Guyana Times Newsletter - Friday, August 24, 2018

President lauds P nursing profession

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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Power woes worsen in Region 2 guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3666

Page 7

…protest action erupts at Anna Regina substation

Former Minister, assistant freed of $600M larceny charge Hundreds of Berbice teachers attend GTU’s meeting Page 2

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

PPP questions secrecy on remaining P3 $15B GuySuCo bond – says few details forthcoming from NICIL on future use

P8 Ex-Cop charged for threatening to kill wife

City Hall to P11 begin paying owed workers

by October

See stories on pages 10&12

Vryheids Lust Road to be closed on Sunday P11

…7000 teachers to strike on Monday …GTU President no-show for conciliation talks

Freeman Street murder

Security guard charged for killing reputed wife Page 2

…woman stabbed 10 times

Security sector reform

More work needed on infrastructure, Police conditions – UK envoy

…says way should be paved for Page 13 more women to enter GPF

481 cases of child sexual abuse recorded in 6 P9 months

2 news

saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Freeman Street murder Former Minister, assistant freed of $600M larceny charge Security guard charged …Magistrate cites insufficient evidence

Former Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford and her administrative assistant, Margaret Cummings

F

ormer People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Public Service Minister Dr Jennifer Westford and her administrative assistant Margaret Cummings were on Friday freed of a $600 million larceny charge.

The duo had been before the court on an allegation that they had stolen over $600 million from the Government of Guyana while they were em-

ployed at the Public Service Ministry.

In 2016 Westford and Cummings were each placed on $4.8 million bail by Magistrate Judy Latchman, after denying 24 charges which alleged that they had stolen more than $639 million while being employed in public office. The prosecution had contended that the money was stolen between October 19th, 2011 and April 28th,

2015. The Prosecution also contended that the monies were requested to conduct outreaches in the 10 administrative regions of Guyana.

The team of attorneys that had represented the duo comprised Dexter Todd, Keisha Chase, Rexford McKay, Neil Boston, Eusi Anderson, Bibi Shaddick and Brandon Glasford. In court on Friday, Magistrate Latchman upheld the no-case submission made

by Attorney Dexter Todd; and in handing down her decision, noted that the charges were bad in law, as Westford, according to the Guyana Constitution, was a Government minister and not a public officer.

With respect to Cummings, who was a public officer, the magistrate said there was insufficient evidence for a conviction. She added that there was no evidence to show that the money was taken and not used for its intended purposes.

A total of 48 witnesses had been called during this trial.

for killing reputed wife …woman stabbed 10 times

Murder suspect: Jermaine Bristol

A

post mortem performed by G o v e r n m e n t Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh

on the body of 24-year-old Shenece Lawrence -- who was reportedly killed by her reputed husband Jermaine Bristol at their Freeman Street, East La Penitence home on Wednesday, August 22 -- proved that she had been stabbed 10 times to the neck and body.

Bristol was on Friday arraigned before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman with the capital offence of murder. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that, on August 22, 2018, he murdered Shanece Lawrence.

He was remanded to prison and will make his next court appearance on September 27.

Guyana Times understands that the suspected had been convicted for cocaine trafficking and sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment in 2016. He had, however, appealed his conviction and was released on $300,000 bail pending the outcome of that case.

Recap

Shanece Lawrence was reportedly stabbed to death by her 34-year-old reputed husband Jermaine Bristol on Wednesday, August 22, at their Freeman Street, East La Penitence home in Georgetown. He had then walked into the East La Penitence Police Station and reported the crime; and was the one who led the Police to the body, which was discovered with a knife stuck in the neck.

Dead: Shenece Lawrence

Bristol, a security guard attached to the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil), has been described by an aunt as not being a violent person; but the aunt has said that the duo had had a turbulent relationship, with constant intense arguments being featured.

The aunt has said her nephew had informed her that Lawrence had moved out from the home on August 16. She said the couple had been together for over five years.

One of the late Shanece Lawrence’s brothers told Guyana Times that Bristol and his sister had fought very often. He described his sister as having been a “good girl”, and expressed disbelief at Bristol’s actions.

Meanwhile, neighbours recounted one incident in which Bristol and Lawrence had been at a hotel in the city and he had begun to abuse her, resulting in her fleeing the location stark naked.

news

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saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, August 25 – a night retraction at 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:3016:00h and Sunday, August 26 – a night retraction at 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30-16:00h.

PPP questions secrecy on remaining $15B GuySuCo bond

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

– says few details forthcoming from NICIL on future use

Saturday, August 25 – 15:55h-17:25h and Sunday, August 26 – 16:30h-18:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals with light cloudy skies can be expected throughout the day, with clear skies can in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 20 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 03:46h and 16:09h reaching maximum heights of 2.49 metres and 2.47 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:44h and 21:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.70 metres and 0.73 metres respectively.

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ack of detailed information on the status of the remaining $15 billion from the bond raised by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) has prompted concerns from the parliamentary Opposition.

At his press conference on Thursday, People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo questioned what was being done with the money. This money, he reminded, would have to be repaid with interest.

“What is happening to the remaining $15 billion that has been sitting in the account of a long while now since it has been raised…

What is it being used for?”

Jagdeo, the Opposition

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The Skeldon factory

Leader, questioned.

“We have not seen any statement from NICIL regarding the future uses, bearing in mind that we are paying interest on this large sum of money that was borrowed and is just sitting in an account.”

After reports in sections of the media that no money was disbursed to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), NICIL’s Special Purpose Unit said in a statement on Sunday that some $2 billion was disbursed to the Corporation.

It was added that the monies from the bond facility will be used to purchase equipment for production of plantation white sugar, including the purchase of nine tractors, and to address the

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

co-generation plants’ operational expenses.

“The monies obtained from the bond facility were not obtained to facilitate

the payment of debt, as was ventilated time and again by the Minister of Finance and stakeholders,” the SPU said.

It was pointed out that GuySuCo is yet to complete its procurement process for the mentioned capital items. Therefore, SPU has said, GuySuCo is not in a position to draw down on additional secured funds.

Earlier this year, NICIL was mandated to seek financing for the downsized Corporation, targeting retooling, diversification and improved agriculture. This was being pursued even as work was being done to privatise and divest the four estates – Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales.

Through local financing arranged by Republic Bank Limited, NICIL has

managed to successfully negotiate a bond facility for $30 billion, with significant input from the Finance Ministry.

NICIL has requested $17 billion in the first tranche.

“We will receive the remainder on request. It was structured in this manner for it not to incur unnecessary costs,” the statement added.

GuySuCo must submit its applications for financing to the SPU, and those are to be vetted to make sure they meet the approved criteria of the bond holders before financing is disbursed. Two disbursements have thus far been made; one for $880 million and another for $1.1 billion.

The SPU has said it must be noted that half of the bond amount would be provided for in local currency, while the remainder would be disbursed in United States dollars (USD).

With support from Government by means of a sovereign guarantee, SPU Head, Colvin Heath-London has been able to secure this funding spoken about.

The benefit is a 4.75 per cent rate of return, which represents a taxfree bond. NICIL, through its SPU, took control of the Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales estates when Government decided to close operations earlier this year in order to maintain the viability of the sugar industry.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturdAY, august 25, 2018

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

Lasting solution to power woes

T

he issue regarding the constant power outages across Guyana and their huge negative impact on both individuals and businesses is once again making the headlines. The problem seems insurmountable for the Government to deal with, as promises to make blackouts a thing of the past remain unfulfilled; and it looks as if Guyanese will have to wait much longer before they could enjoy the ‘good life’ promised by the Coalition Government on the 2015 campaign trail.

It is well known that businesses are becoming fed up with the situation, and based on information gathered, some are even contemplating closing shop. For example, just a few days ago, the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) issued a passionate call for the Government to immediately intervene and bring some relief to the residents of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), especially the business sector, who are all suffering tremendously due to the inadequate power supply.

The ECCI President was quoted in this newspaper as saying that the region’s commerce is collapsing due to the poor service offered by Guyana Power and Light (GPL). It was revealed that businesses are already dumping products, and those who have standby generators are pumping thousands of dollars into fuel and maintenance costs.

Now that Guyana’s oil and gas sector is about to take off, it would be in the country’s interest to have a reliable supply of power. Investors, manufacturers and so on will not be attracted to come here and do business if the present situation as it relates to electricity supply continues.

In addition to the negative impact blackouts have on businesses, they create huge discomfort for individuals as they disrupt their daily lives. Also, everyone knows that constant power surges can result in severe damage to household appliances, and even cause fires etc. It is even more frustrating when one considers the fact that GPL does not have any clear policy as it relates to providing compensation when electrical appliances or machinery etc are damaged due to irregular power supply.

It is clear that both businesses and private individuals are dissatisfied with the service being provided by the power company, especially so since the cost they are paying for such service has not decreased. In fact, it has increased over the past few years, even though Government has been saving millions of dollars due to declining oil prices on the world market.

At present, it is still not clear as to what steps are being taken to bring a lasting solution to the power woes the country has been experiencing. In fact, officials have been giving one excuse after the other, which does not help in any way. Some experts believe that there is a manifest lack of short- and long-term solutions to address the company’s inefficiency. They have expressed the view that no relief is being provided by the Government in the short term, and no effective plan is in place to address the situation in the medium to long term, which could eventually see the problem deteriorating further.

We had stated before that Guyana could have been in a better position regarding an affordable, reliable supply of electricity if there were bipartisan support for the Amaila Falls Hydro Power (AFHP) project, which should have been in the system from 2017. Unfortunately, the APNU/AFC parties, while in opposition, did everything they could to kill the project.

That said, we are not oblivious to the many problems being experienced by the power company. These problems, which include line losses and electricity theft, have been known for decades, and have certainly had a tremendous impact on the company’s ability to provide better services to Guyanese consumers. The extent of electricity theft is shocking, and GPL must continue to tackle the issue frontally.

The authorities must stop making excuses and find a solution to the problem once and for all. After investing so many billions in this day and age, these constant power outages are unacceptable.

An artistic peice created by one of the students of the ER Burrowes School of Art. Displayed at the Umana Yana this week, it is made primarily of wood, and depicts the link between humans and nature. Other materials were also used to create and highlight the intricate design

Raksha Bandhan – the bond of love

Dear Editor, ‘Raksha Bandhan’, or ‘Rakhi’, is a special occasion to celebrate the emotional bonding of a sister tying a holy thread round her brother’s wrist. ‘Raksha Bandhan’ means ‘a bond of protection’, and it signifies that the strong must protect the weak from all evil.

This ritual is observed on the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan, when sisters tie the Rakhi on their brothers’ wrists, and pray for their long life.

This ritual sometimes involves an aarti, where a tray with lighted lamp or candle is ritually rotated around the brother’s face, along with the prayer and well wishes.

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the love and bonding between brothers and sisters.

Raksha Bandhan is an

ancient festival, and has many stories behind it.

Some of the famous stories include where the Rajput queen Rani Karnavati practised the custom of sending rakhi thread to Mugal Emperor Humayun as a token of brotherhood. Another popular one is from the Mahabharata, and it acknowledges the relationship between Lord Krishna and Draupadi.

According to the epic, one morning, when Lord Krishna was flying a kite, he cut his finger on the abrasive string. Draupadi, who was nearby, saw him bleeding profusely and ran to him.

She then tore a piece from her sari and tied it around his finger. Lord Krishna was so touched that in return he promised to protect her from all evil forever.

This symbolises the sister’s love and prayers for her brother’s well-being, and the

brother’s lifelong vow to protect her.

India, as we know, has a rich cultural heritage; and while there are many festivals observed throughout the year, Raksha Bandhan holds a special place. It is the time when siblings celebrate the special bond of love between them.

During this festival, girls -- with their friends or families -- go out to buy Rakhis for their brothers, new clothes for themselves, sweets for relatives and friends etc; and boys, for their part, also go out to buy gifts for their sisters.

Raksha Bandhan is one festival that protects and nurtures the loving relationship between brother and sister.

Though the modern-day celebration has brought in various changes in the celebration, the significance of the festival is still the same.

The Nobel laureate poet

Rabindranath Tagore initiated the festival as a community celebration.

He asked all the Muslims and Hindus to tie Rakhi, as this would help in maintaining harmony and peace between them. So, from this also, the festival of Raksha Bandhan started.

The bonding between a brother and a sister is simply unique, and is beyond description in words. The relationship between siblings is extraordinary, and is given importance in every part of the world. However, when it comes to India, the relationship becomes all the more important, as there is a festival called “Raksha Bandhan” dedicated for the siblings’ love. It is a perfect way of spending time with your siblings. Happy RAKI Day. Sincerely, Pt Surendra Tiwari

Guyana must remain vigilant of Syndicato gang Dear Editor, Guyana’s recent approach to Venezuelan migrants and businessmen places increased risk within its borders. We must remain cognisant of the Syndicato

that has increasing influence within the Venezuelan populace due to the economic conditions that currently prevail in Venezuela. This will also raise red flags with the anti-narcotics agencies

in the USA. It would be unfortunate for Guyana to have an experience that is similar to Guatemala’s, whose northern territory is under the control of drug lords.

