2015 8 05

GUYANA No. 104272

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2015

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

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City Constabulary defends ‘discriminatory’ pregnancy policy ––says repeal could hamper work

Page 3

Private sector complains about ‘bottle necks’ 2 at GRA Page

7 Talks on Constitutional Reform under way Page

The City Constabulary located in the compound of the City Hall in Georgetown

East Ruimveldt man arrested Page 6 over Montrose granny murder

Blood Bank to be decentralised centre

—Dr Cummings

Survivor of sunken cargo Page 7 vessel recounts survivor ordeal 54-year-old Guy Rausch

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Private sector complains about ‘bottle necks’ at GRA - concerned about intended withdrawal of $60B in Gov’t funds from commercial banks

THE business community has expressed concerns about the persistent “bottle necks” when doing business with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and is also calling on the revenue body to expand its taxpayer’s bracket and focus on those individuals who have been evading taxes for too long.

According to a release, with these concerns in mind, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan was written to and meetings were held with the top brass of the GRA and the Private

Sector Commission (PSC).

The Commission also met with the business community about two weeks ago to discuss the recent perceived downturn in business.

The discussion dealt with matters of employee retrenchment to the sudden increase in crime, spending on Government projects and matters related to how the clearing of goods and the processing of See page 3

Private Sector Commission Chairman Norman McLean meeting with members of the business community

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

City Constabulary defends ‘discriminatory’ pregnancy ––says repeal could hamper work policy

By Derwayne Wills THE policy that caused the sacking of three city constables who became pregnant before the end of their two-year probation is an “age-old” one, according to Chief Constable Andrew Foo. And he is convinced that the policy, which has been deemed discriminatory, should not be amended since a “great percentage of females [in the Constabulary]” could become pregnant.

The story of the firing of the three constables was broken yesterday by the Stabroek News (SN) after the paper had obtained copies of the letters served to the constables. Foo could not say definitively how long the three were attached to the constabulary, but he made a guess that two of the former officers had served a little under a year, while another served one year and two months.

The decision to fire two of the embattled constables was refuted by a junior rank who commented as an anonymous source. According to the rank, two of the officers had served for a year and 11 months, and were one month away from the end of their two-year probation. The rank said the two females should not have been dismissed.

Although the provisions within the policy are evidently older than Guyana’s 1980 Constitution and even Guyana’s 1997 Prevention Against Discrimination Act, Foo is also convinced that the policy is an updated one since it was revised by himself in 2013. Foo’s contention comes even as the City Constabulary’s policy stands to oppose the Constitution as the ‘supreme law’ of Guyana.

Foo, the most senior authority in the City Constabulary, said in his 27 years of service, he has always known the policy to be on the books and applicable to females, which comprise 70 percent of the

Constabulary officers’ pool.

This is not the first time that a case involving the sacking of pregnant constables was ventilated in the media. Last year, two sisters were fired from the Constabulary after they confirmed their pregnancies to senior officers.

Foo recalled the two sisters had been offered the option of resigning after which they would have been allowed to re-apply to join the ranks. The chief constable disclosed that the two sisters, like the most recent trio, refused the option and instead sought to challenge the system, although they would have been eventually fired.

“The trio would have been engaged by the respective officers,” the chief constable told this publication in an interview yesterday at City Hall. “[They] would have been spoken to and then they would’ve been brought to me, where again the policy would have been brought to their attention and we always give them the option that they can resign, and at the end of their maternity, they have the option of coming back.”

When asked whether the two sisters in the 2014 case had returned, Foo said “No,” adding, that “they were dismissed because they took the same position [as the recent trio].”

The trio, according to Foo, had challenged the system by refusing the option of resigning. They chose instead to stay on the job, “and they know that staying on would have led to their dismissal, knowing that they were pregnant.”

The recent sacking of the three constables has raised eyebrows, particularly in the city administration, since there were reports that another female constable who was known to be pregnant sometime after the two sisters in 2014, was allowed to remain on the job. The constabulary was accused of giving preferential treatment since the case was dealt with internally.

Responding to allegations that the City

Constabulary afforded the one constable preferential treatment, Foo denied that any such treatment was given. He said the constable did not know she was pregnant, and denied it many times when approached by other officers.

Foo maintained that if senior officers had been aware, the constable would have been sent home.

Policies targeting pregnancy are not limited to implementation in the City Constabulary. The chief constable spoke of a similar policy existing in the GDF. Some three years ago, a WRHM Capitol News report broadcast on television had drawn light to the policy for which female officers in the GDF had to serve a minimum of two years before becoming pregnant. That policy further extended to restrict female officers from having more than two children while serving in the force, and the children must be born two or more years apart.

The Capitol News report further exposed that a GDF female officer who breached the two-year no-pregnancy policy would be granted 28 days leave followed by two months of no-pay leave after giving birth. That officer would face a one-year deferral in promotions.

The officer could face dismissal only if she becomes pregnant a second time in the two-year period which would activate another one-year deferral. Having a two-year deferral in promotion would automatically result in dismissal from the GDF. These provisions are in stark contrast to the policy at the City Constabulary where all five female constables in the last two years were fired even though they made clear their intention to stay on the job. Nonetheless, the existence of these policies in both the GDF and the City Constabulary has raised questions about the treatment of women in the Armed Forces.

Georgetown Mayor, Hamilton Green,

who is the chief policy official in the City Council, told this publication yesterday he has taken a “fundamental position of principle” on the issue.

While touting the need for the courts to interpret the law and acknowledging he was “no constitutional lawyer,” Mayor Green remarked that in Guyana’s security services, “people, including our females, must have a sense of responsibility.”

Asked to address claims that the Constab policy was not waived before one female constable who was given preferential treatment, the Mayor denounced the claims and called for the evidence.

The Mayor, like his chief constable, appeared convinced that the policy must remain on the books. “If a female enters into a service and she is told, she is made aware of a two-year deadline, once she accepts that I expect her to be disciplined,” Green said to this publication.

The Mayor offered that since the matter appears to have some challenge to the Constitution then the Parliament would be the best place to address it. “I am not prepared to pontificate on a constitutional matter; that is a matter for the Parliament to discuss, debate, and decide on,” the Georgetown Mayor commented.

Meanwhile, protests were staged outside City Hall in Georgetown yesterday as some sections of the public challenged the rationale of utilising “age-old” laws without amending them to reflect Guyana’s constitutional and legislative provisions, as well as the country’s international obligations to defend against the discrimination of women on the base of pregnancy.

Meanwhile, the three sacked officers can call for an appeal into their dismissals at the level of the Legal Affairs Committee of the City Council. After consideration at that level, the matter would be brought to the Full Council for consideration by all of the councillors, including Mayor Green.

Private sector complains ...

From page 2

investment agreements are affecting the business community.

According to business representatives, they have noticed a drop in consumer spending and expectations. Projects are being delayed/suspended due to the cessation of payments on some projects while foreign and local business partners have put a hold on some investments.

“The PSC is concerned that the current situation can lead to a high level of non-performing loans and is extremely concerned about the intended removal of over 60 billion in Government funds that are deposited at the commercial banks. There is an increased level

of defaulting loans being recorded in some sectors of the economy,” the PSC said.

The Commission is of the opinion that once there is a decline in consumer expectations and spending, it can create a drop in sales and profits, the release stated.

LAYING-OFF This concern would force businesses to freeze on hiring and inevitably the retrenchment of employees; some businesses have already started laying-off, the Commission said.

The PSC said while it commends the actions taken by the Government and

the Guyana Police Force in making some arrests and the solving of recent crimes, it is of the belief that more should be done to prevent and detect crimes and restore the confidence in the law enforcement.

STRONGER POLICE PRESENCE The Commission also called for stronger police presence in and around the city, noting that businesses are concerned about their employees and customers being robbed in the streets and at their homes.

“The PSC has recognised that the economy has taken a downturn since 2014, but the present Administration has

an opportunity to restore this confidence by releasing a budget that would stimulate spending and has in fact said this to the Government of Guyana through the Minister of Finance with whom we met some time ago. We are of the opinion that this will cause businesses to re-invest in projects, which may allow Commercial Banks to increase their loan portfolio; thus injecting needed funds into the economy.

“Additionally, the Government needs to ensure the efficiency of GRA and to restart spending through issuance on contracts, etc,” the release concluded.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Anti-Houthi fighters score more gains in south Yemen (Reuters) FIGHTERS loyal to Yemen’s deposed president seized about 10 southern villages from Houthi forces on Tuesday, pursuing their offensive a day after capturing the country’s biggest air base, residents and loyalist sources said.

Clashes took place across the southern province of Lahj, most of which is now back in the hands of the Saudi-backed loyalist forces.

Militias siding with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled Yemen for Saudi Arabia in March, and army units trained and equipped by Gulf Arab countries have made advances against the Iranian-allied Houthis in recent weeks.

Yemeni military sources said the United Arab Emirates had sent in dozens of tanks and heavy artillery pieces to the fighters in recent days, though a spokesman for the Arab coalition denied media reports that it had sent ground troops.

Boosted by Saudi-led air strikes, the fighters drove the Houthis from the port city of Aden last month then pushed northward and recaptured the Al-Anad air base from Houthi forces on Monday after besieging it for days.

“The next step for the popular resistance and army forces after liberating Aden is the clearing of the provinces of Abyan and Lahj,” a commander in the anti-Houthi forces told Reuters.

power in Sanaa.

The Houthis have been pounded with hundreds of air strikes for more than four months and the raids and other warfare has killed more than 4,000 people. Disease, hunger and water shortages have also contributed to a humanitarian crisis.

In a significant move for desperately-needed humanitarian supplies, two officials from the exiled government told Reuters it would now require all aid ships to dock at the loyalist Southern Resistance fighters react as they prepare to go to the port of Aden. frontline of fighting against Houthis in Yemen’s southern port city Arab ships have been imof Aden July 16, 2015. Reuters/Stringer posing a near-blockade on Yemen to bar arms transfers to the Militia sources said a thousand Yemeni fighters trained in group but had permitted food, fuel and aid to regularly dock at Saudi Arabia and the UAE arrived in Aden on Monday. ports held by the militia to relieve civilians in the hinterlands Yemen’s Arab neighbors intervened in the country in suffering from shortages.

