2015 4 16

GUYANA

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

No. 104160 THURSDAY APRIL 16, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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President visits ExxonMobil’s oil rig Hostile Opposition supporters forces PPP/C to cancel public meeting in Sophia 3

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EPA warns against killing jaguars 19 Page

President Donald Ramotar and Minister Robert Persaud listen keenly to an official on board the ExxonMobil’s Deepwater Champion oil rig yesterday

Marriott’s grand opening today 2 Page

The Marriott Hotel at night

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‘Aunt Maud’ is 101 not out

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Top Oil Executive is Guyana Marriott’s first official guest

– Today’s grand opening ceremony is an occasion to be celebrated by all of Guyana, says Finance Minister

Marriott Hotel’s first guest, REPSOL’s Country Manager Giancarlo Ariza meets Head of Atlantic Hotel Incorporated, Winston Brassington and Guyana’s Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh

AHEAD of today’s highly anticipated grand opening ceremony, the Georgetown Marriott Hotel formally welcomed its first guest

yesterday morning - REPSOL Country Manager, Giancarlo Ariza.

Among those present were Head of Atlantic Hotels

Marriott Hotel’s first guest, REPSOL’s Country Manager Giancarlo Ariza (centre) with Marriott Managers and staffers in the hotel’s lobby

Incorporated (AHI), Winston Brassington and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, who described the occasion as an “extremely exciting and momentous moment for all Guyanese”.

Noting that the Marriott is an international hotel brand of the highest repute, “well known for the excellence of its properties and the excellence of the services that they

offer”, the Minister said Government was delighted that the company viewed Guyana as a place where they would like to do business.

He added that the Marriott was “sufficiently confident to associate their brand with this country and they have worked closely with us to establish a hotel that has true international standard, class and calibre”.

The Finance Minister said he has had a number of conversations with the hotel chain’s top leadership and on every occasion, he has heard that the company is proud to be associated with the Guyana Marriott and they are proud to have the company’s brand attached to it. In addition to this, they have said that the local hotel can hold its own against any

other Marriott branded hotel, internationally. He described the facility as a “fantastic addition to the local landscape and provides a very important fillip to the tourism industry and to the tourism landscape infrastructure in Guyana”.

The fact that the first guest is the head of a wellknown multinational company, which itself with its investments locally in the oil Turn to page 5 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Hostile Opposition supporters forces PPP/C to cancel public meeting in Sophia – Gail Teixeira "…every time the PPP/C put up flags, they ‘come down’…every night there is a flag war, we put up, they take down, and it’s a trend" – Ms Gail Teixeira

By Navendra Seoraj HOSTILE supporters and activists of the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) have once again demonstrated their hostility, following the vandalizing of the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C’s) campaign materials.

The Opposition supporters have now taken their hostility and intimidatory tactics to another level, as manifested by their barring the PPP/C from conducting a public meeting in the area.

Speaking to a sizeable crowd last evening during one of the party’s public meetings at Time Square Street in Grove, East Bank Demerara, PPP/C stalwart Ms Gail Teixeira, alluded to the intimidatory tactics

and hostile behaviour of elements from the Opposition camp who are bent on disrupting campaign meetings being conducted by the incumbent PPP/C in the leadup to the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

According to Teixeira, they were supposed to conduct yet another public meeting in Sophia in order to share the vision of the PPP/C Administration with the residents of that area, but on Tuesday when they started advertising the meeting, the vehicle bearing the PPP/C campaign posters, was attacked by some APNU+AFC supporters, who threw bricks and other missiles at the vehicle.

“The vehicles went in yesterday to announce and were pelted, after which they reported it to the police…

they were accompanied yesterday morning by two police officers, but yet again the comrades were surrounded and intimidated by the APNU+AFC supporters in the presence of the police,” Teixeira told residents at Grove.

The comrades, she noted, “reported back to the PPP/C executive that the Opposition supporters were planning to behave badly tonight (Wednesday night).”

As such, “we decided for the purpose of safety we should not go in there because of the difficulty of getting in and out of the area,” she said.

Out of curiosity, she stated that they decided to check and see what they were planning, and what they discovered was that the APNU+AFC supporters had pooled their flags on the ground in the area where the PPP/C’s equipment was supposed to be set up.

Apart from that, Ms Teixeira told the audience that the hostile supporters had lined the streets awaiting their arrival.

Teixeira added: “If we had gone there and removed the flags in order to proceed with the meeting, there

Poster at Huntley, Mahaicony was vandalised

Poster at the Linden Junction was completely destroyed

PPP/C Stalwart, Gail Teixeira informing the sizeable crowd last evening about the hostility of APNU+AFC supporters (Samuel Maughn photo)

would have been a confrontation, so we played it safe and avoided it because we do not want to go in that direction.”

Meanwhile, she also emphasised the fact that every time the PPP/C put up their flags, they ‘come down’, stating that “every night there is a flag war, we put up, they take down, and it’s a trend.”

Teixeira told the crowd that this has not only been going on in Georgetown, but it has also been occurring in Regions 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), 4 (Demerara/Mahaica), 5 (Mahaica/Berbice), 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Greenidge’s IDB challenge ‘a public gimmick’ – says AG Nandlall THE legal challenge advanced by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Executive, Mr Carl Greenidge, was heard before Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang yesterday, when Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Mr Anil Nandlall, and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, filed an affidavit in response.

Nandlall charged that the matter is “a public gimmick” that is without merit and represents an abuse and misuse of the High Court.

“This proceeding is simply a public gimmick, it is frivolous, wholly unwarranted and without merit and constitutes an abuse and misuse of the process of the High Court and the Applicant ought to be condemned in costs for this waste of judicial time and

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Mr Anil Nandlall

energy,” declared the Attorney General.

The challenge related to a loan agreement inked between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of Guyana (GoG).

In the latter part of February, the IDB approved

APNU Executive Mr Carl Greenidge

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

two loan applications for Guyana to the total value of US$32.16M (Gy$4.4B).

One of those loans is aimed at supporting Government’s

Minister of Finance from spending the proceeds of the said loan until the substantive matter is heard and determined.

‘This proceeding is simply a public gimmick.

It is frivolous, wholly unwarranted and without merit and constitutes an abuse and misuse of the process of the High Court and the Applicant ought to be condemned in costs for this waste of judicial time and energy’ – Attorney General Anil Nandlall security programme, and the other is aimed at supporting the country’s environmental initiatives.

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same is being done in violation of the Constitution or the law,” he said.

H o w e v e r, N a n d l a l l pointed out that these monies were deposited in the Consolidated Fund three weeks before the institution of these proceedings – making irrelevant Greenidge’s first call on the court.

Relative to Greenidge’s second call for the monies not to be withdrawn without the authority of an Appropriations Act, the Attorney General said, “It is now trite and settled law that once monies are in the Consoli-

WITHOUT MERIT Greenidge seeks to have proceeds under the loan agreement between the GoG and the IDB paid into the Consolidated Fund, and that those monies may not be withdrawn without the authority of an Appropriations Act. The challenge further seeks a Conservatory Order restraining the

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dated Fund they can only be disbursed in accordance with provisions of the Constitution and the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003.”

On his third call for a Conservatory Order restraining the Minister of Finance from spending the proceeds, Nandlall added that this cannot be done unless there is an established violation of Guyana’s laws.

“The High Court has no power or jurisdiction whatsoever to interfere with the Executive’s expenditure of these funds, unless it is established that

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SPENDING MECHANISMS Nandlall added, “As a matter of routine practice, the proceeds of the loan having been paid into the Consolidated Fund, they now form part of the pool of resources that comprise that one Consolidated Fund, indistinguishable from other

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receipts routinely paid into that Fund including tax and non-tax revenue. In other words, the event of withdrawing the proceeds of this loan from the Consolidated Fund is, logically, therefore, indistinguishable from the withdrawal of any other sums that form part of that Consolidated Fund.

“Furthermore, when sums are deposited into the Consolidated Fund (whether the proceeds of policy-based loans, or tax or non-tax revenues collected), they do not sit in the said Fund with a specific earmarked intended future use. Instead, they form part of the general pool of resources that make up that Fund.”

He explained too that there are no requirements in law, or emerging from the terms and conditions of the Loan Contract concerned, that the proceeds of the loan be separately identified when withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund or imposing any restriction whatsoever that the said proceeds when withdrawn be used for any particular earmarked or stipulated purpose “When sums are withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund, they are drawn from the same general pool of resources that are that Fund, their original source remaining unknown and irrelevant. In other words, in any one month, funds are withdrawn and spent from the Consolidated Fund to meet the operations of Government, without any identification being made

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Cuban specialists expected in Guyana by month end - to provide training in rehabilitative medicine

GUYANA is expected to deliver training to persons in the medical field from around the Region in the area of rehabilitative medicine.

Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran said this would be done under the Cooperation and Technical Assistance Agreement among the CARICOM Secretariat, Ministry of Education of the Republic of Cuba and the Ministry of Health of Guyana, for the setting up of the Development Stimulating Centre, for children, adolescents, and

Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran hosting a technical meeting with Cuban Ambassador to Guyana Julio Gonzalez Marchante and members of the Foreign Affairs and Health Ministries, yesterday

Top Oil Executive is Guyana Marriott’s first ...

From Page 2

and gas sector has also indicated its belief that Guyana is a good place to do business, with a global footprint, sends a strong signal of confidence and optimism in this country’s future, Minster Singh said.

“A fantastic place, as expected,” was the description given by the Marriott’s first guest, Giancarlo Ariza, adding that it was one of the best hotel brands internationally. He added that the Marriott Guyana, will make many changes in the

The Guyana Marriott Hotel formally welcomes its first guest, REPSOL’s Country Manager Giancarlo Ariza

E-Link fibre optic cable rehabilitation to begin soon -HPS

THE Government is engaging with a consortium to begin rehabilitation work on the fire optic cable. According to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, he is in possession of some of the latest reports on the progress being made in this regard, “seeking to restore the fire optic cable to its original design, and indeed its original purpose, transmission of bandwidth from Brazil to Castellani in Georgetown.”

The one-billion-dollar project was affected by several defects which are in the process of being corrected. It has been some four years since the agreement was signed between Guyana and Brazil for a fibre-optic cable to link Government facilities and provide additional broadband internet capacity, locally.

The E-Government project will comprise a data centre, a transmission network and data network. The data centre, or control centre, is to be housed in the compound of Castellani House. Government had announced that the connection would have allowed for, in addition to connectivity, a range of services such as ‘E-Health’ allowing for video consultation, movement of information to and from health centres.

Security will also benefit as the project would allow quick transmission of information including video and data between police stations. The project intends to enable the setting up of an ‘E-library’ which would allow for access to textbooks and other teaching aids, via the internet.

local hotel industry, “not only that, it’s going to make good opportunities for development and other business around the hotel area”.

The Marriott, a five-star brand is known around the

world as one of the most prestigious and quality hotel brands.

The hotel chain is present in 72 countries, comprising more than 3600 hotels, and a staff complement of 129,000.

The establishment will provide employment for 250 people in the hospitality business, through direct employment, and another 100 indirectly. This will be accomplished through the utilisation of the services of local workers such as electricians and those in the construction field. The 197–room Marriott boasts a large ballroom, a conference centre, casino, nightclub, restaurant, a concrete walkway, and all other amenities of a world-class hotel.

The US$51 million project was launched in November 2011.

young people, with special educational needs associated with disabilities.

The major component of the project would be Cuba’s sending of five specialists to work in the Centre to train Guyanese, and other Caribbean nationals to become better deliverers of rehabilitative medicine, with the option of moving on to a tertiary level course for this training programme.

The project has its genesis at a December 2009 Cuba/ CARICOM meeting where Cuba decided to offer further technical assistance in the area of health. This was in the area of rehabilitative medicine, dealing with disabilities and how Cuba can share this with CARICOM countries.

The country has offered its skills, expertise and competence which the CARICOM Heads of States, with Guyana being chosen to be the focal point. Guyana will provide physical infrastructure to allow Caribbean nationals to be trained in rehabilitative medicine before returning to their homes to up the ante.

The West Demerara Regional Hospital has been selected as the point where the Cuba/CARICOM Training Centre for Disabilities will be established. The existing structures there are to be rehabilitated to meet the requirements.

Cuba on the other hand will give full technical support, using the physical infrastructure that Guyana is providing.

That country will also pay the emoluments to the specialists coming to Guyana.

The project, piloted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the Ministry of Health as the lead agency for rehabilitative medicine, has had several interactions with Cuban teams and those teams are guided by Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Julio Gonzalez Marchante.

The Cuban diplomat noted that work has been ongoing for about three years on the project. He pointed out that dealing with disability particularly in the community and establishing a centre will be important in the area of education.

Ambassador Marchante stated that whilst the programme is expected to begin in September, 2015, there were several documents which were up for discussion at yesterday’s meeting which took place at the Ministry of Health in Georgetown. The first establishes the responsibilities of CARICOM and Cuba, giving the abilities and support for technical assistance. Another document dealt with where the activities would be conducted, whilst yet another sees Guyana’s establishment of the Centre itself. (GINA)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

Guyana needs political maturity for a progressive future DURING electioneering hustings, leaders of political parties trade barbs and accusations in order to sway the electorate, but when the dust settles after the elections there is need for grace in defeat and political maturity for the country to move forward.

A good example of this was during the November 2012 elections in the United States of America. In that elections, the incumbent Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney with 50.3 percent of the popular vote and a surprising 303 electoral votes. Following are a few of the multiplicity of reasons analysts proffer for Romney’s defeat.

“The hundreds of millions of billionaires’ money didn’t work. The politics of division didn’t work.

The Tea Party revolution of 2010 failed. Unlimited

dark money doesn’t necessarily buy votes…and lying doesn’t work.”

The most shocking strategy of the Romney campaign was a conscious decision made by the candidate that winning was more important than truth. He freely lied about the president, the economy, welfare reform, the auto bailout, major companies, history, and even Americans themselves. He flipped on every single social issue that he had advocated as Governor of Massachusetts and stridently concealed his own tax records. Almost without exception, he doubled down on his lies and shifting positions when publicly called out. In the end, he badly damaged his reputation by the freeform lying, reducing confidence in his candidacy. Many other Republicans followed suit.

“Pandering to an immoral base doesn’t work

in a general election,” one analyst said.

Does any of the foregoing ring a bell in the context of the political landscape in Guyana?

In the wake of Romney’s defeat did any of Romney’s supporters burn tyres and other debris to impede commuters on the public highways? Did they set public infrastructure afire or destroy them by any other means?

Did they attack, rob, beat, sexually molest or interfere in any way with the rights of Obama supporters?

No, they did none of those things, because it is not part of the ‘culture’ of American politicians to destroy the country they hope to rule.

And America has serious problems: large pockets of poverty, with many people losing jobs and homes, among other implications consequenced by a distressed economy. But do Romney’s

supporters decide that to rectify these ills in their society they have to divide the nation and/or destroy its developmental path?

Instead Romney, despite his faults, graciously (even if unwillingly), as well as immediately, conceded electoral victory to Obama and adjured all Americans to work together for the national good. Sounds familiar?

And President Obama did not offer a basket of charity, but an assurance of hope for a restoration of greatness in the USA, where all things are achievable by anyone; with the emphasis, in effect, that such hope is a hope that comes with working hard and making sacrifices and not by sitting on the sidelines and expecting to be rewarded for lack of effort toward personal development and national progress.

The greatness that the

USA once had, and which the President has assured will once again be achieved will only be realised, he warned, with the involvement of all its citizens in a common endeavour toward attainment of its former glory. He gave the assurance that he will call on the defeated Republican candidate, Governor Mitt Romney, to work together for the good of America and the American people. Again sounds familiar?

Guyana’s Opposition collective needs to take heed of the foregoing and join with President Donald Ramotar, whose invitation to the Opposition for tripartite discussions on national issues during the Tenth Parliament was rejected time and again for confrontational and destructive strategies meant to wrest power at any cost.

It is not too late for them to attempt to heal those breaches they have caused in the nation and join the Government to promote the developmental initiatives in the country for the general good of the Guyanese peo-

ple, even if they do so post elections of 2015.

Barack Obama won because he is a genuinely caring President, and while he may not have all the answers, he was prepared to work with all stakeholders to find solutions to extant problems in endeavours to restore the former greatness and glory of the USA. Above all the considerations, the most effective was his promise to invest in the human capital in that country. His people-centric campaign won the day.

Guyana’s Opposition collective, on the other hand, is prepared to destroy their country and the people, whom they refer to as “collateral damage”, in their ruthless drive for back-entry power.

As President Obama said, the USA will rise again, because, above all, all Americans are prepared to join forces and work toward that eventuality.

When will Guyanese politicians achieve that political maturity?

Humanisation Vs Mechanisation of GuySuCo LAST week there were two letters in the Stabroek News dealing with issues of humanisation and mechanisation of the local sugar industry. Mr E. B. John first wrote on the 10th that “Priority should be given to humanisation of GuySuCo over mechanisation”; and then on the 11th, Mr Mohamed Sayad wrote a response that “GuySuCo needs to invest in modern machinery and technology, not just human resources”.

From the mere titles of the letters, it is clear that Mr Sayad unfortunately misread or misunderstood Mr John’s comprehensive letter; a misunderstanding that is also evident from the details in Mr Sayad’s letter in which he makes the point that it would be unwise to have a skilled, competent, motivated staff “operating in an environment of outdated machines and antiquated technology.”

