Guyana Times -- Saturday, July 21, 2018

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Issue No. 3631

PRICE

Amended Cyber Crime Bill

Bill a naked attack against free speech – Opposition

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Carpenter charged P11 for reputed wife’s murder

See stories on pages 3 & 14

…puts whistleblower legislation in jeopardy ...passed amid fiery exchange

GuySuCo’s divestment

PM will step aside for GrangerJagdeo meetings – Trotman

Page 7

...but says AFC still expects seat at table

Another Police vehicle crashes

71 entities interested in GuySuCo’s assets – P9 Harmon Nephew jailed for pawning uncle’s P8 property

NIS inspector robbed in minibus P10 Co-op feud

This Guyana Police Force minibus crashed into a parked car in Alberttown, Georgetown on Friday two days after acting Top Cop David Ramnarine warned ranks about reckless driving (Carl Croker photo)

Stay out of politics until time to fund Page elections – Gaskin to Private Sector 11

Govt reneges on promised NTC headquarters land Page 5

…after issuing 50-year lease

Tuschen Councillors, residents criticise Govt for neglected roads

Page 12

Enmore family moves back P13 home

Contractor refunds P11 money for Region 6 controversial bulldozer

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 21: no retraction, single lane at retractor span and Sunday, July 22: no retraction, single lane at retractor span.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 21 – 11:05h to 12:35h and Sunday, July 22 – 12:45h to 14:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Amended Cyber Crime Bill

Bill remains a naked attack against free speech – Opposition …puts whistleblower legislation in jeopardy …passed amid fiery exchange

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

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny intervals should prevail throughout the day, interrupted by cloudy skies and light rain in the midmorning to early afternoon. Partly cloudy to clear skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 11:24h and 23:51h reaching maximum heights of 2.22 metres and 2.26 metres.

Low Tide: 04:53h and 17:19h reaching minimum heights of 0.94 metre and 1.01 metres.

WEDNESDAY, July 18, 2018

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Friday, July 20, 2018 DAILY MILLIONS 01 11 18 20 22 LUCKY 3 7 6 4

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Attorney General Basil Williams

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fter a massive outcry sparked by the sedition clause, Government amended two clauses and on Friday returned the Cyber Crime Bill of 2016 to the National Assembly, but, according to the Opposition, the words may have changed, but the Bill still threatens civil liberties.

The debate over the Cyber Crime Bill began with Attorney General Basil Williams, in whose name it is being presented, touting the importance of the Bill.

He cited the development of the Internet component of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector, which provides criminals with avenues to perpetrate crime.

He noted that it was feared that Guyana, due to the absence of cybercrime legislation, would become a safe haven for such criminals. The Minister also related that following public consultations on the Bill, amendments were made to the legislation.

“Public consultations on the Bill were held at the Pegasus Hotel on March 16, 2016. Suggestions and comments were made by stakeholders, including the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Guyana Revenue Authority, Rights of the Child Commission, Global Technology, Red Thread and Guyana Bar Association; were considered, and necessary changes effected to the

Opposition parliamentarian Clement Rohee

Bill.”

Unimpressed

But the parliamentary Opposition was unimpressed, especially as it contended that Clause 18’s amendments can be used by the Government to stamp out dissidents and thus, remained as dangerous as ever.

Successive Opposition speakers took the Government to task for Clause 18. The Opposition’s point person on security, Clement Rohee, expressed concern over the fact that Clause 18 (1a) allows for criminal penalties for anyone who “advocates the use, without authority of law, of force as a means of accomplishing a governmental change within Guyana”.

“The language in the amendment is aimed at misleading us into believing that the Government has softened up or removed the offending clauses, when this is certainly not the case. The Minister told us of consultations, but what he failed to tell us was what came out of those consultations.”

“The Bill places tremendous power in the hands of the Government.

The Attorney General, the Ministers of Information, Communications and Public Security… the offending clauses places tremendous authority in the hands of these Ministers. Reference has been made in the public domain in the context of sedi-

Opposition parliamentarian Harry Gill

Opposition parliamentarian, Dr Frank Anthony

tion,” he said.

Rohee expressed fears that persons who are disaffected by the Government and decide to stage protests will be targeted and jailed using this very clause. It is a contention backed up by his colleague, Nigel Dharamlall, who questioned why the Government was so fearful of criticism.

“Why is the Government so fearful of persons in the public expressing their views?” he asked. “We have a repressive bill, which the Government without conscience wants passed … a law which increases surveillance on people. Civil society has an integral role to play in this. This bill affects human rights.” Opposition Member of Parliament Harry Gill noted that the Government continuously presented flawed bills to the National Assembly, with the Cyber Crime Bill being the latest. He cited the fact that Clause 18 (1e) criminalises persons who “excite or attempts to excite ethnic division among the people of Guyana or hostility or ill-will against any person or class of persons on the ground of race”.

law still remained one that suppresses free speech.

“Did they go far enough?

Because they dropped the word sedition and a few words here and there, but the substance of what can be done by this provision still remains… the fact remains that the Guyanese people are still going to be short-changed.

One of the beauties of the Internet is that it allows for freedom of speech. And while that freedom is not unlimited, there must be an extraordinary reason why it should be breached.”

“The imposition of Article 18 is an apparent attempt to muzzle the citizens of this country! The way they have defined the definition is that the Government offended by a citizen’s remarks get to decide what constitutes that disaffection and then apply its subjective interpretation to punish the offending citizens with five years’ imprisonment. It is a naked attack against our rights to freedom of expression.”

Upon his return, Williams stressed the need for the Bill to be passed. Referring to the need for protection from the “barbarians at the gate”, the Attorney General noted that the Bill was a strong measure against terrorism. The Bill was eventually passed, with Williams moving to adopt the report of the Special Select Committee.

Attack on free speech

In a strong condemnation of the amendments, Opposition parliamentarian, Dr Frank Anthony stressed that except for superficial changes to the Bill meant to pacify critics, the intent of the

Turn to page 5

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

Combating drug trafficking

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he authorities in Guyana are facing some real challenges in relation to tackling the issue of drug trafficking and the related problems that come with such activity. While there have been some successes at preventing traffickers from being successful in carrying out these illegal acts, it is clear that there is still much work to be done to put a real dent on drug trafficking.

In some cases, persons carrying illegal drugs slip through our ports here undetected. It is only when they arrive at their destination that they are discovered with the illegal drugs.

The same goes for cargo containers, boxes, parcels and so on; in quite a few cases, they pass through the relevant security systems here undetected, due to what some perceive to be collusion of a numbers of officers from the relevant agencies involved.

International and regional institutions have, for quite some time now, been trying to come up with a strategy that would seek to reverse this growing threat, but traffickers are becoming smarter and are using other methods to “beat the system,” thereby creating more difficulties for law enforcement agencies.

Counter-drug efforts have pushed traffickers to use new routes through the Caribbean as they seek to ship illegal drugs from South America into the United States, Europe and other destinations. They are also using containers with the aim of concealing the illegal items. It is no secret that, in the past, large amounts of drugs have transited in and out of Guyana on cargo and other ships. Cocaine is often concealed in legitimate commodities, and smuggled via commercial maritime vessels, air transport, human couriers, “go-fast” boats, or various postal methods.

The Caribbean is the midway point between illicit drug producers in the South and consumers in the North. Despite the interception of cocaine and other illegal items by local law enforcement officials, the United States and other international agencies believe that large volumes still pass through Guyana’s borders undetected.

A key report on the global fight against drug trafficking and money laundering, which was released by the United States Department of State last year, had noted that Guyana has a long road ahead in combating the drug scourge. The report, titled “International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR),” had said that Guyana is a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa.

Cocaine originating in Colombia is smuggled to Venezuela, and onward to Guyana by sea or air. The report had said that smugglers also transit land borders with Brazil, Venezuela, and Suriname.

Traffickers are attracted by the country’s poorly monitored ports, remote airstrips, intricate river networks, porous land borders, and weak security sector capacity.

On the positive side, a few years ago, with US funding through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Container Control Programme (CCP) established “a multi-agency CCP Port Control Unit at the John Fernandes Wharf. The aim of setting up the unit was to strengthen the country’s capacity to assist in combating the threats posed by drug and gun traffickers using shipping containers to ply their trade.

This was an excellent initiative which has seen some successes so far in preventing illegal items from passing through our borders.

Also, Guyana has enacted crucial legislation that could enable a more-effective response to the threat of drug trafficking. For example, the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act of 2009, Interception of Communications Act of 2008, Criminal Law Procedure Act (revised in 1998), and Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act of 1988 were designed to enhance the investigative capabilities of law enforcement authorities and prosecutors in obtaining convictions of drug traffickers.

Certainly, drug trafficking and related criminal activities represent one of the most potent threats to democracy and stability in Guyana and the region. It undermines the rule of law and democratic governance, hence strenuous efforts must be made by all stakeholders involved to win the battle against traffickers. It should be noted, too, that drug trafficking is not only associated with violence and organized crime, evidence shows that it is linked to terrorist activities, and it is also connected to money laundering, arms and human trafficking, and corruption.

View from the top of the Teperu Hydro Falls in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). The Falls is a Sunday liming spot for Barticians as well as an unofficial tourist site (Shubash Haimraj photo)

‘Words of Wind’ must not be used superfluously (Part 1) Dear Editor, The Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (retired) James Patterson, recently stated thus: “Elections count for nothing if not free and fair”.

This is indeed most welcoming.

Notably, however, in the absence of necessary and definitive, transparent actions at the Commission’s level, the credentials and acceptability of such statements become quite shallow.

There are widely known numerous factual positions regarding the rigging of past elections in Guyana, influenced by the People’s National Congress under previous GECOM management. It cannot be denied that GECOM conducted the 2015 Regional and National Elections which lacked the measures of authenticity to validate any level of acceptance by most. ‘Words of Wind’ must therefore not be used superfluously to camouflage the need to adequately address obvious shortcomings exercised in or by this organisation.

Among the huge questions are the selection procedure and the role of the selected

staff.

The PPP filed an elections petition which challenges the validity of the outcome of the 2015 General and Regional Elections, and this gives testimony.

Significant in the claims is that the elections were not held in conformity with the Constitution of Guyana.

The numerous electoral irregularities for which there have been no prosecutions overwhelm the credibility of the results. It is very much totally unacceptable and insufficient to have summary pronouncements from the responsible conductor of the elections to the effect that there have been few spatial occurrences, and those may not have impacted the final results. There is need for stiffer penalties, and laws must be put in place to prohibit blatant irregularities.

The evidence of procedural errors and numerous instances of fraudulent and/ or suspicious actions during the elections are proof that cannot be denied. The seriousness of fake statements of poll, and let us not forget that the Chief Elections Officer, on the night of Wednesday, 13th May, 2015, said he could not an-

nounce the Elections results because he discovered “fake statements of poll”.

On that night he was very clear that the amount was too much for him to accept.

Further, the former Chairman of the Elections Commission, at his last press conference, said there were 33 fake statements of poll, and they were not counted, and those votes went against the PPP/C. The petition also makes reference to the presence of “big and vicious mobs” at several polling stations and other strategic places, which led to multiple voting, particularly in Region #4.

The Chairman of GECOM accepted that the PPP had exceptionally good results from the last 2016 LGE. He talks of the PPP winning the popular votes and dominating the vote count in rural areas, while also raising concerns about intimidation and fear on Election Day. The fact that the GECOM Chairman is not yet walking the talk is a matter of serious concern.

The Chairman’s obvious knowledge about all the bungling by the Secretariat, which caused the last

period of Continuous Registration to start two weeks late, raises serious questions. Information received confirms there was an understanding that two additional weeks would have to be accommodated.

However, when the PPP Commissioners advanced the discussion for the extension, it was denied. It means that citizens of this country are being denied the opportunity to do their registration transactions, as the Chairman joined with the PNC Commissioners and voted down the agreed request to have the two weeks of extension.

It is known that the Commission, at a statutory meeting, agreed that the criticism against the GECOM staff is a matter of serious concern. Further, the meeting agreed that all the applicants for the “Training of GECOM” trainers to work for the Election Commission will be called to the official training. It is very worrying and most ridiculous to know that more than one hundred persons who applied were not called to the official training.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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Govt reneges on promised NTC headquarters land …after issuing 50-year lease

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he National Toshaos Council (NTC) will have to wait somewhat longer for a plot of land to construct a Secretariat Complex, after Government on Thursday announced it has scrapped plans to issue a plot of land at Sophia.

This announcement comes almost one year after President David Granger had turned the sod for construction of the secretariat, and a few days after outgoing NTC Chairman Joel Fredericks had bashed the President for not issuing the NTC with the land.

This announcement also debunks the announcement made by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission that a 50-year lease has been made for the Sophia plot of land.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday told the media at this week’s post-Cabinet press briefing that this decision was taken after it was felt that the land identified in Sophia was insufficient.

