Guyana Times 9 July, 2018

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71 local teachers benefit from LRTT programme Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3618

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, July 9, 2018

PRICE

Stockfeeds Limited saga

State being shortchanged of revenue – PPP

…questions 'lost' profits from entity despite growth

Page 3

Heads of Govt meeting

2 years later

East Leguan Page Primary 9 still without electricity

Security of Page fishermen 9 discussed by Granger, Bouterse

…commit to agricultural trade, tourism, investment

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Thousands experience 12h phone, Internet P10 shutdown

Drivers’ licence exams

OPR concludes probe into scam …file sent to DPP for advice

P8

Mabaruma to get fish processing P15 plant

Region 9 flooding

Residents still in shelters Page 10

Berbice, Lethem Police Stations for multi-$M upgrades P7

… as floodwaters begin to recede … “more rainfall will raise water again” – CDC

Man attempts to smuggle ganja in boots for prisoner

Page 13

Guyana to boost capacity to tackle degradation, land P13 use 1 year later

Hunt still on for prison escapees P7

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Stockfeeds Limited saga

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, July 9 – a night retraction at 01:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Tuesday, July 10 – a night retraction at 02:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, July 9 – 13:25h-14:55h and Tuesday, July 10 – 14:20h-15:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

State being shortchanged of revenue – PPP …questions 'lost' profits from entity despite growth

Light rain showers will give way to thunderstorms in the late morning which will prevail for the rest of the day and evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-easterly to east North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 13:25h reaching a maximum height of 2.41 metres.

Low Tide: 06:54h and 19:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.74 metre and 0.80 metre respectively.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

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SATURDAY, July 7, 2018

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FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 09 20 22 23

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LUCKY 3 3 0 9

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

he Parliamentary Opposition – People’s Progressive Party - has called out Guyana Stockfeeds (GSL) Limited in what it says is a scheme to con the State of its rightful share of revenue.

According to the party here have been instances where GSL, whose principal shareholder is businessman Robert Badal, bought over assets for companies owned by Badal himself. Here the Party pointed to National Edible Oil and Fats Incorporated (NEOFI).

“When NEOFI, an edible oil company, solely owned by Badal ran into financial trouble, it had Guyana Stockfeeds (Guyana) buy over the assets of NEOFI thus bailing out this company owned 100 per cent by Badal,” the Party related.

The PPP contends that the Popeyes franchise, once owned by Badal, was sold to Stockfeeds Limited's local branch. But according to the PPP, the deal was later flipped and GSL was left with little to show for it. The Party stated that while there has been significant growth of GSL, the profits of the company tell another story.

“When Popeye’s was later sold at a handsome profit, instead of the profit going to GSL, Badal reversed the sale from GSL, and concluded the sale in his own name for his own benefit, thus depriving GSL of the gain,” the Party stated in its release.

“Under Mr Badal’s leadership, despite significant growth and new investments that saw GSL revenue grow by multiples over the last 20 years since privatisation, the profits of GSL did not reflect this same growth. Instead margins shrunk, and costs escalated. A comparison of imported material prices from related companies show that the cost of inputs paid

by GSL were higher than that paid by competitors.”

Investments Limited (NICIL) that is expected to collect dividends from its shares in Guyana Stockfeeds Limited (GSL). The company, whose majority shareholders are private, still has to pay the requisite taxes.

Guyana Stock Feeds Inc

The Guyana Stock Feeds Inc (GSFI) was established in 1960, with the main purpose of supplying animal feed to Guyana’s livestock sector. In 1975, the then Government nationalised the GSFI and thus it stayed until 1998 when it was put back into private hands.

At the time, the State brought in a strategic partner to reorganise the business, which was losing market share to imported feeds.

shareholder in the GSL has not been a smooth ride, with repeated clashes over the years with principal shareholder Badal, who also owns the Pegasus Hotel. In fact, NICIL once took the GSL to court and obtained an injunction against the enterprise.

Those issues recently gained new life in the public eye after questions were raised by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo about the Government's failure to approach the Caribbean Court of Justice after the Appeals Court overturned the restoration of Government's 38 per cent shares in GSL. The decision would favour Badal, a known supporter of the coalition Government, while relegating the State to just

Guyana Stockfeeds at Farm EBD

According to the PPP, these actions shortchanged the State of taxes and the minority shareholders of profits. The Party, therefore, questioned where these “lost” profits were going and whether they were being enjoyed by other companies.

It is in fact the National Industrial and Commercial

Today, after an initial consolidation period under new management, new rebranded Guyana Stockfeeds Limited is a conglomerate with interests in the livestock, rice, and edible oil sectors. The enterprise itself is located in an industrial park at Farm, East Bank Demerara.

But NICIL’s time as a

seven per cent in shares.

In response, Badal was reported in sections of the press referencing hearsay that Jagdeo had threatened the initial judge to restore the shares and that “after I realised what happened, I appealed the decision and late last year the appeal court reversed that decision”.

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

The Slave Trade

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ith Emancipation Day only three weeks away, we need to be reminded of the Slave Trade that undergirded the “peculiar institution”.

The beginning of the European enslavement of Africans actually predated the need for cheap labour in the New World. It actually began in 1442, when two very Christian captains of the Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator brought back a dozen Africans they had captured. It started a trend. Soon every pretender to nobility had to have his own African slave, and Lagos in Portugal became the prime slave port. Africans were heathens, and the staunch Portuguese Christians asserted that they were saving their souls. It would not have hurt that they also provided free labour.

The Spaniards, therefore, simply turned to a known supply of humans to fill the labour breach when the indigenous Indians inconsiderately died off like flies when they were enslaved in the newly “discovered” colonies after 1492. The Portuguese could not keep up, and contracts (“Asientos”) were issued to other nations.

The British got into the act in 1562 when John Hawkins became a subcontractor with Queen Elizabeth as a silent partner. His ship was named, “Jesus”, and one can be sure he prayed for the salvation of his cargo. He was knighted by the good queen after ten years of ferrying souls. The Dutch, French, Danes and other Europeans also rushed in to save souls.

By the beginning of the 18th Century, Britain had emerged and was acknowledged as the official trader of Africans – in a trade which had now grown to gargantuan proportions. In the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Spain signed off on the British monopoly, and the expansion of African slavery became one of the major commercial policy goals of Britain. They were not just a nation of shopkeepers: they played the pivotal role in the international trade in human beings. British ships dominated the market for slaves in the Americas, and supplied African captives to Dutch, French, Portuguese and Spanish colonies, as well as to the parts of the world controlled by the British Empire.

In some 12,000 trips, British ships transported 2,300,000 African souls across the Atlantic.

By the 18th century, when the European “Enlightenment” dawned, the light did not appreciably extend to the conception of who was the African. The Enlightenment thinkers conceded that the African “may” be a species of man. For instance, in 1753, the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume declared, “I am apt to suspect the negroes and in general all the other species of men (for there are four or five different kinds) to be naturally inferior to the whites.” The services of “reason” were soon dragooned in a host of social and natural sciences to prove the inferiority of the African on the great “chain of being”. The famous question posed by the chained, kneeling African in the Wedgwood medallion in the antislave campaign, “Am I not a man and a brother?” has not really been answered by the Europeans. And the canker of racism has spread into other peoples through the hegemony that they established during the colonial period. We are supposed to fight to determine who is closer to the white ideal.

Another side of the story that is usually glossed over is the ubiquity of the wealth that was built on the backs of the Slave Trade. Institutional investors in slavery included the Royal Family, who followed in Elizabeth’s footsteps; numerous colleges of Oxford and Cambridge universities; and even the Church of England. In 1773, the Heywood brothers founded a bank in Liverpool to fund slave expeditions and deposit their profits. Today the firm is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Barclay brothers were involved in the Slave Trade from 1756. The trade paid for impressive projects, such as the cathedral-like library of the most elite All Souls College in Oxford. It was not ironic, but a measure of the intransigence of racism in the modern world that Eric Williams was denied membership to All Souls when he was at Oxford.

Women in the Guyana Police Force shine at the 179th anniversary march on Saturday where the various branches brought out their best to participate in the annual event (Carl Croker photo)

When will Ramjattan finally accept ministerial responsibility and resign? (Pt 2) Dear Editor, I am pleased that Prison Director Gladwin Samuels, a young professional for whom I have tremendous respect, has been able to identify and get rid of five of the corrupt prison wardens involved in the smuggling of contraband into these prisons; for he is often expected to manage the prison population with insufficient resources and personnel.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that basic requirements to secure any prison facility are high-definition surveillance systems and the use of full-body scanners at the entrance of every prison facility. Whatever the cost, these security measures must be procured and installed immediately; the Prison Director should not have to wait on the 2019 Budget to get this done.

All Minister Ramjattan needs to do is to come to Parliament with a Supplementary Budget. Government does this all the time for far less urgent matters.

Since 2015, the state of the economy has declined rapidly; over 25,000 jobs have been lost, and higher taxes have been imposed on the people. For most families, there is little or no disposable income left after paying utility bills, rent/mortgage, and living expenses. The lack of jobs and high cost of living may be tempting some to engage in criminal activities to provide for their families. After all, desperate people are known to do desperate things.

On June 29, Minister Ramjattan got his face on the front page of the Guyana Chronicle with a caption that shamelessly reads, “Gov’t

makes ‘half-a-mil’ in payouts”. The article covered the presentation of a oneoff payment by Government of a meagre $100,000 each to five families of Guyanese fishermen who were brutally murdered by pirates off the coast of Suriname. But this was done only after the PPP had brought a Motion in Parliament urging the Government to offer financial support to these families, for Ramjattan had made it clear to them in Suriname that they should expect none.

It would have been kinder if Government had increased this amount to $300,000 each, the estimated cost of a decent funeral. Nevertheless, I’m sure Minister Ramjattan was happy to be seen in a positive light at a time when just about everyone questions his ability to get the job done.

How many more victims must be shot? How many more lives must be lost? How many more cars stolen? How many more businesses must be robbed?

How many more Guyanese must be discouraged from returning home? How many youths must be forced into a life of crime? And how many more families must be deprived of their life’s savings before the Hon Minister of Public Security realises that he has failed to protect the Guyanese people, and is totally unsuitable to serve in that capacity?

When will Minister Ramjattan finally accept ministerial responsibility and resign? Will he ever?

Sincerely, Harry Gill PPP/C Member of Parliament

Skeldon’s Heritage & Recreation Park Dear Editor, While the media is abuzz with the pros and cons of the future of the sugar industry and the fate of its thousands of employees, it is heart-warming to see the development of the Skeldon Estate Heritage & Recreation Park, which is a brainchild of the current estate manager, with support from her principals.

This park essentially represents a profit centre, with employment opportunities for many otherwise unemployed staff, converting the liability of the unused Senior Staff Compound with all the sunken costs by renting the many empty Senior Staff Houses,

and opening up to the public, at affordable fees, the use of the staff club, swimming pool, children’s playground, tennis court etc spread across the extensive lawns, with beautiful trees and flowers, which must be maintained lest what is now a pristine compound turns into an ugly forest.

This initiative is not only financially sound, but it represents the breaking down of an age-old, anachronistic barrier between the privileged classes and rank & file citizens in the community and the country at large, as well as overseas-based Guyanese who return to their homeland for vacations. The body

language and expressions of joy on the faces of the men, women and children of the local community and others as far away as Georgetown, as they use the erstwhile ‘forbidden’ facilities, speak volumes for this socio-anthropological breakthrough. (I often recall and recoil at the personal inferiority complex which overshadowed my boyhood days at Blairmont Estate, when the invisible barrier along the public road which runs through the Senior Staff Compound was so strong that I suffered mortal fear when I had to scamper on the lawns to retrieve my bumper ball; lest Mr Edoo, the compound

foreman, apprehend me with a good thrashing with his ‘koodari’ (walking stick)!

As far as I am aware, the initiative includes use of the Skeldon Heritage House (known as the Big House), conducted tours via empty cane punts through the cane cultivation, as well as walks through the old and new sugar factory, rental of the Training Building for occasional meetings and longer-term residential training activities, conventions etc.

Bravo, Skeldon Management!

Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

More Guyanese who won Guyana Prize for Literature Dear Editor, In my letter of July 6 and 7, 2018, “Accusations against the Guyana Prize are false and without merit”, I did not mention the following.

Ryhaan Shah’s career as a novelist virtually began with the publication of “A Silent Life” (Peepal Tree,

2005). She won the Guyana Prize for the Best First Book of Fiction, and received that award as a locally resident writer.

Shah achieved this with a published book; but it adds to the evidence of yet another local writer, who was at that time unknown to most of the

judges, earning the Prize in fair competition when there were other writers resident overseas in the field.

Also not mentioned were other local residents who won the Guyana Prize: Martin Carter for “Selected Poems” (1989); and Ian McDonald for “Essequibo“(1992) and

“Between Silence and Silence”. They were already established writers at the time.

Yours faithfully, Al Creighton Guyana Prize Committee Secretary

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Has Guyana Prize helped emerging writers living and writing in Guyana? (Pt 1) Dear Editor, I wish to respond to Mr Al Creighton's letter captioned: Al Creighton responds to Guyana Prize Critics, published in sections of the media.

In my letter pertaining to the Guyana Prize, which was also published in the media, I dealt with some issues, the first of which I quote below from my letter dated May 18, 2018. ''The deadline for submission to the Guyana Prize was March 31st, 2017, with the Awards Ceremony slated to be held in July, 2017. We are now into May 2018, about ten months past the awards ceremony due date, and writers are still waiting to be informed

by Mr. Al Creighton, Secretary and Administrator, of the Prize shortlist and Awards Ceremony date in blind hopes.''

May I now say we are in July 2018, one year since, and Mr Al Creighton has failed to address why this incompetent Prize for Literature is now a year after submission deadline and ''no awards ceremony'' has been held? And he has the temerity to compare this flawed prize with international Prizes.

I also addressed the issues, wherein I gave a thesis that judges are becoming entrants and entrants are becoming judges. Mr Creighton, in his reply to me, makes a defence as follows: ''Rev. Cecil misquotes the rules from the international IMPAC Dublin Prize for Fiction to support his claim.

“It is basic commonsense – in fact, it is a sine qua non in any literary prize -- that no one can be a judge and a contes-

tant at the same time; no one can be a member of the prize committee and enter his work in the same competition. That is standard practice: those rules do apply in the Guyana Prize, and have never been violated” (Al Creighton, Guyana Chronicle, July 5th, 2018).

I did not misquote the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and its rules state: “A book shall not be eligible for entry for the Award if the author or translator thereof is any of the following: (1) A member of the Board of Management; (2) A member of the staff of Dublin City Council; (3) An officer or employee of IMPAC Ltd; (4) A member of the judging panel; (5) A parent, spouse or child of any of the foregoing.” (The rules and regulations should be integrated into The Guyana Prize for Literature Brochure.)

Mr Creighton is saying to the Guyana Literati and writers who submitted entries that it's ok to be an entrant one year and a judge the next year, winning the award all the time in a monotonous revolution. ''Here are persons who have been winners of the Guyana Prize and who have also served as judges at different times – never at the same time. This is standard practice in the large international literary prizes, and we have made this correction before in the press.”

My concern is as follows: It's the same Judges who were entrants, winning the Prize all the time up to four or five times.

No award in the world would ever allow such an unscrupulous act, but 'The Guyana Prize for Literature’ does. Mr Creighton accepts that the Guyana Prize Brochure has no

such regulation to bar former judges from entering for the award. I believe such regulations should be integrated into the award brochure.

A former Judge of any literary award knows the literary criteria by which an award is judged. Doesn’t the fact remain that they were fully aware of the literary criteria by which the contest is judged, and this helped them to write books to suit the judges’ criteria, and thus emerge as winners?

Doesn’t the fact remain that because they are known to the other judges, this gives them an advantage over other entrants?

