Guyana Times October 18, 2018

P17

DDL, Agri Ministry partner for advancement of dairy sector

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3719

Thursday, October 18, 2018

PRICE

Jagdeo dubs move to increase Berbice Bridge tolls a “campaign gimmick”

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P7 NICIL confirms ownership of wharf leased

by M&CC

Page 9

…says “it is criminal. This is an act of desperation” story on ...Gaskin recommends Govt buyout of shares (Seepage 3)

Jagdeo blasts Minister Jordan for "drug economy" P17 statement

CAL looking at direct flights from Guyana to Toronto, Miami – new CEO Page 13

…commends Private Sector for move seeking evidence

Wife, son P12 arrested after retired cop found dead

Over 300 Albion sugar workers on 8-day strike

P9 Guyana accuses EU of discrimination on visa-free travel decision

Page 7

Albion, Berbice cane harvesters on the picket line on Wednesday as they protested Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) refusal to supply bell loaders, thus forcing them to work in snake-infested fields

US bank eyes Guyana’s oil and gas sector Convicted fraudster jailed for 30 years for raping woman Page 13

Page 10

Soldiers implicated in Essequibo Coast rape-robbery fired

Page 12

Gun-toting men rob Parika bar

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news

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Thursday, October 18 – 13:00h-14:30h and Friday, October 19 – a night retraction at 01:30h and a day retraction from 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Gaskin recommends Govt buyout of Berbice Bridge

Thursday, October 18 – 12:00h-13:30h and Friday, October 19 – 13:05h-15:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Early morning sunny intervals are expected to give way to light cloudy skies and light rain showers, while sunny intervals will return in the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies with light rain showers are expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 22 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-easterly to Easterly and East Northeasterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 11:47h reaching a maximum height of 2.04 metres.

Low Tide: 05:03h and 17:43h reaching minimum heights of 1.12 metres and 1.21 metres respectively.

WednesDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

07

13 14

19 25 26

FREE TICKET

10 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

07 08

11 13 16

LUCKY 3

2

2

7

8

Afternoon Draw

2

4

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

03

04

05

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PAY DAY

02 05 07 10 17

14

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19 SUPER PAY DAY

03 04 16 17 19

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

Political activist and former presidential advisor Ramon Gaskin

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mid the controversy surrounding the proposed increase in tolls at the Berbice River Bridge, outspoken political activist and former Presidential Advisor Ramon Gaskin is suggesting a total buyout of the bridge by Government so as to resolve the issue.

Gaskin on Wednesday said the situation has reached a point where the Government should seek to buy all the shares within the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) as opposed to allowing the company to impose massive increases on the travelling public, which they can ill afford at this point.

On Tuesday, the Chairman of the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI), Dr Surendra Persaud, who is also the Chairman for the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), announced steep increases to the current tolls at the facility.

Guyana Times understands that NIS through its Chairman, was forced to push for the increase in tolls in order to protect its investment. NIS has majority voting rights on the BBCI Board of Directors. on Meanwhile, Wednesday, Gaskin also suggested that an alternative can be for Government and the NIS to solely own the bridge, thus buying the shares from all the other shareholders.

“You don’t need to make a profit just cover maintenance and pay the NIS interest on their investment and you could lower the rate to where it was and it could go lower,” he advised.

On the other hand, Gaskin also suggested that NIS could put in for receivership. This is a remedy available to secured creditors to recover amounts outstanding under a secured loan in the event the company defaults on its loan payments.

“Put it into receivership and get rid of the rest of shareholders… by buying the shares out… but make it a Government owned bridge together with the NIS and reduce the rates. The bridge could be nationalised, and Government could buy it over in the interest of NIS,” he said.

Asked whether he be-

lieves the Government would make such a move, the political activist said while the Government could show some level of reluctance but added that it is in the best interest of all parties involved and as such it should be done.

“The Government don’t understand any of these things... But they must look at protecting the interest of people. If they go ahead and buy the shares and take over the bridge it will be good for everyone,” he added.

Further, Gaskin said the Chairman of the BBCI, Dr Surendra Persaud should be questioned by the Police over the non-payment to the NIS. He believes that Dr Persaud who chairs both the NIS and BCCI should be a matter of concern. He is also a member of the Alliance For Change (AFC).

Shareholders' position

One of the shareholders told Guyana Times that it recognises that the Berbice Bridge is in serious financial jeopardy given that debts have reached maturity and few options are available to stave off bankruptcy.

“The Government should sit down with the bridge company and work out the appropriate subsidy with due reference to the financial model and or the Concession Agreement. This is necessary as a result of Government’s refusal to allow incremental increases, or in other words, refusing to honour its contractual obligations as per the Concession Agreement,” the shareholder said.

Another noted that if an agreement cannot be reached, them it is recommended that the Government buy back the bridge and compensate inves-

tors in keeping with the financial model and other investment documents.

“Once the Government executes a buyback it will be able to lower tolls. If this is approached properly Government might still be able to preserve public private partnerships in Guyana,” the shareholder stated.

It added that the investors assumed significant risk to build the bridge. While the bridge has been de-risked for several years, following its

of a shareholder told Guyana Times.

BBCI letter

In a letter sent from the BBCI to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson dated Monday, October 15, it stated that there have been four requests for the tolls to be adjusted but to no avail.

It expressed disappointment having met with the Minister there was no positive outcome.

However, the company

“The Government don’t understand any of these things... But they must look at protecting the interest of people. If they go ahead and buy the shares and take over the bridge it will be good for everyone” – economist successful opening, the ordinary shareholders are yet to receive a single cent in dividends.

“We recognise the efforts of the Directors of the bridge company who has a fiduciary duty to preserve the financial integrity of the company in the context of the dire circumstances the company must be facing at this time.

We also empathises with commuters who are caught in the middle,” a representative

having sought legal advice was told that they have to consult with the Minister for the toll increases. “It is by under and virtue of the above provision that the Berbice Bridge Company Inc is consulting with you in relation to the proposals for an adjustment in tolls,” the missive stated while still declaring that the increases will take effect on November 12, , the same day as Local Government Elections.

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018

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

Noise nuisance seems endemic

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ver time in the media, there has been a plethora of complaints from persons in various parts of the country pertaining to noise nuisance. In every instance, the frustration of those affected was very evident and one common gripe was the perceived lack of action by the authorities to fully address the situation. The sources of the audio bombardment include from what seems ubiquitous barb-que limes and other entertainment shows, neighbours, bars and vehicles.

In every scenario, people are subjected to brutal and sustained assaults by high decibel sounds which often last throughout the nights. The harsh reality is that everyone within the affected zone, including children, the elderly and the sick are rendered helpless and deprived of sleep. That in itself brings or exacerbates related health consequences as people feel a profound sense of lassitude since their energy has being sapped.

Some complaints detailed the horrible effects especially on babies and those suffering from illnesses as woes are compounded. A toll is eventually taken and in turn productivity and studies are affected for those who work and attend institutions of learning respectively.

Unfortunately, this is ongoing across the country and, gauging from what is in the public domain, it appears that not much has been achieved by law enforcement to curb this menace.

Of course, some reports are responded to and action taken but clearly it does not present a deterrent to those who continue to make others uncomfortable. It begs the question of whether they really understand the impact it has on people. Further, this may be an impetus for the authorities to relook not just the criteria for granting permission for bar-b-ques and entertainment shows, but for the proximity of residents to be taken as primary consideration.

Barring national events, weddings and other necessary infrequent events to some extent, the wellbeing of people must be foremost. It is understood that there is a requirement for the Police, as one the approving authorities, to get the consent of residents before granting approval for events in question. This is clearly an area on which the public can be advised on whether it is being done in a sustained and thorough manner. Based upon the documented complaints, it doesn’t appear so.

While seeking consent can be seen as considerate in taking the sentiments of residents into consideration, more than likely it can be an across the board consensus or split. Some people generally do not want to object while others have every reason to. What obtains in situations when some object? Reportedly, many calls made to Police Stations have a common theme; permission has been granted up to midnight. With some events staring earlier in the day, that spells long hours of discomfort for residents.

There are cases when the Police enforce the midnight deadline but others prolong until just before dawn. Many of these events are for profit and are at the expense of people’s convenience. Also there have been allegations of either collusion or the deliberate turning of a blind eye to people’s plight. Bars, including some in parts of the City, blast music unfettered throughout the nights especially on weekends.

Reports are that calls for relief go unheeded allegedly for reasons relating to benefits.

The growing phenomena of parked vehicles belting loud music are also having the same effect. Similarly, what occurs in some minibuses need no explanation. What it means is that many of our school children are regularly exposed to these high decibel sounds which are sometimes laced with profanity and incitement to violence; the same during village events and from bars parked vehicles.

For the schoolchildren, this not only poses a health issue, but has a profound influence on their minds and actions. A useful research would be to explore the correlation between the exposure to this type of music and violence and other unsavoury actions in schools by some students. In many ways this can be deemed as a form of mindconditioning of the younger ones and which can have serious social consequences. It may also be useful to explore if there is a correlation between this and poor academic grades.

While the findings of the research, if conducted, would be extremely useful, first there has to be a more firm acceptance by the authorities of the serious problem and related consequences of loud music which is a form of pollution. There is no doubt that the Police are challenged for resources and its priority will be combating crime.

That said, there has to be a commitment to find a way of making noise nuisance a priority thereby paving the way for it to be dealt with in a sustained manner.

In addition, it would be helpful if the Police were to make public not just the criteria for granting permission for related events, but to state what can cause them to intervene in the circumstances even when approval may have already been granted. The affected would need immediate relief and the Police, under its motto of to serve and protect, is expected to protect residents even in these circumstances.

An artist dressed as demon king Ravana gets ready backstage before performing Ramlila, a re-enactment of the life of Hindu Lord Rama, during Vijaya Dashmi or Dussehra festival celebrations in Mumbai, India (Reuters/Danish Siddiqui)

GECOM never fails to amaze

Dear Editor, Another Tuesday, another statutory meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). It never fails to amaze me during these weekly discourses, how determined efforts are made to cuffuffle those of us who try to unravel yet more brazen efforts at obfuscation and material non-disclosure of decisions made and acted upon “between meetings”.

Just before the meeting, information was shared via email about the voter education activities promised to us last week. The information included a matrix of PR and other multi-media outfits which apparently sent quotations for several activities, including infomercials and flyers.

Questions were asked and it turns out that none of this procurement of services was publicly advertised, no information was available as to how the entities were chosen to send in quotes, and how the various activities were even disaggregated!

For instance, activities such as the voting process; stamping ballot paper; voting without an ID card; eligibility to vote; voter rights and responsibility; voting by proxy and election offences are all listed separately for 60-second infomercials costing between $65,000 and $160,000. The basis for this listing remained unexplained and the impression I got was that the whole thing is contract splitting to benefit select outfits. As usual, the excuse for no public tender or anything resembling a transparent process was sacrificed at the altar of ‘not enough time and statutory deadlines to meet in a great hurry’.

Then, the would-be pacifist, Commissioner Alexander, laments the absence of a procurement manual which would disallow such underhand practices, yet that manual remains elusive.

At this meeting, the Chairman, to the consternation of the meeting, announced that he had written Ashton Chase, SC, to provide ‘further

and better particulars’ and that it was his own deliberate decision that payment to Chase be deferred even though the matter which was brought against GECOM since 2011 when Chase was retained, with no advance or deposit on fees.

The matter was first decided in the High Court in GECOM’s favour, then on appeal was again, in August, 2018, decided in GECOM’s favour, and no legal fees had been demanded or paid throughout the whole process from 2011 to 2018!

Compare the invoice sent by Chase for the princely sum of $950,000 – $450,000 for the High Court and $500,000 for the Court of Appeal representation; to invoices sent by Roysdale Forde, Attorney for the CEO, in the sums of $6 million, plus $960,000 VAT for representation in the matter of the Elections Petition filed by Ganga Persaud, which is yet to be heard; and a deposit on fees for $2 million, plus $280,000 VAT for representation in the application for judicial review filed by me, which is in the process of being heard. And the Chairman, without any discussion or recourse to any input from the Commission decides that Chase will not yet be paid!

While on the subject of legal fees, the CEO reported that he has not yet received an invoice from Teni Housty for representation in the judicial review matter filed in Berbice. The CEO said the Chairman is in charge of getting that invoice since it was the Chairman who had procured Housty’s services. The Chairman is now Procurement Officer for legal services!!

This meeting was informed that the printing of ballot papers for the LGE was complete and that the two Commissioners – Gunraj and Corbin – are to oversee the sealing for shipment on Wednesday and return to Guyana on Thursday and Sunday respectively. All this while, there are outstanding requests by at least four candidates for withdrawal with no action by the CEO to effect

their withdrawals and no decision on the deletion of nominators’ names from lists even though persons had submitted affidavits and requests for withdrawal of names and that such withdrawals could and would affect the validity of the inclusion of some candidates.

Asked about reports in the press that the Alliance For Change (AFC) campaign manager had announced that the AFC was withdrawing from contesting between 10 and 15 areas for which they has submitted candidates, the CEO claimed that he had not been informed by the AFC of any such thing and all the ballots have been printed. This now seems that the AFC made that public announcement, to detract from its candidates’ submission of lists with fraudulent or forged signatures of nominators, and to gain some sympathy from the electors!

What a tangled web we weave!

On the issue of house-tohouse registration, to the tune of nearly $4 billion I the 2019 Budget proposals, while those of us on the north side of the table maintain that at this time that will only serve to try to delay the 2010 elections, those on the south side staunchly maintain that the decision had been made eons ago to have such registrations done every seven years, the last having been done in 2008 another has been due since 2015!

Never mind the fact that budget proposals to do one in 2016 was slashed in 2016, they are adamant that house-to-house registration can be done in 2019! We just as staunchly disagreed, and I reminded of my comment, when the proposals for 2019 were being made, that ‘if the Minister of Finance can find the fiscal space to accommodate the sum of $4 billion in the 2019 budget then the question I have will be answered’.

