Guyana Times September 4 2018

Lyndon Alves is new Crime Chief P

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

Issue No. 3676

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Over 4000 teachers on country-wide strike

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Trainee Medex P2 warned against getting pregnant …as batch of 36 to take part in 4-year programme

…teachers got more under PPP Govt – GTU

…accuses coalition of playing with teachers’ emotions

…2500 volunteer teachers to be deployed – Education Minister

Pages 3,7,11 and centre

Pressure on prosecutorial agencies

DPP appeals Westford’s P14 $600M larceny case dismissal

P8 GPL contractor slapped with fraud charge Despite the inclement weather, hundreds of teachers from across the Georgetown district on Monday protested the Education Ministry on Brickdam to voice their frustrations, as they demand better pay and working conditions as part of strike action called by the Guyana Teachers' Union (Dexter Ceres photo)

1000 nurses needed in Guyana – Min Lawrence ...as Govt looks to up intake of recruits; stem brain drain

Page 9

2 die in Mahaicony accident

Page 10

Teachers P15 demand apology from Minister Scott

Prospective diplomats P16 trained in human trafficking

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TuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Trainee Medex warned against getting pregnant …as batch of 36 to take part in 4-year programme

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ome 36 medical practitioners took part in a ceremony on Monday to officially launch their four-year Medex training programme; while there, they were warned, among other things, of the need to “not get pregnant” during the training.

However, some have already expressed concern about discrimination against women trainee medex, who may want to start a family during this period.

In her address to the students, Coordinator of the Medex programme, Sarah Daniels urged students to remain focused on their goals. She outlined several expectations that come with taking part in the programme.

“Students should not get pregnant during the course of the study,” Daniels explained. “For the students, remember you are all here to achieve one goal, despite

been warned against pregnancy, with some women at times facing dismissal. In 2015, the issue reared its head when three City Constables were fired after they became pregnant during their two-year probation.

As recent as February of this year, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Patrick West drew criticism from sections of society when he reportedly expressed concern about female soldiers getting pregnant “every year.”

Coordinator of the Medex programme, Sarah Daniels

wherever you came from…”

“Spending four years developing a career, for some of you being away from your home, your customs and your loved ones, will not be easy. But I assure you, the sacrifices of today will definitely pay off tomorrow.”

It would not be the firsttime public servants have

Be prepared

Meanwhile, Daniels also stressed the need for students to be punctual and professional, conducting themselves in a proper manner at all times and wearing uniform when on duty.

In addition, students must possess honesty and a consistent pass mark above 60 per cent.

Other expectations, ac-

The batch of trainee Medex

cording to Daniels, are that the Medex be psychologically prepared to serve their respective communities when the training is completed.

She explained further what this training entails.

“The Medex programme has two pathways. The first one is the traditional pathway, which is an 18-month programme. The second is

an alternative pathway, which is 42 months. The students of 2018-2022 represent that alternative pathway. The present Medex curriculum consists of a four-year programme that has two phases.’

“The first phase has basic nursing and midwifery skills lasts two years. And of course, the students are all asked that they must pass this two years before they go into the third and fourth year, which is the comprehensive clinical skills and that lasts for two years.”

The Medex were reminded that they are expected to provide level two healthcare services, including preventative treatment of simple illnesses. The Medex were drawn from all over Guyana, including Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

“Based on the needs assessment, priority was given to the hinterland regions.

In addition, assistance was

sought from the Regional Health Officers. After an intensive interview process, 37 students were selected for the Medex class,” She revealed, adding that one student subsequently dropped out.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence also delivered an address to the attendees.

In it, she impressed upon them the importance of serving and giving back to their communities.

“Many days, you will have to persevere… remember the purpose for which you are signing on.

Personally, you can reap benefits from being professionally qualified so that you can join the team of public health professionals,” she said.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud had words of encouragement for the Medex.

He also lauded the proliferation of males in this year’s batch, noting the importance of gender parity.

Teen found dead in WCD trench

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teenager, who allegedly cried out for abdominal pains on Sunday, was discovered dead in a small trench close to his Zeelugt squatting area, West Coast Demerara home on Monday. Dead is 19-year-old Ganesh Jitlall.

Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that the man left home on Sunday crying out for pains but did not return.

His mother with whom he lived became worried and a search party was established.

His body was subsequently found at about 10:00h on Monday morning with his

eyes wide open.

Reports received stated that the young man sometimes wanders off and return home after days.

It is believed that he might have suffered a seizure and fell into the water.

His brother also told investigators that the now dead man suffered from mental illness.

At the time of the discovery, there were no marks of violence about his body, but the Police are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to determine whether or not to launch an investigation into the man’s death.

news

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TuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 4 – 12:30h-14:00h and Wednesday, September 5 – 13:30h-15:00h.

…accuses coalition of playing with teachers’ emotions

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, September 4 – 11:30h-13:00h and Wednesday, September 5 – 12:50h-14:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Early morning sunny intervals are expected to give way to light rain showers, with sunny intervals returning in the afternoon. Partly cloudy to clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 11:23h and 23:52h reaching maximum heights of 2.23 metres and 2.31 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:44h and 17:18h reaching minimum heights of 0.87 metre and 1.03 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, september 1, 2018

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Teachers got more under PPP Govt – GTU

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he teachers’ strike continues, and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has said the nation’s educators had received more under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration than what they currently get under this coalition Administration.

GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald, who has been at the helm of the leadership of that union and would have sat in several negotiations with both the previous and current administrations, made this statement to teachers on Monday.

McDonald told scores of teachers assembled in the GTU auditorium at Woolford Avenue, Georgetown that it was under the PPP that teachers, for the first time, received additional benefits apart from a salary increase.

“If we look at what transpired under the PPP Government when they were in power and what is transpiring now…remember we didn’t want the five percent. We made noise about it. But with the five percent we got a whole lot of non-salary benefits,” she said, to loud applause from the large gathering of teachers.

She continued, “For the first time in the history of this country, our teachers were able to get clothing allowance, duty free concessions, and allowances for additional qualifications. While the PPP Government was in power -and you know I don’t want to sound political, but we have to make the comparison because of all the untruths they peddling out there…”

The GTU official went as far as to say that the current David Granger-led administration is playing with teachers’ emotions “to say to us that this thing is just three-andsomething years since they in the Government. And this is the party that most of the teachers supported. So is our party. ‘Our party’ don’t work when you go in the market; ‘our party’ ain’t working when you have to pay rent; ‘our party’ don’t work when you have to face the bank to repay your mortgage; so ‘our party’ dead,” she declared.

Meanwhile, GTU President Mark Lyte debunked claims that he has political ties to any one party, much less the PPP. He said at one time he was accused of being associated with the People’s National Congress (PNC), and now he is being accused of being a supporter of the Opposition PPP. “It seems as though every time you stand up for a just cause people put a political spin to it! I don’t have party card from either party or any third party; I represent teachers, and that is what I will continue to do,” he asserted.

Last week, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo looked into Government’s spending, listing several areas where it can cut back and use that money instead to pay teachers a better living wage.

Although Government and the GTU are still at logger-

GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald addressing teachers on Monday

heads over increases for teachers, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary feels the matter could be resolved.

The former President said that if Government is to cut back on its wasteful spending, it would manage to cover a reasonable increase for the country’s teachers.

“I believe that there is money to fund a lot of which the teachers have been asking for without increasing overall expenditure in the budget…”

Jadgeo reasoned.

Jagdeo pointed to a few examples of where Government’s bill has increased since 2015, in many cases double what it used to be before.

During the meeting with President David Granger, Jagdeo said he pointed out to him that the Government has a corrupt contract, where an individual is paid $14 million a month for a house at Sussex Street, Albouystown.

“If you terminate that contract alone, that could fund the annual clothing allowance for all…of the teachers; you just have to terminate that one project for that,” Jagdeo said.

The Opposition Leader has debunked claims that

the teachers and their union are acting unreasonably. He said they have been waiting for three years to meet with Government.

In providing a further breakdown of how the demands of the teachers could be met, Jagdeo said he has even taken a look at the budget estimates, to come up with how spending could be curtailed to facilitate the request.

In comparing seven items from the current expenditure column between 2014 and 2018, Jagdeo said there are enough monies that are being wasted that could be reduced and used to meet the demands.

He pointed to the celebration of national and other events which in 2014 had

been budgeted at $477 million now in 2018 being budgeted at $911 million. For dietary (food) items, $3.6 billion had been budgeted then, but in 2018 it is now $5.2 billion.

The other category (operating expenses) showed that $1.8 billion had been budgeted in 2014, but in 2018 it costs $2.6 billion.

“If you add those three, that’s $2.8 billion increase alone,” Jagdeo pointed out.

Further, for travel, in 2014 it was $1.4 billion, and it is now $2.1 billion. This indicates a growth of $732 million per annum. As for vehicle spares and service, in 2014 it was budgeted at $853 million, but in 2018 it has moved up to $1.34 billion. ‘Other transport and travel’ was $874 million in 2014, but has now gone to $1.3 billion. Rental of buildings in 2014 was $795 million, but has now gone to $1.39 billion. This totals $2.2 billion, he explained.

“In these seven heads alone, we have increased expenditure of $5.1 billion. We could easily cut these and find money to pay the teachers’ wages and restore the one month allowance to the Discipline Forces, pay the debunching for the teachers, housing allowance, all of these things… just here,” he explained.

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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

Teachers’ Strike

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he new school academic year started on Monday, when thousands of our nation’s teachers took to the streets in their respective regions to protest for better wages and benefits.

Given what is currently unfolding with regard to the current strike by teachers, uncertainty seems sure; for there are concerns, especially for those rife with expectation on both sides -- teachers and students.

For the young minds, more so those entering high school, Monday’s moment was another stepping stone, and generally an eagerly anticipated one. It is not dissimilar for the teachers, as they look forward to welcoming their new batch to mould over the next year. It is also a time when their own success can be seen at different levels, as their previous batch takes another step in the process of advancement.

Unfortunately, the stage seems very much unprepared.

There is no disputing the need for teachers to benefit from increased salaries, as other public servants should.

With the focus currently being on the teachers, their plight continues to be played out for all to see. Their clarion call for much needed increases has reached the stage of strike and protest action, as negotiations remain unsuccessful. One of the uncertainties is how long this will obtain.

There is no doubt about the impact the strike will have, especially if it were to be prolonged. There is no argument over the important role teachers continue to play in the development of children and the nation, by producing the necessary human resource skill. The teachers are also part of that critical human resource, and like everyone else, have challenges, including having to provide for their own children who attend school.

To provide what it takes is burdensome for many, and removal of the education grant compounds the situation, as do increased taxation and the continuous rise in cost of living.

This makes current salaries woefully inadequate to mitigate the increasing demands. To add to the ongoing situation, teachers and students who use public transportation will have to pay more for their commute, as increase in minibus fares took effect on September 1.

This will further squeeze workers who are already drowning in financial challenges to meet even the basic of demands in supporting their families.

Everyone who has to outfit a child, or children for some, knows of the economic difficulties in doing so. The teachers are no exception, and with additional transportation cost, their plight worsens. With that a given, there are other uncertainties: whether their salaries will be withheld during the strike period?

How long the protest will be sustained? And what support mechanism is in place during the process?

These will be answered as time progresses, but a fundamental question remains: How can success be achieved if the salaries remain inadequate? More than likely, this will be vehemently articulated by the leadership of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) within the negotiating room whenever the sides find themselves back there. Therein lies the bottom line; for a nation to go forward, especially with the coming of oil, sustained academic success is vital.

The infamous and seemingly imposed brain-drain that plagued the country a few decades ago ensured a protracted denial of necessary skills for development. If current uncertainties as alluded, coupled with the worsening economic situation, were to continue, then it becomes extremely difficult to stop a renewed exodus of academic skills. That is why it becomes even more imperative that an immediate solution be found to address the short- and long-term fallout of this strike.

When workers are told that monies are not available for salary increases, it appears to be deceptive through the actions of the administration. This seems evident by the fifty percent hike in Ministerial emoluments; Government’s increased dietary, travelling and security bills; costs for numerous Commissions of Inquiry, and funding for projects like the imposing fence at the Ministry of the Presidency and Durban Park, which appear to have little or no impact on national development.

These scenarios not just fester uncertainty, but can infuse a deep sense of irrelevance through growing despondency in those who are the builders of society but are made to feel otherwise.

The parents of this little child proudly dressed her in her native wear while at the Indigenous Village at the Sophia Exhibition Complex.

September month is designated Amerindian Heritage Month as we celebrate our Indigenous peoples (Dexter Ceres photo)

Govt’s approach to sugar far from clear

Dear Editor, As the GAWU is finalising its preparations for its one-day conference, titled “Sugar – too big to fail,” on September 04, 2018, our Union recognises that President David Granger, at his inaugural press conference for the year, addressed the sugar industry, among other things.

According to a report in the September 02, Guyana Times, President Granger is quoted to have said “[s] o there is a future for sugar, a very clear future”. The statement by the President, which on the surface appears to be rational, is, however, far from the reality.

Since President Granger became our country’s leader, his Government’s approach to the sugar industry has been the furthest from clear.

