Guyanatimes 17 june 2017

P10

Harbour Bridge to be closed for 6 hours today Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Govt taps into Treasury for $6.4 billion guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3244

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

President ‘sidelining’ elected P11 Indigenous body – NTC

Army can detain P9 civilians – Harmon

Drunken security P8 guard jailed for pedestrian’s death

Danger: Residents of Tumatumari and Micobie villages, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) are at their wits end with the condition of the main access bridge to their communities. Despite numerous reports to the regional administration about the deplorable condition of the bridge, residents feel their calls seem to have fallen on deft ears. The only other access point to these communities is by river

CANU head axed Page 7

... Major General Atherly in place

ExxonMobil makes Final Investment Decision Page 2

Miner shot dead during drinking spree Page 12

4 Cubans P2 deported for overstaying

Farmer P10 nabbed with 26lbs ganja

2 news

saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

ExxonMobil makes final investment decision

A

day after being granted its production licence from the Guyana Government, US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil said it has made a final investment decision to proceed with the first phase of development for the Liza field located offshore Guyana, one of the largest oil discoveries of the past decade.

The company also announced positive results from the Liza-4 well, which encountered more than 197 feet (60 metres) of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs, which will underpin a potential Liza Phase 2 development.

Gross recoverable resources for the Stabroek block are now estimated at 2 billion to 2.5 billion oil-equivalent barrels, which include Liza and other successful exploration wells on Liza Deep, Payara and Snoek.

The Liza Phase 1 development includes a subsea production system, and a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day.

Production is expected to begin by 2020, less than five years after discovery of the field. Phase one is expected to cost just over $4.4 billion, and includes a lease capitalization cost of approximately $1.2 billion for the FPSO facility, and will develop approximately 450 million barrels of oil.

President of ExxonMobil’s

4 Cubans deported for overstaying

one such operator – Tullow -- operating in the Orinduik block, indicated that it would be scaling-up its exploration activities to encompass its entire concession.

Royalties

Development Company, Liam Mallon, said the company is excited about the tremendous potential of the Liza field, and is accelerating first production through a phased development in the lower cost environment.

He said the company will work closely with Government, its co-ventures and the Guyanese people in developing the world-class resource that will have longterm and meaningful benefits for the country and its citizens.

The Liza Phase 1 development can provide significant benefits to Guyana, including jobs during installation and operation; workforce training; local supplier development; and government revenues to fund infrastructure, social programs and services.

Government on Thursday officially handed ExxonMobil and its partners a Production Licence.

The announcements

were made on Thursday by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman as members of the National Assembly gathered to consider the second reading of the Petroleum Commission of Guyana Bill.

Delivering his preamble to the debate on the Petroleum Bill - meant in part to create the Petroleum Commission Minister Trotman recalled for the House the significant discovery made by ExxonMobil and its partners, as announced back in May 2015.

Since that discovery, Trotman told the House, the ministry has been able to assess the quantum and value of that find at the Liza Well, which is said to contain a minimum of some 800 million barrels, and possibly a maximum of 1.4 billion barrels.

According to Minister Trotman, the other international operators in Guyana have signalled their intention to continue with exploration activities. Only recently,

Meanwhile, the Government remains satisfied with the two per cent royalty it negotiated with ExxonMobil. This is according to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during a post-cabinet press briefing.

“I’ve seen statements about whether two per cent or five per cent is enough. I think that is something that will go on, but I have the full confidence that our Minister of Natural Resources has gotten the best advice possible in the circumstance.”

Harmon was adamant that whatever agreement was arrived at between Guyana and ExxonMobil had benefited from local and international input. He also said that the agreement was in line with best practices.

But when told of the average royalty rates that exceed Guyana’s rate, which other countries have obtained, Harmon defended the two per cent.

“We have been given the best possible advice, and every situation has to be dealt with on its merit. Our situation may not be the same as another country’s situation,” Harmon affirmed.

Jeandre Carrion

Odalys Diaz

our Cubans were on Friday fined and deported after admitting to overstaying in Guyana when they appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly.

Jeandre Carrion, between January 2 and June 15, 2017, at Georgetown, failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit is granted; that is to say, having been permitted to stay in the country from December 2, 2016 to January 1, 2017, he overstayed the said period.

Also, his counterparts: Jordon Sotolomongo, Juliach Galafe and Odalys Diaz, were separately charged with a similar offence; which stated that between January and June, they failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit is granted.

That is to say, having been permitted to stay in the country for a stipulated time, they overstayed that period.

The individuals admitted to the offence through an interpreter, and apologised to the court for their actions.

Carrion, who was clad in a vest and knee-length shorts,

first apologised to the magistrate for his attire before entering a guilty plea.

He expressed his guilt at knowing that he had broken the law of the country by his actions, adding that it was only his intention to do the right thing. Carrion explained that he was not familiar with the relevant procedures, and it was owing to this lack of information, coupled with the language barrier, that he found himself in such a predicament.

To the humour of the court, he asked the magistrate if he was being banned from the country, while expressing his love for Guyana and adding that he would like to return someday, now being aware of the legal procedures. Magistrate Daly explained the difference between being banned and deported, and assured him that he may return if he wished.

They were each ordered to pay a fine of $30,000, and will be deported to their country of origin after paying the stipulated fine.

F

news

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Saturday, June 17 – the Harbour Bridge will be closed from 08:00h to 14:00h to facilitate critical repair works and on Sunday, June 18 – 12:00h-13:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, June 17 – 09:40h-11:10h and Sunday, June 18 – 10:50h-12:20h.

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt taps into Treasury for $6.4 billion

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while light to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly and North-easterly and South South-easterly between 0.89 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 10:07h and 22:46h reaching a maximum height of 2.35 metres at each scheduled high tide.

Low Tide: 03:37h and 16:11h reaching minimum heights of 0.92 metre and 0.85 metre respectively.

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Parliament sitting on Friday where legislators heard of monies being withdrawn from the Treasury

he coalition A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), six months into its second financial year, has already tapped the Treasury another $6.3 billion, in addition to the $250 billion Budget for 2017.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Friday tabled the first financial paper for 2017 for a period outlined between January 1 and December 31, 2017.

The Financial Paper, No 1/2007, as presented by the Finance Minister, details the expenditure being divided into $143.6 million to be used on recurring expenditure to be used by the Ministry of the Presidency and the Finance Ministry.

Of that allocation of $143.6 million, the document detailed, $130 million will be utilised by the Finance Ministry, not only for recurring expenditure, but the money also provides for the establishment of a Special Purpose Unit to manage the reform of the sugar industry.

According to the Financial Paper, “this amount ($130 million) includes provision for employment costs, utilities, professional and legal fees, advertisements, office space, and operating supplies, furniture and equipment.”

This money has been represented as subsidies

more-than 700 per cent increase in employment cost for its contracted employees – up from an originally voted provision of $899,000 to more than $6.3 million.

This department is also slated to receive, under Capital Expenditure, in ex-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

and contributions to local organisations.

Meanwhile, provisions have also been made for the Department of Innovation and Education Reform, housed in the Ministry of the Presidency.

The Financial Paper outlines the additional spending on this department.

One of the glaring increases for this department is the

cess of $3 million for the provision of furniture and equipment.

Another of the beneficiaries of the largesse supplementary provisions from the national coffers is the Public Infrastructure Ministry. turn to page 9

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, june 17, 2017

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

Diaspora voices T

he kind of negative reaction the Coalition Administration representatives received during a recent visit to New York, where they participated in a fund- raiser, came as no surprise; especially the treatment meted out to Attorney General Basil Williams. By now the Government must be aware that its policies and actions are not only being carefully monitored here in Guyana, but also by the thousands of Guyanese residing abroad, and whenever those Guyanese get the opportunity to voice their concerns over the behaviour of Government officials, they will do so. After all, many of them still do have a great interest in what is taking place at home.

Last Saturday’s protest in Richmond Hill, Queens attracted a huge crowd that seemed vocal in letting officials know how dissatisfied they are regarding recent developments here. What even sparked more outrage was the presence of Attorney General Basil Williams, who recently faced severe criticisms from several corners, particularly in relation to the now infamous case involving High Court Justice Franklin Holder.

The protesters shouted for Williams to “go home” and to “stop wasting taxpayers’ money”, as many of them felt that he was very unprofessional and disrespectful in his conduct, especially considering that he serves as a Minister of Government.

Justice Holder had walked off the bench without adjourning a case. This happened after an exchange of words with Williams, who was present in the courtroom as the State’s representative. The case had involved embattled Trade Unionist Carvil Duncan, who had moved to the courts to challenge the tribunal set up to determine if he should be removed from several constitutional posts in light of charges which were laid against him.

The judge, in a report complaining to the Judiciary, said he walked out of the courtroom without adjourning the matter because of Williams’s behaviour. He had also requested an apology, but Williams had, on different occasions, said there was no need for him to apologise, and instead had suggested that the judge recuse himself.

The High Court proceedings were left at a standstill because of the impasse between Holder and Williams. Justice Holder subsequently did recuse himself from the case, but accusations of interference in the Judiciary surfaced, since the judge’s recusal came days after Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo also requested that he does so.

Justice Holder had subsequently insisted that he made this decision in the interest of the administration of justice.

The judge, giving reasons for his recusal, had explained to the court that the matter became politicised, and accused Williams of “egregious and disrespectful” behavior, which was contemptuous.

Those protesting over the weekend in New York also voiced their concerns over the Coalition Administration’s plan to downscale the sugar industry via closure of estates.

The impact these closures would have on communities across Guyana could never be underestimated, and Guyanese in the diapora are rightfully concerned.

Sugar workers have, over the past few weeks, taken to the streets to highlight their concerns on the matter, with the hope that the Government would stop to listen.

However, the powers that be have so far basically turned a blind eye and are operating as if they are unconcerned.

The Political Opposition, Private Sector Commission (PSC), and many other organisations in Guyana have also highlighted several valid reasons why the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) should be allowed to continue current operations, and even offered to work with the Administration to explore all possible options to avert closure of the estates.

It must be mentioned, too, that in spite of the many calls for the Administration to develop a plan of action to have the necessary impact assessments completed and to engage industry stakeholders, nothing concrete has been done in this regard.

We had stated on numerous previous occasions that no informed decision can be made on the sugar industry without proper and detailed impact assessments being carried out.

President David Granger and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, who is decked out in his traditional Scottish kilt, cutting cake in honour of Her Majesty the Queen’s 91st birth anniversary while First Lady Sandra Granger and High Commissioner’s wife Wendy Quinn look on

Support for the Richmond Hill protest Dear Editor, Reference is made to your news item on the Richmond Hill protest (GT Jun 11), and I applaud and salute the efforts of the organisers of last Saturday’s picketing exercise held outside the Zen Lounge in Richmond Hill during a Government fundraiser.

The purpose of the protest was to highlight serious issues confronting the Guyanese nation, especially the predicament in which sugar workers, farmers, and Amerindians have found themselves.

It was a very hot morning, and the protesters showed commitment to their cause, to rally against what they claim is racial injustice and widespread corruption in Guyana. In the US, unlike in Guyana, people have a natural right to protest, as permitted by the constitution. People have the right to assemble peaceably to express their views. The undemocratic efforts of those who tried to stop the protest by appealing to the NY police to remove the protesters failed. They don’t

understand American democracy, mistaking it for Burnhamism, during which resistance fighters were bullied or beaten.

As someone schooled in protests, I laud the organizers. It takes a lot of time, energy, resources, courage and commitment to organize and/or participate in a protest. I organized many protests (between 1975 and 1993) against injustice in Guyana, Trinidad, and New York, and participated in countless more for justice and freedom in South Africa, Harlem, Washington, India, and elsewhere.

When one engages in protests, the act makes the cause one is supporting or championing feel special.

You feel close and attached to it, and you want to see results. You are committed to the cause. Besides, protest events also give activists and supporters opportunities to meet (people not seen in a long time), network, swap ideas, build community and help each other. Also, you build special skills and experience in engaging in protest activities. I got my start as

a protest organizer by joining protest events in Guyana during the early 1970s, and later became an organizer of protests in Guyana and New York when I became a student leader.

During that bygone era, there was very little public support out there for resistance activities or movements combating injustice in Guyana. A few of us led and participated in the struggle to liberate Guyana.

In Richmond Hill, in front of Club Zen, freedom fighters mounted the protest against officials of what they say is a racist APNU-AFC government, which has flagrantly discriminated against non-supporters.

Picketing and other forms of protests are justifiable acts to seek redress for grievances.

Black Americans have used protest as a means to redress discrimination and injustice, but in the Guyanese diaspora, there are some who would sell their souls for a few crumbs.

Not only would they not support a protest, or be neutral at one, but they would give support to a regime that op-

presses people. Those who supported the fundraiser say in private they condemn the Government for its racist practices, but they still find themselves at Government events. The very things they condemn when the PPP was in office are what they support now, and from which they hope to benefit. They are equally as corrupt, if not more.

Picketing, rallies and other forms of protest are encouraged because they help bring about change, as has happened in America, India, South Africa, UK, etc.

Black Americans successfully have used protests to highlight their grievances (fighting racism, and to gain racial equality). Had Martin Luther King Jnr, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Bobby Sands, etc. not engaged in protests, equality would not have come to their societies. So protests as a tool to combat injustice must be encouraged. Organizers may need to launch more protests for desired objectives.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

‘Green’ vision for City just a ‘corner shop gaff’ Dear Editor, Two years ago, riding on the coat tails of President David Granger’s ‘Green’ vision for Guyana, the Town Clerk of Georgetown enthusiastically demanded that citizens wrap their minds around a new, healthier and greener Georgetown, which

he was going to create.

He laid out an elaborate plan for citizens and other stakeholders to participate in the various spheres associated with a revitalisation drive, indicating that he would include a “no tolerance” policy for persons who, among other violations, ar-

bitrarily destroy or occupy city property; and dump, or cause waste to be dumped illegally. He would dissuade the use of harmful chemicals in Georgetown; encourage the planting of more trees, and advocate the removal of vagrants and homeless persons -- whom he declared

contributed to the ugliness and filth within the city. In short, he declared that the city shall have a grand return to glory, and its citizens shall have their health improved through related programmes that he would implement through exercise and healthy eating.

Turn to page 5

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

Disregard for sugar workers What a disaster!

Dear Editor, The attention of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was drawn to an advertisement titled “Do Guyanese know these facts about the sugar industry?”

The whole-page advertisement, something which we understand is very costly, has sought to castigate our Union and is seemingly in response to our forthright stance in defending the workers of the sugar industry in the face of the cold, heartless plans promoted by the Administration.

While GAWU holds no brief for the PPP/C, which was also mentioned in the ad, our Union believes it is important to bring clarity to some of the spurious and ill-thought-out sentiments expressed by ‘Concerned Guyanese’.

