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Issue No. 3005

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

PRICE

GWI’s Managing Director attempts to force out Chief Internal Auditor

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: P9 Witness protection, whistleblower legislation without context – GHRA

Page 3

…reportedly peeved at investigations launched against him

Robbery suspect nabbed with illegal gun, ammo

P2 Youth Policy to be considered on Thursday

Page 7

$10M fraud

Kitty man granted $1.5M bail

P8

Toll booth reactivation

GOGA prepares for oil prospects: Vice President Carl Greenidge (centre) commissions the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA) Inc at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown on Tuesday (Dexter Ceres photo)

P14 Linden stakeholders voice concerns, make recommendations

Several injured in EBD accident

DTL phasing out Building had operations in no electricity, Guyana no heat

Gafoors Houston Complex fire

– to leave by year-end, over 70 jobless

Page 5

source – Sparman

Page 2

Page 7

GBTI makes donation to Fire Service

P12

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Gafoors Houston Complex fire

Building had no electricity, no heat source – Sparman

… as firefighters dig deep into cause

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fficer-in-Charge of Operations at the Guyana Fire Service, Compton Sparman, has indicated that the fire service is baffled by the fire that razed the Gafoors Huston Complex on Monday night, pointing out that there was no electricity or any form of heat source to start the fire.

He stated that the investigation is ongoing as the fire service is trying to extinguish the debris and ensure that there is no fire before they withdraw completely.

“For the preliminary investigations we will have to talk to persons who last dwelled within the bond and who last locked the bond up because based on the preliminary investigation we spoke to persons, supervisors, they said that the bond was closed at 05:20pm (17:20h), and we got the call one hour after at 06:30pm (18:30h) and by the time we got here,

the entire bond was already engulfed in flames,” he said.

He highlighted that the materials stored in the bond were titles and white cement and a small amount of Christmas decoration items.

“So we want to know how it could propagate at that level. No electricity, if you look, it is a bond that was constructed based on the last fire that they would have had. But because I think they cramped for space make they use the bond. No electricity, no form of heat source that dwells within, so we will have to dig deep. Nobody was inside,” he said, adding, “it started in Bond Six and confined in it. Now we have two vehicles with approximately 13 men working.”

When asked on whether Gafoors had implemented all fire precautions for the complex, he stated that they were implemented partially.

“We recommend that

they do solid concrete walls, what we call them is partition walls so if you have a fire, it would be contained and that was done,” he noted.

He stated, however, that Gafoors added ventilation to the ceiling so that in an event of a fire, the heat goes up because hot air rises, so it would not spread across, posing an advantage for the fire service.

“But the fire fighting capability was not in place because the structure was not completed,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Gafoors, Abdool Sattaur Gafoor, had indicated that the company was now recuperating from the effects of the previous fire and they had ordered the sprinklers from overseas and that it was expected to arrive shortly.

Gafoor was unable to remain stoic as part of his multibillion-dollar com-

Firefighters struggling to contain the fire at Gafoors Houston Complex

plex went up in flames for a second time within four months. Gafoor stated that he was talking to his bond manager when another employee interrupted them about a fire in Bond Six, where tiles and white cement were stored.

According to Gafoor, he did everything to prevent a second occurrence of the May 18, 2016, fire which

ravaged through several sections of the complex.

“All the precautions were in place. We put measures like fire extinguishers, wa-

ter, there is no electricity in the area as yet because we are still doing the wiring and there is no combustible, so it is left for me to believe this is something other than nature cause occurred here,” he said. “I can’t believe this.

I can’t believe it is happening,” he said.

In the last fire, Gafoor’s losses were estimated at $12 billion.

When Guyana Times visited the complex on Tuesday, firefighters were still dousing the bond. Gafoor declined to speak with the media and they were told that he was in and out of Board meetings. This newspaper was unable to garner information on if he met with the 80 employees who would be affected by the fire.

Youth Policy to be considered on Thursday

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motion for the adoption of the long anticipated National Youth Policy is expected to be moved on Thursday in the National Assembly by Junior Education Minister Nicolette Henry.

The adoption of the policy will allow the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport within the Education Ministry along with its stakeholders, to carry out activities that target youth development.

The policy is centred on a framework of five strategic areas. These are to im-

Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment Aubrey Norton

prove the social, emotional and cultural skills of young people; produce a productive and enterprising youth workforce; develop quality education and market oriented skills; encourage leadership, participation and representation; and promote good health, security and safety.

Earlier this year, President David Granger had announced that the policy would come on stream soon. The policy was laid in the National Assembly on June 30, 2016.

In August 2015, Presidential Adviser on

Junior Education Minister Nicolette Henry

Youth Empowerment Aubrey Norton had announced that the National Youth Policy draft had been completed and was awaiting review from President Granger and Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine.

The National Youth Policy is supposed to be a comprehensive policy document that states the vision of the Government of Guyana for the youths of the country and also how this vision would be realised by the Government. The Policy caters for the needs of the youths in the age group of 15-35 years, which constitutes over 50 per cent of the population.

It also identifies the vision and the five key objectives that are further sub-divided into several priority areas for youth development. It further suggests policy imperatives that should be implemented in each of these identified priority areas.

The previous Administration had held numerous consultations on this initiative in an effort to finalise and subsequently implement the policy.

news

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wednesDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, October 12 – 14:00-15:30h and Thursday, October 13 – 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, October 12 – 13:20-14:50h and Thursday, October 13 – 14:10h-15:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout most of the day, with light rain showers expected in the late afternoon hours. Clear skies are expected in the evening with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 01:05h and 13:41h reaching maximum heights of 2.32 metres and 2.41 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 07:07h and 19:36h reaching minimum heights of 0.82 metre and 0.80 metre respectively.

Saturday, October 8, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS L

01 08 12 15 17 22 07 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Daily Millions

01 07 10 13 24 LUCKY 3 2

5 4

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Evening Draw

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

GWI’s Managing Director attempts to force out Chief Internal Auditor … reportedly peeved at investigations launched against him

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he Managing Director of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) is being accused of employing extraordinary measures to force out the entity’s Chief Internal Auditor (CIA), after that person would have launched a series of investigations directed against him.

Guyana Times understands that the GWI Managing Director has been actively pressing to have the decision to have the CIA employed in a substantive position reversed.

This publication has since seen GWI internal communications corroborating allegations that the Managing Director has since been actively pursuing the unit’s Code of Conduct with a view to ascertaining whether any procedures had been breached with regard to the appointment of the CIA. This publication understands that the person employed as the substantive CIA had been functioning in that department as the most senior functionary for just about seven years and was appointed in August last.

The position of CIA was publicly advertised and the incumbent was the only applicant to respond.

That person was subsequently employed substantively, based on the recommendation of GWI’s Human Resources Director.

The Managing Director has since contended that the employment has in fact breached the entity’s procedures and should be rescinded and the position re-advertised since he did not approve of the appointment.

This position is however being met with staunch opposition, since it was pointed out that the entity’s Managing Director was merely seeking retribution against the CIA who had been conducting a series of investigations with regard to decisions he would have made, specifically related to the procurement of a number of services and other contracts.

One such contract that

Dr Richard Van West-Charles

has attracted the attention of the CIA is for the construction of a well on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Guyana Times understands that a perturbed Managing Director has since lodged complaints with the GWI’s Human Resources sub-committee, complaining that the auditors are investigating him.

The Managing Director during a recent meeting of the sub-committee also sought to query who was the other persons engaged in the audit directed against him, specifically with regard to the issuance of a cheque.

He was reportedly informed that such action would be considered as impeding the auditor’s investigation.

The Managing Director was also previously accused of seeking to undermine the functioning of the audit department.

All requests were made to be channelled through the Managing Director who also requested that he be kept informed on every stage of an audit and would like to screen the responses before it was disclosed to the audit department.

According to the correspondence seen by Guyana Times, “The environment… found to be very hostile most of the times but we tried as much as possible to suppress and work around it.”

The Internal Auditors have since recommended an urgent review of GWI’s policies and procedures at all operational areas to reflect modern practices and the structural changes recently made.

This newspaper has since been reliably informed by GWI’s internal protocols that the Chief Audit Executive will report functionally to the Audit Committee – a Board appointed oversight body – and administratively to the Chief Executive.

It was pointed out to this publication that administrative reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or another execu-

tive with sufficient authority affords the audit function appropriate support to accomplish its day-to-day activities.

Administrative reporting is defined as the reporting relationship within GWI’s management structure that facilitates the day-to-day operations of the internal audit function. According to internal communications seen by this newspaper, the Managing Director has also relocated the Internal Audit Department in order to facilitate the Debt Collections Department.

The internal auditors were also reportedly subjected to constant abuse by the Managing Director which essentially led to an adverse effect on staff morale.

The verbal confrontations reportedly stemmed from queries and findings they would have raised relating to Debt Recovery, Commercial Services areas and Human Resources audit checks.

The uproar which has erupted in the entity in recent weeks has already led to the resignation of the entity’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, who in his resignation to the substantive Minister with responsibility for the sector said he could not serve in the capacity of a ‘rubber stamp Chairman.”

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guyana-times.com

wednesday, october 12, 2016

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Editorial

Neighbourhood Watch

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t some point in the last few months, the unthinkable must have entered our minds: we are no longer safe in this society. The question as to if we ever were safe is a matter of opinion. What matters at this juncture is the current situation.

Too often these days, we read and hear about tragic occurrences in communities and in the business community where life and property are lost. All of society is at the mercy of the thieves. No one is immune as the bandits pillage and, in the worst cases, kill at will.

Business owners and property owners must take the necessary precautions of protecting their homes and workplaces. It is their duty as stewards to guard against intrusion and events that put life and limb at risk.

More and more our spaces are becoming very dangerous to live in and work, almost akin to a battle zone where security is traditionally provided so the unsecured could gather and work in a relatively secured environment. Is that the kind of world we want for our children and for our children’s children?

The political, social and economic leaders in this country must come together and help frame a dialogue as to what kind of society we want to become. It is time to take collective responsibility for what is to be done going forward.

In the meantime, while all of society await this ‘coming together’ and the formation of a functional, national security plan, there are those who are planning their next attack, eyeing some unsuspecting business place and casing another residence.

In a society where there is clear stratification of wealth, how can each citizen afford to adequately secure and protect their property? Many are still struggling to provide food and shelter for their families and now have the added burden of investing in security systems and measures.

Most assuredly, this makes the poor more vulnerable; as has been seen time and time again, criminals do not discriminate. Here is where Government is called to act – it should invest the resources to expand strategies to support communities, including individuals at high risk.

Everyone has a view on what a safe society entails, but it is the role of the Government to make that vision a reality.

Everyone wants to live and work in a safe space, and it has become evident that for now, this can only happen by working in partnership with local authorities and the Police. Schemes such as Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch, and various environmental enhancement schemes can deter crime and help people to feel safe. Communities themselves can play a vital role in addressing these problems and helping their local neighbourhoods to feel safer.

Neighbourhood Watch is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, community safety departments of local authorities, voluntary organisations, and above all, individuals and families who want to make their neighbourhoods better places to live. It aims to help people protect themselves and their properties, and to reduce the fear of crime by means of improved home security, greater vigilance, accurate reporting of suspicious incidents to the Police and by fostering a community spirit.

The bottom line is everyone wants to live in a place where they feel safe. Crime and the fear of crime are big concerns. There are areas where residents look on and think “we are lucky”, as they may have lower levels of crime than in many other parts of the country. But no one is immune.

Unless and until the Government can effectively implement strategies to tackle crime-related issues, we all must shoulder the responsibility of protecting our families and our possessions. We cannot let the thieves win.

There are 1.1 billion girls today, a powerful constituency for shaping a sustainable world that’s better for everyone. They are brimming with talent and creativity. But their dreams and potential are often thwarted by discrimination, violence and lack of equal opportunities.

There are glaring gaps in data and knowledge about the specific needs and challenges that girls face. What gets counted, gets done.

The theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated on Tuesday, October 11, “Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: A Global Girl Data Movement”, is a call for action for increased investment in collecting and analysing girl-focused, girl-relevant and sex-disaggregated data. In photo, girls of various backgrounds celebrate at the UN (UN Women)

UG pharmacy graduates should not suffer this fate

Dear Editor, This letter was written out of a pure desperation and frustration. I am a University of Guyana Pharmacy graduate.

My colleagues and I graduated November 2015.

Almost one year later, we are yet to receive our practicing licence. Numerous letters have been published with regard to this issue but to no avail. The reason that was cited for us not receiving our licences in January, as per norm, is the Pharmacy Council of Guyana in collaboration with the Ministry of

Health planned to initiate the Pharmacy Internship Programme, as stipulated in the Pharmacy Practitioners Act 2003 Chapter 18.

This law dictates that all pharmacy graduates must complete the internship programme prior to becoming licensed.

After months of receiving no information what so ever, approximately three months ago, we were assured that internship would commence in August or September 2016, the latest.

In addition to this long wait, the Council is now call-

ing for the duration of the internship to be one year.

