Guyana chronicle 1 11 14

GUYANA No. 103998 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 01, 2014

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

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At MMA open day…

President Ramotar stresses the importance of agriculture to Guyana’s advancement Page

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Police investigating plot to execute MARAD Director General

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PNC Government suspected WPA penetrated Police communications ‘network’ Page 8 Tourism Month launched

Two of over 100 persons who received their leasehold titles for lands in the MMA area yesterday (Adrian Narine photo)

One dead, one critical as car slams into truck at Mahaicony

Fire razes Akbar Auto Sales 70-year-old main location in CI -hundreds of vehicles destroyed

Dead Torick McLennon

The remnants of the smashed car

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The building on fire

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

At MMA open day…

President Ramotar stresses the importance of agriculture to Guyana’s advancement

– over 100 persons receive leasehold titles OVER 100 persons received leasehold titles for state lands in the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary (MMA) area yesterday during the MMA’s open-day, which was the last in a series of activities to mark Agriculture Month 2014.

President Donald Ramotar, who addressed a gathering of thousands at the Bath

“We have great prospects to do that,” Mr. Ramotar said.

The President pointed out that to successfully undertake this task, several things have to be done, including: further advancement of farmer education; the application of science and technology, which can be done via the investments that have been made at the University of Guyana

Slated to be this nation’s most ambitious undertaking, the Amaila Falls Hydro Project (AFHP) is touted to be able to provide Guyanese with a cheaper, reliable and sustainable electricity supply.

It involves the construction of a hydropower plant in the area of West-Central Guyana, where the Amaila and Kuribrong Rivers meet. Elec-

President Donald Ramotar views some of the products produced by the Bath Referendum City Farmers Group (Adrian Narine photo)

farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

He noted that there are several initiatives that have been advanced to support local sector stakeholders, in the interest of developing the agriculture sector, and committed to continued support.

Fresh fruits and vegetables displayed, representing the successes of several farmers’ groups in the MMA area, being viewed by President Donald Ramotar (Adrian Narine photo)

Settlement Tarmac, stressed the importance of agriculture to the development of Guyana.

According to him, the sector’s importance is seen in the numbers, which indicated that agriculture accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the local economic activity.

“Agriculture can help to make Guyana advance fully…Guyana has land, fresh water and very good farmers,” he said.

The Head of State highlighted too that the development of agriculture will not only contribute to the development of the nation, as a whole, but also contribute to battling the problem of food security, which is a global challenge.

He noted that the food import bill of the Caribbean Region is close to US$4B annually, which represents both an opportunity for Guyana to contribute to the Region’s food security, as well as a market for Guyana’s farmers.

(UG), the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA); and the diversification of the sector.

He acknowledged, however, that moving forward in this area will be challenging, but expressed optimism that: diversification of the sector; the addition of new crops and agriculture products, through the promotion of an agro-industry; as well as advance of value-added initiatives will address the challenges in an effective way.

Mr. Ramotar was emphatic in stressing that these efforts are worthwhile given the fact that wealth will be created for Guyanese and there will be an improvement of the quality and standard of living in Guyana – both meaningful returns on Government’s investments in the agriculture sector.

On that note, Mr. Ramotar highlighted the need for hydropower, among other infrastructural advances, to further contribute to the improvement of the lives of all Guyanese.

tricity produced there would be delivered to Georgetown and Guyana’s second largest town, Linden. The AFHP is anticipated to result in substantial savings to the nation’s coffers, some $9B, particularly in terms of foreign exchange and the purchase of heavy fuel oil.

The President decried the fact that he “does not have a partner in the Opposition” when it comes to pushing developments like these.

Despite this, he assured that progress will continue and pledged that the efforts of the current Administration will take Guyana from a middle-income country to a developed nation.

“I intend to work to see us getting there. We have all the possibilities to get there. We have been investing heavily,” the President said.

He added: “…to do so we need you support. We need your individual and collective support, so that in our lifetime we can see Guyana move to a far better place than it is today. Let us work together.”

Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Ali Baksh, reiterated similar sentiments and underscored the fact that there are many opportunities available to local

LAND TENURE WORK Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, was also present at the MMA open day activity, updated those gathered on the efforts being made by his Ministry, in collaboration with the MMA and other stakeholders to ensure the allocation of leasehold state lands to farmers, in the interest of improving the lives of average Guyanese citizens.

with local farmers to ensure that the agriculture sector is developed to benefit all Guyanese and, by extension, Guyana.

“We are a far way from realising the full potential of the sector, even with the successes we have had to date,” Nandlall said.

He made it clear that engagements, toward this end, will continue with farmers to ensure the availability of lands for agriculture and the expansion of agricultural activities, in the interest of improving lives.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, M M A Chairman, Rudolph Gajraj, used yesterday’s forum to announce that a decision has been made to act on a request from a Region 5 (Mahaica/

According to him, these announcements are in line with the MMA’s focus on land tenure and associated matters for 2014.

Also, the General Manager of the MMA, Mr. Aubrey Charles, reported on the successes of these efforts and stressed that fairness, transparency and equitable allocation of lands to MMA farmers, continue to be the order of the day. “The MMA is committed to partnerships that will ensure positive changes,” he assured.

The efforts of the MMA were displayed in an exhibit, in addition to exhibits put on by the GSA, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySu-

Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, and President Donald Ramotar, review one of the exhibits on display by GuySuCo(Adrian Narine photo)

“Farmers in Guyana are one of the most important groups of people…you, the farmers, the architects of agriculture, impact the local economy in a significant way,” he said.

According to him, Government will continue to work

Berbice) farmers’ group to make available additional lands for cattle rearing – lands that will be regulated by the MMA. He also announced the move to have critical roads, including the damaged Burma Road, repaired.

Co) and the Bath Referendum City Farmers Group, among others.

This year Agriculture Month was held under the theme ‘Enhancing Agriculture through Family Farming and the use of Sustainable Technologies’.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

Ramjattan verbally abuses NCN reporter

– dares reporter to go public with conversation A SENIOR reporter attached to the National Communications Network (NCN), Edward Layne, was yesterday verbally abused by the Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan.

In an allegedly expletive-laden tirade, Ramjattan refused to respond to a query over his promise to lodge a formal complaint with the police on the alleged “buyout” of three Members of Parliament (MPs) by the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).

Khemraj Ramjattan

Ramjattan, at a press conference in mid-September, stated that his party had been

“reliably informed” that the PPP/C Government, against whom the No-Confidence Motion has been filed, has plans to “buy out” at least three parliamentarians at $30M each to vote against the motion when it comes up for debate next month. However, the main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has denied that this allegation concerns any of their MPs and the AFC holds the same position – a fact that has led to questions of the merits of Ramjattan’s allegation.

According to Layne, Ramjattan was hostile when posed with his query.

He said: “About 13:53 hrs on Friday, October 31, 2014, I made telephone contact with Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Leader of the AFC for a comment on a matter of national importance.

“I, in a very professional manner, identified myself and the media house I represent to Mr. Ramjattan, I then proceeded to ask Mr. Ramjattan why he has not released the evidence he has of three Opposition members of parliament offered $30M each to vote against the no-confidence motion one month after he made

these allegations (September 18, 2014) and whether or not he had reported the matter to the police. I was met with extreme hostility.

“Mr. Ramjattan accused me of working for the PPP and rattled off a series of expletives.( The AFC Leader is reported to have told Layne, “The PPP send you fuh ask me stupidness. Why you don’t haul you ass, what the sk*** you think, calling to ask me me fu**** stupidness.”

“I proceeded to ask Mr. Ramjattan whether his utterances were his official comment, to which he answered in the affirmative and said ‘you publish what

I said, I don’t care what you want to write. Boy look haul your ass, what the r@ss you think.”

Ramjattan is the leader of one of the political parties which on one hand constantly accuse NCN and its sister state media agencies of not providing coverage to them and on the other hand cuss us out when we try to provide coverage to them.

Attempts to contact officials from the local Bar Association and the Guyana Press Association for a comment on the behaviour of an MP and member of the Bar, as it relates to abuse of a practicing journalist, proved futile.

Sixty-two-year-old retiree on Tourism Month launched ‘run-around’ for NIS pension – has been contributing to scheme since 1969

By Shirley Thomas A 62-year old retiree who had worked and paid NIS contributions since 1969, got the shock of his life when in 2012 he retired at age 60 and on applying for pension, was told by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) that he is not entitled to pension, since he does not have the required amount of contributions.

Bidiadhar Deokarran of Goed Fortuin Squatting Area, West Bank Demerara, said that since this was told to him, he has been running back and forth between the NIS Offices in Georgetown and his various places of employment to verify that he was indeed making payments, However, he is still getting no place with the NIS. “Look, I working and paying NIS since 1969 when the scheme started. At that time I was earning $3.20 per day. Ah work at Guysuco (Versailles), Demerara Distillers Ltd. Barama, Toolsie Persaud, Giftland and more, and all the time I paying NIS.” He said he learnt that a contributor is required to have 352 contributions before they can qualify for sick benefits. Well, I been getting sick benefits eversince the 1970s, so how will they explain that? he questioned.

Deokarran said that prior to retiring he checked with the NIS and was told that he had already made 357

contributions and that the required amount to qualify a contributor for pension is 750. From then on he kept calculating regularly and is confident that he has amassed the750 and more than that.

“In fact I should have anything like 2,500 contributions,” Deokarran said.

The distraught retiree said that at one time the NIS sent him to Versailles to find out about his contributions.

At Versailles he was told that the office had been shut down and so they sent him on to Wales. At Wales, he was told that the Versailles office had a fire, so very likely, those records would have been misplaced. On account of this, he was re-directed to NIS. “But what I cannot understand, is that even if a workplace had wind, rain or fire, that should not affect NIS records, since NIS is the custodian of their own records.

How come I was told at one time that I had the required amount of contributions, and now that it is time to pay me, the contributions short? This is serious business, I am not begging them for anything.

NIS was deducted from my pay and so this is my entitlement,”Deokarran argued.

Expressing disgust, he recalled the many times NIS has had him back and forth. “ They had me from Vreeden-Hoop to Leonora to Brickdam to Ogle and still the running ain’t done. I am fed up.

I am frustrated. All the years ah working, ah paying them.

THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) yesterday launched their 20th year of observing Tourism Awareness Month (TAM).

There was also the unveiling of the GTA’s official logo as well as their Guyana Home Coming 2015 logo under the theme-: “Tourism Entrepreneurs and Ambassadors Mobilised.” Tourism Awareness Month is an annual observance which fosters closer collaboration with

the private and public sectors in an effort to strengthen their working relationship.

The event, which was held at the Amerindian Village, National Exhibition Centre, Sophia, was attended by the Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali; Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President Shaun McGrath and members; President of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ramesh Persaud, and members of the diplomatic corps.

This year’s theme was selected to highlight Tourism Entrepreneurs and Ambassadors who are regarded as the key vehicles for the creation of new enterprises, employment and the stimulation of competition in the sector; they also educate and inspire their families, friends and colleagues to embrace Tourism, Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali explained. Rebecca Ganesh-Ally (Read full story in Sunday’s Issue)

Bidiadhar Deokarran

Now that I’m not working and looking to get something from what they been putting up for me, ah can’t get it.”

Deokarran recalled that his twin brother went through the same sort of harassment, and died without ever getting a cent of the pension that was due him. And with him on Monday, was another retiree who has suffered a stroke and is forced to go trekking back and forth on a similar run-around.

The aggrieved Deokarran is using this medium to bring this matter to the attention of the “higher authorities” at NIS, he says, so that an investigation could be launched swiftly, with a view to having his payment expedited.

This newspaper sought to get a comment from the National Insurance Scheme, but the Public Relations Officer could not be reached and all others contacted were reluctant to speak on the matter.

L-R THAG’s President Shaun McGrath; Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali and Private Sector Commission Chairman Ramesh Persaud pose proudly with the new Tourism Logo (Photo by Sonell Nelson)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 1, 2014

Fire razes Akbar Auto Sales 70-year- old main location in CI -hundreds of vehicles destroyed

was told that the fire started at the back of the building and began spreading.