The nation will recall that, weeks after being sworn into office, the APNU/AFC Government established a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the sugar industry. That CoI -- which cost millions of dollars and spent hundreds of man hours to review voluminous information -- was to receive testimony and submissions from several individuals and organisatons; to have a firsthand look at all the estates; and to interact with workers and manageri-

al personnel.

The Commission came to the unambiguous conclusion that no estate must be closed, taking into account the social fallout.

Furthermore, the CoI went on to identify several sugar diversification initiatives that could turn the industry around.

It seems that the Sugar CoI report, findings and recommendations were not seriously considered, and before the report had an opportunity to gather any dust, the Granger Administration, in January 2016, announced that Wales Estate would be closed at the end of that year.

Not too long after the Wales closure announcement, in early 2016, President Granger, on his now defunct Public Interest programme, had said he didn’t believe that any more estates would be closed. Within weeks of the President’s statement, the GuySuCo informed GAWU and NAACIE that LBI Estate had to be closed, to consolidate and make viable the operations of East Demerara Estate.

But then, on the last day of 2016, the Government told the workers unions and the political opposition that it had to close the very East Demerara Estate (Enmore)

which, weeks prior, it was said to be viable through the closure of LBI Estate.

As history now records, the Government, at that time, indicated that it also wanted to close Rose Hall Estate and would divest itself of Skeldon Estate, but wanted to hear from the unions and the opposition first, before committing itself to a decision.

Though our Union had doubts about the sincerity of the Government’s commitment, we nevertheless provided a submission which took account of empirical information from several studies and the CoI report, and demonstrated that the industry could be saved, and closure and divestment were not necessary recourses.

Our submission also warned about the social consequences that would befall thousands of Guyanese and scores of communities, and we strongly endorsed the Opposition’s position that a credible socio-economic study should be pursued.

The ‘Good Life’ Administration nevertheless adamantly pressed ahead with nothing less than a disastrous policy to minimise the sugar industry. On to this day, it has never explained why it did not endorse the GAWU sub-

missions, something the Caribbean Court of Justice recently opined should have been done. Our Union reiterates that the administration would be hard pressed to provide a reasonable explanation for its rejection, especially noting that GuySuCo itself is now advocating similar ventures to make it viable.

Then, at the end of 2017, unbeknownst to the public, the Administration substantially stripped the GuySuCo of its assets relating to the closed estates and transferred them without liability to NICIL. The shares of the Corporation were also transferred to NICIL. Around the same time, the Government then announced it had decided to divest the estates identified for closure.

Interestingly, the Administration has never shared what influenced the change of course, though we suspect the workers’ strong actions and the criticisms from many organisations and individuals must have been influencing factors. It is interesting, too, that the Administration subsequently announced it received over 70 expressions of interest for estates that were previously deemed unviable and irretrievable. continued on page 5

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Anti-working class character Barefaced, crude, open attempt at M&CC of APNU/AFC regime

Dear Editor, In responding to the striking teachers’ demands for salary increases, Junior Minister of Social Protection, Keith Scott, said the teachers are “selfish and uncaring”.

This statement exposes not only the anti-working class character of the APNU/AFC regime, but also that regime’s unadulterated double standards and hypocrisy.

When the regime awarded its ministers a huge increase in salary, claiming that they could not be expected to live on their al-

ready high salaries by Guyanese standards, was that not an act that was “selfish and uncaring”? It was a slap in the face of the majority of Guyanese, who are expected to survive on a tiny fraction of what ministers earned before their salaries increased. It is clear that Keith Scott’s intention was to influence impressionable young minds to believe that the striking teachers are obstacles to their educational achievement, when the real obstacle is the neo-liberal Government that he represents.

The teachers and oth-

er public sector employees, sugar workers, security guards, petrol pump attendants, small business owners, and the unemployed youth must not allow the bourgeois politicians leading the PNCR, AFC and PPP/C to continue to make fools of them.

If we can stand together and focus our energies on the real fight for true independence and economic justice in our lifetime, then the victory of the people is inevitable.

Sincerely, Gerald A Perreira

Dear Editor, With reports appearing in some sections of the media that another showdown is looming between the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown and the two largest garbage collection agencies which are contracted to provide refuse collection services to corporate, residential and industrial customers, certainly not a citizen of Georgetown should be surprised.

Absolutely no one should be startled that payments to the two companies by the Council could be slipping into arrears again. Without an audit done of Council’s financial

records in over two decades, with the profusion of financial scams over the years, and with the profuse and improvident spending that the Council is so well known for, how could one expect anything other than insolvency, defalcation, and total bankruptcy at the Council?

It will not be much longer before the Central Government will be asked to jump in and bail City Council out again, especially since the Local Government Elections are scheduled in a matter of weeks. Mendicancy, impecuniousness and indigence are the order of the day at the

Even if UG could – is this Govt’s approach to... the VC’s personal decision?

Dear Editor, As a long-standing observer of the University of Guyana, being a past student and faculty member several years retired, I cannot help but add my voice to Dr Mark Kirton’s and those of several people writing on social media, newspapers, and commenting in high circles about the matter of Honorary Degrees at the University of Guyana.

The response of the University of Guyana’s Public Relations Officer, Ms Paulette Paul, who should know better, is deliberately misleading and untruthful in many parts.

She should know better than to try to pull wool over the eyes of the tax paying Guyanese public, who have a right to seek answers and to ask questions, since their dollars fund this University.

1. The Vice Chancellor cannot, and should not, announce that he is going to confer any degree, academic of otherwise, upon anyone, since he is not able to do this without a due process, whether or not the University Act says the University can confer degrees.

The fact is that neither the Council nor the Academic Board has seen a proposal or request from the Vice Chancellor for them

to consider the granting of honorary degrees.

2. It is the practice of this Vice Chancellor, and the Council seems none the wiser, to make critical and far-reaching decisions which fall solely in the purview of this Council or other bodies, and to bring these to the Council for ratification.

He has done this with appointments of his many and growing Cabinet, new appointments, renewal of contracts for high officials, and even with payments of millions in lieu of leave. When asked for details, he sometimes rants that “either people trust him or they don’t”. With a University in close to $500 million deficit, accountability cannot be reduced to trusting an individual. This is a national strategic asset, and it must be treated as such. The new and mostly very young Council must not allow this to continue. Had they been allowed to fulfill their oversight roles, the World would not be hearing that the VC, Prof Griffith (I am that I am), is conferring anything when no authority has sanctioned this yet.

3. While UG is legally able to confer honorary and other academic degrees, the big question is whether at this time it should; and if it should, by what procedure, and what conditions need

to apply. It can also award honorary medals of different kinds and other degrees, but there must be a system, and it cannot be that the authority to do this is arrogated to the bow-tied one who thinks that he can use the media in his campaign of personal pomposity. UG is the national University, not the personal fiefdom of one man and his cronies.

At least the media is doing the job of asking the hard questions, if no one else will.

Let’s do the right thing by the right means, and let the UG Council do its job in service of this nation.

Sincerely, Name withheld

The clear confusion regarding sugar continued when we saw musical chairs being played by the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, with both gentlemen denying they had ministerial responsibility for the industry.

Then suddenly and without any forewarning, the Agriculture Minister announced he was in charge of GuySuCo, though no explanation, as far as we recall, was ever provided as to how the contradictions were resolved.

Then the public was told that NICIL-SPU, on behalf of GuySuCo, had entered arrangements whereby it secured $30B in financing towards making the industry viable and sustainable.

While GAWU welcomed the

financing, we expressed, at the same time, our serious concern that no clear plan had been advanced to guide the expenditure of the large sum that is repayable with interest.

Then, most recently, we saw Minister of State Joseph Harmon saying that the Government was giving consideration to the sale of the three (3) operable estates along with those which have been closed.

The Minister’s announcement stands in stark contradiction to President Granger, who is quoted in the Guyana Times’ report as saying “[w]e want to see the sugar industry survive… we feel… that the industry and the corporation can survive”.

Clearly and obvious-

Georgetown City Council.

Further, the city’s two largest waste collection service providers working for the Georgetown Municipality should not be the least surprised at the plan being hatched to jettison them from the garbage collection arrangements involving the capital’s nursery, primary and secondary schools in favour of another ‘well-connected contractor. This is just another bare-faced, crude, and open attempt at massive corruption, malfeasance and nepotism at the Council.

Sincerely, Sambu Jacobus

From page 4

ly, the administration’s approach to sugar, like it has been to many national matters, has been far from clear. It seems to us that a shooting-from-the-hip approach has been adopted, and there is no thought-out policy regarding the sugar industry. Such an approach can never be helpful, and can never provide answers to the pressing questions that would arise. If this is what the President defines as clear, then the Guyanese people should definitely shudder when the Administration says it’s not clear on a matter.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

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Foundation

Tips for parents of children with low vision or blindness

Keeping the bullies at bay

…children will identify with the aggressor to hide their fear

By Nick Luxmoore

I

remember a friend telling me about his granddaughter who was afraid of starting school. Every morning she’d get scared on the journey, complaining and crying and then refusing to leave the car once they’d arrived at the school gates. She wanted to be a good girl, wanted to be like other children, but couldn’t help getting scared.

In the evenings my friend and his granddaughter – quite spontaneously – started playing a game they called Driving To School whereby my friend played the part of a frightened child while his granddaughter gleefully played the part of a car driver, confident and encouraging, turning round and assuring the frightened child in the back seat that everything would be all right, “It really will! Stop worrying! You’ll like it when you get there!” After playing the game over and over again in the evenings, his granddaughter was even-

tually able to start going to school in the mornings calmly and fearlessly.

My guess is that this happened because the little girl was able gradually to internalise the role of personin-charge, person-with-confidence, until this confident part of herself could start talking to her frightened self, an adult voice reassuring a frightened child, no longer needing an actual grandfather to be there to do the reassuring.

One way of dealing with a frightening situation or person is to identify with that person, to become like that person. If a dictator tells us that the world is simple and that our fears are groundless, we might try to adopt the dictator’s view of the world, hoping that it’ll make our fears go away. We might then go on to attack and persecute apparently fearful people if they remind us of our own hidden fears.

Anna Freud (2015) notes that feeling anxious and afraid of another person’s aggression, children some-

times defend themselves by imitating the aggressive person, thereby becoming aggressive and powerful themselves rather than anxious and afraid. A child might defend himself or herself against feeling powerless by joining the gang and becoming one of the powerful ones, or might defend against feeling exploited by becoming exploitative.

A child might unconsciously reason that “If I collude with what the other person wants, if I convince myself that I want it as well, then I won’t have to feel helpless or exploited or powerless.

I’ll be the person in control rather than the person being controlled”.

In this way, children’s behaviour might sometimes appear to be enthusiastic or assertive while actually being defensive. This might apply to their most anti-social, destructive behaviours, behaviours that might really be ways of dealing with anxieties and fears too difficult to acknowledge – the fear of being invisible, or the fear of

Reading Together:

failing, or of being unloved, or unpopular, or humiliated, or weak in some way.

Similarly, some children’s most obedient, most socially acceptable behaviours might simply be ways of adapting, of dealing with frightening people and situations. They might not be freely chosen behaviours at all, but learnt to serve a purpose, to fit in, to keep the potential bullies, the scary situations at bay.

Some children deal with fear by fighting it, by opposing and challenging the aggressor. Others collude with the aggressor because it’s safer that way. The challenge for parents and for professionals who are trying to understand and support children and young people is working out what’s real and heartfelt rather than just another very sophisticated, very convincing adaptation.

Some adaptations serve a useful purpose, like the little girl pretending to be an adult on her way to school.

Other adaptations are pernicious. (psychologytoday.com)

Y

ou’ll find sharing books together is a great way to bond with your son or daughter. Reading also helps your child’s language development and listening skills when you talk about the story and ask questions. Large print books can help a child with mild to moderate vision loss discover the world of books and make tracking the words easier.

Helping your child love books

Don’t forget that sitting side-by-side listening to audio books together is another way to introduce stories to your child with vision challenges.

Large print books can help a child with mild to moderate vision loss discover the world of books. These books have big print and offer high contrast between the words and the page to make tracking the words easier.

Children who have little or no sight may learn to read Braille. Braille books have raised “letters”. Give your child a great gift that will last for life — the love of books.

Each time you read to your baby, you are helping your child’s brain to develop.

Reading aloud to your child allows him to hear your voice and listen to spoken words. Your child is also more likely to ask questions and learn about the world around him.

So – you’ve planted the seed to reading

that will stay with your child throughout his life.

Since younger children have short attention spans, try reading for a few minutes at a time at first. Then build up the time you read together. Your child will soon see reading time as both fun time and learning time!

Here are some things you can try:

Sit your child next to you. If your child has low vision, make sure there is plenty of light to help him see the page.

Buy books or borrow books from the library that have textures your child can touch.

Help your toddler feel pop-up or raised objects you name in the book.

Read aloud. Talk about the pictures and read the text.

Find books that have rhymes. Clap your hands and help your baby clap along to the rhythm.

Find books that have buttons your child can press that have sounds.

Find Braille books if your child reads Braille.

Praise your child’s efforts at reading!

Remember, when you read to your child often and combine reading time with cuddle and play time, your child will link books with fun times together. (readingrockets.org)

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TuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

2500 volunteer teachers to be New Anna Regina Power deployed – Education Minister Station 75% complete …Govt unsure about ability to pay teachers increase

T

he Education Ministry has found itself in a position where it is unable to say how much, if any, of an increase is feasible to offer teachers at this time, although the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has been in talks with the Ministry for over two years with regards to a salary increase.