Strangely, he writes about the need for a “synchrony”

between mechanisation and talent development and savvy to deal with modern machines and technology, but his discussion favours technological development before human development; perhaps unconsciously, he presents the famous ‘chicken-and-egg’ conundrum between human vs mechanical development.

One might legitimately ask What good is a machine without the skills to operate and maintain it, in the same way that we can question the

wisdom of having expensive machines (e.g the new Skeldon Factory) without the necessary skilled labour force.

Obviously, Mr John emphasises the human development, while Mr Sayad‘s emphasis is on technological development. I think most people will favour the complementary or, as Mr Sayad put it, the synchronised approach.

Finally, I feel constrained to comment on Mr Sayad’s confusing, apparently backhanded complimentary com-

ments on Mr John’s flattering interjection about my erstwhile leadership role in the Human Resource Management of GuySuCo. Suffice it to say that HR development is a team effort; its contribution to production, productivity and profitability requires consistent inputs from professionals within and outside the Human Resource Management function.

I am happy and indeed proud of the fact that during my relatively brief

leadership of the HRM function in GuySuCo, a vibrant team of HR professionals was put in place with great potential for contribution to GuySuCo’s effectiveness and success. I do not think it is fair for anyone, including Mr Sayad, to directly or even tangentially ascribe to me GuySuCo’s drop in production and profitability since my departure.

NOWRANG PERSAUD

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

The nexus between Development and Democracy THERE is a positive correlation between democracy and development.

The records will show that growth and development in Guyana were much more pronounced when the country experienced democratic rule, as opposed to colonial, minority or dictatorial rule.

Prior to the 1950s when the country was under British colonial rule, there was limited growth but no development. The economy was export-oriented, with a narrow economic base. Sugar and to a much lesser extent bauxite and rice, were the main sources of foreign exchange earnings. There was a serious divergence between domestic needs and resource utilisation, with most of the foreign exchange earnings going overseas.

It was not until the emergence of nationalist leaders in the 1940s, most notably Dr. Cheddi Jagan and his wife Janet, that organised pressure was exerted to change the then prevailing status quo in favour of the

ordinary people. This was particularly evident following the formation of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) in 1946, and the PPP in January 1950. Indeed, the first major assault against the status quo was in 1953, when the PPP, under the leadership of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, won a landslide victory at the polls, the first to be held under universal adult suffrage.

The evolution of our politics since the 1950s is demonstrative of the classical Marxist-Lenninist postulates of class contradictions and the role of the State as an instrument of class rule. The democratically elected, Jagan-led PPP was removed from power by the British Government under pressure from the United States administration because of a perception that the PPP was too much to the left, which could pose a threat to foreign dominated business interests in the colony. The concern of the working masses was ignored, and an interim government was imposed in 1953 to administer the affairs

of the colony. During the four-year tenure of the interim government, the country only marked time, with no real progress, and no development of significance actually took place.

It was not until the PPP took office in the elections of 1957 that real development took place, both in terms of an expansion in the delivery of social services and production of main exports in particular rice and sugar. Several new agricultural and housing schemes were opened up in several parts of the country.

Emphasis was also put on health and education with the construction of several new primary and secondary schools, including the University of Guyana.

The economy grew at an accelerated pace despite the several roadblocks placed

by Britain and other western powers to get developmental assistance from the socialist bloc.

The removal of the PPP from the seat of government, thanks to the intrigues and

machinations of western vested interests in collaboration with local reactionary elements, saw a reversal of the economic and social gains made by the PPP regime. At a more fundamental level, the right to vote, which was fought for and won by the PPP, was taken away by the PNC regime which kicked out the UF from the coalition government and set up a de facto one-party State.

Under the 28 years of PNC authoritarian and dictatorial rule, the country was reduced to the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, and life for the vast majority of the Guyanese people became a living hell.

The country experienced a political crisis which resulted from the shameless rigging of national and regional elections in order to perpetuate minority PNC rule. That political crisis in turn led to an economic crisis, which impacted adversely on the living and working conditions of the Guyanese people. In other words, the political crisis

Poor quality seed paddy...

Mohamed Khan has his facts all wrong

THE Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) would like to bring to the public’s attention, especially rice farmers in Region 2, several inaccuracies penned by Mr. Mohamed Khan in his letter published in the Stabroek News on April 14, 2015.

Firstly, the RPA is of the strong belief that this letter writer has his facts all wrong, and seems to have lost his way, since his thoughts seemed to be tripping over each other like a person with a “beersoaked brain”. This is so because the RPA has been providing high-quality seed paddy to rice farmers for the past 14 years under its Seed Paddy Production Programme.

During this time, thousands of rice farmers throughout the country have benefited from easy access to high-quality seed paddy at an affordable cost. Also, the Seed Programme has expanded significantly. As a result, the RPA has invested heavily in expanding and upgrading its seed cleaning and drying equipment to

meet the high demand for seed. Currently, the Association is unable to meet the high demand for seed by rice farmers.

The seed cleaner that Mr. Mohamed Khan is referring to was replaced more than eight years ago with a seven-stage, state-of-the art seed cleaner that has produced, and continues to produce, excellent results that meet the FAO’s seed specifications that the RPA uses to certify seed. It seems that Mr. Khan is unaware of this fact.

Secondly, all the RPA’s contracted Seed Grower’s fields have to be certified by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

This body ensures that both the field and seed meet the FAO’s seed quality standards before the seed is sold to farmers. In addition, germination tests and purity analyses are carried out before seed paddy are sold to farmers. These systems of checks have been in place from the inception of the seed programme, and were requirements that the RPA had to meet before funding was approved by several in-

ternational funding agencies which made the RPA seed programme a reality. Mr. Khan is aware of this, since as he stated in his letter he was once employed by the RPA as a Field Officer when the seed programme coomenced.

The statement by Mr. Khan that he viewed seed samples sold by the RPA to farmers for the upcoming Spring Crop that has more than 50% damaged paddy grain and wind is totally untrue and misleading. At the time when Mr. Khan penned his letter, the RPA had not even sold one bag of seed to any farmer. Mr Khan of all people should know that seed this bad (more that 50% damaged) would surely be rejected before it even enters the RPA seed facility.

Both the production of seed paddy in the fields and the processing of seed at all the RPA seed facilities in the country are closely monitored. Frequent field visits are made by both RPA and GRDB field officers This ensures that all seed sold to farmers are of the highest quality; and in the event that

any farmer(s) has/have any issue(s) concerning seed purchased from the organisation, these are always addressed to the satisfaction of the farmer(s).

The RPA realises that the rice industry does have issues that need to be addressed or improved, since there is never a perfect system. The Association sincerely hopes that Mr. Khan is aware of this fact. It would also like to advise Mr. Khan that in the future, his criticisms should be constructive and factual, since the inaccuracies in his letter does not augur well for him as a ‘so-called” journalist.

In closing, the Organisation would like to inform the public that they are free to examine the systems of operation at any of the RPA seed facilities in order to clear up any doubts they may have.

MR. LIONEL BHODRAM RPA Field Extension Officer, Region 2 MR. RICKY ROOPCHAND Project Officer-RPA

generated an economic crisis, which in turn led to a social crisis which manifested itself in poor sanitary and housing conditions, falling education standards, a woefully deficient health sector to name but a few. The dialectical interplay between the polity and the economy was very much in evidence.

It was not until the return of the PPP on October 5, 1992, after twenty-eight years of dictatorial rule, that the conditions of life of the Guyanese people began to show significant improvements.

This is why it is so im-

portant that the democratic character of the State be preserved, since, as our own experience has demonstrated, whenever there is a rupture in our democracy, the consequences can be extremely painful and far-reaching.

This coming election, on May 11, will once again provide the Guyanese people with an opportunity to preserve the democratic essence of the State, and at the same time allow for an acceleration of our economic and social gains.

HYDAR ALLY

The witch doctors and voodooism

TO ASK that the population, especially the youth, deceive themselves into believing that looking back to the past for guidance is racist and ill advised is insulting.

It is this ability to look back to the past; to look at the present; and to look to the future that makes us uniquely human. The intelligent voting public will explore all of our history and then cast their votes.

Moses, Ramjattan and Ramayyah were partially successfull in deceiving some people to vote for them as AFC representatives. But the three voodoo practitioners believed that the people are now under their spell and will follow them, zombie-like, to the PNC graveyard.

The spell has been broken by a boon called truth. The PPP/C has once again unleashed that universally acknowledged cure called truth. What is hidden in that graveyard called the PNC will be exposed by opening the eyes of our people. And we will under no circumstance allow the 28 years dictatorship of the PNC/APNU to be farcically placed behind that façade Moses calls change.

Genuine change will come after we have examined all the facts about our past. A fully educated citizenry is a guard against the PNC/APNU-AFC. The PNC/APNU brought our country down from a prosperous country to one that became a basket case that relied on handouts of worm-infected cheese and weevil-infected peas. The PNC/APNU’s voodoo economics brought Guyana to the brink of starvation.

But the PNC/APNU-AFC is not satisfied with casting their spell on the people; they have embarked on a backup plan, by requesting the help of ex-military men, locally as well as those who reside in the Diapora. The majority of them are from the New York area. These ex-military men are in their early sixties, and have a swagger about them. They have returned with the promise of loot to be had should the PNC gain power.

The PNC/APNU has already placed items on its agenda to reward the ex-military personnel. The reward comes under the rubric of a Veterans’ Commission that will dole out tax payers funds for past service.

The promised rewards are not limited to veterans of the Armed Forces, but promises are made to current members of the military as well. Where are the resources going to come from?

The radio chatter is that the Forces are being starved for funds while the private sector is reaping a bonanza. This argument was made by Burnham’s PNC, and the country was brought to its knees after a 500 per cent increase in military spending.

I implore the younger generation to look to the immediate west of our dear Guyana and see what misery a military dictator will bring to you. The simplest of foodstuff is in need, and leads to open riots and looting.

Those who are older only need to look back at the PNC dictatorship for guidance as to the misery such a government can cause. Say no to the PNC/APNU-AFC, and yes to the PPP/C on May 11, 2015.

LATCHMAN MOHABIR

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Comments on the increase in numbers on the Voters List

By Dr Steve Surujbally PREAMBLE FOR some time previously and again recently, there has been much ado and unfortunate pronouncements about a “padded” Voters List. “Unfortunate”, not lastly because those making the statements should and do know better. Inherent in the word “padded” is the overt, clear and indubitable message that some person or persons at the Guyana Elections Commission has/have brazenly, actively, consciously and premeditatedly set out to undermine and tarnish the Voters List and to make it questionable in its validity.

This concept begets several questions.

Firstly, who at GECOM would be prepared to perform such a heinous and treasonable act?

The Chairman? It would strain any decent person’s imagination to even conceive of such an undertaking. Why would I compromise my integrity at the twilight of my career, as I am looking forward to a serene retirement?

Similarly, it is quite inconceivable that the Chief Election Officer and GECOM’s Head of Operations, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, who has worked his way through the ranks with efficiency and competence, would surely not want to besmirch his own image during his first great challenge as CEO. Our CEO was chosen and endorsed unanimously to be the technical head of this Electoral Management Body (EMB). At his appointment, he was congratulated and applauded by the major political parties and other stakeholders. To date, after more than 15 years at GECOM, he has exhibited and proven how capable he is. And I, as Chairman, wholeheartedly subscribe to the diligence of the CEO and his team.

In fact, and perhaps more importantly, the question must be asked: How would it be technically possible to accomplish such a feat of actively padding the Voters List, when there are so many observant onlookers, trained scrutineers, stakeholders, and so many systems and processes (registration exercises, Claims and Objections, editings and double verifications, Fingerprint Crossmatching exercises, etc, etc.).

It would have to be a massive, multi-tiered conspiracy; yes, indeed, in end effect quite impossible.

Finally, for now, it must be categorically stated that GECOM has so many systems and measures in place to thwart any attempt, much less success, at multiple voting. Obviously, GECOM cannot and would not reveal such mechanisms. Further, I would like to remind that there are great punishments, including jail, that are associated with electoral fraud.

Would a Political Party sympathiser love his or her Party so much as to “take jail” for his/her Leader? Would any worthy Leader want this?

Let us now turn our attention to the real reasons for the increase in Voters List over the recent years.

INTRODUCTION In line with good international, not lastly Commonwealth, Electoral Practice, an EMB is responsible for the registration of voters, the issue of identification cards and preparation of lists of electors. Guyana’s National Registra-

tion Act Chapter 19:08 attributes GECOM, through the Commissioner of Registration (who is also the Chief Election Officer) the responsibility for the compilation and maintenance of central and divisional records for the National Register of Registrants (NRR) and the production and delivery of National Identification Cards. GECOM is further responsible for producing – by extracting from the NRR – the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE), the Revised List of Electors (RLE) and the eventual Official List of Electors (OLE).

DISCUSSION/FACTS Since the 2011 general elections, the number of eligible voters increased by 95,290 or 20 per cent. The Official List of Electors for the 2011 general elections had 475,496 electors; the Revised List of Electors for the 2015 general elections had 570,786 electors. Generally speaking, this seemingly dramatic increase can be explained, inter alia, by increased institutional efforts and improvements to voter registration management.

The following are the significant explanations for the 2011-2015 increase in eligible voters: 1. Outreach and more frequent registration exercises: GECOM’s move to implement continuous Registration over the last seven years is likely the number one explanation for the increase in registrants. Since the 2008 fresh House-to-House registration exercise, GECOM steadily improved outreach efforts and increased the frequency of registration exercises. In the period 2006-2011 a total of three registration and claims and objections exercises were undertaken, whereas in the 2011-2015 period a total of seven exercises were undertaken.

2. Increased issue of birth certificates: For registration, citizens must produce, as a source document, either a valid passport or birth certificate. The responsibility for issuing birth certificates lies with the General Register Office (GRO, Ministry of Home Affairs). GECOM has noted, since 2008 and especially during 2011-2015, a steady increase in the number of people able to register due to their possessing the required source document. This points to a progressive and sustained year-over-year increase in the number of birth certificates (ergo, greater facility to register) issued by the GRO. 3. Civic and Voter Education: GECOM fulfilled its mandate to deliver Civic and Voter Education to encourage citizens to register.

In fact, compared to past election activities, GECOM has implemented a heightened Civic and Voter Education programme. Newspaper, radio and television advertisements as well as information on the GECOM website, informs citizens of the Continuous Registration Exercises and the requirements, locations and timeframes for registering.

4. Motivated citizenry: In addition to GECOM’s efforts, political parties and civil society organisations were observed to increase their activity relative to the motivation of citizens to apply for registration.

5. Registrants coming of age: There were 37,355 registered persons (14 years and older) who would not have been 18 years of age at the time of publication of the 2011 OLE, but

now qualify as electors.

6. Deceased electors: GECOM requires more tools at its disposition in order to further cleanse the National Register of Registrants (NRR) of thousands upon thousands of deceased citizens. The current legal mechanisms for treating deceased registrants include ‘flagging’ names on the basis of death reports received from the General Register Office (GRO) and objections raised by citizens during the Claims and Objections exercises. While these mechanisms can be effective, they also have drawbacks. Death reports from the GRO are not always complete and in some cases lack sufficient information to allow accurate identification of the deceased. During the Claims and Objections period, citizens can object to the inclusion of a deceased person in the Preliminary List of Electors. More often than not, insufficient evidence of death is provided, or the objector is not present at the indicated hearing, and the deceased person remains on the OLE.1 Let’s face it: Many persons would have died during the 2011-2015 period without their deaths ever been reported, not lastly because of location (geography), finance, laziness, non-adherence to the laws dealing with the acquisition of death reports, etc.

7. Emigration: The 2015 RLE contains an unknown number of Guyanese who registered and subsequently emigrated. GECOM has regulatory power to remove emigrants from the NRR. In order to do so, it depends on information from the Immigration Office. These figures have not been forthcoming, and given Guyana’s migrant rate of -9.7 per thousand,2 the NRR likely contains thousands of registrants that no longer reside in-country. Also there are those Guyanese resident overseas who visit Guyana, register, are verified, and then leave. GECOM cannot remove these citizens from the NRR on an ad hoc basis.3 8. Housing schemes: Substantive housing schemes across the country resulted in movement of citizens from often isolated or remote areas to more urban settings. Many of these citizens might not have made the effort to (previously) register, but would have likely registered at their new urban or peri-urban address.

N.B: (i) It is also worthy of mention that although there is no statutory requirement for review copies of the PLE or RLE to be submitted to political parties, GECOM made provision to ensure the voter registration process was open and accessible to all stakeholders, and – as a good transparency measure – shared the PLE and RLE with all parliamentary parties.

The PLE, RLE and OLE are published on the GECOM website. (ii) In line with good International Electoral Practice, political parties have comprehensive oversight competence of the registration process. Political party scrutineers have a continuous presence at all levels of the registration and Claims and Objections exercises.

These representatives are present at registration offices, during visits to schools and when Assistant Registration Officers conduct house visits to verify the residency requirement.

Scrutineers follow every single registration transaction and witness the collection of all National Identification Cards. Their participation in all stages of the registration process

comprises a good transparency measure and guarantees the integrity of the OLE (the Final Voters List).

