Guyanatimes 26 june 2018

NGSA results to be P announced Thursday 13

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

Issue No. 3605

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

PRICE

Govt uses majority to pass Local Authority Amendment Act

– votes down PPP amendments

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Credit union saga

Shareholders call for greater accountability P2

Page 9

Water rate hike

Another burden for Guyanese – FITUG warns

Taxi driver slapped with rape charge P8

Page 11

Corentyne murder

Attacker who drank poison succumbs P11

Since 2016

Over $264M paid for Sussex Street P3 bond – company linked to coalition financier

Despite President David Granger’s pronouncement that the Golden Arrowhead be flown at half-mast to demonstrate solidarity with the families of the fishermen killed during the recent pirate attack, the flag at the Stabroek Market flouted the proclamation. Monday was declared National Day of Mourning in memory of the victims of the recent attack in Surinamese waters

Special Prosecutors being paid $20,000 per hour Page 7

…$2M retainer fee

Oil sector

Guyana takes another US$35M loan Page 10

Home of P10 Region 2 RDC official burglarised

2 news

tuesDAY, june 26, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Credit Union saga

Shareholders call for greater accountability

A

s the saga over the past management of the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union Limited (GPSCCUL) continues, shareholders continued their protest at the body’s Hadfield Street, Georgetown headquarters on Monday, calling for greater accountability and transparency.

This call comes against the backdrop of High Court Judge Gino Persaud granting an injunction halting the work of an interim management committee as auditors continue their assessment of the GPSCCUL’S finances.

The shareholders, during their picket, said the evidence has been passed on to the relevant authorities as the multimillion-dollar probe gets underway. There are questions surrounding some $32 million in overseas travel and other “excessive” expenses. Some even alleged that a senior official at the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) paid out some $700,000 in bo-

Gathered on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, these picketers were demanding transparency at the GPSCCUL

nuses to himself.

One member of the Credit Union, Randy Birkhead told Guyana Times that for all the years he has been paying his dues, he never saw any returns on his investment.

“We deserve to see accountability in the Credit Union, so [I] will be here as long as it takes. It has been years now and we are tired and fed up of it. I am part of Credit Union for five years and I have never seen any dividends – this is a real shame,” Birkhead highlighted.

Another member, Jermain Hermanstyne observed claims that documents were allegedly removed from the office. He too vowed to continue to advocate for transparency at the Union.

This publication was provided with a list of eight names of persons, which the picketers say are involved in the alleged financial improprieties.

In the meantime, Government-installed Chief Cooperatives Development Officer and Commissioner Perlina Gifth has been barred from assuming control of the Union until July 3, 2018 when the substantive case is expected to be heard at the High Court.

In late May, then Chairman of the GPSCCUL, Patricia Went vented her frustrations when it was revealed that Government installed the interim committee. “The Committee of Management objects to the actions of the purported Chief Cooperatives Development Officer, since there was no investigation into the affairs of the Credit Union to support the published conclusion and accusation of unsatisfactory performance,” she said last month.

She explained that the matter was rooted in the demand by the Department of Cooperatives for an undue payment to the Audit and Supervision Fund for the years 2002-2013 of an alleged

balance of $49,691,682.

She, however, argued that the Department of Cooperatives’ claim of outstanding payments towards the Audit and Supervision Fund could not be justified, since the already audited accounts of the Credit Union for the years 2002 to 2010 reflected no such balance, as was claimed.

Chief Cooperatives Development Officer Gifth, according to Went, also failed

to acknowledge the waivers, which were approved and granted by the previous Labour Minister, which were to date still in effect.

The former Chairman said she considered the current Minister’s action a threat to “grab the funds of the Credit Union”.

At one point, the doors of the Credit Union’s building were locked as several documents were retained for assessment.

Woman jailed for attempting to kill cousin

R

epeat offender Lisa Bobb, a Campbellville, Georgetown resident, was sentenced to spend the next 12 months in prison for attempting to kill her cousin.

The 25-year-old woman has continued to deny the charge against her, stating that she was defending herself following months of provocation.

However, on Monday, she was informed that she was found guilty of the charge instituted against her.

This decision was made by city Magistrate Judy Latchman after the prosecution noted that Bobb failed to discredit the evidence given by several witnesses against her.

On February 14, 2018 at Royal Drive, Campbellville, Christel Bobb had just returned home when she was pounced upon by Lisa Bobb, who stabbed her once to her upper left arm.

This attack reportedly stemmed from another misunderstanding the two cousins had had the previous night. Christel was rushed to the public hospital where she was treated.

Lisa Bobb

According to the prosecution, the defendant admitted in an unsworn statement to pulling out a knife and injuring Christel Bobb to her arm and leg.

As such, following a brief recess, the Magistrate sentenced Bobb to 12 months in prison.

As she was being led out of the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on her first appearance for the attempted murder charge, the Lot 84 Campbellville Housing Scheme resident had screamed, “If I had the chance to murder that b***h, I would!”

She has been a frequent offender since 2013.

news

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tuesDAY, june 26, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 26 – a night retraction from 03:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Wednesday, June 27 – a night retraction from 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 26 – 15:30h-17:00h and Wednesday, June 27 – 16:00h-17:30h.

Since 2016

Over $264M paid for Sussex Street bond

– company linked to coalition financier

done in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective manner according to our procurement laws.”

The former Government Minister had wanted the Procurement Commission to investigate specifically how a contract for a bond for the storage of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies was

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers can be expected throughout the day and in the evening, interrupted by lightly cloudy conditions in the mid-afternoon and evening hours.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 15:28h reaching a maximum height of 2.41 metres.

Low Tide: 09:02h and 21:14h reaching minimum heights of 0.70 metre and 0.80 metre.

SATURDAY, June 23, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS N

06 07 08

15 22 25

26 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2018

DAILY MILLIONS 12 14 22 24 26 LUCKY 3 4 8 0

1

Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

06

09

10

11

7

4

Evening Draw

19 20 21

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

PNC financier Larry Singh is linked to Linden Holdings Incorporated

T

he responses to questions on notice from the Parliamentary Opposition to Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence on the controversial Sussex Street drug bond reveal that since 2016, the state has paid out over $200 million in rental fees.

This is one of several questions put on notice by Opposition Parliamentarian Anil Nandlall. He had sought information on the total sums paid in rent for the property.

He had also asked “what action has been taken to implement the recommendations for the contract to be renegotiated to obtain a lower rate of rental; and if not possible, the lease agreement be terminated?”

In the response tabled in the National Assembly during Monday’s sitting, Lawrence stated that from July 2016 to March 2018, the sum of $264.5 million was paid to Linden Holdings Incorporated.

This company is linked to local businessman Larry Singh, an old People’s National Congress (PNC) financier.

When it comes to action being taken to end the arrangement, Lawrence revealed that a Notice of Quit dated October 31, 2016, was sent by the then Permanent Secretary of the Public Health Ministry, Trevor Thomas.

Further, current Permanent Secretary Colette Adams had sent a reminder dated October 3, 2017. There is no mention of the company’s response to these notices.

As of March, it is understood that the bond was still being rented.

The transaction first came to light in 2016 during consideration of Financial Papers, when it was discovered that Government had in fact entered a contract to pay a VAT-excluded $12.5 million monthly rental to Linden Holdings Inc for the storage of drugs and medical supplies.

It was also discovered that $25 million was already spent as a security deposit, in addition to $12.5 million, representing monthly rentals from August to December 2016.

The sums were paid to the Linden Holdings Inc. The criticism that erupted led President David Granger to set up a Cabinet sub-committee to investigate the mat-

and under what circumstances; what was the emergency referred to by the Minister”, and how Linden Holdings Inc was engaged to ink a contract.

Among the other concerns listed in the request for an investigation, the Member of Parliament is questioning why the contract stipu-

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

ter and make recommendations. That committee comprised Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman as the Chairman, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

That committee had concluded that the contract should be terminated or re-negotiated, since a similar facility could have been found at a cheaper rate. During the debate on the 2017 Budget in December 2016, a parliamentary delegation accompanied by the media visited the Bond and found condoms, lubricants and some unused refrigerators, but no pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.

The parliamentary opposition has since formally requested that the Public Procurement Commission investigate the transaction.

The formal request was made by former Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill, who wrote to PPC Chairperson Carol Corbin indicating that the political Opposition was demanding “a definitive pronouncement specifically addressing if this award was

The drug bond in question

sole-sourced from an entity that did not own and/or operate such a facility; and further, “how was the company’s primary director, Larry Singh, made aware that a drug bond was needed”.

Given the argument presented by the Public Health Ministry in defence of the contract, Edghill was also looking to ascertain “who made the decision to sole source,

lated rental of “office space”, and not rental of a pharmaceutical bond; and whether the price was fair in terms of market value for similar facilities.

The Member of Parliament, in his list of queries to the PPC Chairperson, also questioned whether taxpayers were in fact receiving value for money on the monthly arrangement.

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tuesDAY, june 26, 2018

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

Redouble efforts to stop child abuse

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ast week, Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust Georgetown resident Nichole Rosemin was released on $100,000 bail by Magistrate Leron Daly after she was charged for unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm of a six-year-old child. The Court heard that this woman, earlier this month, took a hot iron and placed it on both of the child’s arms after he was caught playing with the said iron.

Earlier this year, the media reported that at least six men were found guilty of raping and having anal sex with girls and boys under the age of consent, with the youngest victim being nine years old.

There are also reports of children under the age of 14 being forced to work in various parts of the country, in order to assist their families in making ends meet. Whenever they refuse or complain to the authorities, these children are dealt a severe ‘beating’ by their guardians, and are sometimes treated as outcasts.

And finally, there are stories of foster children being illtreated by their caregivers, and being subjected to continuous emotional, physical and sexual violence at the hands of their close relatives, administrators of shelters and homes, pastors, and others who are in a position of trust. It was only recently that a group of teenage girls, all below the age of consent, complained bitterly about the sexual harassment and advancements that are being made by a male in charge of a dorm at an Amerindian public school.

Of course the problem of child sex abuse is not peculiar to Guyana. For instance, over in Jamaica, a nine-year-old boy was systematically raped by his pastor while his mother was at work; an 18-month-old baby boy died of internal damage after being raped by his uncle; and a little girl was infected with gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes and HIV by an uncle who was in and out of prison.

This led a general practitioner at a local hospital there to lobby that country’s Government to do more, because she said she was “tormented” by the onslaught of abuse faced by children there.

The truth is that child abuse and child sexual abuse are shrouded in secrecy and abetted by shame. While most abuse is hidden and up-to-date statistics are scarce, it is known that nearly 150 million girls and 73 million boys under 18 around the world have experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual violence worldwide.

In the Caribbean region, sexual violence against children is greatly underreported, and this abuse is often culturally sanctioned. A study in Jamaica indicated that men often believe they have a right to engage in sex with girls under their care, while children in Guyana reported believing that sexual violence can be blamed on a victim’s clothing. Sexual violence against boys is especially underreported, and in some countries, is not even recognised as a crime.

“Sexual abuse happens everywhere – at home, school, and in other institutions; and has a serious physical, psychological and social impact not only on girls and boys, but also on the fabric of society. It is one of the main factors that contribute to HIV infection, and that is why it is not surprising that this region has one of the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS worldwide,” said Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Regional Child Protection Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Our experiences in preventing and responding to sexual abuse have taught us that laws by themselves have been ineffective in protecting children, mainly because of the silence surrounding the issue and the risks that victims face in speaking out – risks such as stigma, shame, harm and further violence.

And then, often, children do not know where to turn.”

To address the taboo surrounding child sexual abuse, the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago developed the Teddy Bear Campaign. Using the image of a teddy bear with a band-aid over its heart and the tagline ‘Break the Silence’, this initiative has mobilised a wide range of governmental and nongovernmental partners to protect children from sexual abuse.

The campaign was discussed during the Sub-Regional Meeting for Follow-up to the UN Study on Violence Against Children in the Caribbean, which took place in Kingston this week. UNICEF is currently working to expand the reach of this campaign to other countries in the Caribbean.

While it would seem that Guyana’s Child Care and Protection Agency is doing all that it can to respond to almost every case that is being reported, its intervention is coming a little too late. The entity is still operating in reactive mode, and is too bogged down to embark on a robust campaign featuring the implementation of measures that could see many of these acts being prevented before it’s too late and our children are violated.

There is desperate need, therefore, for the Government of Guyana to redouble its efforts to respond to this assault and violation of the decency and human rights of our children. A unit must be immediately established to tackle child abuse in all of its forms, as this can aid the work being done by CCPA. We cannot continue to be complacent.

This young lady ziplining in the Amerindian community of St Cuthbert's Mission during the Savannah Drive on Sunday (Carl Croker photo)

Guyanese will not be surprised if CCJ rules against Jagdeo Dear Editor, Respondents in the ongoing North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) opinion tracking poll being conducted in Guyana say they will not be surprised if the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Tuesday rules “against Bharrat Jagdeo running for a third term for President”.

In fact, they are bracing for what they describe as an “anti-Jagdeo ruling,” because they feel “the CCJ is compromised”.

Although the case is not about Jagdeo, but rather on any candidate running for President for more than two terms, it has come to take on the title of the “third term case” for Jagdeo. And the entire case has taken on an anti-Jagdeo tenor.

The Guyana Parliament passed a bill amending the constitution (that was established by the then PNC government in 1980) inserting term limit of two fiveyear terms. Then President Jagdeo signed the bill into law; but a voter challenged the two- term law and the Guyana courts declared the law unconstitutional, saying the amendment can be done only by a referendum.

The present PNC-led coa-

lition Government appealed the ruling to the CCJ, the final court of appeal for Guyana.

The entire appeal centres on preventing Jagdeo from running for President again, because the focus has been on him rather than on the merits of the arguments. The ruling comes on Tuesday.

According to poll’s findings, a majority of the voters feel the CCJ verdict will not be fair and impartial, because of what they describe as “incestuous, compromised and contaminated relations” between some officials of the CCJ and some officials in the coalition.

Politicians of the coalition have been talking about their close relations and racial affiliation with some of the judges of the CCJ. This has hurt the reputation of the CCJ. The CCJ has never had an Indian judge in its 12-year history, although Indians make up almost half of Guyana’s population.

The poll finds the former President vastly popular, even among supporters of the present PNC-led coalition (that includes the AFC, which has been haemorrhaging).

Voters say they would vote Jagdeo back in as President because the country was doing much better under his tenure.

Jagdeo is the most popular political figure in the country, with no one coming even close.

Voters say life was much better during his period of governance (1999 to 2011) than over the last three years of the coalition Government. They described Jagdeo as “boss on the economy”, and they feel he knows what to do to turn around a stagnant economy.

Voters have been disappointed with the governance of the coalition, which was installed in office in May 2015.

Polls find that if Jagdeo were the PPP Presidential nominee, he would win a majority against the coalition led by incumbent President David Granger. But Jagdeo has not indicated whether he would seek another term.

Nevertheless, the two terms’ appeal to the CCJ is being viewed as an effort “to knock Jagdeo off” the Presidential ballot.

Voters say the coalition Government feels if Jagdeo is kept off the ballot, the coalition would have a less difficult task to win re-election. Respondents further note that the coalition Government believes the PPP would be severely weakened without Jagdeo at the helm as Presidential candidate, and that the party would be di-

vided over a nominee, as happened in 2011 and 2015, leading to its defeat.

Jagdeo won comfortable majorities in 2001 and 2006.

Indeed, the poll finds that PPP would face serious challenge to find a replacement in 2020 for the populist Bharrat Jagdeo. Elections are due in Guyana in two years, and the poll puts the PPP well ahead of the coalition.

Last April, reports circulated in Guyana that the seven judges were divided on a ruling. It was reported that the President (Chief Justice) of the CCJ wants a unanimous ruling because of: 1. importance of the case, and 2. this is his last verdict, and he wants to leave on a high.

