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GUYANA No. 104315

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

No cause for conflict

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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Venezuela delays accrediting new Guyanese envoy By Neil Marks

Ambassador Cheryl Miles

UN eyes Guyana for anti-corruption base

CAREER diplomat Cheryl Miles has been named to be Guyana’s new Ambassador to Venezuela, but that appointment has been delayed over a grievance of President Nicolas Maduro. Miles was expected to become the first new Ambassador appointed by the David Granger administration since the May elections which gave the APNU/AFC coalition victory, Minister of State Joseph Harmon confirmed last eve-

ning. Maduro has suspended further talks with Guyana on the appointment of Miles over statements allegedly made last weekend by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge at the Florida Conference on Current Caribbean issues put on by the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) and the Greater Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce. Among his statements, the Foreign Minister has said that Maduro’s latest claim on the Essequibo, which includes this country’s maritime space, stemmed from attempts to access oil and other

resources. Maduro has not said what in particular irked him, but said that because of Greenidge’s statement, he has ordered his Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodríguez to halt negotiations on the appointment of the new Guyanese Ambassador in Caracas, according to a report carried on the website of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry. “It is nonsense to initiate the diplomatic way of regularisation, the appointment and admission of ambassadors and suddenly go to the United States to launch attacks against Venezuela,” Maduro said during his weekly TV address. Turn to page 3 ►

Police to boost P.8 security in the mines 8

Body of Kaieteur tourist flown to city Albouystown man shot in drive-by

3 critical in West Bank smash-up 5

The mangled vehicles that were involved in the horrfic 'smash-up' on the West Bank Demerara Wednesday night (Photos by Adrian Narine)

President Granger to address 70th session of UN General Assembly HEAD of State David Granger will be heading a delegation to the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which has already begun in New York. Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, is also expected to be a part of the delegation, which will deliver Guyana’s contribution towards the post-2015 development agenda. During his stay, in New York, President Granger will engage other world leaders on bilateral matters and issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of the Presidency said in a release. Sustainable development, global security and efforts to diffuse ongoing conflicts, many of which have resulted in explosive global refugee crises, top the agenda of the 70th anniversary UN General Assembly session that has begun its work in New York. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) speech marathon will see more than 160 leaders in attendance. The agenda, which will be adopted during a

PRESIDENT DAVID GRANGER special conference, to be held between September 25 and 27, consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets, aimed at addressing climate change, economic problems, health, energy, education, agriculture, gender equality and a whole host of other issues. On September 25, His Holiness Pope Francis will address the UNGA, and from September 25-27, the Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda will convene. The General Debate of the 70th Session of the UNGA will take place from September 28 - 6 October.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

Govt mulls breakfast for schools - as it expands school-feeding programme

By Shivanie Sugrim

THE expansion of the s c h o o l - f e e d i n g p ro gramme is expected to commence in the next academic year in keeping with the administration’s promise to introduce the programme in all the regions. The administration is also looking to include a breakfast programme as part of the expansion of the school-feeding initiative. Come next academic year, Grades One to Three students from all 10 administrative regions in Guyana will be provided with breakfast on a daily basis, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Education Vincent Alexander said. “So far the Ministry of Education is working assiduously to craft the expansion of the programme which will most likely commence in the next academic year,” said Alexander in an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle. Over the years, the school feeding programme has benefited thousands of schoolchildren from both the coastland and hinterland by providing

The expansion of the school-feeding programme is expected to commence in the next academic year

them with snacks on a daily basis. Many residents in the

VINCENT ALEXANDER

hinterland regions are poor and cannot afford to send their children to

school. The programme has therefore proven to be an excellent initiative to motivate parents from hinterland communities to send their children to school. Alexander told this publication that kitchens have been established to provide meals for these students. Government is now seeking to expand this programme to students on the coastland. “There are some schools where snacks are provided by the government while some are being provided with meals by non-governmental organisations and volunteer groups,” said Alexander, pointing out that from an assessment, the administration has seen the need to expand the programme countrywide. “What we are looking at now is the possibility of providing breakfast to schools which is the expansion that is currently being crafted at the min-

istry,” Alexander added. The School-feeding Programme currently targets Grades One to Three students and Alexander said the Ministry of Education has seen the need to cater for more students in the primary school system. In his recent budget presentation, Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine told the House that from information provided to the ministry, some students at a city school (name withheld) have been attending classes hungry. For this reason, the new administration has vowed to enhance the school feeding programme to cater for these students. T h e m o n e y f ro m the $10,000 education cash grant programme is being redirected to fund the expansion of the school-feeding programme, among other initiatives to enhance the lives of students.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 17, 2015

Herstelling hitman likely for court today THE police will today receive advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding the charge against 23- year-old Oswald Yaw, also known as Junior, who reportedly confessed to being hired to murder block-maker Nathan Persaud in his home one week ago. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed yesterday to the Guyana Chronicle that the police investigators working on the case are closing off the probe and

will be sending the file to the DPP today. This publication visited the community yesterday where the young man has been living for the past few months but residents would not share any information on him. However, persons said that the man recently moved to the area after returning from Barbados. One man said that the alleged hitman did not mix often with persons in the area and was not seen much in the com-

munity. On Tuesday evening the police picked Yaw up at a location in the city after staking out the area on the basis of intelligence. He reportedly told the police that he murdered the man after he was instructed to do so by the block-maker’s reputed wife, following their property dispute. The alleged hitman detailed to the police how the plan was hatched and how the payment arrangement was to be worked out between

Oswald Yaw

him and the woman who hired him. He admitted that he was to be paid on a hire purchase basis for the crime since the woman did not have all the money immediately and he was to receive installments of $100,000 monthly. The man had wanted the money to travel to Antigua to visit his girlfriend. The overall price tag for the hit was settled at $1.7 million. Nathan Persaud was laid to rest on Monday while his wife who reportedly

Venezuela delays accrediting new... Minister Harmon, who is acting Foreign Affairs Minister, expressed regret at Maduro’s decision, saying that it would be in the best interest of both countries for Guyana to have a new Ambassador in place at the mission in Caracas. However, he acknowledged that without the agreement of the Venezuelan government, the appointment of Miles cannot go through. Harmon said he hopes the matter can be resolved soon and the Foreign Minister will be in touch with the Venezuelan authorities to decide on the “best way” to resolve the issue. “We wish to stand behind the credentials of Ambassador Miles,” Harmon said, describing Miles as someone with “a tremendous repertoire of skills.” Miles served a seven-year term as Ambassador to Venezuela until she was recalled in 1993 to serve as Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She spent six years in that post and she then headed the Embassy in Brazil until 1999 when she left the Foreign Service. Despite this latest act, Maduro said Venezuela wants relations with Guyana. The century-old Guyana/Venezuela border controversy flared in

early June when Maduro issued a decree that Guyana said attempted to annex this country’s maritime space following a significant oil find by U.S. oil giant, ExxonMobil. Guyana has called on Maduro to withdraw the “obnoxious decree” which sought to create a theoretical “defense” zone offshore, that would deny Guyana any direct access to the Atlantic. In April this year, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister wrote Exxon’s representatives in Guyana, accusing the company of an incursion into the territory. ExxonMobil made the oil discovery, which it is now testing to determine commercial viability, in the so-called Stabroek Block, about 120 miles off Guyana’s coast. Back in 2013, Venezuela’s navy forced out the Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum from offshore the Roraima block, which it was operating under Guyanese licence. Venezuela has so far failed to resolve that issue. NO CAUSE FOR CONFLICT Meanwhile, Convenor of the Florida conference, Wesley Kirton in a statement Wednesday evening said: “As Convenor of the Conference at which

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

Minister Greenidge delivered the keynote address and led a panel on the Guyana/Venezuela controversy, I can attest that at no time did the Honourable Minister “attack” Venezuela. Further, I accompanied the Minister to all the meetings held in south Florida, including media interviews, and at no time, in my view, did anything said by the minister constitute an attack on Venezuela,” Kirton said in his statement. He added: “In fact Minister Greenidge sought to “play down” the view expressed by former Grenada Ambassador to Venezuela, Matthew

President Nicolas Maduro

William, that “Maduro is a desperate man” capable of resorting to the use of force in pursuit of the Venezuelan claim and as a means towards bolstering his faltering approval rating amongst the Venezuelan population. In responding to Ambassador’s William’s contention Minister Greenidge said that diplomacy remains the best mechanism for de-escalating tensions between the two countries and that it was Guyana’s view that a peaceful resolution of the controversy is the only option, best pursued through the judicial settlement process via the International Court of

admitted to hiring a hitman to murder him was charged and remanded to prison on Monday also. The dead man’s mother on Sunday said that what her daughter-in-law did was very heartbreaking as she treated the woman like one of her own children. The woman’s son had expressed disgust at the role his mother played in murdering his father, saying that it was a very, very messed up move by the woman.

