Guyanese students in China donate to Shaheed’s Girls Orphanage Code of Conduct for minibus operators approved …no more loud music, inappropriate attire
Labourer busted with over 600g ganja
Student nurse arrested for throwing hot water on woman No arrests in Diamond Secondary School fire – Police Guyana featured in National Geographic Traveller’s "Cool List 2019" …court has
saturdaY, JanuarY 5, 2019 | guYanatimesgY.com
Armed bandits invaded a Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) residence just after midnight on Friday, carting off millions of dollars in valuables after ransacking the house and terrorising family members for over three hours.
Reports are the incident occurred just about midnight at Lot 536 Charles Street, Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home.
Home owner Imlawattie Pokhar told Guyana Times that she, along with her husband, two sons and granddaughter were at home at the time of the robbery. She said that she was awakened by three armed men, who gained entry into the upper flat of the two-storied building, by using a ladder to access a window leading to her bedroom.
“Them put a ladder from the bedroom window and they come in the house. I lately build the house, so no grill or anything yet,” she stated.
Upon entering, the distraught woman noted, one of
the gunmen fired a shot and started demanding cash and other valuables.
Her husband, Lilman Pokhar was assaulted and thrown to the ground while she scampered towards her wardrobe to hand over the valuables.
“When them come in, them fire a bullet. After that, them lash my husband and throw he down. Them tell me that they want the money and jewellery. I go in the wardrobe and give them some what I had,” she related.
Dissatisfied with their booty, the men then beat her sons, binding their hands with duct tape and slashing
the feet with razor blades. She too was beaten and forced to lie on the ground.
“Them said that ain’t sufficient so that’s when them start beating my sons. Them used duct tape and wrap my sons them hand at the back and mouth. They slice the back of them foot with razor blade and start torture me and lash me with the gun to my head and elbow.”
The entire house was ransacked, and the suspects escaped through the front door with $900,000, a quantity of jewellery, cellular phones, clothes, three haversacks and four bags containing other articles.
“We had about $900,000 home to paint the house. We had some jewellery. In the four bag, they carry some of my husband clothes and whatever they see when they search the house. The four bags they had in them hand and three haversacks on them back. Over three hours they went torturing we,” she explained. This publication understands that the family recently moved to the area. After the gunmen left, family members were taken to the hospital by neighbours. The Police have since launched a probe. No arrest has been made.
A29-year-old labourer of Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was busted by Police with over 600 grams of cannabis in his possession.
According to Police, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) acting on intelligence swooped down on the man’s Old Iron Squatting Area, Enmore residence about 14:45h on Thursday and conducted a search, un-
earthing the marijuana. The illicit drug was weighted and amounted to 675 grams. The suspect is being processed for court.
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Saturday, January 5 – a night retraction from 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Sunday, January 6 –05:30h-07:00h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Saturday, January 5 – 16:05h-17:35h and Sunday, January 6 – 16:40h-18:10h.
Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily
has no jurisdiction to extend Constitution’s 90day election provision – PPP
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has made it clear that the Judiciary has no power to extend the 90day deadline for holding elections after a no-confidence vote that is mandated by the Constitution of Guyana.
This is even as a court case was filed on Friday by a private citizen, Compton Herbert Reid, seeking to reverse the Government’s loss of the no-confidence vote on December 21, 2018, on the basis that parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud was not qualified to be elected to the National Assembly because of his Canadian citizenship. Reid is also seeking an extension of the constitutionally required 90day deadline for elections. According to the PPP in a statement on Friday, the Party will be joining the proceedings in order to defend Guyana’s democracy.
“Having failed to persuade the Speaker of the National Assembly to reverse his ruling on the No-confidence Motion and thereby violate the Constitution of Guyana, the coalition Government has now moved to the Judiciary to get the Judiciary to do likewise, in their desperate attempt to hold onto the reins of Government,” the Party stated.
“The Judiciary has no jurisdiction to violate or extend any timeframe prescribed by the Constitution, since the Constitution is supreme and the Judiciary is subject to the Constitution, not vice versa,” the Party added.
Citing the arguments contained in the fixed date application, the Party observed that the case largely rests on whether now expelled Alliance For Change (AFC) Parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud was
qualified to be elected to the National Assembly because of his Canadian citizenship.
“We must point out that it is the very A Partnership for National Unity/AFC who placed Charrandas Persaud in the National Assembly in the first place and relied on his vote for the past three years. Now this self-serving bunch is prepared to put the entire nation into chaos and do untold damage to our national interest by invalidating everything done and every law passed in the Parliament, since 2015.”
“Fortunately, the Constitution makes provisions for such eventualities and deficiencies of these types cannot invalidate proceedings, in which a member so affected, may have participated,” the PPP statement added.
The Party cited Article 165(2) of the Constitution, which states: “The Assembly may act notwithstanding any vacancy in its mem-
bership (including any vacancy not filled when the Assembly first meets after the commencement of this Constitution or after any dissolution of Parliament) and the presence or participation of any person not entitled to be present at or to participate in the proceedings of the Assembly shall not invalidate those proceedings.”
“The legal proceeding filed is, therefore, frivolous and is simply intended to be used by the coalition Government as a lifeline to remain unlawfully and unconstitutionally in office. We expect that this matter would be heard on a day-today basis.”
“Needless to say, we will join the proceedings and we ask other interested parties, who wish to take an active
part in the protection of our Constitution and democracy to do likewise,” the Party added in its statement.
The writ In a section of the affidavit, submitted to the High Court, it is stated that an application is being made for a declaration from the court that Persaud is not qualified as a member of the National Assembly.
According to the document filed, Persaud “…by virtue of his own act and acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience and adherence to a foreign power to wit, the Sovereign State of Canada, in contravention of Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Guyana”.
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In a matter of less than three months, Guyanese are expected to be heading to the polls to vote for a political party that will form the Government that they believe will push for the kind of development they wish to see. Citizens will also make their decision on the basis on which political party will more than likely follow the necessary principles and practices in keeping with transparent and accountable governance.
But of course, we all know by now that holding elections in such a time is dependent on whether the coalition Government would abide by the provisions in the Constitution, following its defeat in the recent no-confidence vote. It was stated before, and we repeat for emphasis sake; the Constitution is clear as to the actions that must be followed after a no-confidence vote: Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”
With the Government’s defeat, the next steps in clause 7 of Article 106 goes on to state that “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution be supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”
The Government had initially accepted the motion, now turned resolution, but subsequently shifted its position with Attorney General Basil Williams having declared that the Administration intends to mount a legal challenge. On Friday, the case was filed by a private citizen on the ground that former MP Charrandas Persaud dual citizenship disqualifies his ability to vote.
The Speaker had refused a request by the Government to reverse his ruling on the no-confidence vote, saying he would leave it to the courts to make a “full, final and complete settlement” on the contentious issued raised.
The President and the Leader of the Opposition are expected to meet next week for dialogue and to determine the way forward taking into consideration that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Administration has lost the confidence of the majority of the people’s representative in Parliament.
The APNU/AFC Government has stated on numerous occasions before that it is proud of its accomplishments over the past three years. They had provided a long list of ‘achievements’ and boasted about not being afraid to face the electorate again. However, based on its recent actions, it is clear that the coalition Government is using all avenues; including the courts, to stall the process and to buy time.
One would think that if the Government is confident that it has performed creditably since it took the reins of political power, it would be anxious to go to the polls. Any Government that is confident of the way it has performed would call elections to get a renewed mandate from the electorate; more so considering the fact that one of its own members has expressed a loss of confidence in the way the Administration governs.
That said, once a date is set for national elections; the nation could expect fierce competition between the political parties as the stakes are high considering oil is expected to start flowing in 2020. Given the many concerns being raised with respect to the management of the oil sector, the new Government will be expected to take urgent measures to ensure that the revenues which accrue from the sector will not be squandered but, will be used towards building human and institutional capacity, addressing our poor infrastructure and providing economic security for future generations.
Of interest also is that quite a large number of young people would have attained the required age to vote, which would likely to result in the percentage of first-time voters to be significantly high. We should point out that in the last LGE and even the two previous General Elections, quite a number of eligible voters, among them young people, did not turn up on Polling Day to cast their ballots, and while we can only assume their reasons for doing so, no doubt some of them would have been “turned off” by the kind of politics that is practiced here.
Considering the events over the past two weeks, we believe that it is in the nation’s best interest if the country were to proceed with preparing for new elections and allow citizens to elect a Government of their choice. Let the people decide!
The US does not believe the official Saudi version of the murder of the Washington Post columnist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi is credible, a senior administration official has said.
The official was speaking to the press before the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, embarks next week on an tour of eight Arab capitals, seeking to shore up support for US policy, and to reassure allies that the US is not abandoning the region despite Donald Trump’s order for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.
In Riyadh, Pompeo will talk to the Saudi leadership about the Khashoggi murder and the war in Yemen, urging support for the peace process begun in Stockholm last month.
The Saudi authorities have charged 12 men for the killing on 2 October in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate. Five of the defendants face the death penalty if convicted.
“The Saudis should have a credible narrative of what happens in the consulate and afterwards,” the senior official said. “I don’t
think from our point of view, the narrative emerging from the Saudis or the legal process there has yet hit that threshold of credibility and accountability.”
He added: “We have continued to work this issue with the Saudis, underscoring that it’s in their interest to pursue this as aggressively as they can to get this albatross off their backs and to get out from under the shadow of this incident which has caused such an outcry.”
The CIA has assessed that the killing was ordered by the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, a conclusion endorsed by the US Senate, but Trump and
his senior officials, including Pompeo, have continued to insist the evidence against the prince, a key partner in the administration’s Middle East policy, is inconclusive.
A spokeswoman for the UN’s top human rights official, Michelle Bachelet, said that the trial in Riyadh does not meet the requirements of an independent and international enquiry.
“We, as you know, have been pressing for justice in the Khashoggi case for months now. We have been calling for an investigation, an independent investigation, with international involvement, and
this has not happened yet,” the spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, said on Friday.
Pompeo’s tour of the region will also include stops in Jordan, Egypt (where he will make a speech on US policy), Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.
Another senior official briefing the press before the trip, said that the secretary of state aimed to debunk a “false narrative” that the US was leaving the region, in the wake of Trump’s order for the withdrawal of an estimated 2000 US troops in Syria. He said there was no timeline for the withdraw and that it would be “heavily coordinated” with US allies in the region so as not to let up pressure on Isis, or leave a vacuum in areas of northern and southern Syria where US troops have been operating.
Asked about reports of plans to raise an Arab force to take over from US troops, the official said that the US is “exploring a variety of options ... but we don’t have any plans right now to facilitate Arab forces going into Syria”. (The Guardian)
Dear Editor,
The Government in Action column titled “GuySuCo and Sugar creating a viable future” which appeared in the December 30, 2018 Guyana Chronicle spent an inordinate amount of time in seeking to convince readers that the Administration’s actions regarding the sugar industry were correct. For the thousands of Guyanese who have been affected by the callous, immoral actions of the Administration, no amount of placating can really erase the pain, trials and tribulations that they have to now face up to.
The column begins by invoking the industry’s indebtedness. It seems the Government has employed the trick whereby it seeks to repeat a fallacy with the hope that it be accepted as reality. Our Union, on several occasions, has pointed out that, using figures at our disposal, that industry’s immediately payable debt is really around $13B, and if sums owing to the GRA are written off – as has been done for other enterprises – debt would decline to just over $7B.
The Government points to the opportunity cost of its investment in sugar, lamenting more monies could have been invested in other areas of the State. While the Government seems to decry its support to the industry, it seems not to recall that it was sugar that provided billions to the Treasury by way of levy that supported the nation in perilous times; that billions more were earned by taxes (direct and indirect); that scores
of low-lying coastal villages benefit from its drainage and irrigation services; that thousands of Guyanese have a skill through the GuySuCo Training Centre; that the nation’s health care was augmented by the industry’s dispensaries, and that many Guyanese enjoy the industry’s recreational facilities that saw some rising to the highest ranks of international cricket. We recall Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, speaking at the GAWU Conference on September 04, 2018, where he shared that he himself benefitted from sugar’s contribution to his community.
Today, what is the opportunity cost of not investing in sugar? Thousands of unemployed Guyanese, depressed communities, higher incidences of criminality and other anti-social behavior, more broken homes and families being split-up, among so many other challenges. While not wanting to invest in sugar, the Administration is now forced to spend just for drainage in the closed estate areas, a billion dollars more apart from monies that will have to be found to address the other difficulties that will arise.
The column also says that Guyana received from the European Union (EU) $348.5B to support to the local industry. This is yet another falsehood.
The public is told that GuySuCo had estimated that it would have required $17B per year for an unnamed four-year period to keep the industry fully operable. This
is again, in our view, another attempt to fudge the truth. The Corporation had told GAWU, NAACIE and the GLU at a meeting on September 29, 2016, that it required $10B and not $17B as the column, obviously incorrectly, conveys. But, according to the column, the Government could not use 3 per cent of the 2019 Budget to keep thousands of Guyanese gainfully employed. Moreover, through the consumption of workers and their families, as GAWU pointed out previously, some $100B in economic activity would have been generated. In other words, the Government, through taxes, would have recouped its investment and the economy would have been even more robust.
The Administration then praises itself for the consultations which it held with the sugar unions and the political opposition. On this matter, the GAWU wishes to point out that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) opined that “[i]n a matter of such national importance impacting such large number of workers the process could have been more extensive and more responsive to the concerns of the Applicants [GAWU and NAACIE]”. The Justices opined that “[n]otwithstading the absence of a statutory obligation the Respondents ought to have given a considered response (whether written or oral) to the GAWU’s proposals explaining why they were not adopted”. It is hardly something that the Government
should pat itself on the back for.
The column next speaks about the January, 2018 engagement between the Government, GAWU and NAACIE. While the unions, in good faith, committed to working in the interest of the industry and more so the workers, since the inaugural meeting, now nearly a year ago, we have not heard from the Granger Government. Undoubtedly, it allows a little doubt as to the Administration’s ‘concern’ about the now jobless sugar workers.
The Administration also takes, perplexingly, kudos for providing monies to offset severance payments to the workers making it seem that the process was smooth and without difficulty. But as the public well knows, it was anything but that. The Administration, in the first place, did not budget for the severance payments and then, contrary to the law, proceeded to withhold half of the payments to some workers. This forced our Union to approach the Courts which agreed the workers were wronged and awarded interests to them. Similarly, at Wales, the Government and GuySuCo denied severance pay to some 350 cane cutters in spite of the clarity of the law. It required again the Judiciary to intervene and right the wrong being committed against the beleaguered ex-workers.
The column also speaks about training opportunities and loans available through Government schemes. On
Dear Editor, All fair and just-minded Guyanese knew that the Speaker would uphold the vote for the no-confidence motion against the coalition Government since it was legally and constitutionally valid. The Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland has made it clear that there is no ‘strong compelling grounds’ for him to reverse his decision. In other words, he did not accept Attorney General Basil Williams’ argument that 34 votes constituted a majority to uphold a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly. It is an accepted fact that the coalition was ruling with a one vote majority but Williams wanted the Speaker to disregard it! The other submissions of dual citizenship and allegations of bribery were not relevant to his decision, a majority of the members voted in favor of the no-confidence motion and that is relevant.
