Guyana Times 5 September 2017

Govt mulls adding Indigenous languages to school curriculum Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Issue No. 3323

Govt pushes ahead with barring single moms from night shift Page 9

…as Minister Scott directs colleagues to implement measures Illegal aircraft BaiShanLin’s Page Chu 100-acre Brazilian, 2 Sunset Lakes Colombian IDs, Page up for grabs 3 passports found ...owner defaulted on bank loans — receiver/manager

P12

– Ramnarine

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Education Month launches with ‘wellness’ theme P12

Taxi driver slapped with rape charge

P2

Linden- P7 Georgetown hire car drivers protest relocation

Region 7 P15 exploring storm shelters

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Culture is “backbone” of Guyanese society – Social Cohesion Minister P14 Starting school is a great milestone but while some of these little ones were enthusiastic about going to school for the first time, others suffered a bit of first-day blues as the new school year begins. In this composite of Carl Croker photos, students of the Starters Nursery and St Gabriel Nursery experience their first day in the classroom

DDL financial report

Int’l operations rescue company from ‘flat’ domestic market Page 9

Invest in security cameras P7 – Region 3 Chamber warns businesses

2 News

tuesDAY, september 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Illegal aircraft in North Rupununi

Brazilian, Colombian IDs, passports found – Ramnarine

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ocuments found in the Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft that was found in the Upper Takutu region last month may have links to Guyana’s South American neighbours Brazil and Colombia.

This was revealed by acting Top Cop David Ramnarine, who told reporters on Monday morning that the identification documents found aboard the illegal aircraft belonged to nationals from the two South American countries.

“The two passports that were found relate to two persons because their IDs were also found there and they corresponded with what was in the passport…

One Brazilian and one Colombian national,” he disclosed.

However, the acting Top Cop was unable to say who the individuals were that brought the illegal aircraft into Guyana.

Acting Top Cop David Ramnarine

“I know some collaboration is being done with the Civil Aviation Authority and another agency, but I don’t have the benefit of those details at this point in time… I know a few persons were in custody, and I think one or two brought to CID [Criminal

Investigation Department] headquarters and interviewed, questioned and so on, but I will await the outcome of the report,” the acting Police Commissioner said.

Three weeks ago, Police ranks in F Division (Interior Locations) went to an area in North Rupununi, where they discovered a 5400 foot x 45 foot airstrip. As they were leaving the site, an aircraft landed and upon seeing the Police approaching, the occupants escaped into the nearby bushes.

In addition to the identification documents, several pieces of communication equipment, including cellular phones; flashlights; a quantity of dried rations and medical supplies were found aboard the aircraft.

A search of the area unearthed three abandoned camps, in which canned food and other items, were found along with contain-

The illegal aircraft that was found last month in Region Nine

ers of suspected aviation fuel.

An inter-agency probe has since been launched, and it was discovered that the aircraft, which initially had a Colombian registration number, was actually registered to Brazil’s third largest bank, Banco Bradesco.

However, an official from the Bank said that they do not own any planes, but it is registered to them since the owner

may have acquired a loan to purchase it. A mining company named Riwa SA Incorporated Investments and Participants operated the aircraft.

Records show that the aircraft was owned by 11 companies in the past 27 years.

Ramnarine said investigators were expected to wrap up the probe within the coming days.

“At this point in time, our investigators are wrapping up that report.

They’ve spent some time, a better part of a week and

a half, in that area; a number of persons were interviewed, a number of leads were pursued.

“At this point in time, based on the advice given to me by the Crime Chief just yesterday (Sunday), in a matter of a few days’ time, we’re wrapping up that report and we will send to the relevant authorities, including the legal advisor if necessary,” he stated.

The discovery of the plane has raised concerns within Government, and during a recent visit to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Base Camp Kanuku, located at the border town of Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Commanderin-Chief, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger told army officers to be vigilant at the country’s borders. He also called on various stakeholders in the Region to work together to protect the borders against intruders.

Taxi driver slapped with rape charge

T

he suspect in the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl from Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) has been charged and remanded to prison.

Maurice Johnson, a taxi driver, appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Monday and was remanded to prison until October 19.

Reports are the incident allegedly took place on August 12. However, the defendant turned himself in to Police a little over a week ago after reportedly eluding the lawmen for some time. The prosecution is contending that the 12-year-old, who attended an event with three friends, caught a taxi of the type commonly called a '$100 car' or 'short drop car' at Co-op Crescent, Mackenzie,

Linden about 22:00h to go to her home. According to the prosecution, the taxi driver reportedly drove past the destination. The three friends who were seated in the back seat reportedly forced their way out of the car, leaving the victim who was seated in the front seat. The victim was reportedly taken to a lonely road at Lower Kara Kara by the taxi driver where she was allegedly forced out of the vehicle and sexually assaulted. The suspect reportedly then dropped the victim off at the Kara Kara bridge where she was left to walk home. The family of the victim was said to be looking for her after her friends alerted them as to what transpired. She was taken to the Linden Police Station, then to the hospital for medical examination.

news

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tuesDAY, september 5, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, September 5 – a night-time retraction at 04:00h and a daytime retraction at 14:30h-16:00h and Wednesday, September 6 – a night-time retraction at 04:30h and a daytime retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, September 5 – 15:55h-17:25h and Wednesday, September 6 – 16:35h-18:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions in the early morning will be followed by heavy rain showers, with clear skies in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-easterly to East South-easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 16:11h reaching a maximum height of 2.61 metres.

Low Tide: 09:46h and 22:02h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.58 metre respectively.

BaiShanLin’s Chu 100-acre Sunset Lakes up for grabs ....owner defaulted on bank loans – receiver/manager

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aving defaulted on payments due to a local bank, BaiShanLin General Manager Chu Hongbo, sole owner of Sunset Lakes Inc, has now had his 100-acre property placed in receivership with the appointee looking to make a sale.

According to public advertisements locally, Sunset Lakes Inc—previously owned by local business tycoon Brian Tiwarie – is looking for bidders, local or foreign, to submit proposals for the purchase of the 100-acre plot of land located in proximity to the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank

saturDAY, september 2, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS A

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22 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 05 12 14 24 26

LUCKY 3 0 4 6 Afternoon Draw

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DRAW DE LINE

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

BaiShanLin Managing Director Chu Hongbo

Demerara.

The receiver/manager appointed by the court is Nigel Hinds, who, during a brief interview with Guyana Times on Monday, downplayed recent suggestions by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) that it was looking to repossess the land.

Hinds told this publication that the title for the land had been issued to BK International proprietor Brian Tiwarie, the original owner of Sunset Lakes Inc. The receiver, who was appointed by the court in February, told this newspaper the fact that a title had been issued meant that the company was in fact in compliance with all the requirements that had been set out by the CH&PA. He explained that Tiwarie had sold the shares in the company to Chu, the General Manager of the controversial logging company – currently in limbo with the Guyana Government’s revenue collection agency over claims the company owed billions.

Hinds told <<<Guyana Times>>> that with Chu as the sole shareholder, the process was initiated since the company would have defaulted on its loan payments to the locally in-

A model of the fully-gated five-star, luxurious villa community complete with all modern facilities and amenities, to be developed

by Sunset Lakes Inc

corporated bank.

In 2014, Tiwarie had sold the shares in Sunset Lakes Inc to Chu for some US$8 million shortly after receiving the 100-acre property from the CH&PA. This transaction has since engaged the attention of the commercial court, since Chu has reportedly reneged on the agreement and owes Tiwarie some US$4 million for the property.

Sunset Lakes was introduced as a luxurious gated community during GuyExpo 2014 by Chu alongside the BaiShanLin displays, boasting security, privacy and other amenities and was advertised at US$7 per square foot.

Completed houses had seen an average mark-up price around $28 million.

Lower-end lots were advertised for sale beginning at $8 million while the ultra-luxurious homes would have cost in excess of $100 million.

According to the entity’s website, New Life Community to be developed by Sunset Lakes Inc would be a fully gated fivestar, luxurious villa com-

munity complete with all modern facilities and amenities.

“The development contains an area of 100 acres, total building area of 1432642.78 sq ft for constructions of approximately 380 villas. The overall layout is like a lotus flower with four surrounding districts, A, B, C and D. The central district is the community social centre.

The first phase in District A has commenced and will feature 100 villas, together with four areas reserved for public facilities, including water-supply station, garbage disposal facility, and fire station.”

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guyanatimesgy.com

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Views

First Day Blues

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

Ethnic concerns and the ERC T

he furore over the establishment of the lands Commission of Inquiry, which has been denounced by Guyana’s political Opposition and other relevant bodies, especially the National Toshaos Council (NTC) as being divisive and a potential threat to Amerindian land and socio-economic rights, has called into question the relevance of the government’s ‘social cohesion’ construct, which is clearly failing in its mandate. The need for a body like the dismantled Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is paramount to deal with issues that are dividing our country into ethnic camps. The Ethnic Relations Commission was comprised of stakeholders across the societal strata, and held a wide-ranging mandate to address issues of national concern, especially regarding race relations. However, there had been a clamour for the disbanding of this body from persons with self-serving agendas and their media supporters; and this was eventually effected in May of 2011, when a PNC powerhouse filed an injunction restraining that body from functioning: So, although there is a fully staffed office, the Commissioners are prevented from carrying-out their mandate as officers of that legally-constituted body. Practically everyone concedes that Guyana has inherited from the colonials a serious racial divide in the nation; primarily between Guyanese of Indian descent and Guyanese of African descent. Maturity in nationhood should dictate that Guyanese transcend racial considerations and deal with each other primarily as members of one human family and as fellow Guyanese. But while relationships at individual level between members of different races in Guyana are strong, even where miscegenation has created a creolised amalgam of races that are truly Guyanese; especially during elections season, the ugly reptilian features of racism raises its head, poised to strike its poison into the soul of Guyanese nationhood. While the nation is becoming aware that our development can only retrogress if we continue to harbour malice toward our fellow Guyanese – especially on the basis of their ethnicity, the psychology of politics is so entrenched in the Guyanese being that it poisons the architecture of the nation’s identity and causes decay in the framework of nationhood. The incorporation of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) into the body politic of the ERC, which was bitterly opposed by some politicians and members of the media corps, was integral to the struggle to eliminate the prejudices – real or imagined, that exists within communities that are dividing our nation, so long after we have achieved independence and republican status. Guyana is a deeply-religious nation, albeit of several approaches to serving the Lord but, by and large, the primary message preached by every religion is one of love and acceptance of one’s fellow human with the fraternity of humankind. As such, the inclusion of the IRO in the ERC was integral to healing the soul of the nation through the various approaches to national cohesion by the latter body. But those whose agenda is best served by divides in the nation were bitterly opposed to the involvement of the IRO in this process of mending breaches in Guyana’s national, ethnic and cultural tapestry. A twoday Media Encounter facilitated by the Ethnic Relations Commission in collaboration with Guyana Press Association (GPA), University of Guyana Centre for Communication Studies, Guyana Media Proprietors and Owners Association, the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) and the Government Information Agency (GINA), in 2011, concluded with expressions of a sense of satisfaction and the almost across-the-board conclusion that the event was useful, stimulating and beneficially functional. A release, which was drafted by the various facilitators, stated “The various partners of Media Encounter 2011 considered the participation of approximately 110 persons in the two-day event a positive development…the emphasis of the ERC on the use of education and moral-persuasion as an approach to interactions between the ERC and the media was commended….while the ERC received input from media practitioners for the conduct of its functions in the forthcoming elections period, the media practitioners in turn called upon the ERC to seek a Declarative Statement from the Judicial Branch in their quest for elucidation of aspects of the Racial Hostility Act. A major emphasis of the media Encounter was discussion of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act and the Racial Hostility (Amendment) Act.” The debates at that encounter were, although heated at times, respectful and sound, with various concerns raised and addressed. The atmosphere of cordiality was pervasive and the success of the media encounter was due to its broad-based involvement from many stakeholders, which augured well for maturity in reportage during electoral campaigns and in the coverage of daily events, especially within the political divide. Sadly, this promise did not fructify and the rancorous and skewed reporting has never abated.

If for nothing else, the ERC served a major purpose in reaching out to every community in Guyana for participation in such necessary debates and social interaction activities; where respect and cordiality transcended every consideration, so that the stakeholders were prompted to pursue their various mandate with the public good being the major concern. If Media Encounter 2011 was a microcosm of what can be expected and achieved in the wider society during Guyana’s elections seasons, and indeed, in a wider sense as a norm rather than an exception, then there can be no reason for Guyanese to see each other as “them and us”, but as one nation working together for national peace and prosperity.

A teacher comforts this crying pupil of the Starters Nursery School, Camp Street Georgetown on Monday as his first day of school blues kicked in (Carl Croker photo)

Congratulations to West Indies Dear Editor, Congratulations to the West Indies cricket team for a magnificent win over England at Edgbaston.

According to some renowned cricket analysts when all the circumstances were taken into considerations the success can be classified as the greatest-ever comeback victory.

As we jubiliate, we must remember that all was not well with the performance of our team. In England's second innings, we dropped seven catches; We allowed their tail to wag like a ferocious English bulldog on the loose, while over the years our tail appears to start from deep in the neck.

There were too many tactical blunders committed by our captain when England batted for the second time.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty. One columnist opined that we must not read too much into the West Indies victory. It may or may not be a flash in the pan. The arrival of one swallow does not

mean that it is summer.

However, as we luxuriate in the victory and hopefully look towards Lords and onwards, we must remember that there is Hope.

Yours faithfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)

There go the crime-fighting capabilities Dear Editor, In law enforcement, your only real power comes from the strength of the system. The Guyana Police Force will only be strong if the system is allowed to function. President David Granger’s instruction to the Police Service Commission did nothing else but weaken the system and he must be held accountable for the destruction of any green shoot of hope for that institution.

There are clear procedures in the rule of law if an officer of the law is found to be corrupt, undisciplined or out

of order. The law sets out that a tribunal can be established to investigate the allegations and disciplinary actions can be taken.

But Article 212 of the Guyana Constitution clearly articulated that “…. the power to make appointments to any office in the Police Force above the rank of Inspector….” resides with the Police Service Commission; not the President. So any rookie lawyer can advise that the President’s actions violated the rule of law, were high-handed and did great

harm to the Guyana Police Force.

When good cops like Mr Wendell Blanhum cannot believe anymore that the system has their back so that they can do their work, when that ceases and when you come under political pressure from the Presidency, then they have two choices – become corrupt or leave the system. Both options bring great harm to the institutions of the State and this is what President Granger did to the Crime Chief when he singled him out with his irrational comments upon re-

ceiving the reports from the Chairman of the CoI into a bogus allegation of some kangaroo assassination.

But more importantly, Mr Omesh Satyanand buckled to political bullyism, which is now the raison d'être of the Granger Administration.

There go the crime-fighting capabilities of the Guyana Police Force thanks to President Granger himself.

