Guyanatimes 19 july 2017

Guyana finishes 10th in Global Robotics Challenge P3 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3276

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

PRICE

Processing fee for gold declaration increases

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Child killer sentenced P15 to life imprisonment

Page 2

Taxi driver remanded for 16 lbs of 'weed' P8

Gunmen rob WPA activist's Cuyuni mining house gutted companies Page 7

…escape with large quantity of raw gold

by fire

Assassination claim

Page 5

Heavy-duty trucks continue to damage Port Kaituma roads

Public hearing opens today …GPF to go under microscope P7

Page 2

GLSC orders Barabina residents to pay for land P15

Residents of Port Kaituma, Region One are hoping that authorities heed their pleas and repair the deplorable roads in their community which have been destroyed by heavy-duty trucks that traverse the area heading to mining camps

GECOM Chair impasse

Top Cop revokes Former AG says licence for Saddiqi Chief Justice’s ruling marred Rasul's security by single error company Page 9

... hopeful that written ruling will bring greater clarity Page 10

Farming, marketing woes plague Region 9 P14 …locals show preference for Brazilian goods

Govt launches Labour Market Intelligence P17 Survey

2 news

wednesDAY, july 19, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.co

Heavy-duty trucks continue to damage Port Kaituma roads

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esidents of the Region One (Barima-Waini) mining community of Port Kaituma, particularly the One Mile area, are calling on the relevant authorities to heed their pleas and urgently repair the roads in the community. However, Regional Chairman Brentol Ashley said they are aware of the state of the road.

Resident Clifton Gonsalves told Guyana Times that he has been living in Port Kaituma for 60 years and indicated that the current state of the roads is the worst he has ever seen it. He explained the roads are rapidly deteriorating owing to the heavy-duty trucks that traverse them to get into the “backdam” for mining purposes.

“All we are getting is promises. There are no actions taken. The road is punishing us. We don’t have a pitch road and all we

hear is that the contractors are coming in and when we do get a contractor, they do substandard work and after a few days, the road is the same again,” he related.

He added that the last time the road was fixed was over two years ago and when it rains, everything becomes “slushy”. The resident added that potholes serve as swimming holes for some of the children in the area.

Gonsalves said buses and taxi are refusing to go into the community and as a result, students and housewives are severely affected. He added that students would suffer the most since they would have to walk to get to school and when they get there, they are most often covered in mud.

“There is about 2.5 miles and it takes about six hours to get through it (with a truck) and the hurt-

ful part is that you have to pay a toll of $12,000 and before you get on to the main (road) your truck break and you have to pay more than $200,000 to fix it,” he related.

“Every time you leave Port Kaituma you have to pay the toll and getting the toll is not an easy task but if they repair the road we don’t mind paying the toll,” he added.

When contacted, Regional Chairman Brentol Ashley said the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is aware of the situation in the One Mile area and they would have instructed Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman, Margaret Lambert, to utilise parts of the subvention to carry out emergency remedial works.

Ashley said several road networks in the region The deplorable state of roads in Port Kaituma

need emergency repairs and they have to work with “whatever little resources” are available. However, he indicated that steps would be taken to remedy the situation at Port Kaituma when the weather becomes favourable. In the 2017 National Budget, a sum of $18 million was budgeted for road repairs and maintenance at Barabina Hill, (DBST Road), Bunbury Road, Kumaka District Hospital Road, Manawarin Road, Mabaruma Airstrip, and Moruca Road; all in Region One. However, no monies were budgeted for the Port Kaituma road in the 2017 National Budget.

In March of this year, Junior Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson said six lots in the Port Kaituma and Mabaruma areas would benefit from upgrades.

Gunmen in custody for attempted robbery of gold dealer

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hree men are now in Police custody at Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini), after they reportedly attempted to rob a gold miner.

According to reports, the incident occurred at around 14:00h on Monday at the businessman’s Mabaruma, Wanaina Hill, North West District home.

Guyana Times understands that the three men – one of whom is reported to be a taxi driver – parked some distance away from the businessman’s home where they exited the vehicle.

The gunmen then man-

aged to gain entry into the man’s home where they proceeded to terrorise the family in their quest to escape with valuables.

The gold dealer’s son reportedly had to be taken to the hospital after he was attacked by one of the men and gun butted in the face.

However, the men escaped empty handed after they got wind of someone making contact with the Police.

They were all later apprehended by lawmen and are now in custody where they are expected to be charged shortly.

3 Processing fee for gold declaration increases A news

wednesDAY, july 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Wednesday, July 19 – 14:00h-15:30h and Thursday, July 20 – a nighttime retraction at 01:30h and a daytime retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, July 19 – 13:00h-14:30h and Thursday, July 20 – 14:05h-15:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected during the day while thundery showers and clear skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between Easterly and East Northeasterly and South Easterly between 1.34 metres and 2.68 metres.

High Tide: 00:30h and 13:00h reaching maximum heights of 2.46 metres and 2.39 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 06:27h and 18:53h reaching minimum heights of 0.75 metre and 0.82 metre.

ll miners, including small and medium-scale miners, will now have to pay an increased processing fee of $2500 per ounce of gold they declare to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB). The fee was previously just $1000 per ounce.

Had the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) not intervened when a public notice announcing the hike first appeared in the daily newspapers, that fee would have been a whopping $4000 per ounce.

According to a missive from Avalon Jagnandan, the Administrative Manager at the GGDMA, the Association first became aware of the hike when a public notice appeared in the newspapers declaring that all miners and dealers selling gold to the Gold Board would have to pay the $4000 fee.

“This was immediately rejected by the GGDMA in a number of media publications,” he said. “Since miners and dealers were only paying a processing fee of $1000 per

ounce of gold. This $3000 proposed increase by the GGB was strongly opposed at all levels by the GGDMA.” “Subsequently, the Association met with the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman and the Chairman of the Guyana Gold Board on this matter to represent the miners' interest. This meeting was held on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 at the Ministry of Natural Resources. Coming out of this meeting, the Minister had proposed a processing fee of $3000. The GGDMA again felt that this was too much for the miners to bear and rejected that amount.”

Jagnandan related that after lengthy negotiations with the Ministry and the Gold Board, and considering that the fee was not raised for some time, the GGDMA renegotiated for an increase taking the fee to $2000.

“However, the GGDMA has since been informed in writing by Minister of Natural Resources (Raphael Trotman) that the new pro-

cessing fee will now be $2500 per ounce of gold and will take effect from September 1, 2017,” Jagnandan stated.

Guyana has had issues with loss of revenue as a result of gold smuggling and some are questioning whether this hike will exacerbate the situation. Officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security from the United States of America visited Guyana last year, and briefed top officials, including Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, about gold smuggling from Guyana.

According to Minister Trotman, it was estimated that approximately 15,000 ounces of the precious metal was smuggled overseas weekly. Trotman said 50 per cent to 60 per cent of local production is lost to smuggling.

“Indicators are that the gold is going to Brazil. It is going over the borders to Suriname, not to stay in Suriname but to go to Europe.

It is being landed at Miami International Airport. It is being landed at John F Kennedy

(Airport, New York) and it is going to the Middle East,” he had told reporters.

For the year, some 163,000 ounces of gold had been declared for the first quarter. This follows last year’s healthy declaration of 713,000 ounces. Small and medium-scale miners accounted for some 70 per cent, while Guyana Goldfields and Troy Resources, large gold-mining operations, contributed the remainder.

The GGB recorded 451,490 ounces of gold in 2015. In December last year, Trotman said the Natural Resources Ministry would be aiming for 700,000 ounces in gold declarations for this year. He said the Government was looking forward to all miners producing and declaring high numbers in 2017, and had even pledged to continue to support the industry.

Already, repeated calls from the GGDMA for a meeting with President David Granger in order to air various grievances have gone unfulfilled.

Guyana finishes 10th in Global Robotics Challenge SATURDAY, July 15, 2017

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fter topping the charts during the first day of the Global Robotics Challenge, Team Guyana fell to the 10th position at the international competition which was staged in Washington, DC, United States, over the past two days.

The group of young innovators ventured into the final day with much pump following their initial wins but was greeted with a series of mishaps which led to their decline in ranks.

This was after Guyana

joined forces with a group of underdogs in the competition, which hindered their ability to perform to their full potential. During the penultimate round of the competition, the Guyanese delegation was faced with a number of hurdles, one of which included the malfunctioning of their partner’s robot. Their position plummeted with the stalling of the robot, resulting in the local team attaining a score of 60 points, breaking their winning streak.

Disheartened by their de-

feat, the group of six teenagers entered into the final round of the competition, during which they managed to score 120 points. This was three points less than the winning team which copped a total of 123.

As such, the Guyanese delegation was demoted to the 10th spot. Nevertheless, the team managed to emerge as a top ranker of 160 participating countries.

That brought the curtains down on the two-day Global Robotics Challenge which saw fierce competition from each of the participating group of young enthusiasts from

around the world.

This year’s competition was the first time Guyana was represented at the Global Robotics Challenge, earning the country a noteworthy introduction to the international face-off. Despite the obstacles along the way, the local delegation defeated a number of well-established nations, securing their spot among the top rankers. The team received widespread support from Guyanese, both at home and abroad, many of whom followed the competition and cheered the team on via social media.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

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

Football in the Street

Police corruption

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n recent years, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has shown some improvement in its performance, making many more arrests, responding more swiftly to crime scenes, solving more crimes and capturing dangerous criminals, etc. And for this, it should be given our fullest support, taking into consideration that being a police rank in today’s world is an extremely risky and taxing job.

However, the public perception of Police incorruptibility, never high at any time, has reached a new low, plunging to subterranean levels at the revelation that two Police ranks were complicit – actually being allegedly the engineers behind the recent attempted bank heist at the Republic Bank location on Water Street, Georgetown.

One of the troubling issues that continue to beset the GPF is corruption, particularly in the Traffic Department.

Many ranks in this department have, over the years, been accused of turning a blind eye to so many traffic offences, once errant drivers and law breakers pay up.

And this appears to be one of the major reasons why road users continue to flout the law with the resultant effect of more accidents on our roads, often times with tragic consequences.

A large number of drivers guilty of causing fatal and other serious accidents walk away from the courts free, in some instances, because Police ranks do not show up to give evidence, perhaps due to being paid off. Sometimes, if they do show up, they provide distorted evidence which would free the defendants, or case files are reported to have been misplaced, for which no one seems to have accountability, so no one is penalised for these infractions in the justice system.

This situation simply cannot be allowed to continue because corruption eats away at the moral fabric of society, thereby undermining governance and national socio-economic advancement.

“Corruption undermines everything the law enforcement and community work towards. It impoverishes whole communities, and threatens safety and security of the many for the benefit of a very few,” observed former INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K Noble.

However, corrupt Policemen are not the only perpetrators to be blamed. Those who pay bribes are equally guilty of the crime of corruption and as long as there are those who are willing to pay bribes, there will be those who are willing to accept them.

In Guyana’s case, corruption with the GPF did not begin overnight, but, on the contrary, began during the postindependence period when the political situation declined for the worst and democracy was thrown overboard through rigged elections and the infamous doctrine of paramountcy of the party.

During that period, Policemen were forced to sell the then ruling party’s newspaper the New Nation and hire car drivers and other citizens were coerced into buying it. And, of course, they never received change from their forced purchase. In fact, it is alleged that the then Prime Minister was himself involved in this practice.

However, dealing with corruption within the GPF is not an easy task because of the complexity of human nature, but that should not be an excuse not to do anything about it because our future prosperity is heavily dependent upon our ability to successfully confront it.

According to INTERPOL, “Corruption is a multifaceted phenomenon supported by differing historical and socioeconomic conditions in each country. It exists at all levels of society. Although in the past, it could have been considered a largely domestic issue, corruption now often transcends national boundaries. Its consequences are global; its hidden costs immense.”

“Nevertheless, corruption remains rampant in many countries, continuing to siphon off valuable resources and economic gains.”

Perhaps, a first step in our fight against corruption, not only within the GPF but in the entire society, would be to revive the ‘Office of the Ombudsman’ and provide it with ample resources needed in order for it to function effectively and efficiently.

At home for the school holidays, these boys were seen enjoying a game of football on James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown on Tuesday afternoon (Carl Croker photo)

Sugar expenditure not a factor in prison break Dear Editor, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has reportedly stated that Government spending money on the sugar industry was the main reason why enough funds were not available to upgrade and improve prison conditions or the prison itself. People I have spoken to query whether corruption, wastage, salary increases for Ministers, and general misspending of money are not factors that led to diverting scarce resources from the prison and other critical projects? And they also ask whether scholarships for Ministers, the corrupt drug bond, $500K a month rental for housing for Ministers are not factors that short changed the prisons and the sugar industry?

As I travel around, in conversations, people al-

most unanimously disagree with the explanation offered

by Public Security Minister Ramjattan for not upgrading the Camp Street Prison, because of his claim that "the money was largely spent on the sugar industry.”

People feel the Minister would have been better off not offering a comment or explanation for the riot rather than make that poor excuse for the deteriorating conditions in the prison that led to the riot and jail break.