From front page

Justice (ICJ).” According to Kirton in responding to questions at several fora during his visit Minister Greenidge did posit that the discovery of oil in Guyana’s waters off its Essequibo Coast is perhaps among the reasons for Venezuela’s resolute pursuit of its claims at this time. “President Maduro’s decision to suspend the granting of agreement for a new top envoy from its neighbouring Republic based on alleged “attacks” on Venezuela by Foreign Minister Greenidge while on his visit to the United States is more the occasion than the cause for his action. He never intended to grant agreement at this time based on information provided me by usually reliable sources,” Kirton said, adding that this notwithstanding there is no doubt that President Maduro must have taken note of the overwhelming success of Guyana, through the presentations of Minister Greenidge, in positively articulating its position that the Arbitral Award of 1899 is legally binding and not null and void and to win the support of various key audiences and individuals. Kirton said that President Maduro must know that it is not only Venezuela that can traverse

the world promoting its side of the story regarding the controversy. “Guyana enjoys that right too especially since its position is not to revisit and/ or flout international law by unilaterally declaring an Arbitral Award null and void. Recently, Venezuela was with our “own regional family” in Jamaica at a meeting at which it reportedly “attacked” Guyana and had some of its allies, including Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega “wax poetic” against the Guyana position on the Venezuelan claim. I don’t know that Guyana protested or took a decision to declare the Venezuelan top envoy to Guyana persona non grata.” Kirton said if President Maduro is really committed to de-escalating tensions and ensuring the maintenance of a secure peace in our hemisphere the least he could do at this point is to facilitate the diplomatic engagement of the two countries by sending his ambassador back to Georgetown and granting agreement for the posting of Guyana’s new top envoy to Caracas. “By this action he would be clearly demonstrating his expressed commitment to a peaceful resolution of the controversy.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

Hungarian riot police fire tear gas at migrants (Reuters) RIOT police fired water cannon and tear gas on Wednesday at migrants demanding to be let through Hungary’s newly shut EU frontier, while refugees at other Balkan frontiers clambered through cornfields in search of new routes. Hungary’s decision this week to shut the European Union’s external border with Serbia was the most forceful attempt yet by a European country to reduce the flow of refugees and economic migrants overwhelming the bloc. The move has left thousands of migrants scattered across the Balkan peninsula seeking alternative ways to reach the EU, and Hungary’s prime minister said his country planned to erect a fence along parts of its border with Croatia as well as on the frontier with Romania to stem the flow.

entering the EU via Serbia’s border with Croatia. “As soon as we heard about a route to Croatia we did not wait long. I want to go to Sweden to meet the rest of my family. I hope we will be treated better in Croatia,” he told Reuters. Serbia later said it would send additional police to the border with Hungary and try to distance migrants from the border fence, and three Hungarian

Migrants protest as Hungarian riot police fires tear gas and water cannon at the border crossing with Serbia in Roszke, Hungary September 16, 2015. Reuters/Marko Djurica Helmeted Hungarian riot police backed by armored vehicles took up positions at the now-barricaded border

At least 20 policemen and two children were injured, a Hungarian security official said. “It is getting very ugly there,” said Ahmad, 58, a shopkeeper from Baghdad who went to the official border crossing at Sid in Serbia but soon realised he may have a better chance of

crossing with Serbia, where male migrant youths pelted them with stones, demanding to be allowed through.

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military Humvees mounted with guns stepped up security on the other side of the frontier. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed shock and alarm at the treatment of refugees and migrants at Hungary’s border with Serbia. The Council of Europe human rights body said it had asked Hungary to explain its new legislation on the crisis.

Finally enjoying freedoms, Cuban Catholics press for more (Reuters) LIBERTAD Infante has been hosting Roman Catholic services in the patio of her middle class home for 20 years. At first they stirred interest from state security agents who showed up with inquiries, she said, especially after a crowd of pilgrims

16/09/2015

once carried a large cross through her neighborhood in eastern Havana. Now, as Pope Francis is due for a three-night visit starting on Saturday, the celebrations of Mass on the patio are innocuously routine and may soon no longer be needed. Construction is under way on a new church in the neighborhood, on a half-hectare (1.2-acre) plot of land book-ended by two giant, Soviet-era apartment blocks. The church will be named after Pope John Paul II, whose historic 1998 visit to Cuba helped eliminate some of the final barriers to religious freedom in Communist-run Cuba. Catholicism is flourishing again in the former Spanish colony, gradually expanding its role and influence after suffering repression for decades following Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution. It now has more autonomy than any organisation outside the auspices of the Communist Party. Cuba, which was officially atheist for decades, is allowing each of the country’s 11 dioceses to build one new church for the first time since 1959.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 17, 2015

Andres Oppenheimer: Maduro’s campaign strategy: a border war? BY ANDRES OPPENHEIMER Eager to divert attention from a world-record inflation rate, massive food shortages, and other self-inflicted economic problems that could lead to an opposition victory in the Dec. 6 legislative elections, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is pulling a trick of last resort for embattled demagogues: reviving a dormant territorial dispute to stir nationalist passions. It seems too crass, too obvious. But Maduro, whose popularity has plummeted to about 20 percent, seems to have concluded that resurrecting old border conflicts with neighboring Guyana and,

more importantly, Colombia, will change the conversation in Venezuela away from the shortages of meat, milk, and coffee, or from the sky-high inflation rate, which according to a new Bank of America report is likely to reach 172 percent this year. Maduro’s previous political excuses, including blaming Venezuela’s economic disaster on an alleged “economic war” by U.S.-backed oligarchs, are no longer working. After 15 years in power, during which much of Venezuela’s private sector has been decimated and corrupt pseudo-revolutionaries have become immensely rich, it’s becoming increasingly harder for Venezuela’s radical leftist regime to blame others

3 critical after West Bank smash-up

THREE are in critical condition following a three-vehicle smash-up on the West Bank Demerara Wednesday night. Minutes after 21:00 hrs a Tacoma truck slammed into an AE91 car vehicle on the Schoonord Village Public Road, West Bank Demerara. The collision resulted in another crash with an Avensis vehicle, leaving several persons severely injured. According to eyewitnesses and a police officer on the scene, the AE91 vehicle was approaching from the southern direction when it was confronted with the Tacoma and two speeding vehicles, one of which slammed into the right side of the AE91, leaving a father and child injured. The driv-

er of the Tacoma then lost control and collided with the Avensis that was behind the AE91. The badly damaged Avensis car that was being driven by a 21-year-old man ended up in the nearby trench. The driver of the vehicle according to eyewitnesses suffered broken legs and arms since he was trapped in the vehicle when it landed in the trench. Meanwhile, this newspaper understands the Tacoma was carrying at the time the driver and his girlfriend who were said to have suffered severe injuries as well. All of the injured persons were rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where they were kept up to late Wednesday night.

for the country’s collapse. Earlier this week, Maduro announced that he will call for a “civic-military union” to confront an “international maneuver from the right to provoke Venezuela with border problems.” The alleged “maneuver” was led by Exxon Mobil and Guyana, which announced a significant offshore oil find in a bid called by Guyana in disputed waters in the Caribbean, Maduro said. Shortly after Exxon Mobil’s announcement, Venezuela issued a decree on May 26 claiming the Caribbean waters where the oil discovery took place as its own. But Maduro’s decree went a step further: it announced four “operational defense areas” to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty in several disputed areas, including an area that is claimed by both Venezuela and Colombia. That, in turn, led to a formal protest by Colombia, whose president, Juan Manuel Santos, said that Maduro’s decree amounted to a “violation of Colombia’s rights,” and demanded that Venezuela immediately “rectify the content” of its decree. Many political strategists speculate that Maduro might find an eager sparring partner in Santos. Colombia’s president, who made his mark by improving relations with Venezuela during his first term, might profit politically from escalating border tensions with Venezuela ahead of Colombia’s October elections for governors and mayors, they say.

“Santos is politically weak right now, and could benefit from playing the nationalist card,” says Mauricio de Vengochea, a Miami-based political consultant who advises politicians in Colombia and Venezuela. “We can’t forget that there is a big anti-Maduro sentiment in Colombia.” In addition, Santos no longer needs Venezuela as much as in the past to reach a peace agreement with Colombia’s FARC guerrillas. Unlike late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Maduro doesn’t have as much leverage with the guerrillas, which allows Santos to take some distance from Venezuela without endangering his peace negotiations with the FARC, some argue. A border skirmish between Venezuela and Colombia in coming months, most likely started by Venezuela, is not unthinkable, political insiders in both countries tell me. Less than 30 years ago, on Aug. 9, 1987, the two countries almost went to war when the Venezuelan frigate Libertad confronted a Colombian navy ship over disputed waters. Maduro’s May 26 decree that included disputed waters under Venezuela’s “operational defense areas” amounted to a similar Venezuelan provocation, many Colombians say. My opinion: Maduro’s electoral strategy to win the Dec. 6 legislative elections — in addition to a dubious election process in which he will monopolize television time, keep opposition leaders in jail under phony charges,

and prohibit European Union and Organization of American States observers from watching the vote — will be to escalate border tensions with Guyana and Colombia. Venezuela’s neighbors and Washington should not allow one single life to be lost over these artificially resurrected border conflicts. When Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff visits Washington next week, President Barack Obama should cite the danger of a senseless border war in her neighborhood as one of his

major arguments to convince her to step up Latin American pressure on Maduro to stop behaving like a tropical, 19thcentury tyrant. Inflating a dormant border conflict to stir nationalist passions is the oldest trick in the demagogues’ manual. But it has worked before, and Maduro is showing that, now that his blame game against the “U.S.-backed oligarchy” has lost steam, he will use it as his main strategy to retain absolute power. (Miami Herald)

Guyana

EDITORIAL

The Power Sharing Debate

THE announcement by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo that the government has set up a team to negotiate a Government of National Unity with the PPP has predictably engendered a spirited debate over the merits and demerits of the initiative. But more importantly, the debate has zeroed in on the viability of power sharing or shared governance as a system of governance. This is not a new debate. From 1961, when Eusi Kwayana had proposed a Joint Premiership between Dr. Jagan and Mr. Burnham, to the present, there has always been a robust debate on this issue. Prime Minister Nagamootoo and his former colleague in the PPP Ralph Ramkarran, have led the current charge in arguing that it is still the best option available if the political leaders are serious about bringing the country together as a single nation. Over the years, some names have become associated with the advocacy of this system. It must be noted that Nagamootoo stood out as the PPP leader who, while still in the party, went against the PPP’s anti-power sharing line. On the PNC’s side, the leading advocates include Vincent Alexander, James Mc Allister, Aubrey Norton and Sherwood Lowe, who, along with others in 2002, spearheaded the PNC’s push in the direction of power sharing. The WPA is the party that has been most consistent on the issue. Practically all of its leading members, including Rupert Roopnaraine, Tacuma Ogunseye, Eusi Kwayana, Clive Thomas and David Hinds, have been at the forefront of the advocacy and general debate on the issue. Others such as Eric Phillips of ACDA and the late Clarence Ellis have also been strong advocates. Part of the current debate in the letter section of the newspapers and the columns rings a now familiar bell. This section of the debate discusses power sharing outside of the concrete realty of Guyana and arrives at the conclusion that such a system would not work. When Kwayana argued for power sharing in 1961, he cited as a

