October 18, 2016

Archives for August 28, 2016

Moves afoot to open plantain chip factory in Leguan

August 28, 2016 By
The plan to open a plantain chip factory in Leguan was revitalised

The plan to open a plantain chip factory in Leguan was revitalised

Region Three Vice Chairman Sheik Ayube

Region Three Vice Chairman Sheik Ayube

– Business Ministry opens bids

Government has revitalised plans by the previous Administration to open a plantain chip factory in Leguan, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

The Business Ministry, in a local newspaper advertisement, is inviting interested investors to submit Expressions of Interest along with their business proposal for this undertaking.

According to the Government ad, investors should have the capacity to take possession of the property immediately after signing the contract.

The size of the property is 8625 square feet and includes machines such as slicing processors, and blanching, and dewatering, frying, de-oiling, seasoning and packaging equipment.

The move to establish a plantain chip factory, in order to push the local manufacturing sector, was touted by former President Donald Ramotar in the lead-up to the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

This project falls under the previous Administration’s Rural Enterprise Development programme which commenced back in 2014.

These projects initially comprised the construction of two call centres – one in Tuschen in Region Three and one in Enmore in Region Four, and two chip factories, one in Leguan and one in the neighbouring island of Wakenaam.

When the new Administration assumed office, this much-anticipated initiative was shelved.

Just earlier this year, residents were calling on the Government to move ahead with the plan to open the factory to provide jobs for the people on the island.

Region Three Vice Chairman Sheik Ayube had noted with concern the apparent neglect of the project.

Shortly after their demands, the National Budget 2016 was presented in the National Assembly and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin indicated that the project was back on the cards.

He explained that the entire Rural Enterprise Development initiative was put on hold to facilitate a review.

Gaskin announced that as a result of the review, Government decided on some modifications and will complete three of the four projects that were begun under the initiative.

He noted that the building earmarked in Leguan for the factory was constructed with no consideration for how either “a person or a plantain” could get from the main roadway into the factory when it became operational.

Nonetheless, he said this would be addressed by Government.

With regard to the development of a plantain chip factory in Wakenaam, the Business Minister said Government was unable to proceed with that aspect of the plan because the area in question was prone to flooding and erosion, and therefore posed a risk to the entire operation.

Meanwhile, the Business Ministry is also moving apace to open the call centre in Enmore.

An invitation for bids is being advertised for the completion of phase two for the call centre, which would include building works and the construction of external works along with facility.

 

Filed Under: News

Guyana ranks poorly on Intl Business index

August 28, 2016 By

…on par with war-torn Pakistan, Tanzania

Guyana has dropped several places on the international scene, when it comes to the ease of doing business. international-business-planningThe country currently ranks in the same region as war-torn Pakistan and Tanzania, according to the 2016 World Bank’s Report.
The recently released report rated 189 countries across the world, with Singapore proving to be the most relaxed, scoring 87 points on the World Bank index.

Guyana Scored 52
The country did pick up favourable remarks for establishing its Credit Bureau in May last year.
Guyana was also flagged by the international report as being among the countries where entrepreneurs would have to resort to hiring an attorney for its business registration.
According to the World Bank, “among regions, Latin America and the Caribbean has the largest share of economies where entrepreneurs hire lawyers for company registration…It also has the highest average cost of doing so, with fees ranging from roughly US$70 in Guyana.”
This represents the sixth consecutive year that Guyana’s ranking on the international business index has plummeted.
Four of the top five ranked economies remained in the Asia Pacific region.
Brunei, Costa Rica and Kenya each moved up 21 positions, the most; Albania declined 35 positions, the worst in the 2016 report.
Since its launch in 2002, the Doing Business project has aimed to provide objective measures of the regulatory environment applicable to the life cycle of a typical small- and medium-size company. A higher ranking confers a more conductive business climate to local entrepreneurs.
The news comes on the heels of the Guyana Financial Mid-Year Report.
Kaushik Basu senior vice president and chief economist at the World Bank, in providing an overview of the report said that a quick look at the list of economies at the top with the ease of doing business reveals that the best 30 performers are not those with little regulation but those with good rules that allow efficient and transparent functioning of businesses and markets while protecting the public interest.
Guyana has over the years also been ranked poorly on the annual Transparency International Corruption perception Index. Basu in the 2016 World Bank report noted too that the data in this year’s report also show that economies that have efficient regulatory processes as measured by Doing Business have high regulatory quality.
In addition, the economies that rank high on Doing Business indicators tend to perform well in other international data sets, such as the Global Competitiveness Index and Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

