July 21 2016

Thur sday, J ul y21 , 201 6

ShippingAssoc.takesM&CCtocourt over‘ cont ai nerf ees’

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Ogl e house goes up i n Page f l ames 6

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LOCAL PAGE 2

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Shipping Assoc. takes M&CC to court over ‘container fees’ A decision imposed by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown to have companies pay $25,000 for the movement of shipping containers around the city is currently being challenged by the Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG). Secretary of SAG, Ian D’Anjou, has moved, through attorneys-atlaw Sase Gunraj and Christopher Ram, to the High Court to have the imposition of these new fees quashed, since it is deemed to be “unlawful”.

D’Anjou is claiming that the Municipal and Municipal and District Councils Act, Cap. 28:01 and bylaws do not provide for the imposition of such a tax on containers. He said that he was told by both lawyers that those sections of the law “do not provide for the imposition of any fee or tax in relation to the traversing and/or parking of motor vehicles laden with shipping containers on roads within the City of Georgetown.”

This publication was in receipt of the Writ of Certiorari which was directed to Town Clerk Royston King. It seeks to quash King’s decision “to impose a fee of $25,000 per container on the owners of cargo contained in shipping containers removed from wharves and traversing and/or parked on streets within the City of Georgetown” on the grounds that the decision is biased, without jurisdiction, made in bad faith, is unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, mala fide, malicious, vindictive, unlawful, ultra vires, null, void and of no legal effect. Additionally, SAG wants an Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari and Writ of Certioriari directed to King to quash his decision made on or about 19th day of July, 2016, “to block and/or to impede access of motor vehicles transporting shipping containers on streets within the City of Georgetown unless a fee of $25,000 per container is paid.

It was revealed that upon directions by Assistant Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick, several persons, some of whom were dressed in City Constabulary uniform and some in civilian clothing, erected barricades across Robb Street, preventing vehicles from crossing and/or turning into Water Street. This took place on July 19, 2016 at about 3:00pm. Barricades were also erected at the junction of Water and Robb Streets, Georgetown,

which leads directly out of the gates of John Fernandes’ Wharf. D’Anjou said he was told by the Managing Directors of John Fernandes that a person under the direction of the said Sherry Jerrick, drove a motor car and blocked the barricades at the Water Street junction, preventing movement of all vehicles.

SAG’s Secretary explained that as Fernandes approached Jerrick, he inquired what the reason for the erection of the barricades was. He was told that no motor vehicle transporting a shipping container would be allowed to pass the barricades unless proof of payment of a fee of $25,000 was provided.

D’Anjou said he indicated that he was merely a representative of the shipping company and that responsibility for any such fee should be borne by the consignee of the cargo contained in the shipping containers. Fernandes reportedly then offered to pay the fee of $25,000 for approximately 30 containers.

FEATURE PAGE 3

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

The Unruly Horse SOCU and SARU: Political Dictatorship and Fear have Returned By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP.Attorney-at-Law

Just last week, I examined the causal connection between taxation and fear and economic decline in the context of the Guyanese economy. In so doing, I made reference to the operations of The Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and The State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU). I also made reference to a tax which the Georgetown Mayor and City Council intends to levy on containers. These three issues have dominated the news over the past week. As a result, I feel compelled to continue the discourse. Readers will recall that as one of the persons engaged in the establishment of SOCU, I had cause on several previous occasions to explain its genesis, nature, and functions as originally conceived. It is worth repeating. The SOCU is supposed to be part of Guyana's AML/CFT apparatus, staffed with an elite and well trained grouping of personnel, including investigators, accountants, financial analysts, auditors, attorneys at law, and persons with like expertise in relevant fields, to whom the Financial Intelligent Unit (FIU) will transmit information, data and other evidentiary materials for their analysis, examination, and investigation with a view to institute criminal charges in respect of offenses created by Guyana's AML/CFT laws. Necessarily, for such a unit to function competently and effectively, its staff must be endowed with, inter alia, powers of arrest search seizures .

This unit was intended to have its own legal framework regulating its operations and empowering it to discharge its functions.

However, the PPP/C Administration did not have a majority in the National Assembly at

the time. During this same period, the Joint Opposition had already demonstrated its reluctance to support the AML/CFT Bills of 2012 and 2013. To take another Bill to the national Assembly of a kindred nature, obviously would have presented them with another opportunity to kick it around like a political football, as they did with the other two Bills to which I have made reference. In those circumstances, we were forced to use existing laws to authorize SOCU to lawfully function. The solution was to situate SOCU within the Guyana Police Force and swearing in its staff as police officers, thereby, conferring them with the powers conferred by the Police Act. It was contemplated that whilst this unit will have its own head, it will operate in accordance with the Police Act, Regulations and accompanying Standing Orders. Therefore, this unit necessarily falls under the superintendence of the Commissioner of the Police. Significantly, as part of the police force, it is insulated from the political directorate and only the subject minister can offer directions, but only on policy matters and nothing else. In short, no politician can direct it on operational matters. When we left government, this unit was merely in its embryonic stages. Under this government, this unit has evolved into something radically and fundamentally different. It is public knowledge that it is not answerable to and takes no directions from the Commissioner of Police; it is housed in the Ministry of the Presidency and funded from the budget of that Ministry; it engages in operational matters and conducts investigations into matters wholly unrelated to the FIU, money laundering, or terrorism; indeed there is no FIU in place from which it can get instructions or functional directions; and recently, we have now learned that it is investigating leaders of the People's Progressive Party, former Ministers of the PPPC Government, Members of Parliament of the PPPC, and friends and supporters of the PPPC. I have read and heard denials emanating from the government and from SOCU itself, contending that it has no political agenda. But I have seen a letter signed by Sydney James, requesting from a state agency information regarding the

property ownership of a list of persons fitting the above mentioned description. There is no FIU in place. The Police Commissioner did not compile this list. So from whence did this list originate? My information is that it came from the Office of the President. My information is that similar requests were made of commercial banks requesting confidential financial information regarding these persons' bank accounts. None of these persons have been informed that they are being investigated. None of them have been informed for what they are being investigated. None of these persons have been informed that they are suspects in any investigation. So from all indications this list was compiled to target the People's Progressive Party. This is nothing but political witch hunting. As for the information that is being requested, this information is submitted annually to the Integrity Commission and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in accordance with the law. In fact it is the Joint Opposition who, over the last fifteen years, have repeatedly refused to make such disclosures to the Integrity Commission as they are mandated to do by law and despite dozens of calls for them to do so by the PPPC, while in government. Earlier this year, they refused to support a motion in the National Assembly, piloted by us in the Opposition, calling upon all Members of Parliament to publicly disclose their assets and sources of income over the last ten years. Yet, their names are not on the SOCU's list.

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FEATURE PAGE 4

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, July 05, 2016

The Unruly Horse...con’t My information is that SARU is the intellectual author of this infamous list.

SARU continues to be a legal bastard. It has no legal powers to conduct any type of investigation. Its head, Dr. Clive Thomas is clueless in respect of how investigations are to be lawfully conducted. From all his public utterances, it is clear that he comes to conclusions first and then he investigates. His overt and discernible dislike for the PPP by itself disqualifies him from investigating.

It is reported in the press that he told the Parliament Committee that SARU is a department within the Ministry of the Presidency (MOP). This goodly Professor obviously does not recognize that this fact alone renders SARU incapable of conducting any lawful investigation into the affairs of a citizen, more so one who is a political opponent to the President. He blissfully explains that SARU will soon migrate from the MOP,

as if that will change anything. He and that unit are a group of politicians and are already tarnished, and will never be viewed as being capable of doing any objective investigating work. It is clear therefore that SOCU and SARU are two groups wielding a political hatchet but masquerading as law enforcement agency. Their actions will not only be legally challenged all the way to the highest court in the land, but their political machinations will be exposed at the highest forum in the international community. This authoritarian virus which has infected the apex of the executive, the office of the President, has also spread right across the Central Government and is now wreaking havoc at the level of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council. It is painfully obvious that consultation, discussions and natural justice are not part of the standard operational procedures of the Council. In

less than a year, they have removed the pavement vendors; they are hell bent on implementing parking meters in the city; they have imposed a $25,000 tax on containers which the court has found to be unlawful; they have now moved to impose this tax at the wharves. In all of this, not a word of consultation either with the business community, the labor movement, the religious organizations, or the citizens. From all indications most of these matters have not even been discussed at the level of the council itself.

In the end, what is clear is that a political dictatorship and intimidation are back and democracy is on its way out. As Dr. Cheddi Jagan used to say, “There will be no social and economic progress without democracy”. The working people will bear the brunt of the poverty and the underdevelopment which are bound to ensue.