1. The Skeldon factory was not a stand-alone project; it formed part of the wider Skeldon Sugar Modernisation Project (SSMP), which envisaged the construction of the factory, the establishment of a steam-and-fuel generating electricity plant, and the doubling of the estate’s cultivation. It is therefore inaccurate to say that US$200M were spent to build the factory alone. Furthermore, it is public knowledge that GuySuCo was expected to invest some of its own resources towards fructifying SSMP. It seems like maybe ‘Concerned Guyanese’ has awoken from his/her slumber, or is simply being wick-

ed and misleading.

2. To identify Skeldon investment as the reason for GuySuCo’s financial difficulties is most disingenuous. The fact is that the Corporation’s revenue went down by some US$40M per annum as a result of the EU price cut. Moreover, the author of the ad may want to ask the current GuySuCo management officials why is it that, after receiving G$32B since 2015 from the State, production this year would be less than 200,000 tonnes sugar -- well below GuySuCo’s capacity.

3. We are told that Skeldon “will never work properly”. But this defies logic, as we have heard, through press reports, of the ready, unsolicited interest in Skeldon. It will be insane for anyone or any organization to purchase something that will never work. We must mention again that the Skeldon CoGeneration facility brought to the coffers of Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI) over $9B through the sale of electricity to the National Grid. Again, ‘Concerned Guyanese’ seems not to have rationally considered his/her statement.

4. To speak to Cambior’s investment vis-à-vis Skeldon investment is like comparing oranges and apples. There is simply no basis for comparison.

5. ‘Concerned Guyanese’ wonders where the Skeldon money went. The author, whoever he/she maybe, should insist that the

‘Green’ vision for City...

Now, two years later, all of this turns out to be nothing more than a ‘corner shop gaff’. Where is the green infrastructure in the city? Where are the green jobs in the communities?

Where are the green streets and community open spaces? Has the Town Clerk improved his health through exercise and healthy eating, let alone others!

Can the Mayor and Town Clerk tell the citizens why they are being driven around all day long in gas guzzling sports utility monsters that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change? Why can’t

From page 4

they ride bicycles to work, like the former Deputy Mayor did?

I have observed that City Hall’s Environmental Health gangs still go around with spray cans filled with pesticide to control rodents and vector in the city. This is far from being green.

Do they have any green Engineers on the staff strength?

The only thing City Hall has going green are the pay envelopes of the fat cats there, which are stuffed with $5,000 dollar bills.

Sincerely, Anu Bihari

sums received by BookerTate, which was charged with managing the project, should come under the microscope. It ought to be noted that the BookerTate director at the time of Skeldon’s construction is now-a-days firmly ensconced in the GuySuCo hierarchy.

6. The ad argues absurdly that GAWU is seeking to protect its union dues income, thus its stance on sugar. If that were indeed the case, why is it that the Union is calling on GuySuCo to pay the 350odd workers of Wales their rightful severance entitlements? Many, if not all, of those workers will not return to the Corporation for employment, and therefore they cannot pay dues.

‘Concerned Guyanese’ is not seemingly connecting the dots, but maybe is shooting from the hip.

7. The author tells us that $17M are lost whenever there is a day’s strike.

By the logic of ‘Concerned Guyanese’, if the industry operates for 35 crop weeks per annum, its revenue would be $4.165B. For the author’s information, GuySuCo’s revenue in 2015, the last year available, was $21.4B. Again, ‘Concerned Guyanese’ clearly does not seem to know much, or is misinformed.

8. The ad goes on to speak about workers’ strikes, but ‘Concerned Guyanese’ obviously fails to see the clear contradiction in the statement. He/she says on one hand that work-

ers earn nothing when they strike, but on the other says that union dues will be deducted. If a worker doesn’t earn, then it follows he/she cannot have any deductions made.

We see the ad as a new low being reached and the latest in the series of futile attempts to disparage our Union for standing up and defending the thousands of sugar workers and also the thousands linked to the industry’s operations. We noticed many of the sentiments contained in the ad are also parroted

by Administration officials during recent appearances on the television in Berbice.

The similarities are indeed interesting, and it seems there is more to the matter than what meets the eye.

The GAWU also sees the ad as a poor response in the PR attempts of those who are effectively countered by the militancy of the workers and the consistent exposure of the misinformation that comes from the officials and their apologists.

It is disheartening that the ad appears on the eve of the Enmore Martyrs’ death anniversary. It speaks obviously to the level of respect those who are responsible for the ad have for the hard-working, honest sugar workers, and indeed the working people who depend on the industry in one way or another.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

Dear Editor, The pattern of record poor performances at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) continues uncontrollably.

After recording a production of 183,652 tonnes in 2016 -- the lowest annual production in 25 years -the incompetent IMC has struck yet another blow on the well-being of the industry with another record low production of 49,600 tonnes sugar after 16 weeks of grinding operation in the first crop of 2017.

This is the second lowest sugar production for a first crop in 25 years, and this has been one of the longest crops -- if not the longest crop -- in recent memory with no estate meeting its targeted sugar production.

GuySuCo advised this nation in February this year that it would produce 74,172 tonnes sugar in this first crop, then shamelessly delivered a mere 67% of that target. The estates’ individual contributions are: Albion - 18,326t; Rose Hall - 9,090t; Blairmont - 9,065t; Enmore-

6,073t, and Uitvlugt -7,046t. Of significance, it must be noted that Rose Hall estate delivered the second highest sugar production, but is slated for closure. To put into perspective the performance in 2017, it is instructive to compare production with three previous first crops. It is as follows: 2017-- 49,600t; 2016 -56,645t; 2015 -- 81,143t, and 2014 -- 79,995t.

Editor, with this level of sugar production in the first crop of 2017, the unit cost of production must be astronomical, apart from mammoth expenditures incurred in a failing diversification model at Wales estate. With these realities, taxpayers must demand that the corporation’s IMC emerge from its state-of-the-art hideout in LBI compound and give an account for these unfolding disasters. How long will politicians defend a failed model for re-organization of such a critical industry?

Sincerely, Sookram Persaud

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation Good parenting requires a little tough love

By Ruben Navarrette

M

y 10-year-old son recently handed down his sentence, declaring my wife and me “the worst parents ever!”

Our crime? A new policy at Casa de Navarrette where we require that our three kids – our son and his two sisters, ages 12 and 8 – unplug from their brain-sucking electronic devices Monday through Friday. They may reengage their precious darlings — iPods, video games, tablets, etc — only on weekends.

For my son, this is crazy talk, and the new policy amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.

Can I live with that – and with my new title? No problem.

After 12 exhausting years of hands-on parenting, here’s what I’ve learnt: If your kid doesn’t resent you a little bit, and doesn’t think you’re too strict or too much in his or her face, then you’re not doing parenting right. Your kids don’t need a best friend, or someone to defend them, right or wrong, and make excuses for them when they foul up. They need a rulebook, a dose of personal responsibility and a reliable compass.

Which is why, this Father’s Day, my nomination for Father of the Year goes to Brad Howard of Houston.

It seems that Howard’s son, 17-yearold Bradley, is a chatterbox in his high school physics class. So much so that his teacher has repeatedly called his parents to complain. Mom and dad got fed up with the calls, and they had just about given up on getting through to the teenager.

Then came divine inspiration.

Brad Sr told junior that if they got

just one more call, he was going to go to the school, pull up a chair and sit next his son in physics class – just to make sure he behaved himself. Well, the parents got a call. And Bradley got some company.

According to the local NBC affiliate, on a recent Friday, Bradley walked into his physics class, grinning and greeting everyone as he entered. Then he heard two words that no doubt made his blood run cold: “Hello, Bradley.” It was his dad.

And to make this already great story even more awesome, Brad Sr took a selfie and sent it to mom, who sent it, well, just about everywhere. Thanks to social media, these are now the most famous

group of study buddies in America.

“His classmates seemed to love it,” the father told the TV reporter. “But Bradley ... not so much.”

Well, I love it so much. And, I bet, so do a lot of other parents. It’s a real shame we don’t recognise it, but this is what good parenting looks like.

But I also have a clear idea what bad parenting looks like.

Bad parenting is when we’re weak and permissive. It’s when we’re too eager to please kids who are supposed to be trying to please us. It’s when we leave our kids with the mistaken impression

that the world will be easy on them because we’ve all but encased them in bubble wrap.

Bad parenting is when we let our kids off the hook, allow them to wiggle out of an uncomfortable situation or skip an unpleasant chore because they beg, plead or complain about how they don’t want to put up with it. Rather than demand that they meet our expectations, we lower the expectations.

The first time that your kid comes home and tells you that he has a conflict with a classmate or a teacher, or that he has been accused of doing wrong, that’s your test. If you take your child’s side sight unseen, or let them quit some activity that they’re not loving before they give it a try, you fail.

I know this failure. A few years ago, my daughter was putting up such a fuss about having to attend daily workshops intended to improve her Maths skills that my wife and I finally gave up and pulled her out.

That was a mistake. My daughter is still struggling in Maths, and now she wishes she had dedicated more effort to the programme that was meant to help her.

My wife and I are determined not to repeat the mistake, so we’re doubling down. My daughter complains about the demands of her swimming, and my son about the time that goes to playing baseball. But they’re not coming out. They both enjoy those activities, just not the effort they have to put into them.

Wait, that reminds me of something I’ve heard about. It’s this cool new thing.

It pays huge rewards if you invest in it.

There is nothing easy about it, but it is worth the effort. As parents, it’s our job to teach our children all about it.

What is that thing called? Oh yeah, I remember now. It’s called life. (angelusnews.com)

It’s tough to let go:

raising children to be independent

By Leon Scott Baxter

I

knew having a teenager would be hard, no matter how wonderful a child my wife and I raised. And, I was right.

Riley, who is now 17, has immersed herself in her social circle. She has tried to set herself apart from her mom and me by discovering her own identity, which may include different opinions and beliefs from her parents. Her eyes always seem to be on her phone, and she responds to family members with oneword answers, rarely with eye contact. I realise that this is part of the whole “teen years” experience, but I still don’t like it.

I’ve always worked hard to raise my daughters in a way that prepares them to stand on their own when they are finally out of the house. Yet, this stage in Riley’s life is not what I expected. It’s not so much about her being a teen, but rather that this is the stage where she’s starting to pull away and become independent.

It’s this time when she has her own car and stays out later. It’s this part of her life when we are seriously looking at colleges, and realising that she is really going to be on her own in twelve months. She’ll have to wash her own clothes, go to the bank without our help, make sure her cell phone is paid for, be responsible for getting up on time and meeting her school assignment deadlines.

I’m finding it hard to let her go, and to believe that she’s ready. Yet, I know she’s more prepared than most. She’s doing great in her high school honour’s and college-prep courses. She’s driving great, checks in while she’s out, and comes home when she’s supposed to. She’s got a great group of friends. She probably has a better chance of success than I did when I was her age.

So, why do I feel this way? Maybe it’s because she has always needed her mom and me since the second she entered this world. She needed us to feed her, bathe her, help her to sleep, teach her to speak and walk, explain the rules, teach her new games, read her books, and answer her questions.

Now that she’s on the cusp of what we’ve prepared her for, I think I may have neglected one crucial aspect – I was so busy getting Riley ready to leave the nest that I forgot to prepare myself. I’m not sure how to be a father to her in our new roles, but I’m not worried that I won’t be able to learn.

When she was born 17 years ago, I had no idea how to be a father to a baby (to anyone for that matter), but I learnt as I went. I know this next chapter in our relationship will be written as we go. I am confident that Riley will be fine, will prevail, will succeed as she prepares to take this giant step. And, I know that I will be fine, will prevail, and will succeed as a father of this new young woman. It’s just new, and a little scary (probably for us both). I guess that’s what makes it so fun. It’s what I signed up for when I became a dad. (empoweringparents.com)

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

destroy CANU head axed Police 30,000 ganja plants ..Major General Atherly in place completion of his leave.

“I’m awaiting official documentation,” Singh stated “But I’ve been notified by the Minister.” Singh was appointed to head CANU in 2008. He has qualifications in public security, business and engineering.

Former CANU Head, James Singh

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ongstanding head of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh, has been fired

by Government. The decision took effect from the completion of his accumulated leave.

The former CANU head had proceeded on 42 days leave in March, with Government appointing retired Major General Michael Atherly to act in his absence.

But according to reports reaching Guyana Times, Singh has now been dismissed from office.

When contacted on Friday, Singh confirmed his dismissal but declined to give any details about why he was fired.

According to the former CANU boss, he was notified

by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan of the decision. He noted that the decision was effective upon the

in turn request pay in lieu, Singh has been asked to proceed on leave effective March 1.

According to Harmon, public officers have always been encouraged to take their leave and “we want to discourage this practice of accumulating large amounts of leave and then asking for payment in lieu.”

“So we are trying to ensure that all public officers get their leave during that year,” Minister Harmon said.

Major General (ret’d)

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

On March 1, Government had announced that Singh had proceeded on leave due to the days he had accumulated.

At the time, Minister Ramjattan had also informed this newspaper that there was a deputy at CANU who would help Atherly in the administration of the Unit in the absence of Singh.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said that the decision was in line with Government’s policy to ensure that officers did not accumulate annual leave and

Acting CANU Head, Major General (rt’d) Michael Atherly

Atherly was responsible for leading the review of the National Drug Strategy Master Plan 2014-2018. This review led to the development of the National Drug Strategy Master Plan 20162020, which was launched last December.

It is expected that Atherly will continue to act as head of the Unit. The retired Major General is also head of the National Anti-Narcotics Agency. The Government has been facing much criticism of its appointment of Army officials in posts that do not specify such appointments.

It was only recently that former Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff, George Lewis, was appointed as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital. And with the recent dismissal of the hospital’s CEO, Allan Johnson, Lewis took over that position.

A number of other Army officers have also been appointed to State Boards and other civilian positions.

Meanwhile, Public Security Minister in a statement late Friday evening said that he indeed directed that Singh would be given notice of his termination of employ.

All benefits however will be granted to him.

“In a scenario where very complex and difficult decisions have to be made, there is need for some amount of reconfiguration and restructuring. Mr. Singh has been at the Unit for nine years, and I hope to engage him on alternative placement options. I have thanked him for his leadership and all the support he has given to the Unit,” Ramjattan said in his statement.

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Ganja farm at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway

anks of the Guyana Police Force recently destroyed several fields of marijuana plants during a drug eradication operation.

The exercise was carried out at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, during which eight fields of cultivated cannabis and a camp were found. They were all destroyed by fire.

According to the Police, the plants which were estimated to be approximately 30,000 were between five to six feet in height. In addition, four nurseries with several thousand seedlings were uncovered and also destroyed.

Preliminary investigations have not lead to any arrests but the probe continues.

