeting.

The President, in power since 2009, is due to make a state of the nation address on Thursday, and some in the party want Zuma to leave office ahead of that speech. (Excerpt from BBC News)

he Dow Jones Industrial Average has plunged by nearly 1500 points in a day of volatile trading that has rattled global markets.

The leading US stock market index is down more than 5.8 per cent at 24,025.33.

It is the worst oneday fall in points since September 2008 during the depths of the financial crisis.

The decline extends losses on Friday, when strong wage growth data raised the prospect of accelerated interest rate rises.

Monday's sell-off sur-

passes a 777.68 points drop on the Dow Jones on September 29, 2008 when Congress rejected a US$700 billion bank bailout plan following the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers.

The Dow was closely followed by the wider S&P 500 stock index, down 2.6 per cent and the technology-heavy Nasdaq, down two per cent.

London's main share index, the FTSE 100, closed down 1.46 per cent while earlier, the biggest markets in Asia fell between one per cent and 2.5 per cent. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Democrats push Trump to release rebuttal memo

A

congressional panel was Monday scheduled to consider a Democratic rebuttal to a Republican memo alleging bias against President Donald Trump.

The House Intelligence Committee published the Republican memo on Friday alleging the FBI abused its power by investigating a Trump adviser.

Democrats say their 10page document highlights shortcomings and flaws in the Republican account.

Trump said the Republican memo "vindicates" him in the Russia inquiry. The fourpage document centres on court-approved wiretapping of Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, who was placed under electronic surveillance by the FBI. The memo accuses the FBI and Justice Department of using an unsubstantiat-

Chuck Schumer said it was an issue of "fairness" that President Donald Trump release the Democrats' memo

ed dossier to obtain a court's permission in October 2016 to eavesdrop on Page.

The so-called Steele dossier was compiled in an attempt to dig up dirt on Trump, partly funded by the campaign of his rival, Hillary Clinton. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India battling Ganges pollution Kenyan broadcasters back on air after Govt block I ndia’s Ganges river is the main source of water for half a billion people. It’s also holy to the country’s almost one billion Hindus, who bathe in the river to be cleansed of their sins.

But the river’s cleansing abilities are limited by the fact that the Ganges is one of the world’s most polluted waterways: A billion gallons of raw sewage and industrial waste currently pour into it every day.

The Indian Government’s most recent initiative to tackle the pollution problem, Namami Gange, was announced in 2014 and promised US$3 billion in funding. So far, it has yielded very few results, and a 2017 investigation concluded that just US$205 million had been spent.

With a growing scandal on its hands, the Narendra Modi Government is scram-

T

The river’s cleansing abilities are limited by the fact that the Ganges is one of the world’s most polluted waterways

bling to finish planned Ganges projects before the 2019 general elections. But environmental scientist and campaigner Rakesh Jaiswal said he hasn’t seen

any change so far. “The situation is worsening, and in the last 24 years I have seen no improvement at all,” he told VICE News.

(Excerpt from VICE News)

wo Kenyan television stations have resumed broadcasting after being taken off air for plans to show a rally held by the country's Opposition Leader.

The NTV and KTN channels were both accessible on Monday, but two others – Citizen TV and Inooro TV – remained blocked, Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reported on Monday.

Earlier in the day, protesters took to the streets in Kenya's capital Nairobi to condemn the media shutdown, it said.

The Government suspended all four stations on January 30 after they announced plans to air the symbolic "swearing in" of Opposition Leader Raila Odinga, which took place later the same day.

Broadcasting the mock ceremony – at which Odinga

Protesters took to the streets of Nairobi to condemn the media shutdown [Khalil Senosi/AP]

declared himself the "people's president" – would threaten national security, the Government said.

It also described the event as a "well-choreographed attempt to subvert or overthrow" incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The move prompted international condemnation, with the United Nations later criticising Kenyan officials for failing to comply with a ruling by the country's High Court to lift the block on the channels. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

ARCHIE

Don't expect everyone to ARIES agree with you. It's time to (March 21- please yourself without feelApril 19) ing the need to have approval from individuals who are negative and critical.

Your emotions will be unTAURUS stable. Keep your thoughts to (April 20- yourself until you have had May 20) a chance to fully understand what's happening and the results your response might fetch.

dilbert

Do whatever it takes to GEMINI (May 21- get along with your peers and June 20) the powers-that-be. Putting in extra effort will prove to be valuable when it comes to advancement.

