Guyana Chronicle E-paper 09-11-2018

TUESDAY 11th September, 2018

NO LET-UP ON IMMIGRATION LAWS No.105394

‌but Venezuelan refugees will not be criminalised

With the countrywide strike of teachers coming to an end on Thursday, schools across Guyana were in full session on Monday with the expected high turnout from teachers and students. In the mix, parents were also seen collecting their children from Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools around Georgetown when the bells rang for recess at the end of the school day (Delano Williams photo)

Man burnt 10 Man fatally PPP in move 03 to death in struck by 16 to block LGEs PAGE

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fire tender

‌Min. Bulkan says party does not believe in the system of local government

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Petrotrin closure…

CET to be waived to facilitate oil purchase extra-regionally Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge (Photo by Delano Williams)

IN light of the impending closure of the Trinidad and Tobago state-owned oil refinery – Petrotrin, CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) is likely to waive the Common External Tariff (CET) to facilitate the purchase of fuel from extra-regional suppliers.

Guyana is among countries within the regional bloc that sources its fuel from Trinidad and Tobago.

During a press conference on Monday, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge said the issue came up for discussion when

the Ninth Special Meeting of The Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), was held last week in Barbados. “The Caribbean Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee looked at this matter, and examined a couple of options that were available and they asked the relevant experts and ministers to explore the matter urgently and to [give] advice,” Minister Greenidge told reporters.

He said that there is recognition that the barrier to importation from outside the region is partially a “fiscal barrier.” “…it arises from

the CET, and the ministers agreed, that in the circumstances, the Common Exchange Tariff will have to be waived,” the Guyanese foreign affairs minister said. He noted that other sources are being explored among those, are resources like Jamaica, and Antigua and Barbuda.

He said Guyana like other countries has storage capacity issues. “Guyana of course has special constraints because its own storage capacity is relatively limited, but it is not the only country.

So the sense of urgency surrounds the action to be taken and the advice to be provided,” he noted.

Though no timeframe was given, Minister Greenidge said those tasked with analysing the issue were urged to tackle it with a sense of urgency.

NO REQUEST Meanwhile, in responding to another question on the topic of oil, the foreign affairs minister said that there has been no formal request from Trinidad and Tobago for Guyana to invest in Petrotrin.

He, however, confirmed that within days the two CARICOM member states will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in oil and gas, and a Framework Agreement for the deepening of bilateral cooperation. He dispelled the notion that the MOU on the Oil and Gas sector was a binding agreement.

“The MOU itself is usually followed by more concrete arrangements between the relevant sectors, it is not by itself a binding instrument,” Minister Greenidge explained.

Since last year, the government had signaled its intent of renewing the Framework Agreement for the deepening of bilateral cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago. The Framework Agreement was signed between the two parties in August 1999 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and was valid for 10 years initially and then renewed for five successive periods, but was never enacted.

“It was a 10-year MOU, it was signed and no riot occurred, no sector was de-

stroyed, there was no apocalypse and I am sure this will not happen on this occasion either, and the same thing applies to the MOU in relation to the Belt and Road Project,” Minister Greenidge added.

Days after calling on the Government of Guyana not to sign the MOU with Trinidad until it examines the particulars of the ‘agreement,’ the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) said it is supportive of foreign investors to Guyana.

“The GCCI believes that foreign investors have played, and continue to play, an integral role in driving economic growth and national development. In an era of global business, the benefits of international cooperation in key areas of private sector development are undeniable.

Technology transfer, skills development, international markets for goods and services are a few areas where readily, the engagement of foreign investors and companies can bode well for private sector development,” the GCCI said in a statement on Monday.

It pointed out that earlier this year it embarked on a series of internationalisation efforts, signing Memorandums of Understanding

(MOUs) with several countries - India, Canada and Cuba.

The benefits of these MOUs are currently being realised through bilateral Trade Facilitation Councils that are promoting international engagement for the mutual benefit of the countries’ private sector.

“Through this mechanism, several of the chamber’s members have benefitted from joint ventures and partnerships. These endeavours have facilitated an acceleration of the learning curve and reduction in the learning costs of these businesses.

These mechanisms have undeniably improved businesses in Guyana,” the GCCI said.

While maintaining that it is receptive to foreign companies and foreign investors, especially those which are interested in partnerships with Guyanese companies, the GCCI said that openness is based on the principles of equity and fairness. “The chamber is supportive of partnering with its Caribbean brothers and sisters in the spirit of regionalism, especially Trinidad and Tobago in the oil and gas sector, to effect a stronger, more integrated Caribbean community,” it said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

No let-up on immigration laws …but Venezuelan refugees will not be criminalised

By Lisa Hamilton GUYANA is not looking to relax its immigration laws in light of the economic crisis in Venezuela, but at the same time it will not criminalise those crossing its borders in search of refuge.

That’s the word from Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge during a press conference here on Monday where the matter was raised.

His reaction was in response to a recent BBC report saying that eleven Latin America countries have agreed to allow Venezuelans leaving their homeland to enter their countries with expired travel documents.

Those countries are: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

As Minister Greenidge told reporters, the Guyana Government is not considering joining the bandwaggon, but will instead facilitate fleeing Venezuelan migrants, given their current circum-

stance.

“We’ve decided that what the law requires of persons when that happens is that you apprehend the person; that they’re persecuted and deported, unless they have a good excuse,” he said, adding: “Given the circumstances and the numbers involved, there is a certain empathy with those who are forced to move by the [effects] of difficulty on their side, and so we decided that we will not criminalise those who have crossed without any ulterior motive.

“What we do is when we find them, we require that they go and get their health checked, and that they formally register so that we can take them to the nearest point and go through the formalities.”

HEALTH FEARS Just last month, PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) member states were urged to rapidly increase their vaccination coverage, as the measles virus

has resurfaced in Venezuela, with 3,545 confirmed cases and 62 deaths.

Said the minister: “We’re ensuring that we can identify the movers and their health status, because unless people move in numbers that constitute a strategic threat, the significance of the movement lies in our ability to identify their health status.

“So, if we get 12 or 15 people moving, and they are [carrying] malaria, measles and these types of issues, then there is a danger it poses especially to Indigenous People by possible pandemics. So, that is one area in which we need special help to monitor and ensure we have vaccinations.”

This special of which Minister Greenidge speaks has been coming from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Citizenship, Home Affairs, Health and Communities which are all closely monitoring the situation.

Additional assistance is also coming through collaborations with regional health agencies and Guy-

ana’s southern neighbour, Brazil.

However, due to the vastness of Guyana’s borders, and the fact that persons don’t always utilise the official crossing points, the challenge has been to locate those migrants and determine their health status.

UNOFFICIAL CROSSING Touching on the issue of migrants’ preference for unofficial crossing points, Minister Greenidge explained: “The reason why that makes it difficult is that traditionally, they have traversed these borders without regarding them as physical barriers.

So, for a number of them, the movements that you see are normal movements, whereas for others, they might have been having difficulty arising from disturbances from, or arising from the shortage of materials…

“If the [migrants are] 50 miles away from that established crossing point or 100 miles away from the nearest village or town, they often don’t believe it’s worth it to

do that great diversion, only to register. Especially if you believe that this is a traditional route where you’ve been crossing from time to time and so they just cross where it’s convenient. “ On the numbers that have been fleeing to Guyana, Minister Greenidge said that while it’s difficult to give an exact figure on those who have relocated, he does not believe that it exceeds 500.

“We try to ensure that those who arrive on this side are accommodated in circumstances that are acceptable to us and acceptable internationally,” he said, adding: “But at the border areas, I doubt we’re looking at 500 persons. I can’t give you a number, but what I can say is: Yes, we are discussing the matter with the International Organisation for Migrants (IOM); the IOM has its own numbers, as has other agencies, many of which are far in excess of ours...

“But I don’t have any reason to believe that the numbers that we are giving

are inaccurate; because the numbers are really estimates, projections rather than accurate figure.”

On the subject of immigration laws, Minister Greenidged said that where that is concerned, the primary matter being discussed by Guyana, in conjunction with other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads, has to do more with Haiti than anything else.

“At this point in time, we are not looking at the relaxation of immigration laws,” he said. “In the Caribbean as a whole, we are looking at ensuring that we apply those laws correctly; the discussions amongst the CARICOM Heads about Haiti in particular, those are discussions triggered by a concern that we were illegally preventing Haitians from entering the rest of the CARICOM space, given that they are full members of CARICOM, and that they pay their dues.

So that has been more the concern.”

PPP in move to block LGEs …Min. Bulkan says party does not believe in the system of local government

THE Opposition Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) has filed an injunction in the courts against Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan and the Chief Election Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) aimed at preventing the holding of Local Government Elections in several areas across the country this November.

According to court documents seen by this publication, the party alleges that the subject minister has failed to identify by name, boundaries, and number of members, each of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils it highlighted in court documents. The injunction was filed on the grounds that the said decision is “unlawful, illegal, in violation

of the Local Democratic Organs Act, Cap. 28:09.”

The party, in the documents, called for the quashing of a decision by the Chief Elections Officer to fix the exterior boundaries in respect of several municipalities and NDCs on the grounds that the said decision “is ultra vires, unlawful, in violation of the Local Democratic Organs Act, Cap. 28:09, in excess of jurisdiction, failed to satisfy or observe procedures required by law, abuse of power, illegal and constitutes a usurpation of the statutory functions of the first Named Respondent under the Local Democratic Organs Act.” The injunction, which was filed in the name: Bibi Safora Shadick - a commissioner on the Guyana

Elections Commission, also called for consultations to be held with the electors and stakeholders inclusive of the major political parties likely to vote and contest the election of councilors in the named local authority areas in relation to the establishment of constituency boundaries within the said areas.

It called for such actions to be held “with every convenient speed to enable the election of councilors to say Local Democratic Organs to take place on the 12th November, 2018 or any other date during the period statutorily provided for the holding of such elections.”

Among the areas named are the Municipality of Rose Hall, Municipality of Mahdia, Moruka/Phoenix Park, Kitty/Providence, Nile/Co-

zier, Lamaha/Yarowkabra, Hauraruni/Yarowkabra, Plegt Anker/Kortberaad, Wyburg/Caracas.

The PPP alleges that in creating new NDCs and modifying and/or re-demarcating the existing internal boundaries of existing constituencies the named respondents “not only acted unlawfully but they did so unfairly, capriciously, whimsically and in a manner to prejudice and skew the elections in favour of one major political party and against the other.”

Minister Ronald Bulkan told reporters that to the best of his knowledge and based on statements made by the PPP, is that they acknowledge that he has the authority under the law to determine the size of councils. He said

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

the opposition is positing that he acted undemocratically and that it invoked Article 13 of the constitution which speaks to inclusionary democracy.

“No. I don’t see why I should be fazed,” he said regarding the move by the PPP. He said that he acted “lawfully and legally” and he noted that there has been no claim to the contrary that he acted unlawfully.

He said the PPP by their actions and track record, have demonstrated that they

do not believe in the system of local government, “but we are forging ahead with reinstituting as well as expanding the system of local government.”

He said the government is convinced that when people are empowered and given the opportunity to manage their communities it will result in better managed communities. According to Minister Bulkan, the government is empowering people ultimately for their own benefit.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

International Criminal Court: US threatens sanctions (BBC) The US has threatened sanctions against the International Criminal Court if it goes ahead with prosecutions against Americans.

The court is currently considering prosecuting US servicemen over alleged detainee abuse in Afghanistan.

National Security Advisor John Bolton said the US would do everything “to protect our citizens”.

The US is among dozens of nations not to have

joined the court, founded in 2002.

The court investigates and brings to justice people responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, intervening when national authorities cannot or will not prosecute.

In a speech in Washington, Mr Bolton said: “If the court comes after us, we will not sit quietly.”

Judges and prosecutors with the International Crim-

inal Court (ICC) would be barred from entering the US and their funds in the US would be sanctioned.

“We will prosecute them in the US criminal system.

We will do the same for any company or state that assists an ICC investigation of Americans.”

More “binding, bilateral agreements” would be signed to stop countries submitting US citizens to the court’s jurisdiction.

Giving his reasons for

The court in The Hague was founded in 2002

opposing the court, Mr Bolton cited the threat to “American sovereignty and US national security”.