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

Social cohesion discussion must continue THE act by the government to establish a Ministry of Social Cohesion gives the impression this administration is prepared to advance universal charters, conventions and laws and put programmes in place to make meaningful this concept which strives for greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility. Social Cohesion as seen by the United Nations “is the glue that holds society together.” Its analysis, seen through three values, speaks to: (i) social inclusion; (ii) social capital; and (iii) social mobility. (I) Social inclusion is the degree to which all citizens can participate on equal footing in the economic, social and political life, including whether people are protected in times of need. Outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution, Guyanese are called on to “Celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination.” In recognition of these diverse strains that weave the fabric of the nation and make us who we are, the citizens/workers’ interests would be served when there is respect for and strengthening of Article 13 (inclusionary democracy); Article 38 (duty of trade union to develop economy); Article 147 (freedom of association and right to collective bargaining); Article 149 (protection from discrimination on the grounds of race, etc); and Article 149C (non-hindrance of the trade union in the management and decision-making processes of the State). Social inclusion requires

every group opportunity to participate and be recognised as an integral part in decision-making on matters that affect the interests of members of the group. As international institutions (e.g. IDB, World Bank, UN) acknowledge the relevance of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Core Labour Standards in pursuing development, hence the importance of a specialised Ministry/Secretary of Labour observable in other developed and developing countries to effectively deal with, manage and address in a comprehensive manner, diverse issues relating to Labour, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) desires to see same in Guyana. The government’s position that Social Protection includes Labour misses the strategic importance of Labour not as a core competence of Social Protection, but as the umbrella of the ILO four strategic objectives, namely: “promote and realise standards and fundamental principles and rights at work; create greater opportunities for women and men to decent employment and income; enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all; strengthen tri-partism and social dialogue”. Guyana, as a member of the ILO family and the nation’s Decent Work Agenda Programme shaped off the influence of the ILO objectives, the importance of Labour warrants separate focus and ministerial oversight. It is therefore expected that as this government settles in, this is an area that requires urgent review. (II) Social capital pays attention to the trust between people and institutions and the sense of belonging to a society. The GTUC is con-

potent justification the refusal of members of the two ethnic groups to accept the leadership of the opposite group. He viewed his power-sharing proposal as a means to the desired end of “national wholeness.” We believe that those two observations together form the crux of the case for power sharing in Guyana. Our recent election results demonstrated that Kwayana’s observation that the ethnic groups refused to be led by leaders of the other group is still true today, a full five decades later. This is also the case in most, if not all other ethnically divided societies. Of course there are those who would argue that such a reality is not written in stone; that if political leaders and parties stop preaching race, ethnic identification and division would go away. The problem with that reasoning is that these leaders and parties emerge from and are nurtured by the very communities we refer to as victims. Some of our commentators, such as Henry Jeffery and

vinced more can be done to realise this stated objective as we harness the potential of our resources. In its participation at the two-day Social Cohesion Conference (3rd- 4th September), via President Leslie Gonsalves, GTUC submitted its Labour’s Platform for Guyana which addresses three areas of competency, viz: (1) Programme for an Economic Model of Sustainable Development, Decent jobs and full Employment; (2) Democracy and Governance with a gender perspective; and (3) Programme for Social and Labour Rights. III) Social Mobility looks at equality of opportunity to get ahead and factors in migration, gender, fair tax system, and data management. As such, examination of migration would give recognition that the issue, while having a strong pull factor, also has a strong push factor. Migration pull continues where people are not only going to join family, but will also be seeking better opportunities. Exodus of university graduates and skilled professionals as a result of factors inclusive of poor wages, health services, education and desire for personal developmental opportunities should also be under review. Mobility has to factor in mechanism to harness this flow and make the country attractive to retain and return its human capital for development. With regard to gender which is defined by the United Nations as “the social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as well as the relations between women and those between men,” such is a factor in mobility and social cohesion. Political partici-

pation of women is seen as a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality. And given the statistics of women in education, there should be no excuse for finding women to fill major positions. Whereas the Constitution requires the minimum of at least onethird women on the List of Representatives, such ought not to be a limiting factor for placement in the National Assembly and public office. Since education is one of the pillars for mobility and girls are outperforming boys in all sectors, yet men outplaced women in decision-making positions of which women are qualified, there is a policy deficit in ensuring gender equality. The plight of males as noted in the reduction of proportional rates at examinations, graduation from high school and university is seen as a trend that requires urgent address, so our future productive male population will not fall by the way side, and deny opportunities for advancement. With regard to the nation’s data management systems, enhancement and upgrading (digital upgrade) would make it easier for storage, retrieval and use for analytical purposes. It helps for transparency to validate decisions made and politicians, administrators, government and decision-makers to be held accountable to decision-making premised on hard evidence. A census is also important to know the population demographics in order to debunk myths, expose propaganda and discrimination, and engage in proper national planning. And with regard to taxation, we need to see the establishment of an effective and just tax system that will not allow the favoured/privileged few to escape their contriSee Page 7

David Hinds, have concluded that our ethnic voting patterns are a fact of life and that we may be fighting a futile battle in trying to undo them. Rather, our energy should be expended in trying to find ways to positively accommodate such ethnic identification, they contend. Kwayana’s “national wholeness,” it seems, is still our shared objective. And Jeffery, Hinds and others would argue that the quest for wholeness assumes an acknowledgement of pluralism and perhaps fracturedness. Moses Nagamootoo, in arguing for power sharing, puts it in perspective in an article published in this paper in February 2003. According to him, “Our democracy must have room, in the context of our ethnic-based voting pattern and political loyalties, for both winner and loser. This makes it an inclusive, national democracy that is, at the same time, participatory and revolutionary. The essence of our democracy must be bi-partisan, and the approach to major problems must be united and national.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

Does Guyana Times have New Gov’t should take political axes to grind? heed of criticisms THE Guyana Times editorial of September 16, 2015, claimed that the “newly elected APNU/ AFC Government appears to be in a rush to hold Local Government Elections (LGE) this year come hell or high water”. I am glad they got one thing straight; the APNU/ AFC Government is not a de-facto government as the PPP General Secretary thinks, but an elected one. But to the substance of the misguided point they made – after 18 years, don’t they think all of Guyana deserves LGE “come hell” or high water? Even if the laws are flawed, as they claimed (and I do not believe them), GECOM is the authority on the subject matter. It is GECOM to pronounce on the

issue and they have made their positions clear on the law and the timelines. So how dare the Editor of the Guyana Times to want to jeopardise democracy and dictate otherwise. As a newspaper, they have a patriotic duty to help all Guyanese to draw on these democratic dividends – LGE. It is time they help all Guyanese bury the local governments that died in 1997, once and for all. From all practical indications, there will be no LGE in 2015, because GECOM said so and I think it is their job to know the system. The minister has a political duty to deliver on his political promises and for that I commend him for pushing so hard. However, on this one, he will have to defer

Social cohesion ... From Page 6

butions toward this nation’s national development. Summarily, Social Cohesion undergirds universal principles that would weld the nation

to GECOM. A three-month deferral sounds reasonable to me as declared by GECOM. So let the elections season begin immediately after Christmas – “in-shal-lah”. These elections deserve the support of all media houses and anything else will expose their covert political axes. Does the Guyana Times have political axes to grind? For me personally, I will be closely watching the outcome from these NDCs in Central Corentyne closely – Whim-Bloomfield, JohnPort Mourant and Hampshire-Kilcoy, since they have much relevance for General Elections in 2020. SASE SINGH

racy. And while the GTUC lauds the conference’s deliberation, it desires the benefit of this exercise not only seen together, wherein the envi- in the consultative process, ronment is established that but in the implementation and every citizen is assured equal continued engagement. opportunity, participation and LINCOLN LEWIS justice. As such, national conGeneral Secretary, sultation is not a privilege; it GTUC is a requirement of democ-

IN 2006, then President Bush hired Tony Snow as his Press Secretary. Snow was an objective critic of Bush’s administration. When the President was asked why he would bring into his fold a known, detractor who publically criticised some of his policies, Bush gave two memorable remarks. He said, “I asked him (Tony) about those comments and he said, “you should have heard what I said about the other guy’. And, “I like his perspective, I like the perspective he brings to the job and I think you’re going to like it too.” Bush was willing to work with those who were objectively critical of his policies. It is becoming more and more obvious that the last administration in Guyana allowed for no one in its fold with such qualities. Or if indeed they had, they did not make use of them.

The Sanata Textile Mills, the Marriott, the Berbice Bridge, the Amaila Falls, the Airport Expansion, the sole sourcing of drugs, the Specialty Hospital, the none Blacks as Ambassadors, etc., all suggest that there were no critical objective voices in the previous administration to guide them to more patriotic and transparent ways of investing the public’s money and engaging the citizenry. Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, Vice President Ramjattan and Prime Minister Nagamootoo all said they tried to be that critical objective voice and they claimed to have been sidelined and forced out. More recently, Mr. Urling said that he too observed the stifling of that objective thinking within their fold. Only autocratic and dictatorial rulers shun objective criticisms, but befriend “yes-men” and group-thinking cronies. Editor, I am not high-

lighting the matter with President Bush or that of the previous administration flippantly. I am making an appeal to the embryonic, current administration. Take note. Bush won his second term even with a badly damaged economy and a tumultuous Iraq War because it is believed he was prepared to bring into his bosom critical objectors of his policies. The PPP lost the government because it is believed they alienated and ostracised such thinkers, which led to behaviours inimical to the total development of the country. It behooves this new administration to pay attention to the two stark realities and to determine which one will be its legacy. PASTOR W. P. JEFFREY Practical Christianity Ministries Founder/President

