2015 4 24

GUYANA No. 104168

FRIDAY APRIL 24, 2015

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

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APNU+AFC Manifesto lacks imagination Page

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Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

––Dr Jagdeo says it’s ad hoc, with no strategic clarity

Elderly woman succumbs following sand truck 11 accident ––driver says he didn’t see her

Bandits take NA 5 pawnshop for $10M Page

OAS decries ‘provocative 11 language’ on campaign trail Page

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Dead: Randai Soodath

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

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APNU+AFC Manifesto lacks imagination

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

––Dr Jagdeo says it’s ad hoc, with no strategic clarity

DEVIATING from the tradition of past years, the alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) late last night made its Manifesto public via the Internet.

And in a statement, former president Dr Bharrat Jagdeo dismantled the details of the 46-page pact that the alliance seeks to make with the Guyanese people.

“The APNU+AFC manifesto is unimaginative, perfunctory, has no strategic clarity and it is sometimes contradictory in its policy prescriptions,” he said, adding: “Some of their promises are outright preposterous, and an insult to the intelligence of the Guyanese people.”

The APNU+AFC plan has as its central themes: Healing and reconciliation; Governance; Constitutional Reform; Public Safety and Security; Women and Gender Equality; Youth Policy; Education; Health and Nutrition; Housing Policy; Sports and Recreation; Cultural Policy; Natural Resources and the Environment; Agriculture; Hinterland Development; Tourism; Information & Communication Technology; Income Distribution; and Foreign Relations.

The highlights of the promises made are: The reduction of several forms of taxation, including the Value Added Tax (VAT); an eventual increase of the personal income tax threshold to $100,000; a 10 per cent increase to all public servants as a means to entice labour unions back into the collective bargaining arrangement; and a seven per cent rate of annual economic growth.

The alliance is also proposing that: All new public servants will be trained and pass examination of competence before being retained; constitutional reform that outlines new measures under which persons are elected to the executive and how power is shared; and a dedicated policy for Region 10, with Linden touted as a “secondary administrative” centre of Guyana.

100-DAY PLAN In a bid to gain the confidence of the Guyanese people, APNU+AFC proposes a 14-point plan, namely the Foundations for Development, which recognises the need for a stronger private sector-led economy, less crime, equal opportunity, political reform and youth, among other areas.

“It must be emphasised that these foundations are all equally important and must be implemented simultaneously,” the Manifesto said.

On this basis, the alliance has committed to several other undertakings during its term in office, including: The introduction of a meaningful constitutional reform programme geared toward improved gov-

ernance and fair representation; the sustained improvement of crime prevention and the security environment; local government reforms and the holding of Local Government Elections; the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering legislation, as well as a com-

reform committee with a mandate to complete consultations, draft amendments and present these to the National Assembly for approval within nine months; * Liberalization of the telecommunications and Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sectors; * Announcement of a date for local

The cover of the 44-page joint 2015 plan from APNU+AFC prehensive review of the current taxation policies; the reorganisation of the education, health, sports and recreation sectors for better service and outcome; a review and restructure of the media and telecommunications sector; the introduction of a youth programme; and a programme for healing and reconciliation.

Given these commitments, the Manifesto states that an APNU+AFC administration will, in its first 100 days in office, address the: * Establishment of a constitutional

government elections; * Development and implementation of a sustained national crime- prevention plan; * Establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC); * The implementation of an amended Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act; and * The adoption of a long-term sustainable economic development plan to realise the vast potential of Guyana.

AD HOC The latter, in particular, caught the attention of Dr Jagdeo, who contends that the promise to develop an economic plan is telling.

He said, “What is particularly revealing is their proposal to develop a long-term economic plan within the first 100 days if they win the elections. How can they say they have a plan to develop the country and at the same time promise to write one if they win the elections? This is just one of the many instances of deceit and contradiction in the manifesto.”

The former president added: “In my estimation, 75% is arbitrary, ad hoc extraction of policies that the PPP/C is already pursuing, but without the strategic framework that our government has outlined in several public documents including the NDS, PRSP, NCS, LCDS and our five-year education plan. Because of the absence of this framework, the APNU+AFC manifesto lacks focus.”

He highlighted the fact that several of the promised undertakings are already being advanced by the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

“For example, on Page 12 it states: ‘Ministers and senior government officials will be required to declare their assets.’

This is already in the Integrity Commission Act, and is being complied with by members of the PPP/C Cabinet. The only people refusing to submit their statements of income and assets are some Opposition Leaders and some of their Members of Parliament,” he said.

The alliance, in its manifesto, is confident that a “unity government” will succeed because of its commitment to the ideal of a good life for all Guyanese.

However, Dr Jagdeo’s rejoinder is clear. “This manifesto is also a confirmation of what has been said over the past weeks; the Opposition is notorious for being against things – Amaila Hydropower, Airport expansion, the Marriott Hotel, the Specialty Hospital,the Amerindian Development Fund and UG students’ loans, among others.

They are notorious for opposing things, but are visionless and weak in outlining policies needed to improve the lives of our people.”

In the 46-page document, the alliance also outlines the framework under which the Cummingsburg Accord will be realised. “The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the management and decision- making process of the State,” the document said.

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Dharmic Sabha appeals for maturity,respect during election season

RECENT political goings on have not gone unnoticed by civil society and the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, a civil society voice, has appealed for maturity and respect over the next few weeks.

President of the Sabha, Dr Vindhya Persaud, in a statement yesterday said, “In the current politically charged atmosphere which exists in our country, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha is calling on all political parties to exercise maturity and respect during the campaign season and as the country moves towards elections.”

She pointed to Sunday’s attack where several persons were injured by missiles thrown by unknown assailants at two vehicles transporting supporters returning from a PPP/C Rally that was held at Albion on Sunday night. The scurrilous attack occurred between Numbers 50 and 51 villages on the Corentyne Coast in Berbice, and information received indicates that the vehicles came under bombardment with bottles that contained sand, rocks and a corrosive substance.

Persaud said, “The Sabha has noted with dismay and concern a number of despicable acts which have been recently reported; notably the throwing of missiles and harmful substances on women and children on their way home from a rally causing injury, the erection of effigies representing political leaders and the abusive and disrespectful language being used on political platforms. We would like to condemn those acts.”

She added, “We call on leaders of all political parties to insist that their members and supporters refrain from any act which can intentionally or unintentionally cause hurt, harm or injury to anyone, refrain from using language that can be construed as offensive, disrespectful or inflammatory, refrain from unseemly and disruptive behaviour at political meetings and from removing or destroying political paraphernalia.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Evacuation as Calbuco volcano erupts in Chile THE Calbuco volcano in southern Chile has erupted twice in the space of a few hours having lain dormant for decades.

Footage from the area shows a huge column of lava and ash being sent several kilometres into the air.

The authorities have

declared a red alert and evacuated more than 4,000 people within a 20km (12 mile) radius.

The Calbuco volcano is one of the most active

Nearby towns have been covered in ash in Chile, but its eruption took officials in the area by surprise.

Alejandro Verges, an emergency director for the region, said Calbuco had not been under any special form of observation.

The inhabitants of the nearby town of Ensenada - along with residents from two other smaller communities - have been ordered to evacuate their homes.

Schools in the area have been shut and some flights cancelled.

The nearby city of Puerto Montt - a gateway to the popular Patagonia region - has already been blanketed in a cloud of ash.

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TV footage showed traffic jams in the city and long queues at petrol stations. The nearby town of Puerto Varas was also under a state of alert.

Mayor Gervoy Paredes said residents were “very, very frightened”.

“I had never seen this before. It scares you in the beginning. You start to wonder what is going to happen to you,” said one unnamed woman.

“Everyone starts to think about gathering water and I don’t know what.

We got together with the neighbours to see what we would do and wait for news over the radio because we knew that they were evacuating Ensenada and other places near the volcano.”

Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo called on people affected to “remain calm and stay informed”.

Neighbouring Argentina has also put emergency measures in place for the city of Bariloche - about 100km from Calbuco where ash clouds are expected.

Residents there have been warned to stay indoors.

Chile has the second largest chain of volcanoes in the world after Indonesia, with about 500 that are potentially active.

It is southern Chile’s second volcanic eruption in as many months.

In March, the Villarrica volcano erupted in the early hours of the morning, spewing ash and lava. The authorities say this latest eruption is more serious.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Gas Station fire...

Cigarette use at facility being probed

By Leroy Smith THE Eccles Two Brothers Gas Station yesterday remained closed for business following a near disaster at the facility on Wednesday evening.

A return to the area yesterday found the premises closed and no fuel pumps were operable.

As was the case Wednesday, efforts to secure comments from the proprietors have proven futile, since they were unavailable to speak with this publication.

Meanwhile, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle in a brief telephone discussion with this newspaper refuted claims that the truck which burst into flames was a fuel tanker.

Asked what might have been the contributing factor to the fire as discovered in the initial investigations, the Fire Chief said that the investigations are still in progress.

He however stated that they have been receiving several reports with respect to what may have been

The truck that was being loaded when the fire started on Wednesday

CLOSED: Police barricades can still be seen lining the entrance of the service station, which indicates that the facility is still closed for business

responsible for the blaze, according to persons who were on the premises at the time.

One of the reports received by this publication and which was also shared with the Fire Service by persons was that the driver of the truck that was being loaded with fuel was smoking a cigarette moments before the blaze at the service station.

Gentle confirmed that such a report was received by the GFS and that it is being investigated.

According to sources

trucks were damaged, one completely, after the one that was being loaded burst into flames.

The Fire Service and the police responded promptly to the information about the fire at the gas station.

Both organisations immediately activated their Standard Operating Procedures as they set out to deal with the fire, even as employees at the service station also activated their SOPs’ in treating a problem of that nature.

During the fire-fighting

who spoke with the Guyana Chronicle, the truck driver was smoking while supervising the filling of several containers with fuel, when he discarded the cigarette by flipping it out of his hand through his fingers.

Sparks from the cigarette reportedly came into contact with the vapour that was emanating from the fuel being loaded and that caused the blaze.

The use of cigarettes, mobile phones and several other items are prohibited when entering gas stations.

On Wednesday, two

Twelve election observer groups on board to date

By Vanessa Narine TEN local groups have indicated an interest in acting as election observers, in addition to two out of five international groups that have been invited to do so.

Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally, in an invited comment yesterday told the Guyana Chronicle that the local observers include representatives from the United States Embassy, the British and Canadian High Commissions, the European Union (EU) country office, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Blue Caps, the International Republic Institute (IRI), the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB).

The latter received the endorsement of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) on Wednesday, when it announced that it will be working with the EAB in the monitoring of the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

Dr Steve Surujbally A statement from the CIOG said, “The organisation endorses that it is in our country’s best interest to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful, respectful, and morally correct manner. Democracy is an important aspect of freedom and must always be safeguarded. Hence, the elections ought to be free and fair, unaccompanied by any form of intimidation and violence. “…the CIOG wishes to remind Guyanese that elections are part of our democratic process and we must, therefore, respect the rights of each other in our individual and collective capacity in our decision to elect and support the party

of our choice.”

Additionally, relative to an international presence in Guyana, the Carter Centre and the Organisation of American States (OAS) are the two groups that have confirmed that they will be in Guyana ahead of the May 11 polls.

In addition to these groups, the Central Government extended invitations to the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

Dr Surujbally told the Guyana Chronicle that these groups are still to confirm their presence as election observers.

The GECOM Chairman maintained that all observers, local and foreign, will be required to sign onto certain protocols before they are accredited as observers.

The Guyana Chronicle was able to get an exclusive look at these protocols, which outline the roles and functions of the observer groups.

Relative to foreign observers, the missions, according to the protocol, will be expected to adhere to more

than 35 guidelines. In addition to the guidelines, the rights and privileges of accredited election observer groups were also outlined in the protocol.

Similar rights and guidelines apply to local observer groups, which were detailed in a separate document and seen by this newspaper.

Under the Election Law (Amendment) Act No. 15 of 2000, Section 20 states that: “The Commission may approve of local organisations observing the democratic process involved in any election provided such organisations fulfill such conditions as may be stipulated by the Commission.”

Both protocols, for foreign and local observer groups, state clearly that if GECOM considers that an observer group “wilfully, 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.

exercise, traffic on the East Bank of Demerara was almost brought to a stand-still even as police ranks fought tirelessly to

ensure the continuous flow of traffic and keeping persons from preventing the firefighters in performing their duties.

Bandits take NA pawnshop for $10M

TWO men escaped with nearly $10M in cash, jewellery and smart-phones after a brazen afternoon robbery yesterday at the People’s Pawnshop, located at Gordon’s Mall, Lot 16 New Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The business premises which opened its doors two years ago is owned by Winston and Samantha Wade.

However, the owners were out of the jurisdiction when the holdup occurred just after 14.00hrs.

Employee Lisa Saunders said about ten minutes before the robbery, one of the bandits, posing as a customer, entered the business premises and enquired about the buying price for gold.

“After he was told, he left, while using his mobile phone, and jumped on a bicycle which was a short distance away.”

The employee then left the building to go to another a short distance away, leaving behind her aunts Valentia Saunders, Winston Wade’s mother, and Marsha D’Andrade.

According to her, she was seated in the pawnshop when an identifiable man, dressed in a white t-shirt, slid the glass door to enter the business place.

“Initially, I thought it was someone who was coming to do business. But, as he entered he whipped out a pistol from under his shirt, and grabbed me, saying come, come.

Another unmasked man joined him. My sister Marsha told the partially masked bandit not to rough me up. And that she was coming. The bandit took me behind the grill door, before taping me with duct tape and he let Marsha take everything from the safe. She was then taped. Our feet, hands and mouth were taped. They did not take the jewels in the showcase. The incident lasted about five minutes.”

Valentia Saunders told reporters that she thought she would have been killed as one of the men had a stocking mask, while the other was unmasked.

“I thought they would kill me as they did not care whether I had recognised them.”

Further, she recalled the thieves removing eight gold bangles from her hands, along with her Blackberry cellular phone, totalling $280,000. Her sister Marsha lost a gold chain, two gold and diamond rings and a Samsung cellular phone valued $650,000, while gold, diamond and cash from the pawnshop totalled $7,555,360.

Meanwhile, Berbice sleuths have in their possession the pawn shop surveillance tape as their investigations continue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

EDITORIAL

GUYANA

Juvenile crimes and breakdown of the family THE escalation of juvenile delinquency and juvenile crimes worldwide is indicative of the breakdown of the family structure as a societal norm, with absconding fathers and single mothers having become the new norm.

The second Sunday in June is set aside in the world’s annual calendar to honour fathers; but how many fathers honour their responsibilities? The biological feat of impregnating a woman is, generally, a simple and probable enjoyable activity; but the responsibilities

that come with fatherhood have many men running for cover, that is after the boasting, machismo chest-beating and celebrations are over.

Being a good father is not an easy proposition; and unless a man is fully committed, he should not even think of fathering children, because a father’s duties are first and foremost, and are time-consuming and all-consuming.

Good parents need to be there for their children; not just for milestones – which of course is important, but also for the daily events, such as study, play, guidance, companionship,

friendship, because the first shaper of a child’s personality is a parent.

Discipline is necessary, but first it is more important to be a good role model; not the “Do as I say and not as I do” variety.

Although it is necessary to try to understand your child’s point of view and give his or her opinions a hearing and genuine consideration, a parent has to make the final decision on what the child needs and what is the best course, because at the end of the day, a parent is the absolute guardian of the child’s interests and welfare, and mostly (should

be) to guide the child in the right direction so that his/ her pursuits are elevating to the rounded personality that should befit a good and productive human being.