There is no fiscal space to pay persons a living wage, or to pay the disemployed sugar workers their severance, or to do so any other things necessary for a decent life, let alone ‘the good life’, so to find the fis-

cal space for $4 billion for new house-to-house registration for the 2020 elections, will reveal clear intent, would it not?

The report of the Finance Subcommittee still has not been incorporated as part of the minutes, so there could be no discussion about the very real issues surrounding the attendance of the Legal Officer at courses in the United Kingdom, to the tune of more than $4 million, on the sole approval of the Chairman acting on his own without discussion or recourse to the Commission. The recommendation of Commissioner Alexander, member of the said Subcommitte that the Chairman be ‘admonished’, and the recommendation of Commissioner Benn that the Chairman be surcharged, is a battle for another day.

Arrangements for Disciplined Services voting on November 2, 2018, remains elusive. No ballot stations have yet been identified or shared, no lists have been published or shared so no stakeholder can make preparations for their agents to observe voting on D-day. The CEO keeps making promises he seems unable to keep while time is fast becoming shorter and shorter.

The CEO also reported that there was no application by any observer groups in response to the advertisement for local elections observers.

Apparently, the GPSU, the US Embassy and the PSC had indicated their intention to field observers, but this was before the ad was placed.

Today’s meeting was shortened when it lost a quorum after I had to leave due to a severe case of what everyone refers to as ‘the flu’ which seems prevalent in our very insanitary Georgetown environment.

Until next week when I hope more will be revealed if we manage to ask the right questions.

Respectfully, Bibi Shadick, GECOM Commissioner

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Berbice has faced continuous Gross negligence by aggression by Govt Govt (Part 1)

Dear Editor, Berbice has become the focus of continuous aggression by this Government. It has become its favourite battleground. First, it was the destructive closure of Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates and now on the same date of the Local Government Elections, Berbicians are shell shocked by the proposed astronomical hike in the bridge toll. We are now being held hostages.

The timing of this hike summons some distasteful questions when it was revealed by no other that Minister David Patterson himself that the Chairman of the Berbice Bridge Company Inc, Dr Surendra Persaud is a ‘close ally’ of his and a strong member of his party, the Alliance For Change. It must be recalled that this doctor campaigned heavily for this Government in the 2015 General Elections. It must also be of essence to note that this Government is also quick to lay blame on the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for the increase. This is just magnifying the incompetence of this Government to take control of the country and run it in the interests of the citizens. This Government still acts as though it is in the Opposition. This Government has miserably failed to take charge of the affairs of Guyana.

Why after three long years in Government, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) is still unsure about the content of the Bridge Contract? Why have they not explored the legal implications of the contract? If there were debilitating clauses which would affect the commuters, why were these not publicised? If so then why was this contract not subject to renegotiation? We have seen that since this Government took office, they have been ‘tinkering’ with the contents of the Bridge Contract in areas of toll reduction and maintenance, why did they not address the core issues such as the Bridge Company’s right to ‘legally’ increase the toll? Even if there is a ‘confidentiality clause’ in effect that does not absolve this Government from renegotiation.

The Leader of the Opposition gave sound advice to the APNU/AFC coalition, “The Government should take measures to prevent the increase in tolls, given the hardship policies it has imposed on our people. If there is any move by the APNU/AFC coalition Government to sign a toll order to bring into effect the proposed increases, the People’s Progressive Party commits to reversing the increase after the 2020 General

and Regional Elections.”

This will suggest that the Bridge Company cannot bring the toll increase into effect unless the Minister gives his approval by signing it. What is also important to note is that the Leader of the Opposition implies that a Government in office can renegotiate the contents of any contract. In the case of the oil contract the Government failed to make any meaningful change in favour of the country, but what about the Bridge Contract, why was this not done if the Contract is bad for the people? No unconscionable, exploitative and oppressive contract is final to the people of a country.

We have seen that just before the last Local Government Elections, the Bridge tolls were reduced by $200 and yet the APNU/ AFC received a sound thrashing from the PPP but this year the game plan has changed. Increase the tolls by over 400 per cent and blame the PPP then disallow the increase and come out as the Saviour.

The ‘toll’ is now geared to wreak havoc to our lives!

An entire region will now be completely devastated, probably beyond redemption!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor, Region Six

Dear Editor, Guyanese recently woke up to the news of another jailbreak. Three dangerous criminals are on the run.

The Lusignan prison is once again the focus of attention by concerned, law-abiding Guyanese.

Compounding the situation even more is the shooting of 10 inmates who were protesting the abominable conditions at the prison. Reports are rubber bullets, live rounds and tear gas were used to quell the unrest. Water tenders belonging to the Guyana Fire Service had to be called in to extinguish fires lit by angry prisoners.

The situation is reminiscent of the disaster that befell the nation on July 2017 when the Camp Street Prison went up in flames.

To date, no warning nor danger alert with phone numbers has been issued by law enforcement, calling on citizens to be on the lookout and to report any sightings of the escapees.

Khemraj Ramjattan has portfolio for the Guyana Prison Service but it is becoming increasingly obvious to Guyanese that the Minister continues to be at his wits end, if not clueless insofar as solutions to problems that continue to plague the prison system of Guyana are concerned.

On assuming office, Ramjattan rejected the sound policies he inherited from the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration

Georgetown: “the City of Dreamers” Dear Editor, In the United States, the City of Philadelphia is known as ‘the City of Brotherly Love’ whilst in France, Paris is known as the ‘City of Lights’. Here in Guyana, Georgetown should probably be known as ‘the City of Dreamers’.

Driving along North Road or Church Street, one is forced to view the abandoned and ill-advised Presidential Park and the area identified for a proposed ‘Petting Zoo’, both of which represent a wanton waste of the Georgetown municipality’s’ supposedly scarce financial resources.

One can no doubt recall the grandiose plans by the now on leave Town Clerk for the construction of a modern and fancy three-storied shopping mall with special entertainment facilities at the new vendors mall and a similar edifice with parking facilities for farmers, wholesalers and other merchants at Bourda Green as part of wider plans to solve the vending crisis in Georgetown. Of course, just another ‘pie in the sky’ idea.

Then they were the impressive plans to establish a municipal training academy, which we were told will offer training to all officers through the Human Resource Department of City Hall. It was supposed to aid in alleviating the lack of professionalism and build stronger departmental arrangements within the institution. Well one just has to look at the dilapidated and decrepit City Police Training Centre on Water Street (the former House Service Department Building) to understand where this grand plan is going. As they say, talk is cheap, there is no reward for impractical wishes.

Quite recently, the Mayor launched a fund to restore the iconic but derelict City Hall building, which is supposed to cost almost a billion dollars and managed by a special civic committee and which should have included corporate leaders, investors and other stakeholders from civil society. Well the Mayor has less than a month more in office, chunks of the building continue to fall off, and we hear nothing more of this

special fund in spite of a high-priced mayoral dinner being held recently for this purpose.

The clock on Stabroek Market was to be restored and reactivated, the area in front of the Stabroek Market was to be transformed into a civic square to be used as a place of recreation for citizens, the Kitty Market which was to be completed more than two years ago was to have air conditioning units, extractor fans and other means of ventilation, the meat and fish section of

the market was to have refrigeration facilities, so as to meet public health standards, all just a sick joke.

Now we learn of a proposal by City Hall to introduce a 24-hour garbage collection system within the commercial district of the city. If they can’t pay the contractors for an eighthour service, could someone say where they will get the cash from to pay them to work 24 hours a day?

Sincerely, Anu Bihari

that kept the four prison locations secure and habitable with far less resources.

Ramjattan pretending to know it all, dispensed with the security policies of the PPP/C Administration and replaced them with adhocracy and a set of hodgepodge directives handed down to him resulting in the current crisis gripping Guyana’s prison system.

All the talk about setting up a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2017 fiery debacle at the Georgetown Prisons has come to nought.

In fact, there was never any intention to do so. As far as the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government was concerned the CoI held in connection with the horrific events in 2016 was enough.

Ramjattan abdicated his responsibility by not pressing for a CoI into the destruction of the Camp Street Prison deemed the worst disaster ever in the history of the Guyana Prison Service.

Once again, deception became the handmaiden of intransigence and administrative laziness on the part of the APNU/AFC coalition Administration.

Talk about dereliction of duty by a Cabinet headed by a President that likes show off his knowledge about security matters, failure to establish a CoI in 2017 is an excellent example of gross negligence by the Government over which he presides.

From all appearances, CoI’s are established as a means to an end, especially when Granger wants to get rid of those he dislikes and undesirables holding key positions within an organisation which forms part of the disciplined services.

Make no mistake. The CoI’s into the attempted assassination of the President and the Lindo Creek massacre were masquerades aimed at getting rid of certain senior ranks in the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force and to put in place ranks with whom the Commander in Chief was comfortable.

The strategy plan for the Guyana Prison Service aimed at transforming the Guyana Prison Service into a correctional service remains on paper and the civilian unit established to oversee implementation of the plan been reduced to a virtual arm of the Prison Service.

The Unit is denied the necessary human and financial resources by the National Security Council chaired by the President himself.

We seem to be captivated by a sleepy and hollow syndrome characteristic of those who are responsible for keeping the nation and its populace safe and sound but who chose to spend their time looking out for opportunities to enrich themselves.

Yours sincerely, Clement J Rohee

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Foundation

By Deborah Reber

growth:

espite a half-dozen reminders, multiple timers going off, and several “heads up” warnings, when it’s time for her daughter to get off her iPad and come to the dinner table, Charlotte finds herself in the same exact power struggle she’s been through what feels like hundreds of times before.

As Charlotte coaxes, pleads, or raises her voice, she grows frustrated, annoyed.

Shouldn’t we be past this already? Why are we still butting up against the same old thing?

Can you relate?

Situations like these play out in households every single day. And they leave parents with a choice to make: Option 1: Engage with our child from a place of frustration and invariably escalate things.

Option 2: Take a step back, untangle our emotions, and look for the learning opportunity (because there is one...every single time).

In the moment, option two can be hard to achieve, but when we can manage it, not only will we more quickly diffuse those heightened, intense emotions, but we’ll tap into the potential for genuine development of lagging skills. Best of all, rather than both parent and child feeling upset and misunderstood, we make room for closer connection.

The next time you find yourself in a power struggle or conflict with your child, especially one where you’re stuck in a negative loop, answer these five questions as a way to transform the challenge into

1: What are you making this situation mean about you?

This is where we have to start, because if we are being triggered by our child’s behaviour, it’s almost always because we’re making their choice mean something about us – who we are, how our child perceives us, how good (or bad) we are as a parent. When we have a strong emotional reaction to something our child is doing, we need to ask ourselves: What am I making this mean?

For example: She doesn’t respect me.

She shouldn’t be ignoring me. She doesn’t care about our shared agreement.

D

2: How does the challenge or situation highlight a gap in your child’s skills or abilities?

By recognising that what our child isn’t able to do in this moment is the result of lagging skills, the situation stops being personal. Instead, it becomes a chance to better see our child for who they are right now and identify areas for future growth.

She struggles with predicting how much time certain tasks take. She rejects others placing demands on her. She has a difficult time leaving a task half-finished.

3: What can your child learn from the challenge or situation?

Absolutely every challenge with our child presents an opportunity for developing a skill in an area where he or she has deficits. It’s important that we as parents give ourselves the time to identify the relevant lessons and consider the best

way to tilt the challenge into growth.

She can learn that when she respectfully communicates her needs, she will not only avoid conflict, but she can help come up with a solution that feels good for everyone involved.

4: What can you learn about yourself through this challenge or situation?

Every time we lean in, reflect, and reframe during these difficult moments, we learn more about our own personal triggers and response to conflict, and, as a result, give ourselves the opportunity to expand our own emotional IQ. Being ignored pushes my buttons, but pausing for a moment and taking a few deep breaths helps me resist responding out of frustration or annoyance. After the moment has passed and we’re both calm, we can have a meaningful conversation.

5: How can your relationship with your child deepen as a result of the challenge or situation?

This is my favourite question of them all. Because if we follow through on the first four questions, we will come out the other side of a conflict feeling more connected to our child than we did before.

Empathy, respect, and being heard-for both child and parent-is the stuff that healthy relationships are made of.

We can remember that we are both experiencing this situation through our own lens, but we share the same values of love and respect for each other. We’re on the same side. And when we work together, we feel more connected than ever. (psychologytoday.com)

By Ellen Booth Church

C

hildren are bustling around the playground pulling out forgotten toys. Jeremy and Joyce are dismayed when they find the fish pond game is a tangled mass. In walks Susan, who confidently says, “I know how to fix it. You hold one pole and you hold the other and we’ll unwind the strings!”

From learning how to walk in line and tie their shoes, to sharing a book or telling a story, five- and six-year-olds grow immensely in the “competence department”. Like Susan in the above vignette, most like to help and show what they know how to do. This is a time of celebration of new skills and understandings.

Developing responsibility Five- and six-year-old children want to feel responsible and are often eager to demonstrate just what they can do.

Responsibility is the natural “offspring” of competence. Often, you just have to “expect” them to be responsible, and they will be. Your expectations, both verbal and nonverbal, send a strong message to children about their capabilities. If you think they can be responsible, they will think so, too! Getting over the first step of believing they can do it makes every “how to” you teach that much easier.

Feeling competent and capable instils in children a sense of their own maturity as they are allowed to take on more responsibility and independence. As five- and six-year-olds demonstrate their ability to be responsible, their social and practical skills increase by leaps and bounds. Responsibility comes in many forms. It may take the shape of putting away toys or putting tops on markers, clearing the table, brushing teeth, and crossing the street safely. It can also include social responsibilities, such as using good manners and being aware of others’ feelings. If children are responsible they are often mature enough to know how and when to use these prosocial skills and to be trusted in a variety of situations. You can support these skills with a variety of activities.

