Guyana Times Tuesday, August 7, 2018

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Issue No. 3648

Abusive relationship ends in murder, suicide …husband slits wife’s throat, commits suicide

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Natural Resources Fund

Green Paper proposing spending, investment of oil $$ P13 approved

Page 3

…Police left victim alone with husband

Granger unfazed by AFC decision to contest LGE solo Page 7

Police probing brutality report of local miners

Page 2

Essequibo Coast street lights’ installation P2 turns deadly …Kitty man electrocuted

Govt to build humanitarian centres for Venezuelan P9 refugees

…Russian security guards implicated Former GuySuCo Chairman’s son appointed new P7 CEO

BBCI pontoon's servicing

Govt failure to honour contract blamed for P12 untimely maintenance

Local Government Elections campaign in full swing: Former President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo is in Region Two for a two-day outreach as the Party continues its LGE campaign. On Monday, Jagdeo met vendors, farmers, residents and the business community at Charity. He also met with residents in New Road, Jibb and Anna Regina

Work on new Linden Passport Office completed Page 14

Fire at Pegasus

US State Department issues alert on hotel

Security guard P8 jailed for breaking into workplace

Page 9

…says American Govt workers moved

Marcus Bisram’s extradition case

Mother moves to CCJ for P13 urgent hearing

2 news

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police probing brutality report of local miners …Russian security guards implicated

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n light of a video on social media of Russians torturing and beating Guyanese miners near the Quartzstone River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), the Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

F Division (Interior Locations) Police Commander Kevin Adonis when contacted told Guyana Times that an official report was received on Sunday from a miner who claimed that he was brutalised by a group of Russian guards attached to the West Bank Demerara Gold Inc. The Police Commander explained that there was evidence on the miner’s body which suggested that he was beaten and tortured and as such, he was transported to Georgetown where he would undergo a medical examination.

Further, Commander Adonis explained that the young man was expected to

return to Bartica where he would be joined by a team of Police ranks and they would travel to the location where the incident reportedly took place.

Once there, the law enforcement official added, a thorough investigation will be launched and the findings will be disseminated to the public.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) called on the Government to investigate the alleged torture, harassment, assault and abuse of Guyanese miners and workers by Russians.

The group has written to President David Granger and the Ministers of Legal Affairs, National Security and Natural Resources; acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine, and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Chairman Stanley Ming calling for an investigation.

A miner who was allegedly tortured by the Russian guards

The group in a release stated that on April 3, 2018, two employees of Hopkinson Mining Logistics were executing duties on their employer’s concession when they were intercepted by two expatriate Russian operatives who made every attempt to prohibit them from doing so.

As such, a security officer of Hopkinson recorded the incident with his cellular phone. The video recording showed a Russian guard, who is known in the concession area as “Batali”, demanding documentation and challenging the two employees’ right to be on their employer’s claim and subsequently attempting to block their access.

The video showed “Batali” punching one of the

men to his face and as the employee attempted to defend himself, the Russian punched him a second time, and then pulled out a gun.

“CGID has also obtained additional evidence of a separate incident in which the said Russians allegedly handcuffed another mining worker and tied him onto the roof of a structure and tortured him. The worker was reportedly forced to urinate and defecate while hanging from the roof. These are very serious allegations,” the group stated in a release to the media on Monday.

In addition, the Russian security guard allegedly displayed a Guyana Police Force supernumerary constable precept – an instrument that licenses security guards to carry a firearm.

Essequibo Coast street lights’ installation turns deadly …Kitty man electrocuted

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Kitty, Georgetown resident was electrocuted on Monday after an electrical wire came into contact with a transformer at Dryshore Public Road, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Reports are that the man, Orin Cozier of Lot 30 Dowding Street, Kitty, was assisting a friend to hold the wire when the incident occurred.

Guyana Times was told that about 13:30h, Asif Azeez, a supervisor attached to the Ramotar and Sons Electrical Company, was in the company of several of his workers running electrical wires on electricity poles along the Dryshore Public Road to facilitate the installation of road lights.

Reports are Cozier was passing by in a motor vehicle and noticed Azeez, a friend of his. He then stopped, exited the vehicle and began chatting with him. He subsequently started to assist the workmen.

One of the men was on top of the pole pulling the electrical wire while Azeez and Cozier were on the ground next to the roadway holding the other side of the wire to keep it steady.

In the process of pulling the wire, it came into contact with a transformer causing an electrical current to pass through the wire and consequently the men’s hands.

Both Azeez and Cozier

Orin Cozier

reportedly were tossed several feet away subsequently, and ultimately landed on the roadway. As a result of the electrical shock, Cozier became unconscious while Azeez sustained severe injuries. They were both picked up and taken to the Suddie Hospital, where Cozier was pronounced dead on arrival.

Azeez, on the other hand, was admitted a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the said hospital. Meanwhile, other workmen, Randy Paris, 26, of Stanleytown, Berbice; Vibert Balgobin, 38, of New Street, Cumberland, Berbice, and Reaz Shakeer, 22, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) were unhurt.

Cozier’s body is at the Suddie Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

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TuesdAY, august 7, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, August 7 – 13:30h-15:00h and Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – 01:30h and 14:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Abusive relationship ends in murder, suicide …husband slits wife’s throat, commits suicide …Police left victim alone with husband

Tuesday, August 7 – 13:00h-14:30h and Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – 14:05h-15:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light rain showers followed by cloudy skies are expected during the day. Cloudy skies are expected in the evening hours. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 13:00h reaching a maximum height of 2.33 metres.

Low Tide: 06:25h and 18:53h reaching minimum heights of 0.80 metre and 0.89 metre.

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Corentyne, Berbice man turned a knife on himself after killing his wife of 15 years.

Dead are Subrina Lakhan, 29, a housewife, and her husband, Ramesh Ramdeen, 42, a labourer, at Rose Hall Estate.

The couple lived at Lot 101 Chesney New Housing Scheme, Corentyne, and had three children ages six, eight and 13.

The couple were at home alone about 13:35h when the incident occurred.

Investigations reveal that Ramdeen was an alcoholic, who had constantly threatened his wife and accused her of infidelity.

Reports reaching Guyana Times indicate that the 15-year relationship was marred by physical and verbal abuse. According to a neighbour, she was at home when she heard the now dead woman shouting for her by name about three

Subrina Lakhan and her husband, Ramesh Ramdeen in happier times

an’s screams caused neighbours to rush to the scene, but by the time they did, they witnessed Ramdeen pulling a knife across his own throat. The man subsequently fell and tumbled down the steps.

Lakhan was seen lying on her stomach in a bedroom in the upper flat in a pool of blood with her throat slit, next to her was a cane-cutter’s cutlass with blood stains on it. The Police were summoned, and an investigation has been launched.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Scores of villagers flocked the Lot 101 Chesney New Housing Scheme premises where the couple lived with their three children

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The woman’s body being removed by undertakers

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018 DAILY MILLIONS 14 19 23 24 26 LUCKY 3 3 3 9 Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

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times. She said that she also heard Lakhan telling Ramdeen that she loved him and was not going to leave him.

This newspaper was told that the couple on Monday appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

Following the court appearance, the mother of three went to the Police Station and requested that an officer accompany her home, saying that she was scared for her life and had decided to go live with her mother.

Reports are that the woman asked for the officer to be there while she packed her belongings. This publication was told that a female officer accompanied the woman, but left while she was packing. <<<Guyana Times>>> understands that while the woman was packing, Ramdeen told the officer that everything was “okay” and she could leave.

However, as soon as the officer left, the man seized the opportunity to slit the woman’s throat. The wom-

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TuesdAY, august 7, 2018

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

Youth and Leadership

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ur Global Education System, as structured, teaches us that youths are the future of tomorrow’s world, and they possess the ability to redefine and change the socioeconomic and geopolitical dynamics of the modern world.

It also teaches us that young people possess the necessary creativity, talent, energy and drive, vision and outlook, as well as technological and transformational skills needed to confront some of the world’s most serious threats to the coexistence and continuity of the human race, and protection as well as preservation of the environment in which they cohabit.

As a result, elders across the globe and in very different locales have wasted no time in underscoring the importance of education, integrity, truth, knowledge and reason as prerequisites that should be instilled in youths in their most formative years.

This has led to the creation and continued development of formal and informal institutions and organisations over several decades, if not centuries, aimed at preparing young people for the mantle of leadership while nurturing them to shape and redefine the global order in a positive and more effective manner.

Additionally, there can be no argument made against the fact that the rhetoric and philosophy of many powerful and ordinary elders are supportive of young people adding their voices and joining on global discourses on crime and violence, ending wars and diseases, reducing poverty and inequality, ending human rights’ injustices and social discrimination, and maintaining the balance of power and the search for world peace.

Youths the world over -- distractions aside -- after working, studying and adhering to the social constructs of their time, are expectant that as soon as they feel they are of age, they can lead, rule the world, engineer positive and revolutionary changes, and take up their destinies.

Unfortunately, recent history is replete with examples of how the very system and elders that encouraged and educated youths are actively undermining their efforts to lead and create change as they see it.

The truth is, many elders refuse to step aside and allow new, youthful blood to take over the spheres of power and control that influence aspects of the world’s status quo.

Many of them use the excuses that youths are unsettled in their world view, are too ambitious and inexperienced, and are possibly incompetent and problematic. So they use various structural policies to give them ‘some kinda’ power, presence, and a limited voice, with the obvious aim of window-dressing to appear pro-youth and proinclusive.

In the developed world, any market analysis would show how hard it is for youths to climb to the top of dominant firms, entities and leadership groups such as the UN, WTO, PAHO/WHO and a slew of others. They literally have to upset and fight against the discriminatory processes that favour elders over youth to get ahead; and in many cases, they prove themselves worthy of their portfolios, once interference is kept at bay.

Closer to home, there are fewer opportunities for youths to be part of a meaningful regional discourse and decision-making process that changes the way things are done in the Caribbean and South America.

While there are many established paper laws and institutions that seek to place youth into the pot of power, there are even more personalities and elders who prefer conformity to their traditionalistic and idealistic outlook on regional affairs over the daring, bold, and sometimes too ambitious plans of youths.

Decades after, the Caribbean Community still does not have a cohesive, influential and powerful youth forum that can hold its elders to account whenever they fail to deliver; or debate with meaningful outcomes, and not paper declarations, important socioeconomic and political issues that are retarding the forward movement of integration and the unification process, as well as the growth of the region.

At home, where power is concentrated in the realm of politics and wealth, the situation is worse, but not surprising. Youths are used as poster boys and girls for political campaigning purposes, marketing appeal by powerful companies, and rubber stamps for aid and donor agencies; but are hardly ever properly rewarded, promoted, empowered, or made influential.

While it is clear the Government is making steps to deal with aspects of youth leadership and inclusivity by piloting a National Youth Policy, that policy remains in the theatre, undergoing corrective surgery even though it has been completed.

There is also a noticeable imbalance of youths sitting as MPs in Parliament and serving on the ministerial and Government fronts. It would appear that Guyana is taking two steps backward when one examines the record of the last Government in these respects.

It seems as if youths are given prominence only when elders need them to access wealth, power and status. While there are hundreds of elders who are eager to step aside, and are not guilty of hoarding power and positions, there are thousands more who pay pure lip service to notions of youth power, influence and leadership.

It may be too later for the latter group when they realise that they should have been wiser, as the world they will live in is still to be shaped by the ideas and visions of the young.

Dance, art in motion, was the means by which members of the National Dance Company performed a routine at the ninth Annual Dance Production in celebration of African Heritage, held at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday evening (Carl Croker photo)

Receding in global development rankings since 2015 Dear Editor, Various international organisations, such as the World Economic Forum, through a series of annual countries’ assessment, inadvertently espouse the axiom that “Guyana is in reverse mode”. In 2017, the Global Human Capital Index, a report that ranks countries according to their effectiveness and level of human capital development, demoted Guyana below its 2015 global position of 79 by 9 positions, surpassing frail economies such as Uganda, Zambia and Kenya. A closer look at some of the key indicators revealed that, within one year, 2015-2016, Guyana slipped by more than four positions in unemployment rate for age group 25-54, and seven positions for age group 55-64.

Ironically, the Government boasts of job creation.

Furthermore, between 2015 and 2017, the country’s global ranking fell by

another seven positions in relation to quality of primary education of children aged 0-15 years. Overall, Guyana has slipped by eight positions in global ranking in the quality of educational services provided to children aged 15 to 24.

Concomitantly, youth literacy rate also fell in global position by more than five. According to the report, unemployment rate for youths aged 15 to 24 has contracted by more than nine positions globally.

Similarly, in the Global Human Capital Index, Guyana has deteriorated globally by three positions when ranked by the Human Development Index for the year 2016. Countries such as Namibia and Morocco have all surpassed Guyana in global ranking. In the health sector, when compared to 2013, infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births has increased from 29 in 2013 to 32 in 2015.

Similarly, infants under five months have seen an increase in mortality rate per 1,000 live birth from 36 to 40 during similar period.

Adults, on the other hand, have seen an increase in deaths due to tuberculosis from 15 for every 100,000 people in 2013 to 21 in 2015.

On the other hand, the latest Global Competitive Index Report for the period 2015-2016 saw Guyana fall in global ranking by more than nineteen positions to 121 when compared to 2014. Institutions, one of the fundamental pillars that command global ranking, deteriorated by thirteen positions to 102 in 2016 when compared to 2015. Property rights; bribes; favouritism; wasteful spending and organised crime have all seen massive deterioration in ranking, on average by 6 positions.

Similarly, macroeconomic environment, an-

other critical pillar of equal weight, deteriorated by three positions.

Government budget balance as a percentage of GDP fell by 19 positions, which presently is now worse than that of Haiti. Further confirming the abysmal and deteriorated trend, health and primary education system declined by another two positions: Guyana is now lagging behind countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.

Finally, in doing business, the most problematic factors now orbit around inefficient Government bureaucracy, corruption, and poor access to financing.

The question that begs to be answered is: how could this Government speak of development, wealth generation, and the “good life”, when we are clearly, from all indications, in reverse mode?

Sincerely, Mohamed Irfaan Ali

Condemning attempted assassination of Venezuelan President Dear Editor, I wish to unequivocally condemn the attempted assassination of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

This is clearly intended to further destabilise the serious situation existing in Venezuela.

Such an attempt is intended to achieve political ends by murder. It is possibly the intentions of the intellectual authors of this crime to seize power by force and/or to push the country to civil war.

For too long, Latin America has suffered from coups, assassinations, and military style dictatorships. The history of the region demonstrates that such situations lead to social, economic and political degeneration, in which ordinary working people are the most injured.

The history and events of other regions tell the same tale. Just a casual glance at the Middle East, Iraq, Libya, Syria and others confirms the

universality of such diabolical acts.

As a neighbour of Venezuela, I encourage all the social and political forces in Guyana to raise their voices in condemnation of this attempted assassination of that country’s president. Guyana will not be unaffected by such undemocratic and murderous acts.

I therefore call on all legitimate Venezuelan forces to engage in meaningful dialogue

to arrive at acceptable decisions.

Once more, I wish to reiterate my own opposition to political assassination as a form of legitimate struggle.

