2014 11 23

SUNDAY No. 104020 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2014

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Tourism has central role to play in Guyana’s future Page

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–President

President Donald Ramotar and Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali with awardees (Adrian Narine photo)

US$46.7M contract 2 Rice crop unaffected by 11 ends with another inked for rehabilitation torrential rains -harvesting record-breaking crop of WCD/EBE road Page

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Most pumps and sluices Body of Kaituma man at Essequibo in Region 4 functional 16 funeral home still unclaimed 8 Page

-Siltation, improper solid waste disposal posing problems

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

US$46.7M contract inked for rehabilitation of WCD/EBE road

THE Ministry of Public Works (MWH) yesterday inked an agreement with BK

International and Surrey Paving Aggregate Company Limited for implementation

of the US$46.7 Fourth Road Project, which is intended to improve the state of the West Coast Demerara/East Bank Essequibo Road.

Subject Minister Robeson Benn, speaking at the signing ceremony yesterday, deemed the project another step forward for the Ministry of Public Works and for Guyana as a

Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn presents contract documents to Managing Director of Surrey Paving, Leslie Chang as BK International’s Brian Tiwarie (centre) and Permanent Secretary, Balraj Balram (far left) of the Ministry of Public Works look on whole.

He said the Government of Guyana received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) when a loan agreement was signed with the CDB on February 25, 2013 in regard to this project, catered for in the 2014 budget.

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT The project, expected to officially commence in January 2015, will specifically focus on increasing the efficiency and safety of road transportation along the West Coast Demerara Road from

Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo.

The objectives of the project, Minister Benn said, will be achieved through six components that would be implemented: Road Works; Road Safety Awareness; Capacity Building; Road Wo r k s ’ S u p e r v i s i o n , Monitoring & Evaluation; and Project Management.

He added that works would result in pavements being rehabilitated; the road being widened to separate pedestrians and cyclists from motorised traffic; traffic lights and road markings being installed and additional highway lights being provided; the Groenveldt Bridge being replaced; and utilities being relocated while extension culverts would be constructed.

The Minister noted that the companies awarded the Agreements are expected to do a very good job because of their huge credibility.

Minister Benn said that Surrey Paving Aggregate Company Limited might not be known in Guyana, but it is one of Jamaica’s leading engineering firms and it has successfully completed many works with the CDB. Each of the awarded companies took the time to assure the Guyanese public that works would be completed in a timely manner and to the best of their respective abilities.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS Minister Benn said the Ministry of Public Works has been working assiduously to complete other projects on the agenda. He said rehabilitative works are being done on roads along the West Coast of Berbice, and that works on the East Bank FourLane Road project have been progressing well. He noted that other projects have been progressing at a very good rate as well.

Minister Benn also noted that the Public Works Ministry would be continuously looking for ways in which to develop Guyana’s Infrastructure. (Navendra Seoraj)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Tourism has central role to play in Guyana’s future

–President PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar alluded that tourism has a central role to play in the future of Guyana He made this comment at the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism A u t h o r i t y ( G TA ) 8 t h annual tourism awards ceremony on Friday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

Under the theme ‘Tourism Entrepreneurs and Ambassadors Mobilised’ the Tourism Ministry and the GTA recognised all tourism stakeholders at one of the signature events within its month-long list of activities.

“This is where we recognise and reward our partners in the development of tourism in several categories,” GTA’s Senior Communications Officer, Ms. Chevon Lim noted as she opened the ceremony.

Eighteen awards were presented at the ceremony.

Three companies copped the prestigious President’s Award for Investment in Tourism, namely the 704 Sports Bar and Night Club under the umbrella of Alfonso’s Group, BK Air

an arm of BK International and RY Enterprises Inc. President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Shaun McGrath congratulated the awardees while also noting that all players in

the sector are winners “because we have come a long way in the last few years. Visitors’ arrivals have increased year after year, this just proves that destination Guyana has made its way on the market.”

He explained the reasons for the Guyana Tourism Ambassadors programme and noted

too that THAG is in full support as this venture which will promote destination Guyana overseas as well as locally.

He stressed and at the same time encouraged all Guyanese “that you too need to be full time ambassadors of Guyana.”

McGrath emphasised that there are many reasons why Guyana’s

Recipient of the President’s Award for Investment in Tourism Chunilall Baboolall owner of RY Enterprises Inc receives award from President Ramotar

product is receiving so much interest and we need to continue promoting the positives of our country.

“We all have a role in promoting the positives of Guyana and indeed these are many,” he said.

The Guyana Tourism Ambassadors were all announced at the ceremony, and they are David ‘Dave’ Martins, Clive Hubert Lloyd, Andrew King, Hugh Ross, Nicolette Fernandes, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Acting Minister of Tourism Industry & Commerce, Irfaan Ali, also congratulated the awardees and urged all to be committed to Guyana and change the negative mind set we have. He expressed that tourism provides the best opportunities to bring the country together.

Ali alluded that Guyana will be twinning

its tourism product with Barbados. He noted that this is the way forward and these are the decisions we need to take if we want to move forward.

He explained that “you will be offered the sun, sand and sea as well as a complete eco-tourism package,” by doing this it will make all aspects of travel, accommodation and food less expensive.

Ali explained that tourism has proven itself as a contributor to the economy and will become a major contributor to the economy. He emphasised that tourism is the future of Guyana and “tourism will succeed and will dominate.”

R i c h a r d S e a l y, Chairman of the C a r i b b e a n To u r i s m O r g a n i s a t i o n ( C TO ) , expressed congratulations to all and urged all stakeholders to promote See page 9

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

U.S. plans to arm Iraq’s Sunni tribesmen with AK-47s, RPGs, mortars

By Phil Stewart (Reuters) - THE United States plans to buy arms for Sunni tribesmen in Iraq including AK-47s, rocket-propelled grenades and mortar rounds to help bolster the battle against Islamic State militants in Anbar province, according to a Pentagon document prepared for Congress.

The plan to spend $24.1 million represents a small fraction of the larger, $1.6 billion spending request to Congress focusing on training and arming Iraqi and Kurdish forces.

But the document underscored the importance the Pentagon places on the Sunni tribesmen to its overall strategy to diminish Islamic State, and cautioned Congress about the consequences of failing to assist them.

“Not arming tribal fighters will continue to leave anti-ISIL tribes reluctant to actively counter ISIL,” the document said, using another acronym for the group which has seized control of large

Tribal fighters take part in a military training to prepare for fighting against Islamic State militants, at the Ain al-Assad military base in Anbar province November 15, 2014. Picture taken November 15, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Stringe parts of Syrian and Iraq and is gaining territory in Anbar despite three months of U.S.led air strikes.

A U.S. official said on Saturday that the document was posted this week. Click

1.usa.gov/11nsTuN to read it.

It said all U.S. support was directed “with, by and through” Iraq’s government, suggesting any weapons would be supplied through

Baghdad, in line with existing policy.

It noted Iraqi security forces were “not particularly welcome in Anbar and other majority Sunni areas,” citing their poor combat

performance and sectarian divisions.

Iraq’s army has been burdened by a legacy of sectarianism in Anbar, whose dominant Sunni population resented for-

mer Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s Shi’ite majority government and were incensed when he ordered troops to clear a protest camp in Ramadi in December 2013.

Islamic State kills at U.S. pledges $135 million in additional Syria least 25 Iraqi tribesmen near Ramadi: officials aid after U.N. warnings

By Dasha Afanasieva

By Raheem Salman

(REUTERS) - THE United States pledged an additional $135 million in aid for the victims of the Syrian war on Saturday, much of it to help the United Nations with a funding shortfall it had warned could force it to scale back food distribution.

Neighboring nations have borne the brunt of the humanitarian crisis sparked by the civil war, which has killed nearly 200,000 people and forced more than 3 million to flee.

The money, which brings the total aid given by Washington since the start of the war in 2011 to more than $3 billion, will mainly go to the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP), a statement from U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s office said.

The Turkish Red Crescent will also benefit.

“The new funding will help feed vulnerable people inside Syria; Syrian refugees in Turkey; and Syrian refugees in other countries,” the statement, released during Biden’s visit to Turkey, said.

(REUTERS) - ISLAMIC State militants have killed at least 25 members of a Sunni Muslim tribe in a village on the eastern edge of the provincial capital Ramadi, local officials said on Saturday, in apparent revenge for tribal opposition to the radical Islamists.

They said the bodies of the men from the Albu Fahd tribe were discovered by the Iraqi army when it launched a counter-offensive on Saturday against Islamic State near Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province. “While they were combing the territories they are liberating, security forces found 25 corpses in the Shujariya area,” Hathal Al-Fahdawi, a member of the Anbar Provincial Council, told Reuters.

Albu Fahd tribal leader Sheikh Rafie al-Fahdawi said at least 25 bodies had been found and said he expected the total to be significantly higher. He said the bodies were found scattered around with no signs of weapons next to them, suggesting they were not killed during fighting.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Colombia kidnap: Chile colonels jailed Farc to release Gen for torturing President Bachelet’s father Alzate ‘next week’

(BBC NEWS) COLOMBIA’S Farc rebels will release five captives, including Gen Ruben Dario Alzate, next week, President Juan Manuel Santos has announced.

Mr Santos said information about their release had been received, but he did not specify when it would happen.

Ruben Dario Alzate is the first Colombian general to be abducted in 50 years of civil conflict.

Peace talks between the two sides were suspended after the men were captured by the left-wing rebels last Sunday.

Cuban and Norwegian officials acting as mediators first announced a deal for their release on Thursday.

Questions are being asked about Gen Alzate Mora’s presence in the area

The rebels said they seized the men because they were unhappy at the

continuation of Colombian military activities during peace talks.

Mexico missing students: Action vowed on rule of law (BBC NEWS) MEXICO’S government has vowed to take action to restore the credibility of institutions after the disappearance of 43 students more than two months ago.

President Enrique Pena Nieto’s spokesman Eduardo Sanchez told the BBC that a “crusade” was needed to “re-establish the rule of law”.

The students, all trainee teachers, went missing after attending a protest in Iguala in Guerrero State.

The official explanation is that the students were murdered by a drugs gang.

The gang was said to be in collusion with the mayor of Iguala, Jose Luis Abarca, who has been arrested facing accusations that he ordered police to confront the students on the day of their disappearance on 26 September.

In the past decade, more than 100,000 people have been killed and 27,000 have disappeared in Mexico.

Thousands of people have taken part in protests over the disappearance of the students.

Mr Sanchez said the government wanted dialogue, but added that some groups had “taken advantage of the situation to provoke violent acts and that is absolutely inexcusable”.

President Bachelet was arrested and forced into exile after the death of her father C h i l e a n g o v e r n m e n t against hundreds of people (BBC NEWS) TWO retired spokesman Alvaro Elizalde from different organisations, Chilean colonels have been said the ruling was “one more they get three years,” he jailed for repeatedly tor- step” to address the truth said. turing the father of Presi- and justice that the country More than 3,000 people dent Michelle Bachelet in needed. were killed and up to 40,000 1973.

But a man who was tor- tortured during General General Alberto Bachelet tured by Ceballos, Sergio Pinochet’s 17-year rule. was arrested and tortured Santos, told the AP news for opposing the military agency that the sentences coup led by Gen Augusto were too lenient.

Pinochet.

“I think it seems a bit He died in 1974 of a ridiculous, that after all the heart attack caused by the years of repression, torture torture inflicted on him.

The former air force colonels - Ramon Caceres Jorquera and Edgar Ceballos Jones - were given three and two years in prison respectively.

They “repeatedly committed the crime of applying torture” to their former superior, judge Mario Carroza said in the Chilean capital, Santiago.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

COURAGEOUS PRESIDENT OBAMA IN the face of fierce protests from angry Republican lawmakers and other stakeholders in the United States of America, we today record our own appreciation for the courage displayed by President Barack Obama in resorting to constitutional-based executive powers to help rescue approximately five million immigrants living illegally in that nation, the world’s current superpower.

We are cognisant of

the right of all sovereign nations—rich and poor, and irrespective of political and economic systems—to ensure compliance with the rule of law and avoid the mushrooming of illegal migrants who become involved in crime, or themselves falling victim to criminals.

Likewise, we are mindful of the basic human rights of immigrants in the USA who often find themselves confronted with humiliating, degrading treatment by

employers and law enforcing agencies as they struggle to earn a decent living amid hopes of regularising their status.

Long recognised as a nation spawned by migration, the USA has evolved as the world’s third most populated nation—after China and India. For all its real and perceived political and social problems—including racism—it remains a destination of choice to live and work for nationals across the global community, a good

many of them Guyanese and other CARICOM citizens.

Confronted with the harsh realities for not just thousands but currently approximate five million migrants— including from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia—President Obama boldly moved last week to exercise his executive authority to free some 4.7 million migrants from threatened deportation. They are categorised among eleven million “undocumented” (illegal) immigrants.

The ‘Obama initiative’ to honour a pledge that enables Hispanics and other migrants to avoid deportation by securing a three-year work permit, has infuriated his more traditional Republican opponents on Capitol Hill.

Basically, by resorting to executive powers, without violating the nation’s constitution, President Obama has removed the fears with which some five million “undocumented” migrants have been living

for years. Within the past two years alone about 7,000 were sent packing.

While his political opponents and critics were bitterly complaining, Hispanics and other categories of ‘undocumented’ migrants were parading in picket lines with placards expressing gratitude to him for ending their nightmare of fears of separation from family members and help secure their future in the “land of the free and home of the brave.’

Preventing flooding needs collective work between residents, administrators THE present flooding in Georgetown, the East Coast, East Bank and other places is a result of poor management when it comes to drainage and irrigation.

I have seen just thirty minutes of constant rains flooded the entire city. Main Street and Water Street will flood in just about fifteen minutes because the drains are too shallow to contain the water that goes to the main trenches and canals.

