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No. 104407

SUNDAY DECEMBER 20, 2015

Price: $120

Berbice bridge toll to be reduced from Jan. 1 Page

Top 11! M

ISS Guyana, Lisa Punch, earned a spot among the top eleven finalists in the Miss World pageant held late Friday in Sanya, China. Here, she performs one of two songs during the final competition, making it the first time any Guyanese contestant enjoyed as much publicity at the pageant since Shakira Baksh placed third in 1967. This is the second year in a row that Guyana placed as high, with Punch equaling the ranking achieved last year by Rafieya Hussain, who ended Guyana’s drought among the finalists since Nalini Moonsar placed in 1971. Friday’s competition was won by Miss Spain, 23-year-old professional model Mireia Lalaguna Royo. (Miss World photo)

Six-year-old sends relatives’ house up in flames - three homeless for Christmas Page

Firefighters work to contain the blaze (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo)

Baracara hungry for development Page

Berbice river community ready for agro-processing, other economic ventures

Christmas freedom

Page

- 11 young mothers to be freed from jail Monday

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Berbice bridge toll to be reduced from Jan. 1 Rates for Crossing the Berbice Bridge

AFTER months of deliberation, the government and the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) have struck a deal to reduce the toll for crossing the bridge. The agreement, which covers the provision of a

Government subsidy to BBCI, will take effect from January 1, 2016, allowing for the bridge toll to be reduced from $2200 to $1900 for passenger cars and buses, along with a 10 per cent reduction for other classes of vehicles. In an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Saturday, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson explained that the agreement provides for BBCI to receive three months in advanced payments, as such, it will have access to a percentage of the $36M provided for in the budget. Though the percentage is still to be “worked out,” it was explained after the first three months – January, February and March – BBCI’s financial data would be audit-

ed to determine whether the subvention was sufficient. Back in August, the BBCI had rejected Government’s offer of financial subsidies to cover loss of tolls that would result from the government’s measure to reduce the toll on the grounds that its shareholders were not consulted on the matter. The government, in an effort to relieve the travelling public from paying high tolls, allowed for the use of river taxis for those who preferred that cheaper option. This mode of transportation was far cheaper and very successful, resulting in thousands of people, including school children utilizing the boats. The reduction in the tolls to cross the Berbice Bridge was announced in the August budget.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Syrian war: Russia capable of more, says Putin

Sunday December 20, 2015 - 12:30 hrs Monday December 21, 2015 - 13:30 hrs Tuesday December 22, 2015 - 14:00 hrs

(BBC) Vladimir Putin has said Russia is using "far from everything we are capable of" in its military operations in Syria. "We also have other things as well and will use them if necessary," the Russian president said. Mr Putin was speaking a day after the UN Security Council endorsed a peace plan for the war-torn nation, including calls for a ceasefire. The Syrian war, heading into its fifth year, has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced millions more. The resolution, passed unanimously by the UN Security Council, sets out a timetable for formal talks and

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a unity government within six months, However, the resolution makes no mention of the future role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Western countries have called for his departure, but Russia and China say he should not be required to leave power as a precondition for peace talks.

WHERE KEY COUNTRIES STAND Russia - a key ally of the Syrian president - has previously blocked resolutions critical of Mr Assad at the UN Security Council and has continued to supply weapons to the Syrian military despite

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Russia is carrying out air strikes against Syrian rebels from its base in Latakia province international criticism. In September Russian forces began launching air strikes against rebels, saying the so-called Islamic State (IS) and "all terrorists" were targets. However, Western-backed groups were reported to have been hit. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margall, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and US Secretary of State John Kerry vote during a UN Security Council meeting on Syria December 18, 2015. Image copyrightAFP UN Security Council Resolution on Syria (No.

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2254) - Calls for ceasefire and formal talks on a political transition to start in early January - Groups seen as "terrorist", including Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, are excluded - "Offensive and defensive actions" against such groups - a reference to air strikes by US-led coalition and Russia to continue - UN chief Ban Ki-moon to report by 18 January on how to monitor ceasefire - "Credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance" to be established within six months - "Free and fair elections" under UN supervision to be held within 18 months - Political transition should be Syrian-led The resolution passed at the UN in New York on Friday foresees talks between the Syrian government and opposition in early January. The plan sets out a timetable for UN-supervised elections within 18 months, and stresses that the Syrian people will decide the future of their country. The plan also calls for a ceasefire, but there is also disagreement over which armed groups should be designated as terrorists and consequently excluded from any talks or ceasefire. Actions against groups considered terrorist organisations would not be affected, allowing Russian, French and US air strikes against Islamic State to continue. The agreement demands that all parties cease attacks against civilians.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Swine flu hits 29 in Trinidad - Health minister confirms 3 deaths; health workers refusing vaccines

(Trinidad Express) Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh (Friday) confirmed 29 cases of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, and three known related deaths in Trinidad and Tobago so far. He also disclosed local

healthcare workers in public facilities are declining vaccination against the virus. Deyalsingh, who chastised local media for creating panic over the illness, said public healthcare workers were being urged to take the

vaccine, but many of them have refused. They cannot be forced to accept the vaccine, which is included in the annual “flu shot” available to the public at health centres, the minister said.

Jamaica woman to take ‘freezer money’ appeal to Privy Council

Allaying fears: Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, left, chats with acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Clive Tilluckdharry before Friday’s news conference at the ministry's head office at Park Street, Port of Spain. (Photo: KERWIN PIERRE)

(Jamaica Observer) DELORIS Miller, whose US$1.3 million was seized by the police in 2007, plans to petition the UK-based Privy Council in a last-ditch effort to get the money back. Miller said Friday that she would be going overseas just after the Court of Appeal refused her bid to have the state-run Asset Recovery Agency return the sum. The ruling comes a year after the appellate court reserved judgement in the matter. The court delivered its judgement orally, promising to release the written reasons in short order. The money was found in a freezer at Miller’s house in Portmore, St Catherine during a police raid at the premises in 2007. Following an application by the Asset Recovery Agency, the Supreme Court in 2012 ruled that the money must be forfeited under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which led to Miller’s appeal. Miller’s case was the first to be heard under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Christmas freedom

Editor-In-Chief

Nigel Williams

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

Editorial

Building communities through local government A COMMUNITY is the product of the citizens who reside within. What shapes and identifies a community is recognition and appreciation of its unique collective culture, which include the way the residents do things, the demographics, established structures and infrastructures, socio-economic status and/preference, value systems, and interaction within the fold. Basically, a community is a cohesive unit which is welded together by common strands and respect for each other, inclusive of diversity. While there may exist commonalities in communities across the country, there will always be something unique in each village or district. This can be seen from our historical development, wherein citizens, for instance on the Essequibo Coast, tend to gravitate towards agricultural economic pursuits; Georgetown citizens tend to gravitate towards commerce and service; and Linden citizens tend to gravitate towards technical vocations and a mining orientation. The growth and development of a community is dependent on the vision, passion, and involvement of its citizens, which will inform conceptualisation and development of programmes and activities for the benefit of that community’s citizens. The success of any task is dependent on its ownership by the people, inclusive of the leadership they identity to realise it. In any community, the greater the involvement of the citizenry in birthing their ideas for their development, the easier these are assimilated, worked upon, and have interest vested in their success, maintenance, and future development. The Village Movement was birthed out of the post-emancipation period, wherein a people, to ensure their existence, human dignity and equality, pursued what has arguably remained a potent model for community development in post-slavery societies. The strength of the village movement is still alive. It is the undercurrent/base of an economic model in our tri-sectoral economy (the cooperative movement), and informs the local government structure. It has touched every sector of development in this society, and has influenced the naming of our country as the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The cooperative spirit identifies a common trend of working together, inclusive of acknowledging and supporting diverse pursuits for personal and national growth and development. It underpins our motto of One People, One Nation, One Destiny, and is the value upon which independent Guyana is built. Consequently, it becomes important -- as conversations are being held about communities -- to revisit what happened during the post-slavery period. Such revisiting should also have the input of renowned historians such

- 11 young mothers to be freed from jail Monday

ELEVEN mothers, who are in prison for minor offenses, will be home for the Christmas following a decision by President David Granger to pardon them. The President made the announcement on the interview programme “The Public Interest” which is produced by his office and aired on public television. The announcement comes approximately seven months after he pardoned a 60 young persons. In creating a tradition of his own, President Granger said every year around the Christmas Season, young female prisoners who are mothers will receive presidential pardons, starting with this Christmas. The 11 mothers have been identified and are expected to be released by Monday. It was explained that those who have been and will be pardoned are offenders who would have been sentenced for

President David Granger as Dr. Melissa Ifill, whose examination of history is done through living lens, drawing on comparisons and the relevance/irrelevance of application to today’s reality. Personnel in similar areas of competency should also be factored in to benefit the building of communities. The experiences of the immediate post-emancipation era and that of local government boundary demarcation not only stand out for the villages that were bought and desired to forge cohesive relations, but notably the spirit, vision, drive and strategy that imbued the people with determination to succeed. And while these experiences happened long ago, what ought not to be lost sight of is the innate desire to enjoy the right to self-determination, which is timeless, and is the essence of human development. Among man’s basic desires is one of having a say in determining what happens in his/her life, primarily in the home and immediate surroundings. Imposition by the colonial masters of district commissioners and community development officers, with blueprints of what they considered to be development for communities, violated this. The negative net result was such imposition subdued, and in some cases destroyed, the collective spirit and determination in villages and communities. Within recent times, there have been similar experiences, as seen with the disrespect for the will of the people and their right to self-determination through the imposition of Interim Management Committees, and political assaults on councils not won by the then government. Instead of development, there has been protracted back-and-forth, finger pointing, refusal by the state to pay rates and taxes for government properties, garbage build-up, infrastructure deterioration, emotional trauma, and loss of the sense of community.