The only way forward as far as Guyanese are concerned is for the Government to stop living in denial and give legal effect the Constitutional provisions clearly outlined in Article 106 subsections (6) and (7). The coalition Government must resign and hold elec-
tions within 90 days and this must be so notwithstanding the court action now being proposed by Basil Williams in a deliberate effort to stall the calling of elections. The Constitutional provisions are clear and there is no legal authority to prolong the stipulated 90 days unless such extension is agreed upon by a two-third majority of the House. I am sure that Hughes and Williams will not be able to suggest another version of what constitutes a two-third majority!
The date December 21, 2018, will leave its indelible mark in the annals of this country as the date when the single most powerful statement was ever made in the National Assembly in the face of the failure of a Government to live up to its campaign promises but instead became inundated in mismanagement and corruption. This profound message will forever be etched in the psyche of our politicians that indeed the people can continue to speak through its elected representatives and that is exactly what happened in former MP Charrandas’ case. Why would a political party expel a member because he listens to the voice of his con-
stituency? Then recall and replace him in the National Assembly?
Moreover, Charrandas did not ‘defect’ to the PPP, all he did was vote according to the dictates of his conscience and if the e-mail of the leader of the AFC is placed into context, it will be seen that the statements made by Charrandas intricately supports the call made to members by the AFC Leader Mr Raphael Trotman. He had wanted to use the 2019 Budget as leverage to get the APNU to accede to the demands of the AFC but since he ‘chickened’ out, it was up to Charrandas to do the honor, which he did! It must be recalled that the AFC’s many attempts to get APNU to revise the Cummingsburg Accord have failed and Granger had stipulated that the Accord will not be renewed until 2020 Elections. In the meantime, the APNU continued to replace the AFC membersDr Ramayya was replaced with Kim Stephens and Charrandas was replaced with Barbara Pilgrim - both APNU members! This again supports Trotman’s email and Charrandas’s statements.
Would anyone have
this score, we hasten to ask how many redundant workers have really benefitted? How many with their training have been able to get a job? How many have opened businesses? While indeed there may be a few, the reality is, however, that a large number of workers remain right there on the breadline, looking for the soft landing the President promised. Today, they remain caught between a rock and a hard place not knowing where next to turn, what new challenges tomor-
row will bring and how they will put food on their tables or to send their children to school, among life’s other basic needs. Today, no amount of propaganda can give the Government the positive spin it so desperately wants. Thousands have been indelibly scarred and entire communities have been thrown into disarray.
Yours faithfully,
Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU
Dear Editor, In May 2015 the APNU/ AFC coalition was ushered into power on a wave of optimism and goodwill. In a short three and a half years, all that optimism and goodwill has dissipated. They are now a fallen Government courtesy of the No-Confidence vote won by the PPP/C on December 21, 2018.
tionality of Persaud. All in an effort to delay the inevitable. To all the supporters of the current Government I would like to ask you one question. Were the situation reversed, with the PPP/C in power and lost a no-confidence vote with the margin, would you have accepted them not resigning?
thought just over a month after the Local Government Elections on November 12 that the coalition Government would have fallen? Even when the no-confidence motion was filed by Dr Jagdeo a few days after no one thought that it would have been successful, but the Leader of the Opposition was very optimistic, given the current state of the economy and the overwhelming win at the LGE. It is now an incontrovertible conclusion that the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Bharat Jagdeo will be remembered as the greatest political tactician and strategist this country has ever seen and that is now accepted even by his political opponents.
The coalition tried their best to keep off the presidency by running as far as the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) but that did not dampen the indomitable spirit of this great statesman, in fact he became stronger. What a legacy to leave behind! The fall of the coalition is enough proof!
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor Region Six
This loss has revealed the true nature of this coalition Government. They are trying all sorts of manoeuvres to remain in power, other than going to the polls as the Constitution dictates. The Constitution is clear on what is required after a successful no-confidence motion. Government operatives are fighting this requirement on several fronts, there is the conspiracy theory, of Mr Charrandas Persaud being bribed by the PPP to vote yes, next there is the creative Mathematics of somehow 33 not being greater than 32, and they are even questioning the na-
I know if you are honest with yourselves the answer would be no.
Members of the Government like to pontificate that Jagdeo wants power to have access to the anticipated oil wealth. I wonder now who it is that is that is behaving like they need access to that oil wealth come what may. The evidence is there for all of us to see.
I call upon the Government to act in a responsible manner and let us go to the polls, and let the will of the people be honoured.
Regards,
Todd A Morgan
By Dona Matthews, PhD
About 10 per cent of children are born with difficult temperaments.
Each difficult child is unique, but difficult children, by definition, are strong-willed, intense, irritable, negative, demanding, and fussy. They cry a lot, and their cry can be a loud, piercing wail. They tend to have irregular sleeping and eating habits, and they don’t usually react well to new experiences or changes in their routines. The innate factors that lead to that behaviour don’t change with time.
Other babies are born calm and relatively easy to soothe. They’re generally positive in their moods and emotions and regular in their sleeping and eating patterns. Those with easy temperaments (about 40 per cent of people) tend to welcome new experiences and adapt reasonably well to changes in routine. As long as easy children have the basics of good nutrition, lots of love, enough sleep and stimulation, and outdoor exercise, they almost grow themselves up. Most parents find it a lot easier to parent an easy child than one who has a difficult temperament.
Temperament is innate and permanent, but that doesn’t mean that parenting doesn’t make a big difference in what happens next. It does. How difficult children are parented makes a world of difference in the eventual outcome.
What is temperament?
like a birthday party, very differently than a child who is happy to jump right in.
Parents aren’t responsible for their child’s temperament, but they can make a big difference in the extent to which a difficult temperament becomes a strength or a liability.
What can you do about your difficult child?
Try a spirited spin. Notice the difficult factors – you can’t avoid them! – but try to think of them as evidence of your child’s spirited nature. Thinking of your child
is that they experience unconditional positive regard, bathed in your affection and warmth.
Choose your battles. Say “Yes!” whenever possible, putting a positive spin on any suggestions or reprimands you feel you must make. “Yes! You can have a cookie. As soon as dinner is over,” instead of “No, you cannot have a cookie. Eat your dinner, now!” Same answer, but a totally different spin and feeling and almost certainly a totally different response from your spirited child.
Temperament is a psychological term that incorporates a person’s innate activity level, regularity of basic functions, initial approach to new situations, adaptability, emotional sensitivity, intensity, mood, attention span, distractibility, and the amount of stimulation required for a response. Temperament is the result of genetic factors and is nobody’s fault or responsibility. It is powerfully important in a person’s personality and life experience. A child who needs time to feel comfortable, for example, experiences new situations,
than difficult, impossible, dreadful, or bad – can help you find a way to focus on their strengths, rather than all the challenges of raising them. When you think of your difficult child as spirited, you and your child can better see the world of exciting possibilities they contain. A spirited spin on their personality and demands gives you hope, helping you transcend exhaustion, self-doubt, and despair.
Be kind and loving. The more difficult your child – and degree of difficulty happens on a spectrum, like virtually all human factors – the more important it
Work with your child’s temperament Don’t try to change it. Do your best to keep your emphasis on the positive attributes of your child’s approach to the world.
Give them what they need
Spirited children need extra help learning to soothe and calm themselves. Make sure your child has a healthy balance, including good nutrition, enough downtime, lots of outdoor time (especially in natural settings), enough sleep, and plenty of exercise.
Model the behaviour you want to see. If you want your spirited child to be calm, cooperative, and reasonable, make sure that’s how you behave, in spite of all their provocation. Find the balance in your own life that you need in order to be kind, loving, and patient with your spirited child.
Be patient. Remember that everything develops. With time, love, understanding, and patience, even the most spirited child can learn to be kind, cooperative, and dependable. And be patient with yourself, too. It is not easy to raise a spirited child.
The next time you or someone else remarks on how difficult your child is, try saying to yourself and anyone else who is listening, “I prefer to think of them as spirited.” You might also remind yourself that it is the spirited child who – with the right kind of early support, love, and patient guidance – grows into the most interesting, creative, and successful adult.
(psychologytoday.com)
By anne Marie helMenstine, PhD
The baking soda and vinegar volcano is the kitchen equivalent of a volcano. Obviously, it’s not the real thing, but it’s cool all the same! The baking soda volcano is also non-toxic, which adds to its appeal. It is a classic science project which can help kids learn about chemical reactions and what happens when a volcano erupts. This project takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Did you know?
The cool red lava is the result of a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.
In this reaction, carbon dioxide gas is produced, which is also present in real volcanoes.
As the carbon dioxide gas is produced, pressure builds up inside the plastic bottle, until the gas bubbles (thanks to the detergent) out of the ‘volcano’.
Volcano science project materials
6 cups flour
2 cups salt
4 tablespoons cooking oil
warm water
plastic soda bottle
dishwashing detergent
food colouring
vinegar baking dish or another pan
2 tablespoons baking soda
Make the chemical volcano
First, make the ‘cone’ of the baking soda volcano. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (more water may be added if needed).
Stand the soda bottle in the baking pan and mould the dough around it into a volcano shape. Don’t cover the hole or drop dough into it.
Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food colour (can be done before sculpting if you don’t take so long that the water gets cold).
Add six drops of detergent to the bottle contents. The detergent helps trap the bubbles produced by the reaction so you get better lava.
Add two tablespoons baking soda to the liquid.
Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle. Watch out - eruption time!
Experiment with the volcano
While it’s fine for a young investigator to explore a simple model volcano, you’ll want to add the scientific method if you want to make the volcano a better science project. Here are ideas for ways to experiment with a baking soda volcano:
Make a prediction about what happens if you change the amount of baking soda or vinegar. Record and analyse the effect, if any.
Can you think of ways to change the volcano to make the eruption go higher or last longer? This might involve changing the chemicals or the shape of the volcano. It helps to record numerical data, such as the volume of liquid, the height of the “lava”, or duration of the eruption.
Does it affect your volcano if you use a different kind of chemical to colour the volcano? You could use tempera paint powder. Try using tonic water instead of regular water to get a volcano that glows under black light.
What happens if you substitute other acids instead of vinegar or other bases instead of baking soda? Examples of acids include lemon juice or ketchup. Examples of bases include laundry detergent and household ammonia. Use caution if you substitute chemicals because some mixtures can be dangerous and produce hazardous gasses. Don’t experiment with bleach or bathroom cleaners.
Adding a bit of food colouring will result in red-orange lava! Orange seems to work the best. Add some red, yellow, and even purple, for a bright display. (www.thoughtco.com)
…as Commissioner barred from meetings
By Rupadai SeenaRine
Deliberations upon the recommenda-
tions which were formulated by the Commission of Inquiry into City Hall, has led to controversary with the Local Government Commission (LGC) – a body which is tasked with implementing the recommendations.
Guyana Times was told that Commissioner Carol Sooba was asked to recuse herself from one of the sittings which dealt with the recommendation to have her be paid her benefits from City Hall. This publication was told that while Sooba agreed and recused herself from that particular sitting, she was subsequently asked to remove herself from all of the other meetings.
After the CoI report was handed over to the Commission, the LGC was responsible for deciding and implementing the findings. Further, it was for LGC to decide whether criminal charges should be filed
against employees of City Hall who were found culpable of wrongdoings. However, since November, there has been no development as to what is in store for the local organ body and the public was not briefed on the status of the investigation.
When contacted on Friday, Commissioner Carol Sooba related that being a former employee at City Hall, one of the recommendations was that she should be paid her benefits. She confirmed
that she was asked by her fellow Commissioners to recuse herself from a particular meeting where those discussions would be convened.
While noting that the committee was disgruntled about this recommendation, Sooba said she was told afterwards that she cannot sit on the meeting to discuss other matters upon the persistence of the Chairman, Mortimer Mingo and Vice-Chairman, Andrew Garnet. She revealed that she was instructed to remove some of the recommendations from the report as well.
“They would have wanted me to take out things from the report…They told me I would have to recuse myself when they have to discuss my benefits and I said that was fine. That’s good but then the Chairman and Vice Chairman insisted that I should not sit through any meetings for the entire report,” the Commissioner explained.
As tensions continue to brew among the senior officials of the LGC, Sooba af-
With a sharp increase in crimes being reported in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), the region’s Vice Chairman is questioning the motive of Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, since he in not addressing the issue.
Regional Vice Chairman Dennis DeRoop while addressing the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Thursday said murders and robberies have been on the increase over the past six weeks.
He made mention of two persons being killed recently at Bush Lot, Berbice during a robbery. According to DeRoop, there was a power outage in the area during the robbery, but electricity was restored five minutes after the bandits escaped.
“There is perception that there is some collusion between some persons working with the power company and the bandits,” he told the RDC, while making mention of the two other robberies at Tain, three in the Black Bush Polder, a robbery and breaking and entering at Number 46 Village, and another robbery at Number 45 Village.
“There was a robbery there, very early at 6:30pm (18:30h) in the evening. There seems now to be a new pattern. Bandits don’t break in anymore, but they go in very early when you are still outside between 6:30 and 9:00 [21:00h]. Something must be done. I am not seeing any reaction from the Ministry of Public Security with all these crimes. The Minister is not even making a statement. Can you imagine that two persons were killed and nothing
from the Minister?”
DeRoop recalled that historically, when such incidents occur, senior persons from the Police Force and sometimes even the Minister will visit the affected families. With the last four murders in Region Six (New Amsterdam, Philippi and two at Bush Lot) this did not happen, he passionately told the RDC.
“It tells me that there is
no humane feeling from the Minister. He probably don’t care that two lives were lost,” DeRoop said, as he referred to Monday’s robbery at Bush Lot during which two brothers were killed by bandits.
“Otherwise he would have been there and we can see him many weekends driving down the road galivanting the whole place and can’t find the time to share some sympathy. I want to condemn the Minister of Public Security.”
DeRoop said he is of the belief that the recent upsurge in crime warrants more action from the Public Security Ministry.
“We have seen a different pattern of crime escalating in Region Six. I don’t know if after the thrashing they got at the Local Government Elections he lost interest in Region Six; I hope it’s not so…”
“He should resign and let the junior Minister move up. He himself in one of his recent statements said he don’t know what to do.”
firmed that she was constitutionally elected as a Commissioner and should be able to perform her duties without any hindrance or interference.
“I’m a constitutional office-holder. I am a Commissioner. If I recuse myself from my matter, there is no issue on any other matter that I should recuse myself but for some reason, they want me to recuse myself from the entire thing.”
During Friday’s confrontation, there was also a division between Commissioners on whether the she should sit to hear the other matters.
“They put out all the officers from the meeting to have a close-door discussion and there was a division. I’m not recusing myself from the meeting. This is not recusing me. This is you’re putting me out of the meeting. For my rights as Commissioner, I cannot function. They have no authority to put me out of a meeting,” she stated.
