Guyana Times Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Rystad oil lecture

Company predicts Guyana could be ranked among 30 largest oil nations P14 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3620

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Berbice River Bridge facing bankruptcy Page 3

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$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Minister Broomes' confrontation

Minister P5 Lawrence apologises to guard

…company applies for toll hike; losses $2.8B …Govt says no to increase

Hundreds stranded as sand truck breaks down P11 on DHB

Venezuelans cross Guyana’s border in P5 search of food, medical care

Pandit, son found murdered in Campbellville home Vendor chopped Guyoil reduces to head during gas prices by $4 home invasion Private aircraft with fake registration number lands at CJIA Page 2

Page 7

Oil will not P9 bring crime to Guyana – US Ambassador ...warns of soaring production of coca in Colombia

Page 10

Page 12

…CANU impounds plane

Man nabbed changing number plate of getaway car after robbery P12

2 news

wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Pandit, son found murdered in Campbellville home

The scene at the now dead men’s Delph and Craig Streets, Campbellville, Georgetown home on Tuesday

A

well-known pandit and his son were on Tuesday morning found dead in their Delph and Craig Streets, Campbellville, Georgetown home after tenants complained of a stench emanating from their home.

The dead men have been identified as 61-yearold Deonarine Liliah and 28-year-old Gopaul Liliah of Lot 25 Craig Street, South Half Section G,

Campbellville, Georgetown.

Reports are detectives found the back door was left ajar. The young man’s body was reportedly found lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood with a red jersey wrapped around his head. There were three stab wounds to his back, one each to the left and right-side abdomen and two to the chest.

On the other hand, his father was found lying on his back in the living room.

He was clad in a pair of white long pants and a multicoloured top and his face was covered with a multicoloured jersey.

He sustained four stab wounds to the front of his abdomen, four to the left side of his abdomen, one to the lower back and one to the right hip.

Sources close to investigations told Guyana Times there was no signs of forced entry.

However, CCTV footage collected from nearby buildings revealed an unidentified man scaled the fence and entered the premises through a front door. After some time, he was seen leaving the house with two bulky bags and a bucket.

The house was ransacked.

Additional information revealed the pandit, who is also an astrologer, and his son resided in the upper flat of a two-storey wooden and concrete building while the lower flat is occupied by a 40-year-old home aid worker.

The two men were last seen at about 06:00h on Saturday last by the tenant, who confirmed that they spoke to each other. Nevertheless, at about 21:00h on Saturday night, the tenant said she was using her landlord’s Wi-Fi when it suddenly went off and it was around the same time she heard footsteps in the upper flat of the house.

After three days had elapsed and no sign of the men, the woman became

Deonarine Liliah and Gopaul Liliah in happier times

suspicious and went to the Kitty Police Station where she made a report. She was accompanied by three Police ranks to the premises.

It was then the gruesome discovery was made. The bodies of the two men were already in a state of decomposition.

At the scene on Tuesday, Jairam Liliah, a brother of the dead pandit, told Guyana Times that he received a telephone call from his nephew, who resides in the United States instructing him to check on his father and brother since the tenants complained of getting a “funny” smell.

However, at the time, he was busy and as such, sent his son to check on them.

The son reportedly called out to them but there was no response. He called several times and it was the same thing. This prompted him

to contact the Police but by that time, the tenant had arrived with the Police.

The man recalled that he last spoke to his brother on Saturday but at no point in time did he tell him he was having issues with anyone.

He also said his brother’s other children and relatives reside overseas, and they have since been informed of the deaths.

He could not say much but told Guyana Times that his nephew was only discharged from hospital a few days ago. He suffered from severe depression.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the two men were taken to the Lyken Funeral Home where they await post-mortem examinations.

The Police are continuing their investigations into the double murder. One person has been arrested so far.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

Security guards charged with $3.2M theft freed

T

The three security guards

he three security guards attached to the Massy Security Limited, who were charged in March for stealing some $3.2 million had the matter dismissed against them by Magistrate Dylan Best on Tuesday.

Clarence Patterson, 50; Shawn Good luck, 44; and Cosmo Chichester, 48; were jointly charged and denied the allegation. The prosecution contended that on November 13, 2017, at Charlotte and Oronoque Streets, Georgetown, they stole two Republic Bank tamper proof money bags

with $1 million cash, along with $2.2 million in cheques; property of Marics and Company Limited.

The men were reportedly responsible for collecting daily sales from various businesses and depositing it at the bank. However, the company later discovered that the monies were not deposited and reported the matter to the Police.

Magistrate Best in dismissing the matter, told the prosecution that the evidence presented was insufficient to convict the trio, and as such, they were freed of the charge.

news

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Wednesday, July 11 – a night retraction at 03:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Thursday, July 12 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, July 11 –15:25h-16:55h and Thursday, July 12 – 16:15h-17:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

Berbice River Bridge facing bankruptcy …company applies for toll hike, losses $2.8B …Govt says no to increase

WEATHER TODAY Early morning sunny weather is expected to give way to light to thundery showers, while light showers and cloudy skies can be expected in the afternoon and evening hours. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 02:43h and 15:18h reaching maximum heights of 2.66 metres and 2.58 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:48h and 21:07h reaching minimum heights of 0.52 metre and 0.63 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, July 7, 2018

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TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2018 DAILY MILLIONS 01 05 06 10 21 LUCKY 3 4 2 9 Afternoon Draw

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

From left: Civil Engineer Bert Carter; BBCI Vice Chairman Paul Chung; Chairman, Dr Surendra Persaud; PR Consultant Kit Nascimento and the Bridge’s Finance Comptroller, Steven Ramchan

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ore than a decade after a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement allowed the construction of the Berbice River Bridge; the bridge company is now facing bankruptcy following Government’s decision to drop the toll and subsequent refusal to allow for an increased as per the initial agreement when the company was formed.

This is according to Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) Chairman, Dr Surendra Persaud, during a press conference at the National Communications Network on Tuesday. Persaud is also Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), which holds significant shares in the company.

According to Persaud, they have had several engagements with Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson. He noted that following a previous engagement, Patterson had informed them that a maintenance proposal would be taken to Cabinet.

According to the Chairman, they were subsequently informed that it was not approved. In fact, the company applied for a toll adjustment on three occasions; twice in 2015 and once in 2016, to no avail. They have since made another such application, dated July 9. In that application, the company had requested that the toll increases take effect by August 1.

“So, where are we today?

We are in a situation where the contractual obligations of a public private partnership have not been met on the Government’s part and if not corrected, is likely to affect the willingness of the Private Sector to partner with the Government in future infrastructure projects,” Persaud said.

Here, he cited the construction of the new Demerara River bridge, a project likely to cost over US$150 million; as well as the construction of a natural gas pipeline, where PPPs are also being considered.

“The Board believes this situation is fixable. There is a contract, an established formula within the contract and there are obligations to be met. The tolls ought to be adjusted in accordance with the

agreement, in good faith, to allow the company to properly maintain and operate this critical infrastructure.”

“The current tolls to the commuters are subsidised in two parts, one: internally by the company as it has not charged the toll as per the

tolls.

The company, according to Dr Persaud, has now accumulated a loss of $2.8 billion and faces the distinct possibility of going bankrupt.

Besides the losses having prevented the company from paying out dividends, it has

Berbice River Bridge

agreement and two: by the Government of Guyana, having subsidised the old toll prior to the adjustment, in accordance with the agreement of June 12, 2006.”

The internal subsidy by BBCI was implemented after Government had rejected the company’s previous toll adjustment application, while the Government subsidy is basic reduction of $300 in the

impacted the ability to service the 39 pontoons under the bridge.

Toll formula

The company is seeking increases in tolls as per the adjustment formula set out by the agreement between BBCI and with the Government of Guyana. It is understood that this tolling requirement was not ap-

plicable until 2014, after which they made their first request just prior to the former Government leaving office. According to the toll policy, the increase is calculated based on “the level of traffic on and under the bridge for the two previous financial years.”

According to the policy, “it takes consideration of the toll levels at the start of operations, any provisional toll level applied during the year and the toll level at start of operations adjusted for inflation.”

The policy goes on to note that the toll level is adjusted by the use of the consumer price index of the most recent period and two years prior to that. The second part of the formula, it added, computes a provisional toll level to be used until near the end of the financial year.

“The company’s contractual and non-contractual cash flow requirements are taken into account. These include cash requirements for servicing of debts, routine operations and maintenance, periodic servicing, trustees fees.” turn to page 7

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018

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

Our sister’s or brother’s keepers

D

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

The laws of Guyana prescribe one’s rights regarding this issue, which are laid out in the Domestic Violence Act (1996) as “recognised under the law and law enforcement agencies, such as the courts,” and stipulates that the Guyana Police Force must help to enforce the rights of, and offer protection to, any man, woman, or child who may be experiencing domestic violence.

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

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

Those whom are supposed “To Protect and Serve” most often have provided the catalyst for a tragedy to occur by their attitude, attention – or lack thereof, and plain don’tgive-a-damn behaviour when a complainant drums up the requisite courage (most often with great difficulty) and lodges a complaint.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The second Annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Robotics Exhibition hosted by STEM Guyana in collaboration with GTT. The event was held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Sunday. In photo, a member of STEM Guyana, demonstrates and explains the function of one of the robots

“You’re a Government Minister now, Broomes; behave like one!”

Dear Editor, After viewing the CCTV video of the parking-lot incident involving Minister Simona Broomes and two security guards, I expect Acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine having seen the video himself, to now instruct that all pending charges against those two security guards be dropped with an apology. The minister’s driver should have his firearm license taken away and charged with assault with a deadly weapon (a moving vehicle), and Minister Broomes should be charged for making a false statement to the police. Had it not been for CCTV footage that clearly shows the despicable behaviour of a sitting government minister, two innocent persons would be sent to jail for a very long time. More frightening, if Minister Broomes can so callously lie to abuse her position in government, what other lies have she told, and could she be trusted again?

On several of my visits to the Guyana Revenue Authority, when I could not find a suitable parking space for my vehicle, I would drive to the front of the GRA building where traffic cones are strategi-

cally placed on both sides of the road to restrict parking in front of the GRA building. I would then pull up parallel to the cones and wait for the traffic cop who is always there, to approach my vehicle.

I would then clearly identify myself as a Member of Parliament, and ask politely if he can allow me to leave my vehicle in the restricted area for a few minutes. At all times, the police officer would remove the cones and allow me to park.

Being polite and courteous have always open doors for me. And I have never disrespected anyone in the performance of their duties, especially those persons in uniform.

What Minister Broomes did is associated with thugs and bullies.

Simona Bromes is a woman who is ‘rough around the edges’. She has been a miner in the interior for many years, and learned to survive the lawlessness which is part of life there.

In Parliament, Simona Brooms hardly contributes anything of substance to our debates. She is best known for her constant disruptive heckling of PPP Parliamentarians, and is

fondly referred to as one of the ‘empty barrels’ on the government side.

Broomes is not without controversy. On August 27, 2013, Stabroek News reported, “President of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) Simona Broomes, who has been hailed for her work in combatting human trafficking, was arrested yesterday after she was accused of pulling a gun on an alleged human trafficker who was days ago charged with assaulting her.

After being detained for more than five hours, read her rights and the allegation read to her, Broomes, who expressed shock at the arrest, was released on $10,000 station bail.”

Broomes denied this allegation.

Then one year ago, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland cautioned Member of Parliament Simona Broomes for putting the House in disrepute after she videoed herself in the Chambers of Parliament mocking the Leader of the Opposition, while imitating a woman who made several tawdry short films, using phrases such as “bing bam boom

out.”

Simona Broomes is now a Junior Minister of Government. She is expected to act with the utmost decorum at all times.

The two security guards in the private parking lot were merely following instructions. She disrespected them.

I am sure that had she identified herself to the guards and asked politely to park her vehicle there, they would have acceded to her request. Instead, like a bully, she threw the no parking signs to the ground to give her driver access to the restricted area as if she was on government property. Then to victimize the heroic security guards, falsely accused them of threatening her with a gun.

I am sure that the Minister was not aware of the CCTV footage when she deliberately lied to the police. Now that we’ve all seen evidence of the abuse of her ministerial powers, will President Granger do something about it? Only time will tell.

Regards, Harry Gill PPP/C Member of Parliament

wednesdAY, july 11, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

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News

Atlantic Gardens murder

Minister Broomes' confrontation

Daughter of murdered businesswoman testifies Minister Lawrence – recalls defendant gunning down mother apologises to guard R omona Sanasie, the daughter of murdered Atlantic Gardens’ businesswoman Patricia Sanasie, testified before a 12-member jury on Tuesday that she put her hand to a hole in her mother’s neck in a bid to stop her from bleeding to death on the night of her demise on January 12, 2015.

Richard Stanton, formerly of Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown, is accused of executing 43-year old Patricia Sanasie at her East Coast Demerara home.

In giving her evidence-in-chief for over three hours, Romona Sanasaie told the court via Skype that on April 25, 2015, she picked out “suspect number three” from an Identification (ID) Parade that brought back a rush of “fear and emotions” and “flashbacks” to that fateful night when her mother was gunned down.