Working cooperatively Happily, one of the by-products of feeling competent and capable is the desire to cooperate with others. A growing positive self-image leads five- and six-year-old children to want to share more with others. During this stage, children learn that cooperation means that a fun experience like building a sandcastle is even more fun when it’s shared! There is an excitement in the shared planning and creating that doesn’t happen all alone. This realisation of the value of working and playing together helps move children from a very “me” focused way of being into a more universal sense of self-competency.

By providing many opportunities to work and play together, you will be strengthening children’s understanding of self, which will support them throughout life.

What you can do Start small with classroom tasks that they can do and will be proud of. Give children more responsibility for organising and cleaning the room, serving snacks, and in transitions and group time activities.

Invite children to share their competence with the group in a show-and-tell type situation. Children can show a skill like snapping their fingers or singing a song and even “teach” others how to do it, too!

Involve children with local or global ways to show what they can do. Children might like to collect pennies for a cause or bake cookies for a food bank. This allows children to feel even more capable! (Excerpt from scholastic.com)

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

confirms ownership Over 300 Albion sugar workers on 8-day strike NICIL of wharf leased by M&CC H I arvesters who were transferred from the Rose Hall Sugar Estate to Albion are on an eight-day strike in protest over being asked to cut and load cane in snake-infested fields, while management refuses to supply bell loaders, which will result in them just having to cut the cane and not risk the dangers of picking it up and taking it to load in a punt.

It has been eight days since the cane has been burnt waiting to be harvested. More than 300 workers of 15B Gan, which is the leading harvesting gang at the Guyana Sugar Corporation, would start with a daily average of more than 100 punts of cane.

According to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Field Representative, Inderjeet Gopaul, the gang worked at Enterprise C fields one, two, three, four and five and after some negotiations with management because of the high number of poisonous snakes which were spotted in those fields, bell loaders were sent in to gather the cane and place in into the punts.

However, management is refusing to do the same for field six.

Gopaul said when the workers were going into the field last Wednesday, they noticed two snakes in one of the punts. He said the

workers refused to go any

An Albion cane harvester holding up a snake which he found in his work area

further. After killing the two reptiles, they again approached management.

“The manager go to see if he would see any snake….

wait on manager. He did not see the two that was in the punt, any snake would go in the crack and hide.”

Meanwhile, one of the

Snake wouldn’t sit down and

harvesters,

Adrial

Hall,

feels the current situation, which has caused them to be off the job for eight days, is because of a personal issue management has with the workers who were transferred from Rose Hall.

He told Guyana Times that he was told by one of the managers that the Albion Estate was operating without them.

Harvey Tambron, who is GAWU’s Berbice representative and who has been representing sugar workers for decades says management at the Albion Estate could do much better but seem bent on suffering the workers.

He noted that after the workers were finished harvesting the canes from the first five fields, management sent the bell loaders to Skeldon.

“Skeldon is not harvesting any cane… They just sitting there, and the workers request that they use the bell loader in field six. The bell loader is the property of NICIL. They were sitting at Rose Hall and they borrow it and not using it just having them at Skeldon and the harvesters are not working.”

“It is simple all they had to do was to bring the bell loader and it would take one day in the field.

It is only 8.8 hectors of cane. Management is using these workers as a scapegoat,” he said. (Andrew Carmichael)

n-house attorney of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Arianne McLean submitted her statement at Wednesday’s Commission of Inquiry, where it was confirmed that the Sussex Street wharf is owned by the agency.

Documents were provided, which shows that the plot of land was acquired in 2002 when the Guyana National Engineering Corporation (GNEC) vested all its assets to NICIL. Consequently, NICIL became the new lawful owner of the property.

“NICIL acquired the property by virtue of vesting order Number 13 of 2002, which dissolved GNEC and vested all of its assets to NICIL. Of those assets includes the property in question,” she explained.

The Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) was occupying the said piece of land as a tenant from 1995. When NICIL acquired the property in 2002, GNIC continued to operate with the new proprietor.

“The original owner of the property was GNEC. They leased it to GNIC by a 1995 lease. In 2002, GNEC was dissolved by a vesting order and GNEC remained the tenant.”

Over the years, a supplemental lease agreement was formalised to change sections of the lease. This

would change the lease time to 25 years if the contract is renewed. The lease price was also changed.

“There was supplemental lease agreement, the purpose of which was not to extend the lease but to give the parties the option to renew the lease for 25 years.

The original option was giving them the chance to renew for 15 years.”

In 2010 when the lease was finished, it was never renewed but GNIC still occupies the property. McLean indicated that this is a problem between NICIL and GNIC and it does not validate why City Hall would assume ownership for the wharf.

In April of 2016, the lease was granted by Town Clerk Royston King for the Quick Shipping Incorporated to operate at the Lot 1 Mudflat, Lombard Street property.

While a letter was issued to NICIL for permission, it was insinuated that King did not submit the document to the Council for deliberations as was mandatory.

Tax Collecting Officer of the City Treasury Department, Kim Forbes had told the Commission on Monday that there are no records of payment by the shipping company for 2016 but yet the company managed to submit their receipts during their statement. In 2017 and 2018, $625,000 was paid to the Council.

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS Vendor jailed for narco trafficking

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42-year-old vendor was on Wednesday jailed for three years after he admitted to a narcotics trafficking charge.

Seon Fitzgerald, a father of one, appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Fitzgerald admitted that on October 13, 2018,

at Joe Singh Drive, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, he had in his possession 76 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the prosecutor’s case, on October 13, 2018, at about 07:00h ranks from Customs AntiNarcotics Unit were on patrol duty in the area when they observed Fitzgerald

acting in a suspicious manner. The man was approached by the ranks, who identified themselves and conducted a search on his person. A black plastic bag containing the cannabis was found in his possession. He was taken into custody.

The unrepresented man in plea of mitigation told the court that he found the bag

with the cannabis.

“I was coming round the corner and I pick up it up, I told the Police I just find the bag, I have a baby, and I’m the only breadwinner for my family,” he said in his defence.

Magistrate Latchman handed down the threeyear sentence and fined Fitzgerald $30,000.

Guard charged for stealing gun, ammo from employer

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n employee of the Professional Guard Service was on Wednesday released on $200,000 bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for larceny.

Mark Joseph appeared before Magistrate Judy

Latchman charged for stealing a gun and its matching ammunition. It is alleged that on October 9, 2018, at Subryanville, Georgetown, he stole one Smith and Wesson .38 revolver valued at $109,649, property of Professional Guard Service. Another charge stated that on the same day, he stole

six live rounds of .38 ammunition valued at $1025, also property of the Professional Guard Service.

On Wednesday, the court heard that the firearm and ammunition were not recovered.

Police Prosecutor Warren Thornhill made no objec-

tions to bail being granted to the 38-year-old man.

As a result, Magistrate Latchman released Joseph on $150,000 bail for the theft of the revolver charge and $50,000 for the ammunition charge.

The case will continue on November 7, 2018.

Fisherman jailed for robbery under arms

M

ohammed Shafeed, a fisherman, who admitted on Wednesday that he robbed a man of his Samsung cellular phone valued $20,000 and $1400 cash was sentenced to 36 months in jail.

Shafeed appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he confessed that on October 14, 2018, at Ramp Road,

Greater Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a knife, he robbed Rajendradat Seodat of his Samsung cellular phone and cash.

According to the facts presented to the court, on October 14, Seodat was walking along Ramp Road when the fisherman and another male rode up to him and asked for $200. While the victim was in the pro-

cess of taking out the cash, Shafeed pulled a knife from his pants waist and pointed it at the victim. He, along with his accomplice, then relieved the victim of his cellular phone and cash. The matter was reported, and Shafeed was arrested. In a plea of mitigation, Shafeed told Magistrate Latchman that he did not know what led him to commit such an act.

“I ain’t know what get into my head; I never commit such an offence before, is the other guy who took away his phone and money and run away,” he said.

The man added that his ill mother depended on him as the main provider.

After listening to the fisherman’s plea, Magistrate Latchman jailed him for 36 months.

Bridge…

N …and Berbice votes

ow that the dust may be settling over the proposed toll increases for the Berbice River Bridge crossing by the BBCI, maybe we can begin to see a way out of the miasma. But even before we get to that we’ve got to clear up some misconceptions on the financing and control of the Bridge. These have been thrown around in the past and may clouding some folks’ judgement.

For those of us who aren’t in the finance world, it might be useful to remember it’s the COMMON stockholders from five entities who own the bridge – with shares valued at $400 million. After the NIS bought out CLICO’s shares when they went belly-up, they became the largest common shareholder. But more pertinently, two years ago, after NICIL bought out the DDL subsidiary (DEC) which owned one block of shares, the Government through its various agencies – such as NIS and NICIL – assumed majority ownership of the bridge!!

As per the rules of the BBCI, the Board of Directors – to a maximum of eight – are in proportion to the number of shares owned – and as such, the governmental entities also have a majority on the Board!! Therefore, the Government cannot now plead surprise over whatever decision the Board has taken to propose that horrific increase in tolls. THE GOVERNMENT’S MAJORITY REPS HAD TO HAVE SUPPORTED THE MOVE…IF NOT SUGGESTED IT!!

So what’s really going on? As with everything else in Guyana, your Eyewitness figures politics is at the bottom!

As to where the politics is coming from – you only have to read the “reactions” of the (AFC) Public Infrastructure Minister, James Patterson and the (AFC) DPI’s Op-ed in the Chronic to know. It’s all about the AFC trying to rile up Berbicians to not support the PPP at the LGE by blaming THEM for THEIR suggested toll hike!!

And after the Berbicians are riled up good and proper, the AFC will ride in like a knight in shining armour to “work something out”!! Ahhh… these fellas will walk over their mothers’ grave to get some votes to stave off their imminent decay from “dead” to “putrid” meat!!

But in all of this Sturm und Drang, there may be a silver lining.

The biggest investor in the bridge is the NIS – with both common and preferred stocks. But as we read recently, the NIS isn’t getting a hefty enough return on their investments overall. So why don’t the PNC Government have NICIL buy out all the other common stock shareholders and run the bridge – so that the NIS can begin to get proper returns on all those preferred shares?

This way, it’ll be a win-win all around!! Save for the AFC!!

…and Demerara votes

Looks like the AFC thinks their salvation lies in bridges.

While in Berbice – as we described above – they’re riling up folks, over in Demerara they’re promising salvation for the long-suffering folks over on the West Coast, who take a full hour to just CROSS their bridge! And once more it’s MPI Patterson in the thick of things.

Shrugging off the inquiry into his sole-sourcing the design for the new Demerara bridge crossing – for a whopping $143 million and which design was promptly SCRAPPED after the Chinese Ambassador said it was “19th century!! – Patterson’s now blithely promising construction of the bridge will star NEXT year!! Can you believe this guy?? He still hasn’t even received a bid on the new design – which he now concedes should be four rather than three lanes – nor settled on a financing model (BOOT? PPP?) and he’ll start in 2019?? What’s this guy smoking?

Or he means building an approach at Versailles on Stanley Ming’s “swing” land, is “starting” the bridge?!

…to riches?

In addition to pumping oil in the North, according to the IDB, we could earn big bucks in the South if we start to raze more of our forests in our South!!

There’s REDD money and Carbon Credits in the offing!!

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

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Berbice River Bridge

Jagdeo dubs move to increase tolls a “campaign gimmick” …“It is criminal. This is an act of desperation”

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he move to increase tolls for the Berbice River Bridge has been dubbed a political gimmick by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, which was orchestrated by the coalition Government.

Addressing his weekly press conference on Wednesday at his Church Street, Georgetown office, the Opposition Leader gave several key explanations for his argument.

According to him, the toll increases seemed to have come as a result of collusion between Government and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI).

He is of the firm view that this would most likely lead to the Government acting as the “knight in shining armour” who steps in and saves the day by blocking the increases.

Jagdeo said the Chairman of BBCI, Dr Surendra Persaud, who is also linked to the Alliance For Change (AFC), instigated the decision made by the Board.

“The Berbice Bridge Act in Section 3 under Toll Order

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

states that the maximum amount of toll to be charged during concession periods and any increase requires the Minister’s intervention and the Minister implements it through a toll order,” he explained.

He went on to state that the toll order specifies the rates and must be signed by the Minister. It therefore means that an increase cannot take effect without the Government’s intervention.

“It’s easy for anyone who wants to get to the bottom of this matter to do so. This is purely a campaign gimmick.

We know that for sure. It is

all a strategy,” Jagdeo argued.

Referring to Dr Persaud, Jagdeo claimed that Government may have succeeded in getting him to announce an increase but to make it “so shocking that they will once again get a campaign issue.”

“It is criminal. This is an act of desperation on the part of the coalition Government… they can’t campaign on anything else so they are whipping up sentiments,” the Opposition Leader claimed.

Jagdeo pointed to several reasons why the Government

had to resort to this means in order to garner support, mainly the declining economy in the county.

He said health care has not improved in Berbice, the Ophthalmology Centre is inoperable and thousands were left without jobs, no major infrastructural work ongoing in the region.

“So, what do they do? Well they have the toll majorly increased in order for them to act like they care for the people when they decrease it,” Jagdeo stated.

Transformational

Meanwhile, in shutting down suggestions that the construction of the bridge was a bad deal, Jagdeo, who also serves at the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), said it is and remains a proud decision he has made while serving as President of Guyana.

“I’m proud of the fact that I passed this law and signed an agreement and built the bridge without burdening taxpayers. The toll was similar to what people were paying to cross on the ferry.”

“This bridge has been

transformational for Berbice and I am being blamed. But I want to say that in my tenure, the airport was started, and the stadium was built in my tenure and the swimming pool, Convention Centre, many tactical institutions, Linden Hospital and water treatment plant, the Skeldon factory, the Leonora Track… contrast that with what they are doing, practically nothing.”

He reminded that the then People’s National Congress (PNC) Government had spoken about the idea of building that bridge but nothing was done until the PPP took up office.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader said the financial model which is an annex to the bridge’s contract, guides how the bridge is to be operated.

