2015 8 31

GUYANA No. 104298

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

MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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Armed bandits rob Diamond couple outside home – coming from airport after vacation in the U.S.

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Three juveniles reportedly escape from La Grange Police Station Page

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‘Specialise! Follow your dreams!’ – Public Health Minister

Giftland rivals Regent Street this year – at last-minute back-to-school shopping

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urges new batch of Cuban-trained doctors Tiger Bay stabbing...

‘Rasta Man’ for post 7 mortem today Page

A proud dad and his kids out shopping late yesterday at the Giftland Mall (Photo by Samuel Maughn)

– suspect still in police custody

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, August 31, 2015

‘Specialise! Follow your dreams!’

– Public Health Minister urges new batch of Cuban-trained doctors NINETY-two new medical doctors, who completed their seven years of training under the Guyana/ Cuba medical scholarship programme, will now embark on a new journey to strengthen Guyana’s medical system. The graduation ceremony which was held at the Arthur Chung International Conference Centre Saturday evening was graced by Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton; Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; Minister of State Joseph Harmon; and Cuban Ambassador, Julio Marchante. In delivering the feature address at the ceremony, Minister of State Harmon congratulated the graduates as he looked forward to the continuation of the programme: “We are proud to have inherited this programme from the previous Administration and in many years to come, it will be stronger.” Harmon told the graduates that they have completed their studies at a very important juncture in Guyana’s history. “We have a new Government that is committed and resolved to providing opportunities, facilities and services equally to our citizens on the coastland as well as in the hinterland,” he said. Minister Harmon said further that a key element of this commitment is the delivery of healthcare services, as it is the Administration’s belief that citizens in the hinterland and rural coastal communities are entitled to the same quality of services and facilities that are available in the urban centres. HEALTHCARE STRATEGY “We will do well to take a keen look at the overall Cuban healthcare system, second to none in the Caribbean and perhaps even Latin America, in developing a strategy for healthcare delivery to our hinterland and rural Guyana,” the Minister

The new medical doctors showcasing their certificates and trophies in the presence of Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton (front centre); Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; and Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Julio Marchante

The doctors taking their Hippocratic oath Saturday evening

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon addressing the audience at the graduation ceremony for the new medical doctors at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara (Photos by Adrian Narine)

of State noted. He also noted that the training techniques and systems, which the graduates benefited from, would help the Government in establishing a viable national health-

care system. POST-GRADUATE STUDIES And giving the charge to the new doctors, the Minister of Public Health

challenged them to move to higher rankings and complete their post-graduate studies or specialist training and not just “hang up the lab coats neatly.” Being an advocate for post-graduate training, Dr. Norton said that he will be pushing to provide more of this for medical students and so he encouraged them to follow their dream and go out and perform for the betterment of the country. “The more Guyanese doctors we have, there will be a decline in the infant mortality rate across the country,” Dr. Norton declared. For now, he added, the doctors will be split into groups which will see 14 of them heading to the New Amsterdam Hospital, 14 to the West Demerara Hospital, 10 to the Suddie Hospital, eight to the Linden Hospital, and 46 to the Georgetown Public Hospi-

tal Corporation (GPHC). Meanwhile Ambassador Merchant said: “Thanks to the conviction and determination of our Governments and peoples to train and prepare professionals for life and the mutual appreciation and solidarity we practise, all of you had an opportunity to study medicine in Cuba, and today received the full accreditation for the noble gesture to save human beings and raise the living standards of your compatriots or others of the world.” He encouraged the doctors to utilise their moral and ethical commitment to help Guyana, practising the values learned at the Cuban universities that hosted their studies. Some of the newly-graduated medical doctors told this publication that they will live up to the Hippocratic/Physician’s Oath that they have taken

and strive to the best of their abilities and work for the benefit of humanity. The Guyana/Cuba Specialist Awards Scholarships Programme was established back in 2001 by then President Bharrat Jagdeo in a bid to present opportunities and address the shortfall in the local health sector. Its establishment stemmed from a visit Jagdeo paid to Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro. The scholarships were established in several disciplines, including medicine and engineering. Among the specifications for each batch sent out was the presence of students of Indigenous des c e n t . T h e y w e re a l s o given a stipend of Cdn $50 per month and would liaise with a student affairs officer in Cuba, who was appointed by the Government. (Navendra Seoraj)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, August 31, 2015

Armed bandits rob Diamond couple outside home – coming from airport after vacation in the U.S.

By Michel Outridge A HUSBAND and wife are traumatised after suffering an early-morning armed robbery yesterday just after arriving home at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, from a vacation in the United States via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri. The couple, who did not want to be named, said they could not recall being followed by a white car while on their way home from the airport, but as soon as they

arrived in front their house in a taxi, they were relieved by two armed men of two pieces of hand luggage which contained important documents and cash, among other things they had brought for persons. The husband told this newspaper that they had just parked in front of their house and he had exited the car to open the gate when a white car passed, and two men came up. The one with a knife told him, “Don’t move!” while the gunman held up the taxi driver and put him to lie on

the ground, while his wife was still seated in the vehicle. The knife-toting bandit demanded that she hand over the bags, but she hesitated and the gunman then threatened to shoot the driver if she did not comply. The terrified woman was forced to hand over the two hand-piece bags to the robber, who was armed with a knife, and he then reassured his accomplice that he got the bags and not to shoot anybody. The bandits, who fled the scene on foot, left the area in

a white car which was waiting down the street for them. The couple said the incident took place within a few minutes because the men did not waste time and escaped quickly but after the police were summed they showed up promptly to take their report. They related that the incident took place just before 03:00 hrs and they took a car they would normally travel with and cannot say who would have tipped off the bandits as to their movements leading up to the robbery.

It is their first robbery experience and the incident has left them very ‘shaky’ but they were pleased with the police response time. They noted however that many armed robberies are being committed in the Diamond area, particularly during the hours of darkness and they need greater protection as the crime wave is evidently spiraling out of control. The couple who resides at 11th Street, Back Half, Diamond Housing Scheme said that any person who

may have information which may lead to the recovery of their documents, including their passports with visas and other important documents which were in an envelope with the names Rohit Deeyal and Somwattie, can call 6256215. The woman told this publication that she was robbed of some US$4,000 she had transported for persons here, along with documents among other articles that are of great importance and cannot be easily replaced.

Three juveniles reportedly escape Giftland rivals Regent Street this year from La Grange Police Station – at last-minute back-to-school shopping UNCONFIRMED reports last night indicate that three juveniles escaped from the La Grange Police Station, West Bank Demerara. When contacted, the ‘D’ Division Commander said he could not speak about the matter, while the Officer- in-Charge of the station could not confirm it.

Ranks at La Grange were very tightlipped about the incident as well, and only said that those present showed up for work at the night shift, and were not aware of what had transpired during the day. Meanwhile, calls to the Crime Chief’s cell-phone went unanswered last night. (See full story in tomorrow’s issue).

Plaisance barber hospitalised – in Embankment Road ‘hit-and-run’

The injured Stephen Abrams

By Shirley Thomas A PLAISANCE barber recently had a close shave with death in a ‘hit-and-run’ accident on the Plaisance Railway Embankment Road. Forty-one-year-old Stephen Abrams says he will be unable to return to his trade for some time yet, having sustained a broken left shoulder and broken left leg as well as bruises to the head in the accident which happened two Tuesdays ago. Abrams, a father of one,

remains warded at the Male Accident Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) . His leg is injured in two places: His ankle is broken and there is also a wound above the ankle which is preventing surgery from being performed on the ankle. The wound above the ankle was caused by a hit from the car’s bumper. Abrams recalls that around 20:00 hrs on the Tuesday night, he was walking along the Railway Embankment when he noticed some friends on the other side of

the road. He hailed out to them and went over to chat briefly and was going back across the road when he was struck down. Abrams said all be remembers was hearing a loud ‘bang’, and realising that he had been struck by a motor vehicle. Beyond that, he knows nothing else. Witnesses said that on impact, Abrams was hurled through the air and landed dangerously in front of an oncoming car. The motorist applied brakes and averted a major catastrophe. But for the love of God, the man would have been crushed, the driver acknowledged. As witnesses ran to Abrams’ rescue, the offending motorist took off his light and sped away. All they recall is that the hit-and-run motorist was driving a white Toyota Carina. Meantime, the man in front of whose car Abrams had landed, trembling with fright, hurriedly exited his car, took off his jersey and strapped the wound of the bleeding barber. The injured man was rushed to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital by a neighbourhood taxi.

By Michel Outridge

IN light of the opening of most schools today for the new academic year, there was a last-chance shopping rush at Giftland Mall at Pattensen, Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara, where scores of parents, with children in tow, made their purchases of school supplies. The Mall was a hive of activity, as school-age children were taking their pick of backpacks, lunch kits, water bottles, shoes and stationery. Some were choosy, while

others obviously knew what they wanted as they made their way to the various aisles and sections of the large shopping complex. Several children, who were shopping with their parents and guardians, told this newspaper that the day was eventful, and they had a wide variety of things to choose from. The shopping experience at Giftland’s was delightful, they all agreed. Parents were queued up, awaiting their turn at the cashiers with trolleys of items, including school supplies. Meanwhile, downtown

yesterday along Regent Street during the afternoon hours, most stores were closed but a handful of pavement vendors were out with school uniforms, shoes, books and pencils, among others supplies, but few customers. The vendors said they had a poor sales day and were hoping to see an improvement later even though it was Sunday. And in other wards in the city it was quiet since most people had already made their purchases for their children’s back-to-school today.

Gold smuggling probe to be conducted at ‘individual levels’ – Ramjattan FOLLOWING recent revelations about rampant gold smuggling discovered by the new Administration since assuming office in May, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has promised that the investigations will be conducted on “individual levels”, once the files are sent to his Ministry. The Public Security Minister gave this assurance when grilled by media operatives on Government’s approach to the startling gold smuggling racket at a post-Cabinet press briefing last Friday. “Locally, there are a number of things in relation to the Public Security Ministry, we will take the investigation to the individual levels once those files are sent to us,” Ramjattan said briefly. Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, who has responsibility for the Natural Resources sector, had reported earlier that the new Administration had found evidence of “rampant” gold smuggling,

particularly to neighbouring countries Brazil and Suriname, and also to the United States. “From what we are seeing gold is going over our borders with Brazil and Suriname and some amounts are going up to the U.S.,” said Trotman, according to media reports. SMUGGLERS’ VISAS REVOKED As a result of this, the United States Government has revoked the visas for some Guyanese businessmen who were said to be involved in gold smuggling. These businessmen were reported as using both the Cheddi Jagan and Ogle international airports to smuggle gold without making the required declarations. Meanwhile, observers are of the view that the gold smuggling has played a huge part in lessening the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP). It was first felt that scores of miners had been affected by the price drop on the world market, and their production

subsequently fell. However, the evidence now emerging indicates that the huge drop stems from an organised smuggling racket that involved ordinary business persons as well as licensed gold traders. The racket also points to collusion by key personnel at the country’s airports. Investigations, according to reports, are being carried out by the Guyana Gold Board and the Ministry of Governance, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is part of an international probe into the smuggling of millions of US dollars worth of the precious metal as “scrap gold.” Though it is alleged that customs officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority are involved in the scam, the agency has refuted this in a statement, saying that its officers play a limited role at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with regard to the movement of passengers. (Shivanie Sugrim)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

Iran nuclear deal now backed by 31 senators are likely to play out: • When Congress returns on Sept. 8 from its August recess, debate will begin on a Republican-sponsored “resolution of disapproval” against the deal. • In the Senate, Republicans must gather 60 votes to move the resolution forward under Senate procedural rules. If they can, they will then need a simple majority of 51 votes in the chamber to approve the resolution. It would pass, because Republicans control a majority of Senate seats and most have already come out against the agreement. • There is no similar procedural barrier in the House. The resolution is expected to easily win approval there.

