Guyana Times 9 August 2018

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Issue No. 3650

PRICE

Mid-Year Report 2018

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Traditional sectors suffer decline …growth projections still below original figure Page 3

Carpenter beats wife, commits suicide Page 7

AFC confident it is not dead Page 11

Kitty fatal shooting

Hotelier slapped with manslaughter P8 charge …on $1.5M bail

Govt to probe gold, mercury smuggling – Trotman P10

…APNU not kicking AFC – party leader Russian guards arrested for assaulting P8 local miners

Naked bandit robs gas P9 station, beats employees After some delays, repairs to the Canal Number Two road, West Bank of Demerara have recommenced. The roadway, which is the main access road to the housing scheme, was uneven and filled with potholes. In photo, workmen from the Public Infrastructure Ministry resurface the road on Wednesday

New Public Service Commission sworn-in

Page 11

…Chairman may have to step down as special prosecutor

More refugees pour into Region 1 Page 7

…Chairman to address capping migration with Govt

‘Green’ Paper on SWF laid Pin9 Parliament P13 Water distributors face shutdown …given grace period to get licensed – GA-FDD

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

Thursday, August 9, 2018 – a night-time retraction at 02:30h and a day-time retraction at 14:30h-16:00h and Friday, August 10, 2018 – a night-time retraction at 03:30h and a daytime retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, August 9, 2018 – 15:10h-16:40h and Friday, August 10, 2018 – 15:55h-17:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery and light rain showers followed by cloudy skies are expected in the morning hours. Sunny intervals are expected in the afternoon with clear skies in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 20 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:06h reaching a maximum height of 2.53 metres.

Low Tide: 08:34h and 20:56h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.68 metre.

WEDNESDAY, august 8, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

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FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 01 05 13 15 24 LUCKY 3 9 7 5 Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

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

Mid-Year Report 2018

Traditional sectors suffer decline …growth projections still below original figure

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espite the economy growing by 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2018, the traditional sectors, such as sugar and rice, have seen decline in their performances, with contractions of 30.6 and 3.8 per cent respectively.

This was revealed in the Finance Ministry’s MidYear Report 2018, which was laid in Parliament on Wednesday and which focuses on the state of the economy and performances of various sectors.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in addressing the National Assembly about the country’s economic performance, admitted that the gold sector also suffered a decline of 9.1 per cent.

This is equivalent to a decrease of 288,114 ounces in gold declaration. The report also revealed that this represented a 19.4 percent shortfall (below the original projection set by Government).

The minister in his report also noted that there are a number of downside economic and fiscal risks to the economy, both domestic and external, which can frustrate the achievement of the various revised targets.

In relation to sugar production, the report stated that this continued to be impacted negatively by a sub-optimal mix of factors, which also include deficient cash flow alignment and the undue absence of a board to oversee the management of the remaining sugar estates.

“The SPU (Special Purpose Unit) will need to accelerate efforts to divest/diversify the closed estates in order to provide a much-needed injection of cash to facilitate retooling and the continued operations of the restructured Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) under the soonto-be-named board,” it stated.

Importantly also, the report added that if this does not materialise quickly, there is a real danger of GuySuCo renewing its reliance on the treasury beyond the sum budgeted in 2018. Government recently named a new Chief Executive Officer for the company, and has promised to name a new board soon.

Higher-than-expected levels of rainfall and the impact of climate change were also cited as economic and fiscal risks. The report noted that this continues to threaten economic activity across several sectors within the economy, particularly sugar, rice, forestry, mining and construction.

Another issue listed

tation of project appraisal systems is anticipated to improve the pace of implementation in future years,” it also noted.

Growth

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

in the report is the pace of implementation of the Public-Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). It improved from 23.6 percent on average to 31.8 percent at the first half of the year, with several constraining factors continuing to stymie further progress.

Inadequate leadership, it said, is further complicated by a limited pool of evaluators and qualified contractors; the absence of procurement by a limited pool of qualified contractors; the absence of procurement planning; and the inability to attract qualified engineering and procurement specialists.

“Cabinet is in the process of addressing the weak management across budget agencies undertaken the PIMA, an action plan has been drafted and implemen-

However, despite these issues, the report indicated that growth in the economy was more broad-based than in 2017, with robust performances in the agriculture, fishing and forestry sectors of 3.4 percent. Other crops, fishing, livestock and forestry industries all experienced growth over the same period, with the latter two growing by a commendable 29.1 percent and 18.1 percent respectively.

Growth of 8.2 percent was also recorded in the services sector, and 13.4 per cent in the construction sector. This significant increase in the construction sector is attributed to higher building imports by 24.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, production in the bauxite industry reached its highest level since 2013, surpassing 2017 by 21.1 per cent. This has led to a revision of the fore-

cast growth of the industry upward from 23.3 per cent to 29.9 per cent. There was also growth in other mining of 31.2 percent, driven by the production of diamonds and other stones, which increased by 13.3 per cent and 45.5 per cent respectively.

In addition to that, the Government has also revised its growth rate for 2018 to 3.7 per cent, which is close to the initial rate of 3.8 percent. Government has subsequently revised the economic growth rate for 2018 to 3.4 percent. This figure was touted a few months ago after several revisions were made.

Guyana’s last best growth rate was 5.2 per cent, recorded in 2013.

World Bank records show Guyana’s growth rates as follows: in 2014, it was 3.8 per cent; in 2015, it was 3.2 per cent; and in 2016, it was 3.3 per cent. For 2017, initial projections of 3.8 per cent were revised to 3.1 per cent. This figure then went to 2.9 per cent before the final figure of 2.1 per cent was determined.

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

Police Reforms

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n November 7, 2017, President David Granger announced that his Government was expected to establish a new office which would be tasked with implementation of the British-funded Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP).

The President had explained that this office would have been functional this year, even though he failed to say particularly what timelines or deadlines were set to ensure that there were no further hindrances to the substantive work of the office under the US$4.9 million project, which was shelved by the former People’s Progressive Party Civic because of concerns over aspects of its scope.

The President had also announced that the entire Police Force would be overhauled, as he explained that the administrative structure of the law enforcement agency would “undergo much needed changes to allow for more effective policing”. He had even explained that the reform process of the Force was necessary, since it was within its mandate to safeguard the country and its citizens from criminal violence.

Additionally, President Granger, who served as a member of the Disciplined Services Commission of 2003, has also lobbied for the Force to carry out its work in a more professional, modern, and impartial manner.

He had even promised, back in February this year, to go ahead with plans to launch a spate of probes into what are deemed extra-judicial killings that occurred during the reign of the PPP. Since making that pledge, two Commissions of Inquiry were established - one into the Lindo Creek Massacre, and another that dealt with an alleged plot to assassinate Mr Granger. Both CoIs were critical of the Police and the manner in which they executed their duties and their mandate. Senior officers were humiliated, and appeared to be on trial, with recommendations being made to prevent a series of malpractices.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and other leading personalities within the coalition Government have also severely criticised the Guyana Police Force for its handling of a number of matters. Ramjattan, himself has been the subject of much public ridicule, because of his failure to arrest the crime situation through effective policy articulation, evaluation, and implementation.

It is against this backdrop that it is most unfortunate that, to date, Mr Granger’s Government has not been able to commission the new office for the SSRP, or present the spate of recommendations that were made to strengthen the law enforcement sector in Guyana. It is also even more disappointing that the President has not managed to pilot any significant reforms within the GPF outside of this SSRP, since coming to power back in May of 2015.

Nothing has changed since the PPP left office, except that it would appear -- from Police statistics and reports in the media -- that crime and criminality have both gone up.

What is even more alarming is the increasing number of serving ranks at various levels who have been involved in criminal activities as of recent. Last month, Police officers were slapped with fraud charges in relation to the driver’s licensing fiasco which was exposed by a member of the religious community. A Superintendent of Police was implicated in the smuggling of expensive liquor. Others were charged with robbery-under-arms and rape while performing their official duties.

There has even been an outcry about discrimination within the Guyana Police Force by junior ranks, while others have written extensively expressing the view that modern policing is being undermined in Guyana because the Government continues its covert process of politicising the Force.

All of this paint a holistic picture of the state of policing in Guyana, and while the Government continues to throw more resources in form of cars and weaponry at the Force, it is not addressing the core problems, which are primarily linked to the ongoing popular culture within the Force, the quality of training being accessed by ranks, and the failure of the Force’s top management to effectively pilot a programme of modern policing and development.

Mr Granger must redouble his efforts to pilot not just the British reforms, but a holistic programme aimed at creating a paradigm shift within the GPF and a modern institution which functions and protects public order and law. The Force must operate on principle, ethics, rationale and reason in order to regain public trust. It must be seen as humane and peopleoriented if it is to be effective in the fight against the onslaught of crime.

Guyana Amazon Warriors Captain Shoaib Malik face off with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots’s Carlos Brathwaite during a pre-match press conference on Wednesday ahead of their opening encounter of the Guyana leg matches

Setting the record straight

Dear Editor, During the period of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, it was subjected to vile and consistent attacks about corruption. Most of the allegations were downright lies; some were half-truths (these are often worse than lies) and almost always they were distorted.

The PPP/C has answered these accusations over and over again. Yet the charges of misconduct and corruption persist to this day. It is clear that the PPP/C haters have seen that this is potent and even now after more than three years of the Party being out of office, the wicked lies are continuing.

An editorial in sections of the media on Monday, August 6, 2018, is a good example of how the news continues to be twisted. They are indulging in this type of journalism to protect the really corrupt People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regime, while at the same time trying to hold on to some credibility.

In the editorial, the PNCled APNU regime’s obviously corrupt dealings were mentioned very mildly. The Leader of the Opposition was even quoted on a few of the corrupt deals. Clearly, this was a fig leaf to pretend to be fair and balanced However, it was once more placing blame on the PPP/C and slandering its Administration.

About sole sourcing of medicine, it stated that “….it was practised frequently by the PPP Government”. That is the first lie. The second lie

is put in the following way: “…. While in Opposition, the APNU/AFC criticised the PPP… for the sole sourcing of drug contracts to the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation…whose owner is a friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo….” It is just slander to repeat the lie that NEW GPC got contracts on a sole-sourcing basis.

For the reader to understand this, it is necessary to go into a bit of a background.

On assuming office, the PPP/C sought the assistance of the international community to design a system of procurement of medicines.

The whole idea was to prevent shortages of pharmaceuticals and minimise the need for emergency purchases.

The system that the PPP/C Administration developed was done with the technical assistance of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

It was best described as pre-qualification tendering.

That model was developed by the WHO and the World Bank based on international best practices and applied here to our specific circumstances.

The guidelines which the PPP/C Administration followed in allocating contracts and procuring drugs were: 1) the financial capacity to deliver on the contracts; 2) acceptable storage to ensure that there were enough supplies in the country and stored at the correct temperature; 3) meet the Guyana Food and Drug Department regulations; 4) the entity was legally authorised to operate as a business; 5) there was a points system that all bidders must meet.

Moreover, to ensure quality, all medicines had to be procured from WHO prequalified manufacturers.

Therefore, suppliers had to list the companies they were procuring drugs from.

Those companies/suppliers that met those criteria were then pre-qualified. When procuring, the Ministry sent orders to those companies inviting them to bid.

It is clear that the PPP/C did not sole source. It was all based on sound principles.

By extension, NEW GPC was also not given any contract on a sole-source basis. The NEW GPC supplied medicines to the health sector based on the pre-qualification model that the WHO recommended for global use in the national supply chain system.

The NEW GPC, like all others, had to bid in an open tender to become pre-qualified.

In the case of an emergency, it was usually for one or two drugs and the amount was limited. This means that not a lot of money was spent on emergency purchases. It was never tens of millions of dollars.

Even in this case, the companies that were pre-qualified were asked to bid. The time, of course, was shorter.

Those are the facts.

For a section of the media to perpetuate this disinformation about the PPP sole-sourcing could only be for political reasons.

I say this because the system set up by the PPP/C Administration was tested in our courts.

The International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), owned by Mr Lloyd

Singh, a known financier of the APNU/AFC, took a case to court, claiming discrimination in awarding of contracts.

The company had among the best legal representation, Mr Rex McKay’s Chambers.

The Judge was Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang.

The PPP/C Government’s case was argued by the then Attorney General Anil Nandlall.

The finding and ruling of the Judge was that the charges were baseless. The system was of international standard and no discrimination took place.

Yet, a section of the media, including Kaieteur News, persists in the fallacy. Why? Having succeeded in painting a false picture of the PPP/C Administration when in office, they now continue to do the same to protect their corrupt friends high in government. This suggests that some of them may also be benefitting from this massive APNU/AFC corruption.

If not, they must be very frightened of this PNC-led regime and try to soften any criticism of them.

Without doubt, the PPP/C would welcome a debate on corruption. If the regime feels that it is clean, then it, or its agents in the media, should take up the challenge In the meantime, the Government’s and PNCsympathetic media should stop, in the words of US President Donald Trump, spreading fake news. It is an abuse of free speech.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

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

Curriculum reform in Guyana's education sector Dear Editor, Please permit me some space in your newspapers to address the issue of curriculum reform in Guyana's education sector. It has been recognised for quite some time now that there is a skills gap that exists in Guyana. This refers to the mismatch of education and training offered by the education sector and what is required in the job market.

Through one lens, it is the case of a complete mismatch while through another lens, the current training being offered has not been refined to meet current international standards. Hence, some Private Sector entities are sometimes forced to provide additional training for staff.

As a result of this reality,

quite a number of Guyanese find it hard to gain employment within their desired field, while a large number resort to migrating to seek employment.

Recently, a stark reality was highlighted, which is that the public education curriculum has not been upgraded since 1976. That calculates to 42 years since Guyana has had curriculum reform. Why did Guyana sit idly by for four decades?

The global economy has undergone so many changes.

It is no wonder we have not been able to properly tap into the global market as other countries have, because we simply do not possess the human resource capacity.

It is necessary that the curriculum is dynamic, re-

mains current and is structured in such a way that it feeds the job market and responds to labour market demands. This is necessary, particularly since there is so much talk about sustainable development. Economic growth can only be sustained when the workforce is replenished in keeping with the demand regardless of sector.

Editor, Guyana needs an education system that is dynamic and able to adapt to changes in the economy and labour market demands. It is in this vein that I view the recent move towards curriculum reform as monumental and important for nation building.

The world is going digital and Guyana is slowly making strides in catching up

with the rest of the world. A restructuring of the education system with a focus on ICT would greatly serve to propel Guyana’s move in this information age.

This global focus has been recognised by the Education Ministry. The process has started to develop a framework that will facilitate curriculum reform in the public education system from nursery to secondary.