He explained that Government is in the process of identifying a larger plot of land, particularly from GuySuCo, so that

cause he would like to see an NTC Headquarters that is representative of the stature and interest that we in Guyana have. So he wants to give them a nice plot of land to ensure that the Headquarters and the subsequent development of that entity takes place,” Harmon explained.

NTC response

Responding to this announcement, newly elected NTC Chairman Nicholas Fredericks told Guyana Times the NTC is yet to deNewly-elected NTC Chairman cide on the way forward, but he noted that Minister Nicholas Fredericks the NTC could have a larger Allicock had made a general statement about the largcomplex.

Harmon related that the er plot.

“We have been in conPresident had made the destant contact with the cision after reviewing the Ministry (MoIPA), but we Sophia land with Indigenous are yet to decide on anyPeoples Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock, who is con- thing. We have the two opsulting with the new NTC tions, and the larger plot would mean that we can Executive.

“We are looking to allo- have a bigger complex. It cate a larger tract of land, means that we can build acso that the headquarters of commodation for when our the NTC can be well set up leaders come out, and (have) and well organised. Some more space for expansion in of the lands that have been the future,” Fredericks said.

He maintained that the freed-up from GuySuCo… are some of the lands His NTC is yet to decide on Excellency is looking at, be- where it wants its secretar-

Flashback: President David Granger and former NTC Chairman Joel Fredericks turning the sod at the Sophia site

iat located, and the final decision would be taken after the new executive meets in the coming weeks.

Following a promise made by President Granger, a plot of land was identified for the NTC Secretariat at Sophia, and the sod was turned for construction of the NTC Headquarters in August. However, construction never commenced because the NTC has been awaiting the legal documents. The Council wants title for the plot of land.

The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission had said the 50-year lease has already been prepared and is awaiting pick up by the NTC. This was supposed to be done on Friday. However, with this new announcement, that lease would have to be scrapped.

At the opening of the NTC Conference on Monday, outgoing Chairman Joel Fredericks had said the indigenous peoples of Guyana had been promised a number of things, such as the re-

Bill remains a naked attack....

The Bill Laid in the National Assembly since 2016, the Cyber Crime Bill had catered for, inter alia: illegal access to a computer system; illegal interception; illegal data interference; illegal acquisition of data; illegal system interference; unauthorised receiving or granting of access to computer data; computer-relat-

ed forgery; computer-related fraud; offences affecting critical infrastructure; identity-related offences; child pornography; child luring, and violation of privacy among a slew of other offences.

Previously, section 18 (1a) of the Bill had stated that persons commit an offence of sedition when they “attempt to bring into ha-

tred or excite disaffection towards the Government”.

Section 18 (1) now states that “A person commits an offence if the person, whether in or out of Guyana, intentionally publishes, transmits or circulates by use of a computer system, a statement or words, either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible represen-

tation or other thing that (a) advocates the use without authority of law of force as a means of accomplishing a governmental change within Guyana.”

The amended section goes on to state that the law also criminalises anyone who “incites, counsels, urges, induces, aids or abets any person to commit, participate in the commission of or to conspire with anoth-

GuySuCo should consider rationally, realistically GAWU’s concerns Dear Editor, The GAWU has noted the remarks of GuySuCo’s Corporate Communications Manager, Ms Audreyanna Thomas, as were reported in the Guyana Times article titled “Albion Estate has 600 vacancies after 3000 workers dismissed” which was published on July 19, 2018.

The article quotes Ms Thomas as saying that GuySuCo would “…like to get attendance up to 100 percent”. This statement by the senior GuySuCo official is incredulous, to say the least, but serves to confirm the Massa-like mentality of the new GuySuCo. Obviously, consideration was not given to the difficult nature of the field work.

At the same time, one notes that while the Corporation seeks to have all the workers present every day at

work during the cropping period, during the out-ofcrop period, it wishes that the workers stay home, and it manages to do so through the offering of depressed wages. From all appearances, the GuySuCo wants to suck cane and blow whistle.

We don’t know if it has dawned on GuySuCo that its attitude towards workers: through the freezing of wages; the discontinuation of incentive payments; open disrespect and flouting of agreements, laws and international conventions; a belligerent attitude to workers’ concerns, among other things, could be tolerated by the workers for only some time. As GAWU has warned before, workers can be driven to the point where they may well react to the situation in which they work and still starve. It seems that

day and time is beckoning.

Incidentally, the corporation has the option of recruiting more than 600 workers who were formerly engaged at Rose Hall and Skeldon estates, and with the provision of transportation to those workers, the work establishment of Albion estate, which is 4,000 but has 3,100 on payroll, would be addressed.

We recognise, from the article, similar and most appropriate contentions were made by Region Six Chairman David Armogan in his address to the gathering. Indeed, we hope GuySuCo took sincere account of the Chairman's remarks, as they reflect the reality of the situation sugar workers must contend with nowadays.

We fully endorse the Chairman's remark when he said, “…a plan cannot op-

erate by itself”. Indeed, it’s generally accepted that the best plans can be reduced to nothing if the people are not involved and committed to reaching the objectives. For us, it is simply upsetting that, so far, we have not yet received a copy of the plan Ms Thomas referred to, though we have sought a copy several weeks ago.

But even more importantly is an apparent ignorance of the workers’ plight and concerns. We hope, even at this late stage, to finally obtain a copy of the plan that is touted.

We urge the Corporation to consider rationally and realistically our concerns at this time.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

vision of the Amerindian Act of 2006; Constitutional reform; and land to build an NTC Secretariat. He disclosed that, for three years, the NTC had listened carefully to every indigenous people’s policy Government had announced. However, in those three years, trust has been eroded by Government’s failure to effectively act on promises made.

The National Toshaos Conference concluded on Friday.

From page 3

er person to commit treason under section 314 or 317 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.” Breaking this law, according to the amended section, carries a penalty on conviction on indictment of imprisonment for five years.

Meanwhile, the amended Clause nine of the Cyber Crime Bill states: “A person commits an offence who, through authorised or un-

authorised means, obtains or accesses electronic data which (c) is stored on a computer system and is protected against unauthorised access.”

The penalty on summary conviction is a fine of $3 million and imprisonment of three years, while conviction on indictment earns the accused a fine of $8 million and five years’ imprisonment. (Jarryl Bryan)

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Foundation

By Scott G Eberle, PhD

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tory reading is play. And so is storytelling. Both feed curiosity and feed on curiosity. Listening to stories tunes the ear and trains attention. As our daughters grew older they asked for original stories. One of these – a journey that began in our own neighbourhood with a cab ride to the airport, proceeded by plane and boat, then rail and jitney bus, and then grandly on the back of a jolly, talking elephant – ended with an audience with the magnificent Maharajah of Rajhanapour whose kingdom nestled vaguely in the high Hindu Kush.

These stories, that began simply, elaborated to become a series. Splendid as was his realm, the travellers discovered that the Maharajah had not learned to read, and so, learning to read themselves, with the help of the Maharani, they taught the high king who had been too proud to take instruction. He went on to found one of the world’s great libraries, as it happened, and the kingdom became a celebrated centre of learning and a magnet for cosmopolitan scholars.

In his younger days, the future Maharajah, a captain of the dashing lancers, was also a kind of sleuth, deducing that what had seemed like blood that appeared miraculously every fall, was instead a fermented liquid that seeped in sea-

sonally from a pile of wet red leaves. He discovered that a charismatic blue demon, who had caught the attention of the populace and challenged the order of things, was instead a humble dye-maker dyed indigo in the course of his trade. (The crowd eventually turned on the imposter, and the story did not end at all happily for him.)

Whenever I’d run out of bedtime story ideas I’d resort to recycling plots to old comedies. One involved three penguins named (sorry…) Larry, Moe, and Curly. They would visit Niagara Falls, where Curly met the mean man who had stolen his girl.

Infuriated, he could be calmed only with snacks; for an ending we’d chant “Moe, Larry, cheese! Moe, Larry, cheese!”

But usually, the main series stories would germinate with curiosity and then elaborate under questioning. Storytelling is one of the best ways to talk to young children, even when we are at a loss for words.

Children always want to know what comes next. One thing will lead to another. The Tale of Peter Rabbit, in fact began eight years before publication in 1902 as an illustrated letter that Beatrix Potter sent to Noel, the five-year-old son of her former governess. “I didn’t know what to write,” the author and illustrator wrote, “so I decided to tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were…” (psychologytoday.com)

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hough Lemony Snicket shares seemingly endless stories of tragedy concerning Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, he is also generous in his description of the talents that each of the Baudelaire orphans possess.

Violet, the eldest, particularly excels at inventing things and is often able to do so with whatever materials are on hand. This comes in quite handy as she and her brother and sister are often in precarious situations where an invention is needed in order to rescue themselves from almost certain death.

How inventive are you? Write a description of an invention that you would make in order to protect yourself or a loved one from coming to harm – which is a phrase that means getting hurt from a dangerous situation. In addition to the playground equipment, the materials you have available to build your invention are: • a broken swing from a swing set • several candy wrappers • sand or mulch • a soccer ball • bendy straws from juice boxes • a scarf • four bricks The dangerous situation that requires your invention is that a very glum gorilla has escaped from the zoo and has taken over the monkey bars on the school playground.

Please describe how you built your invention and how it works to save you or your friends from the gorilla. You don’t have to use all the materials if you don’t need to. You may also draw an instructional diagram or picture of your invention. In homage – a word that means a show of respect – to Mr Snicket, please give an alliterative name to your invention, which means that what you call your invention should use words that have the same consonant sound at the beginning of each word or syllable. “Great Gorilla Grabber” would be an example. (readingrockets.org) You can submit your invention idea, with your parent’s permission, to www.facebook. com/Summerof-Reading for a chance to win prizes.

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

PM will step aside for Granger-Jagdeo meetings – Trotman …but says AFC still expects seat at table

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fter stipulations laid down by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that he will meet with President David Granger and not Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has indicated that the AFC executive will have no issue in stepping aside.

This is according to AFC Leader and Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman. According to the Minister, these long overdue talks represent a positive outcome of national interest and as such, Nagamootoo will comply with the stipulation.

“From the AFC perspective, we are quite elated that long overdue talks seem to be becoming a reality.

This is good news to us. We don’t believe that PM Moses

Nagamootoo has in any way been slighted, he has always been for national dialogue and will have no issue stepping aside for the national interest.”

“We urge the PPP to engage. We believe there is much to be determined in the areas of oil and gas, national security, border issues, national development.

So, we’re quite happy,” Trotman related.

Trotman also expressed the hope that without Nagamootoo, the AFC would still be represented at the meetings. He noted that the AFC was present at the first meeting between Granger and Jagdeo as Opposition Leader. As such, it expects the same treatment.

Dialogue

Jagdeo,

on

Thursday,

reaffirmed the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s commitment to being part of any formal talks with the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change Coalition Government, once there was a clear agenda and personnel on the part of the coalition who have the power, portfolio weight, and authority to make binding commitments during the discussions.

The Opposition Leader also made it clear that as a responsible stakeholder, the PPP/C was not interested in entering “cosmetic talks and arrangements” that were aimed at achieving political mileage and deceiving the public that progress was being made between the Government and Opposition on key areas, especially

Duo nabbed with illegal ammo hidden in air filter

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wo men are being processed for court on Monday after they were found in possession of a quantity of illegal ammunition stashed away in the air filter of the vehicle they were travelling in.

The discovery was made about 16:50h on Thursday by ranks attached to the Aranka Station in F Division (Interior Locations).

It was reported that acting on information received, the ranks intercepted a motor pickup bearing registration number PHH 222, at 75 km Barama Road, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

During a search of the vehicle’s engine area, a black plastic bag was unearthed in the air filter compartment. Further checks revealed a box containing 49 rounds of .38 live ammunition, which were unlicensed.

The articles were shown to the driver, a 29-year-old Sands Riverstone, Essequibo resident, who claimed that he was carrying same for a passenger, a 40-year-old miner of Lot 730 Charity Housing Scheme. The driver told the Police that he had hidden the am-

The ammunition found in the air filter

munition in the compartment.

A confrontation was held between the two men during which the miner was questioned, but he denied the claims made by the driver.

Nevertheless, both men have been arrested and have been taken into custody pending further investigations.

Legal advice was subsequently obtained, and the two are being processed to be arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.

AFC Leader and Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

those related to constitutional reform, governance, and the fight against all forms of political and public corruption.

Jagdeo had made public his Party’s recommitment to being part of discussions sponsored by the Government, once they are transparent, serious in nature, and aimed at tackling some key issues which are eating away at the moral, social, economic and political fabric of society.

