Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 7-7-2018

SATURDAY 7th July, 2018

All hands on deck No.105328

– as Harmon commits to deploying state resources to flood-hit Reg 9 03 PAGE

A local Brazilian football fan is in disbelief as she watches her team crash out of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Belgium in their quarterfinals clash on Friday (Samuel Maughn photo)

Guyana, Chile 02 sign petroleum, language pacts PAGE

‘Exxon’ debunks PPP claims as ‘hogwash’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Guyana, Chile sign petroleum, language pacts

By Svetlana Marshall in Jamaica

GUYANA and Chile signed a “Statement of Intent for Cooperation in Mining and Energy” as well as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to increase collaboration in the area of language.

The Statement of Intent for Cooperation in Mining and Energy Cooperation Agreement, and the MOU between the “Andrés Bello” Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Chile) and the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Guyana), were signed on Friday at the Montego Bay Convention Centre by Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Chile’s Ambassador and Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alfonso Silva Navarro. It took place at the conclusion of bilateral talks with President David Granger and Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera.

The Statement of Intent provides a framework for the deepening of collaboration between Guyana and Chile by promoting the exchange of experiences and cooperation in the energy and mining sectors. Shortly after signing the agreement, Minister Greenidge explained that since the State visit by President David Granger to

Chile in 2016, and the visit by the then Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to Guyana, the two countries have been collaborating closely on a number of areas of cooperation.

Guyana, Minister Greenidge said, has been taking advantage of Chile’s experience in the mining industry with focus on regulations and geological mapping in the field of mining and environmental management.

In May, 2017 a team of geologists from Chilean technical agency, Sernageomin, visited Guyana to conduct technical geological surveys and field work to assess the conditions within Guyana’s mining sector. The new agreement will build on the existing relationship.

Guyana and Chile had also agreed in 2016 to cooperate in the area of Language, and the MOU signed on Friday will set the foundations for the Foreign Service Institute and the “Andrés Bello” Diplomatic Academy to maintain regular contact and promote cooperation between them on the basis of mutual benefit and reciprocity.

But even in the absence of such agreement, Guyanese have already been benefiting in this area.

“Chilean Professors have come down to Georgetown

Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Chile’s Ambassador and Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alfonso Silva Navarro signing the agreements in the presence of President David Granger and Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera. and have been working with the Foreign Service Institute to enhance the language capacity in Spanish of public servants including officers within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Minister Greenidge pointed out.

The MOU will be facilitated through the exchange of experience, academic staff

‘Big Gardens’ to go ‘wild’ –– in keeping with gov’t quest to go ‘green’

IN keeping with the national drive towards a ‘green’ economy, the Guyana Zoological Park will be transformed into a Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Centre with the assistance of international organisations.

Partnering on this venture are the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (JZG) and the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), both of which organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU) in June of this year.

When transformed, the park’s primary mission will be the rehabilitation and reintroduction of wildlife to natural spaces, while providing environmental education opportunities for the Guyanese public.

This comes about as, internationally, the traditional concepts of zoos are changing, as many perceive the holding of wild animals in captivity as inhumane and, consequently, most zoos no

longer source wild animals while a few have closed their facilities.

As such, over the years, the Guyana Zoological Park, as a policy, has avoided acquiring new wildlife for exhibition due to the ethical concerns about the impact of these conditions on the animals.

Also impacting their acquisition of animals have been financial, technical and infrastructural limitations.

The Guyana Zoo has, however, continued to facilitate injured, sick, orphaned, unwanted or confiscated wildlife as well as former pets, abused animals or large, unwanted predators, thereby functioning as a de facto rehabilitation centre.

However, due to the lack

and students; the promotion of study and research and other areas of possible cooperation.

It is anticipated that the institutions will cooperate by exchanging information and experience connected with their respective study and research programmes, course, seminars and other of rehab and release expertise, facilities and policies, most rescued animals become permanent residents as opposed to being released, once found to be healthy.

As such, in the near future, the JZG will collaborate with the Guyana Zoological Park to achieve a number of initiatives, beginning with the provision of veterinary and capacity-building and support in the development of systems and procedures.

It will result in the improvement of animal care, data collection, maintenance of animal records and animals’ medical records, routine checks, communication, and the zoo’s animal-care team.

Persons to benefit from this include the Guyana Zoo’s staff, as well as interested veterinarians from the Ministry of Agriculture.

JZG’s collaboration with Guyana will also help to include the zoo in a network of Latin American Zoos and Aquariums to support the

academic, educational and training activities as well as exchange information and views on international trends and advances in the field of diplomatic training, study and research, as well as e-learning tools.

The agreements were signed on the sideline of the 39th Regular Meeting

of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community. Over the years, Chile has been developing close relationships with Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Guyana and Chile established diplomatic relations on July 22, 1971.

Members of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (JZG) look on as the MoU for transformation of the Guyana Zoological Park into a Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Centre is signed local zoo’s work.

It will also result in the sponsorship of a threeyear membership for the Guyana Zoo in ALPZA

(Latin American Zoo and Aquarium Association) which serves Latin American and Caribbean zoos and aquariums.

All hands on deck

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

– as Harmon commits to deploying state resources to flood-hit Reg 9

MINISTER of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon on Friday visited the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) where he charged the Regional Administration to work collectively with each and every stakeholder.

He also urged that the region utilise every available State resource at its disposal to ensure that they serve the residents affected by flooding, even as the waters continue to recede after rising as much as five feet in some areas.

Minister Harmon, who first stopped at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Boardroom to meet with officials of the Regional Administration, Ministries and Government agencies, said that the government is committed to bringing relief to the residents.

He told the officials that every effort must be made to reach every resident who has been affected by the flood, which resulted from the overtopping of several rivers, particularly the Takutu River, due to heavy rainfall in the region and over in neighbouring Brazil.

“It is important to us that we can respond to the needs of our citizens,” Minister Harmon said. “I want to say that in a situation like this, we don’t have administration and others; we have one administration, and so the resources of the administration must be put to the use of the people…

“If we have to take meals out to the people, we have to do so. When we speak about administration in these circumstances, we are talking about all of the resources of the region being applied to that situation.

Every government department must chip in with their resources, so that the citizens are not affected in a major way.

“I am asking that we coordinate and cooperate where the resources of the region are concerned; this is not a normal situation and therefore, we have to act a little bit unusual. What that ‘unusualness’ means is that we have to pool our resources for the benefit of the people.”

A COORDINATED APPROACH The State Minister said that the current weather patterns in the region and in Brazil will see the water rising and receding at frequent intervals, but with a coordinated approach, some semblance of order can exist.

He acknowledged the rapid response of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Regional Administration, which have been working in tandem to respond and to continue to monitor the situation on the ground.

At present, 59 persons have been evacuated and placed in three shelters which were established, and they are being tended by the region with support from the CDC. “My visit here today is to confirm that those arrangements are working, and it is to confirm that we have been able to provide the quality of resources that are necessary to take care of persons who have had to be evacuated because of the flooding,” Minister Harmon said, adding: “I visited one of the shelters, and I am satisfied that the persons who have been placed there are comfortable.

Minister Harmon in talks with regional officials on Friday I am satisfied also that the Police have a plan for the security of the residences of those persons who are in shelters, and they are doing active patrolling.

“I am satisfied that the doctor who is here has indicated that he has sufficient amount of medical supplies, and if there is a need for more, he is in touch with the officer who is responsible for Material Management at the Ministry of Public Health.

“I am satisfied that the Environmental Officer and the Public Health Officer have done visits and they have given reports with respect to their responsibility. So all of that shows a coordinated effort.”

BOAT SHUTTLE The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has also been providing support through a boat- shuttle service for residents from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours every day.

Minister Harmon noted that overall, he is satisfied

It was water, water everywhere on Friday in flood-hit Region Nine (Ministry of the Presidency photos)

with the arrangements put in place, as the response and preparation this year have far surpassed those that were in place last year.

“Two years ago we had this situation; and this year, I am happy to see that there is a greater level of coordination of the operations here, and I am very pleased about that,” the minister said. “So I am asking that you work together with the region,” he added.

The CDC on Friday carried in the supplies requested by the region, including water purification tablets, collapsible bottles, detergents and cleaning supplies, beddings and blankets among other necessities.

Minister Harmon noted that since the flooding is expected to be an annual occurrence, the administration will be working on fast-tracking the construction of a bond for the CDC in the region, which will provide storage for materials in the event of a disaster.

Said he: “A few years ago, we identified some land here to build a bond for the CDC, and we will have to fast-track that activity because it is not feasible to be moving heavy stuff from Georgetown, or wherever it comes from, into Lethem during the flood.

“We have to learn how to adapt to these floods; these are natural phenomena so we have to plan around it.

Our building codes, our agricultural codes and so on, must take cognisance of these realities…

“And so I will impress upon the CDC for us to expedite the construction of

the CDC’s bond here.”

GOING AND COMING Meanwhile, Regional Chairman, Mr. Brian Allicock, in an invited comment, said that the water has begun to recede, although it remains high in some areas. The region, he noted, is continuously monitoring the communities in the South Rupununi, particularly since 31 of the villages have had their access cut off due to the floodwaters.

However, he said that he remains hopeful that the water would recede by this evening.

“Yesterday we got scared, because the water was coming in so rapidly, but thank God this morning the water

stopped coming in. What is happening is that it is going and coming. In the forecast from Brazil, there is rain for the next couple of days and we have a back-up of the waters in the rivers over there into the Takutu. Currently, we cannot access Karasabai by road and even when you go by boat, you have to wade through waist-high water to get into the village so they are totally cut off. The South villages, 31 villages in total, have been cut off. Nothing can go in or come out so far, but the water is receding and I hope to hear positive news,” Mr. Allicock said.

The CDC continues to monitor the situation in the region and will provide support as it becomes necessary.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday July 7, 2018

AG makes link between corruption, poverty – at anti-corruption seminar in Bartica

MINISTER of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General (AG) Basil Williams, has reiterated the government’s commitment to striking a blow against corruption in Guyana.

He made the remark during the sixth public anti-corruption sensitisation seminar that the Attorney-General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs hosted at the Palm Springs Hotel Conference Room in

Bartica on Friday.

These seminars sensitise and inform a wide cross-section of stakeholders of their roles and responsibilities in the fight against corruption in public office. This series of sensitisation seminars are an important aspect of the government’s policy to protect the state’s assets and forms part of a comprehensive response to the elimination of corruption in our society.

“Where there is cor-

ruption there is poverty.

Government and state employees need to understand the importance of fighting against corruption. We are committed, prepared and ready to ensure that everyone is aware of their role, so we can together, as a country, combat corruption,” Mr. Williams said.

He also explained that this initiative was birthed some years ago, when the President of Guyana, His Excellency David Granger signed on with the United Nations on the Anti-Corruption Agreement. The President has since then delegated the responsibility to the AG to educate the people of Guyana in this regard.

HOW IT WORKS The anti-corruption effort is guided by the State Asset Recovery Act. The purpose of this Act is to rid the society of corrupt and wrongful use of state property and to preserve state assets and assets of the people in Guyana.

The Act conforms to Guyana’s constitution and no law of the country is infringed. The State As-

Saturday , July 07, 2018

Economy, with moveable assets, fixed assets, land, money and gold being the targets of the corruption.

With the implementation of the State Asset Recovery Act, the country is expected to experience reduced corruption, increased transparency within government agencies and a momentous boost in the economy.

Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General Basil Williams giving his remarks at the seminar in Bartica

set Recovery Act steers the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA), which is the agency responsible to recover state assets and properties obtained through unlawful conduct.

CEO of SARA, Mr Aubrey Heath-Retemyer explained that the agency’s aim is not to punish those involved, but to recover state assets that were taken unlawfully. He also shared that over the past years, Guyana has lost hundreds of billions of dollars to corruption. Particularly in the areas of Procurement Fraud, Illicit Capital Flight and Under Ground

–– 12:00 hrs

WHISTLEBLOWER ACT Protection is granted to anyone coming forward with information about any misconduct in public office that will cause any loss of state assets, or revenue under the Protected Disclosures (Whistleblower) Act and the Witness Protection Act. Regional Chairman of Region Seven, Mr. Gordon Bradford, expressed that this is a new, timely experience for the region, but indicated that they are thirsty for knowledge on how they can combat the issue of corruption. “Corruption is like a cancer that eats away on society. We need a corruption-free country and what we have learnt here today will be disseminated to everyone we meet to ensure that we fight this issue together as a region,” Mr. Bradford said.

The Anti-Corruption Act was also endorsed by Mayor of the town, Mr. Gifford Marshall and the Regional Executive Officer of Region Seven, Mr. Roderick Edinboro.