Only a few Guyanese writers living and working in Guyana have won the prize.

The awards are going to Guyanese who have been living overseas for over 30-40

years.

Has the Guyana Prize for Literature helped emerging writers living and writing in Guyana? The answer is: no.

Writers living and writing in Guyana don’t have a publishing house here to help them get their works published. That is the reason the overseas-based Guyanese writers are winning the prize all the time, because their books are properly edited and published by international publishers, and they have already won several international literary awards abroad.

So how can our local writers compete with these fully established and recognised writers?

Writers who won the Guyana Prize here are not even 0.3%; that is very sad.

Regards, Reverend Gideon Cecil

New discoveries provide scientific proof of the Mahabharata Dear Editor, In the field of Ancient History, there is currently great excitement about new discoveries in India’s Baghpat district in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Using state-ofthe-art scientific techniques and old fashioned excavation methods, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently announced the discovery of chariots, swords, daggers and several other artifacts that are dated 2,000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ (2,000 B.C.). This is the first discovery of ancient chariots in India.

The ASI discovery is very important for several reasons.

The discovery provides the first set of archeological (scientific) proofs of the Mahabharata, probably Hinduism’s greatest epic, and confirmation of an important component of ancient Indian history. The discovery of the chariots, royal burial pits, swords inlaid with copper, daggers, mirrors with copper, and highly decorative

coffin covers in Bhaghpat district in Sanauli village in UP means that people of that era belonged to the warrior class and led highly sophisticated lives.

First, the time frame of 2,000 B.C. matches the age of the Mahabharata. The ASI noted: “It is confirmed that they were a warrior class.

The swords have copper-covered hilts and a medial ridge, making it strong enough for warfare. We have also found shields, a torch and daggers.”

Second, the discovery site, Baghpat, has prominence in the Mahabharata. Baghpat is well known as the village asked for by the Pandava brothers from the politically corrupt Duryodhana to avoid the Mahabharata war.

This did not happen, and the rest, as they say, is history. Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava brother, was supposed to be the rightful inheritor of the throne, not Duryodhana.

In addition, not far from the discovery site is the famous Lakshagraha (the house of lacquer), also prominently narrated in the Mahabharata text. It was the house that Duryodhana ordered Purochana, the architect, to build. The lacquer made it flammable on purpose. Since the Pandava brothers were exiled by Duryodhana for 13 years, Duryodhana, according to the Mahabharata epic, at a certain point in time, invited the Pandavas to stay in the Lakshagraha, and in due course set it on fire with the intention of killing them.

However, the plot to annihilate the Pandava brothers failed, because they escaped upon the intervention of the wise Vidura, their uncle, who was Prime Minister at the time.

Further, the current ASI discovery in Baghpat district in UP adds another fatal blow to the long-debunked Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT)

that some of India’s zealous leftist historians still shamefully promote. The AIT states that Vedic/Hindu culture was brought to India by invading Aryans from outside of India.

One thing that leftist historians who support the AIT claim is that horses were brought in to India by the invading Aryans around 1,000 B.C. The current evidence shows horse-ridden chariots dating back to 2,000 B.C. Way back in 2003, the eminent Hindu scholar Swami Aksharananda wrote, “Even in Guyana, Black cultural activists have invoked it (AIT), claiming that the supposed Indian, and more specifically Hindu, attitude toward Blacks stems from the Aryan invasion of India. It has, not infrequently, been proffered as justification for the violence against Indians. In the present case, the supposed Indian preference for lighter skin dates back to the Aryan invasion of India.” (Stabroek News, June

Riot act should be read to RHOs

Dear Editor, The Director of Regional Health Services, Dr Kay Shako, must be complimented for admitting that there is a low circulation of critical items for patients, or a shortage of drugs and medical supplies, because of the theft and pilfering in the healthcare system in Guyana.

These statements were made to the Regional Health Officers of the various regional administrations at a healthcare review held in order to eliminate the corruption and to improve the healthcare delivery system in Guyana.

Dr Shako went on to identify numerous other issues pertaining to the RHOs, which are factual; but I am convinced that nothing would be

done to correct these deficiencies, the main reason being that most of these RHOs are supporters of the Government, and are protected by high level politicians in the APNU/AFC coalition Government.

The DRHS, Dr Kay Shako, also admitted that she is aware of who are responsible for the deficiencies existing in the health sector, but to date refuse to correct these situations that are destroying the health sector.

This is clear evidence that the Riot Act being read to the RHOs is nothing but "political gimmickry".

The Ministry of Public Health should also be responsible for the shortage of drugs and medical supplies in the health system, because commitment was

pledged to the Guyanese people to ensure that the procurement process was changed to get rid of the drugs and medical supplies’ shortages, but unfortunately, the system is returning to pre-1992.

Recently, in a news article published, the Government boasted that there is no shortage of insulin in the health system, but this is absolutely far from the truth.

Certain aspects of the National Psychiatric Hospital in Region Six need to be urgently investigated.

The dietary supplies being purchased by the regional administration are either not being delivered to the hospital, or, when delivered, are being stolen by elements within the health services; and, as such, the

quality of food being given to the patients leaves much to be desired.

A pharmacist who was attached to the Regional Health Services was victimised and placed before the courts. He was freed from the allegation of engaging in malpractice, but the coalition Government refused to reinstate him to his position, leading to a crisis at the Regional Health Services’ Drugs Bond and contributing to the shortage of qualified pharmacists in Region Six. So the conclusion is that the "Riot Act" that was read to the RHOs by the Director of Regional Health Services is nothing but political gimmickry.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

17, 2003).

The AIT was one of the greatest hoaxes on mankind, and was debunked by genetics, archaeology, satellite studies, and lack of validating evidence in any Hindu or Sanskrit texts, or any references anywhere in the world prior to Max Muller’s invention of it in the mid-19th century. Even Max Muller had to issue a disclaimer about his made up “Aryans”.

In Guyana, among Hindus, stories of the Mahabharata are told in every home, and taan singers have composed several songs depicting events in the Mahabharata that give meaning and dignity to human life. The Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta, which is part of the Mahabharata, is an iconic

Sanskrit text that deals with all aspects of human life; for example, action for the welfare of society, fighting for justice, importance of proper education, respect for teachers, charity, Yoga, meditation, living in harmony, etc. The new discoveries by the ASI in Baghpat district, U.P. should bring some degree of pride to the Hindu people of Guyana, who live under constant Christian cultural hegemony.

Prominent Indian rights activist and scholar Ravi Dev has addressed this problem in a series of published articles titled, “Hegemony and Hindu Dharma in the West Indies”.

Sincerely, Dr Somdat Mahabir

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Foundation because skin underneath the sunburn is at risk for infection.

W

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

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

ed against by the skin's melanin. The risk of damage increases with the amount and intensity of exposure. A tan is itself a sign of skin damage and does not help protect the skin.

Who needs sun protection?

Every child needs sun protection. The lighter someone's natural skin colour, the less melanin it has to absorb UV rays and protect itself. The darker a person's natural skin colour, the more melanin it has.

But both dark- and light-skinned kids need protection from UV rays because any tanning or burning causes skin damage.

Here are the key School is out, and outdoor fun ways to protect kids' skin: IN. Here’s how to protect your

Why is sun protection important?

We all need some sun exposure. When skin is exposed to the sun, our bodies make vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium for stronger, healthier bones. It only takes a little time in the sun for most people to get the vitamin

is children from the sun

D they need (and most vitamin D needs should be met with a healthy diet and/or supplements).

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

How do sunburns happen?

The sun radiates light to the earth, and part of that light consists of invisible UV rays. When these rays reach the skin, they cause tanning, burning, and other skin damage.

UVA rays cause skin aging and wrinkling and contribute to skin cancer, such as melanoma (the most dangerous form of skin cancer). UVA rays pass easily through the ozone layer, so they make up the majority of our sun exposure.

UVB rays are also dangerous, causing sunburns, cataracts (clouding of the eye lens), and effects on the immune system.

They also contribute to skin cancer, and melanoma is thought to be associated with severe UVB sunburns before age 20.

UV rays react with a chemical called melanin that's found in skin. A sunburn develops when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what can be protect-

Use sunscreen The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that all kids — regardless of their skin tone — wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Whatever sunscreen you choose, make sure it's broad-spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB rays) and, if kids are in or near water, is labelled water-resistant. Apply a generous amount and re-apply often.

Avoid the strongest rays of the day Try to stay in the shade when the sun is at its strongest (usually from 10 am to 4 pm in the northern hemisphere). If kids are in the sun during this time, apply and reapply sunscreen — even if they're just playing in the backyard. Most sun damage happens from exposure during dayto-day activities, not from being at the beach. Remember that even on cloudy, cool, or overcast days, UV rays reach the earth. This "invisible sun" can cause unexpected sunburn and skin damage.

Cover up One of the best ways to protect skin is to cover up. To make sure clothes offer enough protection, put your hand inside garments to make sure you can't see it through them.

Babies have thinner skin and underdeveloped melanin, so their skin burns

easily. The best protection for babies under six months of age is shade, so they should be kept out of the sun whenever possible. If your baby must be in the sun, dress him or her in clothing that covers the body, including hats with wide brims to shadow the face. If your baby is younger than six months old and still has small areas of skin (like the face) exposed, you can use a tiny amount of SPF 15 sunscreen on those areas.

Even older kids need to escape the sun. For outdoor events, bring along a wide umbrella or a pop-up tent to play in.

If it's not too hot outside and won't make kids even more uncomfortable, have them wear light long-sleeved shirts and/ or long pants.

Wear sunglasses Sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin. Even one day in the sun can lead to a burned cornea (the outer clear membrane layer of the eye). Sun exposure over time can cause cataracts (clouding of the eye lens, which leads to blurred vision) later in life. The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses that provide 100 per cent UV protection.

Let kids pick their own pair – many options are fun, with multi-coloured frames or cartoon characters.

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

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

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

Apply moisturising cream to rehydrate the skin and treat itching. For the more seriously sunburned areas in kids over two years old, apply a thin layer of one per cent hydrocortisone cream to help with pain.

(Do not use petroleum-based products, because they prevent excess heat and sweat from escaping. Also, avoid first-aid products that contain benzocaine, which may cause skin irritation or allergy.)

If the sunburn is severe and blisters develop, call your doctor. Tell your child not to scratch, pop, or squeeze the

blisters, which can get infected and cause scarring.

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

What else should I know?

The intensity of the sun's rays depends upon the time of year, as well as the altitude and latitude of your location.

UV rays are strongest during summer. If you travel to a foreign country during its summer season, pack or buy the strongest sun protection you can find.

Extra protection is also a must near the equator, where the sun is strongest, and at high altitudes, where the air and cloud cover are thinner.

Even during winter months, if your family goes skiing in the mountains, be sure to apply plenty of sunscreen; UV rays reflect off both snow and water, increasing the risk of sunburn.

And be a good role model by always using sunscreen, wearing sunglasses, and limiting your time in the sun.

You'll reduce your risk of sun damage and teach your kids good sun sense. (kidshealth.org)

Double-check medicines Some medicines make skin more sensitive to UV rays. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if any prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medicines) and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines your kids take can increase sun sensitivity. If so, take extra sun precautions. The best protection is simply covering up or staying indoors; even sunscreen can't always protect skin from sun sensitivity.

What if my child gets a sunburn?

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

Sunburned skin begins to peel about a week after the sunburn. Encourage your child not to scratch or peel off loose skin

By Bobbi Wegner, PsyD

P

icture this: You barely crack your heavy eyes in the middle of the night to see your small human standing way too close to your face. She says, “I’m scared of monsters.” This would be sort of tolerable except that this is the norm, rather the exception, and you are too tired to deal.

Parent's Inner Thought: “You again? If you get out of bed one more time, the monster will actually eat you!!” Or, “monsters only eat children in the hallway. Stay put.” Or, “you are the last person in the world I want to see right now. You are making my tomorrow miserable.”

Child Development Perspective: Nighttime fear often emerges around two years and can linger until about eight or nine years, which is completely normal. Vivid imagination coupled with learning that things in the world can hurt them can make for terrifying nights for many children.

A Child Psychologist Would Say: Remember this too shall pass. Like everything, it is a stage. Create soothing bedtime routines, remind the child that you are just a door away and that you would never make your child do something that was unsafe. Kids also often feel reassured when parents say something like, “I used to worry about that too when I was your age. It was scary before I learned that those noises were just house noises.”

Parents often try to convince the child that monsters don’t exist, which is relatively futile. Instead, empathise with his/her emotion, remind him that you would never put him in a situation that is dangerous, convey your trust that this fear will pass some time but for now, they might just need an extra snuggle. Lastly, reinforce the desired behaviour (ie staying in bed through the night) with a meaningful reward (ie chocolate chip with breakfast in my home), and don’t worry too much about it. (psychologytoday.com)

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

1 year later

Hunt still on for prison escapees T

oday marks one year since remanded murder accused Cobena Stephens escaped from the Camp Street Prisons in Georgetown after that facility had been set on fire. It is also almost one year since convicted murderer Paul Goriah escaped from the holding area of the Lusignan Prisons on the East Coast of Demerara.

Both men are still on the run, and according to Prison Director Gladwin Samuels, the hunt is still on for them.

Stephens, 26, also called “OJ,” formerly of Lot 82 Gopie Street, Middle Walk, Buxton, was on remand on a murder charge when he escaped on July 9, 2017 while prisoners were being transported to the Lusignan Prisons after the July 7, 2017 fire at the Georgetown Prisons.

Goriah, whose last known address was given as Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, escaped from the Lusignan holding area along with 12 others after he was successfully transported to the said facility.

According to Prisons Director Samuels, while the search is not making headlines in the media, the Prison Service and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) are on the hunt for escaped prisoners.

“While it is not in the news every day, there are a lot of persons who have es-

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels

caped over the years. Efforts are always being made in order to have these persons recaptured,” Samuels noted.

Samuels disclosed that information pertaining to escaped prisoners is always being circulated with the intention of having them recaptured.

“We would do circulation of names and possible descriptions. We have prison officers who are familiar with these persons who are constantly looking for them in villages that they are from, and so on. We have Police (ranks) who are on general patrol and so on; and (we) have not given up in the hunt for these persons,” he explained.

After the entire penal facility at Camp Street had

been destroyed by fire, a decision was made to transport the inmates to the Lusignan Prisons. In the process of being transported, Stephens made good his escape, and has been said to be hiding out in Bartica.

During the fire at the Camp Street Prisons, Lusignan mass killer Mark Royden Williams, ex-cop and double murder accused Uree Varswyk, murder accused Stafrei Alexander and murder accused Desmond James all escaped from the Camp Street penitentiary. One prison officer was left dead and several others injured during that fire.

Varswyk was killed in a shootout with Police in

Paul Goriah

Linden, while Williams, Alexander and James were all recaptured; but Stephens was never found.

Goriah was among the 13

inmates who dug their way out of the Lusignan Prison on July 24 of last year. He remains the only prisoner at large from that batch of escapees.

Goriah and three other men had been charged and remanded to prison for the murder of remigrant agriculturist Anthony Breedy, who was found dead in his Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home in March 2016. It is believed that the men escaped from the swampy pasture of the Lusignan Prison by digging a hole about five feet in length and another five feet in depth under the perimeter fence.

While there are three layers of security at the penitentiary, the men were able to

Cobena Stephens

escape presumably during a downpour that occurred in the wee hours on the day of their escape.

Berbice, Lethem Police Stations for multi-$M upgrades

T

hree Police Stations situated across the country are expected to undergo multi-million-dollar upgrades, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who said Cabinet has approved the award of the contracts for the rehabilitation works.

Bids for these works were publicised in April and were opened the following month.

Two of the stations to be upgraded are situated in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and the other in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-

Police Stations at Lethem, New Amsterdam (Central) and Springlands will be upgraded

Upper Essequibo).