WASHINGTON, (Re-

uters)-U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, said yesterday he would support the nuclear deal with Iran, moving President Barack Obama a step closer to having sufficient backing to ensure the deal stands. “I believe the agreement, titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is the best available strategy to block Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Merkley wrote in a statement published on Medium.com. Obama is trying to muster 34 votes in the Senate to ensure lawmakers cannot kill the deal. Thirty-one senators, all Democrats and

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry independents who vote with Democrats, have now said they will support it.

Congress must vote on the deal by Sept. 17. The following describes how votes

Republicans hold 246 seats in the 435-seat House. • If both chambers approve the resolution, it would go to Obama’s desk for review. He has vowed to veto it. • If he does so, opponents would then try to override the veto. This would take a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. The Senate has 100 members; the House, 434, plus one vacant seat. • Democrats could block an override in the Senate with 34 votes. So far, 31 senators have committed to voting in favor of the deal; 31 have said they will oppose it. • In the House, if Republicans voted unanimously

against the deal, they would need to get at least 44 Democrats to vote with them to override a veto. • The Iran deal is not a treaty, so it does not need the two-thirds vote in the Senate to be ratified. The “resolution of disapproval” mechanism was included in a law Obama signed in May giving Congress the right to weigh in on the nuclear deal with Iran. • If Congress were to pass a resolution of disapproval and override a veto, Obama would be barred from waiving most of the U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme. Proponents of the agreement say this would kill the deal.

Neurologist, author Oliver Sacks dies at age 82 By Bill Trott (REUTERS) - Oliver Sacks, the neurologist who studied the intricacies of the brain and wrote eloquently about them in books such as “Awakenings” and “The Man

Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat,” died yesterday at the age of 82, his personal assistant said. The British-born Sacks, who announced in February that he had terminal liver cancer, died at his home in New York City at 1:30 a.m.

Neurologist Oliver Sacks dead at 82 with his partner, the writer Billy Hayes, and his personal assistant, Kate Edgar, at his side, Edgar told Reuters. “He definitely wrote to the very end,” said Edgar, noting Sacks in his final days never stopped penning a legacy that will be published posthumously and may include “several books.” NYU School of Medicine, where Sacks taught, said in a statement mourning his death that his “breakthrough work”

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in the fields of neurology and neuro psychiatry led to important understandings in these fields. “Equally important, his prolific, award-winning writing touched the lives of millions around the world,” NYU said. Sacks was called “a kind of poet laureate of medicine” and “one of the great clinical writers of the 20th century” by the New York Times. Using a typewriter or

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writing in longhand, Sacks authored more than a dozen books, filling them with detailed, years-long case histories of patients who often became his friends. He explained to lay readers how the brain handles everything from autism to savantism, colorblindness to Tourette’s syndrome, and how his patients could adapt to their unconventional minds. Sacks’ view, as expressed in his 1995 book “An Anthropologist on Mars,” was that such disorders also came with a potential that could bring out “latent powers, developments, evolutions, forms of life that might never be seen, or even be imaginable.” “The brain is the most intricate mechanism in the universe,” he said in a People magazine interview. “I couldn’t imagine spending my life with kidneys.” Sacks’ own psyche was quite complicated. At times in his life he struggled with drug abuse and acute shyness and he suffered from prosopagnosia, a disorder that leaves victims unable to recognise faces. In 2012 he told a New

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York magazine interviewer he had been in psychoanalysis for more than 45 years and celibate since the mid-1960s because he was essentially married to his work. However, in “On the Move” he wrote of falling in love at age 77 with Hayes. Sacks, an atheist, was born in London on July 7, 1933, to Jewish physicians. In hopes of keeping him safe from the Nazis’ bombing of London during World War Two, his parents sent him away to school and the shy young Sacks turned to science. After attending medical school and practising in Britain, he moved to the United States in the early 1960s where he studied a group of people with encephalitis lethargica. They had been untreated and virtually frozen in catatonic states for decades until Sacks administered an experimental psychoactive drug known as L-dopa. The drug had an explosive “awakening” effect on the patients but the experiment trailed into failure as they developed tics, seizures or manic behavior and had trouble adjusting to the contemporary world.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

Candidates told to respect code of conduct ahead of T&T general election PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) - In the runup to the September 7 general election, Chairman of the Council for Responsible Political Behavior, Dr. Vishnu Ragoonath, has called on leaders and candidates to ensure that the Code of Ethical Political Conduct is respected and followed for the remaining days of the campaign. In a media release on Saturday, Ragoonath reminded political parties and candidates that they must exercise a level of responsibility by making the Code known to supporters so as

Chairman of the Council for Responsible Political Behavior, Dr. Vishnu Ragoonath

to promote adherence to the Code by all citizens. “Once this happens, the election will be conducted peacefully. There should be no harassment or intimidation and public and private property must be respected,” he said. He said the council has noted that while only seven political parties were signatories to the Code of Ethical Political Conduct, all of the candidates and parties contesting the elections, have sought to maintain good ethical conduct thus far. “Although there were instances of lapses, at all

Brazil’s economy enters recession BRAZIL has entered recession after official figures showed the country’s economy contracted by 1.9% between April and June compared with the previous three months. Analysts had expected a contraction, but the number was worse than expected. First quarter output was also revised down to show a 0.7%, rather than a 0.2%, contraction. The country, the seventh-largest economy in the world, has seen economic growth fall sharply in recent times. This is due in part to low commodity prices and slug-

gish global growth. High interest rates - currently 14.25% - have also affected consumer spending, an important element of Brazil’s economy, while this year, the government has introduced stringent austerity measures designed to tackle high levels of debt. Government spending, including on unemployment benefits, has fallen sharply, while taxes have risen. WIDESPREAD FALLS In the second quarter, household spending fell by 2.1% compared with the previous three months. The biggest falls came in the industri-

al sector, where construction output fell 8.4% Transport, storage, postal services, financial services and insurance all saw falls in output. Compared with a year earlier, the economy as a whole shrank by 2.6%. The technical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. Most people have already been feeling the economic downturn long before today’s figures were out. Unemployment has risen rapidly, while inflation over 12 months is running above 9% twice the Government’s target. More worryingly, analysts believe growth might not return until 2017. Brazilian authorities are trying to fix the economy with austerity measures, but the Government is facing a political crisis and a rebellion of allied MPs who want to increase spending, rather than reform the economy. A corruption scandal has also hurt state oil giant Petrobras, responsible for a huge chunk of public investment. Now, as if things could not get any worse, there is uncertainty about how changes in the Chinese economy might affect commodity prices, which are vital to Brazil’s exports. (BBC)

times when such lapses were brought to the attention of the leadership of the political parties as well as to the candidates themselves, the Council observed that there seemed to be genuine efforts to ensure that such lapses did not recur,” he said in the release. “Furthermore, the

Council observed that on several occasions, platform speakers prefaced their comments by saying they would seek to ensure that their presentation in no way breaches the Code.” Ragoonath said the work of the Council will continue beyond the general election day.

More than 100 candidates are vying for the 41 seats at stake in the polls. Political observers say the race is between the ruling United National Congress (UNC) led People’s Partnership government and the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM).

Dominica gov’t declares special disaster zones after storm ROSEAU, Dominica, (CMC) - Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has declared several areas ‘special disaster areas’ following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika. Skerrit, who made the declaration late Saturday, said this was necessary due to the loss of life, the destruction of property and the need for focused response in these areas. The disaster areas include the communities of Petite Soufriere, Good Hope, Dubique, Petite Savanne, Pichelin, Coulibistrie, Campbell and San Sauveur. Skerrit also stated that continued focus will also be on the Douglas Charles Airport and Petite Savanne. Meanwhile, regional carrier LIAT has announced changes to its schedule due to the closure of the Douglas Charles Airport and the cancellation of several flights. The airline says it will

Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

be operating an additional 29 services into Guadeloupe this week, to facilitate movement in and out of Dominica. According to the airline, customers holding a LIAT ticket to and from Dominica will be allowed to change their flight to or

from Guadeloupe, Martinique or St. Lucia at no charge. Twenty people have been confirmed dead since the passage of Erika and several communities remain cut off from the rest of the island.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

EDITORIAL The new school year begins today TODAY, Monday, children head back to school for the beginning of the new academic year. Some would be entering the various levels of the education system for the first time, while others would be continuing students. In addition to the students, our educators and the support staff would also be formally heading back to work after the relatively long break. No doubt, many of the students, especially those moving to new schools, would be excited about getting back into the classroom. The anticipation of the new challenges, making new friends, and engaging new teachers often serves as an inspiration to many. Not all students fall into that category; some, for varying reasons, would not be so thrilled at going back to school. Unfortunately, this latter category has been growing at an alarming rate in recent times. This new academic year starts against the backdrop of an acknowledged crisis in the education system and process in our country. As most observers have concluded, our education sector has been in trouble for a while now. While a tiny minority of students have continued to perform excellently at the various exams, the vast majority have lagged below satisfactory levels. Reports of functional illiteracy and low levels of numeracy have been detected among our high school graduates. These observations are confirmed by teachers, parents and employers. Despite a fair degree of Government expenditure in the education sector over the years, the situation has continued to deteriorate. Teachers’ salaries are shockingly low. This has understandably resulted in the profession being unable to attract many of our first-rate graduates, and in the progressive alienation of many who have opted to join or remain. The development of the ‘extra-lessons’ industry, which is said to be a contributory factor to the overall decline, is seen as a direct consequence of the poor remuneration offered teachers. Another issue of great concern is the poor physical state of many school buildings. Visits to many schools have re-

vealed broken furniture, insanitary toilets, broken windows, leaky roofs, and school yards overtaken by bush. Many of these schools happen to be in the poorer sections of the community, or what are now commonly called depressed communities. These conditions are not confined to the lower levels of the system. As is well known, our university campus at Turkeyen is by no means a welcoming space. The tales of the poor physical infrastructure, inadequate salaries for lecturers, a relatively high volume of under-prepared lecturers, and a less-than-modern library are well known to the public. While there has not been as much attention paid to the neighbouring Teachers Training College, we have been reliably informed that conditions there are not much different. As we have editorialised before, the condition of education mirrors the condition of the wider society. A considerable decline in the belief that education offers a way out of poverty, or an avenue to social mobility, coupled with a waning confidence in the ability of those who govern to generate ideas and action to lift the society have been major contributory factors to this national malaise. Put in very frank terms, Guyana is a broken society that is in need of urgent repair. As a post-plantation society, we are saddled with inherent institutional challenges that feed the ills we have observed above. But these are compounded by our own lethargy and surrender to the logic of the socio-political jungle. We feel that repair work needs to start with education. If we can begin to resuscitate education, we can give new life to the country. In a rapidly changing 21st Century world, the uneducated individual and country would be irretrievably consigned to lives of nothingness. Our new Government has signalled that it wants to be the education Government. President Granger, himself an academic, has vowed to do something about what he has termed ”education apartheid.” He has spoken time and again

Guyana

about the need for lifting the poor and the powerless through improved education. He has emphasised scientific and technological education as target areas for his Government. His Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, has also been very vocal on imminent reforms, and more fundamental changes to the system. As an educator by training, he has already put his finger on the pulse of the system. Crucially, he has begun some “Education Groundings” in the communities, which we hope would be resumed very soon. It is not enough to set up a Commission of Inquiry. It is also critical that the minister supplement his media offerings with on-the-ground appearances among the least in our midst. There would be no education revolution without the input of the people in their communities. As we begin the new school year, the Government has to move swiftly to turn the situation around. Teachers have been given a slight raise in the recent Budget. We hope more is forthcoming. We don’t have to wait on the findings of the CoI to fix the terrible school buildings. A visit to the Wales Primary School, or the Stanleytown-La Retraite Primary or the Bagotville Primary on the West Bank of Demerara would reveal broken stairways, smelly toilets, and generally dilapidated buildings that could be fixed now. The old Government is gone; the new Government is now in charge. They have had their moment of celebration and rhetoric. We have heard the medium and long-term plans. It is time for relief to our children and our communities. The Education ball is in your court, President Granger and Dr. Roopnaraine. You have to begin delivering.