Finally, I wish to extend best wishes for a peaceful solution to all the people of Venezuela fighting for social and economic progress.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former Guyana President

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018

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News

First Lady takes ICT Workshop to Lethem

No arrests in Wismar Post Office torching/ attempted robbery

First Lady Sandra Granger is flocked by participants of the three-week ICT workshop along with regional officials and organisers of the programme

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irst Lady Mrs Sandra Granger on Monday declared open the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Training Programme involving more than 30 participants in Lethem, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine).

The three-week training programme, conducted by the Office of the First Lady in collaboration with the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and the Social Protection Ministry, will take place in the dormitory of the St Ignatius Secondary School at St Ignatius Village in the Rupununi.

In her remarks, the First Lady urged the participants

to pursue education relentlessly in order to adapt to technological advances.

“You are living in an age of lifelong education. Nothing stays the same… You [must] understand that technology is always changing, and this is impacting your lives even in ways that you don’t recognise at this point in time. Technology is playing a huge role in how we live our lives today… Every single day things are changing, and this is going to impact our lives in many ways… All these things are happening, and you need to be aware of it. You need to be on the cutting edge of this technology,” she is quoted by the Ministry of Presidency as saying.

The First Lady has encouraged the participants to take the workshop seriously, as the certificate awarded upon completion bears weight in the professional world. “Some of the graduates have already been employed by the National Data Management Authority to do data entry… People have gotten employment… This certificate is a serious certificate which is signed and recognised by the Board of Industrial Training… and this is recognised not only in Guyana, but regionally…

This is a serious certificate, and I would like you to address it with the seriousness that we have put into it,” she said.

Vice Chairman of BIT, Donald Ainsworth, said the programme would prepare the participants to be the final solutions to problems which may plague their region.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Brian Allicock has encouraged the participants to build a solid support system among themselves, and to absorb as much as they can during the training.

In addition to the ICT skills, the participants will learn communication and time management skills, and cover subjects in robotics, literacy, numeracy, micro enterprising, and sexual and reproductive health.

Misleading traffic signs

Dear Editor, For the longest while, there have been two misleading traffic signs at the junction of Thomas Street and parallel roads of Stanley Place and Vlissengen Road.

Thomas Street is one-way going east from Vlissengen Road to Lamaha Street in Kitty. However, the arrow sign at the junction of Stanley Place and Thomas Street directs traffic to proceed west on Thomas Street.

Confoundingly, a stop sign is also incongruously painted on the road surface of the Thomas Street bridge connecting Vlissengen Road to Stanley Place.

Recently while driving north along Stanley Place, I slowed at its intersection

with Thomas Street as a precaution. In the process, I exchanged greetings with two traffic ranks who were on duty nearby. The two traffic policemen were appreciably courteous, and appeared undaunted by the seething heat of the day.

During my pause, a brief conversation arose regarding the misleading signs. One of the ranks confessed that the Police were aware of the erring signs, and said that he even had prior confrontations with some road users who were abusing the signs’ misrepresentation. He added that the issue was raised “higher up” several months ago, but, to date, the situation remains uncorrected.

As I continued my jour-

ney, I thought about the misleading signs’ potential for accidents. I thought about the oblivion or indifference by those responsible for the maintenance of roads and traffic safety. I thought about the evolved apathy of many citizens, now moved to silence, because ventilated matters like these invariably seem to bounce off of deaf ears fastened upon the brain-boxes of the powers that be. I thought about the apparent disconnection and incoherence of the arms of state – something that has seriously affected the ability of certain entities to successfully prosecute those who

were, and still are, fingered in massive acts of corruption against the state.

Effective networking and seamless collaboration among relevant entities – namely the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and City Council -- on matters like these misleading road signs would have seen their correction ages ago. Do we now have to import “experts” from somewhere to produce a report with recommendations to fix this teeny matter?

Sincerely, Orette Cutting

P

The Wismar Post Office

olice continue investigating the torching and attempted robbery of the Wismar Post Office at Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice), but, so far, no arrests have been made.

The Post Office was torched in the wee hours of August 2 following a foiled robbery. This publication understands that after bandits had forced their way into the building sometime before 04:00h, they encountered difficulty in accessing monies from a safe which was believed to contain Old Age Pension payments.

The safe withstood attempts at breakage, and it is believed that the bandits then set the building alight.

Pensioners who turned up to receive their Old Age Pension payments on Thursday last were unable to access payments, and the Post Office has since been closed.

Nevertheless, pensioners have been able to access

the service at the Mackenzie Post Office situated across the river.

'E' Division (LindenKwakwani) Commander Anthony Vanderhyden told this publication on Monday that Police are working on several theories, but there have been no positive leads.

The incident has led to calls by residents and officials for security to be installed at the Wismar Post Office, which has been hit by robbers in the past.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Renis Morian and officials of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) who visited the scene later on Thursday morning indicated that emergency works would be undertaken on the building. The Regional Chairman also noted that Councillors within the Welfare Committee have committed to ensure that pensioners get access to their pensions, and will assist with transportation where needed.

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tuesdAY, august 7, 2018

Page

By Joanna Myers

H

as anyone ever told you that there is a sweet spot in parenting? Well there is, and I believe it’s somewhere between the age when kids start to get a bit more independent and the age when they get easily annoyed with their parents and want nothing to do with us. You will probably know when you are in this sweet spot, but if you’re unsure, then here are some of the signs you might be there.

The kids put themselves to bed

Just because you have to tell them one million times to go, does not lessen the sweetness of the fact that you don’t have to actually hold the toothbrush for them.

You can watch grown up movies together

I love cartoons as much as the next person, but the sweet spot is when you can see a PG 13 movie together at the theatre. Bye bye babysitter!

You can take a nap while the kids are awake

… without having to worry that they will burn the house down while you sleep. This age is totally kid-dependent but you will know you are in the sweet spot when you get there.

You’ll probably always sleep with one eye open, but it’s better than not sleeping at all.

They can make their own lunches

When they make their own lunches, it lessens the likeli-

Foundation

hood of the same food taking field trips to and from school every day without ever making it out of the lunch bag.

You can walk out of the house with your kids carrying ONLY your purse

Let me repeat that….ONLY your purse! This actually may have been one of the biggest things for me as my kids got older. I noticed it right away when I didn’t have to leave the house with the diaper bag, a bag of toys and snacks just in case they hit a wall and pretty much everything else under the sun. When you can walk out of the house with just your purse and your kids, then you are definitely in the sweet spot. On the flip side, you head out of the sweet spot once your kids are embarrassed to be seen with you and your purse.

The kids can be at home by themselves

Date night no longer involves wrangling up a grandparent, calling in a favour from a friend, or hedging your bets on the neighbourhood teenage sitter.

You sign them up for a sport or activity and they care about it as much or more than you do

I remember trying to put my kids in toddler soccer. Let me tell you, that field was cleared of dandelions pretty quickly and there was very little soccer played. The children

never wanted to actually go and neither (deep down) did I. Now that the children have found some of their actual interests, they leave the house much more easily on practice night.

You can play a board game with them and not have to “let” them win

I never actually blatantly let them win, but there is just something programmed in me to not try my very best and kind of secretly be cheering for my kids to win. Also related: when they get past the sore loser stage. Yup, sweet spot.

By Sarah

A

idan has been dying to get started on drumming, and unfortunately drums (or lessons) aren’t in the budget at the moment. However, I saw this idea on Journey into Unschooling on making a duct tape drum and decided that we could handle a project like that!

The kids can operate the TV remote control by themselves

This creates all kinds of freedom for us as parents. Particularly in the morning when you don’t have to try to hit the right button on the remote when your eyes are still squished together in sleepiness.

They are toilet trained They still like you. Most of the time

You know you’re in the sweet spot when they are still young enough that they don’t really mind being seen with you and they think you’re pretty great.

Most of the time. This is key to being in the sweet spot.

If you are in the sweet spot, enjoy it. If your kids are quite young, then I promise you it’s coming. Of course, this stage has its challenges too, but for me it was definitely the “sweet spot” … so far.(scarymommy.com)

To make our drum, we purchased a cardboard form (any circular cardboard box or roll can work). We cut it into two different drum sizes with a utility knife (and there was still a lot left over).

I covered the top with strips of duct tape, starting with this pattern. I stretched the tape as tight as possible, and made two complete layers on top to make sure that the drum was good and sturdy.

When the top was finished, I added black duct tape on the sides.

We purchased some real (but inexpensive, so probably not the greatest) drum sticks which Aidan was very happy about!

The drum stick won’t bounce on the duct tape drum head the way it would on a real snare drum, but this is a fun drum for practising rhythms or hand drumming. And hopefully soon we’ll be able to do some real lessons! (frugalfun4boys.com)

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TuesdAY, august 7, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Former GuySuCo Chairman’s Granger unfazed by AFC decision to contest LGE solo son appointed new CEO

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resident David Granger is unfazed by coalition minority partner Alliance for Change’s (AFC’s) decision that it would contest the Local Government Elections (LGE) on its own. According to the head of state, this will not impact the coalition.

He made this comment at the sidelines of an event on Monday. Asked directly by the media whether he was concerned by the development, the president replied in the negative. According to the president, the coalition will still be a feasible option for 2020.

“We did exchange some memorandum, and the APNU had drafted its own core principles, and we submitted those principles to the AFC for consideration. It’s an internal decision within the AFC, and we respect that decision; and the AFC, I think, respects the decision within the APNU. “It is my view that both the AFC and APNU remain committed to coalition politics, and this will in no way damage the prospects of our two parties moving to the general and regional elections. This is entirely a local matter… a party political matter. But we do not feel that the coalition is in jeopardy,” Granger added.

At a post-Cabinet press briefing also on Monday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon gave a bit more insight into what those core principles are. According to Harmon, these amounted to APNU’s expectations in order to go to the polls with the AFC. “Representation, nomination, organisation, mobilisation and communication… each of these in the communication with the AFC, the APNU elaborated that these are the principles APNU would require for joint APNU/ AFC participation in Local Government Elections.”

In its statement, the AFC had said this separation applies only for the 2018 Local Government polls, and “does not, in any way, affect the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, nor does it, in any way, change the AFC’s position on coalition politics

‒ Govt says PWC valuation to conclude by September

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fter a long hiatus, Government is optimistic that a new board for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will be appointed soon, even as it has emerged that a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has already been appointed.

This revelation was made during a post-Cabinet press briefing hosted by Minister

pointed last week and will be taking up his duties from Monday. He will take over from acting CEO Paul Bhim, who had held the reins of director of finance.

Bhim himself took over from former CEO Errol Hanoman, who parted ways with the Corporation last year when his contract came to an end. “The consideration for a Board of the enti-

President David Granger is unfazed by the AFC’s decision

at the national level. The AFC remains, and reaffirms that it is committed to, the APNU/AFC Coalition.”

“The AFC is in full preparation mode for LGE, including hosting meetings in the various constituencies and identifying potential candidates who will be subject to a rigorous internal vetting process before official appointment. Candidates will be addressing the local issues which are of concern to citizens, and working collaboratively to find practical and implementable solutions,” Sunday’s missive stated.

It further outlined that the AFC would soon determine which municipalities and constituencies it would strategically contest, as it does not envision contesting in each Neighbourhood Democratic Council and in every constituency of all municipalities, until subsequent election cycles.

Following its decision, the party’s management committee has since resolved into the LGE Campaign Committee, and is chaired

by Executive Member David Patterson, who has been appointed Campaign Director.

Additionally, Juretha Fernandes has been appointed Deputy Campaign Director, while appointments to other positions will be done subsequently.

Unimpressed

In the aftermath of the AFC’s release, the People’s Progressive Party has remained unimpressed. In a release of its own, the PPP stated that since the AFC’s coalition with the APNU in 2015, the AFC has adopted inconsistent, flip-flopping

and deceptive political postures as it struggles to survive as a relevant political force.

“We have seen how it flipflopped on many issues in the past, including the parking meter contract, VAT on education, the sugar industry; and even before they entered into the coalition, Khemraj Ramjattan is on public record saying that the AFC will never enter into a coalition with the APNU/PNC, because if it does so, it will be “dead meat,” the PPP posited.

On February 14 last, the APNU and AFC celebrated their 3rd year anniversary since signing the “lovers’ deal”.

However, the AFC of recent has come under fire for the submissive role it has been playing since joining forces with the APNU. In fact, the top leadership of the AFC had decided back mid-November to revise its governing agreement with its majority coalition partner.

The Cummingsburg Accord has a lifespan of a minimum of three years and maximum of five years, and was focused primarily on the General and Regional Elections.

To this end, the AFC had proposed as part of the nine points up for negotiation with its coalition partner that an agreement on LGE be crafted. In fact, the minority coalition partner detailed some of its positions for negotiation in the LGE Accord. The AFC’s NEC, after a May 1 meeting, had allowed additional time for the two coalition partners to have a definitive written agreement in the form of a Local Government Elections Accord.

New GuySuCo CEO, Dr Harold Davis Jr

The PWC valuation is slated to finish soon

of State, Joseph Harmon on Monday. According to Harmon, the new CEO is Dr Harold Davis Jr, who is the son of late former Chairman of GuySuCo, Harold Davis and the entity’s Director of agricultural services.

According to the Minister, Dr Davis was ap-

ty is well advanced and I believe that by the end of this week or early next week, we will have the announcement of a Board of Directors for GuySuCo,” Harmon said.

When it comes to the divestment itself, Harmon revealed that English firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers

(PWC) was likely to complete its evaluation by the end of September. He also revealed that there have been numerous expressions of interest (EoIs) from investors.

“Those estates are up for divestment. The divestment process has taken some time, because it’s a requirement for us to have a careful assessment of the value of these assets,” Harmon explained. “The fact that the estates were never independent entities of themselves, it means that the entity, apart from a valuation, will require a separation of them from the whole. So every estate will have to have a demarcation of what the assets are. turn to page 14

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Former Gold Board employees slapped with fraud charges

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former accountant of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB), Rosanna Ramnarine, 34, of Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, and 50-year-old Deborah Forbes of Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara, a former clerk of the GGB, were on Monday arraigned before Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts, each charged with three counts of fraud.

They each pleaded not guilty to the three charges when it was read to them.

The court heard that between January 1, 2017 and February 28, 2017, while they were employed at the Guyana Gold Board, located at Lot 68 Brickdam, Georgetown, they wilfully, and with intent to defraud, falsified documents (payment vouchers) in possession of the Gold Board purporting to show that Clinton Alphonso had received a payment of $436,409.

Former employees of GGB, Rosanna Ramnarine and Deborah Forbes

Within the same period, they also allegedly worked together to wilfully, and with intent to defraud, falsify documents in possession of the Guyana Gold Board purporting to show that Brian Chase had received a payment of $436,409.

The third charge stated that Ramnarine and Forbes together stole $436,409 in cash from the GGB. Defence Attorney for

Rosanna Ramnarine, Nigel Hughes, in a bail application, told the court that his client was already reporting to SOCU on a weekly basis, and is cooperating fully with investigators.

Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris did not object to either woman being placed on bail, but asked that conditions be applied.

The women were granted bail to a total value of

$450,000, and were each ordered to lodge their travel documents and to report to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) every Friday until the conclusion of the case.

The matter is expected to continue on August 27, 2018.