The contract for the rehabilitation of the Springlands Police Station has been awarded to Gupta Engineering Enterprises to the tune of $18.7 million; while the contract for the rehabilitation of the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam has been awarded to Doodnauth Construction and Supplies at a cost of $29.7 million.

The Lethem Police Station will be rehabilitated by Navin and Sons Construction at the cost of $44.5 million. continued on page 10

8 news

monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Drivers’ licence exams

OPR concludes probe into scam …file sent to DPP for advice

T

he Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which has been probing a scam unearthed in the discovery of massive irregularities in the Learner Drivers’ Theoretical Examination written on April 12 of this year, has reportedly concluded its investigations. This newspaper has not yet been informed of the findings of the investigation, but has been told that candidates who wrote the examination on the said date have been receiving result slips from the Traffic and Transport Office of the Traffic Department at Eve Leary, Georgetown, informing them of their performance.

When this publication attempted to obtain further information from Police Public Relations Officer Jairam Ramlakhan, it was related that the matter has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

A few months ago, major irregularities surfaced in the Learner Drivers’ Theoretical Examination set by the Guyana Police Force,

in that 174 persons were registered to write the examination, 106 persons presented themselves to write the exams, 207 scripts were submitted at the conclusion of the examination, and 155 of those scripts had been completed.

According to the GPF, prelimi-

mandated to oversee this examination, in collaboration with two pastors from the Cops and Faith Community Network partnership with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and three junior GPF ranks, had left the venue shortly after the examination had com-

nary inquiries have revealed a complete breach of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) governing the administration and conduct of the Learner Drivers’ Theoretical Examination.

Initial inquiries have also revealed that a senior subordinate officer who had been

menced, and did not return.

It was further reported that a junior subordinate officer who ought not to have been at the examination venue had presented himself there, and had spent some time before subsequently leaving.

The GPF has said that

since members of the Cops and Faith Community Network became involved in the invigilation of the Learner Drivers’ Theoretical and Practical examinations, there has reportedly been significant reduction in the opportunities for corruption, complaint and allegations; thus their voluntary involvement will continue.

Just days ago, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) also discovered some illegalities relative to forged drivers' licences and other irregularities. The GRA said it has discovered that some unscrupulous members of its staff were working in collusion with outsiders and members of the public to issue forged drivers’ licences, certificates of compliance, and registrations. While announcing that details surrounding this development will not yet be divulged, the GRA announced that an investigation has been launched and is ongoing.

The GRA has also revealed that those individuals who were part of the illegal operations have been sent on leave.

Venezuelan jailed in Guyana for theft

V

enezuelan national Luis Marques, who came to Guyana and stole money from a businesswoman of Port Kaituma in Region One, has on Friday been jailed for six months

by Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly.

Marques admitted that on July 1, 2018, at the Port

Kaituma Waterfront, he stole $410,000 from Sabrina Johnson.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield informed the court that Marques had gone to the woman’s shop to purchase a backpack on July 1. Someone had then called the businesswoman, and she went outside the build-

ing, leaving Marques alone inside. When she returned, Marques paid for the backpack and left.

The businesswoman later discovered that the money was missing from her shop, and she reported the matter to the Port Kaituma Police Station. Marques was subsequently arrested, and

Jailed: Luis Marques

the money was found on his person.

In his defence, Marques told the court he had taken the money to buy clothes for himself.

Marques will be deported after serving the six-month sentence.

Still wrong…

B

…in law asil Williams would have us believe he’s finally won a victory in the Courts against the PPP. Of course he’s blamed everyone, including the court bailiffs, for his string of stinging defeats; never mind that in every instance it was his legal arguments that were found wanting -- wanting some logic and legal precedence, that is!!

But the CCJ’s decision that nixed the PPP’s strongest candidate from running for the presidency in 2020, he’s taking THAT as his own!!

And it’s not just a feather in his cap to salve his battered ego…he’s riding the victory to return as Chairman of the PNC, from which platform he expects to be anointed as the PNC’s presidential candidate. And with Jagdeo out of the way, he really fancies his chances to go all the way… even without his telephonic buddy Felix rigging him in!!

But if the truth be told, the CCJ’s decision in the Richardson case isn’t Williams’s victory…since it was NOT built on his, or his VERY expensive foreign legal brain trust’s arguments. Fundamentally, what Justice Chang in the High Court had ruled – and was affirmed by our Appellate Court – was that because, according to Article 9, the PEOPLE of Guyana are sovereign, only THEY can alter certain FUNDAMENTAL defining aspects of our Constitution; including, for instance, that we are a “democratic” polity, as defined in Article 1.

While, in the instance of Richardson, the diminution of the people’s choice of Presidential candidate via the change wrought by Article 90 might not have been one of those fundamental defining aspects of our Constitution, Justice Chang ruled that if it is altered, by IMPLICATION, one of those aspects – which he described as the “basic structure” of the constitution - then the Legislative change, while procedurally OK on its face, was substantively unconstitutional!

Basil Williams and his high-priced team disagreed. In the words of the court that ruled in his favour, he was WRONG!! Your Eyewitness quotes the ruling extensively, not to be accused of bias: “The State (via Williams) challenged the power of the court to conclude that Articles 1 and 9 had been amended by implication because the Court had a limited role and could not enquire into the propriety of the amending legislation nor place any limitation on the Parliamentary power to amend Article 90….We have accepted the case law to mean that provisions in a Constitution could be amended by implication even when the legislature did not so intend.”

Williams won the case because the CCJ took an overly expansive view as to what should be considered as “affecting” fundamental aspects of the constitution.

Our democracy had to be changed into a dictatorship to be considered “affected”!!

…on “working people” While there still isn’t a new Board installed for GuySuCo, Clive Thomas was Chairman of the Board that executed what we know to be Granger’s decision to shut down four sugar estates – just to cripple the PPP’s base by firing 7000 sugar workers. Now, last we knew, Clive Thomas was still co-leader of the WORKING PEOPLE’S Alliance, no? Even if he’d changed from being the staunch Marxist who’d railed for most of his life against the “capitalist running dogs” exploiting the “working class”, surely he should’ve raised even a symbolic protest??

After all, this was the man who’d advocated breaking ALL links with the West because of the “structural nature of the exploitative relationships foundational to capitalism!! Whatever happened to the socialist concern for “working people”? Especially since his own CoI didn’t recommend closure!!

But then some say “working peoples” aren’t all the same. And while it appears Clive Thomas has always embraced this view - it’s only after the PPP got into office that he’s come out of the closet.

Race matters! …on Amaila It’s a shame Norway’s caving in to the PNC’s spiteful rejection of AFHEP just because the latter dubbed it “Jagdeo’s baby”.

If their own study showed it was the most feasible option for a “green” Guyana, Norway should stick to their guns.

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

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 years later

Heads of Govt meeting

East Leguan Primary still Security of fishermen discussed

by Granger, Bouterse without electricity …commit to agricultural trade, tourism, investment G P overnment, over two years ago, tore down the old Endeavour (East Leguan) Primary School and constructed a new building in its place. Now, despite several complaints from teachers and parents, the Education Ministry is yet to outfit this new edifice with electricity and proper drainage.

When this publication visited the school, it was observed that the building remains unpainted, and there are no connections to facilitate the provision of electricity. Parents complain that the lack of electricity hampers the learning capabilities of the students, since they are often in heated classrooms that make them uneasy.

“I am a big woman, and I can’t stand the heat for a long time. When the place is hot I does come outside and sit down and get some breeze; so, just imagine them smallsmall children suffering in there for so long,” a parent, Vidya (only name given), told Guyana Times.

She said she has two children attending the school and they would complain about the heat.

A teacher who spoke with this publication said several complaints have been made to the Region Three Department of Education, (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) but nothing has been done to assist them.

The teacher related that the school’s location makes it not afforded a lot of breeze, and this makes concentration hard for the students, especially during afternoon hours.

“You have to dress in your suit and (look) appropriate for school, because when the ministry people come and you are not dressed properly, then it’s a whole other prob-

The Leguan East Primary School

lem; but we have to suffer here. (There is) no current, so we (cannot) get some fans for us and the students, or nothing. The trees does block off the breeze, and some days we boiling in here. We does have to take the children outside sometimes, because that is how we does feel,” the teacher explained.

The Education Ministry or the Regional Administration is being called upon to ensure that the building is outfitted with electricity prior to the commencement of the new school year in September 2018.

In addition, the parents have complained that whenever it rains, the water runs off the gutters into the school yard, making the assembly area inaccessible. The pipes all lead from the gutters into the yard, with no drain in sight to take off the water.

“Education is very important, because, without education, nobody will want to employ you. So education is the gateway, and believe me,” those were the words of President David Granger, delivered in Region One a few months ago. However, the residents of Leguan Island feel they are being dealt a short hand when it comes to educating their children.

A few months after taking office, President Granger

had said there are troubling disparities in education attainment between the coastland and the hinterland, and between the schools in Georgetown and the rest of the coastland. He had said education delivery in Guyana is akin to ‘apartness,’ which is another form of ‘apartheid’ and “we must avoid and avert the danger of children being separated along lines of gender, social class, or geographical location.”

But that level of apartness still remains, since all of the schools, with the exception of the Leguan East Primary, are painted; have proper drainage; and, most importantly, are outfitted with electricity.

The teacher told this publication that the Education Ministry is pushing for the inclusion of ICT in the schools’ curriculum, but questioned how that is possible, since the electricity to power computers and other ICT devices is non-existent.

Guyana Times made contact with the Regional Administration of Region Three, and it was indicated that the answers to the questions posed would be provided. However, this never materialised. Efforts to contact Education Minister Nicolette Henry proved futile. (Lakhram Bhagirat)

resident David Granger has met his Surinamese counterpart, President Desi Bouterse, on the sidelines of the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom, to review the changing situation in the Caribbean and South America.

According to President Granger, the opportunity was taken to discuss matters of mutual concern.

“Whenever we meet, we try to speak. Unfortunately, because of various reasons, I have been travelling quite a lot, and we have not been able to have our regular meeting; so we are just reviewing the changing situation in the Caribbean, and also on the continent of South America,” President Granger explained.

The Guyanese Head of State said the meeting also allowed for the two neighbouring presidents to plan for future meetings, and identify matters to be discussed.

“In a sense, we’re setting the agenda for a further meeting between President Bouterse and myself. So, it’s an agenda- setting meeting and at the same time it’s a review of certain developments which have taken place since our last meeting,” he said.

Security matters such as piracy were discussed, and the two Heads of State have agreed to work to find shortto long-term solutions.

Presidents David Granger and Desi Bouterse

“As a matter of urgency, you know we have the security problem affecting the fishermen, and we are looking to deal with issues which could be resolved in the short and middle terms, to ensure that there is no lawlessness as occurred in April,” President Granger said.

In July 2016, President David Granger had made a visit to neighbouring Suriname with a view to expediting the implementation of various decisions that had been taken earlier. President Desi Bouterse in turn had made a one-day state visit to Guyana in December 2016 for a working meeting in Georgetown.

The two countries have agreed to work to expedite re-establishment of the Guyana-Suriname Cooperation Council, along

with the appointment of a special envoy whose main responsibility would be to advance the implementation of agreements reached by the two States.

Additionally, a joint communique issued by the two parties had stated that technical officials from Guyana and Suriname would meet to discuss, through their respective committees, issues in relation to the protection of the environment, agricultural trade, tourism, investment, and cross-border activities.

“Both leaders agreed that full advantage should be taken of the opportunities for combining human and capital resources to further the economic and social development of the peoples of Guyana and Suriname,” the communique had stated.

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 9 floods

Residents still in shelters …as floodwaters begin to recede …“more rainfall will raise water again” – CDC

R

esidents of Central Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), affected for quite some time by flooding, are breathing a sigh of relief as flood waters begin to recede.

Authorities, however, are still monitoring the sit-

roadways are now visible for vehicle usage.

“We getting access to the villages now by roadways.

We could drive…but there is still about 17 inches of water still on the road, but the vehicles are going through…

We can get to St. Ignatius by

main out of their homes for another week and a half.

“When the water fully recedes, you (residents will) have to clean the buildings, disinfect it and all that, to ensure that it’s safe before they can go back [home]. So we have to keep them here

Floodwaters receding in Region 9

uation, since the water level can rise again with another heavy downpour.

Director of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, gave Guyana Times this explanation on Sunday: “…the water can recede today; and tomorrow, if there’s more rainfall, it could come up back again.”

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Brian Allicock told this newspaper on Sunday that the water is “going down rapidly”, and the

roadway now, we don’t have to use boats anymore,” the Chairman stated.

However, he pointed out that while the water is receding, those almost 60 residents who had to be evacuated from their homes are still not allowed to return, as the situation is still being monitored to ensure that the water will not rise again. He said intense clean-up exercises will have to be undertaken at the flooded houses, and he anticipates that evacuated residents would re-

at the shelters and provide for them,” the Regional Chairman posited.

He said already there are some cleaning supplies on the ground, and more is expected during this week.

Deep South still cut off

Several parts of the Deep South Rupununi, such as Karasabai, continue to be cut off from Central Lethem.

According to Chairman Allicock, a group of toshaos travelled into the area via boat, using a different route.

He noted that they have not gotten any information from those areas as to whether the residents there are in need of relief items.

Reports reaching this publication state that the Deep South Rupununi’s main access road en-route to Aishalton has been partly washed away. However, vehicles are presently traversing the back road through Karaudanawa to get to Aishalton, so they can access those communities.

The floods in the Deep South have not only affected residents’ homes, but have destroyed their farms as well. The Regional Chairman noted that there are reports of about 20 farms being under about three to five feet of water.

Toshaos have since been

tasked with the responsibility of assessing and reporting to the RDC the number of farmlands that have been affected in their respective communities. Allicock noted that a high-level team, including agri-personnel are expected to visit the area soon.

The flooding has resulted from several rivers, particularly the Takutu River, overtopping because of heavy rainfall in the region and over in neighbouring Brazil, which has resulted in overtopping of the Rio Brancho River.

At present, 59 persons have been evacuated and placed in three shelters which were established, and they are being tended by the region with support from the CDC.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has also been providing support through a boat shuttle service for residents from 06:00h to 18:00h every day.

On Friday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, led a team to the region to assess the situation. During that exercise, he said the current weather patterns in the region and in Brazil will see the water rising and receding at frequent intervals; but with a coordinated approach, some semblance of order can exist.

Meanwhile, the CDC on Friday carried in supplies requested by the region, including water purification tablets, collapsible bottles, detergents and cleaning supplies, beddings and blankets, among other materials.

Thousands experience 12h phone, Internet shutdown T

housands of residents living along the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara and along the East Bank of Essequibo and Essequibo Coast on Sunday experienced a 12-hour landline phone, mobile and Internet shutdown.

Reports are the disruption started at 05:00h and connections were restored at

16:30h.

When Guyana Times reached out to GTT, it was related that there were some service disruptions due to a fallen Guyana Power and Light (GPL) cable in Eccles, East Bank Demerara on Sunday morning.

On its Facebook page, the telecommunications company has a notice outlining

that data, mobile and landline services in Tuschen , Parika, Leonora, Windsor Forest, Fellowship, MetenMeer-Zorg, Cornelia Ida, Zeeburg, Vreed-en-Hoop, Anna Regina, Hampton Court, Suddie, Queenstown, Better Hope, La Grange, Canal, Wales, Supenaam and Charity will be impacted.

Berbice, Lethem Police Stations... from page 7

In his 2018 Budget presentation, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had announced that some six Police stations will be targeted for upgrade in 2018. Besides those mentioned above, Police stations at Cove and John and at Matthews Ridge are slated for rehabilitation, and

a new Police station is slated for construction at La Parfaite Harmonie, intended to service the catchment area.