Jagdeo deliberately misleading the public

I HAVE heard, several times, the Opposition telling the Government to fulfill the campaign promise of giving rice farmers $9000 per bag of paddy, but I cannot recollect hearing such promise. What I do remember is Dr. Turhane Doerga and Mr. Jinnah Raha-

man telling the public at many public meetings, at which I was in attendance, that the previous Government could have afforded to pay rice farmers nothing less than $3000 for a bag of paddy, because the Venezuela deal is working out to somewhere around $9000 a bag of paddy.

Maybe the Opposition, more specifically Jagdeo, can provide the evidence to support this claim, because I really cannot remember listening to any public s p e a k e r f r o m t h e A PNU+AFC saying rice farmers would get $9000 per bag of paddy. It is my opinion that

--on paddy price issue

Jagdeo and his colleagues are trying to frustrate this new Government by claiming what had never happened. It is factual that rice farmers should be paid better prices for their paddy, but never did

APNU+AFC say $9000. Jagdeo, as Opposition Leader, is deliberately misleading the public for cheap political points is somewhat understandable, but as a former President, he should not

lie to the public. Then again, it is my opinion that lying to the public is a genetic feature of the PPP\C. GANESH MAHIPAUL

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

Tiger Bay stabbing...

‘Rasta Man’ for post mortem today

--suspect still in police custody By Shirley Thomas THE young suspect in last Saturday’s stabbing death in the Tiger Bay community remains in police custody, while an autopsy is scheduled to be performed today on the deceased, only known so far as “Rasta Man’. The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Christopher Stanley of Rosemary Lane, also in Tiger Bay, was moments after the grim discovery turned over to the Brickdam Police by his mother, Sonia Stanley. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, the tearful and deeply distraught mother of two, recalled that she was at her workplace on Middle Street on Saturday

afternoon when, shortly after 16:00 hrs, she received a phone call saying, “Leisha, come quickly; Christopher just bore a man.” The woman said she hastened home, where she found her son, who appeared to be in a daze. She said she gripped him by the arm and walked him down to the Police Outpost at the junction of Church and Water Streets. She said she was amazed to find that at no time did he attempt to resist her, or even ask her where she was taking him. “That was what broke my heart, because I realised then that my son was not acting in his normal senses,” the distraught mother said. She recalled that after the alarm was raised about the stab-

bing, persons who intervened beat her son brutally; kicking him, stomping him, and inflicting wounds on his person. She said she joined the police vehicle that was taking him to the hospital, since she had no money to pay to get there on her own. At the hospital, she recalled, she as well as the doctor and the police asked him what had happened, but he did not respond. “He just froze and said nothing,” she said. When the doctor attempted to give him an injection, that’s when he resumed responding to stimuli, and they literally had to hold him down. She recalled that he also blacked out while at the Brickdam Police Station. Stanley said the first time

Sonia Stanley, his mom

Christopher Stanley, the suspect in the Tiger Bay killing she heard her son speak following the tragedy was yesterday morning when she went to the police station to take him a meal. “He asked me, ‘Mommy, what happen? Is when ah going home.’” She said she had to muster up the strength and courage to tell him, “You can’t go home, because the boy dead.” But he still appeared not to have a clue what she was talking about, and seemed oblivious of everything around him. Commenting on his life, she related that her son, the second of two, attended St. John’s College and after leaving school worked with BK International and a few other places, doing manual labour but eventually lost the jobs because he appeared not to get along with workmates. She said that subsequently, her son became withdrawn and would always

be by himself, very often, even talking to himself. Very often he could be heard lamenting the fact that he has needs and no job. She figured he might have gone into depression. And reflecting on the killing of ‘Rasta Man’, the mother said her heart went out to the victim, as he was never a man to give anybody problems, and in fact her son looked up to him with respect, since he was always kind and helpful to the young people of the neighbourhood. “I can’t understand what would make him lay a finger on that man. ‘Rasta Man’ alright with everybody.” Asked about reports that the lad had been drinking water from the roadside drain, and applying faeces to his body on Friday, Stanley said that on that day he had visited her at her workplace and

asked for some water to drink, but before she could get to the keys to open up and get the water, he started drinking from the drain with his hands. She admitted that on that occasion, she became scared and put it to him that she should take him to seek professional help, but he stoutly refused. Now, she regrets terribly that she did not take immediate action after her son started behaving strangely on Friday. But to compound her problems, the grieving mother said, “People telling me I have to take a lawyer, but right now I do not know if I even have a job after this week because I worked with Tony Reid Realty as a security and he died a few days ago. Well, tell me if this ain’t ‘old house pon old house,” she lamented.

BCCI’s stance raises several ‘troubling’ questions THE reluctance of the BCCI to accept the toll reduction proposed by Government in the 2015 Budget which was to take effect by September 1, 2015 is indeed troubling, and while I do agree that consultations could have been held with BCCI about the proposed lowering of tolls through a Government subsidy prior

to the Budget presentation, this issue raises the following concerns: (1) The BCCI’s stance is a wake-up call for much greater scrutiny of any future private/public sector infrastructure projects. Private interests and profits should never be the deciding factor in determining access of the citizens of Guyana to

travel freely and conduct their business in a manner that is not a financial burden to them. (2) The high cost of the BCCI bridge toll may well be one of the most compelling reasons for the lack of revenue and profits. However, responsibility for this has to be laid at the feet of the company, and those who

negotiated such a deal. (3) We know that due to the high costs of the Berbice Bridge toll, many citizens opt to use other means of travelling to and from Berbice, thereby leaking revenues for the BCCI. (4) The Berbice Bridge toll has been an unequal and in effect discriminatory burden to the resi-

dents of Region 6, and one which falls much more heavily on vulnerable and poor families already finding it very difficult to make ends meet. (5) If the impasse on this matter continues, and no solution is in sight for the burdened citizens of Region 6 and others, then bring back an improved ferry service.

(6) Lastly, and more importantly, the rights of citizens, including the constitutional rights of Guyanese, must never be held ransom to profit-making deals which bargains away rights, access of movement and travel for Guyanese citizens. DANUTA RADZIK

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Jordan disappointed at ‘mute’ Jagdeo during Budget estimates were designed to either embarrass an official or a set agenda by Government. “As for Ali’s questions, I refused to answer as they were out of order. You have to stay within the rules of the House. I was disappointed to say the least at the small number of questions and the quality of the questions,” said Jordan. This, he said, was not “unexpected”, however.

By Shivanie Sugrim FINANCE Minister Winston Jordan has expressed disappointment at Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s silence during the deliberations on the 2015 budget estimates although the floor was open for discussions. However, Jordan at a post-cabinet press briefing declared that he did not want a ‘battle’ with Jagdeo, a former Finance Minister and President. “He had his opportunity and never once got up to answer a question. I would not like to be in a battle with Mr. Jagdeo because as a leader, if you keep prodding those behind and you don’t want to go in front, then there must be a problem somewhere,” Jordan said. The Finance Minister was clearly referring to Opposition

Finance Minister Winston Jordan Members of Parliament, former Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali and former Junior Fi-

nance Minister Juan Edghill, who he said had probed “rudimentary” questions that

UNRELATED MATTERS The former Minister of Tourism grilled the Finance Minister on unrelated matters to the budget estimates although being repeatedly shunned for the questions he asked. His questions mostly surrounded the statutory expenditure, which Jordan explained were “not within the Standing Orders”. “I did not refuse to an-

swer any of the questions put to me but I refused to answer questions that are not within the Standing Orders,” said Jordan, indicating that the questions should have been related to the appropriation expenditures. The budget comprises two types of expenditure, the appropriation expenditure and the statutory expenditure. The statutory expenditure has a first claim on the Consolidated Fund which implies that public servants have priority over those funds whereas the Appropriation Expenditure comprises the money allocated for spending that were be only debated on in the National Assembly. In spite of the number of clarifications on the forensic audits carried out by Government, Edghill still tossed questions at Jordan by

inquiring about monies being paid to the firms and auditors that were employed to carry out the forensic audits. Jordan said that currently a total of $150M is being paid to fifteen contracted companies. Meanwhile, Jagdeo accused Jordan after the deliberations of the estimates, of masking himself behind rules of the National Assembly and refusing to answer questions asked by the Opposition on where the money that was allocated to some entities had sprung from, whether the Consolidated Fund or the Contingency Fund. Jordan maintained his position that he would not answer questions falling outside the Standing Orders but he was well prepared to challenge any uproar on the Appropriation Bill.

Ten years on...

‘Unbowed’ New Orleans stands strong By Kathy Finn And Edward Mcallister

FROM the Lower Ninth Ward to the Superdome, New Orleans observed the 10th anniversary of devastating Hurricane Katrina, paying tribute to its victims and homage to the city’s resilience in the face of disaster. It was the culmination of a week of reflection about a storm that left 80 per cent of the Louisiana city famed for its Mardi Gras under water and displaced 130,000 residents. On Saturday, dignitaries made speeches to honour the 1,500 who died, brass bands marched through the streets and neighbours gathered for block parties across New Orleans, where the mood shifted in turns from somber to reflective to celebratory. “It is kind of bittersweet. We want to celebrate because we are still here, but a lot of people are not,” said Natasha Green, 36, a resident of the wrecked Lower Ninth Ward at the time of the storm. “It is important to remember what we went through here.” A decade after Katrina,

while residents and visitors alike said it was difficult to deny the rebound that New Orleans has achieved, there was also recognition that the poorest districts, like the Lower Ninth, have lagged. The day began with Mayor Mitch Landrieu leading a somber tribute for the 83 “forgotten” victims whose unclaimed bodies lie in mausoleums at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, housed in one of the city’s historic above-ground cemeteries. Thirty of those bodies remain unidentified. “Though they are unnamed, they are not unclaimed because we claim them,” Landrieu said on a clear morning reminiscent of the calm before storm’s landfall on August 29, 2005. “This has been 10 years of struggle,” said the mayor, who was joined by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and other dignitaries. “But New Orleans is unbowed and unbroken.” Across town, hundreds gathered in the Lower Ninth Ward on a grass verge abutting the Industrial Canal levee that was breached 10