After all, the taking of

Essequibo can be achieved by various strategies. There is no need for Guyanese to aid our enemy in this process.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

guyanatimesgy.com

saturdAY, august 25, 2018

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Blatant disregard for constitutional rights Dear Editor, Gerrymandering is a rigging process which was used extensively in the past, and is again being used to manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constituency, so as to increase its constituency wins in certain areas whilst at the same time reducing the constituencies in the PPPfavoured areas. This is in effect showing A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in a favourable light as a prelude to the intent to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

According to a press statement made by Executive Secretary of the PPP, Mr Zulfikar Mustapha, “The Minister of Communities, with responsibility for Local Government and Regional Development, Minister Bulkan, issued the Municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (Participating Local Authorities) Order # 19 of 2018, dated June 8, 2018. In this Order, he named “the name of each local authority, the total number of seats, the number of Councillors in respect to “proportional representation” component, and the number of constituencies and councillors in respect of the “first past the post” component. By way of this Order, he announced the creation of one new township and eight new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, an in-

crease of nine LAAS, bringing the total LAAs to eight.”

Mustapha further stated that what was “most interesting in the list of the 80 LAAs identified in Order #19, the PPP discovered that the Minister reduced the number of constituencies by 16 in 14 existing LAAs, thereby making them the subject of re-designation with proposed re-demarcation by GECOM.” This is evidence of gerrymandering: increasing the NDCs by eight, one new township in the PNC-favoured areas, and reducing the constituencies by 16 in the PPP-favoured areas.

What is even more blatant is the fact that there was no bi-partisan or non-partisan consultation.

Furthermore, there was certainly no consultation with the citizens, although Article 13 of our Constitution provides for this participation by citizens and their organisations in the decision-making process, especially in this areas, which will directly affect their well-being. This is pure unadulterated dictatorship!

Unfortunately, the citizenry seldom appreciates the trickery involved in the gerrymandering process, since they feel that the changing of constituents’ boundaries will not affect them directly. This is far from the truth! Citizens are most likely to witness the rigging process when the balloting process is being manip-

ulated, and not by the gerrymandering process. They only appreciate its deviousness when the votes have been cast and the results are out.

Through the gerrymandering process, the constituency lines are intentionally rigged and the lines or boundaries are drawn, as in this case, to place a majority of PPP supporters in fewer constituencies and the PNC supporters are placed in many constituencies. This will give the PNC more constituency wins and less to the PPP, even though the PPP would have gotten more votes at the Local Government Elections!

In 2012, in the USA, the Republican won a majority of seats in the US House of Representatives, 234 as against the Democrats 201; and this would seem to suggest that the Republicans got more votes than the Democrats.

But, sadly, this was not so, the Democrat constituencies got in excess of 500,000 votes more than the Republicans. This is what gerrymandering can do!

The Coalition Government should be condemned for this blatant disregard for the constitutional rights of the citizens of our country. This Government must stop its progression to dictatorship rule!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor, Region 6

MoE, GTU have similar circumstances

Dear Editor, Because education plays a critical role in any nation’s development, I have been paying keen attention to the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education’s negotiations for the teachers’ multi-year package, 20162020.

Editor, please permit me some space in your pages to share my opinion on the above subject.

It was reported that the GTU proposed an across-theboard increase in salary of 40% for 2016; 45% in 2017; and 50% in 2018, 2019 and 2020 be granted to all categories of teachers and teacher educators for the years 20162020.

I wish to point out my view on this, and I am certain others share some, if not all, of these sentiments that will be put forward as I analyse the ongoing negotiations between the two parties.

Foremost, let me say from the start that the MoE is not solely responsible for this impasse. The GTU must share some of the blame. Editor, I believe the GTU has a right and a responsibility to champion the rights of its members. However, this should be looked at in the context of the situation in its entirety, and not from a partisan angle.

The first mistake the GTU made was when is asked for those hefty increases at a time when the Government was doling out $32B to prop up the ailing Guyana Sugar Cooperation. And we have not even considered the many other financial obligations in regard to loan payments and the funding of infrastructur-

NSF must be properly managed Dear Editor, The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has keenly been following the spirited debate regarding the suggestion that Guyanese households benefit from an unconditional cash transfer from monies accruing from commercial oil production.

The Federation has noted several convincing arguments advanced for and against the idea, and a number persons have expressed their points of view. The robust debate surrounds the burgeoning oil and gas industry, and is the latest conversation regarding the significant wealth the Government has told us that our nation will supposedly garner from our patrimonial resources. Expectedly, many will point to the agreement inked with ExxonMobil and its partners and very well contend that the sums we should be receiving should be much higher. We agree with that view, and we also recognise that the oil and all our other resources belong to all Guyanese, and as a responsible organisation, we hold the view that our oil wealth -- and in fact all our wealth – should be used in the most prudent manner, to ensure that our resources benefit our people now and in the future as well.

We would like to believe that there is near national consensus regarding the need

to carefully utilise our wealth, but, at the same time, the FITUG cannot fail to express its serious concern with the mechanisms being proposed to manage and safeguard the wealth that would accrue.

The Government recently released a Green Paper which addressed the establishment and operation of a Natural Resource Fund (NSF) which would seek to save and expend our country’s earnings from the oil sector. From our point of view, there can be no argument for the establishment of an NSF as a vehicle to save our oil receipts and use such monies to develop our country. We are aware that several countries have gone this route, recognising that their resources have a finite life span, and therefore we need to cater for life after the utilisation of our black gold.

The FITUG’s concern relates to the management of the NSF, which we understand from the Green Paper will be subsumed under the Ministry of Finance. While we accept that the State undoubtedly must have a role to play, at the same time, we cannot ignore the squander-mania attitude we have seen pervading now-a-days. The Green Paper presented speaks to withdrawals from the NSF influenced by budgetary demands and requirements, and this is where we are fearful that the monies may not be utilised in the best

possible manner, especially recognising that utilisation of the funds can be approved by a simple majority.

The Federation is of the strong view that the use of the fund’s resources should be guided by a well-articulated and carefully crafted development strategy which outlines the goals we as a country and people wish to attain. Such a strategy, which should involve the views of the Guyanese people, would have clear timelines and easily measureable objectives. Such an approach, we hold, will ensure that we get optimal returns from the monies we will earn. While we know the Government will, in all likelihood, point to its Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), we believe that document requires great-

er detail if it is to meet its stated objectives.

If the Government is indeed serious about ensuring “…sustainable use of petroleum revenues…”, then we believe that it would be wise, at this time, for the Government to give serious consideration to the convening of a National Conversation regarding the use of such wealth, to ensure that future generations do not condemn us for not properly seizing this opportunity to consider, in a sober manner, the utilisation of our resources in the best possible manner.

Sincerely, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG)

al works across the country, which are critical to national development. In short, the union should have proposed a more realistic sum; with limited fiscal space, it was always unlikely that the Government would have agreed to those increases.

I am sure the MoE recognises the importance of resolving this issue, but I am not at all surprised when the Minister of Education noted that there was no fiscal space to facilitate such increases at this time; note: “at this time”.

If the GTU President, Mr Mark Lyte, is serious about finding a swift resolution to this issue, I believe he should rethink his approach. I say that knowing almost for certain that if and when this issue attracts the services of an arbiter, the GTU proposed increases will be significantly lowered. Why not accept the $700 million for the 2018 increases across the board for teachers, while both parties look to ink an agreement for the remaining years?

It was noticed also that the GTU and the MoE agreed to other non-financial benefits for teachers. Headteachers will now be freed up from dorm duties at those schools that have that facility. The MoE has agreed to employ additional dorm staff to aid in this regard. There is the duty-free concession for 100 teachers for 2018, who rightly have to meet certain criteria.

Notwithstanding this number, the Minister of Education has agreed to look at widening this pool to capture additional teachers. Teachers who work in the interior will now be entitled to return flight to the area where they originally reside.

I am not saying the union should be passive, but I believe that, as a serious union, it should consider the situation of the Ministry of Education and the Government of Guyana. I feel the concern of President Granger when he said that his government did not want a confrontation with

teachers.

Editor, it is at this juncture that I want to ask Mr Mark Lyte some questions.

He has embarked on a countrywide sensitisation of his union’s proposed strike action, and he said some pretty interesting things. And I wish to point out these, so that union members can solicit some clarity from him.

Mr Lyte, paraphrasing, has said the GTU would be unable to provide strike relief for teachers, since your union is low on cash. From the information available, the GTU has around 7000 unionised teachers who pay $500 monthly union dues; that’s $42 million per year for the union’s coffers. The president said they have to pay staff and maintain buildings. Even so, there should be a tangible amount set aside in a bank account somewhere in light of the fact that this sum was being collected for a number of years. If the GTU, by its own admission, does not have money, it should submit its financial affairs to an independent audit.

And what about a needs assessment in terms of determining which teacher gets any assistance? Mr Lyte said that would be the most vulnerable in the GTU’s membership.

Well, Mr Lyte, all the teachers will be most vulnerable, since they all will see their salaries cut; the GTU should be able to provide some assistance to its members.

Mr Lyte, I implore you to look seriously at the offer the Government is proposing as a temporary measure, and rescind your strike call to your members. This nation is poised to experience a golden patch, and the more education this nation is exposed to, the greater are our chances of truly maximising the rich potential of this nation. GTU and MoE, let us cooperate and build this nation.

Yours sincerely, Elizabeth Williams

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Foundation …why development is a crucial source of variation in innate traits

By Kevin Mitchell, PhD

W

hen Francis Galton coined the term “nature versus nurture” in 1869, he crystallised a debate that had been raging for millennia about what makes us all the way we are. Are individuals intrinsically born with a particular palette of talents and tendencies or are their psychological traits shaped instead by how they are brought up?

In modern times, “nature versus nurture” has morphed into “genes versus environment”. A more realistic formulation, rather than pitting the two forces against each other, allows for the joint or even interacting effects of “genes and environment” on our psychology. But whatever way you phrase it, this construction ignores a crucial third source of variation in our individual natures – development.

If differences between people’s natures were all due to them having different genes or growing up in different families and wider environments, then

we should expect monozygotic (genetically identical) twins who are reared together to be extremely similar psychologically. But they are not. They are certainly much more similar to each other than pairs of dizygotic twins or regular siblings, who share only 50 per cent of their genetic material – illustrating the important contribution of genetic variation to psychological traits – but they are still far from identical.

There is some other source of variation at play.

One possible explanation for this is that we’re just not very good at measuring psychological traits. Unlike height, for example, which actually exists in the physical world, psychological traits like intelligence quotient (IQ) or personality measures are artificial statistical constructs.

They simply let us rank people using an arbitrary scale, with inevitable fuzziness in the values. That fuzziness is certainly part of the answer, but those measures are at least consistent and reliable enough within individuals to

doubt that it is the whole story.

Family environment Another possibility is that the unique experiences that individuals accumulate over their lifetime cause differences in their psychology, in addition to their genes and family environment. This sounds plausible, at first, and in a sense is obviously true – our experiences obviously affect our behaviour. But the question is really whether such experiences cause a difference in the things we see as a person’s psychological traits. Twin and adoption suggest not, or at least show that differences in the family environment contribute very little to differences in such traits. Monozygotic twins who are reared in different families are, on average, only slightly less similar to each other psychologically than ones who are reared together.

If a person’s experiences within their family environment don’t have much of an effect on their psychology, then why should experiences outside the home do so? There really

isn’t any good argument why they should or evidence that they do. Decades of exhaustive searching have failed to find any such environmental factors or types of experiences that systematically affect our psychological traits.

That is not to suggest that we don’t respond to our experiences at all or that we don’t develop characteristic behavioural adaptations to our surroundings. It is just that such adaptations seem to be layered on top of a set of more basal and more stable psychological dispositions.

What then is the additional source of variation in these basal traits? We don’t in fact have to look to the environment or to experience at all to explain this – much of it comes from inherent variability in how the brain develops.

Brain wiring The genome of any human encodes a programme for making a human being, with a human brain, wired in such a way that mediates the core aspects of human nature.

Genetic variation between people inevitably contributes to differences in the way our brains are wired and differences in our individual natures – this is why psychological traits are highly heritable. But even in two people with the exact same genome, the outcome of development would not be identical.

The genome is not a blueprint. It does not encode the precise outcome of development because there is no way that it could.

Brains are not built, they’re grown, and growing things is a messy, unpredictable business.

All of the biochemical processes and interactions underlying those developmental algorithms are intrinsically and essentially “noisy”, in engineering terms. The genome encodes information of which proteins to make in which cells, but the exact amounts produced are variable and their subsequent interactions are subject to thermal fluctuations, random diffusion, and other emergent noise in cellular systems.

To get from genotypes to phenotypes you have to go through development Any given genome therefore encodes not one specific outcome but a range of possible outcomes, which will vary in all kinds of characteristics. Twins will thus

differ in quantitative traits, with one being perhaps a little more intelligent, a little less neurotic, a little more shy, or cautious, or imaginative than the other. Moreover, due to the self-organising nature of brain development – where small changes early on can be amplified through non-linear processes – this kind of intrinsic developmental variability can also lead to dichotomous outcomes in qualitative traits, such as being left- or righthanded, schizophrenic or not.

Development itself is thus a crucial third source of variation in our individual traits, in addition to genes and environment. Much of the non-genetic variation that people have inferred must be environmental in origin may instead be intrinsic to each individual. This means that many traits may be far more innate than genetic effects alone would suggest. It also places essential limits – in principle, not just in practice – on how accurate genetic predictions of such traits can ever be. In an era of stories about the rise of consumer eugenics, there may be some comfort in knowing that each of us represents the unique outcome of a set of intrinsically variable developmental processes that will never be repeated and could never be predicted. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

Create a money system at home

H

ow can you use the money you made in the Design Your Own Money activity published in Friday’s paper to buy the things you want? Create a money system at home!