Editor, clearly, it has been recognised by the Education Ministry that young people now require much more than the traditional skills to be relevant in today’s world.

Additionally, based on what has been reported, the curriculum reform process will result in a curriculum that caters to our cultural

diversity and more so promote social cohesion within our society, which historically could become fragmented based on cultural, racial and socio-economic differences.

This move by the Education Ministry under the leadership of its Minister is of national importance and relevance and should not be taken lightly. The consultations which took place last month involving learned minds in education will surely serve to guide this process in the right direction to obtain the best results for Guyana.

Thankfully, the curriculum reform will not only address the content that is taught, but will also look at the manner in which education is delivered. This is a ho-

listic approach which is quite commendable.

Lastly, with the curriculum reform programme pegged at US$6 million, I do hope that that money will be well-spent. I say this since Guyana will soon be an oil and gas-producing country.

It would be wise to tailor subjects to accommodate some degree of oil and gas to inform our children about the sector and hopefully encourage some to pursue studies in that field.

Editor, curriculum reform is an important process; all of Guyana needs to support the Education Ministry in this endeavour to ensure the best product.

Yours respectfully, Elizabeth Williams

Coalition bridge is breaking down Dear Editor, It is clearer now than ever before that the coalition bridge is breaking down.

Evidence of this fragmentation seems to be spiralling from all angles as a bitter divorce looms.

The unravelling of the incestuous relationship comes as no surprise to many. This is since there were really no core foundation principles that would have hopefully merged into something stronger, in support of national and local development. The implication points to the ultimate and further weakening of national and local governance structures which must be remedied with some measure of objectivity.

One cannot help but observe the shallowness of decisions, levels of unpreparedness and lack of the coordination of this underperforming coalition. Recently, several A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) members refused to sit in the Parliament when the vote was about to be taken in rela-

tion to objections advanced by the Opposition regarding the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) staff’s duty-free vehicle concessions.

The situation was indeed overwhelming and quite shameful when Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin abstained from voting with their colleagues on the Government benches. It was also most embarrassing to see the Leader of the AFC, Raphael Trotman and the Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo voting for the motion and the other members voting with the Opposition against the motion.

Is this the way that the Members of Parliament representing the Government wish to convey their representation of the people in the country’s highest decision-making body? It is quite obvious and troubling that such levels of unpreparedness regarding critical na-

tional matters do not augur well for the coordination required in moving Guyana forward. Simply put, this coalition Government is signalling their resolve and focus on bribing and fooling people to win their support.

This motion itself was one which should not have been brought to the honourable House in the first place.

This motion was before the House for several weeks for debate. And the APNU/ AFC were made fully aware that it was wicked and nasty to use their parliamentary single-seat majority to pass such a motion when these matters could be dealt with by existing policies and rules to govern exemption of taxes and entitlements. It was

indeed a total waste of time and abuse of the entire parliamentary mechanism, staff and money to facilitate such skulduggery.

The Public Service Register for travelling positions is clear regarding the categories for Ministries, agencies and departments which should be beneficiaries and the level of benefits which should be accorded. Most ridiculous was the fact that many on the Government benches were lying through their teeth because it is public knowledge that Surrender Lall-Boodhoo is not working at the FIU office.

It is important to point out that the granting of the concessions by the National Assembly would have been

creating a serious precedent in the entire public/civil service, along with all the related agencies. Critically, it highlights the priorities of selected members on the Governments’ side, as well as their lack of concern for critical areas which should be truly prioritised and supported.

Reference herein is made to the Commissioners of the Local Government Commission, whose critical role in the functions of municipalities, village and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) demand that they are granted concessions for vehicles as a critical support.

Further, there are literally hundreds of similar cases, in the Ministries, State agencies,

semi-autonomous bodies, and constitutional agencies that will not only be demanding the same concessions, but are truly deserving of the support.

The Opposition has saved this nation from a PNC-planned recipe for riot in the demand for duty-free concessions, and towards measures for a more objective approach to be pursued.

The Minister of Finance must assert himself and he should have brought a ‘Bill’ to change the law and give the GRA Commissioner General the powers to take the appropriate action where necessary if the current system needs any adjustments.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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n celebration of children’s outdoor play, Fun Park Rentals, in collaboration with the Education Ministry, will be hosting Guyana’s third Annual National Play Day on August 12, 2018 at the Ministry’s Ground, Carifesta Avenue from 12:00h-17:00h.

The theme for this year’s event is “Celebrating Children’s Right to Play!”

The initiative is intended to raise awareness of the importance of children’s play and the need for quality play opportunities every day of the year. Hundreds of children and families are expected to attend the event to play games and enjoy stimulating play activities. Admission is free.

To formally launch National Play Day 2018, Fun Park Rentals will deliver memorable play and bouncy castle fun to

the orphans at the Red Cross Children’s Convalescent home today at 10:00h.

Foundation

This is its way of taking play to l e s s -fo r t u n ate children and demonstrating how play can improve children’s social skills as well as help them to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, and better resolve conflicts.

According to Fun Park Rentals Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Athalyah Yisrael, this event is quite significant now in Guyana because of the extensive use of technology via iPods, tablets, phones, etc, by children that is now replacing outside play.

Play is pivotal to the holistic development of children. It is so important that it is recognised by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.

Speech language pathologist Jacqueline O’Loughlin explained that “play matters because it is important for children’s health, happiness and well-being”. It supports creativity while developing children’s imagination, physical skills, and emotional strength.

Therefore, National Play Day 2018 aims to do three things: first, Encourage children to play more outdoors, in the street, at school and in the community; second, support parents to allow their children to play more…outdoors and finally, to foster communities/ organisations to come together to rehabilitate community play grounds so

Leonardo Da Vinci kept copious notes of his inventions, ideas, and visions written in handwriting that could only be read by reflecting it in a mirror. In this activity, your kids will enjoy copying Leonardo’s special writing technique. children can play.

Play Day is dedicated to exposing children to different forms of play that are not only fun but also stimulate their intellect. Fun Park Rentals will be catering for 500-1000 children with inclusive play, including traditional outdoor games for parents and children to play together like sal-out, dog and the bone, freeze and melt, tug-o-war, and musical chairs to name a few. The event most children are looking forward to is the Black Panther vs Spiderman challenge, along with the Adult Bouncy Castle Fun for parents.

Guyanese also encouraged to set aside time daily to just PLAY, even if only for 15 minutes; this will allow you to retain balance between work and play.

Fun Park Rentals has expressed sincere thanks to the organisations that are supporting this national play initiative namely the Education Ministry, Small Business Bureau, Scouts Association of Guyana, the Leo Club of Stabroek, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, Star Party Rentals, Metro Guyana, KFC and Sterling Products.

For any more information on how to get involved to support this National Play Day initiative for children, contact Fun Park Rentals on 623-4386 or email funparkrentals@gmail.com or follow the Play Day campaign on Facebook @ Fun Park Rentals.

Instructions

1. Explain to your kids that they will try writing as Leonardo da Vinci did in his notebooks. It is a mystery why he did it, but he used “mirror writing” (writing backwards and across the page from right to left) and wrote with his left hand. The best way to read this type of writing is by holding a mirror up to it so the reflection allows you to see the words correctly.

Ask your kids to try writing their letters backwards, from right to left, using their left hands.

2. Have them try writing the alphabet forward and backward.

3. Distribute mirrors or arrange a mirror station.

Have your kids hold up their backward writing and see if it looks normal.

4. Ask volunteers to write a backward message to a classmate and see if he or she can read it with a mirror.

5. Discuss other writing systems that are not written and/or read left to right. For instance, in Hebrew words and sentences are read from right to left. Chinese writing is read from top to bottom starting at the right hand side of the page.

Objective

• to experiment with writing and writing systems

Materials

• writing supplies • mirrors

Take it further

Leonardo da Vinci was called a “Renaissance man” because he was talented in so many different areas.

Discuss with your kids what the term means and then have your kids nominate their choice for “Renaissance man/woman” of today. (readingrockets.com)

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More refugees pour into Region 1 …Chairman to address capping migration with Govt

Some of the refugees in Region One

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overnment has announced plans to construct humanitarian centres to house Venezuelan refugees fleeing here from political and economic turmoil in their homeland, but the influx is seeing greater numbers, and Chairman of Region One (Barima-Waini), Brentnol Ashley, is slated to discuss a possible cap on immigration with Government.

He disclosed these details in an interview with <<Guyana Times>> on Wednesday, ahead of a planned visit by Citizenship Minister Winston Felix to the region on Friday. Region One constitutes part of the Essequibo county that bor-

ders the Spanish-speaking country.

Ashley said these intended discussions are premised on on-the-ground information he is receiving from some villagers, who through their representatives have expressed concern over the strain the influx of refugees is placing on resources of the small village economies.

“There are concerns because of the congestion that is taking place. A lot of these village economies have been stagnated over the last number of years,” Ashley stressed.

From estimated figures last week, this newspaper reported that there were about 500 persons from

Venezuela who had taken up residence in Barima-Waini, but Ashley on Wednesday said these numbers are steadily increasing, with new arrivals being as recent as Sunday. Guyana Times, however, understands that these additional persons cannot immediately be registered because of the limitation the immigration officers in the region are facing.

It is understood that there is limited access to vehicles in the region.

“The numbers have increased in some of the communities. More than 100 persons are at Kahn’s Hill, and at Kamwatta we have 62, which moved from 46.

At Whitewater, we have 257, and the last time it was 203. The estimated numbers have gone past 600,” he pointed out.

Guyana Times understands further that the main objective of Minister Felix’s visit is to assess the site for construction of the centres that would provide roofs over the heads of the refugees. Previously, they were discovered camping along the Guyana side of the border in insanitary conditions.

Stating the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC’s) concern over the influx, Ashley explained that when he meets with the Citizenship Minister,

he would discuss the possibility of limiting the numbers should the numbers increase further.

“They will have, at some point in time, maybe temporarily we’ll have to come to a cut point of persons being here,” Ashley commented.

He related that the supplies of food, potable water and clothing are finished, and he says he has continued to call on donor agen-

cies to provide assistance to those in need.

Earlier this week, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, noted that the centres to house the immigrants would be constructed in Region One. Guyana Times reported that a multi-agency committee comprising the Guyana Police Force and the Citizenship and Public Health Ministries will oversee the establishment of the

Government- controlled centres. The Venezuelan refugees in the area are mainly from the Warrau tribe.

Many of the Venezuelan nationals have been crossing into Guyana in search of medical treatment for malaria. Ashley had previously noted that the Region’s 2018 Budget currently did not have funds to provide for those refugees. (Shemuel Fanfair)

Carpenter beats wife, commits suicide

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he lifeless body of 44-year-old Surrendra Hardat, a carpenter of Lot 281 Angoy’s Avenue, Greater New Amsterdam Berbice, was on Monday discovered by residents of the community hanging in his home.

Reports are that the man had beaten his wife, causing her to seek medical attention, and the Police were in search of him.

This publication was told that Hardat and members of his household had been at a family reunion at Number 2 Village, East Canje on Sunday when an argument erupted between

Dead: Surrendra Hardat

Hardat and his wife, forcing the family to leave the event. Upon arriving home, the argument continued and

escalated into a physical confrontation, during which Hardat injured his wife.

The injured woman was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where an emergency surgery was performed, but the matter was reported to the Police, after which Hardat’s wife and five children went to a relative’s home to spend the night.

On Monday, relatives went to Hardat’s house, and with the aid of residents in the community, entered the home and made the discovery. The Police were summoned, and are investigating the matter.

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Enmore house goes up in flames F Take me out… ire broke out in an unoccupied two-storey house at Lot 184 Beezie, Enmore East Coast Demerara at sometime after 21:00h on Wednesday, and within 20 minutes, had completely engulfed and totally destroyed the entire building.

Guyana Times understands that the fire started at the eastern bottom flat of the building, the owners of which are residing overseas. A neighbour, Deoraj Nauth, called “Sir D”, told Guyana Times he was at home watching cricket when he heard a neighbour shouting, “Fire!” and upon looking through his window, he

Flames engulfing the Enmore house

saw the fire in the bottom flat of the house.

The man noted that neighbours rushed out and formed a water brigade, but the heat was too much; and by the time the Fire Service arrived -- with no water -- it was too late to save the house.

Nauth ruled out the fire being electrical in origin, since there was no electricity connection to the house. He believes the fire might have been the work of an arsonist.

“There is no current at the house, and it has been unoccupied for over a year now; so (the fire) seems to be arson,” he told this publication.

Russian guards arrested for assaulting local miners

T

he two Russian guards who were captured on video beating two Guyanese miners near the Quartzstone River in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) have on Wednesday been arrested.

In confirming the arrests, the Police have said investigations revealed that the Russians are employed

by West Bank Demerara Gold Inc, which is licensed to operate in Guyana; and as Supernumerary Constables, they are authorised to carry firearms. However, they breached the conditions of that authorisation in that, at time of the incident, they were not attired in the uniform prescribed by their employer and approved by the Force’s Administration.

This however, was not evident in the video footage which was circulated on social media.

At a forum held on Wednesday, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman raised concerns over the fact that foreigners

This miner was allegedly tied up and tortured by the Russian guards

are being granted firearm licences.

Concerns

“I am concerned about foreigners having weapons; licensed weapons. I am told that precepts were issued.

A precept is really a kind of permission given by the Police Force to persons to act as security guards and also to carry firearm licenc-

es. I am concerned about that and the number of persons who may have them,” Trotman disclosed.

He explained that the interior is known to be “Wild West”, and so the number of guns present there would have a direct bearing on the levels of crime and violence in the area.

“It also tells us that people expect or need a greater Police presence, and so I believe Government is looking at that. We recently launched the Corps of Wardens, and that Corps of Wardens will come alongside the Police Force, when necessary, to assist not just with law and order, but of course to ensure that the laws (such as) mining laws, forest laws, wildlife protection laws etcetera, are respected,” the minister added.

An official report was on Sunday received by the Police from a miner who claimed that he had been brutalised by a group of Russian guards attached to

Hotelier on $1.5M for shooting Kitty man

E

rwin Bacchus, owner of the Tourist Villa Hotel in Subryanville, Georgetown, was on Wednesday placed on $1.5 million bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a manslaughter charge alleging that on August 4, 2018 at Subryanville, he unlawfully killed Jason De Florimonte.

His attorneys, Nigel Hughes and Glenn Hanoman, told the magistrate in a bail application that their client was acting in self-defence on the day of the incident.

Hughes disclosed that Bacchus had fired two warning shots before shooting De Florimonte, who had armed himself with a knife and rolling pin and had attacked the hotel’s handyman.

As conditions of his bail, Bacchus has had to lodge

his passport at the Kitty Police Station, and is also required to report weekly to the same station.

