Guyanatimes 25 january 2018

President pledges continuous engagement with young people P13 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Govt to revise growth rate …gold declarations downwards plummet guyanatimesgy.com

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Issue No. 3461

Page 3

Sugar workers' woes

"Fire Komal Chand" – former presidential advisor Page 7

2 dead, 2 critical after WCD crash Page 9

Dead: Romel Henry

Dead: Doesh Sukhu

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$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Unrepentant rapist jailed P9 for life

Linden sweeper/ P12 cleaners protest for better salary

P2 Rape suspect recaptured APNU/AFC coalition P16 supporters protest PPP

Municipalities edified on planning, P2 building regulations

NBS moves to block Tough 2 years former CEO from ahead for Guyana cashing $59M cheque – Opposition Leader Page 13

Page 14

…denies unlawful detention allegations

Contractor’s inefficiency hampering health care delivery in Region 2 P11 – Chairman

2 News

thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

edified on Rape suspect Municipalities planning, building regulations recaptured T

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Joint Services operation led to the recapture of 21-year-old rape suspect Devon Ally who was nabbed in Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Wednesday.

Ally had escaped from the La Grange Police Station

on January 2, 2018.

When he was arrested on Wednesday, Police found two plastic face masks in his possession.

Ally, of West Minster, West Bank Demerara, was wanted in connection with rape of a child under 16 for

which he has since been charged. Police disclosed that he also was charged with assaulting a female relative and escaping lawful custody. The alleged rapist will make an appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court today.

he Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Wednesday hosted an outreach session with representatives from the various municipalities educating them on the processes and systems associated with planning and building regulations.

CH&PA Chief Development Planner Germene Stewart noted that the aim of the session was to provide clarity on planning and building regulation issues in addition to collaborating with municipalities to ensure the procedures were adhered to.

“We are hoping by working closely with the municipalities where we can really focus on the complaints and contravention, and this is a start and the start is the awareness session and let persons know out there, because a lot of them do not know the procedures and what is required,” she stated.

Additionally, she noted that unauthorised development was an issue plaguing the municipalities and they often led to complications, hence the holding of the session.

When asked about penalties for the delinquent developers, Senior Development Planner Fayola Azore not-

CH&PA Chief Development Planner Germene Stewart

ed that the Authority would serve the developer a contravention notice and 28 days after that, they would initiate court proceedings if in non-compliance. The CH&PA is also looking at revising the penalty structure to ensure that the developers comply.

Azore added that because of the minimal penalty, collaboration with the municipalities and the local authorities was essential to tackling the issues of non-compliance with building and planning development regulations.

“That is the reason we want the local authorities on board, because they can stop this in the beginning.

Because they can see when

these buildings are going up and they can stop it and then we can still have that contravention served at our end, because sometimes when the building comes to us it is already there and it might be difficult for us to proceed,” she noted.

“We need their assistance because at the end of the day the planning permission is not with just the CH&PA, we have our partners which are the local authorities, so we starting with the municipalities and after we will be going into the Regions with the (Neighbourhood Democratic Councils) NDCs,” Azore added.

The Planning and Settlement Development Department of the CH&PA as part of its mandate, under the Country and Planning Act, Chapter 20:01 is tasked with the responsibility of promoting and facilitating orderly and sustainable development within the country. This is achieved through the planning and development process, which mainly involves the preparation of developmental plans and the implementation of these plans to ensure compliance. Hence, before any development takes place, planning permission is required.

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thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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

Thursday, January 25 – 10:30h-12:00h and Friday, January 26 – 11:30h-13:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, January 25 – 09:50h-11:20h and Friday, January 26 – 10:45h-12:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

WEATHER TODAY

Light cloudy skies and light rain showers are expected throughout the day and into the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly between 4.02 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 10:33h and 23:13h reaching maximum heights of 2.37 metres and 2.30 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:00h and 16:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.88 metre and 0.85 metre respectively.

wednesDAY, january 24, 2018

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…gold declarations plummet

By Samuel Sukhnandan

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

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Govt to revise growth rate downwards

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Evening Draw

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

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he Government of Guyana could be forced to revise the country’s growth rate downwards as a result of the fall in gold declarations for the year 2017 and the sector’s overall sluggish performance.

This is according to Finance Minister Winston Jordan who advised that Guyana recorded some 653,754 ounces of gold in 2017, which indicates that gold declarations fell short of the projected of 720,000 ounces.

“It will have an impact on the growth with both sugar and gold not coming in on target. It means we will have to revise last year’s growth rate even further and it will put some strain on the growth for 2018,” he stated.

Sugar output in Guyana fell by nearly a quarter from last year, with close to 140,000 metric tonnes being produced in 2017, which is the lowest in 27 years. The decline happened at a time when the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is preparing to permanently close three of its six estates and fire about 4673 of its 15,000-member workforce.

Other workers numbering close to 1000 could also be laid off this year as the Government embarks on its downsizing initiative.

Jordan said the economy was expected to grow by 2.9 per cent, failing to meet the revised growth projection of 3.1 per cent for 2017.

The initial projected growth of the economy was 3.8 per cent, but this was revised by midyear to 3.1 per cent after the economy only grew by 2.2 per cent in July of 2017.

Making reference to gold, the Minister said however there were several impediments that led to a fall in gold declaration, stating that accessibility for miners was one of the major factors. Nevertheless, Jordan said he is confident that the country’s gold production would climb again this year due to good prices and improved access. “…we have budgeted over $1.5 billion, part of which is for clear access both to forest and mining areas. Prices are still good.

So it’s not a case they don’t have a natural incentive to produce more as such. So, first of all we believe it’s going to be better this year.

We are hoping it’s just an aberration because with prices where they are, you ought to be seeing far more declaration that we are seeing right now,” he added.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

With improved access to new gold bearing areas in the interior regions; this will also help with meeting this objective, Jordan said. “… so perhaps we need work to be done about new gold bearing areas. Because I don’t really know if they have a map as to how really and truly are the gold bearing areas…like for example with oil. So, here especially with artesian mining it could be a hit and miss story.”

The Guyana Gold Board (GGB) has blamed poor roads and inclement weather for the fall in gold declaration. According to General Manager of the GGB, Eondrene Thompson, there were several inhibitions that led to this performance, but she made a commitment to addressing it.

“The roadways into the

interior… were bad and as such persons were unable to buy their supplies to take into the interior,” Thompson told the Department of Public Information.

Additionally, several operators parked their dredges and were waiting on the roads to be fixed.

The GCB plans to launch a campaign to improve declarations. Thompson said, “We will embark on PR work, let the miners know the importance of selling their gold to the Guyana Gold Board.” This campaign is not only to get miners to sell to the GGB but to have them use licensed agents.

“We have persons around who they sell to or who they are working for and still not

declaring to the Guyana Gold Board so we intend to educate the miners and let them know it is good, it is right to sell to the Guyana Gold Board.” The GGB is also considering providing incentives to miners who sell to them.

Thompson explained, “Our regulatory overseas body would like to know that. They would want to monitor the gold from the mine to the market so we will have persons educating the miners and showing them the advantages of producing documentation where they mine”.

Government hopes that 712,706 ounces of gold will be declared in 2018.

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

The PrincipalAgent problem in oil contract

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sked in another section of the media about the trenchant criticisms the oil contract renegotiated with ExxonMobil by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has attracted, Marxist academic and present head of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Dr Clive Thomas made two claims. Firstly, he said there needs to be “empirical evidence” to demonstrate the contract was not in Guyana’s interest before criticising and secondly, a “Principal-Agent Problem” (PAP) existed, where Guyana (the principal) and ExxonMobil (the agent) have different “motivations”.

The first claim is rather alarming since it suggests that contracts by the Government can only be critiqued ex post facto; after the evidence of any weakness of the contract would have become manifest. He therefore rejects analyses that considered contractual terms in other similar situations and compared those experiences with what our contract may imply. For instance, where analysts have looked at other countries at a similar stage of development of their oil industry as ours negotiated with oil producers and extracted larger signing bonuses, royalties, and tax revenues.

Stating the obvious that every contract, including Guyana’s – in this case on oil – is unique, he would therefore silence all comments based on premises derived from empirical observations of other similar phenomena. In other words, he would reject the inductive method of reasoning, which has been used for millennia, to offer probabilities of new occurrences. For instance, Trotman, if he had done his homework, would have demanded an eight per cent royalty rate by pointing out that this was the low end of the average for new African oil producers rather than the two per cent he accepted. What is ironic is that Thomas’ second claim on the PAP (here on contracts) is an instance of deriving principles from empirical observations of how principals and agents have actually behaved in situations through the ages.

The principles of the PAP were proposed in the 1970s and applied in several fields other than contracts. It arises when one party (agent) agrees to work in favour of another party (principal) in return for some incentives. As Thomas pointed out, when a “principal” hires an “agent” to perform a task, they each have different motivations: in Thomas rather inelegant phraseology, the Agent (ExxonMobil) ‘will try to rob us as much as they can” while the Principal (here the Government) has “to figure out how best we can defeat them”.

Actually, in accepting the different orientation of the Agent, the Principal is supposed to create conditions – spelled out in a contract – that will make that orientation match his as best as possible. This is generally achieved by offering the “incentives” – known as “agency costs” – typically monies in relationships that are covered by contracts. There were four “Principles of Contract Design” proposed draft better contracts: the informativeness principle, the incentive intensity principle, the monitoring intensity principle, and the equal compensation principle.

Rather than wait until the contract that Trotman renegotiated is executed before passing judgement, the critics are implicitly questioning whether he as the Principal for Guyana, had the requisite experts in contract negotiation – specifically in oil – to help him when he sat across the table from the negotiators of ExxonMobil who had a century of institutional memory. The basic conflict in PAP relationships arises out of what is called “information asymmetry”; that is, each party not privy to the same information and each using the information available to them for their own benefit.

Take for instance, when in 1999 the People’s Progressive Party Government signed the original oil exploration contract with ExxonMobil, the latter probably had information available from the US geological survey taken from satellite imaging – and announced the following year – but the Government of Guyana did not and proposed attractive incentives such as a one per cent royalty.

However, when Trotman renegotiated the contract oil had already been stuck and the information now available should have convinced him that incentives much more in favour of Guyana could be redesigned, without Exxon walking away.

Indian soldiers ride camels during a rehearsal for the 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony in New Delhi ahead of India's Republic Day celebrations (www.voanews.com)

Agriculture Ministry engaged in misinformation

Dear Editor, The State media on January 24, 2018, reported in an article titled “No additional retrenchment” that according to the Agriculture Ministry, the 967 workers of Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara and Wales Estates identified for redundancy had already been advised some time ago that they would be sent on the breadline. According to the Chronicle, the Agriculture Ministry’s statement said “[t]he 900 workers were retained by the Corporation… were aware that at the end of the extended period, they too would be sent home and paid their severance”. It seems, however, that the Ministry was either misinformed or is knowingly engaged in making misleading and mischievous statements.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

(GAWU) wishes to advise the Ministry and the public that not one of the 967 workers referred to has been told that they would be sent home. In fact, our Union has yet to be formally notified of the impending redundancies in keeping with the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA) which requires the employer in this case, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to supply us a list of the redundant employees.

Following the submission of that critical information, the Union and GuySuCo, in keeping with TESPA, would jointly engage the workers concerned after which the workers would then receive their letters of redundancy. It is, therefore, befuddling to read the Agriculture Ministry making such disbelieving statements.

Moreover, during previous meetings between

GAWU and GuySuCo in which redundant workers of the four estates in question were engaged some of the now identified 967 workers availed themselves. At that time, they were told by the Corporation’s officials that they were not being made redundant and their presence was not necessary and they should return to work.

So to say the workers were informed that they would be severed at a later time is completely untrue.

The Agriculture Ministry’s statement also said “[t]he first list of workers for severance was 3700, which together with the 900… adds up to the 4763 severed workers”. On this matter, we urge the Ministry and GuySuCo officials to carefully re-read our statement as we did not raise this contention. As a matter of fact, our statement did not refer to any specific num-

ber except to say “several hundred workers retained… would soon be made additionally redundant”. It seems that eye examinations for some are required at these two important entities.

Whatever the final numbers turns out to be, it cannot erase the sordid fact that the Government and GuySuCo have placed, in a callous and cold-hearted manner, thousands of Guyanese on the breadline. Worse yet, we reiterate, there is a seeming lack of any comprehensive plan to address this sad reality. GAWU, as it has done before, calls on the Government and GuySuCo to really reassess and reverse their decision in view of the harsh realities it has fostered.

Sincerely, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

Let’s find the right way to make Guyana rise

Dear Editor, On the eve of 2018, Ravi Dev attempted another roar.

His features are referred to as “The Roar of Ravi Dev”. This time he roared at Henry Jeffrey’s reiterated proposal of “grand coalition”. This roar saw Dev denouncing “the studied refusal of African theorists to follow Lewis’ suggestion and include ‘Federalism’ in their proposal for ending the ethnic security dilemmas’.

Over the years, I have

expressed agreement with Ravi Dev’s contention that majoritarian rule will not work for Guyana. In fact, Jeffrey also expresses that view. Indeed, our point of departure is Dev’s insistence that the solution must include Federalism.

His articulation of the theoretical benefits of Federalism is flawless but fails to address the reality of Guyana. In the past, he has offered specific suggestions about the geographi-

cal construct of Federalism in Guyana. On this occasion, he omits that articulation but contends that “In a society where the majority ethnic groups each constitute majorities in different areas of the country, political devolution offers the largest number of incentives toward addressing ethnic insecurities”. Thus, by inference, he returns to his old idea of creating four states: Berbice, Demerara, South Essequibo and North

Essequibo, or some such configuration based on ethnic dominance.

While I am an advocate of devolution, I maintain that his proposition of Federalism is highly flawed, Indo-centric and non-recognition of the contribution of other Guyanese to the development of Guyana; and their collective right to its patrimony. On another occasion, I will deal with the racist nature of his proposal. continued on page 5

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‘Vaasudev Kutumbakam’ Don’t defend a man who – the world is one betrayed trust, confidence – as the Indian

Dear Editor, I am most elated that Gobin Harbhajan has tacitly agreed that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has indeed forsaken his principles of frugality and lean and clean Government and that he is now definitely enjoying ‘the good life’ with his few comrades, since his letter to the press did not deny that fact.

In my letter, I wrote that, “as soon as the coalition won the 2015 General Elections and he [Moses Nagamootoo] took office as Prime Minister of this country, his principles took a landslide into the abyss of egocentricity.

He has focused all his efforts in self-aggrandisement and self-promotion.

Nowadays his speeches are just centred about himself; anyone who listens to him can confirm this”. I have noticed that Harbhajan did not refute this.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister’s representative only confirmed what I have said. From the letter written

by Harbhajan, it is clear that the PM never visited any sugar estate nor did he ever ‘engage sugar workers and their families’ as claimed by the leader of the AFC, Raphael Trotman. All he did was travel with great pomp and style, ‘cutting ribbons and giving speeches’ most of which are about himself and enjoying the ‘good life’. He never visited the farmers at Black Bush Polder but met with some of them at State House in New Amsterdam during the great flood last year.

