Guyanatimes 28 november 2017

Linden Town P16 Week 2018 officially launched

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

Issue No. 3406

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

$267B Budget

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P7 Foreign companies continue to disregard labour laws – GTUC

presented by Finance Minister Govt concedes to public pressure:

VAT on education removed

See stories on …pensioners get $500 increase Pages 3,9&10 …countrywide rates and taxes may increase

Labourer jailed for robbery under arms P8 ECD man fined for disregarding presidential convoy P17 BHS sex scandal

Alumni call for HM to P15 be sent on admin leave …Divisional Commander says yet to receive MoE file

Budget disastrous, a failure – Jagdeo

…says it lived up to “low expectations” of public

Peacemaker stabbed in Albouystown brawl Page 5

City Hall sexual assault

14-day suspension recommended for Chief P15 Constable …law prevents City Hall from disciplining officers

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tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police unearth 22 lbs ganja at Mahdia

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miner was on Monday morning arrested following the discovery of some 10.9 kilograms (over 22 pounds) of compressed marijuana at his residence at 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro River, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni).

The marijuana was found concealed in two 10-gallon plastic pails.

Police in a statement related that the miner called “Glasses” has been on the Police radar for quite some time. He

The marijuana was found concealed in two 10-gallon plastic pails

remains in custody, and is expected to answer to the charge of possession of narcotics for

the purpose of trafficking when he appears at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts today.

Mom killer’s sentencing deferred

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he sentencing of a man who was implicated in killing his own mother seven years ago has been deferred to accommodate a court request for a medical evaluation of the defendant.

Adrian Mc Kenzie’s sentencing was scheduled to be handed down by Justice James Bovell-Drakes at the High Court in Georgetown on Monday, but the judge requested a medical evaluation to determine whether he is fit to be sentenced. The evaluation will have to be

conducted by a Government psychiatrist.

Using a hammer, McKenzie beat 62-year-old Ethel Andrews to death on November 16, 2010 at their Sand Creek, Rupununi home. According to reports, the woman had reprimanded her son after he allegedly had assaulted his father and was in the process of carrying out a similar attack on his grandfather.

Reportedly after the woman had intervened to prevent him from so doing, Mc Kenzie became angered Accused mom killer: Adrian McKenzie

and hammered his mother in the head. She reportedly died shortly afterwards.

Justice Bovell-Drakes has adjourned proceedings to December 5, when a determination would be made on the fitness of the accused to be sentenced, weeks after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

He was represented by Defence Counsel Maxwell McKay, while Prosecutors Mandell Moore and Orinthia Schmidt had led the State’s case.

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tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Budget 2018

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, November 28 – 12:30h-14:00h and Wednesday, November 29 – a nighttime retraction of 01:00h and a daytime retraction of 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, November 28 – 11:40h-13:10h and Wednesday, November 29 – 12:45h-14:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers will prevail throughout the day and evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 12:07h reaching a maximum height of 2.30 metres.

Low Tide: 05:31h and 18:06h reaching a minimum height of 0.93 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

01 07 15 17 20 21 16 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 02 14 15 20 26 LUCKY 3 2 0 2 Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

02 04 06 07 10 14 17 DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

Govt concedes to public pressure: VAT on education removed …pensioners get $500 increase …countrywide rates and taxes may increase

By Samuel Sukhnandan

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fter months of public pressure from parents, civil society and the Opposition, Government has announced plans to remove the Value Added Tax (VAT) on private education, which will take effect from January 1, 2018.

The announcement was made by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, during his presentation of Budget 2018 in the National Assembly, who said the decision was based on representations made.

The concerns and protests against the 14 per cent imposition of VAT on private education tuition fees had prompted the Government to meet with parents and guardians in April.

However, the decision was never withdrawn, and President David Granger later stated that the imposed VAT was a means by which Government widened its revenue and tax base.

The President had explained that Government has to find $30 billion for education and these funds were sourced from taxation.

But many persons had argued that it was unfair.

Jordan said Government would lose $342 million now that the tax has been removed. “At the same time, efforts will continue by the GRA [Guyana Revenue Authority] to ensure these institutions become tax compliant,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister also announced that the tributors tax on gold miners has been slashed from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, and they would still be required to file annual tax returns.

Jordan said this decision was made following representation by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), who had also met with the Opposition to raise their concerns.

“Both the GRA and the GGMC will intensify their efforts to bring operators in the industry within the tax net. Replacement of the current two per cent of the gross proceeds regime with a sliding scale percentage that is based on the price of gold,” the Minister explained, providing specific guidelines.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had called on Government to reverse the tax measures implemented by the Government on the mining industry, dubbing the taxation policy “draconian”.

Further, Government announced plans to conduct a countrywide valuation exercise to bring all property values up to date; as such, this could mean that rates and taxes may be increased.

Former Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnarine congratulates Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Budget 2018

Minister Jordan told the National Assembly on Monday that the valuation was aimed at helping town councils get sufficient cash to deliver quality services.

He noted that “outdated land values must be addressed” and that was one reason for Government allocating $2.9 billion towards helping to prepare for the next local polls due in December 2018.

Benefits

Despite these new measures, Budget 2018 contained very few benefits, one being the increase of Old Age Pension from $19,000 to $19,500, a 2.6 per cent increase. Minister Jordan noted that this increase represented an almost 49 per cent rise in just two and a half years.

The Minister also reminded that pensioners were relieved from the payment of departure tax, driver’s licence and passport fees. Additionally, he an-

nounced that public assistance would be increased to $8000, which represents an approximately 36 per cent increase over the period of two and a half years.

Teachers who work in interior locations will also benefit from the new measures to be implemented for Budget 2018, and these include an 80 per cent increase in remote area incentives.

The Finance Minister said this increase was aimed at cushioning the impact of the high cost of living in those regions. He noted that ensuring the availability of good teachers was vital for education advancement.

In an effort to move and retain teachers in far-flung areas of Guyana, he said the remote area incentive would be increased from $5000 to $7000 and from $9000 to $12,000. turn to page 7

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TuesDAY, november 28, 2017

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, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Evaluating the Budget

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he 2017 Budget was presented yesterday and as has been our practice, we will provide a framework for the average citizen to analyse the presentation and be able to follow the debate that will follow. Firstly, we must appreciate the type of economy we have so we can decide whether the measures and spending introduced by the Budget will assist the economy to deliver what the Government stated at the beginning of its term: the “good life”.

We have what is called a “mixed economy” – one that combines characteristics of market, command and traditional economies. It benefits from the advantages of all three while suffering from some of the disadvantages. While market economies stress the role of business as the “engine of growth” and the operation of the market using supply and demand to set prices of the goods we buy, the Government has a critical role to play in strategic areas from a “command” standpoint, beyond the usual regulatory role it plays.

The “command economy” in its extreme form was introduced by the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the 1970s when the Government nationalised 80 per cent of the economy and private industry utilising market forces were miniaturised. This was reversed from 1989 when most of the nationalised industries were privatised. The Government was now supposed to perform three major “mixed economy” functions, in which the annual budget plays three critical roles.

These are to allocate or encourage the allocation of resources in the most efficient manner to deliver growth and development; to redistribute the national wealth in a more equitable fashion; and finally, to collect and spend revenues for the national weal. Thus, with the present Budget, we should first look for measures introduced to deliver “growth and development”.

Over the last few months, the Government met the Private Sector organisations, which uniformly informed the former of the low level of activity into which the economy had sunk. They recommended what has been the standard policy in the toolkit of mixed-economy governments – stimulus of the economy. These had been proposed and successfully implemented from the Great Depression by the economist Lord Keynes. But the policies had fallen into disfavour with the introduction of free-market fundamentalism from the late seventies. But with the world economic collapse in 2007, the ideas of Keynes have come back into vogue.

So, more granularly, we should look for policies that would encourage spending in the economy. Typically, taxes by the Government on businesses discourage their expansion while subsidies encourage it. Taxes should, therefore, be reduced so that more money remains with businesses and citizens. These funds can then be spent to initiate a virtuous and ever-increasing cycle of demand stimulating production. Interestingly, this will generate overall increased tax collection by the Government on the larger amount of economic activity. While the Government has said there would be no new taxes, that would not be enough: there needs to be substantial tax cuts to have the desired, stimulatory effect.

The Government can also encourage investments in identified areas of the economy through appropriate policies. Take the sugar industry where the Government has closed Wales Estate and will soon close another three that will result in 7000 workers losing their jobs. In addition to those workers not earning incomes to even live a “subsistence life” much less the “good life”, the Government would not be collecting taxes from those incomes nor revenues from the sugar industry it owns.

Wales was supposed to become the model for transitioning “sugar workers” into independent “farmers” of crops that would deliver greater revenues and taxes. We should scrutinise the Budget for these policies.

In terms of the redistributive function, it is elementary economics that the pie must be made larger for effective, sustainable redistribution. We must scrutinise the Budget to discern whether redistribution outweighs stimulation and for equitable Government spending across all groups. That would be the surest way for a further contraction of the economy and increased social tensions.

Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters was crowned the 2017 Miss Universe. The South African beauty, who helps train women in self-defence, was crowned Miss Universe at the pageant held in Las Vegas. Nel-Peters, 22, who unleashed a big smile when she won, hails from Western Cape Province and recently earned a business management degree from North-West University. Her passion for self-defence was reinforced when she was hijacked and held at gunpoint about a month after winning her title as Miss South Africa, she said in a video on the Miss Universe website. Miss Colombia, Laura González, 22, was the first runner-up while Miss Jamaica, Davina Bennett, 21, was the second runner-up

Standard fee needed for roadside vendors

Dear Editor, On Tuesday, November 21, 2017, a group of Mayor and City Council workers led by Kurt Clarke, a treasurer department staff, informed regular and potential vendors that the Council has authorised vending on the eastern side of the road, in front of Stabroek Market (the “No”, “No” area) and on Regent Street. Interested vendors were required to submit their names and were told that the Council would be collecting weekly rates, but such rates will vary, depending on the type of goods being sold.

However, they did not indicate when such a Council revenue earner would com-

mence.

The Guyana Market Vendors Union is of the view that the Council’s compassion for these wage earners is commendable, whereby vendors operating on a small scale are being given an opportunity to ply their trade in an orderly manner. Surprisingly, on Friday evening, another group of Council workers led by the same Kurt Clarke, which included revenue and security personnel, was collecting monies from vendors in varying amounts, ranging from $1500 to as much as $5000 – three days after selling the idea.

Questions for City Hall: 1) Did the Market and

Public Health Committee, which is chaired by the Deputy Mayor, initiate this Christmas season road selling exercise that traditionally commences around December 15 each year?

2) Is it a road sale opening exercise or a permanent arrangement?

3) Who set the rates in the form as it was collected on Friday and why?

4) Are the spots being rented to vendors or do the rates collected represents a cleansing fee?

The Guyana Market Vendors Union is of the view that it would have been more appropriate if a standard fee was charged for each spot instead of what was witnessed

on Friday, 24-11-2017.

Also, if the ongoing exercise was not hatched and proposed by the Market and Public Health Committee then endorsed by the full Council, then by whose fiat was it implemented?

Finally, it is the Union’s opinion that even though this City Council exercise appears to have been done in good faith, implementing same contrary to the Council’s standard operational procedure is a recipe for corruption.

Sincerely, Eon Andrews President Guyana Market Vendors Union

Govt should re-evaluate advice from GuySuCo Dear Editor, Several sections of the media reported on Minister of State, Joseph Harmon’s statement that some 70 unsolicited Expressions of Interest were received by the Sugar Special Purpose Unit (SPU) in recent times. For the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), it is not surprising that such a large number of expressions have been received as

it serves, no less, to indicate that our Union’s view that all the estates can be made viable and sustainable was realistic and possible.

But, the Minister’s admission undoubtedly casts a dark light on the advice that the Administration has been receiving from what we understand is a highly-rewarded GuySuCo IMC. We wonder if the Government does find it strange that so many are

advising that they can make the estates viable, but GuySuCo is saying it cannot, more so when the Corporation possesses so much institutional knowledge and experience.

Clearly, an objective, rational person would see there is something that doesn’t meet the eye.

While heartened by the expressions received, the GAWU strongly believes that the industry could be

saved as currently structured though a different approach is required. We urge the Government to re-examine the advice it has received – since, from all indications, it was not genuine and may be intended to further the nefarious ends of certain individuals.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

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News

Peacemaker stabbed Pegasus taxi driver’s murder in Albouystown brawl No images of car’s interior taken – Police photographer

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wo men have been hospitalised following an early morning brawl at Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, Georgetown on Monday.

Injured is 21-year-old Terrence Basteani of Lot 66 Barr Street, Albouystown, while his assailant is also left nursing a minor stab wound.

Based on information reaching Guyana Times, the incident occurred sometime after 07:00h on Monday morning when Basteani rushed to the aid of his brother, who was involved in a fight with the suspect.

It was during this confrontation that the 21-yearold was stabbed several times to his upper chest and once to the neck.

The suspect also received a stab wound to the chest.

