Guyana Times October 1, 2018

“Green economy initiative to highlight new paths for Guyana’s development” – Holder P14 ...as Agriculture Month 2018 is officially launched

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

Issue No. 3703

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, October 1, 2018

Opposition worried over expanding national debt – but Govt contends “it’s nothing to worry about” Page 3

28 ranks dismissed from Prison Service in 2018 – Samuels

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Truck driver shot as gun accidentally goes off P10 MP slams P7 Govt’s drive to repossess land, properties

...says persons not given fair hearing in some revocation cases

Page 16

...Ramjattan urges officers to speak out against wrongdoing

Prominent P9 Guyanese law firm positions to benefit from oil and gas sector

Guyanese man throws 4-yearold brother to P2 death

Two members of the Suarez Brothers Circus perform one of their routines to the delight of the audience on Sunday at D'Urban Park (Adam Baksh photo)

1 dead, several injured in 2-vehicle smash-up

Page 9

29 arrested after Police raid Agricola, North Road

Page 2

Gunmen rob teenager of valuables along High Street P7 GAC continues to promote airline despite challenges P10

2 news

saturdAY, october 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Driver in Liliendaal Guyanese man throws accident succumbs 4-year-old brother to death

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Dead: Mickhail Punch

Dead: Isaiah Corlette

wenty-five-yearold Mickhail Punch, the driver who was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital in critical condition after the car he was driving slammed into a utility pole at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown on Friday has succumbed to his injuries.

Punch, who since the accident has been in the Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), took his last breath around 17:00h on Saturday. iNews had previously reported that one of the occupants of the vehicle, Isaiah Colette, 25, of Castillo Housing Scheme, Georgetown had died moments after the accident.

The young man who celebrated his birthday Friday last was out partying with Punch and Akeisha Jones, 24, of Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown prior to the fatal crash.

However, the party turned tragic after Punch lost control of the car and crashed into the pole at Liliendaal Public Road.

As a result of the impact, all three of the occupants were tossed onto the surface of the road. Corlette was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital while Punch and Jones were battling for their lives.

Jones remains a patient in the ICU in a critical state.

Guyanese man was charged with murder after he confessed to throwing his four-year-old brother off the roof of their seven-storey building on Saturday.

After committing the act, the mentally-ill man calmly walked up and told the Police what he had done.

The dead child has been identified as Shimron Smith while his eldest brother who committed the act is Shawn Smith.

The New York Post reported that the suspect was

Dead: Shimron Smith

admitted to Kings County Hospital in July for psychiat-

ric treatment, but had since stopped taking the medication prescribed to treat his schizophrenia, family members told cops. According to the New York Post, Smith said: “I just killed my brother – I took my brother up to the roof and I threw him off,” before leading Police to where his brother’s broken body lay twisted in a trashstrewn Midwood courtyard.

Shawn was charged Saturday afternoon with his brother’s murder, which happened at 02:45h, minutes after he allegedly led

the boy up to the roof. He had no prior criminal record or history of violence, Police sources noted. But he recently told his family that voices in his head were ordering him to do “something bad” — though he did not, or could not, warn anyone what that might be, Police sources said. And he had been suicidal in the past – prompting several 911 calls in April, when he climbed up to the same roof at Nostrand Avenue, near Avenue K, and onlookers feared he might jump, the sources said.

29 arrested after Police raid Agricola, North Road

The confiscated bikes

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wenty-nine persons inclusive of a female were Sunday morning arrested following a police operation in Agricola, Greater Georgetown

and North Road Bourda, Georgetown.

Those who were arrested are being questioned for various offences, including possession of a firearm and its components, cocaine and marijuana. In addition, some are being questioned in relation to several armed robberies.

The Guyana Police Force in a release to the media stated that the operation was headed by a senior superintendent of police with the backings of 220 ranks. The operation was titled “Operation Restore Order”.

The Police also confirmed that two motorcycles, a number of mobile

phones, and other items suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully attained were discovered and confiscated.

The phones that were seized

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mondAY, october 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Monday, October 1 – 09:30h-11:00h and Tuesday, October 2 – 10:30h-12:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, October 1 – 08:25h-09:55h and Tuesday, October 2 – 09:45h-11:15h.

Opposition worried over expanding national debt – but Govt contends “it’s nothing to worry about”

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny skies are expected throughout the day, with clear skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 08:37h and 20:55h reaching maximum heights of 2.38 metres and 2.41 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 14:26h reaching a minimum height of 0.91 metre.

Opposition Leader and PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo

By Samuel Sukhnandan

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he Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has long complained about the coalition Government’s excessive borrowing, and has said repeatedly that if the David Granger-led Administration does not curb this practice, serious repercussions could result to the local economy.

This point has been further emphasised by PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo when he said recently that Guyana’s debt is a major concern for his party.

An economist by profession, Jagdeo has said that from all indications, the coalition does not seem to be taking seriously calls for it to lessen its borrowing.

Guyana has recently signed a US$20 million loan agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), and another US$36.7 million loan agreement with China for the broadband expansion project. This is in addition to other sums this Government has borrowed.

Asked to comment on these new loan agreements, Jagdeo said his concern is how well the Government would be able to manage debt, although he is not against Guyana borrowing

from its bilateral partners, like China. However, he said, the focus must be on transparent management of the loan monies.

“My concern is how they manage our debt, so we have to look at the conditions of the loans. I know Chinese loans are very concessional, so when you look at the grant element, it tends to be very high. Once those are met and the projects are good, we will support them,” he added.

The former Guyanese Head of State has said the PPP is of the firm view that it must embrace China and the developing world as partners. According to him, the United States of America is a long vested partner of Guyana, and will remain so. “It does not have to be one at the expense of the other,” he explained.

The Opposition Leader has advised that Government should look out for Guyana’s best interest. He said, “If there is anything in those loans that is not in our best interest, then we have to address it.” He therefore believes that Government should not have any difficulty releasing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with China.

But Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has defended the coalition Government’s position on debt. When this newspaper questioned the Minister recently as to whether he feels that Guyana’s debt is being properly managed, Harmon responded by saying that it is managed well by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

“I believe that our public debt is really well managed by our Minister of Finance,” Minister Harmon posited, while noting that Minister Jordan is very prudent in the management of the country’s financial re-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

sources. “Usually, he will not step out and sign agreements and sign documents that add to our public debt without some form of action plan in how we are going to deal with it,” he stated.

Harmon also emphasised that, before a loan is taken, deliberations occur at several tiers before the green light is given. “The Minister himself does not go out on his own and sign these documents; they are the subject of deliberation before the Cabinet, and the Minister is given the mandate to proceed to sign any commitment which was made between the Government of Guyana and either a bilateral party,” he explained.

However, based on the recently released Bank of Guyana Quarterly Report and Statistical Bulletin, public debt is on the rise, and it has been revealed that external debt repayments are also on the rise.

The report pegged the hike in public debt at US$19 million. The report divided this debt into external and domestic. External debt increased by 1.5 per cent -- from a December position of US$1.241 billion to US$1.265 billion currently.

“The rise in the stock of external debt was on account of higher disbursements by multilateral creditors, specifically IADB and

CDB, for financing of social and economic infrastructural projects,” the report states.

Domestic debt, on the other hand, increased to $89.5 million from a December position of $88.8 million. Domestic debt, the report notes, increased because of a hike in treasury bills by 1.3 per cent. “(This) resulted mainly from a 1.5 per cent growth in the stock of the 364-day treasury bills during the first quarter,” the report adds.

Repayment of this external debt, according to the report, grew by some US$24.3 million, to US$85.3 million. This is a rate of 59.1 per cent when compared to the corresponding period of 2017. This was not the case for domestic debt.

“Domestic debt service payments fell by 14.6 per cent to $726 million, resulting mainly from a 23.2 per cent reduction in interest payments for treasury bills.

Interest payments for the 182- and 364-day bills fell by 38.7 per cent and 17.6 per cent to G$36 million and G$358 million respectively.”

Minister Jordan, who was recently interviewed, had said that Guyana’s public debt rate is actually “nothing to worry about.”

He had contended that as the economy grows, it could actually take on more debt.

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guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, october 1, 2018

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

Gandhi and religion

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omorrow will be the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In a world experiencing an increased level of violence from many who claim to be “religious”, it begs the question of how Gandhi could define himself as very religious and yet be known most famously for his contribution of “non-violence” to the struggle against injustice. In Guyana, where we are always on the verge of exploding into violence, with the last explosion ending only a decade ago, we are in dire need of appreciating Gandhi’s perspective on religion.

Gandhi always accepted he was a “Hindu,” but his understanding transcended the Western notion of “religion”. He pointed out: “By religion, I do not mean formal religion or customary religion, but that religion which underlies all religions, which brings us face to face with our Maker.” He was talking about living in accordance with “Dharma” -- the organising principle underlying and animating all creation.

The word “Dharma” comes from the root “dhri”, meaning “to sustain” or “to maintain”, and would include all actions that uphold or maintain our existence in a holistic and interrelated manner. “Dharma” is impossible to translate into English, having evolved within a world view that is incommensurable with the one we were hegemonised into during the Colonial Era. And this was why he more specifically defined himself as a “Sanaatani Hindu”, meaning he followed the “eternal” path of “Dharma”, which has come down the millennia in India and is not bound historically to any one “prophet” or “Book”. In other words, he did not follow what we would today call an “organised religion”. Asked by the President of India, Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, as to what is his religion, Gandhi answered, “My religion is Hindutva, but for me Hindutva is the religion of humanity. All the benign principles of the entire religions are included in its perimeter.”

Gandhi could assert this with all sincerity because “Dharma” is not any narrow creed that could be claimed by any one prophet or “religion”: it encompasses all principles that upheld and maintained human societies through the ages wherever they were found. He once said, “It is not the Hindu religion, which I certainly prize above all other religions, but the religion which transcends Hinduism; which changes one's very nature; which binds one indissolubly to the truth within, and which ever purifies.”

Asked a second question as to what attracted him to “Hindutva”, Gandhi replied, “I was attracted towards it just because of the principles of Satya and Ahimsa, which reflect love in their broadest sense.” These were the two principles that undergirded the technique of “nonviolence” which he evolved in South Africa and transferred back to India. He more accurately named the technique “satyagraha”, from the terms “satya”, or "truth", and “graha” -- "insistence" or "holding firmly to", to mean “holding firmly onto truth”, or “truth force”.

But for us to utilise the technique of “satyagraha” successfully, we need to appreciate the specific meaning of “satya”, or “truth”, as it is used within the Hindu world view. “Truth” is simply “what is”, and is not simply a matter of “understanding” a concept, but LIVING it every day in one’s life. Truth is experiential.

As Gandhi said, “The world rests upon the bedrock of satya, or truth. Asatya, meaning ‘untruth’, also means non-existent; and ‘satya’, or ‘truth’, also means that which is. If untruth does not so much as exist, its victory is out of the question. And truth, being that which is, can never be destroyed. This is the doctrine of Satyagraha in a nutshell.”

The violence that pervades the world in the name of “religion” will therefore not end until men jettison their exclusive claims on “truth” as “revealed” and only accept “truth as lived”. This, of course, demands a complete paradigm shift in our thinking, which fortunately is slowly taking place. The growing movement in concern for the environment and for the value of diversity is only one sign of the Gandhian change.

The audience was on Sunday afternoon entertained by this young lady on ropes as the Suarez Brothers Circus continues at D’Urban Park (Adam Baksh photo)

GECOM must strengthen laws to stop electoral fraud Dear Editor, Electoral fraud is the illegal interference with the process of an election. It can occur at any stage of the electoral cycle, sometimes even in the pre-electoral stages, where some Governments interfere with the planning process of the elections.

In a narrow election, a small amount of fraud may be enough to change the election results. Even if the outcome is not affected, the revelation of fraud can have a damaging effect if not punished, as it can reduce voters’ confidence in democracy.

At a recent press conference, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo, emphasised the importance of strengthening electoral laws to prevent electoral fraud from political parties and GECOM. The deterrence of such practices can be achieved through consistent and effective prosecution. Elections can help despots shore up their grip on power.

Holding flawed polls can enable embattled Governments to secure access to valuable economic resources, like foreign aid, oil

deals etc. While the APNU/ AFC Coalition Government appear to be in their death throes, they would use the ballot box to re-establish their political dominance. That is when the facade of democracy is going to be turned into a tool of oppression to satisfy this Government.

As Guyanese, we cannot allow the Government and GECOM to undermine the ideals of democracy and turn elections into empty rituals wherein the Government always win, as was evident before 1992, the PNC era of rigged elections in Guyana.

As the electorate, we must insist that the APNU/ AFC Government, the Opposition, and GECOM move immediately to ensure that electoral laws are being strengthened and implemented, so that persons in the electoral cycles must be held accountable for any electoral fraud in Guyana.