He noted that the financial projection shows a constant decrease, with the exception of two years, of tolls until 2026 when the bridge is expected to be handed over to the State.

Currently, the revenue of the Berbice River Bridge is reportedly doing better than that in the financial model,

as such; Jagdeo further questioned the shocking increase.

“All Government has to do is not sign the toll order.

If they collude with the company to increase the toll, we are committed to decreasing rates back to same level if we regain power,” he added.

Furthermore, the Opposition Leader urged the Government to release documents to the public regarding to operations of the bridge.

“We urge the Minister to not sign toll order, if they persist in this which we believe is a ploy, PPP will reverse this. We believe that this is a part of a gimmick in the campaign season,” he said.

It was announced on Tuesday that to cross the bridge, cars and minibuses will now have to pay $8040; small trucks, pickups and four-wheel drive vehicles $14,600; medium trucks $27,720; large trucks $49,600; boats $401,040; and freight $1680.

The increases are expected to take effect on November 12, 2018, the same day as Local Government Elections.

(Samuel Sukhnandan)

Guyana accuses EU of discrimination on visa-free travel decision

F

oreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge has expressed his disappointment over the approach taken by representatives of the European Union in dealing with Guyana being left out from those Caribbean countries that have been granted visa-free entry status to the 26 countries in Europe that fall under the Schengen Area.

Back in 2015, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines joined Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados and St Kitts and Nevis as Caribbean countries granted visa-free travel to Schengen Member States and associated countries.

According to Minister Greenidge, this issue was a

strong point made on Monday during the Sixth Round of EUGuyana Political Dialogue under the framework of Article 8 of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)EU Cotonou Agreement.

“We have expressed concern, if not alarm, about the treatment of Guyanese as regards the visa-free entry into Schengen … We believe this was discrimination,” the Minister posited during a press conference at the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Wednesday.

Moreover, he outlined that the EU has not put forward any reasons why Guyana was not given the same visa-free travel status.

“As a matter of fact, as far as we can see from the criteria they used, Guyana falls

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

squarely amongst those countries that don’t pose a risk and, therefore, it shouldn’t be treated differently,” the Foreign Affairs Minister asserted.

On this note, Greenidge

further expressed his dissatisfaction over the approach adopted in addressing the issue.

“We heard from Miss [Federica] Mogherini, who is the High Representative of Foreign Affairs and the Vice President of the European Council, that they are not now going to look at Guyana until a new council comes into office. In other words, [they’re] kicking it down the road or kicking it into the tall grass, depending on how you look at it, which makes us extremely unhappy,” the Foreign Affairs Minister noted.

The 26 countries under the Schengen Area are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,

Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Minister also disclosed that during Monday’s meeting with the EU delegation, other consular matters were raised.

According to Greenidge, the EU is seeking the treatment of its mission here as an international agency as oppose to a foreign state as currently obtains.

“They are seeking additional concessions as regards treatment in that regard. We’ve indicated to them that we hear them, but we’re still looking at that matter,” Greenidge said.

As part of the Sixth Round of EU-Guyana Political Dialogue, which was headed by EU Ambassador Jernej Videti? and Ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden, the delegation is having talks with the various Government Ministries and key agencies.

The objectives of the Dialogue are to exchange information to foster mutual understanding and to facilitate the establishment of agreed priorities and shared agendas, in particular by recognising the existing links between the different aspects of the relations between the parties and the various areas of cooperation as laid down in the Cotonou Agreement.

10 news US bank eyes Guyana’s Gun-toting men rob Parika bar P oil and gas sector thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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nited States-based international merchant bank, Merrill Lynch, which operates under the auspices of Bank of America, has expressed interest in helping Guyana to set up its Sovereign Wealth Fund (SVF) to manage revenues earned from the emerging oil and gas sector for local development.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, disclosed that on the sidelines of the recently concluded United Nations (UN) General Assembly he met with a number of agencies including Merrill Lynch, during which they were briefed on the progress and process of oil and petroleum with the intention of determining where they can help.

“They were interested in our own development fund, which is equivalent to the Sovereign Wealth Fund, and they have a variety of issues in terms of their experience and the options for collabo-

rations that they can offer to us,” the Minister posited.

According to Greenidge, as part of the functions of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he met with the bank and listened to them before channelling them to relevant stakeholder authorities in Guyana.

“They indicated an interest in speaking to those who are responsible for setting up and organising the fund… We listened to them, explain what we’re doing in a variety of areas and facilitate a meeting between themselves and the Ministry of Finance, the Governor of Central Bank also saw them. I know they have excellent capacity in the management of the equivalent of Sovereign Wealth Funds and we did not discuss with them their interests, but we did discuss what we have in place and they did indicate that they would take that up as recommended with the Ministry of Finance,” he stated.

Minister Greenidge outlined that Merrill Lynch is not a stranger to Guyana and had previously done work with the Central Bank of Guyana under the Bank of America.

In preparation for first oil in 2020, Government in August laid the highly-anticipated ‘Green Paper’ for the establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund in the National Assembly.

The Green Paper sets out preliminary proposals to stimulate discussion while also points to possible courses of action open to the SWF legislation.

Guyana is expected to earn as much as US$380 million annually from royalties in the first three years of oil production, which commences in two years’ time, at 120,000 barrels per day from ExxonMobil’s Liza Phase One. The US oil giant has forecast daily production at 500,000 barrels in another five years.

olice in D Division (West Bank DemeraraEast Bank Essequibo) have nabbed three men after they carried out a daring robbery on a bar owner and two of her customers at Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

Reports are the men pounced on the bar at about 22:20h on Tuesday. Guyana Times understands that the bandits drove up in a motorcar and walked into the bar where they attacked the owner and the customers.

The men demanded that customers handed over their valuables. A laptop, three cellphones and an undisclosed sum of cash were taken before one of the ban-

The items which were recovered

The car which was used by the gunmen

dit proceeded to discharge a round in the air. He later boarded the same vehicle in which they arrived that sped off from the scene.

Following the robbery, the Police were immediately informed. Swift action led to the escape car along with two of the perpetrators being apprehended at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara.

The third suspect was later apprehended in a minibus in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

He was found to be in possession of the stolen items along with firearms, ammunition and two torches.

The men are said to be residents of Albouystown, Georgetown; Best Village, WCD; and Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

Investigations are continuing.

Man charged for possession of illegal drug

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32-year-old man was on Tuesday hauled before the courts where he was slapped with a possession of illegal drug charge when he made his appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The charge against Steve

Fiedtkou read that on October 12, 2018, at a South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown, he had in his possession 252 pills equivalent to 146 grams of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as Ecstasy (E).

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him.

Fiedtkou was represented by Attorney Siand Dhurjon, who in his application for bail told the court that his client is a well-respected Christian who is the father of three boys and is a single parent since his wife’s death back in 2016.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne made no objections to bail

being granted.

Magistrate MacLennan after summing up the matter granted the accused bail in the sum of $75,000 and adjourned the matter until November 12.

Back in 2016, Fiedktou had a charge of causing death by dangerous driving dismissed against

him. The man was accused of causing the death of his reputed wife Shauna Rice on April 9, 2016, when the unlicensed motorcycle he was riding collided with a car, both occupants of the cycle were thrown off which caused Rice to sustain severe head injuries; the woman later succumbed to same.

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Soldiers implicated in Essequibo Wife, son arrested after retired cop found dead Coast rape-robbery fired …cause of death given as fractured spine, T

wo Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks who were implicated in a rape and robbery on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), have been fired.

A source close to the investigation told Guyana Times on Wednesday that the two were fired on Tuesday.

“Because of the nature of the allegations, it was in the best interest of the GDF to let them go,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a close relative of the rape victim told this publication that she remains traumatised by the incident, which occurred last Saturday at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground.

When contacted for an update on the case, Commander of G Division (Essequibo Coast and Islands), Khalid Pareshram, disclosed that the two men, both of whom were attached to the Sixth Infantry Battalion, Anna Regina, are still in custody, even as legal advice is being sought.

According to the Commander, the woman who was raped is in her 20s while her boyfriend is 18.

Reports are the couple were at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground, which is close to the GDF base, for an event and at

about 23:30h as they were enjoying an evening together, the two ranks attacked them.

Guyana Times was told that the soldiers dealt the young man several blows about his body, took away his money and gold chain, and demanded that his girlfriend have sex with them or else they would rape him.

At first, this demand was shut down, but the two ranks severely beat the young man. They then allegedly took turns raping the woman as she wept bitterly and asked them to stop.

The young man had no choice but to watch his girlfriend being sexually assaulted. After the ordeal, the young couple reported the matter to the Police station. At the Police station, the couple were told that there were no ranks available to search the area.

Family members then took it upon themselves to look for the two perpetrators. Upon seeing the angry mob of residents, the two men escaped. The couple was taken to hospital where the young lady was admitted. The Police subsequently took statements from the two traumatised young people and an investigation was launched.

An identification parade was done on Monday afternoon at the Suddie Police

Station and the two perpetrators were positively identified by the victims. This newspaper was told that while the ID parade was in progress, colleagues of the implicated ranks were heard shouting derogatory remarks towards the victims.

Guyana Times understands that the young male victim is an acquaintance of both ranks. The GDF in a release on Monday stated that it would give the necessary support to the Guyana Police Force as investigations continue into the heinous crime.

Residents in the area said young people would usually “hang out” in the area and never expected something like this coming from workers in the respectable office. Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt recently penned a letter to this newspaper calling for urgent action to be taken by the relevant authorities to address the rape allegation.

“The entire region, known for its peace, is very much concerned about the allegations raised. The RDC further reiterates its call for all the relevant authorities and agencies to be involved in addressing these serious allegations, so that a timely, fair, and just process can be achieved,” Ramdatt said.

blunt trauma

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olice in the Cinderella County are now investigating the death of one of their own after a post-mortem examination (PME) conducted on the body of retired Police Sergeant Parmanand Persaud revealed he died as a result of a fractured spine and blunt trauma to the neck.

Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh performed the PME on Tuesday and immediately after the findings, the dead man’s wife and son were taken into custody and are assisting with investigations.

Persaud, 56, of Lot 85 Anna Regina Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Suddie Public Hospital about 19:00h on

Retired Police Sergeant Parmanand Persaud

October 12. Sergeant Persaud last worked as Station Sergeant at the Charity Police Station before proceeding on retirement.

A source close to the investigation told this publication that Persaud recently received a large sum of cash as part of his gratuity.

The source stated that following Persaud’s death, relatives became suspicious and informed the Police of their suspicions.

According to the source, the Police also had their suspicions, but waited on the PME results before taking any action. Sergeant Persaud will be laid to rest today at the La Belle Alliance Cemetery.

The body was to be cremated, but relatives decided to have a burial instead, in the event his body may have to be exhumed for any further investigation.

Lindener arraigned on 3 counts of armed robbery

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wenty-nine-yearold David Crossman, also called "Bling", was remanded to prison

by Magistrate Clive Nurse when he appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where he was arraigned with three counts of armed robbery.

It is alleged that on September 30, 2018, the accused of Stewart Path, Christianburg, Wismar, Linden; along with two others, robbed Kriss Jinn of $30,000 in cash. It is also alleged that they robbed Michael Charles of a Samsung S6 Edge cellphone valued $150,000 and two silver chains.

Additionally,

they were accused of robbing Javon Bobb of a gold chain valued $6000.

The incident reportedly occurred on the Demerara River in the vicinity of the Mackenzie shore, Linden while they were armed.

Preliminary enquiries disclosed the victims were partying at the Library ‘3’ Night Club located at Rainbow City, Mackenzie, and later left the location and proceeded to the Titanic Boat Landing at Mackenzie.

Subsequently, the three suspects – two males and a female – entered the boat and as it proceeded over to the Wismar shore, the two males held the victims at

gunpoint and relieved them of the items.

Upon arrival on the other side, the suspects made good their escape. Crossman was later identified as one of the suspects.

Back in July, he was acquitted of a break and entry and larceny charge after he found not guilty of the offence by Magistrate Nurse.

He was accused of breaking and entering the dwelling house of Keneisha Samuels and stealing a quantity of items, all of which amounted to a total value of $450,000.

David Crossman, also called "Bling” He will make his next court appearance on December 7.

news

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations In America, it is Trumpism; in Guyana, it is Jordanism

I

n Guyana, several people have their own brands of Trumpism. Trumpism is the exasperating farrago of distortions, misrepresentations and, frankly, outright lies pushed by unprincipled showmen parading as economic czars.

Minister Jordan, last week, in a response to an October 9 editorial in Stabroek News displayed his flair for Trumpism. He disgraced himself and heaped further disgust by the citizens for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) which, day by day, is becoming more a Government of the few, by the few and for the few.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy One of the main speaking points of the President and his Ministers is that all the things wrong in Guyana is the fault of someone else, other than the Government. In their best Shaggy mode – “it wasn’t me”.

In addition to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Jordan, like all of his colleagues in the APNU/AFC Cabinet, cast blame and castigated the Private Sector, Stabroek News and the media generally for the failures of APNU/AFC. He claimed that the PPP ruined the economy and that the Private Sector and the media, represented by the Stabroek News, is shielding the PPP and sabotaging progress by APNU/AFC on behalf of the PPP. But Jordan also claimed that the country’s economy and social welfare of its people have never been better.

The fact is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) since 2015 to present has been spiralling downwards, compared to the GDP between 2006 and 2015. The PPP left an economy that was stable and robust, APNU/AFC is squandering that trajectory since 2015. Between 2010 and 2015, the economy grew about five per cent, with growth nine years in a row, one of the better-performing economies in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Americas. Since 2015, however, GDP has stagnated. Last year, Jordan projected 3.9 per cent growth and only achieved 2.1 per cent, just about half of what APNU/ AFC had predicted. Jordan’s Trumpism boasts that “Guyana is increasingly seen as a stable, well-managed country with bright prospects for sustainable development”. By whom? The truth dispels Jordan’s claims.