What sorts of things do you wish you could purchase at home? Is it more hours playing in the yard? To do a different chore than the one you’re supposed to do? What do your parents want? Someone to help with the dishes? Someone to sweep the floor?

1. Start by making 10 or more copies of each of your bills and coins. Make enough copies of each so that everyone in your family will be able to start with an equal number of each bill and coin.

2. Talk with your family members about what things they value. Is it hugs? Is it doing the dishes, making your bed? Is it homemade arts and crafts, or ice cream, or a trip to the movies?

3. Together, decide how much these things should cost in terms of the money you created. Is making your own dinner worth five bills? Two bills? It’s up to you!

4. Give everyone an equal amount of “money” to start off with, and let the play begin! Pay each other for the things you want and receive money for the things you sell. Keep it up for a day or two to see how it goes! (startwithabook.org)

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saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Power woes worsen in Region 2 …protest action erupts at Anna Regina substation

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Some of the protesters outside GPL’s Anna Regina, Region Two substation

everal residents on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Friday protested in front of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Anna Regina substation as they express their frustration with the frequent power outages in the region.

Representatives from the regional administration – led by Vice Chairman and acting Chairman of Region Two, Nandranie Coonjah; Councillors of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC); Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (RCD); Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI); and residents – joined in protest action on Friday to demand answers from GPL. According to residents, GPL has left them in the dark and has been reluctant to give answers about the power woes in the region.

Speaking at the protest on Friday, Coonjah said

GPL is very disrespectful to the residents of the region.

She said the company is yet to reach out to residents to give a proper explanation for the prolonged power outages over the past two weeks.

Also voicing his disgust was Councillor Arnold Adams who added that he has to buy ice from as far as Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), just to keep his cool storage going. The entire region is suffering from a total shut down of electricity for long hours.

While the protesters were making their way to the main office in Anna Regina, security guards were placed at the gates securing the compound. The protesters were protesting for answers from GPL but no one from the head office came out to address their concerns. The protest action will continue on Monday.

Meanwhile, Public

Infrastructure Minister David Patterson said electricity distribution along the Essequibo Coast is expected to return to normalcy by Friday evening.

Earlier this week, the ECCI called on the Government to immediately intervene and bring some relief to the residents of Region Two. According to Chamber President, Suean Seewnarayan, the region is suffering tremendously due to the failing power company.

She added that the region's commerce is collapsing due to the poor service offered by GPL. Seewnarayan added that residents, especially the business sector, are in great danger of losing millions of dollars in cool storage items.

Businesses are already dumping products and those who have standby generators are pumping thousands

Correction

In an article published by Guyana Times on Friday, August 24, 2018 headlined, “Couple charged for assaulting each other” it was reported that Orwain DeCinto and Carlotta Rice,

who shared a common law relationship appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for assault.

However, DeCinto and Rice are tenants in the same building and not com-

mon law spouses as was inadvertently reported.

Magistrate Leron Daly placed DeCinto on $10,000 bail and Rice was fined $40,000 for her actions.

of dollars into fuel and maintenance costs.

The Chamber said it has noted Government’s silence on this very important issue. “No one is saying anything about the new power plant at Anna Regina which is far from completion and residents are losing confidence in the Government for not providing answers. If this power failure is not given immediate attention, the entire economy of the region will collapse,” the Chamber President noted.

Last week, GPL had said that it will rush a generator

into the region by Monday, August 20.

The power company on August 18 had admitted that the region has been experiencing frequent service interruptions since August 13 as a result of two of its units – the Number 3 and Number 8 – with an aggregate capacity of 2.8 MWs becoming inoperable, due to major mechanical and electrical issues respectively.

Just recently, a single mother struggling to make ends meet for her family was forced to dump over $200,000 worth of meat and fish owing

to GPL’s faulty service.

Eresha Prashad, of La Belle Alliance, Essequibo Coast, a meat and fish vendor at the Anna Regina Market, said she stocked her freezer as she prepared for the busy weekend about two weeks ago.

The single mother is laying the blame for her losses at the feet of GPL. Residents have since called on the power company to educate customers on the cycle change and how it can affect appliances which are not compatible.

8 news Ex-Cop charged for threatening to kill wife F saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

ormer Police Cadet Officer Frenz Paul, who was on Monday arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot his wife during an argument, was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on unlawful possession of firearm and threatening behaviour charges.

He has denied the charges.

Paul reportedly cocked a gun and placed it to his wife’s head during an argument in the wee hours of Monday at their home at Second Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown.

Reports are that a handyman went to the Ruimveldt Police Station and reported the incident after the woman reportedly had managed to snatch the gun from Paul and throw it though a win-

Ex-Cop Frenz Paul

dow.

A team of Police ranks subsequently went to the couple’s home and conducted a search, during which a .32 pistol with 13 live rounds were found with a single

bullet in the breech.

Paul was subsequently held at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he had gone to seek medical attention for an injury to his right hand. He told investigators he had struck his hand against a concrete wall during the incident.

He also reportedly admitted ownership of the illegal firearm and ammunition.

He has been remanded to prison, and will make his next court appearance on September 3.

Paul is presently awaiting a decision on his re-instatement into the Guyana Police Force following the discharging of charges in relation to the shooting of 15-year-old Alex Griffith during a game of Russian roulette more than four years ago.

It was reported that on April 30, 2014, Griffith was at a friend’s home when a sister of the ex-Police Cadet Officer was robbed just outside the house. Soon after, several Police ranks appeared at his East La Penitence Squatting Area home to question him on the identities of the robbers.

During the interrogation, Paul and the then 15-yearold teen had a scuffle, during which Griffith allegedly attempted to relieve the Police officer of his weapon. It was then a shot was fired, and the young man was struck.

The injured teen was placed into a Police van and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The matter was reported, and Paul was placed under close arrest. He was subsequently charged. Those charges were later dismissed.

Labourer further remanded for shooting wash bay operator

R

eportedly identified as the shooter in an incident that occurred at a wash bay at Broad and Lombard Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown, 23-year-old Jermaine Josiah of Lot 127CC, Eccles Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was on Friday further remanded to prison when his case was recalled before a Georgetown magistrate.

Josiah was previously arraigned for gun possession, armed robbery, and discharging a loaded firearm at Leroy Robinson with intent to cause actually bodily harm. On his first appearance, he was not required to plead to the charge of discharging a loaded firearm,

The wash bay where the robbery occurred

which occurred on June 10, 2018 at Broad and Lombard Streets, Georgetown.

He has also been accused of robbing Robinson of $25,000 and one mo-

bile phone; while the third charge stated that, on the said day, while in the vicinity of Evans Street, Charlestown, Josiah had an illegal .38 revolver in his

possession. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

In court on Friday, Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh asked that the defendant be further remanded, citing that a dangerous weapon had been used in commission of the act.

As such, the accused was further remanded to prison, and will make his next court appearance on August 31.

It was reported that Robinson was at his wash bay, in the company of his reputed wife, when a man entered the premises and relieved him of his cellular phone and the cash. Josiah was reportedly armed and kept guard.

It was reported that although Robinson had offered no resistance, the armed suspect shot the victim once to his left knee before escaping.

The Police were alerted, and prompt action by a rank on motorcycle patrol resulted in the apprehension of the armed suspect a short distance from the scene.

The victim was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated and subsequently discharged.

Only…

T

…in the good, ole US of A he congressional delegation that visited us – albeit rather briefly – was interesting for any number of reasons. Some folks were miffed at the “secrecy” of their arrival. But hey!! Did they expect an OFFICIAL US delegation to announce their security details to every Tom, Dick and Maduro terrorist out there, with a grudge against Uncle Sam?? While we might’ve gotten used to our “bigwigs” advertising their arrival with “welcoming parties”, unless we can provide real security to REAL VIPs, expect them to slip in and out, under the radar!

Then this was a CONGRESSIONAL delegation, having substantive discussions with our GOVERNMENT!! Did you even hear about a PARLIAMENTARY delegation conducting such talks at that level – even though we also boast about a SEPARATION of powers between our branches of Government?? Fact is, unlike Parliament, the US Congress has real power that its members can flex through its various committees.

The delegation was headed by Bob Goodlatte who’s chair of the VERY powerful House Judiciary Committee.

In a climate where talk of impeaching President Trump is flying fast and furious, this is the Committee that has jurisdiction over the move. In fact, Goodlatte, even though a hard-core Republican, received quite a lot of flak from colleagues when he refused to support moves some years back to impeach President Obama!!

Goodlatte’s a strong supporter of President Trump’s immigration policy and in his crucial position has held several hearings on the expulsion of illegal immigrants.

He, however, announced last year he won’t be seeking reelection in November, when his term comes to an end. He’s had quite a long run, having entered the Congress from Roanoke, Virginia since 1992. Even this has traditionally been a ‘red’ Republican state, Goodlatte clearly saw the tide changing when a Democratic Governor carried Virginia last year.

In fact, after he announced his stepping down, his son, Robert Goodlatte Jr announced he was contributing the maximum monetary campaign contribution allowed from an individual to a DEMOCRATIC candidate!! He even encouraged several friends to do the same!! He said he felt after a Republican holding the seat so long, it was time for a change!! That’s democracy inside the family for you!!

Junior took his internecine rebellion a step further after his father questioned the patriotism of a now fired high-level FBI agent in the ongoing “Russia-Trump” investigations when he tweeted: “I’m deeply embarrassed that Peter Strzok’s career was ruined by my father’s political grandstanding. That committee hearing was a low point for Congress.”

But all’s well in the family since your Eyewitness saw Junior’s name as part of the delegation!!

Maybe he’ll inspire Guyanese to look beyond family/ ethnicity in 2020?? …in Guyana Remember that old stateside rhyme we learnt as kids: “Chick in the car and the car can't go./ That's how you spell Chi-ca-go”? Well for us in Guyana the ditty should be: Chicks in the car and the car can't go./ That’s how you spell Police shake-down”!! Did you read about that Policeman hauling that fella transporting 600 chicks in his car to the Police Station for ‘overtaking on a solid yellow line’? He refused the man permission to roll down his windows in the burning sun. Of course, all the chicks perished!

But that’s just a particularly egregious ending to something that’s happened to most of us, hasn’t it? Being pulled over an innocuous traffic violation and then dragged to the station like a common criminal! While other violators are allowed to proceed. It’s just a ploy for a shakedown… and more often than not, the latter have paid up.

Now every Police official; every Public Security Minister and every lawmaker know about this. So why don’t they make it a ticket-able offence?

They don’t get hauled in! …with Trotman Now why would Trotman tell the congressional delegation that Guyana won’t nationalise Exxon’s oil operations?

Does he want to remind the US, Burnham had nationalised Reynold’s Bauxite, which was also from Texas??

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

News

9

saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

481 cases of child sexual British trade mission scheduled to visit Guyana abuse recorded in 6 months – as UK looks to foster business links A

By Jarryl Bryan

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lans are afoot for a trade mission composed of business representatives from the United Kingdom (UK) to visit Guyana, in what is being described as a chance to foster increased business and the exchange of technical knowledge between the two states.

This was revealed by British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn during a press conference on Friday. Quinn revealed that these businesses would hail particularly from the city of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Aberdeen has long been called the centre of oil production in Europe and though barrels of oil have long peaked, it has contributed to the UK being one of the major oil producers after Norway.

Of recent, its university has served as a post graduate institution for several Guyanese on Chevening scholarships.

“There’s a trade mission coming in January,” Quinn said. “And we’re looking at the possibility for increasing links between here and the UK, particularly Aberdeen, which is the centre of the oil industry in the UK, across business, cultural and development… Aberdeen, before oil was discovered in the UK in the 1970s, was a backwater town on the East Coast of Scotland.”

“The oil allowed it to build up and develop an expertise that I think would be helpful for people to see here.

And lessons can be learned about how to and how to not do things. There are talks about a possible UK/Guyana Chamber of Commerce. So there is an increase in the number of UK businesses that are coming and working here,” the diplomat explained.

Quinn cited the presence of the Noble Bob Douglas drill ship, which is owned

An Elgin oil field rig, located in the North Sea off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland (Daily Mail photo)

by UK based company Noble Corporation. The ship, which has a three-year contract with ExxonMobil to drill for oil, has been training and employing several Guyanese aboard the vessel.

The High Commissioner also pointed to Tullow Oil, which has been administering the lesser known Orinduik oil block alongside Eco Guyana, following the signing of a 10year Petroleum Prospecting licence and Production Sharing Agreement with Government in 2016.

“There are a lot of business companies involved, albeit not in the front lines, so there is already that existence. And there is a recognition that there needs to be a bit more done to build the business contacts, hence the plan that we would bring over a delegation from Aberdeen in January.”

Quinn subsequently clarified that the UK would not take the lead in establishing such a chamber but rather the private sector. It is a venture, however, that Quinn pledged the UK’s support on.

He also spoke of the benefits of having the chambers.

“If you look at the UK services industry, I think it’s the biggest single contributor to the British economy. We’re no longer the manufacturing economy we once were.

We’re a service economy. So, there’s insurance and market capitalisation on raising funds, experience we could pass on. There’s the retail.

So I think’s there’s opportunities. We have had people coming in and working with GWI on things like water valves. There’s the educational side of things,” he said, pointing to Dr Peter O’Toole’s programmes at Nations University… programmes linked with UK institutions.