He said that he has no idea of how the fire started but continues to give thanks to the Lord because things like these do happen.

“My staff was on lunch when this happened and the work which the Fire Service did to put out the fire was an excellent one. I must give credit to the Government for all the equipment it has given the fire service because we would have lost more.

They came really quick,” Hussein said.

A senior fire officer said that the fire service is doing their investigations and it is to be completed in a matter of days.

By Asif Hakim AKBAR Auto Sales (main location) in Cornelia Ida (CI) on the West Coast of Demerara was completely destroyed by a fire of unknown origin.

The fire started at the back of the building at about 12:15 hrs yesterday with over 110 vehicles, new and used also destroyed.

A resident living nearby told the Guyana Chronicle that the fire which started at the back where a furniture factory is located and belongs to the same owner rapidly destroyed the building before spreading to the area where the vehicles were located.

He said that as soon as the fire started the Guyana Fire Service was called which responded within seven minutes and started to bring an end to the fire.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the burning building it was already completely destroyed even as the fire fighters tried their best in putting out the fire.

The fire was so big causing

Some of the damaged vehicles after the fire

both of the fire trucks to start using water from a nearby canal.

The owner of the business Munaf ‘Akbar’ Hussein told the Guyana Chronicle that he was at the Mosque performing Jumu’ah (Friday) prayers when he got a call stating that his property was on fire; he said that he

Owner of the business Munaf Hussein (stripe shirt) speaks with one of his staff (Sonell Nelson photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 1, 2014

Police investigating plot to execute MARAD Director General

Would be assassin confesses, point fingers to deputy head of MARAD

By Leroy Smith THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Ministry of Public Works are conducting their individual probe into reports by an alleged hit man who confessed that he was paid by the Deputy Director of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Ms. Earnestine Mars Vigilance to kill her boss, Director General of MARAD, Ms. Claudette Rogers.

The Guyana Chronicle has been able to confirm that an official report was launched with the Guyana Police Force Criminal Investigation Department and the Minister of Public Works has taken a decision to send the Deputy Head of MARAD on administrative leave as the probe continues.

According to sources close to the investigation, Ms. Vigilance has been identified by several persons within the employ of the organisation as being

Director General of MARAD, Ms. Claudette Rogers a bother and an uncooperA source, who spoke ative senior officer, never with the Guyana Chronicle appreciating the presence of indicated that the gentleman the sitting Director General, who was allegedly paid by and would usually give her a the woman to carry out the hard time by failing to carry act is her relative, and reout instructions and never cently served time in prison willing to be a team player. for an offence.

It was reported that the Deputy Head approached the man and told him of her plan and enquired of him if he had a gun to which he responded in the negative.

The woman then reportedly asked the man where he could get one from and how much it would cost and he told her that a weapon would cost about sixty thousand dollars and she gave him half of the money to secure it.

The man, however, did not act on the woman’s offer but instead took the money and went to Suriname where he transacted personal business. The woman reportedly paid the man to carry out the act while she was out of the country so that there would be no connection to her and the dastardly act, which was to have occurred sometime in April last.

However, it was only several days ago that the plan came to light after the hired man showed up at the home of his target and questioned her if she was familiar with him to which the

Vanessa Kissoon’s presence will not be affected in National Assembly LEADER of the Opposition, Brigadier (rtd.)

David Granger, disclosed yesterday at his party’s weekly press conference that disciplinary action against A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Vanessa Kissoon will not affect her presence when the National Assembly reconvenes.

At the press conference held at the Opposition Leader’s Office, Granger, though short, responded in the negative when asked if Kissoon’s presence in the National Assembly was likely to be affected.

The APNU Parliamentarian was suspended in June this year by the Central Executive Committee of the party’s main contingent, the People’s National Congress

APNU Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon

Opposition Leader, Brigadier (rtd.)

David Granger

Reform (PNCR), reportedly following a verbal confrontation between herself and PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke; and this might have led to disciplinary action being taken against her.

Sources indicate that Kissoon, a Region 10 representative in the National Assembly who had been at

the forefront of the Linden protests two years ago, reportedly “did not mix words as she told the General Secretary off” during their fiery exchange. This led to Clarke thinking he had been disrespected and lodged a formal complaint with the leadership of the PNCR and, as such, the de-

cision was made to suspend Kissoon’s membership with the party.

Subsequently, Opposition Leader and Leader of the PNCR, David Granger, confirmed that the suspension that he had imposed on Kissoon had been lifted, and she was free to participate in party events.

Earlier this year, also, Kissoon, who is serving her second term as a Member of Parliament, was unknowingly dumped in the back bench, following another issue with the APNU leadership.

Accordingly, concerns were sparked as to whether Kissoon’s presence in the National Assembly would be affected, considering the confrontations she had thus far been involved in with the party. (Ravin Singh)

woman, Rogers, responded in the negative.

The man in the presence of Roger’s brother then identified himself and told of the plan to kill her as was organised by her deputy. The man reportedly told the Director General that Ms. Vigilance brought him to her village in a vehicle which Rogers was not familiar with and showed him the home where the Rogers’ lived.

He related that Ms. Vigilance told him that she would prefer to pass by the woman’s home in a vehicle so that she would not recognise her so there can be no linkage to her and the crime once it was committed.

The act was to be committed in April but when Ms Vigilance was away and did not hear anything strange happen to Rogers upon her return she began questioning the relative who obviously informed her that he was not interested in the job. The woman’s contention was then for the man to return the money he had taken to carry out the act.

After being briefed on the plan to have her executed, staff members from MARAD said that Rogers became very uneasy and shaky and asked the man (hit man) if he was willing to give a statement to the police to the effect of what he had shared with her and he responded in the affirmative.

The report was made and the police arrested the woman and questioned her in relation to the allegations.

However, the woman according to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle suggested that she told investigators that she never ordered a hit on her boss and that her relative was bitter because he was staying at her home and she asked him to leave.

But persons who are familiar with the two women have since indicated that the claims by the would be assassin is very convincing given the type of person Ms. Vigilance is and the fact that she never seems comfortable with taking orders from Ms. Rogers.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

EDITORIAL Mafiosi in Guyana PUBLISHER of the Kaieteur News, Mr. Mohan Lall, also known as Glenn Lall, has admitted that conversations on the phones he gives to his employees are recorded, be it private conversations or related to the business of the local daily.

The admission of an illegal recording, made without the consent of one of the persons involved, has dire implications, because reporters often have ‘offthe-record’ conversations with public figures, as has happened in this instance, and such conversations are literally that – off the record (pun unintended), which is to say that the conversation should not be revealed in part or whole.

This sort of conversation is held where there is implicit trust, and many journalists have gone to jail rather than breach that trust; or a trust where they obtain information but refuse to name the source, because a reporter’s information-gathering often breaches many barriers, some of them with dire implications for innocent persons, or high-profile personalities, or even

the ordinary man-in-thestreet.

This media mogul has been charged with tax fraud and threatening public officials and from the inception has been looking for public sympathy, so his bogus fears and crocodile tears to generate public support in efforts to escape the very real threat of jail time, like a paedophile who has done the same, is merely grandstanding – a sham in a major way.

Guyana may be the only country where criminals are made into heroes.

Lall escaped being legally penalised for the theft of millions of dollars worth of electricity, used to produce the same newspaper by the same persons who daily trumpet anti-corruption slogans and attack all and sundry as being corrupt, most often without a shred of evidence, or with fabricated ‘proof’; then, when their lies and/or misrepresentation of facts are exposed, the most they do to escape legal sanction is publish a barely-discernible apology for an erroneous report that was blazoned in that newspaper’s headlines.

Ironically, Glenn Lall had threatened Anil Nandlall then with dire consequences if he had been prosecuted for electricity theft – a crime that carries jail time, even though Nandlall had no jurisdiction over GPL’s affairs. The only link was that a relative of Nandlall’s was an official at the power company.

Concerns were being raised only last week over Lall’s illegal surveillance of the phone calls and other communications of his staff, Government officials, as well as private Guyanese citizens.

If this is proven to be true then Lall has committed several illegalities; and questions are being asked as to how Lall came into possession of the recording, if indeed it was recorded by the reporter – a possibility that constitutes a legal infraction.

Questions are also being asked under what circumstances the telephone conversation was recorded, if it was a recording or a result of wiretapping activities – another legal infraction.

The Kaieteur News publisher seems to think

that he is untouchable because he is unconcernedly adding to his many legal transgressions with impunity and is calling for support from the public to generate sympathy, using his newspaper for self-glorification.

That the joint Opposition is providing that support is expected, given that Lall once admitted during a corruption debate on national television that he publishes the information they provide without verification of facts.

This is an age where almost anything is possible with technology; and it seems hardly likely that someone as versed in legal dynamics and as brilliant and sagacious as the Attorney-General would open himself to such charges by conducting such a conversation as purported by Lall through a suspect medium; so it is more than likely that the recording was doctored to provide Glenn Lall with a red herring that would take the focus off the criminal charges that he is facing.

Reporters are private citizens, with the right to discuss and consider job of-

GUYANA

fers without sanction by their employers. It speaks to Glenn Lall’s character that he would clandestinely record and listen to private conversations between his employees and anyone else – maybe even spouses.

The story of Troy is well-documented; and for reporters at Kaieteur News, instead of kindness the largesse they receive may very well be the proverbial horse from the legendary Greeks.

If the reporter did not provide his employer with the recording he made then the question remains as to how it was procured for publication (even a manipulated version)

by Editor-in-Chief Adam Harris and publisher Glenn Lall; so was the recording obtained by wiretapping and then doctored to produce the desired result? If such is the case then no amount of public sympathy should prevent sanctions being levied, because even US. Presidents

have been toppled for wire fraud and wire tapping. A clever technician should be able to determine the junctures that were infused into the conversation between the Attorney-General and the Kaieteur News official and then the perpetrators should be charged.

This is a man accused of shooting in cold blood, whether by accident or not, the father of someone he alleged robbed him; and this is a man whose employees were targeted for execution by criminal elements and whose business premises were suspected to have been deliberately set aflame – and questions are being asked about these inexplicable incidences until now. Many a Mafia boss has established untouchable echelons of power through manipulating enabling mechanisms in other countries. Could Guyana afford the same?

Would any critic of the Attorney General agree to have their private conversations made public?

THE telephone tapping of a private conversation between the Attorney General Anil Nandlall and an employee at Kaieteur News, and the subsequent releasing of a conversation by the Publisher of Kaieteur News Glenn Lall, shows once again how unethical, callous, and hypocritically one sided this man is.

Let us not forget it was the same Glenn Lall who only months earlier, hacked into the email account of Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur while on his campaign to besmirch Sattaur’s character.

Lall did so because it was the GRA that launched investigations into a number of fraudulent tax crimes that were orchestrated by the Kaieteur News publisher. Primary among them is the attempt by Lall to rob the Government of over $100M in duty for two luxury vehicles. Incidentally, the GRA head also expressed, prior to the release of this information, the fear that his phones were being tapped by Kaieteur News.

Now in addition to hacking emails of persons, the Publisher of Kaieteur News, it seems,

is also tapping their phone conversations and this is my contention: how is it that Glenn Lall is illegally intercepting the private communications of persons, clearly not intended for public consumption, via hacking and phone tapping and is not facing the full force of the law?

Lall is making himself out as the victim, crying crocodile tears, but doesn’t he know that when he publishes on a daily basis those malicious, libelous and misconstrued articles about senior government functionaries and their families, in addition to ordinary citizens and private entities that are not in conformation of what he is doing, those same persons are hurt and in tears also.