Regards, Ryan Basdeo

Peak hours at Demerara Harbour Bridge Dear Editor, I have serious concerns about the traffic regulations at the Demerara Harbour Bridge. The problems mostly occur at bridge retraction or peak hour. Vehicles are allowed in several lanes, but only one can access the paying booth at a time. This point is where the problems begin. There are bullying and minor crashes with damage

to mirrors, lights and bumpers. Similar incidents occur daily from the western end.

Although there are Police present, they themselves do little or nothing to regulate these incidents. In fact, the Police seem to be part of the lawlessness. Several vehicles are allowed to pass all those in the line and cut in front. There is widespread “cutting in”, especially from

minibuses and hire cars. For too long this lawlessness has been allowed until it has become part of a culture of what takes place daily.

These incidents have the potential to end in serious violence. I have had several incidents, which almost ended that way. But I must say I am fearful to the extent that I have started preparing to defend myself in any

such event. There should be no such fear if proper management and regulation take place.

The Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Guyana Police Force must bear responsibility for what happens at peak hours and during retraction.

Sincerely, C Woolford

guyanatimesgy.com

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

Intellectually barren arguments of GHK Lall and Eric Phillips Dear Editor, Permit me space to voice my discontent with the intellectually barren and frankly dishonest arguments which continue to be peddled by the likes of GHK Lall and Eric Phillips. I chose not to respond to Eric Phillips’s diatribe in the past, as any objective, critical thinker in Guyana would now recognise the downright facetious claims he continues to make most shamelessly. His most recent inability to simply substantiate his claims in the African Land Rights Commission of Inquiry has come to characterise a gentleman whom I once respected for his apparent care for the people of Guyana.

However, Editor, my article comes off the heels of the most recent outpouring from another commentator, GHK Lall, in an article carried in another section of the media called “It’s the economy”.

I choose to respond to this article by GHK Lall for the simple fact that this letter seemingly begins a new dimension of the theme that the now evident economic de-

cline is as a result of all other things under the sun except the asynchronous, anti-development policies of this APNU/ AFC Government, compounded by poor macroeconomic management. The article, in summary, casts the blame for the economic decline now almost squarely on the shoulders of Guyanese people as they seemingly have been conditioned by the previous administrations, more specifically the PPP/C Government, to accept money which ‘came too easy’ in a ‘shabby saga of sickness that washes across [the] society in stunting reach and hold’. Editor, this attack

by GHK Lall on the people of Guyana for expressing discontent with the state of economic affairs is nauseating to read.

GHK Lall condemns Guyanese in a tone which is mocking of the mesolectic variety of Guyanese English.

What is simultaneously oxymoronic and insulting about the article by GHK Lall is that the mesolectic variety of Guyanese English which he mocks is spoken by the low-

er middle-class urbanite and the rural factions of the working class. Mr Editor, does GHK Lall believe that the hard-working single mother who is self-employed in a cottage industry, or the sugar workers who are now condemned to suffer in the foreseeable future by this government, or the vendor in Bourda Market who toils in the wee hours of the morning, that these classes of people were the beneficiaries of the ‘easy money’ which he and Eric Phillips continue to allude to?

Editor, an elementary understanding of economics and political economy would refute their weak arguments.

Eric Phillips, for example, continues to argue vehemently for a structural inequality in Guyana where an oligarchy has been created and a few with newfound wealth are the beneficiaries of proceeds of the underground economy and corruption. For the purpose of smooth discourse, let us accept that there exists this newly-wealthy oligarchic class.

Editor, from JM Keynes’ articulation in 1936, it has become popular knowledge that Aggregate Demand is the mechanism from the demand side which drives economic growth. The logical question must be asked, therefore, in the political economy analysis, who comprises the largest faction of aggregate demand?

Mr Editor, is it the few with newfound wealth who are the beneficiaries of the proceeds of the underground economy and corruption? The answer is apparent – of course not.

It is the working class, the mass of people, who comprise Aggregate Demand; the same people who GHK Lall barefacedly mocks in his article.

What folks who argue along this faulty line of reasoning fail to mention to people are the macro statistics which speak for themselves – a 20.7 per cent decline in sugar, a 22.3 per cent decline in rice, a 27.3 per cent decline in forestry, a 5.6 per cent decline in fishing – just in 2016 only. 2015 told a similar story, Editor, and 2017 is likely to tell the same based on the

Freddie Kissoon stirring the racial pot Dear Editor, As the coalition Government becomes progressively more unpopular, its political stooges like Freddie Kissoon and its principal mouthpiece, the Kaieteur News, are becoming more paranoid, desperate and vulgar in their lies and fabricated outpourings, in attempting to salvage a hopelessly incompetent and grossly corrupt regime.

In recent times, Freddie Kissoon’s rantings have become, discernably, more inane if not more insane, than usual. His recent ramblings about the Berbice Bridge published on September 1, 2017, were drawn to our attention. Again, the inverse racist that he is has come to the fore. He accuses the PPP Administration of racism because of the location of the Berbice Bridge at D’Edward Village and Palmyra. Had this self-proclaimed academic done minimum research on the issue, he would have learnt that the location of the bridge was driven by a feasibility study recommended and financed by the Inter-American

Development Bank (IDB) done by a French company, Louis Berger. It is this study, which recommended the current location of the bridge as the most feasible in terms of costs. Four other locations were considered, including Everton and New Amsterdam.

The study took into account the cost of the infrastructure to build roads to the Everton location on both sides of the river and the cost of journey time to travel to the bridge at that location on both sides of the river.

The issue of congestion caused by the bridge and the cost of acquisition of properties were also factors in the study We call upon the Government to make this feasibility study public or at least send a copy to Freddie Kissoon for his enlightenment. Hopefully, it may assist in helping him to stop stirring the racial pot, which he so enjoys doing.

In the same article, Kissoon rambles on to spread misinformation about the cost of the Skeldon sugar factory. He parrots Kaieteur News’ fabrica-

tion that US$200 million was invested when the facts are that less than US$130 million was invested in that venture.

This investment included the co-generation plant, which only recently Clive Thomas said, provides electricity for 90,000 households.

We also note Kissoon’s wailings on the location of the proposed Demerara Harbour Bridge. Expectedly, he omits to raise the relevant issues and ask the relevant questions. For example: was there any public procurement done in selecting the company, which allegedly did a feasibility study? That no financier has yet expressed any interest in financing this

venture and, therefore, where would the money come from to build this bridge? Was the $150 million taken from the Treasury to finance this feasibility study, another grand wastage of taxpayers’ money?

Instead of asking these important questions, all this self-anointed academic is worried about is the traffic chaos.

We predict that as this Government continues its downward spiral, the Freddie Kissoons of this world will become more and more maverick and berserk.

Sincerely, People’s Progressive Party

Mid-Year Report of the economy.

Each of these can be dealt with in separate articles in great detail which, for any objective, critical thinking Guyanese who follows the articulation, present more substantial, logical reasons for the economic decline than the explanation offered by the likes of GHK Lall and Eric Phillips who cast blame on all extraneous factors without even an acknowledgement that this has been some of the poorest macroeconomic management experienced in Guyana, certainly in the past 10 years.

To Mr GHK Lall, the next time a member of the working class, who may not have

the analytical capacity to understand the mechanics of the economy, points to the economy as being the issue, do not seek to blame it on some perverse Stockholm syndrome-esque reasoning; rather, use that as a springboard to understand the cries of the working class and investigate more closely the reasons for the economic decline rather than following the Phillips posture of rather comically casting blame on ‘drug money’ and ‘corruption’. Independent logical thinkers do not buy that argument any longer.

Yours sincerely, Conscience of a Logical Guyanese Thinker

We always provide a paddy purchase price Dear Editor, I write regarding an article published in the Guyana Times (Sept 4th) about rice milling in Essequibo and request some space to publicly clarify some issues on behalf of Imam Bacchus and Sons Ltd. I must state now that Imam Bacchus & Sons 100 per cent, without fail, always signs a purchase agreement with the farmer for a stated price on the day we take delivery.

There are no exceptions.

I believe the reporter's confusion came because I used imprecise language when trying to explain that the price had not stabilised for the season and that we would probably adjust purchase prices as the buying proceeded, based on what other mills were paying. For that I apologise.

Nevertheless, I cannot

fathom how any farmer told Guyana Times that they delivered rice to this company without receiving a price agreement. It is physically impossible. Every farmer has to receive a delivery slip with the agreed price and a full grading breakdown before the transaction is complete at our receiving station.

Beyond the price issue, I would also like to state two more relevant facts: First, all our scales and grading apparatus are inspected regularly by the various standards bodies and we are always in compliance. Second, we always pay our farmers earlier than any mill in the Region for the full price agreed on at the time of delivery.

Sincerely, Imam Baksh Imam Bacchus & Sons Ltd

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home filled with reading material is a good way to help children become enthusiastic readers. What kind of books should you have? Ask your children about their interests. If they're too young to have a preference, your local librarian can offer suggestions about age-appropriate books.

Here are some other tips: Keep a varied selection Collect board books or books with mirrors and different textures for babies. Preschoolers enjoy alphabet books, rhyming books, and picture books.

Elementary-age children will enjoy variety: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, plus dictionaries and other reference books.

Children can understand stories they might not be able to read on their own. If a more challenging book interests your child, make it something to read together. Younger children can look at illustrations in books and ask questions as they follow along.

And don't limit reading material to books. Children might also enjoy: magazines (for children) audio books postcards, e-mails, and text messages from relatives photo albums or scrapbooks newspapers comic books the Internet beginning reading and alphabet games on a computer magnetised alphabet letters e-readers or e-books

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

Keep reading material handy Keep sturdy books with other toys for easy exploration. Books near the changing table and high chair can be helpful distractions for younger children at appropriate moments. Plastic books can even go in the bathtub. Keep books next to comfy chairs and sofas where you cuddle up so you can read after feedings and before naps.

Create a special reading place As children grow, keep age-appropriate books and magazines on shelves they can reach in their favourite hangouts around the house. Make these shelves appealing and keep them organised. Place some of the books with the covers facing out so they're easy to spot. Put a basket full of books and magazines next to their favourite places to sit. Create a cosy reading corner, and encourage children to use it by setting up "reading corner time" each day.

Keep it appealing. Make sure reading areas have good lighting. Change the materials often – add seasonal books, rotate different magazines, and include books that relate to what chil-

dren are interested in or studying in school. Decorate the corner with your child's artwork or writing. Place a CD or tape player nearby for audio books.

Encourage children to create the reading. Set up a writing and art centre and encourage children to make books, posters, or collages that they decorate with their own pictures and writing. Children love to read things they've written themselves or to share their creations with family and friends.

Think about atmosphere Other ways to encourage children to read: Give your child a special, cosy space, and quiet time every day to read or write.

Limit time children spend in front of a screen (including TV, computer, and video games) to help ensure that they have time for reading.

Keep reading activities family-centred, and take an active role in guiding your child in reading activities and media. Even with today’s high use of technology, parents can decide how much print and how much media to allow into story time. Reading e-books doesn't have to mean sacrificing laptime. Make sure to snuggle up with a story often, in whatever format.

Read together Offer to read a book aloud or ask your child to read to you from a favourite magazine. Make a habit of sitting together while you each read your own books, sharing quiet time together. (kidshealth)

– "What did you do in school today?" "Nothin."

By Marty Nemko, PhD

T

rue, your child can probably survive a bad school year.

Indeed, genes, parenting, and peers matter more, at least in terms of long-term outcomes.

But think back to your own schooling. Weren’t there years in which you were much happier or less so? Helping your child have a whole year of more happiness – That’s worth your effort.

And much is in your control.

Here are potent things you can do. No, you needn't volunteer in your child’s class. That’s just not realistic for so many of today’s parents.

Unearthing issues

When you’re asking your child about the school day, don’t ask, “What did you do in school today?” That invites “Nothin.’”

Instead try something more likely to yield specifics, such as, “Walk me through your school day from when you got on the school bus.”

While you’re glad to hear about the good things, key to making this your child’s best year yet is to unearth and solve problems, for example, your child is being scapegoated. Or the work is too hard or too easy in one subject or many. Or your child is behaving poorly. “The teacher made me sit in the back again. She hates me!”

Taking proportionate action

Most problems you unearth are unlikely to yield ongoing misery let alone affect your child into adulthood. But if it’s something that will make your child unhappy even for a chunk of the school year, for example, s/he just doesn’t get what’s going on in Maths, take a closer look.

Ask your child to explain what s/he working on in class or for homework. If, for example, your child is pretty clueless, see if a bit of parental explanation that night or even semi-regularly is enough to put your child over the hump.

But if you sense the problem is bigger, send a brief non-blaming email to the teacher. Remember, s/he has 20 to 30 kids, all with needs. If my child were routinely finding the schoolwork too easy, I might write, Dear Ms Jones, I’m a little concerned about Tommy. Most days, he comes home saying he finds school too easy. And when I watch him do homework, he is able to fly through it. I’ve been supplementing with after-school

activities but I hate to see him so unhappy. Any advice?

If you’re lucky, the teacher will give him some more appropriatelevel work. If not, accept that this too shall pass. Or if it's seriously mismatched curriculum, see if there's a more appropriate class.

Ask the principal in a way that doesn’t blame the teacher, that you’re just aiming for a reasonable teacher-student fit. For example, Tommy is finding the work in Ms Jones class too easy, and despite talking with her, she has her hands full dealing with the other kids. Might there be a better-suited teacher?

No guarantees but it’s worth a shot.

If the problem is that the work is too hard, sometimes the best solution is a kindly tutor. Rarely is anything academic so important that it justifies a taskmaster tutor.

Patient, pleasant, and even fun is usually what’s called for.

Social life

More kids are happy or not with school because of friends, lack thereof, or being targeted by a bully, which by the way, come in both sexes. One parental tactic to encourage good friends is to ask your child, “Who is the nicest kid in your class? Want to invite him or her to come with us to the movie (amusement park, whatever?) Think of yourself as a matchmaker.

Of course, kids often don’t tell all, so if you sense a problem, it couldn’t hurt to make a school visit, especially if you think the problem is social. (You may learn enough about your child's academic performance by examining the work at home.)

During recess, hang out on the schoolyard, although not so close to your child that s/he’ll be embarrassed. Even from a distance, you’ll learn something about how your child interacts. If you’re seeing your child ignored or ostracised, you might even do what I wish my mom would have done: Ask a popular kid or two for feedback. “Is Tommy doing anything to make him not liked?”

If my mom had done that, perhaps I would have learned much earlier that my attempts to be clever were seen as showing off.

The takeaway

As adults, it’s easy to forget how fraught school can be.

Perhaps these tips can help this be your child’s best school year yet. (psychologytoday.com)

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tuesDay, September 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Invest in security cameras – Region Linden-Georgetown hire car 3 Chamber warns businesses drivers protest relocation

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he Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) Chamber of Commerce and Industry is urging businesses to take their safety into their own hands and invest in security equipment, such as cameras that can record images of criminal elements in the dead of night.

