Guyana Times September 17, 2018

T&T PM for State visit on September 19, 20 P 15

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

Issue No. 3689

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, September 17, 2018

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Guyanese fears of rigged elections valid – Opposition Leader

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Page 3

Enmore P14 co-op feud continues …villager “locked” into home

Lawyer’s outburst inexcusable but understandable – Ramkarran

Page 3

2 nabbed in Bartica with cannabis P10

...slams practise of Police stopping motorists to seek bribes

Hague rice farmer hopes to get at least 60% of produce P14

GHRA disappointed with Govt's Green Paper on oil P9 revenue ...says obsession with gaining power should be monitored

President David Granger received a warm welcome from residents of Shulinab Village, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) during the Indigenous Heritage Day celebrations on Saturday (DPI photo)

Prison Service Page structure to 11 undergo major shake-up

SOCU has Page opened a 12 Pandora's box – Nandlall ...by violating confidentiality of Cabinet meetings

Berbice carpenter’s murder

CCJ denies Bisram’s P8 request for early hearing

...for DPP to withdraw murder charge

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3 Guyanese fears of rigged elections valid – Opposition Leader W news

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, September 17 – 10:30h-12:00h and Tuesday, September 18 – 12:00h-13:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, September 17 – 09:35h-11:05h and Tuesday, September 18 – 11:15h-12:45h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery rain showers can be expected throughout the morning, light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected in the afternoon. Clear skies are expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 21 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees.

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Low Tide: 03:14h and 15:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.97 metres and 1.15 metres respectively.

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

any attempt to rig… that is what we are doing now,” he stressed. The PPP General Secretary has in the past called on Guyanese to be alert and work hard toward preventing this.

Jagdeo has vowed to fight against any form of election rigging. He has accused the coalition of allegedly crafting certain strategies that have the potential to jeopardise the entire electoral process, citing the appointment of Patterson as the GECOM head.

“We expected this; we have lived with this a very long time. But they (Government) are not going to deter us from fighting aggressively for free and fair elections. They are not going to break our spirit with these appointments. And there

President David Granger

will be consequences,” he had stated.

He said if the Government chose not to live by the rules and took power without observing the rules, then the PPP would not be bound by any rules, because it would basically be a freedom struggle. “It changes from a struggle within an established democracy to one of fighting for freedom.”

Although he believes that the stage is being set to rig the 2020 elections, Jagdeo has made clear that such a task could not stand in an open and democratic society.

“There will be an attempt given the nature of the PNC, an attempt to try to tamper with the elections,” he added.

The PPP has also raised concerns in relation to Government’s attempt to allegedly pad the Voters’ List.

Only recently, Jagdeo also raised concerns again about thousands of Haitian nationals who arrived in Guyana, but many of them have not left the country. He alleged that they may have been trafficked here.

He also raised concerns over Government’s moves to create new townships as a means of trying to tamper with the current system and create an avenue for them to allegedly tamper with the votes. Although this has happened previously, the PPP still managed to sweep a major victory at the last Local Government Elections (LGE). The next LGE is set for November 11.

But President David Granger has brushed aside suggestions that he would follow in the footsteps of the late President Forbes Burnham. Burnham was accused of rigging elections to stay in power. He ruled Guyana from 1964 until his death in 1985.

“I have never rigged an election in my life; I have no intention of ever doing so… I am not aware that rigged elections was an ideal of Forbes Burnham,” he said. Granger has repeatedly pointed to the ideals of Burnham, but said as far as the rigging of elections was concerned, “I don’t see how that is applicable to anything that I have said or intend to do.”

Lawyer’s outburst inexcusable but understandable – Ramkarran

...slams practise of Police stopping motorists to seek bribes ...as lawyer issues apology, tells his side of the story

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ith the legitimacy of the last Regional and General Elections being challenged by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and with renewed talks on the ground over the upcoming election cycle, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that fears of rigged elections are legitimate.

He said recently, these fears expressed by various pockets of people across the country are not unreasonable and points right back to previous rigged elections, which occurred in Guyana under the leadership of the People’s National Congress (PNC).

Jagdeo, General Secretary of the PPP, said too that some of the key players during that period in the 1980s are still prominent in the current Government. He said this gives more reasons why citizens across Guyana may have that level of fear about election rigging.

But the former President said such fears are compounded by the fact that President David Granger unilaterally appointed a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in the person of retired Justice James Patterson, 84, who is accused of being aligned to the PNC. “What we have said to people is that because of that fear, we have to work harder, be more vigilant and block

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alling out the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for some of its members’ habits of stopping motorists and soliciting bribes, a Senior Counsel (SC) and former Speaker of the National Assembly has joined the Ryan Crawford debate.

In his weekly column, Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran revealed that he too has been stopped on multiple occasions. He complained about the practise commonly known as a shakedown; when Police

Attorney Ryan Crawford

Ralph Ramkarran, SC

randomly stop vehicles and then solicits bribes from the hapless drivers to make the ‘matter’ go away.

“A Police stop is often accompanied by the inevitable request for a raise. Despite the criticism of this type of Police activity, nothing has ever been done by the authorities to restrain it,” he wrote. “At one time drivers were stopped after they crossed on the green at traffic lights and accused of crossing on the red.” turn to page 9

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

Peoples’ Conversation

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homas Jefferson, the great pioneer of democratic governance, once advised, “I never saw an instance of one or two disputants convincing the other by argument.” After three years of governance by the APNU/ AFC coalition, it is clear that, contrary to their pre-election promise of engaging the Opposition with a view towards “shared governance” to address our political divide, they have not heeded Jefferson’s advice. It is also clear that they do not intend to change their modus operandi, and we are in danger of enduring another half-century of internecine acrimony.

In our estimation, we need direct communication between the various communities of Guyana. It has been shown all over the world that one of the approaches to making conflicts less destructive, and to begin the process of de-escalation, is to get the people whom the politicians purport to represent to understand why the others feel and act the way they do.

This cannot be done by exchanging attacks in the media, or on street corners, or in other public settings; not even in Parliament, as we have seen, where the political parties simply attack each other in attempt to prove themselves right and justify their very existence. No progress will come out of political gamesmanship. Rather, the communication must be done in a controlled setting, often with a third party mediator or facilitator who would help the actual people who are affected to communicate in more effective ways.

Some will say that we already have the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), which is supposed to be playing such a role in our society, and at great expense to the taxpayers.

But the newly constituted ERC, after a decade-long hiatus, appears willing to disqualify itself, like its predecessor, primarily because of confusion over its role as a medium of communication for the various communities and the formulation of the message in those communications.

First, it has interpreted its mandate to improve interethnic relations as by holding “consultations” with individual communities in their offices, and purporting to distil the findings and making recommendations about the way forward. This approach inevitably means that the ERC is utilising some framework for processing its “findings,” and in even framing the question it poses at its various fora. Who can say that its framework is not outcome determinative?

In our estimation, an ad-hoc group that demonstrated quite a broad and nationalistic approach towards resolving our intractable conflict has been the “Social Partners”, which was formed back in the early years of the new millennium, when our fractured politics broke out into open warfare.

Comprised of representatives of the business community, the labour movement and the Bar Association, they worked very diligently to facilitate an approach on crime by the administration and the opposition during the heat of the crime wave.

While their efforts were doomed from the beginning because they were dealing with recalcitrant politicians, they impressed the populace by their broad and sincere outlook.

We believe that the Social Partners ought to reconstitute themselves to perform the less onerous but immeasurably more vital role of facilitating a conversation between the peoples of the various communities. We are sure they will all be enlightened and inspired to then speak their “truth to power”, because they will realise that the power of the politicians is ultimately delegated by them.

It must be noted, however, that because the Social Partners would be facilitating inter-personal communications between individuals who have been stressed out and indoctrinated to the maximum by the warring politicians, it is important that they obtain the services of individuals who are trained in this area. Even in the best of circumstances, communication takes place between individuals, and this relational aspect can present problems, since the people implicitly offer definitions of themselves and the “other” that are inevitably subjective and can raise hackles.

Guyana is on the cusp of becoming a significant oil producer, which could remove the economic impetus for inter-group conflict. If those groups can hone a common purpose, we can all enjoy the “good life”.

GBTI continues to support the Guyana Fire Service’s Fire Prevention Week activities. In photo, the banking institution’s Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Pamela Binda presents a cheque to Nigel Gravesande in the presence of Fire Prevention Inspector, J Semple at GBTI's Kingston head office

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice. They shall be satisfied.”

Dear Editor, This is a quotation from the Bible that can be found on the big white rock next to the huge grey cross outside the St. Stanislaus College school compound on Brickdam.

While most of us just walk past without wondering, the students who attended St. Stanislaus College in the eighties always knew that the school suffered a huge sacrifice in this nation’s struggle for democracy. The rock is in memory of the ultimate sacrifice paid by Father Darke.

As a child growing up during tumultuous times in Guyana, we always had in our home a newspaper called the Catholic Standard, a vanguard for democracy and principle.

As a people, as a nation, we must not forget the price that was paid for democracy and freedom, and we must never forget our heroes -- those who paid with their lives for our freedom.

We must not forget the value of democracy and the reason that we fight so hard for it. It is an essential foundation of political and economic stability.

Participation in free and fair elections is the cornerstone by which we, the people, express our consent to be governed. This right was not handed to us on a platter

by President Carter in 1992.

We had to fight for this right to free and fair elections.

While the children watched in awe and in fear during the long years of the PNC dictatorship, the upright citizens of this country waged a war against injustice and paid, a heavy price for the

freedoms that we now enjoy.

The people of this country cannot therefore offer a lukewarm response when our hard-earned freedoms are threatened. The first dent that President Granger put on our confidence was in hand-picking a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The Guyana Elections Commission provides the mechanism through which the will of the people is determined. Our political culture demands consensus in the choice of a Chairman of GECOM. Political culture is important, because it represents our collective standards, values, virtues and wisdom; it is what we embody as a people. It is what the children learn from the adults, and it represents our baseline of standards - what we stand for as a nation – without it having to be articulated expressly. The people of this country are trying to improve political culture and take it to higher standards.

Trampling of hard-earned political culture is the work of the ignorant. Ignorance must not rule over us, nor must the ignorant be given an opportunity to rule in the future, for the consequences of political power in the hands of the ignorant are already well known to us.

We need skilled, competent leaders who are invested in service to the people.

If there is one thing that we know well in this country, it is that politicians speak with forked tongues. We must therefore interrogate their utterances. Politicians must prove to us that they are genuine. We must not

ingenuously believe them when they speak.

President Granger made a grand speech about Local Government Elections (LGE).

He said LGE is important to social cohesion. It is an entitlement of the people, and it is our right to select leaders; and on that basis, he therefore cannot postpone LGE. So the President asserts that his push for LGE is because it is a right, and that he is doing it for the benefit of the people and to improve social cohesion.

However, the President’s claims are occurring against a backdrop of evidence that shows that there are certain glitches in the matrix. Four Miles, a community located in Region One, made a huge shout out to the Guyanese public at the end of August that the APNU/AFC coalition Government is pushing to form a CDC in titled Amerindian land (Guyana Times, 30th August, 2018).

What is going on here, and what does this glitch in the matrix signify? This assault on the Amerindian people was not only against political culture, but it is against the law. The APNU/ AFC Coalition continues to pursue its agenda as if it is above the law. This continuous aggravation by politicians against the people of this country is not appreciated. We elect statesmen and women to uphold the law and maintain and improve political stability, not to trample it.

Further, CitizensReport (June 13,2018), informed the public that the APNU/ AFC Coalition clandestinely changed two Amerindian Village Councils into

Neighbourhood Democratic Councils without consulting the toshaos or residents of Aranaputa and Annai.

Another glitch in the matrix was the clash between President Granger and the National Toshaos’ Council on Amerindian land rights.

Anna Correia, in her article in the Guyana Times (April 9, 2017), asserted that this clash is part of a larger PNC philosophy geared to crush multiculturalism. Diversity is recognised worldwide as a virtue and a natural law that protects the human species against extinction.

A fourth glitch in the matrix was the accusation, and the evidence provided, by the PPP/C that gerrymandering of the boundaries was taking place. Minister Bulkan has subsequently accused the PPP/C of trying to delay the LGE. Well, we don’t believe the Minister.

The PPP/C has a valid claim.

Maybe what can help us to understand President Granger’s resentment against the Amerindian people, his urgency for LGE and the motivation behind the gerrymandering is the opening paragraph of his article (on sale at Austin’s for $400) titled ‘Guyana’s Military Veterans.’ The paragraph begins with a sub-title: Promised Land.

And continues thus: “In October, 1970, Forbes Burnham, Prime Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Guyana Defence Board reiterated his pledge that all military veterans would be entitled to a grant of state land once they had retired honourably from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).”

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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

APNU/AFC LGE in Linden will be very interesting Government is not fostering social cohesion Dear Editor, The Ministry of Social Cohesion was initiated in 2015 after the APNU/AFC coalition Government assumed office. The formation of this specific ministry remains mysterious, since President David Granger’s intended objectives are still not evident. Certain key elements must be adhered to in order to have social cohesion.