As for being ‘an outstanding son of the soil’, I beg to differ. This man, as was pointed out by another letter writer, last year at the 104th anniversary of the Rose Hall Martyr claimed that sug-

ar workers were his ‘obsession’, yet he did not have the time to visit any of them in their hour of need. In fact he had described GuySuCo as a ‘black hole’ and that sugar workers were ‘raiders of the Treasury’. Is this the hallmark of ‘an outstanding son of the soil? This ‘good man’ has surely put himself down.

I wrote that he had aggressively fought against the People’s National Congress for most of his life and now he has joined them. May I add that he is now so silent about the many corrupt practices of this coalition that it makes one wonder whether this man ever stood for anything at all. This ‘outstanding son of the soil’ has never been so silent in his entire political career.

Now whenever he opens his mouth it is either to talk about himself or to de-

fend the corrupt practices of his Government. I am sure Harbhajan knows this more than I do.

However, I must give the PM credit for appointing Harbhajan, a very competent person, but I do feel that he should be focusing more on doing the good job he is doing in Region Six and do not try to defend a man who has betrayed the trust and confidence of the people who once supported him and has played a major role in destroying the founding principles of the Alliance For Change.

Lastly, I am curious to know whether the things which he gifted are from the Budget of his Office (taxpayers’ dollars) or came from his own pocket.

Yours sincerely, Rohit Persaud

More elasticity than a rubber band

Dear Editor, The laws governing the Georgetown Municipality seem to have more elasticity than a rubber band.

Throughout the public service, officials from the top to the bottom are mandated to take their vacation leave in a timely and structured manner. They are not allowed to carry forward their leave nor be paid in lieu of leave. At City Hall, several persons have not taken leave in years and are either stacking it up or are being paid for it.

In other municipalities around the country, elections for Mayors, Deputy Mayors, chairpersons and

deputy chairpersons are done at the end of each calendar year. At the Georgetown Municipality, the election for these posts seem to be left up to the whims and fancies of the administrators.

At the City Council, they practice a do as I say and not as I do policy, whereby they condemn persons’ buildings that are in a state of disrepair, whilst they sit in the derelict City Hall building pontificating without even trying to fix it. The close eating houses, butcheries, etc for unsanitary conditions while ALL of the municipal markets are rat infested, dirty and with leaking roofs. They demand that property own-

Let’s find the right...

Wherever Federalism has been adopted, its implementation has been associated with the inhabitants of a particular state sharing some homogeneity and collective sovereign right. In Guyana, our occupation and development of any and every part of the country has been shared with ethnic sequential presence and probable dominance, at particular junctures. No one part of “Guyana” can historically be attributed to any one ethnic group, except for the Amerindians, who are condemned to dominion in South Essequibo, in his construct.

Having laid the foundation for the development of the entire coast of Guyana, Ravi Dev’s construct seems to provide African Guyanese dominion over Demerara, by far the smallest county with the least diversified resource base, the largest population and the largest number of IndoGuyanese, in any part of the country. On the other hand, he seeks to hand dominion to the Indo-Guyanese in Berbice and North Essequibo, including Region Seven and probably part of Region Eight, amounting to approximately

from page 4

half of the country being under the control of about 20 per cent of its population, not to mention the percentage of its wealth.

No ethnic group in Guyana, except the Amerindians can lay claim to any region or county of this country. Land rights and nationhood are the quintessential bases upon which Federal States have been established in every part of this world, albeit some evolved and others used devolution to correct the historical distortion and erosion of their sovereign rights. There is therefore no basis or justification for Ravi Dev’s roar.

The sound is occasioned but it’s direction reeks of serious sensitivity disorder, like a doctor with the right diagnosis but the wrong treatment.

He may well bring about unwarranted fatality. Let us find the right way to make Guyana rise. Ravi Dev’s chronic penchant for misadventure on this matter, essays the need for close and critical examination of his other editorial ventures.

Yours truly, Vincent Alexander

ers pay up their rates on time and punish those who are delinquent whilst they owe billions of dollars to the Guyana Revenue Authority, the National Insurance Scheme, the Guyana Power and Light, the Guyana Water Inc, etc, for years now and are not paying up one red cent.

They make their workers wait well beyond the prescribed time to be paid, cause them to occupy neglected decrepit offices while they attempt to construct luxury homes for themselves in upscale neighbourhoods. The fail to provide basic Police training for their Constables whilst instead taking off to distant luxury

resorts for special retreats.

It definitely seems to be ‘different strokes for different folks’ at City Hall. How else could one explain whilst several low-ranking persons received penalties for their dereliction in relation to the juvenile sex scandal case that rocked the city, nothing was done to reprove a senior member of the Engineer’s Department and an officer from the Human Resource Department when they were found showing considerable sexual dexterity below a boardroom table in a conference room?

Sincerely, Sean Levius

Diaspora connects

Dear Editor, The momentous first – ‘Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) – Parliamentarian Conference’ was held on January 9, 2018, in New Delhi, India. One hundred and forty-one esteemed delegates from around the world were warmly welcomed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, then eloquently delivered a captivating presentation that shared a dynamic and optimistic vision of the future.

The Indian Prime Minister’s speech was indeed stirring and for the country with the largest delegation present at the ‘World Conference’, Guyanese felt the warmth as he spoke of former President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo.

The fact that Guyana, a veritable rainbow of cultures, has had three exemplary Elected Presidents of Indian Origin, Dr Cheddi Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar, is indeed a source of national pride.

The Conference was held at the Pravasi Bharatya Kendra, a facility built specifically for overseas Persons of Indian Origin (PIO’s). Several memorable and moving speeches were delivered, including an impressive presentation an Opposition Member of Parliament in India who spoke of the Government’s inclusiveness in inviting him to make a presentation at the prestigious International forum. Representatives from all 24 countries that were present made valuable contributions. It must be noted that Bharrat Jagdeo’s articulate-

ly delivered presentation was received with warmth and applause. The APANU/AFC parliamentarian that was scheduled to speak was a “No” show.

On day two of the PIO – Parliamentarian Conference several interesting Commissions met to discuss a multitude of issues.

The Guyanese Delegation was indeed very visible holding bi-laterals and interacting with the delegates from all over the world. Former President Bharrat Jagdeo was the Chairman of a very lively commission.

The PIO – Parliamentarian Conference was undoubtedly a unique opportunity for the attending delegates to connect with their heritage and share their experiences in nation-building. This first conference was a resounding success and certainly re-ignited the spirit of internationalism and motivated more friends to root for the achievements of India.

The Indian Government’s valuable investments in this International Forum will help India with having more advocates for it cause on various global issues.

Prime Minister Modi told the MP’s: Your achievements (as Legislators in your countries) are a point of pride for us. The Indian Prime Minister said he believes in ‘Vaasudev Kutumbakam’ – the world is one. This is a philosophy that will ensure the growth and prosperity of a world in harmony.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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B y N ancy C olier LCSW, R ev

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erhaps the most common question I get in all my talks to parents and families around the country is What should I do when my kid says he’s bored and I don’t want to give him the device?

Just this week, a mom told me that her son is always asking her ‘What’s next? I’m bored, what should I do next?’ This mom, like most parents these days, feels a tremendous pressure to occupy her son’s every moment, to urgently get rid of his boredom and provide him with activities to quell his What’s next? plea.

Children these days have remarkably busy schedules; their time is filled up to the last second of their day. Our children’ attention is unceasingly attended to and for.

Afterschool classes, sports, tutors, playdates, the list goes on. Even at birthday parties, when a dozen children are gathered together in the same room, the parents feel responsible for accounting for every moment of the children’s attention.

Fifteen minutes for arrival gift-placing, juice boxing, greeting… next the magician and balloon artist, (attention occupied, 45 mins)… next pizza, cake and candles (20 mins)… next some kind of “freestyle” dance or art period led by an adult (10-15 mins)…next swag bag (5 mins) followed by shoes and coat retrieval (10 mins)… next it’s time for the children to go (and someone

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else to occupy their attention).

Being bored has become this frightening and dreaded experience to which we parents must respond immediately. Boredom is not up to a child to figure out anymore, it’s a parent’s issue and a parent’s problem.

Boredom is a state that our child r e n

shouldn’t have to endure, and allowing our children to experience it, not taking it seriously, might even be a sign of parental neglect. As we mistakenly imagine it, boredom is a case of a moment not fully lived, a moment deprived of interest.

In addition, we relate to boredom as an absence, something missing.

We experience it as a state of nothingness: nothing to do, nothing to think about, nothing to learn, nothing to be with, nothing to play with, nothing to experience. Boredom, as we see it, is emptiness, a void.

As a result of our fear of boredom, we’re encouraging our children to be hyper-focused (not unfocused as we hear), with their attention perpetually focused down onto some object of attention. At the same time, technology has created a new normal, namely, constant engagement. With tech has come the expectation that our children (and even us adults) should be able to live in a state of uninterrupted entertainment and pleasurable busyness, 24/7.

Tech makes it possible to meet this expectation by offering a forever-stocked refrigerator of free and interesting food for our attention. We even get to congratulate ourselves for eating around the clock from this fridge, under the guise of learning more, doing more, communicating more, and what we’ve convinced ourselves is the definition of living more.

Here is value in time without a focus Sadly, we no longer trust our children’ ability to tolerate or even sur-

vive open, unfilled time.

We’ve stopped seeing the value in time without a focus, the profound possibility and potential in the cry “I’m bored”. Instead, we’ve learned to relate to time without an object of attention as nothing – as opposed to – no thing, yet.

The truth is we’ve lost faith in our children’ imaginations, and the power of human creativity – to generate something when it needs to.

Two things of great value (and more that I don’t have space for here) happen when we’re bored.

First, we have to use our imagination; we have to invent food for our attention. This is a skill whose importance cannot be underestimated. Some people say, “But Nancy, our children no longer need this skill of being able to engage themselves because they can just use tech to stay entertained and occupied”.

It’s an obsolete skill. While it might be possible to stay attached to the IV that is technology for the rest of our lives, to agree to this premise would be like saying that as human beings, we should no longer learn to walk because we have cars now, or no longer attempt to discover peace, because after all, there’s always wine.

Regardless of how available and rich the opportunities have become for avoiding boredom, the ability to self-play, create, generate, self-engage is still a profoundly important skill in the development of a healthy human being.

It’s our responsibility as parents to build the skills of imagination and creativity. The way we do it, in large part, is by giving these skills (that are in seed form when our children are young), the chance to play, evolve, do their work, and become.

Boredom is water for these seeds.

When we’re supplying all the goods for our children’ attention, we’re actually encouraging our children’s imaginations and creative capacities to atrophy and die.

Secondly, when a child says I’m bored, it’s because he can’t find anything that interests him.

But where is he looking?

Usually, he’s looking outside himself. When we say we’re bored, it’s because, in essence, we have nothing to distract ourselves from ourselves.

We’re stuck with just ourselves and our own attention to pay attention to.

Unfortunately, we’re being conditioned to experience ourselves, our own company, as nothing interesting, or simply nothing.

When we frantically shove a next activity in front of our child because he’s bored, we’re creating (and supporting) his belief that without something added to himself, he’s nothing.

Remarkable invitation The remarkable invitation that boredom offers is the invitation to spend time with, take interest in, or at the very least, learn to tolerate our own company. It’s in the gaps between focused activities that we can turn our attention to our own thoughts and feelings, and maybe even to the experience of the gaps. We can ask, is paying attention to being bored boring?

When we don’t have an object for our attention to chew on, something else to engage us, we’re left to play with just ourselves. Even if technology now makes it possible for our children to outrun themselves all the way to the grave, to never have to be alone in a room with just themselves, nonetheless, the ability to be with themselves, to not fear or dread their own company, is the most valuable skill our children will every learn. In boredom lies the possibility that we ourselves can become a worthy destination for our own attention.

In answer to the question my title poses, it’s not only okay to let your child be bored, it’s paramount that you do so. When your child complains that he’s bored, you can simply say, “It’s okay to be bored now and then, it won’t hurt you and it will help you, in ways you can’t yet know.”

And just before they leave the room, just whisper, if only to yourself, “Your boredom just means I’m doing my job as a parent.” (psychologytoday.com)

news

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thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Fire Komal Chand” – former presidential advisor O utspoken economist Ramon Gaskin is backing calls for Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) President Komal Chand to step down, as he believes that the Union head has betrayed the workers on several counts, especially as it relates to the issue of severance pay.

The economist and public commentator told Guyana Times on Wednesday that he believes Chand made a huge blunder when he and his team met with President David Granger on Friday, January 19, and agreed to accept a decision to pay some of the sugar workers their full severance, while others have to wait.

Gaskin, a former advisor to late President Cheddi Jagan, said, “Komal Chand has not given proper leadership to the workers over the years….Komal Chand is incapable and he should resign. The GAWU has failed the workers abysmally. It’s a complete and total failure.”

He said GAWU under Chand’s leadership has spent more time writing to newspapers and responding to letters than actually coming up with tangible ideas that would help to ease the suffering of sugar workers.

“They just writing letters in the newspaper and wasting time, instead of putting

Former presidential advisor and economist Ramon Gaskin

to the Government ideas that make sense to get jobs for these people or alternative jobs,” he opined.

“They came out of a meeting with the President (David Granger) talking about being happy. Happy about what? The severance pay should be paid in full.

They betrayed the interest of the workers, absolutely.”

The economist told this newspaper that he is of the firm view that eventually some 10,000 plus workers within the industry would be fired.

He said, “Once you close four estates, you have to send home 10,000 people.

That’s the bottom line...”

On Tuesday, hundreds of sugar workers said they were dissatisfied

with Chand’s leadership as many called on the GAWU President to resign.

Several workers in the sugar belt, who spoke with this publication, said they felt betrayed when GAWU agreed to accept that only some sugar workers who were dismissed would get their full severance pay at the end of January.

The meeting the workers were referring to was held between the Union and Government on Friday last, to discuss severance payments. The Union had initially stated its disapproval of having workers receive part of their severance pay, but at the end of that meeting, Chand was quoted in the press as saying that he was pleased with the outcome, as he noted that the Union was now committed to working with the Administration.

A worker from Enmore, who asked not to be named, told Guyana Times that the situation in the sugar industry has only worsened under Chand’s leadership. The sugar worker claimed that Chand has lost his zeal and could not now serve the interests of the workers anymore.

Another worker noted that Chand, although having been leader of the Union for many years, had presided over the firing of thousands of workers, sending them into hopelessness.

GAWU President Komal Chand

He added that having for years collected Union dues,

GAWU should have done a better job in representing the workers at their darkest hour.

Another former estate worker believes that for GAWU to win the battle in these difficult times the industry faces, the Union would need a new leader, one who has the capacity to represent and deliver.