Filed Under: Top Stories

AFC Councillor slapped by APNU ranger

August 28, 2016 By

– Police investigating

Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Councillor Naithram (only name)

AFC Councillor Naithram

AFC Councillor Naithram

was on Friday slapped some four times by an employee of the Region Two Administration. The incident reportedly occurred at around 09:15h Friday.
According to Naithram, who spoke with Guyana Times, he was disrespected by the newly appointed employee. Unveiling his side of the story he related that he was having a conversation with two rangers at the RDC Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) building concerning the cleaning and maintenance of trenches. He said that during that conversation, the employee interrupted and dealt him four slaps to his face. The employee, who is a well-known A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) activist in Region Two, is responsible for clearing and cleaning of trenches from Anna Regina to Charity.
Naithram, currently the coordinator for Agriculture in the Region, said he is deeply concerned about the trenches and the way they are cleaned, citing that in some instances they are only sprayed. He said it is also alleged that the said ranger is approving trenches that are sprayed instead of being cleaned – cleared.
“What I did was simply speak out; things aren’t going the way I speak out, I am the one overlooking, I have every right to speak out,” Naithram said.
Following the misunderstanding Naithram said he made a report to the Anna Regina Police Station then visited the Suddie Public Hospital and was examined by doctors and given a medical.
Head of the Region Two RDC, Devanand Ramdatt said he is saddened over the disrespectful act by the employee who was handpicked by the REO. Ramdatt said as such the RDC condemns and call on the Minister of Communities to immediately launch an investigation.
Ramdatt further noted that on numerous occasions the REO would breach the employment practices by hiring people that are not under the Public Service Commission.
“Recently he hired someone who went and broke another person office; he has like five retirees walking around the compound doing nothing. These persons were appointed without anyone’s knowledge,” Ramdatt noted.

Filed Under: Top Stories

15-year-old busted with cocaine at CJIA

August 28, 2016 By

A 15-year-old US-based Guyanese was on Friday busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport following the discovery of two pounds of cocaine in the handles of his suitcases.
The teenager travelling alone, was about to board an Eastern Airlines flight destined for the United States. The young man was returning after spending his summer vacation in Guyana.
The teen allegedly told Police that he did not pack his bag.
Moments after the discovery, the teen’s mother and two others who dropped him off at the airport were arrested since it is believed that the young man was not aware of the contents of his luggage.
The three people are being questioned by Police in connection with the discovery of the illicit substance.
Earlier in the month, Kapil Thakurian of Fouls, Enmore, East Coast Demerara, was arrested following the discovery of 88.2 kilograms of cocaine in a shipment of frozen seafood destined for the United States.
According to information reaching Guyana Times, the drug was detected while the shipment of seafood was being processed at the CJIA.
The cocaine was neatly sealed in white tape and plastic and placed just above the backbone of fish that were in the shipment.
The 175 pounds of cocaine was found in 35 boxes of seafood.
The businessman was reportedly overlooking the preparation of the drug-laden cargo. The Police narcotics branch and the Custom Anti Narcotics Unit have stepped up their game since cocaine mules have became very innovative in the ways of shipping.

Filed Under: Top Stories

Govt spent nil on Sanata Complex after selling to QAII

August 28, 2016 By

… Kaieteur News peddling that lie since 2008 – Dr Ramroop

“I want to state categorically that after the lease, the Government of Guyana did not spend a single cent on the

State of the Complex on acquisition - At the time of acquisition, the entire Complex was in a state of disrepair: fences had fallen apart; drains were blocked; roads were inaccessible; vegetation was overgrown; garbage was prevalent; equipment and installations were vandalised beyond repair; the buildings were infested with termites and unfit for occupation; there was also flooding in some sections despite it being the dry season

