Guyanatimes 14 june 2017

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

Issue No. 3241

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

PRICE

Roopnaraine ousted, Henry to act as Education Minister

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Govt vehicles P10 to be connected with Internet

– WPA slams Govt for lack of consultation, to request meeting with President Page 3

Horse shipped to Guyana illegally – quarantined by GLDA Page 11

9 arrested in Sophia raid

Page 16

– bulletproof vest, full-face mask, toy guns found

$80 vat included

Berbice contractor, teacher charged with rape

– in separate incidents

CH&PA issues land repossession warning

Body found along SoesdykeLinden P2 Highway

Health Ministry Liaison Officer on $250,000 P8 bail

- for sexual assault of teenage boy

Alleged wife abuser gets 4 years for gun, ammo, cocaine P2 possession

Page 17

Page 7

– private developers urged to build or lose land

2 charged for harbouring alleged P2 bandit

2 news Alleged wife abuser gets Body found along Soesdyke4 years for gun, ammo, Linden Highway cocaine possession P wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

One .357 Taurus Magnum revolver and six live rounds of matching ammunition; two 9mm pistols and 36 live rounds of .45 ammunition; and 11.4kg of cocaine were confiscated from Rodriguez’s Campbellville house

A

taxi driver of Campbellville, Georgetown, will now spend the next four years of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to trafficking 11.363 kilograms of cocaine and the illegal possession of three unlicensed guns along with matching ammunition.

Trevor Rodriguez appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh on Tuesday.

Rodriguez was on Independence Day (May 26), busted with the illicit drug and weapons when Police descended on his home following a report of domestic violence. On the day in question, Rodriguez had threatened to shoot his wife, Amanda Rodriguez, who, in fear, reported the incident to a co-worker who readily came to the rescue of the woman.

Prosecutor Simmons had related that the co-worker

took the gun away from the perpetrator and contacted Police officials, who swooped down on the couple’s premises.

The woman reportedly handed the pistol over to ranks who conducted a search on the said premises, leading to the discovery of the two other guns and cocaine concealed in two cylinders with false bottoms.

Rodriguez also faced other charges relating to the use of threatening language and behaviour towards his wife, but these were dropped after the woman disclosed to the Magistrate that she no longer wished to offer evidence against her husband.

Magistrate Singh slapped the accused with a four-year jail term for trafficking in narcotics, handing down a 24-month sentence for each of the six counts of gun and ammunition

olice are seeking to identify the partially decomposed body of a male of African descent which was discovered on Monday by a group of men at Long Creek, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway.

Guyana Times understands that the man, said to be in his mid-30s, was found face down. The body was clad in a pair of black jeans, a white jersey and black and brown Sonoma slippers, while his hands were bound behind his back with a multicoloured rope.

Upon inspection of the body, Police ranks said it was difficult to identify any

marks of violence, due to the stage of decomposition.

Based on reports received, at around 10:15h on Monday, a 27-year-old labourer, his brother-in-law and four other men were on their way to the backdam “to cut T shore wood” when they

came across a foul stench.

They also noticed crows circling a specific area and upon searching, they discovered the body.

The corpse was taken to the Lyken Funeral Parlour where it awaits a post-mortem examination.

2 charged for harbouring alleged bandit T

Trevor Rodriguez was jailed for 4 years

charges; these terms will be served concurrently.

Based on reports reaching Guyana Times, Rodriguez is in the habit of abusing his spouse and had even threatened to kill her several times.

(Paula Gomes)

wo persons accused of harbouring a wanted individual appeared in Court 10 of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, on Tuesday morning.

It is alleged that Duem Segure and Naioe Nouckchand on February 11, 2017 on the West Bank of Demerara, attempted to pervert the course of justice by harbouring Dand Singh, an individual wanted by Police in connection with a charge of robbery.

Bail was granted in the sum of $50,000 each to the

accused and they were ordered to return to court on June 29.

This publication previously reported that ranks of the Guyana Police Force had captured a man who was wanted in connection with several armed robberies at Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, in late February.

The 24-year-old male was reportedly hiding out at a house in David Rose Street, Bagotville, when Police acting on information arrested him.

However, the suspect did not go with law enforce-

ment officers peacefully and allegedly assaulted ranks as he was being escorted to the waiting Police vehicle.

According to media reports, Singh was shot to the right knee when he attempted to disarm a rank of his service weapon and the said rank “discharged a round” during the process. An investigation was launched into the shooting incident and the suspect was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he remained under Police guard while nursing a single gunshot wound to his right leg.

news

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, June 14 – 08:30h-10:00h and Thursday, June 15 – 08:30h-10:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, June 14 – 06:55h-08:25h and Thursday, June 15 – 07:45h-09:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, with light cloud cover dominating in the evening. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Roopnaraine ousted, Henry to act as Education Minister – WPA slams Govt for lack of consultation, to request meeting with President

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Minister Nicolette Henry will continue to perform the functions of the office of the Minister until further notice,” he said.

overnment has announced a major shake-up in the Education Ministry, with Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine being demoted to head a department in the Ministry of the Presidency.

Minister within the Ministry, Dr Nicolette Henry, will replace him,

WPA

Interestingly enough, the announcement of Roopnaraine’s demotion comes on the same day of Dr Walter Rodney’s 37th

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 07:17h and 19:50h reaching maximum heights of 2.51 metres and 2.39 metres respectively.

Ousted: Former Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

Low Tide: 00:51h and 13:21h reaching minimum heights of 0.81 metre and 0.70 metre respectively.

Dr Roopnaraine’s demotion was announced on the day of Dr Walter Rodney’s 37th death anniversary

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taking over the portfolio as acting Education Minister.

Henry had previously held responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sports.

Roopnaraine will now work within the Ministry of the Presidency, with responsibility for Public Service.

The appointment of Dr Roopnaraine will take effect from June 15, 2017. According to

a Government release, Roopnaraine will keep his place as a member of Cabinet and a Member of Parliament.

Speaking on the issue, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon stated that President David Granger had full confidence in the ability of his Ministers and in Roopnaraine. He said that Roopnaraine’s transfer followed a discussion the former Education Minister had with Granger.

“The President further briefed Cabinet that a Department under the Ministry of the Presidency will be created to oversee innovation and reform in the education sector. This Department will be under the President. In the meantime, Minister within the Ministry of Education,

Promoted: Acting Education Minister, Dr Nicolette Henry

WPA Executive Member, Dr David Hinds

death anniversary. Rodney helped found the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) that Roopnaraine, one of

its last remaining stalwarts, represents in the coalition Government.

When contacted, WPA executive, political activist and professor, Dr David Hinds noted that the party was preparing to write the President expressing its concerns about the shake-up and to request a meeting. According to Dr Hinds, one of the party’s concerns relate to the lack of consultations. turn to page 9

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

Views “Olympics for Seniors” 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, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Suspend or scrap?

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n a matter of days, the three-month suspension of the Parking Meter By-Laws will come to an end, and from all indications, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be making moves to seek an additional month to continue public consultations it had started on the much-criticised parking meter project.

Mayor Patricia Chase Green told a section of the media recently that a vote was taken by Councillors on Monday to give the Parking Meter Committee an additional month to complete its consultations. The M&CC has indicated that the additional month would also allow the contracted parking meter company, Smart City Solutions Inc (SCSI) to produce several documents, including a socio-economic feasibility study, that would seek to guide further discussions on the issue.

The M&CC had entered into a contract with SCSI on May 13, 2016, for parking meters to be implemented in Georgetown. However, the project came under intense scrutiny and rejection issued from various public and private stakeholders, the Opposition and even some Central Government officials over the clandestine way it was being foisted on the populace, its prohibitive pricing and the contracting company’s general disregard with the way the new mechanism was introduced to the public, among many other concerns.

After the contract became effective in late January 2017, several large protests were staged in front of City Hall calling for it to be revoked, while several stakeholders took the M&CC and the SCSI to court over the matter. And under pressure, on March 21, 2017, the Minister of Communities who had initially passed the By-laws bringing parking meters into effect, ordered that they be suspended for a period of three months to facilitate the re-negotiation of the terms of the contract.

We believe that all of this could have been avoided in the first place had the M&CC approached the issue in a transparent and democratic manner. What the authorities are seeking to do now is what they should have done long before the actual implementation of the project. After all, the introduction of paid parking in the city meant that citizens would have had to dig into their pockets to pay for something they never paid for previously and it would have been good to seek out their views on such an initiative before implementation.

Moving forward, there are several fundamental questions to be resolved and the M&CC should seek to use the little time left in the suspension period to settle them.

We had said before that if these fundamental questions were not resolved, the project must be put on hold or scrapped in its entirety. For instance, we had pointed to the numerous problems we found with the project in relation to profitability and profit-sharing. In this project, the main investment inputs are (a) the Georgetown road system; (b) the enforcement of the project; (c) the parking meters; and (d) the accountant. All other ancillary costs are minimal. The Guyana side would be providing the road system which is worth billions of dollars and is by far the overwhelming part of the investment. It also seems to be mainly responsible for the enforcement. In this current business plan, the Guyana side would be contributing 99 per cent of the input costs, while the company would only be contributing about one per cent while collecting 80 per cent of the profits. Certainly, the unfairness of this profit-sharing mechanism needs to be addressed.

We had also called for the feasibility study to be published, as this would help to temper the deep-set assumption that the parking meter project was enveloped in secrecy and corruption.

So far, citizens are not certain as to what will be the next move of the M&CC and the Government as both parties have not been very forthcoming on the matter. There is a perception that nothing meaningful has come out of the suspension period thus far. It would be an effective strategy if the authorities were to provide periodic updates to the general public on what progress is being made especially as it relates to resolving the many contentious issues surrounding the project. A lack of forthrightness will only add confusion and create an environment for suspicion.

A participant reacts after crossing the finishing line of the steeplechase event during the “Olympics for Seniors” at King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, Belgium, June 13, 2017. Brussels hosted its first “Olympics for Seniors”, giving locals aged between 75 and 96 the chance to compete in a range of adapted sports at the national stadium (Reuters/Francois Lenoir)

Culture of Indo-Guyanese

Dear Editor, I have been asked many times by Indian nationals as to the reasons IndoGuyanese still sing, play, enjoy Indian music and its attendant cultural traditions almost 180 years after they were brought here and lived in slave-like conditions for many of those years.

Music originates and emanates from that most primitive aspect – the base channel – of the human soul where lurks the ecstatic condition of wonder and terror – it is the souls’ primitive and primary speech: a “speech” of rhyme without reason.

Plato said that in order to take the spiritual temperature of an individual or a society, one must “mark the music.”

To the philosophers of old, the history of music is a series of attempts to “give form and beauty to the dark, chaotic, psychic forces in the soul – to make them serve a higher purpose, an ideal, to give man’s duties a fullness”. Music then plays an integral part in influencing

our individual and then – as a shared cultural inventory resonating as a vibrating string through the community – our collective identity.

The majority of IndoGuyanese came from the Bhojpuri region of India where the local Bhojpuri culture of music, songs and dances played a seminal role in everyday life.

It was the Bhojpuri region’s folk-music culture that would make up the core of the legacy brought to the West Indies. The Bhojpuri music culture imported was typically a simple rural folk-song genres but heavily oral-narrative based. It’s widespread use, even today, of the dholak and dental, in addition to the fact that great emphasis was placed on Bhojpuri words/lyrics to these early performances (contrastingly, the meaning and words of Indo-Guyanese Indian singing today is almost irrelevant!).

Even today, we are familiar with the various Bhojpuri genre that were imported, but morphed and

coalesced into something uniquely Guyanese.

Many of these genres persisted and were maintained almost defensively by the cultural and religious structures that gradually solidified over the decades in the secluded and culturally isolated confines of the sugar plantations. For example, key festivals such as Divali and Phagwa supplanted older “lesser ones” and became prominent; and domestic events like bhagvats (nineday ritual sessions), pujas (formal prayer sessions), and neighbourhood song sessions called satsangs became prevalent.

Today although some of these genre have slowly disappeared (but counter intuitively and fortunately, have sprung up in Guyanese/ TT immigrant communities in cosmopolitan NY, Toronto and London), they have given way to Bollywood music, and the locally Indo-Caribbean derived Chutney-Soca. But the singing and performance of Bhajans, Bollywood Geets

and Ghazals still enjoy privileged status at concerts and Mandirs wherever IndoGuyanese reside. Virtuoso drummers, like my close friend “Biscuit”, are still prevalent.

Amid the deculturating effects of the slave plantations and the larger colonial environment, we have managed to recreate those old strands to weave an almost new repertoire and adjusted forms of the Bhojpuri compositions.

Naipaul says, “The Indians endured and prospered. The India they re-created was allowed to survive.

It was an India in which a revolution had occurred. It was an India in isolation, unsupported; an India without caste or the overwhelming pressures toward caste.

Effort had a meaning, and soon India could be seen to be no more than a habit, a self-imposed psychological restraint, wearing thinner with the years.”

Dear Editor, After reading in the media Nigel Hinds’s interesting letter, titled “I prefer you call me African Guyanese”, I wondered why the one-word descriptor “Guyanese” is not enough.

I grew up hearing and believing that “Guyana was a land of six people (African, Amerindian,

Chinese, European, Indian, Portuguese), and after Independence, we were socialized to embrace the concept of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”….all Guyanese!

Am I wrong in thinking that a logical extension of Mr Hinds’s postulation is that Guyana is now a land of ten (10) peoples, having regard

to the recent ‘migrations’ to our land (i.e in alphabetic order: African, Amerindian, Brazilian, Chinese, European, Haitian, Indian, Surinamese, Portuguese, Venezuelan); thus we will have, in addition to African Guyanese: Indian Guyanese, Amerindian Guyanese, Brazilian Guyanese, Venezuelan Guyanese,

Haitian Guyanese etc. etc?

