Guyanatimes 1 july 2017

Emergency repairs force another closure of Harbour Bridge P9

…to close for 3 hours today Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3258

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Private schools cop top spots at NGSA 2017 Centre

…School of the Nations girl leads the pack

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Security P5 guard killed during store invasion Govt distances self from P14 $500,000 rent package …it’s a matter for Parliament – Harmon

1st: Saskia Twahir, 524

2nd: Antonia Dey, 523

2nd: Clifton Bacchus, 523 2nd: Gabriella Roberts, 523 2nd: Xiana Chabila, 523

7th: Kripa Thani, 522

7th: Brandon Gouveia, 522

7th: Emily Lalchand, 522

2nd: Amelia Sugrim, 523

7th: Raj Seeram, 522

GWI boss P9 threatens Guyana Times with lawsuit

No money, investors for hydro power – Jordan P2

Amna Ally P5 named new GS for PNC

… as Oscar Clark retires 7th: Tristan Persaud, 522

7th: Jerod Roberts, 522

7th: Tristan Richards, 522

7th: Muhammad Bacchus, 7th: Tia Chung, 522 522

Improved performances recorded in Maths, English Page 3

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saturDAY, july 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

No money, investors for hydro power – Jordan A

despondent tone was sounded as Government signalled that with no financing readily available from countries such as Norway, it will not be pursuing hydro power as a means of renewable energy unless private investors step in.

This revelation was made by Finance Minister Winston Jordan during the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) mid-year dinner.

At the time, the Minister was responding to questions from the audience about the Government’s seeming reluctance to pursue hydro power.

Jordan said Government is experiencing difficulty in accessing US$80 million financing from Norway (which was supposed to be used on the Amaila Falls project) and can see no oth-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

er immediate solution except investors. However, even that was identified as a problem with Jordan saying that investors are unenthusiastic about hydro power.

“We are romantic about

the labour force, romantic about sugar. We have to stop the romanticism. Norway has only given us $80 million, probably just enough for a small hydro (power station). They haven’t given (us) a billion dollars to build Amaila Falls.”

Jordan also noted that as a result of a review done on the Amaila Falls Hydro Power project by Norwegian company Norconsult, Government was hesitant about moving forward. The reason for this, according to the Finance Minister, was because of the variables contained in the report.

“Norway is making it so difficult to access the $80 million, I don’t know why.

We would love to engage Amaila and all the other falls, but even when you read the report that was done by Norconsult, it wasn’t a report that said ready, steady,

The proposed Amaila Falls Hydro Project now in limbo

go. It was a report with a lot of ifs and buts.”

“It’s not an easy story.

We would love to have as many hydro facilities in this

country as we can. But it will always fall on technology, capacity and most importantly, finance.” Jordan also told the gathering of Guyana’s commercial power houses that they ought to suggest possible investors during the GMSA’s next meeting with the Government.

The Norconsult report had in fact named the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project as the only realistic way for Guyana to achieve an emission free electricity sector. Norconsult had noted the merits of the project, such as its completed feasibility study and a higher plant load than the other alternatives.

However the report had recommended the BOOT (Build, own, operate and transfer) public private partnership model be used. The consultant had urged that an international investor specialising in hydro power be invited to take a majority stake in the project. It is unclear whether this advice has been acted upon by Government.

The report states, “The only realistic path for Guyana towards an emission free electricity sector is by developing its hydropower potential. The fastest way forward is to maintain AFHP as the first major step for substituting its current oil fired generation. AFHP was prioritised as the first hydropower plant because it was the only project with a full feasibility study completed; it has a higher plant load factor than the alternatives, a smaller reservoir and a unit cost in the same range as the most attractive alternatives.”

This is revealing, demonstrating that wind energy in the capacity in which Government is currently pursuing – will not support Guyana’s commitment to reach 100 per cent renewable by 2025.

“As the power demand is growing, and for reaching the goal of 100 per cent emission free generation by 2025, as assumed by the

[Low Carbon Development Strategy] LCDS, a second hydropower plant of capacity comparable with AFHP will have to be commissioned by 2025. In parallel with preparations for AFHP, therefore, prefeasibility studies will have to be carried out for promising candidates for the second hydropower project and a full feasibility study be performed for the selected candidate,” the report surmised.

Power

The Government’s lack of commitment on hydro power will undoubtedly raise eyebrows among stakeholders, especially as President David Granger had committed Guyana to achieving 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025, when he signed onto the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

This is even as Guyana readies itself to become an oil producer.

Ambitious plan

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, in commenting on this ambitious plan, had explained that converting to 100 per cent renewables involves much more than just electricity. He had noted that Government has not outlined a comprehensive plan towards attaining full renewable energy within the next decade.

“We’re in 2016 and 2017 soon,” Jagdeo had said late last year. “How do we get to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025 when we’re not going to build the (Amaila Falls) hydro which would have given us 94-95 per cent of our renewable electricity demand? They’re going to do some small wind farm and that would not meet our requirements. But there is nothing else on the horizon, no other plan,” he asserted.

But Government remains steadfast, with Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman recently informing a gathering at an oil and gas seminar that the discovery of oil will not slow Guyana’s move towards this goal.

news

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

Saturday, July 1 – the Harbour Bridge will be closed to both vehicular and marine traffic from 10:30h to 14:00h to effect emergency works and Sunday, July 2 – 11:30h-13:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 1 – 09:40h-11:10h and Sunday, July 2 – 10:50h-12:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Heavy to light rain showers can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies and light rain showers can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging from East South-easterly to Easterly and South South-easterly between 1.78 metres and 2.23 metres.

High Tide: 10:14h and 22:47h reaching a maximum height of 2.26 metres at each scheduled high tide.

2017 NGSA results

Improved performances recorded in Maths, English

BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND

A

fter years of Guyana struggling with low pass rates in Mathematics at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination, new measures implemented have resulted in improved performances recorded this year.

This was revealed by Education Minister Nicolette Henry on Friday as she announced the results of this year’s NGSA. Given the continued poor performance in Mathematics; one of the core subjects, President David Granger through his Cabinet

32 per cent increase when compared to last year in the number of students who obtained 50 per cent and more pass rate.

Over the past three years, the trend of Maths performance is 37.49 per cent pass rate in 2015, 13.85 in 2016 and 45.6 per cent this year.

This year, the students were tested in this subject based on their knowledge, algorithmic thinking and reasoning.

Nevertheless, the similar increasing trend was also seen in the other subject areas.

In 2015, English recorded 45.88 per cent, 41.62 per cent the following year and in

Going forward, Minister Henry outlined that the Ministry has very ambitious but realistic targets that would ensure the students can realise their full potential. She noted that they will be focusing on these structural interventions undertaken to work assiduously to achieve their objectives.

“We believe here in education that if we are to increase across the board in terms of quality and delivery, our objective is to ensure that irrespective of which school you would be placed or which region you’re from that you are reaching your best potential,” she asserted.

Low Tide: 03:45h and 16:14h reaching a minimum height of 0.95 metre at each scheduled high tide.

A packed Education Ministry boardroom where the 2017 NGSA results were announced on Friday

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saturDAY, july 1, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

stepped in to have an emergency Mathematics intervention plan.

This move resulted in the Ministry implementing recommended measures such as training of teachers in content and methodology, developing learning communities where teachers were able to share information and experiences regarding mathematical concepts, and the recruitment of monitors and coordinators to ensure that the emergency plan was implemented in the classrooms.

Enhancement of public relations, parental involvement in the education of children and acquisition of support materials for students such as mock exams were also among the new initiatives undertaken by the Ministry.

These measures, Minister Henry noted, have been fruitful given the improved performances at Mathematics, which recorded a whopping

2017 54.1 per cent pass rate of students gaining more than 50 per cent. “This is the first time in many years that we were able to get over 50 per cent passes in a subject area and that is absolutely phenomenal,” the Minister stated.

For this subject, the candidates were tested in the areas of reading, comprehension and vocabulary; structure and mechanics; content, focus, vocabulary, language and organisation.

The figures for Science were 44.12 in 2015, 27.55 in 2016 and 46.3 per cent this year. In this subject, they were tested for knowledge, comprehension and application.

Meanwhile, there was a 46.5 per cent pass rate recorded in 2015 for Social Studies, 46.1 per cent in 2016 and 47.6 per cent in 2017. Knowledge, conceptual understanding and use of knowledge were the areas tested.

Zooming in on the measure implemented, the Minister underscored the importance of some such as parental involvement. She noted that the Ministry cannot achieve its goal if parents are not involved in the process and play their part in moulding the children. “So it’s a collaborative process,” she posited.

Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson said this year’s stellar performance represents a turning around in the education sector. He noted that the Ministry will retain and build on those plans and measures that have worked so far to repeat this year’s performance in the future.

On this note, he urged that support be placed behind these students. “We will hold high expectations of our students. If you don’t feel our children can perform they will not perform, if you believe that there is some-

Education Minister Nicolette Henry

thing in them that will make them do well you will push and cause them to do well…,” Hutson remarked.

Furthermore, the Chief Education Officer outlined that going forward, the issue of accountability will be brought into focus.

“Accountability of student’s performance at the level of the school and classroom will be brought sharply into focus. Schools have to perform, we can’t have schools that are not performing for decades and nothing is done about that. Schools must perform,” he stated.

Moreover, Hutson warned the education officers at the different level not to be complacent following this high of success, which was achieved in such a short time.

“Our watch words will be sustainability and continued improvement because there’re times when we could become cocky and believe that we’re doing well and we lose focus… So we have to sustain what has worked and is working even after we get as close as possible to the 100 per cent mark," noted the CEO. Cabinet in October of 2016 had mandated that a strategy be established targeting improvements in students’ performance in the core subject areas. That plan, which was spearheaded by the Chief Education Officer, was subsequently approved and implemented.

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saturDAY, july 1, 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

Historic achievement for Ireland and Afghanistan

A

few days ago, it was announced to the cricketing world that Ireland and Afghanistan were granted Test match status by the International Cricket Council (ICC), taking the number of countries playing at the pinnacle of cricket from 10 to 12. Both countries were confirmed as full members after a unanimous vote at an ICC meeting during its annual conference in London last Thursday.

Despite the huge success of the shorter format of the game, most notably T20 matches, Test cricket, as many would know, is regarded as the sport’s supreme format.

Every cricket playing nation hopes to reach Test status someday. In fact, the game’s governing body lays out strict criteria which must be achieved over a period of time before Test status is awarded. Bangladesh was previously the last country to be granted Test status in 2000.

After much toiling, Afghanistan and Ireland have now joined an exclusive club that also includes founder members Australia and England, who played the first Test match at Melbourne in 1877, South Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

As alluded to earlier, for Ireland and Afghanistan to have achieved Test status, they both have had to overcome tremendous obstacles in their journey to the game’s supreme format. Many believe that Afghanistan’s story is among the most extraordinary in international sport this century. According to a recent article in The Economist, cricket first took hold among Afghan refugees who had fled the Afghan-Soviet War to Pakistan during the 1980s. It was reported that they played with tennis balls or, if these could not be located, sticks and plastic bags wrapped up to make balls. Also, the governing body for cricket in Afghanistan was founded in 1995 by a returning refugee.

In 2004, a team largely made up of refugees who had learned the game in Pakistan played their first official international match. They qualified for their first World Twenty20 in 2010, and played in their first World Cup in 2015.

Similarly, Ireland have struggled and have had their fair share of challenges. Ireland have steadily progressed in the game and first qualified for the World Cup in 2007 when they pulled off a shock win over Pakistan; they have qualified for both World Cups since. Ireland first gained ODI status in 2005 after finishing runners-up in the ICC Trophy tournament.

Afghanistan’s rise has been even sharper, having first gained ODI status in 2009 with a sixth-place finish at that year’s World Cup Qualifier in South Africa. It followed three consecutive promotions over the previous year when they began in Division Five of the World Cricket League. As stated

by ESPNCricinfo, like Ireland, they have demonstrated the talent to stand toe-to-toe with Full Member nations, securing three straight ODI and T20I series wins over Zimbabwe as well as a win over eventual champion West Indies at the 2016 World T20. Most recently they drew their maiden ODI series in West Indies.

According to ESPNCricinfo, since 2005, both countries have demonstrated their readiness for Test cricket through their dominance in the Intercontinental Cup, the ICC’s firstclass competition for Associates. Ireland have won four of the last five editions, with Afghanistan interrupting that streak with a victory in the 2010 tournament. According to official rankings, the two sides currently sit in the top-two spots in the current edition of the competition with Afghanistan holding a one-point lead after securing an innings victory at Greater Noida over Ireland earlier this year.

The ICC has noted that the decision to grant Test status was not just an endorsement of each country’s respective on-field talents but a seal of approval for efforts made in recent years to build up their domestic structures. Both teams have come a far way and fully deserve accolades. For many associated with cricket in Afghanistan and Ireland – players, staff, coaches, volunteers and fans – achieving Test status was a very historic and proud moment – one which at times never seemed highly unlikely.

President David Granger admires this winning piece entitled 'An Orphan's Dream' by Compton Babb at the 2017 Guyana Visual Art Competition and Exhibition at the National Art Gallery at Castellani House

Threat to constitutional democracy?

Dear Editor, Any Guyanese President’s most sacred duty is to safeguard the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic, but President David Granger’s actions and words have raised many questions about his commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law.

First off, he sat at the top of this PNC-led establishment and allowed several cases of violation of the rule of law. One just has to observe how his Minister, Mr. Bulkan, flouted the law with respect to the establishment of the Local Government Commission, and how he illegally hijacked the elections for the Mayor in Mabaruma by not following the rule of law.

Then there are the many cases of procurement racketeering on all sorts of deals, which steered contracts to preferred friends of this PNC-led regime without following due process. Need I talk about the G$605 million deal, or the Durban Park scam, or the Sussex Street Drug Bond scam?

