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GUYANA No. 104356

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

THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2015 GUYANAâ€™S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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Guyana was never

blacklisted 11-yr-old among girls rescued at Baramita

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Globe Yard no more!

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Govt to reclaim Red House land from PPP 7 P.

The Mayor and City Council as part of its ongoing programme to clean up Georgetown on Wednesday began demolishing several derelict buildings in the notorious Globe Yard located on Waterloo Street. Occupants of the buildings have complained about being rendered homeless and urged the government to find alternative shelters for them. In this Delano Williams photo two members of the demolition crew were hard at work tearing down the roof of one of the houses.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

Hike in teachers’ salaries a priority – says Roopnaraine as GTU demands 25 % increase By Tajeram Mohabir EDUCATION Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said improving teachers’ pay is a high priority amid calls from the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) for a 25 per cent increase in their new multi-year agreement with the Ministry of Education. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Dr Roopnaraine said the Ministry of Education will have to sit with the GTU to work things out, declining to say definitively if the government will honour the proposal by the teachers’ union. Annually, as outlined in the current agreement, teachers receive a five per cent salary increase. GTU President Mark Lyte on countless occasions has asserted that the current

salaries for teachers are not sufficient, and has been advocating an increase since assuming office. Lyte pointed out that the salary, as it stands presently, has contributed to the shortage of male teachers in the school system. “There are more female teachers than male teachers. This is mainly because of the insufficient remuneration that is being offered to teachers. “It would not attract males because they are the breadwinners at home. So I think this is what has contributed to the shortage of male teachers in schools,” said Lyte. Against this backdrop, he said that the new proposal is opting for a 25% increase in salaries for teachers, which will ideally attract more

males into the profession. But while this sounds good, Dr Roopnaraine was quite content on waiting on the negotiations to begin. “I said it before and I will say it again. We have been undervaluing our teachers, underpaying our teachers and this is something we have to address. Getting teachers better pay is a high priority,” he told this publication. Meanwhile, the proposals by the GTU will be handed over to the Education Ministry soon, given that the current agreement will end in December. The agreement also sought to address an anomaly that has been existing

for years: teachers who have been in the system for years receiving the same salary as that of a teacher of the same status, who has recently joined the profession. While the attention is on increasing salaries for teachers, Minister Roopnaraine was not oblivious to the fact that many teachers in the school system do not perform as they should. “We have not been doing enough to hold negligent teachers to book. I will admit that at once. I don’t think that we have been robust in getting teachers to deliver the curriculum and performing. This is something we will have to sit and discuss with

Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

the union and other stakeholders,” he said. And on that note, he said the ministry is willing

GTU President Mark Lyte

to consider licensing teachers as part of a wide effort to ensure they undergo continuous professional development.

Guyana makes big leap in boosting AML regime ...AG dismisses PPP’s claim of blacklisting By Svetlana Marshall GUYANA has made significant progress in addressing the deficiencies within its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) regime – completing five of the eight recommendations in the action plan which was established in agreement with the Fi-

nancial Action Task Force (FATF). Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams made this pronouncement yesterday in an attempt to clear the air on a series of misconceptions that have been peddled by the opposition, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) subsequent to the release of a report by FATF. In a statement published on October 23, the international financial watchdog acknowledged Guyana’s high-level political commitment to work with FATF and CFATF in an effort to address its strategic AML\CFT deficiencies. It was pointed out that since June, 2015 the country has taken steps toward improving its AML/CFT regime through the enactment of its AML/CFT Amendment Act 2015 but said more needed to be done.

“…FATF has determined that certain strategic deficiencies remain. Guyana should continue to implement its action plan, including by: (1) ensuring and implementing an adequate legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets; (2) ensuring a fully operational and effectively functioning financial intelligence unit; (3) establishing measures for customer due diligence and enhancing financial transparency; and (4) implementing an adequate supervisory framework.” However, this statement was misconstrued to mean that Guyana remains “blacklisted” by FATF due to a number of deficiencies. But the Attorney General said Guyana was never “blacklisted,” adding that the country has made significant progress since the APNU+AFC Government

took office. “PARTIALLY” COMPLETED It was pointed out that the three outstanding recommendations are “partially” completed. Minister Williams explained that there is a provision that allows the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to apply for a freezing order within seven days of receiving the relevant information about the assets of a designated or specified person but on the other hand there is a rule that says the reporting entity is prohibited from dealing with such property for at least five days, thereby creating a gap within the system. “So what you have here is a gap between the five days wherein the reporting entity cannot deal with the assets of a designated or specified person or entity and the seven days by which the DPP is required to go and get a freezing order, so they are saying we have to deal with the anomaly created with this gap,” he explained. This loophole within the system, he says, will be addressed “soon,” pointing out that the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) will be convening a meeting in November while the Americas Region Review Group (ARRG) is scheduled to meet before FAFT’s Plenary Meeting takes place in February. Earlier, President David Granger had written the FATF President assuring him of the new government’s commitment to remedying the deficiencies. FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT However, when questioned whether there are deficiencies within the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Attorney General responded Turn to page 9 ►

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

Guyana was never blacklisted – U.S. says …slams Guyana Times misrepresentation THE United States Government (USG) has affirmed that Guyana was never placed on the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) black and gray lists and has slammed a Guyana Times report as a “wilful mischaracterisation of Washington’s position, created through an outof-context use of one of its officials’ quotations.” Under a screaming headline, “Guyana remains on FATF blacklist,” the Guyana Times reported earlier this week that the country remains non-compliant despite “premature assurances from Attorney General Basil Williams and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Bryan Hunt.” However, in an invited comment the U.S. Embassy here said the report contained in

the Guyana Times of October 27, 2015, begins from a factually incorrect premise. The embassy affirmed that “the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) did not include Guyana on its list of “jurisdictions subject to a FATF call to apply countermeasures to protect the international financial system” – the commonly referred to blacklist – in its October 2015 meeting. Nor was Guyana included in the FATF list of “jurisdictions not making sufficient progress” – the commonly referred to darkgrey list. Guyana has never appeared on either list at the FATF level.” According to the U.S., the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) last formally reviewed and issued a public statement on Guy-

ana on May 30, 2014, prior to the passage of its revised Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation. “In its public statement, FATF specifically noted that Guyana’s AML/CFT Amendment Act of 2015 had been an important step towards improving its AML/ CFT regime. The passage of the AML/CFT Amendment Act of 2015 was a key component of the action plan that Guyana and FATF agreed to in the 2014 review.” The United States said that it was for this reason that a number of U.S. Government officials, including former Ambassador Brendt Hardt and Deputy Chief of Mission Bryan Hunt, joined other international partners and the Guyanese private sector

U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway

in strongly backing passage of this critical legislation – which did, in fact, address the legislative deficiencies previously identified by

FATF and CFATF. “To suggest, as the Guyana Times has, that our backing for passage of such FATF/CFATF-compliant legislation meant that the USG believed no further action on AML/CFT was required by the Government of Guyana is a wilful mischaracterisation of the USG position, created through an out-ofcontext use of USG officials’ quotations. At no time did USG officials suggest or imply that legislation alone would address all FATF and CFATF recommendations.” According to the United States, the 2014 action plan agreed to by Guyana and FATF included a number of non-legislative implementation actions that needed to be taken. “As FATF recognised in its October, 2015 report, some of those non-legislative actions such

as effective implementation of asset-tracking and freezing; strengthening of the Financial Intelligence Unit; and creation of an adequate supervisory framework remain in progress.” The United States said it has repeatedly urged successive Guyanese governments to move forward with these non-legislative actions. “The United States congratulates Guyana on the progress made to date in improving both the legislative and non-legislative aspects of its AML/ CFT prevention regime. Progress to date has successfully kept the country off the FATF black and dark-gray lists, and we remain committed to working with the Guyana government to make further progress in this regard.”

Autopsy confirms rights activist committed suicide A POST-MORTEM to determine the cause of death of civil society and human rights activist and the 2014 winner of the U.S. Embassy Woman of Courage Award, Zenita Temall Nicholson, has revealed that she died of pesticide ingestion. Police are also in possession of several suicide notes which were reportedly written by the 37-year-old mother of two. Nicholson, who worked with the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) and also partnered with other rights and social groups, died on Monday morning at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, where she was rushed after complaining of feeling unwell and acknowledging that she had ingested several carbon tablets.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said the woman had asked her reputed husband to pass the letters out to her relatives, but for some reason this was not done. This publication is unclear as to when the letters were written, since there has been no immediate confirmation whether they were dated. Police now will officially treat the case as a suicide, given the statement provided to them by the woman’s best friend, who said that moments before she passed away Nicholson had admitted to him that she had ingested the carbon tablets. Nicholson is the first Guyanese to be awarded an International Woman of Courage Award from the United States Embassy here last year, and was described as a leading rights activist. According to the police,

Zenita Nicholson

on Monday morning her husband telephoned a male friend of Nicholson asking him to come to their home to take her to the hospital, since she was not feeling well. The woman, however, had in the

past informed the friend that anytime a call should come to his phone from hers, he should ask to speak with her. When the male friend answered the call on Monday morning, the woman’s reputed husband was on the line, and the friend asked to speak with the woman, who came on the phone and confirmed that she indeed was not feeling well, and requested that he take her to the hospital. Once at the woman’s residence, her reputed husband joined the vehicle and the woman confided in the friend that she had ingested 10 carbon tablets. She had recently shared this post on Facebook regarding suicide: “Many people think that a suicide attempt is a selfish move because the person just does not care about the people

left behind. I can tell you that when persons get to that point, they truly believe that their loved ones will be much better off with them gone. This is mental illness,

not selfishness.” Many of her friends and colleagues were shocked at the news of her demise, remembering her jovial personality and her ability to inspire them.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

GuySuCo invites GAWU State closes case in Rachpaul murder trial for wage hike talks THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has agreed to meet with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) to discuss increased wages for workers, but warned that these talks will not happen if workers remain on strike. Despite GAWU informing the corporation that the strike had been called off at least on three estates, there was still strike action, GuySuCo said, warning that this action could scuttle any talks on wage increases. During a telephone interview yesterday with this publication, Chief Industrial Relations Manager Deodat Sukhu related that, “We have written the union inviting them Friday for a meeting, but we notified them that workers from Albion, Rose Hall and East Demerara estates are still on strike… and have thus put a little hindrance on production.” This was confirmed by Head of GAWU Komal Chand, who disclosed that, “Some cane-cutters from three estates have not turned out in full, we have to see what will happen tomorrow