This year, rehabilitation works are also expected to be carried out on the GPF’s Mounted Branch/ Steel Band building, the Female Barracks and Impact

Base at Eve Leary, the #1 and #2 Living Quarters in the Mounted Branch compound, the Whim Barracks, the Lewis Manor Outpost in B Division, and the Living Quarters at the Albion Police Station, among others.

In 2017, a total of six Police stations were renovated

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

71 local teachers benefit from LRTT programme

By Kizzy Coleman

S

ome 71 teachers benefited from training during the Limited Resources Teachers Training (LRTT) programme, which was extended to Region One when a team comprising 23 inspirational teachers left their homes in the United

Nations, Dr Brian O’Toole, described the visit which is to be done twice yearly, as a fruitful one and a tremendous success.

“We are very excited about the possibilities…We are particularly excited to partner with LRTT because what they do is exciting,”

“The people have been hospitable: kind, caring, they make us feel like we were a part of their family which is something that you don’t always feel in the United States … I feel like I learned just as much if not more from the teachers” – visiting teacher States to visit Guyana.

The programme, which was founded in 2011 by Tom Greenwood, who resided in Guyana for six years and married a Guyanese, was held in collaboration with the Education Ministry and Nations University.

Being the fourth visit by the organisation to Guyana, trained teachers from countries such as the US, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand came to the local shores to share the skills which they have utilised over the years in the profession over a period of three weeks.

The teachers visited some eight schools in the Region.

Additionally, the teachers hosted four one-day workshops focusing on the six principles of education which is expected to assist the Region One teachers with self-sustenance.

Director of School of the

O’Toole said on Sunday.

However, in order for the programme to continue along a successful path, Nations will be providing a certificate programme through the Cambridge University for

tificate in educational leadership… the visiting teachers will be a part of the training in the certificate programme so that they can see what they can do to support the said programme,” O’Toole disclosed.

Memorable experience

Guyana Times sat down and chatted with a number of the visiting teachers who shared their experiences, delightfully so.

Elizabeth Journo said: “I’m new out of college and thought that this would be an opportunity to see the world and to see what our countries are doing in education. I really didn’t have any expectations, but it was very inspiring and humbling at the same time. I saw teachers that love their students and the creativity is just amazing, I was floored by how creative the teachers that we worked with were.”

The visiting group of teachers

able to help with every child to be able to receive an education. It was humbling to see the change and the excitement from before and after we left,” Brittany Barran, who was used to working in low-income areas, said: “I have been teaching for five years

One of the LRTT teachers sits in a classroom in Region One as the class teacher pursues her day’s work

the trainees as well as the trainers.

“If only they come in for a few weeks and leave, there would be no continuity. So when we had discussions with Greenwood, we decided to partner together on a certificate programme that we are doing from the Cambridge University, a cer-

While Jamie Joyce, whose love of travelling and teaching led her to join LRTT, explained, “I love to travel and I’ve always worked in education, so throughout my years I have been looking for a programme that would marry the two and that’s when I came across LRTT and their mission. I feel grateful to be

and I live in Chicago so I’m used to working in low-income areas; however, I felt like I needed to expand that into other parts of the world.

So this programme just kind of fell into my lap. My experience here has been memorable, the people have been hospitable: kind, caring, they

make us feel like we were a part of their family, which is something that you don’t always feel in the United States … I feel like I learned just as much if not more from the teachers.”

“I have been teaching for 25 years and my job now is as an instructional coach in the classrooms. I love to work with teachers; I love to see them grow and the excitement for children when they get to do new things. I watched teachers really embrace us and really accept us and I realised that we really are all the same and in it for the same reasons and that is for the children,” another teacher, Juliana Smyth, related. She added, “I was at a river school and I watch these children come to school canoeing and they were paddling themselves and this was very powerful to watch.

They were at school before the teachers and when we got there, they were waving at us. I’ve grown as a professional and as a person as

well, and to be able to take this home with me and to talk to others about this experience is just amazing.”

The teachers who visited are Lexa Hernandez, Eric Dejesus, Summer Hass, Chelsey Smith, Brittany Barran, Jobeth Aenchbacher, Bola Disu, Kristen Quintana, Juliana Smyth, Monica Benn, Eugenia Damron, Ramona Gray, Liz Giradot, Tyler Thomas, Mary Louise Delaney, Trish Milhiser, Misty Butterfield, Natasha Woode, Silvia Gonzalez, Abby Hubber, Debricka Peete, Jamie Joyce, and Lisa Narramore. LRTT is a global teacher movement of some 1500 teachers who have to date recorded training 3750 teachers in 11 countries.

Their motto is “Every child has a right to quality education, regardless of the context they are born into.”

The 23 teachers who visited Guyana will be journeying back to their homelands today.

12 news

monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Closed sandpit to GPF’s 179th Anniversary be converted into G Division hosts inter-faith service green space – Mayor

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s part of the 179th Anniversary celebration of the Guyana Police Force, G Division has held an Inter-Faith Service at its divisional headquarters at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast. In attendance at the Saturday occasion were ranks of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Some of the participants of the G Division fitness walk Guyana Fire Service,

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The closed Bartica sandpit

lans are on stream to transform Region Seven’s sandpit area at Five Miles, Bartica into a green space. Formerly operated by the Bartica Town Council, the sandpit was, because of safety infractions, issued with a cease work order by Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes last May. Bartica Mayor, Gifford Marshall, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that within another three months, the sandpit will be cleared and relocated to another site, and the vacant space would be transformed into a recreational area.

“The housing area between One (and) Five Miles has no recreational facilities; plus, going east, we have a whitewater and a normal creek. So we will develop the area into a green space, which will entail a playfield and a place for relaxation,” Marshall explained.

This venture will be undertaken as a partnership between the Council and the business community of Bartica, and is expected to be completed before year end.

Mayor Marshall has said that despite the economic challenges encountered with the closure of the sandpit,

this new venture will take the town one step closer to attaining its green agenda.

“It is an economic blow, but we will use that to our advantage, to ensure that good things come out from this; which will be in keeping with our green agenda,” Marshall stated.

Following the sandpit’s closure, the council has managed to correct the major infractions, which include benching of the walls to prevent trucks from driving into them.

The mayor pointed out that following correction of the infractions, the Council was informed by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) that an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permit and a Lands and Surveys no-objection order are necessary before the sandpit can resume operating.

Marshall assured that the municipality endorses safety, and, as such, is working to guarantee that safe practices are carried out not only at the sandpit, but generally in the township of Bartica. The mayor also committed to having personnel on site at the new sandpit, to ensure that the site operates within the ambit of the safety procedures.

Neighbourhood Policing Groups, and residents of Guyana’s administrative Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam).

Also on Saturday, ranks of the GPF, GDF and other members of the disciplined services, together with youth groups and other organisations, hosted a fitness walk from ‘G’ Division Police Headquarters in Anna Regina to Three Friends village and back.

Region 1 NGSA top performers honoured

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he Ministry of Education (MoE) has honoured Region One’s (Barima-Waini’s) top ten National Grade Six Assessment performers at a ceremony held for this purpose at the Mabaruma Primary School.

The children so recognised are: Romario De Souza, Ashira Marciano, Antwon Cush, Triselle Brady, Morano Kenneth, Methodius Chacon, Nicola Atkinson, Shenella Henry, Jazer Torres, Jodeci Fernandes and Orande Fernandes.

Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton told the gathering that he came from a background that is similar to that of the children of Mabaruma, although there was much less development during his time.

Declaring that the challenges he had faced did not deter him from achieving, he encouraged the children to stay the course, and continue to work to better themselves.

Minister Dr Norton said he is aware of the challenges parents having school-age children encounter, but it is incumbent upon parents and

Region Seven Chairman Brentnol Ashley; Director of Sport, Christopher Jones; Minister George Norton; and Education Ministry’s CEO, Marcel Hutson, pose with the students and teachers

guardians to play meaningful roles in assisting to educate their children.

According to Dr Norton, Region One has a good track record in regard to performing well and churning out Guyanese of note, and he charged the children to upkeep that tradition.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson, in his address to the gathering, explained that it is important for good performance to be recognised.

He had these words for

those who have not done so well: “Your life is not determined by how you begin…

It is how you intend to script the ending”. Hutson said the MoE is serious about improving performances across the country.

Hutson is of the view that every one of Guyana’s administrative regions has the capacity to do well, and with commitment and support from all stakeholders, change can be made in a positive and impactful manner. Towards this end, Hutson said it is im-

portant that all stakeholders work together to transform the education system.

Looking ahead, Hutson quipped that, in 2019, he is optimistic that all of Guyana’s children can get scores of 50 percent and more for all subject areas tested at the NGSA. However, he said that in order to achieve this, teachers must keep training and parents must be in alignment with the work of the MoE if they are to see continuously improved performances.

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man attempts to smuggle ganja in boots for prisoner …more weed found in Lusignan compound

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uthorities are on the hunt for a male who on Sunday attempted to smuggle marijuana and cigarettes into the Lusignan Prison when he took there an outfit for an inmate to wear to court today.

At about 14:30h on Sunday, the suspect went to the Lusignan Prison’s checkpoint to deliver the clothes and footwear. According to Prison Director (ag) Gladwin Samuels, whenever items are taken for prisoners, they have to be documented and scrutinised. He noted that the person delivering the items would have to produce a form of identification as part of the documentation process.

When the suspect arrived at the checkpoint on Sunday afternoon, he reportedly placed the items on the table for “booking,” and produced his National Identification Card.

However, before the rank on duty could commence the booking process, he observed that the footwear looked strange.

Realising something was amiss, the suspect immediately grabbed his ID Card and bolted from the booking area, leaving the items behind. Further scrutiny of the items, revealed that four packets of cigarettes were in one side of the sneakers and 108 grams of marijuana in the other.

Although no details of the suspect had been documented, the officer was able to observe his physical description, and same will be

The items that were found in the prison compound earlier on Sunday

provided to the Police.

The prisoner to whom the items were being delivered has been identified. He is housed in the facility’s holding bay.

Marijuana in prison yard

Authorities at the Lusignan Penitentiary had, earlier on Sunday, unearthed a quantity of marijuana in the compound.

Samuels said the ranks were conducting security checks at about 09:30h when they observed a black plastic bag in a drain next to the pig pen.

The bag was opened and searched, revealing a quantity of marijuana, lighters, bambu wrappers and small Ziploc bags.

The smuggling of contraband items remain a pervasive problem within the prison system, and while authorities have been working to curb the practice,

several prison officers have been caught facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be a “big business”.

In fact, Samuels disclosed on Friday last during a press briefing that five prison officers have been relieved of their duties after they had been fingered in the May 1, 2018 incident in which a parcel containing cannabis had been thrown into the Lusignan Prison Holding Bay area. “…We also have five officers who have been interdicted from duty following the May 1 matter at the Holding Bay, where our CCTV footage would have revealed that a number of what is suspected to be contraband items were thrown into the Holding Bay facility… Based on the reviews we would have conducted, it is clear that the officers were working in collusion with each other in

order to facilitate the movement of the suspected contraband into the prison,” he explained.

Samuels further disclosed that legal advice has been sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions on the way forward; and he has decried the behaviour of such ranks.

“It is quite disturbing, it is quite embarrassing, to have to face these situations on a daily basis; but this is not a situation whereby the prison administration is failing to act.

The reality of it is, despite we would do vetting and so forth, these prison officers are drawn from communities…and for some strange reason, despite they’re given their dos and don’ts, they allow themselves to be sucked into the financial gains that these activities can bring you,” he said.

Guyana to boost capacity to tackle degradation, land use

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uyana will be looking to enhance its capacity to better address land preservation issues next year when the country hosts the 17th session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC) in January.

The event will see representatives from some 196 countries expected to participate in CRIC 17, which will review the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Desertification is the process by which fertile land becomes increasingly dry until almost no vegetation grows on it. This is the first time the conference will be held in the Caribbean Region. “… By hosting this event, Guyana is expected to benefit in a number of ways including: improving our capacity to address land degradation issues and support national efforts to sustainably utilise our land space; to develop capacity to host international forums and to allow Guyana to demonstrate our support and solidarity with countries that face the threat of desertification,” State Minister Joseph Harmon said last week.

Last September, the 16th session of the CRIC was held in Ordos, China, during the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 13).

It concluded with the adoption of 37 decisions, through which the COP endorsed a scientific conceptual framework for land degradation neutrality, and addressed emerging issues such as drought, sand storms and migration as well as how

to align UNCCD implementation with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Meanwhile on June 17 last, World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) was observed, urging persons to move away from unsustainable land use and make a difference by investing in the future of land under the slogan, “Land has true value – invest in it.”

It has been reported that a third of Earth’s landmass is threatened by desertification, which is caused by degradation due to climatic variations and human activities.

According to studies, land covering 12 million hectares is lost every year as a result of desertification.

Researchers have found that the deterioration of the “living soil” is generally due to intensive farming, overgrassing or deforestation.

In some of these areas, climate change also causes an increase of torrential rains that worsen the problem as they erode the earth provoking a vicious circle, whereby the soil progressively loses its capacity to retain rainwater and to filter it towards the aquifers, and, therefore, the area becomes increasingly dry.

Additionally, in some cases, the bad management of water resources has caused the deterioration of large areas of soil combined with the pollution of groundwater, which doubtlessly worsens the problem.

However, it was noted that desertification is not irreversible. Experts say that reforestation can prevent land degradation by helping to anchor the soil, increase moisture levels and slow down wind erosion. They added that non-till farming practices too can go a long way in preserving soils.

Linden Utility Co-op recognised for providing over 50 years of service

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he Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited (LUSCSL) was hailed for providing over 50 years of electricity services to the Linden community on the occasion of National Cooperative Week 2018, at an event hosted outside the Co-op's compound last week.

The event, hosted by the Department of Cooperatives in collaboration with the Guyana National Cooperative Union Limited and the Guyana Cooperative Credit Union League, paid tribute to the Co-op, which was recognised for being one of the oldest Cooperatives in Guyana.

National Cooperative Week 2018 was observed under the theme "Cooperatives: Sustainable consumption and production of goods and services".

Speaking at the event, which was attended by nu-

merous employees and officials, Compliance Officer within the Department of Cooperatives at the Social Protection Ministry, Ann Abigail Arthur, congratulated the LUSCSL, highlighting that it started off with the primary goal of providing electricity, but went further by thinking outside of the box and has since developed an electrical shop and documents centre to serve the community.

She further noted that the LUSCSL has played a major role in providing employment in the Linden community. Since its registration over 50 years ago, Arthur said the Co-op has progressed tremendously in providing electricity to the Wismar community and has been true to this year's theme. She further stressed the important role electricity played in education and the household and the role

A section of persons gathered at the event in recognition of the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited’s 50 years of service

of the Co-op in ensuring provision of this. Additionally, Arthur noted that the membership of the LUSCSL, which supplies Wismar with electricity, can keep growing to include a wider cross-sec-

tion of the community.

Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell, in her address, stressed the importance of educating and letting Lindeners understand electricity consumption and con-

servation, as she congratulated the management and Board of the LUSCSL. She said it was evident how the Cooperative has grown over the years. The Mayor encouraged the Co-op's team to

look at youth initiatives and see what more could be done to expand its services. She further shared her hope that the LUSCSL would showcase itself more in the media so that students could learn and understand what was happening on the ground as well as its functions.

LUSCSL Secretary George Joaquin, in giving an overview of the Co-op, reminisced on when it started in 1960, as 25 workers approached the then bauxite company Demba to establish an electricity company on the Wismar shore. It was then known as "Coop Society", but was later named the "Wismar Christianburg Electricity Supply Coop Society Limited" prior to being renamed the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited. The Co-op now has over 5000 members or consumers and over 60 employees.