There was intense lobbying to rule against Jagdeo.

The legal issue is whether the people or Parliament is sovereign. The Guyana courts say the people are sovereign, and must have a say on how they are ruled. If the CCJ rules Parliament is sovereign, it would mean that the Parliament can pass any law, including taking away the right of the people to elect representatives, or to establish a dictatorship.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Domestic violence - a practical solution Dear Editor, As I sit here, I am saddened by the news of another needles life lost because of domestic violence. Almost every news site I visit features the story of the most recent victim. Countless persons continue to express

their utter disgust or anger that this problem continues to plague our society.

Yesterday's incident, which occurred at Limlair Village, Corentyne Coast, East Berbice, was the last straw for me. I now feel compelled not just to speak

of the issue, but also offer and highlight simple and practical solutions to this epidemic. I call it an epidemic because it is a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in our society, and that is the definition of an epidemic. I be-

lieve that what we see being manifested by the actions of some men almost daily is the end result of men dreadfully lacking coping skills and not truly understanding their roles. continued on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

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

‘Bad eggs’ bringing great shame on the Guyana Police Force Dear Editor, Over the years, I have observed some Guyanese Police officers, both men and women, bringing great shame upon their uniform, the Commissioner of Police, and the noble institution of the Guyana Police Force, by blatantly violating their Oath of Office to serve and protect while being paid with taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.

Many Police officers are involved in skullduggery, deceit, and disgraceful self-serving activities.

There was a mind-blowing incident some years ago when they set fire to a male youth’s genitals.

Police officers are known to be involved in theft, soliciting bribes and smuggling.

Some even rape persons in Police custody, or coerce sex from those who go to Police stations or outposts seeking assistance.

I am not talking about all of them. There are decent men and women in the Guyana Police Force who are totally professional in their conduct and attitude.

They approach their role to maintain law and order in society with discipline, mental clarity and commitment. They actually take their job seriously, and strive to protect the people of Guyana to the best of their ability.

That is why it worries me deeply that there are so many examples of rotten eggs who spoil the good name of their colleagues in the Police Force. Just recently, at the Timehri Police Outpost, a woman detained for drug dealing and other criminal activi-

ties claimed that the Police released her after she gave them what I describe as a pound of female flesh.

When we hear about Police officers involved in corruption, brutality, bribery, deceit, and especially sexual perversion, the culprits are always male.

What is wrong with these men?

In May, a Policeman was remanded to prison for having sex with a 15-yearold girl. In January, a woman claimed that two Policemen raped her at the Turkeyen Police Station, and a female rank then tried to get her to accept hush money.

No less a person than the late former Commissioner of Police Henry Green came under the microscope after an allegation of rape.

Recently, two Police officers were among seven persons detained after an illegal firearm with a spent shell was found close to them.

This is just one of countless reports of Police officers being held with illegal weapons. What does a Police officer want with an illegal firearm?

I notice, too, that Police ranks seem addicted to their cell phones. I had to report a Policeman who abandoned his important task of directing traffic at the Diamond intersection to speak on his cell phone.

It is disgusting to see roadblocks all over Guyana with officers on their cell phones during these operations.

On June 14, while travelling along Church Street, preparing to turn into Irving Street, I saw a series

of cars and motorbikes with young Guyanese wearing red tops and black pants and skirts. Young men and young women were sitting on the bonnets and roofs of the vehicles, and they were blasting through the street with no Police escort.

As I approached Lamaha Street, one of the drivers of this mini-motorcade braked suddenly, and some of these people fell

off the roof of the vehicle.

Fortunately, no cars were coming, or some could have been crushed. I saw one screaming and writhing in pain from the fall.

I noticed a Policeman who had stopped his bike near Thomas Lands in Kitty was talking on his cell phone. I tried to tell him what I had seen, but he just ignored me and kept on talking on the phone. After

er subjects being taught in the school system.

While I am not trying in any way to undermine its importance, research would have shown that, after leaving high school, over 85% of people do not utilise in their everyday living most of the theories they would have learnt in school. However, 100% of persons leaving high school would need life skills which, in most cases, they weren’t taught or didn’t learn from home. If teachers can now spend ten to fifteen minutes daily with their students teaching them these skills, I believe this would greatly aid the students as they get older. Ultimately, in time, this would inevitably lend to a reduction in domestic violence and casualties resulting from this epidemic in our society.

Further, to aid the older men, I strongly suggest that Government, more specifically The Ministry of Social Protection, be more proactive in its approach to tackling the problem. Outreaches and establishment of more counselling centres manned by quali-

the need for discipline.

We also need to review and revise the recruitment process of the Guyana Police Force. I am willing to volunteer my expertise, free of charge, to provide any service that will benefit the Guyana Police Force, and by extension the people of my nation.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan Sr

Dismissed sugar workers need urgent action, not cheap talk Dear Editor, On June 24, 2018, sections of the media reported that a coordinating committee has been established regarding GuySuCo’s ‘Sustainable and Resilient Communities Programme’ and ‘Alternative Livelihoods Initiative’. For the GAWU, the establishment of a committee now six (6) months after the workers of Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara were made jobless, and eighteen (18) months since a similar fate met the Wales workers, in our sincere view it says a mouthful.

The belated establishment of a ‘committee’ clearly demonstrates that there was -- and from all appearances still is -- no plan, or even a concerted effort, to address the well-being and welfare of the thousands of ordinary Guyanese who have been affected by the wrong decisions to close sugar estates.

Certainly, GuySuCo and the authorities had, in our view, significant lead time to prop-

erly plan and devise workable solutions to mitigate the loss of the workers’ livelihoods. The fact that this is now being done nearly at the end of the second half of 2018 confirms the view that there was not even a glancing thought regarding how workers and their families would make out following the closing of the estates’ doors.

We cannot help but wonder whether the ‘high-powered’ committee is aware of the realities that the jobless sugar workers and their families now face. Do they know that some workers cannot provide sufficient healthy meals for their families? Do they know that some workers have had to remove their children from school? Do they know that some workers have found themselves in a depressed state? Do they know that families have broken up? It seems to us that the stageshow committee, sitting in air-conditioned board rooms far away from the suffer-

Domestic violence...

If you were to examine all the domestic violence cases that resulted in the demise of women, you would realise that domestic violence is not common only to a particular ethnicity or demographic. Instead, what is common is that, in every case, the man did not understand his role, and failed to cope with the situation.

Men should have been equipped with this vital information, like so many other teachings they received, from a very young age. While many might argue that this should have been taught in the home, the almost daily heinous and callous acts being committed by men against women tell that this is not happening.

The genesis of this epidemic, like I said, is lack of coping skills and men not knowing their roles. My question therefore is: Why not address this from a tender age? There is a famous colloquial expression which says “you need to bend the tree while it is still young”. Coping skills and other practical life skills should be incorporated with the oth-

a while, I had to abandon this attempt and leave.

Such officers are bringing shame and disgrace to the Police Force and to Guyana. As a nation, we should have zero tolerance for this behaviour.

I suggest setting up a sting operation to identify the rotten eggs within the Force, and weed them out.

We cannot allow the need for personnel to supersede

fied volunteers, social workers or ministers of religion would provide alternatives.

The above are my thoughts. It is my desire that, even if not implemented, at least my recommendation can start, in regard to this epidemic, a national conversa-

from page 4

tion that leads to steps being taken or put in place to end this dreadful situation.

Domestic violence most stop!!!

Sincerely yours, Shorlan Christian

ing spawned by closure of estates, is unaware of the present-day realities in the communities linked to the now closed estates. The use of catchy names and having nice pictures of meetings mean very little to the workers and their families, who are caught literally between a rock and a hard place. If the committee is really serious, it needs to go to the communities to interact with the workers, find out what are their problems, and devise appropriate solutions to address the difficulties they face. The seeming satellite approach cannot -and in our sincere view will not -- work.

The GAWU also saw that the Ministry of Natural Resources, according to information received on June 25, 2018, has sponsored a training programme which will train about 100 persons in several fields. Of the 100-person cohort, we recognise, some retrenched sugar workers will benefit. The GAWU welcomes this training programme, which will

address a very small amount of the displaced workers.

At the same time, we cannot help but wonder whether any careful consideration has been given to trainees securing employment with their new-found skills, as it can very well negate the impact of the training.

We also wonder whether any assessment has been done regarding the availability of such skills in Region Six, and whether the trainees will join a saturated market. These, we believe, among other things, should be fully-wellthought-out before embarking on programmes of this nature.

At this time, while the grass is growing the horse is starving, and the jobless workers are finding coping harder day by day. The now dismissed sugar workers need urgent action, not cheap talk.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

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By Erin Leonard, PhD

A

s a child therapist, the most common complaint I hear from parents is, “He just won’t talk to me.” Feeling estranged from your child can be painful for both you and your child. Research indicates that the most important predictor of a child's emotional and psychological stability is the closeness of the parent-child relationship. If the child is not opening up when he or she is upset, the relationship is not as close as it needs to be.

There are two habits that parents routinely engage in that shut down communication and drive a child away: negating feelings and mistaking sympathy for empathy.

A child truly in distress because of feeling hurt, disappointed, worried, or angry, desperately needs his or her parent. Yet, often, parents don't want to see their child feeling negatively, so their first instinct is to tell the child not to feel the way they do. Before they think, statements such as, “don’t be disappointed” or “don't be mad” escape. The result is that the child feels ashamed of how they feel, compounding the hurt. Moreover, the knowledge that their parent does not understand, leaves them feeling alone, which is detrimental. Basically, the child learns that opening up about how they feel makes them feel worse.

Examples of statements to avoid: Don't worry.

Don't feel that way.

Don't be disappointed.

Don't be like that.

Don't be mad.

You are too sensitive.

A better idea is to empathise.

Honour their feeling. Feelings are never wrong, it's what kids do with feelings that can get them in trouble.

Examples of empathic statements: That's a big worry. I get it.

Foundation

You are upset. I would be too.

You have every right to feel disappointed. I felt like that when I was your age.

You are mad. I understand. You have every right.

It hurts to see someone do something you want to be able to do, but can't yet.

You are mad. I'm sure you have a good reason. I want to hear about it.

After you give them a solid dose of empathy, the child feels understood and connected to you, which means they immediately feel better, and will want your help in problem solving. In many cases, the empathy is all they need to feel better. Simply knowing their parent understands allows them to feel secure and forge ahead.

Here's how it works: Empathy creates good vagal tone in a child's brain and immediately calms them. The vagus nerve originates in the medulla, which is the part of the brain that controls the central nervous system.

When there is good vagal tone, the entire central nervous system is soothed.

Afterwards, the child settles down and can logically think through problems with you. The child also feels understood and close to you, which allows him or her to forge ahead with a sense of security.

No parent wants a child that feels sorry for themselves, plays the victim, or is overdramatic, and maybe that is the fear that prevents a parent from being empathic. However, honouring a child’s feelings is actually what prevents a sense of entitlement or a victim mentality in a child. Sympathy, on the other hand, disrupts any chance of emotional attunement and tempts parents to enable. The parent saves and rescues their child from negative feelings instead of helping them work through difficult feelings.

For example, on

the way home from hockey practice one night, Jimmy, my eight-year-old son, said to me, “Mom, I was the worst one tonight. I'm the worst one every night.

I barely got put in.”

Now, I have two choices, the sympathetic response or the empathic response.

1)The sympathetic response is, “Poor guy, I'm going to call your coach and talk to him. I don't think it's fair that he benches you for most of the practice.”

2) The empathic response is, “That hurts, kiddo. It hurts to feel like you’re the worst one. I get it. I've felt like that a lot in my life. It stinks. Keep at it. It will get better.”

In essence, the sympathetic response, tempts us to ask that the rules be changed or concessions be made for our child, which teaches them to play the victim. Also, it requires no emotional investment on the parent’s part because the parent becomes the powerful saver and rescuer, which strokes the parent’s ego. It is the easy way out.

The empathic response requires the parent to shift from how they feel, to how the child feels. It's emotional attunement. It's the parent remembering how it feels to be the worst one at something, so they can relate to their child. It's selfless and it puts the child first, emotionally. When there is emotional attunement, the child feels understood, and connected to you, which allows them to feel secure and more able to forge ahead and try again.

Empathy creates a rugged work ethic and resilience in a child. The child will thrive on adversity instead of breaking down when negative things happen.

Empathy creates brave and strong human beings.

Stay close to your child. Empathise and empower. The reward will be priceless. (psychologytoday.com)

Continued from Monday

By Haley Blank, Montclair Kimberley Academy

O

ther interventions are based on the view that test anxiety arises from academic deficiencies or study skill deficits.

Skill-based approaches are designed to remedy academic deficits and improve study habits with content-specific tutoring, training in time management and organisation, improving reading comprehension, and note-taking methods among other tips during test-taking.

A recent review of research on interventions evaluated with high school students found that the most promising approaches for reducing test anxiety use biofeedback, deep breathing, guided progressive muscle relaxation, and systematic desensitisation.

These strategies work when used alone or in combination with cognitive interventions, such as counteracting self-defeating and unrealistic thoughts. Skill-building strategies have also been found to be effective, especially among college-age students.

Acceptance based behaviour therapy is a more recent innovation in intervention. Unlike cognitive and behavioural approaches, which prioritise reducing anxiety and challenging self-defeating thoughts, acceptance-based approaches emphasise learning to accept and tolerate uncomfortable emotions, thoughts, and physical arousal without judging them or being distracted by them. This strategy has not been studied as much as other methods, but it has shown promise in reducing anxiety and improving academic performance.

Getting help from a mental health professional is important when anxiety feels

unmanageable, gets progressively worse, or interferes with other activities, like spending time with friends or participating in clubs or sports.

Answers to question #2 To sum things up, as a high school student approaching my junior year, I wish I had known more about test anxiety when I started my freshman year of high school.

I decided to share some tips I've discovered after much research and personal experience that might help others going through similar experiences.

1. If anxiety comes with school evaluations, it is important to remind yourself that it's just a test or essay.

Not doing as well as you want is not the end of the world, and it does not define you as a person or discredit your work ethic.

2. If you start to feel short of breath, remind yourself that it is okay; accept the discomfort and remain calm.

Your body will not forget how to breathe.

3. There are many apps in the App Store on your phone to help you breathe regularly. These can be helpful when you feel an attack coming on or you are in the middle of one. Some examples include Breathe2Relax, Universal Breathing, Paced Breathing, Relax Stress and Anxiety Relief, and Breathing Zone.

4. Listen to relaxing music. Your body and mind synchronise with the music, and calming music slows your BPM (beats per minute) heart rate.

5. Tell someone and get help! I wish I'd told my teachers sooner about my issue, and gotten the in school help.

Once the school administrators and teachers learned about my problem, they were much more accommodating and supportive. (Excerpt from www.

anxiety.org)

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Special Prosecutors being 3 in custody, 3 wanted for vendor’s murder paid $20,000 per hour …$2M retainer fee

I

n response to questions put forward by the parliamentary Opposition, Government has come clean on its hiring of Special Prosecutors. Among the information provided are details of the number of prosecutors, cases and payment arrangements.

According to the written responses supplied, five Special Prosecutors were hired. These Prosecutors are to be paid a retainer fee of $2 million, applied against the attorney fees and costs incurred by the client – the Attorney General’s Chambers.

According to the details presented, the Prosecutors will also be paid $20,000 per hour for their services when prosecuting matters in the court on behalf of the State.

The order paper had detailed that questions would be put to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams by his predecessor, Anil Nandlall. The questions are derived from the fact that estimates show $109 million being allocated to the Attorney General’s Chambers in the 2017 Budget under programme number 523.

In addition, Nandlall had contended in his questions that in the 2018 Budget, undisclosed funds were al-

Former AG Anil Nandlall

located for hiring Special Prosecutors, including foreign lawyers. He was, therefore, seeking answers on this issue.

