Chronicle 06 06 2016

Fire ravages No. 104574

MONDAY JUNE 6, 2016

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Mahaicony businesses Interfaith service kicks off NY jubilee celebrations Page

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The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Buxton Steel Orchestra performs a rendition of national songs at the interfaith service to commemorate Guyana’s Golden Jubilee anniversary at York College, Queens, USA (Ariana Gordon photo)

2 Region 2 Guyanese man Gov’t REO faces badly beaten condemns Page

no-confidence in New York 3 motion - incident suspected to be hate crime

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attack on KN

Glenn Lall

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Gov’t condemns attack on KN THE Government of Guyana (GoG) has condemned what it described as an “attempted act of terrorism” perpetrated on Kaieteur News (KN), after a grenade was found alongside a vehicle belonging to the newspaper’s publisher, Glenn Lall, late on Saturday night outside the newspaper’s office and printery on Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.

In a strongly worded missive issued on Sunday, the coalition Government, alarmed by the act of domestic terrorism which was attempted, sought to reiterate its stance in relation to press freedom in Guyana: “The coalition Government stands resolutely in defence

KN Publisher Glenn Lall of press freedom in Guyana, and condemns in the strongest possible manner this heinous and dastardly act of cowardice against Kaieteur News.”

The grenade, discovered by staff of the newspaper,

did not explode although it was later discovered that the pin had been removed.

Police were subsequently summoned, and the street was cordoned off for an investigation.

Appreciative of the fact that no one had been harmed, the Government said it stands in solidarity with Kaieteur News and the entire media fraternity, which has been shaken by this attempted attack.

Further, the Government said it believes that the dropping of a grenade alongside a vehicle, even if the device was found to be fake, cannot be considered a joke or a hoax.

“It was grave and an

undisputed act of terror designed to intimidate, harm and create fear,” the statement said.

As such, the Government contends, this attack must strengthen “our resolve as a nation that evil, in all its forms and incarnations, must not be allowed to prevail, and must be relentlessly and uncompromisingly conquered”.

Additionally, the Government has committed its full support to the Guyana Police Force as that entity investigates this “sickening attempted act of terrorism”.

“The Government looks forward to the perpetrators and possible intellectual

authors being identified, pursued, arrested, and placed before the court; and being dealt with to the full extent of the law,” the statement said.

The statement also highlighted that Kaieteur News is one of Guyana’s leading independent media organisations, and it has proudly and zealously guarded a reputation for fearlessness in reporting Government excesses, corruption and abuse of power. Testimony to this is its aggressive and relentless reporting on the findings of the many audits of state agencies, the revelations that have oftentimes been explosive, the statement said.

It added that Guyana has

emerged from the dark days of oppressive press intimidation and attacks.

“We must never permit dark and evil forces to cause us to regress”, the statement admonished.

In August 2006, five Kaieteur News pressmen: Eion Wegman, Richard Stuart, Mark Maikoo, Shazim Mohamed and Chetram Persaud, were heartlessly slaughtered in what was the worst attack on the media in the history of this nation.

In recent years, a columnist of the newspaper was also attacked, while a minister of the former Government had threatened to physically harm staffers there.

GEORGETOWN Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has expressed grave dissatisfaction over the way the environment is left after public social events.

During the Independence activities, the popular jubilee celebration area around the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground was left in an unsightly condition with garbage scattered on the parapet and roadway.

Mayor Green said: “This act is totally unacceptable

since the Council is working tirelessly to ensure that the environment is consis-

provide onsite refuse receptacles to accommodate waste generated during these functions.

After such activities the Council is bombarded with calls from citizens about the different areas being littered with garbage.

“I am urging all promoters of social events to exercise more care and caution for the environment, even as they seek to promote social activities,” said Mayor Chase-Green.

She further noted that if this unfriendly environmental attitude persists, the Council would have to review the processing fees that are paid to hold these events.

Chase-Green is therefore calling on promoters and patrons to adopt a more environmentally-friendly attitude during social activities.

“Promoter and patrons, it is important that you work with the Council to promote a clean, green City,” the Mayor urged.

Mayor Chase-Green cautions promoters

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green tently cleaned.” And so far the Council has expended millions of dollars to clean drains and canals, restore parapets and verges in the City, she added.

The Mayor is encouraging persons who hold public events to ensure that proper arrangements are in place to facilitate garbage collection and disposal from the site. They should also

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Region 2 REO faces no-confidence motion

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- accuses PPP, AFC councillors of vendetta against him

By Tajeram Mohabir THE opposition-dominated Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two on June 14 intends to move a no-confidence motion against Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson for alleged poor implementation of work, and not listening to the council.

One councillor of the Alliance For Change (AFC), who asked not to be named, along with several senior functionaries of that party in the region, told this publication that they are in full support of the motion which is likely to be moved by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

However, another AFC councillor, Hardat Narine said he “will not be going against the house” as he has “not found the REO to be corrupt” and the “PPP had done more wrong than the REO” when in power.

But he acknowledged that Mr Hopkinson is slow in his work. Another of Narine’s colleagues, who also requested not to be named, supported him on this point, saying that the REO is in the habit of allowing vouchers to pile up on his desk.

According to him, it is a challenge to meet the REO, and when “you do meet him, you really can’t see him, because the vouchers are so high on his desk.”

Mr Hopkinson has not denied the piling up of vouchers on his desk, but said it was never that high as the AFC member is claiming, pointing out that “some wicked people” want to see him removed from office.

The allegations against the REO, who has been roundly criticised by both PPP and the coalition councillors for his performance, are many.

Among others, he is accused of slow implementation of projects, converting the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) annex for his personal library, hiring crony contractors from outside the region, slow payment of contractors who clean drains, faulty disposal of State assets, not attending RDC meetings, and contributing to the economic decline in the region due to slow project implementation .

NOT MY FAULT Mr Hopkinson did not disagree with the charge of slow implementation of projects by his office, but said the fault is not his, but the region’s engineer who is slow in his work.

He also claimed that the region’s engineer has not been reporting faults at kokers and pumps to him in a timely manner, and as such, he cannot respond to these challenges in a timely manner.

But Regional Vice Chair Juliet Coonjah, has dismissed this claim by Mr Hopkinson as false, contending the opposite is true.

She told the Guyana Chronicle that more than often, requisitions are made to the REO, and “he goes about looking at them at his own leisurely pace.”

Hopkinson for his part has defended his pace of “checking”, contending that bills and requisitions before him need due scrutiny to prevent “thieving” from continuing.

He told this publication that he has managed to

detect a few fraud cases, but when asked how many persons have been taken to the police, his answer was “none.” He said the police are generally uninterested in these cases.

Hopkinson also confirmed that a portion of books from his Georgetown Reading and Research Centre has been placed at the region’s CPCE annex.

The books valued some $15M, he said, is a personal donation to the region and teachers and members of the public can use the library for free.

While not against the good gesture, several AFC members have criticised the REO for not consulting the RDC, and for using the region’s resources and personnel to move the books from Georgetown.

But the REO maintained that the “books are for the

Asset Recovery Unit (SARU).

SALE OF ‘UNSERVICEABLE’ ITEMS The letter accuses that REO of selling serviceable items which are tagged as unserviceable. The items reportedly include machines and mechanical parts and the purchasers were reportedly sent by the REO. According to the REO, the items were checked by the region’s stock verifier and he approved of them. He noted that “to the best of my knowledge, all items approved by me, such as old tyres, did not require further approvals.”

But the AFC member, who was not satisfied by the explanation, said, “We do not want to be sidetracked by the sale of a few old tyres which is not a problem. The

Region Two REO Rupert Hopkinson

Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt

region,” and that he “acted in the interest of the region.”

He also clarified that the procurement law does not bar the regional tender board chairman, which happens to be the REO, from the procuring the services of contractors from outside of the region.

“As far as I know, I don’t know the political affiliation of the contractors outside of this region (Region Two).

What I know is that projects were tendered, bids were evaluated and projects were awarded,” he said.

Mr Hopkinson also noted that he had tried his best to process all vouchers for trench cleaners before him, and to the best of his knowledge, all have been processed.

However, prior to the interview with Mr Hopkinson, about a dozen trench cleaners were at the Regional Chairman’s office, appealing for his intervention for them to be paid.

They told the Guyana Chronicle that they have not been paid for weeks and have their families to maintain.

Mr Hopkinson also denied any involvement in corruption and challenged the PPP and the AFC to identify a single corrupt act that happened under him.

Taking him on, a senior AFC functionary showed this publication a letter written to the REO and copied to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Communities, the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Communities, the Regional Chairman, the Regional Vice Chair and the State

real problem here is the sale of valuable assets to chosen individuals more than once. These assets are undervalued to make it possible for them to be sold for less than $5000 as happened last month (the letter was written in May). A stock verifier is not qualified to decide whether machines and mechanical parts are serviceable or not. The region’s mechanics and mechanical engineers should make that decision.”

This aside, Hopkinson said he has attended some meetings, but has not been able to attend all due to pressing commitments. In his absence, he said, he was represented by the Assistant Regional Executive Officer.

But the PPP and some AFC members are contending that the Assistant Regional Executive Officer has been unable to respond to their queries, an allegation the REO denies.

Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt in an invited comment told the Guyana Chronicle that the PPP will be going ahead with the motion as the “REO has successfully failed” in properly executing the functions of his office.

It is not clear if the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) councillors will support the motion, but from all indications, they will not.

The Region Two RDC has 17 councillors, of which 12 are from the PPP and five are from the APNU+AFC coalition. Two of those councillors are from the AFC.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Fire ravages Mahaicony businesses

By Shauna Jemmott TWO business premises at Central Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara have been destroyed by a fire which struck just before midnight on Saturday, leaving in its wake millions of dollars in losses.

The interior sections of the adjoining buildings which housed the Golden Phoenix Chinese Restaurant and Laleeta’s Wholesale and Retail Grocery Store received the brunt of the damage inflicted by the fire.

The damaged buildings were owned by businesswoman Laleeta Persaud of Fellowship, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, who had rented one section to the Chinese restaurant owners.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the area

on Sunday, Persaud was not there. She was reportedly in Georgetown at her church.

Her daughter, Shivanie Robertson, told this publication that family members were at home on Saturday evening when they received a telephone call from a wholesale customer informing them that the building was ablaze.

Robertson said the customer, who is a vendor at the nearby Mahaicony market, said she and other vendors heard an explosion and immediately observed a fire burning inside the restaurant.

The vendors raised an alarm, notifying police at the Mahaicony Police Station, who telephoned the Guyana Fire Service.

“All they saw was flames coming from the back of ‘Chinee’,” the woman told the Guyana Chronicle.

Robertson said the family travelled immediately to the scene, and saw that the fire had already engulfed the Chinese restaurant and was well into the grocery store.