He explained that he felt the need to publicly share his Party’s position on any proposed talks, in order to clarify any misconception or belief that the PPP was not interested in dialogue with the Government, and was,

therefore, avoiding the same because of its perceived resentment of the Prime Minister, who initially had been identified as the person who would spearhead discussions.

Jagdeo added he was compelled to ensure that the international community and Guyanese within the Diaspora did not get the wrong impression of the PPP/C’s posture.

“I received a call from President Carter, Jimmy Carter [former US President James Earl Carter Jr], and after talking a bit about Guyana, he said to me he had spoken to President Granger, and somehow, (what) he got from that conversation is that the

Government wanted to engage with us and we are unwilling to engage, because we don’t like Nagamootoo.

So, I said to him that that’s absolutely not true,” the Opposition Leader said.

Jagdeo maintained that the only issue his Party has with Nagamootoo was related to his portfolio. He remarked that the PPP and its leaders did not believe that the Prime Minister had a portfolio within Government, or that Nagamootoo had the ability to make the kind of serious and binding commitments the PPP needed after being locked in discussions.

“It is not the individual; it is his inability to make commitments that we cannot accept; because — and I pointed this out to President Carter; I said, ‘The AFC can’t even secure a meeting with APNU. They have written APNU since February of this year, and now it’s July, and I do not think they can secure a meeting with APNU to discuss the Cummingsburg Accord.

“Secondly, Nagamootoo has absolutely no substantive portfolio. GINA and Chronicle … is not a serious portfolio; and, therefore, that is the reason why,” he explained.

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Nephew jailed for pawning uncle’s property

N

eville Haynes was on Friday sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment by Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly after he admitted to fraudulently converting household items belonging to his uncle and valuing $670,000.

The Prosecution’s case was that, on April 10, the household items were entrusted to Neville Haynes by Orin Haynes for safe keeping after Orin Haynes was asked to leave his ex-wife’s home. Neville Haynes agreed to keep the items until his uncle returned.

A smiling Neville Haynes

Upon returning one month later, Orin Haynes learnt that his nephew had been in custody, charged with assault. He later visited the accused at the station, and while there, he inquired about the items he had left with him and was told, “It deh home”.

Orin Haynes later went to the location to collect his items, but was given a receipt which stated that the items had been pawned by the accused.

He reported the matter to the Police, and Neville Haynes was charged.

“City Vybez” nightclub owner remanded for narco-trafficking

P

opular nightclub owner Clyde Barrett was on Friday remanded to prison after appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a drug trafficking charge.

The charge alleges that Barrett had at his nightclub 19.188 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking on July 17, 2018.

According to the Prosecution’s case, Customs

Nightclub owner Clyde Barrett

Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks went to Barrett’s Sussex Street, Albouystown business place on July 17, and carried out a search which resulted in the retrieval of the cannabis hidden in a kitchen cupboard, which had to be opened using Barrett’s key.

The prosecution objected to Barrett being placed on bail.

Represented by Attorney-

at-Law Mark Conway, the 40-year-old Barrett denied the charge which was read to him; and Conway, in his submission for bail, told the court that two other persons were arrested during the raid at the nightclub.

Magistrate Daly, however, upheld the prosecution’s objection and the businessman was remanded. The case will continue on August 8.

Sophia man slapped with gun possession charge

T

wenty-five-year-old Kacey Prince of Lot 753 ‘B’ Field, South Sophia Georgetown is accused of having had in his possession, on July 17th last, one Taurus .32 revolver without being a licensed firearm holder.

Appearing on Friday before City Magistrate Leron Daly with Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd as his legal counsel, Prince pleaded not

guilty to the charge.

According to the prosecutor, a sting operation was carried out in the Sophia area on July 17th, and the said firearm was found beside Prince on the back seat of a vehicle that was intercepted by Police. Two other occupants of the said vehicle denied having knowledge of the firearm which was found beside Prince.

Defence Counsel Todd, in

a bail application, told the court that all the facts presented by the prosecution were true and correct, except that the weapon was found in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Todd contended that his client was not even seated in the car, but was merely standing at the door.

According to Todd, the driver of the vehicle is known to Prince, and he had

stopped to inquire about a job he wanted Prince to undertake when Police intercepted the vehicle.

The prosecutor objected to Prince being placed on bail, citing the serious nature of the offence for which he was charged. Bail was refused, and the case will continue on August 24.

Firearm licence fraudster granted bail reduction

H

aving been placed on $80,000 bail for falsely pretending he was in a position to obtain a firearm licence for Andre Ash, 48-year-old Lawrence Gittens of Charlotte Street, Georgetown on Friday successfully applied to Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly to have his bail reduced to $50,000.

Gittens denied that between May 15 and 28, 2018, he obtained $250,000 from Ash with intent to defraud Ash by falsely pretending he could obtain a firearm licence for him.

Informing Magistrate Daly that investigations into the matter have been completed, Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh made no objection to Gittens having his bail reduced.

The matter will continue on July 27.

Rejecting…

W

…the water boy e live in interesting times. And your Eyewitness isn’t even thinking of all those interesting Haitians trying to blend in with the locals; their giveaway, however, is their being quite religious folks who just have to practise their “Voudou” -- which we call “Voodoo”, and which some folks are VERY leery about, and have reported them to Khemraj Ramjattan, who’s supposed to be in charge of Public Security, but not Immigration, of which he was stripped!

No, that’s grist for another mill. What your Eyewitness wants to talk about is the Opposition Leader’s telling it like it is about Moses Nagamootoo.

Seems the PNC government’s been peddling a canard to the international community that the PPP doesn’t want to negotiate with them on several nettlesome matters.

Now, everyone in Guyana -- and their uncle -- knows the reason for the PPP not sitting across the table from the PNC. And it ain’t that they don’t like Moses Nagamootoo, whom the PNC selected as their lead negotiator. Heck, back in the day, Jagdeo negotiated with Desmond Hoyte – and there was no love lost between them!! And Jagdeo was then just cutting his (presidential) teeth!!!

Mouth open and story jump out when Jagdeo recently revealed he got a call from US former President Jimmy Carter – who, of course, brought back free and fair elections to Guyana in 1992. The stillborn negotiations had nothing to do with Nagamootoo being disliked, abhorred, scorned, loathed, detested, despised, or abhorred by the PPP. Of course, folks in the PPP feel that way about Nagamootoo – take your pick!! Who wouldn’t?? In fact, that’s the one thing that unites both PPP factions right now!!

Jagdeo revealed that, in essence, they wouldn’t waste their time negotiating with a fella who’s been so neutered by the PNC he can’t even negotiate an appointment to see President Granger in six months!! About his own neutering!! But Nagamootoo should understand these things – the water boy in cricket just passes on messages from the captain, he has absolutely no authority to answer questions from the fellas in the middle!! To change the analogy, as a man who’s tippled in rumshops from Point Playa to Crabwood Creek, Nagamootoo knows that “lil bottle and big bottle don’t be on the same shelf”!!

If the truth be told, his erstwhile comrades in the PPP are actually quite embarrassed about his treatment at the hands of the PNC. And they’re even more embarrassed at how he’s been forced to become a sycophantic, “toothless poodle” (in the words of Cheddi Jagan) to a party he cussed out for 50 years! At his age, accepting being just a columnist for the Chronicle!!

Ah… how low has the mighty (in his mind!!) fallen!! …the military build-up The economy might be sputtering because of the novice the PNC placed to head Finance. Agriculture might be ruined because of the nonentity the AFC (?) is represented by at the helm. Oil might be gifted away because of the “Man from Nassau’s” perfidy. But if one thing’s growing quite nicely, thank you, it’s the Disciplined Forces!!

Recruitment for the GDF is up…recruitment for the GPF is up…the Cadet Corps (which gave us Brigadier Granger!) is up and running, and we’re even getting photographs of newly-recruited Prison Service Officers in the papers!! And now we’ve just been told that 1608 persons have already been inducted into People’s Militia!! Imagine that!! And 2020’s still two years away!! What’s the connection, you ask, dear reader? Well cast your mind back to the good ole days of PNC-run elections, if you can. Or read up on it, if you can’t.

The Disciplined Forces are an integral aspect of elections under the PNC. Think why the largest number of People’s Militia are in Region Six!! …Spewed gas As your Eyewitness has said again and again, and again….this fella Patterson is full of that stuff; and of course gas, which is its precursor!

He’s spinning tales about gas-fired generators, but hasn’t tied down Exxon to providing any gas as yet!!

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

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

GuySuCo’s divestment

71 entities interested in GuySuCo’s assets – Harmon

O

ver 71 Expressions of Interest (EoIs) have been received by the State for assets of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) as the Government forges ahead with plans to divest and minimise the sugar industry.

Speaking at the post-Cabinet press briefing on Friday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, explained that Government would move forward with these EoIs only after completion of the valuation of GuySuCo’s assets, which is currently being carried out by the United Kingdom-based firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

“That valuation will actually give us a good sense of what prices you’re actually looking at for the equipment, for the land, and all of these assets that belong to GuySuCo. So it’s an important step in the process to have these valuations done.

So while some companies have actually made applications [and] expressed interest, what we are saying is: ‘Let us get the proper valuation and know exactly what it is that we’re doing’, so it is not done in a (piecemeal) manner,” he stated.

According to Harmon, Government wants to ensure that this divestment process is done is an orderly and transparent way, especially since this is going to be one of the largest local transfers of State lands to private ownership.

“So you don’t want allegations of favouritism, price-gouging and all of these things. We want to ensure a very smooth process, which will ensure that everyone gets a clear understanding and equal opportu-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

nity to purchase,” the State Minister posited.

Government last year announced plans to minimise the local sugar industry and divest the corporation’s assets. To this end, a Special Purposes Unit (SPU) -- which falls under the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) -- was set up to oversee the divestment plans by way of either selling off or restarting factories with minimal staff to attract investors, both domestic and foreign.

Room for improvement

NICIL’s Special Purposes Unit (SPU) Head, Colvin Heath-London, has recently confirmed that, over the next few months, special emphasis would be placed on transforming GuySuCo’s economic misfortune into a situation wherein a fully self-sufficient, viable and competitive enterprise operates.

However, asked about the performance of the three remaining estates – Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion -- Minister Harmon has said they continue to

function, but he believes there is room for improvement with the performance of these estates.

“There is, of course, the need for some of these estates to really push themselves a little bit more; and I think that is something which we should look at. You’re also aware that DDL (Demerara Distillers Limited) had to actually import molasses because of a shortfall in their production, and these are things that we need to get right… These are what you call ‘low hanging fruits’ that are there that we should take advantage of,” he opined.

Guyana Times reported earlier this week that the Albion Estate on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice has vacancies for some 600 workers of various categories, and as such, may not be able to meet its target for the second crop, which is expected to commence within a few weeks, if most of those vacancies are not filled by then.

Severance

Government’s plan to minimise the sugar industry has seen the closure of the Skeldon, Enmore and Rose Hall Estates, making more than 5,700 workers redundant and putting them on the breadline. Before this, the Wales Estate was also shut down in 2016, leaving in excess of 1000 workers jobless.

While the Wales workers are yet to be paid their severance, some of the more than 5000 dismissed workers who were entitled to $500,000 or less were paid in full. Those who had accumulated more than that amount received only half

Sugar workers wait in line to collect severance pay

of their severance, and were promised by Government to be paid the remaining 50 per cent in the second half of the year.

The Minister of State has assured on Thursday that Government is still committed to fulfilling this promise.

“The Government had committed to paying the sugar workers the [remaining] severance, and I had said the time which was stipulated by the Government – in the second half of the year.

Somehow, persons took that to mean immediately or shortly… but I wanted to clarify that I said ‘in the second half of the year’, and we are going to do that,” Harmon posited.

As part of efforts to sustain the minimised GuySuCo and bring it into a state of profitability and financial stability, the SPU has secured $30 billion in the form of a syndicated bond to support the industry.

Since this announcement, concerns have been raised about Government’s vision for the industry and

the genuineness of its actions thus far, since that very $30 billion could have gone into restructuring the industry while keeping all of the estates open and GuySuCo’s workforce employed and engaged.

Meanwhile, the Private

Placement Memorandum for GuySuCo’s $30 billion bond has received much criticism from Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. He recently said he was shocked by the contents of the agreement, which now leaves more questions than answers.

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Driver’s licence exam

Carpenter charged for 3 cops to be charged for reputed wife’s murder irregularities unearthed

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arpenter Tyrone James of Oronoque, Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima/Waini) was on Friday arraigned before a Georgetown Magistrate on a charge alleging that at about 20:52h on July 15th, at the Port Kaituma Waterfront, he hit his reputed wife Evadee Baptiste to her head, causing her to collapse and die.