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Drunken security guard jailed for pedestrian’s death

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agistrate Fabayo Azore on Friday passed a fouryear jail sentence on Mark Fraser, an intoxicated driver involved in the fatal Mandela Avenue accident late last year which claimed the life of Bertram Cummings.

The security guard was last year slapped with the indictable offence, details of which stated that on November 5, 2016 he drove motorcar PSS 8813 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Cummings. The 59-yearold man of Annandale,

East Coast Demerara was also charged for driving under the influence (DUI), measured at .161.

On Friday, Magistrate

Azore found him guilty of the charges.

The unrepresented man was remanded to prison at first instance,

but was later released on $275,000 bail for both charges, and his driver’s licence was suspended pending trial.

Prosecutor Stephen Telford on Friday reiterated that on the day of the incident, the deceased was walking west along Mandela Avenue in the company of a woman when the speeding vehicle crashed into him.

In addition, Fraser was found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol, and was ordered to pay a fine of $7,500 or serve a default of seven days in prison.

Labourers jailed for larceny

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wo labourers of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara will spend the next three years behind bars after admitting to two counts of larceny in their arraignment before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly on Friday.

The first charge detailed that 57-year-old Sadik Mohammed and 33-year-old Gavindra Nirmal broke and entered the premises of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

between June 9 and June 11, 2017, and stole therefrom a quantity of items valued at $82,200, property of GAWU. The second charge detailed that the men broke and entered the business premises of Khan’s Auto Sales during the said period and carted away motor vehicle spare parts and accessories to a total value of $780,000, property of Mohammed Khan.

The two dishevelled men admitted to the offenc-

Mohammed and Nirmal being escorted by a Police Officer

es, and told the court that the stolen articles were recovered in an attempt to secure a lenient penalty; but Magistrate Daly handed down a three-year sentence for each charge, while declaring that the terms will be served concurrently.

Oily weaselling…

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…in Parliament arry Truman was one US President who prided himself for being plain spoken. After his meltdown in Parliament Thursday night, Raphael Trotman could use one piece of Truman’s candid advise: “If you can’t take the heat…stay out of the kitchen!” It was clear Trotman couldn’t take Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s stinging critique in Thursday’s debate on the “Petroleum Commission of Guyana Bill”.

All Jagdeo did was echo the warnings of experts – as varied as those from the recent La Jolla oil conclave to the very expensive “foreign expert” Trotman himself hired. To wit, if the rest of the economy’s neglected – as the Government is doing – and all hopes are pinned on oil revenues, we might very well end up worse off because of “Dutch Disease”.

As T&T’s now finding out with their oil gone.

Trotman couldn’t take that. He jumped up and started screaming, “How dare you lecture us? This honourable member is nothing but a doctor of doom…every sector you touched is down because of you… we will not be lectured by the Leader of the Opposition on good governance!!” Imagine that! Now what’s the Opposition Leader to do if not critique the Government – and in this case Trotman’s stewardship (if one can call it that!) of the oil sector?

And what makes Trotman getting his bukta all in a knot and throwing a hissy fit all the more ironic, is of all the Ministers, none of them are as adrift and at sea in their portfolio, as he is. How can he object to Jagdeo exposing the ridiculousness of him promising Essequibians gas from the Lisa field come 2010? He’s clearly totally clueless about the mechanics, logistics and especially the finances of constructing a 120mile pipeline from more than one mile below the sea at Lisa to the Essequibo! Why didn’t he ask his expert?

And imagine, Minister Trotman has so much control over the Commission – which controls the sector – it might as well have been called “Trotman’s Creature”. And that’s scary as hell! It’s like putting Nagamootoo in charge of a moon landing!! …in demotion Now what is really going on here? Is this like “Alice in Wonderland” where it gets “curiouser and curiouser” or like “Genesis” where Cain betrays and kills his brother Abel? Roopnaraine and Rodney were like brothers who went through high school – Queens College – when one’s “word” still meant something.

From the moment Roopnaraine announced some years ago Rodney was collecting arms for a rebellion, your Eyewitness was troubled. Wasn’t that giving the PNC a lifeline – which they grabbed – that their killing of Rodney was self-defence? Kwayana had to quickly rebut that piece of mendacity. Next was Roopnaraine stalling the Rodney family requested Inquiry back in 2005. When would the timing NOT be “political”??

Did he think anyone in the PNC would have any respect for him after his act of betrayal? Especially when it was for filthy lucre and position? How much of that didn’t Rodney turn down before Burnham and the PNC snuffed out his life at 38?

Beware the Mark of Cain! …on GECOM Chair Today we should’ve heard the GECOM Chair’s “criteria” ruling but it’s been pushed back to July.

Not a good sign. Another month to analyse the disjunctive “or”?

This country cannot take any more oleaginous weaselling!

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

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Freedom of the press

Army can detain civilians – Harmon G overnment is affirming that the Guyana Defence Force has the right to arrest civilians. This assertion comes in wake of the detention of a Capitol News cameraman and a Chenapau resident while traversing the Kaieteur National Park (KNP).

The Government’s support for the GDF to detain civilians was made known

by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday. During a post-Cabinet press briefing, Harmon stated that he has not gone beyond the army’s report to question the reasons behind the detention of the local media worker. But he expressed faith in their explanation.

“I believe the army did give an explanation for this, and I believe the explanation is a reasonable one in the circumstance. I have not gone beyond it to question why this worker was detained, but the sense I got from the army report is that the person was in an area he should not have been.”

He added that the army was conducting an operation in that area, making it unsafe for civilians to traverse.

But when asked whether there is a specific law giving the army this power, Harmon said, “Of course the army can detain somebody in an area that is an operation area. It is a limited detention, until such time as they are handed over to the civilian authorities. That can be done.”

In fact, Section 81 (1) of the Defence Act, Cap 15:01, states that “any person subject to military law under this act found committing an offence against any provision of this act, or alleged to have committed, or reasonably suspected of having committed any such offence, may be arrested in accordance with the following provisions of this section.”

However, subsections two to five only reference the power of the army to arrest soldiers and officers.

Throughout the act, the only persons identified as being subject to arrest are those subject to military law.

Capitol News cameraman Rudy Morris and Chenapau resident Anthony Melville were both taken into custody at the Muri

instructing him to turn off his camera.

While the two men were released on Monday by the GDF ranks, Morris was brought to Georgetown only on Wednesday.

Residents of the area had complained bitterly to media operatives about the heavy military presence, which curtailed their freedom. But in a statement, the army had dubbed the cameraman’s actions reckless and stupid.

End of operation

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Muri Landing, Region Eight (Potaro-Sipiruni). The cameraman was among a group of media workers who on Saturday accompanied

Meanwhile, the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) is examining the recommendations made by the Joint Services team which the Government of Guyana had deployed to the KNP to

into full effect.

The Joint Services’ report recommended that all operators should be prohibited from transporting mining equipment and oth-

er such paraphernalia into the KNP from any point of entry.

Additionally, the report called for the impounding of all equipment seized,

and prosecution of the registered owners.

It was also recommended that there be a clear and obvious demarcation of the protected area boundary.

Rice farmer dies after tractor topples

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ice farmer Robert Kendall of Number 46 Village, Corentyne, East Berbice died when the tractor he was operating in a field at Number 46 Village toppled and pinned him underneath.

According to his 23-yearold son Gavin Kendall, he and his father were operating the tractor about a

quarter of a mile away from the Corentyne Highway when the vehicle turned turtle at about 14:00h and pinned his father.

The grieving son explained that with the aid of other farmers in the area, he was able to get his father from under the tractor, and he rushed him to the Port Mourant Hospital, where

he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem is shortly expected to be performed on Kendall’s body.

Sixty-four-year-old Hatim Khan, also called “Jackson,” of Lot 13 Adelphi Village, East Canje, died on May 31 when a tractor turned turned and pinned him at New Forest, East Canje.

Govt taps into...

One of the GDF officers at the Kaieteur National Park

Amerindian Peoples Affairs Executive Michael Mc Garrell to the region.

They were investigating claims of illegal mining in the Kaieteur National Park, and were also there to observe unfolding events.

There had been a Presidential order for the army, in joint operations with the Police, to enforce the law which prohibits mining within the boundaries of the Kaieteur National Park.

But on Sunday, Morris and Melville used a boat to go investigate the boundaries of the park, and as they were returning, they were arrested.

Video footage emerged showing a plainclothes, barefooted GDF rank pointing a weapon at Morris and

clamp down on mining in protected areas, following the end of the operation on Monday.

With the conclusion of the operation, most of the ranks of the GDF and the Guyana Police Force, and officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), have already left the area, with the remainder expected to be transported to the capital city by Friday.

In an interview with sections of the media, Commissioner Denise Fraser had said that the PAC would be upping its monitoring activities in the area, and will work to establish a plan to ensure that the recommendations which fall within its remit are put

While some of the provisions represent inflows from foreign-funded projects, in excess of $1.4 billion were taken from the national coffers in order to meet expenditure related to the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at $300 million, a final payment on the rehabilitation of the MV Lady Northcote, in addition to money “to meet the increased cost of vehicle.”

Other projects for which Government has expended additional sums of money relate to the construction of highway overpasses to be constructed at Houston,

Eccles, Peters’ Hall, Diamond, and Providence East Bank Demerara.

According to the Financial Paper, “this supplemental request is premised on the fact that the government has successfully completed negotiations with the IDB to utilise uncommitted balances that would have been cancelled as at March 31, 2017…The final disbursement date has consequently been revised to December 31, 2017.

Another $160 million have been allocated for repair to the sinkhole project in the vicinity of the Kitty Pump Station.

frOm page 3

Other projects to benefit from the allocations include several of the large road repairs and construction, and the upgrade of the power grid at almost $2 billion.

It was explained in the Financial Paper that the provision represent an inflow from the IDB to facilitate the payment of mobilisation advance and other areas under the programme, including the supervision of civil works and management of the project.

The bond and advances were supposed to have been paid in 2016, according to the Finance Minister, but this did not obtain.

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Harbour Bridge to be closed for 6 hours today

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n order to facilitate critical repair works, the Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic for six hours today.

The closure will commence from 08:00h to 14:00h.

The works commenced from Friday, which was the

Bridge’s last retraction for marine traffic. Retractions will continue from Tuesday.

This particular project is to facilitate the replacement of pontoons under the retractor spans of the Harbour Bridge and is to be done in two phases.

The first phase will see

the exchanging of the pontoon under the western retractor span and the works have been pegged at some $109 million. Phase Two, however, which is the replacement of the pontoon under the eastern retractor span, will be done before the first quarter of 2018.

The pontoon holding up the western retractor span is expected to be replaced next weekend

According to General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), Rawlston Adams, at a press conference last week, the existing pontoon

has been in place for some 18 years and therefore, it needs to be changed urgently.

He explained that in exchanging pontoons, they would normally take out the

existing pontoon and put in a temporary one so that they can rehabilitate the pontoon that was there before.

However, he pointed out that in this case, that method is not an option.

“The pontoon that we’re about to change houses all the wrenches and hydraulics pipes to facilitate the retraction so under normal circumstances, we would take it out, replace it, and put in a temporary one. In this case, that’s not an option because you have to replace and immediately hook up back the hydraulic pipes and the wrenches so that the bridge can retract,” he noted.

Adams further told reporters at a press briefing on Friday that these works took some three years to plan.

Farmer nabbed with 26lbs ganja

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olice in ‘E’ Division (Linden/Kwakwani) have arrested a 37-year-old farmer of Amelia’s Ward, Linden after he was found in possession of some 26 pounds of compressed marijuana.

According to reports, acting on information received, Police ranks went to Aroaima, Upper Berbice River, where they stopped a public transportation vehicle at about 04:55h on Friday.

They then conducted a search on the suspect and that of a bag he was in possession of, during which seven taped parcels of cannabis, weighing almost 12 kilograms, were found in the bag.

He was arrested and taken into police custody, where he was processed for court on a charge alleging possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

11 President ‘sidelining’ elected Indigenous body – NTC news

saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

The Amerindian Peoples Association delegation along with President David Granger

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slap in the face is what the National Toshaos Council (NTC) received when President David Granger, on Wednesday, chose to meet with the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) instead of the elected body.

This is the sentiment felt by the NTC, which has been repeatedly calling for a meeting with President Granger to iron out issues surrounding the controversial Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into lands.

On Friday, the NTC put pen to paper and issued to the press a statement outlining its concerns about the Government’s decision not to meet with the duly elected body representing Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples.

“The NTC hereby registers its concern that the President chose to meet with the APA before meeting with the NTC, considering the NTC is the duly elected body representing Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. The NTC is concerned that we are potentially being sidelined for our strong position on the CoI, and that this move

is meant to undermine the credibility of the NTC,” the representative body said.

President Granger, in March of this year, established the CoI to examine and make recommendations to resolve all issues and uncertainties surrounding the claims of Amerindian land titling; the individual, joint or communal ownership of lands acquired by freed Africans; and any matters relating to land titling in Guyana.

Since its establishment, the NTC has condemned the CoI, noting that Amerindian land issues are much more complex; and as such called on the Administration to have the CoI revoked. The pleas of the indigenous peoples’ representatives have fallen on deaf ears, with Indigenous Peoples Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock, accusing its leadership of being politically aligned with the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).

The NTC also wrote to the President, expressing their dissatisfaction with the terms of reference (ToR) of the CoI, and requested a meeting, but are still awaiting a response to their requests.

“At this point, I think we would have written the President enough, and it is now for him to reach out to the NTC. And I think that the Chair of the NTC has (contacted the) Office of the President to get clarification on when this meeting is going to occur, and if it will occur,” Vice Chair of the NTC, Lennox Schuman, said.

Schuman also said that the NTC position remains the same, and that the President’s apparent refusal to entertain a meeting with the body is a cause for concern. He said the next step involves meeting with their membership to discuss the recent developments before taking a unified stance as it relates to paving the road ahead.

At the meeting on Wednesday, President Granger proposed a five point comprehensive review of the CoI, and told the APA delegation that there was nothing sinister in the setting up of the Commission. Rather, he said, the intention was to correct existing anomalies regarding individual and communal lands.

According to a GINA press statement, Executive Director of the APA, Jean La Rose, said, “This is a good step, in the sense that we are able to discuss these issues, we are able to air our concerns and focus on how we can move forward…

Hopefully, at the end of these discussions, we will arrive at a common position.”

The President’s five-point plan involves a review of all literature that has to do with Amerindian land titling, particularly as it relates to ongoing programmes; consensus building on the terms of reference; strengthened adherence to the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), so that communities are fully involved in the process; the reconciling of the positions of the Government, the Commission and that of Indigenous Peoples’ organisations; a review of the Amerindian Act of 2006, and halting the work of the Commission on matters specifically related to

Amerindian lands until all the outstanding concerns are addressed.