Teenager kills father in Crane A 16-year-old boy is in police custody after he allegedly chopped his father to death on Thursday morning. The murder occurred at Crane village, West Coast Demerara. The dead man has been identified as Patrick Savore, who is said to be in his late 70’s. The Guyana Daily News understands that the man and his son were involved in a heated argument when the lad chopped him several times with a cutlass. The lad escaped after committing the gruesome act and was subsequently apprehended by police and the murder weapon was recovered. He is currently nursing injuries under police guard at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and will also assist in investigations.

Hav eaNewswor t hyst or y?

Cont act : GuyanaDai l ynews guyanadai l ynews@gmai l . com ( 592) 2265088 ( 592) 2265096 l ot 1 2&1 3Sher i f f s t . s ubr y anv i l l eGeor get own

LOCAL PAGE 6

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Ogle house goes up in flames Two families are now homeless after the two-storey residency they were renting at 34 South Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) went up in flames, on Thursday morning. One of the occupants, who preferred to stay anonymous, told the Guyana Daily News that around 07:15hrs, the tenant that occupies the upstairs room “came down running saying she can smell smoke, then shortly after the smoke was coming down of our apartment, the fire started upstairs on the back room.” The fire department was called immediately as the fire gained in strength. They managed to evacuate all members of the family and most of the furniture and personal items. There were

no casualties. “The fire department took around 30 minutes to reach, if they would have come faster much more could have been saved”, residents of the area stated. The source of the fire is unknown to this point. BY- Rocio Perez, Guyana Daily News.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Snippets on Cabinet meeting At the Post Cabinet media briefing held at the Ministry of Presidency on Thursday morning, several topics were discussed. Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman started the brief revealing that the Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, submitted on Tuesday last, a report from the subcommittee addressing to examine a report of the government for the students loan at the University of Guyana. In this report the subcommittee recommended a review of the organization structure and business processes of the organization to make it compliant, especially on the accounting framework. The subcommittee will make recommendations that will allow the agency to recover outstanding balances on loans. Also included in the report were short and long term measures to set clear conditions for loan applications, guarantees and repayment. Cabinet also received a technical report on the Kato Secondary School complex project, by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, where he highlighted a number of discrepancies in structures assessment, building defects and contract administration. The cabinet noted the comments in the reports referring to the designer, the consultant and the contractors of the project, as well as the cost of remedial work if the government is going to undertake them. The cabinet has requested from the Attorney General, a review of the report to advise on the proper actions to be taken. It also addressed the approval from cabinet for the payment of a revised contribution in the sum of $544,749 US dollars to CARICOM implementing agencies in crime and security impacts. This payment is for the period of 2009 to 2016, once paid will take care of Guyana’s indebtedness to this very important regional body. Questions addressed to the Minister included the concern of Guyana being for or against the death penalty, based on a statement given by President David Granger where he stated that “Guyana will not be executing criminals.” Mr. Trotman stated that the “death penalty is on the status book of Guyana, we are aware indeed that recent laws are dealing with terrorism include the death penalty.

Those laws brought us into compliances with internationally recognized standards. Government has maintained since the 1990s maintained a moratoria that in fact the death penalty remains on the books, the president rightly said that he has no intention of enforcing the death penalty, at the present time the government is not rushed to rely on the book. At the moment we are not in a position to say we will have a consultations to add the penalties or remove them, but we have the matter into active consideration.” The Minister highlighted that there is pressure worldwide to reintegrate

the death penalty internationally due to the eruption of terrorism. On the controversial topic about the alleged corruption being carried by Mr. Omar Sharif, Mr. Trotman said that “is being an active matter, no money is being found, do to it I won’t be able to comment further on the matter.” Mr. Trotman said that the idea of Special prosecutors has, in fact been noted several months ago, and its believed that Ministers of Legal Affairs and Public Security have been tasked to advice cabinet on the necessity of special prosecutor’s office, because it has been required the service of more than one special council. “The Ministers of Legal Affairs and Public Security will advise the cabinet shortly about the decision to take”, Mr. Trotman noted. -By- Rocio Perez, Guyana Daily News.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

The Dredge Steve- N back in service after a successful dry docking at GNIC. (Georgetown 2016/07/21) - The Steve N is back in service after being repaired by the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC). The Steve N is the largest vessel owned by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and was drydocked for the past eight weeks for repairs. The works were completed on time, within cost and specification. The dredge is now available for use in dredging works in Guyana’s rivers after it was tested and handed over to MARAD. When the vessel was dry docked 40% of its hull needed critical repair while several

other areas were also in need of urgent attention. The dry docking and active repair took approximately one month and was completed within the eight-week period. Shipyard Manager, Mr. Jagdesh Ramjag, said that GNIC was able to fully complete all the work and bring the vessel up to specification; the work was described as routine since the GNIC has the full wealth of experienced staff.

The scope of works carried out on the Steve-N included: - Fabrication works to Hull, Hopper and Ballast Tanks.

- Repairs to propulsion System: Propeller Shafts , propellers , bushes and Rudder.

- Sandblasting and Painting of Hull, Hopper and Main Decks.

- Electrical Works including installation of three (3) 35,000 BTU Air Conditioning Units, Removal and Installing two (2) Generators and installing Echosounder system.

- Mechanical Repairs to Hopper Doors, Suction Drag Head Pipe, Dredge pump pipe and valves in engine room and pump room.

The dredge, Steve N started its life in the same Shipyard. One of the very engineers that worked on it this time around was there when the steel for its hull was originally being assembled.

Mr. Ronald Bourne, Consultant to the Shipyard Manager explained that over the years he has been privileged to have worked on conducting preventative maintenance on the dredge, which has a “creative” history with the yard. The work was

described as routine since GNIC has a very experienced Shipbuilding and Ship repair Team of skilled staff.CEO of GNIC, Mr. Clinton Williams said that the company can be categorized as a mini industrial conglomerate with the following as its major areas of operations: Shipbuilding and Repairs, Port Operations and Project Management. He was pleased that the team was able to complete the job on time, within specification and costs. He noted that going forward, GNIC has the capacity, but will be looking to upgrade and expand its facilities. Additionally, the company will continue to work with the Board of Industrial Training to provide apprenticeship and on the job training in the areas of welding, fabrication, machining, marine and bench fitters, plumbers, carpentry etc. Training is one of the strengths of the company, over the years, has provided to more than 1,000 Guyanese. The major challenge for the company right now is the illegal beach operators who put vessels at risk by dragging them up on beaches for repairs rather than a proper dry-docking. The company has been appealing to ship owners to avoid this unsafe practice as it puts unnecessary strain on the hull integrity of vessels. This could make them unseaworthy. The company continues to tender for jobs and they are yet to be beaten on quality, price, experience and competence. GNIC remains one of the main shipyards in the country and has a long history of shipbuilding in Guyana with the likes of the MV Malali and MV Torani being built in the shipyard. These two vessels were completely rebuilt and re-commissioned during the early ninety’s by Guyana National Engineering Corporation Limited (GNEC) – the predecessor company, with funding from the European Union. Notwithstanding a strong recommendation by a team of International Consultants that they had surpassed their useful service life and should be scrapped.

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LOCAL PAGE 12

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

The Dredge Steve...con’t...

Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated is a diversiďŹ ed shipyard, port operations and engineering company formed in November 01, 1995. Lease of the Infrastructural Facilities viz: Land, Buildings, Drydocks, Shipways and Wharf and for the acquisition of machinery and equipment, tool and certain categories of inventories which were previously owned by the Guyana National Engineering Corporation Limited, a state owned company.

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

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REGIONAL PAGE 14

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Ministry, TSC plan to tackle education woes The Ministry of Education and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) have promised to work together to improve a number of issues plaguing the education system, including appointments, transfers, promotions, vacancies and disciplinary matters. Speaking at a press conference at the ministry, St Clair, yesterday Education Minister Anthony Garcia described a meeting with the TSC as fruitful as he said they had pledged to try as much as possible to remove “impediments” which could hamper the re-opening of all schools in September. Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan said the meeting was aimed at improving the administrative functions and providing training opportunities for staff. Admitting they were concerned about the inordinate delays in filling vacancies which have been existing for a long time, both Garcia and Seecharan agreed it had stymied the efforts of persons acting in the respective posts to discharge their duties properly and effectively. Revealing that the ministry and the TSC had agreed to the formation of a special committee to arrive at a speedy resolution to some of the issues highlighted in the meeting Garcia said it was to present its recommendations in two weeks. Referring to the decision by the previous administration to dis-establish the posts of Assistant Teacher II and Assistant Teacher III in both primary and secondary schools, Garcia said legal advice had been sought as those positions were still included on the official schedule. Vowing to work with all stakeholders, including the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), the National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA) and the principals associations for both primary and secondary schools, Garcia admitted there were too many persons

acting as deans, heads of departments, vice-principals and principals.