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 17, 2015

Police to boost security in the mines …new checkpoints, improved intelligence coming By Ariana Gordon POLICE Commissioner Seelall Persaud urges the mining community not to get its “expectations beyond the reach of the economy,” even as the lawmen work towards putting a further dent in the incidence of crime in the mining districts. He promised that soon new checkpoints will be set up and stronger intelligence gathering techniques employed to confront the security challenges that have dogged the industry. Persaud made the comments on Tuesday to Guyana Chronicle while addressing concerns about the lack of resources and what appears

to be slothfulness on the part of the Guyana Police Force to tighten up security in mining communities across the country. Persaud told Guyana Chronicle that he understands and agrees that there is a need for better security arrangements in the mining districts but citizens must also understand the constraints of developing countries like Guyana. He noted that the force is doing the best it can with its limited resources. “You know, we operate in a developing country and these are developing a country’s realities…the realities of small economies. So you can’t get your expectations beyond the reach of the economy,” he told Guyana Chronicle. Notwithstanding the con-

straints however, the Police Commissioner remains optimistic that in time, the required resources will be allocated. “Incrementally we are getting resources and we are developing capacity. The interior is only one part of Guyana that we have to address security issues,” he said. At the moment, the force is collaborating with all stakeholders with the aim of coming up with a solution; a task Persaud says will take time. “We did a plan last year based on heavy consultations particularly with the miners, the association, the Ministry of Natural Resources so there is a plan which includes a lot of collaboration…” He assured the Guyana

Chronicle that with time; he will set up new locations and establish new checkpoints and the like to address the issue of security. Added to those things, he noted that “lots of intelligence” will be used to ensure crimes are solved and if possible prevented. The Police Commissioner’s remarks come at a time when the mining industry has been crying out about the number of robberies and killings within mining communities. On Tuesday, President David Granger committed to having improved security within mining communities stating that “there must be better security in mining districts.” The President was scheduled to meet with Chief of Staff Mark Phillips and Persaud on Wednesday to address the issue. Only recently, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) said it is “very concerned about the increase in crime, violence, murders, trafficking in persons, drugs and other illegal activities that have increased in the mining communities.” Former president of the association Patrick Harding said from all appearances, the back dams are being “managed by mines officers, rang-

ers and police who set out to enrich themselves.” And in light of that view, President Granger issued a stern warning to all in the Public Service about their involvement in bribery and other acts of corruption. “No public official will escape the law,” the President warned while stating that he wants “unbribable mines officers,” working in mining communities. FIREARMS Illegal firearms in mining communities are rampant and are a cause for serious concern by miners. Miners are fearful for their lives as unarmed Mines Officers cannot serve to protect miners. “The claim holder is at the mercy of those “new bandits”, only the claim holder with a security force with bigger guns can survive,” the GGDMA said. Many miners have applied for firearm licences but unfortunately some of those applications have not been approved. “The Commissioner of Police stated that Guyana Police Force understands the situation in the mining communities and is prepared to support miners to expedite the issuance of firearm licences to bona fide miners, to fast track approval for larger miner or mining company that want to set up its own Security Personnel, to have a system of continuous roving

patrols and to have regular meetings with GGDMA and GGMC on security requirements, a shared communication system and technology especially since new mining lands are being opened up or extended,” Patrick Harding of the GGDMA stated at the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week. But while, the Police Force through the Police Commissioner have provided full assurance to expedite applications for firearm licences, the process is not that simple. Harding said that miners have informed him, while he was president of the association that to get approval for firearm licence you have to provide a proof of many documents. “… to get approval for firearm licence you have to provide financial statements, VAT Registration, GRA Liability, NIS/PAYE; transport for land, proof of current address, etc. This encourages the applicant to by-pass the system,” he said. Harding believes that while the association has always urged its members and all miners to support and assist the police while carrying out their operations, it is becoming increasingly difficult on miners to protect their hard earned properties. The back dam he said has become “no man’s land”.

Body of Kaieteur tourist flown to city THE body of Kaieteur tourist Laleta Sivanand has been flown to the city and a post-mortem is likely by weekend, the Ministry of the Presidency said yesterday afternoon. The body, which was first spotted by a KNP Ranger late Saturday afternoon, was found in a rocky area at the base of the Falls, which had previously been submerged by high water levels, the ministry stated. Sivanand went missing on September 1. She was at the time with a group of visitors to the Kaieteur National Park. Late in the afternoon of Tuesday September 1, it was discovered

that a tourist, who had arrived at the KNP on an Air Services Limited flight, was missing after she left her group on the way back from touring the Falls. On Monday the woman’s husband said the family had hoped that she would have been found alive, despite reports that she had plunged to her death. According to reports, the woman did not indicate to her relatives that she was going to the location and only after she was reported missing that contact was made with them and they became aware that she had gone on such a tour. Persons on

Laleta Sivanand

the flight said that she was crying and appeared to be distressed. Meanwhile, the ministry has expressed sympathy to the family of Sivanand and thanked all the officials and agencies that supported the work of the Guyana Police Force and the GDF during the search and recovery exercise.

Free and Easy gets potable w Free and Easy gets potable water for very first time 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

- over 40 households to benefit RESIDENTS of Free and Easy, a tiny village on the West Bank Demerara, are about to access potable water for the very first time, thanks to the timely intervention of Minister within the Ministry of Communities Keith Scott. According to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the project, which cost some $10M to implement, should be finished in another week, and see more than 40 households having access to the

service. The matter of the village not having potable water was raised by residents last month with Minister Scott, who, after hearing them out, conceded that such a situation was unacceptable. To the minister’s credit, he not only committed to having the service installed, but also promised to personally pursue the project to the very end. Infrastructural works, including the installation of pipe lines, and distribution

and transmission mains, GWI said in a release yesterday, commenced late last month, and that the entire network, consisting of in excess of 6000 feet of pipelines, will be completed within one (1) week. All the company asks, GWI Executive Director of Operations Joseph Codette said, is that new customers ensure they are registered at its Pouderoyen Customer Services office in order to receive new service connections.

Residents of Free and Easy during the meeting last month with Minister Keith Scott

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

UN eyes Guyana for anticorruption base

THE United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) has proposed setting up a Regional Anti-Corruption Academy, based in Guyana, to address issues of transparency and accountability. “We were discussing options to help Guyana and one of the options was to establish a Regional Anti-Corruption Academy for the Caribbean and Central America,” said Caribbean UNODC Regional Representative Amado Philip de Andres following a meeting with Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman. According to him, it is “a carbon copy” of the International Anti- Corruption Academy, located in Vienna. “We want to set up a pilot country and that can possibly be Guyana,” de Andres is quoted by the Ministry of the Presidency as saying. Minister Trotman, yesterday met with the visiting team from UNODC at the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment’s Boardroom, where several key proposals were discussed.

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman takes note of a point made by Regional Representative of the Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean for the UNODC, Amado Philip de Andres as UN Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa, Programme Coordinator- Operations and Programmes for the UNODC Olivier Inizan and Legal Technical Officer (NRE) Tamara Khan, look on. The UN team was headed by Amado Philip de Andres. He was accompanied by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Fund Resident Representative Khadija Musa and Programme CoordinatorOperations and Programmes for the UNODC Olivier Inizan. UN Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa, in brief remarks, told Minister Trotman that the UN has recognised the new government’s interest in fighting corruption and crime and as such, the meeting was organised to see how best those efforts can be aided. “Since we know that there is a government which is interested in the fight against crime and drugs, and all those issues are paramount here and on the international front, we felt since you are now establishing your framework and structure, that it was important that UNODC come and share what they can do or in what areas they can assist so we initiated the visit,” Musa said. UNODC Regional Representative Amado Philip de Andres, noted that the UNODC is working on an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Diploma course for civil servants, which will be tailor-made to suit each other on board the initiative. He also expressed the world body’s support in tackling and addressing environmental crimes. Minister Trotman, on behalf of the government, welcomed these proposals, noting that they will be favourably considered for the good governance of the country. “These are very good proposals, especially an institute where we can train multiple compliance officers, to sensitise them to identify and eradicate corruption. We welcome your support and pledge the government’s willingness to explore these going forward,” Minister Trotman told the team.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

GRA commended for efforts at monitoring ozone depleting substances – at World Ozone Day observance

GUYANA’S achievements in phasing out the use of substances that contribute to ozone depletion was reflected yesterday, twenty-two years after the country ratified the Montreal Protocol. The reflection was done by stakeholders from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Ozone Action Unit and the Hydromet Office who met at the Regency Hotel to commemorate World Ozone Day 2015. The event was held under the theme, ‘30 Years of Healing the Ozone Together’. Guyana has been quite successful at reducing a significant percentage of the gas, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which is ranked very high in its global warming potential. It was through careful planning and the establishment of a national blueprint that called key stakeholders into action, such as the GRA, that Guyana was able to arrive at this feat. In 2007, legislation was introduced to control the importation of ozone depleting substances

Deputy Head of Customs Excise and Trade Operations Mr Patrick Hyman speaking at the World Ozone Day event

as well as equipment in which these substances are contained. High on the agenda also, was the phasing out of the HCFCs.

Supplementing legislation was technical capacity training by the National Ozone Action Unit, for Customs officers, especially

those stationed at the country’s main points of entry, namely Regions 2, 4, 6 and 9. They became knowledgeable about the procedures applied when detaining ozone depleting substances and mandatory retrofiting at the expense of the importers. On one occasion, directives were given for the re-exportation of a shipment, based on the advice of the National Ozone Action Unit. Deputy Head of Customs Excise and Trade Operations Mr. Patrick Hyman, who addressed the commemorative gathering, hailed the contributions of partners in this endeavour, particularly in the area of training and the supply of equipment such as refrigerant identifiers. The programme was also extended to refrigeration and Air Condition (AC) technicians. The general aim was to promote good refrigeration practices among technicians in the services sector. The efforts of the GRA in particular at monitoring and enforcement of ozone depleting substances, was applauded by acting Chief Hydromet Officer Dr. Garvin

Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Shabnam Mallick addressing the gathering at Regency Hotel Cummings who also delivered remarks at yesterday’s event. However, amidst these achievements, there was the stark reminder for continued vigilance, especially with smuggling operations that undermine the progress made thus far. Deputy

Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ms Shabnam Mallick, who was also in attendance, said smugglers have utilised schemes that make the job of detection and restriction by customs officera more difficult.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