The law governing such internship clearly states six months as the least duration period for the internship programme.

Is it fair? Is it reasonable? Is anyone being considerate to the grief and inconvenience we have already endured? That instead of utilising the least prescribed duration period they would implement one year!

To add insult to injury, the University of Guyana has requested that we begin paying our loans as of

September last, when currently our Degrees are not of much worth but to our pride.

We are now in October 2016; when will we get help? When will we be real pharmacists?

Do we need to protest to be heard?

Is this how the country rewards young people that choose an honest way of living? If the Council and the Ministry are not yet capable of facilitating such a programme, why keep us hanging in the balance?

Sincerely, Desperate graduate

Lakram Singh wrong about Region 6 RDC cleaning of Rose Hall Town Monument site Dear Editor, Your attention is drawn to a letter dated October 8, 2016, that was written by one Lakram Singh, Councillor and Vice Chairman of the NO 5274 NDC Works Committee.

Mr Singh wrote that the Region 6 Chairman refused to pay $150,000 towards the weeding of the area around the Monument at the Arch Square in Rose Hall Town. He claimed that the work was some “emergency work done for the Town Day Celebration”.

As Secretary/CEO of the

RHTY&SC, MS who spearheaded the hosting of the 46th anniversary celebration of our small township, I would like to state quite clearly that the Region 6 RDC did not undertake in any weeding or cleaning of the Rose Hall Town Monument site.

All cleaning of that area for the Town Week celebration was undertaken by the RHTY&SC, MS and the Rose Hall Town Mayor and Town Council.

Just to verify that I was not mistaken, I phoned Regional Chairman Mr David

Armogan to enquire about the accusation that a contractor was seeking $150,000 for weeding the area around the Rose Hall Town Monument.

The Regional Chairman was shocked at the allegation and stated that the area was actually the Monument in East Canje, Rose Hall Estate.

That Monument was erected by the Guyana Government in honour of the sugar workers who died over a century ago during a struggle for betterment in the sugar industry.

Residents of Rose Hall

Town are left to wonder how Mr Singh in his wisdom can involve our township and its Town Day celebration in this scandal.

Was he misinformed or was he not paying attention to what was said. Either way, he owes us an apology and to acknowledge that he was wrong.

Public officials should always be careful with facts and get their information correct before rushing to the media.

Sincerely, Hilbert Foster Secretary/CEO

Open letter to the President

Dear Editor, Greetings.

The Amerindian Action Movement Of Guyana (TAAMOG) is kindly seeking Brazilian medical treatment for Thelma Rebeiro who is currently a patient at the Lethem Hospital for approximately four months since her transferal from the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and has never regained consciousness to this day. Thelma Rebeiro, 48, is from the Macushi village of Shulinab, South-Central

Rupununi, Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Thelma Rebeiro did two (2) surgeries for gallstones in April, 2016. The first Surgery was done by a Medical outreach to the Rupununi in April, 2016 which was not successful on the claim that the Lethem Hospital does not have the necessary equipment.

Thelma Rebeiro was then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital in April, 2016, one day after the first surgery at the Lethem Hospital.

Thelma Rebeiro's second surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital was successful but she has never regained consciousness. Thelma Rebeiro is currently at the Lethem Hospital in a state of unconsciousness and with no additional intervention by the Health specialists and authorities. It seems apparent that Thelma Rebeiro, an indigenous Macushi, is left on her own to die. The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana is therefore kindly seeking

your Excellency’s kind assistance for Thelma Rebeiro to have Brazilian Medical treatment.

The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana is prepared to have the residents of Shulinab village sign a petition for Thelma Rebeiro's Brazilian Medical treatment. Your Excellency, in the event an interview is required, TAAMOG is prepared to comply.

Yours sincerely, Peter Persaud

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wednesday, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

DTL phasing out operations in Guyana – to leave by year-end, over 70 jobless

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emerara Timbers Limited (DTL), which has attracted much criticism over the recent sacking of 11 protesting workers, has reportedly announced its intention to cease operations in Guyana.

Reports reaching this publication indicated that some 72 workers were on a retrenchment list, which would be completed by December.

The company reportedly disclosed its intended plans during a meeting held on Tuesday with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) to discuss the proposed redundancy of workers.

Guyana Times under-

stands that the company outlined options, the first being to sell its shares to a foreign investor. However, the shares could only be sold if the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) grants permission.

This newspaper was told that DTL has already applied for permission.

Assuming the GFC does not agree the company can sell its shares, the DTL will utilise the concessions by having private contractors. It was explained that in any of these scenarios, the workers would have to be made redundant.

When contacted for a comment, GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine explained that these disclo-

sures signalled that the company would close operations.

He further stated his displeasure over the Union not being properly consulted by the DTL. “This is not consultations; this is closing down the company one way or the other and getting rid of the workers,” Narine pointed out, adding that the Union was informed that some workers would be phased out by October monthend, while the others would be relieved of employment in November. This publication understands that the final set of workers would be retrenched in December.

Guyana Times was told that the DTL would suppos-

Bartica Massacre trial to begin today

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he five men who were allegedly involved in the slaughter of 12 persons in the infamous Bartica Massacre eight years ago will finally stand trial at the High Court.

Mark Williams, also known as Durant or Smallie; Celbert “Chi Chi” Reece; Dennis “Anaconda” Williams; Michael Caesar called Deon Cort, “Fah” or “Kapone”; and Roger Simon known as “Goat Man” will today appear before a jury in the case, which will be presided over by Justice Roxanne George.

The five co-accused are facing 12 counts of murder as a first indictment, while on the second indictment; they will answer to charges of terrorism and unlawful wounding, in addition to three counts of break and enter and larceny.

During the 10-month Preliminary Inquiry (PI), which was presided over by Magistrate Fazil Azeez and which wrapped up in 2011,

37 witnesses had testified, including civilians, relatives of the deceased, forensic experts and several Police Ranks.

The PI was conducted at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Back then, the men were all allowed to speak. Reece indicated that he wanted to give sworn testimony, while Simon maintained his innocence and related that he would reserve his witnesses for the High Court trial. The others had remained silent. In his sworn testimony, Reece had revealed that the others were equally involved in the killing of the 12 persons.

The suspects are accused of killing Irving Ferreira, Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, Constable Shane Fredericks, Constable Ron Osborne, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasin, and Errol and Baldeo Singh on February 17, 2008 in an event that sent shock-

waves throughout the country.

On that date, Bartica was attacked by a heavily-armed gang, leaving 12 people dead, including three Policemen.

Police had contended that it was now deceased Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins, who was the leader of the criminal gang which carried out the brutal attack.

The gunmen had terrorised the town while the Bartica Police Station was overrun during the rampage.

Several business places were also robbed during the hourlong mayhem. The attack is widely believed to have been linked to the Lusignan Massacre, which had occurred just three weeks prior. In that January 26 attack, 11 persons had lost their lives.

Bartica co-accused Mark Williams is also implicated in the Lusignan Massacre, and is also slated to stand trial for that matter in the current session of the criminal assizes.

edly pay the workers their “full benefits”.

However, GAWU has maintained that as the 2015 pay rise dispute is still being looked at by the Social Protection Ministry’s Labour Department, the matter should be settled before any workers are laid off.

These revelations came after the company was asked to defend its decision to fire the workers that protested at DTL’s headquarters in Kingston, Georgetown last week.

The Union has maintained the position that the workers should be reinstated with full record of service. GAWU reminded that the timber company was unjust to terminate workers for taking industrial action over an ongoing pay raise dispute, citing Section Eight of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. Narine told this newspaper on Tuesday that GAWU intended to write the Social Protection Ministry over the plight of the DTL workers.

It was just last week Monday that workers took industrial action over the pay raise issue. The next day, nine

GAWU General Seepaul Narine

Secretary

DTL employees were reportedly handed pink slips and the other two met the same fate over the next few days.

In a statement, GAWU had condemned the move and had even pointed out that those dismissals were the first time in Guyana’s history that a private or public entity had taken such an action despite the country’s labour laws, which prohibit workplaces from dismissing workers for taking part in industrial action.

GAWU added that the moves by the company could

be seen as another “anti-worker and anti-Union act”.

The GAWU General Secretary, who was present at last week’s protest, suggested that the timber company must be prosecuted by Government over its continued disrespect to Guyanese employees.

“What we believe needs to be done now is the Ministry needs to prosecute them because they are in clear violation of the law and not only violating the law to the detriment of the employees, but a flagrant disrespect to the Ministry. I don’t think that the Ministry should continue to accept such a situation,” he had stated.

Negotiations between the Union and the company reached a stalemate on November 17, 2015 after the DTL did not approve any pay raise, but offered a Christmas bonus of $5000 to each worker. The DTL had informed that its financial state precluded it from offering a pay raise. Following the impasse, the dispute was next subjected to conciliatory services by the Social Protection Ministry’s Labour Department.

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wednesday october 12, 2016

Page

Foundation

When your child is skinny continued from Tuesday

By Jeannette Moninger

Slim pickings

While preschoolers are notoriously particular about their food, fouryear-old Brody Bork takes the habit to the extreme.

“His diet is entirely chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and pureed fruits,” says his mom, Kasey.

Children with eating habits similar to Brody’s may be at risk of not getting the calories, vitamins, and minerals they need to fuel their developing brain and body. As a result, they may be more prone to colds, lack energy, have difficulty focusing in school, and be short-tempered.

Certain nutritional deficiencies are worse than others, with iron topping the list: “Not getting enough can lead to anaemia and fatigue, and has been linked to poor attention and difficult behaviour in children,” says Dr Krebs. Tied for second: zinc, calcium, and vitamin D, which are all essential for normal growth and bone health, as well as minimising the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood, adds Dr Golden. A blood test can determine whether your child has vitamin deficiencies and may need supplements. Low body mass in children can also delay puberty. If your daughter is below the 15th percentile for body weight and hasn’t started showing signs of puberty or menstruating by age 15, consult your paediatrician.

guyana-times.com

Growth opportunities

There’s usually no need to “fatten up” a skinny kid who is otherwise growing at a steady pace and meeting developmental milestones.

But if you’re worried about your child’s nutrient intake or sim-

ply want to foster better eating habits, these expert tips can help.

Forget the food fights .“It’s a parent’s job to regularly offer nutritious meals and snacks. It’s up to the child to decide whether to eat,” says Angela Lemond, RDN, a registered dietician in Plano, Texas.

Limit junk. Considering increasing your kid’s calorie intake by offering milkshakes and fries? Don’t.

Hooking her on sweets and salty snacks can up her risk for health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure. “The nutritional val-

ue of foods still matters for skinny kids –perhaps even more so because they eat so little,” says Lemond, who also is a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Don’t want to put your child to bed with an empty belly? Serve one food that you know she likes with every meal. If your picky child already eats unhealthy fare exclusively, try to wean her off it by serving wholesome versions (think: mac ’n’ cheese with whole-wheat noodles).

Seek out high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods.

Choose full-fat dairy products over low-fat ones; put butter, cheese, or sauces on vegetables, pasta, and meat; offer foods rich in healthy fats like nuts and avocados; and serve creamy soups rather than broth-based ones.

Dine as a family. Even

if your child pushes food around her plate the whole time, she should sit at the table. With any luck, she’ll eventually want to try eating what you are enjoying. Limit distractions at mealtimes too – no TV or devices.

Stick to a snack schedule.

“Serve snacks at the same time each day,” suggests Lemond. While it may be tempting to give snacks any time your child asks, it’s best to let her appetite build up for meals.

Cut back on liquids.

Offer whole milk or water at meals and monitor what your kid drinks in between. Skip juice, which can be filling.

Encourage exercise.

In addition to helping your child work up a bigger appetite, movement can strengthen bones, build muscle, aid heart health, foster better sleep, and boost brainpower.

Talk to your doctor.

If your child complains of headaches, fatigue, or lightheadedness, or if you’re simply concerned about your child’s weight, speak with your doctor. He may refer you to a specialist to help rule out a health problem.

You may also want to consult a nutritionist about how to introduce a greater variety of foods and increase the calories and nutrients in the dishes your kid already regularly eats. (Excerpt from Parents.com)

The environment and its importance!

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quick walk around Georgetown and its environs reveals a changing landscape, varying architecture, different ways of speaking, but one constant – a flagrant disregard for the environment.

The major reason for our garbage problem has never been Government negligence. The blame falls to the mindset of the people. Many of us do not Ashley Anthony see littering as a serious offence. We act as though it’s something menial. And it truly appears to be, seeing how pedestrian it is to find persons casually littering.

Now, we can complain all we want about not having enough bins, or not having strict law enforcement, but there is something intrinsic in each of us. Something that stops one person from littering that isn’t present in someone who does. We should all be able to understand that convenience is not the determining factor of whether we should litter. There is no excuse.

It is vastly dangerous and there is literally no benefit to littering. Perhaps one of the most immediate effects of littering is the sight and smell. We’re always quick to lament the terrible condition of our once pristine Garden City. But garbage doesn’t naturally grow through the streets. It’s thrown there by us.