The two were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they received treatment and remain in stable condition.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Basteani’s mother said that she was not aware of what exactly transpired, but added that her son was stabbed several times and was at the time unable to speak when she visited him at the Hospital.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commander Marlon Chapman told this publication that Police in A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) are aware of the incident and as such, an investigation has been launched.

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ours after Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken opened the State’s case against Lorenzo Forde, who is accused of murdering Pegasus Hotel taxi driver Rubranauth Jeeboo during the course of a robbery, the 12-member jury heard that there was no image taken of the interiors of the deceased man’s Toyota Allion motorcar.

This was the account of former Policewoman Delicia Browne, who revealed that she was not asked to take photographs of the vehicle’s interior.

During December 2013, when Jeeboo’s body was found in a heap of garbage at Caneview Avenue, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Browne, then a Police con-

stable, was stationed at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), attached to the Brickdam Police Station’s Crime Scene Unit.

Led by Prosecutor Lisa Cave, the witness recalled being summoned to the crime scene at 08:00 hrs, and speaking with Police Corporals Dhanraj and Williams before taking photographs of the murdered man, who had been clad in a blue shirtjack and dark coloured trousers.

Browne said she took images of the body in its original position -- faced downwards – and she had taken more photographs when Corporal Dhanraj turned the body to face the opposite direction.

About two hours af-

How about trying gardening before we jump to agriculture?

Dear Editor, Sunday’s editorial in a section of the media rightly bemoaned the unfortunate lack of interest in agriculture in Guyana, “a land of abundant agricultural resources”; such lamentations are not new, and it would not be surprising to see it repeated ad nauseam as we somehow seem to forever fail to generate the necessary interest and action at all levels of our apparently deaf, blind and

blighted nation.

Nevertheless, the editorial sent me back to my primary school days at Blairmont Estate when ‘School Gardening’ was a compulsory subject (both theoretical and practical). I still vividly recall with much pride and satisfaction the first tomato I reaped from my little plot at the school garden.

Since then I have never missed any opportunity to plant my own ‘kitchen gar-

Congratulations to NAPS Dear Editor, On Saturday, November 25, 2017, I saw a large contingent of Guyanese and a few foreigners who took to the streets of Georgetown for the annual AIDS awareness walk. Interestingly, there was little or no hype about this activity and, yet, it attracted a large turnout.

There was no senior functionary of the Public Health Ministry to demonstrate strong political will and leadership, especially to those who are living with the deadly virus which was

detected in Guyana for the first time in 1987.

The national AIDS Programme must be commended for a great job well done to bring people from all walks of life to make this event a successful one and it was great to see members of the LGBTI community and Persons Living with AIDS contributing to the large attendance without the politicians.

Congratulations to the NAPS for a job well done.

Sincerely, Brian Singh

den’ and I can now boast that for as long as I lived in Guyana, I have always been virtually self-sufficient with vegetables from my own kitchen garden.

(As a matter of fact, when I was a poor school teacher in New Amsterdam, I earned more from the tomatoes I planted around the residence I rented at 45 Stanleytown and sold to the then Wreford’s supermarket in New Amsterdam, than I earned as a school

teacher!....and even as I progressed up the economic ladder as a human resources management professional, I have always planted my own kitchen garden).

I, therefore, commend the call on Government “to create an enabling environment…starting at primary school…so that students can see it as a viable career option”.

Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

Accused: Lorenzo Forde

ter, according to Browne, she spoke with Corporal Williams, who showed her the Toyota Allion motorcar, which did not have a licence plate to the rear and the ‘HC’ part to the front licence plate was “barely showing”. Browne said that she and Corporal Williams securely placed the car on a tow truck to be taken away to the Brickdam Police Station.

Browne recalled taking photos of the outside of the car.

After brief cross-examination by Defence Counsel Hewley Griffith, members of the jury sought to ascer-

tain why any photo was not taken of the car’s interior.

“I wasn’t instructed to take photos of the inside,” the former Policewoman informed the jury.

The 19 photographs she had printed and secured were tendered and admitted into evidence at Monday’s trial. Justice Reynolds allowed the exhibits to be shown to the jury, which in later days will determine whether the accused, Forde, is innocent or guilty.

The matter was adjourned to Thursday morning, when more of the State’s 12 witnesses are expected to testify at the High Court in Georgetown.

Forde was 18 years old when he was first charged with the murder of Rubranauth Jeeboo.

According to reports, on December 27, Jeeboo left his Campbellville, Georgetown home for work, and the following day, December 28, around 07:50h, his body was discovered with several injuries at Caneview Avenue.

State counsel Shawnette Austin is assisting the prosecution’s case.

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Foundation

– using music and seeking out Maths in the real world are 2 options to pursue when you set aside your textbook sparked creativity within my classroom. It has motivated my students to learn in a different manner than they’re accustomed to. Students thrive on anything that’s outside the norm –when they realise the textbook is being put aside, they feel free to explore.

By Scott Newcomb @SNewco

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any students enter the classroom with a notion that Mathematics is simply pencil-and-paper calculations, unconnected to their lives.

And many of them have a negative mindset about their Maths abilities.

Because of these misconceptions, teachers must model thinking outside the box and show students that there are many ways to come up with a solution. Risk taking should also be modelled. It’s of great importance that students realise that mistakes can have a positive impact on learning. I tell my students, “You have to make mistakes to learn!” When students are willing to take chances knowing that failure is a possibility, creativity can emerge.

Ditching the textbook, even occasionally, is a great way to enhance creativity in Maths, opening up space for real-world problems and for incorporating technology and music into lessons. I’ve learned through the years that students don’t always learn best through teaching in a chapter format. The textbook can be a supplemental resource instead of the primary one.

Music education is trending as a means of assisting students in learning and retaining information. Children learn the structure of Maths even before they can understand and properly convey its vocabulary and symbols, and they’re able to integrate Maths and music by making comparisons, patterning, and

The power of music

sequencing.

Ditch the textbook – gradually

As Matt Miller says in Ditch That Textbook, “Ditching your textbooks means looking for different, innovative, tech-laden, creative, and hands-on ways of teaching.” His advice: “Don’t try to do it all at once. Pick one or two ideas that really light your fire and pursue them. Starting with any more than that is often overwhelming.” Pick a few concepts or skills from the textbook to focus on using alternate resources.

This non-traditional way of learning can be as easy as doing a geometric scavenger hunt: Take students outside and give them a list of geometric shapes as well as figures such as parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines. As they search for the items on the list, they’ll realise that Maths is all around them. Having them take photos of these shapes using their iPads or phones is also a way to engage them in their learning, and it allows the teacher to quickly assess student understanding of geometric vo-

cabulary.

Another way to ditch the textbook is to apply story problems to real-life situations. This can be as easy as bringing in menus from different restaurants. The students can work together to place orders and then calculate costs and, when they pay, how much change they should receive. This makes students less reliant on a book and more aware of the learning that takes place through everyday interactions.

Infusing technology into lessons can also have a major impact on student learning. Many Maths apps motivate students to extend their learning outside the classroom. You know you’re reaching students when they spend their free time competing with their classmates to master content standards in Splash Maths. Another app that has extended my students’ thinking is Prodigy, a game-based app that motivates students to take control of their learning. It allows them to challenge themselves at their own pace.

Implementing more hands-on activities has

Infusing music into a Maths lesson can have a major impact on student learning and understanding. What better way to catch students’ attention than by incorporating their love of music? Take the musical Hamilton, for example. Teaching children about history through music and song has encouraged them to look at our nation’s past in a whole new light.

Using music as a way to engage students is an effective way to enhance their learning and their ability to retain and recall information.

Flocabulary is one way to incorporate music in Maths class. Think of it as “Schoolhouse Rock” with an edge. It’s a learning programme for all ages that uses educational hip-hop mixed with creative videos. Some of the raps include standards about basic facts, number sense, geometry, and algebra.

Flocabulary covers many Maths content standards.

For example, order of operations is a difficult concept for many students, and there’s a PEMDAS rap to make it easier to understand. The key to learning is making it a memorable experience, and Flocabulary does this.

Not only can students listen,

watch videos, and complete lessons, but there’s also an aspect of creation. In Lyrics Lab, students are able to write and perform their own academic raps. Students can pick a beat to weave into their mathematical content.

This is a valuable tool to

show learning and understanding, and it allows them to take ownership over their learning. As we all know, when students can make a connection with the concepts and skills being taught in class, they become invested in their academics. (edutopia.org)

Strategies for students with scattered minds (Part 2) – teachers can help students strengthen their brain’s executive function with “workouts” in which they practise pausing, prioritising, improving their working memory, and mapping their options

By Dr Donna Wilson and Dr Marcus Conyers

Executive function “workouts”

Practical instruction to help struggling students hone executive function offers potential dual benefits. First, students will be better prepared to improve their performance in school and, later, on the job. Second, you can reduce classroom management issues by teaching these students strategies to avoid distractions – and to create fewer distractions for classmates. If you need to guide youth with attention deficits, put these strategies to work in your classroom: ”Just a moment, let me think.” Students who exhibit poor impulse control often benefit from additional adult support, including one-on-one strategising a b o u t ways to overcome habits like blurting out an answer without thinking it through or behaving in ways that distract other students. For example, you might suggest that an impulsive student repeat the question either out loud or silently before answering. Maybe you’ll agree on a “secret word”, a password that you can say to remind the student about using his or her executive function abilities. Incorporating regular opportunities for movement into lessons can also help students reduce impulsive behaviours and stay focused on learning.

Start with the end in mind.

Initiative, defined as readiness and skill in taking action, applies many aspects of executive function to maximum impact in school, work, and life. To help students develop initiative, guide them to establish their clear intent for a learning project as the first step in setting out a concrete plan to complete the task. Then if they start to go off task, they can revisit their clear intent: “Is what I’m doing now helping me to achieve my goal?” Breaking down learning

tasks into a series of instructions is another useful strategy that models for students a stepby-step approach to direct their attention toward a small, discrete action that will move them closer to accomplishing their clear intent. Each little success along the way – clicking another item off the to-do list – can help keep students focused on big goals.

Learn to remember.

Researchers working with students with attention deficits found that training to improve working memory helped them avoid distractions and improve school outcomes. A variety of strategies have been developed to bulk up working memory.

We’ve found that teachers and students alike enjoy and find useful a recall activity that we call Memory Pegs, which employs

association t o enhance memory.

To help students recall the names of the first ten US Presidents in order, for example, guide them to say the names as they tap “pegs” on their body in descending order: George Washington (head), John Adams (shoulders), Thomas Jefferson (heart), all the way to number ten, John Tyler (toes).

Consider more options.

Cognitive flexibility is a form of higher-order thinking that students can apply in creative problem solving and in weighing the pros and cons of multiple alternatives. Students with ADD may grab on to the first idea or answer that comes to mind. You can teach students to map their options with a graphic organiser that places the problem or question in the middle and encourages them to surround it with two or more solutions – and the more the merrier. Option mapping reinforces that there is often more than one way to solve a problem or think about a concept. That in itself is a useful example of executive function at work! (Excerpt from edutopia.org)

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tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Foreign companies continue to disregard labour laws – GTUC

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he Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) is calling on the Government to ensure that foreign companies adhere to labour laws and agreements when dealing with the rights of workers.

The GTUC made this call after the Bauxite Company

of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) refused to pay workers monies deducted from their overtime payments, even though in October of 2016 a decision was made to cease taxing overtime and all premium hours worked.

“The fact that Minister

Keith Scott wrote management earlier this month advising mechanisms be put in place to return taxes deducted on overtime and all premium hours worked with effect from 1st October 2016 and management continues to ignore this directive sends a strong signal that BCGI is

Govt concedes to public pressure...

From page 3

Amnesty

Meanwhile, companies and individuals will be granted amnesty to file outstanding tax returns in 2018. But Minister Jordan warned that if bogus returns were filed, individuals and companies would be penalised.

“Taxpayers who expect to benefit from this amnesty must file true and correct returns. Those found to be in violation will be subject to an audit and the attendant penalties and interest will be applied,” he said.

He said all corporate

and individual taxpayers who have not yet filed true and correct tax returns and paid their taxes would have between January 1 and September 30, 2018 to do so.

He explained that taxpayers who file and pay all principal taxes on or before June 30, 2018, would have all interest and penalties waived. Those, he said, who file and pay all principal taxes between July 1, 2018 and September 30, 2018 would get 50 per cent of interest and penalties waived.

In relation to provisional licences, Jordan announced

a temporary removal of the administrative procedure to be granted licences mainly for small businesses such as grocery shops and snackettes.

“After careful consideration of the current requirements, I propose that a provisional licence be issued for a period not exceeding two years…” he said.

The Finance Minister stressed that upon expiration of the provisional licence, no extension would be granted. This measure takes effect from January 1, 2018.

above Government and the laws of our land,” the GTUC said in a statement.

GTUC is calling on Government to honour the Constitution that establishes sovereignty over the nation and its workers and hold BCGI accountable for its deviant industrial rela-

tions practices that continue to infringe the laws of the land.

“There is something troubling with Guyana’s relationship with BCGI that is allowing successive governments to allow the transgressing of the rights of Guyanese labour and the vi-

olating of our laws,” it added.