Collectively, these three deals looted over G$2 billion from the taxpayers.

And these are just three deals. There are over 16 such deals that were arranged under this Grangerled PNC regime in the last 2 years.

I am arriving at the conclusion that President Granger really believes he has a licence to do anything, because he is President. This conclusion begs the question: is President Granger a threat to Constitutional Democracy? Is this a situation of the President mimicking Louis XIV when he said, "L'etat, c'est moi", which translates to “I am the state”?

Is this why he ignores the media and refuses to hold a second open press conference with the fourth estate?

Rather than being beholden to the media, is he expecting that the media should, and must, be beholden to him?

But if you look carefully, all over the country, people are in a restive state, and many are even prepared to go to the courtrooms to challenge Mr Granger and his policies. This is where the Guyana Human Rights Association comes in. What is the state of its membership? Is it McCormack and McCormack alone?

Why,

in such an oppressive political and economic environment, is this organisation so dormant? What about the Guyana Consumers Association? Is it still alive?

Since the late Eileen Cox passed, it appears that the Consumers Association also passed. Who is representing the people in this exploitive environment, where the Granger-led PNC regime is taxing the people to the hilt, leaving the majority of the shoppers with less money in their pockets?

It is clear that President Granger does not understand the letter and spirit of the Constitution, because if he had understood one of the key principles of the Constitution, which says, “We, the Guyanese people, forge a system of governance that promotes concerted effort and broad-based participation in national decision-making, in order to develop a viable economy and a harmonious community based on democratic values, social justice, fundamental human rights and the rule of law...”, he would have governed very differently.

Take, for instance, the case of there being under

President Granger only one (1) permanent secretary out of the seventeen, (17) representing 50% of the population (East Indian and Amerindians). Under President Ramotar, I was advised, in 2014, seven of the then serving 17 permanent secretaries represented that 50%. Isn’t that a more broad-based participation in national decision-making?

A Government cannot favour or disfavour any group of people, but from all indications of its public and private action, it is clear as day this is exactly what the Granger-led PNC regime is doing.

In such a situation, I call on the young people to step forward and announce themselves to be on the local government list, either in their own list or try to get on to one of the establishment lists in 2018, and run or office in your local areas.

When young people stand up and demand to be counted, Guyana will never elect Presidents like Donald Ramotar and David Granger; not ever!

Regards, Sase Singh

De-facto Berbice Cricket Board

Dear Editor, I wish to bring to the attention of the cricketing public of Berbice and the country at large the illegal and fraudulent action of the “de-facto Berbice Cricket Board”. These people prevented the legally elected executives of the Berbice

Cricket Board from functioning in 2015. However, this constrained board actually survived harsh times, but functioned admirably by competing at levels of cricket in the region without the legal subvention from the Guyana Cricket Board. It is now public knowledge that

the persons who would have acquired the Restraining Order against the then Berbice Cricket Board have teamed up /or joined hands with the gullible, power hungry members of the former Anil Beharry Administration to seize control of Berbice Cricket with the help and

advice of the power crazy individual who claims to have National Cricket Development at heart, but instead wants to satisfy his personal ego of controlling Guyana’s Cricket, and by extension the lives of so many young Guyanese people.

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News

Security guard killed during store invasion

Amna Ally named new GS for PNC …as Oscar Clark retires

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The Goodluck Supermarket where Gerald Henry was killed

t about 19:00hrs on Friday, 30th June 2017, three bandits entered the Goodluck Supermarket at Dennis Street, Sophia, Georgetown and attempted to relieve 64-yearold security guard Gerald Henry of the service revolver with which he was armed at the time. The Sentinel Security Service employee attempted to defend himself, and in the ensuing brief struggle was shot once to the chest. Henry, ironically of ‘C’ Field, Sophia, was taken to the Georgetown

Public Hospital (GPHC) by the proprietor of the business, but died while receiving treatment.

Divisional Commander Calvin Brutus told reporters that the victim “attempted to fight off (the bandits); however, one of the suspects discharged a round which hit Mr Henry. He fell to the ground; they relieve him of the firearm and fled (in a westerly) direction.

According to Brutus, the bandits left without taking anything from the supermarket.

When he was exam-

ined by the doctor, it was discovered that he had an injury to the left side chest. The doctor also pronounced him dead on arrival,” Commander Brutus detailed.

When Guyana Times arrived on the scene, officers of the Crime Scene Unit were reviewing the surveillance footage, and Commander Brutus said the footage showed some unmasked persons. According to him, one person was arrested, but he was not found to be anyone seen in the footage.

Investigations are ongoing.

De-facto Berbice Cricket...

These people who are portraying themselves to be good, honest and disciplined individuals; who profess to want to develop Berbice Cricket, are but pawns/ pimps in a wider net of an individual who is using them for personal aggrandisement and gains.

They are not developing Berbice Cricket, but destroying it. Typical examples are: the composition of the teams selected to represent Berbice; the overhaul of the First Division Level to include clubs supportive of this “de-facto “Cricket Administration; former national youth cricketers being told that they will never have a chance to wear national colours again unless they play for a particular club, and the list can go on and on.

It is therefore no wonder that this honest, disciplined and good administration would seek to have one of their own “bad fellows” be

appointed to manage country teams; who it is alleged to have in camp a non-selectee on tour for dubious reasons. So, Mr. President, is this how we develop the Berbice Cricket?

Further, Editor, it was bought to the attention of the Berbice Stakeholder Committee that Mr. David Black, who portrays himself to be the chairman of the Competitions Committee, has circulated a registration form for teams wishing to play Second Division with a stipulation that $1000 must accompany the returned registration form.

This is unheard of, and is a practice that the Berbice Cricket Board ruled against years ago in the interest of cricket development.

We, members of the Berbice Stakeholders Committee, would therefore like to inform all cricketing supporters, cricket lovers, the Business Committee,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

and most importantly Cricket Clubs and players, of the anti-cricket policies of these persons who will destroy the powerhouse of Cricket in Guyana.

Regards, Berbice Cricket Stakeholders Committee

he Social Protection Minister, Government Chief Whip Amna Ally, has been appointed General Secretary of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) following the announced retirement of Oscar Clarke.

Ally’s appointment, made by party leader President David Granger, becomes effective today. Also Minister within the Communities Ministry, Dawn HastingsWilliams, Sandra Adams and Brian Smith have been appointed to serve as principal political secretaries, according to a statement from the Party.

Clarke was appointed General Secretary of the PNCR on 1st December 1968. In a long and illustrious career that spanned over five decades, Clarke served as Minister of State, Minister of Regional Development, Minister of Home Affairs, and as Guyana’s High Commissioner to Zambia and the Front-Line States, and Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba. He served as a Member of Parliament for twenty-one years, and was, in 2015, awarded the Cacique Crown of Honour for his exemplary public service to Guyana following the electoral victory of the APNUAFC Coalition.

Ally is also a longstanding member of the PNCR,

New General Secretary of the PNCR, Minister Amna Ally

Retired PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke

and before being appointed General Secretary, served as the Assistant General Secretary of the party. She also served as a member of the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Parliament, 2001-2015, and is currently serving as Chief Whip and Minister of Social Protection in the Eleventh Parliament.

Party Leader President

Granger has said: “Taking into consideration the unfolding political situation in the country and the aspirations of the people, it is my opinion that, in this Diamond Jubilee Year, the restructuring of the General Secretariat would position the Party more advantageously to continue to serve the people of Guyana.”

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By Liz Frazier Peck

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s parents, we understand the importance of talking to our children about sex and drugs. We get them involved in sports early to teach them the value of teamwork and physical health. Yet how often do we discuss budgeting, compound interest or debt management?

When it comes to finances, we don’t want to stress them out, think talking about money is rude, or feel they don’t need to understand finance until they are older. Yet every step our kids take from college through retirement will be directly influenced by their ability to manage their finances: student loans, credit cards, jobs, mortgages, savings, etc. Some schools teach personal finances, but a financial literacy test given by the National Financial Educator’s Council found that test-takers from 15-18 years old scored an average of only 59.6 per cent. So it’s up to the parents to make sure our children have a financial education before going out to the real world, where they will make financial decisions that will affect the rest of their lives.

Of course, no child big or small will respond well or retain a sit-down lecture on finances, so you have to sneak in the education; make it fun, interactive and relevant. The more you integrate finances and money into their everyday life, the more comfortable they will be with personal finance as adults.

Babies – Ok, I’m not a miracle worker.

The only words my 17 month old can say are ‘ball’ and ‘bye’; we are working on ‘fiscal responsibility’.

Toddlers - The goal with toddlers is to introduce them to the concept of money. We need money to buy things, and we have to work to get money. We’ve all been there, in the toy aisle explaining this concept to our toddler who is lying on the floor screaming because you won’t buy her another Disney Princess (“Honey I can’t buy you a toy every time we leave the house” – Is this just me?) So the best way to communicate to them is by keeping it fun and simple.

Pretend store: Use toys in the house to sell in a ‘store’. Give the toddler a few dollars to shop, and help her see what she can afford (and what she can’t). Pretend restaurant is

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

another fun version.

Lemonade stands: Always a hit with the kids and you get points with the neighbours (as long as you try the lemonade first). Make sure the kids help you buy the ingredients and make the lemonade. The stand doesn’t need to be anything elaborate and is a great way to teach toddlers about working and making money.

Use money when they are learning to count.

Let your toddler pay the cashier anytime you are at the store. It’s an easy way to show by example that you need money to buy things.

Donations: You can start teaching your children the importance of giving back early by asking them to find old toys they don’t use, and donate them to local shelters or hospitals.

We did this with our four-year-old daughter, who offered to donate her baby brother to a child who doesn’t have a baby brother.

Elementary school -- This is the prime time to teach them the importance of earning and saving money.

Yard Sales: They can help price the items for sale, and work the cash register during the sale.

Monopoly: Not only is it fun for adults, and little compares to the excitement of securing both Boardwalk and Park Place; it teaches some important finance concepts like managing cash, saving and prioritising.

Allowance: I don’t believe kids should get an allowance for things they should do, like cleaning their room. But come up with a weekly ‘extra’ chore to earn money, like washing the windows or weeding the garden. They will learn first-hand how to save and make smart decisions with their money.

Save, Share, Spend: Label three mason jars as Save, Share and Spend. Divide any money your child receives through allowance and gifts into these three jars. I recommend putting 10 per cent in the Share jar with each deposit.

Split the rest between the other two based on their goals. Help them decide what they want to buy with the Save jar proceeds, and track how much they have and how much they

need. This will be their first budget.

Use everyday errands as opportunities to explain price differences, and what you want vs. what you need.

Volunteer: They are now at the age where they can help others by doing.

Teenagers -- This is your last shot before they go off on their own, so make it real. They should earn real money and have real rewards and consequences.

Stock market game: My mom became a financial planner when I was 10, and we played this game with our family and friends. Choose 10 stocks of companies they are familiar with, like Apple, Disney or Nike. Everyone gets $100 (pretend) and chooses one of those stocks to invest it in. For one month, check the stock prices each week and record how much money each person has. This can be a fun family dinner activity, and gives you a chance to explain investing. Make it a fun competition with a prize for whoever has the most money at the end.

Get a job: Babysit, mow lawns, clean, help in the family business; this is the time to instil the value of hard work. Like the Save jar from when they were in elementary school, identify a big ticket item they want, and help them determine how many lawns they need to mow to save for it. Create a countdown thermometer to get to their goal.

Let them make financial mistakes. This is the best time for them to learn from it, as the consequences are real but not permanent.

Bring them to the bank, and help them open a checking account to deposit their wages.

Explain cost of college, school loans, credit cards and credit scores. They will be dealing with this on their own before you know it!

(Forbes)

– connection is as essential to us parents as it is to our children

By Laura Markham, PhD CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY

S

Welcome emotion ure, it’s inconvenient. But your child needs to express his emotions or they’ll drive his behaviour. Besides, this is an opportunity to help your child heal those upsets, which will bring you closer. So summon up all your compassion, don’t let the anger trigger you, and welcome the tears and fears that always hide behind the anger.

Remember that you’re the one he trusts enough to cry with, and breathe your way through it. Just acknowledge all those feelings and offer understanding of the pain. Afterwards, he’ll feel more relaxed, cooperative, and closer to you. (Yes, this is really, really hard.

Regulating our own emotions in the face of our child’s upset is one of the hardest parts of parenting.

But that doesn’t mean we’re excused from trying.)

Listen, and empathise Connection starts with listening. Bite your tongue if you need to, except to say “Wow!....I see....Really?...How was that for you?...Tell me more...”

The habit of seeing things from your child’s perspective will ensure that you treat her with respect and look for win/win solutions. It will help you see the reasons for behaviour that would otherwise drive you crazy. And it will help you regulate your own emotions so when your buttons get pushed and you find yourself in “fight or flight,” your child doesn’t look so much like the enemy.

Slow down and savour the moment You aren’t just rushing your child through the schedule so you can spend a few minutes with him before bed. Every interaction all day long is an opportunity to connect. Slow down and share the moment with your child: let him smell the strawberries before you put them in the smoothie. When

you’re helping him wash his hands, put yours in the running water with his, and share the cool rush of the water. Smell his hair. Listen to his laughter. Look him in the eyes and meet him heart to open heart, sharing that big love. Connect in the magnificence of the present moment. Which is really the only way we can connect. (For most parents, this is also the secret to being able to tolerate playing that same game, yet again.)

Bedtime snuggle and chat Set your child’s bedtime a wee bit earlier with the assumption that you’ll spend some time visiting and snuggling in the dark. Those companionable, safe moments of connection invite whatever your child is currently grappling with to the surface, whether it’s something that happened at school, the way you snapped at her this morning, or her worries about tomorrow’s field trip. Do you have to resolve her problem right then? No. Just listen. Acknowledge feelings.