I have heard the alleged conversation between Mr. Nandlall and Mr. Gildarie (from Kaieteur News), I say alleged because I understand that some manipulation was done to the information that was intercepted. I am of the view that what was purportedly said between the Attorney General and the Kaieteur News reporter was said because, the Attorney General was highly annoyed that while he was out of the country, on government business,

Kaieteur News took the opportunity to berate his relative in his absence. Upon his return he confided his annoyance with the reporter, whom I understand is a good friend of his for over 30 years dating back to the days when they were school mates.

The conversation, it seems, was light hearted and intended to be a gaff between the two persons. Yet, the Publisher of Kaieteur News who apparently has tapped into the phone conversations of all of his employees saw the conversation as an opportunity to paint the picture that the Government is after him, when clearly he is using that as a smoke screen to divert the attention from the real problems that he is facing, where he is embattled in the Courts, trying to defend his corruption.

It’s saddening, to see that the Guyana Press Association (GPA) and the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) stood in solidarity with Glenn Lall knowing full well the type of sensationalistic journalism the Kaieteur News is synonymous with and more so, that the publisher of this news outfit is openly vocal about his exploits of inter-

cepting private communications of persons via hacking their emails and tapping their phones, which are crimes that are very serious and are harshly sanctioned. Not to mention a gross violation of the human right to privacy.

To those who are being openly critical about the Attorney General such as, Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan, Ronald Burch-Smith and the usual cabal, whom have taken a biased, opposition oriented stance, I challenge, who among you would acquiesce to the illegal tapping of a random private conversation that you would have had in the last month and have that conversation manipulated, distorted and published in the daily newspaper?

In this day and age of technology, if we can’t protect the privacy of communication between persons, then our civil society will descend into anarchy. It is my belief that to further his selfish agenda, the publisher of Kaieteur News is willing to allow that anarchy to manifest itself.

FARUK MOHAMED

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Buoys placed at mouth of Demerara river to alert seafarers to sunken BK stone barge - MARAD

By Michel Outridge FOLLOWING the incident in which a barge belonging to BK Marine sank at the mouth of the Demerara River on October 27, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) reported that they have since placed buoys to secure the area in an effort to alert seafarers.

The buoys will be in place until the sunken barge is sal-

vaged.

The loaded BK Marine barge, “DARA B”, sank on Monday night at the mouth of the Demerara River while being towed to Kingston, Georgetown, with a cargo of 2,000 tons of aggregate. The vessel was travelling from BK Quarries at Teperu in the Essequibo River.

The 230 foot barge is now located east of the centre line of the Demerara Main Ships’

Channel, latitude 06 degrees 50.0235 minutes north, longitude 58 degrees 10.0837 minutes west.

TAKE PRECAUTIONS BK Marine is making every effort to salvage the sunken vessel and wishes to advise all ocean-going vessels to take note of the location and take all necessary precautions while travelling at the location.

According to MARAD at

Celebrating the life of Navin Chandarpal TO Cde Indra, the children and the rest of the family, we the close comrades and friends of Navin Chandarpal express our collective deep grief and sense of loss by celebrating the life of this extraordinary human being.

We wish to celebrate Navin, the revolutionary. Beginning with my association with him at Berbice High School where he was involved in the movement to replace the wearing of ties with shirt jacks, which later became his constant mode of attire and moving on to his revolutionary involvement in the PPP struggle for the return of democracy.

His theoretical and practical contributions to the struggle against the PNC dictatorship are legendary and when that history is written, Navin’s name will feature prominently for his courage, coherence and dedication.

When everyone thought that his revolutionary struggles would be over in 1992, he had to continue to wage a battle for the Party not to deviate from the ideals and principles of its great founder, Cde Cheddi Jagan. He was a self-professed ‘Jaganite’ and very proud to be counted as one.

We wish to celebrate Navin, a servant of the working class. Navin stayed true to his roots. He came from the working class and had a deep sense of identification with the oppressed and the realities of poverty. High office did not change him. He worked hard but found time to spend with his comrades.

He was a very jovial person and he took a lot of pleasure in grounding with the brothers over liquid refreshments and settling down to a flat out session of telling stories and jokes.

He was one of the most humble and unpretentious comrades in the party. Navin had this amazing recall memory when meeting working people after some time and inquiring into the wellbeing of their whole generation without missing anyone. This was a result from his genuine care and love of people.

We wish to celebrate Navin, the rev-

olutionary intellectual. During the days in Opposition when there were political and ideological discussions of new happenings, old PYO comrades would always ask each other “What does Cde Navin think? What is his line?” and this was the line we would adopt. It was not because of a blind following of a leadership line, but this approach was based on an enormous respect and trust for his power of intellectual analysis. Navin excelled as a scientist as well as an environmentalist.

We wish to celebrate Navin, the teacher.

He was a teacher by profession and also one of the great political teachers of our time. He was never one of those arrogant people who thought that he knew more than others; he always respected the other person and engaged in dialogue. He was also capable of changing his mind after discussions which is not very common among our comrades.

We wish to celebrate Navin, the indomitable fighter in life and in death. In life, he was dealt the cruelest cut of all when he was dismissed from the cabinet but his acute disappointment did not turn to dissolution.

He stayed the course and was eventually reinstated. During his terminal illness he remained so upbeat that every time you met him he was always discussing something of the future. That was the measure of his fighting spirit.

Finally on a lighter note, we wish to celebrate Navin, the Katak dancer. He had his own interpretation of the dance form and his signature move was always placing a glass with drink on his head. Then he would proceed to perform a series of intricate movements without the glass moving on his head. A lot of our comrades tried to copy that style and ended up paying for a lot of glasses.

Navin had a full and fruitful life.

We say that no-one is indispensable.

But we only had one Navin. We won’t have another.

REGGIE BHAGWANDIN

about 22:30 hours on October 27, 2014, the barge with the name DAR ‘B’ while being towed by a tug, ‘KYLE’, on one of its regular voyages from Teperu Quarry in the Essequibo River towards its discharge berth in Kingston, Georgetown when it sank.

MARAD said there were five crew members on board the tug. One of the crew members who may have fallen overboard when the vessel

sank was wearing his life jacket. He was quickly rescued.

Consequently, there were no casualties.

Prior to officials from MARAD arriving on the scene and securing the area, an outbound ship came into contact with the stone on the sunken barge.

It remained stuck in that position for about one hour, but it refloated as the tide began flooding.

SALVAGE OPERATIONS Navigation in the area was temporarily suspended as officers from MARAD sought to locate and mark the exact position of the wreck and navigation has resumed with vessel traffic control measures being put in place.

Salvage operations should commence shortly, and as with all such occurrences MARAD has launched an investigation.

Letter sent to Hon. Minister of Labour regarding NAACIE/GPSU/ GPL dispute on wages/salaries October 30, 2014 Hon. N.K Gopaul Minister of Labour Ministry of Labour, 1 Cornhill & Water Streets, Georgetown.

Dear Minister, The two unions with sole authority to represent workers at the Guyana Power & Light Inc are the GPSU, which represents the Junior and Senior Management Staff, along with the NAACIE which represents the Junior and Senior Staff workers of GPL, have made all attempts to meet with the Management jointly to negotiate salaries and wages along with conditions of work for members of both unions. After one year this request is still to be agreed on by the Company.

We have explained our reason for this action but the GPL continues to refuse our demands. Their only reason is that the two Unions represent categories of workers. At our second meeting with the Company held on October 24th, 2014, at the level of your Ministry, we were told that there is no intention to agree to our request even after being advised by Senior Labour Officer, Mrs. Karen Vanslytman-Corbin and Mr. Francis Carryl.

This leaves us with no other alternative but to inform you that our two Unions have indicated to the Chairman of the meeting and representative of GPL, Mr. Bal Persaud, our intention to take industrial action if the company refuses to negotiate with the workers’ representatives of GPL collectively. Please recognise this as an ultimatum served on the Management of GPL in keeping with the provisions of Public Utility Undertakings and Public Health Act chapter 54:01 that should the Company - the GPL – refuse to negotiate with our Unions (the GPSU and NAACIE) for wages/salaries and other conditions of employment, for 2013, no later than 31 days after receipt of this letter, we will be forced to take whatever action we feel necessary according to the Act which could include but not limited to taking strike action.

Yours sincerely, KENNETH JOSEPH General Secretary NAACIE PATRICK YARDE President of GPSU

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

RODNEY’S DEATH: AN ENIGMA BEING ANSWERED Special Report on the Rodney Commission of Inquiry by Shaun Michael Samaroo

PNC government suspected WPA penetrated Police communications ‘network’ POLICE paranoia that the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) had “breached” the Police communications network may have caused the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government’s to devise a sinister plot to assassinate Dr Walter Rodney.

Testimony yesterday at the historic, ground-breaking Presidential Commission probing Dr Rodney’s assassination exposed the dark drama around a cat and mouse game involving the WPA and the Police Force in the period 1978 to 1980, with the Police seizing communications devices from the WPA, and working on the theory that the populist political movement was intercepting and listening in on Police electronic communications.

Trenton Roach retired from the Guyana Police Force in 2003, after working for 28 years at the Police Communications Branch at Police headquarters, Eve Leary, since 1975.

In 1988 he testified at the Coroner’s Inquest into the bomb blast cold case death of Dr Walter Rodney, giving expert evidence in relation to electronic devices.

Roach yesterday stepped into the witness box at the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry to testify concerning the circumstances and conditions under which Dr Rodney died in the brutal bomb explosion on Friday, June 13, 1980.

Dr Rodney died instantly after a bomb, disguised as a communications device, exploded in his lap as he sat in a car outside the Camp Street jail in Georgetown.

Roach’s testimony follows detailed technical testimony by Nirmal Rohit Kanhai this week that a remote trigger caused the bomb, disguised as a communications device, to explode in Dr Rodney’s lap.

Evidence at the Commission unravel the dark, mysterious, sinister secrets that the PNC State machinery, involving the Joint Intelligence Command, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force and Government departments such as the Ministry of National Development, contrived and conspired, to nullify the WPA’s widespread civil revolt against the PNC Government. The PNC Government rigged national elections, banned basic food items, denied freedom of the press, restricted freedom of movement and assembly, and harassed and intimidated political opponents with violence and threats, and practised paramountcy of the Party, witnesses have testified at the Commission. The WPA fought to end this horribly dark period of Guyana’s history, with Dr Rodney the intellectual leader of the civil revolt.

Dr Walter Rodney

Forbes Burnham

This week saw the distinguished Presidential Commission zero in on the technical aspects of the bomb that exploded on that fateful night.

While the the PNC Government had insisted Dr Rodney accidentally triggered the bomb in his own hands, thus causing his own death, suspicions all across the world over the past 34 years focused on the draconian PNC dictatorship Government as the main suspect in the conspiracy, plotting and execution of Dr Rodney’s political assassination.

Evidence at the Commission unravel the dark, mysterious, sinister secrets that the PNC State machinery, involving the Joint Intelligence Command, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force and Government departments such as the Ministry of National Development and Mobilisation, contrived and conspired, to nullify the WPA’s widespread civil revolt against the PNC Government. The PNC Government rigged national elections, banned basic food items, denied freedom of the press, restricted freedom of movement and assembly, and harassed and intimidated political opponents with violence and threats, and practised paramountcy of the Party, witnesses have testified at the

Commission. The WPA fought to end this horribly dark period of Guyana’s history, with Dr Rodney the intellectual leader of the civil revolt.

Evidence yesterday exposed the WPA as focusing on acquiring communication devices to intercept and listen in on PNC Government communications, but the PNC Government may have interpreted this as a grave threat to its hold on political power, and thus devised a deadly scheme to assassinate its leader, Dr Rodney.

Roach said he knows of two occasions when Police seized walkie-talkies from the WPA, including toy communication devices, one time after the detention of Dr Rodney.

The WPA suffered several questionable deaths in the period under probe at the Commission, including that of Father Darke, a Journalist at the Catholic Standard newspaper, which was then operating as an underground news organ that defied the PNC Government’s ban on free expression.