“There are other good leaders in the Union who are being suppressed. He has served his time, and needs to give others a chance to represent the workers. The Union is lacking strong representation with Chand at the helm, and this is the time we need strength to fight,” the worker opined.

And only recently, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall raised concerns over GAWU’s handling of the issue and the retrenchment of sugar workers.

Nandlall stated outright that he did not agree with the manner in which GAWU has approached the matter.

“Quite frankly, I believe that GAWU should have ensured, demanded and taken a non-negotiable position when it comes to severance that all must be paid, or arrangements must be put in place for all to receive, in some kind of staggered manner,” Nandlall told this newspaper.

Motorcyclist in Wallers Delight accident dies T wo days after crashing his motorcycle into a parked vehicle at Waller’s Delight, West Coast Demerara (WCD), 30-year-old Cappel Deo succumbed to injuries he sustained during the accident.

Deo died at about 12:30h on Tuesday at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where he was admitted in a critical condition

earlier in the week.

According to reports, Deo of Lot 408 Crane Housing Scheme, WCD, was riding along the West Coast Public Road on Sunday evening when he lost control of his motorcycle and slammed into a parked motorcar bearing registration number PDD 4714.

He was picked up in an unconscious state and tak-

en to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, but was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital in that very state. Deo sustained severe head injuries.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted sometime today.

Meanwhile, the driver of the car, who was initially arrested on Sunday, has since been released on station bail.

8 news CCPA probing Berbice teen’s detention T thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

he Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) says it is currently investigating an incident which saw a Berbice teen being detained by Police for four days last week after an allegation was levelled against her.

Concerns were raised by several stakeholders after reports surfaced in the media that a 16-year-old girl, who hailed from Corentyne, Berbice, was locked up in a police station way beyond the 72-hour detention period after being accused of simple larceny.

CCPA Director Ann Greene confirmed on Wednesday that the report on the matter was being prepared as the Agency’s probe continued into the unfortunate incident.

Greene, who appeared tight-lipped, said that she would need to receive and review the report before she could disclose any in-

CCPA Director Ann Greene

formation on the issue.

Meanwhile, B Division (Berbice) Commander Lyndon Alves told Guyana Times that a file on the incident has been prepared and will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

The teen’s mother, Radikha Udho, related that her daughter was asked to assist an elderly woman

from their village. After the teen left, the woman claimed that she could not find her US green card and several other items.

Udho recalled that it was while she was at the market that she received a call stating that she needed to visit the Number 51 Police Station after the elderly woman had made a report about the missing items and was accusing her

daughter of theft.

Udho was requested to take her daughter to the Number 51 Police Station the following Friday, to make a statement, but the teen was subsequently locked up for four days.

Further complications arose as the teen was initially placed on $100,000 bail. A senior rank of B Division had stated that the bail that had been set was too excessive and given the circumstances, the officer could have used his discretion. After much deliberation about the excessive amount, the station bail was reduced to $50,000.

The officer also mentioned that the matter could have been dealt with differently; he added that if it was necessary that the teenager had to be locked up, it could have been done without her being held for such a long period.

Keeping the plank…

W

…in SARA’s eyes

hen the PPP was in office, Clive Thomas concocted a theory of “The Criminalised State” that they (The PPP created as they “siphoned off billions and billions” into their pockets or into secret offshore accounts. He was afforded a bully pulpit in the private press and pretty soon, his contentions became the then Opposition’ received gospel. And some doubt was created even in some PPP supporters’ minds.

The “criminalised state”, according to Thomas, also facilitated and participated in an orgy of killings of “African Guyanese youth” – to such an extent, his WPA collaborated in creating 400 a “dossier” killings that’s floating around the Internet. Even a cursory examination of this list shows the names of persons of all ethnicities and many who were killed in bandit attacks. That some of the killings – by what was called “Phantom Squads” – were a reaction to an armed gang holed up in Buxton – which took on the State and terroristically murdered innocent civilians who were deemed to be supporters of the PPP, is never mentioned.

Anyhow, when social academics construct theories in their air-conditioned offices (Thomas was Director of the Institute of Development Studies at UG for decades) they rarely get an opportunity to test their theories. But after the PNC-led APNU/AFC coalition snuck into office, who did they appoint to head their newly formed “State Assets Recovery Agency”? No other than Thomas, who was conferred with such wide-reaching powers, he was arguably more powerful than the President of the country in several respects.

Well, it’s been over two years since Thomas has been in hot pursuit of the supposedly “pilfered” billions and billions. And how much has he recovered? Zero! Zilch!

But has that forced him to even suggest he might’ve been mistaken? Not in this life!! In fact, Thomas and his minions have been most diligent in fanning the dying embers of the charges of “PPP corruption” to ensure the political polarisation and hatred is maintained.

One indicia of the Government’s hypocrisy over the Thomas’ hatchet job on the PPP has been their own obliviousness to the recent irony of Trotman accusing folks who have “no experience in the trenches” having the “temerity” of criticising his giveaway of the nation’s patrimony in oil. With that laudable commitment to cojoining criticisms with experience, one wonders whether he will comment on the absolute and abysmal failure of Thomas to prove his academic assertions on the PPP with his “experience in the trenches”.

Before he criticises the mote he discerns in his critics’ eyes, it would do Trotman and the rest of the coalition to pull out the plank from Thomas’ and SARA’s eyes!! …in GuySuCo’s eyes Thomas was also made Chairman of GuySuCo under the Government, replacing a fella they claimed had no experience in sugar! Actually the chap was in HR in GuySuCo just after Burnham nationalised the industry.

What was Thomas’ connection to sugar? Just the theory he picked up from reading books with his feet “cocked up” on a desk in his aforementioned IDS office!!

Anyhow, how has Thomas fared in THIS vaulted position? Even more abysmally than at SARA!! Here he participated in a most extensive – and expensive – CoI into GuySuCo (no mention of a conflict of interest!!) which was promptly thrown into a wastebasket by his Government!!

Even the section he personally wrote!

And subsequently – this once staunch Marxist who marched against the Burnhamite dictatorship for bauxite worker is now standing shoulder to shoulder with Burnham’s successor, firing 5700 sugar workers – just for starters!! Not only has Thomas not uttered a squeak.

He’s actually justified two centuries of colonial exploitation and two decades of Burnham’s by putting profits before labour!! Oh Marx!! …in Police Brass’ eyes If there was any doubt about this Administration’s betrayal of everything they claimed they stood for during their campaign, it’s their deprofessionalisation of the Guyana Police Force.

What do they expect to come from the Poisoned Tree they’re planting as the top brass?

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

News

9

thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

2 dead, 2 critical after WCD crash

By Lakhram Bhagirat

W

hat was a bittersweet celebration for four close friends turned into a final goodbye for two of them when they met their demise following an accident at Cornelia Ida, on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) late Tuesday night.

Twenty-six-year-old father of one, Romel Henry, of Lot 20 Second Street, Windsor Forest, WCD and 26-year-old route 32-minibus conductor, Doesh Sukhu of Lot 12 Gap Road, La Jalousie, WCD were both pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital at around 00:30h on Wednesday.

Dead: Doesh Sukhu

It is reported that the duo were out drinking with two other friends; one of whom was expected to leave Guyana on Wednesday to permanently reside in the USA.

According to the Police, investigations so far reveals that at around 23:30h on Tuesday, motor car PSS 413 driven by 25-yearold Mohammed Zahirulla Osman of Pakistan Street, La Jalousie with occupants Henry, Sukhu and 29-yearold Rajendra Nandalall of 58 Third Street, Windsor Forest, was proceeding East along the northern carriageway of the Corneila Ida Public Road, when Osman lost control of the vehicle.

After losing control of the vehicle, it crashed into a fence followed by a lamppost before coming to a halt in a yard on the northern side of the road.

The driver and the occu-

Dead: Romel Henry

pants were rushed to West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where Henry and Sukhu were pronounced dead on arrival. While Nandalall was treated and sent away,

Unrepentant child rapist jailed for life …“I feel really messed up about what happened to me” – victim …“I see no basis for showing you mercy” – Judge tells accused

By Shemuel Fanfair

F

ollowing a series of attacks on a young victim, Rohan Daniels, a logger, also known as “Shine Buck” was on Wednesday evening 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.

An 11-1 proportion found him guilty on the first count and a proportion of 10-2 determined that he was guilty on the third count. However, on the second count, the jury was unable to return a formal verdict (9-3 proportion), while he was unanimously found not guilty on the fourth count.

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

Guilty! Logger Rohan Daniels was found guilty on two counts of child sexual activity

old during the span of the attacks.

After hearing the jury’s decision, Daniels with a stony appearance was unrepentant when the court enquired if he had anything to say. “I am not guilty of this act; that’s all, thank you,” the soon to be convicted man related.

A relative of the Virtual Complainant read out the girl’s statement in court where the child outlined that she lives in discomfort and harbours difficulty re-

lating to males. According to the victim, since the sexual abuse, she often has nightmares and bad dreams with constant flashbacks of the harrowing attacks inflicted upon her. She said she does not play with friends and spends much time self-harming herself.

“I want him to go away for life and I want him to die there; he will be judged by God. I want all men when they see people’s girl children, they must leave them alone,” the victim stressed.

“I feel messed up about what happened to me,” she added. During the trial, it was highlighted that the victim’s mother had walked in when one of the illegal acts were being committed.

In handing down the sentence, Sexual Offences Court Justice Simone MorrisRamlall observed that she considered the nature of the offences, the circumstances under which the acts were committed and that the accused violated the child in the presence of other siblings and also when the victim’s mother was away at work.

Justice Ramlall stressed that Daniels expressed no remorse after being found guilty and said she saw no basis for the court to show him mercy. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for each count and the prison terms will run concurrently.

The accused who attempted to shield his face with a book while being led away by Police will at the very least spend the next 40 years behind bars before he has the chance to be paroled.

Osman was transferred to Woodlands Hospital where he is a patient under guard.

When Guyana Times visited the scene of the accident, it was cleared of all debris and residents reported seeing or hearing no accident.

Sukhu’s father, Paul Persaud, related that he got a call at around 00:30h and immediately rushed to the WDRH where he saw his only son’s lifeless body.

“I went to the Hospital and when I went there they tell me to identify the body. It was the two of them, I identified it, and the doctors said that he died on arrival. His body was smooth but no major damage but the back of his head was bleeding,” he related.

“He went with a friend who was scheduled to leave the country last night and they went and have couple beers and they were heading back,” he added.

The elder Sukhu further stated that the Police are yet to inform the family of their findings despite repeated requests. He also explained that his son is a farmer and part-time minibus conductor.

The grieving father said he lived alone with his son and describes him as a humble, peaceful and kind individual.

Meanwhile, Henry’s mother, Saleta Parbudin, said she is unaware of the circumstances surrounding her son’s death since information is not forthcoming.

“I don’t know what time (I received the call) but my cousin called me and said that my nephew ah come with this car to come collect you to go collect Rome ah CI (Cornelia Ida). When they carry me, there is no Rome and they carry me to Best (WDRH). I didn’t get to see my son. I hear they said two person dead already so me say ‘weh meh son?’ ‘Me want see meh son’ and me start scream and me run to the door at the Best Hospital and meh brother and boujee (sister-in-law) bring me home back and me nah get fuh see meh son, till today (Wednesday) meh nah get fuh see meh son,” the grieving mother related.

Fighting back tears, Parbudin added that her son came home from lunch around midday on Tuesday and went back out to his barbershop and never returned home.

Relatives who identified Henry’s body said the young man’s body was badly mangled and suspected his entire left shoulder and leg were broken. They said he also had a gaping hole to the side of his head.

Henry leaves to mourn his wife and nine-month-old son.

Both bodies are at the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour awaiting post-mortem examinations which are expected to be performed on Friday.

Police investigations are ongoing.

10 news

thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Brazilians arrested Brazilians among suspects for smuggling ganja Lethem robbery

nabbed for shooting at cops

The items found in the house at Lethem

R

anks in F Division (Interior Locations) came under gunfire on Tuesday night when they went to a house at Tabatinga, Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) as part of investigations into a robbery which occurred earlier

in the day.

Three suspects, all Brazilian, were apprehended shortly after the robbery.

However, investigators received further information and went to the house in Tabatinga sometime around 22:30h, where they were greeted by

several rounds that were fired from inside the building.

A standoff ensued and after some time, the area was cordoned off. The lawmen using their tactical training subsequently gained entry into the building. They arrested four persons, including two females, who are also Brazilian nationals.

During a search of the premises, a .38 revolver, a 9mm magazine and 42 live rounds of ammunition were found in the house.

At about 15:00h on Tuesday, three Brazilian bandits stormed Dwayne’s Phone and Jewellery Shop and held the female owner at gunpoint, since she was alone in the store.

The men then relieved the woman of a quantity of cash, several cellphones and jewellery, before attempting to make good their escape using her car.

However, Police ranks were in the vicinity and promptly responded after an alarm was raised. The men were subsequently apprehended.

The compressed marijuana found in the car

T

wo Brazilian men are in Police custody after ranks in F Division (Lethem and Interior Locations) unearthed a quantity of cannabis hidden in the vehicle in which they were travelling.

The discovery was made in the vicinity of the Takutu Bridge in Lethem, which links Guyana and Brazil.

According to reports, the Police, after receiving certain information, stopped

the vehicle in the vicinity of the Bridge and carried out a search. A parcel containing 103 grams of compressed cannabis was subsequently found hidden in the left door compartment of the vehicle.

The two occupants, the 51-year-old driver and a 31-year-old mechanic, were both arrested and were being processed for court. They are expected to be arraigned some time today.

news

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thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Contractor’s inefficiency hampering health care delivery in Region 2 – Chairman

The boarded-up washroom at the Oscar Joseph District Hospital’s Male Ward

By Lakhram Bhagirat

F

or the past 10 months a construction company has been undertaking rehabilitative works at the Suddie Public Hospital and the Oscar Joseph District Hospital in Charity, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), but despite several warnings from the Regional Administration the company is yet to complete its three-month contract.

The Region’s Vice Chairman,

who also serves as the head of the Works Committee, Nandranie Coonjah, recently related to Guyana Times that the contracts for works at the hospitals were awarded in March 2017 and were expected to last three months with a one-month liability period. She added that since the commencement of the project, the contractor has been utilising three employees for both projects resulting in long delays and general inconvenience to the residents seeking medical attention.

“He has the oxygen bank which hasn’t started. He has some defects work, which we coordinated to the Regional Executive Officer [REO] that is not fixed as yet and he has the Oscar Joseph District Hospital compound in a chaos, because he has all the debris he took out of the hospital lying in the compound and has refused to remove the debris from the compound,” Coonjah identified.

In addition to all these issues the male ward at the Oscar Joseph District Hospital at Charity has been closed for months since the toilets are overflowing resulting in the ward being flooded with sewerage. Coonjah added that this would have been raised at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) level and yet the contractor continued being complacent.

The Vice Chair indicated that they would have engaged the contractor several times concerning him missing his deadlines and defective work, but all those meetings

were in vain since the same issues kept recurring. She added that prior to the awarding of the current contracts the Haynes Construction Company had been accused of non-completion of projects and shoddy works in the Region.