Reassure your child that you hear her concern, and that together you’ll solve it, tomorrow. The next day, be sure to follow up. You’ll be amazed how your relationship with your child deepens. And don’t give this habit up as your child gets older. Late at night is often the only time teens will open up.

Show up Most of us go through life halfpresent. But your child has only about 900 weeks of childhood with you before he leaves your home. He’ll be gone before you know it. Try this as a practice: When you’re interacting with your child, show up 100 per cent.

Just be right here, right now, and let everything else go. You won’t be able pull this off all the time.

But if you make it a habit several times a day, you’ll find yourself shifting into presence more and more often. Because you’ll find it creates those moments with your child that make your heart melt.

(Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

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SATURDAY, juLY 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Wales Estate workers continue to call for severance pay …storm out of GuySuCo meeting

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he commencement of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Community Outreach Programme for residents in sugar-dependent areas did not go as planned, as workers accused the former Wales Estate Manager of lying and stormed out of the meeting.

However, they were later placated and rejoined the meeting.

The series of outreaches began on Thursday at the Wales Community Centre, West Bank Demerara.

The aims of the outreaches include creating awareness on the need for employees to show up to harvest cane; and mobilising community leaders and other stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, Government, private and civil society sectors, around the importance of improving attendance on all Estates.

Former Estate Manager Dave Kumar was addressing the workers and encouraging them to attend work at the Uitvlugt Estate, West Coast Demerara. He told them that the Wales Estate is not closed, but rather ‘diversified’. However, the workers would have none of that. They tried to dis-

bring it and we will get our severance pay, and that

Sugar workers at the Wales Community Centre, West Bank Demerara during GuySuCo meeting

pute his statements, but this only enraged him; thus, in retaliation, they stormed out of the meeting.

The workers, some 375 of them, will lose their jobs if they fail to show up for work, Chief Industrial Relations Officer at GuySuCo, Deodat Sukhu, has said. He claimed that many of these workers have not worked during the first crop, and he made those statements at the meeting on Thursday.

Sugar worker Michael Chotoo told Guyana Times that the meeting with GuySuCo officials was convened to inform them that vacancies exist for their services at Uitvlugt Estate, but GuySuCo officials were unable to give them an an-

swer when they demanded to know what benefits they would be afforded if they chose to take up the employment.

He related that Uitvlugt Estate Manager Yudhisthira Mana came prepared to sell the Uitvlugt jobs, as he showed them Powerpoint photos of the work done in regard to the Uitvlugt Estate Improvement Programme.

Chotoo added that the workers are not contemplating taking up employment at Uitvlugt Estate, but are demanding they be given their severance pay.

“We need out severance pay! The Personnel Officer, Dexter, tell us that we must photocopy our ID cards and

if we owe Sugar Welfare, Courts or the Bank, then they will take it out of the severance, and we agree,” he related.

“But at this meeting now, he (Dexter) and Kumar telling we that harvesters and transporters can’t get no severance…We need somebody big to come in and help we get we money, so we can get on with our lives,” he added.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes had in March visited the community of Wales and met with the workers. The workers were promised their severance pay, but to date that has not materialized for some of them, according to Chotoo.

“We are not here to simply make things written in stone. We are going to take all of that…and we are going to take it to the relevant authorities; and one of those big authorities is Cabinet. I rather suspect that all that we have seen here is going to be taken back with the sentiment that major decisions would have to be made,” Ramjattan told the workers.

Chotoo informed that sugar workers are planning to seek an audience with Minister Ramjattan again, for him to provide an update on the position of his

promises. The workers also took a jab at their union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), for its failure to inform them on the court proceedings against GuySuCo. However, when contacted, GAWU President Komal Chand said there is no update for the workers, since the case has not yet been called. He added that the union would provide updates as the matter progresses, and noted that if the workers ask, they are informed of the status.

“We are in the process of completing a petition and getting the workers to sign, so we can take it directly to the President so he can look into the matter,” Chand said.

Since closure of the Wales Estate in December of 2016, some 1700 workers have been directly affected, and thousands of persons in Wales and surrounding communities have been indirectly affected.

8

SATURDAY, juLY 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Angolan married to Guyanese almost deported

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rraigned on Friday before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly on a charge of overstaying her time in Guyana, Angolan national Shantelle Joseph was nearly ordered deported from Guyana because she did not inform the court that she was married to a Guyanese national.

She instead pleaded

guilty when a charge was read to her alleging that, between July 23, 2016 and July 28, 2017 at Georgetown, she failed to comply with a permit granted to her and overstayed her time in Guyana.

Magistrate Daly had already fined the defendant $30,000 and ordered that she be escorted to the airport, from where she would

be deported, when her husband of eleven years objected to this decision and informed the court that the woman is his legal wife.

He explained that she had been given time to apply for her citizenship by the immigration authorities, but a family member in Angola had suffered a health crisis and the woman went back

to her country. She has returned and is again in the process of applying for her citizenship, which is taking a lengthy period.

Documents were presented in court to attest to the information provided, and the woman was accordingly ordered to pay the fine, but the deportation order was revoked.

Fish vendor slapped with robbery charge

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ish vendor Afrido Yankana of Section “E” Hadfield Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown was on Friday arraigned before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly on a robbery charge alleging that on June 17, 2017 at Brickdam, Georgetown, while being in the company of others and being armed with a knife, he robbed Sukram Singh of one Samsung Galaxy phone valued $20,000, one chain valued $20,000, one Cayenne

belt valued $5000, one bag valued $3000, and $32,000 cash, all to a total value of $80,000.

Yankana pleaded not guilty to the charge; and because the prosecution had no objection to bail being granted him -- only requesting that same be set at a substantial amount because of the serious nature of the offence – he was placed on $80,000 bail, and the case was set to continue on July 14.

Attempted murder accused denies charge

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oger Gibbert of Lot 35 South Ruimveldt, Georgetown on Friday vehemently denied before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly that, on June 22, 2017, at his residence, he wounded Mortimer Miller with intent to murder him.

Instead, Gibbert explained to the magistrate

that he had previously accompanied a woman to file a Police report against Miller, and has since been threatened by the virtual complainant (VC) in this present matter.

Gibbert explained that on the day of the alleged wounding, Miller went to his apartment holding a cutlass

in his hand, and he appeared to be wounded. Gibbert said Miller even requested his help, but he refused to assist the man, and this prompted Miller to attack him.

“I disarmed him, and took the cutlass to the station, where I lodged a complaint,” Gibbert detailed.

“However, I was arrested

and charged with wounding the VC, but I didn’t wound him,” he explained.

The prosecution requested that Gibbert be denied bail, since the VC is still hospitalised. The magistrate upheld this request, and Gibbert was remanded. The case will continue on July 21st.

The more things change…

H

…in rice ot on the heels of your Eyewitness querying the status of the Mexican rice Market, which was supposed to take at least 150,000 tonnes of our rice/paddy, comes news that we’re hoping to open up Cuba. Now, your Eyewitness really believes this Cuban promise won’t go the way of the Mexican chimera, for the simple reason that it was a private farmer from Region 6 who made the contact!!

The still-to-be realised market in Mexico was of course the “work” -- or more accurately the “mamaguy” -- of PM Nagamootoo. Politicians like Nagamootoo rush in where angels fear to tread, ‘cause they’re not really interested in the substance of the promises they make; they just want to bask in the glory of the moment, in the ANNOUNCEMENT of a POSSIBILITY that’s made out to be a CERTAINTY -- never mind that the substance has to do with the lives of people.

To open that new Mexican market, your Eyewitness had pointed out at the time, there were all sorts of hurdles that had to be overcome; not least of them being Mexico’s biggest supplier of rice was next door -- USA -- a partner in NAFTA. The Americans have an advantage because of the transportation and tariff differential. Like most politicians, Nagamootoo’s eyes probably glazed over when the Mexicans told him about additional hurdles, like phyto-sanitary regulations etc.

So we arrive at the irony of Cuba being a new saviour to our rice industry. Has this PNC-led Government forgotten that, in its first incarnation back in the 1960s, one of its first acts was to cancel the lucrative rice contract then in place with Cuba?? That had paid prices waaaay beyond any other market, but because it was payback time for the US -- which had eased him into power -- Burnham insisted on enforcing their trade embargo against Cuba.

But that move was more far-reaching than the cancellation of the Cuban contract, traumatic as that was. Up to that time, Guyana was producing the medium-grain rice Latin America still prefers. The Americans forced us into their premium long-grain rice (Bluebelle?) that locked us into niche rice markets like Europe and themselves. Today most have forgotten what it was like working with our old varieties, the inputs of which, like fertiliser etc, were much less demanding, and subsequently our costs shot up astronomically.

But back to Cuba. The Government should stay clear of opening up this market, save for the macro protocols such as tariffs and the US embargo etc. Governmental involvement in general, and this PNC-led govt in particular, is the kiss of death to any commercial venture.

Especially when it involves Nagamootoo and Holder! …in dealing with plebes A year and a half after the Government dropped their bombshell over Wales, arbitrarily announcing its closure, GuySuCo’s finally gone into damage control mode. Their high-paid PR flak Audreyanna Thomas (any relative to Chairman Clive Thomas??) condescended to interact with the plebes at Wales. And boy did she get an earful!! All the boiled up angst inside the workers exploded - and it wasn’t pretty.

But then, what the Government and GuySuCo did to workers wasn’t pretty, was it? In fact, it’s downright ugly. But their vindictiveness hadn’t ended with the closure. They had the temerity to violate the existing labour agreement with the workers – which specifies that they can’t be forced to work more than 10 miles from their homes. To do so is constructively dismissing them, upon which they must get “severance” pay.

This the Govt had denied them - telling them they’ve been “misled by politicians”. This exposes the attitude of this govt to sugar workers: They’re incapable of knowing what’s best for them!

The PNC knows best! …on double standards Nandlall takes home US$2500 worth of law books -- paid for by the Govt, and approved by then Prezzie Ramotar! But criminal charges are filed!

Broomes rents a house at US$2500 PER MONTH - approved by the Parliamentary Clerk -- and gets a medal!!

Go figure!!

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

9 GWI boss threatens Guyana Times with lawsuit M news

saturDAY, july 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

anaging Director of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) has threatened to sue Guyana Times should the

‘Adamantium Holdings bids for Government contracts.’

In that article, which represented the factual bid openings related to two

Adamantium Holdings had submitted two bids.

Richard Van WestCharles has since secured the services of Attorney-

The bond at Lot 16 Sublot ‘A’ Mudlot Kingston, Georgetown

publication not retract an article published on Thursday under the caption:

projects; namely, the rehabilitation of two police stations, it was pointed out that

at-Law Satram & Satram, which on Friday dispatched an official letter to Guyana

Emergency repairs force another closure of Harbour Bridge

…to close for 3 hours today

T

he Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) has announced an impending closure of the bridge on Saturday, July 1, to facilitate emergency works and repairs on the aging structure.

This closure, publicised by the management team through a statement on Friday, will last for three and a half hours.

“The management of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation wishes to advise commuters that the Bridge will be closed for 3 and a half hours on Saturday, July 1, 2017 to facilitate emergency repairs,” the statement detailed.

“This closure, from 10:30h to 14:00h, will affect both road and marine traffic. Management of the DHBC regrets the inconvenience but is focused first on the safety of all commuters using the Harbour Bridge.”

The Demerara Harbour

This aging structure is an integral link over the Demerara River

Bridge was only recently closed to allow works on key sections of the bridge’s retractor span. DHB General Manager Rawlston Adams had made it known during a recent press conference that this was part of a pontoon exchange project.

Old pontoons that have been making up the bridge’s main operational network over the past eighteen years were being replaced. This had thus precipitated an intermittent closure for approximately four days.

The General Manager had stated that the $109M

project which was being undertaken by local firm Industrial Fabrications Engineering Inc. had started the works at the structure years ago.

At the time, the company was operating under another name; and as such, their familiarity with the bridge had given them the edge in getting the work.

The General Manager had also intimated that Phase two of the project would have started on the western side of the retractor span prior to the first quarter of 2017.

Times demanding a retraction and an apology.

In the Guyana Times article, it was pointed out that the mining company Adamantium had been prominent in the news recently when it was discovered that both Adamantium and Atlantic Fuels Inc shared several close connections with Government officials.

The two companies also share the same Kingston, Georgetown address, with Atlantic Fuels Inc securing an import/wholesale licence for fuel to supply, in part, the mining operations.

Van West-Charles has since claimed that the statements in the article sought to convey to the general public that he is corrupt and has improperly influenced Government officials and public bodies for his own benefit and gain.

The article referred to does not speak to the award of any contracts, but rather highlights that the mining company did in fact submit bids for two contracts.

Van West-Charles has since distanced himself from the mining company, claiming to have never been an officer or official of Adamantium Holdings, and that Atlantic Fuels Inc was in fact incorporated as a company after Adamantium.

The GWI boss insists, however, that “the suggestion contained in the said article -- that he is the beneficiary of corrupt transactions -- was calculated to cause, and did in fact cause, him serious reputational injury; and imputed that he is corrupt, dishonest, unethi-

Richard Van West-Charles

cal and engages in criminal conduct.

According to Van WestCharles lawyers, the publication is a part of a pattern of persistent attacks on his character, “all calculated to ruin his reputation (and) humiliate and expose him to contempt, hatred and ridicule by members of society in general.”

The GWI boss believes this position entitles him to aggravated or other damages, and has since called for Guyana Times to desist from publishing similar statements.

Guyana Times reiterates that the article was in fact captioned ‘Adamantium Holdings bids for Government contracts’, and focused on the bids submitted.

According to the substantive contents of the article, bids were opened on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), housed at the Finance Ministry.

Among the contracts advertised that attracted significant attention was the rehabilitation of the Alberttown Police Station, estimated to cost some $20.9 million.

Adamantium, with a bid of $20.5 million, is among the bidders for that project; while the lowest bidder came in at $17 million.