He said the ICC lacked checks and balances, claimed “jurisdiction over crimes that have disputed and ambiguous definitions” and failed to “deter and punish atrocity crimes”.

It was, he said, “superfluous” as “domestic judicial systems already hold American citizens to the highest legal and ethical standards”.

Mr Bolton also criticised Palestinian moves to bring Israel before the ICC over allegations of human rights abuses in Gaza and the occupied West Bank - a move dismissed by Israel as politicised.

‘America First’ writ large As a diplomat, John Bolton is famously bellicose: he once said if the UN building in New York “lost 10 storeys, it wouldn’t

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make a bit of difference”.

And he’s made clear how he stands on carrotand-stick diplomacy, saying: “I don’t do carrots.” As national security advisor, he’s been more aggressive than the president at times and has been reined in.

When Mr Bolton said North Koreans should get rid of nuclear equipment in the way the Libyans did, Trump disavowed his remarks.

On Monday, though, Mr Bolton made his first major address as national security advisor and showed he’s in sync with the president.

In threatening to sanction ICC judges, he is helping to reinforce the president’s “America First” policy.

This resonates with their US supporters, but it’s deeply unpopular at the ICC and other international institutions.

In November 2017, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda

called for a full investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

She said she had “a reasonable basis to believe” that such crimes had been committed. Alleged possible perpetrators included the CIA, the Taliban and Afghan forces.

The ICC was established by the Rome Statute in 2002, but the US did not ratify it as President George W Bush opposed the body.

Mr Bolton served in the Bush administration, notably as ambassador to the UN from 2005.

The Rome Statute has been ratified by 123 countries, including the UK, leaving more than 70 as non-members. President Barack Obama sought to develop co-operation with the ICC. Some African countries have called for withdrawal from the court o v e r p e rc e i v e d u n f a i r treatment of Africans.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Venezuela migrants flee back across border with Brazil

(BBC) Hundreds of Venezuelan migrants have crossed back over the border with Brazil in the last few days after a violent incident in Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state.

Most said they were leaving because they feared for their lives after a young man was lynched, accused of killing a local man during a robbery.

They were picked up by buses sent by the Venezuelan government.

Brazil has accepted over 30,000 Venezuelans fleeing economic chaos.

Many of the migrants had been living on the streets of Boa Vista with no sanitation or water in improvised plastic and wooden shelters.

Many locals say they resent their presence, complaining of the smell and the mess left in public spaces.

Police were investigating the stabbing of a local man who had allegedly got into a fight with a Venezuelan after

Venezuelans have been sleeping in the open in Boa Vista

a robbery at a supermarket.

The Venezuelan man was attacked and beaten to death by a group of Brazilian men.

Tensions have been rising on the Brazilian-Venezuelan border where hundreds of people cross daily into Brazil fleeing Venezuela’s severe economic crisis.

Most of the migrants continue further south heading towards other countries in

Magistrate in Dana Seetahal case won’t step down (Trinidad Newsday) THE magistrate presiding over the Dana Seetahal murder enquiry will not be stepping down from presiding over the matter, on the ground of apparent bias.

Senior Magistrate Indrani Cedeno gave her ruling this morning at a sitting at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain.

She was initially asked to step down from hearing the matter by two of the accused men - Rajaee Ali and Earl Richards. This was later withdrawn by two. Ali and 13 others were charged with Seetahal’s murder which happened on May 4, 2014.

She was shot dead behind the wheel of her SUV while driving along Hamilton Holder Street in Woodbrook.

Ali, his brothers Ishmael and Hamid Ali; Devaughn Cummings, Ricardo Stewart, Richards, Stephan Cummings, Kevin Parkinson, Leston Gonzales; Roget Boucher and Gareth Wiseman were initially charged with the crime. They, along

with Rajaee’s wife Stacy Griffith, Deon Peters and David Ector, were also charged under the Anti-Gang Act for being members of a gang.

I n 2 0 1 6 , t h e D D P ’s Office applied to amend the gang charges due to an administrative error made when they were laid on the group. Cedeno ruled that the time for making the amendment had expired, so the charges were dropped. Peters and Ector were freed, while Griffith remained as she was charged with an unrelated gang offence.

The State appealed the decision but the appeal was filed late and had to be withdrawn. A new application to retroactively extend the time is expected to be filed and a new date set by the court of appeal.

In December, the murder charge was discontinued against Cummings, who was instead charged with conspiring to murder Seetahal. Ector was killed earlier this year.

South America.

But around 30,000 have stayed in the border region in the state of Roraima.

Earlier this month, 1,200 migrants fled back across the border from the Brazilian town of Pacaraima after locals attacked a street

encampment, burning possessions and tents.

The local authorities in Brazil have complained they do not have the resources to deal with the migrants and are receiving no support from the central government.

In response, two weeks

ago Brazilian President Michel Temer ordered the military to the border area to provide security.

In Peru, a group of 90 Venezuelans decided to return home on planes sent by their government as part of a plan to repatriate Venezuelan nationals named “Return to the Country.”

The Venezuelans had gathered at the embassy in the capital, Lima, and from there were taken to the airport.

The Spanish news agency Efe said some had thanked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro “for hearing their prayers” after having gone through a difficult situation in Peru.

Peru has accepted 430,000 migrants the second largest group in the Americas after Colombia.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

For a new public service GIVEN the period of governance by the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic(PPP/C), in which every state and public institution suffered gradual decline in operating standards as to the quality of service that it delivered to the public, it was inevitable that the in-coming President David Granger administration was prepared to effect renewal processes to the general public service.

For President David Granger, given his career as a former distinguished military officer and commander, in which order and discipline would have coloured his entire approach to getting things done; and in which precision and timeliness were prerequisites for successfully, timely outcomes, an efficient public service was mandatory for his government, if it were to function efficiently to deliver quality public services to the citizens of Guyana.

Every state and its gov-

ernment must have a public service; but not just a body of senior administrative officials supported by an army of junior personnel which primary task is to execute the policies for and on behalf of the government of the day.

But a dedicated body of personnel that must be responsible for the efficient turning of the wheels of government, since it is the interfacing element with citizens, for dispensing whatever function is required for satisfying their requests for services Therefore, for any government to be adjudged as successful in its mission of the delivery of quality services to citizens of any state, an efficient and quality public service is an absolute. The Public Service of Guyana has attracted much attention from the public which it serves, with regards to the manner of services that its component parts have delivered. As to be expected, especially with the period alluded to – the com-

ments were hardly expected to be favourable.

We would have experienced a public service that had become heavily politicised, with a preponderant presence of political appointees; a situation that was a departure from the traditional norm.

It is well-known that the latter does not often lend for efficiency and the presence of a pool of skilled and competent administrators, since appointments made are often done on the basis of political loyalty, rather than qualifications and expertise. Such can only lead to a continuous omission and absence of the necessary expertise, with which every administration of government must have for the proper formulation and execution of its many programmes, which must of course benefit the well-being of citizens.

No states’ public service which is heavily politicised can ever deliver quality ser-

vice of the type that is impartial, professional and above all, freed of biases and other forms of prejudices such as what has been the experiences of the 23 years of PPP/C governance. Moreover, such a public service will undoubtedly descend to levels of gross maladministration, with unchecked levels of every type of corruption imaginable.

President Granger, speaking at the recent swearing-in of the Public Service Commission (PSC), emphasised a, “Public Service Commission (PSC) that is to ensure the establishment and existence of an impartial Public Service by insulating public servants from political interference and influence.” He also stressed a public service that is free from political dictate and control, reiterating that not only should the Public Service be neutral, but that a public servant must also be appointed on merit. This does not suggest that the

public servant is not entitled to political affiliation, as Guyana is a democracy, with its constitution bestowing such a right on every citizen.

But the public servant is expected to be professional in his/her day-to-day functions, serving whatever party is in government.

Giving extension to this understanding should also include the seamless transfer of government, with a ready pool of professional public servants who are there to ensure continuity. As according to President Granger, “They should not be threatened by or interrupted for political reasons or upon a change of government”. This is the ideal and is accepted; however, it should not be expected, as in Guyana’s case, that those public servants who would have been found to commit all kinds of misdemeanors would be retained, as well as being made to face mandatory prosecutorial action.

This seems to have escaped the understanding of the leaders of the former PPP/C government, who have been crying “witch hunt”, against the background of several of its for-

mer high-ranking officials of its administration being placed before the courts for offences committed against the state. It is a legitimate expectation of law-abiding citizens of any state that is predicated by law and order.

The Bertram Collins School of the Public Service, a visionary initiative of President Granger and his coalition government, has already commenced this much needed and overdue re-orientation of the Guyana Public Service, with its first graduation of public service cadets who are already in place, and have begun to lead the charge for a better, efficient, and impartial public service.

With commitment, and an abiding acceptance that the public must be adequately served by a public service which contributions are integral to the growth and development of Guyana, it is expected that the Public Service, heeding the President’s address, will with the Bertram Collins School of the Public Service, be ushering in the desired and necessary changes in its service to the public

We all must play a role in protecting children from sexual violence Dear Editor, IN the month of September there is a heightened awareness on the issues of children, on education and on their protection, and whilst families are most important to the protection of children there are many other systems and structures that support the prevention of abuse of children.

The Supreme Court of Judicature launched the Sexual Offences Court on November 13, 2017. The overall aim included addressing the backlog of cases of child sexual violence. In Guyana there is an average of 650 reported cases of sexual violence against children. Since the Sexual Offences Court was established, a number of child sexual abuse cases were brought to trial. According to a local newspaper article published on April 14, 2018, after seven months, there has been a notable increase in the number of child sexual abuse cases tried as opposed to previous years and there have also been a noteworthy number of convictions thus far.

The Guyana Human Rights Association

(GHRA) conducted a study: Without Conviction Sexual Violence Cases in The Guyana Justice Process. The study found that from 2000-2004 the average conviction rate of sexual abuse cases was 1.4 per cent. That is nine convictions out of 647 reports of sexual abuse. ChildLinK through the Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) provides court support to child sexual abuse victims who have cases of sexual violence before the court. Court support services provide pre and post-trial support to a victim. ChildLinK supported 16 clients from November 2017 to present.

Of the 16 cases we supported, there were 14 convictions, one not guilty verdict and one ongoing case.

Chancellor of the Judiciary (a.g.) Justice Yonnette Cummings-Edwards and all stakeholders involved in the establishment and operationalisation of the Sexual Offences Court, deserve commendation for their successful efforts to improve the efficiency of the judicial system and afford victims of sexual violence the opportunity to have their cases tried. ChildLinK believes that the Sex-

ual Offences Court sends a strong message to children and to the wider society, that justice served may directly influence an increase in the reporting of child sexual abuse and in the longer term, improves the protection of children from sexual abuse. In a newspaper article, Justice Cummings-Edwards stated that the specialist court was properly staffed and would see the rotation of criminal judges.

The chancellor also noted that the courtroom was properly equipped and includes a victim support unit giving victims the opportunity to testify in a free environment and not subjecting them to victimisation or discrimination.

The Sexual Offences Court allows child sexual abuse cases to be treated with sensitivity and child victims are emotionally supported to provide their sworn testimonies. Although the lives of the victims have changed forever, the fact that the perpetrators are held accountable for their heinous crime may give the victims and their families some solace.

A ChildLinK Court Support Officer stated, “This system serves justice and brings closure to the victims and the families”. One

child victim related in her impact statement, “Now that the case is over, I feel a weight has been lifted off of my back. I deserve my innocence. At first I thought that I was the only child that experienced such a horrible thing but learnt that I am not, and that gave me the courage to speak out”.

Sexual violence against children is a gross violation of children’s rights. Establishing a system where a perpetrator is prosecuted and victims are provided with a strong support system throughout the trial, plays a major role in the battle against sexual offences. This hopefully will encourage persons to report any known case of child sexual abuse and deter perpetrators from abusing children. We all have a role to play in protecting children from sexual violence and any other form of violence.

Regards, Shaquita Thomas Communications Officer ChildLinK

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

What is Jagdeo afraid of?

Dear Editor, FOR the leader of the Parliamentary opposition to suggest at his last press conference that the forthcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) should be managed by the United Nations, is another of his well-known tactics of conveying ill perceptions of Guyana, its government, and its constitutional institutions, in this instance the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Editor, this is a climb down from a not-so-longago brag that his party will emerge victorious in the November poll. But, most seriously, is that such a statement is intended to convey to the CARICOM region, and the international community, a misleading profile of a country that is authoritarian and has no respect for democratic principles. In fact, this has been a major narrative of a purely deceptive and dishonest type that has formed the thrust of Jagdeo’s attacks on the coalition, since 2015.