The workers’ representative body said the company refuses to meet with officials, and workers are promising industrial action if they are not paid their monies.

8 NEWS Labourer jailed for robbery under arms I tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

n shackles, Kelvin Emperor, 27; Leon Smart, 26; and Nzumi Scipio, 37, were on Monday arraigned before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman a few days after robbery victim Tasia DaSilva Desouza Anrad had tracked her appropriated iPhone to a residence in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown following a brazen day-time robbery at Bel Air Park which subsequently led to the defendants’ arrest.

This case was heard before Principal Magistrate and prosecuted by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves.

The charge the trio faces allege that on November 24, 2017, whilst armed with a gun, they robbed Tasia Da Silva Desouza Anrad of an iPhone, cash and jewelry totalling some $500,000 at Bel Air, Georgetown. It

is further alleged that the three defendants relieved a second person, Davenand Khablall, of an iPhone valued at $150,000 on the same day at the said location.

Police facts indicate that on the day in question, Anrad, who was heading to her sister’s place in Bel Air in the company of her personal driver, was apparently traced by the defendants.

Upon reaching the destination, the complainants parked their vehicle just outside of the residence; but before they could exit the vehicle, Emperor pulled up in motor car PRR 4950 and entered the complainants’ vehicle. He whipped out a gun from his waist and demanded money and valuables.

In fear for their lives, the complainants surrendered their valuables, and the accused escaped in the waiting

vehicle.

A report was made to the Police, and an investigation was launched into the robbery.

However, all was not lost, as technology was on the side of the complainants.

Anrad reportedly tracked her phone to a location in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and this led Police to swoop down on a dwelling house which had the implicated motor car parked in the front and an unsuspecting Emperor within.

According to Police reports, the stolen items were recovered on the said premises and the defendant was taken into Police custody to assist with investigations.

The main suspect reportedly faltered under pressure and confessed to the crime in an oral statement.

Smart and Scipio, respec-

tively of East La Penitence, Georgetown and Mocha East Bank Demerara (EBD), denied their involvement in either allegation, while Emperor readily pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for the court’s leniency. They were all unrepresented by legal counsel.

The prosecutor revealed that Emperor was convicted in 2014 for possession of an unlicensed firearm, for which he served time in prison.

Bail was refused Smart and Scipio, considering the seriousness, prevalence and gravity of the offence in question. They will return to court on November 27, 2017.

With respect to Emperor, having considered all mitigating factors, Magistrate Latchman sentenced him to 50 months in prison for each offence. These terms will run concurrently.

Mazaruni porter gets 20 years for manslaughter

A

Mazaruni man was on Thursday last sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after a jury trial in the Suddie Supreme Court.

The defendant, who was identified as Arthur Taylor, was found guilty by the jury for the murder of Wayne Johnson. The sentencing was given by Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Taylor was convicted of stabbing Johnson once with a knife to the left side of his chest, penetrating the heart on August 2, 2014. The defendant, however, claimed that Johnson fell on a broken bottle, and died as a result of the injuries sustained.

According to Taylor, on

Arthur Taylor

the day in question, an argument erupted between him and the now deceased man on the Itaballi landing over the defendant’s wife.

The accused later added

that there was a scuffle between himself and Johnson.

He further told the jury that he acted in self-defence as Johnson was firing chops at him with a cutlass. At some point, however, the cutlass fell into the water, leaving Johnson unarmed. The accused said that as Johnson rushed towards him, he swung him onto his stomach. The two men later took the fight overboard with Johnson on top of the defendant in a choke lock. Taylor said the fight ended when Chris Gibs pulled Johnson off him in the water.

Gibs, who testified, related what he witnessed.

“I heard a splash down at the landing, so I took my

torch light and I went out to see what was going on.

When I went out, I saw Wayne Johnson on top of the accused in a choke lock. I yelled at them multiple times and told them to stop,” Gibs said, adding “The water was becoming reddish, so when the accused pushed off Wayne Johnson, I rushed him to my boat to get medical attention.”

The Police after escorting Johnson to the Bartica hospital, found no murder weapon at the crime scene.

Johnson was pronounced dead by a doctor at the Bartica Regional Hospital. The doctor in question noted that the now deceased sustained a single stab wound to the left chest about 11 centimetres in depth. The following day, Police retrieved a brown kitchen knife, with a missing rivet. The accused claimed the weapon was his on account of the missing rivet. He denies, however, stabbing the now deceased with the weapon.

The defendant’s attorney was unable to prove to the court that his client was innocent, and that the now deceased man did indeed die, after receiving a stab from a broken bottle. The Prosecutor noted that the new deceased could by no means fall on a bottle and sustain the injury when he was in a choke lock on top of the accused all the while.

The Prosecutor also noted that there was a narrow probability that a bottle could make a single 11cm stab wound.

After deliberating on the evidence for more than an hour, the jury found the murder accused guilty by 10 to 2. The Judge then sentenced the accused to serve 20 years in prison.

Taylor was previously tried in 2016 before another panel. (Indra Natram)

Can the worm turn…

P

…in the AFC? olitical commentator and former House Speaker Ralph Ramkarran had some advice for the AFC, which has been used and discarded by the PNC/ APNU like a used tissue with snot: resign their Ministries and become backbenchers on the Government side. Is he kidding? Having been in the PPP with Nagamootoo and Ramjattan (hereafter N&R) for long donkey years, does he really believe those two fellas would give up their titles, money and perks to make a point?

And what exactly is that point, since, to begin with, he knows the two of them have lacked backbones? Maybe Ramkarran believes even a worm can turn? Sure, they can…but that doesn’t mean they’ve developed backbones.

They’ll just keep on being mendicants for their personal “good life”. N&R had two and a half years to experience the humiliations heaped upon their heads by the PNC in their “coalition” arrangement. If they could put up with that, they’ll put up with even more for another two years.

Have no doubt about that!

Just look at the very best threat N&R could come up with: They’re demanding the Cummingsburg Accord be renegotiated!! This is all a bluff, since the Accord has a sunset clause; meaning it expires on Midnight Feb 13, 2018, when the AFC’s supposed to ride into the sunset!! What’ll happen is: the AFC will huff and puff, but they ain’t blowing any PNC/APNU house down. With Ramjattan and Nagamootoo both lawyers, what respect even Basil Williams, the PNC lawyer, has for them when they negotiated for Nagamootoo as PM to Chair Cabinet meetings.

Didn’t they see the gaping hole they left for Prezzie to renege on the ground the Constitution doesn’t permit that? Didn’t they realise the Cummingsburg Accord’s just a gentleman’s agreement, and the PNC ain’t no “gentleman”! When APNU delved (say, on Prezzie’s unilateralism) and AFC span (by approving), who then was the gentleman??!! What cards exactly N&R have to play?

The fabled 11% from Berbice? That’s long gone, baby!!

And the leader of the AFC is now Trotman - whose Nassau Accord has been given full recognition. As he declared when Hoyte had recruited him into the PNC, his mission was to “oppose, expose and depose” the PPP, and his AFC detour was just a gambit to achieve that. He’s back home, and he’s been made very comfortable, thank you!! The man’s been given power (Czar of oil, baby!!) and perks! The wife was a bonus!!

The only way they can exert some leverage is to withhold support from APNU in the National Assembly, as Ramkarran advised.

But that ain’t happening because of the lack of the aforementioned vertebral columns!! …on “little things”?

A sign of that invertebrate status of N&R was exemplified in Nagamootoo’s column in the Chronic last Sunday. Yes…this was the job given to him after all the hullabaloo of Cummingsburg!! So imagine: with the walls of the AFC edifice crumbling all around him because of the anti-democratic decisions and positions of N&R and other leaders, all Nagamootoo could write was about the Budget presented yesterday!!

And what was so earth-shaking about the Budget that he had to ignore the wreckage around him? That there are many “little things” for us little people?!! Like fixing street lights, fixing potholes and getting birth certificates? And the “big things”, like hydro-power that could transform the economy so as to make those “little things” a thing of the past? Nagamootoo says “street folks are not glued” to them!! Can you believe this?

But your Eyewitness knows that Nagamootoo -- who boasts about spending 50 years at the feet of Cheddi Jagan -- isn’t as daft as that.

He’s just protecting his perks! …in the Police The long knives are drawn to prune the top layer of the Police Force in the desired image. Meaning pliant and supplicant!

No matter how they cut it or slice it, the Police Chief has been given the boot!

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

News

9

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

$267B Budget presented

by Finance Minister ers.

Sectoral performance

Finance Minister Winston Jordan presenting the 2018 Budget to the National Assembly on Monday

G

overnment on Monday tabled in the National Assembly a budget to the tune of $267.1 billion, introducing sever-

tional commodity prices,” he said, explaining that agricultural commodity prices remained broadly stable for most of 2017, growing at one

Detailing the performance of each sector, the Finance Minister noted that the agriculture, fishing, and forestry sector is expected to recover this year, with an estimated growth of 0.2 per cent.

This reversal, he said, will be a result of the anticipated positive growth per-

Members of the Opposition during the Government's $267.1 billion Budget presentation

al measures to support its green agenda and improve various key economic sectors.

In presenting the Budget themed “The Journey to the Good Life Continues”, Finance Minister Winston Jordan also disclosed that the economy was expected to grow by 2.9 per cent, failing to meet the revised growth projection of 3.1 per cent for 2017.

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

According to the Minister, this was mainly on account of poor performance in several key sectors, including mining, sugar, forestry and fishery.

However, he said the economy was performing fairly well when compared to sister Caribbean countries that continue to see significant economic decline.

“As a commodity-dependent economy, we must remain vigilant of the impact of fluctuations in interna-

per cent, and were expected to increase marginally in 2018.

Minister Jordan told the National Assembly that

formance in the rice, fishing, livestock, and other crops subsectors, which will more than compensate for the continued decline in the sugar and forestry industries.

Members of the Parliament during the budget presentation

while the price of Brent crude oil, one of Guyana's key imports, remained relatively low during the course of 2017, prices are expected to rebound.

At the end of 2017, oil prices are expected to average US$53 per barrel, and US$56 per barrel in 2018, a reflection of strong oil demand, falling stocks, and production restraint among Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) produc-

Parliamentary staff putting together copies of the 2018 budget estimates

According to him, the rice industry is expected to record an output of 602,087 tonnes for 2017, an increase of 12.7 per cent over 2016.

This is owed mainly to an additional 14,000 hectares planted for the 2017 spring crop and a further 74,481 hectares planted in the autumn crop.

As for sugar, Jordan noted that production was expected to decline to 152,000 tonnes in 2017, a 17.2 per cent reduction compared to 2016‘s output. Opposition to the ongoing restructuring of the sugar industry led to the loss of almost 22,000 man days on account of industrial action, he claimed.

In forestry, the Minister told the National Assembly, some improvement was expected with a projected slowing of the contraction to 7.2 per cent in 2017, from 27.3 per cent in 2016. Total production for 2017 is projected to be 10 per cent lower than 2016.

The mining and quarrying sector is anticipated to contract by 1.9 per cent,

compared to the 46.1 per cent expansion in 2016.

Economic performance

Shifting his attention to the country’s overall economic performance, the Minister said the overall balance of payments is expected to improve slightly to a deficit of US$53.1 million in 2017.

This outcome will be primarily driven by an improvement in the capital account, from a deficit of US$13.2 million in 2016, to an anticipated surplus of US$181.8 million in 2017.

“This is in spite of the deterioration of the current account from a surplus of US$13 million in 2016, to a projected deficit of US$235 million in 2017,” he told the National Assembly.

Minister Jordan noted that the anticipated decline in the current account was expected to be as a result of increased deficits in both the merchandise trade (by US$140 million), and services (by US$74.1 million) accounts, and reduced net current transfers by US$33.9 million.

“Although the current account is expected to weaken, the capital account is anticipated to improve due to strengthened net medium and long-term capital flows, both Private and Public Sector,” he added.

Projected Foreign Direct Investment, particularly in the oil and gas sector, is also expected to drive the US$145.2 million increase in Private Sector medium and long-term capital.

Additionally, net capital to the non?financial Public Sector is anticipated to strengthen to a surplus of US$67.2 million, reflecting higher disbursements of loans.

nal meltdowns, as in the case of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

“Going forward, Government will continue to assess the economic situation and employ timely policy measures to correct imbalances and mitigate negative effects that could stymie growth. In this regard, in 2018, we will aim to strengthen our analyti-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon walking alongside PPP/C MP Juan Edghill before the 2018 Budget presentation

Minister Jordan boasted that the coalition Government managed to maintain stable macroeconomic fundamentals.

However, he said their efforts continue to be constrained by the lack of economic diversification, which leaves key sectors and industries vulnerable to external shocks and inter-

cal capability to determine the macroeconomic effects of various policies and interventions,” he added.

With this capacity, he said, Government will be better able to guide the development of the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), as well as the sectors and regional strategies going forward.

10 News

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Budget disastrous, a failure – Jagdeo

…says it lived up to “low expectations” of public

M

oments after Finance Minister Winston Jordan delivered a near four-hour Budget 2018 presentation, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo shredded the coalition Government’s fiscal plan for the next year, saying that it was without a doubt one of the most “disastrous” budgets ever presented to the nation.