The fiasco of Lowenfield’s disappearance recently, the Returning Officers’ disappearance, fake statements of poll etc, must never recur.

Sincerely, Zamal Hussain

PNC in Government, and they have done very little to expand political base Dear Editor, Now that the PNC have had a chance to declare their results from their Congress, the confirmed results were astonishing.

Astonishing for the fact that the PNC, although they are in Government, they have done very little political work to expand their political base.

Being in Government should have caused an influx of youths, women and non-traditional supporters (East Indians and Amerindians) into their Central Executive Committee (CEC), because a governing party is expected to have more support compared to when it was an opposition party.

But when one looks at

the new members of the CEC, this is the same old set of senior citizens, with a major invasion of the military kind. The table below highlights the changes in the PNC leadership

Description Youths Women Military/Police Establishment East Indian Senior Citizens (over 65) Rural Amerindian

from the 2016 Congress to the 2018 Congress.

The evidence clearly reveals that the PNC, now fronting themselves as the APNU, are like a political party on another planet.

2016 2018 Change 5 3 (2) 10 8 (2) 3 5 2 2 10

2 12

NIL 2

3 1

2 1

(1) NIL

In this day and age, when the millennials are the dominant force in all 10 Regions, you would have expected an expansion in the youthful members on the CEC, but the reverse has happened.

I personally would like to celebrate the elevation of Volda Lawrence as the first female Chairman of the PNC, but when you drill down, you find that the devil is in the details, and the details speak to a different reality. In 2016, there were 10 women and 5 youths in that 20-member leadership body.

Today, the women’s group and the youth group have lost 2 places each.

Continued on page 5

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mondAY, october 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Opposition MP against Govt spending more on D’Urban Park – says no amount of investment can justify “corrupt transaction”

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overnment has recently announced plans to develop the controversial D’Urban Park into a user-friendly facility that could be the venue for various types of sporting activities, but Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill has said he is totally against the idea, because, from day one, the project has been a corrupt deal.

A former Junior Finance Minister, Edghill told Guyana Times in an interview that the idea being proposed by Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, is aimed at trying to bring some semblance of justification to the existence of the D’Urban Park as a facility that could become viable.

It was reported by the Department of Public Information (DPI) in early September that the D’Urban Park was due to undergo a massive upgrade in 2019 as a proposal made by the National Sports Commission (NSC), to be included in the National Budget for 2019.

Jones’s proposal involves enhancing the D’Urban Park with fencing, and paving a

Opposition MP Juan Edghill

significant portion of its inner space to make it more user-friendly.

“We recognise (that) in the afternoons and in the mornings it is heavily used by the public. We want to encourage that, but, of course, we want to ensure that the venue of itself is protected, and the persons who use the space between those times are comfortable,” he told the DPI. Edghill, however, has said no amount of spending at D’Urban Park can justify the fact that it has been

a corrupt transaction from its inception. “No amount of spending money -- fence it, hard court, etc -- could make it one free of corruption.

Where are the bills? Where is the evidence of who donated in cash and kind? Why are the documents not with the Auditor General?” he questioned.

“So, even if you try to put a clean sheet on this bed, it doesn’t make anybody believe that the bed is clean.

The sheet might be clean with the novel ideas that Jones is coming up with, but the D’Urban Park project is a corrupt transaction; it is calling for investigation,” the Opposition MP explained.

As a matter of fact, Edghill had written the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), calling for an investigation into D’Urban Park. Apart from receiving a letter of acknowledgment, the MP is yet to hear from the Commission.

However, he remains hopeful that something will be done.

He noted that his letter of complaint was sent at about the same time

The multimillion-dollar D’Urban Park facility

when his colleague, MP Gail Teixeira, had written the PPC on the controversial Demerara River Bridge feasibility study contract award. The matter was in fact investigated, and a report was handed over to the MP. “I would like to remind the PPC that a complaint and request is still on their desk,” he added.

He said, “Every time D’Urban Park is used, we have to pump money into it.

Do you know that D’Urban Park doesn’t have one toilet?

They have to contract to the tune of millions for toilet facilities, lights installed, re-

pairs etc. It is ill-conceived!

Why would you build something of that magnitude with rough wood? It was designed to attract funding in a corrupt manner, and that is our contention. Again, Minister David Patterson is at the centre of this one too,” he added.

Debate surrounded the construction of the Park after it was revealed, in 2016, that most of the stands had significant defects. After embarrassing disclosures about the poor construction work on the stands, President David Granger had announced that the Ministry

of the Presidency would take over responsibility for completion of the first phase of the project.

An audit subsequently found that the D’Urban Park had cost some $1.37 billion.

Despite the enormous cost to build and continually repair the facility, it has been grossly underutilised, with mostly vagrants using it for shelter, apart from some recreational activities ongoing there in the afternoons.

During the Mashramani celebrations, almost $6 million had been spent to do repairs on the D’Urban Park facility.

PNC in Government, and they have...

What is even more shocking is that the leadership of the party seems to be getting older and older, as the number of geriatrics in the leadership increased from 10 to 12 between 2016 and 2018.

Can you imagine 8 percent of Guyana is classified as geriatrics but 80 percent of the PNC leadership are geriatrics? With no disrespect to my elders, clearly the mix in the PNC does not represent Guyana.

When I look at the PPP LGE candidates, I am overwhelmed with how young, ethnically diverse, and gender-balanced the distribution is. When you look at the PNC candidates, you see dominating the scene people like Patricia Chase Green, an “has been”, washed-out politician who has many allegations of corruption against her, and is right now under investigation.

Is Dr Norton the best Amerindian candidate?

Someone with so many questions around his competence as a Minister and with serious allegation of financial foolishness against his character has no place in the leadership of any political party, much less a governing one. Unfortunately,

Out James Bond Basil Williams Lurlene Nestor Carol SmithJoseph Patricia Chase Greene Hazel Pinder

In Retired Brigadier Edward Collins Retired Rear Admiral Gary Best Richard Van West Charles Aubrey Norton Dr Karen Cummings Thandi Mc Allister

it is my considered view, the PNC made a major mistake by pushing Dr Norton in light of the formation of an Amerindian party soon.

When it comes to the Indo-Guyanese leaders, well there is nothing to say.

The PNC continue to certify themselves as a black party with little space for them in their leadership, notwithstanding the fact that 39 percent of the population is from that group. What is clear is that the powerful in the PNC have declared their intent: to hell with social cohesion and national unity in the PNC; it will not happen.

Who lost their seats?

James Bond, who campaigned hard for Volda Lawrence, lost his seat; which translates to the fact

that his support was irrelevant to her victory. Then there is the political shocker – Basil Williams. He will have to be co-opted, as the most senior lawyer in the PNC. Joe Harmon has been knocking at the door, but it is clear the PNC members do not trust him.

These results clearly establish that the members do not think Basil Williams or Joe Harmon can be the next leader of the par-

ty. However, if we understand the PNC well, what the membership wants is not what they will get, because the cabal that controls Congress Place may very well impose a leader on their members to circumvent the members’ choice – Volda Lawrence.

That said, we all, as Guyanese, must celebrate the fact that Volda Lawrence created history by becoming the first female PNC Chairman.

from page 4

It is a good thing for Guyana that she won. Her victory created a unique challenge for the PPP. My only advice to Ms Lawrence is: beware of the political charlatans, like James Bond who is feeding off of your work; and the geriatric ex-Generals, who are only there to do two things - undermine your work and advance their own cause.

Regards, Alex Duncan

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Page

Foundation

By David Cutler

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s a high school History teacher who is married to a middle school Maths teacher and is about to welcome our first child into this world, more than ever I value parents who entrust their children to the care of educators. We have an immense responsibility to teach and prepare other people’s children for future success in a caring, safe environment.

Over the years, I’ve met, worked beside, and learnt from teachers of all ages and from all types of schools.

Despite the differences between us and between our institutions, we find common ground on what we want parents to know about us.

We care about your child’s well-being

We care deeply about our students, and we want them to succeed – not just academically but in every facet of their lives. If a student is struggling, we’ll do whatever we can to help turn things around.

On a bad day, a student might need just a pat on the back and a little encouragement. At other times, helping students calls for staying after after-school activities to offer one-onone support. If the need arises, we’ll contact an academic support team, as well as parents, to create a plan of action.

In whatever scenario, know that we’ll be wondering if that child is feeling better. We’ll follow up to make sure the student knows how much we care, beyond the subject we teach. We show as much by cheering on students during their games, attending theatrical performances, complimenting artwork, and appreciating other notable achievements.

We want your child to succeed

Contrary to what some may believe, no teacher likes seeing a student struggle endlessly. In an ideal world, we would love it if every child excelled in every subject without difficulty, which would also make our jobs easier and less stressful.

However, meaningful learning seldom comes without effort for anyone.

Therefore, it’s critical to avoid demonising stress, struggle, and anxiety, which in healthy amounts are essential ingredients of lifelong learning. At certain times, it’s true that teachers want students to experience pressure, but not out of a twisted desire to see them squirm – we want them to gain resilience and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.

We know that learning is difficult

When your child encounters difficulty or anxiety with a unit of study or an assignment, please resist contacting the teacher right away – intervening may deprive your child of a chance to develop resilience, self-advocacy, and trouble-shooting skills.

Instead, encourage your child to advocate for themselves. This could include seeking help from a classmate or initiating a one-on-one meeting with a teacher.

We do want to hear from you if your child experiences sustained struggles and in the case of developments such as health difficulties, the loss of a loved one, or an updated learning profile.

We know your child has other responsibilities

We appreciate that students have other classes and commitments be-

yond what we teach and expect of them. To the best of our ability, we work hard to ensure that we’re assigning appropriate amounts of work.

If a student comes to us in advance of a due date with a scheduling conflict, many of us are likely to grant extension requests.

In dire circumstances such as urgent family matters or an emergency visit to the hospital, we think only of the student’s well-being and not the missed work. When the student is ready to return to school, we’re happy to help them catch up at a manageable pace.

We care deeply about what we teach

We love what we teach and try to stay current on developments in our fields: reading the latest literature, enrolling in academic courses and programmes, and attending meetings and conferences. We also take time to consider what and how we teach. In fact, we tend to spend much of our “time off” in the summer planning out how to do a better job in the fall. We take our disciplines seriously, and we work to instil similar enthusiasm in your children.

This often leads to our rethinking how to engage student interest while helping them see for themselves the real-world relevance of what and how they learn.

Lastly, know that we love what we do, and we work hard every day to make sure that students know that.

We want them to feel supported, and we want them to feel secure in knowing that when they stumble (as they all do), we’ll be there to help them learn and grow from their mistakes – the best and only way to learn. (edu-

topia.org)

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ffective communication is essential for building school-family partnerships. It constitutes the foundation for all other forms of family involvement in education.

Parent benefits Positive parent-school communications benefit parents. The manner in which schools communicate and interact with parents affects the extent and quality of parents' home involvement with their children's learning.

For example, schools that communicate bad news about student performance more often than recognising students' excellence will discourage parent involvement by making parents feel they cannot effectively help their children.

Parents also benefit from being involved in their children's education by getting ideas from the school on how to help and support their children, and by learning more about the school's academic programme’s and how it works. Perhaps most important, parents benefit by becoming more confident about the value of their school involvement. Parents develop a greater appreciation for the important role they play in their children's education.

When communicating with parents, consider your remarks in relation to the three categories that influence how parents participate.

For example, are you communicating about: Classroom learning activities?

The child's accomplishments?

How the parents can help at home with their child's learning?

Student benefits Substantial evidence exists showing that parent involvement benefits students, including raising their academic achievement.

There are other advantages for children when parents become involved – namely, increased motivation for learning, improved behaviour, more regular attendance,

and a more positive attitude about homework and school in general.

Teacher benefits Research shows that parental involvement can free teachers to focus more on the task of teaching children.

Also, by having more contact with parents, teachers learn more about students' needs and home environment, which is information they can apply toward better meeting those needs. Parents who are involved tend to have a more positive view of teachers, which results in improved teacher morale.

Good two-way communication Good two-way communication between families and schools is necessary for students' success. Not surprisingly, research shows that the more parents and teachers share relevant information with each other about a student, the better equipped both will be to help that student achieve academically.

Opportunities for two-way communication include: Parent conferences Parent-teacher organisations or school community councils Weekly or monthly folders of student work sent home for parent review and comment Phone calls E-mail or school website Communication Strategies Personal contact, including conferences, home visits, telephone calls, and curriculum nights or open houses, seems to be the most effective form of communication and may be among the most familiar.