Note must be made that

there was no such request prior to the historic LGE polls in 2016, which he declared he had won; or any complaints about the propriety of such, that should have led to complaints, thus justifying such a call.

Editor, it should be recalled that Jagdeo and his party’s challenged the results of the 2015 national polls, which had been deemed fair and transparent, by the corps of international observers that witnessed the process. His objections had to be among the strangest ever recorded, given the fact that his party was in office at that time and therefore had overall responsibility for the electoral machinery. In fact, it had been the same process that had overseen the 2006 and 2011 national polls, which his party had won.

There were no objections then, but there were in 2015 when his party in government had been defeated, even though his government had poll oversight.

These are contradictions of the highest form ever seen in this country’s political

history.

But this is the same Jagdeo that had a while ago, strongly objected through his then point man, Roger Luncheon, to accepting the Security Sector Reform Programme (SSRP), especially when personnel from the donor country were to be based here for that exercise, which since the arrival of the Granger administration had been accepted for the reform of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

I stand to be corrected, by saying that Jagdeo is even on record alleging that the current administration was being dictated to by foreign entities. Guyana, is a sovereign country, and has demonstrated both the administrative and constitutional capacity as reposed in GECOM, to prepare for, and manage the national electoral machinery – the same mechanism which had guided the prior elections which Jagdeo’s party had won.

One must now wonder what is Jagdeo’s problem.

What is bugging him? Is it the return of grass roots

d e m o c r a c y, w h i c h w i l l eventually break his party’s well-known hegemony over a system that had been designed to be managed by the citizens in the villages

and towns? Or, the fact that the LGE system with its democratic functions of being responsible for its administration of regions, towns, and communities,

signals the beginning of the end of the PPP/C’s bullyism?

Regards, Earl Hamilton

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Guyana doing reasonably well on diplomatic front

– Min. Greenidge reports, particularly in area of trade

By Lisa Hamilton THE Foreign Affairs Ministry has had many suc-

cesses of late in the area of economic diplomacy, particularly now that new opportunities are open to

the country.

“We have worked and had successes on a variety of fronts. The ambassadors in a

range of locations... In India, there is work done in relation to new initiatives by way of markets and collaborations,” Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said Monday.

“They are working in relation to areas by way of exports, alcohol, products coming out of Demerara Distillers Limited for example.

“In Cuba, we’ve also had success where markets in relation to rice and paddy and Panama have [also] had success, in some of them for the first time,” he told media operatives at a press conference here.

He said that outside of rice, there have been many other successes in accessing markets in Latin America and

elsewhere.

“They were able to conclude with a South African company, maybe more than one, that in light of the prospects in Guyana and output of gold, for example, and other precious minerals, there could be refining done in Guyana by a South African company,” Minister Greenidhe said, adding: “This is what economic diplomacy is about; they are now waiting on information from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to take that process further.

“That is new; it hasn’t been done before, and this is one of the examples of what

we have done, and what can be achieved.”

He said that although on the surface there seems to have been no “dramatic changes”, engagements are being had regularly at the policy level, whereby prospects are examined to determine the feasibility of proposed ventures.

Said he: “Unfortunately, in the known course of events, unless there is a crisis, like a war, aggression, bombing or something, in diplomacy, a lot of it is routine.

“You are not in a position to report dramatic changes from day to day; it is the leg-work that has to be done that takes you forward.”

Settlement plan for Venezuelan migrants still under consideration Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix and other officials at the meeting

THE Department of Citizenship is still considering a proposal that was made regarding the settlement of Venezuelan migrants in the township of Mabaruma in the Barima-Waini Region (Region One) but thus far, no decision has been taken at the level of the cabinet.

Speaking to the Ministry of the Presidency’s Public Information and Press Services Unit, Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix explained that in July, during an engagement with the officials from the regional office and the municipality of Region One, this recommendation was proffered and the council indicated that it was willing to make representation to a private land owner for permission to use his land.

“The Department of Citizenship was looking at the recommendation in terms of its feasibility to implement it, but the government has not made a decision on that issue; it is being dealt with at the level of the department,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Multi-Sectoral Coordinating Committee, which was established to deal with the influx of Venezuelan migrants, continues to meet regularly to discuss

strategies to better serve the immediate and long-term needs of displaced persons. The most recent meeting was held today at the Department’s office on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is the agency that is spearheading relief efforts so far. It is being supported by other government bodies particularly the Ministries of Public Health, Education and Social Protection, the Immigration Office, the Guyana Police Force and international agencies like the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Last week, the CDC conducted an outreach in Khan’s Hill, in the Mabaruma sub-region district where food hampers were distributed to 24 migrant families. While at White Water Village, another 46 families received hammocks and hygiene supplies.

The Committee is also working to establish a database of all Venezuelan migrants and to ensure that migrants are screened and vaccinated upon arrival at the various ports of entry.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Guyana on track with ICJ submission on border case THE Government of Guyana is on track for the submission of its Memorial to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of October 1899 between Guyana and Venezuela.

By an order dated June 19, 2018 the ICJ fixed November 19, 2018 and April 18, 2019 as the respective time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and a Counter-Memorial by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Venezuela has indicated that it will not participate in the court’s proceedings.

On Monday, during a press conference, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge said that the preparations are moving a pace.

“The preparation of the Memorial by Guyana is well on the way and we shall make the deadline without any difficulty. The teams are working on it, we have added to the teams, by way of strengthening the ministry’s own capacity,” Minister Greenidge explained.

Pointing out that there has been a number of meetings, since the order was issued by the ICJ, he disclosed that another meeting is set for later this month – September 21, being a tentative date. During that meeting, the draft Memorial would be examined.

The written pleadings, in the form of Memorials will address the question of the jurisdiction of the Court in hearing the case bought by the State of Guyana.

In March, Venezuela indicated that it will not participate in the judicial proceedings, however, the Guyana Government has made it clear that it will proceed with the case, noting that under Article 53 of the Statute of the Court, “whenever one of the parties does not appear before the Court, or fails to defend its case, the other party may call upon the court to decide in favour of its claim.”

“Guyana is fully committed to the rule of law in international relations, including the peaceful resolution of disputes in conformity with international law.

It trusts that the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations, will resolve the controversy with Venezuela in accor-

dance with the law, in a manner that is fair and equitable.

It hopes that, in due course, Venezuela will reconsider its position and decide to appear in Court and defend its case. The Court’s rules allow for that,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said in a statement.

Guyana said that if Venezuela persists in its refusal to participate in the matter, the rules provide for the court to proceed, after a full hearing of the case, to a final judgment that is legally binding on both the participating and nonparticipating parties.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to reiterate that Guyana fully respects the decision of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to choose the International Court of Justice as the means of settlement of the controversy and is confident that the court is fully empowered to decide the case,” the Foreign Ministry added.

Guyana had filed an application with the ICJ on March 29, 2018, requesting the court to confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award regarding the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

Guyana is contending that the 1899 Award was “a full, perfect, and final settlement” of all questions relating to determining the boundary line between the colony of British Guiana and Venezuela. It is also Guyana’s position that, between November 1900 and June 1904, a joint Anglo-Venezuelan Boundary Commission “identified, dem`arcated and permanently fixed the boundary established by the… Award” before the signing of a Joint Declaration by the Commissioners on 10 January 1905 (referred to by Guyana as the “1905 Agreement”).

Guyana is further contending that in 1962, for the first time, Venezuela contested the Award as “arbitrary” and “null and void”.

This, according to the applicant, led to the signing of the Agreement to resolve the controversy between Venezuela and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland over the frontier between Venezuela and British Guiana at Geneva on 17 February 1966 (the Geneva Agreement), which “provided for recourse to a series of dispute settle-

ment mechanisms to finally resolve the controversy”.

Additionally, Guyana submits that the Geneva Agreement authorised the United Nations Secretary-General to decide

which appropriate dispute resolution mechanism to adopt for the peaceful settlement of the dispute, in accordance with Article 33 of the United Nations Charter.

Greenidge to lead delegation to UN …as President Granger attends to national matters

VICE President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge will lead a high-level delegation to the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA73) set to commence at the UN Headquarters in New York from September 18.

For the first time since assuming office in May, 2015, President David Granger will not attend the UN General Assembly. According to Minister Greenidge, the President opted not to attend the high-level meeting in New York because he plans to focus on developments unfolding in his homeland.

“The President of course has to, in normal circumstances, weigh the time he can spare for all the different demands on his time, and in view of the other things that are unfolding including Local Government Elections, he has decided that he will not be able to spare the time to travel,” the Foreign Affairs Minister explained during a press conference on Monday.

While the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly will open on September 18, 2018, the Annual General Debate will start on Tuesday September 25 under the theme “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: Global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies.”

On the sideline of the UN General Assembly, Minister Greenidge is expected to meet with the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres to discuss the Guyana/Venezuela Border Controversy

Budget consultations moving apace

and recent developments following his decision to refer the more than a century-old border controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The high-level delegation, led by Minister Greenidge, will also engage in bilateral talks with member states from across the globe, particularly those from Latin America, Europe, and Africa. The high-level team is also expected to engage officials from the Commonwealth Secretariat and other international institutions.

Also on the sideline, discussions will be held on the Contonou Agreement, which is set to expire in 2020. Minister Greenidge, who first served as a member of the Negotiating Troika for Lomé III in 1983 when he was Minister of Finance of Guyana, is deputy to the Chief Negotiator, representing the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) in the post- Contonou negotiations.

“The significance of the Contonou is something I always emphasise because it is the main source of concessional funding to the Caribbean,” Minister Greenidge told reporters.

The 79 ACP Member States have agreed to a draft negotiating mandate as a collective group and to seek a legally-binding arrangement with the European Union that builds on the current Agreement. The new agreement is expected to take account of the issues of middle income countries, small island developing states (SIDS), least developed countries and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan being presented with a basket of locally manufactured products by GSMA President Shyam Nokta

MINISTER of Finance, Winston Jordan expressed satisfaction with the pace and tone of ongoing 2019 National Budget consultations.

The minister and his budget team met with the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) on Monday. In an invited comment following the third day of consultations, Jordan said he was encouraged by the positive attitude of the private sector. “For the first time, I’ve seen the PSC actually stating that they’re prepared to do certain things publicly to support us, particularly in the area of local content… That is a real positive development.”

The Finance Minister added that the discussions with both the PSC and the GMSA are indicative of “a meeting of minds.” “There is a bigger willingness on the part of the private sector to engage with the government and we have stressed this public-private partnership in a number of ways with the Private Sector Commission.” Minister Jordan revealed that the ministry has worked continuously with the GMSA. “This is the only body we have roundtable meetings with. It has worked very well for them.

They have gotten quite a few benefits. I’m looking to see more benefits for them during the upcoming budget. Some of them we will work with, some of them we perhaps have to amend.”

The minister indicated that he left both meetings, feeling extremely positive going forward to the 2019

Budget. The day’s consultations began with presentations from the PSC, led by Chairman, Desmond Sears.

He said that a priority was the formulation of local content policy. “We are asking the minister to maybe speak to the Minister of Business to accelerate the process.

You can always change an evolving policy; make changes as you go down the road. We would want before 2019, especially before oil production a local content policy which would more or less set the stage for locals to participate.”

Sears added that the PSC is not only prepared to form partnerships but could also supply the downstream activities of oil and gas. “So even though you might not have the skill to work on a boat offshore, there are a lot of activities onshore that we could participate in, build our skill and service levels; and that is what we intend to do but there must be some facilitation in terms of what we call local content,’’ Sears said.

The GMSA’s consultations followed with executives making cases for tax relief in several sectors and expanding the tax net in several others. There were also requests for revised legislation and the need for the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to monitor overseas companies for the possible dumping of cheaper products which would be detrimental to local manufacturers.

Budget 2019 consultations continue on September 12 at the Finance Ministry’s boardroom from 14:00hrs.

(DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Man’s charred remains removed from

burnt W/Ruimveldt home, wife held

THE charred remains of a man were removed from his West Ruimveldt home on Monday after his reputed wife allegedly burnt the house down with him inside.