The Guyana Fire Service reportedly arrived 15 min-

utes after being called, and managed to put out the blaze.

Investigators told the family the fire started in the Chinese restaurant as a result of a gas stove which was left lit in the building.

The Chinese family, which also resides in the building, was not at home at the time of the fire. They would visit the casino in Georgetown on Saturday nights, and would return and open the restaurant on Sundays. They have since not returned to the building, this newspaper was told.

“We can’t find them; nobody didn’t come. We searched the building this morning, and nobody was in there. Every single thing burned on their side. Millions of dollars gone down the drain,” Robertson told the Guyana Chronicle.

Pointing to a stockpile of grocery at the family’s home, the woman said, “The whole front (of Laleeta’s Grocery) started to ketch afire. This is what we were able to get out, and everything else is just ashes.”

She said the grocery store also sells coking gas, but miraculously, “none didn’t explode”.

She credited the Guyana Fire Service with preventing total destruction of the building: “The firefighters did the best they could. They helped us save a lot,” Robertson said.

She related that her mother started the business about four years ago, and though the loss was a big blow to her mother, she is confident that her mother would pick herself up and try again.

Robertson said her mother previously owned a family business with her ex-husband, but left everything with her father after they had divorced. She built the business from scratch, and was already able to secure a home, the business place, four trucks and a BMW. “She (her mother) is a strong woman. She don’t fall on her face like that,” Robertson told the Guyana Chronicle.

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The buildings which house Laleeta’s Wholesale and Retail Grocery Store and the Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant were damaged by fire late on Saturday night

Some grocery items which were saved by Laleeta Persaud were stored at her home on Sunday (Delano Williams photos)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Bullet shifts in shot waitress’s throat ––as infection spreads

By Rabindra Rooplall DOCTORS continue to operate on teen waitress Onika Luke who was shot to her chin during an attempted armed robbery on her part-time place of employment, the Lucky Star Chinese Restaurant at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, when a lone gunman stormed the eatery on May 27 last.

The first phase of surgery occurred on Thursday last at the Georgetown Public Hospital, after the wounded area became infected and the bullet moved to below her collar bone.

The teen was shot when she failed to hand over cash from the cash register, while her left thumb was also shot off in the attack. The bullet passed through her chin and lodged in her throat.

According to her brother, Wendell Ranjee, he was informed by medical professionals that because of the infection in the area of the wounded region of the

neck, the bullet managed to move with the septic infection to an area below her collar bone into the chest region.

“They said it was due to the infection. It’s lodged in a soft tissue, and moved with it…. One doctor said that he deals with ‘from the neck upwards’ and another doctor has to look from below the neck,” Ranjee said.

Reflecting on the progression of events, Ranjee said the teen was discharged from a city private hospital on Tuesday last, and was admitted to the public hospital after it was realised that the bill had surpassed $1M and nothing was done for the teen.

“Nothing was done at the private hospital, and when enquiries were made (as to) when the surgery would be done, they didn’t know. I asked them what would be the average cost for her to stay there until the surgery is done, I was told it would cost almost $80,000 a day,” a shocked Ranjee

explained.

Acknowledging that his sister’s employer was standing the medical bill at the private hospital, the elder brother said it would be reckless to spend money when nothing was being done.

“We are not rich people, and we can’t allow her employer to waste money.

They should have told us from the beginning and we could have used that money to assist us with her upkeep at the public hospital,” he said.

Ranjee said that when he spoke to medical professionals at the public hospital, it was noted that the surgery could have been done the same night when the teen was admitted, or on the following day. The delay only made the situation worse, because the area became infected and surgery had to be done to cleanse the area, instead of working on removing the bullet.

“The doctor explained that bacteria are now taking

Farmer arrested in shooting incident

POLICE have arrested a 36-year-old male farmer of Moblissa, Linden Highway in connection with the shooting of another farmer around 09:00hrs Sunday.

The victim was identified as 56-year-old Cicel Todd who is a cash crop farmer of Moblissa. Police have not recovered the weapon used in the incident.

According to the victim, he left home about 08:30h Sunday for Moblis-

sa Hilltop to collect wood shavings for his chickens and on his way home he heard an explosion and suddenly felt a burning sensation to his left thigh, left arm and penis.

He then fell to the ground but managed to raise an alarm, resulting in his daughter Deslyn Cornelius going to his rescue and rushed him to the Linden Hospital where he was treated and admitted as a patient. He is in a stable condition.

Onika Luke over where the wound was, and that would have to be dealt with before the bullet is removed,” he said. “She cannot be fed food and she is in pain from hunger and distress.”

The teen is unable to eat or breathe properly because of the position of the bullet, and this makes the operation complicated.

Ranjee said the family is originally from Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and they moved to the city several years ago, but are not familiar with all the necessary ways in requesting assistance for the teen, whose condition is worsening.

In the meantime, the police are on the hunt for the suspect while the investigation is in progress.

Three held for murder of Crane woman THREE security guards are in custody as detectives investigate various motives behind the murder of 49-year-old Latchmin Shivpujan, who was stabbed to death last Monday in her home at Crane, West Coast Demerara.

Police said that the three detained men are security guards. Shivpujan, called ‘Radika’, was a security guard with the Kalibur Investigative and Security Services.

Her ex-husband was one of the first persons taken into custody along with one of his relatives.

The mother of two was found lying in blood with stab wounds to the upper thigh.

She is believed to have been slain shortly after midnight when neighbours heard her screaming in her apartDead: Latchmin ment. Shivpujan lived Shivpujan alone in the lower flat of a two-storey house, but was reportedly frequently visited by male friends.

According to reports, another woman named Emanuel Lawrence, lives in the upper flat of the building, and she told police that in the wee hours of Tuesday morning she heard Latchmini saying, “Ow man don’t do that!” then shouts of “Manny! Manny!” apparently calling on her, but she heard nothing afterwards.

Mahadai Singh, the slain woman‘s sister, said she had not spoken to Shivpujan for over 15 years. Singh said that she and her sister were estranged because she did not approve of Shivpujan’s lifestyle.

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Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Editor

Godfrey Wray

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Quality of Burma seed paddy continues to deteriorate

The life of media workers

Dear Editor, THE allegation is that the standard operating protocol (SOP) that governs the production of basic and certified one (C1) and two (C11) seed paddy at the Burma Rice Research Station was grossly disregarded, leading to paddy that should have been sent to the mill as commercial grain now being processed and sold to farmers as high-quality seed.

The allegation is also that the Head of the Burma Rice Research Station instructed the staff under his guidance to harvest several fields of seed that were heavily water-logged and rejected by the field inspection and certification team; bulk harvest

ORKERS of the media are usually behind the news, not in the news.

Within recent weeks, the media has come under attention from various quarters and for various reasons. All and sundry have weighed in on the media; its role, perceived or real; and its value to society, which is a positive sign and is essential to democracy.

President David Granger, in his address to the Guyana Press Association (GPA) in April, advised that his government would not interfere in the work of the media. He also shared with media workers the history of the media in the society, its role, ownership over time, and his views on the state-owned media.

As the media landscape in Guyana continues to evolve, inclusive of having an increasing presence of those privately-owned, the arena has become more diverse and competitive to carve a niche, get the news to the public in a timely manner, and meet public expectations. For instance, traditional media, particularly print, is now jostling with online news outlets that have the advantage of reporting almost instantaneously; and to meet this demand, it has incorporated similar coverage in its online edition.

In this new media landscape, journalists would admit that risks and advantages keep their adrenalin flowing, and it is worth the time spent chasing the story in spite of any downside, potential or actual.

On May 17th last, journalist Leroy Smith was allegedly assaulted by a police constable while trying to cover the Georgetown Magistrates Courts. Smith was in the presence of other media operatives, who saw what took place in the encounter with him and the police. He was briefly detained, and the matter was taken up by the GPA and the Police Office of Professional Responsibility.

Last Friday, reporters Kurt Campbell and Iva Wharton were shot at while pursuing a person who

had allegedly been engaged in a robbery. In spite of these incidents, all three reporters continue to work.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon last month slapped Kaieteur News with a letter for its coverage of stories relating to his China trip and role in the matter between the Guyana Revenue Authority and the BaiShanLin. The newspaper was given a 24-hour ultimatum within which it had to apologise, offer a retraction of the stories, pay a stipulated sum to an identified organization, or face a libel suit.

While it is fair to say that journalists are not monolithic in their focus, are not above the law or ethical practices, it must be remembered that they are there to bring the news to the people. It is also acknowledged that not all journalists are apolitical, or will suppress their political view/slant in going after or covering a story.

These factors notwithstanding, it should not be expected that journalists would turn away from a good story, ignore the clamour of society to pursue a story, or absolve themselves from the responsibility of being the intermediary between the makers of the news and the receivers of the news.

Yet journalists can recount the stories of those who once welcomed them going after a story because it was considered in the public good now turning around and taking offence when they are placed in what they consider to be the hot seat. News-makers who once could not stand the presence of some journalists, or evicted them from their pressers, today find them useful mediums to coverage their side of the story. This is not an uncommon feature in the profession, though it is often ignored that professional journalists are interested in going after a story considered worthy to the public good and in the public’s interest.

It is true that at times persons at the centre of a story would be offended, but their being offended is not cause for carrying or not carrying a story, and this often

wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

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whole fields that were only partially inspected with areas that were rejected; and harvest other seed fields that were classified as commercial grains based on the field inspection and certification standard.

The produce harvested from these areas was then forcefully sent to the processing facility to be processed and sold as seed to farmers.

Many farmers who had already bought the seed paddy complained of reduced growth and germination. And if one were to carefully examine these seeds, one would see mould and discolouration on the grains, which suggest that the grains were harvested from water-logged plants during

the rainy period.

Any experienced farmer would know that once a field is lodged and rain comes and catches it, it can no longer be used as seed. The head knows all this, so it now begs the question: Why is the Burma head trying to dupe the farmers? Is he trying to make the industry fail to make the APNU-AFC government look bad? Is he looking for fame and recognition to show an increase in the average number of bags of seed produced at Burma, at the expense of the end users?

This is not the first time that seed fields which did not qualify were forcefully harvested by this very same person to be sold as

seed. Something is fundamentally wrong here. If the management does not change this malpractice at Burma Research Station, the already challenged farmers and their families will suffer much more.

Many senior officers within the GRDB have objected to this wrongdoing, but their calls were all ignored by the head, who is strongly pushing for these bad quality seeds be sold to farmers.

In my view, if the seed paddy does not pass the field inspection and quality analysis, it should not be sold to farmers as seed, but should be sent to the mill as grain.

Faithfully, TERRY ROSS

projects the impression that there is something to hide.

There was a time in the society when sections of the media were denied Government advertisements as a measure to punish them for executing their role.

