Guyana Times August 4, 2018

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Issue No. 3645

100% renewable energy by 2025 unlikely – Climate Change Head

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Essequibo house goes P2 up in flames

Page 3

...advises there is scope to revise target

200 Guyanese to benefit P12 from American University scholarships

Bee Hive accident

Duo died from drowning, P2 blunt trauma to head – PM

ExxonMobil partners with Guyana Amazon Warriors The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) team pose with ExxonMobil Country Manager Rod Henson, Public and Government Affairs Manager Deedra Moe, Community Relations Manager Nicholas Yearwood and GAW Operations Manager Omar Khan at the Guyana Marriott on Friday during the media mixer (Carl Croker photo)

Hundreds of acres of rice infested with bugs Page 15

Minister Harmon pledges $500,000 personal support to Beacon Foundation Page 11

“Short Boss” being hunted for murder of Timehri P10 mason GWI records P13 $200M increase in revenues

2 news

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Essequibo house Bee Hive accident goes up in flames Duo died from drowning,

blunt trauma to head – PM

A

n early Friday morning fire at Sparta Middle Dam, also called Bamboo Dam, on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two, completely destroyed a two-storey wooden and concrete structure owned

by Bissessar Mohan, a former teacher who now resides with his family in the United States.

Reports received indicate that the fire, believed to have had its genesis in the bottom flat of the building, was first spotted at about 01:30h; and as neighbours rushed to the premises in an attempt to put out the blaze, they found that they could not gain access to the building because the gates to the premises were well secured with padlocks.

The Guyana Fire Service was summoned, but by the time they arrived on scene, the entire building was already engulfed. Although reportedly employing their best efforts, the firemen were unsuccessful in saving the fully furnished home from total destruction.

Ramanie Narine, a neighbour, told <<Guyana Times>> that a strange

T

The house that was razed by fire on Friday morning

noise had awakened her; and as she opened her eyes, she saw a bright glow being reflected through her bedroom window. As she got up to investigate, she saw the Mohans’ house on fire, and immediately raised an alarm. She noted that the owners of the house migrated to the United States three months ago.

Residents believe the fire might have been electrical in origin. “Them family does come and check the place and put on the light

and so… Nobody stay at the house”, the woman added.

Residents are skeptical about unusual fires occurring in the community. On May 31, the home of Harry Permanand was completely razed by fire; and two houses in close proximity to the Mohans’ home were recently destroyed by fire.

The owner of this latest house to have been gutted was informed of the fire and that an investigation has been launched by the Guyana Fire Service.

he post mortem performed on the bodies of Varshni Khemraj and Satyanand Harripersaud, who lost their lives after the car in which they were travelling collided with another vehicle and ended up in a trench, determined that they died as a result of drowning and blunt trauma to head.

The autopsies were conducted by Dr. Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Friday, and his findings confirmed that the teenager of East Canje Berbice and the 27-yearold man of Lot 97 Sawah Village, Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their demise.

The bodies were handed over to their relatives to make funeral arrangements.

This accident occurred on Sunday last at about 22:15h, when the car Harripersaud was driving, PSS 9153, allegedly swerved into the path of motor car PTT 5270 and a collision resulted.

Upon impact, Harripersaud reportedly lost control of his vehicle, and it ended up submerged in a nearby canal. After several minutes under water, the duo were eventually ex-

Dead teenager: Varshni Khemraj, also called “Shelly” and “Varsha”

tracted from the vehicle and rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver of the other car, who hails from Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara, was unhurt. A breathalyser test to which he was subjected found no trace on alcohol in his system. He was subsequently released as Police continue their investigations.

The parents of the dead man told Guyana Times he had returned to Guyana only a few days prior to the accident. He was due to attend a wedding ceremony of a close relative. However, on the night of the fatal accident, the young man left home to meet his friends at

Satyanand Harripersaud also called “Alvin”

the KK Service Station.

His parents received the dreaded news of his demise at about 23:00h. His mother reportedly rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital only to see her son’s motionless body.

There were no visual injuries about his body.

The female teenager was spending time at an aunt in Mahaica, and on the night of the fatal accident, had gone with a cousin to the said location to engage in a “lime”.

She and Harripersaud had reportedly left the KK Service Station and had gone in search of food. On their way back to the service station, they met their demise. They are expected to be laid to rest in the new week.

news

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, August 4 – 10:00h-11:30h Sunday, August 5 – 11:00h-12:30h

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, August 4 – 09:10h-10:40h Sunday, August 5 – 10:15h-11:45h

100% renewable energy by 2025 unlikely – Climate Change Head …says there is scope to revise target

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny intervals and lightly cloudy skies will prevail during the day. Clear skies are expected in the evening hours.

Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South-easterly to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 09:32h and 21:59h reaching maximum height of 2.39 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 15:28h reaching a minimum height of 0.86 metre

tUESDAY, JULY 31, 2018

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OCC Head Janelle Christian

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fficials are admitting that developments since Guyana embarked on the path of ‘greening the economy’ may make a revision of its 100 per cent renewable energy target by the year 2025 necessary.

This came out of a meeting between the Office of Climate Change (OCC); Guyana Energy Agency (GEA); Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Affairs. It will be a different view to that usually expressed by the politicians.

Committee Chairperson Gail Teixeira noted that Guyana's commitment of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025 was a huge commitment even with the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) then on the cards, much less now considering that Government was no longer pushing the project but smaller hydropower facilities.

While the Committee heard a number of initiatives aimed at reducing emissions and switching to the green state, like outfitting Government departments and setting up small hydropower stations, Teixeira demanded to know what specific targets have been met and the impact these targets had on the overall goal.

“I believe, given the extent of research done over the last three years, it is clear that we cannot reach to the goal of 100 per cent by 2025,” OCC Head Janelle Christian, who has a master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, told

the Committee. In response to this admission, Teixeira urged her to inform the requisite policy-makers.

“You should advise the advisers and politicians, because in Parliament, it is said (that the target is achievable). It’s only because we are asking you to come before us, we are hearing there is a consideration for a review,” she observed.

When asked by Committee member Nigel Dharamlall whether there was an exit strategy for the agreement in light of this information, Christian ruled out an exit. According to the environment specialist, there is room for revision of targets.

Renewable energy

It was only recently that Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson provided updates on a number of multimillion-dollar hydro and solar power projects that had seemingly been gathering dust…

Patterson also spoke

of a US$3.8 million solar farm, funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), which would be constructed at Bartica.

According to the Minister, this will be completed by the end of 2018.

Meanwhile, the update on the Tumatumari hydro project is that the private

Patterson noted that if the developer, in this case Tumatumari Hydro Inc, proved unable to meet the July month-end deadline set by the State for financial closure, Government would take over the project.

The update on the Kato hydropower project is a more positive one. According to

Members of the Committee on Friday

developer has been given a deadline to reach financial closure with investors; that is, when all agreements have been signed and conditions met, in order to allow the dispensing of funds.

Patterson, funding has been secured for the US$2 million project and work will commence when the weather permits. turn to page 12

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guyanatimesgy.com

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

Stepping up the breastfeeding campaign

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orld Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organisations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding initiatives.

For many countries, the Week provides yet another opportunity for the various stakeholders in the health sector to remind everyone of the many health benefits that can be obtained when couples go the route of ensuring their babies are breastfed.

According to the WHO, breastfeeding is the best way to provide infants with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding, starting within one hour after birth up to at least six months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or beyond.

This year, WHO is working with UNICEF and other partners to promote the importance of helping mothers breastfeed their babies within that crucial first hour of life. The evidence is clear. It shows that breastfeeding has cognitive and health benefits for both infants and their mothers. It is especially critical during the first six months of life, helping prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia -- two major causes of death in infants. Also, mothers who breastfeed have a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer, two leading causes of death among women.

However, in spite of all of the known facts about breastfeeding, countries -- including Guyana -- are still not where they should be in terms of their breastfeeding targets, as a huge percentage of newborns are still not being breastfed. According to UNICEF and WHO in a report published recently, an estimated 78 million babies – or three in five – are not breastfed within the first hour of life, putting them at higher risk of death and disease, and making them less likely to continue breastfeeding. Most of these babies are born in low- and middle-income countries.

The report notes that newborns who breastfeed in the first hour of life are significantly more likely to survive. Even a delay of a few hours after birth could pose life-threatening consequences. Skin-to-skin contact along with suckling at the breast stimulate the mother’s production of breast milk, including colostrum, also called the baby’s ‘first vaccine’, which is extremely rich in nutrients and antibodies.

Earlier studies cited in the report show that newborns who began breastfeeding between two and 23 hours after birth had a 33 per cent greater risk of dying, compared with those who began breastfeeding within one hour of birth.

Among newborns who started breastfeeding a day or more after birth, the risk was more than twice as high.

In Guyana’s case, the breastfeeding rate for newborn babies is now approximately 23 per cent. This is enough to cause the authorities here to review national policies, and revise and strengthen the present approaches in relation to the national breastfeeding campaign. More could be done, and more ought to be done, to ensure that couples are given the necessary information and guidance to go the route of breastfeeding.

We had stated before that there is an urgent need here for a consistent, aggressive breastfeeding campaign aimed at persuading mothers and fathers that early and exclusive breastfeeding helps babies survive, supports healthy brain development, improves cognitive performance, and is a major factor in better educational achievement at age five.

To its credit, the Public Health Ministry has engaged in some efforts to encourage breastfeeding, but the campaign needs to be consistent, more focused, and must be able to meet mothers in every corner of the country. During the course of the next few days, it is hoped, health authorities here will step up efforts to promote breastfeeding.

That said, among its many recommendations, the report alluded to earlier urges governments, donors and other decision-makers to adopt strong legal measures to restrict the marketing of infant formula and other breast milk substitutes.

A young lady exhibits several hand crafted items at the official launch of Guyana’s gender integration programme in REDD Plus readiness, which seeks to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of forest products (Carl Croker photo)

Junior ranks within the GPF continue to be discriminated against and mistreated

Dear Editor, “The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “Be nice to people on your way up, because you might meet them again on your way back down” – Wilson Mizner As we approach the 20s, and as the Guyana Police Force continues to boast about the many changes throughout the organisation, I can safely say that little or no change has been made, based on what I have seen throughout my two plus years of service within the Force; especially as it relates to the treatment of junior ranks, which make up approximately 80% of the Force.

Let me first start by saying that during my stint at the Tactical Services Unit, one of the very few departments that are always complaining about shortage of ranks, while stationed there, I was heading to work in my personal attire, henceforth changed over to the Police attire. All of this was done before my working time.

Before this could have happened, a very senior officer saw me walking into the compound in my personal attire, and within seconds I heard, “Police, where you going with that f#8king tight pants, like yuh is a bird or wah?” I responded to the officer and said that I am here very early, hence I would have enough time to change over. I also said, “Why would you want to ask me if I ‘is a bird?’ That doesn’t concern you.’

A few days later, I was charged and put on oneweek CB and drills, which were being used as a punishment for defaulting ranks. I did the drills as required for 8-plus hours, and also I was being made to work another 12 hours. Now, that is a breach of my human rights and the Labour and Public Service Acts; I am asking all the relevant authorities, including the Commissioner of Police (ag), to look into this matter and also the ranks’ welfare.

During that time, I was mistreated and was deliberately relieved very late after meal hours. I could see that they wanted me to miss the meal hours, and also no time

was given for me to go and purchase something to eat.

These senior officers, probably because they are senior, or maybe it is the culture of the Force, continue to talk to, and abuse, junior ranks with many expletives, and also take very swift action to degrade us.

It must stop. Times are changing, and we need to adapt. If persons are accustomed to bell bottom pants or skinny fitted jeans, then leave every man to his own personal order.

I have seen junior ranks being abused until they can’t take it anymore. Some of them cried it off, some of them were strong, some of them were weak, and many of them withdrew their services legally or illegally.

We cannot be chasing our ranks and then complain about shortage. Have we questioned why our wastage for the year thus far is some 70 plus persons, who either legally or illegally withdrew?

The hurtful part is: it is as if we are locked down.

This is because we don’t have anyone to talk to, because the Guyana Police Association, which rep-

resents ¾ of the Force’s population, is being chaired by and Inspector, and that person cannot instruct, write or speak to any seniors.

The Guyana Association of Women Police, which is supposed to be looking into the welfare of the female ranks, is busy planning fund-raising activities and trips around the world, probably to buy new clothes, bags and watches, and maybe shoes.

Moreover, the Police Welfare Officer cannot do anything, because the office is there but the rank isn’t.

That officer is deemed a junior officer, and cannot instruct, speak or write a senior officer.

Let me end by stating that there is a saying in the Force: “Senior officers don’t go against each other”. Now, who do we turn to for help?

What can be done? Will we always be like this? If yes, then this leaves much to be desired, and the Force will always remain one way as it relates to junior ranks’ welfare.

Yours sincerely, Concerned Police Constable

August 5: Queen’s College started and Burnham died in the same month and day...what a coincidence?

Dear Editor, Reading does enlighten us about a great lot, and I was just recently perusing a British Guiana Queen's College Magazine dated 1944-45, and it just dawned on me that the institution will be celebrating 174 years

of existence on August 5, 2018. It's the same institution that the late President L.F.S Burnham attended, and he died on August 5, 1985.

What a coincidence of August 5?

August 5, 1844: the in-

stitution opened its doors at the Colony House with 15 pupils enrolled, and the original name was 'Queen's College Grammar School.'

Rev. W. Hamilton and Rev. Webber were the tutors employed during the opening stages; and in 1845, the

institution moved to Main Street with 33 pupils on roll.

August 14, 1848: it was incorporated; September 1854, it was moved to Carmichael Street; and in 1876, the new name was given as 'Queen's College.'