Dead is 56-yearold Christopher ‘Harry’ Bramble. The unemployed man’s remains were taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home.

Residents in the area said the couple shared a traumatic and abusive relationship in their one-flat wooden home at lot 39 West Ruimveldt,

Injured: Jewel Coats called ‘Coolie Girl’

Georgetown.

Reports indicate that his reputed wife Jewel Coats, 36, called ‘Coolie Girl’ was burnt about the body in the wee hours of Monday morning, after residents who were alerted to a fire rescued her.

One eyewitness said that after she was rescued, residents asked about her husband’s whereabouts and she related that he was not at home.

The woman was then taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation because she suffered

The remains of the house (Delano Williams photo)

severe burns to her hands and body. She is listed as serious but in a stable condition.

Neighbours expressed outrage and related that the woman was the abusive person in the relationship, noting that Bramble was always advised to end the relationship but never did.

He was reportedly stabbed by her once and was also beaten on several occasions.

Initial investigations revealed that residents ob-

served smoke and fire emanating from the small cottage at about 00:15hrs on Monday morning and responded.

“They were forced to break a wall to remove the female from the then engulfed structure since its door was locked; and it was only after the fire was extinguished that the discovery of Bramble was made. “The investigation is in progress,” the Police Public Relations Officer, Jairam Ramlakhan said.

Reports indicate that inci-

dents of domestic violence by an intimate or a previous intimate partner rose from 74.8 per cent in 2011 to 89 per cent in 2017, with females accounting for an upward 80 per cent of the victims.

It was noted that three quarter of these gender-based violence cases stem mostly from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Two years for taking ‘ganja’ into Camp Street Jail Ishwar Persaud

SENIOR Magistrate Faith McGusty on Monday sentenced a 62-year-old Leopold Street, Georgetown man to two years imprisonment for taking marijuana into the Camp Street Prison.

Ishwar Persaud was on trial at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for trafficking 20 grams of cannabis in the

Camp Street Prison on August 31, 2018.

The matter was prosecuted by Ceon Blackman, and according to reports, Persaud went to the Prison to carry food stuff and other articles to an inmate.

But when a search was conducted on the defendant, the narcotics was discovered concealed in the sole of a pair of boots.

During his first hearing, Persaud told the court that

his neighbour had asked him to take the boots and some other stuff to an inmate named ‘Ralph Franklin’ at the Camp Street Prison, and that he had no knowledge that drugs were in the footwear; that he was being set up.

Magistrate McGusty, however, found Persaud’s defence farfetched and sentenced him to two years jail, along with $30,000 fine.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Concerns grow over Man allegedly killed by father died underage wedding in of lung perforation – Autopsy Corentyne

RESIDENTS of an Upper Corentyne village have expressed shock and anger over the alleged marriage of a 14-year-old female to a man in his 20’s on Sunday last.

The residents have reached out to the media to air their disgust after they notified the police sometime on Saturday who visited the home but were told it is not a wedding but a “Jhandi” (A Hindu prayer service).

When this newspaper questioned relatives regarding the event, conflicting reports were given with the mother of the young girl maintaining a prayer service, while an aunt said it was birthday party. However residents of the village stated they received verbal invitations for a wedding.

“Abee get invite fuh a wedding but after we tell the police them change it to a Jandi but we understand that the actual wedding happen early in the morning before the Jandi. She is a little girl how them gon look to marry she so young,” one resident remarked.

Another told this publication that music had been playing since Friday and continued on into Sunday.

“If was a Jandi them would a never had music from since Friday night plus on Saturday night them had big sport just like wedding who them a try to fool?” questioned another.

The villagers while speaking in anonymity, out of fear of being verbally abused by the family, are calling on the police to inter-

vene. “She did get-away with the man two weeks ago so them probably decide to get them married but it not right, what kind a example them a set fuh others, it is against the law,” another said. The man is said to be 10 years senior to the child who recently became fourteen.

The age of consent was raised on October 31st 2005 from 13 to 16 thereby deeming any sexual activity below that age as statutory rape which can lead to prison sentences and hefty fines. Despite this, there have been numerous cases of underage girls getting married. In most instances the marriages are arranged and are consented to by both families as it is seen as a means of betterment for the girls.

Man who threatened to kill wife on the run

POLICE are hunting for a 25-year-old miner who threatened to kill his wife and assaulted his mother-in-law after she intervened.

The incident reportedly occurred at Savannah Blackwater, North West District on Saturday evening. After the incident, the police were summoned but the miner had already fled the scene. Upon searching the house, an unlicensed shotgun was found and confiscated. The police are continuing their investigations.

The shotgun that was found by police

TWENTY-one-year-old Satesh Kevin Sookdeo of Lot 217 Fifth Street, Foulis, East Coast Demerara, who was allegedly killed by his father on Saturday last, died from perforation to the lung as result of a stab wound to the chest, an autopsy confirmed.

The autopsy was conducted by Dr. Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Monday.

Reports indicate that the 44-year-old suspect and his wife had an argument during which he grabbed her by the neck and began choking her.

Upon seeing this, the now dead young man and another sibling intervened. The father, who as outraged, took part of the remains of a louvre pane he had subsequently broken and stabbed the lad to his chest.

Neighbours rushed to the family’s aid after hearing screams but by then the younger Sookdeo had already succumbed to his injuries.

The Police were contacted and the suspect was arrested.

Dead: Satesh Kevin Sookdeo

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Kuru Kururu driver found guilty of ‘causing death’ PRINCIPAL Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday sentenced a 28-year-old driver to three years imprisonment for hitting down and killing a man earlier in the year at Kuru Kururu, on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Sadath Newark, of Kuru Kururu, was found guilty of the charge which read that on February 6, 2018 at Kuru Kururu, he drove motorcar PRR 378 in a manner so dangerous to the public as to cause the death of 48-year-old Dexter Conway.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Shawn Gonsalves had called a total of eight witnesses during the trial, while Newark was represented by attorney-at-law Sonia Parag.

According to a police report, on the day in question, Conway was working as a porter on a motor lorry which was proceeding east along the northern carriageway of the Kuru Kururu Public Road when the vehicle encountered a mechanical problem.

This caused the driver and Conway to alight the vehicle and position themselves on the right side of it vehicle to try to fix the problem when they were both struck down

by Newark.

Magistrate Latchman, during her ruling, noted that Newark had told the court in his defence that he was about 40 feet away from Sadath Newark the lorry when he saw it, and that because there was nothing to suggest that it was in trouble, he decided to turn on his high-beam Newark said in his caution statement were true, that he saw the lorry from 40 feet away lights.

He said that it while he was passing the and had to turn on his high-beam lights, then stationary vehicle that he felt an impact, and that was clear proof that he could have seen looking back saw someone lying on the road the other vehicle and avoided the accident altogether. and bleeding profusely.

Said the magistrate as she handed down The magistrate recalled that the defence had tried to pin the accident on the deceased, the sentence, “If Mr. Newark was paying saying that it was he who’d caused his own attention to the road, he would have seen death, as at the time of occurrence, and in the the lorry.”

She concluded by saying that because dead of night, he was wearing dark-coloured clothing, which made it impossible for New- of Newark’s negligence, Conway died of blunt- force trauma, a ruptured liver and ark to have seen him.

But as the magistrate reasoned, if what spleen, and multiple skeletal fractures.

Region 10 RDC on target with budget was budgeted at cil as well as the Regional spending building $94M. He noted that these Chairman, Renis Morian REGIONAL Executive Officer for Region 10, Orrin Gordon reported that the region is on target with its 2018 budgetary spending and as of now the current expenditure is 67 per cent.

The 2018 budget is $3.4B. He was at the time presenting the report to regional councillors at last Thursday’s RDC Statutory meeting. In highlighting the various programmes, Gordon said that for public infrastructure, spending is currently at 48 per cent but noted that the two major capital projects under same, are the construction of a new RDC building and the Bamia Nursery and Primary Schools. There were hiccups in the tendering process of those two projects and there is likelihood that they will not be executed in 2018, as planned. The first phase of the construction of the schools was budgeted at $130M while the RDC

two represent more than 50 per cent of the capital works budget under Public Infrastructure.

Gordon related that all of the capital projects have been awarded and all of the projects are expected to be completed by September.

Out of these, 21 projects have been awarded in Sub Region Two- Kwakwani and in other Region 10 hinterland communities.

For Education, which is the largest budgeted programme, spending is currently at 65 per cent while health has already consumed 70 per cent of its allocation. The administration has already consumed 67 per cent of its budget.

With no movement on the awarding of contracts for the RDC building, Gordon put it to the council to come up with some projects which can be funded by the $94 M that was allocated for it, so as to avoid it returning to the national coffers. The Clerk of Coun-

and Councillors, expressed their disappointment on the slothfulness of the National Tender Board in awarding contracts in a timely manner so that works can be expedited and completed before the end of the budget year.

Gordon described the lengthy and drawn out process as frustrating, since the RDC is being held accountable by the residents of Region 10, who are all looking on at the pace in which the funds are being spent.

“It is frustrating, we are hanging on to the process,” he said. Some of the capital works that have been completed for 2018, in terms of roads include the Main Street Amelia’s Ward Road, Powis Cresent Road, Speightland Access Road, several drains on the Wismar shore amongst others.

Out of the $3.4B budget, $344.5 M was allocated to public infrastructure.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

APNU runs off successful primaries for Linden LGE …several new faces to battle candidates in eight constituencies

Councillor Fern McCoy

By Vanessa Braithwaite OVER the weekend, residents of the eight constituencies in Linden turned out at polling stations across the town to vote for the their pick of the candidates who came forward to represent the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Dubbed the APNU primaries, representatives were giving a chance to be elected by their constituents, before running with other parties and independent groups on November 12th.

In respective order, from constituency one to eight, the winners for the Primaries were: Lawrence Simon, Stephen Massiah, Leroy James, Wayneright Bethune, Waneka Arrindell, Learna Calvan, Fern McKoy and Gary King.

Among the new faces are: Simon, Massiah, Calvan and King.

In total, close to 400, voters came out to vote for their APNU candidates. Before the voting commenced over the weekend, candidates were required to debate in front of the electorates, present their plans for developing their constituencies and how they intend to implement those plans, as well as to share their manifestos. Besides, the candidates were required to build their support base by having 30 persons physically sign a document as an expression of support.

The candidates also had to submit their background and past community work which showed how passionate they are about community development.

Region 10 Campaign Manager, Minister Valarie Patterson- Yearwood, said that the process gave the voter population within the communities the opportunity to select who they want to represent their constituencies at the upcoming LGE. She

Constituency One hopeful, Lawrence Simon

noted that proportional representation candidates, will be selected by the party. Those candidates who did not win in the various constituencies but their voter numbers were high, will be recommended for the PR list. She described the process as an orderly one and was most impressed with the high voter turnout, especially on the Wismar shore.

“I am very happy at the turn out at the polling locations, particularly on the Wismar/ Christianburg side…it was heartening to see on both days we had heavy rain fall, but people braved the weather and they came out, the process was smooth and I hope it is replicated in upcoming LGEs and the 2020 general and regional elections.”

Commenting on the new faces that were elected, Yearwood said that she is also pleased with this, as there must be an injection of new minds into development.

“If you come with the same people over and over, you will not get change, we need young and vibrant minds and I am confident, that this will raise the level of service the municipality will give to Linden in the new term. I expect that the returnees will work with the young ones and to really meet the expectations of Lindeners.”

As campaign manager, Patterson said that at her very next meeting, she will put another plan in motion for the winning candidates to return to the communities as well as the possible PR candidates so that the residents can have a final say as to what are their expectations of them and how they can best serve their communities. Elected candidate for Constituency One, Lawrence Simon, is one of the new faces. He said winning was definitely a good feeling since he along with his campaign team would have put in a lot of work bringing awareness on the importance of voting. “It is

an awesome feeling; it is now time to work harder to get a wider audience to buy in to my plans which are logical and workable. I believe that we do not have to depend on the government to give us everything, we can work together as a community, as a family to achieve a lot,” he posited. Simon said that his mission is to transform Amelia’s Ward into a model constituency.

Constituency Seven elected Councillor, Fern McCoy is one of the returning candidates. She was confident that she would have been voted back in, as she would have selflessly pushed for development, over the last three years in the communities of Blue Berry Hill and its extension, Andyville, Prosville, One Mile North and its Extension and the Wismar Housing Scheme.