Providing citizens with the proper space to voice their concerns is fundamental to the creation of a sustainable, socially cohesive society.

Social cohesion is enhanced by an inclusive, coordinated, policy-making process. It brings in the views of all stakeholders involved, from the conception of these policies to their implementation, then to the final beneficiaries.

Policy- making also needs to be more evidence-based in order to foster social cohesion.

A socially cohesive society is one which works towards the wellbeing of all its members; fights exclusion and marginalisation; creates a sense of belonging; promotes trust, and offers its members the opportunity of upward mobility. The harnessing of civic participation and political feedback mechanisms is essential for positive and con-

tinuous growth in social cohesion. This is particularly true in the context of shifting wealth, which quickens economic growth and social dislocation, and requires innovative responses.

The process of policy-making is as important as the policies themselves for building social cohesion.

Inconclusive democracy is vital to craft important policies such as the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), since new oil resources that will be available soon would be invested in social development, and as such, Government must rethink social and economic policies to ensure all citizens have a voice by fostering civic participation and strengthening democratic institutions.

The important question is if the APNU/AFC coalition Government is promoting social cohesion.

This Government is definitely not interested in any of the basic components to foster social cohesion. The formation of the Ministry of Social Cohesion is to ensure that political parties in Government benefit from the resources that are being allocated for the fostering of social cohesion. Numerous example can be highlighted to substantiate these claims.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

“Blessed are those ...

from page 4

The speech of Forbes Burnham “..I made an offer to the GDF that any long-serving GDF men, and women too, who retired or left the service honourably.. would be given an opportunity, if they wish, along with others, to have control of large plots of land in the hinterland for development, agriculture, particularly, though there is no objection to other forms of use of the land.”

Granger continued in his writing “..four Defence Ministers, and 28 years later, no land settlement scheme has materialised and the misplaced satisfaction of military veterans has turned to scepticism.”

So, maybe President Granger’s passion for LGE is not so much for upholding the rights of the citizens, but for a dream for Amerindian lands crafted before many of us were born in an era of state control and dictatorship. If so, the Government is pursuing an agenda outside of the responsibilities given to it by the citizens of this nation. No government must feel that the people of this country are without courage, for thirst and hunger for justice flows through our veins, and a passion for righteousness ignites our heart.

Sincerely, Sandra Khan

Dear Editor, As an avid reader of the daily newspapers, I come across many interesting, intriguing, and sometimes shocking stories that cause one to pause and ask the question: Is this for real?

One such story was captured in the Chronicle newspaper under the caption "APNU runs off successful primaries for Linden LGE candidates", September 11, 2018.

When? Where? What time? Those are some of the questions I, as a resident of this community, would like to ask. The fact that this was done and the majority of our residents, including me, were unaware, gives an indication of several things.

One, Guyana Elections Commission has done a very poor job of sensitising the people about local government elections; and, more importantly, the parties of APNU who held these primaries also failed to inform the people of the different constituencies of these socalled "successful primaries", and the dismal turn-out is the evidence of this truth.

This community, Mr Editor, has a voting population of over 20,000 registered voters, and this article has made several interesting discoveries and revelations that cannot go unnoticed.

Firstly, Minister Valerie Patterson Yearwood is

the campaign manager for the APNU in Linden.

How many people before now knew of this decision? What happened to Minister Broomes, who was in charge? If there was need for a change, why were we in this community not informed? And moreover, why Minister Valerie Patterson Yearwood? Why her? Is this for a blood lineage, her sister, now her?

I ask those questions not because I have anything personal against her, but because that is a question many others, like myself, have asked. Minister Valerie is seldom in Linden due to her work commitments. Her very visible physical challenges will pose some difficulties, and quite frankly, Mr. Editor, this community needs to see new, emerging leadership. This community is tired of the same old faces, and we know them because we've seen them time and again. One was most recently reinstated as chairman of the Linden Hospital Board, why? Why do we keep recycling these some old people for leadership positions in Linden when we have many others?

It’s time for a change; we need new and fresh faces; we need some young and intelligent people with refreshing ideas.

Secondly, the statements the minister made when she

said, "The process gave the voter population within the communities the opportunity to select who they want to represent their constituencies at the upcoming LGE", and "she described the process as an orderly one and was most impressed with the "high voter turnout" is most astonishing. Really, minister?

I am convinced, Mr Editor, that the APNU campaign manager for Linden has been out of Linden for far too long, and is out of touch with the happenings and, moreover, the realities in this community/town.

A town with a registered voting population of over 20,000 people and the campaign manager is happy with the combined votes of the eight constituencies within the township of a mere 400 voters who participated, less than three percent (3%) of the voting population? This leaves me in a place of shock and awe.

The APNU campaign manager, the one who is in charge of a team for these important elections in her party's strongest support base, should not be happy with such a significantly low turnout at the primaries held. She should be embarrassed, to say the least.

With less than three percent turnout rate, did the people really have an opportunity to choose their repre-

sentatives?

These indicators have shown, in a major way, the quality of leadership of the APNU in Linden; the disinterest of our people/supporters, and the level of work that has to be done with the party and, most importantly, the dire need for newness of ideas and leadership in Linden and Region Ten. Leadership with the ability to enthuse and organise the people for and increased voter turnout on Election Day; and, most importantly, for a convincing victory at the polls.

At the LGE to take place weeks ahead, I will be voting, but not for the candidates who were selected and put to a three percent of the voting population to represent my interest, my constituency, and by extension my town.

Better is needed, and certainly a change must come; and these political parties contesting these polls, including the AFC and the PPP, need to come with something new, because I have heard it all before, and all of them were given a chance; and guess what, you didn't deliver.

Is it not time for something new, something fresh?

We deserve better, God knows. Linden, it's time; be local, be vocal.

Yours faithfully, Justice Welcome

They still forget about school boy stand Dear Editor, When I was at secondary school, when it was cricket season, we would get half day off so we could go and enjoy watching the great West Indian team play at the famous Bourda ground in Georgetown. That was the time of Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd and Malcolm Marshall.

The only disappointment back then was the condition of the schoolboys’ pavilion.

However, the opportunity to see a great match would eclipse the problems of the time. There might have been a shortage of certain food items, running water and electricity, but there was never a shortage of good times. We would all relish the opportunity to be outside enjoying the cricket with our school friends, and it was great motivation for upcoming inter-class and inter-house school cricket competitions.

What was amazing is that while under the PNC the boys would comment that the Government doesn't even fix the stand, the PPP came, and they went so far as to move the main cricket ground out of town, away from most of the children; making it difficult for many to have time to catch the match, and creating the need to pay bus fare to go far to watch cricket with their school friends. Remember, back

when Bourda was the place for the matches, bicycle was still king. They forgot about us and themselves again.

Now the new App is in place with APNU, and the pleasure of going to Bourda to see a great match has still not returned, and was overlooked to create Durban Park instead. This is much less than having a great schoolboy stand or pavilion from which to enjoy cricket. Yet again, they forgot about us and themselves. Unfortunately for some, our childhood joys seem to escape us. Fond memories of those days are a great guide on the road of life.

It's quite eye-opening how the little things that were important to all of us before seem to fall to the wayside when some of us grow older and focus on the good life in terms of financial reward. If given a bit of thought and reflection, many would realise how simple it could be to have the city vibrant and full of life again with the great game of cricket in a well maintained historic venue.

It was supposed to be an important part of our culture, a great part of our history, and a significant historical site for outsiders to behold. After all, this was the ground where the West Indies made history repeatedly and dominated for over a decade. Maybe these lit-

tle but important things get too easily lost with the "in with the new and out with the old" way of doing things. Those who have had the pleasure of enjoying the intimate setting of Bourda

Cricket Ground and have seen some of the greats play there would always look forward to its return.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

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hen we're struggling with something, it's natural to turn to others for help.

Helping each other is all part of the giving and receiving that makes up good relationships.

Getting help sounds simple. But it's not always easy to do. Sometimes we stand in our own way without realising it. Certain beliefs or ways of thinking can make it hard to see opportunities for help. Here are some examples of the kinds of attitudes that can stand in the way – and ideas on how to get past them.

Obstacle 1: Believing that needing help is a sign of weakness Asking for help shows maturity and confidence. It's a sign of strength, not weakness. You know what you need and you're not afraid to reach out for it.

For example, instead of thinking: I don't want my coach to find out I can't nail that move in case he thinks I shouldn't be on the team.

Change it to: I'll show my coach how committed I am to the team – and how hard I practice – by asking him to share tips on how I can improve.

Obstacle 2: Thinking you don't deserve help or support Everyone needs help now and then. No one can – or should – handle everything alone. Accepting help can strengthen friendships and relationships. Everyone feels good when they can support a friend!

For example, instead of thinking: I'd really like to find out how Katy is coping with her parents' divorce, but she's so popular and busy I'm sure she doesn't have time for me.

Change it to: I'll ask Katy if she has time to talk and let her know how much her perspective means to me. Maybe some of the stuff that happened to me can help her too.

Be choosy about who you ask to help, though. Share your feelings or a problem with someone who listens and cares – not someone who judges, criticises, or blames you. Most of

Foundation

the time we can guess which way people might react. But on rare occasions, they catch us off guard. If you do get rejected, it's not because of anything you did. It's what's going on with the other person.

Tell yourself: If Katy says no, she might not be ready to talk about her own experiences. If she's rude, then I'll know from the start that she's not friend material.

Obstacle 3: Not speaking up to ask for help Sometimes you're lucky enough to have people in your life who see what you need and offer to help before you ask. Usually it's a parent or a close friend. But

It's not always easy for other people to see when we need help. Maybe we're putting on a cheerful face to mask the problem or giving off a vibe that we don't want to talk. Don't wait for someone to read your mind or notice what you need. Ask. For example, instead of thinking: I really wish Shanya would ask about the scars on my leg so I can talk to someone about my cutting. I know she suspects, but maybe she doesn't really care.

Change it to: I'll tell Shanya what's going on and say I could really use some help.

Obstacle 5: Giving up too easily If help doesn't get us what we expect right away, it's tempting to give up. But getting help takes ongoing effort. It might take multiple attempts.

For example, instead of thinking: You'd think the college prep advisor would know right away what's best for me! He's supposed to have all this experience, but now that I've met him I wonder if it's all just a big waste of time.

sometimes when we need help, we have to ask. The best approach is to be clear and direct, like saying, "I'm having trouble with this. Can you help me?"

For example, instead of thinking: I'm afraid my friends won't want to hear that my boyfriend pushed me — they already think I'm ignoring their advice about him being too controlling. And I don't want to worry my mom. So I'll just keep this to myself for now.

Change it to: I'll tell my friends they were right and I'm starting to worry about my boyfriend's behaviour. I'll ask them to help me figure out what to do and how to tell my mom.

Obstacle 4: Waiting for someone else to make the first move

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here's no avoiding the stress of everyday life.

Schoolwork, responsibilities at home, busy schedules, other people's expectations, disappointments, deadlines, social drama: all of these can create tension.

Everyday stressors have a way of piling up if we don't keep them in check. Adding these five simple actions to your regular routine can help you avoid that "bogged down by stress" feeling. The key word is "routine." You need to make sure you keep doing these to enjoy the benefits: 1. Balance responsibilities (like schoolwork) with activities you enjoy (like relaxing or spending time with friends). It's all about balance: all work and no play is bad.

But if your schedule is so crammed with activities that there's no time for homework, that'll stress you out too.

2. Manage responsibilities. Use a calendar or planning app to keep track of assignments, chores, practices, and other obligations. Of course, planning is no good if you don't actually do what you plan: Managing stress also means regular studying, keeping on top of assignments, and overcoming procrastination. Take time to reflect a bit every day and think about how things are going. What do you need to work on? Do? Make time for?

Change it to: My first meeting with the college prep advisor was a little disappointing. But it will probably take him some time to get to know my personality and which college is the best fit. I'll give it two more meetings before I make a decision. I'll also try harder to share what I want and not expect him to read my mind.

Why asking for help is important None of us can go it alone. The people who believe in us remind us that we have what it takes, that we matter, and that we're loved.

But sometimes we just have to reach out and ask for that help. Our friends and family love us, but they can't always know what we want, especially if we are putting a brave face on things.

Because it can be hard to reach out for help, don't hesitate to reach out and offer support to another person if you think he or she needs it. Giving and receiving help are great life skills to learn. They help us learn character qualities like empathy and generosity, as well as understand other people better. (kidshealth.org)

3. Eat healthy foods. What you eat affects your mood, energy, and stress level. Eating healthy doesn't mean avoiding all treats – it goes back to that balance thing again.

It's OK to treat yourself to ice cream occasionally if you ate a salad or turkey on whole wheat for lunch. But if ice cream and sweets are your main source of fuel, you're likely to crash or feel cranky – and stressed!

4. Get proper sleep. This may seem like a no-brainer.

After all, who doesn't love to sleep? But getting the right amount of sleep is actually something we need to focus on because it's easy to let homework, talking to friends, or binge watching get in the way of sleep – no matter how much we want to catch those ZZZs. 5. Make time to exercise every day. It's hard to feel anxious when you're taking deep breaths on a run, feeling the rush of a downhill bike ride, or playing a pickup game with friends. Exercise doesn't just take our mind off of stress; it releases chemicals in our brains that make us feel better.

