Guyana Times Wednesday, August 8, 2018

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3649

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

APNU got what it wanted from AFC – political analyst

Page 7

…says decision to go solo will test AFC’s electoral worth

Lover confesses PPP Region 2 LGE campaign to killing Essequibians raise Pomeroon concerns over Govt’s farmer handling of economy

Page 3

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

2 remanded for shooting at Police P8

Appeal Court upholds exPoliceman's dismissal P12

Page 9

“We will hire world-class expertise” P14 – Harmon

Chinoweing Village gets boat, engine to transport children to school Page 10

...says Dr Bynoe does not have to be oil & gas expert

GRA offers 50% off interest on P12 outstanding taxes …as entity extends tax amnesty period

President David Granger hands over the key for a boat and engine to Toshao Roger Ronald of Chinoweng Village, Region Seven, (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)

Tourism Authority Govt accused of probing Pegasus playing games fire with welfare of …regulations for scrutiny of hotel standards being reviewed sugar workers

Page 10

Page 9

NIS recorded successive deficits since 2015 – GM ...GuySuCo among biggest defaulters

P13

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BRIDGE OPENINGS

PPP Region 2 LGE campaign

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

Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – a night-time retraction at 01:30h and a day-time retraction at 14:30h-16:00h and Thursday, August 9, 2018 – a night-time retraction at 02:30h and a day-time retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – 14:05h-15:35h and Thursday, August 9, 2018 – 15:10h-16:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals and cloudy skies will prevail during the day interrupted by light rain showers in the mid-morning hours. Thundery and light rain showers will prevail in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

Essequibians raise concerns over Govt’s handling of economy D uring a two-day tour of Region 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) to officially launch the Local Government Election campaign, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo met with hundreds of concerned residents and offered a listening ear to the many concerns they had.

Jagdeo, who arrived in the Cinderella County on

crime rate in the country, among other things.

The Opposition Leader promised to continue the fight for a free and prosperous Guyana. He also warned about the repercussions of Government waiting on oil money and neglecting other sectors.

The People’s Progressive Party first launched its LGE campaign in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) with

High Tide: 14:07h reaching a maximum height of 2.42 metres.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo addressing Essequibians during his 2-day visit to Region Two

Low Tide: 07:34h and 19:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.70 metre and 0.80 metre.

meetings held at Number 70 Village, Number 56 Village, Hogtown Chesney, and Hampshire on the Corentyne.

Jagdeo pointed out that the Party was implementing a 12-point criteria list for choosing persons to represent their constituencies at the upcoming elections.

He said one criterion was to ensure widespread consultation to select a representative.

The Opposition Leader has since asked all to participate in the process, and has said that by August 18, the names of those selected should be submitted to the Party’s head office. turn to page 7

Jagdeo is greeted with a hug by a senior resident in an Essequibo village during a walkabout

SaturDAY, august 4, 2018

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tuesDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018 DAILY MILLIONS 05 06 08 13 14 LUCKY 3 1 5 5 Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

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Monday, held public meetings and met with residents in several communities, and even visited the Charity Market and met with Pomeroon farmers.

Residents were happy to get a one-on-one conversation with the Opposition Leader on the many issues facing them, and many of them reiterated their full support for the party.

The PPP General Secretary also held well-attended community meetings along the Coast, where he listened to the many problems facing the people in various sectors, especially the rice industry.

Many rice farmers are unable to go back to the lands, due to the low prices for paddy and the many new taxes implemented by the present Administration, especially on fertilisers, drugs and farm equipment.

Residents expressed disappointed in the way the present Government is managing the affairs of the country. They also raised concerns about the escalating

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Views Lending a helping hand

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

CPL and Guyana

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he Guyana leg of CPL 2018 begins tomorrow at the Providence Stadium with the first of five home games for the local Guyana Amazon Warriors. Fans, both local and from overseas, will again savour the opportunities to experience and embrace all that has come to make up CPL. Dubbed the biggest party in sport as cricket is played louder, CPL epitomises the positive evolution of world cricket, and further emphasises the vibrancy of the game which characterises the West Indian brand.

The natural enthusiasm through the vociferousness of fans in this part of the world, evident over the decades, has in many ways influenced the atmosphere in other places, notably England.

The home of cricket has been known for its more subdued but overwhelming attendance, punctuated by a routine courteous appreciation of the art and showmanship of the game.

That has now changed, as fans have fully gotten into the game, bringing liveliness through infectious music and innovative celebrations. This change has been directly credited to T20 cricket, which, again, the West Indians would have branded with their own flare of effervescence through a fusion of colour, music and rapturous involvement.

As interest in cricket would have waned in the past due to various factors, T20, through the CPL, has not only catapulted that interest, but has transcended the traditional fan base to overwhelmingly capture women and children. Among the many successes of T20 cricket, the ability to continuously and increasingly bring out women and children to the games is one of the biggest achievements.

This is what was needed for the sport, especially here in the Caribbean, as CPL has now become a much-anticipated family event. The names and prowess of the plethora of stars of the various teams easily roll off the tongues of women and children as interest and expectations grow rapidly. One of the many factors driving this within the CPL is the many fan-based promotions by the various sponsors.

This has ensured that fans are not only directly involved in the process of creating the pulsating environment for which the tournament has become known, but allows them opportunities to be the recipients of something tangible aside from the abundance of paraphernalia. This is where CPL has to be commended for making fans a priority in the process of building and sustaining interest.

That interest cuts across societal divides, as is evident in the support for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. The Providence Stadium, since the inception of the CPL, has become known as a place sanitised of partisanship as Guyanese rally around their stars.

Of course, naturally, there would have been disappointment over the Warriors’ not yet claiming the title. However, that has never diminished the overwhelming support local fans have given the team, with Guyana probably having the highest fans’ turnout for the tournament!

Fans rally when the team seems to be on the ropes, and never hold back in their unbridled celebration of the joys of a Warriors’ victory. With a sea of colours from the waving flags of the Warriors and that of the country, accompanied by the blaring rhythmic music often drowned out by the collective deafening screams of fans, the positive influence of the cricket through the CPL is pellucid. The power of the game to effect the bypassing of differences and for rallying in unison for a common cause is never in doubt.

The Providence Stadium, which has proven its worth over the years, will again burst into life as cricket superstars from across the globe battle for supremacy. Guyana will again be in the international spotlight, as millions will join the global live broadcast from the East Bank corridor.

The benefits of such international exposure are priceless, as are those that redound to the local economy from the hosting of CPL games. This year, Guyana will, for the first time, host two playoff matches, making a total of seven -- the highest here since the CPL was established. This is demonstrative of Guyana’s strength as a venue, and can only result in addition benefits for a country rife with potential.

This is what CPL brings to a nation; and with a consistent team in the Guyana Amazon Warriors, there are many winners, including cricket and country. With a growing fan base with every passing year, the Warriors are not just the players on the field, but every fan in the Providence Stadium and those watching the live broadcast.

That has been the impact of the CPL as it continues to break barriers, showcasing cricketing skills and discovering new talent.

As Guyanese and tourists converge in large numbers at Providence, beginning this afternoon, the stadium becomes a hub not just for the many analyses by fans of what should or should not be done, or who should bat or bowl when, but for the making of yet another step in the process of forging togetherness.

Cricket has always been seen as a unifying force across the region. Here, at home, CPL and the exciting exploits of the Guyana Amazon Warriors have created a formidable platform for the furtherance of that process.

DeSinco Trading Limited contributed 50 food hampers to the Venezuelan refugees who are in Region One (Barima-Waini). Chief Executive Officer of DeSinco Trading, Frank DeAbreu on Tuesday handed over the hampers to Director General of the Commission, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), at its headquarters in Eccles, East Bank Demerara

How much longer must we suffer their confusion and chaos?

Dear Editor, Dr Clive Thomas, erstwhile anti-imperialist and dependency theorist, now a State functionary in the neo-liberal A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, reportedly said that the Government should give US$5000 from the oil revenue to each Guyanese household annually. He told the residents of BuxtonFriendship at the Eusi Kwayana Emancipation Symposium that a friend told him that this is what they do in Alaska.

The Libyan Jamahiriya, under the leadership of the revolutionary PanAfricanist Muammar Qaddafi did exactly what Dr Thomas is calling on this government to do, but the sum deposited was far more than US$5000. In the

Libyan Jamahiriya, every Libyan was the recipient of thousands of dollars, deposited directly into their bank account because the Libyan revolution and its leadership affirmed the principle that the natural resources of the country are the patrimony of every citizen. Dr Thomas is certainly ignorant of the tremendous achievements of Libya. He heard about Alaska, but was completely unaware of what happened first in Libya on the African continent. In fact, Dr Thomas is one of those ivory tower academics who fell for the fake news and false narratives produced by the Western corporate media that “Qaddafi was killing his people”. Dr Thomas is on record as siding with the forces of white supremacy and the racist Gulf Arabs to destroy the most prosper-

ous African country at that time, when he said: “Qaddafi must go.”

Dr Thomas is an example of the kind of ideological schizophrenia that has Guyana where it is today. This confusion dates way back. Poor Burnham had to contend with these people when he was charting a course for true independence and a self-reliant economy. Dr Thomas and his party, the WPA, while claiming to be the big revolutionary socialists, hated socialist Burnham and fought him tooth and nail, eventually finding themselves on the same side as the imperialist forces who attempted to destabilise Burnham’s Government.

When Burnham’s programme was overturned, they were unable to offer any alternative, and the country was plunged

into the disastrous period of the imperialist-directed ERP (so-called Economic Recovery Programme) under Mr Hoyte’s leadership. This disaster opened the way for the brutal and racist PPP dictatorship. Despite their claims to be socialist and committed to the emancipation of Guyana’s suffering masses, today, Dr Thomas and his cohorts have no problem aligning themselves with a Government that is dictated to by the ABC countries, and which promotes neo-liberal policies that are causing havoc in this country.

How much longer must we suffer their confusion and chaos?

Sincerely, Gerald A Perreira Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP)

It is time for the AFC to be buried deep Dear Editor, The Alliance For Change (AFC) was never serious about tackling corruption and I have written exhaustively on this issue. In 2014, I was deemed by Mr Ramjattan to be a “rogue Councillor” because of my stance against corruption and today another AFC Councillor is being labelled as pro-PPP and a ‘rogue’ by the real rogues!

He called me a “rogue councillor” simply because I moved a motion at the RDC calling for the then Opposition to support the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism Bill. Today, Mr

Gobin Harbhajan, another AFC RDC Councillor who is vociferous in exposing alleged corrupt activities on social media and at the RDC is being attacked by the corruptors within the AFC who are bent on shutting him down.

The working of the nefarious Three Musketeers was highlighted on social media.

It must be recalled that Mr Harbhajan at an RDC statutory meeting had made a statement to the effect that, “I don’t care which political party this contractor supports, I want this matter to be raised at the highest level; and if found guilty, he should receive the full penalty of the law; because

we have been talking about corruption, now we actually have the proof”. This was in relation to the fraudulent letter of credit obtained by a top-ranking AFC official in Region 6.

Again, in relation to the slashing of the Corentyne road shoulders contract valued at $120 million which was ‘awarded’ to seven AFC top-ranking members and officials, he had said that: “The road shoulder contract issue has been raised at our RDC Statutory Meeting, if this contract is not properly tendered for as was mentioned at the RDC, then I’m calling on the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to re-

call all contracts regarding the slashing of the road shoulders, because other contractors and persons are complaining that only one set of persons receive the contracts.” This statement is now creating gigantic pandemonium in the AFC and yet again a councillor is to be the ‘sacrificial lamb’.

Moreover, it has now become the norm that at each RDC statutory meeting, some alleged corrupt act of the AFC is in the spotlight.

Up until now, the alleged corruption of the CORE workers in Region Six is still not investigated and resolved. continues on page 5

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

How will Guyana benefit from oil revenue?

Dear Editor, It seems to me that our luck just keeps getting better. Exxon’s increased estimate of Guyana’s oil reserves raised the total figure by 25 per cent. That puts us at a remarkable reserve amount of more than four billion barrels of oil.

Exxon’s explanation of the breakdown of activities is even more promising. Liza Phase 1 is in the process of development and will produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day. Liza Phase 2 will be even larger, up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day, and is expected to start up in 2022.

Exxon also conducted a well test on Liza-5 to explore the northern part of the field.

Then there’s the Payara discovery, just above the Liza field, which has given Exxon a reason to start a third development phase, which could be brought forward some time next year.

Additionally, there have been other discoveries in the Turbot and Longtail areas which could yield a fourth development.

This means that in addition to huge reserves, our assets are diversified.

Guyana could potentially have a total of five active developments in the near future, and with that amount of production will come a broad mix of field operators and providers bringing jobs, investment, and infrastructure. Which brings us to the real question: what does this announcement mean for Guyana and how will this benefit Guyanese?

We all know that there are many ways in which Guyana could benefit from revenues and investment.

Obviously, the increased reserve estimates mean even higher revenues for Guyana.

Energy analysts estimate that Guyana’s Government take could reach US$15 billion annually by around 2030. This figure could be even higher if more discoveries are made. A more immediate effect, though, is Guyana going to see a massive uptick in foreign direct investment, benefiting numerous industries across all

of Guyana.

The urgent question is how will we use this blessing? We will have enough money to finally start critical infrastructure projects.

We could improve healthcare access for many citizens. We can focus on education and ensure that Guyanese are getting the skills necessary to turn oil revenues into a lasting foundation for a diverse and sustainable economy. We can also implement the Green State Development Plan, bringing renewable energy production to all regions of Guyana.