President Granger: “I don’t see why a 19-year-old should be sentenced to 14 months in prison for stealing a cell phone. I know there are other factors, but I intend to do this every Christmas for young mothers and every Independence Day for young persons.” non-violent offenses or minor misdemeanors that do not involve trafficking in person and trafficking in narcotics. “In a way this is an act of compassion,” President Granger said in response to criticisms of hi s decision to extend pardons. He said that he does not act on his own, but makes the pardons based on a criterion advised by the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister. In May, the Government took a decision to free 60 prisoners who were sentenced for minor misdemeanors, and were between the ages of 18 to 25. This is expected to be annual feature as well. “I don’t see why a 19-year-old should be sentenced to 14 months in prison for stealing a cell phone. I know there are other factors, but I intend to do this every Christmas for young mothers and every Independence Day for young persons.” It is the view of President Granger that young people should be in pursuit of higher learning as against being locked away in prison. When pardoned, the first offenders would participate in rehabilitative programmes that would help them to effectively reintegrate into society. “We hope to ensure that when young persons, boys and girls, are released from jail they get an opportunity to attend some rehabilitative training, so they don’t become convicts and go to jail again.” It is the hope of the President and his Administration that those who have been and will be given a second chance make a meaningful contribution to the development of Guyana. Having had these negative experiences, it augurs well when such is used in determining how the future should be addressed. The announcement that Local Government Elections will be held in 2016 is a welcome move to reignite the spirit of community by allowing opportunity for the residents to elect their leaders. This is a right they had been denied since 1997. Having come out of negative experiences, it is reasonable to expect that local government elections in 2016 should see the return of, and meaningful action towards, putting the power into the hands of the people. Putting power back in the hands of the people would allow for each and every group to have opportunity to commence their programme of rebuilding, based on indigenous resources, needs and visions. This focus also will be consistent with the spirit and intent of local government, as enshrined in Article 71 (1) of the Guyana Constitution, which made pellucid that, “Local government is a vital aspect of democracy, and shall be organised so as to involve as many people as possible in the task of managing and developing the communities in which they live.” Citizens are urged to recognise the importance of local government to their well-being by getting involved and electing leaders who can best work with them in the development of their community. Ultimately, community development is the responsibility of the people within the community. In that local government is a vehicle that can be used for the attainment of the community’s goals, maximum use ought to be made of it. Its net positive result for Guyana can realise a greater sense of nationhood through the building of communities based on each community’s unique dreams and aspirations

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Habitat for Humanity (Guyana) to get new chairman

Dr. Astell Collins is in line to become the Chairman of Habitat for Humanity Guyana Board of Directors. After several weeks of deliberation, the local Chapter of Habitat for Humanity supported by its Regional Office accepted the nomination for Dr. Collins to be its next Chairman of the Board. His appointment will be confirmed during the third week of January 2016 at a special Board meeting for this purpose. Once appointed, he will create history by becoming the youngest chairperson in the 21 year history of Habitat for Humanity Guyana. His appointment follows a long list of prominent figures inclusive of Sheila George, William Woolford, Fitzpatrick Alert, Ovid Walton, Alex Graham and William Harris. He is expected to play a key role in expanding the

services and programmes of the organization, lead the Friends of Habitat Group and initiate and promote strategic

Impending Chairman of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity Guyana programme partnerships that would materialize both tech-

nical and financial resources. Dr. Collins in an interview said though overwhelmed he remains humbled. He also highlighted a prior connection to Habitat for Humanity through on of his former mentors Mr. Irvin Adonis who himself is a prior National Director of Habitat Guyana. Even though Dr. Collins is the youngest Chairman, he brings with him a wealth of experience in leadership development, Habitat for Humanity said in a statement on Saturday. Dr. Collins is the holder of several prestigious awards nationally and internationally; which includes South Africa "IKUSASA-special recognition Award", the United Nations "Golden Rule International Award", the USA "International Champions of His community" and also

from Guyana "Award of Excellenceâ€?. He was appointed the UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Golden Rule International and Interfaith Peace-Building as well as the Advisor for the office of Ambassador Clyde Rivers. Dr. Collins is the C.E.O.

of (Better Defined One) BD1 Leadership, who is an author, poet and an inspirational conference speaker. Recently, he was included within an elite group of world leaders as he was awarded with the Global Leadership Award at Capitol Hill, Washington DC.

Habitat, a non-profit organization which was registered in Guyana in 1995, has a mission to alleviate poverty through increased accessibility to decent living conditions, especially for low income-earners and poverty-stricken families.

Baracara: hungry for development

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

- Canje riverine community ready for agro-processing, other economic ventures LOCATED some 140 miles from the Canje Bridge, the riverine community of Baracara, in Region Six, continues to subsist on farming and logging, as it did when it was a settlement in the 1800s. However, residents today are ready for a change from the traditional, and are eager to embrace new technologies to transform their economic activities and to improve their living standards. Its location and relatively small population may make Baracara a seemingly easily forgettable place, and for years residents have felt forgotten. In fact, the journey up the Canje river to get to Baracara can seem like a cruise back through historical times. Cell phone coverage is soon lost, and the dense forest along the river banks is only occasionally broken up by glimpses of other riverine communities along the way. The rich black water of the Canje River is broken up by islands of grass that make passage with an outboard engine treacherous. It is this same river which assists Baracara and other residents to move their produce from the farm to the market. Predominantly involved in farming and logging, the community is ripe for development of value-added products, provided the equipment and training are provided. Currently, farmers sell what they cultivate -- crops such as ground provision, plantains, bananas, peas and corn, but this leaves them vulnerable to the volatility of local market prices. Once they are able to produce more value-added products, they will be in a better position to seek wider markets. Shaundel Hinds, a resident of Baracara for many years, said that once they are able to get the necessary equipment, the community will find no difficulty in venturing into agro-processing and focusing more on value-added products. In fact, residents seem eager and ready for new economic activities. It is no wonder that President David Granger’s arrival in the village on December 13, 2015 -- incidentally, the first visit by a sitting President in more than 30 years -- was met with joyful traditional singing and dancing. “Today is a day when history will [be written again]. Today is a day that we have been looking forward to for years… but finally it has reached us in Baracara,” Community Leader Carl Amsterdam declared. The President, himself not unaware of the plight of the community -- having visited it during his years in opposition -- seemed to resurrect the hope and pride of the people in Baracara when he iterated that no community should be neglected on the basis of geography. “I don’t believe in hinterland and coastland. I don’t believe in ‘bush’ and ‘town’. I believe in Guyanese living in their communities. If I believe that, I cannot allow Baracara to be left behind. If I believe in equality, you must get equal access to the assets of this country. This country is being run for all Guyanese, wherever they are,” the Head of State said. The people of Baracara are no less equal than any other Guyanese. The descendants of mainly Africans who were transported up the Creek in the 1800s on rafts and boats, they worked on plantations producing mainly coffee, cocoa and yams. Following the abolition of slavery, farming continued to be the main source of livelihood, and the main crops were coconut, plantains and bananas. Over time, the main source of income shifted to include balata harvesting and logging. Today, the community is well known for its crops. Unfortunately, though, moving crops to the market has become a challenge. Oswald Hinds, a senior citizen, has lived in Baracara all his life. He said the cost of transportation is so high that the people suffer losses in trying to get their produce out of the village. President Granger, and in fact many Baracarians, know that what worked in the 1800s and the 1900s will not work in a fast advancing, modern world. The President told them, “If you are producing pumpkins, cassava, bananas, mangoes and you can’t get them sold, don’t

throw up your hands in despair. You’ve got to be innovative. Every single plantain can be made into plantain chips. Every single cassava and sweet potato could be made into chips. Every single mango, every single orange can be made into juice.

Getting up the jamoon tree to access a mobile phone network

People of Baracara

What you need here is the equipment to do agro-processing.” Wynal Park, another resident, said the people of Baracara are innovative and hard-working, and are not looking for mere hand-outs, but rather just need a little technical and financial support to get them started. He, too, is of the view that with better markets and the establishment of a sawmill or wood processing plant, the community would see major development. He explained that in the rainy season more logging is done, while in the dry season the focus is on farming. As such, he said, if ways can be found to improve the way these two activities are done, the people would be able to generate more income. Baracara is a community rich in talent and pride. The residents of the community, who are heavily influenced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other Christian denominations, are keen on maintaining their rich history and developing their talents for music. Known to be an inventive people, they have home remedies for snake bites, diarrhoea, and even infertility, which they believe are sometimes more effective than modern medicine. It is this same pride in their unique identity that can be channelled into the development of a rich economic centre. “No matter how many gifts people bring in here, unless you build a strong economy, you will never be able to escape from poverty. Unless you remove the inequalities by becoming producers of goods, you will always end up being consumers,” the President told the residents. Baracarians don’t need much convincing, though; they are ready for a new era in their history. While this is still a place where one must climb a jamoon tree with the hope of gaining cell phone coverage, they themselves are ready to embrace modern technology. The President’s plan to ensure the development of a Learning Centre with Internet access was welcomed enthusiastically. This would mean that ordinary residents will not be imagining production of value-added items in a vacuum; they would be able to

Please see page 9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Six-year-old sends Guyanese relatives’ house shot dead in up in flames New Jersey - three homeless for Christmas nightclub

A GROUP of under-10 boys from the North Ruimveldt Squatting Area yesterday made their way into a relative’s home at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where a six-year-old lit a mattress and set the house on fire. Two adults and a 16-yearold occupied the home, but

the adults were at work while the 16-year-old was at a relative’s home, watching television, when disaster struck; and so it remains unclear how access was gained into the burnt home. An older relative said he was sleeping when one of his nephews woke him up

to inform him that a young nephew had lit the house on fire. It was understood that, once inside the house, the children began playing, and one of them reportedly lit a mattress in one of the rooms. All the children fled the house after the fire started,

and no one was injured. Nothing escaped the ravages of that fire. Contacted, the Guyana Fire Service responded promptly with three tenders, but it was too late to save the wooden structure which was built 20 years ago. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

Firefighters work to put out the last of the blaze which destroyed the house at North Ruimveldt (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo)

AUTHORITIES in New Jersey, USA have reported that 49-year-old Guyanese Phillip Amsterdam was shot dead at a nightclub. Amsterdam, once a minibus driver here, died Friday after being transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, said Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter. New Jersey media reported Police sources and neighbourhood residents as saying the shooting occurred outside of an after-hours social club located near the intersection of Madison Avenue and South 16th Street.

