Guyana Times 6 July 2017

Tourism Association formed in Region 2

P12 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3263

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, July 6, 2017

PRICE

Simona Broomes breaks silence

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

“Govt has to find a home for me”

Photo, name P2 of Bent Street man mistakenly published as bandit

Page 3

Jemel Douglas

– says she was brought to the city from her home

Republic Bank foiled robbery

Owner of allegedly hijacked car was sentenced for gun possession P13

Granger reprimands Caricom Heads over obsolete foreign policies Page 7

Taxi driver stabbed to death by 15-year-old

– in Berbice

No official word on Bisram’s arrest in NY – Crime Chief – extradition hearing set for next Thursday in Brooklyn

P13

Page 11

PM, CDC lead team to assist Region 6 cattle farmers P14

Dead, Deonarine Laljit

Guyanese groups examine public corruption in oil and gas industry

GuySuCo Community Outreach Programme

Uitvlugt's 40,000 tonnes target "achievable" – Estate Manager

P10

Page 9

A worker from the Uitvlugt Estate interacting with the GuySuCo panel on Wednesday

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THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Photo, name of Bent Street man mistakenly published as bandit P

hoto, name of Bent Street man mistakenly published as bandit As reports of the attempted robbery staged at Republic Bank on Tuesday continues to flood the media, a Bent Street man was mistakenly identified as one of the bandits involved in the foiled attack.

Guyana Times would like to inform the public that Jemel Douglas of Bent Street, Georgetown, was in no way involved in the attack on Republic Bank, de-

spite information previously published by this newspaper.

In an interview with Guyana Times, Douglas who was mistakenly named in the robbery presented his alibi, proving that he was not a part of the attempt and that his name and photo should not have been published.

“When this happen, I was going out and sell,” Douglas pointed out, noting that he was later notified about the robbery.

Subsequently, Police reports had also confirmed his

innocence, naming Elton Wray, Jamal Haynes and Keron Saunders as the three bandits.

In the published article which appeared in Guyana Times, Douglas was inadvertently mistaken for Keron Saunders after our reporter received incorrect information from the PRO at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Moreover, the wrongfully accused went on to say that he was not aware of the incident but was informed by Suspected bandit: Keron Saunders

his mother of Wray’s demise.

Jemel Douglas

Additionally, Douglas did in-

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leven-year-old Dane Richards of Akawini Primary School in Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) made history in his community at this year’s sitting of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) when he secured 460 marks and landed a spot at Essequibo’s prestigious Anna Regina Multilateral School.

The elated student said he was proud of his achievement since he worked very hard, and was excited to attend the secondary school, though it was located on the Essequibo Coast miles away from his home. Akawini is an Amerindian village accessible by a creek that connects to the lower Pomeroon River. Most residents are small-scale loggers and miners.

Richards is from a combined class of 12 students from the Akawini Primary and Baracaro Annex who wrote the NGSA this year.

Several of the students earned passes to secondary schools at Charity and Wakapao.

Class teacher Daniel Gildharie, who is one of two trained teachers at the school, said Richards’ achievement was motivation for the teaching staff, students and the entire community. He noted that the school feeding programme, which started last December; support of the village council and parents’ involvement have aided both students’ attendance and performance.

Gildharie returned to teach at Akawini last September after he completed a two-year primary education programme at the Cyril Potter College of Education at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.

Meanwhile, in the Upper Pomeroon, one student of the Jacklow Primary, Calvin Thakurdin, earned a spot at the St Joseph High in Georgetown with 498 marks,

Akawini Primary School’s top NGSA student Dane Richards

while six others were awarded places at the Anna Regina Multilateral School. They are Travis Cornelius, Brian Narine, Kelsie Williams, Annie Joy Phillips, Mariano Goocharan and Alicia

Calvin Thakurdin of Jacklow Primary School gained a spot at St Joseph High

Sulker. Other Grade Six students at Jacklow Primary earned passes to Charity and Wakapao Secondary Schools.

Headteacher Rajendra Pershad, who also taught the Grade Six class along with Demetria Alphonso, noted that the school has been seeing improved performance of its students over the years. He observed that overall, the students were

dicate that he was acquainted with the now dead perpetrator, Elton Wray.

“I didn’t know he was a guy like this. I think he was a humble guy.”

Douglas even noted that Wray offered him counsel in the past but he was eventually forced to distance himself from the now dead man.

Nonetheless, Guyana Times apologises to Douglas and his family for the inadvertent publication.

Meanwhile, the other suspected bandits – Jamal Haynes and Keron Saunders – were both injured in the shootout during the foiled robbery at Republic Bank.

poor at reading and the staff has developed several strategies to help address this challenge, including guided reading sessions.

He noted too that in hinterland communities such as Jacklow, attendance was often low as some parents were financially unable to send their children to school regularly. However, the school feeding programme has been impacting positively on such since it started at Jacklow last December.

“We currently have an attendance rate of 85 per cent which is a big improvement from the previous years and we are working constantly to increase it. However, when we look back at last year’s attendance, we noticed that 18 children were regularly absent from school, because they were unable to bring lunch…since the school feeding programme, we have noticed 16 of those children are present every day now,” Pershad stated.

The Headteacher further noted that most of the students were from single-parent homes or were growing up with grandparents and sometimes needed that extra motivation and guidance.

“We actually talk to the children a lot and tell them about the successes of past students who came right from Jacklow and who had some of the same challenges facing students now,” Pershad related. In riverine areas such as Jacklow, children usually paddle long distances to get to school even amidst the most adverse weather conditions.

Pershad emphasised that his school has received significant help from the Regional Administration which aided rehabilitation works, installed a solar panel and was now moving to repair the school’s stelling during the July-August holidays. The school is also hoping to get some help to upgrade its playground.

news

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THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Thursday, July 6 – a night retraction at 03:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Friday, July 7 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, July 6 – 14:55h-16:25h and Friday, July 7 – 15:30h-17:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light to heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected in the morning, while light rain showers will return in the afternoon. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between Easterly to East North-easterly and South South-easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 02:23h and 14:52h reaching maximum heights of 2.40 metres and 2.33 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:25h and 20:39h reaching minimum heights of 0.80 metre and 0.87 metre.

Simona Broomes breaks silence

“Govt has to find a home for me” – says she was brought to the city from her home

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unior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes has made it clear that as a minister of Government serving the people of Guyana, the Administration under which she serves has a responsibility to provide a home for her.

Broomes’ comments were made on Tuesday, in what is said to be a “silence breaker” since the issue was brought to the fore less than a month ago.

The Minister came to the spotlight after it was revealed that some $500,000 was being dipped from the public coffers and spent monthly on rent for a house she was occupying.

Broomes, who hails from the mining district of Bartica in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), said when she accepted the governmental

standing up against corruption and fighting corruption, I don’t want nobody build no house and give me as a gift.

We know in the past, people get a whole house in the name of a gift. I am not in a supermarket; I am not up for sale. I have been listening and reading the rumours; they have not touched me. I don’t have anything in my closet. I am that ordinary woman (Simona Broomes) and I would maintain that.

I just ask God every day to keep my heart in the right place. He bring me here to serve the people. I’m a humble servant,” she said in the online video.

Only on Tuesday, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), a junior partner in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition, condemned Government for

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The sum of $500,000 was being dipped from the public coffers and spent monthly on rent for this house for Minister Broomes

post, she was already living in her own home.

“I avail myself for people and the people of the country. Concerning the renting of a house, Government gotta find a place to put me in. Government brought me from my home, not a house; I don’t live in a house,” Broomes said in an online recording released by a government information outfit.

She said she came from a home where she has her family.

“It’s not a walk in the park. A government that is

splurging such hefty sums on rent for a minister, when the ordinary public servant is struggling with minimum wage.

But Government last week distanced itself from the fiasco, saying that the responsibility fell in the hands of the National Assembly.

And amid the ongoing difference of opinion on the matter, the Parliament Office is maintaining its silence, after an initial press release.

On Tuesday, when asked about the fact that Government has distanced

Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes

itself from the matter and has left the Parliament Office to explain itself, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs said he has no further comment on the issue.

“I did say in my last press release that I have nothing more on the matter. Any news could run in what direction they want to run,” he told Guyana Times. “I said nothing more, nothing further on the matter,” he added.

Isaacs’ statement came days after Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said the matter was not addressed at the level of Cabinet but Parliament and such funds come from that budget.

Harmon said he could not give specific details about the

rent, as it was a matter for Parliament and the Clerk of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Isaacs had denied that there was an increase in all housing allowances for Ministers.

In a previous interview with this publication, Isaacs asserted that housing allowances were enshrined in the law and remained set at $25,000. However, he has admitted that a monthly sum of $500,000 was paid for Minister Broomes to rent a house, since she lives “out of town”.

He noted that if Statesponsored housing could not accommodate any other persons, then they would have to rent. Isaacs noted that the housing allowance was separate from the rental. He added that there were two Ministers who had their rent paid in full. Those Ministers are Simona Broomes and Valerie Patterson.

The issue of Parliament paying the rent for Minister Broomes came to the fore when she became the subject of a court action initiated by her former landlord, who had taken her to court for rent owed.

This newspaper obtained a copy of the lawsuit, which had the Minister as a co-defendant in the matter brought over a default of $1 million plus in house rent, reportedly incurred between November 2016 and January 2017. The legal suit has since been withdrawn.

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THURSDAY, july 6, 2017

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

Is the Law School still on stream?

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ix months ago, in January 2017, Attorney General Basil Williams made an important announcement, much to the pleasure of many Guyanese, especially law students, that Guyana will establish its own law school by 2018. However, since then there has been no public statement or update on how the project is progressing, leaving many to question the seriousness of the AG and by extension the government in actually seeing the project becoming a reality.

This newspaper had reported on the ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AG Williams and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) and Law College of the Americas (LCA) to open the law school here. It was disclosed by the government that the school, which was to be named the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas (JHLSA), would be established to accommodate students desirous of furthering their studies in the field of law and will also cater for students from the region.

It could be recalled that there were many calls from various stakeholders, especially University of Guyana students themselves, for the government to move in this direction; and it was indeed pleasing to have learnt that the nation was one step closer to seeing this project become a reality.

In any case the agreement between the government of Guyana and the Council of Legal Education to facilitate Guyanese law students to pursue their Legal Education Certificate (LEC) at the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in Trinidad and Tobago will expire soon and the administration would have been forced to renegotiate another agreement. Considering this factor, one would have hoped that the authorities here would have move with some degree of urgency to complete all the arrangements to set up our own law school in time to cater for the expiration of this previous arrangement with the HWLS. No one can underestimate the level of preparation needed and the time and resources required before such a project finally comes on stream. There are two main issues that must be considered and would need much effort from key personnel involved to ensure all arrangements are adequately in place. First, the law school must be given the necessary accreditation and recognition so that all graduates are properly licensed to practice law here and elsewhere in the Caribbean. At the moment only graduates from the HWLS are legally recognised to practise at the bar.

Secondly, the school must be equipped with the necessary facilities and personnel such as a library and a qualified staff to deliver the curriculum. It could be recalled that AG Williams had given the necessary assurances that the law school will be accredited and its programme recognised throughout the Region. Assurances were also given that the lecturers contracted will be of high standards to ensure that the students are offered quality legal education. While all of this sounded good on paper, we are not certain as to what progress is being made in relation to achieving these key requirements.

For many years our law students have been faced with very difficult times due to the many hurdles they had to cross in gaining admission to the HWLS. Many had reached frustration point and even had to quit their dreams of becoming certified in the field of law; since not only are the costs associated with studying at HWLS very high, but the process to gain entry was burdensome and not even guaranteed.

Additionally, we had stated before that establishing a law school here will not only ease the level of frustration our students face in gaining admission at HWLS, but it will show the rest of the region that Guyana can also be a leader as it relates to the study of various areas of the law.

The law students of the University of Guyana, including those who are about to graduate and those in the first and second years, are anxiously awaiting further knowledge on the progress of this new institution the AG announced.

A dramatic view of Mount Rainier in Washington State, spotlit through low clouds by a rising sun, won top prize in the 2016 USA Landscape Photographer of the Year (http://www.usalpoty.com/) competition. An active volcano, the iconic mountain is one of the most prominent and dangerous mountains in the world (Photographer Alex Noriega)

Appoint the Local Govt Commission now

Dear Editor, Commissions of inquiry have been the order of the day since the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government was brought to power under the most appalling circumstances. There is no greater threat to Guyanese citizens or justifications for a seriously forensic examination than the duplicitous situation at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The Commission should be instituted to address the continuously permitted and silently accepted glaring abnormalities within this organisation by the Grangerled Administration.

It cannot be that the APNU/AFC and the cohorts are unaware of the public issues common to GECOM such as: fake Statements of Poll, fake invoices, numerous cases of worrying breaches of procurement procedures, excesses and wanton spending, and the unwarranted payments to numerous phantom staffs which have all gone un-noticed in their transparency lens. Rather, it is more likely that the administrators of this most corrupt organisation are being left to do what they wish, in the establishment of a foundation for possible future manipulations, reminiscent of the Burnham era.

It is quite horrendous that some media commentators and supporters of ‘socall’ transparency approach led by this Government have not identified with this key corner-stone. It would cer-

tainly be the mother of any considered extremism in the recent past, which certainly MUST be diminished. The daily rising of this monster has been visible through its autocratic behaviour, and the exercised levels of Machiavellianism on display by the administrators of GECOM. As a consequence of the recent audits, there is much more tangible validation of the numerous corrupt schemes under it operations.

Dr Steve Surujbally exited as Chairman after frauds on many fronts were discovered and exposed at GECOM. These disappointingly involved may of its principals at the highest levels. Of much concern is that these manipulations were designed and permitted by the Chairman; much with the exclusion of the appointed Commissioners who ought to have been involved at more meaningful levels.

The result was the created the environment for the extreme lawlessness which took place.

It is recalled that on June 13, 2015, Chief Election Officer of GECOM, Keith Lowenfield announced to GECOM that he will not be able to declare the results of the 2015 Regional and National Elections because of the amount of false statement of polls. How could fake Statements of Poll not affect Elections as stated by Surujbally and how was this corrected independent of the main political parties? It seems at the whims and fancy of the Surujbally–Lowenfield com-

bination. However, the riggers got their way and the APNU/AFC with a small majority less than one seat was able to be manipulated into office.

The Chief Elections Officer utilised quotations only days before the election and made a purchase of millions of dollars in outdated communications radios. The quotations were prepared with the full knowledge of officials at GECOM, and the senior officials in collusion, accepted the fake quotations for spin-offs. Suffice to know that the radios were never used.

The audit of the staff who was employed on Election Day is indeed a revelation as regard to the magnitude of the phantom element we are now aware of. More than twenty-five thousand persons were paid to work before, on and after Election Day. A comparison of the total amounts of money spent on running elections in Guyana, confirms that Guyana is spending more money than Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica combined, although those countries have significantly higher populations. Money spent on training and preparing election staff is astronomical.

Expenditure on transportation is un-believable; and as for monies spent on meals and snacks, the auditors are joking among themselves that GECOM staff is buying snacks for the entire Guyana.

The retaining of

GECOM Chief Election Officer – Keith Lowenfield, Chief Accountant – Joseph Eastman and the Administrative Manager, Michelle Ward is the ultimate abomination. In some parts of the world, similar situations to that of Guyana at the time, suggest that the country would not have remained the same.

The discovered corruption forced the removal of Surujbally. He was forced to say that the Secretariat was responsible for all the purchasing and hiring of staff.

However, the notorious Surujbally before he demitted office ensured a renewal the contract of Lowenfield to continue working at GECOM. We strongly represent that the staffing positions at GECOM must be revised in a very balanced way.

At the same time, President Granger is permitting the empowerment of these people by ensuring the continued headless situation at the Commission.

While the President of Guyana seems to be buying time before he appoints the Chairman of GECOM, he must be assured that the people will speak and speak strongly.

Better times when our people must resist all forms of corruptions. All Guyanese must expose the blatant corruption wherever they are taking place.

We say appoint the Local Government Commission now!!

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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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

An appeal for peace, Sugar workers did help bauxite workers please Dear Editor, I write to applaud Dr David Hinds (WPA co-leader) for calling on the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government to address the difficult conditions facing the unemployed former workers of the closed Wales Sugar Estate and other estates on the government list for impending closure. I thank Hinds for focusing attention on the sugar workers who are facing many socio-economic challenges without Government support. But Hinds erred in stating that the sugar workers (meaning Indians) did not offer support to bauxite workers (meaning Africans) when the bauxite industry was divested.

The sugar workers were very supportive (directly and indirectly) of the bauxite workers. When the bauxite workers went on strike in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-

Berbice) during the 1970s and were fired upon, sugar workers went on solidarity strike calling for justice of the affected workers and their families in the greater Linden community. Bauxite workers did not go on strike to support sugar workers when the latter took strike actions during the 1970s and 1980s for higher wages and better working conditions.