What we need now, with oil and elections looming, is a clear course of action. We have the potential to make an immediate improvement for Guyanese today. But more than that, we have an opportunity to provide a very bright future for our children. We cannot let that pass by.

Sincerely, Clement Smith

It is time for the AFC...

It was alleged that the Supervisor of the CORE is using the CORE workers for his personal benefit while the RDC is still not informed about the CORE workers’ job description, their number, and who they report to. In addition, alleged corruption with regard to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s vehicles, machinery, and materials being used to develop a park which is being built by an AFC RDC Councillor has also been the subject of much discussion. Photographs were tak-

en with the vehicles parked at the site of the park under construction.

There is also a corruption racket whereby it is alleged that a certain AFC Executive Member and a Vice Chairman of an NDC are working in cahoots with a manager of GuySuCo to ‘sell’ jobs for various sums.

It seems that at every area where a corrupt dollar can be extracted, the AFC is allegedly actively involved.

However, this furore becomes understandable when I analyse the reason behind

from page 4

the award of the $120 million contract.

It is time for the AFC to be buried deep!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor Region 6

Concerned about Maduro’s assassination attempt Dear Editor, The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has received the unsettling news of an assassination attempt on the life of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

At the time, August 4, President Maduro was addressing a celebratory parade of the Bolivarian National Guard. Several State officials were with the President at the event, which was held to mark the 81st anniversary of the National Guard.

The FITUG is pleased to learn that the attempted assassination of the President failed, but several military personnel suffered injuries. In an address to the Venezuelan people after the attack, President Maduro fingered the extreme rightists of Venezuela and Colombia as being behind the attempt on his life.

The attempted assassination of President Maduro

is obviously a new dimension to the violent destabilisation efforts we have noted in recent times in the country. The situation in that country, more particularly the resort to violence by reactionary forces and the economic pressures they and their foreign allies have promoted, are of great concern to us. We cannot ignore the fact that Venezuela and Guyana share a common border and developments over there inevitably will have their effects over here. To some extent, we in Guyana have experienced some of this.

The news from neighbouring Venezuela, importantly, referred to drones carrying explosives which were used in a terrorist attack. Drones for political assassinations have been employed, in recent times, in other regions, but now, it would seem, this technique has made its debut in our region. Little won-

der then that so many leaders and social organisations from Latin America and the Caribbean have rightly expressed their rejection of the terroristic assault on a democratically-elected President Maduro and which also endangered the State officials who were with him at the ceremony.

FITUG is concerned over the new, latest development in Venezuela and join with the other progressive and democratic-minded to condemn this assassination attempt on President Maduro. Such acts are fraught with negative implications beyond a country’s borders. FITUG takes the opportunity to express our sympathy to those who were injured in the terrorist assault.

Sincerely, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG)

Traffic sign conundrum

Dear Editor, In less than 24 hours of your publication of my letter regarding misleading traffic signs at the junction of Thomas Street and the parallel roads of Stanley Place and Vlissengen Road, the one-way arrow sign was completely removed.

I am assuming that the arrow sign was removed by those authorised to do so. I do not know whether to fully compliment the expeditious action or become fur-

ther perplexed. The arrow sign itself was not a problem. It was the direction in which the arrow pointed: the procession of traffic that was being contended.

I believe it would have been more logical to change the sign’s direction as against removing it completely.

With respect to the stop signs on the bridge connecting Vlissengen Road and Thomas Street, I am advised that they are nec-

essary for traffic exiting Stanley Place onto Vlissengen Road, and not suggestive that Thomas Street is open for westbound traffic.

Yours faithfully, Orette Cutting

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Foundation

Summer Assignment: Know Every Child …the summer is the foundation that carries us into the whole school year

By Gil Noam, EdD, Dr Habil

W

hat will the coming school year look like for families and educators?

School violence dominated the newsfeed much of the year. But equally concerning was a problem that wasn’t grabbing headlines: the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders among children and adolescents. According to 2016 figures from the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated nine per cent of children ages 12 to 17 had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment. An estimated 32 per cent of children are afflicted by anxiety disorders. According to CDC, suicide is now the second leading cause of death among youth ages 15-19.

I raise these sobering facts on a summer day when school’s out because I think we’ve got some homework to do as adults this summer. It’s to get to know the children in our lives and communities. Knowing every child is how we keep kids from falling through the cracks. When we know children, we’re able to better detect early warning signs of distress.

Here’s what you can do this summer in your family and community.

When you call your relatives or friends with kids, ask to talk to the children

too. These small conversations will build closeness and trust over time. When you visit, spend time with the kids asking questions, or even better, playing together. With young children, just be a little goofy – they will love it. In an age when screen time is replacing human connection, children are losing their ability to communicate effectively with adults. We should not give in or give up. We must offer ourselves, even if at first these connections feel stilted.

Play is a wonderful way to get to know a child

Parents, ditch your devices when you’re focusing on your kids this sum-

mer. Do, play, talk, and listen. For time with kids to be special, it needs to be child-centred and with minimal distractions. You don’t need hours, just enough time together for something meaningful to evolve. And meaningful means not lecturing or asking questions to which children can respond with eye-rolling or a “yes” or “no” answer. Children will tell you things, but on their timeline and often in hidden ways. Play is a wonderful way to get to know a child and make this happen. And with adolescents, talk about events in the world. There’s plenty on all of our minds these days that can be shared.

Making sure every child is known and seen is a job for the whole community, from afterschool providers and teachers to parents and neighbours. Some schools are already doing this good work with innovative programmes and practices. If you’re a camp counsellor or work in a summer program that serves youth, you’re doing amazing work. To help every child feel a sense of belonging—to feel known— make it your daily goal to help each child express a passion for a sport, a skill, or an attitude.

Research at The PEAR Institute, CDC, Edutopia, and other places has shown that children who are known by and connected to at least one adult at their school feel a deeper connection to school and have fewer behaviour problems. Isolation – the opposite of being known –makes it more difficult for any of us to detect when a child is in distress. Warning signs of suicide and violence against others often manifest years before the act occurs, and often until the day it occurs.

We can use the summer to build a foundation that carries us into the whole school year. Now let’s each of us make a small weekly commitment to “know a child” just a little bit better. We will save lives and build community. (psychologytoday.com)

M

any of the “tools” needed for Science, Math, and Engineering exploration are right inside your home!

Here are five ideas for putting everyday tools to work for some everyday fun: A clear, glass jar Use this as a rain gauge. Using a ruler and a permanent marker, mark the jar with a line every quarter inch or so up to 4 inches. Place the jar outside before a rainstorm. Encourage your child to predict or guess how much rain will fall. Ask your child to write the prediction down on a piece of paper. After the storm, check your gauge.

Compare the actual total to the predicted total. Talk about the information gathered.

Measuring cups Measuring cups provide a great opportunity to learn concepts of volume, including vocabulary words such as more, less, and equal to. Fill a plastic bin with uncooked rice, un-popped popcorn, dried beans, or noodles. Allow your child to explore using all different sized measuring cups including teaspoons, tablespoons, and cup measurers. Pouring from one sized container into another helps children quickly see differences in volume. Ask your child questions, “Which container holds the most? Which holds the least? How many small scoops equals one big scoop? How many noodles do you think will fit into this container? How many popcorn seeds do you think will fit? Let’s count and find out!”

A hammer The claw end of a hammer is a great example of a simple machine. Use an old piece of wood and help your child hammer a nail into it (but not all the way down!). Use the claw end of the hammer to pry the nail out of the wood. That simple exercise is a great example of how levers – a simple machine – work in our everyday environment. Ask your child to look around the house or community for other types of simple machines. Some examples include a ramp (also called an incline plane) to enter a building or on a delivery truck, the lever used on the handle on a toaster, or a wedge to hold a door open.

Oil and water You and your child can have fun investigating and observing different liquids. Working together with oil or corn syrup and water, compare and contrast the smell, colour, and thickness or density of the different liquids. Encourage your child to use descriptive words to describe the stickiness and weight of each liquid. Remind your child that scientists have to use careful observation as they do their experiments, and that their close study of the different liquids is good practice in noticing differences.

A puzzle Puzzles provide great brain exercise. Jigsaw puzzles provide an opportunity to concentrate, analyse, sequence, and problem solve. Talk about puzzle strategy — for example, will you work on creating a frame? Will you choose one area to focus on?

How can your child help pick the pieces for a certain area of the puzzle? Simple puzzles can be made by cutting magazine or calendar pictures into different sections. There are several online puzzle makers as well. Choose something that will not be too overwhelming for your child and work through the puzzle together. (readingrockets.com)

7 APNU got what it wanted from AFC – political analyst news

wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

…says decision to go solo will test AFC’s electoral worth

By Samuel Sukhnandan

P

olitical Analyst Dr David Hinds feels the Alliance for Change (AFC) had little, if any, option but to go solo at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), and this decision will prove more than ever how the party stands in the view of citizens across communities countrywide.

Dr Hinds told Guyana Times on Tuesday that he was not surprised by the AFC’s decision to enter the elections on its own.

According to him, the only other choice the AFC had was to not contest the LGE at all; and that, to him, would have been an admission of defeat by the party.

“In effect, the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) got what it wanted. It forced the AFC to go out and prove its electoral worth in circumstances that are not favourable to the latter. The not-so-veiled message to the

Dr David Hinds

AFC was clear: ‘Contest on your own, or contest with us on APNU terms’,” he opined.

The outspoken political analyst said he feels it all came down to leverage, where the AFC did not have any bargaining power. Unlike in 2015, when the AFC was able to use its performance at the 2011 election to strike a hard bargain in the Cummingsburg Accord, this time around, it

did not have that asset, Dr Hinds opined.

Dr Hinds said the votes at the 2015 election were combined, so the AFC couldn’t accurately pinpoint its share. Further, he said if it is true that the AFC wanted 40 percent of the seat allocation, that was not the smartest demand to make, especially since it badly wanted to go into the election as a Coalition.

He said this present situation gives the APNU the chance to say, “We tried to accommodate you, but your demands were unreasonable.” Perhaps a 20 percent request, Dr. Hinds reasoned, would have swayed the APNU. “But 40 percent demand was dead on arrival simply because the AFC could not demonstrate that it has that amount of electoral support, particularly in the Indian Guyanese community,” he told Guyana Times.

He explained that had

Essequibians raise concerns over... from page 3

As preparations continue, Jagdeo said, the PPP would be ready for Nomination Day, set for September 2018.

The party has also announced plans to balance its list of candidates to contest the LGE on November 12, 2018 by having 50 per cent come from within the Party and 50 per cent from civil society.

Jagdeo has said his Party would ask possible candidates who were going to be on the list if they would have the time to serve or volunteer for these positions.

“We are going to ask them right up front… because they may not have the time, and the work of the NDC (Neighbourhood Democratic Councils) or the

municipality would suffer,” he stated.

Jagdeo said the idea of balancing the slate was to ensure that it includes people coming directly from the communities, who have skills and could relate to the community and push to have the communities improved.

“These are people who are known in the area; people of good repute; law-abiding citizens who have done community work; religious leaders, young people in the youth movements,” he explained.

The PPP General Secretary said one of the major constraints was Councillors having little time to attend meetings; because elected officials do not

earn salaries, and so many of them are “busy earning a living elsewhere”. “…they have to give a commitment that they will support and defend the positions we campaign on,” he explained.

In each of the 81 areas, communities will do their own selection and screening of all of the candidates at the bottom, and then in consultation with the Party leadership.

Candidates, he said, would be expected to possess good interpersonal skills and have a sound grounding in the communities where they reside, especially to prevent the PPP being labelled for something bad.

the AFC, from 2015 onwards, cultivated and consolidated its Indian Guyanese support base, it would have been in a stronger position to make the demands it sought.

Exposed

Dr Hinds went further, stating that the AFC’s decision to go alone leaves that party in an exposed position. He said the party must now prove whether its electoral support is intact or has vanished. And it has to do so in an election in which the turnout is likely to be very low. He reminded that this is the first time since 2011 that the AFC would be facing the electorate on its own.

“My sense is that the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) would make it extremely difficult for the AFC to even campaign in the Indian Guyanese communities. This would leave the party with having to compete with the APNU for African Guyanese votes. The

optics of the latter scenario will be interesting to watch: two coalition partners fighting each other for votes,” he said.

In the final analysis, Dr Hinds thinks this LGE will tell Guyana two things about the AFC. First, it will tell the people whether the party is still a significant electoral force; and secondly, how well the AFC does will tell people what bargaining power it will have when the Cummingsburg Accord comes up for renewal.

“I think the voter turnout among those who voted for the Coalition in 2015 will be very low, and this would hurt the AFC’s chances of doing well. Those who bother to vote will most likely vote for the APNU, which has the machinery to bring out some voters. So my sense is that the AFC would come out of this much weaker than (it) was in 2015. But as the say, political behaviour is unpredictable. I may be proven

wrong,” Dr Hinds declared.

Finally, the political analyst noted that despite all the positive spin and talks being peddled by the AFC and President David Granger about the good health of the Coalition relative to the 2020 election, the fact that they could not reach an understanding on the LGE suggests the total opposite.

“Despite the positive rhetoric, the entrenched culture of party hegemony, particularly from the big partner, continues to trump the letter and spirit of coalition-building.