However, the establishment of effective school-home communication has grown more complex as society has changed. The great diversity among families means that it is not possible to rely on a single method of communication that will reach all homes with a given message. It is essential that a variety of strategies, adapted to the needs of particular families and their schedules, be incorporated into an overall plan. (Excerpt from readingrockets.org) To be continued

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mondAY, october 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

MP slams Govt’s drive to repossess land, properties – says persons not given fair hearing in some revocation cases

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ver since taking up office in 2015, Government, through the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), has demonstrated an “unmanning proclivity” towards the repossession of property or the confiscation of private property and land, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall has said.

The MP’s comment comes in light of the recent publication, in the local press, of a notice pointing to Government’s plan to repossess vast amounts of land across Guyana, the most recent being 34 acres on western Hog Island, and 0.4591 of an acre of State Land at Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Nandall said this is only two of many other lands and private properties that have been repossessed by the coalition Government.

He said these scenarios give a greater insight into the Government’s land policy, and it is a worrying trend, especially since the Administration’s land distribution programme has ceased.

“I don’t know what drive the Government is on, but they are simply taking from the people. You look at their tax policy, it is basically taking money out of the hands of people; and now their land policy is taking land from people. They are not giving out lands, but they are now repossessing. It is a sick, authoritarian tendency that the Government is pursuing at almost every level,” he told Guyana Times on Sunday.

The former Attorney General said Government does not respect people’s property. He noted that his successor, Basil Williams, had attempted to acquire

two buildings situated next to the AG’s Chambers. One of those buildings belongs to a senior executive of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) party, Clarissa Riehl.

The Opposition MP alluded to a case in 2016 in which Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards had ruled in favour of a single mother who had challenged the State’s repossession of her home at Lot 902 Plantation Westminster in the community of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara. Represented by Nandlall, the woman had eventually won her case.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) had threatened, and had attempted, to confiscate dozens of core homes which were allocated under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government to single parents. Several lawsuits were subsequently filed challenging the State’s decision to repossess those homes.

The ruling in the woman’s case alluded to above had said repossession of the woman’s property was a violation of her fundamental right and freedom as is guaranteed to her by Article 142 of the Constitution of Guyana.

The ruling had also said repossession had breached any term or condition contained in any Agreement of Sale in respect of the said land, or any transport or certificate of title in relation to the said land, and was in breach of Article 142 of the Constitution of Guyana.

“You would recall the revocation of rice farmers’ leases by the President himself.

You would recall the attempt to take away Red House from the Cheddi Jagan Research

Former Attorney General, Opposition MP Anil Nandlall

Centre though a 99-year lease was issued. I am now doing a case where they are trying to take away people’s rice lands at Hope Estate,” the former Attorney General told Guyana Times.

Citing the recent notice which was published in the most recent issue of the Official Gazette, Nandlall said two farmers who had been occupying lands at Hog Island for over 25 years had visited his office recently.

“They have been farming those lands; they have been paying their rates, paying rent, provisional lease; built houses, drained the lands, dug canals; irrigated, and built it up. They have spent millions improving it,” he explained.

He noted that the occupants are also poor and cannot afford legal representation to challenge what he described as the “high-handed and executive lawlessness that is taking place at the level of Government.”

The former AG is of the firm belief that once the lands are repossessed, they will most likely be given to “party cronies.”

“What else are you going to do with these lands?

Who else will go and farm somewhere in Hog Island?”

he questioned. Nandlall said he is convinced that Government is trying to take away lands from farmers and occupiers, state lands under leases, provisional leases and licenses from across different parts of the

country.

“It is an ongoing process. I know of several leases along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway that have been revoked. These revocations are taking place without affording the people a hearing, and in violation of the lease itself and the State Lands Act, and in violation of the law,” he observed.

Under the Commission of Inquiry Act, President David Granger established, in March 2017, a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine and make recommendations to resolve all issues and uncertainties surrounding the claims of Amerindian land titling; the individual, joint or communal ownership of lands acquired by freed Africans; and any matters relating to land titling in

Guyana.

The Terms of Reference (ToR) of that CoI were subsequently published in the Official Gazette. The Commissioners were also appointed, and are mandated to render the final report, findings and recommendations to the President on or before November 1, or any later date as may be determined by the President.

It was later explained that the CoI was established based on a promise made by President Granger at the National Toshaos Conference (NTC).

However, a few months later, the CoI was put on pause by the President following a number of concerns raised

by Indigenous organisations and groups. (Samuel Sukhnandan)

Gunmen rob teenager of valuables along High Street

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hadrach Bridgemohan, a 17-year-old labourer of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, was on Saturday evening deprived of his valuables by two gunmen in the vicinity of the route 43 (Linden) minibus park on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

He had reportedly exited a minibus and was attempting to board another bus for Yarrowkabra, Linden/ Soesdyke Highway, when he was attacked.

Guyana Times understands that he was first choked from behind by one of the gunmen, who then

pointed a gun to his face while rifling his pockets and confiscating his mobile phone along with $8,000.

The perpetrators then quickly fled the scene, but a report was lodged and an investigation has been launched.

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Pensioner charged for forging US currency

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70-year-old man found himself before the court last week for forging Guyana and United States monies.

Dennis Harris of Cooper Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’

Courts to answer to the charges which stated that on September 27, 2018, at America Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud the public, he had in his possession one forged US$100 bill, a forged US$50 bill and a forged GY$1000 bill. The pensioner denied the charges when it

was read to him.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh objected to bail being granted on the grounds that the pensioner was a repeat offender. He informed the court that this is not the first time Harris is being charged for the offence.

Harris’s lawyer, Paul

Fung-A-Fat in his bail application told the court that his client was charged a long time ago and that charge has nothing to do with the present charge.

Magistrate Daly granted Harris $100,000 bail and adjourned the case to October 26.

Earning…

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…Nagga’s keep agamootoo’s sure been singing a lot recently in his Chronic column; but then his “supper” -- starting with his super salary, SUVs with outriders, foreign travel etc -- demands commensurate singing!! But in his latest, claiming the PPP “has resorted to old political tricks and terror tactics” in Berbice during the ongoing LGE campaign, he’s oblivious that he’s revealing what an old fake he is.

He had the gall to write, “Sita (his wife, also called “Mary”) and I received in the prime minister’s YARD several persons from our home villages, who confided that they have been threatened by PPP hacks.” Isn’t he ashamed he didn’t take his village folks INTO his house??

Or was he worried they’d freeze in the air conditioning he insisted be installed before he moved into the PM’s residence? Or these “fisher folks” might’ve dragged mud into his living room? But he’d know – and didn’t give a damn -- how insulting it is for village folks not to be invited into one’s house when visiting!

Nagamootoo illustrated his claimed PPP’s “old political tricks and terror tactics” with these words: “Party supporters were told not to attend the jhandis of “PNC pundits” (who were dubbed “bandits”); not to attend their weddings, birthdays, nine-days; not even their funerals.”

But where was Moses Nagamootoo – who insists he joined the party in 1964 – when all of this was going on?

Can he deny he rose in the party because he was one of the most vicious against those suspected of being “PNC”??

He went on to hypocritically bemoan, “It seemed that we are back to the old days when it was par for the political course to oppose, expose and depose.”

Surely, he hasn’t forgotten this phrase was initially used by Raphael Trotman, when he was in the PNC, to describe what ought to be the PNC’s strategy against the PPP?? This strategy later burst into action as “mo’ fyaah; slow fyaah” with such deadly and horrendous consequences. Yet Nagamootoo teamed up with Trotman, leader of the AFC, to eventually “depose” the PPP, and bring the country into the morass in which it now finds itself.

Nagamootoo’s written a book of fiction, and it’s clear he can’t stop fictionalising his life!! He used to carry on that Jagan promised, on a campaign stage in the Rupununi, that he (Nagamootoo) would lead the PPP after his (Jagan’s) death! Trouble was…no one else heard this!! Now he’s come up with another whopper to explain why Jagan made him Local Government Minister in 1995: “during a brief conversation at the National Park on May Day, that I should just follow what my father had done for his people”!!

The man’s lying on both his “Pas”!!! …a liar’s reputation Nagamootoo doesn’t seem to realise, in the age of Google, how easy it is to prove what a liar he is when he sings so oleaginously to the PNC for his supper. While he excoriated the PPP of Jagan as practising terror against who weren’t with the PPP, back in 2006, he’d boasted, “In Cheddi Jagan’s house, (the PPP) there is and must always be room for all races, all ethnicities, all cultures, all beliefs. In Cheddi Jagan’s house, there is room for all shades of opinions, different views and critical analyses”!!

So when was he lying, then or now??

In every utterance Nagamootoo makes in his columns, he attacks Jagdeo as the epitome of evil; yet, in that same 2006 speech, he vouchsafed, “I have watched Bharrat Jagdeo with unbiased eyes. I see in him a good person, who loves his country dearly, who portrays love of all races, love of children and our youth, and concern for the elderly. Moreover, I see in him a leader with an agenda to push development.”

What changed, Nagamootoo? …the President’s ire or approval?

A few months back, President Granger excoriated some PNC supporters for liming and hanging out at “Guinness Bars”.

What says he now that the SPU has built a bar at the LBI GuySuCo Staff Club to hang out??

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

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1 dead, several injured in 2-vehicle smash-up O ne man is now dead and several others injured following a two-vehicle smash-up in Georgetown in the wee hours of Sunday.

The dead man has been identified as Jason Marques, 26, of Lot 85 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The accident occurred around 01:50h at the intersection of Carmichael and Middle Streets, Georgetown and involved a motor car, with registration number PRR 4249, and a pick-up truck, PMM 528.

Dead: Jason Marques

According to reports, Marques was in the pickup which was being driven by a 26-year-old resident of Fourth Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, along with two other occupants – 17-year-old Mark Jacobs of Lot 32 Campbellville, Georgetown and 26-yearold Timothy Fairbian of Lot 212 Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

It was reported that the motor car, driven by a 25-year-old resident of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, was proceed-

ing north along Carmichael Street while the pick-up was proceeding east along Middle Street.

However, at the intersection, the driver of the car failed to stop and thus collided with the pick-up.

As a result of the collision, the pick-up toppled several times before coming to a halt. The driver and the three occupants were taken out of the vehicle in a conscious state, after public-spirited citizens smashed the front windscreen.

Prominent Guyanese law firm positions to benefit from oil and gas sector

Hughes, Fields and Stoby’s American partner Greg Clark speaking at the launch of the Hughes, Fields and Stoby Houston, Texas, USA PLLC at the Guyana Marriott Hotel

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he prominent Guyanese law firm of Hughes, Fields and Stoby has opened a law office in the United States oil capital, Houston, Texas, to tap into opportunities in the oil and gas sector.

Among the services that will be provided to oil and gas companies operating in Guyana, or planning to do so, are incorporations; labour advice; investment advice; provision of webinars on doing business in Guyana; expatriate orientation, and direct business-to-Government contact.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that clients would also have access to the publication of a high quality, well-researched e-magazine titled ‘Guyana Oil and Gas Report’ that would provide all subscribers with critical information to guide their investment decisions.

The launch of the Hughes, Fields and Stoby USA PLLC in Houston, Texas, took place last evening at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Managing Partner of the law firm, Attorney-at-Law

Nigel Hughes, explained that long before a potential investor even arrives in Guyana, the law offices of Hughes, Fields and Stoby would be on hand in Houston to guide clients and potential clients through what will be a complex process of establishing business relationships in Guyana.

“From legal representation right through to assistance with the appropriate business protocols and linkage to a network of officials in the public and private sectors, a client’s every need is attended to in ensuring the doors to doing business in Guyana are easily and readily open,” Hughes said.

Hughes noted that the

Houston operation affords the firm an opportunity to present a new image of Guyana as the preferred destination for investment in the oil and gas industry.

“We, collectively, all of us Guyanese, get an opportunity to positively change the image of our dear Guyana.

It is not often that the horizons of a country can change so dramatically in a positive sense overnight,” he said.

The law firm’s American partner, Greg Clark, will lead the Hughes, Fields and Stoby team in Texas. Clark is a former US Marine who had also worked for oil and gas companies ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum. continued on page 11

Managing Partner of the law firm Hughes, Fields and Stoby, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, and his wife, Cathy Hughes – the Minister of Public Telecommunications, are seated in the audience at launch of the Hughes, Fields and Stoby Houston, Texas, USA PLLC at the Guyana Marriott Hotel

The damaged pick-up at the Brickdam Police Station

They were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they were examined by a doctor on duty.

While receiving treatment, Marques succumbed to his injuries while Fairbian was admitted; his condition has been listed as critical. The teenager was treated and sent away.

The dead man’s sister, Nikita, told media operatives that they were informed of the accident around 03:30h when they received a phone call from a friend of her brother.

Upon learning of the accident, they rushed to the hospital where the 26-yearold father of two was receiv-

ing treatment. However, he succumbed around 04:00h.

Marques sustained injuries to his neck and spine.