One of the first outlines on the list of recommendations
called on the Commission to enforce disciplinary measures against senior staffers of the Town Council with the Town Clerk, Royston King as the chief for gross misconduct.
Criminal charges were recommended for King, since he leased lands which are owned by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
Disciplinary actions also followed for the Acting Town Clerk, Sharon Harry Munroe;
Internal Auditor, Omadeily Newton; City Constable, Andrew Foo; Human Resources Manager, Paula Braithwaite among other officers at City Hall.
Along with the reimbursement of monies to Bourda vendors whose stalls were destroyed, the Commission called for unfixed employees to be placed on the fixed schedule after serving seven years.
Contrarily, for contractors and retirees that are owed, the Government was suggested as the way forward in clearing these debts.
Pending the outcome from the Commission, King was sent on administrative leave on September 21, 2018.
Commencing on September 22, the CoI hosted 15 sittings in which 50 persons testified. The hearings were completed on November 2 and the report was crafted after “herculean” efforts.
Guyana Times was unable to contact LGC Chairman, Mortimer Mingo for a comment on the matter.
saturdaY, JanuarY 5, 2019 | guYanatimesgY.com
Police are still to apprehend the suspect/s involved in the Christmas Eve fire at the Diamond Secondary School which left parts of the building gutted.
at about 02:00h and immediately raised an alarm. With the assistance of public spirited citizens, the fire was contained before firefighters arrived at the scene.
The Education Ministry has since said the fire began in the administrative building which housed the head teacher and deputy head teacher’s offices along with the computer laboratory and the library.
…after no-confidence affirmed
Commander of A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara), Marlon Chapman on Friday confirmed that no one was arrested as investigations are still in progress. “So far, we have no updates, investigations are still ongoing,” Chapman told Guyana Times Fire Prevention Officer of the Guyana Fire Service, Andrew Holder, had announced that an investigation into the fire has concluded that the building was deliberately set alight.
In November 2018, several persons working at the school were under investigation after a large sum of money, which was collected from students for the school’s graduation ceremony, reportedly disappeared.
Guyana Times understands that the money was stored in a secured safe and only a few individuals were granted access.
WReports are the guard stationed at the school noticed flames emanating from the front building in the compound
During the probe of that incident, four teachers were taken into custody and questioned at the Golden Grove Police Station. They were subsequently released on station bail.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Friday placed a 26-yearold Christiansburg, Linden construction worker on a bond to keep the peace after he was freed of charges involving the circulation of pornographic video, assault, and simple larceny.
The first charge against Hadar London
of Christiansburg, detailed that on November 18, 2018 at Queenstown, Georgetown, he circulated obscene cinematography of his reputed wife by means of WhatsApp messenger. Other charges read that on the same date at the same location, he unlawfully assaulted the Virtual Complainant (VC) and
stole her gold chain valued $180,000.
The prosecution’s case contended that on November 18, 2018, the defendant and the VC were involved in a heated argument when London got hold of the VC’s phone and sent the video to the woman’s ex-husband, while in the process choking her and
stealing her jewellery.
However, the VC refused to offer any evidence into the matter and as such, the charges were dismissed
The Chief Magistrate placed London on a bond to keep the peace for 12 months while giving him a stern warning about disseminating such videos over the Internet.
A37-year-old mason of East La Penitence, Georgetown squatting area was on Friday hauled before the courts after he was slapped with multiple charges of robbery with violence.
Collin Hooper appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, who read the charges which stated that on January 1, 2019 at D’Urban Park, Georgetown, he robbed Shane Hackett of $10,000 and at the same time, used personal violence.
Other charges stated that on the same date and location, Hooper also robbed Isaiah Moore of $40,000 and a bag valued $4000; Ronaldo Dhanraj of jewellery valued $49,000; Nikko Devenish of $5000 and Shevon Clarke of two gold chains worth $378,000 and used personal violence during each robbery. Hooper denied the charges. Defence Attorney Clyde Ford, in his bail application, told the court that his client was not a flight risk.
Meanwhile, Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh made no objections to bail. He was released on $100,000 bail and the case was adjourned to February 8, 2018. As a condition for bail, he is required to report to the East La Penitence Police Station until the completion of the case.
Aman accused of stealing $500,000 from a woman on Water Street, Georgetown was released on $50,000 bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Titus Eastman, 24, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and denied that on January 4, 2019 at Water Street, he stole $500,000, property of Alisha Hinson.
Eastman was represented by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, who, in a bail application, said there was no evidence to prove that his client stole the cash, which was payment in relation to the purchase of a car.
Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh did not object to bail. The case will continue on January 11, 2018.
hat to do now that the Speaker has refused to reverse his ruling that 33 votes constitute a majority in a 65-member Assembly – and as such, the PPP’s no-confidence motion was carried? As the Speaker affirmed, the Constitution provides the guiding light – and it’s a very bright light. While he suggested that the Government may go to the courts if they disagreed with his ruling – in the meantime, the Government has to do what the Constitution says until the court says otherwise.
And what does the Constitution say? Article 106 (6) demands the CABINET resign immediately and schedule elections within 90 days but 106 (7) says the GOVERNMENT will continue until the results of the elections are in. Is there a contradiction here? No!! The Cabinet is the President and the Ministers, but the Government includes the National Assembly, where the Ministers are all present as MPs. In your Eyewitness’s view – which he proffered the moment the Charrandas yes-vote was cast – it’s up to the two parties in Parliament to run the country’s affairs, since there’s no Cabinet.
For sure, the APNU/AFC MPs can’t go on as if the Noconfidence Motion didn’t become a BINDING resolution!! That would make a mockery of Article 106 (6)! But that’s exactly what the PNC and its handmaiden the AFC intends to do – as was evidenced immediately after the Speaker reaffirmed his no-confidence ruling! They rushed through the “Natural Resources Fund Bill 2018” – to which the word “controversial” sticks like a cheap suit – since the Opposition and a host of commentators, including the President’s previous Energy Advisor, Jan Mangal, raised trenchant objections.
Now this Bill caters for funds from oil production which starts in 2020 and is thus the most significant piece of legislation which absolutely demands its widest acceptance. As it is, the “Public Accountability Oversight Committee” –as catered for in the Bill – will be the Finance Minister’s boy toy. The decision by the President to schedule a meeting with the Opposition Leader on January 9 is a welcome sign but your Eyewitness hopes it isn’t a replica of the fiveminute one where Granger simply informed Jagdeo of his unilateral choice of Patterson as his GECOM chair.
The Speaker, to his credit, implicitly chastised the Government MPs when he told them he’d assumed consultations on the way forward between them and the Opposition would’ve already taken place to steer the ship of State in the present unchartered waters. Unfortunately, because the President was away, his mice preferred to play (hardball) – to the detriment of Guyana.
Let’s hope the President reins them in and includes the Opposition in Governance till the elections are over!!
The AFC is in a fix because Charrandas Persaud’s “mout’ open and story jump out” when he released an email issued by party leader Raphael Trotman the day before the LGE!! Said the man who’d negotiated his private “Nassau Accord” with Granger: “…without knowing the results of the LGE, I believe we know enough to say the AFC has undoubtedly received a “bounce” from this campaign,” And that the “PNC was weakened” so they could make demands on it!!
Well…the AFC received a “bounce” all right in the LGE
they were bounced out of the credibility sweepstakes to make demands on the PNC. They were revealed to be a four per cent party – from their high of 11 per cent and shrinking fast!! They now have to explain to the PNCites –who’d bitterly resented the 40 per cent of Cabinet they’d been given after 2015 – why they should be even given the time of the day!!
Especially since it was an AFCite who brought them down!!
…for the coalition
Anticipating the Speakers’ refusal to reverse his ruling, there wasn’t a single AFC yellow shirt among the wall of APNU green in front of Parliament. Scared sh*tless of being beaten to a pulp!!
They might’ve been placated, however, when old-line PNCite Barbara Pilgrim replaced AFC’s Charrandas Persaud.
The much-anticipated code of conduct for minibus operators has finally been approved by both the Business Ministry and the United Minibus Union (UMU).
This was revealed by the Business Ministry on its a Facebook page on Friday.
The document which will seek to guide and monitor the behaviour of such operators is mandatory and takes immediate effect.
Among the areas which will be addressed is the operators’ mode of dress, language and behavior. This means that operators will not be allowed to wear inappropriate clothing thereby exposing themselves, use indecent language or treat passengers in a hostile manner.
In fact, operators will now be mandated to wear a uniform, along with an identification badge, which should include the name of the organisation of association.
Operators will also be expected to help the elderly, if needed, and not force them to hurry and be seated, while at the same time treat foreigners who speak different languages in a respectable and hospitable
manner. The code of conduct also states that persons belonging to vulnerable groups such as children and the differently abled are to be treated with care.
The new document will also prohibit minibus drivers from making stops, except at bus stops. They will also be expected to play their music at comfortable levels for their passengers and not have derogative images or words on the interior or exterior of their buses. The code of conduct also reinforces other laws, with regards to overloading and others.
The fare structures, according to the code of conduct must be visible to passengers.
Passengers are now being asked to contact the Guyana Police Force, should the code of conduct be violated by these operators.
The importance of having a standard code of conduct set for those operators — since the system is currently “out of control” — was reiterated by the President of the UMU, Eon Andrews during a previous interview.
Andrews pointed out that as promised, the UMU
had meetings with representatives of the various bus routes, and according to him, they all endorsed the draft Code of Conduct.
He had said that the Code of Conduct was extremely vital, especially with the potentially lucrative oil and gas sector expected to come on stream next year.
He explained that the sector would reel in tourists and other important persons who would, at some time, have need to use public transportation, whose operators are presently unprepared to be the ambassadors they ought to be.
The UMU had initially announced plans to establish a Code of Conduct for Bus Drivers back in August 2018 when plans were revealed to increase minibus fares by $20 for 10 operating routes.
The announcement to set a standard code of conduct for public transportation operators was well received by passengers, as far too many commuters would have vented their anger on social media at the ruthless behaviour of drivers in the different routes.
Reid, the private citizen who filed the legal challenge is arguing that the former MP’s vote was null and void, noting that, “There were only 32 valid votes of ‘yes’ in favour of the motion of no-confidence and 32 against”.
Prominent Attorney Rex McKay filed the challenge on behalf of Reid while the respondents are listed as Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, Charrandas Persaud and Attorney General Basil Williams. Reid in his affidavit is asking the court to, among other things; grant a court order that will allow the coalition Government to remain in office until the hearing and determination of the case.
On December 21, 2018, the No-confidence Motion brought by the parliamentary Opposition – the PPP/Civic – against the Government succeeded when Persaud, a former AFC Member of Parliament, broke rank and made a conscience vote in favour of the motion.
With the Government’s
defeat, the Constitution of Guyana is clear about the next steps. Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”
Meanwhile, clause 7 goes on to state that, “Notwithstanding its de-
From page 3
feat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”
The Capital Gains Tax Amendment Bill was passed on Thursday in the National Assembly, as Government continued its legislative agenda despite the absence of the parliamentary Opposition from the proceedings.
The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic has since stated that now that the no-confidence resolution has been passed, all sittings of the National Assembly for usual business is unconstitutional. However, at the sitting on Thursday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan focused on the benefits of the amendments. According to Jordan, there is a need for Government to encourage more persons to acquire houses. He noted that there is a housing deficit in Guyana; a case of too many people and too little housing.
“Section 2(c) of the amendments we are proposing is a relief such that if you sold your house and you reinvested the proceeds within that year in a house that cost similar or more than the value you got when you sold the house, you would be extended from payment of capital gains tax.”
“In other words, if you got a house for $3 million and you sold it for $4 million, you would be liable for capital gains on the $1 million or 20 per cent. However, if you immediately reinvested the $4 million in a house that cost $4 million and above, you would be exempted from paying capital gains tax, saving you an extra $200,000.”
According to Jordan, this
provision is especially applicable for persons who sell their homes with the intention of buying another one.
The Finance Minister cited young professionals as an example.
“You know, as a young professional, you start off with a little (house) and as you rise in your profession and you gain more income, you want to buy something new, something larger and you may want to move into a more exclusive area.”
“So we need to have incentives recognising such professionals and recognising such people who want to move up and this particular aspect of the Capital Gains Tax Act will allow them to do so.”
Besides amendments to the Capital Gains Act, the Property Tax Amendment Bill was also passed on Thursday. This will increase the threshold for individuals to file a return, from net property of $1.5 million to $40 million.
In addition, the same threshold will also apply for
companies. It is likely that the amount of applicable taxes will be impacted by the countrywide property evaluations that Government has initiated.
During the 2019 Budget debates, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had zeroed in on the amendments to the Capital Gains Tax. He had noted that the changes were not as benign as they seemed.
“A lot of my colleagues got excited about the Capital Gains Tax; if you reinvest your capital gains within six months at another property, you don’t have to pay; but they did not realise the Minister took away the ownership exemption they had — that if you own something for 25 years, you are not capital gains exempt.”
“All the older folks who own their buildings across Guyana would not have had to pay capital gains if they sold their property. They now have to pay capital gains,” the Opposition Leader explained.
saturdaY, JanuarY 5, 2019 | guYanatimesgY.com
Junior Public Health Minister, Karen Cummings on Friday disclosed that there has been an increase in the number of complaints from hospitals across the country when compared to three years ago.
She was at the time addressing concerns raised about the shortage of medicines and pharmaceuticals supplies at hospitals along the West Coast of Demerara. According to her, provisions were made by establishing a procurement office to supply hospitals but Guyana’s disadvantage lies in the fact that it is a third world country.
“This is a time where we’ve been hearing more complaints since we’ve come into office, even though we have set up a procurement
The West Demerara Regional Hospital
office and a last-mile so that the drugs can go to the last possible outpost,” said the Minister.
She noted that medicines reach Guyana after “metropolitan” countries are supplied. Adding to that, regional officers have sufficient funds, should hospitals request additional drugs.
“We are putting those systems in place. Health is decentralized and the Regions would warrant the money for us to buy in bulk. They keep back some money themselves so that they would buy as the need arises. Guyana buys in small bulk when compared to metropolitan countries so we would have to wait our turn when they would have served the bigger countries.”
Cummings stated that medicinal shortages are also caused because of the lengthy procedures at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) but efforts are in progress to eliminate these setbacks.
“There is a process with the suppliers and it takes many months to go through the tender process and so we have been working assiduously.”
Sources at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) confirmed on Thursday that many individuals, primarily senior citizens were left with no choice but to leave the hospi-
tal without any medication since none was available.
“We have people coming in here and we are having Panadol to give them. Old people who need medications are being turned away because we can tell them what’s wrong but we can’t really help them because they need the drugs,” the medical professional stated.
He explained that this has caused some worry since some rural families depend on public healthcare. Meanwhile, patients shared similar sentiments on Tuesday about other services that are provided by the Leonora Cottage Hospital while hinting that the hospital lacks medical personnel to attend to patients.
In this regard, the junior minister revealed that these matters will be investigated soon.
“We will have to investigate but I know that the region has money to buy. We already had a meeting to see how we can address and improve the services.”