State of the Complex on acquisition – At the time of acquisition, the entire Complex was in a state of disrepair: fences had fallen apart; drains were blocked; roads were inaccessible; vegetation was overgrown; garbage was prevalent; equipment and installations were vandalised beyond repair; the buildings were infested with termites and unfit for occupation; there was also flooding in some sections despite it being the dry season

clean-up or any other expense that went into rehabilitating or reconstruction of any of the buildings (in the Sanata Complex at Industrial Site Ruimveldt).”
This was the reaction of Chairman of the Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII), Dr Ranjisinghi Ramproop, who over the weekend responded to the continued spate of “inaccuracies and false” assertions that have been peddled by the Kaieteur News ever since 2008 when Guyana Times was launched.
He noted that Kaieteur News has repeatedly published the accusation that Government had in fact spent millions of dollars on the Sanata Complex before it was sold to QAII – a notion that has been repeatedly debunked by QAII and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Government’s holding company that executed the privatising of the Sanata Complex.
QAII paid in excess of half a billion dollars for the complex which has since proven to be one of the more successful privatisation ventures in recent times.
In a news article published recently, the Kaieteur News said, that the Government had utilised some US$5 million (GY$1 billion) to rehabilitate the Sanata Textiles Complex before it was sold to QAII at a cost of US$3.4 million.
According to Dr Ramroop’s QAII in a recent missive to once and for all clear the air; “the fact is all repairs, rehabilitation and other works were done by the QAII Group to the tune of millions of dollars, after acquisition of the lease as the complex at the time of privatisation was in a state of disrepair.”
Over the years, Kaieteur News has repeatedly published a number of blatant lies in relation to the privatisation of the Sanata Complex and its principal.
In a recent attempt to malign the Sanata Complex privatisation deal, the Glenn Lall-owned Kaieteur News published the litany of lies and libellous accusations under a front-page banner headline “Govt spent US$5 million to rehab Sanata, then sold it to Ramroop for US$3.4 million – Audit report reveals”.
That article had relied on an audit conducted by former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, but this too did not substantiate the claims made by the publication since it t is a matter of public record that the clean-up of the Sanata Textiles Complex, inclusive of asbestos removal, was done during the lease and after the purchase when QAII took possession of the complex and was totally funded by QAII.
The reporter, who wrote the article at the time, did not adhere to even the scantiest standard of responsible journalism.
In fact, the entire audit said about the Sanata purchase, which Kaieteur ironically published, was: “By Order No. 40/2010 dated November 29, 2010, NICIL sold 18.891 acres of land and buildings and erections at the Plantation Ruimveldt (Sanata Textiles) to Queens Atlantic Investments Inc (QAII) for $689 million (US$3.4 million). The note on NICIL’s publication reads: After being advertised for sale but no proposals was received, in mid-2007, a proposal was received from QAII for the development of the compound with a US$27 million investment plan.
It has also been pointed out that the recent repetition of the falsehoods by Kaieteur News coincidentally appeared in an article which suggested that the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) had launched an investigation in a well belonging to QAII in the Sanata Complex. The newspaper suggested too that millions had been owed to the utility company.
This has since proved to be completely unfounded.
QAII owns the well that is located in the compound and according to QAII’s Dr Ramroop, the water utility company has never owned the piece of infrastructure which also supplies scores of nearby residents with potable water – free of cost.
The investigation reported on by Kaieteur News, was in fact initiated by GWI on the very day that Guyana Times reported that Atlantic Fuels Inc – a company which has as one of its Directors in the person of the GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles – obtaining a fuel licence under controversial circumstances.

Filed Under: Top Stories

Bettencourt’s stand out as top Karate family of Guyana

August 28, 2016 By

Sensei Aubrey Stanislaus Bettencourt began his involvement in the martial art of Karate-do at the age of 14, training at the residence Archbishop of Guyana Benedict Singh in Kingston in 1971. Training for Sensei Betten court was extremely rigorous, training every day, twice each day including Sundays and holidays under the watchful eye of the legendary Master Frank Woon-a-Tai.

Britney, Aubrey and Emily Bettencourt

Britney, Aubrey and Emily Bettencourt

So gruelling was the examination for a black belt in those days that he had to undertake  the examinations thrice before being successful the third time and obtaining his Sho Dan rank or black belt  at the age of 18 in 1975.