The sugar workers also provided financial support for bauxite workers. The People’s National Congress (PNC) dictatorship imposed a tax levy on sugar profits that were supposed to be shared by the sugar workers. The sugar levy yielded tens of millions of US dollars that were included in the Government's national annual budget; these were used to subsidise the money losing bauxite industry. It is well established and penned in the media that the communities where sugar workers resided were neglected and

marginalised by the PNC to the benefit of PNC supporters including the communities where the bauxite workers lived. So the sugar workers were aiding the bauxite workers. And this Government policy continued long after the PNC lost office in relatively free and fair elections in 1992.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), while in Opposition, condemned the sugar levy calling on the PNC Government to give the sugar workers their full due of the returns on their labour and predictability.

But in Government, the PPP continued the PNC sugar levy. So the hapless sugar workers contributed their profits earned from their industrious labour to fund the Government operations which benefited communities where sugar workers don't live.

It should be noted that it was genuine worker advocates like Ravi Dev, myself, and others who championed the removal of the

sugar levy so workers can enjoy the full fruits of their labour. The PPP Government eventually caved in and eliminated the levy. But by then, the industry had begun a decline.

It should also be noted that it was the PNC, the Government supported by bauxite workers that closed and privatised the bauxite industry. It is the same "bauxite supported government", having returned to power in 2015 because of the significant support from sugar workers, that has now closed Wales and announced plan to close other sugar estates. So sugar workers have consistently supported bauxite workers even assisting the bauxite backed PNC (APNU) party in capturing the Government.

Unfortunately, the Government has moved against the workers.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Minister Ramjattan should investigate Dear Editor, The Police in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) – which stretches from Charity to Supenaam – are creating undue inconvenience and hardship for the residents in the district by not confining their operations within the ambit of the law.

While there is no provision in the law for settlements to be made at the station level, the on-going illegal practice is taking place with detrimental effects on the community.

To the best of knowledge and belief as a layman, the only person vested with the authority not to prosecute any criminal matter is the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) with the proper and rightful forum to make settlements being at the courts.

With court sittings in the district being held on a regular basis, a difficulty can never exist by the parties so involved in a criminal matter at any time to effect a settlement there.

But here it is in yet another incident of the kind; a female villager of mine

from Suddie lodged $20,000 as bail at the Suddie Police Station on May 24, 2017, for the release of her son who was incarcerated for being involved in a fight with a man.

On the receipt issued and shown to me, specific mention was made of the money being lodged for the appearance of her son at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court on June 1, 2017.

After more than one month, a charge is yet to be filed against her son with the poor woman expressing her eagerness to get a refund of her bail money.

The woman expressed a more worrying situation when she was advised by a rank to get out of a Court Agreement of Settlement from Justice of Peace to settle the matter at the station rather than for it to engage the attention of the Court.

This move was however rejected by the woman with a given reason that she did not have money to pay the JP. It is clear as daylight that settlements made at the station will never help to suppress criminal activities

with court action being better to serve as a deterrent from monetary or custodial penalties. A fine will see the Government benefiting from revenue collection.

Many impecunious residents have had to suffer the loss of their bail money in this hard guava season through no fault of their own when it eventually ends up at the Police Finance Office

in the city to become ever so costly to redeem.

The National Security Minister who is a qualified lawyer is being urged to exterminate this malpractice once and for all having regard to the fact that this responsibility falls under his portfolio.

Yours faithfully, Baliram Persaud

Dear Editor, I understand like the general populace that the economy of Guyana is not as healthy as it could be at this juncture. This in turn is having a negative impact on the minds of most Guyanese. The Budget (which I wrote multiple letters to the newspapers about) has created hardships through the expansion of VAT-able commodities/VAT on education (to which I led a principled protest), the increase in tolls and licensing fees, transportation (private and public) costs, and not forgetting the parking meter fiasco which followed. Like me, many are bewildered. As a businessman, I see the pain in the Private Sector fraternity. The fear of losing lucrative investments is causing many former investors to hoard their money in the event of future hardships, which is being peddled ever so often by experts and public officials.

Therefore, the flow of cash and the spending power of consumers is limited which adds to the financial crisis.

The closure of the sugar estates in my view is a significant decision that would have dire repercussions for decades to come. The communities that host these estates will suffer and stagnate more.

I can most definitely understand the Government’s vision in trying to save income by downsizing and closing the sugar estates. Because I believe that the aim is to phase out the sugar estates in a manner that coincides with the discovery of the oil deposits so as to cushion any blow to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). I wish to politely inform the President,

the Prime Minister, Cabinet members and all Members of Parliament that they should listen to the hearts, will and mind of its people. This is not a critique of the Government as I have no political affiliation or choice, and possess a free vote for whoever is best prepared to govern our land.

So I wish to take this opportunity to call on His Excellency, President Brigadier David Arthur Granger to listen to the cries of all sectors despite representing the PNC and the APNU parties. Further, I also believe that former President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo truly loves his country and wishes for us to prosper and so, if its means consultation, it should be pursued at all levels on all national issues.

We must pursue communication with the aim of unity and at least community mindedness.

As a patriot who has invested all that he has to his country, I just wish for my country and its people to prosper; I desire for politicians to disregard using race as a means of obtaining votes in elections. I stand firm in the belief that my partner, General Secretary of the Universal Peace Federation Guyana, Reverend Ronald Mc Garrell and I, National Chairman of the UPF Roshan Khan can do something to break the impasse and disrespect we see between the two major political parties.

Let us work for a future that our coming generations will be proud of, ‘Let us cooperate for our country, let us cooperate for our land.’

Yours sincerely, Roshan Khan

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Foundation

By Susan Heitler, PhD

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hores, just about every child resists them. Children feel too rushed before school, too tired after school, and don’t want to be bothered with chores on the weekends. Parents may pull their hair out with the stress of getting into fights with their children over participating in household tasks. Yet most parents do want their children to contribute to family functioning. Parents give so much to their children; children helping out seems only fair. No wonder chores so often provoke parent-child tensions.

Grownups need to know how to keep themselves and also their family and home healthy and happy. The best way to learn is to do. Habits of self-care and family-helping get built by repetitively doing self and family upkeep routines.

As children grow from infancy to adulthood, learning the skills that maintain a clean environment, attractive clothes and personal space, and healthy eating is as essential as learning at school the skills that will en-

Why does the word chore have such negative connotations?

Chore implies a burden or an unpleasant task. That makes sense given that the word chore originates from the old English term charwoman, a low-status female who does the dirty work in a household, the work that no one else wants to do.

So forget about getting your children to do chores. Chores won’t be a pleasant experience.

Instead, turn chores into gratifying activities that teach vital life skills, build friendship between siblings, and become family bonding times.

How can parents transform chores into activities that children do willingly?

guyanatimesgy.com

Start with a new perspective. To change your view, and your children’s views, of chores, you might start by remembering, and then explaining to your children, that childhood is for learning how to become a grown-up.

able your children to become effective in their adult work lives. Assuming ever-increasing responsibilities in the family initiates young people, step by step, into adulthood.

Childhood is also for learning that an effective family is a team. Teams depend on their members repeatedly doing tasks that take significant time and effort. Shopping, preparing dinner, washing the dishes, taking out the trash, washing, folding, ironing, and folding clothes, putting away clutter,

sweeping and mopping and vacuuming, dusting, cleaning mirrors, swiping bathroom sinks and surfaces, and mowing the lawn and more keep a household going.

Self-care and family responsibilities teach broader crucial life lessons as well – lessons such as how practice makes perfect, how to follow through on commitments, and how to stay with a job until it has been fully completed.

Children of course want to be with friends, want to play, and generally believe that they have more desirable things to do than washing dishes after meals or taking out the garbage.

Validate these concerns.

And at the same time, explain the importance of the word both. Both is a powerful concept. Childs can do their child activities, and also can develop habits of helping to sustain themselves and their family.

Explain then, as per the reasons above, why ever-increasing participation in self-care and family responsibilities is so important. When children, and especially teenagers, understand the big picture importance of pitching in, they become likely to adopt a positive attitude.

How you delegate chores matters

To ease children into participation in self-sufficiency and household helping routines, begin when the children are young. Follow the principle that anything they can do by themselves they should do.

For example, encourage toddlers to put away their blocks when they finish with them. Doing pick up with them initially will lead to their eventually putting them away after they have

used them on their own.

Similarly, preschoolers who still wear diapers like helping by carrying their folded dirty diapers to the diaper pail after their parents have helped with changing them.

Praising children as they learn to do these actions turns self-care and contributions to the family into sources of self-esteem and pride.

As the children get older, assigning responsibilities in a positive manner becomes all the more essential. No child and certainly no teenager wants to feel bossed around. Here’s three techniques that work especially well to keep the tone cooperative rather than top-down.

Make higher level responsibilities an honour.

“Congratulations! Now that you are entering kindergarten, you are old enough to

W

hen the lazy days of summer arrive and your child’s schedule is packed with swimming, camp, and family vacations, it can be a challenge to find time for reading.

But children’s reading skills don’t have to stop growing just because school’s out. Here are some ways to make reading a natural part of their summer fun:

Explore your library

Visit your local library to check out books and magazines that your children haven’t seen before.

Many libraries have summer reading programmes, book clubs, and reading contests for even the young-

est borrowers. There are often incentives, such as a free book upon completing their summer reading lists.

Young children will feel extra grown-up checking out books with their own library card.

Read on the road

Going on a long car trip? Make sure the back seat is stocked with favourite reads. When you’re not at the wheel, you can read the books aloud. Get some audiobooks (many libraries have large selections) and listen to them together during drive time.

graduate into being able to make your bed in the morning! Hurray!” Demonstrate patiently how to do the task, and praise liberally the subsequent fledgling and inevitably imperfect attempts to “do it myself.”

Avoid giving directives.

Observe a phenomenon instead of telling children what to do. “Table setting time!” is far easier for children to respond to than “Set the table!” Or, “Shoelace alert!” instead of telling children “Tie your shoes!”

Transfer additional responsibilities according to their increasing capabilities.

“Now that you are 10 years old, you are old enough to begin waking yourself up in the morning. I’m so proud of you. To celebrate, here is a present: your own alarm clock. Let’s look together at how it works!” (Excerpt from psycholo-

gytoday.com)

Make your own books

Pick one of your family’s favourite parts of summer — whether it’s ice cream, vacation, or the pool — and have your child draw or cut out related pictures from magazines and catalogues. Paste the pictures onto paper to make a book, and then encourage your child to write text for each page. A younger child can dictate the story for you to write down (using your child’s words). When you’re done, read the book together.

Keep in touch

Children don’t have to go away to write about summer vacation. Even if your family stays home, you can encourage your child to send

postcards, letters, or emails to friends and relatives. Ask a relative to be your child’s pen pal, and encourage a weekly exchange of letters, postcards, or emails.

Keep up the reading rituals

Even if everything else changes during the summer, keep up the reading routines already in place at your house. Read with your children every day — whether it’s just before bedtime or under a shady tree on a lazy afternoon. And don’t forget to take a book to the beach!

Just brush the sand off the pages! (kidshealth)

news

7

thursDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Granger reprimands Caricom Heads over obsolete foreign policies ...cautions regional negotiators ahead of trade talks with UK, EU

O

utgoing Caricom Chairman, Guyana’s Head of State, David Granger, has chided his regional counterparts even as he cautions they should ready themselves for a changing international climate replete with uncertainty and complexity.

President Granger was at the time addressing the 15 Caricom Heads of Government at the opening ceremony of the 38th Conference of Heads currently underway in Grenada.

The Guyanese President served as the Caricom Chairman over the past six months and in his address to the regional Prime Ministers, Presidents, Premier and members of the international diplomatic corps, he warned Caricom it “cannot cling to an obsolete model of insularity in light of these international changes”.

Trump

Expanding on the international uncertainties that threaten the very existence of the Caricom grouping, Granger pointed to the recent election of Donald Trump in the United States of America – one of Caricom’s key trade and bilateral donor partners – and pointed to the uncertainty that obtains as a result.

In his cautionary message to the regional lead-

ers gathered at the Grenada Trade Centre on Tuesday, the Guyanese leader pointed to the uncertainties that have arisen for the Region as a result of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, referred to commonly as Brexit.

Granger used his time at the podium to also draw reference to EU’s policies towards Caricom and stressed that “after the expiration of the Cotonou Accord, is uncertain (ty)”.

He spoke too of the likely impact of changes in the policies of the African Union (AU) and its impact on the Caribbean in light of its association to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States.

According to the Guyanese President, “Six months has been a long time in international relations, as we have seen in the US, UK, EU and the AU…This semester has provided ample opportunities for the Community to work together to protect our vital interests at the levels of citizen, country and the Community.”

15 identities

Delivering his blistering assessment of the 15-nation Caribbean Community grouping, Granger said, “The mirage of 15 airlines, 15 cricket teams, defence forces and 15 embassies in the capitals

President David Granger

of the world might mesmerise a few sentimental romantics, but could deplete the treasuries of our States.”

According to the outgoing Caricom Chairman in his starkest warning to regional leaders since taking office, “the Community has vital strategic interests to protect and promote in its international relations”.

He said it was imperative that Caricom engaged foreign States to preserve its interests and “the Community also must ready itself for negotiations with the UK, EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States”.

CSME

He instead suggested that the Community, “challenged by the constantly changing

international situation, must redouble its efforts to ensure a more safe society for its citizens, more stable economies for its countries, deeper solidarity and a more secure hemisphere.”

Turning his attention to the sore issue of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) and its less-thandesired rate of implementation across the Region, the outgoing Chairman reminded his regional counterparts that the initiative was the Community's best response to the inevitable changes in its traditional markets in Europe, the prevalence of economic liberalisation and the emergence of economic blocs.

“The CSME is still the best vehicle to allow small states to compete in the global economy while promoting economic and social development.”

He told the Caricom Heads of Government, including incoming Chairman, Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada, “CSME is the most ambitious project attempted by the Community; it must not become its most ambiguous.”

According to Granger, “CSME, especially given the present uncertainties facing the Region's international relations, must be accelerated in order to create a single economic space.”

Diaspora

Following the Opening Ceremony of the 38th Conference of Heads of Government, Granger used the opportunity to venture to the Mt Cinnamon Hotel in Grenada, where he, along with Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, met with members of the Diaspora for an engagement at a reception.

The President, in his interaction with Guyanese living in Grenada, reminded them of his appeal to the regional Heads of Government.

He told those Guyanese in attendance at the reception, “I feel we in the Caribbean have to be very alert to what is taking place in the world,” and again drew reference to developments in the US, UK, EU and A. “We cannot afford to be left behind.”

According to President Granger, “we cannot afford to drag our feet in coming together,” and must in fact work towards being a community acting in unison in order to be able to exercise any clout in negotiations with the US, UK, the Organisation of America States, Britain, the European Union or any of the other power blocs.

Invest in home

Turning his attention to domestic affairs, the President reminded attendees of the important role of

the Diaspora in the development of Guyana as a nation and in the determination of its development trajectory.

The President drew reference to the fact that most Guyanese who travel abroad such as those residing in Grenada often times improve their education and financial standing, making them viable investors for opportunities existing at home.

He spoke of developments in Information Communication Technology and the Administration’s plans for its use in sectors such as education.

Granger, while not calling for those Guyanese in attendance to return home – except at election time to vote for him – instead invited them to use their innovation, talents and finances to invest in their homeland.

The Head of State used the occasion to recall Rabbi Washington of the infamous House of Israel who had escaped from a correctional facility in the United States, but managed to set up a thriving fried chip business in Guyana.

The Guyanese President was quick to make pellucid that his reference to the escaped fugitive’s business was simply to make the point, “you don’t have to eat Pringles; you don’t have to eat plantain chips from Guatemala”.

8 news

thursDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Shop owner found with ammo remanded

A

shop owner plying his trade in the North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) was on Wednesday remanded to prison after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Paul Hector, 41, of Lot 30 Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara (EBD)

made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He denied that on June 30, 2017, at Water Front, Port Kaituma, NWD, he was found to be in possession of 90mm ammunition without being the holder of an ammunitions licence.

His attorney told the

court that her client was at the time of the discovery consuming alcohol at a shop in the NWD when the ammunition was found in the shop and not on his person.

However, Police Prosecutor Moore contended that the ammunition was found in the possession of the defendant and noted that his

attorney put forward no special reasons for which bail should be granted. As such, he objected to bail being granted for the defendant.

Magistrate McLennan denied bail and remanded Hector to prison. The case will continue on August 8 at the Matthews Ridge Magistrate’s Court.