Roach was one of two specialist electronic technicians at the Police Force Communications Branch at the time, and testified that he examined communications devices found at the home of Gregory Smith on June 14, 1980, the day after

Shoplifter fined $25,000 for stealing liquor SAFRAZ Haniff (no address given) was on Wednesday fined $25,000

by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for stealing liquor from Bounty Supermarket.

The convict pleaded not guilty to the charge that said on October 21 at Bounty Supermarket, Water Street,

Georgetown, he stole two bottles of Magnum Tonic Wine and three bottles of Degards wine valued at $3,010.

Haniff explained to the court that he was shopping with someone who was purchasing the items. When he was finished he could not locate the person so he stepped just beyond the door, when

the security guards held him.

The prosecution stated that the security guard saw the defendant take the articles, hide them under his shirt and make his way out.

Based on his explanation, he was convicted for the offence and a failure to pay the fine will result in two weeks imprisonment.

the walkie-talkie, disguised as a bomb, exploded in Dr Rodney’s car, assassinating this thorn in the PNC’s draconian hold on power.

The former senior police officer said he himself felt sympathy for the cause of the WPA, and in fact attended WPA meetings against the PNC Government, and only stopped after he joined the Force and got warnings that “it was noted” that he was attending WPA meetings.

He said police officers sympathetic to the WPA maintained a careful watch because they were fearful of losing their jobs. Police officers operated under the doctrine of paramountcy of the PNC over the State, and so he himself obeyed orders, maintained loyalty to the PNC State, and bowed to the wishes of PNC Government’s Head of State Forbes Burnham, to be referred to as “Comrade Leader.”

Yet, he thought of Dr Rodney as “Brother Walter Rodney”, his heart in full empathy with the WPA and its charismatic leader, even as he maintained strict loyalty to the Comrade Leader and the PNC’s draconian hold over Police officers, GDF soldiers and other State employees.

Roach’s testimony yesterday was the first time the Commission heard from someone in the cusp of the Police Force’s hierarchy when Dr Rodney

Gregory Smith

was assassinated. This provided the Commission a different perspective into that historic bomb blast that shattered the history of Guyana and the Commonwealth Caribbean into the darkest era of this nation.

The Commission heard from Roach how the WPA situation in Guyana appeared to the Police Force and the PNC, and what emerged was that the Police Force loyally carried out orders of the PNC Government to ensure the WPA could not succeed in its goal of ending the PNC Government’s dictatorial hold on political power.

He testified that he examined several communications devices that Police got from Gregory Smith’s house in Charlestown the day after Dr Rodney was killed. Smith is the main suspect in executing the plot to assassinate Dr

Rodney.

Testimony show that Smith was a GDF soldier who acted as an Intelligence officer for the Joint Intelligence Command of the Police Force and the GDF, and doubled as an agent for the WPA, with direct liaison with Dr Rodney.

Dr Rodney and his brother Donald Rodney seemed to have trusted Smith to supply them with communications devices, particularly walkie-talkies, in the party’s quest to monitor the PNC Government’s communications.

However, testimony is starting to reveal that the PNC State machinery conspired to disguise a bomb as a communications device and gave it to Dr Rodney, and have it explode, assassinating him, as happened on Friday, June 13, 1980.

The fascinating drama and intriguing political plot unfold at the Commission, as researchers, counsels and the Commission’s Secretariat work with dogged determination to unearth the truth of this immense and historic cold case.

The Commission is probing the period 1978 to 1980, and so far testimonies expose an atmosphere of severe political paranoia and control of the society by a PNC Government bent on ruling Guyana with iron clad control over the national economy, State organs, and political power.

Father of seven facing charge of robbery A T W E N T Y- E I G H TYEAR-OLD father of seven facing a charge of robbery was on Thursday refused bail by Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Quincy Letlow of West Ruimveldt, denied the

charge that said on October 28, at the corner of Water and Croal Streets, being in the company of another person, he robbed Paul De Nobrega of one gold chain valued at$230,000.

Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth objected to bail on

the grounds of the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence and also on the basis that the defendant had also threatened to cripple the virtual complainant Bail was refused and Letlow was remanded to prison until November 7.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 1, 2014

GPF raps Glenn Lall for being untruthful

-still wanted for questioning by the police

Glenn Lall THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday stressed that it “is not desirous of making a public relations issue” over the invitation for the publisher of the Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall, to appear for an interview.

The GPF rapped the embattled publisher for untruths related to the fact that an invitation was indeed made; contentions he expressed in articles published in Friday’s publications of the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News.

“The Force insists that Mr. Glenn Lall presents himself to the Brickdam Police Station, to either the Divisional Commander Senior Superintendent Clifton Hicken or Detective Deputy Superintendent Michael Kingston, so that the interview can be conducted,” the police said.

According to Lall, in an article in the Kaieteur News, the police are now attempting to “hoodwink” the nation adding that he is willing to meet with investigating ranks in order to ensure that they get whatever information they require, so as to facilitate a speedy investigation.

However, a GPF statement said: “The Guyana Police Force admits that Mr. Glenn Lall did speak to Detective Deputy Superintendent Michael Kingston

yesterday Thursday October 30, 2014, who, among other things, reiterated the invita-

dent Michael Kingston told Mr. Glenn Lall that he has to attend Brick-

“The Force insists that Mr. Glenn Lall presents himself to the Brickdam Police Station, to either the Divisional Commander Senior Superintendent Clifton Hicken or Detective Deputy Superintendent Michael Kingston, so that the interview can be conducted.”

“As soon as Detective Deputy Superintendent Michael Kingston told Mr. Glenn Lall that he has to attend Brickdam for that reason, Mr. Glenn Lall hung up the phone.” – GPF tion by the Divisional Commander of “A” Division for him to attend the Brickdam Police Station in order that an interview can be conducted to clarify some issues in his statements.

“As soon as Detective Deputy Superinten-

dam for that reason, Mr. Glenn Lall hung up the phone. “…the police are aware of the telephone numbers of Mr. Glenn Lall’s office and several calls were made by the Divisional Commander who was informed that

he was not available. Consequently, messages were left for him to come in to Brickdam, prior to the letter being written by the Divisional Commander.”

GPF pointed out that by his own admission Mr. Glenn Lall has acknowledged that he received the letter from the Divisional Commander and that he had called Deputy Superintendent Michael Kingston, implying that he has telephone contact information with Kingston who he also acknowledges as the senior investigator in the matter.

“Yet he claimed that in response to the letter from the Divisional Commander he showed up at Brickdam and could not make contact with anyone responsible,” the statement said.

Additionally, the Police Force is currently in possession of two of the statements, which were submitted along with the audio recording and the transcript of that recording by Lall.

Publisher of the Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall, made a report on Monday to the Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr. Balram Persaud, after releasing a 19-minuute recording of a private conversation between the Attorney-General (AG), Mr. Anil Nandlall and a senior reporter at the Kaieteur News, Mr. Leonard Gildharie. Lall is contending that the contents of the recording indicate that his life, the lives of his family and staff members are under threat.

Currently, both he and Gildharie remain wanted by the police for questioning.

More parents need to become active in children’s lives THE ‘Because We Care’ $10,000 Cash Grant initiative began in Linden yesterday with Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh reminding parents, specifically fathers, about the need to play a more pivotal role in the development of their children’s lives.

“Government is providing the physical infrastructure with new buildings, computers, trained teachers, uniform allowances, and now the ‘Because We Care Grant’, but it’s incumbent upon you the parents to work with us to ensure our children receive the best possible education,” Dr Singh told the Linden audience.

“It is not acceptable for parents to say ‘Government is not doing enough’ or ‘the teacher not doing enough’, because the education of our nation’s children requires the maximum effort of all stakeholders, that is you the parents and us, the Government,” Singh exhorted.

It was also pointed out that 15 per cent of this year’s National Budget was allocated to the Education Sector, the single largest

sector to have received such a large allocation.

“The allocation goes to building more schools; to expand, modernise and/ or rehabilitate existing schools, to meet operating costs of schools so that our children will be in an environment with the resources to achieve a solid education,” Singh explained.

The Finance Minister also reiterated that education is a top priority of the Government, and that the cash grant drive was another measure to support learning in the school system.

Over 713 vouchers were distributed yesterday at the Harmony Secondary School in Linden. The gathering saw parents from Christiansburg Primary, Christiansburg Nursery and the Burnham Drive Nursery Schools.

Singh observed that in his visits to other schools during the cash grant drive, women were significantly more present than their male counterparts. He therefore called for the fathers to be more involved and active in their children’s lives.

“Women are traditionally the more present parent

- says Finance Minister during ‘Because We Care’ cash grants distribution in Linden

Finance Minister Ashni Singh addressing parents yesterday during the distribution of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grants in Linden due to father being at work, More and more women but this has since changed. have entered the work-

force and are making the time to be present in their children’s lives,” observed Singh. “Our men no longer have an excuse to be absent.”

The Finance Minister noted that Government is also emphasising the need for Information Communications Technology (ICT) to be part of the formal education of each child in Guyana.

“Every child coming out of the public school system must be computer literate,” Singh stressed, noting that Government has already

commenced the One Laptop Per Family programme with this in mind.

“We don’t want our children to leave the school system without the basic ICT skills they are required to have to be competitive in the professional world,” said Singh.

The $2B cash grant initiative was first announced during the 2014 Budget Speech by Minister Singh in May this year and is expected to benefit some 188,406 families throughout Guyana.

Wakenaam farmer thanks Gov’t for supporting agricultural development FARMER Imram Baksh of Cow Creek, Wakenaam Island, has thanked the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Government and Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture MrAlli Baksh for promptly excavating several drainage canals in the Cow Creek

area where he and several other farmers are farming.

The farmer who attended a meeting organised by the Ministry of Agriculture at Lima Sands on Tuesday, congratulated Minister Baksh for his prompt and swift action to assist farmers in terms of drainage and in

other areas so as to push agricultural development across the country.

Farmer Baksh said because of the minister’s prompt response, he has harvested bountiful plantain and pumpkin cropsThe farmer said the PPP/C Government is about development

and to increase agricultural cultivation and put more money into the pockets of farmers.

He said the Kaieteur News should put such things about agricultural development and bountiful harvests on its front page.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

Teixeira, others remember Mrs Jagan – During ‘Night of Reflection’at Red House

By Raveena Mangal GUYANA’s first female President Mrs. Janet Jagan was saluted by the Executive members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), the party she co-founded with her husband Dr. Cheddi Jagan, as a stalwart in Guyana’s history and a woman of substance who dedicated a significant part of her life struggling for the betterment of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese.

High ranking party officials, Ms. Gail Teixeira and Mr. Hydar Ally were among those who reflected on the life of Mrs Jagan at a function held at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre in High Street, Kingston on Wednesday last.

Both Ally and Teixeira fittingly reflected on the life and many contributions of this ‘amazing woman’ to a nation which she dedicated her entire adult lifetime to, leaving the United States where she was born and making Guyana her home.

The event was chaired by Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) General Secretary, Ms. Sheila Veerasammy, who described Mrs Jagan, who was also the founder of the WPO, as “God’s gift to the Guyanese people, especially to the women of Guyana”.

When she came to Guyana in December of 1943, she immediately recognised the harsh living and working conditions of our women and worked assiduously to change it, Veerasammy said, adding: “We will forever be indebted to this remarkable human being, a teacher, a friend, a

comrade of the poor and the under privileged.”

“Her sterling contributions towards the development of Guyana through the roads she travelled and some of her successes were so great, that we must reflect on them to ensure that our young generation learn and are aware of what one extraordinary woman has done for her nation.” she continued.

Hydar Ally, speaking on her life as politician, noting that she stands tall among the great women in history, not only in Guyana, but in the Caribbean and the world over.

A young woman who was born in the United States, she left one of the richest countries in the world at the time, following her marriage to a young dentist, Dr Cheddi Jagan, they plunged into the political life of her new homeland. In those years the country was still under the British colonial rule and life for the vast majority of the people was miserable.