CONCLUSION GECOM’s experience with Continuous Registration over the last seven years contributed to the quality and reliability of the OLE and demonstrated that technical and procedural challenges were generally surmounted, permitting an efficient management of the voter registration process. The “shelf life” of any Voters List, which had its origin in a House-to-House Registration (H-tH R) exercise, is usually 7-10 years. Perhaps, notwithstanding the enormous costs associated with such an undertaking, it would be advisable to have another H-t-H Registration exercise before the scheduled 2020 General and Regional Elections.

P.S. In passing (yet of import), it may be helpful to mention to those letter writers who wrote out of genuine concern and without malice in their missives, and who truly desire to ensure that every Voters List must be truly reflective of the persons eligible to cast their vote, the following: (1) Voter Lists are, the world over, a recurring bone of contention. The most important consideration, however, is that the Electoral Management Body (EMB) must have measures to ensure that electors cannot vote multiply.

(2) Notwithstanding #(1) above, Voters Lists can never be 100% perfect, even though several purification and sanitising exercises are carried out.

(3) The following would also be of interest: (i) In 1994 when the Republic of South Africa went to the polls to change the Apartheid Government, it did so essentially without an official and reliable Voters List. (ii) In Mozambique, in the 2004 Elections, there were four lists in circulation (the hope being that an elector’s name would be found on one of those lists). (iii) Closer to home in the Caribbean, one country has a population of 112,000, but a Voters List of 97,000. (iv) On Sunday March 15, 2015, CBS’s “60 Minutes” programme reported that “millions of long-dead Americans are mistakenly listed as still alive”. When asked by the interviewer, Scott Pelley, about the accuracy of the Death Master File, Mr. Patrick O’Carroll (the American equivalent of our General Registrar of Births and Deaths) answered: “I guess the best way is to say it is as accurate as it can be”.

When asked by the interviewer how many 111-year olds (6.5 million listed in the Inspector General’s database) were actually alive in the United States of America, Mr O’Carroll answered “I am thinking 10”!!!

Need I say more?

Dr. R. S. Surujbally, A.A. Chairman Guyana Elections Commission

Out of 408 objections during the claims and objections period that followed the seventh cycle of continuous registration only 42 were upheld. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gy.html 3 The (under) reporting of deaths and emigration is a key challenge that requires a comprehensive approach and inclusion of all stakeholders. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) alone cannot address this problem. Active involvement of government ministries, political parties, electors and civil society could contribute positively to cleansing deceased and emigrants from the National Register of Registrants (NRR) and eventual Official Lists of Electors.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

US President Obama endorses Guyana’s LCDS, Amaila Falls Hydropower project – Dr Luncheon AN endorsement from US President Barack Obama of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the focus on non-renewable energy, via the Amaila Falls Hydropower project (AFHP), was the primary take-away from last week’s talks in Jamaica.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon, made the disclosure yesterday at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, held at Office of the President in Georgetown.

“President Obama was essentially saying this is the way of the future,” Dr Luncheon told reporters.

The United States President met with President Ramotar and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government in Jamaica, last Thursday.

The hydropower project is touted to be able to provide Guyanese with a cheaper, reliable and sustainable electricity supply. It involves the construction of a hydropower plant in the area of West-Central Guyana, where the Amaila and Kuribrong Rivers meet. Electricity produced there will be delivered to Georgetown and Guyana’s second largest town, Linden. The AFHP is anticipated to result in substantial savings to the nation’s coffers, particularly in terms of foreign exchange for the purchase of heavy fuel oil, as well as create many opportunities for jobs, among other advances.

Meanwhile, the strategy outlines

President Donald Ramotar

President Barack Obama

Guyana’s vision of promoting economic development, while at the same time combating climate change. The revised version was published on 24th May, 2010 and subsequently the LCDS update was launched in March 2013 by President Donald Ramotar.

Dr Luncheon explained that the meeting was a brief one lasting a few hours. “I suspect that one would have to recognise that an opportunity was provided by President Obama on his way to Panama on his way to the Summit of the Americas,” he said.

Advances in the energy sector, as well as citizen security, fighting crime

and tackling the drug problem were the areas of discussion from which President Ramotar expected results.

The last word from the U.S. Embassy here was that investment relationships between Guyana and the United States are growing.

Guyana’s LCDS programme has been lauded around the world. Guyana has kept around 99.5 percent of its forests healthy and pristine

CO-OPERATION According to the former U.S. Ambassador, Brent Hardt, several U.S. companies are interested in doing business here.

“We’re each other’s closest trade partners in the sense that I think the trade relations between us is the biggest

of any countries,” he said in an interview with the Chronicle, prior to his departure.

Noteworthy is the fact that the Ambassador highlighted Guyana’s potential in the oil and gas field, which he said is increasingly becoming a point of interest for U.S. investors.

Hardt said, “We’ve worked to encourage U.S. investors to come here, and I know as the oil and gas field becomes increasingly of interest here in Guyana, we’ll hopefully see more U.S. companies engaging in that area. There is already interest, and we look forward to seeing more and more companies here.”

In the area of security, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, President Obama’s initiative, is one such area of cooperation. Launched in 2010, it has so far provided over US$263M in support to the Caribbean, with Guyana being a major recipient.

The U.S. has also provided metal shark boats to the Guyanese Coast Guard, facilitated training from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and worked on improving security at Guyana’s main entry points.

The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is another programme where much work has been done, particularly in ensuring delivery of medications in a timely manner.

In the non-traditional agriculture and aquaculture, USAID offers support to continuously advance in this regard, as well as in the area of eco-tourism and in addressing social issues. (Vanessa Narine)

An artist’s impression of the Amaila Falls Hydro-electric Project

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

DRILLING FOR OIL OFFSHORE GUYANA…

President visits ExxonMobil’s Deepwater Champion oil rig – accompanied by Minister Robert Persaud

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar paid a visit to the ExxonMobil drillship, the Deepwater Champion, yesterday.

The Deepwater Champion is drilling for oil under licence from the Government of Guyana in the Stabroek block, some 120 miles offshore Guyana within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

The President and party travelled by helicop-

ter from Ogle Aerodrome and were given a 360 degree view of the drillship from the helicopter.

After a short briefing aboard, the Party returned to Ogle. The President was accompanied by Mr. Robert Persaud who, in his capacity as Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, is the focal point in the Government for Esso Exploration, and coordinator of the visit with Mr. Jeff Simons,

Country Manager of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL). EEPGL is the local subsidiary of ExxonMobil, the largest publicly-traded Oil and Gas Company in the world.

Minister Persaud is coordinating the development of a National Oil and Gas policy on which he has invited and encouraged wide stakeholder participation and comment.

President Donald Ramotar and Minister Robert Persaud listen keenly as a worker on board the ExxonMobil’s Deepwater Champion explains his aspect of work

ExxonMobil’s oil rig, the Deepwater Champion

President Donald Ramotar and Minister Robert Persaud get a demonstration of operations of the Deepwater Champion

8 seconds tremor experienced last evening

President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud on board the Deepwater Champion, yesterday

Guyana and some other parts of the world last evening experienced a tremor at approximately 22.35 hrs.

While the tremor lasted for approximately eight seconds along the coastline in Guyana, there are reports that other Caribbean Countries might have experienced the tremor for a bit longer.

Up to press time there were no reports of any damage or injury as a result of the development. The development also saw several persons taking to Facebook and other social media sites stating where they were located and how they too felt the tremor. (Leroy Smith)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

PRESIDENT URGES WAKENAAM RESIDENTS TO…

‘Do all in your power to keep democracy alive’ – after May 11 WITH elections a mere 25 days away, residents of the Region Three island of Wakenaam were last evening urged to do all in their power to keep their dignity and moreso keep democracy alive in Guyana.

During a meeting which was held at San Souci junction, President Donald Ramotar told a large gathering that a lot of effort has been put into making Guyana a free country, and it is important to keep it this way.

He noted that while there are some who abuse freedom of expression and speech with no consequences, he referred to the period of time in Guyana’s history when persons were attacked for expressing themselves.

“Our country has progressed because we have restored democracy in Guyana, freedom of what we give our people and that is priceless, and we can’t put a price tag on that.”

The Head of State said gone are the days when there was only one radio station and newspaper, as he pointed out that more persons own News outfits and more private radio stations and television sta-

tions are operating.

Gone are the days too, the President said, where the police ‘lock up persons’ for uttering mere words.

Recalling an incident while campaigning for elections during the 1990s, President Ramotar said that himself and other party comrades were literally thrown off of Hogg Island by police ranks and prevented from holding a meeting.

“Comrades, that don’t happen anymore in our country. People are free to communicate their views and their ideas, and because of that our country has grown and has developed.”

President Ramotar noted that while this amount of freedom and democracy has been achieved, there is still more that is needed and that can be done.

Meanwhile, the President also noted that while Guyana has seen developments in almost every other area, much more could have been achieved if the Opposition who are disguising under a new name was supportive.

President Ramotar took the time to reflect on several developmental projects which were deliberately blocked by the combined Opposition.

Speaking of the Amaila Falls

President Donald Ramotar leading the procession to San Souci junction in Wakenaam where a public meeting was held yesterday

Hydro Project, the President alluded to the importance of cheaper and more efficient energy supply for a modern state which has great potential in the manufacturing and agro-processing sector.

The project, he said, would provide highly paying jobs and skills training for hundreds. Men-

President Ramotar addressing residents of Wakenaam yesterday

tion was made too of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, which would have been a major boost for tourism, as it would attract more international air traffic.

The cutting of $89 billion from the national budget, the President said, is another clear indication that the combined Opposition has taken an anti-developmental stance which will hurt Guyana’s growing economy.

Pointing to the fact that Guyana has seen nine consecutive years of positive growth, the President said the Opposition’s non-support of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill is also another clear indication that it does not have Guyana and its citizens at heart.

Wakenaam thrives mainly on agriculture, and President Ramotar reminded the residents that their island has great potential and that his administration will continue to work to help them realise that potential. “We are going to build right on this Island, and Leguan, Chip

factories so that you can add value to the plantain and cassava which you produce here,” the Guyanese Head of State told the residents.

Speaking to the issue of rice and the price for paddy, he told the residents that the administration is working to put a system in place to support prices, “because we know sometimes rice is fundamentally in private sector hands, but we are going to create a system to support the prices so that farmers can have a better deal and more assistance in agriculture.”

The President also spoke of diversification in the agriculture sector stating that a lot can be done in the coconut industry, but in order for these and much more to be achieved, it is up to citizens now to play their role.

“You will decide on May 11 if our country will go forward or if it will go backward, you will have to make that decision but I warn about history…do not let it repeat itself.” (GINA)

A section of the large crowd that turned out at the San Souci Junction in Wakenaam for a public meeting with President Donald Ramotar

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

PROTECT THE INVESTMENT CLIMATE -- business community calls on political parties to respect, accept elections results

By Tajeram Mohabir WITH elections political campaigning in full swing, members of the business community have reported that while there has been no decline in business, there has not been an increase in business activities.

The mood now is more of one focused on seeing off the elections as the so-called ‘silly season’ is not conducive to business, since business tends to ‘slow down’ during this period.

Elections Day is less than a month away (on May 11), and leaders in the private sector are hoping that business continues as per normal, and politicians conduct themselves in a respectful manner.

They underscored the importance for broad acceptance of the results which will be declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), pointing out that it is necessary for a peaceful post-election, and for Guyana to move forward.

President of Berbice Chambers of Commerce, Mr Mark Roopnarine, said since the campaigns begun in full swing, business in the Ancient County has been at one level, even though it was expected to pick-up during the recent Easter Season.

Business generally in the first quarter of the year is slow, but begins to gain momentum in March or the last month of the first quarter, building thereon, and culminating with a hive of activities in December.

Roopnarine told the

Mr Mark Roopnarine, President of Berbice Chamber of Commerce Chronicle that at the beginning of this month, business has not been bad, but is a bit ordinary, largely because industry players are in ‘wait and see’ mode, awaiting the end of the elections period.

Mr Ramesh Persaud, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission The Berbice Chambers of Commerce President is expecting the tempo in business to increase after the elections, but is hoping that the leaders of all the political parties exercise a high level of maturi-

Mr Lance Hinds, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce to be placed on providing solutions to challenges affecting the country, and this is what the political leaders from the various parties should be articulating on their political platforms.

‘The elections should not be seen as a contest of winners and losers, but as a match between patriots competing against each other to do the best for Guyana’ - Mr Kevin De Jonge, President of the Linden Chamber of Commerce But he said the atmosphere remains bright, although there has been a decline in activities in the construction and automobile business.

In the rice sector, harvesting has commenced, but late payment by some millers has put a damper on business. Some millers have extended their late payment to farmers by a further two weeks, and Roopnarine is hoping that there is no further extension.

ty during their campaigning.

Roopnarine is calling on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) and the small parties to focus on issues, and desist from engaging in personal attacks and character assassinations.

PROVIDE SOLUTIONS He said, for Guyana to move forward, attention has

The businessman is making an early appeal for sanity to prevail and for the elections results to be respected and accepted by all the political parties, so as to ensure a smooth and peaceful post-election.

Whichever party emerges victorious, he said, should hit the ground running and focus on improving the investment climate, reducing unemployment, raising the standard of living of ordinary Guyanese, and adopt an inclusive approach to governance.

Roopnarine told this publication that the Berbice Chambers expects the new Government to pass the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, bring the Guyana-Suriname Bridge on stream, look at the possibility of reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT), and offer concessions for the establishment of new businesses.

These, he said, will be a shot-in-the-arm for commerce in Berbice, and across the country.

Private Sector Commission Chairman, Mr Ramesh Persaud, in another section of the media, was quoted as saying that though the current business environment is not perfect, it is adequate to nurture further growth and

development, and the next Administration should pay attention along these lines.

Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President, Mr Lance Hinds, had previously called on all political parties to conduct their campaigns in a mature manner to protect the local investment climate.

Hinds had said investors’ confidence, along with the confidence of the local private sector and the general public, would only increase if all parties work to build a more mature and progressive political environment.

“Almost 50 years after Independence, we still have a highly combative, partisan political process, severely affected by race and class, seemingly unable to put the nation and its people first on a regular basis,” he said.

The Essequibo Chamber of Commerce has been defunct for some years now, but efforts are being made to resuscitate the entity.

A member of the resuscitation team told the Guyana Chronicle that though he does not have reliable data at hand, from what the team has seen, there has not been a decline in business in Essequibo. But at the same time, it does not appear that there has been an increase in business activities there.

Over at the mining town, Linden Chambers of Commerce President, Mr Kevin De Jonge, said while business there remains stable, he is hoping that the momentum picks up after the elections.

De Jongetold this publication that business in the first quarter of the year has not been bright, and understandably so, as the first quarter is not the best period of the business calendar.

SPEEDY FINISH He too, is hoping for the elections period to be over quickly, so that life and business return to normalcy.

But this, he said, is dependent on how mature the politicians from the various political parties conduct themselves and control their supporters, especially the over-enthusiastic ones. He said, too, that though the supporters of the two major political forces have different, sometimes strong opposing views, they should not forget to love each other, as life

goes on after the elections.

The Linden Chambers of Commerce President is also urging political leaders and activists to ensure that what they say on the campaign trail is not adverse to the business community and promote disunity and disquiet among the people.

De Jonge said the chambers want the political parties to focus less on rhetoric and more on real solutions to address unemployment and other challenges affecting Linden.

He said the business representative body is willing to work with whichever party wins the elections, to enhance business in the mining town and the well-being of residents there.

The businessman stressed that it is important that whichever party wins, they pay more attention to Linden, and work together with their political rivals to put Guyana and the people of Guyana first.

He said the new Government should focus more on the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) Project which gives support to the development of small businesses.

On this note, the Linden Chamber of Commerce President said it would be useful if an investment office is establish in Linden to avoid businesspersons from the mining community travelling to Georgetown for information.

He said the business community and residents of Linden are also looking forward to the completion of the paved road from Linden to Lethem and the construction of a “small” deep water harbour in the town.

These developments, he said, will significantly open up commerce in the mining community and redound to the benefit of all Guyanese.

The businessman told this publication that the elections should not be seen as a contest of winners and losers, but as a match between patriots competing against each other to do the best for Guyana.

De Jonge is also calling on all the political parties to accept the results of the 2015 General and Regional Elections and move on, saying that Guyana has come a long way, and there should be no place for post-elections violence.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Our story remains relevant life lessons

By Shaun Michael Samaroo

WALKING among us, are some folks who want us to forget and never ever even mention those demoralising days when our nation suffered enormous socio-economic devastation.

Why is it so crucially important, vitally critical, for us to keep at the back of the national mind the road we traversed as a nation?

Our story remains relevant for its hardnosed life lessons. We cannot ignore

of the nation’s soul; and the matter of the suspected political assassination of Dr Walter Rodney.

The cold case of Dr Rodney languished as a stain on the good conscience of the Guyanese nation for 34 years, and, astonishingly, we harbour among us leaders, writers, influential citizens, who want to ignore the fact that the Guyanese State may have assassinated its most scholarly citizen.

In President Ramotar

ideas like democracy and development, twisting these terms to suit a dictatorship G1overnment and a form of economic management that fuelled massive national corruption, the starving of our population, and gross poverty.

Why should we keep these things always at the back of our mind?

Simply because such history serves as life lessons, teaching us what could happen to us again, warning us like an SOS

Why is it so crucially important, vitally critical, for us to keep at the back of the national mind the road we traversed as a nation? Our story remains relevant for its hardnosed life lessons. We cannot ignore the road we traversed to get where we are today. the road we traversed to get where we are today.