Three years he underwent examinations to be promoted to the Ni Dan rank, this time however he was able to receive his second degree black belt after two tries.

Sensei Bettencourt currently holds the rank of Go Dan or fifth degree black belt, and is an internationally accredited instructor, referee and judge. Additionally he was the second Vice-President for the Guyana Karate Federation (GKF), for two years and is a part of the Parent Sensei Committee (PSC) and a Trustee and Instructor of the Guyana Karate College. Sensei Aubrey as he is popularly known is a solid fighter with well-rounded skills that has experienced his share of success. For tournaments, he participates and represents Guyana in the Masters’ Division. In the first International Karate Daigaku World Karate Tournament that was held in Toronto, Canada in 2012 he  received a bronze medal for team kata; whilst later that year whilst participating in the Guyana Karate Federation tournament he received a silver for team kata. In Barbados 2013 at the Caribbean Karate Championships he received a gold and two bronze medals for the enbu, team kata and team bunkai respectively. Later that year in September participated and received a silver medal in team kata for a Guyana Karate Federation tournament. In 2014, at the International Karate Daigaku South American tournament he received one gold and two silvers in team bunkai, team kata and team enbu respectively; whilst later that year received silver medal  for team kata in the Guyana Karate Federation tournament. He then went to Caribbean Karate Championships in Trinidad where he received one silver and two bronze medals for team events.

In 2015 for the second International Karate Daigaku Karate Championships he received a gold medal for team enbu and bronze medal for team bunkai; later he received gold medal for individual kata and silver medal for team kata for GKF tournament. In all, his medal cabinet contains a total of 17 medals, a most remarkable achievement.

A firm believer that karate must return to its original source and be a true reflection of Budo, Sensei Bettencourt trains with the constant goal of perfecting his technical skill.

His daughter, Britney Bettencourt, joined the Guyana Karate College in August 2012, at the age of 13 and two years later she received her Sho Dan rank or first degree black belt in August 2014. She presently holds the rank of Nidan or 2nd degree black belt which she was tested for in December 2015 by Master Frank Woon-a-tai. In total she already has 14 medals, including gold, silver and bronze medals which she obtained from participating in the Guyana Karate Federation and Caribbean Karate Championships, and the International Karate Daigaku Federation  South American and World tournaments in kata, kumite and team events.

Additional she obtained gold and silver medals in tournaments other that those sanctioned by the International Karate Daigaku and the Caribbean Karate College including a gold medal in female kata division for the LFS Burnham S.C O.E. Memorial Karate Tournament 2015 and a silver medal in Battle in the Amazon Karate tournament 2016 in a unisex kata event held by the Global Korean Martial Arts Federation.

She is a well- rounded student of the prestigious Marian Academy, having considerable academic and athletic achievements, including excelling recently at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations. She enjoys running and became the female champion for the Marian Academy Run 2015.In CSEC PE 2016 she did karate as her main sport. She was a prefect at Marian Academy and has graduated as part of the Class of 2016 and is now looking toward the Sixth Form or advanced level.

Britney is a good, young fighter with the right attitude. She has succeeded in defeating solid opponents and clearly there is likely much more to come from her.

The youngest daughter, Emily Bettencourt , a high performing student of the highly ranked Bishops High School, joined the Guyana Karate College in August 2012 , just before she turned 12; and two years later in August 2014 received her Sho Dan or first degree black belt. In 2016, she received her Nidan rank or second degree black belt. Over the years she has received two medals in the 2014 International Karate Daigaku South American tournament for kata and kumite, respectively. More recently whilst participating in the second International Karate Daigaku Tournament received bronze for team bunkai.The Bettencourts will certainly leave their mark in the annals of Guyana’s Karate History

 

Filed Under: Sports

Social media: Friend or Foe?

August 28, 2016 By

 

The internet has opened up a whole new world of learning and has advanced the nation in many ways; connecting families and friends around the globe, allowing businesses to flourish, instantaneous availability of breaking news across continents and giving millions of people access to a host of information which would otherwise have been unreachable.

As usual though, with the benefits come downfalls and when we look at the effects social media is having on our young it is difficult to discern whether the costs are worth it.