--reflects on Hurricane Katrina disaster years ago, unleashing some of the worst flooding. Some locals wore traditional Mardi Gras parade dress, including colorful headdresses. Vendors sold soft drinks and beer from large coolers. The mood started out reflective but not downbeat. There was also an undercurrent of anger over the lagging redevelopment of the Lower Ninth, where empty lots and the shells of destroyed houses are still common sights. “The people that have given this city its culture have been overlooked,” Willie Muhammad, a student minister at the Nation of Islam, said to the crowd. “We shouldn’t be surprised that the rebuild overlooked us.” CELEBRATIONS, MEMORIALS A celebratory atmosphere set in at noon on Saturday when brass bands began marching. Hundreds of people danced behind the

blaring trumpets, horns and drums and about a dozen rode horses. Chad Peterson, a 29-yearold trumpet player with one of the brass bands, was upbeat. “This is about my city; this is about Katrina. I’m just enjoying it; this is more of a celebration.” Other hard-hit parts of Louisiana were hosting memorials as well. At Shell Beach, in lower St. Bernard Parish just east of New Orleans, public officials and residents gathered along a waterway that burst through a levee in 2005 and killed 127 people. The ceremony featured a reading of the names of victims, now etched into a monument there. Similarly, Lakeview, Broadmoor, Mid-City and a host of other locales looked back on 2005. By mid-morning, a crowd gathered with cold drinks and food in a park along Harrison Avenue in Lakeview, as children played soccer nearby. Along a main

street in Mid-City, colorful flags swayed in the breeze from 52 wooden poles arranged across a green space as a commemoration by sculptor Michael Manjarris. Katrina’s devastation mushroomed into a political embarrassment for U.S. President George Bush and Federal Emergency Management officials, who were roundly criticized for a slow and confused response to a crisis that mostly affected the poor and African Americans. In a sour note to the anniversary, no one showed up at a planned hand-holding ceremony that was to have been held at the Superdome, which became to symbolize the chaos and helplessness that engulfed New Orleans after the flooding. For several sweltering days, people were virtually trapped inside the Superdome without adequate food or water and little communication with the outside world. The scene of horror and despair claimed the lives

of some ill people on the spot. But later on Saturday, people streamed into the Smoothie King Center, part of the complex, to hear former President Bill Clinton say “You’ve got a lot to celebrate tonight. But the celebration must be leavened by rededication.” Those who died “left behind memories and loved ones and legacies that deserved to be fully redeemed by erasing the lines that divide us,” Clinton added. In a show of solidarity with other States on the Gulf of Mexico damaged by Katrina, a group called ‘Gulf South Rising’ set up shop in Louis Armstrong Park at the edge of New Orleans’s French Quarter. “The seas are rising and so are we,” read banners hung on either side of the gateway to the park. Speakers included representatives from Black Lives Matter, a movement formed after a series of unarmed black men were killed by white police officers over the past year. (Reuters)

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Government calls on media for ‘responsible’ reportage – media policy imminent FOLLOWING Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s recent comments about an article published in the Guyana Chronicle, Minister of State Joseph Harmon has called on the media to act more responsibly and to report in a manner that is fair, balanced and objective. During last Friday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, Minister Harmon said: “These are still early days of the Administration, and a policy is being considered but it is not fully complete.” He was responding to the question of whether a corporate policy would be crafted for the State media, given that President Granger had, some time ago, announced that the Government would have less to do with these entities. Minister Harmon said a number of things have to be done to assure responsible reporting of news in the media. “It is important that they

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

establish clearly that there is a responsibility, which the media has to ensure, that news is put to the public at large, and it is responsible,” he said. Harmon pointed out that the “Citizen’s Report” had

inaccurately reported on proceedings in the National Assembly, and he said such instances have to stop. He said the media must conduct its business responsibly, because there is a greater degree of openness prevailing in the national space. He said that Government is publishing more information, establishing greater connection between the public and the media, and is now able to facilitate more questions; but there must be a certain level of responsibility in what is disseminated for public consumption, given that the media, as the Fourth Estate, is an important element in the governance of a country. “The media is not something that you can touch and do what you want [with], but it is early days yet, and we are certain that a policy will emerge soon,” Minister Harmon iterated. (Navendra Seoraj)

Hundreds converge on Bartica’s Golden Beach – for Pork-knockers Day activities HUNDREDS converged on Saturday at Bartica’s Golden Beach to participate in Pork-knockers Day activities, culminating a week of events to mark Mining Week 2015. This year, Mining Week activities were observed under the theme: “Science & Engineering Solutions for

safety, security & success in mining”. T h e d a y ’s a c t i v i t i e s commenced with opening remarks by a member of the community and then Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford spoke extensively on the importance of mining in Guyana, and especially to the community of Bartica.

Saturday on Bartica’s Golden Beach

The first competition of the day involved bahirs preparing breakfast for sampling by judges as part of the bahir competition, which was coordinated by Kerion Husbands. Bartica is acknowledged as the gateway to the interior locations, where mining activities take place. Region 7, where Bartica is located, is also one of the main mining

Starr Computers amazes Texila students with medical technology MEDICAL students of the Texila American University have been enlightened by members of Starr Computers on the benefits of technology in the medical field. President of Starr Michael Mohan, in his presentation on Thursday in the company’s boardroom, labelled the session “Medical Technology” and disclosed that there are many ways in which technology has boosted the quality of health care across the globe. The advancement in technology has seen ailments such as cancer being treated with photodynamic therapy,

diabetics receiving artificial pancreas, dental care gaining multi-specialists in open office, ophthalmology introducing the bionic eyes, and various body parts being better understood through 3 dimensional (3D) printing. In today’s society, Mohan said, there are certain applications which can be used to enhance medical services, such as on-line and local medical software. Technology can also help a searcher to find a doctor, access medical services, locate a hospital, and much more. Texila students were amazed by the many pos-

sibilities which technology has opened up in the medical field. They were later taken on a tour of the Starr facility, and were given the opportunity to see the equipment which Starr Computers has to offer to the public. Something is invented for the betterment of mankind every day; and as the years go by and technology is enhanced, there will be even more interventions which will help in combating ailments which have, over the years, contributed to the loss of many lives. (Navendra Seoraj)

M&CC grants ‘interest-free’ amnesty to defaulting taxpayers

King explaining the issue to the Guyana Chronicle

TOWN Clerk Royston King has announced an amnesty for defaulting taxpayers to afford them an opportunity to pay their rates and taxes, interest-free. Making this announce-

ment last Wednesday during an exclusive interview with this publication, King said that residential properties will receive a 100% amnesty on interests accrued. However, commercial

areas of Guyana. Among the Pork-knockers Day attractions were a mines rescue demonstration, camp building competition, shovelling competition; and story-telling competition, based on past events that had occurred in mining areas.

COMPETITIONS After those activities were concluded, the judges sampled the lunch prepared by the bahirs. This was followed by the very popular tacouba/warishi race, batelling competition, and

properties will have to apply and will be reviewed by an amnesty panel, after which they will be awarded between 50-75% on the interest accrued. All property owners are encouraged to take advantage of this deal, and settle their accounts so that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) can use the money to initiate their plans which are currently in the pipeline. Over the years, persons have been withholding their rates and taxes, causing the M&CC to stall projects while being unable to carry out their usual activities. The payments of these monies are necessary so that Georgetown can be sustained and kept clean. the jigging competition. It was again time for story-telling, part two, and again the judges had their work cut out in deciding who told the best stories. That activity was followed by the canoeing competition. While the persons who participated in the competitions had been registered prior to Pork-knockers Day, others desirous of entering the competitions, especially those coming from Georgetown and farther afield in Region 7, were given opportunity to register even on the day of the competition. In the end, prizes were given to the best performers and while the large number of persons who had travelled from Georgetown prepared to return to the city, Barticians and those from nearby communities stayed to enjoy the proceedings until it was time to close off beachfront activities. (Leroy Smith)

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GECOM awaits legislative changes for local government elections – amendments to be made immediately MINISTER of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, has given a December deadline for the hosting of local government elections. But those elections may very well not materialise, as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has revealed that the country’s legislation needs to be changed to accommodate this. GECOM, in a press release, has stated that the existing state of affairs relative to the conduct of local government elections was discussed last Friday at a meeting between a GECOM senior team led by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and a senior team from the Ministry of Communities led by Minister Bulkan. GECOM said the meeting was held at the request of its CEO to clarify issues of mutual concern to GECOM and the Ministry of Communities

relative to the elections. “Specifically, Mr. Lowenfield made it abundantly clear that GECOM cannot proceed to prepare a Preliminary List of Voters for the conduct of Claims and Objections for the purpose of finalising the respective Registers of Voters that will be necessary to conduct local government elections in the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the six municipalities in Guyana,” the release noted. The existing legislation relative to the preparation of the Preliminary List of Voters requires that the lists be prepared from the Official List of Electors that was used for the 1992 General and Regional Elections. “This legislation must be amended to clear the way for the Lists to be extracted from the up-to-date National Register of Registrants.” GECOM further noted

that the proposed (draft) amendment, among other things, has already been prepared in one document, which was discussed and fine-tuned between GECOM’s legal officer and the Chief Parliamentary Counsel of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. “The entire document will be (prepared) by GECOM with the view to give the go ahead for the amendments to be taken to Parliament via the Government for approval. Accordingly, it is imperative that it be made abundantly clear that until and unless GECOM is given the legal authority to extract the Preliminary List of Voters, the Commission cannot move forward with its work plan for the conduct of local government elections.” Mr. Lowenfield reportedly pointed out to Minister Bulkan that in addition to the need for the amendments to

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield

come into force, he (Minister Bulkan), in his capacity as Minister of Communities, is required to issue an Order declaring the Local Authority Areas in which Local Government Elections will be held. Further, Mr. Lowenfield emphasised that (i) housing communities at the Municipalities of Corriverton,

Anna Regina and the Bartica Neighbourhood Democratic Council had grown beyond their respective boundaries. He emphasised that the authority to extend the boundaries of these local authority areas is vested in the Minister of Communities, and he urged that this matter be addressed with alacrity towards ensuring that the con-

cerned citizens are given the opportunity to participate in local government elections. “In response to the CEO’s presentation, Minister Bulkan assured that his Ministry would move immediately after GECOM green-lights the draft amendments to have them approved by Parliament. Further, he gave the assurance that his Ministry would be focusing attention towards addressing the publication of the Order declaring the local authority areas in which local government elections will be held, as well as those concerning the boundaries of the municipalities of Corriverton, Anna Regina and the Bartica NDC.” The ministerial team included Mr. Emil McGarrell, Permanent Secretary; and Mr. Derek Kowlessar, Adviser to the Minister. The GECOM team included Mr. Vishnu Persaud, Deputy Chief Election Officer; Ms. Juanita Barker, Legal Officer; and Mr. Duarte Hetsberger, Personal Assistant to the CEO.

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U.S. Charge d’Affaires...

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Brian Hunte addressing the Pegasus gathering

Too many lives be --problem com capital to suicide

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Brian Hunte, is of the opinion that with a suicide rate of 44.2 per 100,000 per year, too many lives are being lost in Guyana, a country already struggling with human capital shortages. The loss, Hunte said, is due to a lack of solid investment in improved mental health outcomes. He was, however, quick to recognise the efforts being made by the Administration to address this problem. The Government has invested some $23 billion in the health sector this year, a significant portion of which will go towards mental health. Speaking at the Annual Awards for Business Excellence 2015, staged by the Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness at the Pegasus Hotel, the U.S. diplomat said Gov-

ernment’s investment in mental health is a step in the right direction, as is the establishment of the Guyana Police Force’s ‘Suicide Helpline’. He noted, however, that Government action alone is not enough in this battle. “It takes more. Every corporation or business that depends on employees and customers to sustain their operation must lend a helping hand to the community in which they operate,” the diplomat told the gathering of mostly members of the business community. Chief Executive Officer of Starbuck’s Coffee, Howard Shultz, had earlier said: “Companies should not have a singular view of profitability. There needs to be a balance between commerce and social responsibility…. The companies that are authentic about it will wind up as the companies that make more money.” According to Hunte, one does not have to be Howard Shultz or Bill Gates to make a difference. “We can look to Berbice, where the incidence of suicide is known to be high, where the Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey Arya Sama Mandir -– a solely private, donor-funded organisation -- just recently opened a Training and Counselling Centre, where young people can learn new job skills, receive counselling, and prepare for some of life’s more difficult challenges. “Efforts such as these -- to provide training, education, counselling, and empowerment to young people -- are going to be critical if we are to improve mental health outcomes and strengthen communities. It is my fervent hope that more such spaces are created through private sector funding across the length and breadth of Guyana,” the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires said.