Ally expressed his belief that within her was a burning desire to help people, to improve their livelihood, especially the poor and the down trodden and she found in her husband, a partner who shared the same sentiments and values; they proved to be a formidable force in the struggle for a free and independent Guyana.

“She was a people’s person. She had a passion to help those in need, something which spoke to her very essence and was evident throughout her life; she touched the life of countless number of people through her genuine concern for people and their wellbeing. “

He said, “Those of us who had the honour and privilege to work with her can attest to her simplicity and integrity, someone who is not concerned about herself but of the good of others, in particular the ordinary people.”

Her orientation to the working class people is evident from her many political achievements, id est, for the domestic workers (who were the second largest group of workers in the economy at that time) she moved a bill in parliament to protect them, through the legislature, in the case of injury from their employees.

She was also highly instrumental, during the early 1960s, in developing the party’s press, she edited the ‘Mirror’ and the ‘Thunder’, and she was also head of the party’s international committee.

Executive member Gail Teixeira also spoke of her writings in the “Mirror’ which exposed the riggings of the elections, she internationalised the problems faced by the country at that moment. She was a noted journalist who fought for the freedom of expression.

“She brought her pen which was her sword, to the politics of Guyana and she fought for the journalist rights, for the freedom of expression.

She continued to write on journalists from other parts of the world that were being muzzled, so that her issue of the combination of human rights and international solidarity of humanism and humanitarianism were important ingredients that she brought to the party and the party’s philosophy,”

A section of the gathering at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre

she said.

Gail Teixeira was privileged to work ‘day in and day out’ with the Jagans, as such she expressed that Janet did not get to the top on account of her husband. Upon her arrival to British Guiana, she subsequently became involved with the works of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, fighting for the rights of sugar workers, domestic workers and the bauxite workers.

“She wasn’t just a ‘do-er’, while she was not considered to be a visionary like Cheddi, she was in no way a person who was just doing what the party wanted her to do. She was very much her own thinker, her own creative genius, in a completely different way from Cheddi and gave the PPP as a member a wonderful kaleidoscope, brought a wealth and depth of imagination, creativity, analysis, discussion and debate.”

The Executive Member illustrated that Janet was a petite revolutionary, who loved books and art, “She also brought into the party and to the meetings a level of political consciousness of what was going on in the rest of the world, teaching us that we

were our brothers and sisters keepers, not only in Guyana but other parts of the world.

And what was going on wrong in the world was something of concern to us, as Guyanese people. And so she had a very evident sense of humanism and an issue of international solidarity.”

Born Janet Rosenburg in Chicago, Illinois, USA on October 20, 1920 and passed away on March 28, 2009, had she lived she would have been 94 years. A social activist, Janet Jagan became not only the first deputy speaker in Guyana in 1953; she was the first in the world. She then became not only the prime minister of Guyana, but the first female president of the country.

Additionally, the Times Magazine, in honour of International Women’s Day 2011, had named Janet Jagan as one of history’s most rebellious women. Within a batch of 16, she was classed with renowned revolutionaries such as Harriet Tubman.

In the 1960s, Janet Jagan said: “Throughout the decade of success and failure, loyalty and betrayal, disunity and unity, the party has held faith, during the most trying hours

when the party was close to the edge of ruin, the loyalty and firm belief of its members was the party’s sound foundation that the masses of the working people and farmers had kept it alive and vigourous.” She was a visionary, a woman of unparallel distinction; she brought, and fought for a new concept to Guyana, that change is possible.

“To all the women of Guyana, she represents what we women in Guyana stand for, she is an example of Guyana womanhood. She came here at the age of 23, became president when she was in her late 60s and yet she was not Guyanese to some, she was more Guyanese than most Guyanese and she was a true Guyanese.

She gave her love, her passion, her life her sacrifices for the Guyanese people and Guyana.” Teixeira said.

Among those present at the lecture, “Reflections on Janet Jagan” were members of the Diplomatic Corps - from the US Embassy, Cuban Ambassador to Guyana Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante, and Mexican Ambassador to Guyana, Francisco Olguin, among others.

Clerk to advise Speaker on Ramjattan’s MPs bribe allegations THE Speaker of the Nat i o n a l A s s e m b l y, M r.

Raphael Trotman, disclosed, Thursday that he is awaiting the advice of the Clerk, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, as it relates to a call for him to address controversial statements made by Alliance For Change (AFC) leader, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan.

Ramjattan, at a press conference in mid-September, had stated that his party was “reliably informed” that the PPP/C Government, against whom a No-Confidence Motion has been filed, has plans to “buy out” at least three parliamentarians at $30M each to vote against the motion

when it comes up for debate next month.

The main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has denied that this allegation concerns any of their MPs and the AFC holds the same position – a fact that has led to questions about the veracity of Ramjattan’s allegation.

Following the AFC Leader’s assertions, Presidential Adviser on Governance and Government Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Ms. Gail Teixeira, called on Trotman to request that Ramjattan produce evidence to support his allegation, retract his statement, or face the Parliamentary Privileges

Committee.

“I was reminded by Ms. Teixeira of her request last evening (Wednesday evening) and I have forwarded the matter to the Clerk for his advice,” Trotman said.

MOVE TO PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE In a letter to the Speaker, Teixeira stated that failure by Mr. Ramjattan to retract his comments or provide evidence in support of the allegations will result in a move by the Government MPs to call for his referral to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for besmirching and denigrating the image and integrity of all MPs and the entire

National Assembly.

Teixeira said, “I am therefore calling on you, sir, as Speaker, to call on MP (Member of Parliament), Mr. Ramjattan, to publicly retract his statement or provide proof of which Members of Parliament were offered bribes and by whom.” “…these pronouncements by Mr. Ramjattan should not be treated solely in the realm of “political turf wars” of political parties, which the Government and the PPP are capable of handling, but more importantly, these accusations bring all Members of Parliament in Guyana into disrepute, and, in doing so, damages the image and integrity of the entire Guyanese Legislature, including you, as the Speaker.”

According to her, the Government and the PPP/C Members of Parliament are shocked and very disturbed by public pronouncements at an AFC press conference.

She said, “Mr. Ramjattan was quoted as saying that ‘we have gotten reliable information that the PPP’s answer to the no-confidence motion is not what is said, but at least by buying off three parliamentarians at $30M each to vote no rather than yes, and that’s the only way…and that’s the only option they have.’ He even went on further to say “… but, we can never know, probably the price can jump higher.”

“The Government and the PPP immediately and separately publicly disassociated themselves from these slanderous pro-

nouncements by M.P. Mr. Ramjattan and called on the AFC to provide the evidence of this allegation.”

She pointed out that these comments have portrayed to the world, “in this world of rapid communications,” that Guyanese MPs are “corrupt and buyable” – an image that once created, in Guyana and globally can never be erased.

“It appears that in Mr. Ramjattan’s blind haste to besmirch the Government and the PPP he broadsided the entire Legislature and all Members of Parliament.

This, l have no doubt, must have disturbed you as the Speaker of the National Assembly,” Ms. Teixeira said.

Attempts by the Guyana Chronicle to contact Mr. Ramjattan proved futile.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

One dead, one critical as car slams into truck at Mahaicony

By Leroy Smith TWENTY-THREE-YEAR OLD Torick McLennon of Zeskendren Mahaicony was killed on the spot early yesterday morning when the car he was driving slammed into a lumber laden truck as he negotiated a turn at Sahare Drill, Mahaicony Public road at approximately 05:30 hrs.

Four other persons were injured in the accident including the driver of the truck, with one of the four listed as critical after being dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital shortly after the accident in an unconscious state.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday morning at the scene of the accident, one resident of Drill Mahaicony said that he was in his bed when he heard the continuous honking of the truck horn before hearing a

The truck which the car slammed into

loud impact.

He said that he looked through his window and saw the truck desperately trying to get onto the shoulder of the road even as the car kept coming into its path at a very fast rate with the windows up. Prior to that the man said that he thought the truck driver was blowing the horn on cattle which often occupy the roadway.

The man said that after witnessing the impact he rushed outside and saw the occupants of the car lying on the road while one was trembling, the other was asking to be taken to the hospital while the other two persons remained trapped inside the vehicle with the driver who already appeared dead and the passenger behind him gasping for breath.

Meanwhile, the porter who was sleeping on top the lumber which were packed in the truck’s tray said that he was awakened by the blowing of the truck’s horn and when he looked he saw the car speeding into the path of the truck even as the driver attempted to take evasive measures to avoid coming into contact with the car.

The Premio car PRR 8224 was heading east along the Mahaicony Public Road, while the Bedford truck GGG 1155 was heading west and apparently was travelling from the Corentyne area according to the porter.

The accident caused traffic along the Upper East Coast to come to a standstill for several minutes as persons stopped in passing vehicles to get a glimpse of the wreckage and the lifeless remains of the 23-year-old who was pinned in the vehicle by the steering wheel.

The Guyana Fire Service was informed of the accident and two fire tenders arrived at the scene, one from Mahaica and the other from Onverwagt West Coast Berbice.

The firefighters used cutting instruments to dismantle the car in an effort to free the driver and the other passenger who were trapped in the vehicle.

Family members, mostly for the dead man, arrived on the scene and were overwhelmed with grief as well as friends and some other relatives of the other occupants of the vehicle who were all males. All the occupants of the car at the time were said to be friends and apparently had left their home village on Thursday night to party at the railway line at Plaisance.

There are those who are suggesting that the driver of the car fell asleep and the vehicle ended up into the path of the truck. When rescuers

arrived on the scene and they began cutting the vehicle two beer bottles were discovered.

It was juts approximately 15 months ago that McLennon lost his mother who was a very popular head teacher in the community. She died after a brief illness and McLennon according to relatives was the only child for his mother.

The young man worked as a carpenter with his foster father and would sometimes use his vehicle as a taxi whenever he is not doing construction work or when he feels to make some extra money.

When this newspaper arrived on the scene the police were having the devil’s own job to exercise crowd control as many persons wanted to get a look at what remained of the vehicle that the young men were in and the truck which had major damages due to the impact.

Still no movement in case of Glenn Lall’s threat to Sattaur – case file still with DPP

Glenn Lall

THE case file addressing the alleged threat made by publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall to the Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur, is still with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

This was confirmed by the Crime Chief, Mr. Leslie James, in an invited comment on Thursday.

The Criminal Investi-

gations Department (CID) completed its probe into the alleged threat some two weeks ago.

The file was initially sent to the DPP’s Chambers on October 14 and was returned to the crime chief, on October 15, who returned it to the DPP, Mrs.Shalimar Ali-Hack, for her recommendations.

The investigation followed a complaint made by the GRA Commissioner-General, who had lodged a formal complaint at the Brickdam Police Station, regarding an alleged threat from Lall.

LALL INVOLVED IN KILLING Sattaur has since gone on record indicating that he fears for his life, particularly given Lall’s involvement in the 1994 killing of 30-yearold Kenny France.

According to the Stabroek News, which reported extensively on the

killing, Lall, a well-known stall-holder at the Stabroek Market and then rural constable with the police force shot France in the chest at close range with a .38 revolver on January 20, 1994.

Reports are that France’s step-son, Oliver Marshall, was wanted by the police in connection with a robbery at Lall’s home. On the day of the killing, Lall, using his post as a rural constable, went to France’s McDoom residence to arrest Marshall, where he was met with strong resistance by the boy’s relatives.

The Stabroek News article stated that police information indicated that there was a scuffle between Lall and Marshall, at which time the shot was fired and France was hit. “We have information to suggest that the two were engaged in a scuffle before the shot was fired.

It was not a cold-blooded killing as France’s relatives would want us to believe,”

the police source said, in the February 2, 1994 report.

In the case of France’s killing, there was no official inquest into the circumstances, an action that has left eyebrows raised and many interested parties dissatisfied.

The conclusions reached by the police were deemed “not good enough” by France’s relatives, who have since continued to refer to France’s death as an “extra-judicial” killing.