The case will continue on August 29.

Reports are that on Saturday last, 30-yearold Jason De Florimonte of Lot 96 Fifth Avenue, Subryanville Georgetown was reportedly assaulting his girlfriend, Christine Rambarran, in front of his home at around 01:45h.

This caught the attention of a 29-year-old handyman employed by the hotel, who intervened to assist the woman. That intervention reportedly angered De Florimonte, and an argument ensued. Realising that the situation was escalating, the handyman ran into the hotel, with De Florimonte in hot pursuit.

Bacchus whipped out his licensed firearm and al-

the gold company.

‘F’ Division (interior locations) Police Commander Kevin Adonis told Guyana Times there is on the miner’s body evidence suggesting he had been beaten and tortured. As such, an investigative team from the Force’s headquarters travelled to Quartzstone, where the incident allegedly occurred, and arrested the two foreign nationals.

On April 3, 2018, two employees of Hopkinson Mining Logistics were performing duties on their employer’s concession when they were intercepted by two Russian operatives, who made every attempt to prevent them from doing their work. A security officer of Hopkinson’s recorded the incident with his cellular phone. The video recording showed a Russian guard demanding documentation, challenging the two employees’ right to be on their employer’s claim, and subsequently attempting to block their access.

The foreigners were seen beating the men before pulling out a gun.

Teen charged for stealing cleaning supplies

N Dead: Jason De Florimonte

legedly fired several shots in De Florimonte’s direction. De Florimonte was shot, and was subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A post mortem examination conducted on his body has given his cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.

ineteen-year-old John McKenzie of Leopold Street, Georgetown, an employee of Cheeze Pleaze restaurant, appeared on Wednesday before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore, charged for stealing a quantity of cleaning supplies from that entity.

Unrepresented by legal counsel, the teen denied stealing from the restaurant a gallon of Jeyes Fluid, four bottles of Fabuloso, a pack of sliced cheese, three cans of Fish spray, and other items to the total value of $12,543.

The teenager was placed on $15,000 bail, and the case was set to continue on August 16.

Y

…to the ball game! our Eyewitness is pretty excited his home team Amazon Warriors is opening up their season tonight at home!! With Exxon now their official sponsor, he’s reminded of the century-old classic American kid’s song that summarised the excitement of their “ball game” – and ours!! Your Eyewitness, of course, has paraphrased it appropriately for “local conditions”!!

“Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd; Buy me some fried rice and fry chicken, I don't care if I never get back home.

Let me scream, scream, scream for the Warriors, If they don't win, it's a shame.

‘Cause I’ll be bowlin’ and battin’ for my team, At the old ball game.”

There’s nothing like cricket that defines us as a Caribbean people. And that’s why your Eyewitness thinks even though we just celebrated “Emancipation”, we’ve got to admit there are some things we don’t need to be emancipated from! Cricket being foremost among them!! Those who believe otherwise probably prompted the venerable Marxist cricket writer (and revolutionary theorist!!) CLR James to ask, “What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?”

When your Eyewitness went out to the “ball game” as a kid, he saw people who looked like him, spoke like him and WERE like him, grab the game of cricket by the scruff of its neck from the Englishmen who’d invented it!

They imbued it with a love of life – nay, a LUST for life – that hadn’t only SURVIVED the plantation horrors but had actually blossomed and bloomed!! He saw heroes like Garfield Sobers excelling in every aspect of the game – bowling, batting and fielding – even as he retained the West Indian swagger with his raised shirt collar!!

He saw Rohan Kanhai inventing cricketing “shots” – such as the “falling on his behind hook” – that was nothing short of genius rivalling anything that Shakespeare had conjured up! He saw Hall and Griffith take “fast bowling” to its zenith, forcing the English who’d invented “bodyline bowling” to intimidate Bradman, now whining and whingeing at “pace like fire”!!

But the crowning glory of West Indian cricket is the T-20 format – which adopted wholesale the way we’ve always played our “ball game”. Screaming crowds that let the players know their feelings; feasting and drinking in the stands; players vying to hit the ball out of the ground and bowlers intimidating the batters with every trick in the book – with force or guile!!

And that’s why your Eyewitness will be downing tools early in the game to make sure he gets to Providence in time to fortify his “spirits” before the first ball is bowled!!

Play ball, Warriors!! All the way this year!! …to remember sugar and cricket Among the most fanatical cricketing fans in Guyana are those from the sugar belt. As CLR James pointed out, it was “bitter sugar” that inspired the West Indian to enter the cricket fields to “fight back” against their oppressors – and eventually to achieve dominance. Interestingly, after those sugar workers protested, the sugar planters created cricketing grounds in every sugar estate –probably to take their minds off the horrid conditions. But as an irony of history, it was from those sugar estates – particularly in Berbice – that some of Guyana’s greatest cricketers emerged – Kanhai, Butcher, Kallicharan, Solomon, etc, etc.

It’s a bitter irony, however, that in firing over 5700 sugar workers in the last year, the Government has effectively denied those families – over 50,000 persons - from enjoying their beloved game in person. Choosing between food for their children and cricket – even a diehard cricketing fan from the sugar belt has to choose food!

Sadly, their children’s cry to “take me out to the ballgame” goes unanswered. …to nepotism Less than a week after the President continued with his unilateralism to appoint an energy csar, the Agri Minister and Cabinet did the same for a new GuySuCo CEO. So who cares if this is a function of a sugar board??

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

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thursdAY, august 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

‘Green’ Paper laid in Parliament

W

hen the highly-anticipated ‘Green’ Paper for the establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) was laid in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan declared it was an example of the administration’s commitment to good “governance and accountability.”

Jordan told the National Assembly that the Green Paper, which sets out preliminary proposals to stimulate discussion, also points to possible courses of action open to the SWF legislation.

Saying he anticipates the proposals would be supported by both sides of the House, given the crucial role the fund would play, he noted stabilisation, savings and domestic development are key objectives of the fund and the fiscal rule options provided. And given the uncertainty surrounding the future of fossil fuels, Jordan emphasised the need for savings to begin from the first day of production.

“To achieve this function, revenues will be invested in diversified portfolios comprising financial assets external to domestic, with long investment horizons,” he explained. He added that the paper also focused on why the Fund is necessary, and how it can help to protect Guyana against Dutch Disease.

One way of doing that, the minister noted, is by sterilising boom revenues and ensuring that export earnings from petroleum only enter the economy at a rate at which the economy can absorb.

In the short-run, resources are overemployed, but this cannot be sustained indefinitely. One way of preventing overheating, according to the paper, is to scale

Amount rule -- a single fund will lead to economic stabilisation and substantial longterm savings, while avoiding increased administrative costs that establishing multiple funds would entail.

Management

In relation to management of the Fund, the Green Paper has recommended that Parliament be responsible for passing the Natural Resource Fund Act; approving the Annual Budget, which would include the annual withdrawal from the Natural Resource Fund; and reviewing the Annual Report.

“The Ministry of Finance would be responsible for overall management of the NRF, including requested

the investment expansion -for example, developing infrastructure -- in a constant pace to increase the economy’s productive capacity sustainably.

Single fund

While noting that establishment of the SWF is relatively complex, and there can be substantial administrative costs, the paper noted that if two completely separate funds are established, then this implies that there are two governance structures, two investment policies, and two external audits.

At present, the Government is touting the Natural Resources Fund, which is focused on the management of the oil resources but with specific attention to how this will tie in to Government’s Green State Development Strategy, a

document that is yet to be completed and presented in Parliament.

The Government said in its Green Paper that it would be an unwise decision to spread the limited expertise and experience in fund management in Guyana across two separate funds.

The costs of managing two funds would be much higher than those of managing a single fund.

As such, the Government considers that it is most efficient to have a single fund (the Natural Resource Fund). It said both economic theory and case studies of Botswana, Norway and Timor-Leste demonstrate that a single fund can effectively achieve multiple objectives.

Economic modelling also demonstrates that with the proposed fiscal rule for Guyana -- the Economically and Fiscally Sustainable

withdrawal in the Annual Budget Proposal; calculating the Fiscally Sustainable Amount; drafting the Investment Mandate; entering into the Operational Agreement with the Bank of Guyana; and drafting the Annual Report and reporting on the NRF through the Annual Budget,” it explained.

Also, a Sovereign Investment Committee (SIC) would be responsible for advising the Finance Minister on the investment mandate, and would consist of seven members appointed by the Finance Minister.

The SIC would comprise of a representative of the minister; an ex-officio representative nominated by the Minister of Natural

Resources; an ex-officio representative nominated by the Governor of the Bank of Guyana; a representative nominated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana; a representative nominated by the Guyana Association of Bankers; a representative nominated by the Leader of the Opposition; and the Senior Investment Adviser and Analyst.

The BoG’s role would be the operational manager of the fund, which will manage it in accordance with the operational agreement and investment mandate.

The BOG would also draft quarterly reports and annual accounts, procure private managers, and draft management agreements and investment instructions.

Naked bandit robs gas station, beats employees

A

man was caught on camera, at about 04:30h on Wednesday, taking off his clothes before entering the Sukpaul Gas Station at Corriverton, Upper Corentyne, Berbice and robbing employees of a quantity of cash and phone cards.

Reports are that the lone, naked bandit armed himself with a piece of wood as he approached two attendants who were on duty at the time.

He dealt the two employees lashes about their bodies, then bound them with a piece of cloth before robbing them of an undisclosed sum of cash and a quantity of phone cards. Thereafter, he made good his escape.

The entire robbery was caught on CCTV at the business premises.

After the incident, a report was made to the Police

and the CCTV footage was reviewed. The suspect was identified, and Police went to a home in Corriverton and arrested him.

The suspect was also

shown some of the footage, and later confessed to the crime.

He is currently in custody assisting with the investigation.

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Govt to probe gold, mercury smuggling – Trotman

A

n investigation will soon be launched into the suspected smuggling of gold and mercury out of Guyana. This is according to Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, who on Wednesday noted that he believes gold and mercury are being smuggled out of the country.

Trotman made the announcement during the inaugural meeting of the Multi- Stakeholder Committee on Natural Resources, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The minister said his suspicion grew after inspecting the figures regarding mercury being imported. “When I look at the figures, I am amazed at the volume of mercury that is being imported into Guyana recently, given the amount of gold that we are getting. This mercury can’t all be used in Guyana. So I suspect -- and that is just a suspicion of mine -- that it may be going elsewhere, where it has been restricted or banned, because I don’t believe that all of it is being used in Guyana.

Or it (can be that it) is being stockpiled, (but) I don’t know for what purpose,”

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

Trotman declared.

It was further explained by the minister that the two large gold mining companies do not use mercury.

According to him, mercury is more frequently used by small and medium scale miners.

“We do believe that some of the mercury being imported into Guyana is crossing the border into Suriname. Because it is banned in Suriname, it is (being) smuggled (there), we believe,” the minister pointed out.

He warned that while his suspicion has not been

confirmed, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRE) will be working with the neighbouring state (Suriname) to determine this.

One such partnership will be manifested later this month when Suriname’s Natural Resources Minister visits Guyana to facilitate a conference on the said matter and others.

Trotman promised, “We are going to be working closer with Suriname and with our partners (like) Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund and others, to bring this matter

to a point and place of satisfaction”.

The minister further informed that he understands smuggling is an ongoing phenomenon which cannot be eradicated, but can rather be reduced.

He further said the MNRE is aware that gold is also being smuggled over the borders.

“We do have instances… of smuggling of gold. We believe that we have (a) better understanding of the phenomenon. Nonetheless, it continues, and we are striving to curb it…we are not going to pretend like we can eradicate smuggling and bring it to zero. We can, however, be very vigilant and curb and in fact reduce significantly the incidents of smuggling,” Trotman said.

According to him, Government has also been working with the United States Government to aid in tackling the issue.

The Minister nevertheless told the Guyana Times that an investigation will be launched into the matter.

While in opposition, the coalition party had bashed the then ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration for losing large amounts of revenue from to the loss of gold.

Free money

S

atiricus was jubilant!! This was one day he was going to be in the driver’s seat!! No harassment from the fellas at the Back Street Bar, where he was wending his way! How could they find this proposal from the SARA boss to just give every citizen $1 million every year from oil revenues, objectionable?? Happy days were here again!!

Who could object to free money?

“So, what’d you fellas think about the Professor’s oilto-cash proposal?” Satiricus asked, once he’d taken his seat and taken a quaff of his beer.

“That he’s a nutty professor?” suggested Hari.

“Why would you say a thing like that?” said Satiricus in surprise. “You don’t think Guyanese should get some oil money directly?”

“Me ‘gree wid Hari,” said Bungi. “Me a wan po’re maan, but me na t’ink a wan good idea?”

“You too, Bungi,” with even greater surprise. “Why?” “Waan t’ing me l’arn in life,” said Bungi slowly. “Wa sweet ah goat mouth, ah sour ah eh backside.”

“What could possibly go wrong in putting some money in people’s pockets?” asked Satiricus plaintively.

“Sato, me ah wuk hard like wan daag a de farm,” said Cappo, “an’ me na kek wan millian a year.”

“Right!” said Satiricus. “So the million will help you out!!”

“But the question, Sato,” interrupted Hari. “Will Cappo and Bungi keep on working at the farm if he get’s that million dollar free?”

“Damn right, me na guh wuk suh hard na mo’!” said Bungi. “Yuh t’ink me schupit?”

“But if you work, with the oil money you will have twice the income!” protested Satiricus.

“Da na de pint!” said Cappo. “Wha’ mek me sh’u’d still wuk suh hard?”

“And that’s why I said the Professor is nutty, Sato,” said Hari. “These fellas just read books!!”

“So you’re saying the free money will make low-paid workers lose the incentive to work,” said Satiricus with dawning understanding. “And we will get Dutch Disease!”

“Me na c’u’d seh am betta!” said Bungi.

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thursdAY, august 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

New Public Service Commission sworn-in …Chairman may have to step down as special prosecutor

P

resident David Granger on Wednesday morning swore-in the six persons who constitute the membership of the new Public Service Commission (PSC). The life of the previous PSC ended last year.

Those persons are: Michael Somersall (Chairman); Mavis Benn; Vincent Bowman; Geeta Chandan-Edmond: Morris Gajadar and Mortimer Livan.

They were appointed in accordance with Article 200 (1) of the Constitution, following consultations between the Head of State and the Opposition Leader, as well as deliberations of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Appointments.

The Public Service Commission is constitutionally responsible for hiring, firing, as well as disciplining, public servants.

President Granger, in brief remarks at this swearing-in ceremony, empha-

President David Granger; Public Service Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, and Minister of State Joseph Harmon with the members of the new PSC

sised the role of the PSC in ensuring an efficient and professional Public Service.