According to his sister, Marques and his friends were at a popular night spot on Main Street, but they left and were on their way to another night spot in Alberttown when the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, the Police have confirmed that a breathalyser test was conducted on both drivers and they were found to be above the prescribed limit of alcohol consumption.

They are in custody assisting with the investigation.

(Vahnu Manikchand)

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GAC continues to promote Uitvlugt hit-and-run airline despite challenges Driver remanded for

killing youth Z

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Two of the banners erected in the vicinity of Bourda

lthough the management of the Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC) is battling with the Deeds and Commercial Registry to keep its initial name, the airline has been moving full steam ahead in promoting the company.

Only recently, the airline mounted several banners across Georgetown demonstrating the company’s determination that it is here to stay.

The company has so far hired 120 Guyanese and has a robust hiring programme for local youths as flight attendants.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Colin Abrams, in a brief comment, told Guyana Times that as the company sought to sort out the name of the airline, it was moving ahead with promotional work since that went a long way in telling

the Guyanese people that the airline was soon to commence operations here.

He noted too that he was working with an intelligent group of Guyanese to see the operations become a reality.

However, after the request for the name change, it was explained to the airline that the name it proposed to use coincided with another carrier’s and as such, it was urged to quickly de-register.

“Fast forward two years, they illegally and lawlessly unregistered my company just like that, without prior notification,” Dr Abrams stated in a recent release to the media.

He has since questioned whether the competitors were fearful of Guyana Airways Corporation Inc entering the market. He noted that the airline was made up of Guyanese, and moreover,

planned to offer affordable rates.

“The legacy carriers do not have an AB Initio pilot programme offering our local pilots an opportunity of advancement flying heavy jets. The legacy carriers do not have a hiring programme for our local youth as flight attendants; and also, (there is) nothing for Aircraft Dispatchers, Aircraft Engineers or Air Marshals. We do. We have so far hired 120 Guyanese citizens, with more interviews and hiring to come in all of the above categories,” Dr Abrams explained.

The airline, about a month ago, held an open day wherein it was announced that operations are expected to commence in October, with several Caribbean destinations and ultimately the United States of America being targeted.

ameer Ali made an appearance at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court last week and was remanded until October 9 by Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool after he was slapped with several charges, including causing death by dangerous driving.

Ali admitted to three of the charges which stated that on September 20, 2018, he was unlicensed to drive a motor vehicle, was driving an unfit motor vehicle (without motor vehicle insurance) and driving a heavily tinted vehicle.

The driver was also charged with causing death by dangerous driving to which he was not required to plead. Ali was further slapped with a charge of

Dead: Chapil Dave Kumar

failing to report an accident, but he denied this charge.

He was remanded to prison for the charges he denied and was expected to be fined for the charges

he admitted to on his next court appearance.

The accident resulted in the death of 23-yearold, Chapil Dave Kumar of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD). <<<Guyana Times>>> was informed that Kumar was reportedly standing on the southern side of the Uitvlugt Public Road waiting to cross the roadway when Ali, who was at the time proceeding west on the southern carriageway, struck him before quickly escaping the scene.

Kumar, who, according to an eyewitness account, had his leg severed when he was struck, was picked up and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Truck driver shot as gun accidentally goes off

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29-year-old security guard attached to the KGM Security Service is now in Police custody after he accidentally shot a truck driver at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Friday evening.

Injured is 41-yearold Richard Thomas, who is attached to Jaisingh’s Trucking Services.

Based on reports received, the alleged shooter was sitting in the tray of a pick-up truck bearing registration number GTT 4834 belonging to the Barama Company.

While in the tray, he had the gun on his lap but as the driver manoeuvred along the roadway, the truck slipped into a pothole thus causing the gun to bounce

several times and it accidentally went off.

As a result, Thomas was shot to his left ankle and right knee. He was quickly rushed to the Diamond hospital where he was treated and later sent away.

The firearm has since been lodged at the Police Station as investigations into the incident are continuing.

Duo robbed by gun-toting bandits at grocery shop

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wo armed bandits on Saturday evening attacked and robbed a minibus driver and his conductor while they were reportedly making a purchase at a shop at the Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The victims, 40-yearold Wazeem Hussain of

Section C Block Y, Golden Grove, EBD and 35-yearold Mark Richman, also of Golden Grove, along with others, were in the business place about 21:00h when the two armed men entered and instructed everyone to lie on the ground.

The perpetrators then relieved the two victims of their cash, documents and

cellphones. During the ordeal, one of the bandits discharged a round into the concrete floor, but no one was injured.

The men then quickly fled the scene on a blue Honda CG motorcycle. The Police were immediately summoned and an investigation was launched.

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GECOM system

PPP Commissioners slam lack of transparency – insist publication of nominator lists a statutory obligation

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are unhappy with the lack of accountability at that entity; and this is especially since there are just 43 days to go before Local Government Elections are held.

Those commissioners, in an interview with this publication, made it clear that there are times when requests for information get them nowhere.

One problem identified by Commissioner Sase Gunraj is the manner in which meetings are held.

“You’ve heard in the media us complaining and saying things recently about the quality of the meetings, the discussions, the timing of the meetings; and those statements are not very complimentary of GECOM,” he said.

“Because the meetings are truncated in terms of time, the discussions, sometimes even though they may be long-winded, do not end in implementable decisions,” Gunraj said. “And generally, at the commission level, it’s as though you have to squeeze blood out of stone to get

what is happening.”

According to Gunraj, those commissioners perceive the operations at the commission level are running on a need-toknow basis.

Elaborating on the way meetings are held, PPP Commissioner Bibi Shadick compared what obtains now to the days of former Chairman Steve Surujbally, who demitted office in 2017.

“Statutory meetings are held on Tuesdays and are supposed to start at one o’clock. From the first day, the Chairman announces that he’s not going beyond certain hours.

First it was five o’clock. Then it came up to four o’clock. Then, if something is being discussed and the Chairman doesn’t (want to stay), he gets up,” she explained.

“This has happened on more than one occasion. The thing about it is the commission under Surujbally was long hours, but at least we didn’t have a chairman that used to get up and walk out. This now is happening,” she declared.

Retired Justice James Patterson was appointed GECOM Chairman late last

The publication of the nominator lists, according to the commissioners, is a necessity

year. The commission would be holding Local Government elections on November 12. Already, much controversy has surrounded the elections, including political parties accusing each other of submitting fraudulent lists on Nomination Day.

Lists

Meanwhile, Gunraj also addressed concerns about the publication of the candidates and backers’ lists. While

Mason robbed of phones by armed bandits

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wo armed bandits on Saturday robbed a 20-year-old mason of his cellular phones while he was working at a Georgetown residence.

According to reports, Collie Grant of Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown was working with a 19-year-old colleague, casting a yard at a North Ruimveldt residence when around 12:00h, they

were confronted by two identifiable males.

One of the perpetrators, armed with a knife, asked Grant for $300,000 cash while his accomplice simultaneously whipped out a firearm from his pants waist.

The second perpetrator then used the weapon to hit the 20-year-old victim to his face and demanded that he hand over all his valuables.

Grant complied and handed over one iPhone S5 valued $35,000 and one Samsung Galaxy J3 Emerge valued $43,000.

The two perpetrators then escaped in an unknown direction.

The incident was subsequently reported at the East La Penitence Police Station, and an investigation has since been launched.

Government officials have suggested that this should not have been done at all, Gunraj has insisted that the law makes it necessary.

“All that is done for elec-

tions are a statutory process.

Included in that process is that, upon receipt of the lists by the Returning Officer on Nomination Day within the specified period, they are required by law to post that list in a conspicuous place outside the RO office. That was done,” he said.

“In fact, myself and other commissioners looked at this exercise at various RO offices throughout the Coast. I was on the East Coast; I know Commissioner Shadick was on the East Bank. I was also at Critchlow Labour College, where it was attended by a large media contingent (and) in person by the Minister of Communities and the Chairman of GECOM.” Gunraj noted that all those officials had observed the process, and he denied claims that the lists were published because of the PPP Commissioners.

At a recent Alliance for Change (AFC) press conference, it was reported that that party’s Campaign Manager, David Patterson, had compared publicising of the lists to opening a can of worms. But according to Gunraj, the transparency it afforded highlighted electoral fraud.

“It is an outcome of the viewing of these lists that all these issues have now arisen.

People started to complain that they never signed lists. People started to complain that they did sign lists, but were duped into so doing,” he said.

“They were told they were signing for better roads or old age pension. Another one I heard was they was listing persons to join a Community Policing Group. All of those are instances of fraud,” Gunraj said, adding that no right thinking person should countenance such things.

Prominent law...

from page 9

Clark commended the law firm for abiding by required ethical standards and having an impeccable reputation. He said the goal is to expedite and encourage the coming to Guyana of not only additional oil companies or oil-related service companies, but hopefully the firm can be the portal for new industries, new companies coming to Texas beyond the oil and gas sector.

“I like to call it ‘legislative watchman’, that the firm will keep their eyes out for every law, rule, regulation or policy that could impact our cli-

ents,” Clark explained. He said the firm will provide a draft of that document, along with a memorandum summarising the potential impact that new legislation can have on the company.

Hughes, Fields & Stoby, in partnership with Access Point, is the first local legal and business protocol firm to establish a presence in Houston, Texas in recognition of the emerging important relationship between the American energy capital and Guyana, as an emerging energy powerhouse.

Also attending last evening’s event were the Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, wife of Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes; and Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin; Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson; Head of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe; United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway; other members of the diplomatic corps, and members of the private sector.

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“Green economy initiative to highlight new paths for Guyana’s development” – Holder

Rose Hall Town 48th Anniversary

Council halts celebrations …as Agriculture Month 2018 is – Committee moves ahead

officially launched

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he Rose Hall Town Council was not granted permission to carry out its planned list of activities as the town prepares for its 48th anniversary. This is due to a court injunction.

Acting Town Clerk Natasha Griffith related that the injunction to halt the celebrations was sent August 23, 2018.

However, the Rose Hall Town Anniversary and Development Organisation (RHTADO) commenced the celebratory events.

Public Relations Officer and RHTADO founder Andrew Griffith highlighted the list of activities planned for youths within the town and the theme for this year’s celebration, “Working together to achieve prosperity”.

According to Griffith, the 14th Annual Spelling B Competition for Grade Six students commenced at the Rose Hall Town Primary School and will see several primary schools vying for top honours.

On September 27, another spelling bee was launched at the Lower Corentyne Comprehensive School and will involve four secondary schools from Region Six. ‘ The PRO also stated that a five-a-side football tournament commenced on September 29 at the Rose Hall Town Primary School’s

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

A The security hut donated by the RHTADO

compound.

In addition, a new security hut was donated by the RHTADO. The town of Rose Hall is located on the Corentyne Highway, 29 kilometres from New Amsterdam and was formerly a village district. Rose Hall is a community found in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The town was once owned by Dutch planters

and later purchased by field slaves. In 1908, Rose Hall acquired village status and it was not until 1970 that it became a town.

The Rose Hall is an economic hub in the Berbice region. It has a population of about 8000 people in an area of some 13 km.

Rose Hall is divided into three wards – Middle Rose Hall, East Rose Hall and Williamsburg.

griculture Month 2018 was officially launched on Sunday in the subject Ministry’s compound under the theme “Shaping Agriculture for a Green Economy”.

The month-long activities began with an annual Interfaith Service, which saw a number of Ministry personnel and other special invitees in attendance.

While delivering the feature address, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder explained the significance of this year’s theme and the Ministry’s role in making Guyana a green economy.

“A green economy is one where the economy, society, and environment are taken into account. It seeks to highlight the new path which is being crafted under our Green State Development Strategy – the blueprint for a better quality of life for all Guyanese,” Holder said.

Minister Holder further stated that Guyana has been advocating the sustainable development agenda and is committed to shaping a green economy to guarantee that sustainable development is synonymous with national development.

The programme saw a number of cultural and religious items that spoke of agriculture’s history and its role in uniting society and ensuring survival.

Also delivering remarks was Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, Delma Nedd, who said that sustainable use of agricultural practices by stakeholders can play a vital role in ensuring that a sustainable agricultural system was realised.

“In moving towards green productive agriculture, improvements in production systems and crop and livestock breeding programmes can result in significant increases in food production.

One knows that with invest-

ments in proper facilities, quality assurance, processing and alliances with partners to enable access to new markets, non-traditional agriculture can become a sustainable engine for economic growth,” Nedd said.

Noting that agriculture provides significant opportunities for growth, investment

“In shaping a green economy – everyone has a role to play. For instance, you can participate as we observe our National Tree Day on Friday, October 5 and plant a tree in your community…. as is urged by the theme, "Trees. Good for the community...great for the country," Minister Holder said.

Some of the activities planned for the month are Food and Agriculture Organisation’s World Food Day Exhibition and Fair, Ministry’s agencies’ Open Day, the Guyana Shop’s anniversary celebrations, and the Pesticide and Toxic Chemicals Control Board’s pesticide awareness in secondary schools drama competition, etc.