Speaking to reporters from the Committee Room at the Parliament Building on Monday evening, the former President noted that the Budget, which was themed “The journey to the good life continues”, failed on every standard, especially as it related to addressing key matters of concern to the public.

“He has failed on every one of those parameters.

Issues surrounding jobs, welfare, framework for growth and development, clarity of the Government’s vision in different areas, big-picture issues on where the country is going – we had hoped that all of these would be part of the budget presentation… they have lived up to the low expectations people had of the Government,” the Opposition Leader stated.

According to Jagdeo, the Finance Minister merely took the routine work programmes from the various ministries and read those inconsequential details out to the nation, while failing to address key manifesto promises such as job creation. “This sort of things is not what it takes to inspire a country to produce, to expand welfare, to generate jobs and so, on all those counts we have seen an utter abysmal failure on the part of the Minister of Finance and the Government,” he stated.

Fictitious jobs

According to Jagdeo, the biggest job creation initiative is GO-Invest expecting to bring in $154 billion in new investments next year.

However, this, he said, is nothing but fictitious, since similar claims were made before when Government touted $180 billion in in-

and was projected to keep going up.

The Opposition Leader went on to say that the announcement of plans to carry out a countrywide land valuation to increase rates and taxes was a contradiction of the Minister saying that there were no new taxes in the budget.

“They are introducing a measure now that, having exhausted the taxes measures at the national level, they are now taking this to the NDCs (Neighbourhood Democratic Councils) and municipalities across the country,” he stated.

Sugar, rice

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

vestments were expected to be facilitated by GO-Invest and create 10,000 jobs.

“They lied then and it is now true now. That’s about US$750 million ($154 billion) of investments and they haven’t said in what sector.

Even with the oil and gas sector, they can’t meet US$750 million in investments next year so that’s fictitious and it’s likely that the 5000 jobs that they are projecting to create next year is also fictitious,” he argued.

Moreover, Jagdeo said that calling the measures outlined by the coalition Government “pathetic” would be a mild description.

“There is nothing here that inspires; nothing that says to the Private Sector “we’re working as your partner”…there is nothing to say to any group of Guyanese, whether you’re a young person, whether you’re a pensioner, you’re a child going to school, whether you’re a farmer, a bauxite worker or anyone working in retail, trade or a servant that (you) have a better year to look forward to, based on this Budget.

There is nothing to look forward to!” says the former President.

A view from inside Parliament Chambers

Non-performing economy

Examining the financial performance of the country’s economy, the Opposition Leader posited that the growth rate could not have matched the revised projection of 3.1 per cent despite Government collecting some 8.7 per cent more in total revenues through taxes and other means than last year. This, Jagdeo noted, confirms what the Opposition has been saying all along, that the economy is not performing.

“They collected $8.2 billion dollars more taxes in 2017 than in 2016. We’ve been saying that this government is taking more taxes out of peoples’ pocket while arguing that they were too heavily taxed under the PPP,” he said.

In addition to $10 billion being transferred from statutory agencies into the treasury, Jagdeo highlighted that there was a massive deterioration in the current account of the balance of payments of over US$200 million, while the marginal increase in the capital account is as a result of the inflows from ExxonMobil investments and disbursement. He added that the country’s debt has gone up

Jagdeo also reflected on the Minister’s statements about the sugar industry, that the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) would guide the divestment of sugar and also reconfigure the remaining estates. Referring to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) being termed an “old antiquated industry” that needs to be gotten rid of, Jagdeo said that had the PPP/C Government taken that approach regarding the bauxite industry when it took office in 1992, then bauxite production in Linden would not have continued.

“We created alternatives for the people and

Energy

Touching on Government’s popularly touted ‘Green State Development Strategy’ (GSDS), Jagdeo said that the coalition’s approach towards the energy pillar of the plan was one that was in contradiction of the overall objective of the strategy, which is the sustainable use of energy in a green economy.

He referred to Jordan’s announcement of entirely scrapping the Amaila Falls Hydro Project and moving ahead with the Moco Moco Hydro Project. According to the Opposition Leader, the latter would only supply Lethem with half a megawatt of power while 50 megawatts of power will be generated from natural gas.

“That would violate the objective of this (GSDS) plan, which is to have a 100 per cent of our energy come from renewable sources by 2025. And he sees nothing wrong with it,” Jagdeo asserted.

Transparency

He went on to outline that other energy projects such as the solar farm at Mabaruma along with others are being done without any transparency.

time Jagdeo said there was a deliberate act on the part of Government to delay the establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

“This was a promise made two and a half years ago to get it done, but this is basically a delaying tactic. I think they do not want the Sovereign Wealth Fund in place because the Sovereign Wealth Fund will restrict their ability to waste and to use the resources wantonly and in a manner they’re using public resources now,” he stated.

According to the Opposition Leader, a platitude approach was taken on other major issues of national importance such as constitution reform, debt management, Local Government Elections and the international Sustainable Development Goals.

Infrastructure

He went on to reiterate that the coalition Government continues to piggyback on old projects started under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) regime that are now coming to fruition.

In fact, this is exactly the case in the infrastructure sector, Jagdeo said, noting that most of the road projects were ini-

Some of the officials and media in the viewing gallery in the National Assembly

still bauxite mines open in Linden and then we manage to privatise it. But this is their approach, an industry that about 100,000 of our people depend on, that’s already wreaking havoc on your balance of payments; now we’re seeing how impactful the sector is on everything else and this is your approach to it – short-sighted,” he asserted.

With regard to the rice sector, the Opposition Leader pointed out that it was the only industry that was sustaining the economy’s growth rate and would be driving the grow rate in the future without any help from Government, except the fact that work is being done to upgrade the grains.

This led the former Head of State to further highlight that Government failed to address key issues in the emerging oil sector such as the release of the oil contract in the name of transparency.

“Frankly speaking, the worst period in modern history in terms of transparency and the use of public funds is now,” he stated as he listed several projects that Government was yet to fully come clean with the details on such as the new Demerara River crossing and the D’Urban Park.

Moreover, while Minister Jordan lectured on the oil industry and how to spend impending resources wisely, at the same

tiated by the previous Administration. He specifically mentioned the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project, which the Opposition Leader said has turned into tragedy with the alterations to the original design.

“This country needs an airport that will look to future; it is unbelievable that you would just reduce the air bridges to two from eight when we have aircraft on the tarmac waiting (to disembark passengers)…

They just reformulated the project and now we’re gonna have an airport that we will have to go back to (in the future to again expand),” he posited.

Tuesday, november 28, 2017

Steals

E

nhancing the beauty of flowers with artistic arrangement is the art of flower arrangements. Flower arrangements are an important part of the ambience on any occasion – weddings, birthdays, parties and especially around the holidays.

But, it is not an art reserved only for special occasions. A few flowers on the kitchen table can be as important in their own way as a full-scale decoration for a big occasion. Flower arrangements beautify homes and offices alike, whether made of fresh-cut flow-

ers, dried flowers or artificial flowers.

Roses are the most popular flowers used, but the flowers used also depend on the occasion and the recipient’s likes and dislikes.

Origins of flower designing

The Chinese were the first to put water in a container of cut flowers. So, while the Chinese were arranging flowers aesthetically in a container, the rest of the world was braiding garlands, making wreaths

With the hustle and bustle of this coming season, we are all looking for the best prices for quality goods, and what better place to do so than Best Buy Variety Store!

Best Buy Variety Store where you get your onestop hardware shopping needs met.

They offer tools, building materials, household appliances, furnishings, electronics; you just name it, and they have it!

So when you’re ready to start your Christmas cleaning, or even just your end-of-the-year cleaning up, for the best prices, the best quality and the best services, stop off at Best Buy and give ‘em a try!

guyanatimesgy.com

and flinging petals.

Japan grasped the idea with such enthusiasm that different schools of flower arrangement art emerged with masters who created philosophies and design principles. The Japanese culture expanded flower arrangement into a meditative practice.

Flower arrangement became an art form that inspired contemplation and transcended decorative and devotional functions.

At Nesha’s Flower Land, we

are happy to offer our services to create that special piece for your surroundings. Whether it’s a piece you would like to give to a loved one for the holidays or just to beautify your home, we have you covered.

Visit us at 78 Church & Carmichael Streets, Cummingsburg and at First Floor, Giftland Mall, Plantation Pattensen, Turkeyen; call us on 227-3553 & 225-3315; Facebook @ Nesha’s Flowerland

12

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Steals

Cash in on the great deals this holiday season; you will definitely be looking for those places that you can get the amazing deals as well as the products you need. And definitely, liquor and beverages are just as hassling to shop for as shopping for your decorations, your meats, and vegetables.

It has to be the right flavour, the right taste and, of course, what your family and friends would enjoy. That sounds like you should visit Naraine’s Liquor Store, where you can pick up all the holiday stocks.

Naraine’s Liquor Store has a special history as it was started by a family, namely, a husband and a wife: Sheila and Sukhdeo Naraine .Their business started as a little cake shop in 1959 and over the years, it was transformed into the establishment it is today, housing stocks from leading non-alcoholic and alcoholic bever-

age companies such as Banks DIH, DDL, ANSA McAL Ltd, Busta Co, and CIDI among others.

Naraine’s Liquor Store is now managed by Suresh Naraine and his wife, Farrah,

a n d is among the oldest and largest wholesalers in Guyana.

Their 55 years of experience in doing business as a family definitely gives them the knowledge of what customers are looking for. They are reliable and strive for customers’ satisfaction. Their prices are competitive and on par with the manufacturers. They also stock a wide selection of snacks, confectionery and other products for your special events.

It is no doubt that alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are needed in times of celebration, so save yourself the hassle, shop at Naraine’s Liquor Store, centrally located at 40 Robb Street, Lacytown, next to Red Mango Gift Shop. They are conveniently open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday and just for you, their valued customers, late opening hours for the holidays are a must. Give them a call today on 226-3663 or 227-3889.

Naraine’s Liquor Store – the Most Reliable Supplier for your Christmas and Festive Events. Let 55 years of Tradition continue …

Making

dreams come true Whether it’s a birthday party, wedding or just a business social, everyone wants their event to have the best style and to be infused with a striking sense of coordination.

With a clear understanding of the importance and role of design and event planning, Jonas Bridal House (JBH) is on a mission to bring only the best in this regard to the Guyanese market. The relatively young company is located at High Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown in the yellow building behind the Ashmins Mall Parking Lot. The establishment is fuelled by the hard work and dedication of Cort Jonas and Kurt Campbell.

The name of the company was formed to showcase Cort’s ancestry while encompassing what the business was about; hence the use of the words ‘Jonas Bridal House’.

“A person seeing those words would understand that it is associated with the Jonas while offering bridal and event planning services, under one roof.”

The establishment enjoys much popularity for its high quality of service.

The key to Jonas Bridal House’s success is being able to understand and translate their clients’ style, ideas and vision into something incredible, which exceeds their expectation and imagination.

JBH prides itself in offering that truly wonderful experience every bride should receive on her special day and specialises in wedding décor.

Jonas Bridal House also offers full event rentals and provides party supplies and planning services for corporate events, elegant weddings, private dinners, memorable parties, other stylish social events and other events.

Making dreams come through is our business.

They are already booking clients for events in 2018 and also have a few available dates left for events coming up in the last few weeks of this year.

Visit them at High Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, Guyana or secure your bookings by visiting the showroom for your free consultation or call us on 223-0717 or send an email to jonasbridalhouse@gmail.com

&

Steals

Quality genuine heavy-duty equipment

from farming, mining and construction equipment to nuts and bolts!

Japarts, located on Lot 38 Croal Street, Stabroek, is on your side with all your auto demands for this season!

It offers quality genuine heavy-duty equipment ranging from farming, mining and construction equipment to nuts and bolts! So, if your business needs Caterpillar, Toyota and Costex Tractor Parts, Japarts is just the place for you!

Also available are its rental service for heavy-duty equipment with great prices that

vary in accordance with the amount of time that you, the customer, need with the product!

Feel free to visit Japarts’ Facebook page @Japarts or call 225-1840 today for more information!

13

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

14

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Steals

Hawkins

line of quality cookware Auto Supplies Company is the authorised distributor of Hawkins pressure cookers and cookware in Guyana. Hawkins has been used in Guyanese kitchens for over 60 years. Each Hawkins pressure cooker and cookware is made of quality materials and is sold with a 60-month guarantee.

Hawkins offers 73 different pressure cooker models in 12 different types. Perhaps the most popular is the Hawkins Classic range that offers 12 sizes. The Hawkins Hevibase Pressure Cooker is much like the Classic except it has a double thick base which makes it ideal if you need to fry before pressuring. The Hawkins Bigboy has been specially designed to cook large quantities of food quickly and economically. It is most useful in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and for religious functions, they range from 14 litres to 22 litres.

If your preference is stainless steel, then Hawkins provides a size for you, made of 100%

stainless steel, this cooker always remains shiny, it is easy to clean and cooks healthy.

The Hawkins Futura is a beautiful combination of form and function; the beautiful, durable black finish has two benefits. It makes the pressure cooker absorb heat faster making it more energy-efficient.