According to the Chamber’s President, Radesh Rameshwar, the body has been meeting with Divisional Commander Leslie James in order to play its part in the crime fight.

“We’re asking businesses to put in security cameras. And we have been having regular meetings with the Commander and to assist them with things like motor bikes to help them be more active in their response to these crimes.”

He added, “For the business people, we want to urge them to be extremely careful. We want to advise them to invest in these cameras so it would help. Especially cameras with the night vision, so they can help in capturing these criminals.”

Rameshwar acknowledged that many of the normal cameras were excellent at capturing footage during daylight hours. But he noted that the resolution was poor during the night, hence his call for businesses to invest in night-vision cameras.

The Guyana Police Force had recently announced

S

The Region Three Chamber President urges the business community to complement the Police Force’s efforts

that it has recorded an 11 per cent decrease in serious crime up to the end of July, when compared to the same period last year.

In June, the Force also reported a seven per cent decrease in serious crime.

Based on statistics provided by the Guyana Police Force, there has been a 16 per cent reduction in the incidents of murder for the month of June; a four per cent decrease in incidents of robbery wherein no instrument was used; a five per cent decrease in incidents of robbery under arms; a four per cent decrease in incidents of robbery under arms wherein instruments other than firearms were used, but there has been a 64 per cent increase in incidents of robbery with violence and a 53 per cent increase in incidents of larceny from the person.

In addition, the Police have recorded a six per cent decrease in incidents of rape, as well as a one per

cent decrease in incidents of burglary and a 19 per cent decrease in incidents of break and enter and larceny.

Meanwhile, for July, there has been an 18 per cent decrease in incidents of murder; a 17 per cent decrease in incidents of robbery under arms; and a 10 per cent decrease in incidents of rape. Other crimes – such as robberies with violence, robbery with aggravation, and larceny from the person – are on the increase.

Seventy murders were committed for the year thus far, with those stemming from disorderly behaviour topping the list with 32.

Thirteen murders were committed as a result of domestic disputes; 11 stemmed from robberies; the motive behind eight was unknown, four were executions and two persons were killed for reasons other than those mentioned above.

100-acre Sunset Lakes...

FROM PAGE 3

Sunset Lakes Inc was first incorporated in April 2011, “with the vision of introducing for the first time in Guyana a five-star gated community offering all modern amenities namely New Life Community.”

The 100 acres of land was divided into two plots – the first of 71.09 acres was sold for $5 million per acre, while the remaining 28.91 acres cost $4 million per acre. The total cost was $471.09 million.

Sunset Lakes, under Tiwarie’s control at the time, agreed to complete infrastructural works, including paved roads, and drainage, electricity and water networks, within three months of the agreement being signed. This did not obtain.

Sunset Lakes was in 2015 ordered to attend a meeting with then Minister within the Communities Ministry Keith Scott, and other officials of the CH&PA

to explain the delays.

Efforts to contact the company’s named real estate/marketing personnel Amanda Lam proved futile as calls to the listed contact numbers went unanswered.

The sale of the 100 acres of land aback the Providence Stadium had attracted sustained criticism particularly from the then Opposition now Government of the day, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC).

everal hire car drivers plying the Linden/ Georgetown route have on Monday staged protest action outside the office of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) to register their opposition to a decision by the Council to relocate them from being stationed along the Co-op Crescent roadway to the Linden/ Georgetown minibus park.

The decision went into effect on September 1st but the dissatisfied drivers are up in arms, hoisting placards and voicing their concerns over the move, citing issues such as safety and what they described as the “ill- prepared state” of that section of the park to facilitate them. Some drivers have also posited that the LMTC did not have the authority to move them.

Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland invited the protesters into his office for discussion shortly after the protest started, and has noted that discussions were "fruitful.” He refuted claims that the Council did not have the authority to relocate drivers, and explained that after sever-

Protesters meeting with Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland

al consultations with the drivers and their association, an agreement was arrived at to facilitate the move.

He, however, said there appeared to be some miscommunication between some drivers who were not involved, and he deemed them "misguided". The Mayor said the Council, in an effort to bring order to the system of operation, facilitated the move, adding that the LindenGeorgetown park was also underutilized. He said the

Council is seeking to have proper systems in place to better facilitate the drivers, such as proper separation and different entry and exit points for minibuses and cars. Holland said proper park markings are also expected to be completed today, and the Council would be ensuring security measures by having constables present to maintain order on the park. He added that the Police have also pledged to do their part in ensuring security at the location.

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tuesday, September 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Hunting with the hounds…

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…and getting bitten here’s the old English observation about those who want to “run with the hare and hunt with the hounds”. The saying goes back to that quintessentially English sportsmanlike fun activity of having a pack of hounds (beagles) leading a pack of Englishmen to run down a poor hare or rabbit that would be killed and eaten at the end. The moral of the saying, of course, claims there are some who want to have it both ways - but it just can’t be done!!

If not for anything but you’ll end up being bitten by the hound! The poor hares, of course, can’t do anything when the putative two-timer is in their midst!! In Guyana, some in the PNC think WPA’s David Hinds exemplifies this schizoid tendency by insisting he supports the Government yet, on occasions, gives comfort to the enemy PPP! Hinds, however, insists he’s actually an “objective” analyst, so he has to criticise the Government on occasion. And he can’t understand why the Government snipes at him!

Hinds has a point. He’s NEVER ever supported the PPP - and in fact has vowed to oppose it to the bitter end, come what may. Take his latest supposed “pot shot” at the Government that claims the latter isn’t giving its partners in the coalition enough space at the table. The caption to his column in the Chronic says it all: “The coalition parties must be empowered if the PPP is to be stopped”. He’d merely insisting for more power to destroy the PPP. He ain’t running with THAT hare!

Describing the PPP as “a party that ruined Guyana”, he asserts they’ve been able to deploy “narratives” that have placed the Government on the back foot and threatened their chances of winning in 2020. All he’s pleading for is a chance to be “empowered,” to create some “counter narratives” to neutralise the PPP! So the PNC government hasn’t actually committed substantive actions that hurt Guyana - it’s just PPP’s PR (narratives) that’ve made it SEEM so!!

It would then appear the economy isn’t REALLY in a free-fall and the production of gold by some foreign firms isn’t being manipulated to suggest otherwise!!

That 10,000 sugar workers won’t lose their jobs. Or the $632 million pharma contract to ANSA isn’t really illegal - even though the Procurement Commission, headed by Mrs Corbin, says it is! Or the Exxon contract isn’t being released for the “good of Guyana”. Or insisting the Chief Justice’s interpretation of the Constitution on the GECOM Chair is her “perception” - not superior to Pressie’s!

Will Hinds ever realise, notwithstanding his sycophancy, the party of “sharper steel” will never hand him a sword!?

…to claim ruination But it’s such a shame that Hinds, who claims he’s a “Rodneyite”, has strayed so far from the latter’s praxis.

Let’s take his claim “the PPP ruined Guyana”. By what measure? The PPP removed the US$2.1billion debt the PNC left on the Guyanese people like a collective “goadie” in 1992. Ruination? They moved Guyana from a Highly Indebted Poor Country to an Upper Middle Income Country. Ruination?

The HIES surveys from 1992, 1999 and 2006 confirmed granularly that poverty was increasingly reduced and that urban residents (majority AfricanGuyanese) had higher incomes than rural and hinterland residents - Indians and Amerindians!

Ruination? Inequality in 1992, as measured by the GINI coefficient (“1” is perfect inequality; “0” is perfect equality) was .44 whereas by 2006 the UNDP confirmed it was down to.35! AND IMAGINE THE REST OF LAC WAS .48!! Ruination?

Schools, hospitals, community centres, etc were rebuilt, and the budget for social spending skyrocketed from the PNC days when rats were gnawing at children’s toes at GPHC. Ruination?

Schuups!! …in Cricket Pollard of the Tridents betrayed the unsportsmanlike conduct of the English hare-hunters when he deliberately bowled a no-ball that was also wide to Patriots’ Lewis, to deny the latter a shot at a well-deserved century.

What a wanker!!

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

TUESday, September 5, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

9

News

Govt pushes ahead with barring single moms from night shift

DDL financial report

Int’l operations rescue company …as Minister Scott directs colleagues to implement measures from ‘flat’ domestic market D D

emerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and its subsidiaries have recorded increased profits as a result of impressive performance on the international markets, where their turnover grew by 20%, despite the domestic turnover increasing by less than one per cent over the first six months of this year.

Komal Samaroo, Chairman of the DDL Board of Directors, noted that “while turnover in the domestic market was relatively flat, increasing marginally by 0.5 per cent in the period, turnover in our international markets grew by an impressive 20%.”

Samaroo this past weekend presented the DDL Interim Report for 2017, in which he reported that the company’s turnover on the domestic market remained ‘flat.’

The consolidated report has incorporated the accounts of subsidiaries Demerara Contractors and Engineers Limited, Demerara Shipping Company, Tropical Orchard Products Company (TOPCO), DDL Trinidad and Tobago, DDL St Kitts and Nevis, DDL United States of America, Demerara Rum Company Inc and Breitensteing Holdings BC. Also incorporated into the group’s accounts are National Rums of Jamaica, Diamond Fire and General Insurance Inc, and DDL Hyderabad.

Chairman of the DDL Board of Directors, Komal Samaroo

According to the information supplied in the company’s interim financial report for the first half of 2017, turnover for the first half of the year grew by seven per cent, increasing from $8.5 billion to almost $9.1billion.

Samaroo has since indicated that the DDL Group will continue to place “great emphasis on the development of its brands, particularly in its overseas markets.”

The company did manage to secure an increase in profit before taxes over the period when compared with last year, earning just about $154 million more.

The DDL Group, for the first half of 2017, earned $1.3billion before paying taxes. This compares well

with the $1.1billion it had earned during the previous year.

“Profit after taxation for the first half of the year was $936 million, compared to $805 million in the previous year,” according to Samaroo, the company’s Chairman.

The company currently boasts assets valued at the end of June at some $26.7 billion, down from the audited position at the end of 2016, which appraised DDL’s total assets to be $27 billion.

With just over $1 billion as cash in hand and at bank, its inventory at the end of June was recorded at just over $11.1billion, while its property, plant and equipment have been appraised at just over $9.5 billion.

According to the company’s consolidated statement of financial position, it has in excess of $346 million earmarked as recoverable taxes for the first half of the year, while its investments and investment properties total just over $2.7 billion.

The company is not without liability, since, according to its financial statement, it has close to $2 billion in loans which are due after one year, and another billion earmarked as deferred tax.

The company has also secured a bank overdraft in excess of $2 billion, while its trade and other payables stand at just over $1.1 billion.

espite the concerns raised by stakeholders regarding Junior Social Protection Minister Keith Scott’s plan to bar single mothers from working the night shift for security firms, he is forging ahead.

In a missive on Monday, it was communicated that Minister Scott has “no intention” of abandoning what the Ministry described as a “noble idea”. The Ministry made it clear that it planned to minimise and eventually eliminate night work for single mothers within the private security industry and as such, directives were issued to other Ministries.

“In pursuit of this noble idea, the Hon Minister is with immediate effect requesting his colleagues and other senior Government functionaries to take all feasible steps to give efficacy to the initiative,” the missive said.

“Accordingly, they are asked to ensure that with immediate effect the contracts for the provision of private security services provide for the exclusion of single mothers from night work,” it continued.

But while the missive noted the Government’s plan to eventually eliminate night work for single mothers, it went on to state that whatever policies were developed and implemented, they “should not run counter to the individual desire of a single mother who may elect to work at nights”.

The Ministry’s statement

Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott

said that Minister Scott “wishes to assure all interested stakeholders that this proposition is merely intended to promote the interest and safety of the family unit”.

The desire to bar single mothers from night work was first expressed by Scott during a seminar hosted by the Minister on August 24, 2017. Minister Scott had noted that his Ministry was concerned over the work arrangement for female security personnel in the field and the effect it has on single mothers.

“Many days when I report for duty, I am pained and grieved to be greeted at 7:30 am by a female security officer who had worked the night before,” he had expressed. “I’m unsure whether or not the private security

industry has carefully examined the impact which night work has had and continues to have on women…”

According to the Department of Public Information, the Minister had called for the development and implementation of policies to completely prevent women from working the night shift.

But in the days after this pronouncement, a number of persons, particularly on social media, had expressed concern over the Minister’s statement, and it had been labelled an infringement on gender equality. According to the Government in the statement, it is mindful of the criticisms it initially attracted during the workshop last month. However, it said Government was “confident” that feminist organisations would agree with eliminating night work.

“Being mindful of the concerns raised by certain sections of the wider society, the Ministry remains confident that the feminist organisations would find favour with the elimination of Night Work by single mothers that would go a far way in repairing the moral fabric of our society which is seriously negatively affected,” the Minister’s statement said. It was only in March of 2017 that Social Protection Minister Amna Ally had urged developed Caricom countries to adhere to their commitments to make gender equality and women empowerment a priority.

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TUESday, September 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

EBD resident remanded on narco charge

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rland Simon of Lot 62 First Street, Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara was on Monday remanded to prison when he appeared before Linden Magistrate Clive Nurse charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, the 21-year-old denied the prosecutor’s contention that Police, conducting a routine stop-and-search operation on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway at Bamia on August 31, discovered in

Orland Simon

his possession eight grammes of cannabis sativa packaged in small Ziploc bags.

The Prosecutor, however, contended that the father of one was a passenger in a minibus heading into the interior when he was nabbed with the prohibited substance.

The Prosecutor objected to bail on grounds of the seriousness and gravity of the offence, and bail was thus denied. The defendant has been remanded to prison until October 4.

Fisherman on bail for simple larceny

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isherman Arshal Ali was on Monday arraigned before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman on a simple larceny charge allegedly committed on August 31, 2017 at the junction

of Regent and Alexander Streets in Georgetown, when he stole from Nickeiola Cameron-Cole one handbag, a purse and $7,000 cash, to a total of $20,000.

Police Prosecutor Sanj

Singh detailed that virtual complainant CameronCole was sitting in a car stuck in traffic when the defendant approached the motor vehicle from behind and snatched the bag which was in the back seat. A re-

port made to the Police led to Ali’s arrest and positive identification by the VC. The Magistrate placed Ali on $60,000 bail, and scheduled the case for continuation on October 5, 2017.

Botched drug smuggling lands artist in jail – 61-year-old attempted to smuggle ganja into Camp St Prison

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raftsman Ishwar Persaud of Leopold Street, Georgetown was on Monday arraigned before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman on a charge alleging that, on August 31, 2017, he attempted to smuggle into the Camp Street Penitentiary 20 grams of marijuana reportedly con-

cealed in the soles of a pair of boots.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, the 61-year-old pleaded not guilty to the offence of trafficking in narcotics, and explained that his neighbour had asked him to take the footwear to a remand prisoner named Ralph Franklin.

Police allege that on the day of the incident, the elderly man had visited the prison, and searches conducted on his person revealed the narcotics hidden in the said footwear.