Phillip Amsterdam

Baracara: hungry for development From page 8

research cost-effective means of production and the veracity of markets for that produce. This is the future that is imagined by the curious faces of the many young children in Baracara. At the top of Government’s priority for them is access to education. The fact that the community is only accessible by boat not only impacts the cost of living in Baracara, but also access to schools and other vital social services. Baracara has a health centre and primary school, but no secondary school. It is precisely for this reason that the President committed to providing a school boat to the community to ensure children get to school, as has been done for children in the Pomeroon. This would greatly ease the financial burden on parents. At present, one of the first skills little children learn is paddling a canoe, as this is the only means of transportation. As a community, Baracara has come a long way. Today the village is also referred to as ‘Windsor Forest’ or ‘New Ground’. With all its challenges, however, being a relatively isolated area has its advantages. The community has developed into a very close-knit one, where health workers and teachers are all well-known and respected, and everyone is treated as family. The quiet, idyllic charm of the area introduces visitors to a different side of a diverse country. Baracarians are proud to celebrate their identity as an ancient village, but they are no less proud to be part of Guyana’s national identity. (Contributed by the Press and Publicity Unit, Ministry of the Presidency)

Boats are the main source of transportation

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

– Washington DC

This is the season of giving

THE Christmas season is upon us, and you will soon find yourself among friends, family and co-workers, enjoying the traditional foods and the standard “drink ah rum on a Christmas morning feeling” as you visit all the various staff and house parties. This year has been an eventful one for Guyana. On a positive note, the nation has had a smooth transition of political power, and that is something that we should all give thanks for. Fittingly, we must also extend thanks to the American, British, Canadian, Europeans and Indian governments for their principled stance in preserving our democracy. Thanks must also be extended to the people of India and China for helping us along the way financially, especially on the big projects. But, more importantly, this is the season for giving back to the needy; so let us dig deep and share more with our underprivileged brothers and sisters. Most importantly, we must all be grateful for the G$50,000 bonus granted to public servants, which in reality has depleted the Treasury by some G$1.6 billion. If they were to get a much-deserved 10 percent increase in salary retroactive from January 2015, they would have had more money in their pockets, but that is beside the point -– gratefulness for small mercies is a good thing. What 2015 has taught us is that whether the government is on the political right or political left, Afro-centric or Indocentric, old or young, the working class has always got the wrong end of the stick; every time. This situation demands grassroots leadership, which the fledgling trade union movement is sadly lacking. So, instead of just thinking about it, the workers have to stand united and challenge their union leaders to deliver for them, or move out of the way. It is time to declare war on leadership at any level that fails to serve the workers’ needs. Our leaders have to make a more determined and conscious effort to be more compassionate to the poor and the working class, and urgently get into the attitude of giving more and taking less. I fought Jagdeoism and I intimately know the danger of that ideology. Today I am seeing green shoots of Jagdeoism in some of the new Ministers. I appeal to President Granger to use all his powers to stamp it out early, before it grows into a giant monster that can destroy the legacy he is trying

to build. His strongest and most skilful colleagues must be promoted, and the freeloaders must be recognized and dealt with accordingly. I must give credit to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Vice President Carl Greenidge, both of whom have used their talent to strategically advance the agenda of this government. Their skills must be promoted and empowered. But 2016 has to count for the poor and the working class, since 2015 certainly did not. Here are four ways I believe can help that agenda: MARKET THE DREAM: If one looks at the APNU+AFC manifesto, one can find many nuggets of gold that are yet to be dug out and moulded into refined products that will grow the national pie, thus leaving bigger slices for all. The economic performance in 2015 is furthest from the dream, and although the source of the meltdown was that Ramotar decision to prorogue Parliament, there is enough evidence to prove that we could have done a much better job at advancing economic growth in the second half of 2015 on many fronts. CAPACITY BUILDING: We have been hearing about the Public Service Staff College, which is an excellent idea. However, almost 7 months after it was announced, this critical project remains literally unimplemented. This college can help the public servants network, and enhance their skill sets into becoming more productive assets to the nation. PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE: If one looks at the latest financial statistics, it is not beyond this Granger/Nagamootoo government to provide a better wage than current exists. It is hoped that all stops will be pulled in 2016 to implement the verdict of the Harold Lutchman Public Service Wages Commission. We will never find the right set of talent in the departments until we start respecting them by firstly paying them a fair wage. Right now, workers below the level of heads of department continue to secure a very unfair wage, and this requires a remedy. President Granger has marketed himself as a God-fearing and a conscious man who deeply loves his people. The wages issue will put that image to the

Internet, smart phones helping in fight against abuse

TECHNOLOGICAL gadgets have become important tools in the fight against gender-based violence in Guyana, and the Ministry of Social Protection has said that, with the use of mobile phones and the Internet, women are more liberal in speaking out. Ministry of Social Protection Senior Gender Specialist, Adel Lily, has said that, with the popular use of such technologies, Guyana has great potential to combat gender-based violence at a scale never before seen. Lily was speaking at a forum organized to launch the Merundoi website at the National Cultural Centre on Monday. “Mobile phones and the Internet give women mobility and freedoms to speak to whomever they want, whenever they want – otherwise restricted in many parts of the world -- and allow for crowd-sourced tools like maps of assaults, and better reporting,” he reported. The release of smartphone applications which “improve safety and raise awareness, allow anonymous reporting mechanisms and a system that automatically sends GPS coordinates to friends if (someone) feels at

risk”, Lily stated. Gender differences, cultural suitability, and the needs of victims and survivors in the design, implementation, testing and analysis of technology-based applications and solutions are essential, and must be kept in mind. He commended the launch of the website by the Merundoi organization to assist in the battle against gender-based violence and other social ills, and said Merundoi has made a smart choice by investing in technology around gender violence prevention. Gender-based violence affects the development of a country and poses a threat to progress; and though this is not remotely excusable, it has a tendency to happen anywhere or at any time, Lily said. He added that the ministry has adopted a no-tolerance policy toward gender-based violence, and there is absolutely no justification for such acts, since in all its manifestations, gender-based violence is a hate crime punishable by law. “For many years, many cultures and societies have regarded domestic violence -- and moreso gender- based violence

test in 2016. It can be done.

IMPLEMENT THE PUBLIC SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAM (PSIP): Although it is an established economic fact that economy growth is driven by four main components, namely growth in personal consumption, growth in government spending, growth in net exports and growth in business investments, we have failed on all four scores in 2015. In the Guyanese context, there are two areas that have always proven to kick-start the economy. In the short term, on every occasion, high implementation of the PSIP always delivers a stimulus to the economy, without fail. But this cannot be a medium-term strategy, since it is unsustainable. It has to be coupled with business investments (especially foreign direct investments) in the medium term. Unless and until the Ministries with big budgetary allocations get their act together and start rolling out their programs in 2016 in a much more agile and proactive manner, we are in big trouble. The performance in the Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Heath, and Infrastructure has been furthest from excellent, and much consideration should be given to closely monitoring the work programme and deliverables of these four Ministries on a quarterly basis. If they continue the 2015 performance in 2016, we will be experiencing negative human development. So, at this time of joy and wonderment, let us all reflect and continue to be vigilant, since there are thousands of dinner tables all across Guyana that are in desperate need of more bread, so that the children can have a little bit more. Merry Christmas to all! I am humbled to have served you over the last year, and do look forward to contributing to your empowerment. Notwithstanding all that I said above, I still believe that, at this time, the best team for Guyana remains the Granger/ Nagamootoo Team, in spite of all the challenges. It is my wish that they continue to secure the right quantity and quality of talent to be better positioned to deliver the “good life”. Happy New Year to all Guyana, and my next column will be featured on the first Sunday in 2016. -- as a personal issue or private concern,” with many saying “keep out of the woman-and-the-man story!” He explained that violence within the home goes far beyond an individual, affecting the entire family, community, and generations to come; even resulting in them being impoverished, since someone threatened by domestic violence will suffer in executing his/her work; in making valuable contribution to his/her family and society; and in creating a safer home for his/her family. According to Lily, perpetrators of domestic violence can stop, since it is preventable with multiple holistic interventions, resulting in long-lasting and permanent effects. Stakeholders from various sectors should be engaged in finding solutions, since evidence is emerging on interventions that domestic violence can be cured. Effective responses to violence against women and girls are critical as fundamental building blocks for prevention. Lily reported that the World Health Organization had indicated in 2013 that intimate partner violence affects 30 percent of women worldwide, while 38 % of all women murdered are killed by their intimate partners. In 2013 in Guyana, 21 of the 29 murder victims of domestic violence were women and girls. This year, that figure was surpassed, with some 400 reported cases of domestic violence by women alone; and compared to last year, 17 women were killed as victims of domestic violence, while, in 2015, 19 women were murdered by October 25, as a result of gender-related violence in Guyana.