The 36-year-old James had reportedly gone in search of Baptiste on that fateful night, and had allegedly found her imbibing with friends at the Waterfront. When she began dancing with another man, it reportedly enraged him, and he allegedly dealt Baptiste a blow to her head with his hand, causing her to fall to the ground unconscious.

Leaving Baptiste lying on the floor unconscious, James visited the Port Kaituma Police Station and reported what had transpired. Accompanied by a group of Policemen, James was taken back to the scene of the incident, where

F

Tyrone James

Baptiste was found still lying on the floor. She was picked up and rushed to the Port Kaituma Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

An autopsy conducted on her body gave the cause of her death as brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma.

James has been remanded to prison, and the case will continue on July 23.

NIS inspector robbed in minibus

R

udolph Primo of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, an Inspector of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), was reportedly robbed by passengers while commuting to Georgetown in a Route 42 minibus at about 00:22h on Friday.

The 47-year-old Primo had reportedly boarded the minibus at the Diamond Public Road to commute to Georgetown, but while in the vicinity of Eccles, East Bank Demerara, two passengers requested to be let off at Agricola. Primo, who was sitting in

a seat in front of them, had to exit the bus in order for them to get off.

The two men then held him up, one choking him and another pointing a gun in his face with a demand that he hand over his valuables.

The perpetrators then proceeded to relieve the victim of his Blu mobile phone valued $20,000 and $50,000 in cash before making good their escape on foot east into Agricola.

The matter has been reported, and the Police are said to be investigating the incident.

ollowing the discovery of massive irregularities in the theoretical examination written for a driver’s licence on April 12 last, the Police have revealed that, based on legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), three subordinate officers and one civilian are shortly expected to be arraigned in court.

This newspaper understands that a Police Sergeant will be charged with 12 counts of conspiring with others to commit a misdemeanour; a female Corporal will be charged with 18 counts of conspiring with others to commit a misdemeanour, and another Corporal face 12 counts of the said offence.

A civilian will, moreover, be charged with two counts of obtaining money by false pretence.

According to the Police, the charges were laid under Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.

Earlier this month, the Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which had been probing the irregularities unearthed following the examination, concluded its investigations and handed the case over to the DPP. This newspaper was told that candidates who had written this examination on the said date have been receiving result slips from the Traffic and Transport Office of the GPF at Eve Leary, Georgetown, informing them of

their performance.

On April 18, major irregularities surfaced in regard to the driver’s licence theoretical examination. Some 174 persons were registered to write the examination, but 106 persons presented themselves to write it; yet 207 scripts were submitted at the conclusion of the examination,

155 of which had been completed.

According to the GPF, preliminary inquiries revealed a complete breach of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) governing the administration and conduct of the examination.

The Police have also stated that initial inquires revealed that a senior subordinate officer who had been mandated to oversee this theoretical examination – which had been invigilated by three junior GPF ranks in collaboration with two pastors from the Cops and Faith Community Network partnership with the Guyana Police Force -- had left the venue shortly after the exam-

ination had commenced, and did not return.

Further, it was reported that a junior subordinate officer who ought not to have been at the examination venue had presented himself there, had spent some time, and subsequently left.

The GPF has said that since members of the Cops and Faith Community Network became involved in the invigilation of the learner driver’s theoretical examination, there have been reports of a significant reduction in the opportunities for corruption, complaint and allegations; thus this voluntary involvement will continue.

Just a few weeks ago, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) also discovered some illegal activities in relation to forged drivers’ licences and other irregularities.

The GRA said it discovered that some unscrupulous members of its staff were working in collusion with outsiders and members of the public to issue forged drivers’ licences, certificates of compliance, and registrations.

While announcing that details surrounding this development would not yet be divulged, the GRA has announced that an investigation has been launched, and is ongoing.

The GRA has also revealed that those individuals who were part of the illegal operations have been sent on leave.

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Stay out of politics until time to fund elections – Gaskin to Private Sector

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin

A

ddressing the inaugural Business Development Forum hosted on Friday by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin advised the Private Sector to stay clear of politics until the time comes to fund elections; and to focus its at-

tention on what it does best: the creation of business.

The minister managed to raise quite a few eyebrows with his declaration.

“I believe that the Private Sector should concentrate on business and stay out of politics; at least until the election season comes around, when you can decide which parties you want to support or which candidates you want to fund, because funding is of course a very key component of the election campaigning process. But certainly, in the off-season, you need to concentrate on business, and Government is supportive of that… Let the private sector do what it does best: compete, comply and get compensated,” he said.

Gaskin elaborated that, for far too long, Guyanese have been blaming bad politics in Guyana for bad business practices, as he compared Guyana to other

A section of the gathering at the launching of the inaugural Business Development Forum

countries.

“I know that for a long time we have blamed bad politics in Guyana for bad business practices. I think if we look at many other countries, the political climate is much, much worse. The language, the discourse, the levels of disaffection are way higher and much more toxic than it is in Guyana, and these countries continue to

see strong Private Sector confidence and strong economic growth and performance,” Gaskin declared.

“If we are going to speak about business development, I believe we certainly should be speaking about SUSTAINABLE business development; and when we speak about sustainability, we have to look far into the future and ensure that what

we are doing or seeking to do is actually sustainable in the long-term. And the longterm has to take into account future generations of Guyanese whose wellbeing will depend on the economic foundation that is laid by us who are alive today,” Gaskin declared.

The President of the GCCI had, moments before, given remarks highlighting the need for political stability for business growth.

“Political stability is one that guides investment…

When, as a business person, you are making sizable decisions for investment, stability is one of those things that must be a main ingredient…,” Indar had noted.

He iterated that the programme, which commenced on Friday and wraps up today, is intended to expand local businesses.

“This session is aimed at providing you with avenues to meet specialists…

That’s how we do business…

That’s how we go forward in building from weaknesses to strengths,” the president of GCCI added.

Back in June, the GCCI launched its Business Development Forum with the aim of expanding all businesses, whether smallor large-scale.

The two-day workshop will focus on areas such as access to capital, insurance policies, incentives for investment, export market readiness, donor agency funding, modern marketing tools, registration, and compliance.

The event is being hosted in partnership with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); Nations University; the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business; Republic Bank Guyana Limited, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). A fee of $20,000 is attached to the two-day event.

Contractor refunds money for Region 6 controversial bulldozer

T

he contractor who had supplied a smaller, used bulldozer to the Region Six Administration instead of a larger and brand new one has repaid in full the money received because the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has refused to accept the bulldozer supplied.

On January 4th this year, controversy broke out at the

RDC when councillors began questioning the condition of this machinery that supposedly was recently purchased.

In its 2017 budget proposal, the administration had proposed the purchase of a large bulldozer to shape dams in the rice cultivation area, and to render assistance to cash crop farmers.

The bulldozer was touted to reduce the cost of con-

The controversial bulldozer

stant repairs being effected on those dams. With this in mind, $15 million had been proposed for the purchase of the bulldozer. The proposal was approved in the 2017 National Budget.

However, on January 4, when controversy erupted over the specifications and condition of the bulldozer supplied, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Kim Stephens told the RDC that the bull-

dozer was not yet part of the region’s property, because the administration was waiting on the supplier to hand over the registration.

Even then, this publication had reported being in receipt of information that the bulldozer supplied had been paid for in full although no inspection certificate had been issued.

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Tuschen Councillors, residents criticise Govt for neglected roads R

esidents and NDC Councillors of the East Bank Essequibo communities of Tuschen and Zeelugt are contending that, despite efforts made in the past to engage authorities on the state of the roadways in those communities, no remedial action has been taken by Government in regard to having the roads rehabilitated.

Consequently, the roads are currently in a deplorable state, and continue to worsen with time.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Friday, Councillors of the Tuschen- Uitvlugt Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) indicated that the situation of the entire road network along Block Eight, Tuschen New Scheme has seen no maintenance in three years.

“It has been like that for the past three years. What happened is (that), under the previous administration, we would’ve seen regular maintenance of that road occurring on a yearly basis;

Sections of the deplorable road at Tuschen, New Housing Scheme

and not only the road, but the drainage system. Right now, no work has been done in the scheme. The entire road network in Tuschen Block Eight is in terrible situation,” one of the councillors stated.

Contacted, NDC Chairman Vishal Ambedkar also indicated that maintenance of the Tuschen and Zeelugt area does not fall within the remit of the

Council, but that of Central Government. He further indicated that the Council has tried on numerous occasions to contact both Local and Central Government entities to have the roads fixed, but there has been no response in over two years.

“To date, nothing has been done: no update, no plans as to what is in the pipeline for Tuschen or Zeelugt. Those two areas

don’t come under the NDC,” Ambedkar said.

“Regarding other roads in the area, the NDC tried as much as possible, where it can and where we have the resources, to carry out and execute works,” Ambedkar further related. “We have raised the situation with those roads at every level.

We’ve raised it at the NDC, where it came from councillors of that area. We raised it

at the (level of the) RDC; at the parliamentary (level), as well as (with subject ministers). We’ve highlighted the situation with those roads with Minister Patterson, Minister Harmon; and we’ve written letters to the Ministry of Communities,” he added.

He highlighted that during the rainy season, the roads are in a much worse state, since the drains are in need of maintenance as well.

“If you were to come here and see what the people has to go through every day to get out from the scheme on to the public road to go to work, school, and so on, you’ll be amazed at how they do it, especially when the rain falls,” Ambedkar detailed.

He related that complaints about the condition of the road are lodged at the council every day by drivers and other road users.

However, little can be done

by the council, since the issue requires the attention of the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

“I receive complaints on a daily basis from residents in Tuschen as well as Zeelugt New Scheme. No assistance is being given to those communities by Central Government. Sometimes we want to know if those two communities are in Guyana, because you see things happening in the other communities in terms of road and infrastructure, but when it comes to Tuschen and Zeelugt, nothing is being done,” the NDC Chairman said.

This neglect of the roads has led to many using alternative measures to exit the scheme; and in some cases, drivers would take more than twice the time to traverse the road.

A 48-year-old taxi driver who gave his name only as Mohan indicated that he would have to conduct regular repairs on his car, since the large craters along the entire road would register serious damages on his vehicle.

“I was driving here all the time, and nothing never use to happen. Now, sometimes every week something does wrong with me car.

That’s more expense, and then the gas price even more now,” the distraught man explained.

Persons who have to traverse the roads on a daily basis are concerned, since their travel is time consuming and the situation is unbearable when it rains.

ECD robbery

Getaway car driver remanded

The getaway car at Mahaica Police Station

T

wenty-eight-year-old Travis John of South Ruimveldt Georgetown, alleged driver of the getaway car used in the July 17th East Coast Demerara robbery in which a man who had just withdrawn money from a bank had been pounced upon and robbed of some $1.7 million, was on Friday arraigned before the Mahaica magistrate on a charge of robbery.

He denied the allegation that he, along with others, had been involved in the robbery.

Guyana Times had previously reported that, moments after the ECD resident had arrived home after withdrawing the cash, he was pounced

upon and robbed.

The three gunmen had reportedly pulled up in a Spacio motor car and relieved the victim of his cash; but the Police were promptly contacted, and the getaway car was seen on the Mahaica Railway Embankment with one of the perpetrators attempting to change a fake licence plate which had been used during commission of the robbery.

This alleged perpetrator was apprehended, and the Police are said to be still on the hunt for the other two gunmen. The stolen cash was not recovered.

John has been remanded, and will return to court on August 3.

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saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Co-op feud

Enmore family moves back home T

he family from Enmore North, East Coast Demerara who were traumatised and threatened by demolition workers on Thursday has moved back into their house following intervention from ranks of the Cove and John Police Station.

The family told this publication on Friday that after their belongings had been thrown out of the house, senior Police officers ensured that the items were placed back into the building.

One of the three affected persons, Nadia Rambarran, told this publication on Friday that the Police went

to the area and, having assessed the situation, told them to move their items back into the house.

“The Police went there yesterday (Thursday) and we fetch in back we things them.

They tell us to open the fence, and we get to put the things back into the house. And we had to go back to the Police station. Right now, we moving back into the house,” Rambarran said.

This disturbance between the co-op society and residents of Enmore commenced a few weeks ago, when the coop redistributed lands to its new members even though

Some of the household items that were thrown out of the house

some of the occupiers of the lands had been resident there

for in excess of 30 years, and had clearly expressed whom

GBTI concludes summer camp

to create a KTLT club to include even more children.

At the end of the camp, the students were awarded with a certificate for their participation.

GBTI Senior Manager of Finance and Accounts, Shawn Gurcharran said the event has become a part of GBTI as the Bank understood the needs of its Early Savers Club Members and its other customers.

Participants of the summer camp

T

he Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) on Friday concluded its one-week summer camp, which was organised to facilitate members of its Early Savers Club.