The area of education has most certainly been enhanced, allowing teachers to collaborate with students and use a diverse range of teaching tools and information. It allows students access to valuable online resources and revision aids. Anything we want to know about, study or understand is at the tip of our fingers. Learning is no longer confined to the classrooms or libraries; your living room can now be your university.

However, for many students, time that should be spent on homework and assignments is often shortened as they become distracted and focus on other online activity, failing to re-engage with school work once enticed into one of the sites.

Several studies highlight the amount of time taken out from studying to attend to messages and posts. There is also the concern of the opportunities for plagiarism or cheating as students can easily steal material from the internet and try to pass it off as their own work without understanding the lesson or content.

Access to medical sites also has their advantages and disadvantages. Whilst young people have a route to confidential advice and information regarding adolescence, development and mental health anxieties, freedom to publish on the internet or on social media sites means that information is not vetted and inaccuracies are frequently accepted as sound information. This encourages amateur medical advisors and self-diagnosis of health problems, which can be dangerous and life-threatening.

People, especially the young, are often too open and public with personal information when online. Identity theft is a huge criminal industry that despite evolving security measures, matches advances step by step. Also resultant of failure to guard personal information is perhaps the most worrying to us all; the sexual predators that frequent the internet and find, stalk, groom and assault victims using social media sites. Despite the cautions regularly reiterated to our young people, the gullibility or naivety which exists can expose them to real dangers and has regrettably too often ended in terrible circumstances.

Cyber-bullying is commonplace online. The ease with which bullies can access, negatively communicate and spread rumours about a person causes emotional trauma, and sometimes even leads to suicide. There are huge numbers of young people who make poor judgement posts, whether a private message to perceived friends or pictures of a sexual nature to a boyfriend/girlfriend, which leave an electronic footprint forever available.

Once these pictures or messages are shared they are irretrievable and the repercussions of such events have led vulnerable youths to mental health worries and even suicide.

Disturbingly, a term coined “Facebook depression” has been evident in many people and is as real as any other mental health challenge. Not only are suffers affected by emotional difficulties such as low self-esteem reflective of the number of “likes” they receive and the amount of “Friends” they have, but also by the detrimental effects of use of the internet has on their interpersonal skills.

It is not uncommon to see a group of young people together on their phones and discover that they are in fact texting or messaging each other when they are close enough to reach out and touch each other.

Young people’s often limited capacity for self-regulation has developed into over-use and over-reliance on the internet, leading to sleep deprivation and all its associated problems. Data from studies show that shockingly, some people spend more time online than they do sleeping!

Although the internet has undoubtedly opened the world for us all and offers untold benefits, the price our young people are paying is high. Are we as a society becoming more concerned with Facebook “friends” than we are with the real people we should be interacting with face-to-face?

Are we giving young people access to some of the terrors of society we need to be shielding them from? Will we damage the relational capacity that is human nature if we do not find a way to limit this preferred way of communication?

 