Asked about the delays in filling positions, Seecharan explained it was a lengthy process but the meeting had explored various ways in which such matters could be addressed in a more timely manner. With close to 16,000 teachers in the system, Garcia said the ministry and the TSC had promised to look at ways of honouring those who continued to excel at their work. However, he admitted there were teachers who continued to ignore the TSC regulations and that an investigation had been launched into that. Adding that it was less than 100 people who were to be interviewed and investigated, Garcia said: “The number is still quite substantial.” These teachers are scattered across primary and secondary schools and come from both denominational and government institutions from the seven education districts in Trinidad. (Trinidad Guardian)

Anthony Garcia

CARICEL says nothing in OCG's report to affect its telecom licences KINGSTON, Jamaica – Symbiote Investments says that the report tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday by Contractor General Dirk Harrison (OCG) has not raised any new material that should cause the government to resile from the decision to grant the company telecommunications licences. "He has merely given his own interpretation of facts that were disclosed by the applicant, and known to the regulators and the minister when the decisions were taken," the company added in a release last night. Responding to the report's adverse findings relating to the approval and granting of its Domestic Mobile Spectrum Licence (DMSL) and Carrier licences Symbiote, which trades as Caricel, said it was never contacted during the course of the OCG's investigations, which began last month. "We are surprised by the publication of adverse findings before the company was given an opportunity to be heard by the proper authorities,"Symbiote stated in the release. Harrison recommended in his report that current minister of technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley, do not sign or issue the Domestic Mobile Spectrum Licence (DMSL) to Symbiote, approved by his predecessor, Phillip Paulwell, in February. Harrison also recommended that, in the

circumstances, the Mobile Carrier and Service Provider Licences, issued to Symbiote Investments should be withdrawn, as Symbiote had breached Section 63 of the Telecommunications Act and Section 5 of the Radio and Telegraph Control Act, in its use of spectrum without the prescribed licence. (Jamaica Observer)

REGIONAL PAGE 16

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Nourish aims to alleviate hunger in T&T

Nourish, a local NGO that was established a year ago, is on a drive to end food waste and to assist the 100,000 people in T&T affected by hunger and poverty. The 2012 World Bank Report, What A Waste, found T&T to be one of the biggest offenders when it comes to wasting food. Nourish has joined with others across the globe like Hands for Hunger (Bahamas), Foodcloud (Ireland) and Fareshare (UK), all of which were formed to fight hunger in their respective countries. Today, Nourish will host its official launch at the Queen’s Park Oval. Founder Krista Santos said the launch will feature discussions on the NGO’s background, its successes and testimonies from its partners and beneficiaries of its services. There will be a keynote address from Dr Lystra Fletcher-Paul, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation representative and an expert in the field of food security. Santos, a former investment banker, said she was always very passionate about not wasting food. In fact, she is well known to her local grocery as she frequents the establishment almost every day of the week just so food won’t spoil in her refrigerator. The impetus for which the business came last June, after Santos witnessed some heavy food wastage by a local retailer she believed was throwing away perfectly good food. So bothered by what she’d seen, she quickly pulled together the Nourish pitch and successfully presented it to some of the people who now make up the NGO’s eight-member board. The self-funded NGO believes that good food should never be thrown away but given to people in need. To enable companies to be part of Nourish’s endeavour, they use the company’s website to post about possible food donations to the Nourish website. Charities can then place orders for food and these orders are collected by Nourish and delivered to the charities.

Santos has said that so far Nourish has never received food that cannot be eaten. The stuff they get is always in date and fit for consumption. On an average, Nourish’s distributes 2,500 meals per week. The Nourish food distribution plan sounds like an attractive idea for individuals, and that idea is being explored at the moment. “Community food drives are something that we are exploring, so it is very possible that you may see one in a supermarket near you soon. We are also very excited about some initiatives which would involve volunteers, so anyone who is passionate about this cause should go on our website and click on Connect with Nourish. We will register your details in our system and get in touch about volunteering opportunities.” (Trinidad Guardian)

In many countries, the wastage of food is a huge problem.

Nourish is a local NGO founded to ensure that companies are able to give good leftover food to charities who can distribute to people in need

Fish kill off Mosquito Creek Thousands of dead herring, mullet and catfish have been washing up along the shoreline of the Mosquito Creek over the past few days. The dead fish started coming to shore late on Monday afternoon and president of the Debe to Penal Action Committee, Edward Moody, is now calling on the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) to investigate the cause of the fish kill. The T&T Guardian visited the area yesterday and were met by the stench of thousands of rotting fish. Many curious passersby stopped to get a closer look as the rising tide sucked the carcasses towards the mouth of the Godineau River.

Moody, who did not hesitate to get his hands dirty, plucked several of the larger fish from the water. He said: “For the last 48 hours, we have been noticing hundreds of pelicans diving into the water and catching fish. “What is happening...if you look out you will see the pelicans now, just sitting in the water, whether they were poisoned by the thousands of dead fish we are seeing here now, we do not know. “We made reports to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) and what we are requesting is that some testing of these fish be done to determine what actually killed them.” While he said herring are easily killed, it’s the death of so many catfish that has him worried. “Now if you watch, you will see the little herring dead. They die very easily but when you start to see the catfish dying by the dozens along the shore, you know something went wrong in this water somewhere.” He said late on Tuesday and up to early yesterday morning, several unscrupulous fishermen were seen trawling in the area. “The question is, are we going to sit by and allow fishermen... like we saw some men trawling out there just now...what are they catching and what are they selling?” he asked. With a mouthful of questions, Moodie is calling on the IMA and the EMA to do the necessary to get to the root of the deaths. He asked: “What caused the problem? Did it start here? Did it come down the Oropouche River? “We are asking the IMA to come in and do sampling. People in South Trinidad should know, be careful where you buy fish and where the fish came from because if the fish were poisoned by heavy metal or some kind of pesticide or something, it would move up the chain from whoever eats what. “We want people to be aware of

this and we want answers from the IMA. The EMA does not have boating equipment to go out there and catch the fish. The IMA is responsible for this and we are demanding answers.”He dismissed the suggestion that the dead fish were a result of overfishing, saying: “The idea that it came up because a trawler caught bigger fish and threw these out to sea is wrong. No way so many fish would be caught by one trawler, so let us rule that out of the game here.” One man who stopped off at the Godineau Bridge for some afternoon fishing was shocked to see the dead fish but he believes the problem did not originate at the creek. “When I came here around noon, the water was clear and I threw my line in,” the man, who asked to identified only as Raj, said.

“About half-an-hour later, I see all these fish start washing up closer and closer,” he added.

He said he still caught several small living fish, leaving him with this conclusion: “It can’t be because of something here or there would be no living fish at all so it looks like they came in with the tide.” Efforts to contact the offices of the EMA and the IMA were unsuccessful yesterday. (Trinidad Guardian)

Thousands of dead fish which washed up off Mosquito Creek, La Romaine, yesterday.

PHOTO: RISHI RAGOONATH

REGIONAL PAGE 18

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

PM: Gate cuts will be best we can afford Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (Gate) programme is staying.

However, he says because of the trepidation over impending adjustments to the programme, it will be reviewed by his Cabinet with a caring eye. Rowley made the comment while addressing T&T students during his visit to the University of the West Indies’ Mona Campus, Jamaica, as he continued activities on his five-day visit to Jamaica. The session took greater significance after widespread panic among the T&T student bodies across the region in the wake of a media report over the weekend that massive cuts were recommended by the Task Force appointed to review the programme. This included a proposal that students pay up to one third of their fees. Under the existing arrangements, the cost of tuition is met fully by Government. But as he met with the student body yesterday, Rowley assured them there was no need for any panic. “We didn’t just decide to cut the programme. We had a proper analysis done and that analysis looked at the comprehensive programme, including the requirement to preserve what we are investing in, because the money we are spending on you is an investment in the future of the country,” he explained. He said the review was undertaken as the country was facing a very significant loss of revenue because of collapsed commodity prices internationally. “That by itself is pushing us to have to close some very serious budget deficits,” he added.