Suspected robber remanded Mason shot in leg

by Police remanded

T

A

suspected bandit was on Tuesday remanded to prison

by Magistrate Leron Daly when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to two counts of robbery underarms.

Shamar Peters denied robbing Basil Aladdin of $2 million on June 27, 2017, at South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown.

It is further alleged

that on the same day and location, Peters relieved Adrian Duncan of one cellular phone valued $20,000; property of the VC. Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh posed a strong objected to bail, owing to the prevalence of the offences and the fact that a dangerous weapon was used in the commission of the crime. The case will continue on July 14.

he mason, who was shot to his leg while wrestling with a Police Officer, was on Wednesday remanded to prison by Magistrate Fabayo Azore when he appeared before her.

Akeem Rajcomer, 27, of Lot 62 Leopold Street, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to two separate charges – robbery under arms and narcotics trafficking.

He denied that on June 28, 2017 at Leopold Street, Georgetown while being armed with a gun, he robbed Dexter France of one haversack containing one Timberland boots, nine and a half pennyweights of raw gold, $44,000 cash and a quantity of clothing with a total value of $194,000.

The second charge against him alleged that on the same day at the same location, he was found with 50 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

On the day is question, the Police were attempting to arrest the defendant in

connection with the robbery when he attempted to disarm a Police Officer but was shot in the process.

A search was later conducted on his person and the drugs were found in his left side pants pocket.

He was remanded to prison and the case will continue on July 26.

Baby…

L …driver forgotten?

ast weekend, your Eyewitness went to see the new hit movie – Baby Driver. The “hero” couldn’t be more than 19 but your Eyewitness wanted to see what it is that makes the new generation tick. The answer, according to the movie – is money and music.

It tells the tale of this baby-faced orphan kid, from a dysfunctional family to begin with – who grows up unsupervised and hocks car for a living, while driving in the city like he’s practicing for the Indy 500.

He pinches one car too many when he hot-wires the Benz of a criminal mastermind who organises specialised gangs to rob banks on his behalf. He’s forced Baby to be the driver for the pick-up gangs. And after they shoot up the bank and scram with the loot – and boy does the kid drive!! If this was the old fashioned western, he’d be compared to those Indians who’re one with their horses.

It might be that some local youth-men in the cinema with your Eyewitness were inspired by the movie – since three of them tried to replicate the bank heist right here in good old Guyana. Imagine three kids – all under 25 and clearly not your average street element – plotting and executing a bank robbery! One of them was the “inside man” who provided the “intel”…they all had disguises and guns and had the presence of mind to “shoot up the place” but not the people in the bank.

Movie script!!

What they failed to do – was to recruit a “Baby Driver”. And this was literally their fatal mistake. But it’s not just the young bandits’ problem – it is a Guyanese problem. We all see what the 1st world’s doing as far as having a blast and then jump into it without fully digesting all the ramifications. Basically what you had here were these comparatively well-off youths who wanted to live beyond their means. But didn’t want to pay their dues.

These bandits can’t play the “poverty” card.

According to the Chronic, one highly paid Government flunkey dismissed the need to work your way up the ladder as “the old bootstrap bullshit”. Imagine that! But a fella just back from a China scholarship as an agronomist and earning at least $186,000, with a DUTYFREE car definitely had someone pulling HIS bootstraps, didn’t he? And yet he chose to resort to armed robbery.

What’s the excuse now? In addition to greed – which lies in all of us – youths are given the excuse by some like the Government flunkey that “others” hustled the system…

So, they’re foolish not to also “try a thing”.

…king

Back in the day, our calypsonians pricked the pretentions of the British and their titles by ironically dubbing themselves, “King this” or “Lord that”. One would wish this latest Vice Chancellor of UG had their sense of irony. Here’s a man who after admissions declined by 25 per cent, had to be let go halfway through his term as President of the lowly “land grant” Fort Valley State in Georgia USA. His request to be called “distinguished presidential fellow,” during his one year “sabbatical” to look for another job was denied. But as an old boy of the YSM, he ended up at UG as VC where he immediately appointed a “Cabinet” of nine – complete with a Chief-of-Staff!!

Even the VC of Oxford University, with 22,000 students, only has six-Pro-VC’s under him!!

The latest megalomaniac stunt – after the UG “Renaissance” which called him a “renaissance man” is the “UG Diaspora Conference” later this month. It culminates with his INAUGURATION – the first of TEN VC’s.

It should more properly be called the “VC Coronation Gala”!!

…freedom steps

The WPA, with a new face – Tabitha Sarabo-Halley – spoke out against the $475,000 bump in rental allowances to Junior Ministers.

Now how about those $3+ million scholarships to Junior Ministers AND Tabitha Sarabo-Halley??

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

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9

THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GuySuCo Community Outreach Programme

Uitvlugt’s 40,000-tonne target ‘achievable’ – Estate Manager …more workers needed to fill gaps

By Lakeram Bhagirat

F

orty thousand tonnes of sugar by 2020 is achievable but lack of labour would severely hamper that target, according to Uitvlugt Estate Manager, Yudhisthira Mana. However, Mana identified that if that target is not met then the estate will incur a loss.

Mana was at the time addressing a gathering of sugar workers, community leaders and residents of Uitvlugt Village, West Coast Demerara.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is conducting a series of community outreaches in sug-

Forty thousand tonnes challenge

The greater the target, the greater the challenges of achieving that, Mana says. He adds that the major hindrance towards achieving the target is the failure of workers to attend work. Some 375 workers, harvesters and planters, from the Wales Estate refused to take the approximate 45 minutes commute to the Uitvlugt Estate and as a result, production is severely hampered.

“We will be the only sugar producing estate in the Demerara region and we will not have to go up to Berbice for sugar to supply our de-

basis to maximise production.

Mana told the gathering that he is confident that the agricultural team at the Uitvlugt Estate would be able to reach the target but adequate labour is needed. “We have the ability, we have the commitment, we have the togetherness to make this a reality… we recognise that we don’t have adequate labour force to take us through 40,000 tonnes of sugar,” he related. “Not reaching the 40,000 tonnes will definitely increase the cost of production and everything that depends on the revenue coming out of that will be stymied,” he added.

The new GuySuCo

GuySuCo’s

Senior

Some of the stakeholders gathered at the outreach

Communications Officer, Audreyanna Thomas, spoke extensively on the ‘New GuySuCo’ and how it seeks to diversify the sugar industry. She noted that the plan proposes a two-component approach – the sugar component and the diversification component. The sugar component includes the amalgamation of the Albion-Rose

Hall, Blairmont and Uitvlugt Estates with an expected 147,000 tonnes of sugar produced annually. This estimated production will support the demands of the markets with the break down being 25,000 tonnes for local consumption, 50-60,000 tonnes for Caribbean Community (Caricom) and regional markets, 12,500 tonnes for the US

market and 50,000 tonnes for the world markets. While the diversification aspect includes exploring the possibilities of the aquaculture – the rearing of tilapia and dairy farming – the establishment of two milking farms at the Wales Estate.

There are feasibility studies conducted on both aspects and favourable reports have been handed in. turn to page 10

GuySuCo’s threats to workers’ jobs “contemptuous” – GAWU

A

A worker from the Uitvlugt Estate interacting with the panel

ar dependent communities throughout the country. This comes on the heels of the closure of the Wales Estate and the Government’s proposed closure of the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates.

The aim of the outreaches includes creating awareness of the need for employees to show up to harvest cane and mobilising community leaders and other stakeholders; such as customers, suppliers, Government, private and civil society sectors around the importance of improving attendance on all Estates.

With the closure of the Wales Estate, the sugar cane processed at the facility is sent to the Uitvlugt Estate and, according to Mana, the target of 40,000 tonnes of sugar by the year 2020 is an ‘achievable’ task. He noted that the factory is expected to produce some 18,000 tonnes of sugar by the end of 2017.

mands anymore,” Mana explained.

He made those statements while presenting the Uitvlugt Estate Improvement Programme (UEIP) to the stakeholders. However, when questioned about the cost attached to the factory upgrade, to facilitate the achievement of the proposed target, Mana was unable to provide an answer.

The estate would require over 520,000 tonnes of sugar cane to achieve its target requiring some 6005.9 hectares of land to be cultivated. This would create employment for over 1700 persons and would influence communities along the West Bank and Coast of Demerara and the East Bank of Essequibo.

Part of the UEIP encourages members of the communities to encourage the workers to attend work on a regular

s hundreds of Wales sugar workers cope without their severance benefits, the war of words continues between their representative union and employer.

On Wednesday, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) in a strongly-worded statement condemned the contentions of a June 30, 2017 Guyana Chronicle report titled “Keep your job”, which focused on the events which surrounded a Wales Community Centre meeting hosted by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) one day prior.

The article quoted GuySuCo’s Chief Industrial Relations Manager (CIRM) as saying “…if the employees continue to refuse work, they are liable to terminate their own employment and lose severance pay as well as all those benefits”. However, the Union said on Wednesday that it was disturbed by the newspaper article, and reminded that the Sugar Corporation’s stance

Sugar operations at Wales ended in December 2016

in refusing some 350 workers their termination benefits was “contrary” to the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA).

“On this score, we wish to again point out that the Union was forced to take the matter to the courts in order for the workers’ rights to be respected and upheld. In view of the matter in court, should the Corporation decide to terminate the workers concerned, as articulated by the CIRM, it would be engaging in, obviously, contemptuous behaviour,” the Union observed.

On March 23, GAWU’s Attorney, Ashton Chase, SC, filed legal proceedings in the High Court, but the matter was yet to be called up before a judge.

In its press statement, GAWU further highlighted that the CIRM saying that workers had agreed to re-

main on the Wales Estate payroll and be transported to Uitvlugt for work was “plainly wrong and deceptive”, suggesting that the official could be “imagining things”.

“To set the records straight, the Corporation invited the Union to a meeting on February 1, 2017 at the LBI Staff Club, where it communicated that it wished to have the Wales workers going to Uitvlugt. The workers’ representatives and Union in response suggested that the workers be consulted individually, since previously the Corporation had committed to providing them with their redundancy pay should they so desire. The request was agreed to by GuySuCo,” GAWU clarified. turn to page 11

10 news

THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyanese groups examine public corruption in oil and gas industry W

ith accelerated works and heightened interest ahead of commercial production come 2020, the Caribbean Institute of Forensic Accounting (CIFA) in collaboration with the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA) and the African Business Round Table will today commence a two-day symposium on oil and gas.

The confabs are slated to confront the vexing issues of public corruption and the “Oil Curse”, as well as lessons learnt from developing countries. The symposium comes amid public consternation over Government’s refusal to publicly release the contract it inked with giant US oil company, ExxonMobil, which has since been given its Production Licence.

Internationally respected publication ‘The Economist’ only recently questioned Guyana’s preparedness for the advent of commercial oil production come 2020.

According to the article captioned, “Will oil corrupt a small Caribbean state?” it was pointed out, “It will take better politicians to resist the corrosive power of petrodollars.”

The Economist concluded in its publication on

Dr Perry Stanislas

Guyana, “The risk is that Guyana’s petrodollars will be squandered on more sugar subsidies and pay rises for the unproductive Public Sector. The next election is due in 2020 just when the oil starts to flow. The victor could enjoy a well-lubricated quarter-century in office.”

It was also posited, “Guyana already had diamonds and gold, and little of that wealth was shared. Horse-drawn carts still weave through the Georgetown traffic. Large new gold mines under Australian and Canadian ownership have boosted export earnings and the tax take. But small, locally

owned ones smuggle much of their output abroad, bypassing the taxman. Stateowned sugar producers gobble subsidies. Cash will be tight until the oil starts flowing.”

The opening of the twoday symposium at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel, will deal with the ‘Ills of Public Corruption’ and the ‘Oil Curse’ and will feature eminent international presenters, including Dr Perry Stanislas, Leader of the Contemporary Issues in Police and Security Leadership and Management Programme run by Community and Criminal Justice Department at De Montfort University, United Kingdom.

Other panelists include Zalena Khan, Founder and Managing Partner of Zcloud LLC, a NetSuite Solution Provider Partner in the Caribbean and South America; Vicky McPherson, a shareholder in the Global Energy and Infrastructure Group and the Africa Practice Group at the international law firm Greenberg Traurig; and David Holukoff, Director of Grant Thornton, British Virgin Islands.

Other presenters to the packed two-day symposium includes Afra Rymond,

Uitvlugt’s 40,000 tonnes...

from page 9

Thomas said that the new GuySuCo would see massive training programmes for employees so that they would be able to fit-in in alternative careers. She noted communities affected by the closure of estates and those in areas where estates are still operable are ‘vulnerable and susceptible’ to the challenges of GuySuCo. She added that this needs to change and as a result, they are embarking on the Sustainable Community Development Programme since they see an immediate need for it. She notes that this programme includes the need for improved attendance at the estates and urged the community members to join the GuySuCo Voluntary Network so that they can be informed of the happenings of the sugar industry.

Wales still operable

Following the closure of the Wales Factory, in December of 2016, GuySuCo began its diversification process by planting some 200 hectares of seed paddy on what used to be sugar cane land. According to the Estate’s Manager, Devendra Kumar, sugar is an ever-evolving process and one that has been bringing in ‘pretty’ low returns. In justifying the diversification of the

estate, he said that the industry needed to be reshaped and retooled to become a multifaceted one.

Kumar said that over 6500 hectares of seed paddy is needed to supply the demands of the rice industry in Guyana and committed to doubling the current number of hectares under cultivation at Wales. He added that the diversification would see workers, who opted for severance, be given the opportunity to lease lands for dairy farming or other crop production.

The first meeting was on Thursday last, at the Wales Community Centre and the sugar workers stormed out following a dispute between the former Estate Manager of Wales Factory and the workers. However, the workers say that they are not going to attend the Uitvlugt outreach although some of them work at the estate.

They related that they would continue to call for their severance pay since Uitvlugt Estate “is share blows.”

At Thursday’s meeting, the workers were told that they would be fired if they fail to turn up for work at the Uitvlugt Estate. However, the workers stood their ground and informed the GuySuCo officials that they refuse to at-

tend work at the estate.

Since the closure of the Wales Estate in December of 2016, some 1700 workers have been directly affected and thousands of persons in the Wales and surrounding communities indirectly affected.

Some 375 workers are yet to be paid their severance by GuySuCo. They are planning to seek an audience with Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who visited the community in March, for him to provide an update on the position of his promises.

The workers also plan to meet with their union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), for an update on the court proceedings against GuySuCo. However, when contacted, GAWU President Komal Chand said there is not much of an update for the workers since the case has not been called yet. He added that the Union would provide updates as the matter progresses and noted that if the workers ask they are informed of the status.

“We are in the process of completing a petition and getting the workers to sign so we can take it directly to the President so he can look into the matter,” Chand said.

a Professional Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Managing Director of Raymond and Pierre Limited; Dr Kennedy Mkutu, Associate Professor in International Relations, Peace and Security at USUINairobi, Africa; Eric Williams, Principal Consultant and President of Royal Triangle Energy Solutions Limited (RTESL); and Stephen Baker, Senior partner at Baker and Partners, English barrister and Jersey advocate.

The symposium is slated to explore why the oil industry in the overwhelmingly majority of developing countries is associated with widespread corruption, procurement and other forms of fraud, institutionalised tax evasion, and a range of other ingenious means to steal government revenue.

Panel discussions will include the protection of sovereign interests and the avoidance of these typical pitfalls.

Other topics up for discussion includes ‘The Misuse of Offshore Structures in Laundering/hiding the Proceeds of Illicit Payments in the Oil and Gas Industry’ and ‘How offshore trusts, companies and financial services are used to hide illegal payments, and best practices to prevent such payments’.

“Staan easy” better than “beg pardon”

F

or once, Satiricus wasn’t looking forward to his nightly sojourn at the Back Street Bar. Actually, he didn’t want to face Bungi, his cane-cutter buddy on account of how he’d harassed the poor fellow the night before. It had to do with the EU’s claim that they’d given $348 billion to the sugar industry since they cut prices. As he ambled over slowly, that last gyaaf flashed through his head.

“Bungi, why do you keep supporting the PPCEE?” Satiricus had demanded. “Look how your leader Jagdesh took all that money yet didn’t spend it on saving the sugar industry!” Even though he tried, Satiricus hadn’t been able to keep the gloating out of his voice. He’d been “tantalised” too much by Hari and Bungi for the betrayals of his leaders Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat. Now it was his turn and Satiricus had smirked, “Payback’s a bitch!!”

Bungi, who’d lost his job, when his estate was closed, was crestfallen. He was loyal to his party, but his jobless status had created some doubts in his mind. “Bai, wha’ dem man do wid all da money?” he’d asked plaintively.

“Do?” asked Satiricus dramatically. “They could’ve rebuilt all seven factories, with that $348 billion!! With enough left over to give every sugar worker $1 million!” he’d added with a flourish.