A father needs to schedule his commitments so that they interfere as little as possible with quality time he should spend with his offspring; and each child should get its equal share of his attention; because sibling rivalry is painful, destructive and starts with competition for a parent’s love and attention.

And while fathers are not super-humans and do get tired, then it is okay

to sit in front of a television and watch a movie or a game together. Even girls like to relate to bonding with dad over a game.

And sharing even one meal a day is a prerequisite for bonding with the entire family; not hiding behind a newspaper or book, but sharing experiences, relating to each other in the multiplicity of ways that families do over a meal.

This builds trust and relationships and, most importantly memories that last a lifetime.

B u i l d y o u r c h i l d ’s character by teaching him responsibilities, by not shirking yours, delegating household tasks to everyone and ensuring all of you play your part. Daily

tasks instill discipline and a sense of time and gives a child a sense of comfortability.

While discipline is important, punishment should not exceed the crime. Discuss with your children your expectations, and what should be the parameters for behavioural patterns; and let them know boundaries in no uncertain manner.

If you invest time, care and love into your children, the rewards are limitless – not least in love and respect, and in the knowledge that you helped shape a good human being. Because, ultimately, a good father is the shaper of his child’s character and destiny.

May 11: an opportunity to preserve our democracy THE PPP is the only political party that has exercised political power in free and fair elections since Guyana attained political independence in 1966.

It will be recalled that two years after the country became independent, elections were held which were massively rigged to perpetuate the life of the PNC in office.

The PNC was catapulted to political office in the 1964 elections with the support of the United Force, which was unceremoniously kicked out of the coalition government a mere three years into the life of the coalition government, but not before the PNC took full control of the elections machinery.

The ‘elections’ of 1968, a mere two years after the granting of political independence, could be considered a watershed year in the political and electoral history of Guyana. It

is a day that will be remembered with shame as the day when the will of the Guyanese electorate was subverted by a power hungry regime headed

by Forbes Burnham.

Guyana experienced its first rigged elections, a first also in the entire Anglo-phone Caribbean. Whatever else can be said of the British Government, it never rigged elections by the seizure of ballot boxes and tampering with the vote in the colonies it had jurisdiction over.

This is not to suggest that they did not have a preference for one political party over the other. This was done through the restriction of the franchise and there were several instances of boundary manipulation or what is referred to as gerrymandering. And it must not be forgotten that the constitution was suspended in 1953 following a landslide PPP victory.

Forbes Burnham, during the 1960’s, was favoured over Cheddi Jagan by the United States of America mainly out of ideological consideration.

Burnham, though regarded by President Kennedy as a political opportunist, remained the preferred choice. The PPP was engineered out of office in 1964, a move which the United States was to later regret and which culminated in the rupture of diplomatic relations with Guyana a decade or so later.

It is ironic that the United States, which was responsible for the removal of the PPP from office in 1964, was largely instrumental in the restoration of democratic rule to the country some twenty eight years later. President Carter played a key role in that regard.

The story of Guyana’s post independence history is a story of struggle for democracy led

by the PPP. All of Guyana won when the PPP/C won power on October 5, 1992.

This democracy is still evolving and therefore cannot be

tampered with or put in the wrong hands.

May 11 gives us all that opportunity to preserve our democracy and democratic

governance. Let us vote wisely with the good of the country in mind.

HYDAR ALLY

What is the NPTAB waiting on AS contractors, who would have successfully executed contracts in Guyana for many years, we wish to register our dissatisfaction with the way The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) handles the opening of contracts under their administration.

The National Drainage & Irrigation Board (NDIA) advertised a contract for the supply of spares for the rehabilitation of excavators under its management.

Contractors submitted sealed bids for which the deadline was set at April 7, 2015, and for which an extension was refused by the NDIA when a request was made for same.

On April 7, 2015 at 09:00hrs, when the bids should have been opened in the presence of the bidders, the contractors were then informed a decision was made not to open the bids because, as we learnt, one of the contractors who was supposed to submit a bid for the said contract could not meet the deadline.

It’s been two weeks since and we have not officially heard from neither the NDIA nor the NPTAB. We hope that the publication of this letter will assist us in some way in bringing this matter to the relevant authority.

CONTRACTORS

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Ramsaran gets major flak from PPP/C leadership, civil society

NOW embattled Minster of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, has come in for major flak from the leadership of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and his colleagues, as well as from members of civil society.

Recent comments made during and after a confrontation with local social activist, Sherlina Nageer, landed him in hot water.

The Health Minister, on Monday, reportedly talked about having Nageer “slapped” and “stripped” when approached by her on the issues of maternal and child deaths. Subsequently, he apologised for his comments, attributing his outburst to the fact that he was provoked to anger.

“It was unfortunate that I was provoked into anger and uttered harsh words at her for which I now regret,” the Minister said in his apology.

However, a recording of a meeting he held with Regional Health Officers (RHOs) yesterday, was made public and Dr Ramsaran was heard repeating some of what he said on Monday, as well as charging that Nageer is “rabid”, a “miscreant” and in need of “psychiatric help.”

CONDEMNED Former president and PPP/C executive member, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, on Wednes-

Dr Bheri Ramsaran

Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

day made it clear that the party does not condone such actions.

“Personally I think it should have never happened.

It was distasteful…the Party does not condone any disparaging things said about women, especially if it is done in a way that seems sexist. He claims that he was provoked, but in spite of that, he should not have said anything of that nature,” he said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Dr Jagdeo highlighted that the PPP/C has been firm in denouncing the recent political attacks on its prime ministerial candidate, Elisabeth Harper, and will maintain its position in defence of all women.

“We have condemned the attacks on Elisabeth Harper and we should condemn the attack on any woman,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Harper herself has weighed in on the debacle and in a public missive said, “The remarks made

by Minister Bheri Ramsaran

are unacceptable and an affront to women. I condemn his utterances in the strongest possible manner.

“It is yet another example of how much more needs to be done in ensuring that women are treated with respect and dignity, especially by the exemplars of our society.”

Harper who has been on a platform advocating for the further empowerment of women noted that “as a woman, but more so a human being with conscience, I share the sentiments of many that this has revealed that we have to do much more to secure the full respect for the rights of our women, particularly what women stand for and how they should be seen.”

The PPP/C prime ministerial candidate underscored the fact that this incident is not an isolated case; rather it is symptomatic of the way our society can still be at times despite the huge strides we have made in advancing the

Education Minister Priya Manickchand rights of women.

“It reinforces my own personal intention and commitment to championing the cause of the vulnerable in our society,” she declared.

And former Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand is another prominent female figure in the PPP/C who has come out against Dr Ramsaran’s actions.

The now Education Minister, on her Facebook page, said, “What Bheri Ramsarran is reported to have said is nothing short of sexist, he wouldn’t have thought of stripping a man, disrespectful, vulgar and stupid. He must apologise and retract what he said.

“I unreservedly condemn his choice of words. I believe he could have and indeed he was entitled to defend himself if he felt threatened by an assault. I don’t believe he is entitled to slap anybody just for fun or to strip anybody....and

PPP/C prime ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper it is these backward utterances that he must apologise for.”

She called on her colleague to do some “soul searching” and said, “He must examine how he feels about his responsibility to answer members of the public irrespective of if those said members are asking questions in an unconventional way.”

Manickchand stressed that there is still much more to be done to develop Guyana into the society where such acts are not commonplace.

CIVIL SOCIETY VOICE President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr Vindhya Persaud, is the most recent to condemn Dr Ramsaran’s comments.

In a statement she said, “The Sabha also strongly condemns the recent offensive comments of Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran in

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Dr Vindhya Persaud relation to a female activist.

The rights of women are sacred and the preservation of such rights remains the focus of all right thinking persons globally and locally.

“In Guyana, we have made significant strides in setting up institutions to safeguard these rights which should not be allowed to be eroded by persons who behave in an irresponsible manner. We are alarmed that a sitting Minister of Government should allow himself to be provoked into making such reprehensible comments.”

As a result, she stressed that the Sabha is urging all religious bodies to join us as we advocate for an environment of responsibility, maturity and freedom from hostility and hatred.

In addition to condemnation, the Health Minister’s comments have also sparked protest actions outside the Ministry of Health’s Brickdam office.

Georgetown Chamber President calls for peaceful elections

By Tajeram Mohabir GEORGETOWN Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Lance Hinds has called on all political parties competing in the May 11 General and Regional Elections to demonstrate maturity and ensure the process is violence-free.

Speaking at the GCCI’s 125th anniversary at Duke Lodge, Kingston, Georgetown, yesterday Hinds urged all stakeholders to work to enable peaceful elections.

And with 16 days to go before the elections, the private sector executive is calling on the political parties and their supporters to maintain a healthy political environment, pointing out that the latter, along with stability, are important for a successful economy and a vibrant investment climate.

He praised outgoing Prime Minister Samuel Hinds for exuding a high level of courtesy and decorum during his 20plus years in office, and urged other politicians to emulate

Hind’s pleasant demeanour.

Aside from the elections in May, another big event in the month is Independence Day - May 26.

Hinds had previously said: “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.”

Yesterday, he noted that the occasion this year is of significant importance as Guyana will be marking 50 years as a free nation.

What is also important, he said, is for political leaders at the upcoming elections to demonstrate that at age 50, Guyana has matured as a nation and has politicians who work together in the best interest of all the people.

Hinds, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Brain Street, a leading Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based firm on Albert Street, Queenstown,

- says politicians must demonstrate maturity as nation turns death of President, Dr Cheddi Jagan in 1997, also recognised the need for a peaceful elections process as well as a peaceful post-election.

He told private sector officials that on the campaign trail, many of the parties make promises, but pointed out that it is not what they say, but what they are likely to accomplish.

GCCI President Lance Hinds Georgetown, said whichever party wins the elections should work in the interest of the country and the electorate.

BEST WISHES He also used the opportunity to wish the Prime Minister all the best in his future endeavours.

Prime Minister Hinds, who served as President for nine months following the

GROWING GDP On that score, he said he is pleased to be part of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration, noting that during the time with the party since 1992, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown from about US$300 million to some US$3000 million today, with some inflation.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that Guyana today is about three to four times well off compared to the state it was in 1992.

vibrant economy today.

The Prime Minister also contended that had the political Opposition adopted a more constructive approach, both in and out of Parliament, Guyana would have achieved much more.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds The material improvement, he said, is clearly visible in both public and private infrastructures and the widespread increase of ownership of motor vehicles throughout the country.

Development, he said, is not a process that happens overnight, and the ruling party has been able to move Guyana step by step out of the poor state it was in 1992, to a country which enjoys a

‘GUYANA HAS COME BACK’ But, he said, given the situation of Guyana in 1992, compared to today, it would be easy to say that “Guyana has come back”.

The GCCI, the oldest private sector organisation in Guyana, represents the voice of the business community and strives to advocate policies, stimulate trade and investment, connect businesses, sustain economic growth and expand member opportunities with the aim of contributing to a stable and sustainable economic and social environment in Guyana where businesses can prosper.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Bringing Opposition out of the cold

REACHING out to embrace Civic society, the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) embodies a long history of inclusiveness and participatory politics.

Today, President Donald Ramotar works with that open, accommodating attitude, welcoming anybody on board with Government who would contribute to the development of our nation.

In fact, when President Ramotar won the Party’s Presidential candidacy for the 2011 national elections, he right away set about meeting with community groups and apolitical leaders. He held conversations with dozens of Guyanese organisations, signalling his open, authentic style of leadership.

On a TV programme in Berbice last Tuesday evening, the President reiterated this absolute necessity, making the point that Government is open to every Guyanese approaching Government, coming up with ideas and initiatives and proposals for community transformation and national development, for the development process to include the entire human capital of the Guyanese human resource base.

President Ramotar carved out a unique niche for himself, rising above the fray and the factions and the little petty concerns that so dog our society. He never stoops to the level of taking sides, of battling uselessness.

Yet, he’s had to struggle with an Opposition camp that refuses to reach beyond the political arena to create solutions and generate creative ideas. The Opposition does not seek out partnerships and alliances with community groups and non-political organisations.

Touting itself as a coalition, the Opposition grouping, A Partnership for National Unity – Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC), ignores the promise in its name, with zero partnership or alliance with civic Guyanese society.

The APNU-AFC partnership-alliance limits the meaning of the concept of partnering and forming alliances to the small political pool opposing the freely and fairly elect-

ed Guyanese Government.

But the AFC side of the camp opens its arms to any and everybody who expresses anger and hatred for the PPP/C. Seeming to lack standardisation for its membership pool, the Party blissfully allows folks spewing irrational, emotive and baseless nasty rhetoric to speak on its behalf, thus damaging its image and its role in the society.

APNU seems somewhat professional in how it approaches building its public image, although the perception that it harbours unruly elements and violence-prone thugs in its lower ranks persists.

We raise this issue for a simple reason: after the May 11 elections, we must work hard to bring the Opposition out of the cold.

The Leaders of the Opposition would want to save face after really messing up the 10th Parliament, turning their one-seat Majority into a complete waste of time, into a quarrelsome den of noisy political animals bent on gaining power at all cost to the nation’s development.

The Opposition today stands angry and seething that Guyana achieved the symbolic development goal of attracting a world class Marriott in Georgetown. In what appears to be jealousy or envy that the PPP/C achieved this great thing, the Opposition camp insists on crapping on the Marriott project, backed with some senseless mass media hysteria and wild editorialising.

President Ramotar faces the immense challenge of overcoming this broken state of the Guyanese Opposition. We look for the Opposition to self-heal and to repair its broken structures and to repaint its face from that stern-faced, angry scowl into a development-friendly attitude.

But clearly that’s failing, as the vocal voices in the Opposition refuse to exercise such sensibleness as cultivating a noble, cool, engaging and participatory modus operandi, to put Guyana’s development first and foremost, and seek above all else a working, authentic, real relationship with our freely and fairly elected Government.

In the face of this Opposition

failure, it becomes imperative for Government to design a way to bring the Opposition out of the cold, to create a space for Opposition leaders to save face and enter that zone of engaging, participating relationship with civic society.

As we move this nation forward, we’ve got to employ the strength, courage, wisdom and resolve to repair two broken arenas that bedevil our social space.

We absolutely must design the national media landscape so that Guyanese citizens live in a social space filled with great ideas and sound debates, inspiring stories and life lessons, and motivating initiatives and penetrating new thoughts.

The media today fail to lift us to a new consciousness, to awaken the beauty of our national imagination, to inculcate in modern, 21st century Guyana a national love for knowledge and intelligent conversation.

Especially among our young people, we see the mass media’s failing, with popular media only engaging young Guyanese with content of crass entertainment and a brainless, noisy pop-culture.

The mass media push out content to adults, and much of it caters to the political fray and factions bedeviling our society.

Were we to clean up the national framework of freedom and democratic entitlement under which the mass media operate, we would see a stunning transformation in how Guyanese talk, think and engage

each other.

Crucially, however, such a paradigm shift would give the Opposition the impetus it needs to become a constructive, development-oriented, sensible national institution.

The Opposition’s function in our democracy plays a vital role in making our body politic a healthy, vibrant, serious foundation for the efficient managing of the society.

But the Guyanese nation suffers from an Opposition mindset lacking proper perspective of its role and function.

In fact, the Opposition seems to function as a shaky platform for discontented, disgruntled and demoralising souls to harass the Guyanese public space with harsh, careless rhetoric.

Opposition spokespeople fill the national mind with bad words, poor thoughts and demotivating noise.