Would this not add to our already deleterious, dangerous divisiveness and detract from what should be a commitment to the cohesiveness being pursued by the Government and, hopefully, all Guyanese?

Yours sincerely, Dev Prakash

Isn’t ‘Guyanese’ enough?

Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

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

Total disrespect: Roopnaraine’s ouster another dagger into the heart of Rodney Dear Editor, I am both puzzled and appalled at the firing of Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and the reasons given. The spin is that Dr. Roopnaraine has not been fired and that his ouster from Education is simply a Cabinet reshuffle in which he has assumed other responsibilities.

This is simply kerfuffling and insulting the Guyanese people.

The fact that this happened on the day Guyana is observing the death anniversary (the murder anniversary) of Dr. Walter Rodney, a genuine Guyanese patriot and hero, the founder-leader of the WPA and a friend of Dr. Roopnarsine is intriguing. I believe that it is a slap in the face of the WPA, it is an insult to Dr. Roopnaraine and it is another dagger into the heart of Dr. Rodney. I believe it is deliberate and is intended to let the WPA know that they are still regarded as outsiders and interlopers and they no longer serve any useful purpose for APNU+AFC.

Already, Nagamootoo and Ramjattan are simply holding on as Trotman completely incorporate the AFC into APNU. This is just another step in reaffirming the People's National Congress (PNC).

The fact is that Dr. Roopnaraine has been fired as the Minister of Education, a senior Ministry in the Cabinet. He has been assigned to a junior role as a Minister in the Ministry of the Presidency, meaning he must report to Minister Harmon. APNU+AFC from the inception regarded the public service as not important enough to have a Minister and that the public service will be handled as part of the assignment of the Minister of the Presidency. Now Dr. Roopnaraine has a title as a Minister in the Ministry of the Presidency, but for all intents and purposes will be doing the work of a PS with limited duties under Harmon.

Not only have they fired him from the Ministry of

How do we attract tourists?

Dear Editor, For me, Guyana is a really extraordinary country but one that is neglected for various reasons. The majority of the blame I personally put on the Administration that got elected by the people of Guyana to govern properly. Some tried and some got stymied by others and, in the end, Guyana suffers tremendously.

Every country tried various methods to develop itself, utilising what is available locally and the most successful means; that is rapidly increasing its tourism. From all indications and my humble opinion, Guyana does not seem to be even preparing to enter that race.

Looking at many other countries and the way they promote themselves, I believe if Guyana is to do the same, we would be a far way in the tourism race. The little pickings that enter Guyana is comical but given the amount in the past, it seems to be sufficient reason for them to lay back and celebrate.

Tourism offers many forms of benefits, including employment, increased spending in communities, marketing for our produce/ products, development of communities, opportunities, etc, but why more concentration is not being given there boggles my mind.

There’s no worthy preparation taking place to motivate tourists to visit Guyana, except a few relatives and friends returning and being classed as tourists. There is an abundance of wildlife, awesome sceneries too numerous to mention, adventures to experience; but in-

credibly, Guyana cannot be marketed to attract tourists. Apart from attracting visitors from other countries, there seems to be no leverage for locals to visit tourist attraction sites throughout Guyana. The cost does not change for locals and that is bad because when you ask someone living in Guyana about certain places in Guyana, they cannot answer. This is because they have never visited and chances are they cannot afford to, even though they are interested in going.

There should be some flexibility for people living here that would give them the opportunities to visit places and I’m quite sure they will assist greatly in marketing/ promoting Guyana freely, using the various social media sites.

Editor, recently I visit Lake Mainstay in Essequibo and, as usual, I was just in awe at the location, the design and the views going there. Going to the resort, you’ll see small villages before reaching and I do not see anything on display that would attract tourists like art, craft, etc.

One of the biggest sore points that is hampering that resort is the road to reach the resort. It is in such a deplorable condition that it would deter anyone in just a few minutes from leaving the public road. As it is now, it takes almost one hour to reach Lake Mainstay from the Anna Regina main road.

It would appear that resources allocated to this location are being stifled.

Sincerely, Sahadeo Bates

Education, they heaped insult on him by saying that they are seeking a more efficient way to manage Education. In so doing, they have made Dr. Roopnaraine a fall guy for the mismanagement of Education.

They make it appear that he had to be removed from his role as Minister of Education so that they could do a better job of managing education.

Not only have they fired and scorned him, they have assaulted his dignity.

It is disrespectful to treat Dr. Roopnaraine this way.

Not only is Dr. Roopnaraine a distinguished scholar, but he has been in the struggle for freedom and democracy.

While I was disappointed that Dr. Roopnaraine joined the APNU coalition, and while I believed he was misguided in his justification for doing so, we remained friends.

I have always admired Dr. Roopnaraine, even if I could not agree with him all the

time. No matter what our disagreement, I always gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was genuinely looking out for the interest of our people. I remembered in 1997 when I was an MP with the PPP sending him a note that I am proud of his struggle and his courage fighting for what he believe in, after one of his speeches in Parliament.

Between 2011 and 2015, as Minister of Agriculture, I hosted Dr. Roopnaraine many times in my office in his role as shadow Minister of Agriculture for APNU+AFC. We always mutually and in the interest of Guyana addressed concerns that he raised and, as far as possible, I sought to find a comfort zone where we placed politics aside and find solutions to concerns that may have existed.

A Government make changes. A president has the right to change his Cabinet and every Minister serves at

the pleasure of the President.

No one is too sacred that they cannot be touched when you serve as a Minister. But either you remove that person as a Minister or shift him or her to another Ministry of the same rank. When Minister Jeffrey was shifted from the Ministry of Health in 2001, he was shifted to the Ministry of Education, a Ministry with the same rank. When the same Minister was shifted from Education, he was made Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

In this case a Senior Minister has been shifted downwards, not even being given his own Ministry.

There is no "ands, if and buts". Dr. Roopnaraine has been dumped and the shift as a Minister in the Ministry of the Presidency is just to placate the WPA. But Dr. Roopnaraine and the Members of the WPA will be dishonoring Dr. Rodney if they cannot

see that APNU+AFC has just heaped absolute scorn on the party, on those party members serving the government and most disgusting a deliberate insult to the memory of Dr. Rodney.

It is a signal that APNU does not need the WPA and people like Rupert Roopnaraine anymore. They were used, just as the United Force was used in 1964, to help secure political power.

Now that they have began to take control of the State and they have made progress in consolidating a repressive machinery to reinstitute dictatorship, there is no place for the WPA and Dr. Roopnaraine.

The spin and the kerfuffling will be wild in the next couple of days, but Guyanese are not foolish and are not fooled. Dr Roopnaraine has been fired and silenced.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Where are the religious leaders?

Dear Editor, I was pleased and contented to hear Ian McDonald comparing the sugar industry from its inception to now; that is, 1966 to 2012. That comparison has enlightened my horizon and made me not to be indifferent when our breadbasket closed right before our eyes, which will lead us to starvation.

I am no politician nor I don’t support any propaganda of any political party, I just want to be a good and a committed citizen of this nation, in other words, a common man. I would like us to give serious thought into this closure of the sugar industry because it will breed other problems such as lawlessness and

social issues.

I know that the industry is being bailed out by State funds because of negative returns. But, can we not look back and thank the industry, which has fed so many poor people in this nation.

Many families have depended on the industry to survive. Those cane cutters who shed their sweat have kept this industry alive to date. Any changes done by the air-conditioned office members will directly affect the stomachs of those cane cutters in the sun. By closing the industry you are hitting a very hard blow on the stomachs of the poor people.

Where will they go? What is the alternative?

But my real concern is, where are our religious leaders? Are they just being quiet because it does not affect them? Do they care about the poor? I have not heard any religious leader speak against the closure of the sugar industry. I am puzzled at the silence of the religious leaders.

I am saying this because religious leaders must have a neutral view, not siding with any party but siding with the needy and the poor. We need our religious leaders to come out and speak their minds but please do it with utmost charity and like a common man. Religious leaders must not remain indifferent because you have to be voice of the poor. We need our reli-

gious leaders to speak for the poor. They need to intervene in the negotiations with the State leaders without taking any side. Sometimes I wonder whether our religious leaders have no duty to the poor. My humble request to all religious leaders of every religion and denomination is to hold a public meeting with the people so that we can help develop this nation.

I implore and beg our religious leaders to come to the streets and see the reality as it is and don’t be fooled by the informants who might have hidden agendas to buy you to suit their opinion.

Sincerely, Kevin Anselm Williams

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Foundation

– the science of what makes dads unique

By Vanessa LoBue, PhD

W

hen it comes to raising children and being a parent, usually most of the attention goes to moms. And why wouldn’t it? We’re the ones that endure pregnancy, labour, nursing, and most of us take on at least half of the child rearing responsibilities, if not more.

Because of this emphasis on motherhood, coupled with the fact that women are getting married less often and having children later in life, several celebrities and writers have pointed out that women don’t actually need men to raise children. In fact, sperm banks have made it so that women don’t even need a man to get pregnant (unless that man is her physician). As a feminist, I tend to agree – women don’t need men to raise children. But, does that mean dads aren’t important? Do dads provide children with something that moms don't? Research suggests that dads are in fact important, and in a number of ways. First, their presence in a household is associated with fewer behavioural problems

guyanatimesgy.com

in children. For example, children raised in homes without fathers are at greater risk for delinquent behaviour and for committing a crime than children raised in homes where a dad is present. Similarly, girls raised in homes without dads are more likely to become pregnant as teenagers than girls who live with their fathers.

This research does suggest that it is important to have dads around. There is evidence that any household with just one parent puts children more at risk for numerous negative outcomes than households with two parents. For example, children who live with one parent tend to get less help with their homework and they get less encouragement in school than children from two-parent households. Some of the differences between these two-parent and one-parent households can be accounted for by factors like income, since two adults usually bring in more money than one. But even when you account for these factors, there still seems to be something about having a dad around that reduc-

es risk, above and beyond what can be accounted for by the absence of a second set of hands.

The most convincing evidence that dads are important comes from research on how dads interact with their children, and most specifically, how dads’ interactions differ from those of moms. First of all, dads play differently with their children, and tend to play more physically than moms do. I can personally attest to this. Have you ever witnessed the “throw the baby up the air” game? It’s that game where you throw a baby up in the air, and the baby subsequently explodes with laughter and glee. I hate this game. I don’t play it, partly because my son is 95th percentile in weight, but mostly because it’s scary. It’s a game my son plays with his dad.

Despite my trepidation, research suggests that physical play like this is good for children, and paternal physical play is associated with positive outcomes for the child.

Second, dads have also been shown to encourage children to take more risks than moms do. For exam-

ple, dads might encourage children to try riding a bike on their own, or to jump off the high dive at the pool. Importantly, dads don’t encourage risky behaviour in a reckless way; they tend to provide a safe and secure environment with supervision while encouraging children not to be afraid of new things. It’s not that moms don’t encourage their children to try new things that might be potentially scary, it’s just that dads tend to do it more.

So it turns out that dads do bring something special to the table. Yes, women can raise children on their own without the presence of a man. So dads aren’t necessary for raising happy and healthy children.

But, good dads do provide children with something that most mothers generally don’t. They rough house, they teach children to take risks, and they provide children with an extra layer of support. My husband is a wonderful father: He is patient, kind, attentive, and he provides my son with something that I can’t – a dad. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

T

ruthfulness is a trait that many people value. In fact, honesty is part of most people’s sense of morality, regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof.

However, in the recent political climate where the value of honesty has come into question, it’s become increasingly important for parents to teach their children how to be honest individuals. But how? How do we raise an honest child?

First, it’s important to point out that children are born honest. I don’t mean that they have an honesty gene or that there is some area of the brain devoted to honesty; I mean that they can’t lie. Literally. Lying is a complicated cognitive feat when you think about it: It involves understanding that other people have minds and thoughts that are different from your own, that someone might have what’s

called a false belief, or an understanding of the world that is different from reality, and that such a false belief might benefit you. The ability to reason about other people’s mental states in this way is called Theory of Mind.

Although reasoning about mental states is something that comes rather naturally to adults, it’s not something that comes as easily for children, and children often fail tasks that test for theory of mind until they are about five years of age. Here’s an example: Let’s say two little girls— Sally and Anne—are playing with a marble. After they’re done, Sally places the marble in a basket for safekeeping, and then leaves the room. While Sally is gone, Anne moves the marble from the basket to a box in the same room.

When Sally comes back, where does she think the marble is? Obviously the answer is that she thinks it’s in the basket, right where she left it. But in order for you to know that, you have to understand both what Sally thinks (the marble is in the basket) and the reality of the situation (the marble is in the box). Seems like simple stuff for you, but it’s pretty complicated for a preschooler, and three-yearolds typically get this question wrong; they usually say that Sally thinks the marble is in the box. Why? Because they have trouble understanding that others can have a false belief, or a belief that is inconsistent with reality.

Children run into the same problem with lying, which also requires an understanding that someone else can have a false belief. So not surprisingly, children show evidence of lying around the same time they start to pass theory of mind tasks, around the age of four or five. In a typical lab-based lying test, children are told not to peek at a toy while an experimenter looks away. This is hard for kids, so it might not surprise you that 80 per cent of children peek at the toy. What is surprising is that when asked to confess later on, almost all of the two-year-olds tested admit to breaking the rules, but the older the child, the more likely he or she is to lie about peeking. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com) TO BE CONTINUED

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

CH&PA issues land repossession warning – private developers urged to build or lose land

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he Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has warned that it will soon repossess lands from those private developers and house lot beneficiaries, who have breached their agreements. This comes as the CH&PA moves to pave the way for the development of more low- and middle-income housing solutions for Guyanese.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CH&PA, Lelon Saul, said the Authority is set to go after those developers who acquired vast tracts of lands under the previous Administration, but have since failed to develop them. “We are currently engaging these developers. We are encouraging them to develop those lands, to live up to the agreement of sale, and I should say that in some cases it is likely that we would move to repossess some of those lands,” Saul said at the CH&PA’s mid-year press conference on Monday.