Jordan admits that non-performing loans (NPL) has dramatically increased, but then ingeniously blamed the PPP for the worsening NPL. In 2014, NPL was seven per cent of all loans and at the end of 2017, it was more than 13 per cent of all loans. Since 2014, banks have lost more than $7.1 billion in NPL by businesses and more than $3.1 billion in household loans. People are simply no longer able to repay their loans.

NPL is the major reason why the commercial banks have seen the return on their equity (profits) dramatically falling from 22.3 per cent in 2014 to a miserly 2.9 per cent in 2017. So why were people paying back their loans under the PPP and not able to do so now?

It is because their ability to spend has reduced significantly. The talk is “business slow bad”. Spending by businesses and the public (private consumption) has fallen by almost $200 billion since the end of 2014. In 2015, private consumption fell by $79 billion, in 2016 by $85 billion and the latest measure indicates that it fell by $32 billion in 2017. People are spending about $30,000 per month less, in each household. In part, this is because of the 200 new or increased taxes. Each citizen has paid more than $64,000 in additional taxes between 2015 and 2017. The Guyana Revenue Authority and APNU/AFC have boasted they are collecting record amount of revenues, confirming that people’s ability for spending have been eroded by increased taxes.

This dismal picture is only the beginning of the story. Private loans (business and household) have virtually grounded to a halt, with decreased manufacturing loans leading the way. In the meanwhile, Government is borrowing more, Government public investment spending (infrastructure and the social sector) is like the Burnham years, dependent on loans from overseas and local banks again. Increased tax collection, squeezing blood from the Guyanese people and businesses, are totally consumed by the increased interest on debt to overseas and local banks. While the national debt is increasing, the GDP is faltering and the ratio of debt to GDP is again reaching unsustainable heights. The PPP had reduced it from over 950 per cent of GDP to less than 45 per cent and now it is approaching the unsustainable mark of 60 per cent again.

They are borrowing more, taxing people more, but the deficit (spending more than they have) is increasing by $9.3 billion in 2015, $34 billion in 2017 and will be more than $43 billion in 2018. As part of this picture, revenues from Government-owned businesses have moved from a surplus of $8 billion in 2015 to a loss of almost $23 billion in 2018. In the meanwhile, more than 10,000 people have lost their jobs.

Jordan’s Trumpism really stinks.

CAL looking at direct flights from Guyana to Toronto, Miami – new CEO

F

ollowing some discomfort from locals over the lack of direct flights from Guyana to the United States and Canada, new Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Garvin Medera has committed to correcting this situation as he engaged with several stakeholders during his visit to Guyana.

In fact, the official told reporters at the Private Sector Commission (PSC) headquarters on Wednesday that the issue was the main challenge of the Trinidadian carrier.

“The number one challenge for us is the inability to originate flights from Guyana. Based on the regulations, we have to route our flights through Port-of-Spain (Trinidad and Tobago’s capital city) before we come to Guyana which ultimately means that there’s an in-transit experience, [which] we are aiming to improve, but it could be solved if we get the opportunity to start and end flights in Guyana which we want to do and it’s something that we have to make very clear,” he expressed.

Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Medera

The new CEO while noting that he was pleased that the PSC was on board with this plan, said that the company was working with the appropriate stakeholders to ensure that direct flights from Guyana became a reality. Medera’s engagement with aviation stakeholders and Government officials comes in light of other carriers signalling their intention to ply the Guyana route.

These economic ventures come as oil production is expected for Guyana from 2020.

When asked by members of

the press about reduced ticket prices in light of increased competition, Medera committed to value for service.

“We are very open to the idea of a competitive market; and that’s one of the ways that the people of Guyana will get the value that they deserve,” he noted. The CEO, who was appointed just one year ago, said that the company has been embarking on initiatives that seek value for money such as improved fuel consumption. He noted too that the Caribbean Region was small and many logistics have to be ironed out as CAL moved to improve the services it offered travellers. In any event, both the PSC Chairman, Desmond Sears and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) thanked the airline for its over 70 years of service to Guyana as the bodies expressed hope that this country’s culture could be showcased.

Medera also met with the National Airport Transport Association (NATA) President, Captain Gerry Gouveia, who raised issues of local content, with a view of securing more employment for Guyanese.

“We didn’t want you to continue being a Trinidadian carrier posing as a Caribbean carrier. We wanted you to truly be a Caribbean carrier... [For] services to Guyana, we want you to demonstrate not only in the back office of your operations, but in the front office: local content – Guyanese flight attendants and pilots,” Captain Gouveia stressed.

From January to March 2018, 142,781 persons were processed for Guyana flights, which was higher than the 126,340 for the same period in 2017 and many of those persons travel to the United States and Canada. It was only in September 2018 that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) commissioned a new terminal with boarding bridges and more space. The 4891-square metre terminal features 10 passport control booths, one elevator, one escalator, two functional boarding bridges, three baggage carousels, a spacious customs area, and a public greeting hall to welcome family and friends. (Shemuel Fanfair)

Convicted fraudster jailed for 30 years for raping woman nation to six charges. He had admitted that between August 17 and 21, 2017, at Georgetown and with intent to defraud, he obtained from six women (names withheld) $7000 each, pretending to be in a position to offer each of them a job.

It was revealed that he would pose as a businessman seeking females to work either in the Parika, Guilty: Troy Webster

A

n eloquent convicted fraudster, Troy Webster, was on Wednesday afternoon handed a prison sentence of 30 years by Sexual Offences Court Judge Jo-Ann Barlow after a majority jury found him guilty of sexually penetrating a woman without her consent. The jury produced the 11-1 verdict after a few hours of deliberation.

The rape survivor was 25 years old at the time of the attack, which was said to have occurred on November 21, 2015 at a community in the county of Demerara.

The prosecution contended that Webster had also tricked the woman into giving him money in addition to raping her. The offender, who was convicted multiple times for conning several women in the past, had pleaded not guilty when his matter came up for trial earlier this month. He was represented by Attorney Clyde Forde while Attorneys Seeta Bishundial, Tiffini Lyken and Abigail Gibbs prosecuted the case.

Although he had already been committed to serve a prison sentence for a similar offence four years prior, the now convicted rapist was jailed for nine years by Magistrate Judy Latchman in August 2017 after he pleaded guilty with expla-

East Bank Essequibo (EBE) area or on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). He would request a sum of $7000 along with a copy of their identification card, but would vanish after informing them that he would make contact with them to commence work.

In May 2013, he was jailed for three years after defrauding seven young women (names withheld) of

their valuables. He similarly collected $7500 of a down payment from six of them for uniforms for employment.

In that case, he had also been charged with fraudulent conversion, whereby he had taken a pair of gold earrings from one of his victims, claiming that this was for her employment. The majority of criminal cases concern sexual offences.

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thursdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

CCPA Region 10 office commissioned

T

he Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) office in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) has been officially commissioned. The office, situated at Republic Avenue, Mackenzie, has been in operation for some time but was officially handed over to the CCPA by Social Protection Minister Amna Ally. Speaking at a small opening ceremony, which was marked by the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, Minister Ally said it is the Ministry’s responsibility to provide “excellent service because the population out there depends on us. And we have got to ensure that every department, whether you belong to probation, whether you belong to child care... it is a good thing that all of us can be housed in one building. So that we can know what each other is doing... that we can work together... so that we can make the Ministry very effective. That is very important for us.”

The Minister also applauded those who contribut-

The new CCPA office in Linden

ed to the success of the initiative as she shared her hope for similar initiatives to be taken to other regions.

“I long for the day, at the national level, where we can bring all of the services together, all of the buildings together so that we can operate from one location providing the many services for our people...I hope that in all the regions, we’re going to have similar offices where we can have our people together, so that we can provide the necessary services for the people of the particular regions,” Ally said.

Noting that Linden is fortunate for such services, the

Minister urged the community to embrace the facility with a more coordinated approach of all the sectors, in providing improved services.

The Ministry’s Principle Personnel Officer, Shelton Daniels said the office will house the CCPA Department of Probation and Social Services, Department of Co-ops, Labour, Board of Industrial Training, Occupational Safety and Health Department in addition to administration. He pointed out that it also has about 20 staff members.

The office is a rented space, which shares a building with other businesses.

List of approved water facilities to be announced soon – GA-FDD

F

ollowing an assessment conducted in Georgetown earlier this year, where 11 of 29 water facilities were found to be unlicensed and non-compliant with the laws governing the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD), the body is preparing to release to the public, a list of water processors who are compliant to ensure safety among customers.

Head of the Department, Marlon Cole on Monday spoke withGuyana Times, where he made the announcement.

According to Cole, the official list will be presented some time during the week.

During a recent interview, Cole said, “We are working with them and we are encouraging them to ensure that they bring in their applications and the necessary paper work so that they can be licensed for 2018”.

He pointed out that the GA-FDD will be ensuring regular inspections are conducted on the water processing businesses to ensure they are complying with the laws.

According to him, those businesses should have been

fully compliant and licensed

by March of this year, however the Department has extended this time until October of 2018.

He noted that all water businesses, including those out of the city will be expected to be licensed on or before this time.

“Officers in the outlying regions will conduct the necessary inspections at the water businesses and will bring samples as well,” Cole asserted.

Based on the findings of the six-month long assessment, which concluded back in August, some 11 water processing facilities were found to be incompliant with the laws while operating without the necessary License from the Department.

According to the GA-FDD, the samples were analysed for microbiological and chemical parameters to verify compliance with safety requirements.

Of the 29 facilities that samples were taken from, 11 were found to be operating without the necessary license from the department. Of the 87 samples submitted for analysis, 15 or 17 per cent were found to be unsatisfactory.

Due to this, the department has been urging consumers to be cautious and to request a valid licence from water processing factories who retail five-gallon proportions and to furthermore ensure the bottles are properly labelled and sealed before purchase as well as report any company that fails to comply with the Department’s requirements as it relates to the sale of treated water.

In an effort to ensure proper health amongst the citizens, the GA-FDD has vowed to repeat such exercises.

The department is also appealing on the water distribution companies to comply with its requirements or face the penalty of being closed down.

It said that manufacturers and distributors must have a valid licence, issued by this Department and is an indicator of their compliance to Good Manufacturing Practices; also bottles used must be properly cleaned, sanitised, labelled and sealed. No funnel should be used to transfer water to bottles prior to sale and/or distribution.

NEWS

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THURSdAY, october 18, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Jagdeo blasts Minister Jordan for "drug economy" statement …commends Private Sector for move seeking evidence

O

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has taken Finance Minister Winston Jordan to task over his statement about the economy pre-May 2015 being heavily based on proceeds of the drug trade, stating that it is just another excuse for Government’s poor performance.

Jagdeo told media operatives on Wednesday that Jordan’s statement is highly political and was expected, especially since it is the political season that leads to the upcoming Local Government Elections. But the former President noted that the Minister’s statement is baseless.

“When has this Government seen them find a single case… so much money laundering and drug trafficking… Have you ever seen them charge a single money launderer or drug trafficking or illegal proceeds?” Jagdeo questioned, stating that there is no evidence to prove this.

On the other hand, Jagdeo said while the State Assets and Recovery Agency (SARA) is mandated to go after money launderers and other white collar criminals, they have not managed to do

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

so. “SARA keeps saying they will do it, SOCU (Special Organised Crime Unit) still running behind Pradoville and a few of us,” Jagdeo referring to himself and his former Cabinet Ministers.

He questioned, “Where is this big set of money to keep the economy going?

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) said recently it has taken note of the statement by Minister Jordan on the impact of the proceeds of drugs on the economy.

The Private Sector body said in an effort to understand the “empirical evidence” relied upon by the

Minister, the Commission said it has sought to obtain a briefing by the Minister and, to that end, they have dispatched a letter to the Minister seeking an audience with him.

In the letter that was made public to the media, the PSC said it would be “grateful to be briefed by you on the assertions made that the economy pre May 2015 was heavily based on proceeds of the drug trade and that the current economy post May 2015 is no longer affected by such proceeds.”

Moreover, the Commission said “as businesses it is important for us to understand the underlying structure of the economy and the various elements that contribute or inhibit its growth.”

Outlining that it was awaiting a response, the PSC in its letter to the subject Minister posited that “we look forward to such a brief so that we could better understand the empirical evidence supporting your assertions.”

Pleased

In response to this, Jagdeo said he was pleased

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

for the first time that the PSC is seeking such information. “I must thank the leadership of the Private Sector Commission for asking for details because if a minister of finance says drug proceeds and money laundering were the primary source of financing of many business in Guyana and the buoyance,” he added.

However, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary said that he is of the firm view that the Minister would not be able to give such an explanation because he has no such evidence.

“The buoyancy of the economy had to do with several things, a growing set of economic activities, a growing tax base, larger deposits and more people borrowing and investing. All of that led to the buoyancy we saw. The conserve ills we see now… bad loans, new no investments,” Jagdeo said.

Jordan, since his Government came to power in 2015, has made outlandish accusations, without proof, that the PPP Administration before him was able to reflect growth in the economy because it proliferated the trade of drugs.

In an interview in 2016, the Finance Minister attributed the reduction in consumer spending to a decrease in illegal activities, including narco-trafficking, which he said had created a parallel economy.

Most recently in a response to an editorial done by one of the leading dailies that waded into Minister Jordan’s handling of the financial sector, Jordan retorted, inter alia, “you must have forgotten, conveniently, the deformed and broken economy that our Government inherited in 2015. Lest we forget,

too, that economy thrived on rampant drug trafficking, money laundering, and a banking sector in which a few institutions recklessly lent funds for private white elephant projects.”

In July of this year, an article was published in the State-owned Department of Public Information (DPI), where SARA’s Chief Executive Officer, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer is recorded saying that the SARA is working tirelessly with the Legal Affairs Ministry to retrieve over $200 billion in State assets lost through corruption between 2010 to 2014.

“We have been losing between $28 billion and $35 billion every year between 2010 and 2014 by procurement fraud, in illicit capital flights-$90 billion and in the underground economy (drugs) – about $100 billion,” the SARA Chief had said.