“The Public Service Commission’s task is to ensure the establishment and existence of an impartial Public Service by insulating public servants from political influence and interference…The Public Service Commission promotes a professional Public Service by

AFC confident it is not dead …APNU not kicking AFC – party leader

D

ays after revealing that it was contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs) as a single unit, following inconclusive talks with dominant partner - A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) - over the last several months, the Alliance for Change (AFC) on Wednesday said the November 12 polls will give it a chance to prove its electoral worth, and it remains confident of gathering additional votes.

At that party’s press conference at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday, the AFC said it would not be kicking against the Coalition’s dominant force at LGE polls.

Reporters probed the AFC on its relevance in the current political landscape following WPA Executive Dr David Hinds saying that APNU got what it wanted from the AFC; and AFC Leader Raphael Trotman, in responding, said that contrary to what that political analyst has posited, the AFC and the APNU have one principal rival, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

“I don’t believe that the APNU is getting ready to kick us anywhere; we work well together at the national level, (and) we have no intentions of kicking the APNU,” Trotman asserted.

Speaking at the AFC press briefing, party chairman Khemraj Ramjattan indicated that the decision to contest the upcoming LGE alone will prove if the AFC

is in fact dead or alive.

“The press people, columnists and analysts have been indicating that the AFC is dead, but this (elections) is a great opportunity to prove otherwise,” he noted.

The party, in fact, said on Wednesday that while the APNU/AFC coalition is strong in national Government; as a single unit, the AFC is confident that it would demonstrate electoral growth.

Impasse with APNU

Alliance for Change executives also avoided some of the questions members of the media fielded on what led to the breakdown of talks with the APNU ahead of this year’s Local Government Elections. Facing questions on the Cummingsburg Accord’s 60-40 per cent arrangement, which was signed on Valentine’s Day 2015, executives declined to say how high or low the party was willing to go with talks.

“There was no rejection of any formula; we just didn’t reach an agreement,” Executive Member David Patterson noted.

Turn to page 12

ensuring that its appointments are based on the principle of merit rather than political patronage, and that disciplinary action and removals, when necessary, are just,” the President said.

“The commission can enhance the professionalism of the Public Service by appointing public servants who evince the qualities of

impartiality, integrity and intelligence,” he noted.

The Head of State went on to talk about the importance of public servants, whose work is critical to economic development.

“Public servants are essential to the country’s administration, because they exert direct and daily influence on the lives of

Guyanese through various official agencies, boards, commissions, departments and ministries…The Public Service, to enjoy public trust and to achieve its administrative objectives, must be composed of men and women of intelligence, integrity and impartiality…They should look forward to careers based on the principle of merit. Their employment should not be threatened or interrupted for political reasons or upon a change in Government,” the President asserted.

Chairman of the newly appointed PSC, Michael Somersall, expressed elation at his appointment.

Somersall was, in January 2017, appointed a special prosecutor of the State to handle those high-profile cases of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). He has indicated that he may have to cut back on his legal work.

“I don’t think [there is a

conflict of interest in holding both positions, but]… I may have to scale down or forego [my legal work]. When I get there, I will have to see what I have to do. Sometimes the work there [at the PSC] will be more than what I have to do in the courts,” he noted.

Nevertheless, the PSC Chairman has said the new members will soon be meeting to devise a strategy in regard to their working plan going forward.

“Well, the first piece of business, I would think, is for us to meet and have a meeting with the members, to decide what we gonna do and how we gonna strategise to deal with members of the Public Service… I’m new to it, so when we get there at the meeting, then we will know exactly what we have to do, and start our course,” he posited.

This new Public Service Commission carries a lifespan of three years.

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Corentyne murder-suicide

Wife told Police to leave house – husband’s sister …family calls for Police ranks to be charged

T

he sister of the man who hacked his wife to death before committing suicide in Albion, Corentyne, Berbice on Monday last is claiming that the now dead woman had told the Police to leave her at the house after they had accompanied her to the premises to collect her belongings.

However, family members of 29-year-old Subrina Lakhan have said this could not be true, and are contending that the Police ranks who left her with her assailant must be made to face the brunt of the law.

On Monday, 42-year-old Ramesh Ramdeen took his own life after killing Subrina Lakhan, his wife of 15 years, and with whom he had parented three children.

This incident took place at the couple’s Chesney New Housing Scheme, Corentyne home after the couple had left the Albion Police Station and had gone to the house in the company of two Police officers and the late Ramdeen’s sister along with the couple’s 13-year-old daughter.

The Police were there to provide protection for the woman as she collected her

Subrina Lakhan and her husband Ramesh Ramdeen in happier times

belongings, but the ranks reportedly left before the woman was finished packing.

Earlier on Monday, Albion Magistrate Renita Singh had given an order that the Police must escort Lakhan to the house to pick up her clothing.

Ramdeen’s sister, Asha Hidar, who was also at the house when the tragic incident occurred, related that it was Lakhan who asked the Police to leave. Asha Hidar was also ordered by the same magistrate to accompany the couple’s teenage daughter to the Chesney house to collect her clothing and to take her to her grand-

mother, hence her presence there.

According to Hidar, the late Subrina Lakhan told the officers to go, saying she was “all right.” However, Lakhan’s mother, Monica, is refuting claims that her daughter had sent the Police officers away and remained in the building with her husband.

Earlier in the day, the court had granted a restraining order against Ramdeen, and had initially banned him from the house.

However, Lakhan informed the magistrate that she was going to move instead.

It was then that the mag-

istrate made the order for the Police to accompany the mother of three for her to uplift her belongings.

The now dead woman’s mother told the Guyana Times that during a telephone conversation with her daughter on Monday, her daughter had told her that she was going to see her soon, and that she was still packing her belongings.

“I ask her where the sister-in-law is and she say that she on the stairs and that her husband walking up and down….I didn’t ask about my granddaughter. She say that she have a few more things to pack and then she coming,” the 54-year-old woman related to this publication.

Meanwhile, the dead woman’s sister, Nalenie Ramjattan, said that while she was not present at the house, based on information reaching them, they strongly believe that the Police left without informing her sister.

She noted that the front door and verandah doors were both closed, and the only access to the building was through the kitchen door on the lower flat.

When this publication visited the home of the dead woman’s mother, she along with other family members

who had gathered, called for justice and for the officers to be held accountable.

“If the Police had stayed there as instructed that would not have happened. I am not going to let this pass like this,” the grieving mother told Guyana Times.

Meanwhile, as family members calls for justice, the Police are contending that the officers did nothing wrong, since the officer who was in charge of the operation functions as the secretary to the senior Police officer in the division.

In fact, Divisional Commander, Assistant

Commissioner Lyndon Alves, told the media that those who are accusing the Police officer of taking a bribe could be charged for so doing.

Members of both families claim that the officers were given $2000 for transportation, since no Force vehicle was available to take them to the house.

Nevertheless, investigators have since taken statements from several persons as the investigation continues.

The now dead couple leaves to mourn their three children and other relatives and friends.

Body in Craig canal

EBD man died from blunt trauma, strangulation – PM

A

post mortem examination conducted on the body of the late 28-year-old Kevin Ketwaroo, called “Wild Buck”, a mason of Friendship, East Bank Demerara, revealed that he died from blunt trauma to the head and compression to the neck.

His body was fished out of a canal at Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD) last Monday, and the autopsy was done on Wednesday morning.

According to the Police, Ketwaroo’s sister, Marina McCalmon, related that she had last seen and spoken with her late brother on August 1 at about 07:00h, when he visited her home and borrowed $1000.

His wife, Eva, told investigators that, about a month ago, while she and the deceased were living together, he had assaulted her, and she had reported the matter to the Police at the Golden

Grove Station. She said that when Police ranks went to the home to arrest him, Ketwaroo had run away, and she had moved out of the house and had gone to live in Sophia, Georgetown.

The Police say that, based on information received, persons in the area of Kaneville, Grove were questioned but claimed they had neither seen nor heard anything strange.

Other information suggested that the deceased had been involved in a fight with persons who might have inflicted the injuries on him.

Investigations are ongoing.

The badly decomposed body of Ketwaroo was found at sometime around 13:00h on Monday, clad in a black short sleeve jersey and a pair of blue denim jeans.

Barefooted at the time of discovery, a search on the body had unearthed a black Samsung Galaxy mobile phone and $5,800 in cash.

AFC confident it...

Having declared the AFC an “awesome elections machine”, Patterson and his colleagues brushed aside assertions that the AFC had been rejected by the Coalition’s main group, the PNC-R, or the APNU as a whole, from having a seat at the table.

Patterson also highlighted that the Cummingsburg Accord did not address the LGEs. The AFC has been coming in for much criticism, especially from the parliamentary Opposition, for what many describe as the submissive role it has been playing since joining forces with APNU. The AFC top leadership had, in mid-November last year, moved to revise its governing agreement with its majority coalition partner. The Cummingsburg Accord, the arrangement which guides the two partners, has a lifespan of a minimum of three years and maximum of five

From page 11

years, and was focused primarily on the General and Regional Elections.

However, a stalemate ensued after the two sides could not come to terms on several policies, many of which the AFC members chose not to identify.

They did highlight that the Parking Meter Project in the capital city Georgetown was one of the policies which were opposed. The AFC also said it had decided to contest Local Government Elections alone since last year as a test, before National elections in 2020.

The AFC will not contest LGEs in all constituencies, but will have a presence in all 10 regions. The APNU and AFC coalition won the national and regional elections in 2015, but the main Opposition PPP gained victory at the 2016 LGEs in the majority of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

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thursdAY, august 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Water distributors Electrical inspector to probe GFC fire face shutdown T …given grace period to get licensed – GA-FDD

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he Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) will be clamping down on water processing and distributing units across the country, to ensure that they are fully compliant with all regulations and are licensed by October of this year.

This was related to Guyana Times by GA-FDD Director Marlon Cole on Wednesday during an exclusive interview.

“We are working with them, and we are encouraging them to ensure that they bring in their applications and the necessary paper work, so that they can be licensed for 2018,” Cole revealed.

Cole disclosed that the GA-FDD would be conducting regular inspections of water processing businesses to ensure compliance with the law.

According to Cole, those businesses should have been fully compliant and licensed

by March of this year, but the department had extended that time until October of 2018. He noted that all water vending businesses, including those operating out of the city, would be expected to be licensed on or before that time.

“Officers in the outlying regions will conduct the necessary inspections at the water businesses, and will bring samples as well,” Cole asserted.

The GA-FDD recently concluded an assessment in Georgetown and Greater Georgetown areas – done over a six-month period – and discovered that 11 water processing factories were operating without the necessary licence from the department.

This GA-FDD made this disclosure earlier in August, stating that samples were

analysed for microbiological and chemical parameters to verify compliance with safety requirements. Of the 29 facilities from which samples were taken, 11 were found to be operating without the necessary licence from the department. Of the 87 samples submitted for analysis, 15, or 17 per cent, were found to be unsatisfactory.

The GA-FDD is now urg-

ing consumers to be cautious, to request to see a valid licence from water processing factories which retail five-gallon proportions, and to ensure the bottles are properly labelled and sealed before purchasing same.

Consumers are advised to report any company that fails to comply with the GAFDD’s requirements relative to the sale of treated water.

he Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has been unable to determine the cause of the fire which erupted at the living quarters of the Guyana Forestry Commission last week and as such, the Government Electrical Inspector has been engaged to find the cause.

This was related by the Chief FIRE Prevention Officer Andrew Holder, who told this publication that an investigation has been conducted by the GFS. However, he noted that officers were unable to determine the cause of the fire.

“The Government electrical inspector is scheduled to look at it because we haven’t been able to definitively come up with a cause as yet.

They will continue the investigation as to obtain whether the possibility of it being electrical in origin,” Holder stated.

On July 30, the two-storey living quarters went up in flames after a fire reportedly started on the lower front of the building. Nearby residents explained that they saw thick black smoke emanating from the structure and the Fire Service was im-

Firefighters struggling to extinguish the fire at GFC living quarters

mediately summoned. They arrived shortly but were unable to control the blaze.

Guyana Times was informed that four officers resided in the building.

While turning his attention to the recent fire which was averted at the Pegasus Hotel on Sunday, Holder explained that for fires to be prevented, the hospitality sector must take safety precautions seriously to limit the possibility of such situations.

He noted that the GFS has been in constant communication with the management of the hotel, so as to ensure that they are in compliance with the mandated requirements.

“There is no ongoing investigation as it relates to that. We are in ongoing discussions with the Pegasus

management in terms of compliance with safety requirements. We are working with them in terms of ensuring the capability of the fire alarm systems, smoke detectors and so forth. We are in constant communication.

What took place at Pegasus will only strengthen our efforts in conducting fire safety inspections, especially in the hospitality sector,” the Chief Fire Prevention Officer stated.

The fire reportedly started as a result of a deep-fryer which was left on, which ignited the insulation for the extractor. While firefighters were successfully able to put out the fire, there were some safety breaches as a result of chained exit doors and faulty fire alarm. They are now working to have these matters resolved.

GTT partners with CANI for youth conference

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he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) on Wednesday pledged its support for the Come Alive Network Incorporated (CANI) in its efforts to do more for the youthful generation at a community level.

This Saturday, the organisation will be hosting its 5th Just Youth It Conference in the Promenade Gardens under the theme “Safe Spaces for Youth,” and as such, the telephone company has come on board as a partner with this organisation to provide safe spaces for youth to engage in positive, violence-free activities.

This would initially help in their personal development and transform them into progressive models for society.

The organisers are encouraging all to make their way to the Promenade Gardens and become involved in the day-long schedule of activities, which include break-out sessions, charitable projects which centre around the renovation and painting of the Joshua’s Boys Home and Sophia Training Centre, painting of pedestrian crossings in school zones, tree planting, mural painting at the seawall, and feeding of the homeless, which is supported by the GTT Blue Nose Movement.

The British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, is expected to be in attendance to share his views and participate in the conference.

GTT and CANI representatives display the organisation’s t-shirt

14 news

thursdAY, august 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Tourism must be sustainable Drivers on breadline M&CC to meet with hirebeyond political transition” car operators today – Gaskin …regional tourism hotspots ID for flagship projects

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or Guyana to sustainably develop a tourism pattern, and establish tourist destinations which can benefit the country and last for generations, politics must not be one of the driving forces behind such initiatives.

This statement was made by Business Minister Dominic Gaskin on Wednesday during the regional tourism flagship presentation and workshop, which gave regional stakeholders an opportunity to verify ‘tourism hotspots’ within their particular region, and work towards a flagship project to enhance these locations.