Not only is it an eyesore, but it is a health hazard. It attracts all kinds of vermin such as rats, which spread diseases. It gives our city a bad reputation, and discourages tourism. Moreover, when carelessly flung into waterways, garbage stagnates our water, forming the breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which as we know are currently public health enemy number one, as they spread malaria, dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.

The plastic bag party in our drains does much more than this, however. During periods of heavy rainfall, they clog our drains and encourage flooding of our streets.

Trash that floats out into rivers and the ocean becomes an obstruction to wildlife, as they may unknowingly ingest the waste.

Furthermore, something that the public might actually pay attention to – cleaning up litter costs us. It costs all of us because money must be allotted to care for an easily eradicable problem. Money that could be spent bettering our roads, schools, and health services. When we throw our garbage on the roads, we might as well be throwing away our dollars too.

The ramifications of the littering culture, however, extend much deeper than its easily visible effects. It impresses upon our children that the environment doesn’t need to be cared for. We are subconsciously educating the next generation that we do not need to act sustainably, teaching them to take the world for granted. This is a direct contrast to what they’d be learning in school, but let’s get real – actions speak louder than words, especially words that are printed in a long, boring textbook. It’s time to be responsible.

news

Several injured in EBD accident A

n accident on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) road on Tuesday morning has left several persons injured with at least one in critical condition.

Reports are that just before 10:00h, the driver of a Route 42 minibus, bearing registration number BVV 901, lost control of the vehicle causing it to crash into a pole before toppling onto its left side. The accident occurred on the Herstelling Public Road, EBD, a short distance from the Providence Police Station.

According to further reports reaching Guyana Times, when the minibus toppled, the conductor’s head was pinned. The injured man has been identified as 41-year-old Leonard Henry.

A passenger who was in the bus spoke to this newspaper relating that the bus was heading to Georgetown and as it was navigating the ‘S’ turn at Herstelling, it developed some problems.

“The bus start wobbling like something wrong with the back wheel and when the bus go around the turn, it start wobbling more bad.

(The driver) couldn’t pull brakes, ‘cause if he do that, everybody in the bus woulda look bad,” the male passenger recounted.

“The alternative the driver had to (take) was turn the bus to go over the other side (eastern carriageway), but when the bus turn, it fall on the one

One of the passengers being transported into the ambulance for transfer to the city hospital. Inset: The minibus after the passengers were pulled from it

side.”

According to the passenger, who sustained injuries to his left arm and shoulder, the conductor sustained the most severe injuries as he was bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth.

“Well, the bus fall on (the conductor) head: how he deh on the road, the bus fall on his head… I went right behind he, but I couldn’t help he, ‘cause I was in a bad state. All I do was try to run out the bus and try to check meh self,” the man recalled.

The other passengers with serious injuries were 16-year-old Jessica Saywanauth who sustained injuries to her back and a 52-year-old Chinese national, Jing Bin Su, who injured the back of his neck.

This newspaper also spoke to a few other passengers who sustained minor injuries and they claimed that the bus was speeding.

Meanwhile, some nearby construction workers told this publication that they heard the loud impact and subsequently saw the bus on its side. Publicspirited citizens, along with Police Officers from the nearby station, rushed to the scene and assisted in pulling the passengers from the toppled vehicle.

The commuters were put into another minibus and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where most of them were treated and sent away, while Henry, Saywanauth and Jing were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment.

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wednesday, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Robbery suspect nabbed with illegal gun, ammo

P

olice ranks in F Division (Interior Locations) have arrested an armed robbery suspect, who was found in possession of an illegal firearm along with matching ammunition.

The suspect, a 35-yearold male of Industrial Area, Mackenzie, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was arrested in Cuyuni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) with an unlicensed .32 pistol and five matching rounds.

According to the Guyana Police Force, the suspect was wanted for questioning in connection with robbery under arms.

It was reported that the man was seen by the Police about 09:00h on Friday in Kumung-

The illegal firearm with ammunition found in the possession of the robbery suspect

Kumung, Region Seven.

The Police said that following his apprehension, a search was conducted on the suspect during which the firearm and

ammunition were found in his possession. The man has been taken into custody, and the illegal weapon was confiscated as investigations continue.

Cubans charged with forgery − withholding of passports questioned

A

Police Prosecutor was reprimanded by a City Magistrate after indicating to the court that he has no objections to three Cubans being released since the prosecution will be withholding their passports as evidence.

The three Cubans were charged for forging Guyana Immigration stamps in their Cuban passports.

The Police Prosecutor indicated that the prosecution will be in custody of the passports belonging to the Cuban Government since the passports are the items in question.

However, the Magistrate immediately questioned the basis on which the Prosecutor was holding on to the Cuban

Government’s property.

The City Magistrate then ordered the Police Prosecutor to read the fine print in the passports, but the Prosecutor explained that he was unable to do so, given the language barrier.

The Prosecutor said they will seek advice on their next move. The City Magistrate told the three Cubans, through a Spanish translator, that the court will keep the passports in safe custody until the Cuban Ambassador is available to pick them up. The Magistrate added that the Cuban passports should have been lodged at the Embassy of Cuba.

The three Cubans – Alvin Rodrigues, 44; Andez Rodrigues, 38; and Alleen

Abask, 34; were each granted $80,000 bail for forging Guyana Immigration stamps into their Cuban passports.

It was alleged that on October 9, 2016, at Moleson Creek, Corentyne, with the intent to defraud a Police Constable of three Republic of Cuba passports in favour of themselves, the trio forged Guyana Immigration stamps purporting to show the same to ranks of the Immigration Department at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, knowing same to be false.

The men are scheduled to make their next court appearance on October 25, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for assignment and statements.

8 news

wednesdAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

IN THE COURTS $10M fraud

Kitty man granted $1.5M bail A

41-year-old man of Lot 15 Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was on Tuesday granted bail in the sum of $1.5 million for allegedly committing a $10 million fraud.

He appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The charge against Rajesh Tahadeo stated that on September 7, 2015, at Georgetown, he conspired with another person to commit a felony; that is to say, obtaining money by false pretence.

It is alleged that Tahadeo had falsely obtained $10 million by virtue of a Republic Bank cheque #322007167, from Lloyd Singh after falsely pretending he knew Shane-Ann

Boston as “Venice LaRose”, claiming the said woman owned a plot of land at Block H1 Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara.

Police Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt stated in the prosecution’s case that the defendant and the Virtual Complainant (VC) are known to each other. He stated that on the day in question, the defendant brought a woman to the VC, claiming she had a plot of land to sell. Singh paid the $10 million and bought the land. However, it was later discovered that the plot of land was not for sale and the passport the woman used as a form of identification was forged.

Tahadeo’s Attorney Glen Hanoman said Tahadeo was granted bail in his own

recognisance and has given six statements to Police Officers at the Police station.

Hanoman continued that his client is surprised to have been called into court and charged. He argued that his client was not aware that the woman was a con woman. He therefore requested bail to be set in a reasonable sum.

Police Prosecutor Hunt indicated to the court that he has no objections to bail since the defendant cooperated with Police Officers during the investigation.

He further stated that the defendant was only made aware of the charges the day before via phone call when he was also told he needed to attend court the next day.

Magistrate Latchman granted the defendant bail in the sum of $1,500,000, to which the Defence Attorney objected.

According to Hanoman, the amount granted would be tantamount to bail being refused to his client.

He explained that Tahadeo is currently in an embarrassing financial situation, and appealed for the sum to be reduced.

The Magistrate stated that she had considered his request and bail was maintained at the sum of $1.5 million.

The defendant is scheduled to make his next court appearance on November 1, 2016, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for statements and assignment.

Miner remanded on gun, ammo charges

A

32-year-old miner of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on charges of possession of firearm and ammunition.

Carl Carter pleaded not guilty to both charges which stated that on October 8, 2016, in Georgetown, he had in his possession a .38 pistol and four matching rounds of ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.

Defence Attorney Mark Waldron made an application for reasonable bail claiming that his client is a father of three. However, the Prosecution contended that the defence counsel has not highlighted any special reasons for bail and as such objected .

The prosecution further stated that the defendant is currently on bail for a matter of the same nature before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

The defendant was refused bail and will make his next court appearance on November 2, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Eyew tness

Those who would not see…

I

…in politics

n one of the Good Books, it asked why he didn't speak more directly on nettlesome matters, Jesus replied, "This is why I speak in Parables. Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand." Sam Hinds should've taken heed of Jesus' wisdom when he replied to David Hinds on the latter's charge that the PPP never really did much for African Guyanese - compared to what they did for Indian Guyanese.

So what parable could've conveyed his message so that the good professor could've accepted it? The Prodigal son? "There was once a country with a party called the PPP that had two sons - Jagan and Burnham.

One day, Burnham collected his inheritance and decided to go off on his own. He unfortunately pretty much not only frittered away his money - but plunged the country deeply into debt. In the meantime Jagan stuck with the PPP and after he died, his successor Jagdeo slowly built back the country. And even took care of the debt.

Even though Burnham's children didn't return to the PPP, Jagan's successor was determined to mend fences.

He ensured they received free electricity for one score years. The other descendants of Jagan were very angry because Jagan's successor hadn't told them the half of how much he helped the children of Burnham. Not only that, he'd even taken sugar from the mouth of his children and given them to Burnham's children.

Finally, very angrily, Jagan's descendants confronted his successor running the show. And he explained to them: "Weren't you always with me? But look how long our cousins were away. And they have lost everything.

It is our duty to share and share alike."

Would this parable have convinced David Hinds that the PPP and Jagan's successor had played fair with the African Guyanese citizens during their regime?

Your Eyewitness doubts it. Even if Jesus himself had returned on his promised "second coming" in this divided land, it mightn't have made a difference. The fact of the matter is that even if PPP had done a million things for the PNC's constituency - and vice versa - it wouldn't have mattered. Though seeing, they see not. That's how the cookie crumbles in deeply divided societies.

In these places the people want to see their "own" faces reflected at the top. So what to do? One would've thought the answer was self-evident. Let the heirs of Burnham and Jagan come together as it was in the beginning - before the inheritance was split. Even they had understood and proposed that solution but it never happened.

But after talking the talk, Burnham's successors want to keep it all. To ruin once again?

...any mote in their party's eye

A corollary to the refusal to acknowledge any positives of "the other party" in divided societies is a willingness to forgive the sins of "your party". Even when you know they're dead wrong on an issue and contemptuously so, to boot. Is anyone surprised City Hall just inked the contract for parking meters that's more crooked than barbed wire?

The PPP councillors voted against it… while the AFC councillors - including the Deputy Mayor abstained. But all the PNC councillors raised their hands and shouted "Aye"!! So for the rest of the millennium - unless rising seas levels solve the problem - workers, visitors and shoppers to Georgetown will be shelling out more money to park than New Yorkers do. Even though each of them - apart from the Gang of Four - knows it's a hustle.

But (political) blood's thicker than water!

...any good

Another idiosyncrasy of divided societies is not to acknowledge good qualities in the leaders of the "other". Witness Jagdeo's acclaim in Miami - even being given the (gold) key to the city - but bad-mouthed by the government's local partisans.

But hadn't Jesus explained this, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.”

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

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wednesday, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Witness protection, whistleblower legislation without context – GHRA …focuses on prosecution instead of prevention strategies

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he Government of Guyana has embarked on a series of consultations on its draft witness protection and whistleblower legislation, but the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is advocating that the proposals be put on hold until stakeholders could be fully edified on the context within which the laws are being proposed.

The GHRA has since observed, “The context for these Bills is the Government’s anti-corruption stance which has not been presented to the country in a coherent or integrated manner.”

According to the human rights body, “Without an adequate appreciation of the political context or framework in which a draft bill is being brought forward, the value of any commentary on the bill is severely curtailed.”

It was observed that the current witness protection

bill – officially the Protected Disclosures Bill – is the fourth in a series over the past year in which the GHRA has found itself reviewing a mechanism without a context.

It was observed that part of the cost of this piecemeal approach is that the focus of all the Bills is prosecution of offenders, thereby marginalising the importance of prevention strategies to foster greater integrity in public life. It is in this context that the human rights watchdog body has since called on the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government to adopt a stance akin to earlier parliamentary practice by which new legislation was introduced involving a sequence of consultation, policy then legislation.

Government in this case has drafted its proposed legislation, which it has presented for consultation as against, for

example, the Sexual Offences Act which had its draft come out of countrywide consultations.

Given its take on the proposed witness protection and whistleblower legislation, the GHRA was adamant that the existing political context in which the new Guyanese legislation is intended to function – having been shaped by an ‘illegal’ Constitution, an electoral system devoid of accountability and a widespread culture of public conformity and private dissent – is not conducive to principled civic action.

“Moreover, corrupt exploitation of this ramshackle political system has seen illicit accumulation of public assets on an unimaginable scale…

Rehabilitating these features of personal and public life is the essence of the problem the Disclosures Bill is intended to address.” With regard to the implementation and enforcement of the legislation, the GHRA was adamant that there needed to be vigorous public vigilance rather than another commission with draconian powers. According to the GHRA, “Those inclined to

misconduct rely on others not calling them to account for fear of the possibility that the improper conduct they observe may be endorsed by some higher authority.”