March to halt the advance of the Houthis - Shi’ite Muslims The U.N. envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, from the north whose fighters seized the capital Sanaa in renewed his call on Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire in September and took over most of the country. the conflict, based on a plan involving Houthi withdrawals The Sunni Muslim Gulf states say the Houthis are a proxy from main cities to pave the way for the exiled governfor their arch rival, Shi’ite Iran, and aim to restore Hadi to ment’s return.

Pledge to accept asylum seekers sparks protest in Latvia (Reuters) HUNDREDS of Latvians protested on Tuesday against a government decision to accept 250 asylum seekers over the next two years as part of a European Union plan to deal with migrants flooding into Greece and Italy.

The economies of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania still bear the scars of the recent downturn, and EU plans to relocate some of the 40,000 migrants now in Greece and Italy to the Baltics over the next two years has sparked heated debate.

“In my view, the way the European Union tackles the issue only deepens the problem,” said Raivis Dzintars, a parliamentarian from the National Alliance All For Latvia!

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– For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK party, part of the coalition government, told Reuters during the demonstration.

He said Latvia, with a population of two million, already had problems integrating immigrants. “Therefore, it would be much harder for Latvia to carry additional load than any other European Union country.”

The National Alliance is the smallest of the three parties in Latvia’s governing coalition.

The Alliance’s stance on the issue puts it at odds with the Unity party of Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, also from Unity, said Riga had to show solidarity with its European partners.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

DJ Bravo signs music deal with Los Angeles based Music Group PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – TRINIDAD and Tobago cricket all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has signed a music deal with Los Angles based entertainment company Venus Music Group.

Bravo’s latest venture follows years of dabbling in music as a hobby as well as after a global launch of his popular Indo/Anglo fusion called Chalo Chalo.

Venus Music Group represents international superstars like Gladys Knight, Lisa Nichols and Sonu Nigam.

“This new synergy now gives me the chance to make the DJ Bravo name a bigger brand and I’m excited for the great and exciting things ahead. Venus was the right choice for me, especially with their reach in Asia where I have a great fan base,

and in the U.S. where I am keen on entering,” said Bravo, who captained the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel to victory in the just completed Caribbean Premier League.

“People take me seriously on the cricket pitch and I want to be taken as seriously on a stage or on a microphone. Cricket is my business and I intend to take the same approach to music and entertainment.”

Venus Music Group CEO, Shehan Rajaratnam, says he is “excited to welcome Dwayne Bravo into the Venus Entertainment Group family”.

Bravo’s team also includes Public Relations Company, PearTree Consulting, headed by Nyssa Pierre and entertainment lawyer, Carla Paris, both of Trinidad and Tobago.

West Indies all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo “Bravo has a global fan base that loves him and supports him when he plays anywhere in the world, especially in the South East Asian territories. We are excited to facilitate and take Bravo’s

Companies urged to sponsor children on Kingston city tours

(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – MINISTER of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Omar Davies has invited Jamaican companies to sponsor school children, particularly those from the inner city, to participate in

Minister of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Omar Davies the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) Kingston City Tours.

“These tours will be an important learning tool.

Many children from the inner city have never been outside of their communities and will benefit from the tours,” the minister said.

Dr Davies was speaking at the inauguration ceremony for the Kingston City Tours on August 1, at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre.

The Minister also highlighted the fact that the

tours would be enhancing the tourism product and that they will provide the country with the opportunity to put Jamaica on the world stage as being “equal to many and better than most.”

passion for music to his fans and in the process establish and grow his brand and brand equity,” said Rajaratnam.

“Sport and music go hand in hand and are as entertaining as much as they are viable businesses, and there is no one who can successfully represent the two as much as Dwayne Bravo can.”

Bravo took home the coveted Purple Cap award for the most wickets taken in the India Premier League this season and became the first cricketer ever to be nominated in any category at the prestigious ESPY Awards.

NSWMA resource woes result in garbage pile-up in western Kingston KINGSTON, Jamaica – THE National Solid Waste

Management Authority (NSWMA) on Monday said it has only been able to collect waste from western Kingston communities twice weekly, instead of the daily collection necessary.

This has resulted in a backlog that the NSWMA said is unavoidable at this time.

The waste management authority said this backlog is due to the current resource challenges, which it said is mainly with compactor trucks.

“We ask that residents minimise their waste generation by reducing, reusing and recycling solid waste as much as is possible,” the NSWMA said in a release Monday. “We urge residents in communities experiencing a delay with the collection of solid waste to contact us at 1 888 253 26521 888 253 2652 FREE/ 448 3220, email at nswma1876@gmail.com, Facebook: National Solid Waste Management Authority (“NSWMA”) and Twitter @nswma1876.”

This, the NSWMA said, is in an effort to ensure that the organisation is aware of all backlog communities and allocate resources accordingly, as a matter of priority.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused to residents experiencing a delay with collection and we assure you that the team is working assiduously to clear all backlogs and return to normal collection schedules for each affected community,” the release said.

In the meantime, NSWMA said solid waste collection in Treasure Beach and Queensbury in St Elizabeth, will return to the regular collection schedules after they are completely cleared by today and Friday, August 7, respectively.

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Editorial I

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Guyana

BUDGET COUNTDOWN

N less than a week’s time, on August 10, the new coalition Government will unveil its first-ever state budget. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Winston Jordan who, having worked in the budget ‘war room’ for many years, is not a novice.

He may seek to give this ‘Jordan Budget’ a unique appeal. By the time the general debate is over, and the estimates of proposed spending, head by head, are over, it would be September.

In this sense, therefore, the 2015 Budget technically would be for a four-month period. So far, spending has been limited to the amounts authorised by the Constitution, which is one-twelfth of the current expenditure of the previous year, to keep the public service paid and essential services addressed.

Experts say that this is what is called a ‘Constitutional Budget’, which must be presented within a specified period after the holding of elections and a new Government installed.

The coalition has held consultations with several key stakeholders, including the de facto Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which, almost three months after the polls, is yet to take up its 32 seats in the National Assembly.

From all indications, this will be a populist budget with something for all. Minister Jordan has hinted that public servants will get an increase in salary, perhaps higher than the uninspiring 5% that was doled out year by year by the

previous PPP Government.

In the past, workers cynically associated the PPP regime with payment of starvation wages, which resulted in widespread demoralisation, corrupt practices and a resort to contracted employees who received special salaries.

Observers are of the opinion that public servants could have received elevated pay increases had it not been for the waste of monies on what Guyanese readily see as “square pegs in round holes” that had occupied strategic posts, to carry out partisan, party functions, and what is painfully being discovered as pilfering of public funds.

Indications from several forensic audits are showing that the previous administration had brought several sectors of the economy to an almost dead-end. The PPP Administration could not guarantee wages to sugar workers beyond a week of the May 2015 elections and literally handed over to the Granger-led coalition, a basket to fetch water. The sugar industry is heavily indebted at a time when production has hit an alarming low and the new Government has had to provide an initial $3 billion bailout. The sugar worries are far from over since production costs far exceeds the price at which our sugar is sold and the ‘Jagdeo Magic’, styled a modernised Skeldon factory on which the previous Government spent some $50 billion plus an additional $15 billion in financial bailout, has turned into a nightmare.

The rice sector which has seen boom in production, is facing severe challenges to find new markets. A recent historic National Rice Conference, the first of its kind, has authorised creative approaches to deal with the situation.

Again, the previous Administration sat on vital information that the rice sale deal with Venezuela was precarious but the Administration remained silent, as it did about the troubles in the sugar industry.

Then, there are the continuing challenges facing the gold industry with the price on a roller-coaster, but not bouncing back to the all-time high in gold price that was enjoyed just a year ago.

With the fall in the level of Gross Domestic Product earnings, it will take much more than political will for the coalition Government to deliver on all of the pre-elections promises.

But a populist approach may see not only a hike in public service wages, but measures to give working people more disposable incomes such as zero-rating more items on the VAT list and freeing more wage earners from the income tax net. We expect that there will be an increase in old age pension as well as a subsidy to lower the Berbice River Bridge toll.

As the days tick faster before the August 10 ‘Jordan Budget’ we expect that the goodies in store for our people, will incrementally take us closer to the enjoyment of a better life.

East Ruimveldt man arrested over Montrose granny murder

By Leroy Smith

POLICE yesterday afternoon arrested a 23-year-old man for questioning in connection with the gruesome murder of 76-year-old Carmine Ganesh who was murdered last Saturday at Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

Crime Chief Wendel Blanhum who was not willing to divulge the age, name and address of the man confirmed that someone has been held for questioning although investigations into the murder continue.

The Crime Chief cautioned, however, that not because the young man was picked up he has anything to do with the murder.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that at the location where the 23-year-old was picked up, police investigators also removed a camouflage short pants, something similar to what the suspect seen in a surveillance video was wearing at the time of the murder.

This publication was also reliably informed that the young man in the image might be a resident or someone who frequents the community of Buxton.

Persons who saw the image of the suspect contacted this publication to say that the image of the man resembles that of a young man from the East Coast community of Buxton.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Talks on Constitutional Reform under way

By Derwayne Wills

PRIME MINISTER Moses Nagamootoo and Governance Minister Raphael Trotman met yesterday with Constitutional Lawyer Nigel Hughes on advancing Guyana’s Constitutional Reform process.

A report yesterday afternoon said the talks were framed around the formation of a Steering Committee for the establishment of a Constitutional Reform Body.

When contacted, Minister Trotman did not divulge many details on the meeting, except to say that the discussion is an actively ongoing one which considered the modalities of the reform process.

The Minister said society should have the right to determine which aspects of the Constitution should be amended.

“Our task would be to facilitate a process that is open and inclusive and responsive to the views of people,” Trotman said in an over-the-phone interview last evening.

He said there will be other meetings with stakeholders, including the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which he noted represents a considerable portion of the Guyanese constituency.

The Minister said civil society would also be included in the talks on the way forward.

Mr Trotman explained that the meeting yesterday was not about the group moving ahead with the process, but about considering the modalities for the entire press: whether the reform will be taken to the level of a Commission or parliamentary Committee in the National Assembly.