This was related during an emergency press conference held by the Ministry on Monday evening, at

ers to determine their suitability for interacting with children.

When asked whether the Ministry can at this time finance an increase and if so, how much, the Minister responded, “This matter is currently going through the collective bargaining process and so GTU will have to go to the table and say well they are ready to take that amount and then we will review our position also”.

She said bargains cannot Education Minister Nicolette Henry

Some of the CPCE teachers preparing to be dispatched to the various schools in Region 10 on Monday

the National Centre for Education and Research Development (NCERD) on Battery Road, Kingston, Georgetown.

The emergency press conference was attended by Education Minister Nicolette Henry, Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson and several other executives from the Ministry.

The Minister also announced that beginning today, 2500 volunteer teachers will be deployed to schools to assist in classrooms.

Henry pointed out too that these persons are currently in their database, which comprise of volunteers, job hunters and even retired teachers. She however did not divulge if background checks have been done on the volunteer teach-

be done through the media and so the parties will have to meet and discuss their positions, which will be adjusted to.

Further, she said the GTU does not have a choice but to go through the process of conciliation.

According to her, “For due process to occur, you will have to go through and exhaust all of the stages… It’s like if you are in the courts, you cannot get to CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice) without at least going through the Appeal Court and the High Court”.

“So you don’t get to choose to start at the end of the process so we have to ensure that we go through the process,” she added.

“You may be aware we are currently in a dispute

more or less and so the collective bargaining agreement provides for the procedure. At this point in time you may also be aware that we would have exhausted the first phase of that procedure which was the negotiation phase so we are now at the second phase which is conciliation,” the minister noted.

Henry said this process would see the two parties, along with a third-party, meeting to perform the duties of a mediator, which is presently the Social Protection Ministry’s Department of Labour.

She related that the Ministry is awaiting a call from the mediator to address the issue at hand. The Minister said both parties were expected to bring their suggestions to the table, which was not done due to a number of reasons.

She maintained that the Government is unable to pay out the hefty amount of a 40 per cent increase to its teachers, since it will cost over $40 billion to do so.

The GTU had said they are willing to accept a ‘substantial amount’ from the Government during its protest action held on Monday.

C

Ongoing construction works on the new Anna Regina Power Station

onstruction of Anna Regina’s new power station 75 per cent complete, on schedule for mid-December commissioning.

The new Anna Regina Power Station will be the first in the county to utilise heavy fuel oil which is more economical for operations.

Project Engineer, Hugh Peru said Essequibians can look forward to a continuous and reliable supply of electricity when the plant is completed.

“This new power plant is unique in the sense that it is a containerised baseload facility. We’re accustomed to having a facility where all the engines are in one en-

gine room but with this one, we have three containerised units which are designed for baseload. The residents of Essequibo will definitely be experiencing improved power supply. Currently, our peak generation target is 4.7 megawatts and this plant will give us 5.4 megawatts,” the project engineer underlined.

Peru told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that while there were some delays in the delivery of equipment and hiccups with contractors meeting deadlines, the project is progressing.

“We have our diesel engines placed on site with all

the auxiliaries. What is left to be done is connecting of the auxiliaries to the main engines and the electrical works which will comprise of installation of the switch gears in the building,” Peru explained.

Meanwhile, residents along the Essequibo Coast are currently experiencing normal electricity supply.

A fifth unit was transferred from Canefield to the Anna Regina Power station which will provide an additional 800 kilowatts.

This new unit will allow for a reserve capacity for eventualities. Moreover, load shedding will significantly reduce and self-generators will also be supplied.

8 news

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

GPL contractor slapped with fraud charge

N

eil Benjamin of Lot 254 Section C Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, a sub-contractor attached to the Guyana Power and Light Inc, appeared on Monday before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to yet another charge of fraud.

He denied that between October 7, 2017 and February 28, 2018, he obtained $725,000 from Keisha Cameron by falsely pretend-

ing that he was in position to purchase for her a Toyota Allion motorcar, knowing same to be false.

The prosecution is contending that on July 6, 2017, Cameron, in a conversation with the 52-yearold Benjamin, told him she wanted to purchase a used motorcar, and Benjamin reportedly advised her to purchase a new car instead, provided that she allowed him to take her to his auto dealer.

Facts relate that the woman made a down payment of $170,000 to Benjamin, for which she was never given a receipt; and on two other occasions he allegedly collected from Cameron other monies totalling $725,000.

The Prosecution’s case is that several months passed with the woman inquiring about the motorcar, only to be later told that Benjamin had never made any down payment for the vehicle.

A report was made to the Police, and the contractor was arrested and charged.

The Police prosecutor objected to Benjamin being placed on bail, informing the court that Benjamin had previously been charged for matters of a similar nature, for which he is presently before the court.

Benjamin was, however, placed on $200,000 bail, and is expected to return to court on September 24.

Conductor charged for stealing $5000

A

man who is no stranger to Police was on Monday hauled before a city Magistrate in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a break and enter and larceny charge.

Rico Persaud, 25, of Lot 2711 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, denied the charge which stated that he broke and entered the Agriculture Ministry at Vlissengen and Regent Road, Bourda on August 24, 2018, and stole $5000; property of Christine Kissoon.

Accused: Rico Persaud

According to the case presented by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, on August 24, 2018, the Virtual Complainant left her bag at her desk and went to the office kitchen and upon returning noticed her bag was missing.

Checks were made, and the handbag was found in the male washroom without the cash. Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage was reviewed and showed Persaud entering to the office, where he took the woman’s bag and headed to the washroom area. The mini-

bus conductor then left the compound before an alarm was raised. After reviewing the footage, the Police was called and Persaud was arrested.

The prosecutor objected to bail being granted on the grounds of the prevalence and serious nature of the offence, while informing the court that the suspect under caution told Police “I done do it”.

He was remanded to prison by Principle Magistrate Judy Latchman. The case will continue on September 24.

Accused chain snatcher remanded

K

evin Washington of Lot 4 Princes Street, Georgetown, was on Monday refused bail by Magistrate Judy Latchman

after he was accused of snatching a woman’s gold chain.

Washington denied the charge, which stated that

on September 1, 2018, while in the vicinity of America Street, Georgetown, he stole from the person of Roxcelle DePaul one gold chain val-

ued $60,000.

According to the prosecution’s case, on the day in question, DePaul was walking in the western direction on America Street, Georgetown when she observed the 31-year-old man walking towards her. As he got closer he began walking faster and allegedly snatched the woman’s chain as they walked past each other.

DePaul raised an alarm and began running after Washington. Several public-spirited persons joined her and gave chase. He was subsequently apprehended and handed over to Police.

In a bail application, defence attorney James Bond told the court that his client was severely beaten

by Police to confess to the crime. Further, he noted that his client was arrested minutes after the alleged robbery and nothing of substantial value was found on his person.

The Police prosecutor objected to bail being granted, while citing the serious nature of the offence.

However, the prosecution’s submission was upheld and bail was refused.

The matter will continue on September 24.

What goes around…

“B

…comes around for TT rother, can you spare a dime?” was a song that became the anthem of America’s Great Depression. It spoke of folks who were once on the top of the (economic) heap now looking for handouts when the bubble burst. “Say, don’t you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time./ Say, don’t you remember, I’m your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?”

Looks like the Trinis have learnt the tune now that their oil’s run out and they’ve had to shut down their oil refinery that made their workers the envy of Trinidad, and the twinisland republic the envy of the Caribbean.

Kamla Bissessar, the former TT PM, asked her successor, Keith Rowley, why he didn’t work out an arrangement with Guyana to partner with TT to run the PetroTrin refinery to process our share of the oil that’ll be flowing by the end of 2020. Well, imagine that!! Wasn’t this the same lady, back in 2010, who told her fellow leaders of Caricom not to look at TT like an ATM card?? So does she think Guyana is now an ATM card with oil coming down the pipeline? Or does she think Guyanese are stupid?

But we can’t just blame Kamla; her reaction isn’t peculiar to her, it’s how all Trinis think about us. For decades, they’ve looked at us like “starving guts” who were their very definition of “scum”. For a Trini to tell another, “You like a Guyanese, boy!!” were fighting words!! It was Burnham who plunged us into that cesspool of shame and indignity, of course. And he DID literally break the Caribbean Bank when he welshed on the loans. We should blame him!!

But rather than revel in schadenfreude all the time (but that does feel soooo good, doesn’t it??!!) we hope the Government won’t get sucked in with what might be presented as a “quick fix” to get us some refining capacity.

We should listen to Rowley’s honest appraisal of PetroTrin that forced him to shut it down. The 1700 workers who’re now on the streets were mostly PNM supporters – so it’s not a decision that he would’ve taken lightly.

PetroTrin is one of the highest-cost oil refiners in the world, and its aging plant equipment and poor work systems and practices ensure that’s not going to change.

Even Venezuela next door, in dire need of refining capacity to meet contracted deliveries, didn’t consider PetroTrin as an option!!

The most Guyana should do in the interest of the “CariCom solidarity” Kamla invoked is offer to sell some of our oil to TT for THEM to refine.

We can spare THAT dime!! …should receive scepticism Basil Williams is back with the law school he’s been hocking since 2015 like a snake-oil salesman in heat!! With his abysmal record as Attorney General (the “losing-est” in the history of Guyana!) is he trying to leave a more positive legacy? But since he couldn’t have foreseen his disastrous forays in law, there’s got to be more in the mortar than the pestle can pound.

He still hasn’t gotten the approval of the determinative Council on Legal Education (CLE). And without that approval, the proposal is dead in the mud of the land at UG where he broke ground! In a letter to the press, Michael Theodore, retired course director at the Hugh Wooding Law School, pointed out that for the 21st century, our legal education needs a complete overhauling…and “bricks and mortar” don’t even figure!!

So this week’s meeting of the CLE and its stakeholders in Guyana, sponsored by the Government, has to be his last ditch effort to save face.

But is it “face” or greenbacks?? …betrays a mindset Forced to explain at his “once-in-a-blue-moon” presser, why he didn’t accept the recommendations of HIS Task Force on the Teachers’ salary issue, President Granger declared that the task force was “deficient”!

Like his Sugar CoI, whose recommendations he also discarded??

Why even bother?

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

News

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tuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

1000 nurses needed in Guyana – Minister Lawrence

...as Govt looks to up intake of recruits, stem brain drain

By Jarryl Bryan

T

he issue of migrating professionals, including those in the health field, is one Government is actively grappling with, and the plan is to increase student intake even as there is a need for approximately 1000 nurses in Guyana.

This was communicated

by Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence on the sidelines of the launch of a Medex programme on Monday.

According to Lawrence, the issue has reached the level of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“Migration is not only a Guyana issue. We have signed on to CSME (Caribbean Single Market Economy), and that gives the right to any person, any Caribbean person, to be able to move from one country to the next to be able to ply

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

their trade or earn in their profession. So it’s no different from Guyana,” she explained.

“We will continue to see migration, not just in midwifery, not just in nursing; but this has been a complaint right up to WHO about the developed countries, where the developed countries are coming up into

our territory and employing persons,” she declared.

Referring to the Medex programme, the launch at which she officiated, she shared her vision for the programme to be expanded and also made continuous.

This includes a plan to bring on board retired health care professionals with the requisite experience.

“What is it we’re going to do? Our aim is to get 40 (Medex) to train. Secondly, we’re moving to ensure that, once their year is completed, we start another batch so that we will have -- within a timeframe of eight to 12 years, we’ll be able to say that we are solid in terms of the numbers that we have. So, instead of just training 20 and 30 persons, we’re about to roll out a programme where we’re going to train 100 nurses,” Lawrence explained.

“We have to do that in order to ensure we can fulfil our requirement. Right now, we need about 1000 nurses in the system. We’re also inviting persons to come into the Ministry. If you’re a retiree, you have a skill to offer and so on, we can put you at a different level to work within the system. If you’re already a nurse but want to come on the Medex programme... So we’re looking at ways where we can beef up numbers within the health sector,” she explained.

Migration

A working paper published by the International Organisation for Migration in June 2017 details that, in 2007, the Caribbean emigration rate was four times higher than Latin America’s overall emigration rate.

However, it noted that while

the rate has slowed over the years, the region nevertheless remains an area of net emigration.

Guyana has been named one of two countries showing the strongest emigration movements, with 9.65 per 1000 persons emigrating in 2013. It was cited in a previous study that at least 40 per cent of the people in Guyana would migrate permanently if they get the opportunity.

During a regional stakeholder consultation session on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) initiative, which was held in Guyana in June, Director of the Economics Department of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr Justin Ram, had cited the worrying statistics behind the brain drain.

“When we look at the

data, many of the countries [in the region] have lost as much as 70 per cent of labour force with more than 12 years of schooling. That is to say, 70 per cent of our population that we have schooled to tertiary education has left our shores,” Dr Ram clarified.

Furthermore, Dr Ram had posited that population trends show an expectation of many member countries experiencing a decline in population as the years go by. He also noted that unemployment rates in the Caribbean remain extremely high.

“In many of our member countries, it is as high as 25 per cent and low as 4.3 per cent. I should add that youth unemployment is even higher, and in some of our member countries, (it) is as high as 40 per cent,” he had declared.