Continued on page 5

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News

Appeal Court sets aside Justice Chang’s order in $22.5M mortgage case from 1996 – Justices say adjournments were given without reasons

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he Appeal Court of Guyana has overturned a March, 2013 decision of former acting Chief Justice Ian Chang, who had ruled in favour of three persons who claimed that a buyer of a vessel paid no installments out of a $22,500,000 mortgage agreement.

The decision was handed down by acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, and Appellate Court Justices Rafiq Khan and Dr. Arif Bulkan last month.

The Appellant, who was the defendant in the previous High Court matter, was Richard Simpson, and he was represented by attorney Subedar Hassain.

Meanwhile, attorney Sase Gunraj represented the respondents, the late Abdool Yaseen, and family members Abdool Naeem Yassen and Halima Bibi Yassen.

They were the plaintiffs when the case was heard at the High Court. According to court documents, Justice Chang had dismissed the Yassen’s claim but restored it on June 8, 2009.

The matter is dated 22 years ago when the Yaseens outlined that on April 10, 1996, before the Registrar of Deeds, Simpson willingly condemned in judgment, two immovable properties he owned in favour of the respondents for the Yassens to secure the $ 22.5 million payment for MV Uffee boat.

The Yassens filed their court case 20 days later on April

Justice Chang had ruled.

Appeal

However, Simpson through his attorney mounted an appeal, noting that the former acting Chief Justice’s ruling was a breach of natural justice since the trial was held in the appellant’s absence and that the court had no jurisdiction to dis-

Simpson paid any money to his father and then when he later said that Simpson never paid any money to them.

His evidence was deemed not credible or reliable. The judges pointed out that the respondents did not discharge the legal burden of proof at the time they commenced proceedings on the grounds to enforce the mort-

serve no other purpose that to besmirch the integrity of the trial court,” the Appellate Court opined.

The court also held that Abdool Naeem gave conflicting evidence when he said he did not know whether

gage. As such, the judges allowed the appeal and set aside’s Justice Chang’s decision. No court costs were awarded when the July 10, 2018 decision was handed down.

Former Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang

30, 1996.

In his defence, Simpson claimed that he never received any money from the Yassens and that he did not mortgage any property to them and that Abdool Yassen was an unregistered money lender. In fact, Simpson stated that the mortgage was “illegal and void” as he was “deceived” by the family into signing a hire purchase agreement.

The matter came up for trial, 16 years after it was filed, on May 16, 2012, before Justice Chang; and by that time the senior Yaseen had already passed away.

The son, Abdool Naeem, told the court then that he did not know that Simpson had made any payments to his father. However, Stephen Thomas who was Director of Martime Safety has testified before the court that the MV Uffee was first registered in Yasseen’s name and Simpson’s afterwards. During High Court

August 5: Queen’s... from page 4

Easter 1918: the institution was moved to the old orphanage in Brickdam, and the school library was started. In 1937, Thomas Lands location was presented to Queen's College.

Where was Colony House?

Where in Main Street was Queen's College once housed?

Where in Carmichael Street was the institution once located?

Where in Brickdam was

Additionally, the senior judges found Justice Chang granted adjournments without giving reasons. The judges said that it would not permit assertions by Simpson’s attorney, Hussain, that Justice Change was fraudulent. “...baseless allegations such as the one made by counsel for the appellant

the old orphanage?

The above data was extracted from the magazine in question, which I have attached for your respective readership’s viewing. Anyone is welcome to make any correction from the above.

Yours faithfully, T .Pemberton Tour Guide/ Photographer

proceedings, it was also heard by Principal Clerk of Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, Mohamed Bacchus, that none of the respondents was a licensed money lender.

Justice Chang’s ruling In Justice Chang’s March 1, 2013 determination, he ruled in favour of the Yassens and held that the case was a sale of credit of the vessel rather than a moneylending transaction.

He declared that Simpson would pay interest on the $22,500,000 sum at a rate 6% per annum starting from April 30, 1996 to when he handed down his ruling.

Justice Chang found that Simpson “covenanted” to pay the full mortgage sum in 48 monthly installments of $468,750 from March 1, 1996. “[Simpson] paid no installment in accordance with the above covenant since it was denied that he was ever indebted to [the Yassens,”

Appeal Court of Guyana

miss the respondents claim and restore it on June 8, 2009. Justices CummingsEdwards, Rafiq Khan and Dr. Arif Bulkan cited a number of issues with Justice Chang’s ruling, with several references to case law.

Among the concerns of the Appellate judges was that Simpson never appeared in person to testify, and that “nowhere in the mortgage deed it was stated that the $ 22.5 million sum was for a loan transaction.”

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By Erlanger A Turner, PhD

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he use of technology and digital media continues to increase. As adults, we often use mobile devices to access email, watch television, or use social media apps such as Instagram or Facebook. For many parents, the use of tablets and smartphones also provide an outlet for their children while travelling on road trips or simply an activity to pass the time. Earlier this year, researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre reported that over 90 per cent of children (ages two or younger) are exposed to media with estimates ranging from one to seven hours per day with older children using more technology (Horowitz?Kraus & Hutton, 2018).

Although technology has certain advantages, research also finds that increased screen time – which includes smartphones, tablets, desktop or laptop computers and television – have negative effects on youth such as language delay, obesity, decreased readiness for kindergarten and other academic problems (Horowitz?Kraus & Hutton, 2018). On the other hand, the authors note that reading exposure has been strongly correlated with increased receptive and expressive language, mastery of print concepts and attitudes towards reading, which in turn predict future reading practices and academic achievement. In their study, Horowitz?Kraus and Hutton (2018) found that parents reported their children spent an average of 3.89 hours per week on screen?time activities and about 4.00 hours per week on independent reading.

However, the study found that only screen time was negatively related with

Foundation

decreased neural functioning in areas of the brain associated with language, visual processing and cognitive abilities.

Optimal functioning in these areas are important to academic functioning and success in the classroom.

Tips for managing screen time

As the school year approaches, it is time to prepare for a successful year and identify the most appropriate ways to manage the use of digital media. Below are some recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Make your own family media use plan. Media should work for you and within your family values and parenting style. When used thoughtfully and appropriately, media can enhance daily life. But when used inappropriately or without thought, media can displace many important activities such as faceto-face interaction, family-time, outdoorplay, exercise, unplugged downtime and sleep. Make your plan at HealthyChildren. org/MediaUsePlan.

Set limits and encourage playtime.?

Media use, like all other activities, should have reasonable limits. Unstructured and offline play stimulates creativity.

Make unplugged playtime a daily priority, especially for very young children.

Limit digital media for your youngest family members. Avoid digital media for toddlers younger than 18 to 24 months other than video chatting. For children 18 to 24 months, watch digital media with them because they learn from watching and talking with you. Limit screen use for preschool children, ages 2 to 5, to just 1 hour a day of high-quality programming.

Don’t use technology as an emotional pacifier.?

Media can be very effective in keeping kids calm and quiet, but it should not be the only way they learn to calm down. Children need to be taught how to identify and handle strong emotions, come up with activities to manage boredom, or calm down through breathing, talking about ways to solve the problem, and finding other strategies for channelling emotions. If behaviour problems occur, consider appropriate consultation with a mental health provider.

Remember: Kids will be kids. Kids will make mistakes using media. Try to handle errors with empathy and turn a mistake into a teachable moment. But some indiscretions, such as sexting, bullying, or posting self-harm images, may be a red flag that hints at trouble ahead. Parents must observe carefully their children’s behaviours and, if needed, enlist supportive professional help, including the family paediatrician.

Be a good role model.? Teach and model kindness and good manners online. Because children are great mimics, limit your own media use. In fact, you’ll be more available for and connected with your children if you’re interacting, hugging and playing with them rather than simply staring at a screen.? (psychologytoday.com)

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ven though it is almosst back-to-school time, there’s still time for reading fun in the summer sun for everyone! Legendary children’s storytime performer and early childhood educator Sol Livingston has some great ideas for summer reading that will inspire reading road trips all year round.

“You don’t know my situation; I don’t have time for a vacation.”

Then book a short vacation.

“I don’t have money for a vacation.”

Then book a free vacation.

“I don’t have the energy for a vacation.”

Then book a quiet, calming relaxing vacation.

Book-ing a vacation for your child isn’t a long, hard, or labor extensive procedure. In fact, it’s a fun, simple, and memorable activity. All you have to do is read a book to your child and then go on a real-world experience based on what you have read together. It’s that easy! And there are many benefits to book-ing a vacation: You discover new and fun aspects of your hometown and nearby cities.

It’s a great way to expand a child’s understanding of the world around them.

You don’t have to spend hours in a crowed airport, packing bags, or sitting in traffic.

And you’re taking time to connect with your family in an intentional way.

When you book a vacation for your child, you’re setting up experiences that connect what was read to what can be experienced. Making real-world connections is important. When we extend a book to include the sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes of real life, the written word and flat pictures in that book become multidimensional and memorable experiences.

For example, catching a city bus through town after reading <<<Last Stop on Market Street>>> by Matt de la Peña

gives your child a chance to have conversations with people he or she may have never spoken to and see different parts of your city. Not only are experiences like this exciting and enriching, but they can help foster a love of reading and learning in your child for years to come.

Here are some familyfriendly books along with a few vacation inspirations. Read the books together and then use them as springboards to book your next vacation!

Books: Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell and City Shapes by Diana Murray Vacation: Grab your binoculars and go on an exploration of your hometown!

Take note of all the various shapes that make up the cities’ buildings and windows, café awnings, and billboards or street signs that hang up above. Or, track down your city’s big, bright, colourful mural that adorns the seawall.

Get as close to it as you can to it and describe it to each other.

Talk about the colours that are used and find the small images that make up the big picture.

Using your phone (or an actual camera), take pictures of what you see and stop at the library on the way home to print them out. Place them in a photo album that you can keep for a future game of I-Spy. Books: I Took a Walk by Henry Cole and Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee Vacation: From a cityrun botanical garden to an arboretum, to a local nursery or duck pond, the opportunities to explore nature during the summer are endless! Get outside and observe the colours, sounds, textures, and activity of landscape surrounding you.

Don’t forget to bring along a sketchbook and markers or watercolours to capture all the rich, beautiful images you see.

(Startwithabook.com)

7 Berbice farmers want lease revocation fast-tracked news

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…after co-op member fraudulently obtains new lease

A

group of farmers on the Corentyne are calling on the Chief Co-operatives Development Officer, Perlina Gifth, to fast track the revocation of a land lease that was granted to a family through fraudulent misrepresentation.

Guyana Times was told that several decades ago, the Johns/ Clifton Co-operative Society Limited had obtained a block of land from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), which was then divided among its 30 members, who have since built their homes on the front part of the land and got involved in various agricultural activities on the back part of the lands.

A few years ago, through the then Ministry of Housing, the 30 families managed to get transport for the lands their homes were built on, while the farm lands at the back remained on lease.

This newspaper understands that, over the years, the co-op had become defunct and the lease expired about two years. As such, the farmers approached the only surviving founding member of the Co-op to have the lease renewed, and they had approached GuySuCo for same.

However, the founding member went behind their backs and gathered members of his immediate and extended family, and went to re-register the co-op without the knowledge of the other existing members.

They reported withhold this and other critical information about the history of the co-op from the authorities, and managed to get the lease renewed, with new members for some 350 acres of lands, including the portion that has been trans-

The aggrieved farmers with their lawyer Anil Nandlall on Friday

formed into transported lands, where the old members are residing. The holders of the new lease, none of whom lives in the ‘co-op area’ that was part of the original lease, are now attempting to take control over the lands.

The new lease was issued by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), which has taken over portions of GuySuCo’s assets, including canefields, to divest.

After finding out about the new lease, the old members, most of whom are farmers, then went to the State’s Privatisation Unit and informing them that the authorities there were misled into granting the new lease with false information provided.

The lawyer of the aggrieved farmers, Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall, said NICIL has since agreed to revoke the new lease, but only after being given the go ahead by the Chief Co-op Officer.

“NICIL has promised to revoke the new lease and

work with the Co-op officer in bring a resolution to this matter. Unfortunately, the Co-op Officer is not acting with the speed that is required, and as time passes, the situation becomes progressively worse on the ground to the extent now where there is physical confrontation taking place between the old members and the new members of the Society,” Nandlall explained.

The farmers disclosed that the Chief Co-op Officer a few months ago had promised to have it revoked, but this is yet to happen.

“Ms Gifth admitted that her office had made a mistake and given this land to this guy them, and she will try her best to bring it to a resolution; but, up to today, nothing happened…

I glad if the Chief Co-op officer could do something very soon, because this thing dragging for a very long time, and we running out of patience,” one of the farmers, Doodnauth Persaud, related to this publication.

On Friday, Nandlall’s office contacted the Chief Co-op

Officer and she asked to meet again with the farmers. And during that meeting, she told the men to produce copies of their transport and receipts from selling produce from the leases to show that the lands were being used.

“Now, when the truck come and load up the paddy and take it to the mill, we don’t collect receipt or anything; and when people come buy one or two chickens, I don’t give them receipt so where we gonna find that to give her…? It look like she dragging she foot on this matter,” Persaud lamented.

Meanwhile, the farmers are currently living in fear. Another

farmer, Ramrattan Mohabir, has decried that since the new lease was granted since last year, they are being threatened and prevented from using the lands which they have been occupying for decades.

“They put a gate on the dam and padlock it so nobody can’t go at the back there to do anything except them… They saying that the lands [at the back] was not being occupied and was not being cultivated, but only as recent as March, rice was reaped from the land, and I even have about 80 coconut trees but I can’t even go in there,” the frustrated man said.

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IN THE COURTS

Teen remanded for stabbing bus driver over $100 Disagreeing…

E Y

ighteen-year-old Orwain Smith of South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on an attempted murder charge.