“But Jagdesh did say he never got that much money, you know, Sato,” Hari had pointed out placatingly as he looked at the downcast Bungi.

“Ha!” Satiricus had snickered so hard, he had almost sucked in his beer through his nose! “You think those European people does lie?” Both Hari and Bungi had remained quiet.

Now that he reached the back table where his friends were already seated with their beers, Satiricus looked at Bungi and said contritely, “I’m sorry for blaming your leader.”

Bungi looked at him and grinned, “Nah tell me, budday!!

All bady does tell lie!! But me a wait fuh yuh leadah tell Jagdesh dem sarry!!’

11 Taxi driver stabbed to death by 15-year-old news

THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

– in Berbice

A

taxi driver was on Wednesday afternoon stabbed to death by a 15-year-old passenger on Line Path Public Road in Skeldon, Corentyne, during an alleged misunderstanding.

Thirty-seven-yearold Deonarine Laljit of Lot 223 Back Street Hong Kong, Number 72 Village, Corentyne, was stabbed once to his neck and face and was pronounced dead on arrival

at the Skeldon Hospital.

Based on reports received, the victim, who was the brother of a senior Police rank in B Division (Berbice), collected the 15-year-old at No 59 Village and was heading to Line Path when an argument ensued between them.

During the argument, the teen reportedly whipped out a knife and stabbed the driver twice and as the car came to a halt, he made good his escape. The injured driver exit-

Murdered, Deonarine Laljit

GuySuCo’s threats...

It further explained that consultative exercises were to be held on February 8 and 9, 2017 at the Wales Community Centre, but at the first meeting, the workers demanded their severance. As such, consultations scheduled for the afternoon of February 8 and 9, 2017 were not held.

“The Corporation’s ill-defined threat by its CIRM shows the depth to which it will pursue to compel the workers to go to Uitvlugt.

The fact is that the law is on the side of the workers and all that the Union is seeking from the Corporation is for it to honour its statutory obligations and abandon its cunningly crafted schemes that promote the wretched system of forced labour in our society,” the representative body for sugar workers ex-

pressed.

The problems associated with the non-payment of the workers’ severance benefits stem from the workers refusing to travel from the West Bank Demerara Wales Sugar Estate to Uitvlugt on the West Coast of Demerara.

The workers strongly contended that they could not be compelled to travel 22 miles to take up employment. As such, the frustrated Wales workers, often times supported by their union, scheduled a number of protests at their place of employment and at key spaces in Georgetown.

However, the protest actions in front of Parliament Building were subsequently curtailed, by what the Police said were security concerns for members of the National Assembly.

from page 9

When the Wales workers met with GuySuCo at the Community Centre last Thursday, they subsequently stormed out following a dispute with the former Estate Manager of Wales Factory. Sugar workers had long been arguing against the Sugar Corporation’s treatment of their redundancy and redeployment.

At one point in February 2016, some categories of workers were given just three days to decide if they wanted to remain at Wales or have their services transferred to Uitvlugt, but GuySuCo quickly shelved these plans after the media got wind of them. Sugar operations officially ended at Wales in 2016, and many workers have been without employment from the Corporation since early 2017.

ed his vehicle and walked a few feet before collapsing.

Public-spirited citizens immediately alerted the Police who arrived at the scene some time after and began their investigations. The man’s body was subsequently taken to the hospital where doctors on duty confirmed his demise.

Acting on information, Police ranks went to an abandoned house at Line Path where the teenage suspect was arrested. He was also found to be in possession of the murder weapon. Guyana Times was told that after Laljit was stabbed, he was relieved of the cash he was carrying and other valuables.

The teenager is being fur-

ther grilled by detectives.

When this publication made contact with the dead man’s relatives, his mother-in-law, Mala, explained that they were at home when they received a telephone call informing them that her son-inlaw was shot and injured.

She noted that without hesitation, the family members rushed to the scene only to find the body of the man covered with a white sheet in a pool of blood. She noted that the Police were at the time conducting their investigations after which his body was taken to the hospital.

The woman explained that the now dead man worked as a cane cutter to provide for his family, but af-

ter some time, he started to work his car as a taxi to make ends meet. The aggrieved mother-in-law further stated that based on reports gathered, Laljit was stabbed and robbed of his valuables by the teenager who was later arrested.

She noted that the now dead man was a kind-hearted individual and would give people a free ride when they did not have money to pay the fare. Laljit was also described as a caring and loving father.

He leaves to mourn his wife, two children and three brothers among other relatives. The Police are continuing their investigations into the stabbing incident.

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THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Attempted bank robbery forces introspection, discussion – Bishop Edghill

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prominent religious leader in Guyana has indicated that the recent foiled bank robbery which involved young educated professionals points to a breakdown in moral values in society, and this incident should be used to inspire greater dialogue in communities and homes across Guyana, as the trend of crime and violence may have shifted.

Bishop Juan Edghill said the event was frightening because while in the past, communities were profiled and particular individuals were profiled as criminals, in what played out on Tuesday, most of the robbers came from ‘decent’ backgrounds, but they were influenced to commit a criminal act.

“Somehow, they are being influenced to go in a direction that will break the heart of any parent and will cause serious introspection even in the religious community,” Bishop Edghill

said.

From a religious standpoint, Edghill told Guyana Times that religious leaders would now need to check to see if their messages were appropriate and whether the methods used were effective.

“Or are we just going through the motion? I think it’s a good time for religious leaders to go back to the drawing board and pay serious attention to children and youth and the structure of the family. When I say special attention should be paid to children and youth, I am talking about the impartation of values, ethics, principles and the instilling of deep moral perspectives,” he added.

Certain sections of the media have reported that the slain robber Elton Wray was motivated to commit the robbery by his desire to get quick cash to facilitate an overseas trip to visit his girlfriend. Edghill said if this information was

an intellectual author that remains unknown? These are very serious questions and we have to ask these questions,” he stated.

If this was the case, the religious leader said, the authorities would, therefore, need to look at ways to develop targeted approaches to infiltrate communities. He said the conversation about youth crime and violence should commence now and should never stop.

Worry

Bishop Juan Edghill

factual, it showed that the men did not think things through.

“For them to execute this robbery, it called for some amount of planning. Did no one try to talk the other one into rethinking that this might not be the right way to go? Was this as a result of some movies they were looking at? Are they having

Edghill said there was no need for persons to be too surprised by the people that were involved in the bank robbery, especially Wray, because according to him, there have been many recent examples where University of Guyana graduates and students were placed before the courts for many offences.

“And that is something in itself we have to worry about. There is no longer that perception that the un-

educated youth are looking for a hustle that is going to draw to a gang or violence.

We are seeing a different approach and we must ask ourselves why that is so,” he added.

The foiled bank robbery, he said, also highlights the need for fathers to play a more active role in their children’s life, particularly their sons. “This is a good call for fathering and not just parenting. But as a man with a son, this is a real call for us to get closer to our sons in conversations, even when they meet an age of maturity. We just don’t loose them wild, but we remain that lighthouse to give them direction so that their ship will not go astray and fathering in the sense of mentoring and maintaining a relationship.”

Edghill continued: “As a father, I could imagine the agony and pain of the father, the shame of the family. But I think all of us, all men, should take a

look and embrace your sons and check up on him a little bit more. Checking up their friends, influence the conversation and activities they get into, have an input in their associates and where they are going and their general programme.”

The three bandits involved in Tuesday morning’s attempted robbery at Republic Bank’s Water Street branch were all educated men.

Wray had a degree in agronomy which he earned at a university in China.

Wray’s father holds a senior position in the Guyana Police Force.

The dead man’s accomplice, Jamal Haynes, at the time of the robbery, was a staffer of Republic Bank and it is believed that he was the one who set up the robbery owing to his inside knowledge of the Bank’s operations.

The other suspect worked at a local photography business in Georgetown.

Mahdia to attain township Tourism Association formed in Region 2 status before year-end C

ommitted efforts are being made to establish a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for the community of Mahdia to facilitate its journey to township status.

This was announced by the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Gavin Gounga, who told the Department of Public

end of 2017 and the formation of the NDC is one of the loose strings that need to be tied as the time for Mahdia achieving township status draws closer.

Gounga explained that a list of persons eligible to serve on the IMC has already been submitted to the Minister as he further disclosed that Minister Bulkan was also expected to com-

The entrance to Mahdia

Information (DPI) that Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan is expected to visit the community shortly to install an Interim Management Community (IMC).

This IMC will manage the NDC until the expected Local Government Elections in 2018 which will see the duly elected local representatives taking over.

The mining community is expected to be gazetted as a township before the

mission a tractor to the community, to facilitate the removal of solid waste around the area. The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government in 2016 granted township status to three communities Mabaruma (Region One); Bartica (Region Seven); and Lethem (Region Nine) and while Mahdia was among the communities expected to achieve this status, the process was delayed largely owing to is-

sues related to the demarcation of the constituency boundaries and the non-existence of the NDC. According to media reports, Minister Bulkan has assured that the challenges related to the attainment of township status for Mahdia were being addressed through a work programme.

The formation of the new towns is part of the Government’s policy and vision of fostering national development through regional and local empowerment. By standing as administrative centres in the respective administrative regions, these towns will provide key governmental services to communities.

President David Granger believes that the founding of these towns will generate economic activity towards the development of “a single economy”. Granger recently emphasised the need for Guyana to build an entrepreneurial class, access cheap energy, bridge the Essequibo River and diversify the national economy to reduce its dependence on the “six sisters” – rice, sugar, bauxite, gold, timber, and fish.

Mahdia is a small community in the Potaro-Siparuni district with a population of approximately 4500, comprising Guyanese of various backgrounds. Economic activity in the community is centred on small and largescale gold and diamond mining operations.

N

The newly-elected Essequibo Tourism Association

ew members were on Tuesday selected to serve on the Tourism Association in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), which will be aiming to put the Cinderella County on the map of tourism.

Elected as Chairperson for the Association was businesswoman Maria Lord while Vilma Da Silva was elected Vice President.

Other committee members include Kabakaburi Toshao Cleveland Simon; Capoey Toshao Melrose Henry; CharityUsara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairpersons Beatrice Mittelholzer and Shakti Kellewan; businessman

Gavinash Jaigobin, historian Isahack Basir and businessman Daleep Singh.

These persons were selected at the end of a tourism workshop held on Tuesday in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

After the election process, Director General from the Department of Tourism at the Business Ministry, Donald Sinclair congratulated members and urged them to act promptly in promoting the Region.

Sinclair advised that the Region has many tourist hotspots, but an association was needed to push Essequibo as a tourist destination.

At the end of the work-

shop, hotspots were identified and suggestions were made. The new Association members are now tasked to come up with new ideas on how to enhance the Region as well as to market the various lakes and resorts.

The main economic activity for Region Two is agriculture, but it is believed if the Region is marketed better in the tourism sector, it can earn revenues to boost its economy. The main tourist attractions sites currently are Mainstay Resort, Capoey Amerindian Lake, Pomeroon Clusters, Mashabo, Supenaam Creek\Betany, Iturbisi (hot and cold lake), Kabakaburi\ Siriki and the Charity areas. (Indrawattie Natram).

news

13

THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Republic Bank foiled robbery

Owner of allegedly hijacked car was sentenced for gun possession

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noting that investigations are ongoing.

However, the two other suspects in the robbery, Jamal Haynes and Keron Saunders remain in Police custody and are being further grilled in connection with the foiled robbery on

he owner of the car intended to be used by the bandits after the foiled Republic Bank robbery on Tuesday has since been arrested and it proved that he is also a convict who was sentenced in absentia in 2016 for firearm and ammunition pos-

Injured: Jamal Haynes

Dead: Elton Wray

session.

This was confirmed

by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Wednesday during a telephone interview with Guyana Times.

He further stated that the man, whose name was withheld, was charged on

April 23, 2015 and was granted bail.

However, since his release, he did not show up for any of the hearings and, as such, the presiding Magistrate sentenced him to four years in prison.

Ever since his sentence, he has evaded the law. He was taken into custody on Tuesday after he claimed that his car was hijacked a day before the planned robbery. The Crime Chief further told Guyana Times that it is too early to determine whether or not he is a part of the robbery, while

Injured: Keron Saunders

the Water Street banking establishment which has left Elton Wray dead.

Blanhum told Guyana Times that the Police will approach the High Court for an extension in the detention period since the 72 hours will expire shortly.

Foiled robbery

Pandemonium broke out at the Water Street location of Republic Bank after Haynes held a colleague hostage while the others demanded money on Tuesday morning.

Nevertheless, members of the contracted security firm were alerted of the suspected bank robbery and called the Police for assistance. Upon realising that the area was surrounded, Haynes held a bank staff at gunpoint and escaped into the vendor’s arcade.

Wray on the other hand did the same and ran towards another section of the vendor’s arcade where he made his way into a cook shop and pretended to be a cook. He was trailed and the Police opened fire, fatally wounding him.

In addition, Keron Saunders surrendered to Police and it is suspected that a fourth made good his escape. Now investigators are trying to ascertain if the taxi driver who claimed his car was hijacked is the fourth.

Meanwhile, a car bear-

The vehicle used by the bandits

ing registration number PWW 1452 and which belonged to Wray was found parked at the Plaza Bridge in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The dead 24-year-old man, also referred to as “Peas”, was an agronomy graduate from a Chinese University and worked as a Research Assistant at the National Agricultural Research and Extension

Institute (NAREI).

He was the son of a senior rank within the Guyana Police Force. With respect to Saunders, Police sources have confirmed that he is known to the Police but they could not confirmed if he was actually charged for any crime.

On his Facebook profile, there are photos of guns and large sums of money.

No official word on Bisram’s arrest in NY – Crime Chief ...extradition hearing set for next Thursday in Brooklyn

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ne day after the New York Daily News reported that the alleged mastermind behind the November 2016 Corentyne murder, Marcus Brian Bisram, was nabbed in New York, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has indicated that the Guyana Police Force is yet to be formally informed about the arrest.

Blanhum told Guyana Times on Wednesday that while they had previously submitted a formal extradition request along with the relevant documents for the suspect to be brought here for trial, the United States (US) authorities are yet to confirm the arrest.

Nevertheless, going forward, the Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) explained that they will have to await the extradition hearing, during which it will have to be proven in court that Guyana has sufficient evidence against the overseas-based Guyanese to warrant an extradition.

Bisram, 28, was charged in absentia in November last for the murder of 26-year-old Faiyaz Narinedatt, a car-

Dead: Faiyaz Narinedatt

penter, who was killed on November 1, 2016, at Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The overseas-based Guyanese philanthropist/ businessman allegedly ordered four of his allies to kill the father of two, who had rejected his (Bisram’s) sexual advances. It was reported that Narinedatt had choked and slapped the businessman.

The carpenter’s battered body was subsequently found at a staged hit-and-run accident scene. Independent investigations done by the

dead man’s family uncovered the gruesome crime, and as such, Police arrested the four suspects, who then confessed that Bisram had ordered them to commit the killing.

By that time however, Bisram had already returned to the US and the Guyana Police Force has since been trying to have him extradited to face trial here. To this end, local law enforcement last November issued a wanted bulletin for the businessman and subsequently contacted its overseas counterparts for assistance in locating the suspect.

The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) subsequently issued a wanted bulletin for Bisram. The Interpol ‘red notice’ urged persons in the United States to contact the nearest Police Station or 911 once the wanted man is sighted. After no response, Guyana then reissued a fugitive warrant for Bisram in March of this year.

Despite Bisram being a fugitive wanted for murder on Interpol, he has been roaming freely in New York

Murder accused Marcus Bisram

for the past eight months.

That is until Tuesday when the New York Police Department (NYPD)/US Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force nabbed him from his beachfront home in Arverne, Queens sometime around 13:00h.

The following day, he appeared before a Judge at the Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday, who ruled that the businessman be held without bail until his extradition hearing. That date has been scheduled for July 13.

Outside the courthouse, Narinedatt’s widow Pooja

Pitam told a CBS New York reporter that it was hard to see the man who ordered the hit on her husband. The grieving woman, who shares two children with the carpenter, said her husband never got to see his now one-year-old daughter. At the time of his death, Narinedatt was awaiting his papers to process to join his family in the Bronx.

Bisram was the sixth person charged with the murder of the carpenter. He was charged along with his 39-year-old bodyguard Orlando Dickie of Stevedore Housing Scheme, Georgetown.

A few days prior, four other persons were charged for the carpenter’s murder. They were 39-year-old Radesh Motie, an excavator operator of Lot 124 Number 74 Village; 49-yearold Harripaul Parsram of Lot 164 Number 71 Village; 18-year-old Deodatt Dutt of Lot 98 Number 71 Village; and 37-year-old Nirone Yacoob, a hire car driver of Lot 65 Number 67 Village, Corentyne.