We must take responsibility for this state of affairs, as it’s a matter of national concern, and relates directly to the public good, that political concept that underlines every public policy, including national security and foreign affairs.

For the sake of the public good, we owe the Guyanese nation this crucial necessity, of leading the Opposition to find its place in our society, of causing these leaders to make a constructive contribution to the well-being of Guyanese, instead of the current strife, quarrels and dissent we see emanating from Opposition camps.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Jagdeo: 25,000 jobs to be created in next five years ––greater attention to be paid wooing new investors

––expanding emerging industries, building small and micro enterprises

By Tajeram Mohabir FORMER President Bharrat Jagdeo said the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government will create some 25,000 jobs in the next five years once re-elected to office with a majority government.

Addressing hundreds of supporters at Success, East Coast Demerara on Wednesday evening, the former President said attention will be placed on wooing new investors to realise this goal.

He said the Government has recognised

support for the PPP/C. DON’T TRUST THEM He explained that it is absolutely necessary to ensure the future of their children and that Guyana is secured, stressing that they shouldn’t trust the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Alliance.

The Alliance, he said, is a cover for the old People’s National Congress Reform (PNC).

And the PNC when in power killed, brutalised and muzzled the populace

of office.

The PPP/C has described the promise as disrespectful, contending that Nagamootoo is bartering his supporters for personal gain.

BEING USED Jagdeo said Granger needs Nagamootoo, but does not hold him in high regard, pointing out that Granger had rejected Nagamootoo’s candidacy for Speaker of the National Assembly following the 2011 Regional and General Elections.

At the time, he said, Granger maintained that Nagamootoo cannot be trusted, choosing AFC Leader and former PNCR Executive Raphael Trotman instead for the post.

These are not the people who should be trusted Jagdeo said, stressing that they are not interested in the development of Guyana, but are hungry for power, and if elected will do anything with it as they had done when they had it.

He said it is no surprise that the Alliance is making big and wild promises, promising from “cars to donkeys”, but said, the electorate should look at their track record.

religion and political persuasion.

REAL PROGRESS And the development is there for all to see. New schools have been built, more hospital and health centres constructed, the vast majority of the population own their own homes, the country has new roads, bridges, modern infrastructure and more Guyanese own their own vehicles more than any time before in the history of the country.

From 1992 to now, he said, the PPP/C Government has distributed some 100,000 house lots, more than 130,000 more persons have access to electricity, some 800 locally-trained doctors have been added to the health care system and scores of young engineers, experts in the field of agriculture and Information Technology who have been trained overseas, have returned and are serving Guyana.

This, he said, is in addition to thousands of youths who are being trained in the field of entrepreneurship, so that they can gain a skill that will make them employable or embark on establishing their own business.

These gains and freedoms they enjoy today, he said, should not be eroded, as

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo addressing the gathering at Success on Wednesday evening the opportunities in tourism, the call centre and Information Communication Technology industries and small and micro enterprises and will be focusing on further developing and expanding these sectors.

If the party regains the majority in the National Assembly, he said the Amaila Falls Project will come on stream, bringing down the cost of electricity and spring-boarding development in the manufacturing sector.

This, he said, will result in the creation of thousands of jobs, raising the standard of living of Guyanese, who will be many ordinary Guyanese.

OIL AND GAS FIND The discovery of oil and gas, he also said, will position Guyana on a path to greater prosperity, creating opportunities for high-paying jobs, and enabling a brighter future for all Guyanese.

This, he noted, is the vision of the ruling party as it tries to consolidate on the gains made and build on the successes achieved.

On that note, he said, May 11 is a significant day in the history of Guyana and urged supporters to come out in their full numbers and vote, contending that their vote is not just about showing

through threats and intimidation, and sinking the country into a state of bankruptcy.

Under the PPP/C, Jagdeo said, Guyana has been moved from a state of bankruptcy to the road of prosperity, warning the gathering that the PNC had not changed, but has only changed its name to disguise its real identity.

Guyana, Jagdeo said, must not return to the ‘dark days’ of the PNC Government, pointing out that the hierarchy of the APNU+AFC Alliance comprises of old PNC champions.

Alliance Leader David Granger, PNC Executive Carl Greenidge and APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon, he said, are the most prominent among the lot.

The agenda of the ruling party, he said, is to create an environment for growth and development to flourish, not being obstructionist, opportunistic and destructive as the APNU and AFC. Taking a jab at the Alliance Deputy Leader and AFC Executive Moses Nagamootoo, he said that Nagamootoo in the lust for power is hardly aware that he is being used by Granger to do his (Granger) bidding.

Nagamootoo had promised Granger to deliver 11 per cent of Indian votes to the APNU so that the PPP/C will be voted out

A section of the gathering at the public meeting at Success on Wednesday evening

PPP/C NOT ABOUT PROMISES It is one that sunk Guyana, he said, compared to the PPP/C which has revived the country to the extent where Guyana is recognised as one of the fastest growing economies in the Caribbean, enjoying nine years of continuous growth.

The PPP/C, he said, is not about promises, but is about making things happen and creating a better life for all Guyanese, regardless of their race,

he urged supporters to not be intimidated by the APNU+AFC Alliance, which is trying to terrorise them, so that out of fear they will stay away from the polls on May 11.

CONVINCING MAJORITY Jagdeo called on all PPP/C supporters to unite and bring out their families, friends and neighbours and ensure that they vote on May 11, pointing out that the PPP/C must not win by a margin but by a convincing majority.

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Two parties sign GECOM Code of Conduct TWO of the eight political parties that have entered the 2015 General and Regional elections race, the United Republican Party (URP) and the Healing the Nation Theocracy Party (HTNT), have signed onto the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) code of conduct.

GECOM’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally told the Guyana Chronicle that The United Force (TUF) has given an assurance that it will also sign the Code .

“APNU+AFC [A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change] has indicated that they saw nothing substantial that would constrain them from signing,” he said.

Dr Surujbally added that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had indicated to him that the party was not in receipt of the requite documents and have requested that the Commission resend them.

“I have resent those documents,” he said.

The other three parties, according to him, have not responded to the Commission. These include: the Independent Party (IP); the Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP); and the National Independence Party (NIP).

Several stakeholders in the electoral process, including the Private Sector Commission (PSC), have called on political parties to sign GECOM’s Code of Conduct.

Over the weekend, the Code was circulated, and political parties were expected to respond to GECOM with recommendations to inform the finalisation of the document by Wednesday.

The Code of Conduct for political parties is a guide to expected behaviours in the lead-up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

Once political parties sign onto the Code of Conduct, it is expected that they would abide by the protocols documented in the Code, all in the interest of free and fair General and Regional Elections.

The advantage of having such an agreement in place, according to GECOM, relates to being able to guard against confrontational and vitriolic election campaign meetings/rallies and statements.

GECOM regards contesting parties signing the Code as demonstrating their willingness to craft their respective election campaign strategies in ways that contribute to the maintenance of peace and tranquility throughout and beyond the elections. (Vanessa Narine)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Indian High Commission donates $10M to GECOM ––towards Civic, Voter Education programme

IN recognition of the indefatigable work being done by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in preparation for the professional, free, fair and transparent conduct of the May 11 General and Regional Elections, the High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Mr. V. Mahalingam, handed over a cheque valued at $10.25M to the Chief Election Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, on Wednesday.

This contribution, according to GECOM, will be utilised in aspects of its Civic and Voter Education programme, a press release stated.

“It will be used to ensure that adequate provisions are in place during the elections to facilitate persons living with

Indian High Commissioner, Mr V. Mahalingam, hands over the cheque to Mr. Keith Lowenfield. Standing at the back is GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally

Medicinal ganja gets farmer community service, fine

A FARMER was yesterday fined $3,000 and sentenced to six months’ community service for possession of marijuana when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the

Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Samuel DaSuza was convicted of having in his possession five grams of marijuana on April 21 at Victory Valley, Linden. However the farmer told the magistrate that

he uses the marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The man is scheduled to report to the Wismar Police Station to commence his six months of community service.

Woman seeks protection order against alleged assailant A MINER, 30, accused of assaulting a woman was yesterday placed on $25,000 when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

disabilities, and for activities associated with Polling Day itself,” GECOM said.

On receiving the contribution, Lowenfield conveyed the heartfelt thanks of the Commission and staff of the GECOM Secretariat, and promised to judiciously use the funds provided by the High Commission of India to further serve the Guyanese people through the competent, proficient and professional delivery of GECOM’s Civic and Voter Education Programme.

The High Commissioner of India was accompanied by his Second Secretary (Politcal, Culture, Information, Consular and Head of Chancery), Mr. S.M. Joshi.

Sherwin Alicock of Lot 60 Amelia’s Ward, Linden denied the allegation that said on April 21 at Watuka River Drive, Linden he assaulted Sharon Nelson.

The prosecutor did not object

to bail nor revealed the facts to the court. Nelson, who was present in court, filed for a protection order against the defendant. The matter was transferred to Linden Magistrate’s Court for April 28.

Diver put on $200,000 bail for discharge of firearm A THIRTY-one-year-old diver accused of discharging a loaded firearm at a man yesterday appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and was granted $200,000 bail for the offence.

It is alleged between 1-13 November, 2014 at Sunflower Lane, Linden, Sheldon Joseph discharged a loaded firearm at Quincy David, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Joseph denied the allegation and his lawyer Denise Hodge explained that the shot was fired by her client in self-defence, citing that David is of unsound mind.

Police Prosecutor Bharrat Mangru did not reveal the facts to the court. However he objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. In addition, a gun was allegedly used in the commission of the offence.

The magistrate overruled the prosecution’s objection and granted bail. The defendant was ordered to report to Wismar Police Station once per week.

The matter was transferred to Linden Magistrate’s Court for April 28.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Ramayya apologises for false allegations against PPP’s Mustapha ––following recent court order

FOLLOWING court orders to publicly apologise to the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Executive Secretary Zulficar

AFC Executive, Veerasammy Ramayya Mustapha, Executive Member of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya

issued a public apology via DTV Channel 8.

During the telecast, Ramayya said, “On a television programme titled ‘Issues of the People’, aired on November 19, 2011 on DTV Channel 8, I alleged that Zulficar Mustapha, who was the Regional Chairman for Region 6 at the time and a prominent member of the PPP/C, was corrupt and dishonest.”

“I hereby unreservedly withdraw all imputations made by me about the character, good name and the conduct of Mustapha,” the AFC Executive added.

Ramayya acknowledged the fact that the statements which he made were “wholly unfounded,” as he expressed his deepest regret and sincerest apologies to Mustapha, his family, friends, the Regional Adminis-

tration in Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) and also the entire PPP/C Administration, for having made the statement and for any embarrassment and inconvenience which could have been caused to Mustapha.

Meanwhile apart from Ramayya, both the owner of the television station, Gregory Rambarran was also slapped with a libel suit in 2012.

During the court hearing the two were represented by AFC Leader and Attorney-at-Law Khemraj Ramjattan while Mustapha was represented by Attorney Adrian Anamaya before Justice Nareshwar Haranand at the New Amsterdam High Court.

The charges claim that Ramayya made libelous claims regarding Mustapha during the height of the elections

campaign in 2011. Apart from the public apology Ramayya is also expected to pay the sum of $250,000 to Mustapha,

PPP/C Executive Secretary, Zulficar Mustapha and the politician has said he will donate the money to charity.

OAS decries ‘provocative language’ on campaign trail CONCERNS have been raised by the Organisation of American States (OAS) observer mission to Guyana at the escalation of “provocative language” being used in the run-up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

Consequently, the group, which has a preliminary team in Guyana, has called on all stakeholders to engage in a respectful exchange of ideas during the political campaign.

“The Mission urges all political parties to review, sign and implement as soon as possible, the Code of Conduct prepared and circulated for approval by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) with the intention of preventing divisive and inflammatory language during the electoral campaign,” the OAS said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Code of Conduct for political parties is a guide to expected behaviours in the lead-up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections.Once political parties sign onto the Code of Conduct, it is expected that they would abide by the protocols documented in the Code, all in the interest of free and fair General and Regional Elections.

The advantage of having such an agreement in place, according to GECOM, relates to being able to guard against confrontational and vitriolic election campaign meetings/rallies and statements.GECOM regards contesting parties signing the Code as demonstrating their willingness to craft their respective election campaign strategies in ways that contribute to the maintenance of peace and tranquility throughout and beyond the elections.

On a lighter note, the OAS team met with a wide range of political party representatives in the country during its preliminary mission.

“The mission witnessed a general consensus among all stakeholder parties regarding the importance of a calm and civil environment during the electoral process,” the OAS said.

The full OAS elections observer mission is expected to be in Guyana in early May, according to its country representative, Jean Ricot Dormeus. The OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza,has designated former Foreign Minister and Ambassador of Belize to the OAS, Lisa Shoman, as Chief of Mission.

The OAS observed elections in Guyana in 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011.(Vanessa Narine)

Elderly woman succumbs following sand truck accident ––driver says he didn’t see her

AN elderly woman who was struck down by a sand truck Monday morning while attempting to cross the road at Providence, East Bank Demerara,

Dead: Randai Soodath has since died, the police say.

The woman, who has been identified as 75-year-old Randai Soodath, of Lot 159 First Street, Herstelling, also on the East Bank, reportedly died on Wednesday.

Reports are that Soodath was standing in front of the truck, which was parked

at the time, and waiting to cross the road when the accident occurred.

According to the driver of the truck, he did not see the elderly woman in front of the vehicle. He would subsequently tell the police that he didn’t even know he had hit down somebody until a passerby shouted, “Look you just ran over a woman.” The truck, which was laden with sand, had stopped at the gas station.

Soodath was reportedly on her way to Mocha Arcadia, another East Bank village, to visit an ailing friend as was her custom.

Relatives said Soodath was a very energetic and able-bodied pensioner, who liked to travel to visit relatives and friends and she was making her way to a female friend who lives in Mocha Arcadia but never made it.

Soodath was rushed to the Diamond Hospital but given the severity of her injury she was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where her right leg was beyond repair and doctors were forced to amputate it.

The woman was in and out of consciousness until she passed away on Wednesday at about 8:10 hrs at the hospital.

Her relatives yesterday after learning

Randai Soodath’s home, where she resided alone that the driver was placed on bail became upset since Soodath is no more. They will seek the advice of a lawyer because they do not want the matter to be swept under the rug after losing a loved one.

The elderly friend who Soodath was on her way to visit, after hearing of her

tragic demise, is in much disbelief and distress and is unable to come to grips with her sudden death since they were friends since childhood.

Soodath is the mother of one and lived alone. The police said they are probing the matter. (Michel Outridge)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Luxury, class, affordability as…

Xenon Hotel opens Georgetown branch ANOTHER multi-million dollar investment, the Xenon Hotel, opens its doors to the public, and it is meant to complement the 704 entertainment complex.

Businessman Alfro Alphonso has yet again shown his confidence in Guyana’s economy with the opening of this multi-million dollar hotel, which is a branch of the one located on the Essequibo Coast.

Xenon Hotel boasts a modern 29room hotel in the heart of the city and is meant to complement investment in the 704 entertainment complex. The brand new hotel boasts all the modern facilities one has come to expect, including hot and cold water, air conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi, cable television and adequate parking. There are 25 rooms and four suites and all are serviced by an elevator.

The hotel promises that it will provide modern conveniences with the charm of Guyanese hospitality and gave the assur-

ance that rates are affordable. The brand new hotel is catering to international and local travellers and “the comforts it offers will astound even the most discerning traveller.”

