Guyanatimes 8 July 2017

P15

Special needs school for Schoonord, WBD …as Wales Primary gets SEN department

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Govt creates Special Unit to sell GuySuCo's assets guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3265

Saturday, July 8, 2017

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

“You will P2 get rich, but could die in the process” – Jordan

Page 3

… sale to begin with Skeldon Sugar Factory – Finance Minister

Cocaine P8 mule jailed for 4 years

City Hall’s financial woes

Garbage contractors withdraw services, owed over $300M

Page 9

…“we are in a crisis, we need all the help we can (get),” – Mayor

Money laundering

Time P10 limit for prosecuting offenders to be removed

Weight limit enforcement for interior P7 roads

GWI's Managing Director Richard Van WestCharles, GWI technical officials and Councillor Malcolm Ferreira of Albouystown, Georgetown on Friday inspected sewerage chambers that need replacement in the community. The GWI team also visited several other communities around the city

P7 Media boycott New Amsterdam’s Harmony Village

Republic Bank foiled robbery

Policemen confess to planning robbery

… female staff taken into custody as probe widens

$80 vat included

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

“You will get rich, but could die in the process” – Jordan U

sing the death of university graduate Elton Wray as an example, Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Thursday urged the graduating class of the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Skills Training Programme to diligently comb through their individual circumstances in order to move up the ladder of success.

The 156 participants from three cohorts across Regions Three and Four attended a graduation ceremony at the Umana Yana on Thursday, after completing training sessions funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Delivering the feature address, Minister Jordan told the graduands that the event was a “bittersweet” one, as it was happening at a time when another young

graduate had met his demise while attempting to rob a bank.

The 24-year-old Elton Wray, who graduated with a degree in Agronomy at a Chinese university, died after he was shot by Police on Tuesday during his attempt to rob the Republic Bank’s Water Street branch. His two accomplices are currently in the custody of the police.

According to Jordan, youths need to take stock of every opportunity afforded them to better their lives and that of their families.

“Some of us spend most of our time watching someone else’s grass, and not enough time pruning our own. Some party all through the sunny season, but when it rains, supplies for our sustenance become scarce or even absent. What do we do then? Who do we

Participants of the training programme

blame? Often, we blame the Government, or our parents or circumstances. We look for everyone and everything else to blame, except

ourselves. It is time to wake up!” Jordan warned.

He told the graduates that persons have to “stop fostering the belief that the

world owes us a living, and that the Government owes us something. We have to begin to accept that we are the ones responsible for our own lives. Parents and Government may help, but ultimately you have to take full responsibility for the state of your lives.”

At the core of the operations of Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) is the drive to address the incidence of poverty in low-income vulnerable communities. Training focusing on skills in areas such as information technology, woodworking, micro-electronics, cosmetology, garment construction, and catering makes this initiative impacting, empowering and valuable, the minister said.

BNTF has also worked with small-scale entrepreneurs in the Georgetown area through the Training to Help Realize Innovative Venture and Entrepreneurship (THRIVE) initiative, to strengthen skills in manufacturing and marketing food products, inclusive of costing, packaging, pricing and distribution.

These interventions, Jordan said, create employment and bolster economic activity by promoting the establishment of micro and

small enterprises countrywide.

“This is aligned to the wider plans of the administration to put youth empowerment at the heart of our nation’s development,” he explained.

He said Government will, next year, re-establish the Guyana Youth Corps as another measure to arrest the nation’s youth unemployment problem.

According to him, Government, having realised the direct impact of livelihood and entrepreneurship initiatives, has, in the 8th cycle of BNTF, moved away from bricks and mortar projects.

In the ninth (9th) cycle, recently signed for US$6.145 million, emphasis will be continuously placed on improving the livelihoods of youth, with focus on renewable energy, entrepreneurship, and micro-enterprise development, he noted.

Unlike the other cycles, cycle nine provides seed capital in the form of tools, small machinery and startup financing.

“The intention is to empower youth, like you, not only with the requisite knowledge for business development, but take you one step closer to opening the doors of your own businesses,” he explained.

According to Jordan, there are opportunities for each participant to earn a living. He noted that the skills training from which the graduands have benefited is a first step.

Participants of the training program benefitted from programs such as Basic Electrical installation, cosmetology, catering and cake decoration, and garment construction. Others received training in information technology, introduction to entrepreneurship, financial management, and marketing distribution among other areas.

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 8 – a night retraction at 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Sunday, July 9 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 8 – 16:10h-17:40h and Sunday, July 9 – 16:40h-18:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout most of the day, while heavy rain showers can be expected in the later afternoon. Light cloud cover can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between East South-easterly to Easterly between 2.23 metres and 2.68 metres.

High Tide: 03:06h and 15:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.46 metres and 2.39 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:07h and 21:20h reaching minimum heights of 0.73 metre and 0.82 metre.

WEDNESDAY, July 5, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS G

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FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 03 06 08 13 19 LUCKY 3 2 1 8 Afternoon Draw

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Govt creates Special Unit to sell GuySuCo’s assets … sale to begin with Skeldon Sugar Factory – Finance Minister

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overnment has created a Special Purpose Unit to be housed at the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to lead the sell-off of assets belonging to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

That information was disclosed during consideration of the first Financial Paper for 2017 requesting a Supplementary for the $250 billion Budget for 2017.

Included in the more than $6.3billion request was a sum of $130 million earmarked as a subsidy for contribution to local organisations.

According to the explanatory remarks accompanying the request, the money is “to provide for the establishment of a Special Purpose Unit to manage the reform of the sugar industry.”

According to the Financial Paper, the amount includes provision for employment costs, utilities, professional and legal fees, advertisements, operating supplies furniture and equipment.”

The information was disclosed by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who was at the time responding to queries raised by Members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in Parliament.

Minister Jordan, in seeking to apprise the House, indicated that Government was unclear as to what it is looking to rake in from the sale of the GuySuCo assets since they still need to be properly evaluated.

He explained that the purpose of the Special Purpose Unit under the rubric of NICIL will be for the divestment and privatisation of certain parts of GuySuCo. According to the Minister, monies have been earmarked – some $60 million to hire an accounting firm in order to lead the divestment process, including updated valuations of the assets.

Responding to PPP/C Member of Parliament and Sugar Unionist, Komal Chand, Minister Jordan insisted that GuySuCo will be playing a major role in the divestment process since there are a number of items still to be done by the Sugar Corporation.

“This is a Special Purpose Unit designed purely for what I indicated… the focus of this Unit is privatsiation and divestment of identified assets one of which is Skeldon Estate, that is their top priority.”

The Finance Minister told the House that other identified properties will soon be transferred to the Special Purpose Unit for di-

Skeldon Sugar Factory

vestment by that outfit.

GuySuCo, he said, will identify the lands or assets to be divested after which it will be transferred to the Special Purpose Unit. ”In other words, we pulling out this whole exercise from GuySuCo so GuySuCo can continue with its operations,” according the Minister Jordan.

According to the Finance Minister, some $30 million has been set aside for the payment of salaries for the Unit which he expected to be headed by a Director and deputy along with support staff.

Trade Unionist and PPP/C MP, Gillian Burton-

Persaud, in response to her queries, was told that none of the money allocated for the Unit will be used for the retraining of displaced sugar workers as a result of the divestment moves by the Administration.

Former Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill questioned why Government would want to transfer money to NICIL, itself not a budget agency that has over the years generated billions in revenue.

Minister Jordan told the House, that the money is not being transferred to NICIL per say but rather for the Unit.

He told the House that

NICIL simply did not have the money to fund the operation since any money it holds is being turned over to the Consolidated Fund.

The Minister did point out that the outfit will expand its scope as a unit within NICIL when it has completed its GuySuCo related transactions.

Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, Irfaan Ali, in his contribution to the Committee of Supply scrutinising the expenditure sought to query whether there was any social or economic impact assessments undertaken before any such decisions was taken.

Jordan was further queried on what will obtain with the proceeds Government will raise by selling off GuySuCo assets.

The Finance Minister insisted that all transactions will be above board and in fact will be subjected to a public tendering process.

The Minister reminded that Government is unable at this time to speak specifically to the level of revenues to be raised since the valuations are yet to be completed.

He assured however that the proceeds emanating from the sale of GuySuCo’s assets will be pumped back into the industry.

According to the Finance Minister, the revenues emanating from the sale of these assets will go to GuySuCo towards defraying its debts, financing the costs of divestments as well as to be used in the operations of the entity.

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017

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

Avoiding the ‘curse’

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very nation wants to strike oil. Unfortunately, for many of them that are successful, not long after, they are worse off due to the high levels of corruption and mismanagement of oil proceeds at every stage of the process. Monies which are meant for development related initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life citizens enjoy are actually squandered away.

Managing wealth derived from natural resources is not an easy task; in fact it is fraught with difficulties; and if not done well, can adversely impact macroeconomic performance in the short and long terms. Research has shown that quite a few of these oil rich countries are home to some of the world’s poorest people. Africa, in particular is a perfect example of how corruption and mismanagement of natural resources could stifle development. For example, millions of people in oil-rich Nigeria still live in poverty. Although oil is said to account for 75% of the Nigerian economy, no-one knows how much the country actually produces or refines because hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil are stolen every day, at each level of the supply chain. A similar situation exists in Angola, Chad, Libya, Equatorial Guinea etc where inspite of the massive oil wealth, the actual benefits are not trickled down to those in need.

Stanford professor Terry Karl has noted that oil-dependent countries, “eventually become among the most economically troubled, the most authoritarian, and the most conflict-ridden in the world.” This phenomenon is called the resource curse.

Now that Guyana has found oil and production is expected to begin in 2020, the same concerns are being expressed. It must be mentioned that in spite of severe public pressure, the Guyana Government has refused to publish the contract signed with ExxonMobil. Some analysts are also questioning our level of preparedness for the advent of commercial oil production.

According to Transparency International (TI) in one of its analysis on corruption in oil producing countries, too often, wealth stays in the hands of politicians and industry insiders. Revenues do not get published. Payments made to governments to exploit resources remain secret and bribery and embezzlement go unchecked.

TI has also pointed to the fact that many oil and gas companies protect the identities of their equity holders and subsidiaries.

“This allows corrupt leaders to hide stolen funds unnoticed.

Inadequate financial statements make it easy to disguise corrupt deals, and impossible for any of us to monitor them.

Many oil and gas companies don’t publish information country by country. This allows them to hide the royalties, taxes and fees they pay.”

Without such information, it would be difficult to hold governments accountable for the money they receive.

This is not to say, however, that all countries with an abundance of natural resources would end up like those alluded to earlier. There are many examples of governments that have succeeded in ensuring that their citizens are better off by ensuring the wealth from natural resources are channeled towards key development initiatives and distributed more evenly. For example, due to sensible resource management Norway has lifted its prospects far and above what it was prior to any major oil or gas discovery. Alaska is another example; the state is bound by law to put at least a quarter of its revenues from oil into the Alaska Permanent Fund, which was established in 1976. The money is invested and each year, every resident of Alaska gets a share of the dividends.

These payments stimulate the economy and reduce income disparities. They have contributed to a massive reduction in poverty in Alaskan Natives, the state’s poorest group.

In addition to good governance; accompanied by an effective legal framework and sensible long-term planning, analysts have also proposed alternative systems in which a share of the income from oil is gifted directly to citizens.

In about two years’ time, Guyana will begin to pump oil; will the oil proceeds be a blessing that brings prosperity and hope for citizens or a political economic curse that has been the case for so many other developing countries. The various stakeholders – oil and gas watchdogs, media, civil society, parliament, private sector and citizens as a whole must become more aware and vigilant in order to ensure that Guyana avoids the resource curse.

In the centre of Buenos Aires, Argentina, there is a theme park named Tierra Santa (Holy Land) that claimed to be the first religious theme park in the world when it opened. Tierra Santa, which opened in 2000, attempts to replicate the streets of Jerusalem during Jesus’ time. Visitors walk around the narrow streets that are full of plastic palm trees, statues and actors recreating crucial scenes from Jesus’ life (BBC News)

Would Uitvlugt estate be able to produce 40,000 tonnes sugar by 2020?

Dear Editor, Within recent days, there has been quite a bit of media publicity, through GuySuCo’s “Community Outreach Programme”, on the Uitvlugt Estate Improvement Programme (UEIP). If this much-touted programme is to be successful, it augurs well for the future of this estate, its workers, and surrounding communities.

Uitvlugt Estate has been in a perpetually rapid downward spiral since 2004, and to quote the Estate Manager, Yudhisthira Mana, in a section of the media, the estate is expected to produce “some 18,000 tonnes sugar by the end of 2017”.

The Estate Manager should have added that this relatively low production is with input from private cane farmers. The average tonnes sugar produced by this estate in the period 1992 to 2004 was 27,800 without any input from private cane farmers, and the average cost of production was just under 18 US cents per pound.

In the Guyana Times’ July 7 edition, the Agriculture Minister stated that the estate’s current cost of production is 26 US cents per pound.

Using the data publicized

by the Estate Manager, on careful analysis, the (UEIP) appears to be highly improbable and quite ambitious to say the least; unless it is being done with propaganda as its aim.

Let’s analyse this data to test for probability. The estate aims to produce 40,000 tonnes sugar by 2020; that would require 520,000 tonnes cane from 6005.9 hectares.

The cane yield, therefore, will have to be 86.5 TCH. At the end of 2017, the estate will produce 18,000 tonnes sugar; as such, all agricultural and factory inputs will have to be put in place between 2018 and 2019.

Canes for sugar production in 2020 will have to be nurtured and ready in 2019.

Will the UEIP, in 2 years, be able to increase cane yield from its current 40 to 86.5 TCH -- an increase of 116%?

This is highly improbable.

Secondly, with the existing labour shortage crisis on the estate, and the refusal of the Wales harvesters to accept commuting to Uitvlugt, what contingency plan does the estate have to provide for this acute shortage? For example, mechanization? It appears, from the Estate Manager’s presentation, that the 40,000 tonnes

is contingent on the Wales workers moving to Uitvlugt and the estate being able to fill the vacancies that it has claimed to have advertised for 406 workers that include 298 harvesters. Those from Wales make up 375.

The sugar company not offering a pay increase for the past 2 years, the actual and projected estates closures, its publicity on clamping down on “customs and practices”, and its refusal to award the normal annual incentives for the past 2 years will certainly not be helpful in its recruitment drive. The odds are just against it.

Thirdly, the Estate Manager reported that, presently, cane farmers already have 750 Ha in cane cultivation, “approval has been given for almost 1,000 hectares to be leased” to them, “while another 1,000 hectares are under consideration”.

The manager is optimistic on this endeavour, since “other farmers have expressed their interest on getting on board”. Will they “get on board”, given the current and projected low price of sugar in the world market, which is currently 14 US cents per pound? Time will test this “expressed interest”.

Lastly, the Estate

Manager lamented that, instead of the factory processing canes 130 hours per week, it is now doing about 80-85 hours -- almost 60% of the opportunity time.