People say the Government has not implemented the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the last prison riot a year ago. People are very fearful for their lives as a result of the jailbreak and blame the Government for the current state of affairs regarding prison conditions.

Almost every-

one is concerned about the crime situation, saying the Government seems unable or incapable of addressing it.

Current and former sugar workers say the sugar industry has nothing to with the prison riot. A bulk of the sugar industry money has come from grants from the European Union (EU) rather than from national revenues. But the sugar workers have not seen the money.

The sugar industry and its workers have been taken for a political ride. The current and former sugar workers complain that this and the preceding Government neglected and marginalised the sugar community that resulted in its present condition. It is noted that some US$130 million from the EU meant for sugar workers was diverted into the

national Budget which undermined the sugar industry. The coalition received over $5 billion from the EU. Why was it not infused into sugar? Had the People’s Progressive Party and the coalition Governments efficiently utilised the resources at its disposal meant for the sugar industry, it would have been operating at a profit. Since private cane farmers have been cultivating sugar at a profit, there is no reason why the State cannot grow sugar profitably.

The Security Minister and the Government should look at the real causes for the prison riot and jailbreak rather than casting blame on hard working innocent sugar workers.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Something is wrong with GWI’s billing system Dear Editor, I usually pay my Guyana Water Inc (GWI) bill for an aged relative. In June I paid $6050. An amount of $6048 was stated on the bill as the total due for June. It was later acknowledged by GWI staff that the bill was an estimated one and that the actual charge should have been for $4048. GWI did not offer a refund, but said the over-

payment of $2002 would be rolled over to the July bill.

The July bill came, with a current charge for $971. It therefore means that an overpayment difference of $1031 should have been reflected. Amazingly, the July bill reflects an overpayment of a mere $2. Only God knows where the remaining $1029 went. I intend to query the July bill. That means

I have to take time off again from my job to help somebody do their job of simple Maths. Maybe something is wrong with the computer programme too. My visit to query the obvious discrepancy will cost me downtime and transportation, since these types of queries invariably get nowhere over the phone. While a thousand dollars is lunch money for many, it can pur-

chase a few days vegetables for most households. Imagine someone who lives out of central Georgetown having to deal with a matter like this.

Someone who wasn’t fortunate to go very far in school; someone who lacks the ability to do simple addition and subtraction would be at the mercy of institutionalised malpractices and error.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 5

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

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News

WPA activist’s house gutted by fire A

fire has destroyed a house belonging to Working People’s Alliance (WPA) activist Jocelyn Dow and several businesses located at Charlotte Street, Bourda, Georgetown early Tuesday morning.

The blaze occurred about 05:20h. Dow, who occupied the top flat of the three-storey building, told Guyana Times that she was awakened by the fire alarm that went off sometime after 05:00h.

The political activist said when she heard the alarm, she went to the second floor of the building which housed her business, Hardwood Veneers (Guyana) Limited, and saw smoke coming from the flooring.

“I ran back to see if I can get my pets and I had my nephew and his son sleeping with me. It was full of smoke,” she recalled, stating that she was mainly concerned about getting everyone out. “I didn’t attempt to save anything.”

Dow said one of her cats perished in the fire and she could only account for two dogs. Two more were missing.

She expressed sadness over the fact that most of her work, mainly unique Guyanese furniture, paintings and artwork, was destroyed in the inferno. “I had great Guyanese art; the rest of things are replaceable, but those are not,” she stated.

Businesswoman and political activist, Jocelyn Dow

Asked what may have led to the fire, the businesswoman told this publication that it most definitely had to start from the ground floor.

“It may be electrical in origin, maybe. I have no idea.

Normally, we plug out the things in the bottom, but I looked for the main fuse, but I couldn’t find it because of the smoke,” she explained.

The bottom flat of the building housed four businesses: Trans Caribbean International Shipping, Anetha’s African Boutique, Target Services Pest Control, and the Westmas Acupuncture Clinic. And according to her, they all had different electricity sources.

Fire Chief Marlon Gentle told the media that although nearby residents fled their

Something is wrong...

They would lose their money right before their eyes. Many Guyanese have woeful tales of discrepancies and overbilling by utility companies. Estimated charges are the hallmark.

Even more frustrating, in many instances, is the hood-winking one receives as imposed panacea or deflection from the rip-offs by these utilities. Their defence teams are led by lofty clerks, some of whom simply go to work to clock hours or post selfies on Facebook and Instagram.

Most of my compositions highlight indiscreet realities faced by Guyanese, especially common folk. Negligence or incompetence leading to the aforementioned discrepancy when multiplied institutionally causes thousands of people to feel frustrated, disillusioned and often end up with central government bearing the brunt of blame.

Sometimes too, people like me have to bear the brunt of frustrations others feel because of failing systems or practices.

It is unacceptable for utilities to be making fun-

FROM PAGE 4

damental errors particularly when there is generally no easy compensatory mechanism for the associated inconvenience and costs they create for the average consumer outside of the Public Utilities Commission or court. Consumer advocacy is virtually dead.

I will not be presumptuous to blame GWI head, Dr Richard Van West-Charles, for the obvious misrepresentation of his efforts.

Regards, Orette Cutting

homes, firefighters managed to contain the blaze and prevent its spread to nearby buildings. Although electricity was disconnected from the building, fire officials complained about receiving electrical shocks. Gentle said an investigation would be launched to determine what caused the fire.

Dow commended the Guyana Fire Service for its quick response. While she could not immediately estimate her losses, she said it could be to the tune of millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, the other business owners who arrived at the scene of the fire a few minutes later could not immediately say the extent to which the blaze affected their businesses, but told media operatives that many items were destroyed not only by the blaze, but by water.

The owner of Trans Caribbean Cargo International, Larry London described the incident as “terrible” and told the press that he would have to pick

up the pieces and reconstruct his business. London said no one planned for the sudden fire, but they would all have to start planning to get their businesses back on track.

Another of Dow’s stores, Liana Cane Furniture Factory, at Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara was also destroyed by fire in January 2016. Dow said although she now has no fixed place of abode, she would be staying temporarily at a city hotel.

A section of the upper flat of the building that was destroyed by fire

Most items were destroyed on the second floor of the building

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

Page

Foundation

Mediation can be an effective parenting technique for family disagreements

– mediation skills build determination, perseverance, and responsibility.

It demonstrates using power and control positively

By Linda Simpson

I

n a world where angry is the new happy, and yelling loud enough and lying long enough are the tactics used to resolve disputes, families might want to consider mediation techniques as a sane and sensible way to deal with conflict.

Mediation has long been used in the workplace and in divorce proceedings for conflict resolution. It's a method that circumvents anger and emotion in conflict situations with attention given to respect for both sides in the dispute. The emphasis is on good communication, clear language and critical thinking skills. Both sides in a dispute get a voice, resolutions are considered, and both sides agree on the solution.

Those same techniques can be applied in family disagreements. Mediation usually requires a third party, but in a family setting, clear communication and language skills can be applied to reduce stress and resolve disputes. Mediation's objective is to resolve conflicts fairly and equitably.

During my career in education, I trained student mediators and the benefits were many both for the school and for their own personal development. It gave them an understanding of the many facets of conflict, power, and control. They were able to identify potential conflicts and were required to look at both sides of a situation. They learnt to be part of the solution and not a bystander.

Those same benefits apply equally as well in a family situation. It's a team approach to family life and that gives a shared ownership to the conflict resolution.

During any lengthy family time together like family road trips and holi-

guyanatimesgy.com

days, mediation techniques can become a very useful tool to help ease the demands and expectations of family life.

Think mediate before escalate in family conflicts.

Mediation fosters respect, and good listening and speaking skills

Patience is a necessary attribute of any mediation process. In my experience, when children see its benefits, they can model it and translate it to their own life. It is yet another social skill that can be used effectively in their future.

Time constraints in family life mean that solutions to problems are often harried and hurried rather than taking the time to use this parenting tool effectively. Give yourself a challenge of using mediation skills for one problem solving family issue at a time. It will help your child learn to identify problems and solutions themselves with your guidance.

Too often in our busy family lives we leap to solutions, offering an array of choices to find a resolution, before the child has a chance to problem solve the situation on their own. Problem solving skills are an evolving competency in a child's brain development.

As an example where mediation skills might be useful, "I'm bored', is a frequent holiday line that can be distressing for a parent. Rather than rhyming of a list of possible boredom busters, the child is given the task of looking at what is available. 'Let's both come up with possible activities" opens the discussion and gives them a shared ownership of the problem.

It is also an opportunity to be reminded that life is all about the choices we make. Are they choosing to be bored?

If so, then they have to own the choice.

Any skill is built incrementally. Be

aware of mediation tactics and use them when you feel up to the task of taking the time. For mediation to work language must be clear on both sides. Too often we ask our children a question and then answer it for them. Patience is required to let them formulate their own answers or solutions. Your opinion is part of the mediation but the solution should be agreeable to both sides.

Mediation skills are effective when siblings are being argumentative. This is when a parent can be a true mediator.

Be firm but fair. A mediator is the calm in the sibling storm. Mediation fosters empathy and sibling rivalry is an excellent place for an empathy lesson. It is an opportunity for both siblings to acknowledge their frustration and for each one to hear their impact on the conflict and offer their side. It can help deescalate a volatile situation. Active listening is an essential life skill.

Mediation takes the judgmental aspect of conflict away. Being judgmental sets up an adversarial situation and provides an opportunity for sibling manipulation. Successful parenting has common sense as a significant under pinning of the lofty goal of raising a child.

Mediation fosters patience and tenacity.

Mediation skills build determination, perseverance, and responsibility.

It demonstrates using power and control positively. Mediation is about self- control, waiting your turn, and showing a commitment to a solution.

It requires nothing more than knowledge of the skills necessary to mediate rather than direct with intimidation and threats. Over time children internalize the skills and the mediation process becomes part of family life – an effective and beneficial- go to- in solving disputes.

Never fear, summer camps are here

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he July-August holidays are perhaps the most anticipated event for schoolchildren, a time when they have two whole months to spend at their discretion. While it’s the highlight of the year for children, most times it’s the dread of parents, who don’t usually take too kindly to the wasting away of a few weeks. It always seems difficult to find that balance of productiveness and fun which will satiate both parent and child.

Never fear, summer camps are here!

Personally, I love summer camps. Mostly because I, like many young people, get bored easily.

If we do the same thing too much or see the Ashley Anthony same people too often, we run out of things to talk about, or keep our mind interested. There are a wide variety of summer camps available, from arts and crafts at Burrowes School of Art to Mathematics at the Queen’s College Summer Math Institute (QCSMI).

(Excerpt from Huffington Post)

Summer camps provide more than just an avenue for further learning. They are a means of socialisation. Although school introduces you to persons your age, it’s unlikely that you’ll find many classmates who share a love for robotics, or a passion for art. When you take the initiative to attend these camps, you make friends who are interested in the same things that you are. As such, you can learn from them, and share experiences with them that your regular friends might not be able to relate to. In fact, most summer camps usually aim to foster community, taking time to teach cooperation and leadership skills through group activities. In addition to making like-minded friends, you are often times introduced to professionals in that particular field, who can give you insight about the realities of practising one’s passion, for a living. On the flip side, for parents, time spent at a summer camp is supervised and productive.

Even if you can’t find any camps you’re interested in, or any suitable for your age, this is a great time to develop skills that you’ve been putting off such as playing a musical instrument, learning a new language or experimenting with photography. Who knows, a hobby might even turn into a life calling. In any case, take the time to do something that brings you joy, even if that is just staying home watching TV.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Gunmen rob Cuyuni mining companies …escape with large quantity of raw gold

S

herrif Mining Company located in Kartuni, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) is one of several mining operations that were allegedly robbed over the past few days by at least six heavily armed bandits carrying high-power rifles.

The mining concession, owned by Mohamed Sherrif Harry, was attacked and robbed on Monday of an undisclosed quantity of raw gold. The gang members also relieved a security officer on site of his shotgun and a 9mm pistol.

The workers were terrorised and beaten by the bandits during most of the robberies during which they were relieved of raw gold and other valuables.

Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that the six men were creating quite a ruckus in that part of the Region which is not easily accessible to Police.

Speaking with this publication, the owner of the mining operation explained that several of his workers were severely beaten and left without proper medical attention for the past few days.

He noted that at the time of the attack, one worker had gone to transact business and was on his way back and when he realised what was happening, he immediately made his way to Junior Ross Landing and contacted him.

Upon reaching the Landing, the worker saw several Police Officers and related what had transpired. In turn, the Police ranks informed the chain of command and went into the area to launch an investigation. Harry noted that

morning. Again, the bandits made off with a quantity of raw gold.

Over the past years, the interior has become a harbour for criminals result-

it would take at least seven hours by boat to travel from Bartica to Junior Ross Landing and another six hours on the trail to his camp.

When contacted, F Division (Lethem and Other Interior Locations) Commander Rabindranauth Budhram explained that he received information about a robbery and that a team of Police Officers was deployed to the area.

