Guyanatimes 29 november 2017

National Disability Week

Persons with disabilities benefit from capacity building workshop

P11 THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Issue No. 3407

PRICE

Private Sector body slams Govt's confused fiscal policies Page 7

Budget 2018

Tax amnesty smacks of personal deals – Jagdeo

Page 3

…questions motive for waiving interest, penalties of delinquent taxpayers

60 Joint Services ranks decorated in grand style

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Construction of new Camp Street Prison starts 2018 P9

Concerns raised over school-based gangs in P8 Linden …Commander stresses lack of support from welfare dept

Page 13

Wharf vendors’ relocation

K&VC owners take City Hall to court over removal notice P15

…over 40 more to be added to the list President David Granger pinning a medal on Nigel Langhorne, one of the awarded ranks

Berbice teen kidnapping

State House colour change

Mother decries Govt yet to non-assistance respond to of CC&PA, Police National Trust …full-fledged investigation to letter – CEO determine institution at fault Page 11

Page 10

SARA is worst piece of legislation enacted – P14 Ram ...laments reduced Parliamentary sittings Estates closure

GAWU, P2 NAACIE appeal CJ’s ruling

2 news

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Estates closure

GAWU, NAACIE appeal CJ’s ruling W

eeks after acting Chief Justice Roxane George ruled against an application to quash Government’s move to close the East Demerara and Rose Hall Estates, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural,

Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) are moving to challenge the ruling in the Appeal Court.

This was confirmed by GAWU President Komal Chand, who told Guyana Times on Tuesday that the unions were of the view that the acting Chief Justice “erred” in denying the appli-

cation.

This contention, according to Chand, will have to be heard in the Appeal Court at a date to be determined.

However, the unions will first tender submissions for the court’s consideration before the matter can proceed.

The original injunction in the High Court had noted that

Sugar workers protesting earlier in the year the closure of the Rose Hall Estate

not enough consultations were held by Government with the affected parties.

The decision to challenge the acting Chief Justice’s decision comes less than two weeks after workers of the Rose Hall Estate in East Canje,

GAWU President Komal Chand

Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) were told of Government’s plans to put off that entity’s closure until next year. This estate was scheduled to be closed on December 31, 2017. However, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, had announced that the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), which was established under the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to manage the privatisation/divestment process of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) was yet to determine the way forward for Rose Hall Estate.

It was in May 2017 that Government announced plans to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Sugar Estates, sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, reduce the annual production of sugar,

and take on the responsibility of managing the drainage and irrigation services offered by GuySuCo. These decisions were, however, met with union and community -sanctioned protests, which saw many workers and affected residents taking to the streets to highlight the negative impact the closures would have on workers and the economy as a whole.

In October, GuySuCo had disclosed plans to retrench some 2500 workers by the end of this year.

However, GAWU reiterated that the downsizing and subsequent closure of sugar estates would lead to the loss of more than 15,000 jobs and the potential threat of poverty for between 50,000 and 100,000 people.

Turn to page 13

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wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Budget 2018

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

Wednesday, November 29 – a nighttime retraction of 01:00h and a daytime retraction of 13:30h-15:00h and Thursday, November 30 – a nighttime retraction of 02:00h and a daytime retraction of 14:00h-15:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, November 29 – 12:45h-14:15h and Thursday, November 30 – 13:35h-15:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

Tax amnesty smacks of personal deals – Jagdeo …questions motive for waiving interest, penalties of delinquent taxpayers

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers will prevail throughout the day and evening with heavy rain showers in the afternoon.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Between East South-easterly and East Northeasterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 13:06h reaching a maximum height of 2.44 metres.

Low Tide: 06:33h and 19:06h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.83 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

01 07 15 17 20 21 16 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

TuesDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 03 05 14 16 19 LUCKY 3 9 2 5 Afternoon Draw

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0

0

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

03 04 05 06 14 17 18 DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

T

he Government’s announcement of an amnesty for all corporate and individual tax defaulters, something likely to cost the State a substantial amount, is being regarded with concern by the parliamentary Opposition.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan made the announcement of amnesty during his budget presentation on Monday. But during a press conference after the budget presentation, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo questioned the Government’s motive behind the move.

“Why now? Why not from the very beginning of their term? Is it that there are a few companies that they know of, who have large outstanding interest and penalties that would accrue to them and they’re trying to help those companies by giving them a 100 per cent write-off on all interest and penalties?” Jagdeo questioned.

“Is it that this is a deal in the making? Because if people have taxes outstanding, and they have interest to pay, then this government likes to believe it is fair, then the people should pay their interest in taxes that were outstanding for a while? This smacks of personal deals.”

Jagdeo raised comparisons between this amnesty and the 2016 Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) deal. This is a reference to the Guyana Revenue Authority’s multibillion-dollar tax settlement last year with DDL over outstanding consumption and excise taxes.

The GRA, in defending the settlement, had said that ending the 14-year-old case prevented prolonged litigation. The GRA had pointed out that the matter was already costing the nation significant amounts.

But the Opposition has always been against the settlement, expressing concern that other companies would move against the Government and seek re-

funds based on that case.

Subsequently, Banks DIH had slapped Government with a multibillion-dollar lawsuit, claiming in excess of $28 billion in repayment in light of the controversial tax write-off.

According to the court documents, the corporate entity paid some $12.8 billion in taxes over the period 2001 to 2006. But since Government granted DDL a $3.8 billion tax write-off from its assessed $5.3 billion owed, Banks DIH calculated that it should have only paid some $3 billion instead of $12.8 billion.

The company, therefore, argued that the Guyana Government would be “unjustly enriched” if it retained the approximately $9 billion.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has also demanded answers on who authorised the settlement.

“You know, until now we can say this because a deal, made with the GRA and DDL, that could cost the treasury US$400 million or $80 billion Guyana dollars; until now we can’t get answers on (it),” Jagdeo pointed out.

“We can’t get answers from Granger, we can’t get answers from Jordan, from this Parliament; they wouldn’t even allow us to entertain the question.

Imagine that. So (that is) $80 billion of lost revenue and they can’t find money to keep GuySuCo going.”

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Amnesty

Minister Jordan detailed the proposed amnesty would be granted to taxpayers with outstanding tax returns and payment.

This amnesty will be in effect from January 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018.

Taxpayers who file and pay all principal taxes on or before June 30, 2018 will have all interest and penalties waived.

On the other hand, those who file and pay all prin-

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

cipal taxes between July 1 and September 30, 2018 will have 50 per cent of interest and penalties waived. The Minister explained that to benefit from this amnesty, taxpayers must file accurate returns, as those found to be in violation would be subjected to an audit.

In addition, such persons will have to face the attendant penalties and interest payments. The GRA, Jordan noted, will also be enforcing the income tax laws with increased resources.

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wednesDAY, november 29, 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

Budget 2018: Billboards flatter to deceive

T

he 2018 National Budget has been presented and naturally both sides in the National Assembly would be boisterous in stating their analyses. From the Government standpoint, Budget 2018 delivers additional mechanisms for the provision of the good life it promised to all. The Opposition has already branded it disastrous and a failure. Over the next few days, the financial gurus would conduct their analyses and pontificate on positives and negatives. While that will be most useful, a casual perusal by the ordinary man can seemingly and somewhat instinctively evoke a sense of bewilderment.

This is posited given the impulse of the masses to part the jargon and have the impact on daily bread-and-butter issues revealed. Basically, what’s in it for them and how would they benefit? Would the budget redound in the good life coming knocking at their doors? With those pertinent questions as tools to unearth, a bare cupboard may be revealed from the perspective of the ordinary man and woman. Budgets are obviously not panaceas to solve every issue and for the satisfaction of all. However, one would expect meaningful measures that can genuinely appeal to the masses.

This is where Budget 2018 would have disappointed. The anticipation that surrounds the presentation of every Budget is generally premised on, among others, higher salaries and lower taxes; in other words, more disposable income to mitigate rising prices. As customary here, workers anticipate increases in salary and/or of the income tax threshold either through the Budget or an end-of-the-year announcement. Of recent, the latter seemed to have dried up and no upward movement of the income tax threshold was announced by the Honourable Minister of Finance in his 2018 Budget presentation.

That may have turned noses up in disgust especially when expectations were increased through the seemingly unprecedented lavish and costly billboards, which, while a good touch, were not necessary. None can be faulted for their expectations for increases in personal financial resources through the Budget. The belief may have been, if there were resources for the billboards, then same for the people. In reality, it turned out to be false expectations even in premise.

At least one group, pensioners, can bask in their fortune of an increase; a whopping five hundred dollars extra for 2018. While clearly sarcasm is intended, one has to seriously ask, what can that sum do?

This government, when in Opposition, criticised marginal increases implemented and boasted about by the past Administration. By the same standard, it must be held accountable. It appears that not just the tables have turned, but the thinking as well. As expected, State arms rush to defend this increase, which, in reality, cannot afford the luxury for any given month of two extra loaves of bread for the elderly. As a reminder, this government removed much-needed subsidies for water and electricity for pensioners. Similarly, having removed the education grant, the removal of VAT on education would now be vociferously championed as a monumental and visionary budgetary measure. But nothing can be farther from the truth.

The loud banging of tables as a show of support by Government members when the removal was announced was, therefore, astonishing. This was not the dismantling of an unpopular measure by the previous Administration. It was the reversal of an unwise decision of the said Government precipitated by sustained public pressure! Those who access private education were even labelled as elitist by some officials when the VAT was opposed. From all indications, it was a colossal blunder by the Government, having taken the position that only the financially endowed use private schools. So what was the celebration to the announcement about?

Clearly, it could not have been over a visionary decision. If it was over the acceptance and reversal of a mistake, then that would appear more acceptable. What seems very plausible is the absence of an acceptance of a mistake during the upcoming Budget debate. Like those with expectations for tangible budgetary measures, having been hooked by the billboards, any expectation of owning up to a mistake would meet the same fate. The banging on the tables may have given it away.

Another giveaway may lie somewhere in the proportionality of speed and accomplishment.

With a policy of swiftly presenting new budgets in the preceding year, there is always the possibility of some things suffering at the hands of expediency. It appears that in Budget 2018, substance suffered as did expectations no less than the deceit from the billboards.

Ugly Sweater World Championship: Some of the candidates pose wearing their holiday sweaters during the first Ugly Sweater World Championship in Albi, France (telegraph.co.uk)

Horrible job in creating opportunities for youth Dear Editor, Government and Finance Minister Winston Jordan were last year roasted for introducing dozens of new taxes in the 2017 Budget, ranging from one on private education to a tax on miners.

A significant amount of rage was pointed to the Minister, but from all appearances this time around, the 2018 edition might be the first indication of measures aimed at simply winning votes.

After all, it is mid- term and Local Government Elections are scheduled for next year.

After much picketing and lobbying, the education services tax has been lifted and Cabinet has also seen it fit to reduce the tributors tax by 10 per cent. The mining community has already signalled that it is happy with the reduction.

Despite what the Cabinet and the coalition might wish to say, the 2018 Budget is clearly intended to win hearts and minds.

For instance, delinquent taxpayers will benefit from an amnesty both for not filing any taxes at all, or by

fudging the figures to pay less to the State. Again, this is an olive branch to voters, designed to bring in billions in additional revenues and to change the view, of maybe too many Guyanese, that Government was simply hell-bent on piling on too many taxes, rules and regulations on them.