It has been alleged that on July 30, 2018, while in the vicinity of Avenue of the Republic in Georgetown, Smith inflicted grievous bodily harm on James Abrams, with intent to murder him.

Facts presented to the court indicate that, on the day in question, the accused asked a friend of the virtual complainant for $100 to catch a bus to go

home. The man refused to give Smith the money, instead giving it to Abrams, driver of a minibus at the time.

Smith refused to go into Abrams’s bus, demanding that Abrams give him the

bus fare. When Abrams refused Smith’s request, an argument ensued between them, and Smith pulled out a pair of scissors from his pocket and dealt Abrams several stabs about his body.

Rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), Abrams was admitted a patient.

The prosecutor objected to Smith being placed on bail, citing the serious nature of the offence and telling the court that Abrams had received life-threatening injuries and is currently recovering from a punctured lung and stab wounds to his neck.

The prosecutor’s objections were upheld, and Smith was remanded to prison until August 8, 2018, when the matter is expected to come up for report and fixture.

Albouystown man remanded on robbery under arms charge

T

hirty-year-old Leonard Allicock of James Street Albouystown, Georgetown was on Friday remanded to prison when he appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Fabayo Azore arraigned for

robbery-under-arms.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, Allicock pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on July 29, 2018, while in the vicinity of Albouystown Georgetown, and while being armed

with a gun, he robbed Christopher Gonsalves of four gold chains valued at $340,000, and one cellphone valued at $240,000.

The Police prosecutor objected to Allicock being placed on bail, citing the se-

rious nature of the offence and noting that a dangerous weapon had been used during or before the alleged robbery.

Bail was refused Allicock, and the matter was adjourned until August 17.

Man Labourer remanded on robbery-under-arms charge charged for T allegedly kicking wife wenty-one-year-old Simon Haywood of Lot 4 Drysdale and Ketley Streets, Charlestown Georgetown was on Friday refused bail when he appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Fabayo Azore

to answer a robbery-under-arms charge.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, Haywood denied the allegation that, on July 16, 2018, he robbed Ayude Kadir of one mobile phone and one gold chain.

He told the court he was not around when the robbery occurred, and learned of it only when he had gone home later that day.

He was remanded to prison until August 17, 2018.

A

man was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, charged for beating and kicking his wife down a flight of stairs on Tuesday evening after she had returned home from an outing with friends.

The court heard that on July 30, 2018, the woman returned home after hanging out with friends and discovered that the door was locked. The woman related that she made several calls to the man’s cellular phone, but the calls went unanswered.

The woman detailed that after she had stood outside for some time, the man opened the door and dealt her several slaps behind her head, before kicking her down the stairs.

The man pleaded guilty as charged, but with explanation.

The magistrate recommended that the couple receive counselling, and they were placed on a 12-month bond to keep the peace.

…on the “good life”??

our Eyewitness is quite concerned about the spirit of puritanism that the President seems to be pushing in his Emancipation speech at BV. He exhorted the crowd: “Our lives will be determined by how we make our living. If we make our living by hanging around the corner, liming by the Guinness bar, we’ll be forever poor. But if we go into our farms, go into our workshops, into our schools, we’ll be able to have prosperity,” What your Eyewitness got from this was the President was drawing a rather stark line between “work” and “play” that really isn’t good for either our individual or national health. Your Eyewitness was raised according to the principle “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. The principle had been passed down by the British – who did all right for themselves over the centuries, thank you.

The President illustrated his homily by insisting that the “four pillars” of our society were “the home, church, school and farm.” But what about the “pub” – which is derived from the “public houses” that first described taverns, inns and suchlike?? Wasn’t that institution as important as any other for the stability and success of the British people?? It’s agreed that England took off during the reign of Elizabeth I and at the beginning of her reign it’s estimated there were some 17,000 alehouses. Taking into account the population of the period, that would equate to around one pub for every 200 persons!!

Point is, as one official British publication says, the pub – our “Guinness bar” – “is also a unique social centre, very often the focus of community life in villages, towns and cities throughout the length and breadth of the country”. What the President ought to be pushing rather than “work, work, work” is to rebrand our “Guinness Bars” as local community centres where ALL the peoples could “hang out” and resolve their inevitable disagreements over a beer!!

The other institution the President unnecessarily panned was “hanging out at the street corner”.

Your Eyewitness is very shocked that as a trained historian, the President missed the social significance of the “street corner lime”. The small houses our foreparents built after Emancipation weren’t exactly ideal to facilitate the “visiting relationships” that had evolved and remain strong to this day. Kids of all ages were early socialised to decamp the premises when the child-fathers showed up.

Then, of course, it’s on the street corners that those kids learnt the real facts of life – by sharing their real experiences and not just receiving the sanitised versions from the schoolbooks prepared by the same folks who wanted to keep us enslaved!

Let’s free ourselves from mental slavery!!

…on Speaker’s dictatorship

The role of the Speaker in parliamentary democracies was defined by the retort of the incumbent to representatives of King Charles I, who barged into the august chambers to arrest five MPs. The Speaker declared, “May it please Your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak in this place, but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here, and I humbly beg Your Majesty's pardon that I cannot give any other answer than this to what Your Majesty is pleased to demand of me.”

The Speaker is the SERVANT of the peoples’ representatives – the MPs – against arbitrary power.

So imagine the chutzpah of the present Speaker in Guyana, who declared an MP was out of line to simply write a letter to the press expressing his opinion that the said Speaker was violating the fundamental rule of his office – IMPARTIALITY!!

Seems we’ve substituted one tyrant for another!!

…on PM’s duties

Ramjattan was sworn in to act as PM, because Moses Nagamootoo is out of the jurisdiction.

Skipped the jurisdiction??!!

But what exactly will Ramjattan be doing, since, as the Opposition Leader pointed out, the PM’s duties are confined to writing a newspaper column?

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

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saturdAY, august 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Money for avoided deforestation

Guyana has reduced markets for carbon earnings – GFC

...as Foreign Affairs Committee grills Govt on green economy

By Jarryl Bryan

G

uyana has earned millions of dollars in foreign currency from carbon trading; specifically the millions it earned from the Kingdom

revised intended Nationally Determined Contribution kicked off this whole (discussion).

Because policy statements are made in there, that is of concern. We are looking at these shifts.”

“In the documents pre-

Guyana already has one of the lowest deforestation rates… but opportunities to earn money for it are also low

of Norway for keeping deforestation rates low and for reaching certain benchmarks.

But with concerns being raised over Government's apparent policy shift away from carbon trading, it turns out that Guyana can no longer rely on this market. This emerged on Friday at Parliament Buildings during a meeting of the Sectoral Committee on Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the Office of Climate Change (OCC), and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA).

Chairperson of the Sectoral Committee on Foreign Affairs, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, drew the officials’ attention to the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) which Guyana submitted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“We are looking at the commitments made by Guyana and what are policy shifts,” Teixeira explained. “So the document that was produced for the

sented in 2015, one of the statements that concern me is ‘Guyana does not see viable opportunities for carbon markets’. These are the kind of issues we have to ask. The problem for me is Guyana was going to make US$235 million from earnings of carbon trading! So this was ours. We didn’t have to borrow money from anybody. We earned it.

What are the initiatives to access that kind of money?”

The Parliamentarian acknowledged that Guyana was cited as having one of the lowest emissions in the world, but he questioned how the country would benefit from this. Teixeira stressed that in all its conservation efforts, Guyana still has to survive and make money, taking into account the population.

But according to the Guyana Forestry Commission’s (GFC) head of Planning and Development, Pradeepa Bholanauth, Guyana does not have substantial deforestation rates to reduce, and as such, its chances to benefit from the carbon markets are limited. She noted that there are few

countries that would be willing to pay avoided deforestation credits… with Norway being an exception.

“In 2009, when we commenced negotiations with the Government of Norway, the main (issue) was that they were willing to give (money) for what is called avoided deforestation. All the existing markets are trading markets that have been out there, internationally as well as regionally, were paying for emissions reduction.”

“So for a country with high forest cover and low deforestation rates, unless we started to rapidly deforest like other countries around the world with high levels of deforestation rate, it would be (unsuccessful) for us to target those markets when we don’t have a substantial amount to reduce. So there were very few partners at that time,

and even now, who were willing to pay for avoided deforestation.”

Not for lack of trying

But Teixeira noted that this was the whole point of negotiations back then,

which was to ensure rewards for countries already on the right path. continued on page 14

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Legal clerk strangled to death – post-mortem …Police yet to make arrest

A

s investigations continue into the gruesome murder of 46-year-old Gregory Frank, who was found in a pool of blood in his Lot 686 Kuru Kururu, Linden-Soesdyke Highway home, the Police have confirmed that he was strangled to death.

A post-mortem performed on the body revealed that the man died as a result of asphyxiation due to compression injury to the neck com-

pounded by blunt trauma to the head. The autopsy was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh on Friday at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

However, the Police are yet to make an arrest for the murder of the legal clerk.

Frank’s body was discovered about 04:30h, lying face down in his home by his father, who occupied another house in the same yard.

The man reportedly saw the back door of his son’s

house wide open, and after several calls went gone unanswered, he went inside his son’s home to check on him.

Confronted with the sight of his son’s motionless body and the home ransacked, the elder Frank immediately raised an alarm. Upon checking further, he realised that several valuable items belonging to his son had gone missing.

Checks also revealed that the dead man’s forehead

was swollen, which suggested that he might have been struck to the head by his attackers.

The Police were summoned to the scene, and the

Man who chopped ex-girlfriend, fiancé still at large Dead: Gregory Frank

“Short Boss” being hunted for murder of Timehri mason

A

s investigations continue into the gunning down of 21-year-old Ronsley Clarke, a mason, of Lot 181 Fire Station Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) in Sophia on Thursday evening, the Police are on the hunt for the suspect, who is popularly known as “Short Boss”.

The now dead mason was gunned down outside a party in Sophia, Greater Georgetown in the presence of his girlfriend.

Guyana Times understands that the victim and the suspect were known to each other and reportedly had a disagreement about a month ago while at a par-

Deceased: Ronsley Clarke

ty in Sophia.

However, on Thursday evening, Clarke was in the company of his girlfriend,

Alesha Thomas at the C Field Sophia main access road when the suspect was reportedly seen “chipping” into the said party.

The man quickly drew a small silver pistol from his jacket, and before an alarm could have been raised, he reportedly discharged three rounds in Clarke’s direction. Two of the bullets reportedly struck the now dead man – one to a right rib and one to the right side of his upper back.

The gunman then quickly made good his escape in an unknown direction while the patrons at the party ran for cover. The Police were called to the scene, and Clarke

body was removed to the Lyken Funeral Home. The Police have since processed the scene for fingerprints.

The man was last seen alive on Tuesday last.

was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital by an ambulance, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

A grieving Thomas told the media that she was unclear about the nature of the old grievance between the suspect and her now dead boyfriend, but maintained that it did not warrant anyone dying. She explained that after being shot, the injured man attempted to run, but collapsed a short distance away and slipped into an unconscious state.

The Police have since retrieved two .32 spent shells at the scene. Investigations are on-going.

P

olice have confirmed that the hunt is still on for the Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) man, who chopped his ex-girlfriend and her fiancé on Monday last.

Twenty-four-year-old Ricky Singh, of Lot 23 F Land Stelling, Grove, EBD, reportedly attacked the couple while they were asleep with their child.

It was reported that the man entered the couple’s bedroom and stood over them with a cutlass. The woman was awakened by screams from her younger brother only to see Singh standing over her with the cutlass.

The frightened woman screamed but Singh reportedly ‘fired’ a chop at the baby, but this was barred by the 20-year-old woman who was ultimately chopped to her hands. By this time, the man woke up and he too was attacked and chopped to his head,

Accused: Rickey Singh

forehead, and waist but not before putting up a fight.

Singh, nevertheless, escaped and the injured couple were rushed to the Diamond hospital where they were treated and subsequently discharged.

The attack reportedly stemmed from the fact that the young woman had ended a seven-month abusive relationship with Singh.

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saturdAY, august 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Minister Harmon pledges $500,000 personal support to Beacon Foundation

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inister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday paid a visit to the Beacon Hospice at Thomas and New Market Streets, Georgetown where he made a personal pledge of $500,000 among other forms of support to the charitable organisation.

Noted for providing home-care, counselling and other forms of support services to persons who are diagnosed with cancer, this Hospice, run under the auspices of the Beacon Foundation, caters primarily to women and children who come into

Georgetown for treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and at other privately run hospitals.

The Hospice aims to reduce the burden of travelling and the associated costs. All services are provided free of cost to the pa-

Renewable energy

Hope Wind Farm developers eyeing 2019 launch

The Hope Wind Farm model

T

he Hope Wind Farm project may be nearing a final agreement, with the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Affairs being informed during a sitting on Friday that the developer is eyeing a project launch date in 2019.

At the Committee meeting, agencies under the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and the Presidency were grilled on Government policies for renewable energy.

Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) economist Shevon Wood, a part of the panel of technocrats, was asked

by Member of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall for an update on the project.

“That project required a lot of technical approvals and information. Because of the existence of a grid code, there’re protocols that have to be followed to which the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is engaging the developer to have that done. But it’s a process, stability studies and all that are part of the process. Once that is completed, then we can move (on). So that’s where it is right now,” Wood said.

However, Dharamlall further probed the team on what infrastructure has been laid down at the site. Initially, Wood affirmed that this would be up to the developer itself.

But Energy Advisor to the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Kiran Mattai, who sat in at the meeting, revealed that there was indeed a timeframe.

“The developer provid-

ed a roadmap, if I recall correctly. But I believe the commissioning date for that was by the end of next year. What I can add is that the Ministry is continually engaged with the developer undertaking this project.

“This is a generational project. On account of that, there were lots of things that were outstanding at the time. At this point in time, the discussion is actively ongoing. There are a couple of agreements that are being reviewed by development technical parties. But this particular developer has been quite committee to ensuring there is compliance with the grid code.”