Now residing in the United States, she told the jury that she started at number nine and first stopped at seven but as she continued, she realised that it was indeed number three who was the man she saw pulling the trigger.

After leaving a few times from the room and even vomiting, she recalled that she requested that the man

Richard Stanton as he appeared in 2015

she identified turn to the side and from that angle, she recognised him from his features.

These, she explained, were big built, five feet, seven or eight inches, fat stomach, fat face, high cheek bones and dark in complexion. The star witness told the court that she saw his body for 15-20 seconds and saw his face “full frontal” for about 10 seconds.

Detailing the events that surrounded her mother’s death, the woman noted that earlier in the day of January 15, 2015, her mother drove her to a temple at Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) to take part in a religious function.

However, the still shak-

en daughter said she was prevented from entering the area and she stayed in the car. She told the jury that when her mother returned, she, Ramona, drove the car and her mother was the front seat passenger.

Together, they left Timehri and headed back home at 17:45h.

Upon reaching home, her mother exited the vehicle and was fumbling with her keys to open the gate.

The younger Sanasie said her car lights were on – both inside and outside – while adding that that there was a street light on a post eight to 10 feet away.

She said moments after they arrived at the residence, a silver grey Toyota Raum pulled up behind them and a man came out and passed her sitting in the car.

The witness added, in detail, that the assailant looked at her but did not shoot right away. She added that her mother was bent over still trying to open the padlock.

“Two seconds after she looked up in shock with her mouth open. Then she looked back at me and then to him and then he started to shoot. He shot one after the next and she made two steps backwards and fell to

the ground. He was shooting with the right hand,” Sanasie explained to the court.

She said the vehicle reversed and the shooter jumped in the backseat of the vehicle before it drove off. She explained that the shooter was wearing a due rag on his head and a sheer cloth over his face which she said she saw after light from her car shone on him.

Trying to stop the bleeding, she said she screamed out and neighbours assisted her in transporting her mother to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Sanasie recalled later identifying the body which was handed over and shipped to New York where her mother was cremated.

At Monday’s trial, the 12-member jury was informed that the defendant was charged three months later, in April 2015, and that he remained silent when investigators at Golden Grove Police Station, EBD accused him of murder.

Stanton is being represented by Attorney Mark Waldron while Tiffini Lyken, Narisa Leander and Seeta Bishundial are presenting the case on behalf of the State. The case continues before Justice Brassington Reynolds today.

Venezuelans cross Guyana’s border in search of food, medical care

The Venezuelan nationals

By Yanalla Dalrymple

O

ver the past weekend, Guyana has seen an influx of the Warrau tribe from Venezuela entering the country through its Amakura River (Region One) border.

Overwhelmed by a growing economic disaster back in Venezuela, a group, consisting of more than 50 persons, including pregnant women, children and young babies, came in search of food, medical and other services.

According to the group that had an interpreter, they only came to Guyana in search of food because they are usually hungry. They added that they are also in need of medical assistance, water, mattresses/cots, beddings and clothing.

Region One (BarimaWaini) Chairman Brentnol

Ashley told Guyana Times that the Regional Disaster Relief Committee has reached out to the Venezuelans and was able to offer some assistance.

Ashley noted that even though the Committee was not able to provide for all of the persons it was still able to assist with food supplies over the two-day period.

“We were able to provide meals, clothing and shelter for them. In the coming days, the Committee will be meeting with other organisations to discuss plans on the way forward, because from how it sounds they will not be going back soon,” Ashley explained.

Ashley is pleading with other organisations to assist in any way possible.

Donations can be made to the Office of the RDC – Mabaruma Compound.

Only recently, Mabaruma

Mayor Henry Smith warned that a health crisis may be looming in Region One, given the large number of Venezuelans who are illegally crossing the border to seek medical attention and engage in trade.

Though acknowledging that Guyana has to show care towards its Spanish-speaking neighbours, Smith said that it must not come at the expense of the health and safety of locals.

Further, he noted that they can certainly bring diseases here, since there are no checks and balances and lots of the migrants have malaria and “we were almost malaria-free here”.

He urged that a joint meeting be convened in the town with regional and Health Ministry officials, whereby residents would also be able to make inputs.

Meanwhile, the Venezuela Support Group (VSG) has been established in Guyana to provide advice and assistance to Venezuelans seeking refuge from the deprivations and insecurity currently gripping their homeland.

The VSG, consisting of eight civic and faith-based organisations, was assembled to establish possible partnerships with the Ministry of Citizenship in regard to the above situation.

The founding members of the VSG include the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA); Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA); Guyana Institute for Transparency Inc (GITI); Moray House Trust; Policy Forum Guyana; Red Thread; the Roman Catholic Diocese of Guyana, and the Ursuline Sisters in Guyana.

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence and the security guard

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(Photo: Minister Volda Lawrence’s Facebook page)

n a surprising new development after Minister Simona Broomes’s confrontation with New Thriving security guards, Health Minister Volda Lawrence on Tuesday apologised to one of the guards.

The guards had been detained by Police after the confrontation with Minister Broomes and her driver in the parking lot Sunday night.

In her brief statement on her Facebook page, Minister Lawrence said: “Tonight [Tuesday night] I met young Josh Rambarran, a security guard at New Thriving Restaurant Providence, who told me a story about what happened to him on Sunday last. According to him, he was wrongfully arrested and detained for 16 hours. From the bottom of my heart, I apologised to him and said I was sorry. Humility and wisdom are character traits we must always ask of our Creator.”

Reports are the Minister

within the Natural Resources Ministry’s driver stopped at the entrance of the Massy store to access the New Thriving Restaurant, which is housed in the upper flat of the building.

“Apparently, the Minister’s driver parked her vehicle on a tarmac area which is not to be used by customers,” a Police source explained.

However, the Minister insisted that the driver drove into the tarmac area to allow her to exit the vehicle after which he was heading to the parking lot. The guard, according to reports, refused to listen to their explanation.

Video footage contradicted this version of events.

Broomes then contacted the Police, who quickly responded and confiscated the weapon that was allegedly used to threaten her. The guards were also taken into custody on Sunday, but were subsequently released on their own recognisance.

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wednesDAY, JUly 11, 2018

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I

f fitness is important to your family, an active vacation might sound appealing. It’s a chance to do things your family already enjoys and maybe try something new.

But before you pack the hiking boots, bike helmets, and swim goggles, here’s how to plan a trip that will be fun without being exhausting, especially for young travellers.

What’s an active vacation?

Lots of vacations are active, but specifically planning an active vacation means you’re looking for an extra measure of physical activity. Instead of only going to the beach, for example, you might choose a hotel that offers tennis lessons, fishing excursions, and shuttles to a nearby water park.

For a trip to a big city, an active trip could include walking tours, visits to museums and zoos, inline skating in a local park, then ending each day with a dip in the hotel pool. Then there are full-fledged adventure vacations that focus on whitewater rafting, downhill skiing, scuba diving, or mountain biking.

Camping is another popular choice and can be affordable or extravagant, depending on where you go and how much camping gear you already own.

Foundation

Step 1: Choose your destination

After the adults decide on the vacation budget and a couple of trip ideas, it’s a good time to get the kids involved. Older kids might want to vote on the list of possible trips, while younger kids will appreciate seeing photos of where you’ve decided to go and all the fun stuff to do there.

Because you’re trying to focus on activity, it’s important to consider each family member’s interests and needs.

Travel websites and alumni associations often can provide low-cost deals on trips. Look into vacation packages for families because they will cater to kids of all ages as well as to parents.

Finding a family-friendly outfitter is especially important when planning an adventure trip, like biking or rafting, because many of those packages are far better suited to adult travellers.

A family cruise can be a good choice because it’s self-contained and there’s p l e n ty to do.

But the roundthe-

clock eating so common on many cruise ships could interfere with your plans for a healthy vacation. And there are some challenges if you’re looking for a lot of physical activity. While cruise lines do offer activity programmes and on-shore excursions, there could be limits to the amount of physical activity you can engage in while onboard.

If you’re considering a cruise: Ask about the pools, climbing walls, classes, and other offerings. Are they easily available, or are there waiting lists or long wait times?

Find out if the cruise line offers active programmes for kids of all ages or just a childcare service.

Sign up early for on-shore excursions and other activities that could fill up quickly.

With other types of trips, too much activity can be a problem. Some pre-packaged trips might schedule more than your family can handle, so be sure to review the itinerary before signing up.

They also can be expensive.

Step 2: Get kids involved in the itinerary

Once you know where you’re going, let kids h e l p map

out your trip. Older kids might like researching your destination online or in travel books. Younger kids will like seeing a short list of options and getting to choose something special they’d like to do or see. Letting your child choose some of the family’s activities encourages good feelings about being physically active together.

Another way to involve kids is to put each one in charge of some aspect of the trip. Is there a natural photographer in the family? Ask that child to take pictures and create a scrapbook when everyone’s back home. Or maybe one of your kids likes maps. Get a child-friendly map and let him or her follow your route as you travel to your destination. Kids also can use maps to help guide you in museums, zoos, or amusement parks. Schoolage kids might like having a travel journal to record memories in words and pictures.

Step 3: Get there

If you crave an active vacation, leave the electronic games at home –or allow them only during the time in the car or on the plane.

Vacations are a great time to be unwired, so grownups too might consider turning off cellphones and detaching from email for the duration of the trip. (kidshealth.org) To be continued

F

ortnite is the biggest game in the world, and has turned millions of its young players into obsessives. But that obsession is being exploited by scammers who try and steal information and money from the children who play it.

A whole host of scams are being used across the Internet to try and trick children into giving up the most personal and sensitive information of themselves and their parents.

And it is being done by offering them free money and winning them over by chatting to them through headsets.

Fortnite Battle Royale was released around a year ago, as a free-to-download game that is now available for just about every computing platform. It sees players attempt to stay alive for as long as they can, in games that last around 20 minutes, either by killing other players or successfully hiding from them.

Though downloading Fortnite is free, like many other titles it has an entire economy of in-game purchases. Players – or their parents – use real money to buy a currency called V-bucks, which can then be traded for cosmetic options and other upgrades within the game.

It is that virtual currency and the upgrades it allows people to buy that has become such a fertile ground for scammers. And it is the desire to get hold of them that has meant huge numbers of children have been caught up in the hacks.

For the most part, the scams are not very sophisticated: they do not even usually require that people download a file or give up access to their computer. Instead, they will lead children to unsafe websites to try and extract personal information and other valuable data – and never give up the currency they claimed to be offering.

As well as children’s desire for in-game money, they also take advantage of other gaps in the market. There is not yet an Android version of

the game, for instance – but a whole host of sites that claim to offer one, and actually just trick children into downloading fake and unsafe apps instead.

Often, they are distributed through YouTube, and searching that site for “Free V-bucks” brings up around four million results. The videos usually direct children to another site or app – away from YouTube – with the promise that they will receive free currency.

But once they load up those sites, they are asked for confirmation that they are human, and sent to different and more malicious sites. In fact, they are simply being directed to a whole range of cons – everything from being asked to fill in fake surveys to harvest information, to giving up their login details and exposing the payment details that are associated with accounts.

In some ways, the scams are only the darker side of an already controversial but legal development in games: loot boxes and in-app purchases. Those encourage players to spend more money once they’ve bought games – often in ways that resemble gambling – in the hope of improving their performance or appearance within the game.

“That’s where the majority of this comes from: the desire to have something their friends don’t, either because it’s paywalled or you would have to grind to get it,” said Chris Boyd, senior malware analyst at Malwarebytes.

“You can either do that or just leapfrog the queue and go buy these.”

That desire to get hold of features and upgrades that would normally require either hard work or spending money means that children will try hard to find cheats or glitches that allow them to get around the issues. And since children are usually so wrapped up in the games, they might switch off the critical thinking required to avoid being taken in by scams. (Excerpt from The Independent) To be continued

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyoil reduces gas prices by $4 A fter weeks of contention and protest, the Guyana Oil Company Ltd (Guyoil) on Tuesday announced a reduction in prices for gasoline and gasoil.

This reduction, according to the State entity, takes effect from Tuesday.

“Gasoline,” according to Guyoil, which as a Stateowned company, has been referred to as the price setter for private entities, will move “from $230 per litre

to $226 per litre and Gas oil (LSD) from $219 per litre to

$215 per litre.”

According to Guyoil, the

Berbice River Bridge facing...

from page 3

“Any excess cash generated by the provincial tolls applied during the year, is used to reduce the cash flow requirement for the next year and therefore the final toll level required,” the policy adds.

Impasse

Asked about previous statements from the Minister when he pointed to the lack of a maintenance programme and said he would not consider the increases, Persaud noted that the programme has actually commenced. He made it clear that they were willing to accept Government assistance.

“The proposal I spoke about was a separate proposal brought to the Minister to discuss the matter of maintenance. The Minister sought the guidance of the folks from the Demerara Harbour Bridge and we had multiple discussions. The Minister asked us to offer other options.”

“That was done. We are

still awaiting a response.

The maintenance programme has commenced.