Two of the accused had confessed to investigators that they were ordered

by the overseas-based Guyanese businessman to kill Narinedatt, after which they dumped his body on the Number 70 Public Road to make it seem as a hit-and-run accident.

Additionally, the businessman’s mother and her daughter were also charged and remanded to prison after they offered bribes to Police ranks to “duck the case”.

Shinella Indarally, 45, and Mary Anne Lionel, 25, both of Lot 171 Section B Number 71 Village, Corentyne, were charged for deliberately attempting to obstruct the course of justice. It was reported that they offered a Police Corporal $4 million to release the four men who were detained for murder and to also forfeit efforts to apprehend Bisram.

A few hours after the body was discovered, it is alleged that the mastermind, Marcus Bisram, had gone to the Springlands Police Station and allegedly offered to pay the two officers. A Constable and a Corporal were arrested and placed under close arrest on those allegations.

14 news

THURSDAY, july 6, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

PM, CDC lead team to assist Region 6 cattle farmers – Agri Minister, other senior officials to receive report

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

O

ne day after reports surfaced highlighting the deaths of over 1000 cattle following flooding in Cookrite Savannah, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) led a team to assess the flood-affected communities. This was disclosed

by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder in an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday.

ter from the Canje is said to be currently pouring into the Cookrite Savannah, flooding farm lands.

This newspaper was told that operatives of the NDIA are slated to pull water from the Canje into the Berbice River which is likely to ease the pressure on the Canje River. Agriculture Minister Holder stressed that this is being done since this section of Berbice does not have a conservancy water storage system.

“It uses the Canje to irrigate Skeldon, Albion, Rose

ing the Agricultural Minister will go through the flood assessment report sometime today.

No impounding of animals

Meanwhile, the Police have been ordered to ensure that no animal will be impounded during this period. However, Nagamootoo warned the animal owners to pay attention to the safety of humans.

“When you make a decision to tell the stray catchers that they cannot impound, you have to think wheth-

Scenes from Cookrite Savannah on Wednesday

This newspaper had visited the Savannah and carcases of cattle were seen in varying stages of decomposition, where farmers pegged the daily death toll at more than 20. They explained that their animals had little or no food to eat as the unpleasant aroma of rotting flesh permeated. About 40 farmers occupy Cookrite Savannah, which is situated between the four polders – Johanna, Mibicuri, Yakasary and Lesbeholden. There are about 7000 heads of cattle along with sheep, goat and horses. The farmers reported that so far, more that 1000 heads of cattle have died and close to 20 horses.

Alarmed by the report, the multistakeholder team departed Georgetown in the mid-afternoon hours via helicopter to assess the unfolding situation in Berbice. To this end, Minister Holder noted that an engineer from his Ministry’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) sub-agency was part of the assessment team.

“An engineer from NDIA has gone in with the Civil Defence Commission and they are going to give a report about what’s going on so I am waiting to hear from them,” Minister Holder explained late Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the CDC has to brief the Prime Minister in addition to Minister of State Joseph Harmon on the day’s assessment.

According to information relayed to Guyana Times, water from the Cookrite Savannah normally drains into the Canje River. Reports, however, indicate that water from the Savannah is now prevented from draining into the Canje River because the water level in the river is too high. More alarmingly, wa-

Hall, Black Bush Polder.

They pump from the Canje into these areas for irrigation purposes and when the Canje flows over, they pull water from the Torani Canal which links the Berbice River with the Canje,” Holder noted.

On Tuesday, Guyana Times highlighted that more than 1000 acres of land were under, with water at chesthigh levels in some parts.

Farmer Peter Crawford, who has 600 heads of cattle in the Savannah, had pointed out that 150 have died. Another farmer, Nico Greene, who owns 200 heads, had noted that 50 of his animals were missing while his brother, Compton Greene, who owns 400 heads of cattle, told this publication on Tuesday that he lost 10 horses and 60 cows as a result of the floodwaters.

Another farmer, Seenarine Deonarine, said he lost about 100 of his 700 cows while Sultan Munroe reported that close to 200 of his 500 cows had died.

Meanwhile, female farmer Raberta LaRose reported that she lost 300 heads of cattle and about 100 sheep.

She noted that efforts had been made to get her animals to dry land, risking the chance that they will be impounded. It was further explained that other cattle farmers were also doing the same. However, many of them said they can only bring out a small portion of their animals. Lucy Monroe, another female farmer, already lost about 15 of her 100 heads of cattle. The farmers told this newspaper that only one of the three sluice doors was being operated at Adventure while the pumps at Eversham and Number 43 Village are not being put into operation.

It is expected that senior Government officials, includ-

er people’s lives will be put in danger… you can’t have

The farmers in discussion with acting President Moses Nagamootoo on Wednesday

your animals on the road during the day and then at night they use it as a warm bed and then you endanger people using the roads with their vehicles, so you need to cooperate with us,” Nagamootoo told the farmers.

Meanwhile, the farmers had said that they were not getting the needed assistance since some of the pumps along the Corentyne were not operable. Region Chairman David Armogan had told the media that the region’s budgetary allocations for fuel had been cut in the National Budget.

However, Minister with-

in the Finance Ministry, Jaipaul Sharma, said even if that was the case, the region was not short of funding to purchase fuel.

“Under agriculture for fuel and lubricants, the amount of $270.5 million was budgeted. If the Chairman is saying that it was cut by half then that figure has to be multiplied by two… I was expecting that if he was going to make statements like that, that there was no money….to date what has spent is only $48.7 million of what was budgeted for agriculture. So under agriculture, there is $223 million. So you don’t need the Minister of

Finance to provide funding for fuel, there is money in the budget,” Minister Sharma said. Meanwhile, farmers at Butcher canal along the Canje River have also complained of the overtopping of the Canje River resulting in five feet of flood waters and the loss of scores of animals.

At Barakara, a village situated along the Canje River, flood waters have also resulted in the loss of livestock. Regional Executive Officer of Region Six, Kim Williams-Stephen reported that several persons have been affected by waterborne diseases. (Additional reporting by Andrew Carmichael)

Tourism can become main revenue earner for Region 2 – Regional Chairman tells workshop

BY INDRAWATTIE NATRAM

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ourism in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) can very well become the leading revenue earner if given the right opportunities from the Department of Tourism, according to Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt.

Ramdatt was at the time addressing businessmen, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Councillors and Toshoas from various Amerindian communities at a special Regional Tourism Planning Workshop held on Tuesday, July 4 at the Regional Democratic Council boardroom. Ramdatt said the region is blessed with the most beautiful lakes and

Director General of the Department of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, addressing the workshop. Seated at right is Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt

hotspots within the region are Lake Mainstay Resort, Lake Capoey, Lake Mashabo, Pomeroon Cluster (Charity, Kabakaburi, Akawini, Wakapoa, Adel's Resort,

Some participants at the workshop

tourist attraction sites but often they are left isolated because of lack of knowledge or resources.

Some of the tourism

Arparico), Supenaam Betany, Creek, Bush Lot Settlement, and Lake Tapakuma.

Alluding to the fact that

the agriculture sector is currently facing some difficulties due to flooding in Region Two, Ramdatt urged persons to diversify. He also urged participants to provide suggestions and recommendations that can further develop the tourism sector within Region Two. "As a region we can't always depend on agriculture… right now lands are flooded which means the economy will be affected; as such residents need to tap in on other opportunities" Ramdatt posited.

Meanwhile Director General, Department of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, said the main objective of the workshop was to identify key tourism hot spots. Sinclair said the Business Ministry in collaboration with the Department of Tourism is

currently conducting the workshops as a way of identifying hot spots in various regions so that those spots can be added to Guyana’s Tourism maps. Thus far, similar workshops were conducted in Regions 3,4,7 and 10.

During the workshop persons were involved in group discussions. Also attending the workshop was President of the Essequibo Chambers of Commerce, Deleep Singh.

Isahack Basir, who is an old historian, used the opportunity to share his knowledge on different tourist sites.

Some of the challenges faced as a region in terms of highlighting tourism are the formation of a tourism association, lack of resources, lack of training on tourism awareness, documentary on sites and lack of a tourism help desk.

thursDAY, july 6, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Devi Mulai of Dessert Delights: “You just gotta keep pushing”

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evi Mulai is a baking and cooking-aholic with a dream to one day own her very own brickand-mortar dessert shop.

“I’ve always love baking and cooking the fancy things.”

And the 24-year-old former Annandale Secondary School student is wasting no time in making that dream a reality, setting up almost two years ago, Dessert Delights, her Facebook home-based business that offers delicious, eye-catching cakes and hand-designed, customised mugs for sale. Her specialty is cupcakes – sponge cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, cheesecake cupcakes, Christmas cupcakes, Father’s Day cupcakes, bridal cupcakes – pretty much cupcakes for any occasion with mouth-watering toppings and beautiful designs.

For Mulai, who is employed full time,

If the response to these baked goodies is any indication, there are more than a few persons anxiously awaiting that day.

In acknowledging the challenge of juggling a full-time job, Dessert Delights and family life, the Annandale, East Coast Demerara native said: “Every day is not the same, [but] you just gotta keep pushing.”

Mulai advised persons who dream of turning their passions into businesses to not give up on their dreams. “Always keep trying. ‘Cause every

the online business is a way to test the waters and see what customers respond to best while earning extra cash. “This helps me financially as well as provide an opportunity to interact with customers. Gaining their trust, etc. In the near future, I plan to expand on this a bit more.”

Business News

BVI Beneficial Ownership Search System goes live

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he Government of the British Virgin Islands’ Beneficial Ownership Secure Search system (BOSSs) has successfully gone live following the July 1 deadline.

BOSSs has so far seen significant activity, with the necessary information for tens of thousands of companies having already been uploaded to the platform. The Finance Ministry is continuing to work closely with the industry to get the remaining companies onto the system as soon as possible.

There is a six-month

grace period before the penalties referenced in the Beneficial Ownership Secure Search System Act, 2017 will apply.

Executive Director of the Office of International Business (Regulations), Neil Smith said, “BOSSs is a truly innovative platform that puts the BVI at the helm of global initiatives to combat trans-border crime and illicit financial activity. I am delighted that having carefully developed the cloud-based technology platform, it is now live and operating successfully."

“BOSSs is a world-class platform that the BVI can be proud of and it will positively benefit all stakeholders,” he added.

BOSSs is an innovative technology-enabled searchable portal that marks a step change in the way beneficial ownership information on any BVI company is held, accessed and, where appropriate, shared with competent authorities in the BVI and the United Kingdom.

It was developed following an exchange of notes with the UK in April 2016.

(Caribbean News Now)

Market statistics Cambio Rates

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Calculated at 94% purity, June 21, 2017

Selling

GBP

$265.88

$269.26

CAN

$159.00

$160.85

USD

$205.98

$208.44

$ 233.34

$236.32

EURO

USD

$1244.50

Gross

$242,642

Net

$225,651

Indicators as on July 5, 2017 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$47.87

Price

USD

Rough Rice

$246.62/ton

London Sugar

$412.90/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change %

-0.10 Change %

+0.85 +0.73 USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1227.00

$1228.00

Low/High

$1217.00

$1230.70

Change

+0.30

+0.02%

Business Concept – Stock 1. A share of a company held by an individual or group. Corporations raise capital by issuing stocks and entitle the stock owners (shareholders) to partial ownership of the corporation. Stocks are bought and sold on what is called an exchange. There are several types of stocks and the two most typical forms are preferred stock and common stock.

2. The proportional part of a company's equity capital represented by fully paid up shares.

(Business Dictionary)

failure is another step towards success.”

“You love doing something? Push towards it. There will be room for mistakes, but with every try, you only get better.”

She added bluntly: “Sacrifices must be made.”

Taking risks, motivation, and creativity are the key qualities of entrepreneurs, Mulai noted, and urged that they be educated and motivated to succeed. The determined young woman highlighted that she had to and was ultimately able to do that on her own.

“You also have to be very open minded,” she concluded, explaining that the persons who she deals with every day were her biggest influence.

Contact: 629-1979; facebook @dessert.delights.gy; Annandale Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara

Investors’ Guide

Tech lifts Nasdaq; energy curbs Dow, S&P gains

A

steep drop in oil prices dragged energy shares lower and kept the Dow and S&P 500 in check on Wednesday, while the Nasdaq was buoyed by gains in tech stocks.

Crude prices settled about four per cent lower, ending their longest bull run in more than five years, hurt by a stronger dollar and concerns about rising Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) exports.

“The US is the swing producer and the major capitalist producer as well,” said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Asset Management in New York.

“So the Government can’t dictate to the domestic industry whether to pump or not pump – they are going to keep pumping as long as it is profitable for them.”

Shares of Exxon and Chevron fell by more than

1.5 per cent and were among the biggest drags on the Dow and S&P. The S&P energy index lost two per cent and was the worst performing out of the 11 major S&P sectors.

Recent tepid economic data and an inflation rate below the Federal Reserve’s two per cent target may have a bearing on the US central bank’s plans for interest rate hikes.

New orders for US-made goods fell more than expected in May, data showed on Wednesday, but capital equipment orders were slightly stronger than previously reported, suggesting manufacturing remains on a path of moderate growth.

Fed policymakers were increasingly split on the outlook for inflation and how it will affect the future pace of rate increases, according to minutes of the Fed’s latest policy meeting on June

13-14. The minutes revealed a few officials viewed equity prices as high when compared to standard valuation measures, even though earnings growth had been robust.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.1 points, or 0.01 per cent, to close at 21,478.17, the S&P 500 gained 3.53 points, or 0.15 per cent, to 2432.54 and the Nasdaq Composite added 40.80 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 6150.86.

The tech sector’s one per cent rise led the S&P 500 gainers, with Advanced Micro Devices, Micron and Nvidia among the best performers in the sector.

The PHLX semiconductor jumped 2.1 per cent.

Technology shares have been volatile in recent weeks as the sector’s strong run this year raised concerns about their valuation.

(Reuters)

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Regional

Venezuela: Pro-Government militiamen Man set ablaze after injure politicians in attack on Congress argument in T&T

A

F

our Venezuelan politicians have been wounded after pro-Government militias wielding wooden sticks and metal bars stormed the Opposition-controlled Congress during a special session to mark the country’s independence day.

Blood was left splattered on the neoclassical legislature’s white walls. One of the wounded politicians, Americo de Grazia, had to be taken in a stretcher to an ambulance suffering from convulsions, said a fellow congressman.

“This doesn’t hurt as much as watching how every day how we lose a little bit more of our country,” Armando Arias said from inside an ambulance as he was being treated for head wounds that spilled blood across his clothes.

The attack, in plain view

An injured Government supporter is taken away by security forces in Caracas, Venezuela

of national guardsmen assigned to protect the legislature, comes amid three months of often-violent confrontations between security forces and protesters who accuse the government of trying to establish a dictatorship by jailing foes, pushing aside the opposi-

tion-controlled legislature and rewriting the constitution to avoid fair elections.

Tensions were already high after vice-president Tareck El Aissami made an unannounced morning visit to the neoclassical legislature, accompanied by top government and military of-

ficials, for an event celebrating independence day.

Standing next to a display case holding Venezuela’s declaration of independence from Spain, he said global powers are once again trying to subjugate Venezuela.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Santa Cruz man was up to last night listed in a critical condition after he was doused with a flammable substance and set ablaze yesterday during a fight.

According to police reports, around 11 am, 35-year-old Mike Victor, of Tappin Street, Santa Cruz was standing along Back Street near his girlfriend’s home when a 24-year-old man threw a bucket of liquid on him and set him afire.

The suspect surrendered to Santa Cruz police after the incident. Victor ran into his in-laws’ yard where his girlfriend and mother of his two children, Kamie Sorzano, doused him with a bucket of water.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, relatives of Sorzano said Victor had earlier been “advantaging” his attacker.

The attacker they said was a “smallie fella” and Victor, whose alias is “Biggs” was twice his size and strength. The relatives said Victor had threatened to beat up the suspect.

A relative said Victor was in a bad mood. Earlier, he said, Victor had hit the suspect a clout causing him to hit his head against a concrete wall. The relative said Victor and the suspect would normally lime together and would usually have disputes but it never became physical.

Sorzano, who was on her way home from the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, said in a telephone interview that Victor was given a 40 per cent chance of survival and had to be sedated at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. He suffered third-degree burns.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Bank official urges Grenada PM calls on UK to increase World Caribbean countries to scholarships to the Caribbean transit to blue economy

P

rime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell has called on the United Kingdom to increase its quota of scholarships offered to students in Grenada and the rest of the Caribbean.

Mitchell, an advocate of education, made the appeal during a meeting with Janet Douglas, the United Kingdom’s new high commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, on Friday.