There are numerous other goodies that could be mentioned from the budget. The PPP might find it much harder this year to hurl criticism at this document than last year as

there are so many points to which parliamentarians and Government supporters can point to and defend. But as I often tell my friends, Government is doing a horrible job in creating opportunities for youth in keeping with promises prior to 2015.

This has to be addressed or the coalition might well pay dearly for this in 2020, oil or no oil.

Sincerely, Peter Joseph Nazeema Mohamed Roy Mason

Trinidad-based Guyanese oppose GECOM unilateral appointment

Dear Editor, Last week, I travelled around Trinidad interacting with Guyanese at various locations. There are thousands of Guyanese living in Trinidad doing varied jobs. A smaller number live in Tobago working as security guards or in small marketing businesses.

Guyanese are gainfully employed in T&T. Many also own small businesses or are self-employed in various activities, including agriculture. They are very productive model farmers. Some are involved in trading, importing and redistribution of goods.

Guyanese Trinis think about their homeland and want to see it progress and develop. In my con-

versations with them, every Guyanese express grave concern about current events (rising crime, closure of sugar estates, increasing taxes, violations of the Constitution, racism, etc) in their homeland.

They say they oppose the unilateral appointment by President David Granger of the Chairman of GECOM. They, like Guyanese in the US, Canada, and the UK, feel the unilateral appointment of the GECOM chair is a violation of the spirit of the Constitution. They feel this does not augur well for the future of democracy in their former homeland.

Guyanese Trinis feel the President should have appointed someone from the lists of nominees submit-

ted by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. They say the agreement entered into between the ruling and Opposition parties require that the President would appoint a GECOM chair from among the names submitted by the Opposition.

They do not see any justification for the President to appoint an 84-year-old from his own party when the Constitution requires him to appoint a neutral person.

Guyanese Trinis point to several names among the 18 submitted by Jagdeo that would make an excellent Chair of GECOM. They express deep respect and admiration for Joe Singh, Chris Ram, Lawrence Latchmansingh, and a few others for their hones-

ty and integrity. They say it is inexplicable why the President finds these men as not being fit and proper to serve as GECOM Chair.

They are also disappointed that Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan have not spoken out against the President’s decision on the GECOM Chair and on his recent appointment to fill a commissioner vacancy at GECOM. Prime Minister Nagamootoo has lost respect among Guyanese and other Trinidadians who had looked up to him as a warrior and freedom fighter who fought the PNC for restoration of democracy in Guyana.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

News

ICT sector will continue to advance in 2018 T

he Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector will continue to advance and evolve with the Government’s commitment to accelerating the country’s assimilation of new technologies in business and daily life.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, during his presentation of the 2018 Budget in the National Assembly on Monday, explained that the Administration’s focus would be on completing the liberalisation process in the telecommunications sector.

According to Minister Jordan, the ICT sector has been transforming traditional sectors such as transport, security, health and education.

“Government is keen on having the benefits of a competitive ICT industry being passed on to the consumer in the form of improved services, added coverage, and reduced cost. Additionally, we will be working to further develop the requisite infrastructure to support such a transformation. Our interventions, going forward, will be guided by our National ICT Strategy, which will be finalised in 2018,” Minister Jordan outlined.

The foundation was laid for the full operationalisation of the Centre of Excellence in Information Technology

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The ICT hub in Bamia, Linden

(CEIT) – an ICT finishing school geared to bridge the gap between academia and industry. The building that will house the Centre was completely refurbished and furnished and in 2018, more than 100 students are expected to graduate from the Centre with advanced educa-

tion in network security. More than $140 million has been allocated to support the CEIT in the new year, the Finance Minister told the National Assembly.

It was also noted that capacity building remains a priority for the Administration since innovation was critical

to supporting transformative growth.

In 2016, “We started nurturing the talent of our local community by hosting events such as Hackathons and CodeSprints. These have been a success, with the eventual winners of the latter developing a practical Agricultural Commodities Trade Exchange that will be employed by the Ministry of Agriculture,” Minister Jordan said.

The Finance Minister said that the recently-concluded Hackathon required participants to create a software or mobile application that catered to the management of rates and taxes and reporting for municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

While still in the early stages, the Government anticipates the application developed by the winners will be put to good use.

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wednesDAY, november 29, 2017

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

Values in youth sports: Part I

Healthy and unhealthy sports values Of course, the $64,000 question in this discussion is: What are healthy and unhealthy sports values? I will admit that there can be some disagreement about the answer to this question. Though I might disagree vehemently that winning is a healthy value, given the competitive nature of sports, some might argue convincingly for its recognition as a healthy sports value. I will also say that I’m not here to tell you what values you should teach your children about sports. That decision is up to you based on your overall value system and your specific experiences and beliefs about the purpose of youth sports.

At the same time, I believe that there are some values related to youth sports that we can all agree on and those are the ones that I wish to focus on. Other criteria that could be considered in judging whether a sports value is healthy or not is whether children have control over the fulfilment of the value and whether our society in general would hold a value in high esteem.

Additionally, determining what values you want to instil in your children as they enter their sports participation should be grounded in what you want your children to get out their sports participation. Using this measure of the healthiness of a sports value, you can then ask yourself: “Will this value help my children become the athletes and, more importantly, the people I want them to become?” With these criteria as my guide, here is a list of values that I think will serve your children well as they immerse themselves in sports and as they leave those youth sports experiences behind(in no particular order): Honesty; Commitment; Work ethic; Pursuit of personal excellence; Love of sport; Fun; Respect of self and others; Being a good sport; Humility; Teamwork; Patience; Perseverance; Resilience; Best effort; Embrace failure; Balanced life; Physical health.

By Jim Taylor, PhD

W

hen you think of sports, values are probably not the first thing that comes to mind.

Yet, whether you’re aware of it or not, the values that you instill in your children as part of their sports experiences have an immense impact on every aspect of their athletic lives as well as their life in general in the short term and well into the future. The values you convey to your young athletes act as the lens through which they view the entirety of their sports participation.

As a consequence, you should be thoughtful, deliberate, and proactive in instilling in your children the values that you believe will lead them to a fulfilling and enjoyable sports experience, a positive and healthy lifelong relationship with sports, and a successful, happy, and value-driven life.

Why are values important We often think of values as lofty ideals that have little connection to our daily lives.

Yet, the values that you hold, in this case, about sports in particular and life in general, play a vital role in all aspects of your children’s athletic and personal development. You can think of values as: “a person’s principles and standards of behaviour; one’s judgment of what is important…”. As such, the values that you have and those that your children embrace about their sports participation influence their priorities and goals, and act as road signs in determining the direction their athletic and personal lives take. In

other words, the values that your children adopt as young athletes will dictate almost every aspect of their lives.

Values will influence how your children think about their sports involvement. For example, if you convey the importance of effort and fun over winning, they will focus on those values as they approach competitions. In contrast, if your children believe that you hold values such as winning and being the best above all else, they will think about upcoming competitions in a very different way.

In turn, the thinking that arises from the values that your young athletes hold will produce particular emotional reactions when they participate in our sport. Continuing the above examples, knowing that the emphasis is on effort and fun, they will likely experience emotions such as determination and excitement. Conversely, the values of results and winning may produce a very different emotional reaction, one involving worry, doubt, and fear of not living up to those values.

Your children’s values, as filtered through their thinking and emotions, will have an impact on how they behave in competitions. Again, returning to the previous examples, performances derived from the values of hard work and fun will be suffused with intense effort and the goal of simply performing the best they can.

In contrast, those originating in the values of results and winning may be tense, tentative, and disappointing.

(drjimtaylor.com)

The BHS scandal – an even more analogous situation

R

ecently, the news has been wrapped up by the allegations against economics teacher Coen Jackson from The Bishops’ High School. My last column focused on the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, and indicated some ways in which I thought the response toward the women were similar to the Guyanese response to the death of Kescia Branche. Little did I know that soon an even more analogous situation would arise within Guyana.

Now whilst the allegations levelled are serious and deserve a whole column to themselves, I have decided to write about the response to the news. The first is that of Jackson himself, who, upon being accused held a press conference with which he aimed to answer questions and “share his side of the story”. In the conference, Jackson sought to paint the ordeal as that of one of a personal disagreement Ashley Anthony between himself and Ruel Johnson, which escalated into Johnson seeking to destroy his reputation. What irks me about this explanation is that it delegitimises any claims made by former students independent of Ruel Johnson. Following the posts made by Johnson on social media, numerous students subsequently came forward, sharing their stories on their own profiles. Yet, when asked specifically about one student, Melissa Atwell, Attorney Jerome Khan responded saying that they do not know the true identity of the person behind the profile, and that it could secretly be Johnson, saying “We’re not going to get into specifics because the social media with which you referred to is inundated with people who maybe anonymous, pretending to be one person or another… suppose now it’s Ruel Johnson posing as the victim.”

This, I thought, was incredibly absurd. If this is the case, has Johnson been impersonating her since 2009 (which is when she joined Facebook)? Did he spend years uploading pictures of a girl whom he is not, add her real-life friends and family, and add the places she has worked with the sole purpose that one day in 2017 he would use this profile to sully the reputation of Coen Jackson? Or did he recently commandeer her profile without anyone noticing just to make this post? Now, in cases of sexual abuse, victims get treated with a lot of suspicion, but doubting the existence of a person? Maybe Khan meant that he didn’t doubt that a Melissa Atwell existed, but that she was not the person controlling the profile. Either way, it seems highly unlikely that Johnson managed to impersonate her for such a long time with such high accuracy, fooling all of her own friends, unless, of course, those are fake profiles as well.

Secondly, there was the response of Ms Winifred Ellis, the headmistress of The Bishops’ High School. In an assembly she can be heard calling the girls “loose” and “slack”, and even asking those who have been abused to step out, in front of everyone.

The public is rightfully inflamed by such comments, but what saddens me is that this is what we are accustomed to hearing within schools. Yes, this time it was publicised, but in everyday situations, schoolgirls are sexualised and blamed for advances made towards them. It is as though it is expected that boys will not be able to control themselves, and that girls have to do everything in their power to ensure that a situation does not arise in which a male will have the opportunity to take advantage of them. If this does happen, the male is not at fault for being unable to control himself, but the girl is because she should have never allowed such a situation to occur to begin with. However, in this instance, doing so is incredibly reprehensible, because you are holding young girls to a higher moral standard not to just their male classmates, but to an adult teacher who is expected to look out for the best interests of his students.

Thirdly is the response of the public. Of course, there are those who blame the girls, who say that they took too long to come forward, that they were complicit, but there are also those who clearly recognise this as being wrong. A teacher abused his power over students, in some allegations even using his position as a teacher to take cell numbers from their school files, and in such a case, the girl cannot be blamed. It strikes me as twisted that Jackson admits to having relationships with former students. Personally, I believe that there should be some moral barrier that stops a teacher from seeing a student, especially one who you taught during their adolescence (past or present) as sexual in any way, which stops them from considering a sexual relationship. I am glad that the public is angry. They should be.

They are right to protest, and call for justice, investigation and a change in the system. But they should remember that comments such as those from Ms Ellis are heard almost every day by female students, and that this fight against victim blaming does not end with her resignation. It is, however, a good start.

news

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wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Private Sector body slams Govt’s confused fiscal policies

Finance Minister Winston Jordan during the 2018 Budget presentation

O

ne of the major Private Sector institutions in Guyana, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has expressed deep concern over the unclear fiscal direction the coalition Government has for 2018.