Presentations at the seminar covered the State Assets Recovery Act 2017, the Protected Disclosure (Whistle-blower) Act 2017, the Witness Protection Act 2017 and the Criminal Law Offences Act, Chapter 8:01.

It was well attended and the attendees were given the opportunity to air their views and get clarity on the subject matters.

This sensitisation seminar was done in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council of Region Seven, with the aim of restoring society and making life the way it ought to be.

Persons were encouraged to “blow the whistle,” so that corruption can be stamped out.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

‘Exxon’ debunks PPP claims as ‘hogwash’ –– says it has absolutely no interest in local politics

By Ariana Gordon US oil giant ExxonMobil on Friday debunked allegations that it is funding political parties and initiatives here.

The company, through its country manager Rod Henson, told the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources that his company is apolitical, and dismissed the sentiments of political funding as “hogwash”, a term he was later called upon to withdraw.

“Sorry Ma’am, but I have to stop you; ExxonMobil is not involved in politics in Guyana,” Henson said.

“We don’t choose sides; we are apolitical, and we are not funding any political party, side, political initiatives, full stop,” he told the Committee in response to statements made by Opposition committee member, Pauline Sukhai.

Henson was invited by the bi-partisan committee on May 25 to appear before it to provide an update on the company’s operations.

“Actually, you may want to stop me, but you may want to stop the concerns in the public domain, because that is what is circulating and that’s why I chose to raise it here,” Sukhai retorted.

“Well, I can’t control every individual’s thoughts and opinions, and I am thankful for the opportunity to allow me to say that is simply hogwash,” the Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) Country Manager stated emphatically.

His referral to Sukhai’s statement as ‘hogwash’ did not find favour with her and chairman of the committee, Odinga Lumumba.

“I would appreciate if you withdraw the comment, ‘hogwash’,” Lumumba told Henson, who immediately withdrew the use of the word but maintained, “ExxonMobil is not a political entity; does not provide financial or other support to parties here.”

To which Sukhai promptly replied, “A true partner would not consider questions such as mine as hogwash or any other way.”

She had put it to Henson that there is a perception abroad that his company is “actually funding a political initiative that is not yet established and approved by this National Assembly; that is the ‘Green-State Development Strategy’.”

Sukhai also raised with Henson ExxonMobil Foundation’s recent announcement that it will be entering into a new partnership worth some US$10M over the next five years with Conservation International (CI) and the University of Guyana (UG).

The money, the company said in a press statement, will be used to train locals for sustainable job opportunities, and to expand community-supported conservation.

It is also intended to support the government’s ‘Green State’ Development Plan, a 15-year programme that is aimed at, among other things, diversifying the economy, and balancing economic growth with sustainable management and conservation of the country’s ecosystems.

Part of the money, Exxon said, will initially be used to fund a feasibility study led by CI through its affiliate, Conservation International Guyana (CIG), to further define the details of the programme.

aware of that. “ExxonMobil uses this organisation, or partners with this organisation around the world; and I would also like to highlight that it is not just Conservation International; this is an ExxonMobil partnership with the University of Guyana to help capacity building; to diversify the economy.”

Henson made it clear that he does not agree that there exists a conflict of interest through the partnership.

“Chair, I think Conservation International would disagree with you; and I disagree with you respectfully. I don’t think this impedes Conservation International’s roles in the country.”

He noted, too, that the government was informed of the company’s intentions, but stressed that the partnership is something his company chose to do, while reminding the committee that everything done by his company must be done transparently.

“The government was aware,” Henson added.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST Sukhai, however, questioned whether the US$10M partnership with CI represents a conflict of interest. “Don’t you think that CI, being a grantee of US$10M,” she asked, “is actually a conflict of interest because they should be monitoring; be a watchdog?”

Declaring that the ‘Green-State Development Strategy’ is not, “in its totality, comprehensively documented and consulted upon as yet, Sukhai said: “In fact, that Strategy has not even reached the Parliament for its debate or approval, or to be laid as information on government’s main development focal point strategy, and therefore, I would like to say that there are concerns.”

She was roundly supported on this line of argument

by Lumumba, who not only contended that CI is supposed to be the “watchdog of the environment”, but also questioned whether the partnership with Exxon was approved by the government.

Henson immediately took him up on this, saying: “This is our ExxonMobil Foundation initiative; this was not directed, or approved, by the government.

“This is a good thing. I am not aware that Conservation International has a sole role as a watchdog; I am not

‘REGRETTABLE’ In defence of the government, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan described as “regrettable” the allegations that the U.S. oil giant is seeking to fund political initiatives, in particular the Green-State Development Strategy.

“The Green State Development Strategy is not a political initiative; it is a governmental initiative, and it is exhaustively documented. And I think it is unfair for us to say it is not fully developed; to suggest that the activities of the company before this committee -- the funding for the organisation, CI -- has an impact on the GSDS. I think it is unhelpful,” declared Bulkan.

Even as Bulkan defended his government, Lumumba, who served under the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) prior to May 2015, sought to clarify that his party “has no hostility towards Exxon”.

“Just clarification,” he said. “The past government of Guyana; the PPP/C government is responsible for bringing ExxonMobil to come to our shores, and we are grateful.

“I want to make that fundamentally clear: We have no hostility towards ExxonMobil. What we are seeking here is clarification; and I don’t want this committee bugged down by issues that

Esso Exploration’s Rod Henson (right) interacting with Odinga Lumumba (second right), Pauline Sukhai (left) and Yvonne Pearson (partly hidden, extreme left), all members of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources. Also in photo are Esso Exploration’s Senior Director for Public and Government Affairs, Deebra J.P. Moe and Socio-Economic Adviser Tracy Roberts, third and fourth right respectively (Photo by Adrian Narine) are not relevant to Exxon.”

Having said that, he yet wanted to know who prompted the renegotiation of the original contract between ExxonMobil and Guyana.

And Henson’s response was: “Again sir, I was under the impression that we were talking local content today.

And to tell you the truth, that was before my time. I came in May of 2017; I simply don’t know.” Subsequently, Lumumba circulated his letter of invitation to Henson, dated May 25, 2018, which reads: “In order to effectively carry out its mandate, and in light of the recent revolutionary oil find by your company in Guyana, the Committee, during the deliberations of its 18th Meeting on May 9, 2018, made a decision to invite you and your team to provide an update on your company’s operations and answer questions of concern to members.”

A MISUNDERSTANDING At this point, Henson readily accepted that he’d misunderstood that which he was invited to present on.

The Committee’s Chairman then questioned what equation or strategy was used to determine the amount of money granted to Guyana in the form of a signing bonus.

Guyana received US$18M Signing Bonus from the oil giant in 2016. “Again, I wasn’t in the room,” said Henson, whose concise an-

swers saw Lumumba accusing him of being “pretty slippery”.

“As a member of this committee, I find that you seem to be a bit reluctant to answer some of the key issues which are of concern to our nation. I am sure by now with the assumption of your tenure into office, you would be quite aware of the controversies over the payment of the US$18M signing bonus,” Sukhai said, while asking how ExxonMobil arrived at the figure.

Henson disagreed with the notion that every country that enters into an agreement with an oil company benefits from a signing bonus.

He said: “Ma’am, first, I simply disagree respectfully. I have heard experts that say these bonuses are very customary but that is not always the case. Many contracts are signed around the world with no bonus at all. Some are signed with various amounts and that is always dependent on the risk profile indigenous at the time of the signing.”

The EEPGL country manager explained that prior to the discovery of oil here by his company and partners, there were almost 40 dry holes, and that the risk profile here was very high.

“We chose to find other partners to reduce our equity share; to share risk. At the time of the renegotiations, we did not have the five wells we have now, or the eight discoveries,” said Henson as he called on the Com-

mittee members to examine the deal in its entirety.

“I would respectfully submit you look at the entirety of the deal; regardless of what that deal is… to cherry-pick one element of a contract and pull on that thread perhaps doesn’t show the entire picture. That signing bonus is part of a larger agreement with various financial elements; it is a fair, transparent agreement that both parties freely agreed to and it was absolutely within the realm of possibility,” he declared.

Henson was, however, quick to point out that the country’s risk profile is changing, and that as such he expects that Guyana would bid out other areas which are offshore.

“I am sure that the conditions will change,” he said, “but every negotiation is based on the risk profile and the conditions at the time it was signed; and those conditions can change over time, and new agreements will have different conditions and different elements.”

Other Committee members present at Friday’s meeting included Audwin Rutherford, Jermaine Figueira, Yvonne Pearson and Needkumar, while Henson was accompanied

by Exxon Senior Director for Public and Government Affairs, Deedra Moe; Tracy Roberts, Socio-Economic Adviser; and Carlton James, Director of Government Relations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

No jail for small amounts PRESIDENT David Granger has announced that his government intends to amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Control Act to allow for the removal of custodial sentences for possession of small amounts of marijuana. But he has made it clear that this decision should not be seen as his administration encouraging the use of marijuana.

The announcement however, will no doubt be applauded by many, some of whom have been advocating for decriminalisation of marijuana. The President’s announcement also comes on the heels of a CARICOM-commissioned study on marijuana, which incidentally has called for decriminalisation across the 15 member states, but in regulated amounts. Over the years, there have been fierce debates on the topic with the junior partner in the coalition government the Alliance For Change, in recent times leading the charge for legislative changes. That party had been consistent in calling for the removal of custodial sentences for small amounts and it seems it has succeeded in persuading cabinet that this would be a very good step.

What society knows is that

marijuana is a criminalised product and the Guyana Government does not encourage or condone its cultivation. The society is aware of police raids and capture. Persons caught using or possessing this substance, or planting it, are liable for prosecution and incarceration. Some $11.7B in cannabis was seized by the security agencies last year. The GPF seized 64,887kg 674.45g of cannabis, while CANU seized 123kg 825g and GRA-DEU seized 18kg 982g, totalling 65,030kg 481.45g of cannabis, altogether representing $180 per gram. In the case of eradication of illicit cultivations, there were nine operations in which nine fields were targeted, representing 17.5 acres of land. Some 61,330 plants were discovered weighing 75,166kg.

In the case of dried cannabis, 2kg 210 grams were discovered and some 1355kg 231.45g of herbal seizures were done, representing a grand total of 1357kg 441.45g. Only two persons have been charged.

Dried cannabis representing $397,800 was seized ($180 per gram street value), while herbal seizures represented a street value of $243, 941,661 ($180 per gram, street value); a combined total of $244,339,461.

What is also known is that penalty seems to be at the discretion of the presiding magistrate. There has been public condemnation of the penalty attached to the possession and/or use of this substance; the absence of universality in convictions with regard to cases involving this substance; comparison of penalty attached to convictions in regard to this substance with other substances that are considered hard drugs; and calls for a review of its criminalisation.

Government is attempting to fix this problem, by removing custodial sentences for small amounts. The next question would be what amount would be considered small.

Only this week we heard Attorney General Basil Williams saying that when he had met with the Rastafari community, “they were saying they wanted to be able to walk around with 53 grams…”

Government may perhaps be required to undertake another round of consultations to settle this or may prescribe an amount based on expert advice.

Society has also seen users of the product ‘getting high’ and displaying pleasant and not-so-pleasant reactions and conduct. At a cultural level,

marijuana is seen by our Rastafarian brothers and sisters as a “wisdom weed”, the usage of which forms part of their religious beliefs and praxis.

Musicians, the most notable of whom was Robert “Bob” Marley, have celebrated its usage in songs and have openly used it on stage. Its usage has also been seen in movies, including its paraphernalia with the gathering of users in communal interaction. Open smoking of marijuana was, moreover, seen as an act of resistance to sections of society and the political system that saw Rastafarians as fringe elements.

In short, marijuana use is part of our culture and has been revered by some, celebrated by others, and shunned by most. Unlike marijuana, hemp (a type of marijuana plant) is not known to the society, and conversations on this will also be useful in helping to bring about knowledge, and create awareness and understanding.

Additionally, there are other sides to these products that the society is deserving of knowing because they would lend to society being more informed and would guide actions and reactions, going forward.

The academic community has weighed in on the matter.

Our Caribbean sociologist Dr Barry Chevannes has proposed the possibility of expanding the use of the product in pharmacology and in industry, along with government playing a role through an intensive education drive, particularly among young people, to reduce the demand for the drug. It is said that in the 1970s, two University of the West Indies (UWI) researchers developed from marijuana a drug called Canasol for the treatment of glaucoma. Hemp has also been found to have several industrial applications, including in the manufacture of rope, cloth, and other products. And while recreational use of marijuana remains controversial, medical practitioners have advanced its utility as a drug in dealing with illnesses such as cancer and glaucoma.