It has since been suggested that rather than vesting total confidence in individuals divulging information to a single Commission to address improper conduct, society needs a generalised rehabilitation of the culture of expressing opinions freely, demanding the provision of truthful information and holding people to account. “Rather than disclosure of misconduct, therefore, the first step should be to identify a range of deterrents to misconduct in the form of vigilance mechanisms, made available at all levels of the public service and where appropriate, extended to Private Sector institutions,” the GHRA recommended. On the matter of the enforcement of the various pieces of legislation, the

GHRA suggested that rather than routinely creating a new Commission to implement each new piece of legislation, more imaginative approaches needed to be considered.

The GHRA has since posited an urgent need to amalgamate Commissions thematically. “The Rights Commissions should be brought under one Human Rights and Equalities Commission with thematic sub-Commissions – children, women, indigenous, etcetera.

Another approach could be to create an Ombudsperson Commission with four or five Commissioners, each charged with a specific area of Public Service complaints – employment, justice, Police complaints, etcetera.”

The GHRA added that a new anti-corruption commission could address State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) concerns, as well as witness protection and whistleblower issues.

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guyana-times.com

wednesday, october 12, 2016

News

Investigation launched Region 3 to work closely into marijuana smoking with Public Health Ministry R at Corentyne school egion Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) will be working to have closer collaboration between regional health officials and the Public Health Ministry.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Denis Jaikarran explained that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has recognised the need for this sort of collaboration and would be working to ensure it happens, a Government Information Agency (GINA) release stated.

According to Jaikarran, the RDC has realised that it needs to reach out and work along with the Ministry to execute and complete capital and other projects within the Region’s health sector.

One of the main areas

which will see improvement through this collaboration is the system for managing, storing and distributing medical supplies in a timely manner to all health facilities across the Region.

“Our relationship is going to be built stronger with the Ministry of Public Health and that is going to allow us to be able to coordinate in a better way in 2017 how we receive and distribute our drugs so that the end user, meaning the patients and those who deserve, would have adequate availability throughout the year,” Jaikarran said.

He added that it was only through an improved relationship between the two agencies that the Region’s health sector could develop. “A good relationship be-

tween the regional administration level and that of the Ministry of Public Health, once we can iron out that and fix those things, we are going to be able to get to where we want to be,” the REO said.

The Region’s 2017 budget for health focuses mainly on improving, upgrading and enhancing the infrastructure of a number of health facilities, as well as ensuring that doctors are placed at health centres and hospitals in the Region.

Works completed for 2016 include the rehabilitation of two operating theatres at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, doctors’ quarters and parking lot and the completion of a High Dependency Unit.

Fire guts Ridley’s Restaurant

Tagore Memorial Secondary School

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he Tagore Memorial Secondary School Board of Directors are eagerly awaiting the findings of a probe into allegations that a school teacher has been using and offering marijuana to students of the school.

Chairman of the Board, Charlie Amar is confident that the investigation, when completed, will reveal the truth.

Senior management of the school, which is located at Number 63 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), had denied the allegations when they first surfaced a

few weeks ago. However, some teachers told this publication that the teacher has been smoking in the vicinity of the school and has offered the drug to some students.

Several teachers are of the view that the investigation will not reveal the truth.

According to one teacher, they will be victimised if they were to say what has been taking place at Tagore Memorial Secondary School.

Another said that teachers who enjoy the privilege of having time off to attend University during instruc-

tional time could lose that privilege if they were to issue a statement against the teacher in question.

Regional Education Officer Volika Jaikishoon said following a meeting with the Board on Monday, a decision was taken to have the investigation launched.

Amar is of the view that the investigation would be conducted fairly.

Meanwhile, complaints were made to the Headteacher of the school, but no action was taken until parents called in the Department of Education.

F

ire on Tuesday evening engulfed Ridley’s Restaurant which is located on Robb Street and was slated to be reopened soon.

According to reports, neighbours heard an explosion and saw thick smoke billowing from the building at about 19:15h. They broke a glass window and subsequently entered the building. The Guyana Fire Service arrived on the scene shortly after and was able to contain the fire.

In an effort to gain access to the building, firefighters reportedly cut through the aluminum security shutter using an

Firefighters cutting their way into the building

electric saw.

While the cause of the fire is not immediately

known, investigations are expected to be launched to determine its origin.

wednesDAY, october 12, 2016

guyana-times.com

11

News Tobacco legislation soon to be tabled … Opposition asks for further consultation

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ountry Representative of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr William AduKrow, on Tuesday indicated that the long-awaited Tobacco Control Bill 2016 will be tabled in the House on October 28.

He explained that there were some hiccups with “moving forward” with the Bill, particularly as it relates to the ban on smoking in the home. He said too that there were some objections that the home is considered a private place and the legislation should not dictate what occurs within.

“There was the contention that the home is my mansion. My personal space, but if someone else is in that home then it is not private.

Someone else can be affected by it,” he said.

Adu-Krow said too that although both the Government and the Opposition had signalled their “go-ahead” for the legislation, the Opposition has affirmed there should be more consultation before it is passed as law.

The proposed tobacco control legislation will see a ban on smoking in public places while cigarette advertising will be disallowed and graphic and text health warnings will have to be displayed on at least 75 per cent of the pack-

aging on tobacco products.

The Bill seeks to ban smoking at all indoor workplaces, public transport and strictly regulates the sale of cigarettes while creating reporting requirements for manufacturers, wholesale distributors or importers, with penalties ranging as high as $16 million and a period of imprisonment.

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings, had pointed out that it took the Bill a long time to be where it is today because there was a lot of fine-tuning to be done.

“We want to ensure that it is meaningful and it promotes disease control, healthy living and miners not being sold cigarettes,” she said, noting that one of the key aims of the Bill is to reduce second-hand smoking.

Dr William Adu-Krow stated that there is an urgent need for tobacco restrictions to be enforced in Guyana, underscoring that the profits brought in through the tobacco industry does not compensate for the many lives being lost from smoking and second-hand smoke every year.

However, the key stakeholder, Demerara Tobacco Ltd, has labelled the Bill as heavily flawed. Managing Director of the company, Maurlaine Argyle-Kirton,

ing the enforcement powers of authorised officers who are authorised to conduct inspections, investigations or enforcement activities under the Act. The authorised officers

Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow

raised the concern that the Bill is not balanced and will cripple the tobacco industry once it is passed in Parliament.

According to the Bill’s explanatory memorandum, the purpose of the legislation is to fight the tobacco epidemic by implementing the evidencebased requirements of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which Guyana acceded to on September 15, 2005.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a National Tobacco Control Council to advise the Public Health Minister on matters related to tobacco control and allow-

can enter any public place, workplace or means of public transportation to conduct any inspection or investigation at any time during business or operating hours or any other

reasonable or necessary time.

They have the power to seize and detain or order the storage of any tobacco product that they reasonably believe does not comply with the Act.

12 news

wednesDay, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

GBTI makes donation to Fire Service

I

n recognising its social responsibility, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI) made a monetary donation to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

The donation was made as the country observes the 42nd National Fire Prevention Week, which commenced on Sunday October 9, 2016 and will conclude on October 16.

The presentation was made at GBTI’s Corporate Office in Kingston, Georgetown, on Tuesday.

Receiving the donation was Fire Prevention Officer, Andrew Holder, along with two subordinate officers from the Fire Service.

Meanwhile, as part of the list of activities planned by the Guyana Fire Service, the public is invited to visit fire stations in their community.

In fact, Holder is encouraging people to engage their local fire fighters to learn about

Station Officer Andrew Holder receiving the cheque from a GBTI Marketing Assistant, Tricia Persaud, in the presence of other officers from the Guyana Fire Service

fire prevention and safety measures.

“All fire stations as of Monday are open for visits by members of the public, if there are any questions you may have in your minds as it relates to fire fighting approach (or) fire safety,” he told the Government Information Agency (GINA).

According to the Station

Officer with responsibility for fire prevention, opening the fire stations to the public is also part of clearing up misconceptions held by the public.

“Some people would say that, oh the fire trucks don’t get water when we come.

People seem to think that, okay, whenever there is no fire, firemen just lay back and play dominoes. Here is your

opportunity to visit fire stations around the country ask questions, inquire what goes on on a daily basis,” Holder explained.

He continued that fire fighters provide a number of services and they are kept busy even when there is no fire.

“There is always something meaningful that fire fighters are engaged in; be it training or responding to some other non-fire emergency such as rendering humanitarian service on the road, special service. So feel free to visit any fire station within your area during this week... any question you can ask,” Holder said.

The GFS has scheduled a month-long education awareness programme. The theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week is, “Fire safety: A collective responsibility for the preservation of lives and property.”

Keeping it real

Round Two: Clinton vs Trump− the choice is clear for Americans

O

n Monday, October 10, the second of three US Presidential debate was held between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Republican and Democratic candidates respectively. This debate was not watched by as many people who tuned in to watch the first one. Nevertheless, this in itself was a historic event because of the number of people who tuned in to watch the second debate. But this debate was unique in many ways. If it was not clear by the first debate who would win the election on November 8, it became very clear after the second debate who would become the 44th President of the US. Two days before the second debate, a bombshell video-taped conversation appeared in the media showing Donald Trump bragging in the most vulgar terms about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with women. In the 2005 video conversation, Trump, referring to his sexual encounters with women, was heard saying on a hot microphone that “when you’re a star, they let you do it”. In that audio, Trump Dr Baytoram Ramharack discussed a failed attempt to seduce a woman. He said that “I moved on her, and I failed. I’ll admit it.” The video was recorded several months after he married his third wife, Melania. In the conversation, Trump was egged on by another reporter. The comments about exactly where he would grab women is too vulgar to repeat here.

No doubt the American media was all over this story, especially since it appeared two days before the second debate.

One by one, elected Republican leaders in Congress condemned Trump for his statements. They took the unprecedented step of withdrawing their support for Trump. Even his vice presidential running mate Mike Pence, condemned Trump’s statement.

In an attempt to stop the defections, and to keep his supporters on his side, Trump issued a half-hearted apology which showed him reading from a teleprompter. Trump has been criticized in this campaign for derogatory and lewd comments about women, including some made on TV and live radio, as well as a series of disparaging remarks he made about Muslins, Mexicans and a handicapped reporter.

This was the backdrop to which the second debate was held. From the get go, the candidates refused to shake hands, and throughout the debate they traded barbs and insults.

Each were fighting their own demons. Hillary Clinton appeared shaky and could not effectively defend her actions regarding the deletion of thousands of emails, some confidential, while she worked at the State Department. Most people expected Trump to apologize at the outset in his opening remarks, but this was not to be. He did, however, make arrangements for several of Bill Clinton’ sexual harassment accusers to sit in the audience during the debate.

Now that the debate is over, it seems that Trump is given some credit for stemming the tide of defection and loss of support from establishment Republicans. But some Republicans are jumping ship and may vote for Clinton. Speaker Paul Ryan, the top Republican in the U.S. Congress, took the extraordinary step of distancing himself from Donald Trump, stirring a backlash from some lawmakers and deepening a crisis over his party’s struggling presidential nominee. Ryan said he will not campaign with Trump and he is advising Republican candidates to go at it on their own.

National public opinion polls show Hillary Clinton now ahead with as much as 11 points ahead of Trump. Even in swing states where the race was almost statistically tied, Clinton has moved ahead. It is safe to say that she will win the election in November. When all is said and done, it is likely that more scandals may rock the Trump campaign between now and election day, given the candidate’s flair for off the cuff remarks and his long history of being associated with reality television shows.

Clinton has the election in the bag. She can smile all the way to the White House. Trump will continue to unravel and self destruct. Republicans can hope to get as many Republics elected to Congress so they can block major Democratic legislations. They have another 4 years to get their act together...without a Donald Trump.

(Send comments to BRamharack60@gmail.com)

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wednesday, OCTOBER 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Guyana attends ICAO’s 39th General Assembly

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s Guyana seeks to improve its aviation sector, Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson attended the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s 39th General Assembly in Montreal, Canada, where a pledge was taken by member countries to reduce CO2 emissions from the global aviation sector.

The Assembly was held from September 27 to October 7, and was attended

by Minister Ferguson, who led a five-person team to represent Government. Among those in the team were: Chairman of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Board, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Lawrence London; GCAA Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Egbert Field; Director of Air Transport Management, Saheed Sulaman, and Rickford Samaroo, Director of Air Navigation Services.

Also forming part of Guyana’s delegation were two members from the Caricom Secretariat, Single Market Programme Advisor Desiree Field-Ridley, and Deputy Programme Manager Pauline Yearwood.

Guyana’s participation in the Assembly provided opportunities for the country to join with other small States to represent the interest of small developing countries. It also creates the platform for Guyana

to reach out to both States and international organisations for financial and technical assistance to raise the standards of aviation in the country.