Months after it took office in 2015, the coalition Government had announced that it would facilitate a US$50 million, 25-megawatt wind farm project at Hope Beach on the East Coast of Demerara.

The Alliance For Change (AFC) subsequently identified International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) proprietor Lloyd Singh, an investor in the wind farm, as responsible for the party’s acquisition of its multimillion-dollar headquarters in February of 2016. AFC co-founder Khemraj Ramjattan had identified Singh as the one who provided the party with the advance for the property.

While not as stable as hydropower, wind energy generated by turbines is a form of renewable energy.

But the Hope Beach Wind

Farm project, at 25 MW, is still no match for the proposed 165 MW Amaila Falls Hydro Project initiated under the previous Administration.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon in discussion with the executives of the organisation on Friday during his visit

tient (s), including accommodation and meals.

As well as paying the wages of its employees, the entity puts all the profits from its food catering operations to fund its programmes, and takes pride in the fact that it is the only totally self-sustaining charitable organisation in the country.

During his visit, Minister Harmon said he first learnt of the Foundation several years ago, after his brother was diagnosed with cancer. At that time, the Foundation provide nurses who not only administered treatment, but also provided counselling to his sibling.

The Minister noted that even though some time had elapsed, he is inspired by

the Foundation’s work, and believes that the nurses and care-providers of the organisation are “the unsung heroes.”

“I believe that you all are the unsung heroes, because, many times we see acts of charity being publicized, but this organisation has not been one to do so; but yet your work is out there and that is because of the difference that you are making; it speaks for itself. Quietly you have been working,” he said.

The care-givers travel every week to five regions: Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara (Region Three), Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four), MahaicaBerbice (Region Five), East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six), and Upper Demerara-

Berbice (Region Ten) to provide welfare support and pain medication to clients at least once per month, or the Hospice provides care for 86 cancer patients currently.

Senior Nurse at the facility, Bibi Salim, said the organisation tries as best as possible to ensure that patients are treated with love and care during their times of pain and struggle, as Director Dr. Kian Jabour said it operates with the motto, “No cancer patient should die in pain, or it should be minimal pain.”

The Foundation already benefits from an exemption of corporate taxes as well as support from the Ministry of Public Health.

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saturdAY, august 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt reintegrates women into REDD Plus readiness

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he Natural Resources Ministry (MNRE) facilitated a oneday workshop and officially launched Guyana’s gender integration program in REDD Plus readiness on Friday at the Pegasus Hotel.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman told the gathering that women are the nurturers and sustainers of life, and he expressed satisfaction that women are being reintegrated into the forestry sector.

“This REDD Plus initiative of course ensures that the Indigenous and forestdependent communities, (which) are traditionally involved in forest management and conservation, have a voice and can tell us what it is we should be doing,” the Minister underscored.

The Minister admitted that a gender responsive and participatory approach

to REDD Plus is seemingly the ‘most simple’ initiative that should have been introduced earlier. He nevertheless said he is happy that it has now begun.

The Gender in REDD Plus readiness is a responsive and participatory approach through the REDD Plus cycle which seeks to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of forest activities.

It was related that gender integration can increase ownership and maximise the ecological dividends of forest conservation.

The new initiative will ensure that all women -and men too -- benefit from the advances being made in REDD Plus and aspects of the Government’s green agenda.

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Country Representative

IDB Country Representative Sophie Makonnen

Sophie Makonnen expressed her appreciation for women being part of the Forestry sector.

“The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) has recognised that empowering both women and men will result in improved conservation of the forest resources. This workshop is an example of such an initiative to increase the capacity

100% renewable energy...

He also spoke of securing funding from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) for solar – photovoltaic (PV) – farms at Port Kaituma (US$1.8 million); Kwakwani (US$2.6 million) and Matthews Ridge (US$2 million).

Renewable energy targets

Patterson had also provided a breakdown of all the solar systems they have managed to install on Government buildings. He referenced President David Granger’s visit to India to attend the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Founding Conference and Solar Summit in March.

He said now that Guyana was a member of this alliance, a line of credit of approximately US$15 million would be available to Guyana. While the funds have not been allocated as yet, Patterson noted that the idea was to provide funding towards utility-scale energy for Indigenous villages to the tune of four megawatts.

He revealed that the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry and the Communities Ministry would identify these villages. All of this, according to Patterson, culminates in certain targets the Government is trying to meet in renewable energy installation.

“So, by the end of 2018,

from page 3

we would have installed about five megawatts of renewable energy. And that’s a commendable feat coming from 2015, with zero,” Patterson boasted. “And then, by the end of 2020, when all these projects would have been completed, there would be 29 or 30 megawatts.”

“So, we’re well on our way to achieving our target of trying to become as 100 per cent renewable energy (powered) as close as possible. So, we have made progress and we’re just about four or five per cent (completed) at the end of 2018 and we’ll triple that by the end of 2020,” Patterson had said.

of women in decision-making in REDD in Guyana and REDD Plus in Guyana,” she noted. She explained that despite Guyana’s population having slightly more women than men, women are underrepresented in most, if not almost all, decisionmaking positions, such as Parliament and the local council level. “Historically, women participated less in village level government and

decision- making institutions, and particularly those that address forest-related decisions. However, while there is still a long way to go to include women in decision-making, it is encouraging…” Makonnen added.

She posited that women perceive the forest differently than men, and this is simply not acknowledged in most cases.

Intervention in forest

and natural resources management and conservation have often failed to recognise these gender differences as well, she pointed out; and this results in greater hardships for women and their households, among other challenges.

“Empowering women in decision-making is essential if everyone is to benefit from this country’s beautiful resources,” Makonnen stated.

Man hangs self

…after told he has to pay for crashed truck

M

ohamed Omar, also called “Old Boy” and “Budzo”, a 65-year-old pensioner of Lot 1184 New Area, Canefield, East Canje Berbice, took his life after he was told that he has to pay for a new truck because he had damaged the one he was driving in a road accident. He was also fearful that the other driver, who was injured in the accident, might come after him.

Omar’s wife, 54-year-old Bhamatie Isborn, found him hanging from a mango tree on Wednesday morning. She explained that her husband was arrested and placed in custody on Monday after he had driven a canter into another parked canter on the Corentyne Highway, and that accident had caused the driver of the parked canter to be injured and hospitalised.

After Omar had been released on $30,000 station bail on Thursday, he arrived home and declared he was going to take his life.

The injured canter driver told Police that he was in his canter parked at the side of the road while his wife and daughter had gone into a store to make a purchase.

He said he saw Omar’s canter approaching his at a fast rate of speed, and as Omar reached closer, a car got into

Dead: Mohamed Omar

his path, and he served to avoid a collision and ended up running into his canter, thus hitting it off the road and into a trench.

This canter driver was reportedly pinned in the cabin of his vehicle, and had to be pulled out therefrom by public-spirited citizens.

Omar was arrested, and after his release, he indicated that he was going to take his life.

Omar’s wife noted that her husband’s employer had called her daughter and requested that she collect her father’s lunch bag and bicycle.

“When she bring it, ‘Old Boy’ say, ‘Watch Dude send dem thing, so he gon leff me alone on the pressure?’ He tell me like he gon got to sell the house and all a-we gon

got to go on the road an live, an he still gon be in trouble; so best thing is fo he kill heself,” the woman cried.

She told this publication that she did not take his utterances seriously.

Omar had suffered a stroke three years ago, and could not work. He resumed working last week, and had worked two days as a driver despite his wife begging his employer not to re-employ him.

The grieving widow said she went to bed on Tuesday evening leaving her husband outside along with one of his grandchildren. The child reportedly last saw his grandfather in bed at about 1:00h on Wednesday morning.

According to this widow, when she got up she did not see her husband in his room, and she rushed to the washroom to check for him. “Then I run to the back door, and when I push it open I see the hammock loose down, and ah know something happen. And when ah run and go outside, I see he hanging on the tree.”

Isborn believes that if her husband had received some support from his employer after the accident, he might not have harmed himself. Omar leaves to mourn a wife, seven children and four grandchildren.

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saturdAY, august 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

GWI records $200M increase in revenue

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he Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has announced that it has seen a significant increase in revenues for 2018 when compared to the past year.

This information was divulged by the Executive Director of Commercial Services at GWI, Marlon Daniels, during a press conference on Friday. He indicated that when compared to the same time last year, there has been an increase in revenue collected.

In June of this year, $2 billion was collected, in comparison to $1.8 billion last year. “Concerning only this year, at the end of June we were at $2 billion, as opposed to the correspond-

ing period for last year, in which it was at $1.8 billion; so there has been a significant increase,” Daniel said.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of the utility company, Dr Richard Van West Charles, noted the credit goes to better data analysis after the country was divided into zones, enabling GWI to effectively find out when, and if, customers are paying their bills.

“We are now moving aggressively, disaggregating the data sets to the point that we are now able to discern customers in each of the zones which we’ve divided up the country into; which of the customers are paying in the first 31 days; which of the customers are

paying between 31 and 60 days, and which of the customers are paying later than 90 days,” he related.

It was related that the data collected will be used to provide assistance and examine areas where attention is needed.

Since the new rates have also being approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the utility company is aiming to ensure that all

UNICEF donates $6M relief to Venezuelans in Guyana

T

he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday announced its decision to aid the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) with US$30,000 to provide relief to Venezuelan refugees in Guyana.

Some of these migrants have settled in various communities in Regions One (Barima-Waini); Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper

Essequibo).

The organisation stated that supplies were being sent to assist with some of the necessities of these persons, noting that the inflow of migrants has increased over the past months.

The items range from those intended for shelter to water, sanitation and hygiene supplies which are being sent to the CDC and the respective regional administrations for distribution. A

total of 60 families per region are expected to benefit.

To escape the economic crisis in Venezuela, many persons from the country have been pouring into Guyana to better their living conditions. There has been a continued influx of Venezuelan refugees into Guyana’s border communities as the social and economic crisis in that country worsens. continued on page 15

bills are paid for water consumption across the country.

“What we intend to do with that data is that we have to ensure that, as we go forward w i t h the new tariffs which h a v e been approved by the PUC, ensure that people actually pay the fixed charge to address some of the distribution networks which

require attention,” Dr Van West Charles stated.

He noted that the company would introduce a few new devices to plug access, “once we do not receive payments for the water on time”.

Meanwhile, efforts have been doubled to collect outstanding debt from 2015 to present. In-house crews have been focusing on collections from 2015, while contractors are working to recoup current debt.

This is being done through disconnection exercises.

To date, some 4,134 disconnections were done, while 294 new service connections were installed.

Since 2016, it was cor-

related, the utilities company has seen increases in its collection of revenue.

At the press conference, it was also related that bill delivery efficiency for the first half of 2018 currently stands at 98 percent.

Meter-reading efficiency has also increased from 93 percent to 95 percent.

This year, two hundred and thirty-eight defective water meters were replaced, which is expected to yield significant revenue, since the unmetered accounts consume 20 cubic metres of water while they are billed a flat tariff of only 10 cubic metres per month.

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saturdAY, august 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Preparations underway for int’l aviation conference … as CAL, SOL Guyana sign on as sponsors

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ven with its impending oil industry, Guyana will once again be on the global radar when it hosts the annual International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Transport Meeting in November.

The conference will be held from November 21 to 23 under the theme, “Promoting connectivity for sustainable air transport”, and is expected to be one of the largest international events to be hosted locally.

The objective of this Air Transport Meeting, according to the website, is to proffer practical solutions to remove existing regulatory impediments to air transport liberalisation and to finance the development of quality aviation infrastructure, as well as to follow up on the outcome of previous conferences.

On the last day of the conference, Guyana will

Director General Egbert Field and other GCAA officials with representatives from CAL and SOL Aviation Inc on Friday

also be hosting the third Meeting of the African Diaspora, which will promote tourism and air links between African States and the Diaspora, especially the Caribbean States.

According to Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director General Egbert Field, plans are well underway to host the event, which is expected to focus on a wide array of ar-

eas.

“It must be a conference in totality. It must address investment, tourism, inter-connectivity, trade, infrastructure – those elements [and more] will be

part of the agenda,” he noted.

A Marketing and Operational Support Secretariat has been set up to spearhead preparation and, according to its Director, Franklin Veira, the hosting of this conference will not only open doors for the local aviation sector but for the country as a whole.

It also highlights the opportunities available in Guyana, since the country is pivotally placed in the North-eastern corner of South America and as such, is a good transition point for carriers moving to the African continent.

He added that they would also be hoping to capitalise on the spanking new Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

“So we are hoping that with the advent of this conference, people will have an opportunity to see the Cheddi Jagan Airport and to see what facilities exist there, so they could turn around and begin to utilise it, making Guyana another international transit point for traffic moving to that side of the world,” he said.

While the ICAO is assisting with major international sponsors for the event, Guyana has already secured 40 local ones including Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) and SOL Aviation Inc, both of which got on board Friday.

CAL’s representatives noted that the airline’s sponsorship of the event was an affirmation

of its commitment towards its service to the Region as the premier carrier.

Meanwhile, the SOL representative noted that the company, through its sponsorship, was looking to build on its aviation company in Guyana.

With these companies already on board, organisers are calling on other local and regional companies to take advantage of the opportunity.

“This is a global conference and the marketing reach of your brand is to 192 States. To take your brand to 192 countries takes a lot of work and with this conference we are offering that opportunity,” GCAA’s Director of Air Transport Management, Saheed Sulaman, said.

The GCAA is also partnering with other organisations such the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to host the conference, which will be held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

It is expected that representatives from all 192 ICAO member countries – between 400 to 600 participants – will attend. So far, the organisers have secured 16 hotels in the city to accommodate the participants.