Schools cannot operate with 20% teachers – Region 6 Chairman

T

he few teachers who did not participate in the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) organised strike, which is now in its second week, are inadequate to control a total school population, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) Chairman David Armogan said on Monday.

Hundreds of teachers representing schools throughout Region Six on Monday morning took to the streets of New Amsterdam protesting for increased salaries while less than 50 per cent of the school population attended school on Monday and the numbers are expected to reduce significantly today.

The teachers chanted slogans, which suggested they were not going to settle for anything less than the 40 per cent wage hike they proposed to Government.

The teachers demonstrated outside the Department of Education in New Amsterdam and then went around the town before converging at

the GTU Hall at Vrymens Erven.

GTU President Mark Lyte was part of the protest demonstration in Berbice.

He explained that the mass demonstration was to send a signal across the region that teachers are prepared to work.

“As you can see, they are all dressed for work but because of the fact that we have not been given our package, we are not going into the classroom… The package is a multiyear proposal that we have. Most importantly in the package would be salary increases for teachers; that is where the loggerhead is where we are not being offered anything reasonable,” Lyte said.

He noted that the way forward is for Government to go back to the table and relook at what they have offered teachers and to come back with something that the Union can accept.

“We indicated that we do not trust the conciliation mediators but we all times remain open to the Government or the

Region Six Chairman David Armogan

Ministry of Education coming to us and say ‘Let’s end this thing we are willing to offer X percentage; we are willing to make a commitment on clothing allowance,’ and the Union will be willing to go ahead with it. Failing that we will have to go to arbitration,” the Union’s President explained to Guyana Times.

Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman David Armogan said while the teachers were on the streets on Monday, he visited schools to get a firsthand feel at what was taking place at

schools throughout the region.

According to him, between 40 to 50 per cent of the children turned out to school but a large number of parents, who were taking their children to school for the first time, having realised that the teachers were on strike took their children back home.

“Probably recognising that there would be very little supervision in schools, they decided not to take chances… Now in terms of the teacher turnout, it is just 15 and 20 per cent overall,” he added.

In all of the schools in New Amsterdam and along the Corentyne, which this publication visited, teachers were not seen in the classrooms. Many children were happy to reunite with their friends after the school holiday.

Armogan said many of the volunteers indicated that they were not going to be able to handle the noise in the schools; all of which were poorly manned.

According to the Regional Chairman, many of the schools had about four or five members of the Parent Teacher Association

(PTA) assisting to supervise schools.

“They have to supervise between 200 and 300 children; some of these people are old people too and I don’t think they have the capacity to handle these young children. Some of them had already started to give up by the time a left the school this morning, because they are not accustomed to dealing with children at that level. Children at that level are very playful and very noisy’” the Chairman said. (Andrew Carmichael)

10 news

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

2 die in Mahaicony accident

A

17-year-old girl, along with a driver were killed, while another is seriously injured after the car in which they were travelling hit a culvert and landed in a trench at Zeeland, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara on Monday.

Dead are Michael “Aubrey” Ross of Skeldon, Corentyne Berbice; the driver of the car; and Jennifer Park of Lot 25 Manchester Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The injured woman has been identified as 24-year-old

Dead: Michael Aubrey Ross

Dead: Jennifer Park

Judy Park, the sister of the now dead teen while another occupant of the car, Kevin Madray escaped unhurt. Judy Park is presently receiving medical attention at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital.

Based on reports received, the motorcar in which the four were travelling, was heading to Berbice from Georgetown when the driver attempted to overtake a low-bed vehicle transporting machinery but was forced to retreat after a vehicle was approaching in the opposite

The car moments after landing in the trench

direction.

However, as the driver attempted to retrieve from overtaking, the motorcar collided with the right side of the lorry, causing it to flip several times, crashed into the culvert and ended up in the trench where it submerged.

The injured Judy Park was pulled from the wreckage. Ross and Jennifer Park remained submerged but by the time they were pulled from the car,

The car after it was pulled from the trench

they had already died. The duo was pronounced dead on arrival at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital. Guyana Times was told that the now dead teenager was accepted to the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and was accompanied by her sister to see her get settled into her new accommodations.

When contacted, Ernest Park, father of the dead teen told this publication that his daughters left home on Monday morning to travel to CPCE but upon arriving at the institution, they were told that admission was rescheduled to another date.

“Jennifer was supposed to be admitted to CPCE this morning (Monday) but when she turned up with all her personal belongings, they told her that they were not taking in anyone today (Monday),” the father added.

Having all her luggage there and thinking about the hassle of travelling back with them when they are ready, the teenager reportedly asked a staff if she can at least secure some of her belongs but was told she could not leave anything on campus and that she will have to take them with her and return.

The aggrieved father noted that he last spoke with his daughters at about 12:10h when they informed him of what transpired. At the same time, they told him that the same car that took them to Georgetown will collect them and take them back home.

He received the dreaded news at about 14:00h. He recalled that his injured daughter, Judy Park, telephoned and informed him of the accident.

“She told me that they were coming home when the car crashed into a bridge and ended up in a trench… Judy told me that she and a guy made it out of the car before it went under the water… By the time assistance came, Jennifer and Michael were dead,” he recalled.

He further stated that his daughter is a former student of President’s College and was eagerly waiting to start her teaching career.

Ross on the other hand, Guyana Times understands is a well-known driver in the area.

This publication also leant that one of his brothers holds a senior position in the Guyana Police Force. Investigations into the accident are continuing.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

11

News

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Over 4000 teachers on country-wide strike ing head teachers, taking to the streets, settling in front of the Regional Education Department. They were decked with placards which read “Pay us our monies”, and “No money, no wuk, Teachers fed up”, among other things.

The teachers also chanted, “No money, no work” and

few others.

Scores of schools along the East Coast of Demerara were also hard hit by strike action imposed by the GTU when dozens, if not scores, of teachers failed to turn up for the first day of school, or turned up but opted not to teach.

Officials on the ground

tend, urging them to go and collect the children.

When children arrived at schools on Monday morning, most of the teachers were there but only to hand over keys and to ensure that they had relinquished the responsibilities they had relative to their respective schools. The teachers left soon after for

Students lingering in a classroom at a Berbice school as their teachers strike

By Davina Ramdass, Andrew Carmichael, Utamu Bell & Mohanlall Suelall

T

housands of students decked out in their new uniforms, bags and shoes were on Monday morning greeted with the absence of teachers, and in some cases closed school doors and padlocked gates, as they made their way to school for the beginning of the new school year.

This was the scene at many public schools on Monday, even as the Education Ministry continues to face the full wrath of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), whose members gathered in their hundreds outside the Education Ministry’s Brickdam, Georgetown office as they continued to call for a ‘livable income’.

Covered by umbrellas and placards, the rain could not hinder the just over 4000 determined educators from all across the country, who joined the protest line in their respective regions as they put pressure on the Government for increased salaries.

Anxiously await-

Government makes a favourable decision to benefit not only teachers, but students as well.

The teachers’ representative pointed out that plans are in place to provide partial strike relief to GTU members, even as several organizations have come on board and are willing to contribute food items such as rice, sugar, flour, cheese and several other necessities for the teachers and their families.

Teachers’ plight

The General Secretary maintained that the wages being given to teachers are not enough, and a few educators explained to this newspaper the plight of teachers.

A male teacher, who is also a father said, “You (the Education Ministry) should give some consideration to teachers as well as the nation’s children… For me, I am living in a rental house, and my salary is below $100,000, and I have to pay rent, I have to take care of the bills and so forth; so it’s very hard for me”.

Stephon Josiah, a teacher at Brickdam Secondary,

plete shutdown due to the teachers’ strike. Reports are that some teachers in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) are even being threatened to report to work or face the consequences of being transferred to riverine and interior locations.

This did not stand well with teachers in the region, who protested at the Department of Education at Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast.

According to a GTU representative, Desiree VanLewin, about 75 per cent of the schools participated in the strike, and she is hoping to get a better turnout, come Wednesday at the next protest.

Teachers turned out to support the strike from all branches of the union, which included the Pomeroon, North, Central and South Essequibo. The teachers called on the Government to lead by example as they chanted, “You raised your salary by 50%; what about ours? We are the reason for your success; why suffering us? We don’t want a clash; pay us our cash. No pay, no school!”

A visit to various schools in the region showed signs of children playing and lingering during school hours.

Close to 200 picketers were also present in front of the Regional Education Office in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), having joined the call for a salary increase.

Teachers protesting outside the Department of Education in Region Two

“They work we like a donkey and pay we like a junkie”.

Regional GTU General Council Representative, Ferdinand McLeod, told this publication that teachers would not let up until they receive desired results. McLeod noted that the placement of substitute teachers at various schools was also a “slap in the face” of teachers.

Parents and guardians also came out to show their support. “I feel real bad this morning when I dressed my grandchildren and send them to school. But, then again, I am here to support because our teachers need more money,” a supporter said.

WCD/EBD

Guyana Times was told that pupils of the Peter’s Hall Primary on the East Bank Demerara Corridor were sent home, while the doors of the Houston Primary remained padlocked.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), the Zeeburg Secondary

say that Education Ministry personnel have been visiting various locations, and have been assessing the situation. While there was a visible presence of substitute teachers from the Cyril Potter College of Education on stand-by, it is not clear whether they were forced to teach lessons as the new school term begins.

From Cummings Lodge to Better Hope, and from BV to Buxton, as well as areas such as Enterprise, Ann’s Grove, Mahaicony and Mahaica, there was marked uncertainty about what was taking place. This forced some parents to return home with their children, while others left them at the mercy of the school’s administration wherever teachers did report for duty.

While confusion reigned in the capital city and in other parts of the country, the Education Minister found herself doing ‘traditional’ visits to schools in Region Six, East Berbice Corentyne.

This newspaper was told that the Minister “thanked

another planned activity.

Many students followed.

At some schools about 15 per cent of the teachers remained. Of the 38 teachers at one school, only five remained. Three of them had reported absent.

At another school, eight teachers remained of the 35.

Many of those who remained called parents to collect their children from school.

However, Education Minister Nicolette, Henry who visited several schools in the region, urged the students to continue to attend school even as the teachers are on strike.

The Minister had said that arrangements would be put in place should the strike continue when schools open.

Those arrangements included the hiring of retired and trainee teachers.

One of the retired teachers is Bheena Ragruhaj, 61-year-old former Head teacher of Tutorial Academy Secondary, who taught for 38 years. She told this publication that she is happy to

Linden

Another Berbice classroom without teacher

ing a positive word from Government, the teachers were represented by GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald, who related that the Union is ready to call off the strike if a substantial deal is brokered.

“The Union’s position at this time is that we are prepared to go to arbitration.

However, if there is somebody from the Government who will come to talk to us, and they have a substantial amount that they are going to give us with regards to percentage, we will accept that… We shall await what they have to offer, and we (will) talk around that,” she said.

McDonald noted that the Union would continue its industrial action until the

related that he is shocked at the Ministry’s actions. “I expect a minister to be way more responsible than that, and I’m sure all the teachers out here -- and the others who are scared to be here at the moment because of the threats -- I’m sure that they are disappointed in the Minister also. We expect them to be reasonable,” he explained.

Stacy Benjamin of Lodge Secondary School told this newspaper she is shocked and amused that Education Minister Nicolette Henry believes experienced teachers can be replaced by a few trainees.

Region Two

A number of public schools have gone on a com-

Hundreds of teachers in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) took to the streets to protest Government’s unwillingness to raise their salaries.

Schools from across the region saw poor turnout of students. Though some teachers and trainees were present at various schools in Linden, some schools in riverine areas recorded zero turnout of both teachers and students.

Numerous students from nursery, primary and secondary schools, clad in their uniforms, were observed returning to their homes in Linden; with some explaining that they were told to return to school when the strike is called off.

Parents of nursery school students were also observed collecting and taking their children back home from school in the early hours of the day.

Monday morning saw scores of teachers, includ-

Teachers protesting in Lethem, Region Nine

School had quite a number of students and teachers, who reportedly were threatened with being transferred if they did not turn up to work on Monday.

On the other hand, at the Windsor Forest (WCD) schools, several children and their parents were seen lingering outside the buildings with high hopes. The situation was almost the same over at the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary and Secondary schools, where teachers were seen picketing.

While not all schools were on complete shutdown, a few teachers were absent from several schools, such as the Kuru-Kururu Primary, Diamond Secondary, and a

the head-teachers, teachers and trainee teachers for reporting for duty to serve the nation’s children, and wished the students and pupils well as they embark on the new school year. During further interactions, parents were also thanked for ensuring that their children attended school from the beginning of the new school year”.

Berbice

In Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) only a small percentage of teachers turned up at school.

Scores of parents reported to this newspaper that they received telephone calls from the schools their children at-

help because of her love for teaching.

According to Ragruhaj, she was asked to assist and told to go the Berbice High School. The former English teacher noted that there were no remuneration discussions held with her. Currently, she, like all the others who are assisting and who spoke with Guyana Times, said they are unaware of the money they will be paid to assist.

While some parents have indicated to this newspaper that they will not be sending their children to school as long as the strike continues, others say their children will be attending school today.