The activities were organised via a partnership with the Kids Today Leaders Tomorrow (KTLT) TV programme, whereby facilitators were present throughout the week to engage a total of 38 children in creative activities. After the five days, the activities culminated with an exhibit of the art pieces which were created by the participants.

The junior group, which featured children ages seven to 10, was facilitated by the renowned literary activist, Allan Fenty, in folklore and storytelling. Meanwhile, the senior group, comprising children ages 11 to 15, was engaged by the KTLT facilitator, Tanika Sanichara in craft sessions.

Both facilitators stated

Some of the students viewing their artwork

that the summer camp was a success as the children were given the opportunity to engage in constructive activities.

“The craft that I did for the juniors is actually simple material craft with paper. Most of it was paper. I bring things for them that they can be able to make at home and that they can learn,” Sanichara stated.

She added, “For the older group, I tried to put things

in place that actually caught their attention like the phone and pencil holder. We also did t-shirts where they do whatever they want, so you actually see what comes out of them.”

According to the producer of the KTLT programme, Robin St Marthe, the show is a great way for children to socialise and learn valuable life skills and experiences.

With the continuous growth of the show, they are hoping

Contractor refunds money...

Less than one week later, the REO told reporters at a press conference at her office that the used bulldozer which was recently purchased was indeed the property of the regional administration, although only four days prior she had denied that the machinery was the property of the regional administration.

The supplier was paid $8 million for mobilisation, and a further $6.7 million was paid on December 28, 2016.

The REO told reporters at her press conference that the money was approved by

Cabinet for a D3 bulldozer, and that the proper procurement procedure had been followed.

When it met on January 4, the RDC had called for an investigation to be launched into the procurement of this bulldozer; but even before the investigation, it was discovered that what was supplied was not what had been stipulated on the contract, and the supplier was asked to deliver what he was contracted to supply. He, however, claimed he could not source such a piece of equipment for the price agreed upon. After much public

From page 11

criticism of the old equipment purchased, a decision was taken for the contractor to take back the bulldozer and repay the money.

The REO, meanwhile, appeared before the Public Accounts Committee on the issue and admitted that the required procurement procedure was not followed in purchasing the bulldozer.

While apologising for the error, the REO had said it was not deliberate, but was rather an act of oversight; and promised there would be no recurrence. (Andrew Carmichael)

they wanted to inherit the portions of land they were occupying. Those residents became alarmed when, without their knowledge, the leader of the co-op society issued new documents to other persons to take control of their lands. Moreover, demolition workers were hired to demolish their houses.

Rambarran, who was at the scene of the demolition exercise, explained that she was told not to return to the property, and threats were made to burn the erected buildings.

The situation had gotten to a point where the residents were completely helpless, and sought assistance from former Attorney General and Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall.

During his visit to the area to hear the plight of the people, Nandlall declared in no uncertain terms that what the co-op was doing was legally wrong, and ought not to be committed. The Police were later advised to provide protection to the people and ensure that they return to their dwellings.

Nandlall outlined that while the co-op is in the process of redistributing the land, it cannot merely give

the land to other members.

He noted that when an occupier is deceased, that person’s beneficiary is supposed to be given the land. He also declared that it is not a case whereby the residents were squatting on the land.

“That is not what the law says. The law of co-operative societies recognises transmission of interest upon death. If a person was a member of a co-op and would’ve been entitled to a plot of land…, when that person dies, that interest passes on to the beneficiary of that deceased person,” the former attorney general stated.

Nandlall has promised that if the matter is not resolved, he would represent the residents in the High Court in order for their lands to be retrieved.

“This matter will have to be resolved either amicably at the level of the co-op society, or the Chief Co-op Officer. If not, we’d have to engage in a head-on battle in the High Court, and I’ll be representing all these people who are affected by this problem,” he said.

Efforts to contract the Enmore Co-op Society for a comment on the matter proved futile.

14 news

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Amended Cyber Crime Bill

Whistleblower legislation in jeopardy – Manickchand …hauls Govt over coals for treatment of transferred nurse The passage of the Protected Disclosures Bill counts for nothing when one considers the controversial Cyber Crime (Amendment) Bill, as persons who make unauthorised disclosures face as many as five years in jail if tried and convicted.

This is according to Opposition parliamentarian Priya Manickchand, who, in a heated presentation when the Bill was debated on Friday, decried the fact that the parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has to perpetually watch over Government to restrain it from making oppressive laws.

This was a reference to Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, who, in her presentation to the National Assembly, criticised the Opposition for being absent from the Committee that reviewed the legislation at the time Government inserted the clause into the Bill.

“Minister Hughes was very clear. The PPP was not there to protect the people of Guyana. An honest question this begs is, who are we protecting the people from? We, the PPP, have to come to protect the people from the big bad Government who cannot create laws that serve the people of Guyana.

“The Government is saying that they cannot be trusted to do right as it relates to drafting laws, by themselves.

They have to get monitors to tell them they are doing something wrong. What kind of government is that?”

Manickchand pointed to the amended clause nine of the Cyber Crime Bill, which states that “A person commits an offence who, through authorised or unauthorised means, obtains or accesses electronic data which (c) is stored on a computer system and is protected against unauthorised access.”

The penalty on summary conviction is a fine of $3

Uncle arraigned for nephew’s murder

A

West Coast Demerara (WCD) man who allegedly confessed to strangling his nephew to death earlier this week has been remanded to prison.

Ganesh Lall, 53, of Lot 78 Sixth Street, Anna Catherina, WCD, appeared at the Wales Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Dylon Bess.

The charge stated that he murdered 30-year-old Jason Hira of the same address on July 16, 2018. The

accused was remanded, and the case transferred to the Leonora Magistrate’s Court for September 11.

On Monday morning, the lifeless body of Hira, who lived with his grandparents and uncle, was discovered in their washroom.

According to reports, the now dead man arrived at home in a drunken state about 01:30h and an argument was heard coming from the house.

However, after some time, the argument ceased and then about 05:30h, an alarm was raised after the body of the

man was found by his grandmother.

The Police were summoned and upon examination, they noticed marks of violence around Hira’s neck.

The body was taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home, where a post-mortem was performed

by Dr Nehaul Singh, who gave the cause of death as compression injuries to the neck.

The grandparents and uncle were taken into custody and during interrogation, the latter admitted to detectives that he strangled his nephew, a known alcoholic in the community.

Opposition MP Priya Manickchand

million and imprisonment of three years, while conviction on indictment earns the accused a fine of $8 million and five years’ imprisonment.

“This clause is completely negating the protection under the whistleblower legislation. This amendment seeks to play with words and then comes back to say any person commits an offence who, through authorised or unauthorised means, obtains or accesses electronic data stored on a computer system and is protected against unauthorised access,” the Member of Parliament (MP) declared.

“Almost all information that would come to us through whistleblower is stored on a computer system and is protected against unauthorised computer ac-

cess. That’s why the person has to blow the whistle,” Manickchand stressed.

“Because it’s unauthorised information … and we know what this government has done to the nurse who blew the whistle on what was happening at her hospital. What has happened to that poor nurse, your own supporter?” Manickchand asked, to which Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan replied, “she’s still a nurse” as he heckled the MP. “Banished! Shamelessly removed from the position that she held, for doing what we say we want people to do,” Manickchand finished.

Sherlyn Marks, the nurse in question, was initially attached to a West Coast Berbice hospital. She was transferred with immediate

effect during the last week in April last year after she had made complaints against a former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Councillor.

She claimed that the former Councillor had been going to the hospital for an excessive daily dose of the painkiller pethidine.

The nurse had accused the regional administration of targeting her.

Nurse Marks, who said she filed complaints twice last year, claimed she refused to administer the 100-millilitre dose to the official, who would turn up daily to receive it.

She said she received a letter of transfer from the Regional Office after being scolded for going to the media with her complaints. Some two days later, the official reportedly resigned from her post and the party.

Persons and organisations, including the Transparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated (TIGI), have been critical of the incident and the potential repercussions for transparency and accountability. TIGI had referred to the case by noting that Marks was bludgeoned into oblivion or worse, “for exposing the abuse of power”.

news

15

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Water levels in Kwakwani fluctuating – CDC

E

ven as residents are desperately praying to see soil again, reports are that the water levels in the community of Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice) have been fluctuating, causing some persons to lose hope.

This is according to the acting Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, who told Guyana Times that the water level had seemingly begun to recede, but he has received reports of the water level returning to its initial height of approximately nine feet.

He explained that the abundant rainfall the community has been experiencing is likely responsible for this phenomenon, and another batch of food supplies has been sent to the community, which is very much in

need of same.

Colonel Craig said food supplies have been distributed to the villagers by volunteers who can traverse the village only by boat.

Several food hampers supplied by the CDC were distributed on Wednesday, for the first time since severe flooding besieged the community.

Over 300 households remain affected by the disastrous situation, and although the residents have adopted adaptive measures, most homes are completely flooded, and occupants have been forced to move to higher ground.

On Sunday morning, some residents also received utensils, medical supplies, and supplies of cleaning agents from the CDC. These include soap powder, bleach,

An aerial view of the extent of the flood in Kwakwani, Upper Berbice River

soap, long boots and other cleaning agents.

Region 10 Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph, a resident of Kwakwani, has expressed the residents’ appreciation for the CDC’s effort in promptly responding to their call for help.

“I am pleased they were

very prompt. I am very pleased that they have come on board to assess the situation and to also provide help, just two days after,” Adolph said.

Adolph said one of the challenges facing the residents in the present situation is transportation.

He said high fees are being

Shoemaker remanded for painter’s murder murdered painter Wayne Sundar Singh.

Represented by Attorney-at-Law Mursaline Bacchus, Ross was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The 43-year-old Singh had reportedly been seen at a house at Bulletwood Street in Rose Hall Town on July 13, imbibing with several persons while gambling. An argument had re-

Dead: Wayne Sundar Singh

Accused: Vivian Ross, also called "Jerry"

V

ivian Ross, also called ‘Jerry’, a 40-yearold shoemaker of Lot 58 Bulletwood Street, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, was on Friday arraigned before Corentyne Magistrate Renita Singh on a murder charge alleging that, on July 13, he

portedly ensued, and Singh had been beaten and had sustained injuries to his head. Hours after the incident, a friend had told Singh’s mother that Singh had been injured and left unconscious.

Family members had rushed him to the Port Mourant Hospital, from where he was subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

However, because of the extent of his injuries, he was being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital when he succumbed en route to that facility. The accused, Ross, was subsequently arrested and charged.

The case is being prosecuted by Inspector Aslthia Soloman. Ross has been remanded until July 31, when statements in the matter are expected to be available.

charged, especially by canoe operators plying the flooded routes, to transport residents who live on the outskirts of Kwakwani into the central location for shopping and other business-related purposes.

Regional Vice Chairman Adolph is calling on the relevant officials to consider raising the level of the main access road, so that when flooding occurs in the future, transportation would not be affected.

Residents have even made a call for the Government to consider commencing irrigation works in the area as

soon as the water recedes, to prevent the situation from recurring.

Flooding in Kwakwani commenced in April and intensified over the months because of heavy rainfall coupled with overtopping of the Berbice River. Persons living on Lamp Island and the Waterfront are the most severely affected.

The water rose to as high as eight feet in some areas, but reportedly is receding slowly. Residents are currently forced to utilise boats as their main mode of transportation, since the roads are inundated.

16 news

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

proposes countrywide Buxtonian charged for GWI replacement of distribution networks ganja in juice cans G

The Fruta cans filled with ganja

A

n East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident was remanded to prison for trafficking marijuana in juice cans.

Kester Skeete, a min-

er of Lot 158 Buxton, ECD, appeared at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded until August 2, 2018.

According to reports,

about 09:00h on Thursday, ranks attached to the Bartica Police Station in F Division (Interior Locations), acting on information received, conducted a search of an inbound passenger boat from Parika.

During the search, a case of canned juice was found in the back seat.

However, upon inspection, it was revealed that the cans were filled with marijuana. The boat captain told the Police that the case belonged to Skeete, but the 24-year-old miner denied ownership during a confrontation that was held between the two men.

Nevertheless, both were arrested and taken into custody. The narcotic was weighed and amounted to some 788.5 grams.

Legal advice was subsequently sought, and charges were recommended against Skeete. Meanwhile, the boat captain was released as further investigations were ordered as to his involvement in the matter.

uyana Water Inc (GWI) Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles said that there was an urgent need for the replacement of all water distribution networks countrywide.

The call comes on the heels of the two breakages on Thursday in the water distribution networks at Vlissengen Road, in the vicinity of the Popeyes fast food outlet. The repairs to this distribution network are scheduled to be completed by tomorrow.

At a press conference on Friday, at GWI’s headquarters, Dr Van WestCharles said that within the past three months, there have been six breakages and 10 overall for the year.