The Hawkins line of quality cookware comes in two finishes – hard anodised and non-stick. Some types of cooking are done better on the hard anodised surface and other types of cooking are done better on the non-stick surface.

The cookware line includes frying pans, cook-and-serve bowls, tavas, saucepans, sautĂŠ pans, stew pots, and spice pans. Our cookware comes with stainless steel or glass covers.

Hawkins Pressure Cookers and Cookware are available from Auto Supplies Company or from retailers nationwide.

News

15

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

City Hall sexual assault

14-day suspension recommended for Chief Constable …law prevents City Hall from disciplining officers

C

ity Hall’s Legal Affairs and Security Committee have recommended that Chief Constable Andrew Foo and ASP Virjanand Gafur, the supervisor of investigations, be sent on 14 days leave for serious neglect of duty in relation to their roles in investigating sexual assault involving a minor at the City Constabulary.

The committee recently concluded their investigation, and tabled the report at Monday’s Statutory Meeting.

Corporal Quacy Baveghems claimed that he witnessed Lance Corporal Clifton Pellew of the City Constabulary engage in a sexual act with a minor in August. The incident allegedly occurred when a 15-yearold lad was taken into custody on August 17 and placed before the court on a charge of wandering. At some point during his detention, and

for reasons unknown, the minor was transferred to the Regent Street Outpost, where the alleged incident occurred between August 22 and 23.

With respect to the alleged sexual assault, the committee recommended that the council be guided by the outcome of the investigations being conducted by the Guyana Police Force. The Police have said that their investigations are currently ongoing.

The report stated that the Committee expressed an alarming concern about the breaches of the Standard Operational Procedures at all levels of the City Constabulary and General Administration.

As it relates to Corporal Baveghems, the committee found that he had failed to record the alleged incident as well as his departure time in the station diary; and he had failed to inform the duty

Chief Constable Andrew Foo

officer of the incident. As a result, the committee recommended that he be strongly reprimanded.

The Chief Constable is head of the City Police establishment, and during the deliberations, the committee recognised several alarming shortcomings of the Chief Constable, Foo, in the execution of his duties.

“Failure to take immedi-

BHS sex scandal

Alumni call for HM to be sent on admin leave

…Divisional Commander says yet to receive MoE file

T

he Bishops’ High School Alumni Association on Monday called for Head Mistress Winifred Ellis to be sent on administrative leave to facilitate an independent investigation into her actions while addressing the allegation of sexual misconduct by economics teacher Coen Jackson.

“It cannot be stressed enough that we do not feel confident that the children who have been made to feel unsafe or traumatised will now come forward and re-

Coen Jackson

port these (incidents) in their current environment.

It is troubling that the students did not feel comfortable confiding in any of the teachers at BHS,” the Alumni Association said.

It noted that it is for this very reason that the headmistress should be sent on administrative leave, and a thorough and independent investigation of this matter concluded before a decision is made about her return. “We quite simply do not think that the Ministry

Commander Marlon Chapman

of Education has gone far enough,” the association said.

The Education Ministry on Friday concluded their investigation and found Ellis culpable of breaching the regulations under the Education Act 39:01 section 35: “Inappropriate behaviour by teachers in school”, which made her liable to a first warning. The committee has since recommended that Ellis be reprimanded and be made to offer an apology to the students and teachers at the institution. It also recommended that the ministry offer training and support to teachers on how to deal with children and sexual issues, in addition to providing counselling to students after they do so request.

In relation to Jackson, the committee handed over its investigation file to the Police for further investigation. Jackson is being accused of abusing his position of trust as a teacher when he began grooming female students for sexual activities after they would have

attained the age of 16 -- the legal age of consent. Jackson has vehemently denied the accusations, but did admit to having sexual relations with two former students who are both in their early 20s.

Meanwhile, ‘A’ Division Commander Marlon Chapman told Guyana Times that the Education Ministry did not send a file to him; rather, they gave the okay to proceed with a criminal investigation. He noted that the investigation is in progress, and the Police are building their case.

Bishops’ High School Head Mistress Winifred Ellis

The Alumni Association commended the ministry for their swift actions but noted that their immediate concern is the student body.

The statement related that the alumni associations, in conjunction with concerned members with expertise in psychology, child welfare, social work and law, are actively working to ensure that this never happens again. In addition, they have made recommendations with regard to harassment, sexual abuse and bullying.

ate and decisive actions in accordance with the Standard Operational Procedure; having knowledge of an alleged sexual offence within the precinct of the City Constabulary and not reporting same to the Guyana Police Force; failure to report the matter to the Child Care and Protection Agency of the Ministry of Social Protection; having knowledge that the incident involved a juvenile (15yrs), he failed to maintain the protective custody of the child and his rights by sending him to the Town Clerk’s Office,” the report stated.

“The Committee recommends fourteen (14) days suspension in accordance with the Municipal and District Councils Act, chapter 28:01, section 134(h): ‘Neglect of duty or orders’,” the recommendation stated.

The Committee also recommended that the ranks be trained in dealing with in-

Sherod Duncan

vestigations.

Addressing the Council, Chairman of the Committee, Sherod Duncan, said the Municipal and District Councils Act, chapter 28:01 dictates that City Hall would be unable to discipline the officers, since they are paid over $18,000 per annum.

“Now everybody (earning) above $18,000 per annum would have to sub-

mit themselves to be disciplined through the Local Government Commission…. the legal advice is that the recommendations and report be submitted to the Local Government Commission for an investigation and determination of the matter,” Duncan stated.

He added that it was also advised that Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan review the specific sections of the act that address the issue of $18,000 per annum.

Additionally, the Committee recommended that CCPA and Child Link provide training on child abuse and sexual offences, CCTV be placed within the Constabulary, a sexual offence and child abuse policy be developed, and that Police training be provided for handling sexual matters.

Baveghems and Pellew remain on administrative leave.

16 news Estates closure next year will harm economy – GCCI President tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GCCI President Deodat Indar

W

ith Government set to close several sugar estates across the country next year, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) is warning that it would be difficult to recover from the economic harm that this will cause.

Speaking at a recent press conference, GCCI President, Deodat Indar, pointed out that despite being such a major sector in the local economy, the projected percentage of the sugar industry in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at the end of the year is somewhere around 1.3 per cent.

“This is an industry that has been in the double digits in the past, and we believe that shutting down these four estates will cause economic harm to the country, and it will be difficult to recover,” Indar said.

According to the GCCI President, the country does not have the periphery of the other sectors to mop up the job losses from the sugar industry once the estates close.

“So you will have people unemployed, and unemployment means lack of spending; lacking of spending means lack of consumption; and lack of consumption means reduced importation and reduced manufacturing.

So is a whole spin-off of issues you have there,” he posited.

However, during the presentation of the White Paper to privatise the cash-strapped and heavily indebted Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), back in May, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder had noted that even with major restructuring of the industry, GuySuCo is required to retain many of its workers for all operations on the merged estates, or factories, and those employees are to receive leased lands from the sugar company to engage in crops to be decided by both GuySuCo and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Holder had announced plans to close the Enmore and Rose Hall sugar estates by year-end, sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, and reduce the annual production of sugar. This will see three estates and three sugar factories in operation: Blairmont, on the West Bank Berbice, Albion-Rose Hall on the Corentyne Coast East Canje Berbice, and the Uitvlugt-Wales estate in West Demerara.

However, State Minister Joseph Harmon had two weeks ago said that the closure of the Rose Hall and Enmore estates would not take effect until next year, since systems are not yet in place for the post-shutdown period.

On Monday, during the 2018 Budget presentation,

Finance Minister Winston Jordon told the National Assembly that sugar production is expected to decline further, come next year.

Government had, under the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL), established a Special Purpose Unit (SPU) at the cost of $130 million to manage the divestment of GuySuCo’s assets, including the estates and factories.

Last week, the Unit announced that three firms who met the October 30 deadline for tender for International Financial Services Provider have all made presentations to a NICIL evaluation team. The three contenders: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte.

Head of the SPU, Colvin, Heath-London, said the second stage -- the process of selecting an international financial services provider -- was done on Monday last, and the Unit is expected to announce a selection by mid-December.

In the meantime, the SPU has been meeting with the management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) as well as with other industry stakeholders, including the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Employees (NAACIE).

According to a statement from the SPU on Monday, both GAWU and NAACIE have expressed support for the Unit’s efforts to keep the estates operational in the interest of the economy and the workers.

The Opposition has since said that the SPU set up by the administration in order to sell assets belonging to (GuySuCo) is nothing but a vehicle for corruption completelThat completely bypasses the established privatisation procedures and the sale of State assets.

Abusive employer fined for assaulting staff

I

t was no doubt an interesting morning in the court of Magistrate Fabayo Azore when an employer appeared on a charge of unlawful assault against his employee after he dealt him two blows to the face for being “disrespectful”.

According to Prosecutor Simone Payne, who presented the State’s case, Michael Cubitor, 63, of Middle Street, Georgetown, unlawfully as-

saulted one of his workers at his business establishment.

The Prosecutor related to the court that Cubitor was in the habit of assaulting his employees.

Cubitor admitted to the offence, but contended that his actions were justified.

“He is the most indiscipline staff. He’s the cleaner and comes (late) after everybody. He was disrespectful and raised his voice… I just

have a snackette and I understand now that he wants hundreds of thousands of dollars just for two punches…” the employer told the court.

After delivering a talk to Cubitor about patience and self-control, Magistrate Azore ordered him to pay a fine of $25,000 or serve a default sentence of seven days in prison.

City Hall financial woes

Amnesty rakes in over $33M in 2 weeks …City Hall extends opening hours

J

ust two weeks after granting a one-month amnesty period to defaulting ratepayers on the accumulated interest on unpaid property rates, the Treasury Department of the Georgetown municipality reported that it has received over $33 million in payments.

Acting Treasurer John Douglas made the disclosure at Monday’s statutory meeting where he related that a decision has been taken to extend the opening of the Treasury office.

The office would now be opened on Saturdays from 09:00h to 12:00h.

The option of an amnesty was touted so that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) could accumulate monies to pay staff members for the months of October, November and December. The amnesty period began on November 15 and will end on December

15.

In order to look at ways to broaden and increase the Council’s revenue base, the M&CC decided to formulate a new committee to brainstorm ways of increasing its revenue stream. The ‘Think-Tank Committee’ is made up of members of the Finance Committee and other Councillors who volunteered to deliberate on

various ways the Council can either collect monies owed or embark on new revenue-earning initiatives.

Sitting on the committee are Councillors Monica Thomas, Akeem Peter, Jameel Rasul, Phillip Smith and James Samuels.

The first meeting of the committee is expected to be on Wednesday.

Linden Town Week 2018 officially launched

Deputy Mayor Waneka Arindell (right) and Acting Town Clerk Orleena Obermuller unveil the LTW 2018 Theme in the presence of other officials

L

inden Town Week (LTW) 2018 activities were officially launched in the mining town on Saturday with a simple ceremony hosted on the Linden-Georgetown minibus park.

The annual event, slated for April 22 to May 1, 2018, would be executed under the watchful eyes of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC). In delivering the feature remarks at the launching ceremony, Deputy Linden Mayor Waneka Arindell asked that the pride of the town be restored, and actions towards it be improved with the hopes of raising achievement for the economy.

“Our sincere objective as a Council is to revamp and elevate our town that was once known as the ‘bread basket of Guyana’. We intend to reinvent and reintroduce this occasion for what it is worth, while we provide exciting activities to engage every person- be it our locals or our visitors. We have identified

our town as the ‘entertainment capital for Guyana.”

She added that the event is being hosted under the theme, ‘Celebrating culture, talent, creativity in a clean, green 2018’.

Project Coordinator for next year’s event, Devin Sears, said the Council is aiming to achieve the best executed activity. He promised the return of the LTW pageant, which was absent off the calendar for a few years.

Sears said the LTW Secretariat, which was established a few weeks ago, will be working solely towards inclusiveness. “We want to ensure that we bring back economic stability...This year (2018) will set the foundation of what is to come...”, he noted. Sears further outlined challenges which may have prevented the event from becoming an international highlight, including the town’s inability to accommodate the influx of visitors during that time. Based on studies conducted, Sears

said, the town can accommodate only about 1.2 per cent of its visitors to the event.

As such, he said, the bed and breakfast concept will be reintroduced. Additionally, he said the Guyana Tourism Authority would also be offering guidance and training leading up to LTW 2018.

According to Sears, next year’s event will focus on enhanced standardised vending infrastructure and zoning, which is likely to be colour- coded. He added that the Council is negotiating to have LTW magazines and international advertising.

Sears said the concept of a ‘Linden Awards’ will also be introduced.

Also of particular focus will be sports, senior citizens’ luncheon, essay writing, tours, spelling bees and the youth village, he explained.

Sears explained that the Council is uninterested in executing concept parties or any major for- profit events, but rather will be executing community-based and non- profit events.