This is not to say that there is no adverse side effect in the use of marijuana, for it has been found that overuse can lead to dependency and alter memory and emotions. Our society has a long way to go in creating the right environment for the effective regulation of marijuana and we cannot agree more with President Granger in insisting that government will not be pushing for the

industrialisation of marijuana production. He said: “We are not moving towards encouraging the industrialisation of marijuana production. I think that is a little premature in the context of Guyana, and we have vast landscapes in comparison with some of the Caribbean island states; we have challenges for enforcement and challenges for control of that land space, and it will be very difficult for Guyana to embark on that course at the present time. With the move towards the removal of the custodial sentences for small amounts, we are not moving towards the encouragement of the use of marijuana.”

President Granger is no doubt mindful that the issue we face is not about whether reform should happen at all, but if a certain kind of change goes too far. As a security expert, he would know that this is typical of drug policy: it is not about which option is perfect, but about which option is the least bad. After decades of dealing with the war on drugs and its failures by the previous administration, his government is choosing the safer route by keeping the prohibition, but offering some respite to the ‘small users.’

IAC congratulates Dr Lomarsh Congratulations to all Grade Six Assessment students, Roopnarine for winning their teachers and parents 2018 book award

Dear Editor,

THE Indian Action Committee (IAC) wishes to congratulate Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine, PhD, Professor of Latin American and Caribbean History at the Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, USA, for having become a co-winner of the Caribbean Studies Association Gordon K. & Sybil Lewis Book Award 2018 for his publication titled, ‘The Indian Caribbean: Migration and Identity in the Diaspora (2018)’.

The IAC has noticed that a total of 31 books was judged for this award and Dr Roopnarine’s

book shared it with Katherine Zien’s ‘Sovereign Acts: performing race, space and belonging in Panama and the Panama Canal Zone’.

The IAC understands that Dr Roopnarine, a Berbician, obtained his secondary education at Skeldon Line Path Secondary School in administrative region No. Six and his BA, MA and PhD all at University at Albany, State University of New York.

The IAC has noted that the committee chaired by Professor Anton Allahar wrote that Dr Roopnarine’s ‘The Indian Caribbean: Migration and Identity in the Diaspora (2018)’ makes an important contribution to

an understanding of the arrival, settlement, and eventual intra-and- extra- regional movement of people of Indo-Caribbean descent addressing the key question areas of Caribbean scholarship and identifying relevant theory, methods, and history and also including several countries within the Caribbean and Caribbean diasporas outside the Region.

The IAC welcomes this publication and is looking forward to future work from this renowned researcher.

Yours sincerely, Saira Alli IAC Secretary

Dear Editor,

PERMIT me some space in your newspaper as I write to congratulate all of the children who did so well at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment examinations.

I have observed in the news media all of the joy and excitement, especially as there was a perfect score by a young lady who deserves credit for that achievement.

All that having been said, the top students and parents will always be given the praise that they deserve. However, I would like to point out that there is a reason for this rise

in academic achievement across the board.

To the parents and guardians who worked very hard with our children, thank you and keep working hard. Also, our teachers need to be recognised for all of the hard work that they are doing in the classrooms. They have raised their game and it is reflected in these results. There seems to be a new force in the education system that is putting all of our children first.

The barriers have been lifted, allowing talent to shine. I am so glad to see this.

I must also commend the work that the Minister of Education is doing. Her pol-

icies and direction are cutting through with tangible results. I encourage Minister Henry and the Ministry of Education to continue the great work because our children deserve a good education, something that has been ignored until recently. I am glad to see that Guyana’s education system is getting back on track and look forward to seeing the CXC/CSEC results later this year. Congratulations to all Grade Six Assessment students, their teachers and parents.

Regards Elizabeth Williams

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

ERC has its work cut out Dear Editor RACISM constitutes a major threat to the peace, security, and prosperity of any country where it exists.

As an ideology, it is the most deadly of prejudices, for wherever it has emitted its deadly poison, that societal environment often reflects its unjust practices, such as denying minority racial groupings equal opportunities to employment and other socio-economic amenities that are necessary for daily living.

In such societies, there are always fears, suspicion, and of course, great tension that has often degenerated into deadly, bloody strife, at a cost of lives and destruction to properties.

Such examples need not be repeated, as they are well documented and already known.

Guyana, unfortunately, has been grappling with the problem of race for all of its modern political existence.

It has remained a perennial problem that stands in the way of especially the two major races, the nation’s principal ethnic groups being able to genuinely join forces for the good of country.

As a constant in our national life, it has shaped our

political-socio-economic existence, giving rise to periods of tensions, and even a particular period of protracted violence in our pre-independence period.

Therefore, the re-constituting of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), in accordance with 212A of the constitution, and coupled with 212 D that informs its functions, can be seen as occurring at what is discerned as the most challenging time in the history of the nation, when the drums of racism, and supremacist voices are at their loudest – a deeply polarised society.

This is the second life of this constitutional body that had earlier existed in the early years of the 2000.

Given at the time, that such a body was brought into being in accordance with the Herdmanston Accord in the aftermath of the highly contentious 1997 national and regional elections, much had been expected. But if truth be told, it functioned in a highly contradictory milieu, beginning with its chairperson, a known PPP/C supporter, who subsequently became a member of its government. How could he have claimed impartiality, much less objectivity, when his stewardship was carried out during a period that

was definitely characterised by the worst examples of racism, with its manifest masthead of marginalisation that flew high against a segment of this country’s people, unabatedly. How could such an institution’s efforts, aimed at fostering improved and better relations between and among Guyana’s six peoples, have borne any good fruit, when the government of the day had a national policy of arrant discrimination? This has to be one of the most remarkable, but barefaced and deceptive instances that the then PPP/C government could have foisted on this nation.

Providentially, the ERC is now functioning in an entirely different situation of governance, where the current coalition government is unswerving in its commitment at promoting unity among the races of Guyana, while recognising the rich multi-cultural diversities and respect for the latter. In fact, the existence of the Ministry of Social Cohesion testifies to President Granger’s determination, expressed from the inception of his coalition government, towards a united Guyana.

In this regard, the commission’s members must understand that in each

of their person has been reposed a grave responsibility, which as a collective must rise above party politics and affiliations, the trap of religio-cultural biases and racial prejudices and the wiles of partisanship and political pandering.

Above all, they must avoid the well-known evil and wicked distractions that are legion from those whose aim is to widen the racial division for their own selfish ends.

Further, with their collective, multi-faceted backgrounds, the commissioners must endeavour to align such a panoramic outlook to the collective talents and skills that such affords, for an elevated understanding of the nation and the fears and suspicions that have

for too long been an unfortunate fact of national life.

As commissioners, they are reminded, too, that they are constitutional office-holders and are therefore its servants, tasked with the important challenge of helping to reduce the myths and cultural prejudices that continue to fuel the daily misconceptions about each other that exist in this society. However, notwithstanding the seemingly insurmountable task of breaking down the barriers, there is a realisation that there are many similarities among our peoples that have underlined the fact of more that connects us, than are divisives. These are the significant positives that must be built on, serving as a catalyst for all efforts that

must follow.

Thus, I am advocating that the ERC, as one of its early tasks, should begin steps to initiate the conversations between and among our people; for it is from among the latter that the answers must come as to the way to a future Guyana that is unified, peaceful, and prosperous; where although diverse in cultural norms, that its collective strengths are garnered for use in a positive manner for the benefit and well-being for not only this generation, but for those to come.

The ERC and its commissioners must rise to this highest call of patriotism.

Regards Earl Hamilton

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday July 7, 2018

Prison Service recruits must pass marijuana test - Samuels

- new recruitment course will address trafficking, corrupt practices WITH over 2,000 inmates to monitor on a daily basis, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has seen a depletion of its ranks to 475 warders from what is the established strength of 601 to fully operate at an optimum level.

This is according to Acting Director of Prisons Glad-

win Samuels during an interview with the media at the officers’ facility at the Camp Street Prison on Friday.

Monday July 9, 2018, will mark one year since inmates set fires which flattened the Camp Street Prison and nearby Officers’ Recreational Centre. The fire was

a diversion by four inmates who escaped at the same time from the prison and in the process shot and killed a prison guard and brutally chopped and wounded a number of others.

Samuels said that when the Camp Street Prison was burnt to the ground, there

Acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels

were 515 warders, but since then many have retired, resigned and some were dismissed.

The prison director said the vetting process is now more rigid and the GPS is unable to capture the required number of persons to fill the void in the system.

He explained that on one occasion when the GPS advertised vacancies, 93 persons took the test; 40 of whom were successful.

However, due to mandatory marijuana testing 11 failed and were removed from the batch.

“We believe if you are smoking marijuana, it means you have access to it and you are likely a potential trafficker…Of the 40, only 27 persons were sent forward pending a detailed medical; the training for those recruits will start from July 17 and will run for 14 weeks, since we revised the training details,” he said.

He said the GPS now wants to ensure that when persons graduate from the Basic Recruitment Course, they are more grounded and informed prison officers and they will be aware of their expectations.

“Every person can claim they are being underpaid.

While I strongly believe for the work we are doing we can be paid more, the reality is that you were told from the initial stage of what the package is, you have the option of choosing to come on board, and if for some reason you recognise that the salary cannot fulfil your requirements, it is safer for you to leave with your integrity intact instead of becoming

involved in corrupt practices and become a prisoner,” the prisons director said.

He noted that warders who were sentenced for trafficking are offered the option to address new recruits in relating the serious nature of becoming involved in trafficking contraband.

Noting that the contraband being found in prisons is a result of collusion, the director said on Friday morning he was discussing the issue with officers in charge of various prison locations.

He noted that the Mazaruni Prison fell under the microscope, since on each occasion when a security search is conducted prohibited items are found in what should be a maximum security prison.

“In order for persons to go to Mazaruni prison, they have to be transported by boat. We have a security checkpoint on the stelling.

We have a Standard Operating Procedure in place for warders to be searched before they mount duty, so again if there is no collusion then there is failure or lapses in the execution of those functions,” Samuels said.

In addressing the issue of smuggling, Samuels said that body scanners are being sourced for the prisons and as such, the right one is needed, since prison officers frequently enter and exit the prison confines on a daily basis. This, he said, poses a concern about radiation exposure from such frequent scanning.

“We had several submissions from international suppliers and local companies who would have provided

specs as well. We are at a stage to finalise what is best to serve the purpose,” he said.

He said during a recent visit to Jamaica for a prison conference, discussions were held with exhibitors for scanners and before the end of September 2018 those officials will be in Guyana for discussions.

He explained that the exhibitors supply their scanners for several countries and the GPS budget proposal will include such expenses that corroborate with Minister of Public Security’s vision for the prison service.

In addition, he said in a matter of weeks new and enhanced CCTV camera systems will be placed strategically at prison locations.

Meanwhile, on the issue of the reconstruction of the Camp Street Prison, he said that 60 prefabricated cells are being constructed and this will be allotted to three pods in the prison, while each cell will accommodate three prisoners, which will cater for 180 high- risk prisoners.

He explained that the method being used for reconstruction of the Camp Street Prison will be done with specially designed pods, which will house prefabricated cells which are being delivered by a company called SteelCell.

SteelCell has a custom-design production plant located in Baldwin, Georgia, USA. This facility was created to produce detention cells at maximum efficiency.

“We have recently finalised all the construction details for those cells, which should be built and delivered to Guyana within 2018,” he said.

He said that the architect recently concluded his work to accommodate those cells and at the end of this month, tenders should be out in order to have the works allocated to a contractor.

Currently, he said there are 203 high-profile prisoners and they are currently housed in the Brick Prison.

Further, Samuels said currently, expansion of the Mazaruni Prison is in progress and infrastructure to allow access to the worksite has started, since all the construction materials are being delivered by barges.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Guyana, Jamaica agree to reactivate joint commission

By Svetlana Marshall in Jamaica

PRESIDENT David Granger and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness have agreed to reactivate the Guyana-Jamaica Joint Commission as the countries move to strengthen cooperation.

President Granger made the disclosure in the halls of the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica on Friday, shortly after concluding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Holness, the sitting chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“There is a Guyana-Jamaica Joint Commission. Unfortunately it has not been functioning, we have agreed that the joint commission would be reactivated,” he told the Guyana Chronicle.

The revitalisation of the commission, the President said, will set the platform for three critical areas of cooperation – Food Security, Energy Security and Public Security.

The joint commission was set up under the Agreement on Economic, Technical and Cultural Co-operation between the Government of Guyana and the Government of Jamaica, signed in June 1, 1995.