The bridge company is doing it, which requires a pontoon in the Berbice River to be taken out to the Atlantic Ocean, brought to the Demerara River and towed back… so that process has commenced,” Dr Persaud informed.

The ownership structure of BBCI is made up of ordinary share capital of $500 million owned by private investors and preference shares of $950 million owned by NIS. The bridge has a wide cross-section of investors including various pension schemes, insurance schemes, local banks as well as private companies and NIS. When asked what the company’s next step is if their request is not approved, Dr Persaud stated that “the Board of Directors, along with its legal team and management, will have to determine the next step.”

No increase

Efforts by this publication to make contact with Minister Patterson were futile. However, his Ministry later sent out a statement in which they said Government was not contemplating any fare hikes.

According to the statement, “Government stands by its decision to reduce tolls in fulfilling a campaign commitment and will continue to work with the Berbice Bridge Company in ensuring that the Bridge is sufficiently maintained and safe for vehicular and marine use.”

“Further Government notes that the Bridge Agreement places obligations on all parties, which include scheduled maintenance and associated upgrades. Any request for toll increases must take into consideration a wide array of factors and cannot solely be on the basis of recouping operational costs and profits on dividend.” (Jarryl Bryan)

price reductions were possible due to “declining acquisition costs and the savings are now being passed on to customers.” Moreover, the oil company pledged “that any savings as a result of declining acquisition cost will at all times be passed on to the customers.”

The parliamentary Opposition has pointed to Guyoil and the difference it could make, when outlining ways in which the Government can make a meaningful intervention into the issue.

At a press conference, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had said there is fiscal space to make the adjustment with the tax re-

gime to allow a reduction of gas prices for local consumers.

Jagdeo had related that under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, there was a system used in cases like these, where the taxes can be adjusted based on the movement up or down on the gas price, so that the benefits would be passed onto the people.

Given the mounting criticisms and the need for serious attention to be paid to the issue, the PPP/C General Secretary had said that, “The Government through public pressure must adjust the rate at the pump. They have a lot of room. They have the fiscal space as well as the tax play to make that adjustment.”

The former Guyanese Head of State had recalled that when the prices for crude oil stood at about US$75 per barrel, lower that the US$120 high before the rapid tumble a few years ago to about US$28.

“We had argued that with the rapid tumble, the benefits should have been

passed on to the Guyanese public, who would have seen lower prices at the pump and in their electricity bill.

They never did that. And what happened was that they raked in billions in revenue; they collected over $25 billion at GPL alone.”

He had told the media that with the crude prices at about US$75 a barrel and not US$120, there was definitely room to make significant adjustments to the price of fuel at the pump.

Another point raised by Jagdeo was the fact that under the PPP/C Government, the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) was used as a regulatory agency whereby the price at the State-owned entity set precedence for other companies to follow.

However, the fact that prices were high even at Guyoil meant that private companies did not have to lower their prices in order to maintain their competitiveness. And this situation saw bus drivers threatening to raise their fares and protesting in a seeming chain reaction.

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Porter who broke into woman’s house “to tek a taste” charged

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Diamond, East Bank Demerara man, who reportedly broke into a woman’s house and told her that he “come to tek a taste” was on Tuesday charged before the Chief Magistrate at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Ravi McTork, 27, of

Lot 694 Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) denied the allegation, which stated that on July 7, 2018, at Port Kaituma in the North West District, he broke and entered the premises of Shaundell Jagan with intent to commit a felony.

The porter reported-

ly broke into the woman’s house while she was asleep.

After hearing a noise and waking up, Jagan saw the defendant who quieted her and told her that he was there to “tek a taste”.

The woman raised an alarm and the defendant, who she knew from the neighbourhood, was arrest-

ed and later charged.

He was however granted bail in the sum of $40,000 and was ordered by Magistrate Ann McLennan to stay 50 feet away from the Virtual Complainant (VC).

McTork will return to the Matthews Ridge Magistrate’s Court on August 7.

Food row

Man who beat brother to death slapped with murder charge

A

sgar Ally of Bella Dam, West Bank Demerara (WBD), who allegedly beat his 61-year-old brother Nazir Khan to death over a box of food, was on Tuesday slapped with a murder charge and appeared at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

Reports are Khan, called “Karie”, of Lot 37 Bella Dam, WBD, was beaten

by Ally, who is his younger brother, after he failed

to return with a box of food which he was sent to purchase.

According to information received, at about 18:30h on July 5, 2018, the accused, who works with a garbage disposal company, had sent Khan to purchase a box of food for him from a nearby shop. However, after some time had elapsed and the man did not return with the food, the suspect went in search of him in the compa-

ny of a friend.

Khan was found at a neighbour’s house where he was confronted and admitted to his brother that he had eaten the food since he was hungry. The suspect allegedly became enraged and he along with his friend began to beat Khan.

After the beating, the 61-year-old man who does handy work around the village, went to another neighbouring house, where he

subsequently died.

Meanwhile, Khan’s body was taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home, where a post-mortem examination was conducted by State Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh.

The cause of death was given as brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head, compounded by compression injuries to the neck.

The case will continue on August 13.

You can run…

D

…but you can’t hide

avid Granger’s old enough to remember the taunt: “You can run…but you can’t hide”, attributed to the iconic heavyweight boxer Joe Louis. The latter was going to face the light heavyweight champ Billy Conn and someone suggested because of the latter’s quickness, he might adopt a hit-and-run strategy. Joe proved himself a prophet when he knocked out Conn cold – after being initially behind on points!!

So, Mr Granger should know he can’t run from the press forever. They’ve put up with him having only two press conferences since 2015 and he should know from their growing impatience and testiness, they might just decide to knock him out before 2020!!! His amiability can only go so far…even with the pussycats in the Guyana press corps! Imagine his excuse for not presenting himself to the direct scrutiny of the fourth estate was because “he’s been travelling a lot’!!

Well, duh!! That’s one of the reasons the press wants to speak to him about!! What’s so important him attending, say, the Sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Vietnam?? Is he competing with Jagdeo to have a presence on environmental matters?? If so, wouldn’t it serve his interest to go along with the AFHEP – which Norway had certified as the best option for us to reduce our Carbon footprint?

And what’s with developing trade with Vietnam?

Does Granger know Vietnam’s the third largest exporter in the world for rice?? After destroying the sugar industry and forcing DDL to import molasses, is the PNC leader now signalling the rice industry’s doom and he’s securing supplies from Vietnam to ensure we get our fried rice?

Anyhow back to him dodging the media. Now, you can’t say it’s because Granger’s tongue tied and unable to express himself. Apart from being trained at our expense for decades in the Army, we also funded his studies at UG and UWI on history. In these courses he had to make countless presentations. So there must be other reasons.

Your Eyewitness thinks, the answer’s very simple.

The PNC’s performance on every facet of governmental activity has been so piss poor, there’s no way even an articulate fella like Granger can trust himself not to put his foot into his mouth!! What really can he say about the scandals in the pharma sector? Or about Jubilee “Ants Nest” Park?? Or after all the denunciations of “PPP corruption”, his Government has been unable to get a SINGLE conviction??

Fact of the matter, there’s no way Granger can run any longer. It’s either he faces the (media) music directly…or be destroyed in absentia!!

It’s “sayonara” time, baby!!

…but not from venality

The PPP’s never been able to even get NEAR the seat of power in City Hall, much less occupy it! The closest they got was when in 1994 they cut a deal with the PNC and Hamilton Green’s GGG to ROTATE the Mayoralty after the three-way elections. PNC got first dibs with Randwell Jordan; then Hamilton to be followed by the PPP. Green, of course, didn’t let go for the next two decades!!

Anyhow, for all those years there were warnings that the Gothic structure – which literally WAS City Hall – was crumbling. And the PNC couldn’t blame the PPP!! Not that they didn’t try!! Annually monies were collected from the local Treasury and from foreign donations to fix the landmark structure. But while every years there were new scandals of featherbedding; outright stealing as verified by the Auditor General; graft; cronyism; jet setting lifestyle for the Mayor and cronies, pieces of the structure kept falling on peoples’ heads!!

Now we’re told that they need over $900 million to fix the building!! Or fill more pockets??

…but it’s still City Hall

The philosophical question posed: if the handle of a knife is replaced, and after a while the blade follows suit, is it the same knife?

And thus the question if City Hall is ever “fixed”!!

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

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Oil will not bring crime to Guyana – US Ambassador ...warns of soaring production of coca in Colombia

B

usinesses are the driving force for economic development of any country. Among the factors determining investment climate and Private Sector development, a company’s exposure to crime plays a significant role.

Crime may cause high costs and damage to businesses.

These points were underscored by United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway at the Guyana Manufacturing Services Association (GMSA) luncheon at the Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday where he zeroed in on the potential threats that crime can have on the economy.

During his feature ad-

ple… you guys are good business people but let me tell you that the criminals out there are good business people also and what do they want? The same thing you want, more profit.”

He said since being appointed ambassador to Guyana, he has had a thorough look at the local crime statistics and he has seen some improvements over the past years. “…not to say that there isn’t a lot of work to be done and not that crime isn’t going on every day all round us, but is a long process.”

Using Colombia as an example as one country that moved from being one of worst in the world for its

el which needs to be tackled collaboratively.

He said, “You can’t have Police…go after 21st century criminals with 19th utilities and equipment. It just can’t be done. I think that everyone’s heart is in the right place and I think both the previous and current Governments have spent a lot of money on security.”

Holloway also declared that the US Government has invested close to US$80 million over the past 10 years in Guyana’s security sector, while hundreds of millions have been spent in the Region as a whole.

But the US diplomat said one of the most major concerns that should be on

A section of the audience at the GMSA luncheon which was hosted at the Pegasus Hotel

dress, the US diplomat said one of the things that everyone is concerned about is what will happen when oil production begins here.

While there is a general perception that oil may cause an upsurge in criminal activities, he said that he views this differently.

Holloway, who has worked in many countries where crime is at its peak, like Afghanistan, told the attendees of the luncheon, “I don’t think that it’s oil and gas that attracts crime.

It’s more people, more money. So, Guyana could be having a boom in an agriculture product but if it brought more money and more peo-

high crime rates to a democracy, the US ambassador said it took political will to get to that place.

“Its fine for the Americans to come in and offer some help and okay for the Brits to come in and offer a security programme but if the Government, people, Private Sector and civil society doesn’t want it, all programmes will fail. It requires political will and not just at the political level but this is something we want to deal with,” he added.

The US diplomat told the packed audience that while crime in Guyana is not at its worst like in some countries, there is some lev-

everyone’s mind is the production of cocoa, a prime material to make cocaine, which is soaring through the roof in Colombia. Since Guyana serves as a transshipment destination for cocaine trafficking, the country stands to see a possible spike in these criminal activities, as other such destinations will also have to prepare for it.

Meanwhile, GMSA President Sham Nokta in his remarks also touched on the high crime rate which is a key factor to the defects of national security and by extension the business climate.

“In such an environ-

ment all citizens and businesses are vulnerable and are potential victims of crime. However, small business are particularly vulnerable, as often they do not have the safe guard in place to prevent or to detect criminal activity. And I believe recent events in the last week or so has clearly brought this to the forum,” he added.

For small countries like Guyana, Nokta said the state suffers disproportionately both from crime which originates within society and from crime driven by actions sometimes many miles from here. However, he said because the drivers of crime are ever changing and increasing in the international nature in which it is done, it is becoming ever more important.

Referring to an InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) study, the

US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway delivering the feature address at the GMSA’s luncheon on Tuesday

GMSA President said the Caribbean circle has some uniquely high levels of violent crimes. According to the study, estimates of the cost of crime and violence range between 5 to 10 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“There is the view that intra-regional drug traffick-

ing is a main force behind the upsurge in violent crimes in the Region, more recently there have been indications that crack downs in parts of central and south America have displaced cartels who are now intentionally moving into the Caribbean,” he added.

Nokta said this is not good news, considering where Guyana is geographically between suppliers and markets coupled with inadequate patrols of the expansive coastline and territorial waters.

“The Caribbean appears to be swimming against the tide. That said, addressing drug trafficking and the violent crime that accompany it cannot be done by any single country or region, it is a global problem which requires global solutions.

Guyana is not exempt from the scorch of increased crime in the Region.”

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Vendor chopped to head during home invasion

A

market vendor was on Monday evening chopped to his head after three armed men invaded his Zeelugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD) property.

Injured is 40-year-old Dennis Emmanuel of Lot 487 Zeelugt.

Reports are Emmanuel was in his yard when he was confronted by three armed men – one of whom was armed with a handgun. He was held at gunpoint and escorted into the house to join his wife and daughter.

The armed men then took

the trio into a bedroom where they demanded cash and other valuables. At this time, Emmanuel, who is a vendor at Leonora Market, told the bandits that he did not have any money at home, but one of the men picked up a chopper and dealt him one blow to the head.

Emmanuel then began to scream, and the bandits panicked and ran out of the house.

They boarded a waiting motor car and it sped off. The Police were contacted and responded promptly, resulting in a high-

The paintball gun that was found in the car

Big and Bad Broom

S

The car used by the bandits

speed chase.