He was thereafter escorted to the Alberttown Police Station (Georgetown), where the leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be marijuana

were weighed in his presence.

He was subsequently charged with the present offence.

Persaud was not placed on bail, and will remain incarcerated until September 18, 2017, when the matter will be called again at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for a pre-emptory hearing. (Paula Gomes)

Logger remanded on ammo possession charge A

ppearing on Monday before Linden Magistrate Clive Nurse on a charge of possession of ammunition without a licence, forty-three-year-old logger Sunil Roopnarine of Alliance Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) pleaded not guilty to the charge; and defence counsel Yohance Welcome, in an application for bail, noted that the

defendant, sole bread-winner for his family, denied having knowledge of the said ammunition, and was arrested only because he was implicated by the minibus conductor.

Counsel noted that the defendant was at the time a passenger of a minibus heading into the interior, and the bag in which the ammunition was found was neither on the defen-

dant's person nor did he claim ownership of the bag.

But the prosecution, in objecting to the defendant being placed on bail, cited the seriousness and gravity of the offence, and detailed that the father of three was reportedly nabbed with six live twelve-gauge cartridges by Police conducting a routine stop-and-search operation at Bamia on the Linden-

Soesdyke Highway on August 31. The ammunition was allegedly found in a white salt bag which the defendant told Police belonged to him. Further checks on the bag revealed the presence of the ammunition, and the defendant was accordingly arrested.

Magistrate Nurse thus remanded the defendant to prison until October 4.

Dem extremists, propagandists and hero-worshippers deh pon am again!

I

n the upcoming weeks, I will examine some not-too-explored themes, in what I term the Indo-phone zone of Guyana, in an attempt to foster a better understanding of an ethnic group that is not well understood. I begin this week with the exploration of some dynamics that transpired on the Indian sea voyage to the Caribbean.

The Indian sea voyage was the most mysterious and most dangerous aspect of the Guyanese Indian indentured experience. It was mysterious mainly because it happened on the high seas, away from public view; as well, only a handful of Indian passengers wrote about their sea voyage experience.

We are left to ponder. It was dangerous mainly because it was a voyage that had to cross the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, but more so the southern tip of Africa. The waves around the southern tip of Africa were notoriously high and rough, rocking the ships like a baby in a hammock without that gentle Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine feeling. When this was about to happen, a few Indians, some with previous experience, would shout Pagla Samoondar (the mad sea), informing the entire shipload of about 400 Indians that the mad sea is about to act up, and so that they would duck to the floor or run for cover from one end of the ship to the other. In some ways, it seemed like they were trapped in a floating war zone, and had no choice but to wait it out.

Unfortunately, we know very little of how traumatized these individuals were after their sea voyage experience.

What we do know more about is that, in the midst of this Pagla Samoondar experience, there was the presence of disease, death, rape, anxiety, fear, and feelings of separation from Darti Mata (home); then almost unbeknown to some, the appearance of new ones onto a new world -- the most appreciative aspect of the journey. I do not know if these new ones were giving any make-shift birth ceremony, as in India.

However, Hindu babies born anywhere during the sea voyage were named Samoondar for male and Samoondari for female; which of course means born at sea. The name Samoondar has changed so much over the years to look differently, like Samsundar or Shamsundar; but, fundamentally, the name means your ancestors were born at sea, not in India or British Guiana. You have a unique historical sea/Samsoodar citizenship.

I am not sure how many babies were born on the sea voyage. The records show that on most ships of about 350400 Indian passengers, there were about 15 infants; half of the infants might have been born on the ships. An estimated 75100 infants might have been born and survived the sea voyage from 1838 to 1917, and some of these infants grew up and started a new family in British Guiana, or went back to India with their parents. I thought this information might be useful to contemporary Indians who wish to trace their roots and routes.

The mad sea produced another interesting dynamic.

You are probably familiar with the nineteenth century Indian social caste structure wherein individuals were born to specific stations of life with limited opportunities for upward social mobility. On board the ship were high, middle and low castes, which was really an uncommon situation, since members of different castes did not mix and mingle. Limited space on board the ship did not allow for the social liberty of separation. As expected, one day a huge quarrel broke out among the castes about maintaining separate caste rules with regard to what, where and when to have meals. The high caste did not want to eat with, or share food with, the low caste; and then, in the midst of this quarrel, a huge wave hit the ship and all the food was mixed up. It then became a choice of sharing or starving.

The different castes decided to share food, space, feelings and so forth, which led to the formation of Jahaja Bhai and Jahaja Bahin (ship brothers and sisters) across caste and religion, something they would take with them to the plantations of British Guiana.

I am baffled as to why the Indian Chapatti, a popular Roti staple in India, did not make it across the Kala Pani. There are, of course, Clap-Hand Roti in Guyana and Suriname, and BussUp-Shut Roti in Trinidad, but they bear no resemblance to Roti in India. In my many lengthy conversations with scholar Dr. Brinsley Samaroo, I gathered that the Indian sea voyage might have contributed to this rupture. What happened was that Indian cooks on board the ships found a short cut to their daily work routine. Instead of making over 600 chapattis every day, they decided to have a large cooking tawa, a round and flat cooking utensil, to make lesser larger Roties, which eventually led to a new tradition of making Roti in the Caribbean. The Indians preferred the new tradition because it was less time consuming for them. The outcome was that, like caste, firewalking, hook-swinging customs, the making of Chapatti never survived the sea voyage crossing.

Conversely, the Shraddha (dead work), a ceremony performed 13 days after a Hindu person has died, did not occur on the voyage. There might have been some Sannyasis who preferred no Shraddha ceremony upon death. Generally speaking, the deceased were wrapped in cloth and thrown overboard. Interestingly, however, the Shraddha ceremony has survived in the Indo-phone Caribbean. (lomarsh.roopnarine@ jsusm.edu).

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TUESDAY, september 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GPF undergoing capacity building

Proud Batavians kick off Ramjattan urges Police hierarchy to be professional Heritage Month celebrations T A

s the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues with efforts to reform its operations, the capacity building department of the Force’s Strategic Planning Unit was commissioned on Monday and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan called on the hierarchy of the law enforcement agency to build on its leadership and professionalism.

The Minister gave this encouragement at the police officers’ training centre in Eve Leary, Georgetown, where he said that under the United Kingdom’s Security Sector Reform Programme (SSRP), the GPF would be able to implement the reforms.

“Our Police Force needs an improved capacity and capability in the area of professional strengthening in leadership, which will empower the Force to initiate reforms and to strategically plan out for the realisation of these objectives,” he noted Ramjattan expressed appreciation for the UK’s support in assisting the security sector, calling the nation one of Guyana’s allies. The capacity-building department was opened as Britain continues to carry out its objectives by providing assistance under the SSRP. Referencing the recently-halted Police promotions that followed the commencement of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into an alleged assassination attempt against the President, the Public Security Minister noted the need for an overhaul of the guidelines that govern the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force.

“Indeed with all that has happened recently and highlighted in the news concerning our Police

Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan

Minister

Force, especially its upper echelons, there is need for strategic rethink,” Ramjattan asserted.

UK experts Paul Mathais and Andy Odell are in Guyana to offer support in matters of security and to assist in the sector’s reforms under the guidance of Presidential Advisor under the SSRP, Russell Combe.

After he carried out an assessment of the reforms that were needed within the local Police Force, Combe handed over his preliminary findings to the Guyana Government in June 2017. One of the advisor’s key focal points related to the prison system where it was noted that many prisoners were on remand for longer than the prison sentence they would receive if they were convicted.

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn also addressed Monday’s commissioning of the department. He informed the gathering that the launch was just one of several initiatives planned over the next few months to assist the country’s security sector.

“It also adds to the sup-

port we are giving to other areas of the security sector – the Prison Service, Defence Force, and specialised agencies such as the Special Organised Crime Unit,” Quinn disclosed.

“We also expect it to support and sustain relevant reform programmes and the implementation of those reform action plans for broader security reform within the Police,” the Ambassador added.

Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine welcomed the addition to the unit, indicating his willingness to see the realisation of strategies recommended under the programme.

“More and more, every sector of society is depending, requesting, demanding improved services from the Police Force,” he told the participants.

An initial training exercise with stakeholders followed Monday’s launch and two officers from the Surinamese Police Force were present to support and train locals, along with the UK experts under the Strategic Planning Unit’s Capacity Building.

It was during a meeting with former British Prime Minister David Cameron in September 2015 that President David Granger requested that the multimillion-dollar SSRP be revived.

After this request, an analysis was subsequently conducted on the current state of the local security sector and how the UK Government could assist Guyana.

As part of the implementation phase, UK security expert Combe was first recruited on a one-year programme where he guided and advised the Guyanese Government on reforming the security sector.

he start of Indigenous Month was officially launched in the Lower Mazaruni sub- region with Batavia’s Heritage Day celebrations on Sunday.

Residents from Bartica and surrounding communities converged at Batavia’s Arian Island, located in the Lower Cuyuni River, Region Seven, to celebrate with the Batavia community.

Toshao Eyon Boyal highlighted that Bataiva is a leader in Heritage celebrations, with its first ever Heritage Day dating back to the early 90s. “Batavia has always maintained a rich cultural environment,” Boyal said, as he launched the day’s festivities.

Stalls offering indigenous craft and food at the heritage celebration

Region Seven Chairman, Gordon Bradford, also made brief remarks at the occasion, encourag-

Junior Miss Batavia Novita Pawelae

Boyal charged the Indigenous people to preserve their heritage beyond the celebration of Heritage Month. “Continue to be the proud Indigenous persons you are, and let us continue to empower ourselves,” he is quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information.

ing Indigenous residents to work together for the development of their communities.

“Don’t ask yourself what Batavia can do for you, but ask yourself what you can do to further the development of Batavia and each and every Amerindian community, so that our children and the

future generations would be assured of a better life in the future,” Bradford said.

Heavy wind and rain delayed the start of the Heritage celebration, but did not stop the flow of visitors to the island, who indulged in the various indigenous food, like tuma pot and various wild meats, as well as piwari and fly, as they waited out the bad the weather.

When the skies cleared in the afternoon, patrons participated in piwari drinking and tacuma worm eating contests.

The highlight of the Heritage celebration was the Batavia Junior Heritage pageant. Seven young ladies vied for the Junior Heritage Pageant Crown. The contestants displayed their cultural dresses and talents, while their various platforms tackled serious social issues affecting their community, like the school dropout rate and preserving their culture.

The pageant was interspersed with cultural dances from the Batavia Culture Group. As dusk fell on Arian Island, young Novita Pawelae was crowned Junior Ms Batavia as patrons continued to celebrate into the evening.

12 news

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Education Month launches with ‘wellness’ theme

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s schools across the country opened their doors on Monday, the Education Ministry launched Education Month 2017, which focuses on wellness and family, with the aim of linking academics with community development. The fact that education is at the heart of community development prompted this year’s theme “Promoting Wellness in Communities through Quality Education.”

It was announced by

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson, who told a gathering at Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, that quality education was a human right.

“We at the Ministry of Education have been working assiduously to ensure our children from every part of Guyana, including the hinterland, enjoy the best possible education. We have provided the foundation for equity and purposeful development by improv-

Students performing a cultural piece at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown

ing the quality of teacher education,” the CEO told the gathering.

Hutson noted that these improvements focused on developing continuous professional development programmes geared at addressing the weaknesses of some teachers. To this end, provision was made for training and coaching in the subject areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and literacy. The CEO indicated that for this new academic year, there will also be a review of the school curriculum. He further committed that school dormitories would be maintained.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Nicolette Henry highlighted the need to implement objectives and policies that would improve on this year’s results at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

She said that Education Month allowed time and opportunity for the Ministry to engage all of its stakeholders – teachers, parents, students, organisations and the general public.

“We will galvanise our resources to showcase education whether it be through

A section of the gathering at the launch of Education Month 2017

fairs, rallies, radio, television programmes and social media,” she highlighted.

Minister Henry, however, added that there should be more feedback among the stakeholders, and told the gathering that this would strengthen the Ministry’s strategies and systems. She further outlined some of the measures slated to improve access to education.

“The overarching priorities for the Ministry of Education for this new academic year will see us focus-

ing on reducing the disparity in education by making sure all schools are working to the same high standard.

The Government of Guyana has a principled objective of its public policy to strengthen the administration of the 10 regions and to improve the delivery of education and other public services,” she explained.

As part of that policy, the Minister noted that there would be the establishing of regional technical institutes to provide access

to technical education for a greater number of the country’s young people.

The gathering also heard that the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) and Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) will spearhead programmes that will see additional and enhanced use of technology in the nation’s classrooms.

The observances and festivities that are associated with Education Month will conclude on October 5.

Govt mulls adding Indigenous Essequibo fuel bond fire electrical in origin languages to school curriculum – businessman wants GPL to answer

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he Sunday afternoon fire that broke out at the head office complex of Francis Shurland and Sons Inc of Adventure, Essequibo Coast and had threatened a fuel bond on the premises is believed to be electrical in origin.

Breaking out at around 14:30 hrs, the fire destroyed the first building in the compound, but fuel was stored in another building at the back

firmed that investigators have looked at reports that a rotten Guyana Power and Light (GPL) electricity pole with lamp had fallen on the now destroyed building prior to the fire.

in flames, hence the structure was gutted.

Mc Donald said 4 firefighters had managed to extinguish the flames and save the huge fuel tanks that were in the compound.

The building that was gutted by fire

Meanwhile, the businessman’s son, David Shurland, has said no word or feedback has been received from the GPL, but the company’s losses have amounted to millions.

The buildings, meaThe fire on Sunday afternoon broke out at the head office complex of a suring approximately popular businessman on the Essequibo Coast, and for a while threatened 60 feet x12 feet, and mayhem because of the huge fuel tanks on the premises 15feet x13feet’, usually used for storing He said the Anna Regina lubricants, tyres and other of the compound.

Station responded combustibles, were severeHead of the Anna Fire Regina Fire Station, Clive promptly, but the building ly damaged. (Indrawattie McDonald, on Monday con- was immediately engulfed Natram)

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ndigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock said President David Granger has requested that the languages of the Indigenous peoples of Guyana be taught in schools.

The Minister made this statement on Thursday last, during the Dr Desrey Caesar-Fox Memorial Lecture at the Guyana Folk Festival in Brooklyn, New York. He explained: “With language, if our Indigenous people do not know their language, they are not complete. Language is the identity; language helps us to understand the laws of nature which allows us to have an environment that has a healthy ecosystem.”

The lecture, which was held at the St Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, had an impressive turnout as Dr Walter Edwards, the founder of Amerindian Languages Project (ALP), gave a comprehensive overview on the project, elements of understanding Indigenous languages as opposed to English, and Dr Fox’s vital role in what is known today as the “Indigenous Languages Project” at the University of Guyana.