We must constantly look back, just to keep a proper perspective. To never repeat the mistakes we made in the past, we must keep an eye on the rearview mirror, even as we design the way forward and keep our focus on achieving our national potential as a thriving, fast-developing 21st century society.

History serves a purpose. History is life lessons. What happened to Guyanese when the People’s National Congress (PNC) ruled Guyana under rigged elections and grotesque experimentation with the concepts of democracy and development must never, ever gather dust, buried under the idea of “the past”.

We see severe kickback when we mention two events in this country: the decades of rigged elections, with the crippling of democratic Guyana and the socio-economic collapse

convening the Rodney Commission, our nation took the step to perform necessary surgery on the psyche of our body politic.

President Ramotar demonstrated his immense love for national justice and for social healing with his courageous act, showing the depth of his character, resolve and good conscience.

Yet, top military leaders and even those touting themselves as friends of Dr Rodney and his family flatly refuse to support President Ramotar’s quest for national justice in this case.

We see the same arrogant, nasty kickback against us when we talk of the socio-economic crisis that caused the collapse of Guyana’s macro-economic and social structures and systems.

The popular cry is that we should never mention “the 28 years”, that notorious time when the Guyana Government of the PNC experimented with crucial

red flag that we must never fall into that trap again, which started with a coalition government in 1964.

B u t , m o r e i m p o rtantly, talking about the past shows us why we are where we are today as a nation. For the past two-plus decades, our nation had to go through a rigid repairing process, to re-align the foundation and structure of our national institutions, State agencies, legislations and governance systems to the true meaning of the values we hold dear: democracy and development.

That period of repairing, when the freely and fairly elected Government spent tens of billions of dollars to transform 1,000 public school buildings, repairing them from broken-down structures to spanking new buildings; when we had to overhaul health care centres and hospitals from their state of disrepair and falling apart into sturdy struc-

tures; when we had to deploy serious energy in fixing roads; when we had to repair the Demerara Harbour Bridge and water supply across the country, so that now we don’t see citizens lining up for potable water; when we had to cure our land of excruciating blackouts; these, and a multitude of woes citizens suffered during those dictatorship days, we’ve had to be repairing over the past two-plus decades, while still initiating new development projects like the Berbice Bridge and Marriott.

But the people who

repairing plan, to fix all the broken stuff across the country.

The context of having to fix up a broken society is a crucial context that needs our constant consideration.

We cannot just ignore, for example, Mayor Hamilton Green’s decades in Government, in considering his poor Mayorship of the Georgetown City Council.

This one leader impacted so much of our history, yet many would prefer we leave his story untold, and just ignore what his leadership hoisted upon us.

We cannot ignore the

expression and freedom of movement. The Guyanese story is contextual, and for us to ignore that context would be awfully silly of us.

We understand the motive of those who campaign to convince young people and the nation that “those 28 years” and the demise of Dr Rodney are events we should forget: who wants their wicked sins and their dark soul exposed?

But we must consider the overall public good of the Guyanese nation.

And that public good calls for profound reflection

Never again must we sacrifice our potential at the altar of despotic leaders who want us to forget what they did to us. caused such immense collapse and stunning suffering upon the Guyanese nation want us to forget about what they did to us, how they caused things to fall apart, how they reduced our country to a pitiable rubble. Forget those days, they say, and let’s just look at what’s going on today.

To isolate our vision to just what’s going on today is to take ourselves outside the context that shaped our path to where we are today. Why are we only now a middle-income developing country?

Simply because we had to employ that massive

military leaders who played a role in Dr Rodney’s demise, who obeyed State orders under the PNC to hijack ballot boxes and steal our votes, who want us to forget their crimes against our soul and their unethical behaviour and their moral rectitude.

The Guyanese story comes within the context of the suspected political assassination of Dr Rodney, as this event impacted our nation and its destiny. The Guyanese story wraps around the context of those 28 years of rigged elections and banned basic food and denial of freedom of

and constant consideration of our full historical context, the entirety of our evolving story.

Whoever shows up as the bad guys who crippled the Guyanese body politic and wounded us so badly must face the legacy of their wickedness, in that their role in dragging us so far down, to rank with Haiti as the worst-off nation in the Americas, must remain a warning to our future generations: never again must we sacrifice our potential at the altar of despotic leaders who want us to forget what they did to us.

Man commits suicide after quarrel with wife A 40-year-old father of Exmouth village, Essequibo Coast has ended his life by suicide.

According to reports, Rakesh Kellawan, and his wife were quarrel-

- in Essequibo

ing last Sunday afternoon at their home when he drank a quantity of gramoxone poison while

being agitated.

Reports said he was rushed to the Suddie hospital and admitted but

he died just after midday on Monday. Reports said the death of Kellawan, a driver, has left his parents, siblings, relatives and villagers in shock and sadness.

Just last week, an officer attached to the CID section at Anna Regina Police Station ended his life by suicide after domestic problems with his wife.

The officer drank a quantity of gramoxone poison. He has left his wife and four children to mourn.

(Rajendra Prabhulall)

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

PPP/C hosts media interaction with new members on Top-up List – Dr Clive Jagan believes PPP/C has stayed true to Dr Cheddi Jagan’s principles – Dr Mahender Sharma believes the PPP/C’s developmental agenda over the last two decades is quite impressive

In photo, from left, are Dr. Clive Jagan, Ms Vanessa Benn, Dr Mahender Sharma, Mr Zulfikar Mustapha, Dr. Vishalya Sharma and Dr Telita Smith

By Rebecca Ganesh THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) yesterday afforded representatives of the media the opportunity to interact with new members of the Party whose names appeared on the Top-Up List of candidates for the upcoming May 11 General and Regional Elections in Guyana.

At a press conference at the party’s Freedom House headquarters, PPP/C’s Executive Secretary Mr Zulfikar Mustapha introduced five of the new candidates on the List to media operatives. They are: Dr Telita Smith, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, Dr Mahender Sharma, Ms Vanessa Benn and Dr. Clive Jagan.

Speaking first as a youth who has accomplished so much under this Govern-

ment, Dr Telita Smith said she is 26 years old and a medical doctor based at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). She noted that she joined the PPP/C because “I wanted to be ‘a soldier’ and to continue to promote the development within the country.”

Medical Superintendent at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, Dr Vishalya Sharma said she joined the PPP list “because I see strategic leadership, a good vision as well as a dynamic set of youths who are ready to take Guyana forward.”

Dr Mahender Sharma, the Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), said he believes that the developmental agenda which the PPP/C has pursued over the last two plus decades is quite impressive.

“It’s a developmental agenda that I want to be a part

of… having worked with the Administration for the last 17 years, I can attest to the manner in which they do business and I find that to be honourable and respectful in every engagement that I’ve had with them,” Dr Sharma commented.

Dr Sharma, who is the son of controversial television owner and politician Mr Chandra Narine (CN) Sharma, dismissed the assertion that there is a “conflict of interest” with him being the Head of a State Agency (GEA) and also being on the PPP/C candidates List.

“Resigning from office?

The way I read that article, it appeared as if Stabroek News inserted my name in that article, as nothing in the GEA Act precludes me from being a member of a political party and serving as the CEO of the agency,”

Dr Sharma stressed as he put the question of his resignation from GEA to rest.

Ms Vanessa Benn, an Agriculture and Forestry Specialist, said she is “very proud” to be on the PPP/C’s candidates List. She noted that in 1992 “the PPP/C went on a charge ‘time to rebuild, time to change’. We are rebuilding and making changes in Guyana in a very positive way. We have been doing that for 23 years now and I believe that, with the positive vision and work of the PPP/C, we will continue in this positive direction.”

Dr Cheddi Jagan’s nephew, Dr Clive Jagan, who is also on the PPP/C’s Top-Up List of candidates, declared that: “I have been a part of the PPP/C since 1985, but now I still see that the PPP is the party that would take us forward with proper development of our nation, the

only party that has democracy at heart and freedom of our people to exercise their right to vote.”

Dr Jagan, responding to the question whether the PPP/C has moved away from the principles of his iconic uncle, explained that the “media seems to be biased” during elections time, a period dubbed as ‘the silly season’.

“In terms of moving away from his (Dr Cheddi Jagan’s) principles I don’t agree because I’ve seen development…presumptions are made that they are moving away but there has been no valid proof that the Opposition or anyone has come out to say that the PPP/C has moved away,” Dr Clive Jagan declared.

He further explained that “they (PPP/C) still stand for the same policies, democracy, progress, freedom of the

press and anything else”. He alluded to the fact that “prior to 1992, you would have been locked up for saying anything out of the way. So I don’t believe that the party has moved away from the principles of Cheddi.”

“In terms of inclusion, even when the ‘old man’ came into power in 1992, he believed in inclusion and he started with the City Council in terms of shared governance,” Clive pointed out.

He noted, too, that some trust needs to be established before persons can go any further and the political Opposition has not changed its attitude to the PPP. “They have had an antagonistic relationship with the PPP/C” for a very long time, Dr Jagan said, adding that “lifestyles have changed, time has changed and people have achieved more.”

GT&T files appeal against PUC objection to rates hike – GT&T’s CEO confident appeal will be successful AFTER its application for rates increases was denied by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) has filed an appeal, stating that the PUC’s reasons for rejection is “a list of grievances that are without merit.”

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GT&T, Radha Krishna Sharma, in a statement, outlined the company’s disappointment by the national regulatory body’s (PUC) rejection of their (GT&T) effort to modify rates which will ultimately reflect changes in the telecommunications

sector given that the last comprehensive rate review was over a decade ago.

He stated that the PUC’s order is not based on a logical adherence to the law, a reasonable consideration of the voluminous record and is neither consistent with past PUC decisions and rulings.

Sharma said the PUC’s list of reasons for rejecting the application for an increase in rates is a mere list of complaints that is worthless or “without merit”.

He then stated that the PUC order is an “outright rejection” of the company’s effort to adjust rates - including

lowering long distance rates and introducing new and enhanced services for customers.

“It is an unfortunate outcome for consumers, who would have received enhanced services and seen their long distance rates cut. It is also a lost opportunity to remove a roadblock in the path to liberalisation by bringing rates in line with costs, an effort we strongly support,” said Sharma.

The regulatory body has, however, outlined its reasons for rejection in its order which was released in late March. The order pointed to numerous failures on the part

of the telephone company to make good on corporate commitments. One major failure outlined by the PUC in its order is GT&T’s lack of income findings to support its claims.

“All the revenues and expenses are merged, so we do not get a true picture of what its costs, say, for the regulated sector to function. We do not have an idea what machinery and plant, and what percentage of them is used for the non-regulated sectors. GT&T has the overall figures, and must know what their expenses are,” the PUC order stated.

Meanwhile, Sharma in his statement, accused the

PUC of “wrongly assessing” GT&T’s long history of investments. To support his statement, Sharma noted that the company has fulfilled its obligations and has invested USD$250 million since their last rate change along with more than US$391 million since the beginning of their contract.

In relation to filing for an appeal, Sharma stated that GT&T believes it is essential to “keep pushing” since Guyana is one of the very few countries along with Cuba in the western hemisphere that does not own a 3G wireless service.

He said the company will continue to work for changes that will allow the adjustment

of rates that will ideally reflect today’s market realities and provide more services to consumers.

When it comes to modernising the telecommunication sector, Sharma noted that the PUC order is “emblematic of the frustrating distance between the Government’s words and actions.”

Contrary to this statement, Sharma then said even with this denial, GT&T will stand ready to work with the Government to develop a clear and consistent plan based on proven industry practice, fairness to all regardless of connection or influence, and the rule of law for moving Guyana forward on telecommunications.

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

DR SURUJBALLY DECLARES…

‘Nothing to stop us now’

12+ OAS Observers expected for May 11 poll – Team leader on preliminary visit in Guyana – Third international group to do so

By Vanessa Narine THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday held talks with former Foreign Minister of Belize, Ms Lisa Shoman, in her capacity as a representative of the Organisation of American States (OAS), following her arrival in Guyana in relation to the OAS fielding an electoral observer mission for the upcoming polls.

Shoman indicated that

AGREEMENT SIGNED During Shoman’s yesterday meeting with GECOM, she and Dr Surujbally signed an Electoral Observation Process Agreement compiled by the OAS to establish conditions under which the electoral observation will be carried out.

After that signing, Dr Surujbally took opportunity to brief the OAS representative on GECOM’s current state of preparedness to con-

– following Cabinet’s approval of monies to procure ‘sensitive materials’ for Elections Commission

GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally and former Foreign Minister of Belize, Ms Lisa Shoman, Head of the OAS Election Observer Mission, exchange copies of an agreement they signed yesterday. Standing, at centre in photo, is Chief Elections Officer Mr Keith Lowenfield

Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat

MONIES for the procurement of sensitive materials to be used by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at the upcoming polls have been approved by Cabinet, according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.

The contract, worth some $66.8M, was given Cabinet’s no-objection at its meeting on Tuesday.

In an invited comment, GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally was emphatic in declaring the Commission’s readiness for the May 11 General and Regional Elections. “There is nothing to stop us now,” he

Dr Steve Surujbally, Chairman of GECOM

told the Guyana Chronicle.

He disclosed that two GECOM Commissioners, Messrs Charles Corbin and Sase Gunraj, are currently in Canada overseeing the printing of ballot papers.

“The ballot papers should be in our possession shortly…everything is going smoothly,” Dr Surujbally said.

The other sensitive materials to be procured include ink, ballot boxes, security seals and such like.

This is the second contract green-lighted by Cabinet for the procurement of Election Day materials.

In early January, a contract worth in excess of

$35.2M for the procurement of sensitive materials for GECOM was also approved.

“The non-sensitive materials are here [in GECOM’s possession]. We are waiting now on the sensitive materials,” the GECOM Chairman said.

Sensitive and non-sensitive materials are dispatched to the various districts prior to Election Day. Sensitive materials including ballot boxes are checked, labelled and properly secured in respective containers. Private security is arranged to attend to the containers. (Vanessa Narine)

the OAS intends to field a team of about a dozen observers, who will be strategically placed across the country during Election Day. The OAS election observers are expected to be in Guyana on May 5th, and are expected to remain here for some time after Election Day. Shoman was selected as the head of the OAS Election Observer Mission after OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and the Permanent Representative of Guyana to that organisation, Ambassador Bayney Karran, signed an agreement to field the electoral observer mission last week.

Ambassador Shoman, designated for the position

by Mr Insulza, has been a member of the Senate of Belize since 2009. Appointed foreign minister of her country in 2007, she had previously served concurrently as Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS.

duct efficient and transparent elections. He indicated that GECOM has already written the eight political parties contesting the May 11 General and Regional Elections to inform them of their eligibility; has already finalised all the Polling Stations to be utilised on Election Day; and is currently engaged in assiduously conducting refresher training of Polling Day staff.

Dr Surujbally also noted that GECOM’s civic and voter education programme is well underway with a variety of advertisements, infomercials, and public service announcements being published in the print and electronic media daily.

He was keen to point out that GECOM’s television infomercials cater for persons living with hearing disabilities by utilising sign language.

Dr Surujbally assured that GECOM is committed to working within the guidelines of the agreement signed, and looks forward

to positive electoral observation reportage from the OAS. PROTOCOLS GECOM has said that all observers, local and foreign, will be required to sign onto certain protocols before they are accredited as observers.

Relative to foreign observers, the missions, according to the protocol seen by the Guyana Chronicle, will be expected to adhere to more than 35 guidelines.

In addition to the guidelines, the rights and privileges of accredited election observer groups have also been outlined in the protocol.

Similar rights and guidelines apply to local observer groups, but those were detailed in a separate document.

The protocols for both foreign and local observer groups state clearly that if GECOM considers that an observer group has “willfully, without restraint, overtly and/or with malice aforethought breached the modus operandi and protocols” outlined by the Commission, GECOM has the authority to, and may rescind/ withdraw its accreditation from the individual errant observer, or even from the entire observer mission.

Ms Shoman is expected to meet with the presidential candidates, civil society representatives, and representatives of the international community in Guyana.

The OAS has indicated that it will deploy a team of experts and observers to witness the elections, and to analyse specific aspects of the electoral process -- such as electoral organisation, campaign financing, and the political participation of men and women.

The traditional observer missions, aside from the OAS, include the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

The United Nations and the Commonwealth have already fielded needs assessment missions to Guyana, while representatives from the Carter Centre have fielded a second team for similar purposes.

CARICOM and UNASUR are still to confirm their presence in Guyana as observers, as are the governments of South Africa and India, which were also invited to field missions ahead of the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

16

CAMP MADEWINI CARETAKER DEATH…

Body’s advanced decomposition rules out post-mortem

A POST- mortem scheduled to be performed on the body of William Vanbrook, found dead in his home at Madewini, East Bank Demerara, has had to be abandoned, due to the advanced stage of decomposition of his body.

This is the advice of Government Bacteriologist and Pathologist, Dr. Neehaul Singh, according to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS), Alfred King, in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Vanbrook 61, also called “Billy,” who had been caretaker of the Madewini Camp Site, owned by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for the last 12 years, died, presumably on Easter Monday, according to the doctor who examined the body.

At the time he was alone in his home at Madewini. Last Friday, staff of the ministry who had become curious after not being able to reach him on the telephone over a prolonged period, visited his home and discovered his body, stiff and locked in the house.

It would appear he had just completed a phone call, since his remains were discovered in a chair with two phones – a cellular and a landline phone in front of him. Rigor mortis had already stepped in.