(today) …as currently we are trying to sort out a matter at the East Demerara estate where it is claimed there is a price dispute.” Chand said nevertheless GAWU was in contact with its officers on the ground and expected that all workers would be out today. However, if the strike continues, GuySuCo says they will be forced to suspend the meeting scheduled for Friday. Due to the strike, Sukhu said production had been affected, noting, “we have seen for the past five to six weeks an increase in production. It was close to 15,000-16,000 tonnes of sugar per week. However for this week only 2000 tonnes have been produced, when normally at this time of the week we are normally recording 5000-6000 tonnes… the strike resulted in an approximate loss of 2000-3000 tonnes.” Meanwhile, the union in a statement welcomed the meeting, describing it as a “long overdue” step and that the union had accepted the invitation. “It is our fervent hope that this meeting is See Page 13

taking prints from Leonard and Vincent Rachpaul, as he detailed the crime scene process of taking photos and fingerprints. Second police witness Deputy Superintendent Rafeek Ali, a veteran police fingerprint analyst under cross examination said he matched the left index finger print of the accused against the ones found at the crime scene on February 26, 2014. He however went into a lengthy testimony of the process he underwent analysing the fingerprints of the accused and the prints lifted from the crime scene. After State Prosecutor Narissa Leander closed its case against Roberts, he told Justice Singh that he would remain in the prisoner’s dock where he gave a statement of his arrest by the police proclaiming his innocence. Roberts told the court that on February 26, 2014, he was at the mechanic overseeing repairs to a minibus belonging to his mother when a party of policemen came to him at the Sophia tarmac area. He said at the time he was lying on the ground and he raised his hands up and an officer told him that an allegation had been made against him and he would be taken to the Turkeyen Police

THE state yesterday closed its case against murder accused Orvin Kevin Roberts after nine of 11 witnesses testified in the High Court because two witnesses could not be located by the police. Roberts is on trial for the murder of Harold Rachpaul before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown. It is alleged that Roberts between August 18-19, 2011, murdered 84-year-old Rachpaul in the course or furtherance of a burglary at his lot 74 Robb Street home which housed his drugstore. He has denied the charge. However, police witness Lance Corporal Desmond Johnny yesterday testified that he had dusted only one of two safes for fingerprints and lifted five finger prints from the inner drawers of a safe that was opened in the drugstore. Johnny said he did not dust the other safe which was located in Rachpaul’s bedroom next to where his lifeless body was found. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Nigel Hughes, Johnny said he photographed the crime scene but did not dust the padlocks or keys for prints. Quizzed further, he stated that he could not recall

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Station. At the time Roberts said he was a minibus conductor on the said bus and had in his possession $100,000 in cash which was given to him by his aunt to purchase spare parts to repair the bus and the keys for the said bus. Roberts said the police searched him before he was taken to the station and was asked where he got the money from and before he could answer, the office told him that “the money is theifing money.” He added that some other men who were at the wash bay were called out and also taken to the police station and booked while he was told that he would be passing through court. Roberts said he was taken to the Criminal Investigations Department, Eve Leary, where he was questioned and fingerprinted twice. He told investigators that he did not commit any murder and was taken to several police stations from February 26 to March 2014 after which he was told on March 3, 2014 that his fingerprints matched those found at the crime scene and to prepare for court. The accused told the court he is innocent of the crime and at the time of the

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incident he was away in the interior working because the “bus work” was hard around that time. Defence counsel Nigel Hughes in his closing address said the accused was arrested based on a description given of a fineboned Negro man and the location three years after the murder. When he was locked up his aunt came and claimed the money and there was no way the accused could have accessed the place without encountering the loud and aggressive dogs. Hughes said although there were two safes in the premises only one was dusted for fingerprints and the padlocks were not dusted. He added that there were no signs of forced entry to the place, photos of the crime scene are missing and the police had no evidence before the accused had his fingerprints taken when he was arrested. State Prosecutor Narissa Leander in her closing address to the jury said the case is based on circumstantial evidence and they should look at the evidence tendered in the case. She stated that the fingerprint of the accused matched those taken from the crime scene and that should be considered as crucial evidence. The verdict will be delivered today (Thursday) by a 12-member jury after summation by Justice Singh in the High Court.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

$183M drainage pump commissioned at Eversham AGRICULTURE Minister Noel Holder yesterday commissioned a $183M drainage pump at Eversham, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) which will benefit more than 750 farmers from the Black Bush Polder area. Speaking at the commissioning, Holder said Guyana is at risk as a result of both El Niño and La Nina and the pump at Eversahm is installed to deal with the latter weather phenomenon . He said flooding of the Black Bush Polder can only be controlled by the installation of water pumps. “One of our main goals is to increase production. Farmers can now rest assured that there will be fewer floods.” The minister took the opportunity to encourage farmers to return if they may have abandoned their lands because of constant folds. The pump which has a capacity of 200 cubic feet per second or 70,000 gallons per minute will provide drainage for 25,000 acres of rice land in Black Push Polder and a similar acreage in the front lands. Funds for the project were acquired through the Indian Line of credit. Region Six Chairman David Armogan also speaking at the commissioning ceremony noted that on February 2006

The new drainage pump that was commissioned on Wednesday at Eversham, Corentyne. when there was widespread flooding along the Corentyne, a decision was taken to cease dependence on gravitational flow for drainage of farming and residential areas. Since then, he noted, pumps have been installed at East Coast Berbice and Rose Hall Town. A similar project is currently being done at Bengal. “Our drainage system is equipped to take off one and a half to two inches of rainfall in a twenty-four-hour period so if there is more rain

than that there is bound to be some amount of flooding but now with this pump we can get the water off the land in a shorter period and farmers are not likely to lose their crops and animals…,” Armogan said. Water Users Association Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Fredrick Flatts, said that both rice and cash crop framers will benefit from the new facility and called

on all farmers to pay their rates to the Water Users Association, noting that it would cost a lot of money to maintain the pump. “We will still have some amount of responsibility, for example, to ensure that we do not use this channel as a receptacle for solid waste…At some of the other pump stations we have experienced that problem,” he said. The project took seven months to complete and was executed by Harichan Toolsie. According to Flatts, the contractor also has similar projects at Bengal on the Corentyne and Gangaram, East Canje. Head of NDIA Mechanical System Avenish Singh explained that government had undertaken to install drainage pumps throughout the coast of Guyana. To date more than fifty pumps had been installed in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice. “The whole object of the exercise is to replace old and undersized pumps and to deploy additional pumps to meet the growing demand in drainage as a result of increased farming acreage under cultivation and to cope with problems being posed by rising sea levels,” Singh said.

More MMA/ADA lands to be made available to farmers MINISTER of Agriculture, Noel Holder has disclosed that Government will make more lands available within the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Authority (MMA/ADA) to facilitate the expansion of both rice cultivation and cattle rearing. He made the disclosure yesterday while addressing a large assembly of farmers and their respective families at the annual Open Day and Mini-Exhibition of the MMA/ADA at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice. The apportioning of land can be seen as a reward of sorts for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) consistently being a major producer of rice and cash-crops, and having one of the largest acreages under rice cultivation. A case in point, for this year’s second crop, 41,705.9 hectares, the equivalent of 103, 013 acres, have been dedicated to rice, while the region alone accounts for the harvest of a whopping 84,908 acres of paddy. As the Minister observed,

“To ensure that this vibrancy continues, a decision has been taken by Government to make available additional lands within the MMA/ADA, not only for rice production but also cattle rearing.” During the course of the day’s proceedings, the names of several farmers, who were just this week awarded a 50-year lease each on State lands in Region 5, were announced by MMA/ADA General Manager, Aubrey Charles. The leases are to be handed over to the farmers before the week is over. As Minister Holder told the gathering, the

MMA/ADA scheme supports the cultivation of nearly half the rice grown in Guyana; about 30-35 per cent of all the livestock (mostly cattle) reared here; and some 10-15 per cent of the sugar produced nationally. Having said that, he disclosed that many projects are in the pipeline to improve the drainage and irrigation situation in the flood-prone MMA/ADA areas, as Government works assiduously to enhance the services provided to farmers. “I am aware of the increased demand for land, and my Ministry will be working

Visitors at a booth at the MMA/ADA Open Day and Mini Exhibition yesterday

to ensure that not only more lands are made available, but that farmers are legitimate title holders,” Minister Holder said.