In line with Sattaur’s expressed fear, it was expected that Lall would have lodged his licensed firearm with the police.

Standard Operating Procedures in similar matters require the lodging of one’s firearm, if the person making the alleged threat is a licensed firearm holder.

However, it remains unclear whether or not Lall has done so.

SINCE AUGUST The alleged threats to the

GRA Head were made in late August when two vehicles used by Lall and his wife and alleged to be part of a remigrant duty-free scam were impounded by the Authority.

At the time Sattaur had disclosed that he received a telephone call from a person “whose voice I recognised as Mr. Glenn Lall” and was threatened.

He said, “Lall called me from an overseas number and threatened to expose me; he threatened to deal with me in a matter, as if I’m a thief and he’s going to do this thing, because I am using my office to deal with the matters I normally deal with.

“He threatened to use his newspaper to expose me; I don’t know what wrong I am doing. If I am trying to do the Government’s work…I don’t know why people should be upset, if they are doing wrong things, they should be subject to the laws as well.”

According to Sattaur such action, making of

threats, are unconscionable.

“I am not acting vindictively. I am doing my work.

Mr. Lall is not excluded from paying taxes,” the GRA Commissioner-General said.

The two vehicles in question, PRR 8398 and PRR 8399, which were handed over to GRA and impounded at the Authority’s warehouse, followed an hour-long stand-off between GRA officials and Navin Sankar, a high-ranking GRA employee.

Six criminal charges altogether have since been filed against Lall, his wife Bhena, and Sankar’s parents, Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan, who have all been implicated in the scam. Lall and his wife have since been arraigned on four of the six charges.

The charges follow an investigation, which was launched to ensure that procedures and policy, as well as the provisions of the law were adhered to.

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A giant has fallen

By Odeen Ishmael DURING the heads of missions’ conference in Georgetown in July 2012, my long-standing friend Navin Chandarpal was one of the government leaders who made presentations at the forum when he spoke on his favourite issue of sustainable development and its problems and challenges. A lively discussion with him ensued and it continued even during the refreshment break. As usual, he was his animated self but intently listened absorbingly to varying ideas expressed. On the evening before I departed back to my post, he and his wife Indra dropped in to meet me and my wife at the hotel. Over fruit punches and bowls of peanuts, we chatted for nearly three hours – discussing local politics and reminiscing over events in which we were involved from decades before. During this conversation in which our spouses were also deeply involved, Navin talked about our days at UG, our stints as teachers, our political lives in the leadership of the PYO and the PPP, the strenuous struggle for democracy in the pre-1992 period, his own challenges within the Government, my work as a diplomat and, of course, about our children’s careers.

Navin was his usual self – full of humour, animated in his conversation, sharp and forthright in his critiques, but very objective in his analyses.

I mention all of this because Navin was so lively and energetic at that time.

I was certainly extremely stunned when I learned just a few months later that he was receiving chemotherapy treatment at the Sloane-Kettering Hospital in New York to battle stomach cancer. He would return to Guyana after a session of treatment and then back again to New York for another round. From time to time, while he was there I telephoned him from Kuwait and he kept me abreast with the progress of his medical treatment. Occasionally, he sent me short emails with further updates.

Through all of this, he remained very positive and between his bouts of medical treatment, he continued to participate in international meetings on sustainable development at the UN, in Barbados, Jamaica and elsewhere. He did not want any physical setback to hold him down. Such was the friend I knew.

Our friendship developed ever since we met for the first time in 1970 when we

Navin Chandarpal

were first-year students at the University of Guyana (UG).

We were both members of the PYO and soon became very active in the organisation’s group on campus. I was later elected chairman of the group and he, as an executive member, was extremely active in campaigning for the group’s candidates in the student council elections. He himself was elected as one of the representatives of the Science faculty and within a year he won the election as president of the student council. This was the period when the student body sponsored monthly political symposiums, involving national political personalities, to discuss the issue of democracy and the struggle against PNC autocratic rule. Obviously, Navin was in the forefront in organising these forums.

The highlight of his career as a student leader occurred when Dr. Walter Rodney was refused employment at the university. Sit-ins and marches could not change the minds of the politically-inspired university board, so Navin came up with what could easily be regarded a political master-stroke. He, with the backing of the student council, invited Dr. Rodney to give a series of public lectures at the university on Guyanese history. These were held in the large lecture theatre to packed audiences. Thus, while the government controlled university board refused to allow the world-renowned Guyanese historian to impart knowledge to Guyanese students, Navin, along with his student council, ensured that, to some extent, this did not happen.

While we attended university classes (which were held in the evenings), we were also teachers at the Indian Education Trust College (IETC) in Georgetown in the early 1970s. He taught physics and mathematics, subjects in which he himself excelled while he was a student at Berbice High School.

Interestingly, Navin developed his trademark beard just before he commenced studies at the university. As far as I can recollect, there was

only one time when he shaved off his beard completely, so much so that almost all his colleagues could not immediately recognise him. That was when he was teaching at IETC; he sat quietly in the staff room one Monday morning as a clean-shaven young man before the assembly bell rang, and his teaching colleagues there paid scant attention to him thinking he was just a stranger waiting to meet the principal. It was only when I walked in and said, “What’s happening there, Navin?” did our astounded colleagues realise that he was in their midst all along!

He subsequently moved on to St. Rose’s High School, but we met regularly with other friends at the university, on weekends and at political activities in various parts of the country.

We were both elected to the central committee of the PYO in 1972 and three years later, after he completed his studies at UG, he departed for Moscow where he studied political science. Earlier that year, he was the “best-man” when I got married, and my wife and I still have the photograph of part of the ceremony showing Navin broadly smiling as he stood beside us.

Actually, Navin could easily have pursued higher scientific studies abroad, but he consciously decided to follow a political career within the PPP. He, like many of us, was a keen follower of the ideas and ideals of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, and even before the rigged elections of July 1973, in various forms of political protests, studiously championed the rights of the Guyanese people for democracy and free and fair elections.

But he was remarkably different in his overall outlook as a politician. As a political intellectual, he felt that the struggle had to be enhanced, not just by “amateur” politicians, but by those who were politically trained in that field.

Thus, he opted not to pursue post-graduate studies in the natural sciences, but in the area of political science, initially much to the consternation of some of his family members and close friends.

With this training ingrained in him, he moved up in the ranks of the PYO and soon after became the leader of the organisation.

Later, within the PPP itself, he proved to be an outstanding member of the central and executive committees. In these capacities, he displayed great astuteness as a political organiser and never shirked his responsibility to meet with his party comrades all over the country. He showed no fear in

the face of police repression, especially when many PPP public meetings were broken up by thugs with the police standing idly by. Actually, there was one particular time when he slipped out from the police hands. During the period leading up to the rigged referendum in 1978, he was distributing PPP handbills in the Timehri community when a jeep-load of armed policemen arrested him and took him to the police station. They ordered him to sit on a bench while they went into a back room and paid scant attention to him. Navin, realising after about an hour that the policemen were not in a hurry to check on him, quietly walked out of the station, flagged down a taxi and returned to Georgetown.

At PPP public meetings, he was one of the main PPP speakers and his presence at many of them popularised him immensely with grassroots PPP supporters. At pre-election rallies in 1992 and in subsequent election years he was easily one of the star attractions among those who spoke on the PPP platform.

From 1986 I was away from Guyana but Navin and I maintained regular communication through long letters and telephone conversations. On occasions, I represented the PPP at various international forums and generally it was he, as well as Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Mrs. Janet Jagan, who provided me with instructions and background briefings on issues to be raised. On the day after Dr. Jagan was sworn in as president in October 1992, it was Navin who first reached me on the telephone before he handed it to President Jagan who told me that it was time for me to return home.

Navin totally involved himself in government activities from 1992 but he still maintained his political work among the grassroots. As a premier activist in the field of sustainable development, he was my constant contact on this significant subject when I served as Guyana’s ambassador to the United States. I also participated with him in meetings at the OAS and the World Bank in Washington, and away from these forums we exchanged ideas on strategies that could be applied to promote the advancement of sustainable development and the protection of the environment. Suffice it to add, he was a consummate writer on political and environmental matters and his writings especially on the latter are widely referenced by researchers in that field.

It remains my opinion that Navin was not too comfortable in the position as agriculture

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014 minister since he probably felt that made him more of a bureaucrat than the politician he was. To my mind, he was much more comfortable as presidential advisor since this provided more opportunities to pursue his political work among the masses. No doubt, like so many of us, he must have been terribly dismayed when he was dismissed from this post at the Office of the President, but felt some satisfaction when GAWU made use of his political expertise to administer the union’s training school, and, of course, his subsequent reinstatement to his presidential advisory post.

The last time I saw him was in May last year when he was receiving treatment in New York. My wife and I visited him at his aunt’s residence in Brooklyn where he was staying while receiving out-patient’s attention. Despite his illness, he was excited to see us and was his usual jovial self, even cracking jokes as we chatted. He talked of his love for his children, Rabin and

Geeta, and especially for his dear wife Indra, his political comrade of more than three decades. By that time, he had lost much body-weight, but he still maintained a positive attitude that the chemotherapy could reverse his illness. Later, from Kuwait, I maintained sporadic telephone contact with him whenever he was in New York but was unfortunate in not being able to speak with him during his final trip four months ago.

Sadly, my dear friend and comrade has now departed forever from us. Among the patriots of our country, a giant has fallen. But the political beliefs he stood for will stand the test of time and his memory will forever continue to bloom in the hearts of all who knew him so well.

30 October 2014 (Dr. Odeen Ishmael served as Ambassador of Guyana from 1993 to 2014 successively in the USA, Venezuela, Kuwait and Qatar.)

Amerindians welcome available funds from Norway

Derrick John

THE availability of additional funding, via payments from Norway, will undoubtedly contribute to bolstering economic activities in Amerindian communities, according to Chairman of the National Toshaos’ Council, Mr. Derrick John.

His remarks were made on Wednesday at the opening of the 2014 National Toshaos’ Conference, ongoing at the Guyana International Conference Centre, until Saturday.

Last Friday, President Donald Ramotar announced the release of US$35M transferred to Guyana by Norway, which represents the fourth payment for climate services and continued low deforestation, as part of the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

To date, Guyana has earned US$150M in payments from Norway, inclusive of the latest transfer of $35M, since the partnership started - US$80M for the Amaila hydro project and

approximately US$70M of the Norway monies have been deposited in the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), which is channelling investment into LCDS projects.

Many of the LCDS projects have been rolled out in hinterland communities and benefit Guyana’s first peoples.

Some 187 Amerindian villages, communities and settlements produced impressive Community Development Plans and have benefited from advances from the LCDS Amerindian Development Fund.

In the last year, 26 of them received funding through this programme – creating low- carbon opportunities in eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture and manufacturing. In the coming year, what remain of the plans will start to be implemented, among others.

Also, the Norway funds have been invested in ensuring that over 11,000 Amerindian homes have electricity for the first time – powered by solar units.

Another success is the fact that low- carbon industries, such as eco-tourism, are growing fast in the Rupununi, as much as 20 per cent a year.

The payment was based on Guyana’s deforestation rate in 2012, as well as the country’s progress on indicators related to agreed goals for forest governance.

(Vanessa Narine)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

Vigilance police leave bleeding man on roadway

By Leroy Smith

POLICE ranks from the Vigilance Police Station are coming in for some very harsh criticism from members of the Lusignan Community after they responded to a report of assault and abuse, but failed to take the badly beaten man who was bleeding from a wound to the forehead and his nose, to either the police station or the hospital.

This publication, which was on the scene, observed that some patrons from a bar in the area emerged from the drinking spot under the influence and began beating the man and kicking him to the face while he lay helplessly on the roadway.

The patrons then entered two separate vehicles and

left the scene but were later identified by one man who witnessed the incident.

The victim, ‘Thomo’, told this newspaper that he was passing the shop and a guy who is a popular DJ invited him to open one of the two cars and take a beer which he attempted to do. With tears in his eyes, the man said that as he attempted to take the beer, several persons approached him and began beating him, causing him to fall to the ground even as the blows continued and the DJ looked on.