During his address, the minister posited, “Tourism must be sustainable beyond political transition. You know Guyana is a democracy; Governments come (and) Governments go at the central level and at the regional level. When we decide on our flagship tourism projects; when we put investors in touch with the Regions and we invest as a Government in marketing the product; that needs to transcend politics,” he declared.

He noted that this presentation will seek to increase the involvement of regional stakeholders in decision-making processes which can bring about development in their areas. Some of the agencies involved were the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), commercial banks, ministries, and private sector bodies.

Detailed proposals on the potential hotspots and proj-

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin

ects were presented by individuals from within the respective regions, who are versed on the topography, terrain, features and physical structures.

Director General of the Department of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, said this project can successfully redefine tourism in Guyana, and that the Department has seen significant contribution and interest from many individuals.

The project started out in 2017, when the regional stakeholders were engaged by the Department to discuss criteria and guidelines that were attached to the initiative. Based upon the guidelines, they were asked to assemble themselves in groups to locate the tourism hotspots.

Sinclair said, “In that process, we heard from toshaos, tour operators, village elders, boat captains. We heard from some regional officials who knew every creek, river, falls, hill and passage in the region. Then, in 2018, we took the process one stage further. The mandate giv-

en to the Department of Tourism was to go back to each region to ask that they identify a flagship tourism project, an initiative that would reflect [on] what is the best the region has to offer from a tourism standpoint.”

Regional administrators will also be enlightened on the “possible sourcing for their projects, training available, what budgetary adjustments are needed, realistic timelines and how gaps in the projects can be filled.”

Director of the GTA, Brian Mullis, also contributed to the discussions, noting that the GTA is trying to map visitor-ready products in indigenous communities and existing tourism attractions, sites and facilities.

Some of the flagship projects include the proposals for an Adventure Tour business in Region One (BarimaWaini), the development of a heritage trail which leads to three lakes in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the upgrading of the Vreeden-Hoop Stelling in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), a Victoria Heritage Trail in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Upper Mahaicony River tour in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), East Berbice water route in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), a yachting destination in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Mahdia-Kaieteur route in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), Rupununi trekking in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and a bauxite centennial heritage park in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).

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A section of the barricade at the car park

ire car drivers who ply their trade along the Ramp Road route on the East Bank of Demerara are booked for a meeting with the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) today.

The main topic to be discussed relates to the barricading of their car park, done sometime last week.

The drivers are contending that they have since been rendered practically jobless.

Speaking with this publication on Wednesday, one of the operators, Percival Etwaroo, indicated that drivers have had a meeting with Mayor Patricia Chase-Green on Monday, and they were told that they would have to register their cars with the Council.

The men had indicated that they would contribute $1,000 per week. However, the Council proposed that they would have to pay $1,500 instead; a decision of which they approved.

It was agreed that drivers would pay a sum of $1,500 per week for occupying the park and operating in the city.

They are expected to meet

with Town Clerk Royston King today, when their cars would be registered and they would be able to resume operations.

“We will be seeing City Hall tomorrow to finalise our deal by registering our cars with City Hall, and we will be making a contribution. I suggested $1,000 per week, which would be reasonable, but I indicated that we would leave it for slippage, but we weren’t going beyond $1,500. So they put on the $500 to our request, which we’re okay with; so it’s $1,500. We will go and meet with the Council and finalise the deal and sign on our cars.

This is to ensure a smooth and safe operation,” the man said.

It was indicated by another driver that one of the proposals included a suggestion to shift the barricade two car spaces to facilitate the vehicles.

Reports are that the area was barricaded last week, and many indicated that it was done to facilitate vendors of the Stabroek Market, who would’ve been relocated for the rehabilitation of the wharf. The wharf is currently

in a deplorable state and poses a threat to those who ply their trade there daily.

These drivers had reached out to this publication, indicating that their livelihoods were seriously affected since they could not operate their cars.

“When we showed up for work on Tuesday morning (July 31), we found that the park was barricaded with metal mesh and poles.

We cannot make any entry into the park. We don’t know where to operate from, and we were told that this was an act done by the Mayor and City Council,” one of the drivers commented.

Another added, “We are faced with a problem over the last few days in that it’s affecting our operation on a daily basis. It is affecting us very miserably because we cannot work to get money to take home to our family.”

For now, the operators are hoping that they would be able to resume operations at the soonest since they have been jobless for a week and many commuters have also been affected.

thursDAY, august 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

when it comes to juggling family life and the business, she perseveres – walking many miles to sell her products when she is not at exhibitions.

“I use this to feed my family,” the

S

weet mango achar.

Mango achar. Gooseberry achar. Tamarind achar.

Golden apple achar. Sorrie achar. Yonette Mcpherson’s booth at the Emancipation Festival in the National Park was a feast for the eyes and paradise for achar devotees.

Her bestselling product, the golden apple achar, was redolent with Indian spices; its sweet, tangy, spicy flavours a delight for the mouth and nose and a great accompaniment on almost all local foods, from cook-up to seven curry.

The preserved pickle condiment beloved by Guyanese is the foundation of Mcpherson’s Eat to Live Oya Products home-based business, which also produces bottled pepper and green seasoning, herbal spreads, carambola preserves, tamarind balls, and elderberry wine.

Mcpherson, whose personal philosophy of embracing the goodness of natural food is embodied in

Presented by Rosh Khan, MD

I

n the first instalment of this series, we discussed the concepts of “Carrying Your Own Weather” and “Behaving Your Way To Credibility”. This week, we continue with two more proven practices that will help you build effective relationships at work. her company’s name and her products, is proud of the fact that her products contain no artificial flavours and are healthy, with ingredients like ginger, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.

The hardworking mother of five, who hails from West Road, Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara (ECD), launched her business last April at the urging of family members long

Cambio Rates

familiar with the delicious products. She says they are her biggest influence – pushing her to succeed and try new things – and they remain her taste testers for any new products.

“If they say, ‘Mummy, this tastes good’, then I continue,” she related fondly.

The business is Mcpherson’s only source of income, and while she finds it challenging, particularly

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana GBP

Buying $267.29

businesses’ products for sale at home and abroad, and actively seek out markets, freeing up producers to innovate.

As for her so-far-fruitless search to get financing to develop her company having tried several entities, Mcpherson said bluntly, but with little heat, she would advise any budding entrepreneur to “get your own money”, as there seemed to be favouritism at play.

But the dynamic Eat to Live proprietor is not letting anything stop her as she says finishing her home, building a factory, and allowing her registered business to grow serve as her biggest inspiration.

Contact: 43 West Road, Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara (ECD); 684-4381; yonette_33@yahoo.com

Proven practices to build effective relationships at work – Part 2

Market statistics Cur

42-year-old declared soberly.

She highlighted packaging, specifically sourcing containers, and obtaining financing to expand the business as her main challenges. Mcpherson, who is working to get her products into supermarkets, noted that the super stores are very particular about packaging, as they need food items to be in containers that can stand up to the rigours of their shelves.

In acknowledging the assistance of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) to improve her packaging, the former Dolphin Secondary student said she believed more could be done to help small businesses.

She suggested the creating of a Government agency that would prepare small

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Calculated at 94% purity, August 7, 2018 Selling $270.69

CAN

$158.94

$160.78

USD

$207.98

$210.45

EURO

$240.92

$244.00

USD

$1209.55

Gross

$237,674

Net

$219,848

Indicators as on August 7, 2018 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$72.28

Price

USD

Rough Rice

$234.47/ton

London Sugar

$323.00/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change %

-3.28 Change %

-5.47 -1.31

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1213.00

$1214.00

Low/High

$1205.80

$1216.40

Change

-0.50

-0.04%

Business Concept – Swap Exchange of one type of asset, cash flow, investment, liability, or payment for another. Common types of swap include: (1) Currency swap: simultaneous buying and selling of a currency to convert debt principal from the lender’s currency to the debtor’s currency; (2) Debt swap: exchange of a loan (usually to a Third World country) between banks; (3) Debt-to-equity swap: exchange of a foreign debt (usually to a Third World country) for a stake in the debtor country’s national enterprises (such as power or water utilities); and (4) Debt-to-debt swap: exchange of an existing liability into a new loan, usually with an extended payback period. (Business Dictionary)

Wear Glasses That Work We view not only ourselves but those around us through a set of lenses; and like any lens, they either sharpen or distort reality. Simply choosing how we see ourselves and others has a cascading effect on what we think, feel, and do. This concept is a foundational principle for making significant changes in our lives.

We do a great disservice to ourselves when we wear the limiting lenses that are so often a part of human nature. But the good news is that changing one’s glasses is a choice, and

we all have the power to do so.

Take a moment to evaluate the glasses you’re currently wearing and if you should exchange them for ones that work better. List the reasons you think a relationship is not working. Underline which reasons are facts — things about which most people would agree. Any remaining items are likely opinions or paradigms you have about the person that may be incomplete.

See The Tree, Not The Seedling When we look at a person’s potential – whether it’s?a coworker, friend, partner or child – it requires us to see past the “seed” and envision the mighty tree it can become.

Seeing potential in others is a paradigm that recognises growth as an organic principle.

It doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a function of growth over time.

Seeing potential in others isn’t just about hoping people

will succeed. It’s believing they have unlimited talents and abilities and opportunities for growth. It’s also understanding that the road to success is paved with failures — that growing is an ongoing process that may take a lifetime.

When we take the long-term view, we see that failure can be a moment of instruction and reflection and can serve to increase the likelihood of success. Seeing potential isn’t about continually correcting performance or focusing on all the risks and mistakes that stand in the way of someone’s potential. It may feel like we’re being helpful by focusing on the negative to keep others from taking a spill, but we’re not.

Dr Rosh Khan is the CEO of SocialRank Media (Guyana’s leading digital marketing agency) and the President of the Masterclass Institute (Guyana’s approved Covey leadership centre).

Investor’s Guide

S&P 500, Dow edge down as oil prices, trade worries weigh

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he S&P 500 closed slightly lower on Wednesday as falling crude prices and trade jitters held markets in check.

The Nasdaq posted its seventh consecutive daily advance, while the Dow was down marginally. The S&P 500’s dip occurred as the index has inched closer in recent days to its record high set on January 26.

“We had in January the fastest 10 per cent decline from an all-time high in history,” said Per Stirling Director Robert Phipps in Austin, Texas. “When you have substantial declines, particularly off of previous highs, you normally will see periods of digestion.”

China introduced new 25 per cent tariffs on US$16 billion

worth of goods imported from the United States in the latest tit-for-tat in the escalating trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.

“This is going to continue at least until the midterm elections,” Phipps said. “Why would (China) negotiate with the US now when they may get a mixed government to negotiate with after November?”

Trade-sensitive industrial companies were the biggest drag on the Dow. The decline was led by Boeing and Caterpillar Inc. Energy stocks fell 0.8 per cent as crude prices dropped due to slowing Chinese demand and trade concerns.

Technology provided the largest boost to the S&P

500, led by Microsoft Corp, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc. Shares of Tesla Inc fell 2.4 per cent as its board evaluated Elon Musk’s idea of taking the electric automaker private, a day after the chief executive surprised the market by floating the proposal on Twitter.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 45.16 points, or 0.18 per cent, to 25,583.75, the S&P 500 lost 0.75 point, or 0.03 per cent, to 2857.7 and the Nasdaq Composite added 4.66 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 7888.33.

Second-quarter earnings season has entered the homestretch, and of the 440 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported so far, 78.6 per cent have beaten analyst expectations, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. (Reuters)

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursdAY, august 9, 2018

Regional

Argentina’s former Vice Venezuela cracks down on Opposition in wake of ‘attack’ President jailed for corruption

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V e n e z u e l a n Opposition lawmaker has been arrested and a warrant issued for another living in exile, amid a crackdown after an alleged drone attack against President Nicolás Maduro.

The Government has blamed Juan Requesens and Julio Borges for what it calls a bid to kill the President.

The moves came as a powerful Government official revealed plans to strip the pair of their immunity.

But some Government critics denounced the alleged attack as a “farce”.

Both Requesens and Borges are members of the Opposition-controlled National Assembly, and of the Primero Justicia (Justice First) party.

Borges, 48, founded the party and led the National Assembly before going into exile.

Requesens, 29, is one of President Maduro’s most outspoken critics, and has taken part in many anti-Government demonstrations.

According to Requesens’

President Maduro said Opposition politicians Julio Borges and Juan Requesens were behind an attack on his life

party, he and his sister Rafaela – an Opposition student activist – were taken from their apartment in the capital Caracas by members of the secret Police, Sebin.

Primero Justicia tweeted a video which appears to show CCTV footage of the two siblings getting out of the lift before being apparently pushed back by armed masked men in uniform, one of whom turns the camera to the wall.

Rafaela Requesens was later released, but Juan

Requesens has not been heard of since he was taken away.

It is not clear if official charges have so far been brought against Requesens; however, the Government is preparing to put him on trial.

The Government later issued a warrant for the arrest of Borges.

President Maduro accused the pair on television of plotting Saturday’s alleged drone attack on him.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Peru poisoning: 10 die after eating contaminated food at wake

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he number of people killed by suspected poisoned food after a wake in the Ayacucho region of southern Peru has risen to 10.

The Health Minister said she suspected the food had come into contact with insecticide.

Local hospitals said 21 people were in a serious condition.

About 50 people attended the wake of a local man where a meat stew believed to be the source of the contamination was served.

Specialists who have travelled to the affected district of San José de Ushua

said they would need to carry out further tests to be sure.

Regional Health Director John Tinco Bautista said many of those who attended the wake began falling ill within hours.

Among the fatalities are the dead man’s two eldest sons. The mayor of San José de Ushua, Iván Villagomez Llamoca, is among those taken ill. His father and his 12-year-old nephew have died.

“The whole village has been poisoned. I can’t grasp it yet – I have lost my family. It’s a huge tragedy, thank God I’m alive,” Mayor

Villagomez said.

The incident comes less than a month after hundreds of Peruvian schoolchildren fell ill after eating breakfasts provided at more than a dozen schools in Cañete province.

The free meals are part of a government programme to ensure schoolchildren from poorer backgrounds receive adequate nutrition.

In that case, the source of the contamination was suspected to have been a fruit juice that had gone off. The company which provided the breakfasts is facing legal action. (Excerpt from BBC News)

rgentina’s former Vice President Amado Boudou has been sentenced to five years and 10 months in jail for corruption.

The charges related to his attempt to buy a money-printing company through a front business.

Boudou was in power during the Administration of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

The ex-President herself has been summoned to give evidence in another wide-ranging corruption investigation next week.

Both say they are victims of political persecution by the current President, Mauricio Macri.