Relatives living in Lamaha Park also related that they had received a phone call from him on Easter Monday, during which he complained of experiencing pains in the region of his chest and abdomen. The pains, he said, had started around Good Friday. But no one could have imagined that death was anywhere in the making.

According to Permanent Secretary of the MCYS, Mr. Alfred King, Mr. Vanbrook was in the process of preparing the Madewini Camp site for a training programme to be hosted there by the President’s Youth Award Programme. He recalled that the manager had spoken with Vanbrook on Monday, detailing instructions in relation to preparations for the event this week. But after receiving no feedback from the caretaker, the manager tried calling him again, but all calls went unanswered.

As a result an advance party (ahead of the training programme) travelled up to Madewini to seek him out. When they got to the building and found that it was locked, an officer peered in through a window and made the shocking discovery that Vanbrook’s body was motionless in a chair. The heavily grilled building was locked from the inside. The information was immediately communicated to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, who immediately made a personal call to the Commissioner of Police, requesting him to dispatch ranks to witness the horrific discovery and commence investigations.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Official List of Electors to be gazetted today PREPARATIONS for hosting the May 11 General and Regional Elections continue apace with expectation that the Official List of Electors (OLE) would be gazetted today.

Dr Steve Surujbally, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), made this disclosure in an invited comment to the Chronicle yesterday.

This move, he said, follows GECOM’s certification of the OLE at a statutory meeting on Tuesday.

The statutory 21-day

posting of the Revised List of Electors (RLE), a list modified using the Preliminary List of Electors, ended on Sunday, April 12.

Eligible voters had been invited to review the list during the three-week period to ensure that details are correct. Any inaccuracy would then have to be communicated to the Chief Elections Officer, who is duly authorised to effect the correction.

GECOM has moved to finalise the voters’ list for the upcoming polls. the GECOM Chairman, in a

prior comment, had stressed that GECOM has a “menu of measures” to ensure integrity of the electoral process, and in particular that no one person votes more than once.

The OLE comprises 570,786 eligible voters, and the finalised OLE will facilitate voting at the upcoming polls.

As per law, the OLE must be posted across the country 20 days before the holding of General and Regional Elections on May 11 – by next Wednesday, April 22nd.

Sugar workers at Albion/Port Mourant Estate resume work William Vanbrook also called “Billy”

– Komal Chand

On receiving the horrifying information, police visited the home at Madewini and wasted no time in prising the door of the locked and heavily grilled building open. The building was searched thoroughly, but the police came up with nothing to suggest foul play. They further verified that the body bore no visible marks of violence.

Meanwhile, the examining doctor determined that the body would have been lifeless for about three days or so, prior to being discovered.

Of affable disposition, Vanbrook was a quiet and peace- loving individual who harboured no malice nor ill will for anyone. He was focused and very attentive to his job, hence, after not hearing from him for several days, in relation to the progress of tasks assigned to him, officials at the MCYS became worried and set out to find him.

During his lifetime, Vanbrook had enjoyed warm and amicable relations with family members and neighbours.

He would regularly visit the home of his eldest brother, Stephen, at Lamaha Park, spending many a Sunday and holiday with the family. But this time around, instead of his usual visit, the call they received from him on Easter Monday turned out to be a farewell telephone call.

Mr. William Vanbrook had been in the employ of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for about 12 years, having commenced working there on May 1, 2003. Prior to that, he had worked as a Bio-Med Technician at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

He leaves to mourn his eldest brother Stephen Vanbrook (Retired Chief Constable (Ag) of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), two sisters, cousin Patrice La Fleur of the UNFPA, nephew, Mahendra Vanbrook of the Ministry of Finance and other relatives and friends.

The police are however, continuing their investigation.

AFTER downing tools for one day, workers of the Albion/Port Mourant Sugar Estate resumed their daily routine yesterday, prior to the resolution of the issue by management of the estate along with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU).

GAWU President Komal Chand made this disclosure yesterday during a telephone comment to the Chronicle.

When asked whether or not it was the issue of payments that encouraged the

work stoppage, Chand stated that it was nothing of that sort, as payments are up-todate and is not a current issue at that particular estate.

“The workers struck yesterday because they were asked to alternate between their current working point within the field and another point while work on the first area is still not completed as yet,” said the GAWU President.

The strike, Chand noted, sparked an impromptu meeting among GAWU, GuySuCo and the management of the estate, who after much deliberation came to a conclusion that

GAWU President Komal Chand

the workers will continue on their current working area after which they will move to the next point after completion. (Navendra Seoraj)

Driver held over Stewartville hit and run fatality POLICE are investigating a fatal accident that occurred at about 18:30 hrs on Tuesday on the Stewartville Public Road, West Coast Demerara, which resulted in the death of pedestrian, Vanessa Forde, 33, of Stewartville.

A ccording to inves tigations, the driver of a motorcar was proceeding along the roadway when he allegedly swerved to avoid a pedal cyclist who had rid-

den across the road and he struck down the pedestrian.

Forde was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.

However, the driver fled the accident scene but was later arrested. He remains in police custody assisting with the investigations.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, at about 20:45 hrs on Tuesday, businessman Joseph Phoenix, 39, of Craig, East Bank

Demerara, was confronted in his shop by four men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, and who had entered the business premises on the pretext of purchasing water.

Phoenix resisted and was shot to his left shoulder and also sustained a grazed wound to his jaw, following which the men escaped. He was treated at the GPHC and sent away.

(Michel Outridge)

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Dr Ramsaroop tells Berbice electorate...

Now not time for an Economic U-TURN THE People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), last Tuesday evening, continued in earnest with its 2015 Elections Campaign, this time heading to Ancient County of Berbice outlining its vision for Guyana as proposed in its Manifesto, ‘Guyana 2.0’.

Supporters making up part of the Berbice electorate were told that at this juncture in the nation’s history, “We cannot do a U-turn.”

This was the message brought by prominent local businessman and political activist, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, who was among those to take the podium on Tuesday evening.

Following his endorsement of the PPP/C, it was unveiled last week on ‘Nomination Day’ that Dr Ramsaroop is also on the party’s list of candidates for a possible elected seat in the 11th Parliament.

Dr Ramsaroop used the opportunity at the podiums, both at Ankerville and Albion, to expand on the PPP/C’s ‘Guyana Vision 2.0’, even as he espoused on the foundation and accomplishments in the economy today, “including the investments in sugar, infrastructure and foreign investments.”

Dr Peter Ramsaroop (in red shirt) greets a PPP/C supporter ahead of one of Tuesday’s meeting He said that without a stable economy complemented with stable growth over the past decade, “Vision 2. 0 radically create jobs numbering in the thousands.

This brand new facility, he explained, will begin the process would not have been possible.” of ensuring that all payments are made within 42 days of selling Dr Ramsaroop, who had also endorsed the PPP/C ahead According to Dr Ramsaroop, “a growth agenda de- of the 2011 elections, told Berbicians, “we will grow more paddy, as well as support the creation of Value Added Manupends on a solid foundation.” facturing industries such as Cereal, and using husks for Energy sugar, 400,000 tons by 2020.”

He told Berbicians that “we can now seriously considHe noted that in the area of renewable energy, a re-elected Solution. er the Deep Water Harbour and the Road to Brazil as key PPP/C Administration will create an Ethanol Factory among He told Berbicians they “cannot go back to an era of old components in Transport Economics, and this is testament other initiatives. style politics” as this will stifle Guyana’s economy. to the foundation laid by the incumbent administration.”

Alluding to the PPP/C’s Vision 2.0 as “an exciting plan”, While in the Ancient County, he also outlined these points Dr Ramsarrop pointed out that the realisation of these during a formal televised presentation, which he said are Dr Ramsarrop said “it’s a vision outlined by the President to projects will inherently lead to the creation of jobs in initiatives that will transform Berbice even further. continue to build a modern and secure society.” logistics, transportation, ancillary services and maritime He also called on all citizens to join in the endeavour Dr Ramsaroop also spoke to developments in other areas management. and not to be fooled by baseless promises by the political such as in the rice industry and emphasised that the PPP/C He said too, that the infusion of Industrial Technolo- not only calls for, but plans to establish a special ‘Rice Sup- Opposition that “will see the economy spin out of control gy Parks, to include Call Centres around the nation will port Fund.’ if they only implement what they are saying.”

Prolonged dry spell takes toll on Region 9

- water being transported to schools in Annai, Sand Creek

By Telesha Ramnarine

WATER and water purification tablets are currently being transported to the secondary school dormitories in Annai and Sand Creek, Region 9 (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo) by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).

These, and other efforts, come in response to a dry spell that the Region has been experiencing for quite some time now.

Reports are that many wells are being dried up and the situation in Lethem is as such that residents are resorting to placing pumps on the Government’s line which slows up the pressure that reaches households.

“It is very, very dry in Lethem,” one Lethem resident told this newspaper, adding, “It is normally dry in Lethem but the situation has gotten worse for the

Mr Karl Singh, Assistant Regional Executive Officer of Region Nine past three to four months.

The Government well is also drying up also. This one is deeper than the rest so people resort to feeding off it which slows up the pressure. So due to the increasing demand on this line, the pressure has reduced. In fact, some places which have never dried up are now dry.”

But Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO), Karl Singh, would not describe

the situation as a drought but would call it a long dry spell.

According to him, in an invited comment, all villagers still have water and creeks that are not entirely dry. “Most villagers have hand-dug wells and these are the ones mostly affected,” he offered, as he drew attention to climate change which is responsible for the unpredictable weather pattern.

The well belonging to the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) is the one that is in use right now.

Last Tuesday, he said the Region experienced rainfall from about 7:30hrs to 11:00hrs am and that he is hoping for things to get back to normal soon.

He said the CDC is in the location presently and is looking at transporting water and purification tablets to the secondary schools dormitories at Annai and Sand Creek.

“If things get worse, the first thing we will have to look at is filling the needs of the dormitories because school has to go on,” he said.

A Disaster Management Committee is also in place and meetings are conducted regularly, he said.

Meanwhile, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his usual post-Cabinet press briefing, said Cabinet has recently mandated the CDC to coordinate

efforts to bring relief to residents of Region 9 and parts of Region 1 (Barima/Waini), as they face drought conditions in their communities due to low levels of rainfall.

He stated that due to unseasonably low amounts of rainfall, parts of the two regions, as well as the north eastern section of Brazil have been hard hit by drought conditions. He noted that in addition to a lack of water, there has been the resurgence of pests which were attacking what little crops remained that were minimally affected by the drought.

The CDC, Dr. Luncheon revealed, will coordinate with

the Ministries of Amerindian Affairs, Local Government, Housing and Water, Public Works and Guyana Water Inc. in their efforts to bring relief to the affected communities.

This will be done by sourcing water from accessible rivers and other sources and via the use of tractors and trailers with black tanks, traversing the area and providing water to residents, he added.

It has been reported to Cabinet that most wells have dried up and the water table is “so low that shallow wells were at this point, inaccessible”, Dr. Luncheon said. The intervention will continue for the duration of persisting

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

AT CHEDDI JAGAN ANNUAL LECTURE…

US, Britain undermined democracy in Guyana – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

By Tajeram Mohabir ST VINCENT and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has charged that imperialists British and America paid lip service to democracy in Guyana, while at the same time accusing former President Dr Cheddi Jagan of being a communist.

But Dr Gonsalves, who was at the time speaking at the Cheddi Jagan Annual Lecture at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, Kingston, Georgetown, said the accusation was misconceived.

He contended that the late founding leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was wedded to a strategic approach of building socialism by way of parliamentary democracy.

He told the gathering which included Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, PPP Executive Hydar Ali, representatives of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) and senior officials of the ruling party, that Dr Jagan’s profound commitment to parliamentary and participatory democracy placed him at odds with the British and American powers.

But the imperialists, he said, who branded themselves bastions of democracy, did the opposite of what they professed, pointing to their scheming and disposal of Dr Jagan from office in 1953 and their attempts in 1961.

“They said if Jagan, the communist is elected, there will be no democracy, but he is the man who at every turn showed himself committed to parliamentary democracy,” he told the gathering at the lecture titled “Cheddi Jagan: His Nationalism, His Regionalism and His Internationalism”.

The late leader, described as the Father of the Nation, saw democracy as the path to

and social unrest in Guyana, and Dr Gonsalves was forthright in his view.

Late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan

peaceful and sustainable social and economic development of Guyana.

On August 2, 1996, he said thus: “Democracy can only prosper in an environment of economic, social and ecological development. Poverty atrophies the vigour and initiative of the individual and depraves the society of incalculable human resources. If left unattended, the expansion of poverty and hunger and the hopelessness it engenders will undermine the fabric of our civilisation and the security of the democratic state…”

According to Dr Gonsalves, the British and the Americans, who saw Dr Jagan as a communist, were convenient in their actions towards him.

And this was evident in the actions of “high priests of democracy”, at Number 10 Downing Street, United Kingdom and in the White House, USA. The action of these ‘bastions of democracy’ was reflected in their obstructionist tactics towards the PPP Administration in 1953, 1961 and 1964.

These fomented division

UNDERMINE “They [British and Americans] were the ones who engineered the undermining of democracy in Guyana,” the prominent leader in the Caricom grouping said.

He said Dr Jagan, the Marxist, was a quintessential Democrat, who because of his alignment with Communist and Socialist nations caused him to incur the wrath of the British and American Administrations.

But, he said, the late Guyanese leader was always a man grounded in fact, and was so guided, seeing the need for change when necessary due to changing circumstances.

CRITICAL SUPPORT D r J a g a n ’s p r i n c i p l e d Marxist formation of unity and struggle led him in the late 1970s and 1980s to elaborate the practice of critical support to Forbes Burnham’s People’s National Congress (PNC) Government.

“Undoubted, there were salient features of Burnham’s domestic and international agenda which were nationalist and anti-imperialist; these received Jagan’s support, at the same time, he criticised those aspects of Burnham’s public policies which he considered to be anti-national and too accommodating to imperialism,” the Prime Minister said.

Regionally, Dr Jagan was from the beginning, to the end of his life, a staunch defender of the Cuban Revolution, and this was evident in his speeches both in and out of Parliament.

UNSUPPORTIVE Dr Gonsalves said although Dr Jagan saw Guyana as part of a

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves

wider Caribbean civilisation, for most of his political career, he was unsupportive of what was trumpeted as Caribbean integration.

As a Caribbean man, steep internationalist and socialist, who deeply embraced working people’s solidarity, he said Dr Jagan was never against Caribbean integration.

But he viewed the brand trumpeted by some Caribbean leaders as window dressing, which served the interests of monopoly capital and its political promoters.

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister said Dr Jagan’s bitter experience taught him (Dr Jagan) that the Caribbean leaders who advocated deep Caribbean unity either remained silent or sided with the British Government without any reasonable justification, save and except their romantic Churchillian imperialism.

The statement was made in reference to their muteness on the suspension of the Constitution of British Guiana in 1953, and the removal of Jagan’s PPP after 100 days in office.

Dr Jagan was also frank in his address to fellow Caricom leaders. In a speech made in 1992, the year he was returned to the presidency after free and fair elections, he said: “We (CARICOM Heads of Governments) must set our face sternly against corruption and extravagance. We cannot have a Cadillac-style living with donkey-cart economies. Our leaders must set the example of democratic, accountable, clean and lean governance and efficient governance.”

The lecture by Dr Gonsalves brought down the curtains on Cheddi Jagan Month of Activities 2015. The activities celebrate the life and work of the former President and late founding leader of the PPP. Dr Jagan was born on March 22, 1918, and passed away in the USA after a brief illness on March 6, 1997.

He was first elected Chief Minister of British Guiana in 1953, and later became Premier from 1961 to 1964, and later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

‘Furious 7’ takes Guyana by storm - the ‘good’ would love this movie ‘bad’ for its ‘furious’ action

‘FURIOUS 7’, the highest-grossing film in the Fast & Furious franchise, has taken Guyana by storm.

Currently being shown at the Princess Movie Theaters, the movie has received a tremendous response from its Guyanese audiences, making it the most popular and most demanded movie shown thus far.

In its third week running, the tickets for the evening shows are still selling like hot cakes.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Princess Theatres, Ali Williams, told the Chronicle that the movie has brought a remarkable increase in sales for the theatre, as awareness has grown.

She added that those who

The line of eager customers purchasing their ‘Furious 7’ tickets at the Princess Theatres

haven’t yet watched the movie should not despair, as tickets for the 3D thriller can be bought a day in advance.

The timings for the shows are as follows: 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm.

The Fast and Furious 7 is the latest installment of the big budget ac-

tion blockbuster serial.

It features spectacular stunts and entertaining movie stars such as Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brews t e r, Ty r e s e G i b s o n , Chris Bridges and Jason Statham.

Williams noted that

this is a movie for fans who love fast cars and furious action, and she said the movie would especially appeal to fans who would want to watch the late Paul Walker one last time for the emotional tribute at the end.

(Raveena Mangal)

EPA warns against killing jaguars

By Clifford Stanley THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that it is an offence to knowingly pursue jaguars with the intention to cause harm to them or kill them even though they may present a threat.

Jaguars are protected but in a public advisory the EPA stressed that it is criminal to attack or inflict suffering on any wildlife, whether they are protected or not.

The EPA advisory acknowledged that persons may kill wildlife that pose a direct threat to themselves or others.