Kazakhstan Ambassador, PM discuss range of issues - during courtesy call THE Ambassador of Kazakhstan to CARICOM His Excellency Konstantin Zhigalov, on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo at his office at the Ministry of the Presidency. The ambassador’s visit to Guyana was to present his credentials to the CARICOM Secretary General. He is the first Ambassador from Kazakhstan to represent his country in the Caribbean. During his two-day visit, Ambassador Zhigalov requested an audience with Prime Minister Nagamootoo and the Prime Minister’s

office was the venue where fruitful discussions on a range of issues took place between the ambassador and the Prime Minister. PM Nagamootoo said he was very impressed by the ambassador’s knowledge of the situation in Guyana and the Caribbean. He noted that the ambassador had worked in many countries where there are similar political systems, as in a president, prime minister and ministers, and where people depend on trade with other countries to boost the economy. The PM added it is his hope that relations between

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo engages in a handshake and token exchange with Ambassador of Kazakhstan to CARICOM, Konstantin Zhigalov

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and the UNODC delegation at his office on Tuesday (Adrian Narine photos) Guyana and Kazakhstan would develop, and trade would take place between the two countries, particularly in terms of finding markets for our rice at this time. He welcomed to Guyana with great pleasure, Ambassador Zhigalov. The Prime Minister also

met with the delegation from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Olivier Inizan, Coordinator (Operations & Programmes) of the Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean; Amado Philip de Andres, Regional Representative; and UN

Resident Representative to Guyana Khadija Musa were the ones who represented that delegation. The Prime Minister expressed his interest in the work of UNODC in Central America and the Caribbean, and the possibility of helping to train Guyana’s judicial

personnel was discussed. Nagamootoo explained that the government, as a matter of discharging its portfolio responsibility, provides prosecutors in cases dealing with special crimes and drugs, and also deals with asset recovery and a wide range of issues of interest to Guyana. The PM said the meeting was fruitful, and he is optimistic of Guyana receiving assistance in efforts to fight crime and the narco-trade. He said it is his wish to see Guyana work and partner with others in the fight against crime and drugs. PM Nagamootoo said the work of the delegation excited him very much, even as they detailed their work in this Region. The delegation would also be meeting with the Attorney General and the Minister of Public Security, the PM explained. (Michel Outridge)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 17, 2015

US$1.7 early childho – Education Minister says 'it’s a win for everybody' By Ravin Singh IN aid of further developing this country’s human resource capacity government through a grant received from the World Bank on Wednesday launched Guyana’s Early Childhood Development Project to the tune of US$1.7M, in Bartica. The project, which was birthed out of intense discussions by early childhood educators and relevant officials, aims to improve emergent literacy and numeracy outcomes for children at the nursery level and primary Grade one in hinterland regions and targeted remote riverine areas. It comes at a time when Guyana has essentially attained Universal Primary Education (UPE) and is currently pursuing the achievement of Universal Secondary Education by 2020. The objective is based on the Ministry of Education’s 5-year Nursery Education Action Plan (NEAP) which finds alignment with the Global Partnership for Education Strategic Plan 2012-2015. But according to the Ministry of Education, this project would achieve its development objective through the implementation of its four components. PROJECT COMPONENTS Capacity building for nursery and Grade one teachers is the first component of the project which will receive US$650,000 aimed at improving the quality of instruction and learning at the nursery and Grade 1 levels by strengthening teachers’ contentment of knowledge and pedagogy, particularly with regard to the implementation of new strategies for the development of emergent literacy and numeracy skills,

Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry addressing the gathering at the launch of the Early Childhood Education Project yesterday. Sitting at the head table (from left) are; Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes; Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People's Affairs Valarie Lowe; Minister of Indigenous People's Affairs, Sydney Allicock; First Lady, Sandra Granger; and Regional Education Officer, Charles Holmes

through an in-service teacher training programme. The second component of the project is improved supply of teaching and learning materials which will be allocated US$400,000. This would support the procurement and distribution of ECE resource kits to all nursery and Grade 1 classes along with a Teachers’ Manual for their use. The kit contains resources that explicitly target numeracy, Science and Inquiry, Dramatic Play and Music, Art and Craft and Social Studies. Primary caregiver education is the third component of the Early Childhood Development Project which will receive US$350,000 in aid of further supporting the development of emergent literacy and numeracy among children in participating schools, and among their siblings not yet of age to attend nursery school. According to the ministry, this is done by reinforcing parents’ efforts and abilities to promote children’s learning at home. But this is to be done through

A section of the gathering at yesterday event

parent seminars, resource and information support through the Learning Resource Centres (LRC), a mass media campaign, and hands-on parental coaching. Finally, Project implementation support, Administration, and Monitoring & Evaluation is the fourth component of the project.

Support for project implementation and administration, and ensuring appropriate monitoring and evaluation of project implementation, impact, and fiduciary matters is covered under this component which will be allocated US$300,000.

BENEFICIARIES Direct beneficiaries of the project includes; children attending the two years of nursery education and Grade 1, aged 3 ½ - 7 years, living in hinterland regions (Regions 1,7,8 and 9) and targeted remote riverine areas. This comprises about 8,000 children in

these t their fa Ap and Gr benefi condit tionall caregi areas educat Spe was he Schoo Educa keen to “a win just ch cantly, and pa She is one tunity potent and te create for lea Un hood i velopm Minist also im allowe ents, to Th tiative ca, sh gover decent tioned campa nation source der age capaci World Hongy She ing by World Educat was by But alt menta projec sentati tion ur the ch during Never

Alboustown man shot in drive-by Cop on $50,000 bail over scho A 22 year-old Albouystown man was early Wednesday morning shot by an unknown man in front of his home, police said in a statement. Injured is Anton Johnson, of Independence Boulevard, Albouystown. According to a police report Johnson was in front of his home when shots were discharged at him by a man who was in a motor vehicle that drove by. He was shot to his left foot and has been hospitalised. Investigations are continuing.

POLICEMAN Ronston Chapman, 26 years, of 125 Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice was yesterday placed on $50,000 bail after he was charged with dangerous driving following an accident Monday morning in which a schoolgirl was struck down on a pedestrian crossing at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara.

Chapman, who is still in the employ of the Guyana Police Force, was driving a police car when he allegedly collided with 11-yearold Parminie Persaud of Uitvlugt Secondary School as she was on the pedestrian crossing on her way to school. The policeman yesterday appeared at the Leonora Magistrate’s

Court before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool who read the charge to him which stated that on Monday, September 14, 2015 he drove motorcar PRR 2032 in a dangerous manner to the public and which resulted in an accident and injury to Parminie Persaud of Tuschen Housing Scheme. He pleaded not guilty and after

his particul istrate gran and the po objections. Chapm ti-crime U general du to drive the Steven Ma Howev

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 17, 2015

ood project launched

three grades each year and amilies. pproximately 440 nursery rade 1 teachers would also t from improved working tions and training. Addily, several thousand primary iver in these geographic would also benefit from tion tailored for them. eaking at the event which eld St. Anthony’s Primary ol in Bartica, Minister of tion, Nicolette Henry was o note that the initiative is n for everybody” since not hildren will benefit signifi, but so will their teachers arents. e explained that this project which provides an opporfor children to reach full ial, since it allows parents eachers to work closely, to the environment conducive arning. nderscoring that early childis a critical period for dement in an individual’s life, ter Henry noted that it is mportant for children to be ed, both by teachers and paro develop at their own pace. he symbolism of this inie being launched in Bartie revealed, is to reaffirm nment’s commitment to tralisation, which was mend during the pre-elections aign. Highlighting that once s invest in their human ree, particularly at a very tene, it can develop the human ity of the country, was the Bank representative, Ms. yu Yang. e related that this undertakthe two bodies, namely the Bank and the Ministry of tion is a team effort which y guided by the ministry. though a successful impletion and execution of the ct is anticipated, the repreive of the financial institurged officials to recognise hallenges which will arise g the implementation stage. rtheless, she assured the

gathering that the institution will continue to work with the ministry, even in the face of challenges, to ensure it is successfully executed within the given timeframe. Delivering remarks at the ceremony which attracted a few hundred was First Lady, Sandra Granger, who emphasised that, “When we build education processes, we build better citizens and strong communities and a better nation.” She explained that children need to learn their “roots,” so that it provides them with an opportunity to realise what historical settings they were molded in. “Children must understand and learn where they come from and where they are heading. When we educate our children so early we put them on the road to building better lives for themselves” the First Lady told the gathering. Present too at the event, was Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, who lauded the initiative and pointed to the fact that children in remote areas will be targeted which will enhance the delivery of educational services provided to them. He noted that this project comes at a time of “great expectation” given the Government’s commitment to development of education and delivery of quality education all across Guyana. To this end, he told those in attendance that every child is the responsibility of everyone around them and Guyanese should endeavour never to fail them. The ceremony which consumed the morning hours also facilitated dramatic presentations by parents and teachers of children at the nursery level and young patriots, no more than five years of age, singing national songs. Also present at the event were, Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes, Regional Chairman of Region 7, Gordon Bradford, Regional Education Officer, Charles Holmes and other ministry officials.

oolgirl accident

lars were taken, the magnted him $50,000 bail olice prosecutor raised no . man is attached to the AnUnit of ‘D’ Division as a uty rank and is assigned e Divisional Commander ansell. ver, at the time of the acci-

dent the Commander was not in the vehicle while the police rank was returning from the fuel station. On Monday also the Commander paid a visit to the injured student who was receiving medical attention at the Leonora Cottage Hospital and also spoke with her guardian. The child has since been discharged. (Leroy Smith)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

Kartabo, Itaballi villages to get potable water supply soon RESIDENTS of two villages in Region 7, namely Kartabo and Itaballi, will soon have their potable water needs addressed via a project that is expected to be completed by the end of 2015. The project is being implemented by the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF); this is the Project Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Finance and its flagship poverty reduction programme of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Project Manager of BNTF Michael Singh, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), indicated that the project was already approved by the CDB and are is in its final

stages. He added that the project entails the digging of a 200-foot shallow well, and it includes an overhead storage and photovoltaic system that will be linked to a submersible pump. “The pump in the well will be powered by solar…the pump will send water to the storage, then by gravity feed, we will have about five standpipes at strategic points in the areas, so residents can benefit,” Singh said. It is further expected that government buildings, such as Health Centres and schools, will have direct connections to the water supply. “These villages were selected as a result of our needs assessment, where we collaborate with the

