Chronicle 06 12 2016

Radio goes to Mabaruma No. 104580

SUNDAY JUNE 12, 2016

Price: $140

(VAT Inclusive)

‒ Nagamootoo says station could serve economic, defence purposes

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Floating police station THE MB Tamakay, seen here Saturday on the Waini River, has begun operations along the rivers of the North West District. To put the vessel into operation, some $100 million was spent; it will be used to respond to piracy and other crimes in the region. The idea of floating police stations was agreed to by the Police, Army, the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit and the Guyana Energy Agency. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, performing the duties of President, on Saturday led a team of government officials to the Waini Point area in the North West District on a tour of the vessel. He was accompanied by Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, along with several officials of the Joint Services, including Commander of ‘F’ Division of the Guyana Police Force , Rabindranath Budhram . Budhram told members of the media that 12 officers will be on board and there will be a one- month change-over of the ranks to prevent complacency. The vessel is equipped with a smaller craft which will be powered by two lighter engines. (Alva Solomon photo)

Hope Canal project understated by $700M - Audit finds 17 P.

Police hold girlfriend of prime suspect in murder of Timehri mechanic 2 P.

Authorities work to end Region Five floods P.8

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

Police hold girlfriend of prime suspect in murder of Timehri mechanic THE girlfriend of a prime suspect in the murder of Timehri mechanic Puranand Baljit is in police custody as investigations

continue. Baljit, 23, called “Andrew” of 57, Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was found with sev-

eral stab wounds about his body, mainly to the chest and shoulder, in his bedroom Thursday night. The police hope that the

girlfriend could lead them to the man they believe carried out the murder. Police said a 12-inch knife that was discovered on the window ledge was not the murder weapon. Detectives made a break in the case on Friday after they discovered a pink mobile phone at the murder scene. Neighbours disclosed that they did not hear any screams emanating from the house where the murder occurred, since someone in the area had been playing music loudly. One investigator noted that forensic experts can use smartphone data to place the suspect at the scene of the crime. Detectives spent all day Friday combing the area and taking statements based on the circumstances under which the body was discov-

ered. The father and stepmother were also questioned. They combed a tract adjacent to the house where footprints were found leading to the public road almost 40-feet from the entrance to the house and mechanic workshop. Strands of female hair were also reportedly found in Baljit’s bedroom. The father of the dead man, Harichand Baljit, said he heard his son scream Thursday night and he rushed over to his bedroom door which was locked. He then exited the house and climbed through his son’s bedroom window and found him lying in blood. He said his son was then taken to the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Baljit’s room window was located on the northern section of the flat concrete

Dead: Puranand Andrew Baljit

house. His bed-head was near the window which was not grilled. One of the theories by investigators is that the perpetrator grabbed him by the head while he was sitting next to the window and stabbed him about the body before escaping on foot. Residents in the area said they learnt of the stabbing after 22:00hrs Thursday night and residents gathered together and combed the area searching for the attacker. Described as a quiet and isolated individual with few friends, one resident said that Baljit was always easygoing and was almost always seen on his cellphone.

Radio goes to Mabaruma 3

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

‒ Nagamootoo says station could serve economic, defence purposes

By Alva Solomon THE people of Mabaruma, in the North West District of Region One, now have their own radio station, which Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo suggested could be used to drive economic activities and assert “ownership” of the region claimed by Venezuela. Performing the functions of President, Nagamootoo commissioned Radio Mabaruma 95.1 FM at the Mabaruma compound on Saturday morning. He spoke to a sizeable gathering, which included several Government officials, among whom

were Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan; and Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe. Nagamootoo said the radio station can be used to generate business in the community, known for a number of crops and fish. He said a radio station is not only a matter of having something to listen to, but “you will be able to tell your own story; to put your own advertisements.” “You could advertise your commodity, you could advertise one of the special-

ties of the North West, your famous morocut,” he told the residents, referring to a fish known to the area. Nagamootoo described the region as “beautiful and resourceful”, but said it was under some “evil eyes from the west”, who have an interest in the area. He was referring to the Venezuelan claims to the Essequibo region. He said that Guyana may not possess the battalions, cannons and big guns, “but we have people who are armed with the ability to communicate with themselves and the rest of Guyana.”

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, performing the functions of President, officially switches on Radio Mabaruma 95.1FM

While chanting “Essequibo is we own”, Nagamootoo said the radio station is part of the mechanism of the defence of the country; “the assertion of our possession, occupation, our control of our own country,” he reminded. He said the radio station was an “obsession” he had had for many years, given the need to bridge communication between the coastal and hinterland communities. “Communication in the real sense is knowledge, and knowledge in the real world Turn to page 12 ► Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, performing the duties of President, poses with trainee broadcasters who will man the operations of Radio Mabaruma in the months ahead

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Gaskin plugs preferential access to int’l markets

SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

–– at ‘Guyana means business’ confab in New York

By Ariana Gordon in New York MINISTER of Business Dominic Gaskin sees having preferential access to a number of international markets as being a distinct advantage of doing business with Guyana. Guyana’s Ambassador to China, Bayney Karran, however, sees things a bit differently. “The best possible position for an investor to be in is to get in now ahead of the curb, so that you are already there when things start to happen,” he

told the scores of potential investors and other interested parties gathered Friday in New York to talk business with leading government officials. Appropriately tagged ‘Guyana means business’, the event, essentially an investment conference, was held at the Harvard Club of New York on West 44th Street, and saw among government officials in attendance Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; and Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson. Minister Gaskin, who now has portfolio

responsibility for the tourism sector, started off by conceding that as a small country that lacks the financial resources and expertise to fully exploit its natural wealth, Guyana looks to investors to assist in the process. Noting that the lack of financial and other resources doesn’t mean that Guyana isn’t ready for business, Minister Gaskin said: “More than that, we know that Guyana is a profitable place to do business; many types of businesses are trying to continue to make a profit and expand business in Guyana, in spite of a challenging business environment.” He, however, cautioned that it is imperative that investors understand the government’s vision for the local economy, as the APNU+AFC administration is serious about its approach to business in Guyana.

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By way of proving just how serious it is, Gaskin said, “Today, we are bringing a message: This is an investment conference in a foreign country, and there are four ministers of the government present here. “Please interpret that as a signal that our government is serious about bringing business to Guyana.” The first to admit that constraints and limitations do not always allow the administration to fulfil its tasks as quickly as it would like to, Gaskin said: “If we appear to not be delivering as you believe we should, please note that it is not for want of effort or understanding, but simply a lack of capacity within the governing apparatus that we have inherited. This is not meant to be an excuse; there is no excuse for not delivering.” But, he said, being a democracy, Guyana has a mandate to fulfil all of

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the promises made to the people who elected the present administration to office, and as such the APNU+AFC administration will do everything in its power to deliver during its term in office. “When I speak about the constraints facing our government,” Gaskin said, “I do so in the context of the claim that ‘Guyana means business’; and I am saying to you that in spite of the constraints, Guyana means business.” That said, Minister Gaskin went on to call investors’ attention to the many possibilities that exist here in the area of natural resources, from gold, to diamonds, bauxite and oil, hardwoods, fish, rice, coconuts, land, fresh water, wind and sun, as well as preserved rainforests, wetlands and savannahs with natural eco-systems that have become learning centres for researchers including

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botanists, and zoologists. He also touched briefly on the fact that despite the many challenges in the business sector, Guyana has yet seen an average growth rate of 4.3% in the past 10 years, except for last year. “Most of our neighbouring countries are in crisis; many are experiencing negative growth, so Guyana is a good place to do business,” Minister Gaskin said, adding in closing: “Pursue development of value-added export industries, so as to reduce Guyana’s dependency on the handful of primary products which it has relied on since before independence to give it foreign earnings.” A l s o p re s e n t a t t h e investment conference were Chairman of the 50th Independence Celebrations New York Committee Rickford Burke; Private Sector Commission (PSC) representative, Captain Gerry Gouveia; and Travel Span’s Chief Executive Officer, Nohar Singh.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

A thing of the past –– Patterson assures NY confab of Guyana’s readiness to go fully ‘green’

By Ariana Gordon in New York SOLAR farms and other sources of renewable energy will soon be used by the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) in its ongoing effort to phase out fossil fuels. Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson on Friday at the ‘Guyana Means Business’ Investment confer-

ence held at the Harvard Club of New York said that existing thermal generators will become redundant, and will be replaced with renewable energy sources. Patterson was speaking as a panellist during the first session of the conference titled, ‘The Investment Landscape: Opportunities abound in Guyana’. He informed the meeting that Guyana has been

shortlisted by the United Arab Emirates’ International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) for a concessional loan, which will be used to construct a seven-megawatt solar farm. He said, too, that a five-megawatt solar power farm will be installed in West Berbice to replace the 4.6 megawatt fossil-fuel driven generator at Onverwagt. And with the Wartsila

Filling up

Residents of Diamond Housing Scheme collect water from a delivery truck Saturday. Dwayne Shako, Director of Operations at Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) this week explained that the Diamond Well has been down because it was breached and the well was pumping mud. As an immediate remedy to the situation, GWI is delivering water using tanks.

generators at Land of Canaan near the end of their lifespans, they too will be replaced with renewable energy sources. A one-megawatt solar farm is also slated for Bartica, an eight-megawatt one for Lethem, and four-megawatt one for Mahdia. Mabaruma and Port Kaituma will also benefit from the installation of a solar farm in their respective communities, Patterson stated. GPL, according to the minister, has a total capacity of 131 megawatts, with a total demand of 110 megawatts at peak hours. Private entities, he said, account for the generation of some 60 to 70 megawatts of electricity. He told the New York confab that come tomorrow, he is expected to receive the final report of a study on Guyana’s power-generation needs up to 2035. The government, over the last two months, has been updating its energy policy to bring it into conformity with a ‘green’ economy. Meanwhile, in presenting a brief overview of his sector, Patterson said G$31B has been budgeted for his ministry for infrastructural work, and for the energy sector. Of that sum, $23B has been earmarked for infrastructural work, while the remaining $8B will be used in the energy sector. He explained that the largest project under his belt

is the 4th Road Project which stands at $44M, and will see rehabilitation work being undertaken by the Guyana Government with financial assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The project at reference includes the improvement of approximately 30.7km of road on the West Coast Demerara Road, from Vreeden-Hoop to Hydronie, coupled with road safety awareness and capacity-building progammes. Patterson announced that many projects are in the pipeline, and said that he has accessed £107M, of which £50M is a grant under the United Kingdom’s Department For International Development (DFID) programme that is being administered by the CDB. The CDB has also agreed to lend the equivalent, thereby affording Guyana additional financing. “We have a grant, plus a concessional funding,” the minister said, adding: “I have already submitted a full suite of proposed projects for that.” Additionally, Minister Patterson told investors gathered at the Harvard Club that his ministry is working

to have several waterfronts developed. He made specific mention of the Georgetown Sea Wall, that is the 4.5km stretch of road between Kingston and Vlissengen Road. Expressions of Interest have already been put out, and are currently being assessed. He said, too, that the Skeldon and Supenaam waterfronts will also be developed. “We have already submitted our funding request, and it is being evaluated.” He said that as part of the rehabilitation of roads and bridges, the Linden-Lethem Road, a major transit point, will be upgraded, but he noted that the first part of the gateway to Guyana’s pristine hinterland is to have the Wismar Bridge, located in Linden, Region 10, rehabilitated. As such, he has submitted a request for funding and a US$10M financing is being considered. That aside, he said the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Georgetown City Council to redo the Stabroek Market wharf. That wharf will be linked to the Transport and Harbours wharves where ferries will be docked, the minister added.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams Sunday Editor