She described herself as a ‘go-getter’ and being proactive as helped her in making representation on behalf of her residents which is not only limited to the council, but at whatever forum she gets the chance to. Within the last three years she would have been instrumental in the installation of lights at the Wismar Housing Scheme Bridge and the Blue Berry Hill Bridge.

Replacements of lights were done at the One Mile Extension area as well as other communities except for Andyville and Prosville that are not yet regularised and do not have electricity. She was however instrumental in getting standpipes for Andyville, by making representation to the Managing Director of the Guyana Water Inc, Dr. Van-West Charles.

While LMTC cannot do capital roads, McCoy was able to get some roads in her constituencies patched until better can be done at the level of the RDC. Bridges were also repaired in the One Mile Extension area.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Stakeholders favour communitybased services over hospitals –call for more donor funding, qualified counsellors

COMMUNITY-based services could be more effective in the prevention of suicide than the traditional services offered at hospitals, said Secretariat Manager of the Guyana Equality Forum, Joel Simpson.

His sentiments were shared by other stakeholders who believe that persons choose to utilise community-based services because of their fear of stigma and discrimination.

“There are huge stigmas attached to going to the psychiatric ward for certain problems...people feel comfortable going to community-based centres,” said Simpson in an invited comment on Tuesday last.

In that regard, he believes that programmes offered by the government should reach people where they are.

Amidst the observance of World Suicide Prevention Day, Simpson said while the community-based services are important, they are not enough.

Although faith-based organisations act as substitutes

Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Ray Davidson (Delano Williams photo)

in some cases, he said those organisations do not offer psychosocial services.

“Counselling services are important but there are not enough qualified counsellors...there is need for training and capacity building to provide psychosocial services,” Simpson said.

The equality forum, which is a network of over 20 civil society groups, has been offering counselling to some extent but Simpson believes that there is a need for more collaboration to

tackle suicide.

“We need to collaborate to provide more services and alleviate the scourge...the human resources are limited so we need donor funding...this is an area where government should step up and provide support to organisations on the ground,” said Simpson.

Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Ray Davidson also said that investment is needed.

There should also be investment in public awareness, he said, adding that

Secretariat Manager of the Guyana Equality Forum, Joel Simpson engaging members of the media (Delano Williams photo)

awareness would breakdown the stigma that exists.

Persons also need to be aware of the assistance that is available.

“There would never be enough resources...one in four people will suffer from mental health issues every year,” said the Deputy High Commissioner.

He believes that the only way to continuously prevent suicide is through a collective effort.

Davidson explained that the United Kingdom has even gone as far as to develop mental health first aid which is available to employees.

Through the programme, employees are able to access professional help on a regular basis. He encouraged Guyana to adopt a similar approach.

In the past, Guyana was at the top of the list for the country with the highest

per capita suicide rate in the world, but, efforts from various organisations and the Ministry of Public Health have resulted in the country dropping lower on that list.

Before April of this year, Guyana had the highest suicide rate in the world at 44 per 100,000. Guyana was last ranked fourth in the world behind Sri Lanka, Lithuania and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had determined the world average of suicide to be 16 per 100,000 people. Over one million people take their own lives globally every year- this works out to about one life every 40 seconds.

Although the latest tabulations indicate a steadily rising rate of suicide in Guyana from 2000 until 2012, there is a notable decrease between 2012 and 2015, which would signal that the various systems put in place, including a suicide hotline, have started to make the desired impact.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

FAO records rise in world hunger FOR the third year in a row, there has been a rise in world hunger, said the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in its 2018 edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World which was published September 10, 2018.

According to the FAO, the absolute number of undernourished people has increased to nearly 821 million in 2017 from around 804 million in 2016. These are the same levels as almost a decade ago.

“We are therefore witnessing a worrisome erosion and reversal in the gains made in ending hunger.

These findings underscore the need for bolder action,” said the FAO. Levels of child stunting also remain unacceptably high. In 2017, nearly 151 million children under five years old or 22 per cent were affected by stunting. Wasting also continues to affect over 51 million children under five years old.

The main cause of hunger in the world is still a conflict. In fact, the failure

to reduce world hunger is closely associated with the increase in violence, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and therefore the efforts to fight hunger must go hand in hand with those to sustain peace.

The report also shows that the impacts of climate change, especially prolonged droughts, constitute a key driver behind the recent continued rise in global hunger.

In 2017, climate shocks were a key factor in the food crises in 34 out of the 51 countries facing such crises.

Temperatures are increasing and becoming more variable.

Very hot days are becoming more frequent and the hottest days are becoming hotter. The world is also experiencing increased variability in rainfall and the timing, length and intensity of rainy seasons is also changing.

According to the report, the number of extreme climate-related disasters, including extreme heat, droughts, floods and storms, has doubled since the early 1990s, which means the world now witnesses on

Ready-to-use abattoir to be built in the MMA -to process 30 head of cattle per day THE Ministry of Agriculture, through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), will be constructing a “high efficiency” ready-to-use abattoir in the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ ADA), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

According to the ministry, the proposed abattoir will house a slaughterhouse to process 30 head of cattle per day.

The project will be implemented in multiple stages with the preparation of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) studies; design and construction of the proposed facility and operation. In accordance with national and IDB guidelines, an ESIA has been commissioned for the project.

A public scoping meeting was held at the Regional

Democratic Council (RDC) building on Monday. The aim was to provide a forum for stakeholders to discuss questions and matters which they require to be answered or considered in the Environmental Impact Study.

In a Department of Information (DPI) report early this year, The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) said Region Five is deemed the most suitable location for the abattoir since Regions Five and Six are the largest cattle producing regions.

Despite the country is self-sufficient in meat production, the GLDA noted that there is still some amount of importation occurring because of the quality required by the fast food industry and other internationally aligned sectors.

The construction of the abattoir will bring new opportunities for the local meat industry.

José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the FAO

average 213 medium and large catastrophic events every year.

The world’s 2.5 billion small-scale farmers, herders, fishers and forest-dependent people, who derive their food and income from renewable natural resources, are most affected by climate variability and extremes.

The strongest direct impacts are felt on food availability, given the sensitivity of agriculture to climate and the primary role of the sector as a source of food and livelihoods for the rural poor.

Access to food is sig-

nificantly undermined too.

Evidence shows that spikes in food prices and increased price volatility follow climate variability and extremes. Net buyers of food, especially the urban and rural poor, are the hardest hit by price spikes. Poor access to food increases the risk of low birth weight and stunting in children, which are associated with higher risk of overweight and obesity in life.

Food insecurity partly explains the coexistence of under nutrition and obesity in many countries. In 2017,

childhood overweight affected 38 million children under five years of age, with Africa and Asia representing 25 per cent and 46 per cent of the global total, respectively.

Obesity in adults is also increasing at the global level: about 672 million adults were obese in 2017 – this represents more than one in eight adults.

The increased consumption of industrialised and processed food is the main factor behind the epidemic of obesity in the world today. The FAO believes that if governments do not adopt urgent measures to halt the increase of obesity, we may soon have more obese people than undernourished in the world.

The impacts of climate change are also taking a toll on foods nutritional composition. Some studies indicate that higher levels of CO2 in the air are lowering the levels of vital nutrients, such as zinc, iron, calcium and potassium. This includes staple crops like wheat, barley, potatoes and rice.

Building climate resilience is a priority for win-

ning the fight against hunger and other forms of malnutrition.

Climate risk monitoring and early warning systems are proving essential for some governments and international agencies to monitor multiple hazards and predict the likelihood of climate risks to livelihoods, food security and nutrition.

There are also efforts to invest in vulnerability reduction measures, including climate-resilient good practices at farm levels as well as climate-proof infrastructure including food storage and preservation facilities and more efficient water management including irrigation, drainage, water harvesting and saving technologies, desalinisation and storm, and wastewater management.

The FAO feels that a world free of hunger is still within reach despite the recent setbacks.

“But we must take action quickly while there is still time to halt the erosion of our hard won gains in ending hunger,” said the FAO.

Four arrested after car intercepted with illegal pistol Four men, two of whom are ‘known characters,’ were arrested on Sunday night after an unlicensed pistol with four live rounds was found in a car that was intercepted at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Reports indicate that at about 22:45hrs on Sunday night, an ECD mobile patrol which was commanded by a subordinate officer observed the suspicious movements of a motorcar on the Railway Embankment and sub-

The seized pistol

sequently intercepted same

where an illegal pistol was

Cutlass, smart phones found in Mazaruni Prison raid A JOINT Services search in the Mazaruni Prison which lasted almost five hours resulted in a cache of seven cellular phones inclusive of two ‘smart’ ones, a cutlass, improvised weapons, cigarette lighters, earpiece, phone battery and charger.

Acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels had issued a call to

all prison warders and officers to desist from trafficking contraband in the prisons, while asking those who are guilty to understand the consequences as the law will take its course. He explained that such actions on behalf of the warders only encourage inmates to continue a life of crime and failure. The trade of contraband, while it may

seem profitable initially, is bad for the prison environment, he said.

“It is said that once you have compromised yourself by becoming a trafficker, you are not allowed to stop even if you want to stop. I say to you, you have the power to do anything.

Therefore, do something good. Do what is right,” Samuels said.

found.

The vehicle and its four male occupants, inclusive of the driver, were searched and the pistol with four live rounds was found in the possession of the 47-year-old driver who resides in Prince William Street, Plaisance ECD. Police said that two of the men are known characters - one has a narcotics charge pending before the court and the other is wanted in connection with several offences.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Man fatally struck by fire tender A THIRTY-three-year-old man was fatally struck by a fire tender after he attempted to cross the Number 71 Village Public Road on Sunday evening.

Dead is Mahendra Haricharran of Lot 98 B Number 71 Village, East Berbice Corentyne. The impact of the crash flung the man some distance away where he landed on a concrete bridge on the northern side of the public road. According to an eyewitness, Haricharran was crossing the road as the fire tender with siren on was proceeding in the western direction at a fast pace. “Two persons were on the road to cross, one reach over safe but the next one get knock down in the middle and pitch. When we rush to he, he was barely breathing.”

The eyewitness explained the tender came to a stop and three occupants disembarked,

Deceased: Mahendra Haricharran

checked the scene and then returned to the truck and left the scene. “Me and a friend pick he up and rush he to the hospital cause them man (firefighters) left, they look shocked. I guess they went on to the fire call they got.”

However, this account

was refuted by a senior official attached to Guyana Fire Service B Division who explained that there is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) when responding to a fire, that the officers followed on the night in question. “The Officers after the accident

came out of the vehicle rendered aid, made arrangements for the injured to be transported to the nearest hospital and then proceeded to the fire scene. A civilian assisted in taking the injured man to the hospital accompanied by a rank from the crew,” the senior fireman said.

According to a police press release, at approximately 22:30hrs the fire tender, PVV 2027, which is attached to the Skeldon Fire Station and driven by a 33-year-old of Budhan Housing Scheme, West Canje, was responding to a fire at Number 51 Village when it collided with the pedestrian who was crossing from west to east. A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver which cleared him of alcohol.

The victim’s mother Kamla Katwaru told the Guyana Chronicle, she received a message moments after Har-

icharran left home on Sunday evening. She said they had a minor disagreement. “He left and told me to close the door so I went inside and shower when someone called out saying something happen to him. When we reach to the road someone told me the fire truck hit him down. I didn’t get to see him cause he was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead,” the woman related.

Harichrran was described as a quiet individual who recently re-migrated to Guyana from the United States. His mother said he enjoyed rearing poultry for a living. She is hoping to get justice for her son and an apology from the driver of the truck. “It’s an accident, he can just say he sorry he didn’t mean to do it.” The matter is currently under investigation.

Labourer on bail for alleged rape of 12 year old A 19-year-old labourer who allegedly had sexual relations with a minor, was on Monday granted bail in the sum of $150,000 when he appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

Rennie Patton is alleged to have raped the child on the 6th July 2018 at the Red Village, Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast. The accused was not required to plead to the charge.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Sentinel security guards not paid for two months payment was late, but I understand that [last] Monday there was a meeting and that matter was resolved, when I came into work [last] Tuesday I was told that the matter was resolved,” he clarified.

However when questioned on why employees still remained unpaid, he refused to comment.