Contact was made with a senior police officer in the division who immediately informed ranks of the development and a patrol was sent to the area. However, when the patrol arrived at the scene, and after being briefed by

no more than ten persons of what had transpired, and by the victim himself, the police placed him in the service vehicle and drove off.

However the ire of the residents came as they later saw the badly beaten and still bleeding man stumbling as he made his way through a street to his home where he lived alone.

When the man was questioned by persons in the area, including this reporter, as to why he was back home, he related that the police took him a street away from where the incident occurred and he was thrown off there by the police who told him to make his way to his relatives who should take him to the hospital.

This publication was also able to confirm that the police did eventually take the man to the hospital after their unprofessional and inhumane initial actions.

Incidentally also, police

ranks from the Vigilance Police Station are often seen at the shop in question and just moments before the incident two ranks from the said station pulled up in a service vehicle and spent almost 45 minutes inside the shop before leaving, even as one of them appeared to have a bottle wrapped in a tissue re-entering the vehicle.

Meanwhile the recent actions of the ranks on the police patrol GGG 9471 are being regarded by persons in the area as a slap in the face of Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud and his senior ranks who have been working very hard to bring the Guyana Police Force back to the former glory it enjoyed decades ago.

A uniformed rank approaches the injured man before he was placed into a vehicle

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Aries Generally you’re a very sociable person, and today you aren’t likely to slow down.

Invitations to parties, from intimate coffee klatches to big neighbourhood bashes, continue to come in. There may be too many to handle, so you might have to turn some of them down. That goes against your nature! You don’t want to miss anything. Pick the most important to you and leave the rest.

Taurus You and other members of your household might suddenly decide to do one more thorough house cleaning. Usually this would be a good idea, but today it doesn’t really need it, and you might work too hard and do too much. Do you really need to clean your closets now? Dust and vacuum, then spruce it up with some decorations, and that should be enough for now. Relax!

Gemini Too many people may be making demands on your time right now. Some may have genuine concerns and need your assistance, but others have definite agendas that they really should deal with on their own. Use your intuition to tell the difference, because you won’t be able to help them all. A female friend might have the most urgent need. If you can only help one, help her.

Cancer

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Plaisance businessman on $30,000 bail over threatening and assaulting paramour A BUSINESSMAN of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara was on Thursday placed on $30,000 bail for threatening and assaulting his paramour.

Before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Roy Peeres, 44 years, pleaded not guilty to two counts of threatening language and one count of assault.

Particulars of the case stated that on Tuesday, October 28 at Linden, he unlawfully assaulted the mother of his two children, Lisa Paul.

The second charge stated that on September 14 at the same place, he unlawfully assaulted Paul.

It is also alleged that on September 14 at Linden, he also made use of threat-

A lot of creative work may need to be finished by today. If you’re professionally involved with writing, a deadline may loom. It could be difficult to get it done because family members and guests could constantly go in and out and keep you from concentrating.

The best course of action might be to go somewhere quiet, like a library, and do your work there. Think about it!

Leo What’s happening in your community today that attracts crowds? A parade? A festival of some kind? Some friends may want you to go with them. You might think you’re too busy, but an hour or two away from your chores certainly won’t hurt. Take some time out.

This is a time for having fun! Go if you want to. You could meet some interesting people.

Virgo You may be too free with your money right now. You’re usually careful with it, but the spirit of generosity and abundance is definitely upon you. You’re more inclined to be generous with those you care about. After all is said and done, you could panic, but don’t.

You’re good at making money. A little belt tightening later is entirely possible, and it won’t hurt you. Follow your heart - within limitations.

Libra You usually love to talk, but right now you’ve probably reached your limit. You’ve attended a number of gatherings and talked to a lot of people over the past week or so, and now you want to sit quietly at home. If friends or family members insist on your going out with them, don’t be afraid to say no. Everyone knows how busy you’ve been. Take some time to yourself and relax.

Scorpio Have you been indulging in too many goodies? You might feel under the weather because of all this abundance. You probably should take it easy. Think about reorganising your priorities. Is a second piece of chocolate cake more important than your energy and health? Indulging can be important to your psyche, but don’t forget about moderation and don’t forget that there are many other ways to indulge.

Sagittarius It has been said that you can never have too many friends, but today you might wonder if perhaps you do. Your phone could be ringing off the hook. One person after another will be soliciting you for advice and your famous shoulder to cry on. Be patient. One day you may need that person to be there for you. Try to listen and keep your sense of humour about you.

Capricorn A public gathering of some kind could attract you and your family tonight. Perhaps you will arrange to meet some friends there. You may feel good just being out with those you love, but you’re likely to be tired by the end of the event. Make sure you fortify yourself with nourishing food during the day. Take care of yourself so you can have some fun.

Aquarius Too many phone calls and visits may be on the agenda today. You might also have a few last-minute errands to run in your neighbourhood. It won’t be easy, probably because of crowds and traffic. Nonetheless, your sense of excitement and enthusiasm will help you tolerate conditions that would normally be very frustrating. Furthermore, you’re having fun! Go to it.

Pisces You may have lost your usual control of the purse strings and spent too much money lately. Don’t worry about it. It’s all been for a good cause. It’s nothing you can’t handle, and certainly not enough to bankrupt you. The situation is only temporary anyway. The financial picture looks great for you in the months to come. Make the most of it!

Saturday, November 1, 2014 - 12:00hrs

Defendant Roy Peeres ening language to the said virtual complainant.

The defendant was represented by attorney-at-law Mr. Gordon Gilhuys. He told the court that the couple has a visiting relationship and do not live together. He noted that he advised his client to desist from meeting the VC and to pay the support for his children to the court.

Gilhuys contended that the offences are not of a serious nature and no injuries were inflicted on the victim.

However, the accused was bonded to keep the peace and told to refrain from having any contact with Paul. He was also ordered to report to the subordinate officer at Sparendaam Police Station every fortnight on Fridays. The matter was transferred to Linden Court for November 5.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

Following representation by AG…

CJ dismisses challenge to Broadcasting Act and fees RAMBARRAN Broadcasting Systems Limited and Jacob Rambarran, the company’s Director on June 12, 2014 filed an action that sought constitutional redress and challenged the Broadcasting Act – a regulatory framework – provisions as it relates to fees.

The Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, in an affidavit responding to Rambarran’s contention, explained that the fees charged by the Authority are “lawful, reasonable and properly computed and promulgated”.

On October 24 Chief Justice (CJ) (ag.) Ian Chang, after considering both positions, dismissed the challenge.

The court expressed the view that a licensing system is a common means of regulating broadcasting and legislation providing for such regulation cannot be assailed on the ground that it is not reasonably necessary for regulatory purposes.

The Broadcasting Act No.17 of 2011 is in force and this Act established the Guyana Broadcasting Authority and also governs the granting of licences to operate in the broadcasting sector. On July 28, 2011, the National Assembly passed the Broadcasting Bill. That Bill was assented to by the President on the September 27, 2011, and came into force on the August 28, 2012.

GROUNDS FOR CHALLENGE Rambarran Broadcasting Systems Limited was granted a licence for a wireless Telegraph service for the period January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012 for the establishment and operating of a television broadcasting station under the Postal and Telegraph Act, chapter 47:01, and the regulations made thereunder.

Rambarran, in his complaint, contended that Parliament enacted the Broadcasting Act 2011, in contravention of the Constitution and that the Act provided for a politically controlled Board, which was representative of the political party in control of the Executive, but which was not representative of the people who exercise sov-

President solely.

Chang said too that the National Assembly is not a supreme organ of democratic power even though it is a component part of Parliament.

He explained that the President in whom all executive authority resides is a supreme organ of democratic power and is also a component party of Parliament.

Hence the National Assem-

Anil Nandlall

ereignty by or through the National Assembly.

He also charged that the Act was designed to deprive the National Assembly of control over the Executive.

They further contended that the use of the spectrum for licensed broadcasting can be constitutionally valid only if the system of granting licences is exercised by an independent and autonomous body created or approved by the National Assembly and that the Act was contrived to secure political party control over the spectrum and its use with potentiality for political partisanship and arbitrary governance.

According to him, following the General Elections in November 2011, the Executive did not have the confidence of the National Assembly because the Executive has no control over the majority of the elected representatives in the National Assembly.

Counsel for Rambarran stated too that the Broadcasting Act 2011 is in contravention of his freedom of expression under Article 146 (1) of the Constitution.

CJ’S RULING These contentions were all addressed in the CJ’s ruling.

Chang said: “One must distinguish between National Assembly election which attracts proportional representation since the number of elected representatives being 65 is divisible into integers and Presidential election which does not attract proportional representation since a unitary figure of one is incapable of such a division.”

He also stated that based on Article 99 (1) and Article 99 (2) it can be seen that all Executive authority is constitutionally vested in the

bly, not being a supreme organ of democratic power, cannot exercise democratic power superior to the elected President or Parliament.

The Chief Justice concluded that in respect to democratic power, the submissions of the applicants have erroneously elevated the National Assembly above both Parliament and the President when the National Assembly has not been identified by

the Constitution itself as a supreme organ.

Additionally, since the Government has not been defeated by a vote of the majority of all the elected members of the Nationally Assembly and the President and his cabinet continue to executively govern, it cannot be assumed that, because the Government holds less than 50% of the seats of the elected members of the As-

sembly, it does not enjoy the confidence of the National Assembly. The presumption of confidence can be rebutted only by a vote of the majority of all the members of the National Assembly.

The court held the view that the Motion is legally misconceived and, accordingly, must be dismissed.

Also, the court ordered costs to the Attorney General in the sum of $100,000.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday November 01, 2014

‘Students in Pink’ honour Breast Cancer Survivors

By Derwayne Wills

TRAFFIC along Peter Rose Street, Queenstown, was briefly interrupted on Thursday by a sight that could cause no anger as scores of students in pink marched through Queenstown from the Josel Education Institute to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Headquarters to show their solidarity with Breast Cancer survivors.

In what could be titled ‘300 Pink and strong,’ the Institute yesterday honoured the courage of two breast cancer survivors whose stories are an example of how swift action in getting tested could make the world of difference in warding off unnecessary harm.

“It is Breast Cancer awareness month and we have a Breast Cancer Awareness Day,” school Headmaster Will Campbell said, while

speaking with this publication. “We refer to it as pink day where our students wear pink for a cause.”

The school reportedly had two such observances in the past where “they [the students] contributed between $200.00 to $500.00, and all those funds are donated to two breast cancer patients to help to fund their treatment.”

The Institute has collaborated with the Periwinkle Cancer Club in bringing some financial assistance to two deserving candidates.

Speaking with a representative from the Periwinkle Cancer Club who chose to remain anonymous, the representative said that students often pool their monies by sacrificing their lunch in the hope of being part of a greater cause.

“The Periwinkle Cancer Society would nominate two persons to receive the donations.” The names of those

persons were provided; however this reporter reserves the right to withhold the names of those honoured since there was no permission requested to publish the names.

The Periwinkle Cancer Club was set up in October 2006 as a network for breast and cervical cancer survivors. The focus group similarly serves persons with an interest in supporting cancer patients to meet freely for discussions on health and related experiences.

The representative from the Periwinkle Society did confirm however that one of the recipients has been a survivor of breast cancer for close to 20 years, while the other has been a survivor for three years, after swift action had led to their early treatment. Both recipients receive treatment at the Cancer Institute in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) compound.

Walking along Peter Rose Street, from the Josel Educational Institue to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Headquarters

With a population of 350, students of the Josel Educational Institute were gathered in the annex of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Headquarters, Queenstown wearing pink in solidarity with those honoured and the thousands of other survivors of an ailment that has been termed “the silent killer.”

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2014 was celebrated from October 1 and ended yesterday.