Adamantium Holdings was also among the featured bidders for the rehabilitation of the Sparendaam Police Station, estimated to cost some $14.9 million.

The lowest bidder came in at $11.8 million, with Adamantium Holdings Inc coming in at $15 million.

The company has, since 2015, become a regular feature across a number of industries outside of mining.

Other bids opened at the NPTAB on Tuesday related to rehabilitation of the Mahaicony Police Station.

Back in September 2015, the company had set its sights on rehabilitation/repairs of roads from the Brian Sucre Junction to Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The company had submitted a $40 million bid at the time.

Adamantium Holdings, in conjunction with Atlantic Fuels Inc, is also premier supplier of fuel for interior mining operations.

The companies were granted fuel licences by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) under questionable circumstances when it was discovered that the company did not meet the minimum requirements under the laws.

10 news

saturDAY, july 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramjattan denies political interference in SOCU …after Jagdeo slams Govt on prying PPP officials

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ublic Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan is refuting allegations that members of the executive are involved in determining targets for the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) to go after.

In the wake of reports that SOCU officials will be

Former GRDB officials who were charged. From left: former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine; Members of Parliament Dharamkumar Seeraj and Nigel Dharamlall; former GRDB Board member Badrie Persaud, and former GRDB Deputy General Manager Ricky Ramraj

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall was accompanied by two of his lawyers when initially charged

travelling to the US to question former Government officials, Minister Ramjattan denied that political interference precipitated the move.

Instead, the minister was adamant that he takes

a “hands off” approach in his dealings with the unit, which has over the past few months gone after, questioned, and even charged a number of former PPP officials.

Recently making the news is that SOCU wanted to question former Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and former National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited head Winston Brassington.

During a recent press conference, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was critical of the perceived politicisation of the unit.

The former President has noted that SOCU is not fulfilling its actual mandate, which is to bring drug dealers and money launderers to justice.

“It (SOCU) has been created to go after PPP officials; not drug dealers, not money launderers, not anyone else, but to go after PPP people. So we will continue to oppose the witch-hunt,” Jagdeo declared.

Jagdeo had also argued that Government’s action in this regard has been blatant. He has referred to instances when members of the Government called out members of the Opposition in Parliament, warning them to look out for SOCU. He therefore reminded that ministers had no line responsibility for SOCU.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

For the year, SOCU has implemented charges against several persons with ties to the parliamentary Opposition. In April, former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, was ar-

raigned before Georgetown Magistrate Fabayo Azore on a charge instituted by SOCU, which detailed that, between May 15 and May 29, 2015, while being a bailee (custodian), he had fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit 14 Commonwealth Law Reports, valued at $2.3 million — which he allegedly unlawfully retained after demitting office in 2015.

The following month, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Members of Parliament Dharamkumar Seeraj and Nigel Dharamlall; former Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Ricky Ramraj; former GRDB General

Manager Jagnarine Singh; former GRDB Board member Badrie Persaud; and former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine, were brought before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer several charges of fraudulent omission.

The indictable charges were laid in relation to the operations of the GRDB between the years 2011 and 2015. They came one day after the officials had been summoned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for questioning. No other members of the board of directors were targeted by the unit.

Boots thief lands before the court

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not guilty plea was entered by Sheldon Curt, who was taken to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday after he allegedly stole a pair of boots.

Magistrate Leron Daly read the charge against Curt, which stated that on May 28, 2017, at Congress Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, stole one pair

of boots valued $30,000; property of Patrice Albert.

According to the defendant, the boots was given to him by the Virtual Complainant (VC) who later claimed that it was stolen. The prosecution had no objection for bail being granted and he was released on $30,000 bail. The case will continue on July 19.

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saturDAY, july 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

ExxonMobil contract

Decisions in oil sector to benefit all Guyanese – Harmon

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espite claims of being shafted by US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil, Government has maintained that its plans and decisions regarding the emerging sector, are to ultimately benefit all Guyanese.

Government has been receiving some criticisms over its dealings with the US oil and gas supermajor, particularly by its acceptance of a mere two per cent royalty from the sealed partnership.

However, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said Friday that every decision being made is to benefit all Guyanese.

“We will make decisions about this industry that are in our best interest. We are a sovereign nation and we will make decisions that are in the best interest of the people of Guyana,” Harmon told journalists.

According to the Minister of State, Government has gone to the extent of setting up a committee including Government advisor on oil and gas, Dr Jan Mangal along with the Ministers of Natural Resources, Finance, Public Infrastructure, Business and State. The team will report to Cabinet about all that is happening in the sector.

Harmon said too that there have been extensive consultations with several entities, includ-

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

ing the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Central Bank, Chatom House, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Commonwealth Secretariat among others.

“At this time, he said we are accepting advice and is coming up with best practice all for the interest of the people of Guyana”.

During the course of this week, President Granger also requested a visit from officials from the IDB “for us to review where we are for our preparation for the 2020 flow of oil and gas. We are doing a table top review of all the arrangements put in place as of now”.

But in order to get the best deal in the business through the on-going consultations, along with the expertise of Mangal, Government is also using leading experts in the field of law, the environment and other negotiating skills, which will be put to use for the benefit of the sector and Guyanese, Harmon said.

At a previous media briefing, Harmon had said Government remains satisfied with the two per cent royalty it negotiated with ExxonMobil.

He was adamant that whatever agreement was arrived at between Guyana and the oil and gas giant had benefited from local and international input. He said too that the agreement was in line with best practices.

The Opposition had however claimed that the two per cent royalty at US$50 per barrel of oil will see Guyana earning a meagre $8 billion per year from the oil company; returns that can in no way solve Guyana’s unemployment problems and in fact gives rise to the real possibility of Guyanese being worse off.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had therefore called out Government over its duplicitous statements and challenged the Administration to release the contract inked with the US-based oil exploration company.

Guyana one step closer to EU-FLEGT certification

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Some of the stakeholders who conducted the field-testing phase

n order to address illegal logging through action in both the European Union and in timber-exporting countries, the EU started the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative, to determine the legality of timber entering its market.

Guyana is now a step closer towards concluding a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU, after completing a significant milestone in the negotiation process towards receiving a FLEGT Licence to export timber to EU markets.

Known as field-testing, this phase enables stake-

holders to evaluate progress and make recommendations for the successful completion of the VPA negotiations. The field test enabled stakeholders to assess the practicality and credibility of the VPA’s legality definition and legality verification procedures, as well as the readiness of government agencies to implement Guyana’s timber legality assurance system.

For two weeks in June, representatives from Government, the private sector, indigenous peoples’ groups and civil society organizations travelled to regions across the country and gathered views of some 150 stakeholders who assessed the main sections of

the VPA. Guyana has made substantial progress on its VPA since negotiations began in December 2012. The VPA aims to address the illegal trade in timber. Once ratified, the VPA will commit both parties to trade only legal timber and timber products, and will cover Guyana’s domestic market as well as its exports to the EU. Now that the field-testing phase is completed, the VPAs will be preparing a report on their findings and making recommendations to the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) -- and by extension the Government -- to strengthen the legality definition.

Continued on page 14

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saturDAY, july 1, 2017 | guyan

Private schools cop top

By Ashraf Dabi, Utamu Belle and Indrawattie Natram

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Twahir indicated that she aspires to be a businesswoman and hopes to one day inheriting her father’s establishment.

Clifton Bacchus indicated that he is satisfied with his performance. “To do very good is to study more hard.

Sometimes you have to play, you have to relax; you can’t

he months-long anticipation came to an end on Friday afternoon when Education Minister Nicolette Henry took to the podium to announce the names of the top performers at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

In attendance at the

ams, were Tristan Persaud, Brandon Gouveia and Emily Lalchand, all students of the Academy of Excellence; while Raj Seeram of Swami Purnananda Primary, Jerod Roberts of Marian Academy, Tristan Richards of Dharmic Rama Krishna, Muhammad Bacchus of ISA Islamic, Tia Chung of Success

1st: Saskia Twahir, 524

2nd: Clifton Bacchus, 523 2nd: Gabriella Roberts, 523

ceremony, hosted at the Education Ministry on Brickdam, Georgetown, were the students who worked their way to the top positions of the more than 13,000 students who sat the examinations just weeks ago, on April 12 and 13.

Leading the group of outstanding achievers was Saskia Twahir, a student of School of the Nations, who gained 524 marks of the possible 529, thereby earning a spot at the country’s

Elementary and Kripa Thani of Mae's Under 12 were all tied at 522 marks.

Shortly after announcement of the results on Friday, Guyana Times caught up with the students obtaining the highest marks, and allowed them to share their excitement at being named among the country’s top performers.

Top student Saskia Twahir boldly relayed that she is ecstatic, given that her hard work has finally

study all the time, or else everything just goes away,” the aspiring pilot relayed.

Gabrilla Roberts told Guyana Times she is excited to have earned a spot at Guyana’s top school. She noted, “I had to put in a lot of work, especially late-night and early-morning studies.”

Xiana Chabila indicated, “I’m feeling very elated and happy.” She went on to say, “I just had to study hard, give up all my gadgets, and listen to my parents and

2nd: Xiana Chabila, 523

2nd: Amelia Sugrim, 523

2nd: Antonia Dey, 523

premiere secondary educational institution, Queen’s College.

Twahir was closely followed by a group of five students who were placed at the second position, each scoring a total of 523 marks.

These students are Clifton Bacchus of Mae's Under 12, Gabriella Roberts of Success Elementary, Xiana Chabila of Graham's Hall Primary, and Amelia Sugrim and Antonia Dey of the Academy of Excellence.

Coming in at the seventh position, having gained the third highest marks at the ex-

paid off. “There weren’t really many difficulties; I just had to study a lot,” explained the School of the Nations student, who also noted that “successful” meant giving up some of her leisure time.

The pupil highlighted that her school days generally lasted from 07:45h to 17:30hrs, and this was coupled with extra lessons on the weekends. However, Twahir said, “Our teachers told us to relax, it’s just another exam.” Additionally, she pointed out: “My mother was very supportive of course, and my father too.”

teachers. I was expecting this, because I did study real hard.”

Expressing a contradictory opinion, Amelia Sugrim stated, “It was a bit hard, with plenty revision and sacrifices”, while Antonia Dey said, “It was very easy.”

Guyana Times spoke with a trio from the Academy of Excellency, who underlined the efforts made by the school in preparing them for the NGSA exams. Brandon Gouveia conveyed that they are worked on a number of past papers, while his colleagues Tristan Persaud

Education Minister Nicolette Henry is flanked by this

and Emily Lalchand also commended the study regime.

In the moment of joy and relief, the students alluded to the sacrifices they had made, with Raj Seeram noting that, “Instead of playing during school time, I usually revise; and when I come home, I study all the time.” He was backed

by Kirpa Thani, who also highlighted, “I had to cut out my activities, like sports.” They highlighted that their significant accomplishments were expected.

Muhammad Bacchus said, “I expected this, because every second I got the chance I studied,” while Tia Chung also shared her confidence, saying, “I expected this, because every second I got the chance I studied.”

However, a few of the toprankers did indicate what had posed a challenge during the examination process. “Social

Studies Paper Two was (more) difficult than the others. It was tricky, but I know that I’d manage it,” stated Tristan Richards. Jerod Roberts also

noted, “The exam was easy, except for the Social Studies Paper 2, which was a little bit challenging.”

Nevertheless, they managed to apply what

7th: Jerod Roberts, 522

7th: Tristan Richards, 522

7th: Muhammad Bacchus, 7th: Ti 522

7th: Brandon Gouveia, 522 7th: Emily Lalchand, 522

7th: R

they ha six yea Coll attribu their p

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y 1, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

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top spots at NGSA 2017

Region 10 top student Miguel Emerson

Region 2 top performer Ramool Baboolall

is flanked by this year’s top performers at the NGSA

2017 top crème de la crème – School of the Nations student Saskia Twahir flanked by her parents at the Education Ministry on Brickdam

, 522

7th: Raj Seeram, 522

7th: Tristan Persaud, 522 7th: Kripa Thani, 522

s easy, Studies ttle bit theless, y what

they had been taught over the six years.

Collectively, the students attributed their success to both their parents and teachers,

with some even highlighting religion as a contributing factor in their achievements.

Of the 29 students gaining a space in the top ten ranking throughout the country, eight of the pupils belonged to public schools, while the remaining 21 emanated from private educational institutions. This total comprised students belonging to three regions, with the majority belonging to Georgetown.

cchus, 7th: Tia Chung, 522

Essequibo Coast

Top performer for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) National Grade Six Assessment, Ramool Baboolall, expressed his happiness at having emerged the region’s best at the examinations. The aspiring engineer achieved 513 marks and gained a place at Queen’s College.

During an interview with Guyana Times, the C V Nunes

Primary School pupil credited his success to God, his parents, and his teacher. He said he was shocked when he first heard the announcement via the media, but added he knew he would have done well.

Antonia Dey of the Academy of Excellence and her overjoyed mother after the announcement of the National Grade Six Assessment results

Linden

This year's top NGSA performer from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is very elated to have achieved this feat. He is Miguel Emerson of the Watooka Day Primary School in Linden, who attained 517 marks.

Emerson, an aspiring doctor, has secured a place at Queen's College. Emerson explained that he had "studied very hard, put in all the work that was needed, and prayed."

A resident of Moraballi Street in Retrieve, Mackenzie, Emerson attributes his success to very strong family support.

Education Minister Nicolette Henry extends congratulations to Dr Brian O’Toole, Director of School of the Nations on the achievement of their top student

news

15

SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Fisherfolk Day

Climate impact on economic development of fishing industry underscored during activities

T

he adverse effect climate change has been posing on the livelihood of the fisheries industry was among the concerns raised by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder during Fisherfolk Day 2017 activities. This year’s event, held under the theme “Climate Change Adaptation to the Fisheries Sector”, was held at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground on the East Coast of Demerara.