“I would not be able to say anything on that. I don’t care to give you a reason why and all of that. What

Sentinel Security headquarters on Lamaha Street

SECURITY guards in Region Three ( Essequibo Islands–West Demerara) attached to Sentinel Security Inc. are still owed two months’ salary for July and August, and are calling on the relevant authorities to intervene even as the company has begun laying off employees.

The security service began issuing employees with notices earlier this month stating that they are going through a retrenchment process and several security guards are being laid off.

However, the main concern of the guards is, when would they be paid their monies.

“We badly need we money and we need we money right now,” cried one security guard, who has been with the company for the past eight months. The man complained of having to resort to loans to get by, but now with no money to even repay the loans he is at his wits ends over the situation.

“It affecting me because you ain’t getting to pay the bills, you ain’t getting to do the things what you want to do in yuh own house. Right now, me have to borrow money to pay bills, the due date pass and you ain’t getting money to pay, and you have to pay back the people you borrowing money from and you ain’t getting to pay back the people. You have to be telling them, this week, next week, and you ain’t getting money. It affecting me in every way,” the man

said.

The employees said they have been lodging complaints with the Ministry of Social Protection which has responsibility for labour, however, all the ministry would say is that they are “handling the situation”, even though the ministry has been alerted of the situation for over a month now.

“Is best yuh nah wuk!” one female employee lamented “This is real hard man. Them done owe yuh fuh one month, now them go owe you fuh another month.

Look I got water bill to pay, light bill to pay, Lucky Dollar to pay, what am I to do?”

Reports have indicated that Sentinel was not able to pay the employees because they have not received monies on their contract with the government.

It was last year November that Sentinel Security Inc. was awarded a $666.5M contract through the Ministry of Communities, to provide security services for the Region, taking over from Homesafe Security.

However, a Sentinel manager, identified only as ‘Mr. Gordon’, said that the issue between the firm and the government was settled last week.

“There were some issues with them that related to some payments that have been addressed. We were able to meet with them and that matter is addressed. It was a result of the ministry owing us that some officers’

I could advise you to do is check with the ministry and they will be able to give you the specifics on that,” Gordon advised.

He also refused to comment on if the employees will be paid by the time their services are terminated this month end.

Regional Chairman for Region Three, Julius Faerber, said the problem rests with the Ministry of Finance signing the necessary documents for the money to be

released to the security firm.

“All I know is that the guards were not paid from the region for a few months.

When I spoke to [the] Regional Executive Officer (REO) they have not received any releases from the Ministry of Finance because the heads of department did not prepare the releases on time and they’re expecting the release of the money soon,” Faerber said.

This situation comes just months after employees of

another security firm, Integrated Security Service, protested the nonpayment of salaries in the Regions Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) areas.

In Region 10, security guards attached to the Amazon Security Service in Linden, owned by Ewart Forrester, picketed in front of that firm’s office last month after they also were not being paid for two months.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Sluice door collapses at Golden Fleece ‌over 3000 acres of rice crop under threat

Water gushing through the broken sluice door at Golden Fleece

Residents gather at the scene

By Indrawattie Natram THE National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has rushed to fix a sluice door at Golden Fleece, Essequibo which collapsed Monday afternoon threatening some 3000 acres of rice crop and also the residential properties of villagers.

Reports are that a section of the left side of the sluice door went missing. The incident occurred around 16:00 hours on Monday. According to sluice attendant, he opened the sluice door on Monday around 09:00hrs and closed it at 11:45 hours.

He said at around 16:00hrs he received the news that water was gushing uncontrollably from the left side of the door. When he visited the area the water was quickly rising.

Acting Regional Chairperson, Nandranie Coonjah said as soon as she received the news; she quickly rushed

to the area. She immediately contacted the engineer attached to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Nan Ram and informed him. According to her efforts are underway to bring relief. She said that a private contractor was already contracted to mobilise stop logs to stop the water from flowing.

Works were expected to start around 19:00hrs on Monday.

Meanwhile 3000 acres of rice lands are under threat in the area. Some of the lands have already been harvested while some are waiting on the harvester to visit the area. As the news quickly spread farmers were seen making sand bags and placing logs to stop the water. Many of the rice farmers who have not harvested as yet are fearful of water entering their crop. Many drainage trenches in the area were overflowing.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Stabroek Wharf vendors to move this week

Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green

VENDORS plying their trade at the dangerously dilapidated Stabroek Market Wharf have until this Thursday to remove from the area, even as the Mayor and City Council (MCC) is still preparing the Stabroek Market Square area where the vendors are expected to be relocated.

The vendors were served with notices on August 30, last, informing them that they had 14 days during which to remove from the area “because of the threat to life and limb.”

The relocation had been in the works for some time now as the wharf continues to deteriorate. The MCC had committed to prepare a section of the Stabroek Market Square, previously occupied as the 42 bus park, to accommodate the vendors.

However, works are still ongoing at the area and it is not yet ready for the vendors. And, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has pointed out that even when the area is completed it will not be able to provide the vendors with every amenity they previously enjoyed.

“Vendors will have to understand that while it is a temporary arrangement they’re being placed in, we cannot accommodate everything that is being stored right now on the wharf. All of that stuff can’t come out.

There are seamstresses and tailors out there I’m not quite certain, at this point in time, if we can find place on the street for them because you have to find electricity, I don’t know how they’re going to get that but we still have to make contact with them and talk to them to see how best we can,” explained

the Mayor on Monday last, at the MCC’s most recent statutory meeting.

“I am working with the vendors to ensure that nobody is deprived of a livelihood by a decision I take. At a statutory meeting, we have agreed on a certain course of action where we try to find space to relocate those persons who are in immediate need or are in immediate danger, so let’s not change that course of action.”

According to the MCC Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis, most of the vendors have already complied and removed from the area, with only a few remaining.

She could not give a definite time when the 42 Bus Park area will be completed for the vendors to relocate, but said, despite that, it is too dangerous for the vendors to stay at the wharf waiting for the area to be completed.

“We served them notices.

They know that the place has been in a state of disrepair for some time… they have to think of their own well-being and safety, we are trying our utmost to do the particular area so that they can continue their business. I can’t give a particular time but we’re working on it. They were given 14 days to move but we still have to construct the stalls, we are working to see how much we can finish by then,” Lewis said.

“We understand their situation, we understand their circumstances, we regret but at this point in time we’re doing the best that we can do to help them. It all depends on resources, we’re looking at income for construction,” she said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, September 11, 2018

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,Tuesday September 11, 2018

CPL 2018 Playoffs, Qualifier 1...

Amazon Warriors, TKR in battle for spot in final

By Rajiv Bisnauth

WITH the race for the Hero Caribbean Premier League 2018 Playoffs having been decided on, the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) would both be keen to seal off a berth in the season six final when they clash in Qualifier 1 at the National Stadium, Providence this evening from 18:00hrs.

The Knight Riders ended

on top of the CPL Points Table even though they lost their final regular season match, while the Amazon Warriors finished second, by a better Net Run Rate (NRR) over the Jamaica Tallawahs, who also finished on 12 points.

Chris Green and Dwayne Bravo will be leading two of the most efficient teams in the tournament, and the match promises to be quite a contest.

While the winner sails straight into the final slated for September 16, the loser will be playing the winner in Qualifier 2 on September 14 in the semi-final matchup.

A two points difference separated the two teams at the end of the league stage, but the Amazon Warriors seem to hold a slight edge going into the match as they have not only got the better of their rivals the last time the two teams met, but also have the winning momentum going into the match on what promises to be another evenpace track.

Both teams have played 15 matches against each other in the Caribbean Premier League with the Knight Riders winning nine of those and the Warriors six.

While, the Amazon Warriors halted the Knight Riders six-game winning streak with a comprehensive six-wicket drubbing of TKR on Sunday evening, Green told media operatives yesterday at a pre-match press conference at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, that, while the momentum is there, the Knight Riders have clearly demonstrated the kind of form they are pursuing during the league stage of the tournament.

“The Knight Riders have been a `form team’ all competition and they played some really good cricket. We take a lot of confidence from Sunday night’s win, but we know going into tomorrow’s (tonight) clash will be tough.

TKR would make some changes for this game, but we have our home support as well, so it will definitely be at a good challenge,” the Australian said.

The Amazon Warriors have managed to scrounge together some explosive individual performances to get to

this stage in the tournament.

Shimron Hetmyer has an impressive strike-rate of over 150 and is amongst the season’s top five batsmen with 386 runs. Jason Mohammad, Cameron Delport and Sherfane Rutherford have been the other key contributors that have given the Warriors a more intimidating outlook over the past couple of days, and the team will need them to bring that form into this match.

The Warriors bowling unit has been impressive, at least for the past two games and much will again be on Imran Tahir. The South African leg-spinner has taken 15 wickets so far.

On the other hand, the likes of Colin Munroe, Brendon McCullum, the Bravo bothers and even Sunil Narine, could be the intimidation factor, and can make any bowling attack look abysmal so it’s vital that the Amazon Warriors have a healthy number of contributions in this department, two or three bowlers aren’t going to get the job done this evening.

The bowling isn’t a problem for the Knight Riders as they have numerous avenues of taking wickets.

Fawad Ahmed and Ali Khan are among the highest wicket-takers this CPL. Both have taken 17 and 14 wickets each and will once again pose the biggest threat to the Warriors. Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine are also expected to make a major impact with the ball in this match as well.

Meanwhile, Bravo pointed out during the press briefing that both teams possess a number of match winners, which makes the clash even more interesting.

The Jamaica Tallawahs and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will square off on tomorrow in the second playoff match. Both captains, Chris Gayle and Andre Russell, were also a part of the press briefing yesterday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,Tuesday September 11, 2018

Cook’s farewell century helps England close in on victory

By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) Alastair Cook marked his 291st and final Test innings in fairytale fashion with a century as England closed in on victory over India on the fourth day of the fifth Test on Monday.

The 33-year-old scored 147 in a 259-run third wicket partnership of 259 with skipper Joe Root as England moved on from 114-2 to 423-8 declared.

Cook, England’s mostcapped test player and highest run scorer, was given numerous standing ovations from the crowd who flocked to the historic Oval ground, the longest and loudest when he completed his 33rd Test century before lunch.

His 286-ball knock, which included 14 fours, helped Cook climb to fifth on the all-time list of Test

run scorers.

Root weighed in with 125 from 190 balls as he returned to form with his first test cen-

tury for a year.

Root and Cook were dismissed in consecutive balls by part-time off spinner Ha-

Scoreboard

ENGLAND 1st innings 332 India 1st innings 292 England 2nd innings o/n 114-2 Alastair Cook c Rishabh Pant b Hanuma Vihari 147 Keaton Jennings b Mohammed Shami 10 Moeen Ali b Ravindra Jadeja 20 Joe Root c (Sub) b Hanuma Vihari 125 Jonny Bairstow b Mohammed Shami 18 Ben Stokes c Lokesh Rahul b Ravindra Jadeja 37 Jos Buttler c Mohammed Shami b Ravindra Jadeja 0 Sam Curran c Rishabh Pant b Hanuma Vihari 21 Adil Rashid Not Out 20 Extras 14b 4lb 0nb 5pen 2w 25 Total (112.3 overs) 423 decl Fall of Wickets : 1-27 Jennings, 2-62 Ali, 3-321 Root, 4-321 Cook, 5-355 Bairstow, 6-356 Buttler, 7-397 Stokes, 8-423 Curran Did Not Bat : Broad, Anderson Bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 23 - 4 - 61 - 0 (1w), Ishant Sharma 8 - 3 - 13 - 0, Mohammed Shami 25 - 3 - 110 - 2, Ravindra Jadeja 47 - 3 - 179 - 3, Hanuma Vihari 9.3 - 1 - 37 - 3 (1w)

Alastair Cook’s 33rd Test century had been raised to a standing ovation and moist eyes at The Oval ©Getty Images

INDIA 2nd innings Lokesh Rahul Not Out

46

Shikhar Dhawan lbw James Anderson

1

Cheteshwar Pujara lbw James Anderson

0

Virat Kohlic Jonny Bairstow b Stuart Broad

0

Ajinkya Rahane Not Out

10

Extras 0b 1lb 0nb 0pen 0w Total (18.0 overs)

1 58-3

Fall of Wickets : 1-1 Dhawan, 2-1 Pujara, 3-2 Kohli To Bat : Vihari, Pant, Jadeja, Sharma, Shami, Bumrah Bowling: James Anderson 5 - 2 - 23 - 2, Stuart Broad - 1, Moeen Ali Sam Curran Stokes

5 - 0 - 17

4 - 1 - 8 - 0.