Let your creative imagina-

CANCER tion take charge to come up (June 21- with a great plan. Don't worJuly 22) ry about those who oppose you.

Peanuts

Work with people who can help make your dreams come true.

Arguments will break out LEO if you aren't willing to com(July 23- promise or if you must deal Aug. 22) with difficult individuals.

Keep the peace, but protect your assets, possessions and emotional well-being.

Be aware of what's hapVIRGO pening, but don't let tempta(Aug. 23tion take the reins if someSept. 22) one is pressuring you. Size up whatever situation you face and do your own thing.

Calvin and Hobbes

Old habits are hard to break.

LIBRA (Sept. 23- Regarding money matters, you Oct. 23) must restrict your spending.

Being overly generous will not help you get ahead. Excessive behaviour should be prohibited.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — MANUMITS (MANUMITS: man-yuh-MITS: Frees from slavery or bondage.)

Average mark 19 words Time limit 35 minutes

Share your thoughts and CAPRICORN feelings, but don't feel the (Dec. 22- need to follow what someone Jan. 19) else is doing. Stick to the rules

YESTERDAY’S WORD — SIBILANT snit stab stain ibis bail bait basil basin bias blain blast blat

lain last lint list alibi alit anil anti nail tail tibia

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

take charge and protect your rights. Don't allow anyone to make choices for you.

Helping others can be reSAGITTARIUS warding, but not if you are be(Nov. 23ing used in the process. Size Dec. 21) up your current situation and only offer what's fair. An aggressive approach to saving money is encouraged.

Can you find 28 or more words in MANUMITS? The list will be published tomorrow.

sabin sail saint salt satin silt slab slain slant slat slit snail

Refuse to let anyone get the SCORPIO better of you. When it comes to (Oct. 24money, legal or health issues, Nov. 22)

and guidelines you set, and move forward diligently.

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle Sort through all your stuff AQUARIUS and pass along what you no (Jan. 20longer use. What you offer will Feb. 19) be appreciated, while helping others will leave you feeling good.

A passionate approach to PISCES life, love and emotional situa(Feb. 20tions will encourage you to beMarch 20) come a better person. Be willing to give as much as you receive.

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

Eagles snatch Super Bowl in thriller

T

he Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl for the first time by beating the New England Patriots 41-33 in an extraordinary encounter in Minneapolis.

On a night when records tumbled and the expected norms of an NFL game went out the window, the Eagles - led majestically by quarterback Nick Foles - produced a brilliant offensive display to deny the Patriots a record-equalling sixth Super Bowl crown.

Zach Ertz's touchdown with less than

part, unprecedented in NFL history.

Chief among the highlights was the glorious moment when Foles - later named the game's Most Valuable Player caught a pass from tight end Trey Burton on a gutsy trick play, making him the first player ever to throw and catch a touchdown in a Super Bowl.

Foles also threw for three touchdowns from 373 passing yards, the 29-year-old Texan capping off his fairytale rise since being drafted in to replace the injured

19

Carson Wentz three games from the end of the regular season.

Opposite number Brady, meanwhile, is left to wonder just how he failed to add to his five Super Bowl rings despite 505 passing yards - a Super Bowl record - and three touchdown passes. The explosive nature of the two offenses saw the Eagles and Patriots combine for 1,151 yards in total, a record not just for a Super Bowl but for any regular- or post-season game in NFL history. (BBC Sport)

three minutes remaining put the Eagles into a five-point lead, but it took Brandon Graham's sack on Tom Brady just moments later to seemingly put the game beyond the reigning champions.

Even then the Eagles had to withstand a late march downfield by Brady, but victory was finally assured when a Hail Mary attempt came to nothing as the clock ticked down to zero.

In a game featuring just one punt and one sack - Graham's key hit on Brady - the action was breathless and, for the most

Watford late rally stuns 10man Chelsea 4-1 Jamaica welcomes Athletics World Cup – Gayle

G

Jamaica has gained a reputation as a power house on the track

eneral Secretary of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA), Garth Gayle, has welcomed the introduction of the Athletics World Cup to the track and field calendar and revealed that Jamaica will be sending a team to the inaugural staging this summer.