Reports are that SOCU had launched an investigation into an alleged multi-million-dollar fraud scheme at the GGB and the duo were sent on administrative leave pending the outcome of further probes.

Further, the duo, each of whom has been employed at the GGB for over 10 years, reportedly managed to skim off portions of the payments.

Only recently, Ramnarine was slapped with six fraud charges, and appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore after she was accused of “millions of dollars” in theft through the manipulation of the gold testing system.

Security guard jailed for breaking into workplace

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ne week after the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) had reported that on several occasions during last month thieves have raided its headquarters, a security guard attached to that entity was on Monday jailed for 36 months for the incident.

Thirty-seven-year-old Dwayne Allen of Lot 36 West Front Road, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, appearing before Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman, admitted that between July 27th and July 30th, 2018, he broke and entered the Headquarters of the GPSU at Lot 160 Regent Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, and stole items to the total value of $980,660.

According to the Prosecution’s case, the office was secured by employees who subsequently left the premises in the security care of the accused Allen, who was employed as a security guard.

Reports are that after the employees had left, Allen burgled the building and carted off the items, leaving the building unattended.

The court heard that closed circuit television (CCTV) footage showed

GPSU Headquarters at Regent Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown

Allen, accompanied by another male, breaking into the building. The father of three was later arrested and charged.

The prosecution further noted that none of the stolen items was recovered.

Before handing down sentence, Magistrate Latchman told the accused, “Even if you were working for a cent, you were employed with the organisation and you chose to steal from them. That was a bad thing.”

Alen will be spending the next 36 months in prison.

Earlier last week, at a press conference, GPSU president, Patrick Yarde, had said the robberies began on July 16, when a significant amount of cash was stolen from the accounts de-

partment.

He noted that on July 27, an undisclosed sum of cash had been withdrawn from a city bank to be used to reimburse workers for travelling purposes, among other things, since the GPSU had been expected to host an executive meeting with members from all parts of the country.

Following discovery of the missing cash, the Police were notified.

The Union’s troubles did not end there, however, as thieves again entered the Union’s office and carted off a flat screen Sony television.

“The security (rank) that left at seven (19:00hrs) indicated that he (had) left the television downstairs, and he (had) handed it over to

the other security, but when he came back, the security was missing and the television downstairs was missing,” Yarde informed.

Police were again summoned on the following Monday morning, yet another robbery had occurred.

This time, the thieves carted off another Sony television and documents.

Yarde said the thieves had again attempted to open the Union’s safe, as well as gain access to other offices.

Damaged door edges shown to the media substantiated the GPSU story.

Yarde said he believes the criminals have inside information. “To get to my office, you have got to go through three doors; and it is amazing how precise the things people are going for.

How could somebody go to a cabinet… As a matter of fact, we are even looking to see what inside information may prevail…”

The union’s president noted that, after the first incident, there had been no upgrade to the GPSU security systems, although surveillance cameras were purchased. The cameras, he had said, would soon be installed.

Freed murder accused back in prison …charged for attempted murder, robbery

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arlton Bourne of Norton and Chapel Streets in Lodge, Georgetown was on Monday arraigned before Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman on three counts of armed robbery and one count of attempted murder.

Released from prison last March, after being freed of a murder charge, the 23-yearold was not required to plead

Accused: Carlton Bourne

to a charge alleging that, on July 27, 2018, he wounded Tyrese Fraser with intent to commit murder.

Another charge Bourne faces alleged that, on the same day, he robbed Fraser of a quantity of jewellery and $84,000 cash, to a total of $377,000.

The third charge alleged that on the same day, while in the vicinity of East

La Penitence and while armed with a firearm, he robbed O’Neil Hopkinson of $17,000.

Bourne has also been accused of robbing Adrian McKenzie of an XR motorcycle valued $435,000, on July 19 while in the vicinity of Vlissengen Road, Georgetown. turn to page 10

Commemorating…

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…Burnham’s death

or an administration whose leader, David Granger -not so coincidentally, also leader of the PNC -- has vowed to complete the legacy of Forbes Burnham, their “founder leader”, the commemoration of his death was pretty low-keyed. A few members of the National Congress of Women (NCW), the women’s arm of the PNC, laid wreaths at his bust at Kitty, and gave Basil Williams a squeeze-in!

Even the Chronic didn’t report on the ceremony!

What’s up? The PNC big-wigs were all worn out after their emancipation soirees? Last year, since the commemoration was state-funded and it was announced this largess would be extended to the death anniversary of all previous presidents annually, the event should’ve been even bigger. Was it because the state didn’t bother to fund President Jagan’s death anniversary commemoration over at Babu Jaan in March that the PNC passed up on Burnham’s??

But whatever your views on the man, Burnham certainly had an impact on Guyana, and his death anniversary should be cause for reflection. Your Eyewitness could only find a report of the NCW’s commemoration in THIS newspaper – and he wonders if the report was based on a press release from the PNC ladies. After all, it mentioned that “He (Burnham) won re-election in 1968, 1973, and 1978, although his critics accused him of fixing the elections.”!!

His CRITICS accused him of fixing the elections?!!

What about EVERY team of international observers!! Not to mention England’s Granada TV showing the horses that voted there in 1968 to give the PNC the lead in the overseas vote? For what it’s worth, 1978 wasn’t an election – but the referendum by Burnham NOT to have a referendum to approve his new 1980 Constitution!! The election was in 1980 – which the British Parliamentary Group of observers called “more crooked than barbed wire”!!

The death anniversary came hot on the heels of one trade unionist remembering that WPA’s Walter Rodney had dubbed Burnham “King Kong”. One overseas WPA member defended Rodney’s language by claiming it was “done spontaneously at a public meeting on Bourda Green as the army helicopter flew overhead, reminiscent of the movie. Context is important”!!

What’s this WPA fella trying to say? That Rodney didn’t mean to ridicule Burnham? What nonsense!! To the masses, Rodney’s most potent weapon wasn’t his Marxist analyses, but his ability to ridicule!! Let’s not forget he also dubbed Burnham “Fat Boy” and “King Midas”. Only that in Burnham’s case, according to Rodney, everything he touched turned to “shit”!!

Anyhow, the WPA made up to the PNC on Burnham’s death anniversary, since they held an event to reflect on Eusi Kwayana and Emancipation on that day at Buxton.

All is forgiven!?

…Kwayana?

As mentioned above, there was a “Eusi Kwayana Emancipation Symposium” held at Friendship Primary School on Burnham’s death anniversary, Aug 5th. While Kwayana undoubtedly almost singlehandedly ushered in the fight against “mental slavery”, which Bob Marley was to famously sing about so much later, he was also linked to Burnham in one way or another during the latter’s lifetime.

When Burnham launched his bid to take over as leader of the PPP from Cheddi, even before the dust from the 1953 elections had settled, it was Kwayana – then still called “Sydney King” – who stood him down – just as he did on two later occasions. But Burnham still accepted Kwayana as one of the founding members of the PNC when that party was launched in 1958.

Kwayana finally broke from Burnham in 1973 – after he’d been placed in charge of the Guyana Marketing Corporation to facilitate the rural PNC supporters becoming viable farmers.

He was for emancipation in all its forms.

…Georgetown founding

There are some who’re miffed the City Hall Mafia are spending $19 million to commemorate the 175 anniversary of the funding of the Garden City.

Your Eyewitness doesn’t know why some people can be so bad-minded. Why shouldn’t the Mayor and her chief sidekick celebrate the launching of their gravy train?

It shows gratitude!!

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

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US State Department issues alert on Pegasus …says American Govt workers moved

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he United States State Department on Monday issued an alert on the Pegasus Hotel.

The alert comes hours after a major fire was averted at the hotel on Sunday night. However, the State Department has announced that US Government personnel staying at the hotel have decided to move to other locations. This move was made after there were dysfunctional fire alarms and emergency exits were cloaked.

On Sunday evening, guests at the Pegasus Hotel had to be treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in the kitchen area at about 22:45h.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was summoned to the scene; and upon arrival, the fire fighters were able to contain the fire to one area.

When Guyana Times arrived at the scene, GFS Station Officer with responsibility for fire prevention, Andrew Holder, told the media that the fire started as a result of a ‘deep-fry’ accidently or deliberately left on. This, he noted, caused the appliance to overheat, and it eventually ignited the installation for the extractor.

This created a smokelogged environment, but fire fighters were able to quickly put out the fire and create some form of ventilation.

All efforts were made to ensure that everyone was out of the building. Holder noted that smoke would have reached at least the second and third floods, thus causing some panic among the guests who were staying at the hotel.

The fire official not-

ed that there were several safety breaches at the hotel. He said the emergency exit doors were chained and padlocked, there was no fire alarm, and staff were not trained to deal with such an occurrence.

“This is a serious breach of safety, and it has severe consequences,” Holder added.

Guest at the hotel expressed shock that there was no fire alarm. One guest recalled that he went to the emergency exit after his room was consumed by smoke, only to discover it locked.

Pastor Ellsworth Chester of Brooklyn New York told Guyana Times that he is on vacation with his children, and as he was on the second floor he started to smell smoke, and quickly alerted them, and they made their way out of

Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown

the building.

He added that as he rushed to the emergency exit on the lower flat of the building, the doors were chained and locked. As he rushed to another exit, it was the same thing, and at

that point in time he made up his mind that he had to go through the thick smoke.

In addition, he reportedly went to all the doors on the second flood and alerted the occupants.

He was nevertheless

thankful that no one was severely hurt as a result of the smoke.

An investigation has been launched into the incident by both the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Police Force.

Govt to build humanitarian centres for Venezuelan refugees that the refugees were undergoing health screening, as several were found to have malaria. Also, some persons displayed signs and symptoms of tuberculosis and others were reportedly HIV-positive.

Venezuelan nation-

Some of the refugees in Region One

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ollowing calls by Region One (BarimaWaini) Chairman Brentnol Ashley recently for Government and donor agencies to provide more assistance to Venezuelan refugees, the Administration on Monday signalled its intention to construct several facilities to respond to the Venezuelan influx. This was announced by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at his post-Cabinet briefing.

“We are going to build facilities to respond to where the Venezuelan citizens are coming from,” Harmon noted.

The centres would likely be built in Region One and reports stated that a multi-agency committee, comprising the Guyana Police Force and the Citizenship and Public Health Ministries, will oversee the establishment of the Governmentcontrolled centres. Guyana Times was told that Citizenship Minister Winston Felix was expected to visit the Region

later this week and it was expected that official numbers could be released afterwards.

Venezuelan refugees mainly from the Warrau tribe have been fleeing the economic and political turmoil in the Spanish-speaking country.

Chairman Ashley recently called on Government and donor agencies to provide more assistance to the refugees. He, in fact, pointed out that the refugees were continuing to put a strain on the Region’s medical resources, adding that the numbers have reached some 500.

According to information provided, there are over 30 persons living along the Yarakita community while over 55 foreigners have taken up boarding at Kaneville. It was also noted that Whitewater recorded the most significant number of settlers with 236 while another community, Kamwatta, had over 60.

Only days ago, Government

noted that the 260 confirmed Venezuelan refugees are occupying areas in Region One. Ashley told this publication on Saturday that immigration officers have been accompanying the team visiting the various communities to confirm just how many Venezuelan persons have actually taken up residence here. This should clear up the anomalies.

Ashley said too that he was looking forward to Citizenship Minister Felix’s visit and along with a Civil Defence Commission (CDC) team to address the growing numbers of persons fleeing to this country.

Ashley stressed that refugees needed not only food supplies but clothing as well, as Government and other donor agencies provided in the past. Many in the area have expressed concern for the safety, health, and accommodation of the migrants and the locals who live around them. However, it was reported last month

als have been crossing into Guyana, especially at Region One, to seek medical treatment for malaria. Ashley previously noted that the Region’s 2018 Budget currently did not have funds to provide for these refugees, but agencies

such as Food For The Poor, the CDC and other good Samaritans, provided limited clothing and food items to the refugees. Many of them are from the Warrau tribe and many reside along the border with Guyana.

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Infested farmland

GRDB dismisses rice farmers’ claims

…says farmers disregarded advice …GRDB visited after media report – farmers spite being advised to do so and was, in fact, applying a contact insecticide instead, rather than a systematic pesticide.

Based on a report compiled by an investigating team, dead water weevil larvae were found on the roots of some plants, the GRDB noted, adding that only one farmer, and 3.4 acres of rice fields, was presently affected.

No confidence in GRDB

A section of the affected rice field in Hague, WCD

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he Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) on Monday dismissed the claim that hundreds of acres of rice fields, in Hague, West Coast Demerara (WCD) are infested by termites.

According to the GRDB, advice was given to the farmers to drain the fields and apply systematic pesticides, but the farmers refused to do so.

“The GRDB was aware of the farmer’s problem and immediately provided extension services. It was determined that the farmer needed to drain the field, ap-

ply any systematic pesticide, in this instance, it was recommended that Pronto and Regional at the recommended rates be used. However, the farmer ignored the advice of the extension officers,” GRDB General Manager Nizam Hassan said.

According to him, a subsequent visit by the GRDB showed that the farmer had water weevils and had not been spraying with the required pesticide recommended by the team. The GRDB Head claimed that the farmer also admitted to not draining his field de-

Two farmers whose fields are close by the first farmer’s on Monday said they had no confidence in the GRDB. The farmers added that it was after Guyana Times published an article highlighting their plight that the GRDB took swift action.

Ganga Persaud, an affected 80-year-old farmer, said a team from the GRDB visited their rice fields where they found a pest on the rice roots.

“They came and they went on the fields with a few buckets and they uprooted a few affected plants. They washed the roots and examined them in our presence and showed us things that we understand normally happen with rice. They saw

some worms, they saw some water weevil and things that we are accustomed to seeing. When they finish, they were talking to us and one of the farmers said that if Times (Guyana Times/ Evening News) didn’t publicise our problem, maybe they not would have come,” Persaud said.

The farmer informed that the entomologist related to them that nothing “extraordinary” as it relates to infestation was discovered, but rather something very common.

He, however, argued that when questioned, the entomologist was unable to say why the plants were stagnated, and admitted that the officials prescribed a few pesticides. The pesticides, he contended, were used by another farmer, Omar Dhanny, at least six times to no avail.

“What I understand is that these people have not been able to identify the real cause of the issue affecting these plants. We understand that there is something more in that field affecting those plants,” Persaud posited.

In his 60 years of farming, the man said he has never seen such a disastrous

The water weevil found in the farmers’ soil by GRDB officials

pest affecting rice on such a large scale.

“We understand that they are telling us there is too much water and all these things, but they are just trying to put us down easily … of all the farmers there, nobody felt satisfied with what they did and what they told us,” he said.

“We have no confidence; this is what I’m saying, we have no confidence in what they’re trying to tell us and we are not very happy. We are not very satisfied with their conclusion,” the farmer added.

Persaud lamented that the farmers remain in desperation as they were just being told to wait for results and fear that their crops, time and money would be wasted.

This newspaper was told that close to 15 rice farmers and 120 acres of land were currently affected by what appeared to be a termite infestation of the present rice crop in villages along the West Coast of Demerara. Hague, Den Amstel, and several other villages appear to be hardest hit.