DO MORE Hunt said that, as Suicide Prevention Day approaches on September 10, all stakeholders must do more to reach out to people who are struggling with depression and may need help. In addition, the root causes of depression –- lack of socio-ecoThe gathering at the Pegasus Hotel on nomic opportunities, sexual abuse, alcoholism, gender-based Thursday evening was well entertained

A section of the gathering at the Annual Awards for Health Awareness for Business Excellence 2015, sponsored by the Guyana Business Coalition

violence, isolation, and ingrained societal discrimination -– must be forthrightly and systematically addressed, Hunte urged. He also lauded the progress Guyana has made in putting down HIV/AIDS. Guyana’s efforts were ably boosted by assistance from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. The achievements to date include widely available HIV counselling and testing; improved access to treatment and uptake; improved availability of support services for HIV care, such as lab testing and case navigation; and Government-supported complementary programmes like the food bank. And perhaps most importantly, significantly, there should be decreased HIV-related mortality. “To sustain the gains and achieve epidemic control, renewed focus is required for groups at elevated risk for sustained transmission, as identified in Guyana’s own HIV/AIDS strategy documents. It also involves ensuring a human rights approach to health. “Irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity, every single Guyanese citizen should have the right to access healthcare free of discrimination and stigma,” the diplomat said. The PEPFAR project is now in the midst of what some say is the most challenging but exciting phase yet —- Phase III, which focuses on sustainable control of the Epidemic. Chairperson of the Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness, Donna Roberts-Benjamin, has said that the mandate of the organisation is to mobilise the business community to respond to HIV/AIDS and health awareness. Since its establishment 7 years ago, the business coalition has collaborated with its members, governmental and non-governmental partners, as well as developmental partners, to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS situation in Guyana. The coalition is one of the sub-recipients of Guyana’s Global Fund Grant, and provides technical assistance to 5 non-government organisations (NGOs) which implement activities to reach key populations affected by HIV/AIDS.

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eing lost

mpounds human l shortages

OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESSES Roberts-Benjamin told the Pegasus gathering that, aside from HIV/AIDS, focus is also being placed on other chronic illnesses in addition to domestic violence and mental health. “I would like to commend the members of the Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness who expressed the need to address issues like diabetes, nutrition, and hypertension, and (have) worked with our Board and staff to implement the activities,” she said. Despite major challenges experienced with reduced funding, the Business Coalition continues to evolve in the changing landscape. The coalition’s chair thanked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UNAIDS, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Peace Corps, the Ministries of Public Health and Social Protection, the National Aids Programme Secretariat (NAPS), PANCAP, the Canadian High Commission, and numerous businesses for their support over the years. Ms Roberts-Benjamin has said that even though the coalition has not received financial support for its workplace awareness programme since 2012, this year alone its secretariat added 42 peer educators to those trained to address issues surrounding domestic violence. An additional full-time counsellor/tester was added to the coalition’s team this year through grants from the Global Fund and AIDS Healthcare Foundation. With 2 full-time counsellors, over 2500 persons have received services as of July 2015. Tajeram Mohabir, a journalist at the Guyana Chronicle, was among the awardees. He won in the Media Action category. The award recognises his proactive and intuitive contributions in the area of health. The other awardees were Avril Husbands of Scotiabank (Winner), Workplace Peer Educator; Sharon Mansell of Banks DIH (Honourable Mention), Workplace Peer Educator; Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (Winner) Partnership; Merundoi Incorporated (Honourable Mention), Partnership; Republic Bank Guyana Limited (Winner), Workplace Programme; Scotiabank (Honourable Mention), Workplace Programme; Scotiabank (Winner), Community Investment; and Massy Gas Products Guyana Limited (Honourable Mention), Community Investment. The dinner and awards ceremony was attended by Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings; members of the diplomatic community and regional and international organisations supportive of the work of the Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness.

Guyana Chronicle’s Tajeram Mohabir receiving his award from British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn

Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Crow (second left, standing); U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Brian Hunte (third left, standing); Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings (fourth left, standing); British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn (behind Dr Cummings); and others with the awardees

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Beautiful Indigenous Village ready for Heritage Month THE 2015 Indigenous Heritage Month was given the greenlight Saturday when contractor Colin Andrews officially handed over the spanking new Indigenous Village to Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe. The facility at reference will house most of the activities of this year’s celebration. Andrews delivered on his 21-day promise which he had made prior to starting construction. He told the gathering that with his staff of 21, they were able to refurbish several benabs, while building three new ones. The workers, who travelled from Moraikobai, in Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice), also constructed a benab where persons can sit and eat comfortably, and an indigenous bar over the northern side of the village. Minister Garrido-Lowe

was ecstatic with the village, and promised to maximise its use way beyond the Heritage Month celebration. She said she was extremely impressed with the level of craftsmanship that has gone into the buildings, especially since it continues to represent all the indigenous peoples of the country. “This is truly a remarkable village; I have never seen the Indigenous Village look so good. All credit must go to Andrews and his team who worked tirelessly over the last three weeks.” ALL-YEAR VENUE Minister Lowe said her ministry aims to make the Indigenous Village an all-year venue -- pointing to it becoming a weekend getaway for people in the city who want to experience Indigenous life. “We will have Indigenous experiences every weekend.

Sometimes it might be making cassava bread, making of hammocks, Indigenous crafts or the cooking of delectable Indigenous meals.” She pointed out that in the near future the aim is to dig out the canal that runs through the village, so that persons can experience canoeing.” “The Indigenous culture should be experienced by all Guyana, it is not just meant for the Indigenous population.” Having this Heritage Village in the capital promotes the Indigenous way of life; the tranquillity that resonates in Indigenous Communities can now be experienced in Georgetown. This village will promote nature and the environment in a very sustainably way.” There was also a prayer ceremony by Catholic Priest Father Jerry Dias, who also blessed the entire village.

Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe gives contractor Colin Andrews a ceremonious handshake for delivering the spanking new village

Heritage month activities begin today with an Inter-Faith Service, followed by the official launch tomorrow at the village, in Sophia, which begins a six-day cultural extrava-

ganza, with performances from some of the best Indigenous performers. Also on the card will be a Stephen Campbell Symposium (September 10); an art exhibition at the Castellani

House (from September 7); a fashion show; a beauty pageant slated for the National Cultural Centre; a charity dinner at the village; and a sports weekend. (F. Deo)

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Sri Lanka fight back after Ishant fires India etkeeper Naman Ojha to complete his first test dismissal.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Fast bowler Ishant Sharma’s seventh five-wicket haul helped India bundle out Sri Lanka for 201 but the hosts fought back to take three quick wickets and leave the third and final Test evenly poised yesterday. India were at 21 for three in their second innings when rain brought an early close to the third day’s play with the tourists having an overall lead of 132 runs. Captain Virat Kohli (one) and Rohit Sharma (14) were at the crease. First-innings centurion Cheteshwar Pujara was bowled for a duck by the second ball of the innings from Dhammika Prasad and Lokesh Rahul was again out shouldering arms, this time to Nuwan Pradeep. Pradeep also dismissed Ajinkya Rahane to leave India tottering at seven for three. Earlier, bowling an impeccable line and length, after India made 312 in their first innings, Ishant put his team in the driving seat for a series-clinching win with the sides at 1-1. The tall right-arm paceman extracted enough movement off the pitch with the new ball to run through Sri Lanka’s top order and he picked up two more wickets to give India a lead of 111 runs. Ishant had Upul Tharanga (four) caught at second slip by Lokesh Rahul, who had earlier dropped the same batsman on zero in the first over of the innings. Tharanga could consider himself unlucky with replays showing the delivery was perilously close to a no-ball but the television umpire ruled Ishant’s delivery was legal. After opener Kaushal Silva fell to paceman Umesh Yadav for three, Dinesh Chandimal (23) launched a counter-attack. Chandimal hit five fours in his 27-ball knock, but was given out lbw to seamer Stuart Binny with replays indicating the ball could have gone over the stumps. Ishant returned to get Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews (one) edging behind with his first ball for debutant Indian wick-

DROPPED CHANCES The 26-year-old Ishant had Lahiru Thirimanne caught for a duck by Rahul immediately after lunch, reducing Sri Lanka to 47-6 and in danger of following on. But Rahul dropped his second catch of the day, putting down debutant wicketkeeper Kusal Perera on nine off Yadav. The movement off the pitch soon dried up for the Indian bowlers and Perera (55) made full use of the reprieve to complete his maiden half-century, studded with nine fours. The diminutive left-

hander became Ishant’s fourth victim but not until he had taken his team past the follow-on mark with Herath (49), who became Ishant’s fifth wicket of the innings. Tharindu Kaushal (16) was given out lbw against leg-spinner Amit Mishra although replays suggested he may have found an inside edge. India added 20 runs in the morning to their overnight score of 292-8 to complete a solid first innings and Pujara carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 145. Left-arm spinner Herath bowled out tail-enders Ishant and Yadav to finish with three wickets and Prasad completed with figures of 4-100.

SCOREBOARD INDIA 1st innings (o/n 292-8) L. Rahul b Prasad 2 C. Pujara not out 145 A. Rahane lbw b Pradeep 8 V. Kohli c K. Perera b Mathews 18 Ro. Sharma c Tharanga b Prasad 26 S. Binny lbw b Prasad 0 N. Ojha c Tharanga b Kaushal 21 R. Ashwin c K. Perera b Prasad 5 A. Mishra stp. K. Perera b Herath 59 I. Sharma b Herath 6 U. Yadav b Herath 4 Extras: (lb-2, nb-7, w-4, pen-5) 18 Total: (all out, 100.1 overs) 312 Fall of wickets: 1-2 L. 2-14, 3-64, 4-119, 5-119, 6-173, 7-180, 8-284, 9-298. Bowling: D. Prasad 26-4100-4 (nb-4, w-1), N. Pradeep 22-6-52-1 (w-3), A. Mathews 13-6-24-1, R. Herath 27.1-384-3, T. Kaushal 12-2-45-1 (nb-3). SRI LANKA 1st innings U. Tharanga c Rahul b I. Sharma 4 K. Silva b U. Yadav 3 D. Karunaratne c Rahul b Binny 11 D. Chandimal lbw

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b Binny 23 A. Mathews c N. Ojha b I. Sharma 1 L. Thirimanne c Rahul b I. Sharma 0 K. Perera c Kohli b I. Sharma 55 D. Prasad stp. N. Ojha b Mishra 27 R. Herath c N. Ojha b I. Sharma 49 T. Kaushal lbw b Mishra 16 N. Pradeep not out 2 Extras: (lb-1, nb-7, w-2) 10 Total: (all out, 52.2 overs) 201 Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-11, 3-40, 4-45, 5-47 , 6-47, 7-127, 8-156, 9-183. Bowling: I. Sharma 15-2-54-5 (nb-6, w-1), U. Yadav 13-2-641, S. Binny 9-3-24-2 (w-1), R. Ashwin 8-1-33-0, A. Mishra 7.2-1-25-2 (nb-1). INDIA 2nd innings C. Pujara b Prasad 0 L. Rahul b Pradeep 2 A. Rahane bw b Pradeep 4 V. Kohli not out 1 Ro. Sharma not out 14 Extras: 0 Total: (for 3 wickets, 8.1 overs) 21 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-2, 3-7. Bowling: D. Prasad 4.1-28-1, N. Pradeep 3-1-6-2, R. Herath 1-0-7-0.