Neil Marks

Editorial: 227-5216; 227-5204 guyanachronicle.com wnigel10@hotmail.com gnnleditorial@gmail.com

Editorial

Obama’s Foreign Policy WHEN, in October 2009, United States (US) President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, it was a surprising achievement for one with no significant accomplishment under his belt outside of winning the presidency and being the first African-American to do so. In his acceptance remarks, he said it “would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated [and] my accomplishments are slight.” Chairman of the Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, admitted that “we have not given the prize for what may happen in the future. We are awarding Obama for what he has done in the past year. And we are hoping this may contribute a little bit for what he is trying to do.” There is no denying Obama’s presence in the spotlight in 2007/2008, and the issues he campaigned on attracted global attention and admiration, inspired hope, and led persons to believe that, ‘Yes we can,’ which was his campaign slogan. In apparent recognition of his impact on the global scene, and what guided the Committee’s decision, he said: “[this] is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations -- that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.” It should be said that a country’s foreign policy is influenced by its national interest, and sets the tone for its global relationship. When Obama was a U.S. Senator, he was a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which has among its interests reducing the risk of nuclear terrorism. He evidently pursued this goal in his presidency through a number of measures. In January, the administration signed with Iran a deal that would prevent that country from acquiring nuclear weapons. Our January 18th editorial, “Lifting Iran sanctions and US$20 a barrel”, dealt with this matter in depth. Last month he paid a visit to Hiroshima, Japan, and offered respects to the victims of the world’s first deployed atomic bomb, in 1945, laying a wreath at the cenotaph and making the call for an end to nuclear weapons. In 2011, the U.S. and Russia signed a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which deals with nuclear arms’ reduction. This achievement is predated by the 2009 “reset button” between the two countries, symbolising his administration’s desire to improve relations with an adversary of the Cold War era. Russia/U.S. relationship today is somewhat perplexing, more notably given the role Russia has played or is playing in Ukraine, Georgia and Syria. The Telegraph newspaper of 7th June, 2016 reported “NATO launches biggest war game in Eastern Europe since Cold War amid Russia tension.” Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow of the Libertarian leaning Cato Institute, writing in the Huffington Post (22nd May, 2016), saw this tension as a new Cold War and called for it to end. From his perspective, “Russia is in a mini-Cold War with the U.S. and Europe over Ukraine.” Notable policies of Obama outside of nuclear con-

tainment are human rights, good governance, and climate protection. In his administration, the ambassador to the United Nations has been elevated to Cabinet level. Torture is no longer considered an acceptable interrogation technique, and efforts remain to shutter Guantanamo, which is reliant on congressional approval. On good governance, as early as July 2009, he made known his administration’s position, declaring: “Development depends upon good governance… that is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places for far too long.” Under his leadership, the U.S. Government has publicly acknowledged scientists’ warning on climate change, and has played a leading role on the international stage. This support aided the 2016 signing of the Paris Agreement, which came out of a 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change. In this year’s State of the Union Address to Congress, he made known: “Climate change is just one of many issues where our security is linked to the rest of the world. And that’s why the third big question we have to answer is how to keep America safe and strong without either isolating ourselves or trying to nation-build everywhere there’s a problem.” Shrewdly, he has created a global economic realignment with an eye on China’s expansion and to ensure the U.S. dominance, though he refers to it as “a leading role”. Diplomatic relationship with Cuba has resumed after almost half-century, and he has called on Congress to end the trade embargo. This year, the U.S. signed the 12-member countries’ Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that allows it entry into other markets, which he claims will create more and higher paying jobs for U.S. workers. India is being courted as a partner of substance in the Asia continent, with Prime Minister Narenda Modi being a guest of the White House four times within two years. Whereas the U.S. and China have their own trade relations and conflicts, inclusive of copyrights and trading of its currency, Obama is moving to forge new trade relations with India and Africa, to blunt China’s economic expansion and world dominance in that sphere. In dealing with the international drug trade, his administration provides technical support to countries, of which

Guyana is a beneficiary, seen with the establishment of a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) office. During the 2008 campaign, he made known that he was not opposed to war, only a dumb war, which he considered the 2002 Iraq invasion was, and voted against authorisation as a senator. Though he has wound that war down, the U.S. still retains a presence in Iraq, and has increasingly employed drone strikes, which some condemn given the consequential indiscriminate casualties. His vote in the Senate and promise to withdraw troops should he be elected president were major factors in securing the Democratic Party nomination against then arch rival Hillary Clinton. Outside of Iraq, the U.S maintains military presence in Afghanistan, and had engaged in regime change in Libya, which has created some level of destabilisation in the region and has presented opportunities for extremists to rise. Presently, ISIS poses a clear and present threat to the region’s security. Syria is another hotspot, with ongoing civil war between the Bashar-al Assad regime and citizens, and the U.S. warning to Assad should the ‘red line’ be crossed should be remembered. The February Peace deal to end the hostilities brokered by the U.S. and Russia is being observed more in the breach, which is not helping the refugee crisis impacting Europe. Where some U.S. governors opposed Syrians settling in their states, the Obama administration countered with a pledge that the U.S. would take 10,000, which has not yet fully materialised. Summarily, there are aspects of Obama’s Foreign Policy that would attract questioning. That notwithstanding, his policy has embraced a human relations component, reaching out to foes and allies in what has clearly been attempts at building relationship wherein America is seen as tolerant and respecting of others, even when there is disagreement. And if this was the aspirational goal of the Committee, inspite of criticisms and missteps, in a complex and dynamic world, his leadership has played a role in shifting global relations in a direction that can lead to peace and equality, good governance and preservation of the environment.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

GTUC DISTURBED –– by Government’s failure to attend ILO conference

Dear Editor, THE Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is publicly registering its consternation at the failure of Government to attend the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Annual Conference for two consecutive years. The ILO conference is the forum where Government, employers and workers’ organisations meet to discuss issues that impact the well-being of each group. These discussions guide the conceptualisation and development of conventions and pro-

grammes. T h e 2 0 1 6 C o n f e rence is being held from 1st-13th June in Geneva, Switzerland. It would have been to the nation’s advantage for Guyana to be represented, where involvement would have taken place in the discussions and shaping of policies and programmes. Guyana would have also benefited from the input of other participants. When the GTUC learnt that Guyana will once again not be attending this important international event, efforts were made to ascertain the reason(s)

for non-participation. GTUC was advised that the Government does not have the money to attend. GTUC finds it instructive that while the Government claims it could not find the funding to attend and participate in the conference, at the same time, Minister Keith Scott, who has responsibility for labour and was identified to be at the conference, has travelled to Europe for only God knows what. An area that will inform this year’s conference agenda is the Green Economy, given its prominence on the global stage.

No 98.1 FM in Berbice Dear Editor, IT IS sad that, after so many new radio stations were launched in Guyana, Berbicians still cannot receive the signals of 98.1 FM on their radios. For many years, the online broadcast of this station has been on and off. CEO after CEO has been changed at this entity, yet none of them can get the job right. There’s a poor availability of the online broadcast of VOG and RR, but none at all for 98.1 FM. I think it’s time the Government pay a close eye into this matter and allow NCN to relay its radio signals in a clearer manner to Berbice. Another matter I would like to raise is in the form of a question: What has happened to the Basil P Show aired from 6pm to midnight on Sundays on 98.1 FM for over a decade? What is the justification for this show not being on air? I know GTT was a major sponsor for

a few hours of the programme. If this company has pulled its support, I am kindly asking them to rethink their decision. I am also asking NCN to bring back this programme to the nation. Basil Persaud

is a very talented disc jockey who has made a huge contribution to the world of music and radio. Please, NCN, return the programme on air. LEON SUSERAN

With the Government’s claim that it is pursuing said approach to development, it would have been to Guyana’s interest and benefit to have input in the programmes ILO will put in place for regions and countries, such as capacity building for actors in the state and non-state sectors. This Government is put on notice that it has to be mindful of labour’s role and importance in any developmental agenda, and its responsibility to participate at regional and international bodies that would impact this most vital resource of every

country. It is of concern to the Labour Movement that workers continue to be treated as incidental to production and productivity, even though neither can be achieved without their input. GTUC recognises that every government operates with limited and scarce resources equally as it calls on this Government to make judicious determination in its spending and the prioritisation of events, of which the ILO conference should be within the top priority. Outside of non-attendance of ILO conferences, GTUC continues to receive complaints from workers that they are being turned away from the Ministry of Social Protection when they seek to lodge complaints against employers. The process in industrial relations on matters of such nature is not to turn away complainants, but to activate a

process to investigate and resolve the complaints. GTUC once again is nudging the Government to establish a Ministry of Labour, which would be mandated to address labour and its attendant issues. During the six months that Minister Broomes held the portfolio of labour responsibilities, strident efforts were taken to uphold time-honoured principles, conventions and laws in the interest of all: workers, employers and Government. This has been an approach consistent with good governance and ensuring a stable industrial relations climate. Efforts must be made to restore and build on good practices. NATASHA MOSELEY, Administrative Assistant, GTUC