She further explained that REO Rupert Hopkinson, who was also Chairman of the Regional Tender Board, was aware of the issue.

“The Chairman of the Tender Board needs to take stronger actions against the contractor, because as much as the contractor delays he is affecting quality service…we wrote to the contractor and we are dissatisfied with the work of the contractor,” she explained.

On a visit to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital, this publication observed the male ward was closed and the washroom boarded up, in addition to the oxygen tanks being disconnected and broken toilet bowls, sinks and other debris lining the side of the compound. There was no contractor on site and persons at the institution indicated that it has been in that state for a number of months.

Suddie Operating Theatre

The Suddie Public Hospital, which is the largest and main hospital on the Essequibo Coast, has been plagued with a non-functional operating theatre for the past two years, resulting in patients being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for

Debris in the compound of the Oscar Joseph District Hospital

minor surgeries.

However, works are expected to commence for the construction of a new Operating Theatre to the tune of $36 million. Nevertheless, the project is yet to be tendered and during an interview, Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt related that a $4.3 million filtration system and the extension of the drug bond at the cost of $8.2 million are also slated for the Suddie Public Hospital.

Ramdatt pointed out that the non-functioning operation theatre has resulted in challenges for both the Region and the relatives of the patients, resulting in increased transportation costs and reduced staff at the hospitals.

In addition, Ramdatt noted that another major concern was the lack of an efficient power backup sys-

tem at the Suddie Public Hospital.

He explained that the Region has a generator that was controlled by the automatic transfer system, which developed some technical issues, and the REO sole sourced a contractor to fix the defect, but it was made worse instead.

He said after the generator was beyond repair, they then approached the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB) for the procurement of a new generator, but following delays, the tender was awarded in late November with a supply deadline at the end of December.

As a short-term solution, the Public Health Ministry rented a generator from the same company, while the purchased one is yet to be installed.

12 news

thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Linden sweeper/cleaners Accused ‘wife-killer’ protest for better salary nabbed in Baramita

A

S

weeper/cleaners employed by the Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Democratic Council (RDC) on Wednesday staged a protest exercise outside the office of the regional administration calling for better salaries.

According to the employees, they are dissatisfied with a number of issues, including their “meagre” salary and deplorable working conditions.

The female employees, who stood outside the building holding placards, made demands for their positions to be regularised to facilitate payment of at least the minimum wage.

During the protest, the workers highlighted that their current salary is $24,740 per month, adding that this sum is highly insufficient to sustain them and their families. The protesters also made demands for the provision of working gear and improved working conditions. Some revealed that they were never given work contracts to sign and are not being paid via a banking system. The employees noted that a promise of a raise of pay went unfulfilled.

“We’re protesting about our raise of salary. We don’t have any protective gear to work with. Sometimes we go to work, we ain’t get gloves; we need long boots because sometimes the place flooded and we have to walk in the water with we shoes. So, we need protective gear and we need a better salary,” an employee attached to the

Some of the protesting workers

Harmony Secondary School noted.

“August month, you have to wipe walls and these things and you’re getting half month salary. This is the time you have children to send back to school, you have to pay passage and the 8- hour worker still getting more than us when we are doing the same amount of work... $24,000 cannot work,” yet another worker stated. Another employee, who indicated that she was a mother of three, said she has been working for years under these conditions and called on the president to intervene. According to the employees, they were promised a raise of pay in September and January, but have not received it.

Nathalie Hughes, a cleaner attached to the Christianburg Wismar Secondary School, said the school’s toilets were in a de-

plorable state.

“When we sick and carry in sick leave and it go through the Region, when we go NIS they saying that Region tell them don’t pay we, because they paying we full salary. When we find out from the Region they saying we’re part-time cleaners, we ain’t entitled to certain benefits,” she related, adding that ma of her colleagues, though suffering, are afraid to protest.

Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) regional representative Maurice Butters said the cleaners were frustrated with the way they were being treated by the regional administration. Butters said requests to the administration to provide proper working gear were not heeded.

“They have no respect for them. They are treating the people as if there is a class structure...where the lower you are, the more disrespectful you are treated. Even at

the schools, they are treated as though they are not human beings. And no one wants to sit and discuss with these people, how we can resolve this issue affecting them,” he said.

Butters added that compounding the situation is the fact that sweeper/cleaners in Georgetown, who were in similar position, have since been regularised. He said he spoke to the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Maylene Stephen regarding the issue but has not heard back since.

“We are calling on the President to say a word on behalf of these women...this is the time when they need his support...let the instruction be given so that these people can be properly regularised,”, Butters said.

Following the protest, the workers were called to a meeting by the REO. (Utamu Belle)

Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini), man was arrested on Tuesday evening for questioning into the death of his reputed wife, who died last week after receiving a beating from him.

Eighteen-year-old Lorenda Thomas, a mother of two, of Baramita, NorthWest District (NWD), died on Thursday last at the Community Health Centre.

Guyana Times understands that on Wednesday the young woman had visited her family’s home, where she reportedly imbibed and upon her return home sometime around 19:30h, she was approached by her reputed husband and an argument ensued.

The man dealt her a

beating during which she was rendered unconscious.

The following day, Thomas woke up and was reportedly complaining of pains in her abdomen and of feeling weak.

She was then taken to the health centre where she was admitted as a patient, but subsequently died while being prepared to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital).

Her reputed husband, who was on the run since the incident, was arrested around 20:40h Tuesday at Baramita. He remains in custody, assisting with the investigation.

Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination on the body of the teenaged housewife is scheduled for today.

Man arrested for taking company gun without permission

P

olice ranks in F Division (Bartica/ Interior Locations) have arrested a maintenance worker for having unauthorised possession of a firearm, which is the property of the mining company where he is employed.

The man, who hails from Coconut Walk, Albouystown, Georgetown, was arrested around 08:45h on Wednesday at the Bartica Stelling.

A 9mm pistol, along with

six live rounds, which are also the property of the mining company, was found in his possession but he was not authorised to carry the weapon.

Meanwhile, the Police have also detained another staff member who had been authorised to use the company’s firearm. He reportedly told investigators that he had given the weapon to his co-worker to keep for a short while.

3 towns given vehicles

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan standing alongside the town’s representatives

T

he townships of Bartica, in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); Lethem, in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) and Mabaruma, in Region One (Barima-Waini) were each presented with a 4x4 pickup from the Government.

At a small handing over ceremony on Wednesday, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan handed over the keys to the vehicles to council representatives of each of the towns.

Minister Bulkan noted that the donations seek to aid the respective region’s

councils in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The Invitation for Bids for the vehicles was first published on May 7, 2017, and received six bidders. The two manual Toyota Hilux 4x4 pickups for Lethem and Mabaruma and one automatic drive for Bartica came at a cost in excess of $18 million.

In expression of her gratitude, Deputy Mayor of Mabaruma, Astrille Gamell, said the townships are very grateful for the donations, adding that it will be beneficial in the execution of their duties. Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall and Lethem Councillor George Henry also expressed similar sentiments.

news

13

thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Tough 2 years ahead for Guyana – Opposition Leader … says coalition Government’s legacy “shameful” seeing with their own eyes, the chaos that is taking place in every sector of the country. He said the David Granger Administration was incompetent, corrupt and arrogant as he lambasted it for failing to attract and secure any meaningful foreign direct investment to the country’s ailing economy.

Policy confusion

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

By Michael Younge

G

uyanese will have to prepare to face the hardships that lie ahead as the Government continues to make blunder after blunder as it seeks to implement a host of projects which may not have any immediate positive impact or the ability to remove the daunting socioeconomic challenges facing the ordinary man.

In fact, they should be worried about the quality of life they are likely to have under the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change coalition Government which is squandering State resources and grinding Guyana’s once buoyant and promising economy into the ground.

These were the sentiments expressed by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo as he gave his outlook on the country’s economy and the performance of the incumbent coalition Government which has

wielded Executive power since May 2015 after winning the General and Regional Elections.

Jagdeo said the coalition has not lived up to many of the important promises it made on the campaign trail and is still unable to familiarise its Cabinet Ministers with the concepts of good governance, accountability and transparency.

He argued that when one looks at the rhetoric and statements attributed to several high-ranking figures in the David Granger Administration, one can easily understand the limitations of the Government, its inability to properly decode and read the mood of its citizenry, and the fact that no clear leadership is being provided with respect to how to achieve the targets set out in its manifesto in order for citizens to enjoy the “good life” in the shortest possible period.

The Opposition Leader said he was happy that the Guyanese are themselves

Jagdeo said the policy confusion and poor policy implementation and evaluation were also responsible for the Government’s overall poor performance and the magnitude of problems that are facing the population which is now struggling to cope in the turbulent conditions brought on by a disillusioned Government.

Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said the PPP still believes good governance is premised on Government’s ability to adopt a holistic and multiethnic approach whenever it is rolling out policies and making decisions that can prove racially, socially or politically sensitive, given Guyana’s unique dynamics.

“They know we have the support to win the next elections… Our time is coming and we will work to ensure that we win handsomely because…We are a party for all of Guyana and not a single race… We still believe strongly that a country can only develop if all of its people move forward together,” the Opposition Leader said as he slammed the co-

President David Granger along with several members of his Cabinet

alition’s piecemeal, divisive and irrational approach to handling the affairs of the country.

He said that it was regrettable that close to 25,000 Guyanese have lost their jobs since the coalition came to power with more and more workers being placed on the breadline because of the inconsiderate and irrational policies of the Government which puts profits above the wellbeing of people.

Corruption and incompetence

“Every week is a new corruption scandal”, Jagdeo opined as he said the coalition can never lecture anybody in this country again on issues related to transparency and openness. He noted that despite claiming that there was massive corruption under the PPP, the Government has not

charged high ranking officials which libelled and accused in spite of the multimillion-dollar Commission of Inquires established.

“Why is the Integrity Commission being disbanded… Why you don’t want to trace people’s assets abroad….Government Ministers are collecting bribes… It’s almost impossible to win anything with public tendering now…”, he remarked as he gave examples of what obtains under the coalition’s stewardship of the economy.

He insisted the current Government would be going to the next elections with a “ton of baggage” under its belt as the cracks are being exposed on the coalition’s repainted walls.

Jagdeo heavily criticisd the Government’s disregard for the Constitution and Guyana’s financial laws

as he equally expressed concern over the billions of dollars being wiped out from the public and paid as “settlement” in a number of judicial matters because of the incompetence of the Government’s Chief Legal Advisors.

“They are squandering more…they are borrowing more…consuming more… and squandering our future…They believe they know everything”, he said.

The Opposition insisted that the PPP will not drop its guard and remains dedicated towards fighting for workers’ rights and the rights of all law abiding citizens. He said too the party was more determined now than ever before to defend the gains made by Guyana and the right of its people to hold the Government accountable.

Inaugural youth luncheon

President pledges continuous engagement with young people

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resident David Granger has reminded young people of their crucial role in nation-building and urged them to seize every available opportunity to become the best they can be in whichever profession they choose right here in Guyana.

“You can be whatever you want to be and I do hope that while I am here, I will be able to give you that vision and that sense of purpose so that you can want to use the resources to venture into your profession of choice,” he said. The President made these remarks at a special luncheon, which he hosted at State House for a group of youths drawn from Regions Three (Essequibo Islnds-West Bank Demerara), Four (DemeraraMahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The President pledged to host youth engagement activities as often as possible to ensure that youths in Guyana remain fully engaged with the country’s leadership and proposed that a youth conference to be held later this year.

President David Granger with the young people who attended the luncheon at State House

Acknowledging that youth unemployment is a challenge his Administration has had to make a priority, the Head of State informed that Government is currently in the process of consolidating all of the youth programmes, including initiatives such as the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) and the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST).

“We are bringing all the youth

programmes together to have a common core curriculum so that every child, whether or not he or she is a school dropout, who enters that programme will get common training, which will prepare him or her to get employment in Guyana.

I don’t like to see young children, some of them who have left secondary school in the Rupununi for example, drifting over to Brazil to do menial work. I think they can stay here and get a good living, not

only because oil is on the horizon but because we can produce practically every food that the Eastern Caribbean needs,” the President said.

In this regard, he outlined the prospects and the many opportunities that lie in entrepreneurship such as value-added and agro-processing ventures. The President spoke of the importance of education, which is intrinsically linked to employment. President Granger

urged students and young adults to pursue higher education, noting that tertiary education is mandatory for most jobs today. “The country is wide open and it is open to you… Your education will not only equip you for employment but it will also equip you for entrepreneurial activities so that you can become rich,” he said.

Speaking of the environment, he reminded those in attendance that they are the ones who will inherit the national patrimony and therefore, they must develop a greater appreciation and love for their country. “You will inherit this country… This is the most beautiful, the most bountiful country in the Caribbean… I want you to love your country, I want you to own your country, I want you to be the best you could be,” he is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

The event was coordinated by Deputy Director of Sport, Brian Smith.

The coordinator also assured that this event will be expanded to include an even wider cross-section of youths.

14 news

thursDAY, january 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Berbice brawl

Embattled AFC executive charged

E

mbattled Executive Member of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Abel Seetaram on Wednesday appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court charged with illegally wounding his cousin, who is a plantain chip vendor.

It is alleged that on Sunday, January 21 at Number 11 Village, West Coast Berbice, Seetaram wounded Nateram Rabindranauth.

Magistrate Rhondel Weaver granted Seetaram bail in the sum of $100,000 on the felonious wounding charge and ordered that he returned to court on February 7, 2018.

It had been reported that the two men had an altercation which led to the incident. It was also reported that Seetaram and his son inflicted a series of blows on the father of one. The embattled politician’s wife was also part of the fracas.

On May 30, 2016, Seetaram was fired from his post as Special Representative to the Prime Minister. Back then, a release was issued stating that the Office of the Prime Minister has “terminated with immediate effect the services of Abel Seetaram as Regional Representative of the Office of the Prime Minister for Region 5”.

Reports are that his firing came on the heels of

NBS moves to block former CEO from cashing $59M cheque …denies unlawful detention allegations …Managers, guards released on station bail

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Embattled AFC executive Abel Seetaram

comments he made on social media, where he lashed out at the AFC for “disrespecting him” after members of the party held an outreach without including him.

He was also involved in another incident a few days before which saw him crashing a new and expensive Government-owned vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

Reports are that on May 8, 2016, Seetaram allegedly lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the fence of a businessman. He was subsequently charged with being an unlicensed driver, dangerous driving and breach of insurance.

It is alleged that it was not the first time he has been involved in such a situation which resulted after he became intoxicated.

few hours after issuing a $59.3 million cheque to its former Chief Executive Officer, Maurice Arjoon, the New Building Society (NBS) said it would be taking steps to “safeguard the sum” since it was only issued “to avoid confrontation.”

The Society, in a bid to prevent High Court Marshals from levying its assets, locked customers and staffers in its head office for over five hours. The standoff came as Arjoon’s lawyers secured a levy for $59 million in compensation following his wrongful dismissal in 2011.