GCCI President Deodat Indar told Guyana Times on Tuesday that Budget 2018 “did not provide clarity on general fiscal direction in terms of the taxation and incentive regime”.

While the Budget, which was presented to the National Assembly by Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Monday, was touted as the people’s budget, Indar said the GCCI did not see major initiatives that would have material impact on job growth, something that was of major concern.

“Also, we did not see mitigation effects in the loss of jobs we will see pending the closure of more sugar estates; that includes Skeldon, Enmore and Rose Hall,” he added.

Further, the GCCI President noted that there was no indication that other sectors and sub-sectors had the capacity to absorb that level of unemployment when thousands of sugar workers

become jobless.

“We are not satisfied with clarity or the general direction of the fiscal policies of the Government in relation to taxation and incentives,” he further emphasised.

However, he said the Chamber was pleased that the Government has moved to reverse some of its policies that had placed a burden on Guyanese.

He made reference to the removal of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on education and the reduction in the tributors tax for miners, something that was raised by the GCCI during consultations with Government.

“What we expected and we didn’t see is the oil and gas development of draft legislation, local content policy and development from the business community standpoint,” he also pointed out.

The GCCI President said that his organisation would continue to conduct its assessment of the 2018 Budget and once the estimates of expenditure were made available, it would provide an analysis.

He also made a commitment to provide more commentary on sectoral implications at a later date.

The Finance Minister on Monday announced that the tributors tax on gold miners was 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), which had also met with the Opposition to raise its concerns.

However, he noted that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) would intensify their efforts to bring operators in the industry within the tax net.

In addition to announcing plans to remove the VAT on private education effective January 1, 2018, the Minister said Old Age Pension would increase from

$19,000 to $19,500, a 2.6 per cent increase.

Meanwhile, companies and individuals will be granted amnesty to file outstanding tax returns in 2018. However, if bogus returns were filed, individuals and companies would be penalised.

Jordan 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.

8 NEWS

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Concerns raised over schoolbased gangs in Linden …Commander stresses lack of support from welfare dept

Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian relays concerns to other officials

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egion 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Chairman Renis Morian has voiced concerns over several issues regarding schoolchildren for which he has sought the cooperation of E Division (Linden-

Kwakwani) Commander Fazil Karimbaksh.

According to Morian, he is concerned about the resurgence of school-based gangs as well as students imbibing alcoholic beverages at bars, in addition to

those who distribute or sell such beverages to students.

The Regional Chairman also pointed out that he was particularly concerned about these issues, more so since schools across the country would be closed for

the holidays on December 15, noting that these practices were noticeable at such time. Recently, the Regional Chairman hosted a discussion with officials, where these issues were highlighted, and measures explored. During a policing presentation hosted by Karimbaksh, Morian also signalled his intentions to work along with the school’s welfare department and Police.

“You know what happens, we got children on the streets, at the bar places imbibing. You have others who are sharing alcohol

Commander Fazil Karimbaksh

to children. We want to ... put systems in place to involve the school welfare, so that we can have these children off the streets...,” the Regional Chairman told officials.

With regard to the situation, the Division’s Commander had, however, pointed out issues in working effectively alongside the school’s welfare department in dealing with issues regarding students.

As such, he called for more cooperation from the department, emphasising the role of the Police and the department in working collaboratively in relation to such issues.

“Of recent, we would have observed that when we make the arrangements and crunch time would have arrived, the schools welfare department is withdrawing and they’re leaving the Police alone ... we’ve had different cases where the schools welfare department withdrew and left the Police ... and we’ve had confrontations with the students where the children assaulted the Police...,” Karimbaksh related.

The Divisional Commander, in calling for more cooperation, noted that he did not wish to see a recurrence of this, as he stressed that the Police’s function is to support the schools welfare department with regard to dealing with such issues concerning schoolchildren.

Irony…

M

…or contempt? onths before he presented the 2018 Budget, Finance Minister Jordan erected huge billboards at strategic locations across the land, to herald the event. Now that he’s actually delivered the Budget, one wonders what came into his head to bring attention to what has to be the most lacklustre Budget in decades. And then he had the unmitigated gall to label the dud, “The Journey to the Good Life Continues”!!

Can you believe it? For a journey to “continue”, it must’ve already begun, right? Your Eyewitness waited with bated breath to be enlightened about even the “little first step” he was told some journeys begin with. After four hours – by which time he was almost asphyxiated – he gave up while writhing on the floor! An economy that would “grow” at best 2.9 per cent rather than the projected 3.8 per cent – and that, only via one product – gold – signals the “good life” for few.

Most of those gold revenues ended up in foreign banks since it was the large foreign gold mining companies that generated the increased production. We collect a couple percentage points of royalty – which the government spent on the 50 per cent raise it gave its Ministers along with the perks like unlimited flying for the PM. It is for THEM, “The Journey to the Good Life Continues”!!

For the rest, it’s not a “journey” but an “odyssey” in which the ordinary Guyanese citizen has faced more trials and tribulations than those ancient Greeks of yore. Last year, for instance, Guyanese workers had to navigate between the “Scylla” of rising prices and the “Charybdis” of a shrinking economy. A Government Budget is supposed to be the Government’s response to the economic challenges facing its citizens – by spending the taxes it collected from those citizens most judiciously.

So imagine the Government boasted it’d collected eight per cent more taxes last year than in the previous year – yet the rate of growth fell! That means the citizenry were being sucked even drier while there was nothing to be seen for the spending. But that shouldn’t be surprising since this government cannot comprehend the truism that it can’t reap mangoes (the good life) if it only plants daisies (parades, ceremonies and jobs for the boys).

Man may not live on bread alone, and daisies may look pretty, but they can’t satiate that gnawing hunger, can they? Look at the climbing wage bill of the Government…what exactly are these extra people producing? If the economy’s shrinking, why do you need more administrators? The Government needs to understand only one word: stimulate!

Stimulate the economy so that jobs (and salaries) are generated. That’ll be the start of the journey. …and sugar During its first stint at the wheel, the PNC lucked into a bull market for sugar when the British firm Bookers owned the industry. It imposed a levy on sugar which immediately raked in US$450 million – which would be worth US$2.1 billion today. And continued to rake in that levy until it demitted office in 1992…when the PPP continued it until 2003. In the 29 years, the levy pretty much kept the country afloat.

Yet today, this government – which can present a Budget boasting, “The Journey to the Good Life Continues” – can blithely talk about sugar “sucking the life” from the Guyanese economy!! The CoI, which it appointed, proposed that specific injections of funds be made to bring the industry to a solid point of sale.

The Government rejected that advice and is preparing to fire another 6000 sugar workers after the first 1700 from Wales.

To say the economy would’ve grown 4.6 per cent if not for sugar is a callous betrayal of workers who kept this country afloat for decades. PNC ingrates!! …and “no taxes” The Government doesn’t believe that “no” means “no”. After promising “no new taxes”, the Government says it will increase property taxes throughout Guyana.

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

News

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wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Construction of new Camp Street Prison starts 2018

R

econstruction of the Camp Street Prison is expected to begin in 2018 as Government has made a sizable allocation in the 2018 Budget towards this effort.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan told the National Assembly during his Budget presentation on Monday that $30.7 billion has been allocated to implement several initiatives in the security sector.

“Of that amount, our Prison Service will receive approximately $1.5 billion to address the expansion and rehabilitation of the prison infrastructure,” he explained.

Jordan said this work would include the expansion of the Mazaruni Prison to accommodate 400 inmates, 61 per cent more than its cur-

rent capacity. At present, the Prison is overcrowded.

The Minister said this move was made based on the tragedy that occurred in July at the Georgetown Prison, which led to the penitentiary’s destruction.

The Public Security Ministry had requested $756 million for the clean-up and refurbishment of the Camp Street Prison following its destruction in the July 9 fire.

This sum assisted with the clean-up at the Camp Street Prison, and refurbishment of the dormitory, security system, medical centre and the capital block.

The supplementary financing also made provision for the construction of temporary holding facilities at the Lusignan Prison compound.

An aerial view of the Georgetown Prison compound following the major fire and riot that occurred on July 9, 2017

The Camp Street inmates were transferred to Lusignan and Mazaruni penitentiaries following the destructive prison fire.

BHS teacher’s sexual misconduct

HM was informed of Jackson’s predatory behaviour – victim …Ellis expected to proceed on leave this week

Bishops’ High School Head

Teacher Winifred Ellis

O

ne of the victims who were preyed upon by Bishops’ High School teacher Coen Jackson related that head teacher Winifred Ellis was aware of the teacher’s predatory behaviour, but did nothing to address it.

Sources close to the institution related that the head teacher was expected to proceed on leave this week.

“My partner made a complaint to the headmistress asking that she investigate the matter. A week later, Coen Jackson called me five times. He asked if I was the one pushing the matter, he told me he had admitted what went on between us to the head teacher as he had no choice, he said my partner and him had Facebook quarrels and he was taking it too far, he said there was going to be a hearing and asked if I was going to come out against him,” Cris Smith said in a viral Facebook post.

Jackson is 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 – including Smith.

Ellis came into the spotlight after she berated female students for not defending Jackson after the allegations hit social media. The Education Ministry on Friday concluded its investigation and found that Ellis was culpable of breaching the regulations under the Education Act 39:01, Section 35 “Inappropriate behaviour by teachers in school”, which comes with 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.

In relation to Jackson, the committee handed over his file to the Police for further investigation. The Police investigation is ongoing and they are compiling statements from victims.

Smith, in her Facebook post, said that she was not conspiring against the teacher.

“As a teenager I suffered from depression. I was an easy target for someone I’ve now come to recognise as a sexual predator. From the

Embattled teacher: Coen Jackson time I was 15, I spent the rest of my years of my life up until now normalising indignity after indignity so much that when it finally ended, I felt barely human to myself.

I couldn’t tell anyone everything that happened to me because the most relatable thing I could say was that I was betrayed; I was also forbidden to speak about it by the offender. Betrayal is easy to swallow and take pity on,” she wrote.

“For one year after it ended, I could not sleep properly, I had anxiety attacks that made my chest hurt and I was in pain every day. I could not tell anyone what happened to me, because I was ashamed at what I had allowed,” Smith added.

On Tuesday, The Bishops’ High School Old Students’ Association held an extraordinary general meeting to address the incident after calling for Ellis to be sent on administrative leave to facilitate an independent investigation.

Minister Jordan noted that the wanton act of violence and mayhem threatened the country’s national security and highlighted the state of affairs in which the security services operate.

Based on that incident, Jordan said Government had to undertake a comprehensive examination of the security sector, which resulted in the diversion of scarce resources to address both the immediate security and management concerns, as well as the judicial and other related systems.

He recalled that the Joint Services had launched several operations in order to quickly address the immediate situation. But Government now wants to address the long-

term needs of the security sector.

“Over $150 million has also been allocated to purchase surveillance equipment, body scanners, and beds, among other items. Provisions have been made for the strengthening of the Prison Service‘s capacity for case management, as well as rehabilitation and reintegration,” he added.