Coalitionbuilding requires enlightened leadership; constant meaningful consultation and mutual respect among partners; democratic decision-making and the willingness of the big partner to concede ground in the interest of the collective. I think the coalition has come up short in that regard,” he added.

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wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

2 remanded for shooting at Police

T

wo men were on Tuesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when they appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for discharging a loaded firearm at two Police Officers.

Junior John, 32, of Lot 60 East La Penitence, Ruimveldt and Jamal Jeriah, 21, of Lot 236 B Albert Street, Queenstown were not required to plead to the indictable charge. A third accomplice – Carlton Bourne, 21, of Norton and Chapel Streets, Georgetown, was also charged, but did not make an appearance since he was remanded to prison on Monday last after he was slapped with several other charges of similar nature.

The court heard that on August 1, 2018, while the men were in the vicinity of Norton and Chapel Streets, Georgetown, they

Jamal Jeriah shortly after his arrest

discharged a loaded firearm at Police Constable Royston Mendonca with intent to maim, disfigure, or cause actual bodily harm.

It was also alleged that on the same day, the men also discharged a loaded firearm at Police Constable Lester Lewis.

Defence Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat, in a bail ap-

plication for John, told the court that his client was never found with a weapon on his person. He further noted that his client was arrested while he was asleep several hours after the alleged shooting.

Meanwhile, Attorney-atLaw Kezia Williams, in a bail application for Jeriah, told the court that her client was shot as he was being apprehended.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted on the grounds of the serious nature of the offence. However, Magistrate McLennan upheld the prosecution’s request and remanded the men to prison until August 27, 2018.

Additionally, Jeriah was slapped with two additional charges of gun and ammunition possession.

The charge stated that on August 1, 2018, at Norton and Chapel Streets, he had

in his possession a .357 revolver without being a licensed firearm holder at the time.

Another charge stated that on the same day in question, Jeriah also had in his possession four matching rounds along with one spent shell.

Prosecutor Mansfield objected to bail being granted and the man was also remanded on this charge.

The matter will continue on August 27, 2018.

Reports are that on August 1, the car in which Jeriah, John and Bourne were travelling was intercepted by Police at Norton and Chapel Streets, about 15:00h. According to the Police, ranks noticed the occupants of the car acting suspiciously and followed it.

Reports are that as the men observed that they were being followed, one of them opened fire in the direction of the Police ranks, jumped out of the car, and headed towards Princes Street, Georgetown. This resulted in an exchange of gunshots, and Jeriah was shot in his right shoulder.

He was subsequently picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

When this publication visited the scene, Police Officers were seen searching the car and the area. A .357 revolver, with four matching rounds of ammunition and a spent shell, was allegedly recovered.

Money…

L

…for the masses ike most Third World countries coming out of colonialism, we had our share of Marxists. Maybe more than our fair share?? Since Marx’s predictions and theories were based on the contradictions arising out of an INDUSTRIAL capitalist economy, all our Marxists had to accept those theories and predictions on faith, since Guyana was certainly not “industrial”!!

Our Marxists – who also rejected religion as the “opium of the masses”-- never saw the irony of their reliance on faith!!

One of the most die-hard Marxists was Clive Thomas – who actually wrote a book advising the developing and undeveloped countries of the South to cut all linkages with the capitalist countries like the US! He divined from Marx’s utterances that countries like Guyana would forever be trapped in the “exploitative” relationship unless they cut and run!

The problem with all of Thomas’s books was that they had no connection with reality. So when poor, underdeveloped countries like Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and finally China leaped into First World status precisely because of their linkages with the capitalist, you’d think he would recant – if not apologise -- wouldn’t you? But not Thomas!!

He started down another theoretical road, claiming Guyana was a “criminalised state” where the PPP Government was “siphoning off” billions and billions into its pockets!! When his party – the WPA – got into Government in coalition with the PNC, he was given the job to recover those “billions and billions”. But three years down the road, he’s come up empty!! Another claim from his theoretical miasma disappearing in the sunlight of reality!!

However, it now appears that Thomas might finally be jettisoning his Marxist misunderstandings – but sadly, he has become even more unrealistic. The goal of Marxism, of course, was to ultimately create a “communist” society, but to begin a bit more modestly, with a “socialist society”. The difference between the two systems was summarised rather pithily. In “socialism”, it would be expected, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his work”, while in “communism”, it’ll be, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”

The bottom line is that, in each system, folks would still be asked to work, even though what they’ll get in return will vary. But here it is that Thomas -- addressing an Emancipation gathering at Buxton/Friendship -proposed that once our oil money starts flowing in 2020, folks should start receiving some of that money. He suggested $1million annually! – without doing anything!!

Since this is more than our present per capita GNP, your Eyewitness wonders what’ll motivate the masses to cultivate all those farmlands the PNC’s handing out to its supporters?

Or does Emancipation mean “free from all work”??!! …and crime The Government just allocated $16 million to a Jamaican company to create an interactive map to show “crime hot-spots” in Region 4. Now, right away, your Eyewitness’s hackles were raised!! What about the other areas; aren’t their citizens entitled to know THEIR “crime hotspots”? And it better be that the Government’s starting with Region 4 because it has the highest rate of crime – or else they might just be accused of “profiling”!!

We’re told the maps will be “interactive”, like those Google maps that give you directions even here in benighted Guyana. So can we expect some female voice informing us in dulcet tones to avoid a street coming up because it’s a “high crime” location? Will there be whole wards and villages so identified?? The mind boggles!!

But if this is okay, your Eyewitness has a suggestion for GPL…which evidently had hired the mapping company before. Why don’t they have the areas that don’t pay their electricity bills showing up on a map??

The rest of us law-abiding citizens can then know who we’re subsidising!!

…and coalition for LGE So the PNC and AFC fissured for the LGE because the former balked at the 60/40 split of spoils.

Does this mean the AFC also won’t get 40% of the war chest??

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

News

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wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Tourism Authority probing Pegasus fire

…regulations for scrutiny of hotel standards being reviewed

GTA Director Brian Mullis

W

ith a fire disaster being recently averted at the Pegasus Hotel, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has stepped in to determine what exactly happened on that fateful night, when emergency exits were reportedly sealed and smoke alarms were reportedly dys-

functional.

Director of the GTA, Brian Mullis, in an interview with this publication on Tuesday, declared that that agency has now become actively involved in the issue because the Pegasus Hotel had never previously been flagged for safety violations.

“One of the agencies that we depend on is the Fire Department (GFS). So any operator or hotelier, before they can be licensed by the GTA, has to (pass through) the Fire Department. So that falls, to some extent, out of our purview, though safety is within our regulation as well. So our input will be to understand the situation,” he explained.

“We’ve reached out to Pegasus proactively when we heard about the situation. (We want) to come in and understand the situation first hand, because we have heard at least two sides to the story. So we want to understand to what extent

safety and security considerations are in place now,” Mullis explained.

According to Mullis, the GTA wants to work with the Pegasus hotel to ensure that its safety standards are effective. When it comes to scrutiny of hotels in general, Mullis revealed, work is ongoing to review the regulations.

“We are in the process of updating our regulations relating to different subsectors. Currently, we regulated interior hotels; other hotels would fall under the coastal Georgetown city municipality-based hotels, tour operators and guides. We’re updating those regulations so that they reflect best practice in 2018 and into the future. So we’ll be working with hoteliers like Pegasus to get them up to those higher standards as well.”

A statement from the Pegasus Hotel has declared that the fire was extinguished by staff them-

Lover confesses to killing Pomeroon farmer

By Bhisham Mohamed

T

he 47-year-old lover of 73-year-old Deonarine, also called “Russian,” who was found dead with a single gunshot wound to his abdomen, has allegedly confessed to the heinous crime on Tuesday.

The woman, who was once the man’s maid, made the confession during interrogation by members of the Major Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The woman reportedly told detectives that on the night of the murder, the now dead man picked her up from her home at Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast and they went to his house. While there, she made dinner and they ate.

They retied to bed, and had sexual intercourse.

However, an argument broke out between them after she refused to have sex for a second time.

The argument escalated, and the farmer reportedly armed himself with a knife and threatened to kill her if she did not comply with his

Dead: Deonarine, also called Russian

request. This led to a scuffle between them, resulting in the woman being injured as she attempted to take away the weapon.

The knife, she told detectives, fell to the floor, and in retaliation, the elderly man ran to the lower flat of the house, where he collected the firearm from a secured safe and returned. She attempted to take away the gun, but it went off, mortally wounding him.

After the incident, she reportedly got rid of the weapon and raised an alarm, claiming that the el-

derly man was shot during a robbery. The man was rushed to the Charity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Initially, the woman and three employees of the deceased were arrested.

During the preliminary investigation, the woman had told Police that while they were having dinner someone rapped at the door, and the now dead man went to enquire. She claimed the man was attacked by a masked man armed with a firearm. She had claimed that she intervened and held on to the weapon, but instead of letting go, the masked man whipped out a knife, and she held on to that too.

During the commotion, she claimed, Deonarine ran into the lower flat of the house while the armed man over powered her and went in pursuit of the farmer.

When contacted, ‘G’ Division (Essequibo Coast and Islands) Commander, Superintendent Khali Pareshram, confirmed that the woman has confessed to the murder.

The scene at the Pegasus Hotel after the fire was averted

selves, and that the smoke alarm in the kitchen did go off. According to the statement, guests were evacuated “out of an abundance of caution…”

“We understand the anxieties of our guests, who were inconvenienced. We are pleased that all guests were returned to their rooms within a short period of time, and that there were no injuries or any need for relocation to another property or alternative accommodation,” the hotel stated in a release on Tuesday evening.

US State Dept

On Monday, the United States State Department is-

sued an alert on the Pegasus Hotel. The alert came hours after a 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.

On Sunday evening, guests at the Pegasus Hotel had to be treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in the kitchen area of the hotel 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 ar-

rived on 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 being 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 noted 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 was not trained to deal with such an occurrence.

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

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wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt accused of playing games with welfare of sugar workers – as new Attorneys retained to challenge request for severance

A

ttorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall, representing the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) in the matter regarding severance payments for ex-sugar workers, has claimed that Government is playing with the lives and welfare of those persons, and another legal challenge has been mounted.

Nandall told media operatives on Tuesday outside the courts following a court hearing that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has now retained the services of popular law firm Cameron and Shepherd, with Attorneys Ralph Ramkarran, Nikhil Ramkarran and Kamal

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall

Ramkarran.

While Government has promised to pay the sugar workers, Nandlall

said, through NICIL and GuySuCo, they are trying to get the sugar workers’ case thrown out using all kinds of technical legal arguments.

“It would appear that, at this late stage, the sugar workers’ struggle continues.

That though they have been dismissed without cause; they have been rendered redundant; their families have been put on the breadline without a word of consultation with them; and the fact that they have no alternative employment provided to them; and now, even to get their Severna pay, it’s a struggle,” he opined.

Nandall said Ramkarran Senior raised a series of objections and has filed an application to strike out the workers’ claim; and lawyers hired by NICIL have done the same. “The lawyers now have obviously been instructed by the Government, NICIL and GuySuCo to

come here and play games and frustrate the workers.

And I believe what is playing out here is the true intent of the Government.”

The matter will be heard again on September 4, when the defence have to file an answer to certain contentions the other parties in the matter have filed.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, had said during a post Cabinet press briefing in early July that Government would be making the second tranche of severance payments to 4283 retrenched sugar workers at the end of 2018, when it said it would.

This is despite the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) filing legal proceedings against the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), to which GuySuCo has transferred all of its assets.

GAWU, which is the legitimate trade union for the sugar workers, is seeking “all severance or redundancy payments or allowances due, owing and payable under the provisions of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act, Chapter 96:01”, paid to the 4283 employees attached to the Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara Sugar Estates, who were made redundant in 2017.

In January of this year, Government had announced

that redundant sugar estate workers whose severance payments are $500,000 and less will be paid in full by the end of January 2018, while workers receiving in excess of the aforementioned sum would attain 50 per cent of their severance benefits by the end of January, and the other 50 per cent at the end of 2018.

GAWU, in its proceedings, is contending that it is illegal for Government

more than 4000 workers were paid only a portion of their severance payments.

The lawyers highlighted that even while this was ongoing, GuySuCo transferred all of its assets for those three estates under the Finance Minister to NICIL as per notice published in the Official Gazette (Extraordinary) of Guyana on December 30, 2017.

Lawyers also observed that GuySuCo has been col-

Protesting sugar workers

to pay the severance in two tranches, as this is against the letter and spirit of what is outlined by Section 21 of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay (TESPA) Act. In the legal documents, it was outlined that the redundant workers were to receive their redundancy allowance/severance payment no later than December 29, 2017.

The legal team, which is led by Attorney Anil Nandlall, stated that the

lateralised as security for a $30 billion loan that it has or is borrowing from commercial banks.

The attorneys are seeking an order from the court to direct the respondents –GuySuCo and NICIL, their officers, servants and agents – to “pay forthwith to the said 4280 employees of GuySuCo – and members of the applicant, all severance or redundancy payments or allowances due, owing and payable under the provisions of TESPA.”

Chinoweng Village gets boat, engine to transport children to school

T

he “Five Bs” Initiative began some three years ago, and President David Granger has since donated 27 buses and 14 boats to aid the transportation of school children across Guyana.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), these donations were all made possible through contributions from private and business persons, but President Granger said last Sunday that the objective of allowing every child to go to school remains the same.

The Head of State has handed over to the Village of Chinoweng, in Region Seven, (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) a new boat and engine worth $1.3 million.