“Could the Honourable Minister provide this House with information on the number of Special Prosecutors that have been hired, their salaries and benefits, travel and hotel costs, etc, incurred and the number of cases they have been handling for the period January 2017 to March 2018?” Nandlall had questioned the State.

In an interview with Guyana Times, Nandlall stressed the implications for the State’s involvement in retaining Special Prosecutors on a scale of this magnitude. In the first

place, he pointed out that this practice was not supported by the law.

“It is absolutely unlawful for (the State) to be paying Special Prosecutors. Since 1966, when we became independent, the prosecutorial functions of the State were taken away from the Attorney General’s Office and given to an agency called the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“That agency is an independent agency, and it ought not to be influenced in the discharge of those functions. Government has no role to play in the prosecution of criminal offences.

That is not a function of the Government but the State agency.”

The former Attorney General also noted that while serious offences like drug trafficking and murder were being prosecuted

by Police Prosecutors, the State shelled out millions to prosecute members of the former Administration and perceived Opposition supporters on charges that were not even in violation of criminal laws.

“Millions of dollars are expended to hire Special Prosecutors.

And these Special Prosecutors are hired to prosecute us,” Nandlall noted. “They are not hiring Special Prosecutors to pros-

A

Attorney General Basil Williams

ecute the serious offences being committed every day in this country, like robbery, murder, piracy, drug trafficking. These are the real ills of the society. So the public will judge whether that is the best use of taxpayers’ money.”

It had been reported that Cabinet appointed six Attorneys: Michael Somersall, Hewely Griffith, Lawrence Harris, Patrice Henry, Compton Richardson, and Trenton Lake as Special Prosecutors in the event that legal action might ensue from audit reports into the Pradoville 2 Housing Scheme and the 2007 Cricket World Cup, among other areas. (Jarryl Bryan)

s investigations continue in the murder of Ron Mansfield, a phone card vendor of Lot 772 Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD), the Police have arrested three persons and are on the hunt for three others.

A source close to the investigation told Guyana Times that detectives received several leads in connection with the murder, which occurred on June 19 in front of the now dead man’s home.

The source stated that the Police have intensified their investigations into the murder, and the investigative ranks were optimistic that they would have a breakthrough shortly.

The 37-year-old phone card vendor was shot dead during a robbery. It was reported that the now dead vendor had just returned home on his motorcycle when he was approached by a young man, who demanded that he hand over the bag he was carrying.

The vendor reportedly put up a fight and in retaliation, the gunman discharged a round hitting him in his chest. The suspect then collected the man’s bag which contained an undisclosed sum of money and a quantity of phone cards and escaped.

Dead phone card vendor, Ron Mansfield

The man’s wife had told Guyana Times that her husband returned home about 20:30h after plying his trade and upon doing so, he collected a bottle to purchase water. Soon after, the distraught woman explained she heard the sound of a gunshot followed by screaming children.

As she looked out, she saw her husband a short distance away with blood oozing from his chest. He was picked up and was being rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital when he succumbed to his injuries.

The now dead man had been selling phone cards for about five years. The man leaves to mourn his wife, two children, and other relatives.

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Lindener jailed for narco trafficking …fined $525,000

S

heldon Joseph, also called “Bam Bam”, was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of being in possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The 39-year-old man was sentenced by Magistrate Clive Nurse when he made his final appearance at the Linden Magistrate’s Court

last week.

Magistrate Nurse, in handing down the sentence, noted that the prosecution succeeded in proving that Joseph was indeed guilty of the charge. The charge stated that he had in his possession 350 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking on January 8, 2018 at 47 Miles, Mabura Road.

His Attorney, Yondessa Welcome, in a plea of mitigation, asked the Court to take into consideration the fact that he was never convicted of a crime and was very sorry for what happened.

She also told the Court that since the commencement of the matter, her client has had no brushes with the law and pleaded for le-

niency. Magistrate Nurse, however, sentenced Joseph to four years in prison and also ordered that he pay a fine of $525,000, stating that this should serve as a deterrent to him as well as others.

Upon hearing the sentence, Joseph pleaded for mercy while being escorted to the prisoner’s holding cell.

Father of 2 jailed for stealing phone A father of two will now spend the next 18 months away from his children after he entered a car and made off with a cellphone.

Twenty-two-yearold Kevin Christopher, of Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD), admitted

to Magistrate Judy Latchman that he committed the offence.

Christopher stole the Samsung Galaxy cellular phone valued $75,000 from Alan Campbell’s car on June 21, 2018.

He told the Court that he stole the phone and was going to sell it to buy food and

milk for his children.

He further relayed that he, however, gave the phone to a cousin at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD), where it was found by the Police. He was later arrested and slapped with the simple larceny charge.

The young father of two

apologised and asked for the Court for leniency as the phone was returned.

However, Magistrate Latchman slapped him with an 18-month sentence and warned him not to steal but to “work hard for what you want the honest way – teach your children right”.

Taxi driver slapped with rape charge

A

taxi driver who reportedly had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl was on Monday slapped with a rape charge and taken to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The 37-year-old Sebastian Hanichand, of Lot 91 New Road, Vreed-enHoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was not allowed to plead to the indictable charge read to him by city Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The charge against him stated that between

December 1 and December 31, 2017 at the Georgetown Seawall, he engaged in sexual penetration with a girl under the age of 16.

The matter came to the forefront when the mother of the teen reportedly saw a date, October 10th, marked on her calendar with a note which stated, “day I lost my virginity”.

As such, after questioning the teen, the mother was told that Hanichand took her to the Seawall where he had sex with her.

The teen and the father

of two reportedly developed a friendship, exchanged phone numbers and he took her to school on several occasions.

Police Prosecutor Shawn

Gonsalves had no objections to bail, and Hanichand was granted $150,000 bail. He will return to Court on July 5, 2018.

Prison escapee charged for stealing music cart

O

ne of the 15 men who last year escaped the Lusignan,

East Coast Demerara (ECD) prison and who was recently released after serving his sentence found himself before the Court yet, again this time for stealing a music cart.

Teshawn McKenzie, 23, a labourer of Alberttown, Georgetown, appeared before city Magistrate Judy Latchman and denied the charge.

It is alleged that on May 12, 2018 at D’Urban and Inniss Streets, Werk-enRust, he stole a music cart valued $768,180, property of Azekiel Jackson.

The prosecution is contending that the two men are known to each other as McKenzie would use Jackson’s cart to work.

On May 12, McKenzie collected the cart, but failed to return it several days later. Jackson attempted to contact him, but that proved futile.

As such, the matter was reported to the Police and the defendant was apprehended on D’Urban Street, Georgetown.

The cart is yet to be returned to the Virtual Complainant (VC) and as such, Police Prosecutor Quain Harris objected to bail being granted.

McKenzie, who was previously convicted for robbery under arms, was remanded to prison. The case will continue on July 16, 2018.

PassiveAggressive…

“P

…Nagamootoo rime Minister” Nagamootoo has been reduced

by President Granger – the leader of the PNC – to writing a column for the Chronicle. Being the passive-aggressive personality he is, however, rather than confronting Granger directly over the latter’s failure to even honour the SPIRIT of the Cummingsburg Accord, much less its LETTER, he’s resorted to displaying his displeasure veiledly in his column.

What’s a “Passive-aggressive personality”, you ask, dear reader? Ahhh…it’s the behavioural repertoire of the child who’s smacked down so frequently by his parents – or other authority figures - for “talking back”, that he resorts to showing his anger towards them in surreptitious ways.

More specifically, Nagamootoo is a “circuitous negativist” who displays opposition “…in a roundabout, labyrinthine, and ambiguous manner, e.g., procrastination, dawdling, forgetfulness, inefficiency, neglect, stubbornness, indirect and devious in venting resentment and resistant behaviours.”

Now that we have his clinical background, we can understand why he never took on fellas like Jagdeo directly in the PPP executive when he was convinced he should’ve been leader, but rather always sabotaged the party’s work through his slackness. But back to his present-day passiveaggressive behaviour in his column towards Granger. We all know Granger isn’t just a follower of Burnham, but a DEVOTEE who’s paid his hero the greatest compliment by swearing to complete his legacy! Who else but a devotee would want to complete a legacy of such unmitigated failure and disaster!!

In his column, Nagamootoo reminded us that, back in the sixties, tyrants and petty dictators - who then abounded - were referred to as “gorillas”. Now, before jumping aboard the PNC-coalition ship, Nagamootoo had consistently denounced Burnham as a “dictator”…and fully well knew that Walter Rodney had dubbed Burnham as the biggest gorilla of them all – KING KONG!! It was an insult Burnham never forgot – next to Rodney’s other name for him and his pretentions about using the royal colour purple – King Midas. Unlike Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold, Burnham turned things into shit – thereby eventually turning the entire Guyana into a shithole. So, Nagamootoo’s reference to “tyrantsas-gorillas” is a circuitous dig at Granger for the latter not even deigning to let him know whether the PNC will rescue the AFC at the LGE!! Another passive-aggressive dig

by Nagamootoo was his reference to the adulation of the progressive left back in the sixties for REAL revolutionaries like Che Gueverra, who were willing to FIGHT for their principles; unlike Burnham – who craved that adulation – yet sold out to the “imperialists” to be put into office!!

In declaring he “embraced Che”, Nagamootoo would have us believe he was a revolutionary “guerrilla” who would “hit and run”.

Sadly, all Nagamootoo could do was run!! …and coalition fissures On the same day the AFC announced it was tired of waiting for PNC-leader Granger to give them the time of the day – much less whether his party would go to the LGE polls with them -- Nagamootoo declared the PNCled Coalition “formidable”!! David Hinds – whose party, WPA, is also in the coalition -- showed Nagamootoo was whistling strenuously in the dark when he revealed the coalition’s one only in name, since the members don’t meet to discuss, much less vote, on issues!!

Now, not a single Guyanese would be surprised by Hinds’s contradiction of Nagamootoo, but what some folks do wonder is: why would he reduce himself to parroting such blatant excuses for the PNC’s paramountcy in the coalition? Is his compulsion to “get back” at Jagdeo so deep he’d humiliate himself at this stage of his life?

Does he, for instance, really believe talks on coalition between PPP and PNC led to a “new political culture” based on “consultation and inclusivity”??

Is this what Hoyte’s “mo fyaah; slow fyaah” was about? …on Jagdeo It is sick that the old boys network in the Caribbean – after going along with the farce of Burnham’s elections rigging for two decades - would now sing from the same hymnbook in the CCJ’s decision.

It’s the same ole, same ole.

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

9 Govt uses majority to pass Local Authority Amendment Act News

tuesDAY, june 26, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– votes down PPP amendments

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

By Jarryl Bryan

T

abling of the Local Authority Amendment Act by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, may have in principle received support from the parliamentary Opposition; but that support was not unconditional, as the Government was confronted with the ghost of its actions in the past.

Among other things, the bill addresses the terms of office, tie resolution, and plurality principle, among other issues. During Monday’s sitting, Bulkan noted that if passed, the bill would allow for democratic election of regional leaders at all levels.

“Honourable members would be aware of the agenda of this administration to allow for democracy; in this regard, to honour Article 12 of the Constitution, which speaks to the democratic organs of the state,” Bulkan explained.

He noted that the bill “seeks to amend six pieces of legislation; namely, the Municipal and District Council Act, Chapter 28:01; the Local Government Act, specifically to Section 28; the Local Authorities Election Act, the Local Democratic

Organs Act, Local Authority Elections Amendment Act 1990 to Section 7, and the Election Laws Amendment Act 2000 to Section 7:1.”

But People’s Progressive Party (PPP) frontbencher Anil Nandlall reminded the Government of its track record of appointments in Local Authority Areas (LAA) when ties resulted from Local Government Elections (LGE).

“Bulkan has regaled us on the bill before the house.

And the Minister should have accepted credit for himself for bringing a bill to correct the wrong that he himself has committed,” Nandlall noted. “The law is very clear: Where there is a tie at the level of Chairman and Vice Chairman, and there is what the law calls an inability to elect one or the other because of the votes, the law says that the returning officer within 10 days must fix a date for by-elections: go back to the electorate that voted at the last election (and) with the two candidates instead of the list of candidates,” Nandlall explained.

“Where is the ambiguity in that? If the Honourable Minister, in violation of that law, imposes himself on the

overseer? He challenged.

“That is why the judge granted this order, an order of nisi certiorari, quashing the decision of Bulkan in selecting Gershon Clarke as Chairman of Woodlands/ Farm NDC on the grounds that the decision was contrary to the Municipal District Councils Act Chapter 28:02. It’s unreasonable. It’s arbitrary. It’s capricious. It’s malicious.

It’s vindictive. It’s null and void,” Nandlall expanded.

Attorney General Basil Williams has argued that Bulkan followed the procedure as spelled out, and with the resulting ties, acted according to the law. He stressed that the bill only seeks to clear up the issue, and claimed the opposition “cannot lecture us.”

Opposition MP Colin Croal backed up Nandlall’s arguments, noting that Bulkan is seeking to correct the wrongs he had already done. Taking on Williams’s contention that the government has provided the “good life” for the LAAs, Croal challenged Government to provide evidence of consultations.

His colleague Parliamentarian Allister Charlie also claimed that no consultations were carried out in Aranaputa. While the PPP raised objections due to several clauses in the bill and sought to have their amendments carried, the Government remained resolute against the inclusion of the PPP’s amendments.

Bulkan claimed that had the amendments been received earlier, they would have been considered.

Speaker of the House, Barton Scotland, revealed that the amendments were received on Monday.

The amendments were then read, at which time

Attorney General Basil Williams

the numerical advantage of the Government side caused each and every amendment to be voted down. On that basis, the bill was passed as is.

It was only in March that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillors in Mabaruma had announced they had collectively decided to continue their boycott of all meetings chaired by incumbent Mayor Rupert Henry Smith after he was re-appointed Mayor

by Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan.

In April of 2017, Justice Diana Insanally quashed the appointment of Smith, an APNU appointee, as the Mayor of Mabaruma, Region One, and ordered that fresh elections be held.

The ruling was as a result of PPP’s Zulfikar Mustapha challenging the decision by Bulkan to ap-

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

point a mayor after there had been a 6-6 tie in the number of seats won at the 2016 Local Government Election. A runoff produced similar results.

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Oil sector

Guyana takes another US$35M loan

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he World Bank Group approved a US$35 million Development Policy Credit to support Guyana’s efforts to strengthen the financial sector development and fiscal management to better prepare the country to benefit from its newly-discovered oil and gas reserves and transform its oil wealth into human capital.

“This financing provides critical support to our reform agenda and efforts to strengthen institutions and build a resilient economy that is capable of withstanding both external and

domestic shocks. These reforms will be key to guide the management of oil revenues for the benefit of present and future generations,”

Finance Minister Winston Jordan is quoted as saying in a release from the World Bank.

While currently near-

Dominoes competition killing

ly one in four people in Guyana live in poverty, experts estimate that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will surge when commercial production of the newly-discovered oil and gas begins. In response, the Government has embarked on a series of reforms to diversify the economy and turn oil windfalls into human development and sustainable growth in the long term.

“Guyana is making important strides to promote financial resilience and

improve fiscal management, and has embarked on a broad-based reform programme,” World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean, Tahseen Sayed said. “These reforms will be key to build a strong economy that is underpinned by a strategic management of public resources for the benefit of the Guyanese people.”

This financing focuses on strengthening financial stability and enabling sound financial development to promote macroeconomic sta-

bility and long-term growth.

In particular, it will support banking reforms and depositor protection, the establishment of a deposit insurance scheme, implementation of a new insurance law, and the country’s anti-money laundering efforts.

This Development Policy Credit, the first of a series of two programmatic financial and fiscal development policy credits, is financed from the International Development Association (IDA).

Home of Region 2 RDC official burglarised

Suspect still at large

T

he main suspect in the murder of 38-yearold John Choong of Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD) is still at large.