To this end, during the Assembly, Guyana held bilateral meetings with Malaysia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Republic of Korea, and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The 39th Assembly was opened by President of the ICAO Council, Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu (Nigeria) and the Mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre.

Many Ministers with responsibility for civil aviation attended the triennial Assembly, along with technical experts from civil aviation authorities and representatives from airlines and international organisations.

This 39th Assembly was the largest in the history of the ICAO, with attendances from 184 Member States and 2225 delegates.

As mandated by the Chicago Convention on International Aviation, the Assembly meets once every three years to review the work of ICAO in the technical, economic, legal and technical assistance fields and to set ICAO’s work programme and budget for the next triennium.

During this year’s Assembly, Member States elected the 36 Member

From left: GCAA Chairman, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Lawrence London; Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson; GCAA Director General, Egbert Field and Air Transport Management Director Saheed Sulaman

States that make up the ICAO Council in three parts.

The Council carries out the directions of the Assembly and discharges the duties and obligations laid on it by the Chicago Convention.

Some of the high-level issues that were discussed included Environmental Protection (International Aviation and Climate Change); Aviation Security Policies; Civil Aviation Training Policy and Capacity Building; Aviation Safety and Air Navigation Standardisation; and the Economic Development of Air Transport.

The 39th Assembly adopted a historic resolution to implement a Global Market-Based Measure (GMBM) scheme in the

Cheshire Home’s library opens after 20 years

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heshire Home has reopened the doors to its library after almost 20 years.

Peace Corps volunteer Elizabeth Rudd has been volunteering with Cheshire Home in Mahaica, East Coast Demerara; a home for people with disabilities.

When the committee expressed interest in reopening the library, Rudd thought that it would be a great community resource, but also an excellent project for the residents to be a part of.

The library was transformed over a four-month period as Rudd and five residents of the home cleaned, organised, repaired, and colour-coordinated the books.

During the soft opening ceremony, Cheshire Home welcomed people from the village and neighbouring communities to join in the opening of the library.

Rudd, alongside fellow volunteer Allee Schlitz, gave out fun gifts such as stickers and erasers to a group of excited students before reading popular children’s books such as Dora the Explorer and Frozen.

Afterwards, students were able to explore the library, check out books and take free books home from the give-away shelf.

“My favourite part of the event was when the students applauded the Cheshire

A resident of the Cheshire Home enjoying his time in the newly opened library

Home residents’ hard work.

The residents are so proud of themselves, but it’s the entire community that benefits when we promote the inclusion of people with disabilities,” Rudd said in an invited comment to Guyana Times.

Schlitz, in a comment, recalled a moment with a young gentleman who was looking for a book on “Home Economics”. “He wants to be a chef when he gets older. It was great to see the students excited about books and I’m glad the library is here to spark interest in reading and support kids like this who have big dreams,” she stated.

Three residents of the home are currently being trained as Librarian Assistants – learning job skills and gaining confi-

dence in themselves in the process. They will be able to assist community members in locating books as well as keep the library organised.

In addition, all three residents have excellent artistic capabilities and will continue to assist with the decoration of the library and the making of posters for future events.

The library will be open the first two Saturdays of every month from 09:00h to 12:00h. There are books for all ages with special sections including autobiographies, self-help, and arts and crafts.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer librarian, please call Cheshire Home for details on telephone number 259-3454 or contact Rudd on 670-8480.

form of a Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) to address annual increases in total CO2 emissions from international civil aviation (ie civil aviation flights that depart in one country and arrive in a different country) above the 2020 levels. The GMBM scheme is part of the ICAO basket of measures which include developing aircraft

technologies, operational improvements, and sustainable alternative fuels to achieve ICAO’s global aspirational goal of keeping the global net CO2 emissions from international aviation from 2020 at the same level.

Presently, Guyana’s level of effective implementation is 44.21 per cent as it relates to the eight critical elements of safety oversight as established by ICAO.

The Government and GCAA Board of Directors are working with the newlyappointed Director General, to remedy Guyana’s low level of compliance. To move the process forward, work has already commenced on modernising the civil aviation regulations in order to be compliant with ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices.

Civil aviation is a key facilitator of global, regional and national development.

Globally, the sector moves 3.3 billion passengers annually, contributes roughly 3.5 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employs some 58 million people worldwide.

In Guyana, the aviation sector provides an estimated 3000 plus direct jobs and is responsible for bringing over 80 per cent of tourists to Guyana. The aviation sector connects Guyana’s coastland and hinterland communities and supports a variety of activities and sectors such as agriculture, forestry, mining, tourism and social services.

14 NEWS

Wednesday, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Toll booth reactivation

Linden stakeholders voice concerns, make recommendations

W

ith the impending reactivation of the Kara Kara toll booth in Linden, the Linden Mayor and Town Council has hosted another round of consultations with community stakeholders.

The consultations will continue today with members of the Logger’s Association.

Speaking with stakeholders last week, Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland called for cooperation between different entities on the way forward. One of the pressing issues was whether vehicles belonging to Linden businesses would pay the toll.

The Council had said that the vehicles may have to pay an unspecified amount twice a year.

However, some stake-

Some of the stakeholders at the consultation

holders believe that they should not pay and so the decision remains in limbo. Linden Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Development Chairman

Kevin DeJonge, speaking at the consultation, reminded that the toll booth has already been gazetted, despite concerns, but noted that it was time for business own-

ers to voice their concerns.

He said the Chamber endorsed any form of income for the Linden community, while establishing that the Council should have consideration for loggers.

As such, he recommended that a similar meeting be conducted with members of the Logger’s Association to discuss what they can afford to pay. This was supported

by Mayor Holland in an effort to have a general consensus, since he noted that he was confronted by loggers at Wismar who had indicated that they were neither informed nor represented.

Banks DIH Limited Branch Manager Shondell Easton expressed her view, noting that she was concerned about the increase in the cost of living, since the

toll booth coming on stream may lead to increased prices of goods and commodities and the final consumers might be the ones most affected. She was assured by representatives of the Council that measures would be put in place to cushion the effects.

Meanwhile, Councillor Wainwright Bethune said the municipality was seeking to make the Council economically viable, noting that he was appalled to know that there was “so much rejection” of the toll booth initiative since it was an idea which the community had supported in the past.

Entrepreneur Norvil Fredericks, in making his contribution, suggested that the Council replace the word “toll” with “revenue”. He

said in order to encourage persons to come on board, the right language should be used. He also recommended that the Council generate revenue instead through the issuing of licences for businesses. He also noted that the effects of the toll booth on tourism should be considered.

In wrapping up the discourse, Holland hailed it as a fruitful engagement, and promised to have a one-onone meeting with major companies like Banks DIH. He also asked for full representation by the Logger’s Association.

The Mayor further made the call for businesses in Linden to become registered with the Linden Chamber in order to receive strong representation.

Mentally-ill woman commits suicide

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51-year-old woman is the country’s latest suicide victim. The Corentyne woman who lived alone, died on Monday after ingesting a poisonous substance.

The dead woman has been identified as Chandrawattie Sepulveda of Number 69 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The woman is said to have been suffering from a mental ailment and ingested the poison after return-

ing from the psychiatrist on Saturday. According to reports, Sepulveda had made threats of taking her life during her doctors’ visit.

According to her brother Surajpaul Rajpaul, he travelled from Suriname and a sister came from Canada to ensure Sepulveda received treatment for her mental disorder.

He said during the first visit, they were advised to remove all sharp objects from

the home along with chemicals and anything which can be used to inflict self-harm.

However, as they returned home from the doctor’s visit on Saturday, Sepulveda quickly got into the house saying she wanted to use the washroom.

Moments after, her sister from Canada heard her coughing and when she enquired, Sepulveda said she had just ingested poison. continues on page 15

15 Post Offices will not become obsolete – Hughes P news

wednesday, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

u b l i c Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, in an address in observance of World Post Day 2016, said, “Times have changed, methods of communication have changed, this particular source of national revenue has undergone some changes which is why we are recalibrating our focus to more efficiently accommodate our people’s 21st Century needs.”

The Minister assured that “Post Offices will not become obsolete”.

It was recognised that the use of postal services has declined significantly over the past few years owing to developments in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The ICT sector is being utilised for its speed, efficiency, availability and, in some cases, low cost.

“Postal services in Guyana are already undergoing very dramatic changes, even to the physical ame-

Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

nities and facilities that will benefit our pensioners, first of all,” Minister Hughes added.

Since persons worldwide no longer use the local postal systems as a first choice for sending mail and packages, systems are being put in place in Guyana, to deal with the effects of such changes.

Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) Board Chairman, Reverend Dr

Mentally-ill woman...

“The thing happen so fast that the car that we come home with did not even pull off yet and we get the same car to get her to the hospital,” Rajpaul said.

According to Rajpaul, his sister was taken to the Skeldon Hospital where she was given something to induce vomiting.

“And they give she some saline or something. So the sisters sit down and decide that Walter Singh [Doctor] is the best place to carry she. So

the next day, we take she out the hospital and carry she to Walter Singh,” the grieving brother related.

After receiving treatment, Sepulveda was asked to return to the doctor the following day (Monday).

He explained, “We carry she back about 8 o’clock (08:00h) and when she reach home, she become weak when she go in the house, she fall.

The sister and neighbours help and put she in the bed.”

Rajpaul said moments

Raphael Massiah, in his message, pointed out that over the next two years, “we plan to hone all the available skills of our human capital coupled with the maximum use of ICT to offer an improved service with greater efficiency and reliability”.

Massiah said the GPOC needed to take a bold step forward and recalibrate its operations in order to remain relevant to the everyday lives of people and business.

With the establishment of the Public Telecommunications Ministry, Guyana is expected to move forward with the implementation of state-ofthe-art telecommunication and Internet facilities.

Guyana will be preparing to confront fast advancing communication technology that has over time diminished the quantity of hand-delivered mail, which the Post Offices have been mailing across the world for more than 200 years.

from page 14

later, he heard screaming as his sister had taken her last breath.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled for today at the Skeldon Hospital.

If you or anyone you know is feeling depressed or is possibly contemplating suicide, please call the Guyana Interagency Suicide Helpline which operates 24 hours and is organised by the Guyana Police Force. Telephone numbers are 223-0001, 223-0009, 223-0818, 600-7896 or 623-4444.

The 64 branches of the GPOC will soon be rehabilitated to meet international standards to keep up with the changes in the direction of postal services. Services offered by this public facility include money transfer services, government or so-

cial assistance services, registration of birth, death and marriage, bill payments, and postage and revenue stamps.

This year, World Post Day was celebrated on October 9, under the theme, “Serving a new society: de-

livering beyond your doorstep”.

The observance was declared by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo as a means to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which was created in 1974.

16 News

wednesDay, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

New Amsterdam observes Ramsammy’s Ruminations Trump wants to be Mental Health Week America's 1st tin pot

T

he National Psychiatric Hospital held a rally in New Amsterdam on Monday to observe Mental Health Week.

Issues related to mental health affect every four out of five persons in Guyana and is everybody’s business.

This is according to Director of regional health services in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Jevaughn Stephens.

This year’s mental health week is being observed under the theme, ‘Psychological and mental health first aid for all’.

Following the rally, Medical Superintendent of the National Psychiatric Hospital situated at Fort Canje, Dr Vineshri Khirodhar pointed out that many today take mental health lightly.

“And I am sure over the months and years many of us have seen the repercussions of taking mental health lightly. In Guyana, we have an average of 222 persons who have fallen to suicide.” These deaths, she said, are all unnecessary.

She noted that mental health is under threat and has become psychological warfare.

“Fort Canje Hospital is not the only

tyrant – he wants to jail his opponent

I

Participants march in observance of Mental Health Week being held in New Amsterdam

representation of mental health. Fort Canje Hospital is one of the primary facilities for treatment for persons who have fallen with numerous psychiatric diseases and over the years, the numbers have been decreasing. We have a lot of resident patients in our facility and reason being, many of them are stable and they can go but not all of them have family support or any sort of support,” Dr Khirodhar explained Currently, there are 185 resident patients at the facility.

She said too that mental health is an important issue during every stage

of life and with the current support mental health is receiving from the Public Health Ministry and the regional health services, mental health will take a change for the better.

Public Health Minister Dr George Norton was slated to speak at the rally but did not show. No excuse was made for his absence.

Meanwhile, several activities have been organised to observe Mental Health Week. These include visits to schools and a trip to the Number 63 Beach for resident patients at the Fort Canje Hospital.

n a debate on Sunday night, the Republican Party candidate for the Presidency of the United States of America, Donald Trump, declared that should he be elected President, he would lock up Hillary Clinton, his Democratic Party opponent. He wants to be America's first ever "tin pot" tyrant. Many Americans were Dr Leslie Ramsammy horrified by the declaration, likening the threat to what happens in certain "banana" republics and dictatorships.

Locking up political opponents is a lamentable act, but not rare where despots and tyrants reign. Trump threatened to take America down the "third world" realm of dictators and tyrants.