During the conference, the visitors will also be treated to “A Taste of Guyana” which will highlight the country’s culture and cuisine, among other aspects, while special trips will be organised to Guyana’s hinterland region to explore its rich flora and fauna.

Guyana has reduced...

Questions were put to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by Multilateral and Global Affairs Director Troy Torrington, to ascertain whether Government ‘dropped the ball’ in securing carbon trade agreements for Guyana. But he vehemently denied this, stressing that Guyana’s failure to secure such agreements was not from lack of trying.

“There was no lack of effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I participated in the COP. and we all made all efforts to optimise contributions to Guyana in terms of financing. It was very much an achievement what we had achieved in the Norway undertaking.

There were not any other takers in finding meaningful finance for avoided deforestation,” Torrington explained.

The Paris Cop21 Agreement came into being in December of 2015 in Paris, France. The agreement was adopted by all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on December 12, 2015. It has been hailed as the most

from page 9

ambitious international environmental agreement in history.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) played a significant role in crafting the agreement, with a set of negotiating positions articulated in the Barbados Declaration of Climate Change later being adopted by the Caricom Heads of Government in July of 2015.

For the agreement to be entered into force and be legally binding, at least 55 countries which account for 55 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions had to ratify or approve the agreement through their own domestic legal systems.

Guyana joined over 150 countries in the signing of the climate change agreement in Paris the very next year. The expected key result of the agreement are to set a goal of limiting global warming to less than two degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. The agreement calls for zero net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to be reached during the second half of the 21st century.

15 Hundreds of acres of rice fields infested by bugs news

saturdAY, august 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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One of the affected rice fields

lose to 15 rice farmers and 120 acres of land are currently affected in what appears to be a termite infestation on the present rice crop in villages along the West Coast of Demerara.

Hague, Den Amstel, and several other villages appear to be hardest hit.

According to the farmers, termites began feeding on their crops about one month ago. Omar Dhanny, a farmer who cultivates about seven acres of land at Hague, said, “A lot of farmers struggling with the same problem. Nobody don’t really know what to do; and the research, we report this thing to the GRDB, (Guyana Rice

Development Board) and they sent two extension officers, but nobody like scientists didn’t come around as yet to assist us with our struggles”.

He added, “We farmers nah got that qualifications… they got to get somebody with that knowledge to just check it out”.

Dhanny said he and other farmers have exhausted almost every effort to address the situation, but to no avail. In the same breath, he explained how much the insects have already cost him.

“This here affects me a lot, because this amount of rice here what damage for me, I already (gone) through

all the doses of fertiliser and I already sprayed about six times. If you calculate, it is a lot of money, and nobody don’t know if we gonna get anything from the Rice Development Board,” he pointed out.

The farmer noted that extension officers from the GRDB Office in Region Three had visited and advised that they spray the crops with a specific pesticide, but this remedy also failed.

Additionally, he said an ex-staffer who was attached to the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has been trying to help the farmers identify the issue and, hopefully, find a solution.

Dhanny informed that the ex-NAREI official had said there is some brown plant hopper sucking the rice. “They find that some are going on the rice lands, and he recommend some drug for us to spray. We try the drugs already for about two days now”.

Another farmer, Ganga Persaud, who has been planting rice for about 60 years in the same area, noted that he has never seen such a devastating termite.

Persaud explained that he fears the termite may have an immense effect on the entire rice industry.

He stated, “We had this guy from NAREI that came and he captured a few insects, which was like tiny brown grass hopper. He tell

GWI to drill well at Port Kaituma

…after mercury found in waterway

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elief will soon be given to residents of Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD) as the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) on Friday announced that a well will be drilled to supply water to the community.

This comes after water from the Port Kaituma River tested positive for mercury a few weeks ago.

Addressing media operatives, GWI Managing Director Dr Richard Van West-Charles explained that the samples collected from the Port Kaituma River contained traces of mercury.

As such, emergency interventions had to be put in place by drilling a well after it was realised that the well at Turn Basin was not functional. Presently, he noted that works were underway to have another well drilled at Turn Basin.

“The Kaituma River, we’ve tested the water and it has proven to be high in mercury. In addition, the one well at Ten Basin is not functional and we have had to take emergency actions to have another well drilled, which has commenced at Turn Basin… we hope that within another three to four weeks, that situation will be have a significant relief,” he

GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles

said.

The official stated that while the well would be completed in a few weeks’ time, filters and jerry cans were provided to persons in the community, so that they can filter water that is obtained from the nearby rivers and creeks.

He further noted that in relation to treatment plants across the country, 22 of the 24 have complied with standards set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“With respect to the treatment plants, 22 out of the 24 treatment plants were consistently compliant with WHO’s standards.

We had fluctuations in two cases – Vergenoegen and Central. In essence, we’re working and monitoring and testing very frequently to ensure that the water that is available, that leaves our treatment plants are all in compliance with WHO standard,” said Van WestCharles.

Apart from these projects, works are also underway for the completion of a new well at Arakaka and the installation of a C2 Lifesaver filter tank at the Port Kaituma Hospital.

A new well was also drilled at Koko, Moruca, North West District (NWD) to provide potable water for approximately 500 persons in 102 households at a total cost of $8.7 million.

Additional works are currently being undertaken in Hosororo and Mabaruma to enable residents to obtain access to treated water for the first time. The works include the construction of filters and a new pumping system.

Preparatory works have commenced for the drilling of a new well at Kamwatta which will see approximately 600 persons gaining access to potable water for the first time.

This image shows the discoloration of the rice crops which are stunted

us that the insects is go down into the plant soil and suck away the nutrients, which causes the plants to lose their colour and so on”.

The frustrated farmer added that when officials from the GRDB Office in Region Three visited their farm lands, they did not find anything, but merely recommended a pesticide.

Furthermore, “I plant rice and it is my main source

of income. If the people does not come to look after it, we may suffer immensely…the entire rice industry in the country may suffer,” the man predicted.

He argued that merely taking samples is not good enough; in this regard, he thinks agronomists and plant pathologists have failed to give answers.

In an almost frightened tone the farmer related, “It

seems as if the insects have gained resilience against pesticides, because we have tried almost everything…we can till the soil, but we cannot get rid of these things”.

It is against that backdrop that the farmers are calling for urgent attention to be given to the specific situation. Several efforts made by this newspaper to contact the GRDB proved futile.

200 Guyanese to benefit from American University scholarships

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wo hundred Guyanese will, in the coming days, benefit from scholarships offered by the American University of Peace Studies, located on Sheriff Street, Georgetown, to boost their knowledge in the area of Domestic Violence.

This was announced by the University’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Eton Simon, on Friday during a Domestic Violence conference.

The programme being offered locally at the University is deemed ‘Trainers of Trainers’, and is geared towards changing and empowering minds to cope with, and provide counselling to, domestic violence victims.

Dr. Simon noted that the programme has no requirement, but is limited to those who are passionate about making a difference in their communities. The programme begins on August 15 for persons 18 years and above.

“We are going to give out 200 scholarship grants to 200 persons from around Guyana.

We’re going to give 100 to (persons in the) Georgetown

CEO of the American University of Peace Studies, Dr Eton Simon

area and the other 100 will be divided among Berbice, Bartica, Essequibo and so on,” the CEO noted.

Some $10 million in grants are being distributed to interested persons.

“The grants will be given to anyone. With this training, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist, you don’t have to be a scholar; all you have to do is to have the urge and the desire to make a difference.

That’s all you have to do to get on board this training programme,” Dr. Simon added.

He further noted that the six months’ training will

be very helpful in bringing about the change of mindset which is much needed.

“This Trainers of Trainers programme…runs for six months, and within the Trainers of Trainers programme, it is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of transformation that any human being can embrace to bring about the shift in consciousness,” Simon pointed out.

As he explained the ‘shift in consciousness’, the Psychologist detailed that he is certain no one suddenly wakes up and wants to hit their spouse or family member. According to him, those actions are done in an unconscious state of mind, which that persons enters due to severe aggression.

Often times, he said, it is after the damage has been done that the perpetrators of domestic violence become conscious of their actions. It is against this backdrop that the programme was created.

The six months’ training will seek to raise awareness and consciousness of domestic violence.

UNICEF donates $6M...

from page 13

On Monday, Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix announced that initiatives were being undertaken for the establishment of a settlement area for 260 of these migrants in Region One. This was done following a meeting with the coordinating committee at the Ministry of Citizenship.

The committee is working in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Human

Rights’ Council (UNHRC).

Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley had told Guyana Times that donations for the refugees could be made to the Office of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Mabaruma Compound.

Mabaruma Mayor Henry Smith has warned that a health crisis may be looming in Region One, given the large number of Venezuelans who are illegally crossing the border to seek medical attention and

engage in trade.

Meanwhile, the Venezuela Support Group (VSG) was established in Guyana to provide advice and assistance to Venezuelans seeking refuge from the deprivations and insecurity that are currently gripping their homeland.

The organisation consists of eight civic and faith-based organisations, which were assembled to establish possible partnerships with the Ministry of Citizenship.

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Regional

Disaster zones declared in Grenada after PM says Jamaicans must focus more on the tropical wave causes major flooding sciences, commerce and industry

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wo out of Grenada’s six parishes were on Thursday declared disaster zones, following damage caused by flooding earlier this week.

Damage to houses and the agricultural sector are still being fully assessed, but the National Emergency Advisory Council (NEAC) declared the parishes of St George and St David disaster zones after an initial assessment.

And even as a full assessment of all the damage continues, residents have been warned that another tropical wave is approaching the island and could bring more flooding this weekend.

A tropical wave interacted with the InterTropical Convergence Zone on Wednesday and brought heavy rains to Grenada for more than seven hours, causing landslides, flooding homes, and flooding and blocking roadways. Some res-

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Even as a full assessment of all the damage continues, residents have been warned that another tropical wave is approaching the island and could bring more flooding this weekend

idents had to be relocated; the St John River overflowed, flooding the nearby National Stadium which sustained

damage to its ground floor, prompting a one-week postponement of Junior Carnival which had been scheduled

for today; and the Ministry of Forestry had to be relocated.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

s Jamaica gears up to celebrate 56 years of Independence on Monday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has called on Jamaicans to focus more on the sciences, commerce, industry and trade for the development of the economy and to make their mark in those areas across the world.

Speaking at the Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen's Independence Reception and Exhibition, which was held on the lawns of King's House on Thursday, Holness said that although the event was held to celebrate the country's music, Jamaicans can achieve in other areas.

“We have done well in music, in culture, the arts [and] in the creative industries, but I believe it is now time that we use our freedom

and independence for the creation of wealth through investment in the sciences, in commerce, in industry [and] in trade, in developing our economy,” Holness said.

The Prime Minister also called on Jamaicans to seek better ways of resolving conflicts and not through violence.

“I think now is the time to reflect on what we have achieved in the 56 years and make a decision that we must never allow violence to become a part of the social fabric of our society,” he said.

For his part, the Governor General said music was chosen to be celebrated at the reception, because it is one of Jamaica's major contributions to the world. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Vincentian diplomat elected Crisis-hit Venezuela begins car census, critics fret fuel rationing ahead President of UN body

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t Vincent and the Grenadines’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations has been elected to lead the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and she says she intends to make the year ahead “a defining” one for the body that leads the UN’s ambitious drive for sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

“It promises to be a defining year, which could help set a new course for the work of the Council and the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) held under its auspices,” ECOSOC President Inga Rhonda King said after being voted in as the body’s 74th President.

Calling it an honour to serve, she thanked the Council members and asked for their help moving forward so that ECOSOC and the HLPF could live up to expectations.

She paid special tribute to the current President, Marie Chatardova, whose leadership and vision King said she would continue to rely and build on, with its emphasis on inclusion and participation.

The envoy listed a revived ECOSOC as one of her main priorities.

“With your committed participation, we will revive the ECOSOC using in full, the hard-won innovations introduced by the General Assembly,” she said.

Economic and Social Council President Inga Rhonda King (UN/Rick Bajornas photo)

“There has been some dissatisfaction with the functioning of ECOSOC over the recent few years. But in the coming 12 months, let us work together to restore the ‘deliberative function’ of ECOSOC.” She also cited the HLPF as “the centrepiece” of her priorities, saying that when it meets in the General Assembly, Heads of State and Government will review the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

enezuela on Friday began a census of car owners, a move the socialist Government says will help determine a “rational” use of fuel, but critics warn could lead to rationing in the crisis-stricken nation.

Fuel shortages are already frequent in Venezuela, where a fifth straight year of a brutal recession has led to refinery outages and steep falls in oil production.

President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend said Venezuela needed “rational” gas use and that a census was “the answer to that”. One top party official also proposed increasing the price of highly subsidised fuel, the world’s cheapest.

Details of the Government’s plans are scarce and the Information Ministry did not respond to a request for comment, but Venezuelans have fretted that the census could be set-

People take part in a transport census in Caracas, Venezuela August 3, 2018

ting the stage for more restrictive gasoline sales.

“I am registering myself because I am scared that if I am not in the census, they will not sell gasoline to me,” said taxi driver Juan Suarez, 45, who had spent six hours in line in downtown Caracas on Friday. He and others in the line said they also hoped that being registered could

grant them access to cheaper gas.

But dozens of truck drivers blocked streets in Caracas to reject the census they say will not solve chronic shortages that have decimated the number of functioning buses, forcing many poor Venezuelans to rely on precarious flatbed trucks to get around. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Far-right presidential bid gets Project on climate-resilient road transport less play from Brazil media sector expanded to include Dominica

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he Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has expanded the scope of an ongoing road transport project to include Dominica, given the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The hurricane had a major impact on transportation infrastructure in the Eastern Caribbean country, including damage to bridges and culverts from water-borne debris, blockage of drainage structures, landslides, and the erosion of unpaved roads.