He pointed out that many of these private developers still owe the CH&PA money and this would make it easier for the Authority to repossess the lands.

Saul said the CH&PA has commenced the repossession process. “I can tell you that I would have instructed our Corporate Secretary to initiate actions to repossess lands from private developers who have failed to deliver.”

The CH&PA has also forwarded many of the developers’ agreements to the Attorney General’s

CEO of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul

(AG’s) Chambers for legal consideration before engaging other defaulters. This was done after a review of the agreements was conducted by CH&PA’s Corporate Secretary, Hannifah Jordan. Jordan explained that the agreements were reviewed in two batches – one for discrepancies and two towards strengthening the document. “When we review the agreements, there were two batches; the batches that were done in 2010-2011 and the set that was done in 2013 and beyond. There were issues regarding the strengthening of those agreements and that is why the agreement in 2013 and beyond had additional penalties and conditions to cater for us in terms of whether you wanted to repos-

sess or penalise the developer,” Jordan explained.

The CH&PA is also going after those persons, who, in an attempt to defraud the system, obtained more than one Government house lot. Based on the CH&PA’s allocation policy, a person is only entitled to own one property or lot from the Government.

CH&PA’s Operation Director, Denise King-Tudor explained that once the Authority establishes that someone is the owner of more than one Government house lot, they will move to repossess one of the lots, in accordance with their repossession policy.

“Sometimes you find instances, where persons change their names (to obtain a lot) or they use another name or they are already married to someone and our policies say that if you are married or not if your spouse, should own then you are not eligible to the Government’s housing programme,” King-Tudor explained.

According to a GINA report, she explained that these instances are either reported to the CH&PA by concerned citizens; in other instances, it is unearthed and there are cases where persons report this information, when the Authority conducts data cleansing. “We will find that persons in

Operations Director Denise King-Tudor

of

CH&PA,

Region Five or Six, they acquire a lot in Region Four and so once we would have established that and we would have done our research and assessment of the situation, we would determine which one of the properties that person should have,” King-Tudor explained.

In determining which of the lots that the person should be left with, the CH&PA takes into consideration such ramifications as

the investment made and where the persons actually works and resides, Tudor-King said. “You would find that if that person would have acquired a house lot in Region Six and Region Four, because maybe there is a shift in where they work, they have constructed on the lot in Region Four and so we would repossess the lot in Region Six,” she was quoted by the Government Information Agency as saying.

Concerns over the approximately 25,000 applications on file has led the CH&PA to review some of the mechanisms used to enable home ownership.

The Authority is also reviewing the use of those lands that were disbursed to private and other landowners but to date remain undeveloped. In addition to using these lands to meet the huge demand for house lots, the Authority may also seek in the future to utilise them, to expand their pilot project of constructing apartments, condominiums, and wooden houses for Guyanese that are within the low- to middle-income brackets.

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Health Ministry Liaison Holding Officer on $250,000 bail – for sexual assault of teenage boy

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n employee attached to the Public Health Ministry accused of having carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old boy was on Tuesday released on $250,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly.

Esan Abrams first appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on May 29, 2017, where he was not required to plead to the indictable offence. The charge stated that between June 12 and June 22, 2015 at the National Park, Georgetown, he engaged in sexual penetration of a minor.

Media operatives were not allowed to hear the proceedings; however, sources revealed that the accused

Esan Abrams is accused of having carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old boy

is a thirty-seven-year-old resident of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore had initially objected to bail on the grounds that the accused once lived in Trinidad and had only recently returned to Guyana, thereby posing a risk of flight. Bail was denied by the Chief Magistrate and the accused was remanded to the Camp Street Prison until his latest court appearance.

Abrams had since retained legal representation of defence Counsel, Nigel Hughes, who successfully made a submission for bail on behalf of his client, guaranteeing him his release pending the outcome of the trial.

The matter will be called again on June 21.

fast…

Y

…on GECOM Chair

our humble Eyewitness isn’t one who likes to crow, “I TOLD YOU SO!” But he has to mention that the outcome of the widely heralded second meeting of Prezzie and Opposition Leader Jagdeo was predicted by him.

Not that he’s any analytical whiz or anything – it was clear that we’re looking at a game of “chicken” played out in bright daylight. And neither party (singly and collectively) is willing to jump off the rails as the speeding train of the integrity of our electoral machinery careens out of control.

Now some might say the whole issue of the criteria for selecting the GECOM Chair is moot – seeing as how the Chancellor’s promised to pronounce this Thursday on the petition of businessman Gaskin on the matter.

But your Eyewitness is of those jaded types who just doesn’t believe in stories with all loose ends tied up and folks living happily ever after. Even those Brothers Grimm stories, after all, were REALLY grim, when you think about them! Like with wolves devouring children, old ladies boiling and eating same and all that!

From the very beginning, Prezzie had to’ve known it’ll come down to the Judiciary making the call. After all, it’s a matter of interpreting the Constitution. Even a lostin-the-woods fella like Basil Williams couldn’t have told him otherwise – contrary to the florid asservations of the latter’s Court Jester, Maxwell E Edwards. Prezzie was just working the plan when he rejected Jagdeo’s first list at the beginning of the year.

The Chancellor then was still Justice Singh, who’s stubbornly stuck to the letter of the law – and his post!

– even in the face of naked provocation and insults by Basil Williams. But Singh would be gone by Republic Day when he delivered the judgement on what folks call ‘the third term case”. But that was just a feint – the main play was the chairmanship of GECOM, which after all, would deliver the kingdom for at least another five years! Then oil would be flowing and many sins would be covered (with money)!

And so a new Chief Justice and Chancellor were appointed – both “acting”. In Guyana, of course, “acting” is the name of our local “Sword of Damocles” – which the Government hangs over the heads of officials to keep them in line. Do it or its “off with their heads”!! The acting appointee doesn’t even have to be told what to do in this case. With the selection of the GECOM chair playing out for six months in the public domain – the Chancellor knows from whence the wind is blowing!

From Vlissengen Road way!!

Will the centre hold?

… on Praetorians

This newspaper ran an interesting editorial on the PNC-led APNU/AFC Government talking on a “praetorian form”. “What the heck was that?” thought your usually well-informed Eyewitness. So as his (paid) duty – he duly looked into it. And lo and behold – as some of the more Biblically-minded among us may say – a lot of things made sense.

A Praetorian government is basically one that’s dominated by the military – because the originally civilian government considers it a “force for modernisation”.

After WWII, Third World countries emerging from colonialism were seen as “backward” because they didn’t have the institutions to organise them for development.

Armies were seen as possessing the requisite discipline from their training by the departing colonists.

Why not use them? Burnham – for several reasons – bought the line and expanded his militarised forces exponentially. But inevitably, the mean-ends dilemma pops up. Can you use fellas steeped in anti-democratic tradition to create democracy?

Very simply – history says the answer is “NO!!”

…on welshing

To ‘welch” on someone is not to keep your promise or word to them. Some think it’s a slur on the Welsh” who the English thought weren’t quite trustworthy.

The Education PS Welsh’s answers to the PAC’s questions hint at his antecedents?

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

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Complaints abound as

Patients lament poor service at West Dem Hospital D espite patient demonstrations and staff protests, the woes at the West Demerara Regional Hospital are still continuing as members of the public have condemned the poor service offered by the medical facility.

Guyana Times recently caught up with a num-

ably informed that an elderly male patient (name provided), said to be in his 90s, complaining of respiratory problems was accompanied by family members to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. This newspaper was told that nurses were reportedly reluctant to offer the man the requisite appa-

was rushed to the facility with complications associated with high blood pressure on Wednesday last revealed that nurses at the Hospital tested her blood pressure some four hours after she arrived in pain. The woman observed that she had arrived around 08:00h and was attended to after

West Demerara Regional Hospital, the centre of patient neglect allegations

ber of patients who sought treatment for various aliments at the Hospital located at Best Village, West Coast Demerara in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara).Their complaints, while varied, all pointed to the same issue – medical staff at the facility continue to neglect the needs of patients.

This publication was reli-

ratus to assist his breathing for several hours.

After family members raised concerns, the doctor pleaded with nurses repeatedly before they complied with the request to give the elderly man oxygen. The man, however, reportedly died moments after he received the treatment last week Wednesday.

Another patient who

12:00h that afternoon.

On Tuesday morning, this newspaper again visited the Hospital and got a glimpse of the reported issue at the Region’s main medical facility. At that time, there were a small number of patients seeking medical attention for various ailments. One such patient was a young man who was complaining of chest

Roopnaraine ousted, Henry to...

“The President got into contact with the WPA yesterday (Monday) and requested a meeting. We sent our Chairperson, Desmond Trotman, to meet with the President. The President, at that meeting, announced the decision,” Hinds said.

“So yes, the WPA officially has some concerns about the way the matter was handled. And we’ve requested a

meeting with the President to discuss those concerns.

One of the things is that we were not initially consulted; we were informed about the decision after it was made.

And we do have concerns about that.”

The WPA had joined with the People’s National Congress (PNC) in order to form the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU),

frOm page 3

along with several other small parties. APNU then collated with the Alliance For Change (AFC) in order to contest the 2015 elections.

The WPA is an important member of the coalition.

However, with Roopnaraine’s demotion, it means that no WPA representative holds a substantive ministerial portfolio any more.

pain. There were also an elderly woman and a young child.

During the visit, it was observed that the armed security officer who was recently put in place after some doctors were attacked by members of the public, was sitting in the company of nurses and the doctor on duty in the emergency unit. Family members complained to this newspaper that they had to make repeated requests to the medical personnel before they attended to affected patients.

The nurses and the doctor for the better part of two hours were seen sitting down and engaged in extensive conversations and at times hearty laughter instead of attending to patients. Another observation Guyana Times made was that there was no porter on duty early Tuesday morning to assist patients in wheelchairs. In fact, family members of the elderly woman had the arduous task of transporting the patient down a ramp to a waiting car.

Another problem unearthed in that short period was that hospital staff reportedly sent the test results of a sick child with an unrelated individual who had also retrieved separate results. In an apparent breach of protocol, the woman was heard enquiring about the family members of the child, saying that the lab had sent the results with her.

The doctor, nurses and security guard at one point all gathered here and engaged in a hearty conversation on Tuesday morning

However, the mother of the child and other relatives had left the facility moments before. Some patients suggested that the family perhaps sought the services of an alternative hospital owing to the unprofessional behaviour of staff at the West Demerara Hospital.

Another woman, aged 61, highlighted the relaxed attitude of staff by asking the nurses to have her pressure tested early that Tuesday morning. She waited for over half an hour despite few patients being present and the nurses sitting engaged in deep conversation.

Unbeknownst to staff at the hospital, one of the patients who sought medical attention last week was said to be an official at the Public Health Ministry.

For years, members of the public have condemned the poor services offered

at the West Demerara Hospital, but the facility was in a state of panic late last month when doctors downed their equipment and refused to work. The doctors had said that they were disappointed, frustrated, disgusted and fed-up with the way in which their daily verbal grievances were handled by the Public Health Ministry.

The doctors had called for better security at the facility following a number of incidents where doctors were either physically attacked or verbally abused by patients and others. An incident had seen two doctors being attacked by a patient and his relatives and even spat upon. Other improvements the doctors called for included better sanitation at the hospital, tools to work with and for a drug shortage issue to be rectified.

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, june 14, 2017

News

Govt vehicles soon to be equipped with Internet connectivity

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he technology used to connect Government buildings and schools will soon be used to provide Internet connections to Government’s service vehicles.

This was disclosed by Presidential Advisor on e-Government, Floyd Levi after residents of Number 35 Village, East Berbice enquired about internet connectivity for Police vehicles and ambulances.

The initiative would provide Police Officers and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) with critical information at a

faster rate which can, in most cases, save lives, while providing a better service.

However, Levi noted that the programme could only be rolled out once the connectivity gap on the coast was sorted out.

“To fix this problem, the Ministry is actually in negotiations with the Chinese company that actually built this network – Huawei technologies, to ensure that we have full coverage along the entire coastal region of Guyana to ensure that blank spots do not exist. So, as it is right now, this technology is being used,” Levi explained.

Presidential Advisor e-Government, Floyd Levi

on

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, Levi pointed out that the initia-

tive was still in the crafting stage noting that once it was completed, it would be fully rolled out. This will see the e-governance department placing towers comparable to the ones that service Digicel and GTT. The Presidential Advisor stated, “As soon as we finalise the arrangements with Huawei, we will be putting towers, cell phone towers similar to Digicel and GTT to cover these blank spots and with that full coverage I am certain that the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service, and EMS will be able to use this technology to be better able to provide their services.” The aim is to have the programme rolled out nationally.

MoFA improving management of missions financing

T

he Foreign Affairs Ministry (MoFA) has improved the financial management of its overseas missions, according to MoFA Director General Audrey Waddle.