Aussie company to open second major gold mine here

TROY Resources Limited says it plans to open a large gold mine in western Guyana. The Australian company says production is scheduled to start in upcoming weeks at the mine in the Puruni region near neighbouring Venezuela. Mines Commission Director Rickford Vieira said Wednesday the mine could produce up to 100,000 troy ounces of gold a year. It would be the South American’s country second major gold mine. Toronto-based Guyana Goldfields opened a mine last month that employs 500 workers and is expected to produce 3 million ounces of gold in about 17 years. Gold is Guyana’s main export and generated nearly $1 billion in revenue in 2013. But earnings have dropped recently because of weaker gold prices. (Canadian Business)

Guyana

Education and training must be based on sound business principles Dear Editor

EDITORIAL

The Diwali date disagreement

WITH all the disagreements between the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and pandits closely aligned to the Guyana Pandits Council, it is heartening to hear that they have both issued a stirring appeal for Hindus to be united. This year stands out, as it has been the first in a long time that a disagreement in the Hindu community was given wide public attention. And from the arguments of the two factions as appeared in the press, it was easy for the average reader to glean that members of the Hindu community are passionate about following the injunctions of their revered texts. Quite amusingly, while the major Hindu leaders differed on the date for the celebration of Diwali, the tiff did not produce all negative energy. Many Hindus who never paid attention to the auspiciousness of the date of the festival, found themselves scouring the Internet as they evaluate the arguments of the Dharmic Sabha and the Guyana Pandits Council. From the look of it, all remain interested in getting the date for the Festival of Lights right. And what this points to is the need for all the leaders in the Hindu community to put aside their differences, sit at one table, and chart the way forward together, for the further good and promotion of Sanatan Dharma. In doing so, it is important that they all take solace from the approach of their forebears who came here more than 170 years ago in search of a better life. Amid all their troubles, trials and tribulations, they stuck firmly together, finding comfort in the teachings of their religion in the moments of their discomfort. When they came here, they were also free from the yoke of the evil application of the caste system, and they all stuck to their religion Hinduism. Through their tireless dedication, they have managed to preserve their great traditions, even amid strong repression of the colonial powers of the day. In those difficult days, Hindus were united in their religion. It is bewildering why today they cannot simply agree on a date for a festival they have been celebrating for years. It is a travesty when people in religious organisations, who should be promoting understanding, love and togetherness, struggle to put into practice the very things that they teach. And quite simply, all that is required is due recognition and genuine respect for the other. The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha since its formation some 40 years ago has been at the forefront of promoting the Hindu culture in Guyana. Every year in November, the nation witnesses the unity, peace and togetherness generated from the Festival of Lights, and the staging of the motorcades. The latter has managed to not only bring Hindus, but Guyanese of all walks of life together. But when it is all said and done, the Guyana Hindu

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

EDUCATION and training must now be based upon sound business principles and no longer political generosity Time for Action; the report of the West Indian Commission, quotes “Education, skills, the knowledge-base and entrepreneurship constitute together the human input into the process…”, it went on to say, “More than ever before greater skills, more research and development, more vigorous entrepreneurship are needed to maintain and strengthen international competitiveness…”. The relevance of the two-decade old work of that commission is now imposed on our economy and an appreciation of education as the vehicle for achieving greater social mobility and equilibrium in our society is being acknowledged. It is time for a concentrated tripartite consultation between the Ministry of Education, Department of

Labour and private sector interest groups, to craft a diverse framework for training at TECHVOC institutions to ensure demand-driven training is provided. Considering the inter-linkages between the world of study and world of work in our society, SMART targets must be set to reverse the deflationary trends currently experienced in education. Demand-driven training will enhance productivity within communities/regions, promote growth of the local economies and shift the trend of urbanisation. However, there must be consideration for geography and the availability of natural resources within those communities/ regions when focusing on sustainable training programmes. Additionally, this will strengthen human- resource capacity, providing skills for employment and entrepreneurship and promoting active participation in the labour market. Such focus is essential if we are to guarantee value for money in

education, reduce unemployment and achieve equitable distribution of income. Therefore, comprehensive steps must be taken to ensure investments in TECHVOC education provide adequate dividends to the society. This will require re-tooling TECHVOC education in three critical areas, namely school administration, financing and monitoring and evaluation. The issue of School Administration amplifies the need for trained administrators in education with hands-on experience in management and a motivation for innovation and entrepreneurship. Institutions should also have the capacity to fundraise and earn incomes through provision of services in their communities/regions; this can provide resources and acquire materials for training. Periodic data analysis should be conducted, research should be readily available to provide clarity of supply scarcity, private-sector demand, market

needs and improvements to curricula relevant to local requirements. Improvements in those critical areas will ensure that graduates are able to participate in economic activities at productivity levels equivalent to training acquired. Networking between Education and Industry to make those improvements a reality will create the collective support mechanism to training institutions that is deemed essential to reversing the current negative social and economic consequences of education deflation in our economy. Consultations must therefore result in effective planning to deliberately ensure that Education and Training Systems are geared towards the needs of the economy and not political grandstanding, as government seeks to increase youth participation in the labour market. Regards DENNIS MAYERS

Carl Singh should be appointed Chancellor I HAVE read in the papers that the Honourable Chancellor Carl Singh has sought to explain the position in the High Court Registry. In doing so, he explained that in 1983 he had just qualified as a lawyer and at that time there was no Deputy Registrar of Deeds. This fact reminded me of the fact that in 1983 I won my first murder case in Barbados, where three Guyanese charged with murder were acquitted. I can recall meeting a number of students including the Chancellor, Messrs. Neil Boston, Lesley Hulls, Basil Williams and Debra Backer and others and giving them encouragement to become

good lawyers. The Chancellor has always been close to me and I admire him how he climbed the ladder from a practitioner, then a Commissioner of Title, then a Judge and so forth. I agree with Mr. Ramkarran, who in one of his articles recently stated that the Chancellor has sound legal experience and ought to be appointed Chancellor. I purposely set out the details above so that it could be appreciated that my long experience in the legal profession qualifies me to make the following suggestions: My view is that this new government is doing a good job and ought to continue along this

Dharmic Sabha is a cultural organisation and less of a religious organisation. It is in this light that it would make sense for the Dharmic Sabha to reach out to all, and all to reach out to the Dharmic Sabha in matters governing Hindu observances in Guyana. The onus should not be on one but the responsibility of all as beautifully related by Swami Aksharananda, who in a letter to the press said thusly:

line. The Judicial system has to be looked at immediately. There is no time to point out who is to be blamed. There are problems which have to be solved and action must be taken swiftly. The Chancellor is now 63-years-old and has basically a world of experience that will enable him to perform perhaps better when appointed than he is doing now. A new Chief Justice has to be appointed once the Chancellor is confirmed in the position he has been acting in for over 10 years. One of the reasons he should be appointed now is that there is no allegation proved against him to make him unfit for the appointment. It must be

regretted that the acting Chief Justice, the Honourable Ian Chang, cannot be confirmed because in February, 2016 he would reach the age of 65 years. However, I would like to suggest that after his retirement, the government should find some position for him because with his excellent legal knowledge and experience, he could continue to make valuable contributions to the legal profession in Guyana, especially in Public Laws. The government’s failure to take this opportunity to retain the retired acting Chief Justice in

See Page 7

“The best and most informed judgement on this [Diwali] and other issues can only be made when the views of all are examined. No single organisation should entertain the ambition of dominating the entire Hindu society. None should be given de facto monopoly.” All leaders in the Hindu community should follow the advice of the revered Swami to avoid disagreements. The one on the date for Diwali should have never happened in the first place.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

Gov’t to reclaim Red House land from PPP

By Svetlana Marshall

THE controversial Red House deal, which has been described as “illegal” will be scrapped, according to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams and the land will be returned to the State. Under the stewardship of the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, the State land on which the Red House sits, was transferred under the guise of a lease which was grossly undervalued. But while admitting that it is a criminal and civil matter, the Attorney General on Wednesday said the government through the AG’s Chambers has been in discussion with the PPP/C to have the matter resolved by having the land returned to the State. A legal settlement can be reached through the utilisation of the Criminal Procedure (Plea Bargaining and Plea Agreement) Act 2008 which allows discussions to be held with the view to arriving at a con-

sensus with the defendant, the appointed lawyer and the DPP or an authorised representative. Since negotiations commenced, a team from the opposition comprising Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran and PPP executive member Hydar Ally have met with the Attorney General. “The land has to be returned to the State and… the building ought not to be used only for the late President Cheddi Jagan. We have other past presidents and all the past presidents should really be dealt with in that building. That is our position,” the Legal Affairs Minister said. In August, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had revealed to the National Assembly and by extension the rest of Guyana that the former PPP/C had privatised the Red House. In 2012 a company was established named Cheddi Jagan Research Inc. and the building was leased by the PPP/C to that company. The lease agreement has a duration of 99 years at a cost of only $1,000 monthly. This will add up to $12,000 per

year and $1,188,000 over the 99-year period. However, this will not be even a quarter of what was spent to build, renovate and maintain the building over the years. The building with its distinctive red colour is situated in High Street, Kingston between Young and Barrack Streets. It is built of pitch-pine timber and covered with red wallaba shingles. The Red House was acquired in 1925 by the Colony of British Guiana and Sir Eustace Woolford, a Speaker of the Legislature, was one of the early owners of the house. Between 1925 to 1953, numerous Colonial Secretaries resided there. Dr. Cheddi Jagan also lived there from 1961 to 1964 while he served as Premier of British Guiana. Subsequently from 1965 to the early 1990s the Red House had accommodated the Public Service Ministry. The house was left vacant until 1999 when the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre was established in the building, according to online sources.

says centre will be for all presidents

The Cheddi Jagan Research Centre at Red House.

Carl Singh should be appointed ... From Page 6 the system would possibly lead to unforeseen problems. It is known that retired Judges are always available. In the case of the late Chancellor George, he was employed at the Court of Appeal in the Bahamas. In the case of our only female Chancellor, now retired Madam Justice Desiree Bernard, she went to the Caribbean Court

of Appeal and now has gone on further. The late Chancellor, the Honourable Aubrey Bishop made valued contributions at the University of Guyana as well as the retired Attorney General, the Honourable Justice Massiah and I can go on and on. Since this government is working assiduously towards good for Guyana, in my opinion it should not give any opportu-

nity for the opposition who appear not to have the entire Guyana at heart to steal people like the Honourable Ian Chang. After his retirement I trust that this simple analysis will lend some assistance to the government to deal with the matters at hand. Regards JONAS, M.F. CODDETT

Two men fingered in electronics robbery

TWO men from the East L a P e n i t e n c e a re a o f Georgetown were on Tuesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after being fingered in a multi-million-dollar armed robbery at the A.N Electronics store on Croal Street. Alfred Hiscott, 17, of 155 Middle Road,La Penitence,Georgetown and Kenton Vallet, 20, of Lot 47 Middle Road, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and pleaded not guilty to four counts of armed robbery. It is alleged that on October 23, 2015 in Georgetown, while being in the company

of others and being armed with a gun, they robbed Caphel Harriprashad of 43 cell phones valued $1.5M, the property of Neshad Ramnarine. The second charge read that on the same day at the same location, while being in the company of others and being armed with a gun, they robbed Kevin Moonsammy of one cellular phone valued $45,000 and $20,000 cash. The court further heard that the men robbed Lawrence Fegeira of one Laptop, one gold ring and cash. They are also accused of robbing Caphel Harriprashad of GY$250,000 and US$400.