He, however, noted that it would take the officers days to travel into the area owing to the rough terrain.

He could not confirm if anyone was seriously injured during the robbery, since he would have to wait for an update from his ranks when they reach a location that has a radio set.

The mining concession owner told this newspaper that it was difficult to reach his mining camp by trail and it was much easier to use a helicopter.

He has since contacted Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud to solicit his assistance in getting the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopter to fly into the area to bring out his injured workers, but this has

posed some challenges.

Guyana Times was told that the Police were told that the GDF helicopter was out of service and it would take a few days before it was back up and running. Refusing to give up, the worried businessman contacted at least two private operators, but they have both refused to go into the area on the premise of the associated dangers.

He is, however, calling on the relevant authorities to comb the area with the aim of apprehending the armed men, while explaining that businessmen in the area were living in fear that one day the bandits may get “hysterical” and kill whoever resist their attacks.

The businessman is contending that the men were speaking fluent Portuguese and Spanish, which suggested that they were not Guyanese. There is one man in the group who is silent during the robberies and it is believed that he might be Guyanese and is leading the armed men to the mining camps in the area.

Reports reaching this publication are that another popular Bartica businessman’s camp was raided and robbed on Tuesday

Assassination claim

Public hearing opens today …GPF to go under microscope

W

hile the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up to probe allegations of a plot to assassinate President David Granger has already commenced its work, members of the public will be free to listen in to the testimonies from today.

The CoI, which commenced on July 11, will seek to: inquire into persons, places, time and circumstances and events by and through which allegations and reports came to be made of an intention to assassinate the President; investigate the full range of the actions and responses of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to the reports and the extent to which such actions were conducted or executed with due diligence; determine whether any person, and

President David Granger

in particular, officers of the GPF had information before and after reports were made of a plan to assassinate the President and whether any such officers communicated that information to a superi-

or authority.

Commissioners will also record and report on what official action was taken on the basis of the information received and whether there was due diligence by the officers of the GPF in the investigation of the plan to assassinate the President and determine whether there was failure, neglect or omission to thoroughly and properly investigate the plan to assassinate the President and determine whether such failure or omission was intentional.

The Commissioners will seek to also determine the blameworthiness for the failure or neglect of officers or persons involved in the investigation and recommend action to be taken against persons found to be blameworthy.TURN TO PAGE 9

ing in the deaths of several Guyanese and Brazilians during robberies.

The Guyana Police Force has always complained of not getting the required resources

to patrol the area. Only recently, three all-terrain vehicles were donated to the Police to boost their presence in the interior locations.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Taxi driver remanded for 16 lbs of 'weed'

A

Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) taxi driver was remanded to prison after swift response by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) led to a drug bust on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, East Bank Demerara, as the reported dealer was allegedly transporting several pounds of marijuana to the mining town.

Glen McBean was taken before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday morning

charged with being in possession of 7.383 kilograms (over 16 pounds) of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Defence counsel Bernard Da Silva, in a bail application, told the court that the circumstances under which the drug was found were sufficient to constitute special reasons. He related that on the day of the incident, his client was transporting a passenger to Linden when he (the passenger) received a phone call and requested to be put off as they were turning into the Soesdyke junction. A few

minutes later, the motor vehicle was stopped and searched by the Police, which led to the discovery of the alleged marijuana in the back seat and trunk of the car, the lawyer said. Attorney Da Silva maintained that his client should not be remanded based on mere speculation or suspicion.

However, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford disputed the defence’s claims as she relayed Police facts to the court. According to Sandiford, Police had set up a road block at the Soesdyke

junction after receiving intelligence from a source. The said passenger was reportedly let out of the car and the driver told officers that he only had “one bag of ganja” in the car. Nonetheless, a search revealed otherwise as several packets containing the suspected drug were found in various places in the car.

McBean is reportedly the registered owner of the car, HC 9763, and had allegedly accepted ownership of the drug in an oral statement under caution. The case will continue on July 31.

Miner slapped with robbery charge

A

udrey Hodge was remanded to prison on Tuesday morning after he denied a charge of robbery under arms, which stated that he robbed a man of $345,000 in jewellery. It is alleged that on June 14, 2017 he relieved Patrick Douglas of his jew-

ellery. According to the prosecution’s case, Douglas was accosted by Hodge, who was armed with a gun and proceeded to rob him of his jewellery at Cooper Street, Albouystown, Georgetown. The unrepresented man denied any knowledge of the crime

and told the Magistrate that he worked in Puruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) as a gold miner. Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore disclosed that Hodge was on the run since the alleged incident and was likely to evade trial in the event he was granted bail.

Moreover, the Prosecutor said that Hodge provided contradictory addresses to the court and the Police.

Bail was refused accordingly and Hodge will spend time on remand pending the outcome of the trial, which continues on August 11, 2017.

“By the way”…

B

…statements in law ecause of the dire consequences of running afoul of the law – being roasted in Camp St jail?! – the rules governing the application of the law to alleged lawbreakers cannot be capricious.

In the legal system we’ve inherited from England – called “the Common Law” – that’s why folks have to attend law school for five years before they can even begin PRACTISING the law!!

One of the principles Judges have to follow when they consider the facts of the case in front of them is called “STARE DECISIS” – “to stand by that which is decided". This simply means that our Judges look at cases with similar facts and consider what legal principles were used to decide them. In other words, our Judges follow legal PRECEDENTS. Because in a sense these judicial interpretations BECOME the law, there’s a rule within the stare decisis principle insisting that Judges must only decide on the issues that were presented to them. When they do, these legal principles applied are called the ratio decidendi – “the reason for the decision” and these have to be followed by lower courts on similar cases.

They are said to be BINDING. OK, so far?

Sometimes Judges, for whatever reason, comment on issues not directly presented to them by the plaintiff – and these comments are called “obiter dicta” – “by the way". Not surprisingly, they’re not binding on other courts! Now, you Dear Readers must be wondering as to why your humble Eyewitness is subjecting you to this legal lecture so early in the day!

Well, it has to do with the long and eagerly awaited decision of Justice George on the GECOM Chairman case, which just came down.

Point of the matter is that the plaintiff Gaskin had asked the Court specifically to interpret the stipulations of Art 162 (2) – which President Granger had taken the liberty to interpret in his own idiosyncratic manner to mean that only the names of those qualified to be Judges be submitted. The Court totally rejected Prezzie’s interpretation. Justice George hasn’t issued her written decision as yet, so we don’t know precisely what legal precedents (ratio decidendi) she followed. But as far as this Eyewitness is concerned, after the PPP and PNC, who’d crafted Art 162, had applied it at least five times – contra to Prezzie’s interpretation – it was a case of sine qua non - “the thing speaks for itself”!!

Unfortunately, Justice George went on a “detour and frolic” and considered issues NOT placed before her by invoking Art 162 (3) – what happens if the Opposition Leader doesn’t present an “acceptable” list.

This is clearly OBITER dicta!! …business opportunities Who says our local business class isn’t quick to sense and seize business opportunities? The smoke hadn’t even cleared at Camp St when one enterprising hollow-block maker announced his blocks were so strong, he could “convert our prison to fortresses” with them! And, of course, make our country “safer”!!

The fella claims his HOLLOW blocks, which he modestly – if contradictorily – named “Rock SOLID”, are “smash proof”, “heat resistant” and “fire retardant”! Wow!! Your Eyewitness can just imagine the next step. The shrewd businessman can take a page (a commercial?) from that luggage manufacturer that had a 600 lb gorilla jump all over one of their suitcases to prove how strong they were! Here, he can invite some of those inmates who just torched 12 Camp St, to put his “Rock Solid blocks” to the test!!

Better yet, taking a cue from the recent Ministry of Housing exhibition, maybe he can build a model Prison “Fortress” at Lusignan?

That’ll kill two birds with one “rock-solid” block!! = …where’re the grades?

UG’s registration process has started – even though grades for half the faculties, including Law – aren’t out. The underpaid staff is stretched and stressed out.

But never mind. $10 million is better spent on the VC’s coronation!!

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

NEWS

9

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Top Cop revokes licence for Saddiqi Rasul’s security company T

op Cop Seelall Persaud has written to embattled gold dealer, Saddiqi Rasul informing him that the licence of his security company has been revoked with effect from June 30, 2017.

The business, which is located at Lot 23 Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown, has been in existence for a number of years and has allegedly provided security services to several mining companies but more so, to provide protection for Rasul himself, who is presently on bail following his arraignment on several counts of fraud committed on the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI).

In a letter addressed to Rasul and dated June 23, 2017, the Top Cop ordered that the businessman hand over to the Guyana Police Force all the weapons owned by the security company. Guyana Times understands these amounted to 45

Top Cop Seelall Persaud

high-powered rifles.

The letter also instructed Rasul to inform his clients of the licence revocation and urged that members of the firm desist from wearing the uniform.

In addition, the security firm was ordered to cease the training of personnel and to desist from using any logo that may have been as-

Public hearing opens...

They will also recommend steps that can be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incident and identify systemic issues, if any, in the GPF’s competence to investigate matters of this nature. The CoI secretariat is now inviting persons desirous of giving evidence and/ or making submissions to do so before the Commission.

Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe was sworn in to head the CoI. He is being assisted by five other persons.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had opined last month that the move by the Head of State to set up a CoI into the allegation demonstrated his lack of confidence in the Police Force, a claim denied by Government.

“You need another CoI… into this? That means you don’t trust your security forces or the Police to investigate this. You are saying that somebody didn’t investigate this properly,” Jagdeo had said Reports had surfaced in April this year of an alleged plot to assassinate the Head of State.

FROM PAGE 7

Shortly after news broke of investigations into the alleged plot, the complainant, a well-known barber of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared on a local private television station to relate his story.

In that interview, the barber revealed that he was offered $7 million and given a “long black gun” by a businessman to carry out the job of assassinating the President, but he had declined the offer.

Reports indicated that he subsequently filed a complaint with the Police.

However, the alleged witness to the offer had told investigators during the confrontation that the complainant had contacted him and offered a sum of money in exchange for him giving a statement claiming that he (the alleged witness) was present when two businessmen contacted the complainant about allegedly assassinating the President.

According to a Police source, the complainant had only made the monetary offer after he informed the Police of the assassination plot.

sociated with the security company.

When contacted, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud confirmed that he had written to Rasul informing him of the revocation of the licence and more so, instructed him via letter that he had up to June 30 to hand over all weapons and ammunition to the Force.

Persaud further stated that he had also written to A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) Commander, Marlon Chapman to follow through with the order. However, the Top Cop was unable to verify whether or not Rasul was in compliance with the letter and promised to check on the status of the issue.

When contacted, Chapman told Guyana Times that he was not aware of any attempts to revoke the license of Saddiqi Rasul Security Company

Saddiqi Rasul

and at no point in time was he instructed to sieze any fireman and ammunition belonging to the embattled businessman.

However, in a letter seen by this newspaper addressed to the Commander, it instructed that the letter informing Rasul of inten-

tion to revoke his licence be delivered and when that is done, the Commander is to make sure that all properties issued to him be handed over by June 30.

Sources told this newspaper that Rasul has not compiled with the letter.

The source also explained that members of the security firm only protect Rasul.

Rasul, of Prashad Nagar, Greater Georgetown and of First Avenue, Bartica, the owner of SSS Minerals Trading Inc, had allegedly deposited six cheques in the bank between March 21 and 24, 2017. The cheques were for the sums of $290 million, $96 million, $138 million, $89 million, $298 million and $45 million. He was charged and placed on $6 million bail. However, the Bank Manager reportedly colluded with Rasul to change the cheques before clearing them with Citizens

Bank, from where they had allegedly originated.

As investigations continued into the alleged fraud committed by Rasul, a search was conducted at the Sandy Babb Street, Kitty home of his close associate, and it was reported that after several hours of search, SOCU agents removed from those premises three CBR motorcycles, a Jet ski and a bag containing a quantity of ammunition. Prior to that raid, a black 2013 Hilux belonging to Rasul was seized

by SOCU after it was discovered it bore false number plates. It is believed that the vehicle was imported from Brazil without the necessary paperwork and taxes paid.

Days after the vehicle was seized, GRA officials swooped down on another of Rasul’s locations and found a fully armoured vehicle that was not registered with the Revenue Authority.

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM Chair impasse

Former AG says Chief Justice’s ruling marred by single error – hopeful that written ruling will bring greater clarity

W

hile describing the ruling on President David Granger’s interpretation of the Constitution regarding the appointment of a chairman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as brilliant and juridically sound, former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said, however, the ruling was marred by a singular error.

In providing his opinion, Nandlall said acting Chief Justice Roxane George appeared to have ventured beyond the purview of her remit and expressed an opinion on an issue that was not before the court for its interpretation and by extension, its adjudication, ie, the proviso to Article 161(2) of the Constitution.

Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

“The learned Chief Justice is reported to have said, as part of her ruling, that if the President finds

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George

all six names unacceptable, the proviso becomes applicable, meaning, that he can appoint a person of his own choosing,” he added.