However, the PPP has on multiple occasions called out the incumbent Administration for peddling what it said was “blatant lies” in an attempt to justify their “mismanagement” of the economy.

DDL, Agri Ministry partner for Crimea attack: College advancement of dairy sector shooting kills 19

A

A

s part of efforts to reduce the high import bill of dairy products, the Agriculture Ministry and Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) are considering the implementation of a private/public partnership (PPP) to develop the local dairy industry to provide milk and dairy products.

This was among the decisions taken on Wednesday when Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and a team from his Ministry toured the operations of DDL at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, during which there were wide-ranging discussions with a team from the local beverage giant headed by its Chairman, Komal Samaroo.

The meeting also viewed a presentation by a visiting team of personnel from Tetra Pak, a Swiss headquartered company with which DDL is currently finalising an agreement for the design and supply of a new packaging plant to be installed next year at Diamond. The presentation also included a system for the effective collection of fresh milk from dairy farmers.

During the meeting, Minister Holder indicated that Guyana’s milk and milk product imports amount to about US$25 million and the production of milk locally would eliminate this expenditure, while creating jobs and generating revenue for local cattle farmers.

He said there is a pool of animals in Guyana that can

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder makes a point during the presentation at the DDL Boardroom

be converted to dairy production over the next five to 10 years. According to the Agriculture Minister, DDL with its technical, marketing and management expertise, is best suited to partner with Government to pursue the production of milk in Guyana.

The Government of Guyana, through the Guyana Livestock Authority GLDA), will provide the required expertise inartificial insemination, embryo transplant techniques, pasture management and on farm development and milk collection activities.

“There are synergies for us to work together and to access the needed resources through international agencies such as the World Food Programme,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Samaroo asserted that DDL is open to pursuing a partnership with the Government and will

continue to engage in moving the process forward as part of the company’s diversification plans.

On the other hand, the partnership will also seek to expand local juice production with the Agriculture Ministry embarking on a programme to encourage market driven agriculture.

Wednesday’s visit by Minister Holder is the third by a Government Minister over the past three months as DDL and Government seek to work together to ensure a smooth and coordinated approach to the implementation of their respective development projects.

Earlier visits were paid

by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and Finance Minister Winston Jordan. These followed visits late last year

by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin.

t least 19 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in a shooting at a college in Russian-annexed Crimea.

An 18-year-old student ran through the technical college in Kerch firing at fellow pupils before killing himself, Russian investigators say.

Officials and witnesses have also spoken of at least one blast caused by an unidentified explosive device.

Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 in a move condemned by many Western powers.

The annexation marked the start of a simmering conflict involving Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine that goes on to this day.

Details are still emerging,

Russia has said the attack was an act of "mass murder"

and there are contradictory reports about the chronology of the attack.

The alleged perpetrator, named Vladislav Roslyakov, is said to have run from room to room as he fired, starting in the area near the canteen. He then shot himself dead, Russia's investigative committee said.

Photos later emerged in Russian media purportedly showing the body of the attacker in the college library.

The investigative committee said initial examinations suggested all the victims died of gunshot wounds, but some reports speak of shrapnel injuries. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Jamal Khashoggi: Turkish Police search Saudi Consul's residence

T

urkish investigators have entered the residence of the Saudi Consul in Istanbul to gather more evidence about the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi. Turkish officials suspect the Saudi Journalist was killed during a visit to the nearby Consulate on October 2.

The Consul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, flew back to Riyadh on Tuesday. He denies knowing what happened to Khashoggi.

However, a Turkish newspaper says Otaibi can be heard in purported audio recordings of Khashoggi's death.

Saudi Journalist Khashoggi

Jamal

Yeni Safak, which is close to the Government, quotes him as telling alleged Saudi agents sent to Istanbul: "Do this outside. You're going to get me in trouble."

Gruesome details said to be of Khashoggi's last moments have emerged in a range of media outlets.

In Washington, President Donald Trump says his administration has asked to hear the audio recording – "if it exists". "I want to find out what happened, where was the fault," he told reporters. He also dismissed the idea he was "giving cover" to the Saudis – a key US ally.

Trump earlier cautioned against rushing to blame Saudi leaders, telling the Associated Press that they were being treated as "guilty until proven innocent". (Excerpt from BBC News)

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursdAY, october 18, 2018

ARCHIE

Learn from someone with more experience and use the (March 21- information you are given to April 19) help you assist others. Your beliefs and actions will enhance how others view you.

ARIES

Don’t expect everyone to TAURUS adhere to what you want to (April 20- do. To avoid interference, you May 20) are best off perfecting your plans before presenting them.

dilbert

Don’t trust someone to GEMINI (May 21- tell you the truth or do a job June 20) you’ve been given. Take care of your responsibilities and take credit for the job you do.

Use your intuition to decipher who is and isn’t honest.

(June 21- Doing something unique will July 22) give you a different perspective on who you want to collaborate with.

CANCER

Peanuts

Take the time to explain LEO how you feel or what you (July 23- want to see happen. Being upAug. 22) front will give you a chance to weigh what you want to do next against the response you receive.

Calvin and Hobbes

A chance to hang out with VIRGO someone new and exciting (Aug. 23may entice you, but considSept. 22) er including the people who have stood by you in the past as well.

An enthusiastic attitude LIBRA (Sept. 23- will help you accomplish your Oct. 23) goals. You are best off listening carefully when dealing with youngsters or a loved one. A difference of opinion could cause setbacks.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — BURRITOS

SUDOKU

If you discuss your intenSAGITTARIUS tions, you’ll find out who is (Nov. 23- and isn’t likely to stand beDec. 21) side you to help. The support you receive will fortify your plans.

(BURRITOS: buh-REE-tose: Tortillas wrapped around a filling.)

Average mark 20 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 30 or more words in BURRITOS? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — NESCIENT

nene nest nice nicest niece nine entice scene scent sect seen

seine sennit sent since sine site snit stein cense cent cist

cite incense incest insect inset intense teen tennis tense tine

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

Problems will develop at SCORPIO home or work if you change the (Oct. 24way you do things without apNov. 22) proval, or if someone else does the same. Communication will be important if you want things to run smoothly.

solution for last published puzzle

Look for alternative methCAPRICORN (Dec. 22- ods when it comes to taking Jan. 19) care of your chores or responsibilities. Getting things done on time and without a hitch will lead to an unusual but interesting offer.

Do what’s best for you, not AQUARIUS what someone is pressuring (Jan. 20- you to do. Change must be Feb. 19) to your benefit and not made just to appease someone looking out for his or her own interest.

If you share your ideas, PISCES (Feb. 20- you’ll open up a discusMarch 20) sion that will help you make worthwhile tweaks before you actually launch your plans. A contract or partnership is favoured.

thursdAY, october 18, 2018

19

Regional Super50 Tournament…

Guyana Jaguars lead Super50 table – Dhaliwal, Pooran and Barnwell lead the runs

W

ith 13 matches (semi-finals and final included) remaining in the Regional Super50 Tournament, the Guyana Jaguars are comfortably poised at the top of the table with 25 points in six matches, being victorious on five occasions with only one match lost.

Leading the batting chart with the most runs, Canada’s Navneet Dhaliwal has 271 runs in six innings with Nicholas Pooran in second position, scoring 258 runs in five innings with a staggering average of 51.60.

Seasoned Guyanese all-rounder Christopher Barnwell has been the shining light for the Jaguars scoring 256 runs at an outstanding average of 64. His highest score was the unbeaten 99. Jonathan Carter is fourth on the list with 243 runs, followed by Jamaican duo Jermaine Blackwood (241) and John Campbell (232).

Dependable Jaguars all-rounder Raymon Reifer (217) and Guyanese opener Trevon Griffith (207) are the other top batsmen in the Super50. There are five centuries in the Super50 thus far: Chris Gayle (122); Devon Smith (132); Chanderpaul Hemraj (103);

Jermaine Blackwood (100) and Marlon Samuels (103).

Nicholas Pooran and Christopher Barnwell have the most sixes in the tournament with 11 and 10 respectively.

Surprisingly, Canadian left arm bowler Galkandage Don Romesh Eranga leads the bowling charts with 17 wickets to his name with his best bowling figures being 6-21 at an excellent economy rate of 4.38.

Larry Edwards has 13 wickets while the consistent Jaguars off-spinner, Ramaal Lewis has 12 wickets at an average of 15.16 with an economy rate of 3.91.

Veteran left-arm Jamaican spinner Nikita Miller, along with Guyanese pace ace Clinton Pestano, has 11 wickets each.

Pestano had an unforgettable game when he picked up a hat-trick against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Five bowlers in the Super50 have taken five-wicket hauls: Eranga (6-21); USA’s Elmore Hutchinson (5-42); Barbados Pride’s Kevin Stoute (538); Leeward Islands’ Jeremiah Louis (533) and Windward Islands youngster Alick Athanaze (5-45). (Brandon Corlette)

Regional Super 50 Points Table

GROUP A TEAM

M

W

L

T

N/R

PT

NRR

Guyana

6

5

1

0

0

25

1.374

Trinidad & Tobago

5

4

1

0

0

18

0.656

West Indies B

5

2

2

0

1

10

-0.843

Windward Islands

6

1

4

0

1

7

-0.551

Canada

6

1

5

0

0

4

-0.943

GROUP B TEAM Jamaica Combined Campuses and Colleges Barbados Leeward Islands United States of America

M

W

L

T

N/R

PT

NRR

6

4

1

0

1

21

0.646

5

3

2

0

0

15

0.853

6 6 5

3 1 1

2 3 4

0 0 0

1 2 0

15 8 5

-0.036 -0.75 -0.733

Hemraj’s century highlights Mayweather tells Enmore 100-Ball tournament Nurmagomedov "come into my world" T

B

oxer Floyd Mayweather has told UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov to "come into my world" and make a bout happen that he believes will earn him more than his fight with Conor McGregor.

The American, 41, beat McGregor in August 2017 in a fight that generated more than £450m and earned him £210m.

Nurmagomedov, after defeating the Irishman on his return to UFC, then called out Mayweather himself.

"When I face Khabib, of course I am getting a nine-figure payday," he said.

"More than the McGregor fight. Probably $100m more - I'm going to say between $110m and $200m (more) guaranteed."

Nurmagomedov, 30, extended his unbeaten mixed martial arts record to 27-0 with his 6 October victory against McGregor, but former five-weight world champion Mayweather (50-0) says any bout between the two will happen in the box-

he Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club (ECCCC) 100-ball cricket tournament got off to a rousing start on Sunday with 10 games across five venues on the East Coast of Demerara.

In the preliminary games being played in a round-robin format across four groups, the highlight of day one’s action was Gobinraj Hemraj’s magnificent 111 (11x4 and 5x6) against Beehive SC at Strathavon Ground.

At Strathavon, the home side defeated Mahaica SC by 10 wickets. Batting first, Mahaica SC made 31 all out (11.3 overs), with U-19 spinner Kevin Latif grabbing Khabib Nurmagomedov and Floyd Mayweather have both defeated 4-4 off his allotted three overs.

Conor McGregor Strathavon SC then proceeded ing ring. happen." to chase down their target by "We fighting," he told However, Mayweather scoring 37 without loss from TMZ. "I'm my own boss, so I warned the Russian there their four overs. can't say what's going on at must be no repeat of the meIn game two, Strathavon Khabib's end, but at my end lee that followed his defeat made 179 for 2 from their we can make it happen. of McGregor in Las Vegas. allotted 100 balls as they "I'm Floyd Mayweather.

"Of course we know defeated Beehive SC by 93 I'm the A-side, you call me Vegas is the fighting capi- runs. out you come into my world. tal, and after the fight you Hemraj, brother of West "I don't know no oth- have to conduct yourself like Indies player Chanderpaul er fighter that has done a true professional," said Hemraj, plundered triple the numbers I have done. I Mayweather. figures while Mohan Ronaid don't know any fighters that "Not just in the ring, but was left unbeaten on 30. have made the money I have outside the ring also - you Beehive SC were then made, so he called me out - must conduct yourself like a restricted to 89 for 9 as Dinesh come into my world, make it professional." (BBC Sport) Vivikanand contributed 31

Gobinraj Hemraj scored his century

after

he

not out – he was the most substantial scorer. Hemraj and Ronald returned with the ball to grab three wickets apiece for 10 and 13 runs respectively.

Over at Fairfield, the hosts defeated Beehive by seven wickets. Beehive batted first and made 92-7 as H Samlall top-scored with 36 while Richard Chatura and Walter Byrne took two wickets apiece.

Fairfield then chased down the target and scored 97 for 3 (12 overs) with Chatura scoring 43.

Fairfield SC defeated Mahaica SC by seven wickets.

Mahaica SC batting first, made an impressive 124 for six wickets (100 balls). Scoring for them were Yeudister Persaud (43) and Darshan Persaud (40) not out as Chatura took three wickets for 17. Fairfield SC then returned to make light work of the total set before them, as they made 126 for 3 (11.3 overs) with Wazim Mustapha scoring 51 and Yudister Persaud claiming 2-13 (2 overs).

In other results, Enterprise B defeated Enmore CCCC B by 6 wickets, then Enterprise A thrashed Paradise SC by 10 wickets. Lusignan A and B defeated Enterprise and LBI respectively.

At Enmore, the home side defeated Mahaica Cavaliers by nine runs; they then got past Lusignan East by 75 runs.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursdAY, october 18, 2018

BCB/NBS 2nd Division Tournament…

Daniels, Khan and Kamalldin brothers among top performers

T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)organised New Building Society sponsored 40-Over RoundRobin Second-Division Tournament for over 80 teams in the county of Berbice continued last weekend with several matches.

In the Tournament, teams are divided into 17 zones, with the top team in each zone going on to the play-off stage.