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

HAITI AND CARIBBEAN FREEDOM ‒ Let us say thanks to Dr. Walter Rodney I AM writing this column on my way from Haiti, where I attended the 41st Annual Caribbean Studies Association Conference. For six days, more than a thousand scholars of different generations, who study and teach about the Caribbean from all parts of the world, engaged in scholarly exchanges about our region. It is always uplifting to be part of any meeting of our Caribbean family, but it was especially uplifting this year, because we were meeting in Haiti. Despite its persistent tribulations, there is something special and magical about that country: its people, its landscape and its rhythms. The very fact that it was the vanguard of Black and Caribbean freedom puts Haiti at the centre of our survivalist and freedom trajectory. As Angela Davis, whose rich and insightful address to the conference, asserted: “Whatever little freedom we enjoy today we owe it to the Haitian people.” This was my second visit to Haiti. The first time I landed on Haitian soil, five years ago, I cried tears of thanks because I knew that my Buxtonion, Guyanese, Caribbean and Black identities, individually and together, owe a great debt to Haiti. Haiti is our living link to Mother Africa, and is the Mother of

our Caribbean. There were no tears on this visit, but I wrapped my mind around Haiti and tried to imagine what our Caribbean could be if only we could begin as a people, together and in our separate island-states, to reach for our glory and love ourselves again. As I watched the Haitian people go about their daily business of surviving the harshness of persistent neo-colonialism, I saw and felt hope for our Caribbean. I have never seen a nation of people bear their burdens, our Caribbean burdens, with such resilience. I never doubt the beauty and dignity of Black people and Caribbean peoples, but Haiti affirms this feeling. Angela Davis gave a memorable address to the conference, linking race, class, nation, history, oppression, survival and freedom pioneers. When she got to the point of her address -- which discussed underdevelopment -- she asked the audience whom she was thinking about, and hundreds of voices responded in unison: “Walter Rodney!” followed by a generous round of applause. It is commonplace to hear Rodney’s work being quoted by scholars, who speak about him in elevated ways; after all, he belonged to the world as one of Guyana’s most precious gifts to world civilization. But when I heard

that audience speak his name that evening, I felt a rush of pride as a Guyanese; as a comrade; and a descendant of Rodney and the Caribbean, Black, African and Guyanese radical tradition to which he contributed immensely. But I also felt a gush of pain, largely because Guyanese of the post-1980 generation do not get to experience moments like these, when their country is lifted to the mountaintop by the mere mention of his name. Several Guyanese scholars were there at the conference to witness that moment, but shamefully, there was only one scholar from the University of Guyana -— lecturer and historian Estherene Adams —- who presented a well-received paper on another outstanding Guyanese, Eusi Kwayana. There is something wrong -- very wrong -- when a country which has produced intellectual titans such as Eusi Kwayana, Walter Rodney, Clem Seecharan, Alissa Trotz, Ivan Van Sertima, Rupert Roopnaraine, Elsa Gouveia and Clive Thomas could send only one scholar from its university to the major academic conference in and about our Caribbean. How can scholars at UG effectively teach our students when they are cut off from communion with their colleagues in the rest of the region and the world? We get so carried away and wrapped up in our political mess that we often do not realize how disconnected we are from the rest of the Caribbean and the world.

In the process, we have become a little, isolated and dangerous country that wallows in its disconnectedness. As I think about Walter Rodney, whom we assassinated 36 years ago on a Friday night, I think about Guyana and its slow but steady march towards the edge. I think about some of the backwardness I read on Facebook and the newspaper blogs, and I wonder if we can pull ourselves back from the edge. The brutal murders and our seeming numbness to them; the national hypocrisy when it comes to our ethno-racial condition; the persistent betrayal by our political leaders, replete with economic and psychological brutalization of poor people —- the doom varies, but it never goes away. But, in the end, we bust press on. Rodney had asked that, should he be cut down, his body must be used as a barricade for the revolution. The revolution which he started, and for which he was murdered by the hand of the State, is still incomplete. Walter Rodney must live again in Guyana as he lives in the global space. As CLR James, another Caribbean intellectual giant, would say: There is always work to be done. Let us, on this June 13, whatever our politics, say thanks to Walter Rodney for making us whole while he walked our streets, and for the legacy of hope he has left us.

Authorities work to end Region Five floods AS part of its effort to mitigate flood conditions in Region Five, the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) in conjunction with the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary/ Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) has launched an aggressive programme to bring the situation under control. It is now expected that as a result of these interventions, water will continue to recede. The areas currently flooded in Region Five are Lovely Lass, Golden Grove, Trafalgar and No. 29 Villages. The reasons for flooding are as follows: ● Recent excessive rainfall ● inoperable pumps at Trafalgar (these were vandalised two years ago) ● siltation of sluice outfall channel at Trafalgar ● presence of much vegetation in many village channels. The MMA-ADA/NDIA re-

working on the afternoon of Saturday June 11, 2016 at the Trafalgar Sluice ● four excavators have been moved to the flooded areas; two are currently working at Trafalgar north, one at Trafalgar south and one at Golden Grove north ● two tractor pumps are currently draining floodwaters in the residential areas of Golden Grove north and Trafalgar north ● two additional tractor

pumps have been deployed to drain the residential area of Trafalgar south In response to the above-mentioned efforts, the floodwaters have receded by two to three inches in residential areas of Golden Grove north and Trafalgar north and south at 17:30 hrs on June 10, 2016. It is important to note the following: ● the MMA-ADA/NDIA Continued on page 10 ►

Pump and excavator at Trafalgar North

sponse has been as follows: ● deployment of one pump to Trafalgar Sluice (currently working) ● another pump has been

deployed to Bush Lot Village (currently working) ● another pump is being moved from the Canje River and is expected to commence

Pump and excavator at Golden Grove

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

LAWRENCE PETRIE, MY HERO

‒ The youth who returned my wallet and confirmed my faith in the future WHEN, on Thursday last, I lost my wallet in the streets of Georgetown, the first thing that came to mind was the need to protect my financial security and identity, which I moved to do immediately. Though disturbed about this loss, I had accepted the necessity to put it behind me and move on. The said Thursday night, at about 9:00 ‘o’clock, my cell phone rang. On the other side of the line, a woman informed me that her son had found my wallet, and I can come and collect same. I travelled to West Ruimveldt to the Petries’ home, where I met Lawrence, his

mother (the phone caller) and family, and uplifted my wallet with gratitude, which I expressed to them. For me, though ever grateful for having found my wallet, which was returned to me with everything intact, this issue goes beyond self. The return of my wallet speaks to values, and the fact that such are still held in esteem in our society, irrespective of the circumstances and socio-economic status of persons in our midst. The fact that 15-year-old Lawrence chose to take a lost property to his parent when other options existed, and his parent sought to

get in touch with the owner when other options existed, is testimony of family values and the influence it has on him. When we look around today, we see with consternation that the future look dark for us, given what is considered destructive behaviour on the part of some youths; but the action of the Petrie family is indicative that the family, which is the premier institution of mankind, plays an important role in moulding minds and determining behaviour. There exists a constant urge for instant gratification among youths at a time when unemployment and

the absence of economic opportunities for this demographic are high. Media and peer influence and pressure continue to be major factors in determining the conduct of many, which is often not necessarily consistent with universally acceptable behaviour.

It is a perception held by some that those who live in what are considered poor communities would engage in conduct that is likewise poor. The conduct of the Petrie family brings forcefully to the nation’s attention the myth of this perception. All is not lost

with the younger generation, and stereotyping is wrong. The Petrie family’s conduct is proof positive that family values play an important role in impacting community life. It further advises leaders that, in making decisions that would impact societal Turn to page 13 ►

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Buxton surveyor feared drowned during Berbice assignment A BUXTON, East Coast Demerara surveyor is feared to have drowned after he fell overboard while on a job assignment at Rotterdam, East Bank Berbice. Seon Hughes, 25, was reported to have been walking backwards with a metal staff when he fell into the river just after 09:000 hrs on Friday. Hughes was employed by S.R.K Engineering. There was no trace of Hughes up to press time. Navendra Hardeo, called “Goofray,” recounted his efforts to save the “staff man” who he believed could not swim. Earlier, Hardeo, a teen-

age fisherman, saw Seon Hughes armed with the metal staff walking backwards into the direction of the Berbice River. At that time, the tide was high and the door of the nearby koker was open. “After I see the boy [ Seon Hughes] walking out, I went to the big man [a land surveyor, said to have been in charge of the operation) and I told him to give me something [ money] to do the job , as I noticed that the boy, who was then dressed in his navy blue pants only, was fearful. “Instead, he ask if we got a boat to rent. I untied the sluice operator boat , which was nearby. The boy and I got in the boat with the metal

staff. The boss man wanted to take measurement. The boy was standing in the boat which was too small for both of us and it was also taking in some water, so we then returned the boat and tied it.” According to Hardeo, the land surveyor changed his locations, moving about 20 to 30 feet away, on the other side of the koker, which divides Rotterdam and Lonsdale villages. “The land surveyor gave the boy [ Seon Hughes], the metal staff, whilst directing him to go out, which was close to the channel, which has a sharp drop. I asked them if they want a swimmer, but like he ain’t appreciate

me,or like he hand tight. He deh cursing dem boys [ workmen] after they were resisting his orders. “It was while the boy was going down , after dropping in the channel, that the ‘big man’ start calling for a swimmer. At that time, I was a short distance away and I ran across some beams in an attempt to rescue the boy. At that time , he was going up and down in the water. As

I got closer to him, he kept pointing to what I suspect to have been the metal staff. He was stickling in the water. I told him not to worry about the staff, but to swim inland, as the koker door was opened and the water was swirling and pulling around us. “He then held on my hand, then the grasp loosed .I grabbed him; I tried to swim with him, but the water was heavy. The water was push-

ing us away from the land into the river. I called out to the ‘boss man’ for help but he was on his phone. I called for them to throw the rope, but everyone just stood. Seon’s cousin started to cry. No one tried to help; eventually he loosed me and slipped away, and I swam ashore,” the tearful Hardeo recalled. After the incident occurred, villagers stormed the river bank, some armed with seines and boats to find the young man, but to no avail. Investigations are continuing.