Meanwhile, on Friday it was reported that the telephone service at the Skeldon Hospital, Berbice was disconnected due to the non-payment of bills, forcing the administration to purchase a mobile phone to contact with doctors. It has been three weeks since the telephone service has been disconnected and the Mortuary at is also non-functional.
Administrator of the Hospital, Sherla Scott, questioned the entity responsible for paying the bills. Scott said contractors who did work at the Hospital have to wait for months before they are paid. She noted that the contractor who did work at the institution’s mortuary is still to be paid months later and in now withholding his services.
Apedal cyclist who was struck by an allegedly speeding motorist on New Year’s Day along the Coldingen Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara has succumbed to his injuries on Friday.
Dead is 22-year-old Rodwell Emanuel James, of Lot 1315 Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD, who was seeking medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Based on initial investigations, the now dead man
was attempting to cross the road on his bicycle when a motor car bearing registration number PNN 7862 collided with him.
The driver of the car subsequently lost control and slammed into a nearby utility pole.
Both the driver of the car and the cyclist were taken to the said Hospital in an unconscious state and admitted.
The driver was later discharged and taken into Police custody as investigations continued.
Astudent nurse attached to the Charles Roza School of Nursing in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-
Berbice) was taken into Police custody on Friday, after she threw hot water on another woman.
According to reports, the 20-year-old suspect of Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden, was taken into custody about 15:00h on Friday for injuring 19-year-old Shanyce Bynoe.
Reports are the suspect and her boyfriend were conversing at his home at Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, when Bynoe, who is allegedly also in a relationship with the young man went to his home.
Guyana Times was told that the young man went to speak with the victim and the suspect, who was said to be cooking at the time, became upset. She then took the hot water from the stove and threw it on the victim. The teen was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) and was being treated for second-degree burns to her hands and chest.
E Division (LindenKwakwani) Commander Linden Lord on Friday told this newspaper that Police were in the process of reviewing the medical condition of the victim to determine the way forward. The suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.
Only routine work, bills enabling elections can be passed – Nandlall …says spending of taxpayers’ money on new capital projects, policies “unlawful”
With the passage of several bills during the parliamentary Opposition’s absence of the 112th sitting of the 11th Parliament, a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) frontbencher has made it clear that only certain bills can be passed in the house under current circumstances.
In an interview with Guyana Times, former Attorney General and Opposition parliamentarian Anil Nandlall made it clear that after a Government falls to a no-confidence vote, the current circumstances in question, it cannot be “business as usual.”
“Naturally, Government is expected to provide the basic services of the state to the citizens, which are public security, public health, public utilities, payment of salaries of public servants, etc…”
Besides these basic services, Nandlall made it clear that Government also has to give the highest priority to preparing the electoral machinery, in the form of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for elections within three months.
“Any bills which are necessary to accomplish those objectives ought to be passed. However, the Government will have no authority to
bring in new legislation that are unrelated to those matters to which I made reference,” Nandlall said.
“Government cannot embark on new capital projects and cannot begin implementing new policies; more so, those that cannot be completed in time for elections. Any expenditure of public funds on those types of projects can be regarded as unlawful and may attract criminal liability,” he added.
On Thursday, the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill No 20 of 2018; the Capital Gains (Amendment) Bill; the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill and the Natural Resources Fund of 2018 were all passed in the National Assembly.
While Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr
Barton Scotland called for those in favour and against these bills to speak up, only the ‘I’s from the Government side were heard. That is because the PPP parliamentarians boycotted the sitting on account of its unconstitutionality.
Government status
On December 21, 2018, the No-confidence Motion brought by the parliamentary Opposition against the Government succeeded when Charrandas Persaud, a former AFC Member of Parliament, broke rank and made a conscience vote in favour of the motion.
With the Government’s defeat, the Constitution of Guyana is clear about the next steps. Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states:
“The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”
Meanwhile, clause 7 goes on to state that “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”
Since the passage of the motion on December 21, however, persons aligned with the coalition party have sought to question the motion’s validity even as the vote has already been certified.
In addition, Government has insisted it is going nowhere until elections are held. A court case was filed on Friday, in which an order is being sought to, among other things, delay the elections until the court rules on the matter.
Education Minister Nicolette Henry is urging all students and teachers to be prepared for the reopening of schools and the new term which begins on Monday. In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister Henry expressed that it is important that students be focused and work hard to achieve their goals. She added that this is necessary as they seek to keep climbing the ladder of success in their effort to contribute greatly to the country’s human resource pool.
“The message is consistent, you must ensure you maximise the time in school. The education system stands to provide sup-
port to whatever is needed,” Minister Henry said. She further encouraged students to grab all the opportunities available to them as there is now a better pathway in the school system when compared to the immediate the past.
The Minister also acknowledged the importance of teachers and urged that they keep up the good work.
In her brief visit, Minister Henry went to the St Joseph’s High, Richard Ishmael, Brickdam Secondary and the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School.
The Minister explained the importance of her visits which she noted is to inspect the state of the school’s environs before the country’s young minds return for the new academic term.
“There will be maintenance work to be done from time to time and schools are no exception. What I am looking at here is preparation for the opening. It’s is not the maintenance schedule for 2019,” Minister Henry said. She further explained that the maintenance schedule for 2019 is very long with provisions to execute several works drafted out by the Ministry of Education. The Minister will continue her visits to several other schools around the city over the weekend.
The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) is finalising its submission for another multi-year agreement which is expected to be ready next week.
This is according to the General Secretary of the Union, Coretta McDonald during an interview with Guyana Times on Friday.
She explained that the Union was initially hoping to have that proposal submitted before the end of December 2018, however, because of several reasons, the proposal will be submitted in the new week.
When asked what those reasons were, the General Secretary pointed out that the Union is seeking to have all its members in the country when the document is sent to the Ministry. She also noted the importance of consultation on the figure with teachers and the executive members of the Union.
President of the Union, Mark Lyte was unreachable when this newspaper made contact with him, nonetheless, Lyte in a recent interview, was reluctant to reveal the percentage that the Union is looking forward to in the new agreement.
He only said that the Union will find ways to justify its proposal.
Things went haywire during the last bargaining process between the two parties which left children in empty classrooms as teachers resorted to the
streets, calling for increased salaries.
In fact, it was only last October that the GTU and the Education Ministry came to an agreement with regards to teachers’ salary; an impasse that lasted several weeks.
As the agreement was inked on October 24 for a 12 per cent increase for 2016 and eight per cent for 2018, Lyte said that the Union has learnt its lesson and is looking forward to brokering a better agreement come 2019.
Moreover, the GTU President pointed out that the Union has “learnt so many lessons” and is now better prepared for the next bargaining process with the Education Ministry.
He explained that he be-
lieves the agreement made will better satisfy teachers and their families and even result in classrooms being better serviced.
On the other hand, General Secretary of the GTU, during an exclusive interview with this publication, said she believes the Union should have been more diligent in its doings.
She stated, “As a Union we needed to do a little more work, we needed to be a little more diligent in what we were doing, but it’s a learning experience and come 2019 our teachers, if it’s going to be a three year or a five years agreement, our teachers will see many more benefits coming their way”.
“Those teachers who would have felt neglected over the past years and they weren’t being able to gain access to their benefits I want to say to them rest assure GTU has been there for you, we will continue to be there for you and your benefits are intact,” she added.
A 40 per cent salary increase for public school teachers was initially proposed for the year 2016. Over time, the percentage will be increased for all categories of represented teachers. For the year 2017, the Union was hoping to have bargained for a 45 per cent increase, which would then increase to 50 per cent for the remainder of the years indicated in the agreement (2018-2020).
While not giving the exact figure of the amount of money that has been released for the dredging of the Coomacka River at Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Regional Chairman Renis Morian has said that “millions” was given for the project. In 2017, the community's river suffered severe and intense erosion and at least half of it was rendered impassable. This was added to an already existing situation of intense flooding across the small remote farming community due to heavy rains. The situation had prompted response from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and re-
gional officials who conducted numerous examinations to the affected areas. The Regional Chairman had pointed out that the situation was partly due to the aftereffects of bauxite mining activities conducted in the community years ago. "Some millions have been released this year to start with the dredging of the river. Some of us will remember that the initial cost of the programme was in excess of six hundred million dollars, plus they wanted technical overview on how to deal with it. It's like a hundred years bauxite mining, to clean up all them trucks from up there, chemicals left; you got to find the kind of trees
to grow within the chemicals and a whole lot of studies high over my head. But I know for sure that monies have been allocated this year for that,” Morian said on Thursday.
The Regional Chairman had asserted that the community has always suffered from erosion, an issue triggered by intense rainfall. At the time, the Regional Chairman had indicated that the area lacked maintenance which was not done in over 15 years. He said this eventually led to the situation worsening. An official had also noted that based on assessment, the situation had gotten so out of hand that one could walk across the river.
Police have made some headway in solving the Old Years Night double murder at Bush Lot Corentyne, Berbice. Investigators in Berbice have been able to obtain information from persons who were detained following the killing of two brothers during a robbery on Old Years Night.
Premchand Samaroo, 45, also called “Tully”, a labour-
er and father of two of Bush Lot Farm, was shot at point blank range and his brother Harichand Samaroo, 46, also called “Davo”, a farmer and father of three of Lot 81 Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, was beaten by the bandits and died while receiving medical treatment.
Several persons were arrested as Police launched a probe.
According to a source close to the investigation, three persons have been questioned and Police have been able to get some information as they seek to solve the crime.
Meanwhile, the suspect in the Philippi murder remains in custody.
Guyana Defence Force Lieutenant Mark Begot was killed on Old Year’s Day at his home village when he and another man got into an argument at a bar. Begot was stabbed once.
A post-mortem examination conducted on the body on Thursday gave the cause
of death as shock and haemorrhage due to a perforated lung as a result of a stab wound. The suspect turned himself in on Wednesday in the company of a lawyer and the High Court on Friday granted the Police permission to further detain the suspect without laying charges. On Friday the Police had sought advice from the Director Public Prosecutions on the matter.
The Jamaican Health Ministry has confirmed that there is a dengue fever outbreak in Jamaica.
At an emergency press conference at its New Kingston offices on Thursday, the Ministry said there were 123 cases of dengue fever across the island in December, surpassing the epidemic threshold of 96.
The 123 cases include suspected, presumed and confirmed cases of dengue fever, said Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton.
Tufton also revealed that there were seven suspected dengue-related deaths across the island in 2018. He said two of those cases have been confirmed.
He said the Ministry has activated its emergency operation centre along with other measures to address the issue.
The Health Ministry is reminding that dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease during which the person who becomes ill may get a fever, headache, joint, and muscle pains. To combat symptoms, rest and adequate hydration are usually enough to see one through the period of illness.
According to the Jamaica Observer, Dr Tufton is urging members of the public to consult a medical doctor in the event that they experience dengue-related symptoms.
“If you feel the headache, the fever, the rash, the joint pains, it is important that you see your physician, whether in the public system or your private physician,” Tufton advised at the press conference. He warned against the practice of self-medicating, as this can
pose serious health risks.
Dr Tufton pointed out that with dengue symptoms bearing similarities to those of the flu, it is important for people to get a correct diagnosis from a physician.
“Self-medicating has to be guided. Because it is also the flu season, many persons may determine that symptoms related to headache and fever may be a bout of the flu,” he said.
Rest and adequate hydration are recommended to combat the symptoms and acetaminophen/paracetamol for the treatment of fever.
The Ministry is warning
the public not to use aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen or any of the medications/pain relievers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as these have been known to increase the severity of the disease.
“If you administer aspirin to dengue symptoms, it could aggravate the problem and make the condition worse. To the extent that you are unsure, seek medical advice before you self-medicate. If you want to self-medicate, be absolutely cautious. Avoid taking aspirin,” Dr Tufton said. (Loop News Jamaica and Jamaica Observer)
Members of the GuyanaChina Students’ Association (GCSA), in keeping with their motto ‘Sowing in China, reaping in Guyana,’ made a monetary donation to the Shaheed’s Girls Orphanage.
The donation was part of their first Christmas Community Service Project to help the orphanage recover from the tragic fire on October 20, 2018. The handover of a cheque worth $300,000 took place on Sunday at the Orphanage, in Kitty, Georgetown, where the girls are currently staying.
The 26-member team pooled resources and tapped
into their personal friend circles in both China and Guyana to make it happen, doubling the target. With this act of kindness, it is their deepest hope to be a positive influence to other Guyanese associations and organisations, home and abroad, since they too were inspired by other entities. Even though China may be ten thousand miles away, home is where the heart lies and technology lessens the barriers of time and distance.
Anil Tulsie, Finance Coordinator of the GCSA, at the handing over ceremony stated that “Many may not know what it means to be an orphan nor what it means
to lose their home; we can only begin to imagine what it means to have experienced both in one lifetime.” The Association wishes to thank all of their families, friends and supporters who all contributed to the success of this project.
The Guyana-China Students’ Association is an organisation devoted to the development of Guyana’s greatest resource – its people.
The group is currently focused on building a harmonious community of Guyanese in China working together with those who have returned to Guyana to bring about positive changes.
The Bishop of Roseau, Gabriel Malzaire, has called on “those responsible to move with some alacrity” to deal with the issue of electoral reform as Dominicans get ready to vote in a general election constitutionally due early next year.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church Dominica said that electoral reform seems to be of concern to many in Dominica, especially in recent times.
Last month, the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) staged street demonstrations that the police described as unlawful in support of electoral reform and the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has already written to the Electoral Commission calling for urgent action on the matter.
Bishop Malzaire told the Roman Catholic congregation the issue of electoral reform “is a long-standing issue which is impacting and affecting our society.
“It is imperative therefore that those responsible moves with some alacrity to see that all is put in place for the appearance of free and fair general election which is due this year.
“Brothers and sisters we are duty bound to do all in our power to maintain a just and peaceful society. We must seek as a people to transcend party political interest and work for the good of all citizens in our beloved country”.
The Roman Catholic Bishop said Dominicans must allow themselves to be “guided always by truth and seek justice for all.
The Vector Control Services Unit of the Bartica Regional Hospital caters mainly to malaria patients and other vector related illnesses. For some time, the staff of the unit were operating in a facility cramped for space, in the hospital compound.
Just recently, the area was refurbished at a cost of more than $3 million to alleviate the situation. Also, included in this refurbishment was the addition of equipment, waiting areas, office space and staff workstations.
Regional Health Officer (RHO) of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Dr Edward Sagala, has indicated that this was something pending but eventually completed and welcomed by the staff. It would now be of great benefit to both patients and healthcare personnel in the diagnosis of malaria patients.
“It is an ideal environment for the staff to now work and patients who come in bad conditions. Patients don’t have to be immediately admitted, they can start treatment here,” the RHO is quoted by the Department of Public Information as say-
ing. The purchase and installation of new microscopes among other improvements to the Unit’s internal infrastructure will also allow for microscopic testing for vector-related illnesses and the provision of timely results for further medical interventions.
Additionally, a monitoring and evaluation team is also in place at the Unit to
track cases and gather information regarding the work done by the Unit.