Additionally, in Budget 2018, $1.8 billion has been provided to cater for the Prison Service‘s operational costs, a 4.6 per cent increase over Budget 2017.

Jordan said, “We will continue to modernise our Police Force in the coming year. Our 114 Police Stations across the country will benefit from increased vehicular access to support their response times to reported crimes. Further, team policing efforts are expected to deliver 24-hour patrol service.”

Another six Police Stations will be targeted in 2018 for remodelling. In addition, Police Stations at Cove and John, Lethem, Springlands, Central (New Amsterdam), and Matthews Ridge are slated for rehabilitation, and a new police station would be constructed in Parfaite Harmonie to serve that area.

“Another $200 million has been allocated for the purchasing of equipment for the Police Force; this will sup-

plement the generous gift received from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, comprising of vehicles, riot gear and other equipment worth $500 million,” he stated.

Jordan said this was to improve the capacity of the security services. However, youths will also be trained to create avenues for income generation and sustainable livelihoods as a preventative measure.

Some 300 youths will be trained in 2018, in the areas of entrepreneurship, conflict resolution, and violence prevention, and parenting, as part of the citizen security initiative.

“No person should ever feel like their only option is to pursue a life of crime in order to survive.”

The Fire Service will receive its first fire boat in 2018, and a sum of $165 million has been budgeted to make the final payment. The boat will be fully equipped and will form part of a package of interventions to improve the capacity of the Service to respond to fires, both on waterways and bridges.

An allocation of some $60 million will be used to expand the Fire Service coverage, to cater to residents of Melanie Damishana, Mabaruma and for the first time, Onverwagt.

10 News

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

State House colour change

Govt yet to respond to National Trust letter – CEO T

he Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) has received the letter from the National Trust of Guyana seeking an explanation as to the reason for the colour change at State House, but is yet to respond, according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Trust.

CEO Nirvanie Persaud told Guyana Times that the letter was dispatched to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and they were awaiting a response to determine the next step.

Just last week, the Administration came in for criticism after it bypassed the National Trust and began changing the colour of State House from white to green – the dominant colour of the People’s National Congress and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), both parties that the

The Journey to the Good Life continues

S

State House being repainted

President leads.

On Friday, President David Granger when asked about whether State House was going green, stated “Guyana is going green” followed by a chuckle.

Since the APNU/Alliance

For Change (AFC) coalition came into Government, it has been actively repainting several public buildings using the colour green.

The National Trust of Guyana was established following the passage of the National Trust Act, No 7 of 1972. The Act “makes provision for the preservation of monuments, sites, places and objects of historic interest or national importance”.

When contacted, a representative of the MotP related that Permanent Secretary Abena Moore only received the letter on Tuesday morning and would be responding

very soon.

The National Trust’s website states that its main responsibility is the preservation of all monuments in Guyana. Under the National Trust Act, the term ‘monuments’ includes any building, structure, object or other work of man or of nature, whether above or below the surface of the land or the floor of the sea within territorial waters of Guyana and any site, cave or excavation.

National monuments are the vested responsibility of the National Trust and are gazetted as such after approval by Parliament.

atiricus had patiently listened to the Finance Minister (FM) broadcasting his Budget. His editor decided he should go to Parliament for the four-hour speech – even though he’d insisted he could do it just as well from the written text circulated. The editor said he wanted to cover all the personal “nuances”. Satiricus suspected his editor hoped the PPCEE would be holding up placards, shouting slogans, and banging on desks. They didn’t. Satiricus thought his editor looked disappointed when he handed in his report.

“Suh wha’ de Budget gat fuh abee?” demanded Bungi, even before Satiricus could get settled in his seat at the Back Street Bar. “Do you think FM is Christmas Father?” asked Satiricus sourly as he signalled for his beer.

“Well, he certainly has the belly for the role!” snickered Hari, with a grin. “And Fat Man insisted on presenting the Budget before Christmas!”

“W’en Bungi seh “abee” ‘e mean suga workah,” said Cappo. “Any wuk or anyt’ing fuh all a dem who get fire?” ”Nah!” replied Satiricus, after taking a long swig of his beer. “FM said sugar is dragging down the whole country.”

“Suh ‘e fo’get w’en abee bin a fetch de whole country pan abee back?” asked Bungi. “Abee na bin get drag dong?”

“Well, FM said “no new taxes”!” said Satiricus cheerily.

“Wha’ good da a do sugah workah?” asked Cappo cynically. “Dem na get paycheck fuh tax.” “Look at the bright side,” suggested Satiricus. “Those fellas who get vacation allowances can now have it all tax free!” “Vacation allowance?!! Vacation allowance!!” Bungi almost screamed.

“Dem sen’ me pan permanent vacation! Dem guh gi’e me allowance?”

“But seriously, Sato,” said Hari. “Aren’t there ANY measures to help poor people?”

“Your pensioner father will now get $500 more every month,” said Satiricus.

“Suh ‘e can buy two sweetie and suck whole mont’,” said Cappo sourly.

“While travelling on his journey to the good life,” concluded Hari.

news

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wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Berbice teen kidnapping

Mother decries non-assistance of CC&PA, Police …full-fledged investigation to determine institution at fault

By Andrew Carmichael

A

s the Social Protection Ministry continues to ascertain which entity should take responsibility for a lax response to reports of sexual exploitation of two young females, the mother of the 12-year-old girl who has reportedly gone missing for over five months is calling for the public’s assistance to rescue her.

Reports are that the woman’s daughter is being held by two adult brothers at a location in Berbice. The young lady was held along with a 13-year-old who reportedly escaped.

They were said to have been held at a camp, where they were subjected to starvation, sexual assault and other forms of abuse.

The mother of the Guyana 12-year-old told Times on Tuesday that the Police in Berbice and the New Amsterdam office of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) were well aware of the issue, but had done noth-

ing to actively pursue the matter. She claimed that she first went to the CC&PA and was turned away, with operatives attached to the Agency reportedly saying that the incident was a Police matter.

When the media got wind of the incident on Monday, the Social Protection Ministry requested that it be given one day to pursue efforts to find the missing girl. However, after the story was reported in the press, the Agency embarked on damage control, with a senior official observing that other units involved in protecting children needed to be investigated. These entities are the Probation Office and the Trafficking in Persons Unit in addition to Police.

This publication was told that after media operatives began calling the Ministry and the CC&PA for comments on the issue, an official from the Ministry (name withheld) contacted the child’s mother and verbally abused her for speaking with the media.

This newspaper contacted

Persons with disabilities benefit from capacitybuilding workshop – as part of National Disability Week

Members of the disabled community participating in the GCOPD Leadership and Organisation Development Workshop

By Yanalla Dalrymple

I

n observance of National Disability Week, which is aimed at promoting an understanding of disability issues and mobilising support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, a two-day workshop was held at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.

In an effort to improve resources acquisition so as to diversify and provide quality service that was more efficient and effective, the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) equipped those persons with the necessary advocacy tips and tools to recognise stereotyping and familiarised them with appropriate language, etiquette, and disability culture when communicating and interacting with people with disabilities.

The development workshop saw 23 organisations that are members of the Council participating under the theme “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all”.

The goal is to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities into every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

According to GCOPD Public Relations Officer Ganesh Singh, the workshop saw heads from different organisations in the disability community coming together to establish action plans to improve current human resources for persons with various disabilities.

One of the participants of the workshop, Utame Kumar noted that more emphasis should be placed on persons who are intellectually challenged, hence the need for recognition of the work and efforts.

He pointed out that the psychological effect of living with the reality of the loss of a limb, which plays a vital role in day-to-day activity of an individual, could trigger depression, social withdrawal, and even psychological consequences.

Moreover, Kumar said that the community was willing and ready to move forward as long as participants become more aware of their environment with regard to access.

Among the activities lined up are police sensitisation, a disability march, blind cricket and domino competition and finally, the International Day For Persons With Disability observance on December 3.

portedly said that the worried parent “needs to step back and allow the Police to do their job”. The mother of the 12-year-old, however, told the media that the response from the Police has been very slow.

She noted that her daughter went missing in June and in a bid to find her, they had placed posters at certain strategic locations in the area.

Escaped teen speaks out

CC&PA Director Ann Greene

the officer, who said that she would return the call, but up to press time, no call was received.

Guyana Times was also told that when a female relative called the CC&PA on Tuesday with additional information on the whereabouts of the alleged abductors, the woman was allegedly verbally abused by an official attached to the Agency, who re-

Meanwhile, the 13-yearold girl, in the presence of two adults, revealed that the ordeal was facilitated by a woman who allegedly moved her from the New Amsterdam Market under the pretext that they were going to collect money that the woman had for the girl’s father. This publication understands that the woman is the mother of the two males who held the girls in captivity.

The teen also disclosed that the car stopped at a village along the East Bank of

Berbice where one of the woman’s sons was waiting with a motor bike. She alleged that she was forced to get on the bike and was taken to Mara where she was bound and further taken to the camp along the Berbice River where she saw another school friend.

The teen added that she was repeatedly raped by one of the men at the camp. She denied that she willingly went into the illegal arrangement with another friend. The underage girl held out that she was indeed kidnapped.

Though her father remarked that his daughter was not always truthful, the girl’s mother stressed that she, like the 12-year-old’s mother, felt the Police have similarly let her down in every aspect.

The matter was reported to the Prime Minister’s office on the Corentyne, and the woman indicated to this newspaper her hope that the issue would get the attention of senior Government officials.

Probe into cracks in the system

Meanwhile, CC&PA Director Ann Greene when contacted for an update on the matter told Guyana Times that investigations are underway to determine what occurred.

“I now have my officer investigating, so whether or not it’s really us, Probation or what, I got to find out; I’m doing investigations,” Greene highlighted.

Responding to the less than favourable reports of the comments her agency’s staff at the New Amsterdam office made towards relatives of the exploited girls, Greene indicated that a full-fledged investigation would be conducted about the claims.

“I will now find out what happened. I have asked my officer to give a report – if they know anything about the matter,” she noted.

(Additional reporting by Shemuel Fanfair)

12 news

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Development of tourism sector to be multi-faceted

G

rowth in the tourism sector continues at a steady pace, with visitor arrivals totalling 170,322 between January and September of 2017.

This is a 5.7 per cent increase over the same period in 2016.

This was revealed in Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s 2018 Budget presentation to the National Assembly.

Minister Jordan noted, however, for the tourism sector to become a significant economic driver, in the effort towards diversification,

the approach to its development must be multi-faceted.

To this end, the Finance Minister reported that the Guyana Tourism Authority, in the coming year, will focus on several areas, including the promotion of the Guianas Shield as a tourism product; deepening links with industry operatives and investors; supporting the execution of cultural, heritage, and sports events; strengthening ties with the Diaspora to develop and exploit tourism opportunities; and preparing and implementing a Tourism Development

and Destination Marketing Plan.

Minister Jordan noted that it was expected that as the economy underwent rapid development in the coming years, additional visits stemming from the hosting of international exhibitions, conferences, and shows, will stimulate growth in the hospitality subsector and the wider tourism sector.

It was also highlighted that over 30 new species of flora and fauna have been discovered in Kaieteur National Park and the Upper Potaro Region.

13 60 Joint Services ranks decorated in grand style news

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

…over 40 more to be added to the list

A section of the procession during the Medal Presentation Parade

The Head of State participating in the Parade

By Ashraf Dabie

A

grand military display on Tuesday ended with 60 ranks of the Joint Services being decorated as the Guyana Defence Board staged yet another Medal Presentation Parade.