It’s ridiculous that our administrators and engineers still cannot learn from their past mistakes since the 2005 flood. For water to run off the yards into the street drains to avoid flooding the drains just can’t be two or three feet deep it has to be about ten feet deep and the trenches need to be deeper to contain the water. Residents also need to maintain their drains in their yard by building it about five feet deep in concrete palls and raise their

land level to avoid flooding in their homes. They also need to raise their floor level and build a concrete seal around it over four feet in height to protect their buildings.

Georgetown has too many pavement sellers that need to be relocated into a separate market or arcade because these street vendors will throw their garbage in the drains when they finish selling. As I walked down King, Robb and Regent Streets, I clearly saw the garbage dumps getting bigger and bigger and many big businesses dispose their garbage on the pavements and the streets by giving it to street dwellers.

Even if we have deeper drains we now have to implement laws about littering and now the Christmas Season is around where we see more sellers than buyers it means the garbage dumps will get bigger and

the flood water won’t go anywhere because the drains are blocked by garbage dumpers.

Flooding is something we have been living with for many years because of bad drainage and irrigation.

I have travelled this entire country and have seen main trenches and canals overtaken by bushes and trees it’s difficult to distinguish the trench from the dam. I was in Rose Hall Town recently where I grew up and was shocked when I looked at a trench I used to swim in as a boy. The entire trench was taken over by huge trees and bushes but it doesn’t seem to bother the town council.

I walked a few blocks to go to Port Mourant and saw a trench we used to call Bunyan Trench in a more deplorable state than the one in Rose Hall. This huge black water trench used to be helping residents to wash, fish, and even water their garden

but now it looks more like a dump heap rather than a trench.

I personally don’t think these problems are caused by the Ministers in Government. It’s caused by the NDCs and Town Councils who don’t care anything but they still collecting rates and taxes. It’s sad to see these guys trying to get a hymac to dig trenches when we are in the flood, they never prepare for the rains and they are fully aware about the seasons we have rains in Guyana. These flaws can be seen in every region because we have too much irresponsible people in the NDCs and Town Councils and most residents don’t care to do some self-help in their yards and villages. I note with interest yesterday that the water from my front trench is level to my yard.

If I didn’t have a four-foot concrete drain I would have been flooded out in my yard.

The water from the trench levelled in my yard because the trench is full of hard weeds that caused the water to remain stagnant. All the water from my yard and drains remained there for a long time. If the NDC was digging and maintaining this three feet deep trench to ten feet deep then all the water would have drained out instantly. But who cares the residents and tax payers have to suffer. Even NAREI was under threat because the water from their drains is at level with the trench because the trench needs some real digging about fifteen feet deep to cause some land movement with the water.

I think our administrators need to visit the Estate Cane fields to observe the high dam beds of the canefields that cannot be flooded and the depths of the canals that’s over 20 feet deep to contain the water cascading down the cane fields;

the Dutch and British built a magnificent drainage system but because of bad management and incompetence we are now overtaken by basic rainfall. Over 30 years ago while growing up in Berbice, I have seen over one month of severe rains in Berbice and we were never flooded because drains, trenches and canals were maintained long before the May-June and November-December rains came. Many times those responsible can’t be found they either drunk or are just idling but still getting paid.

If we are going to free ourselves from flooding it will need a collective work of unity between residents and administrators. Citizens need to be charged for dumping garbage into trenches and drains which I have seen constantly. Citizens also need to form groups to also help to clean

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GUYANA CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Obama and Immigration

By Keith Burrowes THIS week, the talk is about Obama’s executive order on immigration, a story that might have otherwise gained traction in Guyana were it not for it being drowned out by our own local politics and the stories of the recent flooding.

In summary, the U.S. President used legal but last resort executive powers to push through sweeping reforms on immigration, a move that, according to one ABC report “has vast implications for millions of individuals and their families, with short- and long-term impacts on the nation’s economy, political demographics and Washington’s perpetual power struggle.”

Judging from other reports, it has a potential impact on the lives of 4.7 million illegal immigrants to be exact.

To be clear, Obama’s executive orders are not citizenship nor do they even amount to a path to citizenship. A cynical view coming from some quarters is that the measures don’t go far enough and what they amount to is giving legitimacy to the illegals as primarily lower-paid labour and contributors to the tax system, while denying them any of the privileges that come with citizenship.

Another view, and one that I am more inclined to agree with, is that this was a master stroke from a President who has been criticised at times for not using the tremendous power at his disposal, even when the Democrats commanded a majority in Congress.

With his political opponents in control of the legislature, Obama has made a move worthy of Abraham Lincoln himself in that he has forced

them to take a stand on what is essentially a moral, human rights issue. This comes after two years of deadlock on immigration reform, a state of limbo preferable to Republicans who are caught between an anti-immigrant militant right-wing power base, and the reality of the need to reach out to a growing immigrant population in order to gain the electoral advantage in presidential elections. Obama’s executive order, which will not take effect for six months, puts the ball in the Republican-controlled congress to come up with and pass workable immigration legislation of its own. As Obama put it in a recent talk: “I cajoled and I called and I met. I told [House Speaker] John Boehner, ‘I’ll wash your car. I’ll walk your dog.

Whatever you need me to

do, just call the bill.’ That’s how democracy is supposed to work…. I didn’t dissolve parliament. That’s not how our system works. I didn’t, you know, steal away the various clerks in the Senate and the House who manage bills.

They can still pass a bill. I don’t have a vote in Congress.

Pass a bill.”

What the Republicans are not talking about, and this is the issue upon which I believe that Obama has made his gamble, is that America has traditionally been built upon immigrant labour and today is no different. Many of the very Republicans who are protesting immigration today are the offspring of poor, marginalised immigrants 100 years ago. The Republicans have now been put in a position wherein they have to come up with a strategy that both

Keith Burrowes appeals to their base and does not alienate immigrant voters; or they can accept defeat and accept the executive orders.

On the downside, there is a high possibility that Republic rhetoric could end up hurting immigrants in America, something that countries like Guyana can ill afford.

Remittances from the diaspora accounted for some US$400 million in 2012, or some 17% of the GDP. A significant amount of that came from the United States, and it only accounts from documented money transfers. If we were to factor in money and goods sent or brought in, and the contributions of illegal immigrants the figure would be much higher.

Whatever the perspective one wants to take on this, the global implications of this move for developing countries cannot be overstated, with

Guyana being no exception.

A recent survey, a report on which was published in the New York Times, put the estimated population of Guyanese in New York alone at around 140,000. That is roughly one-sixth of the current population of Guyana at present, and it does not account for significant Guyanese presence in other places like Florida or Georgia, nor does it account, no doubt, for the significant undocumented Guyanese, persons who would most likely not be willing to make themselves available for such a survey.

Ever since 2008, my praise for Obama has had its highs as well as its lows – in the upcoming weeks, as this issue intensifies, I suspect that my commentary on his political strategy and show of statesmanship will once again peak.

Preventing flooding needs collective ...

From Page 6 drains and trenches and those rich folks who own Hymacs and drag-lines should help. I seldom see the rich ever participating in ‘self-help’ in communities they always busy. Not very long ago I saw a bridge in Mon -Repos that lead to the school was a bit shaky.

Hundreds of residents in that area will walk on that bridge to go to the market and school with their kids and family. Not long after I noticed the entire bridge broke down. When it was shaking residents could have easily repaired

it and many carpenters and contractors were using that same bridge. But everyone put a blind eye to it though I asked them to join hands to repair the bridge. Residents always depend on the Government to do everything “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.’’ By John F.Kennedy It’s about time we rise up as a people and do something for our country collectively. May God grant us divine wisdom to see Guyana move forward.

REV. CECIL GIDEON

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PNC LEADER’S ROW WITH -anxieties over GECOM new electoral list Analysis by Rickey Singh

THE leader of Guyana’s main Opposition party, Mr. David Granger, made a strange claim on Friday when he rejected the “independence” of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

This followed GECOM’s announcement the previous day that it would be embarking on a new cycle of registration—the seventh such procedure - from December 1 - amid heightened speculations of likely new general elections by mid-2015.

C o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y, a fresh national poll for the 65-member National Assembly is not due before November 2016.

At the last general election in November 2011, the i n c u m b e n t P e o p l e ’s Progressive Party (PPP) was returned to Government for a fifth consecutive term but with the combined coalition Opposition securing a oneseat majority with 33 to its 32 representatives.

Granger, who heads the People’s National Congress Reform(PNCR) and is chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)—that includes the Working People’s Alliance (WPA—had functioned as DR. STEVE SURUJBALLY Opposition Leader in the 10th Parliament which was prorogued (suspended) by President Donald Ramotar on November 17.

Prorogation, the President contends, was his preference to dissolving the 10th Parliament with a view to engaging in expanded consultations with the Opposition parties and civil society to overcome gridlock politics in the National Assembly.

The combined Opposition of APNU and the minority Alliance For Change (AFC), rejected the President’s rationale

for prorogation and declared lack of interest in dialogue outside of resumption of parliamentary sessions.

Verbal squabbles amid the recurring verbal squabbles between the Government and Opposition over the suspension of Parliament, came GECOM’s announcement last week of its decision to begin its seventh cycle of registration of voters ahead of final arrangements for new parliamentary elections.

For Granger this move by GECOM smacked of partisanship in favour of President Ramotar’s administration and his PPP. Seemingly this assumption is based on a much earlier statement from the ruling PPP urging the Commission to undertake a required seventh registration before finalising the new list of voters.

However, no evidence was advanced in support of Granger’s contention of the Commission genuflecting to

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

parties to offer criticisms of GECOM on varying issues. But the seven-member commission on which the Governing and Opposition parties are equally represented under the chairmanship of Dr. Surujbally, have been constant in defence of its independence and integrity.

Now Granger, the PNCR leader and APNU chairman, suspects that political mischief is afoot with GECOM— on which the Opposition has equal representation with the governing party—moving for a hitherto expected new registration cycle to facilitate compilation of a new Official List of Electors (OLE).

Instead, he wants GECOM to proceed with the prevailing ‘Official

DAVID GRANGER

Government’s influence for the seventh registration cycle.

At the time of writing yesterday, no response statement from GECOM was available. It would be surprising if one is not expected from its chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, who is normally quite forthcoming in defence of the Commission.

GECOM’s chairman

It is not unusual for both the Governing and Opposition

List of Electors’ (OLE) in preparation for new elections. Now, it should come as no surprise if the minority Alliance For Change (AFC) also echoes that of Granger’s.

Even, that is, as both parties continue to reveal cracks in ongoing efforts for a pre-election coalition ahead of forthcoming new general elections—most likely before mid-2015. (Rickey Singh is a noted Barbados-based Caribbean journalist).

Body of Kaituma man at Essequibo funeral home still unclaimed THE body of a 20-year-old Amerindian man, Steve John, of Port Kaituma has been lying at the Essequibo Funeral Home at Suddie for more than two weeks and no one has come forward to uplift the body for burial.

According to Councillor of the Regional Democratic Council [RDC], Ms. Shanta Springer, the Essequibo Funeral Home is under the management of the Region 2 RDC and when corpses are left there for long periods without relatives coming forward to pay and uplift the bodies for burial, the burden is left on the regional administration to bear the cost of storage and burial.

The councillor who has responsibility for health

and sanitation at the RDC level for the region, said the deceased man of Port Kaituma, North West District, was referred to the Kumaka Hospital at Moruca and then to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital at Charity on November 4, 2014. He was subsequently transferred to the Suddie Hospital where he died on November 6.

According to the councillor, documentation has revealed that the next-of-kin to the deceased man is an uncle known by the name Rodrigues who never returned to the hospital to check on the patient. She said there was no phone number left in case of emergency.

The councillor is calling on relatives of the deceased Steve John of Port Kaituma or Moruca to come forward and uplift the body for burial.

Only recently the body of another Amerindian man

from Moruca was left at the funeral home for more than six weeks and no one had come forward to identify the body until the Guyana Chronicle carried a story on the matter; only then did relatives and the wife of the man of Moruca come forward and identify the body by a scar on the neck.

Reports said the wife however refused to bury the body because according to her, he had a lot of “sweet women, let them come and bury he now.” The body was however buried at the Suddie cemetery near the funeral home in the presence of relatives.

The RDC councillor said the police Divisional Commander has been informed about the body that is currently lying at the parlour. (Rajendra Prabhulall in Essequibo)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Tourism has central role to play ...

From page 3

their country as this is where the future is heading. Tourism, he explained, is the future and twinning with Barbados will benefit both countries.

During his feature address, President Ramotar congratulated the Tourism Minister and his staff for promoting tourism in Guyana and for working with the persons that are directly involved. He noted that “this is a partnership with the Government and the private sector, and this partnership has been doing well.”

He noted that the joint package with Barbados is a great economic

and business collaboration and as he explained that integration within CARICOM will be accelerated when we have such partnership. He added that such collaboration will bring the Caribbean countries together with one goal and would eventually lead to further collaboration with other Regions.

The Head of State asserted:: “We have a glorious future and I am absolutely sure with the whole process of us diversifying our economy. Tourism has a central role in this regard.” (Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)

A section of the audience in attendance (Photos by Adrian Narine)

Recipient of the President’s Award for Investment in Tourism Cassia Alphonso, owner of 704 Sports Bar and Night Club receives award from President Ramotar

Recipient of the President’s Award for Investment in Tourism Briony Tiwarie owner of BK Air receives award from President Ramotar

Are You Ready for the Blackout Epidemic Coming Our Way?

A

new study shows extreme weather events and increasing usage of unconventional fossil fuels will leave national energy grids unable to keep up with increasing demands for energy, Motherboard reports. Research published by the Journal of Urban Technology in September reveals that 50 major power outages have happened in 26 countries over the past 10 years. Over that same period the number of blackouts in America had affected 50,000 people and more than doubled. The main causes of these outages are rapid population growth in big cities combined with a growing “addiction” to power-hungry lifestyles that depend on electricity.

Professors Steve Hugh Byrd of Lincoln University and Steve Matthewman of Auckland University authored the study. The two say the

growing demand for electricity is coinciding with a constraining of resources due to the depletion of fossil fuels, a lack of renewable energy, peak oil and climate change. “We need a fundamental re-think about how electricity is generated and distributed, and who controls this,” Byrd told Motherboard.