NBS issued a three-page statement on Wednesday denying unlawfully detaining customers, Marshals and a Police Officer, claiming that it thought it was being robbed.

The financial institution claimed that subsequently members of the Guyana Police Force informed management that the men were Marshals executing a levy.

However, customers locked in the building reported that they were prevented from leaving by security.

“Assuming that they were correct to levy for the Pension Benefits, this payment ought to have been made from the Pension Scheme Funds and not the

Former NBS CEO Maurice Arjoon

NBS assets. The Society will, therefore, seek to redress this illegal and improper conduct of Mr Arjoon’s representatives, his lawyers and the Marshals,” the Society noted.

NBS’s management also outlined that the dismissal of Arjoon and two other senior officers had nothing to do with the Berbice Bridge or the intervention of any

interview all the persons who were locked in as they sought to build a criminal case against the Society’s management.

About 16:45h on Tuesday, a number of NBS staff was allowed to leave the building. Though they all refused to comment, two workmen who were locked in the building related to media operatives that they were prevented from leaving.

“The guard man locked the door. When we told him we wanted to (urinate), he said to (urinate) right in there,” one of the workers related.

“All the customers and so talking to them and they ain’t want move. They ain’t want open the door,” the other said.

After Police gained entry into the building, they arrested several managers

unlawful. Interfering with a marshal in the course of a levy is a criminal offence,” Datadin noted.

He further stated that his client would have already deposited the cheque and if the Society made any move to revoke that cheque, then it would be contempt of court.

“I would love to see what steps they want to do to secure the money. There is a court order that say they must pay Mr Arjoon, and if they’re not going to pay the man, then surely they are all happily ready to answer the contempt charges,” he reiterated.

“Their lawyers wanted to give a cheque for $10 million and then we’re going to talk about the rest because they supposedly can’t write a cheque for the amount, a company that made billions in profit can’t write a

Burger King opens 2nd location at Giftland Mall

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orum Group, the company which owns and operates Pizza Hut, on Wednesday officially opened its second location of Burger King in the Giftland Mall, as it announced plans to open a third by the end of this year.

The Group’s Vice President, Navin Singh, said the response has been phenomenal since the opening of the first branch at the Regent Street location.

“It has been 19 days since we had the launching of Burger King in Guyana and we have seen a tremendous response from the public so we decided that we are going to make our services available to our customers at the Giftland location and will be anticipating another location somewhere out of Georgetown in the coming months,” Singh noted.

The Burger King brand will offer a diversified product with chicken and dessert options.

It will also include a kid’s meal and attractive value meals. The unique flame grilled process is pivotal to Burger King’s great taste.

This second restaurant will see the creation of positions for at least 30 em-

Attorney Sanjeev Datadin interacting with Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum during Tuesday’s lockdown

Navin Singh places a Burger King crown on one of the first 50 customers at the launching of the new Giftland location

ployees and each additional restaurant will employ around the same number.

The group said it is proud to be doing its part in creating employment opportunities for Guyanese, as well as friendly and safe dining options for Guyanese consumers. Corum Group is confident that it will be embraced and supported by the

Guyanese public.

Meanwhile, several other stores in the mall opened its doors to the public.

Those stores included Sanjays Jewellery Inc Plus, Kards Plus, Stoby Juice Bar and home to the biggest supermarket in the region, Giftland FoodMaxx Supermarket.

Government officials at that time. They added that the Society’s investment in the Berbice Bridge was a very lucrative one and has been proven to be a correct decision. It was maintained that Arjoon and others were seeking to cover up their failure to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in the performance of their duties.

The Board of Directors of the Society at that time unanimously agreed to the dismissal of the three officers for serious infractions, including gross misconduct and negligent performance of their duties. The payment of $69 million by these officials in an unauthorised manner and under highly suspicious circumstances caused the Society to suffer a loss by reimbursing the account holder via a court order in the sum of $71 million, the Society noted.

Building a case

Following the illegal detainment of a number of persons, the Police said that they were hoping to

and security personnel for false imprisonment. They were later released on station bail as the investigations continue.

Inaccurate representation

Arjoon’s Attorney, Sanjeev Datadin, in a telephone interview with Guyana Times said that the Society’s statement was “utterly preposterous” and did not accurately represent the events of Tuesday afternoon. He clarified that the Marshals arrived with a single Police Officer and presented the court order to the Inquiries Officer and were told to await the arrival of the Operations Manager.

He noted that this was complied with but after the lockdown, armed ranks arrived on scene.

“They were fully aware that there were court marshals who were wearing ID badges and fully aware of the court orders; they had the court order, it was handed to the staff – the staff went upstairs with the court order. They wanted to resist the levy and they locked the doors, which, by the way, is

cheque for that amount….,” Datadin added.

He noted that the story of being afraid of being robbed was “entirely a concoction of convenience”.

The case

The former CEO took NBS to court for his outstanding pension and other benefits in 2011. Arjoon had originally sued the lending agency for some $550 million in damages.

High Court Judge, Justice Brassington Reynolds subsequently ruled in the dismissed CEO’s favour, awarding him more than $79 million in outstanding payments and benefits. The court also ruled that he should be paid a monthly pension of $372,498.

The Judge further ordered that the former CEO should receive financial compensation for the damages he had suffered; and moreover, that he was entitled to his pension and severance benefits, in accordance with provisions stipulated in the laws of Guyana. (Lakhram Bhagirat)

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

I

nspired by her amazing, now seven-yearold daughter, Kathrin Julia, Joyce Jasmin Sullivan opened Buttercup Day Care, Playgroup and After School Care Service to provide high-quality child-care services for parents seeking more than the norm.

“I decided to open Buttercup when I found that my needs as a parent in relation to child care were not being fully met. I prepared a list of the things that would make my life manageable and more

balanced, as a mother in the work force. Then I thought, there must be other mothers like myself and I would soon find out, fathers too!”

Sullivan was determined to create a facility that provided more than a safe and secure environment for children which was convenient for their parents – it needed to be a place where minds were nurtured and imaginations soared on a wave of love and laughter.

“Buttercup Day Care, Playgroup and After School

Care is a great place for children!” The former Queen’s College student, whose goal is to be the leading daycare provider in Guyana, proudly stressed. “We focus on creating an environment that is fun, comfortable, and safe. We encourage each child to be independent and responsible and we provide an atmosphere where children are free to express themselves. Our goal is to prepare our children for their educational and social journey towards nursery life.

We also support our parents as

they strive to ensure that their children receive the very best care available along with a happy childhood. Our activities at Buttercup involve parents without infringing on their professional commitments.”

The registered facility caters for children from 17 months to eight years old, providing in addition to day-care and playgroup services, after-school care for nursery and primary children from 12:00h to 18:00h (12:00pm to 6:00 pm) at affordable prices. It also of-

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

Calculated at 94% purity, Jan 24, 2018

Bank of Guyana Buying

fully-chosen, professionally-trained caregivers and as always strives to be the best at what she does – offering premium child care and employment.

“My daughter … propels me to develop all aspects of myself and my life and pushes me to achieve my full potential. After all, if I tell my daughter that she can achieve her dreams, then so can I!” the arts-and-crafts loving mom said.

Asked how she juggles her

many roles, Sullivan said she planned and prioritised “daily, weekly, monthly and yearly” maintaining focus on her daughter, as well as created and followed daily routines!

“My objective is to be the very best that I can be, not to be perfect, acknowledging that, helps me to maintain a balance.”

“Success is achieving a balance between family life and business. It's a feeling of satisfaction and fulfilment in the varying parts of my life: spiritually, volunteering, studies, family, friends, etc.”

She said she has learnt four main lessons: “1.

Communication is key in all relationships: parents to children/parents to caregivers/ caregivers to children, etc.

2. Be flexible and open to changes. Child care is a dynamic field and being able to adapt can determine your level of success. 3. Choose wisely when building my team.

My team is a reflection and extension of my vision and principles. (and) 4. There are institutions in Guyana that are established to guide businesses. It is important to liaise with them to receive as much information and help as necessary.”

And her advice to those thinking

of starting their own businesses? “Starting a business is an exciting endeavour. My advice would be to ensure that you have a deep passion for your prospective business. Be positive and brave, do your research and seek a mentor.”

The gutsy ‘mompreneur’ highlighted that “a strong, itive attitude” poswas essential, further noting that easy-to-attain fund-

ing; free seminars on business management, financial management and information technology for small businesses; and subsidised resources would surely ensure a level of success for entrepreneurs.

Contact: Lot 56 Pere and William Streets, Kitty, Georgetown, Guyana; 6640580; www.facebook.com/ ButterCup-Day-Care-PlayGroup-and-After-SchoolService Want to be featured on the business page or know someone who should be or maybe you just have a comment? Contact businesspagegy@gmail.com Want to be featured on the business page or know someone who should be or maybe you just have a comment? Contact businesspagegy@gmail. com

Joyce Sullivan with her daughter, Kathrin Julia

Business News

John Maxwell leadership event on Friday

T

he John Maxwell Guyana Team Members will be hosting a dynamic leadership event on Friday, January 26, 2018 from 13:00h to 17:00h (1 pm to 5 pm).

“Learn from world-class

leadership experts and begin leading with renewed passion and commitment,” ActionCOACH Guyana said in a release.

This half-day, leadership development experience is designed to equip and em-

power you with new perspectives, provide practical tools and key takeaways.

Live2Lead is held live in Atlanta, GA and simulcast to more than 300 cities and 40,000 people around the world. 223-5583

Investor’s Guide

Market statistics Cur

fers pick-up at selected schools, small class sizes, and Saturday child care.

“Parents recognise our standards from the moment they enter Buttercup's premises and would support us by choosing our child-care facility,” Sullivan explained when asked about the response to the services offered.

The 34-year-old East Bank Demerara resident, whose warmth and touch of whimsy translate well to the young minds of which she has charge, supervises a staff of four care-

15

Selling

USD

$1353.70

GBP

$290.56

$294.23

Gross

$265,159

CAN

$165.96

$168.89

Net

$246,598

USD

$205.98

$208.44

EURO

$254.14

$257.38

Indicators as on January 24, 2018 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$69.96

Price

USD

Change %

+1.33 Change %

Rough Rice

$266.49/ton

-0.55

London Sugar

$351.00/ton

-0.28

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1356.20

$1357.20

Low/High

$1339.60

$1362.50

Change

-1.50

-0.11%

Business Concept – Inventory adjustments Correction of inventory or stock records to bring them into agreement with the findings of the actual (physical) inventory. (Business Dictionary)

S&P 500 dips after choppy session; chipmakers drag Nasdaq

T

he S&P 500 was little changed on Wednesday while the Nasdaq lagged in choppy trading in the wake of comments by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross which hinted at action against China in a trade war.

Ross said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that US trade authorities were investigating whether there is a case for taking action over China’s infringements of intellectual property.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak in Davos today.

Equities were initially lifted by another round of solid earnings and a drop in the dollar, which supports large multinational companies, before the trade comments sent the S&P down as much as 0.5

per cent.

The Dow and S&P were able to recover from the losses as investors chose to wait for concrete action on trade and stay involved in a market that hasn’t seen a five per cent correction in nearly 400 trading days.

“The trend is higher and it is so universally, and with such conviction believed that any meaningful pullback is going to be aborted because investors simply don’t want to miss out,” said Peter Kenny, senior market strategist at Global Markets Advisory Group in New York.

“So we are not seeing that healthy pullback that most investors would actually welcome.”

The dollar fell 0.98 per cent against a basket of currencies after US Treasury

Secretary Steven Mnuchin welcomed the currency’s weakness.

Worries about a protectionist stance have added to the dollar’s woes after Trump slapped steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels on Monday.

Bank stocks were among the gainers, tracking a rise in US Treasury yields as the dollar struggled. The S&P financial index rose 0.68 per cent as the best performing of the major sectors.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 41.31 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 26,252.12, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 1.6 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 2837.54 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 45.23 points, or 0.61 per cent, to 7415.06. (Reuters)

16

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

News

APNU/AFC coalition supporters protest PPP M

embers of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) on Wednesday picketed the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) as it held meetings in Berbice with displaced sugar workers.

The coalition members had gone to Edinburgh hoping to confront Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo but he was not there.

Nevertheless, they then assembled at Angoy’s Avenue where another meeting was scheduled to be held in order to disrupt the meeting there which they eventually were successful in doing.

This eventually led to a

Some of the workers on the protest line as they showed their dissatisfaction with the PPP’s meeting

confrontation between the protesters and some sugar workers, with the Police being called in to control the protesters.

The coalition’s Regional Chairman, Kirk Fraser, said they were not there mainly to picket the main Opposition party but the let

people know the truth.

“The closure of the sugar estate is not as a result of the APNU Government but is one which is in keeping with ensuring that the Guyanese people receive value for money. The Government had put $22 billion into the industry from 2015 to 2017 in which no returns is received from the industry.

We cannot allow taxpayers’ money to go down the drain without receiving any financial return,” he posited.

Fraser says whenever the PPP organises a meeting in the region, the coalition will picket them in an attempt to bring clarity to the issue. He said the issues af-

fecting the sugar estates are not the fault of the coalition Government but that of the People’s Progressive Party Administration, which he said, ran the industry into the ground.

“GuySuCo is at present bankrupt and as a result of that the Government would have chipped in to ensure that the worker’s efforts are recognised by giving severance to the workers.

If GuySuCo had filed for bankruptcy then the workers would have been on the breadline,” Fraser said.

Executive Member of the People’s National Congress, Barbara Pilgrim, standing on the picket line, told

the media that had the Government done what it should have done, workers would have been worse off and devastated.

“When an organisation files for bankruptcy, the first thing that happens is that those who are your creditors are the first persons you have to pay. If that was the case and GuySuCo had to pay all of those that it owes then the worker’s severance would be the last thing that would be paid but because this Government cares for the workers, they are putting up several billion dollars to pay severance,” Pilgrim explained.

Brazil’s ex-President Lula loses appeal US ‘rejects’ Venezuela’s planned election against corruption conviction T

Lula was convicted of corruption and money laundering last year

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n appeals court in Brazil has unanimously upheld a corruption conviction imposed last July on ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. While he can still take his appeal to a higher court, the decision could rule Lula out as a candidate for October’s presidential election.

The ex-leader, who governed from 2003 to 2011, had been favourite to win.

Ahead of the ruling, Lula said he would continue fighting “for the dignity of the Brazilian people” until he died.

On Wednesday, all three Judges at the Appeals Court in the city of Porto Alegre said Lula had broken the law by accepting a seafront apartment from a construction company involved in a major corruption scheme.

They increased his original sentence from nine-and-a-half years to 12 years and one month in jail. The ruling is a severe blow to Lula’s ambitions to become President for a third term in elections scheduled for October 7.

Under Brazilian electoral rules, candidates cannot run for office if they have prior convictions. But Lula’s lawyers argue that rule cannot come into force until the defendant has exhausted all of his appeals.