According to the farmers, termites began feeding on their crops about one month ago. Omar Dhanny, a farmer who cultivates about seven acres of land at Hague, said, “A lot of farmers struggling with the same problem…”

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

“This here affects me a lot, because this amount of rice here what damage for me, I already (gone) through all the doses of fertiliser and I already sprayed about six times. If you calculate, it is a lot of money, and nobody don’t know if we gonna get anything from the Rice Development Board,” he pointed out.

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

Father of 4 remanded for gun possession

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orty-year-old Royston James was on Monday arraigned before Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a gun possession charge.

The father of four, of Lot 58 West Front Road, Ruimveldt, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

It is alleged that on August 1, 2018, while in the vicinity of Sussex Street,

Albouystown, James had in his possession a .38 revolver without being a licensed firearm holder at the time.

The Police Prosecutor objected to James being placed on bail by citing the serious nature of the offence and the penalty attached to the charge.

The prosecution’s submissions were upheld by Magistrate Latchman, and James was remanded to prison until August 27.

Freed murder accused...

From page 8

He denied all the robbery charges read to him, but was remanded to prison until August 27, when the cases would be recalled in court.

Reports are that Bourne and his accomplice, former Policeman Elton Haynes, were in March freed of the murder of a Whim, Corentyne, Berbice businessman during the commission of a robbery in 2012.

According to the facts presented in that case, the two men had, back in November 2012, met at Liverpool Village, Corentyne

and planned to break into Ragnauth’s business and rob him. Haynes, being armed with a dangerous weapon, then went to the premises of Ragnauth, who operated a beer garden and grocery store.

The state’s case was that during the robbery, Ragnauth was killed. The man’s body was discovered at his home, after his grocery shop had been broken into on November 7, 2012.

That trial was presided over by Justice Sandil Kissoon.

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Govt to spend $16M on crime- Enmore Co-op fracas mapping consultancy Residents say lands still

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he Government of Guyana has awarded a contract to the tune of US$78,750 (some $16 million) to Valarie Grant, who will be tasked with the responsibility of conducting consultations as Guyana moves to highlight the criminal hubs in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica).

At the end of the consultancy, the Government, through the Public Security Ministry, is expected to move full steam ahead with its crime-mapping initiative. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during one of his press conferences, said that the project will geocode serious crimes – that is the occurrence of crime as per geographic location – after which communicative maps will be created.

“Guyanese will be able to see a digital map that depicts where crimes are occurring based on crime data,” Harmon added. He further stated that the information would be colour-coded and include type of crime; date, time and location committed.

The Minister of State posited that the information would be displayed the same way as Google Maps and other Street Maps that are available on the Internet.

While Harmon did not divulge additional information about the project and

being invaded

A

The Public Security Ministry, is expected to move full steam ahead with its crime-mapping initiative

when it would take effect, he noted that once the contract was signed, the project would be executed. In addition, he could not give any details about the contractor to whom the contract was awarded.

Crime analysts use crime mapping and analysis to help law enforcement to make better decisions, target resources, and formulate strategies, as well as for tactical analysis (eg crime forecasting, and geographic profiling).

Research has shown that the boom of Internet technologies, particularly web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies, is opening up new opportunities for use of crime mapping to sup-

port crime prevention.

Only recently, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) had named the Bourda and Stabroek Markets as havens for criminal activities.

As such, citizens and foreigners were warned about the location.

At the same time, the Police statistics proved that 20 murders were recorded in Region Four. With respect to other crimes, the Police did not give a breakdown as to the regions they were committed.

But, according to the statistics, the Force recorded a nine-per cent decrease in serious crimes at the end of June 2018 when compared to the same period in 2017.

Pomeroon murder

Dead farmer’s lover’s story changes …as Police intensify probe

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he 47-year-old paramour of murdered coconut farmer Deonarine (only name), also known as “Russian”, of Grant Maria’s Delight, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) remains in Police custody, along with three men, as the investigation intensifies.

Deonarine, 73, was shot dead at his home on Friday last by a masked man.

Police Public Relations Officer Jairam Ramlakhan told Guyana Times on Monday that Police questioned the 47-year-old woman, who witnessed the incident and who also gave Police the name of an individual who was employed by the now dead man, as the person she suspected to have killed her lover.

The other two men in custody were also reportedly employed by the man.

This newspaper was told that the woman’s story seems to be suspicious, as her statements changed after further questioning.

This publication was told by a source that the woman, who initially said that

Dead coconut farmer: Deonarine called “Russian”

she did not see the individual who shot her lover, is now claiming that she saw the person. Sources indicated that she also amended her original statement that the person ran down the stairs in pursuit of the coconut farmer.

It was reported that on Friday evening about 18:30h, the coconut farmer had just returned home after collecting his paramour, when he heard someone knocking on his door.

Guyana Times was told when Deonarine opened the

door, a masked man with a gun was standing in the entrance.

His paramour reportedly told the Police that after seeing the gunman, she attempted to grab the gun, but he whipped out a knife, which she also grabbed.

This publication was then told that the woman was pushed by the suspect who ran after the pensioner and shot him to the left side of his abdomen before making his escape.

The badly injured farmer was rushed to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital in Charity, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

This newspaper understands that the now dead man was a re-migrant, who returned to the Pomeroon and invested significant sums in the coconut industry. He was managing and living alone on the coconut estate.

Residents in the area said that Deonarine was a very kind person and expressed shock at the incident.

“Surely the killer came to kill and it’s not a robbery,” a neighbour said.

fter months of a continuous land dispute between the Co-op Society and residents of Enmore North, East Coast Demerara (ECD), several members of the community related that their lands continued to be invaded by persons with documents claiming to be transports.

On Monday, Champa Samuels informed Guyana Times that persons entered her land and started to construct a house as if the land belonged to them. Samuels said that on Saturday last a woman began to clear sections of her land. She said also that several other persons also commenced preparations to construct a building.

“In my place at Lot 107 Enmore North, some people just come into the land and them start digging the foundation to build a house, so I don’t know what going on. Last week Saturday, they went and weed the place and they start with the foundation,” the distraught woman related.

Samuels says she believes the persons occupy-

ing her land are unaware of the pending situation with the Co-op, whereby transports are being issued to coop members for lands which are already owned by other members.

She noted that her documents were given to Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall, who is representing the interest of the affected residents.

Just three weeks ago, houses in the community were demolished and the occupants’ belongings tossed onto the streets after demolition workers were ordered to do so. Based on reports received, the instruction was given by leader of the Co-op Society.

When Guyana Times visited the area, residents claimed that they were awakened by persons trying to dismantle several homes which were on transported land.

The Society reportedly attempted to dismantle the buildings on several occasions after transports for the land which persons had occupied for the past 30 years were issued to oth-

er persons without their knowledge.

This state of affairs, however, would have stemmed from the ongoing feud. The residents also claimed that they were threatened that if they should return to their property, the Co-op would send its members to burn the buildings.

The situation had gotten to a point where the residents were completely helpless and, as such, sought the guidance and assistance of Nandlall, a former Attorney General and Member of Parliament (MP).

During his visit to the area to hear the plight of the people, Nandlall stated that by law, it was wrongful for those actions to be committed.

He is maintaining that while the Co-op was in a process of redistributing the land, it could not simply give it to another member, noting that when a member is deceased, the beneficiary is supposed to be given the land. It is not a case whereby the residents were squatting on the land.

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BBCI pontoon’s servicing

Govt failure to honour contract blamed for untimely maintenance

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he Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) has said that Government’s failure to adhere to a contractual agreement has led to the untimely servicing of the pontoons under the bridge.

On Monday, the company defended itself from a news article which sought to indicate that the BCCI was solely responsible for the scheduled timely servicing of its pontoons.

The bridge company explained that it was impossible for the company to efficiently operate and maintain the bridge, which included the scheduled, timely servicing of its 39 pontoons under the structure.

BBCI contends that Government denied it the revenue the bridge required through several applications for toll adjustments made since 2015.

“The company, by the Government reneging on its

obligations to the company and the people of Guyana, has been denied the revenue required, through several applications for toll adjustments made since 2015, under the Concession Agreement to operate and maintain the Bridge, and for the company to meet its contractual obligations to its lenders,” the bridge company said on Monday.

The company added that, in December 2015, it commissioned equipment valued at $167 million to be used in servicing of its 39 pontoons.

It reminded that Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had even praised the company for its commitment to maintaining the Bridge. It revealed that it could not fully implement its maintenance programme unless Minister Patterson provides the contracted toll revenue.

“The company, at its own cost, continues to imple-

A section of the Berbice River Bridge

ment its maintenance programme, but cannot fully do so to the level required unless the Minister meets his obligation to provide the contracted toll revenue.”

It also refuted published claims that the company paid dividends to shareholders, stating that it has not been making profits and that it currently faces losses

exceeding $2.8 billion.

The company, meanwhile, said it is yet to receive an official response from Minister Patterson to its July 9, 2018 application for a toll adjustment under the Concession Agreement.

Minister Patterson, however, said recently that Government was awaiting legal advice from Attorney

General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, before engaging the company.

BBCI Chairman Dr Surendra Persaud has disclosed that the company is facing bankruptcy, and as such had made proposals to increase its tolls to keep the bridge afloat.

Despite rejecting the

proposed toll increase, Government has said it would continue to work with the BBCI to ensure that the Bridge is sufficiently maintained and is safe for vehicular and marine use.

Based on the announcement made by the BBCI with regard to the proposed increase in tolls, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has announced his disagreement with the proposal, but has since encouraged the coalition Government to buy more equity in the company.

Jagdeo reasoned that Berbicians could not afford the steep increases that the company has proposed at this time. He said this was mainly so because the BBCI was contractually obligated to maintain the Bridge. Instead, he thinks that Government could buy out other shareholders, so the Bridge becomes publicly-owned.

New monitors introduced for GWI sewage workers

S

ewage workers employed by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will now have a few implemented mechanisms at their disposal to protect them from hazardous gases and other materials that can affect their health.

This is according to Managing Director of GWI, Dr Richard Van WestCharles, who told media operatives that monitors have being installed to detect gases that are present in these sewers, indicating if it’s safe or not to operate.

“We introduced new monitors for the workers going into the sewers, so as to be able to detect the type and concentration of gases that are present before workers are being sent into the sewers. This is a significant advance, but it’s important in terms of where we place workers’ health in the scheme of things within the company,” he said.

Van West-Charles indicated that the workers were

engaged, and the decision was finalised after discussions were conducted to address a number of pertinent issues. Now they are able to monitor all combustive gases which may pose a threat.

“It’s (from) the dialogue that we have with the workers who have got to go into the sewers that we’re able to raise these issues; and resulting from meeting with the workers, we’re able to work very quickly to put in place the monitors,” Dr Van West Charles indicated.

Additionally, facilities will soon be constructed which would allow for them to take a shower and wash their clothes after finishing the job.

“I’m a bit disappointed that we haven’t been able to complete the baths as yet for the sewage workers. We’re hoping to complete it within the next quarter. It’s very critical for their own health, the health of the public, and the health of the families,” he

said.

As it relates to the pump stations, a few departments of the utility company will be collaborating to create new equipment which can trap materials which obstruct the impellers.

“The Sanitation Department, they have been doing a lot of work in the systems as a whole at pump stations to ensure that the challenges which we have with respect to meeting all types of material are now ongoing with the Design Infrastructural Department, a new design to be able to trap all of the pieces of cloth and fibres and so forth, which tie up the impellers of the pumps,” GWI’s Managing Director said.

It was related that attention is also being placed on the treatment of sewage water. The replacement of the sewer network along the trench crossing at Lamaha is also on the company’s agenda.

news

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TuesdAY, august 7, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Natural Resources Fund

Green Paper proposing spending, investment of oil $$ approved year to this fund. The sums roll over, and the company, together with Government, will determine which projects to fund.

The contract sets aside another US$300,000 per year to ensure Guyanese personnel are trained at local or overseas universities and conferences. There are also provisions for a continuous review of local content.

By Jarryl Bryan

A

Green Paper on the Natural Resources Fund has been presented to Cabinet by Finance Minister Winston Jordan; and it has been approved, with Government stating that a consultative process will be used to determine areas of spending for the fund.

This is according to State Minister Joseph Harmon, who made the disclosure during a post-Cabinet press conference on Monday. Harmon spoke of the different proposals contained in the fund, including suggestions for allocation of the resources.

“The intention basically is to ensure that the revenue which comes from oil goes into that fund. And it is that fund which will fund budget estimates, so that projects identified for budgetary support will get that support through the fund,” he explained.

The next step, Harmon explained, is for the paper to be presented to the National Assembly.

Asked to give details on exactly what areas of spending have been proposed, Harmon said it would be used to fund “budgetary programmes”.

“So the proposal is that all revenue will not go directly to any particular sector, but it will go directly through the fund. And then the Ministry of Finance, in preparation for the budget, will call upon the fund projects that are being identified. So that’s the way it’s going to be,” Harmon pronounced.

“Insofar as investments are concerned, right now we haven’t made any decisions as to the entity that will be managing that process, but the investments basical-

Exxon has estimated there is over 4 billion barrels of recoverable oil in its Liza Phase 1 project

ly are intended to be safe investments; so that the money just (doesn’t) remain there, that it is invested in face investments that will allow the country to benefit from this fund.”

According to Harmon, the money will go towards ‘safe’ investments. He assured, however, that prescribing the amount going towards investment and the amount going towards development will be determined during consultations.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had informed reporters last month that the Green Paper – a report on Government’s proposals – was presented to Cabinet to be reviewed. Jordan had noted that a second review would have been done at the next Cabinet meeting, on July 31.

“We will revise the paper in time for presentation to the last Parliament, which is on or before August 10, 2018,” he explained, adding that the draft legislation for the Fund is with the Attorney General’s Chambers.

“Once the AG’s Chambers are finished with that bill, it will get its review at Cabinet, and then we will put it out for consultations. We will

take back whatever comments, and then we will revise the bill and make it ready for Parliament,” he had explained, adding that the bill would be laid in the National Assembly by the year’s end.

Stabroek Block

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is the operator thereof, and holds a 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds a 25 per cent interest.

A contract was inked on October 7, 2016 between the coalition Government, ExxonMobil and its partners in the Stabroek block. In the renegotiated contract, which has come in for some criticism, Guyana agreed to a two per cent royalty for every barrel of oil, a 50 per cent share of profit oil, and a US$18 million signing bonus.

Out of the contract, Guyana also secured the company’s agreement to set up a fund for social and environment projects. Exxon has to contribute US$300,000 per

Subryanville shooting

Victim died from multiple gunshot injuries – PM

A

post mortem examination conducted on the body of Jason De Florimonte, who was shot and killed after he reportedly ran into his neighbour’s hotel in pursuit of a handyman who had intervened as he was assaulting his girlfriend, has determined that he died from multiple gunshot injuries.

The autopsy was conducted by Dr Nehaul Singh on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital after the body was positively identified by the aunt of the deceased, Wemyss De Florimonte, and his wife, Sherry Ann De Florimonte.

The body has been handed over to his relatives for funeral arrangements.

It is alleged that at about 01:45h on Saturday last, De Florimonte and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Christine Rambarran, were involved in an argument in front of his Fifth Avenue, Subryanville home.

This caught the attention of a handyman employed by

Jason De Florimonte

the hotel, who intervened to assist the woman.