The CDB project seeks to strengthen the capacity of the Bank’s Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) to provide road infrastructure that is resilient to natural hazards and climate change impacts. It consists of a study on approaches for mainstreaming climate resilience into the road transport sector in BMCs, as well as the piloting of these approaches in three countries—Guyana, St Lucia, and now Dominica.

“Hurricane Maria caused damage and losses of over

US$200 million to the road transport sector in Dominica.

This resulted in the loss of access to agricultural lands, local markets and ports, and the linkages needed for other critical social and economic activities. The extent of damage to road infrastructure highlighted the need to increase the resilience of the road network to the hazards that were experienced –an issue that this project will seek to address,” said CDB Economic Infrastructure Division Chief O’Reilly Lewis. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

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or years, Brazil’s presidential frontrunner, the right-wing lawmaker Jair Bolsonaro, has made headlines for the wrong reasons.

He grabbed national attention in 2014 when he told a congresswoman on the floor of the Lower House: “I won’t rape you because you do not deserve it.”

Since then, offensive comments against homosexuals, blacks and indigenous people have generated controversy and attracted a fierce social media following fed up with what they call “political correctness” from

his critics.

Yet the shock tactics that once thrust him onto the front pages of newspapers may be yielding diminishing returns.

Despite his strength in the polls, the former Army captain’s exposure in major media outlets has trailed key rivals this year, including one with a fraction of his support, according to researchers at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

That and his lack of major party alliances, campaign funds or television advertising time under Brazil’s

electoral rules could make it hard for the congressman to maintain his lead as the presidential campaign formally kicks off in two weeks.

Bolsonaro wears the ostracism with pride, likening his struggle with mainstream media to that of US President Donald Trump, whose 2016 campaign he cites as a model for his run.

“Trump also suffered with all this fake news,” he said in a television interview on Monday. “What Trump suffered in his campaign, I’ve been suffering for years in the Brazilian media.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

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17

Around the World

Afghanistan: Dozens killed in attack on Shia mosque

Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa promises probe of post-election killings, urges unity

The attack was the latest to hit urban areas across Afghanistan in recent months [Farid Zahir/AFP]

However, Opposition Leader Nelson Chamisa says: “We will pursue all means necessary to make sure that we protect the people's vote” [Dan Kitwood/Getty Images]

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t least 25 people have been killed and dozens more wounded after two suicide bombers attacked a Shia mosque in eastern Afghanistan, local officials said.

The rifle-carrying attackers entered the Khawaja Hassan mosque in Gardez city, Paktia province, during Friday prayers and started shooting at worshippers before detonating their explosives, said Provincial Police Chief Spokesman Sardar Wali Tabasum.

"Emergency teams have collected 25 bodies from the mosque premises," said Abdullah Hazrat, spokesman for the provincial governor. At least 81 others were also wounded in the attack, he added.

Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis, reporting from the capital, Kabul, said, "We understand that there were more than 100 people inside the mosque at the time of the attack."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but

the Taliban armed group denied any involvement.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, calling it "inhumane".

He said Afghans will not be divided by sectarian violence.

The attack was the latest to hit urban areas across Afghanistan in recent months.

At least 15 people were killed and 15 wounded after two gunmen stormed a government building in the eastern city of Jalalabad earlier this week.

Shia Muslims have been targeted by groups affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) that has emerged as a force in recent years.

According to the United Nations, a total of 1692 people have been killed in the first half of 2018, with another 3430 people wounded – the highest figure since it began keeping records in 2009. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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resident Emmerson Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to unite on Friday after he was declared the first elected Head of State since Robert Mugabe’s removal from power, but the Opposition Leader insisted he had won and pledged to challenge the result.

Sounding a conciliatory note after six people were killed in a post-election crackdown by the military, Mnangagwa vowed

to be president for all Zimbabweans and declared his rival Nelson Chamisa would have a vital role to perform in Zimbabwe’s future.

He also said the army’s use of violence in Harare after the vote would be investigated independently, although he also suggested he understood the resort to military force, remarking that Police had been overwhelmed by Opposition demonstrators.

The army’s clampdown and Opposition claims that the vote was rigged revealed the deep fissures in Zimbabwean society that developed during the four-decade rule of Mugabe, when the security forces became a byword for heavy-handedness.

In an apparent effort at soothing those rifts, Mnangagwa, 75, said: “To Nelson Chamisa, I want to say: you have a crucial role to play in Zimbabwe’s present and its unfolding future.

Let us both call for peace and unity in our land.”

But Chamisa, 40, told reporters Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu-PF had authorised the army crackdown on Opposition supporters because it knew it had lost the election, the first since the army removed 94-yearold Mugabe from office in November.

“We are going to explore all necessary means, legal and constitutional, to ensure that the will of the people is protected,” Chamisa said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Arizona care worker accused Despite tensions, Russia seeks of migrant shelter child abuse US help to rebuild Syria

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former youth worker at a shelter for migrant children in Arizona has pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing eight boys under his care.

Levian Pacheco, 25, is charged with committing 11 sex crimes between August 2016 and July 2017 at the privately operated housing centre.

Records show he is HIVpositive, and some of the boys are undergoing testing for the sexually transmitted virus.

The news comes days after another care worker was charged with a sex crime.

Prosecutors say the boys Pacheco allegedly targeted at the Casa Kokopelli facili-

Boys are seen at tent camp for migrant children in Texas (file photo)

ty in Mesa were all between the ages of 15 to 17.

He was employed by Southwest Key, a Texasbased non-profit that is the largest organisation contracted by the US Government to house undocumented immigrant chil-

dren.

A number of the over 2000 children who were separated from their parents after crossing the US-Mexico border without papers have been held at Southwest Key facilities. (Excerpt from BBC News)

ussia has used a closely guarded communications channel with America’s top general to propose the two former Cold War foes cooperate to rebuild Syria and repatriate refugees to the war-torn country, according to a US Government memo.

The proposal was sent in a July 19 letter by Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian military’s General Staff, to US Marine General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to the memo which was seen by Reuters.

The Russian plan, which has not been previously reported, has received an icy reception in Washington.

The memo said the US policy was only to support such efforts if there were a political solution to end Syria’s sevenyear-old civil war, including steps like United Nationssupervised elections.

The proposal illustrates how Russia, having helped turn the tide of the war in favour of President Bashar al-Assad, is now pressing Washington and others to aid the reconstruction of areas under his control. Such an effort would likely further cement Assad’s hold on power.

“The proposal argues that the Syrian regime lacks the equipment, fuel, other material, and funding needed to rebuild the country in order

to accept refugee returns,” according to the memo, which specified that the proposal related to Syrian Government-held areas of the country.

The United States in 2011 adopted a policy that Assad must leave power, but then watched as his forces, backed by Iran and then Russia, clawed back territory and secure Assad’s position.

The United States has drawn a line on reconstruction assistance, saying it should be tied to a process that includes UN-supervised elections and a political transition in Syria. It blames Assad for Syria’s devastation. (Excerpt from Reuters)

China plans tariffs after Harvey Weinstein seeks to dismiss latest US trade threat case based on accuser's emails

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hina has said it will levy new tariffs on more than 5200 US products, if the White House moves forward with its latest tariff threat.

The State Council outlined the plan just days after the US said it was considering higher tariffs on US$200 billion of Chinese goods than initially planned.

Chinese officials accused the US of "unilaterally" heightening tensions between the two economic giants.

They said the duties would range from five per cent to 25 per cent on US$60

billion worth of US products.

The White House says its tariffs are a response to China's "unfair" trade policies, including subsidies and rules that require foreign companies to bring on local partners.

President Donald Trump blames the practices for putting US companies at a disadvantage and helping to create a trade deficit.

"Instead of retaliating, China should address the longstanding concerns about its unfair trading practices," Sarah Sanders, White House press secretary, said on Friday.

The tariffs follow talks this spring that failed to produce an agreement.

A first round of tariffs came into effect on July 6, when the US imposed 25 per cent taxes on US$34 billion of Chinese imports. China retaliated in kind.

Tariffs on another US$16 billion worth of products are pending, the second part of tariffs on US$50 billion worth of imports that the US announced in March.

US threats have escalated since, with the President saying he is ready to impose tariffs on all US$500 billion of Chinese imports. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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ollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is seeking to get the criminal case against him thrown out of court.

On Friday, his lawyers filed a defence motion citing dozens of "warm" emails they say Weinstein received from one of his accusers after an alleged rape.

His team argue prosecutors should have shared the evidence with the Grand Jury that indicted him.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to six charges involving three different women.

The accuser in question has retained her anonymity.

Weinstein's lawyers say the case should be dismissed in its pre-trial stage.

In their motion, they included "dozens of emails written by the anonymous accuser, who sent extensive warm, complimentary and solicitous messages to Mr Weinstein immediately following the now claimed event and over the next four-year period.

"These communications irrefutably reflect the true nature of this consensual intimate friendship, which never at any time included a forcible rape."

The New York District Attorney's Office has not yet

commented.

After Weinstein was fired by his company last year, the emails were turned over to his legal team, according to the LA Times.

The Judge dealing with his separate bankruptcy case issued an order saying the private messages could not be released, because the accuser could lose her right to anonymity.

On Thursday, that same judge conceded the correspondence could be used in Weinstein's motion against the criminal case, as long as the woman's identity was protected. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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ARCHIE

ARIES

You need a break. Sign

(March 21- up for something you can enApril 19) joy doing with someone you

love to spend time with or who enjoys the same things you do.

Keep things in perspective TAURUS to avoid overspending, over(April 20- reacting and overindulgence.

May 20) Don’t act in haste or start an argument. Keeping the peace is in your best interest.

dilbert

Move things around at GEMINI (May 21- home or make lifestyle changJune 20) es that will encourage you to spend more time with someone who inspires you to take better care of your health.

The rewards of compromise will be better than an(June 21- ticipated. Get involved with July 22) people you find stimulating and forward-thinking. Love and romance will improve your life.

CANCER

Peanuts

It’s OK to say no to someLEO one who is asking for too (July 23- much or trying to talk you Aug. 22) into something that you know isn’t good for you. Live life your way.

Take pride in what you do VIRGO and trust in the changes you (Aug. 23want to make. You have plenSept. 22) ty to gain if you follow your heart. A personal relationship will take a positive turn.

Calvin and Hobbes

Keep busy and handle a LIBRA (Sept. 23- dilemma you face with a deOct. 23) manding individual. Making the changes that are doable should help to ease tension and ward off criticism.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Avoid getting into a debate SCORPIO with anyone you find trouble(Oct. 24some.

Spending time on creative Nov. 22) endeavours or personal improvements will be far more effective than arguing. Choose peace and love over petty differences.

Stick to what works best SAGITTARIUS for you. Don’t feel you must (Nov. 23appease someone else or give Dec. 21) in to pestering. Use your prior experience to help you make a good decision now.

Thursday’s

solution for last published puzzle

Bring about changes at CAPRICORN home that will make you feel (Dec. 22- more comfortable. Discipline Jan. 19) and hard work will make you feel good about your accomplishments. Romance is highlighted.

Children, friends and relaAQUARIUS tives will concern you. Be ob(Jan. 20- servant and do your best to Feb. 19) prevent someone from making a mistake that could be financially or physically costly.

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

A change that took place in the past will remind you of a situation you face now.

Use your experience to help avoid a setback. Romance will ease your stress.

saturDAY, AUGUST 4, 2018

M

ark O’Donnell, the newly appointed head coach of the Hero CPL franchise, the Jamaica Tallawahs, believes his squad of players has what it takes to win a third title this season but it won’t be easy.

Without Chris Gayle, who had departed for the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, and Andre Russell, to an anti-doping suspension, the Tallawahs fell short of expectations in 2017, largely because they lacked penetrating bowling and game-changing batsmen in their line-up.

The Tallawahs attempted to address those deficiencies during the draft earlier this year, picking up the likes of Ross Taylor, David Miller, Glen Phillips, Shahid Afridi, and Kemar Roach. Andre Russell’s return also bolsters the team in both batting and bowling.

O’Donnell believes the team has succeeded in strengthening several areas of the Jamaican CPL franchise.

Tallawahs have the tools to win 3rd title – O’ Donnell

Mark O'Donnell (right) with Tallawahs Assistant Coach Ramnaresh Sarwan

“I think we have covered a lot. It’s good to have Andre Russell back for a start and I think Kemar Roach will be a good addition. We’ve got some decent pace up front, we’ve got spin bowling op-

tions though the middle and we’ve got guys that bat at the top and bat through the middle with power so I think we’ve for a lot covered,” he told SportsMax.TV as the team began their training

camp at Sabina Park on Wednesday.

Several of the players that arrived in Jamaica on Tuesday night, assembled at Sabina Park for the camp, which O’Donnell said will be

of vital importance to the 2018 campaign.

“Obviously, T20 cricket is a lot about momentum and that is why this camp’s important, and if we nail our basics over the course of this week and start well, it keeps that momentum going through the tournament so we go first to Trinidad and then back home to Jamaica and to Florida from there so it’s a very good draw and a start for us to be able to gain that momentum,” he said.

O’Donnell was the assistant coach of the Tallawahs during their two winning seasons in 2013 and 2016 under coach Paul Nixon.

Those wins can give the Tallawahs an edge in what is expected to be closely contested season when all the franchises improved their rosters in the CPL draft.

“I think once you have won a tournament, you understand how you go about it,” O’Donnell explained.

“T20 is very simple in a lot of ways. It’s really close or nowhere near. A lot of games are going to be like that.

19

There is very much an evenness around a lot of the franchises this year so I do see it being close and I see sides that play well hold their nerves in close games at the end are going to be at the far end of the tournament.”

He thinks he has those players in the form of Taylor, a former New Zealand captain, Afridi who has led Pakistan and of course, Russell.

“Leaders provide an advantage,” O’Donnell argued.