The New Xenon hotel is located at 87 Albert Street, Alberttown, Georgetown and can be contacted on telephone number 592- 225-0254 The hotel management says that “they are expecting that the investment will complement Guyana’s tourism package, as visitors now have another option for accommodation within the city.”

The Xenon Hotel was first opened in Charity on the Essequibo Coast and has been one of the main hotels in Essequibo. The Xenon brand has more than 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. The Georgetown and Essequibo branches are linked and special packages are available for visitors who wish to visit Georgetown and Essequibo.

Xenon Hotel stands tall on Albert Street

A glimpse of one of the rooms available at the new hotel

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Catholic Church launches campaign-monitoring initiative ––calls for volunteers

THE Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) of the Catholic Church is launching a campaign-monitoring initiative to monitor the content of political speeches at public meetings of political parties in the final stages of the run-up to General and Regional Elections on May 11.

The purpose of the initiative is to: • increase public/Catholic participation in an important element of the democratic process • identify infringements/breaches of the Code of Conduct for

political parties, expected to be signed shortly • deter inflammatory and reckless political campaign speeches in a sensitive period.

This initiative is all the more important given the recent display of irresponsible, reckless and vulgar behaviour on the Essequibo Coast with lynched effigies of the Opposition’s presidential and prime ministerial candidates being placed on a utility pole.

Such crass public displays are highly inflammatory and insensitive during national elections and can only serve to stoke existing political and ethnic tensions.

The JPC is calling for volunteers from members of the public,

especially Catholics, to implement this initiative. Volunteers will attend public meetings, fill out a prepared campaign-monitoring form, and forward these to the JPC for later analysis and public release.

Persons who are interested in volunteering are hereby invited to contact us immediately at jpc.guyana@gmail.com. The monitoring form can be downloaded on our website http://jpcgy.webs.com/ Completed forms can be scanned and emailed to jpc.guyana@gmail.com or hard copies can be delivered to Bishop’s Office, 27 Brickdam within 24 hours of the date of the meeting monitored.

Prisoner attempts suicide at Anna Regina Police Station A Prisoner who was on Wednesday scheduled to make a court appearance attempted to take his own life by hanging the said morning in the Anna Regina Police Station lock-ups, Essequibo Coast.

The police reported that at about 01:50hrs on April 22, 2015, Danish Mohan Roo, 30, of Sparta, Essequibo Coast, who was in the lock-ups at Anna Regina Police Station, attempted to hang himself. However other prisoners in the lock-ups alerted the police.

Danish Roo, who received injuries during the failed attempt, was taken to the Suddie Hospital where he has been admitted and is under police guard.

Danish Roo was scheduled to appear at the Anna Regina Magistrates Court on April 22, 2015.

In an unrelated incident, a prisoner, Roy Bovell, was found hanging in the Lethem Police Station lockups on April 12, 2015.Bovell had been in custody for a matter that was under investigation.

A post- mortem revealed that Bovell, of Tabatinga, Lethem, died of asphyxiation due to hanging.

The Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is investigating the incident and has since been mum as to the progress of that probe.

Police in a press release said at about 08:00hrs on April 12, 2015, the body of Roy Bovell, 36, of Tabatinga, Lethem, who was in custody at the Lethem Police Station, was found hanging from the grill work of the station lock-ups.

It added that the police had earlier visited the lockups at 06:15hrs that day where he was alive and well.

Roy Bovell was the only prisoner in the lock-ups at the time and had been arrested at about 19:45 hrs on April 11, 2015, at Tabatinga, after he was found in possession of 60 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana).

In another incident, another prisoner was found dead while in custody in the lock-ups at Parika Police Station on February 25, 2015 and an investigation by OPR was also done.

The police reported that Zaharadeen Razan, 28, of Cornelia Ida, WCD, was found alive and lying on the floor of the lock-ups during a visit to the lock-ups by the police.

Following questioning of other prisoners in the lock-ups, Razan was taken for medical treatment at the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

It was noted that Razan was arrested and taken into custody at about 21:10hrs on February 24, following a report of damage to property that was made against him.

A few years ago another prisoner was found dead in the lockups at the La Grange, West Bank Demerara Police Station.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

15

Urling charges ...

APNU+AFC is an ‘Old-Boys Club’ ––urges electorate to say no to their ‘no-conomics’

By Tajeram Mohabir DISMISSING the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) as an “Old-Boys Club”, young and prominent city businessman Clinton Urling urged South Ruimveldt residents to put blind support to the APNU+AFC behind them and vote solidly for the cup on May 11.

Urling, responding to persons who criticised his decision for joining the ruling party, told a sizeable gathering Tuesday at Johnny P Square, South Ruimveldt that his choice was influenced by the fact that there is no viable alternative to the ruling party.

“The PPP is a party of the people, the PPP is a party for democracy, the PPP is a party of diversity, the PPP is a party of inclusion, the PPP is a party of freedom, the PPP is a party for youth, the PPP is a party that will secure the future of Guyana and all Guyanese,” the young businessman said, to resounding applause.

The diversity, he said is reflected on the party’s List of Candidates that was submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Nomination Day. He said the party has made a deliberate decision to invest in youth and it sees youth as pilots for a brighter future for Guyana.

The APNU+AFC Alliance, he said, talks much about youth, but has only a few young leaders in its ranks, probably for window-dressing purposes as the decision-making is a privilege reserved for its seniors.

Contending that the PPP/C is a better choice, Urling said youths are not only part of the ruling party, but they are an integral part of its leadership.

Bharrat Jagdeo, he said, became President of Guyana at age 35 and was among the youngest heads of state in the world. Aside from Jagdeo, he said, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh; Head of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahindra Sharma; Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali; Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud; and Education Min-

ister Priya Manickchand are among scores of other young people who have chosen to support the ruling party, because they see a bright future for Guyana under the PPP/C. NOT INTERESTED IN LIP SERVICE The young business leader said he too saw the programmes, policies and vision of the PPP/C and made a deci-

Clinton Urling addressing South Ruimveldt residents on Tuesday sion to join the party, pointing out that young people are not interested in lip service, but are serious about the development of Guyana. They want jobs and opportunities, they want upward social and financially mobility, he said, pointing out that the PPP/C provides the avenues for them to realise their dreams.

Urling, taking a hard “dig” at the David Granger and Khemraj Ramjattan-led Alliance, said their party’s List of Candidates is scant on youth and was even scantier on women.

He told the South Ruimveldt gathering that the alliance’s list was so scanty on women that they were forced by GECOM to make a resubmission to meet the basic quota for women.

Some 20 women had to be squeezed in on the list after they were previously left out.

Again, he said, when compared to

the PPP/C, it is a far cry from being genuinely and fully representative of the people.

He said being a fully representative party is only one of the hallmarks of the PPP/C, pointing out that a more salient feature remains the party’s track record in office, reaching out to people of all strata of society.

The young entrepreneur said the ruling party has stayed the course, and has developed a reputation of not only talking about development, but doing all within its power to make it happen.

And as a result, he pointed out, Guyana has been significantly transformed in the past 23 years with the PPP/C in office, enjoying nine years of uninterrupted growth.

CULTURE OF SERVICE This, he stressed, was achieved through a culture of service to the people and the enactment of sound micro and macroeconomic policies.

As a party that will enable a secure future, he said the National Economic Council, chaired by former President Jagdeo, will take Guyana to the next level.

He said this will happen as the ruling party has created conditions for the economy to develop and prosper, adopting a people-centred approach, but

making tough and realistic decisions.

The PPP/C, he told the gathering, is not a party that makes big, empty promises, but promises projects that it can make reality.

On this point, he said, the PPP/C can boast of its record in office, as it has always been a party that comprises youth, maturity and experience.

This, he said, is absent in the APNU+AFC alliance, noting that they have no leader with a track record of success in managing a company or Government entity.

But, he said, they will continue to make all sorts of promises, and should not be mistaken, as they have developed a reputation for making promises.

He said too that Guyana is not at a juncture where it should be accommodating to their policy of “noconomic,” a strategy of saying no to the economic development of the country.

Urling told the gathering that the APNU and AFC said no to the Amaila Falls project, no to the Airport Expansion project, no to the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, no to roads and bridges, and on May 11, they should say no to them by voting solidly for the PPP/C. The rally was also addressed by veteran trade unionist Gillian Burton, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Head of the Presidential Secretariat Roger Luncheon.

A part of the gathering at the South Ruimveldt meeting

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Edghill says, ‘I have never had a name change’ ––responding to Kaieteur News ‘Dem Boys Seh’

RESPONDING to an article in the Kaieteur News ‘Dem Boys Seh’ column, which included the statement: “Edghill change he name from Cummings af-

ter he run into trouble when a man dead,” Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill called on the publication to retract their

article and refrain from broadcasting false information.

“I wish to state the facts and put it to rest once and for all. As in 2011, I was the sub-

ject of libel and slanderous statements made by Tony Vieira which was broadcasted on CN Sharma’s television station, Channel 6, after which I have filed actions against them in the High Court for libel,” said Edghill.

According to the minister during a press conference on Wednesday in his office at the Ministry of Finance, he was surprised by the article in the Kaieteur News which has a publication of the same statement which included that he was the subject of a name change after being involved in the murder of a man.

“This lie must be debunked, and it must not be allowed to continue to be pedalled, as I will always defend my name and reputation,” stated Edghill.

Edghill subsequently presented his Birth Certificate to the members of the media in an effort to show the public that he was born on December 25, 1964 and was never subjected to a name change, stating that his name has always been

Junior Minister of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill Juan Anthony Edghill.

“If I was born as Juan Anthony Edghill, I could not have had a name change when I am known up until today as Juan Anthony Edghill. Therefore, I would really appreciate it if every Guyanese citizen could give respect to the fact that like so many others, I was born in a home where my parents were not married; so, from birth, I had to assume the name of my mother whose name is Juanita Edghill,” said the Minister.

He also alluded to the fact that he has never used any other name or been called any other name, while highlighting the fact that at no time of his life has he been associated with the death of anyone, as he has always lived his life in keeping with his faith, belief and Christian principles.

Apart from that, Edghill said that he finds the statement to be “offensive, derogatory, wicked, vindictive and it is designed to distort, defame and ridicule” him because of his political affiliation.

In closing, he reiterated his call to Kaieteur News to retract the misinformation, and noted that “like I did before I took legal action against Vieira and Sharma in 2011, I called upon them and I wrote asking them to withdraw those statements and their refusal had led to me having to file action against them in a court of law, as I’m not only calling on them to retract the story but I have also presented to you all once and for all my original birth certificate and if this is not sufficient then I don’t know what is.”

(Navendra Seoraj)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

George Norton ...

Alliance implores supporters to be law-abiding citizens

PEOPLE’S National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Executive George Norton has parried questions on the APNU+AFC Alliance investigating reports of its supporters assaulting their PPP/C counterparts.

It was reported that acid and missiles were hurled at PPP/C supporters who were heading home from the massive rally held at Albion, Berbice on Sunday.

When asked about the incident, Norton at the time told the Guyana Chronicle that he was unaware of it, and furthermore he did not read the story, which was on the front page of the Monday edition of this newspaper.

The PNCR/APNU Executive, however, admitted seeing some persons at a few APNU+AFC public meetings who looked drunk, but he said they were not destructive.

“I’ve been one of the APNU campaigners that can say that I’ve touched all the regions and I’ve been

to the remotest of the villages. Fortunately, apart from some persons who might have been intoxicated, I have not seen anybody disrupting the PPP meeting,” he said.

PNC/APNU Executive George Norton INTENSE COMPETITION The contest between the PPP/C and the APNU+AFC Alliance to solicit the attention of the electorate to vote for them on May 11 has been intense, and aside from

public billboards, the parties have been jostling for attention on the lantern poles.

Throughout the country, the poles are decorated with PPP/C and APNU+AFC Alliance flags and posters.

In some cases where PPP/C flags were placed at the middle of the polls, a good distance away from hand reach, APNU+AFC supporters moved in on trucks and with ladders, placing the APNU flag above the PPP/C’s.

In the struggle, the small AFC, which at last minute wedded APNU, in a bid to help the coalition be victorious at the polls, seems to be non-existent in the lamp pole advertising.

Of late, the Alliance has been mounting only APNU flags, but AFC leaders Mosses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan have been vociferously pledging their support to Alliance Leader David Granger.

FRENEMY RELATIONSHIP From a glance at

the lamp poles in the City, it appears that APNU and the AFC are in a ‘frenemy’ or ‘hold-me-loose-me’ kind of relationship.

But the APNU+AFC Alliance has been holding out that the relationship is good, and according to Norton, the claims of Opposition supporters disrupting PPP/C meetings appear to be a little far-fetched.

“I don’t think anybody would be intimidated by the ruling par-

ty or the Opposition, so it’s a waste of time to disrupt a meeting, but I have not witnessed any,” he said.

Dr Norton also told this publication that the Alliance has already warned its supporters about being mischievous.

“The word has been and will always be to the citizens of Guyana, especially around this time, is to ‘Do not be provoked or be tempted to do anything that is not law-abiding’,” he said.

The ruling party has also complained about destruction of its promotional materials by Opposition elements.

On Monday evening, elements aligned with the political Opposition were seen on

the West Coast of Demerara, between Cornelia Ida and Blankenburg, removing PPP/C flags on lamp poles.

At approximately 22:30 hrs, the PPP/C flags were being replaced with those of the APNU+AFC Alliance.

Notably, the first set of flags representing the main Opposition only carried the APNU trademark. The new ones mounted last night had the ‘AFC’ lettering thatched to the end of the APNU flags.

When contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, Housing and Water Minister and PPP/C Region 3 representative Irfaan Ali disclosed that two reports of the illegal act have been made at the Den Amstel Police Station.

A PPP/C billboard destroyed by Opposition elements

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Brigadier-General Phillips ...

Only Commander-in-Chief, Donald Ramotar can instruct the GDF

“RANKS, you have a civic responsibility as citizens to exercise your franchise during national elections by casting your vote; you are free to vote for whichever person or political party you choose, since it is your constitutional right. However, do not allow anyone to make that decision for you; your vote and who you cast it for is your personal and private choice.”

This is the position of Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier-General Mark Phillips, who, in preparing his ranks for their turn to cast their ballots next Saturday ahead of the civilian population, reminded them that contrary to popular belief, the Guyana Defence Force is a professional organisation.

He said the GDF is the stable band in the society with “Service to the nation” as its standing motto. As

such, Brigadier Phillips in his brief to ranks under his charge is advocating that during this election season, a thoroughly professional approach is to be demonstrated and maintained at all times.

All were reminded that it was unprofessional to exhibit any form of campaigning on any military base.

“Guyana is still being governed

by President Donald Ramotar who was duly elected to the presidency,” according to Brigadier Phillips.

The Army Chief of Staff reminded the GDF hierarchy that President Ramotar “is still the Commander in Chief of the military, and in that regard, still has the right to give instructions to the military.”

Phillips observed too that “Ex-military officers also have the right to participate in the political activities

––refer all political lobbyists to me

Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Mark Phillips of Guyana.”

He said, “We respect their service to Guyana, however, our current operational decision-making is not influenced by ex-military officers;

we take orders from the duly elected president of Guyana, our Commander in Chief, President Donald Ramotar,” he added.

The Chief of Staff explained too that there will be a large number of representatives from several countries and International bodies in Guyana during the elections period, serving as Observers, and repeated his concern that the highest level of professionalism must be displayed at all times.

“You are to avoid any type of confrontational situations regarding political matters, and, if approached by political representatives on matters regarding the GDF, you must refer those persons to me.”