Boudou was accused of

lifting a bankruptcy declaration against currency company Ciccone Calcográfica in return for an equity stake when he was Economy Minister in 2010, before becoming Vice President.

The court in Buenos Aires found him guilty of committing passive bribery and conducting business “incompatible with public office”.

He has been banned for life from holding public office, and is expected to appeal against the conviction.

The company’s former owner Nicolás Ciccone was also given a four-and-a-halfyear sentence.

In 2011, the British newspaper The Guardian dubbed Boudou “Argentina’s first

rock’n’roll Vice President”, based on his guitar playing, his love of Harley Davidson motorcycles and his decision to take a rock band on the campaign trail.

Since President Macri came to power in December 2015, numerous members of previous Administrations have been linked to corruption charges.

Last week, more than a dozen people were arrested after it was revealed that a driver for a former Government official had seemingly been noting down bribes as he delivered them.

The so-called “notebooks of corruption” were shared with a local newspaper, which then passed them to justice officials. (BBC News)

New Colombian President Iván Duque sworn into office

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olombia’s newly-elected President Iván Duque took office on Tuesday, pledging to unite the country and improve economic growth.

The conservative political newcomer was elected in June after a divisive election campaign where he saw off left-wing rival Gustavo Petro.

In his inaugural address, the former lawyer pledged changes to tackle corruption and invigorate the economy.

The leader has also vowed to change the peace deal with the FARC rebel group.

The outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos has urged Duque to respect the deal, which was negotiated in 2016 to bring an end to the country’s brutal five-decade civil conflict.

The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, is now a political party known as the Revolutionary Alternative Common Force. A number

He became Colombia’s youngest elected leader after being sworn in at Bogota’s Bolivar Square

of its members took up seats in Parliament last month as part of the terms which guarantee it political representation.

Duque has said he remains committed to Colombia’s peace process, but says that it is too lenient on former guerrilla fighters accused of war crimes.

“We will deploy corrective measures to ensure that the victims get the truth, proportional justice, reparations and no repetitions of the past,” the new President said in his address on

Tuesday.

Duque also spoke about the need to heal the country after a divisive election campaign earlier this year.

“I want to govern Colombia with unbreakable values and principles, overcoming the divisions of left and right, overcoming with popular dialogue the prickly feelings that invite social fracture, I want to govern Colombia with a spirit to build, never to destroy,” President Duque said in his address. (Excerpt from BBC News)

T&T: New Top Cop and National Security Presidential regalia stolen from car in Bolivia Minister on the job

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Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has given Trinidad and Tobago a new National Security Minister, while it has been confirmed that a former National Security Minister under a previous administration is the new police chief.

Rowley on Monday revoked the appointment of Major General (Retired) Edmund Dillon as National Security Minister, replacing him with Stuart Young, who will do the job in addition to his responsibilities as Communications Minister and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.

“This opportunity to serve

as Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Minister is a privilege based on the Prime Minister’s wisdom and calling,” Young said.

“I commit to continue to give my best to and for the country. I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago for the continued opportunity to serve and I look forward to the new challenges ahead.”

Prime Minister Rowley, who had assigned himself the role of Housing and Urban Development Minister , has picked Dillon to serve in that role.

Additionally, Maxie Cuffie, who last week returned home from the United States after re-

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New Police Commissioner Gary Griffith (left) and National Security Minister Stuart Young

ceiving treatment for a stroke he suffered last year, has been made Parliamentary Secretary in the Public Administration Ministry. He was previously Minister in the Public Administration Ministry.

Meanwhile, Public Administration Minister Marlene McDonald, who had

fallen ill last month, has resumed her duties.

The changes were announced on the same day that the Police Service Commission (PSC) confirmed Griffith’s appointment as the new Commissioner of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

olivia’s historic presidential medal and sash have been stolen from a car parked in a red light district in the city of El Alto.

A military officer said he had left the historic emblems in a rucksack in his car, while on his way to the airport.

The bag was later found

by Police in a local church after a tip-off.

The gold medal is studded with emeralds and dates to the country’s foundation in 1825, when it was presented to national hero Simón Bolívar.

Quoted by AFP news agency, former Bolivian President Carlos Mesa com-

pared the crime to “the theft of the crown of Queen Elizabeth II of England”.

President Evo Morales was due to wear the emblems at the annual celebration of the armed forces on Wednesday, but appeared without them.

The officer in question had made his way to El Alto airport, west of the capital La Paz, in order to fly to Cochabamba to give them to Morales.

However, the officer missed his flight and the items disappeared while he waited for his rescheduled departure.

When he returned to his car, he found the rucksack was gone. (BBC News)

thursdAY, august 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

US to impose new sanctions on China, Germany defend Russia for nerve attack in UK Iran business ties

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ashington said on Wednesday it would impose fresh sanctions on Russia after it determined that Moscow had used a nerve agent against a former Russian agent and his daughter in Britain.

A senior State Department official said it had notified the Kremlin of the sanctions earlier in the day.

Sergei Skripal, a former Colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found unconscious in the southern English city of Salisbury in March after a liquid form of the Novichok type of nerve agent was applied to his home’s front door.

State Department spokeswoman Heather

Police Officers stand on duty outside Sergei Skripal's home in Salisbury, Britain, July 19, 2018

Nauert said it had been determined that Russia “has used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law, or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own na-

tionals.”

The sanctions will cover sensitive national security goods, a senior State Department official told reporters on a conference call, citing the 1991 Chemical

and Biological Weapons and Warfare Elimination Act. There would, however, be exemptions for space flight activities and areas covering commercial passenger aviation safety, which would be allowed on a case-by-case basis, the official added.

The official said a second batch of “more draconian” sanctions would be imposed after 90 days unless Russia gives “reliable assurances” that it will no longer use chemical weapons and allow on-site inspections by the United Nations.

The news came as Republican US Senator Rand Paul said on Wednesday he had delivered a letter from President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin proposing cooperation. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Zimbabwe Opposition figure fleeing arrest denied asylum in Zambia

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top Zimbabwean Opposition official that fled to Zambia has been denied asylum and is expected to face arrest at home as concerns rose over a government crackdown after last week's disputed presidential election.

Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe's former Finance Minister and a leader of the Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), claimed asylum in Zambia on Wednesday after making a dash for the border, reportedly facing charges

of inciting post-election violence in Zimbabwe.

Biti said he was going to be deported, according to Dewa Mavhinga of Human Rights Watch.

Mavhinga said Biti told him: "It looks like they have made a decision to hand us

back to the junta. We are truly in God's hands."

Biti's plight follows scenes of the military opening fire in the streets of Zimbabwe's capital a week ago, killing six people, and growing Opposition claims of harassment. (Excerpt from Al

Jazeera)

US mid-term elections: Women break records for nominations

From left: Democrat Sharice Davids, Republican Susan Hutchison and Democrat Rashida Tlaib, who is almost certain to be the first Muslim woman in Congress

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ore women candidates than ever will contest US governorships and House seats in November's mid-term elec-

tions.

After Tuesday's primaries across four states, there are now 11 female nominees for governor and at

least 185 for the House of Representatives.

The results were hailed as a continuing success story by activists for women in

politics.

There was also a key election for a House seat in Ohio, in which President Donald Trump claimed victory.

But US media said the race was still too close to call, in a safe Republican seat held by them since 1983. The outcome could indicate whether Democrats have a chance to overturn the Republican majority in the House in November.

After polling closed in the four states holding primaries on Tuesday – Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington – it became clear women had broken records for gubernatorial and House nominations. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

C

hina and Germany defended their business ties with Iran on Wednesday in the face of President Donald Trump’s warning that any companies trading with the Islamic Republic would be barred from the United States.

The comments from Beijing and Berlin signalled growing anger from partners of the United States, which reimposed strict sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, over its threat to penalise businesses from third countries that continue to operate there.

“China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions and long-armed jurisdiction,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

“China’s commercial cooperation with Iran is open and transparent, reasonable, fair and lawful, not violating any United Nations Security Council resolutions,” it added in a faxed statement to Reuters.

“China’s lawful rights should be protected.”

Saudi Arabia rules out mediation in Canada row, Trudeau stands firm

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir speaks during a news conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, August 8, 2018

S

audi Arabia said on Wednesday there was no room for mediation in the kingdom’s deepening diplomatic dispute with Canada over human rights, adding that Ottawa knew what it needed to do to “fix its big mistake”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised Saudi Arabia for having made some progress

India: Deadly stampede among Karunanidhi mourners

T

wo people have died in a stampede at the funeral procession of veteran Indian politician Muthuvel Karunanidhi, in the southern city of Chennai.

In addition, 41 people were taken to hospital with injuries, officials told BBC Tamil.

Karunanidhi, who died on Tuesday aged 94, had served five times as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the state of which Chennai is

The stampede occurred at the entrance to the building where veteran Indian politician Muthuvel Karunanidhi lay in state

capital.

Police struggled to control thousands of mourners on Wednesday.

The stampede occurred when crowds tried to surge past Police at the entrance to the building where Karunanidhi lay in state.

He was buried at Marina Beach in Chennai (formerly known as Madras), alongside his mentor, CN Annadurai.

The state government

The German Government said US sanctions against Iran that have an extra-territorial effect violate international law, and Germany expects Washington to consider European interests when coming up with such sanctions.

The reimposition of US sanctions followed Trump’s decision earlier this year to pull out of a 2015 deal to lift the punitive measures in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme designed to prevent it from building an atomic bomb.

Iran’s highest authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said meanwhile the country had nothing to be concerned about, a report on his official website said in an apparent reference to the imposition of the US sanctions.

“With regard to our situation do not be worried at all. Nobody can do anything,” Khamenei said recently, the website reported. “There is no doubt about this.”(Excerpt from Reuters)

had earlier refused to allocate space for his burial at Marina Beach, telling the Chennai high court that only chief ministers who died in office were buried there.

The court rejected that argument and cleared the way for Karunanidhi to be laid to rest at the iconic site.

His two biggest political rivals, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalitha, are also buried there. (Excerpt from BBC News)

on civil rights, but made clear he would continue to press Riyadh about his Government’s concerns.

Saudi Arabia on Sunday froze new trade with Canada and expelled the Canadian Ambassador in retaliation for a call from Ottawa to free arrested Saudi civil society activists. It also ended State-backed educational and medical programmes in Canada.

“There is nothing to mediate. A mistake has been made and a mistake should be corrected,” Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh.

Trudeau told reporters in Montreal that Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland had held a long conversation with her Saudi counterpart on Tuesday, but gave no details.

“We don’t want to have poor relations with Saudi Arabia. It is a country that has great significance in the world, that is making progress in the area of human rights,” he said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursdAY, august 9, 2018

ARCHIE

ARIES

Focus on personal gains

(March 21- and physical improvements.

April 19) Don’t let anyone discourage

you from spending time or money to get ahead. Invest in you. Romance is encouraged.

Your changeable attitude

TAURUS will cause you grief if you act (April 20- on an emotional whim. An May 20) added expense will leave you

dilbert

scrambling later in the month.

Protect against theft, poor investments and impractical moves.

Spend more time workGEMINI (May 21- ing out details that will help June 20) you avoid an expense you can avoid with proper planning.

Personal improvements and better health should be priorities.

Take the time to find out where you stand. Ask ques(June 21- tions and discuss your intenJuly 22) tions and plans with someone who can affect your decision.

CANCER

Peanuts

If you push yourself, the LEO satisfaction and results you (July 23- get will be outstanding and Aug. 22) will keep anyone trying to distract you in his or her place.

Focus and win.

Take pleasure in helping VIRGO others. Emotional or physical (Aug. 23support can be just as compelSept. 22) ling as financial aid, and can offer greater satisfaction for both you and the individual you assist.

Calvin and Hobbes

Get moving. Make a point LIBRA (Sept. 23- to take care of business that Oct. 23) is hanging over your head.

Don’t wait until someone else steps in and takes charge.

Live up to your expectations.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Consider what’s at stake SCORPIO before you make a move that (Oct. 24is likely to cause trouble beNov. 22) tween you and someone you care about. Handling a situation involving friends or relatives will require diplomacy.

Chase your dream.

SAGITTARIUS Activate your plans.

Look (Nov. 23forward and own whatever Dec. 21) you do. Your passionate and timely gestures will have an impact on what’s to come.

solution for last published puzzle

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

Know what you want and CAPRICORN make whatever changes are (Dec. 22- required to reach your goal.

Jan. 19) Personal gratification will come from following through with your plans. Don’t let an emotional matter slow you down.

Share your enthusiasm AQUARIUS with others, but don’t let any(Jan. 20- one take control or entice you Feb. 19) to expand too quickly or take on too much. Stick to your set plans. Romance is in the stars.

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Look for the best way to expand your interests.

Calling in a favor or reconnecting with someone you have enjoyed working with in the past will be beneficial.

thursDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

19

GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket slated to host string of summer camps T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Scotiabank under their Kiddy Cricket brand will tomorrow close one of their many cricket summer camps where they have sought to teach the game of cricket to the younger generation. At the same time, the two entities are gearing up to host several other cricket camps throughout the coast of Guyana.

The first camp for the 2018 season began earlier this week at the Fort

Wellington Secondary School Ground, where children of West Berbice were encouraged to be part of the interactive learning experience. On the East Coast of Demerara, another camp will conclude today at the Ogle Community Centre Ground.

Further along the coast, three other camps will bowl off at the beginning of the new week. In West Demerara, the students will be taught at the Zeeburg

Ground on West Coast, while the participants in Essequibo will have their chance to learn something new at the Imam Bacchus Ground on the Essequibo Coast.

Both camps will run from August 13 to August 17.

Each of the camps will run for a fourday period and will take on a school-like approach, being held between 09:00h and 15:00h.

The GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket

Summer Camps are expected to target students between the ages of eight and fourteen, and will be primarily used to impart cricket knowledge, and its requisite discipline and commitment attributes to the said participants. The objective of the camp activity is to identify, encourage and begin to develop 40 talented players from each of the targeted district locations.

Team Sky rider banned Jags’ “Train And Play” in for trying to hit rival Brazil attracts top complement at Tour de France CONCACAF Nations League Countdown…

A

s Guyana prepares for its first match of the CONCACAF Nations League in September, Guyana’s senior men’s national team, commonly known as the Golden Jaguars, will benefit from the most comprehensive and experienced technical staff Guyana’s national football has ever had, during the “Train and Play” scheduled for August 12-26 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 17-man staff includes the Head Coach, Senior Coach, Goalkeeper Coach, Team Doctor, Head of Sports Science, Head of Recruitment and Player Liaison, Head of People and Culture, Performance Analyst and Head Scout, Development Coaches and operations staff.