Non-governmental organisations have been pressured to withdraw advertisements. On the other spectrum, the media, more particularly state, have been used to engage in practices -- financial and reportage -- that do disservice to the journalistic profession, the institution and society. The present parties in Government, when in Opposition, withheld budgetary allocations to the state-owned media out of concern for what they described as the politicisation of this medium and denial of access to the opposition.

The society can recall the disturbing conversation of a former Attorney General about the Kaieteur News, its publisher and workers; the attacks on its building and workers, including loss of lives. It is the general view that that newspaper was targeted for its assertive reportage and exposes. Last Saturday, a grenade was thrown at its building, where staff was gathered for a wake held in honour of Senior Reporter and Assistant Editor Dale Andrews, whose death is a great loss to the media fraternity. It is encouraging to see that the publisher and workers have not been cowed by this threat, and continue their service to society.

The bottom line is that there remains a role for the media in society. As the fourth estate, the media has a duty to not only report what is considered good news, or news that put people in a favourable light, but to report what is happening in society, covering all angles where possible, and following-up when deemed necessary. The society, more particularly the masses, count on the media to be their watch-dog and bring the news to them unvarnished and as it occurs.

And where media workers commit to do likewise, notwithstanding the risks, the job is worth the while.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Guyanese man badly beaten in New York –– incident suspected to be hate crime

By Ariana Gordon in New York A 59-YEAR-OLD Queens, New York resident was last Wednesday badly beaten in Hollis, Queens, New York while on his way home from a nearby mosque.

The badly injured man, Rasheed Khan, the brother of former Guyana Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Sharief Khan left the mosque just around 22:30 hours when he was attacked by a group of three youth. He suffered several broken bones in the face including a broken nose. He was bleeding in the brain.

While there were no eye-witnesses, a friend of Khan, Ramzan ‘Zakir’ Ali told Guyana Chronicle New York Edition that prayer at the mosque concluded just after 22:15 hrs after which Khan left, walked a short distance to collect his bicycle and headed for his house which was not far away.

Ali said he and Khan left the mosque at the same time but Khan was riding. He observed Khan being chased by the youngsters but did not see

them beat him.

“He was riding the bike and they start running on the side walk going to the direction he was going -- before I got to the block where they beat him up and throw him down, they were running back laughing,” Ali said.

He believes Khan’s attack is a Hate Crime and calls on the New York Police Department (NYPD) to do its job and bring the youngsters to justice. Ali explained that after he saw the young men running in the opposite direction and laughing shortly after chasing Khan, he felt something was wrong.

“I get a gut feeling something bad happen… I didn’t see them throw him down but it had to be them,” he said emphatically.

Ali is of the opinion that Khan, a devout Muslim was targeted because he was clad in Muslim attire.

“We were both in the same area… why did they target him and not me… it had to be because he was wearing his Muslim attire and I wasn’t.”

He said as the trio ran

away laughing heartily, he rushed to the aid of his friend. When he arrived he saw Khan bleeding profusely on the side of the street.

Guyanese, all in one setting.

Members of the audience, including distinguished individuals, were seen swaying to the numerous renditions as they enjoyed each other’s culture and even gave vocal support to the calls for unity.

Chairman of the organising committee for the golden jubilee celebrations in the USA, Rickford Burke during his remarks maintained that cohesion is the only way Guyana can move forward and become the nation envisioned by its former leaders.

Guyana, he said, has come a long way since gain-

ing Independence on May 26, 1966.

“It was thanks to the work of our former leaders such as Dr Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham and others who worked cohesively to ensure that Guyana was broken away from the barriers of colonialism.”

Bissoondai ‘Rani’ Khan said she’s distraught by the incident. She said her husband has never complained of being targeted before because of his religion.

She told Guyana Chronicle that her husband will be undergoing a surgery to his

A badly beaten Rasheed Khan at the Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre bed He then called for an ambulance and the injured man was taken to the Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre where he is being treated.

NEVER COMPLAINED Wife of the injured man,

face today after which he has to be admitted to a rehabilitation centre.

She could not provide a likely timeframe for her husband to be released from hospital. The distraught wom-

an said “They didn’t rob him, didn’t take away anything” as she reiterated the view that her husband’s attack is a hate crime.

“He was coming from mosque and someone called and told me he was hit… by the time I got there the ambulance was there… when I got there, I saw they had him in a stretcher… I came to the hospital with them and they ran the tests,” Mrs Khan recounted.

Mrs Khan said her husband has suffered broken bones to the face and head injury. The incident, she said occurred around 205 Hollis Street, Queens and the family’s house was not far away. “We are at 201 and the mosque is at 207 and it happened around 205.”

Meanwhile, Jessica MacDonnell, the injured man’s sister travelled from Toronto to be by her brother’s side in hospital after she learnt of the incident.

She said her brother was reportedly punched to the face while riding and fell off his bicycle where he hit his head. While on the ground, it is believed that Khan received additional blows to his head.

“When the guy saw him

he was bleeding profusely from the head—cut on head and took him to the hospital where he has four or six broken bones in his face, cheek bones broken, nose, face swollen… the cut in the head was worrisome because he developed a brain clot as he bled in the brain.”

MacDonnell said her brother is responding though his eyes are still swollen and he can’t remember what happened last Wednesday.

“Now he is talking but eyes are swollen -- he does not remember what happened to him. He is asking what happened—he is confused,” said Khan’s sister.

She explained that her brother is recognising voices and responding to family members but is consistently asking his relatives what transpired that resulted in him being in hospital.

“My brother goes to masjid every night… on sunny days he rides his bike… the only time he doesn’t ride is if it is snowing or raining,” MacDonnell told the Guyana Chronicle.

The relatives of Khan are hopeful that the perpetrators of the crime will be brought to justice soon.

Interfaith service kicks off NY jubilee celebrations

By Navendra Seoraj in New York

AMIDST an outpouring of prayers, cultural renditions, songs and other depictions of the various Guyanese faiths and culture, the paramount message was that, “Guyana must rise from the ashes of political, economic and racial degradation”.

At the interfaith service to commemorate Guyana’s Golden Jubilee anniversary held at York College, Queens, USA, the message rang out among the multi-ethnic audience who congregated to celebrate in togetherness.

The audience was inspired by fervent prayers and inspiring messages by pastors, pandits, imams and officials who highlighted the need to break the chains of divisiveness and promote social cohesion among Guyanese.

The ceremony was held with the intent of contributing towards the restoration of values and the easing of discord in Guyana’s society.

The ceremony was enhanced by a number of multi-cultural dances, which showcased the different religions and cultural features of

PUT THE PAST ASIDE Burke said Guyanese must put the past aside and work hand-in-hand to build a better future for the youths and even the people of today.

The Golden Jubilee gave Guyanese from all around

the world a chance to celebrate as one and evidently their patriotic fervor caused thousands to head for home in order to enjoy the celebrations.

According to the Chairman of the committee, reports received indicate that over 28,000 Guyanese returned home from the USA and other parts of the world to enjoy the many festivities which were hosted by the Government, private individuals and companies.

The influx of Guyanese, apart from its impact on social cohesion, also provided a boost to the economy,

Dancers perform at the interfaith service to commemorate Guyana’s Golden Jubilee anniversary at York College, Queens, USA (Ariana Gordon photo)

especially the tourism sector, which he said benefited tremendously.

Meanwhile, Consul General of Guyana to New York, Brentnold Evans echoed Burke’s sentiments. He also reflected on Guyana’s journey after Independence and the work of Guyanese forefathers who fought to ensure that citizens have a better

life under a free and vibrant country, steered by good leadership.

Guyana’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the month of June in the USA, with events such as the investment conference and a New York version of Mashramani.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

4 MINUTES 4 CHANGE

WHEN children with some dysfunction in their lives become teenagers, and they commit a crime or do something senseless, cruel, destructive or fatal, the general public is usually left with two questions. One: Why would a child do something like that? And two: Where are the parents?

Over the past few weeks, 4 MINUTES 4 CHANGE has looked at parenting and the effects that good and bad parenting can have on a child. It was concluded that parents who are ‘clued in’ and provide positive input to their child’s upbringing stand a better chance of raising a child who will one day contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Okay, let’s be honest: there are always exceptions to the rule. Despite the positive input from parents or caregivers, some children do not turn out the best.

But if the intention is to give children the best chance in life, the correct morals and values need to be instilled in them from inception, with clear knowledge of what is expected from them.

Children need to know -- from the ‘get go’ and at every turn in their lives -- that parents are genuinely interested in them and in all the things they do and achieve, not just when they are small, but at least until they are adults.

Always ask “How was school?”, and give them the opportunity to talk to you without interruption. Ask them about their friends and their activities, and LISTEN TO CHILDREN. Encourage and praise them sincerely for the good things they do, and do not overreact with reprimand and punishment for the wrong things. Even adults do wrong things and make mistakes.

Nowadays, parents tend to spend too much time on their mobile phones or other technological devices. They encourage their children to watch a lot of TV or play computer games, and this fosters a lack of communication and a distraction from valuable time that could be spent more productively. A parent couldn’t possibly know what is going on in a child’s life; or, more importantly, in a child’s mind, unless that parent communicates with the child on a regular basis in a caring and attentive manner.

FIND SOME QUIET TIME: Learn to listen. Adults can help children make sensible choices just by listening and asking practical questions, e.g. “So do you think that was a good idea? What would you do in that situation? What do you think he did wrong? Let’s look at it from a different angle…” These are examples that will help your child in decision-making. Can you think of a few more?

Children need clear boundaries; and once they are set, they need to be maintained always. Even if parents are separated, they should agree on what the boundaries should be, and uphold them for the sake of raising a level-headed child.

For example, (important boundaries) Never take gifts from strangers; always let someone know where you are going; never say you are going one place and end up somewhere else; don’t let your friends lead you astray; take your education seriously; if you see trouble brewing, walk the other way.

Children must be brought up with positive direction and guidance.

Pre-adolescents and teenagers sometimes try to push the boundaries with challenging behaviours, but parents and caregivers must see this for what it is, and ‘nip it in the bud’ before it has a chance to escalate.

When teenagers are becoming adults, there are a lot of hormonal changes as well as physical changes going on. Young people are coming to grips with the psychological fact that they are neither adult nor child.

Parental guidance is a ‘must’ during these transformational years. That is the period when, if there is lack of communication and/or dysfunction in the household, the child can get out of hand and end up only God knows where.

But what do YOU think? Should parents be held accountable for what their underage children do?

When children commit crime or other senseless acts, is it a reflection on their upbringing?

Where an underage child breaks the law, should there be a fine or reprimand for adults who fail to monitor their child’s activities?