According to the police report, one of the suspects entered the A.N Electronic Store and began making inquiries about a cellular phone. However, a few moments later another man joined him and ordered the employees in the store to lie on the ground. The two men later escaped after raiding the store of several high-end electronic items and relieving those trapped inside of their valuables. The men were however apprehended a few days later when the police swooped down on a house at Middle Road and arrested six men in connection with the robbery. During a search conducted on the premises, the police found several cellular phones and an unlicensed .32 revolver along with ammunition. Police Prosecutor Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that although some of the phones were recovered, the police file was incomplete. The unrepresented Hiscott and Vallet will return to court on November 19 for statements.

Fraud charge dismissed A CHARGE of fraudulent conversion against an information technology technician was on Wednesday dismissed by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when the technician appeared before her charged with fraudulently converting his customer’s electronic item to his own use and benefit.

Twenty-four-year-old Samuel Springer of 32 West La Penitance was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that between May 1 and May 27, 2015 at Alberttown while being solely entrusted with one HP laptop valued at $45,000 and an iPhone valued at $275,000, property of

Jose Bristol, he fraudulently converted the same to his own use and benefit. When the Administration of Justice Act was applied, the accused denied the allegation. It was revealed that the complainant was a customer of the accused and didn’t want to proceed with the matter. The magistrate granted the application and dismissed the charge after ordering the accused to pay a fine of $5,000.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

11-yr-old among girls rescued at Baramita

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes

AN 11-year-old girl was among several girls that were picked up from a bar in Baramita, North-West District, Barima-Waini Region 1 on Saturday night following a visit by Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes and several high-level government officials. Subsequently, the child was brought to Georgetown and an investigation has been launched into the matter. Minister Broomes said that the child is fully cooperating with police; however, because it is a highly sensitive issue, the findings will not be publicised. The child was seen in school on Friday when Minister Broomes along with Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock and Minister within the Ministry of Communities Dawn Hastings-Williams visited the community and engaged the students of the Baramita Primary School on the importance of education and trafficking in persons (TIP). According to Minister Broomes, the child is being kept in a safe home and the parents were contacted and are also assisting with the investigation. In responding to a call to sweep the community of Baramita, Minister Broomes proceeded

to conduct house-to-house visits, and met with parents who expressed concern about their teenaged daughters being exploited. Minister Broomes explained that Cabinet has approved her working along with the Minister of Governance to tackle some of the issues in mining areas of which Baramita is one. It is for this reason that she will be on the ground tackling the issues of health and safety, child labour, and TIP. Minister Broomes visited the bars in Baramita and educated the owners about the laws governing the age of persons consuming alcohol. She said that if shop owners are caught selling alcohol to children then the law must take its course. The illegal shops located along Golden City (the backdam) have been served notices to remove by November 1. Minister Broomes observed that there was a five-year-old disabled child that was lying on the floor in a house clothes-less. She cannot walk nor speak. “The previous government has failed the people of Baramita. They talk so much of the development of Amerindians, yet the people are suffering… Not even the Toshao himself knew that there is a child with disability in the village…I want to encourage families that if you have a child with a disability do not be ashamed, they are human beings and let us love them, see how best you can assist them and ensure they get the right medical attention,” Minister Broomes stressed. She immediately instructed the toshao to provide a mattress for the child. She advised that the coalition government will be placing a lot of emphasis on persons with disabilities and added that the Minister of Public Health will be engaged in the matter to ensure that the child is properly examined and is provided with a wheelchair. She will also be reporting the matter to Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence to ensure that the child receives public assistance and is provided with a hamper. Minister Broomes urged members of the National Toshaos Council and the Amerindian associations to assist the ministry in identifying persons with similar situations so that they can receive assistance. “I have heard the cry of the people of Baramita, and I have already started to respond to them. The people were brave to say that they want me to sweep the community and they will do the mopping [up] after,” Minister Broomes emphasised. She has instructed the Village Council to identify at least three persons to be trained as welfare officers. (GINA)

Venezuelan woman robbed at gunpoint A MAN accused of robbing a Venezuelan woman of raw gold and cash at gunpoint at Arau Landing in the Essequibo district was remanded to prison. Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday was 25-year-old Reginald Williams, a miner of Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown, charged with robbery under arms. It is alleged that on October 12, 2015, Williams while being armed with a gun, robbed Mariah De Rosano of 70 grams of raw gold, valued

$350,000(G) and $350,000 in Venezuelan bolívars. Williams pleaded not guilty to the offence. The prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones objected to bail on account of the gravity and nature of the offence and the fact that a gun was used during the course of the crime. The chief magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Williams until December 15, when he will make an appearance at the Kamarang Magistrates Court.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

Murder accused pleads guilty to manslaughter

– probation report, sentencing set for Nov. 6 MIDWAY during the hearing Monday of the trial of Joseph Williams, called ’Joel,’ for the shooting to death of Victor Da Silva in 2013,Williams pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Following the direction of Presiding Judge Justice JoAnn Barlow, the mixed jury returned a formal verdict of “Not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.” But after Defence Counsel Mr. Peter Hugh requested a probation report before sentencing, the judge postponed

Jury empanelled for Mahaica murder trial

AT the Demerara Assizes Monday, a mixed jury was empanelled to try Mark Major, of Mahaica, for having on January 6, 2012, in the County of Demerara, murdered Orin Forde. Justice Roxane George will preside at the trial.

the matter to November 6 in order to hear the report. State Counsel Ms Diana Kaulesar and Ms Shonette Austin prosecuted. When the matter was first called up, the prosecution claimed that they would lead evidence to show that Da Silva was killed in the furtherance of a robbery. Both judge and jury heard that the accused, together with persons unknown, murdered DaSilva in the course or furtherance of a robbery on July 8, 2013. They heard this during Prosecutrix Kaulesar’s opening address to the jury. According to her, the facts are that on July 8, 2013, Cecil Gajadhar left the gas station in the company of Victor DaSilva, his friend. They were headed to the Bank with some money. But whilst in the vicinity of the Kingston koker, the vehicle in front of him stopped suddenly. As Gajadhar stopped his car, gunshots rang out . He was shot and so was DaSilva, as was confirmed by the post–mortem done on

DaSilva’s body on July 10, 2013. The cause of death was given as multiple gunshot injuries. The accused in an interview with the police, admitted that he was part of a plan and that he’d traced this vehicle, which he referred to as “a silver RAV 4.” On the morning of the incident, he, along with the others, acted purposefully. His role was to track the car, while the others would take it. This is what he told the police. He claimed that he did not know the names of the three other men who were part of the plan with him. Counsel told the jury, “It would be for you to examine this plan, along with the other evidence in the prosecution’s case, and to determine the scope of that plan; the extent of the accused’s involvement; and his liability for his actions.” Later in the trial on Monday afternoon, the accused elected to change his plea from “not guilty of murder” to “guilty of manslaughter.”

Two arrested for digging up gov’t reserves THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Wednesday apprehended two persons in the Farm community, East Bank Demerara for illegally excavating government reserves. Minister within the Ministry of Communities Keith Scott along with a team from the CH&PA swooped down on the area after receiving reports of the activity. “When we came out here, there were five trucks on the ground, three of them drove away but we got two trucks and a

bob-cat, so we are now taking them to the station right now,” Enforcement and Investigation Officer, CH&PA, Lestor Kit told the Government Information Agency. The vehicles apprehended are GPP 4091 and GJJ 4002. He explained that for the past two weeks, the CH&PA has been receiving information of persons removing the dirt from all the reserves in the Farm/ Providence and Covent Garden areas. “They been using bob-cats and trucks and grading up that mud

and selling it for $15000 to $20000,” Kit explained. He said that since receiving the report the CH&PA has been looking for these persons but has been unable to apprehend the individuals because, they tend to mostly work in the night, and on the weekends, when the unit is not as active. Kit noted that these persons have been digging on these reserves in some areas to a depth of five feet. He expressed concern that this could lead to flood, in these areas, if it were to rain.

Guyana makes big leap in boosting... From page 2 in the negative, although FATF would have urged Guyana to ensure that the FIU is fully operational and effectively functioning. But he explained that while the International Coordinating Review Group (ICRG) would have lauded the country for passing the AML/CFT Amendment Bill and for the other typologies that were done by the FIU, the Plenary did not mention those regulations when the meeting was convened. However, he maintained that all of the recommendations in relation to the FIU were met. “So there is nothing to be done to the FIU,” he emphasized. According to Minister Williams, the government was highly praised by FATF, ICRG and the FATF Plenary at the recently concluded meeting in Paris, France. “The ICRG adopted the Assessors’ report of its regional arm, the Americas Region Review Group (ARRG) which stated inter alia, that

the main development in Guyana is the enactment of the AML/CFT Amendment Act 2015 which became enforceable on July 10, 2015,” he reported. The ARRG’s report concluded that “Guyana has demonstrated its commitment to comply with the action plan and is to be commended for having met most of the deadlines.” It was also recommended that Guyana maintains its status quo in the Compliance Document. “The Compliance Document is FATF’s process of an ongoing review of compliance with the AML/ CFT standards incorporated in an action plan agreed to by FATF and countries like Guyana identified as hearing strategic deficiencies. The three colour schemes in this classification areLight Grey; Grey and Dark Grey,” the Attorney General explained. It was further pointed out that the FATF Public Statement is the other category

whose colour classification is Black. As such ‘blacklisted’ countries are those jurisdictions that are subject to a FATF call on its members and other jurisdictions to apply counter-measures to safeguard the International Financial System from the ongoing and substantial money laundering and terrorist financing risk meaning from the identified jurisdiction. In the case of Guyana, Williams said the country is not blacklisted but is rather in a “light grey situation.” Meanwhile, in explaining the process of “delisting,” the Attorney General said FATF would first have to examine the progress made by a given country based on the reports submitted by the ARRG and CFATF. Once this is found to be satisfactory, the international body would then order an onsite visit allowing for a team of assessors to visit the country of interest to confirm the level of implementation.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

FITUG knocks gov’t on set up of TURCB …bemoans $500,000 budgetary allocation THE Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) said that as the major trade union bloc it should have been consulted on the recent appointment of a chairman and members of the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board