The inaugural meeting of the joint commission was held in September,1997 in Jamaica where discussions were held on the areas of agriculture, trade and investment, mining, energy, health, tourism, youth and culture. With the Bruce Golding Commission Report presented to the CARICOM Heads of Government on Thursday on the effectiveness of existing arrangements within CARICOM, President Granger said there is a renewed focus.

“Coming out of the Golding Report, there is a new energy in Caribbean relations and we are looking at the perpetuation, not the termination, the perpetuation of Caribbean relations. We have accepted that we need to pay attention to things like food security.

Guyana has the land space, I keep insisting that the Caribbean countries taken together are the size of Sweden, so land should not be a problem so in terms of food security, I am confident that the Caribbean as a whole can produce all the food that is needed for the hotel industry, for the people,” he explained.

In the area of energy security, President Granger and Prime Minister Holness ana-

lyzed the possibilities of Guyana providing the Region with greater access to when the oil and gas industry booms in 2020.

“We are looking at the possibilities of that resource being used in order to enrich the Caribbean access to energy. We are also looking at public security; as you know, there is a threat of trafficking in persons, threat of terrorism, money laundering,” President further explained.

Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, who was part of the Guyanese delegation that participated in the meeting, told this newspaper that both Guyana and Jamaica are looking to each other’s resources and experience.

“As you know, Jamaica, in this Region has distinguished itself over the years as a place with a very vibrant private sector of all levels, at the level of hagglers, at the level of regional enterprises and I think they are starting to look at Guyana for the opportunities that Guyana may find.

“In the past, in the very distant past, Jamaica was something of a dynamic market for the Region. It was overtaken for a long time by Trinidad and Tobago, and lately Barbados has been the main market and stimulus for that regional market…for the expansion of inter-regional [sic] trade. Now, it is likely that with the expansion of gold, manganese and now petroleum, Guyana can serve as the fuel for expansion of the regional market,” Minister Greenidge explained.

Guyana and Jamaica, he emphasized, are looking to draw on each other’s skills and experience.

“Jamaica…is looking to see how their skills could be brought to bear. The financial resources they have, the financial experience and skill they have, the management experience and skill they have and how the framework provided by Guyana could be used to the advantage of Jamaica for the benefit of the people of the Region,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

Hospitality and tourism, and the service industry were among other areas covered during the bilateral talks between Guyana and Jamaica. Ambassador Audrey Waddell also attended the meeting with President Granger and Minister Greenidge.

President David Granger and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness during their meeting at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on the margins of the 39th Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Jamaica.

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President David Granger and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, in talks on Friday in Montego Bay.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday July 7, 2018

Back from Venezuela after 32 years – and not a moment too soon, says Pascelli Phillips

By Alva Solomon HE left Guyana in his late teens, and for Pascelli Eugenio Phillips, moving to Venezuela was a gamble he took along with his siblings and several cousins some 32 years ago.

Today, he has returned to these shores and while he is still trying to adjust himself, he believes his return was well-timed.

Over the past several months, dozens of Guyanese, persons of Guyanese

parentage and Venezuelans have been travelling to Guyana in search of better living conditions.

While there are no official statistics to determine exactly how many persons have returned, the populations in communities close to the country’s borders and neighbouring areas have increased.

Two weeks ago, during a visit to the villages at Moruca in the North West District, Phillips was making his way home from work when

he spoke to this publication about his return.

He said when he left Guyana, “things were a bit hard.” He said he travelled to the neighbouring country along with his siblings and cousins. Phillips said his first job saw him working at a ranch in the Bolivarian Republic, and that after a while, some persons took him to San Felix, an area close to the border with Guyana and while there, he worked with a block-making firm.

He said he did that work for several years, after which he went into the mining sector. “I was a diver,” he said, noting that it was the job he settled with for 15 years.

Phillips said that in 2014, “things started to get bad in Venezuela.” He said the change of the presidency in that country brought woes to the family, and this is what prompted them to return to Guyana.

He said after making several trips back and forth, he decided to permanently

return to Guyana after more than three decades. “I use to work in the mines when I came back,” he said, but would later manage to get a job as a security guard at Moruca with the regional administration. He rather likes this job, Phillips said, given his recent experiences across the border.

Phillips said he knows of many Guyanese who are returning to these shores to find a better standard of living, as life in Venezuela is tough these days.

He said that he feels “very comfortable here.”

He explained that he did

not experience much of the “hard times that most people experiencing” in the neighbouring country, as he noted that he made a timely decision to return to these shores. “Right now my salary comfortable for me to live on,” he said. Phillips said that his two children, who are adults, are also adjusting to living conditions.

With a giggle, he said that he is single and at some point he plans finding another wife. “So right now, I’m searching for one,” he said with a smile as he walked to his home.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Adhere to basic road rules and signals –– Acting Traffic Chief advises

ACTING Traffic Chief, Superintendent Ramesh Ashram contended that some of the leading contributors to fatal and road accidents included speeding, driving under the influence (DUI) and inattentiveness.

He opined that if all road users paid attention and adhered to the basic rules of the road, we could see a reduction in road accidents and fatalities since our attitude has a lot to do with how we behaved on the roads.

The senior officer explained that despite their many awareness campaigns via the print and other media, people were not listening and didn’t seem to be bothered because lives were being lost on our roads. He related that gone were the days when drivers stopped to allow you to cross the roads and mostly children and the elderly were victims of the inconsiderate attitude of drivers.

On the other hand, Ashram told the Guyana Chronicle that there were many instances where pedestrians were not utilising the pedestrian crossings or walking on the pavement.

The Acting Traffic Chief stated that in school areas drivers needed to reduce their speed and be on the lookout for children and other road users and they should drive below the speed limit so in the event of any circumstance they will be able to bring their vehicle to a stop in reasonable time.

Too often, Ashram stated, drivers fail to adhere to road signs simply because they were not paying attention, multi-tasking or in a hurry to get somewhere when they are already late.

IN A HURRY He said, “Know your traffic situation and leave early to arrive alive and on time because you cannot be late and expect to get your destination on time since we are aware of the prevailing traffic situation.”

The Acting Traffic Chief noted that drivers were always in a hurry and all road users tell themselves that they have rights above each other He further explained that for example sometimes we have an accident such as a

‘fender bender’ and before drivers admit their faults and assist each other in fixing their vehicles they choose to get into a ‘big argument’ instead of resolving the issue.

Ashram said these things happen when we do not adhere to basic road signs and signals because we want to use the roads as if we are alone and approach major intersections without stopping for others.

MINIBUS CULTURE As for the current minibus culture, Ashram said it is a sore issue which was going nowhere since the problem is two-fold in which both drivers and passengers contribute to the lawlessness.

He made reference to some passengers, who would wait on some minibuses with loud music and are driven by what he described as the “worst drivers” to sit in an already overloaded bus and on each other.

Ashram added that the minibus culture was a disgrace because some drivers of such buses felt they are

Father of 5 charged with forgery A FORTY-seven-year-old man appeared Friday before Magistrate Leron Daly on two counts of forgery.

The charges alleged that on March 26 at Camp Street, Georgetown, Mohamed Abid Haniff with intent to defraud, uttered to Maleka Sealey, a Customs officer at Guyana Revenue Authority (G.R.A ), a forged import licence, in favour of Dhanram Satrohan,

a person trading as Ghanhi’s Sales and Investment, purporting to show that the same was issued by the Ministry of Business.

It was also alleged that on the same day, at Camp Street, Georgetown with intent to defraud, Mohamed Haniff forged an import license, purporting to show that same was issued by the Ministry of Business.

The father of five, who resides on the West Bank of Demerara denied the charges read out to him in court.

Prosecutor Sanj Singh had no objection to bail but asked that conditions be attached.

Bail was granted by the magistrate in the sum of $100,000. And the matter was adjourned for July 13, 2018.

A MASON on Friday appeared before a city magistrate on two assault charges and one robbery charge.

The charges alleged that on June 8, 2018 at Albouystown, Randy Bharat robbed Cindy Rameris of one purse valued $3.000, one gold band valued $60,000 and one cellphone worth $75,000.

He denied the charges

that were read out to him in court.

The virtual complainant did not wish to offer evidence in court against Bharat. She did not to want to go ahead with the matter, as a result police prosecutor Sanj Singh asked that the victim be made to pay a cost for wasting the court’s time.

Magistrate Leron Daly agreed and ordered Rameris

to pay $10,000.

It was also alleged that on the same day Bharat assaulted a police officer and Bryan Pollard.

The 43 year old man who resides at Albouystown denied both charges.

Bail was granted by Magistrate Leron Daly in the sum of $ 100,000.

The matter was adjourned to July 31, 2018.

VC must pay $10,000 for wasting court’s time

above the law.

He stated that parking downtown by the Stabroek Market area remained an issue in which an alternative must materialise to reduce the encumbrance but until such time they have to monitor the parks which are being overcrowded.

Giving statistics, the Acting Traffic Chief told the Guyana Chronicle that for 2018 to date the Traffic De-

partment recorded 44 road accidents with 51 deaths while, for the corresponding period for 2017 they tallied 47 road accidents with 50 deaths.

He disclosed that for this year pedestrians remain the most vulnerable victims of road fatalities since 17 pedestrians were killed and they recorded 13 in 2017 for the same period.

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Acting Traffic Chief Superintendent Ramesh Ashram

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

All Guyanese should be pleased with CCJ ruling

– President Granger

By Svetlana Marshall PRESIDENT David Granger said Guyanese should be pleased with the

decision of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to uphold the constitutional amendment on term limits for executive presidents in

Guyana.

“The constitution is clear, and I think that the CCJ has spoken what the majority of the Guyanese people feel is embedded in the constitution, that is, no president would be eligible for election more than twice,

and I think the Guyanese population should be happy with that ruling,” President Granger told the Guyana Chronicle.

At the time he was attending the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Jamaica on Thursday. Last month, the CCJ, by a 6-1 majority overturned the High Court and Court of Appeal ruling in the presidential term limit case here and declared that Section 2 of the Constitution (Amendment) (No 4) Act of 2000 was a constitutional amendment to Article 90 of the Constitution of Guyana.

The then CCJ President Sir Dennis Bryon and Justices Adrian Saunders, Jacob Wit, David Hayton, Maureen Rajnauth-Lee and Denys Barrow all ruled that the two-term presidential limit here is constitutional and does not infringe on the rights of any citizen to so choose a president of his or her choice. Justice Winston Anderson, however, was the dissenting voice.

“With all things considered, we are satisfied that the case is not made out to disturb the will of the people expressed through the Act, considering as we do that it did not dilute democracy in, nor undermine the sovereignty of the people of Guyana,” the CCJ held.

In handing down the decision, Sir Dennis Byron said that Cedric Richardson was misguided in law, when he took the decision to chal-

lenge the amendments made to Article 90 of the Constitution that were enacted in 2000 following a bipartisan Constitutional Reform Process.

Article 1 states that “Guyana is an indivisible, secular, democratic, sovereign state in the course of transition from capitalism to socialism and shall be known as the Co-operative Republic of Guyana” and Article 9, states that “Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and the democratic organs established by or under this constitution.

The then CCJ President in making the ruling stated clearly that the amendments were never unconstitutional, while noting that Guyana remains a democratic sovereign state.

It therefore means with the ruling in effect, former President Bharrat Jagdeo cannot run for a third term in office.

It was just before the 2015 General and Regional Elections, when, Richardson, a resident of Georgetown, challenged the amendments made to Article 90 of the constitution and many had drawn the conclusion that the constitutional challenge filed by Richardson was engineered by Jagdeo. Former Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang had in July 2015 ruled in favour of Richardson, which in effect prompted the Attorney General Basil Williams and former Speaker of the

President David Granger National Assembly Raphael Trotman, the named parties, to appeal against the ruling.

Justice Chang had said Article No.17 of 2001 is without legal effect, because it does not comply with other articles of the constitution dealing with repugnancy, democratic society and sovereignty belonging to the people which require a referendum for any alteration.

Chang had reasoned that Articles 1 and 9 underpin the republican commitment to the fundamental concept of popular sovereignty or imperium populi, thereby safeguarding against elective despotism by the elected representatives of the people.

The Court of Appeal by a two-one majority in February, 2017, upheld Chang’s ruling that the presidential term limit is unconstitutional and void. Now retired Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Carl Singh, and Justice BS Roy upheld the High Court ruling handed down by former Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang, while then Chief Justice (ag) now Chancellor (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards had disagreed.