Authorities work to... have been working in conjunction with the RDC, Region Five and the relevant NDC; ● the outfall channel at Trafalgar Sluice was dredged by the NDIA in early May, 2016 but was silted up after a few days of sunshine, as a result of reduced flows;

● one of the two vandalised pumps at Trafalgar is scheduled for rehabilitation by the NDIA before the next rainy season; and ● The two vandalised pumps at Trafalgar have a combined capacity of 350 cusecs (over 130,000 gallons per minute); these pumps, when operated,

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kept the outfall channel clear. PROJECTION It is projected that water will continue to recede, thus bringing an end to the flood by Monday, taking into account no significant rainfall on Saturday and Sunday. (Ministry of Agriculture)

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Towards a Good Life in a Green Economy

The Good Life and Environmental Communication By Yasmin A. Bowman

REAPING the benefits of the good life is contingent to robust environmental health. By environmental health, I refer to capacities, both at the individual and governmental level, to control and mitigate the environmental factors that may adversely affect human health or ecological balance essential for long-term wellbeing. Poor environmental practices can result in environmental degradation, with serious consequences to individual and community health. Therefore, the promotion of proper environmental practices is a principal contributor to the Good Life. To achieve this, it is important that we leverage a wide variety of communication tools and media to promote environmentally friendly practices. In the broad sense, communication is imparting or exchanging information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. Communication can be categorized into three basic types: (1) verbal communication, in which you listen to a person to understand their meaning; (2) written communication, in which you read their meaning; and (3) nonverbal communication, in which you observe a person and infer meaning. Environmental communication, narrowly speaking, is communication about environmental affairs. As with other forms of communication, environmental communication is both an activity and a field of study

that studies the activity. As an activity, environmental communication is all of the diverse forms of interpersonal, group, public, organizational, and mediated communication that make up the social debate about environmental issues and problems, and our relationship to non-human nature. Loosely speaking, we can refer to discussion about environmental issues and problems as “environmental discourse.” Environmental communication manifests as the discourse about nature, and is communicated in several types of media, ranging from billboards to social media, to print media, to current television, to your local public hearing, and to scientific reports. In his textbook on Environmental Communication and the Public Sphere, Robert Cox provides a more formal definition that situates environmental communication as a form of symbolic action. In Cox’s words (p.20), environmental communication is “the pragmatic and constitutive vehicle for our understanding of the environment as well as our relationships to the natural world; it is the symbolic medium that we use in constructing environmental problems and negotiating society’s different responses to them.” Pragmatically, Fox points to the instrumental role of environmental communication as a means of educating, alerting, persuading, mobilizing, and problem solving. The eventual adoption of environmentally friendly behaviours depends

behaviour in sync with the Government’s Green Bartica Initiative (GBI), which I find instructive. The core objectives of the GBI public awareness programme were to bring total awareness of greening the economy at the level of Bartica; build awareness of the importance and benefits of greening the community; influence specific groups on how they can contribute in their various capacities to the process as a whole, and to encourage and secure meaningful participation of defined groups of

Yasmin Bowman

heavily on communication that aims to educate, alert, persuade when necessary, mobilize support for positive environmental actions, and address and solve issues related to enhancing the environment. With regards to the constitutive function of environmental communication, Fox highlights the shaping of perceptions of nature and the environment during the communicative process. Additionally, modern technology has enabled the creation of a myriad of new communication tools. Likewise, improvements and additions are constantly being made to maintain the highest quality of communication possible. There are many types of communication available; the choice of tools depends on where you are, what you want to communicate to your audience, what are your objectives, and who your target audience is. Let me take this opportunity to draw some lessons from the promotional activities aimed at transforming

With a BSc in Public Management, Yasmin Bowman has over 20 years of marketing and sales, customer care, public relations as well as events planning and coordinating experience. She is hard-working, organized, detail-oriented and results-driven. She has conceptualized, planned/designed and implemented customer care activities, and has used her extensive knowledge of corporate sales, events coordination, client-relationship management to engine her notable achievements and changes over these years.

stakeholders to the project’s aims. Bearing in mind the demographic differences of the Bartica community, the first step was to agree on the key features of each demographic and their communication needs. This facilitated the targeting of messages and media appropriate to each segment. As such, an external communications mix was developed where the following tools were utilized: press, online, TV, advertising, print and public relations. The choice of tool per audience

was dependent on what we wanted to achieve, the level and type of message we wanted to communicate, and the profile of the audience. The target audience was divided into two main groups: namely, primary target audience, which are the key persons/groups you communicate to directly. This group consisted of members of the business community, community leaders, man-inthe-street, etc. The secondary target audience targeted young adults (aged 18-35), Turn to page 12 ►

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Radio goes to... is power,” he told residents. He said there is always a story which the indigenous people have but which was not fully told. “So you have an opportunity from today to begin that storytelling,” he stated. Speaking in the studios soon after the station’s commissioning, Minister Allicock noted on air that, for too long, the “people spoke to the bush,” as he adumbrated Government’s plans to utilise communication to bridge

the gap between hinterland locations and the coastland. He said Government is looking forward to economic independence, and communication if one of the vehicles to achieve such a feat. “This will also not only help the indigenous communities, but also the bigger picture of what the hinterland has to offer.” He said that for too long the hinterland has been seen by persons as the “backdam”, and he asserted that now is

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the time to bridge the gap which exists. Minister Bulkan also spoke during the session moderated by seasoned broadcaster Merano Isaacs. He said he felt a sense of pride with the commissioning of the radio station, and deemed the moment historic. His message to listeners was that the realization of radio is one component of the vision of the Government to unite the hinterland with the rest of Guyana.

Radio Mabaruma 95.1FM will be manned by staff from the communities in Region One, but will initially broadcast programmes from the National Communications Network (NCN) on Homestretch Avenue in the capital city. The station

will operate from 6 hrs to 23:00hrs, providing coverage to communities located as far as 25 miles from the station. The launch of the radio station comes on the heels of Radio Lethem 95.1, which was commissioned several days before Guy-

ana’s 50th Independence anniversary. There are plans by the Government to develop similar projects across other areas, and Nagamootoo said television stations are also projected for communities across the country.

The Good Life... adults (aged 35 and over), school-age children (aged 12-17), children (ages 5-11), youth groups and religious organizations. As stated before, with the advancement of modern technology, the “Online” tool has thus far proven to be quite effective when compared to the others with regard to how it is received and utilised. This particular tool is one of the few that are used across all demographics, with the Green Bartica Facebook page experiencing the heaviest traffic. The TV tool, which took the form of panel discussions thus

far, appealed to the younger adults much more than to full adults. The Public Relations tool, which catered to schoolage children via the Green Bartica Secondary Schools’ Debate and Green Bartica Spelling Bee (first in the series) competitions, was a tremendous success between this demographic. This particular tool also saw prominent community members endorsing the “Greening of Bartica” and the man-in-the street sharing thoughts and ideas on some of the challenges facing their community, and their suggestions on how it can be improved and

From page 11

contribute to the Greening of Bartica. Additionally, an information booth was set up at the annual Easter Regatta, which provided the opportunity to interact with the residents and visitors alike. Communication is a vital tool and necessity as we forge ahead with the green economy and the good life. In subsequent articles, I will develop in more specific detail key aspects of environmental communication and its contribution to the good life. (Comments can be sent to towardsagoodlife@gmail. com)

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LAWRENCE PETRIE... welfare, they have to consider the role of the family in conceptualising and developing programmes that can impact positively on the well-being of communities. Socio-economic status should never be an indicator to justify turning attention away from a community, or allocating inequitable resources on the pretext that it is not worth the investment. In an environment where policies and programmes seek to allow equal opportunity for all, it creates pathways of development for self and nation, and healthy competition among peers. Taking such an approach to decision-making can allow for brilliance, leadership, and integrity to be nurtured and blossomed from all quarters.

Our society must reach the stage where persons can claim pride in coming from humble beginnings, and having the benefit of equal opportunity, being allowed to rise to the top. And where opportunity in the past was given to others of like background, who today have risen to the top, they shoulder a responsibility to reach out and return similar treatment as was given to them. Â When Lawrence and his peers complete their CXCs, they must have confidence that the system will not let them down, and opportunities will be available for them to blossom. In speaking of opportunities, this is not solely reliant on having passed CXC or graduated from a college or university. It is speaking to the holistic

development of citizens, which is built on recognition that persons have diverse skills, interests and abilities, and the system must afford them the opportunity to thrive. The future belongs to our youths. Lawrence’s conduct has removed any doubt that it is a future to be worried about. Where the worry lies is in whether we, who are adults and the leaders of today, are conscious that there lies a responsibility for us to prepare the necessary groundwork and structures to facilitate positive opportunities for the young. Currently, there exists a large pool of unemployed youths. In another month, another pool will be joining this rank. Government can no longer sit back and

think that unemployment will resolve itself, or that it is the responsibility of the private sector and the unemployed to address unemployment. The time has come for this nation to develop a Job Creation Plan. The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) had been proposing this for a number of years, but governments continue to ignore its necessity. This nation cries out for the creation of a policy and

From page 9

programme that could lead to productive employment. Reduction of unemployment is the responsibility of every government. Elected officials have to realise the responsibility is vested in them to use every opportunity to craft programmes to put people to work, and they can no longer abrogate this responsibility. Abrogation will not only create a societal situation wherein the values of the Petries are not

only mocked, but persons will question the wisdom of upholding such values in an environment where integrity finds it hard to survive, much less thrive. Lawrence presents hope for the future, and has signalled to us adults the standard by which he lives and the type of environment he prefers to live in. As leaders and adults, it is our job not to let him and others down.

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Mazaruni boat mishap…

Mining camp guard died from drowning – post-mortem A POST-MORTEM has found that the security guard fished out of the Mazaruni River Tuesday last died from drowning. Relatives of the former Guyana Defence Force soldier, Boris Leslie Blair, 24, of Berbice are of the opinion that he died under suspicious circumstances, because the mining company he worked

for in the Mazaruni gave conflicting reports of his death. The Guyana Chronicle understands that Blair was responsible for security at a mining camp. He, however, left the camp site last Sunday in the night to visit a shop with three others when the boat they were travelling in capsized. His body was re-

covered two days after being sighted in the Mazaruni River under a “dragger.” In an invited comment, Divisional Commander; ‘F’ Division Senior Superintendent Ravindradat Budhram noted that a handgun and holster were also recovered. He noted that the post-mortem report revealed that Blair died of drowning and injuries consistent with bruises received from rocks as the body drifted in the Mazaruni

River. Reports revealed that the small boat which Blair was in slammed into an object in the river resulting in its four occupants being hurled overboard. Those in the boat told the police that they heard Blair breathing loudly and swimming towards a log; they didn’t see him after that and his body did not surface. The four men used a small boat from Blair’s camp when the accident occurred at 21:00hrs last Sunday night. None of them were working when the collision happened. According to a miner in the district, the security guard was in charge of

overlooking a camp and the dredge box to make sure that no one tampers or does anything illegal at the site. Normally, the security also looks over workers at the site to ensure that no one leaves and visits any illegal shops in the area. The miner said that although many of the security guards claim that they don’t leave their posts to visit these shops, they actually do, leaving the camp vulnerable. They would normally claim that they would go hunting, which is also illegal, but they use this excuse anyway to visit the illegal shops. “We have been calling on the GGMC for years to

Dead: Boris Leslie Blair

shut down the illegal shops which cause problems for all the miners in the interior,” the miner told this publication.