The intervention by the 29-year-old handyman reportedly angered De Florimonte, and an argument ensued. Realising that the situation was escalating, the handyman ran into the hotel with De Florimonte in hot pursuit.

The owner of the hotel, Orwin Bacchus, whipped out his licensed firearm and fired several shots in De Florimonte’s direc-

tion. Realising that De Florimonte was shot, relatives rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival. He was reportedly shot several times to the right side of his chest.

The aunt of the deceased, Wemyss De Florimonte, told Guyana Times that she was at home at the time the incident occurred. After being notified of the incident, she ran outside and saw her nephew lying motionless on the ground.

Her neighbour was asked to summon the Police and ambulance. At that time, the hotel owner was outside, and reportedly told her that her nephew confronted him, which caused him to defend himself.

Meanwhile, it was related that the deceased and the suspect had had many disputes and verbal exchanges in the past. Neighbours, however, claim that the man was mentally unstable.

Only in late February, ExxonMobil had announced its seventh oil discovery at its Pacora-1 well. The company had said it encountered approximately 65 feet (20 metres) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir.

The well was safely drilled to 18,363 feet (5597 metres) depth in 6781 feet (2067 metres) of water.

With all these discover-

ies, ExxonMobil has since increased its estimate of the discovered recoverable resource from a previous estimate of 3.2 billion oil-equivalent barrels to in excess of 4 billion.

There is also talk of a third phase of development (the company has done evaluations and applied for permission to begin a second phase) and consideration of two additional phases.

Marcus Bisram’s murder case

Mother moves to CCJ for urgent hearing

By Shemuel Fanfair

T

he high-profile case of prominent New York-based Guyanese Marcus Bisram is taking another turn, as proceedings have been filed at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – the region’s highest court, which is based on the island of Trinidad.

This recent move was mounted by Bisram’s mother Sharmila Inderjali, who was just last week denied an application for urgent hearing by the Appeal Court of Guyana, which essentially sought to expedite the judicial process regarding a bid to have the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) withdraw a murder case.

Appellate Court Justice Rishi Persaud, acting Justices Dr Arif Bulkan and Rafiq Khan, presided over the matter.

Bisram is accused of having arranged Berbice carpenter Fiyazz Narinedatt’s death after Narinedatt had rejected the overseas-based Bisram’s sexual advances at a party two years ago. For the past year, Bisram had been detained at a New York facility as his legal team continued to oppose extradition here, citing what it argues are several inconsistences in the prosecution’s case.

However, when the Appeal Court ruled unfavourably towards Bisram’s mother, she was ordered to pay the State $250,000 in court costs.

In court documents seen

by Guyana Times, Inderjali filed her application to the CCJ last week. Her lawyers include attorneys Sanjeev Datadin and Siand Dhurjon, while the respondent in the matter is listed as State Counsel Stacy Goodings from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Goodings has been appearing as the prosecutor in the preliminary inquiry (PI) after the DPP had taken over the case from Police at the Magistrate’s Court in Berbice.

According to the case filed in the CCJ, the applicant is seeking an order granting her special leave against the Appeal Court’s July 31, 2018 decision to dismiss her February 6, 2018 application. Inderjali also is seeking to have the Caribbean-based Justices abridge the time for which the application can be heard, while the applicant is

Sharmila Inderjali, appellant and mother of Bisram

Murder accused: Marcus Bisram

also requesting court costs.

In their case filed at the CCJ, opposing the Appellate Court’s ruling that refused her application, Bisram’s mother observed that the Court “failed to appreciate the uniqueness of the case” and its “special circumstances”. She outlined that the Prosecution’s evidence relies on that of a single witness, who is youthful and is of “limited intellect”. The mother said also that the Police never alleged that there is any other evidence against Bisram.

The applicant’s case outlines that she mounted proceedings at the High Court before Justice Navindra Singh last year, where she sought an Order Nisi to prohibit the DPP from pursing the murder charge which was instituted on March 7, 2017 against Bisram. The applicant’s grounds were that continued prosecution of her son would, among other things, be “unlawful, unconstitutional, malicious, and without legal foundation. This was premised on several events that transpired during the PI. During the High Court proceedings, Inderjali also sought an Order Nisi of Mandamus to compel the DPP to “wholly withdraw” and discontinue Bisram’s murder charge, and observed similar objections as outlined in the previous order.

Justice Singh heard the case on November 24, 2017 and refused the orders. The applicant appealed his decision 6 days later.

In her appeal to the CCJ, Inderjali accepted that the case is of great general and public importance, and that it concerns the exercise of the DPP’s discretion, which she says is essential to the proper administration of justice and public confidence in

the judicial system. However, Bisram’s mother details that the Appeal Court’s order was “erroneous and unjust”, adding that her case has good prospects for success.

Contrary to Inderjali’s characterisation of the Appellate Court’s decision, the Justices there had suggested that the filing of the urgency appeal and associated multiple litigations amounted to an abuse of the court’s process.

The Appeal Court’s decision was read by acting Appellate Justice Dr. Arif Bulkan, who opined last Tuesday that this most recent case was the third such application that sought similar reliefs – these being to compel the DPP not to continue prosecution against Bisram.

It was indicated that a separate motion was brought before another judge in a separate county of Guyana.

Bisram’s extradition order was signed in October last by US Judge Peggy Kuo. He was charged in absentia in 2016 for the murder of the 27-year-old Number 70 Village Corentyne carpenter Narinedatt.

Radesh Motie, Diadatt Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, Orlando Dickie and Niran Yacoob were all charged. Two of the accused had allegedly confessed to investigators that they were ordered by the overseas-based Guyanese businessman to dump the carpenter’s body on the Number 70 Public Road to make his death seem the result of a hit and run accident.

Additionally, the businessman’s mother and sister have been accused of offering bribes to Police ranks to “duck the case”. Since commencement of the preliminary inquiry in Berbice, several persons have been accused of witness tampering.

14 news

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Work on new Linden Passport Office completed C

o n s t r u c t i o n work on the new Passport Office at Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) has been completed. The project, which commenced in January, was recently completed and is expected to be handed over shortly.

Construction of the building, measuring 2000 square feet, was executed by R. Bassoon and Sons Contracting Company to the tune of $30,604,472.

According to a worker on the ground, a new guard hut is expected to be soon erected inside the compound. With this new development, residents of Linden and other parts of Region 10 are expected to enjoy the comfort of having a passport office which will cater for new applications within their community, easing the burden of having to travel to Georgetown to access the service.

to cater for new applicants.

Applicants who apply at the Georgetown office also benefit from uplifting same at this office. However, this move will see new applicants now having access to the service from within the community.

The office is expected to process other documents, such as birth and

death certificates. Minister Winston Felix had noted that the move is part of Government's plan to decentralise such services. He indicated that, in the past, there were complaints from citizens both local and across the Diaspora regarding the inconvenience associated with long waits and travelling to the main office in Georgetown, while the number of applications continued to increase.

Meanwhile, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) Chairman Devanand Ramdatt has reiterated calls for an immigration office to be set up in the Region.

“Recently, I visited the passport office in Georgetown and was very impressed by the level of professionalism and timely response offered by the staff as they served the public…

The Regional Democratic Council of Region Two reiterates its call for the processing of machine readable

passports in Region Two,” he posited.

According to Ramdatt, the burdens placed on Essequibians – travel expenses and time loss, among other challenges – cannot be overemphasised. He went on to point out that Region Two and its neighbouring regions contribute significantly to Guyana’s economy, and as such, should also be outfitted with these critical services.

“Our Minister of Citizenship had committed, during a flag-raising ceremony in February 2017, to address this concern … Fifty-two years after Independence, it is only fair that there is equality in the services offered, and we enjoy similar benefits given to other regions,” the Regional Chairman asserted.

This call by Ramdatt comes on the heels of Government’s announcement to decentralise key public services across all the regions of the country.

“In the meantime, based on the work that has already been done, there are some advertisements with respect to expressions of interest. We have some very exciting EoIs. Not only for the four estates up for divestment. We have proposals for the entire industry, including the three estates that remain in GuySuCo. There’s a lot of interest and we want to take our time to make sure we get it right.”

The previous GuySuCo board expired since February of this year and a new board with Special Purpose Unit (SPU) Head

Colvin-Heath London was gazetted. It subsequently emerged, however, that the old board was still in effect amid reports of a split at Cabinet over the new board’s composition. Since then, there has been much confusion over the matter.

It has been recently reported that, through the Chamber of Commerce in Delhi, India, several Indian companies have indicated interest in investing in the local sugar industry, or acquiring assets therein.

The SPU has also been able to secure a syndicated bond worth $30 billion to as-

sist with the revitalisation of GuySuCo. Heath-London said the loan has been acquired at good rates, with several banks participating.

The idea behind the borrowing of this syndicated bond is to assist the SPU with the reopening of the estates, to facilitate providing proof to potential investors that the estates are viable.

Over 5000 sugar workers from Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon were dismissed from their jobs following the downsizing of the sugar industry, which began to take effect in late 2017.

The Linden Passport Office

Last December, Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, travelled to the community for a sod-turning exercise at the site for the construction of the new passport office, situated in the vicinity of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) build-

ing at Retrieve, Mackenzie.

While Linden has been benefiting from passport renewal services conducted out of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) building at Mackenzie since August 2016, it will be the first time the community would house such a building

Decomposed body fished Former GuySuCo Chairman’s son... out of EBD canal

T

he badly decomposed body of an unidentified male of East Indian ancestry was on Monday fished out of a canal at Craig Sideline Dam, East Bank Demerara, after it had been spotted at about 13:00h by a male, who contacted the Grove Police Station.

Police say the body, clad in a black short sleeve jersey and a part of blue denim jeans, was barefooted at the time of the discovery.

A search on the body unearthed a black Samsung Galaxy mobile phone and $5800 in cash.

The body was taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home to await identification and post mortem examination.

The Police have ques-

tioned several persons in the area, but did not gather any useful information.

Nevertheless, investigations are ongoing.

from page 7

15 “Fall in love with your country” – Trotman to youths T news

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

wenty-six youths were on Monday urged by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman to fall in love with their country as they embark on the second annual Youth in Natural Resources Apprenticeship Programme which kicked off at the Pegasus Hotel on Battery Road, Kingston, Georgetown.

“Essentially, it is my hope that you fall in love with your country.

Those of us who live in Georgetown only believe that Guyana is about a narrow strip of land. Those of you who live in the hinterland know that the real beauty is not only the coast, but also the hinterland -the savannahs, the mountains, the waterways, the animals,” the minister said.

He also charged the apprentices to view the Natural Resources sector as a worthy endeavour, and pointed out that mining, forestry and oil industry are ‘healthy endeavours’.

Twenty-six apprentices will participate in this year’s pro-

Minister Trotman is flanked by the excited participating youths and officials from the Ministry

gramme as compared to 14 last year. The programme kicked off on Monday and will wind down on August 30.

A few participants from last year’s programme threw in a few

words of advice for the new comers as they shared their experience.

“Pictures could only say so much, (they) could only tell so much; but when you’re there originally, when you’re there fully and

you actually see what it is like, it is even more breath-taking and nice.

We went on a boat trip through the river, and we had caimans like swimming right alongside us…

This experience, I am sure in this

Apprenticeship Programme 2018, you will learn a lot and gain a lot of experience, and see a lot of places that most Guyanese can only dream about,” Noel Sukhai shared.

The other participants of last year’s programme urged the new bunch to be bold and ask questions, so they can learn.

This year’s excited team expressed their gratitude to the Minister and the sponsors for facilitating such a programme, as they noted how excited they are for the experience ahead.

During this year’s Apprenticeship Programme, youths between the ages of 15 and 19 will get a first-hand glimpse of Guyana’s interior and other natural resources areas which will allow them to better choose a career among other benefits.

The participants were selected using a strict criterion after the interested persons had submitted their applications.

Several private sector entities have also sponsored the activity.

Mahdia township closer to realisation M

ahdia, Region Eight, (Potaro-Siparuni) at an advanced stage in its quest to becoming Guyana’s tenth town, joining the three that were named back in 2015, this is according to Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan.

The minister told the Department of Public Information (DPI) recently that the government is ready to move ahead with the process which was halted for some time.

Mahdia was among a list of communities identified by President David Granger in 2015 to be commissioned to towns. The other three, Bartica, Lethem, and Mabaruma have already been up and running, however, Mahdia has been having some delays due to issues with internal boundaries.

“We are at an advanced stage of

Road and drainage works in Mahdia

resolving that matter and the last remaining issue was that while we have arrived at the external boundaries of what will become the municipality of Mahdia, it encompasses two Amerindian villages; Campbelltown and Micobie,”

Minister Bulkan said.

He added that government could not proceed and create the township and exclude the Amerindian villages as the law makes provision for the inclusion of all.

The minister said the government has been holding consultations with the communities to ascertain whether they would like to be part of the township. He explained that discussions were held with the former Toshaos of Campbelltown and Micobie.

Other officials, including Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock, also met with the communities in May, where all the issues were explained.

The two villages were given up to the end of last month, to decide whether they would like to be part of the township.

“Whatever their decision is, we will accept. We would be happy if they recognise the additional benefits that could be accrued to them if they are part of the township,” Minister Bulkan said.

He said if the decision is that

they do not wish to be part of the process, the government will have to go ahead and give the order for the town to be named. The Communities Minister said internal constituencies have already been identified and all criteria in place to allow for the creation of the township which will allow for it to participate in the November 12 LGE 2018.

Meanwhile, Minister Bulkan also spoke of the impressive progress made so far by the other three towns.

“There seems to be a race among these councils to prove themselves. I think that it goes without saying that we feel vindicated by the president’s vision in creating these we towns. It was a wise decision, it was the right thing to do,” Minister Bulkan said.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018

Regional

Brazilian Judge orders Pope recognises ‘decisive’ measures

by Chile’s Bishops against abuse border closed to Venezuelan immigrants P ope Francis recognised on Monday measures that Chile’s Bishops said they would take to assist Prosecutors investigating allegations of sex abuse that have plagued the Roman Catholic Church in Chile, including that they would work to reach an agreement with Prosecutors on an exchange of information.

The pontiff wrote in a letter released to media on Monday by the Chilean Church that the steps taken at a conclave last week were “realistic and concrete” and

A

Brazilian judge has ordered the border crossing from Venezuela closed to Venezuelan immigrants fleeing their country’s economic and political turmoil, but the border remained open on Monday pending an appeal by the federal government.

Hundreds of Venezuelans continued to walk across into Brazil, a border official said.

Federal Judge Helder Barreto on Sunday ordered the border closed until the frontier state of Roraima can create “humanitarian” conditions to receive the massive and disorderly influx. But the injunction has not gone into effect yet pending an appeal by Brazilian Government lawyers.

Over the last three years, tens of thousands of Venezuelans have arrived in Roraima, overwhelming social services and causing a humanitarian crisis with families sleeping in the streets amid rising crime and prostitution.

The state govern-

Venezuelans stand with luggage on the border between Venezuela and Brazil, near the Brazilian city of Pacaraima, Roraima state, Brazil, November 16, 2017 [Reuters/Nacho Doce]

ment on Thursday decreed Venezuelans seeking medical and other social services in Roraima would have to present a valid passport, which many of the refugees do not have.