Minister Holder also echoed the call for youths to get more involved in agriculture.

“To shape agriculture for a green economy, we must involve our youths, since we have an aging farming population. We believe it’s important to spark the interest in agriculture while at

Permanent Secretary Delma Nedd

and jobs, Minister Holder said that the Ministry was aiming to re-orient and diversify the sector.

“The Ministry of Agriculture aims to contribute towards this goal through sustainable, productive, climate-resilient and diversified agriculture.

Specifically, the re-orientation and diversification of the sector, reducing reliance on traditional sub-sectors and opening new, higher value-added and higher growth industries and investment opportunities for sustainable income generation,” Minister Holder said.

The subject Minister also lobbied for all Guyanese to play a role in ensuring a green economy is achieved and encouraged persons to participate in the Ministry’s tree planting initiative.

school, so that youths will choose to specialise in agricultural fields in their tertiary education. I urge all schools to participate in the Annual Agriculture Open Day at Mon Repos on October 19,” Minister Holder said.

This year, several agencies will place emphasis on the use of alternative energy as a means of reducing the cost of production for commodities.

Exhibitions like the National Green Expo and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute/InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (NAREI/IICA) Alternative Energy Supply Event at the Guyana National Stadium will directly address and expound on these initiatives.

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monDAY, october 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Hundreds flock St Cuthbert’s Mission Heritage celebration

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe

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s the month-long Indigenous Heritage celebration culminated, hundreds of patrons from all walks of life were yesterday treated to the sights, tastes and sounds of the rich Indigenous culture at St Cuthbert’s Mission in the Mahaica river.

According to the Department of Public Information, activities commenced at the village benab with poems, dances, songs

and renditions from various cultural groups within the only Indigenous settlement in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); and all of those activities depicted the way of life of Guyana’s first peoples.

There were also live demonstrations of the process of making cassava bread.

In brief remarks made at the opening ceremony, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie

Garrido-Lowe, reflected on what ‘heritage’ means to the people of Guyana.

The Minister said that while the Indigenous peoples use the month to showcase their culture, “it is more than that; it is a month of reflection and celebration of how far we have come as a people.”

Minister Garrido-Lowe reminded that the entire process had commenced with the late Stephen Campbell, Guyana’s first Indigenous parliamentarian, who had led the fight for land rights for the first peoples.

“We have much to celebrate. We have come through a lot through the centuries, and we have emerged strong,” she declared.

She commended all those in the village who have been preserving their Indigenous identity through teaching of the Arawak language.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, called on the entire community to become a ‘language champion,’ even as the community continues to

Cassava bread-making

lead the way in preserving the Arawak language.

“I recognise that time has had its effects on the various aspects of the Indigenous culture of this country, and particularly that of our language. I want to call all of you to action, to become a language champion similar to that of St. Cuthbert’s

Mission; for we know a connection to our language and identity is not just about an indigenous issue, it is a human issue.”

Toshao Beverley Clenkian highlighted some of the achievements of the village over the past years.

She noted that the village has produced many trained

teachers, doctors, nurses and Medexes, and successful sportsmen and women.

Clenkian said the village is proud of these achievements, and she urged the residents to use the event to recognise those persons who would have made the village proud.

A cultural group performing a dance

Patrons at the St Cuthbert’s Mission Heritage celebrations

Guyana joins rest of world in observing International Day of Peace

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SASOD Director Joel Simpson

ust over a week ago, the Guyana Equality Forum (GEF) held its third annual “Peace Day and Fun Day” in observance of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace under the theme, “The Right to Peace: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70.”

The Fun Day, which was held at the Guyana National Service (GNS) Ground, saw the participation of members of the GEF organisations and Guyanese from all walks of life. UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka delivered

opening remarks and officially declared the games open.

The UN Resident Coordinator referred to a recent report published by the Georgetown Law Human Rights Institute this year titled “Trapped: Cycles of Violence and Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Persons in Guyana”.

Tanaka stated: “The “Trapped” report documents the heart-breaking plight of LGBT Guyanese. The discrimination and bullying that people experience on a daily basis because of their gender and sexual orientation are unacceptable. The act of discrimination or bullying disrespects the dignity of the affected persons, and violates their right to life, liberty, and security.

“Furthermore, it fosters hate, prejudice, intolerance and division in society.

Ignorance and indifference provide the fertile ground for hate and discrimination to grow like a cancer. It is so important to foster the voice and acts of conscience, reason, courage, compassion

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka

and understanding to curb this social cancer,” the UN Representative pleaded.

Teams from civil society in Berbice dominated the games, including United Bricklayers, who emerged as the champion team of day, and Comforting Hearts, who placed third at the end of the games. Both groups are based in New Amsterdam.

Family Awareness, Consciousness Togetherness (FACT) from Corriverton came in fourth place, while Guyana’s Society Against Sexual Orientation

United Bricklayers from New Amsterdam (Joseph Allen photo)

Discrimination (SASOD) placed second.

The top three teams were awarded trophies.

Competitors placing first to third received individual medals for all of the activities, which included a series of sprint and relay races, along with novelty games such as lime and spoon, jockey race, sack race, buns-eating competition.

The third annual GEF Fun Day provided an opportunity for diverse civil soci-

ety groups and Guyanese of all walks of life to come together through sports and entertainment to build peace, unity, and social cohesion.

This signature GEF event promotes Guyanese civil society working in unison for respect and protection of the rights of all people, regardless of race, age, religion, class, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability status, health sta-

tus, or any other human characteristic, in keeping with the mandate of the network.

The GEF is a network of civil society groups working cohesively to achieve equal rights and justice for all Guyanese. It currently has 26 registered member organisations from across the coastal regions of the country. SASOD Guyana serves as the secretariat of the GEF. (Brandon Corlette)

16 news

mondAY, october 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

28 ranks dismissed from Prison Service in 2018 – Samuels ...Ramjattan urges officers to speak out against wrongdoing

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s the 35th Prison Service Week kicked off with a thanksgiving ceremony on Sunday morning, the issue of rogue elements being within the Guyana Prison Service and contributing to contraband smuggling within the system was highlighted, and calls have been made for ranks to speak out against wrongdoing by their colleagues.

In his address to the gathering at the special service held at the Cecil Kilkenny Training School at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, the acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, disclosed that so far for the year, some 28 prison officers have been dismissed, 11 of whom had facilitated or directly smuggled contraband into the prison system.

Samuels said 12 ranks are currently interdicted from duty, nine of whom have been charged either departmentally or crimi-

Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels

nally for trafficking-related activities.

Contraband smuggling has long been a perennial problem within the prison system, and compounded by facilitation from both prison and Police officers, the illegal trade is said to be “big business”.

In fact, only last week, four prison officers were arrested for smuggling a bot-

tle of rum and a pack of cigarettes into the Lusignan Prison the weekend prior. They were subsequently charged and interdicted from duty.

Further, five other prison officers were relieved of their duties back in July after they were fingered in an incident in which a parcel containing cannabis had been thrown into the Holding Bay area of the Lusignan Prisons.

Samuels told the gathering that the rogue elements within the organisation will sooner or later be weeded out of the organisation.

“Of course there are some rogue elements in our midst, who are like salt and pepper in a fresh wound.

But by and by, they will weed themselves out… Let them remind themselves that in Guyana we say, ‘Time longer than twine’,” the Director of Prisons asserted.

Also addressing the gathering at the thanksgiving service was Public

Drivers call for better location of Route 42 bus park …say passengers fearful

Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who used the opportunity to urge ranks within the Prisons Service to do better in the face of wrong, and to speak out when collusion is observed.

“The fact that we can introspect and say that ‘I should not have done that’, or ‘I should not have seen my colleague done that and not speak up’, I’ve said on several occasions that silence is violence. If we shut our mouths to the wrongdoings, (they) will occur; so we

must speak out,” the Public Security Minister said.

Ramjattan outlined that the Prison Service has been seeing a surge in instances of collusion by some of its members. To this end, he called for a higher level of integrity to exist among officers.

“We can have all the infrastructural developments and arrangements in concrete fashion, but if we do not have the professional officers and work staff wanting to do their jobs

with integrity, all that is beautiful around you (will) all come to nought,” the Minister posited.

He noted that great institutions are made up of individuals who, upon seeing wrongdoing, speak out.

“They [did], as we must (do) today, realise that they must grow out of the wrongdoing; grow out of the corruption; grow out of the greed and avarice; and they became institutions that are world renowned,” Ramjattan said.

Banks DIH introduces “Wave” to market

G

uyana’s beverage giant Banks DIH Ltd on Friday evening launched its newest product “Wave” Pale Ale at the Gravity Lounge, Regent and Camp Streets, Georgetown.

The launching party was attended by special invitees and business associates who were all given samples of the new beverage.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Sales and Marketing Executive of the beverage company, Carlton Joao highlighted that the new product signalled a new genre of beverages in Guyana.

“Wave” is a pale ale brewed from special malt called pale malt, which

guarantees white foam and a dark brown colour. Joao added that there would be a lot of sampling of the new product along the way since he was aware that Guyanese take a long time to adjust to new beverages.

The pale ale is the first to be produced in Guyana by any beverage company. “Wave” pale ale will be available at all major supermarkets and retail centres at a cost of $5000 per case of 24 bottles.

CYEN hosts clean-up campaign at No 63 Beach Scarce passengers and reduced operations on Bugle Street since the relocation of the bus park

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he quantity of passengers who utilise the route 42 (DiamondGrove) buses to travel and conduct daily errands has diminished significantly and according to drivers, it is due to the far distance and unscrupulous operators who are operating outside of the recently relocated bus park.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, the troubled drivers shared their complaints as they have not been able to make a proper daily earning since commuters are refusing to traverse the additional journey to reach the bus park.

Additionally, others are choosing to utilise taxis and other transportation which will get them to their destination faster than waiting for the buses to full.

One driver who identified himself as Derrick (only name given) told this publication that a day’s scenario involves many buses leaving the park with just a few passengers because it now takes close to 40 minutes to acquire a full load.

“Some days, instead of

15 person you leaving here with seven or even less.

The trouble is to walk at the back here with all your goods that you buy through this sun. The couple [persons] that reach here don’t want to wait so we got to go away with half load.”

He explained that while the vehicles are consuming the same amount of fuel to complete the route, they are making just over half of their daily earnings.

“It really hard for us cause they saying is years we gotta spend here. Some of us don’t know if we lasting til Christmas. When we getting the park back? This is not even a park. We operating on the street.”

“I get a conductor that got to get pay by the end of the day. I got to buy gas and then I got to give bribe to the constab [City Constabulary] cause they coming every hour to check if we just step out of the line. That’s the truth. This is a hole cause some people still don’t know that we here!” said another by the name of Sheik.

It was relayed by him

that they drivers are also afraid to work into the late evening hours since the robbery rate in the area is skyrocketing. The prevalence of petty thieves is increasing in the nights, whereby commuters are constantly being relieved of the belongings, mostly phones, cash and jewellery.

The men noted that they would’ve made efforts to contact the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) but to no avail.

Since August, the park was relocated to make accommodation for vendors of the Stabroek Wharf which was deemed unsafe until rehabilitative works are carried out. Some have been placed on Bugle Street while the others are currently at Water Street.

Drivers are calling for the Town Council to look into the issue and hopefully provide another spot which is not detached from the Stabroek Market and its adjoining transportation hub.

Members doing their part to keep the beach clean

T

he Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) Guyana recently held its annual clean-up campaign at the Number 63 Beach, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

The activity was conducted in recognition of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day, which was held on September 15.

Approximately 35 volunteers were able to remove 80 pounds of garbage left on the beach by those who frequent the seashore.

Among the volunteers were students of the University of Guyana Berbice Campus and members of the Rotaract Club of New Amsterdam and Youth Arm of the Chamber of Commerce.

National CYEN Coordinator Kiefer Jackson called on those using the beach to be more responsible. She urged them to reduce their usage of single-use plastic, since plastic pollution was a problem.

She also urged persons to collect their garbage and

place it in disposable bags, but more importantly, she challenged them to use items that could be recycled.

Additionally, Jackson stated that the placement of garbage bins on the beach would be an effective method to reduce the amount of garbage on the coastline.

She insists that the community and other stakeholders should have systems in place to make sure that the suggestions are adhered to.

The CYEN clean-up activities are usually assisted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Puran Brothers and numerous funders.

It was noted that the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the area should play a huge role in assisting the clean-up activity at Number 63 Beach.

CYEN is usually involved in clean-up activities and has focused on various locations particularly the seawall and Number 63 Beach in addition to the Wismar riverside in Linden.