Wednesday’s meeting with the APA, however, did not sit well with sections of the Amerindian community. What is of most concern to some leaders is that Executive Director of the APA, Jean La Rose, was on the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) national top-up list for the 2015

elections. As such, leaders are questioning why the APA, which in the past sought international funding and representation for Amerindians, now seems to be “cozy” with the Government.

Among the concerns of the Indigenous leaders are whether the APA is not as strident as it was before, and whether the APA is seeking to undermine the elected NTC.

Chairman of the National Toshaos Council, Joel Fredericks, along with Vice Chair Lennox Schuman

WBD man slapped with attempted murder charge

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26-year-old West Minister, Parafaite Harmonie West Bank Demerara (WBD) resident was remanded to prison for the attempted murder of Rishi Persaud, who remains hosiptalised in a critical state. The accused, Travis Tull was on Friday arraigned at the Wales Magistrate’s Court where

denied that he the charged that he unlawful and malicious wounded Persaud.

The construction worker told the court that he was never charged before but the Prosecution nonetheless objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence and the critical condition of the Virtual Complaint. As such presid-

ing Magistrate Clive Nurse accepted these grounds and refused bail. Tull remanded to prison.

He will return to court on July 7 when Police will provide an update on the condition of the victim. The wounding occurred following an altercation between the two at West Minister, WBD.

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Crime statistics

GECOM chairmanship

GBA to participate in court’s Top Cop satisfied with report interpretation of criteria O n the heels of the High Court expecting to deliver its interpretation of the constitution with regards to the criteria for the appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Guyana Bar Association has been given clearance to participate in the case.

In March, local businessman Marcel Gaskin, who is brother of Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, had moved to the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of President David Granger’s reasoning behind his rejection of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s first list of six nominees for the GECOM Chairmanship post. Jagdeo has since submitted a second list, which the Head of State also rejected recently.

A third list is pending.

In the court action, Gaskin is seeking a declaratory order from the Court as to whether the list of nominees to be submitted by the Opposition Leader must include a judge, a retired judge, or a person qualified to be a judge.

Since the matter was filed, acting Chief Justice Roxane George has heard submissions from the various parties, which included Gaskin’s lawyer Glenn Hanoman.

On June 6, the matter was called before the acting Chief Justice and was subsequently adjourned in order to facilitate representatives of the Attorney General’s Chambers with sufficient time to examine written submissions made by the other parties, and to prepare to responses.

The next hearing of the matter was scheduled for Friday; however, on Monday last, the Guyana Bar Association filed an application to be included in the proceedings. This was granted on Wednesday during a special hearing organised by the acting CJ, after there were no objections by the parties in the matter.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud

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President David Granger, former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo during discussions at a meeting held on Monday

The Bar Association’s application was brought under the new Civil Procedure Rules which gives the power to a judge to permit or invite anyone to intervene in proceedings as a friend of the Court, without becoming a party, for the purpose of rendering assistance to the Court by way of argument.

“The Bar Council feels that it is its duty, where possible, to offer assistance to the Court in matters of national constitutional significance, such as these proceedings,” the GBA said in a statement on Thursday.

In furtherance of that duty, the 12 members of the Bar Council are actively collaborating in the preparation of written arguments to be submitted by June 21.

Thereafter, it is expected that further submissions are to be made by AG’s Chambers.

Justice George had indicated at Wednesday’s hearing that she would be ready to deliver her decision in mid-July.

President Granger has been holding strong that Article 161 (2) of the Constitution prescribes for the Chairman of the Elections Commissioner to

be “a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court…or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge, or any other fit and proper person…”

Having interpreted “fit and proper” to mean another group of qualified persons, the Opposition Leader in December submitted his first list, nominating: Attorney Christopher Ram; Conflict Resolution Specialist Lawrence Lachmansingh; retired Major General Norman McLean; Business executive Ramesh Dookhoo; Indian Rights Activist Rhyaan Shah, and History Professor James Rose for the post at the helm of GECOM. However, the Head of State rejected the list, saying that the nominees have to be a judge, retired judge, or possess qualifications to be a judge. He also noted that the GECOM Chairman must not only be a “fit and proper person”, but must not be an activist or member of any political party.

Following weeks of impasse, Jagdeo finally agreed to return to the drawing board and submit a new list of nominees. Consultations were held for several weeks

with civil society representatives since there were difficulties in conforming to the criteria outlined by the President.

Nevertheless, Jagdeo had submitted a second list of six nominees for the post of Chairman of GECOM to the Head of State in April.

These were: retired Justice of Appeal BS Roy; retired Justice William Ramlall; former Magistrate Oneidge Walrond-Allicock; Attorneys Kashir Khan and Nadia Sagar; and businessman and pilot, Captain Gerald Gouveia.

Again, President Granger rejected this second list, saying that it is “unacceptable” and that all of the nominees should be a judge, retired judge, or qualified to be a judge. The Head of State had noted that he needs to have options on the list, so all of the nominees have to be qualified.

Nevertheless, following a meeting between the two leaders on Monday, it was agreed that a third list of nominees will be submitted for Chairmanship post.

GECOM has been without a Chairman since February 28, 2017.

ollowing the release of the Guyana Police Force’s monthly crime statistics, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud has indicated that he is satisfied with the figures, despite a spike in several criminal offences.

The report, released on Thursday, revealed a five per cent decrease in serious crimes at the end of May, when compared to that of the corresponding period in 2016.

However, at the same time, the official publication also projected an alarming 60 per cent increase in robbery with violence, as well as a 10 per cent hike in robbery with aggravation.

The Commissioner of Police, during an interview with media operatives on Friday, indicated that these numbers should not warrant much concern.

When questioned as to whether or not he is concerned about the figures, the Top Cop responded, “You look at the percentage and it may seem high. Look at the numbers.”

As a matter of fact, the Police Commissioner went on to say, “There is a de-

crease in murder; there is a decrease in gun-related robberies. The most frequent serious crime offenses we have are break and enter and larceny, (and) there is a huge decrease in break and enter and larceny.” As such, he questioned, “Should I be concerned?”

Emphasising the decrease in serious crimes, Persaud dubbed the peak in lesser offences insignificant in comparison to accomplishments made to contain serious offences such as murder.

The top cop expressed his satisfaction with the crime fighting and prevention efforts undertaken by the Force.

As a result, the Guyana Police Force continues to embark on initiatives aimed at projecting similar positive reports.

The reimplementation of operation ‘White Knight’, as well as the constant recruitment of new ranks, paired with continuous training of officers within the Force are among the undertakings aimed at increasing the efficiency of Guyana’s crime fighting and prevention body, the media was told.

Miner shot dead during drinking spree

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40-year-old miner was shot to death on Thursday after he allegedly refused to perform oral sex on one of his two drinking mates.

The dead man has been identified as Orland LaCruz of Pomeroon River.

He was reportedly imbibing with the two suspects inside a camp located in Jack and Vieira Backdam, North West District, when the incident occurred.

According to Police reports, at about 13:00h, an argument broke out among the men over LaCruz’s alleged refusal to perform the sexual act on one of the suspects, who was armed

with a shotgun at the time.

This prompted the armed man to load the firearm with a cartridge that was given to him by the second suspect. He then shot the victim to the right side of his neck, resulting in his death.

The body of the 40-year-old man is presently at the Matthew’s Ridge Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, Police in F Division (Interior Locations) are said to be making stringent efforts to apprehend the two male suspects as investigation continues.

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saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Enmore Martyrs rally

Cold, heartless approach regarding sugar industry – GAWU

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ome 9000 workers are being affected by the cold and heartless approach taken by the Government in relation to the sugar industry, according to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

GAWU executive member Gordon Thomas, at the annual Enmore Martyrs Rally on Friday, expressed those sentiments.

Enmore Martyrs Day is observed annually to honour the sacrifice of five sugar workers –Harry, Lallabajee, Pooran, Rambarran and Surujballi – who were killed in 1948 by colonial police while protesting the social and economic conditions on East Coast Demerara plantations. A monument was erected in honour of the five men, every year wreaths are laid at the site, and the observance is encapsulated by a rally at which various speeches are made by political parties and union representatives.

In delivering his address, Thomas said the

Enmore Martyrs observances also bring to attention the often-ignored contributions of sugar workers and the sugar industry to the nation and its people. “We see a very cold and heartless approach being taken regarding the sugar industry, and which has already resulted in many thousands connected to the operations being affected,” he said.

“At this time, we are mindful of the expressed plans to minimise the sugar industry through the closure of Enmore and Rose Hall estates and the sale of Skeldon estate. Taken together with Wales, some 9000 workers will be affected by these plans. What is worse is that there is no proper plan to address the difficulties that would face the people who are, and who stand to be, affected,” he added.

He accused the Government of trampling on the very thing the martyrs fought for, adding that the lack of a plan for unemployed sugar workers only

pushes them further into poverty. Thomas posited that the challenges of the industry could be overcome through diversification in the areas of white sugar, alcohol, packaged sugar and electricity production.

The former Wales Estate employee said the industry, through dedication of its workers, has overcome several challenges faced in the past; and if the right approach is taken, it could flourish once again.

Downsizing imminent

However, Citizenship Minister Winston Felix, in delivering the keynote address, stated that downsizing of the sugar industry is imminent, and it would only make the industry more viable in the long term. “The cost of upkeeping the operations of GuySuCo as it is today is untenable; it does not make economic sense,” he told the gathering. “Under this administration, the Wales sugar factory was closed at the end of 2016, with approximately 300 em-

Nude pictures of girlfriend lands jealous lover in court

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wenty-two-year-old Keiron Grovenor of One Mile Extension in Linden, Region 10, charged for circulating obscene photos of Nishawn Cooper without any probable reason and with intent to corrupt public morals, denied the allegation when he was arraigned

on Friday before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly.

The accused had reportedly bought Cooper a smartphone, which he demanded from her after their relationship had grown sour. And as he browsed the contents of the phone, he came across several nude pictures which

she had sent to a second lover, causing him to become jealous; thus he reportedly posted the nude photos on Facebook.

Grovenor has been granted bail in the sum of $50,000, and the case has been set to continue on June 23.

Family members laying wreaths on Friday

ployees opting for, and receiving, severance packages. The Government now proposes, as part of its ongoing efforts at saving sugar in Guyana, further rationalization and streaming of the operation,” he added.

The minister noted that the rationalization would include the sale of Skeldon sugar factor and closure of the Rose Hall and Enmore factories. All these proposed closures and sales have been met with protest from the workers, who accuse the Government of not having a plan to incorporate them into other industries so that they can earn and provide for their families.

However, Felix said the White Paper presented in Parliament outlines the Government’s plan for the industry. He said the paper outlines a small sugar sector with reduced losses and

cash deficits; and this, coupled with diversification, is the much-needed ingredient to keep the industry afloat and profitable.

Fight to save sugar

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, in a meeting at Enmore, East Coast Demerara on Wednesday, called on all Guyanese and people living in the sugar belt to continue to fight to save the industry. The Enmore Sugar Estate is slated for closure by year end, and sellers in the area have said they are already feeling the impact of the imminent closure.

The Opposition Leader highlighted the dangers that lie ahead for the 10,000 workers who stand to lose their jobs, and the hardships it would visit on their families, and added that the closure of the industry has

the potential to affect close to 50,000 people, and in his view it was a “political, discriminatory decision on the part of the Government”.

Jagdeo reiterated that the sugar industry could be sustained and become viable if more attention were placed on fixing the current problems. He also recalled that between 1976 and 1996, sugar made a huge contribution to the Treasury in the form of the sugar levy.

The Agro-Industrial Workers’ Union (AIWU) of the Russian Federation, the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA), and the Hindustan Unilever Ltd (PPF) Workers’ Union Doom Dooma in India have all come out and pledged their support in the fight against the downsizing of the sugar industry.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, june 17, 2017

Regional

Trump partially rolls back Haiti and US discuss Obama’s Cuba thaw development projects U H S President Donald Trump says he is rolling back the Obama administration’s “completely one-sided deal with Cuba”. Speaking in Miami, Florida, he said his new policy would tighten rules affecting travel and on sending funds to the Caribbean island nation.

But he is not reversing key diplomatic and commercial ties, and will not close the US embassy in Havana.

Commercial flights from the US will continue, as will allowing Americans to return home with Cuban goods.

Trump said the Obama administration’s March 2016 deal with the “brutal” Castro government was “terrible” and “misguided”.

On Friday, Trump signed a presidential directive calling for tighter enforcement of a longstanding ban on American tourists going to Cuba. The new policy bans

On Friday, Trump signed a presidential directive calling for tighter enforcement of a longstanding ban on American tourists going to Cuba

most US business transactions with the Armed Forces Business Enterprises Group, a Cuban entity involved in all sectors of the economy.

However, it exempts air and sea travel, allowing US airlines and cruise lines to continue serving the island.

The Miami speech is the latest part of former President Barack Obama’s legacy that Trump has moved to dismantle. He cancelled the Trans-Pacific

Partnership trade deal, announced he would withdraw the US from the Paris climate accord, and is attempting to repeal and replace Obamacare, his predecessor’s signature policy accomplishment. In Friday’s remarks, Trump set out how his administration would seek to prevent US dollars from being used to fund what it regards as a repressive military-dominated Government. (Excerpt from BBC News)

2 Chinese nationals murdered in Trinidad

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rinidad Police say two Chinese nationals were shot dead Thursday night after leaving a casino in what is believed to have been an ordered assassination. Investigators said they are working on the theory that the Chinese nationals, Shi Rui Zhao, 32; and Yangli Gu, 30, both

self-employed, had been targeted and that it was not a robbery nor a random crime.

They said that the duo was killed in a car outside a restaurant in Marabella, close to the Police station.

They lived upstairs in the building housing the restaurant where several Chinese reside.Media reports indi-

cate that the two Chinese nationals may have been followed after leaving the members club and casino and were shot by two men.

The windows and doors of the car were pocked with bullet holes and the two Chinese were shot multiple times to the head and body.

(Jamaica Observer)

T&T third most favoured Caribbean country for refugees

T&T was listed as the third most popular country in the region behind Belize and The Dominican Republic respectively, where asylum was being sought by refugees from a number of countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Africa, Asia, Syria, Pakistan and the Middle East

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s the global refugee crisis continues to worsen, the United Nations has warned that more and more displaced persons are seeking relief in the Caribbean, with Trinidad and Tobago recording 400 new applications during the period January to now, which represents a 40 per cent increase from last year. Set to observe World Refugee Day on June 20, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has started an online petition in a bid to send a message of action, solidarity, and responsibility on be-

half of refugees to governments worldwide.

Seeking to make local media practitioners aware of just how dire the situation is, UNHCR protection officer, Ruben Barbado, urged people to join hands to work to end the refugee crisis and find homes for displaced persons worldwide.