However, the circumstances should be reported to the nearest police station or the EPA as soon as possible and not later than seven days after the event.

- even when they’re a threat

Jaguars (photos from animalia-life.com) ‘It is criminal to attack PENALTY inform the most appropriate action to be taken with human or inflict suffering on any The penalty for the offence of causing harm to wildlife safety as a priority and conservation efforts in mind, the unnecessary suffering to not only jaguars but EPA said. wildlife, whether they are orall inflicting wildlife, is a fine of not less than $75,000 and not more It listed its telephone numbers as follows: 225than $500,000 plus imprisonment for six months.

2062/1218/0506/6917/5467-9/5471-2/6048/6044. Fax protected or not’ - EPA The EPA requested that persons report all threats or number: (592)225-5481.

Additionally, the carcass should not be destroyed until the report is made and in the case of protected species, such as jaguars, no part of the animal including teeth, skin or bones should be removed.

nuisances related to wildlife (whether protected or not) to its office or the nearest police station.

Other cases where an animal may not pose a direct threat but is a nuisance must be reported to the agency urgently so that the occurrences can be investigated to

The EPA advised also that the list of animals protected in Guyana under the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations can be found at the following link: http://www.nre.gov.gy/wildlife%20regulations.pdf or its website http://www.epaguyana.org.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

911 Emergency, Brickdam Operations Room examined

By Leroy Smith THE Guyana Police Force is very optimistic that shortly the equipment used in one of its main Operations Room, Police ‘A’ Division Operations Room at Brickdam, would be upgraded.

This is according to Deputy Commander of the Division, Superintendent Dion Moore who along with Officer-in-Charge of the Operations Room, Inspector Karen Kilkenny provided this newspaper with a walkthrough of the very critical department on the advice of Commander Clifton Hicken, following a request by this publication.

At the moment the department operates four main lines which members of the public can access at any time to make reports.

Those numbers are: 227-1611, 227-1149, 227-1270, 225-6940-3 switchboard.

911 EMERGENCY NUMBER In addition to those numbers, there

is also the very much talked about 911 emergency number which for years has been regarded as a system that does not serve members of the public effectively.

There are often claims that the number is allowed to go unanswered by ranks tasked with manning them but the evidence has found those claims to be far from the truth.

In an overview of a typical day at the Guyana Police Force Operations Room, Inspector Karen Kilkenny explained that most of the calls coming into the department deal with information about serious crimes, traffic congestion, disorderly behaviours, and gang fights at schools, among other reports.

The primary function of the Operations Room according to the senior officer is to receive, coordinate, and act upon information received. In addition, the Operations Room guides patrols which are responding to reports received.

Manning telephones is not the only job

Chronicle’s Leroy Smith tests one of the phones used for the 911 Emergency Service

A Police Corporal, and two Constables manning the Operations Room as Superintendent Moore and Inspector Kilkenny give a briefing to journalist Leroy Smith on the operations of the department (Delano Williams photos)

Two vertical boards with easy-to-access numbers often used by the Operations Room

of ranks serving in the Operations Room this newspaper was told. While they are tasked with answering calls coming from all parts of the country, but mostly ‘A’ Division, they also have to monitor radio transmission coming through the police radio network.

One of the main challenges in dealing with the Operations Room number is the many prank calls that seem to have no end in sight, according to Inspector Kilkenny.

She said based on evidence gathered, these calls are made from within the home, on the road and even in schools. Because of that, the ranks working in the department

are rotated to prevent frustration.

When serious calls come into the department, those too present a challenge because there is never enough information given by the caller. It was pointed out that in most cases callers are panicking, or they just call, give information and hang up the phones.

One of the tactics of the Operations Room staff is ensuring that callers remain on the line as long as possible to gather enough information so that patrols which are to be dispatched can have precise direction to the locations.

Turn to page 21 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

911 Emergency, Brickdam...

The Police Inspector said that when callers come through to any of the numbers listed above, the first thing that they try to ascertain is if the person is calling from a mobile phone and once that is established the numbers are recorded so that call(s) can be returned if the caller is disconnected, that is, however, if the caller agrees on hearing their numbers. Sometimes the ranks would have to employ the use of the Gazetteer to aid in precise locations and those are shared with patrols en-route to the scenes.

On the issue of the contentious 911 emergency number system, Superintendent Dion Moore reminded that individuals from the highest levels in the Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Home Affairs paid visits to the department within the Operations Room that houses the 911 numbers.

There are three phones which are dedicated to 911 emergency numbers and the police wasted no time in allowing this reporter to test the system first-hand.

I sat alongside the operator of the phones as they rang and we both answered individual phones but as was previously reported, when the phones are picked up there is no reception coming from the other end of the line.

This continued for about five minutes until I requested that the number be called from a mobile phone which was placed on speaker and

the problem persisted. It was pointed out that there are times when calls would actually come although those are often prank calls.

According to Moore, the prank calls do very little to motivate the staff, hence the position of the Force to ensure that ranks working Operation rooms are rotated, less they become agitated.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken told this newspaper that the Police Force is cognisant of the problems

with the 911 emergency numbers and the frustration that it sometimes brings to members of the public.

He was quick to point out, however, that as part of the budget submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs to form part of that agency’s national budget proposal is the complete revamping of the Operations Room and the installation of a 911 emergency system that actually works even if it means bringing in experts from outside of Guyana.

Thursday, April 16, 2015 - 14:30 hrs Friday, April 17, 2015 - 14:30 hrs Saturday, April 18, 2015 - 05:00 hrs

The Operations Room operates 24/7 and is always supervised by a senior officer and duty officer; there is also gender balance in the assigning of personnel to work in the department.

While the functions of the Operations Room and the numbers dedicated to the 911 emergency is closely connected, the services provided are totally different.

The 911 calls are meant to trigger rapid response while calls to the operation rooms entail logging infor-

From page 20

mation coming over the radio network and other information shared with the police through the Operations Room. However, because of the issues with the 911 emergency numbers the Operations Room has doubled up on its services.

Anyone who dials the 911 number from a mobile phone will see those calls coming to the Brickdam Police Station as against those calls made to the 911 number from a land phone that will go to the Operations Room in the

respective police division those landline numbers are registered to.

Therefore, if a caller from New Amsterdam uses his or her mobile phone to call the 911 number the call will come to Georgetown and once received the information would be passed on to the police in Berbice. If that same person dials the 911 number from a landline phone, then the call will go to the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam which also has an Operations Room.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce re-elects serving officers en bloc at AGM MR TAJPAUL ADJODHEA, Berbice Area Manager of Hand-inHand Mutual Fire & Life Insurance Companies, was, for a second term, elected president of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the CCCC held earlier this month.

Other officers of the previous executive were also unanimously re-elected to their respective positions.

Mr Surendra Ganesh, Chief Executive Officer of Nand Persaud Group Packaging, re-

Recently re-elected leadership of the CCCC

mains as Vice President; Mr Harry Dass Ghaness, Manager of the Rose Hall Town Branch of the Republic Bank(Guyana) Limited, was re-elected as Treasurer; Ms Earlene Dawson, Manager of the Rose Hall Town branch of the Demerara Bank Limited, was re-elected as Secretary; Mr Bhigroog Poonai of Poonai’s Pharmacy at Rose Hall Town was re-elected as Assistant Treasurer; Mr

Krishnanand Raghunandan, an anthropologist, was re-elected as Assistant Secretary; and Mr Mohamed Raffik of Raffik & Sons Construction at Williamsburg was re-elected as Public Relations Officer.

Council members are Mr Deonarain Balram of D. Balram (Shane) & Son of Rose Hall Town; Mr Anand Matadeen of Matadeen’s Trading at Belvedere; Mr Imran Hamid of Imran &

Son & Daughters at Rose Hall Town; Mr Subramani Mangali of Permaul Trading & Distribution at Albion; Ms Bibi Azeez of Bibi’s Travels at Rose Hall Town; and Mr Mohindra Persaud, General Manager of Nand Persaud & Co. Limited at No. 36 Village, Corentyne.

The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) was founded on November 24, 2004.

(Clifford Stanley)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

IICA TO SOON ESTABLISH…

Agricultural dialogue platforms – to boost marketing capacities of small farmers as a follow-up to the value chains analyses and gave participants, including farmers

Officials at the validation workshop: (left to right) IICA Representative in Guyana Wilmot Garnett, Ambassador /Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Guyana Robert Kopecky, Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy, Programme Manager Agriculture and Industry, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat Ms Nisa Surujbally and Technical Co-ordinator of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) Dr Mario Fortune

By Clifford Stanley

the two sectors.

This was revealed Monday THE Inter-American Insti- during a validation seminar of a tute for Co-operation on Ag- recently-concluded value chain riculture (IICA) will soon analysis of the two products be establishing commodity conducted by the IICA under chains dialogue platforms the auspices of the Europefor farmers, buyers and an Union funded Agricultural input providers in the cas- Policy Program (APP) of the sava and small ruminants 10th European Development sector in an ongoing pro- Fund (EDF). gramme to create linkages The value chain analywhich will contribute to en- sis done over a period of six terprise development within months had aimed at iden-

tifying reference points for improving organisational and entrepreneurial marketing capacities, developing the domestic marketing information and intelligence systems and devising financing schemes to support the development of producers, particularly women and youth within the two sectors.

Monday’s validation seminar at the Regency Suites in Hadfield Street, Georgetown was done

Mr Robert Reid, International Business Specialist in Agri-business and Co-ordinator of the IICA component of the EU APP Project interacts with participants at the validation seminar (Samuel Maughn photos)

and representatives of farmers' associations, the opportunity to validate and enrich the

findings for the benefit of the APP support for the two secTurn to page 26 ►

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

VULCANIZING SHOP MURDER ACCUSED ‘CHETTY’ TELLS COURT…

‘I had no reason to kill my friend Roger’ – to know his fate today

By George Barclay MURDER accused Donald Mopp, 74, called ‘Chetty’, in 2013 allegedly grabbed his friend Roger Edwards from the back causing both men to fall in the process while Roger blurted out, ‘Chetty’ bore me.’

The murder accused will know his fate today.

‘Chetty’, said to be a ‘limer’

at the Greenidge Vulcanizing shop on February 15, 2013, on that day turned up at the shop after disembarking from a car and was walking in an unsteady condition and had to be guided to his seat.

According to the witness, Rosalyn Greenidge, ‘Chetty’ had just spent a short time on his chair before getting up and grabbing Roger from the back,

resulting in both men falling and Roger blurting out, ‘Chetty’ bore me.

The prosecution had just closed its case and ‘Chetty’, in an unsworn statement from the dock, claimed that he and Roger were good friends and he had no reason for wanting to kill him. “That is all.”

The witness, Greenidge, said she was the mother of Clairmont Greenidge, the owner of the vulcanizing shop. She recalled that on that day she

went to the vulcanizing shop to get a drink and while being there, she saw a car drive up.

‘Chetty’ came out of the car and was walking unsteadily and had to be guided to the chair where he normally sits.

The aged lady who was allowed to sit in the well of the court said that at this stage she requested a nail clip from her son to cut her toe nails and her son gave her one. Then, she said, Roger who was not far away asked that he be allowed

to cut the lady’s toe nails.

According to her just then a customer came in to get air into his bicycle wheels and consequently she suggested that the person should be given first preference.

The witness recalled that, at this stage, ‘Chetty’ left his chair and grabbed Roger around the waist, their feet became entangled with two tyres, causing both men to fall.

“I heard Roger say ‘Chetty’ bore me’,” the witness told the court.

The witness said she was

looking at ‘Chetty’ when she saw him with a knife handle in his hand, which he threw into a grassy area. The witness said she told this to the police who were able to recover the knife handle and the knife blade. The blade of the knife was analysed for bloodstains, but nothing was found, members of the jury were told.

Judge Roxanne George will sum up the evidence today, following which she would hand over the case to the jury for their consideration and verdict.

Agricultural dialogue... tors which will follow.

The programme included remarks by Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Ambassador/Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Guyana Robert Kopecky, Programme Manager Agriculture and Industry, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat Miss Nisa Surujbally and Technical Coordinator of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Dr Mario Fortune.

Selwyn Anthony who served as the National Value Chain Co-ordinator presented an update on the status of the value chain work while Mr Robert Reid, International Business Specialist in Agri-business and Coordinator of the IICA component of the APP Project, delivered a regional update on the project.

Minister Ramsammy told the participants that Guyanese farmers invest more than $50B a year in their productive activities.

“The small farmers have been doing a great job but we the technicians and the policy makers must create the partnership, the market linkages, the technology transfer, the enabling policy environment that are absolutely necessary so that the producers can remain focused on continuous improvement of their businesses.”

He hailed the value chain analyses of cassava and small ruminants as well as other crops to be targeted as critical to the transformation of agriculture, necessary to give Guyana and countries in the Region a fair chance to develop to high middle income status.

Ambassador Kopecky disclosed that under programming of the 11th EDF Caribbean Regional Programme,

From page 25

a draft Caribbean Indicative Programme covering the 2014-2020 period, with a global allocation of 346 million Euros, has been recently agreed between CARIFORUM and the EU. The Programme is expected to be officially adopted in Brussels on 10th and 11th June 2015.

Under the 11th EDF, he assured, it will be possible to consolidate the results to be achieved under the current co-operation of the 10th one which incorporated the APP project.

He pledged that the EU will continue its co-operation with the Caribbean Region in the key sector of agriculture and increasingly put the emphasis on crucial issues such as the sustainability (social and environmental) of agriculture, and the quality of the agricultural products.

Reid disclosed that similar value chains analyses and validations had been done in all fifteen CARIFORUM countries.

He said that IICA has as a result acquired a massive data base of producers, buyers and input providers and was in a better position to move forward with the stated objective of better linking producers to markets both local, regional and international.

During an interactive session based on the updates of Reid and Anthony, participants validated the value chain analysis reports and their recommendations.

They also identified a number of constraints to production and were assured by the organisers that their observations and recommendations will form part of the final report which will shape the form of the EU APP assistance for the two sectors, which will follow.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Pleasant, winsome, witty ‘Aunt Maud’ is 101 not out

By Shirley Thomas THE Guyana Chronicle joins in extending Happy Birthday greetings to Mrs. Helena Maud Mc Allister, Managing Director of Mac’s Housing and Facilities, who is today celebrating her 101st birth anniversary.

Pleasant, winsome and witty, she is the joy of the Mc Allister family, a guiding light and a veritable driving force behind the success of the family business she has been managing for the last several years.

With a proud heritage of being the matriarch in a family-owned business which has positively contributed to the moulding of the nation academically for more than 50 years, Mrs. Mc Allister has more recently diversified, and is now in the Apartment

rental business. She is currently overseeing the rental of a massive three-storeyed apartment building in Newtown, Georgetown.

She has walked the walk, talked the talk, and from an accomplished homemaker, mentor and teacher on the staff of her husband’s dream made a reality - the popular MAC’S SECRETARIAL SCHOOL and Secondary School of yesteryear - she is today the Managing Director of the resplendent 20-bedroomed Mac’s Residential Housing and Facilities, located at Lot 208 Duncan Street, Newtown, Kitty in Georgetown.

May God continue to richly bless and keep you, Aunt Maud, and cause you to grow from strength to strength.

Happy Birthday!

Greenidge’s IDB challenge ...

From Page 4

of the original source of those Funds,” the Attorney General said.

Nandlall said the provisions imposing restrictions on withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund and expenditure there-from are applicable to the Fund as a whole and cannot be applied to subsets or subparts of the Fund.

“Indeed, the Constitutional and Statutory mechanisms in relation to the expenditure of monies and the drawing rights of the Minister of Finance in the absence of an Appropriation Act are now trite law and will continue to apply until

an Appropriation Act comes into force,” he said.

According to him, the High Court will violate the constitutional doctrine of the separation of powers and indeed, if the Court were to grant any orders regarding or restricting the withdrawal of the specific proceeds of this loan, given the inevitable comingled nature and fungible characteristic of any and all sums once placed in the Consolidated Fund.

Greenidge was granted leave to file an Affidavit in Reply to the Affidavit in Answer.

The matter has been adjourned to April 23, 2015.

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‘CONGRATULATIONS!’: Mrs. Helena Maud Mc Allister (at right), with her daughter, Mrs. Ruth Cumberbatch

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

England in control after Blackwood’s...

From Backpage before Jerome Taylor was run-out for a duck and Sulieman Benn (2) flicked a James Anderson delivery to Root at short leg.

Off-spinner Tredwell

finished with Test-best figures of four for 47 and Anderson claimed two wickets to move within one of Ian Botham’s England record of 383 victims.

Out for a duck in the first innings, Trott (4) fared little better on his return to the Test side for the first time since leaving the 2013-14 Ashes tour due to stress-related issues, edging Jerome Taylor to Ramdin.