When contacted, Police D Division Commander Rishi Das told Guyana Times that the silver-grey Toyota Allion – bearing licence plates PNN 5369 – in which the bandits escaped was found abandoned in the vicinity of the Zeelugt, WCD sea dam.

It is believed that after the car got stuck, the perpetrators exited the vehicle and escaped on foot.

A search was conducted on the vehicle and a paintball gun

– suspected to be the weapon used to hold Emmanuel and his family hostage – was found along with a mobile phone and a motor vehicle registration. The registration bears the name of someone resident at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

The commander told this newspaper that the investigators are now making attempts to verify whether the vehicle used in the attempted robbery was stolen. Investigations are continuing.

3 nabbed after ganja find in Berbice River

T

hree men were taken into Police custody after a boat was intercepted with a large quantity of marijuana along Mountain Charrow River, Aroaima Village, Upper Berbice River on Sunday.

Based on reports received, Police ranks were on patrol when they observed a wooden boat being propelled by a 15-horsepower outboard engine with three occupants.

Upon noticing the Police, one of the occupants, Lamount Leacock also called “Farri”, 29, of Kwakwani Waterfront, Upper Berbice River, reportedly jumped overboard with

The boat in which the men were travelling when the Police intercepted them

The ganja that was found in the grey bag

a grey tarpaulin and a bulky salt bag.

The ranks managed to intercept Leacock and a search was conducted on the salt bag during which two large parcels wrapped in black plastic bags

and transparent scotch tape were found. Further checks unearthed a quantity of cannabis and as such, Leacock was told of the offence, cautioned, and arrested.

Turn to page 12

atiricus wondered how he’d ever win. Not only did he have to defend his KFC party and leaders Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat to his friends; he had to squeeze his nose and do the same for the Pee an’ See and their four partners in their APANU coalition within THE Government coalition. As he ambled into the Back Street Bar, he breathed a sigh of relief most of those partners didn’t really exist!!

“Hey Sato!!” yelled Hari, as soon as he espied his pal.

“Like your hungry Minister is a VERY angry Minister!!”

“What the heck are you talking about?” asked Satiricus, with feigned ignorance. It was exactly what he’d feared.

“Buddaaaay! Yuh na hear?” said Cappo in surprise. “Yuh Ministah behave real braadar w’en she bin ah New Strivin’ fuh chicken fry rice!”

“Which Minister?” asked Satiricus, raising his eyebrows.

“And why’d she get angry?”

“Who else would create a riot for food?” asked Hari, who was unusually animated. “No other than ‘I is Broomes’, of course!!”

“Yuh know de place, rite, Sato?” said Bungi. “De parking lat deh away fram de Restaurant.”

“Yes,” acknowledged Satiricus, nodding his head.

“Well, de gyard tell ‘I is Broomes’drivah fuh park in de parkin’ lat,” picked up Cappo. “But de bady g’ard, move out de “no parkin’ sign fram near de door and park right deh!!”

“So what this has to do with the hungry Minister ‘I is Broomes’?” enquired Satiricus, innocently.

“Well dat is w’en “I is Broomes” jump out de SUV and knack dong de no-parkin’ sign she-self!!” said Bungi with glee.

“Really?” said Satiricus non-committedly.

“Is where you guys pick up these Ministers?” asked Hari exasperatedly. “The bush?”

“As a matter of fact, she does come from Bartica,” said Satiricus. “And she spent a lot of time in the bush.”

“Wha’ me na like,” said Cappo seriously. “She tell lie pan dem gyard. Now dem guh get fyah.”

“Well the tape don’t tell lie,” said Hari. “Maybe I is Broomes might get fired?”

“Na hol’ yuh breat’” said Cappo, looking hard at Satiricus.

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Hundreds stranded as sand truck breaks down on DHB

H

undreds of commuters using the Demerara Harbour Bridge were on Tuesday morning left stranded for hours after a sand truck lost its axel while crossing the facility. The traffic moved at a snail’s pace while crossing the bridge from both ends.

In addition, there was traffic congestion along the East Bank and West Bank corridors. Up to 10:30h, the situation was marred with

confusion and frustration on the faces of commuters who had to reach their work plac-

es at a scheduled time.

Based on reports received, the truck started to

Belle Vue man slapped with murder charge

A

23-year-old man who has confessed to beating a 72-yearold man with a rolling pin was on Tuesday charged for murder.

Joseph Rameshwar of Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara (WBD) was not required to plead to the indictable charge when he made his appearance at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court. The Police stated that between July 1 and 3, he murdered Jerry Rambeer.

Based on reports received, Rambeer of Lot 18 Sister’s Village, WBD, was found lying in an unconscious state on July 1 at Back Street, Good Intent, WBD but took his last breath on July 3 while receiving medical attention

Dead: Jerry Rambeer

at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Two days after the beating incident, the suspect, Joseph Rameshwar, was arrested and reportedly confessed to hitting Rambeer

to the head with a rolling pin during an argument.

In light of the confession, the file was completed and sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who advised that the suspect be charged with the capital offence of murder.

He is expected to make his next court appearance on August 16 at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.

Rickey Rambeer, a brother of the dead man told Guyana Times that on July 1, his brother attended a wedding at La Retrait, WBD, with several of his friends. At about 23:45h, the man recalled receiving a telephone call from a woman informing him that his brother was lying in a pool of blood in Gaza Street.

Turn to page 15

experience mechanical problems while on the bridge and eventually broke down

at Span 6.

When contacted, Maintenance Manager of the Harbour Bridge, Christopher Grannum confirmed that it was indeed a truck that was broken down and although they attempted to tow it to the other side of the bridge, it was almost impossible due to the fact the axel was broken.

Nevertheless, after some time, the traffic flowed and the situation was under con-

trol.

This is not the first time commuters were left stranded while crossing the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Only recently, a car reportedly veered off the bridge and landed on a pontoon thus causing massive traffic back up on both sides.

In the past, vehicles were towed after they encountered mechanical issues while crossing the aged bridge.

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Private aircraft with fake registration number lands at CJIA …CANU impounds plane

H

The small private plane

ours after a private aircraft landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), it was discovered

that its registration number was fake and the “Data Plate” which contained vital information about the aircraft was missing.

Based on reports received, the private chartered flight, which is suspected to be registered in Venezuela, landed about 15:20h and was being handled by Roraima Airways Inc. However, in keeping with enhanced security postures and intensified collaboration with the management of the various units/agencies operating at the CJIA, ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) were alerted and conducted a preliminary inspection of the aircraft during which certain irregularities were discovered.

Guyana Times understands that the registration number of the aircraft is false since another aircraft is carrying the same number. In addition, there were several other irregularities discovered. As such, the matter was reported to the CANU headquarters and orders were given for the aircraft to be detained.

The Police stated that after enquiries were made, it was revealed that the pilots and passengers were invited to Guyana by one Michael Brassington, who was at the airport to receive them.

Brassington and the four passengers reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) while the two pilots arrived in the company of agents of CANU. Two of the passengers and the pilots are Venezuelan.

They are in custody assisting with the investiga-

The false registration number of the aircraft

tions.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Roraima Airways

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gerry Gouveia explained that they were only

contracted to be the handling agents. He noted that all the other inspections of documents were done by the various agencies that operate at Guyana’s main port of entry.

However, when contacted, CJIA CEO Ramesh Ghir confirmed that the aircraft did arrive on Monday afternoon, but was shortly after impounded by CANU members.

He could not say what the irregularities were, but noted that different agencies are responsible for making sure that the aircraft was legal. Attempts to contact the CANU Head proved futile.

Man nabbed changing number plate of getaway car after robbery

M

inutes after three men relieved an East Coast Demerara man of an undisclosed sum of cash, the driver of the getaway car was nabbed while changing the registration plates at the Mahaica Railway Embankment on Tuesday.

According to information received, on Tuesday, the victim withdrew a sum of cash from a commercial bank on the East Coast of Demerara and went home.

However, upon his arrival at his residence, three males in a Spacio motor car intercepted him and relieved him of the cash.

The Police were contacted and owing to their quick response, the getaway car was observed on the Railway

The car that was used in the commissioning of the robbery

Embankment as the 28-year-old driver of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown was changing the vehicle’s registration plate. He was arrested, but his two accomplices fled the scene.

The Police have since launched a manhunt for the

duo. However, the cash that was taken from the victim was recovered.

The motor car was impounded, and the driver remained in custody as Police continue their investigations.

3 nabbed after ganja...

The other two occupants of the boat – a security guard who owns the boat and a mason – all of Kwakwani, were searched but nothing suspicious found.

They all denied any knowledge of the drug found. They claimed that Leacock was ‘taking a drop from them’.

The men were escorted to the Kwakwani Police

From page 10

Station where the narcotic was weighed in their presence, amounting to 5.68 kilograms. The men remain in custody as Police continue their investigations.

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

14 news

wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Rystad oil lecture

Company predicts Guyana could be ranked among 30 largest oil nations

– says country could earn as much as US$15B from current discoveries

G

uyana is projected to be ranked among the 30 largest nations in the 2020s for offshore oil services, says Sonya Boodoo, Senior Analyst at Rystad Energy, an independent energy consulting services and business intelligence data firm offering global databases, strategy consulting, and research.

In delivering a presentation on Guyana’s share of revenue from oil production and how this is related to international standards for revenue sharing, Boodoo told a small audience on Tuesday at Duke Lodge that the country has enormous potential even though it is a new frontier for oil and gas development.

In a detailed PowerPoint presentation, the Rystad senior analyst said that significant wealth was expected to be generated over the next several years based on oil production in Guyana.

“Government is estimated to receive up to US$100 billion at US$70 per barrel oil price scenario if all discoveries are sanctioned.”

Boodoo said based on her assessment of the raw statistics provided so far, she has concluded that the average Government take for Guyana is 59 per cent. She

Rystad Energy Senior Analyst Sonya Boodoo

also added that Guyana’s fiscal regime, although favourable in comparison to other offshore regions, is comparable to other frontier regions.

“Also, attractive terms are required to incentivise investment in frontier regions. And fiscal regime stability is a key consideration for E&P companies when making investment decisions,” she added.

Boodoo stated that for all the discoveries in the Stabroek Block, the average income would be about US$15 billion and this could be as a result of ambitious development plan that would require at least three large Floating Production,

Storage and Offloading (FPSOs).

“Second and third FPSOs larger capacity than the 120,000 barrel per day for Liza Destiny. Stabroek discoveries lie in water depths ranging from 1500 to 2700 metres and across vast distances of up to 150 km between wells … Development will also require extensive subsea infrastructure, having 60 to 100 wells to be drilled and about 12 to 20 rig years to be consumed,” she explained.

Only recently, US oil giant ExxonMobil announced another oil discovery following drilling at the Longtail-1 exploration

well in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. This is ExxonMobil’s eighth oil discovery offshore Guyana. The company said in a statement that the well encountered approximately 256 feet (78 metres) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir.

At present, the Noble Bob Douglas is completing initial stages of development drilling for Liza Phase 1, for which ExxonMobil announced a funding decision in 2017.

The company said Phase 1 would consist of 17 wells connected to a FPSO vessel.

This is designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil

per day.

Meanwhile, Phase 2 concepts are similar to Phase 1 and will involve a second FPSO with production capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. A third development, Payara, is planned to follow Liza Phase 2.

Only in late February, ExxonMobil had announced its seventh oil discovery at its Pacora-1 well. The company had said it encountered approximately 65 feet (20 metres) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was safely drilled to 18,363 feet (5597 metres) depth in 6781 feet (2067 metres) of water. The Pacora-1 well is located ap-

proximately four miles west of the Payara-1 well.

ExxonMobil had announced project sanctioning for the Liza Phase 1 development in June 2017.

Following Liza-5, the Stena Carron will conduct additional exploration and appraisal drilling on the block.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited holds a 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest.

Redacted SOCU files

Judge stays GRDB’s fraud case – Nandall

Attorney Anil Nandlall shows the obscured forensic report that was submitted to the court Attorney General Basil Williams

F

ollowing a previous debate over the High Court’s determination over a Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts matter, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall confirmed on Monday that Justice Navindra Singh permanently stayed the criminal charge against Madanlall Ramraj, the former Deputy General Manager (GM) at the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). The State’s fraud allegations were instituted through the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) but Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly was barred from hearing the matter after Ramraj’s attorney filed legal proceedings in the High Court on May 4, 2018.

The prosecution was initially ordered to produce a copy of the forensic audit ahead of the continuation of the High Court challenge, but Justice Singh determined that Ramraj’s case could not continue after the special prosecutors representing the State had presented a heavily redacted forensic audit report. This report had formed the basis of the charges.

Nandlall contended that the Prosecution’s actions violated his client’s right to a fair trial, and noted that the “blocked-out” sections made the document unreadable.

Through his client’s application, it was observed that the prosecution’s “failure” to disclose a copy of the forensic report constitutes a violation of the Applicant’s right to be afforded reasonable facilities for the preparation of his defence

Deputy Solicitor General Debra Kumar appeared for the AG

as guaranteed by Article 144 of the Constitution.