The Athletics World Cup that will be hosted by British Athletics, will feature the top eight countries in the world. The hosts will be joined

by United States, Poland, China, Germany, France, Jamaica and South Africa on July 14 and 15 at London's Olympic stadium. The competition that will coincide with the final of Wimbledon and the FIFA World Cup in Russia, will take place in evening sessions over the two days with each nation competing for a prize pool of

US$2 million.

Gayle said Jamaica is always looking for new avenues of earning for its elite athletes.

“We will be looking to participate in this new event,” he told SportsMax. TV on Monday.

“Where ever possible that we can showcase Jamaica’s talent the JAAA stands ready to do so. We are always seeking to provide that avenue in which our elite athletes can do well and have the possibility to earn.”

British Athletics is envisioning big things for this competition.

"The Athletics World Cup London 2018 will be one of the biggest athletics events in 2018 and as such we’re thrilled to be able to launch it at the London Stadium," said Richard Bowker, the chair of UK Athletics.

"This is a world-class competition where nation will face nation and fans will see an amazing feast of athletics over two days featuring many of the biggest global superstars in the world of sport.

"This will be an incredible event which we are thrilled to be able to launch on the back of a highly-successful World Championships last summer."

The competition format will feature all track and field events up to, and including, the 1500 metres.

One man and one woman from the eight nations will contest each event in a straight final format.

Each nation will select a female athlete as their team captain for the competition. (Sportsmax)

W

atford scored three late goals to win Javi Gracia's first home game in charge in an "unforgettable night" for their manager and increase the pressure on Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte.

The Blues played an hour with 10 men after Tiemoue Bakayoko's red card capped off a dreadful individual 30-minute performance - in which he gifted Watford four chances.

The Hornets - who had only won one of their previous 12 Premier League games - led controversially as Gerard Deulofeu went down easily under keeper Thibaut Courtois' challenge and Troy Deeney scored the penalty.

Chelsea, who brought on Olivier Giroud for a debut in the second half, scored an undeserved equaliser when Eden Hazard curled home brilliantly from 25 yards.

But two minutes later, Daryl Janmaat scored a fantastic goal of his own when he cut in from the right wing, played a one-two with Roberto Pereyra and beat another couple of defenders before scoring with his weaker left foot.

Deulofeu added another when he ran from halfway before his shot was deflected home by Gary Cahill - and then Pereyra scored a fourth from Abdoulaye Doucoure's through ball.

The Hornets are now six points above the relegation zone.

Gracia, who replaced Marco Silva last month, told BBC Sport: "It was a great victory and a great match. I am very proud of my players today.

"We played a good match, pressed high. The match changed after the sending off but I think we played very well. Chelsea are a very big club, a big team."

It was Chelsea's second consecutive defeat by three goals in the Premier League, following their 3-0 home reverse by Bournemouth. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

Permaul dealt another "hard card"

by CWI selectors

Says Akeem Greene

I

t seems a spinner who has taken a total of 198 wickets across four consecutive seasons of Professional Cricket League (PCL) is not good enough to make these ‘powerful’ Windies senior nor ‘A’ team squads but one with 145 scalps to his name is good enough to do both.

The issue stems from the Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel led by Barbadian chairman Courtney Browne, Travis Dowlin (Guyanese), Eldine Baptiste (Antiguan) and Lockhart Sebastian (Dominican) naming the Windies ‘A’ squad for England Lions tour of the Caribbean beginning next week in Jamaica with some questionable selections.

That squad reads: Kieran Powell (captain), Shamarh Brooks (vice-captain), Jermaine Blackwood, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Jahmar Hamilton, Keon Joseph, Jeremiah Louis, Raymon Reifer, Vishaul Singh, Jomel Warrican.

The shocking surprise is that of Barbadian left-arm spinner Warrican ahead of fellow left-armer Veerasammy Permaul. To eliminate the first notion of my perceived biasness, the stats will tell the truth Since CWI implemented the PCL to fuel the long-term development of their Test team, Permaul has top the charts twice, once in first season (2014-15) with 67 wickets and then in the just concluded season (2017-18) with 50.

It is throughout those seasons, he spun his way close to 200 wickets and has been a major factor in Guyana Jaguars winning the title four times on the trot.

His immaculate consistency in being a part of the top five bowlers in the region has been impecca-

Jomel Warrican ble and essentially warrants a prolong run in at least the ‘A’ team.