“Our oceans and aquatic ecosystems are key to regulating our world’s climate, as (they are) the largest natural carbon sink. However, the ocean is currently absorbing carbon at an alarm-

A section of the gathering at the Fisherfolk Day activities

ing rate, and the result leads to its acidification, which in turn transforms the aquatic ecosystem,” Minister Holder

said.

This, according to the Agriculture Minister, can have a negative impact on

the industry. He echoed a called for all the players to work together in the best interest of the industry.

City Hall rehab

Feasibility study report due in August

T

he findings of a feasibility study that was conducted earlier this year in regard to the Comprehensive Restoration and Sustainable Conservation Management Plan for City Hall is expected to be handed over in August.

The European Union and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council had signed a $64 million contract back in December to facilitate the study, which was done by a team of experts from Europe along with those from the National Trust of Guyana and City Hall.

The study was completed earlier this year, and according to the Programme Officer at the EU Mission in Guyana, Odran Hayes,

the report is expected to be handed over next month.

“We’re hoping (that) in August (it would be handed over); there is a little bit of delay because it has been technically a bit more challenging than we had anticipated,” he explained.

However, the Programme Officer noted that while the EU funded the study, Central Government would have to bear the cost of the rehabilitation project.

Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen had revealed last year that the rehabilitation of City Hall would cost in excess of $200 million.

She pointed out that the cost is not just for repairs, but restoration of the building, which would require re-

placement of parts such as cast iron and boards on the outer wall. In addition, the designs and quality of the board to be used would also have to be taken into account, she noted.

The Mayor went on to say that those rehabilitation works would commence after the receipt of the report from the study, which would make recommendations on each phase of the restoration process.

Moreover, Green had told this newspaper at the time that City Hall officials were having discussion with the World Monument Funding Agency, Guyana Heritage Society, and the National Trust, which also gave assurances of their support after a review of the

building. They called for immediate steps to be taken to have the repairs done in the near future.

The contract for the study was awarded to a Belgiumbased firm, EURONET Consulting GEIE. The core of the assessment involved conducting a condition assessment and evaluation of the physical and structural state of City Hall and the City Engineer’s buildings; preparation and presentation of a comprehensive green restoration plan, and a sustainable conservation management plan for City Hall and the City Engineer’s Buildings; and facilitating training sessions and strengthening capacity within the relevant stakeholder agencies.

Guyana, Suriname foreign ministers to attend OIC meeting

G

uyana’s Foreign Minister, Vice President Carl Greenidge, and his counterpart from neighbouring Suriname, Yldiz PollackBeighle, will travel to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to attend the 45th Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which begins on July 10 under the theme “Session of Youth, Peace and Development in a World of Solidarity”.

The two Caribbean Community (Caricom) foreign ministers will join more than 50 other foreign ministers from predominantly Islamic countries and most from Africa to witness Uzbekistan passing the chairmanship of the OIC to the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.

Neither Guyana nor Suriname has formal diplomatic ties with Cote D'ivoire

or most of French West Africa. Most of these countries are members of the Islamic bloc.

The high-level delegations from Guyana and Suriname are looking to diversify their countries’ political and economic partners, and will use this forum to expand ties between Caricom and the OIC and West Africa, the motherland of many enslaved Africans sold into slavery in Guyana and Suriname.

A significant percentage of those enslaved persons were Muslims, and they had led slave rebellions in Brazil, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Suriname is putting together a strong delegation to the Abidjan meeting. Suriname has strong ties with the OIC, and especially with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), which is funding about ten

projects in Suriname and supporting the country's economic recovery.

Suriname will also use the forum to solicit foreign direct investments. The Government is looking for investors to execute some mega projects in the country.

And Guyana, which is expecting an economic boom thanks to major discoveries of gas and oil off its coast, is attracting investors. The Government is looking for investments in agriculture, aviation, tourism, infrastructure and energy. Guyana is expected to earn US$5 billion yearly, which is expected to be invested in education, healthcare, massive infrastructure, aviation, and beefing up its military.

The preparatory OIC senior officials meeting for the CFM took place at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in May. According

to the Secretary General of the OIC, Dr Yousef A AlOthaimeen, dominating the upcoming Abidjan agenda for delegations is “the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation” in member states, and “calls for the intensification of consultations with more coordination and greater effort, to establish peace in our region and to ensure justice, decent living, and development for current and future generations.”

The issues of extremism and terrorism will also dominate the CFM agenda in Abidjan. Côte d'Ivoire's population is about 50 per cent Muslim and is made up mostly of Senufo and Mande (Mandinka) people. Current President Alassane Ouattara is a descendant of the Islamic Kingdom of Kong (Wattarra or Ouattara), which dates back

to the early 1700s.

Now)

(Caribbean News

By 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates, the catch of main fish species would decline by some 40 per cent.

“As a result, the fisheries sector can be impacted by a decline in the production and ecology of our fish stock, which will negatively affect production and yield,” the Minister stated.

To address this, the Fisheries Department is currently looking to introduce a new line of fingerlings which can withstand the projected changes in local waters. Once successful, this will be a significant boost to the fishing industry.

The Minister proposed a number of measures which can be implemented working in tandem with the local fishing industry. Among those are the establishment of marine and coastal protected areas through management and planning for the protection of breeding grounds for fish stock, and increased access for fishers to technical, financial and material resources to assist where necessary.

“These are some of the initiatives we will be em-

barking on to ensure that not only is there more responsible fishing, but also a guarantee that marine resources will be accessible for a long time,” the Minister added.

The issue of piracy was also addressed by the subject minister, who lauded the efforts of fisher folks in plying their trade despite the dangers which may exist. The Agriculture Minister, in underscoring the importance of the industry, said the efforts of fisher folks must be recognized, as they continue to make a meaningful contribution to the GDP. Guyana has recently signed on to the IUU, a global response to eliminating illegal fishing. This has seen a number of measures being taken by the Fisheries Department to ensure that illegal fishing becomes a thing of the past. The Agriculture Minister spoke of the Port State Measure Agreement (PSMA) to which Guyana recently signed on.

This PSMA aims to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Linden’s eldest resident passes away at 105

L

inden's eldest resident, Agatha Campbell, called “Mama Gathie”, has passed away at 105 years old, just three months shy of her 106th birthday.

A resident of Linden's first community, Christiansburg, the centenarian died at her home on Wednesday; and according to relatives and close friends, "She lived a full life".

Relatives had reported that although Campbell's memory had begun to fail prior to her death, she had no major health issues, and her eyesight was excellent.

Her caretaker, Maxine Beckles, recalled being with the centenarian shortly before she died. She said Mama Gathie will be missed dearly.

"A sweet laugh she had.

I enjoyed the time I've spent here with her. I will really miss her," Beckles, who has been caring for the centenarian over the past two years, noted. "From the time I know her, she was always a nice person. Always telling you something about God. She was really a Godly person. Always encouraging," Beckles said.

Mama Gathie’s son, Lincoln Campbell, recalled that his mother had been a disciplinarian while he was growing up. He however noted that she had been a pleasant woman who loved children.

Campbell is being remembered by many for her charismatic personality and her

Agatha Campbell

hearty, contagious laughter. Following her death on Wednesday, relatives and friends whose lives were obviously touched by the centenarian took to social media to express grief at her passing.

Following her 105th birthday last year, this newspaper had sat down for a conversation with Campbell at her home, and she had appeared to be in good spirits although she had seemed appalled that she had lived to see that age.

Born on September 19, 1911, the centenarian had exclaimed, "I feel good! I feeling happy. God is love," before belching out a hearty laugh when asked how it felt to be 105. A celebration was held at her home on September 21 to commemorate her birth anniversary.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, juLY 1, 2017

Regional

Finland rape case: Cuban volleyball players’ jail terms cut

Only one of the five players was acquitted on appeal

A

Finnish court has cut the jail terms of four members of Cuba’s national volleyball team found guilty of rape, and released a fifth. The five were jailed in September for raping a Finnish woman during a World League tournament in Tampere.

The appeals court in the south-western city of Turku

reduced the five-year sentences handed down to four of them. The longest of the revised prison terms is that of Osmany Uriarte Mestre – four years. Luis Sosa Sierra was acquitted.

Ricardo Calvo Manzano will now serve three-anda-half years, team captain Rolando Cepeda Abreu two-and-a-half years and

Alfonso Gavilan one year and three months.

They were detained in the southern Finnish city on July 2 after a woman said she had been raped at a hotel. In September the Tampere court heard that two of the players had met the woman in a nightclub in the hotel basement.

She later went to the room of Uriarte Mestre and consented to sex.

However, Uriarte Mestre was then said to have texted the other men without the woman’s knowledge. They entered the room and subjected her to a lengthy ordeal and held her by the hair to prevent her leaving.

When she was eventually allowed to leave, she complained to the hotel receptionist who called Police. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Mexico spyware scandal: Opposition politicians ‘targeted’

T

hree senior Opposition politicians in Mexico have been targeted by spyware on their mobile phones, researchers say. An Internet watchdog based in Canada, Citizen Lab, said the surveillance software is only sold to governments.

Last week, Citizen Lab also said that 12 journalists and human rights lawyers had been targeted. At the time, the Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, described accusations that the Government was involved as false. Peña Nieto said sur-

veillance software was only used for matters of national security and for fighting organised crime. He added that he had ordered an investigation by the attorney general’s office.

Citizen Lab said the head of the Conservative National Action Party (PAN), Ricardo Anaya, a PAN Senator, Roberto Gil Zuarth, and the party’s communications secretary, Fernando Rodriguez, were targeted.

“There is strong circumstantial evidence implicating the Government of Mexico”,

the watchdog said. The software, known as Pegasus, was sold to Mexican federal agencies by the Israeli company NSO Group on the condition that it only be used to investigate criminals and terrorists.

It is usually sent in a text message to a smartphone. If the person taps on it, the spyware is installed, and huge amounts of private data – text messages, photos, emails, location data, even what is being picked up by the device’s microphone and camera – are hacked. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Woman who hired hitman to murder Jamaican husband jailed for life

A

former nurse who hired a hitman to kill her Jamaican husband after two unsuccessful attempts on his life, will spend the rest of her life in a New York prison and will not get a cent of the almost $1 million in insurance she tried to cash in on days after the murder.

Alisha Noel-Murray and hired killer Kirk Portious, both 29, were on Thursday sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole following their convictions earlier this month for the 2013 first-degree murder of Omar Murray.

Murray’s death marked success for Noel-Murray – the child of a Grenadian father and Guyanese mother – who was behind two previous unsuccessful attempts on her husband’s life.

Murray, 37, was shot three times and died inside the couple’s Brownsville,

Brazil arrests dozens of ‘rotten’ Police Officers

B

razilian authorities have issued arrest warrants for 95 “rotten” police officers in Rio de Janeiro state who they say have sold arms and tipped off drug gangs about future operations, in the largest such effort yet to root out corrupt officers.

At least 70 other warrants were also issued on Thursday for alleged drug traffickers and other criminals as part of the operation.

By midday, about 50 people

were arrested, roughly half of them police, authorities said.

Civil police investigator Fabio Barucke told reporters that police being arrested were “rotten oranges” who would seize weapons in slums and then sell them in other slums.

In Brazil, military Police patrol streets and conduct operations. They have a particularly strong presence in Rio’s hundreds of slums, or favelas. Residents in favelas

routinely complain about corruption and mistreatment at the hands of military Police.

Investigators said they were targeting police who maintain ties to the powerful drug gangs that control vast swaths of metropolitan Rio de Janeiro. Police were accused of selling powerful rifles to gang leaders and tipping them off to police actions that would be carried out in the slums the gangs control in return for bribes.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T&T to reduce shipping emissions

European Union Representative, Natasha Helena-Zoric, from left, Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre, MTCC, Director & Head, Vivian Rambarath-Parasram, MTCC Caribbean, Deputy Director & Technical Head, Captian Sukhjit Singh, Maritime Service Division, MSD, Maritime Advisor, Richmond Basant and IMO, PCU Project officer, Anton Rhodes chat during day two of the MTCC Caribbean first regional workshop yesterday at UTT, Chaguaramas

I

n a bid to promote energy efficient shipping and reduce air pollution from ships within certain regions, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has embarked on a four-year project to construct five technology centres at various locations across the globe.

Dubbed Maritime Technologies Cooperation Centres (MTCCs), they are to be located in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific.

Speaking during the opening session of the second day of the MTCC Caribbean’s First Regional Capacity Building Workshop

at the University of T&T (UTT) Maritime Campus, Chaguaramas, yesterday Director and Head of MTCC Caribbean Vivian Rambarath-Parasram said they had several aims and objectives to achieve.

Among them was the need to improve compliance with existing and future international energy-efficiency regulations, help participating countries develop national energy-efficiency policies and measures for their maritime sectors, promote uptake of low-carbon technologies and operations in maritime transport and establish voluntary pilot da-

ta-collection and reporting systems to feed back into the global regulatory process.

Funded by the European Union, estimates claim ships’ energy consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions could be reduced by up to 75 per cent by applying operational measures and implementing existing technologies.

The Global MTCC Network (GMN) has been described as being on the cutting edge of climate-change mitigation while at the same time, opening up a world of opportunities for those participating in it. (Excerpt from Trinidad

Guardian)

$3M drug bust in Puerto Rico

3 men from The Dominican Republic arrested

T

Widow, Alisha Noel-Murray (right) and hitman Kirk Portious (left) were sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole

Brooklyn home on the afternoon of February 24, 2013.

The investigation led Police to Damien Lovell, NoelMurray’s lover, who told investigators that she had asked him to find someone to kill her husband after her attempt to poison him had failed. The first person had shot at Murray earlier that

month, on February 6, 2013, but missed, according to testimony in the trial.