He said notwithstanding that, the programme was due for a review after existing for several years and the review was “not meant to backtrack on our commitment to make sure that you all are educated or to be denied an education on the basis that you are not able to pay tuition.” While the purpose of the task force report was to make recommendations on reducing overall expenditure, Rowley said: “We are committed to cutting out the waste, the abuse and the corruption and to ensure the sacrifice we make to pay for your education is the best we can afford.” He said it costs Government $750 million each year to educate Gate-approved citizens and urged those gathered not to take taxpayers’ sacrifices for granted. Noting the high demand for professionals in the field of medicine, he said: “You in the medical field ought not to worry. Even though we become more selective in what we fund, the area of health care delivery is an area of grave shortage in the country.” Cabinet, he added, would meet to discuss the recommendations before any final decision was made “but what I can tell you is that we will review the recommendations with a very caring eye.” Some students got to their feet, asking the PM that even if the decision is that they are to fund even part of their tuition, whether it would be possible to facilitate low interest student friendly loans. Since 2004, over 65,000 students have passed through the programme. Happy with

trade talks Commenting on one of his major reasons for visiting Kingston, Rowley said it was “to face down the challenge of a trade war between T&T and Jamaica.” He said he was leaving Jamaica “confident that whatever flicker (existed) would not turn into a flame.” In response to a question on the immigration issue involving Jamaicans denied entry into T&T, Rowley said the matter should not be generalised. He said it was “quite a misunderstanding that Jamaicans were being singled out for special treatment and bad treatment in T&T. I reject that out of hand.” Rowley said despite the recent claims about unfair treatment at the Piarco International Airport there were thousands of Jamaicans going about their business in T&T without any problems whatsoever. “You will see that 97 per cent of the Jamaicans that left to come to T&T, entered with no problem,” he said.

Rowley said recent reports about Jamaicans experiencing problems when they attempted to enter the country were only about three per cent. He said some of those in the three per cent “had failed to qualify for entry under permissible arrangements.” He said it was “important for the leaders in the countries to say to the travelling population of the region that there are certain restrictions that could apply.” He also said certain immigration officers were being trained and facilities were being established at the airport to ensure all visitors were treated with dignity when they arrived in T&T. He said during his visit he did not meet “one person who said or implied that we are not better off together and that we are not brothers and sisters in this region.” Rowley’s official visit to Jamaica ends today and his address to the UWI students yesterday was streamed live. (Trinidad Guardian)

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley poses with T&T nationals studying at UWI’s Mona campus during a visit on the penultimate day of his visit to Jamaica yesterday. Rowley returns home today.

Photo: COURTESY THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS 1MDB: Malaysian PM under pressure over $1bn US fraud case PAGE 20

M

alaysian PM Najib Razak is facing pressure internationally and at home amid US allegations of massive fraud at state investment fund 1MDB. The fund was set up by Mr Najib in 2009 with the stated aim of boosting the Malaysian economy. But US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said evidence showed it had defrauded Malaysians "on an enormous scale". On Wednesday, US authorities moved to seize more than $1bn (£761m) in assets related to the fund. Mr Najib is not named in the US papers and has consistently denied wrongdoing. But he is identifiable as "Malaysian Official 1", whose account allegedly received millions in funds originating from 1MDB. The $1bn the US hopes to seize would make up only a proportion of the more than $3.5bn (£2.6bn) allegedly diverted. What is 1MDB? officially 1Malaysia Development Berhad, it is a state investment fund, originally overseen by Mr Najib aimed to boost the economy through investments and infrastructure deals with foreign entities including Saudi Arabia. also borrowed heavily, and by 2014 had debts of $11bn and missed repayments What are the US accusations? that $3.5bn in 1MDB money was misappropriated, and laundered through accounts in Singapore, Switzerland and the US that the money financed lavish lifestyles for "multiple individuals including public officials" that 'Malaysian Official 1' received $731m of the misappropriated funds, though later returned $620m Mr Najib's stepson, Riza Aziz is named, as is Malaysian financier Jho Low, Malaysian Eric Tan, a United Arab Emirates official and a US citizen. What does the US allege the money was spent on? hotels and luxury properties A private jet, yacht trips and fine art Gambling trips, including one with actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and financing for Hollywood film The Wolf of Wall Street Mr Najib was officially cleared of criminality by the Malaysian attorney general earlier this year. He had dismissed the previous attorney general after he repeatedly criticised the prime minister's handling of the case. The current attorney general, Mohamed Apandi, said on Thursday that there was no evidence funds were misappropriated from 1MDB. Speaking on Thursday, Mr Najib stressed the US case was a "civil, not a criminal, procedure" and that "we don't want to come to any conclusions until that process [the investigation] is done". "I want to say categorically that we are serious about good governance," he said, adding that he would "fully co-operate" with the investigation. Despite denying any wrongdoing, the prime minister is now facing renewed calls to answer the accusations and stand down. Former premier and long-time Najib foe Mahathir Mohamad said there "can be no doubt" that Mr Najib was responsible for 1MDB's finances. He said Malaysians should stage street protests against Mr Najib, as they have in the past, and push for a referendum on his leadership. Parliamentary opposition leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said he should go on leave "so as not to create the

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

perception of abuse of power" or hinder this "very important" investigation. When I spoke to the fund's CEO, Arul Kanda, in October last year, he told me "the value of assets outweigh the value of debt". But 1MDB had to sell some of its most prized assets in order to realise this value, and as one Malaysian opposition leader put it to me at the time, any business that has to do that isn't a successful business. 1MDB's financial mismanagement and the allegations of misconduct by the prime minister has raised concern amongst the foreign investment community that Malaysia's economy is in for a rough ride. But there are bigger worries than just the financial performance of 1MDB. At the heart of it is the suggestion that Malaysia's public money has been stolen and used for personal gain. 1MDB said in a statement last year that it had never given money to the prime minister and called the claims "unsubstantiated". Meanwhile Singapore fraud investigators said on Thursday they had seized more than $175m in assets connected to 1MDB and found several major banks, including Standard Chartered, had showed "weaknesses in the processes for accepting clients and monitoring transactions". Also on Thursday, the Swiss authorities said they had seized three valuable paintings linked to the investigation - one Van Gogh painting and two Monet paintings, following a US request.

(BBC)

Najib Razak has always denied any wrongdoing(REUTERS)

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INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Chicken odour 'prevents malaria' research in Ethiopia finds PAGE 22

The smell from a live chicken could help protect against malaria, researchers have found. Ethiopian and Swedish scientists discovered that malarial mosquitoes tend to avoid chickens and other birds. The experiments, conducted in western Ethiopia, included suspending a live chicken in a cage near a volunteer sleeping under a bed net. Last year malaria killed nearly 400,000 people in Africa, the UN says.

Infection and death rates are declining but health officials are continuing to look for new ways to prevent the spread of the disease. The malaria parasite, which initially hides in the liver before going into the bloodstream, is carried from person to person by mosquitoes when they drink blood. The scientists, whose research was published in the Malaria Journal, concluded that as mosquitoes use their sense of smell to locate an animal they can bite there must be something in a chicken's odour that puts the insects off.

Addis Ababa University's Habtie Tekie, who worked on the research, said that the compounds from the smell of the chicken can be extracted and could work as a repellent. Field trials for this stage of the research are now "in the pipeline", he told the BBC. Researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences were also involved in the project.

Compounds extracted from chicken feathers were also used

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

in the experiments, as well as live chickens. Researchers discovered that the use of the chicken and the compounds "significantly reduced" the number of mosquitoes that were found in the trap nearby. The scientists say that with reports that some mosquitoes are developing resistance to insecticide "novel control methods" need to be embraced.

(BBC)

Live chickens as well as compounds extracted from chicken feathers were used in the experiments(KASSAHUN JALETA)

INTERNATIONAL

GUYANA DAILY NEWS Man held after Sydney police station rammed by burning car PAGE 24

A man has been arrested in Sydney, Australia, after reportedly setting himself and his car alight and ramming the gate of a police station car park. The suspect, who is in his 60s, suffered serious burns as a result of the incident on Thursday evening, in the western suburb of Merrylands. A top police official said there was no indication of any terrorist connection. The Australian authorities believe the individual involved has a history of mental health problems. No members of the public or police officers were injured during the incident in Memorial Avenue, police said. The suspect was arrested at about 20:00 (10:00 GMT) and a bomb disposal unit deployed, as roads were locked down around the police station. New South Wales state assistant police commissioner Dennis Clifford said officers had spotted the suspect sitting in his car outside the police station.