The APNU+AFC Government would need a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to pass reforms on some sections of the Constitution.

The PPP/C gained 49 per cent of the votes at the May 11 polls, which saw A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition From left are Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes; and Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, in discussion gaining the majority of votes.

Survivor of sunken cargo vessel recounts ordeal

By Leroy Smith F I F T Y- f o u r- y e a r- o l d Guy Rausch of 31 Delph Avenue, Campbellville Georgetown has God, three sodas, a life ring and a 100-pound gas cylinder to thank for his life being spared today.

This single-parent father of four was the first to jump from a sinking cargo vessel, the “Captain Safie”, which was on Saturday evening heading to Port Kaituma, North West District when it encountered difficulties and went down. Incredibly, he was the last to be rescued.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday at the Maritime Administration Department in presence of the department’s safety director and Director General, Rausch confirmed that at the time the vessel went down, he and the other crew members were dumping cargo from the vessel, which had begun shedding cargo and was listing (capsizing).

Rausch explained that they were ordered by the head of the crew to dump the cargo in an effort to balance the vessel; and while some cargo was being dumped into the river, others were being moved from one side of the vessel to another.

The sailor said the cargo onboard the vessel was general cargo, which included bags of rice, flour, aerated beverages, water and other items. He admitted that the vessel was indeed overload-

ed, hence the difficulty they encountered.

This publication was assured by the man that every

he was rescued.

At the time he jumped to safety, the other men were still on the boat at another

direction the sun was rising would be Georgetown, so he tried to make his way in the opposition direction as

the air, attracting the attention of the fishermen and their vessel.

When the men arrived,

Guy Rausch in discussion with MARAD’s Safety Director Steven Thomas other thing on the vessel was in proper working order, including the engine.

He pointed to the genesis of their problems that took them to death’s door and back.

While the vessel continued to list, it began taking in water, and Guy Rausch, who was on the left side of the vessel, took the first plunge from the sinking vessel and secured a gas cylinder, three bottles of drink and a life ring to aid his survival through the night and until

section, but they too eventually jumped off. From the time he jumped off the boat, he had not been able to lay eyes on any of the other crew members, and he wondered if they were able to be rescued.

Guy Rausch has been working at sea since in the 80s. He explained that he floated with the life ring and other items until dayclean on Sunday morning, when he noticed the sun rising.

He explained that he saw the sun rising and knew that the

he was aware that he would have been able to meet land.

Rausch said he attempted on three occasions to reach land, but found that to be hard, as the tide continued to rise and fall, and because of the well as the water current.

It was not until Sunday afternoon that Guy Rausch spotted a fishing vessel and crew, who were picking up their net, and he decided to open the gas cylinder and release the gas out of it causing, it to catapult into

he was pulled from the water. He first informed the men what had happened the night before and informed the crew that there were three other persons on board the vessel with him at the time it went down.

They returned to the area and conducted a brief search for the men, but could not have stayed long in the area since the fishing vessel was not equipped with enough fuel to carry out a prolonged search.

They then headed into

Port Kaituma. He was rescued about 17.00hrs on that Sunday afternoon.

It was his first tip on that vessel, as was the captain; while the other two crew members would have been traversing that area before.

Asked about his ordeal in the water, Guy Rausch said he always had a positive approach to the entire situation, and told himself that he needed to live and that is what he did. he said that at no point did he panic while pointing out that the sodas that he secured were to aid his survival as he knew the salted water would not have been any good for his survival.

Guy Rausch went on to explain that he later learnt that the other three crew members were rescued before him, and they also went back in search of him. He could not calculate the distance between where the vessel went down and where he was rescued as, according to him, the rise and fall of the tide made it hard for him to tell, as well as the fact that he was new to the area and unfamiliar with its Geography.

Guy Rausch’s four children are aged 20, 19, 16 and 13. He said that the eldest is an immigration officer, while the second child was expected to start a new job on Monday.

Rausch said that child would fail to do so after the tragedy. His other two children are still attending school.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Desiree Fowler elevated to acting Deputy Commander of ‘A’ Division

By Leroy Smith

THE number two highest ranking female officer in the Guyana Police Force yesterday assumed the position of deputy commander of the largest police division.

Appointed to act as the Deputy Commander of ‘A’ Division is substantial ‘A’ Division Court Superintendent Desiree Fowler who would act in the position until the return of the division’s No. 2 IC, Superintendent Dion Moore.

Speaking with ‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken yesterday afternoon, he told the Guyana Chronicle that the move shows that the Guyana Police Force is not an organization that believes only men are capable of being on the frontline.

Superintendent Desiree Fowler, ‘A’ Division Deputy Commander (acting)

Millers scouting around for alternative markets for rice

By Navendra Seoraj WITH the Guyana/Venezuela rice agreement under the PetroCaribe deal in jeopardy, some rice millers are now exploring new alternatives on their own behalf but some remain reluctant to venture into this exploration because of the low prices which are being offered.

General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj made this disclosure yesterday during a telephone interview with this publication.

When asked about the current situation facing the millers, Seeraj said that, “exports have been slowing down drastically over the past few days.”

The millers, he noted, have been asked to remove their cargo from the wharf because the Venezuelans have refused to accept it and the demurrage charges have been building up, contributing to a US$300 per tonne rice loss which the millers have been suffering.

However, Seeraj noted that currently the RPA and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) are working cooperatively to address the losses of these millers, and will soon meet to develop an alternative so as to assist the millers.

Sources recently told the Guyana Chronicle that some rice farmers are afraid to invest in producing more rice and have not replanted, although the second crop has already been sown.

Questioned about this, the general secretary of the RPA said: “The second crop has already started and so far they are on target, however, it is up to the farmers to harvest their crop, given that there is limited access to the bonds because of current surplus of rice, and the difficulty of finding areas to store it.”

He also noted that her temporary appointment is not the only case where females serving in the force were asked to function in key positions.

According to Hicken, there were females who have served as Divisional Commanders and also headed the Immigration Department.

At present the highest ranking female in the Guyana Police Force, Superintendent Maxine Graham, heads the Police Force Staff Office Administration.

That office is responsible for assigning and transferring ranks around the country.

It is also Graham who has overall responsibility for the work that the organization has been doing with communities countrywide.

The Guyana Chronicle caught up with

Superintendent Desiree Fowler at her desk yesterday and she said that she was humbled to be asked to serve the division at the second highest level.

She explained that the operations of the office will be nothing new from when its substantial office holder sat in the seat except in this case the genders are different.

Fowler served the Guyana Police Force in many capacities but was mostly recognized for her work as a police prosecutor, performing in some of the most high profile cases that went to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Fowler who also has been working with children over the years also served as the Officer-in-Charge of the Police Holding Centre where juveniles are held from time to time.

Dr Bux graduates from Harvard University

DR. ZULFIKAR BUX has graduated from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health Global Health Delivery Intensive programme which was held in Boston USA. Dr Bux who heads the GPHC’s, Emergency Department was one of the 42 graduates from the programme which saw scholars from 17 different countries participating. He was fortunate to be the only recipient of the Harvard Chan School of Public Health Abundance scholarship.

The Global Health Intensive Delivery Programme is specially designed to train medical scholars in the development of global healthcare. The course teaches health leaders on effective health care management and development in low resource settings. Graduates are expected to apply their knowledge to ensure cost effective but optimal healthcare delivery in their settings. The programme also creates a link between the graduates so that they can share their knowledge and resources and further the development of global health initiatives.

This is the first time a Guyanese has participated in this prestigious course and Dr. Bux is optimistic that he will utilize his ac-

quired skills to continue the development of healthcare both at a National level and at the GPHC. He expressed his gratitude to the faculties at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health whom he stated were all amazed at the rate of development of Emergency Medicine in Guyana.

Dr. Bux was adamant that

the success of emergency medical care in Guyana could not have been possible without the strong support of his leadership team at the GPHC. He was also very thankful for their support in facilitating his participation in this course.

He stated that it is a challenging time for healthcare locally and is urging all

involved to work towards what’s best for the patients and not their personal wants. He also stated that he is now even more equipped to assist in the evolution of emergency medical care in Guyana and will continue to be an advocate for effective, efficient and ethical patient care for all.

Dr. Bux- Dr. Bux receiving his honourable certificate upon completion of the programme

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Paramakatoi parents decry conditions at secondary school

By Shivanie Sugrim

PARENTS in Region 8 (Potaro-Siparuni) are concerned about their children’s schooling as the Paramakatoi Secondary is faced with a host of problems due to the limited supply of electricity to the building.

Over the years, parents have been reiterating the dreadful condition at the school although the Government had taken initiatives to improve the situation.

Paramakatoi is the largest village in Region 8 but less focus had been placed on enhancing its only school. The village is home to nearly 1,000 people and children from various parts of the region - Kato, Monkey Mountain and Mahdia, among others - attend the school which is divided into Nursery, Primary and Secondary.

The population of the school is 500, with the majority of its students coming from the Paramakatoi village itself. Students from outside of Paramakatoi are positioned in dormitories right beside the school.

Most of the complaints have been focused at the secondary school since parents are concerned about the quality of education being delivered due to the limited supply of electricity.

The delivery of quality education at the school has been affected since without electricity there is no internet access and this contributes to the gap in the quality of education delivered to students on the coastland and those in Region 8.

NO ELECRTICITY FOR COMPUTER LAB One parent, who identified herself as “Janet”, told this publication that the

school has one computer lab that has not been functioning for a while because of the unavailability of electricity during the day.

The computers are nevertheless in good condition to carry out tasks but there is no electricity to power the systems.

This newspaper was made to understand that the community itself does not receive electricity at all with the exception of the dormitories that would channel current into the school. Electricity in the dormitories is being supplied by one generator which is activated after school hours until 10:00hrs.

“This makes no sense at all! How will the students use the lab if the current comes on after school?” questioned a concerned Janet.

Another parent, who identified herself as “Rowena” pointed out that the school in its current form has only one Information Technology (IT) teacher which makes it impossible for that person to teach some 470 students.