HINDS’SIGHT

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Dr David Hinds

My scrutiny of Government: Insider critique and messenger of the voiceless

FROM almost its first day in office, this new government has had to contend with intense scrutiny of its every move. That scrutiny has come from three sources — the PPP, sections of the independent media, and some independent commentators and a couple of commentators who are known members and supporters of constituent parties in the coalition. Many government supporters have argued that it is too early to criticize the government; that it should be given some time to find its feet —the proverbial honeymoon period. While I have great sympathy for that argument, I do believe that that attitude to government has, over the years, had grave consequences for our political process. I am one of those government supporters who have been scrutinizing the actions of the government. I stress scrutiny, because that is what I do. I do not, as a rule, attack government or government officials. Because of my known membership of one of the governing parties and relatively close proximity to the leadership of the APNU, many rightly or wrongly consider me a government-insider. Consequently, some are perplexed and perhaps angry at my critique of the government. I rather suspect that that is not confined to the rank and file; that sections of the leadership may be so inclined. I understand that response, because self-critique or insidercritique has been at variance with the dogmatic party discipline which has characterized our political culture. But I do not believe, nor have ever believed, that membership or support of something should tie one’s hand or muzzle one’s mouth. I get sad every time I hear a young person say with all seriousness that he or she can’t speak on anything political because he or she works for the government. Is that what our independence means? Perhaps the harsh treatment of independent thinkers and commentators has forced our youths and the wider society into a culture of unhealthy self-censorship. Both Guyanese and Caribbean political history are full of instances of those who engage in insider-critique being maligned and shoved out into the cold. It seems as if dissent and critique, whether coming from outside or within, are inexorably seen as enemy fire. It is my fervent hope that this government does not fall into that trap. Usually, there is no recovery from that affliction, once it takes hold of a government. The irony is that our very history of popular politics is grounded in resistance, both as critique and as mass action. Every governing party was a critic before it became government. The problem is that once our governments take office, they have tended to be intolerant of critique and dissent -- a phenomenon that has badly tainted our political culture. I belong to an independent tradition in Caribbean politics, which I have described elsewhere as “political contrariness”. Our popular version of recent political history contends that the nationalist movement split into two factions in 1955. What it ignores is that later ruptures in the PPP and the PNC created a third tendency — what I call the independent strand in our post-colonial architecture. I place Eusi Kwayana at the centre of the early evolution of this independent strand. Walter Rodney would expand it when he returned to Guyana in 1974. The adherents of this independent strand accept the broad tenets of democratic politics, but approach political development within the context of its particular or native concrete reality, and engage politics as activism rather than as contestation for office and power. Consequently, they are not afraid to raise “hidden” or taboo political issues publicly; do not automatically toe the party partisan or ethnic line; reject messianic or charismatic relationships with followers; are not afraid to stand alone; disavow populism; and see political office not as a prize or entitlement, but as a vehicle for democratic transformation.

I therefore see no contradiction between my strong support, or even membership of the government, and my public scrutiny of its actions. I believe that no government, especially one-party government (including plural ones such as our current one), should be spared constructive criticism. Of course, governments tend to make the fatal mistake of seeing all criticisms as destructive. Governments do not have the opportunity to see or hear themselves from the outside. Often, what they think they know about what they do is based more on perception and less on reality. Since losing office, the PPP has been very bitter, negative, and politically cantankerous. As a result, its scrutiny of the government has been less as critique and more as attack, often baseless attack. Government is less inclined to respond positively to such scrutiny. The problem is that even if the PPP’s criticism is constructive in principle, its mean-spiritedness delegitimizes the criticism. There is, therefore, a void as far as serious critique of the government is concerned. Here is where the independent media and commentators come in. In this regard, some of the editorials and investigative pieces in the two independent daily newspapers stand out. The question is this: Are you criticizing the government to embarrass and weaken it, or is your criticism aimed at alerting the government to its shortcomings and urging it to do better? A very critical aspect of government oversight is the voice of government supporters. Often, that voice is selfsuppressed out of fear of angering the leaders or appearing to give the opposition ammunition to attack the government. Consequently, that voice becomes defenseless against the long arm of the government; it is left with no representation, because its representatives are in government or are

sympathetic to the government. Often, when that voice is suppressed, over time, it takes on a life of its own. Apathy and anger develop, and sections of that voice become ready recruits for a third party, or the opposition. That is what eventually happened to the PPP. My scrutiny and critique of government, therefore, come from two places — my independent spirit, and an attempt to bring to the attention of the government the concerns of its constituency. Every single day I get messages of concern for the health and about the direction of the government. I have decided to be their messenger. Some have asked: Why not speak to the government people in private? I would do so if afforded the opportunity, but scrutiny in the public space brings with it authentication and verification to those concerned that their messages are delivered. Ultimately, my scrutiny of this government comes from a place of love and fraternity. I have no control over how it is received by government functionaries. Let me end with this: This past week, my heart was gladdened when I learnt that the Ministry of the Presidency held a public day in Georgetown for the general public to speak to, and hear from, the Ministers. I had driven by the Square of the Revolution and seen the tents and the crowd, but had no idea that one of the prayers of the people was being answered. It is one of the messages that I have constantly delivered these past seven months. (More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Merry Christmas

EVER since early childhood, Christmas has always been my favourite season. It was not only the expectation of presents from my parents and from Santa Claus that was responsible for this; it was more about the whole spirit of joy that seemed to defy the depression that came with the times of year before and after Christmas. In Rose Hall Town in Berbice, there was a sense of rifts being healed, of wounds being salved, year-round enmities being dissolved, yielding place to friendly and neighbourly exchanges. On Christmas Eve Evening, the strip of road that bisects Rose Hall became cluttered with shoppers and strollers. There was no room for vehicles. People who had not seen each other for the whole year beheld each other. There were hugs and laughter and joy. Left-off conversations were picked up and continued as if an entire year had not elapsed. Enquiries were made in genuine tones about relatives and friends. Even strangers held hands. In the crowd, there were times when small children came loose from the clasp of parents. And there would be a shout from someone or other: "Aunty Doreen! Nah worry! Mahesh deh wid we!" And there was no

worry, because it was all one family in deeply meaningful ways. No pick-pocket would dare ply his trade. Never! The shops lining both sides of the road were adorned with images that we associated with Christmas. The glass windows of those shops were painted with images of Santa, with reindeer all seeming to frolic upon snow. There were Christmas trees dressed in fairy lights, and strands of cotton wool mimicking snow. I was told that these drawings and images on shop windows were "painted" by using shaving cream. I did not know what shaving cream was. Through the doors of shops on both sides of the strip of Rose Hall Town, music filtered out onto the road -- the strains of renditions from Nat King Cole and Andy Williams and Slim Whitman and Jim Reeves. The songs were like breezes soothing to my childhood ears. It was never loud or booming. It was not noise, and there were no vile speakers rearing up to tear the mind or rend the sky. Over the years, that has changed. There is no respite from the noise. The sides of the roads are taken up with hills of noise-makers. Neighbourly greetings have been replaced with

drunken revelry and boys proving their manhood by breaking beer bottles upon the road. Vulgar cussing has replaced friendly greeting, and people hold tightly to their purses and wallets. Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby have been replaced by "Bend Ovah!" and "Coolie Bai" and "Kick in she back door!" The great pity of it! And yet, there is this present return to the kind of innocence that made people like me what they are. Having just returned from the capital city of Georgetown, and having been given the chance of being driven around to look around, I have witnessed trees alight with light bulbs around trunks. There were children playing in parks on swings and teetertotters, their tiny giggles blessing my ears. The streets (Regent Street, Robb Street, Lamaha Street, and so on) are busy with a kind of controlled chaos. The police are about, but just to clear traffic or establish a preventative or protective presence. It is a fine thing to behold. To those that have made this happen, we take a bow and say: "Thank you, and a Blessed Christmas to all good people!"

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

President, First Lady treat children THE gates of State House were yesterday opened to hundreds of children from across Georgetown for a luncheon hosted by President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger. The childrenâ€™s party is part of a series being held in and around town by the President and First Lady in their mission to share joy and happiness in this Christmas season. The State House crowd consisted of children from across central Georgetown, including Tiger Bay and childrenâ€™s homes. The children were able to enjoy a number of games while being treated to lunch and gifts. President Granger even interrupted his usually busy schedule to speak briefly with the children, wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, while encouraging them to continue being good children. The First Lady warmly wished the children a Merry Christmas, noting that the holidays are a major part of their childhood. Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally; Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes; Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry; and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, also helped in making the event a success.

First Lady Sandra Granger and Minister Broomes distributed gifts to the children who attended the State House Christmas party.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Corriverton residents form CPG

Bartician wins Mazda RX-8 from Tony’s Auto Spares BARTICIAN Ayube Khan has won himself a Mazda RX-8 sports car worth three million dollars through a Tony’s Auto Spares (TAS) 2015 promotion. He was handed his prize yesterday. Pleasantly shocked, Khan said he usually visits the company’s Georgetown offices at Light Street, Alberttown to make various purchases, but he never expected to actually win anything. He noted that he had purchased some truck seals sometimes ago, and had decided to fill out the usual coupons. Khan said he may be the third person to own a Mazda RX-8 sports car in Bartica, and he plans to make good use of it. Thirteen other persons received various prizes from the company. Among those winners, who reside in various parts of the country, including Berbice and Linden, are Alex Grant, Joel Londle, Leroy Reece, V. Pitamber, Mahendra Tulsie, H. Parris, Vickram Singh, Somdat Jagdeo, Gopaul Jailall, Alana Fiffee, and Richard Shew. Manager of Tony’s Auto Spares, Suresh Singh, said the year was not as vibrant as had been expected, but based on customers’ support in 2016, the company is planning to give away a better vehicle. In order to win in the 2015 competition, customers spending $8,000 or more at Tony’s Light Street, Alberttown, Georgetown branch or at the company’s new branch at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara were given a coupon and the winners were picked. Last year, an East Coast Demerara resident won a Nissan March motor car as part of the company’s dual car promotion, which it plans to host annually. Marketing Manager Troy Edmonson said the company would also be collaborating with other entities to further give back to loyal customers in the future. He noted that most people know that Mazda builds sports cars, but for some, it’s the company’s history of building true sports cars with lightweight rotary engines that sets it apart from the competition. The Mazda RX-8 was one of those models. Edmondson explained that the promotion is part of Tony’s 25-year celebration and comes on the heels of last year’s promotion. Since formation in 1991, Tony’s Auto Spares has grown to become one of the leading wholesalers and retailers of world renowned auto parts, tubes, tyres, batteries, and other motor spares. Tony’s Auto Spares exclusively represents the world’s best brands -- MRF, Titan, Otani, Bosch and Yuasa batteries; Bearmach, Glaser Seals & Gasket; WIX, Pistons, Powerseal Rings & a host of other renowned brands.