(TURCB). It has also criticised the government for what it described as a paltry $500,000 budgetary allocation as compared to the $8M offered to the Guyana Trades Union Congress. In a statement the union said it “is gravely concerned that the Granger

administration is already self-inflicting serious damage to its touted labour-friendly status and adherence to regulatory morality, even the industrial rule of law.” FITUG pointed out that the procedures for the appointment of the chairman and members of the Trade

Union Recognition and Certification Board (TURCB) are clearly laid out in the Trade Union Recognition Act (TURA). The act states, inter alia: “the Board shall consist of seven members, each appointed by the Minister AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATIONS OF WORKERS AND THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATIONS OF EMPLOYERS; three members appointed by the minister on the nomination of the most representative organisation of workers; three members appointed by the minister on the nomination of the most representative organisation of employers.” According to FITUG, it is surprised, near to being shocked that, as the verifiable “most representative organisation of workers” in the country it was not invited as a body with respect to the instant appointment of former judge Claudette La Bennett as Chairman of the TURCB. “The previous board had expired at the end of June last and as the body which has to deal with all vital matters related to trade union recognition and ultimate certification as the official, justified and valid bargaining agent(s), in keeping with employees’ preference, it is expected that the legal transparency would have attended such an appointment. No such courtesy was extended to the FITUG whose thousands of membership dwarfs any affiliations the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) can claim.” FITUG said it is now left to wonder just who will constitute the board’s next six members as it should be consulted before such appoint-

ments. “There are extremely vital matters now pending for the still-to-be-appointed board’s consideration and urgent transparency with regard to its re-establishment is crucial to labour movement democracy, the majority worker organisation is contending.” According to FITUG, a senior official of the federation has also suggested that both the credibility and integrity of the Granger administration is being seriously compromised very early in its labour movement stewardship. “The stark, impossible-to-explain-or-justify disparity in the recent 2015 Budget Estimates allocation of funding to labour organisations which saw $8,000,000 being allocated to a favourite GTUC and just $500,000 being offered to the giant FITUG speaks volumes”, says the official. This does not bode well for a labour movement democratic future under the APNU-AFC regime. Rather, such arbitrary actions, which it opposed just recently, can lead to dangerous non-cohesion amongst labour’s representatives, is the FITUG’s warning. FITUG is a breakaway umbrella trade union body which over the years was given succour by the previous PPP/C administration. Last week, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo told a news conference that government had established several committees to partner with the trades union bodies and other workers’ representative organisations in its quest to ensure that workers’ rights are upheld, they are remunerated fairly and have a conducive working environment. Prime Minister Nagamootoo advised that Cabinet at its meeting on October 20, 2015 approved the appointment of the Board of Directors for the National Tripartite Committee, which

will be chaired by Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes. Members will include Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence, representatives of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries (CAGI), the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG). “This committee will deal with matters relating to industrial relations, human resource management and labour policies. We have now given this an institutional clout in what is called the National Tripartite Committee,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister has advised that, “We have appointed these entities to work along with the government and this board… very important features of the struggles of the working people of Guyana for trade union recognition emerged from the Trade Union Recognition Act chapter 98:07 of the laws of Guyana, and it concerns the procedures for certifying trade unions and recognised bodies.” Cabinet has also appointed members of the Board of Directors for the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board which will be chaired by Justice Claudette La Bennett and will include representatives from CAGI, the GTUC and FITUG. Nagamootoo explained that, “it means that if this body were to function effectively and efficiently, there should be no poaching, no renegade trade unions trying to impose themselves on the workers.” Workers under the laws have a right to pick a union of their choice and, “I believe this is one of the historic high points of the struggles of the working people of Guyana.”

PPP Mabaruma members object to township status – Rohee GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Clement Rohee says that party members in Mabaruma are objecting to the community being upgraded to township status. The members made their objection by way of a Resolution presented and adopted at the People’s Progressive Party Mabaruma District Conference on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at Wauna Primary School, Rohee said in a release. The following resolution was presented and passed unanimously at the activity referred to at caption, at which over 300 persons were present: “We the residents

of constituencies within the Mabaruma/Hosororo/Kumaka Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), whose names/signatures have been affixed to the attached Resolution do declare that we are not in agreement with the government’s decision to declare Mabaruma a town during 2016. We declare that notwithstanding the developments and improvements that have taken place within the NDC during the past two decades, there are yet further improvements to be realised, primarily in the areas of utility services and infrastructural improvements before we attain the status of township and contest

the 2016 Local Government Elections having satisfactorily met the status of township.” Furthermore, the PPP members said the elevation to the status of a town will impose an increased cost of living on citizens of the township in terms of the statutory requirement for them to pay rates and taxes. “Residents have asserted that what they need as a matter of urgency is the creation of more job opportunities which would allow for an increase of their earnings and hence their ability to meet the additional expenses occasioned by any elevation of Mabaruma to town status,” the PPP said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

‘Pirated’, ‘cracked’ software illegal, carries security risks – Public Security Ministry – Microsoft currently offering free Windows 10 Upgrade THE Guyana National Computer Incident Response Team is advising the general public that there are security risks inherent in the use of “pirated” or “cracked” software, according to a release from the Ministry of Public Security. Recently, the issue of pirated, cracked, and unlicensed software being used in government ministries and agencies was highlighted at the public hearings of the Public Service Commission of Inquiry. The ministry has stated that software can be classified as either proprietary or open source. “Proprietary software is protected under copyright law. Typically, to use proprietary software such as

Microsoft Windows, licence keys need to be acquired from the vendor to properly activate the software. These licence keys are acquired by purchasing a licence to use the software. Some individuals can determine this licence key by a process called reverse engineering and offer a version of the software free for download online,” the release stated. “This is referred to as “cracking” or “pirating” of software. It is illegal in many countries to use and distribute pirated software. Distributors of “pirated” or “cracked” software modify the original software produced by vendors such as Microsoft.” MALWARE In modifying the soft-

ware, the ministry noted that malware can be introduced and backdoors which expose corporate and personal data. Typically, the average Guyanese personal computer user purchases a desktop, laptop or tablet and the cost for the operating system and software installed on the device is usually included in the total cost for the system. Problems typically arise when the computer develops a hardware or software problem or if the hard disc fails. Under these circumstances an operating system reload becomes necessary and some computer technicians will download a ‘cracked’ version of Microsoft Windows and other Productivity and Utility Software to get the system

back up and running. IT IS THEFT The ministry further noted that the problem with using cracked operating systems/software is first and foremost an ethical issue, because it is theft and violation of intellectual property and copyrighted material. And secondly, the operating system/software that is being downloaded is not authentic and, as mentioned earlier, can and often does contain malware which infects a user’s system and can open a host of backdoors for stealing of information. “Many Guyanese computer home users are using Microsoft Windows in an unlicensed manner and the risk to doing this is that one is not able to benefit from

the product and security updates. Microsoft is currently offering a free Windows 10 Upgrade and eligible users should consider upgrading their systems.” The release said further that some home users and some small businesses are still using Microsoft XP and since this is a discontinued (no support, no new

updates or patches) version of Microsoft Windows, XP users are at risk of being upgraded to a cracked, new version of Microsoft Windows together with a cracked version of Microsoft Office if special attention is not paid to copyright issues during the reloading and upgrading of their computer systems.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

Kwakwani Secondary tops Pesticide Awareness Drama Final – easy access to pesticides makes it a leading suicide method – PS Jervis

THE improper storage, unregulated sale and easy access to pesticides are among the factors that facilitate its intentional ingestion as a leading suicide method, according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture George Jervis. He was delivering an address on Tuesday at the Pesticide Awareness in Secondary Schools drama final and awards ceremony at the Theatre Guild, Kingston. Suicide continues to be a major problem in Guyana and despite efforts by the authorities to bring it under control, the unregulated sale of pesticides appears to be fuelling the scourge. EASY ACCESS Jervis said that “suicide is a big issue here in the country, many of us have lost friends, relatives, acquaintances and people that we know. More often than not, if those persons didn’t have easy access to the chemical, they would have thought about it again, because many persons after drinking the poisons asked to be taken

The students of Kwakwani Secondary collect the winner’s trophy and prize at the Pesticide Awareness in Secondary Schools drama final and awards ceremony at the Theatre Guild

to the hospital.” He cautioned that before the use of any pesticide, one must be sure it is needed. Moreover, persons should research alternative pest management methods and keep in mind that most pests cannot be entirely eliminated, even with pesticides.

Underscoring that prevention is always the best way to manage a pest problem, the permanent secretary said a first step in not having to use pesticides is to ensure that the environs are cleaned and maintained. “Don’t go to bed with the sink full of food and wares so

Gov’t intervention crucial to rice industry

– if small farmers are to survive By Clifford Stanley THERE’S a school of thought out there that rice production is a private business and as such, any involvement of the government would be a usurpation of the private sector’s authority. At least, that’s the opinion of one senior official in the agricultural sector. “Rice farmers think that they can do their transactions privately and then come to the government to ensure that the price they negotiated for is increased.… But no! That’s not the role of the government! Private enterprise is a private matter, and we respect that privacy,” he told the Guyana Chronicle just last week. President David Granger himself said recently: “The administration does not want to have to bail out the rice industry; we don’t want to become a banker with overdrafts for rice exporters

and millers. “Our role is to establish a framework; to provide a level playing field, so that the industry can prosper. Our role is to ensure safety; to ensure respect for labour laws, and to assist in the promotion of market access for rice exporters.” The correctness of these positions notwithstanding, there are many who are saying that government’s intervention in the rice industry is absolutely necessary at this point in time, particularly to ensure the survival of those rice farmers who own small acreages of land, but do not have the wherewithal to access capital or machinery to cultivate those lands. GAIBANK DAYS Up to the mid-90s, farmers planting less than 10 acres of rice lands were able to access financing for cultivation through the now defunct Guyana Agricultural Development Bank (GAI-

BANK). They were able to access machinery for land preparation and harvesting at concessionary rates by hiring government-owned tractors and harvesters. These provisions made small rice holdings possible. During a recent lecture, distinguished Guyanese Professor in the field of Sociology Dr Wazir Mohamed, who hails from a rice-farming family, said of those days: “My father planted 10 acres of rice. We did not have tractors or combines; we depended on government-owned tractors and government-owned combines. That is how we survived.” Upon the previous administration’s assumption of office, however, GAIBANK was dissolved, and the equipment pool owned by various entities, including the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA), were evenTurn to page 14 ►

that the rats and other parasites can come in and feed. And then you will turn around and put carbon tablets to get rid of the rats. Don’t have the bins in your yard opened so that the neighbouring rats can come and feed there.” However, observers said while the move to register

unlicensed shops vending the chemicals is most welcome, this is a minimalist approach to address the problem. Several agricultural experts noted that what was needed was greater control over farmers’ accessing of pesticides, and this could be done through strengthening extension services in farming communities. The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB), which has direct responsibility for monitoring pesticides, has been playing the lead role in raising awareness through sensitisation campaigns countrywide and by ensuring compliance with its recommended safety standards.