Without practical lessons, IT is not properly delivered. In this regard, Rowena said the teacher has been depending solely on textbooks and this is a disadvantage to the students. Moreover, the school is not properly equipped with textbooks.

Rowena made a startling declaration whereby she noted that the school’s only IT teacher would be resigning soon which will leave the school without an IT teacher.

Therefore, like any other school, Paramakatoi Secondary will have to get a replacement.

Though a vacancy will be advertised, Rowena pointed out that teachers may refuse to take up the job mainly because the village has neither electricity nor internet access.

Recently, the President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Mark Lyte pointed

The Paramakatoi Secondary School out that the Union’s new multi-year agreement will negotiate a 150% increase in station allowances and hardline allowances, so that teachers from the hinterland can move freely to the coastland, and vice versa.

In investigating the operations of other teachers at the school, this newspaper was made aware that they have to travel for half an hour to an internet café in order to gather teaching materials (information) to deliver

to the students on the following day.

The internet café is, however, costly as most teachers find it difficult to keep up with the expense.

Janet among several other concerned parents suggested that the lab should be solar-powered to solve the electricity problem.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has placed the issue of quality educators and equity in the school system high on his agenda.

The Paramakatoi Secondary School computer lab.

Flower Festival at Brickdam Cathedral THE Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Brickdam celebrates the 100th year of the laying of its foundation. To mark this milestone, a year of activities has been planned.

Among them is a Festival of Flowers

to be held in the Cathedral on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th August 2015.

The Festival will be open from 9.00am to 5.30pm each day. Admission is free.

There will be live music provided by several Organists and Steel band.

Displays will be done by Florists, Church Groups, Decorators, the Horticultural Society of Guyana, the Horticultural Society of Trinidad and the Orchid Society of Trinidad.

Visitors will be provided with guide

sheets indicating the names of the floral arrangers as over 20 areas of the Cathedral will be decorated. The last Festival of Flowers was held in 2008 as part of Carifesta.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Social Protection Minister reaches out to pensioners

MINISTER of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, and A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) John Adams recently visited pensioners at post offices in Regions 3 and 4.

In photos, the Minister and Mr Adams visit the utility offices in Providence, Fellowship, Leonora, and Meten-Meer-Zorg.

Private company plans to rehabilitate Tumatumari hydropower plant

A PRIVATE company has announced plans to rehabilitate the long-defunct 1.5-MW Tumatumari hydropower plant located in the central Potaro-Siparuni region.

The proposal will see Tumatumari Hydro Inc modernise and possibly expand the small hydropower plant as part of the Tumatumari Industrial Development Project.

The company said the rehabilitation would be conducted in two phases, with the first restoring the plant to its original output capacity and constructing two 30-kilometre transmission lines, and the second expanding the plant’s capacity to 3 MW. The US$5 million overhaul will save Guyana about $40 million in fuel imports over its first decade of operation,

officials said, while also creating up to 30 direct and 30 indirect jobs.

The project is located at Tumatumari Falls on the Potaro River and was Guyana’s first when completed by British Guiana Consolidated Goldfields to power a gold-mining operation in the 1950s.

The small hydropower plant was closed amidst a workers’ strike in the 1960s before being put back into service by the Guyana National Service in 1976. The facility continued to operate through the late 1980s when the last of its two 750 kW Francis turbines failed.

(HydroWorld.Com)

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Government will ensure workers are protected

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

-Ministry of Labour inspects Barama operations MINISTER within the Ministry of Social Protection has laid down the law on workers’ rights. The minister yesterday led a team that inspected Barama Buck Hall operations.

According to the minister, the Government will demand that employees are given the required protective gear, a working environment that is conducive to production and workers’ safety, and that workers are fairly compensated.

The visit is part of the ministry’s ongoing visits to workplaces countrywide, ensuring that employers operate within the laws as they relate to the welfare of their employees. Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer Charles Ogle, Deputy Lydia Greene, Senior Officer Karen Vansluytman-Corbin, and other staff of the ministry’s Inspection Department accompanied the minister.

During her engagement with the management of Barama operations, prior to touring the complex and interacting with workers, Minster Broomes explained that the Government is concerned about the conditions workers countrywide are made to endure, and it is against this background that the ministry is conducting inspections of workplaces. The inspections are to ensure that working environments are up to standard and operate within the ambit of the law.

Broomes told the managers that her ministry received several complaints from employees of the company hence

the visit to interact with them so that the complaints can be addressed. The managers were briefed on the details of the complaints by the minister’s team and they have since committed to immediately implementing measures to address these.

One of the main concerns raised by the workers during their interaction with the minster was the need for a wage increase. The minister explained that this is being addressed as extensive deliberations were held with the managers.

“I must say from the outset, in terms of management and how we were allowed to examine and make corrections, I am really pleased about that,” Minister Broomes said. The minister was also able to address the quality of food provided for workers and safety and protective gear.

Meanwhile, the minister said her ministry will be re-examining some of the policies, pertaining to workers rights and benefits and how these are being implemented and executed by some companies, since some companies have internal policies and procedures that are in breach of the law.

“I am charged with a mandate to ensure that there is maximum compliance.

The President did caution me that he doesn’t want to hear of one death and I hold the same position. One death is too many; and accidents, we have to eliminate them. The fairness of workers’ wages, the hours they work and all of that will be examined,” Minister Broomes

Minister Broomes interacting with workers of the Barama Buckhall operations asserted.

The ministry’s policy is that when workers are being unfairly treated, in terms of benefits, wages and salaries, management must immediately address these.

“When it comes to workers and their rights, there is no breathing space for correction, you have to correct immediately…if you have the workers working 12 hours and the law says eight hours, you have to correct that immediately, if the law speaks to overtime, you have to apply that,” the minister advised.

The minister advises workers in factories, especially those in the industrial sector, to ensure that they wear protective

gear at all times, as this is crucial to their work.

“The Government values the workers’ contributions to the development of Guyana, we will definitely ensure that their rights are being protected,” she committed.

Labour inspection is an essential part of the labour administration system, exercising the fundamental function of labour law enforcement and effective compliance. It ensures fairness in the workplace and helps promote economic development. This is the premise on which the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health Department functions.

Corriverton man gets two years’ jail for breaking into remand prisoner’s home

By Jeune Vankeric FORTY-seven-year-old Mark Singh seized the opportunity to break- and-enter the home of Josiah Davis after police had arrested Davis on July 14 for a trafficking in narcotics’ offence. He was rewarded with two years’ jail for his enterprise.

Singh, of Number 79 Village, Corriverton, appeared before Springlands Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh and pleaded

guilty to the charge of break-and-enter and larceny, particulars of which detailed that between July 14 and 23, 2015, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Josiah Davis, and stole therefrom one grass cutter worth $137,000; one 32-inch flat-screen television set worth $60,000; one electric fan worth $7,000; a DVD player worth $7,000; a quantity of mechanical tools worth $20,000, and miscellaneous items, all to the total value of $311,000.

Police sergeant Phillip Sherrif, prose-

Convicted: Mark Singh

cuting, told the court that on July 14, the virtual complainant secured his premises after he was arrested by the police on a charge of trafficking in narcotics.

Upon his being granted bail, on July 23, he returned to his home and discovered it ransacked, and the mentioned articles missing.

Following a report at the Springlands Police Station, an investigation was launched, and some of the articles were recovered.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Region 6 health system has to change ––Dr Norton

By Tajeram Mohabir

PUBLIC Health Minister Dr George Norton has said that all is not well with the health system in Region 6 (East Berbice/ Ctyne).

He contends that if the system is not changed, the Administration would be failing the people of that region. This the Government is not prepared to allow, and has enlisted the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to evaluate the operations of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA).

Expressing concerns about the legitimacy of the BRHA, Dr Norton pointed out that there is no legislation that guides the body, and “it cannot hire nor fire; it is not even an established body”.

The Board was enacted in 2005, and, from all indications, it was the former Health Minister who had authority to legalise the Board; however, the document to effect this legalisation, which is in Dr Norton’s possession, was never signed.

Minister Norton has said that while the intention of the BHRA is good, the fact is that it has no power to make decisions regarding health service delivery in the region.

“We will look at the legislation once

... says failure to so do will be failing the people

again and do what is necessary and make the necessary adjustments so that the entity will function without any form of legislation, giving them authority, if necessary, to hire and fire,” Minister Norton had said.

Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Resident Representative Dr William Adu-Krow said work is advanced in finalising the Terms of Reference of the Health Economics Team from Jamaica, which will be coming to review the BRHA. He said the team will be looking at data from Region 6 and some data from Region 5, and will be using Linden as control. An Attorney-at-Law will also join the Jamaican team, the PAHO Resident Representative noted.

SORE POINT At a meeting at the PAHO Georgetown Office on Monday, Minister Norton said the BRHA is a sore point, and is something the Administration wants to pronounce upon.

Prior to BRHA, there was a system by which a Regional Health Unit promoted and managed the heath affairs in the region. That unit comprised a Regional Health Officer and the Regional Executive Officer.

“Then we came up with this idea of regional health authority. There must be a

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton reason for that; with experience, it is not one that we are too happy about. We still have

people in Berbice complaining that they were not satisfied with the services that they were getting,” Dr Norton said.

It is not clear whether this was the result of a personality problem or whether the system was suffering from a plague, but Minister Norton said he oft-times finds himself in a defensive position when questions regarding the BRHA are posed to him.

“I say ‘PAHO has agreed to help us to evaluate and find out the way forward with regards to this’. As it stands, we in the Region 6 area have gone back to our Regional Health Officer and the hospitals with the Chief Executive Officer and the Medial Superintendent. We don’t know if that will work, we know it has been there before, is a situation which we have at the Georgetown Public Hospital, even though it is run by a Board.

“Linden Hospital has changed up their board. What it is telling us is that nothing is cut and dry, noting is made in stone; it is a dynamic process and it is good that we can have this evaluation [from PAHO],” he said.

He thanked PAHO for coming on board, noting that its work would reflect a proper examination of BRHA, and advise on the way forward.

Rohee accuses Gov’t of mishandling laptop project -but fails to provide evidence

By Ravin Singh GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, has charged that “suspicious moves” by the APNU+AFC Administration convey the impression that Government is secretly handing over laptops from the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme to friends and cronies of the coalition.