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mechanic who caught fire while Coast Guard seizes discharging fuel succumbs US$2M ganja in …employer denies claim of explosion

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he mechanic who caught fire in the Frenchman Hill area, Upper Essequibo River Road, some two weeks ago while attempting to discharge fuel from a tanker has succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Shawhinshaw Ally, called “Imty", 35, of Plot H22 Left Bank Tabatinga Drive, Lethem, reportedly caught fire on June 23.

Guyana Times understands that on June 23, Ally, along with a porter called “Jerry”, left Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and was heading for Lethem.

However, upon arrival at the Frenchman Trail, it was discovered that the trail was blocked owing to a broken bridge.

After several days had elapsed without the bridge being fixed, Ally, along with two other lorry drivers, decided to use another route through the Frenchman Hill area.

The route, however, was steep which caused Ally to encounter yet another setback. He and other persons had to use ropes in order to pull the fuel tanker truck with licence plate GRR 1622 over a hill.

While being pulled with a wire rope, the motor lorry toppled down the hill falling onto its side.

Reports are after making contact with his employer, Marlon Johnson, Ally was instructed to wait for his arrival.

When Johnson arrived

Shawhinshaw Alley

at the scene of the accident, the men decided to discharge the fuel from the tanker into another truck.

However, reports are

mouth of the hose flipped causing fuel to spill onto him and the generator at the same time causing a fire which engulfed Ally.

This publication understands that the man began to scream which caused his colleagues to run to his assistance and attempted to put the fire out.

However, this initially proved futile as Ally’s clothing was covered in gasoline. After some time, the workers managed to douse the flames and they quickly rushed him to the Mabura Health Centre; he was later taken to the Linden Hospital Complex.

While there he was vis-

succumbed on Friday last.

On Sunday, his employer refuted claims that there was an explosion.

“While at this time, emotions are high, understandably, we simply ask that there be pursuit of truth in the circumstances of the incident and Imty’s demise. There was no explosion of fuel truck as is alleged, and Imty was questioned by the Police on the incident at the Mabura Hill Health Centre, Linden Hospital and at the Georgetown Public Hospital. I have cooperated fully with the Police in providing information on what occurred, having

C’bean Sea

Law enforcement officers removing bags of ganja from the vessel

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The toppled truck

while discharging the fuel using an electrical fuel pump which was powered by a generator, the pump encountered issues causing Ally to take the hose out from the tanker and put it into a barrel.

While doing so, the

ited by Police ranks to whom he conveyed what had occurred.

The severely burnt man was treated for third-degree burns and later rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he

been present, and have given the names of other eyewitnesses,” the dead man’s employer, Johnson, said in a statement.

The Police visited the scene of the incident and are said to be investigating.

he United States Coast Guard says crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Thetis have offloaded 2,116 pounds of marijuana in Key West, Florida after returning home from an 88-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

On Friday, the Coast Guard along with a Jamaica Defence Force crew interdicted a suspected drug smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea. The drugs, worth about US$2 million wholesale, were interdicted as part of Operation Full Court Press.

“In conjunction with DHS [Department of Homeland Security] partners and the partner nation of Jamaica, we were able to swiftly interdict the 2,116 pounds of marijuana,” said Commander José Díaz, commanding officer of the

Thetis.

“This effort represents an ongoing regional maritime security effort in concert with our international partners to combat transnational criminal networks and promote stability across the Caribbean region by disrupting organised crime illegal activities,” he added.

During the patrol, Díaz said Thetis crewmembers worked with the US Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez crew and the Puerto Rico Joint Forces of Rapid Action to rescue and repatriate 29 Dominican Republic migrants.

During a port call in San Juan, Díaz said Puerto Rico; crewmembers volunteered with a local non-profit food bank and loaded more than 300 pre-packaged meals for distribution to community members disadvantaged by the 2017 hurricane season.

(CMC)

T&T seeking foreign assistance to cap off spewing oil well

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he Energy Ministry in Trinidad and Tobago is now seeking foreign assistance to cap off a well which is spewing high pressures of oil and gas, 40 feet from the seabed in the Gulf of Paria, near the Couva oil platform.

Located approximately 4.5 nautical miles off Orange Valley, Carapichaima, the well has been shooting extensive hydrocarbons in the Gulf since Thursday, posing serious risk to marine operators.

In a letter sent to Petrotrin hours after the blow-out occurred, the Energy Ministry requested immediate assistance to cap off the well. Divers were sent down to inspect the blow-out and realized that it was coming from the seabed.

Petrotrin personnel did not have the technological ability to cap off the well

and later alerted the ministry.

A source who requested anonymity said the ministry has been seeking assistance from service companies in the United States with the technology to cap the well.

A log of the well is expected to be provided to the company before any work is done.

“We expect that a drilling barge will be sent in to side track onto the casing and pump cement inside to kill the well. It all depends on the recommendations they make after they view the well file. We are hoping that the Ministry of Energy has a log of this well. From what we are seeing, the well has already been abandoned and was capped off from the seabed,” a source said.

Contacted Saturday, chairman of the EMA Nadra Nathai-Gyan said “The

Oil and gas spew from the ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Paria some 4.5 nautical miles from the Orange Valley/Carapichaima fish landing (Picture courtesy FFOS)

EMA is aware of this and we are part of the team that is monitoring the progress of the well. We are attending all the sessions and we are there on a first-hand basis to

see what can be done.

“It is a difficult situation and the ministry has asked for international help. A meeting was held yesterday (Saturday) and a report is

expected as they try to bring the situation under control.”

Fishermen have been staying away from the vicinity of the spillage and are praying that their boats and

nets do not become contaminated.

Secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea Gary Aboud called on mariners to steer clear of the site as it was volatile and highly flammable.

Aboud said the area was unlit and there were no navigational warnings for oncoming vessels.

“Vessels are warned to stay upwind of this gas plume which may ignite or explode and is highly noxious,” Aboud said. He said a team from FFSO visited Saturday.

“We have video footage showing that this is an extremely dangerous and highly pressurized well rupture, spewing a gaseous aromatic hydrocarbon mixed with a muddy substance.

This gaseous sludge is covering the sea for miles.” (T&T Guardian)

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monDAY, july 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI

What the people say

I SAY...

A major gap was reported between the performance of the coastland students and the hinterland students at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Here are the public’s views on how this can be remedied.

Shanette Persaud

Mark Parker

“I think that these students are situated in areas which are difficult to attend schools so transportation should be provided so that their journey to school is less complicated. Additionally, skilled teachers are necessary to manage the resources that are present.

However, the availability of Internet and other technological connections should be the next step to secure long-term results.”

“The hinterland needs better teachers but not many want to go there to work. I believe that the lack of trained teachers in the hinterland regions is the main reason for the gap in performance when compared to those in the coastal areas. I say offer more attractive benefits to teachers who are willing to go offer their services in the hinterland regions and this may help improve the performances there.”

Denisia Chapman

Anuja Seenarine

“I think the Education Ministry can place more qualified teachers in the hinterland areas and provide better teaching and learning aides, better environment and more learning methods. They can also provide more better transportation for the children to get to school and improve the parent-teacher working environment.”

Tanisha Petty

“The hinterland is far from the coast, so there will be some gaps along the way. It will not be fully eradicated, but good teachers and facilities can help to minimise this gap.”

“Hinterland students need more access to the tools that coastal students have access to.

Fix that and you’ll fix the performance problem.”

Shaunell Wilson

“Technology is the answer.

That’s what the coastal kids have access to that the hinterland students don’t have as much access to. So, the Government needs to put more effort into making those provisions for the hinterland kids.”

Filicia Tinnie

“A better educational system needs to be put in place for the hinterlands schoolchildren; the Ministry of Education needs to pay more attention.”

Sharmane Solomon “I think that if we pay more attention to the educational system in the hinterland area, then we might be able to start seeing the gaps close.”

Kester Whyte “First thing that needs to be done is get to the root of the gap which, based on my current knowledge, appears to be less resources compared to town schools, eg, after-school lessons, technology, etc, and their home life. To remedy this, measures must be put in place for better funding to schools, rural institutions for teachers and allocation of resources to schools, increased adult education and setting up of afterschool lessons. Increased surveys to better understand the gaps as well as further looks into the home lives of the children as well as deeper parental involvement.”

Steven Singh “Children in the coastal regions have more free time on hand, thus giving time to spend with their books. Children in the hinterland region have more engaging activities such as assisting with family work. Some hinterland students have inadequate access to the resources which coastal students have such as computers, readily-available text books, electricity so as to so late hours in the nights to study. There is also a lack of trained and skilled teachers in the hinterland regions, as compared to the coastland.”

Mabaruma to get fish processing plant

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abaruma, Region One will see the introduction of a seafood processing plant in the near future, to assist residents with the preservation of their day’s catch, which is usually wasted owing to the lack of a processing and storage facility.

This was announced by Junior Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe, who told Guyana Times last week,

of the intentions of the Ministry to provide the residents with the new facility. She noted that the shelf life of the seafood that is caught will be extended enabling fisherfolk to earn more.

“The facility will be for crab and fish. That is for a longer shelf life so that the people can earn a living there. Normally, the Waraus would just come and bring their crabs. If they bring a crate, two or

three might get sell and they have to carry it back home,” the Minister noted.

“If they bring fresh fish, all of that wouldn’t sell but if we have smoked fish or salted fish, it can be preserved. Now if we have the facility, it can supply the whole region,” she added.

Meanwhile, GarridoLowe also commented on the status of the coffee and cassava flour projects in the Moruca sub-district which are currently ongo-

Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe

ing. For the cassava flour project, the site for the building as well as the de-

sign has been finalised.

“With the coffee, the seeds are being brought from Brazil. [National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute] NAREI will germinate it and the farmers already cleared their lands to plant. They would have to do intercropping because with coffee farming, you can reap until next year and a half or two. So they would do intercropping with peas, melon and cas-

sava,” she added.

The area is strategically positioned to engage in significant economic gains and the coffee and cassava flour projects will be among other sustainable initiatives to change the trajectory of the lives of residents. Some 15 farmers from Santa Rosa Village is expected to be involved in the coffee project, while 35 will be involved in the cassava flour project in Kwebanna.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, july 9, 2018

Regional

Brazil Appeals Court Judge Barbados pledges overrules order to free Lula continued cooperation

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Brazilian Appeals Court Judge has overruled an order to release imprisoned former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

In a surprising ruling on Sunday, Judge Rogerio Favreto ordered the popular leftist politician, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption, freed.

But the order was blocked by Federal Judge Sergio Moro, who sent Lula to prison on the corruption conviction.

Moro declared the decision by Favreto, who served in the Justice Ministry under Lula, “monocratic”.

Another Appeals Court Judge, Joao Pedro Gebran Neto, then intervened, ordering Lula to remain in

The leftist politician was President from 2003 to 2011 [File: AFP]

jail and forbidding Federal Police from abiding by Favreto’s earlier ruling.

Gebran Neto is the judge in charge of overseeing Lula’s case at the Fourth Federal Regional Tribunal and a legal analyst said his decision supersedes the oth-

er judge’s.

Lula, who was convicted of accepting a seaside apartment as a bribe from Brazilian construction company OAS, has been battling to overturn his 12-year sentence in the hopes of making another presidential bid in

elections in October.

Despite his jailing, Lula has consistently led presidential polls.

Whether Lula can run in the October election has yet to be decided by Brazil’s electoral court next month.

Lula insists he is innocent and has branded the accusations of accepting the apartment as a conspiracy aimed at thwarting his electoral bid. His everyman style and unvarnished speeches electrified masses and eventually won him two terms as President, from 2003 to 2011, when he oversaw robust economic growth and falling inequality amid a commodities boom.

He left office with a skyhigh approval rate of 83 per cent.( Al Jazeera)

Hurricane Beryl weakens but state of emergency takes effect in Dominica

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he Dominica Government Sunday announced that a state of emergency would be declared today, even as what was Hurricane Beryl weakened to a tropical storm on its approach to the Eastern Caribbean.

And though it is forecast to lose even more strength over the next two days, Beryl is expected to dump

heavy rains over the islands of the Lesser Antilles over the next couple of days.

Dominica and Guadeloupe are under a tropical storm warning, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Barbados, St Lucia, Martinique, St Maarten, St Martin, St Barthelemy, Saba, and St Eustatius.

Dominica, which was devastated by Hurricane

Maria in September 2017 and is still recovering from that Category 5 storm, had been under a hurricane watch since Friday when Beryl became a hurricane.

But earlier on Sunday, that was replaced by a tropical storm warning.

Despite this, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced at a press conference that Cabinet had decid-

ed to declare a state of emergency and impose a curfew as preparations intensify for possible landfall.

He urged citizens not to let their guard down.

“We must not become complacent,” Skerrit said, recalling that in 2015, Tropical Storm Erika wrought tremendous destruction on the country.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Haitian civil unrest enters 3rd day despite fuel hike reversal M ostly young protesters in Haiti blocked streets on Sunday while many damaged or looted stores that remained closed for a third day following anger over steep fuel price increases in the Caribbean nation.

Protesters used felled trees to block roadways, as well as piles of tyres set on fire, many of which continued to smolder on Sunday, sending thick clouds of black smoke high into the air.

In some cases, Police responded with tear gas to disperse crowds.

The remains of charred cars were parked in front of the Best Western and Oasis hotels, in the capital’s southern hilltop suburb of PetionVille, as well as near the offices of telecommunications company Natcom.

The US Embassy warned its citizens to avoid the unrest in the capital Port-au-Prince and reschedule any travel plans as several airlines canceled flights.

Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant announced the temporary suspension of double-digit Government hikes to prices for gasoline, diesel and kerosene on Saturday afternoon –- just a day after they were announced – but the unrest has continued.

Across the capital, few cars and motorcycles were moving on Sunday, while broken windows or otherwise damaged buildings were a more common sight.

At a shopping centre in Petion-Ville, Police attempted to secure shops that had been attacked, which were littered with broken glass and mer-

Burnt cars remain parked in a commercial area that was looted during protests against fuel price increases in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 8, 2018

chandise strewn on the floors.

The decision to raise prices was part of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which requires the impoverished coun-

try to enact a range of austerity measures aimed at boosting Government revenue and strengthening the country’s economy. (Excerpt from Reuters)

with Venezuela

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he Government of Barbados has pledged to maintain cooperation with Venezuela on matters of mutual concern.

Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, Sandra Husbands, made this declaration at an event held to mark the 207th anniversary of the Independence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela earlier this week.

“Barbados is aware that the need to create closer hemispheric ties depends largely on the cooperation and collaboration among the countries in the hemisphere…

“To this end, Barbados pledges its ongoing cooperation and consultation with Venezuela on matters of mutual concern with the aim of confronting the challenges that face us individually and as a Region.”

The Foreign Trade Minister noted Venezuela and Barbados have enjoyed “friendly and productive relations” since 1969, when diplomatic relations were established.

She pointed to 11 bilateral agreements in the areas of technical cooperation, tourism, culture, taxation, trade and investment as proof. She also highlighted Venezuela’s commitment to cultural exchanges and Spanish language training for public sector workers through the Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation.

“Such partnerships have been very useful and are to be commended and replicated,” she stressed, while congratulating Venezuela on its 207th anniversary.

Charge’ d’ Affaires of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Alvaro Sanchez, called upon both countries to “strengthen our bilateral relations and deepen our human contact”.

He pointed out that 2019 would mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the nations, and said he believed that the occasion would be “a great opportunity to work comprehensively towards more cooperation and integration”. (CMC)

Jamaica, Chile to share expertise in sports

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amaica and Chile will benefit from shared expertise in sports, under a Declaration of Intent, which will be executed over the next year.

The agreement, which was signed on Saturday, will see local coaches travelling to Chile to conduct sports clinics in track and field, while Chilean coaches will come to Jamaica to conduct training in gymnastics, field hockey and tennis.