This was according to a Police source on Monday, who also noted that investigations are ongoing.

Choong sustained head injuries during an altercation with another man at a dominoes competition on Father’s Day and died on Tuesday last while receiving treatment at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH).

After the man’s demise, the suspect, who is said to be in his early 20s, went into hiding.

Choong, a father of three, worked at the Wales Sugar Estate up to 2017, but later took up employment as a hire car operator. He

Dead: John Choong

would often play dominoes at Sideline Dam, Sisters Village on weekends.

Reports are that some

time after midnight on June 16, Choong and the suspect got into an argument and then a scuffle. The now dead man was reportedly pushed into a nearby drain where he hit his head.

It was further reported that Choong received 10 stiches to his head before being released from the WDRH on June 17.

He, however, went back to the Hospital on Monday, June 18, to clean the wound.

On Tuesday, June 19, when he revisited the medical facility, he was admitted and succumbed one day later. A post-mortem proved that he died as a result of cerebral haemorrhage.

A Police source had told this publication that Choong and the suspect had settled the matter before Choong’s wound turned septic.

The house with several pieces of clothes scattered around

The ransacked cupboard

T

he house of the personnel officer attached to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) was over the weekend burglarised, with several items taken including groceries.

Based on information received, Tageanindra Kishore retired to bed on Friday evening and when she woke up the following morning he observed that his house was ransacked.

The woman told Guyana Times that she and her 10-year-old daughter looked at television late on Friday night after which they both retired to bed. The next morning, she

first noticed that a chair was moved from its original position and upon closer inspection, she saw clothes on the floor.

The vegetables and fruits from the refrigerator were missing as well as other groceries and other items from the kitchen. Her wristwatches and a small amount of cash that she kept in her purse were also missing.

Her home was previously broken into while she and her daughter were on vacation in Florida last August. As such, she does not keep much money or jewellery at home.

At this time, she does not have a suspect in mind, but is of the view that the high unemployment rate might be a contributing factor for the increase in home invasions of late.

The Police were contacted, and an investigation was launched. No arrests were made.

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Corentyne murder

Water rate hike

Another burden Attacker who drank poison succumbs for Guyanese – FITUG warns I A

head of water rate increases, which are set for later this year, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) on Monday said that it was disturbed by the hikes as more Guyanese would have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) on the ultimate commodity.

The umbrella body’s concern follows the recent decision taken by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to grant approval to the Guyana Water Inc’s request that would see increased water rates in two parts– the first from October this year and the other in October 2019.

Consumers who are currently paying $60.90 per cubic metre will soon pay $112 per cubic metre. However, with the second increase, the fixed monthly charge will be $500 and the monthly consumption charge $112 per cubic metre. These new charges for metered residential consumers will comprise a fixed monthly charge of $250 and a monthly consumption charge of $86 per cubic metre for consumers in the $60.90 per cubic metre category.

Meanwhile, the new fixed monthly charge for unmet-

ered residential consumers as of this year will be $250, along with a monthly consumption charge of $1100.

From October 2019, these charges will be increased to $500 and $1450 respectively. While there will not be any fixed month-

ly charges for metered pensioners, a consumption charge of $74 will be applied for every cubic metre for the first 10 cubic metres. There will also be an increase to $112 for each cubic metre thereafter. For unmetered pensioners, they will incur no fixed charges while their monthly consumption charge will be a flat fee of $740 per month. Further, there will be no new charges for metered non-residential and unmetered non-residential consumers.

Deeming the increases “saddening”, FITUG reasoned that the water rate hike would now require all consumers to pay VAT on water as they would now exceed the VAT threshold, which stands at $1500 per month. The current VAT rate in Guyana stands at 14 per cent. On Monday, the Union noted that this newest increase came on the heels of several other burdens that have been placed on the workers which could reduce their buying power. It added further that the working-class citizens were reaching the point where the straw would break the camel’s back.

As a pre-condition to applying these new tariffs, the PUC mandated that GWI improve its system and implement a system which would allow pensioners to be added to its database which may require a period of time beyond the GWI-proposed 2018 timeline. Many stakeholders have berated the coalition Government for increasing taxes in various sectors, but the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Head Godfrey Statia views many of these measures as necessary to broaden the tax base.

mran Lyte, 28, who consumed a poisonous substance after knifing his ex-wife to death almost a week ago, succumbed while receiving medical attention at the Port Mourant Hospital, Corentyne, Berbice.

Reports reaching Guyana Times revealed that Lyte took his last breath on Sunday evening.

At the time he was under Police guard at the medical facility. He consumed the poisonous substance moments after killing his exwife on June 20, 2018 and was rushed to the hospital where he remained in critical condition.

With his death and the death of his ex-wife, Tovonie Simmons, their four children are now left to live with relatives. In the wee hours of June 20, the 28-year-old mother of four was stabbed to death by Lyte at their Second Street, Limlair Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) residence.

Reports are the perpetrator had left his wife and was living with his newfound love – a next-door neighbour.

It was reported that Simmons was visited by

Tovonie Simmons and Imran Lyte in happier times

her ex-husband and his sister, and they were sitting at the table having a discussion when he started stabbing her. In a bid to escape, Simmons jumped from the veranda into the yard, but Lyte went after her.

He reportedly caught up with her and continued stabbing her. After stabbing her about 18 times, he ran away. However, he was later taken to the Port Mourant Hospital by his relatives after informing them that he had consumed a poisonous substance.

A few days prior to the brutal murder, the now dead woman had gone to collect

her children from a relative and on her way, she was confronted by Lyte, who accused her of allowing her friends to taunt his new lover.

Lyte reportedly hit Simmons, and in retaliation, one of her sisters reportedly kicked him, thus resulting in him falling into a nearby trench. One of the now dead woman’s brothers, who was passing at the time, went to his sisters’ rescue, but Lyte attacked him, stabbing him several times.

Simmons and Lyte had been together for nine years.

Their relationship ended after the man reportedly became abusive.

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Region 9 Floods

CDC assessing flood-affected communities, 2 families relocated …several areas under water

W

ater levels continue to rise in several parts of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), along with the Ministries of Public Health and Public Infrastructure and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), is currently assessing flood-affected communities while monitoring the region’s level of preparedness.

A team of high-level of-

ficials visited Karasabai in the South Pakaraimas on Saturday and evaluated the main access roads and the level of water at the Ireng and Takutu Rivers.

Acting Director-General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, said it was observed that Central Karasabai and its environs are being threatened, with some of the villages having

been cut off because of the level at which the bridges have submerged.

Craig said the community of Aishalton is similarly impacted, and in other areas of the Deep South, the bridges are under water and accessing most of the communities is difficult.

An assessment was also conducted in and around Central Rupununi, particularly in Lethem, where it was observed that the water level in the Takutu

River has risen and residents in close proximity to the Tabatinga Creek are affected.

Craig explained that several homes are under water, and thus far, two families have been relocated -- one group is staying with family members, and the other is at a temporary shelter that was established by the Mayor and Town Council.

Various views of the flood-affected area

“The CDC is continuing to work closely with the RDC to establish a needs list. What we have observed is that we need to have

will also need to continue to check with the hospital, health post and health centres to ensure they have the maximum of supplies to

communication at all times with all of the communities in the event that the water level increases. We will need to communicate to determine what level of supplies they would need. We

deal with any water-related type of illnesses,” Craig said.

The Director-General further noted that the CDC would continue to work with the RDC to determine if there would be need for long-term shelters, supplies, beddings, sheets, cots, food and cleaning agents.

He also commended the RDC and the Council for re-

sponding promptly to the situation. He added that the main aim of the visit is to locate deficiencies in the region’s preparedness and response capability, and work towards enhancing those deficiencies.

Over the past week,

travel to their destinations.

Annually, during the dry season, Rupununi suffers from drought, but that has been mitigated with the construction of reservoirs and the drilling of several wells. In the rainy season, waters from the mountains

heavy rains have caused flooding in the South Pakaraimas, Deep South, and Central Rupununi areas. Alternative routes between communities from Katoonarib to Karaudarnauwa have been identified so that residents and vehicles can safely

in the highland region enter creeks and streams, which lead to the rivers being unable to accommodate the large volume of water.

Some rivers overflow their banks, which ultimately leads to the flooding of some villages and large swathes of savannah lands.

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tuesDAY, june 26, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NGSA results to Moruca farmers taught to plant coffee be announced F Thursday

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he Education Ministry has announced that the much-awaited 2018 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results would be released on Thursday.

They will be announced by Education Minister Nicolette Henry at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

Throughout last week, several calls were made by the public and former Education Minister Priya Manickchand to have the results announced.

The former Education Minister took to her Facebook page to comment on the fact that the results should have been released earlier, since the grades would have already been tabulated. She also stressed that the children deserve timely results that have not been tampered with and the investments made by parents, teachers, and students should be taken seriously.

She informed that the results were tabulated over a week ago and a schedule was also completed on how the announcements would be made. On March 28 and March 29, some 14,551 pupils wrote the examinations to complete their primary education and gain entrance into the secondary education system.

The Minister had last

Education Minister Nicolette Henry

year underscored that 2017’s results were an improvement over 2016’s and she once again observed that efforts would have been employed to ensure that this trend continued.

Each candidate’s NGSA score is calculated by adding five per cent of each candidate’s Grade Two scores in Mathematics and English, and 10 per cent of the Grade Four score in the same subjects to 85 per cent of each candidate’s score in those subjects at the Grade Six Assessment.

The combined scores in Mathematics and English are then added to the scores gained in Science and Social Studies.

The NGSA replaced the longstanding Common Entrance Examination, which was a one-off assessment at the Grade Six level.

armers in the Moruca sub-district in Region One (Barima-Waini) were provided with technical knowledge in the agricultural field as the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry concluded a twoday engagement on Friday.

The visit saw partnerships between the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and Brazil’s Stem Integrated Production in Agribusiness (SIPA) under which ground Robusta coffee and cassava flour would soon be produced and supplied to the local and international markets.

The team was led

by Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Valerie GarridoLowe. Some 50 farmers were educated on planting techniques and pest control methods to boost their current yields. Inter-cropping with several species of legumes was encouraged as a means of replenishing soil nutrients that would have been lost during cropping season.

Minister Garrido-Lowe explained that these initiatives were economically viable since they would be value-added production, emphasising the successes of the Pakaraima Flavours sun-dried tomato ketchup.

“The hinterland has great prospects in agriculture and tourism, and our people are willing to work to raise their standard of living and they are not afraid to try new things. The Pakaraima Flavours sundried tomato ketchup is testimony to that fact [that]

Samples being collected from a farm for analysis

our people are hardworking and when they make up their minds to do something for their benefit, they can deliver for themselves and others.”

Meanwhile, NAREI Researcher Premdat Beecham asserted that based on observations, the communities were moving in the right direction, since the value of the produce had increased.

“We need to move in that direction, since value addition is one of the most important things, because we cannot do without adding value to it and taking into consideration the schools’

feeding programme and the limited resources that we have in terms of commodities going into these areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, SIPA Consultant Carlos Alberto De Medeiros stated that he was certain that both projects would succeed, since the climate and work force were excellent.

Additionally, coffee specialist Walter Matadial pointed out effective organic pest control methods with specific focus on eradicating the Acoushi Ants.

Soil samples were collected from each farm, and a complete analysis would

be conducted. The results as well as recommendations will be forthcoming shortly. Meanwhile, both projects will be operating through a co-op society.

The Moruca sub-district is strategically positioned to engage in significant economic gains and the coffee and cassava flour projects will be among other sustainable initiatives to change the trajectory of the lives of residents. Some 15 farmers from Santa Rosa Village are expected to be involved in the coffee project, while 35 of their colleagues will be involved in the cassava flour project in Kwebanna.

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tuesDAY, june 26, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Jordan, Edghill clash over $200M ‘malicious prosecution’ lawsuit

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inance Minister Winston Jordan and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill have clashed over the $200 million lawsuit that Jordan has filed for the “Malicious Prosecution of the Offence of Misconduct in Public Office,” and for other damages.

Edghill, in responding to a request for comment in regard to the recent lawsuit filed against him by Winston Jordan, has maintained that the $200 million lawsuit does not have any bearing, and he will not be intimidated, nor is he fearful of the action.

“It is clear that the Government is running out of headlines and they badly needed a distraction over the weekend; so Edghill became the target,” he told media operatives at the sidelines of Monday’s sitting at the National Assembly.

Edghill also said he is yet to be served with the lawsuit.

The Opposition MP has argued that he cannot be sued for malicious persecution on the basis of filing a private criminal charge against Jordan.

Minister Jordan has responded to Edghill’s comments by stating that the

Former Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill

courts would decide whether or not the case is just about grabbing newspaper headlines.

“I don’t make joke with my integrity at all! So he (Edghill) could spin how much he wants now, he will have to spin in court eventually,” Jordan added.

Responding to Edghill’s statements that there is no basis for the lawsuit, Minister Jordan said a determination will be made by the court in that respect.

He said, “It’s for the court to decide…This is not a matter for the court of public opinion, but (for) a judicial court.”

On April 23, Edghill initiated private criminal charges against Minister Jordan and Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson jointly, as well as against Public Service Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, alleging a breach of the Procurement Act in relation to the expenditure of $906 million in public funds to a private company, Homestretch Development Inc, for construction of the controversial D’Urban Park Project, which has been a contentious issue for some time now.

Jordan and Patterson were jointly charged with misconduct and abuse of public trust for having allegedly authorised the payment; while Dr Roopnaraine, who was a director of the company, was charged with alleged misconduct and the abuse of public trust for having received, in his capacity as director, the $906 million in public funds while serving as minister.

However, those charges were subsequently discontinued by the DDP, Shalimar Ali-Hack, who said that in the interest of good governance, such allegations against serving ministers

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

ought first to have been reported to the Guyana Police Force for an investigation to be launched and the advice of the DPP sought.

Despite the charges being dismissed, Jordan, in his application to the court, said the private criminal charge filed by the Opposition Parliamentarian was intended to embarrass, humiliate, and cause him to suffer public odium and contempt.

The Finance Minister explained in his application that the $906 million was approved by the National Assembly, and thereafter made available to the Public Infrastructure Ministry

from the Consolidated Fund.

He noted that, as a Member of Parliament, Edghill could not honestly believe that he acted without reasonable excuse or justification in respect of issuing a warrant to effect disbursements and allocation of the money to the Public Infrastructure Ministry. “…the respondent was therefore aware, or ought to have been reasonably aware, that the sum of $906,000,000… was approved by the National Assembly “And as Minister of Finance, I was obligated by law to issue the necessary warrant to ensure that the said approved sum of money was available to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure; and, as such, there could be no honest belief that I willfully misconducted myself, as alleged by the respondent,” Jordan argued.

Jordan pointed out that as Finance Minister he did not, and could not, have paid or authorise the payment of the $906 million to Homestretch Development Inc., as alleged by Opposition Parliamentarian. “…notwithstanding that the Respondent was… a former Minister of Finance

within the Ministry of Finance…even an ordinary prudent and cautious citizen placed as a Complainant in the said Criminal Proceedings of Misconduct in Public Office against me could not have reasonably concluded that I was guilty of the offence, or even draw an inference that I was guilty of the offence of Misconduct in Public Office as alleged…,” Jordan stated.

Those private charges that Edghill had initiated were the second set of charges filed by the Opposition, they were thrown out by the DPP, citing the same reasons.

Two days before dismissing the charges against Ministers Jordan and Patterson, the DPP had also discontinued charges against Government Ministers Volda Lawrence and George Norton.

Those charges were previously filed over the sole-sourcing of over $600 million in drugs and other pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, and the rental of a house in Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown to be utilised as a drug bond at a cost of $12M monthly respectively.

GWMA to create app to Grammar component to be report crimes modified during curriculum reform

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President of the Guyana Women Miners Association, Urica Primus (centre)

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he Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA) is moving towards the use of technology as it seeks to improve and expand its services.