Speaking at a PPP weekly press conference held at its headquarters at Freedom House on Robb Street, Georgetown, the General Secretary said the PPP “denounces” the decision by the David Granger Administration to bring an abrupt end to the “revolutionary” One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project, which had been initiated while the PPP was in office.

Regrettably, Rohee could not produce evidence to support his claims.

Officially launched on January 21, 2011 under then President Bharrat Jagdeo at the then Guyana International Conference Centre, the OLPF programme was expected to furnish 90,000 families each with a laptop, thereby providing economic opportunities for households; but reportedly only 55,000 families benefited from the project. The final batch of approximately 10,000 laptops is due to arrive in Guyana shortly.

WELCOME MOVE Just last week, Governance Minister

Raphael Trotman assured there would be no scrapping of the project, as was reported in sections of the media, but there would rather be a possible re-organising of the distribution criteria, which will see teachers and schools benefiting from receipt of the laptops, to the ultimate benefit of communities.

Teachers have welcomed this move by the Administration.

Providing the PPP/C’s rationale for the birth of such a project, Rohee reasoned that the programme was “conceptualised and implemented with the visionary aim of to bridge the information and telecommunication gap”, not only between those on the coastlands and the interior of Guyana, but also between Guyana and the rest of the rapidly advancing technological world.

Rohee reasoned that, with a computer in the home, an enabling environment is created for parents and family members to become more involved in their children’s school work.

Additionally, he noted that possession of a laptop would enhance research and learning approaches in academia and general social studies, and it is expected that the achievement gaps between children of poor or working class parentage and those of parentage from high-income brackets would be narrowed.

Rohee stressed that this project was a critical component of the new frontier development path that will drive a new and more prosperous Guyana. He took a jab at the APNU+AFC Government,

arguing that the Granger Administration report, Minister of State, Joseph is still “fighting tooth and nail” to paint Harmon, sought to assured Guyanese a picture of this people-centred initiative that the Administration had no plans to scrap the programme, which has as being a “pappy show”.

He also said that despite Minister of already benefited thousands of GuyState, Joseph Harmon, having stated that anese.

With the Administration recently the initiative was a “massive fraud”, the initiative was not highlighted for a fo- handing out termination letters to some 50 of the 62 staffers at rensic audit, even the OLPF secretariwhile forensic auat, Harmon offered dits are currentthat the project was ly ongoing by the stalled and has now Government. been linked with the Accordingly, E–Governance Projthe PPP is urging ect, under which the the Government to 12 remaining OLPF explain the methstaff will work. odology it intends “It didn’t seem to use for distrito be a wellbution of the lapt h o u g h t - o u t a rtops to teachers, rangement, but the schools and communities.

Teachers have welcomed the move by new AdministraThe Govern- the Administration to provide them with tion intends to do that. The President ment, Rohee said, laptops has already said he must reveal its sees schools being “well-thought-out arrangement” for the 10,000 laptops the ones to benefit, where the focus is soon to arrive. “They need to explain on education and getting computers the rationale for distribution; if they’re into the schools,” Harmon told News going to distribute them in communi- Source.

He said two batches of approxities, what are the criteria? How are they going to select the communities? mately 10,000 laptops have already What yardstick are they going to use arrived over time, and have been to determine which communities are distributed overtime. The State going to get laptops? What is the sci- Minister explained further that the entific basis under which these laptops second batch of computers, which are going to be distributed?” Rohee was a gift from a Chinese company, had “serious problems” and, as a questioned. consequence, hundreds of those computers could not have been disRE-ORGANISE But, last week, in a News Source tributed.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Butcher remanded for strangulation death of cattle farmer

By Jeune Vankeric

THE 21-year-old butcher from Corriverton, East Berbice who is alleged to have strangled a cattle farmer after refusing to pay the elderly man the $220,000 he had owed him, and then burying the man’s body in a shallow grave at Lot 34 Kingston Corriverton, Corentyne, was remanded to the New Amsterdam Prison by Springlands Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh.

Asif Hamid was not required to plea to the charge of murder under the Common Law. He is expected to return to court on August 25.

Particulars of the offence are that, between July 27 and 30, 2015, at Lot 34 Kingston, Corriverton, Corentyne, he murdered Henry Lalman, called Benimal.

A subsequent post-mortem report revealed that Benimal’s death was due to manual strangulation.

Government Pathologist Dr Vivikanand Brijmohan concluded that the cause of Benimal’s death was due to the hyoid bone being broken. The hyoid Asif Hamid bone (lingual bone) is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage.

The body of the 76-year-old cattle farmer was discovered in a shallow grave on July 30, some two days after he had left his home to collect $220,000 from the butcher.

Henry Lalman had been in the cattle rearing business for several years, and it was customary for him to sell his cattle to butchers along the Upper Corentyne district.

On July 27 last, having sold three cows, he left his Number 36 Village home just after 07:00 hrs to collect the money from a butcher at the Corriverton Market.

Initially, he had stopped at the butcher’s home, but was informed that the young butcher was at the market.

Having proceeded to the market, the butcher informed the cattle farmer that the money was at home. But when they got there, the suspect told the farmer that he had no money.

When Lalman threatened to tell the butcher’s father, the butcher became enraged and vised the elderly man who, having lost consciousness, was placed in a shallow grave measuring six by three feet, and he covered the grave with a zinc sheet.

The son of the deceased, Ravendra Lalman, called Ravi, became worried after he failed to make contact with his father. Being aware of his father’s business plan, he visited the home of the suspect’s father, who, after questioning his son, said they were unaware of the whereabouts of the elderly man. As a result, Ravi made a missing person report at the Number 51 Police Station.

However, following a tip-off, the police went to the suspect’s house, where they exhumed the remains of the cattle farmer from a three-foot-deep grave.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Rohee defends acquisition of $1.5M exclusive Pradoville land

By Ravin Singh

GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, has defended his acquisition of a plot of prime seaside property at the exclusive ‘Pradoville 11’ scheme in Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, for $1.5M, saying that he was granted a loan from the New Building Society (NBS).

Rohee made this disclosure yesterday at the party’s weekly press briefing at their Freedom House headquarters, Robb Street.

According to Rohee, who was Minister of Home Affairs under the PPP administration, Ministers who served during that time received a monthly salary of GYD$579,000, and to substantiate this he displayed one of his monthly pay slips to the media.

When asked whether other public servants could have

been earning more than him, while he was Minister, the General Secretary explained that depending on the skills that public servants would have brought to the public sector, there is a possibility that they would have gotten the equivalent or in some cases more than him.

“There are two types of public servants - there are public servants on contract gratuity, and public servants on the fixed pensionable establishments,” he said, adding that depending on how long you would have worked in the public service, it is quite possible that a public servant who would have worked for years on the fixed pensionable establishment could have reached that amount.

He said also that, “There are others who were on contract gratuity who were employed on a contract depending on the skills they

brought to the service, they would have gotten that or even more.”

According to Rohee, his salary then, supported by a loan from the NBS, afforded him the opportunity to secure one of the lots at Pradoville. “I got a loan from the Bank…go and check with New Building Society… check with them and you will see…King Kong ain’t got sh*t on my head,” the General Secretary blasted.

Pradoville 1 and a second section known as Pradoville 2 were developed during the tenure of former President Bharrat Jagdeo. It had been reported in sections of the media that properties in this exclusive scheme were being sold for as low as GYD$1.5M to members and supporters of the PPP. Reports indicate that former Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford; Compton Bourne, former Head of

the Caribbean Development Bank; and UG Chancellor, Ghansham Singh along with Kamini Parag-Singh and

PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee Florrie Loretta Ramnauth had all been beneficiaries of the newly-established housing scheme. Others included Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar AliHack; and former Head of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo.

When grilled on whether

he thought it was fair to the average public servant for them to be paying the same prices for house lots as high earning public officials such as himself, Rohee told media operatives that he could not explain what criteria was used to establish the cost or how much should be paid for the properties.

“I never made that kind of investigation,” he said, adding that if he is offered a piece of land, for that amount of money, then he must determine whether he is financially capable of securing it, and if it is so, then he must consider how he is going to pay for it.

“Call it a good deal or a bad deal; it was just an investment on my part,” he said.

But according to a Kaieteur News report last week, the new Government is set to examine details of how the property which was secured

by Jagdeo was later developed, and then parceled off for almost next to nothing to a few friends and Government officials.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith

Scott, who is responsible for housing, had revealed that the new Administration will be examining the circumstances surrounding the distribution of the seaside property.

“Obviously we are concerned about the details of the transactions involving this piece of property. Was it in keeping with the established regulations? Was it advertised? How much was paid? We have to look at all this,” Scott is reported as telling Kaieteur News.

He further indicated that he intends to meet with the staffers of Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) “shortly” to discuss the issue.

“We are examining a lot of other details at the moment. There are many citizens who are waiting anxiously to hear about their house lots and homes.

So we are, of course, interested if persons were sidelined in the process or their rights trampled on. We will keep you updated as we acquire more information,” the Minister told the daily newspaper.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Education ministry to check readiness of Kato Secondary to cost $780M, but the additional cost of furnishing,

OPENING of the Kato Secondary School has been rescheduled to January, 2016.

This is in order to have the school fully furnished and handed over to the Ministry of Education.

According to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Delma Nedd, the building is “practically completed,” but it has not yet been handed over to the Ministry.

Additionally, the school has not yet been furnished or staffed. The Ministry has advertised for contractors to tender for the supply of furniture but the contract has

not yet been awarded.

Nedd advised that she and a team are expected to visit the school before the end of the month.

Construction of the Kato Secondary came as a result of the growing hinterland population in that community. Parents, students and teachers had complained of overcrowding and lack of access to secondary education in Region 8. The school will cater for children from communities including, Kato, Kurukubaru, and Monkey Mountain.

The main structure of the school was estimated

Kato Secondary School, Region 8

lighting, fencing, and security was expected to take

the final figure to around $1B.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Blood Bank to be decentr --- Telemedicine to be introduced in remote regions

By Tajeram Mohabir THE Ministry of Public Health will be moving to establish blood banks and introduce telemedicine to boost health care services in the remote regions of Guyana.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings, said the interventions are part of efforts to strengthen the health system to make it more responsive to the needs of citizens who reside outside the urban settings.