In the just concluded season, he averaged 18.90 (way below his career of 21.45); had best match figures of 10-82; took four 5-wicket hauls per innings and had one ten-wicket match haul. Next best was leg-spinner Imran Khan (48), Keemo Paul (42), Jeremiah Louis (40). Still two more to go before Warrican. Shane Shillingford (38), Nikita Miller (36) and then the 25 year-old with 36 scalps at an average of 22.55 (above his career of 20.61); two 5-wicket hauls and no 10-wicket match haul.

In none of his PCL seasons has he taken over 50 wickets or being amongst the top three; his 44

matches has yielded 173 wickets.

Both players have relative exposure to international cricket with Permaul playing his last of six Tests in 2015 and seven One Day Internationals in 2017 while the Barbadian has his last outing of four Tests in 2106.

Meritocracy seems to have a different meaning in these selectors books to deal the spinners such a ‘hard card’. It is understandable with him not being in the Test team along with fellow countryman Devendra Bishoo since that might be difficult given the balance of that unit but to imply he is not good enough for your ‘A’ team by overlooking him after he constantly dominates the pre-

cursor for selection is a gross insult.

It is not to say the hard-working Berbician is a ‘fly by night’ cricketer since the record shows he continues to impress and improve.

Yes, when gifted the opportunity to perform at the international stage he did not replicated those domestic feats but has Warrican done better? His six Tests yielded 18 wickets; Warrican’s four has 11.

Criticisms have been levelled against the 28 year-old for being too defensive when batsman go on the attack, especially in the longer formats and with just an arm-ball as a major variation he becomes predictable, making him a sweet dietary for international batters.

Though understandable, where then is his opportunity to learn, a fair opportunity to improve?

Are they expecting him to magically become a world-class bowler by just playing regional cricket against batsmen who fail to take the initiative? Why place so much emphasis on consistency at the regional level and not reward those who answer the call?

Based on CWI selection mantra we may never know the answers to do those questions.

It has become deflating to see the player being constantly overlooked for higher duties. If those in power believe he won’t perform, it is still conscionable for him to earn selection.

Nikita Miller at age 35 returned to the Windies unit recently and has also booked his spot for the World Cup qualifiers. His pedigree has been built on consistency at domestic level and he was rewarded so why not Permaul? I’m guessing he too has to wait until age 35.

Veerasammy Permaul

In 2016 when he made the ‘A’ team to Sri Lanka for the 50-over match, he was the third leading bowler for the team but had the best economy rate which shows his versatility.

With 444 First-Class wickets under his belt from 103 matches and 106 wickets from 70 wickets, his new test will be of patience to once again find favour with the ‘noble’ group of selectors.

"Grid kids" to replace "grid girls" at F1

F

ormula 1 is to replace 'grid girls' with a new programme called 'grid kids' this season.

F1 bosses plan to use budding racing drivers "to make the prerace ceremony more relevant and interesting for fans, especially the younger ones".

The sport said last week it would no longer be using female promotional models on the starting grid.

The children used will be competitors in karting or junior categories, chosen by national motorsport authorities.

A joint statement from governing body the FIA and the F1 Group said the choice would be made "on merit or by lottery".

FIA president Jean Todt said: "Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and the dream of every young racer competing the junior series that make up the FIA's single-seater pyramid, from karting all the way to F1.

“Grid Kids” will kick in at the start of the new Formula One season

"We are therefore delighted to bring that dream a little closer by

giving the future champions of our sport the opportunity to stand

alongside their heroes on the grid in the build-up to the race start.

"For the wider FIA, this is an excellent initiative that provides additional support to our member (sporting authorities) in their efforts to grow motorsport worldwide through a unique reward they can make available to youngsters participating in their national series."

F1 managing director of commercial operations Sean Bratches said he hoped the opportunity to "stand beside their heroes" would be for the children chosen "an unforgettable experience for them and their families" and "an inspiration to keep driving, training and learning so that they can dream of one day being there themselves".

He added: "What better way to inspire the next generation of Formula 1 heroes?"

Bratches said last week that using 'grid girls' "does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms". (BBC Sport)

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GAPLF Novice, Junior championships…

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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total of 12 records w e r e shattered when the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) hosted their Novices and Juniors Championships on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The record damage was led by 69-year-old Noel Cummings of Buddy’s Gym competing in the 66kg Masters 4 category that set a new National RAW Squat Record of 115kg along with new records in the Bench of 85kg, Deadlift of 140kg and RAW Total of 340kg. It is understood that Cummings also unofficially broke the PanAmerican records.