However, it’s quite befuddling that though the factory has the capacity to process 105 tonnes cane per hour, “over the past few crops, the factory was working BEYOND its true potential, with about 85 to 90 tonnes cane per hour”. It’s the other way round; it was working BELOW its potential.

Editor, in the interest of its own survival and viability, I just hope that the estate could deliver on these projections by 2020; for if it does not, then these current presentations are purely propaganda efforts.

The signs of improvements in the business of sugar can be tangibly recognised each year. One cannot expect to wake up in 2020 and see 40,000 tonnes sugar produced at Uitvlugt from 18,000 in 2017. More than gradual improvements must be seen in 2018 and 2019 before it climaxes in 2020. I wish the estate well.

Yours faithfully, Selwyn Narinedatt

Intellectually sterile decisions Dear Editor, I refer to the news item “GuySuCo now produces sugar (at) three times world market price”. In juxtaposing the realities of world sugar trading and market dynamics with Guyana’s vision/strategy for the industry, as described in the State Paper, one can only conclude that decision-making on the sugar industry is intellectually sterile -- a

signature mark of its Chief Executive Officer.

I wish to support my conclusion by presenting some facts and allow readers to make their own assessment: (1) GuySuCo is recording cane yields at about 52 tonnes cane per hectare (TcH) when it should be over 70 TcH. The low productivity is attributed to poor agronomic man-

agement, and thus the high production cost.

(2) Raw bulk sugar for refining has historically been trending as the lowest priced product. With changes in sugar protocols and World Market trade, it is no surprise that the raw bulk sugar price is hovering at US$275/t, though GuySuCo hid from the public that its sugar sales are conducted in markets fetching at the

lowest US$475 per tonne.

(3) Direct consumption sugar is a higher-priced product, selling at US$550-US$1,000/t.

(4) GuySuCo presently has two (2) factories -namely, Blairmont and Enmore -- capable of producing direct consumption sugars. Of these two (2) factories, Enmore Factory has superior capabilities.

Turn to page 5

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MPs complain of having to vote blindly for monies from Treasury … as Education Dept under MotP raises eyebrows in Parliament

T

he creation of a Department of Innovation and Education reform under the aegis of the Ministry of the Presidency raised eyebrows on Friday in the National Assembly, as Opposition parliamentarians were unable to determine what the Government was requesting money for.

The matter was raised as parliamentarians considered the First Financial Paper for 2017 for in excess of $6.3 billion, including several allocations for the establishment of that department.

Opposition members took umbrage to being asked to vote in approval for amounts for this department, especially in light of the fact that nothing was known about the unit.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon, in providing answers for the Opposition on the Ministry of the Presidency unit informed that it was borne out of

Friday’s sitting of the National Assembly where Opposition MPs complained of being asked to vote for monies from the Treasury without proper explanation

a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the state of the education system in Guyana.

Harmon told the House, the unit is expected to address, in a parallel fashion, the challenge of promoting learning in an equitable way as well as potential for modern approach in addition to reaching the needs of the underserved.

Former Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, reminded the House that her colleagues were being asked to vote for sums of money for a unit that came out of recommendations from a CoI. She questioned whether Government had any plans to make the findings of the CoI public and was told it would be made available as

soon as practical.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had presented the financial paper for 2017 for a period outlined between January 1 and December 31, 2017.

Among the beneficiaries of the largesse supplementary provisions from the national coffers is the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

While some of the pro-

visions represent inflows from foreign funded projects in excess of $1.4 billion was requested from the National Coffers in order to meet expenditure related to the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at $300 million, a final payment on the rehabilitation of the MV Lady Northcote in addition to monies “to meet the increased cost of vehicle.”

Other projects for which Government requested additional monies is the construction of Highway overpasses to be constructed at Houston, Eccles, Peters’ Hall, Diamond and Providence East Bank Demerara.

According to the Financial Paper, “this supplemental request is premised on the fact that the Government has successfully completed negotiations with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to utilise uncommitted balances that would have been

cancelled as at March 31, 2017… The final disbursement date has consequently been revised to December 31, 2017.

Another $160 million has since been approved for the repairs to the sinkhole project in the vicinity of the Kitty Pump station.

Other projects to benefit from the approved allocations include several of the large road repairs and construction and the upgrade of the Power grid at almost $2 billion.

It was explained in the Financial Paper that the provision represent an inflow from the IDB to facilitate the payment of mobilisation advance and other areas under the programme including the supervision of civil works and management of the project.

The bond and advances were supposed to have been paid in 2016, according to the Finance Minister, but this did not obtain.

Corruption returns at Forestry Commission

Dear Editor, The ghost of corruption has once again returned to the Guyana Forestry Commission, specifically to the forest monitoring department. Persons are given permits to cut wood on state land and make it look as if it coming from their area. Some people are getting concessions without merit, while others without equipment etc are continually being denied. These crocks at forestry will make our government fail. This is a government that promised change and transparency.

I hope the GFC board under the acute leadership of the first female chair doesn’t turn a blind eye or condone such corruption happening under its nose. I know reputable and respectable gentlemen on the board -- like Dr Singh, Mr Hall, Mr Mac, Mr Mendes -- don’t stand for corruption, and thus I am baffle as to why nothing is being done about these blatant acts of corruption. For

the readers’ benefit, I gave certain examples of what is happening: Right now, in the NorthWest Kwebana area, forest officers, are giving a few individuals permission to cut and remove wood like purpleheart etc. from state lands.

No royalty is paid for the wood, which is sold; we are talking big money here.

A bm of purpleheart is 300 dollars, and them guys cutting 4000 to 5000 bm a week. Remember, this is free wood, so all you make is for the pocket; so them guys giving the officer a $100,000 or so for one permit.

Please, can somebody go on the ground in the forest and see the amount of wood that is being cut illegally and shipped out? Or at least talk to the people in the area?

There are widespread illegal activities going on in Bartica. Again, talk to the people who get valid concession in the area, or to the

Intellectually sterile... from page 4

(5) GuySuCo will close Enmore Factory by end of 2017, a more superior factory that can produce a product which sells at US$550 – US$1000/t.

Editor, GuySuCo is now bellyaching to this nation about cash flow on one hand, because it will earn US$275 per tonne of sugar – an untruth – while, on the other hand, it is closing a factory that can earn US$550— US$1,000 per tonne of sugar. In effect, the Corporation is reducing its own capacity to earn. Isn’t this clumsy

from a business perspective?

The ex-member of GuySuCo’s Board and ex-Diversification Coordinator, Mr Anthony Vieira, must be correct in his recent pronouncements about the Corporation, made on the television programme Plain Talk (June 7th, 2017): that “in GuySuCo’s case, ignorance and stupidity and incompetence can’t cast out ignorance and stupidity and incompetence.”

Yours truly, Sookram Persaud

Bartica group; you will get a shock as to what is happening in the Bartica area, and the forest officer is turning a blind eye to the happenings.

A particular exporter based in Kwakwani has been getting approval for a certain quantity of produce, and after the export document is approved, goes and loads more stuff in the container, thereby underpaying export duties to the GFC. The name of the exporter can be revealed if so desired. An old forestry officer that was fired for corruption

is working to crook the system.

A racket seems to be going on in the concession management allocation department, whereby legitimate persons with good equipment and records are continually being denied, while others with little or no equipment are getting, and sometimes more than one.

The list can go on, and I will do a part two. But I do hope that this information is dealt with seriously by the Commissioner and the Board. Madam Chair, the

sector has great respect and expectation of you to run a clean slate.

Please act now.

Sincerely, T. Williams Forestry Investor

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Foundation

How to pick yourself up after a failure

When good children get bad grades

BY ROBINGOLDSTEIN

I

work with teenagers and often, when a parent brings their son or daughter to consult with me it’s because of a battle over bad grades. A common story is that Mark was a terrific student until middle school or sometimes high school. The parent tries threats and punishments that don’t seem to help, the grades continue to deteriorate and so does the relationship between the teenager and Mom and Dad. If a teenager has always struggled in school, it is not surprising when the higher grades become more of a challenge. When bad grades come in a child who was previously a good student it is more of a puzzle.

The importance of relationships in the teen years

Peer relationships become much more important and often, much more challenging in adolescence. Children are trying to figure out who they are and what their place is in the world and the easiest shortcut is to assume a preformed identity such as jock, or Maths whiz or rule breaker.

Teenagers, who are less secure in general than adults, take rejection hard so they tend to follow the rules of whatever group they are accepted in and take rejection with greater intensity. Balancing all this while trying to seem cool is stressful and for many children academics can easily take a back seat to maintaining social acceptance.

Adults tend to feel that teenage crushes are not that serious but they are of central importance to your son or daughter. Children mature at different rates and some aren’t that interested in romantic relationships until their upper teens.

When those hormones do kick in, however, they are enormously powerful. It may be fine to tell your teenager that his relationship with his girlfriend is less important than getting good grades but it will not be advice that is heeded.

These relationships are very serious to the persons who are involved and you only antagonize and alienate your child when you belittle these intense attachments. If you are able to remain sympathetic and supportive you will have a better chance of helping your child to balance out the demands of their social needs with their often hard to perceive financial and career future.

Could it be depression?

Another overlooked but unfortunately common cause of bad grades, especially seriously failing grades in smart children is adolescent depression. Depression in the teen years is not too uncommon. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers and may actually be higher because reckless driving leading to car accidents (the number one cause) may also be related to depression and suicidal thinking. Depression, suicidal thoughts and feelings occur much more frequently than actual suicides. Older people tend to scoff at this or think, “When I was a kid we didn’t have time to be depressed.” This may actually be true. For the generation of WWII going to work or going to war was much more a part of everyday reality. While we don’t wish this type of difficulty on our, it gave our parents or grandparents generation an immediate purpose and focus in their life. Having real responsibilities and day to day obligations is a support

to good mental health. Yes, school is an obligation for the teenagers of today but it is one they can easily avoid.

Teens, like adults who suffer from depression, feel bad about themselves and can feel hopeless about the future. A parent’s anger or criticism about poor school performance can just add to the teenager’s sense of failure and futility. Loss of motivation is also very common in depression so keeping up with demanding academic schedules becomes more and more of a struggle. When a parent’s anger and criticism gets added to that in only makes the depression and poor performance worse.

What about drug abuse

Drugs are rampant in schools. The drug culture is pervasive and even good children from good families will find ample opportunity to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Baby boomer parents who experimented in their youth or who may still feel comfortable using marijuana tend to avoid much criticism of drug use to their teens, implying acceptance. Boomers tended to try drugs when they were in college when they had a little more maturity and accomplishment to fall back on. This level of drug use has moved to down to high school and even middle schools. The teenagers I talk to in affluent Boca Raton, Florida speak quite casually of drugs and alcohol being easily available and abundant in social environments.

Marijuana is not a benign drug. One of its most wellknown effects in regular users is to cause apathy. This can be very detrimental to teenagers who need to maintain motivation to succeed when the rewards seem far away and poorly understood. A fourteen-year-old doesn’t worry about getting a good job or going to a good college. The pleasure drugs provide is immediate so there is always a risk of losing control of the level of use. Many teenagers whose grades have deteriorated greatly are using drugs or alcohol at a level vastly underestimated by unsuspecting parents.

Bad grades? Know the cause before finding a solution

There are many possibilities for what is causing YOUR child to be doing so much worse at school. Don’t assume it is just abstinence or defiance. That is sometimes the reason but there can be other, more serious problem of which poor grades are just the evidence. To help your teenager to do better, it’s important to understand what is causing the problem because different solutions are required in different circumstances. Most parents know their children and the types of people they are. If your child has been highly motivated in the past, look underneath the surface to see what is going on. Deliberate failure is actually pretty rare. (www.robingoldstein.net)

BY ALI LUKE

N

o one likes to fail.

Whether it’s at work, at home, or in another area of your life, failure is painful – and it can also be costly in terms of time, money, or both.

But failure is a normal part of life. If you never, ever suffer a failure, then you’re probably not pushing yourself to your full potential. Often, it’s only through failure that we eventually meet with success.

Here’s how to pick yourself up after you’ve failed:

Limit the damage caused

* Once you realise you’ve failed, you need to take steps to limit the damage caused by that failure. That could mean: * You sell off that gym equipment that you’re never going to get round to using * You step down from that position that you should never have taken in the first place * You apologise to someone who you hurt by saying something thoughtless or unkind * Whatever the situation, being proactive is always going to be a better option than sticking your head in the sand and wishing it had never happened.

Remember that other people fail too

Most people don’t talk openly about their failures.

They’ll tell you about that great new contract they signed … not that deal they worked on for months, only to have it slip through their fingers.

But failure is normal, and lots of people fail time and time again before meeting with success. Here are a few quotes that might help you to remember that: “Edison failed 10, 000 times before he made the electric light. Do not be discouraged if you fail a few times.”

– Napoleon Hill “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.

I’ve lost almost 300 games.

Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan “I was set free because my greatest fear had been realised, and I still had a daughter who I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea.

And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J K Rowling

Remind yourself of your past successes…

Failing doesn’t mean that you’re worthless, or that you’ll never achieve the things you want. Think of all the times in the past when you’ve succeeded.

Maybe you got a promotion that you worked for last year, or you had a great GPA in college, or you lost weight, or you learned to play a musical instrument. You might want to write down a list of successes – things that you’ve accomplished over the past few years, whether big or small. If you ever lack confidence, you can go back and read over that list.

…And your past failures

Your past successes are important … but so are your past failures. You’ve made mistakes before, and you’ve survived them.

Perhaps you did badly in an exam, or screwed something up at work, or lost your temper and had to apologise.

It’s not fun to think about the times when things went wrong, but by acknowledging your failures, you can remind yourself that today is no different. Just as you recovered in the past, you can recover from your recent failure too.

Make a decision

Whatever went wrong, you’re probably facing some sort of decision – even once the initial consequences are over. For instance, perhaps you took out a credit card and ended up in debt. You’re facing two choices: keep using the card, or make it inaccessible in some way.

Don’t rush into making hasty decisions – but do look for a forward path. That might require some deep thinking.

You can help yourself by: * Getting some extra advice and support with a particular area of your life, perhaps from a professional like a doctor, personal trainer, life coach, or counsellor. * Reading and learning more, if a lack of knowledge led to your failure. * Talking through your options with a loved one or close friend, or writing in a journal about the decision(s) that you face.

“Doing nothing” is certainly an option … but it’s a decision in itself, and often one that won’t lead to anything positive.

Whatever failure you’re struggling with right now, you can learn from it, and move on. (www.pickthebrain.com)

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Weight limit enforcement for interior roads

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eclaring that overweight trucks are chiefly responsible for wreaking havoc on interior roads in Guyana, Government has announced that moves will be made to amend the relevant laws in order to enforce weight limits on the roadways.

In fact, the legislative instrument to enable change of the laws is currently with the Chamber of the Attorney General for vetting.