You can send your views or replies to: childcaregy@gmail.com If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, ring the CPA hotline on 227-0979.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Bosai keen on preventing recurrence of oil spill

By Vanessa Braithwaite

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week paid a visit to bauxite company Bosai Inc in Linden in an effort to monitor the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) that was implemented to prevent future seepage of oil from the plant into the waterways, including the Demerara River.

This information was relayed to the Guyana Chronicle by an environmental officer of the company who opted for anonymity.

The oil spill that occurred on March 29 is a result of negligence on the part of the employers tasked with monitoring the oil in the oil-water separator.

The environmental officer explained that there was an oil-water separator in place that would capture the oil being released from the engine in the plant.

However, in that instance, it was not properly monitored, hence, the occurrence of the leak.

This leak was reported by farmers to Regional

Chairman Renis Morian, who brought it to the attention of the EPA. Upon investigation, Bosai was found culpable and was ordered to pay $1.5M for the negligence.

Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian The environment officer revealed that Bosai has since put in place a standard operating procedure which furnished all employees coming into contact with the oil-water separator with the procedures of operating same effectively.

All of the employees

have access to this SoP which is now fully documented.

In addition to this, a filter procedure has also been implemented to further protect the environment while a CA lysine material will also be used to absorb any oil that may seep.

These preventative measures, the environmental officer said, are effective as the EPA had no complaints on their recent visit.

Bosai officials during a recent visit to the Regional Chairman’s office promised to strengthen the relationship between the company and the residents of Linden and will give assistance when similar situations occur.

They also promised to donate fertilisers to the farmers who had suffered losses as a result of the spill. A search party is expected to investigate whether oil may be leaking from other sources as may be the case in the old storage area at the aluminum plant.

The idea has also surfaced that Linden may be sitting on oil reserves which may also contribute to the regular spills.

St Monica, Karawab get water ambulance FOOD for the Poor (Guyana) Incorporated (FFP) in collaboration with Courts (Guyana) Incorporated last Wednesday donated a boat

transport ailing residents from the two communities to hospitals on the coastland much easier to Charity.

Speaking on behalf of the

From right, Managing-Director of Courts Clyde De Haas, Toshao James Miguel and CEO of FFP, Kent Vincent at the handing-over ceremony to residents of St Monica and Karawab in the Upper Pomeroon River, Region Two. The boat, named “ASHA,” will be used to

Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), FFP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kent Vincent said that the water ambulance was a necessity for the two communities.

He implored residents of both villages to take good care of the asset and promised continued assistance to the community.

James Miguel, Toshoa of the Amerindian Community, lauded FFP and Courts for the initiative and said that the water ambulance will be of great assistance to ailing persons in the community.

He further stated that health workers in the past had experienced great difficulty in transporting patients, especially at nights, by whatever means available and quite often patients died before reaching their destination.

Clyde De Haas, Managing Director of Courts, said the company was pleased to collaborate with FFP and praised the NGO for their work in helping the poor across Guyana.

Residents of the area were gratuitous in their praise of FFP and Courts for the gift.

The donation is a part of FFP’s Silver Jubilee Anniversary Celebrations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

CAPOEY: A hidden paradise

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RESH plants, towering mango trees, neatly laid out benabs, lush surrounding savannah and the melodious sounds of singing birds greet visitors to the indigenous settlement of Capoey on the Essequibo Coast.

The community can be accessed by road, but there are those who prefer to get there by means of the scenic, tranquil and mesmerising body of black water called the Capoey Lake.

This cool freshwater lake, whose water tastes like that from the artesian wells, is a scene to behold, and is among the natural wonders of the Essequibo county.

Located near the villages of Alliance and Taymouth Manor on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two, the village can be accessed through Anna Regina, Suddie, and the sprawling bustling community of Charity. There is no written record on when the village was founded, but from reports, it was first inhabited by the Arawak Indians who came from the Pomeroon in search of lumber.

The Arawaks had reportedly pitched their tents on a bright moon-lit night, and in the pitch black setting of the lake, the moon appeared to have sat thereon; and as the night progressed, it rose into the sky and disappeared at sunrise. De-

lighted and awestruck by the scene before them, the Arawaks had reportedly exclaimed “Capoey!� And from thenceforth the lake became known as the Capoey Lake, and a portion of land behind it became known as the village Capoey.

Inside the Capoey Lake, on the western side, is a small lake called the Calabash Lake. Just behind the Calabash Lake is a field that grows the sweetest aqueros (curos) in Region Two, and the crop is owned by no one in the village. In season, villagers flock the area to harvest and pick up all the curos they can fetch, and from there they head straight to the major markets on the Essequibo Coast.

According to residents, the curo trees feed off the rich nutrients of the lake. Melrose Henry, the village toshao (the only female toshao on the Essequibo Coast), told the Guyana Chronicle that, years ago, the lake was much smaller, but rises in sea levels have caused erosion of the savannah, thereby widening the body of fresh water.

Aside from its beauty and how it got its name, there is an interesting story behind the lake, even though it occupies the realm of folklore.

BEAUTIFUL GIRL Villagers related that during the early founding of the village, there was a beautiful girl named Mathilda, who had long hair. Every day, Mathilda would bathe in the beautiful black water lake, but one day when she went, she was carried away deep in the lake, at a pond, and from there she went down and never returned.

The villagers said it was related to them by their parents and grandparents that the revered Arawak spirits had collected the girl by hand and had taken her to the pond in the lake, and from there they journeyed to the netherworld. The pond has since been called the Mathilda Pond, and even to this day, villagers and visitors alike avoid that area in the enchanting Capoey Lake.

Aside from this little scare, the lake and the village are an idyllic place for a weekend getaway or holiday vacation.

The 2300-acre village has a population of some 540

Please see page 11

Monday June 6th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Tuesday June 7th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs Wednesday June 8th, 2016 - 05:00 hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

The landing leading to the beautiful Amerindian village of Capoey

CAPOEY ... residents. It boasts a nursery and primary school, a teachers’ quarters, a health centre, a multipurpose hall, a village office, two sizable pavilions, snackettes, a library, a solar-powered well, and recreational areas.

Residents rely mainly on

lumbering to make a living, but some engage in subsistence farming while others are into gold mining.

The Arawaks began to inhabit the village in the early 1900s, and years after, Methodist missionaries came and established a church, the

From page 10

first in the village, which still stands today, though in a dilapidated state. In the early days, most of Capoey’s inhabitants were Methodists, but as time rolled on, other Christian denominations built churches in the village, and today there are five different

The Golden Arrowhead, mounted on a bamboo poll, flutters in the distance churches there.

FIRM BELIEVERS Residents of the village, which comprises mostly people of indigenous extraction, are firm believers that the Lord Jesus Christ is their Saviour; and because of this, they are always upbeat, simple and cheerful in spirit.

Over the years, the missionaries of the various denominations have been of

great help to the village, as they have, from time to time, held health talks, eye clinics, and done medical and educational outreaches.

Every year, in September, this quiet village comes alive with the celebration of Heritage Day. The celebrations are so grand that preparations begin a month in advance. At the festivities, the villagers showcase their culture, foods, beverages, dances and craft;

and place focus on development. Students in the village who excelled academically, as well as residents who contributed significantly to the development of the village, are honoured on these occasions.

Swimming competitions are held, and villagers also engage in cricket matches.

Please turn to page 14

The Capoey Primary School

Toshao Melrose Henry and a village councilor stand on a walkway to the lake.

In background is the Capoey Guesthouse

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Diabetes cases down by 12,000

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- Dr. Norton credits robust education campaigns

here is good health news for Guyana: the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has reported that cases of diabetes have plummeted from 61,800 in 2014 to 49,800 last year -- the biggest drop in recent years.

Public Health Minister Dr George Norton has credited this significant achievement to vigorous countrywide education campaigns undertaken to combat the non-communicable disease.

The steep drop could also be due to migration and partially to death.

But even though he is happy with the good news, the minister warns that health professionals must not become complacent in their fight against diabetes.

“We need to continue to be vigilant in our fight against the (disease). We have problems with diabetes on the ground, and credit must be given to our hard-working staff whose tireless efforts are beginning to show positive results,” Dr Norton told the Guyana Chronicle.

Although there has been a drop in diagnosed cases, the IDF has noted that an estimated 16,800 persons with the illness are unaware that they have it. This represents an increase from the 15,400 estimated in 2014.

Dr Norton noted that, notwithstanding the robust education campaigns, diabetes is a worrying challenge facing Guyana.

“Beverages sold in shops and supermarkets are high in sugar content, which in a large way overtime contributes to the non-communicable disease,” he said.

Unlike what obtains in Barbados and some other countries, where products with high sugar content are taxed to stave off diabetes and related illnesses, the practice in not applicable in Guyana, but the Ministry of Public Health will be looking to implement a similar

measure here.

“Diabetes is a lifestyle disease, and the kinds of food we buy at the supermarkets…restaurants and home -- which are too height is fat and salt, coupled with lack of exercise -- contribute to diabetes.

What we need to do is exercise, drink water instead of aerated drinks, and reduce intake of salt and sugar to keep diabetes away.

“We believe that strong education campaigns will get the message across, and from the results we have now seen, headways are being made,” the minister contended.

The 61,800 cases diagnosed in 2014 represented an increase from the 60,100 diagnosed in 2013.

A preliminary report from the 2012 national census had indicated that Guyana is populated by some 748,000 persons. Of this number, as of 2015, some 446,000 are estimated to be adults. The persons monitored in the IDF report were between the ages of 20 and 79.

Although preventable, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Guyana.

ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT Aside from the significant drop in diagnosed cases, there was also a marked drop in deaths due to diabetes in 2015.

In 2014, the IDF had reported that some 1,025 persons died from the disease, but noted that this figure dropped to 867 last year.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings, has told the Guyana Chronicle that diabetes is a silent killer, and key in addressing it is inculcating in adolescents the importance of exercise and eating healthy.

“We want to target our schools. Childhood obesity is also on the rise, persons

to serious diseases, affecting the heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, nerves and teeth. People with diabetes also have a higher risk of developing infections, and it can cause cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, and stroke.

RECOVERING FROM STROKE Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton are no longer exercising and eating healthy, they rely on fast foods, and we have to change this sort of lifestyle.

It has to be attacked from all fronts in terms of education and educating parents, as well because they are the ones who give their children the money to buy a fast food or Coke,” she said.

There are two common types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

The risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes are still being researched, but a person having a family member

Rookmin Rood with Type 1 Diabetes has a slightly increased risk of developing the disease.

The IDF noted that exposure to some viral infections has also been linked to the risk of developing Type 1 Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes has been linked to a number of factors, including family history, overweight, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure.

The Federation says persons with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing a number of serious health problems.