Douglas was paying a courtesy call on the Grenadian leader after taking up her new position seven weeks ago. Mitchell said Britain’s assistance in bolstering its quota of scholarships to the region is particularly important in light of that country’s shifting im-

Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell (left) with Janet Douglas, the United Kingdom’s new High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean

migration policy.

The new High Commissioner conceded that Britain was losing out to countries like China which have been increasing

scholarships to Caribbean students. She promised to push the scholarship agenda while referencing Britain’s Chevening Scholarship to the region which she agreed

Peru reconstructs face of ancient female leader

S

cientists in Peru have managed to reconstruct the face of a powerful ancient female leader using 3D printing. The woman, known as the Lady of Cao, belonged to the Moche culture in northern Peru and died 1700 years ago.

Her preserved remains were found in 2006 at a mud-brick ruined pyramid known Huaca Cao Viejo, near Trujillo. Scientists were able to replicate her face after analysing her skull structure and remains.

The Lady of Cao was buried with a crown, and gold and copper items. The grave also contained a number of weapons, including two massive war clubs and 23 spear

The Lady of Cao could have been a priestess or a political ruler

throwers. A modern autopsy revealed she had been in her 20s when she died, probably of childbirth or pregnancy complications. Her feet, legs and face were tattooed with

magic symbols of serpents and spiders. The richness of her burial site suggests she might have been a priestess or even a political ruler.

The discovery challenged the belief that only men held high positions in ancient Moche society. Peru’s Culture minister, Salvador del Solar, said the reconstruction had revealed an oval face with high cheekbones, which many Peruvians shared and would recognise.

“We are privileged to announce this strange combination of the future and the past: technology has allowed us to see the face of a political and religious leader from a culture from the past.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

was not sufficient.

Mitchell welcomed the high commissioner and her delegation and expressed his thanks to the British for their support in several areas, especially recently, in the Caribbean Infrastructure Fund The new high commissioner will be in Grenada for the opening of Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government summit on Tuesday evening along with other regional diplomats.

She said the UK aims to reconnect and re-energiSe the relationship that former British prime minister David Cameron started through the Caribbean Infrastructure Fund. (Excerpt

from Caribbean News Now)

A

senior official of the World Bank said Wednesday that Caribbean countries have been more successful in reinventing themselves than some of the region’s giants.

“This Region managed to find a niche in the highly competitive global industry after it lost its trade preference treatment with Europe in the 1980s,” said Jorge Familiar, Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank. Addressing Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders at their 38th annual summit here on development finance opportunities for small states and how the blue economy has become the next frontier for economic growth for the Caribbean,

Familiar noted that Grenada is demonstrating its commitment to inclusive growth and enhancing investment in the blue economy.

He said there is an opportunity for Caricom countries to find new sources of growth by transitioning to a blue economy and to leverage new sources of financing.

There are a number of important questions that would be useful to reflect on, Familiar said, even as he focused on what is the blue economy and what opportunities it can offer for growth and how can the World Bank assist Caricom countries to leverage new sources of financing in their pursuit of inclusive and sustainable growth. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Suriname to improve fiscal sustainability with IDB support

S

uriname will receive a US$40 million investment loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to increase tax revenue and improve public spending and investment in order to reduce its budget deficit and improve its fiscal sustainability in the medium-term.

The loan aims to support the country’s effort to balance its budget due to growing spending and decreased tax revenue stemming from a drop in commodity prices and a halt in alumina pro-

duction. Suriname is currently implementing a fiscal adjustment programme which seeks to reduce the country’s budget deficit to 2.5 per cent of the gross domestic product in 2018 from

5.7 per cent in 2016.

The IDB’s new operation will strengthen the institutional capacity of the ministry of finance to collect tax revenue in an efficient

manner and strengthen the planning, prioritisation, preparation, execution and monitoring of the annual budget, including the implementation of public investment projects.

The loan will finance activities to: (i) revamp the Department of Taxes and Customs organisational structure in order to implement the Value-Added Tax, (ii) improve the budget decision-making process regarding planning, execution and monitoring, and (iii) strengthen the public investment strategy in order to prioritise and rationalise investment projects based on the “value for money” methodology.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

thursDAY, july 6, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

US prepared to use force on North Chicago holiday weekend shootings Korea “if we must” – UN envoy claim 101 victims

T

he United States cautioned on Wednesday it was ready to use force if need be to stop North Korea's nuclear missile programme, but said it preferred global diplomatic action against Pyongyang for defying world powers by test launching a ballistic missile that could hit Alaska.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told a meeting of the United Nations Security Council that North Korea's actions were "quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution" and the United States was prepared to defend itself and its allies.

"One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction," Haley said. She urged China, North Korea's only major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang.

Taking a major step in its missile programme, North Korea on Tuesday test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that

A

t least 101 people were shot in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend, according to a city newspaper.

Nearly half of the shootings during the four-day holiday happened over 12 hours, reports the Chicago Tribune.

The youngest victim was a 13-year-old boy and the oldest a 60-year-old man.

US President Donald Trump recently said he was sending in federal agents to

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley directs comments to the Russian delegation at the conclusion of a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the recent ballistic missile launch by North Korea at UN headquarters in New York, US, July 5, 2017

some experts believe has the range to reach the US states of Alaska and Hawaii and perhaps the US Pacific Northwest.

North Korea says the missile could carry a large nuclear warhead.

The missile test is a direct challenge to US President Donald Trump, who has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with

a nuclear missile.

He has been urging China to press the isolated country's leadership to give up its nuclear programme.

Haley said the United States would propose new UN sanctions on North Korea in coming days and warned that Washington was prepared to cut off trade with countries doing business with North Korea in violation of UN resolutions.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Arab States rap 'negative' Qatari reply to demands but no new sanctions

F

our Arab States refrained on Wednesday from slapping further sanctions on Qatar, but voiced disappointment at its "negative" response to their demands and said their boycott of the tiny Gulf nation would continue.

Qatar earlier in the day accused Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt of "clear aggression" and said the accusations cited when they severed ties a month ago "were clearly designed to create anti-Qatar sentiment in the West".

The four Arab nations

accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism and allying with regional foe Iran, which Doha denies. Their Foreign Ministers met in Cairo on Wednesday after a deadline they gave Qatar to meet 13 demands expired.

They had been expected to consider further sanctions at the gathering, but announced no new measures.

"The response the four States got was overall negative and lacked any content.

We find it did not provide a basis for Qatar to retreat from its policies," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said, reading out

a joint statement after the meeting.

"The political and economic boycott will continue until Qatar changes its policies for the better," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel alJubeir told a news conference.

Qatar's response to the demands has not been made public.The United Arab Emirates' Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, said in a tweet that Qatar faced "greater isolation, incremental measures and reputational damage" if it did not heed the demands. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia: No deal on de-escalation zones in Syria talks

Representatives of the Syrian Government and Opposition also attended the talks in Astana [Mukhtar Kholdorbekov/Reuters]

R

ussia, Turkey, and Iran have failed to hammer out details on an agreement over the war in Syria, including the boundaries and policing of four safe zones previously agreed, according to Moscow's chief negotiator.

Russia’s Alexander Lavrentiev said on Wednesday that documents outlining how the four zones should work

"need finalising" despite being "essentially agreed" between the three key powerbrokers, after two days of negotiations in Kazakhstan.

He added that there had been no definitive agreement over the contentious issue of "which specific forces" would police the zones.

However, the three sides have formed a working group

to finalise an agreement on creating de-escalation zones in Syria, according to a joint statement. The countries previously said they would hold the next round of talks in Astana in the final week of August. Moscow and Tehran, which back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and rebel supporter Ankara agreed in May to establish four de-escalation zones in a potential breakthrough towards calming a war that has claimed an estimated 320,000 lives since March 2011. While fighting dropped off in the weeks after the deal, it has ratcheted up in some areas since, and the international players have yet to finalise the boundaries of the zones or determine who will police them. (Excerpt from

Al Jazeera)

help local Police contain the Illinois city's gang wars.

About half of the shootings happened between 15:30h on Tuesday and 03:30h on Wednesday, mainly in Chicago's south and west sides. Not even the deployment of more than 1000 extra officers by Chicago Police Department could staunch the violence. The casualties are significantly higher than 2016 figures, when 66 people were shot in Chicago over the

Independence Day weekend, which lasted three days.

It brings the total number of people shot in Chicago so far in 2017 to more than 1800, reports the Tribune.

But that figure is not as severe as last year when 2035 people had been shot by this point. At the weekend, Chicago Police said shootings this year had declined 14 per cent compared with the first six months of last year. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

India and Israel pledge to combat terrorism

I

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu have signed agreements, including on agriculture and space.

The two leaders, who made a joint statement in Jerusalem, also referred to the "suffering" of both countries from terror.

Modi said they would work together to combat growing radicalisation and terrorism, including in cyberspace.

He is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel.

The visit is seen by some as a turning point in India's position on Israel. The two countries established diplomatic relations only 25 years ago. Observers note he will not travel to Ramallah or meet Palestinian leaders, as visiting dignitaries often do.

Both leaders made several references to terrorism, and

India is now Israel's biggest arms market

talked about the "challenge" of dealing with forces that sought to undermine their countries, as well as "strategic threats to regional peace and stability".

Modi also met an Israeli boy, Moshe Holtzberg, whose parents were killed when gunmen stormed a Jewish centre in Mumbai during a 2008 terror attack.

Moshe Holtzberg was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel, who was treated as a heroine in Israel where she settled with the boy after the attack.

Six Jewish people were killed at the centre, which was one of several places targeted in the attacks. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Central African Republic: Scores killed in lorry crash

A

t least 77 people have been killed after a lorry loaded with passengers and goods crashed in the Central African Republic, officials say.

Dozens more were injured in the accident near the town of Bambari, about 300 kilometres (186 miles) north-east of the capital Bangui.

Most of the victims are said to be traders heading to a nearby market.

Local residents often travel in overloaded lorries due to lack of other transportation in the country.

The cause of Wednesday's crash is now being investigated.A local lawmaker said the lorry was travelling faster than normal. "They were driving fast to make it to the market on time. That's what probably caused the accident," Amaseka Topi told Reuters news agency.

Dozens of injured people are being treated in Bambari's hospital. There are fears that the death toll could rise further.

Years of neglect have left much of the Central African Republic's road system in ruins, and safety regulations are rarely enforced.

The poor landlocked country has been wracked by conflict along religious and ethnic lines since 2013. (BBC News)

Dozens killed in China floods as rivers overflow

A

t least 56 people have been killed and 22 are missing as heavy rains pummelled southern China, flooding towns, cutting off power and destroying houses, officials said on Tuesday. Water levels in more than 60 different rivers have risen above warning levels, forcing more than 1.2 million people to evacuate. Authorities said more than 38,000 homes have collapsed and nearly 880,000 hectares of crops have been damaged. The Chinese Government said it has disbursed US$103 million in emergency aid so far

Eleven provinces and regions across southern China have been affected by heavy rains and floods [AFP]

to help southern and central provinces deal with the flooding.

The annual floods have

been even greater than normal and the past week has been particularly wet. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, july 6, 2017

ARCHIE

Put a little tender, loving care into your surroundings.

(March 21- If your space is set up to proApril 19) mote greater efficiency, you will excel, both at work and at home.

ARIES

Be aware of every asTAURUS pect of a situation before you (April 20- jump to conclusions or make May 20) a snap decision that could get you into an unwanted predicament. Caution is your best bet.

dilbert

A relationship will become GEMINI (May 21- problematic if you don’t feel June 20) the same way about someone as he or she feels about you.

Discuss intentions before you get too involved emotionally.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t let changes that someone else makes interfere with your plans. Stick to your guns by being true to yourself in order to avoid disappointment.

The younger and older people in your life will have an influence on the way you move forward. Innocent comments will make you think and react more wisely.

Don’t run away from a VIRGO (Aug. 23- pending emotional problem.

Sept. 22) Face controversy head-on and put an end to any misunderstanding that may be causing trouble. Honesty is essential.

Taking a day trip or makLIBRA ing a physical change that will (Sept. 23Oct. 23) improve your attitude should be on your agenda. Refuse to let anyone push you. Back away from aggressive or unpredictable behavior.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

If someone is putting deSCORPIO mands on you, speak up and (Oct. 24make it clear what you are Nov. 22) and are not willing to do. If you let problems linger, the situation will escalate.

Try something different.

SAGITTARIUS Take on a physical challenge (Nov. 23- that will exhilarate you and Dec. 21) inspire you to do more and explore options that you would never have considered in the past. Romance is encouraged.

If you want to make a

CAPRICORN change to your personal papers (Dec. 22- or lifestyle, do so in private.

Jan. 19) The less anyone else knows

solution for Last Published Puzzle

about your whereabouts, your concerns or the changes you make, the better.

You can change someone’s AQUARIUS life if you offer sound advice.

(Jan. 20Attending a reunion or reconFeb. 19) necting with someone from your past will be constructive.

Romance will enhance your life.

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Don’t daydream.

PISCES Concentrate on what you (Feb. 20March 20) must achieve to maintain the status quo and enhance your chance to get ahead. Listen and take care of business first.

thuraDAY, juLY 6, 2017

“Windies Women still in it”

Gayle targets selection for 50-over World Cup

L

egendary West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has signaled his intention to attempt a final appearance for the regional team at the upcoming Cricket World Cup. Due to a combination of factors, chiefly among them Cricket West Indies (CWI) rules that prevent players that have not taken part in regional competitions from appearing for the team, the big left-handed opener has not appeared for the team in the One Day International (ODI) format since suiting up against New Zealand, at Wellington, in 2015.

The 37-year-old remains, however, one of the region’s most destructive batsmen in the 50-over format, having scored 9221 runs, with an average of 37 and hopes to add to that tally.

“I still want to play for the West Indies whether it’s a farewell Test match or something, I still want to

play a Test match. I want to play the next World Cup as well, the 50-over World Cup, so I’m looking forward to that next year and that’s in the plans for next year,” Gayle told SportsMax TV Zone.

Despite currently falling afoul of the rules that prevent him from being eligible for selection, the player remains optimistic something could be worked out in time for the start of the competition.

CWI has already begun a process, which seeks to review the controversial legislation. The next World Cup is scheduled to take place in England in two years’ time.

“We have to monitor things from a player’s point of view and with the WICB as well, hopefully we can come to some sort of agreement to get back on the international team, but that’s my plan to play another

– Taylor confident of team’s chances to qualify

W

est Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor insists the team remains in contention for a semi-final spot despite a winless start to the ICC Women’s World Cup. The regional team has endured a wretche d campaign in t h e tournament so far, suffering heavy defeats at the hands of Australia, India and South Africa. In fact the regional team seems to have gotten progressively worse at the tournament, the most recent defeat proving the most embarrassing, after crashing to a 10-wicket loss at the hands of the South Africans after being skittled out for 48.

The team lies bottom of the eight-team standings having earned no points in Chris Gayle three games and are already World Cup for the West four-points adrift of the final qualification spot curIndies.” (SportsMax) rently held by England. The Windies will play their remaining fixtures against

Pacquiao backs call for review of Horn decision

M

anny Pacquiao has backed a call asking the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) to review the controversial points decision that saw Australia’s Jeff Horn capture the Filipino great’s welterweight world title in Brisbane on Sunday.

Horn improved his unbeaten record to 17-0-1 after the judges scored the bout 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 in the 29-year-old’s favor but many observers questioned the outcome, say-

ing the officials had made a “hometown decision”.

While Horn dismissed criticism of his win, the regulatory body of professional sport in the Philippines, the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), requested a “thorough review” of the fight on Monday and Pacquiao has backed their demand.

“WBO should take appropriate action on the letter sent by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) so as not to erode the peo-

19

The regional team has endured a wretched campaign in the tournament so far

New Zealand, Sri Lanka Pakistan and England and Taylor believes the team is in a strong position to make a move up the table.

“We’re still in it we have four more games to go and four of those games are against team we beat before.

We know it isn’t going to be easy with teams having wins under their belt, their confidence is going to be high but I can assure you going forward we will give it our best,” Taylor said.

ple’s interest in boxing,” eight-division world champion Pacquiao said in a statement on Wednesday.

“On my part, I had already accepted the decision but as a leader and, at the same time, fighter, I have the moral obligation to uphold sportsmanship, truth and fairness in the eyes of the public.”

“I love boxing and I don’t wanna see it dying because of (an) unfair decision and officiating.”

Manny Pacquiao v Jeff Horn Sunday last On Tuesday, the WBO

Taylor, who claims to be impressed by the team’s work in the nets, believes its issues so far have stemmed from a lack of confidence.

“I think it’s all about self-belief. We have to look deep with within and try and get our confidence back,” Taylor said.

“We’ve been hitting good in the nets so I don’t think it’s anything skill wise, so I think it’s all about individuals being confident.” (SportsMax)

said that the decision could not be reversed and highlighted the rematch clause in both fighters’ contracts.