12

tuesDAY, september 4, 2018 |

Teachers

These placard-bearing teachers were callin

A section of Georgetown's protesting teachers

Some of the teachers who attended the GTU meeting

The determined teachers who plan to stay united

Some of the parents and students who were seen lingering outside one of the primary schools in Georgetown

Teachers in Linden also protested

This was the scene at Lethem

Some educators in

4, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

rs' STRIKE

ere calling for a better salary to enjoy ‘the good life’ promised by Government

Another section of protesters in Georgetown

Teachers in Berbice who were a part of Monday's protest

One of the many teachers who protested on Brickdam, Georgetown on Monday

The Essequibo teachers picketed in front of the region’s Department of Education

ucators in Berbice who joined in protesting for salary increases

This was one of the many placards designed by the protesting teachers

13

14 news Lyndon Alves is Pressure on prosecutorial agencies DPP appeals Westford’s $600M new Crime Chief larceny case dismissal tuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

D

ays after being appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lyndon Alves has also been designated Crime Chief, replacing with immediate effect Paul Williams, who has been promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner, Administration.

Deputy Police Commissioner Maxine Graham has ascended to the office of Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations,’ while Deputy Commissioner Nigel Hoppie will head the Special Branch/Intelligence Unit.

Assistant Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, who once held a post

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lyndon Alves

at Police Headquarters, will take charge of ‘B’ Division (Berbice), replacing Lyndon

Alves.

The Guyana Police Force also announced on Monday that Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus has taken up the post of Commander of ‘C’ Division (East Coast), while Superintendent Dion Moore, who served as Traffic Chief, will now take up the post of Second in Command of ‘D’ Division (West Bank/West Coast Demerara).

The new Traffic Chief will, however, be Superintendent Linden Isles; and Superintendent Ramesh Ashram, who acted as Traffic Chief for some time, will now take charge of ‘A’ Division Traffic Department.

T

he office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced on Monday that a Notice of Appeal was filed at the Guyana Court of Appeal challenging the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts dismissal of the over $600 million larceny charges against a former Government Minister and her Administrative Assistant.

The intended appeal follows Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman’s August 24, 2018, determination that there was insufficient evidence to prove that former People’s Progressive

Judicial Review Act

AG blames staff for losing case – denies flouting Chief Justice’s order

H

inting that an approach to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) over the Judicial Review Act case he lost was considered, Attorney General Basil Williams is distancing himself from suggestions that he was involved in flouting a court order.

At a press conference on Monday, the Attorney General was asked about the case, which saw his predecessor Anil Nandlall filing contempt of court proceedings against him when he issued a different commencement order to the one ordered by Chief Justice (acting) Roxane George. And he pointed his finger at his leave taking staff.

“That is a mix up. What happened really was that the law officer who was dealing with the matter went on leave,” he explained. “Then the other one who was dealing with it subsequently went on maternity leave. So there was a little mix up… there was an interim stay granted when the applicant Nandlall gave an undertaking. And that was not brought to the attention of me or the chief parliamentary counsel.”

“When Justice of Appeal Rafik Khan, as he then was, gave his judgement, we got the order on the [August] 14th. Court of Appeal sent the order on 14th August and I signed the order on the 15th August. And it was published on the [August] 16th. But because the knowledge of an interim stay was not known, the advice from the parliamentary division was that since July 31 had passed, then you had to use within a reasonable time.”

Williams further reiterated his view that the executive had the right to determine when to operationalise the Act. Williams went on to

Former Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford

Party (PPP) Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford and her Administrative Assistant, Margaret Cummings stole $639 million from the Government of Guyana. The two were employed with the then Public Service Ministry.

They were both granted bail in the sum of $4.8 million bail after denying 24 charges which stated that they stole the money between October 19, 2011 and

The gazetted order bringing the Judicial Review Act into force

make it clear that approaches to the CCJ were at one point on the table.

“We believe, as we said in our case, that because of the separation of powers, the decision to operationalise is really the decision of the executives. And really and truly, it should not be within the purview of the Judiciary to tell the executive to operationalise an Act.” “The Chief Justice did not agree. She ruled. We appealed it. We applied for a stay. Even after Justice of Appeal made his decision, we also appealed. And we asked for a stay too, so the matter could be ventilated before the CCJ. It is our right to use up the hierarchical system that is our justice system. But at no point did we refuse to implement the CJ order.”

After court battles and much criticism, Government had finally brought the Judicial Review Act – which

will allow members of the public to seek redress for court judgements and decisions by public officials – into force.

An order signed by Attorney General Basil Williams was gazetted recently, revoking a previous January 2019 commencement order. According to the new order, the Act took effect from July 31, 2018.

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George had ordered the AG to enforce the Judicial Review Act by July 31, 2018. At the time, she was ruling on a legal action brought against the State by Nandlall.

Nandlall subsequently approached the courts to file contempt proceedings against his successor. The former AG had contended that the delay to bring the Act into force was in violation of the Chief Justice’s ruling.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack

April 28, 2015. The prosecution contended that the monies were requested to conduct outreaches in the 10 administrative regions of Guyana.

However, Magistrate Latchman after some two years of hearing evidence from 48 witnesses upheld lead Attorney Dexter Todd’s no-case submission, reasoning that charges against the duo were “bad in law.” The city Magistrate added that there was no evidence to show that the money was taken and not used for its intended purposes.

Latchman also determined that Westford was not a public officer and with respect to Cummings, who was a public officer, the Magistrate said there was insufficient evidence for a conviction.

However, the DPP’s decision to appeal the case comes at a time when the Opposition is claiming that State prosecutorial agencies are being pressured to convict officials of the former

Administration. Just recently, Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma who oversaw several forensic audits strongly criticised the prosecutors and legal experts for instituting the wrong charges. Sharma declared that the charges should be reinstituted against Cummings and Westford.

However, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo opined that the case was based on “trumped up” charges, saying that Minister Sharma was awarded the forensic audits to different agencies back in 2015, without any public tender. He noted that as

Former Administrative Assistant, Margaret Cummings

a politician, Sharma should allow the technical personnel to do their job and not apply his ministerial influence to pressure them.

“Sharma? He’s the last person to talk about reopening charges. And it’s a politician saying this! Why don’t they allow the technical agencies to assess whether there is really a case to be made and do that? Imagine it’s a politician advocating for this,” Jagdeo noted.

news

15

TuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Teachers demand apology from Minister Scott …backed by FITUG, GTUC …no plans to attend conciliation talks

By Rupadai Seenaraine

I

nfuriated by the remarks recently made by the junior Social Protection Minister Keith Scott, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is demanding an apology, adding that it confirms their conviction of the Labour Department’s position on the salary increase situation.

It was reported in sections of the media that the Minister blatantly referred to the teachers as being “selfish and uncaring” because of their decision to

strike for better wages and benefits. This remark triggered a response from the GTU, demanding that the Minister apologise for his choice of words.

Speaking to a large gathering of teachers on Monday, GTU General Secretary, Coretta McDonald stated that this comes in light of the fact that the Union had expressed their uncertainty towards the Labour Department last week when asked to be the mediator in their dispute with the Education Ministry.

“We serve an Almighty God and did you recognise what he did. He confused the Honourable Keith Scott and allowed him to make a statement in support of us.

We said to them on Friday and Thursday, we have no faith in the Department of Labour and they were upset with us. They said we were disrespectful,” said McDonald as she charged the teachers to stand by their decision.

She explained that the action by the Minister proves that their suspicions

Alleged alcohol smuggling

A large group of teachers at the GTU meeting on Monday

AG to challenge Judge’s decision on SWAT head after losing case

D

ays after a High Court judge had quashed former acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine’s decision to send Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) head Motie Dookie on special leave after Dookie had been implicated in alleged alcohol smuggling, Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams signalled on Monday that his chambers could appeal the judge’s ruling.

Speaking at a press conference held at the AG’s Chambers, the concurrent Legal Affairs Minister premised the special leave directive on the legal principle of necessity, given the oneyear absence of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

On August 8, 2018, the Police Service Commission Chairman and members were sworn in, ending some complications in handling of key decisions that involve senior ranks. Williams indicated that the PSC’s absence was felt when Dookie was implicated in allegedly smuggling some 30 cases of whiskey in December last year. He argued that Dookie’s remaining on the

Former SWAT head Motie Dookie

job as the probe was underway could have affected the Force’s morale.

Ramnarine, on May 21, 2018, effected Citizenship Minister Winston Felix’s directive -- given when he was functioning as Public Security Minister -- to send Dookie on special leave, but the SWAT head challenged Ramnarine’s actions in court, calling the special leave not only unconstitutional, but irrational and based on irrelevant considerations.

Justice Fidela CorbinLincoln agreed with Dookie’s arguments and declared the

decision unconstitutional, awarding Dookie $100,000 in court costs.

Williams disclosed that his Chamber is assessing the case, and he is awaiting a report from the attorneys involved in the case.

Thereafter, the Dookie special leave matter could be the subject of an appeal.

“Our defence was that it was a case of necessity, which is a legal doctrine; so we’ll look and see how the Court dealt with it, and we’ll decide whether we’re appealing it. But we have the Police Service Commission now,” he pointed out.

Following an internal probe, Dookie had been posted to Police ‘A’ Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara), but was reassigned to Police Headquarters, Eve Leary a few days. It was while he was at this post that the SWAT head was sent on special leave pending the probe into the allegations of smuggling the high-end alcoholic product.

Dookie was, however, spared criminal charges, since the driver of the vehicle eventually took the rap.

were accurate, and any decision taken by the department would have been biased or in favour of the Education Ministry during the process. Loud cheers emanated at GTU headquarters as the teachers pledged their support and acknowledged what was said.

“Imagine the people who want to mediate in between this story already taking sides and then they want us, the teachers who would’ve created all professions to trust them,” the General Secretary added.

At that time, McDonald sought to point out that they will uphold their decision towards the continuation of the strike with no intention or interest in attending the conciliation talks which were organised by the Ministry. It was further indicated that they have “forgiven” the Minister for his comments.

“The Minister himself said it. So what else do we want? Do we want to go to conciliation? No, we’re not silly people. We are the educated ones. We’re teaching them. We will not retreat until respect is given to us.

Teachers have always been caring but the boy get mix up with the words. We’ll forgive him. We understand that process.”

Defending the actions to

strike for increased salary and better benefits, it was repeated that educators are being subjected to minimal wages while performing beyond the call of duty.

Additionally, the “selfish and” uncaring” remark does not mirror the performance of the students in both the primary and secondary levels.

“We are being paid the lowest of the scale and imagine we’re ‘selfish and uncaring’ and every year Guyana topping at CSEC? This year we would’ve had improvements in Maths and English at CSEC and at the CSEC level,” the General Secretary posited.

“Imagine our Labour Department will turn to say that teachers are selfish and uncaring. Where is our Minister Keith Scott when our nursery school teachers are present at 06:30h in the mornings? Where is the Honourable Nicolette Henry when our teachers are at school at 03:30h in the afternoon?” she questioned.

Meanwhile, calls for an apology on the part of the Minister were also echoed from the Federation of Independent Trade Unions in Guyana (FITUG) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), who asserted that Minister Scott’s statement required an apol-

ogy.

“This most astonishing statement by the Minister, who incidentally is responsible for the Department of Labour, is a clear demonstration of the Administration’s concern for the workers plight and troubles that have beset them in the era of the ‘Good Life’ coalition. The statement by the Minister, in our view, further unmasks the APNU/AFC Government and it reveals its true colours,” FITUG stated on Monday.

An appeal was also made for the President David Granger to give ‘serious consideration and profound thought’ as to whether Scott is suited to serve as the political head of the Labour Department.

Meanwhile, the GTUC said this is not the first time such utterances were made by the Minister and further sought to ask the perceptible question as to whether this is also a representation of the Government’s position on the matter.

Educators from all corners of the country are currently protesting for ‘a liveable wage’ and they were seen protesting in front of schools, ministries and education departments on the first day of the academic year.

16 news

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Highway fatal accident

Driver, nieces remain hospitalised

Dead: Tessa Telford Ibrahim

T

wenty-three-yearold Maisha Ibrahim, driver of ill-fated motorcar PNN 3987 that was involved in a fatal accident at Moblissa, Linden/

cident, remains a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). They are all said to be in stable condition.

All residents of Lot 119 Highway Boulevard, Amelia’s Ward, Linden, they were involved in an accident which claimed the lives of Maisha’s aunt, Tessa Telford Ibrahim, a 60-yearold seamstress, and her son Marlon McFarlane, 30, who had been an employee of Guyana Goldfields and a former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Autopsy examinations of the two deceased are expected to be conducted on

Commander Anthony Vanderhyden along with ranks from E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) visited Roshanna MacFarlane at the LHC on Monday

Soesdyke Highway last Saturday, remains hospitalised at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC); as does her 7-year-old niece Roshanna MacFarlane.

Nine-yearold Patricia McFarlane, Maisha’s other niece who had been involved in the ac-

Wednesday.

Reports are the family was returning to Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) on Saturday at about 15:30h when the accident occurred at the Moblissa Bridge on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Prospective diplomats trained in human trafficking

Prospective diplomats and lecturers who were part of the TIP programme

Dead: Marlon McFarlane

Guyana Times was told that Maisha Ibrahim lost control of the motorcar after it reportedly dropped into a pothole and swerved to the opposite side of the road. The vehicle then ran into a ditch, and came to a halt after colliding with a tree. Following the incident, public spirited persons rushed the family to the LHC, where the seamstress and her son were pronounced dead on arrival.