He said citizens could no longer afford to sit back and ignore the plight of other nationalities, as we were all human beings entitled to certain rights and freedoms.

The previous Administration adopted an official refugee policy in

2014.

Although it was envisioned through the policy that refugees would be granted permits to stay and work as well as access public assistance, there are no current avenues for refugees to legally integrate into the country. However, with the new refugee legislation at an advanced drafting stage, it is expected that Government will soon participate in the quality assurance initiative project that would result in the progressive transfer of responsibilities from the UNHCR to the State. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

aiti’s President Jovenel Moïse has held talks with US Vice President Mike Pence on deepening the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Moise arrived here earlier this week to attend the Investment Summit of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida that ends today. He met with Pence on the side-lines of the conference on Thursday

further discussing issues that had been raised with US Secretary for Homeland Security John Kelly when he visited the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country on May 31. “This important meeting was held in the framework of the strengthening of the bilateral relations between the two countries. The focus was on foreign direct investment to create jobs in the country so that Haiti in-

stead of being a humanitarian destination becomes an investment destination with a new leadership devoted to the well-being of the people Haitian. “The issue of strengthening of Haitian institutions was also discussed.

Vice President Pence promised to help Haiti strengthen its National Police, including the Coast Guard unit,” according to a statement issued following the talks. (Jamaica Observer)

Barbadians warned to change their eating habits

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ith 60 per cent of the beds in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) occupied by persons afflicted with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), retired medical practitioner, Dr Maurice Smith is urging Barbadians to change their sedentary lifestyles and to immediately address their bad eating habits. The retired gynaecologist made the appeal at the University of West Indies Cave Hill Campus this week during Health Week, which runs June 12-16 under the

theme Generating Wealth Through Health.

Dr Smith argued that the fight against NCDs in Barbados was an uphill battle, with 25 per cent of the population suffering from hypertension, stroke, heart attack and cancer. He disclosed that two to three strokes occurred here on a daily basis with 14 heart attacks were recorded every week. He therefore urged those in attendance to “let food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food”. The medical prac-

titioner said Barbadians needed to be reprogrammed and re-educated on healthy practices, as he suggested that too many people were prone to following dietary myths and quick fixes in their search for results.

Dr Smith also cautioned the audience against the abuse of pharmaceutical drugs as they seek cures for their illnesses. He contended that medication was not the solution to chronic disease but merely helped to control the condition. (Excerpt

from Barbados Today)

Chile, Jamaica to explore bilateral relations in agriculture

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hilean Agriculture Minister, Carlos Furche has expressed the hope of exploring increased bilateral relations with Jamaica in the area of agriculture. The Minister shared his thoughts with Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF) JC Hutchinson during a courtesy call to the MICAF’s Hope Gardens office on Thursday.

The Ministers exchanged ideas on a number of agriculture -related issues, including the impact of climate change, irrigation, food safety and security and value chain development in the sector, as well as the use of technology and linkages of agriculture to other eco-

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF), J C Hutchinson (left), shares a light moment with the Chilean Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Furche (centre), and Chief Technical Director, MICAF, Dermon Spence during a courtesy call at MICAF, Hope Gardens, on June 15, 2017

nomic sectors. The Chilean Agriculture Minister, who is a candidate in the upcoming elections for the Director General position at the Inter-American Institute for

Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), stressed the need for continued regional cooperation and South/South collaboration on agriculture. (Jamaica

Observer)

Now Chinese tourists can travel to Barbados without a visa

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hinese travellers interested in visiting Barbados can now plan their vacations without having to secure a visa.

The two countries recently signed a Visa Waiver Agreement allowing their citizens to enter each other’s territory with just an ordinary passport. The agree-

ment follows the initialing of a reciprocal agreement three years ago that removed visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and service passports. Barbados’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Maxine Mclean says Government anticipated that the agreement would make Barbados a more at-

tractive destination for the over 70 million Chinese tourists who are travelling beyond their country and region each year.

And that, she said, would also assist in Government’s efforts to diversify the tourism market and contribute to strengthening the vital sector. (Caribbean360)

saturDAY, june 17, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Michelle Carter guilty of texts urging boyfriend’s suicide

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Carter reportedly texted Mr Roy that his parents would “get over” his suicide

Massachusetts judge has ruled that a woman who sent dozens of texts encouraging her boyfriend to commit suicide is guilty of his death. Michelle Carter, now 20, was convicted of involuntary man-

slaughter for her messages to 18-year-old Conrad Roy urging him to kill himself.

He took his own life on July 13, 2014, by running a generator in his vehicle in a car park in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Carter, who

could face up to 20 years in prison, sobbed in court.

The case appears to set a legal precedent, as there is no Massachusetts law that criminalises telling a person to commit suicide. Judge Lawrence Moniz said Carter

was guilty of “wanton and reckless conduct” by sending Roy a message instructing him to get back in the truck, which he had exited as it filled with fumes.

The victim’s father, also called Conrad Roy, said in a press conference the family was “thankful” for the verdict. Carter has been allowed by the judge to remain free on bail, pending sentencing, but is banned from sending text messages or using any social media network.

The case drew national attention after the texts sent between the two teenagers were revealed by investigators. Prosecutors argued that Carter had manipulated Mr Roy, who had a history of depression and suicide attempts, into taking his own life, advising him that it would be “painless”. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Woman raped by Uber driver Russia’s military says it in India sues company may have killed IS leader; for privacy breaches West, Iraq sceptical

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n Indian woman who was raped by an Uber driver sued the ride-hailing company on Thursday, alleging that Uber Executives had “violated her a second time” when they obtained her medical records and used them to cast doubt on her credibility.

The woman, a resident of Texas who is bringing the case as a Jane Doe, filed suit against the company, CEO Travis Kalanick, and former Executives Eric Alexander and Emil Michael for violating her privacy and defaming her character.

The case stems from a 2014 rape that caused widespread outrage against Uber in India and led to the service being temporarily banned in Delhi. The victim was an Uber passenger who was assaulted by her driver. The driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav, was convicted of rape and sentenced to life in pris-

on.

The nearly US$70 billion start-up expressed support for the victim at the time, with Kalanick releasing a statement that read: “We will do everything, I repeat, everything to help bring this perpetrator to justice and to support the victim and her family in her recovery.”

Last week, however, it was reported that Uber took a different view of the assault internally. Alexander, then the President of business for Uber Asia Pacific, reportedly travelled to India in the days after the attack and obtained the victim’s medical records. He then allegedly shared those records with Kalanick and Michael, the senior vice-president for business, and the group theorized that the victim was part of a conspiracy by rival Indian firm Ola to damage Uber’s reputation. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

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oscow said on Friday its forces may have killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in an air strike in Syria last month, but Washington said it could not corroborate the death and Western and Iraqi officials were sceptical.

The secretive Islamic State leader has frequently been reported killed or wounded since he declared a caliphate to rule over all Muslims from a mosque in Mosul in 2014, after leading his fighters on a sweep through northern Iraq.

If the report does prove true, it would be one of the biggest blows yet to Islamic State, which is trying to defend its shrinking territory against an array of forces backed by regional and global powers in both Syria and Iraq.

But in the absence of independent confirmation, some US officials said US agencies were sceptical of the report. Several Iraqi security officials said Iraq was doubtful as well.

US Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said: “We have no information to corroborate those reports.” A senior Trump Administration official noted “a number of infirmities” in the reports, which have given US officials reason to question their accuracy.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on its Facebook page that it was checking information that Baghdadi was killed in the strike on the outskirts of Raqqa in Syria, launched after Russia received intelligence about a meeting of Islamic State leaders. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Ex-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl dies aged 87

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ormer German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the architect of Germany’s reunification, died on Friday aged 87, his party said. “We mourn,” Kohl’s Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) tweeted with a picture of the former Chancellor.

Kohl led Germany through reunification in 1990 and was chancellor of first West Germany and then the unified nation from 1982 to 1998. He had been frail and wheelchair-bound since suffering a bad fall in 2008, and was largely house-bound in his home in Ludwigshafen, in the western state of Rhineland-

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Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl

Palatinate.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Kohl was “the right man at the right time”, when the winds of change began sweeping through Eastern Europe in the 1980s.

Former US Presidents George H W Bush and Bill Clinton both called Kohl the greatest European leader of the second half of the 20th century. The view was echoed by German Foreign

Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

“A truly great German and above all a truly great European has died,” he said in a statement. Kohl led West Germany through a period of economic prosperity but always had an eye on East Germany amid thawing relations between the two.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Kohl took a huge political and personal risk by pushing for a quick reunification of East and West Germany. The move paid off and a combined Germany went on to continue West Germany’s economic miracle, albeit with the East still much the poorer.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Trump says he is under investigation in Russia inquiry

President Trump again calls the Russia investigation a “witch hunt”

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resident Donald Trump has appeared to acknowledge he is under investigation in the inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.

In a tweet, the President also seemed to accuse the US deputy attorney general of pursuing a “witch hunt”.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein wrote a memo the White House used to justify the firing of the exFBI chief. Rosenstein took over the investigation into whether Russia tried to tip the US election in favour of Trump after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself in March. The

Deputy Attorney General later appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller to lead the inquiry. The FBI and Congress are both looking at whether Trump campaign officials colluded with the alleged Kremlin plot.

The inquiries have yet to show evidence of collusion. Trump also tweeted on Friday morning: “After seven months of investigations and committee hearings about my ‘collusion with the Russians,’ nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!” His tweets come as Trump marks two years since announcing his plan to run for President. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Amazon to buy Whole Foods Market in US$13.7B deal

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mazon, the world’s most powerful online retailer, has taken a giant stride into traditional retailing, spending US$13.7 billion (£10.7 billion) to take over organic food chain Whole Foods Market. The all-cash deal could be game-changing for the traditional supermarket business. Amazon has long had ambitions to move into the grocery business and launched its food delivery service, Fresh, in the US 10 years ago. It introduced the service in the UK last year

after signing a wholesale deal with British supermarket Morrisons. Amazon is the fourth biggest business in the US and accounts for 43 per cent of online sales there. Whole Foods, founded in 1980, has about 460 stores, including nine in the UK where it has operated since 2004. Supermarket share prices in the US and Europe went into reverse after news of the deal, while Amazon’s stock rose 3.5 per cent, taking it close to US$1000 a share. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

US Navy destroyer collides with merchant vessel near Japan

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he US Navy said on Friday one of its destroyers collided with a merchant vessel southwest of Yokosuka, Japan, and a US official said initial reports indicated multiple injuries aboard the destroyer. In a statement, the Navy said the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant vessel 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka and the extent of any injuries to US personnel “is being determined.” A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the destroyer had suffered damage, that there was some flooding, and that it could not operate on its own power. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK showed aerial footage of the destroyer,

which had a large dent in the right side of the ship. Images broadcast by NHK showed the US ship has been struck on its starboard side next to its Aegis radar arrays behind its vertical launch tubes. No apparent damage could be seen from the images below the waterline although damage on the deck and to part of the radar appeared significant. NHK said that the commercial vessel is a Philippines container ship.

A spokesman for the Philippines coast guard said he had heard of the accident but had no details since it was not in Philippine waters.

The US Navy said it had requested the assistance of the Japanese Coast Guard. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

16 news

saturDAY, june 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Woman, lover, sons slapped with narco trafficking charge

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53-year-old woman, her two sons and her lover were on Friday slapped with a narcotics trafficking charge and taken to the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

Gloria David, her two sons Dwayne, 23, and Dellon David, 24, together with her lover Mexford London, all of Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mettelholzer on a joint possession of narcotics charge.

It is alleged that the quartet, on June 13 at Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, had in their possession 1.735 kg of cannabis for the purpose

of trafficking.

Dwayne David pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and fined $347,000.

Dellon David and Mexford London were both granted bail in the sum of $120,000 each, after denying the charge. However, Gloria David, who also denied the charge, was released on $60,000 bail.

The court was told that on Tuesday last, a party of Policemen acting on information when to a home which is situated at Timmers Dam and conducted a search. A white plastic parcel was unearthed which

contained seeds, stems and leaves. Further checks were made in the yard and a black plastic bag was discovered containing the same contents. The bag was found in the compartment under the seat of a motorcycle that was allegedly left in the care of Dellon David.

At the time of the search, there were three occupants at home: Gloria, Dellon and London.

They were placed in custody, and the following day Dwayne visited the Central Police Station and claimed ownership of the cannabis, stating that the other occupants had no knowledge of it. (Andrew Carmichael)

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uyana Oil Company Limited in celebration of its 41st Anniversary on Friday hosted an Interfaith Prayer Service at the company’s Headquarters, Camp Street,

Georgetown. As part of its corporate social responsibilities the company used the occasion to donate to the Civil Defense Commission a new motorcycle.

In photo, Chairman of

GuyOil Lance Carberry, hands over the keys of the motorcycle to Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Col. Chabilall Ramsarup, while staff of the company look on.

President contemplating early release for NOC inmates

28 graduate RBL Youth P Link apprenticeship

Graduands of the Youth Link Apprenticeship Programme are joined by officials of Republic Bank Guyana Limited.

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ollowing a seven-month attachment experience, 28 budding banking professionals successfully graduated from Republic Bank’s Youth Link Apprenticeship Programme for the period 2016/2017.

They now join the alumni of about 241 participants who have benefited from this developmental opportunity over the past 9 years.

Their graduation ceremony, hosted at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown on Thursday, afforded Republic Bank Limited (RBL) the opportunity to honour the young enthusiasts for the passion and dedication they had portrayed during their placement at the bank’s various locations throughout the country.

This programme afforded the 28 graduands the benefit of specialized training and coaching within the areas of business and banking operations, so as to increase their individual capacities and develop their professionalism.

Addressing the graduands, Richard Sammy, Managing Director of Republic Bank Guyana Limited, expressed elation at the successful completion of the bank’s initiative.

Reflecting on the experience, Sammy highlighted the achievement of the program and posited that, “from where I stand, and remem-

bering the anxious faces a few months ago, I see a transformed group of young professionals (who are) capable, confident, and now certified to join any professional organization in Guyana or the region.”

Pastor Marlon Hestick, initiator of the Man to Man Foundation, speaking at the event, thanked RBL for the outstanding effort, which he noted is in accordance with the needs of the nation.

Hestick dubbed this experience a privilege endowed on the participations, and urged the graduating class to make the best of what was attained. “What you generate as graduands of this programme will be the standard for your generation; that is the privilege you have,” he relayed.

As a part of the programme, the apprentices were involved in the preparation of a business proposal, and in public speaking sessions, first aid training, and various forms of civic engagement. Participants were evaluated every step along with way, with five being rewarded for their outstanding performance.