DRAMA Meanwhile, three schools participated in a dramatic presentation to highlight the dangers of improper use of pesticide that can lead to ill health. According to the Registrar, Pesticide and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, Trecia David, nine secondary schools participated in the drama competition from Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and

10 (Aurora Secondary, Cotton Field Secondary, Leguan Secondary, Essequibo Islands Secondary, Hope Secondary, Mahaicony Secondary, Tagore Secondary, J.C. Chandisingh and Kwakwani Secondary). She said from that number, the final three schools chosen to compete for the winning prize were Kwakwani Secondary, J.C. Chandisingh and Leguan Secondary. The winner of the competition was Kwakwani Secondary which received the firstplace trophy, CSEC textbooks valued $20,000, and $125,000 worth of equipment for the school; second place went to Leguan Secondary which received the second-place prize (a trophy, CSEC textbooks valued $20,000 and $100,000 worth of equipment for the school); and third place which went to J.C. Chandisingh trophy, CSEC textbooks valued $20,000 and $75,000 worth of equipment for the school). Meanwhile, the other six secondary schools all received a consolation prize of CSEC textbooks valued $20,000.

NY police to escort Holder’s remains to Guyana

Police officer carry the casket of Holder during his wake on Tuesday

In a touching tribute, the casket of slain New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer Randolph Holder will be carried off a plane in his native Guyana on today by six members of the NYPD’s special ceremonial unit, sources told The Post. Holder, 33 — whose father and grandfather were

both cops in Guyana — is set to be laid to rest here after a funeral at a Queens cathedral Wednesday afternoon. Several dozen more NYPD officers will fly with the police pallbearers to Guyana to attend his burial in Georgetown, sources said. Holder’s body will be

accompanied to Guyana by his family on the same plane out of Kennedy Airport on Thursday around noon, sources said. The East Harlem cop was shot dead after a gun battle involving a drug turf war last week. Thousands of officers from around the country attended his funeral at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York in Jamaica yesterday. The funeral follows a day-long wake Tuesday that drew hundreds of police officers and everyone from Mayor de Blasio to top cop Bill Bratton, his predecessor Ray Kelly, Timothy Cardinal Dolan and the families of several other fallen hero cops. (New York Post)

GuySuCo invites GAWU for... the start of negotiations in earnest on the wages issue for 2015.” Noting that the threeday strike action was solid, GAWU said it demonstrated the unity of the industry’s workers in defence of their interests and rights. “We feel that this action, in

a small way, influenced the meeting of GAWU/GuySuCo Friday.” On the table for discussions are GAWU’s proposals for wage increases for 2015 and possible adjustments to certain fringe benefits. “We are hopeful that these negoti-

From page 4

ations will bring positive and satisfactory results, especially in the context of the exceptional performances of the workers during the crop which resulted in the surpassing of weekly targets on a number of occasions,” GAWU stated.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

Gov’t intervention crucial... tually scrapped. Professor Wazir noted that despite the expansion of marketing opportunities in the 90s onwards, the disappearance of cheap and available financing and availability of machinery to small farmers had led to the haemorrhaging of small farmers out of the industry. “An industry which was originally a small-farmer, subsistence-based economy has, since the 90s, become a large farmer entity,” he said, adding:

“The number of small farming families with direct contact with the industry is dwindling; farm size has increased and is increasing as small farmers are evolving/being forced out of the industry.”

FORCED OUT He noted that as a result of the disappearance of financing and access to machinery, many farmers with small holdings have been forced to rent their rice lands to the highest bidder.

Those farmers with access to capital and machinery now occupy a commanding position in the rural areas. The resultant situation is most pronounced in Region 3 (Essequibo-West Demerara); Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica) Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice); and Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne), where small farming is disappearing at an alarming rate. Wazir said that there is a growing inequality gap in

the rural areas as the process expands. This inequality gap, he said, is affecting both segments of the rural population, but it is more pronounced in some of the Afro-Guyanese communities, especially West Coast Berbice villages. Said he: “The government and the private sector have to be involved in partnership with farmers. There must be duty-free fertilisers for farmers; duty-free inputs; duty-free spare parts. There must be some kind

From page 13

of investment bank. “If we want to protect the small rice-farming culture, there has to be some kind of machinery pool where the man who has a small acreage can get his field ploughed; we have to have government intervention. Government needs to enable the evolution of a level playing field between small and large farmers.” He said that one of the reasons the Europeans have used to justify the granting of subsidies to small farm-

ers, was preservation of the rural culture. He posited that a shortterm solutions to the problems of the industry should focus on strategies to find immediate markets. The long-term strategy should seek to create sustainable growth that ensures not only the preservation of the industry but the preservation of a rural rice culture and the fullest possible involvement of small farmers in the industry.

Thursday, October 29, 2015 - 05:00 hrs Friday, October 30, 2015 - 05:00 hrs Saturday, October 31, 2015 - 05:30 hrs

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, October 29, 2015

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

NSC’ chairman Persaud sends off cyclists for the ninth edition of the five-stage road race By Michael DaSilva NEWLY-APPOINTED National Sports Commission chairman Ivan Persaud yesterday sent off the cyclists to Berbice for the start of the Tour of Guyana five-stage cycle road race and wished them all well in their quest for victory. In a brief address to the cyclists and officials, Persaud, a former national footballer, expressed the hope that the cyclists will abide by the rules and regulations governing the sport and will pay keen attention to health and safety during the gruelling five-stage event, which for the past years was known as the `Ride for Life’ five-stage race, and was then sponsored by the Ministry of Health, through its HIV/AIDS programme. This year’s Tour of Guyana is being sponsored by the National Sports Commission with part sponsorship from beverage giant Banks DIH Limited. Persaud warned that the cyclists cannot afford to miss water stations as it will be bad for their health. He stressed the point that there is nothing in life that does not have rules and regulations. At the time he was reminding members of Team Coco’s pulling out of the race last year because of a five-second point deduction, after the fourth stage, when there was an infringement of the rules by the team and they pulled out of the event even though they were way ahead of the other participants. “This is bad for the sport,” Persaud stressed. He urged the local cyclists to not allow foreign cyclists to `come in your own backyard’ and beat you. As of yesterday, 13 foreign cyclists have been registered, including Cuban and Colombian cyclists based in Miami, USA and who are all members of the nine-member Team Coco’s team. Five are from Suriname, two from Barbados, one from Grenada, one from Jamaica and another from Antigua. NSC’s Administrative Officer, Gervy Harry, who chaired the proceedings, promised that the `Tour of Guyana will continue as the years go by and it is his desire to see it getting bigger and even attracting more foreign cyclists, making it a truly international event.

In brief remarks, race organiser Hassan Mohamed stressed the importance for cyclists to reach the starting line as early as possible, to get their names registered and he warned that should any of them not adhere to this rule, they will be disqualified forthwith. The race pedals off from outside the Corriverton police station at 07:30hrs this morning with the stage ending at Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam. Stage two will start at 14:00hrs from the Rosignol Stelling and will conclude on Carifesta Avenue today also. Tomorrow’s third stage starts from outside the Wales Police Station, West Bank Demerara at 09:00hrs and

ends at Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo. From there the cyclists will journey to the Essequibo Coast for stage four which starts at 07.30hrs on Saturday from Supenaam, proceed to Charity and return to finish at Suddie, Essequibo Coast. The final stage is set to wheel off at 08:30hrs on Sunday from Kara Kara, Linden Highway and conclude on Homestretch Avenue. The defending champion is Robin Persaud who clocked 10 hours 26 minutes .06 seconds last year. However, the record holder for the event is Jaime Ramirez of Colombia who in 2012 returned nine hours 46 minutes 51 seconds for the gruelling event.

Charles, Ebanks ... From Backpage event, stated that the upcoming competition is geared towards serving as nursery for the production of boxers for Elite competitions staged by the AMBC and/or AIBA, and to give technical officials of the region an opportunity to get much needed practice

South Africa Racing Tips Vaal 08:45 hrs Chief Sioux 09:25 hrs Ballerini 10:05 hrs Eastside 10:40 hrs Kidmambo 11:15 hrs Strongmind English Racing Tips Lingfield 08:50 hrs Intermittent 09:20 hrs Impressive Day 09:50 hrs Candella 10:20 hrs California 10:50 hrs Hold Tight 11:20 hrs Very Special 11:50 hrs He’s A Dreamer 12:20 hrs Bookmaker Sedgefield 09:00 hrs Amuse Me 09:30 hrs Love The Leader 10:00 hrs Western Breeze 10:30 hrs Sealous Scout 11:00 hrs Sun Cloud 11:30 hrs Camillas Wish 12:00 hrs Gunner Lindley Stratford

in preparation for moving forward in the AIBA training programme. So far, Barbados and Jamaica have signalled their intention to send referee/judges to officiate next month. Trinidad James Beckles will host a workshop for officials prior to the start of the tournament.