Just recently, before the May 2015 elections, APNU/AFC leaders constantly threatened that should they win they will lock up former President Bharat Jagdeo, President Donald Ramotar and many of their cabinet members, including me, Roger Luncheon, Ashni Singh, Anil Nandlall and Irfaan Ally.

Those threats were made in Parliament many times and became a staple of virtually every speech made by APNU/AFC leaders during the election campaign. They claimed they had the evidence and given an electoral mandate, APNU/AFC would exercise unfettered power to lock up their political opponents and in their own words "throw away the key". While some of their supporters reacted with glee, most Guyanese were appalled, just as most Americans are horrified by Trump's threats.

Unfortunately, locking up political opponents is part of our colonial political heritage and part of the modus operandi of dictators and tyrants. Cheddi Jagan and many of the political leaders of the People's Progressive Party were locked up by the British Government in Guyana. While Burnham, their handpicked dictator, did not lock up Cheddi Jagan, the People's National Congress did lock up several leaders of the People's Progressive Party during the PNC-led dictatorship after Independence. Today, the APNU/AFC is using several different strategies to intimidate their political opponents. The point is that countries like Guyana and too many others around the world with fledgling democracies or still fighting for democracy too often endure the despicable reality that political opponents are imprisoned and intimidated.

The 'tin pot" dictators who threaten and lock up their opponents are not people that leaders in democratic countries emulate. But Donald Trump, the candidate for President of America, has gone there. He wants to be America's first "tin pot" dictator. After my initial shock that a candidate for the Presidency of America could make such a public threat to lock up his opponent, I realised that Trump is deep down a dictator.

The people he admires are all "tin pot" tyrants - Kim Jong-un of Korea, Putin of Russia. He does not seem to recognise that jailing your political opponent takes America to a dangerous, chilling place it has never been, far from making America great.

Trump, with his anti-immigration policies, does not recognise that most Americans ancestries are linked to escaping tyrants.

Trump places American foreign policy and diplomats in a lamentable place. When "tin pot" tyrants threaten, intimidate and jail their political opponents, America and its diplomats are expected to stand up and reject such violation of democratic principles. For more than 240 years, America has rejected the practice of locking up political opponents and has even gone to war to defend citizens against such dastardly violations of human rights and democratic principles. Electing Trump threatens political leaders around the world because tyrants and dictators will quote Trump that this is the spoils of winning an election.

These are present and recent examples of the people he wants to be like: former Ukrainian President Viktor Fedorovych; the military Junta in Myanmar that locked up Aung San Suu Kyi, the present Prime Minister, for almost two decades; Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni; Zambian President Edgar Lungu; Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe; Congolese President Joseph Kabila; Cambodian President Hun Sen; Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso; President Maduro of Venezuela; in addition to Putin and Kim Un Jung.

Trump speaks with relish about locking up his political opponent, he boasts about sexual assault of women because his wealth and fame provides him with entitlements. His claim of making America great again is really dog whistle for bringing dictatorship to America. His mission is to return America to a monarchy, but worse to install a despot as the head of America and the free world. This is what America must resist. But there are lessons for Guyana. We get what we wish for sometimes.

(Please send comments to doc_ram@hotmail.com)

news

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wednesday, october 12, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Guyana to observe

Bosai commences World Sight Day construction of arch in Linden T – as part of bauxite centennial observances

P

Workers at the site of the arch

rivately-owned Linden-based bauxite company Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI) has commenced the construction of an overhead arch in the community, as part of the bauxite centennial observances this year. The arch is being constructed at a cost of over $20 million.

Staying true to a commitment made a few months ago at the launch of the bauxite centennial observances, the company recently commenced the construction at Casaurina Drive, Mackenzie, at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) junction.

BMGGI General Manager (ag) Eric Yu, in his remarks during the launch in August, had outlined plans to commemorate the community’s significant milestone with the setting up of the arch, as 2016 marks the one hundredth year of bauxite mining in the Linden community.

Bauxite Century Board Chairman Horace James on Tuesday explained that the Committee made a decision to have the arch situated at the closest point where Mackenzie, Wismar and Watooka meet, since those areas have close ties with the history of bauxite in Linden.

He noted too that it would not only be a structure for vehicles to drive under but would serve as a symbol, depicting the history of Linden.

The arch is expected to be unveiled on November 21 at a special opening ceremony.

As to the design, James said it would consist of an emblem of all the bauxite companies in Guyana.

Presently, the foundation work for the arch is being executed by Linden-based construction company McRae’s Construction, while the arch was assembled by VSH United.

The lighting will be sponsored by the Linden Electricity Company Incorporated (LECI). The Bosai Company said since the arch would be located at a strategic point on one of the main thoroughfares, some traffic diversions will be done occasionally to facilitate the construction process until completion. Bosai further disclosed that traffic would be detoured through the Watooka and Fair’s Rust route from today, beginning from 09:00h to 18:00h daily.

In keeping with the approved relevant traffic safety requirements, the company said signs would be posted to effectively guide the flow of traffic.

Maintenance worker slapped with gun, ammo charge

A

maintenance worker was slapped with an illegal gun and ammo charge when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Delson Wayne pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated on October 6, 2016 at Georgetown, he had in his possession a .38 pistol and three matching live rounds of ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The 30-year-old man, of Lot 27 Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, maintained his innocence and stated that he and two other men were charged for the offence, and the firearm and ammunition have to be the property of either of them.

The man admitted that he was aware that there was a toy gun in his bag at the time, which he had confiscated from a child on his way to work, because the child shot at him a number of times with small pellets.

The unrepresented defendant pleaded for bail in a reasonable sum, claiming he was a father of three and had to work in order to support them.

The prosecution objected to bail, noting that no special reasons were presented by the defendant.

The defendant was refused bail. He will make his next court appearance on November 2, 2016 for assignment by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

he Public Health Ministry (MoPH) in collaboration with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) will be hosting a series of activities to raise awareness on vision impairment in observance of World Sight Day (WSD).

Held annually on the second Thursday of October, World Sight Day is an international day of awareness, bringing attention globally to the issue of avoiding blindness and visual impairment.

This year, World Sight Day is observed on October 13, under the theme “Stronger Together”.

WSD is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). WSD became an official IAPB event in the year 2000 and has been marked in many different ways in countries around the world each year since then.

Among the activities planned in Guyana is the

hosting of a mini-exhibition at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Key information will be displayed about eye health issues at the East Street lobby of GPHC’s main building. GPHC and the MoPH are planning to take the mini-exhibition on eye health to public areas such as the mall, schools and banks.

Moreover, the GPHC Eye Clinic will also be offering free eye screening for patients between 08:00h to 12:00h on Thursday, October 13; while Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings is expected to visit the screening session at 10:00h.

Additionally, local NGOs, Eye Care Guyana and the GPHC will be hosting a World Sight Day Continuing Medical Education (CME) Session on eye care for medical professionals, optometrists and students on October 23.

These CME sessions will

be conducted by esteemed Caribbean Ophthalmologists who will be in Guyana to organise the hosting of the annual Ophthalmological Society of West Indies (OSWI) in July 2017. This will be the first time that Guyana will be hosting this important regional Ophthalmological Conference.

Meanwhile, the University of Guyana (UG) School of Optometry will also have activities on the Turkeyen Campus. In addition, Optometrists from the Guyana Association of Optometrists, Courts Optical and Optique Vision Care will also be involved in various activities during this period.

World Sight Day is the focal Advocacy and PR event for IAPB and its members and partners each year, highlighting the fact that 80 per cent of blindness is avoidable (ie preventable and/or treatable) – four out of five people have avoidable visual

impairment. WSD provides a platform for organisations to encourage governments, corporations, institutions and individuals to actively support global blindness prevention efforts.

This World Sight Day, there is a call to celebrate partnerships and friendships. IAPB urges focus on all stakeholders who are important for the successful delivery of eye care, to consider all the groups of people who engage with eye care: ophthalmologists, optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, donors, patients, and the wider family.

Clearly, successes are made possible by the fact that these groups work together. The more groups that are brought togetherthe diabetic community, the irreparably blind, vulnerable groups, including those with other disabilities – the stronger the fight against blindness becomes.

18

guyana-times.com

wednesday october 12, 2016

ARCHIE

You’ll thrive on getting things done. Learn through (March 21- experience, and partner with April 19) people who appreciate your skills and can contribute to your cause. Don’t get mad, get moving.

ARIES

Step up and offer help.

TAURUS Take a unique approach to (April 20- whatever you do in order to May 20) encourage others to look at new possibilities. Getting along with people will be half the battle.

dilbert

Show restraint if someGEMINI one puts pressure on you or (May 21tempts you. Be forthright June 20) about what you are and are not willing to do. Be prepared to walk away.

Express the way you feel CANCER and what you are willing to (June 21- do. Offer incentives and be July 22) willing to share equally with your collaborators. Self-help and improvements will be liberating.

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Taking a trip or making a professional change will lift your spirits. Trying something new and engaging in interesting talks with people from different walks of life will broaden your perspective.

Invest in yourself, your VIRGO skills and your ability to (Aug. 23- make money. Staying current Sept. 22) with technology and your current workplace situation will help you get a promotion.

Calvin and Hobbes

You’ll find answers from LIBRA unexpected people and in sur(Sept. 23prising places.

An open mind Oct. 23) and a good imagination will help you discover new possibilities. Optimism will help you excel.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Good things are heading SCORPIO your way. New information (Oct. 24will lead to positive personNov. 22) al change. Romance is on the rise, and an important relationship will bring you satisfaction and happiness.

Don’t be tempted to use SAGITTARIUS emotional manipulation.

(Nov. 23- You’ll do much better if you Dec. 21) let everyone do his or her own thing. Don’t give in to or apply pressure.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Hone your skills and dig CAPRICORN into alternate ways to use (Dec. 22- your attributes to get ahead.

Jan. 19) Personal improvements will turn out well. Avoid arguments. Romance is featured.

Don’t be fooled by someAQUARIUS one who claims to be giving (Jan. 20you a good deal. Do your reFeb. 19) search lest you sign up for a scam. False advertising will lead to disappointment.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES Using emotional tactics to (Feb. 20- get your way will play in your March 20) favor. A romantic encounter looks promising and will lead to a closer bond between you and a loved one.

wednESdAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

I

ndia completed a 3-0 whitewash in devastating fashion as a seven-wicket haul from R Ashwin shot New Zealand out for 153 in their last innings of the series. India declared just under an hour from tea, after Cheteshwar Pujara had completed his eighth Test hundred, to set New Zealand a target of 475 and give themselves a day and a half to take 10 wickets. They only needed 44.5 overs, as New Zealand lost nine wickets for 115 runs in the post-tea session.

Ashwin’s figures of 7 for 59 were his best in Test cricket, as were his match figures of 13 for 140. He picked up his 21st five-wicket haul, his sixth ten-wicket match haul, his seventh Player of the Match award and seventh Player of the Series award - fourth in a row - as well. There probably isn’t a more influential cricketer anywhere in the world today. Certainly no one has played a bigger part in India securing the No. 1 Test ranking, a feat they got to celebrate when Virat Kohli was handed the ICC Test championship mace at the end of the match, in front of a capacity crowd in Indore.

Set a similar task last year in another dead-rubber Test, on a similar slow turner at Feroz Shah Kotla, South Africa chose to block their way to a draw. They didn’t succeed, but they did make India toil for 143.1 overs. New Zealand, having until now given India a harder time on this tour than South Africa did in theirs, adopted an entirely different approach and collapsed spectacularly.

Their two most accomplished batsmen, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, exemplified this approach. Both came out looking to attack Ashwin, their tormentor through the series, and ended up playing a part in their own undoing.

Williamson hit Ashwin for three fours in his first two overs, either side of tea, but in that time also gave the bowler enough of a clue that he was looking to step across his stumps and play him with the turn as much as possible. He shuffled across again to the eleventh ball he faced from Ashwin, premeditatedly, and a flatter, quicker one turned in and trapped him in front. Like he had done to Kumar Sangakkara on the 2015 tour of Sri Lanka, Ashwin had dismissed Williamson four times in four innings.

In his first over at the crease, Taylor jumped out and hit Ashwin over the top for a four and a six off successive balls. As Ashwin’s spell continued, he stepped out again to whip him over midwicket, and then drove h i m against the turn through the covers. Having gone to 32 off 24, though, he chanced a sweep off a ball that was too full for the shot. It sneaked under his bat

Ravichandran Ashwin got Kane Williamson for the fourth time in the series

In his comeback Test, Gautam Gambhir plays a deft flick on his way to a half century

and bowled him.

Luke Ronchi, James Neesham and Martin Guptill all fell in the next seven overs, the latter two to Ravindra Jadeja, and it seemed almost certain that the match wouldn’t go into a fifth day. BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner hinted that it just might, while putting on 24 for the seventh wicket, but Ashwin came back to break their partnership, bowling over the wicket to the left-handed Santner and beating him with

New Zealand 2nd (target: 475 runs)

innings

an immediate upsurge in India’s run rate, as he took frequent singles against New Zealand’s one-day fields, and pounced on anything remotely loose, his standout shot a drive drilled past extra-cover off Boult.