Recently, the CYEN had approximately 200 volunteers at its clean-up activity

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mondAY, october 1, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Indonesia earthquake: Dozens feared trapped under quake rubble, toll jumps to 832

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ozens of people are thought to be trapped under the rubble of buildings in the Indonesian city of Palu following an earthquake and tsunami.

Rescuers are awaiting heavy machinery to search the ruins of a hotel and a shopping centre as aftershocks made it unsafe for them to go in.

They have been getting water and food to some of those trapped, who have been screaming for help to get out.

The quake and tsunami killed at least 832 people, officials say.

Military aircraft have been evacuating some of the injured

The national disaster agency has announced plans for mass graves and one that

was being dug on Sunday night is expected to hold at least 300 bodies.

Indonesian President

Joko Widodo visited the region to urge a "day and night" effort to rescue survivors.

Local media report that mobile phone signals have been detected in the rubble of the shopping mall and shouts can be heard under the debris of the Roa Roa Hotel.

One volunteer, Thalib Bawano, told AFP news agency that three people had been rescued from the hotel rubble, where more than 50 people may be trapped.

"We also heard voices at several points, including a child," he said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Grenada wants C'bean Macedonia referendum: to serve as “test case” for Low turnout in name climate-related technologies change vote

The Caribbean also represents “some of the most globally compelling business cases for sustainable renewable energy investment”

G

renada has called on other Caribbean nations and Small Island Developing States to serve as “test cases” for nationwide implementation of climate-related technologies and advances.

In addressing the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly Debate on Saturday, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter David said the Caribbean also represents “some of the most globally compelling business cases for sustainable renew-

able energy investment”.

“Being climate smart goes beyond policies,” he said. “It goes beyond resilient housing, resilient infrastructure and resilient agriculture.

“It means that the Region can also serve as a global beacon for renewable energy and energy efficiency,” David added. “We aim to not only be resilient, but with our region's tremendous potential in hydro-electricity and geothermal energy, we could also be climate smart.”

(Excerpt from CMC)

Former Maldives leader freed on bail a week after election

Shortly before polls ended, the electoral authorities said only over a third of Macedonians had voted, short of the 50 per cent needed for referendum be valid

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urnout has been low in the referendum held in Macedonia on whether to change its name to North Macedonia to end a long-running dispute with Greece.

Shortly before polls ended, the electoral authorities said only over a third of Macedonians had voted, short of the 50 per cent needed for it to be valid.

Athens believes its northern neighbour's name implies a territorial claim on the Greek region of Macedonia.

Court Judge for attempting to topple Yameen, who declared a 45-day state of emergency to block his impeachment.

The High Court released Gayoom on a bail of 60,000 rufiyaa ($3,900) and

Greece had blocked Macedonia's EU and Nato membership bids.

Some nationalists – including the country's President – had urged a boycott of Sunday's referendum.

Despite the poor turnout, early results showed over 90 per cent of voters were in favour of the name change.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev urged Parliament to "confirm the will of the majority", according to AFP. He has threatened to call early elections if it does not. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

he was also ordered not to travel abroad without its permission.

Gayoom was serving a 19-month jail term for obstruction of justice and was also under trial on a "terrorism" charge. (Excerpt from Al

Jazeera)

As Brexit divisions widen, PM May challenges Brexit critics

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rime Minister Theresa May called on her party on Sunday to unite behind her plan to leave the European Union, making a direct appeal to critics by saying their desire for a free trade deal was at the heart of her Brexit proposals.

At the start of what is set to be one of the Conservative Party’s stormiest annual conferences, May’s plans were once again attacked by two former Ministers, with her ex-Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, calling them “deranged”.

But she also won strong backing from other Brexit supporting Ministers, with Trade Minister Liam Fox and Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt turning their

F

ormer Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has been released on bail a week after his estranged half-brother Abdulla Yameen was defeated in a presidential election.

Gayoom, the Indian Ocean island nation's longest-serving leader, and

his legislator son Faris Maumoon were released on Sunday by the High Court in capital Male after they filed fresh appeals against their controversial convictions.

Gayoom, 80, was arrested in February along with the country's Chief Justice and another Supreme

W

hite House adviser Kellyanne Conway has revealed that she was sexually assaulted as a younger woman.

"I'm a victim of sexual assault," she told CNN without giving details. Conway, 51, has hinted previously that she was molested by Congressmen.

The comment came as she was defending President Donald Trump's embattled

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who is facing allegations of sexual assault.

"I feel very empathetic... towards victims of sexual assault," she said.

The Senate vote on Kavanaugh's nomination was delayed dramatically this week when the President ordered further FBI background checks on his character.

Reuters)

Women rally against Brazil’s frontrunner

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A huge banner was held up in Sao Paulo, reading "not him"

ens of thousands of women have taken to the streets of Brazil to protest against the farright presidential election front-runner Jair Bolsonaro.

The words Ele Nao (not him) were seen on stickers and banners and were shouted by the crowds.

Bolsonaro was stabbed at a rally earlier this month and is currently leading in the polls ahead of the first round of elections on October 7.

But a run-off vote is likely to be much closer.

A former army captain, Bolsonaro is a hugely controversial figure and has sparked outrage with homophobic and misogynist comments.

He once told a congresswoman she was not worth raping and has equated homosexuality with paedophilia.

Some have compared the 63-year-old to Donald Trump. He enjoys the backing of millions of evangelical Christians who praise his anti-abortion stance. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Powerful Typhoon Trami hits Japan, injuring dozens

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powerful typhoon is battering Japan, causing widespread travel disruption.

Kellyanne Conway: “I'm a victim of sexual assault”

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled Maldives for 30 years until 2008, was serving a 19-month sentence [Reuters]

anger against the EU, for “taunting Theresa May, one of the most unfailingly polite people”.

Just six months before Britain is due to leave the EU in the country’s biggest shift in foreign and trade policy in more than 40 years, the debate over how to leave the bloc is still raging in the centre-right Conservative Party, and even in Government.

May’s already fragile leadership was put under further pressure this month when the EU rejected parts of the so-called Chequers plan. But she put a positive spin on those talks, saying she was ready to consider the EU’s concerns. (Excerpt from

In an earlier confirmation hearing watched by millions in the US and around the world, Dr Christine Blasey Ford accused the Judge of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers in the 1980s.

The FBI is also investigating an allegation of historic sexual misconduct made by at least one other woman, Deborah Ramirez.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Typhoon Trami made landfall on Sunday at 20:00 local time (11:00 GMT) near the western city of Osaka, with gusts of up to 216 kilometres per hour (134 miles per hour).

Many flights and train services were cancelled as the storm moved eastward.

More than 750,000 homes lost power.

At least 84 people suffered minor injuries. The typhoon comes less than a month after the country's strongest storm in 25 years hit western Japan.

Typhoon Jebi caused widespread flooding and at least seven deaths in early September. (BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, october 1, 2018

ARCHIE

Keep an open mind when dealing with peers, friends (March 21- and family. Engage in talks April 19) that will help you better understand how others feel and how to best move forward.

ARIES

Personal change will bring TAURUS you the most satisfaction.

(April 20- You will face some trepidaMay 20) tion from those who don’t like disruptions, but in the end, praise will come your way.

dilbert

Logic and reason will GEMINI (May 21- get you back on track.

June 20) Concentrate on how to make the most of your time and attributes. Pushing to get ahead will discourage the people holding you back.

Emotional setbacks should be shared with a loved (June 21- one. Together, you will find a July 22) way to overcome any adversity you face. Look for a unique way to deal with opposition.

CANCER

Peanuts

Ask for help and get LEO things done. Speak up about (July 23- your plans and listen to sugAug. 22) gestions, but don’t let an unrealistic idea lead to financial loss. Moderation will save you from disaster.

A change of pace or a visit to VIRGO an unfamiliar place will spark (Aug. 23- your imagination. Change is Sept. 22) coming down the pipeline, and

Calvin and Hobbes

new possibilities are within reach. A physical update will draw compliments.

Take control of your life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23- Do whatever is necessary to Oct. 23) improve your relationships with your peers or family members. Speak up and let others know what you want and expect.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — LINOLEUM (LINOLEUM: lih-NO-lee-um: A durable, washable floor covering.)

Keep busy. Let your acSAGITTARIUS complishments be your call(Nov. 23- ing card. The more you put Dec. 21) into professional goals, the easier it will be to use your skills to advance.

Average mark 20 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 31 or more words in LINOLEUM? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY’S WORD — FANCIED face fade fend fiance fiend find fine aced acid acne aide naif

nice cafe cane iced idea dace dance deaf dean decaf dice dine

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

Look for an alternative SCORPIO before you give in or give up.

(Oct. 24Don’t let someone’s pushiNov. 22) ness lead you astray. Love who you are and promote what you have to offer.

solution for last published puzzle

Walk away from anyone CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- pushing you to conform or to Jan. 19) take part in something you don’t feel good about. An unexpected change at home will end up being beneficial.

How you handle personAQUARIUS al finances, negotiations and (Jan. 20- your health will count for Feb. 19) much. Think matters through and take a practical, safe route to achieve victory.

The signals you get will PISCES (Feb. 20- be easy to read. If you act on March 20) your instincts, you will improve your life. A physical change will boost your confidence.

mondAY, october 1, 2018

19

Hamilton wins Russian Grand Prix but unhappy with team orders S hould Lewis Hamilton go on to secure the world championship this year, his win at the Russian Grand Prix will be the only victory in a superlative season from which he will take no pleasure. His victory, ensured the moment Mercedes employed orders allowing him to pass his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, proved an ill-sitting success defined by the decidedly uncelebratory figures of the Mercedes drivers on the podium as well as their team below them.

Hamilton has been explicit in the past in his desire for the team not to employ orders and was uncomfortable with their use in Russia after he took the flag in front of Bottas.

“It is definitely a win on my list of wins that I am least proud of,” he said. “The strangest day I can remember in my career. I want to win the right way. As racing drivers we exist to win; if you tell us we can’t, it is like you are taking our life away. I would never wish it on someone else and I would never ask for it ever. I made sure in a meeting that they knew this is not how I want to win.”

There was the expect-

Lewis Hamilton celebrates a one-two finish with his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi

ed disapproval that the distasteful spectre of team orders always provokes yet the decision was unsurprising.

Team orders have long been legal in F1 and Mercedes, aware of Ferrari’s strong challenge this year, were unwilling to leave anything to chance.

It is an unedifying way for a race to be decided but it was both understandable and planned for. With Sebastian Vettel finishing third, Hamilton extended his title lead to 50 points, a

Real Madrid without Ramos and Bale for CSKA clash

S

ergio Ramos and Gareth Bale are among four Real Madrid stars missing from the squad to visit CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Julen Lopetegui omitted the pair from his 20-man travelling party after they both picked up problems in Saturday’s scoreless derby draw against Atletico Madrid.

Spain international Ramos sustained a cut during a clash of heads with Saul Niguez early in proceedings, although he recovered to see out the contest.

Bale’s fitness is of greater concern, the Wales winger having been forced off at half-time with a suspected thigh injury.

Left-back Marcelo and inform Isco missed that match and have again been ruled out as they recover from a respective calf injury and appendicitis.

Madrid sit top of Group G on three points thanks to a convincing 3-0 victory over Roma in the first match of their trophy defence.

(Sportsmax)

10-point gain, as opposed to the three-point boost second place would have delivered.

The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, charged with returning a drivers’ and constructors’ title, was as ruthless as his board members would have wanted. “It’s deflating for drivers and for a team but there is a harsh reality also,” he said. “On a day like this you can extend the lead by seven points more in a championship that has been very tough and difficult at times,

so you have to take it.”

Hamilton echoed his rationale given what might still happen in the five races that remain. “The team were considering the car breaking down or losing two more engines,” he said. “We could lose the championship and that was their reasoning, hard as it is to swallow.”

Ultimately Mercedes’ decision was brought about after they had been caught on the hop by Ferrari. With Bottas leading from pole and Hamilton and Vettel settling

into second and third, the Scuderia took the initiative, sending Vettel into the pits for the undercut. The move worked and after Hamilton’s stop he emerged behind the German.

Hamilton had to charge and he pressured Vettel, who locked up through turn 13. Hamilton closed and made an effort to pass on the run to turn two. Vettel defended but was out of position and caught in turn four when Hamilton dived up the inside to retake the place.

Coming back at Vettel had been at a cost of causing some blistering to his tyres. With the German still a threat the team opted to give Hamilton Bottas’s place, moving the Finn into a buffering position in front of Vettel.

Bottas was visibly and understandably disappointed. He has yet to win this year and, with pole and leading the race, had done everything that might be expected of him. In Hungary last year, when he moved over for Hamilton, the British driver gave the place back when he could gain no advantage. The Finn may have hoped for a repeat but, with the title at stake, it was simply not going to happen.

“Lewis is fighting for the drivers’ championship and I’m not,” Bottas acknowledged. “From the team’s point of view it was the ideal result today. Maybe not ideal for me but for the team, yes.”