Other National Records were set by fellow Buddy’s Gym members Runita White in the Female Open RAW and Female Junior RAW 84+kg in the Deadlift of 175kg; Lisa Oudit in the Female Open RAW 84kg Deadlift 142.5kg,

Lisa Oudit

Noel Cummings deadlifts

Buddy’s Gym contesting the Female Open Raw and Female Master 1 RAW 72kg set a new Squat record 123kg, Benchpress of 65.5kg, Deadlift of 157.5kg and Total of 346kg.

Taharally speaking to the media after her inspiring performances explained it was hard work and conditioning that brought her the success.

Overall winners were White (Female RAW Novice Overall and Female Equipped Novice Overall, Female Raw Junior

Runita White on the equipped squats (photos courtesy of Orlando Charles)

GBA/GUMDAC Open Doubles Tournament…

Mangra, Chang Yuen crowned champions T he GUMDAC annual Open Doubles Badminton Tournament concluded last Saturday at the National Gymnasium, Georgetown with some keenly contested duals on the court.

The tournament which is now in the fifth year saw events in the Open Men and Women Doubles and Mixed Doubles categories.

This tournament also marked the opening of the Guyana Badminton Association’s (GBA) season.

The final evening saw the intense matches in the finals of the Men Doubles where the youngsters Jonathan Mangra and Ronald Chang Yuen defeated seasoned senior players Marlon Chung and Darrell Carpenay in a thrilling three-game play-off.

In the first game Jonathan Mangra and Ronald Chang Yuen took the first game at 21-14 while Chung and Carpenay bounced back to take the second game 12-21 to set up the deciding match.

Youth then got the better of experience with the new champions taking the match 21-19.

Winners all the way. The winners and other outstanding players after the Guyana Badminton Association’s curtain raiser on Saturday at the National Gymnasium Third place went to William Holder and Haymant Ramdhani who gained a walkover from Javid Rahaman and Ernesto Choo-A-Fat. In the Mix Doubles Finals, Priyanna Ramdhani and Ronald Chang Yuen defeated Marlon Chung and Shivannie Persaud in straight sets: 21-19, 21-16.

Third Place went to Darrell

Carpenay and Ayanna WickhamWatson who defeated youngsters Akili Haynes and Jayde DaSilva: 22-20, 21-9.

Other matches played on the final day were: Men Doubles Semifinals: Jonathan Mangra and Ronald Chang Yuen defeated William Holder and Haymant Ramdhani:

21-13, 21-9.

Mixed Doubles Semifinals 2: Ronald Chang Yuen and Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Akili Haynes and Jayde DaSilva: 21-14, 21-10.

Marlon Chung and Shivannie Persaud defeated Darrell Carpenay and Ayanna Wickham-Watson: 2114, 21-13.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

CWI/Regional Super50 Cup

Hurricanes blown away – Paul takes maiden 5-for, Johnson hits 99 Rahkeem Cornwall returning the best bowling figures for the Hurricanes with 1-23 from 10 overs.

In their reply, Hurricanes Captain, Kieran Powell was first to go, bowled by Keemo Paul for 12. Soon after Devon Thomas became Paul’s second wicket when he fell for 10.

Marlon Samuels, fresh off a match-winning hundred against his countrymen – Jamaica Scorpions in the

victory.

M a n of the Match, Keemo Paul finished with career best figures of 5/76, his maiden five-wicket haul in List A cricket.

The Jaguars now sit on 13 points and will take on the struggling Jamaica Scorpions on Thursday at Coolidge while the Hurricanes will battle Kent today at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in North Sound.

Scorpions vs Kent

Meanwhile, a star-studded Jamaica Scorpions suffered a shock defeat at the hands of English county side Kent CCC also on Sunday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.

Winning the toss and

Keemo Paul is fired up after breaking the Cornwall/Warde partnership (CWI Media photo)

K

eemo Paul produced a stunning bowling spell to defend the Jaguars 298 total and hand the Leeward Islands Hurricanes their first defeat of the Cricket West Indies Regional Super50 Cup on Sunday at the Coolidge Cricket ground.