Three heavy-duty scales have already been procured, and Government will be moving to have them installed at key locations shortly.

And of the $2.3B allocated to the Public Infrastructure Ministry for use on hinterland roads, some 82 per cent of that fund has been committed to contracts, while a total of 43 per cent of the money committed to contracts has already been disbursed to contractors.

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson made this announcement on Friday at the beginning of the 67th Sitting of the National Assembly as he responded to People’s Progressive Party Civic Member of Parliament Juan Edghill, who used his privilege to pose a question without notice, querying what measures are being put in place to address the plight of truckers moving goods and providing services to interior

This bridge leading to Tumatumari and Maicobie villages in Region Eight was allegedly destroyed by overweight trucks

locations using roads such as the Linden/Lethem road link, among others.

In presenting an update to the members of the National Assembly, Patterson elucidated the damage done by overweight trucks traversing the interior roads, and pointed out that the pontoon at the Puruni crossing in Region Seven was only recently damaged by a truck.

He explained that the limit of drums for a truck is 50, but that truck that damaged the pontoon had at the time 130 drums of diesel in its carriage.

“In all interior roads, we do have an issue….an issue of overweight trucks…they have been wreaking hav-

oc on the roads,” Minister Patterson declared.

He also recalled that, during the course of one month, three bridges had been damaged by overweight trucks, requiring that the bridges undergo emergency repairs. Thus he announced, “We do have a solution; it’s a global solution.”

He told members of the National Assembly that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Forestry Commission have both signed onto the provisions, and have agreed to adhere to the weight limits when traversing the interior roads.

“We will impose it…we will have better management of the roads,” Minister

Patterson committed.

Meanwhile, $150M have already been allocated to not only grade the Linden/Ituni/ Kwakwani Road, Minister Patterson told members of the House, but materials have already been purchased for its construction, and these are stockpiled, awaiting a break in the weather.

He indicated that the Ministry will soon begin testing new materials for use on the roads as well. According to the minister, instructions have already been passed on to the Hinterland Unit to start exploring different stabilizing materials.

So far, $100M have been expended on the Linden/ Lethem Road; $160M have been earmarked for expenditure, and works are expected to commence in the coming month, when there is a break in the weather.

Minister Patterson was adamant that the administration does in fact recognise the importance of the interior road links. “We do recognize their plight; we do recognize we have to provide a vital service, and we will be doing that,” he told members of the House.

Media boycott New Amsterdam’s Harmony Village

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Members of the media leaving the event

ections of the media on Wednesday boycotted the New Amsterdam Harmony Village, held at Matthew Allen Road and hosted by the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

Braving the rain, media operatives walked out during the opening ceremony because organisers had told them they had not been catered for, and thus they could not occupy positions at the front of the arena. They were instead asked to go over to a nearby shop, which was closed at the time.

In the heavy downpour, persons who were giving coverage for both television stations and newspaper publica-

tions had to leave. However, reporters, who worked with Government agencies remained.

The event was attended by acting President Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton, and Minister within the Finance Ministry, Jaipaul Sharma.

Contacted for a comment on the issue, Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton said there indeed was no place at the front for the media, but he would have to determine who had asked the media to set up an alternative location. turn to page 11

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Cocaine mule jailed for 4 years T hirty-five-year-old Eon Le Blanc of Lot 101 Ogle Street, Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD), nabbed at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (Ogle) on Caricom Day allegedly with pellets of cocaine in his stomach, has been sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment and fined $5.1M. Arraigned on Friday before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly, Le Blanc admitted that between July 3 and 4, 2017, as an outgoing passenger on a LIAT flight destined for Barbados, he had in his possession 774 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

It was related to the court that

Le Blanc was observed by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks sweating profusely and acting in a suspicious manner. He was accordingly questioned, and later taken to a city hospital, where an x-ray showed that he had pellets in his stomach.

La Blanc was made to excrete the pellets, and 774 grams of cocaine were retrieved therefrom. He was subsequently taken to the CANU Headquarters, where he admitted to the offence.

Asked by Magistrate Daly if he had anything to say in his defence, the man simply said, “I am very sorry for what happened.”

E Eon Le Blanc

2 to face jury for Laing Avenue murder

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ermaine ”Smokey” Jeffers and Howard “Spleen” Rambarose were committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of Orin David Malik, when they appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Malik was shot on August 1, 2016, at Laing Avenue, Georgetown following an argument stemming from the payment of debts.

Magistrate Latchman in handing down her decision said based on evidence offered during the course of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), the court is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that a prima facie case has been established against the two accused.

This decision came following the testimony of a Police Constable just under a week ago, who in the capacity of an eyewitness implicated Rambarose as the triggerman in the killing.

The Constable in statements given under oath, testified to seeing Malik with both hands in the air as Romel Ross stood armed with a black pistol along with a second gunman he identified as “Spleen”, who had a shotgun pointed at the deceased’s face.

Orin Malik

According to the witness, Malik pushed the weapon away from his face after which he was served a slap to the face by “Spleen”, as Ross prepared to send the deceased to his fate.

Howard “Spleen” Rambarose, Jermaine “Smokey” Jeffers, Negus Lamaizon and Samuel McIntyre were earlier this year charged for the killing of Malik. The deceased was report-

Watch them…

edly riddled with bullets by his former acquaintances and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

However, on March 30, 2017, Magistrate Dylon Bess discharged the matter against Lamizon and McIntyre owing to insufficient evidence, as he declared that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the men in order to commit them to stand trial at the High Court. Bess pronounced that the essential elements of murder were not proved, and that none of the 12 witnesses could positively identify the two accused as the persons who had shot the deceased.

Meanwhile, Lamaizon was jointly charged with Curton Taylor for a series of armed robberies just two weeks after he was cleared of the Laing Avenue murder of Orin David Malik.

However a preemptory trial was ordered for July 10, 2017 by Magistrate Latchman last Monday (June 26) as the prosecution lagged in timely production of statements and possession of the file.

…with our oil! very expert opinion solicited (and unsolicited!) on what to do with our expected oil revenues has emphasised watching the politicians and bureaucrats in charge of the sector. This advice was proffered over at jolly old La Jolla in Calif, at the conference convened by Exxon, down to the recent symposium of the African Business Roundtable. This isn’t surprising, is it?

After all, of all the countries in the world, politically, we most resemble our fellow ex-colonies in Sub-Saharan Africa -- with which we share our post-WWII “comingof-age” independence experience. And look how they’ve squandered their oil revenues!! Nigeria’s as good an example as any. Oil was discovered just before that country got independence in 1960; they experienced the OPEC post-1973 oil boom, but yet most ordinary Nigerians see their oil as a “curse”. Today, they see it as an “evil spirit” that corrupts and eventually destroys everything it comes in contact with.

Why? First and foremost, because very little of the hundreds of billions of dollars earned from oil flowed down to the poor. In fact, very quickly, the agricultural sector, which provided a livelihood for most preindependence Nigerians, was destroyed. By 1974, Nigeria had moved from food self-sufficiency to being a net food importer. Billions and billions were expended on food importation, which couldn’t be reversed by several programmes like their “Operation Feed the Nation”. Too late was the cry!!

How different are we with the PNC-led govt’s wilful destruction of our agricultural lands on the coast that’s being removed form sugar? These lands were carved out from mangrove swamps by the sweat and blood of our forebears, yet we’re placing house lots on them in a world that’s literally starving for its produce. For all the talks about “diversification” of agriculture, what has this government done concretely? Zilch!!

Then, of course, there’s the massive corruption, theft, outright looting of the government treasury, and endemic fraudulent practices that followed the Nigerian Government getting involved in the oil and its ancillary businesses. And Trotman’s proposed that Guyana follow suit with his ridiculous US$500 million oil services’ facility on Crab Island!

It is conservatively acknowledged that the equivalent of 250,000 barrels a day is siphoned off from the Nigerian treasury, and ends up in bank accounts in places like Britain, the US and the EU. When then British PM, David Cameron, was caught telling his Queen that Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”, Nigerian President Buhari said he didn’t want an apology -- just that Britain reveal the accounts hiding illegal funds, and that they be repatriated to Nigeria.

We’ve got to understand it ain’t gonna be easy to “watch de govt”, when the watchers are in bed with them!!

Who will watch the watchers? …being “post-racial” Your Eyewitness still can’t get over the RISE folks saying they’re “Post-racial”. What’s that? Since their proposed constitutional change includes dealing with our “racial” voting here, does their existence before these changes imply we don’t really need the said changes? Or are they simply some more evolved beings?

Your Eyewitness is quite skittish about this “post-racial” talk, after what happened after Barack Obama’s election -- which was supposed to usher in that blessed state in “the land of the free and home of the brave”.

Rather than paraphrasing, why doesn’t Barrack speak for himself - as he did this January: “I think any talk of it being a post-racial America after my election was never realistic. African-Americans and other minority groups might have felt as if the problems that have built up over centuries, a wealth gap, an education gap; you know, significant poverty; that those things could be addressed overnight. “(Some) also made an unrealistic notion that somehow, 'Okay, that means discrimination's over.”

Only those who feel it can know it, to fight it! …at the CCJ Do we have Jurists of the calibre of Belize’s Abdulai Conteh, who can comprehend the doctrine of “basic structure”, to rule on this case?

Or just the usual pedestrian plodders?

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

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

City Hall’s financial woes

Garbage contractors withdraw services, owed over $300M …“we are in a crisis, we need all the help we can (get),” – Mayor

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arbage disposal contractors Puran Bros Disposal Services and Cevon’s Waste Management Services have again suspended the services they provide City Hall, following the M&CC’s inability to pay them more than $300M owed since 2015.

Cevon’s, in a press statement on Friday, said its principals have been left with no option but to withdraw their waste/garbage collection services due to the non-payment of outstanding sums of money owed since August 2015 to date, and the non-honouring of an agreement made between the company and the City Council.

The company has, however, said it is hoping to come to an amicable solution with the municipality in the shortest possible time.

Mayor Patricia Chase Green has said the municipality is in a crisis, and as

Mayor Patricia Chase Green

payment would be made by the end of the first week of each new month. However, the municipality has been unable to honour that agreement, and the contractors have been forced to withdraw their services until a solution is agreed upon.

Mayor Chase Green has said she is not aware that

Puran Bros Disposal

such would be approaching central government for assistance.

The services provided by both Puran Bros Disposal Services and Cevon’s Waste Management Services to the Georgetown Municipality cost a collective sum of $45M monthly.

City Hall has been unable to make steady payments to the contractors, and, as such, entered an agreement which mandated that the $45M monthly

the contractors have not been paid for the year 2015.

She explained that there is a ‘small’ amount owed to the contractors for 2015.

“Negotiations are on, but we hope to come to an amicable decision. The reason (for them pulling their services) is that we promised we would pay current 2017 amount at least by the first week of every month. This month we have not been able to meet (this commitment) and we asked them

for an extension of another two weeks to pay for the current month, which they have a difficulty with; and that is the reason for them calling off their staff,” the Mayor explained.

The Mayor and a team were expected to meet with the contractors to iron out an agreement. Chase Green related that City Hall has obligations other than the contractors they have to meet.

She notes that payment of staff is of paramount importance, and reveals that they still owe some staff from their June salaries.

“We have not received enough; we have just paid salaries and we still have some outstanding monies to pay our staff… We are saying we can get that ($45M) in the next two weeks, but if they (contractors) say they can’t wait, then we could only talk with them and ask them to understand our position,” she related.

“We will speak with our subject minister. If they are going to help us, I don’t know; but we are in a crisis and we need all the help we can get,” the mayor responded when asked if the M&CC would be seeking a Central Government bailout.

For quite a while now, the Mayor & City Council (M&CC) has been accused of being cash strapped, and on multiple occasions, work around the city has had to be halted, since the municipality was unable to pay workers.

Earlier this year, the council and its partners (the contractors) reached an agreement, which in substance said that the City Treasurer would focus on payment of the current accounts while working to find a modus vivendi to settle the outstanding debts for 2016, the M&CC said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Council has said it would be putting alternative measures in

place for garbage collection, and urged residents to ensure they properly dispose of their waste and await the arrival of the garbage collectors. They also say that the Treasurer’s Department would be intensifying its revenue collection drive to recover money owed to the city.

At a meeting with stakeholders in April 2017, the Mayor had informed that the Council is cash strapped and requested businesses pay more for commercial waste disposal. Mayor Chase Green had told the business folks that City Hall cannot afford to keep up with the weekly amount of $1.8M only to clear commercial waste.

Though there have been talks of the implementation of a new fee for commercial waste, City Hall officials have remained mum on just how much they are proposing to charge.

Notwithstanding, the mayor threatened that should businesses refuse to pay the new fee, City Hall will have to re-

cover everything it has to do.

King said the implementation of a new fee is in order because the service of waste

Cevons Waste Management

sort to using the law to discipline them.

Town Clerk Royston King noted that even if citizens pay all of their outstanding taxes, the council would still fall short of enough money to

disposal is a very expensive one that the council cannot afford at the moment.

City Hall’s inability to honour its payment obligations is one that has become a norm. (Lakhram Bhagirat)

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Money laundering

Time limit for prosecuting offenders to be removed I

n order to allow investigators more time to prepare their cases in complex matters, the Guyana Government is now looking to get rid of the statute of limitations as it relates to the prosecution of anti-money laundering offences.

To this end, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, presented the amendments to the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill to the House on Friday.

It was then read for the first time by the Clerk of the National Assembly.

According to the provisions as outlined in the Amendment Bill presented by the Minister Williams, prior to the proposed changes, “the prosecutor could only institute proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court within six months of the offence being committed.”

It was pointed out in the explanatory memorandum

accompanying the legislative changes that “with the amendments the offence is now a hybrid one and that he time limit provided for summary offences do not apply to indictable offences.”

As a result, as it relates to the instituting proceedings against suspected money launderers, “the prosecutor would have a longer time as no limitation for the indictable offences of money laundering is provided for by the statute.”

The explanatory memorandum further states, accordingly, “this amendment is important because more time would be given to the relevant personnel to conduct their investigations and prepare their case especially if the matter is a complex one.”

The move comes just weeks after the Administration received praises for its successful exiting of the Financial Action Task Force’s monitoring regime.

Only recently too, Government recommitted its support to ensure the preservation of the AML/ CFT regime.

The view was expressed by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who in April last addressed participants at the opening of a three-day Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) National Risk Assessment confab.

“I am very cognisant of the catastrophic macroeconomic effects that money laundering and financing of terrorism can have on our country, if left unnoticed

Duo remanded for weed possession

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wo persons were on Friday remanded to prison after they appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse on separate counts of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The Prosecution is contending that on Thursday, at

about 15:45h, ranks of a mobile patrol arrested 23-yearold handyman Kayle Roberts on the Moblissa Linden Highway with eight parcels of compressed cannabis, having a total weight of 5.5 kilograms.

The other allegation is that at about 17:30h on

Thursday, ranks on an ATV patrol in Lower Kara Kara, Linden arrested 44-year-old logger Michael Torres at his home with one kilogram of cannabis.