Ayube Khan stands at the door of his Mazda RX-8 sports car, flanked by some of the winners of consolation prizes

BUSINESS owners and other residents of Corriverton in Upper Corentyne, East Berbice, have collaborated with the Guyana Police Force to form the Springlands/ Corriverton Berbice Community Policing Group (CPG) to fight crime and make their neighbourhood a safe place. The Prime Minister’s Special Assistant, Gobin Harbhajan, was invited to address the first meeting, which was attended by Assistant Commander of the ‘B’ Division, Officer L. Watts; head of the country’s Community Policing Group (CPG), Mr. Dennis Pompey; CPG District Chairman, Mr. Abdool Nisar; & Liaison Officer Ms. Radika Ramanandan. The appointments in this new CPG are as follows: Samuel Garnett – Chairman; Azeem Immamdeen - Vice Chairman; Aubrey Greaves – Secretary; Shameer Alfred - Treasurer; and other members. In brief remarks, Harbhajan applauded members of the community for their efforts at crime prevention.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Enid Danjou

Obituary:

Enid Danjou left us

ELSIE Enid D’Anjou was born on May 10, 1925 to Percy and Ruth Leighton (deceased) in Georgetown, British Guiana. She peacefully went home to be with the Lord on December 12, 2015, in the arms of her grand-daughter, Penette. Enid, Aunty Baby or Granny Baby, as she is fondly known, attended Charlestown Convent, Trinity Government School and then NPC. After graduating from school, Enid worked in the printing industry, first at Persic Printery, then Lithographic and then Guiana Graphic, which was later incorporated into Guyana National Newspapers, where she worked until retiring in 1986. Upon retiring she received a “Long Service Certificate” from the Guyana National Newspapers, Ltd. On August 4, 1951, Enid married Hulbert D’Anjou, and this union produced one daughter, Esther. After their marriage came to an end in 1958, Enid lived with her life partner, Edgar McDonald, who also worked in the printing industry until his death in 1994. Enid was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend, who placed all her troubles into the hands of the Lord. She was baptized on May 26, 1985 in the Christadelphian Church (Brothers in Christ) in Guyana, where she remained an active member. She spent her retirement doing the things she loved reading, cooking and crocheting (knitting). When her health started to deteriorate, Enid migrated to the United States in 2014, so she could be close to her family members, who all resided in North America. There she received the medical attention and care she needed. Enid leaves to celebrate her life on earth her daughter, Esther, and her son-in-law Patrick George, along with her grandchildren Penette Aaron, Clairlyn Ashby and Rhinold George; her great-grandchildren Kayla, Raphael, Raquel and CJ; her brother Douglas Leighton and sister Patsy Cloutier; nieces & nephews: Patricia Chee, Cassie Leighton and Raymond Cloutier; great-nieces & nephews: Rachael Shanahan, Christopher Jenna and Jack Spinzola; great-great nieces& nephews: Jason, Elissia, Melissia, Keirstyn, Emily, Nyzir, Isyss, Nailah and Natalia. Celebrating her life were also her great sons-in-law, Junior and Cleon; along with her step-children: Yvonne, Claudette, Herbert and Wendy.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Chelsea restore order after Mourinho, Leicester march on … Manchester United booed off at full time By Martyn Herman LONDON, (Reuters)-Chelsea began the post-Jose Mourinho era with a 3-1 win over Sunderland at Stamford Bridge to ease away from the Premier League’s bottom three yesterday while Leicester City moved five points clear at the top. Mourinho, sacked on Thursday after Chelsea’s worst start to a season since 1978, had his name chanted by the fans while the likes of striker Diego Costa and midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who some supporters blame for the champions’ malaise, were booed. Some sense of normality was restored in west London with Branislav Ivanovic, Pedro and Oscar on target as Guus Hiddink, confirmed yesterday as interim coach for the second time having performed the role in 2009, watched from the stands. Chelsea, who began the day a point above the relegation zone, moved up one place to 15th. Leicester’s unlikely title challenge gathered momentum with a 3-2 victory at Everton that ensures they will spend Christmas top of the table, a year after occupying bottom spot heading into the hectic holiday schedule. Only Norwich City (1987-88/198889) have achieved a similar transformation in top-flight history. Tw o R i y a d Mahrez penalties and a goal from Shinji Okazaki put Leicester on 38 points from 17 games, with chasing Arsenal and Manchester City, who Chelsea captain John Terry clash at The Emirates on Monday, on 33 and 32 respectively. “I am very honest,” said Leicester’s former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, who is now being quizzed on a weekly basis about his side’s chances of staying top. “If there are two matches left I think of the title. Now I enjoy.” MANAGERIAL SPOTLIGHT With Mourinho sacked, the managerial spotlight intensified on Manchester United’s Louis van Gaal as his side suffered a third consecutive defeat, lowly Norwich City winning 2-1 for their first victory at Old Trafford since 1989. Tottenham Hotspur took advantage of United’s woes to move above them into fourth place on goal difference thanks to a 2-0 win at Southampton -- Harry Kane and Dele Alli scoring. Mourinho spent the day watching Middlesbrough, coached by Aitor Karanka, his assistant at Real Madrid, playing at Brighton and Hove Albion in the second-tier Championship while 75km away his former charges finally produced a display worthy of champions, having lost nine of their first 16 league matches. That did not stop the Chelsea fans displaying their loyalty to the Portuguese coach, who delivered three league titles and numerous other trophies in his two stints in charge. “Delighted to get the three points today,” captain John Terry told Sky Sports. “There was pressure on us before the game but we brought that on ourselves. “We are not used to being (in this position) but the fans will support us through this, and more performances like this will put smiles on their faces.” INCISIVE LEICESTER Those waiting for Leicester to falter were disappointed again as Ranieri’s team displayed the kind of fast, incisive football that has earned 11 league victories. Mahrez slotted home from the spot in the 26th minute after Okazaki was bundled over by Ramiro Funes Mori but Romelu Lukaku equalised soon after and has now scored in seven consecutive league matches. Algerian Mahrez converted his second penalty just past the hour before Okazaki struck and Kevin Mirallas’s late replay proved in vain for the home side.

Brathwaite, Blackwood warm up with fifties KRAIGG Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood scored half-centuries in stiflingly hot conditions as the West Indians moved to 8 for 303 on the first day of their tour game against a Victoria XI in Geelong. The two-day match is the West Indians’ only scheduled fixture ahead of the Boxing Day Test, which starts at the MCG next Saturday, and due to the BBL commitments of state players, the Victoria XI was made up largely of men without first-class experience. The temperature reached 43.8C at Simonds Stadium in Geelong on Saturday but Brathwaite KRAIGG seemed unfazed by BRATHWAITE the conditions and picked up where he left off from his second-innings 94 in the first Test in Hobart. He scored 78 from 175 deliveries in the first two sessions before he retired to give the rest of the West Indians a chance, although he was the only batsman who retired as the Victorians found seven wickets through the day. Rajendra Chandrika shouldered arms to the bowling of Jackson Koop and was lbw for 28, which brought Marlon Samuels to the crease in an aggressive mood. Samuels struck seven fours as he moved to 45 from 39 deliveries before he was caught behind off the bowling of fast bowler Jackson Coleman to leave the West Indians at 2 for 115 after they were sent in. Blackwood, who was coming off a pair in Hobart, combined with Brathwaite for a 99-run stand before Brathwaite retired, and Blackwood brought up a half-century of his own to give him some confidence ahead of Boxing Day. Blackwood was lbw for 69 to legspinner Jeremy Hart, who finished with 4 for 93 after running through the lower order in the final session of the day. Hart had Jason Holder for 9, Carlos Brathwaite for 4, and Jerome Taylor for 4, while Shai Hope, the opener who was overlooked for the Hobart Test, came in at No.8 and managed only 1 before he was lbw to Matthew Doric. Denesh Ramdin finished unbeaten on 38 from 73 deliveries.(ESPN Cricinfo)

ENGLISH RACING TIPS Fakenham 08:50 hrs Houston Dynamo 09:20 hrs Hollies Perarl 09:50 hrs Emerald Rose 10:20 hrs Gin And Tonic 10:50 hrs Global Domination 11:20 hrs What A Moment LINGFIELD 08:30 hrs Thai Noon 09:00 hrs Flighty Filia 09:30 hrs Jeanie’s Place 10:00 hrs Comedy House 10:30 hrs Gaelic Silver 11:00 hrs Laser Blazer 11:30 hrs Rahyah

IRISH RACING TIPS Thurles 08:40 hrs De Benno 09:10 hrs Massinis Adventure 09:40 hrs Myztique 10:10 hrs Cliff House 10:40 hrs Perfect Woman 11:10 hrs Haymount 11:40 hrs Merry Knight SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Scottsville 08:35 hrs Deep Down Rebel 09:15 hrs Strategic Move 09:55 hrs Psalm 10:25 hrs Do Be Snappy 10:55 hrs Ole Gunnar 10:25 hrs Chapel House

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Chameera produces career-best figures as NZ struggle