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Ramayya was not ordered out of New Amsterdam Hospital ‒ Director of Regional Health Services

THE Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six, DrVeerasammy Ramayya, was not ordered out nor escorted from the New Amsterdam Hospital, Director of Regional Health Services Jevaughn Stephens has stated. During an interview with this publication, Stephens refuted all claims made in an article published in the Guyana Times of June 8, which claimed that Ramayya was evicted. “Based on my facts, he (Dr. Ramayya) was never ordered out,” Stephens told the Guyana Chronicle. Stephens said Ramayya had an engagement at which Mr Colin Bynoe, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital and then left. Bynoe related that he was shocked when he learnt of the contents of the article and described it as “shocking and disturbing.” The CEO acknowledged that he and the REO indeed had a private meeting on the day in question and they did discuss protocol, but at no point did he order the REO

Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya

out of the hospital nor did he escort him out of the compound as stated. “I was in another meeting when I received a call saying that the REO was at the hospital and he was quarrelling about some work that was supposed to be going on in the operation theatres, so I informed the director, who asked that I leave and deal with the issue. “When I got across there, I met the REO and DrYacoob. I asked for an excuse and we all walked

to my office and I asked Dr. Ramayya for a private meeting in my office. Bynoe said that he told of his concerns that he (Ramayya) was lambasting the New Amsterdam Hospital on national television without seeking clarification on the matters he was complaining about. As such, Bynoe said that he begged of Ramayya that he contact him with any concerns he may have. Bynoe explained that they discussed other issues and the REO said he had to leave to attend an urgent matter in Region Five. The Director of Health Services acknowledged that the REO has overall responsibility for the five programmes in the region, but he should communicate better with the persons in charge. “While I believed that the REO has the authority over the five programmes, better communication must be the order at the end of the day between himself and different programme managers.”

Ramayya said he learnt there was a problem with one of the operating theatres and he went over with the regional engineer and a plumber to fix the problem, and it is then that Bynoe joined them and asked for a

meeting in his office. “Myself and the CEO had a closed-door discussion where he expressed some concerns; that discussion ended and we spoke on other matters.” As it relates to protocol,

Dr. Ramaya is of the view that as REO he can visit any governmental institution he wants without having to explain himself to anyone. “As the REO, I reserve the right to go anywhere,” Ramayya declared.

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Audit: Drainage and Irrigation contracts mismanaged –– over $9M spent on fuel for vehicles ‘not working’ By Ravin Singh A FORENSIC audit into the operations of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has revealed that contracts issued by the Authority were misman-

aged, while over $9M was spent on fuel for vehicles that were “not working.” The audit was carried out by Nigel Hinds Financial Services and was presented by the Ministry of Finance on November 30, 2015 and has since been posted on the ministry’s website. After a review of the projects awarded by the Authority, the report revealed that out of contracts valued at $647M, 59 percent were awarded through sole-sourcing, 17 percent by quotations and 24 percent by Public Tendering. Most of the contracts awarded by sole-sourcing went to Water Users Associations. It was then revealed that while a three-quotation procedure is used for projects up to $15 million, numerous works were solesourced to just under 15 million to avoid Cabinet scrutiny. “Monies are regularly transferred to Mahaica Mahaicony Abary- Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA). Many at just under 15 million to avoid cabinet scrutiny,” the audit report said. One of the mismanaged contracts was to Suresh Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services in August 2014 for the supply of Steel Sheet Piles, valued in excess of $177M. This was for use in the construction of pumping stations. However, it was revealed that when the steel sheet piles were delivered, independent consultant Mark Yhann found that steel Q345B was delivered and not ASTM A690 as required by the contract specification, and the sheets delivered should have been coated with coal tar. And although management was made aware that the specifications were incorrect, it was noted that the chief executive officer instructed the contractor to utilise the sum of $4M in the contract for factory inspection to supply more sheet piles. Further, the report noted that there were significant sums of money spent on “The Operating, Servicing and Monitoring” of NDIA machinery at various locations over the review period. During this time, con-

tractors submitted invoices for hours worked at various rates. According to Hinds’s audit however, members of the Finance Office indicated that they could not verify what work was actually done, but signed in “good faith.” In similar fashion, other staff members from engineering sections claimed that they were instructed to sign and certify documents for payments even though they had no knowledge of the projects. FUEL Meanwhile, the report examined fuel purchases which represent a significant cost to NDIA. It was highlighted that between January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2014, $1.4B was spent on fuel. This reportedly resulted in “serious concerns” being raised by the executive management and employees regarding the accounting and management of fuel and lubricants. The report explained that NDIA does not have storage facilities for fuel but that the auditors were told that its fuel was stored in contractors’ tanks. What was observed also was that these same contractors were being used to transport the fuel. As such, the auditors reasoned that, “There were no proper explanations as to how fuel held in contractors’ tanks was accurately monitored.” What was also discovered was that fuel was issued to machines classified as “not working or out of service.” For the period referenced (2013 to mid-2015), the machines worked a total of 3,812 hours and utilised a total of 47,897 litres of fuel. This, according to the audit, amounted to approximately $9.7M in fuel losses for the few months sampled each year. “The Machine Status Report is prepared by the regional engineer. There is evidence that the fuel clerk manipulates his figures. Many persons we interviewed from communities in the Corentyne and who requested that their names not be mentioned indicate that fuel was sold illegally from the Whim outlet,” the report stated.

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Hope Canal project understated by $700M - Audit finds

AN audit into the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has revealed that the PPP-piloted Hope Canal project was actually completed at a cost of more than $4.1B -– some $700M more than the announced completion cost. These findings were contained in the audit report compiled by Nigel Hinds Financial Services. The report was presented to the Ministry of Finance on November 30, 2015, and is now available on the Ministry’s website. After six deadlines and over two years of delays, the Hope Canal, which was budgeted to cost $3.6M, was finally completed last year at a purported cost of $3.4B. However, the audit by Hinds Financial Services revealed that this figure was understated, as the project was estimated to have been completed at a cost of $4.1B. The auditors were, however, unable to compute the actual cost of the project, since they were unable to obtain all the required documentation; and given the non-availability of critical information, it is reasonable to infer that the project exceeded its original cost, from the information gathered. “It would appear that deliberate efforts were made to understate the actual cost”, the report stated, even as it further revealed that although the project was substantively funded from the PetroCaribe Fund through the Ministry of Finance, it was discovered that the NDIA paid significant sums from its own funding for 2013 and 2014, excluding the cost of fuel supplied. This amounted to over $257M. Additionally, the report revealed that fourteen “super long reach” excavators were purchased between 2009 and 2012 for the Hope Canal Project at a cost of $441M. It was noted, though, that the Finance Office shows that $466M were paid for thirteen excavators and one bulldozer between 2009 and 2012. It was also highlighted that no information was available for the years 2010, 2011 and 2015. Further, it was highlighted that the dates do not correspond with the information shown for the Hope Canal project. Also, documents were reportedly not available to verify dates of acquisition and amounts paid for equipment purchased directly for Hope Canal project. Moreover, a list prepared by Finance Ministry staffers showed that eighteen units of machinery were dedicated to the Hope Canal project over the years of construction; then an additional four units with an estimated value of $90M were added. Two pick-ups were also purchased for $8.4M from Ainlim for the Hope Canal project, but registrations and invoices to verify ownership and cost were not available. “Documents were not available to verify dates of acquisition and amounts paid for equipment purchased directly for Hope Canal Project”, the audit report added. (Ravin Singh)

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Baramita Primary in Jubilee debating competition A SPIRITED debating competition was recently held at the Baramita Primary School as part of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary activities. The competition, which saw students competing diligently, was the first ever staged in Baramita, a remote hinterland community located in Region One – Barima-Waini. The two topics debated were: “Teenage Pregnancy” and “Mining is Beneficial for Baramita Village.” The opposing team won the debate on “Teenage Pregnancy” and the proposing team won the debate on “Mining is Beneficial for Baramita Village.”

Trophies were sponsored by the Regional Education Department, Region One and book prizes were donated by the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs and the Ministry of Education. The debates were of a high standard, according to Community Development Officer Virgil Ferreira, who observed that this surprised not only parents and teachers, but even the judges. The judges were Ronald Robertson M.D., Sergeant Natoya Benjamin and Eustace Smith, Executive Member of the Community Teachers Association, who all commended the debaters for their impressive performance. Baramita was recent-

Students of Baramita Primary School following the debating competition

ly highlighted negatively in the media because of the many cases of suicides, trafficking in persons (TIP) and teenage pregnancies. However, the debating session indicates a positive sign that the youths of Baramita are now looking at the brighter side of life, Ferreira said.

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STARR Computer aids Tiger Bay Project with computer donation THE Tiger Bay Project has received a boost with technology giant STARR Computer Friday donating one desktop computer and accessories to assist with ICT classes for children in the area. The project was founded by School of the Nations, Mings Products and Services and New Thriving Restaurant and it has been supported by kind-hearted citizens. Children of Tiger Bay receive free classes three times per week at School of the Nations. Classes include information technology,

developing better reading skills, homework assistance, moral development and other subject areas. Rehman Majeed, General Manager of STARR Computer, said that “an investment in children is an investment in our future. “We must offer assistance in whatever small way we can to children who are victims of circumstances.” Coordinator of the Tiger Bay Project, Balinda Beckles, said the children who benefit from classes are between ages 3-15. Classes are held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between

15:30hrs and 17:00hrs. She explained that the screen for the previous computer was broken and she had enquired from STARR Computer about a replacement. However, the company decided to donate an entire desktop computer with accessories without a request. “We are very grateful to STARR Computer; we normally have to ask for stuff and we just enquired and we were given without question. “Other public- spirited citizens are free to donate to the classes,” the teacher said.

Coordinator of the Tiger Bay Project, Balinda Beckles, formally receives the desktop computer and accessories from Rehman Majeed, General Manager of STARR Computer

Sunday, June 12, 2016 - 10:30 hrs Monday, June 13, 2016 - 11:30 hrs Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 13:00 hrs

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Several teams register wins on Night 3 of Petra/MOH football A TOTAL of 24 goals were scored on the third night of action in the Petra organised Ministry of Health’s Stop Gender-based violence football competition on Friday night. In the first game, Campbellville succumbed to Channel 9 Warriors by a 4-1 margin after successful braces from Joshua Fiffee (15th and 17th) and Ken Wilson (20th and 30th), while the loser’s goal came from Adolph George In game two, Laing Avenue could not get the better of West backroad as their game ended 1-1. West backroad’s goal came from Odel Williams in the 7th while Roy Cassou in the 22nd struck for Laing Avenue. Game three saw the same result with Leopold street scoring in the one- goal stalemate due to Rondel Williams (12th minute), while their opponents, North Ruimveldt saw Anthony Sancho (25th) equalise. Holmes Street Tiger Bay railroaded Sparta boss 4-2, thanks to braces from Akeem Saul (12th and 18th) and (Jamal Blackman-2nd and 23rd) while Sparta’s goals came from Eusi Phillips (13th) and Sheldon Shepherd (30th). The hosts Ministry of Public Health also succumbed to Queen Street Tiger Bay 0-2 with the latter winning from Darren Harris’s 2nd minute and Andre Kerr’s 22nd minute strikes. The Kitty vs Globe Yard fixture ended 5-3 in favour of the former as Terrance Lewis (5th and 27th), Alpha Sylvester (6th and 30th) and Nigel Denny (17th) ensured they outscored their opponents. Globe Yard had Leon Richardson (18th, 21st and 23rd) on the scoresheet. After three nights of action, Group A is led by Channel 9 Warriors (6 points) while Campbellville sits second and Group B sees Kitty (6 points) leading Globe Yard. Group C has Sophia (3) leading Holmes Street Tiger Bay (3) on a +2 goal difference while Group D has Queen Street Tiger Bay (6 points heading the charts over West Front Road. Group E has Leopold Street atop the table with four points, while North Ruimveldt has two points; Tucville leads group F with three points and a positive goal difference of three. Meanwhile, matches continue tonight with Sophia taking on California Square after which West Front Road plays Broad Street, Tucville Plays Albouystown, Festival City takes on Alexander Village, North-East La Penitence plays Young Ballers and Bent Street takes on Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust. Games will take place from 19:00hrs at Cuffy Square.