The Department of

Public Information has reported that GWMA President Urica Primus told a mining consultation recently that the organisation is in the process of developing an app that will

allow individuals to report mining violations and criminal activities.

The GWMA will, in August, also be buying two drones for mapping.

According to Primus, the organisation has already met with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to identify areas that are under threat.

“While we have been providing information to all the relevant ministries, we believe that there is still a lot more taking place under cover, and still a lot more than we can learn from,” she said.

The organisation has been involved in training in matters of taxation, and has hired two accounting firms to assist members in the rural communities to become tax compliant.

Primus said the GWMA has also been lobbying the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to take its services to rural communities.

s consultations continue into the reformation of the current school curriculum to focus more on the needs of the education sector, Education Minister Nicolette Henry announced that there was a high chance of grammar being one of the restructured components of the new syllabus.

She explained that there were various ways of reintegrating grammar into the classroom to be more effective. These might include the idea of singling out the subject as a separate component.

“It may very well be and I can say from where I stand, more than likely, grammar will be a part of what will be restructured and maybe thoughts of how it can be reintegrated in a different way that could be more effective. If that means putting grammar as a separate subject in school, then so be it.

But at this point in time, it will come out of that curriculum reform and that is going to take a very holistic approach,” the Minister stated.

So far, Minister Henry indicated that the concept of individualising the subject would not be addressed singularly but rather during consultations for the entire reformation of the curriculum.

“We’re looking at the whole issue of language and I think you may be doing and literary is one of the areas that we’re focusing on.

Grammar is part of that. I personally don’t find favour

Education Minister Nicolette Henry

with piecemeal approach,” she noted.

“I think I would look at it in a more holistic way.

That’s why we’re having this extensive curriculum reform and so where the gaps and efficiencies are, it is our intention that we’ll be able to address it in a more holistic way,” the Minister added.

Meanwhile, it was related that curriculum reform was a complicated issue and would take some time before it was completed. As of now, the consultations have just begun and it would take almost a year before the findings were organised.

“Curriculum reform is not one of those fly-by-night activities and we got a grant to do the curriculum reform.

It’s going to take us more than a year to get the documents in place.”

When the curriculum is completed, it will be introduced to institutions across Guyana and is expected to cater for students at all levels.

The consultations were conducted with nine Canadian consultants from the Saint Francis Xavier University and the Mindbloom School, who have been collecting information from educators and schools in various regions across Guyana.

At that time, it was noted that Guyana depended heavily on the assistance of outsiders, who were not as effective as an internal guide. The curriculum will be modified to suit the needs of Guyana’s children.

Several consultations were held over the past months with public and private institutions so as to provide equal opportunities for all students. After the information has been gathered, the team will be returning to Guyana in July to continue work.

Some of the areas that will be covered include special syllabuses for special needs students.

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tuesDAY, june 26, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police Constable robbed after leaving ATM

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oments after withdrawing money from the Republic Bank’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) at New Market and Waterloo Streets, Georgetown on Monday at about 6:30h, 54-yearold Richard Henry, a Constable attached to the Police Sports Club,

was ambushed in the vicinity of Waterloo and Lamaha Streets Georgetown, and robbed by three men, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

He was relieved of $40,000 in cash.

The Policeman reportedly told

investigators that while he was using the ATM, he observed silver grey Toyota Allion motor car PTT4907 with three occupants parked on Waterloo Street.

He explained that he rode away after withdrawing the money, but was soon after intercepted by the

Charred remains found in temple

three occupants of the car. They exited the vehicle, and one of the perpetrators, brandishing a gun, reportedly told him to “pass the money you just draw”.

Fearful for his safety, Henry immediately complied. The men then re-entered the vehicle and fled

the scene along Lamaha Street.

The Police were contacted, and an investigation was launched.

Up to late Monday afternoon, the Police were reviewing the CCTV footage with the intention of apprehend the suspects.

Slain fishermen remembered

Police to question son of National Assembly observes missing businessman one-minute silence

Missing businessman Saeed ‘Saho’ Hamid

Asif Hamid, son of the missing businessman

s investigations continue into the discovery of charred remains suspected to be those of 56-yearold businessman Saeed ‘Saho’ Hamid who went missing in April, the Police are expected to question the son of the now dead man.

The charred remains

were discovered behind a Hindu temple at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice on Wednesday last.

The dead man’ son, Asif Hamid, is on remand after he was charged for the murder of a cattle farmer whose remains were found buried in his back yard in July

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2015.

Based on reports received, Hamid’s father had left home on April 19 to conduct business at Rosignol, but was never seen again.

However, following discovery of the charred remains on June 20, the Police have taken several persons into custody, including Satrohan Madray and Antonio Balrup, both of whom had been accused of murder but were subsequently freed.

The two men nevertheless reportedly admitted to bludgeoning the man to death and burning his body to get rid of the evidence.

It is believed that the man was killed to prevent him from testifying against his son.

The charred remains have been sent for DNA testing to determine whether they belong to the Corentyne businessman.

35th Meeting of Board of Directors of CARICAD set for Wednesday

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he 35th Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) will be held at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

Under the theme “Reshaping the Public Service in the Caribbean for the Future — The Role of CARICAD”, the board meeting will be preceded by a Board of Directors’ Forum on Tuesday, June 26.

Topics which will be addressed at the forum include “Economic Performance in the Caribbean and the Challenge for Public Administration”, “Resilient Caribbean Development – The Role of the Public Sector”, and “Future of Caribbean Public Services: CARICAD and Member States Working Together for Success”.

The board meeting the following day will consider the report from this forum as well as the report of CARICAD’s Executive Director, Devon Rowe.

The current Chairperson of CARICAD’s Board of Directors is Mr. Alyson Forte, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Public

CARICAD Executive Director Devon Rowe

Service in Barbados.

Based in Bridgetown, CARICAD was established by a decision of the CARICOM Heads of Government, and is an institution of CARICOM under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The organisation became fully operational in 1980.

CARICAD is the region’s focal point for transforming and modernising public sectors of member states, to better formulate and implement public policy towards the achievement of sound governance. Its focus has been on shaping and enhancing the development and sustainability of strong governance and leadership

structures.

CARICAD’s work programme is financed by annual contributions from member governments and project funding from development partners. The organisation also receives policy direction through meetings of Ministers of the Public Service. Its Board of Directors comprises senior officials of the Ministries of the Public Service in member states.

The institution is managed by Executive Director Devon Rowe, who is supported by a small team of technical experts and administrative personnel. Other specialist services are outsourced from time to time.

Membership of CARICAD is open to CARICOM states and overseas territories within the Caribbean.

Currently, there are 17 members of CARICAD. These are – Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, The British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks & Caicos Islands.

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moment of silence was observed at the eighty-ninth sitting of the National Assembly to express solidarity with the victims of the deadly piracy attacks which took place in late April in Surinamese waters.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, on Monday in the National Assembly, said the National Day of Mourning for the slain fishermen coincides with the United Nations’ Day of Seafarers.

He said the proclamation

by President David Granger is a solemn memorial to the fishermen who lost their lives in a dreadful manner, the Department of Public Information (DPI) has reported.

According to the report, the names of those murdered and the 16 missing and feared dead were stated for the record.

President David Granger issued a proclamation that Monday, June 25, will be observed as a National Day of Mourning for the fishermen who lost their lives in the dreaded attacks.

The Golden Arrowhead is being flown at half-staff to show solidarity with the families of those killed in the gruesome acts, and to pay due respect to the memory of the victims and their

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan addressing the National Assembly on Monday

time around 18:30 hours.

Goberdan, a father of 17 children, said he drifted for 22 hours some eight miles away from shore. He barely remained afloat until reaching land and notifying Police.

The bodies of two crew members washed ashore, and were identified as Tillacknauth Mohabir, called Mahesh, and Sarjoo.

Bharrat Heeralall and another identified only as “Palam” are still missing.

The Romeina is still missing, and is believed to have been stolen by the pirates.

The Joshua, owned by Rosey Jones, was found sub-

nicknamed “Spanish Man”, “Bandara” and “Mukesh”.

The name of the third boat has not been confirmed.

On board were Ramesh Sanchara, Ramnarine Singh, Looknarine Persaud, Rajendra Bissessar and the Captain – Dharmendrew Persaud, who was also one of the survivors.

The last boat believed to have been attacked -at sometime after 1am on Saturday, May 5 -- was the Shifanie, owned by Hemnlall Ramsarran.

Danesh Persaud of Sheet Anchor, East Canje was the captain.

His crew members were Ralph Anthony Couchman, Glendroy Jones,

The Golden Arrowhead being flown at half-mast at the Ministry of the Presidency

grieving families.

During the incident, five boats with approximately 20 crew members were attacked. Nine persons survived the brutal ordeal, four bodies were recovered, while twelve remain missing and are feared dead.

The Romeina, captained

by Deonarine Goberdan, is believed to have been the 1st boat attacked, at some-

merged in water. It is believed that it was sunk by the pirates after their attack. The captain, “Aki Bai”, was the lone survivor. He has since gone into hiding, purportedly fearing for his life.

His crew members were Lalta Persaud, a father of four, who had migrated to Suriname over 18 years ago.

The others on board were

Gowkaran Outar, whose body was found washed up at the Number 63 Beach, and survivor Sherwin Lovell.

The Government, through aerial monitoring along with the GDF’s constant presence in Guyana’s waters, eliminated piracy, which had reached epidemic proportions prior to 2015.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, june 26, 2018

Regional

Government to move Venezuela Vice President Jamaica faster on medical marijuana banned from EU J T he European Union has imposed sanctions on 11 Venezuelan officials following elections in May which the EU says were "neither free nor fair".

Among those sanctioned is newly nominated VicePresident Delcy Rodríguez and her predecessor, Tarek El Aissami.

They will be banned from travelling to the EU and have their assets frozen.

The polls, which the opposition boycotted, saw Nicolás Maduro elected to a second six-year term in office.

In a statement published on Monday, the EU said that the "outcome lacked any credibility as the electoral process did not ensure the necessary guarantees for them to be inclusive and democratic".

It also said the 11 officials were "responsible for human rights violations and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela".

The Venezuelan

Delcy Rodríguez was Foreign Minister and Head of the National Constituent Assembly before becoming Vice President

Government condemned "the continued aggression and meddling by the EU" and warned that it would not accept any threats.

The EU had already imposed sanctions on seven Venezuelan officials in January, but it had warned that if the elections in Venezuela went ahead it would add more names to the list of those sanctioned.

Before being named Vice President on June 14,

Rodríguez served as Head of the National Constituent Assembly, a body entirely made up of Government supporters and which critics say was created to bypass the Opposition-controlled Parliament.

She has also been Foreign Minister and is, along with her brother Jorge Rodríguez, one of President Maduro's closest allies. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Mexico town’s entire Police Force detained after murder

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he entire Police Force of the Mexican town of Ocampo has been detained on suspicion of involvement in the murder of a mayoral candidate.

Fernando Ángeles Juárez, 64, was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Thursday outside one of his properties.

More than 100 politicians have been killed across Mexico ahead of general elections on July 1. Ángeles was the third politician to be killed in the western state of Michoacán in just over a week.

The town's 27 Police Officers and the local public security secretary were detained by federal forces in

the early hours of Sunday. Ángeles was a successful businessman with little previous political experience.

He had considered standing as an independent but eventually joined one of Mexico's main parties, the centre-left Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).

"He couldn't stand seeing so much poverty, inequality and corruption and so he decided to run," one of his closest friends, Miguel Malagón, told El Universal newspaper.

After his murder, prosecutors accused Ocampo's public security secretary, Oscar González García, of

involvement.

When Mexican federal agents arrived in the town on Saturday to detain him, they were stopped by local police officers.

They returned with reinforcements on Sunday morning and arrested the entire force and their boss.

They were handcuffed and taken for questioning in the state capital, Morelia.

Prosecutors accuse the officers and Mr González of links with organised crime groups in the state.

Mexicans will go to the polls next Sunday to choose a new President, Senators and members of the Chamber of Deputies.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

amaican Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Audley Shaw says he will be moving to ensure that Jamaica is not left behind in the growing global medical cannabis industry.

Jamaica has so far only decriminalised the use of up to two ounces of marijuana and issued a few licences for production and processing, while the herb is now legal in Canada, and 31 states in the United States have been producing and using it for medicinal and recreational purposes.

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Dr Peter Phillips

ship.

“Now it is clear that the Minister has breached public trust and his position in office cannot be sustained ….The Minister must go.”

The Opposition Leader also said that Prime Minister Andrew Holness owes the country an explanation regarding the Petrojam saga.

“The Prime Minister presided over the Cabinet that appointed the absentee board, with a Chairman resident overseas. Someone has to answer to the issue to how the board was appointed. When two of the three Jamaican board members

der the theme “Sustained Growth in the Agriculture Sector with Science and Technology Engineering” – a collaboration between the Ministry and the Jamaica Institute of Engineers. The symposium provided information on climate-smart practices and innovations as part of measures to build resilience in the agriculture sector. Shaw told the participants, which included farmers, that agriculture is a key sector in enabling Jamaica to achieve sustained, high levels of economic growth.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Argentina’s strike against austerity brings country to a halt

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rgentina has been brought to a halt by a general strike, called by trade unions in protest against a US$50 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan.

The General Confederation of Workers is also demanding salary hikes in line with inflation of nearly 30 per cent a year.

Trains, buses and the underground system stopped in Buenos Aires. Access roads to the capital were blocked by activists.

Some 15 million people were affected in the capital, officials said.

Flights were suspended across the country.

The IMF agreed to lend US$50 billion to President Mauricio Macri's Government earlier this month after the local currency, the peso, collapsed.

Macri said he took the decision to avoid an economic crisis.

Streets were empty throughout the day in Buenos Aires

"The strike does not contribute to anything," said Macri.

"Our economy will start growing again, but for that we need to sit round the table and decide what each one of us has to do," he added.

The unions say they are willing to negotiate.

"There is a new opportunity and I hope the Government has understood what today's strike means," said Carlos Acuña, one of

the leaders of the General Confederation of Workers.

Argentina's relationship with the IMF is rocky.

Many blame the international lender for causing tough economic conditions in the country when Argentina defaulted on its debt 17 years ago, says the BBC's Katy Watson.

The unions say the austerity measures demanded by the IMF to agree to the loan will bring hardship to the poorest in the country.

(BBC News)

Barbuda sees a comeback of national bird after Hurricane Irma

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urricane Irma did not just wipe out homes, infrastruc-

Jamaica: Opposition Leader calls for resignation of Energy Minister eader of the main Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), Dr Peter Phillips has called for the immediate resignation of Energy Minister Dr Andrew Wheatley in the wake of a scandal at the State-owned refinery, Petrojam.

Phillips, during a meeting of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), in the south eastern parish of St Catherine on Sunday, said that in the wake of allegations of mismanagement and nepotism at Petrojam, Wheatley must take responsibility as the controversy occurred under his leader-

And Shaw said the country needs to move quickly to take advantage of opportunities in the growing of cannabis and manufacture of products.

He said he is working with the Health Ministry and the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) “to move faster and more aggressively to get up to the level of world competition”.

“Time is not on our side,” he added.

The Agriculture Minister made the comments as he addressed an Agricultural Technology Symposium un-

did not live in Jamaica….”

According to Phillips –Petrojam has been the scene of victimisation; the misuse, divergence and possible theft of taxpayer resources; and fraud.

Phillips charged that the Prime Minister also chaired the Cabinet that approved a contract for the building of a wall at Petrojam that incurred a massive cost overrun.

In recent weeks, the refinery has been engulfed in controversy, including questionable spending and allegations of breaching the Government’s procurement guidelines. (Excerpt from CMC)

ture and livelihoods when it tore through the Caribbean island of Barbuda last September.