Cook (13) was caught by Benn at gully off Taylor two overs later and when Bell was

ENGLAND 1st innings 399 WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/night 155 for four) K. Brathwaite c Jordan b Tredwell 39 D. Smith c wkp. Buttler b Anderson 11 Da Bravo c wkp. Buttler b Jordan 10 M. Samuels c wkp. Buttler b Broad 33 S. Chanderpaul c Stokes b Tredwell 46 J. Blackwood not out 112 D. Ramdin c wkp. Buttler b Broad 9 J. Holder c Ballance b Tredwell 16 K. Roach c wkp. Buttler b Tredwell 5 J. Taylor run-out 0 S. Benn c Root b Anderson 2 Extras: (lb-4, w-6, nb-2) 12

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:35 hrs Dolphin 09:10 hrs My Treasure 09:45 hrs Night Editor 10:20 hrs Ntombe 10:55 hrs Kalanchoe 11:25 hrs Penstock English Racing Tips Newmarket 08:45 hrs Sense Of Fun 09:20 hrs Winter House 09:55 hrs Greatest Journey 10:30 hrs Music Master 11:05 hrs Moheet 11:40 hrs French Navy 12:10 hrs Golden Laughter 12:40 hrs Emirates Airline Ripon 08:55 hrs Smart Mover 09:30 hrs Nezar 10:05 hrs Master Of Finance 10:40 hrs Tadqeeq 11:15 hrs Flying Bear 11:50 hrs Magh Meall

run-out for 11 England were struggling at 52 for three.

Cook, who has not made a Test century for nearly two years, will come under further pressure after being axed as England one-day captain in December.

But Ballance and Root, both averaging over 50 in Test cricket, pushed England’s lead beyond 200 with positive running between the wickets and they led the touring side in a strong position at the close.

Total: (all out, 112.6 overs) 295 Fall of wickets: 1-19), 2-42, 3-89, 4-99, 5-192, 6-227, 7-276, 8-292, 9-292.

Bowling: Anderson 23-9-67-2 (w-1), Broad 22-2-67-2, Jordan 23-8-46-1 (w-1, nb-1), Stokes 19-3-64-0 (nb-1), Tredwell 26-12-47-4.

ENGLAND 2nd innings A. Cook c Benn b Taylor 13 I. Trott c wkp. Ramdin b Taylor 4 G. Ballance not out 44 I. Bell run-out 11 J. Root not out 32 Extras: (lb-5, w-5, nb-2) 12 Total: (3 wkts, 38 overs) 116 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-20 , 3-52.

Bowling: Taylor 8-4-12-2, Roach 9-132-0 (nb-1), Holder 7-3-20-0 (w-1, nb1), Benn 9-2-34-0, Samuels 5-0-13-0.

Position: England lead by 220 runs with seven second innings wickets remaining.

12:20 hrs Cymro Cheltenham 09:05 hrs Stephanie Frances 09:40 hrs Top Totti 10:15 hrs L’Unique 10:50 hrs Foxbridge 11:25 hrs Milan Bound 12:00 hrs A Good Skin 12:30 hrs Kayf Grace Irish racing Tips Limerick 09:15 hrs Mulkeyya 09:50 hrs The Happy Prince 10:25 hrs Bobby Jean 11:00 hrs Laviniad 11:30 hrs Katie T 12:05 hrs Awesome Star American Racing Tips Aqueduct Race 1 Patria Querida Race 2 So Brilliant Race 3 Divine Storm Race 4 Susan Elaine Race 5 Elmra Race 6 Point Hope Race 7 Nuffsaid Nuffsaid Race 8 Lotza Heat

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Benaud farewelled at private ceremony FAMILY and friends have gathered in Sydney’s eastern suburbs to remember broadcasting icon and former Test captain Richie Benaud.

Benaud, who passed away last week at the age of 84, was farewelled by his immediate family at a private funeral before a memorial was held at the Australian Golf Club, just west of Benaud’s beachside residence in Coogee.

Channel Nine commentators Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor, Shane Warne and Brett Lee were

Richie Benaud wanted a quiet funeral attended only by immediate friends and family.

present, as were former players Neil Harvey, Alan Davidson, Doug Walters and Dennis Lillee.

Current Test captain Michael Clarke was also in attendance, as were media identities David Gyngell, Alan Jones, Eddie McGuire and John Fordham.

The service was led by former Test captain Brian Booth, a former teammate and close friend of Benaud.

Taylor joined Lawry, Chappell, Davidson and Harvey in saying a few words at the memorial service.

“I found Richie, right off the bat to be very generous, kind, helpful and most importantly, he didn’t judge anyone who walked into the commentary box,” Taylor said.

“He didn’t judge anyone in cricket. He gave everyone a lot of leeway. That was certainly the case with me. The only advice he gave me was ‘Mark, do it your way. That’s how you played the game, commentary is the same’.

“It’s been an absolute privilege and more importantly an absolute pleasure to get to work with Richie Benaud over the last 16 years.

“He will be missed, no doubt by all of us in cricket, and particularly the Channel Nine commentary box. He will never be forgotten.”

Benaud’s wife Daphne had last week turned down the offer of a state funeral from Prime Minister Tony Abbott, with her husband expressing a desire for it to be a low-key affair.

In lieu of flowers, Benaud’s family asked that donations be made to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick and the Primary Club.

Ex-NFL star Hernandez gets life in prison for 2013 killing

By Elizabeth Barber FALL RIVER, Mass.. (Reuters) - Former National Football League (NFL) star Aaron Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison yesterday for murdering an acquaintance in an industrial park near his Massachusetts home, concluding the first of two murder trials he faces this year.

A Massachusetts jury found Hernandez, 25, guilty of first-degree murder in the June 2013 slaying of Odin Lloyd, who had been dating the sister of Hernandez’s

fiancée at the time. During the trial, the men were described as having been in the early stages of friendship, but Hernandez soured on Lloyd after the man hung out with people the former New England Patriots tight end disliked.

Massachusetts Superior Court Associate Justice Susan Garsh sentenced Hernandez to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the mandatory punishment for first-degree murder in the state.

Hernandez, who had stood to hear the verdict,

Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez is sentenced to life in prison.

collapsed into his chair after the verdict was read, and court security officers handcuffed him. His mother and fiancée, who were in court, broke into tears.

Members of Lloyd’s family welcomed the verdict but said the pain of losing Lloyd would linger.

“I felt like I wanted to go into the hole with my son, Odin. I will never have a grandchild from my son, or grandchildren. I will never get to dance at his wedding,” said Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward.

“He was the big brother that everybody would love to have. These last couple of years have been the hardest time of our lives,” said Olivia Thibou, Lloyd’s younger sister.

The Patriots cut Hernandez, a rising star with a $41M contract, hours after his arrest on June 26, 2013, nine days after a teenage jogger found Lloyd’s body.

The highly publicised case was another black eye for the NFL. The United

States’ most profitable sports league was already facing a lawsuit by former players who contend it ignored the concussion risks they faced on the gridiron and criticism for its handling of cases involving domestic violence by players.

During four months of testimony, the jury heard from more than 130 witnesses who testified that Hernandez, a native of Bristol, Connecticut, was a regular user of marijuana and sometimes of the stimulant PCP, that he owned guns and at times acted paranoid and that he said he felt his friends did not appreciate the things he did for them.

The witnesses included Alexander Bradley, a former friend of Hernandez who charged in a civil lawsuit that the former NFL player shot him in the face in February 2013, costing him an eye.

Bradley, who never pursued criminal charges over the incident, testified that he saw Hernandez handle a gun similar to the one used to kill Lloyd but was not allowed to tell the jury about the shooting.

Investigators never recovered the .45-calibre Glock pistol that was used to pump six bullets into Lloyd, 27, who had been a semiprofessional football player.

Robert Kraft, the Patriots’ billionaire owner, was also called to the stand.

Kraft testified that Hernandez said he was innocent and claimed to have been at a nightclub at the time of the killing.

Prosecutors contended that two friends, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, were with Hernandez at the time of the killing.

Those two men will be tried separately.

Defence lawyers closed their case by saying Hernandez had been present at the time of Lloyd’s slaying, but had been a witness not a participant.

“He was a 23-year-old kid who witnessed ... a shocking killing committed by somebody he knew,” said defence attorney James Sultan. “He really didn’t know what to do. So he just put one foot in front of the other.”

Prosecutors countered that Hernandez had plotted and controlled every detail of the slaying.

“He believed he could kill Odin Lloyd and nobody would ever believe that he was involved,” said Assistant District Attorney William McCauley.

Hernandez was also found guilty of two firearms charges for illegally possessing the handgun used in the crime and illegally possessing .22-calibre ammunition found at his North Attleborough, Massachusetts, home. calibre Hernandez faces another trial beginning later this year in Boston, where he is charged with fatally shooting Cape Verdean nationals Daniel Abreu and Safirdo Furtado outside a nightclub after one of them spilled a drink.

The jury that rendered the Lloyd verdict was not told about that case.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Agarwal, Yuvraj give Daredevils first win PUNE: Delhi Daredevils registered their first victory in 12 Indian Premier League matches and first in IPL-8 beating Kings XI Punjab by five wickets at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here last night.

Quick-fire half-centuries from opener Mayank Agarwal (48-ball 68 with 7x4s & 2x6s) and middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh (39ball 55 with 5x4s & 3x6s) ensured Delhi Daredevils chased down Punjab’s 165-7 with five wickets to spare, and register their first points in their third IPL-8 encounter.

Angelo Matthews (six not out) and Manoj Tiwary (unbeaten on nought) saw Delhi Daredevils over the line with one ball to spare

Yuvraj Singh roared back to form with a fifty Chasing a challenging 166 for a win, Agarwal (68) and Yuvraj (55) shared 106 runs for the third wicket to help Delhi win the match with one ball to spare.

Agarwal, who was dropped on 42 by Sandeep Sharma of the bowling of Mitchell Johnson, hit seven fours and two sixes in his

48-ball knock while Yuvraj smashed five boundaries and three sixes in his 39ball innings.

Yuvraj showed glimpses of his old form with some exquisite shots as Delhi reached 169 for five in 19.5 overs.

Both Agarwal and Yuvraj were out in consecutive deliveries in the 19th

over but by that time, Delhi needed just seven runs to win from 10 balls.

Angelo Mathews knocked off the winning run - a four - off the bowling of Axar Patel.

They had lost their last nine matches of the previous edition last year before starting this season with two losses before today’s win.

The duo came together in the eighth over at the team’s score of 53 for two when captain Jean-Paul Duminy (21) was run-out in a bizarre way.

Captain Duminy was unlucky to be run-out after a promising start as he failed to reach the crease after a collision with Axar Patel who slid the ball onto the stumps.

Duminy was thrown off

balance and lost his bat and landed on his gloves. The TV umpire, after a long review, ruled that Duminy was short of his crease.

Yu v r a j a n d A g a r w al hit some lusty blows against Kings XI bowlers after getting themselves in. Agarwal smashed Johnson for two fours and a six in the 15th over and then Yuvraj joined the party by hitting two sixes off Axar Patel next over.

The asking rate fell below six in the 18th over and Delhi knocked off the remaining runs.

Earlier, opting top bat first, and riding on a 71run partnership for the second wicket between opener Virender Sehwag and Wriddhiman Saha (39), Punjab set

the Daredevils a respectable target of 166.

Sehwag slammed four boundaries and two sixes, including one six and two fours off successive balls from Delhi spinner Imran Tahir in the ninth over.

Sehwag was out in the 15th over after he went for his second six in as many balls off Delhi captain Duminy only to hole out to Coulter-Nile.

Kings XI were 73 for one at the halfway mark and went on to add 92 runs from the second 10 overs losing six wickets en route.

Big-hitter Glenn Maxwell made 15 from just five balls for Punjab. For Delhi, leg-spinner Tahir grabbed three wickets though he was expensive by conceding 43 runs.

GHB shortlists 32-man Berbice face Essequibo in top-of-the-table clash at Enmore … Demerara host U-17s at Everest squad for Pan American Challenge championship

By Calvin Roberts

THE Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) has shortlisted a 32-man squad to begin preparations for Pan American Challenge Championship scheduled for Peru, from October 3 to 11 this year.

The squad features a well-balanced mix of experience and youth, with long-serving national captain Devin Munroe leading the list of experienced players such as Devin Hooper, Anthony Cole and Aderemi Simon. Junior national captain Mark Sargeant, spearheads the list of 10 junior nationals named, including exceptional-talents such as Jamarj Assanah, Aroydy Branford and Stefan King.

According to a GHB release, to ensure a high level of focus and intensity during the six- month training period, the players will have to complete monthly physical tests and assessment matches.

Players will have to meet minimum monthly targets or risk being replaced by players outside of the squad.

The coaching staff believes this competitive environment will bring out the best in the men’s programme, which has experienced some recent success.

In April of last year, the men’s team won their first medal at the Indoor Pan American Cup, in Uruguay by defeating regional powerhouse Argentina twice on their way to the historic accomplishment.

The junior men followed up this success by winning three out of their four matches on a development tour of Trinidad in December, where they played against that country’s national junior squad.

The squad may also be bolstered by the services of England-based Marvin Dannett and Matthew Taylor, as well as the possibility of former Canadian national Jonathan Roberts, who has also indicated an interest in being a part of the squad.

The 32-man squad identified are as followes: Steven Xavier, Orland Semple, Stuart Gonsalves, Devin Hooper, Kevin Spencer, Eric Hing, Andrew Xavier, Mark Sargeant, Medroy Scotland, Kareem McKenzie, Daniel Hooper, Robert France, Devin Munroe, Randy Hope, Colonel Heywood, Travon Younge, Jason Hoyte, Rayon Branford, Michael Harding, Jamarj Assanah, Aroydy Branford, Andrew Stewart, Jason DeSantos, Aderemi Simon, Anthony Cole, Timothy Baker, Stefan King, Joel Hunte, Kevin Edwards, Hilton Chester, Ato Greene and David Williams.

BERBICE and Essequibo will square off in a top-ofthe-table clash over the next three days commencing today at the Enmore Community Centre ground, in the third and final round of this year’s Guyana Cricket Board/Raj Singh Insurance-sponsored Under-19 Inter-county three-day tournament.

At the same time, defending champions Demerara will host the National Under-17 squad at the Everest Cricket Club ground. Both matches are set to commence at 10:00hrs each day, but certainly all eyes will be on the action at the East Coast Demerara-based Enmore ground.

Berbice, who defeated the National Under-17 by an innings in the first round, maintained their supremacy with a 216-run victory over Demerara when the two sides met at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, thanks to Shimron Hetmyer’s ton and Balchand Baldeo’s half-century.

At the same time, Essequibo, whose chances of finishing within the top two was bolstered by the return of talented all-rounder Kemo Paul, defeated the National Under-17 by 108 runs at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, after being held to a first-round draw by Demerara.

Apart from Paul, Nathan Persaud, Parmesh Parso-

tam, Sachin Persaud, Travis Drakes, Keanu Harry and to an extent, Neiland Cadogan and Akini Adams, will lead the Cinderella County’s batting lineup against a game and spirited Berbice bowling attack.

Harry, the Essequibians left-arm orthodox spinner who has been their leading bowler to date, should be looking to continue in the same form that has netted him 15 wickets to date, after Paul, Cadogan, Drakes and Jewmal Hartman remove the sheen from the new ball.

Adams, Sachin Persaud and Looknauth Chinkoo will give Harry tremendous support in the spin department, against the Berbicians, whose batting lineup will certainly be brimming with confidence for this fixture.

Hetmyer, who like Paul was a member of the West Indies Under-19 camp held recently, will be looking to score heavily once again, while expecting ample support from Baldeo, fellow opener Leon Andrews, Kassim Khan, Daniel Lewis, Parmanand Ramdhan, Grisean Grant and Omar Weatherspoon.

Grant, who bowled with pace and control against Demerara in their second innings, will share the new ball with Weatherspoon, while Baldeo, Khan, Lewis and Andrews will take great care of the spin department, as was evident against the defending

champions.

At Camp Road, both Demerara and the Under-17s will be looking for an improved performance in the final round, after their dismal performances with the bat handed them humiliating second-round defeats.

Skipper Travis Persaud, Ronaldo Renee, Tevin Imloch, Malcolm Hubbard, Akshaya Persaud, Tariq Dharamlall, Shurfane Rutherford, Daniel Basdeo and Mark Hamilton are all talented cricketers and were expected to perform exceedingly well in this tournament, since they did churn out creditable performances for their respective clubs at levels higher than this one.

However, weak and pathetic shot selections were the order of the day against the Berbicians, especially in Demerara’s second innings when they mustered 71 for 8 at the close of play on the penultimate day, as they chased a victory target of 298.

Carlton Jacques has been selected to penetrate the opposition’s top order with the new ball, but he is yet to make an impression as Rutherford is the bowler who has led the Demerara attack with his steady medium pacers.

Basdeo has also failed to be penetrative with his leftarm fast bowling, while an inconsistent line-and-length has plagued the spin department which consists of Hubbard, the unrelated Travis and Ak-

shaya Persaud, Dharamlall, Mark Hamilton and Jayadev Mana.

On the other hand the Under-17 team are using this tournament as preparation for this year’s Regional Under-17 tournament, but like the Demerara lineup, they too have produced lukewarm performances in their two first-round defeats to date.

In skipper Ronaldo Ali-Mohammed, the Under-17 team possesses a highly talented all-rounder who once groomed correctly, can go a far way in the gentleman’s game, while Raymond Perez, Adrian Sukhwah, Bhaskar Yadram, Timothy McAlmont, Ashmead Nedd and Joshua Persaud are all capable batsmen in their own way.

Hence, they will be expected to put their heads together and contribute incredibly to a total, that their team’s bowlers led by Ali-Mohammed, Sylus Tyndall, McAlmont, Nedd, Sagar Hetheramani, Richie Looknauth and Kevin Sinclair can bowl to.