The former AG argued that this issue was not before the High Court and was not part of the questions posed by the applicant, Marcel Gaskin, for the Court to answer, neither himself, as the lead Attorney-at-Law for the Leader of the Opposition, nor any of the Counsel appearing for the other parties to the proceedings made any submissions on this issue or was invited to do so by the Court. As such, several parties have expressed surprise at the particular pronouncement by the acting Chief Justice. He said, “In my respectful and considered view, that proviso can only be activated when, through the default of the Leader of the Opposition, no list is submitted to the President.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 11

Custom and practice

S

atiricus was mulling over the latest Camp St Prison breakout. His leader Rum Jhaat was still under fire, but fortunately, he thought, this GECON judgement was going to take the heat off him. At least over at the Back Street Bar where he was headed, after his day of toil. If he steered the conversation in the right direction.

“Suh how come Rum Jhaat an’ ‘e bais nah ketch dem four criminal yet?” said Bungi, not giving Satiricus time to get settled.

“Budday! Is only a week yet!” replied Satiricus with a forced smile.

“Sato, na tek me fuh wan fool!” said Bungi as he clinked bottles with Satiricus and Hari. “Nah you tell me Rum Jhaat gat intelligence fuh ketch dem?”

“He didn’t mean Rum Jhaat intelligent, Bungi,” butted in Hari, placatingly. “He meant the Joint Forces would be using information they get from snitches.

They call that “intelligence”.”

“C’mon now fellas!” said Satiricus, desperately trying to change the subject. “What y’all think about this GECON business?”

“Well, we’re right where we started,” hazarded Hari.

“Prezzie was wrong, but he still gets to reject whoever Jagdesh propose.”

“How come de Judge decide suh?” asked Bungi.

“Jagdesh right and still ‘e get wrang?”

“Well, the Judge agreed Jagdesh was correct on the questions she was supposed to answer,” confided Satiricus, pleased they weren’t discussing Rum Jhaat’s abject failure to capture the escaped murderers. “But she gave Prezzie full marks for a question he hadn’t even asked!”

“But how da count?” asked Bungi, all puzzled. “W’en me cut some-baddy else cane, me nah get pay fuh da!”

“Same thing in court, Bungi,” said Hari. “What the Judge told Prezzie doesn’t count.”

“Suh wha’ mek she ansa ovas question?” asked Bungi curiously.

“You remember when you were “temporary” on the sugar estate, you had to do whatever they asked?” asked Satiricus.

“Yes,” said Bungi. “Dem coulda fyaah me anytime!”

“Same thing, here, Bungi,” said Hari.“Same thing!”

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man accused of killing fiancée’s estranged husband freed

T

Freed: Aniki Jones

he High Court trial of Aniki Jones, who was accused of killing the estranged husband of his fiancée, was brought to end on Tuesday after presiding Judge Nareshwar Harnanan upheld the defence’s no-case submission. As such, Jones was allowed to walk free into the arms of his relatives, who were overjoyed to have him released.

Justice Harnanan upheld the defence’s contention on the grounds that insufficient evidence was provided by the Prosecution to prove that Jones inflicted the wounds which led to the death of Carl Garnett,

who was killed on the night he had a violent altercation with Jones. After he was released, Jones told Guyana Times that he was indeed happy to be a free man and indicated that the first thing he would have done after arriving home is greet his mother.

It was late last week that the prosecution had closed it case, which was presented by State Counsels Siand Dhurjon, Shawnette Austin and Lisa Cave.

Jones had pleaded not guilty to the offence, which occurred on December 15, 2013. Reports were that Garnett had left the marital home and moved on with life with another woman but he was angered after his estranged wife started a new relationship with Jones.

According to the facts presented to the court, the deceased man had called the Jones’ home to speak with his child that he shared with his estranged wife, Rhonda Garnett. After some angry telephone conversations, Carl Garnett armed himself with a cutlass and confronted Jones at his home in Lamaha Springs, Georgetown. A confronta-

Former AG says Chief...

In such a case, and by virtue of the proviso, the President is authorised to select a person of his own choosing.”

This, according to him, is so because the Constitution would not allow a default by one person to cause such a crisis where no one could be appointed to chair GECOM. Nandlall said the Constitution, like any such fundamental document, was replete with such crisis-avoidance mechanisms.

Further, the former Minister said he could only conclude that Gaskin did not make the proviso part of the proceedings in recognition of the fact that the Leader of the Opposition had already submitted a list of names to the President, which the President had rejected and had invited another six names at the time of the filing of the application, thereby rendering the application of the proviso inoperable in the unfolding factual matrix.

In the circumstances, therefore, Nandlall said the Judge’s opinion on the proviso was merely “obiter dicta” (said by the way) and did not form part of the “ratio decidendi” (or the binding part) of her judgment. “I am hoping that when the written ruling is made available it brings greater clarity to the matter,” he said.

Nevertheless, Nandlall acknowledged that every argument which the Opposition has advanced publicly over the past months and every submission it presented to the Court were upheld. He went on to state, however, that almost

FROM PAGE 10

every argument articulated by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams publicly over the past several months on this issue and which were made part of his submissions to the Court were roundly and comprehensively rejected.

In her determination, the acting Chief Justice found that there was no valid argument to support the idea that the Chairman should be a judge, a former judge or a person eligible to be a judge, and noted that persons from each category were equally eligible for the post.

Included in Justice George’s ruling on Monday was that the persons proposed for the post of GECOM Chairman must have judgelike qualities and possess integrity, honesty, and impartiality. She also said that the word “any” in the other category, “any other fit and proper person” widens the category and “does not restrict the qualification or profession” from which the nominee should be drawn, and noted that there was no mandatory category and all the categories had equal weight.

In March, Gaskin, a local businessman and brother of Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, had moved to the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of President Granger’s reasoning behind his rejection of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s first list of six nominees for the GECOM chairmanship. Jagdeo had submitted a second list, which the Head of State also rejected. A third list is slated to be presented.

Ameena Garnett, who was just 18 at the time of the incident, had testified that she had known Jones from around March or April of 2013. She had also told the court that Jones had moved in with her mother, herself and other siblings around June or July of that year.

The witness had said she saw Jones and her father, Carl, engaged in a scuffle on the ground. It was then that she helped

Deceased: Carl Garnett

tion ensued and Garnett ended up dead while Jones was injured. Certain prior events that led up to the fatal altercation were disallowed from being entered into evidence on the grounds that its inclusion would have been prejudicial.

Ameena Garnett, daughter of Carl Garnett had testified last week that she had assisted her mother in an attempt to stop the two men from fighting and injuring each other.

her mother to separate them. After they broke free, the young lady testified that she saw Aniki Jones with blood on his head, feet and hands but did not notice any injuries on her father. She said her father was in a knelt position braced to a cupboard.

Ameena Garnett noted that she put him to lie on his back where she discovered “a low pulse”.

It was under cross-ex-

amination by Defence Counsel that the young lady had indicated that the accused, Jones, was not armed at the time she saw him. At Tuesday’s ruling, Justice Harnanan suggested that based on the evidence provided, it would have been speculative to say that Jones inflicted the fatal injuries. Defence Counsel Mark Conway also represented Jones.

(Shemuel Fanfair)

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Prison inferno

Law & Order Commission could have helped forestall tragedy – former Minister

T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has called on the Government to resuscitate the Law and Order Commission; and for good reason, as the Commission’s mandate would have contributed to the prevention of the July 9 fire at the Camp Street Prison.

According to former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, the Commission would have helped in forestalling the fire, as one of the Commission’s functions involved exercising civilian oversight on prison authorities.

“The Law and Order Commission, on which sits the Director of Prisons and the Commissioner of Police, would be called upon from time to time to give reports on what is happening in the prisons around the country and what security measures are taken to address concerns,” Rohee explained during a recent interview.

“In addition to that, members of the Commission would also, on their part based on information they receive, bring their concerns to the Commission for the attention and action of the Director of Prisons.”

However, the Law and Order Commission was not in place up to the time of the fire

Former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

that gutted the Camp Street jail, serving as cover for a number of prisoners to escape.

And though there have been reports that the escape plot was out in the open prior to the fire, the multiple fires set in the prison overwhelmed authorities.

“In addition to that, you had another series of institutions within the prisons that would serve a similar purpose of which the Private Sector would have representatives as well as the representatives of the Directorate of the Prisons,” Rohee posited.

“For example, the Sentence Management Board chaired by a civilian, the agriculture development board, the visit-

ing committees…all of them were dominated by civilians, and would contribute in different ways to having some oversight of what is happening in the prison. And they would assist in forestalling any incident of a major nature as the kind that took place.”

The National Commission on Law and Order, on the other hand, was established in Guyana in 2004 as part of a unilateral decision by Caricom. It dealt with high levels of violent crime and allowed a more inclusive partnership between Government and stakeholders.

The Guyana Prison Service’s Sentence Management Board (SMB) was established in 2011, under the previous administration. Its mandate had included determining what form of rehabilitative training a prisoner would access before being rehabilitated into society.

The inaugural Board was made up of Captain Gerry Gouveia, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) representative; Reverend Fay Clarke; the Officer-in-Charge of Welfare and Corrections, Sylvia Conway of the Parole Board; Ayube Mohamed of the Prison Visiting Committees; Beni Sankar and representatives from the then Ministries

of Human Services and Social Security, and Home Affairs.

The Government had faced much criticism for the fact that the Prison Visiting Committees were not in place at the time of a catastrophic fire last year at the Camp Street Prison that claimed the lives of 17 prisoners. The Administration had subsequently moved to appoint the committees for Guyana’s prisons.

Following a meeting on Friday last with Government

officials, providing updates on the national security situation, former Chairman of the Law and Order Commission, Captain Gouveia had noted the importance of these commissions.

“We were in the prisons every day. We were in the prison talking to prisoners, talking to prison officers every month,” the business executive told reporters. “I met with the entire echelons of the prison administration dealing with those issues.”

“I believe that the Law and Order Commission was a vital forum, a monthly forum that was chaired by the Minister and I believe that the Minister should re-activate the Law and Order Commission,” Gouveia had added. “It was a place where a lot of information was being fed into the system that could then be translated and used as intelligence.” The PSC has, in fact, been calling on the coalition Government to implement the Commission since 2015.

14 NEWS Farming, marketing woes plague Region 9 WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…locals show preference for Brazilian goods

T

he Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) community of Moco Moco may possess an idyllic beauty, but under that layer is a village facing challenges. Among those challenges is the question of markets for its crops.

During a recent interview with Guyana Times, Moco Moco Toshao James George noted that his community was primarily a farming area. But the Toshao noted that lack of access to markets was a major obstacle to the advancement of farming in the community.

“Agriculture could do a

lot more in this community,” he said. “But one of the biggest problems is marketing.

Probably because I live close to Brazil, I see what is happening in Boa Vista (Brazilian border city). During the weekends across to Boa Vista, there is a system in the Amerindian communities that trucks go around, pick up the farmers’ produce, go to market, and sell.”

“What is not sold, (the Brazilian) Government has a system in place that they take over the rest of the produce and they sell it. I don’t know where they sell it, but that is

the system there. It gives the farmers more encouragement to do agriculture on a bigger scale.”

Comparing Brazil’s system to Guyana’s, he noted that while persons were being encouraged to do farming here, markets remained a major obstacle. He expressed hope that a system similar to the one in Brazil could be implemented in Guyana to encourage farmers to plant.

He noted that at the level of the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC), marketing issues being faced by farmers were a topic of discussion.

industries around this region that produce. But the unavailability of the markets, that’s the problem because of the competition with Brazil. People find it a little bit cheaper than our cottage industry prices here.”

“So, that is a problem and it needs to be addressed immediately. Because a lot of farmers complain that they got plantains, cassava bread, and it’s not selling. If you browse the supermarkets, you

Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock had explained that there were deficiencies regarding local produce and quality control. According to the Chairman, entrepreneurs and farmers have to contend with competition from across the border.

He revealed that they had requested the farmers increase their production as one measure to increase commerce. In addition, he said requests have been made of su-

Moco Moco Toshao James George

But while commitments were made by the Government to help farmers market their goods, George said that nothing has been done.

“At that time, the Government said they would put things into place to see how good it would work. It’s not just here in Moco Moco, it’s the entire North Rupununi that marketing is a problem.

We’re still waiting.”

Meanwhile, Opposition Member of Parliament and geographic representative of Region Nine, Alister Charlie also weighed in on the issue. He revealed that a lot of Brazilian produce was being used in the local markets and restaurants.

“We have a lot of cottage

A view of the Takutu Bridge linking Guyana to Brazil, whence local farmers are facing fierce competition

will see Brazilian things.”

Emphasising the need for the issue to be addressed, Charlie revealed that Agriculture Minister Noel Holder would be consulted on the situation at the next available opportunity.

Competition When this publication visited the area recently,

permarkets to buy local. But this can only ensue once assurances can be provided of a ready local supply.

“So we have products, but we have to put our systems in place to ensure quality control, so we can export over there. And we are hoping to get it soon, so our produce can go over there.”