Both accused men pleaded not guilty to their respective charges, and were remanded until August 21.

and unattended,” he stated.

At the time he told participants, “And so, it is to safeguard against these eventualities that the Government of the Guyana has been making stringent efforts to

strengthen the country’s AML/CFT regime, through appropriate enactments and amendments to the relevant laws,” he added.

The Minister told participants that sharp prudential standards have caused international banking institutions to avoid reputational risks and penalties by reducing or severing their relationships with jurisdictions that are perceived to be high risk, on account of inadequate AML/CFT regimes.

He explained that many developing countries, including Guyana, were adversely affected by this

de-risking practice. Some local financial institutions either have completely lost or have reduced relationships with their correspondent banks.

The National Assembly in 2015 had passed the AntiTerrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Bill, the AML/CFT (Amendment) Bill No 1 and 2, and the AML/CFT Regulations.

Currently, a draft Amendment Bill to the AML/CFT Act is being prepared to ensure that the assets and funds of terrorists or terrorist organisations are immediately frozen by the court.

Car washer allegedly threatens to rape minor …released on $15,000 bail

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wenty-four-yearold car washer Sherlon Edmonson of Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD) was on Thursday arraigned before West Demerara Magistrate Clive Nurse on an allegation that he had threatened a minor.

According to the charge read by Magistrate Clive Nurse, on May 29, 2017 at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, Edmonson made use of threatening language to a female minor whose identity has been withheld because she is underage.

The Prosecution’s facts are that the two persons know each other, and at about 10:30h on the day in question, the virtual complainant (VC) was walking along the La Parfaite Harmonie public road when she heard the adult male making the remarks.

The court was told that the minor was on her way to take lunch for her mother who sells in the area when the defendant reportedly came up behind her and told her he would rape her.

Fearing for her safety, the teen told her mother what had happened, and the

woman reported the matter to the Police. Edmonson was later contacted and charged with the offence.

The accused, however, denied he had uttered those exact words to the young woman, and claimed he was on his way to purchase some items when he encountered the female minor.

Based on his explanation, a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf, and the Westminster resident, who lives with his mother, was placed on $15,000 bail.

He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on August 3.

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Region 9 flooding not a Guyanese problem – Holder …Govt to initiate Guyana/Brazil joint border committee

Colonel Chabilal Ramsarup

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n about two weeks’ time, Guyana and Brazil could have a joint border committee set up to look at the effects of the excessive flooding that had occurred in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Government said on Thursday.

Neighbouring Brazil has been drawn into the loop since the flooding in the region, which has already forced residents out of their homes, has been found to not be a “Guyana problem”.

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder explained the foregoing and said the flooding was caused by the continued “backing up” of the rivers bordering Guyana and Brazil.

“There is bright sunshine…no rain (in Region Nine), but the Ireng and Takutu have been backing

up from 25 feet. This is not a Guyana problem. What seems to be happening is the Amazon seems to be backing up in the Rio Negro, which is also backing up into the Rio Branco, which is backed up into the Ireng and the Takutu”, Holder told reporters on Friday.

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Colonel (retd) Chabilal Ramsurup, has been in contact with the Brazilian Government to determine what can be done about the situation. He said the situation in Region Nine is difficult to influence.

According to Colonel Ramsarup, there was a meeting between Guyana and its Brazilian counterpart on Thursday, wherein it was found that the water in the Rio Branco is rising because of heavy rainfall occurring in the north of Brazil.

He said there has been sunshine for the entire week in Region Nine. And while the water has receded somewhat in the Lethem area, all other sub-regions remain flooded.

“We advised farmers there to reap all the crops that can be reaped. We advise that they take all the crops to the mills and ensure that we could utilise as much farine and cassava bread as possible,” Colonel Ramsarup detailed. He assured that

there is no shortage of food in the region, but said if the situation persists, it may lead to that.

He said the CDC is hoping that the rain in northern Brazil eases up, but according to the forecast, there will be rain today and tomorrow.

That, he said, will give rise to water again in both the Takutu and Ireng rivers.

Berbice

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry already has on the ground some engineers to assess the

flood situation in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), Agriculture Minister Noel Holder has said.

Farmers along the Corentyne Coast have been complaining about the loss of cattle at the Cookerite Savannah. Holder said the situation is a worrisome one for Government as the Canje river continues to overflow its bank.

He explained that pumping stations use water from the Canje creek to service the Black Bush Polder, Rose Hall and Albion estates.

One of the flooded roads in Region Nine

According to him, the system is so designed that because of the high requirement of water from the Canje River, the dry canal was dug, linking the Berbice River to the Canje River to allow water from the Berbice River to supplement the water in the Canje river, so as to ensure there is enough water along the Corentyne Coast.

However, over the last month or so, because of excessive water in the upper reaches of the Canje River, the water has been overtopping.

“One such area is the Cookerite Savannah, (and another is) the Manarabisi Savannah,” he declared. The result of this flooding, he said, is that farmers who rear cattle on these pastures are encountering inundated pastures. The cattle population is to some extent in jeopardy.

He said that while farmers have been complaining that thousands of their cattle have been lost, overhead checks using helicopters by the CDC have not seen that amount. In any event, he said, cattle would usually find whatever high ground they can.

According to Holder, it is an area of concern because it is not a drainage and irrigation area, and the water cannot be drained into the Canje River because it is overflow-

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

ing its bank.

According to Holder, the Agriculture Ministry has sent in a team of engineers to look at the situation. They have also begun installing a number of additional pumps to pump the Manarabisi area to drain into the Black Bush Polder area.

To this end, Holder said, the NDIA has installed pumps at Lesbeholden, Adventure, Numbers 46 and 49, two pumps at Number 52 Village along with two machines that are cleaning the Fowler Canal to take the water to the Number 66 Creek.

Holder said if there is no excessive rainfall over the next few days, the situation could be brought under control.

Media boycotts New...

He noted that it was not a policy position to leave the media out of the event, because the media plays an integral role in the agenda of social cohesion.

Meanwhile, one of the exhibitors, Vincent ‘Tanna’ Griffith, told Guyana Times that he had difficulty getting into the arena to display his sculptures.

“When I reach here, the police say I cannot come in because the Prime Minister in there. So I had to leave all

my work outside and wait till the Prime Minister and the other ministers left, and then come inside.”

Griffith said it was a good initiative to have the cultural fest, being called “Harmony Village”, but he was hoping to capture the attention of youths and get them interested in sculpting.

At the launch of the event, Minister Norton had said it was conceptualised by the group as a spin-off

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of the inaugural Ministry of Social Cohesion’s Harmony Village, which was held in Georgetown in March.

The New Amsterdam event seeks to celebrate cultural diversity while promoting and enhancing regional and national unity with an aim to providing opportunity for the residents to more fully appreciate the country’s diversity and gain a better understanding of what social cohesion is all about.

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saturDAY, july 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Tackling mental health issues

More funding required for treating mental health … decriminalise suicide now – PAHO/WHO Rep

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unding allocated to the Mental Health Unit is inadequate and does not support a fair fight in tackling mental health issues. As such, much more in needed to be able to combat the scourge of suicide and other mental illnesses, according to Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Representative Dr William Adu-Krow.

“Ministry of Public Health and the other sectors that deal in this area need funding. (I told the) Mental Health Unit in 2011 they have 0.11% of the health fund. By 2017, that number has risen to 1.16% -- that is 10 times, but still very low.

We still have a long way to go, let’s do more,” he advised.

Dr Adu-Krow made the plea on Wednesday at the exchange with Parliamentarians and staff of the Parliament Office on Suicide, hosted by the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services, in collaboration with PAHO/WHO and the United Nations.

He advised that better surveillance systems be put in place to address the scourge of suicide, and called for better monitoring prac-

Members of Parliament and various stakeholders at the session on Wednesday

tices. Saying that persons who attempted suicide are likely to complete the action at a later date, he called for more attention to be paid to such persons, and for them to be monitored. The methods used to intervene in the situations should also be analyzed, he said.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings, said the forum allows Parliamentarians to retrospect, introspect, and look for innovative ways to further strengthen prevention and control efforts, in order to address the scourge of suicide.

“Much work needs to be done as we seek to move further down the international rating of suicide. Since 2012,

suicide is the leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 16-44.

Females attempted suicide more than males in a ratio of 3:1; East Indians have accounted for 50%, and Africans 26%,” the minister said.

Strategic areas for intervention, risk factors’ reduction, health promotion and prevention, reduction of access to the means of suicide, health systems’ response to suicide behaviour, and surveillance and research were some of the intervention methods the minister highlighted.

Decriminalisation

The Laws of Guyana - the Criminal Law Offences Act Cap 8:01 and the Summary Jurisdiction Offences Act Cap 8:02 - criminalise the act of suicide.

In 2016, Opposition Member of Parliament Dr Vindhya Persaud tabled a motion in Parliament call-

ing for the decriminalisation of suicide. Members of the Government side, namely Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings, supported the decriminalisation of the act, but later voted down the motion for being too ‘politicised’.

However, a study conducted by the Rights of the Child Commission with the support of UNICEF Guyana called for the review of those two pieces of legislation, along with the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Act Cap 68:09, the Customs Act Cap 82:01, the Mental Hospital Ordinance Cap 140, and the Food and Drugs Act Cap 34:03.

Dr. Adu-Krow reiterated that position, and said that when criminal penalties are attached to the act of committing or attempting to commit suicide, it would

only push someone to complete the act.

“This act does not give any provision for dealing with any survivor of a suicide act. This act, if such a person escapes prosecution, then it encourages (that) person to commit suicide, because it says that they will be in jail for life,” he noted.

In giving the stats, Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr Util Thomas, said that for 2017, the MoPH recorded 59 cases of suicide while the Police recorded a staggering 92 cases. She noted that the MoPH’s data is incomplete, since they are yet to receive statistics from various parts of the country.

The Unit has rolled out its National Self-Harm Surveillance System in Regions Two, Three, and Six. Dr Thomas said the Unit chose the three regions to pilot the programme because of the high numbers of suicide cases recorded there, and that is just one way of combating suicide. The Surveillance System would mandate hospitals to report all cases of suicide and attempted suicide to the unit within one week of their occurrence. And once reported, attempted suicide cases would be monitored and persons would be psychiatrically evaluated to ensure that all bases are covered.

Man shot by Police remanded for narco-trafficking

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hief Magistrate Ann McLennan has remanded to prison narcotics trafficking accused Glen McCurdy, whom police reportedly shot in the back in effecting his arrest.

It is alleged that McCurdy, on June 25 at Omai Landing, Region Seven, had in his possession 320 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Attorney-at-law Glen Hanoman, in submissions to the court, cited his client’s ailing health as a condition for bail.

According to Hanoman, the defendant is a 27-yearold single-parent of one, and is highly unlikely to flee the jurisdiction in light of his ailing state and sole responsibility to his child.

Hanoman further related that his client had been in police custody since Tuesday, and had been put to lie on the cold concrete during the period of detention. He was also not permitted to seek medical attention despite instruc-

tions that he was to report to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) on a daily basis for his wounds to be cleaned to prevent the development of any foreseeable infection.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore objected to bail on the ground that defence counsel had not provided special reasons for same to be granted.

He briefly related the facts surrounding the incident of McCurdy’s arrest and detention, saying that on the day of the incident, Police patrolling the Omai area saw the defendant with a haversack on his back acting in a suspicious manner. McCurdy, when approached, reportedly drew a chopper from his bag and advanced towards the Police, firing several chops and ignoring orders to drop the weapon.

He was accordingly shot to the abdomen; and as he dropped the haversack, it was searched and found to contain a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

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ASL attracts prospective flight, engineering students D omestic airline, Air Services Limited (ASL), in an effort to display its Flight and Engineering School hosted an Open Day/Career Fair on Friday at its hangar at the Eugene F Correia Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

The day was aimed at making persons aware of the services offered and benefits of joining the aviation industry.

President of the National Air Transport Association (NATA) and ASL representative, Annette ArjoonMartins, explained that when persons visit the open day they would be able to sign up immediately for classes starting in September or in January of 2018.

“What the open day is about is to have both parents and potential students to come here, learn about the pilot course as well as the engineering course and of course sign up for the next class which should be staring very soon,” she said.

“What we have done as well is to have a very practical hands-on set up, where the students could go into the Cessna 172 with one of the flight instructors, get a feel

Mae’s School students fascinated with the Robinson 44 helicopter

for the aircraft they will be learning to fly on. Similarly we have also a Robinson 44 helicopter which is also the training aircraft for helicopter pilots,” the aviation veteran added.

Arjoon-Martins said that the aviation sector has grown tremendously over the past years and lauded the ASL for having the only flight and engineering school, under one roof, in Guyana.

The Aeronautical Engineering School specialises in ab-initio and modular training tailored

to the Guyana Aviation Requirements (GARs) part 3 and the British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCAR) section L. The training gives applicants a thorough practical experience on the country’s most diverse fleet of fixes and rotor-wing aircrafts. This, coupled with intensive theoretical preparation, provides a strong foundation that propels the student towards the acquisition of their Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Licence. The training programmes guarantees you

Local law school

Task force examines revised business plan

Attorney General Basil Williams and representatives of UCC/ LCA signing the MoU in January for the establishment of the law school in Guyana

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he task force looking into the establishment of the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas in Guyana recently met to examine the provisions in a revised business plan of the University College of the Caribbean (UCC); one of the Jamaican Partners in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) intended to establish the law school.

The meeting took place on Thursday and saw the attendance of Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.

The Business Plan was submitted pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding entered into between the UCC, Law College of the Americas (LCA) and the Government

of Guyana back in January, which contained a provision for a feasibility study to be done to determine the viability of establishing the law school.

The discussions are ongoing and the task force will submit a response to the proposals in the business plan. It is expected also that the task force will submit counter proposals to the joint venture partners.

The members of the task force present were: Professor Harold Lutchman; Professor Rudolph James; Justice James Patterson; Justice Claudette Singh SC.; Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr Barbara Reynolds; Economist, Dr Morris Odle; Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram; Law

Revision Consultant Justice Abdullahi Zuru, and Solicitor General Kim Kyte.

Government’s move to establish the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas in Guyana comes in light of law students from the University of Guyana (UG) continuing to face challenges in finding spots at the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in Trinidad to pursue their Legal Education Certificate.

The agreement between the Guyana Government and HWLS to facilitate this arrangement comes to an end next year and so Government is hoping to have the law school up and running here by 2018.

However, before any physical construction gets underway, a feasibility study will have to be conducted to determine the best route of implementing this project.

The project will be undertaken in the form of a Public Private Partnership, with Government holding 30 per cent interest and the private partners 70 per cent.

Government’s contribution will be to provide the land needed for the development of the school, which is anticipated to accommodate up to 400 students. With the law school operating under the Council of Legal Education, it will therefore be open to students all across the region.

the training recognised in the international aviation industry.