Learning to manage stress means building coping skills that allow you to take everyday challenges in stride. It's about keeping problems in perspective instead of ignoring them, and learning what to work on and what to let go of. (kidshealth.org)

7 Guyanese should take charge of oil audits – Gaskin news

MONdAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

...says foreign companies should not lead the process

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ith the recent announcement made by the Department of Energy to hire an overseas firm to assist with the auditing of the pre-contract costs for oil recovery, outspoken economist and social commentator, Ramon Gaskin, has said although Guyana lacks the capacity, no overseas company should be allowed to take full charge of this audit.

Gaskin’s argument is premised on the fact that only Guyanese will have Guyana’s interest at heart.

He questioned whether there is any guarantee that

while recalling that a few years ago; a Canadianbased company was hired to look into the tax regime of the gold mining sector and did nothing for Guyana.

“The only thing they came up with was to reduce the royalty of Omai, a Canadian company operating in Guyana. Therefore, I am saying, I have zero confidence. We have to have Guyanese to look out for Guyana’s interests. We cannot go to that route again,” he asserted.

Gaskin, a former presidential advisor, believes nothing is wrong with hir-

An oil rig offshore Guyana

an overseas firm, especially one that may have connections to oil companies operating here, will look out for Guyana’s interest.

“I do not have any confidence in any overseas company to look out for the interest in Guyana,” he said,

ing an overseas company to assist Guyanese in understanding the more complex issues in oil and gas, but he thinks Guyanese should remain in charge of the entire auditing process.

He said, “Guyanese have to be in charge. We cannot

Economist Ramon Gaskin

put foreign people to audit the foreign people, they are all the same. We’ve had that experience before. We cannot go there again.”

Head of the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe told sections of the media that the plan is to hire an overseas company that would assist both the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Auditor General’s Office to conduct the audit of the pre-contract costs.

The controversial US$460 million pre-contract costs that ExxonMobil has charged Guyana is yet to be audited. Finance Minister Winston Jordan is aware of the concerns that the sum is inflated and has noted that there is nothing much that could be done at this time.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has responded to a request for help to audit all costs to be recovered by ExxonMobil.

GRA’s Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia said the IMF will be lending its expertise to audit the controversial pre-contract costs.

Statia said the IMF and the World Bank would be training GRA officers in the areas of petroleum accounting, cost recovery audits and other tax-related matters. He said help would also be provided to develop a risk assessment strategy for the sector.

It has been reported that the IMF and other institutions will be tasked with auditing, examining and verifying all available documentation and records necessary for charges and credits relating to the contractor’s activities under

the Petroleum Agreement.

This means all books of accounts, accounting entries; material records and inventories, vouchers, payrolls, invoices and any other documents, and correspondence will be requested and checked thoroughly.

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram had called for the US$460 million pre-contract costs to be audited. Based on his examination, he said the numbers were not adding up.

Ram said ExxonMobil is represented by three companies as the contractor for the Stabroek Block – Esso, CNOOC, and Hess. Using the financial statements of Esso and CNOOC, the only ones which were publicly available, he pointed out a

few important things.

He highlighted for example, that the combined expenditure of Esso and CNOOC at December 31, 2015, was $26 billion with reported losses of $21 billion, giving a total of $47 billion. In United States dollars, using a $200 exchange rate, Ram said that gives a total US$245 million, well short of the $460 million that the Government accepted in the Agreement with ExxonMobil.

To make up the total of US$460 million, Ram said Hess alone would have had to spend, in contract costs, some US$215 million or approximately $46 billion, which he opined would defy logic. Ram stressed that the only satisfactory and acceptable resolution of this matter is a special audit independently undertaken.

8 news

mondAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Berbice carpenter’s murder

CCJ denies Bisram’s request for early hearing ...for DPP to withdraw murder charge

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oughly one month after US-based businessman Marcus Bisram’s mother Sharmila Inderjali, challenged the Appeal Court’s denial for an urgent hearing; the CCJ has upheld the court’s ruling, signalling that the applicant’s son will have to wait the continuing at a New York holding facility as he continues to fight extradition to Guyana. Local investigators have accused him of ordering several henchmen to kill Berbice Carpenter Fiyazz Narinedatt and make his November 1, 2016, murder appear as a hit-and-run.

Inderjali, the applicant, petitioned the courts to expedite the judicial process regarding her bid to have the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) withdraw the murder case. State attorneys, however, contend that Bisram’s lawyers have been abusing the court’s process. In late July, Bisram’s mother had to pay $250,000 his court costs to the State when Appeal Court Justice

Rishi Persaud and acting Justices, Dr Arif Bulkan and Rafiq Khan denied her application.

She sought an order by the CCJ to grant her special leave against the Appeal Court’s July 31, 2018, decision to dismiss her February 6, 2018, application while Inderjali also wanted the Caribbeanbased Justices to abridge the time for which the application can be heard.

She had observed through attorneys Sajeev Datadin and Siand Dhurjon that the Appellate Court “failed to appreciate the uniqueness of the case” and its “special circumstances”. She outlined that the prosecution’s evidence relies on that of a single witness, who is youthful and is of “limited intellect”. The mother said also that the Police never alleged that there is any other evidence against Bisram.

It was in 2017 that she filed proceedings at the High Court before Justice Navindra Singh where she sought an Order Nisi to prohibit the

Murder accused: NY-based businessman Marcus Bisram

DPP from pursing the murder charge which was instituted on March 7, 2017, against Bisram. Her grounds were that continued prosecution of her son would, among other things, be “unlawful, unconstitutional, malicious, and without legal foundation. This was based on several events that took place during the Preliminary Inquiry.

Radesh Motie, Diadatt Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, Orlando Dickie and Niran Yacoob were the five alleged

henchmen who have all been charged for their involvement in the carpenter’s murder. Two of the accused had allegedly confessed to Police that they were ordered by the overseas-based Guyanese businessman to dump the carpenter’s body on the Number 70 Public Road to make his death seem the result of a hitand-run accident.

Additionally, the businessman’s mother and sister have been accused of offering bribes to Police ranks to “duck the case”. Since commencement of the Preliminary Inquiry in Berbice, several persons have been accused of witness tampering.

Police said Narinedatt’s murder was ordered after he rejected the New York-based Bisram’s sexual advances at a party two years ago. His charges have been laid, several courts cases have been filed in a bid to discontinue the charges but many of the Justices in Guyana have been ruling unfavourably towards Bisram.

Cussing…

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…and reporting

ll Guyana’s all agog over the video of a lawyer “cussing out” a traffic cop who stopped his car and demanded he produce his driving licence.

Now, every Guyanese who’s driven a vehicle on our roads would’ve experienced this arbitrary “stop and demand” by traffic Police. And felt their bile (and rage) boil up in their throats as they realise it’s nothing more than a shakedown for a “raise”. That they could be hauled to the Police station and forced to endure sitting for hours on the station bench like a common criminal forces most drivers to “pay up” and “move on”.

Even though there have been numerous articles, letters, debates over the airwaves on the subject – all of which confirmed that you aren’t supposed to be stopped unless the cop had “reasonable cause” to so do -- the practice continues unabatedly. It has to be that the Police, in general, don’t see the need for curbing the practice. Some have asserted that the loot is shared with supervising officers.

Well, for all those long suffering and abused motorists – including your humble Eyewitness -- lawyer Crawford just struck a blow for their emancipation from this Police tyranny! With great aplomb, Crawford demonstrated the verbal facility lawyers should develop after five years of legal training. And as his colleagues at the bar should’ve noted, it isn’t just about using big words: Crawford showed the subtlety that just intonation could impart to words by riffing on the single “F” word and its various tenses. Mostly, he used the form of the present participle “F***ing.

Now, your Eyewitness isn’t going to get into the debate as to the “propriety” of using such “cuss” words. Some felt that, as a lawyer, he shouldn’t have descended “into the gutter”. But why should this be so? Anthropologists show that all cultures have cuss words – and gestures like sticking up the middle finger! So it must be a human response to certain social circumstances, no? Well, the psychologists tell us that cuss words are typically “transgressive” and offensive, but allow us to vent strong emotions about something that affects us. The words are usually about taboo subjects in the public realm - sex, bodily waste and religion.

But your Eyewitness was intrigued by the representation of the cuss word in the Guyanese dailies. Unlike the London Times, for instance, which would use the word fully spelt out when quoting someone – like Crawford – the local newspapers used the first letter of the word, followed by asterisks – eg F***! The question your Eyewitness has is: why is this, the asterisked version, considered less offensive? And studies have shown that it is so with most people.

So, if Crawford had yelled, “F-asterisk you!” to the cop, would it be okay?

But it wouldn’t have been as cathartic for him, would it?

…and Ethnophaulism

Well…well…well! Your Eyewitness learnt a new word today, and in of all places, the Chronic. A member of the ERC revealed that after three years in the making, their newly constituted body -- meant to diffuse the racial hostilities that are always on the verge of boiling over -- will be taking radical corrective action. And what’s that action? Fighting ethnophaulism!!

If, like your Eyewitness, you just ejaculated, “What the heck is that?”, let him save you a peek into your dictionary – it’s an ethnic slur. Now a slur’s different from a cuss word - discussed above – in that it caricatures some identifiable feature of the group being derided. Like the “N” word being connected with colour. The ERC official wants “to develop a glossary of words that should not be used; (with) legislation in place that if that is done, that the authorities step in.”

So, in addition to traffic Police shaking us down, we’ll now have “slur Police”?

…those Trinis

Your Eyewitness is happy he’s explained the cathartic effect of cussing. So don’t sweat about all the cusses you let loose on those Trinis last night, when they carried on against our Warriors!!

You feel better, don’t you?!!

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

News

9

mondAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

GHRA disappointed with Govt’s Green Paper on oil revenue ...says obsession with gaining power should be monitored

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he Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has expressed deep disappointment with Government’s Green Paper for the management of anticipated oil revenues, stating that it lacks context and does not cater for Guyana’s most precious resource, human capital.

Head of the GHRA, Mike McCormack said his organisation has studied the document and while particular emphasis is placed on making education a high priority, it has not taken into account how Guyanese will benefit directly from the revenues of oil.

“We are disappointed with the green paper because it has no context… education has been a high priority in the use of oil revenues, no one disagrees with that but what it doesn’t say is all vulnerable export for the last 50 years have been educated people,” he stated.

In giving his opinion, McCormack said the reason why educated people are leaving, is mainly because

they don’t see a secured and happy future in which they can achieve here. He said this view could be changed if the revenues from oil are spent to improve the lives of people.

He said too that the Association is not in favour of having a politically run fund, because they will not be favourable in delivering.

He said that technical expertise should be sought to ensure that it is properly managed and resources are properly spent.

But more importantly, the GHRA head said while there is much to talk about how the revenues from oil will be spent, he said the discussion must also include what can transpire in 2020.

McCormack reminded that year is critical as it is also an election year.

“Nobody is discussing the fact that 2020… with a political situation in which obsession with gaining power could become serious.

The business community, faith-based organisations and trade unions must have

Head of GHRA Mike McCormack

strong consensus that whoever wins the elections, as an agenda policy we need to support that. We need to ensure there is stability,” he added.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has already raised concerns over the total control of the Natural Resources Fund by the Finance Ministry. The green paper sets out preliminary plans on how the Government hopes to manage the revenue from oil and other natural resources, with clear objectives of the Natural Resources Fund.

The Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) was laid in the National Assembly in August which sets out preliminary proposals to stimulate discussion, also points to possible courses of action open to the SWF legislation.

Jagdeo reminded that he had initial objections to Government’s plans for the Fund but now that the green paper has been made public, he finds the plans to be even more worrying.

The document states that the Finance Ministry will be responsible for the

Lawyer’s outburst inexcusable...

overall management of the Fund, including requested withdrawals in the annual budget proposal. “…calculating the fiscally sustainable amount; drafting the investment mandate; entering into the operational agreement with the Bank of Guyana [BoG] and drafting the annual report and reporting on the Fund through the annual budget,” the document said.

As such, Jagdeo said he disagrees with Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s total control for various reasons, but zeroed in on Jordan’s silence on the signing bonus from ExxonMobil.

“This is the same Minister who lied to the country about the US$18 million signing bonus, saying that Guyana never received it and never asked for it. He lied to Guyanese for over a year. And it is the same Minister who will now have full control.”

Further, the green paper states that the BoG will be the operational manager of the Fund. Jagdeo has al-

ready expressed deep concern about this proposal.

Although the Government has catered for a representative from the Opposition to sit on the Fund, he has already objected to this proposal, stating that politicians should not be included.

“We don’t want politicians… we, ourselves, to manage this money. This Fund has to be independently, technically managed… not by politicians again and stored at the Central Bank.

We have a problem with that model. It departs radically from best practices, like Norway and the other countries,” he had stated.

Now that the green paper has been laid, it paves the way for the proposed legislation on the SWF to be laid in the National Assembly which looks at addressing two main issues: stability of the economy and saving for future generations.