Captain, Leon Johnson won the toss and elected to bat first in the Jaguars’ first

stepped up to the challenge.

Chanderpaul Hemraj and Shimron Hetmyer partnered for 50 runs to get the innings going. But Hemraj was out for 20 and Hetmyer fell 3 runs short of a half-century to leave the Jaguars in a spot of bother at 85-3 in the 21st over.

Johnson and Raymon Reifer then put on the partnership of the innings of 124

SCOREBOARD

Hurricanes Captain Rahkeem Cornwall goes big during his whirlwind knock against the Jaguars on Sunday night (CWI Media photo)

Terance Warde was clean bowled to trigger a Hurricanes batting collapse (CWI Media photo)

day/night match in Group B. The visitors were set back early with the loss of veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the fourth over before the young pack

runs, before the Barbadian fell for 36.

Johnson stayed at the crease searching for his first List-A century, but it was not to be as he was run-out by

electing to bat first the Scorpions was pummeled by Ivan Thomas, who had Chadwick Walton (1), Chris Gayle (3) and Jermaine Blackwood (14) back in the dressing room by the time the score reached 29.

Andre McCarthy produced a valiant 76, but the Scorpions were bowled out for 156 in 41.1 overs.

Ivan Thomas finished with figures of 4/30 while his Captain Joe Denly had 4/35.

Kent made easy work of the target thanks to 74 not out from Alex Blake as they reached 159/6 from 43.3 overs to get on the points table with their 4-wicket victory. Alex Blake was adjudged Man of the Match.

Terrance Warde on 99 with the score on 250. The Jaguars skipper hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 93-ball stay at the crease.

Jaguars finished their 50 overs on 298 for 8 with

Hurricanes previous match, made 13 before Reifer accounted for his wicket.

Cornwall then brought the Hurricanes back into the game with a captain’s knock of 119 from 96 balls that almost took the hosts over the ropes. He smashed 10 sixes and 4 fours on his way to his second century in this Super50 Cup. He was partnered by Terrance Warde for a fighting 136-run partnership that was ended at 248 for 5 in the 39th over. Warde became Paul’s third victim and his dismissal was the beginning of the end with a dramatic collapse.

The last six wickets then tumbled for 36 runs as the Leeward Islands Hurricanes were bowled out for 282 in 45.5 overs, 16 runs short of

Guyana Innings (50 overs maximum) C Hemraj run out (Louis) 20 S Chanderpaul b Athanaze 6 SO Hetmyer c Louis b Hosein 47 LR Johnson* run out 99 RA Reifer c Warde b Cornwall 36 A Bramble† c Berridge b Louis 40 SE Rutherford not out 33 KMA Paul c Athanaze b Matthew 6 R Shepherd run out (Matthew) 0 V Permaul not out 0 Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-9) 11 Total (For 8 wickets; 50 Overs) 298 Did not bat: D Bishoo Fall of wickets: 1-8 (S Chanderpaul, 3.4 ov), 2-58 (C Hemraj, 15.5 ov), 3-85 (SO Hetmyer, 20.4 ov), 4-210 (RA Reifer, 41.2 ov), 5-250 (LR Johnson, 44.6 ov), 6-277 (A Bramble, 48.2 ov), 7-289 (KMA Paul, 49.3 ov), 8-294 (R Shepherd, 49.5 ov) Bowling Matthew 10-0-641 (w-3), Athanaze 10-0-45-1, Louis 8-0-51-1 (w-2), Cornwall 10-2-23-1 (w-1), Berridge 3-0-28-0, Hosein 6-0-65-1 (w-2), Warde 3-0-20-0 Leeward Islands Innings (target:

299 runs from 50 overs) MV Hodge c Paul b Bishoo 48 KOA Powell* b Paul 12 DC Thomas† c Permaul b Paul 10 MN Samuels c Permaul b Reifer 6 RRS Cornwall c Chanderpaul b Paul 119 T Warde b Paul 42 AJ Hosein c †Bramble b Permaul 8 JS Louis c Paul b Rutherford 5 M Matthew c Johnson b Paul 1 JJ Athanaze not out 12 S Berridge lbw b Rutherford 0 Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-6, w-7) 19 Total (all out; 45.5 Overs) 282 Fall of wickets: 1-24 (KOA Powell, 3.2 ov), 2-48 (DC Thomas, 5.6 ov), 3-61 (MN Samuels, 8.2 ov), 4-112 (MV Hodge, 18.2 ov), 5-248 (T Warde, 38.6 ov), 6-259 (RRS Cornwall, 40.4 ov), 7-264 (AJ Hosein, 41.3 ov), 8-267 (M Matthew, 42.2 ov), 9-271 (JS Louis, 43.5 ov), 10282 (S Berridge, 45.5 ov) Bowling Shepherd 3-0-240 (w-1, nb-1), Paul 10-0-765 (w-2, nb-4), Reifer 5-1-341, Permaul 10-1-48-1 (w-1), Bishoo 10-1-60-1, Rutherford 7.5-0-34-2 (w-3, nb-1)

Magnum Mash Cup continues tonight …STP Investment Inc jumps onboard

T

he riveting action in the inaugural Magnum Mash Cup continues tonight with 11 games at the National Gymnasium.

Some of the big teams in action include; Future stars, Mocha, Sophia and Showstoppers.

Meanwhile, the latest sponsor to throw their full support behind the tour-

nament is STP Investment INC who would be sponsoring the third place prize of $100,000.

At simple ceremony on Monday, STP Investment official Amitabh Parshad presented the sponsorship to Lomel Johnson of tournament organizer, Legacy Promotions.

See full fixtures below: Kingston vs Buxton

Part of the action on the opening night in the National Gymnasium

Diamond-19:00h Showstoppers vs Sophia19:20h Back Circle vs MBK19:40h Broad Street vs Albouystown-B-20:00h New Market Street vs Ol Skool Ballers-20:20h California Square vs Mocha-20:40h North East La Penitence vs Alexander Village-21:00h

Future Stars vs Champion Boys-21:40h NK Ballers vs Leopold Street-22:00h Prize Monies 1. $400,000 2. $200,000 3. $100,000 $. $50,000 All games will be played at the National Gymnasium where the final is slated for February 18.

23 Ninvalle optimistic on boxing’s presence at 2020 Olympics

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

…votes against IOC’s request for reduced male categories

By Akeem Greene

G

uyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle is on the positive side of the fence as it relates to the lifeline of boxing at the Olympic Game and particularly the 2020 Games scheduled for Tokyo.

“If you are asking me if I think boxing will not be included I would say no, I don’t see it not being a part of the Games; I am very optimistic this issue would be rectified through rigorous work by both parties and a compromise will meet,” Ninvalle told Guyana Times Sport on Monday.

The questions surrounding the sport’s presence at the prestigious Games stems from an online article appearing on Sunday. According to an article published by Reuters, “Boxing could be knocked out of the 2020 Tokyo Games if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is not

satisfied problems with the sport’s finances and governance are sorted out, IOC President Thomas Bach warned.”

However, according to Ninvalle the issue is not alone based on the finically instability of International Boxing Association (AIBA) but the fact that the IOC wants the association to once again reduce the number of male divisions and increase the female.

“IOC has been asking among other things for AIBA to reduce the amount of male divisions and increase the amount of female, the entire congress has no problem with the increase in female division but rather decrease in male divisions,” the AIBA Executive Member explained.

He added, “We would decrease divisions a couple years ago; I think two of the divisions that were being considered to be removed were 49 kg and 52 kg and if those come out it means that

[Keevin Allicock] one of our best prospects for I Olympic medal would not make it.”

Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the programme at the 1904 Summer Olympics, except for the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm because Swedish law banned the sport at that time.

The 2008 Summer Olympics were the final games with boxing as a male only event. Since the 2012 Summer Olympics women's boxing is part of the programme.

With the strong history of strength for male boxing, IOC’s request has been meet with strong opposition.

“Out of the 109 countries present at Congress [held January in Dubai] it was a unanimous decision not to remove the categories.”

He continued, “We signalled to the IOC, we are willing to compromise and bring some parity as

it relates to the male and female divisions; female boxing only became and Olympic spot in 2012 and it would be hard to bring it in line with the males who have been since the early 1900s.”

The GBA boss further highlighted the population of female boxers are quite small especially in the Caribbean but they will attempt through discourse to find a compromise.

Windies A to face England Lions in pink ball “Test”

T

he England Lions’ are in the Caribbean and their tour against Windies “A” will officially begin on February 11 with the first of three fourday “Test” matches in Jamaica.