Copping the two most coveted prizes presented at the ceremony was Apprentice Fardeen Alli, who was decorated for his business proposal and received the title of Best All Rounder.

In his Valedictory remarks, Alli revisited the moment it all started, and underlined that while the Youth Link Programme was a new experience, the participants embraced the challenges and thus emerged victorious.

During the celebrations, the gathering participated in a moment of silence to honour the now deceased Keisha Anthony, a Youth Link participant who succumbed to injuries sustained in an accident just as the programme had hit its homestretch.

The late Anthony has been recognized for her participation, and the company has pledged support to the family as they continue to mourn the loss of their loved one.

The Youth Link Apprenticeship Programme was first introduced in Guyana in 2008 as an effort to prepare newly graduated high school students for the world of work.

Having completed this programme, the participants are now certified with the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ), which was offered through the Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies (CANTA), enabling the apprentices to be eligible for jobs within the banking arena throughout the CARICOM Region.

resident David Granger on Friday urged child inmates of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) to take their education seriously as he contemplates the early release of the inmates housed at that facility.

The Head of State visited the facility and interacted with 85 young people; the majority of whom have been committed to the institution for wandering. He said as part of as an overall plan to ensure improvements to the physical conditions and the programmes offered, Government will be in the short-term setting up criteria and a system to ensure that regular early release is an option for those who qualify.

According to President Granger, his visit was specially organised to socialise with the students, listening to their needs at the institution and to make possible recommendations to the National Assembly when the 2018 Budget is presented. This, he said, is expected to be done sometime in November this year.

“My Government has five months to plan for this, we will listen and make necessary recommendations, so when we present the budget in November, we can present something comprehensive for NOC” Granger said.

President David Granger speaking to the inmates at the New Opportunity Corp on Friday

On that note the Head of State stressed that the Administration last year spent the largest portion of the budget on the education sector, emphasising that it was important for children to acquire same and to be serious.

“An education determines what you will do in the future.

It can lead you to your success or if you don’t have one failure, you need to choose the right path and do so wisely,” the President said.

He emphasised that it is the Government’s wish to have every child in school, and as such, partnerships have been formed with several organisations and agencies in the past to provide bus, boats and bicycles to children.

“It is important that you know to read, write and spell, we cannot build a country with illiterate people, it is my

desire when you leave this institution you become better and employed,” the President asserted.

He urged those at the institution to become marketable by venturing into enterprises and cottage industries.

The President urged the children to become better and changed individuals after leaving the institution hence aiming to safeguard Guyana’s environment.

Attending the interactive session also was Education Minister Nicolette Henry, Assistant Director of Youth (acting) Leslyn Boyle and Permanent Secretary of Department of Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Tucker, Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt and Regional Executive Officer, Deryck Persaud. (Indrawattie Natram)

Exxon has six months to present local content plan

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xxonMobil has to supply the Government with a local content plan within six months as part of the production licence which it was recently granted.

Natural Resources Minsiter Raphael Trotman told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the plan will cover the years leading up to production in 2020.

“So that we will know how local content, both in terms of employment and procurement, and the provision of goods and services will be

phased into this project over the next three years going into production,” Minister Trotman said.

The minister added he was “very happy” that ExxonMobil and its partners have made their financial investment decision (FID) to proceed with phase one development of the Liza field. The Minister noted the decision is the “the largest investment in Guyana’s history”. Phase one is projected to cost Exxon and its partners US$4.4B. Additionally, Minister Trotman pointed out that the

draft Local Content Policy has already been shared with the private sector as part of facilitating consultations before it is brought to the National Assembly.

“This is a raw draft; it is not a perfect document; I know it has weaknesses I need your help to tell me where to give it strength and so we’re getting some comments coming back from them,” Minister Trotman said he expressed to the private sector.

The Local Content Policy is expected to be finalised by August.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

International Day of

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

hen people talk about yoga, they often reference the physiological benefits of the practice, such as increased flexibility and decreased muscle stiffness. However, not enough is mentioned about the mental, psychological, and cognitive benefits of yoga – and there are plenty. There have been several studies done to assess the effectiveness of yoga for brain and mental health – and the research has come back promising.

Ways in which Yoga can benefit you mentally and psychologically

son who does yoga is better able to achieve the pink of psychological health.

It helps you build your sense of self Through yoga, you get to know yourself and cultivate a more nonjudgmental relationship with yourself. You are building self-trust. You exercise more and eat healthier, because your unconscious mind tells you, “I’m worthy of this me time, this effort.”

At the end of the day, everything comes down to your relationship with yourself.

When you get more confident and become more rooted in your sense of self and your center, you develop a healthy, balanced ego, where you have nothing to prove and nothing to hide. You become courageous, with

Yoga helps with anxiety and depression Consisting of activities such as relaxation, meditation, socialization, and exercise, yoga has been proven helpful in reducing your anxiety and depression. According to a Harvard University article, yoga can accomplish this by helping regulate a person’s stress response system. With its ability to lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as improve respiration, yoga provides you with the means to deal with and resolve anxiety and depression without resorting to expensive medications.

Yoga prevents the onset of mental health conditions, which are prevalent during adolescence Adolescence is a stage in one’s life when a variety of mental health problems are more likely to develop. With the many cases of psychological disorders diagnosed in teenagers, it has become imperative to find ways to prevent the onset of such mental health conditions. Yoga, among others, has been seen as a helpful method that can be used to protect adolescents from mental illnesses.

This is according to a study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The said study had some of the subjects enrolled in PE classes centered on Kripalu Yoga. This type of yoga involves physical postures, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. In comparison to the control group, the yogis displayed better moods, lower levels of anxiety and tension, better anger control, improved resilience, and enhanced mindfulness. These are just some of the many factors that are important in the prevention of psychological conditions in teenagers.

Yoga does not remove us from the reality or responsibilities of everyday life but rather places our feet firmly and resolutely in the practical ground of experience. We do not transcend our lives; we return to the life we left behind in the hopes of something better.

high willpower. You’re not afraid of difficult conversations – you know you’re still going to be OK at the end of the day.

Yoga boosts memory and improves concentration There may be certain instances in your life when you find it difficult to concentrate on your day-to-day tasks. Thankfully, you now have an idea on how to address this issue.

Yoga has been proven effective at improving your memory and concentration.

For instance, Dharana, otherwise known as the practice of concentration, is the perfect way to clear your mind and calm your senses. As you remove the static noise in your head and focus your mind, you’ll find that you’re able to remember things, concentrate, and perform much better.

Yoga improves your psychological/mental well-being Do you always seem stressed and tense? Do you feel as if you’re carrying the entire world on your shoulders? With the help of yoga, you can put those unhealthy feelings on the wayside. By helping discharge tension and stress, yoga poses and breathing exercises keep a person free from such negative elements. As a result, a per-

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Visa requirement for Haitians a product of legislation – Greenidge

F

oreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said on Friday that the visa requirement for Haitians entering Guyana is a product of legislation, discussion and agreements among the Caricom states.

He said that, sometime ago, certain categories of travellers from Haiti, including diplomats and Government officials, were exempted from visa requirement, but the general populace is now required to be in possession of a visa when visiting Guyana.

Greenidge’s statement was a response to an update on the Haitian nationals that are currently in protective custody of the Police here. They are said to be victims of a human trafficking ploy.

According to Greenidge, Guyana has found itself in a position now where Haitians come to Guyana, but the Police, (in this case) acting on evidence, decided that there may be cases involving people-trafficking. “Therefore, they have held some of those persons”.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hoping that the police move expeditiously to decide whether there is evidence, and try to ensure that particularly women and children in that group are not put in any unacceptable circumstance in terms of conditions.

He said Guyana’s international obligations regarding all migrants have been communicated to the police.

Greenidge has said that Guyana, since the 1940’s and 50’s, has not been receiving a high influx of migrant flows. He said there has therefore not been any modifications to the legislation and regulations.

“So you are treating everybody as though they are normal travellers or visitors; and if they arrive in large numbers, the police and immigration act in a way consistent with the legislation that is appropriate for large migrant flows, including refugees”.

He said Government has to be sure it is in position that, should that happen, it is treated properly and expeditiously. He said that is a concern that has been brought to the attention of executing agencies.

Police are currently investigation the alleged involvement of Haitians and other Caribbean nationals in a transatlantic human

trafficking scheme. Late last month, 10 persons were taken into Police custody, while in excess of 40 citizens of the French Caribbean State were subsequently transferred into protective custody after falling victim to the scheme.

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force had unearthed the scheme which links Haiti, Suriname and French Guiana in a major human trafficking operation, using Guyana as their main transport harbour. Based on information received, Haitians are brought to Guyana, then taken to Suriname and later French Guiana, where some of them are being abused and exploited for labour. Following a tip-off, ranks have been zooming in on a 20-year-old medical student who was taken into custody on Friday after the discovery of evidence linking the Haitian national to the ongoing trafficking scheme.

During their investigations, Police were directed towards information which revealed that the medical student had been receiving large sums of money from Haiti, which they believed are his payments from traffickers for his supply of individuals to be exploited.

As such, the 20-year-old was arrested by ranks from the Major Crimes Unit at his Eccles, East Bank Demerara home, where a Haitian woman and her child were found.

A further 10 individuals were detained that very evening, among them Haitians and Surinamese. These individuals were en route to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), from where another 12 children and 15 adults were brought in through this system.

According to information received, upon arrival at the airport, the Haitians provided information to officers regarding reservations made at the Guyana Marriott Hotel and Princess Hotel. An investigation was then conducted regarding the reservations, only to discover that they were subsequently cancelled.

Reports revealed that the victims of this grand human trafficking scheme left their homeland in promise of a better life and favourable salary once settled in French Guiana.

However, the Haitians were faced with conditions contrary to the arrangements the moment they left their home.

GPF embarks of 2nd phase of training

T

Officials of the Guyana Police Force join officers in training at the opening ceremony

he Guyana Police Force has successfully completed a number of courses in the first half of 2017, and on Friday embarked on the second phase of training for its officers.

A ceremony was hosted at the Police Officers’ Training Centre at Eve Leary to mark the commencement of three new courses aimed at increasing the capacity of police officers to improve the services rendered throughout the country.

The three courses that commenced on Friday are: the Junior Officers’ Course, number 26; the Station Management Course, and a course for newly promoted subordinate. The two latter courses are the second of their kind to be embarked on for the year thus far.

Addressing those gathered at the training centre on Friday, GPF Training Officer Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams (DSM) explained the objectives of the courses and offered insight into the Junior Officers’ Course.

Williams noted that the training would expose ranks to courses in communication, mentorship, anger management and justice, among other areas, which are all geared at enhancing the crime fighting and prevention capacity of the Guyana Police Force.

Williams reflected on the accomplishments of the various training courses, and presented and overview of the number of officers who have benefited from training programmes during the first half of 2017.

“We would’ve conducted numerous train-

ing so far. A total of 2,152 members of the Force would’ve been trained for this first half,” he indicated.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, delivering the feature address at the ceremony, highlighted the importance of training within the Force, and posited that it is the responsibility of any organization to prepare its workers for the task at hand.

“We have these courses being delivered time after to time to make sure that, as far as possible, all the persons that we deploy receive adequate training,” the Commissioner noted.

Persaud revealed: “We also, behind the scenes, have a review process of these courses. So we ask ourselves, from time to time, do the contents of these courses meet the requirement of what we want the employees at certain levels to do?” As such, the programmes are continuously evolving to ensure that only a high level service emanates from the Force.”

Given the dedication that goes into preparing the officers for their life of service, the Top Cop commended the training officers for their achievements thus far, and declared the three new courses officially open.

The courses are set to be conducted under the theme: “Forging ahead with professionalism and intelligence-led policing, in collaboration with stakeholders.”

Days ago, scores of officers graduated from a number of different courses as a part of the GPF’s first phase of training for the year 2017.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017

ARCHIE

You are best off not sharing personal information.

(March 21- Someone will be eager to take April 19) advantage of you or make you look bad. Don’t get involved in gossip or disclose secrets.

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Hold off getting involved in financial schemes or fundraisers. Listen carefully and look at the fine print before you make a commitment.

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Spend more time with the CAPRICORN ones you love. Exploring op(Dec. 22- tions that will improve your Jan. 19) lifestyle or surroundings will pay off. Romance will enhance your personal life.

Easy does it. When dealAQUARIUS ing with family, youngsters (Jan. 20and older people in your life, Feb. 19) you are best off choosing your words wisely and listening carefully. Misunderstandings are likely.

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

Show compassion when PISCES dealing with people who (Feb. 20March 20) share common interests with you. A romantic gesture will improve your personal life and bring you closer to the one you love.

saturDAY, june 17, 2017

19

Windies Women lose by five wickets in World Cup warm up C aptain Stafanie Taylor and opener Hayley Matthews, both scored half centuries but the West Indies Women went down to a five-wicket defeat in their ICC World Cup warm up match against India at the Leicester Grammar School in Great Glen, England on Friday.

Matthews scored an even 50 and put on 70 for the first wicket with Felicia Walters who scored a painstaking 20 off 79 balls. Matthews struck eight fours in her 73-ball knock but when she was dismissed caught and bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the 23rd over, it triggered a mini collapse that saw the West Indies fall from 70 for 1 to 79 for three in over 29.

Kyshona Knight, who replaced Matthews lasted all of 13 balls before

she was caught by Mithali Raj off the bowling of Harmanpreet Kaur for four to make it 75 for 2 from the last ball of the 26th over. Walters was next out from the first ball of the 29th over caught by Mithali Raj off the bowling of Poonam Yadav. It was then 79 for 3.

Two of the Windies’ most senior players Taylor and Deandra Dottin came together and posted a 30-run partnership before Dottin fell for 6, caught behind off the bowling of Jhulan Goswami. Merissa Aguilleira and Taylor put on 35 before the former was run out for 13 with the score on 144.

Taylor eventually fell for 50 in the 46th over with the score on 157, her knock coming off 59 balls and includ-

ed five fours and a six.

Chadean Nation’s 17 helped push the score to 174 for 9.

Chasing 175, India got off to a poor start. Shamila Connell, who had match figures of 3 for 42, ripped through the top order to have the Indians struggling at 37 for 3 in the 12th over. Kaur scored a 32-ball 33 but fell to Matthews as India struggled to 86 for 5 in the 21st over.

From there it was all India as Smriti Mandhana 77 not out and Mona Meshram, 40, staged an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 89 to see India home with 44 balls to spare.

Matthews returned figures of 2 for 28 in good all-round effort in a losing cause. (Sportsmax)

Captain Stafanie Taylor

Russia defends labour practices as FIFA sidesteps Qatar crisis tioned on the subject.

"What are you driving at? We are not expecting such rallies, protests and so on. I don't know, maybe you were referring to Brazil, what was happening there for the World Cup. "But in this country we are living in a stable polit-

F

IFA's secretary general and Russian officials faced some uncomfortable questions over workers' rights, protests and Qatar on Monday.