On June 5, 2018, Justice Singh ordered that unless the Forensic Audit Report on GRDB done by Nigel Hinds is produced to Madanlall Ramraj or his attorney-at-law

by June 8, 2018, the prosecution of charges on certain case jackets in Magistrate’s Court shall be permanently stayed.

Afterward, a redacted copy of the report was served to Nandlall’s office.

Nandlall said the Attorney General on July 15, 2018, filed an application in the High Court seeking

to have Justice Singh’ Order recalled and set aside on a number of grounds including fraud. However, after hearing arguments from Nandlall on behalf of Ramraj and Deputy Solicitor General, Debra Kumar for the State, Justice Singh upheld Nandlall’s objections and dismissed the Attorney General’s application.

Nandlall disclosed that this effectively said that Madanlall Ramraj’s criminal charge is permanently stayed from being heard by Magistrate Leron Daly, in Court 2 of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The attorney had explained last month that the forensic report which contains 160 pages had around 98 per cent of its contents “blacked out”.

On May 19, 2017, Nandlall’s client Ramraj, along with GRDB Manager Jagnarine Singh; Badrie Persaud; former Agriculture Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) Prema Roopnarine; People’s Progressive Party Parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall, and Rice Producers Association head Dharamkumar Seeraj were summoned by SOCU for questioning in relation to the GRDB’s operations from the years 2011 and 2015. They were later that day charged and bailed for fraudulent omission of records with regards to the PetroCaribe Fund.

news

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wednesDAY, july 11, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Pensioner stabbed by ex-daughter-in-law’s husband Things that make A us proud even if our Government consistently embarrasses us

O

n a daily basis, there are people and things that make us proud as Guyanese. Even as news percolate in Guyana and around the world of the enormous Guyanese oil resources emanating out of the 1997 Oil agreement with ExxonMobil, there are Guyanese who are excelling across Guyana and around the world. These persons, events and things not only make us proud, but provide a deep well of hope and excitement about our future.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy This hope is enduring, even if our Government, the Granger-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Administration brings shame to our country on a daily basis.

Young Naila Rahaman recorded a perfect score, 529 out of 529, in the recent National Grade Six Assessment examinations. It was the first time any child achieved a perfect score. Her parents, family and teachers and all of us must be proud. She was not the only success story. Many children from across the country shared her success. Even if we were upset that the Education Minister and her staff delayed the release of the result for more than two weeks and only released it under pressure, we have to feel good about the more than 7000 children that performed to an acceptable standard and the thousands who reached excellent levels. There are concerns that about 50 per cent for English and about 60 per cent for Mathematics failed to reach acceptable standards. But these performances have been improving, even if ever so slowly.

More than 14,000 children will begin secondary school education from September. We are building on our achievement of 100 per cent universal access to secondary education. Considering that in 1990, we had only a 33 per cent access to secondary education, we have to be proud that Guyana stands as one of a handful developing countries with 100 per cent access today. This expansion of secondary education, one that was started by Cheddi Jagan in the early 1960s and which was stagnated under the People’s National Congress was a signal achievement of the People’s Progressive Party Government from 1992 to 2015. It is this expansion that is responsible for seeing the most ever number of our children, like Ashley Anthony, starting out in Ivory-League universities in America, such as Harvard and Yale, this year.

The new President of the American Heart Association (AHA) is Dr Ivor Benjamin. Dr Benjamin grew up in Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara. The AHA is the world’s leading voluntary organisation dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. From pioneering frontiers in precision medicine to accelerating drug discovery, the organisation is making significant strides in fulfilling its mission. Dr Benjamin is director of the cardiovascular centre of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. A highly regarded physician-scientist of molecular cardiovascular remodelling, he is a founding member of the Journal of the American Heart Association and currently serves on the editorial boards of Circulation and Circulation Research.

Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine has been awarded the Gordon K and Sybil Lewis Book Award 2018 for his book The Indian Caribbean which was published by the Mississippi Press in 2018.

This is one of the annual awards made by the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA). Dr Roopnarine is from Number 72 Village on the Corentyne and is a fellow Corentyne man. Dr Roopnarine is a professor at Jackson State University in New York. He has published several books and is an expert in the Indian experience in the Caribbean from indentured years to present day struggles. Growing up in a farming community and with limited opportunities for secondary education, Dr Roopnarine still was able to achieve remarkable academic successes.

These things and persons are genuine reasons for pride and represent Guyana Strong. Yet we are daily disappointed and ashamed with a government that is clueless and now ranks as one of the most corrupt regimes in the Region; one where misconduct in office is the norm. The latest scandal involving a Minister best known for her “vulgar, boom out” video in Parliament reeks of shame. Her brutish behaviour, lying every day and everywhere, is unbecoming of a Government Minister. Her arrogance is limitless and in this latest episode, she is likely to prevail, while two security guards are likely to lose their jobs for simply doing them. The Minister lied that they pointed guns to her head. It is her words against the camera. It is a brutish world and shame us all. Thank god for those Guyanese that bring pride to us.

pensioner is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) nursing a stab wound to her stomach and lacerations to the body after she was attacked by her ex-daughterin-law’s reputed husband at her Nonpariel, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home on

Tuesday.

Florie Dhooran Shivdayal, 72, of Lot 13 Nonpariel, ECD was in the lower flat of her home when she recognised the 23-yearold suspect of Lot A 6 Block 8 Enterprise, ECD in her yard.

As such, the pensioner raised an alarm but in re-

taliation, the man allegedly walked into the house, cuffed the woman, cut her on both hands and then stabbed her to the stomach. He then reportedly ran out of the house, jumped the fence and attempted to escape but was cornered by public spirited citizens who subsequently handed him

over to the Vigilance Police Station where he was taken into custody.

The injured woman was taken to the GPHC where she was treated and admitted a patient. Her condition is listed as stable. The suspect is expected to be charged shortly.

USAID/CPDC hosts NGO capacity building advocacy workshop

T

he United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) on Tuesday launched a four-day Leaders Training Workshop for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) at the Cara Lodge, East Street, Georgetown.

This workshop targeted ten countries in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean to improve the managerial, operational and administrative capacity of NGOs so that they can operate more efficiently, effectively and more so, in a sustainable manner.

The key aim of the workshop is to build capacity among NGO leaders to effectively advocate awareness of barriers and opportunities for NGO advocacy.

Its main objective focuses on developing skills and techniques for the creation of effective strategies and plans. Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott, noted that

Chairperson Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland; Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott; United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway and USAID ESC Mission Director Christopher Cushing (seated) surrounded by participating members

Guyana was pleased to be one of the countries involved in this training programme.

“The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is more than enlightened to participate in the ceremony to launch the local capacity of solutions with the USAID, along with the other nine countries of the Southern and Eastern Caribbean,” Minister Scott noted.

More so, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway explained that over the last five years,

the Region has witnessed an expansion of NGOs working in advocacy as well as service delivery at the community level.

“Guyana is privileged to boast a very active NGO presence and I am happy to report that the US Government has enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership with many local NGOs, including the Guyana Red Cross, Lifeline Counseling and the Volunteer Youth Corps, just to name a few,” Holloway noted.

Further, Holloway point-

ed out that through the programme, 130 NGOs across the Region participated in a Market Assessment to gauge the needs of the regional NGO sector while another 75 participated in focus groups which formed part of the assessment.

The launching of the workshop included inspirational talks by the officer in charge of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre, Richard Jones, and Capacity Building Specialist Shantal Munro- Knight.

Caribbean Cookout set for July 28 at Carifesta Sports Complex

S

ome of the world’s most famous foods and drinks will be on display at the Caribbean Cookout which takes place later in the month at the Carifesta Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown.

The event is organised in collaboration with the Ministry of the Presidency, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Department of Social Cohesion, Youth and Sport under the theme “A Global Celebration, A Global Experience, A Global

Community”. The main aim of the event is to capture the attention of patrons with a variety of cultural and culinary activities.

According to the coordinators, the Guyanese section will feature popular local food items such as ginger beer, sorrel drink, mauby and coconut water along with pepper pot, curry and cook-up-rice among others.

Meanwhile, in the Caribbean area, the theme “Eat, Drink, Relax, Repeat” will showcase culinary specialties from Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago with dishes such as

pelau, doubles, cou-cou and green figs and salted-fish.

In the international section, patrons will have an opportunity to “Taste Their Way Around the World” and will present culinary tour from North America to Africa with Nigerian pepper soup and jollof rice, Chilean empanadas and asados, Russian knish, Indian tandoori chicken, American meatloaf, Mexican Tamales and guacamole and Venezuelan arepas just to name a few.

Additionally, locals will also be treated to live cultural performances ranging

Belle Vue man slapped...

He immediately went to the scene but by that time, his brother was already picked up and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. “When I reach at the hospital, I see meh brother head bandaged up and he crying out for pains… So me and meh son asked he who do that to him and he tell we “Screech” and he son, “Puk”. I let my son

record it and took the information to the Police,” the man stated.

However, the next day he stated his brother was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. While there he underwent emergency surgery.

The father of three, the doctors related, suffered severe internal injuries. He also suffered a punctured

from steel pan renditions, modern dance pieces and fashion displays.

This outdoor food festival it the first of its kind in Guyana and the organisers are hoping that it will lead to “an annual intercontinental gastronomic event”.

The organising committee is inviting interested individuals with the skill and knowledge in producing Guyanese wines and local dishes and desserts to contact them on telephone number 622-0189.

Admission to the event is absolutely free and secured parking will be available.

From page 11

intestine and broken ribs.

The man later was then admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but died shortly after.

The aggrieved brother is holding out that both Rameshwar and his father committed the act but the Police only instituted charges against the son.

He said he will make sure charges are also brought

against “Screech” since his now dead brother identified him as one of the suspects.

“We want justice because we hear that the same “Screech” and he had an argument at the wedding house”. The Police have since released the man on station bail.

The dead man was however cremated on Sunday last.

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wednESDAY, july 11, 2018

Regional

The Bahamas has no interest Nicaragua crisis: ‘38 killed in bloodiest in joining CSME, says PM

T

he Bahamas has no intention of signing on to the (Caribbean Community) Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has told citizens.

He made his country's position clear on his return from last week's 39th Caricom Heads of Government conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where he told regional leaders that The Bahamas cannot support the free movement of people across its boundaries.

“The Bahamas is not and will not be a part of CMSE. Bahamas will not allow free movement of people within our boundar-

ies,” Prime Minister Minnis said.

During the threeday meeting, the issue of full implementation of

arbados is being urged to set up its own law school. The proposal has come from principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, Professor Eudine Barriteau.

Professor Barriteau made the request during a courtesy call with Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Dale Marshall, Permanent Secretary Yvette Goddard

and Deputy Permanent Secretary Charles Piggott at the Ministry on Monday.

Director of Institutional Planning at the UWI, Gale Hall, was also present.

Barriteau explained that she saw the establishment of a law school as not only being able to cater to Barbadians, but those from across the Caribbean and as far as England.

She asked the Attorney General to “consider it se-

Bahamas Prime Minister, Dr Hubert Minnis

the CSME was high on the agenda, and Caricom Chairman, Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness, said Heads of Government

had put measures in place to fast-track that.

However, Minnis stressed to local media over the weekend: “The Bahamas will not allow free movement of people within our boundaries so we are not a part of CSME. That must be clear, so you do not feel that because of what has happened there [at the Caricom meeting], that Caribbean nationals would be able to move into The Bahamas quite readily.”

“We have our rules, our laws and they will continue to apply so we are not and will not be a part of CSME.” The Bahamas is the only full member of Caricom that has not signed on to the CSME. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Call for Barbados law school B riously”, adding she would also raise the topic with the Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw and Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

The principal stressed that she would like Barbados to be seen as the hub for education in the Caribbean. In response, Marshall said there were a number of issues to be considered in the proposal, but he also wanted to hear the opinion of the Council

of Legal Education on the matter.

During the courtesy call, other matters discussed included the establishment of a Centre for Food Security and Cooperation, and an upcoming symposium on biosecurity issues. UWI currently has the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago and the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica. (Excerpt from

day’ – NGO

S

unday was the deadliest day in Nicaragua since a wave of anti-Government protests started in April, a local human rights group says.

According to the Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights (Cenidh), 38 people were killed during clashes in three areas.

Cenidh says 31 were anti-Government protesters, four Police Officers and three members of pro-Government groups. Clashes between the security forces and anti-Government protesters have been intensifying with deadly results.

Cenidh President Vilma Núñez told BBC Mundo that 35 people had been killed in the towns of Diriamba and Jinotepe and three more in the northern province of Matagalpa.

She said most of them had been killed in clash-

es between anti-Government protesters manning roadblocks and Police and pro-Government groups attempting to clear the barricades. Previously the human rights group had given the number of those killed as 14, but had warned that it would probably go up as they received further reports.

More than 300 people are reported to have been killed since the wave of protests against the government was triggered by changes to the social security system announced on April 18.

The protests widened and quickly turned into demands that President Daniel Ortega step down.