Sugar workers to receive final severance package –– Minister Harmon

GOVERNMENT is committed to fulfilling its promise during the second part of this year as more than 2,000 redundant sugar workers are soon to receive the final portions of their severance pay.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Thursday disclosed that “Cabinet discussed payment of the second tranche of severance to sugar workers and iterated its commitment to honouring the agreement to make the remaining severance payment within the time it promised.”

According to Minister Harmon, the funds to meet this payment will come from amounts accumulated from budgetary cuts to several ministries and departments of state in keeping with a previous directive by Cabinet.

“I did report this matter here that several ministries were asked to do a cutbacks on their budgetary allocations and we anticipated that all of the monies will come from that process. Half of it has already been paid and

the second tranche will come directly from government sources and will be paid in the second half of the year,” Minister Harmon explained.

In February, Chief Executive Officer (ag) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Paul Bhim reported that “so far, 1,400 ex-employees have received their severance in full with the remainder awaiting the remaining 50 percent. About 3,700 employees were issued with severance letters and the government had approved the partial payment of the severance of 50%, but there was an adjustment to that because anybody with $500,000 or less were paid in full.”

The downsizing of the sugar industry to three estates is among recommendations outlined in a state paper on the future of the sugar industry.

The end result will see GuySuCo consisting of three estates and sugar factories.

The estates, complete with factories, would be Blairmont on the West Bank of Berbice, Albion-Rose Hall in East Berbice and the Uitvlugt-Wales Estate in West Demerara.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Man kills brother over lunch

A FIFTY-seven-year-old porter beat his brother to death after he had eaten out his lunch on Thursday afternoon at Bella Dam, West Bank Demerara.

Dead is 61-year-old Nazir Khan known as ‘Karie’ of Lot 37 Bella Dam, West Bank Demerara. His brother, Asgar Alli who is employed with Puran Brothers Disposal Service, is in police custody. Police are said to be looking for another suspect.

Reports indicate that Alli dealt the pensioner several blows to the head and the body with the help of an accomplice known as ‘Ricky’.

Alli had reportedly sent his brother to collect his food, however an hour later, he realised that the man did not return and decided to go in search of him. In the same street where they live Alli found his brother at a neighbour’s house and asked him about his food when the brother broke the news casually that it was in his gut and he ate it.

An angry Alli and his friend used their fists

The house in which the deceased lived and feet to beat the pensioner in the presence of the neighbour who later chased them out of his yard. The injured pensioner then retreated to another neighbour’s house where he requested to lie down after complaining of feeling unwell. Two hours later, checks were made to see if Khan was awake when the neighbour found him motionless.

The ambulance service was contacted and upon arrival they reportedly refused to take the man to the hospital because it was

clear that he was dead, since his body was stiff and motionless without any signs of breathing. Police were then contacted and the body was taken to Ezekiel Funeral Parlour. A post mortem examination done on Friday by Dr. Nehaul Singh revealed that Khan died of brain hemorrhage due to blunt trauma to head, compounded by compression injuries to neck.

Relatives said that Nazir Khan had no children and he lived alone in a building constructed on a land he shared with family.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo congratulates new CCJ President PRIME Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who is performing the functions of President has congratulated Justice Adrian Saunders on his ascension to the Presidency of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

In a letter to Justice Saunders, Prime Minister Nagamootoo wrote, “I have followed, over many years, your distinguished career as a jurist, and remember with pride your appointment as Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and, later, as Judge of the CCJ.” “Today,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo continued, “watching you take the Oath of Office as President (of

the CCJ), I re-lived those moments, and I wish you all the best as you execute the responsibilities of this office.”

Prime Minister recalled having first met Justice Saunders in the 1970s. “I also remember you as a budding lawyer whom I have first met during 1976 in your native St. Vincent and the Grenadines. You might have added some gray as well as an aura of distinction to your youthful appearance but, today I also saw in you the personality of an eminent home-grown, Caribbean legal scholar and jurist.”

Prime Minister Nagamootoo also reaffirmed Guyana’s respect for the integ-

President of CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders rity of the CCJ as Guyana’s final court of appeal and expressed confidence in Justice Saunders as its new President.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

House collapses, mother of eight homeless A MOTHER of eight, Annetta Heywood, woke up and felt her three-bedroom cottage shaking violently and before she knew

what was happening she was rendered homeless after her wooden house collapsed early Friday morning.

The woman of Lot 149 D’Andrade Street, Kitty told the Guyana Chronicle that she did not get to save any of her household items but

The collapsed house on Friday morning before it was dismantled. she was thankful that no one was injured and she managed to get her children to safety.

On Friday morning when this newspaper visited, mostly men from the community were assisting the single mother to clear the area of debris since the entire fallen structure was dismantled.

Heywood said she has nowhere to go with her children, and as such, the men

in the village would assist her in constructing a small dwelling house (shack) with the boards form the collapsed house until she can do better.

But for now she has “to make do.”

Thus far, no one has come forward to assist except the villagers by lending a helping hand to clear the yard of debris and she is asking for any form of assis-

tance to rebuild her house.

Heywood lived in that house for about 37 years and she stated that she was hoping to have a roof over her head at the earliest because she has school-aged children who needed a place to stay.

The woman has since approached the Guyana Relief Council for assistance because she had lost all her worldly possessions.

Men from the community assisting to clear the yard of debris on Friday.

Cabinet approves appointment of Chilean ambassador CABINET has approved the appointment of His Excellency, Patricio Arturo Becker Marshall as Resident Ambassador (Designate) Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Chile to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Ambassador (Designate) Becker Marshall will replace H.E. Claudio Rachel Rojas. In a release the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ambassador (Designate) Becker Marshall currently serves as the Consul General of the Republic of Chile in Vancouver, Canada.

Previously, he was Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Chile in Japan. He has also held several positions at Chilean Missions around the world including in Mexico, Australia and South Africa. He began his career in the Foreign Service following his graduation from the Chilean Diplomatic Academy in 1981.

Diplomatic relations between Guyana and Chile were established on July 22, 1971. With the establishment of the Embassy of Chile in

Georgetown in 2015 bilateral relations have become increasingly active. Through bilateral cooperation, Chile has extended technical assistance on data collection through Chile’s National Service of Geology and Mining (SERNAGEOMIN). In 2017, through a bilateral arrangement between the Governments of Guyana and Chile, Foreign Service officials in Guyana benefitted from a course in Globalisation and Global Governments and Guyanese public servants were offered Spanish language training by the Government of Chile.

The two countries are commonly involved in a number of regional bodies, such as the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Chile also engages the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) under the SouthSouth Cooperation framework and the CARICOM- Chile Joint Commission.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Private sector urges reduction of excise taxes …to cushion effects of hike in fuel prices

THREE of the top private sector representative organisations have called on government to intervene and adjust excise taxes to reduce the fuel price and negate the harmful impact on Guyana’s economy.

In a joint statement on Friday the Private Sector Commission, Georgetown Chambers and Commence Industry and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association observed that fuel prices have been constantly increasing over the past few weeks. The organisation noted that in the past when there was a reduction in crude oil market price to US $44 per barrel in 2015, Government intervened to slash the retail price per litre from $219 to $153. However, although the world market price dipped below US $30 per barrel in 2016, the retail price per litre at the state owned pumps was $190 which was then reduced to $170 due to advocacy by the private sector for Government to intervene.

As the world market price for oil recovers, the local private sector has noted similar increases at retail outlets per litre of gasoline and diesel; from $180 in June, 2016 to $230 more recently in July, 2018. “While this is commensurate with the rising price of oil on the world market, there are ways in which our Government could stem the impact of the price increase on the local economy, in order to manage the foreseeable uptick in inflation and reduced economic activity.

There is much that could be done by adjusting the excise tax so that businesses could remain competitive,” the organisation said in their statement.

“As consumers, there are economic implications of higher oil prices. When gasoline prices increase, a larger share of households’ income is likely to be spent on it, which leaves less to be spent on other goods and services. The same goes for businesses, whose goods must be shipped from place to place. The manufacturing sector that uses diesel and Bunker C for self-generation of power and steam are finding it difficult to cope with the increased cost as it has a negative impact on profits. The alternative is to increase prices of goods produced which is difficult to do in a competitive market.”

On the commercial side,

the private sector fuel costs account for a significant part of overall operational costs in distribution and transportation businesses.

“We therefore call upon our Government to intervene and adjust excise taxes to reduce the fuel price and negate the harmful impact on Guyana’s economy,” the statement ended.

GOVERNMENT STUDYING OPTIONS Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan has said recently that Cabinet has discussed the increased fuel prices and is carefully considering options to avoid future negative effects on the country’s balance of payments.

“The issue about price increases for the minibuses is also engaging the attention of the Cabinet. Only last Tuesday at Cabinet this matter was raised and so we will have to find creative solutions to the problem of rising fuel prices.

I understand though that in the past week or so, prices have trended downwards.

I believe prices have fallen back to about 60-something dollars per barrel from the high 70-something,” Minister Jordan said.

In addition, he noted the opposition calls for a previously used tax formula to be employed to ease the burden of increased fuel prices on citizens. However, he said while the previous administration was able to forego taxes to maintain fuel prices in the past, the conditions were different.

“They say they had a formula in place where they used to reduce the excise tax so that people used to buy gas at the same price they used to buy before. I’m aware that indeed they had such a formula, but this is not only about whether government will still get the same amount of revenues that they had budgeted. It also has that external side… the side that has to do with finding the foreign currency to buy the same quantity of gas that you were consuming when the prices were low,” Minister Jordan said.

In a previous interview, with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister Jordan had said that the earlier arrangements were made possible because of favourable conditions of purchase obtained from Venezuela through the now-defunct PetroCaribe facility.

“How did the last government do it? Well in

large measure because they had access to the PetroCaribe arrangement. That arrangement with Venezuela allowed the government to import expensive fuel from Venezuela, but only pay Venezuela a small part of what is owed to them and the rest rolled over into a long-term concessional financing.

So, at any one time, the last government didn’t have to face the proposition that we have right now, which is we have to find 100 percent of the cost of the fuel and pay for it immediately. When you have an arrangement such as the PetroCaribe it doesn’t affect your balance of payments significantly,” Jordan explained.

In September 2017, world market prices for fuel increased due in part to the hurricane conditions in the southern hemisphere, which resulted in GuyOil adjusting the prices in gasoline, diesel and kerosene to a higher cost. Again, in February of this year, the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) adjusted its prices upwards. GuyOil currently sells gasoline for approximately $220 per litre.

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Father of NGSA 2018 top performer says dream came true

Teachers of New Diamond/Grove Primary School Robin Wilson and Colis Dublin as they presented a trophy to Esha Lakeram for her excellent performance while her parents Shareema and Kumar Lakeram looked on.

NATIONAL Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) 2018 top performer, Esha Lakeram of New Diamond/Grove Primary, secured 523 marks which placed her in the fourth place locally which has caused her parents to be elated.

Father of this top scorer Kumar Lakeram told the Guyana Chronicle that he was beyond happy because his daughter did well and she was looking forward to going to Queen’s College in the new school term.

This Sixth Avenue Diamond, East Bank Demerara resident is very pleased with herself and is full of praises for her academic success.

Esha Lakeram, 12, is a reserved and creative student who has excelled in school.

With her marks her parents were not surprised, but nevertheless they were happy.

Kumar Lakeram, a building contractor told this newspaper that he always supported his children and she did her best and he was happy with the outcome.

He related that his daughter was ‘over the moon.’ It was a “dream come true” for her because she wanted to attend Queen’s College and she got that.

She shared 523 marks along with Ciannan Barkoye, Zyia Braithwaite, and Krystal Duncan.

Esha was awarded at her school’s graduation and her parents were there to witness the ceremony.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday July 7, 2018

City Constabulary launches probe into Stabroek Market robbery

THE City Constabulary has launched its own internal investigation into the recent break in at L. Seepersaud Maraj and Sons Jewellery and says efforts will be made to beef up its security.

At a news conference at the City Hall on Thursday, Chief Constable Andrew Foo and Town Clerk Royston King updated the media on the July 2 burglary whereby robbers carted away with millions worth of jewellery.

On Thursday morning, the Chief Constable along with Deputy Mayor Akeem Peter met with the proprietors who expressed their “frustration” and “hurt” over the incident but they were given assurance that the matter is under investigation.

Providing a recap, Foo said that following the incident which occurred around 7am, the jewellery store made a report to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) but an official report was not lodged at the City Constabulary. The Constabulary heard about the incident some two hours after it was reported to the GPF and Foo made known his disappointment that the two authorities were not contacted simultaneously.