Giving remarks before the presentation was made to Toshao Roger Ronald, President Granger recalled the road which led to the initiative back in 2015. continued on page 13

President David Granger handing over the key to Toshao Roger Ronald of Chinoweng Village

11 McAllister vows to strengthen PNC if elected Vice Chair news

wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

…satisfied with Congress preparations, process

By Michael Younge

L

ongstanding People’s National Congress Reform Executive Member Thandi McAllister on Tuesday vowed to strengthen her party while working to advance the interests of women and youth across the country by focusing on the implementation of socio-economic policies that would lead to their overall empowerment, should she become the party’s next Vice Chairman at its upcoming Congress.

McAllister, speaking with the Guyana Times during an interview, said she believes she has acquired a wealth of experience and knowledge over the past two decades to function effectively as that party’s next Vice Chairperson, having served her party at various levels.

“I have come through the ranks. I have served”, she stated, while explaining that she is not just merely interested in clinching the nod from the delegates to serve as the party’s VC, but is more concerned about continuing the rich legacy of the PNC/R and its founding principles.

“I want to make a meaningful contribution to the formulation of party policies which will eventually

Thandi McAllister

impact national policy,” the 36-year-old Maritime attorney-at-law explained during the interview.

Asked if she were selected to serve what she would do differently, McAllister insisted that it wasn’t about changing the way things are done if there is no need to at the moment, but moreso ensuring that there is continuity of the work of the Office of Vice Chairman of the PNC/R. She admitted that she has seen party delegates and other party members since accepting the nomination to vie for the post of PNC/R VC. So far, McAllister confirmed, there have been meetings and engagements held with representatives from Regions Three and Six.

The PNC/R Executive also explained that other engagements are scheduled to take place in Regions Two, Four Seven and Nine.

“I have been meeting the delegates. We have been engaging them on a number of matters. I intend to continue these meetings,” McAllister noted.

Questioned as to whether she was concerned that there were other experienced candidates who might receive the nod ahead of her, the lawyer responded in the negative. She insisted that the PNC/R Congress was about democracy and respecting the right of all financial members to run for high office in order to serve if they were nominated.

“This is not a divisive race; this is about party democracy, and the election of office bearers will reflect the truly democratic nature of the PNC/R as a political party. Competition is nothing new within the PNC”, she remarked.

She accepted that running for the post requires hard work, but explained that she is excited and upbeat throughout the experience because the support from delegates has been overwhelming.

“I think that I have gathered support from the base, and that’s important”, she

confessed.

McAllister joined the PNC in 1994 at the age of 12. She commenced participating in the activities of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) in the village of Uitvlugt, WCD, and in 1996 secured membership of the now PNCR as a member of the GYSM, serving the GYSM as National Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.

She is currently the CEC Representative of Region 3.

Soon after accepting the nomination to run for VC, she said in a social media post, “I am both humbled and honoured that its membership has expressed confidence in my ability to function as a Vice Chairperson”.

McAllister graduated as valedictorian at International Maritime Administration’s (IMO) International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI).

McAllister is a Legal Officer attached to the Maritime

Administration Department (MARAD). The class of 20172018 comprised students from 41 different countries.

When it comes to Vice Chairmanship, there are seven other nominees. They are Volda Lawrence, Joseph Harmon, Dr George Norton, Annette Ferguson, James Bond, Winston Felix, and overseas-based Cosbert Roberts. The PNC’s Biennial Delegates Congress to elect a new Chairperson is slated for August 17-19, 2018.

Decomposed body fished out of EBD canal identified as “Wild Buck”

O

ne day after the badly decomposed body of a male was fished out of a canal at Craig, East Bank Demerara, it has been identified as that of 28-year-old Kevin Ketwaroo, also called “Wild Buck”, a mason of Friendship, EBD. The body was on Tuesday identified at the Lyken’s Funeral Home by the dead man’s sister Marina Mc Calmon and his brother Adrian Ketwaroo.

When contacted, the sister told Guyana Times that family members are still trying to gather information that might lead to an understanding of the cir-

cumstances attending the man’s death.

She explained that the late Kevin, who had been employed with a private security firm, had left home a few days ago; and when he did not return home, relatives became worried and started to search for him, but to no avail. Upon hearing the news that a body had been found at Craig, EBD, they decided to make some inquiries at the Grove Police Station. They were then escorted to the Lyken’s Funeral Home, where their worst fears were confirmed.

The woman did not divulge any additional information.

The body of the late

Kevin Ketwaroo was found floating in a canal at Craig Side Line Dam, EBD. The body was reportedly discovered at about 13:00h by a male, who contacted the Grove Police Station.

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

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

Now that the body has been identified, a post mortem will be conducted to determine what had caused the man’s demise.

12 news

wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Appeal Court upholds GRA offers 50% off interest ex-Policeman’s dismissal on outstanding taxes …fired after collecting $50,000

T

he Appeal Court of Guyana has upheld the dismissal of a Policeman who received marching orders after he had been embroiled in accepting a $50,000 bribe more than 15 years ago.

The decision was returned

by Justices Dawn Gregory, Rishi Persaud and acting Justice Dr Arif Bulkan. They upheld the May 7, 2013 decision of High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds, who ruled that the June 15, 2002 dismissal of Police Corporal Patrick Austin was fair.

Austin was dismissed via letter signed by then Police Commissioner Floyd McDonald. By disciplinary action, the ex-Police Corporal was found guilty of receiving the bribe. Austin was the subordinate officer-in-charge of the Licensing and Certifying Office in Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast back then.

According to the case file, the Police Force had received an anonymous concerned citizen’s letter in January 2001, claiming that Austin had solicited a bribe in regard to a driver’s licence in the year 2000. Investigations later revealed that Austin had obtained $50,000 from Abdul Khan to secure two driver’s licences for Abdool Wazim Kamal and Abdool Aswezeem Kamal.

The ex-corporal implicated in the illegal act was informed of the investigation in November 2001. During an inquiry which was held, Abdool Kamal testified that Policeman Austin had solicited a bribe from him in the sum of $25,000 to obtain a driver’s licence for his son, Abdool A. Kamal.

He said the money was paid to the appellant, Austin,

The Appeal Court of Guyana

by his nephew Shazad, also noting that he gave Austin a further $25,000 to pay for another driver’s licence. The man was cross-examined by the Police rank, and the witness denied that he was being untruthful.

Further, Abdool Wazim Kamal also testified that his father Abdool Kamal had given Shazad $25,000 to pay Austin to obtain a driver’s licence. Kamal outlined that he obtained a driver’s licence for a motorcycle without taking the required written examination.

Meanwhile, Abdool Aswazeem Kamal outlined that his father Abdool Kamal gave him $25,000, and he gave this sum to Shazad.

Abdool Aswazeem said he also obtained a driver’s licence without taking the required examination.

Shazad Ali stated that he collected a total of $50,000 from Abdool Kamal, which he paid to Austin at the Anna Regina Police Station in a wrapped parcel. Ali said Austin checked the money in his presence. He, however, claimed he did not know for what purpose the money had been paid.

Court documents also disclosed the testimony of

Inspector Deane, who was attached to the Office of Professional Responsibility.

He said that, after receiving instructions, he contacted the four witnesses, and thereafter sought legal advice.

Inspector Deane detailed that when he checked the licensing book, he found that Corporal Austin had issued two driver’s licences to persons whose addresses were listed in Georgetown.

After the conclusion of the inquiry, Austin objected to the Force’s dismissal, and he took his case to the High Court. However, after Justice Reynolds ruled against him, he then filed proceedings in the Appellate Court. However, according to the Appellate Justices, while there may have been procedural lapses in the conduct of the investigation, the purpose of the Police Discipline Act was exercised in Austin’s matter.

The Appeal Court therefore affirmed Justice Reynolds’s May 2013 decision.

Attorney-at-law Roysdale Forde appeared for the Appellant, while State Counsel Judy Stuart-Adonis appeared for the Respondent, the Commissioner of Police.

…as entity extends tax amnesty period

T

he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has given tax defaulters extra time to pay their arrears with its announcement that the tax amnesty period has entered its second and final phase.

On Tuesday, the tax body said this final phase of the tax amnesty period will run from July 1 to September 30, 2018.

According to information disclosed, both individual and corporate taxpayers who file all outstanding tax returns (true and correct) and pay all principal taxes, “can qualify for fifty percent (50%) off all interests and penalties” in the final phase.

GRA said: “This recourse to settle tax liability applies to those who are delinquent in filing and payment, those who mistakenly underreported or understated their income, and/or those who are subjected to completed audits and a determination was made that the additional taxes owed to the GRA are still outstanding.”

GRA, however, cautioned that this amnesty period relates only to liabilities up to, and including, the Year of Assessment 2017, and not for the current year, 2018.

The tax body clarified that only Income, Corporate, Property, Capital Gains and Withholding Tax-related penalties will be waived.

It observed that interest which has been accumulated on trustee taxes such as Value Added Tax (VAT), PAYE (Pay As You Earn) remittances, Travel Voucher Tax, Travel Ticket Tax, and Premium Tax will not be

waived.

“Tax Amnesty was introduced in the 2018 National Budget in two phases: the first phase, January 1 to June 30, offered a full waiver of the interest and penalties; while the second phase, July 1 to September 30, is offering a 50 percent waiver. In the process of seeking amnesty, taxpayers are advised to request a tax status check/liability statement from the GRA’s Debt Management Unit before proceeding further,” GRA added.

East La Penitence vendor robbed at gunpoint

C

yral Belcaram of Gordon Street, Kitty Georgetown, a stallholder of the East La Penitence Market, was held at gunpoint by a lone gunman who entered the market and confiscated his gold chain, a gold ring, a Samsung Galaxy S8 cellular phone, and $330,000 in cash.

Based on information received, the incident occurred

at about 13:30h on Tuesday, while the victim was sitting in a chair with the back door of his stall open. He suddenly heard a voice saying, “Don’t move, give me everything”, and as he spun around, he was confronted by the suspect, who was armed with a hand gun.

The armed man reportedly first confiscated the jewellery Belcaram was wearing. Not satisfied, he

then went into the man’s pocket and took away his cash. After committing the act, the young man exited the market and escaped on a black motorcycle. An alarm was raised and the Police were summoned.

The Police are yet to extract footage from CCTV cameras in the area, but several persons were questioned as Police continue their investigations.

news

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wednesdAY, august 8, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

NIS recorded successive deficits since 2015 – GM ...GuySuCo among biggest defaulters

NIS General Manager Holly Greaves

T

he National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has been recording successive deficits over the past few years. This is according to the entity’s General Manager, Holly Greaves, who appeared before the Parliamentary Social Services Committee (PSSC) on Monday.

According to Greaves, NIS has had to deal with the effects of a consistently aging and retiring population; a situation not likely to have been helped by the firing of thousands of sugar workers under the coalition

Government.

“For the last three years we have recorded deficits, but what we are doing now is (trying) to get into some (of) those areas that we have contributors and undertake feasibility studies to see how best we can increase our contributing population,” she informed the committee.

When it comes to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Greaves revealed that it may come down to litigation in order for NIS to get some $250 million in interest owed on a $1.5 bil-

lion debt the corporation had previously cleared.

This raises serious questions, as an employer is responsible for remitting money from individual workers’ salaries to NIS. If this was not being done, however, a likely question is: where was the money going all this time prior to the clearance of the debt?

Economic Advisor to the Opposition, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, predicted in February that the NIS would “go belly up” – a direct result of the management of GuySuCo. According to Dr Ramroop, “The President, or his Finance Minister, clearly did not think through the longterm impact of shutting down an entire industry (and) placing thousands on the breadline at the same time.”

According to Dr Ramsaroop, “NIS is already in trouble. (It is) no way near to being a fiscally solid institution with its expenditure outstripping revenue in recent years, along with (it having made) some bad in-

Chinoweng Village gets...

“Three years ago, when I entered office after a very long campaign, I went into many rivers, and one of the important things I noticed was that many children were not going to school because they didn’t have transportation. And we started in 2015 what we called “Three Bs”,” the president told villagers.

He said the programme has so far acquired 27 buses and 14 boats, which he noted will help children attend school free of charge. He reminded that in communities

with roads, children are given bicycles.

Just last week, while celebrating Emancipation with villagers at Number 53 Village on the Corentyne, the Head of State donated another 25 bicycles to children along the Corentyne Coast.

“The most important thing about this boat -- and I am reminding Chinoweng -- is that children must go to school; children must not be kept away from school. I am proud of this presentation,” the Head of State told Chinoweng

From page 10

residents.

The donation was made possible through Beverly Tapp of B & J Civil Works, in observance of her company’s 25th anniversary. Tapp said, “I decided that we are going to donate a boat (and engine). I just want you to use it safely and care it.” She noted that the business community is “here to support the people”.

The contribution came at a time when the village is participating in the annual Upper Mazaruni District Games in Waramadong.

vestments.”

He explained that the institution currently spends more than it earns, and has had to regularly tap into its reserves to make basic payments. “So I am extremely worried that when the euphoria of the part-severance payment wears off and life sets in, what the long-term economic effects will be.”

Dr Ramsaroop said the prevailing social circum-

stances were ripe for a large number of the laid-off sugar workers and their dependent family members in the near future – say three to five years – to make claims on the NIS, since they are of the belief that their contributions would have been made

by GuySuCo. “Remember, we are talking about medical benefits that these now sick and unemployed sugar workers

will be looking to claim,” the financial analyst said, as he predicted widespread chaos in the near future when thousands of workers turn up to make claims at the NIS only to realise they have “nothing to get”.