At Number 72 Ground, Number 70 Spartan defeated Number 72 All-Stars by 88 runs. Batting first, Number 70 made 159 all out in 34.1 overs with Thameshwar Ramoutar top scoring with 37. A Hemchand grabbed 4-31 and W Garnett picked up 2-30 bowling for Number 72. Number 72 then were sent packing for an embarrassing 71 with only Ryan Ramdass offering some resistance with the bat, scoring 20 runs. Naeem Yaccob bowled a superb spell picking up a magical 5-10, with Omesh Khemraj and H Ramoutar picking up 2-23 and 2-9 respectively.

In Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Yakusari Caribs defeated Yakusari Horizons by 73 runs. The Caribs batting first on the small ground, made 143 in 20 overs. C Iyana and R Iyana were the chief scorers with 34 and 28

respectively. V Rampersaud 2-15, Karim Amin 2-20 and T Ramsundar 2-23 bowled well for Horizons.

In Horizons’ chase, they were sent packing for 70 in 19.2 overs. Amin (20) was the principal scorer as Naipaul Iyana grabbing 5-10.

In another encounter at Number 69, the Number 69 Red Rose Cricket Club defeated Number 70 Young Blood Cricket Club by five wickets.

Number 70 Young Blood batting first made 142 all out with S Rampersaud (26) and V Lakeram (19) contributing to the score.

Bowling for the Red Rose, Deoraj Rampersaud had 3 for 26, Deodat Seeram and Tarrick Chaitram both had 2 for 20 and Trishan Narinedat chipped in with 2 for 24.

In reply, Number 69 Red Rose eased their way to victory ending on 143 for 5.

Rampersaud made a rapid 70, while Deodat Seeram contributed 23. Ashwood Mahsond was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 27.

At Number 70 MYO, Number 70 MYO Cricket Club defeated Number 71

Sports Club by eight wickets.

Number 71 Sports Club made 111 all out in 27.5 overs. Somedat Singh (21) and Karamchand Poopaj (30) were the chief scorers. Bowling for the MYO Cricket Club, Ahmad Khan, Areef Khan, Asardeen Mohamed and Asad picked up two wickets each.

In reply, Number 70 MYO reached 112 for 2 in only 16 overs.

Jameel Asad

stroked an aggressive 49 and Salu Khan made 27.

At Number 72, Cut and Load Cricket Club defeated

Number 73 Young Warriors Cricket Club by five wickets.

Number 73 Young Warriors Cricket Club were all out on 94 in 34 overs. Danesh Seenarine (13) and Azad Mohamed (28) top-scored.

Rishi Persaud picked up 3 for 11; Devanand Chatterpaul had 2 for 15 and Imran Khan grabbed 3 for 16.

Cut and Load with 95 for 5 in 10 overs completed their task in quick time, with Rishi Persaud blazing away with 53. Azad Mohamed with 3 for 25 and Ganesh Singh with 2 for 27 took the wickets for the Number 73 Young Warriors.

A t N u m b e r 48, Number 48 Challengers defeated Number 43 Scorpions by two wickets.

Number 43 Scorpions Cricket Club piled up 205 runs in 34.3 overs with S Diaram scoring an impressive 67, and A Grant scoring an even 50. A Lensankar had 3 for 33 and M Drepaul 2 for 21. As the runs continued to flow easily, Number 48 Challengers Cricket Club raced away to 206 for 8, completing a successful run chase. Munesh Lalu entertained the crowd with an enterprising 94, Balram Persaud contribut-

ed 31 and Terrence Budhu, 34. Jaipaul Sewnauth had 3 for 39 while off-spinner Devin Baldeo had 3 for 12.

At Courtland, Chesney Cricket Club defeated Courtland Cricket Club by six wickets.

Courtland managed only 126 in 21.4 overs. Jermaine Cort (31) and Eon Gibson (21) were the only batsmen to offer resistance. Stanford superstar Imran Khan grabbed 4 for 38 and S Khan had three wickets. The Chesney Cricket Club made light work of the target, as they ended on 129 for 4 in 17 overs. Pavindra Somwaru (58) and Saif Latchana (18) were the main scorers for Chesney. Only Jermaine Cort’s 3 for 16 threatened the Chesney batting line-up.

At Fyrish, Fyrish Cricket Club defeated Kilcoy Cricket Club by 51 runs.

Fyrish Cricket Club made 171 in 27 overs with Y Chinapen (25); Y Cordyall (29) and K Rengasammy (22) scoring the bulk of the runs. H Mohamed picked up three wickets, but was on the expensive side, going for 60 runs. The Kamalldin brothers had 3 for 8 and 3 for 10 each.

Kilcoy Cricket Club only managed 120 all out in 20 overs. K Ramnarain batted brilliantly for his 54, and H Mohamed made 18.

R Ramcharran’s 3 for 10 and K Roopnarine’s 3 for

34 knocked over the Kilcoy batsmen.

At Good Banana Land, Young Warriors Cricket Club defeated BG Triple Star Cricket Club by 27 runs. Young Warriors made 185 in 33 overs, with national under-19 opening batsman Alex Algoo scoring a quick fire 30, S Khan made 27, and Devindra Ramoutar adding 20 to the score. L Jugister (3 for 38) and O Emandin (3 for 27) were the standout bowlers.

BG Triple Star were bundled out for 158 in 27.3 overs.

K Sobhai (47); K Gangaram (42) and S Amichanen (20) all got starts but failed to convert. Devindra Ramoutar bowled brilliantly, snaring 5 for 44.

At Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Cricket Club defeated Bermine Cricket Club by 23 runs. Mount Sinai made 180 all out in 33.5 overs. R Mc Andrew (27); S Daniels (24) and R Barrington (36) did the batting for Mount Sinai.

Left arm spinner Gregory Crandon grabbed 3 for 23 and R Seitaram picked up 3 for 22.

In reply, Bermine fell short of Mount Sinai’s target and only managed 157 all out in 29.4 overs. K Roster made 38 and R Seitaram made 37.

S Daniels was in top bowling form as he grabbed 6 for 34, and J Amsterdam supported with 2 for 31.

Antilles U-18 3-on-3 Basketball C/ships…

Guyana heighten preparations as tournament draws near

T

he Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) will come alive with excitement this weekend as Guyana will be looking to take home court advantage when they take on the rest of the Caribbean in the Antilles U-18 3x3 basketball Championships.

As the tip-off for the competition looms closer and closer, the eight-member Guyanese male and female teams have stepped up their preparations, getting an early feel of the indoor CASH facility as they worked on fitness and tactical plays.

The regional tournament, which targets Under-18 players, will bounce off today as over 65 participants flow into Guyana to vie for the top honours against the hosts, Guyana.

A workshop will mark the beginning of the tournament and will be conducted

by International Basketball Federation (IBF/FIBA) of-

ficials, while the intense competitive play runs from 14:00h on October 20 to 21.

A s i d e from the brewing rivalry in the 3 x 3 segment, players will also c o m -

pete chal-

in three points shootout, skills lenge and a slam dunk contest.

Meanwhile, the shortlisted players for Guyana are: Males – Akeem Crandon, Andrew Johnson, Nigel Bowen and Shamar France with Mark Agard as Head Coach. On the other hand, the female squad will feature Saffiya Greene, Lydia Roberts, and Roschelle Campbell with Troy Greene as Manager.

The U-18 Antilles 3x3 Basketball Final is being organised by the IBF and the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF). Admission to the highly anticipated event will remain free for both days.

The participating countries include: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Dominica, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia and hosts Guyana for the men, while the female category comprises Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique and hosts Guyana.

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sports

St Stanislaus emerge champions at scholastic chess competition K

nown in the world of local chess for creating platforms on which young players can display and improve their skills, Marian Academy has once again hosted a chess competition.

This time around, the scholastic competition was open to outside schools, adding a little flavour to the competitiveness.

The event saw participation from schools such as Queen’s College, The Bishops’ High School, Saint Stanislaus College, Mae’s Under 12, Tuschen Deaf Academy, School of Nations, Al Ghazali Islamic Academy and, of course, a home team from Marian Academy in both primary and secondary categories.

In the team version of the secondary competition, St Stanislaus College’s A team comprising young champions such as Jaden Taylor, Ghansham Allijohn, Jarrell Troyer and Chelsea Juma took top honours.

Juma, who played unbeaten, fuelled her experienced team to a 5.5 point win, a half point ahead of their next opponent.

Surprisingly, the second position was taken by the Queen’s College A team.

Upcoming sensation Rajiv Lee could be thanked for that, after leading his team to five points. Being new to the scene, Queen’s College showed grit and determination as they were the only

Ethan Lee

team to draw with Saints 2-2, out of four matches.

They were followed closely by tournament favourites Marian Academy.

With Ethan Lee leading the charge for the home team, they garnered 4.5 points for their third place. Also shining on the Marian team was Odit Rodrigues, who played magnificently for his wins in the first, second and third rounds.

Also fairly new to the competitive chess world were School of the Nations, who played valiantly. Shabaka Martin and Joshua Khan were notable mentions for the team.

It was difficult to ad-

judge an individual top runner amongst the players as Ethan Lee, Jaden Taylor, Odit Rodrigues, and Jorrell Troyer all recorded 5.5 points, four wins, no losses and one draw. While Rajiv Lee suffered one loss out of his six games with five wins for his five points.

On the other hand, Marian Academy got their taste of victory in the primary team category. However, the most outstanding performance in the category came from Tuschen Deaf Academy, whose players Aleem Basser and Anaya Lall made sure their teams were in the limelight with some fighting victories over

21

much higher rated players.

While Marian Academy’s B team took the third prize, fourth were copped by Mae’s Under 12 School. Arysh Raghunauth and the Alli brothers – Jibril and Kaiden – recorded some much-needed wins for their team.

Marian Academy, however, made their mark in the individual categories, winning both primary and secondary divisions.

Ronan Lee, Gareth Da Silva and Dwayne Bess all from Marian Academy took top honours in the secondary division. The host school dominated once again in the primary division as Neal Rodrigues, Kyle Couchman and Italy Ton-Chung ended in the top three positions.

However, notable games from Jacob Mc Donald of School of the Nations and Omar Shariff of Mae’s School were highlights of the event.

The event was hosted by Marian Academy with full support from the Wendell Meusa Chess Foundation.

The hosts wished to extend special thanks to the Head Teachers of Mae’s School, School of Nations, Al Ghazali Islamic Academy, Tuschen Deaf Academy, Queen’s College, St Stanislaus College and the Bishops’ High School, as well as the Lees, Frasers and all parents who were supportive throughout the event.

NSC, ANSA McAL on board for “Bragging Rights” football

A

s the clock winds down to the first-ever “Bragging Rights” five-a-side football, the tournament has received the blessing of the National Sports Commission (NSC), along with sponsorship from distributing giant ANSA McAL. The highly-anticipated football action will go down this weekend at the newest entertainment spot, Marriott beachfront.

While registration is already closed, the threeday competition will feature 18 teams vying for bragging rights, street football style.

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, while praising the Freedom Family for implementing such an initiative, highlighted the benefits the competition has for the target areas.

“It provides an opportunity for young people who otherwise would not have had an opportunity to be a part of such a tournament.

We recognise some of the communities that would be participating in the event from Albouystown, Tiger Bay, Leopold Street; these youngsters are in communities which would be referred to as at-risk communities and activi- t i e s

l i k e this remind them that persons are still looking out for their interest,” the Director o f Sport stated.

He then went on to highlight the variety that the event presents, noting that it is more than just a few football matches. “The

ambiance will be set for two sorts of deliverables: 1) It is a football tournament in which you have an opportunity to rep for your community, and 2) the atmosphere where you can sit with your family and friends on the beach,” Jones explained.

The five-a-side football will be sponsored by ANSA McAL under i t s Stag, iCool and iCool Water b r a n d s .

A N S A M c A L Brand

Manager Errol Nelson, after congratulating the Freedom Family on their venture, noted that the company was excited to be a part of this first-time venture.

“As you may know, over the years, ANSA McAL has

been known for distributing brands and products of the highest quality and as such, we are expecting a very high level of competition to be displayed by all the teams and also disciplined supporters,” Nelson stated.

The competition will see the preliminary round being played on the first night Friday, October 19 (tomorrow) and will heat up on Saturday, October 20 with the knockout rounds. The semi-finals and final will be played on Sunday, October 21. Tickets for the individual days currently cost $1000 while the three-day pass is valued at $2500.

With bragging rights will come a grand prize as explained by the “Freedom Boss” himself, Marlon Jacobs. “Prizes for teams will amount to $500,000 cash. First-place winner will get $300,000, second place will get $100,000 and third and fourth will split the remaining hundred,” the organiser declared.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursdAY, october 18, 2018

Fly Jamaica on board for GSCL Den Amstel in Inc Prime Minister’s Cup 2 top shape for A Sunday’s kickoff Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/Village KO Cup…

T

he countdown has begun for the highly-anticipated commencement of the Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/Village KO Cup, which is being held to commemorate the 84th birth anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown.

In just three days’ time, the 32 invited teams will have the opportunity to battle for prize monies in excess of $700,000 and lots of prizes, including the coveted first prize of $400,000 and the championship trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship.

The community of Den Amstel situated on the West Coast of Demerara is the venue for what is already being touted to be one of the most eagerly-anticipated sporting events on the West Side, set to kick off on October 21.

According to Coordinator Lennox Arthur, a former national player and Coach, apart from the lucrative prize monies on o f fe r,

trophies and gifts will be awarded to the respective winners and outstanding performances at the end of the tournament. The competition will be run on a knockout basis, with the final set to be played on November 18, at the Den Amstel Community Centre Ground.

The runners-up will be awarded $200,000 and a trophy through the goodwill of John Fernandes Ltd, while the third and fourthplace finishers will receive $60,000 and $40,000 respectively along with the Techno Mills and Courtney Benn Construction Services trophies in that order.

All top four finishers will receive hampers, compliments of Ricks & Sari Industries, while the Highest Goalscorer will walk away with a Lazy Boy Chair, courtesy of AH&L Kissoon and a dinette set, compliments of China Trading.

The Most Valuable Player will be awarded a special prize from Techno Mills.