The signing followed bilateral talks between Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, at the Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa in St James.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Pearnel Charles Jr, and Chile’s Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alfonso Silva Navarro affixed their signatures to the document.

Speaking at a press briefing following the signing,

Holness said Jamaica and Chile have enjoyed excellent bilateral relations, noting that sports was one of the many areas of cooperation benefiting both countries.

“President Pinera’s visit, which follows less than a year after my visit to Chile, reflects our two countries’ commitment to continued engagement at both the technical and highest political levels,” he said.

President Piñera welcomed the agreement, noting that his country has much to learn from Jamaica in the area of sports, particularly in terms of “running with greater speed”.

“That’s why this commitment to help each other in terms of how to share good practices and good experiences in sports will be extremely helpful, not only for the quality of life, but also for the quality of our health and the quality of our participation in so many different sports events,” he said. (Excerpt from JIS)

IMF says Trinidad economy slowly recovering

T

he International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the economy of Trinidad and Tobago is slowly recovering from a prolonged recession driven by energy supply shocks and low energy prices.

“With signs of improvement driven by energy sector growth from the second half of

2017, the economy is expected to return to positive growth in 2018 as the recovery takes hold in the non-energy sector,” said the Washingtonbased financial institution in a statement on Friday after conclusion of the 2018 Article IV Mission.

“Good progress is being made in implementing fis-

cal consolidation,” it added. “As growth gathers pace, policies should focus on completing the fiscal adjustment, while insulating the economy from future commodity price swings within a medium-term fiscal policy framework, and on creating an enabling environment for the non-energy sector as an engine of growth.”

The IMF said the economy shows signs of improvement from the second half of 2017, with a return to positive growth expected in 2018 following two years of recession.

It said real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted at a slower pace of 2.6 per cent in 2017, following the 6.1 per cent drop in 2016 driven by

energy sector shocks.

“The strong recovery in gas production in 2017 had knock-on effects on downstream industries, while oil production remained largely flat, at a historically low level,” the IMF said. “The weak non-energy sector dampened the overall growth, reflecting weak activity in construction,

financial services and trade; continued shortage of foreign exchange and slow implementation of public investment projects weighed on the sector.” It said headline inflation fell to historic lows of 1.9 per cent in 2017 on weak aggregate demand, and further to 1.1 per cent in April. (Excerpt from

CMC)

monDAY, july 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Thai cave rescue: 4 boys New Jersey father, 4 daughters freed but rest must wait killed in horrific crash

T

he operation to free 12 boys and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand is running "smoothly", the head of the operation says.

Four boys have been brought above ground so far in good health, rescuers say.

The mission has now been paused for at least 10 hours as air tanks need to be replaced.

Rescuers decided to go ahead with the hazardous operation on Sunday because of fears of rising waters.

The next phase would begin this morning, after relaying "all of the air tanks and all systems along the way", Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said.

He corrected earlier reports that said six boys had been freed.

T

There were cheers and applause as the first boys' rescue was confirmed

Divers have been guiding the boys through darkness and submerged passageways towards the mouth of the Tham Luang cave system. They have reportedly been able to make the last part on foot.

Rescuers took advantage of a break in the rain to launch the mission much earlier than originally expected.

The first phase has also been conducted much faster than officials had predicted.

The group and their families had all given their agreement that they should be moved as soon as possible, said Narongsak.

A team of 90 expert divers – 40 from Thailand and 50 from overseas – has been working in the cave system.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

hey were finally able to get away from school and work, spending a week together at the beach, eating crabs and relaxing as they kicked off their summer vacation.

On their way back to New Jersey, however, tragedy struck on a Delaware highway, as a horrific car crash took the lives of five of the six Trinidad family members — including all four daughters.

Audie Trinidad, 61, and his four daughters, ages 13 to 20, died when their minivan struck a heavy-duty pickup truck that had crossed the grassy median on Delaware Highway 1, one of the state's busiest highways.

Mary Rose Ballocanag, Trinidad's 53-year-old wife and mother of their children, was in the passenger seat and survived. She remained in serious condition at a Delaware hospital on Saturday.

From right: Audie Trinidad with his daughters Allison, 13, and Melissa, 13, his wife Mary Rose, daughter Kaitlyn, 20, and daughter Danna, 17. Photo taken in Delaware on July 4. (Photo:

Courtesy of Trinidad Family)

Devastated relatives gathered Saturday at the family's Teaneck home to process the tragic news.

Trinidad and Ballocanag both came to America from the Philippines more than 30 years ago.

Their four daughters, Kaitlyn, 20; Danna, 17; and 13-year-old twins, Melissa and Allison, attended school in Teaneck.

The family was identified

by Audie Trinidad's brother, Danny, who arrived in Teaneck on Saturday from his home in North Miami Beach, Florida.

"How do you bury five people at the same time?" asked Danny Trinidad.

"This is like a tragedy a hundred times over." (Excerpt from

Eritrea and Ethiopia to reestablish diplomatic ties British woman dies after

E

ritrea and Ethiopia are to re-establish diplomatic and trade ties after long years of hostility.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaia Afwerki made the announcement during a landmark meeting in the latter's capital Asmara.

It is the first time the leaders from the two East African neighbours have met in almost 20 years.

Relations were severed following a border dispute which killed tens of thou-

sands of people in the late 1990s.

A peace deal was signed in December 2000. However, Ethiopia refused to accept the final ruling of a border commission two years later, which awarded disputed territory to Eritrea, including the town of Badme.

The countries have been on a war footing ever since.

Sunday's meeting, which follows a visit to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa by an Eritrean delegation, comes after Abiy said his country would accept the Commission's ruling.

In speeches broadcast live on State television on Sunday, Prime Minister Abiy and President Isaias said they had agreed to set up embassies in their respective capitals, while landlocked Ethiopia will be allowed to use Eritrean ports on the Red Sea. The two countries will also resume flights between each other, as well as direct phone connections.

The meeting was greeted with excitement in Eritrea, where thousands of people lined the streets singing and waving both countries' flags.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

North Korea: Mike Pompeo rejects 'gangster-like' accusation

U

S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has dismissed accusations by North Korea that he engaged in "gangster-like" behaviour during a visit there.

After two days of talks with senior officials, he said efforts to push Pyongyang towards abandoning nuclear weapons had international backing.

He stressed that denuclearisation was a condition for lifting sanctions.

It was Pompeo's first visit to the North since last month's summit between Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump.

The North Korean leader says he is committed to denuclearisation, but how this will be achieved is unclear.

Pompeo did not meet

Kim. Instead, on Friday and Saturday he held talks with Kim Jong-chol, seen as the North Korean leader's righthand man, on how to proceed with denuclearisation.

Afterwards, State media carried a statement saying the US had gone against the spirit of the summit by acting unilaterally to put pressure on the country. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

USAToday)

Novichok poisoning

A

44-year-old British woman died on Sunday after being exposed to the Novichok nerve agent in western England just a few miles from where Russian exspy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were struck down by the same agent four months ago.

Police said they were continuing to investigate

how Dawn Sturgess and a 45-year-old man, named by media as Charlie Rowley, came across an item contaminated with Novichok, which was developed by the Soviet military during the Cold War. The March attack on the Skripals prompted the biggest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats since the Cold War as allies sid-

ed with Britain’s view that Moscow was either responsible or had lost control of the nerve agent.

Moscow hit back by expelling Western diplomats.

The death of Sturgess was being investigated as a murder, Police said in a statement.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was appalled and shocked by the death.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Japan floods: “Extreme danger” amid record rainfall

P

arts of western Japan hit by deadly floods and landslides are facing unprecedented danger as more downpours are expected, officials warn.

"We've never experienced this kind of rain before," a weather official said.

More than 60 people are dead and dozens missing after record rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks in Hiroshima and other areas.

Two million people have

been ordered to evacuate.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said rescuers were "working against time".

"There are still many people missing and others in need of help," the prime minister told reporters on Sunday.

Since Thursday parts of western Japan have received three times the usual rainfall for the whole of July, setting off floods and landslides. Most of the deaths have occurred in Hiroshima

prefecture.

In the town of Motoyama, on Shikoku island, 583 millimetres (23in) of rain fell between Friday morning and Saturday morning.

Further rain warnings are in effect, with more than 250mm (10 in) predicted to fall in some areas by Monday. An official at the Japanese Meteorological Agency told a news conference: "This is a situation of extreme danger." (Excerpt from

BBC News)

At least 10 killed as train derails in northwest Turkey

A

t least 10 people have been killed and 73 others injured in a train accident in northwest Turkey, State media quoted the Health Ministry Undersecretary as saying.

The train, carrying 362 passengers, came off the rails in northwest Turkey

in Tekirdag, about due to heavy rains and 120 kilometres west landslides, officials said. of Istanbul, blamed "A suburban train heavy rain for the dehad an accident ... railment. "Our helidue to a landfall. copter ambulances Unfortunately, we have have reached the site. fatalities and casualMany of those injured ties," a statement from have been taken off the the Prime Minister's Office said.

Television images showed emergency personnel at the crash site, as the site," Mehmet Ceylan said.

The local governor army announced that it has sent the area helicopters [Anadolu]

The private NTV television said that five of six train cars derailed in the incident. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said he had received information from the Ministers of Transport and Interior about the incident, and sent condolences for those killed. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, july 9, 2018

ARCHIE

You've got moves that will attract attention. Whether (March 21- a verbal or physical contriApril 19) bution, your effort will carry weight and drum up the support needed to accomplish your goal.

ARIES

Your desire for change TAURUS must not be confused with (April 20- what’s actually doable. Don’t May 20) lose sight of your original idea or you will end up going over budget or taking on too much.

dilbert

Put your energy into doing GEMINI (May 21- things for yourself. The effort June 20) you put in will save you money and help you build the confidence required to take on more complex projects.

If you expand your interests, you will come in contact (June 21- with someone who motivates July 22) you to achieve your dreams.

Personal gains are within reach and a change should be welcome.

CANCER

Peanuts

Hold on to what you’ve got LEO rather than trying to jump (July 23- into something new. Patience Aug. 22) will be required. Listen to your inner voice.

If you take a greater interVIRGO est in what others are doing, (Aug. 23you’ll learn something that Sept. 22) will help you bring about personal change. A lifestyle adjustment will be energizing.

Calvin and Hobbes

Take stock of the past LIBRA (Sept. 23- and make a couple of changOct. 23) es that will help you spend less money. Monitoring your habits will be liberating and will lead to a healthy and fruitful future.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Let your free-spirited, adSAGITTARIUS venturous side take the reins.

(Nov. 23- Trips, meetings and educaDec. 21) tional pursuits will lead to new beginnings and interesting prospects. A romantic gesture will intrigue you.

TODAY’S WORD — FABULIST (FABULIST: FAB-yuh-list: A teller of tales.)

Average mark 31 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 43 or more words in FABULIST? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY’S WORD — ASPIRE

aper apse arise sari sear sepia sire spar spare

spear spire spirea pair pare parse pear pier praise

prase pries raise rape rase rasp reap ripe rise

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Look at the logistics of a SCORPIO situation before you decide (Oct. 24to engage in it. Know what Nov. 22) and who you are up against before you begin a discussion that could lead to an irreversible event.

solution for last published puzzle

Put a minimum and maxCAPRICORN imum in place when deal(Dec. 22- ing with financial affairs. A Jan. 19) change of heart will leave you wondering what went wrong.

Consider your options and proceed with caution.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

It doesn’t matter who said what, it matters who did what. Don’t fall short on your promises, and make positive adjustments that will secure your personal finances and impress a loved one.

Keep your emotions out of important decisions.

Having a level head will help you gain the confidence of people you will need on your team to get ahead.

monDAY, JUly 9, 2018

19

Vettel wins British Grand Prix after Hamilton’s early stutter

A

day at the British Grand Prix that had begun with such great expectation and a celebratory air ended with an unlikely podium place for Lewis Hamilton but it was far from the champagne moment the four-times world champion had imagined.

Indeed Hamilton’s disappointment at his second place to Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was writ large and left the British driver questioning Ferrari’s race tactics after any chance of a win disappeared when he was hit by Kimi Räikkönen on the opening lap.

Hamilton had opened the competitive part of the meeting at Silverstone with a superb pole position and was further buoyed by England’s subsequent World Cup win against Sweden.

A record crowd of 140,500 had duly arrived at the old airfield in fine spirits, anticipating their weekend would continue in a winning vein. But they and Hamilton were facing heartbreak by the end of lap one. That he managed to contain Vettel’s extension of his championship lead to eight points will have been of cold comfort.

Hamilton made a poor start, being too aggressive as the lights went out and suffering from wheelspin, allowing Vettel and

his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who finished in fourth, to get past.

Worse was to come.

Räikkönen charged after him and, attempting to go up the inside into Village, the Finn locked up and his left front clipped the right rear of Hamilton’s Mercedes, sending the British driver into a spin and to the back of the field.

Hamilton’s recovery drive was as good a comeback as any he has managed but it was not the record-breaking sixth win he had been hoping for and, with a Ferrari hitting a Mercedes for the second time in three races, he was far from happy.

In France Vettel had clipped Bottas in turn one, damaging the Finn’s car for which the German received a five-second penalty. Here Räikkönen was given a 10-second penalty for “causing a collision” at turn three and Hamilton referred to the incidents collectively as “interesting tactics”, noting there had now been two races where Ferraris had “taken out” a Mercedes.

His comments were given short shrift by Vettel and Räikkönen but Hamilton is within his rights to feel aggrieved that the penalties were not commensurate with how costly

Sebastian Vettel celebrates on the podium with Lewis Hamilton

the incidents proved. But he also admitted the best way to avoid clashes was to ensure a clean getaway from the front of the grid and it was when the lights went out that he suffered the setback that left him battling Räikkönen.

The fans, who had been chanting for their hero through the drivers’ parade, were left silenced and deflated as the scale of the task facing Hamilton became clear. But they were treated to what became a gripping encounter as Ferrari

and Mercedes traded attack and defence to a thrilling climax.

Bottas had clung as close as possible to Vettel out front but Hamilton was charging in their wake. The home crowd roared their approval every time Hamilton claimed a place back and they were kept in good voice – he had caught the top six by lap 10 although by then he was a full 27 seconds down on Vettel.

Having passed the midfield, the real task was ahead.

Hamilton pumped in a sequence

of quick laps, staying out long on the soft rubber, and he was the last of the frontrunners to pit on lap 25 taking the medium tyres, emerging behind Räikkönen in sixth, 10 seconds back from the Finn.

On lap 32 Marcus Ericsson crashed his Sauber at Abbey, bringing out the safety car, which allowed Hamilton to close up on the leaders. Ferrari, struggling with tyre wear, immediately pitted both their drivers for fresh rubber but Mercedes kept Hamilton and Bottas out, gaining track position.

When racing resumed after six laps, Bottas led Vettel from Hamilton. It was finely poised but more drama was to follow.

The race had barely restarted when Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean came together at Copse and the safety car was deployed again. Racing restarted on lap 42 and Vettel immediately charged at Bottas and they went wheel to wheel, the Finn defending brilliantly, as did Hamilton with Räikkönen snapping at his heels.

With the two Mercedes on older rubber, the Ferraris had the edge and the sight of the four of them sweeping lineastern in a mighty battle through Silverstone’s glorious high-speed corners was breathtaking.

It was Vettel, however, who

ended on top and deservedly so.

He finally retook the lead with a brilliant move up the inside of Bottas at Brooklands on lap 47.

With the Finn struggling with a lack of grip on older rubber, Hamilton passed him for second a lap later, with Räikkönen then able to squeeze past for third.

It was a denouement few could have expected and will be long-remembered even if it was not quite the conclusion the home crowd had really wanted.

For Vettel it had been a major result for the Scuderia at a meeting Hamilton and Mercedes have won on the last four occasions. “We have struggled a lot here in the past,” Vettel said. “It was important for us to do well and to make the difference was great.”