S p e a k i n g a t a p r ogramme familiarisation exercise at the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Office on Brickdam, Georgetown, on Monday, Dr Cummings, who has responsibility for Region 1, said on many occasions persons had to be medivaced out of the region because no blood was available.

The ministry will be working with the National Blood Transfusion Service to establish the banks, which will not be in all the regions, but in the more remote ones.

The Argentine Government had expressed an interest in setting up a blood bank here, and PAHO

Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings

Resident Representative Dr William Adu-Krow said the Public Health Ministry can tap into this opportunity.

And given that the Public Health Ministry is decentralised, the ministry is also looking to PAHO for assistance in introducing telemedicine in the far-flung areas.

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance.

It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve

access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities.

Minister Cummings said though there are health centres, health boards, district and regional hospitals, a considerable amount of pressure is on the Georgetown Hospital, and this will be addressed. “We want to bring the regions up to some kind of par in offering quality care so if you have a case in the hinterland region, and the doctor is not fully aware of

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

ralised

—Dr Cummings

what he has to do, he can get advice through telemedicine so they can have diagnosis quickly,” she said, noting that this intervention will enable better patient care in outlying areas.

PAHO Resident Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow HEALTHY COMMUNITIES The minister also praised PAHO for its role as a technocratic partner in helping the Public Health Ministry to realise its vision of building healthy communities, which are necessary for a healthy nation.

“We want Guyana to be the mecca of quality care in this part of the Region,” she said, noting that apart from having healthy citizens, the Government also wants the populace to be safe.

Minister Cummings pointed out that while many contend that Guyana is a nice place, is safe, and has no disasters, it should not become complacent.

On that score, she noted her satisfaction with the rolling out of a Crisis Centre as well as national and regional plans in the event of a disaster.

The ministry of Public Health was also happy that PAHO will be assisting the process of data collection.

The ministry depends on a reliable data system to make sound interventions.

The ministry will also be working closely with PAHO on Health Promotion.

“We are focusing more on health promotion and disease prevention,” Dr Cummings said, informing the meeting that these two areas will be a hub of the ministry’s activities.

Both Minister Cummings and Senior Health Minister George Norton gave their commitment to take the Tobago legislation to the National Assembly and have it approved.

Minister Cummings was particularly pleased that a programme will be brought on stream to train nurses, and bring them up to date on cutting-edge technology in the execution of their duties.

“We want value for money,” she said, noting that there must be measurable outcomes for monies spent.

PAHO’s core function covers the areas of leadership and partnerships, research and dissemination of knowledge, policy options based on ethics and evidence, technical cooperation for strengthening capacity and medicines and health technologies.

The United Nations body has over the years provided considerable assistance to Guyana in the areas of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health promotion, family health, health systems and services, environmental health and preparedness, surveillance and response. ***Photo saved as

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Guyanese in U.S. planning elaborate 50th Independence celebration

Consul General Brentnold Evans with initial Planning Committee members

GUYANESE resident in the United States have commenced planning for an elaborate celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s Independence, in May 2016.

Guyana gained Independence from Great Britain on May 26, 1966.

A Commemoration Planning Committee has been constituted, and Mr Rickford Burke has been named Coordinator of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations in New York.

A release has said that President David Granger will be invited to attend the festivities.

The initial meeting of the Committee was held on July 29 at Guyana’s Consulate in New York.

Guyana’s Consul General, Mr. Brentnold Evans, and the Committee brainstormed a series of activities and assessed the financial resources necessary to stage such a huge celebration in the diaspora.

The team agreed to one week of activities, beginning shortly after conclusion of celebrations in Guyana.

Burke said his team is planning a spectacular celebration of which Guyanese will be especially proud. He said that celebration will showcase Guyana’s rich culture and history, and emphasised that “This will be a unified, bipartisan endeavour. Everyone, regardless of political, religious or social creed, will be invited and encouraged to participate.

Guyana belongs to all of us; we must therefore fully embrace each other as well as our unique Guyanese identity and come together to celebrate this historic milestone in the journey of our nation.

“Our aim is to be uncompromisingly inclusive. Hence the Planning Committee will be drastically expanded to represent all facets of the Guyanese society.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be reaching out to various Guyanese-American communities in the metropolitan New York area and beyond, to include persons who can bring to bear targeted resources, expertise, and skill-sets to make this a truly momentous celebration,” Burke asserted.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Mother of murdered transgender sex worker is calling for justice

JOY Noel, mother of murdered transgender sex worker, Noel Luthers,

Mrs. Joy Noel said yesterday that she buried her loved one last

Friday and since then she has been enveloped with a sense of loss she cannot comprehend but is calling for justice to be served.

The grieving woman told this publication that regardless of what her son was, no one had the right to kill him and the perpetrators need to face the full force of the law. However, she said there isn’t much the police are doing to locate the two men, for whom they have issued wanted bulletins.

Noel said that up to yesterday morning she visited the Brickdam Police

Station to enquire whether there is any progress as it relates to the homicide,

Gunned down: Noel “Nephi” Luthers but was told that there is no new development in the case.

The woman added that she is frustrated and is unsure what to do next since she has been going back and forth at the police station for information.

Mrs. Noel added that she has come into some information from the gay community in which one of Nephi’s friends has come forward to say that he was the intended target and that person has a striking resemblance to her son.

She stated that she is unsure what transpired leading up to her son’s murder but knows for sure that the killers need to be held responsible and the

police should step up their game in locating the men, whose photos were displayed in the media.

Mrs. Noel said that there is someone out there who knows the whereabouts of the killers and it is her hope that they will be arrested.

RON ‘Andel’ Forde and Kanand Ojha, for whom the police have issued wanted bulletins in connection with the shooting death of transgender sex worker Noel Luthers, aka ‘Nephi’, have not made themselves available to the police, and are still actively being sought

for questioning in relation to his murder.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum initially told this newspaper that even before the wanted bulletin had been issued for the duo, the police had failed to locate them despite several visits to their places of abode. He said the police will continue to look for the suspects until they are found.

Twenty-year-old Luthers, of Lot ZZ D’urban Street, Wortmanville was gunned down by one of two men, on July 22, 2015 at about 02:35 hrs, See page 20

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Mother of murdered transgender ...

From page 19

while plying his trade in the downtown area of Carmichael Street in Georgetown. He was shot once to the chest when confronted by the duo during an argument over a paid transaction.

Reports are that a male client had earlier visited the transgender sex worker for a paid sexual encounter, but was apparently not

satisfied with the services he had received, and had returned to Luthers.

Not being pleased with the response, the client

Wanted: Kanand Ojha (left) and Ron ‘Andel’ Forde

returned with another man who reportedly shot Noel dead before fleeing the scene in a sports utility vehicle.

Luthers was conveyed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

One suspect to appear in court soon over Coomaka $1M robbery Wednesday, August 5, 2015 –– 09:00 hrs Thursday, August 6, 2015 –– 10:00 hrs Friday, August 7, 2015 –– 11:00 hrs

FOLLOWING the a r m e d ro b b e r y l a s t Saturday at Coomaka, Linden, three men were arrested and based on legal advice one of them is expected to appear at MacKenzie Magistrate’s Court shortly.

The two other suspects will be processed and released on bail since there is insufficient evidence at this time to hold them any longer.

Police had reported that at about 13:00 hrs last Saturday, Naresh Pooran, 43, of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, was held up by two men, one of whom was armed with a firearm, at Coomaka, Linden,

during which the perpetrators took away his licensed pistol and ammunition and $1M and escaped.

Subsequently, police ranks at a roadblock at

Nottinghamshire, Linden, stopped and searched motor car HB 4064 in which the stolen firearm and ammunition along with $859,000.00 and an

unlicensed .38 revolver with three rounds were recovered.

Three men had been arrested and were assisting with the probe.

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ARIES A possible change in direction might arise today. You could meet someone new or run into someone you haven’t seen in a while who offers you a chance to change careers. Or it could become clear that you need to pursue your art or hobby full time. Whichever it is, this is a great day to pursue it, even if you have doubts. Your past accomplishments afford you an advantage.

TAURUS You may feel especially emotional today, reacting strongly to just about every image you see, whether it’s a war photo or a kitten on a doorstep. Spiritually, you’re highly motivated and longing to know more about the world. You might find yourself thinking of making a pilgrimage. If you’re serious, make your plans now.

GEMINI Dreams and visions might come and go today, as unconscious images surface.

Some of these impressions could represent old traumas and phobias that have outlived their usefulness and need to be released. You could draw creative inspiration from these perceptions and use them as a basis for artistic projects.

By day’s end you may feel emotionally lighter.

CANCER Social events or group activities could put you in touch with many people, both close friends and casual acquaintances. A new person may come into your life who makes a difference. Issues may come up that you feel strongly about. You aren’t likely to refrain from expressing your opinions. This is fine if you’re tactful. Others will appreciate your honesty.

LEO Physically, you should feel strong and energetic and ready to take on just about anything that comes your way today. This is good, as some powerful challenges may come up that bring new purpose to your life. Enthusiasm permeates your being right now. You’re likely to face with determination anything that comes your way, undeterred by the enormity of the task.

VIRGO Romantic desire tempers spiritual passion today, and you may want to pursue both. Perhaps your romantic partner is as spiritually inclined as you, and you aspire toward the same ends. Much of the passion you feel wells from deep within. So if you’re creatively inclined in any way, you may want to memorialise these feelings through writing, painting, or music.

LIBRA If you’re currently romantically involved, your relationship could move to the next level of commitment. You and your partner could agree to be monogamous, get engaged, or set a wedding date. If you’re already married, you might decide to have a child. If you aren’t currently involved, expect to attract someone soon. You’re ready and signalling your availability loud and clear to potential partners!

SCORPIO An invitation to an important social event could come today. This may be a chance to meet important people who could advance your career in some way or who might be involved in a field that interests you. Your own energy and enthusiasm won’t be lost on them. You will obviously be speaking from the heart when you discuss what’s on your mind.