When they approached him, he appeared to ignite an accelerant and drove his vehicle into a roller door leading to the station's underground car park. Australian media had reported a number of gas canisters were in the car at the time, although it is not clear how many. "There's nothing to indicate this is in any way related to terrorism," Mr Clifford told reporters. "We just don't know why this person has acted this way." "The police reacted

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

very bravely and it's just a miracle that no one else was seriously injured," he added. Nick Ralston, crime and justice editor at The Sydney Morning Herald, tweeted to say the suspect was "known to police but not believed to have had any known links to a terrorist" organisation. The suspect is being treated in hospital for his injuries. (BBC)

Firefighters and a bomb disposal squad member could be seen at the site of the incident(EPA)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 26

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Qandeel Baloch: Murdered Pakistan celebrity's p a r e n t s s p e a k o f p a i n The parents of Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch have spoken of their closeness to her and their bitterness towards their son, who has confessed to murdering her last week. Ms Baloch's mother, Anwar Bibi, told BBC Urdu that her daughter had shared all her sorrows and secrets with her. Her father, Muhammad Azeem, said his son should be "shot on sight". Mrs Bibi said her son had lost his mind because of taunts about his sister's frank and often risque posts online. More than 500 people, almost all of them women, die in Pakistan every year at the hands of relatives who believe shame has been brought on their family. Ms Baloch became a household name in Pakistan after posting sometimes raunchy photographs, comments and videos on social media sites, on which she had hundreds of thousands of followers. The 26-year-old was well aware of the opposition she faced in the conservative Muslim country but was unapologetic. Her brother Waseem has said he drugged and then strangled her to death last Friday "for dishonouring the Baloch name". In their ďŹ rst interview with international media, Ms Baloch's parents said they had also been drugged on the night of the murder. "My husband and I fell deeply asleep. We had drunk milk, it had been mixed with sedatives," Mrs Bibi said. "In the morning, I called Qandeel for breakfast... but she didn't get up." She found her daughter's body and found that "her whole face was covered in bruises, her tongue was black, her lips was black", and started crying, she said. "We were mother and daughter, sharing all our sorrows and secrets. She used to tell me: 'Your daughter is working hard, she'll go far,'" she added. But Ms Baloch's brothers "always had hatred in their hearts", Mrs Bibi said. "Before, they didn't care much. But recently, things got worse, people... poisoned their

minds." 'She must have called out' Mr Azeem said his daughter had been his "best friend", but described his son as "crazed". "I say he should be shot on sight! He suocated my little one," he added. "We were drugged, asleep upstairs. She must have called out to us." Earlier this week, the Punjab provincial government also became a complainant in the murder case, designating it a crime against the state. The rare move eectively prevented members of Ms Baloch's family from legally forgiving her brother - a common legal loophole that sees many so-called "honour killings" go unpunished. An anti-honour killings bill to close the loophole nationwide has been bogged down in the Pakistani parliament. But Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter said on Wednesday that the ruling party hoped to present it before a joint session of parliament within weeks.

(BBC)

Qandeel Baloch

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INTERNATIONAL PAGE 28

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Rio Olympics 2016: Russia fails to overturn athlete ban for next month's Games

R

ussian track and field athletes will remain banned from the Olympics following claims the country ran a state-sponsored doping programme. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and 68 Russian athletes attempted to overturn the suspension, implemented by the body that governs world athletics. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) has ruled it can stand. A handful of Russian athletes could still compete as neutrals at the Rio Games, which start on 5 August. "It's sad but rules are rules," said Olympic 100m and 200m champion Usain Bolt, who is targeting more gold medals in Rio. He said it was important to send a strong message to the dopers.

"Doping violations in track and field is getting really bad," said the Jamaican, 29. "If you cheat or go or against the rules, this will scare a lot of people." However, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva - one of the 68 to appeal to Cas - said the ruling was "a blatant political order", while the Russian Foreign Ministry called it a a "crime against sport". Isinbayeva, the 2012 gold medallist, 34, told the Tass news agency: "Thank you all for this funeral for athletics." The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said it was "pleased Cas has supported its position", adding that the judgement had "created a level playing field for athletes". IAAF president Lord Coe added: "This is not a day for triumphant statements. I didn't come into this sport to stop athletes from competing. "Beyond Rio, the IAAF taskforce will continue to work with Russia to establish a clean safe environment for its athletes so that its federation and team can return to international recognition and competition."

Separately, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is considering calls to ban all Russian competitors from the Rio Games following a second report into state-sponsored doping. What now for Russia's athletes? Some Russian athletes could compete in Rio as neutrals if they meet a number of criteria, including being repeatedly tested outside their homeland. At least two - 800m runner and doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova and US-based long jumper Darya Klishina - have gone down that path. Now the ruling by a three-person Cas panel has cleared the way for others. Cas said the ROC could still nominate athletes to compete as neutrals. However, a Cas spokesman said the panel had expressed concerns that this left "no possibility" for athletes to comply with the criteria. Who was on the Cas panel? Three lawyers from Italy, Britain and the United States, widely regarded as amongst the most experienced judges on the court's list of around 400 approved arbitrators. The chairman was Milan-based Luigi Fumagalli, who also sat on the panel which upheld Fifa's four-month ban on Uruguay's Luis Suarez for biting Italian defender Georgio Chiellini opponent at the 2014 World Cup. Retired judge Robert Reid, from England, has chaired disciplinary committees for the Premier League and sat in judgment of Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt's failed appeal to Cas against a ban for fixing. Finally, Jeffrey Benz from Los Angeles is a former legal adviser to the United States Olympic Committee. Why were Russian athletes banned? Russia was suspended from track and field events by the IAAF in November 2015 following the publication of an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report that showed a culture of widespread, state-

sponsored doping. Sports minister Vitaly Mutko apologised for Russia's failure to catch the cheats but stopped short of admitting the scandal had been state-sponsored. However, another Wadacommissioned report delivered earlier this week - the McLaren report - contained more damaging allegations and suggested senior figures in Russia's sports ministry were complicit in an organised cover-up. The report implicated the majority of Olympic sports in the cover-up and claimed that Russian secret service agents were involved in swapping positive urine samples for clean ones. Following Monday's publication of the McLaren report, the IOC faced calls to ban all Russian competitors from the 2016 Olympics and will hold an second emergency meeting on Sunday to decide its course of action. How has Russia responded? The Russian authorities have already suggested that they will look at ways to continue legal action. Following the ruling, sports minister Mutko said Cas had set "a certain precedent" by punishing a collective group for doping offences by individuals.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added: "The principle of collective responsibility cannot be acceptable. The news is not very good." What about other reaction? Sir Matthew Pinsent, Britain's four-time Olympic rowing champion: "I hope the IOC will take courage from the fact there will not be a legal comeback to these decisions. Any other option will be a nonsense." Louise Hazel, a former Olympic heptathlete from Britain: "It's a sad business but it's also a step in the right direction. I commend everybody involved for taking a hard line. I'm really pleased to see they have taken a really strong stance and that the ban has been upheld." Vera Rebrik, a javelin thrower from Ukraine who switched allegiance to Russia following the annexation of Crimea in 2014: "I don't know whether to laugh or cry... I can't find the words." (BBC)

INTERNATIONAL PAGE 30

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

The man hired to have sex with children

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n some remote southern regions of Malawi, it's traditional for girls to be made to have sex with a paid sex worker known as a "hyena" once they reach puberty. The act is not seen by village elders as rape, but as a form of ritual "cleansing". However, as Ed Butler reports, it has the potential to be the opposite of cleansing - a way of spreading disease. I meet Eric Aniva in the dusty yard of his three-room shack in Nsanje district in southern Malawi. Goats and chickens graze in the dirt outside. Wearing a grimy green shirt, and walking with a pronounced limp (he's been lame in one leg since birth, he says), he greets me enthusiastically. He seems to like the idea of media attention. Aniva is by all accounts the pre-eminent "hyena" in this village. It's a traditional title given to a man hired by communities in several remote parts of southern Malawi to provide what's called sexual "cleansing". If a man dies, for example, his wife is required by tradition to sleep with Aniva before she can bury him. If a woman has an abortion, again sexual cleansing is required. And most shockingly, here in Nsanje, teenage girls, after their first menstruation, are made to have sex over a three-day period, to mark their passage from childhood to womanhood. If the girls refuse, it's believed, disease or some fatal misfortune could befall their families or the village as a whole. "Most of those I have slept with are girls, school-going girls," Aniva tells me. "Some girls are just 12 or 13 years old, but I prefer them older. All these girls find pleasure in having me as their hyena. They actually are proud and tell other people that this man is a real man, he knows how to please a woman." Despite his boasts, several girls I meet in a nearby village express aversion to the ordeal they've had to go through. "There was nothing else I could have done. I had to do it for the sake of my parents," one girl, Maria, tells me. "If I'd refused, my family members could be attacked with diseases - even death - so I was scared."

They tell me that all their female friends were made to have sex with a hyena. Aniva appears to be in his 40s (he's vague about his precise age) and currently has two wives who are well aware of his work. He claims to have slept with 104 women and girls - although as he said the same to a local newspaper in 2012, I sense that he long ago lost count. Aniva has five children that he knows about - he's not sure how many of the women and girls he's made pregnant. He tells me he's one of 10 hyenas in this community, and that every village in Nsanje district has them. They are paid from $4 to $7 (£3 to £5) each time. An hour's drive down the road, I'm introduced to Fagisi, Chrissie and Phelia, women in their 50s and custodians of the initiation traditions in their village. It's their job to organise the adolescent girls into camps each year, teaching them about their duties as wives and how to please a man sexually. The "sexual cleansing" with the hyena is the final stage of this process, arranged voluntarily by the girl's parents. It's necessary, Fagisi, Chrissie and Phelia explain, "to avoid infection with their parents or the rest of the community".