EPSOM 08:55 hrs Magical Daze 09:30 hrs Von Blucher 10:05 hrs Desert Command 10:40 hrs Fattsota 11:15 hrs English Summer 11:45 hrs Passover 12:20 hrs Paladin RIPON 09:00 hrs Cuppatee 09:35 hrs The Wee Barra 10:10 hrs Effusive 10:45 hrs Binzart 11:20 hrs Quick Defence 11:55 hrs Don Keyhoe Tay 12:30 hrs Bold Henmie IRISH RACING TIPS Roscommon

U.S. Open leading men cheering for a Serena Grand Slam By Larry Fine NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) - Serena Williams is on the brink of the grandest achievement in tennis, the single season Grand Slam, and even the leading men at the U.S. Open championships starting today are cheering her on. The 33-year-old American, with the 2015 Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon trophies already on her crowded mantle, will be gunning to complete the first season’s sweep of the slams since Steffi Graf in 1988. The last man to accomplish the feat was Rod Laver in 1969. “I am sending her good vibes, I hope she does it,” says U.S. Open men’s top seed Novak Djokovic, winner of nine majors. “She’s a true champion and she’s impressive in what she’s managed to do so far at her age to win three grand slams. It’s quite incredible. I know how tough it is, both men’s and women’s tennis. The competition is really high.” Victory at Flushing Meadows would lift Williams to 22 career grand slam singles crowns, tying her with Graf for second on the all-time list, two behind Margaret Court. “I hope she does it, number one,” said second seed Roger Federer, who

11:50 hrs Special Focus 12:25 hrs Jolyne 12:55 hrs Antique Platinum 13:25 hrs Athassel Abbey 13:55 hrs Lost Of Memories 14:25 hrs Rock On Rosie 14:55 hrs Grangeclare Rosa AMERICAN RACING TIPS Saratoga Race 1 Ready for Summer Race 2 Farraj Race 3 First Service Race 4 Tennessee Race 5 Fitpitcher Race 6 Fine Instincts Race 7 Rosalind Race 8 Looking Cool Race 9 A Lot

stands atop the men’s alltime slams list with 17. “Number two, of course it’s intriguing and interesting to see. You don’t get this kind of an opportunity many times in tennis, so it will be very interesting to follow.” Rafael Nadal, a 14-time grand slam singles winner, was also absorbed by the historical bid by Williams, who has won the last three titles at Flushing Meadows and would register an Open era record seventh U.S. crown with another triumph. “She won everything that somebody can win. Amazing the career of Serena,” said Nadal. “She has a unique opportunity to make the Grand Slam in one year and she’s playing at home so it’s a big opportunity for her. “She knows how to manage all of this. She knows how to play in this tournament. She has won here many times.” Williams would become the sixth player to register a Grand Slam following Don Budge (1938) and Laver (1962, 1969) on the men’s side and Maureen Connolly (1953), Court (1970) and Graf (1988). “If she makes that happen it will be something special for the world of sport,” Spain’s Nadal said. All three of these leading men have come close to the feat. Federer won three of the four slams in 2004, 2006 and 2007, falling short all three years in the French Open, losing in the ‘06 and ‘07 finals to nine-time Roland Garros winner Nadal. Nadal won three in 2010, missing only the Australian Open, while Djokovic won a trio in 2011, lacking the French title. None of them came to Flushing Meadows with a chance to complete the slam. Djokovic was asked if he thought he might be capable of a Grand Slam. “I sincerely hope from your mouth to God’s ears,” the 28-year-old Serb said. “I’ve been close and that gives me enough reason to believe that I can achieve that.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

Our sport is more than ‘test tubes, blood and urine’ - Coe By Nick Mulvenney BEIJING, China (Reuters) - Part of Sebastian Coe’s new job as head of world athletics will be to shift the conversation about his “ostensibly clean” sport from doping to spectacular performances, he said yesterday. The Briton will become president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) at the conclusion of the 15th world championships yesterday. The former Olympic champion takes over a sport that has endured a month of allegations that it is soft on doping after the leak of thousands of blood tests to media organisations. Coe was asked whether he had sympathy for athletes like his compatriot Mo Farah, who won a second successive world distance double on Saturday, when people questioned how they were able to perform such gruelling feats. “We have to be very careful here about making assumptions about quality and unpredictable performances which for the largest part are down to innate ability and hard work,” the former middle-distance world record-holder told reporters. “About 10 years of road mileage, thou-

sand tonnes of steel energy and people who have given up large parts of their lives to help out,” he added.

President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Sebastian Coe of Britain watches the men’s 800m Masters final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China, yesterday. (Reuters/Damir Sagolj)

“It is slightly the territory we have inherited and one of my responsibilities is to move us off that territory; we are more than just a discussion about test tubes, blood and urine.” Coe again launched a defence of the IAAF, saying there was no doubt it had done everything in its power to root out drug cheats. “It is ostensibly a clean sport and nobody would deny that, and it is a global challenge that every sport faces,” he said. “Can it be cleaner? I hope so. Are there things that we can do differently in the future, I dare say so. “Can we do more? Most certainly but that’s the human condition.” NO REFLECTION Moreover, Coe said, his plans to move towards an independent anti-doping agency for athletics were no reflection on the work currently being done. “It is a recognition that reality and perception sometimes get confused and we need to make sure we do everything both in the integrity of our sport and with our processes and procedures to give maximum confidence,” he added. “The clean athletes have to know that

Swansea end United unbeaten start, Southampton win By Tom Hayward LONDON, England (Reuters) - Swansea City came from behind to end Manchester United’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season with an impressive 2-1 victory at the Liberty Stadium yesterday. After an entertaining first half ended goalless Juan Mata fired Luke Shaw’s teasing cross into the roof of the net in the 48th minute before Swansea took control. Andre Ayew restored parity with a headed effort 13 minutes later before Bafetimbi Gomis maintained his superb form with a low shot five minutes later, as the Welsh side registered their third successive 2-1 league victory over United. “It was a very difficult game,” Swansea captain Ashley Williams told Sky Sports. “We had to dig deep. “Anytime you can beat one of the top teams shows our improvement. We keep working every day and every week. We want to be a consistently good side.” Earlier, Dusan Tadic’s brace and a goal from Graziano Pelle gave Southampton’s stuttering league campaign lift-off with a comfortable 3-0 victory over promoted Norwich City at St Mary’s. Norwich defender Steven Whittaker was sent off having received two yellow cards

within four first-half minutes for professional fouls as the south-coast club registered their first victory of the season. United’s solid yet unspectacular start to the season had been built on a

Swansea’s Bafetimbi Gomis waves to fans after the game. (Reuters/ Rebecca NadenLivepic) steely defence which had yet to concede and had restricted opponents to just five shots on target in three matches this season. S w a n s e a , h o w e v e r, achieved a Premier League double over United last season and had started the season unbeaten, including an impressive opening-day draw at champions Chelsea. United started brightly, though, with Memphis Depay

and Mata sending early warnings of United’s attacking threat. Swansea began to grow into the game having weathered United’s early attacking raids with Gylfi Sigurdsson firing agonisingly wide before Bafetimbi Gomis curled an effort against the post. Wayne Rooney netted a midweek Champions League hat-trick but continued his underwhelming domestic form, squandering a host of inviting chances and having fewer first-half touches than every other United player. After the break Mata fired in before the hosts turned the game on its head. Ayew headed home Sigurdsson’s cross before the Ghanaian’s stunning pass created space for Gomis to slide home his ninth goal in his last 10 Premier League matches. SOUTHAMPTON CANTER The surprise packages of last season having finished seventh, Southampton had been out-of-sorts, taking just two points from three games and failing to score since the opening day. Yesterday’s first half was a microcosm of their season - plenty of possession and chances - but a lack of killer instinct in front of goal. James Ward-Prowse, Fon-

te, Pelle and the impressive Sadio Mane all went close in a dominant yet fruitless opening 20 minutes before Whittaker was dismissed. After Pelle stabbed home in the 45th minute, Tadic fired home Mane’s cross for a superb second then applied the finishing touch after Pelle’s header was parried into his path two minutes later. Jay Rodriguez, still making his way back from a long-term knee injury, was brought on after the break and was lively throughout, forcing John Ruddy into a number of saves. “We haven’t had the start we wanted in the league,” Saints captain Jose Fonte told Sky Sports. “But the most important thing today was getting back to winning games. “We have massive responsibility now we are seen as a good team so we need to win and that’s the mentality we have to implant in every game.” Swansea, who have eight points from four games, leapfrogged United, with seven, into fourth. Southampton moved up to 10th with five points while Norwich sit one point adrift in 14th. Manchester City top the standings going into the international break, with a maximum 12 points from four games, three ahead of Crystal Palace.

we are in their corner and words are simply not enough.” Coe said another job for the IAAF was to bring more profile to other athletes in addition to superstar sprint champion Usain Bolt, who said this week that he might retire after next year’s Olympics in Brazil. “We shouldn’t be concerned because we have a sport that is adorned by some of the most outrageously superhuman, talented individuals in any sport,” Coe said. “Our challenge is to make sure the public know that there are other athletes in our sport.” One of those might be American Allyson Felix, who won the 400 metres title in Beijing but was unable to run in the 200 metres, an event in which she is the Olympic champion, because of a scheduling conflict. Under current plans, that issue will also exist at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next year. Coe said he would always want top athletes to be able to showcase their talents as well as possible at major championships. “That is ideal but I am also aware that there are some technical issues which sometimes mean it is not possible,” he said. “Where it is possible, we should always look to try and help them.”

Dibaba sprints to thrilling marathon win in Beijing BEIJING, China (Reuters) - Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba won the women’s marathon at the world athletics championships after a thrilling sprint finish along the home straight of the Beijing National Stadium yesterday. The 25-year-old Dibaba out-kicked Kenya’s Helah Kiprop to win the gruelling event by just one second, crossing the finish line in two hours 27 minutes 35 seconds. The long-striding Kiprop briefly threatened to take the gold medal when she loomed up on the outside of Dibaba with 50 metres left to run but couldn’t get past the pint-sized Ethiopian. Kiprop faded slightly and had to settle for the silver medal, while the bronze went to the reigning Asian champion Eunice Kirwa, who was born in Kenya but now competes for Bahrain. Ethiopia has a long and proud tradition in marathon running but Dibaba was the first Ethiopian female to win the lung-sapping event at the world championships. “I’m so happy to get the first medal for my country,” she said through a translator. “Just after 40km, I tried to test them. I came out in front because I wanted to control. Then we came into the stadium, I just tried my best. “I take off and I win the marathon.” Dibaba went into the race as the favourite after recording the fastest time in the world this year but was unable to shake off her mostly East African challengers on a overcast morning in the Chinese capital where conditions were less brutal than usual. There were still a dozen runners in the leading pack at the 30 kilometres mark but as the pace picked up, they slowly began to drop off. By the 35km mark, just six remained in the leading bunch, then five as they passed 40km. Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat, who won the last two world championships marathons, dropped from the leading group about two kilometres from the finish and settled for fifth.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

Merritt anchors U.S. to traditional 4x400m gold By Nick Mulvenney

BEIJING, China (Reuters) - LaShawn Merritt produced a perfectly-judged final leg to lead the United States to a sixth successive world 4x400 metres relay title and bring down the curtain on the 15th World Athletics championships yesterday.