The display saw Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger pinning various levels of Orders of Service on 20 officers attached to each of the three main forces –the Guyana Police Force (GPF); the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). However, in addition to those decorated during the ceremony, more than 40 ranks are expected to receive similar awards, bringing this year’s total to in excess of 100.

Among the awards presented were the Military Efficiency Medal dedicated to ranks serving in the GDF for over 10 years, the Border Defence Medal for officers of the GDF and GPF serving at a border location for over one year as well as the Medal of Long Service and Good Conduct to GPF and GFS officials clocking in

over 15 years of exemplary service.

Each of the awardees were recommended by the Medal Awards Committee of the Guyana Defence Board and following approval from the Chief of Staff or Commissioner of their individual forces, the officers managed to secure a spot among those honoured at the Medal Presentation Parade and thereafter.

Being singled out as most senior ranks among the awardees were Major Shawn Harmon of the GDF, Superintendent Keithon King and Frank Jackman of the GPF and Divisional Officer Dwayne Scotland of the GFS. While speaking at the ceremony hosted at Camp Ayanganna, President Granger expressed appreciation to the decorated ranks for their selfless service in protecting and defending the nation.

In doing so, he noted, “Soldiers, Policemen, militiamen, firemen will be on duty by day and by night.

While the nation sleeps, every hour of the day and night, you and your comrades in uniform will be on duty somewhere in

GAWU, NAACIE appeal... from page 2

A statement from Head of the Special Purpose Unit, Colvin Heath-London last month detailed that an international accounting firm would be recruited to evaluate GuySuCo’s assets for privatisation and divestment. Selected tenders were invited from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and KPMG to provide the service. The selected firm would be conducting the valuation of all assets under the control of GuySuCo, in addition to other advisory and financial services. The preparation of a prospectus

is expected to be completed by the end of January 2018.

The Private Sector, civil society and other interest groups have long decried the closures of estates, with many saying that the country’s overall economy and the economies of villages would be impacted as a whole. The social strain on families was also noted as a major possible setback as in many instances, multiple members of the same household, including some husbands and wives, are employed within the sugar industry. The Wales Estate was closed in December 2016.

Guyana.”

As such, the Head of State congratulated the awarded Joint Services ranks, saying, “We are proud of you. We are proud

that you have selected to serve your nation. We are proud that you have been selected to receive these awards. We are proud that over the years, the services provided have kept Guyana safe.”

Granger went on to outline the significance of the Orders of Service being presented. “These awards are mere tokens; they are mere symbols. They are what a

grateful nation extends to you. There is no way that we can thank you enough for all that you do every day to keep this country safe. Over the years, the Guyanese nation has been able to rely on you,” he stated.

Furthermore, Granger called on the awardees to cherish their medals as he noted, “It might be simple: a metal disk with a bit of cloth, but every army in

the world recognises service by presenting these awards to persons who have distinguished themselves through their long services, courage and example, and Guyana is no different. Wear these awards with pride.”

This was as the President encouraged the decorated ranks to preserve their accolades for they showed that service to the nation had its own rewards.

14 news SARA is worst piece of legislation enacted – Ram wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

…laments reduced parliamentary sittings

A

s the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) continue to compile evidence mainly against individuals linked to the former Administration, Chartered Accountant and Attorney Christopher Ram has condemned the parallel police agency, saying that some business persons are operating in fear that they too could come in for scrutiny.

He made these comments on Friday at a symposium on the National Budget which was organised by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG).

Ram highlighted that Guyanese have reduced purchasing power owing to a weaker economy, adding that business persons were conducting their operations under fear, especially if they

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram

were very successful and would have attained much wealth.

“Business people now operate under the fear of alternative police bodies; one called SOCU and other, SARA. SARA is, in my view, the worst piece of legislation

that has been enacted in post-independence Guyana,” he stated.

The activist claimed that SARA was run by a director who selected the persons he would target.

“A political leader, Dr Clive Thomas, who was for many years a champion of the working class, is now head of an organisation where he is bigger than the organisation – he reports to no one, [but] occasionally does a report to the National Assembly. He chooses which person he should target and who he should not,” Ram pointed out.

The Chartered Accountant later denounced the reduced sittings of the National Assembly, saying that members have officially met only 16 times under the current Parliament.

The trade union members were reminded that three substantive pieces of legis-

lation were passed during 2017, one of which was the Hamilton Green Pension Act, which gave the former Prime Minister his pension, benefits and facilities.

Another bill passed was the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) Bill 2017, in which Government sought $116 million from taxpayers to assist with the agency’s establishment and support staff.

“If this Parliament doesn’t operate for two years, you wouldn’t even notice it – such is the incompetence with which our Parliament operates,” he observed.

Ram also claimed that this was the most expensive Government in Guyana’s history with the most Ministers and Ministries, adding further that many persons were indeed enjoying the good life.

Ram also reminded the FITUG gathering that the current Administration had given itself, public officers and all other Members of Parliament hefty salary increases shortly after assuming office.

“No wonder they love to travel so much; after all you could make a good living. You don’t have to worry about Parliament [because]

SARA Head, Professor Clive Thomas

Parliament meets occasionally,” he quipped.

SARA and SOCU have long been accused by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) of going after its members and associates. In May 2017, several persons attached to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) were charged and later arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for allegedly omitting from the general ledger of the GRDB, $362 million while they served on the entity’s Board.

These persons were former GRDB General Manager Jagnarine Singh; former Deputy

General Manager Rickey Ramraj; Director Badrie Persaud; former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) of the Agriculture Ministry Prema Roopnarine; PPP parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall and head of the Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj.

They were all released on $500,000 bail each.

SARA was accused of being run by political directives, but its Head, Professor Thomas saw those accusations as baseless and rejected the claims, stating that there was no evidence to prove they were true. Dr Thomas had also defended the SARA Bill, saying that it had no place for politicians.

While noting that the Bill contained some good elements, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had observed that his Party would remove the ambiguity about private property.

He further added that the PPP would ensure that the head of the unit was accountable to someone else, as opposed to leaving it to Professor Thomas to make his own decisions. The Opposition had also pointed out that the Director of SARA was given powers that are 10 times greater than those of the Police Force.

News

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wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Betraying our pensioners again

A

ny hope that APNU/AFC’s fourth Budget might be a pro-growth, pro-people budget was shattered after the Minister of Finance read the 2018 Budget in Parliament on Monday. The 2018 Budget is an absolute betrayal of the Guyanese people, particularly the working class, women, children and pensioners. The Budget is entitled “Continuing the Journey to the Good Life”.

What it succeeds in doing is continuing the backward slide. It continues APNU/ Dr Leslie Ramsammy AFC’s track record of disavowing all its promises and of punishing people with taxation and more taxation. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the 2018 Budget is the total, shameless betrayal of the senior citizens of our country and the working-class pensioners.

The Old Age Pension increase of $500 per month is simply disgraceful. It is particularly disgraceful in the context that APNU/AFC had promised that were it given a chance to govern, it would immediately double the Old Age Pension. To be clear, it promised to double the Old Age Pension immediately, not incrementally during its term it. It is a broken promise and a disgraceful betrayal of the pensioners. If it had simply continued the rate of increase implemented by the PPP Government between 2011 and 2014, the Old Age Pension would today be greater than $20,000. In addition, it removed safety net subsidies that pensioners enjoyed prior to 2015, such as electricity and water subsidies and compounded the situation by introducing VAT on water and electricity bills. In effect, its boast that it has increased Old Age Pension is wicked spin.

Pensioners are, in fact, worse off.

The parties had also promised that after immediately doubling the Old Age Pension, they would incrementally have increased it to make it equivalent to the minimum wage. This means that had they kept their promise of doubling the Old Age Pension in 2015 and then incrementally moving to equate it with the national public service minimum wage, old age pensioners ought to be receiving close to $40,000 monthly in the 2018 Budget.

This is their promise; this is their contract with pensioners.

They not only promised this on the public platforms, not only during their daily TV and radio broadcasts during the 2015 election campaign, they also formalised it in their Election Manifesto. Their clear failure to keep this promise is unforgivable, but it is particularly reprehensible that they are trying to sell the anaemic increase as an unprecedented increase for old age pensioners.

But there is an overall under-performance and an overall shameful betrayal of all pensioners, whether it is old age pension or a job-related pension, other than for the pension of serving ministers and other than the pension of the President and the Prime Minister. To get elected, they also promised retired public servants, teachers and Police Officers whose pensions were below the minimum wage to increase it immediately and to tie it to the minimum wage. They failed to meet this promise, and, in fact, APNU/ AFC has done nothing, not even a cent more for these pensioners, not in the 2015, 2016, 2017 or now in the 2018 Budget.

Clearly, the parties lied to the old age pensioners and they lied to all pensioners, except themselves. But Budget 2018 solidified their track-record of lies, misrepresentation, misdirection and obfuscation. They did remove VAT on Education and they claim this as demonstrating how much they care. Yet, it is APNU/AFC that introduced this tax in the first place, in spite of overwhelming public outrage. It is like the abuser who beats his wife to a pulp and then afterwards pretends to soothe the physical pain as proof that he cares. Incidentally, they did nothing to remove VAT on water and electricity and they did nothing to restore the “Because We Care” subsidy for education which provided $10,000 per child in 2014 and was supposed to be more than $20,000 by 2018. They promised just weeks ago that there will not be any new taxes in the 2018 Budget and then proceeded in the 2018 Budget to increase property rates and taxes across the country. Absolute betrayal, lies, obfuscation, misdirection, misrepresentation. People deserve better than this.

Wharf vendors’ relocation

K&VC owners take City Hall to court over removal notice

The Island Snackette and Pizzeria, formerly K&VC Snackette

T

he owners of the Island Snackette and Pizzeria, formerly K&VC Snackette, have taken City Hall to court to prevent them from being evicted. City Hall won a case against the owners in the High Court and they were expected to relocate earlier this month, but requested an extension, which was granted. However, they used the extension period to seek an injunction preventing the municipality from dismantling their building.

On Monday, at the statutory meeting, Town Clerk Royston King informed the Council of the pending legal challenge, but added that the M&CC’s lawyers were seeking to have it quashed. He did indicate that the pending legal challenge would hinder works to the Stabroek Market Wharf since vendors were supposed to be relocated there.

The spot identified, to have vendors relocated, is next door to the now demolished “Dread Shop”. In May of last year, City Hall dismantled the popular shop after the Council noted that the area in which it was located fell within that which is described under the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01 as a council area. It said that the proprietors of the demolished shop “had been informed by the Council that they were required to vacate the said area and had been given reasonable and sufficient notice to so do”.

Following the demolition, the Island Snackette and Pizzeria, formerly K&VC Snackette, was left standing, but now it too has to remove after City Hall won a court case against the owners as well as the proprietor of Lance Photo Studio.

The Photo Studio owners had until November 26 to remove and have since started moving.

The dilapidated Stabroek Market Wharf, which faces the Demerara River, is a danger and eyesore to the thousands, with several sections collapsing over the years. However, the rapid deterioration of the buildings has not deterred persons from vending there.