We’ve got a lot of British companies coming here. I think it would be good to see more Guyanese companies going in the other direction.

And I think it’s something the Private Sector understands,” he said.

It was only last week that the American Chamber of Commerce was officially launched in Guyana at the Marriott Hotel. The event was attended by a large section of the local Private Sector and representatives from the United States business community.

Speaking at the event, President of AmCham Guyana, Zulfikar Ally, said the Chamber plans to place emphasis on small businesses to ensure they too have opportunities to grow; a welcome announcement for many such businesses.

s of June 2018, Guyana has recorded an increase in reported cases of sexual abuse against children.

The eye widening figure was related by the Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CC&PA), Ann Greene on Friday during an interview with Guyana Times.

“By the end of June, we had 481 sexual abuse cases and that’s and increase,” she revealed. Greene went on to explain that she believes the high number exposed itself only due to intensive work by the department.

According to her, “it’s not an increase to say it is more now than what it was before because we got more awareness, we got more channels to report. We encourage persons to report more so when we do all these programmes and all these awareness and so on, put in a hotline and all of that, the reports would increase, but it does not signal that there is more child abuse this year than last year”.

She sought to point out that she believes the figure exposed is just a ‘tip of the ice berg’ since abuse, especially sexual abuse, is often hidden and goes unreported.

Greene said she believes a holistic approach is definitely needed, as the Department continues to raise awareness in the heart wrecking area of child sexual abuse.

It was further related by the child enthusiast that most of the children from the 481 figure are under the age of 16. Moreover, Greene said most of the matters reported are still being investigated.

Numerous cases of child sexual abuse have managed to ache the heart of readers in recent days. Several weeks after being found guilty of two counts of sex-

Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ann Greene

ually penetrating a 10-yearold girl on May 30 and June 2, 2014, at a West Coast Demerara (WCD) village, Abdool Jamil, a 67-year-old pensioner, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail.

On August 13, 2018, he was ordered to serve two life sentences by Sexual Offences Court Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who said the offender must serve at least 45 years before he was eligible for parole.

When he was allowed to have his say, the pensioner, a father of six, told the Judge that he never raped the child – lamenting several times, via vivid description, that he was impotent.

“I never had sex with a young person, much less this person,” Jamil told the court.

The child, through an impact statement read by child counsellor Celeste Mullen, said she could not concentrate or perform well in school. She said she could not forget what happened to her.

“I felt really bad and upset. My life has not been the same and my grades started to drop. I trusted him, he was nice to me, but I don’t want to see him again. I want him to be punished,” the now teenaged girl expressed.

Back in July, in what she said was meant to send

society a strong message, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry also sentenced 46-yearold Navindra Badal, called ““Uncle Ravi,” to serve two consecutive life sentences for raping a nine-year-old girl on two separate occasions during 2016.

It was determined in the Sexual Offences Court that the acts were committed between July 1 and 31, 2016, and August 14 and 15, 2016, at an East Coast Demerara village.

Now 11 years old, the victim also said she wanted the offender to go to jail for what he had done to her.

Following a series of attacks on a young victim, Rohan Daniels, a logger, also known as “Shine Buck” was found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a child family member by a 12-member jury at the High Court. The panel deliberated for about three hours and they were tasked with handing a verdict on four separate counts of child sex activity.

According to the particulars of the first and fourth counts for which he was found guilty, “Shine Buck” between April 12 and 13, 2014, and July 23, 2016 performed vaginally penetrative acts on the minor.

She was between 10 and 13 years old during the span of the attacks.

10 news Over 7000 teachers to strike on Monday saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

…GTU President no-show for conciliation talks

A

s planned, over 7000 teachers across the country are now officially ready to go on strike from Monday, August 27, during schools’ pre-term activities.

This was confirmed by Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President, Mark Lyte during an interview on Friday.

Lyte also confirmed that he was absent from the conciliation talks on Friday, which was organised by the Social Protection Ministry's Department of Labour for the Union and the Education Ministry to meet for talks.

According to Lyte, he was unable to attend the meeting since he was out of the region on duty and only received an official invite on Friday morning.

“The notice was sent late to us so we didn’t attend, so everything remains the same. Our teachers will be going on strike on Monday,” Lyte said.

He indicated that he would have received yet another invitation for a meeting with the same parties, which is now expected to be

President of the GTU, Mark Lyte

on August 28; day two into the strike action.

Lyte said he is yet to confirm his attendance to the meeting. Additionally, he stated that based on his meetings with the various clusters, calls have been made for the acceptance of the taskforce’s recommendations.

“I think they are getting mixed up with what the Union initially proposed and what we agreed to in the taskforce. There were several things that were changed, coming out of the

Taskforce and those recommendations,” he explained.

According to him, one such example is that the proposed percentage from the Union is 40 per cent on the 2015 salary, and five per cent with each year that came after until 2020.

“So it’s not that we are still asking 40, 45, 50 (per cent) and so on,” he said.

Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott has since said he understands the Union's reason for a no show.

During an interview with this publication, Scott revealed that another meeting is scheduled for August 28, given that all the required parties were not in attendance on Friday.

Guyana Times was told that the meeting on Friday was called to order but was not successful in its objective.

Representatives from the Ministry attended the meeting.

Though Scott said he believes the GTU could have sent representatives to attend the meeting which is of utmost importance, he related that he understands the Union's reason for not

The Guyana Teachers’ Union, Woolford Avenue headquarters was packed to capacity where many teachers called for mass protest (Shemuel Fanfair photo)

attending.

“Their absence is (based) on the fact that they are saying they got a late notice. There is no contention on our part on that issue… we were hoping that somebody (from the GTU) would have been there, so because of that I can understand them saying that they were not informed in a timely way,” the Minister said.

He added that no one would like to see one of the country’s greatest resource to go on a strike, because of the known drastic effects it has and would like to see teacher’s get the remuneration they deserve.

Nevertheless, Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle told Guyana Times

that he has high expectations for Tuesday's meeting and is expectant of positive outputs.

“We would be glad for the Union to come (so that) we can bring this to an amicable settlement to resolve it. We are looking for a solution and we were hoping that we could have met today and avoid the strike action on Monday but that wasn’t possible,” Ogle told this publication.

The Department of Labour was called in as a third party to listen to both sides in an effort to come to a compromise, after several talks between the GTU and the Education Ministry passed without much progress.

GTU has rejected Government’s request for teachers to agree to a debunching payoff of $200 million for 2018/19. Lyte said the Union similarly rejected the $700 million cap that was placed on salary increases which was for 2018 only. Government also wants the clothing allowance to remain at $8000, a figure which Lyte said was given in 2011. He said, too, that for Whitley Council Leave, teachers still have to wait four years before getting their one month off, even though the GTU appealed for three years. The Union is seeking 40 per cent salary increases for its 7000 members.

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saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

City Hall to begin paying owed workers by October

Some of the workers protesting on Monday in front of City Hall

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he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has committed to start paying over 100 of its workers who are owed retroactive salaries in October. This was on Friday related to Guyana Times by City Hall’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Debra Lewis.

She said the decision was agreed to by General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), Carvil Duncan, during a recent meeting.

Lewis explained that the workers will receive their payments based on a salary scale. “The money will be paid incrementally and that will be done according to salary scales, where the persons at the bottom of the scale will be paid first starting from the month of October,” she shared.

The decision between the two parties comes on the heels of protest action, where a number of workers

from various departments at City Hall on Monday took to the streets in protest to express their frustration over the non-payment of their retroactive salary, along with the non-payment of their National Insurance Scheme (NIS), and other issues.

Town Clerk Royston King said on Monday City Hall is now working on a payment plan to pay outstanding amounts to owed to workers.

The workers have contended that they are owed money from the year 2016 and the entire of 2017.

Regarding the non-payment of the NIS, the Town Clerk related that “other concerns raised by the union are being adequately addressed by the Mayor and City Council”.

King on Tuesday told the GLU that the Georgetown municipality is unable to pay its workers in lump sum the money owed to them for ret-

roactive payments on wages and salaries and increases given to the workers.

“We’re protesting here because of an injustice that [has] been going on here for the longest while. I wuking here 10 years now, and you ain’t getting nothing tangible. Everything is just promises, promises, and nothing ain’t coming out of it…” a protester decried.

Over the years, City Hall has been attracting attention for its inability to pay its workers. The Mayor has been recorded in the media as deeming the Municipality “bankrupt”; and in the past, Central Government has had to intervene with financing to provide a bailout.

However, City Hall came in for much criticism after it budgeted $19 million for its 175th anniversary celebrations when workers’ NIS, Union dues and PAYEE have remained unpaid.

Vryheids Lust Road to be closed on Sunday

G

uyana Telephone Telegraphy (GTT) has announced that the East Coast Public Road within the vicinity of Vryheid Lust Road will be temporarily closed on Sunday, August 26.

The road closure is neces-

sary to facilitate a request made by China Railway First Group – the contractor responsible for the East Coast Highway Improvement Project (Better Hope to Belfield).

Pending favourable weather conditions,

work will commence from 08:30h and are expected to conclude by 15:30h. Traffic will be diverted through Plaisance Road (West) onto the Railway Embankment into Chimney Road at Chateau Margot.

12 news

saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Hundreds of Berbice teachers attend GTU’s meeting

H

undreds of teachers turned out at Corentyne, Berbice on Friday as the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) held its last meeting before the proposed strike on Monday and were told that the Union’s action is not a political one but rather a bread and butter issue.

Backed by their Union, the teachers agreed to take to the streets on Monday to signal the start of a strike to press demands for wage increases. For this entire week, the Union has been vigorously mobilising its membership to support the strike action, aimed at forcing the Government commit to GTU’s wage increase proposals.

On Friday, the teachers met at the Albion Community Centre in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) where about 1500 of the 7000 teachers work.

The Guyana Teachers’ Union decided on the industrial action after talks on salary increases for teachers broke down between the Union and Government.

The Union had initially taken a 32-issue proposal to Government but after meeting with a high-level task force, the GTU relinquished five of its proposals.

Heading the list is a proposed 40 per cent wage increase for teachers from 2015 and a five per cent increase annually thereinafter.

ing allowances for teachers which has been pegged at $8000 since 2011.

The proposed strike is expected to start one week before the new school term.

According to the Union’s President, if head teachers are going to be on strike then they need to hand over the school keys to the Department of Education before the actions commence.

Meanwhile, some temporary teachers are of the view that if they were to go on strike, they will be replaced

if the teachers strike. Some of those measures she outlined are working a shift system in schools and having volunteers take over schools among others.

However, on Friday, Lyte said he finds the Minister’s proposal as hilarious.

“I don’t know if the Minister understood what it took for us to have teachers. We are not replicable.

Let us see what this emergency plan is because somebody will have to conduct my orientation when the parents

Berbice teachers stood united during the meeting with the Guyana Teachers Union on Friday

President of the Union, Mark Lyte, addressing the teachers said what Government proposed was a $700 million payout to the teachers which will work out at average of $866 per month for the next five years. That proposal has not been accepted.

The Union is also pressing Government to pay teachers an average of $64,000 on an agreement with the Government since 2011. The Union is also demanding that the teachers get what was promised to them by the Government.

Lyte explained that Government offered what he called a ball-park figure to be given to the 10,000 teachers. “The proposal says, ‘the Government of Guyana will make available a ballpark figure to facilitate debauching exercise for the new year,

2018-2019.’ So this $200 million would have been available for the new academic year only. So what happen to our $64,000 that was owed to us? Minister Amna Ally told us to forget it,” Lyte told the Berbice teachers.

Lyte had ever since shared his opinion that the assertion uttered by Minister of State Joseph Harmon seemed to indicate a lack of desire on the part of Government – despite the efforts of a task force that it had appointed – to pay teachers their just deserts.

For this very reason, the Union has not been taking lightly the decision to resort to strike action.

The last time teachers were given a salary increase was in 2011.

At the end of 2015, a multi-year salary package between the Union and

the previous Government came to an end, which saw the Union crafting and submitting to the Education Ministry; a new proposal intended to span the period 2016-2020.

Unwilling to accept the slothful pace of the negotiations with the Education Ministry, the Union had threatened to engage strike action back in 2017, a move which was averted by Government’s offer to establish a high-level committee, consisting of Government and Union representatives, to fast-track the negotiation process.

The Union is proposing that the allowance for teachers who teach special needs schools be increased from $1000 to $10,000.

Government has also not agreed to increase cloth-

Union President Mark Lyte among the teachers on Friday

by trained teachers who are waiting to get into the system. Lyte added that they could go to work and still be laid off because they are temporary.

Education Minister Nicolette Henry did say that measures will be put in place

show up on Monday; me nor none of my teachers will be in school,” Lyte said after being assured that many of the head teachers had already handed in their keys to the Department of Education.

(Andrew Carmichael)

news

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Security sector reform

More work needed on infrastructure, Police conditions – UK envoy

President Granger lauds nursing profession

…says way should be paved for more women to enter the GPF

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cknowledging that progress in reforming the security sector has been slow, British High Commissioner Gregory Quinn believes improving infrastructure and conditions for Police ranks should be priority areas.

Quinn made these remarks during a press conference at his Bel Air, Georgetown residence on Friday. While he pointed to ongoing Police station construction, the Diplomat acknowledged concerns about the slow implementation of reforms in the security sector.