He disclosed that the last three breakages have cost the utility company $15 million. The breakages are a di-

rect result of the aged pipe infrastructure that currently exists in Georgetown.

He added that “as we improve the water production for Sophia and cen-

tral Georgetown, once those systems are up and running, it means that central Georgetown will receive higher water pressure,

which can rupture the system”. It was also disclosed that the Public Utility Commission (PUC) has approved a fixed charge of $250 for the maintenance of all distribution networks countrywide. This charge is expected to come into effect from October 1, 2018.

“One of the things I would like to put to the (GWI) Board for approval is to have Central Government advance the cost for the replacement of these lines over a number of years, to be agreed upon. Also, that part of the fixed charge that comes to us is directed towards that cost,” Dr Van West-Charles stated. The Managing Director said the issue has engaged the attention of the GWI for the past two years, adding that it was imperative that the matter was addressed urgently.

Govt approves $17.3M for Emancipation celebrations

T

he Social Cohesion Ministry, with responsibility for culture, youth and sport, has been allocated $17.3 million for the hosting of this year’s Emancipation activities.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who made the disclosure on Friday, said the money would be divided among the African organisations registered with the Ministry for the hosting of events in the respective villages.

In addition to the traditional celebration in the National Park, Minister Harmon said, a special Emancipation event will be hosted at the Union

Cultural Complex, Union, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Emancipation

is celebrated on August 1 to commemorate the abolition of slavery in 1834.

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Israeli forces kill 4th Medical data of 1.5 million Singaporeans, including PM, stolen Palestinian; Israeli

H

ackers have stolen the medical information of 1.5 million Singaporeans, including that of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, according to health officials.

Singapore’s Health Ministry said on Friday that patients who visited the specialist outpatient clinics and polyclinics of SingHealth – the country’s largest group of healthcare providers – from May 1, 2015, to July 4, 2018, “have had their non-medical personal particulars illegally accessed and copied”.

“The attackers specifically and repeatedly targeted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s personal particulars,” the Ministry added in a statement.

The breach took place be-

The hackers specifically targeted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s personal information [Edgar Su/Reuters]

tween June 27 and July 4, the day the hack was noticed by a security team, which immediately took action to prevent any further access

for the hackers.

The data stolen from SingHealth’s database consists of names, addresses, gender, national registra-

tion number, race and date of birth.

According to the Ministry, no medical records were accessed.

“No other patient records, such as diagnosis, test results or doctors’ notes, were breached,” the statement said.

After the hack was detected, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), Ministry of Health and SingHealth were informed.

The CSA and the Integrated Health Information System (IHiS) will start investigations into the hack, while SingHealth will get in touch with people who had their data stolen.

The Ministry said the hack was planned well and executed by professionals.

soldier shot dead

I

sraeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian during the protests in the Gaza Strip near the fence with Israel, raising the number of Palestinians killed on Friday to four.

Israeli soldiers fired live bullets and teargas canisters towards the protesters along the fence, killing Mohammad Sharif Badwan and wounding 120 others, according to health officials in Gaza.

The killing of Badwan, 27, came after Hamas said three of its members were

commitment to the Caribbean

C

anada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reiterated his country’s “ongoing commitment” to supporting Caribbean countries in building economic and climate resilience.

The Canadian Government said on Thursday that Trudeau stressed that commitment in a telephone conversation the day before with newly-elected Barbados Prime

Minister Mia Mottley.

In June, at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Charlevoix, Canada announced an investment of Cdn$162 million “to help build strong and resilient coasts and communities, including those in the Caribbean”, the statement said.

“The two leaders discussed the importance of developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by

the Caribbean and the importance of building upon the G7 engagement with Small Island Developing States,” it said.

“Prime Minister Trudeau recognised the difficult but important steps that Barbados is taking to address debt issues,” added the brief statement.

Last month, Prime Minister Mottley said public debt was as high as 171 per cent of Barbados’ Gross

Domestic Product (GDP), adding that corrective economic and fiscal measures were needed to place the country on a sustainable footing.

Last week, Barbadian officials and a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) held negotiations in the island on a package to help the country out of its economic woes. (Excerpt from

CMC)

Jazeera)

India’s Modi stunned as rival Gandhi crosses Parliament to hug him

I Canadian PM reiterates country’s (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

killed earlier in the day in air strikes in the southern part of the Strip.

Later, on Friday, the Israeli military said gunfire at the Gaza fence killed an Israeli soldier.

The military said a “terrorist squad” fired at troops and one soldier was severely injured and later died of his wounds. He was the first Israeli military fatality in months of violence along the Gaza fence.

The violence raised fears of a new conflict. (Excerpt from Al

ndian Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi surprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday when he interrupted a no-confidence debate by walking across the Parliament floor to give his rival a hug.

Modi easily survived the no-confidence vote thanks to his parliamentary majority, but not before a 12-hour debate in which his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) battled with Gandhi’s Indian National Congress, in a warm-up for elections due

by May. The BJP calls Gandhi, the fourth-generation scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, a “failed dynast” out of touch

with ordinary people whose only political credential is the accident of his birth.

After a speech accusing Modi of promoting crony capitalism, Gandhi addressed such criticism: “You have anger against me, you can call me names, you can abuse me, but I don’t have a speck of hatred against you. I will take out this hatred out of you and turn it into love,” he said before striding across the floor to put his arms awkwardly around the seated Prime Minister.

Startled by Gandhi’s gesture, Modi froze in his seat but later called Gandhi back to his seat and shook hands, smiling. (Excerpt from Reuters)

South Korea court hands ex“Dr Bumbum” arrested in Rio President Park 8 more years in jail after patient’s death

A

South Korean court sentenced former President Park Geunhye to eight more years in prison on Friday after finding her guilty on charges of causing loss of funds from the State spy agency and interfering in 2016 parliamentary elections.

The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Park, who already received a 24-year jail term over separate corruption charges, colluded with her former aides to cause the loss of Government funds worth 3.3 billion won (US$2.91 million) from the National Intelligence Service.

“The accused received some three billion won over

A

Ex-President Park Geun-hye is the third former South Korean leader to stand trial for corruption [File: AP]

three years from the three NIS chiefs. Through this crime, the accused incurred a considerable amount of loss to the State treasury,” said Senior Judge Seong Chang-ho at the Seoul

Central District Court.

Three former NIS chiefs testified they had funnelled the funds to Park on her orders, the court said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

WhatsApp sets new rules after mob killings

W

hatsApp has said it will limit how many times messages can be forwarded in India, to curb the spread of false information on its platform.

The announcement comes after a spate of mob lynchings were linked to messages that circulated on WhatsApp groups.

The Government on Thursday reissued a warning to the company that it could face legal consequences if it remained a “mute spectator”.

With more than 200 million users, India is WhatsApp’s biggest market.

WhatsApp said its users in India “forward more messages, photos, and videos, than any other country in the world”.

Groups on WhatsApp can have a maximum of 256 people. Many of the messages that are believed to have triggered violence were forwarded to multiple groups which had more than 100 members each. (Excerpt from BBC News)

celebrity Brazilian plastic surgeon known as “Dr Bumbum” has been arrested after four days on the run following the death of one of his patients.

Police say Dr Denis Furtado was detained in Rio de Janeiro thanks to an anonymous tip.

His patient Lilian Calixto died following injections he gave her to enlarge her buttocks.

Dr Furtado faces murder charges. His mother was

Dr Denis Furtado described the death as a “tragic accident”

also arrested and is accused of being an accomplice.

Investigators say Dr Furtado carried out the procedure on Calixto, a 46-yearold bank manager and mother-of-two, at his home in Rio de Janeiro – but she fell ill during the procedure.

Dr Furtado took her to a hospital where her condition worsened and she died some hours later, police said.

Local media reported that she arrived at the hospital suffering from an abnormally fast heart rate. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

Trump “secretly recorded discussing payment to Playboy model”

U

S President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen secretly recorded his client discussing payments to a former Playboy model, US media report.

The tapes were reportedly discovered during an FBI raid on Cohen’s property earlier this year in New York.

The New York Times re-

ports that on the recording Trump and Cohen discuss paying Karen McDougal, who says she had an affair with Trump.

The tape was reportedly made two months before the election.

The Department of Justice is looking into alleged hush money paid to women who claim they had a relationship with Trump.

Cohen – who has not been charged – is reportedly under investigation for possible bank and tax fraud, as well as potential violation of election law.

On Friday, another Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, confirmed to the New York Times that the President had discussed the payments with Cohen on the tape. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SaturDAY, july 21, 2018

ARCHIE

ARIES

Simplicity will be the key

(March 21- to your success. Don’t compliApril 19) cate matters by giving others

too much choice. Offer what you know will work, and move matters forward.

Live and learn. Gather TAURUS information, ask questions (April 20- and strive to make personal May 20) changes that will make you a better person. Nurture important relationships and strive for greater equality.

dilbert

Use your head and do GEMINI (May 21- what’s right. Don’t let your June 20) reluctance to hurt someone’s feelings be misleading.

Honesty will be less stressful when all is said and done.

Social events will stir your imagination and motivate (June 21- you to try something new.

July 22) Test the waters and proceed with confidence. A commitment or romantic gesture will improve your personal life.

CANCER

Peanuts

Don’t feel you must give LEO in to someone trying to push (July 23- an added expense or responAug. 22) sibility on you. Offer suggestions, but don’t take on what doesn’t belong to you.

If you make your choices VIRGO clear-cut and reasonable, you (Aug. 23will get the help you need to Sept. 22) execute your plans. A short trip will bring about positive change and greater stability.

Calvin and Hobbes

You’ll be questioned if LIBRA (Sept. 23- you don’t finish what you Oct. 23) start or fulfil a promise you made. Don’t leave yourself in a vulnerable position; get moving and don’t leave room for error or criticism.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — CHINCHILLA

Don’t share personal inSAGITTARIUS formation or pay for someone (Nov. 23else’s mistake.

If you observe Dec. 21) and listen carefully, you will avoid being railroaded into something that isn’t beneficial for you.

(CHINCHILLA: chin-CHIL-uh: A squirrel-like rodent of South America raised for its fur.)

Average mark 18 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in CHINCHILLA? The list will be published Monday.

If you look for an outlet, CAPRICORN you’ll find a unique way to (Dec. 22- ease your stress and make Jan. 19) your living arrangements more conducive to the lifestyle you desire.

THURSDAY’S WORD — EMPATHY

empty mate math meat meaty myth pate path peat ahem tame

tamp tape team them they thyme type hate heap heat hemp

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

If you open up about the SCORPIO way you feel, you will be able (Oct. 24to remedy some of the probNov. 22) lems you’ve been facing.

Relationship troubles can be solved.

solution for last published puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Use your energy wisely.

It will be easy for you to overreact to a change that someone makes. Understanding and compassion will bring better results. Try to be patient.

If you do your own thing, you will grab the attention of someone who believes in your mission. An offering or financial gain will encourage you to make a personal change.

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018

19

Sagan wins 3rd stage after sprint finish

W

orld champion Peter Sagan surged late to secure his third victory of the 2018 Tour de France in a bunch sprint finish on stage 13.

Sagan, who also won stages two and five, kicked from deep to edge out Alexander Kristoff and Arnaud Demare on the line in Valence.

The Slovak also extended his already-dominant lead in the green jersey points classification.

Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas held on to the overall leader's yellow jersey.

This was a relatively calm day for the general classification favourites after three tough days in the Alps, with four-time winner Chris Froome also finishing safely in the bunch to remain one minute 39 seconds behind Thomas in second.

"This stage was a piece of gold for us," said Sagan.

"Everyone in the group recovered and I think everyone is happy it was a relaxed stage.

"I was a bit late, a little bit behind in the last 600m but I stayed on the wheel of Kristoff and I'm very happy to beat them."

This stage presented an

riders that are no longer in the race.

He now leads Kristoff by 228 points in the points classification and is set to equal Erik Zabel's record of six green jersey should he complete the race.

Saturday's stage 14 runs 188km from Saint-PaulTrois-Chateaux, with the potential for a breakaway to go the distance, while the overall favourites will have to be wary of a steep finish

in Mende.

In his stage-by-stage guide for BBC Sport, Mark Cavendish said: "This type of stage is normally gruelling. On the profile it doesn't look like too many blips but it really does go up and down.

"There's no let off for the last half of the stage and then a horrible steep climb up to Mende. I think a breakaway will stay to the end." (BBC Sport)

Stage 13 results

Peter Sagan (right) has also won stages two and five of this year's race

excellent chance of a rare win on a Tour sprint stage for several riders, after the Alps had wiped out most of the race's fastest and most successful sprinters.

Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel were eliminated after missing the time cut on stage 11, while Andre Greipel, Fernando Gaviria and Dylan Groenewegen all abandoned on stage 12. Those five have 60 Tour stage wins between them, with Gaviria and Groenewegen having won two each this year.