The project, which was founded in 1977, originally had a team of 15 persons. Dr Fox was the first Amerindian research assistant recruited and attached to the special project. Fox

The late Desrey Caesar-Fox

Minister Sydney Allicock

was born January 2, 1955 in Waramadong, an Akawaio village. She grew up trilingual – speaking Akawaio, Arecuna, and English. Dr Edwards remarked that her contribution was “superb”.

He explained that “a vast majority of the ALP’s work has been erased from the record of the current Amerindian Research Unit, which owes its existence to the ALP”.

According to the Department of Public Information, the memorial lecture discussed the structure of the Akawaio/ Arecuna languages – phonological, grammatical; economic activities of the people and the roots of the languages.

Dr Edwards, now a Linguistics Professor at Wayne State University, said he aimed to use “the linguistics information gar-

nered from these descriptions to reveal to teachers of Amerindian children and to educational policymakers the major linguistic and cultural differences between English and these languages”.

In 2015, the Government announced the re-establishment of the ALP at University of Guyana.

“Dr Fox sadly did not finish her journey,” Minister Allicock said, noting that she would be remembered for her invaluable contribution to Guyana’s history.

She was the Minister within the Education Ministry, for four years (2006-2009) and died in an accident in 2009.

The Government of Guyana has renamed the Waramadong Secondary in the Upper Mazaruni the Desrey Caesar-Fox Secondary School in honour of Dr Fox.

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TUESDAY, september 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

14 news

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Miss World Guyana to launch Mentally ill man wanders Fitness Park, Diabetic Centre off in Parfaite Harmonie …DeSinco pledges commitment through …distressed sister seeks assistance in financial support locating her brother

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Representatives of DeSinco Trading joined by Miss World Guyana Vena Mookram and Inter-Guiana Games gold medallist Jemiecia Scott

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s local beauty queen Vena Mookram gears up for the international pageant in China, the 18-year-old will on Sunday launch Guyana’s first Fitness Park and Diabetic Centre at Avenue A, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.

This announcement was made during a presentation ceremony on Monday, during which DeSinco Trading pledged its commitment to this venture by offering financial support.

While addressing the gathering, Mookram explained the objectives of the undertaking: “The Miss World Pageant is not just a beauty pageant, it is a pageant of purpose. All of the contestants are asked to take up a social cause and try their very best to intervene and come up with a solution to reduce this problem. I have decided to undertake the Beauty with a Purpose project of Diabetes Prevention through diet and exercise.”

The 2017 queen highlighted that the establishment of the Fitness Park and Diabetic Centre was one of the main compo-

nents of her project.

Presenting the cheque on the company’s behalf was DeSinco’s Marketing Manager, Mark Kendall.

“Diabetes is a very chronic disease in Guyana and the more we are educated and the more focus on this platform will make us even more aware of what diabetes really is.

Your (Mookram’s) contribution is definitely significant at this time,” he noted in indicating what prompted the company’s involvement.

Kendall further extended best wishes to the Miss World delegate as she embarks on her journey to represent Guyana on the international stage, stating, “I know you have been doing a lot of work and your platform tells a lot.”

The launch of the Fitness Park and Diabetic Centre is set for Sunday, September 10 at the Diamond location, and will facilitate the staging of a medical outreach.

The Park will be opened to the public, while the Centre, which will operate on a weekly schedule, will serve the medical needs of persons within the envi-

rons, with the primary focus of preventing diabetes.

As such, it will be operated by the Diabetes Association of Guyana.

Given that the Beauty with a Purpose Campaign carries the most weight at the Miss World Pageant, this grand venture will be a significant boost as Mookram competes along with scores of beauties from across the world.

The Guyanese queen is set to take the international stage on November 18 as she vies for this year’s Miss World crown.

Meanwhile, also awarded by DeSinco Trading at the ceremony on Monday was Jemiecia Scott, the daughter of an employee.

Scott, a student of The Bishops’ High School, has represented Guyana at the Inter-Guiana Games for the past two years. On both occasions, the young woman copped gold medals in the shot-put and discus events.

She too expressed gratitude to the business establishment and thereby indicated that she would continue to represent Guyana at the annual games.

Man in Mon Repos accident identified

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he young driver who crashed his grey Toyota Premio motorcar into a bridge on the railway embankment at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) over the weekend has been identified as 18-year-old Anthony Jairam of Success, East Coast Demerara.

His condition was initially listed as critical, but Guyana Times was told on Monday that he is now listed as stable.

Jairam was reportedly speeding in a northerly direction along the railway embankment at about 14:00h on Sunday when he lost control of his vehicle and it crashed into a bridge. The impact of this crash caused the car to spin around and

distressed Gladys Prince is asking the public to very kindly help her locate her brother, 63-year-old Leo Prince, who last Wednesday wandered away from her Lot 977 La Parfaite Harmonie residence, on the West Bank of Demerara, and has since not been seen or heard from.

She has reportedly made several attempts to locate the man, but all have proven futile.

According to the woman, on the morning of her brother’s wandering away, she had departed for work, leaving him in the care of her daughter, a student of the University of Guyana.

And when this young lady was about to offer her uncle his breakfast, she realised that he had departed the yard. Upon launching a search for her uncle, neighbours informed the girl that he had been seen leaving the yard at around 10:30hrs.

Several searches since undertaken have all proven futile in locating the man. A report was accordingly filed at the La Grange Police Station, but feed-

crash into another section of the bridge before finally coming to a halt.

Public-spirited persons pulled the teenager from the badly damaged vehicle in an unconscious state, and he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital

(GPHC) emergency unit with severe injuries to his face and body.

A shop owner who had witnessed the accident told this publication that the entire upper body of the injured man was bloodied.

back in regard to an update is yet to be offered.

This publication understands that Prince – who is neither married nor has ever fathered children -was six years ago diagnosed at the Georgetown Public Hospital as “mentally ill.”

Moreover, Prince’s sister has relayed to the Guyana Times that this is not the first time her brother has gone missing. She

Culture is “backbone” of Guyanese society – Social Cohesion Minister

Social Cohesion Minister George Norton was all smiles as he joined the Indigenous Dance Group of Annai, Region Nine in a tribal dance

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The badly damaged Toyota Premio

Missing: Leo Prince

explained that her brother had, sometime in July, similarly wandered away, but had returned home early the following morning.

She recalled he had told her he had forgotten his way home, and had to ask persons along the roadway to assist him.

Given that 5 days have passed since her brother had last been seen, Ms Gladys Prince is quite naturally fearful for the safety of her loved one, and is apprehensive that something might have gone wrong with him... She is nevertheless hopeful for his safe return, and is urging members of the public, especially those residing within the area, to venture out in search efforts, reports of which may possibly lead to locating the missing man.

Prince was last seen wearing a white jersey, black pants and a pair of slippers.

Anyone with information regarding the man’s whereabouts is asked to very kindly contact his sister, Gladys Prince on 6389748 or 638-9219, or the nearest police station.

ulture preservation is vital in consolidating national identity, therefore, it is imperative that we as Guyanese continue to practise the culture of our foreparents as opposed to embracing the culture of foreign countries which undoubtedly would lead down the path to identity erosion.

This sentiment was expressed by Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton, during the inaugural Harmony Festival on Sunday, hosted under the theme, “Inter-Denominational Unity for a Cohesive Guyana”.

The event was hosted by the Social Cohesion Ministry in partnership with the Harmony Group, at the

Family Federation for World Peace in Thomas Street, Georgetown.

Dr Norton expressed his support for cultural events which facilitate cross-interaction between cultures hence nurturing greater appreciation among the diverse ethnicities in Guyana.

Meanwhile, Programme Coordinator of the Social Cohesion Ministry, Sharon Patterson said the event aimed to enlighten the general populace that diversity was not limited to race and ethnicity, but rather inclusive of all other differences, such as age, geographical location and gender.

Harmony Fest 2017 featured religious items and

crafts on display and cultural pieces performed by Indigenous dance troupes hailing from Annai, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo); the Elim Pentecostal Church; the Unified Tassa Group; the Guyana Police Force’s steel orchestra and the Shelita Dance Group among others.

The Harmony Festival was conceived earlier this year when several Christian groups around Georgetown completed training in diversity education and inclusion conducted by the Social Cohesion Ministry which required the trainees to develop a community project projecting Guyana’s cultural diversity.

15 Region 7 exploring No hiccups in Berbice storm shelters as schools reopen news

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

– for Upper Mazaruni communities

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egion Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford has said there is need to develop storm shelters in Upper Mazaruni communities.

Following the recent destruction of buildings in Kako after a windstorm, Bradford told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the Region is working with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and the Guyana Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to develop storm-resistant infrastructure.

“We have identified some buildings which are concrete in nature, and we know that it will take a really severe wind to remove that.

So, in the event of the heavy storm, residents

Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford

should seek shelter at these buildings,” Bradford said.

A recent storm destroyed six buildings and damaged others, including the school in Kako, some mere months

after the community was assailed by flooding. Bradford said there have been increased reports of stormy weather occurring in Upper Mazaruni communities.

“My information is that, over the past five or six days, this has been a regular occurrence around 2-2:30, 3 o’clock in the afternoon, (there is) this thunderstorm, lightning, thunder, rains and the heavy winds. So, my advice to residents is to look out and be prepared,” he said.

Jawalla, another Region Seven community, was hit by a similar windstorm late in August, resulting in one death. The Region Seven Administration has been working with the CDC to monitor these communities and provide relief where needed.

Hurricane Irma: Caribbean islands brace for powerful storm

Works still being done to complete the Number 36 Primary School

By Andrew Carmichael

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o major hiccups were reported during the reopening of schools in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on Monday.

However, there were reports that school attendance was a bit below what was expected on the first day of school in Berbice.

Special attention was placed on schools which underwent repair works during the holiday period.

“Most of those schools had a smooth transition and some even had what could be determined as a reasonable turnout on the first day. So it means that children really want to go to school so we

Secondary and the Number 36 Primary. According to the Regional Chairman, at the Number 36 Primary, it may take another week for work to be completed.

He explained that some painting was still to be done while some small works on the building were incomplete as well.

At the Fyrish Primary School, the contractor is still painting the outside of the building. Parents have raised concerns over the use of the school building, since the contractor, only a few days ago, completed painting works on the inside of the building.

However, the school’s administration has reassured that the fresh paint poses no

Vrymen's Erven Secondary.

He pointed out that there has always been a furniture shortage there, with the school in need of more than 200 pieces.

The Regional Chairman said he was pleasantly surprised on Monday to find the condition the school was in.

He also expressed satisfaction at the high attendance on day one of the new school year.

“It is a troublesome school and it is not always that you find that things would be in order there, but like I said I was pleasantly surprised this morning [Monday].”

Meanwhile, on the East Bank of Berbice, attendance at the Friends Primary has been reduced to 130 students, representing only half of what it

The forecast track of Hurricane Irma

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urricane Irma has been upgraded to a powerful category four as warnings have been issued for several Caribbean islands in preparation for the storm.

The hurricane has sustained winds of up to 215 kilometres per hour (130 miles per hour) and is likely to strengthen in the next 48 hours, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said.

Irma is projected to hit the Leeward Islands, causing storm surges, life-threatening winds and torrential rain.

The US state of Florida has declared a state of emergency.

It comes as residents in Texas and Louisiana are reeling from the effects of Hurricane Harvey, which struck as a category four storm, causing heavy rain and destroying thousands of homes.

However, the NHC warned that it was too early to forecast Irma's exact path or effects on the continental US. It may cause rainfall

of up to 25 centimetres (10 inches) in some northern ar-

Anguilla, St Kitts

and

Montserrat, Nevis, St The Vrymen’s Erven Secondary School

have to put things in place.

To make sure that they are as comfortable as possible,” Regional Chairman David Armogan said.

Two schools in the Region have not been completed; those are the Manchester

harm to the students since the windows of the building were left open over the past weekend.

Meanwhile, Armogan says one of the schools in the Region that have raised concerns has always been the

used to be five years ago. This has been attributed to the fact that many persons have been migrating as new housing schemes open up in more urban communities. That school is one of four schools along the East Bank of Berbice.

Residents of Puerto Rico have been stocking water and other supplies (Reuters photo)

Syrian army, allies thrust east to break siege in Deir al-Zor city

eas and raise water levels by up to 3 metres (9 feet) above normal levels, the NHC said.

Puerto Rico also declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard.

Governor Ricardo Rossello announced the opening of emergency shelters able to house up to 62,000 people, and schools would be closed on Tuesday.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for the islands of Antigua and Barbuda,

ith a sudden lunge through jihadist lines, the Syrian army and its allies on Monday came to within three kilometres of relieving the Euphrates city of Deir al-Zor, where Islamic State has besieged 93,000 civilians and an army garrison for years.

The advance on the eastern city marks another stinging setback for the once-triumphant Islamic

Martin, Sint Maarten, St Barthelemy, Saba and St Eustatius. It means that hurricane conditions are expected in the next 36 hours.

A hurricane watch is in effect for some of the more populous parts of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, British Virgin Islands and US Virgin Islands, meaning that hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours.

(BBC News)

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State, fast retreating in both Iraq and Syria as its self-declared caliphate crumbles.

Syrian troops were rapidly approaching the city, reaching a point 3 km (2 miles) away, State television said. Dozens of trucks loaded with food stood ready to enter the enclave in the city once Government forces break the siege, it said.

A military media unit run by Hezbollah, a key ally of Damascus, said the ad-

vancing forces were heading to the garrison’s camp on the city outskirts.

Deir al-Zor’s provincial governor told Reuters he expected the army could reach the city within hours.

“Islamic State is in confusion. There is no leadership or centralised control,” said a commander in the military alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

Regional

Colombian Government, Venezuela’s Opposition-led Congress seeks support in Paris ELN rebels agree ceasefire

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e n e z u e l a ’ s Opposition-led Congress leaders met on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron to press for humanitarian aid for their crisis-hit nation, on the first leg of a European tour seeking support against President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro’s Government has been criticised by the United Nations, Washington and other Governments for failing to allow the entry of foreign aid to ease a severe economic crisis, while it overrides Venezuela’s Opposition-led Congress and jails hundreds of opponents.

“I stressed the urgency of opening up the door to humanitarian aid in Venezuela,” Congress President Julio Borges said, adding that Macron had been eager to help.

“We want the government of Maduro to open the door to this humanitarian help,” Borges said.

The Opposition won control of Congress in 2015. But

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French President Emmanuel Macron (second right ) talks with Venezuelan Congress President Julio Borges (left) and Vice President Freddy Guevara (second left) during a meeting, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, September 4, 2017

Maduro’s loyalist Supreme Court has tossed out every major law it has passed as the oil-rich country slips deeper into a recession exacerbated by triple-digit inflation and acute shortages of food and medicines.

Maduro has said he is facing an “armed insurrection” designed to end social-

ism in Latin America and let a US-backed business elite get its hands on the nation’s massive crude reserves.

In Caracas on Monday, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza summoned Ambassadors from Spain, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom to issue a note of protest ac-

cusing them of meddling in Venezuela’s internal affairs.