Advice was sought from international agencies, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, among others.

ued. “My language was not proper as an officer of the court or as a member of the Bar of Guyana. I apologise for my language but I am not sorry for questioning arbitrary authority.”

The incident first came to light when the officer, who made a video recording of the stop, posted it to social media. In the video, Crawford could be seen arguing strenuously against the stop before driving away.

The matter has attracted the attention of many Guyanese and has significantly divided opinion.

While some have expressed the need for more becoming behaviour, many have expressed frustration at constant random stops from Police ranks on the roadways.

The Bar Association in a release shied away from addressing Crawford’s incident specifically, though it warned the public of their rights when being stopped.

The Police have also said that an investigation was carried out, with some reports indicating that the file was sent to their legal advisor.

from page 3

“They paid up in panic there or after the Police entered the vehicle and told them to drive to the Police station. Driving to the Police station is frightening. It involves hours of sitting on a bench. When eventually you are dealt with, a hefty dose of bail is imposed. If you don’t have the sum, you have to communicate with a family member to secure bail.”

Ramkarran observed that these persons may then be invited to attend court, where they are told that no case has been filed. This, he noted, can come after the victim wasted a day at the court.

“On several occasions in the past, the Police authorities have announced that Policemen have no right to request a vehicle owner to go

to the Police station for a minor offence. This, of course, (is sometimes not) observed by traffic Policemen who continue to hold on to drivers’ licences and demand that the drivers go to the station.”

“I have been the victim of most of these forms of harassment and so have family members and friends who have called me for assistance and advice. So have most of the thousands of drivers on the road. A traffic Policeman’s position is seen as a lucrative one.”

Apology

Meanwhile, Attorney Ryan Crawford himself issued an apology on his social media page. In the apology, he expresses regret for using

expletives during the stop but added that he would continue to oppose Police who overstep their authority.

“On September 13, I was singled out from a line of vehicles travelling about 25km by a Police Officer who was standing on the opposite side of the carriageway along the vicinity of the Mahaicony Public Road. After complying with the officer to stop, I was ordered to the side of the road where I waited. At all times, my two front (windows) were down.”

Crawford recounted that after a lengthy wait without being given an explanation for the stop, he became frustrated at being detained. He noted that that frustration led to the expletives while making his point to the officer that it was an illegal

stop. Crawford also alluded to things being said prior to the filming.

“As a practising attorney in both civil and criminal courts, I have seen and heard of the plight of citizens of this country at the hands of some in the Police Force.

My frustration has been brewing for a while. I’m still dealing with matters started 18 years ago by my father SC Marcel Crawford, in the court. There are so many more important issues not being addressed.”

“I am not trying to justify my behaviour,” he contin-

10 news

mondAY, september 17, 2018| guyanatimesgy.com

2 nabbed in Bartica US Embassy takes public consultation to Linden with cannabis

The packets of drugs found during the search

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olice ranks of F Division (Interior locations) have arrested two persons in Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) on Saturday afternoon after they were both found to be in possession of cannabis.

A 36-year-old D’Urban Street, Georgetown, resident

and a young woman were reportedly at the Bartica Ferry Stelling when they were seen acting in a suspicious manner; thus prompting Police ranks to conduct a search on their person.

The search on the male inbound passenger unearthed 37 grams of cannabis concealed in a quantity

of small sized transparent Ziploc bags in his possession.

A further search conducted on the female unearthed 10 grams of cannabis. The duo was immediately arrested and taken to the Bartica Police Station where they are assisting with investigations.

Consular General J Abin interacting with students at the consultation

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he Consular Section of the United States (US) Embassy on Friday took its countrywide public consultations to

Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) where residents were able to access information on the visa application process.

The Embassy team comprised Consular General J Abin,;American Citizens Services Assistant, Dolores Broomes; and American Citizens Services Officer attached to the American Citizens Services Unit, Amanda Peskin.

The outreach was held at the Lichas Hall, Mackenzie, and the team met with scores of persons from across the region, engaging them in an interactive session.

Peskin said while the main goal of the consultations was to check on the whereabouts of American citizens across the country to establish a means of contact. Friday’s session also sought to assist persons with any queries they had about the visa application process.

The team also took the opportunity to encourage American citizens in the region to vote in the upcoming US elections from Guyana.

She said information can be found on the Federal Voter Assistance website at fvap.org as she encouraged US citizens in the region to register with the Embassy to have contact information on file. According to Peskin, this information is also necessary in cases of emergencies and so that citizens can receive regular reminders.

“The Embassy, specifically the Consular Section, is going on a series of outreach trips to pretty much every region in Guyana.

One of our main goals is to talk to American citizens in all these different places… our job in Guyana is to make sure that the welfare and whereabouts of Americans in Guyana is accounted for. Something else we happen to do on these trips is talk about visas… We know that visas are a very popular topic in Guyana, so we do want to demystify the visa application process and that’s why

we do these public talks about how to apply for a visa to the US,” she noted.

She also pointed out that there was a tremendous turnout on Friday where attendees focused on targeted questions during the interactive session. Information regarding these topics, she noted, can also be found on the State Department and the Embassy of Guyana’s website at gy.usembasy.gov or travel.state.gov.

More frequently asked questions, she explained, centred on how persons can qualify for a non-immigrant visa. “The embassy reviews visas on a case by case basis. Every time a person applies for a non-immigrant visa, there application is reviewed and they come to the embassy for an interview. There is no quota for non-immigrant visas, so there is no certain number of visas that has to be issued or has to be refused…,” Peskin explained.

She continued that in order to qualify, applicants must prove that they do not have immigrant intent.

Meanwhile, Abin related that there are many misconceptions about the visa process as he pointed out that the visit provided the opportunity to answer questions and provide reliable information.

“We also took the chance to talk to a lot of the people we work with here on issues of concern to the Consular Section – the Police, child protective services and how we can work more closely with them. It’s definitely in our common interest to do that. If there’s an American who’s arrested and there’s child who is being abused and things like that, this gives us an opportunity to make those contacts’, he noted, while stating that this was one of the largest turnouts so for the year.

The team has so far visited Bartica and Lethem and is expected to be at Anna Regina next week and Mahdia and Mabaruma in October.

11 Prison Service structure to undergo major shake-up T News

mondAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

he Guyana Prison Service, looking to recompose from the 2016 March riots and the July 2017 fire and jailbreak at the Camp Street Penitentiary, is currently on the verge of undergoing major shake-up of its management structure.

Director of Acting Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, told Guyana Times in a recent interview that the structure of the Prison Service has to be reviewed in order to improve its management.

“We’ve already gone through the consultancy in terms of that being done, so we’re just waiting now [for] the proposal on the table to be approved; and hopefully this is done, which will see the provision for larger intake of persons especially at the supervisory and managerial levels,” he told Guyana Times.

The 2016 riots resulted in 17 inmates being burnt to death, while several others along with prison staff were injured. Last year’s fire destroyed most of the building at the Camp Street jail, leaving only one standing, while several inmates took advantage of the jailbreak and escaped.

Samuels explained that these incidents occurring over the past two years have significantly affected the Prison Service and further hampered the Service’s ability to conduct the required staff training.

“Our Training School has actually been out of use since 2016 because we had to reconfigure the use of the Training School to meet current needs. However, we recognised the need to tackle that, and several systems are being put in place in terms of ensuring that the training needs of staff are met, so that they’re not affected by that in terms of upward mobility,” he asserted.

The Prison Director posited that, over the past few weeks, there has been significant advancement in terms of recruitment. Some 32 persons are currently undergoing a 13-week training course, while, at the same time, an additional 33 persons are in the process of being recruited.

“That will take care of all persons at our entry-levels. While we have some vacancies existing at the top, there’re several criteria that persons have to fulfil in terms of being eligible for upward mobility, which we’re currently addressing,” Samuels explained.

He outlined that in order to facilitate upward mobility, the Prison Service offers internal training, while there are also promotional exams as well.

Additionally, the Service is encouraging its officers to improve their academic qualifications by facilitating their tertiary education pursuit, which is also a pre-requisite for promotion.

Asked whether there are

Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels

qualified persons within the organisation who can be considered for upward mobility at this point in time, the Prisons Director responded in the affirmative.

“Yes, there are several persons who, based on the internal training we would have offered and based on their academic qualifications, [are qualified to be promoted]. Despite we’re not attracting as much qualified people as we would like, there are quite a few persons who have joined and who have been around for some time, especially those who are furthering their education at the various technical institutes and the University of Guyana,” Samuels stated.

Even as these efforts are being undertaken to strengthen the capacity of the Prison Service in order to make it more effective

in fulfilling its mandate, authorities are struggling with curbing the smuggling of contraband into the prison system. It is believe that this perennial problem still remains because of the involvement of both prison and Police officers in facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be a “big business”.

In fact, back in May, five prison officers had found themselves in trouble for smuggling marijuana into the Lusignan Prison; while only two weeks ago, a Policeman was caught attempting to throw more contraband items into the holding area of the same facility.

Samuels pointed out that efforts are constantly being made to rid the prisons of contraband, but every time exercises such as raids are carried out and items seized, the demand for more illicit items is created, which some officers take advantage of and capitalise on.

“We have been putting systems in place… But what is clear (is that) there seems to be established syndicates – these are officers who are working in collusion with each other to facilitate the movement of these [contraband] items into the prison.

We do not have the luxury of being able to have a gazetted rank on every shift, and in the absence of these persons who lend oversight, the persons on the ground tend to capitalise on these opportunities to carry out their illegal acts,” he noted.

Samuels further explained that while several methods are there to gather intelligence in the prison environment, these efforts are hindered by the practice of officers who witness or are aware of such acts by their colleagues but choose to remain mum instead of reporting it to higher authorities.

Because of this, Samuels posited, it is difficult for authorities to identify these rogue officers, and so they go on with their corrupt acts.

“Many persons have not been forthcoming with information they are privy to, and so these [corrupt] persons are not known… But the fact that you cannot link it to some specific time, it is

difficult to sanction persons who are on duty, because sometimes when you discover these items, it could be days that they’re in the prison already, and so to just go and bring charges against the persons who were on duty during that entire period might not be in the best interest of the service,” the Prison Director asserted.

Nevertheless, in efforts to further beef up security and prevent the smuggling of contraband into prison facilities, the Prisons Service will be getting its first fullbody scanner in December, with an additional three others included in the 2019 Budget.

12 news

mondAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

SOCU has opened a Pandora’s box – Nandlall ...by violating confidentiality of Cabinet meetings

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few days ago, several Ministers of the former Government were questioned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in what has been described as the Pradoville probe. Could this course of action have established a precedent for successive Governments?

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall certainly thinks so. According to Nandlall, in his recent writings, the sacrosanct nature of cabinet meetings dates back many years, and is in place across several countries.

“This week, SOCU has done that which may be unprecedented in the history of the Commonwealth: its officers grilled a number of members of the Cabinet of Guyana of 2010 in relation to policies discussed and decisions taken at a Cabinet meeting held during that year.”

Nandlall cited several cases, including Conway V Rimmer and the text Cabinet responsibility to legislature (India) by G. C. Malhotra, to make the point that cabinet must be insulated from undue interference. He also cited Australia, explaining that when a government changes, the minutes of cabinet

meetings are archived for 25 years.

“Cabinet is created

by Article 106 (1) of the Constitution, which prescribes its composition to be the President, the Prime Minister, Vice Presidents, and such other Ministers as may be appointed to it by the President. Its functions are, ‘to aid and advise the President in the general direction and control of the Government of Guyana, and shall be collectively responsible therefore to Parliament,” Nandlall stated, quoting from Article 106 (2) of the Constitution.

According to Nandlall, SOCU has breached this principle. He revealed that when the former Ministers were questioned last week, SOCU officers had in their possession minutes from cabinet meetings dating back to 2010. And it was based on those minutes that they were questioned.

“By so doing, wittingly or unwittingly, a dangerous precedent has been set, with no lines drawn. It is now open to every future Government of this country to launch Police investigations in respect of policies and decisions collectively made by past Presidents and

The former PPP Government Ministers making their way into SOCU Headquarters and being led by their Attorney, Anil Nandlall

their Cabinet,” Nandlall said.

“This must be ominous for this Government, as it has engaged in so many transactions that can easily be the subject of Police investigations. This can only lead to greater political acrimony and deeper cleavages in an already divided society.

What is certain is an appointment to Cabinet has now become hazardous,” Nandlall explained.

On

Questioned

Wednesday

morn-

ing, former Public Works Minister Robeson Benn and former Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir found themselves the latest to be questioned at SOCU’s headquarters.

The duo was represented by former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who disclosed that she, too, was called in for questioning regarding the matter on Tuesday.

Speaking to media operatives after being questioned, Benn revealed that he explained to the SOCU investigators that during the period surrounding the sale of the lands, a Minister had been murdered, and so Government did what “need-

ed to be done” at the time.

He was referring to the assassination of former Agriculture Minister Satyadeo Sawh, his family and security personnel.

Sawh and two of his siblings were gunned down in April 2006, shortly after they had returned to the Minister’s La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara home.