The Flight School offers high-quality modular training which enables the student the control to structure their courses to fit their

goals, while also offering the Private Pilot Licence – which is the first stage of flight training; the Instrument Ration – which is the second stage and gives the pilot the authority to evaluate the weather and the Commercial Pilot Licence – which allows one to fly commercial aircrafts.

Flight Instructor, Captain Rebecca Clarke, said the courses offered are similarly structured and include the completion of both practical and theory assessments. She added that for one to become commercially licensed they would have to complete all three of the courses.

Engineering student, Devia Tamradhwaj, said that she joined the ASL team as an intern and subsequently hired as a trainee engineer. She now is a second year student of the

Aeronautical Engineering School, with just one year remaining before she is certified.

“I was interested in airplanes since I was in Form One. I like doing mechanical work; I prefer practical hands on more than sitting in an office,” the former Central High School student related.

“I came here and I started as work study student and I guess the way I worked and the interest I showed caught the attention of the seniors and I am fully employed at Air Services as a trainee aircraft mechanic,” she adds.

The Open Day/Career Fair is an annual attraction ASL puts on and it offers knowledge of the aviation sector and career opportunities. This year they teamed up with Scotia Bank who offered financial aid to prospective students.

Caricom heads commit to tackle NCDs

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aricom Heads of Government have given a renewed commitment to tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in their respective countries.

The commitment was given during discussions at the 38th Caricom Heads of Government meeting held in Grande Anse, Grenada.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, during the closing press conference on Thursday, said it has been 10 years since the historic Port of Spain Declaration on NCDs. The Port of Spain Declaration, signed in 2007, saw Heads of Government giving their full support to the initiatives and mechanisms aimed at strengthening regional health institutions to provide critical leadership required for implementing agreed strategies for the reduction of the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases as a central priority of the Caribbean Cooperation in Health Initiative Phase III (CCH III), being coordinated by the Caricom Secretariat with able support from the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and other relevant partners.

Dr Mitchell has said the Heads are aware that the Region has fallen behind in the battle against the deadly diseases, and also in fulfilling the goals of the declaration. He said one of the most alarming signs was the high incidents of childhood obesity, a major risk factor for NCDs. “We simply cannot afford to continue the lifestyle and food consumption patterns which are literally killing us”, Dr Mitchell told regional journalists.

Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Timothy Harris, told his Caricom col-

leagues that chronic NCDs continue to be an economic burden for most Caribbean countries.

Addressing the first plenary session of the Heads of Government summit, Harris said NCDs represent a significant contributor to mortality/morbidity within the region.

Citing the findings of a 2016 study of the Economic Dimensions of NCDs in Trinidad and Tobago, the St Kitts and Nevis prime minister said that an estimated five per cent of that country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is being lost by the impact of preventable diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

Of that five percent, Dr Harris disclosed, “50 per cent of the loss in GDP is a result of direct medical care costs, and the other 50 per cent relates to a loss in productivity.

These are significant costs that are unsustainable. Importantly, they are preventable impediments to growth,” the prime minister stated, adding that similar estimates were reported for Jamaica and Barbados.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, also speaking at the media briefing, expressed concerns similar to those raised by Prime Minister Mitchell. He said

the diseases were of concern to Jamaica. Holness reiterated his country’s support for the various efforts being taken in the Region, particularly as those relate to smoking, use of sugars, and consumption of sweetened drinks.

He said the Heads discussed the issue of using fiscal measures, such as taxation, to address the problem.

He also advised that Jamaica has adopted a programme dubbed ‘Jamaica Move’, which encourages citizens to engage in a more active lifestyle.

Caricom SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, reiterated his stance that each citizen of the Region has a responsibility for his/her health.

“We can put our rules and regulations; we can put our tobacco labelling; we can enforce taxes on sweets and so on; but every one of us has a responsibility for our lives as well.

We do! We are the ones who feed ourselves. We are the ones who consume saturated fats, and we are the ones who are contributing to our own ill health,” He said.

Member States would continue to do what they have to do, including embarking on more public education and utilising holistic approaches to address the issue.

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Path clear to appeal constitutional challenge case before CCJ

Republic Bank foiled robbery

Policemen confess to T planning robbery …female staff taken into custody as probe widens

Dead: Elton Wray

Injured: Jamal Haynes

Injured: Keron Saunders

wo policemen who were seen on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage talking to the three young men who attempted to rob the Republic Bank’s Water Street, Georgetown branch on Tuesday last have confessed to being part of the robbery.

The two, according to sources, have confessed that they helped plan the robbery, and have implicated a female staff of the bank in their confession. Investigators have since arrested the woman.

According to the sources, the woman was supposed to facilitate the opening of the cash chute, but apparently developed the proverbial cold feet and did not act as planned.

Meanwhile, the two other suspects in the robbery, Jamal Haynes and Keron Saunders, remain in Police custody after Police applied to the High Court for an extension in the detention period since the 72 hours had expired.

Additionally, the owner of

the car intended to be used by the bandits after the foiled Republic Bank robbery on Tuesday has since been arrested. It turned out that he is also a convict who was sentenced in absentia in 2016 for firearm and ammunition possession.

This was confirmed

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

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

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

Meanwhile, a car bearing registration number PWW 1452, belonging to Wray, was found parked at the Plaza Bridge in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

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

He was the son of a senior rank within the Guyana Police Force.

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Recap

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

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

Elton Wray, on the other

he way has been cleared for Attorney General Basil Williams to appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice, a local ruling constitutional challenge case in Guyana.

The Court of Appeal on Thursday upheld an application for the matter to be referred to the CCJ. The Court of Appeal had held 2:1 – an earlier ruling handed down by then Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang, which had maintained among other things, that the two-term presidential limit in Guyana was in fact unconstitutional.

The decision to refer the matter to the CCJ was presided over by acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Appellate Judge Dawn Gregory and High Court Judge Rishi Persaud.

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman and Attorney General Basil Williams are named as the respondents in the original court action, which was filed by Cedrick Richardson in the High Court.

Justice Carl Singh, then acting Chancellor, had argued in the Appeal Court ruling that a decision on the term-limit rested with the people via a referendum and not the National Assembly.

He had sought to impress the point that people should choose whom they “please to govern them” and noted that this is essential to all other rights.

During the February decision, Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh was supported by Justice of Appeal, B S Roy in upholding Justice Chang’s decision.

Chief Justice (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who also sat on the panel, gave a dissenting judgement.

The former CJ’s ruling was based on a Constitutional challenge, filed on behalf of

Georgetown resident, Cedric Richardson in February, 2014.

He had argued that Act 17 of 2001, which was passed by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly, unconstitutionally curtailed and restricted his sovereign and democratic right and freedom as a qualified elector to elect a former President as the Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Richardson contended that the limit was unconstitutional and illegal.

He also wanted the court to determine whether the amendment with a referendum should not have been held, instead of the two-thirds majority in the National Assembly having the powers to decide to limit the number of terms.

After several months in the court, the former CJ ruled in favour of Richardson’s argument but the decision did not sit well with Attorney General Basil Williams who had immediately indicated an intention to appeal.

The other restrictions were to also declare unqualified to run for the presidency, citizens of Guyana not resident in Guyana on Nomination Day; citizens of Guyana resident in Guyana on Nomination Day but who have not been continuously

resident in Guyana for seven years prior to that date, and citizens of Guyana by registration.

In his Appeal, Williams had argued that Justice Chang “erred and misdirected himself in the law” in ruling that the National Assembly which passed Act No. 17 of 2001 is unconstitutional and of no effect as it failed to comply with Article164 (2)(a) of the Constitution.

The Attorney General said that he believed that Justice Chang also erred in ruling that the Act in question, in substance and effect, diminishes the democratic right of the electorate in electing a person of their own choice as President.

Williams also posited that Chang erred in law in not satisfying himself that the Court has jurisdiction to grant the reliefs sought.

In an affidavit in support of the notice of application for leave to appeal to the CCJ, drawn up by Attorney Roysdale Forde, former Speaker Trotman contends that the majority of judges erred in law in several instances and as such.

Trotman is looking to have the CCJ set aside or reverse the decision that was originally upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Improved performance consultations hosted in Region 9 The CEO explained that the primary focus of the consultation was in regard to administration, curriculum, supervision, physical facilities, attendance and punctuality of teachers and students.

He said that while similar consultations are to be conducted nationwide, the Education Ministry commenced this undertaken in Region Nine because, despite improvements made within the past year, there

is potential for much more to be accomplished there.

As such, he posited, “This region did not do so well as others at the NGSA, and as an immediate step, we have intervened to raise their moral and actual output.”

Moreover, it was indicated that while the first phase of meetings concluded on Friday, these interfaces are expected to continue over time.

“Those that we consulted with are now tasked with

addressing the many issues identified, (which) will ultimately lead to the improved delivery of education performance in the region,” Hutson conveyed.

Besides the consultations conducted in Region Nine, other efforts aimed at enhancing the delivery of education throughout Guyana are set to be hosted in other hinterland and interior regions, which include Regions One, Seven and Eight.

The consultation session conducted in Lethem

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n an effort to improve the educational performance of students emanating from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and address the delivery of education within the hinterland region, Government, through the Education Ministry, embarked on a week-long consultation hosted in Lethem.

Led by Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson, the

initiative commenced on Monday and was conducted by a team of MoE officials which included head of the Inspectorate Unit, Herbert Grandison, and School Inspectors Jennifer Bourne and Nashrulah Khan, among others.

They were joined by Regional Education Officer (Ag) Kateri Joseph, the District Educational Officers in Region Nine, and

Regional Chairman Brian Allicock.

Hutson underlined to the gathering the ministry’s intensions of hosting the faceto-face consultation.

“Our objective was to give feedback to the Region regarding its general performance in education delivery, and also to help them develop a plan of action for improved performance,” he relayed.

Chief Education Officer Marcel Huston (centre back), along with Ministry officials, is joined by students of Lethem

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Special needs school for Schoonord, WBD … as Wales Primary gets SEN department

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

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ducation delivery in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) region has been given a much needed boost with the launch of a Special Education Needs (SEN) unit at the Wales Primary School on Thursday. At the ceremony, Regional Executive Officer for Region Three Denis Jaikarran revealed that a contract will soon be signed to construct a new SEN school in Schoonord, West Bank Demerara.

Regional Education Officer (REDO) Penelope McIntosh told Guyana Times that the facility at Schoonord will cater for 25 to 30 students. She further explained that the staff

Region Three REO Denis Jaikarran, officially opens the Special Needs Unit at the Wales Primary School in the presence of other education officials including Regional Education Officer Penelope McIntosh

ical disabilities or behavioural problems,” the Region Three official observed.

Highlighting why Wales Primary was selected for an SEN department in the

ent to bring them to the school until the school (at Schoonord) is established where the children will be transported,” she indicated.

At the launch, McIntosh

region, the REDO stated that because several children from the schools’ surrounding communities face such challenges.

“When we did our evaluation, the majority of the children with special needs are from the area. It would be less costly for the par-

told the gathering that the establishment of the SEN department is indicative of providing education at more holistic level.

“This step highlights the fact that we have evolved as a nation to overcome our prejudices and allow special education to be

an integral part of the total education programme,” the REDO stressed. She stated that the unit’s establishment is indeed a “proud moment” for Region Three.

National SEN Officer Savvie Hopinkinson in her feature address recalled that in the past, special needs students faced prejudices over physical appearance and for their slow learning which often times is due to conditions such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) and dyslexia.

Hopkinson however believes that children with special needs can be valuable to their schools, families and teachers. She further revealed that Education Ministry’s plan is to place SEN schools in all 10 administrative regions, with each region having its own Special Education Needs Officer.

The Region RDC which funded the project under the guidance of the REO, stated it is committed to maintaining and sustaining the SEN centre.

Govt touting a “buy local first” approach …calls on manufacturing/Private Sector to “wake up”

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inance Minister Winston Jordan has made an impassioned plea to the Guyanese public to make it a priority to purchase locally produced goods.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, he noted that Government is essentially appealing to the “patriotic sense of our people” to buy local first. While denying there is intention to restrict the importation of foreign goods in Guyana, he said there is absolutely no reason for Guyanese to be seeking products outside of Guyana, especially when those very products are produced here.

“We don’t want people buying foreign water when Banks DIH and DDL have water here. We don’t want people buying foreign jams, and certainly not with taxpayers’ money. You could do whatever you want with your money, (but) when it comes to taxpayers’ money, we want to have a ‘Made in Guyana’, a ‘Buy local first’

Nandlall says clerical misdescription being exploited

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A section where students can sit and play

compliment will be based on the number of students that will be placed in the special needs institution when it is established.

“This school will cater to the needs of students who have special educational needs due to severe learning difficulties, phys-

Law books fiasco

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

kind of approach (to shopping),” he told reporters.

Jordan disclosed that Government will soon take up a “buy local first” approach when going through the procurement process, in order to be the leader in this move to encourage purchasing of locally made products.

Asked how Government

plans to fast-track this initiative, Jordan said a number of loans would provide for such.

He added that these loans to which he is alluding are available to the manufacturing sector and budding entrepreneurs, so that they could have the start they need.

He spoke to the existence of the $100 million Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) program, which is being used to help young entrepreneurs by giving them grants. He explained that it is very difficult for young people to get loans from commercials banks.

He said Government has already explored the possibility of having two abattoirs. Money to have one each in Regions Five and Nine has already been secured.

“We have already secured money to build a standard lab. Hopefully, we could get a piece of land next to the forensic lab, so that there could

be a lot of synergies between the two to assist in quality control, packaging and export, since a number of exports can’t go abroad because people don’t believe it has gone through that rigour. All of this is to overcome that.

And we have to support our people and see how the banking system can help them,” he said.

“I am urging Guyanese to see ourselves first. It is disheartening to see how many things can come from the smallest of Islands in the Caribbean and (be) sold here, while we can’t penetrate the smallest of islands selling the same thing… It is really heart-breaking to see these things,” he disclosed.

He also called on the manufacturing and private sector in general to “wake up”.

“We need to be dispassionate and non-partisan when it comes to supporting ‘Made in Guyana’ essentially,” the Finance Minister said.

ormer Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, responding to Justice Claudette Singh, the legal advisor of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), has said that a minor clerical misdescription that appeared in a recent court order is now being unscrupulously exploited in order to defeat, mock and avoid the order. “This amounts to gross disrespect of the Chief Justice and her order,” Nandlall said as he referred to the conservatory order which was granted by the court.

The former minister said the order, which pre-

Legal Advisor GPF, Justice Claudette Singh

vents members of the GPF and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) from seizing the law books, did not expire on the 14th day after it was granted, as suggested by Singh. In fact, he said, the life of the order was extended before the 14 days, and to date remains in force.

The former jurist claimed the order speaks to "Commonwealth Law Reports," but the books, which are the subject of the dispute, are "Law Reports of the Commonwealth".

Singh also claimed that CLR is published out of Australia and LRC is published by Lexis-Nexis, United Kingdom.