The Government accuses the protesters of plotting a coup d'etat against the President, who was re-elected to a third consecutive term in office in 2016. (Excerpt from BBC News)

T&T Police Officer dies 2 days after setting himself on fire

Nation News)

Fossil of ‘1st giant’ dinosaur discovered in Argentina Gary Alexander took a plastic container filled with petrol and began throwing it on himself and his brown Kia Cerato. He then locked himself in the car and set himself on fire

T

The dinosaur was found in what is now Argentina, but was once a huge supercontinent

hey are the biggest animals to have walked the Earth, with some weighing as much as a space shuttle. However, it is unclear how dinosaurs grew to such massive proportions.

A new dinosaur discovery from Argentina gives fresh evidence on the rise of the giants. The animal used a novel strategy to become super-sized, involving very fast growth spurts and effi-

cient bird-like lungs, say palaeontologists. The fossil was found in the northwest of Argentina during a field trip.

The scientists found four skeletons in all, one of a new species and three of related dinosaurs.

"We could see that it was a new species that we named Ingentia prima," said Dr Cecilia Apaldetti of Universidad Nacional de San Juan in Argentina. "That in

Latin means the 'first giant'."

The dinosaur dates back to the Triassic, about 47 million years before the iconic long-necked plant-eaters Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus appeared on the scene.

It wasn't as large, weighing about 10 tonnes. But its discovery is a surprise, coming so early in dinosaur evolution.

"We could observe in

the bones [from the growth rings] that they had markedly high-growth periods," said Dr Apaldetti, who was among the team to find the dinosaur. Her group's investigations show that there is more than one way to super-size a dinosaur.

And they suggest that there may be even bigger and stranger dinosaurs out there, which are yet to be discovered. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Barbudans hindering the island’s progress – PM Browne

A

ntigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne said if Barbudans wish to hinder the progress of the island, he would not prevent them from doing so.

Two Barbudans filed an application for leave for judicial review of the Government’s decision to construct an airport in Barbuda.

The injunction, which was filed with the High

Court of Justice of Antigua and Barbuda on Friday last, sought to address what is being described as failures by the to meet critical requirements under the Physical Planning Act 2003, in the development of the airport, and failure to follow proper planning procedures where the Government has started or permitted construction.

In response, in an interview with Observer media,

Browne said, this was just a part of the group’s “modus operandi” and by their actions, they would be the ones hampering their growth.

“They will stall everything and anything, so they can go ahead. They can go ahead and do whatever they wish because at the end of the day, it is their own progress that they are stymieing. If Barbudans want to take out their injunction to stop the project, so be it. If

they want to stymie their own development, feel free,” Browne said.

The applicants, John Mussington and Jacklyn Frank, both residents of Barbuda, filed the case as representatives of Barbudans who are affected by and opposed to the “massive destruction” of forests, wildlife and ecosystems allegedly associated with the construction of the airport.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

T

wo days after he set himself on fire, SRP Gary Alexander has died. Alexander, 62, died during the early hours of Tuesday morning having sustained second degree burns to 90 per cent of his body.

During an interview on Monday, his daughter Shanice Alexander, 25, said they were awaiting the arrival of relatives from abroad before organizing Alexander's funeral.

Describing her relationship with her father as abusive, Shanice said he had a drinking problem and despite serving for years as a Police Officer he never received any help.

Alexander's common-law wife Debbie Figaroo made numerous reports of abuse at the Police station. On March 18, following a domestic dispute at their Jebodhsingh Avenue, Fyzabad home, Alexander was charged with two counts of assault, malicious damage and throwing a flammable liquid.

Shanice said after that incident, promises were made to help Alexander, but this never materialised.

Neighbour Desmond Alfred, said Alexander's family was terrified of him as he threatened to kill them on many occasions.

The neighbour who witnessed the entire ordeal said he could not sleep since the incident. Alfred said Alexander was in his garden and received a call, following which he confronted Figaroo and an argument ensued. He then jumped in his car, returned with a red plastic container filled with petrol and began throwing it on himself and his brown Kia Cerato.

He then locked himself in the car and set himself on fire. Moments later he came out and tried to extinguish the flames by lying in a drain. His son Jacy threw water on him and he was later admitted in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital. (Excerpt from

Trinidad Guardian)

wednesDAY, july 11, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

“Nobody thought we could do it”: rescue of 12 Thai boys and coach accomplished

R

escuers freed the last four of 12 Thai boys and their football coach from deep inside a flooded cave on Tuesday, a successful end to a perilous mission that gripped the world for more than two weeks.

The “Wild Boars” soccer team, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-yearold coach became trapped on June 23 while exploring the cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai when a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels.

“We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what.

All the 13 Wild Boars are now out of the cave,” the Navy

SEAL unit, which led the rescue, said on its Facebook page, adding all were safe.

British divers found the 13, hungry and huddled in darkness on a muddy bank in a partly flooded chamber several kilometres inside the Tham Luang cave complex, on Monday last week.

After pondering for days how to get the 13 out, a rescue operation was launched on Sunday when four of the boys were brought out, tethered to rescue divers.

Another four were rescued on Monday and the last four boys and the coach were brought out on Tuesday, prompting rounds of spontaneous applause as ambulanc-

The boys, aged between 11 and 17, became trapped with their coach on June 23 [BBC News]

es and helicopters passed.

Celebrations were tinged with sadness over the loss of a former Thai navy diver who died on Friday while on a re-supply mission inside the cave.

“I want to tell the coach thank you so much for helping the boys survive this long,” said one Chiang Rai woman wearing a traditional dress, tears brimming in her eyes.

“I remember all of their faces, especially the youngest one. He’s the smallest one and he doesn’t have as much experience as the others... I felt like he was one of my own children and I wanted him to come home.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

Suicide bomber kills ANP candidate, EU Council Chief's riposte to Trump: Respect the supporters at election rally allies you have A suicide bomb attack at an election rally in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar has killed at least 14 people, including prominent local politician Haroon Bilour, Police said.

The attack on Tuesday at a campaign event organised by the Awami National Party (ANP) also wounded at least 65 people, according to the local Police Chief.

Bilour was a provincial assembly candidate for the July 25 general elections. His father, Bashir Bilour, also a prominent ANP politician, was killed by a suicide bomb-

The bomber targeted a meeting of the Awami National Party in Peshawar [Fayaz Aziz/Reuters]

er in 2012.

Police said the bomber struck when Bilour was

about to address some 200 supporters.

There was no immedi-

ate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack.

The bombing came hours after the Pakistan military spokesman warned about security threats ahead of the national elections.

Local television channels broadcast live scenes of ambulances arriving at the site and rushing victims to the hospital.

Bilour belonged to an influential political family in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Peshawar is the capital.

The ANP was the main target of Taliban attacks in the 2013 election. (Al Jazeera)

South Sudan atrocities may constitute war crimes, UN says

H

orrific accounts of gang rape, throats being slit and mass shootings in South Sudan are described in the latest United Nations report on the country.

It blames the violence in Unity state on Government and allied forces.

One woman, who said she lost everything, told investigators that "it would have

been better if they had killed me".

Leaders signed a ceasefire deal in June aimed at ending the five-year civil war.

Millions have been forced to flee as a result of the fighting.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed.

One million children flee South Sudan The violence detailed in

the report may amount to war crimes and those responsible should be brought to justice, the UN's human rights body says.

South Sudan's army has not yet received the report, and, therefore, could not comment, its spokesman told Reuters news agency.

The UN investigators focused on a five-week pe-

Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court

U

S President Donald Trump has nominated Federal Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.

Trump made the announcement on Monday night, saying it was an "honour and privilege" to nominate Kavanaugh.

In picking the 53-year-old, Trump aimed to entrench conservative control of the court for years to come with his second lifetime appointment to the nation's highest judicial body in his first 18 months as President.

Kavanaugh now faces what appears to be another fierce fight for confirmation in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold a slim majority. If confirmed, Kavanaugh would replace long-serving conservative Justice Kennedy, who announced his retirement on June 27 at age 81.

"Throughout legal circles, he's considered

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh [Jim Bourg/Reuters] [Daylife]

a judge's judge, a true thought leader among his peers," Trump, who named conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch to the court last year, told an audience in the White House East Room. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

riod in April and May when Government soldiers and their allies attacked Opposition-controlled villages in the south of Unity state.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

E

uropean Council President Donald Tusk told US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to stop berating NATO allies over military investment levels ahead of what is expected to be a fraught alliance summit.

Before flying to Brussels where he arrived on Tuesday night, Trump again chided fellow NATO members for not contributing enough while maintaining a trade surplus with the United States, his latest reprimand on issues that are straining transatlantic relations.

“Dear America, appreciate your allies, after all you don’t have that many,” Tusk, a former Polish Prime Minister, said after a signing statement on more cooperation between the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

As European Council

President, Tusk serves as the chairman when EU leaders meet at summits.

Even while in the air, Trump kept up the attack.

He said in a Twitter post that a trade deficit with the European Union “makes it impossible for our farmers and workers and companies to do business in Europe ... and then they want us to happily defend them through NATO, and nicely pay for it. Just doesn’t work!”

The European Union is the top export market for the United States at US$501 billion in goods and services in 2016, the latest available figures provided by the Office of the US Trade Representative. Imports totalled US$592 billion, leading to a US$92 billion goods and services trade deficit with the EU, according to the trade office’s data. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Dissident Liu Xiaobo's widow Liu Xia allowed to leave China

T

he widow of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo has left China for Germany after eight years in unofficial detention.

Liu Xia, 57, left Beijing early on Tuesday and flew to Berlin.

She had been under effective house arrest in the Chinese capital since her husband won the prize in 2010.

Liu Xiaobo, a university professor turned human rights campaigner, was jailed in 2009 for inciting subversion. He died of liver cancer last year.

Liu Xia, a poet, is said to have suffered from depression after spending years under heavy surveillance.

She has never been

A smiling Liu Xia is seen arriving in Helsinki en route to Berlin

charged with any crime, but said in May she was ready to die in protest at her continued detention.

A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman confirmed her departure – "for medical treatment, in accordance with her own will"

–- but said it had nothing to do with this week's visit to Germany by China's Premier Li Keqiang.

Photos later showed her smiling on arrival in Helsinki en route to the German capital. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, july 11, 2018

ARCHIE

Don’t take no for an answer. Your persistence will (March 21- pay off. Past lessons and lossApril 19) es will help you make a better choice now. Plan a victory celebration.

ARIES

Physical and personal imTAURUS provements should be con(April 20- sidered carefully, or you may May 20) omit an important component that will disrupt your plans.

Don’t underestimate someone trying to compete with you.

dilbert

Emotions will drive you GEMINI (May 21- to finish something that has June 20) been going on for too long.

Speak up and put an end to whatever is standing between you and what you want.

An excursion or shopping trip will lead to some inter(June 21- esting ideas and purchases.

July 22) Share your intentions with someone who can help you with your plans.

CANCER

Peanuts

Don’t feel the need to rush LEO into something. Take the time (July 23- to assess your situation and Aug. 22) determine what it will take to get things done to your specifications and within your budget.

Be the one to make the VIRGO first move. Set your sights on (Aug. 23what you want to achieve, and Sept. 22) strive to do the best you can.

Personal changes look promising.

Calvin and Hobbes

Share your concerns with LIBRA (Sept. 23- someone who can help or Oct. 23) support you when the chips are down. Having a plan in mind will help your cause.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — MEREST (MEREST: MEER-est: Smallest or slightest.)

SUDOKU

Your swagger will attract SAGITTARIUS attention.

Try not to over(Nov. 23shadow someone you care Dec. 21) about, or you may disrupt the relationship. Think before you act to avoid a dispute.

Average mark 13 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 17 or more words in MEREST? The list will be published tomorrow.

Don’t let your emotions CAPRICORN get in the way of accomplish(Dec. 22- ing something you want to Jan. 19) pursue. A change at home will end up being more beneficial than anticipated.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — STAINED

said saint sand sane sate satin seat sedan send sent seta side sine

site snide snit staid stain stand stead stein tend tide tied tine tinea

tisane adit aide anise ante anti aside idea ides inset instead neat nest

east edit dais date dean deist dent detain diet dine dint

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

Anger will be a waste SCORPIO of time.

You may not agree (Oct. 24with what someone else is Nov. 22) doing, but using force or harsh words will not make matters better. Try reason and feasible solutions.

solution for last published puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Don’t let someone from your past cost you financially or emotionally. Personal changes need to be considered carefully. Don’t lose sight of what’s practical and what’s fantasy.

A change in your personal life or to your lifestyle will be beneficial. If you make suggestions, you’ll get help saving money. Share your feelings with someone special.

wednesDAY, JUly 11, 2018

19

France restrict Belgium to advance to World Cup Final F

rance will face England or Croatia in the World Cup final after edging past European neighbours Belgium in the semi-final in St Petersburg.

Defender Samuel Umtiti scored the winning goal for the 1998 champions in the second half with a towering header from Antoine Griezmann's corner.

Didier Deschamps' side were on the back foot for large periods of the game, but emerged victorious to reach their third final, having been beaten by Italy on penalties in 2006.