Regular high blood glucose levels, it said, can lead

Rookmin Rood, 59, a resident of Walton Hall, Essequibo Coast who has been a Type Two Diabetic patient for the past six years, related to this publication that she is recovering from a stroke.

This publication met Rood in bright spirits at the Charity Public Hospital on a recent visit. The elderly woman had gone there to do a regular checkup.

“I suffered a stroke in 2010; and thanks to God, me survived. The stroke affected me right side, and since them me been receiving treatment. Now me can move around; me do simple chores around the house and fix me own bed. Me son

and daughter-in-law really help me. Nowadays me stay away from sweet drink, and drink wata and eat whole wheat flour, brown rice, and drink no-fat milk and take me medication. Me feel far better,” she told the Guyana Chronicle.

Randy, a young teacher who is also a Type Two Diabetic patient, told this newspaper that he has turned to exercise and healthy eating to keep his sugar level down.

According to the IFD, some 415 million people worldwide have diabetes; and by 2035, this figure is expected to be at 592 million.

The IFD also noted that the number of people with Type 2 Diabetes is increasing in almost every country. Some 77 per cent of people with diabetes live in low-and middle-income countries, and the greatest number of people with diabetes are between 40 and 59 years old.

Diabetes caused 4.9 million deaths in 2014; and every seven seconds a person dies from diabetes.

Sugar estates disappeared from Essequibo 80 years ago

By Mohamed Khan THERE were 37 sugar estates on the Essequibo Coast in the late 1900s. Stretching from Walton Hall in the north to Spring Garden in the south, they produced an aggregate yield of 4,641 tonnes of sugar and the usual complement of rum and molasses.

The smallest crop -- 35 tonnes -- was produced at Henrietta, while Devonshire Castle produced the largest crop –325 tonnes. The last grinding sugar estate, Hampton Court, ceased operating in 1936, some 80 years ago.

Hampton Court was the property of the Colonial Company Limited. This fine property formerly consisted of four separate sugar estates, namely Walton Hall, Devonshire Castle, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. In 1881, these estates had 724 un-indentured and 644 indentured immigrants, as well as 594 Africans.

At Hampton Court, some 1,277 acres of cane were cultivated, along with 40 acres of plantains. The Baillie family

owned Hampton Court between 1828 and 1867. In later years, it was purchased by the Colonial Company.

Devonshire Castle and Windsor Castle were amalgamated in 1876, after being bought from Mc Garel, Hogg and Pollard respectively.

Anna Regina was in the hands of the Moss family from 1823. Thomas Edwards-Moss of Lancashire became a baron in 1868. He acquired Anna Regina in 1865, Henrietta in 1874, Richmond in 1878, and La Belle Alliance in 1883.

Sparta, Fear Not, Coffee Grove and Lima were also producing sugar canes. Sparta and Coffee Grove at one time each produced 72 tonnes of cane.

La Belle Alliance was famous for its fine extra-yellow crystals. Anna Regina, La Belle Alliance, Richmond, Henrietta and Bush Lot were the finest plantations in the colony, and possessed the latest appliances for making sugar.

Hampton Court was the best estate for drainage and shipping.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

LOVE, SIMPLICITY AND THANKFULNESS - Elderly couple credits these for fruitful marriage, long life

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OT a whole lot of people in Guyana have lived to age 65, but Phulmattie Rup and her husband Rup (his only name) have been married for 65 years, and are still going strong.

At 83, Phulmattie is very active for her age; while her husband, who is 91, is also in good health. They both reside in the village of La Bagatelle, in the Pomeroon River.

Phulmattie told the Guyana Chronicle that she became wedded at age 18, in an arranged marriage to her husband, who was then 26.

Rup was in cheerful spirits when this publication visited his home, and while his wife did most of the talking, he at times interjected during the interview to seek or give clarification.

Phulmattie, who appeared to be the more active of the two, related that her mother came to Guyana from India at age five, and worked on the sugar plantations on the Essequibo Coast. According to the humble elderly woman, she was born in the Pomeroon.

Both of Rup’s parents were from the Essequibo Coast, where he was born.

On September 23, 1951, Phulmattie and Rup became married according to Hindu rites, and their wonderful marriage has produced 13 children -- 10 boys and three girls.

With a sad look on her face, Phulmattie related that two of her sons have since

passed on, but she has managed to maintain contact with all of her surviving children.

“Not all of them live in Guyana,” she told the Guyana Chronicle, noting that two reside in the United States and one in Canada.

“They would come and give we a little small piece, and we are thankful for that.

All my children visit me, and I am really happy when I see them,” Phulmattie said, her face lighting up with a bright smile.

In the early days, she related, primary school education was a “big thing”, and through perseverance with her husband, she managed to educate all of her children. Today, she proudly said, her children are employed as school

teachers, sanitary officer, Justice of the Peace, landscaper, economist, joiner, and farmers.

Phulmattie was herself a farmer in her younger days, and later leant tailoring from her husband, who was a tailor by profession.

“In my younger days things were not easy, but after I started getting children, life became different.

I had to take care of the children, work in the farm, and help my husband with his tailoring. I learnt to sew from pants to wedding dress. My husband also worked very hard. When he was not sewing, he was in the farm. It was hard work to raise the children and educate them,” she said.

They have both endured, and today they are happy in

the twilight of their lives.

Phulmattie credits her longevity to her undying faith in God; contentedness; simplicity; and pure love for her neighbours, friends and family.

“I never envy or covet (anything belonging to) my neighbour. I show them kindness and love. I never bad talk them, and I have no enemy. I believe that when people get into trouble, they must have done something to offend the Lord,” she said.

Quite interestingly, while Phulmattie was raised as a Hindu, she has decided not to identify herself by any religion, but instead by all the “good things” common in Islam, Hinduism and Christianity.

She told this newspaper that “God is one” and He

Phulmattie and Rup on their wedding day

Phulmattie and Rup with two of their great-grandchildren

PERSONALITY PROFILE KARAM Chand, 62, is Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s Special Assistant in Region Two. The office is an extension of the Prime Minister’s Office in Georgetown, and as such, Chand plays an important role in the sense that he works along with regional officials to improve services to residents in the region.

On a regular day, Chand is visited by scores of Essequibians, who bring to his attention their various complaints and queries. He listens to them, gives his advice, and makes calls to officials in the region to remedy their concerns. In some cases, they are referred to regional officials who can assist them.

Chand makes a note of all the complaints he receives on a daily basis, and would do follow-up to ensure they are all addressed.

He said that some of the common complaints he has received since assuming office concern the discontinuation of Public Assistance; persons applying for title for their land for more than five years, and are yet to receive approval; rice farmers not being able to pay their bank loans because the industry is on the decline; poor water supply; and of late, flooding.

He related that, through discussions with the banks, his office was able to get rescheduled some of the loans taken by struggling rice farmers. His job demands that he spends

time in both the office and the field.

Chand is a veteran educator. He holds a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Miami, USA, and has taught in the US, Canada, Guyana, Belize and the Turks and Caicos Islands. A creative writer, he has written three books, namely “The Indentured Servant”, first published in 2005; “Jim Jones’ Justice and other short stories”, published in 2006; and “I had a Dream: An anthology of poems”, published in 2014.

Chand, a remigrant, is married and is the father of two. He spent some 25 years overseas before returning to Guyana in 2014. He told the Guyana Chronicle that during his time abroad, he kept in touch with developments in Guyana, and would voice his opinions in the print media through letters to the editors of the daily newspapers.

A firm believer in change, Chand, on his return to Guyana, joined the masses pushing for an accountable and all-inclusive Government. Soon after the 2015 Regional and General Elections, in which the APNU+AFC coalition emerged victorious after narrowly defeating the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which was in power for 23 years, Chand was appointed the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant in the region he now serves.

“I am passionate about the development of my region

listens to those who pray to Him with a clean heart.

Phulmattie also does massage therapy, a skill she developed massaging her children and grandchildren, and she also used to deliver babies.

These two elderly, simple, down-to-earth folks told the Guyana Chronicle that

they eat less meat and fish, which helps them to each maintain a healthy body and mind. They suffer from no known illness, and according to Phulmattie, they were born for each other.

Nowadays, they take life one day at a time, and count all their little blessings acquired along the way.

and Guyana as a whole.

When I speak of development, I speak of both human and infrastructural development. I like to see things happen. I feel a sense of satisfaction when I help people and I see that their complaints are resolved.

“I also want to see more social and political cohesion in Guyana, and I want to see more emphasis being placed on technical and vocational education, Karam Chand information technology, craft training geared towards tourism, more infrastructural development, and better drainage and irrigation in Region Two,” he told the Guyana Chronicle.

Chand said his return to Region Two made him see that many young people were unemployed. He is urging that they “stay strong, not to allow themselves to become victims of peer pressure, and to stay in school and complete their education.”

“The possibilities are endless,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

CAPOEY ...

From page 11

Capoey is headed by a toshao, who is guided by a village council. Toshao Henry told the Guyana Chronicle that the village garners revenue from a sand pit it owns, fund-raising activities in which it engages, and from visitors.

Most of the village’s income comes from the sand pit operation, which also provides employment for villagers.

Villagers are employed on a rotational basis, with two being employed every six months.

The money earned from the pit and other sources is used to pay the village councillors, a librarian, a village cleaner, a caretaker for the guest house, and a cleaner at the health centre.

SUGAR LOAF PINEAPPLES Aside from the sumptuous curos, Capoey is home to Sugar Loaf Pineapples, coconuts with water that can full a half-litre cup, mangoes that melt in the mouth, and cool fresh air that makes a visitor forget from whence he had come.

“I am proud of the beauty of our village; it is our pride. We are proud that we can bask in it, and share it to visitors here and those beyond these shores,” Toshao Henry said.

She also said that while her village celebrates its natural beauty, great efforts are being made to improve the lot of its residents.

Residents rely on solar cells and generators to power their homes; and by September, for the first time since establishment of the village, they will receive potable water.

Capoey, she said, is also proud of its achievements. The village has produced University of Guyana graduates, and medical checkups on residents are done by a Cuban-trained doctor who is a resident of the village.

“Education is a great investment, and it is big on our agenda. We believe that it is the tool that will help us to develop the kind of human resources we need to contribute to the development of our village and Guyana as a whole,” Toshao Henry said.

The village provides free transportation for students attending secondary schools on the coast, and supports a student who attends the Essequibo Technical Institute.

A pupil on a busy day in the library

A teacher supervising her charges during an outdoor activity

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Spinners, Warner...

From backpage capacity crowd at the Providence National Stadium, the West Indies batsmen got stuck in the spin web formed by the trio of Man-of-the-Match Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, who shared

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seven wickets among them, but it was pacer Mitchell Starc (2-37), who provided the early jolt which eventually rocked the Caribbean batting line-up.