The conditions of stadium construction workers, potential civil unrest and a geopolitical crisis in the Persian Gulf left FIFA and Russian officials on the defensive during a press conference to mark the start of the Confederations Cup. A report by non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned labour practices on construction sites for the venues used to stage this month's tournament and the 2018 World Cup. However, addressing the media in St Petersburg on Friday, the local organising committee's chief executive Alexey Sorokin claimed the results of internal inspections did not tally with HRW's findings.

"We cannot confirm the position expressed by Human Rights Watch," he said.

"There has been in excess of 70 inspections on stadium construction sites.

The conditions that workers experienced have been closely monitored.

"We did not see any in-

fringements or negative signals that we could use on our watch list. The inspections are done by our appropriate institute for labour protection.

"We have checked more than 100 contractors and subcontractors. This institute issued recommendations on how to improve it but the signals, that are indeed alarming, were not confirmed."

Russia's deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko invited a journalist to accompany him on an inspection of remaining World Cup stadium constructions sites, adding: "The Russian Federation has one of the strictest migration and labour regulations. For us this is excessively important."

Anti-corruption protests in support of the campaign of opposition leader Alexey Navalny took place on Monday and there have been suggestions more rallies could take place during the tournament.

Mutko, though, dismissed out of hand the prospect of civil disturbances overshadowing the Confederations Cup. "I'm at a loss because I don't know what you mean when you say protests," he told journalist when ques-

ical situation. We are an open country but on the other hand we have laws, regulations, procedures for people who want to protest.

There is nothing new, I'm not inventing a bicycle."

The future of the 2022 World Cup meanwhile, due to be staged in Qatar, has

come under renewed scrutiny this month after the state found itself ostracised by its neighbours, including regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia.

FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura said: "Today we cannot pronounce on the geopolitical

situation in Qatar, but we can say that we are in regular contact with the LOC and also the supreme committee.

"We are monitoring the situation but our stance as always been to disassociate politics from football."

(Sportsmax)

Ronaldo seeks Real Madrid exit after tax accusations – report R

eal Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave the club and Spain after being accused of committing tax fraud in the country, a report in Portuguese sports daily A Bola said on Friday.

The newspaper said its story was based on a reliable source and that the 32-year-old four-times world player of the year had already made up his mind to ask the club for a transfer.

It said that Ronaldo was "deeply disenchanted" with the allegations against him.

Record, another sports daily, carried a similar story.

Ronaldo's agents could not immediately be reached for comment.

Spanish prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against the player accusing him of defrauding tax authorities of 14.7 million euros ($16.5 million) by hiding his image rights income between 2011 and 2014. Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.

Real Madrid said on Thursday they were confident the Portuguese forward had acted legally. They could not immediately be reached on Friday to comment on the report.

Ronaldo led Real Madrid to their

12th European Cup earlier this month after scoring two goals in a 4-1 victory over Juventus in the Champions League final, becoming the tournament's top scorer.

Ronaldo, Portugal's all-time leading scorer, is the latest in a long line of soccer players in Spain -- among them Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Neymar -- to be caught up in cases over tax or transfers.

Ronaldo has completed eight seasons at Real Madrid since joining them from Manchester United in 2009 for a then world record fee of 96 million euros During that time, they have won the Champions League three times and La Liga twice. In November, he agreed to extend his contract until 2021.

He is currently at the Confederations Cup in Russia with the Portuguese national team where his team mate Andre Silva said that Ronaldo was motivated for the tournament.

"All I can say is that he is motivated, focused on the national team and encouraging us on to win the tournament," he told a news conference in Kazan, where Portugal face Mexico on Sunday.(Reuters)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, june 17, 2017

T

he Old Boys Associations of several of Jamaica’s top high schools have written to the island’s ministry of education expressing concerns about the lack of transparency of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), the governing body of high school sports on the island.

In the letter addressed to Deanroy Bernard, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, the Old Boys Associations of Calabar High

Integrity of Jamaica high schools sports governing body questioned School, Jamaica College, Kingston College, St. George’s College and Wolmer’s Boys, said they were concerned that ISSA was not doing much in terms of giving back to the schools who help them raise more than US$1 million annually from sponsorship.

The associations also suggest that they are no audited accounts and that members of the association, comprised of principals of high schools from across the island are the beneficiaries of trips abroad and stipends while the

high schools get very little by way of support. Their respective associations, meantime, are spending millions to provide medical support, feeding programmes, hydration, training camps and athletic gear for the athletes of their respective schools.

ISSA, they also said, do not provide enough academic support for student athletes who miss classes while representing their respective schools.

As a result they have called for the establishment of transpar-

ent guidelines governing sponsorships, payments and sharing of income with participating schools, restrictions on how ISSA spends its net financial resources; and should be confined to direct reinvestment in schools, especially in the area of student athlete academic support.

They are also calling for the public disclosure of ISSA’s audited financial statements for the last five years, and that ISSA’s company documents, financial records, and meeting records be

Sri Lanka in the group stage before overwhelming Bangladesh in the semis and their captain Virat Kohli has been impressed by Pakistan's resurgence.

"The turnaround has been magnificent," Kohli said.

"Obviously, if you reach the finals you have to play some good cricket and credit to them, they've turned around things for themselves really well.

"The belief just showed on the field the way they played together as a team and regardless of who you play in the finals, it's always going to be challenging because once you start thinking that it's a big game, then your mindset changes."

ing the strengths and weaknesses they have," Kohli said.

"I don't think we need to look too far away from what we are doing as a group, focus on our skills and our abilities and believe in ourselves on that particular day."

Pakistan, without their leading fast bowler Mohammad Amir due to injury, strangled the usually free-scoring England batsmen on a slow wicket in Cardiff with a disciplined display of bowling and fielding.

The Oval pitch should be more favourable for batsmen but India, who have beaten Pakistan in eight of their 10 World Cup and Champions Trophy meetings, will not be complacent.

"We've seen some really surprising results and it's been amazing for the fans to watch and for the players to be a part of," Kohli said.

"We played some really good cricket but we're not going to take anything for granted for sure."

Pakistan's rejuvenation has been built around the runs of opener Fakhar Zaman and the experi-

enced Azhar Ali while Hasan Ali and Junaid Khan stepped up to compensate for the absence of Amir who is expected to be fit for the final.

Their captain Sarfraz Ahmed said they had quickly forgotten the opening loss to India and simply focused on the next game in their bid to win the Champions Trophy for the first time.

"After the India match, we just motivated the guys," he said.

"Don't worry about the India match. This is gone. If we play good cricket, definitely we will win this tournament."

(Reuters)

made open to all key stakeholders.

The associations also want that there be full financial and personal disclosure requirements for all members of the ISSA executive and suggest that there be term limits for all executive members.

Most importantly, the old boy associations want ISSA to be brought under the oversight of the Ministry of Education with a clear and unambiguous reporting structure. (Sportsmax)

India wary of maverick Pakistan in high-octane final I

ndia are favourites to retain the Champions Trophy on Sunday but they would probably have preferred to face different opponents than arch-rivals Pakistan in what is sure to be a highly-charged final.

The neighbouring countries have moved on from years of political conflicts but emotions will run high as millions of supporters around the world watch the first major cricket final between the teams since the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup. One of the most unpredictable sides in world sport, Pakistan were the lowest-ranked side going into the tournament and produced a shambolic performance in their heavy opening defeat by India.

As they have done many times before, however, Pakistan suddenly found their form with wins over top-ranked South Africa and Sri Lanka before delivering an outstanding all-round display to stun previously unbeaten hosts England in the semi-finals.

India suffered a shock loss to

Outstanding Batting

India, who beat Pakistan by five runs in the Twenty20 final 10 years ago, have been lifted by the outstanding batting form of Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma.

"What we are going to try to do is repeat the similar sort of cricket that we have played so far, know-

McDonald's ends Olympics sponsorship deal early M cDonald's Corp ended its 41-year-old sponsorship of the Olympic Games three years early, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday, reflecting the U.S. fast-food giant's focus on its core business as well as rising Olympics sponsorship costs and declining TV ratings.

McDonald's deal would have run through the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and bowing out will likely to save it hundreds of million of dollars if it had continued into the next four-year Olympics cycle and beyond.

McDonald's has been trying to hold down costs as it invests in improving food quality, restaurant service and online ordering to woo back U.S. diners. Intense competition has gnawed away at sales.

"We are reconsidering all aspects of our business and have made this decision in cooperation

with the IOC to focus on different priorities," said McDonald's Global Chief Marketing Officer Silvia Lagnado.

The company, first involved with the games in 1968 and a sponsor since 1976, was the Olympics' food retail sponsor.

Despite pulling out with immediate effect, McDonald's will continue at next year's Pyeongchang winter Olympics as a domestic sponsor.

The company's move may also reflect a rising view among consumer brands that exclusive Olympics sponsorship deals do not offer the marketing impact they once did. Some companies find it is much cheaper to work directly with athletes or specific countries than the IOC. Moreover, in a trend that began after the Beijing games in 2008, shrinking television audiences for the games could be diminishing

the value of sponsors' ads. With the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016, many viewers turned to social media alternatives like Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc. In the United States, Comcast Corp's NBCUniversal said it had attracted 8.6 percent fewer eyeballs for Rio than it did for London in 2012.

The fast food chain has been part of the IOC's top sponsors programme that contributes more than $1 billion in each four-year cycle for the games.

While terms of Olympic sponsorship are not disclosed, a source who negotiated previous IOC sponsorship deals said that top global sponsors like McDonald's spend about $25 million a year or about $100 million for a four-year period that includes a summer and winter games.

Reuters previously reported that the IOC had wanted to rough-

ly double fees to $200 million per four year period starting in 2021.

While it is unusual for an Olympic sponsor to leave early, sponsors change regularly within the IOC's top programme. The most recent addition was China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, which signed a deal in January for a partnership through 2028.

The next three Olympics take place in Asia, and this could turn off U.S. sponsors trying to reach a U.S. audience. The U.S. Olympic Committee also has lost recent sponsors such as AT&T and Citigroup ahead of the 2018 winter games in South Korea.

The IOC said it was not planning a direct replacement for McDonald's, but it is expected to announce a new global deal with Intel Corp next week, according a source familiar with the matter.

Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Companies with a deep focus on technology are barging in while others migrate out," said Peter Land, who works with Olympics and Paralympics sponsors for communications firm Finsbury.

The IOC has faced criticism from public health campaigners for allowing sponsors such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's to use the games to market their products, which are perceived to be unhealthy.

John Lewicki, who oversees global Olympic sponsorship deals for McDonald's, said last year the company would reevaluate its Olympic relationship after changes to a rule that ended a marketing blackout for companies that sponsor athletes rather than the event itself.

Shares of McDonald's rose $1.06, or about 0.7 percent on Friday.

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Action in the GFF-Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Power National U-17 Tournament begins today

T

he GFF–NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National U17 IntraAssociation tournament will begin today across three Regional Member Associations (RMAs).

The second phase of the tournament will see matches in the Essequibo / Pomeroon Football Association (Esseq./Pom. FA), Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) and Berbice Football Association (BFA) on Saturday and Sunday.

The UDFA will host two matches at the Wisburg Ground; while the BFA will also host two, one each at the Burnham Park and #5 Grounds respectively while Esseq./ Pom. FA will host three matches at the New Opportunity Corps Ground and Queenstown Community Centre Ground respectively.

In a statement to the media, GFF’s Competitions Director, Ian Alves pointed out; “In alignment with the GFF’s focus on youth development, we look forward with eager anticipation to the restart of the ‘Thunderbolt Flour Power National U17 league’ which continues to bring to the fore

future prospects for national selection at the senior level.”

The tournament’s recommencement follows a presentation of the cheques to the respective RMAs on Friday, 9th June, 2017 in the Boardroom of the GFF. This is geared towards addressing costs related to the operations of the tournament.

The fixtures are as follows: June 17 Good Hope FC vs Capoey- NOC Ground 14:00hrs Milerock vs High Stars- Wisburg Ground 12:30hrs Amelias Ward FC vs Silver Shattas FCWisburg Ground 14:30hrs June 18 Queenstown United vs DartmouthQueenstown Ground 14:00hrs Mainstay G Stars vs Henrietta UnitedQueenstown Ground 16:00hrs NA United vs Cougars FC- Burnham Park 15:30hrs Monedderlust FC vs Hopetown UnitedNo. 5 Ground 15:30hrs

A representative from Regal Stationery and Computer Centre (left) hands over an undisclosed amount in sponsorship to Transcend Entertainment Organiser, Dwight Dodson

R

egal Stationery and Computer Centre has thrown its support behind the Transcend Entertainment for the staging of its inaugural knockout softball tournament on tomorrow at the National Park.

The Stationery and Computer supplier is among the latest of a group of major entities that have collaborated with the emerging entertainment provider to ensure the tournament is a success.

Among the latest sponsors are Banks DIH, Church's Chicken, Star Party Rentals, National Sports Commission, Seepaul's Sports Bar and Seeta's Sports Bar. These businesses are joined by Imperial Trading, Movement Auto Rental, Xavier's Investments, Precision Auto Works, Leading Edge and Squires Realty, all of whom have contributed in some department.

Emerging and top local teams will compete for over $500,000 in cash and prizes in the inaugural event.

In the last two days 13 teams have registered for the tournament, increasing the numbers to 25.

The entrance fee is ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and each team will receive a case of drinks upon arrival on game day. The first ball bowls off at 9:00 am.

Interested persons are asked to contact Kefa Naughton on telephone number 664-5035.

Linden, GSCL Inc premier softball tourney – Organisers meet to set for October plan event Georgetown veterans face A

s part of the early preparation for the seventh edition of Guyana Softball Cup, which the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc will be hosting in October, teams are being invited to discuss its launching and make an input towards the successful staging of the tournament.

An interactive session is scheduled to be held today at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation Sports Club (GNIC SC),

Woolford Avenue.

The tournament, to be held over three days, will be played in the over-45 and open categories using the big ball and will be of international caliber with teams from Canada and the USA expected to participate. Incentives will be up for the taking and a female exhibition game featuring some of the leading local players will be contested prior to the finals.

The competition is being be promoted in the USA

Speed Boat are the reigning open champions

with cricket commentator Inderjeet Persaud heading a cluster of officials from the GSCL Inc to New York for the New York Softball Cricket League annual Independence Cup slated for July.

Regal All Stars and Regal Masters are among several teams that will carry Guyana’s challenge in the competition. Despite their preparation being somewhat affected by the inclement weather, captains of both teams have expressed confidence of winning as they have done in the past. Regal Masters only recently won the GSCL Inc Independence Cup while their open team took the runner up spot.