He said that swifter action would have allowed the Constabulary to close the market and conduct a search for possible perpetrators concealed within. “We were a bit disap-

pointed that that information was not provided in a timely manner, that could have been done simultaneously… in terms of procedures where when we have breakages of this nature, this magnitude, we shut the market down.

“Because we’ve learnt from the past that some of these crimes, when they’re committed, they’re committed by persons within the market. There are persons who seclude themselves within stalls, at the top of stalls, they come out by night, and during the day if it’s in terms of holidays, and they operate,” he said.

He added that the absence of an official report from the proprietors also prevents the Constabulary from providing an estimate of the total losses incurred.

At the time of the indecent there were 4-5 ranks and one supervisor on duty around the vicinity and Foo explained that the ranks operate 24-hours on a shift system.

However, he acknowledged that the 4-5 ranks at the Stabroek Market security shift system are inadequate and the Constabulary and City Council will now be working to address this deficit.

“I would not say that the numbers are adequate, we would like to have much more in terms of ranks to execute the mandate of the

Constabulary,” he said, later adding: “There are a number of possibilities which we’re working on...outside of that we’ll have to look at having the numbers increased. The numbers that we have are not the desired numbers but we’ll have to discuss that with the council in terms of possible recruitment of additional persons,” he said.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the Stabroek Market and spoke with a few business owners about their thoughts on the incident, one jewellery stall owner, Ms. Nandlall had this to say: “We need more security.

They say we have constables 24/7 but how the people come in the market and how do they go out? They have to be able to know what’s going on. You can’t have them and have robbery in the market.”

Another stall owner commented: “If you call for a constable you don’t get nobody…they need to do their job more better. We don’t have security here right now... some people for many years don’t come in the market because they’re afraid to get robbed.”

When asked whether the Constabulary would be accepting responsibility for what transpired, Foo said: “That is not something for us to actually pronounce at this point in time. It’s a wide range, in terms of investiga-

tion, that has to be carried out…persons may want to

market, there are some stalls with cameras which Foo is

Chief Constable Andrew Foo on Thursday at City Hall, provides updates on the recent break in at L.Seepersaud Maraj and Sons Jewellery store (Adrian Narine photo)

arrive at certain conclusions so I’m happy that you have the Guyana Police Force who is leading the investigation into this matter.”

On the same issue, six persons have reportedly been picked up for questioning in relation to the matter but City Hall was unable to confirm whether any of these were constables.

However, they say that within the vicinity of the

certain will aid the GPF and the Constabulary in their investigations.

Additionally, recently there have been media reports that the security body hired to monitor the jewellery stall, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), had received alarm signals of the robbery but failed to contact the proprietors.

However, in a press release on Thursday MCC apol-

ogised for making a public statement about their client’s confidential security matters but corrected what they say are “false statements” made in the media.

“Upon receiving electronic alarm signals from L. Seepersaud Maraj’s Stabroek Market location, MMC Security Force made calls to the telephone numbers provided by our client. We have verified this with GTT’s records. Those calls were not answered. As per operating procedure, we dispatched an armed Power Patrol team to the client’s location. Unfortunately, our team was unable to gain access to the Stabroek Market after normal business hours,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, King said at the press briefing that the incident is to be regretted noting that the business had been in operation in the market for over 82 years. However, he noted that a similar breakage into the same stall occurred in 2014 where the guilty individual was sentenced to four years in prison.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the Stabroek Market, L. Seepersaud Maraj and Sons Jewellery had re-opened on a small scale and were conducting remedial works to the store.

Venezuelan who stole $$ to be deported Victim disarms gunman,

A 17-year-old Venezuelan was Friday sentenced to six months’ jail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for simple larceny Luis Marques, with the aid of an interpreter, confessed that between July 1, 2018 and July 2, 2018, he stole $410,000 cash from Sabrina Johnson.

While disclosing the facts to the court, Police Prosecutor Inspector Gordon Mansfield told the court Johnson was the owner of a general store which was located at the Port Kaituma waterfront.

During the dates mentioned in the charge, the teen reportedly went to the woman’s shop to buy a haversack. Johnson, while

robbers’ car intercepted

Luis Marques

selling him, stepped out of the shop for a few seconds.

On her return, Marques paid for his bag and went away. The businesswoman later saw that money was missing from her day’s sales and reported the matter to the police.

Marques was arrested and when searched, the money was found in his possession.

The chief magistrate sentenced Marques to six months’ jail, after which he will be deported.

A TAXI driver was on Friday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for armed robbery. Harry James, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, denied the charge and the matter was transferred to the Wales Magistrates’ Court for July 12.

Particulars of the charge alleged that James on July 3, 2018, at Alliance, Canal No.2, while being in the company of others and armed with a gun robbed Rabindra Sumdhat of $792,000 in cash, along with a quantity of jewellery.

According to a police

report, about 02:00hrs Tuesday, a 31-year-old mechanic/businessman was sleeping in a hammock under a shed in his yard at Alliance, Canal No.2, when he was confronted by two men armed with handguns.

The robbers demanded valuables, took the businessman inside his house and relieved him of a large sum of cash.

During the ordeal, the suspects gun-butted the victim who retaliated and engaged them (bandits) in a physical confrontation. In the process, the victim reportedly managed to disarm

one of the gunmen. Two live 9mm rounds were found at the scene and an unlicensed .9mm pistol allegedly taken from one of the two armed suspects during a struggle.

The weapon has since been handed over to the police.

The victim then quickly armed himself with instruments and wounded the suspects who fled in a waiting vehicle. After a brief pursuit by the police, the motor car was intercepted at Leonora, West Coast Demerara and is currently impounded. The driver of the motor car was also arrested.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Water receding in sections of Lethem …residents urged to cooperate with authorities RESIDENTS of Lethem are being urged to cooperate with the authorities as systems are being operationalised in response to ongoing floods in the Rupununi town.

At the same time, reports on Friday morning suggest that the water was receding in sections of the town.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, visited the area on Thursday. It was noted that the situation in the area is a major concern for government and also the regional administration in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and the Mayor and Town Council.

As of today, the following areas are still under water: Tabatinga, Culvert City and St. Ignatius. Families who are affected are currently housed at temporary shelters at the Arapaima Primary School, Culvert City Nursery and the Tabatinga Complex.

It was noted that hot meals, water and other supplies are provided between the region and the town council. Minister Ferguson said she visited the affected areas and shelters and held discussions with the affected persons. She also met village leaders in St. Ignatius and she advised them that systems are being put in place in the region in response to the situation. Residents were

Water levels are falling in flooded areas of Lethem

also encouraged to cooperate with the region and town council to ensure the avoidance of an outbreak. The role being played by Ministry of Public Infrastructure at this time is the assistance of evacuating persons from their homes and also aiding in monitoring the water level.

On Thursday, government noted that Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who is performing the duties of President, was updated that waters in the area have risen up to five feet between 05:00hrs and 11:00hrs Wednesday July 4, and that 25 residents were evacuated and are being housed at the

Culvert City Primary School, Tabatinga Community Centre and the Amerindian Hostel.

It was then the prime minister instructed that Minister Ferguson be dispatched to Region Nine to assess the state of public infrastructure in the area. Further, Minister of State Joseph Harmon led a team, which will include officials, to Lethem and Tabatinga. On Thursday, Minister Harmon noted during a post-Cabinet press briefing that the regional administration has indicated that they can manage the situation, but if the situation worsens, they would require further assistance.

He said that the CDC is in contact with the regional authorities and has identified and quantified the needs and requirements in communities. He said as minister responsible for the CDC, he will travel to obtain a firsthand view of the situation.

Minister Harmon said too that Radio Lethem is playing an important role in keeping residents informed about the measures being taken by government and the regional administration. He said the regional emergency operation centre has been activated.

He noted that a preliminary list of items which will be provided to the

St. Rose’s demolition to begin on Monday

THE Board of Governors of St Rose’s High School has announced that the demolition of the school is set to begin on Monday to allow for the construction of a new modern building.

In a media release, the Board said that the demolition exercise, to the tune of G$16.9M, will last for approximately four weeks, and be limited primarily to the aged wooden section and other adjoining areas in a state of disrepair.

“A change in the work schedule was conducted to facilitate the completion of demolition works after the current ,school year ends, which, in turn, would further reduce the likelihood of there being any mishaps since the students will be on vacation,” the Board said, adding: “The teaching staff and students will not be present on the school’s premises for

any formal classes during the demolition exercise, as their safety and that of the staff will be of paramount importance once the demolition exercise has commenced.”

The demolition process will be conducted by PD Contracting Inc, while the reconstruction will be done immediately afterwards by the local firm, Courtney Benn Contracting Ltd. Construction is expected to last 24 months, and the building was designed by Trinidadian firm, Bynoe, Rowe & Wiltshire which is also entrusted with managing and overseeing the project’s demolition and reconstruction exercise.

Input on the new building’s design also came from the Board of Governors, the Parent Teacher Association, Alumni Associations, students, teachers, the Ministries of Education, Social Cohesion and Finance and several others.

In addition, independent engineers will also be utilised to ensure that international environmental and building codes and standards are met, as well as to preserve the history of the existing structure.

The new structure will incorporate many aspects of the original school building design; will retain the unique green space courtyard and will incorporate similar designs to that of the Marian Academy.

In addressing this decision, it was said: “Collectively it was agreed that we must look towards the future and incorporate the very best of modern design and ‘green’ architectural approaches into our new school building that will stand as an example for future educational building designs here in Guyana.”

T h e S t . R o s e ’s H i g h School has been in existence for over 150 years, and currently has over 500 students.

Minister Ferguson interacts with residents

area at short notice include aviation fuel to facilitate emergency medical evacuations should the need arise for remote areas, water-purification tablets, water-storage containers, food and bedding for residents who are occupying shelters. Residents told the Guyana Chronicle that the flood waters are continuing to rise and they feared that the flooding may reach levels higher than the 2011

floods, which covered the area. A resident of Lethem noted that the water was rising quickly. “I am here trying to save my chickens, this water climbing with a speed,” she said, as she made desperate attempts to save her chickens. Other areas under water include sections of Culvert City, Tabatinga, the area between the Lethem market and the airstrip as well as parts of St. Ignatius village.

Four arrested in intelligenceled police operation GOOD police work by ‘B’ Division ranks resulted in the apprehension of four men and the foiling of a planned robbery on Thursday. According to information, the men were planning to rob a gas station at Port Mourant.

The four men, who are well known to the police, were apprehended at No. 1 Village in East Berbice, The car impounded at the Albion Police Station Corentyne after a car chase tion the men who were in vehicle and as the police and shootout with the po- a white Toyota hire car gave chase, the men sublice around 14:00hrs on bearing licence plate HC sequently surrendered after Thursday.

9209 realised they were ditching the gun. The men According to Divisional being trailed by a patrol were taken to the Albion Commander Lyndon Alves, vehicle and sped off. A Police Station. the police had received in- chase ensued and the men Police ranks combed formation sometime before lost control of the vehicle the area on Thursday that the men were planning through a street in No. 1 and went back again on to rob a popular business village and ended up in a Friday but are still unentity in Port Mourant, and ditch. Three of the men able to locate the weapon. a sting operation was set up exited firing shots at the The men remain in police to apprehend the men. police who returned fire. custody as investigations According to informa- The driver remained in the continue.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Ferrari’s Vettel leads the charge in Britain

(BBC) - FERRARI’S Sebastian Vettel was a surprise pace-setter ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in second practice at the British

Grand Prix.

The German was 0.187 seconds clear of Hamilton, whose Mercedes team appeared to be unexpectedly

struggling for pace on the sweeping Silverstone track.

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was third, ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H on track during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone on July 6, 2018 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen crashed early in the session, while team-mate Daniel Ricciardo was fifth.

If Hamilton wins on Sunday it would be a record sixth British GP victory, and would take him ahead of Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ championship, in which the German currently leads by one point.

Verstappen lost control at the Luffield hairpin, running a little wide, the car snapping one way, before the Dutchman over-corrected and spun into the wall, damaging the right rear corner of the car.

Verstappen was running a Friday gearbox so will not have a grid penalty, even if the impact damaged the driveshaft.

It was the latest in a series of errors for Verstappen this season, which affected him at every one of the first six races of the season.

They had appeared to end with a run of three strong results in Canada, France and Austria - a third, second

and then a win - but this was an unwelcome return to his previous form, which Red Bull will hope was an aberration.

Vettel’s pace was a surprise not just because Mercedes were expected to dominate at a track that in theory suits their car, with its long, fast corners, but also because Ferrari generally look less competitive on Fridays than they end up being when it matters on Saturdays and Sundays.