From a comparative comfort of 50-2, the Caribbean side lost their last eight wickets for just 66 runs to be all out for 116 in 32.3 overs.

Lyon finished with figures of 3-39 , Zampa took 3-16 and Glenn Maxwell 1-3.

While the West Indies batsmen couldn’t get the measure of the Providence pitch, the Australians didn’t have much issues when their turn came to chase the hosts’ below-par total.

Opener David Warner led the run chase with an unbeaten 55-ball 55, as Australia reached 117-4 in 25.4 overs.

West Indies after fielding an unchanged team got off to a disastrous start, losing hard-hitting opener Andre Fletcher (4) in the very first over to Starc, who has returned to the international fold after a foot surgery.

Johnson Charles was dropped at first slip off Josh Hazlewood when he was on nine, but after that let-off, Charles and Darren Bravo settled nicely after getting a measure of the pitch and bowlers to good effect to take their team to the 50-run mark.

The left-handed Bravo played positively, hitting Starc for two cover boundaries in the fifth over and then pulled Hazlewood to the mid-wicket fence in the next over. Charles then got into the act and hit Lyon for the innings first six.

However, once the partnership was broken, Australia’s bowlers called the shots, causing a batting collapse.

Australia struck twice in quick succession to dismiss both Bravo and Charles to stay alive in the game.

The 27-year-old Bravo was removed by all-rounder Mitchell Marsh for 19, while Charles (22) was cleaned up

by Starc by a superb yorker in the 14th over.

The Australian spinners then became difficult to dominate on a helpful pitch, claiming the final seven wickets.

Lyon made his first strike by trapping Marlon Samuels (10) leg before while Kieron Pollard, who was beaten in flight, went the very next ball.

Denesh Ramdin went by the same route to Maxwell while Zampa clean bowled Jason Holder.

A double change from Steve Smith half-way through the innings saw Lyon having Sulieman Benn caught and bowled.

But after Sunil Narine hit Lyon for a boundary and Carlos Brathwaite stroked his way to 21, inclusive of a four and a six in the 29th over, Zampa removed both batsmen.

David Warner and Aaron Finch then continued to pile on the misery as Australia raced to 44 in 7.4 overs, even as the West Indies opted to open the bowling with mystery spinner Sunil Narine.

The West Indies bowlers went for a slew of boundaries before Finch was trapped leg before to Holder for 19.

At the break, Australia were 54-1. However, the tourists then lost Usman Khawaja (7) off Benn, while Narine removed Steve Smith (6) and Maxwell (0) in the space of three balls.

Despite the fall of the wickets around him, the left-handed Warner remained resolute to frustrate the West Indies attack.

He and Marsh (nine not out) took Australia comfortably home. The Australians meet South Africa tomorrow in game three at the same venue from 13:00hrs. Australia gained a bonus point for the win.

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES innings J. Charles b Starc 22 A. Fletcher c Maxwell b Starc 4 D. Bravo c Zampa b Marsh 19 M Samuels lbw b Lyon 10 D .Ramdin† lbw b Maxwell 12 K. Pollard c Warner b Lyon 0 C .Brathwaite c Finch b Zampa 21 J .Holder* b Zampa 1 S. Benn c & b Lyon 3 S. Narine st †Wade b Zampa 5 J .Taylor not out 5 Extras: (lb 3, w 9, nb 2) 14 Total: (all out; 32.3 overs) 116 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-50, 3-59, 4-70, 5-70, 6-85, 7-88, 8-91, 9-111, 10-116 Bowling: M.Starc 9-0-37-2, J. Hazlewood 3-0-13-0, N. Lyon 10-2-39-3, M. Marsh 3-1-5-1, A Zampa 5.3-0-16-3, G. Maxwell 2-1-3-1

AUSTRALIA innings D. Warner not out 55 A Finch lbw b Holder 19 U Khawaja c Holder b Benn 27 S. Smith* lbw b Narine 6 G .Maxwell b Narine 0 M. Marsh not out 9 Extras: (lb 1) 1 Total: (4 wickets; 25.4 overs) 117 Did not bat: MS Wade†, MA Starc, A Zampa, JR Hazlewood, NM Lyon Fall of wicket: 1-44, 2-85, 3-92, 4-92 Bowling: S.Narine 10-2-36-2, J. Taylor 3-0-20-0, S. Benn 6-0-21-1, J. Holder 3-0-21-1, C. Brathwaite 3-0-14-0, A. Fletcher 0.4-0-4-0. (PointsAustralia 5, West Indies 0.)

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Djokovic joins elite company with French title

By Julien Pretot

PARIS, (Reuters)-Novak

Djokovic joined the tennis greats yesterday when he downed British second seed Andy Murray 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 to claim his maiden French Open title and hold all four grand slams at the same time.

The world number one recovered from a nervous start to impose his pace on Court Philippe Chatrier and clinch his 12th grand slam crown after three previous failures in a Roland Garros final.

Djokovic is only the third man after Don Budge and Rod Laver to hold the four majors at the same time, and the eighth man to triumph at Wimbledon and the French, U.S. and Australian Opens.

“It’s a very special moment, possibly the biggest moment in my career,” the 29-year-old, who now has a 5-2 win-loss record against Murray in grand slam finals, said courtside.

Murray said: “This is something that is so rare in tennis. It has not happened for an extremely long time and it is going to take a long

time for it to happen again.

“So everyone here who came to watch is obviously extremely lucky to see it.

Me personally being on the opposite side it sucks to lose

lob. He held to love and then broke again, winning 16 of 20 points to lead 4-1.

Tension threatened to boil over when Murray shouted “get him out”, pointing to

Novak Djokovic celebrates with his trophy. (Reuters/ Pascal Rossignol) the match.”

It looked like Djokovic got off to a dream start, taking Murray’s serve to love in the first game.

But the Briton, who was playing his 10th final at a major, hit the ball early to set up three break points in the following game, converting the third with a fine

a French TV interviewer who was in the players’ box, before Djokovic had an altercation with the chair umpire.

As Murray was serving for the set, he was awarded a point to lead 30-0, Djokovic having hit his return before an ‘out’ call on the serve was made.

“The call was after you hit the ball. I’m 100 per cent

sure,” Damien Dumusois told a frustrated Djokovic.

M u r r a y, w h o b e a t Djokovic in the Rome Masters finals on clay last month, went on to win the set when his opponent netted a backhand.

He had a break point in the first game of the second set but that was as good as it got for the Scot.

Djokovic, his aggression now channelled and matched by his accuracy, won the remaining games.

He raced to a 4-1 lead in the third set, breaking in the fifth game with a delicate angled drop shot that triggered chants of ‘Nole, Nole, Nole, Nole’ in the stands.

There was no comeback in that set for the 29-year-old Murray, who then dropped serve in the opening game of the fourth set.

Djokovic, who is now on a 28-match winning streak in grand slams, broke to love to lead 5-2. Murray pulled a break back but Djokovic shook off late jitters to win the title on his third match point when the Scot netted a backhand at the end of a nail-biting rally.

Amir named in Pakistan squad for Test series in England FAST bowler Mohammad Amir has been named in Pakistan’s squad for the Test series in England starting next month.

It marks a first Test call-up for Amir, 24, since he was banned and imprisoned for spot-fixing at Lord’s in 2010.

His five-year ban ended in September 2015 and he was named in Pakistan’s limited-overs squads earlier this year.

The four-Test series begins on 14 July. Pakistan’s squads for five oneday internationals and a one-off Twenty20 will be announced at a later date.

Left-armer Amir is waiting to learn if he will be granted a visa to enter the UK. If selected for the opening match, it will mean a first return to Lord’s for Amir since his part in a conspiracy to bowl deliberate no-balls against England in a match there in August 2010.

Amir, Salman Butt and Mo-

MOHAMMAD AMIR

hammad Asif were found guilty of arranging deliberate no-balls in return for money. The three each received a custodial sentence and a ban.

Mohammad Hafeez was also selected, subject to his full recovery from a knee injury sustained two months ago, but there was no place for fellow opener Ahmed Shehzad.

Pakistan arrive in England later this month before holding a training camp in Hampshire. Their first warmup match starts on 3 July, against Somerset.

Pakistan Test squad: Misbahul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez (subject to fitness), Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan. (BBC Sport)

McGrath backs Anderson to break his record NO pace bowler has taken more Test wickets than Glenn McGrath, but the former Australia seamer believes his record could well be broken by James Anderson.

Already his country’s most prolific bowler, England spearhead Anderson sits sixth on the all-time list of wicket-takers in the five-day format, after taking 18 scalps in two matches against Sri Lanka last month.

Anderson’s tally of 451 wickets puts the 33-yearold 112 behind McGrath, who was one month shy of his 37th birthday when he played the last of his 124 Tests in 2007.

Asked if Anderson can go past his mark of 563, McGrath was quoted by Cricket Australia’s official website as saying: “That’s entirely up to him; if he stays on the park, then he can do that quite easily - and knock me off. And good luck to him.”

McGrath added: “He’s a quality bowler, there’s no doubt about that. When he’s firing and the ball’s swingJAMES ANDERSON ing, he’s as tough (to face) as any bowler going around.

“He’s played 115 Tests now, which for a fast bowler to play over 100 is exceptional. He’s still bowling well, and he’s still taking wickets.

“He’s had a few [injury] issues in the past but he’s come back well, and [how long he plays is] up to him now really. I was lucky enough to play through until I was 37, so I’m sure he’s still got plenty of overs left in him.”

Assessing Anderson’s standing among the English pacemen he played against, McGrath stated: “He’s a different bowler to Stuart Broad, and to ‘Goughy’ [Darren Gough] and [Andy] Caddick and those guys.

“But for the wickets he’s taken, and when he’s on song, he’s as good as there’s been from England, I think.

“I think Broad’s got the potential to go on and be one of the greats as well, but Jimmy’s up there and now it’s up to him how high he wants to set that mark.” (Omnisport)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday June 06, 2016) 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) South Africa (64 runs) (2) Meyrick Pringle (SA)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Where and when was the first SA/Australia ODI game played?

(2) Australia and SA have been engaged in 88 ODIs against each other to date. How many the South Afri cans have won?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

Former Ali promoter Bob Arum recalls boxer’s impact on society

By Dan Whitcomb (REUTERS)-For Bob Arum, the famed promoter who befriended Muhammad Ali some 50 years ago, the former heavyweight champion’s legacy in the boxing ring pales in comparison to his impact on America and the world.

Arum told Reuters on Saturday, the day after Ali died in a Phoenix-area hospital at the age of 74, that his long-time friend should

Boxing promoter Bob Arum

be remembered for standing up against racism and war at a time when doing so was risky and unpopular.

“I think when you talk about Muhammad Ali, as great an athlete, as great a boxer as he was, he was the greatest boxer of all time, he means so much more to the United States and the world,” Arum said.