“Most of the work happens in this area, the monitoring and evaluation team is also based here and they schedule visits and travel not only to riverine areas but also areas throughout the region, lower, middle and upper Mazaruni,” Dr Sagala noted.
There have been ten confirmed cases of H1N1 virus or swine flu in the country.
Confirmation came from Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh yesterday during an interview on The Morning Brew.
In giving details about the deadly virus, Deyalsingh admitted that it was not unusual for the ministry to face challenges during the flu season which starts in October and ends post-Carnival, as he urged citizens to get their free vaccines at health centres.
Of the 75,000 H1N1 vaccines available, Deyalsingh said, 14,500 people have been inoculated in the last few weeks.
Once the stock drops to 20,000 vaccines, the ministry reorders. In 2015, there were 29 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus with three deaths.
Though the South West Regional Health Authority had recently reported of treating a few H1N1 patients, Deyalsingh said the overall figure was “ten,” stating that the majority of cases originated in South.
tion.
“We have escaped the death of three pregnant women for this season so far. We have one now who is touch and go...who was not vaccinated.”
When asked if any of the ten patients were critical, Deyalsingh replied: “We’ve had two deaths over the last three seasons which statistically is excellent but is a disaster for those families.”
“It is a priority.”
The minister said the Government also took a decision on Thursday that Carnival bandleaders should inform their foreign masqueraders via its websites to have their H1N1 shots in their home country before coming to our shores.
“Because it is very difficult for somebody flying in to play mas on Carnival Saturday to get vaccinated. It is just not going to happen,” the minister pointed out.
As for the controversial Couva Hospital, Deyalsingh said hoped to have it operational later this year.
“All the parties involved are duty bound to present a viable proposal for good governance for the sake of the common and greater good in our country. Today is no doubt a good day to make appropriate resolutions in that regard,” he added.
“We have had three pregnant women in this flu season who needed ICU support to get over that hump,” he said.
The minister said in the past yearly vaccines were administered to five at-risk categories of people-health care workers, elderly with metabolic diseases, children, those with poor immune system and pregnant women.
However, he said this policy has since changed, as anyone can now access the vaccine free.
Deyalsingh said he has no plans to scrap the Regional Health Authorities in 2019.
General elections were held on December 8, 2014 with the incumbent Dominica Labour Party (DLP) winning 15 of the 21 seats despite losing three seats. (antiguanewsroom.com)
Deyalsingh said two of the women have successfully recovered, while the third is receiving medical atten-
So far, Deyalsingh said, 1,800 vaccines were administered to pregnant women at antenatal clinics.
“What we are doing at the ministry is exerting more oversight on the RHAs and I think that is bearing fruits.”
(T&T Guardian)
Guyana has been featured in the National Geographic Traveller’s ‘The Cool List 2019’.
The article focuses on Guyana’s futuristic cityscapes and modernist architecture to pristine rainforest and rehabilitated wildlife.
In this most recent accolade, Guyana is featured at number 10 on the all-encompassing global list.
“New flights are opening up this undiscovered gem…Guyana’s main prize is Kaieteur Falls. The largest single-drop waterfall in the world is a beauty, cutting its way through the jungle as the Potaro River falls 741 feet before continuing towards the Atlantic,” the article said.
Over the years, Guyana has cemented its position as a leading tourism destination, and has gained international recognition as ‘National Geographic Traveller 2014’s must-see places on planet Earth.
Guyana earned a coveted spot on this exclusive, very short list for the very first time in 2014 and BBC Travel’s ‘Five destinations you should know more about’, among many others.
The recent National Geographic Traveller accolade is further proof of the destination’s vibrancy and its lure with its offerings of raw authentic adventure, stunning scenery and rich culture, unique to Guyana.
The destination features an irresistible combination
of natural beauty, pristine Amazonian rainforests, immense waterfalls, amazing wildlife, blended with a vibrant Indigenous culture, rich heritage and the most hospitable and friendly people in the world.
At the onset of the New Year, Guyana was also featured in The Sunday Times Newspaper (UK) in an article titled ‘The Guianas’ and in an article on how to visit Kaieteur National Park in Travel and Leisure. Earlier in December, the country’s famous St George’s Cathedral was also highlighted in Atlas Obscura –“St George’s Cathedral isn’t all that lofty as churches go, but at 143-feet-tall and made entirely from wood –apart from its foundations – it ranks amongst the tallest wooden churches in the world,” they wrote.
Founded in 2009, Atlas Obscura catalogues unusual and obscure travel destinations, and relies heavily on user generated content. Added to this, the Evening Standard (UK) featured Guyana in an article titled ‘25 of the world’s most magical jungle adventures’ late last year.
State loses lawsuit over $5.75M contract
The State has lost its appeal over a TT$5.75 million contract awarded for the proposed development of the San Fernando Harbour almost two decades ago.
In a judgement delivered on December 21, three appellate judges upheld the decision of High Court Judge Frank Seepersad to force the State to honour the multi-million dollar contract.
Appeal Court Judges Nolan Bereaux, Prakash Moosai and Judith Jones sat on the appeal panel which rejected the State’s appeal.
The case centred around a contract awarded to Trinsalvage Enterprises Limited in 2000. The State contended that the contract was not valid as the then permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works did not have the authority to award contracts valued over $1 mil-lion which fall under the Central Tenders Board.
In his initial judgement in January 2014, Seepersad agreed that the contract was null and void due to the permanent secretary overstepping her remit. However, he still ruled that the company was entitled to payment as the State had been unjustly enriched through the contractual irregularity.
“Although the Permanent Secretary acted ultra vires the provisions of the Central Ten-ders Board Act in entering into the contract with the
claimant, the work that was subse-quently effected over an extended four year period in a public space that would have been under the control and charge of the State of T&T,” Seepersad said. Redevelopment of the area surrounding King’s Wharf in San Fernando had been proposed by several successive governments. Most recently, plans were announced and the first phase of the project com-
menced in 2017. That phase, which is projected to be completed in two years, includes upgrade of the Plaza San Carlos Historical District, reclaiming of 3.8 hectares of land at King’s Wharf and relocation of the Public Transportation Service Corporation’s (PTSC) maintenance facility, as well as squatters occupying land along the for-mer Trinidad Government Railway line.
(T&T Guardian)
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Audley Shaw, says the Government is examining long-term solutions that will place the coffee industry in a better position.
Among the solutions suggested is the reduction of infringements on the Jamaica Blue Mountain and Jamaica High Mountain coffee trademarks on the international scene, as well as locally, through the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA).
It also includes variety monitoring activities to ensure adaptability and disease resistance.
“Variety trials have, so far, been carried out on two farms… one in the Blue Mountain region and the other in the Jamaica High Mountain region.
Approximately 20 varieties are being evaluated with quality evaluations slated to begin shortly,” the minister said.
Shaw's remarks were read by Minister without Portfolio in the Economic Growth and Job Creation Ministry Daryl Vaz, at a press conference to launch Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day and to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), at Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) offices in New Kingston today, January 4.
The MoU, which was signed by JAMPRO, JACRA and the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association, establishes a formal framework to guide a promotional campaign and marketing strategy to support the Jamaica Blue Mountain and Jamaica High Mountain coffees.
To be observed on January 9 between Jamaica and Japan, the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day is being held in recognition of the formidable relationship forged between the two countries since 1953 when Jamaica sent its first shipment of coffee to the
Asian country.
It also marks the day the largest shipment of coffee left the port of Kingston en route to Japan in 1967. Other solutions being examined are the implementation of a coffee nursery policy to guide the way nurseries operate, in order to adequately regulate and monitor varieties that are cultivated; and the establishment of a coffee training institute, aimed at certifying the regulatory cup testers.
“The (nursery) policy is currently in its draft stage and will be completed by the first quarter of the financial year 2019. The regulatory cup testers would lead the way as certified trainers for the industry stakeholders, including coffee shop personnel, coffee makers in hotels and restaurants,” Shaw said. He pointed out that the training institute, which is to be housed at JACRA, will be fully operational by September. (Jamaica Observer)
Three men have been arrested for larceny of heavy oil equipment in the oil production fields of Forest Reserve in Fyzabad.
The arrests came after several incidents of sabotage were reported by Heritage Petroleum which has since beefed up security around T&T’s oil installations.
In a statement on Wednesday, Heritage Petroleum said Amalgamated Security Services Limited officers arrested three men in the Forest Reserve area after being found in possession of the equipment.
At about 22:30h while on mobile patrol, the officers observed a truck carrying 19 electrical motors and one generator. They stopped the vehicle, questioned the driver and its two occupants and examined the contents.
The men could not provide a proper account for the items. The vehicle and its contents were seized and the three men were subsequently arrested and taken to the Fyzabad
police station along with the confiscated items. Police said they were awaiting instructions to charge the men with larceny. Over the past few months, several acts of sabotage and vandalism have been reported at the company.
Two weeks ago Heritage Petroleum reported that one of its pipelines at
CR64 Production Header in Cruze Field, Point Fortin was cut.
A day before, a sub-sea leak developed at Soldado North fields in the Gulf of Paria. While the subsea oil leak was never confirmed to be sabotage, Heritage Petroleum said the three-inch bulk pipeline at Cruze Field, definitely was sab-
otage. The line was visibly hacksawed in several places and stolen, resulting in the spillage of approximately 50 barrels of oil.
On December 28, an upper valve was stolen at well #912 in Palo Seco, resulting in a mist of oil being sprayed onto a remote grassy area with less than three barrels of oil leaked.
In October, several acts of sabotage were reported which triggered a fire at the chemical shed at Central Los Bajos Field in Palo Seco.
On that day, saboteurs removed a bull plug from a two-inch diameter valve on Tank No. 1 and Tank No. 2, causing a quantity of oil and water to flow inside the bunded area.
The saboteurs also interfered with four test tanks bleed valves but luckily the tanks were empty.
Heritage Petroleum reminded the public that trespassing or theft of state or any property was illegal. The Company said, “it will ensure that all of its assets and people are protected.”
(T&T Guardian)
Five of the seven victims killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash were children in a church van, the Florida Highway Patrol said Friday.
The children were believed to range in age from 8 or 9 to teenagers, Lt. Patrick Riordan said at a press conference. The van seemed to be heading to Disney World.
Two adults were also killed in the crash outside Gainesville Thursday afternoon.
The deadly accident involved the church van, two semi-tractor trailers and one midsize vehicle, Riordan said. The trucks and passenger vehicles collided in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75, causing a
massive fire, the Alachua County Fire Rescue said.
It was unclear what caused the accident, though investigators are looking into all possibilities including the drivers’ actions, weather and road quality.
“One life is tragic, and the loss of life period is tragic,” Riordan said. “Unfortunately we had seven people lose their lives.”
Authorities are now focused on notifying the victim’s families. The relationships between those in the church van was not immediately clear.
Troy Roberts, from the Florida Department of Transportation, said it was not clear whether the guard-
rail failed or if it couldn’t handle the impact.
“Guardrails are there to stop as much as they can,” Roberts said. “Unfortunately this case they didn’t.”
He said the transportation department will work overnight to resurface the asphalt and get all three lanes on Interstate 75 open as soon as possible.
Between six to eight people were also injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
It was the worst accident on I-75 in Alachua County since January 2012, when 11 people died in a chain reaction crash attributed to heavy fog and smoke on the roadway, according to The Associated Press. (Daily News)
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday he owns no real estate, vehicles or personal property, echoing what experts say is a pattern among the country’s politicians of shifting assets to relatives.
Lopez Obrador, who took office in December, told a regular news conference his family’s cars and home are in his wife’s name.
The veteran leftist won a landslide victory in July after a campaign centered on rooting out corruption in Mexico, which experts say is among the worst in
Latin America. Heg cuts an austere figure, ditching the presidential residence, flying coach and driving a white Volkswagen Jetta.
Transparency advocates welcome Lopez Obrador’s disclosure after battling to get members of his predecessor Enrique Pena Nieto’s administration to open up about their finances, said Alexandra Zapata of the Mexican Institution for Competitiveness (IMCO), a think-tank that promotes good governance and fighting corruption. But his declaration raised as many questions
Seven people were killed during a boat accident last Friday morning on the Coppename River, authorities in Suriname confirmed. The fatalities could increase since a woman and two children are still missing.
According to survivors, there were about 30 people in the vessel, including a number of children. They were residents from the indigenous village Corneliskondre. The party had left the village around midnight with the fishing village Boskamp
as final destination. Around 2 o’clock in the morning, fate struck near Kalebaskreek, another Indigenous village.
Survivors said that at some point the water was entering the boat because of high waves and the passengers got panicked and moved to one side of the vessel. They tried to get the water out of the boat with all their might, but to no avail. The boat disappeared into the depths and clutched together the victims bobbed briefly in the water. A big wave, however, tore them
apart and several vanished in the depths of the river.
Swimming and clinging to floating objects including cool boxes several victims managed to reach the shore safely.
A father who survived the tragedy said that his two children who were also in the boat survived the drama because he had them put on a life jacket. The other occupants of the boat did not have a life jacket, although this was made compulsory by the Government. (Caribbean News Now)
The United Nations on Friday called for an independent and impartial investigation into the December 30 election in Bangladesh in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a third straight term amid accusations of violence and voting irregularities.
Hasina’s ruling alliance won more than 90 percent of the seats contested in Sunday’s election, which was marred by accusations of ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and violence that killed at least 19 people.
Opponents rejected the election result, but Hasina and her Awami League have denied any impropriety, saying that the vote was peaceful and there was enthusiastic participation from her supporters.
“We urge the authorities to carry out prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into all alleged acts of violence and human rights violations related to the elections, with a view to holding accountable those responsible, regardless of their political affiliations,” the United Nations said.
On Thursday, newly elected members of parliament, including Hasina, were sworn in, but the seven opposition members stayed away, saying the results were rigged and calling for a new election.
“There are worrying indications that reprisals have continued to take place, notably against the political opposition, including physical attacks and ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests, harassment, disappearances and filing of criminal cases,”
the United Nations said.
“Reports suggest that violent attacks and intimidation, including against minorities, have been disproportionately carried out by ruling party activists, at times with complicity or involvement of law enforcement officers.”
The United Nations called on the authorities to take urgent measures to prevent further reprisals, and to ensure that law enforcement authorities exercised their powers in accordance with the rule of law. It also urged the national Human Rights Commission to play an independent and proactive role.
Western governments, including the United States and the European Union, have condemned the election-day violence and called for an investigation into a range of irregularities.
On Thursday, New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch said the run-up to the vote was characterized by “violence and intimidation against the opposition ... and the misuse of laws to limit free speech”. (Reuters)
about his wealth as it answered, she added.
“The president, in an effort to send this message of austerity, loses credibility in how he talks about his property, his assets and his interests,” said Zapata, who is the group’s director of education and civic innovation.
Lopez Obrador disclosed monthly net income of 108,744 pesos ($5,600) from his government work and savings worth 446,068 pesos.