He informed Guyana Times that, based on available data, GuySuCo owes NIS in excess of $1.5 billion in contributions from sugar workers.

14 news

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“We will hire world-class expertise” – Harmon ...says Dr Bynoe does not have to be oil & gas expert

N

oting that the President used his prerogative and judgement to appoint Dr Mark Bynoe as the new head of the Department of Energy, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, maintained that world class oil and gas experts will eventually be hired afterwards.

Responding to suggestions made on Monday that Dr Bynoe is not qualified enough for the job, Harmon said Dr Bynoe is an excellent choice, and he does not have to be a “world class” expert on oil and gas to head a department that would play a pivotal role in Guyana’s blossoming oil sector.

“In the media, there has been some concern about the qualifications of Dr Bynoe, and whether he is the right man. He is an excellent choice for this department, and comes with excellent credentials. Besides

Dr Mark Bynoe is the new head of the Department of Energy

his stated qualifications and the work he has done on climate change and the environment, I think I saw a letter from (Ramesh) Dookhoo from the private sector that says he was head of the PSC. “In addition to that, we will hire the people that are needed for the department.

Dr Bynoe does not have to

be a world class expert. He is now going to head up a team that will identify the specific skills needed for the department. And we are going to pay for that.”

The Minister also explained that several principles would be used to establish the department.

These include financing, operationalising and organising. According to Harmon, Government is in the organising phase.

“Already there is some handing over taking place between Dr Bynoe and the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Petroleum section of that ministry. So it’s not like if we have a totally new kid on the block.

We already have a structure, albeit not up to the mark in terms of what is required.

We have a structure, and we are taking that into consideration. We already have advice on the structure.”

Prerogative

Questioned on whether there was a competitive process to appoint Dr Bynoe, Harmon noted that appointments of directors to head departments in the Ministry of the Presidency are entirely up to the President.

“Dr Bynoe has been appointed from the 1 August as the Director of the Department of Energy. All departments under the Ministry of the Presidency are (staffed with) persons who are appointed by the President. So you have a Department of Energy, the Director was appointed by the President,” Harmon explained.

“We have a Department of Public Service, and the director, who was the permanent secretary there, is also director. So departments under the Ministry of the Presidency are appointed by the President in his own de-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

liberate judgement. There may be considerations that would be taken into account; but, by and large, in the Ministry (of the Presidency), the heads of those departments are appointed by the President.”

Dr Bynoe is a former Director of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Guyana. By profession, he is an Environment and Resource Economist. There have been expressions of support and criticism since his appointment.

Following a proposal he

had made, Government had announced its intention in April of this year to take responsibility for the oil sector from Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman.

Trotman himself had made the announcement in a taped interview with the Department of Public Information, in which he said, “Government will, in the coming months, establish the Department of Energy, which will be housed in the Ministry of the Presidency.”

Trotman said also that the department would be “focused only on the development of the petroleum sector,” based on a proposal that he had made to President David Granger last year. Trotman, and indeed the Government, has received much criticism for the way the budding oil sector has been handled.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has been designated the holder of ministerial responsibility for this department. He announced the creation of this Energy Department to oversee Guyana’s oil and gas sector the very next month.

72 to participate in Youth Parliament 2018

A scene from 2017 Youth Parliament debate

S

ome 72 persons, including students from each administrative region in Guyana, are expected to participate in the 4th Annual Youth Parliament, set for staging from August 10 to August 18.

The Parliament Office on Tuesday announced that three students from each administrative region would be selected to represent their region, but Region 4 will be sending 4 students on its behalf.

The nine-day event, which would include training days, is expected to see two days of heated debate.

The students will be debat-

ing motions on topical matters, with the most important motion to be presented on Oil and Gas and how it can benefit Guyanese.

Former Youth Parliamentarian Travis Bruce, who participated in the first ever Youth Parliament in 2015, will, along with his organisation, be conducting a session on the role of Guyanese youths in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

According to Bruce, his experience has developed him as a person, something he cannot wait for this year’s participants to experience. continued on page 15

news

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Ramsammy’s Ruminations President promoting an unfair stereotype

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resident Granger this week called Guyanese youth lazy and without ambition; freeloaders. Addressing an Afro-Guyanese audience at BV, East Coast Demerara on Emancipation Day, President Granger castigated his listeners for spending too much time in Guinness Bars, wasting too much time liming at street corners, and not helping themselves.

He insulted not only AfroGuyanese, but all Guyanese.

He was promoting an unfair and totally false stereotype that Guyanese youth are lazy, not interested in meaningful employment, and always looking out for a “raise”. Granger’s admonition comes at a time when his Government has proven impotent in tackling growing unemployment, a Dr Leslie Ramsammy lack of investment, a failing economy, the financial crisis, and a diminishing hope.

The President insisted that our people must endeavour to own “boats, buses and bicycles”. In calling on his audience to own “boats, buses and bicycles”, Granger wants people to help themselves, and not depend on Government for employment.

This is a favourite theme of this President. We would recall that, previously, he had called on Guyanese to become entrepreneurs by “selling plantain chips and cook-up”. There is something worrying about the ideas and views of President Granger. He promotes the idea of entrepreneurship, of wealth generation in the villages, communities and towns, of making a living through peasant entrepreneurship. It is business all right, but it is designed to keep people and their families poor and struggling to make ends meet every day.

There is nothing wrong in making a living selling plantain chips or cook-up. There is nothing wrong in operating a small business like a milk vendor, who uses his bicycle to sell milk. There is nothing wrong in owning a boat to fish, selling your fish to make a living. There is nothing wrong in owning a small farm, selling vegetables in the market.

Thousands of Guyanese families survive by such small-scale entrepreneurship, earning a dignified living. But the truth is that these activities, which once earned people small but meaningful wealth, keep people in today’s society struggling on a daily basis.

Few vendors can afford to buy an I-phone, much less a car; and for many, owning their own homes might be impossible.

Many persons who own fishing boats struggle to make a living. The Guyanese family that buys a bus and operates a one-bus service to transport passengers barely ekes out a living, spending too many years trying to pay for the bus. The plantain chip and cook-up vendors are not exactly generating wealth that guarantees their families even a low middle-class existence.

I do believe that entrepreneurship is worthy of promotion, and that we must, as a nation, encourage local entrepreneurship, small and large, making it possible for as many Guyanese as possible to own their own businesses.

These businesses would not only provide a means of wealth generation in our villages and communities, but generate meaningful employment for people.

Under the PPP, before 2015, thousands of small businesses were developed, with bottom house manufacturing, village salons, village boutiques etc. Small businesses sprouted throughout the Coastline from Crabwood Creek to Parika; in Linden and throughout the hinterland. Government must encourage these, and ensure that they not only exist, but enable the operators to both make a living and generate wealth. Granger failed to provide assurances that his Government’s policies would enable successful local investment.

Small village entrepreneurs in Guyana have, since 2015, suffered because large enterprises like the sugar factories have closed, driving many of the small entrepreneurs out of business, since their customers are now unemployed.

Business investment has literally ground to a halt. It is not the youth in Guinness Bars, or those liming at street corners, or those that are unemployed who are responsible for the national malaise that exists today. While castigating poor people, Granger was essentially blaming them for the decline in sugar, bauxite, gold, forestry etc.; for the massive decrease in the international and gold reserves; for the dramatic decline in profits by banks and other large businesses; for the increase in bad loans. Granger’s APNU+AFC has no solution to these troubling realities. The fact is APNU+AFC is standing around waiting for OIL. Some of our young people might indeed be liming at street corners, waiting for a “raise”.

But the Granger-led APNU+AFC Government is liming big in luxury offices with luxury salaries, jetting around the world, waiting for a “raise” from oil.

Essequibo Coast electrocution

Victim had steel in leg following accident T he relatives of 24-year-old Orin Cozier who was electrocuted on Monday on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are still in a state of shock and disbelief at his death.

This newspaper was told that the young man, who had been employed with the Public Infrastructure Ministry up to the time of his demise, had travelled to Region Two with a few other colleagues on Saturday last to complete some work.

Leorme Cozier, a sister of the late Orin Cozier, told Guyana Times that family members received the dreadful news of her brother’s demise at about 15:00h on Monday, and his father immediately travelled up to the Essequibo Coast to get firsthand information on what had taken place.

Dead: Orin Cozier

The aggrieved sister related that, based on reports received, her brother was apparently heading to Supenaam when he saw a friend, and as such, he disembarked the vehicle in which he was travelling and accosted his friend.

The friend he had seen, Asif Azeez, was at the time

supervising workers as they ran electric wires to facilitate the installation of street lights. Her late brother and Azeez were chatting while simultaneously holding an electric wire when it came in contact with a transformer that energised it with over 6000 volts, and the resultant electric shock reportedly tossed Azeez and Cozier several feet away, both landing on the roadway.

Cozier, in an unconscious state, while Azeez, having sustained severe injuries, were both rushed to the Suddie Hospital, where Cozier was pronounced dead on arrival and Azeez was admitted a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Up to late Tuesday afternoon, his condition was listed as stable.

In a solemn voice, Leorme Cozier explained that her now dead brother had, a few

years ago, been involved in an accident, and as a result, steel had to be placed in one of his legs.

“I guess it was because of the steel in his foot he died…

At the time too, he was not wearing safety boots, so the current pitch him”, the sister noted.

At her home on Tuesday, she noted that family members are still coming to grips with her brother’s death, and that his body will be transported to the city on Thursday.

At the late Orin Cozier’s Lot 30 Dowding Street, Kitty Georgetown home, his mother was too distraught to speak with this publication. She said her husband would be the most appropriate person to give details of the unfortunate and deadly incident.

72 to participate in Youth...

“As it relates to my participation in previous years, I would’ve been very much impressed with the way things were organised and executed. The first year, I remember being a little in shallow water, I wasn’t sure what to expect; but at the end of it, I was empowered to do so much more, not only in my school, but also in the community level. So I think that this year is actually much better, and I believe that the young people that are coming would not only be exposed to decorum and the etiquette that should be observed in the house, but they will also be exposed to meeting new people and having new opportunities,” the youth reflected.

Parliament’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yannick December noted that this year’s event is expected to be bigger and much better than the previous years’.

“This year is going to be bigger and better. We’ve put a lot of planning into this, and we would like to encourage every one of you to follow us on our live streaming to see what it will be like.

On our website, there is a tab that states live streams, so you can go follow the tabs.

I’ll also ensure that I have the live stream link placed on our Facebook page, to make it easier,” the PRO encouraged.

In addition, Principal Assistant Secretary of Finance, Vanessa Paul, highlighted that to conclude this year’s Youth Parliament, a grand reception will be held at which the participants will be pinned by current

Parliamentarians.

“The dinner and reception is scheduled for the 16th of August, and at the reception, the event will be focused on honouring our

youth parliamentarians, with one of the main features being the pinning of the Youth by our current parliamentarians,” she explained.

From page 14

In excess of $5M was spent for the event last year.

However, even though the figure was not disclosed, this year’s event is expected to be much costlier.

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wednesdAY, august 8, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

California wildfire will burn for Iran sanctions: Trump the rest of August, say officials warns trading partners

C

alifornia's biggest wildfire on record is expected to burn for the rest of the month, fire officials said on Tuesday.

The Mendocino Complex Fire has already engulfed 290,692 acres (117,639 hectares) –- almost the size of Los Angeles.

Barely a third of it is under control, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Firefighters are tackling 18 major blazes across the state amid strong winds and low humidity.

The fire – which comprises two blazes in the state's north – was declared the biggest in California's history on Monday.

Officials had set a target to extinguish the fire by mid-August, but they now say they will need until ear-

U

The Mendocino Complex Fire has already engulfed 290,692 acres (117,639 hectares) – almost the size of Los Angeles

ly September.

The fire has burned 75 buildings and led to thousands of evacuations.

A separate blaze – the Carr fire, further north – has killed at least seven people and destroyed more than 1500 structures. Burning through almost 160,000 acres, it was 47 per cent contained by late Monday.

Meanwhile, more fires

have been breaking out, adding to the mammoth workload of fire crews.

The so-called Holy Fire, in southern California, grew dramatically and rapidly on Monday, with two hikers needing to be airlifted to safety.

At least 14,000 firefighters are struggling to contain the multiple outbreaks.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

India mourns political giant Karunanidhi

V

eteran Indian politician Muthuvel Karunanidhi has died at the age of 94.

He was being treated for age-related illnesses in Chennai (formerly Madras) in southern India's Tamil Nadu state.

Karunanidhi served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu five times between 1969 and 2011, and also played a key role in federal politics. He contested – and won – 13 elections in the state.

A school dropout, he made his name as a successful scriptwriter in Tamil films.

Police have increased security in Chennai amid fears of unrest among his supporters, who have gathered in the streets in large numbers.

Karunanidhi died at 18:10 h local times (12:40 GMT) on Tuesday, the Kauvery Hospital in Chennai said.

He was active in politics until his death and most recently contested the

2016 state assembly against his long-time opponent and bitter rival Jayaram Jayalalitha, who died later that year.