Another acknowledgement was that there are obvious areas which need more work, including training, improving Police conditions and recruiting more women. Quinn stated that while accomplishing this will cost money, there will be longterm benefits across the board for Guyana’s security sector.

“I think we’re moving forward, maybe a bit slower than some people would want, but in a way that’s deliberate because we need to make sure that (things are) done properly. (We need) to ensure that Police ranks have got the proper terms and conditions and the barracks they live in are suitable, the training they get is appropriate, there is an appreciation for the need to bring more women into the Police and to improve the ability for women to come in.”

Improvements for officers

Delving into these issues, Quinn spoke on the issue of training. According to

UK High Commissioner Gregory Quinn

Quinn, it is a fundamental fact that the way ranks are trained determines the basis of their time in the Force.

He noted that work remains to be done in this particular area… work which would have an obvious impact on ranks.

“There’s also infrastructure. You’ve seen the IDB/ CSSP building new Police stations. There a new one in New Amsterdam. There’s another one going up. I think there’s an understanding that the Police infrastructure is not always as good as it should be. And some of the barracks the ranks are living in are not as they should be. You have to treat the ranks and the officers properly. And I think that’s work which can be done very quickly and easily.”

“It’s going to cost some money. But by doing that you will see improvements across the board… you’ll see better training, better living conditions, a happier and more effective Force. I accept that there hasn’t been a big bang of changes, but I think it’s a slow and deliberate process. But progress is being made and from

what I’m being seen, benefits are coming through, though not as obvious as people would like,” the High Commissioner said.

Back in January, British security expert, Colonel Russel Combe had handed over a number of recommendations for security reform. Receiving the report, which focuses on reforms within the Guyana Police Force, was President David Granger.

There are also measures included to address issues plaguing the prisons and the fire services as well as the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard. While this specific report has not been released to the public, another report emanating from the British-funded programme was released.

According to the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) prison survey, completed and handed over a few months ago, prison was overwhelmingly perceived as an unsafe environment by inmates, who complained of being subjected to theft and violence behind prison walls.

“I

President David Granger meets with nurses during the reception hosted at State House

have the deepest respect for the profession.”

Those were the words of President David Granger as he highlighted the work of nurses across Guyana in an address to members of the Guyana Nurses Association (GNA).

The Head of State made the remarks during a reception hosted at his residence for the Nurses Association.

The organisation celebrated its 90th anniversary this year, with a week of activities under the theme, “United Forces, Uplifting Nursing – Celebrating 90 years with pride.”

The President further noted that his mother was a nurse and so is his sister.

Even as the profession has taken on new dimensions, he stated nurses throughout the world have managed

to “frame their existence” hence the reason why it is regarded as the noble profession.

“For most children born nowadays, the first person they see is the nurse and the last person they see before they leave this earth often times is a nurse. When I got married, my wife, when she was ready to deliver, insisted on going to the Georgetown Hospital because of the quality of nursing that was in 1971 and a lot of private hospitals were coming up at that time but Georgetown Hospital had a reputation for having quality nurses,” President Granger is quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information. In her remarks, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence described nurses as the backbone of any healthcare delivery system.

“We can train as many doctors and specialists as we want to but if we do not do likewise and twice as much for our nurses then the services which we expect to enjoy, we will not be able to enjoy it … so I call you (nurses) the steel in the concrete because many times we don’t see what you do, we only see what the doctors do,” said Minister Lawrence. The Guyana Nurses Association, formed in June 1928, is the oldest nurses association in the English-speaking Caribbean. The GNA is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation opened for membership from all registered nurses, midwives, nursing assistants and public health nurses. Patient care assistants and retired nurses are associate members of the Association, as well.

14 news Registrar for Public Service Appellate Tribunal sworn in P saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

resident David Granger on Friday swore in Petronilla BrowneStewart as Registrar for the Public Service Appellate Tribunal with the charge that she must discharge her duties with competence, efficiency and fairness.

During the simple ceremony held at State House, President Granger reminded of the provisions of Article 215 A (1) of the Constitution of Guyana which states that, “Parliament may, by law, provide for the establishment of a public service tribunal…” The tribunal was established by the Public Service Tribunal Act 1984. The Act empow-

The new registrar for the Public Service Appellate Tribunal signing her oath of office before President David Granger on Friday

ers the tribunal to hear ap-

peals from any decision of the Public Service Commission in respect of appointment by promotion of any person to a public office and exercise of disciplinary control over any person holding or acting in any public office.

The Act also provides for the appointment of a registrar who shall be the chief executive officer of the tribunal.

A vacancy had arisen for the position of registrar and that vacancy has been filled.

“The Public Service Appellate Tribunal safeguards fairness and promotes meritocracy and professionalism within the public service by providing an inexpensive and quick means of justice for public servants ag-

grieved over promotions and disciplinary actions by the Public Service Commission.

The Public Service Appellate Tribunal was reconstituted on May 17, 2017 after an absence of more than two decades. The tribunal provides recourse to public servants who feel aggrieved by decisions of the Public Service Commission.

Aggrieved public servants, prior to the reconstitution of the tribunal, were forced to seek redress through the courts,” the Head of State is quoted by the Ministry of the Presidency as saying.

The Head of State also noted that the work of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal must be enhanced by a competent and efficient registrar.

Pomeroon boat mishap

Pensioner died from fractured spine

A

llan Handy, also called “Saga”, of Grant Good Intent, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) who was killed on Sunday last in a boat mishap suffered a fractured spine. This was revealed

by Dr Nehaul Singh, who performed the autopsy on Friday.

The 78-year-old pensioner was killed after the boat in which he was travelling collided with another at Grant Good Intent, Lower Pomeroon River.

Based on information received, the now dead man

left his son’s home in a wooden paddle boat and was heading home when a boat powered by a 90HP outboard engine came into his path.

The captain of the boat, a security guard of Grant Hope, Lower Pomeroon, reportedly told the Police that as he navigated a turn, he felt as if he struck something and immediately slowed down.

As he turned around, he saw the elderly man going down in the water and as he looked closer, he saw the damaged boat. He immediately raised an alarm. The dead man’s relatives rushed to the scene but there were

no signs of Handy.

A search party was established to look for the man’s body. After a few hours, the man’s body was recovered from the river in the vicinity of where the accident took place. The distraught captain claimed that due to the high boat bow, he could not have seen clearly in front of him and as such, he did not see Handy.

The boat and engine are reportedly owned by the Love and Faith Ministries.

Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.

Teen to spend more time on remand

N

ineteen-year-old Don Cameron, who is no stranger to the courts, was on Friday further remanded to prison by Magistrate Leron Daly on a simple larceny charge.

Cameron had denied the allegations made out against him when he had made his first court appearance.

The prosecution is contending that on June 19, 2018, at Alexander Street, Kitty, Cameron stole one Samsung phone valued $45,000.

During his second ap-

pearance on Friday, the unrepresented teen pleaded with the court to grant him bail in a reasonable sum.

Bail was, however, refused, and Cameron was further remanded to prison until September 21.

On his first court appearance, Cameron’s mother told the court she had adopted him when he was a baby, and after he found out two years ago that she was his foster mother and not his biological mother, he had become wayward.

She told the court that the

teen no longer resided with her, and that he was previously convicted on a simple larceny charge for which he had spent two years at the New Opportunity Corps.

“When he came out, he was smoking weed and behaving disorderly,” the woman told the court.

She informed the court that she was tired of Cameron’s behaviour and “jail ain’t doing nothing for him.” The Police Prosecutor objected to bail being granted, and asked that the lad be remanded.

news

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saturdAY, august 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

WCD mangroves continue to be monitored

…as erosion is still ongoing

N

atural erosion of the mangroves on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) has resulted in ongoing monitoring to assess the situation and condition of the soil before the area can be restored.

Head of the Mangrove Office at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) Kene Moseley told this publication on Friday that this occurrence started about three years ago.

lines having the conditions that we can do restoration activity. The reason why works would’ve been initiated there is because its experiencing sinking and that situation hasn’t changed as yet,” said Moseley.

She explained that for the restoration and replanting of mangroves at the site, the elevation of the land and soil type must be of a certain mark. This is yet to occur and she anticipates that it will take some time.

Nulli Secundus wraps up 2018 expedition

where conditions are suitable. Attention will be paid to the WCD site until it is ready for replanting.

“In any case, we might not be able to return back to do restoration within a few months. We’d have to do the ongoing monitoring because the area is still ongoing erosion so it’s not suitable to go back at the moment to any restoration for now,” the head of the mangrove office posited.

“We have restoration acMembers of Nulli Secundus and the villagers during their visit to Ruperti

Y

Continuous erosion at Ruimzeigt

The mangroves were there for the primary defence in that area. Presently, the area is still eroding further and due to mangrove loss, assistance was sought from the Sea and River Defence Unit to have the seawall structure strengthened to withstand the impact of the Atlantic waves.

“Monitoring is occurring on the West Coast but there hasn’t been any changes with regards to the shore-

“There are a number of conditions that would need to be right before mangroves can be restored in the area and one of the important aspect is with regards to having the correct elevation and having the correct soil condition. That is not a situation that changes overnight and it would require long-term monitoring on our part.”

For now, restoration activities are being conducted along the Essequibo Coast

tivities happening on the Essequibo Coast. We currently have planting happening at Walton Hall with support from the community members and we have a project at Aberdeen and Columbia,” she further stated.

Since the die-off of the herbaceous border, residents were experiencing flooding and thus, the sea defence unit was engaged to construct riprap structures.

Marics launches Isuzu brand in Guyana

M

arics and Company Limited has officially launched the Isuzu brand of vehicles in Guyana, and has promised the best quality and performance from the new product. The company expressed that it has embarked on this new venture as of this month, to become the dealer for the Isuzu brand.

According to the company, Isuzu is the leading diesel engine manufacturer in the commercial sector along with over 100 years of experience in the field. The Isuzu D-Max was launched, which is the only pickup in the market, produced by a commercial vehicle producer.

The vehicle is a combination of “energetics sports styling and Isuzu innovation with a fresh new design”.

One of the vehicles that was launched, the Isuzu mu-X

Adding to that, the new Isuzu mu-X was also introduced by the company and was made to “express the true interpretation of an SUV” with excellent terrain performance.

Marics started its oper-

ation in Guyana in 1966, selling mainly automobiles, motorcycles and power products. Presently, they are known for serving the power products, ATVs and outboard markets.

outh development organisation, Nulli Secundus, has completed its expedition for this year, which entailed taking the organisation’s skills and expertise to the hinterland people.

Vice President of the organization, Tiffany Gable, informed Guyana Times on Friday of some of the work which was done with youths in Regions Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) during the past three weeks.

“It’s a youth organisation that started 11 years ago and the name means ‘second to none’. What the organisation is about is youth development and youth empowerment because we believe that the future leaders should be groomed from youths. We’re involved in a lot of community outreach activities and that would be why we visited interior families this year,” she said.

She noted that the villagers were equipped with a variety of resources but were unable to use them.

As such, they were taught and certified in areas such as Information Technology and cake decorating among others.

The expedition consisted 28 of its members and commenced on August 8, ending earlier this week. For the past four years, five such trips were organised but the last one was fixed to link the hinterland communities.

Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) was also supposed to be part of the mission but that segment was cancelled due to the rainy season and the deplorable condition of the roads. Nevertheless, the Vice President posited that they were still able to reach a majority of the population.

“Expedition Link Up was supposed to link Regions Seven, Eight and Nine but due to inclement weather conditions which affected the roads, we were only able to link Regions Seven and Eight. In these villages, we did training mainly in cake decorating and Computer

Science at the elementary stage. We were able to link resources that these communities had with the skill because a lot of them had the equipment but were unable to use them,” stated Gable.

She noted that that in the process, the youths of the organisation were also exposed to the lifestyle of persons in remote communities.

“Another thing about the expedition is that we are able to see Guyana from outside of the capital city and also being able to share skills and experiences with people of these communities.”

While they are welcoming members from the hinterland to join the group, Gable indicated that they’re still working towards the challenging factors such as communication.

“We plan on extending the branch of Nulli Secundus around Guyana and so we working on that.

We will have the next expedition next year.”

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Regional

Quake-hit farmers in T&T seek relocation, monetary relief

D

emanding relocation and compensation, a handful of irate farmers confronted Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat on Thursday, as he braved rains and potential floods to meet them after their farmlands were devastated by Tuesday’s earthquake.

However, the majority of the 40 farmers eventually expressed satisfaction with Rambharat’s visit, saying they only wanted him to assist them as soon as possible to get back on their feet.

Los Iros Hill View Farmers Association President Reshinand Ramraj said the farmers lost 20 irrigation ponds and 40 acres of farmlands. He said hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of crops, including hot pepper, tomato, ochro, bodi and eggplant, were buried in the dirt, while a plough and a tractor fell into the cracks created by the 6.9 quake.

When Guardian Media returned to the area on Thursday, the RE Road was impassable. The crew had to climb up and down steep

P

A

powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Peru’s border with Brazil on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, but national authorities said there were no initial reports of casualties or damage in the sparsely populated region.

“So far no damage or vic-

tims have been reported and monitoring continues,” said Peru’s National Institute of Civil Defence (INDECI).

The US agency said the quake hit at a depth of 609 kilometres (380 miles) on Peru’s eastern frontier with Brazil.

Jorge Chavez, the civil defence chief, said the depth

T

Farmers assist Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, right, up a precipice during his tour of Re Road in Los Iros which was destroyed during Tuesday’s earthquake

precipices about 12 to 14 feet high to get fresh photos of the devastation.