The Town Clerk previously stated that follow-

ing the repairs the wharf would be rehabilitated to act as a mall-like facility complete with a boardwalk and entertainment area. Mayor Patricia Chase Green told Guyana Times that the project was expected to begin early next year with help from the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

The “No-No Zone”

Meanwhile, having removed vendors from the Stabroek Market environs, City Hall has now authorised the use of the area for the Christmas season.

Seasonal vending has been approved on the eastern side of the road in front of the Stabroek Market – common-

The Stabroek Market Wharf areas which pose a threat to the vendors plying their trade

ly referred to as the “No-No Zone”.

Guyana Market Vendors Union President Eon Andrews said that the vendors were informed of the early opening on November 21 and City Hall would be collecting weekly rates.

However, three days later, the administration was there to collect rates from the vendors ranging from $1500 to $5000.

“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… 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,” Andrews said in a statement.

Town Clerk King said that the Markets and Public Health Committee was bypassed because such decisions did not fall within its purview. Chairman of the Committee, Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran registered his disappointment with the decision and requested that the Committee be involved in the decision-making process.

As it relates to the charges, King informed that vendors were charged per square foot.

16 news

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Diamond hospital to be upgraded A

s works are underway to improve the efficiency of the medical system in Guyana, the Diamond hospital, along with CC Nicholson Hospital, is set to undergo a number of upgrades which will see

the institutions being transformed, the latter into a regional hospital.

This is to lighten the current burden being placed on the Georgetown Public Hospital, which is currently the country’s sole referral

hospital.

During a recent meeting with Councillors attached to the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) at its Triumph, East Coast Demerara head office, Public Health Minister Volda

Lawrence revealed the twoyear multimillion-dollar transformation plan, which was slated to commence as early as next year.

In doing so, Lawrence highlighted that the enhancement initiative would

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

be backed by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) along with funding from the local treasury.

Continuing in her presentation, the Minister explained that while the initiative was still in its “embryonic stage”, the upgrading of the two health institutions was necessary to help remove some over-work from the Georgetown Public Hospital as well as to minimise the likelihood of errors made by fatigued hospital staff and enable better daily management of the tertiary health institution.

This was as she alluded to past incidents of overcrowding and exhaustion of staff at the Georgetown medical institution, indicating that the facility attends to some 30,000 patients on a yearly basis and has seen a decline in the number of beds from a high of some 1800 to only 440 currently.

With that, she noted, “It is a well-known fact that the GPHC is over-

run by patients from all 10 Administrative Regions.”

“Because of these shortcomings, the [Ministry of Public Health] MoPH thinks it is prudent to upgrade the two primary health institutions on the East Coast (CC Nicholson Hospital) and East Bank [Regional Hospital also known as the Diamond Diagnostic Centre] to cater for victims of road accidents, violent crimes, domestic and intimate partner violence and other types of crimes in Region Four, which boasts the highest figure in every category of violence.”

Adding to that, Lawrence underlined that the upgrading plan aligned with the “good life” promised by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition during the 2015 elections campaign.

The impending enhancement works to the Diamond hospital and CC Nicholson Hospital, as part of the collaborative improvement plan, will see rehabilitation and expansion of the physical infrastructure, hiring of new staff as well as other key planks under the health accord to have the two medical institutions “running on a 24-hour basis”, with the capacity of an official regional hospital.

“We want to ensure we can provide the level of service at the two primary institutions so that patients don’t have to be pronounced dead on arrival (DOA) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC),” Lawrence outlined.

wednesdAY, november 29, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World North Korea launches Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa offers new ballistic missile amnesty for funds N

orth Korea has fired another ballistic missile, the latest in a series of launches that have raised tensions with its neighbours and the United States.

The Pentagon said it believed it was an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew for about 1000 kilometres (620 miles) and fell into the Sea of Japan.

South Korean news agency Yonhap said that the missile was launched from Pyongsong, South Pyongan province.

North Korea's last ballistic missile test was in September.

That came days after Pyongyang had conducted its sixth – and largest -nuclear test. The US said the latest launch happened about 03:30h local time

stashed abroad

Z

North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in July

(18:30 GMT).

Japanese Government officials said the missile travelled for about 50 minutes, but did not fly over Japan, as some have done in the past.

China jails Taiwan activist Lee Mingche for 'subversion'

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong and Taiwan have staged demonstrations in recent months calling for Lee's release

A

Chinese court has sentenced a Taiwanese activist to five years in jail for "subverting State power".

Lee Ming-che went on trial in September for attempting to promote multi-party democracy in group messaging chats.

His case has gripped Taiwan, which has called for Lee's safe return, and has

further strained the island's relations with China.

Taiwan's presidential office has criticised the sentence, saying: "We cannot accept this."

The case first caused a stir in March when the democracy and human rights activist mysteriously disappeared while travelling in mainland China. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

Pamplona 'wolf pack' gang rape trial angers Spain

F

eminists and legal observers in Spain have expressed outrage at what they see as "patriarchal justice" during the trial of five men accused of gang raping an 18-year-old woman during Pamplona's San Fermín bull-running festival in 2016.

The judge, who will consider his verdict after Tuesday's final hearing, has come under fire over his decisions to allow evidence to be presented about the alleged victim's personal life and character, while not permitting the inclusion of texted conversations between the accused in which they

apparently discuss plans to rape women.

Searching through conversations in the WhatsApp group called "La manada", or "wolf pack", to which the men belonged, Police investigators came across an incident in which video showed some of the individuals apparently abusing another woman, who seemed to be unconscious.

Conversations prior to their journey from Seville to Pamplona mention the need to procure date rape drugs and ropes, "because when we get there, we'll want to rape everything we set eyes on". (Excerpt from BBC News)

US President Donald Trump was briefed while the missile was still in the air, the White House has said.

Afterwards he said: "We will take care of it."

US Defence Secretary

James Mattis said the missile had gone higher than any previous launch.

South Korea's military said it had responded with a missile exercise. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

imbabwe's new President Emmerson Mnangagwa has offered a three-month amnesty for individuals and companies to surrender public funds illegally stashed abroad.

In a statement, he said the Government will prosecute those who fail to comply when the amnesty ends in February.

"Such malpractices constitute a very serious economic crime against the people of Zimbabwe," Mnangagwa said.

Since taking office last

week, he has pledged to crack down on corruption.

"Huge sums of money and other assets" have been "illegally externalised by certain individuals and corporates," the President said in a statement.

"Those affected are thus encouraged to take advantage of the three-month moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets in order to avoid the pain and ignominy of being visited by the long arm of the law," he added.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Honduras in limbo as votes for President are counted S

upporters of the incumbent and the Opposition candidate in Honduras' presidential poll have been celebrating after both claimed victory.

The electoral tribunal released partial results on Monday which gave the Opposition candidate, Salvador Nasralla, a five-percentage-point lead over President Juan Orlando Hernández.

But Hernández says he is convinced once the votes from rural areas come in, he will move ahead of Nasralla.

Final results are expected by Thursday.

With 57 per cent of the votes counted, Mr Nasralla

The electoral tribunal released partial results on Monday which gave the Opposition candidate, Salvador Nasralla, a fivepercentage-point lead over President Juan Orlando Hernández

had 45.17 per cent and President Hernández 40.21 per cent.

The electoral tribunal

said it would not release any further updates until all the votes had been counted, which could take

until midday local time on Thursday.

The tribunal said the slow pace of the count was down to the votes from remote rural areas taking relatively long to arrive at the counting centre.

Honduran election observers were critical of what they said was an unprecedented delay in the count.

But on Twitter, electoral tribunal president David Matamoros said [in Spanish] the count was completely transparent, with the parties, the European Union and the Organisation of American States all given access to the electoral records. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Vincentian diplomat recalled from UN over domestic violence allegation

Sehon Marshall reportedly punched his wife, who is also a diplomat, in the mouth

V

incentian diplomat Sehon Marshall will have to return home from the United

Nations to explain a damning allegation of domestic violence to the Ralph Gonsalves Administration.

Days after Marshall, a counsellor of the island’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, reportedly punched his wife Xandra Marshall – who is also a diplomat – in the mouth, the Government has issued a recall for the embattled diplomat.

According to reports in the New York Post newspaper, Police Officers responded to an incident at the family’s home last Friday – a day before International Day to Eliminate Violence

Against Women – when Mrs Marshall was allegedly hit in the face by her husband, in front of her mother.

Marshall was not arrested because he has diplomatic immunity.

The Prime Minister said his administration is treating the matter “with utmost seriousness and is considering all the alive legal options in this matter”, adding that his government takes a very strong position against domestic violence. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNesDAY, november 29, 2017

ARCHIE

You’ve got the edge in a competitive race. Use your (March 21intelligence, energy and spirApril 19) ited attitude to prove your strength and courage if you want to bring about positive change.

ARIES

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

Learn from past mistakes and use your intelligence to change a situation to better suit your needs. It’s up to you to ask for what you want.

Step up and take action.

GEMINI (May 21- You can make a difference if June 20) you are willing to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. Show courage when faced with bullish actions.

Emotional problems will surface if you make promises (June 21- that will be difficult to fulfil.

July 22) Anger will mount if you feel pressured by someone who is demanding or expecting too much.

CANCER

Peanuts

Embrace change and do LEO your best to make it happen.

(July 23- Your insight, knowledge and Aug. 22) ability to flip from one thing to another will make you a prime candidate for success.

A change in the way or VIRGO where you handle your as(Aug. 23sets, investments and daiSept. 22) ly money matters will help you prosper if you are proactive. Don’t leave anything to chance.

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

A partnership will take a favourable turn if you are willing to stop procrastinating and start moving forward with your plans. Don’t hesitate when it comes to progress.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

A work-related matter must be handled intelligently and with discipline. Don’t let anger or impulse ruin something that can be spectacular. A mysterious demeanour will encourage interest.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Add to your comfort at home. Living a healthy lifestyle will increase your energy, allowing you to take on physical challenges that will motivate you to be your best.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY’S WORD –

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle

The time you spend helping someone you care about will bring you closer together. Personal or physical changes will bring positive results. Share your thoughts with a loved one.

A surprise will give you AQUARIUS the boost you’ve been wait(Jan. 20- ing for. A chance to get ahead Feb. 19) financially is within reach.

Use your experience and knowledge to make progress.

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

Don’t fret over something PISCES (Feb. 20- that hasn’t happened yet. If March 20) you stay focused on the here and now, you will be able to make some noteworthy observations that will help you avoid making an error.

WEDNESDAY, november 29, 2017

19

FIFA World Cup 2018

Referees can stop games over discriminatory or racist incidents R

eferees will have the power to stop or abandon World Cup matches in Russia if discriminatory incidents take place, says Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

It is part of a "three-step procedure" that gives officials the power to stop, suspend and call off fixtures over fan behaviour and was trialled at last summer's Confederations Cup. Infantino said anti-discrimination measures were a "high priority" for football's world governing body.

"We will be very, very firm," he added.

"We can expect fair play in Russia. We'll make sure that no incidents will happen."

The trial at the Confederations Cup included deploying anti-discrimination observers - a continuation of the monitoring system put in place for 2018 World Cup qualifiers

Argentina and Belgium players pose with an anti-racism banner before a World Cup game in 2014

and selected friendlies.

The observers were co-ordinated and trained by the Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare) network, reporting incidents to Fifa's disciplinary committee for review and potential action, though no games were affected.