No, there is a way around it. Lula could ask the Supreme Court to lift the ban and, if the court were to accede to his request, he could stand for office.

However, time is of the essence as Lula will need to have registered his candidacy

by August 15. (Excerpt from BBC News)

he United States on Wednesday denounced Venezuela’s plan to hold a presidential election before the end of April, arguing that such a vote would not be free and fair.

The vote was called by Venezuela’s Constituent Assembly, a body Washington alleges was set up to bypass democratic controls and entrench President Nicolás Maduro’s power.

On Tuesday, a top United Socialist Party official confirmed that 55-yearold Maduro, who was late leader Hugo Chávez’s handpicked successor, would be a candidate for re-election.

Maduro’s rule has generated widespread and angry protests amid a deep economic crisis, but the Opposition is divided and he seems to be seeking an early vote to consolidate power.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said: “The United States strongly rejects the

This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows President Nicolás Maduro (left) talking to Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci during his visit at Miraflores palace in Caracas on January 23, 2018

call by Venezuela’s illegitimate Constituent Assembly for snap presidential elections before April 30.”

“This vote would be neither free nor fair. It would only deepen, not help resolve, national tensions,” she declared. “It would not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people, and would be seen as undem-

ocratic and illegitimate in the eyes of the international community.”

The State Department urged Venezuela to set up a “transparent electoral process open to credible international observation” and to fulfil its international and inter-American democratic commitments. (Jamaica Observer)

Barbados Govt moves to give Jamaican Foreign Minister Police expanded powers prioritises climate change

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olice in Barbados are set to get expanded powers that will include implementing twoday curfews or a so-called “special investigation period” in response to serious violence.

The additional powers are proposed under the Police (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was debated in the House of Assembly on Tuesday. The Bill seeks to increase the statutory powers granted to the Commissioner of Police and the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) “to protect life and property of citizens, to ensure peace and public order under the Act with the use of cordons and curfews, and to provide for related matters”.

Among other things it will give police the power to stop and search an individual or their property during a curfew or in a cordoned off

The Bill seeks to increase the statutory powers granted to the Police Commissioner and The Royal Barbados Police Force

area, upon “reasonable suspicion that the person has committed an arrestable offence”.

It also gives the RBPF power to search a property in the area of a curfew between 08:00h and 18:00h

without a warrant once there is “reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed, is being committed or is about to be committed on the premises”.

However, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs Adriel Brathwaite maintained that crime in the country had not reached the stage where residents needed to panic.

The number of murders committed last year was 30 – up from the 24 recorded in 2016.

While stop and search operations have been taking place, Brathwaite said the Police needed the requisite legislative power proposed under the Police (Amendment) Bill to continue using “this meaningful and effective tool”. Stiff penalties would apply to those who refuse to comply with the directions of the Police. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

at China-CELAC forum

M

inister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has urged countries of the Latin America and the Caribbean region and China to make disaster mitigation and building resilience to the risks of climate change vital elements of the China-CELAC cooperation strategy.

Johnson Smith made the call while attending the Second Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, held in Santiago, Chile on Monday.

The meeting was held under the theme “CELACChina: Working for more development, innovation and cooperation for our peoples” and was designed to fine-tune the cooperation agenda for the period

Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith

2019 to 2021 between the People's Republic of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Johnson Smith was among the representatives of the twenty-two CELAC Member States, which delivered statements in support of the China-CELAC cooperation mechanism.

The Minister's statement focused on furthering discussions on grant funding for regional projects and financing for climate change, made available through the China-CELAC cooperation mechanism.

The Minister also expressed support for China's vision of the Belt and Road Initiative, which, it is anticipated, “will connect markets across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas and lead to development right across the region through a cooperative and inclusive strategy”. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

"I've signed your death Isis claims attack on Save the warrant," Judge tells abusive Children office in Afghanistan ex-USA Gymnastics doctor

Larry Nassar, (centre) a former team USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty in November 2017 to sexual assault charges, listens as he is sentenced in Lansing, Michigan, US, January 24, 2018

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s his victims wept in a Michigan courtroom on Wednesday, disgraced long-time USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for abusing young female gymnasts who were entrusted to his care.

“I’ve signed your death warrant,” Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told

Nassar, following days of harrowing accounts from about 160 of his victims.

Spectators and victims cried, applauded and embraced as Nassar, 54, wearing a dark blue jailhouse jumpsuit, was led out of the courtroom. Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse him in 2016, shared a hug with Angela Povilaitis, the lead prosecutor.

Nassar, who served as the programme’s physician through four Olympic Games, had apologised to his victims during the hearing, telling them, “I will carry your words with me for the rest of my days.”

Nassar, who already is serving a 60-year sentence in federal prison for child pornography convictions, also said his accusers fabricated claims to gain money and fame and wrote, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

Both the prosecution and Aquilina emphasized the broader significance of the sentencing, coming amid a national debate over sexual misconduct and abuse prompted by scandals involving powerful men from Hollywood to Washington.

The sentencing followed an extraordinary weeklong hearing that saw a parade of Nassar victims tell their stories in raw and unflinching terms, describing how he used medical treatments as a cover to justify penetrating their bodies with his fingers. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Afghan security forces inspect the site of the attack on Save the Children’s office in Jalalabad on Wednesday

G

unmen stormed the offices of Save the Children in Jalalabad on Wednesday, killing at least six people and wounding 27 in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

The latest assault on a foreign charity in Afghanistan underlined the growing dangers for aid workers in the country, who have become casualties of an increase in militant violence in recent years.

The attack began just after 9am when a suicide car bomb was detonated outside the offices. The attackers then used rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) to blast their way inside.

Afghan security forces fought the gunmen for nearly 10 hours, at one stage res-

cuing nearly 50 people from the basement of the building as fighting continued on the floors above, said a member of the Ningarhar provincial government, Sohrab Qaderi.

Army officials said at least six people had been killed – two soldiers, two guards working for Save the Children and two other civilians, one of whom also worked for the British charity. Another 27 people were wounded, including nine Afghan security service members.

Save the Children confirmed “with profound sadness” that three of its staff members had been killed in the attack. “All other staff have been safely rescued from the office. Four were injured in the attack and are receiving medical treat-

ment,” a spokesman said.

The incident was claimed

by Isis, which has established a foothold in eastern Nangarhar province, of which Jalalabad is the capital. The group said in a statement it was targeting British and Swedish groups in the region.

All Save the Children programmes across Afghanistan were being temporarily suspended and offices shut. “Investigations into the nature of the attack are ongoing and the motive cannot yet be confirmed,” the organisation said. “We remain committed to resuming our operations and lifesaving work as quickly as possible, as soon as we can be assured that it is safe to do so.” (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Paris on flooding alert 2nd Ministerial Meeting of China-CELAC Forum to push China-Latin America and Caribbean relations to higher as rising Seine causes …level – Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, CUI Jianchun travel disruption

O

Paris residents and their dog take to the flood waters in a dinghy.

P

Photograph: Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images

arisians have been warned to stay away from the river Seine as it continues to rise, flooding surrounding roads and causing disruption to the city’s transport network.

As water levels increased on Wednesday, the capital’s authorities said the river could pass the 6.10 metres (20 feet) level of 2016, the highest in over a century and more than four metres above its normal height.

Quayside roads and tunnels have been closed and all river traffic, including cruise boats and water taxis, halted as vessels are unable to pass under the bridges.

On Wednesday morning, a central section of the RER C urban rail line was shut down, closing several stations, including SaintMichel Notre-Dame, Musée d’Orsay, and Champ de

Mars near the Eiffel Tower.

The rail operator, SNCF, said it halted services after closing ventilation shafts to prevent further flooding of tunnels, where staff have been pumping out water.

The river overflowed earlier this week because of flood water from upstream where the basin that feeds the Seine has received twice as much rain as normal.

Paris suffered the “flood of the century” in 1910 when the Seine reached 8.62 metres. It has been preparing for a similar event for several years. “It’s not a question of if there will be a flood, but when,” Colombe Brossel, the Mayor’s Assistant, said in 2016.

Twenty-three French departments are on high flooding alert, from the Alps in eastern France to Normandy in the West. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

n January 22, the Second Ministerial Meeting of ChinaCELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum was successfully held in Santiago, Chile.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a letter congratulating on the success of the forum thus far.

During the meeting, indepth discussions and consultations were made to synergise China’s Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of LAC (Latin American and

Caribbean countries) covering progressing topics such as innovation, cooperation and development. Three outcome documents – “Declaration of Santiago”, “Joint Action Plan Of Cooperation (Priority Areas)” and “Special Declaration On The Belt And Road Initiative” were approved, fulfilling the anticipated goals of all relevant parties.

China-CELAC Forum has now become the main channel for China-LAC comprehensive cooperation. Since the First Ministerial Meeting

held in January 2015, the issues discussed were successfully implemented. Multiple exchanges including ministerial meetings, dialogue of foreign ministers of China and the "Quartet" of CELAC, meetings with national coordinators and within professional fields have been fruitful thanks to the joint efforts of both sides. These mechanisms continuously enrich and assist in bringing the China-LAC comprehensive cooperation and mutual interests to fruition. The trade volume between China and

LAC amounted to US$210.2 billion between January and October of 2017. The direct outbound investment

by China to LAC reached US$207.1 billion in 2016, making LAC the second largest overseas investment destination for China after Asia.

When compared to Latin American and Caribbean countries, China’s growth is at a similar stage of development, which creates mutually beneficial development opportunities.

At least 27 dead in twin Benghazi car bombs

A

t least 27 people have been killed in two car bombs near a mosque in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

Varying reports say 20 to 30 more were wounded by the blasts, which took place within minutes of each other.

The first vehicle blew up in front of a mosque in the central al-Sleimani neighbourhood, as worshippers were leaving the building after evening prayers.

A second car exploded soon afterwards on the other side of the street.

Both military personnel and civilians are among the victims. The number of fatalities may rise, a spokeswoman for the local al-Jala hospital told AFP news agency.

It is not yet clear who was behind the bloodshed. The BBC's North Africa Correspondent Rana Jawad says many bombings of this kind go unclaimed in Libya.

Libya has descended into turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of its then-leader Muammar Gaddafi. Two

Both military personnel and civilians were among the victims of the attacks

rival parliaments and many powerful militia groups have battled for dominance, and the disruption has allowed the Islamic State group to gain a foothold in the country.

The city of Benghazi has seen conflict between Islamist militias and the self-styled Libyan National Army,

headed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Haftar announced the "total liberation" of the city in July 2017, after three years of fighting with jihadists there.

Nonetheless, clashes and violence have continued to plague Benghazi.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

ARCHIE

Indulgent behaviour ARIES will get you into trouble.

(March 21- Partnerships will take a dive April 19) if you aren’t a team player.

Choose to make a romantic gesture over creating a hostile impasse.

Engage in talks that will TAURUS broaden your outlook or help (April 20- you make wise decisions reMay 20) garding your position, status or relationships with others.

Hard work will lead to personal gain.

dilbert

Discussing matters reGEMINI garding a joint venture, fam(May 21ily inheritance or settlement June 20) will shed light on when things will wrap up. A personal claim can be made.

Don’t shy away from an unusual opportunity.

(June 21- Embrace the future with opJuly 22) timism and openness. You have plenty to gain if you use your intelligence and experience to get ahead.

CANCER

Peanuts

Overreacting will lead to LEO trouble. Try to understand (July 23- what’s actually happening, Aug. 22) instead of acting on an assumption you’ve made. Keep situations in perspective and your attitude mellow.

A short trip to visit someVIRGO one from your past or to at(Aug. 23tend a reunion will be enlightSept. 22) ening. If you express your feelings openly, you’ll discover that someone you like shares your thoughts.

Calvin and Hobbes

Look over and take care of LIBRA (Sept. 23- money matters, negotiations Oct. 23) or settlements. Act on your own behalf and refuse to let personal or emotional influences get in the way of you doing what’s right.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — BUOYANT

Discipline will go a long SAGITTARIUS way.

Sort through all the in(Nov. 23formation offered before you Dec. 21) commit to help someone else get ahead. You’ll have regrets if you sell yourself short.

(BUOYANT: BOY-ent: Having the ability to remain afloat in a liquid.)

Average mark 13 words Time limit 25 minutes an you find 19 or more words in BUOYANT? The list will be published tomorrow.

Make a positive lifestyle CAPRICORN change. Contribute to your (Dec. 22- savings and update any docJan. 19) uments before they lapse.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — NAUTILUS nail alit anil anti aunt ulna unit unlit until usual tail talus tuna

insult lain last lint list luau lust sail saint salt satin silt slain

slant slat slit snail snit stain stun suint suit sultan sunlit

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

Your emotions will be SCORPIO close to the surface. Get (Oct. 24what’s bothering you off your Nov. 22) chest. Speak up and find out how others feel before you make a move or final decision.

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle

Home improvements should be budgeted carefully with the intent to boost efficiency and cut overhead.

Keep a low profile and AQUARIUS work quietly on your own to (Jan. 20get things done. Refuse to let Feb. 19) personal matters deter you from taking care of your responsibilities.

Share your wisdom, imagPISCES (Feb. 20- ination and experience with March 20) people you want to impress.

A chance to make a difference for someone you look up to will be helpful when you need something in return.

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

India bowled out for 187

19

India Captain Virat Kohli rode his luck and played some wonderful shots for 54

and at times bowled too short and wide.

The key wicket was that of Virat Kohli (54), though he was twice dropped off relatively simple chances when on 11 and 34. He was finally removed when Lungi Ngidi (1-

in taking the catch and had to leave the field for treatment.

Cheteshwar Pujara (50) was the only other Indian batsman to post a halfcentury, with his patient innings taking 179 deliveries as he tried to stifle the home

SCOREBOARD

Hosts South Africa took opening day honours in the third and final Test

F

ast bowler Kagiso Rabada took three wickets as South Africa bowled India out for 187 to take the opening day honours on a seaming wicket in the third and final test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

South Africa were six for one in reply at the close, with

opener Dean Elgar (4) and nightwatchman Rabada (0) to resume on Thursday as the hosts look to build a sizeable first innings lead on a difficult pitch.

Aiden Markram (2) was the only South African wicket to fall as he edged a delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to

wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, with the pitch giving plenty of encouragement to both sides’ all-seam attacks.

The hosts will be pleased with their day’s work after India had won the toss and elected to bat, despite having dropped catches, eschewed what would have been a successful review

India 1st Innings M Vijay c †de Kock b Rabada 8 KL Rahul c †de Kock b Philander 0 CA Pujara c †de Kock b Phehlukwayo 50 V Kohli* c de Villiers b Ngidi 54 AM Rahane lbw b Morkel 9 PA Patel† c †de Kock b Morkel 2 HH Pandya c †de Kock b Phehlukwayo 0 B Kumar c Phehlukwayo b Rabada 30 Mohammed Shami c Rabada b Philander 8 I Sharma c du Plessis b Rabada 0 JJ Bumrah not out 0 Extras: (b-11, lb-7, nb-2, w-6) 26 Total: (All out; 77 Overs) 187 Fall of wickets: 1-7 (KL Rahul, 3.1 ov), 2-13 (M Vijay, 8.4 ov), 3-97 (V Kohli, 42.4 ov), 4-113 (AM Rahane, 51.4 ov), 5-144 (CA Pujara, 61.3 ov), 6-144 (PA Patel, 62.2 ov), 7-144 (HH Pandya, 63.2

27) induced an edge to AB de Villiers at third slip.