Filed Under: Think Twice

Museums foster development

August 28, 2016 By

“Education is critical for development. Education that is devoid of the cultures of the people in the society is empty and incomplete. One of the fundamental objectives of the museum is to educate, and it is only the museum that has the capacity and the ability to impart cultural education effectively as it houses the tools and materials for doing so in its collections. In modern society, the museums enrich the educational process by exposing children and indeed the public to their history in a positive way; they assist our future generations to understand and appreciate their history and culture and take pride in the achievements of their forbears.”
These words were spoken by Emmanuel N Arinze, President of the Commonwealth Association of Museums, at a public lecture at the National Museum here in Georgetown in May 1999.
Arinze makes the point that museums are not “dead” spaces, meant only for the repose of artefacts and records but are living, breathing institutions that are essential for the development of a nation. In a place like Guyana with its racial divisions, museums are central to creating a more understanding and respectful environment.
President David Granger’s plans to have the artefacts and records housed at the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology hoisted off to some other space – and this without any prior consultation, as is usual with him – brings the role of our museums into sharp focus.
That Granger is often touted as a “historian” adds another level of grievance to his plan since their interest in the past should make any historian particularly sensitive about preserving anthropological and archaeological materials.
The Walter Roth Museum’s artefacts and records are not only substantive to Guyana’s history but to the history of the world and Government must be aware that moving any of the collection’s pieces, some of which are prehistoric, would require the expertise of trained preservationists.
Granger was, however, also the leader of an elections campaign that exhorted Guyana to “forget the past”. The irony of a “historian” having such utter disregard for history was never lost on a good section of the electorate.
The Walter Roth Museum is home to historical materials of Guyana’s indigenous peoples and the Museum of African Heritage houses a collection of art, artefacts and records that are important to the history of African Guyanese.
Castellani House is both an art gallery and museum that allows students and art historians to trace the development of local art themes, styles and techniques. By acquiring pieces from Guyana’s major artists for the National Collection, the gallery provides recognition for the artists and their work, and international status and exposure for the country’s art.
The National Archives and National Museum round off the list of state funded institutions that preserve past records and allow for research and analytical study by students and academics.
At Meten-Meer-Zorg, WCD, the private Heritage Museum, curated and managed by Gary Serrao, is an eclectic collection of maps, pamphlets, books, and an array of artefacts that also tell the Guyana story.
Absent from the above list is any museum dedicated to the history of the Indian-Guyanese people. Premier Cheddi Jagan was urged by Indian leaders in the early 1960s to use the monies remaining in the Indentureship Fund to build Indian cultural and research centres in the three main regions. He refused.
When Forbes Burnham came to power, he used those very funds – earmarked for the return passage of Indian labourers to India – to help finance the construction of the National Cultural Centre.
A good friend of mine approached a PPP parliamentarian at the turn of the century with a query about the PPP/C Government establishing an Indian Museum and Research Centre. He was rebuffed by the curt response: “If you-all want a museum, you’ll have to build it yourself!”
One hundred years after the end of Indentureship, there is, as yet, no national repository of Indian Guyanese artefacts and records and it is unlikely that any of the Granger Government’s cultural policies will note the lack and make the establishment of an Indian Museum and Research Centre a national priority.
It does appear that any such an institution will have to be built through private efforts and from funding from the Indian-Guyanese community since governments here are yet to acknowledge the essential role of museums in fostering national development.
The Granger Government’s shoddy behaviour over plans to move the Walter Roth Museum proves it as does the absence of any state funded museum dedicated to the history and heritage of the Indian-Guyanese people.

Filed Under: Ryhaan Shah

Windies snatch last ball thriller in Florida runs feast

August 28, 2016 By

− Lewis, Rahul smack maiden T20 centuries

BY JOHN RAMSINGH AT CENTRAL BROWARD RECREATIONAL PARK, FLORIDA

Marlon Samuels dropped Mahendra Singh Dhoni off the first ball of the final over with India still 8 runs away from an improbable victory,then held on to another easy chance with two needed off the last ball to give West

Evin Lewis

Evin Lewis

Indies a one-run victory over India in the first Paytm T20 International at the Central Broward Recreational Park in Florida on Saturday.

Set 246 to win in perfect conditions for cricket at the only international cricket venue in the United States of America, India were on course with useful knocks from opener Rohit Sharma, captain MS Dhoni and a maiden century from KL Rahul however, they fell short by one run ending on 244/4 when Dwayne Bravo defended seven runs from the final six balls.

The victory seemed a formality after India took 16 runs from the 19th over which was bowled by Andre Russell however West Indies death bowling specialist Bravo had other ideas. With eight needed for victory; the first ball flew off the top edge, Samuels at short third-man settled while Dhoni almost gave up but when the ball came crashing to the ground the batsmen scampered for a single to bring the equation to seven runs needed to win from five balls. Next ball Rahul took a single to deep extra cover then Dhoni got a leg bye followed by a Rahul single to long on and then Dhoni took a double to long off. With two needed to win from the final ball or one to send the game to a super over, Bravo produced a slower back of the length delivery to which Dhoni got a thick outside edge and found Samuels’ safe hands this time to silence the crowd of mainly Indian supporters. Dhoni (43 25 balls; 2×4; 2×6) and Rahul put on 107 runs for the fourth wicket after India were 137/3 in the 12th over when Rohit Sharma who played a gem of an innings departed for 62. Sharma started with AjinkaRahane but lost his partner for a run-a-ball seven in the third over to a brilliant running catch from Bravo at third man off Andre Russell at 31/1. ViratKohli came and thrilled briefly with three fours before he was caught down the leg side by wicket keeper Andre Fletcher off the lively Bravo. India were always in the hunt but Sharma and Rahul crashed 89 in just over seven overs to consolidate their team’s position. Sharma got to 50 from 22 balls when he hit Kieron Pollard over long on for his third six. He didn’t last long after when he was caught by Johnson Charles at long on to give Pollard sweet revenge. Sharma hit four fours and a similar number of sixes from 28 balls but Rahul found another good ally in captain Dhoni.