15 Ramsammy’s Ruminations NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GLSC orders Barabina residents to pay for land

T

he Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) Mabaruma Sub-District, Region One (Barima-Waini), is ordering residents of the Amerindian Community of Barabina, Region One, to pay for the lands they are living on since it is considered State lands.

“They are not moving out anybody, we had a meeting in there where they came in and educated us about our lands. They explained to us that we are living on State lands and State lands are Government land,” Toshao Roxanne Skeete explained.

“We don’t have our titles for that community… so they advised us that all who want pay for their land they can go into the local office here at Mabaruma and do the necessary paperwork,” she further related.

Toshao Skeete said so far, many of her villagers have gone to the office and started the paperwork for land ownership. When asked about the legitimacy of the process, she said they are forced to follow the orders of the officers since they fear being removed from the community.

The residents are required to pay an application/processing fee of $2000 and up to $54,000 for plots of land they are living on. However, the officers informed residents that they are not required to pay the full amount at once

Barabina Toshao Roxanne Skeete

and that payment plans are available.

However, the GLSC officers are being accused of entering the community without permission from the community council and are ordering residents to pay for the land plots they are occupying and which have been surveyed without their free, prior and informed consent.

The Barabina Amerindian community was established in the 1920s and has a sacred archaeological site.

According to Peter Persaud in a letter to the press, at the recently held Region One Toshaos Conference at

Mabaruma, an officer of the GLSC from Georgetown made a presentation where he was informed about what the officers were doing in the Barabina community, to which he indicated that he is not aware of such operations.

Persaud said he is appealing to the GLSC to have its Mabaruma office return the monies taken from the residents. He added that the Barabina community, as well as other communities such as Koborimo, Smith Creek and Khan Hill, are now in the municipality of the Mabaruma Township without their consent, and no consultations were held with the Amerindian communities.

At its meeting, the Region One Toshaos Conference passed two resolutions.

One is that untitled Amerindian communities are no longer to be referred to as CDCs but as Community Councils, provided for in Sections 8589 of the Amerindian Act 2006.

The other resolution is that the Amerindian villages and communities of Region One fully support the position taken by the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and Amerindian organisations in relation to the Lands Commission of Inquiry. Several attempts to contact to the Commissioner of the GLSC, Trevor Benn, proved futile.

Child killer sentenced to life imprisonment

Deceased: Jamal Nedd

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

T

wenty-nine-year-old Rawle Samuels, who accepted responsibility for the killing of a four-year-old at Buck Hill, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Nareshwar Harnanan at the High Court in Georgetown. Samuels will only get the chance at obtaining freedom if he is granted parole.

However, the court ruled that he must first serve 30 calendar years before he can obtain this privilege.

The murdered boy, Jamal Nedd, was stabbed to death in February 2013 following an altercation Samuels had with the boy’s aunt, Felicia Tello.

According to reports, the lad’s mother had left him in the care of Samuels, with whom she had shared a relationship. During the dispute, the boy’s aunt ran out of the house as Samuels came

charging after her. The boy then shouted for her to run and Samuels turned his attention to Nedd and stabbed the youth five times, reportedly leaving the knife in his back.

Before the sentence was handed down, the accused in streams of tears, begged the court for mercy, highlighting that he was separated from his two children. He added that these children would have to grow up without a father. Samuels further noted that his past actions caused people to live in fear. His probation report, however, reflected that Samuels had a history of aggression and violence towards women. In the probation report, which was presented to the court, neighbours and family members described Samuels as a hard working individual, who was well mannered and did not show violence in his home village of Wismar, Linden. Other residents, from their knowledge, however claimed that Samuels was an abusive partner.

In 2010, he was arrested for assault by way of causing bodily harm to the first woman with whom he had shared a relationship. The woman reported that she had the intention of ending their union but this disclosure only angered Samuels who reportedly assaulted her. She was said to have suffered a fractured right jaw. This case was however dismissed after the complainant declined to offer evidence against the accused, opting to completely break off ties with the man instead.

Nisha Naranjan, mother of the deceased child that Samuels killed, had known the accused from their days of youth. They started a relationship in 2009 in the midst of his separation from his former reputed wife that he

Convicted: Rawle Samuels

allegedly assaulted. Naranjan later accused him of being unfaithful and she recalled an incident where Samuels burnt her with a hot electric iron after she had refused to iron his clothes.

She said she left him 2011 but the probation report highlighted that the accused man still maintained a relationship with her four year son, Jamal.

The probation report further stated that Samuels had fathered a child with his first reputed wife whilst sharing a common-law union with Naranjan.

The report also noted that Samuels, a former porkknocker, felt sad and disappointed at being incarcerated and that he showed concern for the stigma that was attached to his name. He was also described as a prisoner who exhibited good behaivour, in the report. The now convicted man was represented by Defence Counsel Maxwell McKay while Prosecutors Siand Dhurjon, Shawnette Austin and Lisa Cave presented the State’s case.

If not Ramjattan, somebody is accountable for the Camp Street inferno

S

omeone is responsible for the Camp Street inferno that led to the total destruction of Guyana's main prison, the escape of some of Guyana's most notorious prisoners and the death of a prison officer, because there is ample evidence of negligence. David Granger insists that Ramjattan, the Minister responsible for the Dr Leslie Ramsammy Camp Street Prison cannot be held responsible. He is unequivocally wrong. Minister Ramjattan is accountable for his sector. Ministerial responsibility is something that Ramjattan and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) preached throughout the 9th and 10th Parliaments between 2006 and 2015. Ministerial accountability, a sacred tenet of a democratic system, cannot be sacred only when it applies to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), but become expendable when it applies to APNU/AFC. President Granger, Ramjattan and the APNU/AFC Cabinet stand indicted.

It has been more than a week since the Camp Street inferno. The inferno was the second time in less than 16 months that the Camp Street Prison has been subjected to a fiery assault. The first one killed 17 people. Yet no one is taking responsibility and no one is being held accountable.

In fact, the President and the Minister adamantly dismiss any call for accountability. Most alarmingly, Granger and Ramjattan want people to give them credit because only one person died and only a handful escaped despite a horrendous inferno.

The excuses for the Camp Street inferno have been ludicrous. For example, they claim they did not have money. Yet Ramjattan's 2017 Budget is about $10 billion more than Rohee's 2014 budget for the security sector. In 2015, the public security sector operated with the largest budget ever at the time. In 2016 there was about a 20 per cent increase over the 2015 Budget and in 2017, another $6 billion was added to the budget. Therefore, it is asinine to argue that they did not have enough money. To say that the major cause of the Camp Street fiasco is lack of money is steaming garbage. The fact is they neglected the prison system and were too busy with political vendetta to worry about the prison system.

They had all the answers when they were in Opposition and they claimed Rohee had more than enough money.

If Rohee had enough, Ramjattan is drowning in money.

Granger knew the vulnerabilities since he served as a member of the Commission of Inquiry into the judicial system which examined the state of the prison system.

In addition, after the first inferno at Camp Street 16 months ago, President Granger established a Commission of Inquiry. The report and recommendations have been with both Granger and Ramjattan and the whole Cabinet.

But the state of the prison system has not changed in any measurable way since the first inferno and, therefore, whatever might have been the recommendations must have been ignored.

Not only have they made obnoxious excuses, they have also sought to hold former Minister Clement Rohee and the former PPP Government responsible. President Granger absurdly cast blame on a broken system he claimed Ramjattan inherited from the PPP. It boggles the mind that now in their third year in Government, they still want to cast blame on the PPP. Not only is this odious, it is treating the Guyanese people with absolute contempt. But let us not forget that Ramjattan also wants to hold the sugar workers accountable. He claimed within hours, while the inferno was still raging, that the reason why the prisoners were able to escape and why the prison was burning down was because APNU/AFC had to bail out sugar.

Sugar was merely the scapegoat for Ramjattan's and APNU/AFC's failure. How come they were short of money when they increased 200 taxes, when they discontinued the $10,000 per child in school grant and the water and electricity subsidies for the elderly? How come they increased their salaries up to 110 per cent over 2014 salaries? Where do they find money to rent homes for Ministers in excess of $500,000 per month? What about the continued $3 billion annual Linden electricity subsidy?

What about the more than $170 million annually for a house to be used as a medical warehouse? What about the procurement of $200 million worth of medicines for more than $600 million? How come they suddenly access billions to expand Mazaruni and rebuild at Camp Street? For god sake, somebody is responsible for the neglect that led to the Camp Street inferno.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

News

16 communities to receive electricity by year-end

A

s part of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) electrification programme, 16 new communities will be supplied with electricity for the first time, in time for Christmas this year.

This information was revealed during a press conference on Tuesday, where

CH&PA Chief Executive Officer (GEO) Lelon Saul outlined the details of this initiative, which started recently.

According to Saul, the Authority is currently in the process of procuring transformers, wallaba posts and other materials, from both local and overseas sources, which should

be delivered soon.

The first component of the programme has to do with the procurement of electrical and linear wear, material transformers and conductors. The second component deals with the procurement of wallaba posts and the third, the procurement of works.

“The provision of these

materials and works will facilitate installation of electricity in 16 CH&PA schemes,” he stated, explaining that the procurement process was moving quickly.

Saul said for sub-component one of the programme, there were currently six contracts for the supply of electrical linear wear, transformers and conductors. And according to him, these materials will be sourced from China and should be delivered by October month-end.

Meanwhile, the transformers are being sourced from Bogota, Colombia, where a total of 30 per cent mobilisation payment has been made for the equipment to be delivered by September month-end. The conductors will be provided

by Dynamic Engineering, a local company, and Power Lite Product out of Trinidad and Tobago, and will be delivered by September month-end.

In relation to the supply of wallaba posts for the programme, the CH&PA CEO told media operatives

CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Lelon Saul

that although the 15 contracts were submitted since April this year, Cabinet only gave its no-objection to these contracts on July 7, which has caused a delay of six weeks. Nevertheless, the contracts are being prepared and will be signed by the end of this month and a 30 per cent mobilisation payment will be made.

“We anticipate in relation to the electrification programme in these 16 ar-

eas, by the beginning of December, all those 16 areas will be powered and hundreds will benefit from this programme,” Saul assured members of the media, when questioned about the implementation of the programme.

The housing official said the programme would cost overall $471 million and it would directly benefit some 38,000 households along with industrial areas within the various communities.

The 16 communities that are due to receive electricity by year-end include: Onderneeming, Region Two; Zeelugt, Region Three; Farm, Covent Garden, Diamond, Eccles, Perseverance, Barnwell on the East Bank of Demerara; Paradise and Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara (Region Four); and two others.

In Region Five, Hope, and Experiment and Baltyock, East Coast Demerara are earmarked to also receive electricity, as well as Kilcoy and Chesney in Region Six, and Bartica in Region Seven.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

News

Govt launches Labour Market Intelligence Survey T

he Social Protection Ministry through its Department of Statistics on Monday launched a Labour Market Intelligence Survey, aimed at obtaining information relating to the existing labour force in Guyana.

The Survey will allow for the gathering of data as it relates to the skills level and occupational wages through a wide cross-section of the local population while zooming in on the elements and abilities of the existing working class.

At the same time, it will highlight the aspects of the labour force that are in need of enhancement.

As such, once completed, the information will provide insight to be used in policy making as well as determining national strategies, especially in regards to decisions targeting economic and social growth.

However, it can also influence regional and international relations, given that foreign organisations will be

17

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

adequately informed when entering into collaborations with Guyana.

The start of the Labour Market Intelligence Survey comes months after Finance Minister Winston Jordan outlined the need for such an approach. It was during the presentation of the 2017 National Budget to the National Assembly that the Finance Minister noted that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government has prioritised the under-

taking of continuous Labour Force Surveys, which were set to be launched in the second quarter of 2017.

“Laboured in the dark, not knowing our rate of unemployment, or which demographic group requires greatest attention,” Jordan relayed, while indicating that assessments such as the Labour Market Survey would allow the Government to generate and disseminate timely data, especially in critical sectors such as health and education. With that, the Minister proposed a quarterly survey which will incorporate size, location, gender and educational profiles, occupational status and industry, age structure, and regularity of work.

Moreover, the process, which is to be done electronically, will provide an avenue to calculate national and regional employment and unemployment rates, and can be used to make important decisions regarding job creation, skills training and education.

Mental health services

Ruimveldt woman fined for 2 counts of fraud …in a battle for family’s property

T

he saying that “one cannot run from the law” can be applied to the case of Maxine BairdSampson, who was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday for two counts of fraud committed to become the sole beneficiary of her family property in 2004 and 2005.

Sampson lived happily for 12 years before the law finally caught up with her, landing her before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The prosecution’s case stated that on October 23, 2004 at Georgetown, the defendant took a false oath to an affidavit for the appointment of administration in the estate of Lillian Duncan, her mother, which stated that Duncan only had one child, which she knew to be false, thereby causing the letter of administration to be granted.

It is further stated that

on May 10, 2005, she took an oath to an affidavit requesting the title of land by stating that the deceased (Duncan) had only one child and she was the sole beneficiary of the estate of the deceased, which she knew to be false. According to Prosecutor Arvin Moore, in 2004, Sampson secured an affidavit (by falsely pretending that she was an only child) and applied for the estate/plot of land located in Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara as a result of which she was granted the title by the Deeds Registry.