De Villiers bruised the middle finger of his right hand

ov), 8-163 (Mohammed Shami, 67.5 ov), 9-166 (I Sharma, 72.1 ov), 10-187 (B Kumar, 76.4 ov) Bowling: Morkel 17-5-47-2 (w-1, nb-1), Philander 19-1031-2 (nb-1), Rabada 19-739-3 (w-1), Ngidi 15-7-27-1, Phehlukwayo 7-1-25-2 South Africa 1st Innings D Elgar not out 4 AK Markram c †Patel b Kumar 2 K Rabada not out 0 Extras 0 Total: (For 1 wicket; 6 Overs) 6 Yet to bat: HM Amla, AB de Villiers, F du Plessis (c), Q de Kock †, VD Philander, AL Phehlukwayo, M Morkel, L Ngidi Fall of wickets: 1-3 (AK Markram, 2.3 ov) Bowling Kumar 3-2-31, Bumrah 3-2-3-0 Position: South Africa trail by 181 runs with 9 wickets remaining in the innings

attack.

He had a slice of early luck when given not out after Ngidi struck him on the pads. South

Africa did not review umpire I a n Gould’s decision a n d replays showed the ball w o u l d have hit leg

stump.

Pujara’s vigil came to an end when he edged all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo (2-25) to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, one of five dismissals for the gloveman.

Rabada (3-39) was perhaps the pick of the home bowlers, both fast and accurate. He removed opener Murali Vijay (8), caught by De Kock, before grabbing the wickets of Ishant Sharma (0) and the stubborn Kumar (30).

Morne Morkel (2-47) and Vernon Philander (2-31) also chipped in with wickets but were guilty at times of bowling with too much width, failing to make the batsmen play.

The home side had already claimed the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead but are chasing a first clean-sweep against India. (Reuters)

Halep sets up huge semi-final with Kerber W

Angelique Kerber had a onesided game against Madison Keys that lasted 51 minutes

orld number one Simona Halep produced a superb performance to beat Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

The Romanian, 26, won nine games in a row from 3-0 down in the first set as she went on to triumph 6-3 6-2.

Halep will face Angelique Kerber in the last four after the German thrashed Madison Keys 6-1 6-2 in 51 minutes.

Keys, a 2017 US Open finalist, struggled badly throughout, winning only 18 of 46 points on her serve.

Halep said: “It wasn’t my best start but I knew I had to restart and move better, which I did in the end.”

The turning point of Wednesday’s second women’s quarter-final came in the fourth game, when Halep served three double faults and Czech Pliskova had a break point to establish a 4-0 lead.

After four deuces, the Romanian eventually got on the board and took control from there, showing plenty of aggression as she hit 20 winners.

Pliskova could find no answers and her

confidence ebbed away, winning less than 50% of points on her own serve.

Looking ahead to Thursday’s semi-final, Halep said: “It will be a different challenge against Angelique Kerber. I have to be ready, be calm and try to dominate the match.

The Kerber-Keys quarter-final was even more one-sided, with the German making it 14 singles wins out of 14 so far this season, including the Hopman Cup team competition.

Keys, seeded 17th, had served 26 aces in her first four matches in Melbourne but did not manage one against the 21st seed.

Eight unforced errors in the first three games set the tone as Kerber raced through the first set and established a 3-0 lead in the second.

Keys broke to love to get back on serve at 3-2 but an errant forehand meant she fell behind again, and Kerber closed out the victory by breaking the American for the sixth time.

“Every game was close in the second set. I am just pleased to get through and be again in the semi-finals here,” said Kerber.

“I really enjoy my tennis right now.” (BBC Sport)

Simona Halep reached the last four after dropping Karolina Pliskova in straight sets

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

Major excitement billed for West Demerara Guinness football G

Banks DIH Outdoor Manager Mortimer Stewart (far left), Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste, Colours Boutique's Creanna Damon, Tournament Coordinator Travis Bess, Banks DIH Communication Officer Troy Peters and Wayne "Harry" Griffith

uinness ‘Greatness of the Streets’ Football returns for the West and East Bank Demerara teams and according to organisers great excitement is expected at the Pouderoyen Tarmac.

At the official launching on Wednesday morning at Banks DIH, Thirst Park, Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste posited that the tournament will be of great value while bringing wholesome excitement for fans. Baptiste also highlighted another important facet of the championships as they always seek to give back to the com-

munities.

Tournament Coordinator, Travis Bess explained that there will be 32 teams, seven of which are new entrants who are all seeking to dethrone two-time champions Showstoppers.

Guinness Referee Coordinator Wayne ‘Harry’ Griffith explained the rules and the Guinness goal concept. Each game will be played for 20 minutes, 10 minutes a half where teams have a limit of two fouls per half, anything from there on will be a penalty. The Guinness goal will be awarded to any side

that scores in the final three minutes of the match, that goal will be counted as two.

The tournament which is in collaboration with Colours Boutique will see the winning team take home $400,000 and the championship trophy, while the runner-up will receive $200,000 and the corresponding accolade. The third and fourth placed finishers will receive $150,000 and $100,000 respectively along with trophies.

The other playing days are January 31, February 2, 7, 9, 13 and 17. Meanwhile, the teams have

Australian Open 2018…

D

Chung Hyeon is South Korea’s first Grand Slam semi-finalist

efending champion Roger Federer reached his 14th Australian Open semi-final with a straight-set victory over Tomas Berdych.

Second seed Federer, 36, beat the Czech 19th seed 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 6-4 in the Rod Laver Arena night session.

It was their 10th meet-

ing at Grand Slams, and an eighth win for the Swiss player.

Federer goes on to face unseeded 21-yearold Hyeon Chung of South Korea in the last four on Friday.

Britain’s Kyle Edmund takes on sixth seed Marin Cilic of Croatia in the first

Group ‘D’ will have the likes of Dream Team, Frontline Ballers, ESPN and Police ‘B’.

Group ‘E’ will see teams such as Veterans, Harmony Ballers, Zeelugt SP and Facebook Ballers.

Group ‘F’ is made up of Cayenne Massive, Agricola Gas Team, Hustlers and Brothers United.

Group ‘G’ contains Zeelugt Warriors, Admiral United, Pouderoyen Rising Stars and Pouderoyen Showstoppers.

Group ‘H’ has Goal Getters, Parfaite Hard Ballers, Harmony Warriors and Police ‘A’.

CWI/Regional Super50 2018…

“We really want to bring the title back to Guyana” – Crandon

Federer beats Berdych to reach 14th semi-finals – Chung also advances

been divided into eight groups of four teams.

Teams will compete initially in a round-robin format in the groups, before the top two finishers in each group progress to the knockout round.

Group ‘A’ features Young Ballers, West Side Ballers, Jetty Ballers and Bing Bang.

Group ‘B’ will have Mocha, Ballers Empire, Agricola and Kuru Kuru Asylum Youths.

Group ‘C’ consists of Terro Squad Nismes Ballers, Torture Squad and Up Like 7.

By Clifton Ross

G Defending champion Roger Federer is a five-time Australian Open winner

semi-final at 08:30 GMT on Thursday.

Federer’s most recent win over Berdych was a straight-sets victory in last year’s Wimbledon semi-final, and he prevailed again in similar fashion to take his career record against the Czech to 20-6.

Meanwhile, Federer’s opponent Chung Hyeon became South Korea’s first Grand Slam semi-finalist with a straight-set win over American Tennys Sandgren at the Australian Open.

Chung, 21, won the surprise quarter-final between two unseeded players 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.

The world number 58 is the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist for eight years, and the lowest-ranked Australian Open semi-finalist for 14 years.

Chung had beaten fourth seed Alexander Zverev and six-time champion Novak Djokovic en route to the last eight, and found himself the favourite in his first Grand Slam quarter-final. (BBC Sport)

uyana Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon is backing the newlook Jaguars 50 Overs team to break the more than a decadelong jinx as they seek to add the elusive Regional Super 50 title to their collection.

After announcing their side for the upcoming Regional Super50, selectors dropped a surprise with six newbies in the squad. Among those who will start their 50 overs career with the Jaguars include; Chandrapaul Hemraj, Ramaal Lewis, Keemo Paul, Ricardo Adams, Clinton Pestano and Sherfane Rutherford.

Coach Crandon told Guyana Times Sport that he believes the team’s blend of youth and experience will play a key role in this year’s competition. “I think we have a good balance and blend of players with some experience guys and some guys now coming through from the 4-days. Most of the guys have been playing good cricket in the local league so it’s about making it work when we get to Antigua and hit the ground running,” said Crandon.

Following a comprehensive title defence in the 4-Dayers, the Jaguars now turn their attention to the seemingly intangible Regional 50 Overs title which has been out of their clutches for almost 15 years.

Speaking about the team’s chances overseas, Crandon stated that with the knowledge of Antigua, most notable the

Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon working with newcomer Clinton Pestano in the nets at Providence on Wednesday

Sir Viv Richards Ground where they played an invitational T20series a few months ago, he is certain that once the players are fully acclimatized then it will be easier for them going forward.

“Definitely we’ve looked for a bit more energy and positivity in the squad this year and we have decent knowledge at Sir Viv Richards ground but we will still have to settle in and get acclimatized,” he explained.

Crandon said that he was especially happy with the mix of experience and youth in the team as it will help to further develop the games of the younger Jaguars. The former national player was most certain that while his team has not been able to break the 50 over title jinx, given the makeup of the team and the form of most of his players, all Guyana

needs is to win a few matches to get their momentum going. “ It’s a good team, I’m very optimistic about their chances because it’s a long time the title has eluded us and we really want to bring the title back to Guyana. It’s not going to come easy, its hard training and execution but once we do that, we can win games,” Crandon declared.

Players will assemble on Friday January 27 at Providence as the Jaguars host their solitary practice match before winging out for Antigua on Sunday, where they open the competition versus Kent in Group B at the Viv Richards Cricket Ground on January 31.

The other zone is being played in Barbados and begins on January 30 while the final is set for February 24 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

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Archery Guyana finalises training sessions A rchery Guyana has released their fixed training schedule for 2018 with indoor/outdoor sessions set for the National Gymnasium and the Carifesta Sports Complex venues.

According to Archery Guyana Chairman, Nicholas Hing the confirmation of the venues for training and practice sessions were made possible compliments of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The weekly training schedule will see archers and

potential archers set for two hours of training on Thursday’s at the National Gymnasium from 17:00 to 19:00h; for the indoor session. Meanwhile, the archers will assemble from 14:00h to 17:00h on Sunday at the Carifesta Sports Club Ground for the outdoor sessions.

Hing said with the sport striving for international recognition, he was pleased that the government came onboard at the beginning in a major way to assist the future of the sport. He said that archers can look forward to weekly sessions which will

sports

aid in the expansion of the fraternity as they seek to reach newer heights this year.

For the moment, all members are required to pay a range fee of $200 per session while all non-members are required to pay a range fee of $500 per session.

New members may obtain instructional training and will be able to practice the art of Indoor and Outdoor Archery with the club’s own membermade PVC Olympic-style bows.

The sessions which commenced earlier in the year will continue this Thursday and Sunday at both venues.

21

Archery Guyana Chairman/Coach Nicholas Hing (second right) giving instructions during one of the outdoor sessions to Vidushi McKinnon-Persaud

BVA AGM called for this Sunday – IGG preparations heat up

T

he Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) will be convening its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections on Sunday January 28 at the Guysuco Training Centre.

The electoral procedures will see a new; President, VicePresident, Secretary, Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer, a Public Relations Officer (PRO) along with five committee members being elected.

According to current BVA President Levi Nedd who told Guyana Times Sport on Wednesday that he will be running for the position again, it was also said that following the AGM a meeting will be held immediately to formulate strategies for the remainder of 2018.

Nedd said that once reelected, he plans to emphasize more on training and development for his players.

He added that with migration on the rise in Berbice, he plans to target more schools and institutions for the New Year, adding that getting more sponsorship for volleyball is among the association’s criteria.

Shifting gears to action, Tilcoy on the Corentyne of Berbice is set to host the Association’s first tourney of 2018 with a Senior and Junior Male/Female competition billed for February 11.

Meanwhile, Nedd who is also Guyana’s Inter Guiana Games (IGG) Head Coach for the Under-18 volleyball team, said that he has already been putting things in place for a smooth transition into the international games.

The coach pointed out that both the male and females teams have been doing a lot of training since last year as they prepare to defend their

Flashback! Coach Levi Nedd (first from left) celebrates winning the IGG gold medal with his men’s team back in 2014

IGG title. He further confirmed that the shortlisting and announcing of both teams will be done on February 4.

He explained that as head coach he has already begun to prep himself and players for the upcoming challenges

and said he was targeting midFebruary as the possible time frame for confirmation of the IGG teams. (Clifton Ross)

Huge stakes on offer at LeBron is the LGC Domino tourney youngest to 30,000 T NBA points

L

eBron James has surpassed Kobe Bryant to become the youngest NBA player to reach 30,000 regular-season points.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player needed eight points but managed 28 as his side lost 114-102 to the San Antonio Spurs.

James reached 30,000 aged 33 years and 24 days, beating ex-Los Angeles Lakers star Bryant at 34 years and 104 days.

Only five other men have reached the tally - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki.

“Congrats #KingJames.

Welcome to the club!” said Dallas Mavericks’ Nowitzki, who has 30,808 regular season points.

Reacting to his feat, James said: “The moment was unbelievable.

“The journey is something that I’ve been on for quite a while now and I will never take it for granted. It’s unbelievable to be able to share something like that with my crazy team-mates. Let’s keep this thing going and strive for greatness.”

The former Miami Heat player now has more landmarks in his sights, including Kareem’s career points total of 38,387. (BBC Sport)

LeBron James is the fifth member of the illustrious club

he Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) is issuing a challenge to local domino teams as they prepare to host the first of many Open competitions on Sunday January 28; with huge cash prizes up for grabs.

According to LGC President Aleem Hussain, the event which is the brainchild of club member and event coordinator, Munaf Arjune will see teams vying for top prizes which include; $100,000 for the first place team, $50,000 for second place and $30,000 for third place.

Hussain said the initiative was based on the Club’s ongoing project to turn the LGC into a full-fledged multipurpose sport and recreational facility.

He confirmed that the event is likely to pop up on the club’s monthly calendar of events as they plan to increase the volume of the game.

More than 20 teams are expected to feature in the one-day event and Hussain hinted at some popular companies such as; Banks DIH, MACORP and a few others who have signaled their intentions to enter teams to compete.