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LEAVE PROVIDENCE……REHABILITATE BOURDA FOR several years now and with increasing frequency, there has been a clarion call from many quarters for the naming of the National Stadium at Providence after one of our famous international cricketers. In addition, the cry is also out to have the stands, media centre, the two ends of the pitch and even the entrances to the ground named after our star players, administrators, media personnel and officials. From as early as 2007 when the venue hosted its first matches in the International Cricket Council’s World Cup tournament, the distinguished Caribbean journalist Rickey Singh expressed the view that the facility should be baptised ‘The Clive Lloyd Stadium’ in tribute to the phenomenal West Indian captain whose statistical record and leadership qualities qualify him ahead of the others. On the other hand, Avinash Ramzan of the Guyana Times opined that the accolade should be given to the durable and dependable Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose career stretched over 21 years during which, among other feats, he became the most capped West Indian in Tests and registered the most runs and centuries by a Guyanese in that format of the game. However, Ramzan’s main reason for giving Chanderpaul the edge over Lloyd is the fact that while the “Super Cat” played for a long while with many top-quality men around him, the “Tiger” was part of a struggling team throughout his tenure, but through discipline and determination he was able to regularly bring a measure of respectability to the cause. Other media personnel and fans have voted for “The Corentyne Thunder”-Rohan Kanhai-undoubtedly the most stylish, lethal and technically correct batsman ever to emerge from this country, whose exploits on the cricket field were hailed all over the cricketing world. The Guyana Chronicle’s Rajiv Bisnauth, Clifton Ross of the Stabroek News and Sean Devers of the Kaieteur News (perhaps the most

persistent of the lot) have all called on government figures to make the “Naming Project” a priority. In addition to anyone of Lloyd, Chanderpaul and Kanhai having their names associated with the stadium, the media men have proposed several others for the exercise, including batting aces Roy Fredericks and Alvin Kallicharran and bowling masters Lance Gibbs and Colin Croft. Of course, there are others who consistently excelled at the top level or instantly became a hero in one pivotal moment of a match or in the course of one particular game or series. So what of Basil Butcher and his effort; Joe Solomon and his part in the first tied Test; Marius Fernandes leading the West Indies to

Henry, said “I do not want to spend the next five years defending the names,” when asked about naming the stands at Providence. The author of the article took umbrage at the minister’s response and referred to the naming of stands at Bourda many years ago, citing the fact that there has never been any controversy with regard to the cricketers chosen or not chosen for the accolade. It is instructive to note that the Minister of Sport in the immediate past administration, Dr. Frank Anthony, responded similarly to the same question during his time in office. Both ministers have a good enough reason for the stand they have taken simply because primarily we live in an ethnically divided society-as the 2015 general and

Inside

Edge

With Edwin Seeraj time. The project was a collaborative effort, principally between the Georgetown Cricket Club and the Guyana Cricket Board. It was pointed out in the said piece that, “Guyana is the only country that has an international cricket venue without the names of

Rehabilitate the Bourda ground a Test victory for the first time; John Trim who is the first Berbician to play in a Test and excelled on the tour to India in 1948-49; Carl Hooper who charmed everyone with his exquisite timing and grace; Roger Harper and Clyde Butts, both of whom were good enough spinners to force their way into a team dominated by outstanding and effective fast bowlers; and Stephen Comacho, who was one of the most effective administrators of cricket in Guyana and the West Indies? In a Kaieteur News article dated January 1, 2016, it was reported that Minister within the Ministry of Education with responsibility for Sport, Nicolette

regional elections so forcibly reminded us. So going with Lloyd on the one hand or Kanhai and Chanderpaul on the other will cause even more murmurings, division and unease. To compound the issue at hand, the fact that we have produced so many cricketers of note-while a good thing in itself-will almost inevitably lead to some being left out of the picture. This again can trigger expressions of indifference, favouritism and racial imbalance. Let’s not forget that Bourda is a privately owned facility as opposed to the Providence Stadium and the naming of the stands had no governmental input at the

the past players, administrators or journalists on its stands,” but this is not so. Warner Park in St. Kitts, the Arnos Vale Ground in St. Vincent and Grenada’s National Stadium have no names attached to the edifice, the stands or the ends of the pitch. Dominica’s Windsor Park has one stand named in honour of the local worldclass umpire Billy Doctrove. One may argue that these tiny nations, even together, have produced only a handful of international players, administrators and officials and as a result are hardpressed to find the names of candidates to adorn the stands. Only in April of this

year, after the West Indies won the ICC T20 World Cup for the second time under his captaincy, the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia was renamed the ‘Darren Sammy Stadium.’ One of the stands was named after Johnson Charles who was a member of the West Indies squad. This was an easy assignment, since very few St. Lucians have played at the international level. In Antigua, a new facility at North Sound was constructed for the hosting of matches in the 2007 World Cup and it was christened the ‘Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.’ Interestingly, no names have been attached to any of the stands or the ends of the pitch, even though the islanders Andy Roberts, Curtly Ambrose, Richie Richardson and Ridley Jacobs played with distinction. The main reason for this is because the top Antiguan players contested most-if not all-of their international matches at the Antigua Recreation Ground which hosted its first major game in 1981. The Kensington Oval in Barbados-where the West Indies contested its first-ever Test in the Caribbean in 1930-remains in the same spot 86 years after. All the history and records in international games were played out there. Therefore, it is relevant for the ends of the pitch to be called the ‘Malcolm Marshall End’ and the ‘Joel Garner End,’ after two of the most devastating fast bowlers in West Indian cricket. The “Greenidge and Haynes’ stand and the ‘Three Ws’ stand testify to those who had played there with aplomb. Similarly, Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, also

hosted its first Test in 1930 and will be at it again when the Indians visit us in about a month’s time. So the rich history of international cricket in Jamaica was achieved on that same piece of real estate over the years. Consequently, the ‘Michael Holding End’, the ‘Courtney Walsh End’ and the ‘George Headley Stand’ are significant and in order. The Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, like Barbados and Jamaica, was the venue for one of the Tests in the 1930 West Indies-England series and will also be hosting one of the India Tests in 2016 on the same ground. All the records were set there and the Trinidadian players practised their craft there, so the relevance of having a ‘Learie Constantine Stand’ and a ‘Brian Lara Pavilion’ is justifiable. Now, as a country, the majority of our records would be at Bourda and our players-great or goodwould have performed there. Did Marius Fernandes, John Trim, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd, Basil Butcher, Joe Solomon, Lance Gibbs, Alvin Kallicharran, Roy Fredericks, Stephen Camacho, Colin Croft, Carl Hooper, Clyde Butts or Roger Harper ever face a delivery or bowl a ball at Providence? Why then this fascination of naming the stands after these players? Let those who are responsible, with the aid of governmental and corporate support, rehabilitate Bourda and preserve its history and name the stands, pitch ends and entrances after the players who graced that venue. Leave the naming of Providence for contemporary and future stars.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

Warriors beat Cavs and move to brink of NBA title By Frank Pingue CLEVELAND, (Reuters)-The Golden State Warriors bounced back from an embarrassing road loss two days ago to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-97 on Friday and move one win away from a second consecutive NBA championship. The win was a devastating blow to LeBron James’s Cavaliers, who lost their first home game of the postseason and now trail the best-ofseven NBA Finals 3-1 with Game Five scheduled for Monday in Oakland. “All of our guys played extremely well. We just competed like crazy,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “It was a great response from Game Three, where we

were really embarrassed by our performance.” Stephen Curry powered Golden State, who lost by 30 points on Wednesday, by scoring a game-high 38 while Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 34 points. James had 25 points and 13 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the postseason. Of the 32 teams that have faced a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals none have ever come back to win the championship. But Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, well aware that the odds are stacked against his team, had a blunt message. “If you don’t think we can win, don’t get on the plane. I just think we’ve got to come back anyway, so we might as well come back and play,” said Lue, about the possibility of forcing a

Messi hat-trick inspires Argentina into Copa quarter-finals (REUTERS)-Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a hat-trick in just 18 minutes on Friday as Argentina hammered Panama 5-0 and eased into the quarter-finals of the Copa America. Argentina were 1-0 up at half-time thanks to a Nicolas Otamendi goal after just six minutes. Panama lost Anibal Godoy to a red card after half an hour but the Central Americans held on until Messi, who missed Argentina’s opening win against Chile with a sore back, replaced Augusto Fernandez after 61 minutes. The Barcelona forward started gingerly but grabbed Argentina’s second in the 68th minute by steering home a left foot shot after a rebound fell to him in the Panama box. He scored a gorgeous second with a 25-yard free kick just nine minutes later and then with some fancy footwork in the box gave himself enough space to slot home his third and Argentina’s fourth in the 86th minute. Sergio Aguero, another substitute, made it 5-0 with a header in the final moments.