Vettel knows this was another stinging blow to his title hopes and, as he races for a team who have employed team orders brutally in the past, he was understanding of Mercedes’ decision. “Well done to both of them, they played together as a team very well,” he said. As the two Mercedes drivers faced the press afterwards he even came to their defence.

Certainly Mercedes will not lose any sleep as they head to the next round in Japan. If Hamilton does take the title, he will still have some exceptional performances to remember long after the discomfort of this one is forgotten but he will also remember he has cause to be thankful to Bottas.

“Never, ever in my whole life has it been the way I’ve wanted to win a race,” he said. “I just want to shine it on to Valtteri. There are not many teammates who would do something like that.” (The

Guardian)

Cristiano Ronaldo denies rape claim as "fake news" I n an Instagram video, Ronaldo said: "They want to promote [themselves] by [using] my name. It's normal."

Ronaldo's lawyers say they will sue Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, which originally reported the allegations.

The magazine wrote that Kathryn Mayorga had claimed Ronaldo, 33, raped her in a hotel room in Las Vegas.

Mayorga, 34, is reported to have filed a rape report with Las Vegas

police shortly after the alleged incident.

In 2010, she reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo involving a US$375,000 (£288,000) payment for agreeing never to go public with the allegations.

Her lawyers are now seeking to declare the non-disclosure agreement void.

In a statement, Ronaldo's lawyer Christian Schertz said "the reporting in Spiegel is blatantly illegal".

He added that he had been in-

structed to seek compensation for "moral

damages" over "probably one of the most serious violations of personal rights in recent years". (BBC Sport)

Carrasco wins world title to create motorbike history S

Sergio Ramos

Ana Carrasco rides for the DS Junior team

pain’s Ana Carrasco has become the first female to win a motorbike world title. The 21-year-old claimed the World Supersport 300 title by a point over compatriot Mika Perez.

She moved to the series last year and created history with her debut win in Portugal last September.

Despite starting 25th in Sunday’s final round at MagnyCours, she recovered and her 13th place was enough for the title.

Carrasco took the championship lead after a dominant victo-

ry in Imola in May and followed that up with an impressive performance at Donington but struggled in the following rounds at Brno, Misano and Portimao.

Afterwards she dedicated her win to Spanish Moto2 rider Luis Salom who died in June 2016 after crashing during a free practice session at the Catalunya Grand Prix.

Aged 16, Carrasco was the first female rider for more than a decade to score a World Championship point in 2013. (BBC

Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

mondAY, october 1, 2018

Jamaican Lumley gains Squash Coaching certification

A

t 19 years old, Jamaican Tahjia Lumley is the youngest of the three athletes who have travelled from his country to Guyana to attain England Squash Coaching certification from Guyana’s National Squash Coach Carl Ince.

Having attained his Levels 1 & 2 Award (certification) from Ince, Lumley is now one of many from the Caribbean and the USA to have come to Guyana to become certified at that level.

Here last year for his final Junior CASA examination, Tahjia was conferred with the honour of being declared the Junior CASA Sportsman and Leadership Award winner.

Following that 2017 tournament, Tahjia spent a week on Coach Ince’s farm receiving training; after his coach, Steve Smith, who himself had completed the course here in Guyana in 2013, and mentor Karen Anderson, arranged for the youngster to work with the Level 4 Elite Coach.

Tahjia expresses an enormous amount of gratitude for the support he has received from both his coach

and mentor throughout his 8 years in the sport.

Sitting at the Georgetown Club courts on Sunday after finishing his final practical exam, his enthusiasm was barely contained as he recollected meeting the one he refers to as “The Great Coach Ince” for the first time.

At 12 years old, Tahjia said, he was struck by the calm and relaxed figure whose reputation was legendary in the Caribbean, as his team had so many successes. He even remembers the exchange they had that led him to deduce how much Coach looked out for his students. Eight years on, Tahjia enthuses, “To be in Coach’s own backyard training, learning from a man I have looked up to for so long, was spectacular”.

The icing on the cake for Tahjia was when he discovered he would be working alongside another Guyanese Squash great, Nicolette Fernandes. “That”, he said, “was a dream come true!”

Tahjia Lumley, Sarah Lewis, Samuel InceCarvalhal, and Nicolette Fernandes gained a great deal from each other during the gruelling week of the

Jamaica’s Tahjia Lumley (left) receiving his certificate from Squash Coach Carl Ince

course.

The interaction with Coach and his fellow candidates made what was mentally and physically intensive one of the best experiences Tahjia has ever had. “The course was so thorough, professionally conducted, and well run…. so amazing; and we were so constructive with each other that even though it wasn’t easy -- it was mentally draining -- I loved every single moment of it,” Tahjia Lumley disclosed.

The course teaches and tests individual and group coaching techniques and programmes, child protection, coaches’ code of con-

duct, safety, and an array of other relevant material.

As Tahjia transitions into another chapter of his Squash career, he reflects on the pivotal moment that brought him to be standing outside the courts in Jamaica, where he asked if he could play. He explained, “In Jamaica, Squash was more an uptown sport, and I am from the inner city, so it was not a sport I might have ordinarily been exposed to or have the opportunity to play. I asked and waited. It could have been a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’.”

However, he asked and got a positive response.

Quickly moving from playing during some lunch times to dedicating early morni n g s , his talent and d e d i cation were soon noticed, and his first coach, Jeremy Parkinson, gave him a solid foundation before he moved to the national squad, where hitting hard became hitting to target, and physical training was added to his regime.

Looking back, he smiles at the cost his dedication had on others. “Rain or shine, I would be there early in the morning at UTECH, disturbing the lifeguard, Jayan Thomas, to get access to the key and equipment, so I could get on court,” he reflected.

Tahj believes his life would have been very different without Squash. He thoughtfully stated, “The day I got that ‘Yes’ changed my life”.

Going through the junior programme, representing his country, enjoying successes in tournaments and the opportunities they afforded helped him to become calm and focused. He fully recognises how powerful sport and supportive people

can be, and has named many who have influenced the path he has taken, including fellow countryman Chris Binnie.

Allowing a tinge of pride, he said: “Now I have the skills to be part of that programme, I can change people’s lives”. Eager to have a positive impact on the next generation of young people, his newly acquired knowledge and certification will enhance the remarkable skills and characteristics he already possesses, which make him a natural in the field of coaching.

As a parting note, Tahjia reiterated how amazing the course was, and emotionally finished with, “Coach Ince is motivational and inspirational… I am filled with happiness and joy to have been a part of this course with this group”.

Europe rout USA to exceed Bjørn’s wildest dreams T

homas Bjørn refused to contemplate either victory or defeat for Europe in the 42nd Ryder Cup. Or so he claimed.

What can be said with certainty is that Bjørn, in his wildest dreams, didn’t foresee this demolition job on a United States team afforded such pre-event adulation that one wondered whether Europe should bother turning up. What’s the French for volte-face?

Amid incredible scenes on the outskirts of Paris – with Tommy Fleetwood carried shoulder high by jubilant fans and Francesco Molinari mobbed in a manner once the domain of Italian footballers, not golfers – the true scale of Europe’s glory was almost forgotten. A 17½ to 10½ win ranks among their finest of all time.

Bjørn – an understated, occasionally surly character – masterminded a marvellous triumph marked by flamboyancy. Europe had even afforded the US a 3-1 lead after the first session, before a rout ensued.

Jim Furyk’s team lay battered and bruised by close of play. “They outplayed us,” conceded Furyk.

“Thomas was a better captain this week. We’ve got to tip our caps.”

Every Ryder Cup has its defining, closing moment. This one was strange, given Europe had already technically reached their magic total of 14½ points because of dormie status in ongoing singles matches. Enter Phil Mickelson, the man whose verbal volley at Tom Watson before exiting Gleneagles four years ago triggered all manner of overhauls – and supposed improvements – in the US setup. In Scotland, the margin of European victory was narrower than here.

From the 16th tee, Mickelson carved an iron shot into a lake to seal a 4&2 success for the imperious Molinari. This was likely to be Mickelson’s final act as a Ryder Cup player. It afforded him an un-

European Captain Thomas Bjørn lifts the Ryder Cup

wanted place in history; 22 match losses is a record on either side.

Watson is teetotal, otherwise one presumes he may have raised a glass. Karma and sport are such devilish bedfellows.

Molinari’s five wins from as many matches render him this Ryder Cup’s standout player. A typically low-key sort, the Italian emerged so brilliantly from his shell over three days in France.

“This means so much to me,” said the Open champion.

Nobody typified Bjørn’s immaculate leadership more than Sergio García. There was widespread criticism when the 2017 Masters champion was handed a wildcard spot, to a level that visibly jolted the captain. Not only did García perfectly justify his selection, he strode into the record books on

Sunday. A 2&1 singles win over Rickie Fowler means García is now the leading European points winner of all time, his haul of 25½ surpassing Nick Faldo. Bjørn isn’t the type, but he would be entitled to call out his earlier detractors.

For a brief Sunday afternoon spell, as seemed amazing in the aftermath, there were home concerns. Rory McIlroy fell to a narrow defeat against Justin Thomas and Webb Simpson, surprisingly, saw off Justin Rose. A US comeback to match what Europe produced in Medinah six years ago suddenly wasn’t such a forlorn hope. Yet, when it mattered, Europe’s players rebounded from the ropesresponded. It was as if the warning signs triggered a fresh, inspired level of performance.

Jon Rahm found himself a hole

to the good against Tiger Woods on the 17th. The Spaniard duly produced two of the shots of his life to leave only 5ft for the match. Rahm made no mistake, the scale of his subsequent celebrations conjuring memories of the great Seve Ballesteros. Rahm was briefly reduced to tears when hugged by McIlroy.

No sooner had Rahm departed the penultimate hole than Ian Poulter, Mr Ryder Cup, entered.

Poulter played the 17th in very similar style to Rahm but watched his birdie attempt slide past the hole. Dustin Johnson, the world No1, breathed again. We should have known Poulter’s cunning plan; to take centre stage on the final green, in front of thousands of adoring punters. The Englishman pounded his chest in delight af-

ter Johnson was defeated. Europe were within touching distance.

Poulter, another wildcard, had delivered again.

Nobody supplied more proof of Bjørn’s midas touch than Thorbjørn Olesen.

Attention would naturally be directed upon Olesen’s contribution here, such is his close friendship with Europe’s captain. When Bjørn left his fellow Dane out for both Saturday sessions, eyebrows were raised.

That call proved inspired, like so many. Olesen was the clear underdog against Jordan Spieth but was 1up by the 3rd tee and refused to look back. Olesen hammered the three-time major winner, 5&4.

It will be a shock if Olesen doesn’t become a Ryder Cup feature from here on.

That Fleetwood ran out of steam was hardly surprising, albeit Tony Finau produced an outstanding putting display in winning 6&4. Patrick Reed, out of sorts for two days, rallied admirably to defeat Tyrrell Hatton 3&2.

In typifying the fine attitudes with which this Ryder Cup was played, Reed took to self-deprecation in front of crowds who regard him as a pantomime villain before a warm embrace with Hatton.

By then, Henrik Stenson had seen off Bubba Watson 5&4. As Europe partied, Alex Norén and Bryson DeChambeau were in the unenviable position of trying to complete an irrelevant match.

Norén didn’t care; he holed from 40ft on the last green to win 1up.

McIlroy delivered the final words perfectly when assessing where it all went right. “The leadership has been great,” said the Northern Irishman. “The rookies have been phenomenal. We have won the Ryder Cup and all contributed points; that validates what Thomas did. He has been incredible.” (The Guardian)

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21

South Africa Tour of the WI…

Rain causes match abandonment T

he third match in the T20 Sandals International Home Series between the Windies Women’s Team and their South Africa counterparts on Sunday did not see a coin tossed at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, because inclement weather held up the start of this match for more than two hours; and shortly after, it was deemed a no-result.

The five-match series now stands as follows: the first two were won by the Windies Women; the third has been rained into a no-result similar to what had occurred with a One Day International since the start of the Tour; and the other two matches are due to be played respectively on October 4 and 6.

This leaves the visiting South Africans with a chance to level the T20 Series as consolation. However, they must not forget they are currently battling the World Women’s T20 champions.

Speaking to the media on Friday, the Windies’ Anisa Mohammed reiterated the team’s intention to not only win the series, but do so confidently. “While we are pleased with our performances in the last two

ICC Match Referee Reon King and South Africa Women’s Captain Chloe Tryon watch Stafanie Taylor flip the coin for the toss

matches, we cannot become complacent; we want to win the series 5-nil and gain some momentum going into the World T20 tournament,” she declared.

She was speaking after putting in a breath-taking bowling performance in the second T20 match, wherein she picked up 5 wickets, including a hat-trick from the

final 3 balls.