Head Coach Michael Johnson said a qualified staff is critical to the achievement of the GFF (Guyana Football Federation) national programme’s goals.

“This comprehensive technical team is vitally important for the Nations League campaign; we are pushing the boundaries to keep up to date with modern football trends and compete with regional and international competition. The Guyana-based Development

Goalkeeper Coach Ademola Bankole

Coaches are there on merit by excelling in recent CONCACAF/FIFA coaching courses as well as their work at various clubs and ATCs. In Brazil, they will be mentored as part of their Coach Education, but ultimately will have to prove their potential within the coaching staff, with the ultimate goal of taking the knowledge back into their own coaching contexts.”

Johnson added that a topclass support staff was also necessary to “develop, inspire, and motivate not only the team but the nation.”

Technical Director Ian Greenwood said a “machinery of excellence” was being developed for the senior national programme: “The

high-quality professionals that complement the staffing structure are all vital cogs to the machinery of excellence as we look to develop a vibrant and successful senior national team programme.

Their primary focus is working to achieve the short, medium, and long-term targets of the GFF, but their expertise and added value of mentoring in areas of sports science, performance analysis, sports medicine, coaching methodology will significantly improve the national team programme at youth levels.”

GFF President Wayne Forde, for his part, said this staff structure served as a solid platform to realise greater success among the

senior national team: “While we are laying in place a solid youth development foundation that will definitely evolve in the coming years, it is of critical importance that we build the senior national team’s management structure to support and maximise the performance of those players that emerge from the Youth development structure.

“The transfer of knowledge and expertise is a key objective in the selection of the national team staff. Our collaboration with Brazil will also buttress our capacity-building targets. We have to be humble, patient and open to learning new and modern principles and methodologies.”

The “Train and Play” is a national encampment of senior footballers as part of the preparation for the CONCACAF Nations League.

Guyana have been matched against Barbados, Turks and Caicos Islands, French Guiana and Belize and will play host to Barbados and Belize in September 2018 and March 2019 respectively, while Turks and Caicos Islands and French Guiana will host Guyana in October and November 2018.

Gianni Moscon was also disqualified from last year’s World Championship road race after hanging onto a team car

G

ianni Moscon was also disqualified from last year’s World Championship road race after hanging onto a team car Team Sky rider Gianni Moscon has been banned for five weeks by the UCI, after he tried to hit another rider during stage 15 of this year’s Tour de France.

The Italian, 24, was disqualified from the race after the incident with Team Fortuneo-Samsic’s Elie Gesbert.

Moscon has apologised and accepted his punishment, which ends on 12 September, saying he “regretted” his actions.

“I reacted in the heat of the moment and it was never my intention to hit the rider,” said Moscon.

“As the footage shows I didn’t make contact, but I regret my actions and I have already apologised to both Gesbert and Team Fortuneo Samsic for the incident.”

Last year, Moscon was suspended by Team Sky for six weeks after racially abusing a rival.

He was also disqualified from last year’s World Championship road race after hanging onto a team car.

Team Principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, said he was “confident” that Moscon had learned from the incident.

“Gianni is still a relatively young rider at the start of his career and we will continue to give him the help and support he needs to learn, develop and move forward from this,” Brailsford added. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

Karatekas improve Dan ranks

The participants from the recently-concluded karate exams

T

his past Sunday, head of the IKD, Ninth Dan Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai conducted high-level karate examinations at the YMCA, Thomas Lands.

To start the day off, there were 109 students of the Association do Shotokan Karate – Guyana (ASK-G) ASK-G with their parents anxiously waiting to see their child’s performance at the examinations.

The tension was high, some students were well-hyped while others were very nervous and the little ones were anxious to pass their exams.

After the white, yellow, orange, green and blue belt exams were

over; results were announced.

Mahadeo Ramotar was promoted to Third Dan while Aaron Persaud climbed to Second Dan. Achieving First Dan rank were Sienna Sookram, Adrian Mohan, Pierre Grant, Kyle Wayne, Pratush Deokinandan, Abhigyan Chatterdeo, Kaden Pyneandy, Gavin Singh, Cecil Dasilva, Wanda Agdomar and Jerry Santana Bain.

Kyu Promotions: 11 to Yellow Belt – Yuvraj Beharry, Ethan Rosine, Saskia Dyasindoo, Giada Agdomar, Ajit Dehaan, Tyrese Gittens, Saif Tulla, Keith Williams, Bethany Agdomar, Xavier Lambert, Elijah Rosine.

Kepa pays £71M release clause before Chelsea move

C

helsea target Kepa Arrizabalaga has paid his release clause of £71m to La Liga, which allows him to leave Athletic Bilbao and clears the way for a transfer to the Premier League.

The deal would be a world record for a goalkeeper, surpassing the £66.8m Liverpool paid for Alisson in July.

Spaniard Kepa, 23, is being brought in as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois.

Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic, 24, is also set to join Chelsea on a season-long loan.

Kovacic will have a medical on Wednesday.

He has spent the past three seasons at Real after joining from Inter Milan, and played in Croatia's run to the World Cup final in July.

Real boss Julen Lopetegui said he "expressed his desire" for the player to stay, after his team's 2-1 friendly win against Roma on Tuesday.

Courtois, meanwhile, has not reported for training and is being l i n k e d with Real Madrid.

T h e B e l g i u m international, 26, was due at Chelsea's Cobham

16 to Orange Belt – Kyra Soares, Amit Prasad, Junxi Yang, Aditya Sukhu, Tyler Bess, Tyshaun Bess, Joshua Daniels, Jonathan Thomas, Shemar Fortune, Shaquan Stewart, David Harold, Gurav Ram, Aishah Persaud, Nathaniel Higgins, Antol Griffin, Joshua Rampersaud.

15 to Green Belt – Yam Chan Chu, Nicholas Rampersaud, Christian Rampersaud, Andrew Johnson, Matthew Salim, Joshua Nimar, Isaiyah Proctor, Alex Penniston, James Griffith, Daquan Guilford, Thamishwar Dyasindoo, Kristen Samaroo, Anuvani Gunpat, Jeremiah Pile, Romario Jaisingh.

9 to Blue Belt – Shiquana

training ground on Monday, following his involvement at the World Cup. Courtois has been a Blues player since 2011, when he signed from Belgian club Genk, and was loaned to Atletico Madrid from 2011 to 2014.

"I always say that I'm not talking about players who're not at Real Madrid," said Lopetegui, who added current number one Keylor Navas is "phenomenal and an extraordinary goalkeeper".

In Spain, a player must buy himself out of his contract. This is usually done by depositing the amount of the buyout clause with La Liga - Spain's equivalent of the Premier League - to release the player from his contract. The league then passes the money to the selling club.

Kepa is Spain's number two behind Manchester United's David de Gea and has one international cap.

He has spent the past two seasons in Bilbao's first team, making 53 La Liga appearances.

In January, he signed a new long-term c o n t ra c t w i t h Bilbao until 2025, amid interest from Real Madrid.

Kepa is the second big-name player to leave Bilbao this year, after Manchester City signed French defender Aymeric Laporte for £57m in January.

(BBC Sport)

Kepa Arrizabalaga has one international cap for Spain

Corlette, Gabriel Looch, Nicolai Adolphnathan Narine, Oudesh Ram, Aayush Persaud, Bibi Farook, Jaiya Harricharan, Adrian Bhawanidin.

17 to Purple Belt – Christopher James, Maheshwar Dyasindoo, Brandon Foo, Aaliyah Mcadam, Jazara Hewitt, Chad Lall, Jayden Chichester, Obinna Utoh, Murduoq Boyce, Youvraj Persaud, Jasmine West, Leandre Holder, Akeem Mcpherson, Kevin Fraser, Shinessa Boyce, Bhaskar Jaipersaud, Zac Hussain.

14 to Brown – Farhan Jahan, Bohan Cao, Nick Sookdeo, Piya Parasram, Amara Nandan, Keyshawn Grant, Jared Rambissoon, Navindra

Deonarine, Crystal Itwaru, Nalini Arjoon, Ricardo Narine, Shaquan Barrow, Budhdave Singh, Bradley Fenty.

2 to Brown – Krisendat Phagoo, Mareo Dhanraj.

12 to Brown – Jamar Pile, Shamar Francis, Emily Santana Leon, Danielle Persaud, Jeremy Hargobin, Lateef Moffatt, Anya Insanally, Rachel Persaud, Raphael Isaacs, Shanker Parasram, Mark Henry, Andes Roberts.

Meanwhile, Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai will be holding intensive instructors and judges training sessions at the GKC and ASK-G YMCA until he leaves on Tuesday, August 14.

CONCACAF U-15 Girls Championship…

Tech staff impressed by progress

A

Guyana’s starting line-up against Cayman Islands in the CONCACAF U-15 Girls Championship

s the CONCACAF U-15 Girls Championship continues at the IMG Academy, Florida, USA, Guyana will seek to end their participation on a winning note as the team prepare for their final group match against The Bahamas today at 11:00h.

This was the sentiment expressed

by Guyana Football Federation (GFF) International Women’s Coordinator Paul Beresford following the team’s 2-0 defeat to the Cayman Islands on August 7.

“The girls are putting in all the effort and doing everything we’ve asked of them and more, and they deserve to have better results in the last two matches of the tournament,” said Beresford.

“We again outshot our

opponents in the match against the Cayman Islands, hitting the post four times, but were unable to get a good bounce. Additionally, the Guyanabased and the international-based players are bonding very well and working together as a unit; we know that as they play more games, they will get better. We play The Bahamas on Thursday (today) and feel that may be our breakout game of the tournament.”

In recapping the match against the Cayman Islands, Beresford said he was pleased with the team’s performance: “The team showed great improvement from yesterday’s performance against a Cayman Island team who was very disciplined. Guyana made some tactical adjustments to our style of

play that worked to perfection in the first half. The Cayman Islands team was frustrated and did not threaten the Guyana net much in the half.

Guyana created many opportunities, but again could not capitalise on our chances, the half ended 0-0. A defensive lapse early in the second half resulted in a goal for Cayman.”

The starting line-up for today’s match, captained by Shacaylah Williams, is as follows: Ludesha Reynolds (GK); Aliea Moses; Hasha Holder; Jenea Knoght; Samara Rodrigues; Samantha Banfield; Anaya Willabus; Kersti Thomas; Ashaya Doobay and Allianna Holder.

The play-off will begin on August 10, following the group qualifiers, with the finals set for August 13 at 11:00h.

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GSSF’s 3-Gun Match sponsored by Queensway Group of Companies Inc O

n what some competitors called the hottest day of July, the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) hosted yet another Multi-Gun Practical Shooting Match at the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Timehri shooting range.

This match was under the sponsorship of the Queensway Group of Companies Inc. Match Director David Dharry welcomed participants and thanked the management of the Queensway Group of Companies for their continued support for the sport and more so the foundation. Dharry called for a safe and fun match and declared the competition open.

3-Gun gets its name from the fact that competitors use three different types of firearms over the course of the competition: a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol. You score points by hitting designated targets, which in this match included cardboard targets and steel targets of various sizes.

The first stage called “El Prez” required the shooters to start facing uprange with wrists above their shoulders and engage 3 paper targets with only two rounds, perform a reload and again engage each target with only two rounds. This set the momentum for the remainder of the match with some fierce competition mixed with an overall jovial atmosphere.

The second stage called “Rock, Paper, Steel” consisted of 8 paper targets, 6 falling plates and 4 poppers and called for shooters to begin the stage facing downrange with an unloaded and holstered firearm while holding a rock in each hand. This, however, proved to be a little challenging for all as there were (rocks) plates and poppers falling and targets having to be hit accurately.

The third stage dubbed “4 Boxes” saw competitors strategising on the method of completing the stage while within the confines of the rules. This consisted of 3 paper targets side by side downrange and 4 shooting boxes as the name suggests, placed at varying distances from the targets. Shooters were instructed to engage each target with a minimum of two rounds from within each box, before performing a mandatory reload before engaging the targets with at least two rounds each from within the next closest box. After the final shot, shooters hoped to achieve at least 8 perfectly placed shots in each

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Queensway 2018 3-Gun Match winners

target.

The fourth and final stage entitled “3G in GT” was the main multi-gun stage. The stage called for the shooters to engage a host of paper and metal targets from within four different shooting areas, using either a rifle, shotgun or handgun as specified by the stage instructions.

Competitors were first required to begin the stage with their handgun loaded and holstered, chamber empty, while holding the loaded rifle at a 45-degree angle to the ground. On the start signal specified, metal targets were to be engaged using the rifle, after which it was to be unloaded and placed safely before retrieving the next firearm, a shotgun and proceeding the to the designated area for engaging the assigned metal targets.

Upon completion of this and having safely placed the unloaded shotgun on the designated table, shooters would then draw their handgun and engage all paper targets from within the remaining shooting areas.

While the dust was still settling, the Stats Officer, Pravesh Harry was ready to hand over the final standings to the Match Director. Scoring used the competitor’s total points divided by the time it took to shoot those points on the targets in each stage which results in a Hit Factor. The shooter with the highest accumulated points from all stages in a match wins overall. Courses of fire

in the practical shooting sport are often designed so that the shooter must be inventive. Shooting was under the USPSA Practical Shooting Handbook Rules and immediately uploaded to the scoring software online Practiscore.

The GSSF would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to the Guyana Police Force, Acting Commissioner David Ramnarine, Assistant Commissioner Hicken, the OC TSU Guy Nurse and the ranks of the GPF Armoury and TSU. Additional thanks are extended to Brigadier Patrick West and the GDF for the use of their range facility at Timehri and to Harold Hopkinson for the use of his personal props, steel plates, poppers and targets stands for some of the stages.

For more information on the GSSF, visit the website at www.

GuyanaSportShooting.com

Overall match Results are as follows: Limited Division 1st Ryan McKinnon – 440.2476 2nd Pravesh Harry – 377.5218 3rd David Dharry – 300.8722 Production Division 1st Michael Blake – 415.633 2nd Joshua Ramlakhan – 354.180 3rd Dallas Thomas – 329.0048

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Gordon “Pepperpot” Yhap

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O

n August 3, 2018, at 09:30h, Gordon Yhap, 59, became the first Guyanese to complete the 3326 kilometre (2190.9 mile) Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail (AT) is a hiking trail that begins at Springer Mountain in Georgia and extends to Mt Katahdin in Maine. The AT passes through 14 states, almost entirely in wilderness, running along the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains.

The trail is very strenuous, gaining and losing over 150,000 metres in elevation and crossing hundreds of mountains, the highest of which is Clingman’s Dome (2026 metres) in Tennessee.

Yhap and his wife, Carolyn, began the hike on February 14, and hiked through severe conditions including snow, hail, sleet, and thunderstorms.