Simone Cooper and her sister Akiesha Adams said they walked for an hour to get to the Erin volcano. They reported that there were several new active cones with fresh mudflows emerging off RE Road.

In an interview during his visit, Minister Rambharat said he will move as quickly as he could to assist the farmers. With regard to compensation, he said he will prepare a report and take it to Cabinet and Government will determine whether this can be paid.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

wrongdoing. In a defiant speech on Wednesday, the senator – who has immunity from imprisonment, but not prosecution – described the investigation as “shameless”.

She also complained about becoming “the first elected senator to be searched”.

However, on Wednesday, she still voted for her immunity to be lifted to allow the search of her three properties to go ahead - and instructed her colleagues to do the same.

Thursday’s search relates to the so-called note-

book scandal, which relates to a batch of records kept

by Oscar Centeno, a driver for a public works official, over a 12-year period.

In the notebooks, Centeno writes about delivering bags of cash from construction bosses to Government officials, which prosecutor Carlos Stornelli says totalled some US$160 million (£125 million).

Fernández is also under investigation in another five cases. She denies all allegations, and says she is the victim of a political witch hunt. (Excerpt from BBC News)

he United States (US) Embassy has announced that from August 28, it will waive visa renewal interviews in Barbados for qualified applicants. It said the move is part of the US Government’s efforts to improve customer service and streamline the visa process.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the embassy said Barbados passport holders may qualify for a visa renewal interview waiver if their previous visa expired within the past 12 months and they are applying for the same visa category as their previous visa.

“The applicant must be physically present in Barbados or within the consular district of the US Embassy in Bridgetown to avail themself of this option.

Additionally, the previous US visa must be in the applicant’s possession, and the applicant must have submit-

ted a ten-fingerprint scan in conjunction with the previous visa application,” it said.

Students who wish to renew their visas, and who satisfy the requirements may qualify for interview waiver if they are applying to continue attendance at the same institution, or will continue the same major course of study at a different institution. Applicants seeking to renew work-related visas who are returning to work for the same

T

he exodus of migrants from Venezuela is building toward a “crisis moment” comparable to events involving refugees in the Mediterranean, the United Nations migration agency said on Friday.

Growing numbers are fleeing economic meltdown and political turmoil in Venezuela, threatening to overwhelm neighbouring countries. Officials from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru will meet in Bogota next

U

The tunnel is suspected to have been used to shuttle drugs from Mexico into the US

US$1 million in Lopez’s vehicle. Investigators say the containers held more than 118kg (260lb) of methamphetamine, 6kg of cocaine, 3kg of fentanyl, and 19kg of heroin.

Agents searched Lopez’s home and his old KFC, discovering the tunnel’s en-

trance in the kitchen of the former fast-food joint. The passageway was 22 feet deep, five feet tall and three feet wide, and ended at a trap door under a bed in a home in Mexico, said US officials.

The drugs are believed to have been pulled up through

employer/company as annotated on the previous visa may also qualify. Applicants under the age of 14 and over 79 will continue to qualify for interview waiver in most visa classifications.

However, third country nationals must schedule an interview. The US Embassy stressed that eligibility for interview waiver does not automatically entitle applicants to a waiver of the interview requirement. (Excerpt

from Jamaica Observer)

Venezuelan exodus approaching crisis moment: UN agency

Drug tunnel ran from old KFC in Arizona to Mexico bedroom S authorities have found a secret drug tunnel stretching from a former KFC in the state of Arizona to Mexico.

The 600 foot (180m) passageway was in the basement of the old restaurant in San Luis, leading under the border to a home in San Luis Rio Colorado.

Authorities made the discovery last week and have arrested the southern Arizona building’s owner. They were alerted to the tunnel after the suspect, Ivan Lopez, was pulled over, according to KYMA News.

During the traffic stop, police dogs reportedly led officers to two containers of hard narcotics with a street value of more than

of the quake had caused its force to dissipate, blunting its impact on the surface.

“The depth has made it so there is no surface damage,” he said on RPP radio.

The earthquake hit shortly after 0900 GMT, about 140 kilometres west of the Peruvian town of Iberia, the USGS said. (Jamaica Observer)

US Embassy to waive visa renewal interviews for Barbadians

Ex-Argentina President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s homes raided olice in Argentina have begun searching properties belonging to the former President, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, as part of a major corruption investigation.

Forensic scientists, dogs and firefighters helped carry out the raids on two houses in Patagonia and one apartment in Buenos Aires. It comes after Judge Claudio Bonadio asked to partially lift Fernández’s immunity as he investigates bribery allegations during her presidency.

Fernández denies any

7.1-magnitude quake hits Peru-Brazil border

the tunnel with a rope.

This is not the first such discovery – two years ago a 2600 feet tunnel was found by authorities in San Diego, California.

Authorities said it was one of the longest such drug tunnels ever discovered, used to transport an “un-

precedented cache” of cocaine and marijuana.

In July alone, US Border Patrol seized 15kg of heroin, 24lbs of cocaine, 327kg of methamphetamine and 1900kg of marijuana at border checkpoints nationwide.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

week to seek a way forward.

Ecuador and Peru have this month tightened entry rules for Venezuelans, requiring them to carry passports instead of just national ID cards. In Brazil, rioters drove hundreds back over the border. Describing those events as early warning signs, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) spokesman Joel Millman said funding and means of managing the outflow must be mobilised.

On Thursday, the IOM and UN refugee agency UNHCR called on Latin American countries to ease entry for Venezuelans, more than 1.6 million of whom have left since 2015.

Peru’s top immigration official, Eduardo Sevilla, said Peru will exempt some Venezuelans from the passport requirement, including parents with children seeking to join the rest of their family, pregnant women and the gravely ill. But Sevilla said authorities would also be vigilant of attempts to evade the new rule by claiming refugee status. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

saturdAY, august 25, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Kofi Annan to receive state burial Zimbabwe court rejects Opposition in Ghana on September 13 bid to annul election results

F

ormer United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will receive a state funeral in Ghana on September 13, the Ghanaian President said on Friday, calling it "a major event for our country".

The announcement was made by President Nana Akufo-Addo following a meeting with Annan's family in Accra.

Annan, a Ghanaian and Nobel peace laureate, died on Saturday at the age of 80 after a short illness. "Kofi Annan was one of the most illustrious people of this generation. He was like an elderly brother," Akufo-

Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan

Addo said.

"It's going to be a major

event for our country... I expect many leaders to be present," he said, adding that he would be buried in Accra's new military cemetery.

Born in Kumasi, the capital city of Ghana's Ashanti region, Annan devoted four decades of his working life to the UN and was the first chief from sub-Saharan Africa.

Following his death in Switzerland, where he lived not far from the UN European headquarters in Geneva, Akufo-Addo announced a week of mourning for "one of our greatest compatriots". (Jamaica Observer)

The heroic Indian teens who conquered Everest

From left: Umakant Madavi, Parmesh Aale, Manisha Dhurve, Vikas Soyam and Kavidas Katmode

F

ive Indian teenagers from a remote rural district scaled Mount Everest in May, etching a name for themselves in history. Jaideep Hardikar reports on their 10-month journey.

"I still pinch myself to make sure it happened," says 18-year-old Manisha Dhurve, who hoisted the Indian flag on the summit of Mount Everest

at 04:30am on 16 May. She says she has achieved what one year ago had seemed unimaginable. And when she reached the top of the summit, her whole life seemed to flash before her eyes.

Manisha was one of a 10-member team that took the giant leap – from a non-descript tribal district in the western state of Maharashtra

to the snowy Himalayan peak that is a life-long dream for mountaineers.

The journey from such unlikely backgrounds to the top of the world is hard to overstate. But only five of the 10 – Manisha, Umakant Madavi, Parmesh Aale, Vikas Soyam and Kavidas Katmode – succeeded.

At 8848 metres (29,029 feet), Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, is notorious for harsh climbing conditions. More than 200 people have been killed climbing it. And it takes months of training to prepare for the expedition.

The teenagers say they were inspired by another Indian, Malavath Poorna, who became the youngest girl to scale Everest at the age of 13.

Vikas, 19, climbed 21,000 feet twice. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Z

i m b a b w e ' s Constitutional Court has unanimously dismissed a bid by the largest opposition coalition to annul the results of last month's presidential election, which gave a victory to incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba said on Friday that the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) alliance, led by 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa, had failed to prove fraud accusations during the vote.

"The application is dismissed with costs...

Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is duly declared the winner of the presidential elections held on the 30th of July 2018," Malaba said in his ruling.

Mnangagwa, 75, said he was "not surprised by the court's decision" and called for unity and peace. The MDC had filed a legal challenge, citing a catalogue of

Mnangagwa was declared the winner of the July 30 vote with 50.8 per cent of the vote

alleged discrepancies, including incorrect counting and fake polling stations, as well as instances at voting centres where there were more ballots cast than registered voters.

Mnangagwa, of the ruling ZANU-PF party, won the election with 50.8 per cent of the vote – just enough to pass the 50 per cent threshold needed to avoid a runoff against Chamisa, who finished second with 44.3 per

cent.

European Union observers said that the ZANU-PF candidate had benefitted from an "un-level playing field" and some voter intimidation, though international monitors largely praised the conduct of the election.

The legal challenge delayed Mnangagwa's planned inauguration for August 12.

It will now take place on Sunday. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Scott Morrison is new Australian PM as Malcolm Turnbull ousted

S

cott Morrison has become Australia's new Prime Minister after Malcolm Turnbull was forced out by party rivals in a bruising leadership contest. Turnbull had been under pressure from poor polling and what he described as an "insurgency" by conservative MPs. Morrison, the treasurer, won an internal ballot 4540 over former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton – who had been Turnbull's most vocal threat. Turnbull is the fourth Australian PM in a decade to be ousted by colleagues.

"It has been such a privilege to be the leader of this great nation. I love Australia.

I love Australians," he said on Friday. With an election looming, MPs were nervous about the Government's poor opinion polling and recent by-election defeats.

Last week, a row over energy policy ignited long-existing tensions between Turnbull, a moderate, and his party's conservative wing.

Dutton, a conservative, then unsuccessfully challenged Turnbull on Tuesday, but his narrow defeat only stoked further discord.

Morrison entered the race

after Turnbull lost key backers. After a majority of MPs called for a leadership "spill", Turnbull agreed to step down. To further complicate matters, Turnbull has signalled he would resign from Parliament, which would force a by-election and potentially put the Government's one-seat majority at risk and force the new premier to call early elections.

However, Morrison, who was sworn in on Friday, told reporters there were no plans to do this any time soon. His government, he said, would be in place by next week. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Senator John McCain discontinuing cancer treatment

U

S Republican Senator John McCain will no longer be continuing treatment for his brain cancer, his family has announced. His family said he had "surpassed expectations for his survival" and made the choice to end his

treatment. McCain, 81, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in July 2017 and had been undergoing medical treatment. He left Washington in December, but has remained a vocal political figure.

His family said in a state-

ment shared with US media: "Last year, Senator John McCain shared with Americans the news our family already knew: he had been diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma, and the prognosis was serious. "In the year since, John

has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict. "With his usual strength of will, he has chosen to discontinue medical treatment."

The six-term senator and

2008 Republican presidential nominee was diagnosed after doctors discovered his tumour during surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye last July.

The son and grandson of Navy admirals, McCain

was a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War. When his plane was shot down, he spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. While in the custody of his captors, he suffered torture that left him with lasting disabilities. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Japan's first woman fighter pilot to blaze a trail in the skies

Misa Matsushima's childhood dream of being a fighter pilot was inspired by the 1986 US film Top Gun

A

Japanese woman will be flying through the glass ceiling as she becomes her country's first female fighter pilot. First Lieutenant Misa Matsushima, 26, will begin duty on Friday having com-

pleted her training to fly F-15s, Japan's military has announced.

"As the first female (fighter) pilot, I will open the way," she told reporters.

Japan's air force began recruiting women in 1993 - ex-

cept as fighter jet and reconnaissance aircraft pilots. It lifted that final ban in late 2015. "Ever since I saw the movie Top Gun when I was in primary school, I have always admired fighter jet pilots," the graduate of Japan's National

Defence Academy told journalists.

"I wish to continue to work hard to fulfil my duty - not just for myself but also for women who will follow this path in the future." Three other women are currently train-

ing to join the elite group of fighter pilots.

The F-15J fighter jets they will pilot are twin-engine aircrafts designed for air-to-air combat with other jets. They can reach top speeds of about Mach 2.5 - 2.5 times the speed

of sound or about 3000 km/h (1,864 miles/h).

"The first female fighter pilot of the Air Self-Defence Force is born," a tweet (in Japanese) from the Japan Air Self-Defence Force said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

You can have fun and still be practical. Gauging what’s acceptable financially, physically and emotionally will help you set a healthy and productive path. Success comes with foresight.

A change of plans will be TAURUS to your benefit. You are better (April 20- off going about your business May 20) and getting things done than engaging in an argument.

dilbert

Personal improvements GEMINI (May 21- can be made. A day at the June 20) spa, spending time with a loved one or shopping for something that will enhance your looks are all favored.

Take time to do something

CANCER creative. Pursuing a hobby (June 21- or developing a skill or activJuly 22) ity you enjoy doing can turn

Peanuts

into a part-time moneymaker.

Explore new possibilities and see where they take you.