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Game Six. “We’ve got to come back to Cleveland,

behind by as many as 20 points after a miserable

Stephen Curry powered Golden State by scoring a game-high 38 points. don’t we?” The Warriors, who fell

start to Game Three, responded with a much stron-

ger effort to start this one as each team traded shots for much of the first two quarters. The tightly-contested first half, easily the most intense 24 minutes of the series so far, included 15 lead changes, which was more than the previous three games combined. Cleveland looked ready to pull away to start the second half when they extended their lead to eight and whipped the home crowd into a lather but Golden State would not fold. The Warriors quickly took over in the final quarter when they shored up their defense and kicked their offense into a higher gear. With just under six minutes to play Harrison Barnes gave the Warriors their largest lead of the

night up to that point when he drained a three-pointer for a 93-84 lead. It marked a 17-point turnaround from the third quarter when Cleveland, who went without a field goal for a six-minute stretch of the fourth, led by eight points. “I thought we played hard. I thought we competed. I just thought we made some defensive mistakes that cost us,” said Lue. “And every time we made a mistake, they made us pay.” Late in the fourth quarter the game was briefly interrupted when a shirtless fan with “Trump Sucks” painted on his chest ran onto the court inside Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena, which will host the Republican National Convention next month.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

Late Russia goal snatches 1-1 draw against England By Mitch Phillips MARSEILLE, France, (Reuters)-A stoppage-time goal by Vasili Berezutski, helped over the line by Denis Glushakov, gave Russia an unlikely 1-1 Euro 2016 draw with England yesterday after Eric Dier appeared to have won the game. England were on top for most of the game, producing a performance of verve and confidence that belied the youth of the squad, and were well worth the lead earned by Dier’s brilliant free kick from the edge of the box after 73 minutes. Vast swathes of England fans filling most of the 67,000 Stade Velodrome seats were acclaiming the win only for captain Berezutski to leap above Danny Rose and loop a header beyond Joe Hart that substitute Glushakov touched, seemingly over the line, although organisers UEFA awarded the skipper the goal. “I think we played very well the whole game and to give away the draw like that at the end is very disappointing,” said Dier. “We didn’t see it out in the right way but we didn’t lose. “We have got to pick ourselves up and go again. I thought our level was extremely high...we did everything right.” The equaliser meant En-

gland have failed to win their opening game in any of their nine appearances at the European Championship and puts Wales in pole position in Group B after their earlier 2-1 win over Slovakia. There were ugly scenes at the end of the match as scores of Russian supporters advanced on their England counterparts, tearing down flags and throwing missiles

from the fan zone, converge on the Old Port area. OOZING TALENT It had all looked so promising for England as coach Roy Hodgson sent out a team oozing attacking talent, opting to use the experience of captain Wayne Rooney as a midfield fulcrum and Harry Kane as lone striker. The formation worked su-

Russia’s Denis Glushakov celebrates after scoring a goal. Reuters/Robert Pratta while stewards stood on the pitch and watched. The trouble was the latest chapter in three days and nights of disorder in the city with officials braced for more as the supporters, plus another 80,000

perbly as wide men Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana, ably supported by rampaging full backs Rose and Kyle Walker, penetrated a porous-looking Russian defence at will in one of the most vibrant 45-minute

spells England have put together for years. Lallana, Deli Alli, Kane and Rooney all had decent chances in the first half as Russia chased shadows but keeper Igor Akinfeev dealt with everything without being over-stretched. Russia seemed to be suffering from the absence of the combative Igor Denisov, ruled out of the tournament through injury last week, as Roman Neustadter and Alexander Golovin, both making their competitive debuts, were left chasing shadows. The Russians gained a foothold in the second half, slowing the game down and finally keeping some possession, with Fedor Smolov curling one effort just wide. England, though, went close again as Rooney drove in a low goalbound shot from the edge of the box which Akinfeev somehow deflected up on to the bar. That got their tails up and moments later they made the breakthrough as Dier slammed a superb effort into the top corner of the net. England thought they had done enough but were eventually undone by the most basic of long balls launched diagonally into the box, leaving them with work to do to ensure qualification for the last 16.

NAMILCO U-17

All-day football at Tucville today THE Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) NAMILCO sponsored under-17 nationwide tournament continues today at the Tucville ground with four matches in the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) zone. The games which were scheduled to be played yesterday at the said venue had to be postponed due to the unplayable nature of the pitch caused by the inclement weather. The City teams are hopeful of improved conditions so as to kick start the GFA leg of the Tournament today. The opening game set for 09:30 hours will bring together Santos FC and Camptown FC and will be followed by Alpha United versus Pele FC at 11:30 hrs At 13:00hours, Eastville do battle with Order of Excellence and in the final match set for 15:00 hours, GFC tackle home team Conquerors FC. The 8-team League competition will see all the teams playing each other once to determine the Champion and will also be used to select the best players for an Academy to further develop their talents as well as prepare them for an inter-association competition

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday June 12, 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) 10 fours & 6 sixes (2) 71 times

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who is the first SA to captain the team in an ODI game? (2) How many points the Aussies garnered from their first win in the Tri-Nations series?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Nine wickets tumble on day 3 to leave Lord’s Test in balance SCOREBOARD ( R E U T E R S ) - Wi c k e t s fell quickly on the third day of the third and final Test yesterday as England reached the close on 109 for four, 237 runs ahead of Sri Lanka in a fluctuating match at Lord’s. England picked up five wickets in the morning to bowl out the touring side for 288 and close in on a series whitewash but Sri Lanka hit back, claiming three quick wickets to give themselves a chance of a consolation victory. Sri Lanka, resuming on 162 for one, lost Kusal Mendis, Kaushal Silva and Angelo Mathews inside the first 40 minutes to an inspired England pace attack led by Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad. Woakes struck first, trapping Mendis lbw for 25 and Broad forced Silva to edge a catch to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow without

adding to his overnight score of 79. Mathews, on three, nicked a rising Woakes delivery to Joe Root at fourth slip to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 169 for four. Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal set about repairing the damage in a gritty fifth-wicket partnership of 33 but Steven Finn removed both batsmen before lunch. The tall fast bowler dismissed Chandimal lbw for 19 and Thirimanne, on 17, drove loosely at a wide delivery and gave Root another catch at third slip. Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath shared a stubborn seventh-wicket partnership of 71 to frustrate England before Broad bowled Herath for 31 and after Perera edged James Anderson to Bairstow for 42 Sri Lanka

folded quickly. England captain Alastair Cook was unable to open the innings after he was

CHRIS WOAKES struck on the knee by the ball when fielding close to the wicket. Nick Compton and

Alex Hales added 45 for the first wicket without undue alarm before Compton, on 19, edged Shaminda Eranga to wicketkeeper Chandimal, another failure in a poor series that will almost certainly cost him his place in the team. Root was bowled by Nuwan Pradeep for four, the ball keeping very low, and James Vince shouldered arms to his first delivery and was also bowled. Alex Hales and Bairstow steadied the ship with a partnership of 51. Bairstow, who made 167 not out in the first innings, continued his rich vein of form to make 32 runs but he played a tired shot at Pradeep and was bowled middle stump. Hales survived to reach the close on 41 with nightwatchman Finn on six.

ENGLAND 1st innings 416 (J. Bairstow 167no, A. Cook 85, C. Woakes 66; R. Herath 4-81) Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight: 162-1) D. Karunaratne c Bairstow b Finn 50 K. Silva c Bairstow b Broad 79 K. Mendis lbw b Woakes 25 L. Thirimanne c Root b Finn 17 A. Mathews c Root b Woakes 3 D. Chandimal lbw b Finn 19 K. Perera c Bairstow b Anderson 42 R. Herath b Broad 31 S. Eranga c Vince b Woakes 1 S. Lakmal c Root b Anderson 0 N. Pradeep not out 0 Extras (b-4 lb-16 w-1) 21 Total (all out, 95.1 overs) 288 Fall of wickets: 1-108 D. Karunaratne,2-162 K. Mendis,3-166 K. Silva,4-169 A. Mathews,5-202 D. Chandimal,6-205 L. Thirimanne,7-276 R. Herath,8-288 K. Perera,9-288 S. Lakmal,10-288 S. Eranga Bowling: J. Anderson 23 - 6 - 61 – 2, S. Broad 23 - 7 - 79 – 2, S. Finn 18 - 1 - 59 - 3(w-1),C. Woakes 17.1 - 5 - 31 – 3, M. Ali 14 - 2 - 38 – 0. ENGLAND 2nd innings N. Compton c Chandimal b Eranga 19 A. Hales not out 41 J. Root b Pradeep 4 J. Vince b Pradeep 0 J. Bairstow b Pradeep 32 S. Finn not out 6 Extras (b-2 lb-1 nb-4) 7 Total (for 4 wickets, 38 overs) 109 Fall of wickets: 1-45 N. Compton,2-50 J. Root,3-50 J. Vince,4-101 J. Bairstow To bat: A. Cook, M. Ali, C. Woakes, S. Broad, J. Anderson Bowling: S. Lakmal 8 - 1 - 32 – 0,S. Eranga 8 - 1 - 25 - 1(nb-3),N. Pradeep 9 - 2 - 25 - 3(nb-1),R. Herath 9 - 2 - 16 – 0, A. Mathews 4 - 1 - 8 – 0.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE June 12, 2016

South Africa collapse to hand Aussies victory ... David Warner hits first ODI century outside of Australia

IF there is any venue outside Australia where David Warner should feel at home it is the ground in Basseterre on the island of St Kitts. It is tailor-made for him with its short boundaries and hard surface. It is even named Warner Park. In his first international match at his namesake venue, Warner struck his sixth ODI hundred, and first outside Australia, to set up a 36-run victory over South Africa. Australia thus became the first team to win two games in this tri-series, which has now moved on from the slow, spinning surfaces of Guyana. Steven Smith had no hesitation in choosing to bat first and Warner’s 109 was the dominant contribution of the match, setting Australia on the path to 288 for 6. South Africa’s bowlers seemed to have done well to keep Australia under 300,

but those same bowlers also formed a long tail that was unable to offer much resistance after Australia’s attack got through the middle order. Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood picked up three wickets each and the lower order collapsed, the last seven wickets falling for 42 runs. For a while, South Africa looked to be cruising in their chase. They had lost Quinton de Kock early, when he pulled Hazlewood to deep square leg for 19, but Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis set about building a typically solid platform that should have been adequate. They made it to 140 for 1 in the 26th over before Amla (60) was sharply taken by Smith at cover off Hazlewood. Life became tougher for the South African batsmen as Australia’s fast men found some reverse swing, which helped Starc get rid of du

Man-of-the-Match David Warner is pumped after scoring his first ODI century outside Australia.,

Plessis, who sliced to backward point for 63. AB de Villiers and JP Duminy then had the job of steering the rest of the innings, but de Villiers was also done by reverse swing when Hazlewood tailed one in to bowl him for 39. T h e l o s s o f D u m i n y, through a somewhat lax sweep to deep midwicket off Zampa for 41, precipitated the lower-order collapse. Zampa had Farhaan Behardien lbw for 4 and had Wayne Parnell caught at long-on for 3, leaving too much work for the tail. Kyle Abbott had already been bowled, done by Starc’s reverse swing, before Aaron Phangiso also fell to Starc and Imran Tahir was run out to end the game. South Africa’s seamers had found almost no reverse earlier in the day. Like Australia, who dropped Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell, South Africa strengthened their pace group at the expense of their spin attack, and

while Abbott and Parnell especially were tight enough, they couldn’t manage to string enough wickets together, even after ending Warner’s innings. Warner’s previous five one-day international hundreds had all come in Australia, where the quick and bouncy pitches tend to suit his preference for the ball coming on to the bat. He started this one with two boundaries in the first over of the game and in all struck 11 fours and two sixes, and he was typically harsh on any width offered by the quicks. His opening partner, Aaron Finch, found no momentum and was bowled for 13 off 28 when he missed an attempted sweep off an Imran Tahir straight ball. Warner and Usman Khawaja put on 136 for the second wicket and a total well in excess of 300 looked like a strong possibility. Warner brought up his hundred from his 109th delivery when he cut a single off Abbott, and two deliver-

ies later Khawaja raised his half-century from his 58th ball, but neither man was to go on much further. The second drinks break came at just the right time for South Africa, as Warner pulled Parnell to midwicket off the first ball after the resumption. Khawaja had swept the spinners effectively but the shot eventually brought his downfall on 59 when he top-edged off Phangiso and skied a catch that was taken by Amla from short fine leg. George Bailey was lbw to Tahir for 11 and Mitchell Marsh holed out deep midwicket for 10 off an Abbott full toss, and South Africa’s fightback was looking strong. However, Smith managed to steer the Australians into the high 200s with a half-century at better than a run-a-ball, with some assistance from Matthew Wade, who scored 24 off 14 balls. Smith ended up unbeaten on 52 from 49 deliveries, and Australia had enough to hold off South Africa. (ESPN Cricinfo).