2 - 1 - 1 - 0, Ben

2 - 1 - 8 - 0.

numa Vihari and a flurry of wickets went down as England looked to top up their total for a declaration.

Set a notional 464 for victory India lost their first three wickets for two runs with James Anderson removing Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara lbw in his second over.

When Stuart Broad removed Indian run machine Virat Kohli for a golden duck India were in disarray.

Anderson, 36, needs one more wicket to surpass the 563 of Australia’s Glenn McGrath and become the

International Tennis Federation defends U.S. Open chair umpire Ramos (REUTERS) - The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has given its backing to chair umpire Carlos Ramos who Serena Williams called a “liar” and a “thief” during her U.S. Open final defeat by Japan’s Naomi Osaka on Saturday.

Williams, who was seeking a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, was given a warning for a coaching violation before incurring a point penalty for smashing her racket. She then argued with Ramos, which cost her a game.

The six-times U.S. Open champion was fined $17,000 by the United States Tennis Association for her outburst.

“Carlos Ramos is one of the most experienced and respected umpires in tennis. Mr. Ramos’ decisions were in accordance with the relevant rules and were reaffirmed by the U.S. Open’s decision to fine Serena Williams for the three offences,” the ITF said in a statement on Monday.

“It is understandable that this high profile and regrettable incident should provoke debate. At the same time, it is important to remember that Mr. Ramos undertook his duties as an official according to the relevant rule book and acted at all times with professionalism and integrity.”

Umpire Carlos Ramos

most successful fast bowler in Test history.

India, looking demoralised as their hopes of salvaging a consolation victory from a losing series evaporated, steadied the ship somewhat to end the day on 58-3.

Opener KL Rahul played some attractive shots to reach 46 at the close with Ajinkya Rahane on 10.

Despite Anderson’s late burst, the day belonged to Cook and the final overs were played out to a chorus of fans chanting the name of England’s most prolific batsman.

With 218 runs in his 161st match Cook guaranteed he will retire with a Test average of 45.

And, fittingly, his final contribution for his country with the bat was a century against India — the team he scored a debut ton against 12 years ago in Nagpur.

His total of 12,472 Test runs puts him behind only India’s Sachin Tendulkar, Australian Ricky Ponting, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and India’s Rahul Dravid on the all-time list.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,Tuesday September 11, 2018

Nations League gets thumbs up after exciting start

By Karolos Grohmann BERLIN (Reuters) - The UEFA Nations League could not have timed its inaugural matchday better with freshly-crowned world champions France in the midst of gripping action in the race for the new continental title.

The competition was created to replace friendly internationals that were proving unpopular with clubs, players and fans as they interrupted league action.

To be held every two years, it features all 55 of Europe’s national teams divided into four leagues that are themselves split into four groups of three, to be played between September and November.

Apart from promotion, relegation and financial bonuses in every league, the top one, which includes France, Spain, England and Germa-

ny, will finish with a fourteam mini-tournament in June next year, to decide the champion.

Initially greeted with scepticism, the Nations League largely got the thumbs up after the first batch of matches.

“I really like the competition,” said Germany coach Joachim Loew, whose team drew 0-0 in their League A clash against France last Thursday. “Because we have matches on a very high level.”

“You could also see that the fans were really behind it,” Loew said after almost 80,000 poured into Munich’s Allianz Arena for the game.

The Germans were desperate to make amends for their World Cup fiasco in Russia that saw them crash out at the group stage in June, and few teams would be better suited than the new world champions.

There was equal enthusiasm in other top matches including in World Cup semi-finalists England’s 2-1 loss to Spain on Saturday, with 81,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium.

“We have got to go through those games, we have got to go through those experiences,” said England coach Gareth Southgate, who made only three changes to the team that played in the World Cup semi-final against Croatia.

“Otherwise... if we were just playing qualifiers now, against a lower standard opposition on the back of the result in the summer, we might have a perception of where we are which is false”.

TOP-LEVEL MATCHES For European heavyweights the Netherlands and Italy, the Nations League could not come sooner as a return to competition was

France’s Olivier Giroud celebrates with Kylian Mbappe and Benjamin Mendy in Nations League match against the Netherlands at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – (REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo)

important to both sides after failing to qualify for the World Cup. The Dutch suffered a 2-1 loss to France on Sunday but were visibly content to be mixing it up again with Europe’s big boys.

“I think we are on the right track,” said Dutch coach Ronald Koeman.

But it was not only the big names that shone, with European minnows getting

USOC board chair Probst to step down

USOC Chair Larry Probst

Rory Carroll (REUTERS) - U.S. Olympic Committee Board Chair Larry Probst will step down at the end of the year and be replaced by board member Susanne Lyons, who until recently was the acting CEO, USOC said on Monday Probst, 68, was first elected chair in October 2008 and recently oversaw the opening of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an independent entity

that aims to help the sports community to respond to incidents of abuse.

SafeSport was launched in the wake of USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar’s serial sexual abuse of gymnasts. Nassar is serving an effective life sentence for his crimes.

Probst acknowledged that sporting authorities had not done enough to protect the gymnasts.

“We failed our athletes,” he told reporters on a call.

“I’m at the top of the food chain and so I take this very personally,” he said.

“We have said on many occasions that we are very sorry for what happened and we’re very empathetic towards the survivors and we have to be laser-focused on athlete safety.”

In July, the USOC announced that Sarah Hirshland, chief commercial officer for the U.S. Golf Association, will be the first woman to serve as USOC’s permanent CEO after the departure of Scott Blackmun in February for health reasons.

Probst said it was “now time for a new generation of leaders to confront the challenges facing the organisation, and I have the utmost confidence in Susanne’s and Sarah’s ability to do just that.”

Lyons said the new leadership hopes to foster a cultural change at the USOC that puts the emphasis squarely on the well-being of the athletes.

“We need to remind people that the athletes are the center of our world and the

reason why we are here,” she said.

“Sometimes perhaps we got caught up in the operations of the Games and sometimes maybe we lost sight of that fact.

“We have to always make it clear that this isn’t just about medals and money.

Those are outcomes. If we’re doing our job right and enabling and empowering our athletes and they are training in an environment where they feel safe, they will achieve great heights.”

Probst led the USOC during one of the most successful sporting periods in American history, with Team USA topping the Olympic medal counts in Vancouver, London and Rio, as well as the Paralympic medal count in Pyeongchang.

The USOC also credited Probst with the successful renegotiation of the USOC’s revenue-sharing agreement with the International Olympic Committee and for helping Los Angeles win its bid to host the Games in 2028.

their chance to showcase their skills and potentially qualify for the European Championship in 2020.

Luxembourg enjoyed a sensational Nations League premiere, crushing Moldova 4-0 for their biggest win in 70 years while the Faroe Islands won 3-1 in their League D island derby against Malta.

Not everyone had the same intensity, though, with European champions Portu-

gal resting Cristiano Ronaldo against Italy later on Monday and having sold 45,000 tickets for the Estadio da Luz which holds 64,000.

Asked whether his players were nervous, Portugal coach Fernando Santos said: “We have very experienced players, so there isn’t that anxiety. Maybe if it was a World Cup, or European qualifying, there would be.”

Australian Open director wants coaching rule ‘sorted out’ MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has urged global tennis to affirm its position on coaching during matches following a storm of controversy that erupted during the U.S. Open women’s final.

Coaching from the players’ box is banned during Grand Slam matches but Serena Williams was incensed when chair umpire Carlos Ramos gave her a code violation warning after her coach was seen making a hand gesture during her defeat to Naomi Osaka.

Some players and pundits have criticised the rule as being hard to police, spottily enforced and highly subjective, and called for the ban to be lifted.

Williams was later docked a point for breaking a racquet and a game after calling Ramos a “thief” in separate incidents after the coaching violation.

But Tiley declined to criticise the 23-times grand slam champion.

“It all centred around coaching,” Tiley told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

“The sport has to really get itself sorted out on what it does with coaching... Are we going to have coaching?

Are we not going to have coaching? What is it going to look like?

“The sport needs to get together and sort it out.

“Once that’s sorted out, we don’t have the issue.”

The Australian Open has marketed itself as the “Asia-Pacific” Grand Slam, and Tiley was excited by the effect Osaka’s triumph might have in attracting Japanese fans to the tournament in January.

Osaka became her country’s first Grand Slam winner, while compatriot Kei Nishikori also performed strongly with a run to the men’s semi-finals.

“We all see how the Japanese fans flock to see Kei Nishikori,” said Tiley.

“It’s going to have a significant positive impact on our Open, on our fans.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE,Tuesday September 11, 2018

CPL offers 25% discount on Wednesday’s tickets APPROXIMATELY 8,500 tickets for today’s historic Hero Caribbean League Qualifier here have been sold, a source close to the local organising committee has confirmed.

The Providence National Stadium will play host to one qualifier and one eliminator match of the six-team tournament tonight and tomorrow.

And in light of this development, the CPL has offered persons buying tickets for today’s game a 25 per cent discount on Wednesday’s tickets as well.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors play the Trinbago Knight Riders tonight while the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will play the Jamaica

CPL fans line up to get their tickets in front of the Camp and Quamina Street office (Delano Williams Photo)

Tallawahs on Wednesday.

Chief Operations Officer (COO), Pete Russell told a media conference this morning, “If you buy a ticket for tomorrow [today’s game]

you get 25 per cent off the game on Wednesday. We want to show Guyana off to the world in all its glory,” “You’ve [Guyana] done a brilliant job so far in the

Reliance Hustlers through to finals of Essequibo T20 competition AN absorbing semi-final encounter was witnessed on Sunday at the Imam Bacchus ground in Affiance, Essequibo Coast, as Reliance Hustlers held their nerves to seal a slim seven-run victory against Rising Stars and booked a place in the finals.

The game began one hour after the stipulated 10:00hrs start after Rising Stars could only register seven players. It was later revealed that the other members of the team were not released since they were encamped by the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) in preparation for the upcoming three-day national franchise league.

When play began in brilliant conditions, Rising Star opted to field after winning the toss.

The decision felt justifiable as the Stars kept the Hustlers from

dominating despite their limited options.

After a slow start, Reliance Hustlers were able to capitalise through steady partnerships and wide space in the field. Opener Keron Boodram batted solidly, steering the ball in the gaps and occasionally dispatching the loose deliveries to the boundary.

He eventually top-scored with 32 which comprised of three fours ( 3x4) and with Trevis Simon 27 not out made up of two fours (2x4), Anthony Ifill 26 (4x4) and Mark Austin 22 (2x4), they propelled their team to 135-4 from the allotted 20 overs.

Off-Spinner Mavindra Dindyall who bowled with consistency and got the ball to turn, claimed 2-26 from four overs to be his side’s most successful bowler. The Stars then went

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday September 11, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Kieron Pollard, Andre Fletcher, Christopher Lamont (2) Warriors & Tallawahs, Providence, 2015 Today’s Quiz: (1) Who faced the last ball of the first Hero CPL 2018 game?

(2) How many hundreds were struck in Hero CPL 2014?

about the task gathering runs smartly by rotating the strike regularly. A calm opening stand of 42 from eight (8) overs set up the chase nicely.

However, the Hustlers kept themselves in the hunt through some penetrative bowling and it was Anthony Ifill who got the break-through by dismissing top-scorer Mavindra Dindyall 27 (4x4) that saw the gradual dim in the Stars.

The team did not wilt though and fought gallantly to the end through steady knocks from Curtis Roberts 25 (3x4) and former national youth batsman, Latchman Rohit’s 22 (2x4). The Stars with only seven (7) players were eventually dismissed in the 19th over, needing seven (7) runs for victory. They ended on 128-6 from their 20 overs.

Fast bowler Anthony Ifill with 2-19 from four (4) overs and Mark Austin 2-27 ensured that the Hustlers were safely into the finals. Meanwhile, the second semi-final will be played on Sunday with the defending champions Bacchus XI and New Opportunity Corps (NOC) battling for a place in the finals at the Imam Bacchus ground.