“It’s not in the interests of the privatised power industry to encourage less electricity consumption.”

Related: After Closure of All Nuclear Power Plants, Japan Urges Population to Cut Power Use by 15% to Avoid Blackouts And the blackouts that have been happening are just “dress rehearsals” for the future, when massive power outages are expected to happen more often and with greater severity. “We predict increasing numbers of blackouts due to growing uncertainties in supply and growing certainties for demand,” the study says. Sounds like a good time to start stocking up on solar panels.

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Strong health systems & prevention infection programmes –key to withstanding any virus (This article was previously by published by this newspaper) THE Western world has suddenly risen from its slumber only to discover that Ebola is killing people in West Africa. What is now even worse for them is that Ebola has arrived in the USA without any visa.

And the USA has become frantic and consumed in a state of fear, with President Barack Obama now appointing a Czar to stop Ebola in its tracks.

Ebola became a U.S. citizen just a few weeks ago.

But this wave of Ebola did not recommence recently.

Nevertheless, it looks like ‘recently’ only because of Ebola’s visitation upon the U.S. is fresh, and the fact that the Western media have now got something to gossip about. But the Ebola outbreak was not as recent as the Western world would have it.

For it was when on December 6, 2013, a 2-year-old boy from Guéckédou, Guinea, became ill, “…no one

knew that his illness signalled the start of the biggest, most complex outbreak of Ebola the world has ever seen”.

(Lancet, 2014) But as this latest Ebola outbreak is not new, likewise the Ebola virus is not new.

What the world must not forget is that Ebola is not a new disease. It was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976.

And almost 40 years later, there still is no approved anti-Ebola vaccine or medicine. Now the Western

“As we ponder the unequal and disadvantaged response given to Ebola by the Western world with superior health systems and, generally, better public health facilities than those in West Africa, and also the fact that after 40 years there still is no anti-Ebola vaccine or medicine, let us not forget that Ebola is still with us.’’

Ebola patients are taken to dedicated treatment centres across Guinea

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014 world is scrambling hysterically to find an anti-Ebola medication, perhaps, in the same way, as the White European colonialists were engaged in the great scramble to own and exploit Africa in colonial times.

I think it is important say again that HIV and AIDS had better treatment than Ebola at the hands of the Americans and Europeans in the 1980s. I noted in last week’s Perspectives (Misir, 2014) that: “…in those early years in the U.S., there was problematic planning and preparedness for the AIDS pandemic, the scientific advances were well ahead of the planning and prevention mayhem, thus (Bartlett, 1987 p.3): AIDS was first identified in 1981; the etiologic agent was recognised in 1983; the building blocks of HIV’s DNA and RNA were stated in 1985; the Retrovir treatment was made public in 1986; and vaccine clinical trials started in 1987. These dates show that there was some reasonable control and treatment over the AIDS pandemic between 1981 and 1987 in the U.S., largely because of sensible health systems in place in that country.”

As we ponder the unequal and disadvantaged response given to Ebola by the Western world with superior health systems and, generally, better public health facilities than those in West Africa, and also the fact that after 40 years there still is no anti-Ebola vaccine

or medicine, let us not forget that Ebola is still with us.

Therefore, it is critical if this epidemic is to have some closure that there is rapid diagnosis, isolation, and treatment of infected persons (Khan et al., 1999). In previous Ebola outbreaks, this line of attack was utilised through contact tracing, whereby any person with exposure to an Ebola-infected person, was monitored, tested if symptomatic, and then transported to a hospital for treatment (Frieden et al., 2014). This method of rapid diagnosis, isolation, and treatment worked in the past, as there was no serious outbreak as the current epidemic. Fauci (Fauci, 2014) argued that diagnosis is problematic without laboratory testing, since the Ebola symptoms are similar to those of malaria, typhoid, and influenza; and so, testing a patient’s blood with PCR will determine whether the person is infected.

In addition, there should be dedicated vehicles with protective equipment, protective gear, and trained transport operators (DFID, 2014), and healthcare workers wearing protective gear should have no skin exposure. Needless to say that ambulances and other medical transport vehicles should be available.

At this time, international attention has to focus on the epicenters of Ebola, the sources of the virus, and these include Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, countries with very poor health systems. Without international assistance, their health systems will have no way of checking the spread of Ebola. And so, it is an opportune time for the developing world to start investing in strengthening its health systems, which when resourceful enough with prevention infection programmes, can withstand the tenacity of any virus.

References: BARTLETT, J. G. 1987. Point of View: Planning Ahead. AIDS Patient Care, 1, 3-5.

DFID. 2014. British aid supplies arrive in Freetown to tackle Ebola outbreak [Online]. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-aid-supplies-arrive-in-freetown-totackle-ebola-outbreak [Accessed October 18, 2014.

FAUCI, A. S. 2014. Ebola--underscoring the global disparities in health care resources. N Engl J Med, 371, 1084-6.

FRIEDEN, T. R., DAMON, I., BELL, B. P., KENYON, T. & NICHOL, S. 2014. Ebola 2014--new challenges, new global response and responsibility. N Engl J Med, 371, 1177-80.

KHAN, A. S., TSHIOKO, F. K., HEYMANN, D. L., LE GUENNO, B., NABETH, P., KERSTIENS, B., FLEERACKERS, Y., KILMARX, P. H., RODIER, G. R., NKUKU, O., ROLLIN, P. E., SANCHEZ, A., ZAKI, S. R., SWANEPOEL, R., TOMORI, O., NICHOL, S. T., PETERS, C. J., MUYEMBE-TAMFUM, J. J. & KSIAZEK, T. G. 1999. The reemergence of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995. Commission de Lutte contre les Epidemies a Kikwit. J Infect Dis, 179 Suppl 1, S76-86.

LANCET, T. 2014. Ebola: a failure of international collective action [Online]. Available: http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140673614613775. pdf?id=aaas6IBhNo-d6ftJjjLKu [Accessed October 18, 2014.

MISIR, P. 2014. Prevention infection programmes mandatory, Ebola or no Ebola [Online]. Guyana Chronicle. Available: http://guyanachronicle.com/prevention-infection-programmesmandatory-ebola-or-no-ebola/ [Accessed October 18, 2014.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Rice crop unaffected by torrential rains

11

-harvesting ends with another record-breaking crop

HARVESTING of the second and final rice crop for 2014 has been completed for the most part, bringing in approximately 312,000 tonnes of rice to date and testifying to another record for the industry, following production of over 300,000 tonnes in the first crop.

Head of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj, told the Guyana Chronicle that some 480,000 tonnes of paddy were harvested across the rice-producing regions.

“All the regions have completed harvesting, with the exception of about 800 acres in Region 5 (Mahaica/

industry, had set aside in the 2014 Budget the sum of $500M to help maintain its competitiveness.

The industry will also benefit from this year ’s investment in drainage and irrigation.

MOSTLY UNAFFECTED Seeraj said the rains have not affected the rice crop, given that rice farmers are currently preparing lands for the first crop of 2015.

“There is some accumulation of water in some areas, but because we are in the land-preparation period, we need water to continue land preparation and for sowing,” Seeraj said.

Rice being loaded for export Berbice),” he said.

Rice production had been at its lowest levels in Guyana in the late 1980s because of the neglect the industry had to endure through lack of sound agricultural policies and programmes and little or no investment in agricultural infrastructure and research, and training. Today, there are greater investments in agricultural infrastructure, education and training of farmers, and in research, and there are more guaranteed markets as well.

Secure drainage, new and improved farming technologies, and new rice varieties are among some of the interventions made over the years by Government.

Those interventions have been fuelling the rice industry’s growth.

Government has also moved to secure several markets for rice farmers, the largest being Venezuela.

Government, cognisant of maintaining the strong performance of the rice

He added that some areas in Region 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) have seen some water accumulation, while Region 3 (West Demerara/ Essequibo Islands) has been unaffected by the rains, and Region 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica) has had some flooding, particularly in the Cane Grove community.

“Cane Grove farmers saw about 9.6 inches (of rainfall), which is 244 millimetres of rain; and that caused some flooding, but the rice crop was not affected,” Seeraj said.

The RPA head noted that Region 5 is one of the regions where there was some water accumulation, but the region needs more rain, because rice farmers are engaged in land preparation.

“Region 6 (East Berbice, Corentyne) also needs more rain, because the preparation for 2015 has started,” he said.

Asked about yields, Seeraj said rice farmers have been enjoying good yields -

between 4.2 and 6.3 tonnes per hectare.

The other sore point of payments was also addressed, and he noted that there are some complaints about delayed payments in Regions 2, 3 and 5.

“Because of the size of the harvest, we are seeing that there are some delayed payments. While the exports of rice are breaking records, the fact is, given the volume, the production is large,” Seeraj said.

EXPORTS CONTINUE He also disclosed that exports continue on schedule, even as the sector’s stakeholders are pursuing

even more markets. “ We h a v e e x p o r t e d rice to Panama, Venezuela, several Caribbean countries and Europe,” the RPA head said.

The trend over the last few years has been one of increasing rice production.

Seeraj explained that Guyana could export all its rice at lower prices, but local exporters have opted to export their rice to markets with better prices.

“We can sell all our rice, but at low prices; so our exporters, because there is the demand, opt to go to different markets,” he said.

The export mark of 400,000 tonnes was

surpassed in mid-October, excluding a number of contracts for rice exports that still had to be met.

Five hundred thousand tonnes was the 2020 target for production. However, in 2011, for the first time, the 400,000-tonne mark was passed, and (this) was repeated in 2012 and 2013.

It is expected that Guyana will someday overcome all obstacles and compete with the world’s largest producers of rice. As such, focus is being placed on exploring new and emerging global markets, and on tackling the crucial and critical issues to facilitate increasing production.

DHARAMKUMAR SEERAJ The production for 2013 was 535,212 tonnes, which was far above the original target of 413,000, and reflected a 27 per cent increase over production in 2012. The average production per hectare was some five tonnes.

For 2014, production is expected to surpass last year’s target. (Vanessa Narine)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Guyana a major destination for investment and business-Irfaan Ali

“THE word is out, Guyana is indeed a major destination for investment and business,” Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali said as he highlighted some of the plans in store for the housing sector.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Unicomer Distribution Centre located in Eccles, Ali noted that “five years in the making and $10B later we have arrived at the development of a new project being completed.”

Ali said that when the Government announced its plan to extend a new growth area it was to create new opportunities for businesses to expand their services, thereby creating more employment opportunities and further development.

“We have invested $10B from the Government in creating these opportunities for new growth expansion and development and we are very proud that the private sector has joined us on this journey,” he declared.

The Housing Minister noted that the commissioning of the Unicomer Distribution Centre is one of many examples of such developments, noting too that it was built on part of the 100 acres of land in the new development plan. This Centre alone is some 60,000 square feet and will employ some 50 persons.

The confidence that the private sector has shown in Guyana’s economy is tremendous, Ali said, while noting that “the private sector have some US$200M that will be invested in developing new business and

thus creating more opportunities for our people in these areas.”

Housing and Water Minister, Irfaan Ali

INVESTMENTS IN PIPLINE Ali confirmed that there are many other investments in the pipeline and a few will be revealed sooner than the public expects. He alluded to the fact that he will be making way for the expansion of another location of a commercial bank and pending a signature are two major food chain restaurant proposals that are ready to commence construction almost immediately.

In addition, there are 23 new investments signed for the Little Diamond area that include a Hyundai showroom.

He concluded by stressing that Guyana needs to become an educational hub and the Government is working diligently to make this a reality.

“We have already more than three international universities that have commenced construction on their facilities, we are in the process of building a Hospitality Centre where we will entertain international students,” he announced.

Ali noted finally that as part of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) programme “we will be embarking upon an International Biodiversity Centre, and we are the best to have this Centre.”

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Shot Parika taxi driver still critical

NINETEEN-year-old, Ramesh Persaud, an East Bank Essequibo taxi driver remains warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) suffering two bullet wounds to the head and neck, after being shot by two young men who had hired his car on a trip to Zeelugt last Saturday night.

The bullet to his head exited, but the other remains in his neck and doctors are skeptical about removing it, since based on how and where it is positioned, he might likely become paralysed if it is removed.

His mother, Amelia Persaud called “Rose,” giving an account of the incident, recalled that her son had bought his car only about six weeks ago and was just into the third week working it.

Two Saturdays ago, her son, who lives at Parika “backdam,” was in the vicinity of Parika when a young man about his own age approached him around 09:30 hrs requested to be taken to Zeelugt. The man got into the car and they drove off.

Shortly after, the hirer asked Persaud to stop at Golden World Restaurant near the junction so he could pick up a friend. The first man on board sat in the passenger’s seat next to the driver and the second man to board sat in the back seat, behind Persaud. They asked to be taken to Zeelugt New Scheme and Persaud complied.

But on arriving at their destination, the men enquired what was the charge, and Persaud told them $2,000. Persaud said, without uttering a word, the man in the back seat pulled out a weapon and shot him in the head. They then exited the car.

Meanwhile, Persaud had slumped over the steering wheel and pretended to be dead. At that point, the man in front, allegedly told his partner at the back to shoot again and make sure that he (Ramesh Persaud) was dead.

They both went around the car and stood up outside the driver’s window and discharged a second round – the one which is now left in his neck, then fled the scene.

After the men had left, Persaud used his cellular phone and called his brother, Roland, who also operates a hire car, and he in turn phoned their mother who was travelling home to Parika “backdam” after selling at the Hydronie market.

Ramesh struggled to put on the ignition, then drove from Zeelugt to Boerasirie Bridge. At that point, under pain and profuse bleeding from his wounds, he gave up driving and prayed that his brother would get there fast.

On arriving, his family took him to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, (LCH) but while on the way there, they spotted a police patrol vehicle and reported the incident. The police

Real estate agent on $20,000 bail for assault, threatening behaviour REAL Estate Agent, Michael James on Friday was placed on $20,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan on charges of assault, threatening language and threatening behaviour.