Military personnel and other members of the Joint Services will cast their ballots on Saturday, May 2. Military personnel will be confined from May 6, in preparation for deployment in support of the Guyana Police Force as becomes necessary.

It is traditional for the military to vote several days ahead of the general public, so that troops can be available for service to the nation as needs be, during, and even after the period of national elections is over.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

PPP/C prime ministerial candidate connects with Essequibo residents

PRIOR to the Essequibo Rally, People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C) prime ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper took some time to explore some areas of the coast and interact with residents.

Harper spent some time chatting with persons from the Anna Regina and Bushlot Markets. She listened to their concerns and also related developments on the Coast as well as plans the Government has in store.

“The PPP/C aims to carry out its vision by focusing on key areas that would see strengthened economic growth and enhanced social progress,” she noted as she continued to explain that job creation on the Essequibo Coast is essential and a priority of the party and the PPP/C’s manifesto speaks extensively of this.

She listened to residents’ concerns and assured them that she would do everything in her power to address their concerns. She explained also that over the last three years the Government’s “hands were tied,” because of the one-seat majority the Opposition had in parliament.

Harper urged residents that they should make all necessary efforts to come out and vote on May 11 and give the present Government the opportunity to deliver on the developments and plans in the party’s manifesto.

Many persons were drawn to Ms.Harper by her caring and graceful mannerisms.

Ms. Harper also visited the Suddie Hospital where she said that she was very impressed with the staffing of the hospital. She related that she is pleased to have seen so many Guyanese doctors. With much enthusiasm, Harper noted that “we [PPP/C] will establish in Supenaam a polyclinic with X-ray, laboratory, dental and eye services. Essequibo will also benefit from the initiative to expand doctor –provided, home-based care in all regions.”

At the Essequibo Rally, she also said that future developments such as the development of new economic ventures in areas such as large-scale mineral, oil and gas extraction and large-scale agro- processing and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Tourism and Hospitality and transformative infrastructure.

Ms. Harper visits the Suddie Hospital

PPP/C prime ministerial candidate, Elisabeth Harper conversing with residents of Essequibo

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Rohee to GECOM...

‘We want to help, not create roadblocks’ CREATING roadblocks for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is not the intention of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) when it voices its concerns.

“We want to help. We want to assist GECOM to bring off a successful elections. We don’t want to create roadblocks or hurdles for GECOM and as a major stakeholder in the electoral process we believe that we have a legitimate right to ask questions,” said PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee, at a recent news conference.

According to him, the party’s “fight” with GECOM has been with the elections machinery.

“Our fight with GECOM, from the inception, has always been with the machinery….this is the basis of our questions…there have been some improvements, we must concede,” Rohee said.

However, he underscored that GECOM’s employees continue to represent an area of concern for the party.

“We have too much incontrovertible evidence in the past that some members of GECOM staff as well as these information clerks have been involved in matters which have no bearing on what they are supposed to be doing on polling day,” the PPP General Secretary said.

Consequently, he reiterated the party’s call for public vetting of polling day staff.

He said, “[Having this issue] being treated as a top secret or surprise

by GECOM will only serve to create doubts in the minds of people and eventually a loss of confidence. The world

over, polling day staff plays an integral role in the electoral processes hence, the more reason for involving the populace in the recruitment of these persons.

“Polling day staff, even though having their private and personal preferences towards a political party are expected to perform their duties in a neutral and professional manner.”

Rohee stressed that the ruling party is “wary” of the experiences of the past where “politically biased” polling day staff seemed bent on depriving PPP polling agents and candidates of their rights on Election Day. He contends that having these issues addressed will go a long way in assuring GECOM’s own efficiency and the confidence and acceptance of the results by all Guyanese.

GECOM’s Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, in an earlier comment on the repeated concerns of the PPP, gave the assurance that GECOM will not be hiring persons who do not satisfy the required qualification criteria.

He made it clear that the Commission’s employment process will be guided by established employment best practices towards ensuring that the best candidates with the requisite knowledge, skills and experience are appointed to the various positions that are relevant to elections management.

Additionally, public vetting of staffers aside, the ruling party as well as other stakeholders in the electoral process have expressed confidence in the electoral process and in the Commission’s ability to conduct free and fair elections. (Vanessa Narine)

Elections flashback…

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High price of democracy IN 1954, Dr Cheddi Jagan was arrested.

A wave of terror against the PPP, its leaders and the working people ensued. Cheddi Jagan’s movements were restricted. As part of the party’s civil disobedience campaign he broke the restriction order by the colonialists, was arrested and sent to jail for six months. But not before he had his say

in the dock.

“Today,” he declared, “Guyana is a vast prison. Whether I am outside or inside matters little. Prisons hold no terror for me. I expect no justice from this or any other Court.

Justice has been dead since the British troops landed. I am hoping for the day when there will be greater justice in Guiana.”

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Mocha shop owner remanded over marijuana trafficking A Mocha shop owner, charged with having a quantity of marijuana in his possession, was on Wednesday refused bail when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Junior Flu, 34, of 172 Second Street, Mocha, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge that alleged on April 21 at Mocha, he had 63 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The defendant’s lawyer, Mr. Paul Fung-a-Fat told the court that police were

chasing a man and firing bullets when the man ran through his client’s yard and disappeared.

The lawyer further said that his client was arrested by the police after they barged into his yard and aroused him from his sleep and put the allegation to him.

Police Prosecutor Bharrat Mangru, however, objected and told the court that the facts are as charged. Flu was remanded to prison, and the matter transferred to Magistrate Fabayo Azore for May 6.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Court hears ...

Two CANU guards seen on CCTV stealing cocaine

TWO security guards attached to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), who are alleged to have stolen cocaine that was seized during a drug bust in Diamond last week, were on Wednesday granted $350,000 bail each by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Be-

harry.

Kevin Dicky, 29, of Lot 199 Lodge Housing Scheme and Keon Ambrose, 51, of Lot 954 Sophia, both pleaded not guilty to the simple larceny charge.

the officers questioned the security team. It was explained that when the CCTV camera footage was reviewed, it allegedly showed Dickey leaving the guard hut and proceeding to the freezer where the cocaine was stored. The court heard that after he spent several minutes there he was seen moving away from the freezer carrying a bag. Dickey was seen conversing at the gate with Ambrose, who was in charge of security at the gate.

Ambrose opened the gate for him to exit the CANU compound with the alleged cocaine

The alleged accomplice, Keon Ambrose Particulars of the charge alleged that on April 16 at Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, the duo stole eight parcels of a substance suspected to be cocaine worth $936,000, property of CANU. According to Prosecutor Stephen Telford, the cocaine was taken to CANU Headquarters after they seized it from a house in Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The missing packets were among 428 other parcels.

However, following the discovery of the missing drug

CANU security guard, Kevin Dicky to an unknown location before returning to duty.

The prosecution objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness and the quantum of drugs involved. However $350,000 bail was granted to each accused by the Chief Magistrate. The matter was adjourned to May 7 for report.

Friday April 24 2015 ––– 09:00 hrs Saturday April 25 2015 ––– 09:30 hrs Sunday April 26 2015 ––– 11:00 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

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Guyana CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Hi folks... Here we are again with a pulsating serving of satisfying entertainment brought to you like always, ‘Bombshell Style’. Be blown away by our sensual divas... Be stirred up by our talented local writers too. Laugh your head off at the juicy gossips and hilarious tidbits we bring you, even as you get lost in our gratifying features and more. Join us here each Friday as we allow the luxury of curling up with a mug of hot cocoa, to enjoy entertainment that is truly worthwhile....

Bombshell’s ‘Most Provocative Divas

SYRETTA PERSAUD:

Tel Contact: 616-0301/ 699-6156

Bulletin!!! Bulletin!!! Bulletin!!!

Jamall Adams brings hope to many Guyanese and Caribbean FIRE! with real life writings

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The ‘Guyanese Hott!ness’ enjoys biking

HIS week, we are proud to showcase one of our ‘Most Provocative Divas’, who has that special aura that is certain to leave men sal-

ivating.

We bring you the very saucy and irresistible Syreeta Persaud to ignite your sensual fire. This diva’s refreshing vivaciousness is a reflection

‘JULIUS CAESAR’

SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS ON APRIL 30; MAY 02

after the death of the great playwright in 1616.

Julius Caesar is considered to be Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy when compared to King Lear, Othello and Macbeth. The play, very relevant today, is being studied in the classroom for English B exam (Literature).

‘Julius Caesar’ will be staged at the National Cultural Centre on Thursday, April 30, at 10.00 hours, and on May 2nd at 10.00 hours.

Tickets are being sold at $500. The play will again be staged at the same venue on May 4th at 20.00 hours, and this time it will be for all audiences. Adult tickets (reserved) will be sold at $2500, and those for children below 16 years of age (unreserved) will be sold at $1000.

All students are invited to experience this presentation of GEMS Theatre Productions and the NationaI School of Theatre Arts and Drama. he play, directed by Derek Gomes and produced by Gem Madhoo, features Ajay Baksh, Mark Luke-Edwards, Sean Thompson, Michael Ignatius, Lloyda Nicholas-Garrett, Nirmala Narine, Paul Budnah, Max Massiah, Kirk Jardine, Chris Gopaul, John Fraser, Luigi Ferreira, Gibran Azeez, Patrick Chanderban, Stephen Asif Mohamed, Delon Sancho, Alex Rodrigues, Masud Lewis, students of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama, and the Sacred Heart Youth Group.

All tickets are available at the National Cultural Centre.

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UYANESE audiences young and old would have the opportunity to expe-

rience the great Shakespearean play ‘Julius Caesar’, written in 1599 but not published until

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of the natural sexiness of our ‘homebred country gals’.

At 23 years old, this lass enjoys dancing, modelling, drama, travelling, and meeting stimulating individuals.

While she aspires to have her own dance studio, she also has under her belt a vast reservoir of dance experience from the X-Factor Dance Studios.

Syreeta believes that ‘woman power’ is ‘the real deal’ to take Guyana forward, and is convinced that “women must be treated like the angels they were created to be.”

She is definitely a career-minded lady, and loves to indulge in ‘the finer things of life’. While she may be single, she’d like to make it clear that she’s not available, since her education is her number one priority at the moment.

The jubilant Jamall Adams with his three published books that are available in Guyana.

OBODY can ever bring you inspiring writings like the Bombshell can!

And that’s why we are alerting you about Next Friday’s true life story of how a young man, caught in the pangs of turbulent heartbreak, used his experience to discover and unleash hidden creative writing skills, resulting in six riveting novels, three of which are already published.

This overseas-based Guyanese, who was a musician on the local shores, found his writing skills in the strangest of fashion, and captitalised on his new-found glory.

His three books: “When Faith Happens”, “# 60 Forlong” and “# 100 Forlong”, can be obtained at Nigel’s Supermarket and at Austin’s Book Store (Church Street, Georgetown).

We urge you to feast on his writings, and join us here next Friday for the intriguing story of his evolvement from musician to talented writer.

JOKE OF THE DAY! IT’S GAME 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and a man makes his way to his seat right at center ice.

He sits down, and noticing that the seat next to him is empty, he leans over and asks his neighbour if someone would be sitting there.

“No,” says the neighbour, “the seat is empty.”

“This is incredible!” says the man. “Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Stanley Cup and not use it?”

The neighbour says, “Well, actually the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Stanley Cup we haven’t been to together since we got married.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that! That’s terrible!” says the man. “But couldn’t you find someone else -- a friend or relative, or even a neighbour -- to take the seat?”

The neighbour shakes his head. “No!” he says.

“They’re all at the funeral.”

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Guyana CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

ENIGMA DANCE COMPANY: Taking fitness and fashion to the next level

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E HAVE HEARD about November 2015, and will the Classique Dance also be showcasing in Company, the Crystallite, London in December.

Dance Fanatics and the many others The group is currentaround Guyana. And yes, they are ly raising funds for all very talented and gifted dancers. its upcoming trip to But, in many cases, we fail to St. Kitts to execute acknowledge the likes of some very workshops there. secluded but vibrant groups that are In 2009, Medalso chalking up notable points on ford, who was doing the chalkboard for esteemed dancwonders for the Crysers. One such group is the Enigma tallite Group, decidDance Company, headed by the ed she wanted to go pretty and versatile Lyn Ann Medford, solo; and she has been who is actually a former dancer of the doing wonderfully Crystallite Dance Company. since she made that Today, under the leadership of decision. Starting Miss Medford, the Enigma Dancers with a very small are poised to take dance, fitness, and group of very even fashion to the next level. eager potential Just recently, the Enigma Dance dancers, MedCompany began brand new dance and ford has, over the choreography sessions for children, years, moved her beginners, and adults; and offering numbers up to private sessions to the entire public. thirty riveting In the area of fitness, these folks dancers, who are promoting Yoga, Zumba and never fail to Aerobics’ sessions. impress at Interested persons are invited every perto call phone number 604-0457 formance. for registration, or visit the EnigT h e ma Dance Company at 166 ReEnigma gent Street, Georgetown (above Lyn Ann Medford is founder of D a n c e the old C & F Meat Centre).

Compathe Enigma Dance Company

treat when the group performed at the Westside Dance Mania in 2010 at the Aracari Resort, and the group was amongst the most energetic groups at the annual Mashramani celebrations.

In 2011, the group represented the BK International Inc. At the Mashramani festivities, and led that company to place second with its creative performances.

In 2012, the group tramped down the road for Banks DIH, and members fuelled their energies to push the company to a first place position.

While the group has performed at several locations around Guyana, it has also represented Guyana at the Liverpool Carnival in 2012.

In a brief interview, Ms. Medford noted that the name ‘Enigma’ was chosen because of the diversity and uniqueness of the group’s dance style.

She added that her group performs in the genres of Cultural: Indian, Afro-Caribbean, Latin, hip-hop, contemporary, modern, ballroom, and a few other disciplines. She said the group’s ultimate goal is to showcase the rich rhythms of the Caribbean, fused with new original dance moves.

Consisting of about thirty members, the group is always welcoming new talent.

Members of the Enigma Edutainment Group That aside, folks can message the company on its Facebook page, Enigma Dance Company...

This elite dance group will be launching the first ever Dance Fashion Line at the Guyana Fashion Week in

ny, as her group is called, took the arena by storm. And of course it provoked green envy and malice amongst some of the already established elites, who felt threatened by the group’s versatility. There was indeed a spectacular

The Enigma Dance School (Guyana) is now accepting membership applications from persons aged seven and over. Adult classes and ‘oneon-one sessions’ are also available, according to Ms Medford.

Moussy ‘Color Your Life’ Promotion hype spreads to Essequibo

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HE CINDERELLA COUNTY of Essequibo will become alive because hundreds of entries have poured in for the Moussy ‘Color Your Life’ Promotion 2015.

It is by demand that the big drawing for the SAMSUNG 40” smart tv, or $20,000 worth in groceries, or US$50 cash be held at Jaigobin and Sons in Anna Regina tomorrow from 6:30 pm to 8 pm.

Live Entertainment will be provided by Entertainer ‘Chiney Assassin’.

Entries from that drawing will still be placed for the GRAND FINAL, drawing on May 30th, 2015 for the whopping $1,000,000 in cash up for grabs!!!!!! So keep entering your 3 crowns with your name; number and address in an envelope, and drop it off at your nearest Moussy ‘Color Your Life’ box at any major store/supermarket.

There will also be a sampling of Southland International products such as the Moussy Malt; Somersby Apple Cider; Royce Energy Drink, and Blue Waters Cran+ before the drawing.