The category five storm also wreaked havoc on the habitat of the tiny island's The frigatebird is the national bird of Barbuda world-famous the males' spectacular show frigatebird colony. of flirting by puffing out Codrington Lagoon is their throats into a bright said to be the second-larg- red balloon during mating est nesting area outside the season.

Galapagos and has attracted Happily, the birds have tourists for decades. started to return and even But most of the erst- build nests in the fragile, dewhile 10,000-strong frigate- caying stumps of the once bird population disappeared luscious trees. Numbers in the immediate aftermath are now set to rise further of the disaster when the cat- thanks to an imminent astrophic winds destroyed mangrove restoration projthe mangroves in which ect being funded by a team they nest and breed. of four transatlantic rowers The aptly named magnif- who are also ardent local enicent frigatebirds are famed vironmentalists. (Excerpt from BBC for their colossal seven foot News) (2.1 metre) wingspan and

tuesDAY, june 26, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Erdoğan wins sweeping new powers after Turkish election victory

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urkish President Tayyip Erdoğan won sweeping new executive powers on Monday after his victory in elections that also saw his Islamist-rooted AK Party and its nationalist allies secure a majority in Parliament.

Erdoğan’s main rival, Muharrem Ince of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), conceded defeat, but branded the elections unjust and said the presidential system that now takes effect was “very dangerous” because it would lead to oneman rule.

A European rights watchdog also said the Opposition had faced “unequal conditions”, adding that restrictions on media freedom to cover the elections were accentuated by a continuing

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan

state of emergency imposed in Turkey after a failed 2016 coup.

Erdoğan, 64, the most popular – yet divisive – leader in modern Turkish history, told jubilant, flag-waving

supporters there would be no retreat from his drive to transform Turkey, a NATO member and, at least nominally, a candidate to join the European Union.

He is loved by millions

of devoutly Muslim working-class Turks for delivering years of stellar economic growth and overseeing the construction of roads, bridges, airports, hospitals and schools.

But his critics, including rights groups, accuse him of destroying the independence of the courts and press freedoms. A crackdown launched after the coup has seen 160,000 people detained, and the state of emergency allows Erdoğan to bypass Parliament with decrees. He says it will be lifted soon.

Erdoğan and the AK Party claimed victory in Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections after defeating a revitalised opposition that had looked capable of staging an upset.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

China to pursue more trade with France, EU raises 'difficult issues'

C

hina told France on Monday it would buy more of its farm produce, hinted at future Airbus purchases and pledged to work on market access, shoring up its trade ties with Europe amid the increasing danger of a tariff war with the United States.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe that Beijing was planning to buy more planes this

year and was ready for further talks with France on obtaining Airbus aircraft.

Paris and the European planemaker have been working to salvage a deal since President Emmanuel Macron returned from Beijing empty-handed in January.

Industry sources say a blunder by diplomats and some of Macron’s own comments, revealing details of airplane negotiations

with top officials, upset the Chinese.

“I explained to Mr Prime Minister that in recent years we have bought quite a lot of passenger aircraft, and there needs to be a period to digest this,” Li told a joint news conference. “In spite of this, we are still willing to strengthen cooperation with France’s Airbus.”

China has struck a very different tone with

the United States, having warned that Boeing could become a casualty if the world’s two largest economies fail to halt their slide toward a trade war.

Both China and the European Union are locked in their own trade disputes with the United States, and China has been seeking common ground with the EU in opposing what Beijing sees as US protectionism. (Excerpt from Reuters)

More migrants in limbo as Authorities search Italy blocks Lifeline boat for football team

trapped in Thai cave

R

The Lifeline ship is moored about 56 kilometres off Malta with 234 migrants [Felix Weiss/Mission Lifeline/AFP]

T

here is growing uncertainty over the fate of hundreds of migrants and refugees as a rescue ship remained stranded at sea for a fifth day after both Italy and Malta refused to give it docking approval.

Lifeline, a ship belonging to a German NGO of the same name, remained stuck on Maltese waters on Monday with 234 Africans onboard, who were rescued in the Mediterranean on Wednesday. Among them are four children younger than three.

Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday that the vessel, which is moored about 30 nautical miles (56 kilometres) off Malta, will not be allowed to dock in Italy.

Salvini had bluntly told foreign charities on Sunday to stop rescuing migrants and refugees off Libya, where one

17

group said 1000 people were on boats in distress.

"The Italians told us the responsibility is on the Libyans," Lifeline Captain Claus-Peter Reisch told The Associated Press news agency. "And the Libyans, if you try to call them, they don't pick up the phone." (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

escuers are searching for 12 members of a youth football team thought to be trapped in a cave in northern Thailand.

Authorities believe the boys, aged between 11 and 16, and their coach entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province on Saturday.

They were apparently trapped when heavy rain flooded a stream at the cave entrance, but a local official said he believed they were still alive.

The cave is a tourist at-

traction which runs for many kilometres underground.

According to the Bangkok Post newspaper, visitors must cross a small stream to enter Tham Luang Nang Non, making it inaccessible if the stream floods.

Police Colonel Komsan Saardluan told AP news agency that the cave can flood up to five metres (16 feet) during Thailand's rainy season, which runs from June to October. (Excerpt from BBC News)

West and Russia square off for fight over empowering chemical weapons body

B

ritain, which has condemned Russia over the nerve agent poisoning of an ex-spy, is pushing to give more teeth to the global chemical weapons watchdog so that it can point the finger at those who carry out attacks with banned toxic substances.

The 20-year-old Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which oversees a 1997 treaty banning the use of toxins as weapons, is a technical, scientific body which determines whether chemical weapons were used.

But it does not have the authority to name those responsible for illegal use.

A British-led proposal, which is backed by Western powers including France, Germany and the United States and will be debated at a special session of the OPCW today, would give the world body greater powers to assign responsibility for

violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The draft proposal circulated by Britain, a copy of which has been obtained

by Reuters, would thrust the OPCW to the forefront of the diplomatic confrontation between the West and Moscow which has seen relations deteriorate to their lowest point since the Cold War. The Western draft is opposed by Russia which has submitted a rival proposal, the details of which are not yet known. Western diplomats said Moscow’s draft, and a third text from Indonesia, were not believed to have strong political backing.

The poisoning of the Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in March led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats

by Moscow and the West.

Russia has denied any involvement in their poisoning. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Tehran sees biggest protests since 2012

The protests are the largest in Tehran since 2012

T

raders at Tehran's Grand Bazaar have taken part in a big protest against rising prices and the plummeting value of Iran's currency, the rial.

Shops were shut and thousands of people took to the streets of the capital.

Riot Police later fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators as they marched towards Parliament.

It was the biggest protest in Tehran since 2012, when international sanctions related to Iran's nuclear activities were crippling its economy.

The BBC's Kasra Naji says those protests led ul-

timately to a change in Government and to Iran agreeing to substantive talks on a nuclear deal with world powers.

The economic sanctions were lifted after the deal was implemented in 2016, but President Donald Trump announced in May that the US was abandoning it.

Fears about the impact of the US sanctions that will start to be reinstated in August and possibly trigger the collapse of the nuclear deal has led to the rial falling to a record low against the dollar on the unofficial foreign exchange market.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

US President’s Press Secretary asked to leave eatery

T

he Yelp page of the Red Hen restaurant has become a political battleground after President Donald Trump's press secretary was kicked out of the eatery.

Sarah Sanders was asked to leave as a protest against the Trump Administration.

The event has caused both supporters and detrac-

tors of the President to flock to the page to post images and politically charged comments.

Yelp is now actively monitoring the listing and helping to clean it up.

In a message put on the page, it said many people had come to comment motivated "more by the news coverage itself than the re-

viewer's personal consumer experience with the business".

Sanders was asked to leave the "farm-to-table" restaurant on June 22 after staff protested about her presence to the Red Hen's owner.

The restaurant's action is believed to be linked to the US Government's con-

troversial policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the Mexican border.

President Trump has also commented, saying it should not have asked a "fine person" like Sanders to leave.

Before events on June 22, about 5000 people had left reviews of the Red Hen,

in Lexington, Virginia, and most had been positive.

Since Friday, the number of logged reviews has tripled. And the large number of negative reviews has caused its star rating to tumble.

Reviews now seem to be polarised, with one and five star ratings the most common. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, june 26, 2018

ARCHIE

Get involved in activities that will challenge you phys(March 21- ically. Personal contracts or April 19) settlements can be drawn up and signed. Romance should be on your mind and plans should be formulated.

ARIES

You may desire change, TAURUS but acting prematurely is dis(April 20- couraged. Dig deep and disMay 20) cover the ins and outs of a deal before you sign up. Poor physical choices are apparent.

dilbert

Consider the consequences GEMINI before you make an unrealis(May 21tic promise. Stay ahead by foJune 20) cusing on the best way to use your skills to promote yourself, not someone else. Personal improvements are favored.

Don't hesitate to make a change if it will stabilize your (June 21- life. Your reluctance to accept July 22) the inevitable will cause you to be left behind. Get moving.

CANCER

Peanuts

Simplify your life.

LEO Concentrate on personal (July 23- growth, integrity and taking Aug. 22) care of unfinished business.

Make plans with a loved one or start a new exercise and fitness regimen.

Calvin and Hobbes

Don't hesitate to carry VIRGO out changes that will encour(Aug. 23age you to learn, explore and Sept. 22) expand your interests and skills. Embrace an opportunity to connect to people who can help you get ahead.

Look past what's right in LIBRA (Sept. 23- front of you. Don't allow negOct. 23) ativity to seep into your outlook or deter you from doing what you want to do. Put your energy into personal growth.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Think before you act.

SCORPIO Consider all sides of a sit(Oct. 24uation before you make asNov. 22) sumptions or place blame.

Anger is not the answer.

Consider what is fair and in everyone's best interest.

You've got the right idea, SAGITTARIUS but you may not be collabo(Nov. 23rating with the right person.

Dec. 21)

TODAY’S WORD — HOSPICE (HOSPICE: HOS-pis: A program or facility providing care to the terminally ill.)

Look for signs of insincerity that could indicate problems ahead.

Average mark 17 words Time limit 30 minutes

Bring about change. Your CAPRICORN experience will help you fig(Dec. 22- ure out what to do next. Don't Jan. 19) give in to someone trying to get you to spend money or take on too much.

Can you find 23 or more words in HOSPICE? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — CABLED

solution for last published puzzle clad abed able aced bade bald

bale bead blade bled lace lade

lead dace dale deal decal

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

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Disregard any invitation to be indulgent. Think and do for yourself, and avoid becoming beholden to someone who doesn't play fair. Put your energy into positive personal change.

Evaluate your financial situation before you make a donation or offer a loan to a friend. If you invest wisely, your assets will grow. Act on facts, not on someone's hardluck story.

tuesDAY, JUNE 26, 2018

19

Suárez leads way for Uruguay T

to spoil 10-man Russia’s party

he opinion among Russia’s more phlegmatic observers is that, vibrant and positive as the early stages of this World Cup have been, it would be wise to extract every last ounce of fun from the party because reality will soon bite back. At some stage life will return to normal and the euphoria around the national team’s performance is one uplifting aspect that, on this evidence, may not last a great deal longer.

This defeat had no impact on the hosts’ progression from Group A but it was a reminder that, against practised opponents with a dash of quality, they will hit a ceiling on any normal day. Uruguay sailed past them with an efficient, unfussy display, aided by an early Luis Suárez freekick and an own goal from Denys Cheryshev. By the time Edinson Cavani had sealed the issue the game had long since fizzled out and Russia, who lost Igor Smolnikov to a first-half red card, must now seek to make this a bump in the road rather than a juddering halt.

Samara considers itself to be one of the country’s more passionate football venues and there was certainly a more raucous, partisan atmosphere than local fans had produced in Moscow or St Petersburg.

Russia had never played here before and, coupled with the dramatic swing in sentiment towards

Russia's Igor Smolnikov takes out Laxalt and gets a red card

Stanislav Cherchesov’s side over the past 10 days, it made for something fresh: the boisterousness of a provincial city equipped to love its team.

Suárez’s goal was something of a buzzkill, then, and perhaps the most alarming aspect for Russia was that it came from the kind of error Saudi Arabia and Egypt showed little capacity to exploit. Uruguay were always going to present a step up in quality and it showed when the right winger Alexander Samedov played a careless pass backwards into his own half. Suárez was onto it smartly and the result, after his initial centre had

been cut out, was a rash foul by Iury Gazinsky on Rodrigo Bentancur. The position of the free-kick, 18 yards out and central, already looked like a gift for Suárez and when a bout of wrestling in the wall opened up an angle to Igor Akinfeev’s left his prospects increased further. He made no mistake, finishing low inside the post, and Russia’s momentum had hit its first sizeable hurdle.

They flickered in response, Cheryshev drawing an uncertain save from Fernando Muslera on the latter’s 100th international appearance and Artyom Dzyuba bouncing a

header over. The attacking pair have been two of the foremost stars in a group stage of unexpected Russian success stories; it was in keeping with this game’s start, then, that its next unhappy accident befell one of them.

It was Cheryshev, unable to avoid being struck by Diego Laxalt’s left-footed shot, who diverted the ball past a scrambling Akinfeev to effectively kill the game. The effort, aimed back into a crowded box after a corner had been half-cleared, was going well wide; Cheryshev had already scored three goals at the right end in the previous two games but now had an own goal to his name.

This had all happened by the midway point in the first half. It almost got worse for Russia when Akinfeev saved at the feet of Bentancur but another reminder of their mortality would follow soon enough.

Smolnikov, one of three newcomers to Cherchesov’s starting XI, had already been booked when, nine minutes before the break, he chopped down a full-flight Laxalt. There was nothing to question about Malang Diedhiou’s instant reach for the red card and on an oppressively hot evening you wondered whether in a perfect world everybody would have called things a day there.

For long periods nothing happened to sway anyone who held that view. Uruguay kept possession to

moderately good effect and threatened a third when Cavani rolled Sergey Ignashevich, who recovered well to deny the chance. The home fans, unwilling to let the occasion slide completely, kept the noise up and would have had something to cheer about if a VAR referral had awarded Russia a penalty after Diego Godín caught Dzyuba with a stray arm. That particular physical tussle had, until then, been anticlimactic and the review offered Dzyuba nothing to show for it. The centre-forward had bullied and buccaneered to cult-like effect against Egypt before scoring a beautifully taken goal; here he looked very much a player whose calendar year has been spent in exile at Arsenal Tula.

Another striker, Cavani, was more constructively involved throughout but was frustrated that Suárez, who would have laid on an easy chance if his radar was functioning, overcooked his pass after another Russia mistake. Cavani looked like a player who needed a goal and duly got it at the death, snaffling up a rebound after Akinfeev had saved from Godín. Uruguay had hardly been at full tilt but then they tend to save their most pugnacious fare for the big guns. The question for Russia, though, is whether they have used up the last of their own strength. (The Guardian)

Salem al-Dawsari snatches win for Saudi Arabia against Egypt

Saudi Arabia’s Salem al-Dawsari fires in the winner

S

audi Arabia pulled off a last-gasp 2-1 win over Egypt as the two sides departed from Russia, with the Saudis notching their first World Cup victory since 1994 and adding to the misery of Egypt’s prolific striker, Mohamed Salah.

The Liverpool forward put

Egypt ahead but wasted a golden opportunity to double the lead, giving Saudi Arabia the chance to claw their way back into the game that was settled by a 95th-minute winner by the midfielder Salem al-Dawsari.

The result meant Saudi Arabia finished third in

Group A as they scored their only goals of the tournament and vastly improved on a 5-0 thrashing by hosts Russia in their opening game.

Egypt finished in last place with no points, a result likely to heap pressure on their Argentinian coach, Héctor Cúper.

It was a sad send-off for Salah who missed the opening game of the tournament with the injury he picked up during Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in May. Both sides were already packing their bags before they met in the heat of the Volgograd Arena, having failed to pick up a single point between them in their previous group matches.