The 41-year-old defendant of Lot 3 Vlissengen Road, Georgetown pleaded not guilty to all the charges, one of which detailed that on November 8 at Lot 3 Vlissingen Road, he made use of threatening behaviour to Anaka Hope.

Particulars of the second charge state that, on the same day at Lot 3 Vlissengen Road, he made use of threatening language to Hope, whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned.

The third allegation detailed that, on the same day at Lot 3 Vlissengen Road, he unlawfully assaulted Hope.

Police Prosecutor, Dinero Jones did not object to bail, since the parties no longer reside together.

The father of two, who has no prior convictions, was bonded to keep the peace pending the outcome of the matters, and will make his next court appearance before Magistrate Dylon Bess on December 9. (Geeta Rampersaud)

accompanied him to the LCH where he was examined and transferred to the GPH. Ramesh complains of having bled profusely from his ears. He experiences biting pains in his neck and his left eye is continuously oozing water. But at night, he said he suffers the most.

His tearful mother, Rose related that her husband is a farmer and sells greens at Parika. The boys have always helped them farm and sell, and six weeks ago when Ramesh bought his car, he told his parents of his plans to help make life easier for them. Now, three weeks later, his plans have been all rudely dashed.

Rose recalled that as she was about to leave for home, she phoned Ramesh and enquired if he was ready to go home. But his reply was that he was going to do two more runs before “closing off.”

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Ramesh Persaud: Taxi driver shot in head and neck

14

Procurement officer shot,robbed outside city hotel still hospitalised

By Shirley Thomas

F O RT Y- S I X - y e a r- o l d Fazil Ali, of Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, shot and robbed

of $13M outside a city hotel last Monday, remains warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital under doctors’ close watch.

In the attack, Ali

sustained two gunshot wounds to the shoulder, while a third bullet grazed his chest.

A procurement officer, employed at CB&R Mining

Inc at Bartica, Ali was in his motor vehicle around 08:30 hrs parked outside “Sleep In” Hotel on Brickdam, where he was awaiting another employee for them to go shopping for machine parts, food supplies and other goods for his boss, Chunilall Babolall’s gold mining camp in the interior.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014 T h e f a t h e r o f f o u r, still suffering pains from the wounds, recalled that scarcely had he spoken to his colleague on his cellular phone that morning, when he was struck by the bullets in the chest and shoulder by a lone gunman, masked with a rag over his face and wearing black.

But the gunman may have been an amateur, and after discharging the first three rounds, the magazine from his weapon fell to the ground, bringing an abrupt end to the gunfire on Ali. That was what probably saved the victim’s life, for he now recalls that from the way the gunman was squeezing the trigger, it appeared he wanted to empty it on him. He is grateful to God for sparing his life.

After discharging the rounds at the hapless victim, the gunman who might have been stalking him, dived under the passenger’s seat and pulled out a bag containing $13M, which should have been used for purchasing. Ali impulsively held onto his bleeding

Fazil Ali: Shot and robbed of $13M shoulder and stumbled out of his motor vehicle.

He however recalled that the gunman, clutching the bag containing the money, headed across the road to a waiting motor car (blue Toyota 212) with two other men inside. They then sped away.

The police at the nearby Brickdam Police Station were summoned and arrived at the scene of the robbery and shooting. They recovered spent shells and the magazine which had fallen from the weapon.

Investigations are in progress.

Unlicensed driver convicted for causing death of Chief Librarian TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD, Odida Underwood of Lot 197 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown was found guilty for being an unlicensed driver, and on Friday was convicted for the death of former Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson, which resulted from an accident that occurred last Christmas Eve Day at the corner of Shiv Chanderpaul Drive and North Road in Georgetown.

Magistrate Fabayo Azore sentenced Underwood to five years’ imprisonment.

Three days after that fatal accident, Underwood appeared before Chief Magistrate, Priya SewnarineBeharry to answer charges of causing death by dangerous driving, being an unlicensed driver, driving a vehicle without the consent of the owner, and driving without third party risk insurance.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge that, on December 24 last, (Christmas Eve), he drove motor car PPP 8655 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Gillian Thompson.

Underwood had, however, pleaded guilty to the other three charges before the Chief Magistrate on his first appearance, and was fined a total of $85,000.

The second charge detailed that on the same day, he drove without being the holder of a driver’s licence. The third allegation stated that he drove the vehicle when it was not insured for third party risk, while the fourth charge stated that he had taken and driven the vehicle without the consent of its owner.

The prosecution’s facts were that on the day in question, Underwood was proceeding north along Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, but when he approached the intersection at North Road, he failed to stop, thus colliding with the left front side of a van.

The Librarian was seated in the front seat of the van, which then collided with a concrete culvert. As a result, she reportedly received injuries, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Underwood was represented by attorney-atlaw, Mr. Adrian Thompson, and the matter was transferred before Magistrate Azore for trial. (Geeta Rampersaud)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Church consultation mulls effective ways of managing solid waste

A CITY consultation on waste management, held at the First Assembly of God’s ‘Generation Next’ Building on Durban Street, Wortmanville from November 13 to 15, 2014, turned out to be literally a meeting of ‘wise-men’ locked in energetic dialogue, brainstorming the issue over the three days to come up with effective ways of dealing with solid waste management in the city of Georgetown.

The forum was in effect an investigation of the solid waste management system in Georgetown with a view to bringing about an awareness of the complexity involved in solid waste management, and charting the way forward.

BEAUTIFICATION A TOP PRIORITY There was a clarion call for a paradigm s h ift an d a move tow ard s makin g beautification of the city a top priority. The aim of the consultation, therefore, was to inculcate in people’s minds a new thinking which, first of all, places a high premium on developing an appreciation for aesthetics and a passion for beautification of the environment on the part of everyone.

To this end, the consultation sought not only to create an awareness of solid waste, but to explore avenues wherein stake-holders could come together, creating synergies as they embark on the business of helping to move Guyana back to the status of being the Garden City which it formerly enjoyed.

Head of the First Assembly of God Church, the Rev. Murtland Raphael Massiah, who delivered the overview at the opening session,

their respective fields. They coached the participants on topics such as: What is Solid Waste Management; Best and Worst Practices of Solid Waste Management; Monitoring and Enforcement; Partnerships and Collaboration between Stakeholders; and Integrated Solid Waste Management.

On day two, the stakeholders were taken on a guided tour of the Haags Bosch Land Fill Site at Eccles.

Much energy resonated across the auditorium over the three days, as the stakeholders passionately and enthusiastically brainstormed the topics to find solutions to the problem.

Many shared with the gathering how they propose using the knowledge and information gleaned from the consultation to influence a change where they live, work and in the environment generally.

Stressing the importance of the ‘awareness component’, Rev. Massiah said: “I believe that once people become aware or are educated [on this issue], beginning at the household level, they will then understand their responsibility in this whole chain of events; and that is critical.”

Albeit, he said, both research and experience have shown that there is a disconnect between citizens and the waste they produce; that is to say, they are reluctant to take responsibility for the disposal of such waste. Hence it is always felt that somebody else is responsible for properly disposing of the garbage generated. Invariably, blame falls on the Municipality or the Ministry of Local Government.

A section of the gathering at the Consultation on Solid Waste Management told the Sunday Chronicle that the initiative was first mooted by First Assembly, but was buttressed by the Georgetown Ministers’ Fellowship and received significant buy-in from the other Christian religious bodies.

ENCOURAGING RESPONSE The response was phenomenal. The opening session was attended by 119 keenly enthusiastic participants. The stakeholders included men and women - young and notso-young’ - and each had some meaningful contribution to make. They came not only from the city, but from across the spectrum - individuals at the household level; the private sector; the municipality; the Ministry of Local Government, and from a number of churches -– Evangelical and Pentecostal/Orthodox, hailing from as far as the East and West Banks and the East Coast of Demerara.

Included among the stakeholders were seven facilitators who were all experts in

SIGNS OF HOPE A unique feature of the consultation was that the following parameters were set for the discussions: They should be strictly apolitical (no partisan politics), and rather than operating in an environment of pessimism or ‘spelling gloom and doom’, it should be done within the parameters of ‘Signs of Hope’ (highlighting things that are working, and moreso encouraging them) and ‘Points of Need’ (focusing on how there can be a coming-together to help).

The recent massive clean-up of Le Repentir Cemetery was identified as a success story.

Likewise, the consultation wholeheartedly commended the initiative of the billion-dollar clean-up of the city and strongly recommended the sustenance of this initiative.

Throughout the intervention, immense goodwill and equanimity flowed. At conclusion of the consultation, participants committed to personally becoming involved in solid

waste management, wherever possible, in the communities where they live, work, and in their places of worship.

Summing up the discussions, Rev Massiah projected the energetic conviction that: “It’s a win-win situation for the consultation.” He added, “We believe that all those who attended are passionate about this, and want to make the difference. We want to see how best we can help rid this city of the wanton build-up and

bring a more durable type of plastic bags which could be recycled for further shopping, and not be indiscriminately dumped. * That there should be a return to the use of shopping baskets, which would hopefully minimise the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags.

The consultation further took these approaches: * Decried the practice of persons hiring

Stakeholders at the City Waste Management Consultation on Solid Waste Management held at Generation Next last week. Seated from left are Rev. Dil Mohamed of Kitty Assembly of God; Rev. Winston Assanah of First Assembly of God; Rev. Morris Grant, Head of the Guyana Council of Churches; and Rev. Murtland Raphael Massiah, Head of First Assembly of God spread of solid waste.”

And on a note of encouragement to those stakeholders who are currently working on improving the aesthetics of the city, he said: “We believe that a ‘Sign of Hope’ is like what’s happening in the cemetery. And we don’t only want to see the cemetery cleared; we encourage it; we applaud it; but we want to see it sustained, and we must be committed.”

Meanwhile, other groups have already signalled to the consultation their interest in what is being done. “My prayer is that they will be invited to the table, where their views and counsel could be sought and implemented.” Rev. Massiah said.

Noting that there is tremendous goodwill for this city and the nation, he added, “…and we will watch for those who want to pollute it.”

The expected outcomes of the consultation were: * That every citizen should become imbued with a greater sense of awareness of their civic responsibility in relation to keeping the environment litter-free, and should strive to develop a passion for beautification of the environment. * That solid waste management should be introduced in the education system from the nursery to the tertiary level. * That there should be greater collaboration and cohesiveness among stakeholders relative to executing the job of collection and disposal of waste in a timely and socially acceptable manner * That solid waste (garbage) should be collected at nights or in the wee hours of the morning, so as to avoid movement of garbage trucks in the streets during the day. * That there is need for a recycling plant or other such facility to recycle plastics and other non-biodegradable waste. This can, as well, prove to be an effective revenue-earning initiative. * That importers/distributors of plastic shopping containers should be encouraged to

‘junkies’ to dump waste at street corners and in alleyways at nights. * Supported the need for fast food cups, boxes and other food containers, which constitute a large component of the solid waste, to be made of bio-degradable material. * Commended the training of litter wardens and the move at increasing fines for persons found littering

Facilitator Mr. Gordon Gilkes of the Ministry of Local Government makes a presentation on “What is Solid Waste Management” * Felt that motorists (especially minibus operatives) should be encouraged to have trash bins in their vehicles, for which they would take responsibility and caution commuters against throwing litter out of vehicle windows.

The consultation is to have a followup meeting in the near future. (Shirley Thomas)

16

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Most pumps and sluices in Region 4 functional

-Siltation, improper solid waste disposal posing problems

MOST of the pumps and sluices across Region 4 which will aid in reducing water levels after Thursday’s flooding, are fully functional and operational.

yesterday, all the pump stations and sluices within Region 4.

At the Liliendaal pump station, he noted that all the pumps are fully operational, and they were servicing a number of neighbouring areas.

As it relates to the Kitty pump station, Whittaker explained that it is currently working, but assistance is being sought by the Ministry of Agriculture to have the channels leading to the pumps desilted, because siltation is impeding to

some extent, the flow of water during the fallen tide.

“There is the forestry pump at the Kingston pump station. But there are issues to do with the siltation of the outfall, but the pump when put into operation, and that is after the sluice door is open, does help with the rapid reduction of water,” the minister said.

He further explained that Lamaha Street is an area for some concern because it is not functioning p r e s e n t l y. H o w e v e r , coming down to the Church

Street sluice, there is heavy siltation, but the water in the canal is being diverted to the JP Santos Canal and there has been some measures of relief there, he told reporters.

The pumps at Princess Street which he explained were recently repaired by the mechanical workshop of the City Council, with assistance from the Ministry of Public Works, are in operation. “Then we have the Ruimveldt doubledoor sluice. The two sluices at this location as the name

suggests are all functional,” Whittaker disclosed.

In River View, the pump is out of operation, he said, adding that this is due to the leaking of hydraulic oil from the foot of the pump.

However, he assured that some work is being done on it.

He concluded that the Meadow Bank sluice on which repairs and replacement of the sluice door had been done some time ago, is in working order.

As such, the Local

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker This was according to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, yesterday at a press conference held at the Local Government Ministry.

According to Minster W h i t t a k e r, a t e a m o f which he was a part visited

One of the mobile pump which is currently aiding in the reduction of floodwater

Government Minister posited that what is evident is that most of the pumps and sluice doors are functional within this region. He stressed however that there are currently issues pertaining to siltation, and improper waste disposal, not only at the mouth of the sluice, but also within the internal drains and canals in the city.

To t h i s e x t e n t , h e revealed that his team had been informed Thursday that the existing drainage system is designed to remove about one and one half inches of water for 24 hours. However, the Hydromet office had informed them that what had been experienced on Thursday was something around 7.6 inches of rainfall.

“We are taking all measures possible to ensure the free flow of the water. And part of that is to remove garbage from the roadways and drains.

Part of it is also working to remove garbage that is hindering the free movement of water in areas where we have concrete bridges and are not too easily accessed,” the minister said.

Clean Up My Country programme gave city increased capacity to store water THE $500M Clean-Up My Country Programme has allowed for a greater capacity of the city to store water; but care must be taken to keep the city’s drainage network free from overgrowth and garbage.

Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD) Minister, Norman Whittaker, addressing questions posed by the media at Thursday’s press conference held in the LGRD Ministry’s boardroom said: “We have challenged some Guyanese who continue to litter and throw their garbage all over. I, too, traverse Georgetown, and if you go by King and Robb streets, go along Manget Place, in South (Ruimveldt) and some areas that were recently cleaned, it is Guyanese who have done that!” (littered) He told reporters that Guyanese have seen what happens when they litter and it rains, since drains and canals become clogged with garbage, and it takes longer to drain when

flooded.

The minister said: “From Wednesday night to Thursday, we had an unusually high volume of rainfall, which accumulated; and if we had not made the efforts that we did by cleaning drains etc. by removing significant amounts of garbage, one never knows (whether) the situation would have been far worse than it is.”

Whittaker said Guyanese have learnt about the interventions being made, and there are some things they don’t have control over; for example, more rains. He said the authorities will review the weather predictions and see what unfolds in the next couple of days, since they have no control over that; but they have some control over getting the water to recede.

He added that during his visit to sluices in the city on Thursday morning, he observed some evidence of silting; and in some areas there was no battery to work the pump. He

said the Acting Town Clerk was informed about the situation, and it will be addressed in the shortest possible time.

As a nation, we will rise above this situation, he said.

The minister told a previous press conference that the $500M allocated to the cleanup of Georgetown was never intended to prevent flooding, but was intended to improve the aesthetics and sanitation of the City by way of getting rid of its overgrown vegetation and garbage. However, during consultations, community coordinators made representation to improve drainage within the communities, and this was facilitated.

Whittaker said that if the efforts under the clean-up programme were not undertaken, removing tonnes of garbage from communities within the City, the flood situation would have been worse.

He also pointed out that the City’s drainage system is over 100 years old, and it

was built to accommodate only 1½ inches of rainfall per day. This flood’s rainfall exceeded that amount in mere hours.

Some areas experienced more than six inches of rainfall. Minister Whittaker elaborated that, under the “Clean-Up My Country” Programme, drains in communities where widened where necessary, and deepened to discharge the water at a faster rate. As a result, water is receding overall at a faster rate from those communities.

Whittaker was accompanied by Minister Robeson Benn and Acting Town Clerk, Carol Sooba on his visit to the several kokers in the City to ensure they are working efficiently.

According to the City Engineer, “all kokers were opened on time.”

Georgetown was put on priority list for cleanup, since the Central Government had seen the continuous reluctance of the Georgetown Municipality to improve the sanitation and aesthetics of the city. (Michel Outridge)

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GPF has effective plan to deal with busy Xmas raffic–Traffic Chief TRAFFIC Chief, Hugh Denhert on Monday said that in addition to the Christmas Season’s traffic policing plan that has been presented to the media and members of the business community on Monday; the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will make changes as it sees fit to ease traffic congestion in Georgetown and its environs.

He also said that any changes the GPF makes to the plan will be made known via the media, so the public will be informed.

During Denhert’s Monday presentation at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, he said that in an effort to maintain a free flow of traffic, it was necessary to keep traffic congestion at a minimum as far as is practicable in Georgetown and its environs.

The Guyana Po- Traffic Chief Hugh Denhert lice Force has in place measures to achieve this objective, he added.

He disclosed that the GPF intends to keep traffic accidents at a minimum by ensuring stringent obedience to traffic laws through education and enforcement. The Force intends to implement measures against such offences as: 1. Driving under the influence of alcohol-the breathalyser applies; 2. Speeding - the radar gun applies; 3. Using hand-held mobile phones whilst driving; 4. Overloading minibuses/hire cars; 5. Touts operating at bus parks.

Denhert explained that in all Divisions, cars and motor cycles will be on day and night patrols, and foot patrols will be utilised as far as is practicable to deter potential errant road users.

ILLEGAL PARKING He pointed out that in Georgetown, a crash truck will be used to tow away illegally parked vehicles, wheel clamps will be used and vehicle escorts will be provided as needed.

The Traffic Chief said the GPF has since divided the city into four sectors to be equally policed by traffic ranks on a shift system, and there will also be senior officers present with the ranks.

Traffic congestion in Georgetown

Local pig-rearers get specialised training in value-added pork processing

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-compliments of the De Mendonca trio, Guyanese professionals living in USA

THREE members of a Guyanese family, all trained professionals, have launched a programme to give back to their community by offering their skills in rural development, food technology and business to small scale pig rearers, to add value to their products and improve the bottom line of their businesses.

The three siblings are Dr. Aubrey De Mendonca, Associate Professor of Food Science at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, USA; Annette De Mendonca, Senior Computer Systems Analyst at Raritan, New Jersey, USA; and Arnold De Mendonca, Sustainable Rural Development Specialist in the local office of the Inter – American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA).

At their own initiative, they recently staged what they called the first Annual Value Added Pork Production Workshop in Guyana. The event was held at the Carnegie School of Home Economics during three days in the latter half of October, and the beneficiaries were twenty-one pig rearers from across the country, who also received certificates as having acquired skills as pork processors.

The training was provided by the De Mendoncas free of charge.

Arnold DeMendonca, who is based locally, said: “It is well known that adding value to food products is an excellent way to generate added income and realise larger profits, compared to sales of fresh food products.”

Arnold De Mendonca explained that the motive driving himself and two siblings was a desire to give back to the community, not by cash donations to some charity or other, but by offering their skills to those who could benefit most

from learning them, “now that we are professionals.”

The project has enabled the participants to add value to their pig rearing through teaching them how to make pork products which are popular among lovers of pork, sausages, hams etc!

Among the topics covered were sanitation and personal hygiene during production of value added pork products; production of fresh pork sausage; production of smoked, cured ham; important considerations for small business start-up for value added pork products in Guyana; materials and equipment, processing cooking and sampling.

Dr. Aubrey De Mendonca disclosed that porkprocessing techniques practised by the workshop participants were the same techniques taught at the Meats Laboratory at Iowa State University, USA. The De Mendonca trio received support from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development (READ) Project, which selected the participants; and the opening day programme included inspiring remarks delivered to the participants by Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.

Arnold De Mendonca said he and his siblings would stage another programme for pig rearers next year. In the meantime, he said, the possibility existed that farmers and technicians could access overseas training at the Iowa State University, where his brother Aubrey works.

“We are working to see if the fees for the training there can be subsidised, so that we can get a Guyanese or two to attend annually,” he said. (Clifford Stanley)

Berbice Bridge temporarily fixed -but still closed to ocean-going vessels

By Navendra Seoraj REPAIRS are being effected to the Berbice River Bridge after it malfunctioned on Friday evening causing a massive build-up of vehicular traffic.

Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn in an interview yesterday, stated that engineers have temporarily fixed the bridge allowing the passage of vehicles, but it is still closed to ocean- going vessels until further notice.

He added that staffers at the bridge informed him about the incident around 18.00hrs on Friday.

Benn disclosed that the ministry had received assistance from engineers who are attached to the Demerara Harbour Bridge and also the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

He stated that the problem involving a retractor span, is expected to be resolved in a matter of days.

The minister noted that “It appears as though the programmable logic controller on one of the units which close the bridge developed a defect and it could not close after a vessel [had] passed.”

He added that the repairs done to the bridge on Friday evening were temporary and works are continuing to

rehabilitate the bridge in order to make it fully functional again.

Benn explained that the company has been in contact with the builders of the bridge and suppliers of parts and therefore he expects a full recovery within a few days.

The management of the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. said in a release on Friday evening that they sincerely regretted the breakdown and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

The Berbice River Bridge

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

What you need to know about Diabetes Dr. Kumar Sukhraj WHEN a person found out that he or she is diagnose with diabetes, it must have been very upsetting. For people who don’t know much about diabetes may ask the question, “What is it?” The word diabetes may have reminded you of a family member or friend who became blind or lost a leg because of diabetes; or of someone working with you who has to watch what he eats because of diabetes; or a cricket friend who has diabetes but is still the best player on your team. So it is common for the following questions to be asked: “What is diabetes?” “What causes diabetes?” “How can I know if I have diabetes?” “Will it go away?” Can I still do the things I enjoy doing?” “Can I still keep my job?” “What lies ahead?” etc.

Whatever your thoughts are, it’s only natural to have a lot of questions. Diabetes is a serious illness and there is no cure, however it is manageable and once it is controlled, people living with diabetes have a normal life ahead.

Taking care of your diabetes will not always be easy, and you should strictly follow the instruction of your health care provider and then you are on way to challenge your illness.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a metabolic disorder.

Metabolism refers to the way our bodies use digested food

Dr. Kumar Sukhraj for energy and growth. Most of the food (carbohydrates) that we eat is broken down into smaller units called glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar in the blood and it is the main source of fuel for our bodies.

After digestion of food, the glucose get does into the bloodstream. Our cells use the glucose for energy and growth. However, glucose cannot enter our cells without insulin (a hormone produce by the pancreas) being present.

Insulin makes it possible for the cells of our body to take in the glucose and utilise it.

After we take a meal, the pancreas automatically releases an adequate amount of insulin to move the glucose present in our blood into the

cells and as soon as glucose enters the cells the amount of glucose in our blood drop.

For a person with diabetes the quantity of glucose in the blood is too high because the body does not produce enough insulin and/or has cells that do not respond to insulin produce by the pancreas (type two diabetes), or produces no insulin ( type one diabetes) . As a result there is too much glucose building up in the blood. This excess blood glucose eventually passes out of the body in urine. So, even though the blood has plenty of glucose, the cells are not getting it for their essential energy and growth requirements.

How can I know if I

have Diabetes? Signs and Symptoms People can often have diabetes and be completely unaware. The main reason for this is that the symptoms, when seen on their own, seem harmless. However, the earlier a person is diagnosed with diabetes the greater the chances are that serious complications, which can result from having diabetes, can be avoided. Many of the signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar. In both, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. Sometimes there may be no signs and people may be living with diabetes for many years and only seek medical help when a complication occurs. Some of the signs commonly experienced include: • Frequent urinationAre you visiting the bathroom much more lately? Does it seem like you urinate all day long? Urination becomes more frequent when there is too much glucose in the blood.

• Excessive thirst - If it feels like you can't get enough water and you're drinking much more than usual, it could be a sign of diabetes, especially if it seems to go hand in hand with frequent urination. If your body is pulling extra water out of your blood and you're running to the bathroom more, you will become dehydrated and feel the need to drink more to replace the water that you are losing.

• Increased hunger – you may tend to eat more than usual.

• Weight loss - The body desperately looks for an energy source because the cells aren't getting enough glucose. It starts to break down muscle tissue and fat for energy and as such you may lose body mass.

• Tiredness, weakness and lack of interest and concentration - When the insulin isn't there or if the cells don't react to it anymore, then the glucose stays outside the cells in the bloodstream. The cells become energy starved and you feel tired and run down.

• A tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet- This symptom is called neuropathy. It occurs gradually over time as consistently high glucose in the blood damages the nervous system, particularly in the extremities.

Nerve damage can creep up without our knowledge.

• Blurred vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal, vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu) are also signs that something many may take for granted. When these signs are associated with diabetes, they are the result of high glucose levels in the body.

In addition to the above mentioned signs and symptoms, diabetes can be diagnosed or confirmed with the following tests from a medical laboratory.

1. Fasting plasma glucose level ≥ 7.0 mmol/l (126 mg/dl) (this is the blood glucose reading after eight hour fasting)

2.

Plasma glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dL) two hours after a 75 g oral glucose load as in a glucose tolerance test 3. Symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) and casual blood glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl) 4. Glycatedhemoglobin (Hb A1C) ≥ 6.5%. (A lab test that shows the average level of blood sugar (glucose) over the previous 3 months. It shows how well you are controlling your diabetes).

If you show these signs and symptoms and/or have any of the mentioned laboratory findings,you need to consult a health professional.He or she will be able to tell you if you have reason to be concerned about a diagnosis of diabetes.

Please feel free to send an email to kumarsukhraj@ yahoo.com or call 6228032 for further enquiry and discussion on the topic. Patient education plays an important in the diagnosis and management of diabetes and any other illness. Please look forward for a continuation of the discussion on diabetes in the next publication.

References: 1. Williams textbook of endocrinology (12th ed.).

Philadelphia: Elsevier/Saunders. pp. 1371–1435.

2. International Diabetes Federation. 17 March 2006.

3. "Diabetes Care" January 2010". American Diabetes Association. Retrieved 2010-01-29.

Richard Dey died from shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot injuries –- PME Report RICHARD Dey, gunned down a stone’s throw from his home at Rodney Dam, Mount Sinai, West Canje Berbice last Saturday, died as a result of a shot fired from close range from a gun that was pressed to the left side of his neck in the vicinity of the clavicle [collar bone].

The explosion blew apart a portion of his brain, and death was instantaneous.

Government Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who performed the

Richard Day post-mortem at the Anthony Funeral Home at Fort Wellington, WCB, reported that death was as a result of shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot injuries.

Police ‘B’ Division Commander, Brian Joseph reported that four persons arrested in connection with the incident, including a teenager, have since been released. However, the probe continues, and sleuths are looking at other sources with whom the deceased may have been employed.

Dey, a forty-year-old father of two, had, moments before his death last Saturday, dispatched bags of goodies to several friends in

commemoration of his son’s one-year birthday. He had returned home with his wife Ongel Lindie and their two children just after 20:30hrs.

Two hours later, he left the home and was walking toward his car, parked 100 metres away, when he met his demise.

Sources allege that just before Dey was shot, someone was overheard saying, ‘Let me see what the [expletive] you will do now,’ before an explosion was heard.

After the shot had been fired, the injured man’s wife allegedly called out to him but got no response.

Seconds later, a teenager who frequents the unlit walkway reportedly told Dey’s wife that Dey was lying motionless on the track with what seemed to be blood gushing from a wound to his neck.

D e y ’s l e f t h a n d clutched a cigarette and a lighter, while his right hand clutched his car key.