The third and final “Test” will be played using the pink ball since it will be a day/ night match at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua. The Windies “A” Team will be led by left-handed opener Kieran Powell, with Shamarh Brooks as the vice-captain. Following the “Tests” Windies “A” will face England Lions in three 50over matches at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The squad for these matches will be named at a later date.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne said; “With a strong England Lions team touring the Caribbean, the selection panel felt that it was a good opportunity to strengthen the A team with some of our Test players who will not have the opportunity to play any first-class cricket ahead of the Sri Lanka series. This series also provides some of the incumbent Test players the opportunity to restate a claim for a position in the Test match squad for the what will be two important home series (vs Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in June and July).”

Browne added, “The team also includes several players who have been part of the ‘A’ Team programme before and we believe their focus should be on performances that will elevate them to the senior

Fast bowler Keon Joseph has been steady for the Windies A

team. We originally included Shermon Lewis, an exciting young fast bowler, but he had to withdraw due to injury. His replacement is Jeremiah Louis, a talented swing bowler, who did really well during the PCL four-day season. He is also a capable batsman and will fit well into this set-up. The panel wishes the team and its management every success on their journey.”

Guyana Jaguars players; Vishaul Singh, Keon Joseph and Raymon Reifer are included while there is a surprising inclusion of left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican of the Barbados Pride.

Windies “A”squad reads; Kieran Powell (captain), Shamarh Brooks (vice-captain), Jermaine Blackwood, John

Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Jahmar Hamilton, Keon Joseph, Jeremiah Louis, Raymon Reifer, Vishaul Singh and Jomel Warrican.

Windies “A” vs England Lions Tour of the Caribbean 1st “Test” – Trelawny Multiplex, Jamaica - Sunday, February 11 to Wednesday, February 14 2nd “Test” – Sabina Park, Jamaica - Sunday, February 18 to Wednesday, February 21 3rd “Test” – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua - Monday, February 26 to T hur s d a y , March 1

Raymon Reifer has one Test Cap having made his debut in New Zealand in December 2017

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

Fitzgerald sweeps National Darts championships

Sudesh Fitzgerald takes aim during the final day of the championships on Sunday at Duke Lodge

S

udesh Fitzgerald continues to be the prized asset of local darts as he won his tenth National title when the Guyana Darts Association (GDA) concluded the 2018 championships at Duke Lodge, Kingston on Sunday. The left-handed thrower, swept the individual awards and even played a handy role in his Better Hope Champs dominance of the team event.

His list of accolades in the three-day event ranged from, singles champion, men’s doubles, most 180's, highest check out (170 points), most hundreds (76), shortest game (11 Darts) which essentially catapulted him to the most valuable player title. His compatriots in the team event were Anthony Bissondyal, Andrew Balchand, Hemwantie Amyan, while GT Falcons comprising of Dr Terence Joseph, Victorine Chandro, Shondel Hyles, Nicholas DeCares and Nicholas Young came second followed

by Bank of Guyana’s Adrian

Damon, Melissa Smartt, Fidel Hunter and Sean Fenty.

Fitzgerald’s teammate in the mixed doubles where they brought third was Hemwantie Amyan.

However, Amyan was the female MVP and female singles champion; second was Rosetta Hiralall third place Melissa Smartt.

GDA President Sheik Yaseen disclosed the championships were well run and it gave the association a look at possible players to represent the country at this year’s Caribbean championships which will be held in Trinidad and Tobago during the month of July. Fitzgerald who is South American champion will also look to defend his Caribbean title at that event.

Yaseen also expressed immense appreciation to Duke Lodge who gave them occupancy for event free of cost and the support of Kalayan Construction Company, Millennium Manor Hotel, Rubis and Trophy Stall.

tuesDAY, February 6, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 23

Ninvalle optimistic on boxing’s presence at 2020 Olympics …votes against IOC’s request for reduced male categories The sport of boxing has been at the Olympic Games since 1912, but now finds itself in a predicament heading into the 2020 Games

CWI/Regional Super50 Cup

Hurricanes blown away Pg 23

– Paul takes maiden 5-for, Johnson hits 99 Sheeno Berridge was last out to ignite wild celebrations by the Guyana Jaguars at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Sunday night (CWI Media photo)

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