09:40 hrs Faustina Pius 10:10 hrs Barton Rose 10:40 hrs Goohar 11:10 hrs Hawkhurst 11:40 hrs Al Alfa 12:10 hrs Charbel Irish Racing Tips Clonmel 09:25 hrs Ten Times Better 10:55 hrs For Pedro 10:25 hrs Damut 10:55 hrs Run For Firth 11:25 hrs Elegant Statesman 11:55 hrs Carrigmoorna Rock 12:25 hrs Day Day American Racing Tips Keenland Race 1 Winkatdawat Race 2 Reverend Green Race 3 Mal Guapo Race 4 Union Jackson Race 5 Carina Mia Race 6 House of Sole Race 7 Taghleeb Race 8 Falling Sky Race 9 Come as You Are

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

Nakhid disqualified as seven ready to run for head of FIFA By Joshua Franklin ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - Seven candidates are now lined up to take over at FIFA from Sepp Blatter, whose 18 years as president are ending with world soccer’s governing body entangled in a scandal over pervasive corruption. FIFA confirmed seven candidates had registered by Monday’s deadline, with candidates from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. One potential candidate, David Nakhid, was forced out yesterday when his registration was ruled invalid. Another, South Korean Chung MongJoon, pulled out on Monday because he had been banned from soccer for six years. Among the seven registered candidates, Michel Platini’s is in doubt. The head of European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, he

is also currently suspended for 90 days, along with Blatter. Those remaining are: Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrein; Frenchmen Platini and Jerome Champagne; and the Swiss Gianni Infantino, Liberian Musa Bility and South Africa’s Tokyo Sexwale. One of them will become the head of an organisation facing its worst scandal ever. The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives on a series of corruption charges, and Swiss authorities are investigating the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar respectively. Since 2010, FIFA’s own Ethics Committee has banned more than a dozen current and former members of the

executive committee, either while in office or after they had left. The exclusion of Nakhid

Former T&T international David Nakhid registration is ruled invalid by FIFA. was a surprise, though. A former Trinidad and Tobago international player, he took part on Monday in a sports

conference in Denmark, along with Champagne, as a candidate. He spent Tuesday afternoon giving interviews and laying out his plans. “SHOCKED” But FIFA’s electoral rules state that candidates must present letters of support from five football associations, and that each cannot back more than one candidate. One association had signed letters of support for both Nakhid and a rival candidate. “One of the five declarations of support for Mr Nakhid was declared invalid as the same member association had issued a declaration of support for another candidate,” FIFA said yesterday. “The electoral committee decided not to consider Mr Nakhid’s application as it did not fulfil the required five declarations of support.” Nakhid’s spokesper-

son told Reuters they were “shocked” and would appeal. He plans to issue a formal statement later. The seven other candidates must now face integrity checks under FIFA’s code of ethics. FIFA said that Platini’s bid would not be processed while he is banned, but he could still stand if he wins an appeal. “Should such a ban be lifted or expire before the FIFA presidential election, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee would decide, depending on the respective exact point in time, on how to proceed with the candidature concerned,” FIFA said in a statement. As an alternative European candidate, UEFA’s general secretary Infantino announced he would stand on Monday. Champagne is a former French diplomat who held various posts at FIFA be-

tween 1999 and 2010 but is a critic of UEFA. Sexwale is a South African businessman and former apartheid-era political prisoner and Bility is head of the Liberian Football Association. Prince Ali is a former FIFA executive committee member and Sheikh Salman is head of the Asian Football Confederation. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said in a statement it had heard representations from four of the candidates but was not yet ready to endorse any of them. “After discussions with these (four) figures, the executive committee of CAF unanimously decided to let the administrative procedures for the registration of candidates take its course, given there is plenty of time to decide (on a candidate) that will serve the primary interests of the continent,” it said.

Pistons beat Hawks in NBA season opener (THE Sports Xchange) The Atlanta Hawks had no answer to Andre Drummond inside or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope outside, as the Detroit Pistons got their season off to a winning start. Drummond had 18 points and 19 rebounds, while Caldwell-Pope hit four three-pointers en route

to scoring 21 points as the Pistons defeated the Hawks 106-94 in the opener for both teams. Marcus Morris scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Ersan Ilyasova added 16 points. Both were making their Pistons debuts. Detroit guard Reggie Jackson contributed 15 points,

eight rebounds and five assists. Dennis Schroder came off the bench to lead the Hawks with 20 points while Paul Millsap had 19 points and eight rebounds, and Jeff Teague scored 18 points. The Pistons got off to a 5-23 start last season as they missed the playoffs

Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) fights for a loose ball with Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford (15, left) and guard Jeff Teague (0) in the fourth quarter of their game at Philips Arena. (Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)

yet again, while the Hawks set a franchise record with 60 regular-season victories and made the Eastern Conference finals. Detroit scored the first eight points of the second half, completing a 12-0 run, and built their lead to 69-51 with about four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Pistons led 82-66 go-

ing into the fourth quarter after getting 11 points and six rebounds from Drummond in Detroit’s 34-point third period. The Hawks climbed within 96-88 with two minutes remaining but could get no closer. The Pistons made seven of their first 10 shots to build a 20-10 lead, but the Hawks

scored the last nine points of the first quarter to tie it 25-25 and then stretched their run to 14-0 with the first five points of the second. Detroit regained the lead on a three-pointer by Caldwell-Pope with about three minutes left in the second quarter and used a closing 14-4 run for a 48-43 lead at halftime.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

RUBiS Guyana continues support of Guyana Softball Cup A PARTNER from the inaugural tournament in 2011, RUBiS Guyana yesterday committed to another year of sponsorship for the Guyana Softball Cup, the fifth edition of which will bowl off tomorrow at venues across the country. At a simple, but yet significant ceremony at the RUBiS outlet on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, top officials of the company presented what was described as a “handsome” sponsorship package to members of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), the organisation responsible for conceptualising and sustaining the Guyana Softball Cup over the years. Retail Accounts executive Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Mohan of the Vlissengen Road branch represented RUBiS, while the GFSCA members present were Ricky Deonarain, Jailall Deodass, Surendra Nauth and Clive

Canterbury. Johnson said her company was more than pleased to once again partner with the organisers, noting that the GSFCA has been doing a fantastic job in running off the tournament annually. She expects the same level of professionalism that has prevailed over the years, both on and off the field, and said it should be an easy task to replicate such high standards, given the proficiency of the GFSCA members. As has been the case over the past years, RUBiS Guyana will once again be sharing out branded products on the day of the finals. Deodass, speaking on behalf of the GFSCA, said the body was grateful for the support of RUBiS Guyana on a yearly basis, adding that the company started its involvement with the tournament through Bel Air RUBiS for the first two years, before it became a general sponsorship

Clive Canterbury receives the sponsorship cheque from RUBiS Guyana’s Retail Accounts executive Rhonda Johnson. Sharing the moment (from left) are GFSCA vice-president Jailall Deodass, Sharon Mohan of RUBiS Vlissengen Road outlet and GFSCA member Surendra Nauth. on behalf of RUBiS Guyana for the past three years. A total of 26 teams, 10 in the Open and 16 in the Masters, will compete for top honours when the tournament bowls

off tomorrow. It will culminate with the grand finals on Sunday, starting at 11:00hrs and concluding under floodlights at the Demerara Cricket Club ground in Queenstown.

Afghanistan secure another historic win

AFGHANISTAN followed up their ODI series win over Zimbabwe by ending their tour with a 2-0 Twenty20 international series success. Usman Ghani and Gulbadin Naib starred with the bat as Afghanistan secured another historic victory at the expense of Zimbabwe, with yesterday’s dramatic five-wicket win sealing a Twenty20 international series triumph. The minnows claimed their first series victory against a full International Cricket Council (ICC) member nation last week when they edged the oneday internationals 3-2 in Bulawayo. Afghanistan followed that up by winning the first T20 on Monday and, two days later, sealed their first series win over a full ICC member in the shortest format of the game by coming out on top in a gripping contest at Queens Sports Club. Sean Williams (54) made the joint-fastest T20 international half-century by a Zimbabwean as the hosts posted 190-7 after winning the toss. But Ghani (65) and Naib (56 not out) recorded maiden

the record set by Elton Chigumbura, and Zimbabwe were well set on 85-3 when he was out in the ninth over. Mutumbami and Chigumbura (33) then put on 60 in 40 deliveries, but Amir Hamza (2-26) got rid of them both to keep the target below 200. Ghani, playing in his second T20 international, then produced fireworks at the top of the

Usman Ghani

T20 international fifties as the tourists got home with one ball to spare to inflict more misery on Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe got off to a dreadful start as Dawlat Zadran (2-24) bowled Chamu Chibhabha with the second ball of the match. But the impressive Williams and Richmond Mutumbami (43) put on 55 for the third wicket in just over four overs to put Zimbabwe on course for a challenging total. Williams needed just 21 balls to bring up his half-century, matching

order with three sixes and a further six boundaries in an opening stand of 95 with Mohammad Shahzad (24) before his 45-ball knock came to an end. Naib also scored freely and held his nerve in a tense finale, scoring the winning runs from the penultimate ball as the tourists got home after needing 39 from the last three overs. `

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Thursday October 29, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: 67 players 55 players Today’s Quiz: Which two made their Test debut against West Indies? Sujeeva DeSilva; Lasith Malinga; Thilan Thushara; Upal Tharanga; Russell Arnold Which two did not play in the first ever WI/SL Test? Shiv Chanderpaul; Phil Simmons; Carl Hooper; Winston Benjamin; Jimmy Adams Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Wolf ’s Warriors are the defending champions of the Open category, while Floodlights won the Masters division in 2014. Meanwhile, there will be

a team briefing this afternoon from 17:30hrs at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion where the rules will be discussed and any other activity related to the tournament.