17

News

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ambulance, MoPH vehicle Victim’s family accuses Police collide on Camp Street of poor investigation A Mon Repos shooting

…says suspect in plain sight

T

Fazil Haniff in his hospital bed

he family of 27-yearold Fazil Haniff, who was allegedly shot to his stomach by his wife’s lover, is accusing the Police of dragging their feet when it comes to the investigation since the suspect is in plain sight and is yet to be apprehended.

Haniff, a resident of Mon Repos Pasture, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was shot once to his stomach on November 17 at his home. The incident occurred around 21:00h after the suspect visited the man’s home where he was accused of having an affair

with the man’s wife.

The father of two remains hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where his condition has been fluctuating ever since.

The man’s brother, Nazim Haniff, the Toshao of Yarakita Village in Region One (Barima-Waini), told Guyana Times that his brother had emergency surgery to remove his spleen since the shooting.

“Since my brother get shoot, the Police didn’t tell us anything since. The man name Ron and he from Albouystown and he just walking free and the Police just not doing anything as my brother need justice,” he related.

Nazim added that the suspect has been contacting his sister-in-law since the incident. He claims that the affair, between the suspect and his sister-in-law, has been allegedly going on for over a year.

n ambulance and a vehicle attached to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) were on Monday involved in a three-vehicle accident at the intersection of Camp and Middle Streets, Georgetown.

Based on reports received, the accident occurred about 11:00h while the emergency medical transport was returning from the Diamond hospital, East Bank Demerara, carrying a patient who had been suffering seizures.

The woman driving the Ministry’s vehicle reportedly failed to heed the sirens, causing her to clip the side of the ambulance at the busy downtown intersection. The force of the impact thereby caused the medical vehicle to hit a parked car.

As a result, one of the transformers attached to the electrical pole near the parked car was dislodged.

Field officers attached to the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) were quick-

The ambulance involved in the accident at University of Guyana, Turkeyen junction

ly dispatched to the scene to prevent further damage.

All of the occupants walked away with just minor injuries from the accident. A nurse as well as another man sustained minor injuries.

Meanwhile, the patient being transported managed to arrive safely at the Georgetown Public Hospital, but remains in the emergency section owing to the pre-existing condition.

The ambulance was

damaged on its side while the fender of the Ministry’s vehicle was detached. The parked vehicle suffered the majority of the damage, being struck at the back and side.

This accident comes just one day after another ambulance was involved in a similar accident at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen junction. However, this collision was not as severe, with only minor damage being done to the car struck.

ECD man fined for disregarding East La Penitence plumber remanded for carjacking presidential convoy

A

motor lorry driver on Monday appeared before Providence Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs and was fined for his disregard of a presidential motorcade by not allowing the procession the right of way. Additionally, he was charged for dangerous driving.

Durbaj Uraj of Lot 577 Foulis Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, driving motor lorry GRR 8873 on September 30th, failed to give the right of way to a presidential convoy which was returning to Georgetown. The incident occurred at Coverden, East Bank Demerara.

Uraj admitted to the offence and was fined $40,000; he also was placed on a oneyear bond.

Magistrate Isaacs cautioned Uraj that should he commit any traffic violation during the one-year period of his bond, he would be sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment.

T

wenty-five-yearold John Glen was arraigned before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday on a charge of robbery under arms and remanded to prison after he opted to enter a not-guilty plea.

It is alleged that the defendant on November 3, 2017 at Seawall Road in Georgetown, while armed

with a knife and in the company of another person who was armed with a gun, robbed Harjeet Singh of one Toyota Primo motor car valued at $1.8 million.

The father of one vehemently denied any knowledge of the allegation.

Meanwhile, Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves posed a string of objections to bail being

granted, citing the seriousness of the charge coupled with the fact that a weapon was used in the commission of the crime.

The court was inclined to uphold the prosecution’s objections and the defendant was remanded to prison.

Glen will make his next court appearance on December 11, 2017.

5 homeless following La Jalousie fire 3 years’ jail time …GPL slammed for inaction to reports of faulty transformer garding a faulty transformer which had been severely leaking for some months now.

Another La Jalousie family was just last month rendered homeless by the similar circumstance of GPL allegedly not responding to complaints in a timely manner. Despite numerous re-

Jalousie, WCD. This was after the house was allegedly set alight by sparks emanating from faulty electric wires attached to the building.

GPL has again come in for much criticism given that in both of these cases persons have lamented that action from the electricity

The La Jalousie home engulfed in flames

A

family of five is now homeless after their residence at Lot 31 La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara went up in flames on Sunday morning.

The fire was reportedly caused by a faulty transformer that had been located in close proximity to the now gutted building. This newspaper was told that at about 10:00hrs on Sunday, sparks were seen emanating from a nearby electric pole, and a massive inferno quickly erupted.

Sixty-one-year-old Parbattie Baldeo and her

two grandchildren were then at home, but were forced to abandon the burning house, leaving behind all of their belongings to perish.

Baldeo’s son, Dooknauth Kalicharran, and his wife, Radika Prem, were the other occupants of the now destroyed home.

Speaking to media operatives, Kalicharran indicated that their losses amount to a value of about $30 million.

Guyana Times, meanwhile, understands that several reports had been filed at the Guyana Power and Light entity (GPL) re-

The remains of the gutted La Jalousie home

ports to GPL, a mother of two was forced to gather her children and evacuate their burning home after fire quickly spread throughout the building at Lot 12, La

company could have averted the disaster which had led to the two families being left homeless. Efforts to contract personnel from GPL on the issue have proven futile.

for cocaine addict

“I

was there, right, but it is impossible to take all those shoes at one time…there was a broken window and I took a couple shoes…I was using drugs and intoxicated”.

Michael Singh offered this explanation on Monday when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer charges of break and enter and larceny.

Singh is alleged to have broken and entered the storage bond of city businessman Ashraf Ali in King Street, Georgetown, and stolen therefrom a quantity of footwear valued at $367,000 on November 1, 2017.

A second charge he faces allege that Singh had broken and entered the said storage bond on a previous occasion, when he carted off some $40,000 worth in footwear.

The accused sought to raise a defence of intoxication by alleging that he was “high” on drugs (cocaine) and therefore could not have been of sober mind to intend the offence in question or re-

alise what he was doing. This was rejected by the magistrate, who passed a sentence of eighteen months’ imprisonment for each offence, but the sentences are set to run concurrently.

During his presentation of the facts to the court, Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves said that on September 9, 2017, the businessman had secured the storage bond, and upon his return on October 11, 2017, discovered the items missing. He reported the matter to the police. Similar facts follow for the second offence before the courts.

There was no breakthrough in the investigation until November 25, when a police constable in the vicinity saw the defendant on the premises and arrested him.

However, it is unclear what had prompted the arrest.

Following his apprehension Singh reportedly confessed to his crimes, and told investigating officials that he had sold the items on the street to purchase cocaine for his own use.

Michael Singh is a 40-year-old father of one, and is a mason by trade.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017

ARCHIE

A settlement will turn in your favour. Reach out to the (March 21powers-that-be for help if you April 19) want to overcome a delay or pitfall you face due to someone’s false accusations.

ARIES

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

Keep your plans a secret until you are fully prepared to present what you have to offer. Focus on self-improvements that will encourage you to stand up and do your own thing.

Partnerships need to be GEMINI (May 21- handled with compassion, June 20) honesty and good will. How you treat others will reflect on your ability to lead.

Choose peace and love over sensationalism.

Stay focused on what’s expected of you. You can bring (June 21- about positive change if you July 22) work alongside your peers to build a better environment for those less fortunate.

CANCER

Peanuts

A business trip, interview, LEO meeting or learning pursuit is (July 23- featured. Take pride in what Aug. 22) you know, and show dedication in what you do. Much can be accomplished if you are persistent.

Spend more time organizVIRGO ing your personal papers and (Aug. 23taking care of matters conSept. 22) cerning your domestic life and those you feel responsible for. Be willing to help, but don’t take control.

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Don’t let your peers get the better of you. Stay sharp and put emotional situations on the back burner. Use intelligence to help you mastermind your way to the top.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Networking events will give you an opportunity to show off what you have to offer. A physical change will be noticed and approved of by someone influential.

Opportunity is apparent.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Stand up to anyone using blackmail to coerce you into doing things you don’t want to do. Stay focused on your health and making personal gains. Don’t hesitate when you can take action.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle

Don’t overreact to unpredictable situations.

Discussions will quickly turn into a debate that will leave you in a state of flux.

Don’t reveal information that will provoke a dispute.

Temptation will be diffiAQUARIUS cult to resist. Do your home(Jan. 20- work. Know exactly what’s Feb. 19) being offered and what’s expected of you in return. A gift, bonus or financial gain is apparent.

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

Delays while traveling or PISCES (Feb. 20- waiting for an email or parMarch 20) cel can be expected. Use your intuitive insight to guide you in matters concerning health, money or legal concerns.

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017

F

Infantino vows hardline approach on racism and doping at the World Cup

IFA will take a zero-tolerance approach to racism at the World Cup, stopping games if necessary, says Gianni Infantino.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised to take a hardline approach against racism and doping at next year's World Cup in Russia.

The likes of Yaya Toure and Hulk are among the high-profile names to have spoken about being subjected to racist abuse in Russia in recent years, and the topic of how to deal with discrimination has been a key talking point in the build-up to the World Cup. Infantino has vowed to take a

Evin Lewis's savagery helps Dhaka overhaul big total

T

he Dhaka Dynamites successfully ran down 187 against the Chittagong Vikings in today’s round of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) games thanks in large part to a savage 75 from Windies opener, Evin Lewis.

Choosing to bat first, the Vikings must have been pleased with their 187-5 after skipper Luke Ronchi got them off to a romping good start, with 59 from 40 deliveries, before Anamul Haque smashed 73 from 47 deliveries.

Sunil Narine, was his usual miserly self, bagging 1-11 from his four overs. Unfortunately, everybody else, came in for a bit of stick, with the usually good Shakib Al Hasan going for 51 from his four overs.

In reply, Lewis, shook off the early loss of Shahid Afridi for a duck, to score a 31-ball 75, in collaboration with Joe Denley, who scored 44 from 39 balls.

Later, Chris Delport, 43 from 24, and Shakib, 22 from 17, helped Dhaka over the line against Taskin Ahmed, 1-35, Rayad Amrit, 1-24, and Tanbir Hayder, 1-18. (Sportsmax)

19

zero-tolerance approach to racism, including stopping games if necessary, but is confident that no incidents will occur during the showpiece tournament.

Speaking on a YouTube video, posted on FIFA's website just four days before the World Cup draw, he said: "When it comes to anti-discrimination it is the same at FIFA. This is a very high priority and we'll make sure that no incidents will happen.

"If incidents happen then we have for the first time in a World Cup the so-called three-step procedure where a referee can stop a game or even abandon a game if there are discriminatory racist in-

cidents.

"This is absolutely not tolerable and we will be very, very firm on that so we can expect fair play in Russia.

"We expect a peaceful event.

We made the experience at the Confederations Cup where the whole event was run in a very peaceful and smooth way.

"And together with the authorities we are sure that everything is organised so that the fans can enjoy in a peaceful way.

"I think it's very important because everyone who comes to Russia will want to be that sure they come in a secure environment.

"The environment is and will be secure. The authorities are putting in 200% of their efforts to make sure that this happens. This will happen.

"We can expect the World Cup in Russia to change perceptions.

All of us we have a perception of a country, and when it comes to Russia as well.

"As it happened in the past with other hosts, I'm sure that this World Cup will change the way in which the world is looking at Russia.

"The world will discover a country that is open, which is welcoming, which is warm, which loves to party and enjoy and celebrate ev-

erything, but in particular in the months of June and July to celebrate football."

Infantino also addressed the issue of doping tests, with the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) still suspended.

"We expect fair play on the pitch and when speak about fair play we have to speak about anti-discrimination and anti-doping as well," he said.

"Speaking about doping obviously all players in all teams will be tested in competition and out of competition and we are sure that everyone is well aware of this situation." (Sportsmax)

IOC bans 5 more Winter Olympic athletes

F

ive more Russian athletes have been banned from the Olympics for life as a result of the International Olympic Committee's investigations into the country's doping scandal.

Sergei Chudinov, Aleksei Negodailo, Dmitry Trunenkov, Yana Romanova and Olga Vilukhina have all been punished.

The IOC announced the first Russian bans, based on the findings of the 2016 McLaren report, on 1 November.

On Monday, it published a full decision on one of the

Yana Romanova (second left) and Olga Vilukhina (far right) won silver in the biathlon relay at Sochi 2014

bans for the first time.

In it, the IOC's disciplinary commission de-

scribed the "puzzle" of investigating something that was "by nature and pur-

pose elusive".

The McLaren report said Russian athletes ben-

Barbados to honour Sir Wes Hall with statue

T

he contributions of Sir Wes Hall to West Indies cricket and to cricket in Barbados are the stuff made of legends, and now that legend will be enshrined in a statue of the great man who turned 80 in September.

Sir Wes, said Chris DeCaires, committee member of the Sir Wes Hall 80th Committee, has “done a heck of a lot, so we wanted to do something that will be there for a long time, so the idea is to build a statute”.

The size and location of the statue in Barbados is still to be decided and will depend on conversations with the artist set to build it.