“I just kept my cool, kept calm and made the move when I knew I had to,” the 29-year-old, who ran the heats in 2005 and the last five finals, told reporters. “I felt strong all the way up until 300m and I started lifting and closed the show. It feels good. We are excited about it and looking forward

of the American 4x100m squad, who were disqualified after a botched exchange, while the women’s 4x400 squad were pipped by Jamaica.

HEAVY PRICE It briefly looked as if Jamaica’s men were going to triumph too when anchor Javon Francis tore to the

(L-R) LaShawn Merritt of the U.S. poses with teammates Bryshon Nellum, Tony McQuay and David Verburg after winning the men’s 4x400 metres relay final at the 15th IAAF Championships during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China. (Reuters/David Gray) Merritt, who has been part of all six campaigns over the last decade, claimed his 11th world championship medal. The 2008 Olympic 400m champion ran his leg in 44.16 and crossed the line for gold in two minutes 57.82 seconds, the best time of the year.

to Rio next year.” Trinidad and Tobago, who led after the first three legs, took silver in a national record 2:58.20 and Britain pipped Jamaica to third place in 2.58.51. Merritt, who won silver in a thrilling individual 400m final, will have been delighted to avoid the fate

front on the back straight but he paid a heavy price for going too soon as he was caught on the line by Britain’s Martyn Rooney in a photo-finish. The similarly red-suited American and Trinidad and Tobago teams had dominated the race until Francis’ explosive intervention with 300 metres to go.

World junior champion Machel Cedenio was unable to close the gap on Merritt but he was delighted to move past Francis and get one over on his region’s sprinting powerhouse. “I’m glad we managed to send the Jamaicans back,” the teenager said. “We are just a small Caribbean nation so those moments are very important for us and the achievement is just amazing. “We are ready for a big celebration, wine and juice.” Rooney, who became a father for the first time this week, paid tribute to his team mates and was also particularly pleased the squad got the baton round, unlike the British 4x100 team, on Saturday. “The group of people we have in this team really rose to the occasion. We all came here to do the job,” said the 28-yearold, who won a relay silver at the 2009 world championships and who ran a lifetime best in the heats of the individual event here. “No one came just to be here and enjoy Beijing. They came here to make the Bird’s Nest their home and perform to a high standard,” he added. “Another world medal! It’s incredible and I’m really happy I didn’t mess up for them.” The Bahamas, who beat the United States to win Olympic gold in London three years ago, were disqualified in the heats.

DCC concludes summer camp CALLS are being made for the Demerara Cricket Club to host more camps during the respective school breaks (Christmas and Easter) to mirror the recently concluded summer programme, according to the president, Alfred Mentore. The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) on August 21 last concluded its summer camp for students which featured more than 40 youngsters being educated on the basics of cricket as well as public speaking, life values and social skills. Speakers who were a part of the two-week camp included an official from the Ministry of Health (Ms La Rose) as well as Ms Cotebor Chase (Carnegie), Ms Merica George and Ms Amalita Abrams (HIV/AIDS), Mr Delon Aaron (Public Speaking) and Mr Matthew Kissoon (Umpiring/Commentating). Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Mentore said that he was overwhelmed by the

Flashback: Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) camp in Queenstown in session response. He added, “The camp ended last Friday. We wanted to bring it over to this Friday because there were a lot of calls to bring the camp over into this week but we have decided to end it, because the youngsters have to go back to school and we want them to have a chance to shop for school

things. ” Mentore, who collected sponsorship from the National Sports Commission to offset some of the expenses incurred for the camp, said: “We are glad that the Ministry of Sport (Education) and the NSC have identified and are giving back and working with the community so to speak.”

He lauded the posture by the administration, of supporting sport, adding that the development of youth is the country’s future. The camp was facilitated by coach Garvin Nedd with assistance from several senior players and former players, like Travis Dowlin, and was held at the club’s Queenstown facility.

Tough tests from the start for Federer, Murray By Larry Fine NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) - Roger Federer and Andy Murray, two of the hottest players on the U.S. hardcourts during the run-up to the U.S. Open, face difficult tests right from the start at the season’s final grand slam beginning today. Second seed Federer, who beat world number one Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati final and is striving to add to his record 17 grand slam singles titles, plays 34th-ranked Leonardo Mayer of Argentina. Third seeded Murray, who defeated Djokovic in the Montreal final, faces number 37 Nick Kyrgios, the talented 20-year-old Australian who is on ATP probation after making a crude personal remark to Stan Wawrinka on court in Montreal. Federer has been brandishing an aggressive style of play, forcing the action and rushing in to half-volley weak second serves to forge an advantage. ROGER FEDERER “My game is going very well. My volleying has been very good lately and very proactive going forward and I think my serve has been unbelievable lately,” said Federer. Federer, 34, who won five consecutive U.S. Open titles from 2004 but has not been back to the finals since 2009, holds Mayer in high regard. “I didn’t know he was unseeded. Total shock for me to see I was going to play him,” Federer said. “It’s really tough to be playing Leonardo Mayer.” Federer narrowly won their only previous meeting 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7) last year in the second round of the Shanghai ATP Masters. “The Shanghai match was one of the toughest ones I’ve ever won in my career,” Federer said. “I like the power he has plus the serve, which makes him tough to control from the baseline. “He’s a challenge.” Murray eliminated Kyrgios from the Australian and French Open this year in straight sets and holds a 4-0 mark against him, but the Scotsman respects the firepower of the mercurial 20-year-old. Kyrgios faces a 28-day suspension and $25 000 fine if he steps out of line at an ATP event in the next six months, but the International Tennis Federation has said he would not be under such restrictions at the grand slam, which it runs. Murray said he did not expect Kyrgios to be affected by all the negative attention. “To be honest, I believe he likes playing on big stages. I would expect him to be ready for the match. He gets fired up for big matches,” said Murray. “Every match is a new match. He’s quite an unpredictable player.” Murray said he had some sympathy for Kyrgios, who has been harshly criticised since his slur against Wawrinka and the Swiss player’s girlfriend, Croatian teenager Donna Vekic. “He’s a young guy,” Murray said. “He made a mistake. All the guys here, when they were 19 or 20, made mistakes. His was seen by millions. It’s unfortunate it happened. It was wrong.”

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Familiar foes returning for OMSCC Toronto Cup By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada -- In 2003, a Rovendra Madholall XI, representing the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) defeated a Guyana side led by the durable Dharam Persaud at the Ellsemere ground here to emerge winners of the first-ever Americas Cup softball tournament, organised by the said OSCL whose president at the time was Kenny Girdharry. Twelve years on, both Madholall and Persaud will be donning colours once more in what is expected to be a fiercely contested inaugural Toronto Cup tournament, set for this weekend in Scarborough. While the 2003 Americas Cup was an Open competition, the inaugural Toronto Cup will be played in two categories with the Masters being included.

Brothers Rabindranauth and Mahendranauth Parasnauth This year’s tournament has also seen a change in the organisers with the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) taking charge and while Madholall will again feature in the OSCL Open team, the veteran Persaud will represent the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) in the Masters category. Today, the Sports Desk takes a look at most of the returning players from the Americas Cup, played in October, 2003. Foremost among them is the 2003 Most Valuable Player (MVP), Javed ‘White Boy’ Ali who migrated to the USA just before that tournament was played but still represented his homeland Guyana.

MEDALS TABLE Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Kenya 7 6 3 16 2 Jamaica 7 2 3 12 3 United States 6 6 6 18 4 Great Britain 4 1 2 7 5 Ethiopia 3 3 2 8 6 Poland 3 1 4 8 7 Canada 2 3 3 8 7 Germany 2 3 3 8 9 Russia 2 1 1 4 10 Cuba 2 1 0 3 11 China 1 7 1 9 12 Netherlands 1 1 1 3 13 South Africa 1 0 2 3 14 Belarus 1 0 1 2 15 Colombia 1 0 0 1 15 Czech Republic 1 0 0 1 15 Eritrea 1 0 0 1 15 Spain 1 0 0 1 15 Slovakia 1 0 0 1 20 Australia 0 2 0 2 20 Croatia 0 2 0 2 22 Bahamas 0 1 1 2 23 Belgium 0 1 0 1 23 Brazil 0 1 0 1 23 Egypt 0 1 0 1 23 Israel 0 1 0 1 23 Tajikistan 0 1 0 1 23 Tunisia 0 1 0 1 29 France 0 0

The dynamic Ally, who also took away the prize for the bowler taking the most wickets in the tournament (15), also dazzled spectators throughout the three days with some spectacular fielding that at times left many astounded and spellbound. This time around he will be playing for the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL). The prize for the MVP in the final for the Guyana team went to Muniram Karran for his fine 51 while Zaheer Haniff, who is likely to turn out for the Cove/Masters combination in the Open division, was the recipient on the OSCL side for his blazing unbeaten 55. Haniff is a former National Under-19 player. Karran is part of the OSCL 13-man squad. Another key player is Mahendranauth ‘Bobby’ Parasnauth who played for Guyana in 2003 but is now resident in Ontario and will skipper Our Own Sports Club in the Masters category. His brother Rabindranauth also finds himself in a similar position. Bobby has been a phenomenal softball player over the years and is one of the most feared bowlers in the OMSCC, his team winning an incredible 50 plus games without suffering a loss. The East Coast-born Parasnauth, who is serving as the coordinator for the overseas team, is credited with being the only all-rounder in Guyana to have scored a hundred and captured five or more wickets in the same game, 107 not out and six for 15 against Canal IX. Former Guyana Under-19 batsman Ejaz Mohamed is also making a return, this time under the banner of Cove/ Masters in the Open competition after playing for Guyana in 2003. Mohamed recently steered Cricketers Cove to victory over Dant in the OSCL 15/15 final. Another former West Indies and Guyana Under-19 batsman Hemnarine Chattergoon, a member of the victorious OSCL team in 2003, is one of the key players in Dant’s pursuit of claiming the Open title this time around, Hemnarine Chattergoon so too is Aftab Shamshudeen who is reportedly coming out of retirement to play for the same team. Known as one of the most dangerous bowlers in the OSCL, Satrohan ‘Blade’ Balkarran is expected to play a major role for Dant, switching from the OSCL which he represented the last time. Seasoned and versatile campaigner Khemraj ‘Vicky’ Subkharran who played for the NYSCL in 2003 has changed his allegiance to the New York Enforcers and is a player to keep an eye on. Apart from Dharam Persaud, other known players returning with the GSFCA are Rickey ‘4R’ Deonarine, Lakeram ‘Mike’ Singh of Mike’s Pharmacy fame and Asif Ally. It should also be noted that former Canadian World Cup player Desmond Chumney, who served as the manof-the-match adjudicator in the 2003 final, will be in a different role this time around, representing Our Own Sports Club in the Masters category. Among the eight set to vie for supremacy in the Masters division are two teams from the GFSCA, New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL). New York Muslim Softball Cricket Association, Our Own Sports Club, Caribbean Sensation and a team from the OMSCC. The latter three are based in Toronto. The Open category comprises six – NYSCL, New York Enforcers, Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) X1, Caribbean Sensation All Stars, Dant Sports Club and Masters/Cove Sports Club. The welcoming ceremony will be held at the Tropical Nights Restaurant and Lounge, Morningside Avenue, (at Sheppard), Scarborough, starting at 19:00hrs on Thursday, September 3, setting the stage for the commencement of the tournament the following morning. The final will take place at the University of Toronto ground, Scarborough.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