Police have since launched an investigation into the accident.

Meanwhile, E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) Commander, Anthony Vanderhyden, and Second in Command, Inspector S. Massay, on Monday paid a visit to the injured at the LHC. The officers were accompanied by Pastor Duke of the Police COPS and Faith organisation and others. Pastor Duke and the Divisional Commander offered prayers and words of comfort to the victims.

W

ith the main focus of rescuing vulnerable persons from human trafficking and seeking to eliminate the scourge of this issue within Guyana, 24 prospective diplomats were on Monday facilitated by the Ministerial Task Force in a one-day Trafficking In Persons (TIP) workshop.

Held at the Police Training Centre on Camp Street, Georgetown, a series of activities and discussions were organised to provide these stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to address and successfully deal with human trafficking. Till date, human trafficking remains at the top of the list for the most profitable criminal activity.

Giving his remarks, the Coordinator of the Ministerial Task Force on TIP, Oliver Profitt noted that the Task Force has been working assiduously to have systems in place to zero in on these cases. These include a Code of Conduct which they are seeking to establish with assistance from the Caribbean Development

Bank (CDB).

“We are going to have some more stringent measures put in place. In addition to that, we welcome the Caribbean Development Bank who we have started now to request expressions of interest for persons to provide consultancy on a Code of Conduct and a training manual for the Task Force,” Profitt said.

He further mentioned, “To help with our investigations, we also want to launch a human friendly document on the combating of Trafficking In Persons Act Chapter 10:06.”

While noting that Trafficking In Persons can be difficult to detect, Profitt indicated that it must be done since a person’s human rights are violated when they are subjected to such circumstances. So far, close to half of the cases that were filed by the Police indicate that many of the victims are foreigners.

“According to our numbers, 46 per cent of victims that we would’ve detected through the Police statistics are shown to be from

overseas. There is definitely a cross border element to Trafficking In Persons even though it happens locally or within the country.”

Director of Multilateral and Global Affairs at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Troy Torrington, once again reminded the potential diplomats that trafficking is abuse to a person’s human rights. He noted that according to the United Nation’s (UN) statistics, a majority of trafficked persons are women and girls.

“According to that data, two-thirds of the identified victims of human trafficking are women and two in three child victims in human trafficking are young girls.

The situation in Guyana is equally concerning. From my perspective, every case of human trafficking is a cost to our society,” said Torrington.

In the past, similar workshops have been conducted with mines officers, community policing groups and Police prosecutors so as to widen the scope of spreading awareness when addressing human trafficking.

GTI secures 3-year sponsorship from SOL Guyana Curtains & Drapery Designs gives back to the community

Commercial and Lubricants Manager of SOL, Ayanna Watson presents GTI representatives with sponsorship from SOL Guyana

S

OL Guyana Inc has joined forces with the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in Georgetown to secure the future for students of the Motor Vehicle Engine Systems Programme with a three-year sponsorship pledge.

Under the arrangement, SOL Guyana Inc the Country’s Shell Lubricants Macro Distributor will provide two students selected

from the programme with annual industrial job attachments, and present an annual prize to the highest performing student in the programme.

Other support will include lubricant technical training delivered in association with Shell Lubricants; personal protective equipment for staff and students enrolled in the programme and annual refurbishing of the Motor Vehicle Engine

Systems workshop.

Commercial and Lubricants Manager of SOL, Ayanna Watson, said the sponsorship was in keeping with the company’s overall support for education and the technological advancement of Guyanese students.

“It is especially fitting that SOL should choose to make this contribution to the students of GTI’s Motor Vehicle Engine Systems Programme. Motor vehicle

engine systems are an area where we make a significant contribution as leaders in terms of lubricant technology and development.

Our support for these young people is an investment in a brighter future for them, for our company, and for our country in general,” Watson said.

Watson added that she especially looked forward to the opportunity to reward students who excelled, with an annual prize and industrial job attachments.

“These tangible awards reflect our company’s commitment to excellence and to encouraging and rewarding educational achievement.

We hold fast to our pledge made from inception to deliver the most technologically advanced petroleum products available, backed by world-class service. Our commitment extends to Guyanese students, and we are therefore pleased to provide students of the Motor Vehicle Engine Systems Programme with access to the best training, equipment and support available.”

One of the beneficiaries of the WR Goodwill Foundation outreach programme

T

hrough its foundation, the WR Goodwill Foundation, Curtains & Drapery Designs embarked on a back-to-school

outreach programme which saw underprivileged children from several communities receiving school uniforms and supplies.

17

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Brazil National Museum blaze Myanmar court jails Reuters reporters for in Rio blamed on austerity 7 years in landmark secrets case

A A massive fire engulfs the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, one of Brazil’s oldest, on September 2, 2018. At right is an aerial view of the burned-out building that housed the National Museum of Brazil

F

unding cuts and inadequate maintenance have been blamed for a devastating fire that tore through Brazil’s oldest and most important historical and scientific museum, and is feared to have destroyed much of its archive of 20 million items.

The blaze at the 200-yearold National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro began at about 19:30h local time and raged into the night. There were no reports of injuries, but senior staff have described the loss

to Brazilian science, history and culture as incalculable.

By Monday morning, the flames had been extinguished, leaving museum directors to survey the smouldering ruins of Brazil’s heritage. Although they were initially wary of calculating losses, the gutted building suggests the toll will be immense.

As the day progressed, ever more people tried to enter the park in which the building is housed to get a glimpse of its burned husk, and police eventually opened

the gates. At one point, officers in riot gear fired teargas into a small, angry crowd of protesters who had gathered outside the park’s entrance.

The museum was home to Egyptian and GraecoRoman artefacts, fossils, dinosaurs and 12,000-year-old “Luzia” – the oldest human skeleton in the Americas.

But perhaps the greatest blow is the likely destruction of indigenous artefacts, which showed how millions of people lived in pre-colonial times.

While the cause of the

blaze is still under investigation, Government cuts and inadequate fire protection systems have been cited as key factors. Rio’s fire chief, Roberto Robaday, tsaid the two hydrants nearest the museum were dry, delaying efforts to douse the flames.

In recent years, the Government has spent billions on the Olympics and major construction projects that generated kickbacks for politicians, but slashed spending on culture and education in the name of austerity. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Myanmar Judge on Monday found two Reuters journalists guilty of breaching a law on state secrets and jailed them for seven years, in a landmark case seen as a test of progress toward democracy in the Southeast Asian country.

Yangon northern district Judge Ye Lwin said Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, breached the colonial-era Official Secrets Act when they collected and obtained confidential documents.

“The defendants ... have breached Official Secrets Act section 3.1.c, and are sentenced to seven years,” the judge said, adding that the time served since they were detained on December 12 would be taken into account.

The defence can appeal the decision to a regional court and then the supreme court.

The verdict comes amid mounting pressure on the Government of Nobel laure-

ate Aung San Suu Kyi over a security crackdown sparked by attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents on security forces in Rakhine State in west Myanmar in August 2017.

More than 700,000 stateless Rohingya Muslims have fled into Bangladesh since then, according to UN agencies. The two reporters, who were investigating the killing by the security forces of Rohingya villagers at the time of their arrest, had pleaded not guilty.

Press freedom advocates, the United Nations, the European Union and countries including the United States, Canada and Australia had called for the journalists’ acquittal.

The reporters had told the court two police officials handed them papers at a restaurant in the city of Yangon moments before other officers arrested them.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Argentina's Macri raises Dozens of elephants killed near Botswana taxes, axes ministries wildlife sanctuary after peso plunge

A

rgentina's President Mauricio Macri has announced emergency measures to control the slide of the country's currency, including new taxes on exports and cutting Government Ministries by half.

The 59-year-old, who was elected in December 2015 on a pro-business platform, also said on Monday that his government would reinstate export taxes on agricultural products, backtracking on a major campaign promise.

The austerity move comes three days after Argentina's Central Bank raised interest rates to 60 per cent – the world's highest.

Speaking in a televised address, Macri acknowledged that the country's economic crisis had become an "emer-

gency" and that export taxes would be reintroduced to shore up the peso, which has lost more than half of its value against the dollar this year.

Argentina, the third-largest economy in Latin America, currently has an unemployment rate of about nine per cent. According to the World Bank, more than 28 per cent of its some 43 million people live in poverty. During his speech, Macri also pledged to increase food plans for struggling Argentinians.

In June, the IMF agreed to a three-year, $50bn relief package but on Monday Nicolas Dujovne, Argentina's treasury minister, travelled to Washington, DC to negotiate with the body for the funds to be released quicker.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

C

arcases of nearly 90 elephants have been found near a famous wildlife sanctuary in Botswana, conservationists say. Elephants Without Borders, which is conducting an aerial survey, said the scale of poaching deaths is the largest seen in Africa.

The spike coincides with Botswana's anti-poaching unit being disarmed.

Botswana has the world's largest elephant population, but poachers have been breaching its border. Some readers may find the image below distressing The scientist carrying out the extensive wildlife survey said many of the 87 dead elephants were killed for their tusks just weeks ago - and that five white rhinos have been poached in three

Baby elephants, orphaned by poachers, are now being cared for at a new sanctuary in Botswana.

Most of the dead elephants seen in Botswana had their tusks removed

months.

That census estimated a third of Africa's elephants had been killed in the last decade and 60 per cent of Tanzania's elephants had been lost in five years. Botswana has had a reputation for an unforgiving approach to poachers and had largely escaped the elephant losses seen elsewhere.

Despite a lack of fences on the international border, data

from tracking collars showed elephants retreating from Angola, Namibia and Zambia and deciding to stay within the boundaries of Botswana where it was thought to be safe.

Incidents of poaching in the country were rare because of armed and well-managed anti-poaching units.

With 130,000 elephants, Botswana has been described

as their last sanctuary in Africa as poaching for ivory continues to wipe out herds across the rest of the continent.

The first sign that was changing came two years ago when the BBC flew close to the Namibian border and he discovered a string of elephant carcasses with their tusks removed for the first time. (Excerpt from BBC News)

South Korea's fertility rate set to hit record low of 0.96 Venezuela accuses UN of trying to orchestrate 'intervention'

S

outh Korea’s fertility rate is expected to fall to an all-time low this year, setting the country up for a host of problems including underfunded pensions, expanding debt and economic decline.

The average number of babies born per woman of reproductive age is due to be as low as 0.96 this year, falling below one for the first time in history, according to a study commissioned by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

Such a low fertility rate is normally only seen during wartime, said Lee Chul-hee, an economics professor at Seoul National University and one of the authors of the study.

Lee Chul-hee warned that social welfare schemes such as healthcare and pensions will face shortfalls as society ages and there are fewer people to pay to support them.

Classrooms could also empty out as fewer children attend schools, and the South Korean military, where all men are conscripted to face the threat of North Korea, could lack adequate troop numbers.

It is a trend facing wealthy nations around the world, but one that has manifested particularly quickly in South Korea. The global fertility rate is

V

South Korean women are marrying and having children later for fear of discrimination at work

expected to be two births per woman by 2100, just below replacement levels, according to UN projections.

South Korea’s birth rate has been dropping since the 1960s. Following a baby boom after the 1950-53 Korean war, the government launched a campaign encouraging women to have no more than two children. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

enezuela's Government on Monday accused the United Nations of exaggerating its migration crisis to justify "international intervention".

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the Government had complained to UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres that "individual officials" have been portraying "a normal migratory flow as a humanitarian crisis to justify an intervention".

The UN says 1.6 million Venezuelans since 2015 have fled economic meltdown in the country, which has been hit by shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine.

Venezuela is in a fourth year of recession while the International Monetary Fund has predicted inflation in the South American country will reach one million percent this year.

The flood of migrants abandoning their country to seek a better life else-

where has left countries such as Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru creaking under the strain.

Speaking at a press conference, Rodriguez said UN officials had been using data from "enemy countries" and presenting it "as if it was their own."

Rodriguez didn't identify who those officials or enemy states were, though.

Some 13 Latin American countries began a two-day meeting in Quito on Monday to discuss the Venezuelan migration crisis, a coordinated regional response and an appeal for outside funding.

She pointed to a new UN report that stated nearly 1,600 migrants had died or gone missing in 2018 on "the way to Europe." Rodriguez branded neighbouring Colombia "pimps" and claimed it is seeking international funds in order to use Venezuela to "live" off donations.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

ARCHIE

Don’t let anyone limit what you can do. Keep your (March 21- head down and your mind foApril 19) cused on what you are trying to accomplish. A positive change to a partnership can be made.

ARIES

If you want something, go TAURUS after it. Added discipline will (April 20- help you follow through and May 20) complete whatever mission you take on. An opportunity must not be ignored.

dilbert

Make personal changes GEMINI (May 21- rather than trying to mold June 20) someone to your satisfaction.

Look inward to discover how to best improve who you are and what you can do.

Keep an open mind, or you will limit how much you can (June 21- accomplish. If you try someJuly 22) thing new and exciting, it will lead to an encounter that will turn out to be substantially beneficial.

CANCER

Peanuts

Keep life simple and foLEO cus on personal changes that (July 23- will encourage growth, greatAug. 22) er popularity and positive opportunities. Romance will enhance your relationship with a loved one.