“The discretion of a referee or judge cannot be reversed, except in a case of fraud or violation of laws which is not the case in Pac vs Horn,” the organization said on their Twitter account.

“The contract for Pac vs Horn provides a rematch clause, which the WBO is in accordance if the promoters decide to move forward.”

(Reuters)

Messi to stay at Barcelona until 2021 under new deal

B

a r c e l o n a ’ s Argentina forward Lionel Messi will sign a new four-year deal keeping him at the Nou Camp until 2021, the Spanish club said on Wednesday, ending speculation that the five times Ballon d’Or winner could be tempted to leave.

English Premier League club Manchester City, managed by former Barca boss Pep Guardiola, were reported to have tabled a bid earlier this year for the 30-year-old, who scored 37 goals in La Liga and 11 times in the Champions League last season.

Messi’s father and agent Jorge opened negotiations with Barcelona officials last December, but their talks on the player’s eighth profes-

sional contract there progressed slowly.

The player joined the Catalan giants at the age of 13, made his debut in 2004 and has been there ever since, winning 30 major honours including eight domestic league titles and four Champions League trophies.

The No.10 has notched a record 507 goals for Barca in all competitions and is La Liga’s record all-time scorer with 349 goals.

Messi married childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo in their native Argentina last week and is set to put pen to paper on his new deal at Barcelona when he returns from his honeymoon later this month, the club said.

“FC Barcelona and

Leo Messi have agreed on a contract renewal that will keep the Argentinian at the club until June 30th, 2021,” a club statement read.

“The club is very happy with both the renewal and the commitment of Messi, the best player in history, who has played his full professional career at Barca and has led the team to an era of extraordinary success.”

Local media reports suggest Messi will remain the club’s highest earner, while his buyout clause has been increased to 300 million euros ($340.08 million).

New deals

The player follows in the footsteps of team mates Luis Suarez and

Neymar, who signed new deals last season.

Messi was about to enter his last year with the club before the new contract was agreed.

Messi and his father remain embroiled in a tax fraud case in Spain after a Catalan court last July found them guilty on three counts of fraud from 2007 to 2009 to the tune of 4.1 million euros ($4.6 million) on image rights.

The two were handed 21-month prison sentences but may have that substituted for a fine after prosecutors said they were open to dropping the jail terms. Neither are expected to go to jail as under Spanish law sentences of less than two years can be served under probation.

The judge in charge of the case will make a decision bearing in mind the prosecutor’s recommendations. Judges usually follow the state prosecutor’s guidance in Spain.

The case was one of the first high-profile investigations

by Spanish authorities into top football players’ tax affairs.

The state prosecutor earlier this month accused Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo of knowingly using a complex business structure to hide image rights income in Spain. Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.

(Reuters)

Barcelona’s Argentina forward Lionel Messi

20

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Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav lead India to 4th win in a row

I

f four top-order half-centuries had powered Sri Lanka’s 138run shock knockout blow to India in the 2013 World Cup in Mumbai, this time around their middle and lower order made a spirited attempt to bring India’s winning streak to an end in Derby. But that was not to be as Deepti Sharma set up a 16-run victory - India’s fourth successive one in the tournament - courtesy a 78run knock and 10 crucial overs that returned 1 for 46.

After India opted to bat on a fresh pitch that barely had any tinge of green, Deepti’s 118-run third-wicket partnership with captain Mithali Raj laid the platform for India’s 232. While the total was 18 short of what Raj had originally intended to get, her decision to introduce legspinner Poonam Yadav in the 16th over proved crucial in ensuring it was enough.

Yadav’s mix of legbreaks and wrong ‘uns sniped out two top-order batsmen in Chamari Atapattu and Nipuni Hansika, and bumped up the required rate with a flurry of dots.

To begin, it was Sri Lanka who kept a tight leash on things. Mediumpacer Sripali Weerakkody and left-arm spinner Chandima Gunaratne both-

ered Smriti Mandhana and Punam Raut in dominating opening spells with wellplanned lengths, sending them back for 8 and 16 respectively. That India were off to a shaky, sluggish start at 39 for 2 in the 11th over was also down to Sri Lanka captain Inoka Ranaweera’s attacking field placements.

She ensured a short cover and short leg breathed down the batsmen’s necks relentlessly even well after the first Powerplay.

Dropped on 5, Deepti initially struggled to put away both full and short deliveries, managing to score only 16 off 39. A release shot - a lofted sweep over square leg for four - off Weerakkody in the 15th over helped her find fluency. Thereafter, her strokeplay revolved around lofted shots over midwicket and the cover region, and singles off the back foot that were converted in twos. She brought up her sixth ODI fifty off the 89th ball of her innings, and took another 28 runs off the next 20 deliveries before failing to execute a lofted drive in the V. With 13 overs left and only on 156 on the board, India experimented with the batting order and Jhulan Goswami came in at No. 5 ahead of the more-established power-hitters Harmanpreet Kaur and

Mithali Raj taps the ball late behind square, India v Sri Lanka, Women's World Cup 2017, Derby, July 5, 2017

Veda Krishnamurthy. The move didn’t quite work out, and the loss of wickets in pairs during that period further hurt India’s chances of a late flourish. Goswami’s run-a-ball 9 came to an end in the 40th over, only to be followed by Raj’s dismissal for 53 the next ball. While Ranaweera removed the veterans, Weerakkody accounted for Harmanpreet and Krishnamurthy, who shared a 54-ball 50 stand before falling for 20 and 29 in the 49th over.

With the ball, too, India deviated from their set formula of introducing spin within the first six overs.

Raj, instead, let her medium-pacers - Goswami and Mansi Joshi - share the new ball for a greater part of the Powerplay. Mansi swung the ball into the left-hand batsman Atapattu and struck her plumb in front with the first delivery of her opening spell, but a stifled appeal and the decision to not review the umpire’s decision meant Hansika could press on to score a 66-ball 29. Goswami’s dismissal of Hasini Perera in the fifth over, however, dealt Sri Lanka a first blow, before Deepti, Yadav, Kaur and Ekta Bisht began to operate in tandem to choke the

Venus keeps Williams flag flying but struggles

chase.

By the time Goswami came back in the 37th over, the required asking rate had climbed up to 9.28.

Shashikala Siriwardene, the former captain who played a substantial part to pull off the upset against in the last World Cup, however, refused to give in. Her 60-run stand with wicketkeeper Dilani Manodara inspired late fight.

Siriwardene clobbered two fours apiece in the 37th and the 38th over and survived a couple of run-out chances before falling for 37 to Goswami.

Manodara kept the chase alive with a second ODI half-century that featured

a healthy tally of inside-out drives, reverse sweeps and paddle scoops. Her resistance towards the end was made easier by a rather casual approach from India.

A spread-out field ensured singles didn’t dry up, and some sloppy fielding - including Goswami’s bootwork in the outfield that gave away a four, and a missed stumping to reprieve Manodara - kept Sri Lanka in the game. It took a flighted offbreak from Deepti to end Manodara’s 61-run innings in the 48th over and the lower order then managed only 25 runs out of 42 required off last 17 deliveries. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD India Women innings (50 overs maximum) PG Raut c Jayangani b SS Weerakkody 16 S Mandhana c Siriwardene b Gunaratne 8 DB Sharma c Ranaweera b Kanchana 78 M Raj* lbw b Ranaweera 53 J Goswami c Jayangani b Ranaweera 9 H Kaur c Ranasinghe b SS Weerakkody 20 V Krishnamurthy c Gunaratne b SS Weerakkody 29 S Verma† not out 11 M Joshi run out (Ranasinghe/ Gunaratne) 2 E Bisht not out 0 Extras (b 1, w 4, nb 1) 6 Total (8 wickets; 50 overs) 232 Did not bat Poonam Yadav Fall of wickets 1-21, 2-38, 3-156, 4-169, 5-169 ), 6-219, 7-219 , 8-230 Bowling SS Weerakkody 9-2-28-3 (2w),HHC Gunaratne 10-1-52-1 (1w), HASD Siriwardene 10-1 -24-0, I Ranaweera 10-0-55-2 (1nb), OU Ranasinghe 3-0-22- 0,

KADA Kanchana 8-0-50-1 Sri Lanka Women innings (target: 233 runs from 50 overs) Hansika st †Verma b Poonam Yadav 29 GWHM Perera c Mandhana b Goswami 10 AC Jayangani b Poonam Yadav 25 HASD Siriwardene c 37 Krishnamurthy b Goswami MADD Surangika† st †Verma b Sharma 61 KADA Kanchana run out (Joshi/Kaur) 7 c SS Weerakkody Krishnamurthy b Bisht 12 PM Weerakkody not out 21 OU Ranasinghe not out 9 Extras (lb 4, w 1)

5 216 Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) Did not bat: HHC Gunaratne, I Ranaweera* Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-57, 3-70, 4-130, 5-143, 6-171, 7-191 Bowling: J Goswami 8-2-262, M Joshi 5-0-36-0, DB Sharma 10-3-46-1, E Bisht 100-48-1, H Kaur 7-0-33-0 (1w), Poonam Yadav 10-1-23-2

Kirani James will not make London World Champs

K

Venus Williams

V

enus Williams continued to fly the family flag in the absence of her sister and reigning Wimbledon champion Serena but suffered a scare against China’s 55th-ranked Qiang Wang in the second round on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old American, bidding for a sixth Wimbledon title, made a slow start but hit back to win 4-6 6-4 6-1 on a warm and sultry Court One. Her opponent, playing only her fourth singles match at Wimbledon compared to the 97 contested by Williams, was threatening a shock when she had break points at 3-3 in the second set against the misfiring

10th seed.

But Williams used her experience to steady the ship and leveled the match with a backhand pass before running away with the decider to book a third-round match against Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

Williams, one of only two former champions in the women’s draw, came to Wimbledon under a cloud after being involved in a road traffic accident last month in Florida which resulted in the death of a 78-year-old man.

Her sister Serena, who she lost to in this year’s Australian Open final, is absent because she is expecting a baby. (Reuters)

irani James will not be competing at the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Champions in London this August.

The 24-year-old Grenadian, who has been ailing since the start of the season and who has not competed since April at the Drake Relays in the United States, will not be in condition to compete against the likes of Wayde van Niekerk, LaShawn Merritt, and newcomer Fred Kerley when action in the one-lap sprint begins on August 5.

“He is recovering from his illness and he will not be participating in World Champs 2017 in London,” said President of the Grenada Athletics Association, Charley George, while speaking with SportsMax.tv on Wednesday.

While he was not at liberty to speak about James’ illness and his subsequent recovery, George said James had not returned to his full training regimen, which leaves him very unprepared to go up against the world’s best quarter-milers this Summer.

“He is just doing some simple work outs and the nature of the 400m is that that you can’t just come up and do it, you have to prepare and he is certainly not ready for that event,” George said.

James started the season on April 8 at the Grenada Invitational where he won in 45.44s but was not particularly convincing. His next race at the Drake Relays in Iowa later that month, April 26, was even worse.

In wet and windy con-

Kirani James

ditions, James was sixth in the 400m in a pedantic 46.21.

When SportsMax.

tv reached out to his coach, Harvey Glance, after that run, he said he was shutting down James’ competitive season to give the 2012 Olympic champion a chance to return to his best.

George, however, while disappointed at the fact that the 2011 World Champion would not have a shot at potentially claiming another title, his country, he said, would still be sending a strong group of representatives to the championships.

He mentioned 400-metre runner Bralon Taplin, decathletes Lindon Victor, the 2017 NCAA champion, and Kurt Felix, as well as upcoming javelin thrower Anderson Peters, all of whom he said should do well in London this summer. (SportsMax)

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sports

GASA, FINA host Intermediate Officials Clinic

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– official surprised by absence of electronic timing system

A

s Guyana prepares to host a seven-nation Goodwill swim meet in August preparation of officials are paramount. In this regard a five-day follow up Federation International De Natation Nautica Aquatic, FINA intermediate officials’ clinic opened on Wednesday at the National Aquatic Center, Lilliendaal.

Daniel McAllen, a FINA Instructor who is in Guyana to train local officials in time for the Goodwill meet, is conducting the sessions with an objective to increase the participants’ knowledge of swimming rules, to enhance their experience on deck and to increase their enjoyment of the sport.

Upon conclusion of the five days, clinic participants will be awarded a FINAaccredited certificate of completion.

This certificate course, the FINA official said is a booster to the participant’s desire to improve themselves and by extension Aquatic Sports in Guyana.

“It also helps the officials to think regionally and internationally so that they are prepared to officiate at major FINA Championships,” McAllen said.

Over the next five days, the participants will be exposed to training principals based upon the qualities of a good official, knowledge of the rules of swimming, the correct way to apply rules, timing rules and philosophy of officiating among other areas.

Categorical, McAllen said, “this is more of an interactive participatory exchange between students and lecturer/ trainer that will work in the best interest of developing the official human resource capacity of swimming in Guyana and the region as opposed to being a talk shop.”

Meanwhile, the FINA official dubbed the National Aquatic Center as “a worldclass facility that lacks a major component of an electronic timing system.” This was noted given his travel experience of travel to other nations.

“I’m actually surprised that you have this level of facility with no electronic timing system which provides for timing accuracy for swimmers,” McAllen noted.

President of Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GACA), Ivan Persaud said the clinic serves to offer much needed education on officiating to our affiliates. The training exercise offers a battery of twenty-five (25) officials comprising referees, starters, stroke and turn judges, time keepers etc. an opportunity to be better ahead of the planned Goodwill Aquatics Championships 2017.

He noted that the upcoming event has a direct basis on the workshop and “spotlights Guyana as host of swimmers from seven countries each of which will field frothy swimmers.” Athletes to the upcoming event slated August 18-20 are headed Guyana’s way would represent The Bahamas, Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, Trinidad and Suriname.

Trevor Williams representing Minister Nicolette Henry declared the FINA Intermedia Officials Clinic Open and commended the GACA and the visiting FINA official, Mr. Daniel McAllen for affording local officials the opportunity.

Expressing elation, Williams spoke of the moves from strength to strength being made by the GASA as it actively increases the capacity of Guyana’s capability to hold swimming meets and tournaments here in Guyana.

He also noted that the training will give local swimmers the opportunity to compete in Guyana at local and international levels.

Williams reminded the gathering that the 2017’s Goodwill Swim Meet has a record number of competitors headed to Guyana through the GASA working in collaboration with FINA and the Government of Guyana and noted that “we now have the capacity to cater for this increase.”

He added that for that meet, Guyana is expected to be invaded by more than 200 swimmers from six countries which put the country on the map as a premier destination for swimming.

“This is exactly where we need to be because Guyana is the land of many waters… and as a nation; we are water people, as water and swimming are part of our recreational culture.

If you ever stop and look at our children enjoying an afternoon at the creek you can observe that they are fearless in water,” Williams posited.

He stressed the need for Guyana as a nation to harness that talent to produce phenomenal athletes that can represent our country at competitive swim meets locally, in the Caribbean and on the international stage.

“We cannot do that until we have the infrastructure and organisations to support our future swimming competitors. But being here today reinforces the fact that this is happening,” Williams said. Solidifying his point Williams referenced the inspirational, historic achievements of Jamaican’s Alia Atkinson who became the first black woman to win a gold world swimming title as well as the more recently, Simone Ashley Manuel who

Some of the participants and officials at the ceremony

at the 2016 Rio Olympics took home two golds and one silver medal in the pool.

Closer to home Williams spoke of Guyanese Hannibal Gaskin, Guyana’s representative to last year’s Rio Olympics competing alongside the best in the world.

“In years to come with this example of our continued commitment to swimming excellence we will be able to grow on his outstanding achievement on the world stage, he emphasized.

Brian Smith spoke on the behalf of the National Sports

Commission and lauded the efforts of the coordinators while encouraging the participants to seize the opportunity to be better and more professional at their skills set advancement.

Morgan’s Learning Centre whip Cummings Lodge

Action between Morgan’s Learning Centre (white) and Cummings Lodge Secondary

C

hris Macy netted five goals as Morgan’s Learning Centre whipped Cummings Lodge Secondary 9-1 when North Georgetown Zone of the Digicel’s School Football Championships continued at the Ministry of Education’s ground on Tuesday.

Playing on a soggy outfield both teams lost possession of the ball easily and were guilty of misdirected passes and poor defending. It wasn’t until half way of the first half in the 16th minute that Morgan’s Orin Moore struck the first of many more goals.

Macy then booted in his first goal of the game following a well-timed volley in the 30th minute to increase the lead to 2-0.

Three minutes later the fleet-footed forward made it 3-0 with his second goal, on the stroke of halftime (35th minute) Ryan

Dowding scored to have Cummings Lodge trailing 4-0 at the break.