Don’t worry about what LEO others do. Choose the path of (July 23- least resistance. Doing things Aug. 22) on your own will help you stick to a set budget and limit interference and discord.

Settle any difference and VIRGO keep moving forward. Someone (Aug. 23- unique will offer you an interSept. 22) esting perspective on your life

Calvin and Hobbes

and the improvements you can make. Don’t sit idle when so much can be accomplished.

Taking care of matters LIBRA (Sept. 23- concerning children, a friend Oct. 23) or a loved one will make you feel better about your life and relationships. Make personal agreements that encourage greater equality.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD -- JEALOUSY (JEALOUSY: JEL-uh-see: Envy of someone else’s possessions achievements, etc.)

Take money matters seSCORPIO riously.

Look for new ways to (Oct. 24save or to put your money to Nov. 22) good use. Don’t let emotional issues take the reins or turn into an expensive lesson.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Average mark 16 words Time limit 25 minutes can you find 20 or more words in JEALOUSY? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY”S WORD -- LIMICOLINE lemon leno lice lien lime limn line lion loin lone icon

income ionic melic melon mice mien mile mill milline million milo

mince mine mini moil mole mollie cell cello clime clone coil

collie come cone oleic omen nice niello neol noil

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

solution for last published puzzle

Consider all angles of a situation and communicate openly and honestly about what you’d like to see happen. Get a second opinion if you don’t trust the information someone is offering.

Stick close to home and CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- make the changes to your Jan. 19) lifestyle that will make you feel more at ease. Someone or something from your past will help you move forward now.

Keep your plans low-key AQUARIUS until you have secured your (Jan. 20- position and you know what Feb. 19) the outcome will be. Leave nothing to chance and you’ll have no regrets.

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Feel out situations intuitively before you get involved.

Joint ventures should be weighed heavily before you invest your money. A false impression can lead to loss.

saturDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

19

Guyana, Barbados win to set up fifth round showdown B

arbados’ batsmen – led by Mekhail Marshall and Antonio Morris – and Guyana’s bowlers – spurred

by Kevin Sinclair and Joshua Jones – kept their sides in a neck-and-neck race for the WINDIES Under-19 One-day Championship on Friday.

Marshall and Morris hit half-centuries to lead the Barbadians past Canada by eight wickets, and Sinclair and Jones shared six wickets to bowl the Guyanese to a 114-run victory against Leeward Islands.

At the same time, Joshua James and Justyn Gangoo bowled Trinidad & Tobago to a 114-run win over Windward Islands.

At Cumberland, Sinclair bagged 3-17 from 9.5 overs and Joshua Jones snared 3-30 from six overs, as Guyana withstood a half-century from Zawandi White to dismiss the Leewards for 101 in 30.5 overs.

White collected five fours and three sixes in 53 from 60 balls, but Sinclair

and Jones undermined the Leewards’ batting.

Earlier, several batsmen again got starts without carrying on, as the Guyanese, chasing a fifth straight One-day title, posted 215 for eight – their biggest total of the tournament – from their allocation of 50 overs.

At the Arnos Vale Sports Complex, Marshall hit five fours and five sixes in the top score of 58 from 62 balls and Morris struck two fours and four sixes in an unbeaten 54 from 57 balls to drive tournament leaders Barbados to victory with 92 balls remaining.

Marshall shared 45 for the first wicket with prolific, fellow opener Shian Brathwaite

Under-19 left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop starred with the ball, grabbing 4-28 from his allotted 10 overs, but Canada put up their best batting performance of the tournament to reach 175 in 45.3 overs.

Meanwhile, at Park Hill, James too 4-34 from eight overs and Gangoo 3-16 from six overs, as T&T inflicted the first defeat on the Windwards, when they bowled out the hosts for 105 in 27.3 overs.

Joshua Jones

and WINDIES Under-15 graduate Nico Reifer to give Barbados a solid foundation.

But it was an 86-run, unbroken third-wicket stand between Morris and Reifer, not out on 35, that carried the Barbadians over the threshold.

Earlier, WINDIES

Trophy Stall Invitational Golf Tourney tees off today

Minister of State pledges $250,000 to DCC Ramesh Sunich

T M

inister of State, Joseph Harmon on Friday pledged a donation of $250,000 to the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), which will facilitate the upkeep of the club’s cricket grounds. The Minister made this pledge at the closing ceremony of the DCC’s two-week Youth Cricket Camp, held at the Clubhouse in Queenstown.

Minister Harmon said that the funds donated to the DCC will promote development among club members. “I really am happy to be associated with this club and… I’ve committed to [a donation]… of $250,000 which I will dedicate to the continued work on the

Demerara Cricket club so that the facilities which are provided by this club can continue to benefit our young people. [The DCC] can continue to provide that facility for young men and women to come through this club and eventually become legends,” he said.

The State Minister said that the DCC is home to many great cricketers who are role models for the young cricketers. “You have participated in… a rite of passage associated with 106 years of proud tradition that can be traced back to the year 1912… This distinguished club has nurtured cricket greats… West Indies cricket has always been at the pinnacle of the world

cricket scene and when you examine the pool from which these cricketers come, you have to understand that we, in this region, are specially gifted people… [When] you celebrate Shimron Hetmyer, [when] you celebrate Keemo Paul… understand that this is where they came from. This is where you are and that is where you will [be]… if you apply the principles that were taught to you here,” he said.

In addition to the cricket training, the over young cricketers were taught communication skills and the rules of good sportsmanship, with focus on an aspect of sports psychology, the winning spirit.

No batsman reached 20 for the Windwards.

T&T owed their total of 219 all out in 50 overs to defiant batting from their lower order, led by Nathaniel McDavid with 44.

He put on 46 with Avinash Mahabirsingh, whose stand of 43 with Gangoo extended T&T’s innings which was undermined by Shermill Lewis and Daneal Dupigny, as they shared seven wickets.

rophy Stall will today host its annual tournament in support of the Lusignan Golf Club’s (LGC) effort to reach an incredible milestone of 50 tournaments in a single year.

The tournament will feature the top Guyanese golfers competing in three categories for first and second place, Best Gross and Best Net overall, and special prizes for Longest Drive and Nearest to the Pin. Located at Bourda Market, Trophy Stall are providers of the highest quality trophies and printing services, and have for many years been strong supporters of all types of sporting events in Guyana.

The company have partnered with the Lusignan Golf Club in many ways, and have always delivered top quality

products and world-class service.

Managing Directors Ramesh and Devi Sunich are avid fans of the game of golf, and have followed the sport as it grew in prominence over the past year. “Golf is a game of precision, and (there is) no margin for error. (It is) just like our business, and we expect that a full team will support our tournament as always,” the Sunichs have said.

In a simple handing over ceremony at their headquarters business place at Bourda Market, Ramesh declared that the business wanted to show its commitment to the LGC and assist with the promotion of the game to the younger generation of golfers.

The LGC has a packed calendar of events, with more than 4 activities per month scheduled for the rest of the year. The Club is available for weddings, corporate training/retreats, summer camps for kids, and many other activities.

Members of the public are encouraged to come out and enjoy the ambience and tranquillity of the ground, along with the fantastic food and drinks available every day of the week.

For more information on the Lusignan Golf Club, events and activities calendar, and how to become a member of the LGC, visit their Facebook page, call 2205660, or simply stop by for a tour of the facilities.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturday, AUGUST 25, 2018

Three Peat Promotions/Guinness Cage Competition…

Semi-finalists to be decided tonight

I

t has been dubbed “The East Coast Best versus The Rest”, and when play in the Three Peat Promotions /Guinness Cage Competition resumes this Saturday with the Round of 16 and quarter-finals action at the Haslington Market Tarmac, the battle for semi-final berths could present the most excitement seen so far in the tournament.

The remaining teams from the East Coast of Demerara will no doubt be urging their fans from the respective communities to come out in full support and represent them as they attempt to halt the progression of the visiting teams from Georgetown in their quest to defeat them on home turf.

The visitors have been in rampaging form since the start of the competition, have placed eleven teams in the round of 16, and will be aiming to continue their dominance at the expense of the host.

On the other hand, the East Coast have five teams remaining at the same stage, and they are regarded as the best in the East, so they, too, will fancy their chances of advancing, but will definitely need a massive turnout of support-

ers to rally around them.

Uprising seem to have the larger following, and they will be relying on the anticipated large home crowd to offer vociferous support when they face Plaisance in their Round of 16 engagement.

BV ‘B’ face defending champions Ol Skool Ballers, who have been exhibiting good form; but with the expected home support, they could find the East Coast unit tough to beat.

This encounter should provide riveting action and enough excitement for the fans.

Another game that could ignite fireworks is the clash between Sparta Boss and Back Circle.

Guyana’s most successful team in the shorter format, Sparta Boss, have looked way below their best in this competition, and many feel they are a bit tired after making the final stages of almost every tournament this year. They barely

scraped through as one of the best third placed teams.

However, big occasions are what they play for, and going up against their nemesis Back Circle could provide the spark they need to remind everyone that they are the best exponents in the format, and are certainly the street kings.

Back Circle are no pushover either, and would want to prove that to their opponents; thus all the ingredients are present for an interesting showdown for a quarter-final spot.

Tiger Bay and Avocado Ballers’ matchup is another dream game, with a winner proving too difficult to predict.

Alexander Village have to date been the surprise package in the tournament, but so too are Broad Street. These two teams have been around for ages, but somehow seem rejuvenated and full of energy, thus this could be an explosive encounter.

The Leopold Street versus Albouystown clash has all the hallmarks of being a blockbuster, and picking a winner is again no easy task.

It is knockout time, and all the

teams are evenly matched to give the fans a night to remember.

The tournament is being organised to forge integration among the participating communities in an effort to create a better understanding among its inhabitants.

Among the entities in support of the cause are: Banks DIH under its Guinness and Power Wine brands, Clarks footwear giants Chetsons, E-Networks Inc., KSM Investments, Yhip’s Bakery, Brass Aluminium & Cast Iron Foundry (BACIF), Ray’s Auto Sales, Y.K. Investments, Trophy Stall, Express Shipping, Woodpecker Products, National Sports Commission, ‘C’ Division of the Guyana Police Force, Jai Signs & Auto Designs, Gaming Authority, Julius Variety Store and C & C Prestigious Styles.

Round of 16 fixtures:

Hustlers vs North East La Penitence Broad Street vs Alexander Village Tiger Bay vs Avocado Ballers Leopold Street vs Albouystown Sparta Boss vs Back Circle Ol Skool Ballers vs BV ‘B’ Blazers vs Vryheid’s Lust Uprising vs Plaisance

NSC donates huge to ExxonMobil, ‘D’ Grill Kings Guyana Karate Federation onboard with Team Tucker E XXONMobil and ‘D’ Grill Kings are two of the latest entities to join Team Tucker rider Raverio Tucker ahead of the third round of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) next weekend.

Set for staging at the Bushy Park Raceway in Barbados, Tucker will join Team Mohamed’s Matt Truelove, Matthew Vieira and John Bennett as the Guyanese superstock contingent.

E x x o n M o b i l

Raveiro Tucker collects sponsorship from ExxonMobil Communications Advisor, Public and Government Affairs, Nicholas Yearwood

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, handing over the items to GKF President Amir Khouri

T

he National Sports Commission (NSC) has handed over a number of sports gear to the Guyana Karate Federation at the NSC Boardroom on Friday.

Receiving the items from Director of Sport Christopher Jones were GKF president Amir Khouri and his two vice presidents, Keith Beaton and Roger Peroune. Among the standard Olympic items handed over by Director Jones were shin pads, groin protectors, chest protectors, and fist protectors, usually categorised as mits.

In the handing over ceremony, Director Jones stated that current president of the GKF, Amir Khouri, had written to the NSC about the donation of items that were needed, and the NSC was currently able to allocate funds from the national budget in request to their de-

mand.

He also said he hoped the equipment would be able to further athletes’ training.

He described the donation as not being just a one-off donation, but the start of a series of donations, as long as all requests are made to the NSC in a timely manner.

Upon receiving the items, an ecstatic GFK President Amir Khouri said, “I would like to thank the (National) Sports Commission and the Government for this huge donation that they’ve made towards the GKF, and we will use the equipment towards the bettering and developing of karate in Guyana”.

He also said, “This equipment will assist us when we go abroad to compete, as these equipment are all WKF (World Karate Federation) approved, because some athletes cannot afford the equip-

ment ,since it is costly; but with the donations made, whether it be local or foreign matches, the GKF will be able to support these athletes”.

Khouri mentioned the senior national karate championships set to be staged on September 30, 2018, and said he was looking forward to some support from the NSC, as he has followed standard procedure in terms of writing them a letter.

In his closing remarks, Khouri described the NFC donation as overwhelming, and said he was at a loss for words.

Director Jones then reiterated that if organisations need support from the NSC, they must send in a letter; and once approved, the necessary funds would be disbursed. (Timothy Jaikarran)

Tucker collects sponsorship from Leslie “Two Feet” Howell

Communications Advisor, Public and Government Affairs, Nicholas Yearwood, has said of Tucker, “We decided that we would go ahead, not only on his riding success, but we also see that he is a good empowerment idol, at least from our end”.

Meanwhile, ‘D’ Grill Kings have demonstrated their confidence in the irrepressible Tucker by handing him their sponsorship cheque at their restaurant at the head of Durban Street and Mandela Avenue.