As part of today’s meet with the various softball teams at GNIC SC, Regal All Stars and Regal Masters will be hosting a Bar-Be-Cue and lime with Bar-Be-Cue being served from12:00hrs.

Softball fans are also encouraged to come out and support.

F

off tonight

athers who played football at the highest level will be among those on show tonight as the Georgetown Masters face their Linden counterparts at 20.00hrs in what should be an interesting Father's Day Classic feature match at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden.

However, in the supporting game the Linden Veterans will take to the field representing the West and East of the Mining Town from 18.00hrs. There will be special prizes for those early birds to the football game compliments of the Caring for Others Organization which is supporting the pre-Father's Day event.

Leading the charge for Georgetown will be former national strikers `Sir’ Anthony Stanton and Deon Barnwell.

They will be supported by Frank 'English' Parris and Gerald Grittens among others.

Linden’s Masters will include Wayne Bethune, Seon Warner, Renee Gibbons, Patrick Dey, Eon Wills, Troy Easton, Beresford Harry and Abdulla Hamid.

The supporting game will also have veterans like Oswald Benjamin, Tony 'Spirit' Adams and Rawle Gittens appearing for the West team while for the East side would include Ruel Williams and Travis Waterton.

Member of Parliament, Collis Fifth through the Right Start Foundation is responsible for organizing the double-header which is sponsored by BK International, BK Quarry and BK Super Mix, Banks DIH, Figgy's Grocery, Bernard's variety Store, Right Care Pharmacy, B. Harry Hardware Store, Fifth's Enterprise, Jags Airline and Fly Jamaica.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, june 17, 2017

GFF President Wayne Forde

P

resident of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde and Slingerz Football Club Secretary Collin “BL” Aaron have vented differing opinions on the reason for the prolonged dispute between the two.

Since last year much turmoil surrounded the Elite league after the GFF Executive made a decision to expand the league from eight to ten teams. A move which four clubs (Slingerz, Pele, Alpha United and Georgetown Football Club) felt was unconstitutional.

The matter has seen input from FIFA, CONCACAF and even GFF’s Disciplinary Committee, with the latter ruling in favour of the clubs.

It is understood that they were attempts to resolve the matter amicably but the current situation is that two of the clubs (Alpha and Slingerz) have filled $88M lawsuit against GFF. Guyana Times Sport reached out to both parties who felt there was a diverse motive behind the disagreements.

“In my opinion, this matter was

Forde, “BL” differ on agenda of Elite League dispute never about football it was always about politics and I think that the motives of the people that are pursing the matter in court is known to the Guyanese

opportunities of their players to the extent that they have essentially destabilized their club and lost their players would have to tell you clearly that the interest is

Slingerz FC Secretary Colin Aaron

league and yet they continue down this road, it has to be concluded that it has nothing to do with football”.

On the other side of the field,

Slingerz FC were the champions of the inaugural edition of the Elite League

public, the Guyanese football fraternity and the international governing body”, Forde contended.

The GFF boss is of the belief that the clubs don’t have their player’s interest at heart and inturn no intention of playing football.

“For anyone to gamble with the

never with the players of football”, Forde stated.

He added, “Even if there is a misunderstanding, misinterpretation, the fact that you have CONCACAF and FIFA coming on several occasions not just endorsing but confirm the Executive constitution right to expand the

Aaron vehemently disagreed claiming that it has nothing to do with politics and assuring that his club is firm in its stance.

“He [Wayne Forde] could say anything. We are saying that you cannot bring in two teams. It has nothing to do with politics. He is just pedalling that , What is the

political side of it?”, Aaron asked.

The club secretary also explained that Slingerz has loaned and released players until the issue is resolved.

“We released and loaned some players to deal with our issue and when the issue is complete, we will determine the future”, he noted.

On Thursday Aaron disclosed that the club has no intentions of returning to West Demerara Association (WDA) Football after being relegated from the Elite League.

This comes on the heels of the GFF releasing a statement that which stated that the federation had commenced efforts to reintegrate Pele Football Club and the Georgetown Football Club into the activities of their Association, the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), following their relegation from the Elite League.

However, no mention was made of Slingerz FC and Alpha United, the other two clubs relegated due to their non-participation in the league.

GBTI Tennis Open 2017

Brazilian Almeida upset Panday to reach final

W

ith just under a week remaining in Guyana’s premier lawn tennis tournament, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Tennis Open, action seems to be intensifying as players aim for the summit with consistent plays which is forcing fierce battles at the Bank’s recreational facility at Bel Air Park.

In the most recent encounter veteran Harry Panday was outplayed by Brazilian Alexley Almeida in the Men’s Over 45 Singles semifinal.

Panday, known for his aggressive style, was given a dose of his own medicine when he faced off with the Brazilian.

From early indications it seemed that Almeida was down and out as Panday frustrated him by having long rallies in the earlies and jumped to a 5-2 lead in the first set. From that point on Almeida dug deep and was involved in many points where he simply outlasted Panday at his own game with extended rallies.

Even at 5-3 and facing triple set point at 40-0, Almeida did not give up and came roaring back to take the set 7-6, which lasted over an hour. The second set was another tiring affair and ended in 6-3 in favour of Almeida as he completed the upset in his first appearance in the GBTI Open.

In the previous round Almeida also outlasted US Embassy Diplomat Albert Razick in three sets after losing the first. The victory against Panday propelled the Brazilian into the finals where he will face the winner of the match between Berbician champion Godfrey Lowden and Rudy Grant.

Shelly Ramdyhan and Fiona Bushell. Ramdyhan dominated the exchanges from the net in the first set with precise volleying and shielded her less experienced partner by poaching returns. They won the first set 6-2 which was then followed by a close 7-5 score line as some entertaining and competitive ten-

Anthony Downes

Hemraj Reisaul

In the Ladies Doubles semi-final action, teenagers Sarah Klautky and Alana Chung put up a brave fight against coach

nis was played in front of a fairsized crowd.

In the Men's Open Doubles quarterfinals, top seeds Anthony

Downes/Jason Andrews made light work of Oswin Coggins/ Devon Gonsalves 6-0 6-0 while the young dynamic pair of Heimraj Resaul/Jordan Beaton outplayed the Brazilian father/ son combo of Alexley and Alex Almeida 6-3, 6-4, Andre Erskine/ Mark McDonald also defeated the American father/son combo of Albert and Daniel Razick 6-3 6-4.

In the Mixed Doubles semis final top seeded Anthony Downes/ Africa Gentle toyed with the promising young pair of Joshua Kalekyezi /Alana Chung before eliminating them 6-3 6-0, after blowing away young juniors Nigel Lowe/Akilah Jones 6-0 6-0.

The new pair of Joseph DeJonge/Fiona Bushell outlasted Nicholas Glasgow/Ciara Pooran 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in a dramatic three setter.

In the fiercely contested Men’s Open Singles category Anthony Downes warmed up for the defense of his title with a quarter final win over Nicholas Glasgow.

The latter had his moments but was only able to win one game in the first set against the dominant Downes, who has won this category for the past 5 years.

Promising youngster Heimraj Resaul withstood a strong challenge from Andre Erksine but

Alexley Almeida

superior technique and mobility allowed him to prevail 6-4 6-2 in his quarter final matchup and book a place in the semi-finals against the top seed Downes.

New entrant in the singles category Jason Andrews put up an intense fight against the young and versatile Daniel Lopes but he surrendered following a flurry of unforced errors at 6-3 6-3.

In the Men's 35 quarterfinals, there was a win for the tactical Andre Lopes over Harry Panday 6-2 6-2. Lopes went on to demolish newcomer table tennis veteran champion Colin France 6-0 6-1 while Leyland Leacock prevailed over Ronald Murray 6-2 6-4 in in an old match rivalry.

In the Boys Singles quarterfinals Jordan Beaton won against rising star Viraj Sharma 6-3 6-4 while Heimraj Resaul defeated Ravin Rampersaud 6-0 6-0 and Mark McDonald defeated Akil Browne 6-1 6-3.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, june 17, 2017

23

Xtreme Clean/GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal…

Sparta, Tucville to clash in colossal final

T

he stage has been set for the two top teams, Sparta Boss and Tucville to lock horns in the final of the Xtreme Clean/ GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal Tournament at the National Gymnasium this evening.

Today’s match proves to be even more intriguing given both teams met in the group stage where Tucville won 4-2. More so, it is second meeting of the two teams in a Futsal final with Sparta edging to victory in the first encounter.

Both teams produced clinical performances at the same venue on Thursday evening to storm into the final. Sparta looked the boss as they dismantled a presumed threat in Albouystown 5-1.

Eusi Philips, Solomon Austin, Gregory Richardson, Devon Millington and Dennis Edwards were marksmen for Sparta while

Lennox Cort added the loser’s lone goal.

Playing at Formula One pace Philips immediately brought the fixture alight with a powerful shot to the low right in the second minute. Austin then increased the lead tapping in a rising ball with his left foot to the top right five minute later.

Albouystown created opportunities but lack of composure resulted in chances being wasted. The lapses gave rise to three goals in the space of six minutes for Sparta, with Richardson (23rd), Millington (25th) and Edwards (29th) all etching their name on the score sheet. Cort’s solo effort in the 28th minute gave Albouystown some consolation if any.

In the other fixture, Tucville, withstood a late surge by Sophia to win 6-4 on the back of hat-tricks by

Jermaine Junior and Dennis Edwards. Omallo Williams, Desmond Cottam and Stephen Dolphin were on the mark for the opposition.

from Edwards that shifted the goal one minute later.

Nimble footwork from Williams helped his side reduce the lead in the 7th min-

Tucville’s Delon Williams attempting to take on Sophia players

Junior was the first to score in the 4th minute with a shot to the low right which followed by a pricing strike

ute but their joy was shortlived as Junior had his third in the 14th minute with an acrobatic goal that beat the

– Sophia battling Albouystown for 3rd place diving keeper to his left.

Staring defeat in its eyes, Sophia scripted a set of plays that seemingly fazed Tucville following a barrage of shots on goal which saw two hitting the cross-bar.

However, Tucville soon after turned the tide as an unmarked Edwards sank his second from just outside the penalty area in the 30th.

That commenced the roller-coaster finish with Williams then netting two minutes later followed by Edwards in the 34th; Cottam and Dolphin then banged in goals a minute apart in the 35th and 36th respectively.

With three minutes remaining, Williams had a chance to put Tucville within grasp of victory but his shot from the penalty spot sailed

over the goal.

The third place-off will be between Sophia and Albouystown .

Winner of the tournament will pocket $500,000 and the championship trophy, while runner-up will receive $200,000 and the respective accolade.

The third and fourthplace finishers will respectively pocket $100,000 and $50,000.

On the individual side, $50,000 will be awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Other sponsors of the event include Fas Grafix, Jefford’s Distribution and Sales, Giftland Distribution Store and FARMSUP Mining Investments Inc. (Akeem Greene)

Young Chattergoon stars in Canada with five-wicket haul

By Ravi Madholall

A

in

Toronto

pollo Cricket Club started off the 2017 Etobicoke and District Cricket League Elite 50-over season auspiciously after recording resounding victories over the past two Saturdays in Toronto, Canada.

In their opener, Apollo whipped Parkdale Cricket Club by 108 runs and then trounced Wanderers by a comprehensive six-wicket margin. Both matches were contested at Keele Top venue in North York.

Former Guyana under-19 player Harrienarine Chattergoon was the outstanding bowler against the Parkdale boys taking five for 18 from eight overs as the oppositions were dashed

out for a paltry 83 off 23 overs.

Chattergoon bowled his usual off-spin on a responsive track.

Apollo batted first and raked up a formidable 191 all out from 44 overs. Hamlet Gordon led the way with 39 while Brian Siewdyal hit 34 not out. Former Guyana youth batsman Farook Hussain and Trinidadian-born Mukesh Samaroo supported with 27 and 26 respectively.

In the other game, Apollo, in response, raced to 70-4 with 36 overs to spare thanks to a cameo 37 from Hussain. Only Marvin Hill with 20 was able to match his skills and ultimately gave the score some amount of respectability when his side could have only mustered 64 all out in 26-overs.

Harrienarine Chattergoon

Right-arm medium-pacer Elson Bracken was the destroyer with fantastic figures of 5-18 from nine probing overs.

Rafique Nash grabbed two wickets for 14 runs from four overs for the losers when the new club, Apollo chased down the target successfully.

Meanwhile, manager of Apollo Anthonio Ramdass expressed satisfaction with the solid performances so far and is very optimistic the team will continue to dominate.

He stated the side is very young and eager to play positive and victorious matches in this year’s edition.

Only recently the club held a fund-raising activity (softball knock-out) to help off-set

this year’s expenditure in the Conference Blue division tournament, which is expected to conclude late September.

Ramdass also took the opportunity to thank all who would have supported the venture and promised that the club will make an impact with the talented bunch of players.

The competition resumes this weekend.

Meanwhile, Harrienarine is the youngest of the Chattergoon brothers all of whom represented Guyana at various levels while Sewnarine had played for West Indies at the highest level. The eldest brother Hemnarine would have also worn national colours for Canada. The other sibling is Ramnarine, who currently residing in USA.

GDF boxing gym promises to a clean sweep of west side’s caricom cuff out boxing tournament W

ith a promising total of 10 gyms having confirmed their participation in the Slingerz Entertainment / Vergenoegen Boxing Gym “Caricom Day Cuff Out” boxing tournament slated for July 2, Vergenoegen, West Coast Demerara, the GDF boxing unit have thrown down the gauntlet.

The army has not only confirmed participation in the tournament but also issuing a warning to all and sundry that its fighters are in top condition and ready to rumble.

Veteran trainer Terrence Poole is in charge of whipping the fighters into shape and GDF team looked a confident bunch at gym yesterday. The army side of 12 includes Caribbean Middleweight champion Desmond Amsterdam and aging warrior Markember `Violence’ Pierre.

Other participating gyms are Vergenoegen Boxing Gym, Harpy Eagle Gym, Republican Gym, Pocket Rocket Gym of Linden, Rosehall Town Jammers Gym, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Gym, Waknaam Boxing Gym, Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym and the Young Achievers Boxing Gym. The “Cuff Out” tournament is the first of its kind in boxing on the West Coast of Demerara Entertainment at the tournament will be provided by the Markember “Violence” Pierre will be a top contender Slingerz Family sound system, on fight night, action is expected to begin at 20:00hrs.

Desmond Amsterdam has proven himself in the Caribbean and will be one of GDF’s top boxers at the “Cuff Out” tournament

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Xtreme Clean/GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal…

Sparta, Tucville to clash in colossal final

Pg 23

– Sophia battling Albouystown for 3rd place Sparta Boss players (blue attire) used experience to defeat their opponents

Pg 19

Windies Women lose by five wickets in World Cup warm up

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