Waddle appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday to answer to fi-

nancial discrepancies highlighted in the 2015 Auditor General’s Report. She noted that the MoFA has since strengthened its Economic Planning and Management Unit (EPMU) and installed home based accountants to ensure timely submission of reports. This Unit was not functioning, Director

Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Audrey Waddle (centre) and her team before the PAC on Monday

Left out in the cold Dear Diary, Dis is Nagga Man again. Ah mad like rass and dat is why me a press suh hard pan yuh when me write. Na tek am personally. Why me mad? Well, tell me if dem na tek dem eye and pass me, Dear Diary? If Prezzie ah Number 1 in de country, who ah number 2? Na me?

Suh how come when ‘e tek wan “high level” team fuh meet Jagdesh he na include me?? Me a wha? Low level?

Me understaan’ how he tek Har Monium Man. Dem army people ‘custom fuh gat dem “Aid de Cyamp”. Wha’ is da yuh ask, Dear Diary? Da is a fancy name fuh wan army secretary. Me na min’ he a’tall.

Wha me blasted min’ is ‘e tek Trat Man!! How come Trat Man mo’ high dan me? Me stan’ up nex’ to he and me just as tall. But dem fellas seh is because a some Accard he and Prezzie sign in Bagaamas. Some Nasuh Accard.

Wha’ de arse is da? Me an’ de whole KFC party sign de “Coming-Barge Accard” pan Valantine Day! Da na count?

Me bring 11% a me Berb-Ice people. Da na count? Dem all a cuss me now… da na count?

And de hurtful t’ing, Dear Diary, is dem know Jadgesh ah me enemy! Ah woulda gi’e me lef’ hand fuh gyam good!

Jus’ like how ‘e use fuh gi’e me good when abee two bin in de PPCEE. In Parliament, ‘e doan like when ah talk afta he…an’ he does laff when me talk. Well, ah woulda like fuh show ‘e las’ lick bettah dan las’ laff.

But now me gat fuh shut me mout’ beca’se ‘e look like me get Larwah fuh true. Excuse me fuh wet up yuh page, Dear Diary. Me eye-wata na stap run!

General Waddle pointed out. The 2015 Auditor General’s Report highlighted a substantial sum of unspent balances that were not paid over to the Consolidated Fund. The Director General told the PAC that all unspent balances were repaid to the Fund in 2016. Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has also improved its system for reconciling advances to missions. The audit report noted outstanding advances that dated back to 2009.

According to a Government Information Agency report, Waddle ex-

plained that the Foreign Affairs Ministry is working closely with the respective missions to clear outstanding advances. Guyana’s most senior diplomat explained that the advances are usually approved for emergency or late notice travel to meetings from the Missions’ funds. Late submission of clearance forms were highlighted as a reason for the outstanding balances.

Currently, the MoFA has implemented a system that holds further advances until Missions submit their clearance forms.

wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News Horse shipped to Guyana illegally – quarantined by GLDA

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ustoms officers while clearing a loaded ship at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) wharf at Port Georgetown on Tuesday afternoon discovered that an illegally imported horse was on board.

Officials of the Guyana Livestock and Development Authority (GLDA) were notified and immediate action was taken.

The Authority carried out preliminary investigations at the wharf, and found that the condition in which the animal was being kept was unfavourable and did not guarantee its health.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the GLDA, Dr Dwight Walrond, in an invited comment, told the Department of Public Information/Government Information Agency (DPI/ GINA) that a few years ago, the laws of Guyana made the importation of horses without the necessary requirements illegal. Hence, the horse was impounded by the Authority.

Dr Walrond explained, “Over the years, in 2013 and

2014, we had some incidents where we had a number of animals being imported from Trinidad illegally, because of that we would have basically … say it is now illegal to bring horses from Trinidad by boat or animal leaving Trinidad without being micro-chipped or reaching the requirements of Guyana meaning all the vaccinations and so on.”

The animal is now being kept at GLDA’s quarantine station at Timehri, East Bank Demerara where veterinarians will carry out a number of tests to know whether the animal’s health was up to requisite standards. Thereafter, the horse will be handed over to the Guyana Police Force, which will be taking the necessary action against the importer.

“Once we are through, this animal would be given over to the Police; we wouldn’t be doing an auction or the owner would not be getting this animal because it was imported illegally. The Police have already been informed and they’re going to be dealing with the importer of this animal. I would have spoken

to that importer on numerous occasions pleading to her; she was trying to plead to us that we should give a waiver on the import requirements, but I cannot do that,” Dr Walrond explained.

He highlighted some of the requirements for the importation of horses into Guyana, “for an animal, a horse specifically, to be imported from Trinidad they must be micro-chipped, a copy of the birth certificate has to be submitted to the GLDA… Secondly, with respect to disease, they must be vaccinated against EE, glanders and must be free of African Swine Sickness and other infectious diseases…they must be dewormed and treated for internal parasites.”

Initial examinations carried out on the animal revealed that it was approximately four years old. It was realised that the horse, a castrated male (gelding), was kept in sub-standard conditions, and was not being taken care of while being transported to Guyana.

The authorities implemented stringent animal

Dr Dwight Walrond, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), with the horse that was illegally imported

importation laws in the aftermath of an outbreak of equine encephalomyelitis, commonly known as EE between 1980 and 1990, after a number of horses were imported from Trinidad, Dr

Walrond said.

Equine encephalomyelitis, also called "sleeping sickness", is an infectious disease that affects the brain of horses. Three strains have been identified: Eastern, Western,

and Venezuelan. The mortality of the three strains runs from moderate to high. The Eastern strain occurs more frequently and has the highest mortality rate.

Dr Walrond pointed out that first-time importers were subjected to an interview with the Authority so as to become familiarised with the necessary requirements for the importation process.

“If you are a first-time importer, you would be subjected to an interview. Why? It’s not that we are discriminating but what we found is that a lot of these importers they don’t know the requirements as it relates to GRA, they think when they pay GLDA for the import permit, that’s it.”

Man remanded for Alexander Street murder

T

wenty-five-year-old Pascal Smith, the prime suspect in the murder of John Houston, at Alexander Street, Georgetown, was remanded to prison after he appeared at the Georgetown

Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.

Smith was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that on May 27, 2017, at Alexander Street, he unlawfully murdered Houston.

The court heard that the prosecution’s file was not yet complete; hence the unrepresented accused was remanded to the Camp Street Prison. He was ordered to return to court on June 29 for report.

12 news

wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Musical chairs with Permanent Secretaries

Shifting defaulting officials not helping situation – Gaskin I

n the wake of scandals highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when digging through the Auditor General’s 2015 report, a former Presidential Advisor is questioning the internal accounting systems that let these financial improprieties occur.

According to Ramon Gaskin, the Government’s moving Permanent Secretaries from one ministry to the next when financial mismanagement occurs under their watch is also not helping the situation.

“Internal controls are very weak,” the economist said. “And they’re moving these people around all the time, and that is not helping. You need to have qualified, professional people who could handle the work of Permanent Secretary and people with integrity.”

Gaskin questioned the string of Permanent Secretaries and accounting officers who have either been sent off on leave or shifted to another ministry.

“We have a problem with the public service,” the economist stated. “It has to do with training, education, professionalism, integrity. They have a big problem

Permanent Secretary Vibert Welch

there.”

Back in 2015, Vibert Welch was the Permanent Secretary in the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry.

He was subsequently moved to the Education Ministry.

However, he has since become embroiled in controversy there.

Welch is currently in hot water for the use of public funds to build a guard hut at his private residence, which cost more than $500,000 to construct.

On Monday, the current Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alfred King, was hauled over the proverbial coals during the PAC’s

weekly sitting, which was abruptly brought to a halt when the accounting officer was unable to produce a breakdown of $47 million used at the Amerindian Hostel.

King’s almost onehour interrogation by PAC Chairman Irfaan Ali was brought to a premature close when he was asked to provide a breakdown of the money used for dietary supplies at the Amerindian Hostel.

He was earlier unable to provide specific details of a $6.7 million contract with a Bourda Market greens vendor.

Asked to account for the remainder of the $47 million allocation used for dietary supplies in 2015, King told the PAC he would need 20 minutes since that information was at the office.

Ali immediately suspended the proceedings, but on his return, the Permanent Secretary was still unable to provide a breakdown.

In 2015, King was not the PS at the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry as Welch was.

One glaring discrepancy for which the Permanent Secretary was unable to provide ready answers related

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alfred King

to a $2.5 million payment.

The Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry had prepared a voucher to make the payment to a Bourda Market vendor for the supply of fruits, greens, and vegetables.

The Committee heard that the voucher was prepared on December 15, 2015 for $251,000, but a cheque was actually made out to the supplier for $2.5 million and the Ministry to date has been unable to recover the total amount.

It was revealed that the voucher was inputted into the Government Integrated Financial Management System (IFMAS) on

December 29 of that year in order to have the cheque cut before the end of the financial year.

The $2.5 million cheque was encashed in January the next year. The discrepancies raised concerning that supplier Devindra Sugrim were not limited to the overpayment.

In fact, King told the Committee that the supplier was based on institutional memory at the Ministry in the form of a register.

This was also found not to be true.

King earlier told the Committee that the supplier was secured using a three quota system, but was unable to clearly inform the PAC how exactly the sup-

Economist Ramon Gaskin

plier was chosen by the Ministry.

The transaction raised eyebrows, even as King attempted to defend ‘shopping around’ using the three quotation system.

2 arrested for ganja hidden in spare wheel

A

driver and a porter are now in custody of the Itaballi Police after they were found to be in possession of cannabis (ganja) which was discovered hidden in a spare wheel.

According to reports reaching Guyana Times, the two men were detained by ranks at Bartica, Region

Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The Police Officers were at the time carrying out a search around 16:30h on Monday when the 433 grams of cannabis was unearthed.

The two men were detained and questioned. They were now being processed for court.

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

143 new recruits added to Police Force

A

s the Guyana Police Force continues to embark on efforts aimed at increasing its crime-fighting capacity, 143 new recruits on Tuesday graduated from six different courses and have commenced their journey as law enforcement officers.

The ceremony, hosted at the Tactical Services Unit

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud saluting the trainees during the Passing-Out Parade

(TSU) Square at Eve Leary, Georgetown, also celebrated 40 ranks becoming new officers.

The training, which began on January 11, 2017, exposed the young recruits to a life-altering experience which have transformed them from regular civilians into enforcers of the law.

The courses comprised ac-

ademic, practical and extra-curricular components to best prepare the recruits for a life of service.

During the five-month period, the trainees were exposed to high-level English Language, Communications and other classes, capacity-building courses such as anger management, and sports.

Kitty woman caught at Itaballi Police Checkpoint with ganja

A

39-year-old woman from Kitty, Georgetown was nabbed by alert Police ranks at a checkpoint at Itaballi, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) with four parcels of marijuana (weed).

In a statement, Police said that around 13:00h on Tuesday, ranks of the Guyana Police Force on duty at the Itaballi Police Checkpoint conducted a search of a jacket belonging to the Georgetown woman and found in its pockets four taped parcels of canna-

bis weighing in excess of one kilogram.

The woman is being processed for court.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Tuesday was the Force’s Training Officer, Paul Williams, who congratulated the new ranks and urged them to be good ambassadors of the training colleges and the Guyana Police Force.

The acting Commissioner indicated the 143 recruits were subjected to comprehensive training. “They would’ve been exposed to almost 18 weeks of training. They would’ve learnt about the Constitution, laws of Guyana, standing orders, duties, procedures and best practices that would aid them to give a service to the citizens, visitors and the entire nation at large.”

Delivering the feature address at the graduation ceremony was Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, who pointed out

the journey undertaken by this new batch of officers was much different from the one he embarked on many years ago.

Seelall pointed out, “The Police Force that we are embarking on now is one that is service oriented, where decision-making has been decentralised right down to frontline levels, one that is accountable not only collectively but individually.”

With that, he explained that the new recruits would be deployed to stations within various communities across the country and now held the responsibility of accounting for their individual accomplishments as crime-fighting agents.

“I urge you to utilise the training that you have had and to make your fullest contribution wherever you will be deployed,” the Police Commissioner said as he

encouraged the new officers to fulfil their duties to the best of their potential.

At the graduation ceremony, 21 officers received special recognition and accolades for their accomplishments throughout the training programmes. The best student, runner-up and most improved were awarded with trophies for each of the six recruit courses as well as the conversion course.

The graduation ceremony concluded with a Passing-Out Parade as the new recruits and newly-converted officers saluted senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

The 143 trainees and 40 new officers will now undergo a probation period after which they will be officially welcomed as ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

News

Berbice contractor, teacher GPHC digitising its database with PAHO/WHO’s support charged with rape – in separate incidents

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Zafiel Yusuf

wo men – one a contractor and the other a school teacher – were on Tuesday placed on a total of $360,000 bail for allegedly having sexual relations with three teenagers. The men appeared at the Albion Magistrate’s Court charged for two separate and unrelated cases but were both granted bail.

Zafiel Yusuf, 25, a teacher and the son of a former AFC Regional Councillor, was charged with the rape of a 14-yearold girl and her 15-year-old brother.

It is alleged that on April 19, 2017, he had sexual penetration with the teenagers at a Corentyne village. Yusuf, who operates a private school on the Corentyne, was granted bail in the sum of $120,000 on each of the two charges.

He will return to court on July 27, when the Police are expected to file statements.

It was alleged that Yusuf went to the teenagers’ home and requested to see their mother and told her that he had hampers to give to poor people and if she wanted one she will have to send her children with him to collect it.

The children got into his car and he stopped at a Chinese restaurant and asked them if they wanted beer to drink. The girl said she did not want a beer but would accept a bottle of juice.

It is alleged that the siblings were later taken down a dam and next to a clump of bushes where she was told to perform a sexual act on Yusuf. It was also reported that she refused and was cuffed and told that she would be killed if she did not comply. Out of fear, the teenager performed oral sex on the school teacher.