Rahul was growing in confidence with every stroke and got to his first 50 from 26 balls with seven fours and one six but his second 50 came off just 20 balls with four more fours and four more sixes. In all his maiden T20 century came off 46 balls to go down as the second fastest in history missing Richard Levi’s 45-ball knock by just one ball. Rahul faced just six balls after reaching his land mark including two in the final over and watched Marlon Samuels taking the match winning catch from the non-strikers end on 110 not out from 51 balls. Bravo had two wickets while Russell who hit Rahane on the helmet in the third over and fellow medium pacer Pollard claimed one each as spinners Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree went wicket-less as did new captain Carols Brathwaite who lost his first toss in charge.

In steaming hot mid-morning conditions Dhoni invited the West Indies to bat on a track that looked full of runs and an outfield that was as fast as a billiards table and the men in maroon entertained the packed house with an array of shots on their way to 245/6 the third highest T20 score. After Chris Gayle failed a fitness test on the morning of the match Evin Lewis was asked to partner Johnson Charles at the top of the order. Lewis only other innings was a seven-ball duck against Afghanistan in the recent World T20 in India but he looked ready for the role with a Man-of-the Match maiden century.

Johnson Charles played a typically aggressive innings for 79 from 33 balls (6×4; 7×6) by hitting every bowler who came his way. He got to his fourth half century at this level from just 20 balls with five fours and four sixes before he walked across his stumps and was bowled behind his legs by Mohammed Shami in the 10th over. The 126-run partnership with Lewis is the third highest by West Indies for the opening wicket and when it was ended Lewis was on 46.

After being outscored by Charles in the first half of the innings Lewis, opened up to blitz his way to his maiden 50 from 25 balls with four sweetly stroked foursto go with three powerful sixes. Andre Russell came in at number three and smashed a four and two sixes from 12 balls while adding 78 for the second wicket with Lewis before left arm spinner RavindraJadeja took two wickets in the 16th over to put a check on the scoring rate in the death overs. Russell was first to go when he was adjudged leg before wicket at 204/2 then two balls later Lewis gave Ravichandran Ashwin an easy catch at mid-wicket for an even hundred. Lewis’ maiden ton came from 48 balls in total with five fours and nine sixes and was the fifth fastest T20 hundred until Rahul pushed it down to sixth an innings later.

Kieron Pollard 22 (15 balls; 2×6), Brathwaite 14 (10 balls; 1×4; 1×6) and Lendl Simmons 0 (1 ball) all perished looking for quick runs as West Indies stutter in the end as they were well on course at one point for a score of more than 260. Dhoni called on six bowlers with only right am seamers JaspritBumrah (2-47) and Shami (1-48) getting in the wickets column. Stuart Binny had a forgettable one over spell to Lewis.

Given the ball in the 11th over, he went for 32 runs with 5 sixes, a wide and a single. Only Yuvraj Singh’s 36 runs from Stuart Broad over in the 2007 World T20 is more expensive. In total there were 32 sixes in this match. The number of sixes in the match, which is the highest in any T20I, going past the previous record of 30 in an Ireland versus Netherlands game in the 2014 World T20. The record in any T20 game is 33, in a match between Colombo Cricket Club and Colts Cricket Club earlier this year. Twenty-one of those sixes were from the West Indian batsmen, which equals the most in any T20 innings: Royal Challengers Bangalore also hit 21 in the IPL game against Pune Warriors when Chris Gayle scored 175. In a T20I, the next best is 19, by Netherlands against Ireland in the 2014 World T20. West Indies also walloped 178 runs in boundaries (21 sixes and 13 fours), the joint third best in a T20I innings.