Another Windies player who has been putting in good performances in preparation for the tournament is Natasha McLean. Having scored a confident 38 in the first match, the Jamaican opening batter was back at it again on Friday, scoring 42 and seeming to be peaking at the right time.

Led by Captain Stafanie Taylor, and with a series win firmly in their sights, the Windies Women are ready and rearing to go against South Africa. The visitors, however, will be looking to bounce back from losing two on the trot, and will seek to utilise to their advantage what they have learned in those matches.

China Open: World number one retires due to injury W

orld number one Simona Halep was forced to retire from the China Open in the first round due to injury.

The 27-year-old Romanian lost the first set 6-1 to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in Beijing before succumbing to the back injury after 31 minutes.

British number three Katie Boulter pushed Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens all the way before losing in three sets.

World number 108 Boulter, who came through qualifying, was beaten 4-6 6-2 7-5.

The 22-year-old Briton went a break down early in the third set but recovered against a player ranked 50 places higher.

But Flipkens sealed victory in a tight third set as she converted her second match point to win in two hours 31 minutes.

Halep, meanwhile, said after her match that she would have a scan on the back problem, which first occurred last week in Wuhan.

"There is a pain. I

Simona Halep claimed her first Grand Slam title at the French Open earlier this year

couldn't move properly, so that's why I stopped," she told the WTA website. "I don't know exactly what it is. I'm just worried now.

"I feel sad that I couldn't finish. That's why I stopped, because I felt like it's getting worse if I continue.

"It's really tough when you have back injury because you cannot bend, you cannot react at the balls. I couldn't play."

Elsewhere, defending champion Caroline Garcia

from France beat China's Wang Yafan 7-6 (12-10) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 to reach the second round.

Third seed Angelique Kerber from Germany also progressed with a 6-2 6-2 win over France's Kristina Mladenovic, while American ninth seed Sloane Stephens overcame Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 6-4.

In the men's event, British number two Cameron Norrie failed to

qualify for the main draw after losing 6-4 6-4 to Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.

At the Chengdu Open, Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic saved four match points in the final to beat Italy's Fabio Fognini 6-1 3-6 7-6 (9-7) to claim his fourth ATP title.

And Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka won his first ATP title after beating France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-5 2-6 6-4 in the final of the Shenzhen Open. (BBC Sport)

22

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mondAY, october 1, 2018

CONCACAF Men’s U-20 C/ships…

“Our objective is to qualify,”says Dover A

s Guyana prepare for their first match of the CONCACAF Men’s U20 Championship -- against Guatemala on November 2 in Florida -- Head Coach Wayne Dover has said the side’s main goal is to advance to the next round.

A 26-man provisional squad has already been announced, and training, which began a week ago, is focused firstly on the squad’s physical evaluation.

Dover had this to say about the training session, “The week began with physical evaluation of the players, to test the level of fitness of players. Our aim, as staff, is to qualify; and we made it clear to the players (as to) the level of discipline, dedication, commitment and hard work that is required to achieve the objective. The teams in the group are very tough on paper, but we all

The Under-20 Jags team during training

know that the matches are played on the field, and every team has a chance to win and qualify once they apply themselves.”

The squad in training consists of Guyana-based players, and is comprised of four goalkeepers, seven defenders, 11 midfielders and four forwards. A forward and a defender were selected from players who had participated in the recently-concluded Indigenous Heritage Games.

“During the Indigenous Heritage Sports, we did some scouting, and identified two talents which add strength to the U20 national programme,” Dover confided. Neston Brown and David Coates, both from the Rupununi FA, will join the team in the new week.

“Brown is a left full back, a position which has slowly become a dying breed in

Guyana. He possesses qualities which, once harnessed properly, can see him become a senior national player who can perform as (Walter) Moore and (Chris) Bourne did with distinction. Coates, on the other hand, has demonstrated qualities as a forward which can match the talent we have seen in the past, such as Gregory Richardson. We will nurture them to realise their potential,” Head Coach Dover declared.

Commenting on the physical evaluation of players conducted, the National U20 Coach Developer & Head of Sports Science, Wilson Toledo, said the group has done fairly well over the past week.

Guyana’s match schedule in the first round will see them take on Guatemala, Cayman Islands, Curacao and El Salvador.

Canada, US, Windies B entrance to Super50 welcome – Grave C anada and the United States are set to take part in the Cricket West Indies Regional Super50 Cup when the tournament bowls off next Wednesday in Trinidad with defending champions,

the Windward Volcanoes, taking on the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Just over two weeks since the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Final, the Super50 Cup now occupies

an October (November from 2019 onwards) window to allow continuity of whiteball cricket as the Windies build toward the 2019 ICC World Cup. Forty-two matches will be played before the Final

on Sunday, October 28 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados as the tournament hosts the region’s biggest cricket rivalries over an action-packed 26 days The six Franchises will once again be joined by the Combined Campuses and College (CCC) Marooners and the USA, with Canada and Windies B completing the ten teams. Matches will be played in Trinidad and Barbados, with the Brian Lara Academy, Queen’s Park Oval, Kensington Oval, 3Ws and Windward the confirmed venues.

With the Windies now qualified for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the region’s best 50-over players, that aren’t touring India

and the USA are able to participate for the first time. Over the past year we have invested heavily in providing additional opportunities for our best young cricketers, through an expanded A team programme, and the Windies B development team that played in Cricket Canada’s Global T20 and Summerfest tournaments, and it’s great that the Windies B team get another opportunity to play competitive cricket.”

Melius, the youngest in Windies B Team for Super50

Young Saint cricketer Kimani has gotten a recall West Indies B Team

Lucian Melius to the to take

Kimani Melius

with the Test team will be looking to impress the selectors and force their way into the Windies ODI squad.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO, Johnny Grave said: “We are really looking forward to this year’s Super50 Cup and are delighted that both Canada

part in the tournament.

The West Indies B team will play in Group A of the tournament, and includes home team Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, defending champions the Windward Islands Volcanoes, Guyana Jaguars, and Canada.

Melius, who holds the

CWI CEO Johnny Grave

record for schoolboy cricket in Saint Lucia, as well as the record for the highest score ever attained in Saint Lucia, last represented the West Indies B Team in the recently concluded Canada Summerfest.

The Babonneau Secondary alumnus has over 24 triple-figure scores to his credit at various levels. Aged just 17, he hails from the community of Boguis, Babonneau, but plays for Gros Islet in domestic cricket.

Playing for the Windward Islands in the 2018 Cricket West Indies Under-19 tournament, Melous was the leading scorer in the competition.

Hee was a member of the West Indies youth team to the ICC Under-19 World Cup earlier this year.

West Indies B will play their opening match against Canada on October 3.

guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, october 1, 2018

23

2018 Windies tour of India...

Ambris hits ton as WindiesBCCI XI match ends in draw T

he West Indies Senior Men’s Team drew their two-day warm-up match against a BCCI President’s XI at the Reliance Cricket Stadium in Vadodara, compliments of Sunil Ambris’ brilliant century, coupled with fifties from Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich.

sensibly in the opening overs prior to the 24th over whenPowell started the attack, taking 2 sixes from the over.

Brathwaite then joined Powell in attacking the bowlers, taking 9-fours of his own, to reach his half-century. Powell added 2-fours to the 2-sixes on his way to 44. The

he was caught and bowled by Smit Patel. New batsman Roston Chase didn’t last any longer than his teammate, he fell LBW to Avesh Khan for 5.

Hope was joined by classy Dowrich and the pair went about the target with fearless batting.

Dowrich dissected the BCCI XI’s

Shane Dowrich

Kraigg Brathwaite

Chasing the BCCI XI’s first innings total of 360/6 after Ankit Bawnes 116 and Mayank Agarwal’s 90, skipper Brathwaite and Kieran Powell started a patient innings in chasing the total. The pair batted

WINDIES went to lunch on 96/0, on resumption, both batsmen retired. This saw Shai Hope and Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer coming to the crease. Hetmyer struck 1-six on his way to 7 runs before

field, on his way to striking nine boundaries and a six. While Hope provided the support that Dowrich needed in going after the runs. This partnership added 99 runs before Dowrich fell for a well-played 65.

Making a return to the WINDIES Senior Men’s team, Ambris was eager to make up for lost time. He instantly started going after the bowlers, not caring if it was spin or seam. Hope stuck around with him, adding a few runs before he fell for 36. Jahmar Hamilton then joined Ambris and the pair added a further 50 runs before Hamilton fell for a supportive 23, inclusive of 4-fours. Ambris soldiered on as wickets were falling at the other end.Guyanese all-rounder Keemo Paul fell in the very next ball after Hamilton for 0.

Spinner Jomel Warrican struck 9 runs before Saurabh Kumar accounted for his wicket, caught by Bawne. Ambris then found an able partner to stick with him in newcomer Shermon Lewis. Lewis

defended in addition to getting 8-runs to his name, as he ensured that Ambris got the runs. Ambris struck 17-fours and 5-sixes on his way to 114 not out, guiding the West Indies to 366/7 in 89 of the 90 allotted overs. Players and Umpires shook hands, ending the 2-day match in a draw.

Speaking at the end of the match, Brathwaite who captained the Caribbean side said “I thought the pitch was really good and I know the team enjoyed playing here. We’ve used this match to get a game in Indian conditions before the start of the first Test on Thursday in Rajkot. We now have to carry forward the positives we’ve identified from this match and I’m sure it’ll serve us well in the first Test.”

BCCI, PCB go head to head in legal battle I

ndia and Pakistan were about to talk, then they weren't and so it is fitting that this week the cricket boards of both countries lock horns in Dubai to try and resolve a longstanding and thorny dispute. The arbitrator, over three days, will be the ICC's Dispute Resolutions Committee.

The dispute is over an agreement signed in April 2014 to play bilateral games - an agreement that has not been honoured and shows no signs of being so. The PCB eventually filed a notice of dispute with the ICC last November claiming damages from the BCCI.

The backstory

In 2014 the PCB offered conditional support to the Big Three's revamp of the ICC. Under the agreement, which the PCB claims is binding, Pakistan were supposed to play six bilateral series as part of the reworked eight-year Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle between 2015 and 2023.

Four of those series would be hosted by Pakistan, comprising 24 matches across three formats; and the six tours would include up to 14 Tests, 30 ODIs and 12 T20Is. The two sides have not

MS Dhoni plays spectator as Shoaib Malik launches one towards deep square leg

played a full bilateral tour since Pakistan's last visit to India in 2007. A year later, in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Mumbai, ties became strained. Pakistan did tour India for a limited-overs only series at the end of 2012, though both countries play regularly in ICC events and faced off twice in the recent Asia Cup.

They have an agreement you say. So why no play?

According to the PCB, it is only because the BCCI has not been independent enough from its government's stance of no ties with Pakistan.

And the BCCI says what?

They have maintained at every meeting with PCB that it has no authority to

allow India to play Pakistan in a bilateral series. That decision lies only with the Indian government. The PCB doesn't agree, insisting that the BCCI has lacked the will to convince the Indian government. PCB officials argue that if India is allowed to play Pakistan at neutral venues in global tournaments, then why not

bilateral series?

I'm presuming the ICC has done...

The ICC has maintained a studied neutrality throughout, except in one instance. Last year the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar advised the PCB against taking legal recourse. Manohar is understood to have told the PCB that it would spoil the relations with BCCI "for life" if it pressed legal proceedings against the BCCI. Manohar essentially seconded the BCCI line, saying India could only play Pakistan bilaterally subject to permission from the Indian government. The PCB walked out of that meeting in London, feeling Manohar was "pleading" the BCCI case and not acting in neutral fashion.

Which, presumably, left the PCB with no choice but head to the ICC disputes panel?

The PCB felt that the BCCI should not have signed the letter of intent as part of the MoU if it did not have its government's permission.

Having failed to get a positive and concrete response from the BCCI, the PCB finally sent a notice of dispute to the BCCI last May. The PCB has claimed

losses of up to USD 70 million from the failure of the BCCI to play two series, in November 2014 and December 2015. The PCB used the prospect of these series to sell its media rights and in their absence, the board claims to have suffered these commercial losses.

In addition, the PCB had several good faith meetings as prescribed under the ICC rules. However, those meetings went nowhere, compelling the PCB to adopt this last course of action: the dispute resolution committee.

Consequently, the PCB sent a dispute notice to the ICC last November, which will now be heard by an independent committee.

Which lucky souls get to hear this case then?

The Disputes Panel is made up of three members: Michael Beloff, chair of the panel, who had previously been part of the ICC tribunal that had banned Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir for their roles in the spot-fixing scandal, along with Jan Paulsson and Dr Annabelle Bennett.

Will the decision of the dispute panel will be final?

Yes, the decision, the ICC has pointed out, will be "non-appeallable."

(ESPNCricinfo)

mondAY, october 1, 2018

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