While admitting that she might be correct in her assumptions, Nandall said that, from the inception, it has been clear that it is only one set of books which have been the subject of the controversy: LRC published by Lexis-Nexis, to which he has been subscribing since about 2003.

“I do not own, and never dealt, with CRL. When the application was made to the court for the conser-

Former AG Anil Nandlall

vatory order, it was only one set of books that were the subject of the application and the consequential order: LRC. When the court granted that order, it did so with the intent of preserving in my possession only one set of books: LRC,” he explained.

Nandall further explained that the other side had filed an affidavit in answer and had made many legal submissions, but not once did they object and said that it was unclear or ambiguous.

The former minister asserted that the law is not a game, and it should be respected. He therefore said that Justice Singh fully knows that the law has the power to correct these minor errors.

In April, the Supreme Court of Judicature issued a Conservatory Order preventing the State and SOCU from seizing the 15 law reports that were bought with state funds for Nandlall.

Nandlall and former President Donald Ramotar were later questioned by SOCU on the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the documents.

On June 27, SOCU was set to visit Nandlall’s Bel Air Park home to retrieve the law books from Nandlall’s possession.

SOCU officials reportedly went to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and applied to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for a search warrant. However, they never showed up to execute the warrant.

The law books are the subject of a criminal case that Nandlall is facing. He was arrested and charged earlier this year. Nandlall is insisting that the books, paid for by the state when he was in office, were part of his entitlement as a minister.

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Regional

Jamaica wants movement Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival returns to Barbados of skilled workers fast-

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he Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival is heading back to Barbados this year.

After spending several years away and being hosted in Grenada and St Maarten, the annual beverage expo is back where it started.

“The first Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival was held in Barbados back in 2010 and after discussions with local stakeholders we feel the time is perfect to bring our unique event back home,” explained Barbadosbased festival director Cheryl Collymore.

The December 9, 2017 festival is a rum and beer trade expo that is used by distilleries, breweries and distributors to showcase their products to an enthusiastic audience of local and international visitors.

“Companies are constant-

tracked under CSME

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The festival will include: a golf tournament; product sampling, seminars on rum and craft beer, chocolate pairings, a rum cocktail bartending competition, a cigar and rum area, and demonstrations on cooking with rum and beer

ly searching for cost effective ways to reach targeted customers, and the Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival provides an excellent platform,” Collymore noted.

The festival will include: a golf tournament; product

sampling, seminars on rum and craft beer, chocolate pairings, a rum cocktail bartending competition, a cigar and rum area, and demonstrations on cooking with rum and beer.

The festival’s operation

director, Dr Glyn Williams said the event is a way to invite people from all over the world to come to Barbados and “learn more about the history, variety and versatility of these amazing products”. (Caribbean360)

oreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, says Jamaica is of the view that the movement of skilled workers should be fast-tracked in the implementation plan for the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), as well as execution of the central application process.

This, she said, would allow for a streamlining and standardisation of certificates and the application for workers to move within the Caribbean.

“Jamaica’s position is that this is something that has been on the books for seven to 10 years… and we think that if member states are committed to implementing and committed to ensuring that our

people experience the CSME in a way that is real and important to them, then the movement of skilled workers is something that should be moved up in the implementation plan,” she said.

Johnson Smith was speaking to journalists following the first plenary session at the 38th meeting of Heads of Government of Caricom in Grand Anse, Grenada, on Wednesday.

She noted that the full implementation of the CSME, specifically as it relates to free movement of labour and the implementation of all 10 categories of skilled workers, was one of the issues raised by Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, during the first working session. (Excerpt from

Jamaica Observer)

Haitian Govt considers Mexico violence: 28 dead in prison fight in Acapulco reassembling A disbanded Army

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ears after Haiti’s Army was disbanded following a military coup, the current Administration is planning to start recruiting for a new army.

According to Defence Minister Herve Denis, the Government now expects to recruit approximately 500 soldiers. In an interview with Reuters News Agency, Denis said the duties of the recruits will include rebuilding after national disasters as well as monitoring borders.

He said due to budget constraints only 500 will be recruited but a cote on the

budget will eventually determine if that number can be increased. He told the news agency that a vote is expected in the coming months.

Haiti’s army was disbanded in 1995 by former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide following the military coup. However in recent months, there have been calls for the establishment of an army as the United Nations mission in the country is scheduled to depart in October.

The UN mission in Haiti has been in place following a second coup against Aristide that took place in 2004.

(Jamaica Observer)

fight between rival gangs in a prison in south-western Mexico has left at least 28 inmates dead, officials say.

The pre-dawn fight broke out in the maximum security wing of Las Cruces prison in the city of Acapulco.

The victims were stabbed and beaten to death, with some decapitated. The governor has ordered an investigation.

Acapulco is the largest city in Guerrero state, one of Mexico's most violent areas and a big centre for drug production.

Bodies were discovered throughout the unit, including inside the kitchen and in an area for conjugal visits, said Roberto Álvarez, a state security spokesman.

There were no signs that

Venezuela Catholic Church: Maduro turning country into dictatorship

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enezuela's Roman Catholic Church has criticised President Nicolás Maduro's decision to have the Constitution rewritten. The head of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, Diego Padrón, said the reforms would turn the country into a "military dictatorship".

Maduro issued a decree in May to establish a popular assembly that will write a new Constitution. The Opposition is boycotting the vote to choose the assembly's members.

The election will be held on July 30.

"This assembly will be imposed by force and its result will be that constitutional status will be given to a military, socialist, Marxist and communist dictatorship," said Monsignor Padrón.

The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, which gathers the country's bishops, considered Maduro's proposed popular assembly "unnecessary and inconvenient," he added.

He also criticised the attack against members of the Opposition-held National Assembly by government supporters on Wednesday. Several lawmakers were beaten up by intruders brandishing sticks and pipes.

"This attack shows that the Government is unwilling to abandon violence," said Mosignor Padrón, who has several times in

Riot Police entered the prison after the deadly fight

weapons were used, he added. The investigation would also focus on the prison staff. "The incident was triggered by a permanent feud between rival groups within the prison," he said.

Federal police and the army set up a security cordon outside the Las Cruces

prison, which is reportedly overcrowded, with more than 2000 inmates.

Acapulco used to be one of Mexico's most popular tourist spots, but has seen a rise in violence as criminal gangs fight for control over illegal activities. It has become one of the country's

deadliest cities.

This is the latest in a series of violent incidents across Mexico this year.

May was the deadliest month in the country since 1997, when official statistics began, with 2186 homicides. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Fire erupts in El Salvador ministry, person jumps from building

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major fire broke out in El Salvador's Finance Ministry on Friday, officials said, trapping some people inside, and local TV footage showed one person jumping several floors from the burning nine-storey building.

The Government sent in helicopters to rescue people

in the ministry in the capital, San Salvador, as video showed thick plumes of smoke coming from the building.

Defence Minister David Munguia said an undetermined number of people were trapped inside and that helicopters were being used to evacuate people from the roof.

Some workers had been able to evacuate the building, one of several that comprise the Finance Ministry, Munguia said. The head of emergency services, Jorge Melendez, confirmed on local television that a person had jumped from the building, but could not say if they had survived the fall.

(Reuters)

Canada apologises to ex-Guantanamo inmate, admits role in abuse

Monsignor Padrón has been an outspoken critic of the Venezuelan President

the past criticised the Government of Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro's plans to create a citizen's assembly to rewrite the Constitution has been heavily criticised by the Opposition, which says it is an attempt by the President to increase his powers by sidestepping the Opposition-controlled National Assembly.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

C

anada on Friday formally apologised to a Canadian man held at the US military base in Guantanamo, Cuba, for a decade and said it had reached a financial settlement with him, acknowledging officials had played a role in the abuse he suffered.

The deal with Omar Khadr marks the fifth time

the Canadian Government has settled with citizens who were detained abroad following the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. All five blamed Canadian law enforcement and security forces for being complicit in their suffering.

In 2010, the Canadian Supreme Court said Canada had breached

Khadr’s rights by sending intelligence agents to interrogate him in Guantanamo and sharing the results with the United States.

“There are serious costs when the government violates the rights of its citizens,” Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said at a news conference. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

saturDAY, july 8, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Trump, Putin criticised for exclusive At least 23 Egyptian soldiers killed nature of first face-to-face meeting in deadliest Sinai attack in years

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S President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first faceto-face talks on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Hamburg on Friday accompanied by just their foreign ministers.

"We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia and the United States,” Trump said as he headed into the talks.

Reporters were allowed in for part of the meeting but the two men declined to offer details about what was discussed, with Trump saying only that "various things" had been covered and that the talks were "going very well".

Putin said through a translator that international issues and bilateral relations had been among the topics of conversation. The two men had been widely expected to discuss the war

A

US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg on July 7

in Syria and recent North Korean missile tests.

Trump came under fire ahead of his meeting with Putin for not vowing to address allegations of Russian meddling in the US presidential election and for not including seasoned foreign policy staff in his first talks with the Russian leader.

Only Trump, Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were present for the talks, which lasted two and a half hours, accompanied by two translators.

Neither Tillerson nor Trump have previous foreign policy or national security experience, and the decision not to include National Security Adviser HR McMaster – a veteran security officer – at the talks raised some eyebrows. (Excerpt from France24)

t least 23 Egyptian soldiers were killed when suicide car bombs tore through two military checkpoints in North Sinai on Friday, security sources said, an attack claimed by Islamic State that marks one of the bloodiest assaults on security forces in years.

Islamic State militants are waging an insurgency in the rugged, thinly populated Sinai Peninsula.

They have killed hundreds of soldiers and police since 2013, when the military

ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi after mass protests against his rule.

The two cars blew up at two checkpoints outside of a military compound just south of Rafah, on the border with the Gaza Strip, the security sources said.

In a statement Islamic State said its fighters targeted the compound because the military was preparing to launch operations against the Sunni Muslim militant group from there.

The security sources said another 26 soldiers

were injured in Friday's attacks. The military put the casualties lower, saying the attacks had killed and injured a total of 26 soldiers, without providing a breakdown of the figure.

The attack is the most severe in Sinai since at least July 2015, when Islamic State militants assaulted simultaneously a slew of checkpoints and military sites around North Sinai. At least 17 soldiers were killed, according to an official tally.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Aircraft carrier visit to Hong Kong likely heralds new era in Chinese military outreach

122 countries adopt global treaty banning nuclear weapons

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global treaty banning nuclear weapons was adopted at the United Nations on Friday despite opposition from the United States, Britain, France and other nuclear powers that boycotted negotiations.

The treaty was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour with one country – NATO member The Netherlands voting against – while Singapore abstained.

Loud applause and cheers broke out in the UN conference hall following the vote that capped three weeks of negotiations on the text providing for a total ban

on developing, stockpiling or threatening to use nuclear weapons.

Nuclear-armed states have dismissed the ban as unrealistic, arguing it will have no impact on reducing the global stockpile of 15,000 atomic weapons.

But supporters hailed a historic achievement.

"We have managed to sow the first seeds of a world free of nuclear weapons," said Costa Rica's ambassador, Elayne Whyte Gomez, the president of the UN conference that negotiated the treaty.

Led by Austria, Brazil,

Mexico, South Africa and New Zealand, 141 countries joined in drafting the treaty that they hope will increase pressure on nuclear states to take disarmament more seriously.

None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons – the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel – took part in the negotiations or the vote.

Even Japan – the only country to have suffered atomic attacks, in 1945 – boycotted the talks as did most NATO countries. (Excerpt

from Jamaica Observer)

India's Ganges and Yamuna rivers are 'not living entities'

I

ndia's revered Ganges and Yamuna rivers cannot be viewed as living entities, the Supreme Court has ruled. It overruled an order made in March by the High Court in Uttarakhand state, which said that the two rivers had the same legal status as human beings.

The move was seen as a measure to increase protection for the rivers, which are deeply venerated in India but are heavily polluted. But Uttarakhand's state government took the issue to the Supreme Court.

It argued that the declaration was legally unsustainable. The river Ganges – worshipped in Hinduism as "Ganga Mata" or mother – is a lifeline to more than 500 million people across India. It and its tributary the Yamuna are two of the

China's aircraft carrier Liaoning sails past a rainbow as it enters Hong Kong

F

ollowing this weekend's historic visit of China's first aircraft carrier, Hong Kong is expected to play host to more frequent military displays as Beijing seeks new ways of forging nationalist sentiment across the free-wheeling financial hub.

While the troops of the People's Liberation Army stationed in barracks across the former British colony will remain a low-key presence, more robust public engagement and displays of

China's growing military capabilities are likely, according to local officials, foreign envoys and analysts.

"The visit will help to stir the patriotism of Hong Kong comrades and help people to love the country and love Hong Kong more," Ding Yi, a vice admiral of the Chinese navy, told reporters after the Liaoning steamed into Hong Kong waters flanked by two Type 52 destroyers from its strike group.

The 8000-strong Hong Kong garrison – split be-

tween bases in the city and across the mainland border in southern Guangdong – has already embarked on more intense training and live-fire drills in recent months, including helicopter exercises.

"The days of visiting US ships and sailors being the most obvious military figures in Hong Kong is starting to die out... there is a sense now that Hong Kong is ready for more PLA displays," said one foreign envoy. (Excerpt from MSN)

Hackers breached a dozen US nuclear plants, reports say

H Hindus come from across India to bathe in the waters of the Ganges

country's major rivers.

BBC South Asia Editor Jill McGivering says they are central to Indian life and much celebrated in Indian culture, even worshipped as deities. But both are heavily polluted by industrial waste, by sewage and even by the remains of the many bodies cremated on their banks.

There are laws to stop

pollution but critics say they are inadequate and poorly enforced. So the landmark judgement in March to give the rivers the same legal status as people was an attempt to improve all this.

The argument was that it made actions to pollute or damage the rivers legally comparable to assault or even murder. (Excerpt from BBC News)

ackers breached at least a dozen US power plants in attacks in May and June, US media report, citing intelligence officials. The targets included the Wolf Creek nuclear facility in Kansas, according to several reports.

An urgent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report indicated a foreign power, possibly Russia, was responsible, the New York Times said. The DHS document carried the second-highest threat rating, the Times said.

Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp declined to

say if the plant was hacked but said there had been "no operational impact" at the plant. "The reason that is true is because the operational computer systems are completely separate from the corporate network," spokeswoman Jenny Hageman told Reuters.

In a joint statement with the FBI, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said there was "no indication of a threat to public safety".

The hackers appeared to be attempting to map out computer networks for future attacks, according to

the DHS report seen by the Times.

They sent highly targeted emails to senior engineers at operating firms behind the nuclear plants, mimicking job applications but laced with malicious code, the newspaper said.

Officials told the Times that the techniques resembles those used by Russian specialists linked to previous attacks on energy facilities.

US investigators accused Russia-based hackers of being behind a 2015 attack that caused blackouts across Ukraine. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, july 8, 2017

ARCHIE

Paying attention to details will help you avoid a mistake.