Lovell then hired Portious and provided him with a $500 down payment and the gun, which he received from Noel-Murray, the evidence showed. The gunman was promised a total of $3500. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

hree nationals of The Dominican Republic have been arrested while attempting to smuggle 151 kilogrammes of cocaine worth approximately $3.7 million into the United States.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working jointly with officers of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF) arrested the trio on Monday. A Coast Guard maritime patrol air-

craft had detected a 25-foot boat traveling without navigation lights. Three law enforcement vessels – one from the US Coast Guard and two from the Puerto Rico Police Department – were deployed to intercept the suspicious vessel.

Upon approach by the Coast Guard, the crew of the vessel threw five large bales overboard and sped away before stopping approximately six nautical miles north of Loiza.

The vessel was seized, the crew taken into custody and the bales recovered and

found to contain128 bricks of cocaine and two objects which tested positive for heroin.

The three Dominican nationals have been charged with possession and importation of a controlled substance and failure to heave.

They had their initial hearing before the magistrate Tuesday and were transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Centre to await the outcome of their case.

They face a term of 10 years to life in prison for the narcotics violations. (Caribbean360)

saturDAY, juLY 1, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

New York hospital: ExHong Kong marks employee opens fire in Bronx 20 years since

A

gunman has opened fire with an assault rifle inside a hospital in the Bronx borough of New York, killing one doctor and injuring six other people, five of them seriously.

The gunman, a former doctor at the hospital, killed himself in the attack. The shooting began at about 14:55 local time (18:55 GMT) at the 1000-bed Bronx-Lebanon Hospital.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the shooting was not an act of terrorism, but rather workplace-related. He said the attack had been a "horrific situation in the middle of a place that people associate with care and comfort".

Several of the injured are "fighting for their lives," he

handover to China

Doctors were among those injured during the shooting. This Facebook image was confirmed by Police to be that of Henry Bello

added. Police said the suspect was wearing a white medical coat when found.

An assault rifle was also discovered nearby, which a local politician separately said appeared to be a military-grade M16 rifle.

Police Commissioner

James O'Neill said the attack began on the 16th floor and all the victims were shot on the 16th and 17th floors.

The gunman has not been officially named but Police sources told US media he was Henry Bello, 45, a former family-medicine doc-

tor at the hospital. Sources quoted by NBC said he had resigned in 2015 in lieu of termination.

Mr O'Neill said the gunman had tried to set himself on fire and died of a self-inflicted wound. (Excerpt from BBC News)

UN agrees to cut peacekeeping budget, a reduction US sought

T

he General Assembly on Friday agreed to a significant cut in the budget for the UN's far-flung peacekeeping missions, a reduction that the Trump administration fought hard to achieve though it wanted an even larger decrease.

After lengthy and heated negotiations, the assembly's powerful budget committee agreed to a US$7.3 billion budget for 14 peacekeeping missions for the year start-

ing July 1, a US$570 million cut from the current budget of US$7.87 billion.

The 193-member world body voted by consensus to approve US$6.8 billion. It also agreed to an additional US$500 million for two missions that are in the throes of downsizing – the joint UN-African Union mission in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region and the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said after the budget committee's agreement early Thursday: "Just five months into our time here, we've already been able to cut over half a billion dollars from the U.N. peacekeeping budget and we're only getting started."

The United States has been reviewing every peacekeeping mission as its mandate comes up for renewal.

The UN has also been car-

rying out its own reviews.

Those led to the closing on Friday of the peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast, which was sent to the West African nation in 2004 to implement a cease-fire after a civil war.

The peacekeeping mission in Liberia, established in 2003 to support implementation of a cease-fire agreement, is wrapping up its operations next year.

(Excerpt from Yahoo! News)

Death toll in Bahawalpur oil tanker blast reaches 190

T

he death toll from an oil tanker explosion in central Pakistan has risen to 190, hospital and government officials said, as 16 more people succumbed to their injuries on Friday.

The oil tanker overturned on Sunday morning on a main highway from the coastal city of Karachi to Lahore while carrying around 40,000 litres of fuel.

It exploded minutes later as crowds from a nearby village gathered to scavenge for fuel, despite warnings by the driver as well as motorway police to stay away.

The charred wreckage of dozens of motorcycles and cars could be seen scattered

The tragedy marked a grim start to Eid, the celebrations closing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

on the highway, along with kitchen utensils, pots, water coolers, jerrycans and buckets which victims had brought to collect the petrol.

Local sources told Al

Jazeera that most of the victims were residents of nearby areas who were collecting fuel from the spillage.

Motorway police spokesman Imran Shah said that a gov-

ernment inquiry into the incident found at least five police officials guilty of hiding information.

The tragedy marked a grim start to Eid, the celebrations closing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Analysts said the reaction of the crowds is not surprising, given the problem of fuel shortages and poverty.

Children were among the dead and injured, according to Mohamed Ahmed, a hospital doctor. People with severe burns were being sent to other cities because the hospital lacked facilities to treat so many patients at the same time, he said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

India GST: Sweeping tax reform introduced

I

ndia has replaced its numerous federal and state taxes with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), designed to unify the country into a single market.

The historic overhaul of the existing tax legislation was carried out at a special midnight session of parliament.

India says introducing GST will cut red tape and

increase tax revenues, fuelling economic growth.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says the reform will help the economy grow by two per cent.

But businesses have been asking for more time to implement changes, worried that they are not ready for the move to the new system. Many do not even have a computer to register on the GST network.

"No country of comparable size and complexity has attempted a tax reform of this scale," Harishankar Subramanian, of Ernst and Young previously told the BBC. Under the new system, goods and services will be taxed under four basic rates – five per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent.

Some items like vege-

tables and milk have been exempted from GST, but will still be subject to existing taxes. The price of most goods and services are expected to increase in the immediate aftermath of the tax.

Analysts expect economic growth to slow down over the next few months, but say it should pick up after the tax is fully implemented. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre) sang at a variety show during his visit to Hong Kong

T

housands of Police have been deployed in Hong Kong as the territory marks 20 years since its handover to China from Britain with a series of lavish events.

China's President Xi Jinping will join celebrations today, including a flag-raising ceremony and a fireworks display over Victoria Harbour.

Pro-democracy and pro-Beijing demonstrators are expected to march through the streets over the weekend. A huge security operation is in place with large parts of the city shut down. Xi will oversee the swearing in of the newly-elected chief executive of the territory, Carrie Lam, along with the rest of her Cabinet today. He is expected to depart Hong Kong immediately after the inauguration.

On Friday, an official protest zone near the convention centre where Xi was guest of honour at an anniversary banquet and variety performance was heavily patrolled, as demonstrators gathered chanting "end one-party dictatorship".

Democracy campaigners clashed with pro-Beijing supporters near the venue, with police separating the two sides. Among the pro-democracy activists was leader of the so-called umbrella protesters, Joshua Wong, who told demonstrators that the only person responsible for "causing a public nuisance" was "Xi Jinping". Wong was among 26 activists arrested on Wednesday for "breaking the 'public nuisance' law" after climbing into a golden sculpture of a bauhinia flower, Hong Kong's emblem.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

French, German and Italian ministers to meet on Sunday over migrant help

T

he Interior Ministers of France, Germany and Italy will meet in Paris on Sunday to discuss ways to help Italy, which has been struggling with the masses of migrants arriving on its shores and has demanded solidarity from other members of the European Union.

With the backing of the European Commission, Italy has threatened to close its ports to migrant rescue boats so as to redirect them to other Mediterranean countries.

It has seen more than 500,000 migrant arrivals since 2014, including 82,000 so far this year.

But an aide said the meeting was not likely to

yield an immediate decision given that EU interior ministers are due to meet next week in Tallinn, Estonia.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Friday that the executive arm of the bloc will discuss further measures with Italy and Greece in the coming week to help them deal with their migrant arrivals.

The Commission on Thursday threw its weight behind a plea by Italy for other EU states to allow rescue boats carrying migrants to dock in their ports.

It has been suggested that the ports in Barcelona and Marseille could receive migrant boats. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, juLY 1, 2017

ARCHIE

Partnerships will undergo difficulty if one or both par(March 21- ties is being irrational. Walk April 19) away from anyone who is a poor influence or is treating you badly. Do what’s best for you.

ARIES

Keep your life simple and TAURUS don’t promise anything that (April 20- will be hard to deliver. Know May 20) your limits and stick to your original plans. Don’t overspend to impress someone.

dilbert

Enjoy socializing, but enGEMINI (May 21- force a guideline that will June 20) prevent you from overspending or being indulgent. Walk away from anyone who is a bad influence or leads you to compromise your ethics.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Observe what others do and say before you decide to engage in a battle of wills. Your energy is better spent doing something creative or engaging in a hobby that you find interesting or entertaining.

Keep your personal and business plans separate. If you want to make a change, you are best off handling all matters personally. Don’t leave anything to chance.

Don’t feel the need to give VIRGO (Aug. 23- too much or take on responSept. 22) sibilities that don’t belong to you. Look at ways to improve your looks, skills and relationships with notable people.

Caution will be required.

LIBRA Problems at home due to mis(Sept. 23information, volatility or someOct. 23) one’s blatant attacks against what you want and stand for are best handled peacefully. Back away from impulsive situations.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Make sure you have taken SCORPIO care of the details before you (Oct. 24offer help, take a trip or get Nov. 22) involved in an unpredictable situation. Protect your assets and possessions.

Don’t feel pressured to conSAGITTARIUS tribute money, possessions or (Nov. 23- anything that may jeopardize Dec. 21) your financial situation. Your hands-on help will bring about the change needed. Personal growth is apparent.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Emotional tension and CAPRICORN stress will mount if you can(Dec. 22- not agree with someone you Jan. 19) deal with daily. Don’t get trapped in a volatile situation that can affect your relationships or reputation.

Make changes yourself in-

AQUARIUS stead of waiting for things to (Jan. 20- come to you. Keep anyone who Feb. 19) is extravagant or disreputable

at arm’s length. Guard against being taken advantage of emotionally or financially.

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

Let whatever is happening PISCES around you dissipate natural(Feb. 20March 20) ly. To try to enforce rules or get others to see things your way will be futile. Do your own thing. Focus on self-improvement.

SATURDAY, juLY 1, 2017

19

Bolt off to see his doctor after 'poor' Ostrava run F

ollowing his less than stellar performance at his swansong performance in Ostrava on Wednesday, Usain Bolt has reportedly flown to Germany to visit his doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt hoping to have his back sorted as he looks to defend his 100m title at the World Championships in London this coming August.

Bolt won the 100-metre dash in Ostrava in 10.06s and afterwards said he was not happy with his time, blaming his performance on a stiff back problem that has plagued him in recent years.

“I am going to see my doctor now so I know he will fix every problem,” he said after his Golden Spike run. “Then all I need to do is train hard and get myself into some shape. One

run doesn’t really matter to me – it always comes down to the championships.”

Bolt has relied on Müller-Wohlfahrt quite a bit during his illustrious career in which he has won eight Olympic and 11 World Championships gold medals since 2008. Last season, he visited his German-based doctor prior to winning three gold medals at final Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

He also went to see him prior to his appearance at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing in 2015. On that occasion it was to help address a badly sprained ankle he suffered in a nightclub that year. (Sportsmax)

Usain Bolt

Germany 4 Mexico 1: Murray opens Low’s rampant rookies book Chile final showdown

L

eon Goretzka's brace and goals from Timo Werner and Amin Younes saw Germany beat Mexico to book a Confederations Cup final against Chile.

Joachim Low's exciting young Germany team overcame Mexico 4-1 on Thursday to set up a re-match with Chile in the Confederations Cup final.

An early two-minute brace from Bayern Munich target Leon Goretzka saw Germany take control of the semi-final in Sochi, where Mexico refused to give up but struggled to cope with the energy and quality of a side derided by many before the tournament as disrespectfully inexperienced.

Rather than find themselves out of their depth in Russia, Low's raw squad have instead served to make a statement of the ominous depth of talent beyond the first-choice ranks of the world champions, typified by striker Timo Werner, who struck his team's third goal shortly before the hour mark. Marco Fabian's blistering late free-kick mattered little for Mexico, a fact hammered home when Amin Younes restored Germany's three-goal cushion in added time.

Germany will now tackle Chile for the second time in the tournament in the decider in St Petersburg on Sunday.

The battle-hardened Copa America holders, penalty shoot-out winners over Portugal a day earlier, have been the only team to trouble Die Mannschaft's tyros in a 1-1 group stage draw earlier this month.

A high-tempo start at Fisht Stadium saw Mexico, perhaps inadvisably, try to take the game to Germany, succeeding only in leaving themselves wide open at the back. Hector Moreno was caught out of position as Bayer Leverkusen's Benjamin Henrichs advanced down the right before passing inside to Goretzka. The Schalke midfielder guided a well-judged first-time shot just inside the post, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

Rather than heed that painful lesson, Mexico were cut apart again two

minutes later, when Werner made space for himself in front of the opposition's back four before sliding a pass in behind for Goretzka to run on to. The 22-year-old kept his cool to fire the ball across Ochoa and into the far side-netting. It could easily have been 3-0 in the 19th minute, when Ochoa made a good save with his knees after Werner beat the offside trap.

Mexico slowly steadied and grew into the game, calling Marc-Andre ter Stegen into action three times in quick succession soon after the half-hour mark. Brothers Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos had a shot and a header respectively on target following a clever forward pass and subsequent lay-off that sliced open Germany's young rear guard, while Javier Hernandez poked narrowly over the bar under pressure from the on-rushing Barcelona shot-stopper. The Bayer Leverkusen striker then forced Ter Stegen to tip a dipping longrange free-kick over the bar in a strong finish to the half for Juan Carlos Osorio's men.

Mexico threatened first in the second half through Raul Jimenez, but Germany duly asserted themselves, Werner again getting in behind a stretched defence to slide a finish agonisingly across the face of the goal under pressure from Moreno.

The RB Leipzig striker eventually got the goal his efforts deserved, as Germany put the result beyond doubt in the 59th minute.