“It is experience and that’s something that the Windies have, is that they have the most experienced number of T20 cricketers more than anyone else. There is a real skill and a real template to playing T20 cricket and understanding the surfaces you actually play on.

“The CPL offers some really interesting varieties of that and you have got to adapt and adjust and the side that does that the best and does that the quickest in each game that is going be there at the end.”(Sportsmax)

Barcelona sign “Green Machine” miss Vidal for £27M from out on CAC glory Bayern Munich

B

arcelona have completed the signing of Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich after agreeing personal terms with the Chile midfielder over a £27 millon transfer.

The 31-year-old, who moved to Germany in 2015 from Juventus for £32 million, met Barça officials last week and passed his medical after being granted permission to leave by t h e new Bayern manager, Niko Kovac.

Barcelona have already spent more than £100 million this summer on deals for the French defender Clément Lenglet and the Brazilian pair Arthur and Malcom and had been in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over a move for Adrien Rabiot.

But the French champions’ unwillingness to allow the 23-year-old to leave Parc des Princes led to them turning their attention to Vidal.

Internazionale had been seen as the frontrunners for his signature but have now made an am-

bitious approach to sign Luka Modric from Real Madrid.

Barça are also close to completing a move for the Senegal defender Moussa Wagué, who became the youngest African to score in the World Cup finals in June. The 19-year-old is initially expected to join Barcelona’s B side from the Belgian c l u b Eupen.

Milan confirmed the signing of Gonzalo Higuaín and Mattia Caldara from Juventus after the pair had their medicals with Milan on Thursday.

Higuaín joins on a season-long loan, with Milan having the option to make the deal permanent next summer. Caldara arrives as part of a swap deal for Leonardo Bonucci, who has rejoined the Turin club as part of the deal.(The Guardian) Arturo Vidal

G

uyana’s national rugby team, the “Green Machine”, were well on their way to another Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championship when they were stopped by a force called Jamaica.

Guyana played impressively in their pool A matches, registering two wins out of three games.

Their first game against Costa Rica got off to a great start, and after four tries and a beautiful conversion, the Guyanese team cruised to a 22-7 victory. Their next match-up set them against Mexico, who proved to be tough opponents, edging past the home team 14-10.

Nevertheless, the Guyanese team kept their heads held high and after some regrouping, defeated Colombia 14-12 later that day.

Advancing to the quarter-final round, the “Green Machine” were matched with longtime rivals Jamaica. The opposing team drew first blood with a successful try, pushing Guyana to make a comeback. Not long after, the local team saw the fruit of their labours, levelling the score 10-10. However, as fate would have it, Jamaica pushed through a successful try to edge past Guyana in the last few minutes of the game. Despite being knocked out of medal contention, the “Green Machine” went on to demolish Guatemala 24-7 in a placement match.

Over on the athletics field, javelin thrower Leslain Baird and triple jumper Troy Doris both advanced to the final in their respective events.

Baird completed a massive 74.72-metre throw but it was not enough to make the podium, landing him in fourth place.

The event was won by Trinidad and Tobago’s 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott with a throw of 84.47m.

Doris also missed out on the podium by a few millimetres. He made a leap of 16.43m, with the third-place leap coming from Miguel Van Assen – 16.96m.

Guyana’s winger, Patrick King

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, AUGUST 4, 2018

Kohli steels India for dramatic finale after Curran revives England F

asten your seatbelts for a thrilling finale.

Forget the flaws that are all too evident on both sides and savour a delicious equation. On Saturday India require 84 runs, England five wickets for victory in a captivating Test match in which Virat Kohli has been the dominant figure. He remains on 43 and while he is there India have a good chance.

Earlier in the day there had been moments when an India victory looked a formality as England faltered badly in the first session. Off the field there was just what the home side were yearning for, a full and boisterous house; on it just what they dreaded, a tepid batting display that quickly punctured the hopes of the spine-tin-

England’s Sam Curran and his teammates appeal unsuccessfully for the dismissal of the India captain, Virat Kohli

gling contest that had tantalised the minds of the 20-odd

SCOREBOARD

England 1st Innings – 287 India 1st Innings – 274 England 2nd Innings AN Cook b Ashwin 0 KK Jennings c Rahul b Ashwin 8 JE Root (c) c Rahul b Ashwin 14 DJ Malan c Rahane b Sharma 20 JM Bairstow † c Dhawan b Sharma 28 BA Stokes c Kohli b Sharma 6 JC Buttler c †Karthik b Sharma 1 SM Curran c †Karthik b Yadav 63 AU Rashid b Yadav 16 SCJ Broad c Dhawan b Sharma 11 JM Anderson not out 0 Extras (b 10, lb 2, nb 1) 13 TOTAL (53 Overs, RR: 3.39) 180 all out Fall of wickets: 1-9 (AN Cook, 3.4 ov), 2-18 (KK Jennings, 7.4 ov), 3-39 (JE Root, 15.1 ov), 4-70 (DJ Malan, 26.2 ov), 5-85 (JM Bairstow, 30.2 ov), 6-86 (BA Stokes, 30.4 ov), 7-87 (JC Buttler, 30.6 ov), 8-135 (AU Rashid, 44.4 ov), 9-176 (SCJ Broad, 51.6 ov), 10-180 (SM Curran, 52.6 ov) BOWLING: Mohammed Shami (12-2-38-0), R Ashwin (21-

4-59-3), I Sharma (13-0-515), UT Yadav (7-1-20-2) India 2nd Innings (target: 194 runs) M Vijay lbw b Broad 6 S Dhawan c †Bairstow b Broad 13 KL Rahul c †Bairstow b Stokes 13 V Kohli (c) not out 43 AM Rahane c †Bairstow b Curran 2 R Ashwin c †Bairstow b Anderson 13 KD Karthik † not out 18 Extras (b 1, lb 1) 2 TOTAL (36 Overs, RR: 3.05) 110-5 Yet to bat: HH Pandya, Mohammed Shami, UT Yadav, I Sharma Fall of wickets: 1-19 (M Vijay, 5.5 ov), 2-22 (S Dhawan, 7.3 ov), 3-46 (KL Rahul, 14.6 ov), 4-63 (AM Rahane, 21.4 ov), 5-78 (R Ashwin, 24.3 ov) BOWLING: JM Anderson (11-2-33-1), SCJ Broad ( 9-1-29-2), BA Stokes (10-125-1), SM Curran (5-0-171), AU Rashid (1-0-4-0)

thousand who made their way to Edgbaston. Just after lunch England had slumped to 87 for seven, a lead of 100.

All the batsmen had gone, so too any credible expectation of a decent game.

Then along came Sam Curran and his icy, schoolboy eyes, a young man who is still in the foothills of his Test match experience.

England in the mire again, a Test team in crisis and the pressure mounting? Not for Sam. This was just a wonderful challenge, an opportunity to have some fun or, as they say today, “to showcase his skill”. He cracked two sixes and nine fours in a run-a-ball 63. Suddenly India had to make 194 to win and they had never successfully achieved such a large victory target in England.

At last the supporters had something to shout about in the Hollies stand.

Yet in the first half of the day England had made a mess again and one could start predicting the “you can lose a Test match in just one bad session” and “you can’t afford to do that against

the No 1 ranked side in the world” explanations, not to mention the “they have been catching well in practice”.

In fact England have endured several poor sessions in this match, squandering a solid base on the first day as well as those catches on the second, while on the third morning Ravi Ashwin and Ishant Sharma, two familiar old foes, expertly worked their way through a powder-puff line-up that was technically and temperamentally ill-equipped to cope. England went 1-0 down to India four years ago when Sharma was instrumental in victory on the last afternoon at Lord’s after taking seven for 74, mostly with bouncers. He might have conjured another famous win here.

Ashwin had purveyed two overs on this tour before the Test yet he has still bowled impeccably and made the early incisions.

There is no better bowler at left-handers and soon he found significant turn to Keaton Jennings, whose outside edge presented a

st r a i g h t forward catch to KL Rahul in the gully. Ashwin’s next wicket was more significant; it was that of Joe Root, who, as ever, had acclimatised with few alarms. Yet here he was snapped up at leg slip from the face of the bat. It was a careless dismissal, which led to a stunned silence from the crowd and Root depositing his hand on his head in a what-have-I-done pose.

Now Sharma took over.

Four years ago he undermined England with short balls; here he bowled fuller, consistently finding movement against England’s army of left-handers. He had prepared for this differently to Ashwin by bowling for Sussex in the county championship. Sharma found rhythm and swing either side of lunch and confounded the middle order.

Soon he found the edge of Dawid Malan’s bat as he did with Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, who just managed to avoid a pair. As a few members of England’s Greatest XI, selected by the public in another questionable advert for referenda, were presented to the crowd at lunchtime, the mood was grim but the last three wickets mustered 93 runs thanks to Curran. There were some outside edges but also some mighty blows down the ground off both Ashwin and Sharma, which finally opened the throats of those in the stands. At last leafy Edgbaston was transformed into a Brummie colosseum.

Next on stage was Stuart Broad, who had fluffed his lines (and lengths) in the first innings, which meant

that he was only required to bowl 10 o v e r s .

N o w something clicked.

Murali Vijay, dropped by Malan off Jimmy Anderson on one, padded up and Broad celebrated, just remembering to turn to face the umpire in his appeal as he reached the other end of the pitch. Up went the finger, so too the decibel count. In the next over Shikhar Dhawan, just as in his first-innings dismissal, played an airy drive and was caught behind; Broad was a protagonist again.

Now Stokes, currently mightier with the ball than the bat, intervened, having Rahul caught behind, which left India tottering on 46 for three. Soon after the irrepressible Curran, despite being on the receiving end of two silky drives from Kohli, found the inside edge of Ajinkya Rahane’s bat. Then Ashwin, peculiarly promoted, edged against Anderson to give Bairstow his fourth catch of the innings.

England’s senior men were eager to whip up the crowd, who were happy to respond. No one left early.

There was just one problem – Kohli. He remained, watchful and willing himself to appear nonchalantly calm amid the mayhem at the other end. England tried a review against him and the ball was straight but it was passing over the stumps – even though it had been bowled by Curran.

Kohli, the colossus, was playing a different game to the rest. (The Guardian)

Under-14 team begin CFU campaign today “T he nature of this tournament is not about winning and deciding who the champion is, but it’s focused on the development of young players across the Region, including Guyana.

The structure of the tournament is set to facilitate that,” stated Bryan Joseph, Head Coach of the national U-14 team that departed for Curaçao last Wednesday to participate in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) 2018 Boys’ U-14 Challenge Series.

The young squad, which comprise 17 Guyanese players and four officials, were placed in Group C of the tournament and will face Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Their first matchup will be against the twin-island republic today at the Ergilio Hato Stadium from 16:00h.

Their schedule includes their second, third and fourth matches on August 8, 10 and 12 against Curaçao, Bonaire, and Aruba respectively. Every match will be hosted at the same venue, the Ergilio Hato Stadium.

Head Coach Joseph is of the belief that this competition is important in

The full squad and technical team in Curaçao

many aspects. Noting that most of the boys have only played at home, he said, it is crucial for them to be exposed to unfamiliar conditions. Additionally, the seasoning of experience is imperative since many of the team will make up next year’s Under-15 squad.

“Our target is to go out there and be competitive, but, in the same vein, we want to ensure that development takes place. This group needs the experience. I don’t think any member from this group ever played outside

of Guyana, at the front of a huge crowd or packed stadium, so this tournament will seek to have them become acquainted with that. This group will be the core of our U-15 who will participate in the CONCACAF U-15 Championship in 2019, so this is the beginning of this process,” the Head Coach stated.

Joseph said that while preparations were not as thorough as those of the youth team last year, he was of the view that “Guyana is in a fairly good

place because of the work done at the [Guyana Football Federation] GFFScotiabank Academy Training Centres.

Additionally, we have done some work with this group last year as part of the U-13 preparation. Following the first encampment period, we had a few training days and practice matches so the group came together nicely.”

Meanwhile, GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood said this tournament would serve as part of the development process for the

2026 World Cup Campaign. “The U-14 boys’ group participating in their first international tournament is part of the key performance indicators of the strategy for the 2026 campaign.

Gaining international experience and exposure at an early age is vital towards this. The ATC programme is the conveyor belt to produce elite performers for the senior teams on a consistent basis. The players in the squad have been developed through this landmark system; through the ATCs, they have a greater level of game understanding than previous youth squads.”

The full squad includes: Mark Morgan, Tyquan Brummell, Kevin Mullin, Keishawn Smith, Brandon Solomon, Oswin Archer, Shoran James, Kevon Scott, Colin Henriques, Ofancy Winter, Tyrice Dennis, Devon Padmore, Samuel Garnett, Daniel Lowe, Rajan Ramdeholl, Shavid Hernandez and Gerald Whittington.

Technical team: Bryan Joseph (Head Coach); Devnon Winter (Assistant Coach); Sasha Gouveia (Team Manager) and Nico Alstrom (Doctor).

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Hussain hits 106 for Apollo in Canada F

ormer Guyana Under-15 batsman Farook Hussain hit a belligerent 106 to spur Apollo Cricket Club to a resounding 208-run victory over Malton Cricket Club when action continued recently in the Etobicoke Cricket League 50-over round-robin competition.

The right-handed Berbician struck seven fours and three sixes in his 69-ball century as his team piled up a massive 429-8 off the 50 overs. In reply, the host team, Malton, were 221 all out in the 38th over.

Hussain was engaged in

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several attacking partnerships with the first being 80 with his opening partner, Daryal Narine, who contributed 27.

Hamlet Gordon, batting down the order, also showed good aggression at the crease by hitting an entertaining 80, laced with seven fours and a six.

Another former Guyana youth cricket Harrienarine Chattergoon weighed in with 40 while Surujnarine Kandasammy scored 40 as well. Adrian Sukhwa was also among the runs, striking two effortless sixes and three fours in a cameo 37

as spinner Marc Isa picked up two wickets for 49 runs from six overs.