Guyana Water Inc. They had identified these two areas… as areas urgently in need of this intervention,” Singh explained. He further explained that in this seventh cycle, there are 18 water supply projects that will be executed countrywide, particularly in Regions 9, 3 and 2; more so, the funds have been already committed for the execution of these projects. “We also have attached to the sub-project infrastructure…a training in Water and Sanitation, where we partner with the Guyana Water Inc. and the Environmental Protection Agency, and teach about safe water [and the] the treatment of the water… we also left a chlorination kit with the communities, so they will be able to

know how to treat water with chlorine, for residents to have safe water to drink,” Singh said. Operations Officer of the CDB and Supervisor of the BNTF Guyana Project Karl Pivot, explained that the BNTF programme is targeted at poverty reduction. “…We go in the communities, identify where the poverty is…the most needy and we put intervention in those communities to ensure that the beneficiaries of those interventions…their lives are changed,” Pivot said. GINA also spoke to Pivot and his team on their return from an inspection in the two villages (Kartabo and Itaballi), and he explained that the purpose of his visit was to ensure that

projects were delivered on time, the designs are as approved and the funds are being spent as agreed. Pivot added that whilst in the country, he will visit a random sample of projects, to ensure they are progressing as planned, after which he will report on their status to the bank. “This programme is a grant programme, they are contributors… who use taxpayers’ money to provide this funding, so we have to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent, and there are positive outcomes from them,” Pivot explained. He added that negotiations will commence early in 2016, for the ninth cycle of the BNTF, and it is hoped that the cycle will receive a similar allocation (US$46M) which will

allow more projects to be done. The Basic Needs Trust Fund of the Caribbean Development Bank has the following countries as beneficiaries for The programme: Belize; Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; St. Lucia; Grenada; Guyana; Jamaica; St Kitts-Nevis; Montserrat ; and The Turks & Caicos Islands. Guyana started benefiting from this programme during its third cycle in 1993, which saw a number of projects in the education, water, and health sectors. The Lethem and Mabaruma hospitals, Diamond Nursery School, Number 77 Nursery School and Ithaca Nursery Schools were some of the projects undertaken over the years.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17 , 2015

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

IOC unveils five candidates for 2024 Summer Games By Karolos Grohmann

(REUTERS) - Los Angeles is in the running to host a third Olympics while Hamburg, Paris, Rome and Budapest will battle to bring the multi-sport extravaganza back to Europe after the five cities were officially unveiled as candidates to host the 2024 Summer Games yesterday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which will select the winning bid in 2017, announced the final list after the deadline for submissions ended at midnight (central European time) on Tuesday. “The IOC welcomes five outstanding cities to this strong competition,” IOC

President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach attends a news conference in Seoul, South Korea, August 19, 2015. (Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji/files)

president Thomas Bach said in a conference call. Bach added that Azerbaijan’s Baku, which hosted the inaugural European Games in June, had also considered running and held talks with the IOC before deciding to wait for a possible 2028 bid. After a disappointing campaign for the 2022 Winter Games, where just two candidates -- Kazakhstan’s Almaty and eventual winner Beijing -- stayed in the race after four others pulled out due to financial concerns or a lack of public support, the IOC is keen to restore the image of the Olympics as a lucrative prospect.

South Asia to back Platini in FIFA vote By Amlan Chakraborty

NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - A senior South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) official has said its seven members will vote for Frenchman Michel Platini in next year’s FIFA presidential elections. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has already backed Platini as his preferred candidate for football’s top job in the February elections, which have been forced by the worst crisis in FIFA’s 111year history. SAFF general secretary Anwarul Huq told Reuters yesterday that his organisation would follow the AFC’s lead. “The AFC chief has already backed Platini. We will go with the AFC,” he said. “At the end of the day, voting is an individual thing but we will go with AFC as we always do,” the Bangladeshi official added after the draw ceremony for the ninth SAFF Cup to be held in India later this year. Swiss Sepp Blatter beat Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan to win a fifth term as FIFA president in May but four days later announced his decision to

Michel Platini step down following the arrests of FIFA officials and others two days before the election. Prince Ali has again joined the race for the FIFA top job, while former Asia vice-president Chung Mong-joon of South Korea is also in From Backpage the fray. Chung has accused the revenge in the K&S TourAFC of sending unsolicited nament. letters to its members urgAfter tomorrow’s match, ing them to support Platini Slingerz and Alpha are but FIFA has dismissed his scheduled to meet again complaint. in the last of the 56-match All India Football Fed- preliminary round on Noeration general secretary vember 22 before the twoKushal Das echoed Huq’s day League Genesis Playoff view on SAFF’s stance on unwinds on November 27. the election. Prior to that show“We’ll go by what d o w n , G u y a n a ’s t w o AFC says. Of course, oldest clubs, Pele and there have to be more Georgetown Football Club meetings before that. (GFC), will lock horns But whoever is elected, in the league’s opening

it won’t be a problem for us,” he added. The South Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram will host the ninth SAFF Cup from December 23 to January 3 - the eight-team tournament securing a title sponsor in Suzuki for the first time since it started in 1993. Apart from the seven SAFF members -- India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives -- Afghanistan will also compete in the tournament.

GFF launches Stag Elite...

match from 18:00 hrs. The action continues the following day at the No.5 Ground, West Coast of Berbice, as Buxton battle Fruta Conquerors at 18:00hrs then Monedderlust. The simple launch was attended by the GFF technical director Claude Bolton, Golden Jaguars head coach Jamaal Shabazz, director of Marketing and Communications, Rawle Toney, as well as representatives from two of the teams that compete on the opening night.

It adopted a series of reforms under the banner ‘Agenda 2020’ which were aimed at making it easier to bid for, and cheaper to host, the Olympics. In a bidding race predicted to be the most hotly contested for at least a decade, Los Angeles, the United States’ second choice after Boston pulled out amid fears over cost overruns, is hoping to stage the Games for a third time after 1932 and 1984. Paris, which had a failed bid for the 2012 Olympics, is eager to host a centennial Summer Games after the city staged the event for a second and last time in 1924. It is being seen as an early frontrunner along with Los Angeles. Rome, the 1960 hosts, had briefly campaigned for the 2020 Olympics before the government pulled the plug over budget concerns, while Budapest is seeking to join Russia as the only Eastern European countries to land the Summer Games. Hamburg, which will hold a referendum in November on whether the city actually wants the Games, is proposing an inner-city Olympics with venues within

walking distance for athletes after it beat out Berlin in Germany’s bid race. The German port has never hosted the Games before. “What is important for the IOC is that we want to send athletes to cities where they are welcome, where the population is clearly supporting the Olympic Games and is welcoming the athletes,” Bach said when asked if all cities should hold a referendum. “How the candidate cities are showing this culture of welcome ... is up to them.” Bach also ruled out suggestions that an informal rotation of continents may influence the vote in two years’ time, with the United States not having staged a Summer Games since 1996 while Europe held the 2012 Olympics in London. “I do not think this plays a major role,” Bach said. “We have now three Olympic Games in a row in Asia (Pyeongchang 2018, Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022). So this shows that this informal rotation which we always saw in the past is losing importance.”

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:20 hrs Carole Bouquet 08:55 hrs Easy Street 09:30 hrs Shine Tiger 10:05 hrs Wishful Heart 10:40 hrs Divine Grace 11:15 hrs Wellesley

09:10 hrs Sirius Move 09:45 hrs Sophisticated Heir 10:15 hrs Ardmay 10:50 hrs Bimbo 11:20 hrs Di’s Gift 11:55 hrs Call It On 12:30 hrs I Zingari 13:00 hrs Captain Scooby

English Racing Tips Ayr 08:20 hrs Speed Company 08:50 hrs Khareer 09:25 hrs Our Time Will Come 09:55 hrs Kylach Me If You Can 10:30 hrs Nice Thoughts 11:00 hrs Pacngo 11:35 hrs Saileris Mass 12:05 hrs Carpe Vita

Irish Racing Tips Listowel 09:15 hrs Tadaany 09:50 hrs Snakes And Ladders 10:20 hrs Fiorbheim 10:55 hrs Sense Of Victory 11:25 hrs Archie Meade 12:00 hrs Rupert Lamb 12:35 hrs Catalaunian Fields 13:10 hrs Fugi Mountain

Yarmouth 09:00 hrs Farandine 09:35 hrs Mengli Khan 10:05 hrs Dagher 10:40 hrs Ahdaf 11:10 hrs Distain 11:45 hrs Hassle 12:20 hrs Nigel Pontefract

American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Northern Screamer Race 2 Lotsa Noodles Race 3 Ogermeister Race 4 First Charmer Race 5 Cease Race 6 Tante Zoe Race 7 Welcome Speech Race 8 Beyond Empire Race 9 Scout It Out

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

Rugby World Cup 2015

Pressure on England, says Jonah Lomu By Rob Stevens BBC Sport

FORMER New Zealand wing Jonah Lomu, the alltime leading try scorer in World Cup history, believes England will have to deal with more expectation than the All Blacks during the World Cup. New Zealand are bidding to retain the trophy while England, the hosts, face Australia and Wales in the pool stages. “There is going to be a lot of pressure on New Zealand but the majority of it is on England,” Lomu told BBC Sport. “It’s their home tournament - they are playing in front of their own fans.” ENGLAND MUST CONTROL EMOTIONS England, who are looking to win the Webb Ellis Trophy for the first time

Bryan Habana has scored 10 tries at the World Cup - eight in 2007 and two in 2011. their game. If they can control Richie McCaw, the most since 2003, kick off the their emotions and play to capped player in Test history, tournament against Fiji their ability, they should be could announce his retiretomorrow at Twickenham. there or thereabouts in terms ment after the tournament. Lomu believes Stuart of winning the pool. “No-one has ever won “But the beauty about it back-to-back and the All Lancaster’s side should embrace the challenge of facing World Cups is that you get Blacks will be trying to do the Wallabies and Wales, surprises. “In 2011 it was Tonga who are both in the World knocking over France. AnyRugby rankings’ top five. “You come to the World thing can happen.” Cup to play against the best ON THE CHANCES OF of the best,” said the 40-yearA MCCAW SWANSONG old. New Zealand skipper “England need to play

it, but there are six or seven teams who can knock each other over,” said Lomu. “They have to make sure they have prepared well. “It would be immense for Richie (to win the trophy) as he has got a very impressive record. “He is leading his team and making sure he keeps his mind in the game and not be worried about when he should retire or when he shouldn’t.” LOMU ‘NOT WORRIED’ BY HABANA South Africa winger Bryan Habana is five tries short of Lomu’s all-time World

Cup record of 15. But Lomu is not concerned about the Springboks star surpassing him. Habana needs just one more score to become the fourth man to score 60 tries at Test level. “I’m not worried about it,” he said. “When I set the record, I did it in two World Cups and he’s coming into his third - that’s the difference. “But Bryan is a great player. You can’t take anything away from him as he has represented South Africa for a number of years and done something amazing.”