It is alleged that her brother was also forced to do the same after his sister.

After the teenagers returned home, the matter was reported to the Police.

Meanwhile, also appearing before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer on Tuesday was Dexter Philadelphia, also called “Dexter Clerk”, 43, a contractor.

He is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old in August 2015. He was granted bail in the sum of $120,000 and

PAHO/WHO representative, Dr William Adu-Krow

Dexter Clerk

will return to court on July 4.

It was reported that the victim and Philadelphia were known to each other. On August 16, 2016, she was in the bathroom at their Corentyne home which is located at the back of the yard when the suspect came into the said bathroom and began to touch her. She told him to stop but he allegedly continued. After the bath, she went upstairs to her bedroom and Philadelphia went after her.

At the time she was wrapped in a towel. The towel was pulled off and she was allegedly raped. At the time, Philadelphia was involved in a relationship with the teenager’s mother.

When the matter comes up again on July 4, the Police will be expected to file statements.

T

he Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) has offered the initial support to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), as it moves to digitise its medical information. This was done on Tuesday through the donation of two computer systems and printers for the Medical and Paediatrics Unit.

Those present at the opening ceremony were GPHC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Brigadier George A Lewis; GPHC Chairperson Kesaundra Alves; PAHO/WHO representative, Dr William Adu-Krow; and Senior Registrar/Chairperson, Dr Grace Waldron-White.

In brief remarks, in the GPHC’s Medical Clinic waiting area, PAHO/WHO representative, Dr William Adu-Krow said the objective is to help build a patient database that will not only serve to benefit staff but also the Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Association

Caricom clampdown on returning Isis fighters

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon delivers an address during the formal opening of Caricom Counter Terrorism Strategy two-day conference held at Hyatt Regency Hotel on Monday. Looking on, from second left, are United Nations Resident Coordinator & UNDP T&T Resident Representative Richard Blewitt and Caricom Secretary General Irwin Larocque

A

coordinated Caribbean Community (Caricom) clampdown concerning returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) – including targeting their assets – is in the works.

In the next three weeks, Caricom leaders will move to finalise plans for

a Caricom arrest warrant regarding FTFs and sharing of recovered assets, as well as regional anti-terrorism legislation. The latter will be based on T&T’s proposed anti-terrorism legislation.

The matters are proposed for signature at Caricom’s upcoming July sum-

mit in Grenada. Prime Minister Keith Rowley chairs Caricom’s Security Committee.

Caricom Secretary General Irwin La Roque and National Security Minister Edmund Dillon spoke about the developments yesterday at a Caricom Counter-Terrorism Strategy conference.

Stakeholders all stressed the need for an urgent Caribbean anti-terrorism thrust.

“The question for the region (on terrorism) isn’t a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’,” Dillon warned. IMPACS executive director Francis Forbes said Impacs and the US are tracking “several hundred” from the Caribbean and South American who’ve gone to the Islamic State (Isis) terror network.

Forbes said 200-plus Caricom nationals have travelled to Isis territories – fighters and families – and 130 are being tracked as alleged FTFs. Exact means of recruitment wasn’t clear, but all belonged to close personal networks.

Several returning FTFs are being actively monitored by regional law enforcement agencies, he added. (Excerpt from

Trinidad Guardian)

members.

“The Medical and Paediatrics Unit will be given computers. I am sure that they have computers but these computers will be dedicated to the patient database which will not only include the patients but also the labs which have components for medical”, Dr Adu-Krow noted. He said that though the donation seems a small gesture, he hopes that the computer systems are put to good use towards enhancing the way how GPHC is managing their units especially with the cooperation of the staff.

The PAHO/WHO representative highlighted that staff members managing the sickle cell and thalassemia patients will be trained by other entities to do this efficiently.

Lewis expressed his gratitude to PAHO/WHO for donating the computer systems since it will help staff to make informed decisions based on the patient records.

The GPHC CEO de-

GPHC Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier George A. Lewis

scribed the donation as “well-timed since the world will be observing World Sickle Cell Day on June 19.” He added that the agency will work earnestly to build the sickle cell database.

Additionally, the Public Health Ministry’s revised drug procurement system which is expected to bring resolution to drug shortages is expected to be implemented shortly. (GINA)

The computer systems and printers donated to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Medical and Paediatrics Unit

Child marriage now illegal in Trinidad and Tobago

C

hild marriage is now illegal in Trinidad and Tobago.

On June 9, 2017, the country’s Parliament unanimously passed legislation to outlaw the practice, changing the legal marriage age to 18.

Prior to this amendment of the Marriage Act, some members of the Hindu and Muslim religious communities engaged in the practice, and there was great public outcry in May 2016 when Harrypersad Maharaj, the leader of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), a group that brings together representatives from the country’s diverse religious groups, said that the state should not interfere because “age did not determine maturity”.

This, despite the fact

that Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which defines minors as “every human being below the age of 18”.

UN statistics for the period 2002-2012 in Trinidad and Tobago show that the percentage of children who were married by age 15 was 1.8 per cent and by 18, 8.1 per cent. In 2011, the country’s Central Statistical Office confirmed that more than 8400 girls and 1300 boys under 19 were married between 1997-2007.

Online petitions and social media agitation seeking to get child marriage laws off the books were swift and well supported, and no doubt aided this end result.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Sessions denies ‘false and France’s Macron says EU door scurrilous allegations’ remains open to UK

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ttorney General Jeff Sessions heatedly denied on Tuesday having an undisclosed meeting with Russia's ambassador to the US or conversations with any Russian officials about the US election that sent Donald Trump to the White House. He vowed to defend his honour "against scurrilous and false allegations."

Testifying at a Senate hearing, Sessions, who was a close Trump adviser during the battle for the presidency, said it was a "detestable and appalling lie" to suggest that he participated in or was aware of any collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

In his dramatic appear-

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

ance before former colleagues, Sessions also contradicted a contention made by former FBI Director James Comey at a hearing before the same panel last week. Comey told the intelligence committee that, after an encounter with

President Trump in which he said Trump pressured him to back off an investigation into the former national security adviser, Comey "implored" Sessions to make sure he was never left alone with the president again – but that Sessions didn't re-

spond.

The former Alabama senator defended himself against accusations that he misrepresented himself during his confirmation hearing by saying he hadn't met with Russian officials during the campaign.

Sessions argued that in the context of that hearing, "my answer was a fair and correct response to the charge as I understood it." Sessions said he recused himself from the Justice Department's current Russia investigation only because of a regulation that required it because of his involvement in the Trump campaign. He never, he insisted, knew anything about the Russia probe or had any role in it. (Excerpt from MSN)

American student released from North Korea prison is reportedly in a coma

U

S secretary of state Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday that North Korea had released Otto Warmbier, an American serving a 15-year prison term with hard labour for alleged anti-state acts, as reports emerged that the 22-year-old has been in a coma for as long as a year.

Tillerson said that

Warmbier was on his way back to the US to be reunited with his family. He said in a statement that the state department secured Warmbier’s release at the direction of Donald Trump, adding that the department was continuing to discuss three other detained Americans with North Korea.

State department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in an afternoon press conference that she could make no comment on a report from the Washington Post that Warmbier had been in a coma since March of 2016.

Warmbier’s family told the Post that, according to North Korean officials, the 22-year-old contracted a case

of botulism shortly after his trial and was given a sleeping pill from which he never woke up. Warmbier’s parents said they only learned of their son’s condition last week when the return was negotiated.

Warmbier is being medically evacuated through the US military base in Sapporo, Japan. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Nairobi building collapse: People missing as residents join search

demand, and developers often bypass regulations.

In April 2017, 49 people died after a building collapsed in heavy rain in Nairobi.At the height of Kenya’s rainy season in April 2016, a six-storey building collapsed killing 52 people in Nairobi’s poor Huruma district.(Excerpt from BBC

News)

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that the door to the European Union remains open to the United Kingdom as long as exit negotiations are not concluded, but it would be difficult to walk back once negotiations start.

Asked at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Paris whether he agreed with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble who earlier told Bloomberg that Britain would find “open doors” if it changed its mind, Macron replied: “The door of course is still open as long as Brexit negotiations have not been concluded, but a sovereign decision to leave the EU has been taken and I respect that decision.”

Rihanna and former Australian PM to Raise $3B for education in Malawi

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Rihanna

arbados’ superstar Rihanna and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard first came together for a good cause in 2016 and were reunited earlier this year while doing philanthropic work in Malawi.

Last week, a video of their January trip was released, showing the multiple Grammy award-winner and

Scores killed in Bangladesh landslides after heavy rain

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One woman told the BBC’s Anne Soy that she believed her son was trapped in the building

everal people are reported missing after a seven-storey building collapsed on Monday night in an eastern suburb of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Emergency response teams have been at the scene in the Kware Pipeline Embakasi area.

The Star newspaper said dozens of people had been evacuated moments before the collapse. Witnesses told the paper that the building had been condemned after cracks appeared in its walls.

The co-ordinator of the

rescue efforts, Pius Masai, said that more than 100 people had been accounted for, but five people were still trapped including a woman with her three children.

Earlier reports said that 15 people were missing, but this figure has not been confirmed.

“Rescue efforts are ongoing,” Mr Masai said in a statement, and appealed for people with access to “cutters, drillers and any other extrication equipment” to help with the search.

The National Disaster

Management Unit said that most families acted when ordered to leave the building prior to its collapse, with 121 people making it to safety.

Local media reports that some people re-entered the building apparently to collect their belongings when it caved in, possibly trapping them. Police said they do not know how many people are trapped.

Building collapses are a problem in Kenya with many people in Nairobi living in low-income areas or slums. Housing is in high

S

cores of people have been killed in landslides and flooding after heavy monsoon rains battered southeast Bangladesh, police and medical officers said.

The death toll climbed to 134 on Tuesday, according to local officials. Many of the victims were from tribal communities in the remote hill district of Rangamati, close to the Indian border, where 98 people were killed when mudslides buried their homes.

“The recovery work is still going on. The death toll could rise as many areas still remained cut off,” the head of the Department of Disaster Management

May said the timetable for Brexit negotiations remained on course with talks due to start next week. The two leaders met for a working dinner before together attending a France vs England friendly soccer match at the Stade de France stadium in Paris.

Macron’s comments that it was not too late for Britain to remain inside the EU came as May faces a tug-of-war within her own party over her Brexit strategy following a disastrous snap election which she called.

Before the election May had proposed a clean break from the EU, involving a withdrawal from Europe’s single market, but now weakened with a minority government, some in her party are calling for a more business-friendly approach. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Reaz Ahmed told AFP news agency.

Ahmed said disaster response teams had been deployed to the affected areas to reinforce recovery work.

Seven people, including three children, were killed in the hilly town of Bandarban, after their homes were buried in mud on Monday night, according to police officer Rafiq Ullah.

“Some of them were sleeping in their homes on hillsides when the landslides occurred,” district police chief Sayed Tariqul Hasan said.

Another 30 of the casualties were in the neighbouring district of Chittagong.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

the former politician meeting with community leaders and schoolchildren as they seek to raise US$3.1 billion between 2018 and 2020.

The pop princess and the politician previously joined forces for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), a campaign designed to improve the quality of education in developing countries. Gillard joined the charity in 2014 as chair of the Board of Directors, while Rihanna, who founded The Clara Lionel Foundation in honour of her late grandparents, is an ambassador.

Also present on the trip was Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen, an organisation committed to helping GPE raise money and help children access education in more than 60 impoverished nations. Various issues impact the education system in Malawi, including a lack of skilled teachers and limited access to education. “Statistically 70-75 per cent of students get into primary school, but only eight per cent get to complete secondary school,” said Angeline Murimirwa, Regional Executive Director of Camfed.

There is approximately one teacher to every 100 students in the southeast African nation. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

16 news

wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

9 arrested in Sophia raid Ramsammy’s Ruminations

– bulletproof vest, full-face mask, toy guns found

Almost killing sugar, APNU/AFC is stupidly determined to kill rice also

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n intelligence-led operation conducted by ranks of the Guyana Police Force in C Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, between 13:30h and 14:20h on Tuesday, resulted in the arrest of nine men for various offences.

Items found during the operation included a bulletproof vest, a full-face mask, a wig, a pair of black gloves, a police beret and two toy guns. In a statement, Police said investigations were ongoing.

T

A bulletproof vest, a full-face mask, a wig, a pair of black gloves, a police beret and two toy guns were found during the raid

his week is the 69th anniversary of the Enmore Resistance and the Enmore Martyrs.

Sadly, on this most important anniversary, one that started the journey to independence, sugar workers are again fighting for their welfare and to defend our democracy.

Across Guyana, including in Enmore, sugar workers and their families and other Dr Leslie Ramsammy citizens are resisting closure of sugar estates and the closure of sugar. As sugar workers lead the resistance, like they did in 1948 and for more than one hundred years before that, their fears go beyond their families. In fact, their fears are about the economic and social welfare of our country.

Even as A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) is relentless in closing estates and putting 10,000 sugar workers out of a job and even as they get closer to closure of sugar, they also continue their assault on rice, another backbone of the economy of Guyana. Many rice farmers have abandoned their rice fields.

Some small farmers are renting their rice fields at low rental rates to bigger farmers because the small farmers cannot survive with APNU/AFC's anti-rice policies. There has been no new market for rice, in spite of the continued promise that a large Mexican market is on the horizon. At the end of 2014, there were 35 markets for Guyana's rice.

At this time, we still have the same 35 markets, with the only change being that the Venezuelan market has dramatically collapsed. This week rice farmers in the Essequibo islands complained that they are still owed money for paddy they sold to millers since last year. The Government has been non-responsive.