They camped almost every night, only coming off the trail and into a town about once a week to resupply, shower, and wash

clothes. Although over 3000 people begin the AT hike each year, approximately only 10 per cent to 20 per cent complete it due to injuries and other issues.

Yhap, whose trail name was “Pepperpot”, said that the hike was worth the effort, “…since we experienced incredible views from the mountains, observed many captivating forest animals and birds, and met interesting people from around the world”.

Yhap and his wife also lost substantial weight during the hike, since long-distance hikers typically burn about 5500 calories per day.

The couple have family on West Coast Demerara, including Yhap’s mother who was born in the Northwest region and now resides with her daughters and grandchildren in De Kendren.

The Yhaps plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which extends from Mexico to Canada, in 2019.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

Hero CPL 2018 at Providence

“It’s time now to start the Biggest Party” – Malik …team poised ahead of opener at Providence

By Clifton Ross

A

smiling Guyana Amazon Warriors Captain Shoaib Malik said it was time to get the party started as the home team opened their 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, today, Thursday August 9 at Providence.

After months of building excitement, franchises from around the Caribbean are beginning to lock horns in the sixth edition of the T20 extravaganza. During Wednesday’s pre-match press conference at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Guyana Amazon Warriors Head Coach Johan Botha and skipper Malik, along with Patriots Coach Donovan Miller and skipper Carlos Brathwaite spoke on the moods in the respective camps ahead of match night.

Botha, speaking on the local team’s training sessions which commenced last week, said he was happy with Guyana’s training. Botha, a former South African skipper, said that it was ample time to put together all they have been working on and execute well so they can get off to a great start at home.

“It’s gone really well so far; yesterday, we had our full squad on deck and that was nice; everyone has had a good hit out and got used to conditions, especially the heat.

We are just looking forward to the real stuff now,” said Botha.

The Guyana Warriors’ star players in both departments looked to

be in good form following their returns in the two recently-concluded practice matches at Providence under lights. Malik – along with the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Luke Ronchi – and spinners Devendra Bishoo, Chris Green, Imran Tahir and Veerasammy Permaul all bowled well with wickets to their name.

The Warriors Captain as a result believes that his team’s practice games will be very crucial to the outcome over the next few days in Guyana. “The preparations were going well; we did a lot of hard sessions; now it’s time to show up; it is the responsibility of the seniors who played here and the local guys.

In franchise cricket, if your local players do well, you end up with a right result, so it’s time to start the Biggest Party and it’s good to start from our home conditions.”

The veteran Pakistani batsman was adamant that the Warriors could click in a major way as a unit, given their cohesiveness and familiarity with the conditions and each other. Malik, who hasn’t played at the venue in nearly five years, said that he was still backing a positive result from his side that were keen on winning all three of their home games before going on the road.

“I think it’s the bowlers’ responsibility to win games; if you’re playing on a good pitch and score 170,

180, it’s the bowlers’ responsibility to take wickets, so taking wickets is the key. There’s no pressure at all, I expect the same thing from our players. Obviously, you want to start well if you go deep in the tournament, but there’s no pressure, it’s just about going out and giving it your best shot,” Malik added.

Patriots skipper Brathwaite, who is also the Windies T20 skipper, however, said that his camp were not banking on their big gun in “T20 Boss” Chris Gayle as they seek to fully utilise the vast talent in the side.

“I never played a CPL game in Guyana, but traditionally the Guyanese wicket is slow and tends

to turn, so we have to adapt to that, because we have some good spinners in Hayden Walsh Jr and Lamichhane (Sandeep), so at the end of the day is who plays best,” The all-rounder, who has been around since the first CPL, has never played a game at Providence and as such deemed the opener as “uncharted” turf for him but is confident of a good showing. “It’s all about the team coming together, we are stacked with quality player if they can replicate the season they had last year and new players put their hands up and fill the voids and hopefully get us over the line,” he said.

Coach Miller, meanwhile, said he was satisfied with his team’s training over the past few days; he further added that the confidence level was soaring in the camp as players know the importance of getting off to a winning start, especially away from home.

Last season, the Patriots gained a 2-0 victory over the Warriors when the two sides met with Gayle and Warriors opener Chadwick Walton among the top scorers while Warriors seamers Sohail Tanvir and Rayad Emrit had good games for their team.

The Providence National Stadium will come alive when the Warriors get their title hunt on the road while their opponents, led

by Gayle, will want to show their class away from home when the first ball is expected to be delivered by 18:00h. The match will also be broadcast one hour later (19:00h).

Afridi withdraws from Broadcasters for the Hero CPL to rehabilitate knee CPL 2018 confirmed S T hahid Afridi has pulled out of the Caribbean Premier League 2018 in order to tend to a knee problem that first occurred during the Pakistan Super League, for which he will continue to undergo rehabilitation. Afridi made the announcement through a tweet, expressing his disappointment at missing out on the “biggest party in sport”.

After sustaining the injury while playing for Karachi Kings during the PSL, Afridi turned out for Edmonton Royals in the Global T20 Canada league, besides captaining ICC World XI against West Indies in a T20 at Lord’s in J u l y .

Afridi’s only previous stint in the CPL was with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015, during the tournament’s third season.

The latest edition of CPL 2018 will commence on August 8, with the Trinbago Knight Riders taking on St Lucia Stars at Port of Spain. Jamaica Tallawahs, led by Andre Russell, will play their first match on August 10, against Knight Riders in the same venue. (ESPNCricinfo)

he broadcasters for the Hero Caribbean Premier League have been confirmed for the 2018 tournament with new deals with key partners in place in India, the United Kingdom and Australia. With an excellent spread of broadcasters around the globe the tournament is expecting an increase in viewership for the sixth successive year.

The Hero CPL will fea-

ture the best players from across the Caribbean and around the world. With

Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Daren Sammy, David Warner, Kieron Pollard and Steve Smith amongst the star names that are due to take part fans can expect plenty of entertainment when the tournament gets underway on 8 August.

Dafabet, the tournament’s official betting partner, have Trinbago Knight Riders as favourites to win the tournament at odds of 4.00. They rate the oth-

ers team’s chances as follows: Jamaica Tallawahs - 5.00, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots - 5.00 Barbados Tridents - 6.00, St Lucia Stars - 6.00 and Guyana Amazon Warriors 6.50.

They have Chris Gayle of the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots as favourite to finish as top run-scorer and Dwayne Bravo of Trinbago Knight Riders as top wicket-taker with odds of 7.00 and 8.00 respectively.

The list of the broadcasters for the tournament is as follows: COUNTRY

PARTNER

COUNTRY

PARTNER

Australia

Fox Sports

Antigua

Antigua Broadcasting Service

United Kingdom & Ireland

Sky Sports

Barbados

USA

Willow

Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation

India

Star TV

Jamaica

To be confirmed

Bangladesh

Star TV

Guyana

NCN/CTMG

Bhutan

Star TV

St Kitts

ZIZ

Nepal

Star TV

St Lucia

Helen Televison System

Maldives

Star TV

Grenada

GBN

New Zealand

Sky Sports

Cayman Islands

Cayman 27

Middle East

OSN

Dominica

Sat Telecommunications

Africa, Sub Sahara

Econet

St Vincent & Grenadines

VC3

Trinidad & Tobago

CNC3

TCI, Nevis, Angullia, Montserrat

Digicel Play

guyanatimesgy.com

ThursDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

23

Hero CPL 2018...

Knight Riders lay down marker with emphatic opening win over St Lucia Stars

DJ Bravo and Dinesh Ramdin celebrate the victory

C

olin Munro and Denesh Ramdin powered the Trinbago Knight Riders to a record-breaking total before Dwayne Bravo and spin twins Sunil Narine and Fawad Ahmed sealed a thumping 100-run victory over the St Lucia Stars and a winning start to the defence of their Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title.

Munro, who started last season with an unbeaten 66 against the same opponents, this time smashed 68 from 48 balls in what was for much of the innings something of a lone hand for the Knight Riders. The champions had slipped to 89/4

chase here were ended within the first eight overs of their reply amid a collapse from 35/0 to 53/6.

A fast start was crucial for the Stars, and initially they got it as back-to-back sixes for Andre Fletcher off Shannon Gabriel propelled them to 32/0 after the first two overs. But when Fletcher was undone by an Ali Khan knuckle-ball on 19, the Stars’ chase soon fizzled out.

Australia superstar David Warner was bowled by Javon Searles for 9 before Rahkeem Cornwall picked out Brendon McCullum at mid-wicket off Dwayne Bravo. Then the spinners took over.

Fawad Ahmed’s first

spell with 3/16.

There weren’t any fireworks from new Stars captain Kieron Pollard, who slapped a full-toss from opposite number Dwayne Bravo to Searles at long-off to be eighth man out for just 12 with the score on 81.

Bravo added the wicket of Mitchell McClenaghan with a delicious slower ball before Gabriel took the final wicket, hauling his figures back to 3.3-0-34-1 having conceded 26 runs from his first over. While the batting collapse was certainly dramatic, the seeds of the Stars’ defeat were sown in a sloppy fielding display.

The 2018 Hero CPL got

OUT! Soft dismissal as DM Bravo lobs it into the fielder’s hands

A good knock comes to an end as Munro walks across and gets his stump cleaned up

Fawad Ahmed strikes again getting his third wicket

before Ramdin (50* off 27) joined the New Zealander in a 50 partnership that helped the Knight Riders post a record-breaking Hero CPL total at the Queen’s Park Oval of 195/6. It was one that proved well beyond the Stars as soon as the spinners got to work.

The Stars failed to win a single match in the 2017 Hero CPL and any hope that they might pull off a record

Hero CPL over brought two wickets, a googly completely deceiving Lendl Simmons to bowl him through the gate before Mark Chapman slapped a low catch to Sunil Narine at cover.

Narine himself then got in on the act, pinning Darren Sammy plumb in front to leave the Stars reeling at 53/6. Fawad removed Qais Ahmad for 14 to finish his match-sealing four-over

off to a rollicking start with two dropped catches, a six and a wicket in the first seven balls of the season.

New Zealander McClenaghan bowled the first over of the season after the Stars won the toss and elected to field, and almost immediately had Trinbago Knight Riders new boy Chris Lynn dropped at slip

by Sammy from the second ball. Lynn blasted the very

next ball over the ropes at square-leg, but fell two balls later when he could only fend a clever slower ball to Qais at cover.

Moments later, Kesrick Williams dropped Narine at midwicket from Mohammad Sami’s first delivery. Narine gave the Knight Riders early impetus with a huge six down the ground but was bowled by Williams, who made amends for his early drop with remarkable figures of 2/4 from an initial two-over spell in which he also removed Darren Bravo for a duck.

With Brendon McCullum also failing to get going before being bowled by Stars captain Pollard on 13, it was left to Munro to keep the Knight Riders on track.

He was watchful at first, before kick starting his own innings and the team’s when taking 18 runs in four balls from the Stars’ teenaged legspinner Qais. Three successive cut shots for four were followed by a huge slog-sweep for six as Munro moved from 23 off 24 balls to 41 from 28.

Munro duly went through to a 33-ball half century in-

cluding eight fours and that

huge six. By now he had been joined by Ramdin, who initially looked to put the Stars fielders under pressure with hard running before starting to clear the boundary himself.

When Munro fell in the 16th over, Ramdin took over in a devastating final four overs that brought the Knight Riders 54 runs.

He hit four sixes in all, the first an astonishing pickup over square-leg off the expensive Mohammad Sami and the last a carve over cover-point to take him within a single of 50 from the penultimate ball of the innings.

He duly got the run he needed to reach a classy 27ball half-century that had put the game well beyond the Stars.

SCOREBOARD

Trinbago Knight Riders Innings (20 overs maximum) CA Lynn c Qais Ahmad b McClenaghan 8 SP Narine b Williams 17 C Munro b Pollard 68 BB McCullum b Pollard 13 DM Bravo c Pollard b Williams 0 D Ramdin † not out 50 DJ Bravo (c) c Williams b McClenaghan 17 JPR Scantlebury-Searles not out 9 Extras: (lb 8, nb 1, w 4) 13 Total: (6 wickets, 20 Overs, RR: 9.75) 195 Did not bat: Fawad Ahmed, ST Gabriel, Ali Khan Fall of wickets: 1-8 (CA Lynn, 0.5 ov), 2-48 (SP Narine, 5.6 ov), 3-88 (BB McCullum, 9.5 ov), 4-89 (DM Bravo, 10.3 ov), 5-140 (C Munro, 15.5 ov), 6-177 (DJ Bravo, 18.5 ov) Bowling: MJ McClenaghan 4-030-2, Mohammad Sami 4-0-510, RRS Cornwall 2-0-17-0, KOK Williams 4-0-28-2, Qais Ahmad 2-0-24-0, KA Pollard 3-0-222, LMP Simmons 1-0-15-0 St Lucia Stars Innings (target: 196 runs from 20 overs) ADS Fletcher † b Ali Khan 19

DA Warner b ScantleburySearles 9 LMP Simmons b Fawad Ahmed 3 RRS Cornwall c McCullum b DJ Bravo 3 MS Chapman c Narine b Fawad Ahmed 6 KA Pollard (c) c ScantleburySearles b DJ Bravo 12 DJG Sammy lbw b Narine 1 Qais Ahmad c Ali Khan b Fawad Ahmed 14 Mohammad Sami c †Ramdin b Gabriel 6 MJ McClenaghan b DJ Bravo 6 KOK Williams not out 2 Extras: (lb 2, nb 1, w 11) 14 Total: (17.3 Overs, RR: 5.42) 95 Fall of wickets: 1-35 (ADS Fletcher, 2.5 ov), 2-39 (DA Warner, 4.3 ov), 3-43 (RRS Cornwall, 5.2 ov), 4-47 (LMP Simmons, 6.1 ov), 5-50 (MS Chapman, 6.4 ov), 6-53 (DJG Sammy, 7.5 ov), 7-77 (Qais Ahmad, 12.3 ov), 8-81 (KA Pollard, 14.3 ov), 9-91 (MJ McClenaghan, 16.4 ov), 10-95 (Mohammad Sami, 17.3 ov) Bowling: Ali Khan 2-0-10-1, ST Gabriel 3.3-0-34-1, SP Narine 4-0-18-1, JPR ScantleburySearles 1-0-4-1, DJ Bravo 3-011-3, Fawad Ahmed 4-0-16-3

thurSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Hero CPL 2018 at Providence

“It’s time now to start the Biggest Party” – Malik

Pg 22

…team poised ahead of opener at Providence

Knight Riders lay down marker with emphatic opening win over St Lucia Stars

Pg 23

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