In addition to real estate and vehicles, Lopez Obrador’s personal possessions and household goods, including works of art and other valuable objects, were disclosed in his wife’s name, a spokesman for the president’s office said. Mexican politicians have long been accused of obscuring their wealth by registering assets under relatives’ names. Those who absorb the assets are sometimes referred to as “prestanombres,” or people who lend their names.
Lopez Obrador has slashed salaries for public officials, including his own, and stressed on Friday that others in his administration would be required to declare their assets, too. (Reuters)
Woman, 32, pretends to be homeless teen so she could go back to school
Michaelann Goodrich thought it would be cool to go back to school — but instead got a lesson in criminal justice.
Cops arrested the 32-yearold Catskills resident for pretending to be a homeless teen in order to enroll in her local high school, officials said Friday.
Last month, Goodrich walked a Cairo-Durham School District office, identified herself as 15-year-old Riley Madison and said that she wanted to enroll in high school.
“She gave them background on her life story, what she was doing there and that she was hoping to enroll in high school,” Joel Rowell, a senior investigator with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department told the Daily News. “After they heard her story, they found it odd and suspicious and the school resource officer started an investigation with the sheriff’s office.”
Goodrich was a dead ringer for Riley — who was photographed on a security camera as she left the administrator’s
office, officials said.
District Superintendent Anthony Taibi said officials immediately registered Goodrich to attend Cairo-Durham High School because of a federal law that compels public schools to automatically enroll homeless students.
But Goodrich’s behavior in the enrollment office immediately raised the concerns of school officials and she was supervised by staff the entire time she was on school property, he said.
“Immediately on registration, there were some red flags that went off,” Taibi said. “That caused us to consult with law enforcement.” Investigators arrested Goodrich on Dec. 28 — after she spent one day in school.
The perpetual student — who had recently moved to the Catskills from California — appeared “cool” when she was accused of lying about her age and trying to enroll in school, Rowell said.
“She admitted that she registered for high school,” he said. “We are still trying to determine what her motive was.”
Cops charged Goodrich with filing a false instrument and falsifying business records. She was ordered held at the Greene County jail on $500 bail.
Police said that after enrolling in class, Goodrich rode a school bus back and forth from her home on December 20 and attended class at Cairo-Durham High School. She was absent the next day, right before the school went on Christmas break.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 rattled Trinidad and Tobago on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The quake, which occurred at 10:33h (9:33 am Jamaica time) was the second tremor to hit the Caribbean on Friday after one with a magnitude of 3.9 shook St Lucia, Martinique and St Vincent and the Grenadines just after midnight.
The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that the quake which rattled Trinidad and Tobago was located at Latitude 11.02N
Longitude: 61.50W and at a depth of 40 kilometres (km). It was felt 40 km north of the capital, N of Port of Spain, 48 km north west of Arima, east of here and 85 km north of southern city of San Fernando. Regarding the earlier quake, the SRC, which has warned Caribbean countries to be prepared for a major quake, said it occurred at nine minutes past midnight and was located
Latitude 13.85N, Longitude: 60.52W and at a depth of 25 km. It was felt 54 km south east of Castries, the St Lucian capital, 104 km south east of Fort-de-France, Martinique and 110 km northeast of Kingstown in St Vincent and the Grenadines. (CMC)
Jamaica drink manufacturers urged to speed up process to reduce sugar content
Health Minsiter, Dr Christopher Tufton (second right), displays the new zero-sugar drink developed by Coldfield Manufacturing Limited (Big Jo), at the launch held at the Clan Carthy Primary School in (from left) are Principal of the school, Sheldon Richards; Member of Parliament for South East St Andrew, Julian Robinson; Chairman of the company, Ian Wong; Managing Director, Brett Wong; and Chairman of the school Board, Donald Foster
Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, is imploring drink manufacturers to speed up the process of reducing the sugar content in their products.He said that the move is a critical part of the national effort to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCD).
tween excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, childhood obesity, and the development of NCDs later in life.
“The effort of Coldfield Manufacturing with this new product and others, who have begun to reformulate their sugary drinks, is a good thing, because you are raising the standard in the industry,” he pointed out.
The Antigua and Barbuda Government Friday said that a meeting with officials of the Bank of Nova Scotia will take place this month after initially indicating that the bank had turned down the request for the talks regarding the sale of its branch holdings on the island.
Government Chief of Staff, Lionel ‘Max’ Hurst, speaking on Point FM, a radio station owned by Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Thursday night, had said that the general manager of Scotia Bank Antigua, Suzan Snaggs-Wilson, had responded to Prime Minister Browne’s request for the
meeting originally scheduled for January 7.
“In essence she said there was hardly any need for the Scotia Bank officials to meet with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda because they had entered into an agreement with a private enterprise to purchase the assets and liabilities of Scotia Bank Antigua and as far as they were concerned it was done deal.”
He told radio listeners that the bank had indicated “if the purpose of the meeting was to discuss that deal they didn’t seem to be any purpose to it”.
In November last year, the Trinidad-based Republic
Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) announced that it was seeking to acquire Scotiabank operations in several Caribbean countries. Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana have expressed reservations about the proposed acquisition, with St John’s indicating that it would not be issuing a vesting order to facilitate the move.
A RFHL statement said that the banks being acquired are located in Guyana, St. Maarten, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. (CMC)
Aformer Venezuelan policeman was arrested at a beach in Cedros yesterday with six guns and seven rounds of ammunition.
The minister was addressing the launch of Coldfield Manufacturing Limited’s (Big Jo) zero-sugar drinks, at the Clan Carthy Primary School in St Andrew yesterday.
He commended the company for the move, which he said, is in the interest of public health. He noted that there is a strong link be-
Dr Tufton used the occasion to remind the public that the guidelines regarding the restriction of sugary drinks in public schools and health facilities are now in effect. He urged vendors who sell on the compounds of public educational institutions to buy into the campaign, and implored parents, teachers and administrators to ensure that children do not take sugary drinks to school. “We are urging and encouraging the parents to pack the lunch kits with appropriate food items and beverages that are healthy,” the minister said. (Jamaica Observer)
In the first three days of this year, five people have been murdered, with the last three being killed within a three-hour period on Wednesday night. The latest murder victim, up to press time, was Kelvin Rennie who died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope after he was shot in the head in Malabar.
At about 22:30h on Wednesday, police responded to a report of shooting and found Rennie bleeding at Ackbarali Extension. Rennie, who was identified by relatives yesterday, was found wearing a white jersey and pair of black jeans.
An hour earlier, two teenagers stabbed 22-year-old Keenan Primus who was liming at a friend’s home on Bushe Street
in Curepe. The suspects, aged 16 and 17, are now in custody.
One of the suspects, the 16-year-old boy, went to his home took up a knife and with the help of his 17-year-old friend, stabbed Smith several times. Then at 7.30 pm, Kyron Bartholomew was shot dead.
Bartholomew, also known as “Beetlejuice” was driving a grey Nissan AD Wagon along Calvary Hill in Arima. When he got near to a bar on Calvary Hill, a gunman walked up and fired several shots. Bartholomew who was shot several times, tried to driver off but his car veered into a nearby wall.
Relatives at the Forensic Science Centre in St James were reluctant to speak to the media, saying Bartholomew was a private person and he “wouldn’t
want the fame”. Asked about allegations that his murder may have been linked to a shooting incident last year, relatives dismissed this claim.
Although the country has already recorded five murders, Commissioner of Police Griffith yesterday said the rate has dropped drastically when compared to last year’s statistics. Griffith said since his appointment as commissioner, the rate has dropped significantly.
The other two murder victims this year are Samuel Sookdeo who was shot dead in Couva on Tuesday and Daniel Mahabir - TT’s first murder victim for 2019, who was beaten to death with a rock and his body found on New Year’s Day at Concession Drive, Sea Lots.
(T&T Newsday)
The 27-year-old man, who lives in Tucupita, remains in police custody. Police said he speaks English. At about 2.30 pm, police were on a covert operation in Bois Bourg Village when they saw the man walking along the shore, carrying a white crocus bag and a blue knapsack. Police from the South Western Division Task Force searched the crocus bag and found four shotguns and a 12-gauge car-
tridge. They also found two revolvers and six rounds of .38mm ammunition in the knapsack. Once charged,
As 2019 begins, Felicia Perkins-Ferreira faces the start of another year without her two young sons, both stranded in far off Syria.
Four and a half years since the children were taken to that war-torn country by their father, who joined the militant group ISIS, Perkins-Ferreira says she is disturbed by the TT Government’s response to the situation.
“It seems like they don’t care. They never called or asked to see me. I’ve been waiting years to hear anything from them and it’s always the same story and I’m tired. If it wasn’t for the journalists and Clive (Stafford Smith, founder of human rights organisation Reprieve) taking on my story, I would have been still waiting for them to acknowledge me.” The boys, 11-year-old Mahmud and seven-year-old Ayyub, are in Roj camp, northern Syria along with other children from the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Russia, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands. Initially set up as a site for Syrians displaced by war, it is now run by the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces.
They want to repatriate the children of dead ISIS members before a renewed military offensive engulfs north-east Syria.
The boys are among an estimated 1,200 foreign children left in limbo since Raqqa was liberated in October 2017. Their father, Abebe Oboi Ferreira, presumed dead, sent Mahmud and Ayyub fleeing to safety with his ISIS bride, a Belgian national, but instead of taking the boys to Turkey, the woman abandoned them by the
Personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures including Chancellor Angela Merkel have been published online in what appears to be one of Germany’s most far-reaching data leaks.
A preliminary analysis showed the data had been obtained through “wrongful use of log-in information for cloud services, email accounts or social networks”, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said in a statement late on Friday.
He said there was no evidence that the computer sys-
tems of the German lower house of Parliament or the Government had been compromised, but provided no further details.
The Ministry said it remained unclear if the breach, which triggered an emergency meeting of the BSI national cyber defense agency, was the result of a hack or a leak. Authorities were investigating all possibilities, including espionage, according to one Government source.
The public broadcaster rbb, which broke the story, said the data, published on a Twitter account, included
addresses, personal letters and copies of identity cards. It said the identity of the perpetrators and their motive were not known.
German media said a fax number and two email addresses used by Merkel had been published but the Government said it appeared no sensitive material from her office had been released.
The hacked material included private chats by Greens leader Robert Habeck with family members and the identity cards of his children, a source familiar with the matter said. (Excerpt from Reuters)
China’s Huawei Technologies has punished two employees for New Year greetings sent on the smartphone maker’s official Twitter account using an iPhone, an internal memo shows.
Huawei, whose P-series handsets compete with Apple’s iPhones, on New Year’s Day wished followers a “Happy #2019” in a tweet marked sent “via Twitter for iPhone”.
The White House says the president “isn’t going to back off” as he met congressional leaders for negotiations on the partial Government shutdown.
President Donald Trump is refusing to sign any budget without funding for a US-Mexico border wall, which Democrats are adamantly against.
Pelosi and other congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle met at the White House to negotiate with Mr Trump on Friday morning.
After the meeting ended, New York Senator Chuck Schumer told reporters: “We told the president we needed the Government open. He resisted.
McConnell said his party would not back any measures without the president’s support.
Huawei, whose P-series handsets compete with Apple’s iPhones, on New Year’s Day wished followers a “Happy #2019” in a tweet marked sent “via Twitter for iPhone”.
The tweet was quickly removed, but screenshots of the blunder spread across social media.
“The traitor has revealed himself,” quipped one user on microblog Weibo, in a comment “liked” over 600
China’s Huawei Technologies has punished two employees for New Year greetings sent on the smartphone maker’s official Twitter account using an iPhone, an internal memo shows.
times.
In an internal Huawei memo, dated January 3 and seen by Reuters news agency, corporate Senior Vice President and Director of the board Chen Lifang said, “The incident caused damage to the Huawei brand.”
The mistake occurred when outsourced social media handler Sapient experienced “VPN problems” with a desktop computer, so used an iPhone with a roaming SIM card in order to send the message on time at midnight, Huawei said in the memo. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Democratic Republic of Congo’s electoral commission accused the country’s Catholic Church on Friday of “preparing an insurrection” by saying it knows the winner of last Sunday’s presidential election.
The commission is scheduled to release provisional results on Sunday but has said there could be delays because of the slow arrival of tally sheets.
Donatien Nshole, the secretary-general of the Church’s bishops’ conference, known as CENCO, said on Thursday its vote tallies showed a clear victor in the Dec 30 election, a pronouncement widely seen as a warning to authorities against rigging the vote.
“The announcement of voting trends by Priest Nshole is likely to brainwash the population while preparing an insurrection that CENCO alone will be responsible for,” commission president Corneille Nangaa wrote in a letter to CENCO president Marcel Utembi, seen by Reuters.
Nangaa said CENCO’s declaration violated electoral law and a code of conduct signed by poll monitors that gives the electoral
commission, CENI, alone the authority to announce results.
The Catholic Church is one of Congo’s most powerful institutions, representing about 40 percent of its 80 million people.
Observers and the opposition say the election was marred by serious irregularities. The opposition, represented by its two main candidates Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi, and Shadary’s camp have all claimed they are on course to win, without posting specific figures.
The Government says the election was fair and went smoothly. (Excerpt from Reuters)
After talks, Democrat Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump vowed to keep Government shut for “months or even years”.
Around 800,000 federal workers have been without pay since December 22.
House Speaker Nancy
Democrats, who now hold the majority in the House, passed spending bills on Thursday to reopen the Government, including $1.3B (£1B) of border security funds until February 8.
But the legislation cannot take effect unless it passes the Republican-controlled Senate, where leader Mitch
The Washington Post reported on Friday that while hundreds of federal workers go without pay, the president’s cabinet secretaries, top administrators as well as Vice-President Mike Pence are expected to receive annual raises of about $10,000.
The pay hikes will take effect on January 5 partly because of the shutdown. An existing federal pay freeze expired last month when Congress failed to reach a deal to fund federal agencies. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Thailand’s first tropical storm in three decades has killed one person as it arrived on the south coast, knocking down trees and blowing off roofs in its path, but was losing speed, officials said.
Accompanying winds churned up high waves and gusts in the Gulf of Thailand as tropical storm Pabuk made landfall on Friday in the Pak Phanang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
Trees crashed down on houses to cause widespread damage as officials warned against the risk of flash floods.
Disaster mitigation officials said the person killed was among the crew of a fishing boat that capsized in strong winds near the coast of nearby Pattani province. Another of the crew was missing, but four others were safe.
Weather officials warned of torrential downpours and
strong winds in 15 provinces in the Thai south, home to one of the world’s largest natural rubber plantations and several islands thronged by tourists.
Slowing down
But by Friday afternoon, the storm was slowing and was heading for the province of Surat Thani, the Thai Meteorological Department said in a statement.
“It is expected to down-
grade to be a tropical depression,” it added. “People should beware of the severe conditions that cause forest runoffs and flash floods.”
‘Unusual storm’ Pabuk has been described as “unusual” because it is “taking place outside of the monsoon season for this part of the world”, noting that the last time something like this happened in Thailand was three decades ago. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Awoman aged 46 has become the third to enter the Sabarimala Hindu temple in south India in defiance of an ancient ban on females of menstruating age, the office of the chief minister of Kerala state said on Friday.