In 2005, the woman sold the property to a second party for a total of $1.4 million.

A report was subsequently made by one of her siblings to the Brickdam Police Station, prompting the launch of an investigation which revealed the scam. This led to the arrest of Sampson and the present charges were initiated

against her.

The woman readily professed her guilt, explaining that “if I knew it was an offence to say that I was an only child, I would have not done it. I was living in Guyana and my brother and sisters were in the US, and I had bills and taxes to pay on two houses…none of them helped me and the only way to get the house off my burden; it is a burden to take care of two houses. I tried to sell it and I was advised that it can only be sold if I am the only child of my mother, so that’s what I did, Your Honour.”

She further explained that her mother left behind hefty mortgages, which she covered from the proceeds of the sale, using the balance to do repair work on the fence.

The Chief Magistrate imposed a fine of $100,000 with respect to each charge, or a default sentence of nine months’ imprisonment.

5-day problem management workshop commences S

ocial Workers from the Public Health Ministry’s (MoPH) Mental Health Unit along with psychologists and health education officers, among others, are currently being trained in the Problem Management Plus [PM+] module, aimed at addressing problem management and solutions, as a part of boosting the delivery of quality health care.

The five-day training workshop is a collaboration between the Public Health Ministry, the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) and the Loma Linda University of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The workshop is being facilitated by Dr Carolina Osorio, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry at the Loma Linda University.

Dr Osorio received psychiatry training in India, the United States and Colombia.

The Problem Management Plus Training intervention is a two-part programme that involves problem management, also referred to as problem solving and counselling.

It addresses both psychological problems and practical problems and the programme is focused on individual assessment and interventional sessions. However, this programme was not created to diagnose mental health problems but provide relief for emotional problems.

In delivering the feature address, Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings said the training is part of the Ministry’s health vision. “This includes the provision of an appropriate range of therapeutic hospitals, community-based treatments with

Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings

a focus on rehabilitation, recovery from mental illness and distress,” she said.

The MoPH established the Mental Health Unit, as part of the Health Vision 2020, to aggressively address mental health issues that occur within population while decreasing the burden of mental health issues and its devastating effects through improved mental health service delivery.

The Minister said the training workshop is both timely and appropriate since it comes at a time when the Ministry is addressing treatment gaps in the public health-care system and scaling up mental health services provision.

“The Problem Management Plus Training is a low intensity psychology training for adults who are impaired by distress and dwell in communities where they are exposed to adversities. Individuals who experience adversities generally reside in impoverished circumstances where they lack social security, access to basic services and opportunities to improve their livelihoods which place them at increased risk of developing mental

health and social problems,” she said.

The programme addresses both psychological problems and practical problems and is focused on individual assessment and interventional sessions. However, with the patients’ consent, the interventional sessions may include family and friends. The Problem Management Plus Training also teaches individuals that the mental, psychological impacts can be reduced through intervention so that they do not turn to other means such as alcohol and suicide as coping mechanisms.

“The advantage of this manual is that the training can be undertaken by a wide range of individuals who have not been professional mental health-care givers. It will facilitate the psychological support and intervention needed in affected populations, especially in hinterland regions,” Minister Cummings said.

The manual was developed by the WHO. The manual describes a scalable psychological intervention for adults impaired by distress in communities who are exposed to adversity. Aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) have been changed to make them feasible in communities that do not have many specialists.

To ensure maximum use, the intervention is developed in such a way that it can help people with depression, anxiety and stress, whether or not exposure to adversity has caused these problems. It can be applied to improve aspects of mental health and psychosocial well-being no matter how severe people’s problems are.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

ARCHIE

A call for assistance will be answered. Personal chang(March 21- es will lead to an opportuniApril 19) ty you never considered in the past. Intelligence and a positive attitude will bring good results.

ARIES

Spend time at home makTAURUS ing alterations that will bring (April 20- you peace of mind and comMay 20) fort. Do the work yourself and you’ll keep your costs down.

DILBERT

Make the effort to make a GEMINI (May 21- difference. The more you do June 20) and the less you say, the more you’ll accomplish. Put your heart into whatever project you take on.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Don’t leave anything to chance. Observe what others do and be ready to counter any action that might infringe upon your rights, position or reputation if you want to avoid discord.

How you contribute to a joint effort or cause will make a difference to the way others view you. Dedication, loyalty and participation will give you the right to offer your opinion. Personal gains are apparent.

Emotional situations will VIRGO limit your actions. Don’t let (Aug. 23anyone put demands on you Sept. 22) that will deny you the chance to do your own thing. Someone will disappoint you.

Spend time doing things with LIBRA the people who have the most to (Sept. 23- contribute. Sharing, collaboratOct. 23) ing or just getting to know someone better should be your intent.

Romance is featured.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Protect against loss. Don’t SCORPIO leave your money or possessions (Oct. 24out in the open or invest in what Nov. 22)

someone else is doing. Trust and believe in yourself and your ability to succeed.

Partnerships are highlighted.

SAGITTARIUS Whether you are going into busi(Nov. 23- ness with someone or pursuing a Dec. 21) joint venture or romantic connec-

tion, just say what’s on your mind and find out where you stand.

You will have mixed emo-

CAPRICORN tions regarding what you want (Dec. 22- to do next. Don’t take on too Jan. 19) much or you will fall short of

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

your expectations. Someone will try to manipulate you emotionally.

Take on a domestic or per-

AQUARIUS sonal project that will improve (Jan. 20- your life and the way you do Feb. 19) things. Getting others involved in your plans will bring you closer together.

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

Don’t let emotions interPISCES fere with your work. A disci(Feb. 20March 20) plined attitude will help you stay on top of your responsibilities and give you time to distance yourself from personal problems.

wednesDAY, july 19, 2017

Barcelona "200% sure" of keeping Neymar, amid reports of PSG bid B arcelona director Jordi Mestre remains convinced that Neymar will not be joining Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record deal.

Neymar is “200 per cent” certain to stay at Barcelona in the transfer window, according to the club’s vice-president, Jordi Mestre.

Speculation has been mounting that the Brazil star is prepared to leave Camp Nou, while a report in Neymar’s homeland on Tuesday has claimed that he has accepted a contract offer from PSG, who are prepared to smash the world transfer record and pay his €222million release clause.

However, Mestre is adamant that the 25-year-old is not going anywhere.

“I’m 200 per cent sure that he is going to stay,” Mestre told a news conference.

“I’ve read information in the French press that PSG themselves have categorically denied it, a club with whom we are maintaining absolutely normal relations.

“Nothing has changed in that aspect.”

Mestre was speaking at the official presentation of Pep Segura, who has taken over as sports manager of the football area at Camp Nou. Segura stressed that Barca do not intend to sell any of their first-team players as head coach Ernesto Valverde has all of them in his plans for next season.

“All the players in the squad are non-transferable,” he said. “Nobody wants to leave here and everyone wants to come.

“Until proven otherwise, it’s the best squad and we’re counting on all of them, as Ernesto Valverde said yesterday [Monday].”

Barca have been criticised in the local media for failing to hold on to some of their brightest young talents, with Jordi Mboula and Eric Garcia the latest to leave La Masia, having signed deals with Monaco and Manchester City respectively.

Segura suggested that Barca could consider o f fering in-

creased salaries in order to convince some of their

Bolt London dinner and auction raises £30,000 for Racers Track Club

A young players to stay. “ W e live in a time when football has evolved.

We have to accept that but we won’t change our way of acting,” he said.

“Sometimes there are players who take that step [away] and then regret it.

In terms of the possibility of raising the salary of players in the academy to avoid departures, that’s a subject that is being studied.”

J

ed to see the improvements required before kickoff at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Thursday.

n estimated £30,000 was raised at a charity dinner and auction held in honour of eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt and his coach Glen Mills in London on Sunday. The money raised from the auction will go to the Racers Track Club to help with the next generation of Jamaica’s athletes.

Several celebrities, politicians and fans turned up at the event hosted by British Olympic and World Championship medalist, Colin Jackson and where the items for auction were donated by Jamaican athletes as well as other star athletes from other sports and English Premier League football clubs. On the night a pair of Bolt’s training spikes fetched a whopping £10,000.

(SportsMax)

Whitmore read Reggae Boyz ‘riot act’ – Coach demands improvement ahead of quarters amaica head coach Theodore Whitmore has demanded improvement from the team ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal against Canada on Thursday.

The Reggae Boyz finished as runners up to group C favourites Mexico, ending with five points, after a win over Curacao and draws against El Tri and El Salvador. Despite being satisfied with the overall result and progression to the next round, however, Whitmore was quick to admit that the team’s play had not been up to par.

Often looking disjointed in their attacking play, the Jamaicans have so far struggled to create legitimate goalscoring attempts and shown profligacy in making use of the limited chances created.

“There is not a whole lot to be done (in an effort to rectify the situation), but it

19

“I’m confident with the group of players I have here, it is just for us to recover and see how we approach our next game in Phoenix.”

Usain Bolt

Bolt enjoyed the evening interacting with guests that included Earl Jarrett, General Manager of the Jamaica National Group, who were sponsors of the event.

“For me it’s always been [about] the fans, the energy that they give you; when you get to the airport people are always there,” he told the Voice newspaper.

“I’ve had fans sit and wait outside my hotel for hours and even when the guys want to get me out of there, the true fan just waits for that one picture, those are the moments that you will miss.”

Bolt, who has been training in London in preparing for his final World Championships next month, is set to compete in his final pre-championship meet in Monaco on Friday, July 21.(SportsMax)

(SportsMax)

Gayle tips Kohli to catch Tendulkar

W

Jamaica Head Coach Theodore Whitmore

is work in progress and we have to keep knocking and reminding the players because I had a stern talk with them this afternoon in the changing room… I read the riot act and let them know that we have six players who can be added to the roster before the next game,” Whitmore told the Jamaica Observer.

The coach, however, did assert that he expect-

est Indies star batsman Chris Gayle has tipped Indian Premier League (IPL) teammate Virat Kohli to break more of the records set by legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

Kohli has widely been regarded as one of the best cricketers on the planet in recent times, already scoring a total of 44 centuries in international cricket, 16 coming in Tests and 28 in ODIs at an impeccable average of 49.41 and 54.68 respectively. The numbers at moment pales in comparison to 100 scored by

Virat Kholi and Chris Gayle

Tendulkar, (51 Test, and 49 ODIs) at an average of 53.78 and 44.83 respective-

ly.

At 28-years-old, however, Gayle is confident Kohli will have time to get

closer to and in all likelihood surpass Tendulkar’s numbers.

“Well I still see him progressing in his career. A lot more runs to score and he can only get better and better and gain more experience as well. He will be one of the top guys, maybe even target Sachin Tendulkar for the most centuries and get those hundreds. He is still young, energetic and fit and can get those milestones as well. His mindset is to reach the ultimate milestones of all times,” Gayle told CricketNext.

(SportsMax)

20

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

RFEF President Villar arrested as part of anti-corruption probe T

he head of Spanish football’s governing body and his son have been detained by police as part of a probe into alleged corruption.

Royal Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar has been arrested as part of an anti-corruption investigation.

The 67-year-old was detained by the Guardia Civil early on Tuesday following an order issued by Spain’s High Court and under the supervision of judge Santiago Pedraz.

Villar’s son Gorka,

Royal Spanish Football Federation President Angel Maria Villar

Houston Rockets

up for sale

Juan Padron, the economic vice-president of the RFEF, and the president and secretary of the Tenerife Football Federation have also been arrested, authorities con-

by owner Alexander

T

he National B a s k e t b a l l Association’s Houston Rockets are up for sale, the team said on Monday.

Billionaire businessman and financier Leslie Alexander bought the club before the start of the 199394 season for a reported $85 million and it was recently valued at $1.65 billion by Forbes.

“It’s been my great joy and honor to own the Houston Rockets for the past 24 years,” Alexander said in a statement released by the team.

“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to witness true greatness through the players and coaches who have won championships for the city, been named to All-Star and All-NBA teams, enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and done so much for our franchise and our fans.”

The Rockets, who won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995, finished last season with the third best record in the Western conference but underlined their championship ambitions by signing James Harden to a contract extension earlier this month that will pay him $228 million over the next six seasons.

Rockets CEO Tad Brown said the weight of ownership had taken a toll on Alexander who wants to focus more of his time and energies on philanthropic efforts and family.

“I’ve made this decision after much deliberation with my family and friends and do so knowing the

firmed.

T h e arrests have been conducted as part of

‘Operation Soule’, an investigation into alleged corruption jointly organised by the High Court and the Anti-Corruption Office.

Villar, a senior FIFA vice-president, has been arrested on suspicion of “disloyal administration, falsifying documents, private corruption and of misappropriation”, the Guardia Civil said in a statement.