I put it to them that there's a much greater risk that these "cleansings" will themselves spread disease. According to custom, sex with the hyena must never be protected with the use of condoms. But they say a hyena is handpicked for his good morals, and therefore cannot be infected with HIV/Aids. It's clear, given the hyena's duties, that HIV is a huge risk to the community. The UN estimates that one in 10 of all Malawians carry the virus, so I ask Aniva if he is HIV-positive. He astounds me by saying that he is - and that he doesn't mention this to a girl's parents when they hire him. As our conversation continues, Aniva senses that I am not impressed. He stops boasting and tells me that he does fewer cleansings than before. "I still do the rituals here and there," he confides. Then he tells me: "I am stopping."

All of those involved in these rituals are aware that these customs are condemned by outsiders - not just by the church, but by NGOs and the government as well, which has launched a campaign against so-called "harmful cultural practices". "We are not going to condemn these people,"

says Dr May Shaba, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Gender and Welfare. "But we are going to give them information that they need to change their rituals." Parents who have had more education than others may already choose not to hire a hyena, I am told. But the female elders I spoke to remain defiant. "There's nothing wrong with our culture," Chrissie tells me.

"If you look at today's society, you can see that girls are not responsible, so we have to train our girls in a good manner in the village, so that they don't go astray, are good wives so that the husband is satisfied, and so that nothing bad happens to their families." According to Father Clause Boucher, a French-born Catholic priest who's lived in Malawi for 50 years and is now its pre-eminent anthropologist, the rituals date back centuries. They stem from age-old beliefs about the need for children to be passed into the "heat" of adulthood by a sexual act, he says. In the past, when girls tended not to reach puberty until they were 15 or 16, this would often have been carried out by a selected future husband. Today it's more likely to done by a paid sex worker, a hyena, and there's no shame attached to that. Father Boucher points out that the efforts to change this sexualisation of children have been stubbornly resisted in remote southern areas, despite more than a century of Christianity and 30 years of the Aids epidemic. In most of the country - and particularly in areas close to the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe - "sexual cleansing" is rarely if ever practised. In Malawi's central Dedza district, hyenas are only ever used to initiate widows or infertile women, but the Paramount Chief Theresa Kachindamoto - a rare female figurehead in Malawi - has made the fight against the tradition a personal priority. She is trying to galvanise other regional chiefs to make similar efforts. In some other districts, like Mangochi in the east of the country, ceremonies are being adapted to replace sex with a more benign anointing of the girl. In Nsanje, though, there is little effort to bring about change. With Malawi one of the poorest countries in the world, and suffering from growing reports of rural hunger, it's not a policy priority. In a remote village, I meet one of Aniva's two wives, Fanny, along with his youngest baby daughter. Fanny was herself widowed before being "cleansed" by Aniva with sex. They married soon after. Their relationship looks strained. Sitting next to him, she admits shyly that she hates what he does, but that it brings necessary income. I ask her if she expects her two-year-old to be undergoing initiation too in perhaps 10 years from now. "I don't want that to happen," she says. "I want this tradition to end. We are forced to sleep with the hyenas. It's not out of our choice and that I think is so sad for us as women." "You hated it when it happened to you?" I ask. "I still hate it right up until now." When I ask Aniva too whether he wants his daughter to undergo sexual cleansing, he surprises me again. "Not my daughter. I cannot allow this. Now I am fighting for the end of this malpractice." "So, you're fighting against it, but you are still doing it yourself?" I ask. "No, as I said, I'm stopping now."

"Really?" "For sure. For real, I'm stopping." (BBC)

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Trump says US may abandon automatic protections for Nato countries

D

onald Trump has said that if he is elected president he may abandon a guarantee of protection to fellow Nato countries. Speaking to the New York Times, Mr Trump said the US would only come to the aid of allies if they have "fulfilled their obligations to us". Members of Nato have all signed a treaty that says they will come to the aid of any member that is attacked. Mr Trump will speak on Thursday at the Republican National Convention. In a preview of what he will tell convention-goers in his speech, he outlined a foreign policy strategy aimed at reducing US expenditure and involvement abroad. What the world wants to know about Trump - Q&A from Cleveland Although the White House has not responded directly to Mr Trump's comments, spokesman Josh Earnest said on Thursday the US commitment to NATO was "ironclad". He said potential enemies should not misjudge Washington's commitment to defend its NATO allies. "The president renewed that commitment just two weeks ago today when he travelled to Warsaw, Poland, to attend the NATO summit." Mr Trump's comments hit at the fundamental basis of the Atlantic alliance; that an attack on one ally is an attack on all. Under Article 5 of Nato's founding treaty, allies are bound to come to the aid of a member under attack. The US has long been pressing its European allies to spend more on defence. That is slowly beginning to have an effect. But never has there been a suggestion that the US would renege on its responsibilities. His comments on Turkey suggest that the Republican contender also seems reluctant to insist upon Nato members maintaining strong democratic principles. Mr Trump's positions will be seen by Washington's Nato partners as at best eccentric and at worst alarming. At a time of growing tensions with Moscow, the idea that the US might become an unreliable ally is a nightmare for Nato's European members. Asked about Russian aggression towards Nato countries in the Baltic region, Mr Trump suggested the US might abandon the longstanding protections offered by the US to such nations.

The divisive Republican candidate also said that, if elected, he would not pressure US allies over crackdowns on political opposition and civil liberties, arguing that the US had to "fix our own mess" before "lecturing" other nations. He said: "Look at what is happening in our country. How are we going to lecture when people are shooting policemen in cold blood?" Asked about the failed coup in Turkey on Friday, the Republican candidate praised Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been criticised by some Western leaders over his increasingly authoritarian rule. "I give great

credit to him for being able to turn that around," Mr Trump said of the failed coup. "Some people say that it was staged, you know that," he said. "I don't think so." US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Mr Erdogan to follow the rule of law, amid a crackdown on opposition figures by the Turkish leader in the wake of the coup attempt. But Mr Trump chose not to make a similar statement. "When the world sees how bad the United States is and we start talking about civil liberties, I don't think we are a very good messenger," he said.

The Republican candidate also said that he would reassess the costs to the US of longstanding defence treaties, potentially forcing allies to take on those costs. He said he would "prefer to be able to continue" existing agreements - but not if he felt allies were taking advantage of the US. Referring to what he said were US trade losses, Mr Trump said: "We are spending a fortune on military in order to lose $800bn. That doesn't sound very smart to me." He also suggested he would close US bases abroad. "If we decide we have to defend the United States, we can always deploy" from American soil, he said "and it will be a lot less expensive". Mr Trump will address the convention on Thursday following speeches from his running mate, Governor Mike Pence and his wife Melania Trump. Mrs Trump's speech caused embarrassment when journalists noticed that sections of the text appeared to have been copied directly from a speech given by Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic Convention. Senator Ted Cruz, who came second in the Republican primaries, was booed by convention-goers on Thursday after opting not to endorse Mr Trump in his speech. (BBC)

Donald Trump suggested he would reassess US treaties with longstanding allies(GETTY IMAGES)

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INTERNATIONAL PAGE 34

GUYANA DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

Turkey coup attempt: State of emergency announced

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urkey's president has declared a state of emergency for three months following Friday night's failed army coup.

The emergency allows the president and cabinet to bypass parliament when drafting new laws and to restrict or suspend rights and freedoms. Speaking at the presidential palace in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that "all the viruses within the armed forces will be cleansed". Thousands of people have been arrested or sacked since the failed coup. More than 600 schools have also been closed and thousands of state workers sacked in a crackdown by the president. Analysis: Mark Lowen, BBC News, Istanbul The state of emergency gives President Erdogan radically enhanced powers for three months. He and the cabinet will be able to enact laws bypassing parliament; the constitutional court will be unable to challenge them; there could be restrictions on publications and freedom of assembly; and broader powers of arrest. The question is: how will this be applied? The government insists it will not affect the daily life of citizens and that the state of emergency will only root out the "virus" behind the coup. It points out that similar measures are in France since the Paris attacks last November.