Groupama-FDJ, UAE

Team Emirates and BoraHansgrohe duly rode on the front all day, in service of Demare, Kristoff and Sagan respectively, to ensure the four-man breakaway of Thomas de Gendt, Dimitri Claeys, Tom Scully and Michael Schar never got too far ahead.

When Schar attacked from the break late on, the peloton calmly reeled him in with 6km to go to set up the bunch sprint, only for QuickStep Floors' Philippe Gilbert to launch a powerful counter-attack.

FDJ caught the Belgian

with 400m to go and fittingly it was Demare who took up the sprint, with Kristoff kicking alongside at the Frenchman faded.

But neither could hold their effort for long enough, with Sagan showing exquisite timing to pass both and claim his 11th Tour stage victory.

The versatile Slovak, who won a sprint on stage two from a reduced bunch and an uphill finish on stage five, had finished no lower than third in this edition's previous bunch sprint finishes, and then only behind

1. Peter Sagan (Svk/BORA-hansgrohe) 3hrs 45mins 55secs 2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/UAE Team Emirates) same time 3. Arnaud Démare (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) 4. John Degenkolb (Ger/Trek-Segafredo) 5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing Team) 6. Yves Lampaert (Bel/Quick-Step Floors) 7. Magnus Cort (Den/Astana Pro Team) 8. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita/Wanty-Groupe Gobert) 9. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) 10. Taylor Phinney (USA/EF Education First)

General classification after stage 13

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 53hrs 10mins 38secs 2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 39secs 3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +1min 50secs 4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 46secs 5. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +3mins 07secs 6. Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar Team) +3mins 13secs 7. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) +3mins 43secs 8. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar Team) +4mins 13secs 9. Daniel Martin (Irl/UAE Team Emirates) +5mins 11secs 10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana Pro team) +5mins 45secs

Liverpool sign Brazil goalkeeper in record deal

L

iverpool on Thursday signed Brazil goalkeeper Alisson from Roma in a world record deal valued at 72.5 million euros by the Italian club.

“The 25-year-old signed a longterm contract with the Reds after undergoing a medical and completing the formalities of his switch at (training centre) Melwood today,” said the Liverpool website.

Roma confirmed the value of the transfer for Alisson who featured at the World Cup in Russia.

“AS Roma can confirm that Alisson Becker has completed his move to Liverpool, in a deal that could be worth up to 72.5 million euros,” the Serie A club said on Twitter.

Alisson is a key signing for Jurgen Klopp who was desperate for a new goalkeeper to replace Loris Karius following his calamitous Champions League final performance against Real Madrid.

Chelsea were also linked with Alisson who began his career with Internacional in Brazil before moving to Roma two years ago.

“I’m really happy, it’s a dream come true to wear such a prestigious

shirt for a club of this size that is used to always winning,” Alisson told liverpoolfc.com.

“In terms of my life and my career, it’s a huge step for me being part of this club and this family. You can be certain that I’ll give my all.”

Alisson said that Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah -- also a former Roma player -- had encouraged him to join the Anfield giants.

“Yesterday, he sent me a text message saying: ‘Hey, what are you waiting for?’ As the negotiations were at an advanced stage, I replied to him straight away saying: ‘Calm down, I’m on my way!’

Alisson becomes Klopp’s fourth summer signing after Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri.

The fee beats the previous record for a goalkeeper of 53 million euros paid by Juventus for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001 and the 40 million euros Manchester City forked out to sign Alisson’s compatriot Ederson from Benfica last year.

“At one point in the last few weeks it came up, the opportunity to sign one of the world’s best goalkeepers -- then it’s not a long thought, to be

Alisson Becker said that Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah – also a former Roma player – had encouraged him to join the Anfield giants

honest, it’s only that you need to have a little talk with the owners!

They were quite excited, so we did it,” said Klopp.

“I think it’s something we have to do. He has nothing to do with the price, we have nothing to do with the price, it’s the market, that’s how it is and we will not think a lot about it.

“It shows the value of goalkeepers, of course, in this moment. It will happen a lot in the next few weeks

I guess and that’s it, so we are really happy to have him here now.

Klopp added: “His English is surprisingly good and he is a real personality. He has meanwhile a lot of experience in the last few years, in Europe and in Rome, he’s played there on an outstandingly high level and he did the same at the World Cup.” Klopp was quick, however, to warn fans that Alisson will need time

to adapt to life in the Premier League and can still improve further.

“The full package is just good,” the coach added.

Alisson has already experienced the famous Anfield atmosphere, playing there for Roma in last season’s Champions League semi-final -- which Liverpool won 5-2.

“Yes (the atmosphere) in part it did influence the decision,” he said.

“When you make an important decision like this it’s not just a decision to change clubs, it practically changes your entire life, my family’s life, my wife, my daughter.

“That game definitely did have an influence but I also watched other games. I’ve seen other games where I could see the way Klopp had the team playing.

“That has made me really excited to be part of this group. Apart from the fact that the club is massive, the players that have come through here and the titles won, hopefully I can play a part in the history being created here, win titles and be a part of the project that has been developed here in the past few years so we can see Liverpool rise once again.” (Hindustan Times)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018

German Grand Prix: Red Bull's Verstappen fastest in 2nd practice R

ed Bull's Max Verstappen was the surprise pacesetter ahead of the two Mercedes drivers in second practice for the German Grand Prix.

The Dutchman, whose team are not expected to be able to compete for pole position with Mercedes and Ferrari, pipped Lewis Hamilton by 0.026 seconds.

Hamilton, who made a mistake on his best lap, was 0.225secs clear of title rival Sebastian Vettel.

The Briton's teammate Valtteri Bottas was also ahead of the German's Ferrari.

"It's very hot, which makes it very demanding and physical in the car," said Hamilton, who trails Vettel by eight points at the top of the drivers' standings.

"The car was feeling good, but it is very close, so there's lots of work to do tonight.

"Both Ferrari and Red Bull were very quick and I think it will be very similar tomorrow and on Sunday.

It's going to be a serious challenge and it's not an easy track to get right, so we will have to give it everything."

Verstappen's fastest time meant Red Bull topped both sessions on Friday, after

Max Verstappen has won one race in 2018 and sits sixth in the drivers' championship

team-mate Daniel Ricciardo set the pace in the morning session from Hamilton by just 0.004secs.

Ricciardo, who will start from the back of the grid as a result of penalties for using too many engine parts, was only 13th fastest after a late start to the session and a spin, which meant he did not do a qualifying simulation run like the rest of the drivers.

Red Bull in general had a difficult day, despite setting the pace. Verstappen suffered an engine problem midway through the second session and was not able to

complete a race-simulation run, trying the car on heavy fuel.

"I feel like we have a good balance with the car," said Verstappen. "It was a nice surprise to start so competitively here but we have to remember it is only Friday.

The others will be quicker for qualifying but certainly a better than expected start.

"We lost a few laps due to a small oil leak this afternoon but this was quickly fixed and I managed to get a few laps in at the end of the session to make sure everything was fine."

'I'm hearing a lot of noise'

- Verstappen topped the session despite his late mechanical issues

Vettel's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fifth fastest, ahead of the Haas drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

On the long runs, when teams prepare for race conditions, Ferrari appeared to have a small advantage over Mercedes - Vettel was an average of about 0.2secs quicker than Hamilton on both the ultra-soft and the medium tyre, although Bottas and Raikkonen set almost identical averages on their runs on the soft.

Vettel said: "We are missing a little on one-lap performance. I think we can improve.

"I wasn't entirely happy.

It was the only shot I had on the ultra-soft but the car is fine and I think we can still gain something. It seems

very close."

Sauber's Charles Leclerc, tipped to be promoted to Ferrari at the expense of Raikkonen next year, continued his impressive progress with the eighth-fastest time, 0.4secs and six places ahead of team-mate Marcus Ericsson, and ahead of Renault's Nico Hulkenberg and Force India's Esteban Ocon.

McLaren, having to use Fridays as test sessions because the car is suffering aerodynamic problems on track that the wind tunnel does not show up, had yet another difficult day.

Fernando Alonso ended the day 17th fastest with team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne slowest of all. (BBC

Sport)

Olympic champ among more than 100 facing doping proceedings

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Ruth Jebet leads the 3000m Women’s Steeplechase at the 2017 IAAF London World Championships

he steeplechase world record holder and Olympic gold medallist, Ruth Jebet, is among more than 100 track and field athletes and coaches who are facing disciplinary proceedings for doping offences, the Athletics Integrity Unit has announced.

In March the Guardian exclusively revealed that the 21-year-old Jebet, who competes for Bahrain and was hailed as Golden Ruth when she won the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at Rio, had tested positive for the blood booster EPO. However, this is the first official confirmation that disciplinary proceedings are being pursued, which comes as part of a new drive by the AIU to introduce greater transparency in the sport.

Also on the list of athletes, subject to proceedings is Violah Jepchumba, who has run the third-fastest half marathon in history, and for the first time is revealed to be fighting a fouryear ban for doping offences.

Meanwhile the Austrian race agent Robert Wagner, who has occasionally represented Justin Gatlin and the sprinter’s former coach Dennis Mitchell, is also being investigated after telling the Daily Telegraph he could obtain human growth hormone and testosterone in exchange for $250,000.

Brett Clothier, the head of the AIU, said from now on disciplinary cases involving athletes would be published on its website and tweeted out, as part of a drive towards greater transparency.

“Previously the IAAF would only release information when it was final and binding but that disciplinary process could take up to four years,” he said.

“The feedback from athletes and the public was they hated it when their people suddenly disappeared and they had no way of knowing why.”

The AIU’s disciplinary list contains winners of 85 Olympic and world championship medals – the majority of whom are Russians implicated

in the second McLaren report of December 2016. However, Clothier said it is not widely known that they are working to bring these cases to a successful prosecution.

The Australian also insisted the AIU, which was established last year with 17 staff, was determined to catch more drugs cheats. “What people can take heart from is that the IAAF has created an independent unit, invested in it heavily and that we are going to get things done without fear and favour.

“One of the key things we have done in building our team is to have an investigations unit with five officers, who have the specialist skills to conduct investigations and build a network in all the continents in the world.

“Over the next 12 months I would expect to see more investigative and more nondoping cases. We want to uncover the networks behind doping and expose them.” (BBC

Sport)

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he Guyana Sport Shooting Federation (GSSF), in keeping with international sport shooting standards, has adopted the policy of mandatory ear and eye protection for all shooting events.

“Compliance to safety while handling firearms is always paramount,” reiterated GSSF President Ryan McKinnon in his comments while handing over a donation to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the GSSF last week.

The GSSF ensures that all members follow all fire-

arm safety rules and are personally protected during shooting by wearing protective gear for their eyes and ears. All shooters, instructors, range safety officers, scorers and spectators in proximity to the shooting points are required to wear eye protection while the range is hot.

The Federation, in strengthening its partnership with the Police Force, made the donation to aid the safe training and development of ranks with firearms. The equipment is thus specifically targeted for use by the Training

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The presentation of the ear and eye protective equipment was made at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown to the TSU Officer in Charge, Guy Nurse.

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The Federation looks forward to continued collaboration with the GPF, and commits to giving assistance, building capaci-

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GSSF President Ryan McKinnon (front right) hands over ear and eye protection to the TSU OC, Guy Nurse in the presence of GSSF Director Aleemul Ali (front left) and ranks of the TSU

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t was a foul day in Carnoustie, the kind that makes the locals crack jokes about the Scottish summer. This was the weather you remember from family holidays, the sort you stay out in only if you can fool yourself into thinking it is not all that bad. Tiger Woods suffered the worst of it, and it looked like he was trying to persuade himself he was enjoying it, too.

Woods never seems like he is having all that much fun on the course. He might smile when he has made a birdie but otherwise he makes golf look a grim and serious business.

On Friday he was scowling like a man who has run for the bus then found out he has not got the fare.

The crowd, though, light up wherever he goes. There is not a more popular player in the field this week. Even his partner Russell Knox, who is from Inverness, was not getting half the support that Woods was. The American says the cheers are a little louder than even he is used to. “You know, it’s incredible,” he said after his round.

“Obviously I’ve played well in Scotland, and I haven’t played in the Open Championship for a couple of years. It’s fantastic to have the support we’ve had. For as many people that came out in the rain today to support us, it’s very appreciated.”

Sometimes, though, it all gets a bit much. Like at the 2nd, where Woods’s tee shot flew wide right, and fetched up in thick rough on the downslope of a bank on the edge of the fairway. It was a lie that would make Donald Trump blush. Woods sized it up while the crowd gathered around, eager to catch a glimpse. He decided to have his caddie Joe LaCava order them back, back and back again. They were sure there was a line there somewhere. LaCava clearly wanted everyone to clear right out, but the bunch up ahead were as thick as flies, some thicker, and would not budge.