An atheist and self-declared rationalist, Karunanidhi rose to political prominence in the 1940s as part of the Dravidian movement – which challenged the supremacy of upper caste Brahmins – and through his participation in anti-Hindi language agitations. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Bangladesh criticised for student and media crackdown

B

angladeshi authorities are "unlawfully attacking" student protesters in a crackdown after days of demonstrations while locking up people for "peaceful criticism", a human rights group said. Numerous witnesses claimed individuals linked to the ruling Awami League party have attacked protesters with machetes and sticks, according to a statement released on Monday by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"Yet again, Bangladesh authorities seem determined to take abusive shortcuts to problems, and then denounce those who criticise," HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said in

S President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to anyone trading with Iran, following his re-imposition of sanctions on the country.

"Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States," the President tweeted.

Some re-imposed sanctions took effect overnight and tougher ones relating to oil exports will begin in November.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the measures were "psychological warfare" which aimed to "sow division among Iranians".

The sanctions follow the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of

the statement. "The authorities should immediately release anyone ... they have locked up for peaceful criticism."

Adams urged authorities to "prosecute those, including members of the ruling party's

youth supporters, who are attacking children with sticks and machetes". The Government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has denied the allegations that its activists were involved in such attacks. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

and said they would "ratchet up to another level" in November.

"I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less!" he said.

On Monday, he had said that Iran faced a choice to "either change its threatening, destabilising behaviour and reintegrate with the global economy, or continue down a path of economic isolation".

"I remain open to reaching a more comprehensive deal that addresses the full range of the regime's malign activities, including its ballistic missile programme and its support for terrorism," he said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Maduro to release proof of Colombian role in drone 'attack'

V

enezuelan President Nicolás Maduro promised to release proof of Colombian involvement in what he calls an assassination attempt against him.

In a video posted on Twitter, Maduro said Police and the military had captured all the perpetrators and were in the process of tracking down the attack's masterminds.

"There is sufficient evidence of the participation of the outgoing Colombian Government of President Juan Manuel Santos," he said late Monday, adding he would release proof "in the next few hours".

Santos, whose term in office ended on Tuesday, refuted the accusations, saying he was at a family event on Saturday when a drone load-

Relations between Venezuela and neighbouring Colombia have been fraught in recent years [Reuters via Miraflores Palace Handout]

ed with explosives detonated near a military event where Maduro was giving a speech.

"For God's sake. To Venezuela's president I say this: On Saturday I was doing more important things. I was at my granddaughter's baptism," said Santos.

Maduro was unharmed in Saturday's incident, which he blamed on a right-wing plot involving Colombia and financiers in the US state of Florida, where many Venezuelans live. Seven soldiers were wounded in the blast.(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Malaysian ex-PM Najib to be charged with money laundering

M

Dozens have been injured in Dhaka during more than a week of clashes [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]

Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, earlier this year.

The deal, negotiated during the presidency of Barack Obama, saw Iran limit its controversial nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Trump has called the deal "one-sided", "disastrous" and the "worst I've ever seen".

He believes renewed economic pressure will force Iran to agree to a new deal.

The European Union, which remains committed to the original agreement, has spoken out against the sanctions, vowing to protect firms doing "legitimate business" with Iran.

He praised the "most biting sanctions ever imposed"

alaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak will be charged under the money-laundering act on Wednesday in connection with an ongoing scandal concerning the 1MDB state investment fund, the Government said.

Najib, 65, was summoned on Tuesday to the office of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), where he was questioned for about 45 minutes, Reuters news

agency reported.

The anti-corruption agency issued a statement soon after Najib's departure from their offices saying that the former Prime Minister would be charged under the anti-money laundering act.

"The charges are related to the SRC International case," the statement said.

Funds were allegedly transferred from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia

Development Berhad (1MDB), into Najib's personal account.

Last month, Najib was charged with abuse of power and three counts of criminal breach of trust for allegedly depositing 42 million ringgit (US$10 million) in State funds into his personal bank account between December 2014 and February 2015.

He has denied all charges and was released on bail a day after his arrest. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

Brazilian Judge overturns order German couple jailed for selling shutting border to Venezuelans son to paedophiles on dark net

A

woman who sold her son to paedophiles on the dark net has been jailed for 12 years and six months by a court in southern Germany.

The Freiburg court also jailed her partner, the boy's stepfather, for 12 years. The boy was nine when the trial began in June.

The German nationals, 48 and 39 years old, had sexually abused the boy themselves for at least two years.

The dark net is an internet area beyond the reach of mainstream search engines.

On Monday, the court jailed a Spanish man for 10 years for sexually abusing the boy repeatedly.

Five other men have also been prosecuted in connection with the abuse.

The couple were found guilty of rape, aggravated sexual assault of children, forced prostitution and distribution of child pornography.

The boy is now living with foster parents.(Excerpt from BBC News)

B

razil briefly closed its northern border to Venezuelans in a bid to contain ongoing mass migration from its crisis-ridden Latin American neighbour, only to reopen the crossing soon after.

A Supreme Court Justice overturned on Monday a federal court's decision hours earlier to suspend the entry of more migrants un-

til those already residing in the northernmost state of Roraima were transferred elsewhere in Brazil.

The border had remained open to Brazilians and other nationalities, as well as Venezuelans returning home.

"It is not justified to take the easy path to 'close the doors' because of difficulties in hosting refugees,"

Supreme Court Judge Rosa Weber said in her ruling.

"Although most of those who cross the border ... do not fit into the legal definition of refugee or asylum, closing the border between the two countries could impact the situation of individuals who can qualify for protections under international law," she added. (Excerpt from Al

Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesdAY, august 8, 2018

ARCHIE

Refuse to let someone’s emotional tactics interfere (March 21with your progress. If you stay April 19) focused on what’s important to you, you will reach your goal.

Physical improvements will energize you and encourage romance.

ARIES

Show you care and live TAURUS up to your promises. What (April 20- you do will make a differMay 20) ence. Don’t rely on someone who talks big but does little.

Anger is a waste of time.

dilbert

Taking short trips, holdGEMINI (May 21- ing meetings and schmoozJune 20) ing with colleagues will help you round up support and allies who are willing to pitch in and help. Personal gains will require discipline.

Emotional domestic matters will surface and should (June 21- be handled with restraint.

July 22) Overreacting or being stubborn will only build a bigger wedge between you and someone you care about.

CANCER

Peanuts

Personal improvements LEO and spiritual growth will have (July 23- an impact on the way you live Aug. 22) and what you are willing to put up with. Plan your lifestyle to suit your emotional needs.

Step into the future and VIRGO bring about the changes (Aug. 23that will separate you from Sept. 22) any competition you face. A change will help you put your financial and personal lives in perspective.

Calvin and Hobbes

Face your feelings and LIBRA (Sept. 23- size up your options. Making Oct. 23) a difference will require empathy, diplomacy and personal awareness. Protect your rights, assets and future.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Traveling, attending SCORPIO meetings and expressing (Oct. 24Nov. 22) your concerns and ideas will be enlightening. Finding out exactly where you stand will make whatever choice you are given much easier.

Take pleasure in spending SAGITTARIUS time with people who inspire (Nov. 23and motivate you to be your Dec. 21) best. Updating your appearance or the way you present what you have to offer will pay off.

Don’t let anyone interfere CAPRICORN with the changes you need to (Dec. 22- make. Make adjustments at Jan. 19) home that will lower your expenses. A personal sacrifice may be required.

solution for last published puzzle Listen to what others AQUARIUS have to say, and consider the (Jan. 20- best way to fit in without beFeb. 19) ing compromised financially, emotionally or otherwise.

Concentrate on personal improvements. Invest in you.

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)

Shopping for something special or planning a celebration with someone you love is favoured. A change you make will improve your reputation, position or status. Apply for a better job.

wednesDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018

19

Usain Bolt's A-League trial confirmed

by Central Coast Mariners

S

print legend Usain Bolt will join Central Coast Mariners for an "indefinite training period", the Australian club have confirmed.

Bolt, 31, has already trained with Borussia Dortmund, South African club Sundowns and Norway's Stromsgodset. The Jamaican, an eight-time Olympic champion and the 100m and 200m world record holder, will not be guaranteed a professional contract at the club.

"I am very excited about coming to Australia," said Bolt. "It has been my dream to play professional football and I know that it will involve a lot of hard work and training to get to the level required to play and make an impact in the A-League.”

They become the fourth club that Bolt has tried out for

in an effort to make it in the round ball game, following teams in Germany, Norway and South Africa. But that hasn’t discouraged Bolt, who says he understands the task in front of him.

“I know that it will involve a lot of hard work and training to get to the level required to play and make an impact in the A-League,” Bolt said. “When I spoke to the Head Coach, Mike Mulvey on the phone he outlined the ambitions of the club and his plans for the upcoming season. I hope I can make a positive contribution to the club.

"I always say that 'anything is possible, don't think limits' and I look forward to the challenge."

Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2017, will link up with the A-League side for the first time later this

month.

"I hope I can make a positive contribution to the club and look forward to meeting the other players, staff and fans in the coming weeks," he

added.

Shaun Mielekamp, chief executive at the Central Coast Mariners, said Bolt would be welcomed "with open arms", and they were

optimistic about the benefits it could bring. However, he notes that the club remained "grounded and focused on the job in hand".

"Our goal is to be the most

innovative, entertaining and community-minded sports brand in Australia, this is our competitive edge," he added.

"Having Usain Bolt come to the club to train and hopefully develop into a professional football player is perfectly aligned to this part of the club's philosophy. It is important that we don't get too caught up in the hype of possibilities, but the reality is that Usain Bolt has placed his faith in the Central Coast Mariners to accelerate his football journey.

"Whilst we all know this must be tempered with the reality that there is a job to do and hard work ahead, we are committed to building a team that will win matches and instil belief.

"Hopefully, Usain can help us on this mission." (BBC Sport)

Zharnel Hughes and Reece Prescod take gold and silver at 2018 European A

s Zharnel Hughes and Reece Prescod stood arms folded next to one another and stared directly down the Berlin photographers’ cameras, they were sending a message to the rest of the world: British men’s sprinting is a force to be reckoned with.

On this occasion it was Hughes who came out on top to claim the European 100m title by the slimmest of margins over his British teammate. Aided by a superior start, the Anguillan-born runner was never headed and triumphed in 9.95 seconds, with Prescod just 0.01s behind.

Only the figure of Turkish convert Jak Ali Harvey – or Jacques Harvey as he was known for the first 26 years of his life when representing Jamaica – prevented a British podium clean sweep with Chijindu Ujah beaten into fourth.

Granted, the entire field was helped by the late withdrawal of Frenchman Jimmy Vicault, who picked up an injury after clocking 9.97s in the semi-final, but

Championships 100m

Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain crosses the line to win the gold medal as Reece Prescod of Great Britain crosses to win the silver medal

that was an irrelevance to the British contingent.

“I’m happy and the job is done,” said Hughes. “I felt a bit of cramp so I don’t think I could have gone any faster, but I’m just happy.

“Reece is a fast finisher so I knew I had to stay relaxed as he would challenge me towards the end.”

"It shows we have the class now to be individu-

al runners and we are capable of being in the finals. Reece started it last year [by making the World Championships final] and it shows we are ready to take on the rest of the world in the future."

Hopes had been high in the weeks leading up to this race that these championships would herald the start of an historic era for British

men’s sprinting.

British champion Prescod had announced himself in eye-opening fashion at the start of the season by scything through the Shanghai Diamond League field in pouring rain to leave the likes of Justin Gatlin and Andre de Grasse trailing in his wake.

Hughes then followed that by backing up his 9.91s

run – which moved him second on the national all-time list – and becoming the first British man in 24 years to break 10 seconds twice in one day.

Never before has there been such strength in depth in the 100m ranks, which meant not even a time of 10.04s by Ojie Edoburun was enough to gain a spot in the team for Berlin.

Naturally, confidence has steadily increased among the British contingent that they can truly challenge the Americans and Jamaicans at the top table.

Indeed, Prescod had boldly declared on the eve of this competition: “I don’t wake up to be the best in Europe. What drives me to train is to be world champion, to be the best.”

It was not bravado or reckless swagger – just the truth. The parameters have shifted and Prescod was reflecting that. Alas, for him it was not quite to be, in spite of his first-ever legal sub-10s run – his 9.88s effort earlier in the season had been aided by a marginal tailwind.

“It was a really good race and I got a good start,” said Prescod. “I finished strong too.

“I’ve had a really good season. I wanted some consistency and I think I have got that now.

“It’s good to have a British one-two. Sprinting is in a good place right now and it’s nice to have someone pushing you.

“We push each other hard and we run hard. I hope it continues in the future.”

If there was ever to be a fly in the ointment, it was most likely to be Vicaut.

The Frenchman shares the European record of 9.86s and looked to have shrugged off a recent thigh problem with his hugely impressive semi-final victory.

All was not as it seemed though, and he withdrew from the final barely half an hour before the start.

That left the coast clear for Hughes and Prescod to engage in their own all-British private battle for gold.

(The Telegraph)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018

Hero CPL 2018…

Patriots commence training ahead of Thursday’s opener

Anton Devcich (front) and Tom Cooper going through their paces during Tuesday’s session

T

he St Kitts & Nevis Patriots bowled off their training session on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Thursday evening’s opener versus the Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Providence National

Stadium, Guyana.

The visitors arrived on Monday as they looked to get their campaign underway against the Warriors.

The home team commenced their training last weekend as they too will have their

sights set on winning all of their opening games at home.

Patriots Captain Chris Gayle and his men utilised the nets at Providence during Tuesday afternoon’s session.

The Warriors meanwhile had a successful practice game on Monday and were gearing up for their final practice game under lights versus a Guyana XI which starts at 18:00h tonight.