Fifa has previously called the level of racism in the Russian game "completely unacceptable" and players including Brazil and former Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk have voiced concerns over racism at Russian games.

Last month Spartak Moscow were ordered to play a European home match in a partially closed stadium as punishment for racist behaviour by supporters during a Uefa Youth League game against Liverpool.

Officials in Russia have previously said they are working to kick out racism. (BBC)

Young at the double as United win at Watford

A

shley Young struck twice against his old club as Manchester United cured their recent travel sickness with a 4-2 victory at Watford to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to five points on Tuesday. United, beaten in their last two away Premier League games and at Basel last week in Europe, began slowly but

Young, without a goal for 18 months, struck twice in six minutes midway through the first half before Anthony Martial scored a third before the break to knock the stuffing out of the hosts.

Watford made a fight of it after the break with substitute Troy Deeney scoring from the penalty spot and when Abdoulaye Doucoure grabbed a second in the 84th minute it seemed the hosts could snatch an unlikely point.

Two minutes later, however, Jesse Lingard scored a superb individual goal on the counter-attack to settle United’s nerves.

Second-placed United have 32 points with City, who host Southampton on Wednesday, on 37. ”We had chances to make it four, five and six,“ United manager Jose Mourinho told reporters. ”Maybe we thought it was too easy. Maybe it was a good lesson. ”It’s good to have lessons without losing points. The next time we are 3-0 up they will remember this.

“But I prefer to forget the five minutes they scored twice and focus on the good things we did because there were many.”

Watford, buoyed by successive Premier League wins, were lively in the opening stages and Richarlison was inches away from connecting with a Kiko Femenia cross.

But the game changed in the 19th minute when left back Young beat Herelho Gomes with a powerful shot inside the near post.

Six minutes later United were awarded a free kick in a central position 25 metres out and Young, rather than expected taker Paul Pogba, planted an exquisite curler beyond Gomes.

Things went from bad to worse for Watford as Martial was played in by Romelu Lukaku and the Frenchman found the net with a low right-foot shot.

Richarlison headed against the bar for Watford after the break but they were eventually rewarded when Deeney beat David De Gea from the spot after Marcos Rojo, on his first game back after a long injury lay-off, fouled Roberto Pereyra.

Doucore guided home Andre Carrillo’s cross soon after to set up a frantic climax, but Lingard set off on a long solo run, beating two Watford defenders and firing past Gomes to leave United as worthy winners. (Reuters)

Herath ruled out of 3rd Test against India S

ri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath has been ruled out of the third Test against India. Sri Lanka are likely to name legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who is uncapped in Tests, as the replacement for the Test that starts in Delhi on December 2.

Herath went wicketless in the first Test on a seamer-friendly pitch in Kolkata but contributed with a handy 67 to hand Sri Lanka a crucial lead of 122 runs in the first innings. In Nagpur, where the Indian spinners picked 13 wickets, Herath finished with figures of 39-11-81-1 as India had to bat only once.

Despite troubling the Indian batsmen in the first Test, Sri Lanka's bowlers picked only six wickets in the second Test and will be without their most experienced bowler now.

Vandersay brings with him an experience of 11 ODIs and seven T20Is in which he has collected 14 wickets in all. His ODI average is an unimpressive 43 but he has an economy rate of 5.74 which rises to 7.37 in T20Is. Sri Lanka also have left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan in the squad who has played seven Tests but went wicketless in the tour game in Kolkata before the Test series. (Cricinfo)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017

Port Mourant cruise to 4th Balram Shane title ing from Samuel Kishnasammy 55, Troy Gonsalves 27, Marcus Watkins 13 and Demetri Cameron 12*.

Spearheading the Albion Cricket Club’s bowling was National spinner, Veerasammy Permaul who took 3-39 as Balchand Baldeo chipped in with 2-58 and Rajiv Ivan 2-47.

Albion Cricket Club in reply was kept to 243 in 45 overs with Kandasammy Surujnarine resisting with 54, Jonathon Foo 40, Adrian

Kellon Carmichael

A

Injured rugby player in stable condition

Alex Algoo

lex Algoo struck a fine 93 as Port Mourant toppled rivals Albion by 7 runs in the 2017 Balram Shane Memorial Trophy held at the Albion Community Center Ground, Sunday.

For the fourth edition of the tournament, Port Mourant have stormed to the title, this time after racking up 250 runs in their 45 overs after the National Under-19 batsman hit 93 off 96 deliveries with support com-

Lloydel Lewis

Sukwah 40 and David Latchaya 3; being among the scorers.

Skipper Lloydel Lewis led the bowling with 3-19 while seamer Kellon Carmichael grabbed 3-40 and pacer Nial Smith 2-40. Algoo was adjudged the best batsman while Lewis copped the Best bowler’s award.

The Balram Shane Competition is an Annual Memorial Game sponsored by the Shane family in memory of their late father Balram Shane.

Berbice Martial artists receive certificates from ASK-G

K

aratekas of Berbice recently underwent examinations as part of a special initiative to reach those who were unable to attend recent examinations by the Association do Shotokan (ASK) at the YMCA, Thomas Lands Dojo.

The examinations were facilitated by 7th Dan Sensei Amir Khouri who was assisted by 6th Dan Sensei Clinton Moriah and 5th Sensei Hazrat Ali, following the largest gathering of fighters at the November 12.

The ASK held a certificates presentation at the YMCA Dojo on Friday last for those participants with Sensei Khouri and company handing over the certificates to the martial artists.

Abioce Heywood (with ball) in action during the championship

N

ational Rugby player Abioce Heywood, who suffered a head injured during the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens championships over the weekend in Mexico is said to be in a stable condition.

Heywood had received a tough blow on Sunday and collapsed on the field where was rushed to medical insti-

tution where she is still being treated currently and based on report the Guyana Defence Force Officer is recovering.

It is understood that a female physiotherapist of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who travelled with the squad will remain in Mexico and accompany Heywood on return to Guyana.

Woods set for return to golf T

iger Woods will make his return to competitive golf on Thursday, when he will tee it up alongside Justin Thomas.

Justin Thomas issued a friendly warning to Hero World Challenge playing partner Tiger Woods as he told the returning legend that he was "looking forward to trying to kick his ass".

The 2017 US PGA Championship winner will tee it up alongside 14-time major champion Woods in the Bahamas on Thursday.

Woods is making his latest injury comeback after recovering from back surgery and Thomas reminded everyone of the influence his American compatriot continues to yield.

"There's nobody that moves the needle like him, even now," said Thomas. "If he had 15 wins and two majors then people wouldn't care, but he has 79 and 14 majors.

"I'm probably just as excited to watch it as you are. I just get a front-row seat to it on Thursday, but I'm also looking forward to trying to kick his ass to be perfectly honest."

Woods is the headline act among a small but stellar field at this week's PGA Tour event.

The 41-year-old was in

buoyant mood at his own pre-tournament press conference, insisting he was in much better shape than when he made a much-anticipated return at the same event last year.

He said: "This is very different. Last year I was still struggling with the pain. I was able to hit some good shots, but looking back now I was playing in slow motion.

"That was as hard as I could hit it. I didn't realise how bad my back had become and just how slow I was, because it's been a slow, degrading process.

"Now to come out here and do what I've been doing the last couple weeks ... it's been great." (Sportsmax)

sports

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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21

French Defence T

he French Defence is a sharp counterattacking weapon against white’s first move 1.e4. From black’s first move, he looks to black the a2-g8 diagonal which is usually a big weakness for black and prepares to take control of the light squares in the center after 2.d5. Some of the greatest players of all time have had a hard time Jessica Clementson playing against the French Defense because it plays so much differently than a normal black defense.

The biggest problem you will see if you are black is the blocked bishop on the queen side that is blocked by the very first move of 1.e6. Many times the entire game will revolve around this key weakness of black’s. Always know your weaknesses in a chess game.

One of the big concepts to notice about the French Defense is that black usually counterattacks on the queen side while white will normally focus on the king side. This type of game can many types turn into a race to see who can strike first.

Several notable games include:

Frank James Marshall vs Aron Nimzowitsch 1927 (0-1) Aron Nimzowitsch vs Jose Raul Capablanca 1911 (0-1) Paul Morphy vs Adolf Anderssen 1858 (1-0) The French Defence is named after a match played by correspondence between the cities of London and Paris in 1834 (although earlier examples of games with the opening do exist). It was Chamouillet, one of the players of the Paris team, who persuaded the others to adopt this defence.

The first world chess champion Wilhelm Steinitz said "I have never in my life played the French Defence, which is the dullest of all openings". In the early 20th century, Géza Maróczy was perhaps the first world-class player to make it his primary weapon against 1.e4. For a long time, it was the third most popular reply to 1.e4, behind only 1...c5 and 1...e5.

Historically important contributors to the theory of the defence include Mikhail Botvinnik, Viktor Korchnoi, Aron Nimzowitsch, Tigran Petrosian, Lev Psakhis, Wolfgang Uhlmann and Rafael Vaganian.

More recently, its leading practitioners include Evgeny Bareev, Alexey Dreev, Mikhail Gurevich, Alexander Khalifman, Smbat Lputian, Alexander Morozevich, Teimour Radjabov, Nigel Short, Gata Kamsky, and Yury Shulman.

The Exchange Variation was recommended by Howard Staunton in the 19th century, but has been in decline ever since. In the early 1990s Garry Kasparov briefly experimented with it before switching to 3.Nc3. Note that Black's game is made much easier as his queen's bishop has been liberated. It has the reputation of giving immediate equality to Black, due to the symmetrical pawn structure.

P

owerhouses Chase Academy hammered St. Roses High School by 258 runs when the The 2017/2018 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited/ National Sport Commission/National Secondary School Cricket League continued on Tuesday.

At the GNIC ground, Chase Academy batted first and amassed a mammoth 295 off their allotted 30 overs.

Batting for Chase Academy, Chameshwar Permaul intelligently grafted 88, Garrick Persaud slammed 65, Orlando Giddings stroked a masterful 66 and Dwain Dick knocked a quick 40.

In reply, St. Roses was

bowled out for a disastrously low score of 10 runs. National players Sachin Singh took 5 wickets for 6 runs and Dwain Dick 4 wickets for 2 runs.

Patentia win by 114 runs Over at the Belle Vue ground, Patentia won the toss and batted first, scoring 184for 5 in 20 overs, with Wasim Rahaman scoring 70 not out and Andy Persaud 42.

Bowling for Goed Fortune, Sherwin Gravesane grabbed 2 for 20 and Vickraj Harris 1 for 41.

In reply, Goed Fortune could only manage 70 runs before being bowled out in 14 overs. Satwesh Persaud was the only batsman to score double figures with a delightful 39. The successful bowlers for Patentia Secondary

DCC came alive Sunday with exciting softball action

R

egal Masters, Mike’s Wellman, Speedboat and Success secured spots in the final of the Mike’s Pharmacy/ Nauth Motor Spares/Trophy Stall senior softball tournament.

Played at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Ground on Sunday last, Regal Masters defeated Floodlights by 76 runs in their encounter after a robust 75 from opener Mahase Chunilall helped Regal Masters posted 159-6 off their allotted 20 overs.

Chunilall struck five fours and six sixes in his innings which spanned 50 balls and got support from Eric Thomas who made 24 off 15 balls with three fours as Clyde Canterbury claimed 3-19 with support from Imtiaz Mohamed 2-24, bowling for Floodlights.