The match aggregate, 489 is the highest in any T20 game, going past the previous best of 469 in an IPL game between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2010. In T20Is, the previous best was 467, in a South Africa-West Indies game in Johannesburg in 2015. The two totals of 245 and 244 are third and fourth in the list of highest totals in T20Is, while India’s score is the most in a run-chase by any team in all T20 matches. The teams meet again today at the same venue at 10:00h with victory not only giving the West Indies a 2-0 series win but also an overall world ranking of number two, while victory for India will see a share of the series and an overall slip to number three in the rankings.

 

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Hikers and Pizza Hut women register convincing wins

August 28, 2016 By

GHB/Lucozade Indoor Hockey Tournament

With just one week to go until the finals of the Guyana Hockey Board/Lucozade Indoor Hockey Tournament, on Friday all teams are tightening loose ends but after four high profile matches at the National Gymnasium, Hikers and Pizza Hut emerged winners in the women matches while Guyana Cricket Club (GCC) Vinatge and Bounty GCC won in the two male matches.

Action between GCC Bounty (blue ) and GCC Pitbulls

Action between GCC Bounty (blue ) and GCC Pitbulls

In the first game of the night, Hikers played to a comfortable 6-1 victory over GCC Spartans.

Charlyn Elliot started off Hikers in familiar fashion, scoring the first goal of the night in the fourth minute of action. Mickelly Rahaman responded well for Spartans, displacing the Hikers goal keeper in the eight minute. However, Tikeisha DeLeon made sure Hikers would not allow Spartans to get the lead, registering the second goal for Hikers in the 11th minute. Three minutes later it was Maryann Murry in the 14th minute that produced the third goal for Hikers, ending the first half comfortably in the lead at 3-1. The second half was dominated by the Hikers Women as Latacia Chung found the back of the net in the 27th minute followed by Marisha Rodriques in the 32nd minute. Kenisha Wills closed off the match in the final minute of play with a superb penalty goal, making it six goals to Spartans’ one.

The action did not stop there as Pizza Hut emulated the Hikers ladies by drubbing Old Fort women, 5-1. Aliyah Gordon led the Pizza Hut ladies well in the first half, having pierced the Old Fort Goal Keeper twice. In the second minute of play, Gordon displayed remarkable skill to maneuver her way down the field and score while scoring a penalty goal in the 17th minute. Gabriella Xavier complimented Gordon well, scoring the third Pizza Hut goal one minute later as the first half closed at 3-1, in favour of Pizza Hut.

Tricia Woodroffe scored the fourth goal for Pizza Hut in the 24th minute while Xavier returned to mark her second in the 35th minute. Both goals were scored as penalty goals.

Mona Glen scored a consolation goal for Old Fort in the 36th minute as the game ended with Pizza Hut winning 5-1.

In the men’s category, Saints looked to continue their winning ways but were stopped by GCC Vintage.

At the end of the first half it seemed as anyone’s game with the scored leveled 1-1. Hilton Chester scored on the 10th minute for Saints while Eric Hing replied with Vintage’s first in the 16th minute.

In the second half, Chester, once again found the net early, scoring in the 22nd minute. However, the tides would turn for Saints as Dwayne Scott produced two penalty goals in the 24th and 26th minutes to squeeze in a 3-2 victory for vintage.

The best was saved for last as Bounty GCC trounced their counterparts, GCC Pitbulls 8-1 in the final match of the night.

One minute into the match Kevin Spencer produced Bounty’s first goal while scoring the second five minutes later. Kareem McKenzie scored the third goal for Bounty in the eighth minute while Michael Craig scored in the 11th and 13th minutes respectively to put Bounty in the lead five-nil by half time.

In the second half, Daniel Hooper picked up where the Bounty men left off, scoring in the 22nd minute. Keon McKenzie marked the first and only goal for Pitbulls in the 25th minute, but by then the match was already far gone. Hooper scored his second in the 30th minute while Spencer Completed his hat trick in the 37th minute as the score read 8-1 at the end of the match.

 

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