Nonetheless, Egypt’s hordes of supporters roared on Salah

whenever he got near the ball and he opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when he raced on to Abdallah ElSaid’s long pass and kept his cool to lob the Saudi goalkeeper, Yasser al-Mosailem.

That was Salah’s second goal in the two games he has played in Russia and he should have had another almost immediately but somehow missed when put clean through.

The Egypt keeper Essam El-Hadary then marked his record-breaking appearance as the oldest player to play at a World Cup at 45 years of age with a spectacular save from a penalty awarded for handball, diving to his right and sticking out his left hand to shove Fahad al-Muwallad’s strike on to the bar and away.

But Hadary was beaten deep into first-half stoppage time when the Colombian referee, Wilmar Roldán, awarded Saudi Arabia another penalty and Salman al-Faraj converted from the spot.

Saudi Arabia pressed for

a winner in the second half but the game appeared to be heading for a 1-1 draw – which would have meant Egypt finished third in the group – until Abdullah Otayf teed up Dawsari to angle his shot past El-Hadary. (The Guardian)

Mohamed Salah walks off after a disappointing campaign for Egypt

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, JUNE 26, 2018

Spain held by Morocco but last-gasp

I

goal ensures they face Russia

n the very last minute of Spain’s last group game, Fernando Hierro and all of Spain’s subs were suddenly off the bench, signalling to their players, a finger raised on each hand. They had done it; or perhaps more accurately, it had been done for them. The selección had just been promoted to first place in Group B from a distance, technology telling them their fate.

They had been 2-1 down to Morocco when Iago Aspas, on as a sub, had scored a late equaliser that took three minutes to be given. When eventually it was, everyone stuck in suspended animation until the video gave its verdict, news came through from the other match in this group. An even later goal from Iran had taken Spain from second place to first – and a very different path to the final.

It had seemed implausible just a moment before. For Portugal, it was painful. For Morocco, it was cruel. They deserved much more at this World Cup and might have deserved more here as well. They could barely believe what had just happened to them. Nor could Spain – but they were as delighted as they were relieved. Hervé Renard had promised that his players would “roar like lions for the pride of Morocco” and were as good as his word, going within minutes and a

Spain’s Iago Aspas scores their equalising goal to salvage a point against Morocco which means they top Group B and will face Russia in the last 16

video review of defeating Spain. In the end, this was a portrait of their tournament. In the end, Spain may just feel that this could be their tournament after all.

Down after 15 minutes, down with just a couple to go, even when they were level, it was not really enough for Spain. What lay before them – Uruguay, perhaps followed by France, and then Brazil or Germany – was daunting indeed. But then, dramatically, it all changed.

It has been a long, emotional night, and it had begun with an error when Sergio Ramos played a short pass to Andrés Iniesta near

the halfway line. Iniesta’s touch was a little heavy, Ramos waited and Khalid Boutaïb raced way to score, slipping the ball between David de Gea’s legs. Spain trailed, but started to get a grip, inclined to the left where Iniesta and Isco combined and accelerated. Isco rolled the ball under his feet, offering it, hiding it, turning away from challenges. Iniesta sped up but never sprinted; instead, he skated. Every pass had purpose and it wasn’t long before Spain had the equaliser. The ball moved swiftly and through many stations: Iniesta, Isco, Diego Costa, Iniesta, Isco and into the net. Deep into the area, gliding in

on the left, Iniesta’s pullback was perfect; Isco lifted the ball high over Munir El Kajoui Mohamedi.

But while Spain controlled, they were vulnerable: a simple throw-in had sent Boutaïb racing away again, behind Dani Carvajal and beyond the Spain defence only for De Gea to block him. It was his first save of the World Cup and it was a vitally important one. At 1-1 at half-time Spain were going through, but a goal from Portugal meant that they were doing so in second place. And it would stay that way until the very end.

The opening minutes of the second half suggested they might be grateful from the protection Portugal’s goal afforded them but Spain wanted first place. Gerard Piqué was fortunate not to be penalised for a handball on the edge of the area; De Gea punched a little unconvincingly as M’barek Boussoufa dashed into the area, and then Nordin Amrabat produced an astonishing shot with the outside of his foot that crashed back off the underside of the bar.

All that within a 10-minute period during which the speed of Nabil Dirar screeching forward from deep opened them up. Meanwhile, in Saransk, Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty that would have made it 2-0.

Spain responded and sped up,

urgent now. Even the subs were quick, leaping off the bench to return the ball to teammates when it went off the pitch. The ball was theirs, the pass count climbing beyond 500 within the hour. The opportunities though were fewer than they hoped. The game settled into a pattern: Spain playing, the ball circulated from one side to the other and back again, as Morocco waited ever deeper. Isco’s header from the corner of the six-yard box was cleared off the line by Romain Saïss and from the corner Piqué climbed to nod just wide. Thiago Alcántara bent a shot over after Jordi Alba and Costa combined. Hierro intervened: Marco Asensio and Aspas introduced.

Spain had 15 minutes to claim first place, but they needed two goals. As it turned out, they didn’t have to get them both themselves.

Even conceding didn’t ultimately cost them. Fayçal Fajr’s corner was curled in and Youssef EnNesyri leapt to thump a header into the net. Spain were now not just denied first place, but on edge.

Then Aspas appeared. At first his goal was disallowed, but VAR was called and they waited and waited. And waited. By the time the referee signalled for the goal, Iran had scored, too. Spain are through in first place. Morocco roared, but could not stop them. (The Guardian)

Iran close to stunning Portugal but

Quaresma goal enough for draw

A

late penalty earned a draw for Iran against Portugal in a bad-tempered group decider in Saransk that was dominated by VAR decisions and saw Portugal go through to the knockout stages despite tense final minutes of the game.

Ricardo Quaresma’s stunning goal just before half-time was cancelled out by an injury-time penalty from the substitute Karim Ansarifard, leading to a frantic few minutes before the final whistle in which Iran pushed for a second that would have taken them through.

For a brief moment, half the sta-

dium thought Iran had found the most unlikely of winners, but Mehdi Taremi’s shot had hit the side netting.

The referee gave two penalties, one to each side, after VAR reviews, with the Iran penalty in stoppage time looking a harsh decision

against Cédric Soares for a handball. Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo had missed a penalty, initially not given but revised after VAR. Before the game, Iran’s Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz, had called the Portugal team “Cristiano

Ricardo Quaresma celebrates scoring Portugal’s opening goal against Iran with Cristiano Ronaldo, who later had a penalty saved

Ronaldo and a g r o u p of players who run after him”.

In the end, though, it was a Ronaldo-esque moment of skill from Quaresma that had the decisive impact on the night.

Quaresma scored just before half-time, taking the

ball on and then curling a superb shot with the outside of his boot across the keeper, Alireza Beiranvand, and into the top corner from the corner of the area. Beiranvand, whose diving arm was just shy of the ball, looked sickened, but in reality there was little he could do to stop the strike.

Ronaldo made two main contributions to the game: the first was to miss the penalty, while the second provided perhaps the two most tension-filled minutes of the match, as the referee, Enrique Cáceres of Paraguay, took an age to review VAR footage of what looked like an elbow by Ronaldo on Morteza Pouraliganji. The contact was there but weak and in the end the referee went for a compromise yellow.

The first half-hour of the game saw many crunching tackles and few clearcut chances, with the Iranians in particular looking tense due to the importance of the game.

This was most visible on the 10-minute mark, after a mixup between Beiranvand and Saeid Ezatolahi, with the player sliding in to clear just as his goalkeeper was approaching to scoop up the ball. Instead, the loose ball fell to João Mário. He shot over, but Beiranvand shoved Ezatolahi in the chest and yelled some choice words

at him. A few minutes later the goalkeeper had nobody to blame but himself when he let a routine cross squirm through his hands, and was lucky that there was no Portugal player on hand to punish him.

Iran tackled hard and, for the most part in the first half, fairly. Alireza Jahanbakhsh caused Portugal problems down the right on Iran’s occasional forays forward, and Raphaël Guerreiro got a booking for bringing him down just outside the box.

The goal, just before halftime, led Iranian heads to droop and briefly quelled the endless din of the Iranian vuvuzelas inside the stadium. However, they were buoyed soon after the restart. Ronaldo had a leg clipped by Ezatolahi just inside the penalty area. The referee was having none of it and in a pre-VAR world Ronaldo’s reputation for falling easily would have meant the referee’s decision was the end of the matter. But the men in the VAR room soon signalled to the referee that he ought to have a look again. On seeing the replay, he had no choice but to award Portugal the penalty, the impassioned protests of the Iranians leading to nothing but a booking for Ehsan Hajsafi. Beiranvand, who had looked dodgy all night,

made amends with a brilliant save, starting off in a position behind his goal-line and bouncing forward.

The saved penalty drew tremendous cheers from the Iranian fans and spurred the team on to a period of attacking. Saman Ghoddos, on for Jahanbakhsh, who had faded out of the game in the second half, scuffed a low shot just wide of a post but for the most part Portugal were in control and the great roars that accompanied every Iran attack became less frequent.

They resorted to looking for unlikely penalties: three times in the second half Iranian players went down in the area but on each occasion the shouts were extremely optimistic and Queiroz was warned by the referee for furiously making VAR gestures on the touchline.

It seemed as if Portugal would hold out for the win but there was much drama to follow: first the VAR decision on the Ronaldo red card, which seemed to take the referee an age, and then Iran’s fourth penalty appeal, which was surprisingly referred to VAR after another long wait.

Ansarifard made no mistake from the spot but Taremi could not do the same and at the final whistle the Iranians fell on to the ground, dejected. (The Guardian)

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21

Monasingh Memorial Martial Arts Tournament a success

– to be held annually T

he inaugural Monasingh Memorial Martial Arts Tournament, recently hosted by the White Tiger Martial Arts Academy (WTMMA) at the New Amsterdam Town Hall in Region Six, has been considered a success.

Held to commemorate the life of the late grandmaster Michael Stephen Monasingh, who passed away in April 2017, the White Tiger Martial Arts Academy has now planned to make this tournament an annual event.

The late grandmaster’s daughter, Stephanie Monasingh, there to share with those present some fond memories of her dad, declared how elated she was to support the tournament.

The WTMMA had extended invitations to several martial arts schools in Guyana, and same was accepted by Black Hawks Martial Arts Management Network Association and Best of the Best Martial Arts Motivators Association from Georgetown. The tournament commenced with one minute of silence to honour the late grandmaster.

The four categories that comprised the event were the Kicking Challenge, Noodles Sparring (padded weapon), Individual and Team Forms, and Sparring.

The first event for the day was the age 6 to 8 Kicking Challenge, which was dominated by the WTMMA students. Justin Grant pocketed the gold, Aiden Kirton the silver, and Andrew Layne the bronze.

In the 9 to 13 age group, Akil Barrington from Black Hawks took away the gold medal, while his teammate Lee Anthony Lindie won the bronze and Anthony LaRose from WTMMA got the silver.

In the 14 and up age group, Black Hawks again took the gold, which was won by Andre Boyce. Deonte Myles from Best of the Best won silver, and Wonda Simon from Black Hawks won the bronze.

In the 5 to 8 age group Noodles Sparring (padded weapon) competition, Azarius Tull from Black Hawks took away the gold medal, his team mate Colin Bowen won bronze, and Aiden Kirton from WTMAA won the silver.

The late Grandmaster Michael Stephen Monasingh

In the 9 to 13 age group, Neron Bourne from WTMAA kept the gold medal in Berbice, while the silver was won by Akil Barrington from Black Hawks and the bronze by Kimberly Baveghems from Best of the Best.

In the 14 & up age group, Andre Boyce fought well to win the gold medal for Black Hawks, while the silver and bronze medals were won by WTMAA students Tyrese Hall and Julez Harry.

In the 5 to 8 age group of the Individual Forms Category, the Black Hawks came out on top with their free style form performance, so the gold went to Garren Newton, the silver to Azarius Tull, and the bronze to Colin Bowen.

Carrying away the gold and bronze in the 9 to 13 age group were Akil Barrington and Jonathan Griffith respectively. The silver went to Miguel Hunte.

In the 14 & up age group, Black Hawks again took the gold and bronze,

by Andre Boyce and Milessa Himraj respectively. Adrian La Rose from WTMAA won the silver.

The team forms saw only one team in the 5 to 8 age group -- WTMAA’s Aiden Kirton and Andrew Layne. In the 9 to 13 age group, WTMAA again retained the medals, via Ryan Burgess and Anthony La Rose. The 14 and up age group winners were Megal Hunte and Victor Gordon from Best of the Best.

Sparring was done separately.

Continuous fighting (taekwondo) and Point sparring (karate) in the 5 to 8 age group saw the gold medal going to Jonathon Griffith of Black Hawks and silver going to Garren Newton.

Gold was won by Andre Boyce and silver by Akil Barrington in the 9 to 13 age group, and gold was won by Milessa Himraj and silver by Vonda Simon in 14 to 17 age group. For the White Tiger Martial Arts Academy, which does Taekwondo, winners are as follows: In the 5 to 8 age group, gold went to Marcus Humphrey, silver to Aiden Kirton, and bronze to Justin Grant.

In the 9 to 13 age group, gold went to Ryan Burgess, silver to Anthony La Rose, and bronze to Jelani Lambert.

In the 14 and up division, Tyrese Hall secured the gold medal, Neron Bourne the silver, and Julez Harry the bronze.

Master Marcello Small extends sincere gratitude to Master Garfield Newton of Black Hawks Martial Arts Management Network Association; Grandmaster Quacy Baveghems of Best of the Best Motivators Association; competitors; Banks DIH Ltd; M. Maraj and Sons; Big League Boutique, Mr. Roy Roberts, ANSA McAL, Police ‘B’ Division, Onica’s Boutique, Odoro’s Plus Size Boutique, New Amsterdam Town Hall and Feroze Pharmacy.

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for 1st time in a year B ritain's former world number one Andy Murray won his first match in almost a year with an impressive display against fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in Eastbourne.

Murray, 31, looked sharp and confident in a 6-1 6-3 win in the opening round of the Nature Valley International.

The Scot was playing only his second competitive match since Wimbledon last year following hip surgery.

He will now face Kyle Edmund, who replaced him as British number one.

"Obviously I am very happy to get the win," said Murray. "I thought the first set I played well, but the second set was patchy and I was a bit nervous.

"When you haven't played for the best part of a year and you face someone like Stan it is tough."

Andy Murray’s last victory was in the fourth round of Wimbledon 2017 against France’s Benoit Paire

Murray and Wawrinka, who is making his own recovery from long-term injury, last faced each other as the world number one and number three in last year's French Open semi-final at Roland Garros.

At Eastbourne they met in the first round of the ATP 250 event ranked 156th and 225th respectively.

While the stage was not quite as grand, the match was still equally important for two players who find themselves in a very different stage of their successful careers.

Murray was out of competitive action for almost a year with a hip injury, while Wawrinka twice needed surgery to fix a knee problem.

Wawrinka, 32, was missing for six months before returning at the Australian Open in January, t h e n needed ano t h e r three months

out before coming back in Rome last month.

He is further along the recovery cycle than the Briton - but you could not tell on a scorching day on the south coast.

Murray was patient and precise throughout, forcing Wawrinka into a number of wild errors.

The Briton won the opening set in less than half an hour after two breaks of serve, taking Wawrinka's serve again early in the second and saving four break points to lead 5-3.

That edgy service game showed even someone of Murray's class and stature still has nerves when it comes to closing out what is an important milestone in his recovery.

Although he missed his first match point in the next game, Wawrinka coughed up a double fault to leave Murray beaming as he celebrated his first win since beating France's Benoit Paire in the Wimbledon last 16. (BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, JUNE 26, 2018

ICC Women’s World T20 2018 T

schedule announced

he International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday, announced the schedule for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018, to be held in the West Indies from November 9 - 24.