Barreto ruled that such a measure was “discriminatory” and countered Brazilian laws. He suspended a provision that would allow the deportation or expulsion of Venezuelan immigrants who committed illegal acts and ordered the vaccination

of those admitted to Brazil.

However, he ordered the suspension of the entry of Venezuelans into Roraima until the state can reach an equilibrium between the arrival of migrants and their exit to other parts of Brazil.

Following recommendations by the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, the Brazilian Air Force in early May began airlifting Venezuelan immigrants from Roraima for resettlement in other cities of Brazil. (Excerpt from Reuters)

T&T: Young Prison Officer dies in crash

A

prison officer was killed Sunday morning when his car crashed into an electricity post and spilt into two on the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway in the Freeport area.

Ryan Alexander, 29, who enlisted in the service about two years ago and was attached to the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation

Centre at Santa Rosa Heights, Arima, died on impact.

According to a Police report, around 16:15h he was heading south along the highway in his silver Toyota Corolla when he lost control of the car which slammed into the pole near Courts.

The car split into two as it wrapped around the lamppost. Head of the Prison

Officers’ Association, Ceron Richards offered condolences to Alexander’s family.

He said, “We in the Prison Association are saddened by this dreadful occurrence. It is something we weren’t expecting, and we hope that his family and friends will be able to find some way to cope in this very difficult situation.”

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

that he was confident they would make a “decisive” difference.

After a week-long leadership conclave, the Bishops asked for forgiveness, saying in a statement on Friday that they had failed to aid and accompany victims who had suffered “grave sins and injustices committed by priests and clergy”.

Episcopal Conference Secretary General Fernando Ramos said last Friday that they also wanted “to reach an agreement [with Prosecutors] to assure a fluid exchange of information,

one that meets our standards, as well as the requirements of the Public Ministry.”

Chilean law enforcement is investigating 38 accusations of sexual abuse against 73 Bishops, clerics and lay workers, involving 104 victims.

“I was impressed by the reflection, discernment and decisions that were made,” the Pope wrote. “But what struck me most was the example of a unified episcopal community. Thank you for this edifying example.” (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Nicaraguan human rights group closes offices after threats

T

he Nicaraguan Association for Human Rights (ANPDH) says it has closed its offices in the Central American country after its staff received "alarming information" about threats to them.

The group has been denouncing alleged rights abuses by the Nicaraguan Government during more than three months of anti-Government protests.

It says 448 people have been killed since the protests began on April 18.

The ANPDH said it had information about plans to persecute its staff.

The group said its workers had received death threats over the phone. The NGO also said that it had learned of plans to accuse staff of fabricated crimes.

The ANPDH said the closure of its Managua offices would be "temporary" in order to safeguard the safety of its workers, who had been harassed by armed groups.

Its executive secretary,

ANPDH Executive Secretary Álvaro Leiva said the group’s staff had been threatened

Álvaro Leiva, and other members of staff have left the country. In a statement, the group said it would continue to receive reports of human rights abuses via email and WhatsApp. Human rights activists are not the only ones who have reported being harassed and threatened.

Dozens of doctors and health workers have been sacked. They say their dismissals came after they treated injured anti-Government protesters.

One of the doctors who

were sacked, Javier Pastora, told Spain's El País newspaper that he was told he had been dismissed "for political reasons".

Professors teaching at State-run universities have also reported receiving dismissal letters which they say were issued because of their criticism of the government.

Catholic clergy, who have been mediating in the crisis, have also come under attack from pro-government groups. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Holness encourages more manufacturing Barbados committed of exotic agricultural by-products to OAS

J

amaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he wants to see samples of exotic products, such as cassava flour and ackee wine, being manufactured on a wider scale in order to add greater value to the agricultural sector.

“What I want now is for the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries to take those samples and turn them into widely available commodities that are on the shelves of, not just Jamaica, but the entire (Caribbean) Region and the world, because that is how we add value and grow our economy,” he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking on the final day of the 66th Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the 66th Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show in Clarendon

Show in Clarendon on Monday.

Meanwhile, Holness urged the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) to encourage young people,

“who have a greater affinity to technology”, to get involved in agriculture.

He noted that they should be encouraged to be innovative by applying tech-

nology “to create a smarter kind of agriculture that will add more value to our natural resources, thereby increasing the pace and growth of the Jamaican economy.”

The Prime Minister noted, however, that while applying technology in agriculture may not necessarily surmount the competitive economies of scale that larger countries have, it could reposition Jamaica to the point where the island's agriculture is economically viable and sustainable.

He contended that agriculture has, for too long, been regarded as a pastime, and emphasised that “now, we have to see agriculture as a business”. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

T

h e Government of Barbados is committed to the Organisation of American States (OAS) and is thankful for its invaluable work on the island.

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator Dr Jerome Walcott, made this known to OAS Representative to Barbados, Francis McBarnett, during a recent courtesy call at the Ministry on Culloden Road, St Michael.

Minister Walcott singled out the training provided by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Commission (CICAD) as a prime example, and noted that CICAD has made a “significant difference in

the area of illegal drugs”.

He reiterated that Barbados appreciated the good work being done by the OAS, as well as the OAS National Office. He further pointed to scholarship opportunities and current initiatives in culture, tourism, security, and education.

McBarnett stated that Barbados has one of the most active offices in the Caribbean, and he looked forward to the strengthening of relations, especially since the OAS would soon be celebrating its 70th anniversary. (nationnews)

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Earth at risk of tipping into hellish 'hothouse' conditions despite CO2 cuts

T

he world is at risk of entering "hothouse" conditions where global average temperatures will be four to five degrees Celsius higher even if emissions reduction targets under a global climate deal are met, according to a new report by top international scientists.

The new study was published in the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Monday.

It said it was likely that if a critical threshold is crossed, several tipping points would lead to abrupt change.

Such processes include permafrost thaw; the loss of methane hydrates from the ocean floor; weaker land and ocean carbon sinks; the loss of Arctic summer sea ice and the reduction of Antarctic

“Places on Earth will become uninhabitable if so-called Hothouse Earth becomes the reality” [EPA]

sea ice and polar ice sheets, said the report.

"These tipping elements can potentially act like a row of dominoes. Once one is pushed over, it pushes Earth towards another," said Johan Rockstrom, co-author of the report and executive director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.

Manafort trial: Star witness testifies against ex-Trump aide

F

ormer Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort's ex-business partner has taken the stand against him in his trial on bank and tax fraud charges.

The defendant's lawyers say Rick Gates embezzled millions of dollars from Manafort's consulting firm.

Gates is the prosecution's star witness after he cut a plea deal this year and admitted to two felony charges.

This is the first criminal trial to come from the Department of Justice-led inquiry into alleged Russian meddling.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly denounced the investigation

as a political "witch hunt", and argued that Manafort is being treated more harshly than Prohibitionera Chicago mobster Al Capone.

On day five of the trial in Alexandria, Virginia, Gates was asked by the prosecutor whether he had committed any crimes with Manafort, and he said: "Yes." He testified that Manafort had directed him to lower taxable income by reporting overseas income as loans, according to US media.

Gates also reportedly told the court on Monday that he had been told by Manafort not to disclose foreign bank accounts. (Excerpt from BBC News)

"It may be very difficult or impossible to stop the whole row of dominoes from tumbling over. Places on Earth will become uninhabitable if 'Hothouse Earth' becomes the reality," he added.

Scientists from the Stockholm Resilience Centre, the University of

Copenhagen, Australian National University and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research worked on the study.

They said that "Hothouse Earth" is likely to be dangerous to many and uncontrollable.

Rivers would flood, storms would wreak havoc on coastal communities and coral reefs would be eliminated – all by century's end or even earlier.

Global average temperatures would exceed those of any interglacial period – meaning warmer eras that come in between Ice Ages – of the past 1.2 million years.

Melting polar ice caps would lead to dramatically higher sea levels, flooding coastal land that is home to hundreds of millions of people.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T

welve African farm labourers have died in a head-on collision between a van and a lorry near Lesina in the Foggia region of southern Italy.

The labourers were returning from the fields, packed into a van which had Bulgarian number plates.

Three other people were injured in the crash, including the lorry driver.

Four migrant farm workers died in a similar crash in the same region on Saturday. Many seasonal workers hired by gangs in Italy get very meagre pay.

After Saturday's crash a union of farm labourers announced a strike for Wednesday, with a "red hat" march to Foggia – a mark of solidarity with the four who died. The red hats symbolise the hats worn by tomato pickers in the fields around Foggia.

Their pay is as low as one euro for picking 100 kilograms (221lb) of tomatoes.

Conditions are very precarious for thousands of African migrants in Italy, where the populist government is trying to stop people-smuggling gangs sending more boatloads from Libya. (Excerpt from BBC News)

ing the sanctions on Monday, Trump said Iran "threatens the United States and our allies, undermines the international financial system, and supports terrorism and militant proxies around the world."

In a separate statement, the White House said the first round of sanctions will be reimposed today, followed by a second one on November 5.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Europe's Foreign Ministers say preserving the nuclear deal is a matter of respecting international agreements [AP file photo]

E

cy chief Federica Mogherini and the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Britain said the remaining parties to the 2015 agreement will maintain "effective financial channels" with Iran and ensure its continued export of oil and gas.

"We deeply regret the re-imposition of sanctions by the US, due to the lat-

Canada defiant after Saudi Arabia freezes new trade over human rights call

C

anada on Monday refused to back down in its defence of human rights after Saudi Arabia froze new trade and investment and expelled the Canadian Ambassador in retaliation for Ottawa’s call to free arrested Saudi civil society activists.

In her first public response to Saudi Arabia’s actions, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said: “Canada will always stand up for human rights in Canada and around the world, and women’s rights are human rights.”

Riyadh on Sunday recalled its Ambassador from Canada and gave the Canadian Ambassador 24 hours to leave. The Saudi Government also banned new trade with Canada, although it was unclear if it would affect existing annu-

al Saudi-Canadian trade of nearly US$4 billion and a US$13 billion defence contract.

The moves were a stern rebuke to Canada after the country on Friday expressed concern over the arrests of activists in Saudi Arabia, including prominent women’s rights campaigner Samar Badawi, and called for their release.

Riyadh said that amounted to “a blatant interference in the Kingdom’s domestic affairs, against basic international norms and all international protocols.”

Saudi Arabia’s sudden sharp response to criticism shows the limits of reforms by Saudi Arabia’s 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who runs its day-to-day government. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Italy road crash near Foggia kills 12 African farm labourers Lombok quake: Thousands

Europe vows to preserve Iran deal as US sanctions return

urope's top diplomats have vowed to work together to preserve a multinational nuclear deal with Iran, as US President Donald Trump signed an executive order paving the way for the return of biting sanctions against Tehran on Tuesday.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, EU foreign poli-

17

ter's withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)," the statement said, referring to Trump's decision in May. "Preserving the nuclear deal with Iran is a matter of respecting international agreements and a matter of international security," the statement added.

In a statement announc-

evacuated after dozens die on Indonesia island

A

Tourists await evacuation on Gili Trawangan

bout 20,000 people have lost their homes and many moved to unaffected areas of the Indonesian island of Lombok after a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake left nearly 100 people dead.

Boats were sent to evacuate about 2000 tourists from the nearby Gili islands.

Witnesses spoke of chaos and terror during Sunday's quake, with thousands of buildings damaged, and power and communication lines cut.

Aid agencies said the priority was to provide shelter for residents.

Many are said to be too scared to return to their homes.

The agencies said the impact was far bigger than another quake that hit Lombok last week, killing 16 people.

President Joko Widodo urged the speedy evacuation of casualties, calling for more flights to be sent to the affected areas.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency, said that the northern area of Lombok had suffered massive damage. (Excerpt from BBC News)

risen 78 per cent since she took the job in 2006.

Nooyi, 62, has been with the company for 24 years. Current President Ramon Laguarta will succeed her.

In a series of posts on Twitter, the businesswoman referred to her upbringing in India and said she "never imagined"

she'd have the opportunity to lead a company like PepsiCo. She also described "mixed emotions" about leaving the role.

Nooyi was chief financial officer before becoming chief executive in October 2006, and has overseen significant revenue growth for the company. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Indra Nooyi to step down as PepsiCo chief executive

P

epsiCo chief executive Indra Nooyi is to step down after 12 years at the helm.

She is among the world's most prominent female business leaders and has consistently appeared on Forbes' list of the 100 most powerful women, ranking 11th in 2017.

PepsiCo shares have

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TuesdAY, august 7, 2018

ARCHIE

ARIES

Mingle, participate and do

(March 21- your best to bring about posApril 19) itive change. Your contribu-

tions will lead to new opportunities. Personal improvements are highlighted, along with love, romance and travel.

Keep your life simple and TAURUS your relationships honest (April 20- and straightforward. Making May 20) matters more complicated will slow you down and lead to waste and disappointment.

Know your boundaries.

dilbert

Compromise may not turn GEMINI (May 21- out well for both parties. Use June 20) your intelligence and only give back what you receive.

It’s up to you not to let anyone take advantage of you.

Know who you are dealing with before you get involved.

(June 21- An interesting opportunity July 22) will have underlying complications. Do your research before you make a promise to someone who may have ulterior motives.

CANCER

Peanuts

Kick back and relax. You LEO deserve a break. Don’t feel (July 23- pressured to keep up or give Aug. 22) in to someone’s pestering. A moment to yourself will get you back on track.

Keep a close watch on VIRGO how others react. A partner(Aug. 23ship will undergo an emotionSept. 22) al change due to someone’s indiscretion. Be prepared to make a lifestyle change.

Calvin and Hobbes

Personal improvements LIBRA (Sept. 23- are favoured. Whether you Oct. 23) fix up your living space or focus on physical improvements that will lift your spirits, the changes will make a difference.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Focus on what you enjoy SCORPIO doing and people with whom (Oct. 24you have much in common.

Nov. 22) Avoid conflict or anyone trying to manipulate you to do things you don’t want to do.

Share your feelings with a SAGITTARIUS partner or someone you want (Nov. 23to spend more time with.

Dec. 21) Make your intentions and expectations known. Honesty will help you reach an agreement.

MONDAY’S WORD

solution for last published puzzle

You may be eager to make CAPRICORN personal changes, but with(Dec. 22- out the approval of those you Jan. 19) feel responsible for, it will be difficult to move forward.

Make a passionate appeal for your cause.

Be open about your plans AQUARIUS and keep moving forward.

(Jan. 20- Listen to suggestions, but Feb. 19) don’t get in over your head.

Moderation and practicality will lead to success.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Look over contracts, financial papers and medical records for clues that will help you put an end to waste. A novel plan will encourage practical applications.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

19

CFU 2018 Boys’ U-14 Challenge Series…

Guyana looking to improve performance T

he national U-14 boys’ team are looking to give a much better performance when they play their second match against hosts Curaçao in the CFU 2018 Boys’ U-14 Challenge Series at the Ergilio Hato Stadium at 18:00h.

This follows their 8-0 defeat against Trinidad and Tobago in their opening match on Saturday at the same venue, even as Guyana seek to provide a platform for the development of the youth players.

In an invited comment, Head Coach Bryan Joseph said the strategy would not vary much from that of the first match: “As part of our development, we must try to instil the playing philosophy in the players; we’ll continue to do that, so it won’t change much in the second match.