The Patriots engaged in a number of exercises, including sprints and cardiovascular regimes, along with the usual football warm-up among teammates. Coaches Donovan Miller and Trevor Penney were a part of the training.

Some of the franchise’s top stars such as Windies T20 skipper Carlos Brathwaite, overseas players Kiwi Anton Devcich, Australian Ben Cutting and Nepalese spin-

ner Sandeep Lamichhane and others Caribbean stars like Windies left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell and Devon Thomas were present at the session.

Both sides will want to register a win up front with Guyana being a bit more

desperate than their opponents as they will play three opening games at home.

With the home team commencing their camp days ahead, the Patriots will have to catch up on their acclimatisation and gel quickly ahead of the first game.

Meanwhile, both teams will have just one day left to get themselves further fine-tuned until official match day of the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which bowls off at 18:00h on Thursday evening at Providence.

Coaches Donovan Miller and Trevor Penney

Gaming Authority gets on Newcastle players refuse to talk to media in row over bonuses board with Guinness Cage N

W

ith the growing need to build cohesion among our communities and to foster better understanding among residents, the Three Peat Promotions’ Guinness Cage Competition dubbed “East Coast Best versus the Rest” is expected to provide the platform to achieve these goals.

In order to accomplish these objectives, sport has been earmarked as one of the vehicles to do so, and members of the corporate community are leading the way through their support for the initiative.

On Monday, during a simple ceremony that was conducted at the entity’s location on South Road, the Gaming Authority added its name to the list of sponsors in support of the Three Peat Promotions’ Guinness Cage Competition.

Gaming Authority Compliance Officer Towana Whinfield handed over a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Three Peat Promotions’ Rawle Welch, as part of the entity’s contribution to the event.

Welch, in his remarks, thanked the Authority for its timely support, adding that the contribution’s significance cannot be undervalued, especially at a time when there is an overwhelming cry for unity, peace, and love among

Three Peat Promotions’ Rawle Welch accepts the sponsorship cheque from Gaming Authority Compliance Officer Towana Whinfield

communities.

The competition is set to kick off this evening, at the Haslington Market Tarmac from 19:00h.

The remaining playing days of the five-day tournament are August 11, 18, and 25 and September 1, at the same venue.

Welch expressed his gratitude to the Authority for its significant support at the Promotions’ first call, adding that it signals the seriousness of the organisation in helping to develop sports and cohesion among the various communities that the participating teams are coming from.

Among the other entities who have pledged their support are: Banks DIH under its Guinness and Power Wine brands; Clarks footwear giants Chetsons; E-Networks Inc; KSM Investments; Yhip’s Bakery; Brass Aluminium & Cast Iron Foundry (BACIF); Ray’s Auto Sales; YK Investments; Trophy Stall; Express Shipping; Woodpecker Products; National Sports Commission; C Division of the Guyana Police Force; Jai Signs & Auto Designs; Julius Variety Store and C & C Prestigious Styles.

ewcastle United’s players remain locked in a row with Mike Ashley over bonuses and are refusing to fulfil any media commitments until the club’s owner resolves the matter.

With Newcastle facing a potential fine from the Premier League occasioned by the breach of contractual obligations to broadcast rights holders, it hardly represents the ideal overture to their opening Premier League game at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The club’s hierarchy faced considerable embarrassment when television reporters, camera crew and photographers turned up at the training ground on Monday for a supposed “open day”.

Under an agreement with the Premier League Newcastle’s players were legally obliged to make themselves available to rights holders including Sky. Ignoring this structure, they instead refused requests to film the “walk up shots” which are used by television companies to identify individual players when they display so called “green screen” formation graphics before live games.

Rafael Benítez’s squad have been here before. Indeed last summer they reached an agreement with Ashley and Lee Charnley, Newcastle’s managing director, over win bonuses and other incentive-linked payments shortly before the start of the 2017-18 season.

With the Spurs game now getting close, Benítez trusts things will soon be sorted out but, in the meantime, his players are declining all requests to speak to newspaper journalists and have even shunned the club’s in-house television sta-

tion.

Under Premier League rules the matter must be settled before the lunchtime kickoff on Saturday and it will be interesting to see if it takes another personal intervention from Ashley before a compromise is reached. Last summer the owner stepped in to negotiate directly with Jamaal Lascelles, Newcastle’s captain, after it seemed an impasse with Charnley and the rest of the board could not be broken.

In that instance Lascelles – high on Marco Silva’s Everton shopping list – finally agreed the squad would divide £4m between them were the squad to retain Premier League status, plus an extra £1m for every position they finished above the relegation zone. As Benítez’s side ended up in 10th place they made a collective sum of around £11m.

Although the Premier League is within its rights to fine Newcastle for Monday’s breach of rules it ap-

pears to be hoping that a compromise will be reached and the shots needed for the Spurs game

– to be screened by Sky – will be obtained in time. Should the row escalate, though, the club can expect sanction.

By way of compounding Newcastle’s problems Benítez has said senior professionals share his concerns about the lack of first-team reinforcements signed this summer. The Spaniard is operating under a sell to buy policy after Ashley declined to furnish him with the £45m he had originally expected.

Benítez has, however, finally secured the signature of his principal attacking target, the West Bromwich Albion striker Salomón Rondón. The striker moves to Tyneside in a loan swap deal which takes Dwight Gayle to the Hawthorns.

Benítez said: “We knew how important experience would be. Salomón has been in the Premier League for a while and he knows how demanding it is.”

Newcastle have also made a £10m offer for Stanley N’Soki, Paris Saint Germain’s 19-yearold left back and remain in the market for a centre-half.

Rafael Benítez

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21 Bissan’s Trading supports Buxton CC Cricket Camp F sports

or the 13th year in the village of Buxton, the “Carl Hooper” cricket camp started out on Tuesday to teach the gentleman’s game to young children and better the skills of those who are already involved.

With massive support from Bissan’s Trading, the camp set out with its mandate of community development at the Buxton Ground on the East Coast of Demerara from as early as 09:30h.

For the next two weeks, the camp will be home to children between the ages of 7-19. The participants are not only from Buxton but also the surrounding communities.

Speaking on the initiative, Buxton Cricket Club’s President Essie Peters disclosed that the club will cater to 40 students and is strictly for their benefit. “The Camp is not ‘make money’ but to instil good values to the youths them and keep them away from doing the wrong things when they have so much free time now school is

Bissan’s Trading proprietor Bissoon Singh presents the sponsorship cheque to Club President Essie Peters

closed,” Peters explained.

He further disclosed that the registration fee has been waived owing to the fact that many of the participating students hail from single-parent homes, hence requesting a fee from them would be counter-productive to the intended purpose of the camp. He went on to state that any costs arising out of the camp would be covered by the sponsorship provided.

The daily sessions will take on a school-like approach, running between the hours of 09:00h and 15:00h. The capable staff on board will be teaching technical, practical, and physical lessons coupled with off-field activities.

Additionally, the Camp will feature sessions with the likes of national youth cricketer Clive Andries, who played in Guyana’s champion three-day U-19

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team in St Kitts in 2008 and former national U-19 and Berbice senior inter-county off-spinner Sean Devers.

The Buxton Cricket Club was founded in 1992 and was involved in many tape-ball competitions before being officially launched as the Buxton Carl Hooper Club in 2002 when Hooper was appointed as Captain of the West Indies cricket team.

akistan's international players are set for a significant earnings rise after a fresh three-year remuneration agreement saw salary increases between 25 per cent and 30 per cent for players across the central contract spectrum. The earnings ratio will apply to centrally-contracted players in each of the four traditional categories A to D. Players' match fees will also go up by 20 per cent.

In addition, a new category E has also been introduced, which a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) media release said was to "recognise performers on the domestic circuit as well as to encourage the continuing development of emerging cricketers from the junior cricket level".

The central contracts list

Category A: Azhar Ali,

Pakistan’s players are set for a hike

Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, and Mohammad Amir Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Hafeez, and Hasan Ali Category C: Wahab Riaz, Shan Masood, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Shinwari, Imad Wasim, Junaid Khan, and Mohammad Abbas Category D: Rumman Raees, Asif Ali, Usman Salahuddin, Hussain Talat, and Rahat Ali Category E: Bilal Asif, Saad Ali, Mir Hamza, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Rizwan, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Big demotions: Mohammad Hafeez (A to B); Rahat Ali (C to D); Imad Wasim (B to C); and Ahmed Shehzad (omitted) Big promotions: Babar

Azam (B to A); Faheem Ashraf (D to B); Fakhar Zaman (C to B); Shadab Khan (C to B) and Imam-ulHaq (D to C) The PCB also announced the list of 33 players who had been awarded central contracts – down from 35 last year. It sees very little change in terms of personnel from 2017's list of players with Category A contracts. Babar Azam, who was in Category B last year, has been promoted to the top bracket, while Mohammad Hafeez, who didn't feature in any of Pakistan's five ODIs against Zimbabwe despite being part of a much-rotated squad, drops down to Category B. Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir retain their places as Category A players.

Most of Pakistan's young crop of players, arguably piv-

otal to their resurgence in the shorter formats over the past year or so, find themselves in Category B. Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan were both promoted from Category C, while Faheem Ashraf jumped two places, getting into Category B after being in the Category D list last year. Hasan Ali retained his Category B slot, with Asad Shafiq and Hafeez rounding off the category for 2018.

Three players who were in Category C the previous year were omitted from the centrally-contracted list of players altogether. The biggest casualty was Ahmed Shehzad, who is currently suspended for a doping violation and awaits a hearing. Sami Aslam, who found his Test place usurped by Imam-ul-Haq in Ireland and England earlier this year, is also out of a central contract.

The same fate befell Sohail Khan, who has dropped significantly down the pecking order over the past year or so.

Mohammad Rizwan, who was named in Category D last year as Sarfraz's deputy behind the stumps, drops down to the newly-introduced Category E. He is the only wicketkeeper in the list of 33 players besides the captain. It serves to reinforce Pakistan's lack of options in that department; Sarfraz has played every single Pakistan game in all formats since being rested for the limited-overs leg of Pakistan's tour of Australia over 18 months ago. (ESPNcricinfo)

22

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wednesDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018

2018 Lusignan Open Golf Tournament…

Persaud warms up for

year-end main event with title win

Director of Sport praises efforts of BV-Triumph 8th of May Movement

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones

D

D

The winners pose with Club President and Captain. From left to right: President Aleem Hussain; Imtiaz Subhan; Chandra Lakraj; “Pur” Persaud; Maurice Solomon; Avinash Persaud; Joaan Deo; Mohanlall Dinanauth; Paton George; Kassim Khan; Lekhnarine Shivraj; and Captain “Chen” Deo

efending eighttime Guyana Open Champion Avinash Persaud swept the A Flight to capture the Lusignan Open Golf Tournament following last weekend’s twoday extravaganza.

The return of the Lusignan Open after years of absence saw the return of top-level golf over a twoday period which teed off Saturday. Groups went off in 10-minute intervals as planned. It was a day of pleasant surprises as golfers strove to improve on first day’s scores and many of them did indeed.

In the end, it was the reigning golf champ Persaud, who managed to beat off some stiff competition over the weekend to clinch the major title. In the A Flight (Handicap 0-9), second day’s better gross performers were: Persaud with 72;

Chandra Lakraj, 76; Mike Mangal, 79; Kassim Khan, 80; and Patrick Prashad, 80.

While this established Persaud as the clear gross winner, it showed the tenacity of golfers to significantly cut that first-day lead of nine which he held in the A Flight.

In other Flights, Joaan Deo and Maurice Solomon were crowned champions.

In the B Flight (Handicap 10- 18), second day’s better gross performers were: Joaan Deo with an amazing 80 (10 points of the previous day’s score) upsetting the order of that group; Lekhnarine Shivraj, 84; Satrohan “Robin” Tiwari, 86; Aasrodeen Shaw, 87; Aleem Hussain, 89; Kalyan Tiwari, 89; and four ties at 90 – Parmanand “Max” Persaud, Ian Gouveia, Lakram Ramsundar and Rabindranath “Ravi” Persaud.

In the C Flight (Handicap 19-28), gross performances on the second day were: Maurice Solomon – a splendid 90 (nine strokes off the first day’s play); Imtiaz Subhan, 96; Philbert London, 110; Lloyd Fung-AFat – a fascinating 111 (27 strokes off the first day’s play); Second day’s Top Net scores in each category were as follows: A Flight – Chandra Lakraj – 68 (a superb nine-stroke improvement on the first day) beating Avinash for the second day’s Net performance; Avinash Persaud, 70; Mike Mangal, 71; Patrick Prashad, 71; Kassim Khan, 73; Vishnu Seecharran, 79; and Mohanlall Dinanauth, 80.

In the C Flight, Net scores were: Maurice Solomon, 68; Imtiaz Subhan, 74; Lloyd Fung-A-Fat, 83; Philbert

London, 88; Eion Blue, 87; and Maxim Mangra, 90.

Combining first and second day’s scores produced the following results: Best Gross – A Flight, Avinash Persaud, 144; B Flight, Joaan Deo, 170; and C Flight, Maurice Solomon, 148.

The three Best Net winners for each Flight were as follows: A Flight – 1st Persaud 140/2; 2nd Chandra Lakraj 145/9; and 3rd Kassim Khan (tied with Chandra) 145/8. B Flight – 1st Deo 138/16; 2nd Lekhnarine Shivraj 145/17; and 3rd Patanjalee “Pur” Persaud 149/17. C Flight – 1st Maurice Solomon 145/22; 2nd Imtiaz Subhan 150/22 and 3rd Philbert London 167/22.