The APNU/AFC's position is that the farmers' sale of paddy to millers constitute private transactions. This is true, but under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), the farmers were facilitated. While the PPP threatened millers with the Rice Factory Act through which their licences could be terminated, the PPP always worked with farmers and millers to ensure farmers were paid. Often, that meant that the Government advanced money to the farmers until the millers exported rice and repaid the Government. In addition, the PPP worked with farmers and millers to ensure that farmers were paid a fair price for their paddy. Yet, farmers thought that the PPP could have done even more.

APNU/AFC seized the opportunity and promised rice farmers they will meet their demands, ensure that farmers are paid on time and guaranteed farmers $9000 per bag of paddy. But today, APNU/AFC has abandoned and betrayed the farmers. Farmers are at the mercy of millers and today receive less than $2000 per bag of paddy. Adding salt to open wounds, APNU/AFC has increased leased and rental payments, removed waivers on Value Added Tax (VAT) and other taxes for equipment and supplies in the rice industry and provide no support to farmers during inclement weather. In drought or flood circumstances, APNU/AFC is often missing in action. Right at this moment in Region Two, Essequibo (Pomeroon-Supenaam), rice fields are flooded and Minister Holder and the Agriculture Ministry are missing. No Government agency has responded. But their non-response to the rice farmers whose fields have been flooded out is their modus operandi since May 2015.

It is truly baffling, outrageous, unfathomable, just plain bizarre behaviour. Killing sugar and rice kills the economy of Guyana. If APNU/AFC succeeds in killing rice and sugar, and they are doing an excellent job this far, Guyana will be a failed State and we will return to the days when more than 80 per cent of our people lived in poverty. Oil will not save us.

It is not that other industries do not contribute significantly to the economy and the social welfare of our people, it is that no industry supports as much employment and related economic activities as sugar and rice. Sugar and rice directly support about 35,000 jobs and with related employment more than 60,000 jobs. Sugar workers, rice farmers and those employed from related economic activities and their families account for about 200,000 people, almost 33 per cent of the entire Guyanese population. In terms of direct input into the economy, more than $70 billion annually is invested. No other industry comes close.

Why is APNU/AFC so determined to kill rice and sugar?

It is part of a burgeoning insanity, based on their bizarre, obsessive hate of the PPP. They believe that by killing rice and sugar, they will permanently maim the PPP. But killing rice and sugar will affect our country and ALL the PEOPLE. It is why sugar workers, rice farmers and their families and all sensible Guyanese are resisting this insanity and why the PPP is getting stronger.

news

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

International Day of

(HINDUS for SELFLESS SERVICE) E-mail: hssguyana@gmail.com

Surya Namaskar (Salutations to the Sun)

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oday we continue with the Surya Namaskar routine.

We trust that you practiced five postures this

chest forward; as you exhale, make a gentle effort to push the navel down.

Tuck the toes under.

Ensure you're stretching

morning and are ready to see the new ones that we will be bringing to you today

hips and the tail bone up, chest downwards in an 'inverted V' (/\) posture.

How to deepen this yoga stretch?

If possible, try and keep the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone up, going deeper into the stretch.

When you do 12 sets of Sun Salutation, you are completing 12 sets x 2 rounds in each set x 12 yoga poses in each = 288 yoga poses within 12 to 15 minutes. Surya

Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with Eight Parts Or Points)

Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Take the hips back slightly, slide forward, rest your chest and chin on the floor. Raise your posterior a little bit.

The two hands, two feet, two knees, chest and chin (eight parts of the body touch the floor).

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra posture. You may keep your elbows bent in this pose, the shoulders away from the ears. Look up.

How to deepen this yoga stretch?

As you inhale, make a gentle effort to push the

just as much as you can; do not force.

Parvatasana (Mountain pose)

Breathing out, lift the

Namaskar calorie calculation: One round of Surya Namaskar burns up to 13.90 calories for an average weighing person. You can now set a target for yourself.

Join us tomorrow as we show you the next three postures of this yoga routine. For now, we urge you to continue practicing these two along with the other sets of yoga asanas that we have been bringing to you thus far.

We trust that you have been seriously practicing these yoga postures because we expect to see you doing it with us on June 25, at the National Stadium, Providence at 4pm to 5:30pm.

Remember to wear loose clothing and tell a friend to bring a friend to bring a friend.

HSS INVITES YOU TO OUR THIRD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA CELEBRATIONS. IT WILL BE HELD AT THE GUYANA NATIONAL STADIUM, PROVIDENCE, EAST BANK DEMERARA, JUNE 25 FROM 4PM TO 5:30PM. LET US MAKE THOUGHTS BECOME A REALITY. LET US BE FIT. “TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES, EMPOWERING THE BODY, MIND AND SOUL”

Lack of updated info hinders education delivery in Chenapau

By Lakhram Bhagirat

I

nadequate access to valuable and updated information is severely affecting the quality of education delivered in the Amerindian village of Chenapau in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The village, located some 29 miles up the Potaro River, has a primary school with eight teachers and 120 pupils. The school also has a nursery level and serves the Four Zones of the Chenapau Village.

Guyana Times sat down with Head Teacher, Drucilla Mc Garrell and parents of children to get a better understanding of how education is delivered in the remote community.

“We are enc ountering difficulties in delivering education at the school because we do not get access to adequate updated information and there is a need for training of teachers – in terms of teaching methods and many other things. We need to be exposed to updated information,” Mc Garrell said.

According to her, they would receive teaching materials from the Region Eight Department of Education but quite often, the textbooks are not adequate or in most cases outdated. This, she says, shows in the performance of the students. “The performance (of the students) is not so good, it’s about aver-

age; and we believe that if we get support in terms of guidance, in terms of (Education Department) Officers coming to visit and guide the teachers on the way forward, we will be more equipped and in a position to perform better,” she opined.

Staffing challenges

Mc Garrell told this publication that of the eight teachers in the school, two are trained by the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), four are untrained and two are from the Peace Corps Voluntary Service Overseas programme.

There is the call for the teachers to receive some developmental training to better their delivery of the curriculum. The teachers at the school do not have the necessary requirements to get into the CPCE’s Teachers Training Programme and, as such, they are left in the system with little or no developmental access.

The Head Teacher said she would encourage her staff to seek professional development but because of their remote location and very little access to information, the process is quite often a tedious one. “I have teachers who would try to go and write CSEC but they are not getting to go to any lessons… they try on their own and I think there is a need to have somebody to teach them so they can have

Chenapau Primary School Head Teacher, Drucilla Mc Garrell

this proper foundation to go on to CPCE,” she related. “…I never went to secondary school; I did GBETTP (Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Project) – that was a foundation to get into CPCE. That was very good and if the Government of Guyana can put in place something for Region Eight teachers to have that kind of programme to give them the foundation to go into CPCE I believe that will be very good move,” Mc Garrell urged.

The residents of the community are also calling on the Government to provide some sort of transportation for their children who have to attend school in Paramakatoi since they would have to walk for two days to get to school and two days to return home, every term.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

ARCHIE

Intense talks will help resolve pending issues. A fair (March 21- option will be made available April 19) and will be worth considering. With change comes new beginnings.

ARIES

Appeal to the people you TAURUS are emotionally connected to.

(April 20- If you are willing to comproMay 20) mise, you will be able to resolve any issue that stands in your way.

dilbert

Look around, become enGEMINI gaged in things that interest (May 21- you and have an open mind June 20) when dealing with others.

Taking short trips, exploring social media and sharing ideas will encourage you to think about and pursue your goals.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Consider venturing into unfamiliar territory to find out information necessary to move forward with a project, partnership, educational pursuit or troubling health issue.

What you do to help others will benefit you as well.

Collaborating with someone will lead to a healthy partnership that can change the way you move forward.

Look for work-relatVIRGO (Aug. 23- ed opportunities. Changing Sept. 22) your vocation or picking up new skills that will help you switch careers looks promising.

Get involved in events LIBRA that require intelligence and (Sept. 23Oct. 23) offer you a chance to present your capabilities. One-on-one encounters will lead to interesting and innovative prospects.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Money matters, contracts SCORPIO and deals that have been (Oct. 24pending for too long should Nov. 22) be addressed. You may not get everything you want, but you will get peace of mind.

Team up with someone SAGITTARIUS if it will help you reach your (Nov. 23- goal. Taking a day trip or enDec. 21) gaging in conversation will point you in a new direction.

Knowledge and experience are highlighted.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Listen to every idea that CAPRICORN comes your way and consid(Dec. 22- er how your decisions will afJan. 19) fect the people who depend on you before you move forward.

Home improvements are encouraged.

Participate in events that AQUARIUS will put you in touch with in(Jan. 20novative people heading in Feb. 19) the same direction as you.

The information shared will be valuable and will initiate new friendships.

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

Work quietly on your own PISCES until you are sure you can fig(Feb. 20March 20) ure out what you are trying to accomplish. Improvements to your health and physique are encouraged.

wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

19

BLK to outfit

Jamaican hurdler Spencer

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rule violation

Windies teams ports apparel manufacturer BLK have signed a three-year deal with the Windies cricket team to become the team’s kit supplier. The partnership covers the Windies senior men’s, women’s and youth sides (Under 19s) along with grassroots development cricket in the Caribbean.

The Windies men will wear BLK for the first time when they begin their tour of England with a Test Match at Edgbaston on August 17. The Windies Women will also play in BLK at the 2018 ICC World Twenty20 (venues to be confirmed) and the 2019 Cricket World Cup which is scheduled to take place in England and Wales.

“We are delighted to welcome BLK as the official kit supplier of all Windies teams,” said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.

“In addition to providing all of our team wear, this new partnership forms part of our broader strategy to grow our retail and licensing revenues by creating a new online Windies store. We will be expanding our commercial partnership programme over the next few years and are looking forward to building the relationship with BLK.” BLK Chairman Richard Upshall said the company has a track record of providing quality cricketing apparel in Australia and “This is an

Johnny Grave

opportunity for us to provide that excellence in partnership with an iconic brand on the world stage as well as kicking off our commitment to the North American and Caribbean markets.”

The WINDIES now join the England Rugby League, Scotland Rugby League, England Netball, Hartlepool United and the rugby union Champions Cup winners, Saracens, to be the latest professional team outfitted

by BLK. ““BLK are proud to be the official Windies kit supplier and this partnership really

complements our ambitious strategy. As Windies is one of the most recognisable brands in the world this establishes a new benchmark for the company and an opportunity for us to showcase the quality and breadth of our product offering to the widest possible audience,” Upshall said.

BLK is based in the United Kingdom from which it operates under licenses which cover much of the Northern Hemisphere from the Middle East and Europe to the USA and the Caribbean. The company has ambitious plans to work with high-profile teams across all sports (including e-sports) as nearly 10,000 teams globally now wear BLK – including across sports such as lacrosse, baseball, American football,

netball, hockey, ice hockey, football, rugby and squash.

The new Windies Test, T20 and ODI kit is in keeping with the distinctive maroon and gold and will be available alongside the Windies training range for sale from various distributors and BLK’s own website from August 17. (Sportsmax)

cleared of anti-doping J

amaica’s Kaliese Spencer, the 2014 Commonwealth Games 400 metres hurdles champion, was on Tuesday cleared of an anti-doping rule violation by an independent disciplinary panel.

The decision means Spencer, who faced a fouryear ban on charges that she refused or evaded a drug test on April 27 2016 at her training base, can resume competing immediately.

The panel decided that the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission(JADCO), who brought the charges, could not prove that 30-year-old Spencer had been properly notified under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules that she was required for testing.

Confirmation of the ruling came from attorney Kent Gammon, who chaired the three-member anti-doping panel which conducted a twoday hearing in May at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

“The decision that we arrived at today was that we were not persuaded that the athlete Miss Spencer had committed a breach of Article 2.3, in particular of the anti-doping disciplinary commission rules,” Gammon told Reuters.

“The deciding factor was

Kaliese Spencer

the equivocation that the athlete was properly notified as to the anti-doping violation and the non-compliance of Rule 5.0 of the international standards for testing of WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency),” he added.

The decision means the 2009 world championship mile relay silver medallist can compete in Jamaica’s National Senior Championship (June 22-25), which will be used to select the Caribbean island’s team for the Aug. 4-13 worlds in London.

Spencer, who was represented by American Paul Greene, had denied the charges. The panel awarded Spencer costs.

“I’m elated for Kaliese. This has been a very trying three months for her,” Greene told Reuters via telephone.

“In my opinion the case should have never been brought, the provisional suspension should have never have imposed because there was no evidence she did anything wrong and the decision vindicated her today, and proved to Jamaica that Kaliese is innocent and never did anything wrong,” he added.

“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that they (JADCO) actually brought this case... and hopefully next time they’ll think twice before bringing a case without evidence,” he added. (REUTERS)

Ousmane Dembele leads 10-man France to friendly win over England

O

usmane Dembele scored his first international goal to give 10-man France a 3-2 win over England in a friendly in Paris on Tuesday night.

Despite Harry Kane’s opening goal for England, France rallied to take the lead before half-time through Samuel Umtiti and Djibril Sidibe.

But a Kane penalty soon after the break -accompanied by a controversial decision involving the video assistant referee to send off Raphael Varane -- allowed England to equalise, only for Dembele to finally take his chance and net the winner.

After a show of solidarity in a pregame ceremony, England’s opener come on the counterattack in the ninth minute when Raheem Sterling laid the ball off for the overlapping Ryan Bertrand, who sent in a cross for Kane to tap in.

But France quickly found their footing, and Olivier Giroud’s frustration was visible after an offside call saw his superb acrobatic goal cancelled out, before Dembele somehow directed wide after bursting through to latch onto a pass from Kylian Mbappe.