So LaCava shrugged, and Woods set

himself to attempt this preposterous shot off the slope and over their heads. The bank was so steep that, since he was standing at the foot of it, he was almost taking a baseball swing at the thing. The ball flew ankle high

Tiger Woods in the rough at the second hole

into a thicket of fans 30 yards ahead, seemed to ricochet off a couple of shins and knees and then rolled back out into the rough. “I kept moving them back. If you noticed, I moved them back about 40 yards,” Woods said later. “Yeah, I was very, very fortunate that it got far enough down there where I had a full wedge into the green.”

Still, Woods dropped one shot there, despite a superb approach and a fine long

putt that left him a tap-in. Then he followed up by dropping another at the 3rd, where he overhit a birdie putt and left himself a tricky second coming back from 6ft, which stopped on the lip. So Woods was two over through three, and dropping down the leaderboard.

“Not exactly the best start,” he said. And then, a little of the old magic. He recovered both the dropped shots with back-to-back birdies at the 4th and 5th, one with a putt from 9ft and another with a putt from twice that.

After the second of them, Woods even skipped a little hitch-kick in celebration.

Then, just when it looked like weather would break, everything took a turn for the worse and the rain came harder than ever. Woods was wayward off the tee at both the next two holes, and had to play out of the rough.

So he was back scrambling. He dropped a shot at the 9th when his chip in stopped 5ft shy and he took two putts. He picked it up again with a birdie at the 11th, where he walked his putt in after a fine approach.

Then he made another birdie at the par-five 14th, where he hit a superb five iron on to the front of the green.

Woods might have made an eagle there but the putt just missed on the right. The same thing happened when he had another birdie opportunity on 18. In between the two, there was another bogey at 16. So he finished the day in even par, again, with four bogeys and four birdies. “I played a little bit better yesterday,” he said. “Today wasn’t quite as good but I finally birdied the par five.

So that’s a positive. Right now I’m six back, and by day’s end, I think I’ll be more than that. It will be a pretty packed leaderboard, and I’m certainly right there in it.” He figures the leaderboard is so tight that there will be 10 men in contention come Sunday.

He will need to play better than this on Saturday if he’s going to be one of them. (The

Guardian)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018

Brian Lara says the Caribbean always produce great talents L

egendary former West Indies batsman Brian Charles Lara vehemently believes that the Caribbean has always produced the best young cricketers.

The Trinidadian made this revelation on Sunday at King City where the inaugural Global T20 Canada culminated with Vancouver Knights ruling supremacy.

Among the six teams that participated were a Cricket West Indies B side and to the delight of many West Indian enthusiasts, they made a great impact by featuring in the championship encounter.

Prior to that engagement, Cricket West Indies B roared to four consecutive victories before they were humbled by the tournament’s winner at their final preliminary round match, but quickly rebounded to beat the same opponents in the first playoff match and subsequently booked a place in the final.

“The performances I have seen, I’m impressed with them and always believe that the Caribbean have produced great talents; this is a young team, a third rank side because you have the senior boys playing against Bangladesh and then an A team in England, so they are talented enough to be that good here,” Lara asserted.

In the final, Cricket West Indies B only managed an insufficient 145 all out while Vancouver Knights, in reply, cantered home losing only three wickets in the process with 15 balls to spare.

“Obviously, they would have liked to put more runs on the board, but I think this version requires aggressive approach, but there is a strategy and tactical approach to it as well; they were very consistent with their shots, but losing wickets at regular intervals going to put them under pressure.”

He continued: “When you have a team with the likes of (Chris) Gayle in it, you want to post 200 runs on the board and Gayle had a formidable team to chase any target.”

The ex-West Indies skipper mentioned that Cricket West Indies must work with these talents that they have around the Region.

“We never lacking in talent but how we bridge the gap between First-Class and international cricket that is the problem, there is where we are putting ourselves down; we have to find ways to nurture these young talents; we have to get an engine room to do it as well,” Lara, still with the distinction of making the highest individual Test score, 400 not out, related.

At the introduction of the tournament in June 28, as Brand Ambassador, Lara had appealed to the game’s lovers to support the 18-day Global T20 tournament, which attracted a galaxy of T20 star players from around the planet.

In addition to Vancouver Knights and Cricket West Indies B, the other teams were Montreal Tigers, Edmonton Royals, Toronto Nationals and Winnipeg Hawks. Some of the players making headlines for the Cricket West Indies B were Guyanese Sherfane Rutherford, who cracked the tournament’s lone century, an unbeaten 134, also against Knights, while Justin Greaves scored 89 not out. Batsman Nicolas Pooran and Brandon King displayed consistency while Fabien Allen, Kavem Hodge and Shamar Springer churned out good all-round performances. Pacers Obed McCoy and Darval Green were outstanding with the ball among others as well. (Ravi Madholall)

Brian Lara

Guinness “Greatest of the Streets”…

Just 6 days remain…

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t is an observable fact that the street football phenomenon known as the Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” Competition is the most anticipated event in the shorter version of the sport and the ninth edition is shaping up to provide a wonderful experience for the fans.

The Guinness brand, under Manager Lee Baptiste, has every intention of making this year’s national playoffs as inclusive as possible and all the stops are being pulled out to ensure that the tournament’s legacy is enhanced and secure.

The organiser, Banks DIH, has attempted every year since the tournament’s inauguration to improve some aspect of the experience for the fans and players, and this year’s national play-offs would be bigger and better.

Last year saw the introduction of colourful uniforms and balls in keeping with the new trend seen internationally and apart from a duplication of that effort,

the organiser is planning to make seating accommodation available for fans so that more persons could share the wonderful experience of witnessing the games.

Teams have begun to intensify preparations and as usual, the quality on display over the three nights is nothing short of fantastic.

With the Bartica Zone just concluded and their representative decided, they now have the opportunity to showcase the talent of that community against the moreestablished communities of Georgetown, East Coast, Linden and West Demerara, and the early whispers are that the newcomers will adequately acquit themselves judging from the performance of zone winner Disconnection Crew that have a few Brazilians in their line-up.

They will definitely want to prove something against the opposition and vindicate their presence in the tournament.

Linden’s Dave & Celena All Stars, who became the first

team outside of Georgetown to win the national competition, will no doubt be aiming to prove that last year’s performance was no fluke, while the Georgetown entries will be looking to reclaim lost glory.

Then, there are the dark horses from the other communities who’re yet to stamp their authority on the big tournament, but just as the reigning champions showed, the gap is closing among all the teams.

This year could prove to be a blockbuster extravaganza and one that fans will truly enjoy.

At this point, it is anyone’s guess what will be the outcome of this tournament with all the teams raring and ready to rumble.

The tournament opens on July 27, at Pouderoyen Tarmac, West Demerara and then moves to Haslington Tarmac, East Coast Demerara on August 1, before the final showdown set for August 4, at the National Stadium.

The teams that have qualified are: Georgetown

Gold is Money-Champion Sparta Boss Leopold Street Bent Street

East Coast

Uprising-Champion Paradise Melanie-B Buxton Diamond

West Demerara

Showstoppers-Champion

ESPN West Side Ballers

Linden

Silver Bullets-Champion Dave and Celina’s All-StarsNational Champion Swag Entertainment

Berbice

Trafalgar-Champion

Bartica

Disconnection Crew-Champion

Ticketmaster Travel Agency supports GCB 75th anniversary raffle – final drawing slated to take place on November 17, 2018

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icketmaster Travel Agency, a popular travel agency in Georgetown, has joined corporate Guyana in support of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) grand fundraising raffle for its 75th anniversary, in aid of youth and female cricket development, which was launched in April 2018.

The Travel Agency is sponsoring a return ticket to New York, the fourth prize.

The GCB was officially formed in 1943 and is currently celebrating its 75th year of existence or diamond anniversary. The raffle was the very first activity planned for the celebration, and is being overseen by Anand Kalladeen, Raj Singh, and Anand Sanasie. The GCB also held a prayer breakfast at the GCC Members Pavilion in May 2018. Other activities are planned for the remainder of the year.

There will be eight very attractive prizes raffled off at the final drawing. The first and second prizes take care of your transportation woes, an awesome motor car will be the first prize, with a beautiful Jialing motorcycle as the second prize, which is sponsored by Marics & Co. The third prize is a 60-inch television set.

The fourth prize, return airfare to New York, carries a special condition – it does not include a visa but it is anticipated that the ticket holder can either obtain a visa on his/her own or the GCB and the sponsor may be flexible to agree to a transfer of the tick-

GCB Marketing Manager Raj Singh receiving the commitment of the return ticket to New York from Ticketmaster Travel Agency travel consultant Luciana D’Andrade

et to a relative or friend of the winner.

The fifth prize is a beautiful gold necklace, which is sponsored by popular jewellery establishment, Steve’s Jewellery. The sixth prize is an Acer laptop computer, which is sponsored by SPR Enterprises located on Brickdam, Stabroek, Georgetown.

The seventh prize is a return trip for two to Kaieteur Falls, which is sponsored by Roraima, a member of the Roraima Group of Companies.

The eighth prize is a day trip for two to one of our most exot-

ic resorts, Arrowpoint Nature Resort.

Raffle tickets have been priced very inexpensively at just $200 per ticket and are very conveniently distributed in books of 25 for an even $5000. The final drawing is set for November 17, 2018.

Tickets will be on sale at the Providence National Stadium during the two ODIs between the West Indies and Bangladesh, so be on the lookout for our ticket vendors.

Tickets are on sale at specified outlets around the country and from any executive member of the GCB.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018

Hero CPL tickets go on sale in Essequibo, Berbice from Monday C

ricket fans and cricket enthusiasts of Berbice and Essequibo now have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the upcoming home games of the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), from Monday, June 23.

CPL fans in the Ancient County can uplift their tickets at the residence of Mr Vijai Ramdhan at Lot 19 Princess Elizabeth Road, Queenstown, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Cinderella County patrons can get tickets at Imam Bacchus & Sons Limited at Affiance on the Essequibo Coast.

A CPL fan flaunting numerous tickets as Guyana prepares Tickets can be pur- to host three opening matches from August 9 chased from 09:00h to 17:00h (9:00am to 5:00pm) Monday to Friday and 09:00h to 13:00h (9:00am to 1:00pm) on Saturdays. The cost of tickets for this year’s CPL games is as follows:

Chapman, Sami to bolster St Lucia Stars

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he St Lucia Stars have announced that Mark Chapman of New Zealand and Mohammad Sami of Pakistan will be joining their squad for the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL). This year’s tournament will run from August 8 to September 16.

Chapman will replace Hussain Talat in the Stars squad after he became unavailable for this year’s Hero CPL. Chapman made his international debut for his native Hong Kong in 2015, but he has subsequently moved to New Zealand and has represented them at the

Mark Chapman

bowlers on the T20 circuit and has previous experience in Hero CPL having played for the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2017. Sami has played for

RED AND GREEN STANDS – G$5000 ORANGE STAND – G$3000 GRASS MOUND – G$2500

Patrons are asked to make early purchases so as to avoid the rush as we get closer to match days. Tickets will be available for the first three games as follows:

Thursday, August 9 – Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at 18:00h (6:00pm); Saturday, August 11 – Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Lucia Stars at 16:00h (4:00pm) and Sunday, August 12 – Guyana Amazon Warriors v Barbados Tridents at 18:00h (6:00pm).

For further information on ticketing, please feel free to contact the CPL Guyana office on telephone numbers 231-5344, 231-2035 or 225-5840 and on email – cplguyana@gmail.com or Mr Ramdhan on 622-0982/333-5981 and Imam Bacchus & Sons Limited on 771-4996.

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Mohammad Sami

international level against England this winter.

Sami will replace Rumman Raees, who is also no longer available. Sami is one of the most experienced quick

Pakistan in 87 ODIs and 13 T20 Internationals and has claimed 169 wickets in his T20 career.

Speaking about the arrival of these new squad members, St Lucia Stars General Manager

Mohammad Khan said: “The Stars welcome the additions of both Mohammad Sami and Mark Chapman. Sami is one of the best fast bowlers in T20 cricket. He remains fit, fast, and hungry. We feel his presence will make an already strong attack even stronger.

“Mark is a dynamic young batsman. He is a player of considerable quality and a high cricket IQ. He will add more firepower to a middle order that includes Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, and Daren Sammy.

“We are disappointed that Hussain Talat and Rumman Raees couldn't participate this season. We wish Rumman a speedy recovery from his injury and wish Hussain continued success as he develops into one of Pakistan's top players.”

Tickets for games featuring the St Lucia Stars are on sale now at www.cplt20.com.

saturDAY, JUly 21, 2018

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