Step into the spotlight and VIRGO discuss your plans. Others’ (Aug. 23suggestions will help you figSept. 22) ure out the best way to get what you want without interference or setbacks.

Calvin and Hobbes

Show appreciation if LIBRA (Sept. 23- someone does something for Oct. 23) you. Ignore criticism and offer positive responses to deter anyone showing signs of negativity from doing things you don’t like.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD – ADDICTED (ADDICTED: uh-DIKD-’d: Dependent on a habit-forming substance.)

SUDOKU

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Average mark 20 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in ADDICTED? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD – UNGAINLY ugly annul ulna inlay unlay inly nail lain gaily laying gain ling guan liny gunny lung align lying anil

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

Consider the size of an SCORPIO idea or plan and downscale (Oct. 24it to fit your budget. Knowing Nov. 22) how to make the most of what you’ve got will bring good results.

solution for last published puzzle

Say what’s on your mind if someone is inconsistent or telling you things you doubt are true. Clear the air so that you can move on and focus on what’s important.

Choose your battles wiseCAPRICORN (Dec. 22- ly. Someone will be more agJan. 19) gressive than you anticipated if you are harsh or pushy.

Concentrate on getting along with others and getting things done.

If something is working, AQUARIUS don’t change it. Stick to rou(Jan. 20- tine and a diet and exercise Feb. 19) regimen that brings good results. Avoid excess and waste.

Discuss your intentions.

Take on an added responPISCES (Feb. 20- sibility to feel proud and March 20) gain control of a situation.

A change to the way you do things or how you earn your living will boost your standard of living.

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

19

EBFA/Juicy Juice U-13 League

Timehri needle Agricola to clinch inaugural title T

he Timehri Panthers were crowned the inaugural champions of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Juicy Juice Under-13 League after the slimmest of monumental victories over Agricola on Sunday at the Timehri Red Ground.

The showdown, which ended as a 1 – 1 stalemate, was not short of action, and the teams were constantly at each other’s throat in an effort to get ahead.

Panthers’ Omar Sam scored the equalizer, which was also the decider, in the 46th minute of an intense showdown which eventually earned Panthers the league win.

This league went all the way to the final match between the two sides. Interestingly, both sides kept their unbeaten records intact.

Going into the game, Timehri had won their previous eight (8) matches while Agricola had won seven (7) and drawn one.

Agricola’s Ian Daniels delivered in just the 4th minute when The Agricola team played very well in the tournament, but finished as the runner-up he worked his way past the Timehri defenders and fired past the goalscrimmage in front of goal, and this allowed ated to the EBFA. Diamond United took the keeper, much to the delight of the throng of Sam to capitalize. third place trophy, while Diamond Upsetters Agricola fans.

It was a fitting end to a well contested walked away with the fourth place trophy.

But in the 46th minute, there was a league, featuring ten (10) of the clubs affiliAgricola won all but one of the individual

British teen Norris to replace Vandoorne at Mercedes B

ritish teenagin junior categories beer Lando Norris is fore his graduation and to replace Stoffel was widely regarded as Vandoorne at McLaren afone of the most promister the Belgian driver aning new talents around. nounced he is to leave at So, the question rethe end of the season. mains: have his difficult Norris, 18, has been the two seasons at McLaren team’s reserve driver and proved he was not quite took part in first practice up to the job, or is Alonso sessions in Belgium and just that good?

Italy in 2018.

Alonso is an allHe will parttime great and remains ner Renault’s Carlos at the top of his game.

Sainz, who will replace And Vandoorne has Vandoorne’s retiring teambeen much closer to the mate Fernando Alonso. two-time champion on “This is a special mopace than many of the ment, one I could only hope Spaniard’s former teamwould become reality,” said mates, including Ferrari Norris. driver Kimi Raikkonen.

“To be announced as a Lando Norris, pictured in first practice for the Italian Grand Prix on Friday, won the European And the past two Formula Three championship in 2017 and this year sits second in the Formula race driver for McLaren is years at McLaren, with Two championship, the feeder series to F1 a dream come true.” a difficult car and the “I’ll also be working closely my plans for next season in due Norris is a title chalend of an engine partlenger in the Formula 2 feeder with McLaren at every opportu- course.” nership with Honda and start of McLaren team boss Zak a new one in Renault, have not series this year, sitting second in nity to learn as much as possible the championship having won on from the drivers, engineers and Brown added: “It’s clear we ha- been easy. The team are in crisis mechanics to give myself the best ven’t provided Stoffel with the there is no other way of putting it. his debut from pole position. tools to show his true talent.”

Since joining McLaren’s Young preparation.”

It’s quite possible that Vandoorne, 26, is 16th in the Lando Norris replies to a tweet Vandoorne is better than a numDriver Programme in early 2017, Norris has conducted race simu- championship and has no points from future McLaren team-mate ber of drivers on the grid but lation work for the team in addi- from his past 10 races. He fin- Carlos Sainz, saying he is looking has just not been in a position to ished 12th in Sunday’s Italian forward to working with him tion to participating in testing. show it. As such, some in the padThe departure of Vandoorne dock believe he deserves another “For the remainder of 2018, Grand Prix.

“The past two seasons we from McLaren at the end of chance. my focus remains firmly on the Formula 2 championship,” he didn’t achieve the success we’d this season is no surprise in one Opportunities for 2019 are hoped, but I want to thank ev- sense - he has failed to match up limited but they are there - at said.

“My objective is to win the ti- eryone for the opportunities they to team-mate Fernando Alonso Toro Rosso and Sauber in particsince joining the team in 2017. tle before joining McLaren full- gave me,” said Vandoorne. ular.

“I intend to give it my all for But it is in another time, which will be tough, but I Whether Vandoorne lands one will fight as hard as I can for the the remaining seven races of Vandoorne was one of the most remains to be seen. (BBC Sport) this season, and will announce successful drivers in recent years remaining four races.

awards. Timehri Panthers’ Colin David was named Best Coach of the League.

Ian Daniels, who ended with 32 goals in 9 matches, was acclaimed the tournament’s Highest Goal Scorer as well as Most Valuable Player.

Fellow teammate Andel Manoharlall copped the Best Goalkeeper Trophy.

Representing the sponsor, Sureia Manufacturing, distributors of Juicy Juice, Sean Rodrigues, in remarks before the presentation, informed the clubs that the company was very pleased to be associated with the EBFA through sponsorship of the U-13 League, which no doubt brought to the fore a number of talented youths, whom he is confident would go on to represent Guyana.

The EBFA extended sincere thanks to Sureia Manufacturing for its partnership, and is looking forward to many more collaborations as they continue to empower the youths of the East Bank and Linden- Soesdyke Highway through football.

Attention will now be turned to the annual Ralph Green-sponsored Under-11 League which will kick off in two weeks’ time. The EBFA will this weekend stage a coaches’ workshop that would be facilitated by its Technical Advisor Winston Benons and GFF/EBFA Technical Development Officer Devon Winter.

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

Sodhi replaces Zampa Ish Sodhi

T

he Jamaica Tallawahs have added Ish Sodhi to their squad for the remaining matches of the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League.

Sodhi will replace Adam Zampa who is returning to Australia for the start of their domestic season.

Sodhi has played 26 T20 Internationals for New Zealand, claiming 36 wickets at an average of 19.33.

The leg spin bowler spent time as the number one ranked spinner in T20 Internationals and has also played ODIs and T20s for his country.

The Tallawahs have qualified for the knockout stages of the 2018 tournament and have one group game remaining. The final takes place on 16 September at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

Cook announces England Keys through retirement after India series to quarterA finals US Open 2018…

lastair Cook has announced he will retire from international cricket after the Oval Test against India. Cook, the sixth highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket, is only 33-years-old but, after a grim run of form which has seen him average just 18.62 in nine Tests this year, he has decided to end what has been an increasingly painful struggle.

The decision is not a huge surprise. While Cook looked a little better technically during the fourth Test, in Southampton, he suffered two lapses - a dab to the slips in the first innings and a loose drive in the second - that suggested his famed powers of concentration were not what they used to be. Underlining the sense that he has been a player in decline for some time, his Test average dropped below 45 for the first time since 2010 during the game.

His has been, however, a ca- Alastair Cook will retire as England’s highest Test run-getter, reer that has embraced some of the having led them in more Tests than anyone else greatest moments in the history of was a thoroughly decent man caught Few will begrudge Cook a sendEngland cricket. Among the best mo- up in something you suspect, left to off at The Oval, either. While his disments were a century on Test debut his own devices, he would have hantrust of the media grew in the wake of in Nagpur as a 21-year-old in 2006, dled far more sensitively. the Pietersen affair, he has remained winning the player of the series Most of all, though, there have hugely popular with team-mates and award as England won the Ashes in been remarkable peaks and troughs fellow pros who recognise the courage Australia for the first time in more of form. Cook always seemed to be and commitment of a man who had than 20 years in 2010-11 and leading battling his technique and, with a to fight for every run. He will remain England to victory in India in 2012; a limited array of scoring shots, would popular, too, with the England supseries in which he made three centu- sometimes appear reliant on the porters who cherish those years when ries. No England players comes close nudge off the legs and sheer will powtheir side pulled off memorable victoto his total of 12,254 Test runs. No er to survive and progress. Surely no ries and who came to rely on Cook’s England player comes close to his re- man has scored so many runs behind stoic resistance. A rousing ovation is cord of 32 Test centuries. But Sachin square on the leg side in the history assured.

Tendulkar’s overall Test run record is of Test cricket.

His departure does leave the sesafe.

But, at his best, he had the deter- lectors with a dilemma, though.

There were grim times, too. He mination and powers of concentration With his opening partner, Keaton was unceremoniously dropped as ODI to endure and overcome in all condiJennings, also struggling for runs, captain at Christmas 2014, not long tions and against all attacks. His batthe team management need to decide before England departed for their ting against spin on that 2012 India whether they blood a new opener now World Cup campaign, and he was tour, in particular, was outstanding, - perhaps to bat at No. 3 - or leave caught up in the fallout of the deci- while his opening partnership with it until the winter tours. Cook, who sion to drop Kevin Pietersen at the Andrew Strauss was a foundation has enjoyed the longest run of unbroend of the 2013-14 Ashes in which stone of England’s ascent to No. 1 in ken Test appearances in history (The Cook’s England side were white- the Test rankings. Famously - infaOval will be his 159th in succession), washed. There were, no doubt, faults mously, perhaps - England tried 12 has been a pillar of the team for more on all sides and the handling of the new partners for Cook once Strauss than a decade. Replacing that may debacle left a great deal to be de- retired in an attempt to replicate that prove desperately tough. sired. But the toxicity of the debate success. They never managed it. left scars on what most would agree

Madison Keys

L

ast year’s runner-up Madison Keys is through to the quarter-finals of the US Open after she defeated 29th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-1 6-3.

American 14th seed Keys broke twice in the first set and again on Cibulkova’s first game in the second.

She dropped serve shortly afterwards but broke back twice to win in one hour and 16 minutes on Arthur Ashe.

Keys will face the winner in the match between Maria Sharapova and

Courtney Benn CS onboard Guinness Cage Competition T

Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarter-final.

She said: “I am glad I got the win and can come out here again for another match. It’s always easier to be more energised when the person on the other side of the net is more energised than you can possibly be.

“She’s a good player and has done a lot in her career. It was about having to focus on first serves and waiting for the right ball.

I had to move my feet and used the crowd in those tight moments.” (BBC Sport)

hey are regarded as one of the leading entities in the construction industry that has also played a similar role in the development of sports and youths.

On Friday, Courtney Benn Contracting Services became the latest entity to partner with the Three Peat Promotions / Guinness Cage Competition following the presentation of a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Promotions representative Rawle Welch, during a simple ceremony.

According to a release from the Company, they had no hesitation in arriving at a positive decision to support the tournament when approached since they felt that the initiative by the Promotions to improve relationships among the participating communities and to foster a better understanding of the respective cultures was a step in the right direction that will ultimately lead to social cohesion.

Welch in his response thanked the Company for its timely support, especially since it came at short notice and the act of goodwill clearly demonstrates their commitment to youth and social development among communities across Guyana.

The tournament dubbed ‘The East Coast Best versus the Rest’ is being held at the Haslington Market Tarmac with the semi-finals and final set for this Friday.

The semi-final matchups are Uprising versus Broad Street and Sparta Boss taking on Leopold Street with the winners set to clash in the final, Rawle Welch (right) of Three Peat Promotions, coordinators of the Guinness Cage Street-ball Championship, while the losers will play for third place. collecting the sponsorship cheque from Courtney Benn Contracting Services representative Johan Feedee

sports

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GABA/Banks DIH 2nd Div. League…

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21

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WANTED THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) SECRETARIAT HEREWITH INVITES ALL CONSULTANTS AND SUPPLIERS OF GOODS AND SERVICES (INCLUDING THOSE VENDORS WHO PROVIDE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION) TO REGISTER AS PREFERRED SUPPLIERS. ONLINE REGISTRATION OF CONSULTANTS AND SUPPLIERS OF GOODS AND SERVICES CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE WEB PORTAL THAT IS AVAILABLE AT http://vendors.caricom.org/ FOR VENDORS WHO PROVIDE RENTAL HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, ONLINE REGISTRATION IN THE HOUSING DATABASE CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE WEB PORTAL THAT IS AVAILABLE AT http:// housing.caricom.org/ QUERIES REGARDING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS IN ANY OF THE DATABASE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED

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DAILY & SUNDAY COPIES OF THE

Part of last year’s action in the GABA/ Banks DIH 2nd Div. League

T

he Guyana Amateur Basketball Association’s (GABA’s) First Division, Second Division and Under-23 leagues will continue at the Burnham Hard Court today from 18:30h with a double-header.