These are young players and the information we’re passing on needs to be concise

The national u-14 boys team’s starting line-up against Trinidad and Tobago

and consistent.”

While acknowledging that Curaçao is a different team to Trinidad and Tobago, Joseph said that the two-day preparation period before the next match would enable the technical squad to continuously instil the playing philosophy.

“We’ll try to sharpen the weak areas we had in the first game. We’ll be playing against a totally different opponent, so I think we’ll have more opportunities to instil our playing philosophy, we’ll have more opportunities with the ball,” Joseph said.

Meanwhile, in recapping the first match, Joseph said the result did not reflect the competitive nature of the match even while acknowledging some of the challenges experienced by the team, including the challenge of the players adjusting to the astro turf and keeping pos-

session.

However, he highlighted some positives: “The team collectively showed a good attitude; they fought throughout and continued to play regardless of the score; all 17 players were able to play, including the goalkeeper. This is all part of what we wanted to achieve – the exposure – and I think going forward, there will be better performances, especially in light of the entire group being exposed to the astro turf.”

Nonetheless, the Head Coach said the team was in “good spirits” and “motivated to play” the rest of the series. The U-14 team was captained by midfielder Zidane Ramdeholl. Guyana’s next matches will be against Bonaire and Aruba on August 10 on August 12 respectively. All matches will be held at the Ergilio Hato Stadium.

Olympic champion to Serena, Sharapova and Murray among fight Yvan Mendy in unseeded stars for Cincinnati Masters September rematch S

L

Luke Campbell said his 2015 defeat by Yvan Mendy left him ‘totally devestated’

uke Campbell will have the chance to avenge his “devastating” defeat by Yvan Mendy in a rematch with the Frenchman on 22 September at Wembley.

Lightweight former Olympic champion Campbell suffered his first career loss when he was beaten by Mendy in 2015.

Mendy, 33, is ranked number one at lightweight with the WBC and is undefeated since 2015.

Campbell, 30, said: “I’m bigger, I’m wiser, I’m 10 times better than I was when he beat me three years ago.”

The fight, a WBC lightweight world title final eliminator, will be on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight bout with Russian Alexander Povetkin.

American Mikey Garcia, 30, is the WBC lightweight world champion.

Campbell has been training with Shane McGuigan, who previously worked

with David Haye and Carl Frampton and led George Groves to the WBA super-middleweight title.

“I’ve already struck up a great relationship with Shane and I have no doubt that he is going to take me to the next level,” Campbell said.

“I want to become a world champion and Shane has a proven track record of achieving that with his fighters.” (BBC Sport)

erena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray were among the stars who went unseeded Monday for next week’s WTA and ATP Cincinnati Masters event.

Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams also were among the Grand Slam champions who missed out on a first-round bye at the last major tuneup event for the US Open, which starts August 27 in New York.

Top seeds for the Cincinnati event followed the latest ATP and WTA rankings with world number ones Rafael Nadal of Spain and Simona Halep of Romania leading the 16 seeds in each 56-player field, the top eight of whom receive first-round byes.

Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion needing one more major victory to match Margaret Court’s all-time record, will try to extend her streak o f years with a major ti-

Venus Williams

tle to seven by winning the US Open.

Two-time Cincinnati champion Serena lost the Wimbledon final to Angelique Kerber last month, the 36-year-old American’s first Grand Slam final since an extended absence after giving birth to a baby daughter last September.

Russia’s Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, reached the French Open quarter-finals but was a first-round loser at Wimbledon.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Djokovic, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, was named the 10th seed while Britain’s Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, will be unseeded in only his fourth start since an 11-month absence with a right hip injury.

Djokovic has reached the Cincinnati final five times without ever taking home the winner’s trophy.

Behind 17-time Grand Slam winner Nadal in the men’s seedings are 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, Germany’s Alexander Zverev fresh off defending a title in Washington, Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro and defending Cincinnati champion Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria.

On the women’s side a f ter Halep were Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, American Sloane Stephens, Kerber, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, France’s Caroline Garcia and defending champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain. (Hindustan Times)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

President Granger lauds Upper Mazaruni District Games – says model should be replicated countrywide

P

resident David Granger on Sunday lauded the 21st annual Upper Mazaruni District Games, which are being hosted at the Waramadong Sports Complex, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) from August 5 to 13.

He noted that the diversity and the high level of competition which are usually on display are incomparable to any other event in the country.

“Every region I go to I tell them to imitate the Upper Mazaruni model. This model I want to see in Regions One, Two, Three and all of the other regions of Guyana. The first time I came here, I was fascinated to see young men and women coming together for days for these games.

This is an innovative move in sport in Guyana, and I wish I could see this in other regions. It is inclusive, you have the young and the old, boys and girls, rich and poor, everyone come together and it is also informative. We

President Granger greets members of the participating teams

learn from one another, we improve our techniques, but, most of all, these games are inspirational. So, I want to see you strive for excellence and no matter how small, you shake up Guyana,” the President said.

He noted that the Government was working on the National Sports Development Policy, which aimed to be all-inclusive. “We are working on a National Sports Development Policy, which will include the boys

CONCACAF U-15 Girls Championship…

Guyana well represented despite injuries

and girls, the hinterland and coastland, will help to develop infrastructure and will be fully comprehensive,” he said.

On this note, the Head of State highlighted that through a collaborative effort between the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), the Waramadong Sports Complex has been outfitted with floodlights, which will cater for night games.

This is the second ground that has been outfitted with floodlights in the Region.

Upper Mazaruni District

Sports Council President Rudolph Wellington, in his brief remarks, said that this year, there were 13 male teams and 12 female teams participating in the eight days of competition.

He also expressed gratitude to the President and the Government of Guyana for the continued support to the annual Games.

“We thank you for your support because without your support, I don’t know how we will pull this off every year,” he noted.

Sportsmen and women from Kamarang, Kako, Kaikan, Arau, Paruima, Waramadong, Quebanang, Jawalla, Phillipai, Chinoweing, Imbaimadai and Wax Creek, some of whom had to travel for several days to attend the Games, are participating in the event, identified by their own flags and colours and will over the days of the competition, compete in athletics, archery, volleyball, swimming and novelty games.

The Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry and the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport have both contributed $1.5 million to the Games while the Ministry of the Presidency has provided prizes and other forms of support to make the event possible.

Meanwhile, President Granger also handed over a boat and engine as well as a quantity of sports gear to the village of Chinoweng, which were donated by Beverley Tapp, General Manager of B and J Civil Works and the RDC, respectively.

According to Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford, the village has been requesting a boat and engine for the past two years to transport their team to the Games as well as to ensure children are able to attend school.

Following a request by Tapp to the RDC to be allowed to make a contribution to the Region in observance of her company’s 25th anniversary, Bradford said that he shared the request of the residents of Chinoweng and she readily agreed to provide the boat and engine.

Tapp said that her company was pleased to be giving back to the Region, where it executed its first road construction contract back in 1993 as she urged the residents to take care of the gift.

The event was also attended by First Lady Sandra Granger; Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton; Director of Sport, Christopher Jones and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary Alfred King.

Guinness Cage Competition

Jai Signs & Auto Designs hands over sponsorship

Guyana’s U-15 starting line-up against St Lucia in the 2018 CONCACAF U-15 Girls Championship

T

he national under-15 girls’ team had a creditable start to their campaign in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) U-15 Girls Championship on Monday when they went down to St Lucia by a 3-1 margin at the IMG Academy, Florida, USA. Guyana’s lone goal was an own goal created when Shacaylah Williams was pressing the defence resulting in an error on the part of the St Lucians.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women’s International Coordinator Paul Beresford said that while injuries were

sustained by some players, the team played well. “We played well in the first half for a team that was playing their first match together. However, the team grew a bit tired in the second half in 92-degree heat and humidity. Guyana led 1-0 at the half and dominated play. Injuries to two of our players resulted in St Lucia tying the game. They scored two additional goals in the second half to win the match.”

Guyana’s squad consists of both international and Guyana-based players, including two goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders and five forwards. The internationally-based players were selected following the

hosting of Talent Identification Camps in the United States and Canada.

The starting line-up of Monday’s match was: Ludesha Reynolds (GK); Hasha Holder; Jenea Knoght; Ashaya Doobay; Allianna Holder; Jaida Brooks; Samantha Banfield (C); Shacaylah Williams; Anastasia Salvadore; Kersti Thomas and Anaya Willabus.

Guyana’s next match is scheduled for today, August 7 at 09:00h against Cayman Islands followed by The Bahamas on August 9 at 11:00h. The playoff will begin on August 10, following the group qualifiers, with the finals set for August 13 at 11:00h.

Jai Signs’ Andrunie Harris (second left) hands over the cheque for an undisclosed sum to Three Peat Promotions’ Lorrieann Baptiste in the presence of fellow staffer Nicholas Rampersaud at the entity’s head office

J

ai Signs & Auto Designs of Independence Boulevard, Georgetown returned for another year to add its support towards the exciting Three Peat Promotions’ Guinness Cage Tournament dubbed “East Coast Best versus the Rest”, set to kick off Wednesday evening, at the Haslington Market Tarmac from 19:00h.

On Monday, during a simple ceremony at the entity’s head office, Jai Signs & Auto Designs representative Andrunie Harris handed over a cheque for

an undisclosed sum to Three Peat’s Lorrieann Baptiste in the presence of fellow staffer Nicholas Rampersaud.

On behalf of the promotional group, Baptiste thanked the company for answering the call for support, adding that the gesture was a clear indication of the entity’s vision for the development of sports, especially at the grassroots level and also its willingness to help in the development of social cohesion among communities.

Twenty teams selected from the East Coast of Demerara, Georgetown and the East Bank of Demerara will square off for prize monies in excess of $700,000 and trophies, including individual prizes for outstanding performances.

The other scheduled playing days are August 11, 18, and 25 and September 1 when the final is scheduled to be played.

There will be giveaways for fans each night of the competition.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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M

avendra Dindyal is the only Guyanese to make it aboard the West Indies Under-15 squad that begins their six-match tour of the United Kingdom on August 12.

For the fourth straight year, a Windies Under-15 squad will go on a two-week tour of the UK in an ongoing exchange between Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the England Barmy Army’s Colts.

This year, the team from the West Indies has attracted support from Virgin Atlantic.

The squad was assembled following the championship held in March this year, which led to the Bajans having quite a strong presence in the team with six players, while the Leeward Islands, Windward Islands and Jamaica have two, and Trinidad and Tobago – one.

During the tour, they will face six teams in a series of 50-over matches including the Colts.

The team will play a 20/20 warmup match against the London Schools Cricket Association on Friday, August 10 before starting the official schedule on Sunday, August 12.

The squad reads: Hilroy Andrew, Ackeem Auguste, Nimar Bolden, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, Mavendra Dindyal, Jordan Johnson, Johan Layne, Jaden Leacock, Tariq O’Neale, Andrew Rambaran, Yawani Regis, Che Simmons, Sanjay Walker, and Rashad Worrell.

Dr Oba Gulston has been appointed as Manager and Physiotherapist and he will be accompanied by Head Coach Richard Clarke and Assistant Coach Steve Liburd. The squad is scheduled to return to the Region on August 20.

The match tour schedule reads:

August 12 – Windies v Hertfordshire August 13 – Windies v Hampshire August 14 – Windies v South West England August 16 – Windies v Ireland Under- 15s August 17 – Windies v Barmy Army Colts August 19 –Windies v London and East Region

Mavendra Dindyal

GFF Elite League III…

GDF tame Western Tigers A

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– tour of UK starts August 12

10-man Guyana Defence Force (GDF) squad demolished the Western Tigers on Sunday night in the feature match of a Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League III double header at the National Track and Field Centre.

Tigers, who had an early 2-0 lead, saw a full-spirited fightback fitting of the defending champions, who eventually prevailed 4-2.

Pernell Schultz gave Tigers the lead in the seventh minute when he volleyed home an easy goal from a corner kick by Vurlon Mills. In the 24th minute, Captain Daniel Wilson scorched home a set-piece play from near the 18-yard box to double the lead.

However, the 2016-2017

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Amos Ramsey

champions got right back into it when Amos Ramsey made it a one-possession game in the 26th minute.

In the second half, the GDF levelled the game six minutes after resumption as

Ramsey completed his double.

When it then looked like Tigers had some favour after GDF’s Travis Henry was handed a red card in the 58th minute by referee Gladwin Johnson, Delwin Fraser made his presence felt.

Fraser netted in the 63rd and 90th minutes as the GDF secured yet another come-from-behind win.

Earlier in the night, Buxton’s Dillon Wright (58th minute) and Kobe Durant (80th minute) scored a second half goal to help their team defeat the Cougars FC 2-0.

After Sunday’s match night, the race for the title has now shifted in the favour of tournament leaders Fruta Conquerors FC and

Delwin Fraser

Den Amstel FC, who both have 32 points with the latter having a weaker goal difference. The GDF are third on 30 points while Western Tigers have 27 points in fourth.

Chelsea’s keeper misses training amid Real Madrid speculation C Thibaut Courtois was named best goalkeeper at the World Cup in Russia following his performances for Belgium

helsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, did not report for training with the Premier League club on Monday.

And it is understood the Blues do not know when the 26-year-old Belgium international will return.

Courtois has been a Blues player since 2011, when he signed from Belgian club Genk and was loaned to Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has also been linked with Real, but did attend training with the Blues on Monday.

Courtois was named best goalkeeper at this summer’s World Cup in Russia, where Belgium beat England in the third-place play-off.

He has played 154 times for Chelsea, keeping 58 clean sheets and conceding 152 goals.

Speaking on Friday, new Blues manager Maurizio Sarri said he was unsure whether Courtois would stay.

He said: “At the moment Courtois is the goalkeeper of Chelsea. I don’t know in the future. It depends on the club, it depends especially on him, but I hope Courtois will be our goalkeeper.” (BBC Sport)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

Liton, Mustafizur seal Bangladesh’s series win ets in the fourth, fifth and sixth overs. Mustafizur had Andre Fletcher caught at wide third-man, Sarkar had Walton holing out to long-on, and Shakib bowled Marlon Samuels with one that kept very low.

Rovman Powell and Denesh Ramdin added 45

runs for the fourth wicket, but it still didn’t help West Indies’ push for fast runs.

Rubel Hossain removed Ramdin in the 12th over, which brought Russell to the crease. While he did threaten something incredible, it was not to be. (ESPN cricinfo)

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A

iPay T20 Series Winners

complete turnaround - of fortune, form and result - was completed when Bangladesh beat West Indies by 19 runs to clinch the T20I series 2-1, the same margin by which they had won the preceding ODI series. Victory was confirmed when the umpires called off play after a second rain interruption late on Sunday evening in front of a large Bangladeshi expat crowd in Florida’s Lauderhill.

Liton Das’ rapid 32-ball 61 set up Bangladesh’s highest score of the series before Mustafizur Rahman took three key wickets, including that of a rampaging Andre Russell, to seal the game.

Russell posed the only serious threat to Bangladesh, walking in when West Indies needed 108 runs in 8.3 overs. His first five scoring shots were four six-

es and a four. Three of the sixes were struck over midwicket while the fourth was a very high hit over long-on.