They were warning signs Southgate’s men failed to heed. Giroud was allowed to meet a free kick with a powerful header that Tom Heaton did well to stop.

Ousman Dembele (centre) celebrates after scoring France’s winning goal against England

But the Burnley goalkeeper, making his first start, could not stop Umtiti rifling home the loose ball in the 22nd minute.

Heaton denied Mbappe at his near post as France looked to go ahead, before England belatedly showed some attacking intent as Bertrand was denied by Hugo Lloris.

Eric Dier fired just wide from the resulting corner on a night when the Tottenham midfielder was not giving his defence enough protection.

France capitalised on England’s fragile defence two minutes before half-time.

Dembele led the charge and played the ball out wide, only for Gary Cahill’s intervention to play

it back into his path. Showing great composure he cut in and got away a shot that Heaton denied, only for France to score another rebound as Sidibe turned in. England boss Gareth Southgate changed keepers at half-time, bringing on Jack Butland, and it only took two minutes for England to draw level.

Varane clipped Dele Alli’s heel in the box, sending him clattering into his Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris, and the referee gave the penalty.

Confusion reigned for a minute as referee Davide Massa waited to hear from video assistant team of Marco Guida and Massimiliano Irrati, with the penalty compounded by Varane’s controversial red card for bringing down Dele Alli, and Kane converted the penalty to equalise at 2-2.

England then had more room to operate, but it was France who nearly restored their lead in the 71st minute. Mbappe had a look at an open goal after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turned the ball over, but he could only hit the crossbar.

Thomas Lemar saw his follow-up hacked off the line and shaky England were punished in the 78th minute. Paul Pogba played the ball in for Mbappe at the top of the box, but rather than trying to shoot, the teenager laid the ball off for Dembele, whose shot took a deflection off Cahill and into the net.(ESPNFC)

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Ronaldo accused of tax evasion S

panish prosecutors have accused the Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo of defrauding the authorities of millions of euros in tax.

The prosecutor’s office in Madrid says it has filed a lawsuit against the Portuguese player.

He is accused of evading tax of 14.7m euros (£13m; $16m) from 2011 to 2014.

The world’s highest-paid sports star had previously said he was not worried

Champions Trophy Semi-finals

England’s Jason Roy set to be dropped for Pakistan semi-final E

Cristiano Ronaldo

about tax investigations as he had nothing to hide.

On this occasion he is accused of knowingly using a “business structure” to hide income made from his image rights.

In December, leaked documents suggested that Ronaldo had avoided tax on income allegedly held in offshore accounts.

He denied the allegations.

When asked about that investigation, he told a jour-

nalist from Radio Television Portuguesa (RTP) “Quien no debe no teme”, which roughly translates as “He who has nothing to hide has no fear.”

Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid sportsperson for the second successive year, according to Forbes’ annual list of the world’s wealthiest people.

He earned $93m (£72m) from salary, bonuses and endorsements last year.

(BBCSPORT)

Qatar 3 South Korea 2: Al Haydos double holds off fightback

ngland are set to drop opener Jason Roy for Wednesday’s Champions Trophy semi-final against Pakistan in Cardiff.

Roy, 26, has made only 51 runs in his past eight one-day internationals.

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said Roy did not bat with the rest of the team in Tuesday’s net session, with Jonny Bairstow - his likely replacement - in first.

Roy received the backing of captain Eoin Morgan before Saturday’s win over Australia, when he fell second ball.

He has made 1,462 runs at an average of 34 in 46 ODIs. England cannot name their team until the day of the match for anti-corruption reasons, but Morgan said Yorkshire’s Bairstow would be a capable replacement for Roy. Barstow, 27, has played 26 ODIs, scoring 647 runs at an average of 38.05. This year he has made three half-centuries in four oneday innings for England.

Morgan told BBC Sport: “Jonny Bairstow is our next man in line. He is a very fine batsman. One thing he does exceptionally well is deal with no baggage.

“He comes in and wants to prove everyone wrong the whole time. It’s been a huge attribute in him scor-

Jason Roy

ing runs when he has had a chance.

“Everyone goes through a bad run and that’s expected. If someone happens to miss out then they’re not going to be too far away from our plans in the future.

“We have reasonably strong plans for 15 or 17 guys who we believe can take part in the 2019 World Cup and we are sticking to that plan.”

Pre-tournament favourites England, who have never won a global 50over tournament, are the only side with a 100% re-

cord from their three group games.

They beat Bangladesh and New Zealand by convincing margins to book their place in the last four, and overcame an early batting collapse to overcome Australia in a rain-affected match.

“You’ve got to play as if everything is on the line - that’s the nature of this tournament,” Morgan said.

“The important thing to reflect on is that we have actually won nothing and achieved nothing so far.

Tomorrow is a very big game for us.”

Warriors have ‘no doubt’

Kerr will coach next season A double by Al Haydos ensured Quatar won

I

n a dramatic encounter, Qatar threw away a two-goal lead against South Korea, but recovered to win and dent the visitors’ World Cup hopes.

South Korea slipped to a 3-2 defeat against Qatar in Doha on Tuesday, with their World Cup qualifying fate still far from certain with two Group A games to go.

Uli Stielike’s men are second in the group - in a qualifying berth - but they remain just a point clear of third-placed Uzbekistan after Qatar held off a second-half fightback with Hasan Al Haydos’ brace and a goal from Akram Afif.

South Korea last failed to qualify for a World Cup in 1982, but they have not won away from home in over a year and struggled in the opening hour against their bottom-of-the-table hosts.

Al Haydos’ 25th-minute free-kick opened the scor-

ing and Afif doubled Qatar’s lead after 51 minutes, before Ki Sung-yueng’s goal prompted a strong response.

Hwang Hee-chan restored parity and appeared to set the Koreans up for a dramatic win, until Al Haydos struck again to clinch the points.

Having drawn a blank on trips to Iran, Malaysia - to play Syria - and China, Stielike was visibly irked by the visitors’ laboured early attempts to test Saad Al Sheeb, Lee Jae-sung’s curler finally drawing a first notable save after 21 minutes.

And the breakthrough then came at the other end, from a 20-yard freekick controversially given against Choi Chul-soon, as Al Haydos fired a fine strike inside the right-hand post.

Hwang Hee-chan dragged wide as South Korea sought a swift response, but an injury to star man Son Heung-min

dealt a further blow, before Al Sheeb brilliantly denied substitute Lee Keun-ho.

Qatar threatened again at the start of the second half and, after shooting wide from close range, Al Haydos turned provider for a second goal, Afif driving high past Kwoun Sun-tae.

Back came South Korea and Al Sheeb blocked Hwang Il-su’s strike, but could not prevent Ki’s side-footed effort from finding the bottom-right corner.

And, with that goal, the visitors finally built momentum, the equaliser arriving as Hwang Hee-chan met Hwang Il-su’s knockdown with a thumping volley.

But, as South Korea went chasing a winner, they were caught out at the back once more and Al Haydos slotted into the bottom-right corner, sealing victory with 16 minutes remaining.(SPORTSMAX)

T

he Golden State Warriors expect Steve Kerr to be their coach next season after NBA championship glory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Golden State Warriors expect to see Steve Kerr return as coach for the defence of their NBA title despite health issues that kept him sidelined for most of the playoffs.

Kerr was in his usual courtside spot on Monday as the Warriors clinched their second NBA title in three years, securing a 4-1 Finals success over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who pipped them to the championship last year having been 3-1 behind.

The coach has been laid low due to spinal cord leakage, the painful side ef-

Steve Kerr

fects of which have left him unable to take on his coaching duties, but his employers expect to see him back next season.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that he will return as the coach of this team,” general manager Bob

Myers told ESPN. “I’m confident we’ll have him back. Steve will be our coach.”

“Winning is...winning is fantastic,” Kerr said at his post-game news conference. “I’ve been so lucky to be part of so many championship teams as a player and now as a coach, and it never gets old.

“But tonight was a little different, just based on the things I’ve had to go through during this time.”

(Sportsmax)

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Chris Gayle

est Indies batting star Chris Gayle has tipped the region’s women’s team to draw on the experience of winning the T20 World Cup to help them be successful in the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup. The Windies Women were a part of a historic 2016 for the region, which saw three teams claim world titles. The West Indies men’s team were also crowned T20 world champions, while the Under-19 team claimed the Youth World Cup. Heading into what Gayle admits will be a difficult tournament, the left hander believes the experience of winning will prove invaluable.

“The team has experience now,” the big-hitting Jamaican told Sky Sports. “England is not an easy place to come and play cricket

so hopefully they can make the adjustments required as soon as possible,” he added.

“But I think they can gravitate from their experience and build on it even though they will face some very tough opponents in England and of course, Australia.

They have already shown that once they get some momentum behind them anything is possible. I wish them all the very best for the tournament.”

The West Indies Women have not had smooth preparations so far, however, after suffering losses in both practice games they have played to date. The 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup will take place in England from 24 June to 23 July 2017.(Sportsmax)

Sangakkara scores century of

G

Geron Williams (left) on the podium with winner Stephen Hall (centre) and third place Stefan Matzner

uyana’s National Champion Geron Williams battled his way to a hard fought second place finish at the annual historic Criterium cycling meet in New Jersey, USA on Sunday.

His fellow countryman, Hamzah Eastman, who also took part in the meet had a good showing as well, despite finishing in 13th place.

The winner of the meet was Australian Track Star Stephen Hall who had enough left in the tank to sprint his way to victory in a time of 1hr 12m 44s, while Austrian Stefan Matzner was third.

The 35 mile event was a gruelling contest, as approximately half of the field failed to finish the race.

S Jagmohan Hardware...

FROM 23

Foster has said that all plans are in place for a highly successful tournament, and that every objective would be achieved, including less fortunate students and 20 cricket clubs receiving assistance, and youths being educated on Climate Change and Guyana’s Green Economy.

Meanwhile, the RHTY&SC has indicated that

Under the Intermiade status, teams would be allowed to play six first division players who have not played for Guyana since 2012, while the other players would be second division or junior players.

Foster has said that the RHTY&SC would be inviting only teams from Berbice, to avoid any

Jeevanand Chanderpaul of S Jagmohan Hardware Supplies handing the sponsorship cheque to Hilbert Foster

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster receiving the donation from Director of Sports, Christopher Jones

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Kumar Sangakkara

S

ri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara scored the 100th century of his career in Surrey’s One-Day Cup quarter-final.

The 39-year-old made 121 against Yorkshire at Headingley, his 39th limited-overs hundred to go with 61 in first-class cricket.

Sangakkara, who quit Tests in 2015, says he will retire from first-class cricket after this season.

The former Sri Lanka captain has scored 45,650 career runs in all forms of cricket.

He brought up his hundred with a single to third man off

Matt Fisher to help Surrey post 313-7.

He has enjoyed a stellar season for Surrey in County Championship Division One, averaging 90.60 in six matches.

Sangakkara last month fell 16 runs short of becoming only the fourth player to make six consecutive first-class centuries.

He is fifth on the all-time list of leading Test run scorers with 12,400 in 134 Tests, and only India legend Sachin Tendulkar has made more than Sangakkara’s 14,234 runs in 404 one-day internationals.

(BBCSPORT)

the tournament might be played at the intervillage level, as the Guyana cricket structure and the relevant authorities might not permit senior Guyana players to participate in the proceedings.

Foster has said that the RHTY&SC does not intend to get involved in the politics of Guyana’s Cricket, especially since the Club was apparently paying the price for a statement he had made on Guyana’s Cricket at the Annual Awards Ceremony in April.

The long-serving Secretary/CEO had urged the Government of Guyana to intervene to save the game from the crisis in which it had found itself embroiled.

problems; and as such would be withdrawing the invitations sent to the two Georgetown-based clubs.

The teams that would be playing in this tournament are Rose Hall Town, Young Achievers, Tucber Park, Young Warriors, Police, Upper Corentyne, Kildonan and Blairmont.

The organisers are working on an initiative to have all the teams play the first round on one particular day at the Albion Ground using the 10/10 format, while the 3rd Place and Finals would be played using the 20/20 format. The winning team would take home $500,000 and a trophy, while the Man of the Finals would take home $50,000 and a trophy.

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2017 GCB/HIH U-19 Inter County 3-day tournament

Anderson’s judicious knock leads major recovery for U-17s ‒ Berbice, Demerara clash in the balance

A

Kevlon Anderson celebrates his century after helping his team to 167-6 recovering from a worrying position of 68-5

judicious knock by Kevlon Anderson ensured the National Under-17 Select Squad recover from a daunting position of 68-5 to 167-6 at the end of day one of their last round clash of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Hand-In-Hand Insurance Inter-County U-19 threeday against Essequibo at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary on Tuesday.

Anderson, who entered the crease with his team in a worrying spot at 18-3 stayed there unbeaten on 101 as his team rebuilt to a challenging score at the end of the day.

The right handed batsman shared in a valuable sixth wicket partnership worth 77 runs with Pradesh Balkishun, who struck three fours in a patient innings of 24 off 130 deliveries.

After opting to bat Joshua Jones

and Joel Fortune made two early inroads as their younger counterparts slipped to 7-2. Thereafter they crawled to the lunch break losing just one more wicket. They ended that first session on 45-3 after 33 overs.

The Select Under-17 despite a slight recovery was soon 68 for 5, before Anderson changed the script. He brought up his century off 287 balls, with 13 boundaries.

Essequibo’s bowlers have so far combined to produce a good team effort, with Mahendra Persaud taking two wickets, while receiving valuable support from Jones, Sheldon Charles, Lesley Allen and Fortune, all of whom took one wicket apiece.