Benn, who does not own property at the Sparendaam location, told media reporters that the overriding issue had to do with the stability of the country, to make sure that the President (Bharrat Jagdeo) and other members of the Cabinet get a home in a secure and safe environ-

ment away from criminal activities.

Last year March, former President Bharrat Jagdeo and former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, were arrested, while several other former Government Ministers under the PPP Administration were detained by SOCU officials who were probing misappropriation of State assets.

The arrest and detention was in connection with an ongoing probe into the acquisition of lands at “Pradoville 2”, among other things. Days after that, President David Granger declared that the former Guyanese Leader should not have been treated the way he was.

In the past, SOCU has detained several former prominent Government officials in regard to their connection with the Pradoville 2 scheme. The reason these persons are being questioned is because they purchased property at the Sparendaam seawall area.

The current Administration contends that the transaction is a criminal act because of the belief that the land was sold below market value.

However, the PPP has argued that subsidised housing has always been part of the legacy of the PPP, and that countless Guyanese have benefited from lands sold below market value.

13

news

mondAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP MP pushes for the promotion, conversing of Amerindian languages

A

s Guyana celebrates Amerindian Heritage Month, Executive member of the PPP Dr Frank Anthony believes that Government should be steadfast in promoting the various Amerindian languages.

According to Dr Anthony, many of the words accepted in today’s society have been derived from native languages of the Amerindians, and thus more effort should be invested into promoting them.

Many of the languages are deemed endangered, threatened, or vulnerable; and this has been confirmed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific

PPP Member of Parliament, Dr Frank Anthony

and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

UNESCO’s reason for the classification of these

Enmore co-op feud continues …villager “locked” into home

A

The invaders of Rambarran’s property erecting a fence

s the feud between the North Haslington Co-op Society and residents of Enmore North, East Coast Demerara (ECD) intensifies; a resident was on Sunday morning faced with added humiliation when she was locked in her own home by persons claiming to be the new owners of her property.

Nadia Rambarran is living on the property owned by her mother, Yasmattie Rambarran. The plot of land was willed to her by her now deceased uncle, Rango Paul, who was part of the Co-op Society.

At around 10:00h on Sunday morning, she heard loud noises emanating from outside of her house.

Upon inspections, she saw three men nailing her main access door shut, thus trapping her inside. The men then proceeded to erect a fence while the young woman who was unable to exit her house was forced to watch from her window.

The said persons who had on a previous occasion invaded the said house and threw her belongings outside, were later ordered to stop construction as a probe has since been launched into the matter by Minister with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott.

“The matter is now en-

gaging the Minister of Coop, Mr Keith Scott, engaging Central Co-op, Ms Gibbs is looking into the matter, and the matters is engaging the Police... yet still they are coming and invading the people premises and making rings around them, threatening remarks, as well as locking them up in their home,” one angered resident who was witnessing the ordeal explained to Guyana Times.

It is being reported that following a meeting between Minister Scott and the Chief Central Co-op Officer of Georgetown, it was relayed that the lands of the co-op society are not to be sold but are to be transferred from one generation to the next.

Further, the lands are also not transported lands as it is a block lease and as such, the Enmore residents were never given individual transports.

As such, the Secretary of the Haslington Co-op is engaging in irregularities by selling these lands and issuing individual transports to the buyers. It was also reported to this publication that the Secretary was in 2014 sanctioned for her actions and was in June of this year invited to a meeting with the Chief Co-op Officer and again sanctioned. continued on page 14

languages comes from the steady decline in the amount of persons speaking indigenous languages, and cases wherein teaching these languages is not undertaken.

“This year, I wished that more emphasis could be placed on promoting the different Amerindian languages. In Guyana, the value of these Amerindian languages has mostly gone unappreciated… Currently, UNESCO has flagged these languages as critically endangered, threatened or vulnerable.

This is because there has

been a steady decline in the number of persons speaking the languages, and in many cases there isn’t any serious attempt to teach the languages to the current generation” Dr Anthony related.

In addition, Dr Anthony is of the view that Government should make all attempts to invest resources which will be used in a long-term basis in conserving these different indigenous Languages.

“The Government of Guyana must have a clearly articulated policy, and must set aside the resourc-

es to ensure that the policies and programmes are implemented correctly in the various communities. For some time now, I have been advocating for the creation of an Amerindian Language Institute staffed with linguists who can conduct research, develop teaching material, and use it to teach the languages to the various communities,” Dr Anthony revealed.

Dr Anthony also pointed out that the Government, together with the Amerindian leaders and other associ-

ations, should make promoting the Indigenous languages a matter of urgent national conversation.

“Our Amerindian leaders, academia, civil society and Government must have an urgent national conversation on what can and should be done for the promotion of these languages. As we celebrate the Amerindian Heritage Month, one of the best ways to do so is to take concrete steps to promote the linguistic heritage of our Amerindian communities,” he advised.

14 news

mondAY, september 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Hague rice farmer hopes to get at least 60% of produce

S

everal acres of rice fields in Hague, West Coast Demerara have been affected by bugs, but the affected farmer is hoping to get at least 60 per cent of his produce come next month, when the crop is ready to be harvested.

This was related by the rice farmer, Omar Dhanny, whose plot of land was infested with termites back in August of this year.

He said, “I hoping that I can mek a 50 or 60 per cent recovery, cause you know that still wouldn’t be bad, (rather) than to lose the whole crop”.

The farmer was happy to report that he has seen improvement in the field. He

does not credit this to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), which recently told this newspaper that their intervention was successful.

“As I look at the field there right now, I actually recovered about 40 per cent, from the way it went,” Dhanny added.

He said, “The rice won’t be able to cover the expense, but at least you might get back some”. He explained that due to the stage the rice is at, he would be unable to say how much he might lose because of the infestation.

The farmer would have since spent thousands of dollars to recover the rice fields from the termites, which he

The present state of the Hague rice field, which has seen improvement

feared would have decimated the entire crop.

To date, he said, he is continuing to use pesticides

which were recommended by an ex-National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) official.

He said he would have only drained the field, as was suggested by the GRDB, since he was already using the pesticides recommended by the GRDB extension officers, who reportedly only dispatched officers to the area after this newspaper exposed the situation.

Head of the GRDB, Nizam Hassan, about two weeks ago boasted of major improvement to the rice fields during an interview with Guyana Times.

He, however, stated, “It is too early to say whether or not the crop will be of the standard when it is time for harvest, which should be just about four weeks from now”.

According to Hassan, the discolouration first observed on the plants is now fading, as the plants are beginning to become greener due to the treatment recommended by the GRDB and constant monitoring.

One farmer, Ganga Persaud, who has 60 years of experience in the field, said, “There are some improvements, but not too much to be happy about. The rice, since GRDB officials from research came, they went there and

they uprooted some plants and took some water samples, and they looked at it and they strained the water and found some dead worms”.

Persaud argued that the officials ‘routinely checks’ for the usual pests, something which he believes is not the real reason for the plants’ state. He said, “They did not look for what they did not find”.

The farmers initially claimed that some 120 acres of their lands were being affected by a termite infestation, but GRDB later dismissed this claim, saying that advice was given to the farmers to drain the fields and apply systematic pesticides, but the farmers refused to do so.

The GRDB said it determined that the farmer needed to drain the field and apply a systematic pesticide; in this instance, it was recommended that Pronto and Regional at the recommended rates be used.

Hassan said a subsequent visit by the GRDB showed that the farmer had water weevils, and had not been spraying with the required pesticide recommended by the team.

The GRDB head claimed that the farmer also admitted to not draining his field despite being advised to do so, and has advised that the farmer was, in fact, applying a contact insecticide instead of a systematic pesticide.

Based on a report compiled by an investigating team, dead water weevil larvae were found on the roots of some plants, the GRDB noted, adding that only one farmer, and 3.4 acres of rice fields were presently affected.

Guyana Times reported that close to 15 rice farmers were affected and lost much of their crop in the villages of Hague, Den Amstel, and several other areas.

Enmore co-op...

from page 13

However, following that meeting, the woman reportedly held an emergency meeting with the buyers of the already owned Enmore North lands and encouraged them to dismantle homes and to “put up structures”.

As a result of this, the residents are awaiting a decision by the Labour Ministry but are currently unsure of their next move as they are being targeted on a daily basis.

Attorney Anil Nandlall had stated that he would represent the residents in the High Court if the matter could not be resolved amicably at the level of the Co-op.

As such, Nandlall had visited with the Commander of the area who had promised to dispatch two senior ranks to the area to provide protection for the Enmore residents. However, the protection was never provided for the residents this newspaper was told.

Nandlall had also visited the residents and proceed-

ed to condemn the wrongful actions of the co-op. He is holding out that while the co-op is in a process of redistributing the land, they cannot merely give it to another member while noting that when a person is deceased, the beneficiary is supposed to be given the land.

However, it is not a case whereby the residents were squatting on the land. “That is not what the law says.

The law of cooperative society recognises transmission of interest upon death. If a deceased was a member of a co-op, and would’ve been entitled to a plot of land, when that person dies, that interest passes on to the beneficiary of that deceased person,” the former Attorney General stated.

“Those who are administering the co-op ought to recognise that and rather than assign the property to another member of the co-op, they’re supposed to assign it to the beneficiary,” Nandlall detailed.

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monDAY, septemer 17, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI

What the people say

I SAY...

Several reports have been made of the importation of fake products that are being sold on the Guyanese market and are causing harm to consumers.

In light of this, we are asking the public what they think could be done to clamp down on the importation of such items.

Krycel Williams “I'm not sure what you mean when you say fake stuff; but with regard to the fake shoes and clothes, it’s helping Guyanese in a positive way, since it's more affordable.

People can now afford to buy themselves and their children an outfit... Before, some households have (had) to get an outfit in "turns" -- this week for Tom, next week for Harry, and the other week for daddy; it was too expensive to buy all at once. But on the other hand, Chinese get fake cabbage, fake lettuce, fake rice, all over the globe selling... they are honestly undefeated”.

Elroy Adolph "I am really concerned about it, especially some of the food. I would have seen videos with people exposing some of the fake food, and I think the Government Food and Drug Department needs to up its game and test everything that reaches our shelves. Guyana has to up its game, because some of it (the food) is not healthy for our families".

Mohammed Deen “Firstly, there is GRA; then there is Customs; then there are Government inspectors, (Analyst) Food and Drug Department. Then how is it possible that all these fake items gets into Guyana? We need Customs and GRA to do a better job. Very simple: they need to stop taking bribes to allow things to pass.”

Robert Estwick “Don’t the Government have a system in place for the verification and validation of imported food products?

If they do, then that system needs to be more thorough and efficient. If there’s no such system, then they need one”.

Aslam Yorrick “I think all these fake products are linked to the increase of cancer worldwide, and something needs to be done urgently”.

Onika Lawrence “I think those in authority should test all products that are being imported to Guyana, to make sure that they are safe for the use of the consumers”.

T&T PM for State visit on September 19, 20 P

rime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Dr Keith Rowley, is scheduled to visit Guyana on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 September, 2018.

According to the

Department of Public Information (DPI), during his visit, Prime Minister Rowley and President David Granger will discuss a wide range of matters of interest to both States, including energy sector cooperation, agriculture and se-

curity.

Their meeting will be followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Energy Sector Cooperation between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

The non-binding MoU

will outline a number of sector-specific areas of possible cooperation between the two countries, and will be publicised after it has been signed.

Five ministers of the Trinidad and Tobago Government are expected

to accompany their Prime Minister on his visit to Guyana.

This working visit is part of ongoing efforts to foster greater dialogue aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two Caricom member States.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley

16

guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, september 17, 2018

Regional

China to lend Venezuela US$5B C

hina has agreed to extend a US$5 billion credit line to cash-strapped Venezuela, as President Nicolás Maduro headed to Beijing, Bloomberg News reported.

Venezuelan Finance Minister Simon Zerpa, told Bloomberg that Venezuela would repay the loan with either cash or oil. The two countries were also expected to sign what Zerpa described as a strategic alliance on gold mining.

Maduro is seeking additional Chinese support to weather an economic meltdown since oil prices col-

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (left) and China’s President Xi Jinping

lapsed nearly four years ago that has led to civil un-

rest and the collapse of the country’s currency. Maduro

has halted most payments on Venezuela’s foreign debt and owes more than US$6 billion to bondholders, cutting off most sources of new financing.

China has been a key lender to Venezuela since 2008, when it first provided funds for infrastructure and oil projects in the country, Bloomberg noted.

China has lent an estimated US$70 billion in several instalments, most to be paid back in oil, according to Asdrubal Oliveros, director of Ecoanalitica, a consulting firm in Caracas. (Caribbean News Now)

Colombian navy rescues 28 Jamaican castaways

T

wenty-eight Jamaican sailors who escaped a fire were alive and well after being rescued by the Colombian navy in the Caribbean, authorities said Saturday.

The sailors were travelling on the fishing boat Real Magic when it caught fire late Thursday or ear-

ly Friday, and they took to life rafts to await help, Rear Admiral Juan Francisco Herrera, a navy commander in Colombia's San Andres and Providencia area, told AFP. The captain of the boat managed to alert the Jamaican embassy using a satellite phone. The embas-

sy contacted Colombian authorities and asked them to search for the shipwrecked sailors South of Cayo Serranilla Island, which they did with the support of US aircraft.