There has been widespread criticism of Maduro around Europe, with Macron last week saying his administration was “a dictatorship trying to survive at the cost of unprecedented humanitarian distress”. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

egotiators from the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group say they have agreed a temporary ceasefire with the Colombian Government.

It is the first time the two sides have agreed a ceasefire in more than 50 years of conflict.

The announcement comes less than 48 hours before Pope Francis is due to visit Colombia.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said the truce would begin on October 1 and would last until January 12.

In a tweet in Spanish, the ELN wrote: “Yes we could!

We thank all of those who backed our efforts to reach this #BilateralCeasefire.”

And in another statement, the rebel group said that “the visit of Pope Francis should provide extra motivation to speed up the search for an agreement”.

President Santos said the truce could be extended beyond its current January

12 deadline Meanwhile, President Santos said in a televised speech that the “the priority is to protect citizens, so during this period, kidnappings, attacks on oil pipelines and other hostilities against the civilian population will cease”.

He added that there was a chance the ceasefire, which would initially last for 102 days, could be extended beyond its current deadline.

The Government in turn reportedly has agreed to improve the conditions of jailed ELN rebels and to boost the security of activist leaders, a growing number of whom have been killed in recent months.

The negotiations started just months after the Colombian Government and Colombia’s biggest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), signed a peace deal.

The FARC has since become a political party. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

Italian mafia boss Bahamas Govt warns against price held in Uruguay gouging ahead of Hurricane Irma

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ne of Italy’s most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run from convictions for mafia association and drug trafficking.

Rocco Morabito of the ‘Ndrangheta organised crime gang was detained in the resort of Punta del Este.

Uruguayan Police said he had been living there for more than 10 years under a false identity.

He was nicknamed “cocaine king of Milan” for his involvement in shipping the drug from South America to Italy.

The ‘Ndrangheta controls much of the world’s cocaine trade and Police say Morabito was behind the smuggling of hundreds of kilos of cocaine from Brazil to Italy.

Morabito is believed to have arrived in Uruguay in 2002.

Police arrested Morabito in a hotel in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. But officials said he had settled in the resort of Punta del Este with false Brazilian identity papers in the name of Francisco Capeletto.

A police search of his properties revealed a 9mm gun, 13 mobile phones and 150 passport-sized photos of Morabito in different guises.

His wife was also de-

tained.

According to his lawyer, Morabito has been leading “a normal life” since 1994 and has not engaged in any criminal activities since then.

He is currently being held in Uruguay for falsifying documents but is expected to be extradited to Italy in the coming months.

Last year, Police in Italy found a ‘Ndrangheta mafia boss who had been on the run for 18 years hidden in a bunker in the mountains of Calabria. (BBC News)

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s The Bahamas prepares for a potential impact from Hurricane Irma heading into the weekend, the Government is warning retailers and wholesalers they will feel the full weight of the law if they try to take advantage of the situation to price gouge.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Office of Prime Minister advised the general public and all retailers and wholesalers of essential items, particularly breadbasket food items, medical and prescription drug supplies

as well as hurricane preparedness items, such as plywood and nails, that “price gouging, and specifically the hoarding of items for speculation or profiteering, as well as the marking-up of prices by retailers and wholesalers in the advent of a potential natural disaster” are criminal offences.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has instructed the Prices Commission to begin a programme of strict supervision, review and monitoring of the prices being charged for the essential items, starting immediately.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis

The Commission will report any suspected violations to the Office of the Attorney General which has, in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Royal Bahamas Police Force, committed to aggressively investigate any information which might indicate any “price gouging”, and to act accordingly.

The Bahamas is not under any watches or warnings. However, projections have put Hurricane Irma to impact the country late in the week into next weekend.

(Caribbean360)

Guatemalan President may be investigated in campaign finance case

G

u a t e m a l a ’ s Constitutional Court opened the door on Monday to an inquiry of President Jimmy Morales for illegal campaign financing, but the Central American country’s Congress will have the final say on whether his immunity is removed.

Guatemala’s Attorney General and a United Nations-backed anti-graft body said last month that they are seeking to investigate Morales over suspected illicit campaign financing.

To strip Morales of his

Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales attends a meeting with Mayors in Guatemala City, Guatemala, August 29, 2017

presidential immunity, Prosecutors now need the go-ahead from a two-thirds majority in Congress. He could then be formally investigated and charged.

Under the leadership of veteran Colombian Prosecutor Ivan Velasquez, Guatemala’s International Commission against Impunity (CICIG) has been a thorn in Morales’ side, investigating his son and brother, and then seeking to remove his own immunity over more than US$800,000 in allegedly unexplained campaign funds. Morales has denied any wrongdoing.

Morales struck back late last month, attempting to expel Velasquez in a move that provoked international outrage. But the nation’s constitutional court ruled against the President, finding he did not have the authority to fire the CICIG head.

Morales won office in 2015 running on a platform of honest governance after his predecessor, Otto Perez Molina, was forced to resign and imprisoned in a multimillion-dollar graft case stemming from a CICIG investigation. (Reuters)

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

North Korea nuclear crisis: Explosions rock Myanmar US seeks tough UN approach area near Bangladesh border

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he United States envoy to the United Nations has urged the Security Council to take the "strongest possible measures" against North Korea after its latest nuclear test.

"The time has come to exhaust all diplomatic means before it is too late," Nikki Haley told an emergency meeting of the council in New York.

The US will circulate a draft resolution, for a vote next Monday.

South Korea is poised to scrap a warhead weight limit on its own missiles after talks with the US. President Moon Jaein reached agreement by phone with his counterpart, Donald Trump. Missiles are currently capped at 500kg (1100lb).

The country carried out live-fire exercises on Monday, simulating an attack on the North's nuclear test site.

Reports suggest the North is preparing new test missile launches. It tested a

amid Rohingya exodus

Smoke is seen on the Myanmar side of the border from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, September 4, 2017

US ambassador Nikki Haley: "Our country's patience is not unlimited"

nuclear bomb underground on Sunday. Estimates of its power range from 50 kilotonnes to 120 kilotonnes.

A 50kt device would be about three times the size of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945.

In other developments: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would press for tougher European Union sanctions on North Korea, agreeing with Trump by phone on the

need for stricter sanctions.

Swiss President Doris Leuthard said her country was prepared to act as a mediator and called for more discreet negotiations, saying "Twitter won't be an adequate instrument".

Japan is planning, in the event of war, for a mass evacuation of nearly 60,000 Japanese citizens currently living in or visiting South Korea, Nikkei Asian Review reports. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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wo blasts rocked an area on the Myanmar side of the border with Bangladesh on Monday, accompanied by the sound of gunfire and thick black smoke, as violence that has sent nearly 90,000 Muslim Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh showed no sign of easing.

Bangladeshi border guards said a woman lost a leg from a blast about 50 metres inside Myanmar and was carried into Bangladesh to get treatment. Reuters

reporters heard explosions and saw black smoke rising near a Myanmar village.

The latest violence in Myanmar’s north-western Rakhine state began on August 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of Police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.

A Rohingya refugee who went to the site of the blast

– on a footpath near where civilians fleeing violence are huddled in no man’s land on the border – filmed what appeared to be a mine: a metal disc about 10 centimeters (3.94 inches) in diameter partially buried in the mud.

He said he believed there were two more such devices buried in the ground.

Bangladeshi border guards said they believed the injured woman stepped on an anti-personnel mine, although that was not confirmed.

The spokesman for Myanmar’s national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Zaw Htay, said that a clarification was needed to determine “where did it explode, who can go there and who laid those land mines. Who can surely say those mines were not laid by the terrorists?” (Excerpt from Reuters)

Children deaths at Ram Manohar Burundi committed crimes Lohia hospital probed against humanity – UN I

U

nited Nations investigators say there is strong evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed in Burundi.

Their report details killings, torture and rape, which they say have been committed largely by Government forces – but also by Opposition groups.

Burundi's Ambassador to the UN said the report was part of an "international conspiracy" against the country.

Violence erupted in the country in 2015 after President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a third term.

Since then, more than 400,000 people have been forced from their homes.

Nkurunziza was re-elected in July 2015 in a poll that was boycotted by the opposition.

Francoise Hampson, one of the three investigators from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, told the BBC on Monday that some

of the alleged abuses included "arbitrary detention and arbitrary arrest, unlawful killings of various types, torture, cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment, rape and cases of sexual violence".

Commission head Fatsah Ouguergouz said the investigators believed that "there was reasonable evidence to believe, that the majority of these serious human rights violations committed constitute crimes against humanity". (Excerpt from BBC News)

ndian Police are investigating whether 30 infants died for lack of oxygen in a northern Staterun hospital, the second case within weeks in which medical supply shortages have been blamed for the deaths of dozens of children.

An underfunded, poorly managed public health system is in the spotlight after more than 60 children died in August in a public hospital in Uttar Pradesh state, amid accusations that oxygen supplies ran out because of unpaid bills.

Police launched an investigation on Sunday in the latest case after a gov-

ernment report blamed the chief medical officer and doctors at another institution in the northern state, Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, for the deaths of 30 children.

The infants died of "perinatal asphyxia" at the newborn care unit of the hospital in the state's Farrukhabad district between July 21 and August 20, police said.

"The probe officer was told by mothers that the hospital did not insert oxygen pipes [into infants' windpipes] after birth, and proper medication was also not given," Police said in the complaint, quoting the government report.

The investigation suggested that 30 of a total of 49 children died of perinatal asphyxia, Police added in the complaint, seen by Reuters news agency.

This condition is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in infants just before, during or after delivery, depriving them of the ability to breathe freely.

A district magistrate on Wednesday ordered the inquiry into the deaths of the infants, after media reports linked some deaths to oxygen shortages. He also ordered action against all the doctors involved in the deaths. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

China pledges new funding for BRICS Kenya election: Date set for as group opposes protectionism

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for a group photo during the BRICS Summit at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Centre in Xiamen, south-eastern China's Fujian Province, China September 4, 2017

C

hina will give US$80 million in funding for BRICS cooperation plans, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday, while the bloc of five emerging countries pledged to oppose protectionism.

Xi offered 500 million yuan (US$76.4 million) for

a BRICS economic and technology cooperation plan, and another US$4 million for projects at the group’s New Development Bank (NDB) during a three-day leaders summit in the south-eastern city of Xiamen. China’s new contributions to BRICS pale in comparison to its US$124

billion pledge earlier in May for Xi’s own Belt and Road initiative, which aims to expand links between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond as a new way to boost global development. The announcement came amid questions over the relevance of BRICS and China’s commitment to the NDB in light of the Belt and Road initiative and the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, both key efforts by Beijing to bolster its global influence. Xi said during a plenary session at the BRICS leaders’ summit that the five emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – should increase cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, monetary policy and finance, and sustainable development. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Kenyatta-Odinga re-run

K

enya's presidential election will be re-run on October 17 after the original result was annulled, the chair of Kenya's electoral body has announced.

Wafula Chekubati also confirmed that only President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition Leader Raila Odinga would be on the new ballot.

Kenyatta had been declared the winner of last month's vote.

But Odinga complained of widespread irregularities and the Supreme Court declared the first poll void.

The decision is believed to be the first time in African history that a supreme court has upheld an Opposition challenge in a presidential election and ordered a re-

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) beat Raila Odinga in the August 8 ballot, which was declared null and void

run.

In a ruling on Friday, Chief Justice David Maraga said the August 8 election, in which Kenyatta won 54 per cent of the vote, had not been conducted in accordance with the Constitution, declaring it "invalid, null and void".

They said that some members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had committed "irregularities and illegalities" in the transmission of results.

The court ordered a new poll to be held within 60 days. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

ARCHIE

ARIES

Hidden matters will keep

(March 21- you from finding out the April 19) facts. Emotional tactics will

be used to divert you from making a wise choice. Focus on personal growth, truth and happiness.

Put a little steam behind TAURUS your ideas. It’s up to you to (April 20- make things happen. Don’t May 20) let anger distract you when you should let it become your motivation.

dilbert

Not everything will be GEMINI (May 21- as it appears. Taking what June 20) someone says at face value will leave you out in the cold when it’s time to make an important decision.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Getting along with your colleagues, a partner or those you live with will be essential if you want to bring about positive change. Be willing to compensate when necessary.

You’ll be offered an unusual perspective about your past and how you have handled situations up to this point in your life. Listen, learn and make positive, life-altering adjustments.

Stay active and get inVIRGO volved with groups that can (Aug. 23help you succeed. Listen to Sept. 22) what a youngster in your life says. Don’t dismiss an insightful suggestion.

A unique opportunity will LIBRA (Sept. 23- arise if you volunteer your Oct. 23) time or work with a group of people interested in achieving a similar goal. Personal growth and an update to your appearance are favored.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — ENAMOR

SUDOKU

You’ll be disillusioned by SAGITTARIUS the information someone gives (Nov. 23- you. Consider the motives beDec. 21) hind the actions, and refrain

(ENAMOR: eh-NAM-or: To fill with love; captivate.)

from making assumptions.

Collect facts and observe others’ actions and responses.

Average mark 17 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 22 or more words in ENAMOR? The list will be published tomorrow.

Delve into a hobby or acCAPRICORN tivity that you haven’t done (Dec. 22- for years. The memories will Jan. 19) come roaring back, giving you insight into what you want to do in the future.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — FERRETED

feed feeder feet ferret fete freed

freer fret erred reed reef reefer

Stay focused on your plan SCORPIO and be reluctant to share it (Oct. 24with others. It’s important to Nov. 22) have everything in place before you make a presentation.

Your instincts will be reflective of what’s happening.

refer teed tree deer deet defer

deft defter deter

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

solution for Last Published Puzzle Listen to what others say.

AQUARIUS Think about the reasons be(Jan. 20- hind an emotional plea. Don’t Feb. 19) let an opportunity to improve your finances, health or environment pass you by.

An emotional situation is PISCES (Feb. 20- best handled openly and honMarch 20) estly. Being realistic about your expectations will help you avoid a stalemate with someone you live or work with.

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

No song and dance,

IPL will be ‘serious’ cricket, – pledges STAR India

D

uring its 10 years of existence, the IPL has come to be known as much for its masala and masti as for its high-voltage cricket. Well, that was Sony Pictures’ style of broadcasting. Girls dancing in lavish studios before kurta-pyjama clad commentators took centrestage became a part of the IPL experience. As the media rights changed hands on Monday, there’s a lot of interest as to what changes the new broadcaster will bring about.

STAR Sports, who bagged the global rights, are the most dominant players in cricket broadcasting but have so far concentrated solely on cricket action. Their top boss, Uday Shankar, promised it will continue to be the case even in the cash-rich T20 league.

“You have seen on STAR Sports (that) our focus is strictly on the sport.

We believe that the spotlight should be on the sport and we will continue to do that… I am not commenting on what anybody else does,” Shankar told Hindustan Times after leading his company’s successful bid.