Meanwhile, fans can enjoy the ‘All weekend Carlsberg Specials’ (3 for $1000) at GT- Red Bar (Vissengen Road); G-Spot (Sandy Babb St); Sharon Kissoon (Staborek Market); Garage (South Ruimveldt); Stadium View (Providence); Gravity Lounge 4pm -7pm.

On the Westside, the fun continues at Aracari Resort (Versailles), and at Mary’s Bar (Old Road, Crane); while those residing in Essequibo can tap into the excitement at Tile Bar (Zorg), and Club Purpleheart (Charity).

The same offer exists at Vashie’s Place, Sky Lounge, in Bartica.

Miss Linden Town 2015 to be crowned tomorrow

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ITH t h e buzz on the Linden Town Week festivities escalating, nine beautiful and talented ladies are poised to battle for the prestigious title, come tomorrow night at the MSC Ground, Linden.

These nine lasses will be competing in the Intelligence, Evening Gown, and Swimwear segments, and will each be presenting on the platform ‘Women in Linden’.

Those battling for the top spot this year are Manouska Vyhuis (Miss Nottinghampshire), Keisha Lewis (Miss Silvertown), Lurlee Stephen (Miss Aroaima), Irie Cadogan (Miss Central Mackenzie), Keisha Fraser (Miss Victory Valley), Carletta Johnson (Miss Retrieve), and Shinelle Browne (Miss Christianburg). Rounding up the lot are Shellon Massiah (Miss Amelia’s Ward), and Nikita Mc Farlane (Miss Watooka).

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Guyana CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Mr. and Ms. PYARG Georgetown Pageant to rock Carifesta Sports Complex May 02

Those competing at the Mr and Miss Georgetown PYARG Pageant

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RGANISERS are ready to kick-off the second phase of the Mr and Miss PYARG Pageant (President’s Youth Award: Republic of Guyana) and this event will rock the Carifesta Sports Complex (GNS Ground), according to promoters.

This event, tabled for Saturday, May 02, 2015, will also feature a Fair and Bar-B-Que. While tickets for the Fair are priced at $500, patrons can enjoy both features for the price of $1000. The event kicks off at 7 pm This pageant will see eight beautiful and

talented lasses battling for the coveted Miss PYARG Georgetown crown, while six equally astounding males will face off for the Mr PYARG Georgetown title.

The contestants will each compete in Expedition Wear, Swimwear, Talent, Intelligence, and Evening Wear segments, before the queen and king are declared. The live Intelligence Segment will be conducted at the pageant location at 4 pm today by our own Alex Wayne, who is also a judge at the pageant.

Below is listed detailed information on all the contestants:

#8 Romichelle Brumell - (Ms. Guyana Red Cross Youth Arm)

Female Delegates #1 Shekira Baksh - (Ms. Christ Church) #2 Leana Thompson - (Ms. St John’s) #3 Saraphina Pollydore - (Ms. St Mary’s) #4 Gabrielle Whittington - (Ms. East Ruimveldt) #5 Jenika Hinds - (Ms. Eagle’s Youth Group) #6 Patrina Cummings - (Ms. Central High) #7 Amelia Sukhu - (Ms. Tutorial’s Chosen Youths)

Male Contenders #1 Carlon Cornette - (Mr. Christ Church) #2 Purnel Allsopp - (Mr. Guyana Red Cross Youth Arm) #3 Mark Smith - (Mr. Guyana Red Cross Youth Arm) #4 Dominic Bowen - (Mr. East Ruimveldt) #5 Joshua Stuart - (Mr. Guyana Education Trust College) #6 Sherwin Adams - (Mr. Tutorial’s Chosen Youths)

MISS WORLD GUYANA 2015 PAGEANT CANCELLED

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HE Board of Directors of the Miss World Guyana 2015 pageant has, with much regret, informed that, after much consideration, it has decided to cancel the 2015 Miss World Guyana pageant and select a representative from the list of current applicants to represent Guyana at the Miss World 2015 pageant.

The decision to cancel the Miss World Guyana 2015 pageant rests with poor response from in-country applicants, which may be linked to National Elections being a priority at this time.

On the contrary, the 2015 application process saw a greater response from overseas-based Guyanese.

The Miss World Guyana Franchise is currently interviewing qualified applicants who applied on or before the March 20, 2015 deadline. The Miss World Guyana 2015 Representative will be selected and revealed at a special event in June, at which Rafieya Husain, Miss World Guyana 2014, will be presenting her crown to the new Miss World Guyana.

The date and venue of the ceremony will be announced. Franchise Holder Natasha Martindale has said that while there will not be a pageant this year, she is confident that Guyana will be represented well.

In the meantime, she added, “The Miss World Guyana Organization would like to take this opportunity to have an early start on preparations for the 2016 pageant, and focus on finalizing plans for a homecoming fundraiser event for Miss World Guyana 2014 –Continental Queen of Caribbean, Rafieya Husain, as she concludes her reign.”

Miss World Guyana wishes to apologize to all its devoted supporters and the applicants for the cancellation, but saw this as the best alternative given the current challenges.

The Franchise hopes that, in 2016, the Miss World Guyana Pageant will be a grand success as it will be the 50th Independence anniversary of our beautiful country, Guyana

Why should this poor woman have to endure such suffering when all she wants is to travel in peace?

You Shouldn’t Do That!!!

What are touts doing to our country?

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T WOULD SEEM like touts are daily invading the lives of our commuters, and are robbing them of the joy and essence of travelling.

From my observation, it looks like it will take the use of huge excavators to remove those nuisances from our bus parks.

Each day, they continue to grab, pull and tug our passengers; and sometimes even tumble them into buses like potatoes. The police are trying their best, but, like the saying goes, “The stricter the teachers, the wiser the students”.

These touts continue to devise ways of outwitting the police as the police try to bring law and order to the bus parks. Yes, the police apprehend them ever so often, but like the pests and parasites they are, they are ready to brave anything to make the ‘fast dollar’ that is assured on the bus parks.

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Guyana CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Fast food Hotspot!!!

‘Champions in Action 2’ slated for

Dancehall Queen Tuschen Centre Ground

‘De Mango Grill’ redefines ‘excellent cuisine’

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‘Champions in Action 2’ slated for Tuschen Centre Ground

UYANA is rapidly becoming inundated with fast food outlets and the many entities proclaiming that they can offer the best in service, taste and quality.

Some proclaim they can up the proverbial bar in presentation, while others vow to keep their customers addicted with the exquisite difference they bring to the table.

Ever so often, many fail miserably to fulfill their proclamations, and would soon dwindle and disappear altogether. When that happens, customers are then left to battle with misgivings and gross disappointments.

‘De Mango Grill’, located at 59 Second Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, is not at all

to finally bring you the best in grilled foods, gourmet specials, Creole dishes, and every imaginable delicacy you can possibly think of. The solemn promise is that the service would ALWAYS be astounding, and delivery would ALWAYS be prompt and pleasing.

Those in search of the ultimate bargain for their socials and other events can certainly consider themselves very lucky, because this entity will be offering an impressive catering service geared at bringing to your door ultimate customer satisfaction.

This joint is gearing for a lavish grand opening on Sunday, May 03, 2015, but a mini opening is slated for Sunday, April 19, 2015 in the form of

entrance of chalay chicken, various stir-fried vegetable treats, fish floret, Western fried chicken, New England fried rice, and Italian specials.

Folks at the Mango Grill know your cravings, and delight in bringing you the best; and that is simply because

like those fast food outlets described above. First of all, it is found in a location that is quite breezy, exotic and comfortable.

This new hotspot is the brainchild of a woman of tremendous foresight, Ms Hilda Johnson, who, with a team of talented local and international chefs, has spent years researching, soliciting and consulting

a finger licking ‘Bar-B-Que’ and Lime.

Let’s hail the dawn of the best “edda leaf stew and dhal” around Guyana, and pave the way for excellent cook-up rice, burgers, Mexican roast chicken, corn dogs, grilled chicken salad, and irresistible baked fish.

Let’s also salute the grand

they are several notches above the competition. It’s a fact you will soon be able to attest to!

So whenever you want to experience gourmet at its extraordinarily very best, you now know just what to do: Simply call telephone number 6605955 and treat yourself to the Mango Grill Experience!

This entity will be offering only take away and delivery services.

COME Saturday, April 25, 2015, the Tuschen Community Centre Ground will come alive with frolic and festivity as A&S Lumber Yard Crew, alongside ‘Sundar’, presents the much-anticipated ‘Champions in Action 5-5 Floodlight Softball Cricket Fantasia’.

This event will see the best teams from the Westside battling for claims to the $400,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs.

Each team will be required to deposit a $15,000 entrance fee before they can participate in the competition.

Showtime has been set at 5 pm, and music will be provided by Slingerz Family, HIFI Sounds and Matrix Sound System.

Fans can expect an hilarious performance from character dancer ‘Granny Ivelaw’, the Westside Dancehall Queen ‘Shorttie’, and standup comedian Kirk ‘Chow Pow’ Jardine.

Sponsors for the event include Stag Beer, A & S Lumber Yard, TO-To Gas Station, Sand and Stone Depot, Parbhu General Store, Sarah Fishing Boat Company, and Classic Culture Gas Station and Supermarket.

Granny Ivelaw

Oooops!!! There it is……

Somebaddy gaffe stap dem thiefin’ pageant promotahs!

I

T GOES WITHOUT SAYING that somebody really needs to give those dishonest and thieving promoters a good tongue-lashing! Or maybe deh should throw dem in de lock-ups to stop dem from exploiting our young girls.

Ah set a pageants springing up all ovah de place, and at de end ah de event, dere is always a loud cry from dem contestants, because deh always getting raab and outsmarted by doze scampish promotahs!

Just recently, a certain group staged

a big, lavish pageant at the National Cultural Centre; and yuh can bet yuh battam dalla dat dis one get more drama dan any adda pageant! Rumahs gat it dat a certain gyal from a certain East Coast village is de franchise holdah fuh de pageant; but de mistake she mek is fuh guh overseas and left anadda group fuh run things.

When she return, she get de shack ah she life when she realize dat a certain female from de group she lef in command had all correspondences and sponsorship proposals done ovah in she name and not in de name ah de franchise holdah.

Dat was nat all! De group kick de franchise holdah out completely, and wuz running things by demselves. And deh had de gall fuh invite de franchise holdah fuh be a judge at de event.

Well, you know, the fran-

chise holder was fuming, so she turned down the offer forthwith.

The pageant was completely and hopelessly disorganized, by all appearances; and even the media could not really get any information from a certain female in the group, who de juss keep mekking pramises which she coulda nevah delivah on!

Well, good sources seh dem de pramise de queen $300,000; de fust runner-up, $200,000; and de second runner-up $100,000.

But guess wha!!! Recently, deh had a meeting wid de finalists, and deh tell de poor girls dat de queen will now get $150,000 and some stupid one-year makeup affa from some person we never heard about, plus something else dat really ain’t matter! Ah hear dat de first runner-up get

less money dan de queen, and de second runner-up just get some computer skallaship!

Some ah dem promotahs could really explite dem young gyals, eh?

Well, Bombshell get wind dat dis same group approach a certain tap-natch baddy in high position, and deh get some G$6M sponsorship fuh de pageant. Well, if dis is true, ask yuhself wha dem do wid de ress a money!!

Well, de franchise holder ain’t want fuh tek action against dem, because she ain’t want to mar de name ah de pageant. But yuh know Bombshell does bring yuh de facts live and direct!!! Think hard and yuh gon know which pageant we talking about!

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Guyana CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

GCB/RAJ SINGH U-19 INTER-COUNTY ONE-DAY TOURNAMENT

Demerara get past Essequibo by 47 runs via D/L Method … to face Under-17 in tomorrow’s final

ONCE AGAIN, budding all-rounder Shurfane Rutherford piloted Demerara to victory in the Guyana Cricket Board/ Raj Singh Insurance Under-19 Inter-county limited overs tournament, this time over Essequibo who lost by 47 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis Method.

The two were meeting in the final preliminary

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Demerara’s hero and Man-of-the-Match Shurfane Rutherford (left) seems focused on tomorrow’s final, as he collects his trophy from match referee Colin Stuart a former Guyana and West Indies fast bowler. round match which was played at the Enmore Community Centre ground, where Essequibo, who were given a revised target of 153 to win off 20 overs, were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs as Rutherford held four catches while taking 2 for 18 with the ball, to be adjudged Man-of-the-Match at the end of proceedings.

Early morning showers which continued for most part of the day forced the 50 overs contest to be reduced by 30 overs, making it a T20 affair to which Demerara who were 35-0 off 10 overs at the first rain break, made 111-8 off their allotted overs.

When play resumed last-round centurion Tevin Imloch (22), Vivian Albert (15), Rutherford (14), Mark Hamilton (12) and Travis Persaud (11),

took Demerara to their eventual total as Akini Adams and Keanu Harry shared eight wickets evenly, for 25 and 33 runs respectively.

Essequibo found themselves in a must-win situation if they were to have a chance to make it to tomorrow’s final at the Everest Cricket Club ground against Demerara, but found the revised target far out of their reach.

Only skipper Kemo Paul, who was dropped on 19 and 26, and Jonathan Fernandes offered any resistance, with 43 and 29 respectively, while spinner Travis Persaud, Tariq Dharamlall and Malcolm Hubbard took 2 wickets each for 0, 25 and 31 runs respectively to support Rutherford.

Meanwhile, while Demerara and Essequibo managed to play a T20

affair, rain had the final say in the contest which was scheduled for the Police Sports Club ground between the National Under-17 and newly crowned three-day champions Berbice.

The Ancient County team who lost their first two matches, badly needed a win if they were to have an outside chance of making the final on a better net run rate over Essequibo and the Under-17.

But play was abandoned without a ball being bowled, which meant the National Under-17 who stunned Essequibo in their first-round encounter, made it to tomorrow’s final against Demerara, as Berbice ended the tournament without a win, following their two losses to Demerara and Essequibo.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Root century puts England on top as Windies toil

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Joe Root hit his sixth Test century and first overseas as England survived a spirited West Indies display, to grab the advantage on the third day of the second Test here yesterday.

The plucky right-hander, playing in his 24th Test, delighted himself on a flat track at the Grenada National Stadium and in the best batting conditions of the game to finish the day 118 not out, steering England to 373 for five at the close.

He was joined by fellow rookie Gary Ballance who struck 77, captain Alistair Cook who stroked 76 and Jonathan Trott who made 59.

England were cruising at one point on 329 for three in the final session but West Indies stuck to their task and clawed their way back, grabbing three wickets for 35 runs to end the day strongly, with England having 74-run lead heading into today’s fourth day.

With little help from a lifeless track, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel managed to pick up 2 for 60 while leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, in his first Test in three years, sent down a marathon 41 overs and finished with 2 for 124.

Resuming the day on 74 without loss in pursuit of

England’s Joe Root reached his sixth Test hundred and first away from home during the third day action of the second Test between West Indies and England at the Grenada National Stadium, yesterday. (GETTY photo) West Indies’ 299, England were given a great start by openers Cook and Trott who stretched their overnight stand to 125 before being separated.

The left-handed Cook struck eight fours in an in-

nings lasting 211 balls and just over 4-1/4 hours while Trott’s knock spanned 147 deliveries and 3-1/2 hours, and included seven boundaries.

Both were ultra-cautious at the start, with just 28 runs

coming from the 16 overs sent down in the first hour.

In fact, Trott got the only boundary during that time – an outside edge past gully off Gabriel – as England climbed to 102 without further loss.