(REUTERS)-PACEMAN Dushmantha Chameera took career-best figures with aggressive shortpitched bowling to give Sri Lanka a slight advantage at the close of play on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton yesterday. Doug Bracewell was unbeaten on 30 with Neil Wagner dismissed for 17 with two balls remaining in the day’s play as the hosts finished on 232 for nine, 60 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings of 292. Chameera had sparked a top-order collapse shortly after lunch by taking three wickets in 13 balls before he returned to pick up two more after tea to end the day with figures of 5-47. “We haven’t batted the way we would have liked and the way we should have,” New Zealand opener Martin Guptill told Radio Sport. “It was just one of those things that happens in cricket. “Sri Lanka are allowed to bowl well and they did bowl very well for a period

there. The guys couldn’t get through it as well as we would have liked. “We are still in the game,

ed Sri Lanka for 19 overs and just 40 runs for the sixth wicket before Santner got the thinnest of edges off

Dushmantha Chameera celebrates a wicket during his maiden Test five-for against New Zealand on the second day of the second Test in Hamilton a little bit behind the eight ball, but not very far.” Chameera’s previous best had been 3-53 against Pakistan in Colombo in June and his spell after lunch had reduced the hosts to 89-4 before New Zealand’s lower order buckled down. Mitchell Santner (38) and BJ Watling (28) thwart-

Nuwan Pradeep through to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal after tea. Watling then fell to a low catch by Kithuruwan Vithanage at gully off Suranga Lakmal just after he and Bracewell had reduced the deficit to under 100 runs. Chameera, however, returned for the final 40

minutes of play and got his fourth wicket when Tim Southee became the third batsman to fall into Angelo Mathews’ leg-side trap. New Zealand had been well placed at 61-0 at lunch and proceeded to take 20 runs from the first two overs after the break before their innings fell apart. Chameera, the quickest bowler in the match, had conceded 13 runs in his first over after lunch, but then tightened up considerably as he bowled with pace and aggression and to a plan by Mathews to stack the leg side with fielders. He had Tom Latham caught at leg gully for 18 and Kane Williamson snapped up by Suranga Lakmal at deep backward square for one. The 23-year-old then angled a short delivery across Ross Taylor (nought) that caught his glove and went through to Chandimal to leave the hosts on 89 for four. Left arm-spinner Rangana Herath also grabbed two wickets before tea, dismissing Guptill for 50 and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum for 18.

Dhoni to lead India in World T20 at home NEW DELHI, (Reuters)-India named Mahendra Singh Dhoni as their limited-overs captain for next year’s World Twenty20 at home while also throwing a lifeline for batsman Yuvraj Singh’s international career by including him in the shortest format for the Australia tour. India lost the one-day international and twenty20 series against South Africa at home under Dhoni, who retired from tests during the Australia tour last year, paving the way for Virat Kohli to take over as captain in the fiveday format. With Kohli’s side registering their first Test series win in 23 years in Sri Lanka and handing South Africa their first away series defeat in nine years, there was speculation the 27-yearold would also be handed the reins in the shorter formats. “Lot of speculation, lot of questions, lot of stories were going around. So selectors wanted to send a very clear cut message to all... that who’s going to be our leader,” chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil

told reporters yesterday. India will play five ODIs and three T20 matches in Australia. All-rounder Yuvraj, who last played for In-

about Yuvraj’s future. “We want every player to perform and every player will have a chance to be part of the team.” Also making a come-

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI dia in their 2014 World Twenty20 final loss to Sri Lanka, has shown strong form during the domestic season. The left-handed batsman, adjudged the best player during India’s 50over World Cup triumph at home in 2011, will always remain a “special player”, Patil said. “Selectors are very happy, the captain is very happy to have him back. We cannot promise any player whether he will be part of the next tour or the World Cup,” former India batsman Patil said, responding to a question

back to the T20 team was 36-year-old left-arm fast bowler Ashish Nehra, who last played for India in 2011 while paceman Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja were also recalled to the ODI and T20 squads. Shami has completed his recovery from a knee injury that kept him out since the World Cup earlier this year while Jadeja was rewarded for his strong showing on the domestic circuit and the test series against South Africa. Batsman Suresh R a i n a w a s d ro p p e d

from the 50-over format while batsman Ambati Rayudu, all-rounder Stuart Binny and leg-spinner Amit Mishra were dropped from both squads. The ODI squad featured left-arm paceman Brainder Balbirsingh Sran, batsman Gurkeerat Singh Mann and all-rounder Rishi Dhawan, all of whom are yet to play for India while uncapped all-rounder Hardik Pandya was included in the T20 squad. Squads:ODI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Rishi Dhawan, Brainder Balbirsingh Sran T20: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Harbhajan Singh, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra

SCOREBOARD SRI LANKA 1st innings (Overnight: 264-7) D. Karunaratne c Watling b Southee 12 K. Mendis c Watling b Southee 31 U. Jayasundera run out (Santner, Watling) 26 D. Chandimal c Watling b Bracewell 47 A. Mathews c Latham b Southee 77 M. Siriwardana c Taylor b Boult 62 K. Vithanage c B. McCullum b Boult 0 R. Herath run out (Williamson) 4 D. Chameera c B. McCullum b Bracewell 4 S. Lakmal c Williamson b Wagner 4 N. Pradeep not out 2 Extras (lb-11 w-12) 23 Total (all out, 80.1 overs) 292 Fall of wickets: 1-39 D. Karunaratne,2-44 K. Mendis,3-115 U. Jayasundera,4-121 D. Chandimal,5-259 M. Siriwardana,6-259 K. Vithanage,7-264 R. Herath,8-284 A. Mathews,9-288 S. Lakmal,10-292 D. Chameera Bowling: T. Boult 20 - 2 - 51 – 2, T. Southee 21 - 5 - 63 - 3(w-1), D. Bracewell 22.1 - 4 - 81 - 2(w-1),N. Wagner 9 - 1 - 51 - 1(w-2), M. Santner 7 - 0 - 34 – 0,K. Williamson 1 - 0 - 1 – 0. NEW ZEALAND 1st innings M. Guptill c Mathews b Herath 50 T. Latham c Karunaratne b Chameera 28 K. Williamson c Lakmal b Chameera 1 R. Taylor c Chandimal b Chameera 0 B. McCullum c K. Mendis b Herath 18 M. Santner c Chandimal b Pradeep 38 B. Watling c Vithanage b Lakmal 28 D. Bracewell not out 30 T. Southee c Jayasundera b Chameera 4 N. Wagner c Vithanage b Chameera 17 Extras (lb-3 nb-7 w-8) 18 Total (for 9 wickets, 78.4 overs) 232 Fall of wickets: 1-81 T. Latham,2-83 K. Williamson,3-86 M. Guptill,4-89 R. Taylor,5-128 B. McCullum,6-168 M. Santner,7-196 B. Watling,8-201 T. Southee,9-232 N. Wagner To bat: T. Boult Bowling: S. Lakmal 16 - 4 - 48 - 1(nb-1 w-1), A. Mathews 11 - 7 - 25 – 0,N. Pradeep 17 - 4 - 34 - 1(nb-5 w-1), R. Herath 22 - 1 - 75 – 2, D. Chameera 12.4 - 3 - 47 - 5(nb-1 w-2)

Finch, White help Renegades gun down 181 A POWERFUL union between Aaron Finch and Cameron White was augmented by some late fireworks from Dwayne Bravo to push the Melbourne Renegades to a valuable away victory over the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. Bravo’s bat went flying as he lost grip of the blade in the penultimate over, but the Renegades never looked likely to do the same with the match, achieving both the first win for a team on the road and the first successful chase of BBL-05, after the Thunder and the Strikers each prospered defending a score. For that the Renegades had to be grateful to Chris Tremain, Nathan Rimmington, Xavier Doherty and Bravo, who all bowled exemplary spells on a Brisbane surface offering typical bounce and pace to keep batsmen and bowlers alike in the contest . Tremain’s early swing contributed to a cautious start by the Heat, who tallied only 33 from the Powerplay. Even so, some strong late hitting by James Hopes and Ben Cutting meant the visitors still required 181 to win, the sort of task seldom achieved without a major partnership. It was to arrive via the bats of Finch and White after Chris Gayle’s brief, and exciting, appearance at the top of the order with his gold bat. Finch was in fluent touch, piercing the field frequently. White took more time to get going after a scratchy start, but found his range as the innings went on, and passed fifty with a towering six down the ground. Their departures granted the Heat a narrow window, but Bravo’s combination of a free bat swing and deft placement backward of square left Hopes with only five to defend from the final over, too few even for a bowler of his precision.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

It was an eventful one-month By Ras Wadada AFTER one month of occupying the chief governance of the ‘Beautiful Game’, here in Guyana, the newly elected executive committee of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) held its first Media Brief on Friday last at the Federation’s Board Room. The interaction, with most of the main stream media present, lasted for over an hour as President Wayne Forde along with first and second vice-presidents, Retired Brigadier Bruce Lovell and Rawlston Adams, facilitated all questions posed by the media. In his opening statement, President Forde gave an overview of what has transpired since being voted in on November 14th as well as the immediate plans for the much needed transformation of the Sport. “During the course of the past month my executive and I have focused our attention primarily on the key transitional arrangements, namely – the Internal Financial Systems, Physical Inventory, review of all Contractual Agreements, getting to know the employees, and meeting with members of the Normalisation Committee (NC). “I take this opportunity to once again recognise the NC for their exceptional stewardship during the period of their tenure. Mr Urling and his team have promised their complete support for the football fraternity and we look forward to working closely with them in their capacity as Honorary Members of the General Council. “We have had a very eventful first month that included the conclusion of the Stag Elite League Genesis phase, the Lady Jags’ Olympics qualifiers, meeting with key stakeholders including the Honourable Nicolette Henry, the Minister of Sport, Mr. Juman Yassin, President of the Guyana Olympic Association, the Honourable Joseph Harmon, Minister of State and members of the Private Sector. “These engagements are consistent with our stated goal to broaden stakeholder involvement in the development thrust of the GFF. Our discussions were focused on identifying the opportunities for support and collaboration in the future. “In 2016 we will commence the reform

process that we have committed to. This process begins with the membership outreach programme that is already in the planning stage and will be extended to additional initiatives such as the Business Forum and a Technical Development Forum. “The objectives of these events are to facilitate meaningful membership and stakeholders’ participation in the development of our plans and programmes. We believe that this process is an essential step in the restoration of trust, unity, and support for the work of the GFF. “The executive committee is both conscious and humbled by the high expectations of our members and the Guyanese public. I can assure you that with your full support we will realise these changes over the next four