Pakistan recall Fawad Alam from Test wilderness

(REUTERS) - Pakistan recalled batsman Fawad Alam from Test wilderness yesterday while paceman Wahab Riaz returned from a hand injury to find a place in the 15-man squad for the three-match series against England starting next month in the United Arab Emirates. Left-handed Fawad, who played his third Test in New Zealand in 2009 before being dropped from the side, was rewarded for his rich form in domestic cricket. The 29-year-old, however, cannot take his place in Pakistan’s crammed middle order for granted with captain Misbah-ul-Haq, former captain Younus Khan and one-day skipper Azhar Ali being the automatic choices. Their bowling department has been strengthened by Wahab’s return from a hand injury he had sustained during the recent tour of Sri Lanka. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah and left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar are the two frontline spinners in their slow bowling department. “In the light of Misbah-ul-Haq’s recommendations, we have kept the options open for the

No place for off-spinner Saeed Ajmal

Fawad Alam last played for Pakistan in 2009.

16th player in the Test squad,” chief selector Haroon Rashid said in a statement, referring to left-arm spinners Zafar Gohar and Mohammad Asghar who would play practice matches against England. “... Whoever of the two performs well would be added to the Test squad,” he added. Pakistan ignored the trio of former skipper Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir who were cleared earlier this month to return to cricket after serving bans for their involvement in a 2010 spot-fixing scandal in England. They will be under strict monitoring for months be-

fore they can return to international cricket, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board. There was also no place in the squad for off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who has struggled since returning to international cricket from a ban for an illegal bowling action. Abu Dhabi hosts the first Test from October 13, while Dubai (October 22-26) and Sharjah (November 1-5) are venues of the following two matches. Squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Fawad Alam, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Younus Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Wahab Riaz, Imran Khan, Rahat Ali, Junaid Khan.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

Dinamo celebrate impressive 2-1 win over Arsenal

ZAGREB, (Reuters) D i n a m o Z a g re b m a d e a dream start to their Champions League campaign after a goal in each half gave them a 2-1 home win over 10-man Arsenal in their Group F match yesterday. An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal followed by a Junior Fernandes header put Dinamo in the driving seat before Theo Walcott pulled one back for the Premier League side, who had striker Olivier Giroud sent off in the first half. Having failed to advance past the group stage of Europe’s elite club competition in their previous four attempts, Dinamo produced a morale-boosting performance in the Maksimir stadium.

Zagreb’s Paulo Machado celebrates at the end of the match. (Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs) Organised defending, always looked dangerous aided by a packed midfield, on the break, with Algeria frustrated a disjointed Ar- striker El Hilal Arabi Sousenal and the home side dani at the heart of all their

Pele Football Club ready for Elite League PELE Football Club held a general members’ meeting last Sunday. At that meeting the members ratified a new constitution for the club in keeping with the directives of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

Pele Football Club has been a long-standing affiliate of the Georgetown Football Association. The club will celebrate its 45th anniversary next year. Pele are now one of the eight elite clubs that will par-

ticipate in the GFF Stag Elite league starting tomorrow at Leonora Sports Facility. Pele will meet the Georgetown Football Club in the opening match of the tournament. With a full complement of players now in camp, Pele are ready for the Elite League and a return to the Club’s ‘glory days’.

Pele members take a group photo after last Sunday’s meeting.

GCA action on this weekend

ACTION in the various Georgetown Cricket Association tournaments will continue this weekend at various venues across the city. In the Carib Beer T20 cricket competition on Saturday, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will take on GNIC at Bourda (09:30hrs) with the later game featuring the host side against the Uni-

versity of Guyana. On Sunday, the lone game will pit hosts Malteenoes Sport Club against GDF from 09:30hrs. Meanwhile the New Building Society 2nd Division (40-Over) cricket competition is also on this weekend with three matches. From 11:00hrs on Saturday, Everest Cricket Club

will visit Malteenoes, GNIC host St Stanislaus College and Demerara Cricket Club will use their Queenstown facility to oppose Police. On Sunday, the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) will play Ace Warriors at GNIC from 11:00hrs while at Bourda, the hosts will take on Gandhi Youth Organisation.

moves. Arsenal held the upper hand in the opening 20 minutes as Giroud missed two good chances, hitting the post with a scuffed effort after Dinamo’s Portuguese keeper Eduardo had kept out the Frenchman’s header with an acrobatic save. The Croatian champions took the lead against the run of play with Chamberlain unable to get out of the way of a rebound after Arsenal keeper David Ospina blocked a close-range shot by left back Josip Pivaric. Worse followed for the visitors when Giroud was shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge, after he was booked for dissent. Sensing blood, a firedup Dinamo came storming out after the interval and livewire Soudani, a handful all night for his markers, hit the post with a glancing header barely a minute into the second half. The home fans were in raptures in the 58th minute when Chilean Fernandes rose at the near post to head home an inviting Paulo Machado corner past a

static Arsenal defence. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger then replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain with Walcott and the winger made a quick impact, racing clear of two markers before he beat the advancing Eduardo with

a sublime finish in the 79th minute. Arsenal pressed forward in the closing stages but Dinamo held firm with some last-gasp interceptions in their penalty box.

ECDCA/Elizabeth Styles 40-Over on this weekend

THE East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) will continue its Elizabeth Styles/East Coast Demerara Cricket Association (ECDCA) 40-over cricket competition this weekend. This 40-overs competition commenced recently with several rounds completed and the Club of the tournament will collect $350 000 while prizes and trophies will be given for the second-placed finishers and the player-ofthe-final. In Saturday’s fixtures, Enterprise ‘Busta’ Sports Club (A) will host Mon Repos (A) while Golden Grove will play Mon Repos (B) at Buxton Community Centre. Lusignan Sports Club (B) will go toe to toe against Buxton ‘Carl Hooper” Sports Club at Lusignan Community Centre while Ogle (Blue) will take on Lusignan Sports Club (A) at Ogle Community Centre. Meanwhile the East Coast Cricket Board Trophy 2nd Division semi-final between Better Hope Sports Club (B) and Perseverance Sports Club will be played at Better Hope Community Centre also on Sunday September 20, 2015. All matches will be played strictly in accordance of the rules and regulations of the ECCB (ECDCA) with regard to the preparation and availability of the facilities.

Anthony could repeat 2014 performance in 13th annual Victor Macedo 70-miler By Michael DaSilva

TEAM Gillette Evolution’s Michael Anthony could repeat his 2014 winning performance when the 13th edition of the highly anticipated event wheels off on Sunday and will be contested from Georgetown to Long Creek on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and back to Georgetown for the finish. Last year, Anthony rode a tactical race to win the event ahead of Guyana’s `crème-dela- creme cyclists’, returning a winning time of three hours 14 minutes 19 seconds and with his current form and the help of his Team Gillette Evolution team mates – Akeem Wilkinson, Orville Hinds, Raul Leal and Stephen Fernandes – there is no reason why he cannot make a successful defence of his title. That apart, Anthony, Hinds and Wilkinson reside in the mining community of Linden and use the Linden Highway as his training ground, so too do Hinds and Wilkinson. The three are more familiar with the hilly terrain than most of the other cyclists that are expected to face the starter on Sunday. Another plus for Anthony is the fact that most of Guyana’s other top pedal-pushers are training and competing on the U.S. circuit and might not return home for the event.

Michael Anthony Even if they (U.S.-based riders) do return, they might not get acclimatised in time for Sunday. Some of the cyclists currently in the U.S. are: Geron Williams, Hamza Eastman and Raynauth Jeffrey. Among those here who are preparing for the event are Paul DeNobrega, Jamaul John, Raphael Leung, Robin Persaud, Junior Niles and Alonzo Ambrose. By virtue of winning the event last year, Anthony, who was then a junior rider, also received the firstplace prize in the junior category. So come Sunday, Anthony will be the one that the radar will be on. There will be a roll start from Macedo’s residence, Peter Rose Street, Queenstown at 06:30hrs and the participants will get the green flag on Homestretch Avenue.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Thursday September 17, 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: (1) Grayson Shillingford (WI vs IND, Trinidad, 1971) (2)Jimmy Adams-2204 runs (HS: 82 vs AUST, Trinidad, 1999) Today’s Quiz: Lance Gibbs took 309 Test wickets. How many were taken overseas? Put these in order beginning with the man who has made most ODI centruries: Gordon Greenidge; Chris Gayle; Brian Lara; Desmond Haynes Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Thereafter, they will journey east and turn right when they reach Mandela Avenue, turn onto the East Bank public road to the Soesdyke/Linden/ and unto the highway heading for the turn-back point at Long Creek. From there they will return to Georgetown to finish on Homestretch Avenue. L a s t y e a r, E a s t m a n placed second, DeNobrega was third, Robin Persaud fourth, Alonzo Ambrose fifth and Raphael Leung occupied the sixth position. Ambrose and Travis Jeffrey placed second and third respectively, in the junior category. The veteran category was won by Eion `Dumb Boy’ Jackson who finished ahead of Evral Mundraye and junior Niles respectively. Keon Thomas was the first mountain biker to cross the finish line. Julio Melville was second and Deoraj Garbaran third. The juveniles’ category was won by Raphael Leung. Second was Romelo Crawford and third was Jamaul John.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