However, Hamilton had a significant advantage on the race-simulation long runs later in the session, when teams and drivers run with heavy fuel loads and used tyres to check their race pace.

The world champion was more than 0.5secs quicker than Raikkonen when both ran the soft tyre. Vettel did not do a race simulation on the soft tyre, preferring to concentrate on the medium, on which he was slightly slower than Hamilton’s pace on the soft.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday July 07, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO TUESDAY’S QUIZ: (1) Shannon Gabriel-8/62 (St. Lucia) (2) Lahiru Kumara-4/58 (Barbados) TODAY’S QUIZ: (1) Who had the best bowling figures in a match for the WI in the

recent Test series against SL? (2) Which SL had the best match figures in the recent Test series?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

English Racing Tips Sandown 08:30 hrs Narella 09:10 hrs Roaring Lion 09:45 hrs Cosmopolitan Queen 10:20 hrs Platitude 10:55 hrs Bajan Gold Chelmsford City 09:35 hrs Izvestia 09:05 hrs I Am A Dreamer 09:40 hrs Nine Below Zero 10:15 hrs Labrega 10:50 hrs Bullingdon 11:25 hrs Global Wonder 11:55 hrs Lucifugous 12:25 hrs Precious Silk Haydock 08:10 hrs Flattering 08:45 hrs Teodoro 09:20 hrs Intisaab

09:55 hrs Buridan 11:05 hrs Give For Gold Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Super Hot Race 2 Veil Race 3 Eliza Jane Race 4 Apatow Race 5 Ault Race 6 Augusto Race 7 Go Bro Race 8 My Gal Betty Race 9 Woodbridge American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Social Paranoia Race 2 Breaking The Rules Race 3 Attribute Race 4 Red Knight Race 5 Wine Not Race 6 Meldelssohn Race 7 Whitmore Race 8 La Signare

Irish Racing Tips Naas 09:15 hrs Excelcius 10:25 hrs Sparkle’N’Joy 11:00 hrs Shore Step 11:35 hrs Soffia 12:05 hrs Shiela’s Hope 12:35 h rs C h i l l ed White South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 09:25 hrs Celtic Sea 09:10 hrs Barahin 10:20 hrs Do It Again 11:15 hrs Kazaar 11:55 hrs Ngaga 12:35 hrs Against The Grain 13:15 hrs Woljayrine 13:55 hrs Perovskia

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

GUYANA FOOTBALL FEDERATION INC. (GFF)

Extra Time

GFF ELITE

LEAGUE III RECOMMENCES!

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) recommenced the second half of the GFF Elite League on Friday, July 6 at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora with a double header.

This second half will feature a double-header on Friday and a triple header on Sunday in order to conclude the League prior to Club’s pre-season preparation for Season Four.

“This leg of the GFF Elite League promises to be exciting and competitive for both clubs and fans as clubs have capitalized on the current Transfer Window and bolstered their base of players. However, due to the inclement weather, we have been forced to confine play of the second half of Elite League Season 3 to two venues – GFC Ground and the National Track and Field Centre. We believe this is good for the sport as the latter is one of the better playing surfaces and provides better fan accommodation relative to female attendance while the former is centrally located.”

Ian Alves, Competition’s Director.- Guyana Football Federation

PRODUCED BY THE GUYANA FOOTBALL FEDERATION INC. (GFF) AND DESIGNED BY THE GUYANA CHRONICLE

For further Information or should you have questions/comments , please contact: General Secretary Guyana Football Federation (GFF) 17 Dadanawa Street, Section “K” Campbelville, Georgetown TEL: +1 592 227 8758 ext. 102 FAX: +1 592 225 2096

e-mail: gff@networksgy.com WEBSITE: www.gffonline.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/GuyanaFootballFederationInc INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/guyana_football_federation_inc/ SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/guyana-football-federation-inc LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/guyana-football-federation-inc TWITTER: @GFF_Inc_

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

France trounce Uruguay 2-0 Brazil star fails as Belgium win 2-1 Oh Jesus!

Raphael Varane of France celebrates after scoring first goal of his team during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Uruguay and France at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on July 6, 2018 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. (Photo by Carlos Cuin/Jam Media/Getty Images)

(REUTERS) - RAPHAEL Varane’s glancing header and a goalkeeping blunder that gifted Antoine Griezmann a soft goal gave France a 2-0 victory over Uruguay in the first World Cup quarter-final on Friday and set them up for a lastfour tie with either Brazil or Belgium.

Uruguay went into the game without key striker Edinson Cavani, who was ruled out with a calf injury, with Cristhian Stuani drafted into the starting line-up.

The impact on their attack was noticeable. Without Cavani, who scored twice in the round of 16 win against Portugal, Uruguay’s moves

forward lacked a focal point, and Luis Suarez found less space and openings against a well-drilled French defence.

The South Americans battled but their talented generation of players, including the defensive rock Diego Godin, look like ending their international careers without the World Cup success they have threatened to deliver.

“I’m proud of my team mates - they were lions,” said skipper Godin.

“We are a team where everyone gives everything in the matches and in preparation..I just have words of gratitude for my team mates,” he said.

France rarely sparkled, but they didn’t need to move

through too many gears, and they go into the semi-finals without any major weak points and appearing capable of taking on anyone of the survivors in this tournament.

“I think we deserve the result,” said coach Didier Deschamps, a World Cup winner with France in 1998.

“We were better than they were today. We had far more mastery, especially in the second half. We didn’t want to give them any opportunity. The attitude is there but we have margin for improvement,” he added.

France’s forward Kylian Mbappe, who had ripped apart Argentina in the previous round with his directness and

Hales helps England level series (REUTERS) - ALEX Hales made an unbeaten 58 to lead England to a thrilling five-wicket victory over India on Friday that levelled the Twenty20 series at 1-1.

The hosts needed 12 runs off the final over, and Hales blasted the first ball for six to bring up his fifty before England reached their target of 149 with two deliveries to spare.

India, who won the first match by eight wickets, started poorly after losing the toss and slumped to 22 for three.

Rohit Sharma skied a catch off Jake Ball, Shikhar Dhawan was carelessly run out after dropping his bat, and Lokesh Rahul, fresh from a brilliant unbeaten century in Manchester, was bowled by Liam Plunkett.

India captain Virat Kohli (47) and Suresh Raina (27) rebuilt the innings with a patient partnership of 57 and former skipper MS Dhoni

(32 not out) helped his side plunder 22 runs off the final over to lead the touring side to a respectable total.

Morgan added 48 for the fourth wicket and Jonny Bairstow struck two sixes in a quickfire 28 to increase the momentum.

Alex Hales’ unbeaten 58 not out steered England to victory, England v India, 2nd T20I, Cardiff, July 8, 2018

England also started badly and lost Jason Roy (15), the inform Jos Buttler (14) and Joe Root (nine) as they struggled to 44 for three.

But Hales and captain Eoin

Hales hit three sixes and four fours in his 41-ball knock to lead England home, and the teams head into the final match of the series in Bristol on Sunday all square.

pace, wasted a good opportunity to open the scoring in the 15th minute when Olivier Giroud headed across the box to him but the 19-year-old’s looping header was off-target.

A relatively quiet game burst into life in the 40th minute when Varane sprinted clear of his marker to meet a wellplaced Griezmann free kick with a perfectly angled header.

Moments later, France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris ensured his side went in at the break with the advantage, producing a brilliant one-handed save to keep out a Martin Caceres header although Diego Godin will be disappointed his follow-up shot was wildly off target.

(REUTERS) - BELGIUM struck early and held off a late Brazil fightback to send the five-time champions tumbling out of the World Cup with a 2-1 victory in an end-to-end thriller on Friday that earned them a semi-final against France.

A Fernandinho own goal and a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne strike gave Belgium a spot in the last four for the second time after 1986 and sent Brazil home at the quarter-final stage for the third time in the last four World Cups.

Brazil dominated possession and carved out chance after chance but, despite the best efforts of Neymar, were unable to find the net until substitute Renato Augusto headed home Philippe Coutinho’s cross 14 minutes from time.

Roared on by the vast majority of the crowd at the Kazan Arena, the Brazilians poured forward to try and save the game but Roberto Firmino, Augusto and Coutinho spurned giltedged opportunities to level the scores.

Neymar continued to run at the Belgium defence until the end but had a second penalty appeal waved away by Serbian referee Milorad Mazic and a final shot tipped over the bar by

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois as the last few seconds ticked away.

“They did it... they were incredible, incredible hearts out there,” said Belgium’s Spanish coach Roberto Martinez.

“I didn’t think for one minute they were going to give up... (our) execution was magnificent. When you say we are going to play in a certain way, they changed their tactical disposition and tactics... it (our gameplan) was executed to perfection.”

If Belgium’s first goal in the 13th minute had an element of luck, with the ball going into the net off Fernandinho’s shoulder from a corner, the second in the 31st minute was a shining example of counter-attacking football.

Romelu Lukaku took the ball with his back to goal, turned into space and stormed past Fernandinho up the pitch before releasing De Bruyne on his right for the playmaker to rifle the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

De Bruyne, playing in a more advanced role than he had in Belgium’s previous four matches, was at the heart of his team’s best work, managing the transition from rearguard defence to attack with vision, pace and accuracy.

Serena moves into last 16 ( R E U T E R S ) - S E VEN-time champion Serena Williams moved ominously into the last 16 at Wimbledon when she recovered from a sluggish start to beat France’s Kristina Mladenovic 7-5 7-6(1) on Friday.

The American, seeded 25, looked sluggish initially and trailed 5-3 but the 36-year-old flicked the switch and reeled off six games in a row as Mladenovic wilted in the heat.

To her credit Mladenovic recovered her poise and had a chance to break the Williams serve at 4-4 in the second set.

Williams slammed the

door shut though and piled on the pressure when Mladenovic served at 5-6.

Mladenovic saved one match point with a graceful forehand winner and forced a tiebreak but there was no stopping Williams as she steamed through it like an express train.

She brought up another match point with a 12th ace and finished it off with her 13th.

Williams has now won 17 consecutive matches at Wimbledon including the 2015 and 2016 titles.

She missed last year’s tournament because she was pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia.

Serena Williams of the United States celebrates after defeating Kristina Mladenovic of France in their Ladies’ Singles third round match on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 6, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Greaves half century gives Windies B victory CMC – EXCITING Barbados all-rounder Justin Greaves smashed an imperious half-century as West Indies B continued their dominant march through the Global T20 Canada league Thursday.

Chasing 152 at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground, the Caribbean side pulled off an emphatic nine-wicket win over Winnipeg Hawks with 13 balls left, to remain unbeaten with their third win and top the standings with six points.

Greaves carved out an unbeaten 89 from 58 balls, clobbering 13 fours and a pair of sixes, while Brandon King produced a measured unbeaten 44 from 43 deliveries, including four fours and a six.

The pair put on 130 in an unbroken, second wicket stand after opener Sherfane Rutherford perished in the third over for five with the score on 25, lbw to a full length delivery from former Barbados and West Indies speedster, Fidel Edwards.

Greaves had earlier also

taken a wicket with his pace in a four-over spell but it was left-arm seamer Obed McCoy who shone with a three-wicket haul as Hawks, sent in by Windies B, rallied to 151 for eight off 20 overs.

West Indies opener Lendl Simmons top-scored with 45 from 40 balls, adding 43 for the second wicket with Ben McDermott (31), after dis-

put on a further 32 for the fourth wicket with South African David Miller (10) to add respectability to the total.

played a single first class match for Trinidad and Tobago, produce a late cameo with an unbeaten 24 from 14 deliveries.

CMC – TEENAGED opener Prithvi Shaw missed out on a double hundred while Ravikumar Samarth struck a century of his own, as India A turned the tables on West Indies A, leaving the Caribbean side facing a tricky final day of the opening four-day “Test”.

Resuming Friday’s penultimate day at Kent County Ground on 159 without loss in their second innings, India A batted audaciously to make a bold statement, piling up a massive 536 for four at the close.

The 18-year-old Shaw, 101 not out at the start, carried on to make a better than run-a-ball 188 while Samarth stroked an attractive 137.

Captain Karun Nair supported with 77 not out while opener Mayank Agarwal added 12 to his overnight 56, before being dismissed.

The day in the field proved a chastening one for West Indies A and seamer Sherman Lewis was the only bowler to come away with any real success, taking two for 100.

Having led India A by 250 runs on first innings, Windies A saw that advan-

tage completely eviscerated and are now behind by 286 runs heading into Saturday’s final day.

Lewis plucked out Agarwal in the morning’s fourth over but any hopes of quick success were then dashed as Shaw and Samarth combined in a dashing 158-run second wicket partnership.