Upon resumption, Morgan’s came out with a renewed hunger for goals. Macy continued to provide problems for the opposition as he fired in one from just outside the box past the diving Cummings Lodge custodian to make it 5-0.

One minute later the talented forward sent his team further ahead with another goal. Cummings Lodge’s lone goal would come off the boot of Britton Cypriano in the 60th minute.

Chris Waddell then struck in the 65th minute and Ronnel Brandis in the 68th to take MLC to a commanding 8-1 lead. Macy returned to seal the issue with a goal in the 69th minute.

GFF-NAMILCO U-17…

Milerock, Corriverton Lynx record wins

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et Rockers of Upper Demerara and Corriverton Lynx of Berbice secured victories when the Thunderbolt Flour Power National U17 tournament continued in the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) and the Berbice Football Association recently.

In the UDFA, action was held at the Wisburg Ground and saw Amelia’s Ward FC and Eagles FC playing to a 2-2 draw while Milerock FC defeated Netrockers FC by a 7 – 0 margin with a hat-trick scored by Tyrese Lewis. Action in Berbice saw Corriverton Lynx FC defeating Young Strikers FC by 5

– 1 at Burnham Park and Mondderlust FC getting the better of Hopetown United FC by a 3 – 0 margin at the Number Five Ground.

The other 11 matches scheduled for last weekend were cancelled due to the inclement weather.

This is the third week of play in the second half of the competition which is a five (5)year partnership between the GFF and the National Milling Company and is a key component of the Guyana Football Federation Executive Committee’s strategic objective in its youth development thrust.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

THURsdAY, july 6, 2017

Windies hunting Mae’s, Grahams Hall Primary boys, to draw series girls teams advance to final NSC/ MoE/AL Sport & Tour Promotions 20th Annual Windball

M

S

marting from the defeat in the previous match, India will be eager for revenge and finish the series with a victory when they take on West Indies in their fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) here on Thursday.

The visitors lost the fourth ODI by 11 runs in North Sound, Antigua after some extremely slow batting while chasing a low target of 190 runs. That defeat took some of the gloss off India’s dominating performances in the previous matches of the series which they currently lead 2-1. The opener of the five-match series was a washout falling victim to rain.

Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni racked up the dubious distinction of scoring the slowest half-century by an Indian batsman in more than a decade with a painstaking, snail-like innings of 54 runs which included a single boundary over 114 deliveries. Known for his hard-hitting batting in the closing stages and his ability to chase down challenging targets, Dhoni will be eager to produce another trademark high tempo innings and redeem himself.

In-form opener Ajinkya Rahane was the only other Indian batsman who managed to stand up to the West Indies bowlers with a patient innings of 60 runs off 91 deliveries.

The rest of the Indian batsmen failed miserably.

Seemingly cruising to a comfortable victory with 31 runs needed in the last five overs and five wickets in hand, India suffered a spectacular lower-order batting collapse.

The visitors lost their last five wickets in as many overs to be all out for 178 in reply to the West Indies total of 189/9.

The top-order batsmen did not cover themselves in glory either. India got off to a bad start as apart from Rahane, no other Indian top order batsmen managed to reach double- figures.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan, skipper Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik departed in quick succession to leave the visitors struggling at 47/3 in the 13th over.

In sharp contrast to the batsmen, the Indian bowlers have been consistent during this series.

Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar did well in the second and third ODIs before being replaced by Bengal pacer Mohammed Shami in the fouth game. Although Shami did not bag any wickets, he was quite economical, giving away just 33 runs in his 10 overs.

Umesh Yadav and Hardik Pandya -- the other pacers in the Indian arsenal -- are also in good form.

They would need to produce another consistent performance in order to ensure that the Indians close off the series on a positive note.

The West Indies, meanwhile, will be in an upbeat mood.

Thoroughly outplayed in the previous matches, the hosts have finally managed to find some reason to be cheerful.

West Indies skipper Jason Holder led from the front during the fourth ODI with a five-wicket haul and the hosts will be expecting him to deliver a similar performance.

Fellow pacer Alzarri Joseph has also done reasonably well during the series. He picked up two wickets in the second ODI but was a tad expensive which prompted the hosts to drop him from the third match.

However, he enjoyed a successful return to the playing XI in the last game with another two-wicket haul.

The West Indies, however, need to do better in the batting department.

Shai Hope is among the few West Indies batsmen who have shown some form with an 81-run innings during the second ODI. He has struggled a bit since then, but has the ability to post a significant innings once gets going.

West Indies openers Evin Lewis and Kyle Hope have been inconsistent and will surely be eager to post much better contributions in the fifth game.

Jason Mohammed, one of the key batsmen for the hosts in the middle-order, has also not been up to the mark, except for a 61-ball 40 in the third ODI. (YahooSport)

ae’s School and Grahams Hall Primary Schools boys and girls teams have progressed to the final of the National Sports Commission and AL Sport & Tour Promotions 20th Annual Primary Schools Windball Cricket Champions Trophy competition.

Mae’s boys cruised to victory without losing a wicket as they successfully reached 66-0 in 1.5 overs against Sophia Primary school in the second semifinal for the boys in action at the National Gymnasium last weekend.

Batting first, Sophia reached 60-2 from the allotted five overs with Kenroy Davis making 35. In reply Jonathan Van Lange and Antwan Pinto hit cameos of 36 and 22 respectively as Mae’s raced to the target in under two overs to secure a Steven Jacobs with the captains of the four teams and an organiser. place in the final.

Winfer Gardens took first strike and got to 65-3 thanks Meanwhile, Jayna Qualander and Saskia Persaud recorded half centuries to Rashidi Taylor 22 and Orlando Dickie 18. Josh Alves for Mae’s Girls in an unbroken opening partnership worth took 2-4 for Grahams Hall, who replied with 67-1. Alves 178 runs while orchestrating a mammoth victory over F.E. top scored with 39 to guide his team to victory.

Despite a brisk half century from Donna Lowe (61) St. Pollard Primary by 137 runs.

Qualender blasted 13 sixes and one four in her top score Pius only managed 80-3 which was not enough for Grahams of 82 while Persaud accounted for 12 sixes in 72. Trying to Hall, who responded with 85-2 compliments of Susanna climb the mountain created by their opponents, F E Pollard Ketwaroo 25, Vevica Rampersaud 24 and Alecia Elicock 19.

Like Mae’s, Grahams Hall boys and girls team have did not make it far as they were limited to 41-3 from fivreached the final. The champions will be decided this weeker overs as only Zasha Johnson made it past 20 with a top score of 23. Persaud returned to grabbed two wickets for end.

Guyana Amazon Warriors all-rounder Steven Jacobs Mae’s.

Mae’s boys team will clash with Grahams Hall Primary was present to witness the games and also meet the teams in the final after the latter defeated Winfer Gardens in the and bowled the first ball to signal the start. other semifinal.

GCB Female U-19 Inter-County Tournament tipped to bowl off Friday

G

uyana Cricket Board (GCB) Female Under-19 T20 Tournament is tipped to get underway on Friday with all matches set for the Everest Cricket Club Ground.

According to a source close to the GCB, the time is limited and the GCB has to select a national team to provide to Cricket West Indies (CWI) for the Regional Tournament.

The Regional tournament is slated to commence later this month.

The source also informed that the in-

clement weather has been of major concern, but the Competition Committee was force to go ahead with the tournament.

To date only Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has released information about how they plan to come up with their team to participate in the tournament.

They plan to utilize the school system to assist in selecting their team.

Meanwhile, there has been no information provided about operation in

Demerara and Essequibo, even with just a day to go before the tournament commences.

“There is no proper system for female under-19 players, so another mediocre tournament is imminent within the next few days”, the source declared.

A

tletico Madrid have handed an extended one-year deal to experienced striker and club favourite Fernando Torres.

Fernando Torres has signed a one-year contract extension with Atletico Madrid for the forthcoming 2017-18 season.

Former Spain striker Torres is in his second stint with his boyhood club, having rejoined from AC Milan in January 2015 on the back of wildly contrasting spells at Liverpool and Chelsea in the Premier League.

In total the 33-year-old has 105 goals for Atletico, including 28 under current boss Diego Simeone.

Torres largely serves as back-up to the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro nowadays but will continue to provide welcome squad depth for Simeone, with Atletico restricted by a transfer ban during the current close season.

“I am very happy to continue one more year together,” said Torres in brief statement on Atleti’s official website.

Alexandre Lacazette was widely linked with a move to Atletico before the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld their ban and the France striker became Arsenal’s record signing earlier on Wednesday.

(SportsMax)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURsDAY, july 6, 2017

23

Warriors’ preparation camp commences on July 25 “CPL was very strategic in choosing the dates to suit this window period where there is no other world tournament to make all players available because of that and the composition of the Amazon Warriors I think

By Akeem Greene

T

he Guyana Amazon Warriors will gather on July 25 for a one-week preparation camp ahead of their first match in the Hero Caribbean Premier League on August 5 in Florida against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

According the Warriors’ Assistant Manager John Ramsingh in an interview with Guyana Times Sport on Wednesday, sessions will be held at the National Stadium, Providence and headed by coach Roger Harper and assistant Esuan Crandon. The camp concludes on August 2.

With six new comers to the Squad, namely Chadwick Walton, Rashid Khan, Steven Taylor, Keon Joseph, Gajanand Singh and Roshon Primus, Ramsingh contended that the camp will be integral to bonding of players.

“The core of the Amazon Warriors from 2016 has been retained but it has been a year away from each other and it is good to get that camp and back in gear

about the beach was based on the team reaching three of the four finals but yet no copping the coveted championship trophy.

The other members of the squad include Guyana Martin Guptill, Rayad

have four home matches from August 17 to 22.

On the 17th, they play the Jamaica Tallawahs; after which they play arch-rivals Trinbago Knight Riders two days later. The Warriors then clash with the Barbados

who can travel to take the opportunity.

After playing in Trinidad and Tobago and then St. Lucia, the Warriors will

Tridents on the 20th, and then have their final home match against the St Lucia Zouks on the 22nd.

Guyana Amazon Warriors Assistant Manager John Ramsingh

since they want to hit the ground running when the get to Florida”, Ramsingh stated.

With the exception of the West Indies Tour to England, the August 4 to September 9 tournament will not be clashing other major actives which will possibly allow the entire squad to stay for the duration of the tournament.

This Assistant Manager believes this bodes well for a change in their championship fortunes after being in three of the four finals but yet not winning.

Gelling as a team is critical for total performance

this time we will go to the beach and take a take a bath because it was previously stated, the Warriors will go the beach and don’t take a dip but I think we will take a dip this year”.

Ramsingh’s analogy

Emrit, Sohail Tanveer, Christopher Lynn, Jason Mohammed, Veerasammy Permaul, Assad Fudadin, Steven Jacobs, Steven Katwaroo, Shimron Hetmyer and Muhammad Ali Khan.

Ruthless Murray outclasses before serving.

But for all Brown’s flare, it was Murray who remained in control throughout and never looked like losing.

“He started very well and was coming up with great drop volleys and really going for the returns,” Murray said.

“Once I got the break in the first set, I felt the momentum was with me, I was starting to see the shots he was going to play a little bit quicker and that allowed me to get to some of the drop volleys and also come up with some good passing shots.”

The top seed’s win was greeted by huge cheers from a crowd hoping to see the 30-yearold twice champion become the first British player to retain a grand slam title since Fred Perry in the 1930s.

After seeing off maverick Wimbledon debutant Alexander Bublik in round one and the clash with Brown, Murray faces another showman, Italian 28th seed Fabio Fognini, in round three.

“Certainly, the first two matches have been, difficult to come up with game plans, because you don’t know exactly how the two guys are going to play,” Murray said.

“I think against Fabio ... it’s maybe easier to come up with a game plan because there will be a bit more structure and strategy in the match rather than just, reacting and sort of more kind of instinctive points.” (Reuters)

"Joseph more a medium pacer" – former Windies star Roberts sticks to assessment of prodigy

F

dangerous Brown I f defending champion Andy Murray needed a further test for his sore hip, the dreadlocked drop-shotting Dustin Brown was probably it.

The world number one was repeatedly dared by Brown to dash in from the baseline and scramble for a ball dying on the grass - but after his comfortable 6-3 6-2 6-2 victory the Briton said he felt good and that he had moved well.

Murray gave as good as he got - and better - playing many of the same shots with more accuracy and control in a quickfire 96 minute palatecleanser for the Centre Court crowd after the earlier epic three-setter won by compatriot Johanna Konta.

“If he has a problem with his hip, I don’t want to play against him when his hip is good,” Brown told reporters.

Brown, ranked 97th, was a potentially dangerous opponent, having beaten twice champion Rafa Nadal in the second round in 2015. But he showed the frailties of such high stakes hotshot tennis, racking up 28 unforced errors to Murray’s five.

The home fans loved the show, though, temporarily forgetting their wildly partisan support for the Briton as Brown casually sliced and diced the ball over - and frequently into - the net.

In the first game of the third set, the German acknowledged a shout of “We love you Dustin” by raising his racket to the crowd

Tickets are currently on sale for the Florida leg of matches online at Kyazoonga and at the Central Broward Stadium in Florida and the Assistant Manager encouraged fans to support the team and those

Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates winning the second round match against Germany’s Dustin Brown

ormer West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts has defended controversial comments made regarding young bowler Alzarri Joseph.

Roberts was recently at the centre of attention following comments that he did not consider Joseph to be a true fast bowler. After a debut that promised much for the regional team, Joseph has struggled of late, particularly in the ongoing series against India.

“He is not fast. No, he is not fast. He bowls medium pace at 85 and 86 miles. What some of these guys need to do is speak to people, especially those from the past, and learn about their methods of training which made them bowl quick,”

Roberts told sportzwiki.

In seeking to clarify the comments, however, Roberts insisted that his comments were not meant to discourage the young player or cast doubts on his ability.

“What I said is that he is not a fast bowler. I never said he wasn’t a good bowler but there is a difference between fast, fast medium and medium pace and from what I am seeing now, Alzarri was bowling faster in the youth World Cup [ICC Under-19] than he is bowling now,”Roberts later told Antigua Observer.

Joseph bagged two wickets for 46 runs in nine overs when the Windies defeated India by 11 runs at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. (SportsMax)

Aru signals Tour ambitions as Froome takes yellow

F

abio Aru claimed his maiden Tour de France win on Wednesday, as defending champion Chris Froome snatched a yellow jersey he intends to wear all the way back to Paris.

Italian champion Aru launched a blistering attack in the final stretches of the fifth stage, jumping away from the leading group with 2.3km left of the 5.9km climb at a lungbusting average gradient of 8.5 per cent. On a searing hot day in eastern France, the 2015 Vuelta champion of the Astana team became the third winner at the top of La Planche des Belles Filles, where Team Sky’s Froome came to prominence in 2012 and Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali prevailed in 2014, the year he won the Tour.

“I had seen a video of Nibali’s win and I tried to do the same to

see what would happen,” said the 27-year-old Aru. “I wanted to test my rivals, I did not have the stage win in mind but obviously it’s a great day.” Ireland’s Dan Martin took second place on Wednesday, 16 seconds behind, while Froome was 20 seconds off the pace in third, with his rival Richie Porte in his tracks.

Another top contender, last year’s runner-up Romain Bardet of France, took fifth place, a further four seconds behind.

“When Aru went, I still had team mates (to do the work) so I waited for the others to react.

Nobody moved so I thought I had to go to see what I could do,” said Froome, who added he felt fresher than on his previous dominant rides on the Tour.

Dominant sky Colombian Nairo Quintana,

tipped as one of Froome’s main challengers, struggled to finish ninth, 36 seconds back, while Spain’s Alberto Contador limited the damage in eighth place, 26 seconds behind Aru. Froome took the yellow jersey from team mate Geraint Thomas, who could not sustain the pace on the climb’s steepest parts.

Overall, three-time champion Froome leads Thomas by 12 seconds with Aru in third a further two seconds behind.

Froome believes he can defend his lead until the last day in Paris, although no team has kept the yellow jersey from day one all the way to the finish of the three-week race since Eddy Merckx’s Faemimo-Faema held it throughout.

“I’m used to being in that position,” he warned.

While Aru emerged as the sharper climber, Porte said that

Astana rider Fabio Aru of Italy wins the stage

the road to Paris was still very long and that the Italian would have to deal with the pressure of being tipped as a major favourite alongside Froome.

“Aru slipped away (a) bit I’m still happy with my ride ... he’s going to have more pressure we saw it last year he exploded in one of the last stages,” the BMC rider said.(Reuters)

THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2017

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

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Windies hunting to draw series Pg 22 Pg 20

Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav lead India to 4th win in a row West Indies take on India in the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) on Thursday

Deepti Sharma's 78 was her sixth ODI half-century

Warriors’ preparation camp commences on July 25

Pg 23

Fitness will be a key focus by management

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