The hill temple, which pays homage to the celibate god Ayyappan and draws millions of worshippers a year, is one of a few in India that bar entry to girls and women between the ages of 10 and 50, saying that menstruating women are impure.
Conservative Hindu groups shut businesses and halted transport across Kerala
Protesters scuffle
on Thursday with a protest strike against the communist state Government, which backs a Supreme Court ruling in September that ordered the lifting of the ban.
The first two women to
breach the ban arrived in an ambulance with a plainclothes police escort on Wednesday and went in through a side gate without any devotees noticing.
The Chief Minister’s office said the third had gone to the
temple with her husband, and had been offered police protection.
Media identified her as Sasikala and reported that she had had her womb removed, which would mean she cannot menstruate. They said she had gone in at about 10:55 pm on Thursday.
The temple has refused to abide by the court ruling and subsequent attempts by women to visit had been blocked by thousands of devotees. It says the ban is necessary because menstruating women are impure, and denied that another woman had visited. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Be careful how you handle others. Be precise and don’t promise more than you can deliver or give in to anyone asking for too much. Make positive but realistic suggestions.
(April 20May 20)
TAURUS Take hold of whatever situation you face and control the outcome. You can bring about positive change if you are willing to do the work. Concise communication will make a difference.
(May 21June 20)
(June 21July 22)
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
(Aug. 23Sept. 22)
ARIES (March 21April 19) LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
(Nov. 23Dec. 21)
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
(Feb. 20March 20) PISCES
Nurture relationships and stick to the truth. If someone is being vague, ask direct questions. Getting information firsthand will help you avoid jumping to conclusions or making a mistake.
Listen to what others are saying. A heated discussion will lead to a no-win situation. Look for solutions and be willing to compromise. Rely on experience and avoid being stubborn.
You’ll need an outlet that will stimulate your mind and tire you out physically. Grow from the experiences you encounter instead of making a fuss or doing something reckless.
Know your boundaries and move forward with confidence. A competitive event will bring out the best in you. What you have to offer will be recognized and will draw interesting propositions.
Learn all you can and explore how to best use what you’ve got to get what you want. Update personal documents that can help you with pending problems and legal issues.
The past will be a reminder of how to best handle a situation you face now. Take a unique approach to domestic matters. Don’t share information with past rivals or their associates.
You can have fun without going overboard. Too much of anything will make you look bad and leave you in an awkward position. Caution and secrecy are in your best interest.
Keep an open mind, listen to others and make suggestions, but don’t fall for a sob story or take on someone else’s battle. A romantic encounter will enhance your life.
Being a quiet observer is favored. Physical activity will help you dissipate pentup emotions that are causing stress. A romantic evening will improve your life.
Put what’s important to you first and foremost. Whether it involves relationships, family or self-improvement, give it your all and don’t stop until you are satisfied with what you achieve.
No team has ever lost a Test match after scoring 596 or more in an innings. India bullishly overshot that mark in the ongoing Sydney Test,
toppling records like a tipsy bartender en route to 622/7 decl - a first-innings score that nearly bats Australia out of the match. At the centre of the act was Rishabh Pant, who racked up 159 not out in a massive 202-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja and boldly stole the thunder off Cheteshwar Pujara's monumental 193. It was day unlike anything Indian cricket has ever seen. India made a 500plus score after 10 years in a SENA country, racked up their second-highest total in Australia, compiled the highest ever seventh-wicket stand Down Under, and forced Nathan Lyon to bowl the most he'd ever had to in an innings.
With the BorderGavaskar Trophy secured, and the series almost assured in the middle of Pujara's famous grind on a pitch that belies a three-dimen-
sional world, out came a 21-year-old, famously infamous for cheap dismissals, defying his young genes to emulate Pujara's forward defence ball after ball. That was the act that defined the day more than Pant's audacious hits later. India were still soft at 329/5 when Hanuma Vihari was dismissed by Nathan Lyon, but Pant's atypical composure combined with his knack of quick run-scoring meant that Pujara could continue being Pujara at the other end.
India negotiated the morning session losing just one wicket, and slowly added 86 runs in 27 overs. The early patience paved the way for some delayed gratification in the second session.
The afternoon session, quite anticlimactically, saw some early success for Australia. Pujara was caught-n-bowled by Lyon on 193, after Usman Khawaja had dropped him on 192 just a few overs ago. You just don't do that, especially when it's Pujara, but it wasn't to hurt Australia
Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed Friday that an independent assessment has found the bowling action of Windward Islands Volcanoes off-spinner Shane Shillingford to be illegal and, as such, he has been suspended from bowling in regional matches with immediate effect.
The assessment revealed that Shillingford’s deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under playing regulations.
Shillingford will remain suspended until such time as his action is found to be legal, either by an opinion report from Loughborough University or by an independent analysis from an accredited testing centre, in accordance with the CWI Regulations for Dealing with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions.
He is expected to undergo remedial work supervised by the Volcanoes franchise and can apply for a re-assessment after modifying his bowling action in accordance with the regulations.
Shillingford was reported for a suspect bowling action during the first-round
much. And frankly, they couldn't have taken any more from Pujara. The 30-year-old fell seven short of his very deserved double hundred, walking back to a raucous reception not much different to what was once reserved for Sachin Tendulkar at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
India were 418/6 then - strong but not confident enough of having a total that could bowl Australia twice here. Out came Jadeja, starting off like Rishabh Pant did, ensuring no other wicket was lost in the afternoon session before bringing upon Australia the most punishing phase of play.
All of Australia's four main bowlers conceded over 100 runs, with the best bowler from MCG, Pat Cummins, going wicketless, as the pair put on 204 runs for the seventh wicket. Pant brought up his second Test hundred aged only 21, becoming the second-youngest centurion in Australia behind only Tendulkar. Jadeja, on the other hand, cracked 81 off 114 balls, and his dismissal brought on
India's declaration.
India were superb in the ten overs they bowled. They could have had Usman Khawaja, the makeshift opener, twice: first on nought but Pant dropped an outside edge off Mohammed Shami's bowling, and then
India 1st Innings
MA Agarwal c Starc b Lyon 77
KL Rahul c Marsh b Hazlewood 9
CA Pujara c & b Lyon 193
V Kohli (c) c †Paine
bHazlewood 23
AM Rahane c †Paine b Starc 18
GH Vihari c Labuschagne
b Lyon 42
RR Pant † not out 159
RA Jadeja b Lyon 81
Extras 20 (b 2, lb 13, w 5)
TOTAL 622/7d (167.2
Overs, RR: 3.71)
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (KL Rahul, 1.3 ov), 2-126 (MA Agarwal, 33.6 ov), 3-180 (V Kohli, 52.5 ov), 4-228 (AM Rahane, 70.2 ov), 5-329 (GH Vihari, 101.6 ov), 6-418 (CA Pujara, 129.6 ov), 7-622 (RA Jadeja, 167.2 ov)
Bowling
Kuldeep Yadav's googly came close to getting him leg-before. It's still a very flat pitch, as Marcus Harris's boundaries will testify, but don't be surprised if Australia unravel again tomorrow. They are just not there in Sydney. (cricbuzz)
MA Starc (26-0-123-1)
JR Hazlewood (35-11-105-2) PJ Cummins (28-5-101-0)
NM Lyon (57.2-8-178-4)
M Labuschagne (16-0-76-0)
TM Head (4-0-20-0)
UT Khawaja (1-0-4-0)
Australia 1st Innings
MS Harris not out 19
UT Khawaja not out 5
Extras 0
TOTAL 24/0 (10 Overs, RR: 2.4)
Yet to bat: M Labuschagne, SE Marsh, TM Head, PSP Handscomb, TD Paine (c) †, PJ Cummins, MA Starc, NM Lyon, JR Hazlewood
Bowling
M Shami (3-0-9-0)
JJ Bumrah (3-0-12-0)
RA Jadeja (2-1-1-0)
Kuldeep Yadav (2-1-2-0)
Bournemouth have signed England striker Dominic Solanke from Liverpool for £19m.
Solanke, 21, had been due to join Crystal Palace on loan earlier this week but the deal fell through because of fitness con cerns.
Bournemouth are about to allow forward Jermain Defoe to join Scottish Premiership side Rangers.
It is understood Solanke cannot move Cherries on loan under Premier League regula tions.
Bournemouth have also signed Reds right-back Nathaniel Clyne on loan until the end of the season.
"The club is going some where - it's a good club to be at, especially for someone of my age," said Solanke.
Cherries boss Eddie Howe said he was "real ly excited" about working with Solanke.
Dominic Solanke won the player of the tournament at the 2017 Under-20 World Cup
ally came to an agreement over the fee, which had
bunal. He did not make a first-team appearance for the Premier ers this and was ruled out of cause of a muscle
The Under-20 World Cup winner
son, 16 of which were from the bench, scoring one
pearance in three years at Chelsea, spending the 2015-16 season on loan at Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, where he scored seven goals in 25 Eredivisie
By Clifton Ross
England will be visiting the Caribbean in a few weeks as they prepare to engage in the biggest home series in the past decade and with the Regional 4-Day in progress; a number of players will be vying for spots in the Windies Test team.
Two rounds have been fully completed with the reigning champs Guyana Jaguars sitting on top of the table, with a few of their usual players peaking from an early stage. The England series in the Windies backyard will be encouraging for players across the region that might have been overlooked in the past or simply have now begun to catch the selector’s eye.
need a possible tour match a few sessions to get fully acclimatized.
A pair of tour games will suffice for England’s game time as they tackle the Windies President’s XI side from January 15-17 and the second from the 18-20; both at the Three W’s Ground in Barbados. Then sides will then kick off a lengthy war in the Caribbean with the Three-Test series first; the series which will make contenders up their games as they will want to squeeze into the mix.
The 10-round tournament, still in its premature stages bowled off Round 3 bowled off on Friday January 4th and with two more rounds to go before the tour officially gets underway; the Windies Test team will under much watch following their losses to series India and Bangladesh in the latter stages of 2018.
Looking forward, it is likely that the selectors could ring in a few changes for the home series. There will be a few players such as Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope; both of whom fetched the side during the Asian series and climbed the ICC ranks are shooins for the England series across all formats.
Kraigg Brathwaite, the Windies stand-in skipper during Jason Holder’s injury lay-off, failed miserably by his usually high-standards in the past few Tests. But with the Barbados Pride fielding a strong team in the ongoing 4-Day; inclusive of Holder and other Windies players; the opener could use the next few rounds to bat himself back into some form ahead of the series.
Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Keemo Paul and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo are two other players that will pop up in the Test team with Bishoo being the Windies most senior spinner over the past few years. Paul, needless to say will want some match time in the longer format having starred in the T20 series by delivering a match-winning 5-wicket haul.
Other players who could
have automatic selection include Roston Chase, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Holder and possibly Darren Bravo. But two rounds could be enough for some big name players to make strong impressions with bat or ball and probably oust a few of those who were under the microscope in recent times.
After the first two rounds, Jaguars bats man and Windies Test player Vishaul Singh sits as the lead ing run-scorer for his country with 168 from 4 innings and two fifties. Singh, who will be eyeing a return to the Test side is also the second leading run-get ter overall behind Leewards’ Keacy Carty who has 184 runs.
Carty’s 114 is the current highest in dividual score of the championships, mak ing his name one of those which could like ly feature in the selec tors pool should he continue his form.
The leading bowl ers, all of which
are spinners to date are familiar to the selectors, with the lead er Shane Shillingford who has 17 victims, being among those discarded players of the 2000’s who managed to make an impact during their time.
Nikita Miller, a regular in the Windies teams over the years, Jomel Warrican fresh off the re cent Asian tours and Guyanese Veerasammy Permaul who has played for the Windies Test and T20 teams are among the leading wicket-takers with 10 or
It will be a jostle in the bowling department, with Holder seemingly fit again, Gabriel rearing to go and Roach the pack leader. Alzarri Joseph could also feature in the England series as the selectors are high on his talent while Guyana Jaguars players like Sherfane Rutherford, the Windies newest addition, Raymon Reifer a huge prospect in the Windies Test team over the recent times could
of talent Regional ers who make an will be an over- all battle for the limit- ed spots in the Windies Test team. Players like Jags skipper Leon Johnson and Chris Barnwell, both of whom tasted international cricket in the past even the future of batting in Windward Island’s Tarryck Gabriel who is on the leading run-scorers to date; will all be eyeing Windies colors and the chance to represent in their backyard against the English.
Meanwhile, the final round before the England tour commences and possibly the last chance to make an impression bowls off from January 17 and with Windies having not yet named a squad and seeking to still find the right combination in their Test team; much will be left to the players over the next few rounds leading up to the series to see what can be done in order to possibly break into the Test team.
By timothy JaikaRRan
The University of Guyana will host its first small-goal tournament on February 2. The teams will consist of different players from across faculties as the action goes down at the University of Guyana Ground.
According to organiser Jafar Gibbons, the tournament is designed to foster student interaction across faculties.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, Gibbons said, “This tournament is the first of its kind, usual sporting activities are planned by the administration, but this is the first time an individual student is taking on the
burden of footing the bill of a tournament by himself.
Traditionally, sports are organised through inter-faculty style meaning you are placed in teams comprising of players from your faculty.”
Gibbons went on to state that what the tournament does is that it gives individuals the chance to be part of a mixed-faculty team, hence, increasing socialisation with peers from different faculties.
The tournament will be played for one day, only providing that there is a maximum of eight registered teams; however, if there are more than 16 teams contesting, the games shall be played for two weeks.
The matches will be
round-robin style, followed by the knockout stage, which will be three games – two semi-finals and the final. The games will be played in two five-minute halves.
In closing, Gibbons said, “When you put that as a collective tournament, you have a design that is second to none in that realm; hence, fostering positive interactions and better understanding of persons from various faculties.”
Some of the entities on board with this event are the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Signature Moov, New Era Entertainment, Michael Singh, the Guyana Football Federation, and Robbie Rambarran.
arfield Benjamin and Zeynul Ramsammy showcased mature batsmanship at the Edinburgh Ground in Berbice, as Benjamin stroked 100 while Ramsammy was left
on 99. The match concluded in an anti-climactic
rain washing out the latter part of
the game. Tucber Park notched up 336-5 in 35 overs and Edinburgh was left stranded on 5-1 after the heavens opened.
It was a batting master class by Berbice Under-19 batsman Benjamin when he stroked his fourth century in the space of a few months.
Playing against the Edinburgh Cricket Club on January 3, 2019, the experienced Tucber Park team took first strike under cloudy con ditions. Benjamin was partnered by Ramsammy, the Guyana Under-15 Captain, and the duo dominated an or dinary Edinburgh bowling unit.
9 CIRCULATION PROBLEM, 10 PAIN ( JOINT, MUSCLE ETC), 11 CUTS/ BRUISES, 12 SNAKE BITE, 13 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, 14 KIDNEY STONES, 15 AND MANY OTHER HEALTH
Middle-order batsman Benjamin, who was in top form in 2018, started the 2019 season on a high, striking the ball with exquisite timing.