“We are not just relying on Government; we started collecting money through fundraising activity and we have raised over $100 000.

But a statute is going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars so we have got a lot of work still to do,” said DeCaires.

Sir Wes, loves the idea of a statue but was quick to point out that he could never have achieved the things he did without great people around him.

“When a statue of one man is erected, you can bet your life that there were another 30 people helping him, so I am grateful for them.

It is a good thought, and something that I never thought could be my lot,” said Sir Wes. (Sportsmax)

Sir Wes Hall

efited from a state-sponsored doping programme between 2011 and 2015, speaking of "a cover-up that evolved from uncontrolled chaos to an institutionalised and disciplined medal-winning conspiracy".

In explaining its decision to punish Alexander Legkov, one of two Russian skiers banned on 1 November, the IOC said the athlete had "sought to argue that no evidence could be drawn from the McLaren report" but it had "come to a different conclusion".

It said the authority of the report's author, Professor Richard McLaren, was "unquestionable" and it "can and will rely" on its findings.

Negodailo and Trunenkov were members of Russia's four-man bobsleigh team that won gold at Sochi 2014.

Romanova and Vilukhina won silver in the biathlon relay, while Vilukhina won silver in the 7.5km event.

Nineteen Russian athletes have now been suspended from the Olympics for life since 1 November.

The latest bans come with the IOC set to rule on whether Russia will be allowed to compete at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which begin on 9 February.

The IOC will announce its decision at its next meeting, scheduled to begin on 5 December. (BBC)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017

Windies stumble on final day of drawn tour game A fter enjoying two days in the ascendancy, the West Indians ended the drawn tour match in Lincoln on a lower note: they were dismissed for 186 in their second innings and then failed to dismiss Tom Latham and Jeet Raval, who are set to open for New Zealand in the first Test, in two hours before the end of the game.

The third day had begun with the West Indians on 53 for 2, leading by 267 runs after a hefty batting effort in the first innings and then their bowlers dismissing New Zealand A cheaply. However, that run of form dipped with wickets falling early: Roston Chase was dismissed by Lockie Ferguson, who was called into New Zealand's Test squad as cover for Tim Southee, and 71 for 3 became 72 for 4 when Jermaine Blackwood was out for a duck to Hamish Bennett.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite went on to make 88 and put on 70 with Shane Dowrich for the sixth wicket before retiring out.

The innings ended swiftly after that, with James Neesham and Bennett mopping up the tail.

New Zealand A batted 29 overs in their second in-

Kohli rested for Sri Lanka ODIs

nings with Raval remaining unbeaten on 32 and Latham on 28. The West Indians used eight bowlers once again, but unlike in the first innings - when everyone took a wicket - no one had success this time.

The first Test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington begins on December 1.

SCOREBOARD West Indies 1st innings 451/9d New Zealand A 1st innings 273 West Indies 2nd Innings K Brathwaite retired out 88 K Powell b Ferguson 4 S Hetmyer b van Beek 10 R Chase c Worker b Ferguson 6 J Blackwood c Astle b Bennett 0 R Reifer c Latham b van Beek 12 S Dowrich †b Bennett 47 J Holder (c) c †Blundell b Neesham 0 D Bishoo c †Blundell b Neesham 1 A Joseph c Broom b Bennett 0 K Roach not out 2 Extras: 16 (b 4, lb 1, nb 3, w 8) Total: 186 all out (53 Overs) Did not bat: SD Hope, SW Ambris, ML Cummins, ST Gabriel Fall of wickets: 1-9 (KOA Powell, 2.6 ov), 2-43 (SO Hetmyer, 10.5 ov), 3-71 (RL Chase, 20.2 ov), 4-72 (J Blackwood, 21.6 ov), 5-101 (RA Reifer, 28.3 ov),

6-171 (KC Brathwaite, 46.6 ov), 7-178 (SO Dowrich, 49.2 ov), 8-178 (JO Holder, 50.5 ov), 9-179 (AS Joseph, 51.3 ov), 10-186 (D Bishoo, 52.6 ov) Bowling: Ferguson 7-0-1-242, Bennett 11-2-50-3, LV van Beek10-0-46-2, T Astle 15-3-34-0 JDS Neesham 7-03-16-2, Worker3-0-11-0 New Zealand A 2nd Innings (target: 401 runs) J Raval not out 32 T Latham (c) not out 28 Extras: 12 (b 4, lb 1, nb 7) Total: 72/0 (29 Overs) Did not bat: GH Worker, NT Broom, TC Bruce, TA Blundell †, JDS Neesham, TD Astle, LV van Beek, LH Ferguson, HK Bennett Bowling: Gabriel 4-2-4-0, Roach 4-1-11-0, Cummins 4-2-9-0, Joseph 2-1-6-0, Chase 8-3-13-0, Reifer 4-2-9-0, Bishoo 2-0-11-0, Brathwaite 1-0-4-0

V

Rohit Sharma (left) and Virat Kohli

irat Kohli has been rested for India’s three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka next month and Rohit Sharma will lead the hosts in the absence of their regular captain, the Indian cricket board said on Monday.

Kohli leads India in all three formats of the game and the 29-year-old has been in imperious form with the bat.

With India scheduled to travel to South Africa for a full tour immediately after the Sri Lanka series, the selectors decided to rest Kohli for the ODIs, which start on Dec. 10.

India won the second of the three-test series against the island nation by an innings and 239 runs in Nagpur on Monday and will play the final test in Delhi from Saturday.

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan returns to the squad for the final test after withdrawing from the second match for per-

sonal reasons.

India will also host Sri Lanka in three Twenty20 matches before embarking on the tour to South Africa.

India squad for third test: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar India squad for ODI series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul (Reuters)

Ashwin spins India to massive win O

f f - s p i n n e r Ravichandran Ashwin polished off Sri Lanka’s tail in the second test to help India equal their biggest victory and go 1-0 up in the three-match series in Nagpur on Monday.

The hosts bundled out Sri Lanka for 166 shortly after fourth day’s lunch to prevail by an innings and 239 runs, the margin equalling their 2007

Ravichandran Ashwin sniped out the Sri Lanka tail

triumph against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Ashwin finished with 4-63 in the second in-

nings, overtaking former Australian p a c e m a n Dennis Lillee as the fastest to 300 test wickets in the process.

Lillee took 56 matches to reach the mark while t h e 31-yearold Ashwin achieved the feat in his 54th.

“I really hope I can go on to double these 300 wickets, I’ve only played 50 tests,” said Ashwin, who has been working on his variations with India slated to play a number of away series next year.

“It’s not easy bowling spin, it looks like you’re just ambling up. But there’s a lot behind it.”

The tourists lost seven wickets in an extended morning session and India

returned after lunch to complete the formalities.

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal hit a defiant 61 and added 58 with Suranga Lakmal, who remained unbeaten on 31, to stretch the contest to the second session.

Paceman Umesh Yadav ended the partnership after the interval when Chandimal pulled one straight to Ashwin at fine leg.

“Before we came here, we had a gameplan,” Chandimal said at the postmatch presentation. “We said to the guys ‘if you get a start, you have to bat long’.

But they scored only 50-60 runs and got out. It’s unfortunate but I‘m sure they will learn.”

India defeated the islanders by a 9-0 margin across formats earlier this year and after the draw in the rain-affected opening test in Kolkata, things were back to normal for the world’s top-ranked test side.

After resuming on 21-1, Sri Lanka kept India’s bowlers at bay for six overs be-

fore Dimuth Karunaratne was out on 18 to a freakish dismissal off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

Lahiru Thirimanne played an irresponsible shot to a wide delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav to be caught at point for 23 in a further blow to Sri Lanka’s chances of resisting India.

Ashwin dismissed Dasun Shanaka, Dilruwan Perera

and Rangana Herath before lunch and then bowled Lahiru Gamage to enter the record books.

India captain Virat Kohli, who was named player of the match for his 213 in the first innings, said the comprehensive win will boost his side’s confidence ahead of the tough tour of South Africa early next year. (Reuters)

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka 1st innings 205 India 1st innings 610 for 6 decl Sri Lanka 2nd innings (Overnight: 21-1) S Samarawickramab I. Sharma 0 D Karunaratnec Vijay b Jadeja 18 LThirimannec Jadeja b U. Yadav 23 A Mathewsc R Sharma b Jadeja 10 D Chandimalc R. Ashwin b U. Yadav 61 N Dickwellac Kohli b I. Sharma 4 D Shanakac Rahul b R. Ashwin17 D Pereralbw b R Ashwin 0 R Herathc Rahane b R. Ashwin 0

S Lakmalnot out 31 L Gamageb R. Ashwin 0 Extras(lb-2)2 Total(all out, 49.3 overs) 166 Fall of wickets: 1-0 S. Samarawickrama,2-34 D. Karunaratne,3-48 L. Thirimanne,4-68 A. Mathews,5-75 N. Dickwella,6-102 D. Shanaka,7-107 D. Perera,8-107 R. Herath,9-165 D. Chandimal,10-166 L. Gamage Bowling: I. Sharma 12 - 4 43 - 2 , R. Ashwin 17.3 - 4 63 – 4, Jadeja 11 - 5 - 28 – 2, Yadav 9 - 2 - 30 - 2

sports

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21

Thaddeus Corell

he 2017/2018 Guyana Cricket Board/ Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited/ National Sport Commission/National Secondary School Cricket League (GCB/DMLAS/NSC/ NSSCL) continued with matches being played in Georgetown and on the West Coast Demerara Zeeburg won by 69 runs.

At the Zeeburg ground, Zeeburg Secondary won the toss and batted, scoring 148-6 in their allotted 30 overs with Andre Seepersaud scoring 81. Tejenon Singh took 2 for 19 and Richardo Panaram 2 for 44.

In reply Stewartville were bowl out for 79 in 17.4 overs with Alex Ali top scoring with 25 and Tagnarine Harriram 16. Andre Seepersaud and Breton Alicock were the most

Stokes headed Down Under but not for Ashes S

uspended all-rounder Ben Stokes has left England on a trip to visit family in New Zealand and will not be joining the Ashes squad, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Tuesday. Stokes, who has been suspended since he was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm outside a Bristol nightclub in September, was pictured at London’s Heathrow Airport late on Monday.

The sighting sparked speculation that he might be on his way to Australia to join his erstwhile team mates, who were hammered by 10 wickets in the first Ashes test on Monday, but England officials said that was not the case.

“The ECB is aware that Ben Stokes is making a private trip to New Zealand to spend time with his family. His travel arrangements have not been arranged by the ECB,” an ECB statement read.

“He is not on his way to the Ashes, England Lions or any other official training camps with the England set up.” Stokes moved to England with his parents as a 12-year-old after his New Zealand rugby league international father, Ged, took up a coaching job in Cumbria.

England’s director of cricket Andrew Strauss said on Sunday the ECB were still awaiting a police decision on whether Stokes would be charged over the Bristol incident.

“Until that happens, nothi n g has changed. We’re in the same situation as we have been for quite a long time now,” he told the English media.

“There are certain procedural things that have taken place but there is a process that can only kick in once we’ve heard a charging decision from the police.” (Reuters) Ben Stokes

instrumental bowlers for Leonora Secondary with 4 wickets each.

Leonora Secondary won by 3 wickets.

In another match played at the Zeeburg ground, Uitvlugt won the toss and batted but only manage 76 all out in 25.3 overs. Batting for Uitvlugt, Joshua Reddy made 19 and Robin Mangra 18. Bowling for Leonora, Jason Holder took 3 for 8, Jason Payne 2 for 10 and Nocolai Jacobus 2 for 20.

In reply Leonora made 77-7 in 22 overs, with Thaddeus Corell top scoring with an unbeaten 22. Bowling for Uitvlugt, Lallchand Seeram and Joshua Reddy both grab two wickets each.

Queen’s College won the match by 7 wickets.

At the Ogle ground, Queen’s College won the toss and decided to field first. This decision proved worthwhile, as they dismissed School of the Nations for 81 off just 22.1 overs of their allotted 30 overs.

Dominic Rooberts was the only batsman to offer any resistance with 16.

Bowling for Queens College, Nathan Suknandan, Amos Sarwan, Jayden

Alves and Gary Ross each took two wickets.

In reply Queen’s College batted cautiously, reaching their victory target off 20 overs, ending on 82 for 3. Idris Allen made 22, while Nathan Suknandan stroke an unbeaten 22.

Ashish Shivraj and Bheem Hardya both took one wicket each.

St Stanislaus College beat St. John’s College by 67 runs.

Over at the GNIC ground, St. John won the toss and elected to bowl first. St Stanislaus took advantage of the bowlers scoring 130 for 6 in the allotted 18 overs, after the overs in the match was reduced due to rain. Batting for St. Stanislaus, Surendra Kaneez hit 41 and Dhasham Samaroo 28. Bowling for St. John’s College Odida Douglas and Amunika Haleseach took one wicket.

In reply, St John’s College could only manage 63 all out in 12 overs.

Batting for St. John’s College, Odida Douglas stroke 34 not out.Bowling for St. Stanislaus, Surendra Kaneez grabbed 3 for 6, Daniel Persaud 3 for 14, and Jafar Pindar 3 for 18.