Belgium came through the quarter-finals by impressively beating Brazil, but they were unable to find the equaliser, as Axel Witsel's powerful, long-range drive was pushed away by Hugo Lloris, who also brilliantly kept out Toby Alderweireld's turn and shot.

At the final whistle, the France substitutes ran on the pitch to celebrate with the players, while manager Deschamps was mobbed by his staff before dancing around in a circle.

A repeat of history?

Twenty years ago, France won the World Cup for the first and only time in their history at home in Paris with a 3-0 win over Brazil.

That team was captained by Deschamps, who is now aiming to emulate Brazilian Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer

by winning the competition as both a player and manager.

Deschamps was a holding midfielder in his day and his France side have come to characterise his playing style of functionality over flair by adopting a conservative game.

Belgium had 64 per cent possession in the match, but France kept their shape, played on the counter-attack and constantly looked to forward Kylian Mbappe, who was a threat throughout with his darting runs and trickery with the ball.

The teenager, who announced himself on the global stage by scoring twice against Argentina in the last 16, played a sublime flick to put Olivier Giroud in on goal, but the Chelsea man saw his shot blocked from close range.

Although Giroud has now had 13 shots in the tournament without finding the target, he is likely to keep his place in the starting XI for the final.

Deschamps has been questioned for continuing to deploy Giroud up front in his side and has been asked why a place cannot be found for other attacking talents such as Ousmane Dembele or Thomas Lemar.

But he has answered the critics with a run to a second consecutive major tournament final after Euro 2016, when they were beaten in extra-time by Portugal.

Once France went ahead on 50

It was a sea of red, blue and white on the streets of Paris after their national team advanced to the final of the FIFA World Cup 2018

minutes they rarely looked like conceding and Belgium went out with a bit of a whimper.

Golden generation unable to deliver

Ranked among the pre-tournament favourites, there was optimism that Belgium's 'golden generation' of players containing skipper Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku could finally deliver silverware for their country.

But the win in the previous round against five-time winners Brazil proved to be their peak, and they suffered heartbreak in a major tournament once more.

The Red Devils lost in the quarter-finals of both the previous World Cup and the European

Championship and their second World Cup semi-final appearance ended in defeat, just like in 1986 against a Diego Maradonainspired Argentina.

The team's 24-match unbeaten run stretching back to September 2016 also came to an end, as manager Roberto Martinez suffered a first loss in a competitive game.

Ten of the 11 starters were Premier League-based and one of those – striker Lukaku of Manchester United, who was excellent against Brazil, was left stifled by France's excellent centre-back pairing of Umtiti and Raphael Varane. Lukaku had just 22 touches on the ball in the whole match - the least of any player who started.

Manchester City's De Bruyne was unable to dictate the game and although skipper Hazard started brightly, fizzing a low shot narrowly wide and another deflecting over, he too drifted out of the game.

Belgium's only consolation is that they still have one game left to play in the tournament – Saturday's third/fourth place play-off against the loser from the England v Croatia encounter.

Despite the loss, Belgium’s manager Martinez is hopeful that the team can recover from such a huge loss.

"It was a close game and it was very tight and it was going to be decided by that bit of luck in front of goal. The attitude of the players was brilliant and we couldn't ask for any more. We have to understand one team wins and the other loses, and we did what we could," he told BBC One. Asked about the French goal, Martinez added: "That is the type of detail that counts in the semi-final of the World Cup. We have one game left and I want to ensure we finish the tournament on a high because these players don't deserve to leave here with a bad taste."

England will play Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow in the second semi-final today (kick-off 19:00 BST) and the final takes place at the same venue on Sunday (16:00 BST). (BBC Sport)

Williams makes history to

advance to Wimbledon semis

S

erena Williams survived a scare to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals with a comeback victory over hard-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi. The 23time Grand Slam champion dropped her first set of the championships, but came through 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Giorgi, the world number 52, produced the type of power normally associated with her opponent – but the American then found an extra gear.

Williams faces German 13th seed Julia Gorges in Thursday's semi-finals.

Before the match, Giorgi had raised eyebrows when

asked about her impression of Williams over the years,

And she certainly played as if undaunted by the reputation and titles of her oppo-

nent.

she said: "I don't follow women's tennis."

Giorgi's serve was straight out of the Williams book of power. She delivered three aces to the American's one in the first set and won 84 per cent of points on her first serve.

It is not often you see Williams scrambling to return a serve or nearly knocked off her feet by the force of a near 120mph delivery – it is more often her dishing that up – but she was given a taste of her own medicine by the fearless Giorgi. The Italian's average serve speed in each set was higher than Williams', although the American recorded the fastest of the match at 122mph.

The 36-year-old came forward to attack more in the second set, not allowing Giorgi any break points and winning her own break in the fourth game, roaring "come on!" when winning key points.

She turned the screw with a backhand winner down the line to break in the third game of the final set and got more of her first serves in to take charge, sealing victory on her first match point when Giorgi sent a forehand into the net.

Williams only returned to competitive singles tennis in March following the birth of her daughter, but has nevertheless been the player to beat. With the top 10 seeds making early exits, she has

yet to face a player ranked in the top 50. Against Giorgi, she answered any lingering doubts about what might happen if she faced a stiff test – showing she still has the stamina, spirit and shots to carry on collecting Grand Slam titles.

"I feel good, I feel like I did better today, I had to," she told BBC Sport. "This is only my fourth tournament back so I don't feel pressure; I don't feel I have to win this.

I still have a long way to go to be where I was."

The American could become the fourth mom to win a major, after Belgium's Kim Clijsters and Australians Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Margaret Court. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, JUly 11, 2018

Ronaldo’s move to

Juventus confirmed!

R

eal Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is set to join Juventus, becoming one of the four most expensive players of all time. It is understood that a deal worth £105 million has been reached between the two clubs that will see the 33-year-old Portuguese end a nine-year stay at the Bernabeu.

Ronaldo, who has won four Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles at Real, stated, "The time has come to open a new stage in my life, that's why I asked the club to accept transferring me."

The top two world record transfer fees have been paid out by Paris St-Germain – a £200 million payout to Barcelona for Brazil forward Neymar last August, and the fee of around £166 million for France forward Kylian Mbappe in July after a successful season on loan with PSG.

“Real Madrid have conquered my heart” – Ronaldo's letter to fans

“These years in Real Madrid, and in this city of Madrid, have been possibly the happiest of my life.

I only have feelings of enormous gratitude for this club, for its fans and for this city.

I can only thank all of them for the love and affection I

have received.

“However, I believe that the time has come to open a new stage in my life and that is why I have asked the club to accept transferring me. I feel that way and I ask everyone, and especially our fans, to please understand me.

“They have been absolutely wonderful for nine years. They have been nine unique years. It has been an emotional time for me, full of consideration but also hard because Real Madrid is of the highest demands, but I know very well that I will never forget that I have enjoyed football here in a unique way.

“I have had fabulous teammates on the field and in the dressing room; I have felt the warmth of an incredible crowd and together we have won three Championships in a row and four Championships in five years. And with them also, on an individual level, I have the satisfaction of having won four Gold Balls and three Gold Boots. All during my time in this immense and extraordinary club.

“Real Madrid has conquered my heart, and that of my family, and that is why more than ever I want to say thank you: thanks to the club, the President, the directors, my colleagues, all

“The deal of the century”

Cristiano Ronaldo

years ago: Go Madrid!” the renowned footballer wrote.

the technical staff, doctors, physios and incredible workers that make everything work, that tirelessly pursue every minute detail.

“Thank you infinitely once more to our fans and thanks also to Spanish Football. During these nine exciting years I have played against great players. My respect and my recognition for all of them.

“I have reflected a lot and I know that the time has come for a new cycle.

I'm leaving, but this shirt, this badge and the Santiago Bernabeu but they will continue to always feel part of me wherever I am.

“Thanks to all and, of course, as I said that first time in our stadium nine

Despite their dominance in Europe's premier club competition, Real struggled domestically, finishing 17 points behind champions Barcelona last season.

Real are keen on reshaping their team under new manager Julen Lopetegui and the 33-time La Liga winners have also been linked with a move for Paris St-Germain's 26-yearold Brazil forward Neymar.

However, it would be a controversial move as Neymar spent four years at Real's fierce rivals Barcelona before joining PSG in his world record transfer of £200 mil-

lion last summer.

Real have also been linked with a move for another PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, the 19-year-old who has helped France reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Italian football expert James Horncastle told BBC Radio 5 live: "Real would be reluctant to lose Ronaldo without a replacement in hand. They have been linked with Neymar, who joined PSG for a world record fee last season, and their flirting with the Brazilian appears to have put Ronaldo's nose out of joint at Madrid.

"We don't know who is being lined up, be it Kylian Mbappe, Eden Hazard, or Harry Kane."

had made peace with that fact. "For a long time, the World Cup was a massive goal," de Villiers said. "But, in the last few years, I have realised that it isn't realistic to measure yourself purely on what you achieve in that tournament. That will not be the be-all and end-all of my career.

"Yes, I would have loved to win it, but I have great memories from World Cups.

The 2007 tournament – my first – was very special. We fell short against Australia, when we tried to play too much cricket too soon, but that shift in mentality probably helped us to go over

there and win the Test series we then won over there.

Personally, I scored my first ODI century in that 2007 tournament, and I loved the whole experience of being in the Caribbean.

"The same goes for the others, in 2011 and in 2015.

India has always been close to my heart, because of the passion for cricket, and then obviously 2015 was an amazing game," he further said about the classic semi-final against New Zealand in which South Africa fell agonisingly short. "We fell on the wrong side of it, but we gave it everything."

De Villiers said that his

decision to retire was made simpler when he accepted that the World Cup wouldn't define his career, and that he didn't want to pick and choose when he would be playing for South Africa in an effort to carry on until the 2019 event.

"I guess that once I acknowledged to myself that I didn't have to measure my career on one tournament, place so much emphasis on it, it became easier to make my decision," he said. "I also didn't want to be picking and choosing my way through fixtures from now until then. It wouldn't be fair." (ESPNcricinfo)

Who next for Real Madrid?

Juventus have reached the Champions League final twice in the last four years and lost both. One of those defeats was to Ronaldo's Real Madrid. He scored in the final in Cardiff and he knocked them out in the quarters this year. They believe he is the difference and the player who could achieve the Champions League with Juventus for the first time in 23 years.

Winning the trophy has been an obsession for them.

This is much more than about football, it's about them going to the next level as a business. When Deloitte ranked the 10 richest clubs in the world earlier this year, Juventus were only 10th. They believe being able to leverage and monetise some of his followers on social media and his commercial deals will help them close the gap financially on Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United.

The Italians are confident there could be an announcement this evening, although the finer details of the deal would take a few more days. Juventus' share prices on the stock exchange sky-rocketed by 33 per cent.

(BBC Sport)

AB de Villiers to play IPL for “a few years”

W

hen AB de Villiers announced his surprise retirement from international cricket in May, he left the question of playing overseas in any form vague. De Villiers has now confirmed that the IPL will be part of his post-international retirement plans, while reiterating that he also hopes to play for his domestic franchise, Titans, for a while.

"I will keep on playing IPL for a few years, and I would like to play for the Titans, and help some of the youngsters. But there are no set plans. I haven't been able to say that for a long

time," de Villiers told iol.co. za. "There are some offers on the table from around the world, but it will be nice to wake up and wonder what to do; to be normal."

When he had retired, de Villiers had stated he had "no plans to play overseas, in fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket", likely referring to taking up a Kolpak deal the way several of his South African teammates did.

The timing of his retirement also meant that de Villiers would end his career without a World Cup winner's medal, but he said he

AB de Villiers

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sports

Khan bags maiden Odyssey Transport Golf title

S

easoned pro Kassim Khan stunned a high-profile field of golfers as he emerged champion of the inaugural Odyssey Transport Golf tournament, which teed off last Sunday.

Torrential showers did little to deter the large flock of golfers who were enthused to get themselves further fine-tuned ahead of the Club’s July extravaganza set for a few days from now.

Khan landed his firstplace finish after scoring 65/9, followed by the likes of Mohanlall Dinanauth, 66/6; and Lusignan Golf Club President Aleem Hussain, 69/11 while the sponsor of the tourney and CEO of Odyssey, Feroze Barakat, played well for his fourthplace finish (70/18).

Dinanauth, a former Guyana Open Male Champion, obtained the Best Gross trophy with a score of 72 as the next highly-ranked

Winners and several of those who received gift bags pose with Odyssey CEO Feroze Barakat, Kassim Khan, Aleem Hussain and Mohanlall Dinanauth

10 placers received gift bags, compliments of Barakat in appreciation of the competitive spirit so many golfers exhibited.

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F

The winners’ row at the Wendell Meusa Chess Foundation Kids Tournament

ifteen-year-old Ethan Lee continues to cement his name in the world of chess after recording yet another win over the weekend, this time at the Wendell Meusa Chess Foundation (WMCF) Kids Tournament.

Lee has been having an extraordinary 2018, being crowned as the Saint Stanislaus and Marian Academy chess champion respectively. The tournament over the weekend was no different with Lee convincingly winning seven out of seven games, similarly to another competition just under two weeks ago.