All told, Shaw struck 28 fours and a pair of sixes in an innings which required only 169 deliveries and lasted just short of 4-1/4 hours.

Samarth, meanwhile, faced 202 balls in nearly 5-1/4 hours and counted 14 fours, helping to take India A to lunch on 289 for one.

Unbeaten on 160 at the interval, Shaw became Lewis’s second wicket and only one of the second session as Samarth, on 35 not out, found an ally in Nair to put on a further 166 for the third wicket and turn the screws on Windies A. Samarth was on 90 at tea with India A on 415 for two, and comfortably brought up three figures in the final session.

When the 25-year-old Nair finally departed, Nair pressed home India A’s

advantage in an innings comprising eight fours and

spanning 134 balls and nearly four hours.

graced Australia opener David Warner fell cheaply yet again for six in the fourth over.

Exiled Test batsman Darren Bravo also failed to get among the runs, falling for four to McCoy but Simmons

Simmons’ demise in the 15th over, edging seamer Rutherford behind, triggered the final collapse of the innings as five wickets tumbled for 34 runs.

Mark Deyal, who has

All-rounder Justin Greaves … struck an unbeaten 89.

Shaw, Samarth lead run riot as Windies endure chastening day

West Indies trample Bangladesh by an Innings and 219 CMC – WEST Indies crushed Bangladesh by an innings and 219 runs in just seven sessions, to record their fifth-largest Test victory ever and grab an all-important 1-0 lead in the two-match series here Friday.

The hosts needed just over 1-3/4 hours on the third day at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground to claim the remaining four wickets and send Bangladesh tumbling to 144 all out in their second innings.

Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan resisted with a counter-attacking 64 but the writing was always on the wall for the Tigers after they resumed the morning on 62 for six – still requiring an improbable 301 runs to make the Windies bat again.

Shannon Gabriel added another wicket to his tally to finish with five for 77 while captain and fellow fast bowler Jason Holder picked up three for 30 and Miguel Cummins, two for 16.

West Indies wasted little time in getting the breakthrough when Holder removed Mahmudullah (15) with his first legal ball but second delivery of the day, squaring up the batsman and having him caught at third slip by Roston Chase.

Nurul counter-attacked, adding 25 for the eighth wicket with Kamrul Islam (7) and a further 55 for the ninth wicket with Rubel Hossain (16), to temporarily halt the Windies charge.

All told, the 24-year-old right-hander struck six fours and two sixes in a hasty 74-ball innings, recording the fastest half-century by a Bangladeshi on foreign soil.

Resuming on seven, he took a couple of boundaries off the second over from Gabriel before ripping into the same bowler a few overs later, with fours on either side of the wicket before clearing the ropes at long off in an over which leaked 17 runs.

Nurul raised his landmark off 36 deliveries in the next over from Holder, with a single to fine leg.

Along the way, he lost Kamrul, bowled middle stump

by Gabriel before himself perishing at the hands of Cummins, caught and bowled trying to hit a short delivery back overhead.

With his dismissal went Bangladesh’s resistance and Cummins ended the innings two overs later when he rattled Rubel’s stumps.

Seamer Kemar Roach, who did not bowl in the second innings, was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his five wickets for eight runs which sent Bangladesh crumbling to a record-low Test score of 43 in the first innings.

West Indies will go for a series win when the final Test bowls off at Sabina Park in Jamaica next Thursday.

SCOREBOARD West Indies A endured a chastening day in the field against India A.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA A 1st Innings 133 WEST INDIES A 1st Innings 383 INDIA A 2nd Innings (overnight 159 without loss) P Shaw c Hemraj b Lewis 188 M Agarwal c Brooks b Lewis 68 R Samarth c wkp Thomas b Holder 137 *K Nair not out 77 H Vihari c Warrican b Thomas 10 V Shankar not out 6 Extras: (b18, lb2, w13, nb17) 50 TOTAL: (4 wkts, 100 overs) 536 Fall of wickets: 1-181, 2-339, 3-305, 4-521.

Bowling: Holder 25-2-109-1, Lewis 19-1-100-2, Reifer 18-1-920, Cornwall 11-0-66-0, Warrican 13-0-89-0, Thomas 14-1-60-1

BANGLADESH 1st Innings 43 WEST INDIES 1st Innings 406 BANGLADESH 2nd Innings (overnight 62 for six) Tamim Iqbal c Hope b Gabriel 13 Liton Das c Brathwaite b Holder 2 Mominul Haque b Gabriel 0 Mushfiqur Rahim b Gabriel 8 *Shakib Al Hasan c Holder b Gabriel 12 Mahmudullah c Chase b Holder 15 Mehidy Hasan c wkp Dowrich b Holder 2 +Nurul Hasan c & b Cummins 64 Kamrul Islam b Gabriel 7 Rubel Hossain b Cummins 16 Abu Jayed not out 0 Extras: (b1, w3, nb1) 5 TOTAL: (all out, 40.2 overs) 144 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-14, 3-16, 4-36, 5-43, 6-50, 7-63, 8-88, 9-143, 10-144.

Bowling: Holder 15-3-30-3, Gabriel 12-3-77-5, Cummins 7.2-2-16-2, Bishoo 5-1-16-0, Chase 1-0-4-0.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

Plans in full swing for ICC’s Women’s T20 World Cup

Minister of Social Cohesion, with responsibility with Sport Dr. George Norton and team poses for a photo after the meeting.

PLANNING for a successful hosting of the ICC’s Women’s T20 World Cup is in full swing.

Minister of Social Cohesion, with responsibility for Sport Dr. George Norton and his team, on Wednesday met with representatives from Cricket West Indies (CWI) to discuss a number of matters pertaining to the preliminary and warm-up matches that are scheduled to be played at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

Representing CWI at the meeting were Sabrina Panday and Fawwaz Baksh.

Accompanying Minister Norton on behalf of the Government of Guyana were Permanent Secretary (ag) Melissa Tucker; Director of Sport

Christopher Jones; Assistant Director of Sport Melissa Dow-Richardson and Director of Culture Tamika Boatswain.

The tournament, which is slated for November, will be historic as it is the first standalone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 event since previous women’s matches were played alongside those for the men.

Minister Norton, who holds responsibility also extends to Culture and Youth, said that the possibility of adding a cultural component to the tournament is being examined, as a way of showcasing all things Guyanese in the most flattering way possible.

“Guyana is a country of beautiful diversities and a rich heritage, and we want to showcase this to the entire world in

the most flattering way possible,” Minister Norton explained.

The year 2018 is shaping up to be exciting for cricket in Guyana, beginning with the Bangladesh tour of the West Indies, which kicked off on Wednesday in Antigua with the Test Series.

Later, on July 22 and 26, Guyana will be hosting the first and second One Day International (ODI) matches at the National Stadium at Providence.

But the cricket excitement does not end there. Many are also eagerly awaiting the start of the Caribbean Premier League, which will see Guyana hosting seven matches on August 9, 11 and 12 and on September 8, 9, 11 and 12.

(Ministry of Social Cohesion)

Bissan’s Trading supports Malteenoes Cricket Academy BISSAN’S Trading of 94 King Street Georgetown has confirmed its sponsorship towards this year’s two-week Malteenoes Cricket Academy, which starts on July 23.

Proprietor of Bissan’s Trading Bissoondyal Singh said he is pleased to be a part of the academy, since he wants to help the development of cricket in Guyana especially on the East Coast of Demerara.

“This is a great concept and I know how much the youngsters will learn from this, and hopefully some players from this Academy will go on to play at the highest level.

The East Coast Board has held summer camps in the past and I wish Malteenoes all the best,” said Singh.

The sponsorship cheque was collected by Malteenoes’ PRO Sean Devers who thanked the business entity for their contribution.

The Malteenoes Cricket Academy was launched in July 1993 in recognition of the club’s motto ‘Our Youth, Our Future’ and caters for male and females between the ages of 6-13 and 14-18.

Registration is $3,000 and lunch and snacks will be provided. The academy caters for 90 students and registration closes on July 20.

It will include classroom and field work which will provide the tools to become cricketers, umpires, scorers, journalists and broadcasters, all of which can be well paid careers.

hygiene, etiquette, child protection, law and history of cricket, umpiring and scoring.

The academy has produced Test players Ramnaresh Sarwan and Ryan Ramdass along with former USA Captain

Malteenoes Sports Club PRO, Sean Devers collects the cheque from Bisoondyal Singh.

National Under-17 Coach Orin Bailey is the head coach, while former Test pacer Colin Stuart, Guyana head coach Esuan Crandon and NSC qualified coaches will conduct technical and physical sessions, while facilitators will talk on education, social skills, health and

Steve Massiah, while Azeemul Hannif and Ricardo Mohamed have played First-Class Cricket.

Parents or guardians can uplift Registration forms from the Malteenoes Sports Club in Thomas Lands or call 225-6509.

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, July 7, 2018

‘Keep Your Five Alive’ returns tonight ... Top 32 teams to vie for over $1M

WITH representation of teams expected from Georgetown, Linden, Berbice, West and East Demerara and the East Coast of Demerara, the sixth edition of the GT Beer ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ Indoor Competition is anticipated to provide riveting action from tonight when the tournament kicks off, at the National Gymnasium.

Organiser Kevin Adonis in an invited comment said, this year’s edition is expected to surpass last year’s in terms of excitement and fan support and urged teams to bring out their supporters to ensure that their hopes of ‘keeping their five alive’ is increased by the turnout of fans.

“The concept is one that I like, it allows a team only one opportunity to play for the prizes and because of this all the teams come well prepared to play at a high level, and so the fans are the real winners,” Adonis said.

He added that 32 of the best teams in the country have been assembled, including defending champions West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ and beaten finalist Future Stars.

Among the other teams making the shortlist are: Sparta Boss, Bent Street, Leopold Street and most of the zone champions of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ competition.

In the opening night action: Rhythm Stars (Mocha) tackles recently-crowned Berbice Guinness champions, Trafalgar, and this encounter will be followed by the clash between Agricola and Broad Street.

Kingston will square off against Swag Entertainment out of Linden, before another mining community team, NK Ballers, take on Sophia.

In the final game of the night, Leopold Street will play host to East Coast Melanie Damishana.

Flashback! Part of last year’s action.

ExxonMobil U-14 tournament quarters on today

Football fever grips Guyana

Last Weekend featured a tense round of 16 action in the ExxonMobil U14 football tournament.

FOUR teams will move forward today in the boy’s division when the Quarter-Finals of the ExxonMobil Schools U-14 football gets going at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

The eight teams, vying for a spot in the next round will commence action from 13:00hrs.

Before that however, the ladies will continue to contest the round robin phase.

The tournament is also sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health and Demerara Distillers Limited through the Pespi brand.

The full fixtures are as follows: GIRLS 11:00 hrs - Dolphin Secondary v/s South Ruimveldt Secondary 11:00 hrs - New Campbellville v/s Tucville 11:50 hrs - East Riumveldt v/s Vergenogen

Secondary 11:50 hrs - Charlestown Secondary v/s Uitvulgt Secondary BOYS 13:00 hrs - Marian Academy vs St Johns 13:00 hrs - North Ruimveldt Multi vs Tucville 14:00 hrs- Vergenogen Secondary vs Chase Academy 14:00 hrs- Buxton Youth Development vs Dolphin Secondary

Acting President Moses Nagamootoo (facing camera) shares a light moment with football fans, during a stopover at Sweet Point on Orange Walk, Bourda, to catch a few moments of the thriller.

FOOTBALL fever gripped Guyana yesterday and work stopped almost everywhere.

Football fans, housewives, children and persons from every walk of life gathered around thousands of television sets to witness

the World Cup football quarter-final clash between Brazil and Belgium in Russia.

Among those caught up in the action was acting President Moses Nagamootoo, who joined fans at Sweet Point Bar, Or-

ange Walk, Bourda, in Georgetown to view the global spectacle.

Belgium beat their opponents 2-1, thus dousing the spirits of thousands of Guyanese, most of whom are ardent fans of their ball-weaving neighbours.

Oh Jesus!

See Page 28

Brazil star fails as Belgium win 2-1 Chronicle Sport’s Samuel Maughn captured this distraught Brazil fan at Club 704 during their 2-1 loss against Belgium

Gabriel Jesus of Brazil is challenged by Vincent Kompany of Belgium during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belgium at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

West Indies trample Bangladesh by an Innings and 219 See Page 29

Kamrul Islam Rabbi is bowled on the second day of the first Test between WINDIES and Bangladesh on Thursday, July 6, 2018 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.Š CWI Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography

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SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2018