SAGITTARIUS A previously untapped talent may emerge today. You could decide to train this talent and create a new skill that can help you with just about any type of work you’d be doing. This is the day to do this. You should be full of energy and enthusiasm, capable of assuming any formidable task. You should be feeling physically strong and well. This is a day of challenges and new enterprises.

CAPRICORN Romantic passion might motivate you to improve your physical appearance.

You might decide to exercise, change your diet, and experiment with new clothes or haircut. You’re likely to produce the results you want. With the vast amounts of energy and enthusiasm churning within you today, you might surprise yourself - with this task or anything else you decide to do.

AQUARIUS You might take on the world. Excitement, enthusiasm, and purpose could fill your soul, yet you may wonder where it comes from, as nothing has really changed since yesterday. Don’t waste time wondering - just harness it! Tackle a class or exercise programme. Start a project. This energy comes from deep in the unconscious. It should be channelled into the conscious world!

PISCES Information gleaned from friends could find you focusing on a new goal. You may have a lot of ideas about projects you want to take care of, and today you may realise which one has top priority. Start moving! Whatever you do, find out what you need before you start. There’s a chance you might waste time running from place to place looking for necessary materials.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Police in full force for Novices competition THE POLICE will be out in full force when the Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis National Novices (ALNN) boxing competition punches off this Saturday at the East Ruimveldt Community Centre ground (California Square).

Chronicle Sport has been informed that the Guyana Police Force will be fielding seven pugilists for the competition, in which over eight gyms will participate.

The lawmen are set to rumble with Joint Services partners Guyana Defence Force and reigning Novices champions Guyana Prison

Wincell Thomas Service.

GDF were surprisingly

dethroned by Prison Service at last year’s Novices, staged at the same venue. The Republicans, as the Prison Service is known, were coached

by National coach Wincell Thomas and they turned the tables on the army.

The team from Camp a n d D ’ U r b a n S t re e t s walked away with the Champion Gym trophy leaving GDF to eat humble pie. Meanwhile, this year’s competition will see the return of the Pocket Rocket Gym which has been relocated to Linden.

The Region Ten-based gym is a part of 10 gyms

shortlisted to compete. The gyms are: Essequibo Boxing Gym, Forgotten Youth Foundation, Guyana Defence Force, Police, Harpy Eagles, New Opportunity Corps, Rose Hall Jammers, Republicans and Carryl Gym. Last year the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) made a return to competitive boxing after an absence of over five years and would be participating again this year. Meanwhile, the weigh-in of boxers and medicals are scheduled for Friday.

NSC supports Tang Soo Do Guyana THE NATIONAL Sport Commission (NSC) confirmed its support for the North American Federation of Martial Arts (NAFMA) Tang Soo Do competition, set for November 20 & 21 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

During a briefing ceremony on Tuesday at COPA Airlines office, Sport Director Christopher Jones indicated that the NSC stands ready and willing to support the event based on the fact that it is family-oriented.

“The National Sports Commission endorses this event being hosted by the Tang Soo do. We know that this event will draw participants from various countries, which is a plus for martial arts generally in Guyana. We note as well the sponsors who have thus far come on board and we would want to commend them and would want to encourage other persons of like mind to lend support to the event.”

Mexican training for Pan Am juniors GUYANA’S team for the Pan American Individual Junior Championships are in Tijuana, Mexico at the Centro de Alto Rendimeineto in Baja California, currently undergoing training and fine-tuning their skills.

Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani are in Mexico training for the tournament ahead of the August 5-10 event at the same venue.

The team recently returned from the Pan American Games Toronto 2015.

At the conclusion of this tournament Narayan Ramdhani will attend the Pan Am Juniors Academy High Performance Training, August 10-15, 2015 at the same venue.

Narayan and his sister will then join their Guyanese counterparts for the Caribbean Regional Junior & Senior Championships to be held in Dominican Republic August 20-30, 2015.

Narayan will be playing at the Senior & Under-19 Juniors and Priyanna at the Under-15 Juniors.

The other members include Nicholas Ali (Seniors), Jonathan Mangra (Under-17 & 19 Juniors), Tyrese Jeffrey (Under-15 Juniors) and Abosaide Cadogan (Under-13 Juniors).

Priyanna will be playing in the Under-15 events while Narayan will be playing in the Under-19 events in singles, doubles & mixed doubles. They will both be in the first year of their age group.

Guyana will also take part in the Juniors Team Events.

Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani From left to right: Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Tang Soo Do Guyana Sensei Roland Eudoxie, COPA Sales manager Nadine Oudkerk and De Vaughn Lewis of the Red Cross.

Meanwhile the Guyana Red Cross Society will be tasked with providing care in the event of any mishap.

The Society’s representative De Vaughn Lewis spoke of their level of participation.

“The Red Cross is pleased to be a part of this event. We will be lend-

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: William Bates (vs AUST, Melbourne, 1882-83) (2) Australia won by 45 runs (Melbourne, 1876-77) Today’s Quiz: What is the highest team score made in an ENG/AUST Test to date?

How many wickets England’s Jim Laker took against Australia in the Old Trafford Test of 1956?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

ing support to this event in terms of safety. It’s a family event and we will be there with our presence and ambulance and medical equipment to lend support to patrons and participants.”

Nadine Oudkerk, Sales manager for COPA Airlines thanked the organisation for offering them the opportunity to sponsor the event and spoke of developing a longterm relationship with Tang Soo Do Guyana.

Sensei Roland Eudoxie, who is responsible for the Guyana Chapter of Tang Soo Do, indicated that the family-themed event will feature teams from Suriname, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Guadeloupe, Aruba and the United States and Canada.

The first evening, ac-

cording to sensei Eudoxie, will feature a seminar and dinner with the guests of honour Azim Rizk, the Black and Green Power Ranger in the Power Rangers Super Megaforce on Nickelodeon and Master Jose Torres.

Day two will feature competition at CASH where the various teams will compete. He indicated that a small fee will be charged for participating in the event because the aim of the event is not to make money but to give people a chance to rediscover family bonding.

Sponsors are COPA Airlines, Farfan and Mendes, Banks DIH Ltd, Pegasus Hotel Guyana, Pro Graphics, HFD Mining Supplies, POPEYES and Trophy Stall. (Stephan Sookram)

12:45 hrs Let’s Twist South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 08:30 hrs Ashantee 09:05 hrs Kept Secret 09:40 hrs Told You So 10:20 hrs Henchman 10:55 hrs You Bolt English Racing Tips Salisbury 09:00 HRS Dal Harraild 09:30 hrs Holland Park 10:00 hrs Rive Gauche 10:30 hrs Greek Islands 11:00 hrs Malih 11:30 hrs Frenzified 12:00 hrs Halling’s Wish 12:35 hrs Wild Desert Catterick 09:15 hrs Mohab 09:45 hrs Monsea 10:15 hrs Lorimer’s Lot 10:45 hrs Dhaular Dhar 11:15 hrs Silver Shuffle 11:45 hrs Alaskan Wing 12:15 hrs Euxton

Ripon 13:05 hrs Candy Banter 13:35 hrs Rosina 14:05 hrs Atlantic Affair 14:35 hrs Seve 15:05 hrs Duke Street 15:35 hrs Mawjood Irish Racing Tips Cork 12:30 HRS Only Mine 13:00 hrs Barbeque 13:30 hrs Octavia 14:00 hrs Eshera 14:30 hrs Frozen Lake 15:00 hrs Zannda 15:30 hrs Russian Roulette American Racing Tips Philadelphia Park Race 1 No Great SAhakes Race 2 Krista’s Persona Race 3 Golden Punch Race 4 Hasty Miss Race 5 Wake Up Mama Race 6 Muzzled Mousse Race 7 Reinzi Race 8 Frenchman Bay Race 9 Molten Steel

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

Digicel hands over sponsorship cheque for Boyce/Jefford Classic TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant Digicel, one of the main sponsors of the upcoming Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, yesterday handed over a sponsorship cheque for the impending event at a simple ceremony at its headquarters in Kingston.

The cheque for the August 15-16 event was handed over

by Digicel Events and Sponsorship manager Gavin Hope, who noted Digicel’s delight to continue being a part of what has grown into a premier local event on the track and field calendar.

“This could potentially be the biggest track and field meet in Guyana and we want them to continue to do more and do better. We have seen the continuous growth every year, hence we will continue to support the meet,” Hope stated.

Digicel has been a sponsor of the event since its inaugural hosting, back in 2010, and since then has continued its support of the lucrative event. The event features a grand cash prize of $600 000 to the top performing club at the meet, while second-, third- and fourth-place clubs receive $400 000, $250 000, and $100 000, respectively.

The event also features international individual events, where cash prizes are awarded to the first-, second- and third-place finishers. As an added feature this year the Events and Sponsorship manager Gavin Hope, second from left, event will see an entire club from Jamaica competing hands over sponsorship cheque to Boyce and Jefford Classic against the Guyanese clubs. chairman Colin Boyce. Looking on is co-chairman Edison Jefford.

Fruta Conquerors summer camp attracts scores of football-hungry youths

Fruta Conquerors Football Camp participants pose with sponsors at the launching.

ONE of the country’s leading football clubs – Fruta Conquerors – recently launched its 8th Annual Football Summer Camp.

At a simple ceremony at its Tucville home ground, Fruta Conquerors had said initially, the camp would involve at least 40 children, but later announced that the number had increased.

The camp aims at educating young minds on social issues through football while helping to build a generation of footballers who are rounded both on and off the field.

Club secretary Daniel Thomas, in giving a comprehensive overview of what has been crafted for the next three weeks, pointed out that the camp will not just enlighten the youngsters on the fundamentals of football, but also edify them on crucial

life skills and social issues.

According to the Guyana Times report, from among the topics to be delivered by experts in the respective fields are Drug and Substance Abuse, Domestic Abuse, Peer Pressure, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, HIV and STIs, environmental issues, and media relations.

Some of the presenters confirmed to conduct the classroom sessions are: Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, Senior Superintendent Angela Harding, University of Guyana lecturers Deon Frank and Dr Carolyn Walcott, former Director of Prisons Dale Erskine, Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association’s Renuka Anandjit and US-based Guyanese Britney Brathwaite.