His cellular phone was the

only article missing from his person. His wife had reportedly telephoned his number moments after hearing the gunshot, but the call was transferred to voicemail. She, having peered through a window and seeing the car parked, had assumed that her husband was seated within the vehicle and was talking to someone on the phone.

However, after receiving the teen’s report, she ventured outside and, aided by a light from a cellular phone, saw her husband lying motionless in an earthen drain.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

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National Youth Awards Ceremony‌

Youths honoured for outstanding community work THE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) in collaboration with Digicel and CUSO International yesterday held their annual National Youth Awards Ceremony at the National Cultural Centre, where some outstanding youngsters between the ages of 14-29 were honoured for work in their communities and also for other purposes.

Present at the ceremony were Cuso International representative, Ms. Melanie Mc Turk, Director of Youth, Ms. Gillian Frank and other officials and invitees.

In brief remarks, an official from the MCYS, Germaine Watson, noted that the Government of Guyana and particularly the MCYS and other organisations have seen

CUSO representative, Ms. Melanie Mc Turk delivers her address the efforts of Guyanese youths who contribute to the development of the country.

Watson noted that as a result of this recognition, the MCYS along with CUSO International Developed the Volunteerism Support Platform whereby youths could show their passion for volunteering and assisting in any way possible.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Gillian Frank noted that it is evident that youths have been on the development agenda.

She noted that the MCYS has been working diligently to remove the barriers that are blocking the path to the development of youths in Guyana.

Frank added that the National Youth Awards aim to recognise the achievements of youths and also highlight their outstanding work.

She noted that this group of awardees has been selected according to their performance in society mainly in terms of how they have helped in providing social services to members of the community, She said that these social services entailed showing their leadership abilities within the community and also training other youths to be leaders through various initiatives.

In closing, Frank noted that this is just another step in trying to increase the level of volunteerism and also

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The awardees along with officials of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and others (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo) building the self-esteem of youths in Guyana by honouring them for their great work.

The awardees comprised youths from all parts of Guyana; some of the awardees included Renato Shrikumar, Alicia Daniels, and Alicia Solomon, just to list a few.

CUSO representative Ms. Melanie Mc Turk noted that they (CUSO) themselves are a volunteering group and it is a joy to see so many youths participating in voluntary exercises and other outstanding activities.

She noted that CUSO will be working with the MCYS and the Ministry of Education in order to promote volunteerism in schools across Guyana.

In closing, Mc Turk stated that volunteerism reduces poverty and also inequality, so she therefore urged persons to come out and participate in voluntary exercises in order to better Guyana and also better the world as a whole.

Director of Youth, Ms. Gillian Frank, addresses the audience

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MACORP celebrates first anniversary of Port Kaituma operations

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

MACHINERY Corporation of Guyana Limited (MACORP), the sole, authorised dealer for Caterpillar machinery, on Thursday celebrated its first anniversary of keeping the operations of miners running in Port Kaituma, Region 1 (Barima/ Waini).

Some 12 months ago, MACORP launched the $100M investment, with their main aim of being able to contribute to the further development of the local mining sector, as well as provide advice and solutions that add value for users of its equipment.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on the celebration in Port Kaituma, Asif Sahid, Parts Manager of MACORP, expressed their sincerest “thank you” to all and they related that they will humbly continue to provide the required products and social support to the increasing client base and developing community to ensuring that they are successful in their business and everyday lives.

He noted that “Customers are enjoying less downtime in the mines, easier and more affordable access to spares and access to the many integrated solutions offered under our preventative maintenance scheme, which lends to the reduction of harmful mining practices. The residents are [benefiting] and will continue to benefit from our community-enhancement projects,” he assured.

Sahid noted too that their presence in Port Kaituma has not only assisted the mining sector, but they were also able to fulfill their corporate responsibility t o t h e c o m m u n i t y. H e explained that MACORP provides a total life cycle value by offering sustainable products, engines, components, services and solutions.

“Our products are of exceptional quality and performance, unmatched

reliability, and unparalleled support which assist our customers to move ahead.”

At the commissioning of the Port Kaituma operations a year ago, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud’s challenge to MACORP was: “If you w a n t m i n i n g t o s t a y, progress, and be efficient, you must also ensure that it is done in accordance with our laws, our regulations, and also with good mining practices so an integrated solution must run the entire gamut that is concerned and connected with responsible mining.”

Through all its years of operation in Guyana, MACORP has been very active in the country’s development, contributing directly with technical support and equipment supply to the most important productive sectors – mining, agriculture, road construction; basic industry, marine, forestry and electricity generation.

MACORP has established locations at Bartica and Port Kaituma with their

head office located at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara.

For 20 years M A C O R P, t h e o n l y authorised Caterpillar

dealer has been leading Guyana’s development and fuelling the success of stakeholders by directly providing integral equipment

and product support solutions. MACORP has been rewarded for their outstanding performance and contribution to the development of

Guyana and for the professional training of their employees. To learn more, visit macorpcat. com or follow MacorpCat on Twitter.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Ecotourism and SIDS SMALL Island Developing States (SIDS) are some of the world’s most beautiful places on earth, their lush forests, tranquil blue waters, sandy beaches, tropical fruits and many more delightful treasures hidden within their bosoms make them some of the most travelled tourist destinations. Nature’s beauty is exemplified in

the rich biodiversity of SIDS from continent to continent.

Because of their natural wealth, the majority of SIDS has been able to chart a development course dependent on tourism as thebackbone their economies. However, traditional tourism often causes negative impacts including destruction of important re-

sources such as mangroves, wetlands, coral reefs. Further, it compromises water resources due to the discharge of raw sewage from hotels and cruise ships into the sea. These actions destroy the home and natural setting of many plant and animal species, leading to their endangerment and even extinction.

In order to preserve the

environment while still ensuring the economy grows, SIDS now promote a form of tourism called ecotourism which is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990) Ecotourism ensures that those of us who are privileged enough to enjoy such bounty do so with care and caution. Here are a few principles of ecotourism:

See Page 25

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GUYANA CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Ecotourism and ... and funds to help protect that particular area.

Ecotourism unites conservation, communities, and sustainable traveland is integral to the future of SIDS, hence, visitors to these countries need to consider the sites they visit and the activities they spend their money on while there.

However, for ecotourism to thrive it must be properly regulated and managed to protect against adverse environmental and cultural effects that can come with overbuilding of tourist facilities and influx of populations around fragile ecosystems.

Ecotourism in SIDS

From Page 24 • E c o t o u r i s m should inform tourists about what is needed to sustain the environment they are visiting.

• Ecotourism should also help local populations understand the importance and value of their home.

• E c o t o u r i s m should promote environmental stewardship by encouraging travellers to be mindful of wasting resources and polluting the environment.

• E c o t o u r i s m should help local economies by generating revenue and jobs, which further encourages the local population to preserve its environment.

It is important to point out that ecotourism is not just a visit to a natural area but it must raise awareness

should therefore be supported since it has the potential to generate much needed revenue that will protect the natural habitats that residents of these states are so heavily reliant on.

Let’s continue to enjoy nature’s treasures in a responsible and inclusive environment for all!

Share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com http://marinebio.org/ oceans/conservation/sustainable-tourism/ h t t p : / / w w w. i n t e chopen.com/books/advances

Sunday November 23, 2014 – 05:30hrs Monday November 24, 2014 – 05:00hrs Tuesday November 25, 2014 – 05:00hrs

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Deonarine, Chanderpaul and Peters shine...

From Back Page Leeward Islands.

At the other end of the pitch, a subtle looking Chanderpaul played within his limits, easing the faster bowlers through the gaps for ones and twos, moving within two runs of his 127th first class half century before lunch, reaching there after the break from 185 balls and 259 minutes, hitting two fours before Deon-

arine was lbw to a Pascal delivery that came back at 263 for 4.

Deonarine faced 293 balls for his 139 while batting for 369minutes, during which time he would have struck 15 fours, adding 153 for the fourth wicket with Chanderpaul who was later lbw to Kenroy Peters for 62 (220b, 3x4) at 270 for 5.

A double strike by Matthews accounted for Reifer (02) and Anthony Bramble who went for a first ball duck, leaving Guyana on 276 for 7, as Veerasammy Permaul strolled to the wicket and avoided the hat-trick with ease.

But just as they did in the first round against the Leeward Islands, the Jaguars folded meekly after the luncheon break, losing their last seven wickets for a mere 48 runs, as Peters ended with 5 for 36, Matthews 3 for 29 and Pascal 2 for 53 for the Volcanoes, while Barnwell was unbeaten on 18.

Asked to bat the final session on the second day, the visitors saw Smith hitting Ronsford Beaton for three fours in the first over, followed by two more in Reifer’s third over as they raced to 33 for 1 before Deonarine trapped Smith lbw for 29 (26balls, 6x4).

Theophile was next to go, bowled by Permaul for 21 at 60 for 2 in the 24th over, as the Jaguars fought back to keep the Volcanoes in check from erupting after Smith’s raucous start, reducing them to 63 for 2 at the close, with Andre Fletcher and Peters as their not out batsmen on 9 and 2 respectively.

Narsingh Deonarine

Guyana Jaguars 1st innings (O/night 168 for 3) R. Chandrika b Pascal 05 A. Fudadin lbw b Matthews 34 L. Johnson c (sub) b Peters 19 N. Deonarine lbw b Pascal 139 S. Chanderpaul lbw b Peters 62 R. Reifer c&b Matthews 02 C. Barnwell not out 18 A . Bramble lbw b Matthews 00 V. Permaul c wkpr James b Peters 01 D. Bishoo c Theophile b Peters 00 R. Beaton lbw b Peters 01 Extras (nb-8, b-2) 10 Total (all out off 129.1 overs) 291 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Chandrika, 1.4), 2-39 (Johnson, 14.2), 3-110 (Fudadin, 40.5), 4-263 (Deonarine, 108.0), 5-270 (S. Chanderpaul 113.3), 6-276 (Reifer, 116.2), 7-276 (Bramble,

116.3), 8-277 (Permaul, 119.5), 9-277 (Bishoo, 120.0), 10-291 (Beaton, 129.1) Bowling: Matthews 228-29-3, Pascal 17-4-53-2 (nb-5), Peters 21.1-1036-5 (nb-1), Bobb 302-74-0, Sebastien 326-75-0 (nb-2), Fletcher 1-0-6-0, Theophile 6-216-0 Windward Islands Volcanoes 1st Innings D. Smith lbw b Deonarine 29 T. Theophile b Permaul 21 A. Fletcher not out 09 K. Peters not out 02 Extras (nb-2) 02 Total (for 2 wickets off 32 overs) 63 Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Smith, 7.4), 2-60 (Theophile, 24.0), To Bat: S. Ambris, R. Currency, L. Sebastien, L . James, A. Bobb, M. Matthews, N. Pascal Bowling: Beaton 3-116-0, Reifer 3-1-12-0, Deonarine 8-4-12-1, Permaul 8-6-4-1, Bishoo 10-4-19-0(nb-2)

Notable Dates

NINETEEN days after his 23rd birthday, NBA cruiserweight champion Andre `Stone’ Purlette, humbled Elton Singleton in four rounds in Hollywood, Florida.

The fight was held on November 23, 1996 and was stopped in round four to avoid further punishment to Singleton. It was the fifth bout that year for the power-puncher from Guyana, who had moved to the USA approximately one year earlier.

Before meeting the lowly rated Singleton, Purlette had racked up 12 victories (all by knockouts) and had won one fight against Vidal Rawlins via disqualification.

He moved up in weight to win the World Boxing Organisation NABO heavyweight title. He stopped fighting in 2009 and is now a fitness trainer in the USA.

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Chelsea win to stay top as City, United enjoy victories

By Mike Collett LONDON, (Reuters) Chelsea beat West Bromwich Albion to stay top of the Premier League yesterday while champions Manchester City kept the leaders in their sights and Manchester United demonstrated they are not out of the title race yet.

Chelsea played some dazzling football to easily beat West Brom 2-0 at Stamford Bridge with goals from Diego Costa and Eden Hazard to stretch their unbeaten start to the season to 18 matches in all competitions.

City came from behind to defeat Swansea City 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium with Yaya Toure scoring the winner, while United, who have struggled since Louis van Gaal took over, won 2-1 at Arsenal to climb to fourth with their first away win under the Dutch coach.

Arsenal, who have not

up the table with a 1-0 win over bottom-placed Queens Park Rangers.

Chelsea’s Diego Costa (C) scores a goal during their English Premier League soccer match against West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge in London, yesterday.

Credit: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett finished outside the top four since 1996, slipped to eighth on 17 points -- their lowest tally after 12 matches for 32 years.

Chelsea lead the table with 32 points from 12 games, followed by South-

ampton, who have 25 from 11 and play at Aston Villa tomorrow.

City have 24 points and United have 19, ahead of Newcastle United on goal difference. Newcastle, who are fifth, continued their rise

TITLE FAVOURITES Although there are still 26 matches left, Chelsea reinforced their position as overwhelming title favourites by demolishing West Brom, who were already 2-0 down when they had defender Claudio Yacob red-carded for a two-footed lunge on Costa.

After seeing his team make it six league wins out of six at home, manager Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports: “We played spectacular high quality football in the first half.”

Across London in the evening kickoff, United did not sparkle like Chelsea but they eked out the result they craved at Arsenal, who lost at home in the league for the first time since the opening day of last season.

BCB/NBS second div cricket in Berbice

Corriverton through to semis, Cotton Tree Die Hard advances from tied match C O R R I V E RTO N a n d Cotton Tree Die Hard are the first two teams to reach the semifinals of this year’s New Building Society Limited (NBS) Second Division 40- Overs cricket competition for teams in Berbice after defeating Police and N0. 64 Fighting Marines respectively in their quarter-final encounter.

For Corriverton, medium pacer Errol Byass took 4 for 23, which together with 3 for 26 from pacer Jermain Reid, saw Police restricted to 140 in 31.1 overs, with number 3 batsman Kwesi Mickle hitting 58 (5 fours and 2 sixes).