Among the other sponsors on board are: IPA, Alfro Alphonso, Sattaur Gafoor, ANSA McAL, Top Brandz Distributors, MACORP, Cummings Electrical, Ready Mix, BK International and New Thriving Restaurant.

Meanwhile, the organisers have released the fixtures for the first three days of action with the winners advancing to the next round.

fter the first successful tournament, Fly Jamaica has thrown its support behind the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc as it prepares to stage the Prime Minister’s Cup 2, which is set to commence on October 19 in Georgetown.

At a simple ceremony on Monday at the entity’s office in Ogle, Fly Jamaica Ticket Office Marketing Coordinator Patricia Lewis presented the cheque to Mario Allicock of GSCL Inc, and stated that Fly Jamaica was always serious about its corporate responsibility and was happy to give back to society.

Lewis congratulated the GSCL Inc for their efforts and wished the teams well, while Allicock expressed gratitude on behalf of the GSCL to the company as the tournament promised to be exciting.

The tournament will be

Fly Jamaica Ticket Office Marketing Coordinator Patricia Lewis presents the cheque to Mario Allicock of GSCL Inc

played with open and masters’ categories: in the open segment, the winning team will take home $700,000 and runners-up $100,000, while in the masters’ category, the champion team will be giv-

en $600,000 and the runners-up will have to settle for $100,000.

Some of the venues identified for the playing of preliminary matches are the GNIC SC, Muslim Youth

Organisation, Gandhi Youth Organisation, Demerara Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club, Eve Leary, and Everest.

Among the teams battling for supremacy in the open segment are Wales Challengers, Enterprise Rebel, Hill Foot Vipers, Farm All-stars, Speedboat, Success, Regal All-Stars, Corriverton, Bartica AllStars, SVC and Booths XI. The masters’ category includes Albion Masters, Regal Masters, Mike’s Wellman, Enterprise Masters, Ontario Masters, Narine Masters, Florida Guyana, Tropical Spring Masters, Parika Defenders and Fishermen Masters.

Regal Masters and Speedboat (open) will be preparing to defend their championship titles. The tournament will culminate on October 21 at the Everest Cricket Club.

Bolt rejects move to Maltese club Valletta R

etired track and field star Usain Bolt has turned down a two-year deal from Maltese club Valletta FC. The 32-year-old recently began the pursuit of achieving his long-stated dream of playing professional football, by taking up a contract with Australian A-League team Central Coast Mariners.

Bolt recently garnered plenty of attention for his two-goal showing in the Central Coast practice match against Macarthur South West United last week. The Australian club has since indicated that it is too early to tell if the player will be given a full-time contract. Valletta had hoped to lure Bolt to Malta with the prospect of Champion’s League football.

The Maltese side have won their domestic league five times in the last eight years but have never progressed further than the second round of Champions League qualifying.

The club’s new owners have promised new signings and a push for Europe’s premier competition.

Bolt’s agent Ricky Simms, however, has revealed that the player is not interested in the deal.

"There is a lot of interest in Usain playing football," Ricky Simms told ESPN. "We regularly receive similar approaches. I can confirm Usain does not wish to pursue this opportunity in Malta."

Valletta FC CEO and managing director Ghasston Slimen told ESPN: "We wish Usain Bolt all the best with his football career. The Valletta FC offer is always on the table."

(Sportsmax)

guyanatimesgy.com

thursdAY, october 18, 2018

Regional Super50 Tournament…

23

Pride strike to get back on track – rain ruins Scorpions, Hurricanes clash

H

alf-centuries from Jonathan Carter and Shayne Moseley propelled Barbados Pride to a four-wicket victory over the United States and moved them back into semi-final contention in the Windies Super50 Cup on Tuesday in Trinidad and Tobago.

Carter and fellow lefthander Moseley both scored 60 at better than a run-aball to lead a successful run chase that earned the Pride five points and got their bid for a semi-final place back on course, as they moved level on points with jointhosts Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners in Group ‘B’.

3

SCOREBOARD

Jamaica Innings (50 overs maximum) CAK Walton † c Saunders b Cornwall 8 JD Campbell c Carty b Jacobs 61 J Blackwood c Louis b Cornwall 100 AM McCarthy c O Peters b Hughes 42 BA King b Louis 44 NE Bonner c Cornwall b Louis 17 DC Green not out 11 JE Taylor not out 4 Extras (lb 3, w 9) 12 TOTAL (50 Overs, RR: 5.98) 299/6 Did not bat: C Lamont, NO Miller (c), RH Leveridge Fall of wickets: 1-8 (CAK Walton, 0.5 ov), 2-124 (JD Campbell, 20.5 ov), 3-216 (AM McCarthy, 39.6 ov), 4-223 (J Blackwood,

In the other Group “B” contest, Jermaine Blackwood hit his second WINDIES Super50 career hundred for Jamaica Scorpions before rain allowed just five balls in the Leeward Islands Hurricanes chase, forcing a no-result.

At the Three Ws Oval,

40.6 ov), 5-284 (NE Bonner, 47.1 ov), 6-285 (BA King, 47.3 ov) BOWLING: RRS Cornwall (100-53-2), JS Louis (7-0-342), S Berridge (6-0-40-0), T Warde (5-0-30-0), DK Jacobs (8-0-48-1), O Peters (9-0-610), CF Hughes (5-0-30-1) Leeward Islands Innings (target: 300 runs from 50 overs) MV Hodge not out 0 KU Carty not out 0 Extras 0 TOTAL (0.5 Overs, RR: 0.0) 0/0 Did not bat: CF Hughes, DC Thomas (c) †, T Warde, S Berridge, O Peters, JS Louis, DK Jacobs, A Saunders, RRS Cornwall BOWLING: DC Green (0.5-0-0-0) Result: Match Abandoned

chasing 213 for victory, Pride overcame a few hiccups to reach their target in the 36th over to earn a bonus point.

Moseley dominated a 76-run, opening stand with Kevin Stoute that set the Pride on their way before Carter and Pride captain

USA’s Monank Patel drives during his score of 80

Shamarh Brooks shared 80 for the third wicket to keep the chase on course.

In pursuit of the bonus point, Pride stumbled when they lost Carter, Brooks, Tevyn Walcott and Justin Greaves in the space of 34 balls, but they overcame this shaky period to hit their target.

United States had earlier rallied to 212 for eight off their 50 overs, after they were sent in to bat, on the back of opener Monank Patel’s 80 from 103 balls and 40 off 69 balls from Alex Amsterdam.

Left-arm fast bowler Dominic Drakes, son of former Barbados and WINDIES all-rounder Vasbert Drakes, claimed 4-44 from 10 overs to lead the Pride attack and veteran left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn grabbed 2-27 from 10 overs.

At Kensington Oval, Blackwood cracked eight fours and two sixes in an even 100 from 113 balls to lead a strong Scorpions batting performance and catapult them to 299 for six from

Barbados Pride celebrate a wicket

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SCOREBOARD

USA 1ST Innings (50 overs maximum) M Patel c Brooks B Drakes 80 A Malhotram *+c Walcott b Drakes 9 S Taylor lbw Drakes 0 A Amsterdam c Carter b Sulieman Benn 40 SS Salver c Jonathan Carter b Sulieman Benn 0 JN Khan c Springer b Dominic Drakes 27 RS Miguel Cummins B Shamar Springer 23 J Singh not out 16 U Ashraf b Miguel Cummins 8 N Kenjige not out 1 Extras: (b 1, lb 2, nb 1, w 4) 8 TOTAL (50 Overs, RR: 4.24) 212/8 Did not bat: K Phillip Fall of wickets: 1-21 (JS Malhotra, 7.4 ov), 2-21 (SR Taylor, 7.5 ov), 3-96 (AAA Amsterdam, 26.6 ov), 4-102 (SS Salver, 30.5 ov), 5-155 (MD Patel, 41.6 ov), 6-174 (Jannisar Khan, 45.3 ov), 7-196 (KRP Silva, 48.4 ov), 8-207 (Usman Ashraf, 49.3 ov) BOWLING: Miguel Cummins (10-1-38-1), Dominic Drakes (10-2-44-4), Kevin Stoute (2-0-

BCB/Mogu-Mogu Inter-School Cricket…

NATI continue dominance in NA/Canje zone

T

he New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI) continued their dominant performance in the ongoing Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Mogu Mogu sponsored InterSchool cricket tournament when they defeated their opponents by 32 runs.

NATI, led by Garfield Benjamin, took on Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) at Young Warriors Cricket Club, Cumberland, Canje.

Opting to bat first on a fast outfield, NATI managed 1368 in their allotted 30 overs.

Leading from the front was the in-form Garfield Benjamin ,who played a responsible innings of 37 and got support from the former national Under-15 player Stephen Kamaludin, who scored 29. Berbice Under-19 all-rounder Keith Simpson chipped in with

21.

Garfield Benjamin

BEI bowlers were disciplined with former Guyana Under-15 off-spinner Ricardo Ramdeholl picking 2-19 in 6 overs and B Dhani taking 2-13 in 4 overs.

In reply, BEI top order batsmen looked confident with former national Under-15 players Ricardo Ramdeholl and Daniel Dharamdatt taking it to the NATI bowlers. Ramdeholl top scored with a solid 45 and Dharamdatt compiled an attractive 33. The NATI team, which consists of three left arm spinners, two leg spinners, and two fast bowlers were able to pick up wickets at regular intervals to halt the BEI batsmen’s scoring rate. Left-arm spinner Simpson picked up 3-18 in 4.3 overs, left-arm quickie Stephen Kamaludin claimed 2-17 in 6 overs while Benjamin had 2-23 in his 6 overs.

13-0), Sulieman Benn (10-0-272), Hayden Walsh Jr (8-0-40-0), Shamar Springer (10-0-47-1) Barbados Pride Innings Shayne Moseley b Taylor 60 Kevin Stoute lbw Ashraf 17 Shamarh Brooks *c&b Kyle Phillip 35 Jonathan Carter c Ashraf b Kenjige 60 Tevyn Walcott +lbw Kenjige 8 Justin Greaves c (Sub) Patel b Ashraf 11 Shamar Springer not out 11 Dominic Drakes not out 6 Extras (B 1, W 6) 7 Total(35.1 Overs, Rr: 6.11) 215-6 Did Not Bat: SJ Benn, ML Cummins, HR Walsh FOW: 1-76 (S Moseley, 13.6 Ov), 2-90 (Ka Stoute, 17.2 Ov), 3-170 (Ssj Brooks, 27.4 Ov), 4-184 (Jl Carter, 30.5 Ov), 5-196 (Tt Walcott, 32.1 Ov), 6-203 (Jp Greaves, 33.1 Ov) BOWLING: K Phillip (7-1-42-1), J Singh (3-0-21-0), SR Taylor (70-36-1), J Khan (2-0-13-0), NP Kenjige (10-0-54-2), U Ashraf (4.1-0-34-2), KRP Silva (2-0-14-0)

their allocation of 50 overs.

He shared 116 for the second wicket with left-handed opener John Campbell and followed up with a 92-run stand for the third wicket with Andre McCarthy.

Campbell made 61 from 63 balls with nine fours before he was caught at deep mid-off in the 21st over, and McCarthy got 42 from 61 balls before he and Blackwood were dismissed in the space of seven balls to leave the Scorpions 223 for four in the 41st over.

But an enterprising 44 off 23 balls from Brandon King in a 61-run stand for the fifth-wicket with Nkrumah Bonner helped the group leaders raised 83 from the last 10 overs.

Hurricanes were no runs for no wickets from five balls when rain stopped play.

Players and umpires returned to the field about 45 minutes later for a resumption, but before Derval Green could bowl the one ball to complete the first over, another torrent of rain forced them off again and led to the inevitable.

GBTI joins sponsorship queue for Ignite

W

ith less than a month before the engine is turned on, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has announced its partnership with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) for the upcoming Ignite race meet.

The newfound partnership between the two was officially confirmed by GBTI Public Relations Officer Pamela Binda, as she handed over the sponsorship cheque on Tuesday.

Citing GBTI’s integrity, the Sports Club explained that its partnership with the Bank is a symbol of the company’s faith in the organisation and by extension, the upcoming event.

The event, which is quickly growing in popularity, will mark the culmination of the 2018 season of the CMRC championship for Groups 1-5 as well as the Superstocks and SR3 radicals along with the local

classes.

Aside from the Guyanese drivers in contention, the races will feature drivers from foreign shores such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago , Jamaica and Canada.

Tickets are currently on sale at the GMR&SC office on Thomas Lands at a cost of $2500 for adults while children’s tickets will cost $1000.

The already long list of sponsors for the grand event include: ExxonMobil, BM Soat, Noble House Seafoods, STAG Beer, Air Services Limited, GuyoiL, Palm Court, Handin-Hand, Ramada Hotel, Survival Supermarket, Club 704, Sheriff Security, EC Investments, Prem’s Electrical, Nexus Machinery, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Choke Gas Station, Japarts, R Kissoon Contracting, E Networks, Miracle Opticle, Bikers’ Bar, Samaroo Investments, Innovations America and SuperBet, Agriparts, Mobil1 and KGM Security Service.

ThursdAY, october 18, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

GBTI joins NSC, ANSA McAL on sponsorship board for “Bragging queue for Ignite Page 23

Rights” football

Page 21

GBTI Public Relations Officer Pamela Binda hands over sponsorship to GMR&SC’s Saurica Singh

Regional Super50 Tournament…

ANSA McAL’s Nigel Worrell; Marlon “Freedom Boss” Jacobs; Director of Sport, Christopher Jones; ANSA McAL Brand Manager Errol Nelson and Ferez Mohammed pose with the winners’ trophy

Antilles U-18 3-on-3 Basketball C/ships…

Pride strike to get back on track

Guyana heighten preparations as tournament draws near

Page 23

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– rain ruins Scorpions, Hurricanes clash

Jermain Blackwood celebrates reaching triples

St Stanislaus emerge champions at scholastic chess competition

Both male and female Guyanese players spend time on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall court in preparation for the 3x3 tournament

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