He refused to accept that

Some of the side attractions in IPL that fans are now accustomed to (AFP/Getty Images)

STAR India had monopoly over the Indian cricket market. “Our BCCI rights get over in less than six months and the Indian team, over the next few years, is going to be travelling abroad so much, and we don’t have the England and Australian board rights. With IPL, we have a breather,” said Shankar.

The bidding was so close that it could be termed a last-ball win for STAR India. The difference of only around Rs 500 crore in a winning bid of Rs 16,347.5 crore proves how the win-

ners got their strategy right.

“If it (our figures) were slightly less, we would not have got the rights. We won by a really narrow margin of 2-3 per cent, so we were very close (in predicting the right value of IPL),” the STAR chief said.

Though the IPL remains a robust property, the league has been plagued by controversies, and the BCCI itself is under scrutiny. So, did Star take these factors into account before the bid?

“Whatever controversies might have been, they have been there all the time, but

Bulgarian challenger Pulev vows to upset Joshua B

ulgarian Kubrat Pulev is confident of causing a major upset when he meets world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua for the IBF title next month, confirming the fight will take place on Oct. 28 in Cardiff.

“Anthony Joshua is a great and dangerous rival, but his style fits perfectly with mine,” the 36-year-old Pulev, who has only one loss in 26 fights, wrote on his page in Facebook on Monday. ”In boxing, the boxers’ styles dictate the match and there’ll be not many hugs, there will be a heavy boxing (on Oct 28).

“My preparations go very intensely because of the short time I have, and I will be perfectly ready when I get into the ring so that he has no chance against me.”

Joshua, who also holds the WBA and IBO titles, has been told he must face IBF mandatory challenger Pulev before Dec. 2

Kubrat Pulev

or risk being stripped of that belt. The 27-year-old Briton, undefeated in 19 fights, had been due to face Wladimir

Klitschko in a rematch of their April bout, which Joshua won with an 11th-round knockout, but Klitschko has since announced his retirement.

Pulev, one of Bulgaria’s most popular sportsmen, turned professiona l at the age of 28 in September 2009, less than a year after winning the European amateur boxing title in Liverpool.

He has held the European heavyweight title twice between 2012 and 2016 and has challenged once for the unified world heavyweight title in 2014, losing to Klitschko in Hamburg on a fifth-round knockout. (Reuters)

the IPL has gone on to become bigger and bigger. It is for the news media, we are a sports broadcaster.”

Having earlier helped Star grab the BCCI and International Cricket Council media rights, when asked where he would place Monday’s win, Shankar said, “In each bid, you put in large sums of money of your company only because at that time it is the most sensible thing to do. Right now, we have done this because our BCCI rights were coming to an end and we wanted to redefine our cricket package.” (HindustanTimes)

19

Australian rugby introduces blue card to combat concussion A ustralian rugby is hoping to tackle head injuries with the introduction of a blue card, alongside the traditional red and yellow.

Blue cards will be introduced to Australia's premier domestic rugby competition in 2018 in a bid to combat head injuries.

Referees will be able to show players the new card if they display signs of concussion, forcing them to leave the field to pass a head injury assessment before returning.

The changes have been trialled at country clubs in the Australian Capital Territory and Newcastle this year and will now be used in the NRC. "Country rugby clubs have paved the way to make the game safer for everyone and soon our elite Super Rugby athletes will be following this protocol and setting the standards

worldwide," Australian Rugby Union head of community rugby services Lachlan Clark said.

"Australian rugby will also assist in educating coaches, first aid personnel and match officials as well as provide a competition management system which logs all concussion cases."

England's Premiership and Championship are this season trialling the use of saliva samples to determine whether players are fit to continue following a head knock.

(SportsMax)

Nadal concentrated on Rublev, as Federer semi looms

T

op seed Rafael Nadal is taking the US Open one match at a time, rather than looking ahead to a potential meeting with Roger Federer.

Rafael Nadal is paying no attention to the prospect of a blockbuster US Open semi-final with Roger Federer as he prepares to face Andrey Rublev in the last eight.

Nadal produced his best performance of this year's tournament at Flushing Meadows on Monday as he comprehensibly brushed aside Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets.

The top seed grew in confidence throughout his 6-2 6-4 6-1 victory and produced some sublime tennis in a dominant final set.

His win sets up a quarter-final with Rublev - who stunned ninth seed David Goffin on Monday - and keeps him on course to meet Federer in the final four, but winning the next match is all that concerns Nadal.

"You can ask me about that in two days if I am here with a victory," Nadal told a media conference when asked about a potential Federer meeting. "I will be very happy to be in that semi-final if that happens.

"But now I have Rublev in front [of me].

Maximum respect to him and it is going to be a tough one. He has already played great matches, winning against [Grigor] Dimitrov, against [David] Goffin in straight sets.

"It is not a moment to talk about Federer for

me."

Nadal Reflecting on theRafael triumph over Dolgopolov his 50th at the US Open - Nadal was happy with an increase of composure to his game after stuttering starts to his previous two matches.

"I feel that compared to other days, I feel more calm on court," he added. "It is true that I was able to have the break earlier, but really I felt more comfortable from since the beginning.

"The most important thing is [that there were] more times I had control of the point. Not many balls surprised me.

"I didn't hit a lot of balls earlier than what I thought or later than what I thought, something that happened in the first couple of days.

"And that's very good news. The previous round had been a step forward for me and today another one. So I'm playing a little bit better every day.

"And I am in quarter-finals against a tough opponent now. I need to be ready to keep fighting and play better than today, and that's my goal. I'm going to try to have the best practice possible tomorrow and try to be ready for it."

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

Kieron Pollard trolled for unsporting no-ball W

– that denied fellow West Indian century

K

ieron Pollard has been lambasted by fans and pundits across the globe after it seemed that the West Indian all-rounder deliberately bowled a no-ball to end a match and deny St Kitts and Nevis Patriots opener Evin Lewis a century.

A f t e r being set a paltry 129-run target by Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis rode on Lewis’ 97 off 32 balls to race down to the finishing line. With just a run to go, Pollard stepped up to bowl the delivery but produced a wayward short-pitched delivery to finKieron Pollard ish the game on an anticlimactic note.

The umpire called it at or near a player, team ofa no-ball, which would have ficial, umpire, match referbeen a wide anyway. ee or any other third person Kieron Pollard was also in an inappropriate and/or criticised by commentator dangerous manner during a Danny Morrison, who said match.” (HindustanTimes) Lewis deserved to have a go to reach triple figures. “(Lewis’ innings) deserved a hundred and I’ve got to say, as positive and excited as I am, it’s a pretty disappointing way for Pollard to finewis Hamilton has ish the game,” Morrison was credited a home vicquoted as saying by cricket. tory at Silverstone in com.au.

July with lighting the inner This wasn’t the first time ‘forest fire’ that helped him Pollard has been involved blaze a trail back to the top in an on-field controversy of the Formula One world in the Caribbean Premier championship on Sunday.

League this year. In their The Mercedes driver game against St Lucia Stars, took the overall lead in the Pollard had a few heated standings for the first time exchanges with Rahkeem in a year at the weekend afCornwall after the latter de- ter following up a tense viccided to retire from the in- tory in Belgium with an abnings after scoring a 44-ball solutely dominant win in 78.

Italy.

Even in the Indian The Briton has won Premier League, Pollard has three of the last four rachad a nasty moment when he es, the triple world champithrew his bat at Australian on taking his tally to six for fast bowler Mitchell Starc the season while title rival back in 2014, which earned and four times champion his a charge under article Sebastian Vettel has four 2.2.7 of the code. It deals victories for Ferrari. with: “throwing a ball (or any “It’s been a real constant other item of cricket equip- search and battle for perfecment such as a water bottle) tion to overhaul Ferrari,”

hile the Barbados Tridents will take no further part in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), their paceman Wayne Parnell, has made an impact that will continue after his short-pitched beauty broke the arm of Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) opener, Brendon McCullum.

Desparate to grab the final playoff spot, the Tridents defended 136 against the TKR on Saturday night with some brilliant short-pitched pace bowling and on one occasion, Parnell let one fly that McCullum took his eye off. The delivery cannoned into McCullum's forearm just above the wrist.

The Tridents, who were restricted to just 136, went on to route the TKR for 120, with McCullum headed to

McCullum's broken arm rules him out of CPL playoffs hospital for a scan of the damage to the hand.

After facing some torrid short-pitched bowling, McCullum looked like the key to overhauling the Tridents total and looked set to continue, square-cutting Parnell to the bacward point boundary just after being hit. However, on 26 from 19 deliveries, the former New Zealand batsman tried to dab a ball into the offside for a quick single but then winced, grabbing his arm in obvious discomfort.

The scans revealed that McCullum had broken his arm just above the wrist, with the batsman revealing his unavailability for the rest of the tournament on Twitter. "@CPL over for this year unfort. Been a ride with @

TKRIDERS brothers! Many thanks to all for your support! Luck team!"

Parnell would end with 3-31 to add to his 44 not out in what was a man-of-thematch performance.

After the revelation, the South African allrounder was one of the first to issue condolences, saying "Hope you heal up quickly big man." But there were also messages from St Kitts and Nevis Patriots allrounder, Carlos Brathwaite, who, in hoping for a quick recovery, called McCullum a legend.

Radhid Khan said McCullum should get well soon and that he was praying for a speedy recovery, while Virat Kohli said his prayers went with McCullum.

Kamran Akmal may have been perfect in his as-

sessment, saying the injury happened at a bad time, with the playoffs just around the corner. "You were having a wonderful time in CPL," he said.

And McCullum really was having a wonderful time, scoring 335 runs from his 10 matches at an average of 55.8 with a morethan-healthy strike rate of 165.8 and a highest score of 91. He had scored three 50s and had one other score over 30, while hitting 24 boundaries and 25 sixes.

The former Kiwi opener had begun to make a habit of batting through the TKR innings, doing so on four of the 10 occasions he bat, meaning the team with the record number of preliminary round wins, will be missing some significant stability.

(SportsMax)

Whitmore blames "off-the-field" circumstances for "embarrassing" Jamaica defeat J amaica head coach Theodore Whitmore blamed “off the field circumstances” for a poor first half display from the team in a 2-0 defeat to Canada at the BMO Field on Saturday.

The Reggae Boyz, the beaten Gold Cup finalists, put in a shabby performance in the first period of the game finding themselves two goals down after just 30 minutes.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Jonathan Osorio scored the goals for Canada, who

were greatly aided by poor Jamaican defending.

Jackson-Hamel tapped in his third goal in eight appearances after being picked out by Junior Hoilett after the Jamaica defense coughed up the ball on the heels of some early Canadian pressing.

Osorio added the second after an interception

by Canada captain Atiba Hutchinson. Samuel Piette passed to Jackson-Hamel who deftly flicked the ball past two defenders to an open

Osorio. The Caribbean team rallied for a better second half display but could make little inroads, leaving Whitmore to lament a performance he described as “embarrassing”.

Whitmore did not elaborate on the circumstances but spoke of “off-the-field” incidents affecting the team ahead of the game.

"I guess it's something that we need to address from the (Jamaica Football) Federation point of view," Whitmore said.

Theodore Whitmore

"The players were a bit lethargic in the first half of the game." (SportsMax)

Hamilton has a 'forest fire' raging inside L

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton told reporters at Monza after turning a seven point deficit to Vettel into a three point advantage.

“These last few races have been very solid. I felt more heart and passion within myself, I have found

more in myself in the last three or four races,” he added.

If Monza may go down as the obvious turning point in the season, the moment Hamilton hit the front, the Briton suggested the really

significant moment was further back.

“Silverstone was a real empowering weekend and it kind of sparked a forest fire within me and that’s hopefully reflecting in my driving,” he said.

Hamilton had arrived at Silverstone amid controversy and criticism after he was the only driver to miss a free event in central London.

The show was put on by Formula One’s new owners Liberty Media to bring the sport closer to fans, and the absence of its biggest star went down badly.

He responded by winning his home race for the fourth year in a row, dominating from pole to chequered flag.

That, aside from a setback in Hungary before

the August break where he came fourth and Ferrari finished one-two, set the tone.

On Sunday he became the first driver to win two races in a row this year, a day after he broke Michael Schumacher’s all-time pole position record with his 69th.

Singapore is next up in two weeks’ time, with Ferrari tipped to be stronger, and Hamilton said he was determined to keep pushing and give Vettel a taste of his own medicine.

“I am going to apply myself the same as I have these past three or four races and hope I can reverse the picture because earlier in the year it was 20 points between myself and him,” he said. “I want to see if he can have that feeling for a while.” (Reuters)

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21

Corona Beer Invitational Tournament

GFC beat Riddim Squad, Police edge Santos to book semi-final spots

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Police FC’s Quincy Holder (No 10) scores his first goal

By Michelangelo Jacobus

G

FC and Police FC have joined Western Tigers and Northern Rangers in the semi-finals of the Corona Beer Invitational football tournament after they won their respective quarter-final matchups on Sunday evening at the Georgetown Football Club ground, Bourda.

In the first match of the night, it was a close contest between Police FC and Santos FC. The first half of the game was goalless but when the second half resumed, the two sides played at a frantic pace and both missed a couple of chances.

However, it was Santos who would draw first blood through Sherwin Skeet in the 55th minute but Police

soon responded after a woeful display of goalkeeping from the Santos custodian.

Quincy Holder bundled home from a corner in the 57th minute after the keeper failed to clear his lines to spark life into the Police side. Holder added a second in the 77th minute after the Santos keeper again failed to hold on to a free kick.

The second match of the night was a one-sided affair with GFC defeating a lackluster Riddim Squad by a 5-2 margin GFC’s talented striker Benjamin Opara has established himself as a ruthless finisher in front of goal having scored in three successive games prior to Sunday’s game and he continued the form in the opening minutes with and excellent strike.

Opara first took on two defenders before rifling home past the motionless Riddim Squad keeper to make it 1-0 in the fourth minute.

Just a minute later; Opara headed into the back of the net from a corner to completely take the game away from Riddim Squad and firmly hand his side the advantage at 2-0.

Joel Humphrey was the next GFC player to get a goal in the 42nd minute while Dwayne Rebeiro netted in the 52nd minute.

Riddim Squad briefly fought back with Kevin Gordon and Sceyon Hope scoring a goal each, but by then it was too late as Opara completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute.

GFC will now play the undefeated Northern

E

YOUR

DAILY & SUNDAY COPIES OF THE

GUYANA TIMES James R The victorious Eccles NDC team

Circulation Department on

Phone: 223-7230 EXT: 35

venue immediately after.

Kickoff is at 19:00hrs and the four teams are battling for cash prizes in excess of $2 Million.

ccles NDC prevailed over the Ministry of Agriculture in the final of the Trophy Stall Workplace Six over Tape-ball competition last Friday.

Playing on the National Culture Center tarmac, the Ministry of Agriculture won the toss and elected to bat.

They scored 42-3 off of their allotted six overs which Eccles then chased down in 5.2 overs with 8 wickets to spare.

The Eccles team was rewarded with a trophy and cash prizes for their efforts.