Gambhir’s urgency rubbed off on Pujara as well. He ran as fast as his troubled knees would take him, ending up with a dirt-streaked shirt from all the times he had to dive into the crease, and looked outside his usual repertoire of shots, even jumping out of his crease at one point to flat-bat Boult back over his head. The pair added 76 for the second wicket before Gambhir fell for 50 off 56 balls, chipping Jeetan Patel to short extra-cover. Kohli, the first-innings double-centurion, fell in the sixth over after lunch, given lbw looking to sweep Patel

natural variation. Coming forward to defend, Santner inside-edged the ball into his pad and then onto the stumps.

India didn’t have to wait too long for the eighth and ninth wickets, but Watling and Trent Boult briefly raised the possibility of their having to come back on Wednesday to take the tenth, by putting on the longest partnership of the innings.

They stuck around for 10.1 overs, causing India a bit of frustration - Jadeja bowled a 45kph donkey drop to Boult, Ashwin dragged down a legbreak to Watling - and threatening to take the fourth day into an extra half-hour, before Boult India’s victorious Test team celebrates their No 1 came down the track to drive Ashwin and popped ranking after the Indore Test back a waist-high return catch.

India declared halfway through the morning session, one ball after Pujara brought up his hundred by helping a short ball from James Neesham to the fine leg boundary. although replays suggested the ball may have struck his pad It was a fitting way to reach the landmark, given that the area outside the line of off stump. With nine overs to bat out before behind the wicket had fetched him 57 of his runs and six of tea, New Zealand lost one wicket, Umesh Yadav going around his nine fours, with the lap-sweep and late cut his go-to shots the wicket in his first over and attacking the stumps to get against the spinners. Having gone to lunch batting on 50 off Tom Latham lbw playing around his front pad. New Zealand 98 balls, he had sped away to score 51 off 50 in the second ses- were 38 for 1 at tea. They probably wouldn’t have imagined sion. At the other end, Ajinkya Rahane helped an unbroken that it would all be over after just one more session. (ESPNcricinfo) fourth-wicket stand of 58 hurry along at 6.44 an over, stepping out to play his favourite chips down the ground and inside-out drives.

Ahead by 276 overnight, India had only extended their lead by eight runs when M Vijay was run-out by a brilliant piece of fielding from Guptill in the eighth over of the morning.

In walked Gautam Gambhir, who had retired hurt late on the third evening with a shoulder injury. His re-entry sparked

SCOREBOARD India 1st Innings 557/5 dec.

New Zealand 1st Innings 299 India 2nd innings M Vijay run out (Guptill/†Watling) 19 G Gambhir c Guptill b Patel 50 CA Pujara not out 101 V Kohli* lbw b Patel 17 AM Rahane not out 23 Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-1) 6 Total (3 wickets dec; 49 ove rs) 216 Did not bat: RG Sharma, R Ashwin, WP Saha†, RA Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, UT Yadav Fall of wickets 0-11* (Gambhir, retired not out), 1-34 (Vijay, 13.4 ov), 2-110 (Gambhir, 29.6 ov), 3-158 (Kohli, 39.6 ov) Bowling: TA Boult 7-0-35-0, JS Patel 14-0-56-2, MJ Santner 171-71-0, MJ Henry 7-1-22-0 (w1), JDS Neesham 4-0-27-0

19

TWM Latham lbw b Yadav 6 MJ Guptill lbw b Jadeja 29 KS Williamson*lbw b Ashwin 27 LRPL Taylor b Ashwin 32 L Ronchi b Ashwin 15 JDS Neesham c Kohli b Jadeja 0 BJ Watling† not out 23 MJ Santner b Ashwin 14 JS Patel b Ashwin 0 MJ Henry c Mohammed Shami b Ashwin 0 TA Boult c & b Ashwin 4 Extras (b-2, nb-1) 3 Total (all out; 44.5 overs) 153 Fall of wickets 1-7 (Latham, 1.4 ov), 2-42 (Williamson, 10.6 ov), 3-80 (Taylor, 18.3 ov), 4-102 (Ronchi, 22.4 ov), 5-103 (Neesham, 23.4 ov), 6-112 (Guptill, 25.3 ov), 7-136 (Santner, 32.5 ov), 8-138 (Patel, 34.1 ov), 9-138 (Henry, 34.4 ov), 10-153 (Boult, 44.5 ov) Bowling: Mohammed Shami 7-0-34-0 (nb-1), UT Yadav 8-413-1, R Ashwin 13.5-2-59-7, RA Jadeja 16-3-45-2

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

wednESday, october 12, 2016

Bakewell honours top players

Y

esterday the 2016 edition of the Bakewell Junior Tennis tournament concluded with a simple closing ceremony at the National Racquet Centre where the top finishers were honoured.

Number one junior female tennis prodigy Nicola Ramdyhan bow out of Bakewell’s junior competition with the Girls’ under 18 title. She defeated Kalyca Fraser in the finals of that category.

Fraser and Sarah Klautky are definitely going to be the players to look for in the junior category in Ramdyhan’s absence. Fraser won the Under 14 title while Klautky top the under 12s.

In the Boys’ under 14 division Joshua Kalkyezi stunned his field to capture the crown, upsetting number two seed Jordan Beaton during the process. His younger sibling Jeremiah Kalekyezi won the under 12 title.

Meanwhile, it was fierce rivalry between Mark

― Ramdyhan captures girls' Under-18 title

Top finishers in the third edition of Bakewell Junior Tennis Tournament at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue

McDonald and Heimraj Resaul for the Boys under 18 title. However, Resaul put in a sterling performance in a competitive encounter to emerge as victor for the first time in that category of the Bakewell tournament.

Speaking at the closing ceremony President of the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA), Jamal

Goodluck thanked the sponsor for the continuous support the GLTA continues to receive to ensure this tournament is an annual activity on the GLTA’s calendar of activity.

“Over the course of the years it’s really been a tournament that we would have keep an eye on and come to hold dearly to our hearts at

the GLTA and it is going to continue being a part of our agenda for the next year and as we go forward as a tennis association.”

He added that the tournament give an insight to what the GLTA potential next juniors and seniors would look like and for that he was also in high praise for the sponsor.

Following Goodluck, was the tournament chairman Robert Bostwick, who said the tournament was a successful one which has seen a sizeable number of participants, who have maintained a high level of discipline and competitiveness.

He encouraged the youths to continue playing the sport because with their presence the future looks bright for the sport.

Manager of Bakewell Jacob Nanan in his brief remarks pledge his entity continuous support to ensure the tournament survive while urging the players to priorities their education since it is very important to their development.

The tournament started on Saturday September 24 and concluded on Sunday October 9, with the matches mostly played at the National Racquet Centre and President’s College Tennis Court. It was the third edition of the tournament which was born in

2014 in honour of the late Chief Executive Officer of Bakewell, Naeem Nasir and it usually coincide with his death anniversary.The former CEO, Nasir was a dedicated fan and supporter of the sport.

The following is the list of top two finishers in each category: Boys under 12winner Jeremiah Kalekyezi, runner up VedeananResaul.

Girls under 12- winner Sarah Klautky, runner up Akilah Jones. Boys under 14-winner Joshua Kalekyezi, runner up Viraj Sharma. Girls under 14- winner Kalyca Fraser, runner up Sarah Klautky. Boys under 18winner HeimrajResaul, runner up Mark McDonald.

Girls under 18- winner Nicola Ramdyhan, runner up Kalyca Fraser.

Subsequent to the presentation the executives of the GLTA set off to finalize a squad for the Tennis Inter Guiana Games (IGG) which will be held in French Guiana later this month.

― Singh notches another half century

J

ahmar Hamilton narrowly missed out on a hundred while Vishaul Singh is closing in on three figures as the West Indies ‘A’ end on 331/5 at stumps on day one of the second unofficial Test against Sri Lanka ‘A’ at Pallekele. After being sent in, Test discards Kieran Powell and Rajendra Chandrika put on 52 for the first wicket before Powell was caught at the wicket for 29. Guyana and West Indies Under-19 captain, Shimron Hetmyer joined his countryman and they were batting with ease before the right handed opener retired hurt

after completing a fine half century. Chandrika who struggled to past five in the opening Test hit six fours from 90 balls before leaving the crease in obvious discomfort.

Captain Shamarh Brooks came and nicked one behind for three and was followed shortly by the positive and fluent Hetmyer who was bowled for 48. The Berbician lefthanded batsman struck one six and six fours from 83 balls which paved the way for the Hamilton/ Singh partnership that took the game away from the

Jahmar Hamilton

hosts after the West Indies were reduced to 140/3 and with Chandrika already re-

Shimron Hetmyer

tired.

After carving out 15 fours the Anguillan Hamilton was

Rajendra Chandrika

run out high and dry for 99 from 141 deliveries. It was a partnership that was evenly dominated and at the end of the day the inform Singh was approaching three figures on 81 not out from 165 balls nine of which was stroked to the ropes.

Singh who made 96 and 46 in the first Test at Colombo was at the none strikers end when Rakheem Cornwall was adjudged LBW in the day’s final over

which also saw the umpires calling stumps.

West Indies already one game down in the series made two changes bringing in Hetmyer and leftarm seam bowler Delorn Johnson for Jamaicans John Campbell and Reynard Leveridge. Leveridge was injured. Bowling for the home team Dimuth Karunaratne (1/0), Anuk Fernando (1/55), Lahiru Kumara (1/60) and Charith Asalanka (1/74) all picked up one wicket.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies A 1st innings R Chandrika retired hurt KOA Powell c †Dickwella b SANJ Fernando SO Hetmyer b Asalanka SSJ Brooks* c †Dickwella b Kumara VA Singh not out JN Hamilton† run out (Kumara) RRS Cornwall lbw b Karunaratne Extras (b-4, lb-2, w-7, nb-6) Total (5 wickets; 89.4 ove

51 29 48 3 81 99 1 19

rs) 331 To bat: G Moti, K Joseph, DE Johnson, KAJ Roach Fall of wickets 1-52 (Powell, 14.2 ov), 2-120 (Brooks, 33.5 ov), 3-140 (Hetmyer, 40.5 ov), 4-328 (Hamilton, 86.3 ov), 5-331 (Cornwall, 89.4 ov) Bowling: AM Fernando 122-48-0 (w-1), CBRLS Kumara 16-2-60-1(nb-1, w-1), SANJ Fernando 9-0-55-1 (nb-4, w-5) JDF Vandersay 17-1-66-0, DAS Gunaratne 9-3-22-0 (nb-1) KIC Asalanka 26-5-74-1, FDM Karunaratne 0.4-0-0-1

21

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days in Guyana’s capital, Georgetown.

“We [are] confident of doing well in Guyana; we should have a very competitive side to match the skills of the other participants as well,” Khan divulged.

Khan related that his organization will be hosting its second bi-annual Toronto Cup in 2017 probably in late August and those teams from Guyana, Florida, Canada and New York are expected to participate too.

gural staging 14 teams took part.

In the Open category, six teams competed and those were: the champion New York Enforcers, GM Sports, Ontario Softball Cricket League, runners-up Dant Cricket Club, Caribbean Sensation and New York Softball Cricket League.

In the Masters Division, there were eight teams featured and those: winner Guyana Floodlights Masters, Tri-States Masters,

will boost our confidence tremendously since they have got the experience now; teams will definitely come out hard but I am more than optimistic of being the victorious side,” Khan revealed.

Some of the players to be on show for the OMSCC are: the stalwart Terry Mathura, who is likely to be the skipper, the experienced Prakash Singh, versatile allrounder Surendra Persaud, aggressive batsmen Imam Gafoor and Mohan Harrirah

T

he Ontario Masters team is highly confident of making a huge impact in this year’s Guyana Cup 6 which will be run once again under the auspices of the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association from November 4-6.

With 14 teams featuring in the veteran category and 10 sides competing in the Open Division, the Ontario Masters boys are anxious to pocket the lucrative $600, 000 first prize and a trophy.

Manager of the side Azeem Khan related that the guys are eager to do well and return to North America as a champion unit. The team is being selected from the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) over-40 and 50 tournaments that recently concluded in the Greater Toronto Area.

Khan, who is also the current president of the OMSCC, mentioned the team initially struggled to form since an extremely large number of selected players could not have been available owing to various and personal reasons.

However, Khan is satisfied now that he is able to field a team to participate in this historical softball tournament which will be run for three consecutive

Regal will be looking for a repeat in both categories in 2016

“We had a fantastic tournament in 2015 and the important thing we got excellent support from the GFSCA; we are still thankful to them and we want to show similar support in their tournament; apart from that I think those guys have been doing a terrific job not only for the softball cricketers and fans but to help the youths; it is certainly admirable,” Khan declared.

According to the OMSCC leader, he and his executives will start off with the preparatory aspect for next year’s Toronto Cup. What was commendable in the inau-

Caribbean Sensation Masters, New York Softball Cricket League Legends, New York Muslims Association, runners-up Our Own Cricket Club and OMSCC X1.