ECB puts off domestic structure change THE England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided that there will be no major structural changes to next summer's programme of domestic cricket. New ECB chief executive Tom Harrison had told BBC Test Match Special in August that they were considering a reduction in the County Championship from the current 16 to 14 matches. But it has been revealed that there will now be no such reduction for 2016. The ECB will talk again over the winter to discuss possible changes for 2017. "There have been a lot of valuable conversations across the game over recent weeks, and the time and feedback have been widely appreciated," said a spokesman. "We've heard both a desire to look at the long-term interests of the game and an understandable need to have more detail on the impact of any future changes. "Clearly, more discussion will be helpful for everyone and these constructive conversations will focus on the longterm strategy as well as the domestic structure, to help us all make the right decisions." ENGLISH CRICKET'S CURRENT DOMESTIC STRUCTURE This season, each of the 18 first-class counties are scheduled to play 16 four-day

New ECB chief executive Tom Harrison games in the County Championship. There were also eight 50over group matches, plus quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the One-Day Cup. Each county also played 14 T20 group games, which were followed by the quarter-finals, followed by Finals Day. The first county to respond to the ECB statement were Sussex, who say that they "had considered the evolving situation and had recommended that the ECB adopt a cautious approach to changing the current domestic schedule". Some county members and traditional fans were opposed to any changes that would lead to them watching fewer four-day games. But domestic players are keen to reduce the amount of cricket they play, accord-

ing to a recent survey made among 240 members of the Professional Cricketers' Association. That attitude has been backed by two prominent members of the cricket media, former England coach David Lloyd and ex-England skipper Michael Vaughan. Former Lancashire and England opening batsman Lloyd told BBC Sport last week that there is too much county cricket. And BBC Test Match Special summariser Vaughan tweeted his thoughts. "So the people put in charge to run English Cricket present change and nothing happens!!!?? Ridiculous," said the former Yorkshire and England opener. "What is the point of having a new chairman/CEO and director of English cricket if they can't implement change?"

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday September 17, 2015

Guyana sink to third in CMRC Country standings ... Trinidad lead, Barbados second GUYANA have sunk to third place in the Country standings for the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships following mixed results last weekend in Barbados. Guyana on 511 points trail third leg hosts Barbados (533 points) and Trinidad and Tobago, who maintained their grip on the championship lead so far with a whopping 658 points. Jamaica sit fourth with 369 points while the Cayman Islands, with a lone competitor, have 138 points. In the Seaboard Marine Group 4, Guyanese Kristian Jeffrey has already won the title following a dominant performance at all three legs (Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados). The 2014 champion, soon

to be crowned 2015 winner, has 183 points - more than enough to comfortably hand him the first-place trophy over Trinidad’s Kristian Boodoosingh who lies second with 101 points. Third in that championship is Gerard Carrington of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) with 58 points; 4th Jamaican (JAM) George Bayley 51 points; 5th is Barbadian (BAR) Stuart Williams 48 points and 6th Franklyn Boodram (T&T) 45points. In the Seaboard Marine Group 3, Gary Barrett of the Cayman Islands has the lead with 138 points while Trinidad representative Paul Vieira sits second with 108 points. Guyana’s Danny Persaud

is down in third with 70 points while fourth place is held jointly by Natasha Chang (JAM) & Kurt Thompson BAR) 62points. In the CMRC Group 2, Marc Gill of T&T leads with 150 points and Barbadian Mark Thompson with 90 points is currently in second. Jamaica’s Jordan Powell (75 points) is third ahead of Guyana’s Shiaraz Roshandin who has 61 points; 5th is Mark Williams (T&T) 55 points while 6th place belongs to Damien Nesbitt (T&T) with 52 points. The Super-stock group has Guyana’s Stephen Vieira leading with 133 points, his cousin Elliot second with 119 points and Jamaica’s Robert McDonald third on 45 points Guyana’s Joel Neblett and Jamaica’s David Bell are tied fourth with 36 points while Guyana’s Matthew Vieira is 6th

Kristian Jeffrey collects one of his many trophies during the presentation ceremony at Bushy Park (Photo by S.E.A.G. Productions)

Thomas still unsure Consistency key to improving about participation ranking, says skipper Holder in PCL campaign ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Former Leeward Islands Hurricanes captain Devon Thomas’s participation in the Professional Cricket League (PCL) remained in doubt after the player confirmed this week he was still without a team for the upcoming first class season. Thomas told the Antigua Observer newspaper that contrary to media reports, he had not opted out of his Hurricanes contract but had discovered he had not been one of the ten protected players for the draft. He subsequently entered the draft but was not selected by any of the six franchises. Under tournament rules, he can only play under a pay-as-you-play arrangement. “I was the captain and why would I want to give up that job? I spoke to the coach (Reginald Benjamin) and I spoke to the president (Auckland Hector), but I am just hoping that I can be a part of the Leeward Islands,” the out-of-favour West Indies wicketkeeper explained. “I can’t be one of the contracted players because they have 15 players at this time, so I am just waiting until the sixth of November

Devon Thomas which is the first game.” Hurricanes struggled badly last season to finish last but Thomas managed to score 473 runs, to be the only batsman to pass the 400-run barrier. In fact, it was the 25-year-old’s unbeaten 99 in the penultimate round of matches which ensured Hurricanes of one of their two wins of the season – a four-wicket victory over Jamaica at Warner Park. Thomas, who has played 21 One-Day Internationals, said he was ensuring he remained fit in the meantime. “I am just playing some taped ball in the meantime, trying to keep fit still because I have a good form from since the last few games with the Leeward Islands and the CPL,” he said. Guyana Jaguars are the defending PCL champions.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Test and One-Day captain Jason Holder says West Indies must start winning games if they want to make any progress in the international rankings. The regional side currently languish at number eight in the Test rankings and number nine in ODIs and Holder said with upcoming series against higher-ranked teams, it was important for the Windies to find some level of consistency. “We want to make that steady progression up but we can’t jump ahead of teams that are higher ranked than us unless we play higher-ranked sides in terms of the points system,” Holder said. “If you look at our upcoming schedule, we have Sri Lanka who are ahead of us, we’ve got India in the New Year and Australia at the end of the year – these are all teams that are ranked higher than us. “The thing is not to fall further than where we are at this present time and gain points by winning some games against them. You can jump a hell of a lot further up the channel if you beat these teams that are ranked higher than you.” West Indies are currently preparing for their tour of Sri Lanka, where they

with 28 points The fourth and final leg

of the CMRC 2015 will take place in Guyana at the South

Dakota Circuit from November 14 to 15.

Jason Holder play two Tests, three ODIs consistent in a sense over the and two Twenty20s against last few years but we need to the hosts who are ranked instil the consistency in the seventh in Tests and fifth dressing room and get the in one-dayers. guys understanding what is The Caribbean side have required of them in terms not beaten Sri Lanka in a of roles and in terms of difTest series in 12 years and ferent scenarios which they lost their last one-day series may be (faced with) in certhere four years ago. tain games,” he explained. Holder, who will be on “I think myself and the his first tour as Test cap- coach (Phil Simmons) have a tain after being appointed good idea of the direction we earlier this month, said want to go in and we’ll make consistency was the key to a little tinker here and there breaking this losing trend. as we make progression go“This is always our aim ing forward. – to win cricket games. Ob“I am sure that once we viously we haven’t been set things up in terms of a

good dressing room then we can make that progression steadily upwards.” West Indies’ poor ODI ranking saw them excluded from the 2017 Champions Trophy for the first time. And while Holder described the situation as “disheartening”, he said West Indies needed to continue focusing on improving their ranking. “I try to control what I can. Obviously it is very disheartening not to make the Champions Trophy … but again that’s beyond my control,” said the 23-yearold. “I think we were the only territory that hadn’t played (one-day) cricket since the World Cup and we didn’t give ourselves the adequate chance to qualify for the Champions Trophy. “Again that’s beyond my control … that’s up to the West Indies Cricket Board to determine what cricket we play and what cricket we don’t play.” He continued: “Having said that we were always down at number eight and we’ve been lingering in that position for a while. It is important that we play teams that are higher ranked so we can gain points and move ourselves up the ladder.”

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Guyana sink to third in CMRC Country standings See story on page 27

GFF launches Stag Elite League … Slingerz face Alpha on opening night

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) yesterday officially launched the revised Genesis fixtures for the inaugural Stag Elite League which starts tomorrow with a doubleheader at the Leonora Sports Facility. Guyana’s top eight football clubs have been crafted together to battle for supremacy but only four teams will advance to the ‘League Genesis Playoff’ which signals the break in the league on November 29. The League then resumes in February 2016 with the other half which

has been dubbed the ‘Finale’. Headlining tomorrow night are the 2015 Kashif and Shanghai champions Slingerz Football Club, and the runners-up Alpha United, who square off in the feature match from 21:30hrs. This match promises to be an entertaining one since the two sides have been at the pinnacle of football locally. However, they have only met twice. Alpha won on the first occasion over a year ago then Slingerz exacted their See Page 23

Golden Jaguars head coach Jamaal Shabazz makes a point during the launch of the Stag Elite League fixtures while GFF technical director Claude Bolton listens in. (Delano Williams photo)

Chanderpaul receives Icon Award GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Veteran Test left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul has been honoured with the Icon Award by the Indo-Caribbean Alliance. In a ceremony held in New York on Sunday, the 41-year-old was given the New York City-based organisation’s highest award and was one of four persons honoured in a fivehour long ceremony in Flushing. The others who received awards were television personality Lakshmee Singh, New York City council member Eric Ulrich and businessman Dave Kadernauth. Chanderpaul said he was delighted to have been chosen for the honour. “I’m happy to support the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, and humbled to receive their highest award, the Icon Award,” the Guyana Times quoted Chanderpaul as saying. “We want to see this organisation succeed in providing programmes for residents in New York City.” Chanderpaul has been one of the most prolific run-scorers in West Indies cricket, amassing 11 867 runs from 164 Tests at an average of 51. He is second only to Brian Lara in aggregate. However, he was sacked in May for poor form ahead of the Australia series and was also recently overlooked for the tour of Sri Lanka beginning next month. He has not retired from international cricket. Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

Shiv Chanderpaul

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015