When Corriverton replied, they lost Jeremy Moore for 8 with just 12 runs on the board. Anthony Seeraj joined the other opener Byass and together they put on 62 for the second

Clavern Beresford

Kwesi Mickle

wicket before Seeraj went for 20.

Clavern Beresford came to the crease and along with Byass they clobbered the bowling to all parts of the ground with an unbroken 3rdwicket partnership of 68, to see their team comfortably home with Beresford finishing on 58 n.o and Byass 38 n. o.

In the other quarter- final, there was an exciting tie with both teams, Cotton

Tree Die Hard and No. 64 Fighting Marines finishing on 188 all out, the result in this case according to the competition rules had to be decided by the scores at the end of the first 15 overs with Cotton Tree making 88 runs to edge out No. 64 Fighting Marines by one single run to be declared winner.

In summarised scores: At No. 73, Corriverton beat Police by 8 wickets.

Police 140 all out in 31.1 overs with Kwesi Mickle

58. Errol Byass 4 for 23 and Jermain Reid 3 for 26. Corriverton replied with 142 for 2 in 17.3 overs with Clavern Beresford 50 n.o and Errol Byass 38 n.o.

At the Tagore Memorial Secondary School Ground, the match between No. 64 Fighting Marines and Cotton Tree Die Hard played to a tie, but the latter team was declared winners after scoring 88 runs in the first 15 overs, edging the host by 1 run.

Cotton Tree Die Hard 188 in 31.4 overs with Pooran Persaud 45. Ryan Joseph took 4 for 25 and Kumar Chand 3 for 35.

No. 64 Fighting Marines 188 all out in 35 overs with Stanley Embrack 37, Ryan Joseph 28 and Kumar Chand 26. Afzal Haroon 3 for 30. Totaram Suknanan 2 for 44.

Arsenal had plenty of chances to win but wasted all of them and went behind in the 56th minute when Kieran Gibbs sent a deflected cross flying past his own goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who later went off injured.

Replacement keeper Emiliano Martinez could not stop Rooney completing a great week by making it 2-0 after a United counter-attack in the 85th minute.

Rooney won his 100th cap for England versus Slovenia last Saturday and on Tuesday against Scotland scored his 46th goal to move to third on England’s all-time scoring list.

Arsenal came back when Olivier Giroud, on as a substitute after a three-month injury absence with a broken leg, scored with a stunning 22-metre strike but United held on for the win.

Van Gaal told the BBC: “I think it is a fantastic victory at the right moment. We have a lot of injuries but despite that we won a difficult

away match.

“At the end, I can laugh but you can imagine if they score one of four or five chances in the first half then it is a different game.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger added: “It was one-way traffic and we lost the game, we have to take it on the chin. I know we’ll be criticised for it but you have to respect the energy levels we put in.”

West Ham United, who started the day in fourth place, ended it in sixth after losing 2-1 at Everton who made it seven matches without defeat in all competitions.

Leon Osman scored the winner on his 400th club appearance. In the d a y ’s o t h e r m a t c h e s , Burnley won 2-1 at Stoke City, with Danny Ings scoring twice inside two minutes in the first half, and Leicester City, who have not scored for five league matches, drew 0-0 with Sunderland.

Messi equals La Liga scoring record of 251 goals

BARCELONA,(Reuters) Lionel Messi equalled the La Liga scoring record of 251 goals when he gave Barcelona a 1-0 lead with a superb free kick in the 21st minute of yesterday’s match at home to Sevilla.

The record was set by former Athletic Bilbao striker Telmo Zarra in 1955 in the Spaniard’s 15th and final season with the Basque club.

Zarra scored his 251 goals in 277 appearances, while Barca and Argentina captain Messi needed 289 games.

Forward Messi, 27, equalled the record with a typically breathtaking strike, curling a left-footed shot around the wall and past Sevilla goalkeeper Beto into the net.

Lionel Messi The four-times World Player of the Year has scored 205 goals with his favoured left foot, 37 with his right, eight with his head and one, which should have been ruled out, with his hand.

He matched former Real Madrid and Schalke 04 forward Raul’s Champions League scoring record of 71 goals last month.

36

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Cycling season closes today with Diamond Mineral Water 50-mile event THE 2014 cycling season will close today with the staging of the 15th annual Diamond Mineral Water 50-mile road race in the West Demerara area, and is being coordinated by national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed.

The race starts from outside the Wales Police Station at 08:00 hrs and from there the senior and junior riders will proceed to Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo and turn back to finish by the Demerara Harbour Bridge, while the veterans, mountain bikers and ladies will turn back at Uitvlugt and finish at the same location as the seniors and juniors.

Warren McKay won the event last year in a time of one hour, 54 minutes .08 seconds and will be looking to repeat last year’s feat.

However, he will have to be wary of Hamza Eastman who has had a reasonable season so far this year and

who won the just concluded Guyana Teachers Union/ Ministry of Education’s 40mile road race event in the National Schools Track and Field, Cycling and Swimming Championships.

Eastman was the first junior to cross the finish line in last year’s edition of

the event.

Apart from Eastman, McKay will also have to contend with Paul DeNobrega, Alonzo Greaves, Marlon `Fishy’ Williams and Orville Hinds among others.

Esau Oselmo won the veterans Under- 50 years category, while Ozia

Moeen Ali stars in England warm-up win Last year’s winner Warren McKay

Kennard Memorial Turf Club unveils Boxing Day horse race programme …entries close on December 20 MEMBERS of the Organising Committee within the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC), have confirmed and released a seven-race programme for the Club’s traditional Boxing Day horse race meeting set for December 26th at their Bush Lot, Corentyne track.

Horses classified A3 and Lower will do battle in the feature event or the seventh and final race on the day’s programme, covering a distance of seven furlongs for a first place prize of G$1M, with the second to fourth place finishers pocketing $500,000, $250,000 and $125,000 respectively, while paying an entrance fee of $37,000.

Other events billed for the day are the D3 and Lower with a winning purse of $500,000, the G3 and Lower which has at stake $300,000 for the winner, with both races going a distance of five furlongs, the same distance horses classified J3 and Lower will cover for a top prize of $200,000.

The owner of the winning horse for the I1 and Lower, J1 and Lower and G1 and Lower races, will collect $250,000, $200,000, and $320,000 respectively and registration for this event closes on December 20, with no late entries being accepted.

Horses can be entered through Roopnarine Matadial on 325-3192; Ivan Dipnarine on 331-0316; Cecil Kennard on 623-7609, 225-4818 or 226-1399; Dennis Deroop on 325-3301 or 609-9143; and Fazil Habibullah on 657-7010.

Horse owners are reminded that all races on the day’s programme will be contested under the rules and regulations of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority and in the event there are less than five horses entered for any event, the Club reserves the right to cancel the event or reduce the prize money, only after consulting the horse owners.

Horse owners are also reminded that five horses must start a race before a third place prize is paid, with an additional two horses starting any event if a fourth place prize is paid, while a fee of $5,000 must be paid at the time of entry if any horse’ name is to appear on the official programme.

MOEEN Ali cracked a 21ball fifty and took three wickets as England completed a resounding victory over Sri Lanka A. Moeen, preferred to Alex Hales as Alastair Cook’s opening partner, hit six fours from his first six legitimate balls on his way to 56 in Colombo.

England limited the hosts to 198-6 off 43 overs after rain delayed the start.

The tourists cruised to 145-2 in 25 overs, with Cook making 54, and won by 56 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method when bad light ended play, Left-hander Moeen’s outstanding display justified his selection ahead of Hales as England get ready to begin their preparations for the World Cup in February and March with seven one-day internationals against Sri Lanka.

T h e Wo r c e s t e r s h i r e all-rounder ’s figures of 3-29 from nine overs of off-spin, allied to a miserly 0-20 from eight by seamer Chris Woakes, ensured England were facing a modest target.

And his blistering assault on left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando - whose opening over cost 25 as it contained a wide as well as Moeen’s six boundaries - kick-started their run chase and enabled Cook to accumulate more steadily at the other end.

Moeen completed his 50 at the Sinhalese Sports Club with a huge six off spinner Ramith Rambukwella before Cook reached

Moeen Ali the mark off 58 balls.

After both had been dismissed, Ian Bell made 16 off 35 balls and Joe Root 15 off 16 before the umpires took the players off.

“It was a very good day for the team and I think in all three disciplines, we did pretty well,” Moeen told BBC Sport.

Opening the batting in place of Nottinghamshire’s Hales, the 27-year-old denied he was under pressure to perform.

“I just go out and enjoy my cricket,” he added. “ To d a y c a m e o f f brilliantly, other days it won’t.

“I know a lot of people haven’t seen me opening the batting, but when I do, that’s how I play. Obviously some days I won’t be as explosive.”

England remain in Colombo for their next two games, facing Sri Lanka A again today, this time at the P Sara Oval, before the first one-day international at the R Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday. (BBC Sport)

McAullay won the winner of the mountain bike category.

Jamal John won the Mixed category and Walter `Buck Man’ Issacs was first in the veterans over 60 years category.

The first six finishers overall will be rewarded with trophies and cash incentives, and the top three juniors will be rewarded likewise.

The first three mountain bikers as well as the first three ladies will also be rewarded.

A representative of Demerara Distillers Limited will be on hand to make the presentation of prizes to the respective winners in each of the categories.

Barbados, Jamaica clash hit by rain again LUCAS STREET, Barbados, (CMC) – Heavy rains once again forced the abandonment of play in the WICB Professional Cricket League second round game between Barbados Pride and Jamaica here yesterday.

A strong weather system which moved into the area late Thursday continued to dump torrential rains across the island, leaving the Windward Sports Club ground under water for the second straight day.

Once the weather clears, play on today’s third day is scheduled to bowl off at 9:30 am.

The washout is another big blow for the hosts who also saw their first round game against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force hit by rain in Port of Spain last weekend, resulting in a draw.

With Barbados closing in on victory on the final day, the inclement weather allowed just 14.4 overs at Queen’s Park OvaL.

37

GUYANA CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Rosberg beats Hamilton to Abu Dhabi pole teri Bottas and Felipe Massa failed to split the leading two but could still play a big part in Sunday’s season-ending ‘duel in the desert’ with their cars right behind on the second row.

Hamilton, hoping to become Britain’s first multiple champion since Jackie Stewart in 1971, leads Rosberg by 17 points but the double points on offer means Sunday’s winner will take an unprecedented 50.

The Briton, world champion with McLaren in 2008, was fastest in the first two phases of qualifying but a messy lap in the tense final shootout left him unable to deny Rosberg his 11th pole of the 19-race season.

The pole was the team’s 18th of the campaign, with Brazilian Massa taking the one that got away, and ensured Mercedes became the first engine manufacturer to

take every pole in a season since Ford in 1969.

“It’s only one step, a very small step,” commented Rosberg, who needs someone to get between him and Hamilton in the race to have a chance of winning the title if neither Mercedes has mechanical trouble.

“This weekend is about the championship, not about pole position.

It would have been great if there was a Williams in between us, but that can always happen tomorrow.

“All I can do is try to go for the win and keep the pressure on,” added Rosberg.

Hamilton, winner of 10 races this year to Rosberg’s five but under increasing pressure, has said he wants to take the title with a win and looked unhappy at the outcome.

“I generally didn’t have the best of laps but I enjoyed

Lewis Hamilton the qualifying session,” said the 29-year-old. “Tomorrow is going to be a special day.”

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and four times world champion Sebastian Vettel filled the third row with Toro Rosso’s Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat and

McLaren’s Jenson Button eighth in what could be his last race in Formula One. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard who is set to join McLaren next year, were ninth and 10th respectively.

Guyana women win ...

Nico Rosberg

By Alan Baldwin ABU DHABI,(Reuters) - Nico Rosberg beat title favorite Lewis Hamilton to pole position for the de-

cisive Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix yesterday as the dominant Mercedes team mates locked out the front row in qualifying.

Williams drivers Valt-

From Page 39 Intosh, with a drag to the left and reverse sweep.

With sister Alysa Xavier stopping two Jamaican shooters, Guyanese Captain

India team leave for Australia NEW Delhi: The Indian cricket team left Australian late Friday night but without their wives and girlfriends (WAG’s).

Though, according to few media reports the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might allow the wives to accompany the players later on the tour, after reviewing their decision.

It has also been learnt that a few Indian players have sought BCCI’s permission to let their wives travel with them.

After the 4-1 drubbing India received in the Tests during their England tour, the Indian board decided that there would be restrictions on the number of days,

Virat where wives will be allowed to spend with the players on a foreign tour.

It also proves that BCCI want Indian players to put their entire focus on the job at hand, during their most crucial and toughest outing Down Under.

Kohli India will play a four match Test series against the Aussies, starting from December 4, followed by the ODI tri-series, which include England as well.

In the absence of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli will lead the team in the first Test at Brisbane.

Chantelle Wales stepped up to bury the Jamaicans with a diving finish to give Guyana the 4-2 victory.

Apart from the match boosting Guyana into the playoff for 5th and 6th places versus Barbados, the victory was sweet redemption for Guyana who lost to Jamaica in the CAC games

four years earlier.

In other games, Cuba upstaged favourites Trinidad & Tobago 4-2 in the first women’s semi-final

while surprise of the tournament, the Dominican Republic, secured their place in the final with a 2-0 victory over hosts Mexico.