Nottinghamshire cricket star found asleep in car A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE man has spoken of his surprise at finding an ex-international cricketer asleep in his car.. Michael Whitaker, 45, from West Bridgford, was leaving for work last Wednesday when he found someone lying in his unlocked Chevrolet Matiz. It turned out to be former Zimbabwean captain and current Nottinghamshire batsman Brendan Taylor, who had got lost after celebrating a victory. Mr Whitaker told the Nottingham Post he ultimately saw the funny side. Brendan Taylor, 29, retired from international cricket after starring at the World Cup and came to play for Nottinghamshire. VALET OFFER On Tuesday the team won a match in the One-Day Cup in Nottingham. Mr Whitaker told the paper he called the police and waited nearby. He said: “Neither myself, the police or Brendan knew what to do. “I don’t think he knew where he was but he was very apologetic and it quickly became clear that it was very innocent. “Realising who it was made it even funnier because how often do you find an international cricket star asleep in your car?” Nottinghamshire Police said: “We attended the scene but the car had not been broken into and no offences had been committed. “The man in the car was extremely apologetic and even offered to get the car valeted.” Neither Mr Taylor nor the cricket club has commented. (BBC Sport)

Cricket’s worst collapse? UAE U19s go from 44-1 to 50 all out THIS summer’s Ashes series has been full of batting collapses, but nothing quite like the one suffered by United Arab Emirates Under-19s against Nepal. Chasing 200 in a 50-over game, the UAE had made a good start in reaching 44-1. Ten overs later, they were all out for 50 having lost nine wickets for six runs. No batsman from number three down made a score of more than one and the final four wickets fell for no runs. Of the 50 that were mustered, 32 were made by opening batsman Waruna Perera. Nepal, for whom Sushil Kandel took 4-7 and Prem Tamang 2-0 from five balls, won by 149 runs. (BBC Sport)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday August 31, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel:226-4512)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

Greville Stevens-5/105 (ENG vs WI, Barbados, 1930) Colin Croft-6/15 (WI vs ENG, St. Vincent, 1981)

Today’s Quiz:

Who has played the most Test matches in the WI to date? Who has played the most ODIs in the WI to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday August 31, 2015

GBA’s Michael Parris U-16 championships

Corbin enjoys sweet revenge over Shamal Gittens JOSHUA Corbin enjoyed sweet revenge over Shamal Gittens in the final of the 128 to 135-pound weight class when the Inaugural Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Michael Parris Under-16 tournament concluded on Saturday at the Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis Boxing Gym. The two boxers had squared off in the final of the Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis national Novices championships a few weeks ago at the East Ruimveldt Community Centre ground and Gittens of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) secured a win in the final. However, on Saturday, Corbin of Carryl’s Boxing Gym turned the table on Gittens, winning by unanimous points-decision in what was one of the better bouts on the day’s 11-fight card. Because of Corbin‘s improvement in such a short space of time, he was adjudged the Most Improved Boxer. The day’s activity attracted great support and all the spectators enjoyed themselves though they were cramped in a small space. The opening bout which was a semi-final saw Shaquancy Wright of Essequibo Boxing Gym (EBG)

… voted most improved boxer

secure a points victory over 11-year old Leslie Marques of Harpy Eagles (HE) in the 64-69 lb division. However, at the end of the bouts, Marques was rewarded for his courage of coming against a much older opponent and was given a special prize for being the `Youngest Boxer’ on show. Wright returned later in the day and earned a points-decision win over his gym mate Deron Williams to take the title and was adjudged the Boxer with Potential. He also won for himself a pair of boxing shoes, compliments of Milton Bransford of Colours on Robb Street, Lacytown. This presentation will be done today at the entity. In the 95-99 lb weight division, Omar Pollard of the Pocket Rockets Boxing Gym (PRBG) forced the referee to stop his semi-final contest against Traion Sealey (NOC) after 57 seconds. Pollard returned later on the card and stopped Junior Hyman (EBG) at 1.36 secs of the third round to take the title. In the 140-147lb weight division, Quincy Boyce of the Guyana Defence Force absorbed a number of head

and body shots from Okedi Husbands (NOC) early in the fight but came back strongly and had Husbands on the receiving end later

Michael Parris won a bronze medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. on and eventually won the fight on points. Boyce returned later on the card and secured a points-decision victory over Husbands’ gym mate Kevin Benn to win the title. In the semi-final of the 105-110lb division, Jamal Dowridge (HE) and Chris Charles (NOC) went after each other throughout the

bout trading punches, but in the end, Dowridge came out on top. The 116-119lb division final saw Harpy Eagles boxer John Dowridge pound his way to a 49-secs stoppage of PRBG’s Isaiah Jacobs to clinch the title and was later adjudged Best Boxer of the tournament. Kevin Allicock was also in winners’ row as he used up just 1.11 secs to capture the 111-115lb weight division title. The Best Coach awards went to PRBG’s Orland Rogers and HE’s Orrin London, while referee/judge Mark Drakes was adjudged Best Official on show. He earned a hamper, compliments of Nigel’s Supermarket. Medford Wilson was also rewarded for his contribution as a referee/judge and received a hamper from Harris Paints. The tournament’s Patron and Guyana’s lone Olympic medallist Michael Parris was present throughout the day’s activity and said he was appreciative of being the patron. He congratulated the Under-16 boxers and said he saw quite a lot of potential in them.

Knights inks two-year deal with Caledonia AIA in T&T Pro-League KAREEM Knights, the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) midfield player, recently signed a two-year deal with Trinidad and Tobago ProLeague club Caledonia AIA. Though the details of the move are not known, Knights will now join his National U-23 teammates Dominic Garnett and Pernell Schultz at the Morvant/Laventille-based club, owned by Guyana’s senior National Men’s head coach Jamaal Shabazz. “I’m just happy be to here; it’s my first time with a pro team, among players who played World Cup, MLS and other big leagues across the world,” Knights told Chronicle Sport yesterday. The 18-year-old, who also played at the Fruta Conquerors Club, said the move to Caledonia AIA is the start for him to realise his dream of playing

KAREEM KNIGHTS

professional football and his intention is to “shine in the TT Pro-League”. “It feels like home to me even though I’m in a new community among players from other countries. My Guyanese teammates have me as their younger brother guiding me and advising me how to approach things when necessary,” Knights said. He added, “I’ve been following along the line with them, going through every session, developing on my weakness and building my confidence in order to snap myself into the level that the pro league is being played at.” Knights has represented Guyana at the U-17, U-20 and most recently at the U-23 level but his ambition is to cement his spot on the Senior National Team.

Welch pilots Bulls to Forbes Burnham basketball final AN MVP performance from shooting guard Terron Welch ensured that Half Mile Bulls will advance to the Final of the Forbes Burnham Memorial Basketball Championship, after the Lindeners outclassed Georgetown’s Pacesetters 91-85 on Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The sharp-shooting Welch had a dominant performance on his way to netting a game-high 35 points while Michael Turner assisted with 13 points. For the losers, the duo of Travis Burnette and Randy Richardson scored14 points apiece. As a result of the win, the Linden out- Terron Welch netted a fit will tackle George- game-high 35 points for town’s Colts in the fi- Half Mile Bulls. nale on September 5 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Court in Linden. On the other hand, Pacesetters will now lock horns with Victory Valley Royals. In the opening quarter Linden took the early lead as they outscored Pacesetters 21-19. Bulls then built on their lead in the second period, scoring 27 points to Pacesetters’ 23 points to enter the halftime period ahead at 48-42. The momentum would then change sides in the pivotal third period as Pacesetters outscored Bulls, netting 24 points while restricting their opponents to 16 points to go into the final period marginally ahead 66-64. Nevertheless, Bulls sealed the matchup in the final period, recording an impressive 27 points to Pacesetters’ 19 points to clinch their berth in the final. Winners of the championship will walk away with $100 000, medals and the championship trophy while the second- place side will collect the respective medals, accolades along with $60 000. The third-place finishers will also receive a trophy, medals and $40 000. The Most Valuable Player, Best Uniformed Team and Most Disciplined Team will also receive awards.

Sharapova pulls out of U.S. Open due to leg injury

(REUTERS) - Five-time major winner Maria Sharapova has pulled out of the U.S. Open tennis championships due to a leg injury, the Russian said yesterday. Sharapova, 28, has not played a match since losing to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semi-finals in July and withdrew from hardcourt tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati in August, citing a right leg strain. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to compete in this year’s U.S. Open,” she tweeted. “I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not enough time. To all my amazing fans, I will be back in the Asian swing in a few weeks and look forward to finishing the year healthy and strong.” It marks the second time in three years that the 2006 champion has withdrawn from the year’s last grand slam event. The U.S. Tennis Association said yesterday that Russian Daria Kasatkina is the lucky loser who will replace Sharapova in the main draw.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

U.S. Open leading men cheering for a Serena Grand Slam

See story on page 19

Jamaica stun United States to take women’s 4x400 gold

Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica (L) crosses the finish line beside Francena McCorory of the U.S. in the women’s 4x400 metres relay final at the 15th IAAF Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China. (Reuters/Damir Sagolj)

Serena Williams

BEIJING, China (Reuters) Jamaica stunned the United States in the last women’s track race of the world championships as Novlene Williams-Mills snatched the 4x400 metres relay gold by passing Francena McCorory in the final 10 metres of a thrilling race. Jamaica had held a 15-metre lead over the United States at halfway, after strong runs by Christine Day and Shericka Jackson, only to see America’s individual 400m champion, Allyson Felix deliver an astonishing leg to chase down and catch Stephenie Ann McPherson and hand over the stick for the anchor leg with a slight lead. Felix’s leg of the relay was timed unofficially at 47.7sec but it was to prove in vain as Novlene Williams-Mills ran a shrewd final lap to overhaul a tiring Francena McCorory and win Jamaica’s third relay gold medal of the Beijing championships, and her nation’s seventh of the week. Jamaica clocked 3min 19.13sec, to the United States’ 3:19.44 with Britain taking bronze in 3:23.62.

Kenya top medal table at World Athletics Championships KENYA have topped the overall medal table at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing for the first time, with seven gold medals. Kenya also won six silver and three bronze medals, with Jamaica and the U.S. in second- and third-place respectively. Their final gold medal was won by Asbel Kiprop in the 1500m. President Uhuru Kenyatta tweeted: “Our young people have once again shown that they are as good as the world’s best and brightest.” “I’m so proud of myself to become a member of this exclusive club of three-time world champions,” said Kiprop after his victory. His was part of a strong Kenyan performance - their traditional domains of middle- and long-distance running, with gold medals for David Rudisha in the men’s 800m, Vivian Cheruiyot in the women’s 10 000m and Ezekiel Kemboi and Hyvin Jepkemoi triumphing in the men’s and women’s 3 000m steeplechase respectively. Nicholas Bett won in the 400m hurdles and Julius Yego became the first Kenyan field event athlete to win a medal at the championships with victory in the men’s javelin. On Wednesday it was announced that two Kenyan athletes at the championships had been suspended after failing drugs tests. (See World Athletics Champions Medals Table on Page 22)

Asbel Kiprop (centre) just beat his compatriot Elija Manangoi to take gold in the 1500m event.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015