…GFF boss tells the Media “Experience would have taught us that most of the challenges that football has gone through over the years were played out in the public media, the Press. Of course I know the Press by nature of their independence, which we all respect, have a role to play in keeping the stakeholders, the football fraternity and public, at large, abreast on what is going on at the national level “What we hope to do over the next few years is to be as open as possible with you guys, to give you complete access to all of

At Friday’s press confernence. GFF president Wayne Forde at( centre) flanked by first vice-president Brigadier (retired) Bruce Lovell (at left) and second vice-president Rawlston Adams (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo). years. I would like to extend an invitation to my colleagues in the media to join us in this journey to rebuild, rebrand and transform the image of football in Guyana”, Forde concluded as he addressed the Press. In his usual articulate manner Forde elaborated on establishing strong relationships with the media, “The first item that we want to engage you guys on is the importance of the relationship that the GFF hopes to establish with our partners.

us, the Secretariat, the Executive Committee. We want to create the level of trust that, in my own expectation, will avoid some of the situations that we have experienced not so recently. “We would like to see at a minimum, if you are going to do a story on anything relating to football that has a direct impact on the way that people perceive the game, that you do everything in your power to have your facts checked with us or one of

our members. “We think it is good for the sport as you can imagine this journey that we are on. We need all the partners that are available to us and we will nurture the relationship we want to build with the media. We will invest in that relationship and we will be very open with you at any juncture of that relationship. “It is important that we recognise that the relationship that will evolve from this point going forward is very critical to the work that is before us over the next couple of years,” the football Boss lamented. First vice-president Lovell also echoed similar sentiments in his brief remarks, “The relationship that we hope to establish with the media is one that must be anchored on trust. Certainly our communication philosophy should be one where we seek to engage with, not only the media, but members of the public, and we do so by providing complete accurate and timely information. “We hold firm to the view that an informed populace is one that is useful to what we intend to achieve over the next four years”. President Forde also made special mention of the Lady Jags team which will contest the CONCACAF final qualifying round for the Rio Olympics next year. As part of the preparations for the Houston play-offs to be staged next year February, the President hinted about a plan for the Lady Jags, “We are looking at an initiative that we are engaging some private partners on, called ‘Countdown to Rio’”. “We have for many years witnessed the Lady Jags doing exceptionally well on the International scene, they have done exceptionally well and yet we don’t see that translated in the excitement here in Guyana. I believe there is a big disconnect in terms of what the Lady Jags have delivered and our response as a football family so this initiative we are hoping will bring some change to that. We want to invest in some very detailed PR activities that will bring attention to the Lady Jags”, the President indicated.

DDL/GBA Michael Parris U-16 boxing

FYF, Essequibo steal the spotlight as GBA wraps up 2015 calendar of events –FYF named top gym THE Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYFD)and Essequibo (Esse) Boxing Gyms stole the spotlight when the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) staged its final card for 2015 at the Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis Boxing Gym, Calendar Street and Independence Boulevard yesterday with a Under-16 competition. The event, which was sponsored by Demerara Distillers Limited under its Pepsi Brand in honour of Guyana’s only Olympic medalist Michael Parris, saw the FYF gym winning five of the 11 titles that were up for the taking as well as two second-place finishes, and was named the Best Gym, while Essequibo won four titles

and finished with three runners-up places. The Harpy Eagles’ Gym (HE) won one title and placed second in three other weight divisions. The Carryl Boxing Gym (CB) of Linden won one title and was runner-up in another weight division. The Pocket Rocket (PR) Boxing Gym of Linden had to settle for two runners-up spots on the podium. Winning gold for FYF was Jamie Kellman who forced the referee to stop his 60-64 pounds weight category bout against his gym mate Seon Graham at 40 seconds of the third round; Travis Inverman who caused the referee to stop his 70-74 pounds division fight against Akeem Ali at eight seconds of the second round;

Orin Harris who secured a points decision over HE’s Joseph Semple; Shakien Jones who won via the Technical Knock-Out at 38 seconds of the third round in his bout against Deandra Lynton in the 9094 pounds weight division, and Shamer Bumbury who in his 120-124 pounds division caused the referee to stop the contest against Joel Alicock (PR) at 43 seconds of the second round. Essequibo’s victories came from Shaquile Wright in his 120-124 pounds weight division against Carryl’s Boxing Gym’s Mohammed Bacchus; Christopher Moore who defeated his gym mate Deshan Elcock on points in their 125-132 weight class; Quancy Wright who also defeated his gym mate Deron Williams in the 65-69 pounds

weight division, and Delroy Elcock who scored a second round TKO (Medical) win against his gym mate Junior Hyman in their 95-99 pounds division final. Both Williams and Hyman fought earlier in the day with Williams advancing to the final with a second round TKO win against FYF’s Dwayne Baptist and Hyman recording a split decision victory over PR’s Omar Pollard. Carryl’s Boxing Gym secured gold in the 140-147 weight category through Joshua Corbin who beat FYF’s Brian Darris on points. HE’s gold came from Kevon Mullings who defeated Herman Whyte on points in their 90-94 pounds weight group contest.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

A look at the first half of WICB Professional Cricket League 2015/2016 WITH the second edition of the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League (WICB/PCL) fourday regional tournament at the halfway stage, it’s an opportune time to evaluate what has transpired over the past six weeks, as we seek to ascertain whether or not any progress has been made in its organisation and quality of play. The WICB should be commended for at least staging the four-day competition at a great cost and loss, at a time when interest in this version of the game around the world and more so in the Caribbean is at an all-time low. Implementing the franchise system, so that teams can use the services of players from other territories to give more balance to their original outfits, is another positive move by the regional body, coupled with the fact that about 100 players are enjoying the benefits of contracts. However, by not having the presence of several proven and charismatic players gracing the occasion - the Gayles, Bravos, Pollards, et al - the competition has been robbed further of its quality, interest and impact. The fans of the region have not been enthused and of course some teams have suffered more than others. Perhaps the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force felt the full brunt of this scenario with Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Kevin Cooper, Samuel Badree, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine and Riyad Emrit among others of their top players either not featuring at all, or for only a few games. Undoubtedly, the most prepared team was the Guyana Jaguars who under the guidance of head coach Esaun Crandon, assistant coach and manager Reon Griffith, and other backroom staff yet again implemented a high octane training regime which was complemented with numerous practice matches over a prolonged period. The Guyana Cricket Board should also be complimented for creating the environment which allows for such a state of affairs to prevail resulting in the Jaguars - the defending champions - winning five games out of five to date. Yet a familiar pattern has been evidenced over the first half of the season with the majority of the 15 games played resulting in low team scores domination by the spinners and early finishes. In fact of the 15 matches contested only two (Barbados Pride vs Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Kensington

Oval and the T&T/Windward Volcanoes match-up at beausejour) or 13 per cent ended in draws; three were won by an innings; two by 10 wickets; one each by eight and nine wickets, and three by over 100 runs each. In addition, there were 19 ‘all out’ totals of less than 200 runs including a paltry 95 made by Guyana in the second innings of their opening match against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at Providence. What is also revealing is the fact that four of the games ended inside three days while the Leeward Islands Hurricanes/ Windward Islands Volcanoes encounter in Dominica finished on the scheduled second day with the Leewards declaring their first innings closed at 24 for seven on day one. On the flip side, a few batsmen have stood up to the challenges including the Guyanese Vishal Singh with centuries against the Leewards and Barbados at Providence. A compact little lefthander in his late twenties and in his seventh season, a good performance in the second phase of the competition can very well compel the selectors to include him in the next West Indies test squad. Singh is only one of three batsmen with over 400 runs in the first part of the season and lies second in the batting averages with 60.14 runs per innings for those that have reached the 200 run mark. At age 23, the Barbadian Roston Chase (436 runs at 62.28) and his team mate 27-year-old Shamar Brooks (411 runs at 51.37) have also distinguished themselves. These two, together with five others registered a triple-figure score at least once. In the bowling department, the spinners have again dominated with the top-six wicket-takers being slow bowlers. The Guyanese rookie, Gudakesh Motie who ruled the roost at varying age levels, has grabbed the opportunity presented in the absence of Devendra Bishoo (on the tour of Australia) and Veerasammy Permaul (injury in the early stages of the competition) to cement his place in the team by bamboozling the region’s batsmen with his tricky left-arm orthodox spin. He has captured 34 wickets in five games at the miserly average of 11.73 runs per scalp including four five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket bag. Jamaica’s left-armer Niketa Miller (33 at 16.78); Shane Shillingford (26 at