Meanwhile, Ramsammy was very selective in the 101-run partnership with his captain. Abdul Ramsammy supported with 38 not out to polish off a brilliant batting performance.
After the Tucber Park bats men dominated the first round on Wednesday, the following day saw the bowlers dominating under excellent conditions for cricket. In their second match of the BCB/New York Business Group Under-19 tournament, Mount Sinai were the opponent.
In the match played in Vryheid, the home team, Mount Sinai Cricket Club, were dismantled by the Tucber Park team when they were bundled out for an embarrassing 27 in 12.4 overs.
The batsmen never got going as Guyana Under-17 fast bowling
havoc, grabbing 4-10. His Guyana Under-17 team-mate, Gevon Schultz supported with 3-8 while Reuben Latcha snatched 2-2 in four balls with his tempting left-arm spin. In reply, Tucber Park completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win ending on 28-1 in 6.2 overs. Rose and Winslow Roberts saw their team to victory ending on 12 and 9 respectively. Tucber Park will continue their 2019 Under-19 season on January 5, 2019 against Kendall’s Union at the Number 19 Ground.
CWest finally put speculation to rest when it confirmed on Friday af ternoon that Richard Pybus was indeed the new Head Coach of
team, following days of Coach following Australian Stuart Law’s departure.
CWI confirmed the appointment on Friday and upon his appointment, Pybus said he was excited about his new role and he was looking forward to working with the Windies skipper Jason Holder and his men in the Test and ODI teams.
Richard Pybus
He further noted that the upcoming mega tour of the Caribbean against England was crucial and they needed to focus on the series, while the Caribbean side will face Bangladesh and Ireland.
Pybus also said the encounters were important after Bangladesh and Windies had numerous battles last year while Ireland could seek revenge after missing out on World Cup qualification last year.
The Windies HighPerformance Director has been no stranger to coaching having stints with Bangladesh and Pakistan who he coached to the 1999 World Cup. Pybus’s stint is expected to run up until the next few series, including the Ireland and Bangladesh encounters, with emphasis
being placed on getting the team well-organised ahead of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup. Meanwhile, Windies have announced their plans to immediately start conducting a regional search for a full-time coach from September.
CWI’s executive and exWest Indies Captain Jimmy Adams believes that Pybus’s knowledge of dealing with players on and off the field, as well as his experience as a coach, makes him the right man for the job at the moment.
(Clifton Ross)
James Harden extended his NBA record scoring and assists streak as he secured a thrilling overtime win for the Houston Rockets at the Golden State Warriors with one second to spare.
The 29-year-old was the talk of social media for a display which ended with a 25ft three-pointer to seal a 135-134 win at the Warriors' Oracle Arena.
Harden delivered 44 points meaning he has at
least 35 points and five assists in a record nine consecutive games.
The Rockets have won their past six.
They have also now won 11 of their past 12 games, taking them to fourth in the Western Conference.
'James Harden is on one'
Harden hit double figures for points, rebounds (10) and assists (15) to seal his fifth triple-double of the season.
The NBA's Most
Valuable Player in 2018 again grabbed the limelight, scoring the final three points of regulation before doing the same in overtime shortly after Steph Curry had given the Warriors the lead.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr described Harden's performance as "incredible", adding: "He made the impossible shot at the end."
Harden - a six-time NBA All-Star - was the number-one trend on Twitter and told NBA.com: "Yesterday I
was in the same spot shooting them same shots. I was confident it was going to go in.
"The entire team man, that's what it's about. We have to keep going. We finally got our rhythm."
Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade posted on social media shortly after Harden's winning play: "Sheesh! James Harden is on one."
Thirty of Harden's points came from three-pointers as
the Rockets outscored the Warriors 63-42 from beyond the arc.
Golden State's Kevin Durant said: "Just tip your cap to James. The time he plays and how much he has the ball in his hands you expect him to score a lot. He's such a phenomenal player."
Curry contributed 35 points for the Warriors but was unable to prevent the 2017 and 2018 NBA champions slipping to a third straight home defeat. (BBC Sport)
Police have staged a successful challenge of their defeat at the hands of Monedderlust in the semi-final of the Candy Boss/Antics GT Beer 8-a-side Football Tournament
Monedderlust was in fact a registered player for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Before the start of Sunday’s game, Police had objected to Travis Henry playing for Monedderlust. This was brought to the attention of the management
However, they claimed that he was an authentic
Henry scored the lone goal in the game and Police challenges his authenticity. The game was subsequently awarded to Police as Henry has been registered as a player for the GDF.
Henry’s name was also not submitted on the
original list of 15 which each team was required to submit before the start of the Tournament.
Police will take on Paradise in today’s final, which will be played at the All Saints Ground on Princess Elizabeth Road in New Amsterdam.
Paradise FC had beaten Golden Star 2-1 on penalties after the two teams had played to a 3-all stalemate at the end of regulation time.
Police had also objected to two players on the Paradise team when the two sides met in the super-six stage of the Tournament. However, they did not go through with the challenge after they won the close encounter.
Paradise qualified for the final Thursday night when they defeated Golden Star 2-1 on penalties after the two teams had played to the 3-3 stalemate.
Sunny Logan sent Golden Star ahead in the
fifth minute and then Paradise scored on themselves to make it 2-nil in the 28th minute, but one minute later Otis Mitchell gave Paradise their first goal and then rocked the back of the net in the 35th minute with the equaliser
Simon Emanuel was equal to the task and answered that goal two minutes later, but Delroy Ferdinand who had earlier scored the own goal made amends with a 42nd minute equaliser.
The game was subsequently decided from the penalty spot.
Golden Star are expected to take on Monedderlust for third place under lights before the final.
At stake is $600,000 for the winner and $300,000 for the runner-ups. The third-place team will receive $200,000. Medals and trophies have also been secured for the top four teams.
Police are the defending champions.
By TimoThy Jaikarran
The Eagles team
bowed out of the Under-23 division of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball (GABA) League in what can be classified as one of the most unfortunate ways of losing as they settled for fourth place in the tournament.
Following a successful season in the preliminary stages of the tournament, the Eagles had a few hiccups that resulted in them not qualifying, after they were tipped to take the Under-23
division.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, Eagles Coach Courtenay Taylor stated that he was disheartened that his side did not make the final as he believed they should.
In a previous interview with this newspaper, Taylor said that the side has been playing well, but play was not up to the standard that was set for the team. He went on to explain that even though the team were playing at a high level, there were some aspects of the game that have to be corrected for the team to be at that
elite level, which separates them from the rest of the competition.
According to Taylor, in terms of not advancing further than third place it came down to some slight mistakes, owing to the team members being relative new to each other. Although they learnt from each other’s playing style pretty well, there were some minor things which still had to be ironed out.
He went on to state that he knew the team would do better in 2019 as he was constantly trying to improve his
By ClifTon ross
West Indies Captain Jason Holder’s smooth transition back onto the international scene will bank heavily on his performance over the next few rounds of the ongoing 2018-19 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional FourDay Championships.
The all-rounder made his return to competitive cricket during the resumption of the Four-Day Tournament on Friday, when the Barbados Pride fielded a star-studded team against defending champs Guyana Jaguars at Kensington Oval.
Holder picked up an injury prior to the Bangladesh series which ruled him out, depleting the Windies developing pace attack. With Holder now refreshed, it will be crucial to see his approach over the next few rounds given his team’s losses in the One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test to Bangladesh last month.
The 27-year-old had made tremendous strides last year, jumping the ranks while averaging a decent 28 with the ball and 30 with the bat in Tests. His absence left the Windies with a dent in the middle-lower order where the Captain has scored a number of fifties along with his two hundreds.
Holder’s absence caused a number of issues in the batting, as the right-hander has been one of the better batsmen in the side over the past two years, gaining more credibility as a genuine all-rounder with every game.
A lay-off for a few weeks will set back any athlete, more so a utility player who relies on both trades to succeed, but with three rounds, including the ongoing third round left before the Test series, Holder could likely find his groove in any of the matches.
With the form he had before injury, the all-rounder will just need some time in the middle as a batsman while his bowling could require a bit more work in and out of the nets. During the opening day versus Guyana, Holder noticeably bowled just one over as the Pride approached tea on Friday, thus raising brows as to why the skipper did not get more overs under his belt upon return from injury.
In all, it will be utmost important for Holder to hit his straps immediately, especially with much at stake going into the home series.
Meanwhile, Pride skipper Carlos Brathwaite hailed Holder’s presence in the team as they seek to move up from their number two spot on the table. “Jason was out with an injury, so we welcome him back as well as
coaching skills on a daily basis, as he was aware that he needed to stay vigilant and focused during the games while working on the development of the players. Taylor also noted that for new players in the team, they must have an open game, be willing to learn and enjoy the game.
In closing, the Coach said for 2019, they were going to increase the intensity of their training drills and foster better communication with the players, so they would play as a team when competing.
By Brandon Corlette
Four-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars made the opening day their own with a complete batting performance led by Chandrapaul Hemraj’s 144, Raymon Reifer’s 53* and Anthony Bramble’s 51*. The Guyana Jaguars ended the day on 319-5 in 90 overs.
In the “Land of the Flying Fish” – Barbados, the man from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, dominated the star-studded Bajan team.
Barbados Pride Captain Shamarh Brooks won the toss and gave the Guyana Jaguars the opportunity to bat on a fresh Kensington Oval pitch. Under beautiful sunshine in Bridgetown, Barbados, Chandrapaul Hemraj and Tagenarine Chanderpaul trotted out to bat – a new-look opening combination, with the returning Hemraj replacing fellow lefthander Trevon Griffith.
An aggressive Hemraj and a solid Chanderpaul produced the solid foundation that set an early tone for the dominant Jaguars team. Chanderpaul, who was once slower in his scoring rate, was overshadowed by Hemraj, who was timing the ball with ease and grace. In the early part of Hemraj’s
innings, he got going with three consecutive boundaries against Miguel Cummins in the sixth over of the day. The elegant left-hander, who played international cricket in 2018 for West Indies, was dropped on 33 in the slip cordons off the bowling of Cummins, but since then, he was brilliant.
The 134-run opening partnership dented the Barbados Pride team. It was not until the 47th over of the day that the Barbados Pride tasted their first bit of suc-
cess. Chanderpaul, who consumed numerous dot deliveries, played a horrific shot trying to up his scoring rate, and his painstaking innings came to an end as he was caught for a 150-ball 37 that included six fours off the bowling of Jomel Warrican. In the process, Hemraj raced away to his half-century and was partnered by the dashing left-handed batsman, Jaguars Captain Leon Johnson. Johnson, who hit one big hit, was softly dismissed by Jason Holder.
Johnson, who looked set, played a false drive and was caught and bowled by Holder with the score on 199-2 in 60 overs. Hemraj brought up his maiden century at the First-Class level.
Eventually, Hemraj’s innings concluded in the 61st over of the day when he played an Ashley Nurse delivery onto his stumps. Fittingly, the Guyanese received a standing ovation from the Barbadian crowd who enjoyed a great knock.
Christopher Barnwell (05)
and Vishaul Singh (09) fell cheaply in the space of two runs. Barnwell was out via the run-out route in a silly call for which he may only blame himself. Meanwhile, Singh was adjudged leg before in an unlucky decision to a Nurse ball that vividly missed the leg stump.
With the score on 214-5 in the 71st over, Raymon Reifer and a busy Anthony Bramble rubbed salt into the wounds and put the Barbados Pride team to the sword. Bramble was seeing the cricket ball as if it was a beach ball, hitting the Test bowlers in the Pride team to all parts of the ground. In an unbroken 105run partnership between Reifer and Bramble, the former was solid in his stroke play, playing the supportive role. Reifer’s innings includ-
ed nine timely fours while Bramble scored a counterattacking 53-ball 51. Bramble hit 10 fours and one maximum in his promising innings that he will be hoping to convert into his second First-Class century. Barbados Pride bowlers toiled on a day when the Jaguars dominated them in their backyard. Nurse grabbed 2-77 in 27 overs while Holder and Warrican had one wicket each in an ordinary bowling display. With the likes of Sherfane Rutherford, Clinton Pestano and Romario Shepherd left to bat, the Jaguars will be looking to pile on valuable runs and declare in the first session.
Play continues today at 10:00h Eastern Caribbean time at the Kensington Oval.
By timothy Jaikarran
Alexander "Alex" Bunbury (born June 18, 1967 in Plaisance, Guyana) is a Canadian retired soccer player, who played as a striker.
He played mainly for Marítimo in Portugal during a 13-year professional career, and for the Canadian national team for 11 years.
Bunbury played in all three of Canada's games at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Soviet Union. He made his debut with the senior side in an August 1986 Merlion Cup match against Singapore, and went on to earn 65 caps and score 16 goals during 11 years.
Bunbury ranked fourth in the all-time scorer's list in June 2008, and eighth in appearances, representing the nation in 30 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and played at the inaugural 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship.
Bunbury's final international was a November 1997 World Cup qualification match against Costa Rica, a game after which Paul Dolan, Geoff Aunger, Frank Yallop and Colin Miller also said farewell to the national team.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sport when asked about his current projects, Bunbury said, “I am currently working on a project called Team ABSAA – Alex Bunbury Sports & Academics Academy, we have thus far presented architectural renderings and a bold proposal to the Government of Guyana to build and manage a multimillion US-dollar eco-friendly, state-of-the-art sports, academics and resort facility in Guyana –The ABSAA-GUYANA Project. The US$100 million multipurpose facility will be built on the Ituni road, about 15 minutes’ drive from Linden. It will be the flagship for the other Regions with satellites mirroring it. “It will be a multipurpose facility for all sporting disciplines, not just football. It is for cricket, basketball, cycling, swimming, hockey, track and field and the list goes on. We want to touch the lives of every young boy and girl to realise their dream. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Guyana three years ago; we had asked for seed money of US$30 million, but at that time it was impossible for the Government to allocate such funds; however, they did give us 200 acres
of land. Today, we have taken a look at our plans and in 2019 we will now require US$3 million seed money.”
According to Bunbury, himself and other Guyanese investors came together because they believe that this facility can rocket Guyana into the 21st Century and it will benefit Guyanese citizens as it will also create thousands of well-paying jobs.
Bunbury went on to state that the US$3 million will be used as life insurance, so if anything goes wrong the Government would be repaid by the insurance. The investors also plan to repay the money within a 24-month period and no taxpayers’ money will be used, as this project is fully funded and ready to go; once approved, it can be completed in 18-22 months.
Bunbury r went on to state that the state-of-the-art facility will consist of a dormitory which will be able to keep the teams and facilitate their every need, more than one field as they will be catering for multiple sport disciplines, a training centre and learning facilities. He also said, “This facility is bound to increase tourism as it will send it through the roof. Once
this facility is done, I plan to invite teams from Europe to train; all in all, this is basically a no-risk investment, but all we need to start is the U $3 million.”
Last year the ABSAA hosted its second female breast cancer futsal tournament and first prostate cancer football event for men in September. The ABSAA will continue to have a busier 2019.