“He was a transformative figure in our society.”

Arum, 84, recalled that Ali strode onto the world

Brazil, Ecuador finish in controversial draw … Peru win to take Copa America Group B lead BRAZIL and Ecuador finished in a controversial 0-0 Group B draw on day two of the Copa America on Saturday night..

Though neither team broke through, both South American teams had plenty of

and the goal was not counted.

Brazil continues Group B play on June 8 versus Haiti, while Ecuador face current group leaders Peru on the same day.

Paolo Guerrero became

Paolo Guerrero’s diving header gave Peru the three points chances in the back-and-forth match.

Philippe Coutinho had two golden opportunities in the first half, with a closerange effort going over the bar and a shot from distance missing wide right of the Ecuador goal.

Ecuador may feel hard done after watching the replay, when a Miller Bolanos cross bounced off goalkeeper Alisson and into the Brazil net.

However, the linesman ruled the ball had crossed the end line before the cross

Peru’s all-time leading goal scorer in giving his team a 1-0 win over Haiti to begin their Copa America campaign on Saturday.

After a tight first half in Seattle, Peru took control after the break and Guerrero scored in the 61st with a diving header to open Group B play.

Guerrero was a challenge for Haiti to contain throughout the game and he finally delivered by diving forward to connect with Edison Flores’ cross in the middle of the box for his 27th international goal.

Haiti offered little in response until the final minute of stoppage time, when substitute Kervens Belfort got behind the Peru defence on a free kick but somehow pushed his header wide from point-blank range.

Peru are now in first place in the group after Brazil and Ecuador finished in a draw.

In Group A, Costa Rica and Paraguay shared a testy goalless draw that saw more cards than scoring chances.

In hot conditions in Orlando, the mood was set inside the first 20 seconds when Costa Rica’s Yeltsin Tejeda was booked for a foul on Celso Ortiz.

The game’s best period of play came immediately afterwards as Benitez was played through into the box but scuffed his shot wide, and Paulo Da Silva’s glancing header missed inches wide following a corner.

The teams nearly came to blows after Costa Rica’s Kendall Waston fouled Dario Lezcano in the 77th minute, and in the final minute of stoppage time, Waston was sent off for a challenge from behind on Nelson Valdez, ruling him out of their next game against the United States.

Colombia lead Group A with three points following their win on Friday, ahead of Costa Rica and Paraguay with a point apiece and the U.S. at the bottom.

stage in the mid-1960s, at a time when African Americans were still fighting for basic civil rights.

“And while Martin Luther King was talking sense and talking about progress that could be made in his soft-spoken way, Ali, with his big mouth was thundering and demanding rights for African-American people and standing up for what was right,” Arum said.

“At first that didn’t sit well with the people in the United States. At fights he

was booed because they felt that he was too outspoken,” he said.

Arum said he disagreed at the time with Ali’s refusal to be drafted into the U.S. Army and fight in Vietnam, a stand that cost the fighter his world boxing crown.

“And I said ‘hell no’, I advised him just the opposite,” Arum said. “But of course he wouldn’t listen.

He did what he thought was right. And it turned out he was right, and I was wrong.”

The promoter said Ali gave up three years in the prime of his career to stand up for those convictions and was ultimately vindicated in the public eye.

“So when I look back at his life, and I was blessed to call him a friend and spent a lot of time with him, it’s hard for me to talk about his exploits in boxing because as great as they were they paled in comparison to the impact that he had on the world,” Arum said.

Guyana to participate in 2nd edition of FIFA’s Female Leadership workshops THE General-Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Diedre Davis, has been selected to attend the second edition of FIFA’s Female Leadership Development Programme (FLDP) workshops in Zurich from June 6-9.

According to a GFF release, Davis was selected by the Executive Committee of the GFF and was scheduled to depart yesterday.

Launched in 2015 to ensure that there are female role-models and women at decision-making levels in football, the FLDP aims to identify, support and develop strong female leaders in the sport, while advocating for women to access senior decision-making positions globally.

The programme runs over nine months in total and takes participants through workshops and extensive fieldwork, with a mentor and

a leadership coach supporting them along the way.

The female participants from various countries will

GFF General Secretary Diedre Davis take part in practical sessions on topics such as leadership styles and influencing others while in Zurich, as well as having an opportunity to

meet with their mentors and leadership coaches in person.

The FLDP participants were selected from over 80 applicants put forward by member associations around the globe for the 35 available places.

The selection of participants was conducted by a working group comprising FIFA and the THNK School of Creative Leadership Innovation.

One of FIFA’s main priorities is providing opportunities for girls and women in football which has been reflected in the announcement at the recent FIFA Congress in Mexico of the creation of a dedicated Women’s Football Division.

Additionally, a crucial element of the reforms approved at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress in February is the inclusion of women in leadership positions in football.

Pouderoyen moves to second in WDFA Stag Beer points standing POUDEROYEN registered a 5-3 win against Young Achievers on Saturday to move to second in the points standing of the West Demerara Football Association’s third Annual Stag Beer League.

Playing at the Den Amstel ground, both teams were reduced to 10 men after Pouderoyen’s Alonzo Bowman and Young Achievers’ Darren McLeod were red-carded for violent conduct in the 56th minute.

Pouderoyen opened the scoring with a Dwayne St. Kitts fourth-minute goal, but Young Achievers levelled the score

two minutes later and even went further ahead through Lloyd Prince’s sixth, 30 th and 50 th minute goals.

However, Morgan Denny struck in the 63rd minute to start Pouderoyen’s comeback and St. Kitts struck again in the 66th minute.

Marvin Frank then sealed the game for Pouderoyen with a 77th minute goal.

With the win, Pouderoyen moves to second on the points table with seven points, while Young Achievers remain on three points in sixth position.

Meanwhile, in the opening

fixture, Eagles defeated Wales 5-1 as Stephon Griffith netted a double for the victors in the first and 72nd minutes and was supported by Alonzo Henry, who also scored a double in the eight and 60th minutes. The other goal came off the boots of Chris Mayfield in the 63rd minute.

Kelvin Roberts scored Wales lone goal in the 65 th minute.

For the win, Eagles earned three points while Wales remain on one point.

The competition was slated to continue yesterday at the same venue.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

10-man Reggae Boyz go down to Venezuela in Copa America opener JAMAICA put in a brave performance in their Copa America Centenario opener but went down 1-0 to Venezuela yesterday.

Josef Martinez proved the difference as Venezuela’s Copa America Centenario got off to the best possible start with a 1-0 win over 10man Jamaica at Soldier Field in Chicago.

A first-half red card for Jamaican midfielder Rodolph Austin made life hard for the Jamaicans after going 1-0 down to Martinez’s 15th minute strike.

H o w e v e r, d e s p i t e a brave effort in the second period, Jamaica were unable to avoid defeat in the first Group C fixture yesterday.

Jamaica had to make do without captain and new Premier League champion Wesley Morgan, calling on Crystal Palace’s Adrian Mariappa and Portland Timbers centre-back Jerome Taylor in

defence.

Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel had most of his European stars on hand as Salomon Rondon started up

front, with Torino’s Martinez in behind, Genoa’s Romas Rincon manning midfield and Malaga’s Robert Rosales in defence.

Jamaica’s Garath McCleary (Left) vie for the ball with Venezuela’s Rolf Feltscher during the Copa America Centenario football tournament in Chicago. (photo: AFP)

Fruta Conquerors edge Pele 2-1 in Stag Elite League ––GFC register first win in 14 matches FRUTA Conquerors edged Pele 2-1 when the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Stag Elite League resumed on Saturday at the Leonara Sports facility, West Coast Demerara.

The win helped Conquerors to move to second place in the league, while the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) registered their first win from 14 matches, but still remain at the bottom of the points table.

The North Ruimveldtbased team, Fruta Conquerors, came from one goal down after Julian Joseph sent Pele into the lead with a 30th minute goal. Fruta) conquerors then equalized, compliments of Jahall Greaves 71st minute goal and another from Jermey Cornette two minutes later.

The win for Fruta Conquerors takes them to 34 points, where they occupy second place behind Slingerz.

GFC, despite their 2-1 victory against the GDF, remains at the bottom of the points table on five points

from Saturday night’s win and two drawn games.

Kenneth Oparaemetuch and Keron Solomon scored for the Bourda team (GFC) in the 74th and 75th minutes respectively, while Olvis Mitchell scored the soldiers’ lone goal in the 63rd minute.

Yellow cards were the order of the evening as Oparaemetuch and Tyson Carmichael of GFC were shown the yellow card in the 18th and 67th minutes respectively, while GDF’s Ordell Williams was shown the yellow card in the 52nd minute.

In the Fruta Conquerors versus Pele match, Hubert Pedro and Raphael Edwards of Fruta Conquerors were yellow-carded in the 67th and 69th minutes respectively, while in the 78th minute, Shemroy Arthur of Pele received a yellow card.

Slingerz continue to lead the points standing with 40 points from 13 victories and one draw. They have so far scored 43 goals and conceded a mere eight for a goal difference of plus 35.

Fruta Conquerors are on 34 points from their 14 games having won 11, lost two and drew one. They have 34 goals to their name and 22 against for a goal difference of plus 12.

Alpha United is third in the standing with 30 points from nine victories, two losses and three drawn games.

They have scored 36 goals and conceded 11.

Pele, GDF and Buxton are all on 17 points from their 14 matches. However, Pele has a goal difference of minus five, while the GDF and Buxton have goal differences of minus six and minus 11 respectively.

Monedderlust and GFC follow in that order with 16 and five points respectively.

Both teams have a goal difference of minus 25.

Meanwhile, the championship will continue on Thursday at the same venue with a double header.

In the opening game, Slingerz will tackle Pele from 18:00hrs and in the feature match, Fruta Conquerors will face Alpha United.

The contest exploded into life from the first whistle, as an entertaining end-toend battle broke out.

The Venezuelans were the first to go close when a promising attack was ended by a tame attempt in the area, which made for light work for goalkeeper Andre Blake.

Blake launched an instant counter as Jamaica employed a direct approach, looking for the strength and pace of Birmingham City’s Clayton Donaldson, and he looked to have won a penalty only for play to be called back for a tight offside call.

Donaldson went close shortly after as he forced a spectacular save from Daniel Hernandez, before Je-Vaughn Watson hit the crossbar with a towering header from the resulting corner, but that would only spark Venezuela into life.

After some lovely onetouch passing, Alejandro Guerra eventually crafted an opportunity for Martinez who finished his one-on-one chance with a classy strike, slotting the ball through Blake’s legs after 15 minutes.

Things went from bad to worse for Jamaica as they were reduced to 10

men just eight minutes later when Austin was shown a straight red card.