And President Erdogan says this actually aims to protect democracy and human rights. But given the criticism of the president for curbing both while in office, doubts persist over how an increasingly authoritarian leader will use this, especially given the recent purges. France and Germany have spoken out loudest but Mr Erdogan has been typically forthright in his response, telling the French foreign minister to "mind his own business". "This measure is in no way against democracy, the law and freedoms," said Mr Erdogan after announcing the state of emergency. The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Turkey says that the government will be allowed to rule by decree, with the powers of regional governors increased. Our correspondent says a re-organisation of the police, intelligence services and the command structure of the armed forces is also expected. Critics of Mr Erdogan have accused him of consolidating power on a scale largely unprecedented since Turkey's first democratic elections in 1946 and of using the emergency to acquire more power for the presidency. They say the president normally would need to alter the constitution to create an executive presidency and win back some of the powers he relinquished when his tenure as prime minister ended in 2014. 'Provable involvement' Mr Erdogan praised those who were killed fighting against the coup as "martyrs". Some 246 people were killed resisting the attempted coup, according to the government. He was speaking after holding meetings of Turkey's national security council and the cabinet in the capital.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier responded to the president's speech by urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. "Only provable involvement in

illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action," Mr Steinmeier said. "It's also critical that the declaration of emergency be the truly necessary length of time, and to end the measure as quickly as possible." The president has blamed the coup attempt on US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally whose followers run a worldwide network of schools. He has called for Mr Gulen to be extradited to Turkey, but US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that Turkey must provide hard evidence the cleric was behind the coup attempt for any extradition to take place. Earlier, Mr Erdogan warned of further arrests and suspensions to come as Turkish authorities continued to pursue those they believed responsible for the thwarted putsch. More than 50,000 state employees have been rounded up, sacked or suspended in the days since the coup attempt. On Wednesday, 99 top military officers were charged in connection with the events of the weekend. Officials continued to take action against university and school employees, shutting down educational establishments, banning foreign travel for academics and forcing university heads of faculty to resign. The government has also revoked the press credentials of 34 journalists who it alleges are connected to Mr Gulen, according to Turkish media.

Amnesty International described the authorities' actions as "a crackdown of exceptional proportions". (BBC)

Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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Preparation Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of sugar. Mix and let stand. Warm the milk, combine the shortening, salt and sugar; add flour and egg. Knead to make a moderately stiff dough. Shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover; let rise to double in size for about 1 hour. Combine all the filling ingredients and set aside. Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into an 12 inch x 8 inch rectangle, and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle half of the filling mixture on each rectangle of dough. Roll up lengthwise and seal the edges. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Brush the rolls with beaten egg white. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 - 30 minutes. Cut into slices and serve. Yields 2 rolls.

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

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GUYANA DAILY NEWS

Daily Horoscope Get involved in groups that will help you meet established individuals. Organize social events or family gatherings. You should socialize with clients or upper echelons of your industry if possible.

It's time to make professional changes. Your health may have suffered due to neglect or abuse. Leave your checkbook and credit cards at home.

Look into alternate means of supporting your financial burdens. Cutbacks at work will be a cause for worry. You can expect to face opposition on the home front.

You can expect the fur to fly on the home front.

Go on business trips if at all possible. You need to mingle with people who can spark enthusiasm and confidence in you.

Invest wisely. Your personal life could have you tied up in knots. You will impress others with your initiative and ability to accomplish while on short business trips. You should get into some of those creative hobbies that you always said you wanted to do.

If possible, rely on coworkers to back your objectives, and talk to superiors in order to get approval. Take care of the needs or responsibilities of elders. You can mesmerize anyone you meet with your cultured attitude and outlook.

Love can be heightened if you sit down and discuss your future plans. Try not to be overly generous.

Friends from your past may come back into your life.

Your ideas can be put into action. Channel your energy wisely and you can score points with the boss. You must refrain from overspending on entertainment.

Be discreet about any information you uncover. Be inquisitive about unfamiliar circumstances. Most partner problems are a result of both people not living up to their promises.

You are in a high cycle where travel, education, and creative endeavors are concerned. Your domestic scene could continue to be in an uproar today. You may be experiencing emotional turmoil in regard to your mate.

You could do extremely well in competitive sports events. Don't let others bait you into arguments.

Be sure to spend time helping children with projects that are too difficult for them to accomplish alone.

Investments that deal with property will be lucrative; however, upsets with family members may be likely. Secret information will be eye opening. Try not to take everything so seriously.

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Caribbean athletes make progress on Day 2 of Under 20 Championships Trinidad and Tobago's sprint sensation Khalifa St. Fort led several Caribbean athletes who advanced to the next round of competititon in their respective disciplines at the IAAF Under 20 Championships in Poland on Wednesday. St. Fort, who is coached by NBC Broadcaster/Analyst Ato Boldon, was the fastest female Caribbean sprinter through to the semi-finals of the 100 metres having clocked a comfortable 11.50s in her heat.

St. Fort's compatriot Jenea Spinks was also through in 11.66 as well as Jamaica's Vanessa Pusey who was timed in 11.60s.

Pusey's teammate Patrice Moody (12.02) however, failed advance. In the 400 metres, Jamaica's Christopher Taylor was easily into the semi-final round with an easy 46.93-second run.

He was joined by compatriot Sean Bailey whose 46.83s was good enough to see him through. Jamal Walton of the Cayman Island was also through in 46.83s along with Luis Charles of the Dominican Republic (47.09). Jamaica, Barbados and Bahamas also had athletes advancing in the 110-metre hurdles as Dejour Russell (13.83) and Damion Thomas (13.48) were both safely through. Michael Nichols (13.62) of Barbados and Tavonte Mott of the Bahamas (13.89) ensures that the Caribbean has

strong representation in the semi-final round.

In the field, Jamaica's Jordan Scott's best mark of 15.99m in the triple jump has him advancing to the finals while female shot putter Janelle Fullerton is in the final of the shot put with her mark of 14.33 metres. Chelsea James of Trinidad and Tobago (13.72m) also made it through. (SportsMax)

Brathwaite: Windies can trouble India Kraigg Brathwaite is optimistic that West Indies can cause India problems in the four-match Test series. Vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite is planning to set the tone for West Indies at the top of the order as they prepare for the first Test against India in Antigua on Thursday. India are strong favourites to beat the Windies in the fourmatch series in the Caribbean in the start of a new era under head coach Anil Kumble. West Indies are languishing in eighth place in the ICC Test rankings and are expected to be up against when they take on Virat Kohli's side on home soil. Brathwaite believes the hosts can be a match for India as they aim to make a positive start to the series at the Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound. The opening batsmen fell six runs shy of a fifth century in the first Test in Hobart before also made 85 in Sydney in January as Australia secured a 2-0 series win and he is eager to make his presence felt again. He said: "For me I had a few club games that I played so I am in good shape. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp, I think we are ready for this series. "As the opener, I just want to build that foundation for the batsmen to come. That is my main focus. Once I can do that I can put the guys in the middle a little more comfortable so we can get big totals. "I think we had a good camp last weekend in Barbados. We got to go out in the middle and most of the guys had a good run out. "The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help."

Paceman Miguel Cummins could make his Test debut for the Windies

after getting the nod to replace the retired Jerome Taylor.

OPTA STATS: - West Indies have not won a Test against India since 2002, enduring a winless run of 15 matches since then.

- The Windies are unbeaten at the Vivian Richards Stadium, winning once and drawing three matches in North Sound.

- India are looking to win a third consecutive away Test match for the first time since 2005.

- Kohli needs six runs to reach 3,000 in Test cricket, he will be the 19th India player to achieve that feat and the eighth-fastest Indian if he manages it in this match. (SportsMax)

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CPL games in Florida under threat The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) is on as scheduled. According to Kaplan, the ICC had sanctioned heading to court in a bid to stop six Caribbean Premier League the games, which they had all right to do, bearing in mind the suspended status of USACA. (SportsMax) (CPL) games from being played in Lauderhill, Florida.

According to a lawsuit filed with the 17th Judicial Court in Broward County, Florida, USACA believes the CPL did not go through the proper channels to get sanctioning for the games.

The defendants in the case are the Broward County Parks and Recreation, parks and recreation mangers, Duncan Finch and Lauderhill Mayor, Richard J Kaplan. The claims have come from former USACA executive secretary Kenwyn Williams and vice president Owen Grey. According to the fillings, Williams lists himself as Managing Director of USACA reporting directly to Grey. USACA, however, have told Williams to cease and desist, saying he does not represent the organisation, which was officially suspended by the International Cricket Council last year. That suspension may mean the appeal for an injunction may not carry any sway, with Mayor Kaplan telling media he believed the matches would go

Jamaica Netball: Fowler-Reid gets ANZ All-Star snub - Aiken in again Jamaica international Jhaniele Fowler-Reid has been (Swifts). (SportsMax) excluded from the trans-Tasman All-Star team in favour of teammate Romelda Aiken. Fowler-Reid the New Zealand league MVP has had a historical season to date, becoming the first player in the ANZ League to score over 700 goals.