Buffon open to Italy return I

f Italy come calling again then Gianluigi Buffon will be waiting to answer, despite having previously retired from international football.

Gianluigi Buffon hinted that he would remain available to play for Italy, stating he could never reject a call from his country.

The veteran Juventus goalkeeper said after Italy's World Cup play-off final defeat to Sweden that his time with the international team was over after a 175-cap career.

Buffon was left in tears on the San Siro pitch after a 1-0 aggregate defeat meant the Azzurri would miss out on a spot at the global showpiece for the first time in 60 years.

However, the 39-year-old says he will always be available to answer his country's call should it come.

"I took a break from the national team, but I could never desert a possible call in the future if needed," he told reporters at the Gran Gala del Calcio.

"I'm of a certain age, so it's right for me to take a pause.

"With the way I am though, if there were a total absence of goalkeepers and they asked me to come back, I'd be there even at 60."

Buffon has previously said that this season will be his last unless Juventus win the Champions League, in which case he will stay on to play at the Club World Cup. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017

13th Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival

Queen's Park dethrone Pepsi Hikers in men’s final T he climax of the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival on Sunday saw another outstanding display of hockey skills by Queens Park in the men’s final and a nail-biting finish in the women’s competition between six-time champs Pizza Hut GCC and 2016 runners-up the Woodpecker Hikers. The Carib veteran’s category also saw Queens Park edge arch-rivals Vintage GCC to reverse the result of the two sides which last met in Trinidad 10 months ago.

The men’s final would see a predictable matchup based on pool round performances and a repeat of last year’s final between the Pepsi Hikers and Queens Park CC. With Queens Park enjoying an 8-3 victory in the pool round, they entered this year’s final as underdogs seeking to win their first ever festival.

While both sides played a good brand of hockey, the superiority of Queens Park was evident as they tightened the reins on the match and were up by 4-1 by half time.

MVP Jordan Vieira of Queens Park and Trinidadian international Akim Toussaint produced a duo that was too much for

the Hikers defence to handle. Queens Park would repeat their first half feat with four more goals in the second half while tournament top-scorer Aroydy Branford managed just two for his side to leave the final score at 8-3.

In the ladies final, Guyana national champs Pizza Hut GCC would have their hands full against a determined Woodpecker Hikers side bolstered by the addition of two Trinidadian internationals in Alana Lewis and Brittany Hing.

The Hikers had soundly beaten GCC by 4-1 in the pool round and were poised to lift the trophy for the first time this year.

The fast-paced game however saw a more determined GCC who enjoyed the greater possession and winning several penalty corners in the early minutes. With the halftime score remaining at 0-0, the teams continued an even battle in the second half but the Hikers managed to get more production out of their forwards and pressed GCC back into their defensive area as the game wore on.

Time would expire on both sides however as they remained scoreless and would have to rely on a penalty shootout to determine the

– Pizza Hut GCC ladies win female final

The men and women’s champions

winner.

Most Valuable goalkeeper of the tournament chose this moment to shine as she successfully blocked all three Hikers attempts by the two Trinidadians, Lewis and Hing as well as Maria Munroe. Tournament MVP Gabriella Xavier’s opening shootout goal for GCC was all the team needed to secure the victory for the

Pizza Hut ladies.

Top-scorer of the Carib beer veterans’ competition, Raphael Gouveia, managed to score three of his eleven goals in the final match against Vintage GCC. Left back Jerazeno ‘Skillaxe’ Bell was in fine form orchestrating the attack and making several penetrating passes into the GCC scoring area to set his team in

good stead to score. MVP GCC’s Dwayne Scott was first to score through a penalty corner in the 3rd minute but Gouveia equalized three minutes later. This was the case twice more in the first half as every time GCC found a way through the Queens Park defence to score, the Trinidadians would respond with a goal of their own.

Queens Park would surge ahead in the second half with three unanswered goals and just as the match seemed out of reach for the Bourda side, GCC managed to pull two goals back with but with less than one minute remaining. Time would be the enemy for Vintage GCC as the final buzzer saw Queens Park pulling off the 6-5 victory.

Jordan Vieira of Queens Park received the Most Valuable Player award for the men’s competition while Reiza Hosein also of Queens Park received the Best Goalkeeper. Aroydy Branford of the Pepsi Hikers scored the most goals of the competition.

Pizza Hut GCC swept the individual awards in the ladies competition with Gabriella Xavier picking up the Most Valuable Player award, Briawna Gordon the Best goalkeeper and Kerensa Fernandes the most goals.

Dwayne Scott was adjudged the Most Valuable Player in the Carib Veterans competition while Bryan Lee Chow of Queens Park received Best Goalkeeper.

Raphael Gouveia of Queens Park and Dwight Sullivan of Old Fort shared the Most Goals scored award

Georgetown Zone Guinness "Greatest of the Streets"

Mouthwatering clashes on tonight at Burnham Court – Future Stars, Leopold Street and Back Circle in action

T

he third round of group stage matches in the Guinness Greatest of the Streets will kick off tonight from 19:00h at the Burnham Court, Carmichael and Middle Streets with a number of exciting matches lined up.

Group H leaders Future Stars will be looking to extend their lead at the top with a second win tonight; however they will face a stern test from Alexander Village who will want to walk away with their first win after losing their first match over the weekend.

The dangerous Akeemo Anthony, Keron Solomon

Action in the Guinness "Greatest of the Streets" Georgetown Zone

and company will be looking to maintain their golden run of form.

Also in action will be Back Circle who face newcomers Rising Stars in a

Group D clash, both teams are level on three points each but Rising Stars

boast a better goal difference. This is potentially the group winner’s decider.

Other games that should have fans’ nerves on edge should be Bent Street versus Tucville’ the latter has three points from two outings while Bent Street have won one out of one. Tucville led by veteran Delon Williams will be gunning to make it two out of three.

At 19:00hrs, Gaza Squad will oppose Ol Skool Ballers, while Albouystown-A battles GTI Ballers at 19:15hrs and Leopold Street tackles Bad-A-Yard from 19:30hrs.

The fourth fixture will pit Rising Stars against Back Circle at 19:45hrs, while Bent Street match-

es skills with Tucville from 20:00hrs and Broad Street engages Queen Street Tigerbay at 20:15hrs.

In the final three matches, North East La Penitence tackles New Market Street at 20:30hrs, Future Stars battles Alexander Village from 20:45hrs, and Albouystown-B tackles Trap Squad from 21:00hrs.

Winner of the overall event will walk-away with $500,000 and the championship trophy along with automatic qualification for the National Playoffs.

The runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers will receive $250,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively. The event is also sponsored by Colours Boutique.

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, november 28, 2017

23

MoE/GTU 57th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track & Field Championships

Corentyne pip Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani to cycling honours –Ramsuchit rules Under-16s

By Michelangelo Jacobus

O

n day two of the 57th National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships it was District 6 (Corentyne) who came out on top in the cycling segment.

They held off the defending champions District 10 (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) on Monday at the inner circuit of the National Park by a mere seven points as they amassed 229 points compared to District 10’s 222 points.

There was no real standout cyclist from Corentyne but they were consistent in placing among the top four throughout the respective age categories racking up points methodically as the day went by.

The highlight of the day was young Jonathan Ramsuchit’s dominance of the Boy’s U-16 catego-

Action in the Boys' U-14 category

ry; out of his three events for the day, the diminutive 14-year-old hailing out of New Amsterdam (District 15) put his much larger rivals to shame copping two gold medals and a silver.

Ramsuchit got off to a flyer in his first event of the day; the 3000 metre Boy’s

U-16 which is just two laps around the inner circuit. He maintained his consistent start by keeping up with the early leader Denzil Huntley (District 10), however on the second and final lap Ramsuchit switched gears and made his move with 200 metres left to leave Huntley

Police solidify chance to retain title

I

n front of a packed Linden crowd at the McKenzie Sports Club (MSC) the dangerous Police FC booked yet another spot in a final as they thrashed a hapless Soesdyke side 5-1 in their semi-final encounter on Sunday.

Soesdyke took the lead through Colin McLean in the 25th minute to give supporters false hope, however the Police attack quickly evaporated those hopes as Sharma Fraser in the 30th minute, Quincy Holder in the 47th and Rawle Haynes in the 66th minute put their side 3-1 up. Two more late goals from Stephen Ramsey and Philbert McWatt in the 80th and 89th minutes put the game to bed.

Meanwhile in the battle of the Lindeners, Winners Connection took on Mile Rock FC and won comfortably at 3-1 courtesy of a Keon Sears double. Sears opened the scoring after twenty minutes and scored another in the 35th minute.

However Keston

A Keon Sears double sealed a berth in the final for homeside Winners Connection

Randall would halve the deficit for Mile Rock in the 51st minute only for Derol Dainty to make it 3-1 to take the game away from Milerock as Winners Connection booked their spot in the final.

All roads will now lead to the MSC Ground on Thursday night where Police FC will look to retain their title with the final beginning at 21:00hrs.

at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonora, West Coast Demerara with the track and field events which will finish on Friday.

The Boy’s Open 40Km and Girl’s Open 25Km Cycling Road Race will kick off on Friday as well.

Overall Points after 32 completed events: District 1- 0 Points District 2- 15 Points District 3- 111 Points District 4- 122 Points District 5- 46 Points District 6- 229 Points District 7- 75 Points District 8- 30 Points District 9- 0 Points District 10- 222 Points District 11- 80 Points District 12- 92 Points District 13- 125 Points District 14- 51 Points District 15- 45 Points

Another year, another swimming title for District 11

Hamilton Green Knockout Cup 2017

– book final spot with Winners Connection

in the dust and cross the finish line in a time of four minutes 52 seconds to claim his first gold of the day.

That would be the start of an entertaining rivalry as Ramsuchit turned his attention to the 2000 metres dispatching of his competition

in three minutes 52 seconds for his second gold while Tyirique Clement (District 3) copped second and Chameshwar Dani (District 6) settled for third.

In his final event of the day Huntley got revenge when he piped Ramsuchit by 2/100s of a second to win gold in the 1500 metres race.

Huntley crossed the finish line in two minutes 16.4 seconds while Ramsuchit was second in two minutes 16.6 seconds. David Hicks came in third to win bronze for District 6.

After his outstanding performance Ramsuchit explained that he is accustomed to riding over longer distances and as such found no competition over the longer events, however the lad pointed out that the shorter race was a bit of a challenge but revealed that he was pleased with his form.

The “Nationals” will continue today from 09:00hrs

– record-breaking Seaton unstoppable

By Akeem Greene

T

he 57th edition of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Education Ministry National School Swimming Championships came and there was no change who is the boss of the pool as District 11 ( North Georgetown) added another chapter to over a decade of unmatched dominance.

Amassing 422 points, they purple and white unit made a strong statement of their overall championship intentions given they had 125.5 more points than their closest competitor at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal on Monday.

District 10 (Upper Demerara/Kwakwani) came second with 296.50 points while, South Georgetown (District 13) ended in third with 237 points.

Rounding out the top six spots were East Georgetown (District 12) with 180.50, Cuyuni Mazaruni (District 7) 174 points and North West (District 1) with 173 points.

Rupununi (District 9), Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon (District 2) had 128 and 124 points respectively while East

The victorious District 11 (North Georgetown) Team celebrate after another triumphant outing in the pool

Bank Demerara (District 14) had 58 points and West Coast Berbice (District 5) scored 21 points.

The final four placements went to East Coast Demerara (District 4), West Demerara (District 3), Potaro/Siparuni (District 8) and Corentyne (District 6), who had twenty, twelve, four and three points respectively.

Meanwhile, after over a two-hour delay in the dissemination of results to media operatives and respective team representatives , District 11’s Leon Seaton Jnr and Amy Grant where deemed some of the top performers of the day’s

proceedings.

The 13 year-old Seaton won the Boys under-14 50M in a record time of 25.54s, shattering the previous record of 26.18s which he set at the Goodwill Meet in August.

He also won the 50M backstroke in a time of 31.66s and the swam the opening leg of the 200M Freestyle relay which team recorded a time of 1:47.40s ahead of District 10’s 1:53.69s.

15 year-old Amy Grant also churned out some impressive performances, winning the under-18 50M freestyle (29.78s), 50M Butterfly (31.22s), 100M freestyle

(1:03.72s) along with anchoring 200M relay team to a time of 2:07.43s.

Other standout athletes were District 11’s Accalia Khan, who dominated the open category along with Nikita Fiedtkou. In the boys section it was a Daniel Scott and Alex Winter show while Raewon Noel occupied the podium spots in the under-16 category.

The action will move today out of the pool and unto the synthetic track at Leonora where they crust of the intriguing track and field action commences from 09:00 hrs.

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

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 23

Another year, another swimming title – record-breaking Seaton unstoppable

for District 11

MoE/GTU 57th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track & Field Championships

Corentyne pip Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani to cycling honours

– Ramsuchit rules Under-16s

Pg 23

Jonathan Ramsuchit leaves Denzil Huntley for dead in the 3000 Metres race to cop his first gold medal

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