Also, with the growing partnership between the LGC and the University of Guyana students who have formed a golf committee, the President confirmed that an all-girls team from the University will be entering in the competition.

Hussain also added that the Club will be seeking to defend their turf from the

Aleem Hussain

incoming teams as they too will have a team in the competition. He said that the overall goal is to keep raising the bar of sports in Guyana whether it be the most insignificant or most popular and believed that once it can be housed at the Club he will continue to support all ideas.

Meanwhile, teams will be treated to specials on food and drinks all day.

The tournament is set to commence at 13:30h and teams interested are asked to contact 220-5660, 638-9956, or Hussain on 664-7419. Entrance fee is $6,000 per team with each team being allowed a total of six players.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

GFF President Wayne Forde

Street football outside It was my dream to get a hundred – Rutherford GFF’s control – Peters

By Akeem Greene

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Banks DIH are at logger-heads over who has authority to control ‘Street football’ in the country as the beverage giant hold their first Guinness ‘Greatest of the Street’ Football tournament for the year.

At a press briefing on Wednesday ahead of the West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Zone of the popular Guinness Greatest of the Street tournament which commences Friday, Banks DIH Communication Manager Troy Peters responding to questions on whether the company will be confirming to GFF’s new guidelines responded saying, the street version of football is outside the

scope of the federation’s powers.

“We have always been working closely with the GFF on many fronts for tournaments but for the street football we see this outside the jurisdiction of the GFF so we are continuing along that very line,” Peters stated.

He added, “Street football in itself has its own organisation, its own work-up and for those who follow street football would know that. Not because it has the word football means GFF has the jurisdiction over street football,” Peters asserted.

Last year, GFF President Wayne Forde through a press release from the federation stated, they are seeking to regulate football played in the country and has thus engaged the support of the

Guyana Police Force (GPF) to ensure permits for tournaments are only granted following the GFF’s approval of a given tournament.

This entails a promoter getting an approval letter from the GFF, which is given to the police in the respective division in which the tournament is being held, before the police authorises the said tournament.

According to the GFF, this initiative follows the actions of some who coordinate tournaments without the secured prize money and other logistical arrangements in place and without the clear guideline and oversight of the country’s ruling body.

However, Peters explained they managed to get the necessary approval from the required

stakeholders.

“We had meetings with the [Police] commander of West Demerara and everything was outlined with the plans we have and we have the sanction from all the necessary persons and organisations and it is a go for us,” the Communications Manager conveyed.

More so, the federation approved a 3 percent levy on all tournaments. Forde in explain how the structure works stated, “three percent towards the total prize money or the total gate income whichever is higher of the two.”

Peters firmness on the matter stems from the concept and of sport being as a way of developing communities.

“We when we started it was a

ICC U-19 World Cup

South Africa choke again A

li Zaryab’s second straight half-century steered Pakistan into the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup, with a slightly tense three-wicket win against South Africa in Christchurch. Chasing 190, Pakistan were wobbling at 111 for 5 before Zaryab scored an unbeaten and pa-

Banks DIH Communication Manager Troy Peters

community initiative and will continue along that line. If it’s any tournament that is organised and structured by the GFF, definitely we will have to comply because they are the governing body for football in this country.”

In an article appearing on FIFA’s website concerning street football, it addresses more the role of a partnership rather than a governing body. According to the article which was themed “FIFA and streetfootballworld unite,” and now FIFA and streetfootballworld have united to form a strategic alliance for 'social development through football'. The partnership will begin with FIFA helping stage the 'streetfootballworld festival 06' and supporting the work of five street football projects.”

It was my dream to...

from page 23

tient 74 off 111 balls to see his side through.

Pakistan started slow in the chase, losing their top order for 63 runs in 15.1 overs.

Zaryab, batting at No. 4, tried to stitch partnerships but could not put together more than 32 runs with captain Hasan Khan as offspinner Jason Niemand struck

SCOREBOARD

South Africa Under-19s Innings (50 overs maximum) MP Breetzke c †Rohail Nazir b Shaheen Shah Afridi 12 J Pillay b Shaheen Shah Afridi 14 R van Tonder* c Hasan Khan b Muhammad Musa 4 H Rolfes c †Rohail Nazir b Muhammad Musa 5 W Makwetu† c Ali Zaryab Asif b Muhammad Musa 60 J du Plessis c Muhammad Musa b Hasan Khan 21 J Niemand b Arshad Iqbal 36 J de Klerk run out (Shaheen Shah Afridi) 16 G Coetzee run out (Suleman Shafqat) 3 A Mnyaka not out 5 K Molefe not out 4 Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-6) 9 Total (For 9 wickets; 50 Overs) 189 Fall of wickets: 1-21 (MP Breetzke, 5.6 ov), 2-30 (J Pillay, 9.2 ov), 3-36 (R van Tonder, 12.1 ov), 4-43 (H Rolfes, 14.6 ov), 5-102 (J du Plessis, 27.2 ov), 6-135 (W Makwetu, 36.5 ov), 7-171 (J de Klerk, 45.1 ov), 8-176 (G Coetzee, 46.3 ov), 9-181 (J Niemand, 48.1 ov) Bowling: Arshad Iqbal 8-0-26-1 (w-2), Muhammad Musa 10-029-3 (w-4), Shaheen Shah Afridi 10-0-30-2, Hasan Khan 10-140-1, Suleman Shafqat 9-0-470, Mohammad Taha 2-0-7-0,

Muhammad Zaid Alam 1-0-7-0 Pakistan Under-19s Innings (target: 190 runs from 50 overs) Muhammad Zaid Alam c Rolfes b Coetzee 15 Rohail Nazir† c †Makwetu b Rolfes 23 Ammad Alam c Coetzee b Mnyaka 9 Ali Zaryab Asif not out 74 Hasan Khan* c & b Niemand 14 Mohammad Taha c †Makwetu b Niemand 9 Saad Khan c Pillay b Molefe 26 Muhammad Musa lbw b de Klerk 0 Shaheen Shah Afridi not out 1 Extras (lb-1, w-18) 19 Total: (For 7 wickets; 47.5 Overs) 190 Did not bat: Suleman Shafqat, Arshad Iqbal Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Muhammad Zaid Alam, 2.2 ov), 2-38 (Ammad Alam, 7.6 ov), 3-63 (Rohail Nazir, 15.1 ov), 4-95 (Hasan Khan, 21.2 ov), 5-111 (Mohammad Taha, 25.6 ov), 6-176 (Saad Khan, 45.3 ov), 7-180 (Muhammad Musa, 46.1 ov) Bowling: Coetzee 10-0-53-1 (w-10), Mnyaka 6-0-21-1 (w-1), Rolfes 7-0-22-1 (w-4), Molefe 5.5-1-22-1 (w-2), Breetzke 1-0-7-0, de Klerk 8-1-33-1 (w-1), Niemand 10-1-31-2

Pakistan’s prodigious paceman Shaheen Afridi sends down one against South Africa

twice and Pakistan were five down after 26 overs. Zaryab was on 31 then and Pakistan needed 79 more, but at a required rate of just over three runs per over.

After Zaryab and Saad Khan played out two maidens, they kept the score ticking with singles and doubles. Zaryab soon brought up his half-century and Saad struck three fours in their sixth-wicket stand of 65 but holed out to deep midwicket for 26. South Africa gave them another scare by dismissing Pakistan’s seventh wicket for a first-ball duck but Zaryab’s knock took them home.

Earlier, Pakistan made good use of their decision to bowl as left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi removed the openers in the first 10 overs and right-arm quick

Muhammad Musa struck in consecutive overs to leave South Africa reeling on 43 for 4 in 15 overs. Wicketkeeperbatsman Wandile Makwetu revived the innings with a counter-attacking half-century with some support from the lower order. He took them past 100 with Jean du Plessis (21) but was accounted for by Musa with a short ball which Makwetu pulled to deep square leg for 60.

Niemand scored a crucial 36 runs at No. 7 to take them close to 200 but a couple of run-outs restricted them to 189 for 9.

Musa finished with 3 for 29 after bowling 44 dot balls in his 10 overs and Afridi ended with 2 for 30 to lead the wicket-takers’ chart in the tournament with a tally of 11 wickets from four matches. (ESPN Cricinfo)

His innings of 93 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force was a display of a disciplined assault on the opposition (Akeem Greene Photo)

He added, “It was very good season I cannot complain but there are still some areas to work on but the season was very good and I just look forward for better.”

Revealing those areas of improvement are converting his starts and gathering greater consistency with the ball, the player with just 10 First-Class matches under his belt felt with more exposure the development will occur.

Given the batting strength of the four-time champions, the man from Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara got his opportuni-

ty at number eight for most matches but he is full on the fact that he is more a batting all-rounder.

“I’m a batting all-rounder but when you check the team there is a lot of batsmen so I just have to play my role in the lower-order and help the team.”

With selection on the Super50 squad for next week’s regional tournament which will be held in Barbados and Antigua, the explosive Rutherford plans on ‘going big’ in a format he favours and held his franchise achieve the ‘double’ in titles.

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

23

GCB/Jaguars Franchise 50 Overs League 2017-18…

Barnwell’s heroics hand Georgetown title

The newly-crowned champions pose with their silverware after the final on Wednesday at Providence

By Clifton Ross

A

ll-rounder Chris Barnwell followed up his semi-final hundred with a match-winning fifty which helped Georgetown sneak past Essequibo by 3 wickets by in the finals of the Jaguars 50 Overs League which ended on Wednesday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The out-of-favor Guyana player who was adjudged Man-of-the-match, led the way with a solid knock of 69 from 68 balls with seven fours and a six, which along with Captain Leon Johnson’s 47 proved to be the mainstay for Georgetown who ended on 193-7 in 44 overs, in pursuit of 192.

Essequibo, who entered as favorites after they played sublimely following their 3-Day title win last year, were given some impetus by Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Keemo Paul who top-scored with 39 which was supported

by Ricardo Peters’ 33 and Kemol Savory’s 32. However, their total of 192 all out in 38.3 overs was not enough to give the young side the double.

Franchise player and Jaguars 50 Overs selectee Ramaal Lewis starred with 3-34 bowling for his Georgetown franchise whose run chase began shakily.

Openers Robin Bacchus (12) and Andrew Lyght Jr (02) failed to get out the blocks and paid with their wickets falling victims to Paul and Ricardo Adams.

However, the senior pair of Johnson and Barnwell dug in after the openers were removed as the two sought to punish the Essequibo bowlers.

Johnson was fluent with his stroke-play, finding the ropes four times and venturing over it once as he inched towards a fifty.

Spinner Akinie Adams however held his nerve as he managed to outfox the West Indies Test batsman who was

Essequibo Captain Anthony Adams collects the secondplace trophy after a highly contested tournament

comprehensively bowled just three shy of what would have been a deserving half-century.

Barnwell shrugged off the departure of his skipper and raised his fifty off 54 deliveries with a single which took his team within inches of victory.

Fresh off a century which was enough to dethrone Lower Corenntyne in the semifinal on Tuesday, Barnwell then stepped on the gas and smoked a huge six which sailed into the Green stands and followed up with a trifecta of fours in a short space of time.

The all-rounder got a bit overzealous and paid for it with his wicket after attempting to bludgeon Akinie Adams over the rope but fell short and was caught on the long-on boundary.

Following his departure, panic stepped in which saw a mini-collapse with the dismissals of Shemroy Barrington who was bowled for 22 by Paul, Lewis who was trapped lbw for 17 by Ricardo Adams and Dexter Solomon who departed for 4.

Despite the hiccups, the duo of Steven Sankar (07*) and Paul Wintz (01*) weathered the storm and saw the new champions in wild celebration

much to the delight of the handful of die-hard spectators which included Norman the juice man.

Earlier, medium-pacer Paul Wintz (1-34) and Barnwell (232), provided some Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) magic for Georgetown as Essequibo openers Eaknaut Persaud was bowled by the all-rounder for duck while the dangerous Kevon Boodie succumbed to Wintz for 4.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Savory staged a brief fightback by smashing six fours in his 29-ball innings which consolidated after the loss of the openers, before Lewis disturbed his stumps.

Another Guyana Jags selectee to the 50 Overs team, Ricardo Adams (07), failed to celebrate his selection with some runs as he witnessed his timber being disturbed by a rampaging Barnwell who seemed to be a man on a mission.

Essequibo were then given a glimmer when top-scorers Paul and Peters joined forces to ward off the Georgetown bowling. Paul was aggressive during his stay at the crease, especially off the bowling of Barnwell, carving four fours

and two maximums which prompted Johnson to remove the all-rounder from the attack. Peters was a bit more discreet with his approach, just managing three fours in his knock.

Before the duo could significantly hurt the Georgetown side, Lewis pulled things back with the dismissal of Paul while Johnson accounted for Peters’ departure. Lewis then grabbed his third wicket when he trapped Mark Williams LBW for 12.

While some team work from Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) teammates; spinners Devon Lord (2-25) and Johnson (2-24) mopped up the Essequibo tail, leaving Akinie Adams stranded on 9.

At the post match ceremony, Barnwell copped

Christopher Barnwell made a sweep of the individual awards, winning MVP in the final and tournament

the award for Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his 244 runs and six wickets he recorded

in the competition as well as the MVP award for his contribution in the final.

It was my dream to get a hundred – Rutherford

By Akeem Greene

R

ising star Sherfane Rutherford is still dreading not scoring his maiden First-Class century when given the golden opportunity in Guyana Jaguars’ final match of Cricket West Indies (CWI)/Digicel Four Day Championship against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on Sunday but it still happy the season was of monumental learning value.

The pugnacious left-handed batsman scored a breath-taking 93 when he agonizingly inside-edged seamer Daniel St. Clair unto his stumps.

“It was my dream to get a hundred. It is a bit painful but I will just try to get over it and look ahead. A bit nerves kicked in and I told myself I’ll look to get out of the 90s very fast but it didn’t go the way I wanted,” he conveyed to Guyana Times Sport.

Throughout the season, the 19 year-old talent from the Demerara Cricket Club showed he has the ingredients to have a long and fruitful career. His tally of 22 wickets was the second best by a seamer in the squad. Keemo Paul led with 42 wickets.

The distinct improvement with the player new found adeptness of situational awareness, since he has to pocket his aggression when needed and

He was determined to improve his bowling last season (John Ramsingh photo)

apply the willow for the long haul. It corresponded in his nine matches yielding 343 runs at an average of 38.11.

“It’s all about the situation, some matches you go and the team is in a good position and I just free my mind and look to score fast and there are matches where it is tight and I just have to battle through the situation.” continues on page 22

thursDAY, january 25, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

GCB/Jaguars Franchise 50 Overs League 2017-18…

Barnwell’s heroics hand Georgetown title Pg 23

Christopher Barnwell clobbers Akinie Adams for a big six during his pugnacious match-winning innings at Providence on Wednesday

Street football outside GFF’s control – Peters Pg 22

The Guinness "Greatest of the Streets" football phenomenon has become deeply vested for communities across the country

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