A merchant ship from Singapore that had just emerged from the Panama Canal "managed to find

them, boarded (and) hydrated them," before leaving the sailors with the Colombian navy ship that travelled to the area, Herrera said.

Several of the sailors had first and second degree burns on their extremities, as well as symptoms of dehydration, the Colombian military said in a statement.

(MSN)

Brazil Police seize US$16M from Equatorial Guinea’s VP delegation

M

ore than US$16 million (£12 million) in cash and luxury watches were seized at an airport in Brazil in the luggage of a delegation accompanying the son of the president of Equatorial Guinea, local media has reported.

Teodorin Nguema Obiang, Vice President of Equatorial Guinea and son of its long-time President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, arrived on Friday on a private plane at Viracopos airport near São Paulo as part of an 11-person delegation.

O Estado de São Paulo reported on its website that Federal Police found US$1.5 million in cash in one bag and watches worth an estimated US$15 million in an-

Teodorin Nguema Obiang, the son of Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang

other.

TV network Globo said Obiang was the only member of the delegation who had diplomatic immunity as the group was not on an official mission. The bags of oth-

er delegation members were inspected as Obiang waited outside in a car, it said.

Brazilian law prohibits people from entering the country with more than 10,000 reais (£1800), in

cash.

Brazil’s Foreign Ministry told AFP that it was “in permanent coordination with the Federal Police and the customs service over the case and to decide what measures should be taken”.

The embassy of Equatorial Guinea in Brasília did not respond to questions about the matter.

O Estado de São Paulo quoted a diplomatic source from Equatorial Guinea as saying the money was to pay for medical treatment Obiang was to undergo in São Paulo.

Accused of using public funds to support a lavish lifestyle, Teodorin Obiang was sentenced in France to a three-year suspended sentence in October 2017 for money laundering. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

‘Mariachi musician’ gunmen kill 5 in Mexico City

G

unmen dressed as traditional mariachi musicians have killed five people and wounded eight in Mexico City, sending onlookers fleeing. They opened fire at a road crossing on the edge of the Plaza Garibaldi, a major tourist attraction packed with mariachi bars, Police said.

The gunmen then fled from the scene on motorbikes. Plaza Garibaldi borders the notorious Tepito district, home to the violent La Union drugs gang. Two of those killed had convictions for robbery, AFP news agency reports, quoting a local official.

"You come completely relaxed and to have a good time and then suddenly there are gunshots," one tourist in the area told Reuters news agency. "You don't know if you're going to

Jamaican Govt banning sugary drinks at public health facilities as of Jan 1

Jamaica’s Health Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton

A

s of January 1, 2019, sugary drinks will be banned from public health facilities, according to Jamaica’s Health Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton.

In an interview at the Caribbean Wellness Day Symposium, held at the Spanish Court Hotel, in New Kingston, on Wednesday last, the Minister said a tone

750 people reported missing annually in T&T A

Missing Per-sons Unit (MPU), with specialist investigators, is critically needed in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) to deal with the scores of missing persons cases and to also deal with cold cases. The former head of the National Operations Centre, Commander Garvin Heerah said the unit was necessary as there was a distinct difference between kidnappings/abductions and missing persons.

According to 2015 statistics, the T&T Police Service (TTPS) investigates an average of 750 “missing persons” cases annually. It is believed that that number has significantly increased.

From January 2002 to April 2018,

there have been 389 kidnapping cases for ransom reported in T&T. From January 2013 to April 2018 there were

533 cases of kidnappings reported.

Heerah said both demanded different approaches, procedures, and

best practice.

Heerah, an expert in Homeland Security and Safe City Concept, said the dedicated MPU needed to be equipped with modern tools of the trade and “aligned with an international counterpart that can provide training and development in practical investigation scenarios”.

“Police do the very best they can, but let's be honest, they have to prioritise based on the escalating crime rates we have today,” he said.

Heerah strongly believes that the existence of cold cases was also posing a significant challenge to the TTPS, especially with limited specialist manpower resources. (Excerpt from Trinidad

Guardian)

get back home. Now, you're not going to trust mariachis because the gunmen were dressed as mariachis."

Tepito has suffered a wave of violence over the last month after the gang's presumed leader, Roberto Moyado Esparza – or El Betito – was arrested.

The number of killings in the city, the Mexican capital, has surged since 2014.

More than 200,000 people have been killed or have disappeared since December 2006, when Mexico's Government declared war on organised crime.

Mexico experienced its most violent year in 2017 with more than 25,000 murders, official figures suggest.

It is the highest annual tally since modern records began.

Organised crime accounted for nearly three-quarters of those murders. (BBC News)

must be set for people not to drink themselves to sickness, and while patients in the public health system are guided by nutritionists, “for the general consumption, we will be discouraging those products.”

“We believe that we need to set the example, and there are thousands of persons who work in the hospitals, so we want to set the tone and the culture within the public health system,” the Minister said. He explained that the ban will affect what can be sold by concessionaires, and others selling at public hospitals and health centres.

The Minister pointed out that sensitisation is ongoing, and come next January, administrators at the institutions will a “critical part of the enforcement.”

During his contribution to the 2018/2019 Sectoral Debate, Dr Tufton spoke of the impending restriction of certain types of sugary drinks in schools and health facilities, and made an appeal for increased consumption of water and fruit juices. (Jamaica Observer)

17

mondAY, september 17, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Brett Kavanaugh 'sexual assault victim' speaks out

A

Brett Kavanaugh denies the allegations

woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, has identified herself.

Christine Blasey Ford told the Washington Post Kavanaugh had pinned her to a bed and tried to undress her when they were both teenagers.

Kavanaugh denied the allegations when they first surfaced last week. The top members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are now expected to speak to both Kavanaugh and Ford.

Kavanaugh, 53, was questioned during four days of hearings at the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. The committee is due to vote on Thursday on whether his nomination should go forward to a full vote in the Senate.

Ford, a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University, told the Post she had decided to go public as her privacy was "being chipped away". She believed the incident happened in 1982, when she was 15 and

Kavanaugh was 17.

He was a student at Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda, Maryland, and she was studying at a nearby high school. The incident allegedly happened at a gathering of teenagers at a house, when Kavanaugh and a friend allegedly "corralled" her into a bedroom.

Kavanaugh and his friend were both drunk, she says.

In the words of the Washington Post, "While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it. "When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth." Ford, 51, is further quoted as saying that she managed to break free.

Kavanaugh issued his denial last week: "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time". (Excerpt from BBC News)

Typhoon Mangkhut rips through Hong Kong and China

H

ong Kong and southern China took cover on Sunday as strong winds and heavy rain from Typhoon Mangkhut lashed the densely populated coast, a day after the biggest storm to hit the Philippines this year left at least 64 people dead.

Two more people were killed as the storm made landfall in southern China, according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated from seven cities in Guangdong province of China, according to The Associated Press news agency. In Hong Kong, authorities warned people to stay away from the Victoria Harbour landmark, where storm surges battered the waterfront reinforced with sandbags.

The gambling enclave of Macau, meanwhile, closed its casinos for the first time, according to the South China Morning Post, as nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port.

Mangkhut made land-

fall in Guangdong around 5pm local time (09:00 GMT) on Sunday, packing wind speeds of 162 km/h, while 10-metre-high waves battered the coastline.

The national meteorological centre said southern China "will face a severe test caused by wind and rain" and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.

The Hong Kong Observatory said although Mangkhut had weakened slightly, its extensive, intense rain bands were bringing heavy downfall and frequent squalls.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled. All high-speed and some normal rail services in Guangdong and Hainan provinces were also halted on Sunday, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Co said.

Footage posted on social media showed fierce winds throwing people to the ground, swaying buildings, smashed windows and serious flooding. A video reportedly filmed in Hong Kong's Kowloon area showed scaffolding collapsing at a building site. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Ethiopian, Eritrean leaders sign peace agreement in Jeddah

E

thiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace agreement in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the second peace deal reached since July between the once warring African countries.

The Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders signed a “joint declaration of peace and friendship” on July 9, normalising ties between the longtime foes who waged war against each other between 1998 and 2000.

Further details of Sunday’s peace agreement signed in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and announced in a statement by the Saudi government were not immediately available.

The agreement “will contribute to strengthening security and stability in the region at large,” said Saudi

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (centre), Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (right) and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki pose for the camera during the ceremony to sign a peace agreement in Jeddah, Saudi Arabis on September 16, 2018

Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Twitter.

Abiy and Afwerki signed the agreement in the pres-

ence of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and United Nations

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders “expressed their appreciation” to King Salman and the crown prince for their support of the peace deal, the statement said.

It is not clear what role, if any, Saudi Arabia played in brokering the peace agreement reached two months ago.

Gulf neighbour the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it helped bring the countries together. Reuters has reported that the UAE has privately taken credit for the deal.

The Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders travelled to the UAE weeks after signing the historic July agreement to jointly meet with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, september 17, 2018

ARCHIE

Not everyone will see things your way. You’ll get (March 21- the most out of doing your April 19) own thing. Don’t let others stand in your way or take advantage of you.

ARIES

You’ll be tempted to make TAURUS a change, but before you do, (April 20- figure out the best way to May 20) move forward. Haste makes waste, and preparation and attention to detail will ensure that you reach your goal.

dilbert

An energetic approach to GEMINI (May 21- learning, and executing your June 20) plans with thought, integrity and caution will help you interest others in your dreams and plans.

It’s OK to do things differently. In fact, you will draw (June 21- positive attention that will July 22) boost your reputation and expand your circle of friends.

Romance is on the rise.

CANCER

Peanuts

Not all change is good.

LEO Think before you launch (July 23- something that could work Aug. 22) against you. Don’t let emotions be your guide when logic and practicality are what’s required.

Take care of your responVIRGO sibilities quickly so you can (Aug. 23enjoy your day. Put more enSept. 22) ergy and thought into how you handle your finances and treat those you love.

Calvin and Hobbes

Avoid trouble by keeping LIBRA (Sept. 23- busy and living up to your promises. Focus on self-imOct. 23) provement and what you can accomplish yourself instead of trying to change others. Mixed emotions will lead to change.

WORD GAME

TODAY'S WORD - GUESSWORK (GUESSWORK: GESS-wurk: The process of assuming or asserting without sufficient information.)

SUDOKU

Don’t believe everything SAGITTARIUS you hear. Consider the source (Nov. 23- of any information you reDec. 21) ceive. A scam or inaccurate instructions will turn out to be quite costly. It’s OK to decline.

Average mark 25 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 40 or more words in GUESSWORK? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY'S WORD — AGGRAVATE

agar agate agave ager area avatar aver avert gage

garage gate gave gear grate grave great rage ragg

ragtag rate ravage rave reata vert tagger tare tear

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

Keep your life simple.

SCORPIO Don’t take on something un(Oct. 24realistic that could lead to ill Nov. 22) health or injury. Love who you are and concentrate on being your best.

solution for last published puzzle

Trust in yourself and CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- make decisions based on exJan. 19) perience. You will gain support if you make changes that will improve your environment at home or work.

Romance is encouraged.

Alter your life for the right

AQUARIUS reason, not because someone (Jan. 20- else is making a change. Don’t Feb. 19) complicate matters by trying to be someone or something you’re not.

Size up your situation and PISCES (Feb. 20- take the initiative to improve March 20) your life. You have everything to gain by trusting and believing in yourself and your attributes.

mondAY, september 17, 2018

19

Alvarez beats Golovkin on points to take

WBC and WBA middleweight titles

S

aul 'Canelo' Alvarez claimed the WBC and WBA world middleweight titles by inflicting a first career defeat on Gennady Golovkin with a gripping points win in their Las Vegas rematch.

The Mexican claimed a frenetic final round on two of the three scorecards which was critical in preventing a repeat of the draw both men shared 364 days earlier at the same T-Mobile Arena venue.

It gave him a narrow a 114-114 115-113 115-113 majority decision to edge a contest in which both men were cut and where each showed why they are among the finest practitioners in the sport.

Golovkin, whose first defeat comes in his 40th bout, left the ring immediately without conducting an interview as his rival - fighting for the first time since serving a six-month drugs ban celebrated.

"My corner told me I needed to win the final round and that's what I did.

I'm very emotional," said

Canelo Alvarez is once again a middleweight world champion and has also held world titles at light-middleweight

Alvarez, who has previously held world titles at middleweight and light-middleweight.

Golovkin told reporters afterwards: "I'm not going to say who won tonight, because the victory belongs to Canelo according to the judges. I thought I fought better than he did. We would like to have a third fight, we will negotiate that, that's what we want."

Alvarez looked close to

tears after a decision which will again prompt controversy as, for spells in the fight, Golovkin seemed to be edging the physical side of a tactical battle, with his jab proving key early on.

But with scoring already criticised in their first bout before Alvarez's two failed doping tests in February, it is perhaps not surprising that once again controversy will remain attached to this rivalry, with demand for a

Fight night 136: Mark Hunt submits to Oleinik

Simon Yates, who was joined on the podium by Enric Mas and Miguel Angel Lopez, is the fourth British man to win a Grand Tour

Yates wins first Grand Tour

S

imon Yates won the Vuelta a Espana to complete a clean sweep of British victories in this year's Grand Tours.