French Racing Tips

India in Australia 2014-15

Auteuil 08:30 hrs Alex De Larredya 09:00 hrs Erergica 09:30 hrs Mali Borgia 10:08 hrs Kauto Sweety 10:40 hrs Arch Duchess 11:10 hrs Badoudal 11;40 hrs Marketing

09;15 hrs Le Grand Chene 09:45 hrs Formal Bid 10:15 hrs Musical Wedge 10:45 hrs Royale Knight 11:15 hrs Wicklewood 11:45 hrs Big Jim

November 24-25 v Cricket Australia Invitational XI, Glenelg (00:00 GMT) 28-29 v Cricket Australia Invitational XI, Adelaide (00:00 GMT) December 4-8 1st Test, Brisbane (00:00 GMT) 12-16 2nd Test, Adelaide (00:00 GMT) 26-30 3rd Test, Melbourne (23:30 GMT, 2529 Dec) January 3-7 4th Test, Sydney (23:30 GMT, 2-6 Jan

English Racing Tips Exeter 09:05 hrs Brantingham Breeze 09:35 hrs Obistar 10;05 hrs Jupiter Rex 10:35 hrs Highland Retreat 11:05 hrs Upepito 11:35 hrs Pull The Chord 12:05 hrs Jigsaw Financial Towcester 08:45 hrs Ballyhollow

Irish Racing Tips Navan 08:25 hrs Milsean 08:55 hrs Kauto Grand Mogol 09:25 hrs Luddsdenene 09:55 hrs Vautour 10:25 hrs Groody Hill 10:55 hrs Tulsa Jack 11:25 hrs Lyrical Theatre South Africa Racing Tips Scottsville 08:40 hrs Zhivago 09;15 hrs Keisatsu 09:50 hrs Semra 10:25 hrs Libertine 11;00 hrs Clear Sailing 11:30 hrs Magokity

38

Atwell returns next month LESS than a month after he received his second professional defeat, Guyanese featherweight Clive Atwell is scheduled to return to the ring associate Gairy St. Clair has announced.

Atwell is slated to fight on December 13 in Melbourne, Australia and the bout will be carried live on Boxing Australia St. Clair said and would be hoping to rebound positively in order to return on the road that leads to another world title shot.

Atwell moved to Australia recently and just over a week ago was TKOed in the 10th round

by Australian Kye MacKenzie, while challenging for the vacant WBO Oriental super featherweight

title. According to St Clair, the opponent for next month’s fight would be named shortly.

The 26-year-old Atwell, who previously resided in Dominica, moved up from his 126 pound featherweight comfort zone to grab the chance to fight the undefeated MacKenzie. He was entering the ring for the first time since losing a world title challenge to WBC champion Jhonny Gonzalez last May. In a strange twist he announced retirement from boxing soon after the Gonzalez defeat, following disagreement with his management team. However, `The Punisher’ rescinded about two months later, paving the way for the bout against MacKenzie.

Clive Atwell

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday November 23, 2014) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 35 (2) New Zealand & South Africa Today’s Quiz: (1)Put these in order beginning with the man who played most Test matches for the WI: RamnareshSarwan; Sir Gary Sobers; Curtly Ambrose; Malcolm Marshall (2) Against which nation Colin Croft played his first Test? Where?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

Leewards claim first innings points over T&T THE Leeward Islands Franchise claimed first innings points from Trinidad and Tobago Red Force shortly after the tea interval at Warner Park in St. Kitts yesterday.

Resuming the second day on 133 for six, Leeward Islands Franchise were bowled out for 202 Austin Richards Jr and Jeremiah Louis scored 34 runs each, while captain Devon Thomas hit 24.

Imran Khan finished as the best bowler for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force with four for 83 from 30 overs, while captain Rayad Emrit picked up two for 17 from 7.2 overs.

In the run chase for first innings points, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force failed to recover from

a shaky start and were bowled out for 130 in 47 overs, 72 runs behind.

Anthony Martin, Orlando Peters, Gavin Tonge, Jeremiah Louis and Jacques Taylor all ended with two wickets apiece.

Ya n n i c C a r i a h t o p scored for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force with 43 not out, while Emrit chipped in with 33.

West Indies Test captain Denesh Ramdin was clean bowled by Peters without scoring. Three other Trinidadians failed to trouble the score.

Batting a second time, Leeward Island Franchise reached 17 without loss before bad light stopped play.

They will enter the third day with a lead of 89.(Sportsmax).

L E E W A R D S FRANCHISE A Richards Jr c Simmons b Khan 34 L Richardson run out 18 A Saunders st Pooran b Khan 34 O Peters b Richards 4 *+DThomas c wkp Pooran b Gabriel 24 J Hamilton c Emrit b Khan 9 J Taylor b Richards 12 J Louis not out 34 G Tonge c Emrit b Khan 0 Y Leonard c Mohammed b Emrit 21 A Martin c Hosein b Emrit 0 Extras (b6, nb6) 12 TOTAL (all out, 84.2 overs) 202 Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-67, 3-68, 4-118, 5-118, 6-128, 7-154, 8-155, 9-202, 10-202.

Bowling: Gabriel 135-26-1, Richards 155-36-2, Hosein 155-35-0, Imran Khan 30-7-83-4, Emrit 7.2-215-2, Mohammed 4-2-30 T&T RED FORCE 1st Innings L Simmons c wkpr Hamilton

b Tonge 0 Imran Khan c Richardson b Louis 15 Y Ottley c Richards b Tonge 9 J Mohammed c Taylor b Peters 5 Y Cariah not out 43 D Ramdin b Peters 0 +N Pooran c wkpr Hamilton b Taylor 10 A Hosein b Louis 0 *R Emrit c Tonge b Taylo r 33 M Richards lbw b Martin 6 S Gabriel b Martin 0 Extras (b8, w1) 9 TOTAL (all out, 47 overs) 130 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-20, 3-31, 4-45, 5-45, 6-62, 7-65, 8-109, 9-130, 10-130.

Bowling: Tonge 12-524-2, Louis 9-2-30-2, Martin 8-2-17-2, Orlando 9-3-17-2, Taylor 6-1-292, Leonard 3-0-5-0.

LEEWARDS 2nd Innings A Richards Jr not out 10 L Richardson not out 4 Extras (b1, nb2) 3 TOTAL (without loss, 5 overs) 17 Bowling: Gabriel 3-0-60, Richards 2-0-10-0.

Position: Leewards lead by 89 runs.

Renaud Lavillenie and Valerie Adams named top athletes of 2014

By Aimee Lewis BBC Sport POLE vaulter Renaud Lavillenie and shot putter Valerie Adams have been named male and female World Athletes of the Year for 2014.

World and Olympic champion Adams, unbeaten since August 2010, becomes the first female thrower and first New Zealander to win the award.

In February, Frenchman Lavillenie broke Sergey Bubka’s 21-year-old pole vault world record with a 6.16m leap.

British heptathlete Morgan Lake was joint winner of the Rising Star award.

She shared the accolade with 19-year-old French hurdler Wilhem Belocian, who won gold in the 110m hurdles at the IAAF World Junior

Pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie and shot putter Valerie Adams Bubka’s record en route to Championships this summer winning his third European in a world junior record time title in Zurich in August.

“For me, this is my of 12.99 seconds.

The 17-year-old won two dream season,” said Lavilgold medals at the World Ju- lenie, who eclipsed Bubka’s nior Championships, winning record as the Ukrainian heptathlon and high jump the first man to vault 6.00m - watched on in his home gold in Oregon in July Lavillenie, 28, broke city. “It’s extraordinary

what’s happening to me.”

Tw o - t i m e O l y m p i c champion Adams, who this season enjoyed a record 56th consecutive victory, secured her third successive Commonwealth title in Glasgow this summer.

“It’s the icing on the cake,” said the 30-year-old of the award. “It’s awesome to be here to represent throwers in general and also women in sport.

“It’s always difficult to compete against the glamour events on the track but, nevertheless, we still compete and train just as hard as everybody else and we want to make sure we showcase our sport in all areas because it’s not just the track event, it’s the track and field event.”

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE November 23, 2014

American Reis shatters Perozzi’s world title dreams

HAMILTON, Bermuda, (CMC) – Bermudian Teresa Perozzi saw her hopes of capturing the vacant women’s IBA world middleweight title shattered as relentless Rhode Islander Kali Reis stopped her in the third round at the Fairmont Southampton resort on Friday night.

The 12-year age gap between the fighters proved significant as 40-year-old southpaw Perozzi, a mother of two, was pounded throughout the one-sided bout by the 28-year-old American.

Reis twice knocked down flat-footed Perozzi, catching her with a well-timed left hook in the first round before sending her sprawling to the canvas again in the second after a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination.

Reis, who weighed in four and three-quarter pounds lighter than her rival, continued to pepper Perozzi in the third round before American referee Steve Smoger stopped the fight, which had been scheduled for 10 rounds.

It was Perozzi’s first bout in more than 18 months, having taken a break from boxing after giving birth to her second son, Gabriel, eight months ago.

Perozzi said afterwards her age played no part in her defeat, admitting that Reis was simply the better boxer on the night.

“I can’t explain it and I don’t know where I went wrong -- she was just the better fighter tonight. I don’t think age had anything to do with it. I don’t think having a baby had anything to do with it.”

Perozzi, whose professional record now stands at nine wins, five defeats and three draws, said a rematch clause had been included in the contract, but it was too soon to make a decision on her next move.

“I need to make the right decision for my long-term future,” said Perozzi, whose previous two bouts against American Tori Nelson for the vacant WBC world middleweight title in October 2012 and February 2013, both ended in draws.

Reis, whose record now stands at seven wins, three defeats and one draw, came into the fight having suffered a unanimous-decision defeat to Mikaela Lauren, of Stockholm, Sweden, in her last fight in Valencia, Spain, in July.

CAC Games 2014

Guyana women win on penalties

THE Guyana national hockey women earned their second victory at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Vera Cruz, Mexico yesterday, getting past Jamaica on penalties 4-2.

In contrast to the first few days of competition, the sun came out with a vengeance and both sides had to rely on their fitness and determination to manage the high-paced game.

Jamaica took control of the match in the early minutes as the Guyanese seemed to be outgunned by speed and athleticism.

Jamaica played an attacking brand of hockey and set Guyana on their heels, creating a few early penalty corners and scoring opportunities. The Guyanese would finally find themselves midway through the first half and settled into their usual short-passing game to tilt the possession in their favour.

Despite there being no goals in the first half, spectators were treated to a

Chantelle Wales’ diving finish sealed the victory for Guyana

Guyanese goalkeeper Alysa Xavier blocks the penalty attempt by Jamaican Demi Nicholson the verge of a breakthrough well-balanced match with but the final horn would goal-scoring opportunities come moments too early at both ends. leaving the score deadThe second half saw locked at 0-0.

Guyana strengthen their Of the five Guyanese grip on the match as the selected to be part of the A BARBADOS based Guyanese boxer Reblon Lake Guyanese pushed the game penalty shootout, Gabriwill replace Romeo Norville in next month’s `Rose into the Jamaican half as ella Xavier would step up Hall Showdown’ 24-round boxing card that is billed the sun began to take a first and easily score on for the Rose Hall Community Centre ground, Berbice heavy toll on the Reggae Jamaican Captain and on December 13. ladies.

The card which is being promoted by United States goalkeeper, Lorie-Ann McGuyana piled on the based Guyanese businessman Mark Thom who hails from pressure in the closing minBerbice will see Lake taking on Derick Richmond over six See Page 37 rounds in the main supporting bout. utes and seemed to be on All the boxers scheduled to appear on the card inked their contracts on Tuesday in the board room of Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) president Peter Abdool’s office.

In an invited comment, the promoter (Thom) said he hopes the card will be a really productive thing for Berbicians as far as sports goes as a whole in the ancient county.

Thom said as far as his memory serves him, there has never been a national championship fight in Berbice and he is happy that he is the person to make this a reality.

DUE to rain and waterlogged outfield, the 4 He was at the time referring to the main bout which is Semi-finals slated for Friday night and Saturday a 12-rounder between Richard Williamson and Dilan AlNight at the DCC Ground, will now be played tolicock for the vacant Super Bantamweight title of Guyana. day at the Police Sports Club ground at Eve Leary.

The opening bout on the three-fight card brings to9:30 AM: Eastern Pitch: Mikes Wellman v.s. Slinggether Mark Murray and Kishawn Simon over six rounds. ers ( Masters); 12:30 PM Wolf warriors vs Farm (Open) Thom has expressed his gratitude to Castle Hotel 9:30 AM: Western Pitch : Floodlights v.s. Parika Defendand Maximum Sports, and Combat and Strength for ers (Masters); 12:30 PM Regal vs. Ariel Uprisers (Open) supporting the card financially.

The Male/Female Day/Night Finals are set for the DCC Admission is $2000 for ringside and $1000 for ground on Saturday November 29th starting 12:00 noon. regular seating.

Lake to replace Norville on `Rose Hall Town Showdown’ boxing card

Rohan Auto Spares/ Ramchand Auto Spares softball..

Four semi-finals to be played off at Police ground today

Bermudian Teresa Perozzi ... lost in the third round

Sport CHRONICLE

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Guyana women win on SeeonStory Page 39 penalties

2014/2015 WICB/PCL Regional 4-Day

Deonarine, Chanderpaul and Peters shine bright on sunny second day

By Calvin Roberts

Kenroy Peters

NARSINGH DEONARINE reached his 11th first class ton, Shivnarine Chanderpaul got another half century and Kenroy Peters claimed his sixth fifth wicket haul on a sunny second day in their second round West Indies Cricket Board/Professional Cricket League Regional four day encounter at the Guyana National Stadium, yesterday.

Replying to Guyana’s first innings score of 291 all out, of which Deonarine made 139 and Chanderpaul 62, with Peters picking up 5 for 36, the Volcanoes, after a rapturous start from Devon Smith, reached 63 for 2 at the close of play.

Resuming on their overnight score of 168 for 3, with Deonarine on 79 and the dependable Chanderpaul 29, Guyana Jaguars saw the left handed duo take the score to 243 for 3 after the first session, during which time Deonarine posted his 11th first class ton from 201 balls, with 13 fours while batting for 257 minutes.

During the session which started 30 minutes earlier to make up for lost time, the 31 year old Deonarine cut Nelon Pascal through point for the first boundary of the day in the third over, followed by two more fours off Kenroy Peters, posting his ton with the second, following up on his unbeaten first round century against

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Guyana Jaguars’ dependable middle order batsman Shivnarine ‘Tiger’ Chanderpaul is a model of concentration as he plays a defensive shot to his delivery, during his 153 runs fourth wicket stand with Narsingh Deonarine yesterday. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

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SATURDAY, NOVEMVER 23, 2014