The 10-team tournament, featuring three-time champions Australia, reigning ICC Women’s World Cup winners England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and defending champions the Windies, plus two qualifiers, will be played across three venues in the Caribbean.

The finalists of the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier in the Netherlands from 7 to 14 July will complete the line-up of the November tournament, which is the first standalone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 event.

The teams participating in the Qualifying event are Bangladesh, Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates.

All 23 matches of the ICC

Women’s World Twenty20 2018 will be broadcast live to maintain the momentum and focus on women’s cricket, while the Decision Review System (DRS) will be used for the first time in any ICC World Twenty20 event, ensuring consistency in the use of technology in top world-level events.

Defending champions, the Windies are in Group A along with England,

South Africa, Sri Lanka and Qualifier 1 from the Netherlands event, while Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Qualifier 2 will be in Group B. The event kicks off at the Guyana National Stadium, starting with India and New Zealand. In the second match, Australia will play Pakistan and the Windies round off the day playing

Qualifier 1 under lights.

This venue will also host matches between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on 11 November and trans-Transman adversaries Australia and New Zealand two days later.

The Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia will be the other venue for the group stage with the first match there pitting England against Sri Lanka

on 10 November, while the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua will host both semifinals on 22 November and the final on 24 November.

ICC Women’s World T20 Tournament Director, Jennifer Nero: “The West Indies is one of the great places in the world for sports, entertainment and culture. Cricket is the heartbeat of the West Indies and we want to show case all these offerings during the tournament. It will be fast-paced, exciting and action-packed with lots of enjoyable moments. This is the Year of the Woman, and the world’s top teams will be coming.”

“I want to urge the fans to come out and see the best players in the modern game. Women's cricket is growing at a rapid rate as we saw from last year's ICC Women's World Cup in England, and teams are getting stronger. Here in the West Indies, we are committed to playing a major role in the continued growth and development of the sport.

We want to invite the cricket world to be part of this exhilarating world-class event on and off the field.”

Windies captain Stafanie Taylor: “It is great to host the cricket world here in the West Indies. This is a great place to play cricket and we know our fans will enjoy every moment of the tournament. It’s extra special as our families and friends will get to see us playing on home soil in a huge international tournament. It is also wonderful to have the cricket world see what the game is like in the region, how we celebrate and enjoy ourselves, and feel the vibes, the music and the culture.”

“We won the last edition in India and that was an amazing feeling. We are now playing at home and it would be even better to win again, this time in front of our supporters at home. We know the grounds, the pitches and most importantly, we know what is required.

We’re playing for the people of the West Indies and we want to win again for them.”

Teams ready to unveil their talents at Canada GlobalT20 from Thursday S

ix Franchise teams are ready to rumble from Thursday at the Maple Leaf cricket ground, King City in the inaugural Canada Global T20 and the 18-day tournament promised to be thrilling cognizant of the fact that a galaxy of star-studded T20 players will be on show exhibiting their skills.

Additionally, several cricketers have expressed deep confidence and optimism of creating a good impression in the preliminary round, then the elimination stage and ultimately at the final punch.

With a first prize of

US$500, 000 up for grabs, reputable marquee players will be looking to lead from the front and ensure their side can be inspired to lift the title in North America.

The tournament is expected to generate lots of interest as well owing to the innovative version of the sunshine sports as Canada fans will physically see some of the most famed T20 athletes.

Players of the caliber like West Indians Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Keiron Pollard, Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga, Australians Steve Smith and David Warner, South

African David Miller, Pakistani Shahid Afridi and New Zealander Tim Southee among others to display their gifted talents.

“I think this [is] a great opportunity for me and I feel really happy. I am really delighted and excited to see some new fans here,” the hard-hitting Pollard, who will be representing Toronto Nationals, stated.

Players are expected to have already arrived in Toronto and outdoor practice sessions began as well at the match and other designated venues.

The competing teams are: Toronto Nationals,

Keiron Pollard celebrates with teammates

Vancouver Knights, Edmonton Royals, Montreal Tigers, Winnipeg Hawks and Cricket West Indies B team.

On Thursday just after the opening ceremony, Toronto Nationals will oppose Vancouver Knights at 16:00hrs while the following day at the same time, Montreal Tigers will do battle with Winnipeg Hawks.

On Saturday, two matches are slated for the day with the first encounter between Toronto Nationals and Edmonton Royals commencing at 11:00hrs.

“It is a great pleasure to be part of this historic event and I’m elated to see a more vested interest in cricket in North America. I hope that I perform well and my team is victorious in the end.” Winnipeg Hawks’ batsman Lendl Simmons mentioned.

Left-arm quickie Wayne Parnell is also buzzing with excitement to be part of the action. Parnell is a South African cricketer.

“I’m super excited to be

Chris Gayle

headi n g t o the 6 and being part of this historic tournament.

I’m looking forward to entertaining the fans of cricket in Canada.” Parnell revealed.

Notably, a large number of cricketers who are playing for Canada on the international scene will be attiring for different sides as well including pugnacious

right-handed batsman and former skipper Rizwan C h e e m a (Winnipeg Hawks) while another aggressive left-hander Ruvindu Gunasekera, who is selected in the Vancouver Knights team is delighted to be part of Canada’s cricket history on this occasion.

“I feel honoured to be part of the Vancouver Knights franchise in the inaugural season of the Global T20 Canada. After having a great season in Sri Lanka and being the Best Batsman in the domestic T20 in March, I’m hoping to transfer my form with the bat and ball into my performances in this tournament in Toronto.

Looking forward to a great tournament!”

Gunasekera, the 26-yearold cricketer, who appeared in 19 ODIs for Canada, declared.

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, JUNE 26, 2018

23

Holder four-for leaves Test evenly poised on 20-wicket day A

n inspired Jason Holder breathed fire to remove four Sri Lankan wickets late in the day as West Indies kept their series-win hopes alive on a 20-wicket day in Bridgetown. These are the most wickets to have fallen in a single day of Test cricket in the Caribbean, surpassing the 18 that fell when England last toured here in 2015.

Holder's figures at stumps on the third day read 8-3-21-4 as Sri Lanka stumbled to 81 for 5 chasing 144 for a series-levelling victory in the third Test. The visitors could effectively be six down, with Kusal Perera in hospital for scans following a nasty injury while fielding earlier in the day. An official word on his availability is awaited.

West Indies grabbed a 50-run lead, that could have been much more if not for a shoddy drop down leg by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich in the day's first over, with Sri Lanka yet to add to their overnight 99 for 5. On 13 then, Dickwella went on to top score with 42 in Sri Lanka's 154 all out.

Holder picked up three of the four wickets to fall, finishing with 4 for 19 off 16 overs.

The game then galloped forward when Sri Lanka took just 31.2 overs to skittle

Kusal Mendis looks back at the wreckage

West Indies for 93, the least overs they've taken to bowl out a Test side outside Asia.

Kemar Roach's adventurous 23 not out was the highest in a disastrous batting performance, with each of the top five recording single-digit scores. Suranga Lakmal, the captain, and Lahiru Kumara picked up three wickets apiece, Kumara easily the most impressive of the lot, troubling batsmen with genuine pace that was married with tremendous accuracy.

Then under lights, Holder, Roach and Shannon Gabriel got the ball to hoop around, the batsmen put through a searching examination. Sri Lanka's hopes

now hinge on Kusal Mendis, unbeaten on 25. He has allrounder Dilruwan Perera and the lower order for company.

Danushka Gunathilaka and Mahela Udawatte opened the innings in Kusal's absence, but were dismissed cheaply to expose a fragile middle order without Dinesh Chandimal, sitting because of a suspension. Udawatte's horror international return after a 10-year gap continued when he was beaten for pace by a sharp inswinger from Roach to be lbw - his second duck and third single-digit score in four innings on tour. Gunathilaka, meanwhile, top-edged a pull to

a back-pedalling Devendra Bishoo at mid-on to a steep Holder delivery.

Dhananjaya de Silva was then put to severe test by an inspired Holder, who eventually had his wicket when the batsman shouldered arms to a ball coming inwards and saw his off stump flattened. So fired up was Holder that West Indies wasted a review to a caught behind appeal off Roshen Silva, but he wouldn't last long, nicking to second slip in the same over to leave Sri Lanka in trouble at 50 for 4. That could've been 59 for 5 had Shai Hope, keeping in place of the injured Shane Dowrich, held on to a one-handed chance offered

by Kusal Mendis off Holder.

West Indies' hopes of building on a big lead suffered early setbacks when they were 13 for 3 at the end of the first session where eight wickets fell. Kraigg Brathwaite was snaffled at short leg by a rising Lakmal delivery, while Devon Smith and Hope were beaten on the inside edge by sharp inswingers. Dowrich and Holder briefly resisted to add 27, the highest partnership of West Indies' second innings, before the innings unraveled. Roach's cameo took the lead past 100 and beyond, and gave them a respectable pink-ball target to bowl at. (ESPNCricinfo)

SCOREBOARD West Indies 1st Innings 204 Sri Lanka 1st Innings MDKJ Perera c †Dowrich b Roach 0 ML Udawatte lbw b Roach 4 MD Gunathilaka lbw b Holder 29 BKG Mendis b Gabriel 22 DM de Silva lbw b Gabriel 8 ARS Silva c †Dowrich b Gabriel 11 N Dickwella † c Smith b Holder 42 MDK Perera not out 11 RAS Lakmal (c) c sub (KMA Paul) b Holder 0 CAK Rajitha b Holder 0 CBRLS Kumara run out (Holder) 0 Extras: (b 9, lb 14, nb 3, w 1) 27 Total: (59 Overs, RR: 2.61) 154 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (MDKJ Perera, 2.3 ov), 2-16 (ML Udawatte, 6.3 ov), 3-75 (BKG Mendis, 26.1 ov), 4-81 (MD Gunathilaka, 27.2 ov), 5-85 (DM de Silva, 30.1 ov), 6-118 (ARS Silva, 42.6 ov), 7-147 (N Dickwella, 53.4 ov), 8-147 (RAS Lakmal, 55.2 ov), 9-150 (CAK Rajitha, 57.6 ov), 10-154 (CBRLS Kumara, 58.6 ov) Bowling: KAJ Roach (12-5-302), ST Gabriel (15-2-52-3), ML Cummins (15-6-29-0), JO Holder (16-8-19-4), D Bishoo (1-0-1-0) West Indies 2nd Innings KC Brathwaite c Udawatte b Lakmal 2 DS Smith b Lakmal 0 KOA Powell c †Dickwella b Kumara 7 SD Hope b Kumara 0 RL Chase c MDKJ Perera b Lakmal 5 SO Dowrich † c Lakmal b Rajitha 16 JO Holder (c) c Mendis b Rajitha 15 D Bishoo b Rajitha 0 KAJ Roach not out 23 ML Cummins c de Silva b MDK

Perera 14 ST Gabriel run out (Rajitha/†Dickwella) 6 Extras: (lb 4, w 1) 5 Total: (31.2 Overs, RR: 2.96) 93 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (DS Smith, 0.5 ov), 2-8 (KC Brathwaite, 2.6 ov), 3-9 (SD Hope, 3.3 ov), 4-14 (RL Chase, 6.4 ov), 5-14 (KOA Powell, 7.2 ov), 6-41 (SO Dowrich, 15.4 ov), 7-41 (D Bishoo, 15.6 ov), 8-56 (JO Holder, 19.1 ov), 9-82 (ML Cummins, 28.2 ov), 10-93 (ST Gabriel, 31.2 ov) Bowling: RAS Lakmal 11.3−3−25−3, CBRLS Kumara 8.2−1−31−2, CAK Rajitha 8−1−20−3, MDK Perera 3.3−0−13−1 Sri Lanka 2nd Innings MD Gunathilaka c Bishoo b Holder 21 ML Udawatte lbw b Roach 0 DM de Silva b Holder 17 BKG Mendis not out 25 ARS Silva c Smith b Holder 1 N Dickwella † b Holder 6 MDK Perera not out 1 Extras: (b 4, lb 6) 10 Total: (5 wickets, 24 Overs, RR: 3.37) 81 Yet to bat: MDKJ Perera, RAS Lakmal (c), CAK Rajitha, CBRLS Kumara Fall of wickets: 1-9 (ML Udawatte, 2.3 ov), 2-30 (MD Gunathilaka, 8.1 ov), 3-48 (DM de Silva, 12.5 ov), 4-50 (ARS Silva, 14.5 ov), 5-74 (N Dickwella, 18.4 ov) Bowling: KAJ Roach 7−1−21−1, ST Gabriel 5−0−17−0, JO Holder 8−3−21−4, ML Cummins 4−1−12−0

Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” Competition

Trafalgar reign supreme in Berbice H

aving knocked out former champs New Amsterdam Kings in the quarter-finals, Trafalgar of West Berbice were in no mood to accommodate any resistance in the final, and romped to a lopsided 4-0 win over Lichfield to be crowned the new champions of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition, which ended on Sunday at

Complete Results Guinness Goal-(GG)-2 Final

Lichfield-0 vs Trafalgar-4 Ryan Schultz-3rd, 6th and (GG)-38th 3rd Place Outsiders-0 vs Hopetown-1 Marvin Robertson-4th Semi-finals

Game-1

Trafalgar-0 vs Hopetown-0 Trafalgar won 2-1 on sudden death penalty kicks

Game-2

Outsiders-0 vs Lichfield-2 Carlos Grant-22nd and 26th

Banks DIH staffer Fraiche Kendall hands over the first prize and winning trophy to Trafalgar Captain Adrian Price in the presence of Brand Manager Lee Baptiste (extreme left); Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart (right) and teammates on Sunday

the New Amsterdam (NA) Stelling Tarmac.

Played before another large crowd that included Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste, Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart, Berbice Branch

Manager Joshua Torrezao, and Banks DIH staffers among others, Trafalgar were led to victory by Ryan Schultz, who fired in all the goals to ensure that the latest title holders not only cart off the top prize

of $400,000, but also secure a spot in the national playoffs.

Schultz’s quickness was always going to be a bother for Lichfield, and he opened the scoring in the third minute by racing down the cen-

tre of the field before firing past the last stop into the right corner.

Three minutes later he returned, this time displaying his true skill to weave past tackles before slamming a fierce shot into the empty goal, to make it 2-0.

Lichfield looked game and determined, but their lack of offensive buildups made it one-way traffic, and everyone knew it was just a matter of time before Trafalgar stretched their lead.

However, Lichfield’s defence held their nerves and nullified every other offensive threat before the half time whistle sounded.

With all to play for in the final period, Lichfield had to take chances. They came forward in numbers, but this tactic was always going to be a dangerous one; and so it proved, as Schultz took full advantage of the opposition’s strategy to punish them.

Racing onto a through pass on the left side, Schultz eased into centre field be-

fore uncorking a powerful shot into the lower right corner.

Lichfield, for their efforts, walked away with $175,000 and the runners-up trophy.

In the third place playoff, Hopetown squeezed past Outsiders 1-0 through a Marvin Robertson fourth minute strike.

They were presented with $100,000 and a trophy, while Outsiders took home $75,000 and the corresponding accolade.

Earlier, in semi-final action, Trafalgar survived a spirited fight from Hopetown, before prevailing 2-1 on sudden death penalty kicks. This was after normal time ended goalless.

On the other hand, Lichfield defeated Outsiders 2-0, Carlos Grant netting a brace in the 22nd and 26th minutes.

Meanwhile, the Guinness 'Greatest of the Streets’ Bartica leg is slated for July 14, 15 and 16.

tuesDAY, JUNE 26, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Suárez leads way for Uruguay to spoil 10-man Russia’s party Pg 19

Edinson Cavani shoots…

Holder four-for leaves Test evenly poised on 20-wicket day Pg 23

Spain held by Morocco but last-gasp goal ensures they face Russia

Pg 20

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