The CEO explained that Tucker is a young man with extreme potential, and he has expressed his confidence in Tucker’s ability to represent Guyana proudly in the upcoming championships.

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n a press briefing held at the NSC on Friday, Director of Sports, Christopher Jones, handed over a large amount of World Karate Federation-approved (WKFapproved) equipment to the Guyana Karate Federation (GKF), to aid in its competing in future tournaments on either the local or foreign scene.

In remarks, Director Jones said the GKF was able to receive the funding from the NSC because the GFK had followed standard procedure and had written a letter to the NSC, thus funding was allocated from the national budget as per request made by the GKF. Jones also said several organisations would say they aren’t getting any support from the Government or the NSC, but that situation can be rectified only if those entities would submit written request to the NFC. He disclosed that in terms of moving forward for the year 2019, the NSC had written to vari-

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ous associations and federations, inviting them to submit, by latest on August 20, their agendas, list of activities, and an estimate in terms of what those activities would cost. He disclosed that, “In all the associations and federations that we’ve written to and requested that information, submissions were received only from the Guyana Football Federation, Guyana Table Tennis Association, Guyana Hockey Board, and the Guyana Cycling Federation”.

He anticipates seeing in 2019 a flurry of complaints from organisations that have been written to, expressing displeasure with Government that their athletes have to travel regionally and internationally and no funding is being provided.

He explained that the information received from the four compliant organisations is what would form part of the National Sports Commission’s budget, and when Parliament would have approved that budget, funds would become available to those organisations in 2019.

The non-compliant organisations, he explained, would have to depend on the NSC’s grants system in order to access small amounts of money; because, by their non-compliance with the NSC’s request, they would have made themselves ineligible to receive substantial funding.

Windies U-15 return from successful UK tour

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T

he WINDIES Under-15 Team are back in the region after a successful tour of the UK. They ended the series 3-2-1.

The team beat the London Schools Cricket Association twice, and scored a win against Hampshire. They lost to South West England and the Barmy Army Colts; while there was no result in the Hertfordshire game

(rained out).

Of the five matches played, one of the 50-overs was reduced to a 20/20. The tournament’s top performers were Nimar Bolden – most runs; Andrew Rambaran – best fielder; Jaden Leacock – man of the series and most wickets. He also opened and closed the batting and bowling, while Jordan Johnson had a five-wicket haul in

the matches against London and East Region.

The team’s Manager Dr Oba Gulston expressed satisfaction with the squad’s performance, as the focus was on development. They rotated the players and fulfilled their mission on all parts of the game.

Gulston noted that the team adapted well, and was able to win the series, which

is commendable at this level. On the off days, they engaged the young men in several cross-cultural activities, which included sight-seeing, a variety of meals, and team- building exercises.

He added that this is important as the young men set their sights on being part of the WINDIES elite team in the future.

Everest Masters humble Zeelugt by 48 runs T

he consistency continues with the Everest Cricket Club masters team as they won yet another match in what can be described as a successful year on the field when they beat the visiting Zeelugt Masters by 48 runs on Wednesday at the Everest ground.

The hosts started to get it right from the beginning when they won the toss and batted. After their allotment of 25 overs the score was an imposing 184 for 4. The inform Saheed Mohamed muscled his way to 54 (3x4; 1x6) with Hemraj Garbarran 45 (4x4; 1x5; 1x6), Alex Cully 23 (2x4) and Rakesh Gangaram 21 (1x4; 1x6) offering excellent support.

The Zeelugt bowlers had a tough day at the office with S.Persaud, D.

Saheed Mohamed had a wonderful game with both bat and ball

Maniram and S. Mangra picking up a wicket each.

In reply, the visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually folded for 136 in the 24th over with Ricky Persaud top scoring with 54(6x4) while Manishwar Balgobin hit 26 (2x4).

The victors’ bowling was spearheaded by Man of the Match, Rakesh Gangaram who snared 4/19 while Saheed Mohamed also came back with the ball to reap success with 3/12.

So far for the year, Everest Masters have played 12 matches in and out of Guyana and were on the winning end in 10 of those encounters. Their next assignment is against Parika Defenders on September 16 at the Parika ground.

Trophies for the match were sponsored by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

3rd Petra/Limacol UG Trojans fuelled by Football tournament defeat of the Devils officially launched

N

New GPC’s Zulfikar Ali makes a point during the launch of the third annual Limacol Knockout Football Tournament

ew Guyana Pharmaceutical Company (GPC), under its Limacol brand, has again thrown its support behind the Petra organisation for the third edition of the Limacol Knockout Football tournament, which will kick-off on August 30 and conclude on October 7.

The company, through its secretary Zulfikar Ali, expressed its excitement at being onboard for another edition of the highly antici-

pated tournament.

Ali has said they are always interested in sports and its development, and have seen the progress from the first two installments, hence their return for a third time.

Petra Director Troy Mendonca outlined that the tournament provides an avenue for the teams not involved in the Guyana Football Federation’s Elite League III, even though he would love for it to be used

as a catalyst for teams to be promoted to that league.

GFF President Wayne Forde, who was also on hand, expressed his pleasure at seeing the company onboard for a third year, citing their extended input in football.

The 12 teams involved in this year’s tournament are as follows: Police, Georgetown Football Club, Pele, Sunburst Campton, Riddim Squad, Beacon United, Santos, Northern Rangers, Mahaica Determinators, Buxton Stars, Pouderoyen and Grove Hi-Tech.

These teams will trash it out for the top prize of $600,000, while the runner up will have to settle for $300,000, third - $150,000 and fourth - $100, 000. Each top finishing team would have a trophy to accompany their cash prize.

T

he UG Trojans basketball team have faced many tough opponents in the past, and have successfully dealt with them.

Thus it was with confidence that the team departed for Suriname to pit skills against a tough Surinamese side, The Caribbean Little Devils, at the Lycos Sports Hall.

The best of three series was staged from August 11 13, and the UG Trojans lost 2-1, securing victory in the opening match 48-44, but losing the second match by a whopping 62-39 and the third game 77-71.

Speaking to Guyana Times via telephone, UG Trojans Coach, Warren Wilson, said the matches played were exchange matches between the university and the renowned basketball club, and that was

The UG Trojans take a photo opportunity after the recently concluded Suriname leg of the game

just the Suriname leg that was played.

He said the Guyana leg of the tournament will be played at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) in three weeks’ time, and for the UG Trojans to bounce back from their defeat, they must practice, then practice, and then practice.

He believes the key to victory in the upcoming Guyana leg is that the Trojans must increase their shooting percentage; as the team have good defense and offense but didn’t convert the opportunities that were given them.

He said that although the Trojans lost, there were key players that stood out in his opinion, such as Kadeem Peterkin, Samuel Thompson, Denzell Ross and Jonathan Brown playing consistently

and being in top form in the three matches.

Having lost to the Caribbean Little Devils in their away match, the Trojans coach believes the experience they took away may yet give the Trojans the upper hand, as the Surinamese team will be coming to play on Trojan soil – turf with which the Trojans are familiar.

In his closing comments, Wilson said, “The team is a good team, with lots of young people that are full of potential”.

That being said, it must be disclosed that the UG Trojans are at it day and night, pushing themselves to the limit, letting the defeat be the fuel them fires them to a clean sweep of the Suriname team when they play in Guyana.

Tucker riding in safe hands with Hand-in-Hand Insurance

Director of Hand-in-Hand Fire Insurance Company Limited Howard Cox (left) makes the tangible donation to young Guyanese riding sensation Raveiro Tucker

T

he Hand-inHand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Ltd once again exercised their corporate responsibility by supporting Raveiro Tucker in the ongoing Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC).

Tucker, a young motorsport enthusiast pilots bike number 123 in the Superstock Motorcycle class at the four-stage Regional championships and was the recipient of much needed assistance from the local in-

surance giant ahead of the next stage of the championship.

In a simple presentation at the company’s head office at Lot 1-4 Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Director and Fire Manager, Howard Cox elatedly made the presentation via cheque to an equally delightful Tucker.

Cox commended Tucker for his overall second place achievement in the Superstock 600 Championship in 2017 and wished him well in the re-

maining CMRC races scheduled for 2018 and all future endeavours.

In response, Tucker expressed sincere gratitude to the company for their assistance and commended them for their continued support towards the development of sport and youths in Guyana.

The next CMRC event is scheduled for September 2, 2018 at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados and eventually finishing the season in Guyana in November at the South Dakota Circuit.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

23

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

Top order collapse left Warriors vulnerable

Shoaib Malik dismissed by Andre Fletcher

and was immediately successful, bowling Walton for 12 as Warriors’ opening pair continues to struggle this season.

Guyana’s leading run

Luke Ronchi

F

ollowing a string of defeats from the start of this season, the St Lucia Stars (SLS) once again found themselves in a great position to claim a victory after a good bowling performance which left the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) dumfounded.

Playing at the Darren Sammy Stadium at Gros Islet in St Lucia where they broke the 14-match losing streak and amassed the tournament’s highest total, the home side won the toss and gave Warriors the opportunity to bat first.

Warriors rustled up 140 – 9 in their allotted overs, ironically, one run short of the previous match against SLS where they posted 141 – 4, and were successful by three runs in defense.

GAW had somewhat of an excellent start as they raced to 30 – 0 in two overs, compliments of an aggressive Luke Ronchi who smacked Mitchell McClenaghan for three consecutive boundaries off the final three balls of the opening over.

Odean Smith got the same treatment in the second over as Ronchi and Walton combined to take 17 off the medium pacer.

McClenaghan then struck back in the third when he removed Ronchi (24) who mistimed a delivery which was short outside off, and toed it to David Warner at long-on with the score on 33.

Rahkeem Cornwall was introduced in the next over

Lendl Simmons

SCOREBOARD

Guyana Amazon Warriors Innings (20 overs maximum) CAK Walton b Cornwall 12 L Ronchi † c Warner b McClenaghan 24 SO Hetmyer c Warner b Williams 1 Shoaib Malik (c) st †Fletcher b Qais Ahmad 9 CS Delport c McCoy b Williams 25 SE Rutherford run out (Qais Ahmad/McCoy) 15 Sohail Tanvir b McCoy 19 RR Emrit run out (Pollard/†Fletcher) 17 V Permaul c Warner b McCoy 5 D Bishoo not out 0 Extras: (b 5, lb 2, nb 1, w 5) 13 Total: (9 Wickets, 20 Overs, RR: 7.0) 140 Did not bat: Imran Tahir Fall of wickets: 1-33 (L Ronchi, 2.3 ov), 2-38 (CAK Walton, 3.4 ov), 3-41 (SO Hetmyer, 4.5 ov), 4-62 (Shoaib Malik, 8.2 ov), 5-93 (CS Delport, 14.3 ov), 6-95 (SE Rutherford, 15.1 ov), 7-123 (Sohail Tanvir, 17.6 ov), 8-139 (V Permaul, 19.5 ov),

9-140 (RR Emrit, 19.6 ov) Bowling: MJ McClenaghan 3-0-24-1, OF Smith 1-0-170, RRS Cornwall 4-0-19-1, KOK Williams 3-0-23-2, Qais Ahmad 4-0-23-1, KA Pollard 1-0-4-0, OC McCoy 4-0-23-2

St Lucia Stars Innings (target: 141 runs from 20 overs) LMP Simmons b Permaul 15 ADS Fletcher † not out 26 RRS Cornwall b Permaul 0 DA Warner not out 19 Extras: (b 1, lb 3, w 7) 11 Total: (2 Wickets, 11 Overs, RR: 6.45) 71 Yet to bat: KA Pollard (c), DJG Sammy, Qais Ahmad, MJ McClenaghan, KOK Williams, OF Smith, OC McCoy Fall of wickets: 1-27 (LMP Simmons, 5.2 ov), 2-27 (RRS Cornwall, 5.4 ov) Bowling: Sohail Tanvir 2-010-0, V Permaul 3-1-13-2, Imran Tahir 2-0-9-0, Shoaib Malik 1-0-7-0, D Bishoo 2-019-0, RR Emrit 1-0-9-0

scorer, Shimron Hetmyer, added just one run to his 4-match aggregate of 222.

Hetmyer gave Warner his second catch of the night off a Kesrick Williamsdelivery, another bowling change which reaped a reward. Warriors were now 41 – 3.

The skipper Shoaib Malik (9), like Hetmyer,

found it tough to score on Friday evening, but got out a different route. A brilliant piece of glovework from Andre Fletcher behind the stumps gave the Afghan Qais Ahmad his first wicket.

With the score on 62 – 4 in the ninth over, Cameron Delport (25) and Sherfane Rutherford (15) tried to dig

deep and stage a recovery.

Both middle order batsmen found it hard to find the boundaries but picked up consistent singles and twos which proved not to bother the opposition.

Williams found his second wicket when Delport got a top edge which fine leg comfortably settled under while an Ahmad-Obed McCoy link up resulted in the run-out of Rutherford.

Sohail Tanvir’s 19 and Rayad Emrit’s 17 were two welcomed scores down the order to help Warriors to yet again, another modest total.

Scrambling for runs in the more than often eventful last over, Veersammy Permaul (5) was caught going for a big one while Emrit was caught short of his crease trying to find an extra run against the arm of Kieron Pollard.

Both Williams and McCoy finished with 2 – 23 while a wicket each went to Cornwall, McClenaghan and Ahmad.

Up to press time, SLS were 71 for two from 11 overs before heavy rain stop play.

saturDAY, AUGUST 25, 2018

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