The midfielder clearly won the ball ahead of Rincon, but his follow through saw his studs land firmly in the Genoa player’s ankle, which prompted the referees somewhat controversial call.

The Jamaicans showed some fight despite being a man down, as Donaldson led an increasingly rare charge forward, but the undermanned side struggle to get the required numbers in the box as Hernandez pounced on a loose ball in the box.(Sportsmax).

FIFA chief slams ‘enemies’ painting him as ‘greedy’ GENEVA (AFP) - FIFA’s new chief Gianni Infantino accused “enemies” yesterday of trying to paint him as greedy, and voiced surprise at revelations that his disgraced predecessor and his deputies awarded themselves millions in dubious bonuses.

“My enemies want to make me out to be greedy.

That is stupid,” Infantino told the Le Matin Dimanche weekly, referring to reports that he has clinched an annual salary of two million Swiss francs ($2 million, 1.8 million euros).

“I never stole anything.

Everything I have earned in my life, I have worked for,” he said.

He said the contract was still being negotiated and that once signed “I will gladly show all the details and you will see that the amount is not as high as the 2.0 million francs mentioned in the media.”

Infantino, who took the helm of the scandal-plagued body in February vowing to lead world football into a new era of “transparency” and “honesty” also addressed claims by Germany’s Die Welt newspaper Friday that he had improperly ordered the destruction of the minutes of a FIFA executive committee meeting held at last month’s congress in Mexico City, in which his

salary was discussed The paper alleged FIFA’s independent ethics committee was looking at the issue and could impose a 90-day ban on the new president if the allegation was

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed, but the ethics committee denied that any investigation was ongoing.

“If there is a destruction operation underway, it is targeted against me,” Infantino said in Sunday’s interview.

He explained that an illegal copy had been made of the “strategic, confidential meeting”, and it was this copy he had asked to be destroyed.

“The original is in good hands and is at the disposal of the competent

authorities,” he said.

Infantino also said FIFA investigation findings that former chief Sepp Blatter, his number two Jerome Valcke, and finance director Markus Kattner plotted “to enrich themselves”, and had awarded themselves bonuses and contracts worth $80 million (71 million euros) in the past five years alone were “surprising to say the least.”

“We have ordered a serious and complete audit,” he said, adding he expected the results to be released “soon”.

He would not comment on whether a search carried out by Swiss authorities at the FIFA headquarters on Thursday was linked to the FIFA investigation findings, beyond stressing that “it was not my office or that of the new Secretary General that was searched, but Kattner’s office.”

Kattner was sacked on May 23 after FIFA started looking into millions of dollars of payments that the finance director, and acting general secretary after Valcke was dismissed last year, awarded himself.

Blatter is already serving a six-year suspension from football over a two million Swiss franc ($2 million, 1.8 million euros) payment to former FIFA vice president Michel Platini.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 6, 2016

GDF athletes dominate on final day of AAG National Seniors … wins for Hooper, Fraser and Foster among others

By Tamika Garnett IT was another day dominated by the Guyana Defence Force athletes, yesterday, as Natrena Hooper took the women’s high jump in a personal best, while Davin Fraser and Andrea Foster registered wins on the final day of events at the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) National Seniors Championships held at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora.

The GDF men’s team, anchored by Fraser, also powered their way to win in

the men’s 4x100m finals, while Guyana Police Force Julio Sinclair won the men’s shot put (14.30m) and discus throw (39.04m).

Hooper, who is trying to make the Olympic qualifying standard in the high jump, proved that she is on a clear path of continued development as she cleared 1.83m, to take the win ahead of the GPF’s Cindy Fraser (1.50m) and Clarissa McBean (1.45m).

This follows her 1.78m performance two weeks ago at the Hampton International Games, and puts

her that much closer to the 1.93m needed to qualify for the August 5 – 21 Rio Olympics.

Hooper was also not to be outdone in the women’s triple jump and 200m either.

For the triple jump, Hooper outdistanced her sibling, and CARIFTA Games gold medalist, Natricia, for the win.

Natreena leaped 12.54m, against the 12.10m covered

by Natricia. Third place for the event went to women’s long jump champion Chantoba Bright with a distance of 11.79m.

In the women’s 200m,

GDF’s Davin Fraser (third from left) soars to his men’s 200m win ahead of Rupert Perry (right)

Natrena Hooper clears the bar in the women’s high jump Hooper dashed all hopes of a sprint double win for her club mate, Aniquah Powley. An injured Powley had earlier won the women’s 100m ahead of Hooper on Saturday when the championships began.

However, this time around the obviously suffering Powley could only muster enough to manage a third- place finish. Despite not being at her best, Hooper was able to get an easy win clocking 24.79 seconds. Second place for the race went to De Challenger’s Toyan Raymond in a time of 25.61 seconds, while Powley

stumbled across the finishing line in 25.99 seconds.

In the men’s 200m, hopes of a sprint double were also dashed, as Davin Fraser was more than men’s 100m champion, Rupert Perry, could handle.

Perry, who noted that he needs to work on his slow starts, was taken down by Fraser who cleared the win in 21.29 seconds. Perry was in by 21.34 seconds. Arinze Chance was deserving of his third-place finish, which he took in 21.84 seconds.

CARIFTA Games bronze medalist Foster, in her usual

style, followed up her Saturday women’s 1500m win, with the 800m win yesterday.

She took the race in a time of 2:19.25s. Meanwhile, the clock was the biggest challenge for Running Brave’s Claudrice Mc Koy as she made her way to a win the women’s 3000m, with a time of 10:50.00s. GDF’s Ashanti Scott took second in 10:51.44s.

The men’s 5000m win went to Winston Missengher in a time of 15:53.62s, while GPF’s Quacy Morian championed the men’s 800m in 1:53.79s.

‘World invited’ to Muhammad Ali’s Louisville funeral A HUGE procession and funeral will be held for Muhammad Ali on Friday to “allow anyone that is there from the world to say goodbye”, his family says.

The funeral will be in Ali’s home city of Louisville, Kentucky. Ex-President Bill Clinton will deliver a eulogy.

Comedian Billy Crystal and sports journalist Bryant Gumbel are also expected to speak.

The boxing legend, 74, died on Friday of “septic shock due to unspecified natural causes”.

A private family service will be held on Thursday.

The three-time world heavyweight champion, and one of the world’s greatest sporting figures, died in Phoenix, Arizona, and his body will be flown to Kentucky in the

next two days.

He will be buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, the city of his birth in 1942.

The fighter had been suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease.

‘People’s champion’ “He was a citizen of the world and would want people from all walks of life to be able to attend his funeral,” said the family spokesman, Bob Gunnell.

After the family service on Thursday, Friday’s events will begin with another private prayer service for family members at a Louisville funeral home.

Ali’s body will then be taken in procession through the main streets of Louisville, including an avenue that bears

his name and Broadway, where a procession was held in 1960 to celebrate his Olympic gold

medal.

The main service will be at 14:00 local time (18:00

Thousands attended the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville on Saturday

GMT) at the KFC Yum Center, which seats more than 20,000 people.

It will be interfaith but in the Muslim tradition, led by an imam, the family said, in keeping with Ali’s beliefs.

“Muhammad Ali was clearly the people’s champion,” Mr Gunnell said, “and the celebration will reflect his devotion to people of all races, religions and backgrounds.”

The event will be livestreamed on the centre’s website.

Mr Gunnell said the fighter died in Arizona at 21:10 on Friday, and was able to say goodbye to his wife and children, who were present for his final moments.

Tributes have poured in from across the world but also dominated his home city, where flags were at half-mast

at city hall and thousands of people visited the Muhammad Ali Center or paid homage at his modest childhood home on Grand Avenue. li was as much a campaigner for black equality as he was a champion in the ring.

Asked how he would like to be remembered, he once said: “As a man who never sold out his people. But if that’s too much, then just a good boxer.

“I won’t even mind if you don’t mention how pretty I was.”

But he was once a polarising figure in the US. At a time of racial segregation in the 1960s he joined the separatist black sect, the Nation of Islam, which rejected the inclusive approach of civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King.(BBC Sport)

‘World invited’ to Muhammad Ali’s Louisville funeral See story on page 23

Spinners, Warner help Aussies thrash West Indies

By Rajiv Bisnauth

FAULTY techniques of the West Indies batsmen against high-quality bowlers were exposed thoroughly yesterday as world one-

day champions, Australia, kicked off their tri-series campaign in style with a convincing six-wicket victory in game two.

Watched by a near to Turn to page 19

David Warner made an unbeaten 55 from 55 balls.

(Adrian Narine photos)

Johnson Charles had his leg stump uprooted by pacer Mitchell Starc

‘We did the job at hand’ GUYANA’s Golden Jagu a r s re g i s t e re d a 7 - 0 thumping of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) as action in the 2016 Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup continued on Saturday.

Playing in a must-win game at the Adelita Cancryn Playing Field, the Jags were on top of their game in the demolition of the home side with captain Samuel Cox praising his charges.

“We came and we did the job at hand. We came and we knew what we were expecting and we capitalised on what coach Dover and coach Jamaal said to us; it was very professionally done,” said Captain Cox. He continued, “We got in our plus figures in our goal difference and we didn’t concede any goals.

I don’t know how other results affected us, but I think that should see us through to the next round and that was the mission and I think we have done that so on to

––Captain Cox on Jags 7-0 thumping of USVI

The Golden Jaguars celebrate with the Golden Arrowhead the next round.”

Opening the scoring for the Jags was Trayon Bobb in the 23rd minute, followed two minutes later by a Ricky Shakes strike.

Devon Millington (30th

min) and Shakes in the 44th ended the first half in fine style for the touring Jags.

Returning in the second, the Jags continued the onslaught as Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams (68’), Bobb (75’)

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

and Abrams (88’) rounded out the 7-0 score line.

Abrams also gave his views on scoring, saying “It is a good feeling. First of all I want to thank father for putting me back in the

squad and it’s a blessed year and thank God for the goals them. To my fans back home, I made you guys proud and I did.”

Trayon Bobb added, “For me, it was a wonderful feel-

ing but also the victory was more like kinda important because we stuck to what we wanted and we just went out there and delivered,” while Shakes said “It felt good you know’ I’ve got five goals for the national team now and I’m happy with the five goals. It [the win] was very important.”

In group three, Guyana currently leads second-placed Curacao with both teams on three points. However, Guyana has played two games with a goal difference of positive four (nine scored and five conceded) while Curacao has played one game with a goal difference of a positive three (five scored and two conceded). The USVI has yet to score and has conceded seven.

Guyana’s spot in the third round will be decided tomorrow when the USVI take on Curacao with the former needing to score 11 goals without conceding to go through, while Curacao only has to score to go atop the table.

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016