Quizzed on the combination of the touring squad, Khan, who still plays the game representing Guyana Sports in the over-50 section, feels they have a good and balanced side to be outstanding.

“Well, the last time we competed in 2014, we did relatively well to reach the quarter-final and the good thing is that some of those players returning and that

among others.

Some of the senior guys who featured for the OMSCC team on several tournaments like Sunil Dhaniram, Troy Gobin, Desmond Chumney, Shiv Seeram Rovendra Mandolall, Richard Driffield, and Bobby Parasnauth have opted out due to personal commitment for either other teams among different reasons.

Khan stated that the OMSCC team will be participating in the annual Florida Cup which is slated for mid-March. Meanwhile, in the 2015 Guyana Cup 5, both teams from Regal won the Open and Masters titles.

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Vishaul Singh

uyanese batsman, Vishaul Singh, who is currently touring Sri Lanka with West Indies A team says he will be pushing for his fifth first class century when play resume on the second day against Sri Lanka A at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Speaking to Guyana Times Sport via social media, the petite 27 year old said he will look to get going again and continue in the same manner he has done since landing in Sri Lanka.

In the first match the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) player top scored in both innings for his side with 96 in the first innings and 46 in the second. In this match he has already scored 81 not out on the first day

and is insight of his fifth first class century. He has adapted quickly and is so far the most consistent batsman in his side.

According to him the conditions are similar to the Caribbean so it is just a matter of making little adjustments at the different stadiums.

Prior to the series Singh set himself a goal to achieve at least 300 runs with a century and two fifties. He is definitely on track to achieve the 300 runs but must score 19 runs on the second day to get his first century for West Indies A. In their second match of the series the West Indies ended their first day on 3315 with wicket keeper batsman Jahmar Hamilton leading the way with 99 before

being run out. While Singh, who remains unbeaten and Rajendra Chandrika 51 retired hurt have also scored fifties. West Indies under-19 captain Shimron Hetmyer fell two runs short of a half century.

According to Singh the team has batted well as a group, they had a good start and partnerships throughout the day’s play. “The guys applied themselves well and got stuck in,” said Singh.

Yesterday’s batting performance was West Indies A best so far in three innings and there are three more days remaining in this match, the second of a three match series. West Indies will be looking to level the series at the end of this match to set up a pulsating final encounter.

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

wednesday, october 12, 2016

GCA/ NBS 40 overs 2nd division

A

t the conclusion of the 2016 edition of the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Championships (CAC) hosted in the Dominican Republic, not only did Guyana record their best showing at the event but also Franklyn Brisport earned the CAC accreditation as a judge in the sport.

Brisport joins long serving judge, Frank Tucker as the only two Guyanese judges to be given this honor, and indicated that the CAC was his first exposure but “his scoring was right on point with the international judges.”

“For me the CAC was my first exposure as a manager and doing the CAC exam

Franklyn Brisport is the latest CAC accredited judge

and in my opinion it wasn’t as hard as I think it would be because I have been judging in Guyana for the past 10-15 years and it was just a normal routine.” The new

T

he Guyana Draughts Association’s National Draughts Championship concluded last Sunday at the National Gymnasium with Khemraj Pooranmall defending his title as the king of the board.

Pooranmall edged Mark Brathwaite in a thrilling finish as the match was played on the ‘International 100 Square Boards,’ moving from eight points to 10 giving him the championship.

In 2015, Pooranmall finished on nine points.

Steve Bacchus missed the opportunity to enter into a tie breaker with Pooranmall for the second time in two years but was stranded on nine points following a hard fought match

by Michael Frances.

Linden’s Floyd Cumberbatch made light work of newcomer Edgar Downer to add two points to his seven to become joint-

Khemraj Pooranmall retains the national draughts title after a tough day out

second with Bacchus.

President of the Guyana Draughts Association, Jairam moved on to eight points to earn himself the fourth place position after defeating Francis and attributed his win to experience.

At the end of the tournament it was evident that the competition showed a

judge stated.

Brisport adds this accreditation to the long list of services in the sporting fraternity he officiates including Boxing and

superb display of brain and talent throughout the day as the event moved along into the night, ending at 22.30h. Despite the exhausted and mentally worked out brains, the players battled in a keenly contested competition right down to the end.

The president and other executives of the association lamented on the lengthy duration of time these games are taking. Whilst some players are playing within the time frame a few are occupying longer time and this is because the games are playing without clocks.

The Association is soliciting the help of Corporate Guyana to assist with the purchasing of these clocks.

The cost for one clock is approximately US$50. Contact

Football as well as a member of the executive committee of the Guyana Amateur Weightlifting Association.

The newly accredited judge extended gratitude to his sponsors, Demerara Harbour Bridge for providing this opportunity.

President of the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding Federation, Keavon Bess pointed out that this would add to the development of the sport while highlighting that Brisport would have done an exceptional job with the team in the Dominican Republic.

Brisport will now move on to attend the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness seminar in Curacao in December.

can be made with the Coordinator Paul D’Anjou on telephone number 6451002 or Jiaram on 614-6671 or 619-5296.

The Association would like to extend thanks and gratitude to the sponsors for the tournament; Lalta Gainda of Rubis Bel Air Service Station, Berbice River Bridge Company Inc., Attorney at Law Elias Gentle, Khemraj Pooranmall, Ansa McAL and John Lewis Styles.

― reigning champs DCC win again

S

hemroy Kendall hit an aggressive half century to lead Transport Sports Club (TSC) past host Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) in their Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ New Building Society (NBS) 40 overs second division match.

Kendall’s 71 led the visitors to 185-6 in 29.4 overs in reply to the host 1838 in 40 allotted overs. The right handed batsman was supported by Devaughn Nandan, who scored 28 in the middle of the innings.

Ray Newtown

Shaquille Moseley claimed 2-24 for the host to cop off a good all-round performance and was supported by Mark Cumberbatch, who also collected two scalps.

When MSC batted, Moseley top scored with 58 and shared in 105 runs partnership with rookie Clarence Baird, who batted well for 44. Kefa Naughton

Javid Rasheed

chipped in with 25. Rafael Singh captured three wickets to finish as the visitors’ best bowler while Nandan and Shawn Massiah had two wickets each.

On Saturday MSC suffered another defeat, this time to the University of Guyana. They lost by seven runs via the Duckworth/ Lewis system.

Batting first UG 185 all out in 37.4 overs, compliments of Dwayne Dodson 52 and Ray Newtown 44 not out.

Ncosie Barker was the pick of the bowlers with 5-43

while skipper Floyd Rollins chipped in with 2-15.

In reply MSC needed 146 from 20 overs and

Dwayne Dodson

they reached 139 when the overs expired. Newton returned with 3-21 as Kefa Naughton smashed 47 and Marcus Watkins 30.

At the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, the host DCC destroyed Sophia by 171 runs.

Batting first the host made 277-8 from 40 overs, with Dennis Squires (52),

Dennis Squires

Ashmead Nedd (44) and Judel McAlister (42) being the main scorers.

Squires with five wickets and Sachin Singh with four wickets then wreck the visitors’ innings which ended at 106 in 16 overs.

In the Guyana Defence Force clash against host Everest Cricket Club, the latter prevailed by eight wickets.

The host asked the visitors to take bat and bowled them out for 145 in 36.2 overs, with Jeremiah Harris making 40. Left arm spinner Javid Rasheed took 4-20 from 6.2 and Avishkar ramgobin got 2-20 while Saheed Mohamed and Dwayne Adams took a wicket each.

Rain fell and the target was reduced to 109 from 30 overs, which the host made with two wickets down in 18 overs. Mohamed made 45 and Khemraj Ramdeen 45 not out.

WEDNesday, october 12, 2016

guyana-times.com

Scotiabank Men’s Caribbean Cup…

Reggae Boyz end Jaguars’ Gold Cup dream ― Shabazz walks!

By Akeem Greene

T

he curtains came down on Guyana’s campaign in the Scotiabank Men’s Caribbean Cup when Jamaica Reggae Boyz ousted them with a spirited come-from behind 4-2 win on Tuesday evening at the Leonora Stadium, West Coast Demerara.

The result meant the dream of the country qualifying for the prestigious CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2017 could no longer be

Beresford which timely leaped to push in the top right hand of the box.

The Jamaica’s who were lagging in the early exchanges began creating some set pieces but none never materialized due to some steely defending by Guyana.

With 30 minutes on the clock, the Canadian-based Butters brought the home crowd to its feet once more when he headed his second goal in a similar fashion this after collecting from

due to a series of corners but a Daniel Wilson and Bobb counter-attack reasserted the home side’s dominance in the match since Bobb’s shot on the left of the 18yard box required a diving save by keeper Andre Blake.

However, in the 63rd Reggae Boyz captain JeVaughn Watson took it upon himself to reduce the lead when he used his left-foot to guide the ball pass the right of the keeper from a long throw by Rosario Harriott.

The Jamaicans were

Adrian Butters puts Guyana ahead two goals up at the 30th minute

achieved.

Golden Jaguars Adrian Butters ignited a close to capacity crowed when he scored the team’s two goals but the opposition’s Je-Vaughn Watson, Dicoy Williams, Shaun Francis and Cory Burke ensured the defending champions progressed to the next round.

In less than one minute, forward Anthony Abrams had a shot on goal from inside the 18- yards box but sent it agonizingly wide of

a Beresford free kick, 25 – yards out which put added pressure on nervous Reggae Boyz backline.

With two goals up and still early in the first half, the Jaguars who had majority of the ball control pressed for a third goal as left-winger Trayon Bobb and forward Abrams created more chances with some nimble plays but their efforts did not change the 2-0 score at the interval.

The resumption of play

inching their way back into the match and the pressure was telling on the locals as defender Walter Moore made rash tackle on Dicoy Williams and was sent off in the 68th.

In the 76th Butters moved from hero to villain when he fouled forward Cory Burke inside the penalty area but the six feet, seven inches Kai MckenzieLyle rose to the challenge and valiantly saved a Shaun Francis penalty which was

Andre Blake was tested in the early exchanges by the Golden Jaguars

the right post but it was the positive start the Jaguars needed, as Butters opened the home team account in the 7th minute when he intercepted a well-directed corner kick from Brandon

saw greater enthusiasm by the CFU defending champions and the injection of Dino Williams and Owayne Gordon saw immense pressure being applied to the Jaguar’s defence in the 60th

slotted to his low left.

The Reggae Boyz had now found a way to tame the Jaguars who were unreeling in the dying minutes of the feisty encounter. The equalizer came in the 88th as a

result of hapless defending gave Dicoy Williams enough space to unleash a piercing strike from outside the 18 – yards that beat the keeper to his right.

Veteran Vurlon Mills took the field late in the game and quickly got into the thick of the action when he whipped this right foot around the ball inside the box that needed a diving save by keeper Blake.

Jamaica had a chance to win in regulation time when Burke headed the ball just inches over the cross bar; the whistle was blown and the match was heading into extra time; the second consecutive occasion for the Golden Jaguars following their game against Suriname in Pariamabo.

The addition 30 minutes began in the most positive fashion for Guyana with Mills again being a menace when to keeper Blake when he sent another powerful strike from 22 yards

23

Crowd at Leonara was treated a thrilling encounter

that was headed straight to the top left of the net but Blake pulled off a miraculous save.

Fatigue of a long match was evident on both teams but the Jamaicans still looked intent on winning, as Dino scored the third goal in the 115th when he slipped pass a rushing MckenzieLyle.

Now in control of the match, the Reggae Bozy added to the second half misery for the home team when Burke scored in the 120th.

Jamaica will now play Suriname in the group’s final fixture, with the winner of that match advancing to the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the finals of the CFU tournament.

Meanwhile, Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars Jamaal Shabazz has called it a day with regards to coaching the national team after a hot and cold period of approximately 10 years. The highlight of the Trinidadian career in charge of the Guyana team came against the Soca Warriors

of Trinidad and Tobago on November 11, 2011 (11-1111) when Guyana prevailed 2-1 which coincided with the best ever world ranking for the Guyanese.

Guyana’s Starting XI read: Kai Lyle, Jake Newton, Samuel Cox (captain), Walter Moore, Adrian Butters, Anani Mohammed, Brandon Beresford, Trayon Bobb, Daniel Wilson, Warren Creavelle, Anthony Abrams.

Substitutes: Quincy Adams, Dwight Peters, Marcel Barrington, Cash London, Vurlon Mills, Andrew Nestor.

Jamaica’s Starting XI read: Andre Blake, Rosario Harriott, Damion Lowe, Dicoy Williams, Dwayne Ambursely, Kemar Lawrence, Oneil Fisher, Shaun Francis, JeVaughn Watson (captain), Michael Binns, Cory Burke.

Substitutes: Ladale Rictchie, Omar Holness, Ewan Grandison, Allan Ottey, Dino Williams, Owayne Gordon, Ryan Thompson

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016

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

Scotiabank Men’s Caribbean Cup…

Reggae Boyz end Jaguars’ Gold Cup dream

– Shabazz walks!

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