It is alleged that he sought favours to boost his campaign for re-election as the head of the RFEF. Villar, who has held the post since 1988, won a clear majority at the election in May. Police have also raided offices at the RFEF headquarters in Madrid’s Las Rozas district, as well as the offices of the Tenerife federation and “the offices of companies and several private home addresses linked to the detainees”.

The RFEF has yet to make any comment. (SportsMax)

Ex-boxing champ Jermain Taylor arrested again in Arkansas

M

Former middleweight boxing champion Jermain Taylor

AUMELLE, Ark. (AP) -- Former middleweight boxing champion Jermain Taylor has been arrested after allegedly biting a woman’s arm and face, and threatening to kill her.

Police in the Little Rock suburb of Maumelle say the 38-year-old Taylor was arrested at his home about 3 a.m. Tuesday. He was later released. Court records do not show that charges have been filed.

Taylor is currently serv-

ing a six-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to nine felony charges in 2015, including a shooting that critically wounded his cousin, Tyrone DaWayne Hinton. The attorney who represented Taylor in that case was not available for comment Tuesday.

Taylor failed to attend a court hearing in June in a lawsuit filed by his cousin over the shooting and Taylor’s representatives said then that Taylor was in Florida with no money.

Leslie Alexander

franchise is in great shape with the players, coaches and management team in place,” added Alexander.

“CEO Tad Brown will oversee the sales process with the league office, supported by my management team.”

With Yao Ming as the team’s centerpiece, the Rockets helped popularize the game globally, and particularly in China which is now the NBA’s biggest market outside of the United States.

“Leslie Alexander is a true competitor who always searched for the right move to make his teams better,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a statement.

“Under his ownership, he created a culture of excellence with strong management that attracted Hall of Famers, All-Stars and coaching giants and brought two NBA championships and four WNBA titles to Houston.

“Well-respected around the league, he has been an active and influential owner whose vision helped to grow the game globally, especially in China.”

(Ruteurs)

Matthews sprints to stage 16 win, Froome maintains lead in the wind T eam Sunweb set Michael Matthews up for a second stage win of the 2017 Tour, having also won on Saturday.

Michael Matthews sprinted to a second Tour de France stage victory in the space of four days and Chris Froome stayed on course to retain his title on Tuesday.

Matthews took his first stage win of this year’s race on Saturday and edged out Edvald Boasson Hagen by a wheel length in a frantic finish to stage 16 in the Rhone valley Boasson Hagen left it late to challenge Matthews and John Degenkolb, but it was the Australian who got his head down to edge it at the end of the 165-kilometre route from Le Puy-enVelay to Romans-sur-Isere.

Team Sunweb set Matthews up perfectly for

Michael Matthews sprinted to a second Tour de France stage victory in the space of four days

a victory which leaves him only 29 points adrift of Marcel Kittel in the battle for the green jersey.

Degenkolb looked disgruntled as he crossed the line, seemignly claiming that Mathews had imped-

ed him, but there was no change to the result on a day which saw the riders battered by strong winds.

Froome stayed 18 seconds ahead of Fabio Aru in the general classification after staying out of trouble

following a rest day, which was more than welcome after he endured a scare on Sunday.

The defending champion feared he would lose the yellow jersey due to a damaged wheel on stage 15, but he recovered to keep his advantage intact after Michal Kwiatkowski removed his wheel and fitted it on the Brit’s bike to save him time.

Dan Martin was the big loser of the day, slipping two minutes and three seconds behind Froome in seventh place overall Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) was the last of the breakaway riders to be caught at 44.4km and, after strong cross winds provided a huge test for the riders, it was Matthews who summoned one last push to get back on top of the podium. (SportsMax)

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sports Commonwealth Youth Games

21

Digicel Schools Football Championships

Moore in Waramadong humiliate action today Paruima 6-0 L

ightweight Christopher Moore will today commence Guyana’s quest for boxing honours at the Youth Commonwealth Games being held in Nassau, Bahamas. In the official draws held yesterday Moore was picked to do battle with Dimitris Christofi of Cyprus.

Moore, a Caribbean Development Tournament gold medalist, weighed in at 59.6 KG earlier in the day. He will fight out of the blue corner. On Thursday, compatriot Keevin Allicock jump into action against Kian Bittles of Northern Ireland.

Allicock weighed in at 51.6 KG for his flyweight contest.

He will also be in the blue corner.

Bittles fights out of the

Holy Trinity Boxing Club in his homeland while Allicock trains at the Forgotten Youth Foundation in Albouystown.

Coach Sebert Blake is confident that the locals would give a good showing.

“The guys are in high spirit and eager to get on with the task at hand.

Our aim is to medal and I think that the guys understand that very well and we are ready to go.

I cannot predict anything but they (the boxers) understand out situation. What I know for sure is that it would be a hundred percent effort being given by both Christopher and Keevin. We are ready to go,” Blake said.

Moore and Allicock are part of a 10-man team of athletes from Guyana competing at the Youth Games.

The Waramadong marksmen take a photo after their victory over Paruima on Sunday at the Waramadong Community Centre Ground

T

he reigning Region 7 champions Waramadong Secondary School is now closer to making the national playoffs after inflicting a

31st Annual Sir Garfield Sobers International School Cricket

Bitter day for Guyanese schools J

eremiah Scott St. Joseph’s High run- getter in the last three games, failed to deliver another win for his side, despite finishing as the top scorer when his team suffered a seven wicket defeat to Barbados school Christ Church Foundation on Monday.

The right handed teen hit 42 as St. Joseph’s total of 144 all out in 27 overs was knocked off by their opponents in just 24 overs at Briar Hall ground.

The following is the score from the match: St Joseph High 144 all out in 27 overs (Jeremiah Scott 42, Quentin Sampson 25, Dudi O’Selmo 19, David Marshall 12, Rondre Yearwood 3-15, Shakeem John-Ruck 3-27, Joshua Corbin 2-22)

Jeremiah Scott

Mark Ramsammy

Foundation 147-3 in 24 overs (Joshua Corbin 55 not out, Glennico King 51, Ramar Newton 10 not out) Meanwhile, at Friendship Bolton School (UK) beat School of the Nations (Guy) by 7 wickets as the latter losing streak continues.

Scores in that match

are as follow: School of the Nations 127 all out in 28.4 overs (Mark Ramsammy 38, Mark Baptiste 21, Suresh Jainarine 17, Akash Singh 12, Tjase Pindoria 6-30, William Lord 2-27) Bolton 131-3 in 16 overs (Joe Ball 51, Harry Bevan 29 not out, Daniel Southworth 23).

6-0 drubbing on Paruima on Sunday, at the Waramadong Community Centre ground.

Waramadong took the lead after thirteen minutes when Nadir Walker’s expertly struck corner-kick curled past the outstretched hands of the surprised Paruima custodian and into the back of the net.

Both teams were guilty of easily losing possession through lack luster passing, but the respective defenses quelled the many opportunities created until Waramadong made it 2-0 through a wonderful piece of speed and skill.

It all began when Alvon Hunter raced on to a ball sent through from centerfield delivered on the right flank and blew past two defenders, before burying his right-footed strike into the far corner.

That goal came in the 21st minute of play and it opened the floodgates.

The fleet- footed Javin Castro increased their advantage two minutes later when he was left unmarked following a squared ball from the left side, and in one motion swept a thunderbolt of a left-footer past the motionless goalkeeper.

The score remained 3-0

until the break as the home crowd vociferously applauded their boys.

Coming out in the second half, Paruima needing to respond urgently went on all-attack mode and paid the price for neglecting their defensive duties.

Their strategy of pushing forward more players left their backline exposed and Waramadong’s Colin Edwards proved too fast and elusive to stop as he sprinted on to a long ball, before firing past the stranded custodian in the 38th minute to make it 4-0.

The goal fest was stopped momentarily, but resumed in the 66th minute when Reon McNaughton was left isolated in a goalmouth scrimmage and he gleefully poked home into the net.

Two minutes later, Castro returned to complete his brace with a powerful strike from close range to seal the victory in emphatic fashion.

The Waramadong side will now move on to play Bartica in the Regional final tomorrow at the Leonora Synthetic Track facility, West Coast Demerara.

The winner of that encounter will then move on to the national playoffs.

RHTY&SC to award Region 6 top NGSA students

T

he eight cricket teams of the vibrant Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS, will this coming Friday break new ground with the hosting of another new programme under the Club’s highly successful “Say Yes to Education” Campaign.

The teams along with their senior counterparts of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Over-35 Group would be hosting the first edition of their “Top Ten Awards Ceremony”.

Under this programme, the ten top National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students in Region Six would

be honoured.

Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Hilbert Foster, has said that the executives of the Club approved the programme during their weekly meeting on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, as they felt the outstanding students should be recognised and honoured as role models.

The main objective of the “Say Yes to Education” campaign is to encourage youths to stay in school and complete their education.

The campaign has, over the years, included educational sponsorships; assis-

tance to schools and less fortunate students; distribution of school bags, exercise books and educational materials; hosting of educational competitions, billboards, youth information booklets, posters, magazines, Award Scheme; tributes to outstanding teachers; and television commercials and programmes, among other things.

The Top Ten Programme is another major step by the eight cricket teams to make sure that every youth in Berbice fulfills his/her potential in the classroom.

They would also unveil an-

other major programme on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 when they would host the first ever RHTYSC/ DMLAS Teachers of the Year Award Ceremony.

Six outstanding teachers from primary and secondary levels would be honoured with a prize package worth $350,000.00 along with trophies, medals and certificates.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, would be the Guest Speaker at the Awards Ceremony, which would also include the Graduation Ceremony of the Rose Hall Town Youth

& Sports Club Cricket Academy and the distribution of close to $3M worth of school bags, exercise books, bicycles and cricket balls to students and clubs.

The Top Ten Students to be honoured are Matthew Ramlochan, Yadram Totaram, John Ramdin, Allyssa Griffith, Denish Somai, Dimitri Williams, Sherisa Chaturi, Nick Rama, Purnima Totaram and Medeina Lionel. They would each receive a trophy, medal, framed certificate, and educational materials. The event would be sponsored by a West Indies senior cricketer.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesdAY, july 19, 2017

“They accept mediocrity as excellence”

By Delvon McEwan

O

n Friday Chase Academy accomplished a three-peat when the learning institution prevailed to win the North Zone title of the Digicel Schools Football Championship for a third successive year.

The accolade is just one of the many the school has achieved since its Director; Henry Chase implemented a sport scholarship initiative to boost the institution’s sport programme four years ago. Among the major tournaments CA has won are; three times Milo football champions, the National Secondary School Cricket League (NSSCL) and the Digicel School’s football Championship in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

CA has wealth of talent in the Table Tennis department and can boast of having a Caribbean gold medalist.

The accomplishment of the school’s sport programme is arguably incomparable to any other learning institution and sport federation and association locally.

However, it comes at a cost of more than 5 million dollars annually according to the Director.

Guyana Times was fortunate to secure an exclusive interview with Henry Chase.

GTS: You have taken off on an initiative to invest in the country’s future in sport what prompted this?

HC: I believe it is an input from God. Many of the things I do is done with vision and one that has obviously been bestowed on me by the almighty, and with that in mind, coupled with experiences over the years. I have seen that we have many talented people in this country and nothing is really done to assist them and it breaks my heart to see that they are not treated the way they should be, and for that reason it prompted me to get involve to do something at the school level. And we know that in order to prepare for the future we must start the teachings in school, especially if we want to address some of the dysfunction in our society things must start at the school level.

GTS: What do you think you are doing different to achieve success as compared to the many sport federations, associations, etc. that seem to be lacking vision?

HC: Leadership for me, I believe is a gift and if you don’t have that gift then the bible states a nation without a vision will perish.

And what is happening if you look at many of the organisations that we have in this country, even sporting bodies, the people that are there should not be there because they add nothing to the organization, they add nothing of value to what they do. But if you have people with a passion and vision then even if you have scarce resources, success will come because it is the person/s behind the organization and not generally the resources. So even if I don’t have resources, whatever I have I will make it work.

We exist by the grace of God but what I do have is a clear vision and a passion.

GTS: What would you generally say about the level of sport in Guyana?

HC: Obviously we have had some slight improvement. I said the word slight because we have had some successes recently. I believe there is a far way to go, the world is ahead of us, and it will take some real creative and talented people in the different disciplines to drive sport. I honestly believe that we need a sporting body that is functioning. We need someone with a drive that could take sport to another level. There is a lot more I believe that government can do to get involve in sport, for instance, I am hearing this might be the last Digicel tournament. I would love for the Government to replace Digicel if they withdraw their sponsorship, so to see the continuation of the competition. We waste billions on fruitless projects, but I do not comprehend why we do not seem to want to invest in young people. So I honestly believe if sport is going to move ahead in Guyana, we need a vigorous drive especially at the school level where our raw talents are identified and put the right system to help to foster development in the school.

GTS: What period are you comparing when you use the term “slight improvement”.