Moses Ramphal, Delvin Austin and Zaheer Mohammed are the three officials tasked with keeping things in order at Everest under the watchful eyes of Reon King the Match Referee, while at Enmore, Colin Stuart is the Match Referee, with Deon Feassal, Chetnarine Persaud and Ryan Banwarie the umpires.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Neymar, Suarez snap PSG’s unbeaten streak as Barca shine

By Julien Pretot PARIS, France (Reuters) Barcelona took a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals yesterday as a goal from Neymar and a Luis Suarez double ended Paris St Germain’s 33-game unbeaten run at home in Europe with a 3-1 win at the Parc des Princes.

PSG, who were without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, suspended for one game after picking up a red card in the last-16 second leg at Chelsea, fell behind when Neymar netted from close range at the end of a quick counter attack in the 18th minute.

Suarez doubled the tally in the 67th after slaloming through the PSG defence, who lost captain Thiago Silva to a possible hamstring

Barcelona’s Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes) injury after 21 minutes, and wrapped it up 11 minutes from time with a curling shot into the top corner.

Gregory van der Wiel

Richards tips Blackwood as one for the ...

From Page 35

perbly, facing 220 balls in 5-1/2 hours at the crease, and hitting 14 fours and two sixes.

It was the 23-year-old’s ninth innings in his sixth Test match, since making his Test debut last year against New Zealand.

Sir Viv had a hand in Blackwood’s recent development when he worked with the West Indies A Team against Bangladesh A in the Caribbean and

against Sri Lanka A overseas.

“He’s a very confident young man and he plays with that West Indies style and I like that,” said Sir Viv, one of West Indies finest ever captains.

“There are some rough edges which need to be ironed out where his batting is concerned but he’s new to Test match cricket; he’s just played a handful of games, but there is a lot to like about him and I’m happy to see he made his

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday April 16, 2015) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel:226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Maurice Fernandes (WI vs ENG, Bourda, 1930) Brendon McCullum (KKR vs RCB, 2008) Today’s Quiz: When and where did England play a Test in the Caribbean for the first time?

Which two teams played to the first tie in an IPL game?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute with an effort that deflected in off Jeremy Mathieu as PSG suffered their first loss at home in

Europe since 2006 ahead of the return leg at the Nou Camp next Tuesday.

In the absence of the injured Thiago Motta and the suspended Marco Verratti, Yohan Cabaye and Adrien Rabiot were fielded alongside Blaise Matuidi in the PSG midfield and the trio’s collective lack of Champions League experience showed.

PSG started confidently with the classy Javier Pastore delighting the crowd with delicate twists and turns, but after 18 minutes, the home side were 1-0 down and they had lost centre back Silva.

Lionel Messi almost opened the scoring in the 13th minute when his beautifully curled shot from just outside the area smashed Salvatore Sirigu’s right post, but he was more accurate seven minutes

Ambrose wants bouncer rule relaxed

ST JOHN’S, Antigua Former fast bowler and cricketing legend Sir Curtly Ambrose believes the rule that restricts bowlers to only two short-pitched deliveries per over should be revisited.

The former West Indies pacer, who is currently the team’s bowling consultant, said it takes away from the excitement involved in a good rivalry between batsman and bowler.

“I believe that if a bowler is overdoing the short ball, then the umpire should step in and say, ‘space it out’.

“But how could you be bowling to a batsman who can play the short ball very well, hit you out the park twice and then you as a fast bowler, you can’t do (anything)? You have to go back to bowling the length ball and wait until the next over, and to me that takes away the excitement,” he said.

“I said so before and I will say again, there is no better excitement in cricket than a great fast bowler against a great batsman who can take you on,” he added.

The rule, which first came about in 1991, was first referred to as the “bouncer rule” and its job was to restrict the bowler

to one bouncer per over per batsman.

In the beginning, it was an “experimental” rule, and in 1994 it was turned into what we see in the current law book.

The current law states that a bowler shall be limited to two fast short-pitched deliveries per over. A fast short-pitched delivery is defined as a ball which passes or would have passed above the shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease.

However, Sir Curtly said he is focused on improving the crop of fast bowlers currently under his tutelage.

“Obviously, it’s not going to happen overnight. Sometimes, it’s frustrating because you speak to them all the time and explain certain things and they understand, but somewhere along the line they stray away from the script and that sort of thing but I have to be patient. Of course, I want to see results overnight, really, but I am a realist and it’s going to take some time,” he said.

In November of last year, Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes died in hospital, in Sydney, two days after the international batsman was struck on the head by a ball during a domestic match. (Antigua Observer)

later when he set up Neymar for the opener.

Rabiot lost the ball near the touchline to Sergio Busquets, who found Messi in midfield. The Argentine played Neymar through and the Brazil striker coolly finished from close range.

Four minutes into the second half, Pastore combined with Matuidi before Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen parried away his fierce shot from 18 metres.

Suarez then danced past substitute David Luiz and Marquinhos before poking the ball past Sirigu to make it 2-0 to Barca, who had lost 3-2 in Paris in the group stage earlier in the season.

In the 79th minute, Suarez ran unchallenged through the middle and curled a shot into the top corner, only for Van der Wiel to reduce the arrears three minutes later when his low shot was deflected into the net by Mathieu.

‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial football tournament

Defending champions CWSS off to impressive start CHRISTIANBURG Wismar Secondary School (Multi) (CWSS), defending champions of the Under-18 Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial football tournament, defeated the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) 4-1 yesterday when the 7th edition kicked off at the Wisburg School ground.

Playing in the first game of the double-header, the reigning champions were guided to victory by a brace from star forward Shane Luckie (9th and 46th minutes) and Kellon Primo (3rd and 56th minutes) while LTI’s lone goal came from Randy Hohenkirk who connected in the 11th minute.

The day’s second game, contested between Mackenzie High School and Wisburg Secondary, ended in a goalless draw.

Before the start of the games, each of the eight participating schools received uniforms and balls from overseas-based Lindener James ‘Gads’ Dennis, who encouraged the youngsters to put their best foot forward in keen competition and fair play, as they wear their respective gear with pride.

Here are the day’s results This year sees an abbreviated tournament being run, since the Memorial Foundation, a non-profit entity that promotes development through football at various levels in Linden, wanted to continue its positive input into the development of ‘The World Game’, and to be able to meet refereeing obligations under the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) new structure.

The tournament now sees the eight participating schools split into two groups, where the top two teams in each group, after one round of play, go forward to contest the semifinal for a chance to play in the Championship match; a considerable change from its league – a knockout format which exposed the youths to a lot more competitive football action.

Meanwhile, games will continue today at the same venue with another double-header. In the first encounter, Harmony Secondary School and Linden Foundation Secondary School will do battle, while in the second game New Silvercity Secondary and Marcia Craig Educational Institute square off. Starting-time is 14:45hrs.

The Foundation would like to thank The Guyana Youth Development Association of New York Inc., Fantasia Comfort Zone Taxi Service and Mr James Dennis for their continued support towards this tournament.

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday April 16, 2015

Alfred hat-trick hands Queen Street first Busta soft shoe win HAVING lost their firstround game to Cross Street on the second night of action in the inaugural Petra Organisation/Guyana Beverage Inc. Busta soft shoe football tournament, Queen Street-Tiger Bay rebounded to defeat Stevedore 5-2 on the third night of action last Tuesday, courtesy of a Dion Alfred hat-trick.

Also chalking up victory on the night at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, were Ballerz, Alexander Village, Kitty Weavers, North Ruimveldt and Sparta Boss, with both Ballerz and Sparta Boss making it two out of two.

Queen Street and Stevedore met in the opening encounter of the night’s six matches and after an eventful first half in which both custodians kept a clean slate the game’s seven goals were scored in the second half, within the final 10 minutes.

Darren Harris, who supported Alfred with a double, opened the scoring in the 20th minute for Queen Street, before Alfred tripled the score with two of his three goals in the 21st and 22nd minutes of play.

Two minutes later (24th), the score read 4-0 in favour of Queen Street, as Alfred completed his hattrick, while Harris added his 25th minute goal, making it 5-0 in favour of the eventu-

… Sparta edge Charlestown

Part of the third night of action in the inaugural Petra Organisation/ Guyana Beverage Inc. Busta soft shoe football tournament, played at the Georgetown Football Club ground. (Photo by Samuel Maughn) al winners, who saw Ryan Blackman net a brace for Stevedore in the 28th and 29th minutes.

Ballerz, who started the competition with a 6-5 victory over D’Urban Street on the first night of action, made it two out of two, when they defeated Sophia 2-1, with Amos Ramsay hitting a double in the 4th and 24th minute, while Dwayne Lowe responded with Sophia’s solitary strike in the 16th minute.

Alexander Village were held to a 4-4 draw by Charlestown in their first round action, but rebounded to defeat California Square, who lost

out 4-2 to Sparta Boss in the first round, 2-1, as Dwayne Lynn (19th) and Delon Williams (28th) netted for Alexander Village who allowed Vassel Cantzlar to score for California Square in the 20th minute.

In the fourth game of the night, Kitty Weavers rebounded from their 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Festival City, to defeat Leopold Street 3-2 to chalk up their first win after two matches.

Sherwin Vincent (5th), Wendell St Hill (10th) and Jermin Denhard (30th) were the players responsible for Kitty Weavers’ goals, while Andre Sookhoo tried desperately to keep Leo-

pold Street in the hunt for a victory, by nullifying both Vincent and St. Hill’s goals, with his double scored in the 10th and 20th minutes.

Current Georgetown Guinness ‘Greatest of De Streets’ champions North Ruimveldt also chalked up their first win after a first round draw with Globe Yard, by defeating West Back Road 4-2, led by Jamal Hamilton’s brace (6th and 28th) and solitary strikes from Joshua Browne (16th) and Nichosie Barker (20th).

Jamal Haynes and Philip Rowley got solitary strikes for West Back Road in the

13th and 15th minutes of play, but it was not enough to hand them their first victory in their opening encounter of the tournament which has a first place prize of $600 000.

The curtain came down on the third night, with Sparta Boss coming from behind, as they did in their first game against California Square, to defeat Charlestown 3-2, thanks to a double strike from Dennis Edwards.

Charlestown opened the scoring in the 5th minute when Clyde Bascom scored the first of his two goals, with Edwards erasing that lead with his first goal in the 14th minute, before Bascom placed Charlestown ahead by completing his double in the 17th minute.

Not to be outdone, Sheldon Shepherd, who supported Edwards in the goal-scoring column for Sparta, placed his name on the scorer’s sheet in the 18th minute to level the scores before Edwards completed his double and the win for Sparta with his 27th minute goal.

The action will continue tonight at the same venue with six more matches, as teams continue to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations which govern the tournament, as the hunt for the top prize intensifies.

Meanwhile, as the action

unfolds on the reduced playing area, another business entity from corporate Guyana, Junior’s Jewellery Gallery and Pawn Shop, has come out in support of the tournament which will see the second- to fourth-placed finishers cart off $300 000, $200 000 and $100 000.

The jewellery store, located on Robb Street, Georgetown, has committed to providing the highest goalscorer of the game with a gold chain. Director of the Petra Organisation, Troy Mendonca, at the simple handing-over ceremony last Monday expressed his gratitude for the contribution.

“It is good to reward the person that entertains the fans and this will only add to the success of the tournament,” Mendonca noted, while proprietor of the store, Ferdinand Bacchus, was pleased to be on board the tournament which will see the each group stage leader take home $30 000, while the second- to fourthplaced finishers will receive $20 000, $15 000 and $10 000 respectively.

“The reason for doing this is that I think football always needs a little more; in spite of how much it might get, it always needs some more … so this is just a token for the player,” Bacchus stated.

Richards tips Blackwood as one for the future after maiden Test century

Alpha United’s Quincy Madramootoo wins the battle for the ball against Inter Moengotapoe’s Stekkle Romano during their CFU Club Championship fixture at the Guyana National Stadium (Samuel Maughn Photo)

NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) – West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards has likened Jermaine Blackwood to “a bit of Collis King”, and believes the young Jamaican has the making of a “good batsman in the middle” for the West Indies in the long-term future.

Sir Viv, one of the greatest batsmen of all-time, was speaking on the 29th anniversary of his world record 56-ball century against England at the Antigua Recreational Ground.

He was on hand to see Blackwood score his maiden Test match century, an unbeaten 112, on the third

day of the opening Test here yesterday.

“He reminds me sort of a guy like Collis King, a kind of batsman with that wonderful natural ability who can play the big, strong shots, but can also bat you out of a difficult situation,” Sir Viv said.

“He has the ability to play those ‘big’ shots … he’s a very confident young man … but today we saw a different kind of Jermaine.

They bounced him and made life a little uncomfortable but he fought through that situation and proved he’s got guts and strength … you need that to make it in Test cricket.”

Sir Viv added: “He did hit some big shots into the crowd, and that takes some ability, and I was really pleased to see he stuck to his guns and played his natural game. But he also settled down and pulled the team out of trouble and that was great to see.

“I definitely believe we have the kind of individual we are looking for in terms of someone who can hold down a spot in the middle order for West Indies where Test cricket is concerned.”

Blackwood entered the contest on Tuesday’s second day and played suSee Page 34

Sport CHRONICLE

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

Alfred hat-trick hands Queen Street first Busta soft shoe win See Story on Page 35

England in control after Blackwood’s first Test century (REUTERS) - England recovered from another top-order batting collapse to lead West Indies by 220 runs on day three of the opening Test in Antigua after Jermaine Blackwood had scored his first Test century yesterday.

Replying to England’s 399, Blackwood was the mainstay of the West Indies innings, finishing unbeaten on 112 as the hosts were dismissed for 295.

England’s Jonathan Trott, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell were dismissed cheaply but Gary Ballance (44 not out) and Joe Root

(32 not out) took England to 116 for three at the close.

The hosts, resuming on 155 for four, lost Shivnarine Chanderpaul - who passed Mahela Jayawardene’s total of 11 814 Test runs to climb to seventh on the all-time list - for 46, when his tentative drive at James Tredwell was pouched by Ben Stokes.

Blackwood, reprieved on Tuesday when he was caught in the slips off a no-ball, was dropped by Tredwell on 43 before Dinesh Ramdin edged a short Stuart Broad delivery West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood celebrates his first down the leg side to wicketcentury on day three of the first Test in Antigua. (Photo by WICB keeper Jos Buttler.

Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography) The 23-year-old Black-

wood, who made three fifties in his first five Tests, played with discipline and maturity that belied his inexperience but he began to relax with several boundaries including a towering six, his second of the innings.

He brought up his hundred with a single but two balls later Tredwell dismissed Jason Holder for 16, caught by Ballance in the covers. Kemar Roach feathered a nick through to Buttler - his fifth catch of the innings See Page 31

Alpha United open CFU tourney with 3-0 win over Inter Moengotapoe

By Rawle Toney

WITH goals from Daniel Wilson (26th), Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson (56th) and Kithson Bain (90th), Guyana’s Alpha ‘the Hammer’ United outclassed Suriname’s Inter Moengotapoe 3-0 in the first game of Group One when the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship kicked off yesterday.

It was the sixth meeting between the two South America-based clubs; the first in approximately three years, with the Suriname side winning the previous five clashes.

The game which kicked off at 16:00hrs at the Guyana National Stadium was played in-front of a small crowd at the country’s premier venue as coach Wayne Dover’s men took at least 20 minutes to put together a ‘proper knock’ but eventually came into their own.

Alpha United, aiming to compete at the CONCACAF Champions League, started with Ronson Williams between the uprights, defenders Jamaal Smith, Quincy Madramootoo, Kirk Duckworth and Kris Camacho, while in the midfield Panamanian Manuel Vargas teamed up with Richardson and Jamaican Wayne Ellis, and up front, Bain was joined by Wilson.

With both teams holding down the number one spot in their respective countries, the football displayed was obviously far from the best, nonetheless, it was the Guyanese side who dominated the contest to finish with the three important points.

Alpha United will now face Trinidad and Tobago’s Pro-

Alpha United strike squad (L-R) Kithson Bain, Daniel Wilson, and Gregory Richardson (Samuel Maughn photo) League side Central FC on Sunday April 19, while Suriname will face the Twin Island Republic team tomorrow (Friday) at the same venue. Only one team will exit the group.

Former England International and Central FC head coach Terry Fenwick sat in the stands, paying close attention to two of his virgin opposition and Alpha United

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showed why they have stood tall on the local scene for a number of years.

Bain sent a through pass to Wilson who went one-on-one with Inter Moengotapoe goalkeeper Huiswoud Obrendo and the dapper forward made no mistake in tactically finishing to an open net to give his club the 1-0 advantage - a score that stood until the early stages of the second half.

Despite having a few ‘certain-goal’ chances in the first half, Alpha United had to wait almost ten minutes to double their score, thanks to their captain Richardson.

It was a simple header as the striker netted from point-blank range when he pounced on a ball that the Surinamese keeper could not get a hand on properly after saving a solid shot by the Panamanian.

In the 60th minute, Suriname’s Stekkel Romano forced Alpha’s Williams to pull off a beautiful save when he hammered a right-footed volley just inside the 18-yard area.

Alpha United, already controlling the pace of the game and the position, scored their final goal of the game, compliments of Bain.

The Grenadian international turned sweetly between two defenders upon collecting a pass from substitute Sheldon Holder and nicely slipped it past the out-stretched goalkeeper, much to the delight of the small but appreciative crowd.

After the game, Dover spoke of his happiness to finally get the better of the side that had defeated him on each of their five previous matchups and he lauded his men for playing as expected.

THRURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015