Minister Henry meets with Sports Federations and Associations MINISTER within the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, The Hon Nicolette Henry met with various sports associations and federations yesterday at the National Racquet Centre in Woolford Avenue. This interaction was well attended by the various groups, all of whom had an opportunity to share their achievements and challenges. On the agenda for yesterday’s meeting was the National Sports Policy and the creation of a sports database. Some of the concerns shared by the Sports Administrators were based on the integration of sports into the school system, education of the athletes and the acquisition of sporting gear.

In her remarks, Minister Henry noted that she is happy that the database is being considered. In this regard, she advised that there be a central database that meets the specific needs of the sporting bodies and that the format proposed is one that is used by other countries with a similar demographic and economic status. The minister called on the associations and federations to start submitting their information to the NSC. With regard to the integration of sports into the education system, Minister Henry posited that sports and education cannot be separate tools for human development . The minister recalled a meeting with the new Secretary-General of the Com-

Minister of Education within the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, Nicolette Henry monwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland QC, during which they discussed the

opportunities for such integration. With regards to the Sports Policy, Minister Henry noted that it must be measurable and achievable. Additionally, the international community has indicated its interest in giving support. The Minister emphasized that she is looking forward to the contributions and feedback from the sports associations and federations in the policy. The Director of the National Sports Commission, Christopher Jones, in his remarks announced that the NSC has approached the E-Governance Unit for their assistance with the development of the database. He noted that the NSC hopes that the database will be online by August 2016.

The database will serve as a mechanism that allows young athletes to view the performance statistics and history of past athletes, and at the same time enable the NSC to keep track of the athletes’ performance records. The Associations and Federations were asked to submit information on their executive members, parent bodies, contact information, constitutions, profiles on their athletes, and lists of coaches and officials. With regard to the purchasing of gear, Jones indicated that the NSC has issued a list of items to the sporting associations for them to indicate the gear they require. Based on the feedback information compiled, the NSC will be more informed of the requirements needed.

He also disclosed that a new format is being used for the Community Grounds Enhancement programme. It is anticipated that at the end of this initiative, community grounds will have expanded facilities that can accommodate a range of sports disciplines. Additionally, the associations would be able to use these facilities to promote and grow their respective sports disciplines. In cases where the parent bodies of the associations have expressed interest in providing funding for the construction of facilities, Jones requested that the NSC be informed, so that assistance can be given for the acquisition of land. Jones also highlighted the need to have insurance for the athletes and the promotion of events.

Several teams register wins on Night 3 of Petra/MOH football A TOTAL of 24 goals were scored on the third night of action in the Petra organised Ministry of Health’s Stop Gender-based violence football competition on Friday night. In the first game, Campbellville succumbed to Channel 9 Warriors by a 4-1 margin after successful braces from Joshua Fiffee (15th and 17th) and Ken Wilson (20th and 30th), while the loser’s goal came from Adolph George

In game two, Laing Avenue could not get the better of West backroad as their game ended 1-1. West backroad’s goal came from Odel Williams in the 7th while Roy Cassou in the 22nd struck for Laing Avenue. Game three saw the same result with Leopold street scoring in the one- goal stalemate due to Rondel Williams (12th minute), while their opponents, North Ruimveldt saw An-

thony Sancho (25th) equalise. Holmes Street Tiger Bay railroaded Sparta boss 4-2, thanks to braces from Akeem Saul (12th and 18th) and (Jamal Blackman-2nd and 23rd) while Sparta’s goals came from Eusi Phillips (13th) and Sheldon Shepherd (30th). The hosts Ministry of Public Health also succumbed to Queen Street Tiger Bay 0-2 with the latter winning from Darren Harris’s 2nd minute and Andre

Kerr’s 22nd minute strikes. The Kitty vs Globe Yard fixture ended 5-3 in favour of the former as Terrance Lewis (5th and 27th), Alpha Sylvester (6th and 30th) and Nigel Denny (17 th) ensured they outscored their opponents. Globe Yard had Leon Richardson (18th, 21st and 23rd) on the scoresheet. After three nights of action, Group A is led by Channel 9 Warriors (6 points) while Campbellville sits second and

Group B sees Kitty (6 points) leading Globe Yard. Group C has Sophia (3) leading Holmes Street Tiger Bay (3) on a +2 goal difference while Group D has Queen Street Tiger Bay (6 points heading the charts over West Front Road. Group E has Leopold Street atop the table with four points, while North Ruimveldt has two points; Tucville leads group F with three points and a positive goal difference of

three. Meanwhile, matches continue tonight with Sophia taking on California Square after which West Front Road plays Broad Street, Tucville Plays Albouystown, Festival City takes on Alexander Village, North-East La Penitence plays Young Ballers and Bent Street takes on Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust. Games will take place from 19:00hrs at Cuffy Square.

Minister Henry meets with Sports Federations and Associations See story on page 31

Slingerz FC and Alpha FC to contest Stag Elite final again By: Ras Wadada THE country’s two top football clubs – Slingerz FC and Alpha FC - once again demonstrated their superiority when they easily dismissed Cup pretenders, Pele FC and Conquerors FC in the semi-finals of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Elite League play-offs staged last Friday night at the Leonora Park Stadium. The ‘Jackie Chan-less Pele FC’ never really tested the Slingerz unit and should have been beaten by a wider margin of 3-1. No fewer than five clear-cut chances were squandered from close up in the second half by the West-side ballers against a disorganised looking Pele defence in the opening match of the double-header. Pele took the lead after 11 minutes of action when Slingerz defender Kester Jacobs’s intended back pass to his goalkeeper Winslow McDowell ended up in the net. The Vincentian custodian, momentarily, took his eyes off the ball which eluded his attempt to control. Four minutes later Slingerz levelled the score when Clive Nobrega scored from a rebound off the cross bar after an indirect free kick. A goal each from Julian Wade and Trayon Bobb in quick succession just after the break took the game away from Pele. The Do-

… easily dispose of pretenders in semi-finals

Alpha’s goal-scorers (left to right) Anthony Abrams, Delon Lanferman, Daniel Wilson and Andrew Murray Jr. minican, Wade should have at least scored a hat-trick but his efforts were all off target in a period dominated by Slingerz. Head Coach of the Slingerz FC, Joseph ‘Bill’ Wilson told Chronicle Sport in a post-game interview that while he is not surprised with the result he was not satisfied with the team’s performance, “Prior to the game I expected to win convincingly, because these teams like Pele are not doing enough in training preparations to be of any threat. We won the game before it was played. However, I was far from satisfied with the team’s performance, especially in our finishing

which was way off target. We need to put more in our concentration level and focus more on being patient in front of the goal, something we often talk about.” “From now until the final we would be putting a lot of emphasis on our finishing as we cannot afford to go into the final off-target like that. We need to sharpen up. “There is still a lot of work to be done between now and next February to reach to the level of competing with the rest of the Caribbean in the CONCACAF club championships , and that is where we are aiming for”, a concerned Wilson stated. The winner of the GFF’s inaugural Stag Elite League

last year is projecting another success against rival Alpha United, who made light work of Conquerors FC in the other semi-final. It was sweet revenge for the Wayne Dover-coached side who lost in the first round of the regular season to Conquerors. The match started off at a frenetic pace, amid slight drizzles, and for a brief moment it seemed as though a quality contest was in the making for the few fans who turned out. After 25 minutes of play, the experienced Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams opened the scoring and within a minute Andrew Murray Jr. doubled the lead for Alpha.

Inspired by the two-goal cushion at the half, the Alpha boys added two more in the last half with Delon Lanferman (86th) and Daniel Wilson (90+2) being on target in the lopsided affair. It was sweet revenge for the 3-1 loss Alpha suffered in the second round of the regular League season. Coach Dover in a post-game comment told Chronicle Sport that though he is satisfied with the outcome of the game he would like to see his side possessing the ball for longer periods and being a bit more patient. The ‘Dreadlocked’ Dover cited the two quick goals as the turning point in the game, “I think the two quick goals in the first half took the wind

out of their sails and it was hard for them to come back”. Dover added that the 3-1 defeat to Conquerors was the wake-up call for Alpha, “We had a very serious meeting after that loss and there were some stringent rules laid out as to how we conduct ourselves leading up to the rest of the games and from then we have had a sudden transformation in the attitude and working diligently as a team.” Looking ahead to the grand finale on June 19th,Father’s Day, Dover sounded very optimistic, “Recently, Slingerz have been having success against us, but this upcoming final is the most important meeting of all and this is the game that matters. “We will be going all out to avenge all previous losses to them, so that this victory will be very special as we intend to end this tournament as national champions of Guyana”, Dover declared. Meanwhile, Head Coach of Conquerors, Calvin ‘Flu’ Allen insists that it is the end of his tenure, “I have stated before that at the end of the season I will no longer be the Coach of Conquerors and I maintain that. There is no denying that we are having internal problems. I think I have done my part in bringing the team to where we are now, but I am not prepared to continue to work in such conditions.”

Creator wins Belmont Stakes by a nose

Creator, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. up, edges out Lani, with Yutaka. Creator wins Belmont Stakes by a nose. Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216.

(REUTERS)-Creator made a brilliant charge down the stretch to edge past Destin by a nose at the wire and win the 148th Belmont Stakes yesterday, the final leg of U.S. racing’s Triple Crown series for three-year-olds. Joining in a thrilling finish was hard-charging, Japanese-based Lani, who finished third in the 1 1/2 mile (2.4 km) race, one lap around the massive Belmont Park track in Elmont, New

York. Creator, winner of the Arkansas Derby, came from far back in the 13-horse field on a track rated fast as jockey Irad Ortiz saved ground around the final turn before moving out in the straight. Creator paid $34.80, $14.60, $9.40 for a $2 bet. Destin paid $9.40, $6.20, while Lani returned $6.60. Exaggerator, the 6/5 favorite, faded down the stretch to finish 11th. SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2016