HC:I am talking 2017. Well actually if you look at it this year, Daniel Williams won silver in the 400m at the IAAF U-18 championship,

we have young Compton Caesar who won gold at the CARIFTA Games and South America U-20 Championships, Claudreis McKoy a Chase student who won gold at CARIFTA in the 1500, our national youth footballers who won a tournament in St. Maarten. I think those are baby steps to show that we have talent and I have always been saying this for years. We have talent at the junior level but there is no planning. Like I heard when McCoy came back from CARIFTA Games, talks about her going to the University of Guyana. To do what? She is a champion athlete

Ashmead Nedd is now the captain of the Guyana U-17 team. Young Joshua Persaud is in South Africa with the West Indies U-19 team. Young Sachin Singh has been selected to represent the West Indies youth team for the U-16 tour of England later this year. And my list could go on young (Kaysan) Ninvalle was voted junior sportsman of the year. Young Jeremy Garrett is close to taking up a stint in football in Portugal. So I am happy with the way things are turning out, but what is happening, I realized that corporate Guyana do not support sport and young people.

Henry Chase

there is no sporting programme at UG. I heard about the scholarships which I think is noble for our athletes but how many athletes will be able to reach the requirement to enter UG. Not many of them because there is no support system to work with these athletes, who are mostly poor and are not cognitively inclined. So what we need to do is to get into the homes, we need to fix them, work with both the athletes and their parents.

GTS: To date would you say that the sport scholarship programme has been projecting how you imagine it would?

HC: Yes. My objective over the years has been to bring the best athletes to one institution, also to acquire the best teachers to teach them. It is a known fact that everybody is not a teacher. A teacher is someone who will inspire you.

A teacher is someone who can see potential when nobody else could see that. So what I do is bring the best teachers, having them work with these athletes because many of the athletes have been condition not to like school.

And if you leave them in their traditional environment then teachers might not understand them.

Teachers might not have the skills to teach them. By coming over here I have seen some success. I have seen nine of Chase’s students make up the U-17 Guyana Football team. I’ve seen six our players gained call up to senior trials to play against Martinique and then I have seen young McKoy, Samuel Lynch have done well Jeremy Garrett at CARIFTA. Young

The programme we have at Chase, any civilized country in the world would have come on board to assist us to develop young people.

We are talking about crime? This is an opportunity to invest in young people especially those at risk youth that love sport and can see a life through sport.

GTS: Can you tell me about the athletes’ performances in the classrooms, especially since attending your institution?

HC: Well it is a tough question, because by the time the athletes get to Chase they would be like 15 or 16 years of age. There are some of them that are already bent that school is not for them, and then they have no support system at home.

But then again we have some success stories; last year we had our best with Jeremy Garrett who had nine CSEC subjects. He is writing two CAPE subjects this year, Caribbean and Communication Studies.

We have Claudreis and Lynch who wrote nine and six CSEC subjects respectively this year and Ralph Parris with seven this year. Those are student athletes that can actually perform well.

Also we have my son Orande Chase, who is a cricketer of the school and DCC cricket club that wrote CSEC English in form two and got a Grade One at 13 years old. Also we are trying to change the culture in Guyana where it is believe when you play sport it take away from your academics. I prove that to be false. In fact when you are involved in sport it adds energy to your conative growth and development.

GTS: So would you say the school and the athletes have benefitted equally from the sport initiative?

HC:There is balance, but also it is something new that we are trying in Guyana and with everything new there will be opposition, there will be criticism. In time we will see the benefits and we have had cases at the school that proved that sport and academics can simultaneously go hand in hand. So yes the school is excelling and athletes are developing.

GTS: I have noticed your presence at the launch of many sport events, why do you show so much interest?

HC: Passion! The Love! It is like having a commitment; you go out of your way to fulfill your obligations. There is no way my school could be playing in a tournament and I am not there. I would witness school tournaments and no one from the ministry is present to see these games.

GTS: Do you think the local associations, federations and government are doing enough for sport?

HC: No, but who am I to tell them that because in their opinion they are. They accept their mediocrity as excellence. I am not talking about a photo opt. I am speaking about getting systems in place to get things done.

GTS: Since it is vivid the Government is not doing enough, if you had a chance to advise them what would you urge them to do?

HC: I would tell them to get a budget every year that would disperse sums of money to run effective tournaments involving schools.

They must invest in our young people. The government support is vital for the development of sport.

GTS: What would you say to the associations and federations that are performing poorly?

HC: Well, first they must love Guyana, then the sport, if not they would never do anything right. For instance they recently had a females (cricket) tournament with nine players showing up for a team; poorly organized. But when you tell organisers they are doing a bad job they feel you are attacking them. So the bottom line of these associations and federations’ issue is they need people who love and know about sport that could be bedrock of launching a vision or policy to develop sport.

GTS: Please shine some light as to who are some of the players that have or are benefitting from your programme?

HC: Currently in the programme we have Sachin Singh, Dwayne Dick, Tyrell Khan, Jermaine Garrett, Ninvalle, Nedd and the list goes on. We have a good blend from form 1 right up to six form. We could attract even more but due to financial constraints we are limited to what we have.

GTS: Are you supported in any form by the government?

HC: No we are not.

GTS: Are you satisfied with the level of our junior athletes as compare with the standard of our regional counterparts?

HC: No I am not happy. We need to make the parents understand the benefits of sport whether it be social, healthy or the rewards they could gain from just their participation among many other worrying factors.

GTS: If you are to put a cost to the work you have done so far in your school’s sport scholarship programme what would it be?

HC: It would be millions. Per year it is an investment over five million dollars. It is a real tough order.

GTS: Can you shed some light into the school’s performance in the Digicel School Championships for 2017?

HC: Obviously we are happy to have won the North Zone for the tournament for a third successive year. That doesn’t happen overnight, it call for investment. We do not wait for a tournament to put together a team. A system is in place where the athletes are supervised by a coach.

GTS: Where do you want to reach with this initiative?

HC- To see Guyana qualify for a World Cup (football) and to see the players from my academy featuring, at least one or two. To see somebody from Chase dominate the Olympics.

When I would have achieved that I could close down my programme with athletics because it is too costly.

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, july 19, 2017

Women’s World Cup 2017

England reach final after beating South Africa

H

osts England reached the Women’s World Cup final following a nerve-racking two-wicket win over South Africa in Bristol.

Anya Shrubsole steered a tense England over the line with just two balls to spare after they lost six wickets for 78 runs.

Heather Knight’s side were chasing South Africa’s 2186, built on Mignon du Preez’s unbeaten 76.

They will face Australia or India in Sunday’s final at Lord’s.

England required a boundary from number 10 Shrubsole to seal the win after they appeared to be cruising towards victory.

Sarah Taylor - arguably their best player - scored a typically classy half-century in a stand of 78 with captain Knight (30) to take them to within 80 runs of

victory. However, both players fell in quick succession - Knight to a wonderful catch from Laura Wolvaardt at square leg - and a collapse followed.

Nat Sciver (3) was bowled round her legs and Katherine Brunt (12) was dismissed charging the seamer, but Fran Wilson (30) and the experienced Gunn, with a run-a-ball 27, held their nerve.Taking singles initially before being more expansive in the closing overs, they inched England towards victory.

There was still time for brief alarm when both Wilson and Laura Marsh fell in quick succession, but Shrubsole drove her first ball for four to spark wild celebrations in the England camp and reduce a number of South Africa players to tears.

(BBCSPORT)

SCOREBOARD South Africa Women innings (50 overs maximum) L Wolvaardt b Knight 66 L Lee b Shrubsole 7 T Chetty† st †Taylor b Sciver 15 M du Preez not out 76 M Kapp run out (Shrubsole/†Taylor) 1 D van Niekerk* run out (Sciver/ Hartley) 27 1 CL Tryon c & b Gunn 21 S Luus not out 4 Extras (w 4) Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) 218 Did not bat: S Ismail, A Khaka, M Daniels Fall of wickets 1-21 (Lee, 5.3 ov), 2-48 (Chetty, 11.4 ov), 3-125 (Wolvaardt, 31.2 ov), 4-126 (Kapp, 31.5 ov), 5-168 (van Niekerk, 41.3 ov), 6-170 (Tryon, 42.1 ov) Bowling: KH Brunt 10-1-40-0 (1w), A Shrubsole 10-1-331, NR Sciver 4-0-25-1 (1w), LA Marsh 9-0-37-0, A Hartley 9-0-40-0, JL Gunn 6-0-35-1, HC Knight 2-0-8-1 (1w)

England Women innings (target: 219 runs from 50 overs) L Winfield c du Preez b Khaka 20 TT Beaumont b Khaka 15 SJ Taylor† run out (van Niekerk) 54 HC Knight* c Wolvaardt b Luus 30 NR Sciver b Luus 3 FC Wilson c †Chetty b Kapp 30 12 KH Brunt b Daniels 27 JL Gunn not out LA Marsh b Ismail 1 not out 4 A Shrubsole Extras (b 5, w 17, nb 3) 25 Total (8 wickets; 49.4 overs) 221 Did not bat: A Hartley Fall of wickets 1-42 (Winfield, 8.3 ov), 2-61 (Beaumont, 12.6 ov), 3-139 (Taylor, 32.1 ov), 4-142 (Knight, 33.2 ov), 5-145 (Sciver, 33.6 ov), 6-173 (Brunt, 42.2 ov), 7-213 (Wilson, 47.6 ov), 8-217 (Marsh, 49.3 ov) Bowling: S Ismail 9.4-1-491 (2nb), M Kapp 10-1-43-1 (4w), A Khaka 10-2-28-2 (1w), M Daniels 10-0-47-1 (2w), D 5-0-25-0 van Niekerk (1nb, 1w), S Luus 5-0-24-2 (2w)

23

Get to know your Guyana Amazon Warriors Chadwick Walton Full name: Chadwick Antonio Kirkpatrick Walton Born: July 3, 1985, Jamaica Current age: 32 years Playing role: Wicketkeeper/batsman Batting style Right-hand bat Fielding position: Wicketkeeper Nickname: Rope

A

dynamo with bat in hand, Walton is also a gem with cutlery in hand as he told Guyana Times Sport, “You name it, I cook it, my rule strictly no visitors in my Kitchen when I’m cooking”.

The multi-talented sportsman, who plays badminton, hockey and basketball is one of the newcomers to the Guyana Amazon Warriors after spending his previous three seasons with

his native Jamaica Tallawahs.

His loyalty is not be questioned as he is more than elated to wear the Amazon Warrior Jersey. It’s an honour to represent the most consistent team in CPL thus far. Secondly, it means a lot to me to experience another franchise in CPL, this creates another opportunity for me to get to know a different culture and gain experience outside of the Tallahwahs”.

Though his exploits in West Indies colours have been below par, he has garnered more consistency at regional level, especially in the Hero Caribbean Premier League. Last year, he had a strike rate of 114.5 on his way to scoring 301 runs from 13 matches with a high score of 97.

The Jamaican made an appeal for all to come out in their numbers to the matches in Guyana. “I will encourage

all cricket fans to come out and support their team and their country. Not only does CPL bring unity and festivity to the country; it brings revenue, tourism and a sense of patriotism to the people.

Being in the stands is an experience everyone should be a part of even if you are not a cricket fan you sure will become one. CPL puts the Caribbean in the spotlight for just a few weeks and we must make the most of it!

After all, it’s the biggest party in sport!”.

Walton is expected to offer the team additional power-hitting at the top of the innings given that he can play as opener and also conduct the gloveman duties.

........................

Steven Katwaroo

Full name: Steven Katwaroo Born: January 14, 1993, Trinidad Current age: 24 years Playing role: Wicketkeeper/batsman Batting style: Right-hand bat Fielding position: Wicketkeeper

T

he stylish batsman is in his second year with the Guyana Amazon Warriors. He is yet to take the field but has great desire to showcase his talent in the “Biggest Party in Sport”.

“I really want to play my first game and stamp my name on the international set up. Also I want to win the

Tournament for the first time”.

There is much to know to about the 24 year-old since the man from the land of Hummingbird revealed, “I really want to share with everyone that I don’t drink alcohol nor smoke . I love movies, spending family time / girlfriend time and my dream job is owning a successful

business. I eat anything that tastes good”.

Katwaroo represented the West Indies under-19s at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup in Australia. He had made his senior debut for Trinidad and Tobago the previous season, aged 18, during the 2011–12 Regional Super50.

“Any cricket fanatic who

looked at our team will know we have some of the best players in world. All I will like to see is everyone come out and show their support and be with us to the end like last year!” , he stated Though he possesses most of text book cricket shots, the runs have not come consistently in his favour. From 11 List A matches he has a high score of 31 while in the First-class (4-day) his highest is 91 after playing 35 matches.

Albeit, his stats are not made for good reading given his talent, he has great desire to prove all doubters wrong, youthful exuberance as such would be handy for the Warriors.

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

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Digicel Schools Football Championships

Waramadong humiliate Paruima 6-0

Get to know your Guyana Amazon Warriors

Chadwick Walton Pg 21

The victorious Waramadong team and Head Coach pose for a photo following their win over Paruima

Commonwealth Youth Games

Moore in action today Pg 23

Steven Katwaroo

Pg 21

Guyanese boxers Christopher Moore (left) and Keevin Allicock pose, following a light workout in The Bahamas Tuesday

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