The 26-year-old Michelton-Scott rider crossed the line safely in Madrid on Sunday to secure his first Grand Tour, with Spain's Enric Mas second and Colombia's Miguel Angel Lopez third.

Britons Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas won the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France respectively this year.

Elia Viviani claimed the 100km final stage of the Vuelta in a bunch sprint.

In a chaotic run-in, the Italian edged out world champion Peter Sagan and Giacomo Nizzolo for his third stage win of the race.

British riders have now won nine of the past 20 Grand Tours, a run that started when Sir Bradley Wiggins became the first Briton to win a Grand Tour with victory in the 2012 Tour de France.

Only twice before have riders from the same country won all three races in the same season, but this is the first time it has been done by different cyclists.

third meeting almost guaranteed.

Few could argue the hype surrounding their second meeting was not justified as the bout ebbed and flowed. Celebrities including actors Will Smith and Denzel Washington, and sports stars such as Mike Tyson and LeBron James, sat ringside as more than 21,000 inside the arena were taken in by a bout in which neither man looked like ca-

pitulating even when under solid attack.

After Golovkin's poised jab clearly won the opening three minutes, Alvarez's response in the second - including a solid right uppercut - pointed to the back-and-forth contest that was to come.

All four judges gave 'Canelo' four of the opening six rounds despite some of the more eye-catching work coming from Kazakhstan's Golovkin, who landed a notable left hook in the fourth.

But Alvarez - who sustained a cut above his left eye which worsened as the bout developed - visibly began to close distance in order to nullify Golovkin's jab.

At times their heads were almost touching, bringing hooks and uppercuts into focus, and Golovkin sustained his own cut from a head collision.

Alvarez, a man steeped in the art of fighting with six brothers who also hold professional boxing records, remained game in walking forward repeatedly, a contrast to his a largely back-foot

And Yates' victory will be the fifth Grand Tour triumph in a row for Britain, with Froome having also won last year's Tour and Vuelta.

"It's astonishing really," Yates said.

"Growing up I was so accustomed to seeing the French, Italian and Spanish riders lead the way, so for myself, Chris and Geraint to all win a Grand Tour in the same year just shows how far the sport has come in this country.

"It's been an unbelievable day. I really just enjoyed the moment, I don't know what else you can do in those situations.

"When I turned professional I signed with the team and we had a really big ambition to win a Grand Tour and now we've achieved that. I put the hard work in, I persisted with the training and everything else that goes with it and now we're here."

Froome said it was the "perfect year for British riders". He added: "Simon has looked so strong over the last three weeks and it's great to see him take home the maillot rojo."

(BBC Sport)

U

ltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight specialists Mark Hunt and Aleksei Oleinik clashed on Saturday night (Sept. 15, 2018) at UFC Fight Night 136 inside Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Moscow, Russia.

Though overall Hunt’s UFC career has been an incredible story of redemption, the individual fights have been a series of upsand-downs. Most recently, yet another one of the men to defeat Hunt in the Octagon failed a drug test — a point of constant anger for the veteran scrapper. Nevertheless, Hunt walked to the Octagon last night looking to bounce back into the win column.

Oleinik is a special fighter as well, a man with over 40 career submission victories and a dozen Ezekiel chokes on his record, including the only two in UFC history. Visa issues prevented “Boa Constrictor” from joining the UFC for a very long time, but he’s been making the most of his opportunities despite being in the twilight of his professional career. Oleinik took the center of the cage and pushed forward, but Hunt struck first with a hard low kick. The Russian continued to push forward and threw looping hooks, but Hunt avoided them and continued to slam into Oleinik’s lead leg, often knocking him way out of stance. After establishing the low kick and backing Oleinik off, Hunt started finding opportunities to land his left hook as

performance last time.

His mother was pictured praying at ringside after a ninth round which saw both men launch repeated attacks and Alvarez almost came unstuck in the 10th as a left hook to his jaw briefly rendered him limp, only for him to somehow quickly rediscover his poise.

But his work up close perhaps won the judges over. Ringside stats showed Alvarez landed 46 body punches compared to six from his rival but after landing a right to the body and left to the face in the final round, he ate two uppercuts in the closing 10 seconds as both men responded to the noise around them.

They embraced before each raising their hands but the cards prompted Mexican celebration on the country's Independence weekend.

"If the people want another fight then we'll do it again," said Alvarez, beaten only by Floyd Mayweather in a 53-fight career. "We'll do it, no doubt." (BBC Sport)

Aleksei Oleinik

well.

Halfway through the round, things were going terribly for Oleinik. His lead leg was getting chewed up, and Hunt’s power punches were wobbling “Boa Constrictor” a bit also. Then, Oleinik scored with a couple of wide hooks and while it’s not clear whether Hunt was stunned or slipped, the opportunity was created regardless. The veteran grappler drove forward into a takedown, which resulted in a back clinch.

From there, Oleinik dragged his foe to the mat and quickly climbed into back mount. With about a minute remaining in the round, Hunt latched onto an arm and seemed content to stall until the bell.

However, Oleinik switched his grip and sunk the choke in just a tad. Considering Oleinik’s legendary squeeze, it’s no surprise that’s all the opening he required, as Oleinik forced the rap just moments later.

On the other hand, Hunt was looking positively violent prior to getting clipped and put on his back. It was great to see Hunt throwing low kicks again, as he kicks so brutally hard that most Heavyweights will crumble after a few land. Even aside from the kicks, Hunt was managing range and implementing his game plan well to start the fight. Unfortunately, he was simply outclassed on the mat and became Oleinik’s 46th submission victory. (MMA Junkie)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

mondAY, september 17, 2018

Medina honoured by LGC family – MACORP CEO hailed for role in golf

Jorge Medina (left) accepts his Honorary Membership certificate from Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

L

ong-time member of the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), outgoing MACORP CEO Jorge Medina, was on Sunday honoured by his fellow golfers, dignitaries and friends who acknowledged his immense contribution to the development of golf and Guyana overall.

The event attracted a number of high-profile dignitaries the likes of US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway, accompanied by his wife; Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan; Banks DIH CEO Clifford Reis, and other members and guests who came out to show their ap-

of the driving forces behind the club’s restoration over the past year. Vacating his post as CEO of the machinery giant, Medina was given a sentimental farewell following Sunday’s tourney.

Club President Aleem Hussain said it was great to have such an individual as part of the LGC. He said Median has been instrumental in the expansion of the sport, and adding that it was his love and commitment to the sport which allowed the new LGC executives to fully execute plans of ground restoration. He

Medina’s successor, Guillermo Escarraga, an avid golfer himself, thanked Medina for introducing him to the sport, after he initially had resented it. Escarraga added that Medina has set the standards for development in golf, while his dedication as head of MACORP had also been reflected in the company’s overwhelming success.

Escarraga highlighted that the dedication and drive to improve the standards of golf and golfers in Guyana will continue under his guidance.

Jorge Medina (left) gets his plaque from fellow LGC clubmate and MACORP’s Guillermo Escarraga

Sunday’s respective golf winners

preciation for Medina.

Medina has been a part of the club for almost two decades, and has been one

ICC Women's Championship…

South Africa punish Windies

lent millions of dollars in equipment to the club as part of their repair process.

Medina, in his brief remarks, said his best years were spent in Guyana, more

so as part of the LGC, which he joined back in ‘96.

The seasoned golfer reflected on how he encour-

aged many of his co-workers, including Escarraga, to take up the sport. He said his works were driven by the sole purpose of development in general; whether it is business or sport.

Following the tournament, Medina, who hails from Colombia, was awarded with a life membership plaque by fellow LGC member and one of his first golf buddies upon moving to Guyana, Minister Bulkan.

The MACORP boss also received a special award, compliments of the club and its members, for his contribution to golf and the club over the years. (Clifton Ross)

Hamilton wins in Singapore with Sebastian Vettel third

S

outh Africa Women’s Team defeated Windies Women by 40 runs on Sunday in Bridgetown to join them at sixth on the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) 50-Over Women’s Championship points standings.

Both teams have now played seven matches and have each recorded three wins and four losses, for a total of 6 points, but the Caribbean side in ahead on a superior Net Run Rate (NRR).

The host side won the toss and elected to field first, holding South Africa to 201-9 in their allotted overs. In the end, Windies made a mess of the chase and were bowled out for 161 in 46 overs.

Laura Wolvaardt, at the top of the order for the visitors, added a watchful 45 alongside Sune Luus, who made 58 as the two featured in a 99-run second wicket partnership.

The captain, Dane van Niekerk, had a solid unbeaten score of 46, while Chloe Tryon pitched in with 23.

Windies skipper Stafanie Taylor finished with 3 – 37, while Deandra Dottin had 2 – 36 and Shamilia Sonnell claimed one.

In reply, despite a defiant 46 from Shemaine Campbelle, the West Indians’ top order crumbled. Opener Kycia Knight and Anisa Mohammed down the order both contributed 23, while the only other score worth mentioning was Dottin’s 19.

Marizanne Kapp snared 3 – 14, Tumi Sekhukhune and Zintle Mali bagged two wickets each, while a wicket Sune Luus each went to Niekerk, Luus and Masabata Klass.

M

That's 69 career victories for Hamilton – only Michael Schumacher has more

ercedes driver Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in the Singapore Grand Prix to strengthen his hold on this year's World Championship.

Hamilton's controlled drive from a pole position won brilliantly on Saturday was helped by the latest in a series of questionable strategy calls from Ferrari.

It dropped Hamilton's title rival Sebastian Vettel from second to third behind Max Verstappen, throwing away a position the German had earned by overtaking the Red Bull driver on the first lap.

While Vettel was left to question his team once again this season - and for the second time this weekend after a lessthan-perfect qualifying session - Hamilton's only worrying moment was caused by back markers at about two-thirds distance.

Haas driver Romain Grosjean and Williams' Sergey Sirotkin ignored the closing Hamilton in the heat of their battle for position and cost him his five-second advantage over Verstappen.

Hamilton had to fend off an attack from Verstappen into Turn Seven as a result, which he just managed to do, and Grosjean was later given a five-second penalty for his misdemeanour.

Hamilton's victory, with Vettel third behind Verstappen, extended the Briton's advantage over the German in the championship to 40 points with six races and a maximum of 150 points remaining.

Hamilton and Mercedes' main concern in this race was to ensure they retained the lead at the first corner, with a feisty Verstappen with nothing to lose behind them, and then to avoid being passed by Verstappen or Vettel during the pit-stop period.

Vettel's pass on Verstappen into Turn Seven on the first lap came just before a safety car was called after Force India's Sergio Perez pushed his team-mate Esteban Ocon into the wall on the exit of the first chicane.

The move put Vettel in the position he wanted from which to attack Hamilton after a disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari, but the team blew it.

They brought Vettel in on lap 14 and switched him on to the ultra-soft tyres, hoping to benefit from the rubber's extra pace on its initial laps.

But Hamilton followed him in next time around, fitting the more durable soft tyre, and rejoined ahead of Vettel, who had soon found himself held up behind Perez when he came out of the pits.

Vettel immediately questioned the decision, saying: "There is no chance. We are again too late. The tyres will not make it to the end." (BBC Sport)

sports CONCACAF Men’s U20 C/ship…

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21

Dover elated

with appointment – squad to be announced

W

ayne Dover, Guyana’s former Senior Men’s Men’s U20 National Team Coach, has been named Head Coach, Head Coach of the National U20 Wayne Dover team as preparations begin for Guyana’s participation in the 2018 CONCACAF Men’s U20 Championships in Florida, USA from November 1 – 22, 2018.

Other members of the 14-man squad are Assistant Coach Oneal Heywood, Striker Coach Gregory Richardson, In-Possession Coach Vurlon Mills; Out-of-Possession Coach Anthony Benfield, Goalkeeper Coach Phillip Carrington and Coach Developer & Head of Sports Science Wilson Toledo.

Other members are Team Doctor, Physiotherapist, Head of People and Culture, Performance Analyst and Head Scout, Team Operations Coordinator and Equipment Manager.

In an invited comment, Dover said he is happy to contribute to the development of such a crucial group in Guyana’s football. “I’m happy and excited about the appointment, so I thank the Guyana Football Federation for their continued faith in me as a coach. They have seen the importance of having me involved in the development of Guyana’s football, and I’ll try to do my very best to help that process.

Being appointed the Head Coach will give me that opportunity, and I’ll work diligently with the group for the best possible results we could achieve over that period,” Dover said.

While the players’ squad will be announced in the new week, Dover said the squad will be crucial to inform the senior team. “The U20 group of players, we can safely say, is our golden generation of footballers; hence there will be a very careful process by the GFF to harness this group of players, who definitely will form the senior national team in the not-too-distant future. This team will augur well for the projection that the GFF has for the 2026 World Cup Campaign”, he said.

Technical Director Ian Greenwood mentioned, “We have a talented combination of staff tasked with preparing players for the upcoming U20 championships, but with the ultimate goal is pushing players into the Senior Golden Jaguars squad,” he said.