(March 21- Don’t feel that you must make April 19) a decision if you aren’t ready.

Let intelligence and common sense guide you.

ARIES

Don’t leave anything to TAURUS chance when it comes to trav(April 20- el or communication. Have May 20) your route mapped out and any details close by for reference. Preparation will offset unexpected delays.

dilbert

Change the way you look GEMINI (May 21- or how you present yourself June 20) to others. Your changes will attract attention if they are carefully made. You can set a trend, but be smart about it.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

You’ve got the will to finish what you start, as long as you are reasonable about your pursuits. Look at the big picture and don’t exceed your budget or capabilities.

A kind word or gesture will change how others react to you. Much can be accomplished if you are direct, compassionate and willing to help bring about positive change.

Your input will go a long VIRGO (Aug. 23- way. Speak up and follow Sept. 22) through with your intentions and plans. Your actions will directly affect how others judge you.

You’ll be taken aback LIBRA by an emotional situation (Sept. 23Oct. 23) that erupts between you and someone else. Listen carefully and you’ll be able to figure out the underlying cause of such behavior.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Don’t let anyone dictate SCORPIO what you do or where you go.

(Oct. 24If you don’t feel comfortable Nov. 22) traveling or taking part in an event or activity, simply say no.

Let your imagination SAGITTARIUS help you navigate your way (Nov. 23- through adversity. Knowing Dec. 21) what you want and what you are capable of will help you handle any opposition you face.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Show how creative you CAPRICORN can be with money and rela(Dec. 22- tionship matters. Looking for Jan. 19) alternative means and methods that are conducive to greater prosperity and companionship will pay off.

Keep your secrets safe AQUARIUS and your personal informa(Jan. 20tion unattainable. Security Feb. 19) compromises or social-media-based conflict is best dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Choose peace over discord.

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

Choose to make realisPISCES tic personal changes that (Feb. 20March 20) will give you a healthy boost.

Starting a new exercise program and eating properly is a good place to begin.

SATURDAY, juLY 8, 2017

19

WBO to re-score Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn fight

I

n response to public outcry against last weekend’s result of the Manny Pacquiao/Jeff Horn fight, the World Boxing Organization is to re-score the fight. However, there is no plan to change the result.

According to a report on Skysports, the WBO was responding to a Philippines government department's request to review the fight after Pacquiao said the decision against him last Sunday was unfair. The Philippines Games and Amusements Board (GAB) said it based the request on protecting boxing's integrity, citing possible miscalls by the referee and judges.

"I would be very grateful if the GAB can provide any evidence indicating fraud or violation of law," WBO President Francisco Valcarcel said in a letter to the GAB dated Thursday. "The purpose of this review is to be able to give the fans certainty of who was the winner of the bout, even though we do not have the power to reverse the decision of the judges."

The fight at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium was scored 117-111 by Waleksa Roldan and 115-113 each by Chris Flores and Ramon Cerdan, with Roldan's score coming in for most criticism. In the re-scoring exercise, five anonymous judges will review the bout, assigning their own scores to rounds, Valcarcel said.

"Then, we will tabulate the results to ascertain clearly which rounds each fighter won using an average scale based on 60, 80 and 100 percent. This means that three of the five officials have to agree to determine which fighter won the round." (SportsMax)

Elaine Thompson, Dafne Schippers Osorio handed 6-game clash over 100m in London Sunday ban for Confederations Cup outburst

M

I

ndeed, the line-ups for many of Sunday’s events at the Diamond League meeting on London read like previews of the World Championship finals, not least the women’s 100m where Rio sprint sensation Elaine Thompson lines up against world 200m champion Dafne Schippers, who was ‘merely’ a young heptathlete at the London 2012 Games, and Britain’s European 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith, the London 2012 kit-carrier seeking a London 2017 qualifying time as she bounces back from injury.

Thompson has already been in blistering form this year, her world leading 10.71 at the Jamaican championships a fortnight ago coming between sub-11 Diamond League victories in Shanghai and Paris.

But Schippers has a brace of 200m wins under her belt so far, and has specifically targeted a 100m medal at the Worlds after taking silver in Beijing two years ago. The Dutch flyer has also been under 11 seconds and has fond memories of the London Stadium having clocked a national record of 10.92 here two years ago.

Michelle-Lee Ahye is in record form herself, setting a new national best at the Trinidad and Tobago championships last month, and together with Ivory Coast’s world silver medallist Murielle Ahouré could well challenge the principal pair. (SportsMax)

exico may not have coach Juan Carlos Osorio on the bench for the entire CONCACAF Gold Cup due to a six-game ban handed out by FIFA. Juan Carlos Osorio will not be on the bench Mexico's entire CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign after being handed a six-match suspension for using "insulting words towards the match officials" at the Confederations Cup. Osorio has been punished by FIFA after his reaction following Mexico's 2-1 extra time defeat to Portugal in the third-place play-off in Russia.

It was not the first time the coach lashed out during the competition, having launched a foul-mouthed rant at the New Zealand bench during his side's 2-1 group-stage victory.

"After taking into account all circumstances of the case, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided that Mr Osorio is regarded as having breached article 49.1 a) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code," a FIFA statement

coach Juan Carlos Osorio

read.

"As a result, and given the gravity of the incident, Mr Osorio is to be suspended for six official matches and has also been sanctioned with a warning and a fine of CHF 5,000.

"The decision, which has been duly notified today, comes into force immediately."

Osorio will definitely be in the stands for Mexico's three group matches at the Gold Cup against El Salvador, Curacao and Jamaica, and will miss any of the knockout matches that would follow should they qualify, including the final in Santa Clara on July 26. (SportsMax)

20

SATURDAY, JULY 8, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

S

outh Africa moved cautiously on to 214 for five in reply to England's 458 at the close on the second day of the first test helped by a gritty performance from Temba Bavuma at Lord's on Friday.

England removed captain Dean Elgar (54) and JP Duminy (15) early in the final session to take control of the match with South Africa at 104 for four but a stand of 99 between Bavuma and Theunis De Bruyn gave the touring side hope.

England captain Joe Root was out for 190 before Moeen Ali (87) and Stuart Broad (57 not out) lifted the hosts to a commanding first-innings total.

Root, resuming on 184 in his first match as skipper, nibbled at a delivery from Morne Morkel and nicked a catch to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, but the 26-year-old right-hander received a standing ovation as he walked back to

the pavilion.

Morkel trapped Liam Dawson lbw for nought two balls later, bringing Broad to the crease with the fast bowler immediately going on the attack in a rapid partnership of 46 with Moeen.

Moeen was bowled by Kagiso Rabada for 87 and Mark Wood lasted two balls before he was out lbw to the right-arm paceman.

Broad was joined by James Anderson and the pair entertained the crowd royally with a stroke-laden partnership of 45, Broad clubbing two sixes and Anderson one before the latter was caught by De Kock off Morkel for 12.

Broad was left unbeaten on 57 off 47 balls, including eight fours. Morkel was the pick of the South Africa bowlers with figures of 4-115.

CRISP FOURS Broad had Heino Kuhn, on debut, caught at first slip by Alastair Cook for one shortly after lunch before Elgar

and Amla shared an obdurate second-wicket partnership of 72.

Elgar struck eight crisp fours to reach his half-century and Amla looked intent on another big score for his country when he played across a ball from spinner Moeen which turned slightly to trap the batsman lbw.

Elgar was dismissed soon after tea, caught off bat and pad at short leg by Gary Ballance off Moeen and Broad snared JP Duminy lbw with a full delivery which nipped back into the lefthander.

But Bavuma and De Bruyn showed commendable composure under pressure, defending resolutely and dispatching loose deliveries to the boundary.

De Bruyn, in his second test, edged Anderson to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow for 48 just before the close but Bavuma remained on 48 not out with Rabada on nine.(Reuters)

Venus wins the generation game against exciting Osaka Venus Williams celebrates winning the third round match against Japan’s Naomi Osaka

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aomi Osaka wasn't even born when Venus Williams made her debut at the All England Club, but it was the 37-year-old who triumphed on Friday to book her place in the last 16 at Wimbledon.

It was by no means easy though for fivetimes Wimbledon winner Williams to turn that 20 years of experience on the grass at SW19 into a win against the 59th ranked 19-year-old.

The 7-6(3) 6-4 result does not truly reflect the powerful attacking and spectacular winners from Osaka, who did enough in this encounter to suggest that longer runs at Wimbledon could be in her future.

Indeed, despite her tender age, Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father Haitian, has reached the third round in each of the Grand Slams.

The 19-year-old, who moved to the United States as a young child, has made no secret of being a fan of the Williams sisters, but she was far from over-awed by the occasion or her opponent.

"I think I started tennis because of them ... (but) going into the match, I tried not to think of her that much of how I normally do.

I tried to think of her as a normal opponent so that I didn't hold her on that high of a pedestal, that would make me too nervous, I

think, to play her," she said.

After fighting back from 4-1 down in the opening set, Osaka could easily have won it - she was 3-0 up in the tie-break before Venus, showing her characteristic grit and calm, took the next seven points.

It was tight in the second until Venus took advantage of some wayward shots from Osaka to grab a break in the seventh and she held firm to secure a place against Croatian Ana Konjuh in the fourth round.

"She played an amazing match today," said Williams, "She really played a match that was worth - she deserved to win. But these sort of matches are always so close.

"The first set I had a break. She played some great tennis. She had some luck and some great tennis. Also the second was just about trying to get a break or two, if possible. I wasn't successful in the two, but one thankfully was enough," she added.

Osaka reacted like a teenage fan when told of Williams' praise, smiling without restraint, but she showed enough maturity to know where she had fallen short.

"Game-wise I feel like I'm, like, as good as anyone else. But I just feel like maybe mentality-wise there's certain things to do in certain situations that I'm not that aware of," she said. (Reuters)

South Africa's Dean Elgar celebrates reaching his half century Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

South Africa's Rabada suspended for second England test

S

outh Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been suspended from next week's second test against England at Trent Bridge for using "inappropriate language" towards batsman Ben Stokes, the International Cricket Council said on Friday.

The ICC said Rabada, 22, had four demerit points within 24 months with his latest breach of its Code of Conduct and would also have to pay a fine of 15 percent of his match fee.

The offence occurred on the first day of the opening test at Lord's on Thursday when Stokes was leaving the field having been caught behind by Quinton de Kock after nicking a bouncer from Rabada. The ICC said in a statement: "Rabada was found guilty of ... using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match�. (Reuters)

Kagiso Rabada

Murray overcomes brutal tussle with Fognini to reach last 16

T

here may be doubts over Andy Murray's fitness and questions about his form but the top seed showed in his Wimbledon tussle with Italian Fabio Fognini that his status as one of tennis's most determined and dogged scrappers is indisputable.

The world number one and defending champion was far from his best against the 29th-ranked Fognini, but still booked a fourth- round spot with a rip-roaring 6-2 4-6 6-1 7-5 win on Friday.

Murray saved five break points in the fourth set, before winning five successive games to prevent himself being dragged into an energy-sapping decider that would have put further strain on the niggling hip injury he has been nursing.

"I didn't feel like I played my best tennis," Murray told reporters. "But I won and I got through it. You know, that's a really positive thing."

It is the 10th successive year Murray has reached the last 16 at Wimbledon and he had never lost at this

stage to somebody ranked as low as Fognini.

Yet, with the Italian showman having beaten Murray in three of their six previous outings, this was never going to be easy for the Briton and so it proved in an encounter where the momentum swung dramatically from one player to the other.

Polar Opposites

In tennis terms, Murray and Fognini are polar opposites: the Italian is the epitome of attacking flamboyance, while Murray is a determined defender.

Fognini also spent much of Friday's encounter strutting around Centre Court, while Murray's awkward gait seems to have been exaggerated by his hip problem.

That did not seem to be troubling Murray, however, when he broke Fognini twice and raced to take the first set.

The Italian battled back at the start of the second, breaking in the first game, before immediately surren-

dering the advantage, which prompted him to hurl his racket into the ground and receive his first ticking off from the umpire.

He regained his cool and broke Murray's serve again in the fifth game, this time consolidating and holding firm to clinch the set.

It was then Murray's turn to regain the upper hand as Fognini appeared to be struggling with an ankle injury that required treatment on court, allowing the world number one to wrap up the set with two breaks of serve.

Murray's hopes of an easy route into the last 16 were dashed, however, as the Italian came out firing in the fourth.

After Fognini received a point penalty for what the umpire called a visible obscenity, he broke Murray in the fifth game and then had a series of set points both on his serve and the Briton's.

Yet, with the Centre Court crowd willing Murray on, the Scot fought back, breaking twice before serving out with an ace. (Reuters)

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21 Chandrika, four former Photo-finish sees Kittel WI youths drafted by snatch third stage win Jaguars – Griffith back to Scorpions and green jersey A D sports

iscarded West Indies Test batsman Rajendra Chandrikra and four former West Indies Under-19 players are the five players that were selected by three time champions Guyana Jaguars at the 2017 Professional Cricket League draft for the fourth edition of the tournament.

They were selected when the draft for the 2017/2018 was held yesterday at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston Jamaica.

The four former youth players are former West Indies Under-19 skipper Ramaal Lewis from Jamaica, who bowls off spin and is a handy batsman, all-rounder Steven Jacobs, middle order batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj and wicket keeper batsman Tevin Imlach.

Apart from the five players drafted the Guyana Jaguars Franchise retained 10 players to make up the 15 required by Cricket West Indies. The 10 retained are; Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Anthony Bramble, Keon Joseph and Raymond Reifer.

Guyanese opener Trevon Griffith was for a third time drafted by Jamaica Scorpion Franchise. He along with Derval Green, Marquino Mindley, Paul Palmer Jr., and Demanie Cyril make up the Scorpions’ five.

Meanwhile, the following are the lists of players selected for the other franchises.

Windward Islands Volcanoes pick: Kirk Edwards, Ray Jordan, Liam Sebastian, Tyrck Gabriel and Roland Cato.

Barbados Pride pick: Hayden Walsh Jr., Akeal Hosein, Mario Rampersad, Omar Phillips and Lenico Boucher.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force pick: Kissoondath Magram, Khary Pierre, Steven Katwaroo, Ewart Nicholson and Akeem Cooper.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes pick: Mervin Matthew, Jason Campbell, Stan Simon, Akeem Saunders and Elvin Berridge.

n incredible finish to stage seven of the Tour de France saw Marcel Kittel beat Edvald Boasson Hagen in a photo-finish.

Marcel Kittel snatched his third stage victory of the 2017 Tour de France in a dramatic photo-finish from Edvald Boasson Hagen on Friday.

The German rider has been the man to beat in the sprint finishes during the first week of the Tour, but Boasson Hagen came within a whisker of denying the Quick-Step Floors rider on stage seven.

Kittel's team produced a perfect train in the final five kilometres that allowed him to launch for the line and somehow he managed to triumph, despite needing a photograph to declare him the winner.