For Hamilton, despite the disappointment and his displeasure with Ferrari, he was able to take some satisfaction at minimising the damage. “To get back to second was huge for us,” he said. “I will take it, for us I’m happy with the drive and what the team were able to do.” He went to greet the fans as always but for the first time in five years it was a relatively muted, conciliatory affair after a race the world champion would doubtless sooner forget. (The

Guardian)

Sharma smashes century to win T20 series over England

R

ohit Sharma, purring through the gears in conditions that have the best batsmen salivating, guided India to an emphatic sevenwicket win to ensure the tourists victory in this T20 series.

Sharma even outshone Virat Kohli, who, in between some delicious strokeplay of his own, was happy to be a spectator for much of the time at the other end. On a postage stamp of a

pitch England’s bowlers were ruthlessly shredded. The fans in the stands needed helmets as well as sunhats.

India knocked off the runs with eight balls to spare. England had a tiny glimmer of hope after two fine catches disposed of Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul.

Jake Ball dived to his left at short fine leg in the manner of the great Jordan Pickford in Russia – except that he decided

SCOREBOARD

England Innings (20 overs maximum) JJ Roy c †Dhoni b Chahar 67 JC Buttler † b Kaul 34 AD Hales c †Dhoni b Pandya 30 EJG Morgan (c) c †Dhoni b Pandya 6 BA Stokes c Kohli b Pandya 14 JM Bairstow c †Dhoni b Pandya 25 DJ Willey b Yadav 1 CJ Jordan run out (†Dhoni) 3 LE Plunkett c †Dhoni b Kaul 9 AU Rashid not out 4 Extras (lb 4, nb 1) 5 TOTAL:(20 Overs, RR: 9.9) 198-9 Did not bat: JT Ball Fall of wickets: 1-94 (JC Buttler, 7.5 ov), 2-103 (JJ Roy, 9.2 ov), 3-134 (EJG Morgan, 13.2 ov), 4-140 (AD Hales, 13.6 ov), 5-177 (BA Stokes, 17.4 ov), 6-181 (JM Bairstow, 17.6 ov), 7-183 (DJ Willey, 18.3 ov), 8-194 (LE Plunkett, 19.3 ov),

9-198 (CJ Jordan, 19.6 ov) BOWLING: DL Chahar (4-0-431), UT Yadav (4-0-48-1), S Kaul (4-0-35-2), HH Pandya (4-038-4), YS Chahal (4-0-30-0) India Innings (target: 199 runs from 20 overs) RG Sharma not out 100 S Dhawan c Ball b Willey 5 KL Rahul c Jordan b Ball 19 V Kohli (c) c & b Jordan 43 HH Pandya not out 33 Extras (w 1) 1 TOTAL (18.4 Overs, RR: 10.76) 201-3 Did not bat: SK Raina, MS Dhoni †, DL Chahar, UT Yadav, YS Chahal, S Kaul Fall of wickets: 1-21 (S Dhawan, 2.1 ov), 2-62 (KL Rahul, 5.2 ov), 3-151 (V Kohli, 14.5 ov) BOWLING: DJ Willey (3-0-371), JT Ball (3-0-39-1), CJ Jordan (3.4-0-40-1), LE Plunkett (30-42-0), BA Stokes (2-0-11-0), AU Rashid (4-0-32-0)

to take the ball in two hands – while Chris Jordan’s catch sprinting back from mid-on to dismiss Rahul was astounding.

Both these Englishmen looked as if they were enjoying fielding rather more than bowling on another sun-kissed afternoon.

Sharma mixed power with delicacy when playing the decisive innings of the day, which was his third international T20 century. There were wonderfully deft glides past the outstretched arms of the keeper as well as the familiar drives and clips over the nearby boundary – he hit five sixes.

Kohli kept Sharma company in an 89-run partnership before becoming a victim to a superb catch by the bowler. He drilled the ball back at great velocity and Jordan (of course) somehow wrapped his hands around it.

However, another little moment of Jordan magic did not delay India’s romp to victory. Hardik Pandya merrily joined in the fun to allow India to complete a stress-free Sunday afternoon stroll.

Eoin Morgan acknowledged afterwards that England did not have enough runs on the board.

“We had a great platform but we didn’t do it justice. Normally that is one of the best parts of our game”. Then he uttered the words that flow from just about every losing captain: “In the end we were about 20 to 30 runs short”.

England’s innings began

rapidly but never accelerated: 198 was once a formidable total but here it never felt better than par. Bristol used to have one of the biggest playing surfaces on the county circuit but it has shrunk alarmingly with the advent of so many temporary stands. This is bad news for spinners; Moeen Ali was scarcely considered for England, while Kuldeep Yadav, England’s tormentor at Old Trafford, was more surprisingly omitted by India. These short boundaries do not enhance the game if they result in the omission of enchanting spin bowlers despite the yearning for an avalanche of sixes to keep the punters h a p p y .

Yesterday a couple of sliced drives cleared the boundary at third man to compound the injustice to bowlers.

England’s openers added 94 together in 7.4 overs. Even so it remains debatable whether this is the best combination at the top in this format. In their team they have plenty of batsmen who are capable of opening but some of them are less adept – and less accustomed – at batting at the tailend of the innings.

Jos Buttler hit five of his first seven balls to the boundary and then Jason Roy took over. He hit seven sixes, which equalled the record among Englishmen in this format, putting himself

alongside Morgan and Ravi Bopara. Most of them were drilled towards the sightscreen or beyond. Roy managed to overshadow Buttler, who seemed to have mislaid his powers of timing when he swung at Siddarth Kaul and missed.

Roy raced to 67 inside 10 overs before being caught behind by MS Dhoni trying to guide the ball down to third man. This one of five catches for the veteran keeper, who also executed a dead-eyed runout from the last ball of the innings. His most spectacular catc h

the stumps, but he did catch the ball.

This terminated the scratchiest of innings from Morgan. Initially Alex Hales was not much more fluent, while Jonny Bairstow, who is in sparkling form, prowled around in the dugout. Morgan has talked of flexibility in the lineup - and here he had taken the unusual step of omitting Joe Root from the XI. Afterwards Morgan said that Root will definitely return to the side for the ODIs, which begin on Thursday. (The Guardian)

dismissed Morgan.

England’s captain, having just been dropped off a skier by Yuzvendra Chahal, hit the next ball even higher into the air. Dhoni took charge and kept his eye on the ball, which meant that he did not see the Rohit Sharma equalled the stumps as he circled. So world record for T20 centuries Dhoni crashed through with his ton against England

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monDAY, JUly 9, 2018

Sagan wins stage 2 to take yellow jersey W

orld champion Peter Sagan won stage two of the Tour de France to take the overall race lead.

The Slovak surged past French hope Arnaud Demare on the slight incline to the finish and held off the fast-finishing Italian Sonny Colbrelli.

Sagan takes the yellow jersey from stage-one winner Fernando Gaviria, who was unable to contest the sprint after being held up by a late crash.

Defending champion Chris Froome avoided the pile-up to finish in the peloton.

After his crash on stage one, Froome will be happy to get through stage two unscathed and his Team Sky team-mates worked hard in the closing kilometres to keep him up near the front of the race and out of danger.

His team-mate Geraint Thomas is the highest-placed British rider, in seventh, 15 seconds adrift of Sagan. Thomas, who says he is being given a freer role

by Team Sky in the opening week, could find himself in the yellow jersey after Monday's third stage, which is a 35.5km team time trial.

He said: "We're communicating well and riding well - the guys are doing well for me and Froome.

"We'll try to get the stage win first in the team time trial and then if we do end

self after early breakaway partners Michael Gogl and Dion Smith, who claimed the polka dot climbers jersey, dropped back following the day's sole climb.

The 39-year-old, who rides for Vendee-based Direct Energie, is competing in a record 18th Tour de France and was given a rapturous reception throughout his solo effort.

Monday's stage three is a 35.5km team time trial circuit around Cholet, with the

time for each team taken from the fourth rider across the line.

In his stage-by-stage guide for BBC Sport, Mark Cavendish said: "It's open roads and it's relatively straightforward but that means horse power is needed. My Dimension Data team will be trying to save energy for upcoming stages.

We know we're not really in with a chance of winning but we'll give it our best shot."

(BBC Sport)

Stage two results

Peter Sagan (left) sprints in the last metres to win, ahead of Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli (right) and France’s Arnaud Demare

up in yellow that would be a nice bonus."

Four-time winner Froome is one minute seven seconds down on Sagan, as are rivals Richie Porte and Adam Yates, who crashed again on stage two but was able to recover quickly.

They remain 51 seconds down on the other main contenders Romain Bardet, Tom Dumoulin, Mikel Landa, Vincenzo Nibali and Rigoberto Uran.

British sprinter Mark Cavendish was caught behind the late crash, ensuring the Dimension Data rider was again unable to contest the finale.

Bora-Hansgrohe rider Sagan provided yet another reminder of his supreme all-

round talents in securing his ninth Tour de France stage victory after a 182.5km race to La Roche-sur-Yon in the Vendee.

The 2018 Paris-Roubaix winner showed great positional sense and bike-handling to ensure he was not caught up in the crash on a right-hand bend inside the final two kilometres before kicking clear of his rivals on the uphill drag to the finish.

He also claimed 17 points for second place at the intermediate sprint, behind solo breakaway rider Sylvain Chavanel, to establish a 26-point lead over Gaviria in the green jersey points classification.

With Sagan also able to contest stages over hilly ter-

rain, it is already looking very difficult for any rider to deny him a record-equalling sixth green jersey, tying the mark of former German sprinter Erik Zabel.

"I have to say a big thanks to all my teammates because they were at the front for the last 30km in the end I expected something easier but it was really tough," said Sagan.

However, he added that he would be in yellow "just for one day" as he expects to lose the race lead in Monday's team time trial.

Before the race came back together with around 14km of the stage remaining, French veteran Chavanel had spent nearly 140km out front by him-

1. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) 4hrs 6mins 37secs 2. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) same time 3. Arnaud Demare (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) 4. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto Soudal) 5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE Team Emirates) 6. Timothy Dupont (Bel/Wanty-Groupe Gobert) 7. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) 8. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita/Wanty-Groupe Gobert) 9. John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo) 10. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Quick-Step Floors)

General classification after stage two

1. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) 8hrs 29mins 53secs 2. Fernando Gaviria (Col/Quick-Step Floors) +6secs 3. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) +10secs 4. Marcel Kittel (Ger/Katusha-Alpecin) +12secs 5. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra/Direct Energie) +13secs 6. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Quick-Step Floors) +14secs 7. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +15secs 8. Oliver Naesen (Bel/AG2R La Mondiale) same time 9. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE Team Emirates) +16secs 10. John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo) same time

Selected:

81. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +1min 7secs 84. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) same time

UFC 226…

Cormier knocks out Miocic ̶ becomes two-weight world champ

D

aniel Cormier sensationally knocked out Stipe Miocic in the first round to capture the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship of the world and potentially booked himself into a heavyweight title superfight with Brock Lesnar in the process.

UFC light-heavyweight champ Cormier moved back up to heavyweight to take on reigning champion Miocic at UFC 226 in Las Vegas.

And, after an exhilarating start to the bout that saw both men trade heavy leather, Cormier made the crucial breakthrough in the final minute of the opening round.

The pair clinched in the centre of the octagon and, as Miocic looked to break, Cormier came over the top with a short right hand that landed clean behind the champion's ear, sending him crashing to the canvas.

It meant that Cormier became a two-weight world champion, and gave the former US Olympic wrestling captain the biggest moment of his sporting career.

"I am 39 years old and I’ve been second many times," he told cocommentator Joe Rogan after the fight.

"But today I have accomplished everything I ever wanted."

Former UFC heavyweight champion and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar was in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to watch Miocic and Cormier do battle for the belt at UFC 226.

And, after Cormier had finished his post-fight interview with Rogan, the newly-crowned heavyweight champion

took the microphone and proceeded to cut a pro-wrestling style 'promo' as he called WWE superstar Lesnar into the octagon.

"Now there’s a guy who I’ve known for a long time,” he began.

“I never thought I’d get to fight him. He’s another wrestler, another AllAmerican. Brock Lesnar! Get your a** into my octagon!"

The pair briefly faced off, before Lesnar firmly shoved the newlycrowned champion backwards.

Cormier grabbed the mic and declared: "You can shove me now and go to sleep later!"

It was pure pro wrestling promotion, but it starts the hype ahead of a potential matchup between the pair, with rumours circulating that they will meet at UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden in New York on 3 November.

Speaking to the press after the event, UFC president Dana White wouldn’t confirm the date or the venue, but he did confirm that Lesnar would indeed be Cormier’s first UFC heavyweight title defence, saying: “We’re definitely going to make that fight.”

Ngannou and Lewis deliver a damp squib The night's heavyweight co-main event between contender Derrick Lewis and former title challenger Francis Ngannou was expected to deliver an exciting clash, and possibly an early knockout finish. Instead it delivered one of the most boring contests seen inside the octagon.

Herb Dean talking to Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis about

timidity was not where I thought this fight was headed. Wow. Both men were overly wary of the other's punch power, with French contender Ngannou noticeably backing away whenever Lewis attempted to engage.

The American had some limited success with kicks and at least appeared to be trying to push forward at points, but overall the bout was a crashing disappointment as the octagon was showered with boos from the nonplussed Las Vegas crowd.

Lewis took the unanimous decision with scores of 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, but the victory will have done nothing for his world title hopes after one of the worst UFC fights in recent memory.

Action all the way down the card While the co-main event proved to be a dud, the fans were treated to a host of exciting bouts further down the card, with a host of remarkable performances and stunning finishes.

Welterweight slugger 'Platinum' Mike Perry and short-notice replacement Paul 'The Irish Dragon' Felder served up an incredible threeround war in their main card bout.

Perry edged the fight via splitdecision after a non-stop, drag-out affair, but Felder's coach Duke Roufus confirmed to press row after the fight that his man fought almost all of the fight with a broken arm after sustaining an injury early in the first round.

It was also big night for former UFC lightweight champion Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis, who bounced back

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier KO-ed the Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic to reign supreme in both weight classes

from his TKO loss to Dustin Poirier last November with a stunning submission finish of fellow lightweight contender Michael 'Maverick' Chiesa.

And there was a huge shock in the opening bout of the main card, as former K-1 kickboxing legend Gokhan Saki was stopped in just 96 seconds

by Las Vegas light-heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. Prelim stars claim big wins The preliminary card saw a host of decision wins, but there were standout stoppage wins for lightweight Dan 'The Hangman' Hooker and middleweight Paulo 'The Eraser' Costa.

Rising Kiwi star Hooker produced

a near punch-perfect performance to stun, then finish three-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Gilbert Burns in the first round of their lightweight contest.

And Brazilian powerhouse Costa engaged in a wild back-and-forth war with Jamaican-born New Yorker Uriah 'Primetime' Hall.

After finding himself on the wrong end of Hall's rangy jab for much of the opening round, Costa walked down his opponent in the second and unleashed a vicious combination, landing a left hook to the chin, then a powerful right to the body, to finish Hall mid-way through the second round. (Review Journal)

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ix days gone, seven to go - many seeds have fallen but the queen and king of Wimbledon remain standing.

Between them Roger Federer and Serena Williams have made it into the second week 31 times in total - and going by their form so far they both look a good bet to go all the way.

Add to the mix Federer’s old foes, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and you still have a strong men’s competition.

However, only Karolina Pliskova remains among the top 10 players in the women’s tournament.

Elsewhere, there are no Britons in the second week for the first time since 2007, with the two main hopes Kyle Edmund and Johanna

Konta dumped out at the third and second-round stage respectively.