“There is clear alignment with the senior team’s campaign in the Nations League and the key messages to be delivered to the U20 players. The staffing structure allows players to receive positionspecific coaching on the various moments of the game, with specialist coaches delivering the national coaching and playing philosophy. The wealth of international playing experience among the staff is vital as we prepare this current crop of exciting and talented young players. There is a clear pathway for national team players to engage in a career in coaching, which is now clearly evident,” he explained.

Guyana takes on Guatemala, Cayman Islands, Curacao and El Salvador on November 2, 6, 8 and 10 respectively.

BCB/Brian Ramphal 1st Division Double-Wicket Competition…

5 more teams advance to round 2

T

he Hilbert Foster-led Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), continuing to break new ground in the Ancient County, is, for the first time in its 79-year history, hosting a double-wicket competition for first division teams.

Twelve pairs drawn from ten clubs started the knockout tournament, which is being played in an effort to bring out the cricketing public and simultaneously renew the passion for the game by all involved.

The winning pairs advancing are Rose Hall Town ‘A’, Blairmont, Albion ‘A,’ Albion ‘B’, and Upper Corentyne; while the game between Tucber Park and Rose Hall Canje is yet to be played, due to rain.

In the matches played, the Blairmont pair of Imran Khan and Kevin Jawahir defeated West Berbice by 22 runs. Blairmont raised 34 in four overs, with Imran Khan contributing 26; then West Berbice crumbled to 12 all out, as Khan and Jawahir took one wicket each.

Rose Hall Town ‘A’ defeated Police by 40 runs. The eventual victor posted 60 without loss, with Kevin Sinclair and Clinton Pestano both unbeaten on 31 and 22 respectively. The team then restricted Police to 22 all out, and shared a wicket each.

Upper Corentyne defeated Skeldon by one wicket, the later posting 50 - 1 in four overs, compliments of Errol Byass, who was left not out on 41. Upper Corentyne steamed to 51 - 1 in 3.4 overs, as Rishi Persaud had 31 and Lakeram Latchman made 15.

Albion ‘A’ defeated Rose Hall Town ‘B’ by 32 runs. Albion ‘A’ made 50 in four overs, with Jonathan Foo putting up the bulk of the score with 49, as Eon Hooper took one wicket.

Rose Hall Town ‘B’ were routed for 18 runs in 2 overs.

Albion ‘B’ defeated Port Mourant by 36 runs at Port Mourant. Albion ‘B’ posted 46 all out in four overs, with Gudakesh Motie contributing 45, then bowled Port Mourant out for 10.

Each first division club in Berbice selected three players to participate in the tournament, with two of them playing at a time. Albion Community Centre Cricket Club and Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets, as the top two clubs in Berbice, were given two pairs, but one of the players must be an Under-19 player. Each pair is supported by six additional fielders.

The tournament is being sponsored by overseasbased Guyanese Brian Ramphal, who earlier in the year had donated $1 million of his personal funds to the Kevin Umrao Berbice Cricket Board.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

mondAY, september 17, 2018

Limacol Knockout Football Tournament…

GFC, Pouderoyen secure wins

T

groove on.

Alberto Basanta was the first GFC player to get the scoreboard ticking in the 35th minute, with a sneaky one. The rest of the first half passed quietly.

In the 75th minute Ronald Rodrigues got his piece of the pie, and three minutes later, Rondel Peters showed up to the scoring party. The score was then already enough to win them

The Limacol action will continue on Tuesday, September 18, with Riddim Squad and Buxton Stars facing off at 18:00 hrs. Then, at 20:00hrs, Santos FC and Beacon FC will compete for

With the score one all, both teams tried restlessly to one-up the opponent, but only GFC was successful at this.

the encounter, but in the 85th minute Marcus Wilson added salt to Buxton's wounds as he pushed his team to a 4-1 victory.

points.

All matches are being played at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

Part of the action at the Ministry of Education Ground

he Limacol Knockout Football tournament continued over the past weekend with a massive double-header in which, in a series of twists and thrills that left the vociferous crowd satisfied at the end of the night's proceedings, Pouderoyen defeated Grove Hi-Tec 2 - 1 and Georgetown Football Club (GFC) trounced Buxton Stars 4 – 1, to truly show that only time can tell the final outcome of this tournament.

Pouderoyen and Grove Hi Tec were both looking for wins in the competition, and their intent was fully expressed on field with both sides’ playing an attacking style of play. In a game filled with trips, flips and appeals, Denzil Crawford was able to place his team in a comfortable position with a one goal advantage in the 13th minute.

Already having a goal to their name, Grove Hi Tec continued to play in a desperate hunt for the second; and as time elapsed, desperation got the better of them

and the players seemed to slack up, leaking opportunities to the opposing team.

Pouderoyen wasted no time in capitalising, sinking their first goal in the 65th minute off the boots of Sebastian Edwards. The shock took a toll on Grove Hi Tec, as Ashley Harding came through for his team as he did in their previous match, with a goal in the 70th minute. The encounter

ended 2-1 in The West Coast team's favour.

Next to compete were GFC and Buxton Stars.

Either team seemed level headed at the beginning of the encounter, opting for a "knock ball" style of play.

Buxton were on top of the world after striking their first goal, which came from Shamar Scott in the 21st minute. But their joy was short-lived, as GFC got their

Haresh "Pandit" Tiwari wins ‘C’ flight in Silica Sandport Inc. annual golf tourney P

laying with a 19-handicap in the 19-28 ‘C’ flight of his own Silica Sandport- sponsored tourney, Pandit’ Haresh Tiwari made history as he secured 2 chip-in birdies on the same Green for hole 4 and hole 13, to win his category; while club President Aleem Hussain captured spoils in the ‘A’.

The 2nd year of the tournament at the Lusignan Golf Club on Saturday last saw Hussain now playing in the championship flight, and Parmanand ‘Max’ Persaud playing in the ‘B’ flight and dominating.

Performances at this tournament send ominous warnings to all that there are several keen golfers vy-

Haresh Tiwari (left), his wife and son, Kayshav at a recent school exercise

ing for the coveted champion of the International Guyana Open 2018, just around the corner in early November.

At end of the day’s play, the prizes were awarded as follows. In the ‘A’ or cham-

pionship flight, handicap 0-9: 1st - Hussain 72/9; 2nd - Nazeem ‘Papo’ Haniff 73/7, (Mike Mangal 75/7 was close competitor in the flight).

In the ‘B’ flight, handicap 10-18: 1st - Persaud 68/14;

2nd - Joaan Deo 70/16. (In this flight Aasrodeen Shaw 71/13; Brian Glasford 73/15: Hilbert Shields 73/16; Patrick Prashad 74/10 and Lekhnarine Shivraj 74/16 were a set of keen competitors).

In the ‘C’ flight, Handicap 19-28: 1st Tewari 69/19; 2nd – Guillermo Escarraga 80/20, (Philbert London 86/22 was the closest competitor in this flight.

SSI produces white sand, screening and washing of silica in a state-of-the-art sand washing facility that obtains sand from part of an extensive silica sand vein that has verifiable reserves in excess of 500 million tons.

CEO and founder, ‘Pandit’ Haresh, a veteran golfer, has served as Treasurer of the Lusignan Golf Club in previous years.

The winners and Club Vice President, Paton George, pose with Haresh Tiwari’s family members who assisted in the prize distribution ceremony at the end of the tournament. From left to right: Ms Tewari, Mrs Tewari, Guillermo Escarraga, Nazeem Haniff, Aleem Hussain, Parmanand Persaud, Joaan Deo, Paton George (in back row), Haresh Tewari and Kayshav Tewari

guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, september 17, 2018

23

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

TKR create history

with successful title defence doubt sending a shock through the Warriors’ batting line up.

Khary Pierre was excellent with the ball as he finished with 3 – 29 and was supported by the skipper Dwayne Bravo who bagged 2 – 30, while Khan, Fawad Ahmed and Sunril Narine removed one batsman each.

Luke Ronchi tried valiantly to revive Guyana after his opening partner was removed for a golden duck, with a top score of 44 for his side. He slapped six fours and a maximum before he met his demise.

Shimron Hetmyer looked good for his 15 but became another wicket for

T

rinbago Knight Riders (TKR) defeated Guyana Amazon Warriors by eight wickets in a historic match, to become the first side to win backto-back Caribbean Premier League (CPL) titles on Sunday night at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

The day belonged to the Knight Riders on the verge to their third CPL championship, win with victory from the toss. They gave the Warriors first strike and limited them to 1479 from their 20 overs then charged to 1502 with 2.3 overs to spare.

Of course, the leading run scorer showed up

to the p a r ty in a big way, smashing and unbeaten 68 which pushed the Trinidadians over the line.

The top order didn’t fail last night, stepping up to the plate for the grand finale and putting their best foot forward in the circumstance.

Denesh Ramdin (24) and Brendon McCullum (39) set the pace with a watchful opening partnership

vals. Green (5) and Sohail Tanvir (3) were removed early as well, but some fight did come from the lower order.

of 52 before the latter held out to Cameron Delport after hitting five boundaries and two maximums in the 24 deliveries faced.

R a m d i n was the next to fall when he found himself too far back in the crease and hit his wicket trying to score off Romario Shepherd. TKR were then, 87-2.

Munro with his record aggregate of 567, returned to his usual dominant ways but Darren Bravo missed out on the action when he retired hurt for 4.

Colin Ingram settled in alongside Munro and

watched the fireworks from the other end.

It was Munro’s sixth half century of the tournament, crafted off just 39 balls which included six boundaries and three sixes. He was later adjudged the Player-of-theTournament.

The Warriors captain Chris Green and Shepherd accounted for the two TKR wickets that fell.

Earlier in the night, backed by a boisterous crowd since stepping foot on the field, TKR got things rolling from the first ball as Ali Khan clean bowled C a m e r o n Delport, no

Ahmed as Warriors moved onto 52-2. Ronchi was the next wicket to fall with the score on 79, then Chadwick Walton (1) ended his miserable season at the hands of Pierre, two runs later.

J a s o n Mohammed (24) and Sherfane Rutherdford (12) were not too effective with the bat either as wickets kept falling at regular inter-

Shepherd made 10 while Rayad Emrit was left not out on 14 along with Imran Tahir who had eight.

SCOREBOARD

Guyana Amazon Warriors Innings (20 overs maximum) CS Delport b Ali Khan 0 L Ronchi † c DM Bravo b Pierre 44 SO Hetmyer c DJ Bravo b Fawad Ahmed 15 JN Mohammed c Pierre b DJ Bravo 24 CAK Walton c Narine b Pierre 1 SE Rutherford c & b Pierre 12 Sohail Tanvir c Ali Khan b Narine 3 CJ Green (c) c †Ramdin b DJ Bravo 5 R Shepherd run out (†Ramdin) 10 RR Emrit not out 14 Imran Tahir not out 8 Extras (b 2, lb 6, w 3) 11 TOTAL (20 Overs, RR: 7.35) 147-9 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (CS Delport, 0.1 ov), 2-52 (SO Hetmyer, 6.2 ov), 3-79 (L Ronchi, 10.2 ov), 4-81 (CAK Walton, 10.5 ov), 5-95 (SE Rutherford, 12.2 ov), 6-101 (Sohail Tanvir, 13.4 ov), 7-108 (JN Mohammed, 15.1 ov), 8-109 (CJ Green, 15.3 ov),

9-134 (R Shepherd, 18.5 ov) BOWLING: Ali Khan (4-0-201), K Pierre (4-0-29-3), Fawad Ahmed (4-0-29-1), DJ Bravo (40-30-2), SP Narine (4-0-31-1) Trinbago Knight Riders Innings (target: 148 runs from 20 overs) D Ramdin † hit wicket b Shepherd 24 BB McCullum c Delport b Green 39 C Munro not out 68 DM Bravo retired hurt 4 CA Ingram not out 7 Extras (lb 2, w 6) 8 TOTAL (17.3 Overs, RR: 8.57) 150-2 Yet to bat: DJ Bravo (c), KK Cooper, SP Narine, Fawad Ahmed, K Pierre, Ali Khan Fall of wickets: 1-52 (BB McCullum, 6.4 ov), 2-87 (D Ramdin, 11.4 ov), 2-103 (DM Bravo, 13.5 ov) BOWLING: Sohail Tanvir (3.3-0-25-0), CJ Green (4-0-30-1), Imran Tahir (4-0-170), RR Emrit (3-0-47-0), R Shepherd (3-0-29-1)

mondAY, september 17, 2018

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

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Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

TKR create history with successful title defence

Page 23

Trinbago Knight Riders along with Trinidad and and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley lift the winners trophy during the Hero Caribbean Premier League final between Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Stadium on Sunday in Tarouba, Trinidad (Photo by Ashley Allen - CPL T20/Getty Images)

ICC Women's Championship…

South Africa punish Windies

Medina honoured

by LGC family – MACORP CEO hailed for role in golf

Page 20

Page 20

Jorge Medina is flanked by members of the LGC as well as; Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan (first from right), US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway (back row first from left) and LGC President Aleem Hussain

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