The shooter tops the scoring with 728 goals from 806 attempts at 90.3%, 108 more than Aiken who is in second spot with 620 from 701 at 88.4%. Aiken leads the league in rebounds having grabbed 84, with Fowler-Reid one behind on 83 that was, however, not enough to impress the votes. Only players from two teams Aiken’s Firebirds and the NSW Swifts have been selected to the team voted for by fans. The Firebirds topped the Swift in Monday’s Australia Conference final, but it is the Swifts that have the majority of the players on the squad with four players plus coach Rob Wright to the Firebirds' three. All-Star team: shooter Romelda Aiken (Firebirds), goal attack Susan Pettitt (Swifts), wing attack Kim Green (Swifts), centre Kim Ravaillion (Firebirds), wing defence Laura Langman (Swifts), goal defence Clare McMeniman (Firebirds), goal keeper Sharni Layton (Swifts). Coach: Rob Wright

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CPL UPDATE: Tallawahs score 36-run win over Tridents KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Tallawahs completes an impressive quadruple of wins at home in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL)Twenty20 tournament after defeating Barbados Trident by 36 runs in their final fixture at Sabina Park on Wednesday. After being piloted to a mammoth 195-5 from their 18 overs in the reduced fixture by opening batsman Chadwick Walton, the Tallawahs restricted the Tridents to 159 all out in 17.4 overs. Young wicketkeeper/batsman Nicholas Pooran with a well-played 51 off25 balls was the only batsman to offer any resistance in the Tridents lukewarm chase. Pooran slammed one four and six sixes in his knock, with Captain Kieron Pollard making 16 as the next best scorer. South African pace ace Dale Steyn continued fine form with the ballgrabbing four wickets for 27 runs from his four overs in this farewell fixture for the Tallawahs. American Timroy Allen took two for 27 from three overs, while Captain Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Kesrick Williams had one wicket each. Earlier, after losing the toss for the third consecutive game and being asked to take first strike, Walton slammed an impressive 97 off 55 balls to anchor the Tallawahs innings. Walton was involved in an entertaining 127-run second wicket partnership with Sri Lankan wicketkeeper/batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who got to a well-paced 50 off 31 balls. Walton’s knock includes nine fours and five sixes, while Sangakkara had four fours and two sixes in

his innings. Young superstar Rovman Powell continued his rich vein of form with a blistering unbeaten knock of 34 off 14 balls that had one boundary and four big sixes. Pacer Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the Tridents bowlers with two for 35 from four overs, while South African pacer David Wiese also had two for 45 from his four. (Jamaica Observer)

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IMC/SportsMax secures Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games International Media Content Ltd. (IMC), parent company of SportsMax and a subsidiary of Digicel Group, announced today that it has been awarded the exclusive broadcast rights for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games for the Caribbean by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As the dominant sports rights owner/broadcaster in the Caribbean, this means that IMC will be able to utilize its SportsMax channel in 22 countries in the Caribbean plus partner with broadcasters across the region and leverage all of Digicel’s platforms to deliver live coverage and highlights of the Games via free-to-air and cable television, as well as all mobile, streaming and other digital media platforms. In addition, the IOC and IMC will work together on distribution and content creation for the IOC’s soon to be launched Olympic Channel.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: "We are pleased that we will be working again in the future with IMC in the Caribbean. This partnership will ensure fantastic coverage, including on free-to-air television, of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. We are also excited to be working with IMC on the future development and distribution of the Olympic Channel in the region." Having served as the rights holder for the London 2012 Olympic Games, IMC will offer multiple broadcast feeds via television and streaming - delivering a much wider and simplified access to the Games. Coverage of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will kick-off with full live broadcast in the Caribbean in February 2018. Olly McIntosh, IMC Managing Director and CEO for SportsMax said; “We are very fortunate for the

IOC to have chosen and entrusted IMC/SportsMax once again to bring this most prized event to audiences across 22 countries as the Olympic Games sits at the top of the sports pyramid.” He continued; “this demonstrates the confidence that the IOC has in the strength of our broadcast and production capabilities, the numerous distribution platforms across TV broadcast, mobile, online and cable TV through Digicel Group – as well as the strong relationships IMC has with regional broadcasters that will allow us to offer the Caribbean unprecedented access to the Olympics and the Olympic Channel.”

IOC Member Gerardo Werthein, delegate IOC Member for broadcast rights in the Americas, said: “IMC was our broadcast partner for the Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010, London in 2012 and Sochi in 2014. Their proven ability to share the magic of the Olympic Games in the region means that this new agreement is great news for sports fans in the Caribbean.” (SportsMax)

Marlon Samuels named Cricketer of the Year a t W I P A / W I C B A w a r d s Jamaica’s Marlon Samuel was on Tuesday night named the Cricketer of the Year at the West Indies Players Association/West Indies Cricket Board at Hangar 10 in Antigua. The 35-year-old middle order batsman helped guide the West Indies to a second World T20 title in India the last of three global titles the West Indies won earlier this year. Samuels was a big winner on the night as he was also named the One Day International Player of the Year. Not surprisingly Samuels’ compatriot Chris Gayle was named T20 Cricketer of the Year.

Darren Bravo was named Test Player of the Year.

It was a good night for the Jamaicans as Stafanie Taylor had perhaps the biggest night. The 25-year-old captain of the West Indies women’s team who led her team to their very first T20 World title in India on the same day the men won their second title, was named the Women’s T20 Player of the Year, the Women’s ODI Player of the Year and the Women’s Player of the Year. Guyana dominated the team awards winning trophies for the Under-19 Team of the Year and the First Class Team of the Year. Shimron Hetmeyer, who led the West Indies to the ICC World U19 championships in February, won the Under 19 Player of the Year award. Versammy Permaul won the award for PCL Four-Day Player of the Year. In other awards presented on the night

Jason Mohammed was named PCL Four-Day Player the Year while Jomel Warrican was the Emerging Player of the Year. The WICB Lifetime Achievement Award went to Clarvis Joseph. Ralston Otto was presented with the WIPA equivalent (SportsMax)

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Morgan urges Mahrez to stay with Leicester Wes Morgan wants his fellow Leicester City stars such as Riyad Mahrez to stay as the club look to defend their Premier League crown. Leicester City captain Wes Morgan has urged star winger Riyad Mahrez to stick with the Premier League champions, despite mega transfer interest from elsewhere.

The PFA player of the year scored 17 goals and assisted another 11 as he helped Leicester to the most unlikely of Premier League triumphs in 2015-16, with the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal reportedly interested in his services. However, following N'Golo Kante's switch to Chelsea, Morgan is keen to limit the losses as Leicester look to defend their Premier League crown. "I know there’s a lot of talking going off but hopefully everybody can follow in my footsteps," said Morgan, who recently signed a new three-year deal with Leicester. "We want to maintain our key players and build on that with the new players because we have got a lot to play for this season. "We have some fantastic players and some of the bigger teams in Europe are going to want them. "We need to focus on our job, let the people talk the talk and do what we can do on the pitch." And

while Morgan admitted it was disappointing to see some players leave the club, he said interest from other clubs was part and parcel of being such a good team. "I suppose it's to be expected especially after the season we had and I suppose teams trying to poach our better players is part and parcel of the job," he said. (SportsMax)

Barbados’ Burke wins bronze, Jamaica’s Russell sets world leading mark in Poland Mario Burke of Barbados picked up the first medal for the English-speaking Caribbean on Wednesday when he took the bronze medal in the men’s 100 metres at the IAAF World Under20 Championships in Poland. Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Dejour Russell looks set for a medal on Thursday following his world-leading run in the sprint hurdles. Burke clocked 10.26 seconds in a close finish with Italy’s Filippo Tortu (10.24) who was second. The race was won by the USA’s Noah Lyles in 10.17s.

Jamaica’s Raheem Chambers was sixth in 10.30.

The Caribbean could be in for more medals on Thursday as Jamaica’s Tiffany James ran the fastest time going into the finals of the 400 metres. James, who ran a season best in the heats, completely destroyed the others runners in her semi-final to deliver a personal best 51.77s with much left in reserve. She clapped her hands in glee as her winning time flashed on the scoreboard inside the stadium. Along with her in the final is compatriot Junelle Bromfield, who entered with a season best 51.74. She was also comfortably through to the final in an easy 52.18 and also looks to be in contention for a medal. Jamaica will also be expecting a medal in the men’s sprint hurdles as Russell ran a world-leading 13.20s to win his semi-final heat.

A confident Russell will be looking for a repeat or improved

performance in the final on Thursday. Unforunately, Russell’s compatriot Damion Thomas did not make the final after he crashed out of his semi-final heat. There was better news for Barbados’ Michael Nicholls who also advanced to Thursday’s final after achieving a personal best of 13.42s for third in the heat won by Russell. (SportsMax)