Julian Draxler was the architect this time, playing Jonas Hector into the box, where the Cologne defender squared to provide an easy finish for Werner, who could perhaps have been flagged off-

side for his position in the build-up to the goal.

Miguel Layun's fierce drive in the 72nd minute needed Ter Stegen to parry the ball behind, while Jimenez crashed a header against the bar as Mexico strove for a consolation goal.

It eventually arrived in spectacular fashion, impressive substitute Fabian unleashing an extraordinary longrange free-kick to breach Germany's d e t e r - mined resistance.

Low's men could not help having the final say, though, Emre Can teeing up fellow sub Younes for his team's fourth goal in a chaotic period of injury time.

(Sportsmax)

Leon Goretzka

Wimbledon bid against lucky loser

A

ndy Murray will begin the defence of his Wimbledon title against Kazakh lucky loser Alexander Bublik after the draw was made for the third grand slam of the year at the All England Club on Friday.

The Scot, who is bidding to win Wimbledon for a third time, was drawn in the same half as two-time champion Rafael Nadal, with three-times winner Novak Djokovic and seven-times champion Roger Federer placed in the bottom half.

Women's world number one Angelique Kerber opens up against American qualifier Irina Falconi and is seeded to face Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals. Murray, whose preparations have been hampered by a sore hip, will open the men's event on Monday against 134th-ranked Bublik who made it into the main draw despite losing in the final round of qualifying.

The world number one could play flamboyant German Dustin Brown in the second round, with Australian Nick Kyrgios a potential fourth-round opponent.

Should the seedings go to plan, the top seed will play Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals before taking on Nadal, the champion in 2008 and 2010.

Federer will begin his quest for a men's record eighth title with a match against world number 84 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.

The Swiss, who won the warm-up event in Halle, is seeded to face 27th seed Mischa Zverev of Germany in the third round, with Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov (13) likely to be waiting in the last 16.

Milos Raonic, who beat him in the semi-finals last year, is Federer's scheduled opponent in the quarter-finals, before a likely semi-final against Djokovic. French Open champion Nadal, who has not gone past the fourth round at Wimbledon since 2011, plays Australia's John Millman in round one and is seeded to face former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic in the fourth round.

Djokovic plays Martin Klizan of Slovakia in his firstround match and could face Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro, the former U.S. Open winner and 29th seed, in the third round. With title holder Serena Williams taking time out to give birth to her first child, the only former women's champions in the draw are her elder sister Venus and Petra Kvitova.

While last year's runner-up Kerber is slated to face big-serving Czech Pliskova in the last four, the other semi-final could be a repeat of the French Open final between surprise winner Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and Romania's Simona Halep. Two-time champion Kvitova, who won the warm-up event in Birmingham just six months after being attacked by a knife-wielding intruder in her home, is also in the bottom half and plays Johanna Larsson of Sweden in the first round.(Reuters)

20

Pacquiao looks beyond Horn, has Mayweather rematch in mind

SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Manny Pacquiao

er bouts against Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Oscar De La Hoya, the 'Battle of Brisbane' may help return the Filipino to pay-perview royalty.

Pacquiao, one of the finest boxers of his generation, was defeated by Mayweather in an unanimous points decision in Las Vegas two years ago but the 38-year-old wants another shot at the American.

Mayweather retired in 2015 with a 49-0 record but the 40-year-old has agreed to a 12-round fight

Speculation of a potential Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch has rumbled in the background, with the Filipino's long-time trainer Freddie Roach saying that Mayweather had paid several visits to his Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles in recent months.

Roach told reporters in the leadup to Sunday's fight that Pacquiao wanted a rematch with Mayweather but he would have to put on a show against Horn to have any chance of getting it.

"To get Mayweather you have to look good. Against Horn, he has to be impressive. It's a good way to get his pay-per-view audience back."

Box Office Appeal

While Pacquiao's WBO welter-

Boxers Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Australia's Jeff Horn stand together following their official news conference ahead of their WBO welterweight fight in Brisbane, Australia June 28, AAP

M

ELBOURNE (Reuters) While Manny Pacquiao's upcoming fight with unheralded Australian Jeff Horn is a world away from his blockbust-

against mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor, a match-up dismissed by boxing purists as a circus.

weight title defence will be payper-view on Australian television, ESPN's telecast will be beamed prime-time in the United States

on Saturday.

While Lang Park, a stadium mostly used for professional rugby matches, is an unlikely venue for the Filipino senator's bid to stay relevant in the boxing world Pacquiao (59-6-2) still has huge box office appeal.

Enough for the local Queensland government to help bankroll a fight expected to draw over 50,000 spectators.

Pacquiao's camp had hoped to arrange a fight with Briton Amir Khan in the United Arab Emirates in May but that deal fell through over money problems, opening the door for Horn (16-0-1), a 29-yearold former schoolteacher who is undefeated against mainly obscure opponents.

Roach has predicted a knockout in a "short and sweet" fight.

"In all my years of boxing, I have never been as motivated and fired up as this fight," Pacquiao said on his arrival 'Down Under'.

Pacquiao regained the welterweight world title belt he lost to Mayweather when he beat Jesse Vargas in a unanimous decision in November, proving he still remains a formidable competitor.

But he has failed to win inside the distance since a 12th round TKO of Miguel Cotto in 2009.

W h i l e R o a c h quips that Pacquiao's embrace of Christianity h a s stopped the knockout blows from coming pundits have questioned whether the southpaw still has the power that accounted for the likes of De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Ricky Hatton.

Horn's trainer Glenn Rushton

has bullishly predicted the fight will go the distance but the former Olympian will go into his hometown bout a rank outsider.

Horn, who stands to earn a fraction of Pacquiao's guaranteed purse, win or lose, was unimpressed with Pacquiao's lack of interest in the pre-fight media conference this week where the Filipino spent much of the time playing with his phone.

"I can’t imagine him doing that at a Mayweather press conference,” Horn told local media.

"It definitely shows a bit of 'he doesn’t care' attitude to the fight.

"Maybe we’ll see he hasn’t put in all the hard work they say he has."

Jeff Horn

Djokovic sails into Eastbourne final N

ovak Djokovic sharpened his grasscourt game ahead of next week's Wimbledon by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-4 on Friday to reach the Aegon International final on another rain-disrupted day at Eastbourne.

The Serbian world number four saved three break points at 4-4 before breaking his opponent's serve in the next game to claim the opening set.

Medvedev conceded another break in the ninth game of the second set as Djokovic sealed the victory in 82 minutes.

Top seed Djokovic, playing in his first Wimbledon warm-up event since 2010, will be seeking his first title since claiming the Qatar Open in January.

He will meet Gael Monfils in Saturday's final after the second seed beat Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-7(7) 7-6(4) in an all-French semi-final showdown.(Reuters)

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By Delvon McEwan

B

adminton is simply described as a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players per side).

Locally the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) is the body that governs the sport and more interestingly, in January 2016, according to Badminton World Federation Ranking Guyanese Narayan Ramdhani was placed at 53 in the World Junior Rankings. To date his outstanding achievement includes No. 1 Ranked in the Caribbean and No. 3 Ranked in the Pan American countries.

Therefore, though the sport is not popular here, it has covered some grounds.

Narayan’s father Gokarn Ramdhani is the President of the GBA which is in existence since the 1970s. He has served as President for 15 years. Yesterday Gokarn was on hand to provide Guyana Times Sport with firsthand information of operation within the GBA. GTS-How long have you been serving as President of the GBA? GR- In and out I would say about 15 years. I had run the Association for a period of time then someone else took over then I returned to the helm.

GTS-How would you rate the sport during this period with you as President?

GR- I would say that the period speaks for itself.

Gokarn Ramdhani

We have done unprecedented things. There is a player that rose to rank number 53 in the world, topping the Caribbean in doing so.

That alone should show you how far badminton has progressed. And in the Caribbean last year we won the silver at the Caribbean Championships, which is a good step for us.

GTS- Feed us with information regarding your executive body within the GBA? GR- We have very hardworking executives, most of them are qualified in their respective jobs but they give their time to badminton when called upon and because of them our Association has been functioning extremely well. All of our work that has to be done they put in their efforts to fulfill their respective aspect and I would like to thank them.

GTS- How many persons make up the executive?

GR- About eight persons make up the exec-

utives; From President, Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant SecretaryTreasurer, etc.

GTS- Judging from its existence badminton is limited to Georgetown. Do you plan to decentralize it at any time?

GR- If you would have noticed we did the teachers’ (shuttle) programme recently and that alone would have helped us to carry it out a far way. But decentralizing would be a challenge because of unavailability of a facility to play. For example, “We are here playing at the National Gymnasium and we could only use it two to three times per week. And that’s our training. We have to train the national and club team during that period; in fact the whole of badminton within that period.

So we have our top player (Narayan) back home and he cannot go through intense training as the Association would like because of the

limited time. However, we want to expand the sport.

GTS-How soon do you plan to expand the sport?

GR-Eventually we will get the sport across the country once there is the right people, in the right place, at the right time. However, the problem has to do with funding in various facets since badminton can be considered to be an expensive sport. The best thing to do at the moment is to get started with the teachers like we did recently, and then break into the school system in order to move forward.

GTS- How did the teachers cope with the shuttle training knowing badminton is not a common sport?

GR-The teachers showed enthusiasm. I should say it wasn’t difficult it was a basic badminton introductory course. It was more like a physical exercise and they adapted because it was something they could do.

GTS- Have the GBA provided the Guyana Olympics Association (GOA) with a four year development programme?

GR- Yes. We have submitted our programme for about five athletes preparing for the 2020 Olympics. It was submitted either last year or a year and a half ago and on the programme they are also trying to assist with funding for Narayan on his scholarship programme in Canada.

GTS- Do the GBA receives direct finance from the BWF? GR-Unfortunately we are not as lucky as other sport Associations and Federations; we do not receive any grants. But we benefit from other assistance, like if the BWF want to send

Farah admits more work needed to defend world titles

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Mo Farah

ritish long-distance runner Mo Farah acknowledges he needs to be in a better shape to defend his 5,000 meters and 10,000m titles at London's world championships in August.

Running his first 10,000m race since claiming a gold at 2016 Rio Olympics, Farah triumphed in Ostrava on Wednesday but fell short of breaking his own British record.

The double Olympic champion hopes he has enough time to improve before the world championships starting on Aug. 4.

"I still need to do a lot more work," Farah told reporters. " I ' m not quite there yet and it showed. I was a bit rusty.

"But it is my first 10,000m (this season). I've got more work to do so now I'll get on my flight to London, be there for a few days and then back to my training camp in Font Romeu. Hopefully I've got enough time."

Farah's back-to-back Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals and five world titles make him one of the greatest distance runners of all time.

The 34-year-old, who is scheduled to appear at Diamond League meetings in London and Monaco next month, will be turning his attention on running marathon events after the championships. (Reuters)

a coach here or otherwise.

Thus everything that we do we depend on our friends of badminton and whatever sponsorship we could acquire.

GTS-What is next for the GBA? GR-There is the Pan American Championships where Priyanna Ramdhani will be representing Guyana.

She has medalled four times at that event and is our only chance at the tournament.

We will also try to send other players depending on their progression. Subsequently we will be sending our national team to the Caribbean Championships in Trinidad in August.

Stars turn out for Messi’s wedding in Rosario

S

ome of the biggest names in world football gathered in Argentina on Friday to see Barcelona striker Lionel Messi wed his long-time girlfriend Antonela Roccuzzo.

Past and present Barcelona team mates Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano, Neymar and Luis Suarez were all there, as was Gerard Pique and his pop star wife Shakira.

Several Premier League players were also among the 260 guests, including Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas and Manchester City's Sergio Aguero.

An extra 350 police were drafted in to provide security for the event, which took place in Rosario, the city where Messi grew up before heading to Barcelona, where he has spent a playing career that has included winning FIFA's World Player of the Year trophy five times.

The city is in the heart of Argentina's bread basket but drug trafficking in the region has grown in recent years and the homicide rate has soared.

Messi met Roccuzzo, who is also from Rosario, when they were growing up.

The couple have two children, Thiago, 4, and Mateo, 21 months.

(Reuters)

22

SATURdAY, juLY 1, 2017

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Back to Back!

GDF retains National Novices Boxing Championships

Joel Peters (left) defends against Jamal Williams (right) during their 81 Kg Elite fight

T

he Guyana Defence Force (GDF) gym successfully defended its Andrew Lewis National Novice title when the tournament fittingly concluded at the Andrew ``Six Head’ Lewis Gym yesterday afternoon.

GDF ended on 22 points, way ahead of closest challenger the Republican Gym which secured four points. Vergenoogen Gym (Formerly Essequibo) was third with

two points. The tournament, originally scheduled for three days at the National Gymnasium, was forced into its fourth day after a power outage plunged the arena and Georgetown into darkness late Thursday night.

With three of 12 fights left, the executive of the Guyana Boxing Association met and decided that the remaining events would take place the following day at the Andrew Lewis Gym. “We had no information about when lights would return. In the interest of all a decision was made to postpone for the following day,” GBA president told Guyana Times.

GDF light welterweight Kevin McKenzie was voted Best Boxer (Elite) while Keevin Allicock of Forgotten Youth Foundation gym was adjudged Best Boxer (Youth).

Thursday night, originally billed to be

the final night of the competition was action packed and, Allicock and Republican Elton Calistro traded blows over three rounds to begin the night’s proceedings.

In what was a closely contested 56Kg Youth fight but Allicock’s experience shone through in the end allowing him to edge his opponent via points.

Christopher Moore of Vergenoegen Boxing Gym (VBG) defeated his fellow gym member Deshon Elcock on points when they clashed in their 60Kg Youth bout.

The first knockout of the night came through GDF’s Akiemo Watts who stopped Republican Darmendra Shewpersaud in the first round of their Elite 49Kg encounter.