Cook was first to his century and Trott followed in the fourth over after drinks but fell soon after when he was drawn into a drive by Bishoo and nicked a leg-break to Jermaine Blackwood at a close-in gully, with the score on 125.

Cook had his share of luck when he reached 65 in the fifth over before lunch when he missed one from Bishoo as he pushed forward, and had an appeal for lbw turned down. West Indies reviewed and Cook escaped narrowly after replays showed the ball pitching in line but clipping the top of the stumps.

He was 67 at lunch partnered by Ballance on 10 with England on 143 for 1, but Gabriel struck two key blows after the break to haul West Indies back into the contest.

Cook had added a further nine runs before he perished in the fifth over after the break, dragging on in his attempt to cut an innocuous delivery from Gabriel, the barrel-chested pacer who struck again with

2015 BCB/NBS SECOND DIVISION 40 OVER

Cort, Mathieson spearhead Courtland to 316 for 7 … 70-year-old Hamid takes hat-trick JAMAL CORT hit 86 (6x4, 5x6) and Troy Mathieson 66 (6x6, 3x4) to spearhead their team Courtland All Stars to 316 for 7 in 30 overs against Number 7, in their latest match of this year’s Berbice Cricket Board/New Building Society second division 40-over cricket competition.

Their effort is so far the best performance in the competition, while their opening fast bowler Keon Sinclair took 4 for 15, to bowl out Number 7 for 116, to see his team to a massive 200-run victory - the widest margin of victory so far.

Seventy-year-old off-spinner Zamin Hamid who has been participating in organised cricket in Berbice for 56 years, took the first hat-trick of this year’s competition, doing so for Fyrish Road.

Having already chalked up a five-wicket haul from an earlier round match, Hamid who also captains the team, waited until his son Riaz Ahmad Hamid inexplicably brought him into the attack at the start of the 25th over with Chesney 144 for 7.

He picked up a wicket with the last ball of that over, watched as two runs were scored off the next over which was

bowled by Hassan Hussain, before he struck with his first two balls to complete his hat-trick and finish with the figures of 1.2-1-0-3, as Chesney were dismissed for 146.

Sad to say, the elder Hamid’s efforts were all in vain, as Chesney routed Fyrish Road for 106 in 24.5 overs, to complete a 40-run victory.

With Isaac Kamulladdin hitting 55 (6x4, 4x6), Cheskoy Riders posted a daunting 267 for 9 in 25 overs against Kendall’s Union ‘B’ who in response saw their number three batsman Yougraj Totaram blast 10 fours and one six in his 51.

But with the other batsmen contributing scores of 8, 3, 1, 1 and six zeroes, Kendall’s Union ‘B’ ended on 80 all out in 16 overs, with extras being their second top scorer with 16 as Cheskoy pacer Levi Thomas took 4 for 13.

Other batsmen scoring half-centuries were Nick Ramsaroop of Blairmont Community Centre, Kevon Clarke of Scottsburg United and Totaram Persaud of Number 68 Turn Team, while there were three five-wicket hauls coming from Shabeer Baksh, Vidal La Fleur and Steffon

the first ball of his next over, claiming Ian Bell for one, the right-hander also dragging on as he looked to play a short ball square of the wicket.

Whatever hopes West Indies had of making further inroads were quickly quelled as Root and Ballance combined in a superb 165-run, fourth-wicket partnership to win the session for England.

Root gathered his runs busily and has so far counted 13 fours and two sixes in a knock that has consumed just 165 balls while Ballance struck eight fours and a six in an innings spanning 188 balls and four hours.

The Windies bowlers were guilty of losing the plot somewhat and Root and Ballance cashed in, with Root cruising to his half-century – his third of the series – in the penultimate over before tea and the left-handed Ballance followed in the second over afterwards, when he drove a

WEST INDIES 1st innings 299 ENGLAND 1st innings (o/night 74/0) A. Cook b Gabriel 76 I. Trott c Blackwood b Bishoo 59 G. Ballance b Samuels 77 I. Bell b Gabriel 1 J. Root not out 118 Moeen Ali run-out 0 B. Stokes c Blackwood b Bishoo 8 J. Buttler not out 4 Extras: (b-9, lb-2, w-1, nb-18) 30

Gabriel full toss to the cover boundary.

Between them, they plundered 16 runs from a Bishoo over and seemed in complete command when the tide turned slightly.

Part-time off-spinner Marlon Samuels was recalled for another spell and he struck with his fifth delivery when Ballance inside-edged a booming drive onto his leg stump, in the fourth over after the drinks break.

Thirteen deliveries later, Moeen Ali was run-out without scoring. He attempted a non-existent sharp single but was sent back by Root and failed to beat Jermaine Blackwood’s throw to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

And West Indies completed a rewarding session when Ben Stokes gifted his wicket, failing to clear the ropes at mid-wicket and being taken in the deep by Blackwood for eight.

Total: (for 6 wkts off 122 overs) 373 Fall of wickets: 1-125, 2-159, 3-164, 4-329, 5-335, 6-364.

Bowling: Roach 24-4-77-0 (nb5), Gabriel 19-3-60-2 (w-1, nb6), Holder 18-6-49-0 (nb-1), Bishoo 41-10-124-2 (nb-2), Samuels 21-4-38-1, Blackwood 1-0-14-0.

Position: England lead by 74 runs with four wickets intact.

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Guyana CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Kiwi Anderson Butt to meet suffers finger blow ACSU in Dubai

NEW ZEALAND allrounder Corey Anderson will have to recover from a broken finger if he is to play in the Test series against England, starting next month.

All-rounder Anderson, who has 10 Test caps, is to miss the remainder of the Indian Premier League season with Mumbai Indians, after suffering the injury.

New Zealand are already set to arrive in England without several first-choice players, who will miss two tour matches and then fly in from the IPL just in time for the first Test at Lord’s.

Kiwi seamer Adam Milne, uncapped at Test level, is also out injured after having to sit out the latter stages of the World Cup with a heel problem.

After the two-Test series, New Zealand are due to face England in five

Corey Anderson one-day internationals and a one-off Twenty20 in June and Radio New Zealand reported a spokesman for New

Zealand Cricket saying that further comment on Anderson and Milne would only come after the pair return from India.

Injured Finch out for 12 weeks

Aaron Finch AARON FINCH is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks after having surgery on his injured left hamstring in Melbourne last Tuesday.

Finch suffered the injury while batting for Mumbai Indians in the IPL last Tuesday and his recovery time-frame will have consequences for his county cricket schedule as he was due to join Yorkshire at the end of May. “After returning to Australia injured from

the IPL, Aaron had scans that confirmed a high grade hamstring injury,” Cricket Australia’s physio Alex Kountouris said.

“As such, Aaron was assessed by a surgeon who felt that he would have a better outcome with surgery.

“Aaron subsequently had surgery yesterday that has gone well and will now commence his rehabilitation which we expect will take up to 12 weeks.”

If the full 12 weeks is required, Finch

SALMAN BUTT, the suspended former Pakistan captain, has been called by the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) to Dubai next Tuesday, after the PCB applied for his reintegration into cricket.

“I am not aware about the purpose of the meeting,” Butt told ESPNcricinfo. “But I am sure it is related to my request to the PCB about my reintegration into cricket. I am happy that I am being heard and I am ready for the ICC meeting as well.”

Butt was originally handed a 10-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities for spot-fixing during the Lord’s Test in August 2010, with five years suspended on the condition that he would commit no further breach of the anti-corruption code and participate in a PCB-controlled anticorruption education programme.

But the ICC recently approved a revised anti-corruption code that allows banned players to make a return to domestic cricket before the end of their penalty if they meet certain criteria.

Butt had told the PCB of his willingness to comply and requested the chairman Shahriyar Khan’s support. In June 2013, he had confessed and apologised for his actions and offered his full cooperation to the mandatory educational rehabilitation programme.

In a letter to the PCB, a copy of which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, Butt said, “I accept that I am guilty of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code in the manner found by the anti-corruption tribunal in its judgment dated February 5 2011.

“I unreservedly and unconditionally apologise and express deep regret and remorse for those grave breaches and recognise the harm they have done to the cricket and to the image of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan as a nation. As the captain, I accept that I had a greater responsibility than any other player in the team.

“I urge all persons playing or planning to play cricket to resist temptations of any kind which may be offered them to fix matches or to spot-fix or otherwise to participate in

activates which damage the sports of cricket and beware of the adverse impact that such activities necessarily have on the sport. I urge all persons who know of any corruption to reject the approach and report the matter to the appropriate cricketing authorities.”

would be unavailable until at least July, a worse outcome than Yorkshire expected as he was originally due to arrive at Headingley at the end of May. “It is disappointing news for Aaron and for us,” said Moxon. “We were hoping that he would be with us in May but that is not going to happen.

“Plans are in place to fill the void that Aaron will leave. We are hopeful that we can get this sorted sooner rather than later and remain confident that we’ll find a replacement for the County Championship and the NatWest T20 Blast.”

Moxon later confirmed that Yorkshire “had irons in the fire” regarding Finch but the county’s officials had other injury problems

as their fit players sought to force a victory against Nottinghamshire.

Meanwhile, Ryan Sidebottom’s calf injury will keep him out for six weeks while Cheteshwar Pujara was off the field after injuring the webbing in his left hand. Moxon, however, thought that Pujara would be fit for Sunday’s match against Warwickshire.

Yorkshire supporters will not be slow to point out that their side’s problems would be considerably eased if four of their players were not busy doing nothing with England in the West Indies. The county asked for Adil Rashid to be allowed to fly home in time for the Warwickshire game but that was turned down by the ECB on Wednesday.

Salman Butt Butt, along with Mohammad Asif, had also been found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in November 2011, on charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010.

Mohammad Amir had pleaded guilty prior to the trial.

Butt has served four and half years of his ban, and also served seven months of a 30-month prison sentence in UK and in 2013, he had appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, to reduce his ban but it was rejected.

(ESPN CRICINFO)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Simmons, Pollard fail as Mumbai struggles continue DELHI, India (CMC) – West Indies batsmen Lendl Simmons and Kieron Pollard both failed as Mumbai Indians’ nightmare start to the new Indian Premier League season continued with a 37-run defeat to Delhi Daredevils here yesterday.

Chasing 191 for victory at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Mumbai were restricted to 153 for nine off their 20 overs, to slump to their fifth loss in six outings and remain bottom of the IPL standings with two points.

Captain and stroke-maker Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu both top-scored with 30 while opener Parthiv Patel chipped in with 28 but Mumbai lost wickets at regular

Shreyas Iyer (left) and his skipper JP Duminy congratulate each other during their match-winning 154-run partnership against Mumbai Indians yesterday.

Guyana head to Suriname for Goodwill basketball series ... Action bounces off May 1

By Rawle Toney WITH THE Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) heightening their preparations for the 2015 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship in June, the country’s senior national basketball team will be heading to neighbouring Suriname for a three-game ‘Goodwill Series’.

The Guyanese will

Darcel Harris

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER 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: Sir Gary Sobers (WI vs PAK, Jamaica, 1958) Suresh Raina Today’s Quiz: Clive Lloyd played 110 Test matches. How many he played overseas?

When was the first time Mumbai Indians contested an IPL final?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

clash with their Dutch counterparts in the May 1-3 event which will be used by both countries to fine-tune their respective teams ahead of the regional showpiece, where they are drawn in Group ‘B’ of the 10-team tournament, along with Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas for the British Virgin Islands-hosted tournament.

According to GABF president Nigel Hinds, a 17-man contingent will travel to Suriname next Friday (May 1) and will get into action later that evening “We know and understand that the guys will be tired from travelling but this is done on purpose to help give them a similar rigorous experience of the CBC. We have to get them tough mentally,” said the GABF boss.

Game one and three are confirmed for the Anthony Nesty Indoor Stadium, starting at 20:00hrs nightly, while game two is tentatively set for the same venue but the GABF head pointed out that a shift

may be made.

At present, under head coach Darcel Harris a number of players are in training. The GABF president said that the final 12 will be selected on Sunday after another practice session at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The touring party of the other five members consists of coaches, managers and a referee.

Only last month Guyana played hosts to Bermuda in a three-game series; making a clean sweep of their opponents who are highly ranked among teams in the CBC. Meanwhile, Hinds said, “The GABF is currently seeking funding from the Government, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and Corporate Community to assist in funding the Guyana Men’s and Women’s National basketball teams in connection with Guyana’s participation in the 2015 CBC Championships the pinnacle of basketball events for CARICOM territories.”

intervals to have their progress hampered.

Simmons scored 15 from 14 deliveries with three fours and added 35 for the first wicket with Patel, to give the visitors a smooth enough start to their run chase, before he mis-hit one in the fifth over and was brilliantly caught by JP Duminy running back from mid-on off seamer Domnic Muthuswammi.

Pollard entered the contest at 68 for three in the ninth over and looked to be settling in when he cleared the ropes at deep mid-wicket with South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, but after making 10 from eight balls,

he sliced leg-spinner Amit Mishra to cover where Shahbaz Nadeem took the catch in the 11th over.

The innings lost its way thereafter as Tahir ripped through the middle and lower order with three for 22 from his four overs.

Earlier, 20-year-old right-hander Shreyas Iyer lashed a top score of 83 off 56 balls with seven fours and a six to fire Delhi up to 191 for four after they were sent in, posting a game-winning 154 runs for the second-wicket partnership with Duminy who stroked an unbeaten 78 off 50 balls, with three fours and six sixes.

Bangladesh look to keep on winning BANGLADESH have the opportunity to record a limited-overs clean sweep over Pakistan and inflict more misery on the beleaguered visitors in the one-off Twenty20 in Mirpur.

Mashrafe Mortaza’s team are on a high after wrapping up a 3-0 one-day international series victory at the same venue last Wednesday.

The opposite is true of their opponents, who can only hope a switch in formats, and some personnel with Shahid Afridi back as their 20-over leader, somehow does the trick today.

Pakistan’s former World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan is far from optimistic about a short-term revival, however, citing “nepotism” at board level as a root cause of problems.

Imran is aghast at Pakistan’s low ebb, eighth in the International Cricket Council’s ODI rankings after a fifth successive series defeat.

“Pakistan’s cricket will not improve as long as there are people in the cricket board who have come through nepotism and without any merit,” said the great allrounder.

“Sadly, the people in our cricket board don’t have any knowledge of cricket. I never thought Pakistan would lose to Bangladesh 3-0 and drop to number eight in the ODI Rankings.”

Mashrafe, in contrast, is delighted at Bangladesh’s revival.

“From a professional point of view, the happiness comes from seeing the team come out of a tough situation,” he said, after Pakistan had seemed set for a much bigger total only to collapse batting first in the final ODI. “It is natural for the captain to get credit when the team does well. (But) the players have been wonderful ... if we keep performing in this manner, we can continue to go up.”

Bangladesh have decided to rest strike bowler Rubel Hossain before the forthcoming Test series, bringing uncapped pair Mustafizur Rahman and Litton Das into a 14-man squad.

38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

PETRA/GB INC. BUSTA SOFT SHOE

Rain forces cancellation of round-of-16 start … Action will kick off tonight

By Calvin Roberts EVEN as several teams would have been licking their lips, as they draw closer to the $600 000 firstplace prize in the inaugural Petra Organisation/ Guyana Beverage Inc. Busta soft shoe five-a-side football tournament, the organisers were forced by the inclement weather to cancel last night’s actions.

Teams such as Cross Street Werk-en-Rust, North East La Penitence and Queen Street-Tiger Bay, then had 24 hours to plan their strategy for their respective roundof-16 clash, which is expected to kick off tonight at the Georgetown Football Club ground, weather permitting.