The competition was organized by James “Uprising” Lewis, who announced that the next competition will be on September 27th with the President’s Trophy and $100,000 at stake.

Teams interested in registering can contact Lewis on 628-1656 or 666-5857.

NOT RECEIVING

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Rangers in the first semi-final on Sunday, September 10 at the GFC Ground while Western Tigers will play rivals Police FC at the same

Eccles NDC captures Trophy Stall’s Workplace Tape-ball Competition

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in your area?

Police FC’s Quincy Holder

Harden pledges US$1M for Harvey relief

ockets point guard James Harden says he will donate $1 million to the city of Houston to aid in Hurricane Harvey recovery.

Harden made the announcement Saturday with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. They spoke at a news conference at the NRG Center, which has housed evacuees since Harvey swamped the Houston area more than a week ago.

Harden went to high school in California and college in Arizona but said Houston is his home.He posed for photos with fans and said the money would go to people who need it.

The Rockets gave Harden a four-year extension in July, with sources telling ESPN at the time that it is a supermaximum extension that will guarantee him $228 million through the 2022-23 season.

Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and

James Harden

Leonardo DiCaprio also have pledged $1 million to charities helping with Harvey relief.

President Donald Trump also pledged a $1 million donation, but it’s unclear who

will get the money. The donation is expected to come from his personal fortune.

Trump also visited evacuees Saturday in Houston. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

22 Miss World Guyana extends benevolence to sport organisations in Berbice M

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

s. Guyana World 2017 Vena Mookram as part of her personal platform for the upcoming Ms. World Contest in China on Thursday last donated sports gear to three sports organisations in the ancient county. The presentation was made during a massive Health Fair organised by Ms. World Guyana, the cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS, with the support of Namilco and the Region 6 Ministry of Health.

Ms. Mookram donated a quantity of footballs to the Rose Hall Town Football Club, Basketballs to the Guysuco Training Centre and cricket balls to Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and its cricket teams. The elegant Ms. World Guyana in handing over the gear stated that involvement in sports is a form of healthy lifestyle and urged the massive gathering to get involve

Miss World Guyana Vena Mookram makes a donation to one of the football teams

in sporting activities.

Mookram whose personal platform is healthy lifestyles stated that she hopes that the sports equipment would assist youths to not only play the game but to also fulfill their potentials.

In a well-received presentation, the 2017 Queen spoke broadly on the importance of being physically fit and the danger of diseases such as diabetes. She urged the three organisations to use the donations for its intended purposes.

Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club. MS, Hilbert Foster expressed gratitude to the queen for her donation of the cricket balls which would be used in the club’s massive Cricket Development Programme.

He added that they are pleased to work along with Ms. Mookram as the Club shares her view that a healthy lifestyle is crucial to living longer. Levi Nedd of the Guysuco Training Centre hailed the donation

of basketballs to the Centre as the game is very popular among students.

Coach of the Rose Hall Town Football Club, Troy Paul noted that the Footballs were most welcomed as most of the players were from less fortunate background.

Special emphasis was being placed on developing football in Guyana’s smallest township and the donation of footballs would serve as an inspiration. Paul expressed confidence that football would join cricket shortly as the pride of Rose Hall Town and wished Ms. Mookram well in her participation at the Ms. World Contest in China during the month of November.

Marketing Consultant of the National Milling Company (Namilco) Bert Sukhai stated that his Company was proud to support Ms. Mookram in her quest to promote a healthy lifestyle and educate Guyanese about the effects of Diabetes.

Plans afoot for Guyana Cup Softball 7

Ashmead Nedd laying the foundation for a successful future

By Akeem Greene

I

nternational Hall of Fame tennis star Billie Jean King said “champions keep playing until they get it right." And if there is one youth cricketer in the country, who envisages the concept of working hard to achieve one’s goal, it is young Ashmead Nedd.

Taking up the sport since the age of five at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) in Queenstown, his immense passion for the sport is no way strange since his father Garvin Nedd is a former senior National offspinner who played 14 Firstclass matches.

The 16 year-old who produces a classical left-arm spin action and is a gritty right-handed batsman, first donned National colours in 2013, playing for the under15s in Jamaica. The u-15s category was certainly one his happiest since he said “2014 was most memorable year since we won the under 15 title after 14 years”.

Since

Members of Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association with Christopher Jones. From left: Ramesh Sunich (Vice President); Lakhram Singh (Treasurer); Wayne Jones (Organising Secretary); Director of Sport Christopher Jones; Ramchand Ragbeer (President); Anil Beharry (Assistant Secretary) and Ricky Deonarain (Club Captain)

O

fficials of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) recently meet Director of Sport Christopher Jones to begin the discussions on the hosting of the Seventh Edition of the annual International Softball Tournament "Guyana Softball Cup 7".

Nine teams from New

York, Florida and Canada have already entered the tournament. With the many local teams expected to play , GFSCA will find it very challenging to choose teams to play and complete the tournament within the three days. The Director of Sport was also briefed on other GFSCA activities .

GFSCA has of recent made

an all-weather cricket practice facility at the DCC Ground in Lance Gibbs St., Queenstown.

GFSCA is currently in collaboration with DCC for the hosting of a nationwide hardball under-13 tournament, sponsored by Well Teen, Trophy Stall, Tropical Spring Waters and Nauth Motor Spares.

During 2017 GFSCA has taken part in Softball tournament held in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, New York and Canada. They were champions in the Masters in Orlando and New York, and will be the defending champions at "Guyana Softball Cup 7". Speed Boat is the defending champion in the Open Category.

Sparta Boss, Tiger Bay....

from page 23

This should be the clash of the night with the silky skills of the diminutive Deon Alfred going up against Randolph Wagner and company.

The North Ruimveldt versus Ol Skool Ballers is another encounter that will produce fireworks with the experienced Gerald Gritten set to lead the former, while the prolific Roy Cassou will do the same for the upset-minded Ol Skool Ballers.

Hustlers and Mocha will open the night’s proceedings and this is a dream matchup to get things going with both teams coming off impressive wins. Hustlers beat Tiger Bay

3-1, while Mocha edged ‘Gold is Money’ 1-0 with another veteran Sceyon Hope, making the difference with a solitary strike.

Over $800,000 in prize monies and trophies will be up for grabs with the winner set to receive $400,000 and the championship trophy, while second, third and fourth placed finishers will take home $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 along with trophies respectively.

The other playing dates for the championship are September 5, 7, 9 with the final set for September 16, at the same venue.

The full fixture is: At 19:00hrs Hustlers square off against Mocha, while from 19:30hrs, Pike Street Sophia takes on Albouystown-A and this will be followed by the clash between North Ruimveldt and Ol Skool Ballers at 20:00hrs.

The fourth fixture is between ‘Gold is Money’ and Tiger Bay at 20:30hrs, while the electrifying MBK All-Stars battles Agricola Champion Boys at 21:00hrs.

Future Stars then take on Showstoppers at 21:30hrs and this will precede the final two

fix-

tures that feature Back Circle against Leopold Street at 22:00hrs and Sparta Boss versus Albouystown-B from 22:30hrs. The top two teams from each of the four groups will qualify for the quarterfinal.

Ashmead Nedd

then he has been a part of all the national youth teams, captaining the u-17s this year and playing a significant role in the u-19s completing the ‘double’ at the Cricket Wes Indies (CWI) Regional Under-19 Tournament held in St Kitts and Nevis in August.

In the three-day leg, he was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP). He bowled 151.3 overs inclusive of 49 maidens and took 26 wickets. He had two five wicket hauls and best of 7 for 20 against Windward Islands which was deemed the most wickets in a match. Nedd also took ten wickets in the 50-over leg.

This came as no surprise when Guyana Times Sport spoke to the cricketer that he expressed a fondness of bowling as opposed to batting. Highlighting that Bangladesh world ranked allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and England’s prolific Joe Root are his favourite cricketers.

The Chase Academic Foundation Student has given himself some illustrious goals considering his recent success.

“In the next five years I want to see visible improvement in my game. firstly I'm looking forward to be called up for the West Indies under 19 after having a successful year at regional under 19 and take it from there”, the player disclosed.

Getting Need away from the sport would seem to be an herculean task since he contended that if he was not a cricketer he would have aspired to be commentator of the ‘Gentleman’s game”.

The on-field enthusiasms for the West Indies u-16 player is fuelled from the overwhelming support from father and mother, a duo he adjudged as the reason for him being able to achieve what he has to date.

Given his stint in January 2015 playing for Tony Hartford U-17 Academy team of Trinidad and Tobago in tour of New Zealand, he is desperately hoping he can return to that country again, but this time in the maroon colours come January 2018 for the ICC Youth World Cup.

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, september 5, 2017

23

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2017

Powerhouses clash in 1st duel to final T

onight’s mega clash between season table-toppers Trinbago Knight Riders and the powerful St Kitts and Nevis Patriots should produce an abundance of fireworks when the first qualifier for the final of the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League gets underway from 20:00 hrs at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

This is the Patriots first entrance at his stage of the league but they will enter full of confidence given their monumental hammering of Barbados Tridents on Sunday. The brutal assault which was led by the talismanic opener Evin Lewis saw Patriots astonishingly hunt down 129 in only seven overs with Lewis striking a 97 off just 32 balls. Much to the surprise, Chris Gayle enjoyed a front row seat to the stupendous power-hitting display by supporting with a 14-ball 22.

Both players will again need to bring out all the artillery to fire their side into the final. In the three years Patriots have defeated Knight Riders once –in Florida (2016) while losing on the other five occasions.

This year, the power-packaged at the top saw the side which rested frus-

Evin Lewis will again be an ominous threat for the opposition

tratingly in the cellar position for the previous two years, comfortably qualify for the finals.

The middle order of Mohammed Hafeez, Jonathon Carter and Carlos Braithwaite will know they need to chip-significantly.

Bowling wise, they have

had lapses, with Australian pace Ben Hilfenhaus being overly expensive. The economic grip and threat comes from left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi and Mohammed Nabi.

For the 2015 champions, being in this position will come as no surprise since they qualified for all play-

offs since the tournament’s inception in 2013.

However, they enter the phase with the loss of their leading batsman Brendon McCullum who suffered a broken arm in their last preliminary match against the Tridents.

They still pose a serious threat with the likes of Colin Munro, Darren and Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine at the top and new addition Daniel Christian.

Bowling has been TKR’s strong area, since teams have to contend either with the craftiness of Dwayne and Kevon Copper or the mystery being Narine and Shadab Khan.

A loss tonight will not bring the curtains down on either side since they will get to play in another qualifier against the winners of third (Jamaica Tallawahs) and fourth (Guyana Amazon Warriors). While the winners books a spot for the September 9 finale.

Trinbago Knight Riders Squad: Dwayne Bravo (Captain) , Denesh Ramdin, William Perkins, Nikita Miller, Darren Bravo, Kevon Cooper, Sunil Narine, Robert Frylinck, Hamza Tariq, Ashley Nurse, Colin Munro, Ronsford Beaton, Javon Searles, Shadab Khan, Anderson Phillip, Khary

The last time these two sides meet, Darren Bravo played a swashbuckling innings of 38 (6x6s) from 10 balls to lead his side to a stunning victory

Pierre, Daniel Christian St Kitts and Nevis Patriots Squad: Chris Gayle (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Hilfenhaus, Samuel Badree, Devon Thomas, Mohammad Nabi, Carlos Brathwaite,

Jonathan Carter, Chris Morris, Evin Lewis, Nikhil Dutta, Sheldon Cottrell, Fabian Allen, Brandon King, Tabraiz Shamsi, Alzarri Joseph, Hasan Ali, Shamarh Brooks, Jeremiah Louis.

Sri Lanka to play 1st daySparta Boss, Tiger Bay, 'Gold night Test against Pakistan is Money' must win tonight S N

Guinness Cage/Three Peat Promotions Indoor C/ship

ri Lanka will play its first day-and-night Test match later this month when they meet Pakistan for a twomatch series in the United Arab Emirates, the cricket board said Monday.

The Test series will start September 28 and is due to end on October 10 with one of the games slated to be played as a day-and-night match.

Sri Lanka Cricket announced a 25-member provisional squad led by Dinesh Chandimal for the Test series.

Sri Lanka will also play five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, a board official told AFP. A third T20 match will be played in Lahore, Pakistan subject to security clearance, the official said.

“The exact itinerary will be released shortly,” the official said adding that one of the Tests to be played in the UAE would be Sri Lanka’s first with the pink ball used in day-andnight Tests.

Last month, Sri Lanka’s cricket board approved a tour to Pakistan, eight years after a deadly militant attack against the team brought top international games there to a standstill.

Sri Lanka Cricket had originally expected to play

o strangers to must win situations, Sparta Boss, Tiger Bay, West Front Road ‘Gold is Money', Champion Boys and Albouystown ‘B’ have found themselves in familiar territory once again and must secure victories

this evening with eight matches in the round robin phase and every matchup is an important one as teams attempt to position themselves for the upcoming knockout segment.

Immense pressure will be on Guyana’s most suc-

scenario is that on most occasions they rise to the occasion and while the expectation is for them to come out victorious tonight, their opponents Albouystown ‘B’ are no pushovers as well so, and an enthralling battle can be expected.

Sri Lanka will play its first ever day-and-night Test later this month.

(REUTERS)

all three T20 internationals in Pakistan, including one in Lahore, scene of the 2009 attack which left eight people dead. Leading cricket nations have shunned playing in Pakistan since the attack, in which gunmen ambushed the Sri Lankan team bus en route to the Lahore stadium, wounding at least seven players.

Since 2009, the only international team to visit Pakistan is Zimbabwe, who played five limited-overs games in Lahore in 2015. Pakistan play their “home” internationals in the United Arab Emirates.

But there were hopeful signs when Pakistan successfully staged the final of the Pakistan Super League -the rest of which was played in UAE -- under heavy security in

March.

Addressing the Asian Cricket Council in Colombo last month, Sri Lanka Cricket chief Thilanga Sumathipala called for an end to Pakistan’s isolation and urged countries to play there.

Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milinda Siriwardana, Roshen Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Charith Asalanka, Shaminda Eranga and Dhammika Prasad.

(HindustanTimes)

Riveting encounters are expected tonight in the Guinness Cage Indoor competition

if they hope to advance to the quarter-finals of the inaugural Guinness Cage / Three Peat Promotions Indoor Championship tonight, at the National Gymnasium.

Play in the Championship resumes

cessful futsal team in Sparta Boss as they try to thwart their slide from being the most devastating unit to one that has performed below expectations in the last two competitions.

The positive side of this

Also in a precarious position is recent ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ winners West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ who face a tough engagement against another team that is in jeopardy of crashing out in Tiger Bay. Continued on page 22

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2017

Pg 23

Powerhouses clash in 1st duel to final Corona Beer Invitational Tournament

GFC beat Riddim Squad, Police edge Santos to book semi-final spots Pg 21

GFC’s Benjamin Opara on the go in their game against Riddim Squad

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