Football training will be

spearheaded by the Club’s head coach Calvin Allen and a battery of coaches who will deal with specific areas.

Director of Marketing and Communications at the Guyana Football Federation, Rawle Toney, lauded the club’s contribution to football in Guyana and attributed their input to consistent investment of their players at the youth level.

Toney highlighted the importance of the Club’s executives choosing pertinent topics to be addressed, and for encouraging youth participation in football, which can truly serve to enhance the development of the game.

The National Milling Company (NAMILCO), a major supporter of the Club’s programme, has thrown its support behind the threeweek academy, as well as

Scotiabank, which is on board with the Tucvillebased club for the first time.

Both sponsors’ representatives, Affeeze Khan and Jennifer Cipriani, were delighted to partner with the club, and they both left strong words of advice for the youngsters.

Classroom sessions will be held from 09:00hrs to 12:00hrs and football training from 13:00hrs to 15:00hrs daily.

The academy, which ends on August 21, has received tremendous support from corporate entities such as NAMILCO; Scotiabank; Guyana Beverage Company; Digicel; Farfan and Mendes; Food For The Poor (Guyana); the Education Ministry and the Office of the Director of Sport.

Describing the event as a “quality meet”, Hope noted that Digicel has continued its support over the years, because the company has been pleased with how the event has evolved over the years.

“We have followed the progress of the event and the management has always made all efforts to bring a quality meet and it has grown from an administrative standpoint,” Hope remarked.

On behalf of the Boyce and Jefford Classic committee, Boyce extended the organisation’s sincere gratitude to Digicel for its continued support of the event.

“I am happy that they indeed accepted the initiative since our first year and in our sixth edition. We hope to continue to see the development of our athletes and sports in general,” Boyce said.

Government to cover Sandiford’s return expenses THE BODY of Guyanese blind cricketer Gordon Sandiford, who died recently in St Lucia, will be returned home by weekend, according to the Director of Sport Christopher Jones.

Giving a brief comment yesterday, the Sport Director indicated that he and the Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnarine paid a visit to the family of the 28-year-old cricketer and arrangements were made for the return of the body.

“Of course the Government of Guyana committed to offset all expenses in terms of having Sport Director the body returned to Guyana and we were awaiting the Christopher Jones post-mortem which was done yesterday (Monday).

Jones also disclosed that the post-mortem results revealed that Sandiford did not die by drowning but rather as a result of some piece of food from the meal he had about an hour earlier.

Which was stuck somewhere in one of the pipes in his throat.

According to Jones, the magistrate in St Lucia will have to sign off and officially release the body for transportation back to Guyana. He says that they are in contact with one of the funeral homes in St Lucia and they are looking at making the local connection to receive the body.

The family has requested the use of Jerrick’s Funeral Service but the St Lucian company says that they do business with Sandy’s, something the sport director says will be sorted out and fixed by Permanent Secretary Alfred King.

On July 28, Sandiford left Guyana as part of the Guyana team to participate in the Blind Cricketers Tournament in St Lucia. He was scheduled to be a part of the Guyana and Windward Islands match set for Friday but it was cancelled due to heavy rains.

The team was invited to go on tour of the Rodney Mall and then the Pigeon Island beach to swim which was the overall consensus of the players. At the beach Gordon Sandiford, a B2 (partially blind) player “encountered difficulty” and had to be helped out of the water. He was frothing through his mouth and nose; he was not talking and breathing.

The paramedics after performing on him felt a pulse and immediately transferred him to the ambulance which left for the hospital. Unfortunately he passed away on the way to the hospital.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

‘Respect the Game’ Charity Basketball …

Team Bond, Team Toney ready to ignite Linden

RESPECT the Game Inc., the only ‘Sportainment’ charitable company in Guyana, is taking its Charity Basketball to Linden on Friday with a triple-header at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.

Attorney-at-Law James Bond ‘Team Bond’ will lead Georgetown clubs Ravens, Pacesetters and Colts against Sport Journalist and Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Communications Director Rawle Toney’s Amelia’s Ward Jets, Half Mile Bulls and Victory Valley Royals.

The ‘Team Bond’ versus ‘Team Toney’ concept was birthed last year when a group of friends (Herman Liverpool, Toney, Bond, Edison Jefford, Campton Bobb and Surika Danraj) came together and used the sport of basketball, their players and celebrities, to help give back to the less fortunate.

“We started the ‘Respect the Game’ movement last year when we had our celebrity event at the Sports Hall and now, we’re taking it to Linden,” said Toney.

He further added “I’m from Linden so ‘Team Toney’ will be bringing the best team from the town (Linden) and I know James’ ‘Team Bond’ will be very strong.

The idea, though, is to first help in giving back to basketball, making sure the players benefit, as well as using all the funds to support those in need in Linden.”

The event in Linden was made possible through sponsorship from E-Networks, Gravity Lounge, Sleep-In International Hotel, Buddy’s Pool Hall and Fitness Express.

“Linden is a basketball community and it’s been a while since they’ve actually seen some good basketball. This event will reignite that Linden versus Georgetown rivalry while doing so for a good cause,” Toney said.

Meanwhile, according to Toney, Respect the Game Inc. is currently doing a Schools Supplies Drive for the month of August to assist 200 children when school reopens on August 31.

James Bond

Rawle Toney

Teamwork led Guyana to U-19 title Town-hall meeting

GUYANA’S 4-wicket triumph over Jamaica in the final of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Under-19 tournament was due to a total team effort, according to coach Adrian Amsterdam.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport today, Amsterdam indicated that the players were determined to avenge their earlier loss to Jamaica.

“Before the game started, as a matter of fact, at the meeting the night before, by losing to Jamaica in the first game, the guys were determined to reverse the decision. So they went into that game with the determination to win.”

He credited the entire team for their performance but acknowledged that there were several standout characters in Shimron Hetmyer, Travis Persaud and Keemo Paul who really showed leadership capabilities. He especially praised the batting spectacle put on from Berbician Hetmyer.

“Before the tournament, I had a talk with Hetmyer. I told him that he was a cut above the normal U-19 and he needs to show it. He played first class cricket and he needed to show that he played first class cricket; and he went and he did just that.”

Hosts Jamaica won the toss and took first strike producing 245-6 off 50 overs. They were led by a top knock of 92 from opener Jevon Spence and he was supported by Brad James (51 not out) and Michael Frew 30.

Akenie Adams (2-33), Keemo Paul (2-39) and one each from Balchan Baldeo and Ronaldo Alimohammed, represented the wicket-takers for the Guyanese.

In reply, Guyana battled to 250-6 in the 47th over, compliments of their lengthy batting line-up. Hetmyer once again top-scored with 55 but his innings was stopped

- coach Amsterdam

Shimron Hetmyer

via run-out, like Tevin Imlach’s (14) and Baldeo’s (15).

Paul also contributed 15 before he was caught-and-bowled but the skipper Travis Persaud (24) and Sherfane Rutherford (45) steadied the ship during the chase, but made way for Parmanand Randan (6*) and Kassem Khan who hit an unbeaten 43 to push Guyana over the line and complete a terrific tournament-run.

A wicket each went to Brad Barnes, Miguel Smith and Michael Frew for Jamaica.

Jamaica had tangled with Guyana in the opening round of the seven-round tournament and the home side prevailed by five wickets. (Stephan Sookram)

Four Guyanese called to U-19 World Cup Camp SHIMRON Hetmyer, Tevin lmlach, Akshaya Persaud and Keemo Paul have been called to camp by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) ahead of the Under-19 World Cup. The camp, set for August 4-17 at the West Indies Mona Campus in Barbados, comes on the heels of the recently concluded U-19 tournament which Guyana won.

Opening batsman Hetmyer was the WICB U-19 Cricketer-of-the-Year in 2014 and at this year U-19 tournament, he scored the most runs (355 with one century and two half-centuries). He also registered the highest individual

score (135, against Leeward Islands).

Left-arm, off-spinner Persaud is noted for his economical bowling while Imlach is an opening batsman/wicketkeeper, whose skills with the bat and behind the wicket are definitely remarkable.

All-rounder Keemo Paul has earned the title of Guyana’s most dependable youth cricketer as he is well-known for pulling his team out of trouble.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has since congratulated the players who went straight to Barbados after the completion of the U-19 tournament

set for Friday in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica – President of the WICB Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron and vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan have been engaging stakeholders through a series of town-hall meetings around the region since May this year.

So far, the top brass of the WICB have had dialogue with the fans of the game from Barbados, Dominica, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana.

This Friday, August 7, it is Jamaica’s turn – and the famous Kingston Cricket Club will provide the backdrop for the next town-hall meeting from 18:00hrs to 20:00hrs.

“We are taking into consideration all the views to see how the Board of Directors and management team can facilitate change for a positive outcome for the game in the region,” said Cameron.

“The region’s cricket requires all of its affiliates and stakeholders to make the product develop and grow, and we look forward to hearing how we can continue to make a positive impact on the sport.”

Fans will get their chance to ask questions and make comments about the sport and how the region can merge its efforts to make the cricket industry more viable than it has been.

“We’re enthusiastic about continuing to use these sessions to listen to concerns and share information about where West Indies cricket is now, our strategic goals for the future and how the fans can impact upon the way we progress,” said Cameron.

The topics covered at the town-hall meetings have been wide-ranging. They have included selection matters, the operation of the WICB Professional Cricket League, player relations, player development, pitch preparation and governance issues.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday August 5, 2015

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Sport CHRONICLE

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

NSC supports Tang Soo Do Guyana SEE STORY ON PAGE 28

Teamwork led Guyana to U-19 title

‘Respect the Game’ Charity Basketball …

Team Bond, Team Toney ready to ignite Linden Police in full force for Digicel hands Novices competition over sponsorship

SEE STORY ON PAGE 30

cheque for Boyce/ Jefford Classic SEE STORY ON PAGE 29

SEE STORY ON PAGE 28

Government to cover Sandiford’s return expenses

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

SEE STORY ON PAGE 29

Wednesday August 5, 2015