In Malton’s innings, Viabhav Parashar batted beautifully to make 98, which counte d five sixes and two fours and Rakulan Santhiralingam made 27. Captain and off-spinner Dion Siewdyal snapped up three wickets for 31 runs from seven overs while Travis Mohammed supported with two wickets. Apollo now have nine victories from 11 encounters, with

21

one loss and one rainedout fixture. The action continues this weekend. (Ravi Madholall)

NRL referee quits over “vile abuse and death threats” L

o n g - s e r v i n g Australian rugby league referee Matt Cecchin says he is quitting at the end of the season after receiving “vile” abuse and “hundreds and hundreds” of death threats.

The 44-year-old will take charge of his 300th NRL game on Sunday when Penrith Panthers play Canberra Raiders.

But Cecchin is unlikely to officiate at many more games - though he has not ruled out moving to Super League.

“I’m done,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Much of the abuse came after he - correctly - disallowed a late Tongan try in their 20-18 World Cup semi-final loss to England last year.

Cecchin says he was placed under police protec-

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Matt Cecchin (left) will become just the seventh official to take charge of 300 NRL games this weekend

tion following that decision.

Officers told him: “We’ve picked up hundreds and hundreds of messages and they are death threats.”

“My son got hit, my partner got hit and my mum got hit with death threats,” Cecchin said.

“I started thumbing through my phone and there were more than a thousand

messages. They were vile.

I’ve never had that before in my whole career. When I got home to Sydney, our house was put on alert.

“I was picked up from the airport by the police. It was really, really serious. I don’t like attention as a referee.

I want to do my job without any fuss and then leave.

The reality is that after that

game, and for the first chunk of this year with all the noise that’s been out there, it’s been tough. Really, really tough.

“Imagine if I got the call wrong?”.

Sunday’s game will see Cecchin become only the seventh official in NRL history to reach the 300-game landmark.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart was critical of the “weak individuals” he blamed for driving Cecchin out of the game.

“It’s sad to see because I believe ‘Cecc’ is one of the top referees in the competition and to lose him, we’re losing a lot of experience and ability and it’s sad for the game because we can’t afford that,” he said.

“People out there have to sit down and really think about what he’s saying.” (BBC

Sport)

Washington Open 2018…

Murray “may not play” quarter-final after 3am finish B

ritain's former world number one Andy Murray says he may not play his Washington Open quarter-final after sealing his third-round victory at 03:02 local time.

Murray, 31, broke down in tears after beating Romanian Marius Copil 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4).

The Scot is due to play Alex de Minaur of Australia in the quarter-finals later on Friday.

"I don't know how players are expected to recover from that," Murray said.

"Not playing, potentially, is possible.

"My body doesn't feel great right now. Finishing matches at three in the morning isn't good for anyone involved in the event - players, TV, fans, anyone.

"When you're expected to come back and perform the next day, I think that's unreasonable."

Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray is playing only his third tournament since hip surgery in January and his last eight tie with de Minaur would mark his first quarter-final since Wimbledon in 2017.

Murray - now ranked 832 in the world - lost the first set against Copil in one hour and six minutes, having taken a 5-0 lead in the tie-break before losing seven points in a row.

He broke Copil twice in the second set to take it in 45 minutes and looked set to take the third comfortably when he secured a break in the sixth game to move 4-2 up.

Andy Murray breaks down in tears after Washington Open win

But the Romanian, ranked 93rd, immediately broke back before holding serve to level the match, before Murray's fitness prevailed in the deciding tie-break.

An emotional Murray then sat courtside and sobbed into his towel.

The tournament's previous latest finish was 02:27 local time. (BBC Sport)

22

Shakib banking on fans in Florida for additional boost S

hakib Al Hasan said Bangladesh will bank on the support of their expat fans to bounce back in the three-match T20I series when they take on Windies in Florida on Saturday (August 4). Bangladesh lost their last T20I by seven wickets by DLS method after a below-par show with the bat.

The Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill has seen some high scoring contests with India almost chasing down 245 the last time an international T20 was played at the venue (completed game). That leaves the fans with a mouth-watering contest ahead of them with the power-packed Windies batting

line-up hoping to dominate the Bangladesh bowling.

"Naturally, it will be exciting. We are expecting to have fun as there will be a huge amount of Bangladeshi fans among the crowd who will surely turn out to be a motivating factor," Shakib said ahead of the clash.

Shakib also has the experience of playing at the venue while plying his trade in the Caribbean Premier League. However, he wasn't sure if the track will yield plenty of runs. "It is difficult to say anything regarding the wicket as it is totally different from the one that hosted the CPL matches," he pointed out.

"There are times when the wicket looks similar but the behaviour is totally different. As per my experience, it seems better than the wicket where we played our last match."

Bangladesh need to win the contest to keep the series alive. They will be confident of turning things around, especially after the ODI series win, after they were humbled in the Test series. But they'll need their batsmen to step up and give the bowlers the additional cushion against Windies batsmen.

"We had chances to score runs but we failed to capitalise. We hope we can learn from those mistakes and put up a better account of ourselves. If the wicket behaves like the previous match or better naturally we can expect lot of runs," Shakib said.

Meanwhile, their West Indian counterparts had their first training session at the Central Broward Regional Stadium on Friday after arriving in Florida.

Their expectations are quite high and they also have a very large fan base in the United States.

WI Full Squad reads: Carlos Brathwaite – Captain, Samuel Badree, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Chadwick Walton and Kesrick Williams.

After the second T20I, the teams will meet for the final game of the tour on August 5 at the same venue.

Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” nat’l final…

Carlos Brathwaite

Shakib-Al-Hasan

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Defending champs face Sparta Boss for spoils

Part of the action in this year’s Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” National Play-offs

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onight’s showdown for the right to be crowned Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” national champions will revive an age-old rivalry between Georgetown and Linden in the sporting arena.

Organisers Banks DIH, under its Guinness brand, has provided the ideal setting for what is already being touted as the perfect match-up to bring the curtains down after nearly nine months of enthralling football in the various communities.

The venue is the National Stadium at Providence and the organisers have pulled out all the stops to make the experience a wonderful one for fans, with seating accommodation for around 400 persons now available.

Of course, the Guinness competition does not feel the same if Sparta Boss, the most successful team in the tournament’s history, are not in the reckoning so their presence alone will ignite the love-hate relationship they somehow seem to attract.

They face, in the first-semi-fi-

nal, a determined Dave & Celina’s All-Stars, who happen to be the current national champions and they would no doubt be aiming to show their fans and critics that last year’s triumph was no fluke.

Despite losing a host of players from last year’s campaign, the Lindeners have shown resilience throughout this year’s competition and even though they lost their Zone title to another semi-finalist Silver Bullets, their performance so far in the national play-offs has been impressive.

However, Sparta Boss have been in irrepressible form and quite a few teams have been subjected to some embarrassing defeats, so, immediately, you see what is in store for tonight’s encounter.

The former two-time national champs will enjoy home support, especially since they are facing opposition from Linden and this expected partisan support could serve as a very important and

necessary component for them.

Sparta Boss will include players the calibre of Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson, a player with immense tale n t

a n d dribbling skills, while others such as Sheldon Shepherd, Jermin Junor,

Courtney Britton, Eusi Phillips and Denis Edwards are all proven match winners.

Dave & Celina’s All-Stars pursuit of victory will be spearheaded

by Tyriq McAllister, Rudy Halley, Emanuel Atkins, and Steffon Tappin.

In the other semi-final, G/ town champs West Front Road-“Gold is Money” are entertaining Silver Bullets in what is surely going to be a slugfest from kick-off.

The reigning Linden Zone champions have quietly and efficiently moved into the last four almost unnoticed, but are a deadly foe for any team facing them.

Players such as Robin Adams, Damion Williams, Clifton Halley and Jermaine Samuels are all extremely talented players in this format and their confidence must be sky high.

On the other hand, “Gold is Money” are noted for their clini-

cal efficiency and ruthlessness in front of goal, and with the most prolific goalscorer, Deon Alfred in the line-up, defenders are in for a tough time.

You then add Randolph Wagner, whose goalscoring prowess is respected by all, while their talisman Hubert Pedro, Jamal Pedro and the experienced Phillip Rowley add plenty potency to make opposing teams shiver with fright.

All the teams appearing in the semi-finals will be given new uniforms with numbers on the back.

The organisers have also added a female game comprising teams from Bartica and a mixed team encounter to the night’s proceedings.

It will be fun, but teams have already stated that bragging rights and the handsome prize monies on offer will bring out the best in them.

Admission is free, but a small fee for parking inside the venue will be charged.

Action starts at 19:00h.

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“This is one for the books” – ExxonMobil on board with the Guyana Amazon Warriors ‘This is one for the books’

the team, noting that they were entirely grateful. “Last year, we started our relationship with ExxonMobil, and we’re very happy that they’ve come on board; they’ve supported us fully and they’ve been a great

Botha noted that the team would be focused on making it through to the play-offs first.

“I think with tournaments like this you need to get into the play-offs first of all, so we need to get into the top four,

Warriors are five days away from opening their Hero CPL 2018 campaign against last year’s runners-up, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Providence National Stadium. They will later play

Guyanese Devendra Bishoo having a chat with ExxonMobil Country Manager Rod Henson

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he Guyana Amazon Warriors team were received to their home turf with much pomp and splendour on Friday morning as primary sponsor ExxonMobil took on the job of welcoming the team that have begun arriving.

ExxonMobil is no stranger to the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), owing to the fact that the oil and gas giant has collaborated with the home franchise before. Nevertheless, the company is on board once again, taking up the position of primary sponsor.

At the event hosted in the lobby of the Guyana Marriott, ExxonMobil Country Manager for Guyana, Rod Henson began his remarks with a clear expression of joy at being the primary sponsor for such a power-packed team.

“ExxonMobil is very happy to sponsor and partner with the Guyana Amazon Warriors for CPL 2018; this is our second year actually supporting the team. Last year was fantastic and we look forward to greater things this year,” he stated.

The Country Manager went on to disclose that ExxonMobil jumped at the sponsorship opportunity not solely based

on the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ excellent track record on the field, but also for their habit of community service and interaction.

“One of the reasons that ExxonMobil was very happy to partner with the Amazon Warriors is that they have a longstanding excellent tradition of corporate citizenship. You guys have done over the years many, many things in terms of mentoring young men and women and motivation speaking and visiting schools, and that’s fantastic,” he said.

Noting that he is anticipating the team’s first game day, which is Thursday, August 9, Henson spoke about the CPL’s tradition of coupling a jubilant party atmosphere with cricket.

“There’s going to be music, food and excitement and we have a really solid team; I’ve already been talking to the team about our chances and I think it’s going to be a fantastic year,” Henson stated.

Aside from the oil and gas company, the American Chamber of Commerce has also thrown its support behind the home team. Joking about doing his homework on the promising team, Chamber

President Zulfikar Ali noted that the Guyana Amazon Warriors are well put together and as such, he has placed his confidence in the team.

“I’m an avid cricket fan and I love this team we have here.

It’s a very exciting team. I’ve done a lot of homework on you guys and I know you’ll lift the title this year,” Ali said.

In expressing his gratitude to the corporate sponsors, Guyana Amazon Warriors Operations Manager Omar Khan highlighted the importance of having support outside of the franchise owners. Khan explored all the aspects that cricket has taken on over the years, noting that the support was needed and greatly appreciated.

“A lot of us feel like cricket is just going out on the field and play, but the cricketing world has transformed. As an industry, we need to set up systems where we could sustain our level of participation and being ambassadors of our country. In order for us to do that, we need corporate sponsors to come on board,” the Operations Manager disclosed.

He then went on to highlight ExxonMobil’s contributions to

Stag Beer supports Dion Carter B/day Domino Tourney

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urning Point Sports Bar will come alive tomorrow when Georgetown Domino Association (GDA) Executive Member Dion Carter stages his Annual Birth Anniversary Competition for all teams interested in participating.

The dominoes stalwart, who has been involved in the game for many years and has also played a pivotal role in spreading the game, has organised the competition, which will enjoy sponsorship from ANSA McAL under its Stag Beer brand.

According to Organising Secretary Mark “Jumbie” Wiltshire, the format of the competition will see teams being awarded five points for a win, while second

and third place will receive three and one point respectively.

Wiltshire added that teams were advised to adhere to the rules and regulations that would govern the tournament, informing that the no pay no play law would be in effect.

The winning team will take home $150,000, runnersup $75,000 and third place $35,000 along with trophies. The entrance fee is $12,000.

Starting time is 15:00h, and teams are reminded that they must be at the venue early to complete registration since late entries will not be accepted.

Wiltshire further disclosed that the final day of the tournament would be held at Dynasty Sports Bar, South Ruimveldt.

Newly-appointed Coach Johan Botha interacting with the media

help to us, the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise.”

From a more technical standpoint, newly-appointed Coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Johan Botha is of the opinion that the home team have what it takes to bring the title home for the first time.

that’s our first and main goal.

Then from there, you’re two or three wins away from winning the tournament and in those high-pressure games, you just have to hope couple of things go your way and hope your senior players stand up.”

The Guyana Amazon

the St Lucia Stars on August 11 and the Barbados Tridents on August 12. After touring the Caribbean and Florida, the team will return to the Providence Stadium to face off with the Jamaica Tallawahs on September 8 and the Trinbago Knight Riders on September 9.

saturDAY, AUGUST 4, 2018

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

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“This is one for the books” ‒ ExxonMobil on board with the Guyana Amazon Warriors

Officially on board! ExxonMobil Country Manager Rod Henson displays his Guyana Amazon Warriors T-shirt

Shakib banking on fans in Florida for additional boost Pg 22

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