Republican Ewart Corbis was defeated by to a GDF boxer Delroy Murphy via points in the 52 Kg category.

There was a walkover when Republican Trevor Williams failed to appear for his fight, the win being awarded to VBG’s Kelvin Moore.

Delroy Fordyce completely dominated his fellow GDF teammate Delroy Leacock in their 60Kg clash to win via unanimous decisions from the judges’ cards.

In another GDF vs GDF matchup in the 64Kg Kevin McKenzie overcame Delon Garraway’s early barrage to win on points.

In a crowd pleasing affair and arguably the fight of the tournament GDF’s Tony Gillis lost out on points to Republican Jamal

Leitch. Fight fans were treated to a slug fest which ended with Leitch winning on points in the 69 Kg affair. .

Moving over into what would be the final fight of the night before the power outage, GDF fighter Okiemo Baker knocked out Torin Adams in the 75Kg bout.

When action resumed at the Andrew “Six-Head” Lewis gym on Friday evening there was a walkover when Republican fighter Germain Williams failed to show up for his match in the 91Kg weight class against GDF’s Aubrey Headley.

However in the remaining matches, Joel Peters of GDF delivered some mighty blows to Jamal Williams, also of GDF causing the referee to stop the contest in the opening minute of the third round of their 81Kg clash.

In the final match of the tournament, Anthonio Williams won on points after going pound for pound with fellow GDF fighter Emerson Farley.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will next be hosting the Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Boxing tournament in September which will be followed by the Terrence Alli National Open in November.

This tournament will be used to determine who gets the right to represent the Land of Many Waters at the third Caribbean Development Competition in St Lucia during December.

Cricket is now a ‘sissy’s game’, no aggression left: Andy Roberts

W

hile the entire Caribbean is going gaga over Alzarri Joseph, who appears a rare positive emerging from the region, fellow Antiguan and former West Indies fast bowling great Andy Roberts refuses to even consider him an out

and out fast bowler.

“He is not fast. No, he is not fast. He bowls medium pace at 85 and 86 miles.

What some of these guys need to do is speak to people, especially those from the past, and learn about their methods of training

Marian’s Academy, Plaisance to face off in NSBF U-19 Finals Andy Roberts

A

Andrew Johnson of Plaisance (yellow) drives toward the basket

s semi-final action continued in the National Schools Basketball Festival at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Thursday evening, the dominant Plaisance Secondary U-19 males overcame a resistant President’s College side by 52 to 47 points.

Nigel Bowen had a game- high 24 points and 10 rebounds for Plaisance while Andrew Johnson and Reuben Reid scored 10 points apiece to seal the win.

Anton Fileen scored 19 points and 7 rebounds in a valiant effort while Akeem Crandon’s 14 points and 11 rebounds were in vain for President’s College.

The consistent Marian’s Academy is yet again in the Regional Finals after fight-

ing off an inspired Government Technical Institute team by 34 to 29 points.

Marian’s Timothy Thompson led with 10 points, 10 rebounds while Jether Harris also had 10 points and 8 rebounds; Jahleel Young also contributed 9 points and 6 rebounds for the victors.

Shamar Huntley fought hard scoring 15 points and 6 rebounds with Richard Telford adding another 11 rebounds for GTI. Following the finals across all divisions of the National School Basketball Festival Regionals, the National Championships will also tip off at the same venue on Monday, July 3 from 13:00hrs.

which made them bowl quick,” says Roberts.

Joseph, 20, was a member of the squad which beat India in the final of the 2016 U-19 World Cup and graduated to the senior side soon after.

Killing aggression Roberts, the Antigua’s leader of the lethal West Indies bowling quartet in the 1970s and 80s, says cricket is becoming a ‘sissy’s game’ as the administrators are doing their best to weed out aggression.

“We don’t have enough pacers in the world. No one’s bowling fast because rules for short-pitched bowling have changed, batsmen are fully protected. The rules of the game are cutting aggression. You cannot even stare hard at the batsmen else they would fine you. They are taking all the aggression out of the game.

“What part of cricket is gentle? Let me ask you, women are playing, is it a female’s game? No. People who make all these rules

make them sissy’s game,” he adds.

“As a spectator what do you like to see, aggression between batsman and a fast bowler. Cricket, when I played, wasn’t for the chicken-hearted, it was for people with a lion’s heart. Not anymore.”

The pace leader Roberts, 66, took 202 wickets in a nineyear Test career from 1974, the spearhead of Clive Lloyd’s ploy to win matches with an all-out pace attack.

Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Winston Davis and Colin Croft all spread fear among the finest batsmen of the time.

The game has undergone transformation over the years and training methods of the bowlers too have changed. Gym work has become an integral part of the game.

There are trainers who lay emphasis on that during off-season. However, Roberts, a longtime critic of this method, reiterates the need to pay attention to the basics. “I have been asking all along, why do you need the gym? To build muscles? But is fast bowling about muscles, or is it about strength?

You build strength only through running and speaking about the West Indies pacers, I think they are not doing enough running.

Not connected to the game “Who are the ones bringing in all these types of training? Someone who has not played the game.”

Roberts says they are making a big issue out of burnout, but the fact is they don’t have enough strength. “They may be playing more matches but they are spending less time on the field. T20 is four overs, ODIs are less and less now, it is 10 overs.

In a Test match, you could bowl as many as 20-25 overs a day. Yeah, there are too many matches but (bowlers are) not spending time on field. They are bowling as much. We would play back-to-back ODIs, sometimes they’d fit in an ODI on the rest day. But now there is a gap.” (HindustanTimes)

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, july 1, 2017

23

West Indies vs India

A

Dhoni spearheads India to second win

jinkya Rahane and MS Dhoni contributed contrasting knocks of 72 and 78 for India as they moved 2-0 up in their ODI series with West Indies.

India's spinners built on an eye-catching innings from MS Dhoni to secure a 93-run win over West Indies in the third one-day international in Antigua.

Dhoni took advantage of being dropped on 28 by accelerating rapidly to 78 not out from 79 deliveries as India posted 251-4 from 50 overs on a sluggish surface.

The tourists only had 151 on the board with 10 overs remaining before Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav (40 not out off 26 balls) lifted the tempo significantly late in the innings. West Indies then slumped to 87-5 in reply and, although Jason Mohammed (40) and Rovman Powell (30) offered a measure of resistance, another collapse ensured Jason Holder's men were dismissed for 158 with 11.5 overs unused.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav returned 3-28 and 3-41 respectively for India, while

Jadhav struck with his first delivery to bowl last man Kesrick Williams and bring the contest to an end.

The Windies elected to field at a toss that was delayed by a wet outfield and quickly ousted Shikhar Dhawan (2) and India skipper Virat Kohli (11), the latter superbly caught by debutant Kyle Hope at gully off

Holder.

Ajinkya Rahane's 112ball 72 and a similarly patient 39 from Yuvraj Singh steadied the ship, but it was only in the closing overs that West Indies lost control.

Having initially operated with caution, Dhoni blasted 50 from the last 28 legal deliveries he faced and Jadhav's handy cameo en-

sured India had a healthy total given the conditions.

West Indies' reply was hampered by the early loss of Evin Lewis (2) to Umesh Yadav and a flurry of wickets followed after Kyle and Shai Hope (24) shared 45 for the second wicket - Hardik Pandya striking twice as Kuldeep and Ashwin claimed their first scalps.

West Indies skipper Jason Holder celebrates the early fall of his opposite number Virat Kohli

3 times Tour winner Froome extends Sky contract

T&T forward Boatswain joins T Costa Rica's Alajuelense on two-year deal A

lajuelense announced Tuesday the signing of Trinidad & Tobago international Jamille Boatswain on a reported two-year contract.

The 23-year-old forward played most recently with TT Pro League side Defence Force, after starting his career with Point Fortin Civic Centre.

“I am happy as this is my first professional contract to play outside of Trinidad and Tobago,” said Boatswain. “Two to three years ago I began playing in the Pro League with ‘Civic’ and then Marvin Gordon brought me to Defence Force and I want to thank him for that. Then the national team pick came and now I am very grateful for this opportunity to play with Alajuelense in Costa Rica.”

Boatswain burst onto the international scene on March 10, 2017, when – on his international debut – he scored both goals in a 2-0 friendly win over visiting Barbados.

“Well, (head coach) Dennis Lawrence saw something in me and he gave me that chance which I think I grabbed openly in the game against Barbados and then he kept faith in me for the World Cup qualifiers,” Boatswain expressed.

“I am thankful for that and I hope I can continue to improve so I can come back into the team and deliver and help us to have a good chance of qualifying (for the 2018 FIFA World Cup).”

Alajuelense – a 29-time Costa Rican league champion -is competing in the inaugural CONCACAF League and will face Honduras’ Olimpia in a first-round series starting on August 3. (Sportsmax)

hree times Tour de France winner Chris Froome has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Team Sky until the end of 2020, Sky said on Friday.

This year's Tour starts in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Briton, who was under contract until the end of next year, has been with Sky since they started up in 2010 and the extension is a vote of confidence in a hugely successful team that has also become mired in controversy.

"I’m really happy here and excited that I’ll be with Team Sky for at least the next three years," Froome said.

"It’s been a really successful partnership and I think one of the big reasons for that is the stability of the team. As a rider that is really important as it means you can just get on with your job and focus on winning bike races."

Questions have been asked about Sky's credibility in the wake of an investigation by UK Anti-Doping into allegations of possible wrongdoing.

This year, Sky have come under further scrutiny with British politicians looking into the circumstances surrounding why a jiffy bag containing medication was delivered to 2012 Tour winner Bradley Wiggins at a race a year earlier.

Sky's team principal Dave Brailsford has said there were "process failures" but has denied any wrongdoing.

"For 2018, 19 and 20 the team's got my full faith," Froome told Sky Sports television on Friday.

"I think certainly in my time with Team Sky I have never seen anything untoward. I don't see any reason why that should change." (Reuters)

Chris Froome

A sixth-wicket partnership of 54 between Mohammed and Powell gave the Windies hope, but

the last five wickets fell for 17 runs inside seven overs, with Kuldeep and Ashwin to the fore. (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD India innings (50 overs maximum) AM Rahane c Bishoo b Cummins 72 S Dhawan c Chase b Cummins 2 V Kohli* c KA Hope b Holder 11 Yuvraj Singh lbw b Bishoo 39 MS Dhoni† not out 78 KM Jadhav not out 40 Extras (lb 1, w 8) 9 Total (4 wickets; 50 overs) 251 Did not bat: HH Pandya, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, B Kumar, UT Yadav Fall of wickets 1-11 (Dhawan, 2.4 ov), 2-34 (Kohli, 9.3 ov), 3-100 (Yuvraj Singh, 26.2 ov), 4-170 (Rahane, 42.2 ov) Bowling : ML Cummins 10-056-2(2w), JO Holder 10-1-531(2w), KOK Williams 10-0-690 (1w), AR Nurse 10-0-34-0 (1w), D Bishoo 10-0-38-1 (2w) West Indies innings (target: 252 runs from 50 overs) E Lewis b Yadav 2 KA Hope c Jadhav b Pandya 19

SD Hope† c & b Pandya 24 RL Chase b Kuldeep Yadav 2 JN Mohammed lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 40 JO Holder* st †Dhoni b Ashwin 6 R Powell c Pandya b Kuldeep Yadav 30 AR Nurse c Yadav b Ashwin 6 D Bishoo not out 4 ML Cummins lbw b Ashwin 1 KOK Williams b Jadhav 1 Extras (lb 6, w 17) 23 Total (all out; 38.1 overs) 158 Fall of wickets 1-9 (Lewis, 1.2 ov), 2-54 (KA Hope, 12.4 ov), 3-58 (Chase, 13.4 ov), 4-69 (SD Hope, 16.4 ov), 5-87 (Holder, 19.3 ov), 6-141 (Powell, 32.4 ov), 7-148 (Nurse, 33.6 ov), 8-156 (Mohammed, 36.5 ov), 9-157 (Cummins, 37.3 ov), 10-158 (Williams, 38.1 ov) Bowling: B Kumar 5-0-19-0, UT Yadav 7-0-32-1(5w), HH Pandya 6-0-32-2 (3w), Kuldeep Yadav 10-1-41-3, R Ashwin 10-1-283 (3w), KM Jadhav 0.1-0-0-1

Dylan Carter claims gold in record breaking fashion

T

rinidad and Tobago swimming star Dylan Carter exceeded the Olympic B standard of 54.12 twice in the 100-metre butterfly on the second day of the CCCAN Swimming Championships in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.

In the morning preliminaries Carter bettered the 2003 Championship record of 54.94 set by Olympian Joshua Ilika of Mexico with a time of 53.87. Then, in the evenings final lowered the mark even further with a national record swim of 52.73.

His previous national standard was 52.88 set in 2016.

Teammate Christian Awah won the silver in 55.78. The bronze medal went to N’Nhyn Fernander in a time of 56.07.

In the 200-metre breaststroke there was a tight battle between US Virgin Islands Adriel Sanes, Panama’s Edgar Crespo and Arnoldo Herrera of Costa Rica for the top spot.

Sanes would prevail in a championship record of 2:19.97 breaking the record of 2:21.64 set during the morning heats.

Crespo won silver in 2:20.01 and Herrera the bronze in 2:20.83.

The 50-metre backstroke saw Christopher Courtis from Barbados winning in a time of 26.48, not far off his national record of 26.21. Awah of Trinidad and Tobago again took the silver in 26.93. The bronze went Yeziel Morales of Puerto Rico in 26.95.

The 18-and-over 200-metre freestyle mixed relay went to Trinidad and Tobago. Their team of Carter, Joshua Romany, Kristin Julien and Cherelle Thompson, crushed the previous meet record of 1:44.04 with a winning time of 1:38.40.

Puerto Rico took the in a time 1:42.04 which was also under the old record. Panama won Bronze in 1:44.63. (Sportsmax)

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

SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017

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