Both teams have a formidable line-up with former youth players Yogeshwar Lall and Nathan Persaud leading the charge for Bacchus XI, while senior national players Anthony Adams and Kevon Boodie championing NOC’s quest for a maiden title. The match will commence from 10:00 hrs with Deva Dass and Wazeer Dhanraj officiating. ( Elroy Stephney)

first five games and we want to feel the same for the next two. We know that obviously tomorrow night [tonight] will be packed, but we also want the same on Wednes-

day because we think that game would be equally exciting.”

Up to 18:00 last evening, Wednesday’s game had sold just over 45 per cent of the total available seats.

Meanwhile, Chronicle Sport sought a comment from the CPL over claims on social media by fans who had urned up to the game, only to be told their seats had been taken.

Head of PR and Communications, Peter Miller contended that the matter was ‘difficult to comment on without the opportunity to investigate it further to find out exactly what happened.’

He promised an investigation.

According to the post,

the patron purchased tickets online but when he and members of his party turned up their seats were already occupied. And, when the patron sought the support of the CPL staff, they were told that the CPL made a ‘mistake’ in printing tickets and that the seats were already reserved for someone else.

The matter was not resolved even after the intervention of a senior staff member and this prompted the patron to request a reimbursement, but was, however, told that the tickets are non-refundable. (ssokram@guyanachronicle.com)

Van Lange, Billingy and Thomas shine at ‘Slammer Jammer’ Table Tennis competition 12-10, 11-9 and 11-8.

Van Lange and Rausch in their respective semifinal matches had gotten past Krystian Sahadeo and Layne in straight sets.

One of the most thrilling matches of the

al U-11 champion, Wong, who edged past Persaud 1210, 11-6 and 11-9 to haul one back.

On the distaff side, Jasmine Billingy, one of Guyana’s brightest prospects, defeated Malachi Moore 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 in the Open U-9 final.

Billingy also beat her clubmate, Samara Sukhai

Miguel Wong in action

A brilliant athlete at just 11 years old, Jonathan Van Lange continued his fine run of form at the Titans Table Tennis Club ‘Slammer Jammer’ tournament and battled his way to three titles at the Marian Academy auditorium on Sunday.

The competition also saw female players Thuraia Thomas and Jasmin Billingy dominating their respective categories, enroute to accolades.

Van Lange took on and defeated Miguel Wong 115, 11-5, 11-13, and 11-6 in the ‘B’ Class final to further stamp his name on the sport of table tennis.

Both Van Lange and Wong had trying semifinal matches as the former battled with Isaiah Layne to an eventual 20-18, 11-8 and 11-9 victory, while Terrence Rausch held Wong to five sets before losing 14-12, 1210, 7-11, 5-11, 17-19.

In the Boys U–18 final, Van Lange faced Rausch and with little delay defeated him

Jonathan Van Lange was dominant at the Viva Water-sponsored ‘Slammer Jammer’ Junior Table Tennis Competition

day which thoroughly roused the crowd, saw Layne downing Dhanesh Persaud 3-1 in the Boys U-15 final.

It was a wonderful game from Layne, who ceded the first set 8-11 but took the next three sets 11-3, 11-6 and 11-7 to claim the title.

The Boys U–13 final was also a ripper with the Caribbean U13 Boys doubles silver medalist, Van Lange battling Sahadeo to earn an 11-9, 6-11, 11-4 and 11-8 win.

Meanwhile, the Boys U-11 final went to the nation-

11-4 and 11-5 in the Girls’ Under-11 final.

In her third final of the day, Billingy was defeated

by Thuraia Thomas 11- 5, 11-6 and 11-4 in the Girls’ U-15 final.

Thomas also won the Girls’ U-13 title by default after Nkechi Mc Rae failed to show up for their encounter.

Thuraia also went on to more success, by capturing her third title of the day after defeating Nevaeh Clarkson 6-11, 11-4, 12-10, 8-11 and 11-7 in the Girls U-18 final.

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE,Tuesday September 11, 2018

Petterson-Griffith, Robinson cop overall titles at GAPLF Raw Championships CARLOS Petterson-Griffith and Natoya Robinson were crowned Overall Male and Female winners respectively, at the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation (GAPLF) Raw National championships on Sunday.

Staged at the St. Stanislaus College auditorium, Petterson (IPF/NAPF Gold Medalist) showed his superhuman strength as he squatted 305kg and bench pressed 160kg en-route to claiming the male overall crown with 509.490 Wilks points.

He also set a new national record in the Deadlift, lifting 345kg. His total of 810kg was also a national record in his category. Robinson was also in record-breaking mode; she now has all four national records for the 84+kg division.

She squatted 165.5kg, bench pressed 92.5kg and

dead Lift 195.5kg for a total of 453.5kg; Robertson tallied 355.816 Wilks points to take the Best Female Overall title.

Also tumbling national records were Lisa Oudit (84kg Open), Noel Cummings (66kg), Romario Gonsalves (66kg), Ramzan Mohamed (120kg), Vijai Rahim (66kg Open) and Hardat Tarson (83kg open).

Oudit carted off the 84kg weight class scoring 321.488 Wilks points. Her total of 334.5 kg was gained through a Best Squat of 122.5 kg; Bench Press of 61.5 kg and a Dead lift of 150.5 kg.

Meanwhile, a relative newcomer; Susan Rodrigues won the 63kg division with a best Squat of 75kg, best Bench Press of 40kg and best Deadlift of 97.5 kg; a Total of 212.5kg. She chalked up 235.

578 Wilks points. Blossom

Overall Winners: (L-R) Carlos Petterson-Griffith and Natoya Robinson.

‘Candy Man’ is back … stops Brandon Baue via first-round TKO

By Rawle Toney SIMEON ‘Candy Man’ Hardy’s return to the ring after a 14-month hiatus, saw him walking out with a first-round Technical Knockout (TKO) win over American Brandon Baue, when the two met on Saturday evening in what should’ve been a sixround encounter at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence, Kansas.

The win saw the 31-year-old Guyanese improve his record to 14 wins; 11 of which came from putting his opponents to sleep with his notorious right hand and him being defeated twice, during his 16 outings “The results came sooner than I expected last night (Saturday),” Hardy told Chronicle Sport, following his first time back in the ring since losing via a Unanimous Decision to Eric Moon on July 7, 2017.

“First fight since losing to Eric Moon, I was now feeling him (Brandon Baue) out and timing his counter punches.

Once I figured him out I had him in trouble with the first solid shot I landed and he was out the ring...I knew he was hurt badly and wasn’t surprised the referee waved it off when he didn’t respond,” Hardy said.

The former World Boxing Council (WBC) and Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) Welterweight champion added: “I’ve been working hard and made a notable change with my nutritional diet and training regime. I’m

The ‘Candy Man’ Simeon Hardy after his first-round knockout win over American Brandon Baue on Saturday evening.

physically stronger and in better shape all around. I’m looking forward to being consistent and racking up these wins towards a world title shot.”

Hardy’s first blemish on his record came against Armenian Vito Gasparyan, where he suffered a Unanimous Decision loss, despite a good showing in the ring.

Before migrating, the Sophia native had kayoed Iwan Azore to win the vacant CABOFE welterweight title at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Hardy’s last fight in Guyana was against Howard Eastman in 2012, where he picked up a Majority Decision win after out-boxing the former Commonwealth middleweight champion.

Babb triumphed in the 72 kg weight class; her best squat was 107.5 kg, bench press 60kg and deadlifted142.5kg for a total of 310kg to earn 314.991 Wilks points.

Noel Cummings claimed the Master 4 category (66kg class) after picking up 312.819 Wilks points. He had a best squat of 130kg, bench press of 92.5 kg and a dead lift of 167.5 kg; a total of 390 kg.

His squat and bench press are new records.

Joseph Stoll won the Master 2 segment (105kg class) with a best squat of 175kh, bench pressed 95kg and deadlifted 195kg for a total of 465kg. Bishen Sasenarine of GAPLF took the top podium spot in the 93kg class; his best squat was 150kg, bench pressed 87.5 kg and dead lifted 187.5 kg; totaling 425 kg which earned him 280.628

CWI expresses gratitude to countries engaged in 2019 England tour CRICKET West Indies (CWI) has expressed its gratitude for several Caribbean countries for what they said is for “their partnerships and investment in the upcoming England tour of the Caribbean.”

The three-month-long series, January to March 2019, is the biggest and most comprehensive tour in a decade and historically is one of the most economically viable for the region.

In 2015, CWI commissioned an independent economic impact evaluation of England’s tour to the region.

The REPUCOM study revealed that there was a direct economic impact of US$5.1 million a day of international cricket.

For major international home series tours against England and India, CWI requested countries to bid for matches.

Once the bids are received they are reviewed by the CWI International Fixtures Committee (IFC) after which a recommendation is made to the Board for a final decision on the tour schedule.

“I would like to thank all the regional Governments that took part in the recent bidding process for their support of the England Tour. As the REPUCOM report highlights, England tours to the West Indies

have a tremendously positive impact on the countries who bid to host games,” said CWI President Dave Cameron.

“Through our broadcast partners and the media, West Indies cricket can be used as a platform to promote the host Countries and their tourism to cricket fans in England and around the World.”

Chief Executive Officer, Johnny Grave echoed the president’s sentiments.

“There are considerable opportunities for countries to enhance the hosting of matches with a wide variety of events and activities to promote the country; while countries can bring their culture and traditions to life through marketing activations and the global media channels that will cover the games,” Grave said.

Meanwhile, discussions continue with the governments of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana over hosting India tour matches in the region next summer after the 2019 Cricket World Cup. With an Australia Women’s tour in 2019 to the Caribbean, too, there are still a number of matches still to be scheduled to ensure each International venue hosts WINDIES cricket next year.

(Sportsmax)

Wilks points.

Romario Gonsalves took first place in the 66kg weight class; his best squat was 215kg, bench press 107.5kg and dead lift 245kg; a total of 567.5kg and 477.665 wilks points.

Ramzan Mohamed and Navindra Tamasar won the 120kg and 59kg weight class respectively. Mohamed squatted 192.5kg, bench pressed 120 kg and dead lifted 190 kg; his lifts are all new records.

Rahim lifted a total of 635kg including a best squat of 220kg, best bench press of 127.5kg and most outstanding dead lift was 287.5 kg; he earned a total of 504.698 wilks points. Greg Stevens claimed the 105kg class with a total of 512.5 kg; his best squat was 175kg, bench pressed 110 kg and dead lifted 227.5 kg.

Old Fort, Hikers notch up wins in GHB Developmental Leagues PLAY in the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) Under-19 and Second Division Leagues continued on Sunday at the Saint Stanislaus College (SHC) ground on Carifesta Avenue, with six matches.

The Woodpecker Hikers defeated Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Bingo Spartans 5-1 to earn their first win in the Women’s 2nd Division.

Nicolette Fernandes was the antagonist, netting a hat-trick in Hikers’ 5-1 win over Spartans.

Avonda Edghill and Kenisha Wills scored a goal apiece to support Fernandes, while Abosaide Cadogan bagged the lone goal for the GCC side.

Meanwhile in the Men’s 2nd Division, Old Fort edged leaders Bounty GCC 2-1. Omar Williams bagged a goal in the 16th minute to put Old Fort ahead, while his teammate Dominic Alleyne scored a second half goal to give his side a 2-0 lead.

Meshach Sargeant pulled a goal back five minutes before stoppage time, but it was too late as Old Fort held on for the valuable three points.

Other results saw Joseph Warriors defeating Saints Sonics 4-1 and Old Fort getting the better of North Ruimveldt Multilateral 6-3 during a Boys’ Under-19 action.

Meanwhile, Saints U19s got the better of ‘Senior Saints’ 4-2 during play in the Men’s 2nd Division, while Old Fort and Saints settled for a point each during a 1-1 draw in the Women’s 2nd Division.

Matches will continue this weekend at the same ground.

CPL 2018 Playoffs, Qualifier 1...

Amazon Warriors, TKR in battle for spot in final PAGE

23

Rayad Emrit bowled Dwayne Bravo on Sunday evening. (Adrine Narine photos)

(From left) Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Green and Andre Russell during yesterday’s press briefing at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown.

COOK WAVES PAGE

24

GOODBYE

A final goodbye as a Test cricketer - an emotional Cook waves to the fans after being dismissed at The Oval for 147 on Monday ©(Getty Images) .

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018