Given that the likes of Jaden Taylor, Ghansham Allijohn and National Junior Champ Joshua Gopaul were missing from the event, Lee’s only challenge came in the form of Rajiv Lee of Queen's College.

In their encounter, both players opted to execute the tactical Sicilian defence.

However, being Lee’s pet line of defence, the Marian Academy champion managed to outplay the Queen’s College student by using his superior knowledge and experience to capitalise on a few errors made by Rajiv.

Meanwhile, Rajiv had some recognition of his own

after he played superbly in what was his first mainstream tournament. Aside from his loss to Ethan Lee, Rajiv played to a thrilling draw against young prospect Chelsea Juma. The young man showcased tons of potential and was not expected to perform that well. He made use of aggressive and tactical combinations and as such, he took home the second-place trophy gaining 5.5 points from seven games.

Another promising Marian Academy student took the third position. Odit Rodrigues finished on 4.5 points ahead of 12-year-old female Chelsea Juma of St

Stanislaus College. After allowing illness to deter her on the first day of the event, Juma rebounded on day two to showcase her prowess. For her strong finish and eventual best female title, the 12-yearold earned herself one-month free training at the chess foundation. Eleven-year-old Ronan Lee took the youngest player prize when he finished on three points followed by Jonathan Stepney of Marian Academy and Jarrell Troyer of St Stanislaus College.

Juma, along with 14-year-old Sasha Shariff of Marian Academy, is training and gearing up for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Women's Championship, which is scheduled to be hosted in Barbados from July 27 to August 3. This will be Guyana's first time having female representatives at such a tournament and these young ladies are expected to grace the list of national players who are ranked by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). These young ladies will be seeking financial assistance to cover their airfare cost and any person who is interested in provided financial assistance can call Mr Meusa (664-0124) or Mrs Jardin (692-2708).

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, JUly 11, 2018

3 Guyanese in Windies squad ahead of Women’s T20 Championship

W

Shemaine Campbelle

ith roughly 100 days left before the start of the ICC Women’s T20 Championship, the defending champs have announced their 20-member squad featuring three Guyanese.

The trio of ladies: Sheneta Grimmond, Shabika Gajnabi and Guyana captain Shemaine Campbell were named in the side after top performances in the Super50 and T20 Blaze championships.

The women have been in two high-performance camps since

April 30, they took a working break in June where they represented their national sides for the Women’s Championship where Barbados and Jamaica emerged as the Super50 and T20 Blaze winners respectively.

Up until July 16, the squad of 20 will be in Antigua for another high-performance programme which will include on- and off-the-field sessions not limited to yoga, nutrition, mental conditioning along with simulation of game conditions and other cricketing techniques.

In May, the women in camp were also exposed to the UNICEF Child Protection course.

The squad will have a warmup in September when they host South Africa. Head

Coach Henderson Springer and his support team are running the sessions in Antigua.

Shania Abdool, Aria Fortune, Grimmond and Karishma Ramharack are the new additions, while Natasha McLean, Chinelle Henry, Akeira Peters and Gajnabi make a return to international colours. The squad also features top-calibre players like Deandra Dottin, Merissa Aguilleira, Anisa Mohammed, Hayley Matthews, and others.

Meanwhile, Captain Stafanie Taylor is unavailable owing to other commitments and will play for the defending champions Western Storm in the UK in the Kia Super League which ends in August. The World Twenty20 Championship will be held November 9-24.

The 20-member squad in

Shabika Gajnabi

camp reads: Shania Abdool – TT; Merissa Aguilleira – TT; Shemaine Campbelle – Guyana; Shamilia Connell – Barbados; Britney Cooper – TT; Deandra Dottin – Barbados; Afy Fletcher – Windward Islands; Aria Fortune – Windward Islands; Shabika Gajnabi – Guyana; Sheneta Grimmond – Guyana;

Chinelle Henry – Jamaica; Qiana Joseph – Windward Islands; Kycia Knight – Barbados; Hayley Matthews – Barbados; Natasha McClean – Jamaica; Anisa Mohammed – TT; Chedean Nation – Jamaica; Akeira Peters – Windward Islands; Karishma Ramharack – TT; and Shakera Selman – Barbados.

Herath may retire from FYF dominates international cricket in November R angana Herath may retire from international cricket in November following the three-match Test series against England. Provided he plays every Sri Lanka Test until then, he will finish five Tests short of 100.

Herath had earlier retired from the shorter formats in order to lengthen his Test career, but now, aged 40, he believed it was time to consider stepping

away from all formats.

"Maybe my final series will be the England series later in the year," he told BBC Sinhala. "Following this South Africa series, there is another three months until the England series. For now, this is what I've planned for. There comes a time for every cricketer when they have to stop playing. I think that time has come for me."

Herath is the most suc-

Dilruwan Perera and Rangana Herath have a chat

cessful left-arm bowler in Tests, having taken 418 wickets. He is the last remaining international cricketer to have played in the 1990s, having made his debut in September 1999. It was only after 2009, however, that his Sri Lanka career truly took off. More than 90 per cent of his wickets have come in the last nine years of his career.

"I'm really glad I've been able to play as long as I have," Herath said. "But the most important thing is that of those 18 years, I wasn't able to play for Sri Lanka for about seven of those years.

I'm proud of what I was able to do in those seven years – the training I did, and the desire I had, especially."

Herath also said he would talk with Sri Lanka's Coach and Captain following the South Africa series, before finalising his plans.

He believes Sri Lanka's spin bowling would be in good hands following his retirement, with Dilruwan Perera around as an experienced spinner, alongside younger bowlers such as Akila Dananjaya and Lakshan Sandakan. (ESPNcricinfo)

preparatory

boxing tournament

F

orgotten Youths Foundation (FYF) once again asserted its dominance in the world of boxing over the past weekend as it conquered yet another tournament on Saturday.

The action went down at the Andrew “Six Head” Lewis Gym and saw participation from a considerable number of Georgetown boxers. FYF was joined by Young Achievers ( Y A ) ; Harpy

The winner’s circle for Saturday’s event included: Moses Crawford (FYF); Dwayne Baptiste (FYF); Mark Crawford (FYF); Sean Graham (FYF); Stephon McDonald (FYF); Wayne Castello (FYF); Travis Iverany (FYF); Malachi Sealey (YA) and Alvin Harripersaud (MBG).

The winning boxers will hope t o

Eagles (HE), and Mabaruma Boxing Gym (MBG), which was the only out-of-town gym.

The FYF which continues to gather and train young boxers had the largest contingent at the competition, thus it was no surprise when it copped eight of 10 bouts to win the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Mike Parris Schoolboys and Juniors Preparatory Tournament by a landslide.

be selected as part of the four-member team that will represent Guyana at the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament which is slated for the National Gymnasium from August 17-19. So far, other Caribbean countries such as Grenada, the Cayman Islands, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago have expressed an interest in the tournament.

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, JUly 11, 2018

Joseph returns for Sabina Park Test – injured Roach ordered to rest W

indies speedster Alzarri Joseph was named in the 13-man squad to face Bangladesh in the second Test which gets underway

at the Sabina Park Ground, Jamaica on Thursday.

Joseph on his return to international cricket recently was the most successful bowler for the President’s XI

side versus Bangladesh with figures of 4-53. His inclusion came in light of Kemar Roach’s orders to rest following hamstring strain in the first innings of the Test

BANGLADESH-WEST INDIES 2018 (Start time in brackets)

in Antigua that the Windies won by an inning and 219 runs.

Roach was named MVP for his scorching returns of 5-8 which helped the Caribbean side plot the Bangladeshis’ eventual downfall inside three days. Also present in the squad are the Guyanese pair of Keemo Paul and Shimron Hetmyer who were on the bench for the first match.

The win in the first Test also saw some positive movements in the ICC rankings for several players.

Roach shot up to 20th and Kraigg Brathwaite 16th; they are now in the Top 20 in bowling and batting respectively.

Captain Jason Holder also moves up two places to 52nd and to 23rd in the bowling

while Kieran Powell moves up five places to 61st and pacer Miguel Cummins going up 12 places to 55th.

Also, the Windies team will be training at Sabina Park on Wednesday, July 11 from 09:00h-11:15h.

Following the training session, Captain Holder will be available for interviews from 11:30-11:35h. The second Test bowls off from 10:00h.

The squad reads: Jason Holder – Captain; Devendra Bishoo; Kraigg Brathwaite; Roston Chase; Miguel

23

Cummins; Shane Dowrich; Shannon Gabriel; Shimron Hetmyer; Alzarri Joseph; Shai Hope; Keemo Paul; Kieran Powell and Devon Smith. (Clifton Ross)

2018 CWI Regional U-17 Round 1

Serieux’s hundred propels Windwards to win over Guyana

F

Sachin Singh

ifties from Sachin Singh and Seon Glasgow failed to save Guyana from a 59-run defeat at the hands of Windward Islands in Tuesday’s opening round of the 2018 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Under-17 50-over Tourney.

Action at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Ground, Trinidad and Tobago, saw Windwards’ Garvin Serieux slamming a match-winning 122 with 15 fours and a six with a strong 91 from Teddy Bishop which paved the way for the mammoth 284-8 in 50 overs.

The Guyanese flexed their

vast bowling prowess by using eight bowling options with Silvan Williams bagging 2-43 and star all-rounder Sheldon Charles, 2-32; they were the standout operators with the ball. Chasing a stiff target, Guyana showed heart despite falling short as Captain Singh hit six fours and a maximum in his 52 at the top of the order.

Glasgow was the aggressor of the two, smashing 51 from 40 with a trifecta of fours and a pair of boundaries over the rope. Opener Nigel Persaud played well for 35 while all-rounder Nigel Deodat stroked 26 down the order, all in vain as Guyana fell short, ending on 225 all out.

The damage was done

by Ackeem and Dominic Auguste who bagged 4-50 and 4-42, respectively to lend ideal support to Man-of--theMatch Serieux, whose ton paved the way for a commanding win. Meanwhile, defending champions Trinidad and Tobago got their title defence underway as they recorded a whopping 154-run win over Barbados in their opening game.

Round 2 Thursday, July

SCOREBOARD

Garvin Serieux

12

* Windward Islands v Barbados – Gilbert Park * TT v Jamaica – NCC * Leeward Islands v Guyana – Brian Lara Cricket Academy GUYANA: Sachin Singh, Seon Glasgow, Navindra Persaud, Yeudister Persaud, Andre Seepersaud Hrithik Singh, Niran Bissu, Nigel Deodat, Gevon Schultz, Bhadesh Parsotam, Sheldon

Charles, Silvan Williams, Leon Swamy, and Dwain Dick.

WINDWARDS : Teddy Bishop, Tiron Charles, Jamie Buddy, Jahiel Walters, Ethan Doctrove, Jedd Joseph, Mickel Riviere, Keygan Arnold, Lee Solomon, Garvin Serieux, Dominic Auguste, Tyran Theodore, Simeon Gerson, Ackeem Auguste. (Clifton Ross)

Windward Islands J W alters c and b S W illiams 0 L Solomon st Y Persaud b D Dick 31 G Serieux+ c S Glasgow b A Seepersaud 122 A Auguste run out (A Seepersaud) 0 T Bishop c and b S W illiams 91 D Auguste run out (N Bissu) 3 K Arnold c N Deodat b S Charles 11 S Gerson* c N Deodat b S Charles 10 J Buddy not out 3 E Doctrove not out 0 T Charles Extras: (4b 1lb 6w 2nb 0pen) 13 Total: 284 for 8 Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-43, 3-43, 4-247, 5-251, 6-268, 7-276, 8-282 Bowling: S W illiams 8.0-2-432, S Charles 5-0-32-2, D Dick 10-1-46-1, N Deodat 8-1-38-0, S Glas-gow 2-0-12-0, N Bissu 3-0-27-0, A Seepersaud 100-49-1, L Swamy 4-0-32-0 Guyana S Singh* lbw b S Gerson

52

N Persaud b A Auguste 35 S Glasgow c L Solomon b A Auguste 51 Y Persaud+ c K Arnold bA Auguste 6 L Swamy c E Doctrove b D Auguste 18 A Seepersaud c J Buddy bA Auguste 1 D Dick c K Arnold b D Au-guste 7 N Deodat c and b D Au-guste 26 S Charles c and b D Au-guste 11 S W illiams c (sub) b S Gerson 1 N Bissu not out 1 Extras: (0b 0lb 16w 0nb 0pen) 16 Total: 225 Bowling: J Buddy 6.0-1-260, E Doc-trove-3-0-16-0, T Charles-3-0-21-0, S Gerson-8-1-42-2, K Arnold-8-1-28-0, A Au-guste-10-0-50-4, D Au-guste-9.5-0-42-4 Fall of Wickets: 1-88, 2-145, 3-157, 4-168, 5-171, 6-181, 7-188, 8-210, 9-216, 10-225

wednesDAY, JUly 11, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

France restrict Belgium to advance to World Cup Final Pg 19

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Joseph returns for Sabina Park Test

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Pg 23

Alzarri Joseph

– injured Roach ordered to rest

Championship

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