It looked and felt harsh on Boasson Hagen after he burst out from the wheel of Dimension Data team-mate Jacques Janse van Rensburg, and from some angles it looked like the Norwegian had nicked the win.

But race officials declared Kittel the victor, somehow managing to decipher from a photo that appeared to show the riders cross the line at exactly the same time.

Meanwhile, race leader Chris Froome watched from the safety of the peloton, the Team Sky rider able to rest his legs a little with the Jura mountains looming in the coming days.

Good day/bad day

Guyanese Trevon Griffith heading back to Scorpions

‘Top Gun’ Hopkinson on target in Suriname

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Victory secured an impressive 12th stage win at the Tour for Kittel and he now just needs one more to equal his best performance in the grandest of Grand Tours, having achieved four wins in both the 2013 and 2014 editions.

He was not sure he had the win, but now takes over the lead of the Points Classification.

"I really had no clue if I won or not, I thought it was going to be close so I tried to make myself longer," said Kittel.

"I just prayed that the door opened on the right side and it was just enough."

While Kittel celebrated there was despair for Boasson Hagan, the Norwegian stepping up in Mark Cavendish's absence and coming agonisingly close to his first Tour success since winning two stages in 2011.

There was also frustration for Arnaud Demare in the green jersey as he struggled to stay with the sprint, the FDJ rider rolling home in 11th to hand over the points lead to Kittel. (SportsMax)

arold ‘Top Gun’ Hopkinson was on target in his most recent international outing in Suriname where he won the Super Senior Category with 75.9%.

The veteran practical shooter took part in the MTV Resort Official Opening Invitational Match, held on Sunday, July 2 in Suriname which is owned by Roy Lie, a Surinamese Standard Division competitor.

Due to this high percentage the Guyana’s ‘Top Gun’ also took sixth place overall, achieving two seconds and one third place finish in three of the six stages.

At this international competi-

tion, the Hopkinson proved that by applying the basic proven fundamentals and constant training in the art of practical shooting, a dedicated shooter can do very well.

Hopkinson competed with an unfamiliar high recoiling .40 calibre CZ Tactical Sport pistol made in the Czech Republic, which was loaned to him by his Surinamese counterpart, Regional Director, Mr. Serge Tjin Wong Joe. For the year Hopkinson was successful in the Production, Standard and precision pistol competitions locally and overseas. The Production division is listed pistols

out of the box, with absolutely no modifications. The pistol must have a minimum trigger pressure of five pounds.

The Open division was won by The US Grand Master, Shannon Smith of the Universal Shooting Academy, followed by Desmond Chang and the hard working Match Director Sergio Tjon, who organised the event and was still able to take the third spot from Andrew Wilson. Hu Romano Adel, took the Production Division. The Standard Divison was won by Stanley Lau. Hopkinson took the Super Senior top spot. His next stop will

be Jamaica where he will be shooting his highly modified 9mm pistol from Akai Custom Gun Works, Miami.

The veteran marksman explained that he is doing all the shooting and training as the aim is to finish in top ten, or even win the Super Senior Division at the IPSC World Shoot to be held in France this August. The Guyana National Rifle Association member, who is also the IPSC Regional Director, will be accompanied by the former Regional Director Mohamed Arafat Qualander, who will compete in the Production Division.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, juLY 8, 2017

GFF national encampment Marksman Mahendra Persaud hunting gets underway today

Tricia Munroe

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will begin a five-day national encampment for both boys’ and girls’ teams today as the respective teams begin preparing for tournaments scheduled to be held in August 2017.

This is the first of three camps for the girls and two for the boys, and it also includes an international fixture for the girls in Suriname (18th – 22nd July) and for the boys in Trinidad and Tobago (6th – 12th August) respectively. Additionally, the boys will, from July 13th – 22nd, be engaged in a tour to Brazil, which will see them engaged in a series of matches against state teams.

Thirty (30) girls from six GFF Scotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATC) will be encamped in preparation for the CONCACAF Caribbean U-17 Qualifiers sched-

uled for August 9 – 13 in Guyana, while 28 boys from 7 ATCs will participate in their camp as they prepare for the CONCACAF U-15 Boys Championship, to be held in the United States of America (USA) from August 13 – 19.

The respective ATCs to be represented for the girls include the following: Upper Demerara (5), Berbice (8), Rupununi (6), Georgetown (5), East Bank (3) and West Demerara (3).

For the boys, the ATCs which will be represented are Rupununi (6), East Coast (5), Berbice (3), Georgetown (7), East Bank (2), West Demerara (3) and one player each from Bartica ATC and Region 1.

Tricia Munroe, Women’s Development Officer and Assistant National Coach for the female national team, noted: “This camp will be used as part of our development initiative as we seek to both build and strengthen the women’s football programme in Guyana. We have added some new talent from the Rupununi and Berbice ATCs, which we will tap into to ensure technical balance to the team”.

She added, “Our aim going forward is to help the developmental process and give our girls opportunities to represent Guyana at the highest level possible. I know the U-17 women's team will give a good representation of themselves.”

The teams will be headed by Technical Director Ian Greenwood, and will

glory in England

be managed by respective technical and support teams, including the following: COACHING STAFF (U17 Female National Team) Head Coach, Akilah Castello; Assistant Coach, Tricia Munroe; Goalkeeper Coach, Quazim Yusuf; Physio, Charlene Henry; Operations Person, Naseya Brewster COACHING STAFF (U-15 Male National Team) Head Coach, Bryan Joseph; Assistant Coach Challus McKinnon; Goalkeeper Coach, Eon DeVeira; Physio, Saskia H a z e l ; Operations Person, Rohanna Carryl

Mahendra Persaud

T

Brian Joseph, Coach U-15 Male team

Lennox Braithwaite

op marksman and Commonwealth Games selectee Mahendra Persaud has departed the shores of Guyana to participate in the annual Imperial Shoot at Bisley in England.

His participation in these Imperial Championships, known as “The mecca of shooting in the world”, was made possible through the Guyana Olympic Association.

The Championships are billed to run from July 7 to 22.

The finals, for Her Majesty the (HM) Queen’s Prize, will see the final hundred shooters competing for the trophy.

The 100 marksmen will be selected based on first round performances. They will be culled from an initial starting list numbering over one thousand in total.

Persaud’s fellow shooting mate, Lennox Braithwaite, who is another Commonwealth Games selectee, was unable to obtain his British visa on time for travel.

He (Braithwaite), however, along with Persaud, will be attending the Canadian National Championships in August, followed by the Australian National Championships in October, immediately following the West Indies Championships being held in Guyana.

The Championships in Australia will be held at the very range where the Commonwealth Games shooting will take place. This will therefore enable the shooters to acquaint themselves with the conditions of the range, and to gauge their preparation thus far against the other selectees who will all be attending the Championship.

GCB Inter-County Female U-19 T20

Demerara win against hapless Essequibo

T

he opening day of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Inter-County Female Under-19 T20 Tournament was plagued with abysmal batting, numerous extras and unacceptable cricket at this level; all of which enable Demerara to craft out a victory against Essequibo by 95 runs, after the latter had won the toss and chosen to field at the Everest Cricket Club Ground.

Compliments of 52 extras and a score of 36 from Casey Charles, Demerara reached 136-9 from 20 overs. Apart from the extras and Charles’s innings, a mere 48 runs were accumulatively scored by the rest of the Demerara team.

Stacy Moses bowled well for the Essequibians, claiming 3-23 from her quota of four overs. Eylinda Abrams, Kemone Thomas and Devina Buer snatched two wickets apiece to support Moses.

In pursuit of a target of 137, the players from the Cinderella County

found the going tough, and ended their effort on a paltry 41-9 from 7.5 overs. Keesha Tucker with 10 was the only batter to reach double figures, as Kaysia Shultz, 3-13, spearheaded the Demerara bowling, supported by Mandy Mangru,

who took two scalps.

The second match between the President’s XI and Berbice, though it lasted just 3.3 overs, was a substandard representation of what any inter-county match should look like. There Berbice and President’s XI players scampering from the field when it started to rain

Demerara bowler Kaysia Shultz was the pick of the bowlers in the opening match

were balls bouncing several times before reaching the batters, among many other facets that showed the unpreparedness of these teams and the unfamiliar territory that the girls found themselves in.

However, it was a replica of most tournaments organized by the GCB in recent years.

Sheneta Grimmond on 23 and Marian Samaroo on nine were the two batters at the crease when rain mercifully stopped the remainder of the day’s play. The match was officially called off at 16:10h.

It was pure mediocrity on a day when competition was expected to

be intense among the four teams comprising of players competing for positions on the national team.

Only Berbice and Demerara managed to field their full quotas of 11 players per side, while the other two teams fielded 10 apiece.

The entire President’s XI consisted of players from Berbice instead of players from all three of the counties, while Essequibo fielded players from Berbice and Demerara along with their players.

The tournament will continue tomorrow at the same venue from 10:00h.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, july 8, 2017

23

Digicel’s Schools Football Championships

Chase Academy maul Queenstown Secondary 16-0

T

he defending champions of Digicel’s School Football Championships, Chase Academy sent out a stern warning when they destroyed Queenstown Secondary 16-0 when action continued in the competition on Friday evening at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.

Stephan Reynolds, Adrian Aaron, Rondel Peters and Raushan Ritch each notched up hat-tricks as their team steamrolled their bewildered opponents.

Chase Academy tor-

mented the opposition from the opening whistle as Reynolds put them ahead in the first minute scoring possibly the tournament’s fastest goal thus far. Aaron extended the lead in the seventh. Peters scored his first goal in the 15th minute while Aaron netted his second in the 25th. Queenstown had no answer for Chase’s well-oiled machine as Reynolds added another in the 28th minute before Jeremiah Sookram netted in the 34th to allow a 6-0 lead at half time.

The carnage intensified upon resumption. Aaron

completed his hat-trick two minutes into the second half before Peters netted his second three minutes later.

Reynolds found the back of the net in the 45th minute to register his third goal while debutant Kevin Padmore netted in the 47th and 49th as Chase’s dominance continued. Peters rounded off his hat-trick in the 56th minute while Ritch scored in the 61st and 64th before Shemel Smith slotted home in the 67th. Ritch became the fourth player in the side to score a hat-trick when he slotted home in the 70th.

Chase Academy’s hat-trick hero Rushaun Ritch keeps Queenstown defenders away from the ball

Nat U-17 departs

Kevlon Anderson

T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) released the national Under 17 squad on Friday some 15 hours before the unit departs for Trinidad to compete in the

Region -17 Tournaments.

The delayed announcement of the squad has disappointed cricket lovers throughout the nation some of whom have criticized the GCB for its late announcement of several youth squads in recent years.

The squad includes Ashmead Nedd, Kevlon Anderson, Qumar Torrington and Sachin Singh among others.

The team will commence their first game against the Windward Islands Under- 17 on Tuesday July 11 and complete a total of five rounds in the tournament while aiming to lift the championship honours this year.

The squad is scheduled to depart Guyana at 10:20 hours today and will be returning on the 19th July, 2017.

The fourteen -man squad is led

by Manager/Assistant Coach, Nazeer Mohamed and Coach, Orin Bailey.

The skipper of the squad was not identified in the released.

Squad: Alex Algoo, Sachin Singh, Orlando Jailall, Junior Sinclair, Kevin Christian, Kevlon Anderson,

A

Ashmead Nedd

Lance Roberts , Alphius Bookie, Ashmead Nedd, Pradesh Ballkishun, Gevon Schultz, Reyaz Khan, Qumar Torrington and Kelvin Umroa.

Kohli calls on India to carry momentum into one-off T20 against Windies I

Virat Kohli

Van Niekerk sets new Diamond League record in Lausanne

ndia captain Virat Kohli has called on the team to take the momentum garnered from a routine One Day International (ODI) series win over the West Indies into a one-off T20 match at Sabina Park on Sunday.

Kohli smashed an undefeated 111 as the team successfully coasted to an eight wicket victory and a 3-1 series win. The Indians are more likely to face stiffer opposition from a more experienced team on Sunday. The squad, captained by Carlos Brathwaite, will include T20 star batsmen Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels and ace spin bowlers Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree. Kohli, however, believes the team’s momentum can be crucial in securing victory.

"It was a clinical performance and we are really happy with it. From a personal point of view and from a team point of view it was a complete day. We would like to take momentum to Sunday's T20I," Kohli said.

"The intent today was not to get stuck and string in too many dot balls. It was to get away the boundaries every now and then and for that you need a clear mind set as in when to get a boundary and then, you know, when to keep the scoreboard ticking as well.

So, yeah, after a disappointing last game, I think, today was really clinical and we are very happy with it," he added. (SportsMax)

new 400m Diamond League benchmark was set by Wayde van Niekerk, while Justin Gatlin and Dafne Schippers were winners in Lausanne.

Wayde van Niekerk set a Diamond League record in a dominant men's 400 metres victory at Thursday's meeting in Lausanne.

The South African, who smashed the world record en route to winning Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro last year, continued to set new ground with a brilliant run of 43.62 seconds.

Van Niekerk's time set a new Diamond League benchmark, and left Botswana duo Baboloki Thebe and Isaac Makwala a distant second and third.

"I didn't come with a specific time in mind but I am pleased with this result," he said. "I will have one more competition before [the World Championships in] London.

"There I want to put on a show and aim for a great time."

Two-time Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor was nudged into second place by Cuba's Pedro Pichardo's season-best 17.60 metres, though the American still leads the way in the points standings by a distance.

American Justin Gatlin won a tight 100m men's race in 9.96 secs, just 0.02 in front of Ben Youssef Meite, while Akani Simbine came home third.

Dafne Schippers secured her place in the women's 200m Diamond League final with a season-best time of 22.10 secs, which was enough to beat Marie-Josee Ta Lou. Mariya Lasitskene set a new Diamond League record with a stunning 2.06 metres effort in the women's high jump, while Ivana Spanovic triumphed in the women's long jump.

Swiss Kariem Hussein delighted the home fans by winning the 400m men's hurdles, while Muktar Edris was the winner of the 5,000m.

Ashley Spencer ran a time of 53.90 secs to win the women's 400m hurdles and fellow American Sharika Nelvis record a season-best time to win the 100m hurdles.

Czech Olympic champion Sara Kolak registered a world-leading, national-record 68.43m in the women's javelin, while Ryan Crouser's 22.39m in the men's shot put was a meet record, a feat shared by Sam Kendricks and Pawel Wojciechowski in the men's pole vault, where world-record holder Renaud Lavillenie came third. (SportsMax)

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

SATURDAY, JULY 8, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Digicel’s Schools Football Championships

Chase Academy maul Queenstown Secondary 16-0

Tevin Imlach

Pg 23

Ramaal Lewis

Pg 21

Tevin Imlach and Ramaal Lewis were drafted by the Jaguars

Chandrika, 4 former WI youths drafted by Jaguars

– Griffith back to Scorpions

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