The superlatives keep getting recycled for the Swiss player, who at the age of 36 seems to be enjoying a prolonged Indian summer.

It has been three matches and three easy wins so far this tournament, and the number one seed remains a short favourite to win his ninth title.

With the early departure of number three seed Marin Cilic and three-time Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka, the tennis great’s side of the draw has opened up.

However, former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe told BBC Sport that those remaining could still prove difficult opposi-

tion.

“After 22nd seed Adrian Mannarino, there’s the big-serving Kevin Anderson, or there’s the South African’s opponent Gael Monfils, who can provide excitement and seems to be playing at his best,” said the 59-year-old threetime champion.

“And in the semi-finals, he [Federer] could face John Isner, another player you cannot discount because of the way he serves, or maybe Milos Raonic, who would be the guy to take the racquet out of the hand.”

Serena easing back into elite as top seeds fall?

There were question marks over how the seven-time Wimbledon champion would perform on her re-

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Roger Federer and Serena Williams have won 15 Wimbledon singles titles between them

turn “home”.

Williams only started competing again in singles in March after more than a year out during which she gave birth to her first child.

Then there was the chest muscle injury she suffered at the French Open prior to her fourth-round match against Maria Sharapova.

But she has navigated through three matches here without dropping a set, and according to former American tennis player Chanda Rubin, Williams is getting stronger by each round.

“Williams appears to be physically OK, and worryingly for her rivals we are starting to see that big serve,” the 42-year-old former world number six told BBC Sport.

“Going into the second week, I think Serena has as good a shot as anyone to win this event, which is crazy to think.

“The last-32 match against Kristina Mladenovic was tricky, but she was able to come through it like she’s been playing all year. It was remarkable.”

French player Mladenovic later posted on Instagram her thoughts about Williams: “You are definitely a different league than anyone else.”

Next up for the 36-yearold American is Russian world number 120 Evgeniya Rodina - they meet for the first time. (BBC Sport)

Hierro steps down from Spain role

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ernando Hierro, who led Spain at the 2018 World Cup, has stepped down as coach and will not return to his former role as sporting director.

Hierro was placed in temporary charge of the team after Julen Lopetegui was sacked on the eve of the tournament.

However, the 2010 world champions were knocked out on penalties by hosts Russia in the last 16.

Hierro, 50, has decided to “seek new horizons”, according to the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

A statement said the former Real Madrid player had “declined” to return to his previous role and has opted t o

Fernando Hierro is a three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid

“undertake new professional challenges”.

Lopetegui was sacked two days before their opening World Cup match with Portugal after he was named Real Madrid boss.

Lopetegui became Spain manager in 2016 following Vicente del

Bosque’s retirement, and remained unbeaten through his reign.

In Russia, Spain topped Group B under Hierro.

However, they conceded a late equaliser against Portugal and trailed Morocco 1-0 and 2-1 before scraping a draw in injury time.

After their surprise exit to Russia, Hierro said he ac-

cepted responsibility for the team’s failure to advance any further.

“We all tried to give it our best but that’s football,” he said.

“I don’t think you can talk about the team breaking down or collapsing.

There’s a fine line between winning and losing.” (BBC Sport)

22

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monDAY, JUly 9, 2018

Bartica hosts Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” this weekend – Providence Stadium venue for national playoffs’ final

W

ho will represent Bartica in the prestigious national playoffs of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition will be known this weekend when the final zone of the competition is played in that dynamic Region Seven community.

Word emanating from that community is that defending champions River View will be hard pressed to retain their crown, won last year at the inaugural competition.

In that final, River View had squeezed past Police, and the lawmen have already vowed to exact revenge in this year’s edition, which also has at stake a place in the national playoffs slated for later this month.

The national playoffs are set to be staged on July 27th and August 3rd at the Pouderoyen Tarmac and

A capacity crowd is always on hand to witness the action throughout Guyana

Haslington Market Square respectively, while the final will be played at the National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

According to Guinness

Brand Manager Lee Baptiste, ways have been explored to improve the tournament all-round, and he thinks the move to have the final played at the National

Stadium for the first time is the right one; thus he expects a large turnout of fans, as usual.

“It is always our intention to have improvements

every year, and with the projected addition of stands to accommodate seated patrons, I think we will witness a wider cross section of fans’ support,” Baptiste said.

The games will be played on the tarmac at the National Stadium, and entry is free.

The tournament is widely regarded as the most popular street format of the game. Attendance is usually massive, and the benefit of cohesion and friendship among competing communities is usually the primary objective of the organisers.

It must be noted also that Banks DIH, under its Guinness brand, has offered to give back to the respective communities from whence the winners of the zones originate. Sixteen teams will participate in the national playoffs.

Meanwhile, the qualifiers for the national playoffs are seen below: Georgetown Gold is Money-Champion Sparta Boss Leopold Street Bent Street

East Coast Demerara Uprising-Champion Paradise Melanie-B Buxton Diamond

West Demerara Showstoppers-Champion ESPN West Side Ballers

Linden Silver Bullets-Champion Dave and Celina’s All-StarsNational Champion Swag Entertainment

Berbice Trafalgar-Champion

Sky Sports to National Swim Programme paddles off today broadcast Hero S CPL 2018 in UK and Ireland cores of children will on Monday get the opportunity of a lifetime to learn or refresh their memory of a basic life skill when the Department of Social Cohesion of the Ministry of the Presidency and the National Sports Commission (NSC) hosts their annual ‘Learn to Swim’ Programme.

This programme, which caters

to school- age children every year, is aimed at teaching the skill of swimming, which can come in handy in the future.

The programme had, in past years, been a huge success, attracting over 100 students at each session and ensuring that they leave with the much-needed skill. Organisers have even gone as far to implement an

Easter version of the programme. This year’s installment of the vacation edition will run from July 9th to August 17th, 2018.

The Colgrain Swimming Pool, located on Camp Street, will be host to the children, aged 6-10 years, whilst the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara will be venue for the sessions for the 11-to-16-year-olds.

NBA Summer League…

Summer Standouts light up MGM A look at top performers from the second day of action at the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League:

T

he 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be aired live in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland via Sky Sports, which will show all 34 matches live.

This year’s tournament will run from August 8 to September 16, and will see some of the best cricketers in the world taking part in the “Biggest Party in Sport”.

With Caribbean cricketers Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, D w a y n e Bravo and K i e r o n Pollard joining global superstars Chris Lynn, David Warner, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and others, this year’s

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

tournament is set to be the biggest yet.

Broadcasting Hero CPL further cements Sky Sports’ commitment to bringing the best action from around the world on their dedicated cricket channel. Damien O’Donohue, CEO of the Hero CPL, is delighted with the news that Sky will be a broadcast partner in 2018.

“Sky Sports (have) an unrivalled heritage and portfolio of sports in the UK and Ireland. As the number one sports broadcaster in the region, they are the perfect home for cricket fans to enjoy the Biggest Party in Sport this year,” he said.

The No. 1 pick got the better of No. 2 pick Marvin Bagley III (who suffered a hip injury) in their head-to-head matchup. The 7-1 Ayton did all of his work in the paint, scoring 21 points (on 8-for-11 shooting) and grabbing 12 rebounds as the Suns improved to 2-0 with a win over the Kings in front of a big crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center.

shooting. He added four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Trevon Bluiett, New Orleans Pelicans

Bluiett, a non-roster rookie from Xavier, followed up his 24-point performance on Friday with 26 on Saturday.

The Pelicans are 2-0, having out-

Wade Baldwin IV, Portland Trail Blazers

The No. 17 pick of the 2016 Draft was waived after just one season with the Grizzlies, but he's getting a second chance with the Blazers, who will have make a decision on his non-guaranteed contract in a couple of weeks. The 6-4 guard led the way with 20 points (on 9-for-13 shooting) and five assists as the Blazers got a win over the Jazz in their Vegas opener. It would have been a better afternoon if he made more than one of his five free throw attempts.

Antonio Blakeney, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls' two-way guard (who played in 19 games with Chicago last season) led the team to a win over the Cavs, scor25 points on 10-for-

ing 1 9

spite losing Frank Jackson to an ankle injury on Friday), and Bluiett is now 12-for-18 from 3-point range over the two wins, perhaps earning himself a training camp invite with New Orleans or some other team.

John Collins, Atlanta Hawks

A bouncy 6-10 big man who started 26 games and finished Second Team All-Rookie among a strong class should be dominating Summer League. And Collins did just that on Saturday, scoring 30 points in the Hawks' loss to New York at the Thomas & Mack Center. He shot 12-for-20 and drilled four 3s, more than he made in any game last season.

Kevin Knox, New York Knicks

scored their opponents by 39 total points ( d e -

The No. 9 pick had a highlight-filled debut. He shot just 1-for-7 from 3-point range, but finished with 22 points and eight rebounds, getting out in transition for a few thunderous dunks in the Knicks' win over Atlanta. Athletic, versatile and 6-9, Knox could complement the Knicks' last two lottery picks (Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina) very well. (NBA.com) Deandre Ayton looked every bit the No 1 pick in the draft with Saturday's double-double

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, JUly 9, 2018

23

Global T20 Canada

Gayle, Cottrell flatten Windies B team V

eteran opener Chris Gayle scorched a half-century as the Vancouver Knights trounced the Anthony Bramble-led West Indies B team by

3 5 r u n s in Sunday’s Global T20 Canada played at the Maple Leaf

Chris Gayle

North-West Ground.

The Windies opener smacked a 55-ball 63 with five fours and four sixes as the Knights posted 1754 in their 20

his side well thus far and would have wanted more from his bowler’s apart from Derval Green who starred with 3-33.

Chasing a stiff target, the Windies B side collapsed to 140 all out

overs.

Gayle had help from his international teammates Evin Lewis (22) and Andre Russell who hit 32 from 18 with four maximums.

Bramble, the Guyana J a g u a r s Sheldon Cottrell w i c k e t k e e p e r / batsman has been leading with three balls to spare;

despite valiant efforts from Kaveem Hodge (43), Fabian Allen (23) and opener Shamar Springer (19).

Bramble and his Guyanese countryman Sherfane Rutherford had miserable outings with the bat, scoring 5 and 19 respectively as Man-ofthe-Match left-arm pacer Sheldon

Cottrell snared 4-19. Russell chipped in with two wickets while New Zealand star pacer Tim Southee and Guyanese all-rounder Steven Jacobs grabbed a wicket each.

Despite their loss, the Windies B team remain in number one spot with 8 points, followed by the Knights who closely trail in second place with 7 points.

(Clifton Ross)

SCOREBOARD Vancouver Knights Innings (20 overs maximum) CH Gayle (c) c McCoy b Green 63 E Lewisc Allen b Green 22 CAK Walton † c †Bramble b Green 0 HE van der Dussen c Pooran b Pierre 30 AD Russell not out 32 Babar Hayat not out 14 Extras: (lb 2, nb 1, w 11) 14 TOTAL:(20 Overs, RR: 8.75)175-4 Did not bat: TG Southee, Fawad Ahmed, Saad Bin Zafar, SA Jacobs, SS Cottrell Fall of wickets: 1-50 (E Lewis, 5.3 ov), 2-51 (CAK Walton, 5.5 ov), 3-122 (HE van der Dussen, 15.5 ov), 4-132 (CH Gayle, 17.1 ov) BOWLING: KAR Hodge (2-115-0), DC Green (4-0-33-3), OC McCoy (4-0-46-0), SE Rutherford (4-0-18-0), SK Springer (4-042-0), K Pierre (2-1-19-1) West Indies B Innings (target: 176 runs from 20 overs) SE Rutherford run out (Babar Hayat/†Walton/Jacobs) 5 SK Springer c Jacobs

b Southee 19 BA King c Southee b Cottrell 12 N Pooran lbw b Cottrell 13 A Bramble (c) † c Lewis b Fawad Ahmed 5 KAR Hodge b Cottrell 43 FA Allen b Russell 29 DC Green b Cottrell 1 A Athanaze c Gayle b Russell 0 K Pierre not out 2 OC McCoy c †Walton b Jacobs 4 Extras: (lb 3, w 4) 7 TOTAL: all out (19.3 Overs, RR: 7.17) 140 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (SE Rutherford, 1.2 ov), 2-29 (SK Springer, 2.4 ov), 3-50 (BA King, 5.2 ov), 4-50 (N Pooran, 5.3 ov), 5-59 (A Bramble, 7.1 ov), 6-130 (FA Allen, 16.2 ov), 7-132 (KAR Hodge, 17.3 ov), 8-133 (DC Green, 17.5 ov), 9-136 (A Athanaze, 18.3 ov), 10-140 (OC McCoy, 19.3 ov) BOWLING: TG Southee (30-34-1), SA Jacobs (1.3-020-1), SS Cottrell (4-0-194), AD Russell (4-0-20-2), Saad Bin Zafar (3-0-26-0), Fawad Ahmed (4-0-18-1)

"Keep Your 5 Alive" now set for Thursday start ̶ fixtures remain the same

O

pening night action last Saturday forced into reschedule, Kevin Adonis, organiser of the sixth Annual ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ indoor competition, has now set this Thursday for kickoff in this year’s event.

The action is set to be held at the National Gymnasium.

According to Adonis, the forced rescheduling was due mainly to his adherence to a mandate from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) that cautioned against the appearance of players participating in the current Elite League.

Adonis said he received from the GFF a letter which, among other regulations governing the tournament, barred all players who’re participating for clubs in the Elite League from appearing for their community teams in his indoor competition.

“This recent development ordered by the GFF ultimately forced me to reschedule the opening night from last Saturday to this Thursday, to ensure that teams have the opportunity to discuss the directive set by the Federation in order to avoid any (negative) consequenceof their decisions,” Adonis explained.

He said it is unfortunate that the order was not part of an earlier notification he had received from the GFF, because it would have allowed him sufficient time to have discussions with the teams confirmed to participate in the event, so as to avoid the unfortunate cancellation of the previously announced opening night’s action.

He, however, disclosed that he intends to meet with the governing body shortly to address all issues related to the requirements stipulated by the GFF, so that further delays or miscommunication would not occur.

Teams have been drawn from

Georgetown, Linden, Berbice, West and East Bank Demerara and East Coast

Demerara, and prize monies in excess of $1 million will be up for grabs.

He disclosed that thirty-two of the best teams in the country have been assembled, including defending champions West Front Road’s Gold is Money and beaten finalist Future Stars.

Among the other teams making the shortlist are: Sparta Boss, Bent Street, Leopold Street and most of the zone champions of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition.

In opening night action, Rhythm Stars (Mocha) tackle recently-crowned Berbice Guinness champions Trafalgar, and this encounter will be followed by the clash between Agricola and Broad Street.

Kingston then square off against Swag Entertainment out of Linden, before NK Ballers take on Sophia.

In the final game of the night, Leopold Street play host to Melanie Damishana of East Coast Demerara.

The fixtures for the next two playing days are seen below.

On Thursday, July 12, Buxton Diamond engage West Demerara Showstoppers, while the young Uprising team from the East Coast go up against Linden’s Silver Bullets.

ESPN then collide with East Coast BV, before Ann’s Grove and North East La Penitence take to the court.

The rejuvenated Tiger Bay unit then faces California Square, before Sparta Boss and Tucville bring the curtains down on the evening’s activities.

On Saturday, July 14, Albouystown and Upsetters get things going, before Future Stars and Alpha Warriors square off.

Back Circle then tackle Kitty Hustlers, before Linden’s Dave & Celena All Stars go up against Bent Street.

The reigning champs, West Front Road, then close the night with a clash against Alexander Village.

monDAY, JUly 9, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com Participants from a previous ‘Learn to Swim’ Programme held at the Colgrain Swimming Pool

National Swim Programme paddles off today Pg 22

Sky Sports to broadcast Hero CPL 2018 in UK and Ireland Bartica hosts Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” this weekend Pg 22

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Pg 22