Russell struck Abu Hider for two sixes on either side of Carlos Brathwaite’s dismissal in the 17th over, but refused Ashley Nurse a single off the final ball to keep the strike.

The tactic backfired when Russell holed out to Ariful Haque, who was inches away from the boundary at long-off. He had struck six sixes and a four in his 21-ball 47, before the umpires took the players off, with rain getting heavier.

Play was eventually called off 25 minutes later.

At the start, Liton and Tamim Iqbal tore away with a 61-run opening stand coming in only 4.4 overs. After he swept the match’s first ball for four, Liton cracked

Nurse over the leg-side for two sixes and a four in a second over that went for 17 runs. Tamim then swung Samuel Badree over midwicket for his first six, before the openers combined again to take 19 off the fourth over. Liton first flicked and top-edged a pull off Russell, before Tamim brought out his pull shot and a straight drive to round off the expensive over.

Carlos Brathwaite broke the dangerous partnership when Tamim swept to short fine-leg. The opening pair had struck seven fours and four sixes. Soumya Sarkar fell in the next over for an 11th low score in a row, but Liton batted calmly in the immediate aftermath, reaching his first white-ball half-century off 24 balls, and his first 50plus score in 17 innings. By

then, West Indies had pulled things back with Mushfiqur Rahim’s wicket, who ended his tour with a fourth-consecutive low score. Liton followed him to the dugout four balls later, top-edging Kesrick Williams to long-off, but not before striking a total of six fours and three sixes.

Keemo Paul removed Shakib Al Hasan in the 16th over after an unconvincing 24. Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on a 20-ball 32 that had four boundaries and a six, but Ariful Haque struggled during his 16ball 18, hitting just one four as Bangladesh added 47 runs in the last five overs, which was interrupted by a 30-minute rain break.

In reply, Chadwick Walton struck a four in each of the first three overs, but West Indies lost three wick-

Bangladesh Innings (20 overs maximum) Liton Das c Nurse b Williams 61 Tamim Iqbal c Williams b Brathwaite 21 Soumya Sarkar c Powell b Paul 5 Mushfiqur Rahim † c †Ramdin b Brathwaite 12 Shakib Al Hasan (c) c Nurse b Paul 24 Mahmudullah not out 32 Ariful Haque not out 18 Extras: (lb 4, nb 1, w 6) 11 Total: 184-5 (20 Overs, RR: 9.2) Did not bat: Nazmul Islam, Abu Hider, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman Fall of wickets: 1-61 (Tamim Iqbal, 4.4 ov), 2-66 (Soumya Sarkar, 5.2 ov), 3-97 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 9.6 ov), 4-102 (Liton Das, 10.5 ov), 5-146 (Shakib Al Hasan, 15.6 ov) Bowling: S Badree (3-0-23-0), AR Nurse (3-0-31-0), AD Russell (3-0-36-0), CR Brathwaite (40-32-2), KMA Paul (3-0-262), KOK Williams (4-0-32-1)

West Indies Innings (target: 155 runs from 17.1 overs) CAK Walton c sub (Sabbir Rahman) b Soumya Sarkar 19 ADS Fletcher c Nazmul Islam b Mustafizur Rahman 6 MN Samuels b Shakib Al Hasan 2 R Powell c Abu Hider b Mustafizur Rahman 23 D Ramdin † b Rubel Hossain 21 AD Russell c Ariful Haque b Mustafizur Rahman 47 CR Brathwaite (c) c sub (Sabbir Rahman) b Abu Hider 5 AR Nurse not out 0 Extras: (b 4, lb 3, w 5) 12 Total: 135-7 (17.1 Overs, RR: 7.86) Did not bat: KMA Paul, KOK Williams, S Badree Fall of wickets: 1-26 (ADS Fletcher, 3.5 ov), 2-30 (CAK Walton, 4.5 ov), 3-32 (MN Samuels, 5.6 ov), 4-77 (D Ramdin, 11.3 ov), 5-96 (R Powell, 13.1 ov), 6-128 (CR Brathwaite, 16.3 ov), 7-135 (AD Russell, 17.1 ov) Bowling: Abu Hider (3-0-271), Rubel Hossain (4-0-28-1), Mustafizur Rahman (3.1-0-313), Nazmul Islam (0.3-0-2-0), Soumya Sarkar (2.3-0-18-1), Shakib Al Hasan (4-0-22-1)

CAC Chess Championship…

Juma, Shariff gain FIDE rating T

– Barbados’s Blackman clinches title

welve-year-old Chelsea Juma has become Guyana’s youngest FIDE (World Chess Federation) ranked player after gaining her ranking and a wealth of experience with her 14-year-old teammate Sasha Shariff.

The Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Women’s Chess Championship, which ran from July 27 to August 3, matched the two Guyanese girls with topranked chess players from all across the Caribbean and Central America. Even though they went into the tournament with one other international appearance to their names, the girls played valiantly to receive their rankings.

The Guyanese duo have completed their seven games against rated players from Carifta Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname to this challenging and unpredictable tournament. At the CAC, Chelsea’s performance rating was 1113 and Sasha’s was 1022. As such, they will join Guyana’s four other female FIDE rated players: WFM Maria Thomas (1739); WCM Sheriffa Ali (1363); Jessica Clementson (1203) and Nellisha Johnson (1123).

From the nine rounds played, Juma finished on 1.5 points while Shariff finished on 1 point.

Being the only unrated players at the event put the girls at an instant disadvantage, never-

Participants in the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Women’s Chess Championship

theless, they battled their way through the intense competition featuring players from Barbados, Trinidad, Suriname, Netherlands Antilles and Costa Rica.

A notable game from Juma was her win against three-time Guatemalan Olympiad champ and WCM Julissa Figueroa, who will be playing for Barbados at this year’s 43rd World Chess Olympiad.

Playing the black pieces, WCM Figueroa turned to the “tricky” Paulsen Variation of the Sicilian Defence, but due to a possible

“blind spot” left a Bishop undefended which young Juma was keen to capture thus making her opponent resign and sending a shockwave throughout the tournament hall.

While Shariff got some better positions and winning advantages in a lot of her games, the teenager failed to convert those advantages into a full point. Her notable game was Round (1) and eight (8) which she should have definitely won, but was unable to find the winning combinations to receive full points. Additionally, during

the tournament, both Shariff and Juma received some training via post analysis and pre analysis of their games from Barbadian IM (FIDE International Master) Orlando Husband and Lawrence Depradine. The tournament and training is all part of Shariff’s planned training before she represents Guyana at the 43rd World Chess Olympiad scheduled to be held inn Batumi, Georgia from September 23-October 16, 2018.

FIDE National Instructor and National Chess Champion CM Wendell Meusa has expressed his

gratitude to those who have contributed to the girls’ participation in the tournament.

“Without these few persons who dug into their pockets, these girls would not be able to attend and make history for Guyana and I would like to thank each of them,” Meusa stated. He also echoed a call for private businesses to support the growth and development of chess in Guyana aiming to place the country among the greats once again, as in the late 1970s under former President Linden Forbes Burnham.

The 2018 CAC tournament was won by Barbados’ four-time national women’s champion Katrina Blackman.

In an intense finish to the Championship, the 25-year-old Blackman clinched the US$1000 top prize on a tie-break after finishing level on points with Ailen Oriana Mena of Curaçao.

Both Blackman, the number six seed, and Mena, the number two seed, went into the final round level on six points in a three-way tie at the top of the table. With the pair clinching victories to finish on seven points, Blackman took gold on account of winning their headto-head clash in the sixth round.

“It feels really nice. Being ranked at number six and actually winning against persons higher rated than me by a lot of points, it feels really good,” Blackman said.

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

GAW Practice Game...

23

Promising GAW side showcase skill ahead of St Kitts encounter T

he Guyana Amazon Rutherford going at the ball Warriors (GAW) team from ball one. However, gave the St Kitts and Ronchi went early for nine, Nevis Patriots something but that paved the way for to worry about after com- some exciting batting from pleting a stunning practice local boy Hetmyer. With his match on Monday evening. intentions made clear, the The practice match, Berbician managed to form which was the first of crucial partnerships with his two, saw t h e fellow Guyanese Rutherford and Captain Malik. After Warriors side being pitted several big hits, it took some against some magic from Warriors’ goto-bowler Tanvir in orof Guyana’s d e r to send best senior players.

With the players divided into two teams, the “Shoaib Malik XI” with the likes of Captain Malik, young powerhouse Shimron H e t m y e r Hetmyer, Luke Ronchi and back to newbie Chris Green took the dugon the “Jason Mohamed XI” out for which featured Akshaya Persaud, Devendra Bishoo, Sohail Tanvir and Trevon Griffith.

Playing in wet conditions, the “Malik XI” took to Shimron the pitch Hetmyer first with launches one of openers many maximums Ronchi a n d

Newcomer to the team, Chris Green, soon had his time to shine as he stepped up to bowl the first over to the Mohamed XI. The South African, coupled with Guyanese Devendra Bishoo, stifled the Jason Mohamedled side, with both of them picking up two wickets a piece.

At the end of the matchup, Coach Johan Botha

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Captain Shoaib Malik and Shimron Hetmyer have a chat between overs

66.

Nevertheless, Malik (47) and

Duguid named for CPL duties

G

uyanese up-and-coming umpire Nigel Duguid is amongst nine umpires from around the Caribbean and other parts of the world who will be tasked with officiating the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2018.

The nine umpires will have an alternate colleague and will be grouped in order to oversee 34 matches, spanning six Caribbean countries and Lauderhill, USA. Duguid, who had his T20 debut back in February 2014 umpiring a match-up between West Indies and Ireland, has been grouped with three other umpires who will officiate match-

Guyanese umpire Nigel Duguid (right) steps onto the Providence Ground for a Guyana Amazon Warriors match last year

es in Guyana, St Lucia and St Kitts from August 9 to September 9. Those umpires are Gregory Brathwaite (Barbados); Langton Rusere (Zimbabwe) and Denavon Hayles (Jamaica).

On the other hand, five umpires will oversee a larger portion of the matches, which are being hosted in Trinidad, Jamaica; Lauderhill and Barbados from August 8 to September 7. These officials are Joel Wilson (Trinidad); Patrick Gustard (Jamaica); Leslie Reifer Jr (Barbados); and Shaun George and Dev Govindjee (South Africa).

Additionally, the Hero CPL has also provided an

could be seen smiling and commending the players on a job well done.

The Warriors will put their skills to the test one last time before the beginning of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2018, with another practice match scheduled for 18:00h (6pm) today at the Providence National Stadium.

opportunity for three USA umpires to officiate at the games in that country.

In those games, local umpires Jermaine Lindo and Sameer Bandekar will be on-field officials with Vijaya Mellela acting as fourth umpire during the match on August 22.

In the position of alternate umpire is Zahid Bassarath from Trinidad, who will also fulfil the role of fourth umpire in several of the matches.

The 2018 Hero CPL is set to begin on August 8 and end on September 16 with both starting and ending games being played in Trinidad.

Rayad Emrit (10) pressed on to take the score to 187 from their allotted 20 overs.

Malik XI (Maximum 20 Overs) Luke Ronchi b Tanvir 9 Sherfane Rutherford c Anthony Adams b Raun Johnson 40 Shimron Hetmyer c Akshaya Persaud b Tanvir 66 *Shoaib Malik c Roshan Primus b Raun Johnson 47 Chris Green run out (Devendra Bishoo) 5 Christopher Barnwell LBW b Tanvir 4 Rayad Emrit Not Out 10 Extras: (5w, 1lb) 12 Total: 187 - 6 (20 overs) FOW: 1-22, 2-72, 3-148, 4-167, 5-176, 6-187 Bowling: S Tanvir (4-0-233), V Permaul (4-0-40-0), R Lewis (4-0-31-0), R Primus (40-42-0), R Johnson (3-0-402), J Mohammed (1-0-11-0)

Mohammed XI (Maximum 20 overs) Trevon Griffith b Chris Green 1 Robin Bacchus c Chris Green b Rayad Emrit 4 Akshaya Persaud LBW b Chris Green 0 *Jason Mohammed c Sherfane Rutherford b Clinton Pestano 14 Gajanand Singh c Christopher Barnwell b Devendra Bishoo 10 Sohail Tavnir LBW b Devendra Bishoo 12 Roshan Primus Not Out 8 +Anthony Bramble Not Out 7 Extras: (1w, 1lb) 2 Total: 58 – 6 (11.1 overs) FOW: 1-2, 2-2, 3-20, 4-36, 5-37, 6-47 Bowling: C Green (3.1-0-102), S Netravalkar (3-2-13-0), R Emrit (2-0-19-1), C Pestano (10-6-1), D Bishoo (3-0-10-2)

Brand-new Hero CPL trophy launched for 2018 T he 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season is here and there has been a refresh of the trophy for this year. The sleek and modern design integrates the colourful and vibrate Hero CPL logo with a cutting edge look. Designed by Ryan McClean of Ryan McClean Silver, the new trophy will be up for grabs when the tournament gets underway on 8 August with defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders taking on St Lucia Stars.

The trophy was delivered to Queen’s Park Oval by Hero CPL’s official logistics partner, eZone. Present at the unveiling were Damien O’Donohoe and Pete Russell, CEO and COO of the Hero CPL, and Dwayne Bravo and Javon Searles from the Trinbago Knight Riders.

Speaking about the vision behind the trophy McClean said: “I designed the trophy after spending time looking at the Hero CPL logo. I wanted to try and tie the two things together.

The logo, just like Hero CPL, is dynamic and colourful and I felt the trophy should mirror this. The swirls from the logo holding a cricket ball seemed a perfect fit to reflect what Hero CPL represents - the perfect synergy of carnival and cricket.”

This year will also see the arrival of the Bouncers, the new mascots for Hero CPL. The cricket loving siblings – Vivian and Richard – will be helping to keep the crowd enter-

tained across the tournament. They were both present at the trophy launch in Port of Spain to help celebrate the new trophy and get us ready for the upcoming tournament.

Damien O’Donohoe, Hero CPL CEO said: “It’s great to be back here again at the Queen’s Park Oval. It is hard to believe for Pete and I that this is year six, we couldn’t be more excited. We definitely believe that this is going to be the biggest and best year by far. It’s great to be playing the home games here at Queen’s Park Oval and the finals at the Brian Lara Stadium. We just want to showcase our new trophy which we’re very proud of. We had a top silversmith working on this for about six months and we think it’s first class.”

Dwayne Bravo, captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders said: “It’s a pleasure for me to be standing here next to this nice trophy. Hopefully I’ll be the first captain to lift it again this year. CPL is a very good tournament, it’s one of the most successful tournaments in the world one of the most anticipated tournaments in the world. Playing the first game here at my home ground here at the Queen’s Park Oval it’s going to be a full house. I want to wish all the teams all the best in this tournament – the fans are going to get their monies worth and once again thanks to CPL for continuing to support Caribbean cricket.”

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

GAW Practice Game...

Promising GAW side showcase skill ahead of St Kitts encounter Pg 23

GAW Captain Shoaib Malik gets forward during his innings

Shimron Hetmyer launches one of many maximums

Brandnew Hero CPL trophy launched for 2018 Pg 23

President Granger lauds Upper Mazaruni District Games

Pg 20

– says model should be replicated countrywide

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