The second round of 16 clash, for which teams must

win or exit the tournament, will kick off Sunday night at the same venue, even as the quarter-finals are set for April 28, also at the GFC ground, which will be hosting all the matches, due to the unavailability of the other two grounds mentioned at the launching.

Meanwhile, apart from the second- to fourth-place prizes which are $300 000, $150 000 and $75 000 respectively, all the teams who competed in the preliminary round of the tournament which culminated last Tuesday night, will not leave empty-handed even if they did not make it to the round of 16.

West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’, who topped Group A, will pocket $30 000 along with whatever prize money they go on to win from here,

if they make the semifinals.

Queen Street-Tiger Bay, who finished second to West Front Road, will receive $15 000.

Even though they finished in third place they will receive $10 000, Cross Street/Werk-en-Rust were handed a lifeline to continue in the tournament as one of the best four third-placed teams, while they possessed a Goal Difference (GD) of -1 in comparison to Stevedore who will receive $5 000, having a GD of -3.

In Group B, Sparta Boss who defeated all their opponents and played unbeaten to top the Group, one of three teams to have done so, will pocket $30 000, leaving Alexander Village, Charlestown and California Square with $15 000, $10 000 and $5 000 respectively.

Like Sparta Boss, Ballerz played unbeaten to top Group C, leaving in their wake Sophia, Broad Street and D’Urban Street in that order, with Broad Street qualifying with a better GD as third-placed finishers and earned a spot in the round of 16.

Bent Street, playing out of Group D are the other team to have played the preliminary round unbeaten, as they defeated Albouystown, North East La Penitence and Holmes Street-Tiger Bay, to top that group, while the others finished in the order mentioned, with North East La Penitence advancing.

Georgetown Guinness ‘Greatest of De Streets 2015 champions North Ruimveldt did not do too badly, as they came out on top in Group E over Globe Yard, West Back

Farfan and Mendes Men’s First Division Hockey League

GCC play unbeaten to win title T H E C U RTA I N c a m e down on a successful Guyana Hockey Board/Farfan and Mendes Men’s first division League for the 2014 season, with champions Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) strolling away with the title after playing unbeaten throughout the competition.

Playing in the final match of the league last Wednesday evening, on a smooth GCC Bourda ground, the home team with the title already in the bag, took on the National Under-21 Selection in the final match of competition and secured the trophy on points having beaten allcomers in every match of the two-round competition except for their first-round draw with the National Under-21.

T h e m a t c h p ro v e d to be a worthwhile battle for the experienced GCC side, who boasted several former national players, as the National Under-21 executed good midfield, build-up plays in the opening minutes of the match.

GCC had the edge on possession, however, but lost

The victorious GCC men’s hockey team captain accepts the Farfan and Mendes trophy from the sponsor’s Marketing Officer Delyon Josiah, while team members celebrate the victory. it easily in their attacking third to deft defending by Andrew Stewart and Daniel Hooper in the full back positions for the Under-21 who held their more illustrious opponents to a scoreless first half.

GCC shifted gears in the second half and created a few scoring chances and penalty corners, even as Aroydy Branford kept the Under-21 threat alive with some effective counter-at-

tacking moves but failed to connect with his teammates on the final pass.

With the match seeming to head to a nil-all stalemate, former national captain Alan Fernandes fought through a densely packed defence on the right side before slipping an accurate pass to his brother and GHB president Philip Fernandes on the far side of the goal.

The latter delivered the

ball into the roof of the net to break the deadlock with six minutes remaining on the clock.

Time expired, leaving GCC the victors of the day and for the competition as the 2014 National men’s hockey champions.

The presentation ceremony took place after the game, which saw Marketing Officer of Farfan and Mendes Limited Delyon Josiah do the honours.

Road and Back Circle, with West Back Road being handed a lifeline into the next round.

The final group in the six-group tournament, Group F, was marshalled by Festival City over Kitty Weavers, Tucville and Leopold Street, with only the top two from the group advancing to the next round, leaving the other two as spectators or if possi-

ble exhibition match players.

Suffice it to say, out of the 24 teams which would have competed in the preliminary stages of the tournament for a spot in the next round, four of them - California Square, D’Urban Street, Holmes Street-Tiger Bay and Leopold Street - failed to score a victory under their belt.

BANKS DIH/LINDEN GUINNESS ‘GREATEST OF DE STREETS’

Defending champions dethroned on opening

... Tournament continues tonight WITH EAGLES, the 2014 Champions of the Banks DIH/ Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of De Streets’ being given marching orders by Attackers when the tournament kicked off last Wednesday in the Mining Town, a new champion will certainly be crowned this year when the action culminates sometime next week.

Playing at the Mackenzie market tarmac, Attackers ousted the champions after winning 2-0 on penalty kicks, following their 1-1 regulation time score, but unlike last year’s winners, 2013 title-holders Silver Bullets advanced following their 4-1 victory over High Star.

The former champions were led by goal-hungry Colwyn Drakes, who netted a helmet-trick; scoring in the 6th, 9th, 14th and 17th minutes, with Jermaine Adams scoring the lone goal for High Stars in the 18th minute.

Retrieve Unknown who finished as runners-up to Eagles last year, moved one step better than the team which defeated them for the 2014 title, when they needled Ripping Bullets out of the tournament 1-0.

A Rondell Edmondson helmet-trick scored in the 4th, 8th, 13th and 17th minutes guided Coomacka to a 4-0 win over Exodus.

Rawle ‘Boney Man’ Gittens continues to impress in this format of the game, scoring a brace in the 5th and 8th minutes, which, together with solitary strikes from Steve ‘Parrot’ Brewley (14th) and Shawn Gittens (18th), led Half Mile/One Mile to a 4-1 win over Goal Getters, for whom Quincy Black ensured they scored.

Amelia’s Ward Russians, playing in the final game on the opening night, blanked South Stars 1-0 after the Travis ‘Chicken’ Whatterton found the net in the 7th minute of the closely contested match between the two neighbourhood teams.

Meanwhile, the tournament continues tonight at the same venue from 18:00hrs with Cherokee Park playing Classic-6, Aliku opposing Minibus in the second fixture, Pokerburg and Blueberry Hill clashing in the third.

After the usual Guinness break, Buck Hill will tackle Panthers, Street Vybz will face off with Starboyz, Constab and Amazing will clash. In the final two matches Rough and Rugged will challenge Speightland and Train Line Warriors will engage Hard Knocks.

At stake in the tournament is $300 000 which will be awarded to the winners of this year’s event, with the second- to fourth-placed finishers pocketing $150 000, $100 000 and $75 000 respectively, even as the top two teams compete in the National playoffs set for June.

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday April 24, 2015

Sookdeo churning out performances for Merry Boys

By Calvin Roberts GEORGETOWN CRICKET Club’s (GCC) talented left-handed opener Jeetendra Sookdeo is currently plying his trade in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, representing Merry Boys Cricket Club, which boasts such players as Barbadian Ryan Hinds, along with Aneil Kanhai, Mario Belcon and Marlon Richards.

In fact, it was Richards who last Friday night was named Man-of-the-Match, when he held his nerves along with Samuel Felix (7) to steer Merry Boys past Queen’s Park Cricket Club’s total of 162 for 3, scoring the 16 runs off the final over bowled by West Indies speedster Fidel Edwards, with one ball remaining.

Set 163 to win, Merry Boys reached their total for the loss of seven wickets, with Kanhai contributing 32 (20 balls, 3x4, 1x6), Sookdeo 31 (26 balls, 4x4), Amir Jangoo

Merry Boys’ Jeetendra Sookdeo proudly displays the TTCB/NGC T20 championship trophy (left hand) and the replica which will be on display in Merry Boys’ cabinet.

GCB plans a Grand Dinner to honour Kallicharran … 2nd edition of ‘The Guyana Cricketer’ to be launched

THE MEMBERS and Executive of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) have planned a grand dinner to be held next Wednesday at the Savannah Suite, Guyana Pegasus, starting at 18:00hrs, to honour former Guyana and West Indies batting legend Alvin Kallicharran.

Kallicharran has been invited to Guyana by the GCB for a month to impart his vast knowledge and expertise to our youths across the country and it is the first time in his career that he has been invited back to his homeland to do something meaningful for cricket in the region, for which he is very happy and excited.

So far, there has been positive feedback on his coaching sessions with the youngsters and he has been conducting technical and theoretical sessions with the youths at various grounds.

Also, he has been observing and providing guidance to the players who recently competed in the GCB/Raj Singh Insurance Brokers Under-19 three-day Inter-county competition, and is currently doing the same in the ongoing limited overs version of the same tournament, with the final set for tomorrow at Everest.

Kallicharran, who was prominently featured in the second edition of ‘The Guyana Cricketer’ magazine in an exclusive interview with the editor of the magazine, will be the feature speaker at the dinner, where he will hold a short session after and also autograph the magazine.

Meanwhile, the GCB will launch the second edition of ‘The Guyana Cricketer’ magazine at the dinner after successfully launching the first last year to coincide with their 70th Anniversary celebrations. The said Magazine has turned out to be one of the GCB’s major successes.

This year’s edition is anticipated to be an even bigger success, as its contents include articles on past and present cricketers, competitions fixtures and cricket reports among other edifying information.

28 (27 balls, 3x4) and guest player Royston Crandon of Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club 25 (18 balls, 3x4).

This was after QPCC won the toss and chose to bat first. They scored 162 for 3 off their 20 overs, led by opener Petrock Nicholas 79 (66 balls, 13x4), Darron Cruickshank 39 not out (18 balls, 3x4, 3x6) and fellow all-rounder Akeal Hosein a 21-ball 18.

When Merry Boys batted, Hosein took 2 for 18 with his left-arm spin while his skipper, Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder Kevon Cooper, got 2 for 21, but it was not enough to stop the eventual champions from picking up the silverware at the presentation ceremony which followed, in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board/National Gas Company-sponsored tournament.

Speaking with Chronicle Sport about his performances to date, Sookdeo, who represented Guyana

as an opening batsman in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional Under-19 tournament in 2008 alongside Trevon Griffith, said he is enjoying his stint, which is his second in the Twin Island Republic.

“With the Georgetown Cricket Association getting a hard time with clubs and their grounds to host their first division matches, I decided to take up Merry Boys’ offer for the second successive year and come over and play the sport that I love,” said Sookdeo, whom his teammates call Sonny.

And not only is he performing exceedingly well in the shorter form of the game, but he is doing so in the longer version as well. He attributed his slow start to a bout of influenza that attacked him upon his arrival.

When Merry Boys played Preysal, Sookdeo registered scores of 0 and 40 and against Powergen

in his second match, he chalked up 17 and 20 but as the ‘flu bug’ deserted him, his form and appetite for scoring runs returned for the third game.

This was played against Esmeralda, the club which Kellon Carmichael represented before moving to deeper waters in England, where he is turning out for Hadleigh and Thundersley Cricket Club in the Essex County Cricket Leagues.

Sookdeo underlined his return to form, by scoring 103 and 63 against Esmeralda which was followed by 21 and 105 against Victoria in his side’s fourth game, as they are now positioned in second place, seven points behind QPCC. He is expected back in June, where he will be looking to continue his rich vein of form for GCC, who will be contending for the GCA/Ansa McAl Carib Beer T20 cricket competition, where he is looking to score heavily and guide them to the title.

GLTA/Assuria Insurance 2015 Open Classic Tennis

Leacock marches into semi-final round

LEYLAND LEACOCK marched into the semi-final round of the Assuria Insurance 2015 Open Classic tournament with a 2-0 win over arch rival Benjatton Osborne when play in the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA)-organised tournament continued last weekend.

According to a GTA release, Osborne advanced to the quarter-final round with a 6-4, 6-7, 62 win over William Spangler, but in his quest for more success in the tournament, he went down to tennis coach Leyland Leacock 6-3, 6-2, with Leacock earlier defeating fellow coach Andre Erskine at 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

The Leacock/Osborne match drew much interest since the two squared off in the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Open tournament last year and old scores were to be settled, but Leacock in his quest for the title won 6-3, 6-2.

In other results, Philbert Clarke defeated Hemant Dalip 6-3, 6-2, while Nicholas Glasgow claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win over Stephen Bailey.

At set-all, Harry Panday retired and Keenan Persaud took the win, Mark McDonald won 6-3, 6-2 against Hemraj Resaul, number 1 seed, Anthony Downes, had a win of 6-0, 6-3 against Oswin Coggins, while the veteran Rudy Grant seemed to have not fully recovered from the previous night’s match and fell at the hand of the young Daniel Lopes 6-0, 6-1.

Lopes later went on to take a 6-1, 6-1 win against Nicholas Glasgow, with the Novice Medley finals set for this weekend.

Last year’s GBTI finalist Charles Adams will be battling against the Trophy Stall Doubles winner, Daniel Razick.

Adams defeated Philbert Clark 7-5 and Fiona Bushell 6-3 to reach this round, while Razick overcame Jamal Goodluck at 6-3 and Romario Chanderballi secured a 6-2 win against newcomer Floyd Thompson.

In the female category, Kizzy Richmond squared off against Shelly Daly Ramdyhan in the Ladies’ Open and lost 6-0, 6-2, while daughter Nicola Ramdyhan got the better of Aretta Dey 7-6(9-7), 6-0.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

PETRA/GB INC. BUSTA SOFT SHOE

Rain forces cancellation of round-of-16 start … Action will kick off tonight

See story on page 39

All smiles! Guyana Amazon Warriors Team Operations manager Omar Khan receives the signed document from Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony in the presence of Permanent Secretary Alfred King.

Limacol CPL organisers sign agreement with MCYS for use of stadium … Permanent replay screens to be installed

ORGANISERS of this year’s Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 Cricket tournament yesterday signed an agreement with the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) as the country’s franchise, the Amazon Warriors prepare to host four matches this year.

The agreement now affords the CPL and the Amazon Warriors full access to the Guyana National Stadium, with the document highlighting two important additions to the long-term development of the stadium.

These are the installation of permanent replay screens and internet access, which will be available throughout the venue via Wi-Fi, while according to a release from the MCYS, work and inspections have already commenced for the matches which are scheduled for July 15-21.

“There are just a few minor tasks to be completed to make the stadium completely ready for the games,” the

release added.

Guyanese can expect to see intense T20 matches between the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Jamaica Tallawahs on July 15, Guyana Amazon Warriors and St. Lucia Zouks on July 17, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents on July 18 and against Trinidad &Tobago Red Steel on July 21.

Minister Dr Frank Anthony, emphasised that these matches are important for Guyana as they will be broadcast

by ESPN and will be viewed by an estimated 60 billion people in 65 countries, allowing for tremendous exposure of Guyana’s potential, hospitality, assets and economic possibilities.

Dr Anthony recalled the large turnout by the Guyanese at last year’s matches and in this regard he added that a similar turnout is anticipated this year.

He also emphasised that the Ministry will be partnering

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with the CPL organisers to host another Captains Seminar for young cricketers, as was held in 2014 and was well received by the cricketers that attended. They were able to interact with a few members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors team.

The release noted that this year, cricketers including Shiv Chanderpaul, Brad Hodge, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Christopher Barnwell and Denesh Ramdin will be engaged in the seminar.

The agreement document was signed by Permanent Secretary Alfred King on behalf of the MCYS and Team Operations manager for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Omar Khan, in the presence of Dr Anthony and Guyana National Stadium manager Anthony Xavier.

The 2015 Caribbean Premier League will officially start on June 20 in Barbados where the Guyana Amazon Warriors will be challenging the Barbados Tridents in the opening match.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2015