Floodlights were then sent packing for 83 in 19.2 overs with Amarnauth Lutchman resisting with 36 following bursts from Laurie Singh 4-23 and David Harper 3-27.

Mike’s Wellman beat Sunrisers by 61 runs when they racked up 186 all out in 19.5 overs with contributions from Jagdesh Persaud 35, Nadram Samlall 25, Eon Lovell 21 and Wayne Jones 19. Mike Lakeram Singh picked 3-7 while Manoj Arjune 3-31 and M. Ifill 2-32 were the other wicket-takers. Sunrisers were then bowled out for 125 in 14.5 overs in reply, led by a top innings of 71 from I. Sanichara which overshadowed Sheldon Perch’s 5-18.

In the open segment, Speedboat got the better of Regal Allstars by 34 runs.

Speedboat managed 174 all out in 15 overs, with Wazir Hussain smashing two fours and 10 maximums in his top score of 73 while Amir Nizamudeen 3-31 and Richard Latif 2-20, led with the ball for Regal Allstars who were restricted for 140-8 in reply.

Latif made 44 with two fours and four sixes while Saheed Mohamed got 36 which contained four fours and two sixes but it was Ivan who claimed 3-21 and A. Dhaniram 2-17 who pulled things back for their team.

Meanwhile, Success Allstars gained a walk over from Farm. The competition will conclude this Sunday at the said venue. The female semi-finals, Trophy Stall Angels will face Blue Divas while Well woman will take on 4R Lioness. Following the female final, Regal Masters and Mike’s Wellman will battle for the masters’ title before Speedboat take on Success in the open final.

The female winners will take home a trophy and $50,000 while the runner up will receive a trophy and $25,000. The masters’ and open champions will each take home a trophy and $100,000 and the runners up a trophy and $25,000.

Floodlights and Regal Masters will face each other in a specially arranged hardball T20 fixture when the DCC host its club night on Friday.

GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL

Chase Academy thump St Roses by 285 runs

Orlando Giddings

were Samuel Ramlochan 3 for 15, Wasim Rahaman 2 for 7 and Satesh Basdeo 2 for 20.

Number 8 Secondary win by 10 wickets At Woodley Park, Woodley Park won the toss and batted, but was bundled out for 107 off 24 of their allotted 30 overs. Vishular Adin made 28, Tony Dalane 17 and Hamchan ragabeer 11. Bowling for number 8 Secondary, Daniel grabbed 4 for 7, Lakeram Budhram 3 for 25 and Rajiv Doodal 2 for 13.

In response, Number 8 Secondary reached the victory target without loss, as openers Wazim Inchar and Nigel Deodat both missed out on recording half centuries, as both ended on 49 not out.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, november 29, 2017

Chandrika out, Akshaya in T

for Pride clash

alent middle-order batsman Akshaya Persaud will return to the Guyana Jaguars 13-man squad at the expense of Test batsman and opener Rajendra

Chandrika for their fifth round clash against Barbados Pride in the 2017/18 Cricket West Indies (CWI) four-day championship starting Thursday at Providence.

Persaud, who is still to make his First-Class debut was picked for the opening round of this year’s regional championship but was subsequently dropped.

The 20 year-old, playing for West Demerara in the Jaguars Franchise three-day league stroked his way to the top of the charts with an aggregate of 523 in seven games with a best of 151 not out. In

2016 massed 418 runs in six matches with a highest of 155.

On the other hand, Chandrika who played the last of his five Tests in 2016 against India has endured a torrid outing with the willow this season.

In his two matches, he has only scored 67 runs, with a top score of 35. More so, his last five First-Class matches yielded just 176 runs at average of 22.

The three-time defending champions with 64.8 points, are atop the points standings ahead of second place Leeward Islands Hurricanes on 44.6.

After their clash against Pride from November 30 to December 3, they have two more home matches against Windward Islands Volcanoes from December 7-10 and a day/night encounter with Leeward Islands Hurricanes from December 14-17.

Squad: Leon Johnson (Captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul,

Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Anthony Bramble, Keemo Paul, Akshaya Persaud, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy P e r m a u l , Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph.

Rajendra Chandrika

PCL points standings are as follows:

Akshaya Persaud

FRANCHISES

PTS

M

W

L

I

T

A

DP

MR

BAT

BOWL

PB

1. Guyana Jaguars

64.8

4

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

9

10

6.8

2. Leewards Hurricanes

44.6

4

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

6

12

8.6

3. Barbados Pride

42.4

4

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

9

11

4.4

4. T&T Red Force

41.8

4

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

11

8

4.8

5. Jamaica Scorpions

36.6

4

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

6

9

3.6

6. Windwards Volcanoes

18.4

4

0

3

1

0

0

0

0

2

8

5.4

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, november 29, 2017

23

Relaxed environment key to Jaguars’ success – Griffith

By Akeem Greene

W

ith three consecutive Cricket West Indies (CWI) four-day championship titles and currently edging towards a fourth, Guyana Jaguars have made a remarking turnaround with the red-ball.

Prior to their title in the 2014/2015 season when the championship became a professional cricket league (PCL), Guyana would have won in 1997/98 by virtue of a shared the title with Leeward Islands.

Their success according to Assistant Coach Rayon Griffith is the relaxed environment created which nurtures success. Despite winning has become the mantra of the Jaguars, the coach has cautioned the players of becoming overconfident.

“It is good to have confidence but you don’t want to be too over confident; you need to be humble but have the confidence to enjoy the cricket and that is what we do, we try to let the players be in a relaxed environment where they can express themselves”, Griffith told Guyana Times Sport on Tuesday after a training session at the National Stadium.

Regarding the unsettling de-

All in! Team comradery has been a great feature of the Guyana Jaguars

bate on whether Jaguars have truly earned their stripes as a regional powerhouse given that other franchises would have weakened teams due to vital players being on West Indies duty, Griffith contended that his team has learned from mistakes and grown tremendously. It has resonated with Jaguars only losing thrice in 34 matches of the PCL to date.

“If you look back at some of the teams they were some of these same guys playing five years ago when Guyana was at the bottom of the table but we have improved our cricket and learn to play smarter. The guys are always willing to learn and the camp is conducive for that learning”, the former national player stated.

Jaguars have recently returned

home after crushing Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by an innings and 217 runs which has significantly extended their lead on the points table.

Now they face the test of Barbados Pride from Thursday at Providence, a clash Griffith is eager to dominate.

“Every game we play, we want to dominate and we want to send

a message. The Barbados team might not be the strongest among the teams but we still have to play good cricket so we could overcome them” Inspirational captain Leon Johnson returning to this runfeast mode, and young Tagenarine Chanderpaul getting in on the act as well, are positive signs which enthuses the assistant coach.

“The positives are that the top order clicked because we have been struggling at the top since the beginning of the tournament. I know that if the top-order clicked we would put a big total and it was shown. It was good to see the captain get the some runs and lift his confidence has lift along with that of Tagenarine [Chanderpaul].”

He added, “the youngsters are coming to the forth, Sherfane [Rutherford] has grown a lot with both and bat. All the youngsters are willing to learn. The team is strong team and we had to put [Chandrapaul] Hemraj who has been doing well at three to open the batting but he didn’t click as yet. I and hope he comes along well and score more runs”.

The three-time champions returns to Providence today where they continue training ahead of their first round clash on Thursday.

57th National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships

Linden launch sturdy title defence …as records tumble on day 3

By Michelangelo Jacobus

O

n day three of the 57th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships, the defending champions District 10 (Upper Demerara/Kwakwani) also called Linden, seemed well poised as they built a solid foundation for a successful title defense while four records also tumbled.

District 6 (Corentyne) continued their impressive start to this year’s “Nationals” by going toe to toe with the defending champions. Having already won the cycling championships on Monday, the Corentyne athletes maintained their consistent performances and continued to place among the top four positions on the day.

However the champs ended the day in the lead with 87 points after 17 finals while Corentyne was in second with 73 points.

Early in the day World Junior 400m Silver Medalist Daniel Williams (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) cruised to first

in third was Tandika Haynes (New Amsterdam) who crossed the finish line at 1:02.76s.

Bright followed up her qualification for the 400m final by out jumping her rivals to cop gold in the Girls U-18 Long Jump final with

U-20 400m heat in 1:0.5s; Kezra Murray represented West Demerara impressively to come in second at 1:01.32s while Toyan Raymond (East Coast Demerara) was third in 1:01.86s.

The 4x100m Open Relay

District 5 won the Boys' Open 4x100m Relay heat in impressive fashion

place to win his qualifying Boy’s U-18 heat in a time of 51.08s while Jermain King (New Amsterdam/ Canje) impressed to finish second with 51.29s.

East Georgetown’s Daniel Melville came in just behind at 51.80s to finish third.

In the second 400m heat New Amsterdam’s Laurindo Prince blazed his way to the final winning his heat in 49.23s.

He was followed by South Georgetown’s Brian Roman with 50.75s while Stayon Wilson finished third with 52.15s.

South American Youth Games 400m Gold medal-

ist Deshana Skeete pulled no punches as she dominated her Girls U16 heat to progress with 58.11s, she was chased by West Demerara’s Keliza Smith who finished at 59.61s while Princess Browne out of East Georgetown came in third with the clock at 1:01.60s.

Middle distance phenom Joanna Archer of West Demerara was also in action and was in a class by herself winning the Girls U-18 400m heat in 59.63s, she was followed by South American U-20 Long Jump Gold medalist Chantoba Bright who stopped the clock at 1:01.29s. Coming

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton presented District 7 (Bartica) U-14 Long Jump Record Holder Ghaill Godette with a pair of jumping spikes on Tuesday. Godette set the U-14 record in 2016 at the Providence Stadium when he leaped some 5.66m

a winning leap of 5.89m.

East Georgetown’s Cassie Small was also dominant winning the Girls

heats later in the afternoon provided much entertainment to the spectators. The District 10 boys suffered a

shock disqualification after a baton pass mishap.

Speaking after the race, Daniel Williams pointed out that “these things do happen” but admitted that he was disappointed. He also revealed that he was impressed with the level of competition this year and warned that he will be gunning for the record in the 400m final on Friday.

The first record to tumble was the Girls U-12 400m which came courtesy of Corentyne’s Putrina Sullivan who clocked 1:05.75s to win gold and write her name in the history book. Toyan Raymond was the next athlete to set a new record, this time in the Girls U-20 long jump.

Raymond recorded a best leap of 5.7m on her way to gold.

In the Boys U-14 400m Wesley Tyndall erased Williams’ four year old record of 54.95s when he clocked 54.50s.

Carl Williams broke a 26 year old Men’s U-20 Long Jump record when he covered a distance of 7.11m; the previous record holder was Rickford Dean who jumped 6.90m in 1991.

The championships will continue today with action beginning at 09:00hrs.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

57th National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships

Linden launch sturdy title defence

Pg 23

…as records tumble on day 3

Chantoba Bright jumping her way to gold in the Girls' U-18 Long Jump Final

Relaxed environment Pg 23

key to Jaguars’ success – Griffith Anthony Adams and Sherfane Rutherford enjoy some football during Tuesday’s training sessions at the National Stadium, Providence (Akeem Greene Photo)

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