In the opening match, defending champions Bounty Colts are scheduled to take on the Pacesetters, while the Eagles will play the Trojans in the other battle, which is scheduled to tip-off at 20:30h.

The league commenced on September 1, with the first match between Plaisance Guardians and Dyna’s Ravens. Plaisance Guardians’ very own Nikkolai Smith, who recently came back from injury, scored a major 21 points, and was assisted by his captain, Marlon Chesney, who played his part by contributing 16 points; while Anton Fileen added 15.

Guardians eventually sank the Ravens 67-47. In their valiant effort to avoid defeat, Ravens received contributions from Tyrone Hamid (19) and Captain Dominic Vincente (13).

In the second match of the night, in the U-23 category, the UG Trojans were outgunned by Pacesetters 44-51 by the end of the third quarter, but it would seem that the rain was in favour of the Trojans, as it didn’t allow the match to proceed as planned. The game is to be rescheduled to another date.

The 10 teams in this tournament battling for top honours are: Colts, Ravens, Kobras, Guardians, Sonics, Nets, Eagles, UG Trojans, Pacesetters and Vikings.

Match days for games are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

GUYANA Bush Lot Softball TIMES

in your area?

Contact our

Circulation Department

on 223-7230-1 Phone: 223-7230 (Ext 55) EXT: 55

Cricket Cup set for September I t all goes down at the Bush Lot Sports Club Ground, where people from near and far will witness the first ever Bush Lot Softball Cricket Cup 10-a-side knockout competition as it hits the West Coast Berbice on September 16 from 8:30am.

The competition is sponsored by Arrowhead Promotions in association with the Bush Lot United Sports Club.

Softball teams will do battle in one of the most heated exchanges, as each team

and player vies for glory as they compete for the grand prize of over $100,000 in the one-day event, to be played on a knockout basis.

To get registered, interested teams can contact Carbon on 696-9659, or the following numbers: 619-2674 or 655-5067 before Friday, September 14. There will be lots of side attractions and a well-stocked food and beverage bar.

Music will be provided by Ground Rocks.

Ronaldo buys controlling stake in Real Valladolid

B

razil World Cup winner Ronaldo has become the majority shareholder of Real Valladolid, after purchasing a 51% controlling stake in the Spanish club.

The 42-yearold played for Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Barcelona in an 18year playing career.

Valladolid are 16th in La Liga and yet to win a game this season.

“The arrival of Ronaldo puts Real Valladolid on the map and will allow the club to take a leap in quality,” said president Carlos Suarez.

Ronaldo scored 62

Ronaldo

times for Brazil, including both goals when they beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, he said: “I have gone through many stages in my training in foot-

ball to prepare. Football is a passion.

“This new management will be defined by four words: competitiveness, transparency, revolution and social.”

Ronaldo won two La Liga titles with Real Madrid and the Uefa Cup with Inter. He was part of the Brazil squad who won the 1994 World Cup - although he did not play - and helped them reach the 1998 final.

He picked up the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world in 1997 and 2002.

Last month, he was admitted to hospital in Ibiza with pneumonia. (BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

Bingo Spartans, GCC The Sequel triumph in hockey league T

he Guyana Hockey Board’s developmental league resumed over the weekend as if it never had a break, with players showcasing an exceptional upkeep of form.

In the first two matches of the Under-19 Division, the GCC Pitbulls were pitted against Saints Splinters, while Hikers continued their campaign against Saints Sonics.

The women’s Second Division saw Bingo Spartans contesting with Woodpecker Hikers and Saints competing against Old Fort. The Second Division men’s games saw Hikers Cadets face-off with Old Fort, while Bounty GCC came up against GCC The Sequel.

The first bout of action got underway on Saturday afternoon at the Saint Stanislaus Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

The Under-19 category had business as usual, with the GCC Pitbulls being awarded a walkover for their encounter with the Saints Splinters.

Additionally, three goals were awarded to the team.

The next matchup saw the Hikers striking similar luck when the Saints Sonics arrived late. The Hikers were awarded a goal for their opponent’s tardiness, and went on to capitalize on the scoring, adding another goal to defeat the Sonics 2-0.

The Men’s Division saw a more intense competition, given the presence of older and more experienced players. In the Old Forts/Hikers

Abosaide Cadogan (right)

Cadet encounter, Jerezeneo Bell gave his team a push to get the goals flowing.

Shortly after, Theodore Thierens equalised for his team, Old Fort.

However, Hikers Cadets were determined to come out on top, and play in the match eventually saw recorded one goal apiece from Cove Bowman and Devon Munroe, resulting in a 3-1 win for the Hikers Cadets.

Almost namesakes, GCC Bounty had to settle for the back-burner, being smothered by GCC The Sequel.

When GCC Bounty drew first blood, the general consensus was that they would

dominate the game; but they were unable to repeat that goal-scoring feat, while GCC The sequel began demonstrating their skill coupled with steadfast determination, and were able to produce four thrilling goals, two of which came off the stick of skipper Phillip Fernandes.

Over in the Women’s Division, Saints got a taste of sweet victory over Old Fort when they played a superb hand of offence and defence, and limited their opponents to being scoreless while they penetrated the net three times to secure a 3-0 victory.

In what was probably the most exhilarating matchup of the day, Abosaide Cadogan led her team, Bingo Spartans, to a clinical victory over Woodpecker Hikers. By the 18th minute of the game, Cadogan had already completed a hat trick of goals, leaving the Woodpecker side shocked and vulnerable.

In the second half, she added two more to the score before Shondelle Durant put Woodpecker’s first goal on the board. It was by then a little too late for the Woodpecker side, as Cadogan netted one more time to add a cherry to the proverbial pie, the encounter finishing 6-1 in favour of the Bingo Spartans.

The developmental league was postponed back in April after inclement weather had made the field unplayable.

BCB/New York Business Group U-19 Tournament…

RHT Pepsi and Blairmont to clash in historic final B

lairmont Community Centre Cricket Club pushed aside Albion Community Centre Cricket Club on Sunday last to join defending champions Rose Hall Town Pepsi in the final of the 2018 edition of the Berbice Cricket Board/New York Business Group Under-19 Inter-Club Cricket Tournament.

Albion Community Centre and their arch rival, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTYSC), MS, have dominated Berbice Cricket over the last decade, and have jointly contested most of the finals at the different levels.

Playing at the Albion Ground, Blairmont won the toss and elected to field first. Heavy overnight rain caused a threehour delay in the start of play, and the match was reduced to 30 overs a side. Albion made a mess of their innings batting first, being packed away inside 24 overs for just 91 runs.

Ramesh Kassinauth (37) and Antonio February (20) batted well, but without any support from their teammates. While Nigel Deodat had 3-20, Seon Glasgow and Marvin Prashad both had 2 – 10 for the opposition.

In response, Blairmont reached 94 for 3 from 18 overs, with Glasgow returning with the bat to blast a quick-fire 55 not out, supported by Javed Karim with 14. Karran Arjpaul claimed 2 - 23 and Beesham Surujnarine 1 - 29 for Albion.

Meanwhile, National middle order batsman Kevlon Anderson struck a majestic 125 to spearhead Rose Hall T o w n Pepsi to an imposing 235 for 6 from 35 overs.

Overnight rain also affected the start of this match, but for only two hours, and the match was reduced to 35 overs per side.

Anderson received support from Berbice Under-19 all-rounder Keith Simpson, who scored 35; and Berbice Under-17 batsman Chanderpaul Govindan, who scored 25. Rommel Reitman was Tucber Park’s best bowler, with 3 for 41; while Nicholas Haywood, Brandon Corlette and Abdul Ramsammy claimed a wicket apiece with 38, 42 and 28 respectively.

The visitors were then restricted to 158 for 9, with Reitman scoring an aggressive 46 and Malcolm Mickle (35), Brandon Corlette (18) and Zeymul Ramsammy (14*) being the only batsmen to reach double figures. National Under-19 off-spinner Kevin Sinclair took 3 for 15, while Junior Sinclair supported with 2 for 13.

The finale is scheduled to be played on Friday and Saturday at the Albion Cricket Ground from 13:30hrs. It will be concluded under lights at 20:30 hours. For the first time in Berbice, pink balls would be used.

The match promises to be thriller, with both teams sporting several promising and highly talented players.

The triumphant team will be $100,000 richer, while the runner-up will have to settle for $50,000. A man-ofthe-match award is also up for grabs.

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

Weary Tridents face Patriots at Warner W

ith a nil - 5 record on their home soil, the Barbados Tridents started this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a bang, but lost momentum before the half-way mark, and never quite regained their stride.

They still sit at the bottom of the table, and have had dashed their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, while the St Kitts

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Park

Patriots vs Stars in their last encounter

and Nevis Patriots secured their spot in the playoffs with a 7-wicket victory over the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Tridents will now need to play for pride when they take on the Patriots in their penultimate match of the prelims at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts from 18:00hrs.

Martin Guptill will need to step-up his game, as it has been heart-breaking to watch the burly New Zealand batsman produce below-par averages in back-to-back seasons of the CPL. Thus far, he has produced a total of five single-digit scores in the last seven games, with a batting average of 16.57.

Hashim Amla, who was one of the big signings, looked good in the previous game against the Stars with 35 before being run out, but has performed poorly this season, as he, too, has fallen short of expectations, averaging 13.80.

For a seasoned player like Dwayne Smith, his season would have been expected to go two ways; but, sadly, it has gone the

wrong way, with him scoring only one 50 and averaging 21.14 for the Tridents.

To make matters worse, an abdominal strain has prematurely ended the classy right-handed batsman Steve Smith’s campaign, leaving a big hole in the Tridents’ middle order.

Shai Hope has impressed with the bat, averaging 37.28 for most of the tournament; and he is expected to impress in the Tridents’ last two games.

However, one aspect that hasn’t been a letdown for the Tridents in this year’s CPL is the Pakistani pace duo of Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz. In the tournament so far, it has been a joy to watch Irfan bowl -- the towering pacer demonstrating what is the true meaning of pace bowling by exploiting plenty of pace and bounce out of these Caribbean wickets. He now has 8 wickets to his name, and the best bowling figures in the world: 2-1.

Barbados must win their remaining two games if they want to avoid finishing last at the end of this season.

At this stage of the tournament, the Patriots will be frantically trying to establish the best possible XI to try and take them to the title in the CPL 2018 tournament. With inclusion of the experienced South African domestic cricketer Rassie van der Dussen, the Patriots have finally been allowed to part ways with Tom Cooper, who has had a horrendous season with the bat, averaging an even 9.

With the Patriots securing their spot in the playoffs, there is no doubt that Gayle and van der Dussen will play major roles in their playoffs campaign.

With Elvin Lewis and Anton Devcich having their own troubles with the willow, it is impossible to deny the amount of depth the Patriots possess in their lineup. With Gayle, Van Der Dussen

Tallawahs begin to arrive ahead of Warriors clash

W

ith action in the ongoing Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) set to return to Guyana beginning on Saturday, the Jamaica Tallawahs began to arrive for their return clash with hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Just a few members of the squad have arrived on Monday with the rest expected on Wednesday to prepare for the return clash on Saturday.

There is a three-way tie with defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders, Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Tallawahs with 10 points each with only the net run rate separating them as was much of the tournament.

All three teams have confirmed their places in the playoff phase of the tournament and are now playing for placements along with last year’s finalist St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

The Warriors with one more clash on the road on Wednesday against TKR in Port of Spain will finish the league stage at Providence with the two heated clashes.

On Saturday the Andre Russell-led side will take to the field against the Amazon Warriors who won two of their previous matches at home.

Against the Tallawahs in Florida, the Warriors won easily by 71 runs after Shimron Hetmyer smoked a classy century.

However, Russell and speedster Oshane Thomas have

been in ripping form with the ball and are leading the bowling charts with 14 wickets apiece.

It’s all to play for on Saturday from 20:00h when both teams will look to win to finish the league stage in the top or second spot to have an easier passage to the final.

After the preliminary rounds, the first and second play-off matches featuring the four teams will be played right at Providence on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

and Lewis at the top of the order; followed by a variety of all-rounders such as Mahmudullah, Ben Cutting, Devcich and Carlos Braithwaite, and attacking wicketkeeper-batsman Devon Thomas, Patriots don’t have a lot to do with the ball, since they hold a major advantage over the opposition.

Though Patriots haven’t dropped off in their bowling, they can always rely on the experience of Australian all-rounder Cutting, who has been a fantastic pace option, bagging 10 wickets in the tournament; and Braithwaite, who hasn’t been required to do much with the bat, but has chipped in with the ball, like Cutting.

The sturdy Sheldon Cottrell will continue to lead the Patriots’ bowling attack ahead of the playoffs, as he has claimed 9 wickets and still looms as a major threat with the new ball.

tuesdAY, september 4, 2018

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

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Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018…

Weary Tridents face Patriots at Warner Park Page 23

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