NOTABLE DATES

JAMAICAN Errol West became Lennox Blackmoore’s 11th professional victim when he failed to come out for the start of the ninth round of their scheduled 10-round clash. The lightweight contest was held in Guyana on October 29, 1976. A slick lightweight and one of the best counter-punchers produced by Guyana, Blackmoore was idolised by Lennox Blackmoore local and regional fans Guyana was thrown alike and even had a song into wild celebration when made about his exploits Blackmoore defeated the in the ring. The Cancer-born or- Nigerian by points to win thodox lightweight boxer the Commonwealth lightmade his professional debut weight title. The Forbes Burnas a 23-year-old on January ham-led administration 26, 1974. He had two fights with feted the new CommonKid Carrington and two wealth champion in fine with Trinidadian Claude style upon his return home. In a quest to become Noel. `Blackie’ also had three clashes with neme- the first world chamsis `Tiger’ Green. He won pion from this countwo of the encounters and try to win a world title, Blackmoore challenged lost the other. He won the national WBA super lightweight lightweight title in June (junior welterweight) 1975 after knocking out champion Aaron `The Green in the 14th round Hawk’ Pryor in June and was 13-1 when he met 1981 but was manhanJonathan Dele on October dled and lost by TKO in round two. 1, 1977 in Lagos, Nigeria.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Thursday October 29, 2015

FIFA’s Blatter blames Platini, England and U.S. for ‘attacks’ MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) - Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was a “ball in a big political power game” involving the United States and Russia in an interview in which he also criticised UEFA’s Michel Platini for playing a part in attacks on him. In the interview with Russia’s TASS news agency, the 79-year-old Swiss also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and said Russia would never lose the 2018 World Cup despite calls from some quarters in Britain. Blatter is serving a 90day suspension imposed by FIFA’s Ethics Committee which is looking into a 2 million Swiss franc (1 million pound) payment he made to Platini in 2011 - a case which is also part of a Swiss criminal investigation. Blatter, who has been president of FIFA since 1998, said politics was behind “at-

tacks” on him which followed the indictment of 14 soccer officials and sports marketing executives by U.S prosecutors in May. “At the beginning it was only a personal attack. It was Platini against me. He started it, but then it became politics,” he said in the interview published yesterday. “And when it is in politics, it is not any longer Platini against me. It is then those who have lost the World Cup. England against Russia. They lost the World Cup. And the USA lost the World Cup against Qatar. “But you cannot destroy FIFA. FIFA is not the Swiss bank. FIFA is not a commercial company. So, what they have done together with the Swiss, they have created this attack towards FIFA and the president of FIFA,” he said. “And you are from TASS and you know what are the

problems between your country and the U.S. The FIFA World Cup or the FIFA president is a ball in the big political power game,” he said. Denouncing England as “bad losers” for losing

Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter the 2108 World Cup to Russia, he said: “In Great Britain, they have made this beautiful game, they have introduced fair play. But there was only one vote going for England. They were eliminated in the first

Johnson’s XI victorious inside three days in PCL practice match LEON Johnson’s XI cruised to a nine-wicket win against Robin Bacchus’ XI on the penultimate day of their final Professional Cricket League (PCL) four-day practice match at the Guyana National Stadium, yesterday. Bacchus’ XI had another poor batting performance to add to their first-innings total of 141. Batting a second time they wilted for 169 in reply to Johnson’s first-innings total of 277.

Gudakesh Motie This left Johnson’s XI a victory target of 34, entering the final session on day three. West Indies Under-19 youth left-hander Shimron Hetmyer seemed eager to

get the match over with but fell for 11 when Raun Johnson had him leg-before with the score on 19. His opening partner Assad Fudadin (6) and Leon Johnson (7) were left unbeaten as they reached the target in 8.4 overs. Day three commenced with Johnson’s XI resuming on their overnight score of 201-5 as Shivnarine Chanderpaul (53) and Raymond Reifer (7) resumed their innings. Shiv added only seven runs to his total while Reifer pressed on to 21 before they were both dismissed. Christopher Barnwell (27) and Anthony Bramble (19) batted well down the order before Barnwell fell and exposed the tail. Steven Jacobs went without scoring then Akshaya Persaud (7) followed soon after, leaving Bramble unbeaten at the other end. Ronsford Beaton claimed 3-41 from 15 overs while Johnson and Paul Wintz bagged 2-31 and 2-35. Javon Searles, Anthony Adams and Bacchus also took a wicket each. Johnson’s XI dominated the match with a lead of 136 before Gudakesh Motie stepped in with his left-arm spin to pick up 4-53 from

round. Nobody wanted to have England”. Blatter said Russia’s preparations for the tournament were going well and he had warm words for Putin whom he described as

20 overs to aggravate their opponents’ misery. Motie was supported by Reifer and

Ronsford Beaton Barnwell who snared two wickets each while Jacobs accounted for one. Searles hit a defiant innings of 60 which included eight fours and two sixes but was run-out by Leon Johnson. Kandasammy Surujnarine and Kemo Paul both made 15 while the only other batsman to enter double figures was Tevin Imlach (12). Guyana are preparing for their first four-day encounter of the Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-Day Tournament against the Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium from November 6 to 9.(Kizan Brumell)

a “good friend of Joseph Josephovich”, referring to himself in Russian style. “You know what I like in Russia also is that in difficult situations I still have the full support of President Putin. This is good. And I

support him in all discussions, in all situations,” he said. “ENVY AND JEALOUSY” Blatter, who said he regretted not standing down as he initially planned in 2014, argued there was “envy and jealousy” of FIFA’s commercial success but rejected the suggestion that the current crisis at FIFA was a de facto ‘American takeover’ of the body. “Personally I don’t think so. Because even speaking about the American takeover of FIFA – football, the real football, where is the real money, where are the good players, the good competition – it’s Europe. They cannot take it. It’s not the way Americans would have business. I don’t think it is in their business thinking. Blatter said FIFA’s Ethics Committee, whose decision he is appealing, had bowed to pressure to

remove him. “I think it was the pressure of the media. It was the pressure to get rid of the FIFA president. Unfortunately, Platini was in the same boat. And they wanted to say – ‘We, Ethics Committee, we are not at the service of the president, we are totally independent. This is wrong’. “They can be independent but they don’t need to be against me,” he said. Blatter suggested Swiss media coverage of him was tainted by “primitive” prejudices about his origins from the small canton of Valais. But after 17 years in football’s top job, Blatter said he hoped he would be cleared in time to lead FIFA’s congress on February 26, which will elect a new leader. “If God is with me, I do hope that I’ll be back as president of FIFA. Then I could at least conduct this congress. This is my dream,” he said.

Drakes credits consistency for Windies Women win GROS-ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) - West Indies Women head coach, Vasbert Drakes, has credited consistency and an all-round effort for his side’s triumph over Pakistan in the fourmatch One Day International series which ended here last Sunday. The Caribbean side stormed to the top of the ICC Championship tables alongside superpowers Australia with a three-one series win over Pakistan at Beausejour Cricket Ground, in St.Lucia. They were led by playerof-the-series and captain Stafanie Taylor, who smashed two unbeaten half-centuries in compiling 261 runs at an average of 130. “Stafanie, the best player in the world, dominated the game. She leads from the front. Kyshona also Shamilia bowled really fast, consistently,” said Drakes. “It was basically a collective effort from everyone. We talk about everyone making a contribution as a group and that was the main theme. Everyone actually contributed.”

Stafanie Taylor Former captain Merissa Aguilleira, relieved of the burden of captaincy prior to the series, displayed her best form in years with two half-centuries in 177 runs at an average of 59. “I think it was the consistency in everyone,” stressed Drakes. “If you looked at it you saw Merissa Aguilleira. She improved tremendously. She batted at number five. The captaincy being released from her probably did her the world of good. Certainly she was a highlight in the tournament.” Fast bowler Shamilia

Connell was the pick of the Windies bowlers with three for 32, as her side defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the final match of the series. The result meant the Windies Women won the f o u r- m a t c h s e r i e s 3 - 1 , sweeping all three ICC Women’s Championship matches – the last three in the series – to gain the maximum six points. It moves them level on the table with leaders Australia on 16. “Everyone that got the opportunity really played her role. Unfortunately, upfront there were Kycia and Hayley Mathews. They looked well. They looked good but for short periods,” said the former West Indies player. “So going forward we know we still have a lot of work to do. So we are just going to enjoy our success and look forward to the South African leg.” West Indies Women will play Pakistan Women in a three-match Twenty20 series starting in Grenada today.

Sport CHRONICLE

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

FIFA’s Blatter blames Platini, England and U.S. for ‘attacks’ See Story on Page 23

NSC’ chairman Persaud sends off cyclists for the ninth edition of the five-stage road race

See story on page 20 NSC chairman Ivan Persaud addresses the cyclists before their departure for Berbice yesterday. Next to him is race organiser Hassan Mohamed. (Samuel Maughn photo)

Bolt approaching 50 Charles, Ebanks Pan-Am sub-10 clockings clash to be replayed WORLD’S fastest man Usain Bolt is four races away from achieving a half-century of sub-10 clockings. Bolt, the world record holder over both the 100 and 200 metres, has achieved the feat 44 times, despite being hampered by injuries in recent years. The sprint star, however, cannot compete with compatriot, Asafa Powell, who tops the category, achieving the

feat 93 times. In the 200m event Bolt has broken 20 seconds a bit less regularly, achieving the feat some 31 times. At this rate, Bolt could be on target to get to 50 sub-10 100 metres by next season, an Olympic year, which has already seen the sprinter begin his preparations. Bolt will attempt to be the first sprinter to win three consecutive Olympic titles and is

expected to rekindle his rivalry with American sprinter Justin Gatlin. Gatlin, the fastest man over the 100m distance, last season has dipped below the 10-second barrier 46 times and will also be looking to get to the 50-mark next season. Second on the all-time list is another American, Maurice Green, who has achieved the mark some 53 times. (Sportsmax.com)

World’s fastest man Usain Bolt

LOCAL amateur bantamweight king Delon Charles may have a chance at revenge, as Cayman Islands yesterday registered a strong team to participate in next month’s International Goodwill tournament in Guyana. The eight-man Cayman Island team of boxers and officials is being led by tough bantamweight Tafari Ebanks. Charles lost 3-0 to Ebanks at the Pan-American Qualifier held in Tijuana, Mexico

Delon Charles

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Cayman Islands tough bantamweight boxer Tafari Ebanks last July. However, in order to have another chance at Ebanks, Charles must first win at the imminent National Sports Commission Terrence Alli National Open. The 21-year-old Ebanks was a quarter-finalist at the last Commonwealth Games, the Pan-American Qualifier and the AMBC Championships, held recently in Venezuela. The Cayman Island side com-

prises six boxers and two officials. The registration of the Cayman Island team has brought the number of participating countries to 11. So far, Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, French Guiana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago have documented their commitment to participate. The Goodwill tournament is scheduled for November 26-29 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The tournament is the brainchild of Guyana Olympic Association president K. Juman Yassin and was first held last year February when four countries participated. A release from the Guyana Boxing Association, organisers of the

See Page 20 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015