Game concluded at approximately 17:00h for the day’s play and will resume at 10:00h today in what promises to be an interested day of play.

Meanwhile at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Demerara won the toss and elected to bat first, but only managed 190 runs off 90.3 overs.

Ramnarine Chatura hit a solid 53 off 98 balls, with three fours and three sixes.

West Indies youth selectees Bhaskar Yadram and Joshua Persaud made 39 and 17 respectively, while Riche Loooknauth contributed 21 and Raymond Perez 17.

Bowling for Berbice, left arm spinner Keith Simpson grabbed 5-78 from 31 overs and off spinner Kevin Sinclair took 5-32 from 38.3 overs.

Berbice in reply reached 19 for 1 from 13 overs, Kevin Sinclair and Adrian Sukwah unbeaten on 12 and 1 respectively. Veramootoo was dismissed by Yadram for 3. Match came to an end at approximately 17:15h.

GBTI 2017 Tennis Open

A

Fraser/Pooran advance in girls’ doubles

total of 23 matches were played over the weekend at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Recreational Centre in Bel Air Park, Goergetown, as the annual GBTI tennis tournament eased into the second week of action.

The event showcases the cream of the crop of Guyana’s tennis fraternity as it attracts players from 13 different categories – from the pint sized 10-year-olds now cutting their teeth on competition to the grizzled veterans who have been competing against each other since the 1980s. Throw in the players who compete regularly at club level and the visiting diplomats from Brazil, India, Russia and the US, and you have a truly diverse event which sees a fierce competition as well as good camaraderie being displayed.

Players such as singer Rudy Grant; former GECOM Commissioner, Dr Steve Surujbally; businessman Harry Panday; and Berbician Godfrey Lowden are all competing in the tournament keeping alive the years they have been involved in tennis competition and the ongoing rivalries with each other. Other veterans such as Andre Lopes, Sanjeev Datadin, Shelly Ramdyhan easily top over 25 years of playing tennis.

The talent of the new generation was on full display over the weekend with the ultra-passionate 11-year-old Vedanand Resaul taking on his equally competitive junior, Nigel Lowe, in the quarterfinal of the Boys Singles. This was a highlight match on Saturday as they took each other to three close sets before Lowe prevailed by two points in the deciding super tie break. The peace of the atmosphere was constantly disrupted by shouts of “C’MON” which could have easily been mistaken as coming from grown men instead of youths barely touching five feet in

Benjettan Osbourne

height. Final score line to Nigel Lowe 6-7 (8), 6-4, 10-8.

In the Girls quarterfinal doubles, a gruelling three-hour match involved teenagers Ciara Pooran, Kalyca Fraser, Margaret Subryan and Nathalie Ramdyhan. Pooran/Fraser eventually prevailed 6-1 , 3-6 , 6-3 after dropping the second set 6-3 in the match which left all the players drained and exhausted.

In the rivalry between the top two Junior Boys competing in the round 16 of the men’s single, a high level of tennis was displayed by Heimraj Resaul and Mark Mc Donald who demonstrated good consistency with their ground-

strokes and matched each other stroke for stroke before Resaul pulled off the 6-2 6-2 win, which was much more competitive than the score line reflected. Both players have represented Guyana competitively in International junior tournaments and their games have progressed significantly with the added exposure. Resaul takes on Andre Erskine in a bid to make it to his first GBTI semi-final.

The match of the evening was between second seed Leyland Leacock who is a former finalist in the Men’s Open and Benjetton Osborne whose game has improved considerably over the years. Both players are known for long rallies and the match was a back and forth affair, with each winning a set apiece with decisive score lines. Osborne took the first 6-1 before Leacock turned the tide by volleying authoritatively in the second set which he won 6-2. In the opening of the third set, a pumped up Osborne blanked delivered a down the line running forehand winner which signalled a new slate of mind. He trumped his tiring opponent 6-0 as he hit a number of groundstroke winners to take the match and to progress to meet Daniel Lopes in the semi-finals.

There were also good wins for Jordan Beaton who outlasted Brazilian Alexandre DeAlmeida 6-4 6-1, Joshua Kalekyezi 6-1, 6-0 over Shimron Lewis, Viraj Sharma over Vijay Sharma 6-2 6-2, and Daniel Lopes 6-1 6-2 over Harry Panday .Rudy Grant had a 6-2 6-1 win in the Over 35 Men’s singles over Surendra Khayam and Sandeep Chand/Andre Lopes progressed over Sanjeev Datadin and Steve Surujbally easily in doubles action.

The tournament continues daily from 17:00h, as matches move into the quarter and semi-final stages.

Digicel’s Schools Football Championships

Leonora hit 9 past hapless PLI in day 2 action A

ction continued in Digicel’s Schools Football Championships on Tuesday with the ruthless Leonora Technical Institute thumping 9 goals past a hapless Professional Learning Institute (PLI) side at the Leonora Stadium, West Coast Demerara.

The scoreline would suggest that the home side dominated the entire game; however this was not so as PLI opened the scoring putting two past the Leonora custodian in the opening 20 minutes via Ackeme Douglas (12th minute) and Keanu Lawrence (18th minute).

It was not until the closing minutes of the first half that the Leonora players imposed themselves on the game by scoring three goals in 8 minutes to take the wind out of PLI’s sails.

Sebastian Van Sluytman in the 37th minute, Stephen Baynes 38th and Dometri Osborne 46th began the goal fest for Leonora.

Adrian Adelph would cement Leonora’s grasp on the game when he made it 4-2 in the 60th minutes while Osborne added another goal in the 67th, Adelph in the 73rd and Van Sluytman in the 74th.

R e o n Wright a n d E j Mars would nail the game s h u t with strikes in the 7 7 t h a n d 7 9 t h minutes respectively.

Action will cont i n u e today with Mahaicony Secondary battling Belladrum Secondary at the Belladrum ground in West Berbice from 15:30h, while Vreed-enHoop and Patentia will square off at L’Aventure Ground on from 15:30h.

Over at Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Berbice High School will clash with the Berbice Educational Institute at 15:30h. Games will also continue throughout the week at various venues across the country.

Close to 160 schools are participating in this year’s Championships. At stake is the prospect of gaining top honours and winning one million dollars which will go towards a school project of the winner’s choice.

Second place finisher will play for $700,000, third $400,000, and fourth $350,000. All money won will go towards a school project of the winner’s choice.

The top regional winners of the straight knock-out tournament will be awarded $100,000 each.

The tournament will last for approximatel y s i x weeks, with the finals set for July 30 at the same Leonora venue.

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wednesDAY, june 14, 2017

23

Digicel Schools Football Championships…

Determined “Multi” seeking to reclaim coveted title “I know “Multi” and I know what we can do. He [Jeremy Garrett] probably knows what he is saying, we have played them before and won’t say they outplayed us but they were successful in the final last year and also in an exhibition games”.

The successful coach went on to say, “fans can expect us to go and avenge last year and it means we cannot dis-

BY AKEEM GREENE

C

hristianburg/Wismar Secondary, commonly called “Multi”, held what some considered to be the most cherished trophy in school football – the Digicel School Championship title – for four consecutive years (2012-2015) in the seven-year existence of the gala tournament.

Their formidable reign all came to an end on July 31, 2016, at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, when Chase Academic Foundation’s Job Caesar scored a stupendous free-kick which returned the coveted title to Georgetown.

However, in the words of Marv Levy, “Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement” and under the guidance of Coach Delon Peters, they are passionate about returning as champions.

“We are anticipating finals again and in order to get there you have to work hard so preparations have been good. We almost have a fresh team we are working with so, it [preparation] has begun a bit earlier than usual”, Peters told Guyana Times Sport.

Despite an overwhelming presence of new recruits, Peters is adamant that the hunger and desire for suc-

I

it gives a lot of exposure to young talents but they there needs to be more focus on developing those talents.

This year the company has partnered with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) which will be offering more technical support.

The school’s first match in the straight knock-out under-18 tournament will be on June 21 against Linden

honours and winning one million dollars which will go towards a school project of choice.

The second place finisher will play for $700,000, third $400,000, and fourth $350,000. All money won will go towards a school project of the winner’s choice.

The top regional winners of the straight knock-out tournament will be awarded

Head Coach Delon Peters

cess is still brewing within the team.

“The hunger is always there, the ones that are still there they want it because they might have missed it since we have some from last year. The ones that have now arrived are gelling with the older ones and they too want to have that feeling of winning.”

He added, “The core is gone but we still have players to help us come out champions such as Omar Brewley, a talented striker and Kevin Bear; one of the best mid-fielders, along with some others.

Meanwhile, responding to the defending champs, captain Jeremy Garrett’s comment about Annai Secondary being more feared than the Lindeners, Peters felt that he knows the full potential and potency his team holds.

Onus on WI batsmen with series on the line f there ever was a time to rally round the West Indies, it is now. They are ranked No. 9 - one spot below the bar for direct entry into the 2019 World Cup - and even if they win this series against Afghanistan, they will finish with fewer points (78) than they had prior to its start (79).

West Indies have 11 more ODIs before the cutoff date of September 30, but 10 of them are against India and England - both front-runners to win the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy. Considering their inconsistency, it ‘s looking increasingly likely that West Indies, the former two-time world champions, might have to enter a qualification round to even have

Linden Secondary Schools Under-18 tournament after they defeated New Silvercity Secondary 3-1. Though an laudable achievement, Peters felt that being a Digicel Champion is second to none.

“We won a tournament the other day but being a Digicel champion is what most persons are aspiring to become especially the ones that missed it last year can-

a chance at winning another title.

But before all that, they have to find a way past Afghanistan, or perhaps simply their legspinner Rashid Khan. In the first match, he took 7 for 18 to defend 212, followed by 3 for 26 in the second ODI to keep his side in the game for close to 40 overs, even though the target was only 136.

A battery of the hosts’ easy-on-the-eye batsmen can do a lot better. After all, Evin Lewis cleaves the air itself when he cuts the ball, Roston Chase is so good he made Viv Richards chant his name and the first line on Jason Mohammed’s resume is “I led West Indies’ highest successful chase in ODIs”.

The irony, though, is that

The four-time champions are now determined to make a return to the top

appoint, we have to go out and represent for the fans, represent for the past players who have been with us”.

Last month they won the Edward “Screw” Richmond

not let it go and it is catching on with the ones that are coming on”.

Meanwhile, in his overall assessment of the championship, the coach is feels that

Technical Institute at the Wisburg Ground, Linden.

Close to 160 schools are participating in this year’s championships. At stake is the prospect of gaining top

$100,000 each.

The tournament will last for approximately six weeks, with the finals set for July 30 at the same Leonora venue.

RHTY&SC Patron 20/20 Cricket…

S Jagmohan Hardware, BK International & NSC give support

P

Evin Lewis, at the top of the order, with his powerhitting ability, can break games wide open

every time the Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai steps up to speak, he says his bowling contingent can defend 200-odd. If West Indies had half of that belief in their strengths, they’d be alright.

A month ago, on a pitch with spiteful variations in bounce, Shai Hope had scored a match-winning, second-innings 90 for West Indies in Test cricket. Then, too, he had to deal with a legspinner, one whose variations are more threatening than his stock ball. But unlike Yasir Shah, Rashid bowls a lot faster and his action is different: somehow, even his legbreaks seem to come from the back of the hand. There’s trouble coming. But West Indies have

Hope.

Afghanistan’s plan, it seems, is to bat first, put up a par score, bowl nice and tight in the early part of the chase and then befuddle the opposition with spin once the run-rate soars high enough.

For the tourists to apply that scoreboard pressure on West Indies, Mohammad Nabi will be a key figure in the middle order. An experienced batsman, capable of batting through an innings, he will want to show it takes more than banging the ball halfway into the pitch to rattle his team.

Having won the last match by taking the insurance of an extra batsman, West Indies are likely to stick to the same XI. (Cricinfo)

lans to host a major 20/20 cricket tournament in honour of President David Granger’s 72nd birthday on July 15 received a major boost on Tuesday when three new sponsors came out in support of the initiative.

The eight cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, M.S., are organising the tournament in honour of the Club Patron’s efforts to promote a Green Economy in Guyana and educate youths about the effects of Climate Change. Funds raised from the tournament would be used to provide less fortunate students in Berbice with school bags, exercise books and bicycles, in an effort to get them to stay in school and complete their education.

The RHTY&SC, M.S, would also be assisting at least 20 cricket clubs in Berbice with cricket gear, especially balls, to assist them to fulfil their mandate to develop the game.

Among recipient clubs are expected to be Bush Lot, Blairmont, Tucber Park,

Whim, Chesney, Tamarind Root, Fyrish, Courtland, Upper Corentyne, Big Star, #19, Young Warriors, and Belvedere.

Organisers of the initiative on Tuesday received financial donations from the Management of BK International at that company’s Water Street, Georgetown offices and from S. Jagmohan Hardware of First Street, Campbellville, Georgetown.

Director of Sports, Christopher Jones, and the National Sports Commission have also committed to sponsor balls for the tournament and to attend to logistics to ensure the event is successful.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster and Club Vice President Mark Papannah, who are spearheading the planning committee, have expressed gratitude to Businessman Brian Tiwari of BK International, Mr. Jagmohan of S. Jagmohan Construction Service, and Director of Sports Christopher Jones for their contributions. continued on page 21

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

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 23

Onus on WI batsmen with series on the line Youthful West Indies are set to face another batting challenge in today’s decider

GBTI 2017 Tennis Open

Pg 22

Fraser/Pooran advance in girls’ doubles From left: Kalyca Fraser and Ciara Pooran defeated Margaret Subryan and Nathalie Ramdyhan to advance in the girls doubles

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