The Longest Drive (approximately 325 yards or 297 metres) was won

by Mohanlall Dinanauth (a former Guyana Open Champion) while the Nearest to The Pin (about one metre or three feet) was Paton George.

Prizes awarded for total performance over the two days were Best Gross only in each category, and 1st to 3rd Best Net in each category. There was also a prize for the Longest Drive and the Closest to The Pin on the second day.

President Hussain expressed the Club’s sincere gratitude to all the sponsors who were involved in making this Lusignan Open 2018 the huge success it was.

Sponsors included Banks DIH, ANSA McAL Trading Ltd, Kissoon’s Furniture, Foodtown Restaurant, CIDI Beverage Company, Grand Coastal Hotel, Peppy’s, Progressive Auto Rental, AN Electronics, Game Express, Builders Lumber Yard, Ramchand’s Auto Spares, Chetson’s, Sylvie’s Variety Store, Brusters Guyana, RRT Enterprise, Steve’s Jewellery, Tropical Woods Lumber Yard, Marriott Hotel Guyana, Aracari Resort, and Nex Gen Global Marketing.

irector of Sport, Christopher Jones has declared that the BVTriumph organisation is truly “a movement”.

The Director of Sport made this declaration at the launch of its Emancipation Cohesion Football League, which is set to kick off this weekend.

Jones alluded to the fact that the number in attendance at the Cultural Night hosted by the Movement on the eve of Emancipation this year where President David Granger was also in attendance, was in itself an indication of the Movement demonstrating its presence and influence not only in BV-Triumph but as far as Number 53 Village in Berbice.

The Director of Sport indicated that by request of the Movement, he had earlier in the year, on behalf of the National Sports Commission, provided the BV Playground with floodlights.

He recognised that the lights were used during the village anniversary celebrations, which were hosted by the BV-Triumph 8th of May Movement in May 2018, and expressed his delight in the fact that the Movement has once again demonstrated its purposeful intent of utilising the donated floodlights in its Emancipation Cohesion Football League.

He suggested that many times individuals and groups may be given assistance in one way or the other, but may encounter challenges limiting the implementation and execution of their plans.

Director Jones indicated that the inputs from all stakeholders were very important to the success of the League, and that Government would like to see more inter-institutional engagements in sporting activities that bring out the best talents in youths.

He suggested that it was hoped that the experiences gained from this event would reinforce sport as a necessary movement for change, and that aspect of the event would forge new networks and friendships that would boost the growth of the BV-Triumph Emancipation Cohesion Football League and the Movement itself.

Assistant Director of Sport,

Melissa Dow-Richardson was also present at the occasion to praise the work being done by the organisation.

She hailed its proactive approach, in sensitising the targeted youths on matters surrounding anti-doping policies and even encouraged them to stay away from both recreational and performance-enhancement drugs.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Executive Member Dion Innis gave the organisation his blessing on behalf of the Federation, stating: “GFF wishes to compliment the BV-Triumph 8th of May Movement for this excellent communitybased initiative, which seeks to fuse sport, agriculture and the church. We are more than happy to provide technical support to the organisation, which shall ensure the football competitions are executed to a high standard.”

Chairperson of the energetic Movement, Latecia Stuart was highly appreciative of the sponsors, singling out Bakewell; Lloyd WP Britton Enterprise; Gladstone O Benjamin; the Ministry of Agriculture; the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA); National Agricultural Research and Extension institute (NAREI) and MMA, and Restoration Opportunities through Christ (ROC).

Gratitude was also offered to the GFF and the National Sports Commission for their invaluable contributions to the Movement’s League.

The BV-Triumph 8th of May Movement Emancipation Cohesion Football League will feature 10 teams vying for the grand prize of $350,00 and the runners-up will receive $250,00 and third place $150,000. Each prize will be coupled with a trophy.

The League will kick off on Friday, August 10 at the Beterverwagting playground from 18:00h with five one-hour matches. Each preliminary match will be played for one hour, while matches from the semi-final stages will be played for 90 minutes. The BV-Triumph 8th of May Movement encourages all to come out and witness this inaugural event.

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018

23

GAW Practice Match

Big players shine in Guyana Amazon Warriors’ final practice match

G

uyana Amazon Warriors skipper Shoaib Malik warmed up with some runs as his XI defeated a Guyana XI by five wickets when the final practice match concluded under lights on Tuesday evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The Pakistan star hit a classy 37 while New Zealand big-hitting opener Luke Ronchi spanked an unbeaten 48 as the Malikled XI big players warmed up for Thursday’s opener versus the St Kitts Patriots under lights.

Chadwick Walton looked good for his 15, playing a few pulls and cuts while all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford also scored 15.

The Warriors bowlers on the opposition team also got their form going, with the off-spinner Chris Green grabbing 2-20, including the

for 110, with the Malik XI being made to chase a much higher total (155, after 45 bonus runs were added).

Trevon Griffith hit 14 while Anthony Bramble chipped in with 16, but it was Chris Barnwell’s 36 which powered their side to the above-average total.

Roshon Primus, who batted twice, hit 13 not out as his top score as Malik grabbed a wicket along with national pacer Clinton Pestano who claimed 2-31.

In the end, the Warriors’ key players all had excellent sessions with either bat or ball, thus adding to their confidence ahead of the big game.

SCOREBOARD

wicket of Malik, while South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir looked good during his spell bagging 2-33, and

Keemo Paul 1-21.

Earlier, it was the Warriors spin twins Devendra Bishoo (2-32) and

Veerasammy Permaul (324), who did the damage as Rayad Emrit’s XI were bowled out inside 20 overs

Hero CPL inks 4-year deal with FOX SPORTS Australia

T

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and FOX SPORTS Australia have announced a new partnership which will deliver LIVE coverage to Australian cricket fans over the next four years.

Beginning today, August 8, 2018, when David W a r n e r takes to the field for St Lucia Stars against reigning champions, Tr i n b a g o Knight Riders, FOX SPORTS will provide E XC LU S I V E LY LIVE, ad-break free, during play and HD coverage of all 34 games.

A number of Aussies will feature in the two-month competition with Warner joined by Steve Smith, playing for the Barbados Tridents, Chris Lynn, Ben Cutting and Chris Green.

Some of the best cricket talent from the Caribbean will be on show with the likes of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo and Daren Sammy. Plus, there will be an array of global cricket superstars joining the “Biggest Party in Sport” with the likes of Brendon McCullum, Imran Tahir and Shoaib Malik.

Strike bowler Sohail Tanvir was wicketless, but maintained his discipline as a pack leader while Shimron Hetmyer, fresh off a Man-of-the-Series performance in the ODI series versus Bangladesh, smashed an aggressive 17 as he too got into form for the first game, as the Warriors broke their encampment on a high note.

Thursday’s opening game of the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Guyana leg will bowl off at 18:00h at the National Stadium, Providence with the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots looking to upset the Warriors in their backyard.

Speaking about the deal with FOX SPORTS, Hero CPL Chief Operating Officer (COO) Pete Russell said: “We are delighted to have signed a long-term commitment with FOX SPORTS Australia.

It is exciting for the Hero CPL to be partnering with a broadcaster whose reputation for delivering highquality cricket c o v e r a g e is globally recognised. So we are thrilled that FOX SPORTS will be our home for the next four years.”

Head of FOX SPORTS, Peter Campbell, said: “Fans love the excitement and action the T20 format delivers.

And with so many Aussies competing in this year’s Hero CPL, including Steve Smith and Dave Warner, there is going to be plenty of interest.

“The tournament adds to our extensive line-up of the best local and international cricket as we gear up to deliver a massive summer of action. Every men’s Test, ODI, T20 and BBL match played in Australia plus more women’s cricket will be shown LIVE, with no ad-breaks during play on a dedicated channel, FOX Cricket.”

FOX SPORTS Australia

Pty Limited (FOX SPORTS) is Australia’s leading producer of sports coverage and is home to Australia’s favourite subscription television sports channels as well as Australia’s number one multi-sports website and app. FOX SPORTS compiles and produces live

content across seven dedicated high-definition channels – FOX SPORTS 1, FOX LEAGUE, FOX SPORTS 3, FOX FOOTY, FOX SPORTS 5, FOX SPORTS 6 and FOX SPORTS More, all available via the Foxtel subscription television platform or available to stream via Foxtel Now.

Emrit XI Trevon Griffith c Rutherford b Malik 14 +Anthony Bramble c Walton b Permaul 16 Gajanand Singh b Bishoo 6 Christopher Barnwell c Hetmyer b Permaul 36 Chris Green b Bishoo 4 Roshan Primus c Malik b Bishoo 4 Sohail Tanvir b Bishoo 6 *Rayad Emrit c Rutherofrd b Pestano 4 Keemo Paul c Malik b Netravelkar 2 Extras: b-3; lb-1; 7) 11 Total (For 10 wickets, 20 Overs) 110 FOW: 1-32, 2-32, 3-42, 4-79, 5-85, 6-97, 7-97, 8-104, 9-109, 10-110 Bowling: Clinton Pestano 4-0-31-2, Permaul 4-0-243, Malik 3-0-13-1, Bishoo 4-0-23-4, Netravalkar 4-0-035-1, Rutherford 1-0-6-0

Shoaib Malik XI Innings (Target 155 from a maximum of 20 Overs) Chadwick Walton c&b Keemo Paul 15 +Luke Ronchi Not Out 48 Shimron Hetmyer b Chris Green 17 Jason Mohammed LBW b Imran Tahir 9 Roshan Primus not out 13 *Shoaib Malik c&b Chris Green 37 Sherfane Rutherford c Barnwell b Imran Tahir 15 Akshaya Persaud Not Out 5 Extras (lb-3; w-6) 9 Total For 5 wickets 19.4 overs 156 FOW: 1-15, 2-33, 3-51, 4-119, 5-141 Bowling Tanvir 3-0-21-0, Paul 3-0-21-1, Green 3-020-2, Emrit 3.4-0-29-0, Tahir 5-0-33-2, Primus 2-0-22-0

HERO CPL 2018 ROUND 1

Bravo, Sammy face off as defending champs tackle Stars in opener

D

efending Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) CHampions; Trinbago Knight Riders will commence their title defense against the St Lucia Stars in Wednesday night’s first match played at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad & Tobago from 20:00h.

A year after making the playoffs for the first time with a franchise-best six wins, the Stars became the first team in the history of the CPL to go winless.

The opening combination of Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles that proved to be so lethal in 2016 struggled for runs in 2017. Darren Sammy took the fall for the team's poor start and was replaced as captain by Shane Watson midway through the season, though it failed to inspire a turnaround.

Sammy is back, though Charles and Watson are gone.

The latter has been replaced by fellow Australian David Warner who hopes to fare better than he did with Winnipeg Hawks on his T20 redemption trail.

Taking

the spot of Charles is Lendl Simmons, who is with his third team in as many seasons after failing to stick with Patriots and Tallawahs. Both sides of the ball are boosted by the addition of Pollard while another intriguing arrival is Mark Chapman, the Hong Kong-turned-New Zealand international who has been dominant with the bat in New Zealand's domestic competitions but is getting his first opportunity in a foreign competition.

On the bowling side, Stars were the only team in the competition to not have a bowler take doubledigit wickets in 2017. Kesrick Williams and Mohammad Sami both accomplished the feat last season for Tallawahs and joined Simmons as part of the exodus to the Stars. On the spin front, 2017's leading wickettaker Shane Shillingford is gone and hoping to fill the void is the lone Afghan in this year's CPL, teenage legspinner Qais Ahmad, who excelled in his country's run to the semi-finals

of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup earlier this year.

The defending champions succeeded largely on the strength of their bowling unit in 2017, which had five bowlers take 10 or more wickets when no other team had more than three. Two of those contributors - Shadab Khan and Ronsford Beaton - have withdrawn from the tournament this year.

Though the responsibility on captain Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine may increase, a trio of reinforcements have been brought in to maintain depth with the ball.

Shannon Gabriel and USA's Ali Khan, who starred in the Global T20 Canada with Winnipeg Hawks, have been brought in to shore up the pace department while Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed will be aiming to replicate Shadab's success from last year.

TKR's batting has been extremely stable as they have continued to show faith in the core of Brendon McCullum, Denesh Ramdin, Colin Munro

and Darren Bravo. However, they took a punt on Chris Lynn in the second round of the draft for USD 130,000. If he can overcome recurring shoulder issues, he can show what a menacing force he was in 2016 when he was the tournament's leading scorer for Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Trinbago Knight Riders Squad: Dwayne Bravo (capt), Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Colin Munro, Khary Pierre, Junior Dala, Javon Searles, Terrance Hinds, Kevon Cooper, Nikita Miller, Anderson Philip, Hamza Tariq, Amir Jangoo St Lucia Stars Squad: Mark Chapman, Rahkeem Cornwall, Niroshan Dickwella, Andre Fletcher, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kavem Hodge, Christopher Lamont, Mitchell McClenaghan, Lendl Simmons, Odean Smith, Mohammad Sami, Kieron Pollard, Qais Ahmad, Darren Sammy, David Warner Kesrick Williams, Rumman Raees, Obed McCoy, Jaskaran Malhotra

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018

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

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GAW Practice Match

Big players shine in Guyana Amazon Warriors' final practice match Pg 23

HERO CPL 2018 ROUND 1

Pg 23

Bravo, Sammy face off as defending champs tackle Stars in opener

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