INSIDE EDGE With Edwin Seeraj

20.69); Imran Khan (26 at 24.96); Liam Sebastian (20 at 24.10) and Steven Jacobs (19 at 20.00) complete the list of the top six wicket-takers. The rich harvest of the slow bowlers have dwarfed the returns of the pacers but the returns of the Barbadian Kevin Stoute - a right-arm, fast-medium practitioner with 18 wickets at 14.22 runs a-piece and the Antiguan Alzarri Joseph of the Leeward Islands Hurricanes (17 victims at 15.88 runs each) must be noted. Indeed Joseph, a powerfully-built youngster, bowled with good pace and accuracy rocking Guyana with three early wickets, and then rattling the Windwards in Roseau, Dominica with 7/46, although his team went down by eight wickets. The two halves of the WICB PCL 2015/2016 will be sandwiched by the Nagico Super 50 tournament which bowls off in Trinidad and St. Kitts on January 7. It is hoped that the WICB, through its relevant member states, will ensure that an evaluation is being done and that missing elements and/or the strengthening of weak links will be addressed, so as to improve on the overall, organisation and quality of the tournament. For a start, a lot more thought should be given to the proper preparation of the pitches. As alluded to in a recent letter to the press, the veteran Berbice administrator Mortimer George related that most of the region’s international venues are sand-based with the aim of improving the drainage system. While this in itself is a pleasant point, the sand eventually gets onto the pitch, and if not properly cleared during preparation, a raging turner will inevitably unfold. If it is that George’s theory is not totally accurate it undoubtedly has a great degree of truth. In recent years, not least during the just-concluded

first phase of the 2015/2016 competition, it was not unusual to observe the spinners obtaining prodigious turn during the first session of the opening day’s play. In fact an inquiry was launched into matters surrounding the state of the pitch in the Windwards/Leewards game in Dominica where the Leewards declared at 24 for seven in their first innings. The findings are yet to be made public - if it ever would be. Unless the pitches give reasonable balance to both batsmen and all bowlers, we would continue to have low scores, exceptional figures by the spinners and a paucity of the faster men. Of course the low scores are not only as a result of the poor pitches and special spinners but are also due to the ineptness of the batsmen triggered by poor technique and low powers of concentration. The WICB and its members should also play keen attention to the aggressive marketing of the tournament. Extremely low spectator turn out at every venue has been a negative trademark orchestrated by poor public awareness, non-existent marketing and a general lethargic approach to influencing fans to file past the gates. And at least in the near future, the top players in the tournament should be given the incentive to be a part of a West Indies ‘A’ team involved in matches both at home and abroad on a regular basis. The gap in quality between our regional competitions and the international cricket is extremely wide and continues to widen. We need a link and the ‘A’ team engagements should go a long way in lifting our standards. The second leg of the tournament promises to be better, and with all onboard, why not?

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday December 20, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) (1) 187 players (2) 114 Tests

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who were the captains involved in the 1973 WI/Australia Test series in the Caribbean? (2) In which WI/Australia Test series the late Sir Clyde Walcott recorded five centuries?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Permaul, Smartt named GCB Cricketers of the Year By Stephan Sookram BERBICIANS Veerasammy Permaul and Tremayne Smartt have been named male and female Cricketers of the Year following the annual

Board on Friday night at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion. Permaul, the West Indies spinner and Smartt the right-hand batter, were chosen from a three-member shortlist for each gender.

Tremayne Smart collects her trophy from Minister within the Education Ministry Nicolette Henry awards ceremony and dinner of the Guyana Cricket

Both Smart and Permaul who spoke after receiving

their awards thanked the voting body that ensured that they walked away with the titles. The feature speaker and West Indies Cricket Board vice-president Emmanual Nanthan, who could not make it to the event due to family issues, nonetheless sent his speech which was read by WICB Director Anand Kalladeen. In his message Nanthan lauded the strong administrative framework of the Guyana Cricket Board and their commitment to the development of the game not only on the domestic front but to West Indies as well. He contended that the Guyana Jaguars have shown that preparation and discipline are the pillars by which cricket should be played for positive outcomes and as such, added that boards across the region should take on. Meanwhile, WICB Chief Executive Officer Micheal Muirhead in his recorded message remind-

ed that Guyana’s regional dominance comes at a time when hard work, dedication, and discipline show their rewards. President of the Guyana Cricket Board Drubahadur contended that the past year was a successful one for the GCB, adding that, “This year, we had brought home several regional titles.” “In the coming year, we want to focus on upgrading those community grounds; and we also want to continually upgrade our LBI facility to ensure that it is top class,” added Bahadur. Minister within the Education Ministry with responsibility for Sport Nicolette Henry pledged the government’s support to the sport in the coming year. Other awardees included Club of the Year (Albion); Most Promising Youth Player (female), Mandy Mangru; Most Improved Cricketer Lance Gibbs Trophy, Vishaul Singh; Junior Cricketer of the Year - Roy Fredricks Tro-

Veerasammy Permaul collects his trophy from GCB Secretary and WICB Director Anand Sanasie (Cullen Nelson Photos) phy, Shimron Hetymer, and Senior Regional Cricketer of the Year - Rohan Khani Trophy, Permaul. In recognition of his selection to the West Indies team Rajendra Chandrika was given an award, as was Sachin Singh (Most Runs in the regional U-15), Kevin Omroa (Most wickets in regional U-15), and Kevlon Anderson (Most valuable player in regional U-15). At the Under-17 level, Ronaldo Alimohamed picked up the most runs award, Bhaskar Yadram (Most Wickets) and Alimohamed (MVP).

Hetymer picked up the Most Runs in the Regional U-19 category and was also adjudged the Most Valuable Player in that division with the Most Wickets award being split between Kemo Paul and Balchan Baldeo. Corporate awards went to Digicel Guyana and Banks DIH, while special awards went to Edward Nicholls (Long and Dedicated Umpire Service), Sean Devers (Outstanding Service rendered as a cricket journalist, and Jerome Inderdat (Outstanding Service rendered as a Curator).

Soesdyke, Pouderoyen, Grove Hi-Tech and Golden …Victoria Kings and Ann’s Grove to collide at Grove EBD today Grove into Stag quarters THE Grove Playfield will take centre stage today when the second edition of the Stag Super XVI knock-out football competition moves to East Bank Demerara for day-three action. Home team and defending champions Grove Hi-Tech will face off with East Demerara’s Golden Grove in the feature game of the evening with the curtain raiser bringing together Soesdyke Falcons, another East Bank side and their West Demerara counterparts, Pouderoyen. Grove will be aiming to go all the way again but will have to first get past Golden Grove this evening in what is expected to be a stern test for the East Bank champions. With the Guyana Football Federation stipulating that no guest players would be allowed, owing to

the Club Licencing drive through CONCACAF and FIFA, clubs will have to ensure that they bring their ‘A’ game to the field. Two exciting matches are envisaged at the Mecca of football on the East Bank at Grove. Booking their respective places in the quarter-finals following the second day of round or-16 action Friday, at the Victoria Community Centre ground, East Coast Demerara, were East Demerara sides: Victoria Kings and last year’s beaten finalist, Ann’s Grove. Kings, once the knockout generals of the sport in Guyana, needled West Demerara’s Stewartville while Ann’s Grove also edged past another West Demerara team, Eagles 2-1, to secure a 100% record for host association on the night. Veteran Kings player Winston Pompey (N06) battles The Kings used home Stewartville’s Rickford Albert (No1) and others for advantage to their advanpossession on Friday Night at the Victoria ground.

tage to benefit, and while dominating the encounter, were just able to breach the Stewartville’s defence on one occasion, thanks to an Alden Lawrence 29th minute goal. Both sides looked scratchy at the start of the encounter but held their own as the game progressed where the exchanges became much more even, despite, the home team holding the upper hand. Jaslyn Small, who stood between the uprights for Stewartville brought his experience to bear to shore up a virtually young and inexperienced side but still stood strong despite not making the cut in this their inaugural Stag Super XVI match. The win for the Kings earned them a quarter-final date with West Demerara’s champions Uitvlugt on Christmas night at the Farm

Community Centre ground, and they will be looking to take care of business in this clash to earn a semi-final slot. Last year they lost on penalty kicks to Ann’s Grove, 5-3. The opening match which was another close encounter that saw Ann’s Grove taking the early lead in the 11th minute through a Shafeer Soinicher goal, was cancelled two minutes later, when Eagle’s Shelton Forde found the equaliser. The first half saw the score locked at 1-1. The game was virtually sealed thirteen minutes into the second half when Jermain Rogers was able to fire his shot past Eagles’ custodian Rocky Reddy to concretise Ann’s Grove’s quarter-final date with West Demerara’s Beavers at the Victoria ground on Boxing night, December 26, next.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 20, 2015

Davidson’s hat-trick sends Winners Connection through ... Milerock outclass Eagles United 3 – 1 By Joe Chapman MILEROCK FC outclassed Eagles United 3-1 while Federal Winners Connection led by a hattrick from Marmalaque Davidson blanked Blueberry Hill 3-0 on day two of the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA) GT Beer Cup at the Mackenzie Sports Club. Playing in the first game of the double-header on Friday last, Eagles United shocked the Petra Organisation champions with an early goal which came when a cross from the right side caught the centre back of Milerock flat footed and Kweksi Quintyn converted the chance given in the 7th minute. By the 39th minute Milerock was able to settle and play the type of football they’re popular for, as striker Clarence

‘Shark’ Huggins received the ball from Ron Fiedtkou, and while backing his marker, he (Huggins), turned goal-wards his shot to the top corner of the net and levelled the game 1 – 1. Milerock broke the deadlock in the 81st minute with the dangerous Huggins in isolation with the Eagles United custodian Odel Adams who was brought down in the ‘box’ and was awarded a penalty. Jermaine Granderson scored from the ‘spot’ and Milerock took a 2 – 1 lead. Three minutes late r K e s t e r R a n d o l p h would get his name on the score sheet. The buildup was there and the ball was slipped through the defence before a cross, which was pulled back by Huggins and for Randolph to complete the scoring for a polished 3-1 win eventually.

Winners Connection’s talisman Marmalaque Davidson Meanwhile, the reigning champions Federal Winners Connection were off to a nice start with the emerging talented Marmarlaque Davidson netting all three goals. Davidson’s first was scored in the 15th minute and he copped the others in the 39th and 46th minutes. Winners Connection will now play the winner of the Amelia’s Ward Panthers and Botafago match tonight.

Permaul, Smartt named GCB Cricketers of the Year

See story on page 30

The various recipients pose with their spoils (Cullen Nelson Photo)

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015