However, the awareness should not be confined by a calendar. Persons are advised to conduct self-examinations or visit the local Cancer Institute at the GPHC compound, Lamaha and East Streets.

The Cancer Institute conducts mammograms for women aged 40 and over, while those under the age of 40 are subject to ultrasound examinations. This was confirmed by Associate

Eleven- year -old Grade 6 pupil, Akeem Boyce, proudly displays his Breast Cancer Solidarity Ribbon

Oncologist at the Cancer Institute, Dr. Radhu Ravendranath, who advised that persons with a family history of breast cancer be checked as soon as possible.

Persons can contact the Cancer Institute during working hours at 225-5701, after which an appointment will be made to see a specialist.

Students gathering in the Conference Room of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Headquarters

Three shoppers receive $400,000 each in Courts Frigidaire promotion

By Navendra Seoraj THREE lucky persons, on Thursday, received their cash prizes of $400 000 each after being selected in the weekly draw of The Courts Frigidaire promotion at Courts Main Street branch.

As the Christmas season is imminent, Courts has decided to usher in the season

by giving back to their customers so as to put smiles on their faces for the holidays.

For this month they have three competitions going so far, these include the Frigidaire Promotion; Cash back promo and the Paint Promotion, for which they have partnered with Harris Paints Guyana Limited to bring to customers.

But so far they have begun drawing for the Frigidaire Promotion only, which persons can enter by purchasing a Frigidaire appliance between the 1st to the 31st of October.

So far, there are three lucky winners, which include Quesi Dummett, Marlyn Chapman and Theresa Seeramhave carted off a

total of $1.2M in cash.

Persons are urged not to lose hope, because there is still an opportunity for one more lucky person to win $400 000.

Courts therefore wishes to encourage persons to buy their Frigidaire appliances and make themselves eligible to win the cash prize.

Courts officials stand beside two of the winners (centre) at the end of the presentation

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Blake joins Three Star ranks

SEBERT Blake has now joined Terrence Poole as the only Guyanese coaches to be awarded Three Star by AIBA, the world governing body for amateur boxing.

This was disclosed yesterday at a press conference held at the office of the president of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle.

Blake, who runs the Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym in Albouystown, was successful at an examination taken in Cuba last month. “The GABA is now more empowered to move the development of boxing in the right direction. We are much more equipped in the coaching arena. Our pool of Three Star coaches has now increased,” Ninvalle said.

Blake attended a `rigorous’ one-week course in Cuba and was one of 48 participants from around the world.

The results of the course were forwarded to GABA earlier this

week. In addition to his new Three Star status, the diminutive coach was also tutored in aspects of AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) and World Series Boxing (WSB) while in Cuba.

Upon returning to Guyana Blake immediately put his newly acquired knowledge to work, as he gave instructions on the application of the Cavilon cream at the recently held National Open competition. Blake assured that he would use his new-found status to assist in the development of the sport here.

The coach’s participation in Cuba was made possible by The Guyana Olympic Association, the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Last year October, Poole created history by becoming the first Guyanese to be certified Three Star after being successful at an examination.

GFF Normalisation ...

According to the Committee who met the local press for the first time since being installed earlier this week, the members are at present in the process of “picking up where the ‘old GFF’ left off”.

It was mentioned that atop the list of agenda, apart from their mandatory constitutional reform, is the realisation of Guyana’s

From back page

first FIFA Goal Project and as such, the committee will be meeting with Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony in the coming week.

The Ministry of Sport had made available several acres of land aback the recently built synthetic track facility at Leonora on the ‘West Side’ but negotiations fell through with the Government of Guyana and the Christopher Matthiasled administration.

Meanwhile, the Committee is in the process of reviewing a number of applications from private promoters and affiliates to host their ‘year-end’ football tournaments.

The applicants include the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation and the Georgetown Football Association (GFA); two entities who have run their tournament simultaneously for the past two years.

According to FIFA and CONCACAF, the Normalisation Committee has the same power and duty like the executive committee.

The committee was nominated by FIFA and the chairman of the Normalisation Committee will have the same power like the president of the GFF where it was said he will be the one responding to FIFA as president.

M e a n w h i l e , CONCACAF’s Director of Legal Affairs, Marco Leal, had told reporters that the Normalisation Committee is not elected by the Congress (of the GFF) but appointed by FIFA and as such, cannot be removed internally.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Younus, Misbah punish sorry Australia (REUTERS) - Younus Khan hit a stellar double hundred while skipper Misbah-ul-Haq also joined the run-feast with his sixth Test century as Pakistan tightened their grip on the second and final Test against Australia yesterday.

Younus, who hit twincenturies in Pakistan’s comprehensive victory in the first Test in Dubai, tormented Australia again with a marathon 213, his fifth double-hundred, which helped him to pass the 8 000 Test run mark in the process.

The right-hander added 236 runs for the third wicket with Azhar Ali (109) and another 181 with Misbah (101) for the fourth as Pakistan declared their first innings at 570 for six and decided to have a go at their opponents in the fading light.

They were duly rewarded with the wicket of Chris Rogers (five) who edged an Imran Khan delivery and was caught behind in the penultimate over of the day.

David Warner, who hit Khan for three boundaries in the first over, was on 16 with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon on one at the close, leaving Australia facing an uphill task to save the

Misbah-ul-Haq’s hundred and Younis Khan’s double-hundred add to Australia’s agonies before declaring on 570 for 6 in Abu Dhabi

match.

The visitors were still 548 runs behind their opponents who inched closer towards securing their first Test series win against Australia in 20 years.

To make matters worse for Australia, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin hurt his shoulder trying to take a catch and left the field for a second time in the final

session.

The day belonged to Younus, who lived a charmed life and hit 15 boundaries and two sixes before a Peter Siddle delivery pegged back his middle stump.

Mitchell Starc claimed the lone wicket of the morning session when Azhar Ali tickled a delivery and Australia’s stop-gap keeper Warner dived to his

Younis Khan celebrates going past 200.

left to take a smart catch.

There was no respite for them, however, as Misbah joined Younus to milk the Australian bowling attack which looked ragged on the flat track at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Even their fielding lacked its characteristic sharpness, best demonstrated by the miserable day Warner endured.

Otherwise a brilliant

Controversial batsman Ryder gets World Cup lifeline (REUTERS) - Aggressive top-order batsman Jesse Ryder was passionate about rekindling his international career after he was thrown a World Cup lifeline by being named in a New Zealand ‘A’ team for one-day matches in the United Arab Emirates next month.

The 30-year-old Ryder has been kept out of the national side after he broke team protocols by drinking the night before a Test against India in February, the latest in a long line of offfield disciplinary issues for the burly left-hander.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said last week Ryder needed to show form on the field and a willingness to play by the team’s rules off it before being considered for the top team again, something Ryder said he was willing to do.

“The passion’s still there to make the team,” Ryder told reporters in Hamilton yesterday. “If I didn’t I wouldn’t be in the ‘A’ team so it’s definitely something I want.

“It’s just a stepping stone isn’t it? Hopefully it’s a good one for me.

“I’ll go over there and just do what I need to do to show that I’m still keen to be a part of it.

“It’s just about slowly getting back involved and stuff like that - and obviously this is the first stepping stone towards it.”

Ryder, who had a successful limited overs county season in England earlier this year, said his fitness was not up to the standard he had hoped but that was something else he would work on before the team leaves for Dubai.

While Ryder’s selection

step and we’re anxious not to get ahead of ourselves.

“Like everyone else in the squad, his future prospects will depend on his performance, on and off the field, in Dubai.”

Jesse Ryder had indicated he was still in contention for coach Mike Hesson’s World Cup squad, New Zealand chairman of selectors Bruce Edgar reiterated what McCullum had said earlier.

“I’d remind people that, at this point, Jesse has been selected for NZ ‘A’, nothing more; nothing less,” Edgar said in a statement.

“It’s an important step for Jesse but it is only a first

FRINGE PLAYERS Ryder’s inclusion in the squad, however, indicated Hesson is concerned at the make-up of his top order ahead of the World Cup with regular opener Martin Guptill struggling against the pace of South Africa’s bowlers in a one-day series last week.

All-rounder Jimmy Neesham was promoted to open with Guptill in what was seen as a trial of his temperament at the top of the order and he displayed some positive indicators but also struggled against the Proteas.

fielder, he first dropped Younus at gully and then missed a stumping opportunity. He could not latch on to a half-chance at slip either after Misbah had flashed at a Lyon delivery.

Younus was lucky when he edged Siddle and the ball fell just short of Haddin, who dived and landed awkwardly on his shoulder.

Haddin carried on for another couple of overs

Scoreboard PAKISTAN 1st innings (o/n 304-2) A. Shehzad lbw b Lyon 35 M. Hafeez c Haddin b Johnson 45 Az. Ali c Warner b Starc 109 Y. Khan b Siddle 213 Misbah-ul-Haq c & b Smith 101 A. Shafiq b Starc 21 S. Ahmed not out 19 Y. Shah not out 1 Extras: (b-10, lb-11, nb-4, w-1) 26 Total: (for 6 wickets, 164 overs) 570 Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-96, 3-332, 4-513, 5-537, 6-561.

Bowling: M. Johnson 25-7-59-1 (nb-2), M. Starc 27-3-86-2 (w1), P. Siddle 31-8-75-1 (nb-1), N. Lyon 37-1-154-1, M. Marsh 12-2-32-0, G. Maxwell 16-2-780, M. Clrake 6-0-24-0, S. Smith 10-0-41-1 (nb-1).

before departing, leaving the keeping duties to Warner. He did return after lunch but looked in pain and went off for a second time after the third new ball was taken.

Aided by the reprieves, Younus negotiated the pacemen with aplomb and used his feet against the spinners, often charging out as he did to hit Glenn Maxwell over the long-on boundary.

Misbah also helped himself to his third century at the venue before Steve Smith caught him off his own bowling.

Misbah’s 101 came off 168 balls and included 10 fours and a six off Lyon.

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Cross 11:15 hrs Silviniaco 11:50 hrs Matthew Riley 12:20 hrs Kaysersberg Irish Racing Tips Down Royal 08:45 hrs Tarabiyn 09:20 hrs Velvet Maker 09:55 hrs Stocktons Wing 10:30 hrs First Lieutenant 11:05 hrs Wonderful Charm 11:40 hrs Kanesh 12:10 hrs Rock Of Glenstal American Racing Tips Santa Anita Breeders Cup Races Race 1 Guilty Race 2 Wake Up Nick Race 3 Velvet Mesquite Race 4 Wonder Gal Race 5 Stephanie’s Kitten Race 6 Artemis Agrotera Race 7 Reneesgotzip Race 8 American Pharoah Race 9 Brown Panther Race10 Secret Circle Race11 Toronado Race12 Shared Belief

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Rooney back for Manchester derby but Falcao unfit Gayle: Hopefully things ...

LONDON, England (Reuters) - Wayne Rooney, who has scored more goals than anyone in the Manchester derby, is back after suspension and fit for tomorrow’s meeting between the city’s two biggest clubs at the Etihad Stadium.

Rumours that Rooney could miss tomorrow’s clash had begun to circulate after media reports said he limped away from training on Monday with a foot injury.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal told reporters yesterday, however, that Rooney would feature, but fellow striker Radamel Falcao would not be available.

“Falcao is still injured,” he said. “Rooney shall play, he is my captain.”

After scoring a late equalising goal in their last two games, against West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea, United believe

they go into tomorrow’s match in better heart than rivals City, who have recently surrendered a 2-0

City in the last few matches was not so good,” said van Gaal, who believes his team can win his first Manchester

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (R) celebrates with his teammate Rafael Da Silva after scoring a goal against West Ham United during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England September 27, 2014.(Credit: Reuters/Darren Staples) halftime lead in drawing with CSKA Moscow, then lost to West Ham United in the league and Newcastle United in the Capital One (League) Cup. “What we have seen of

derby.

“That is our goal, to win. It is possible, we are growing.

“This is the biggest derby that I shall manage. It is one of 38 (league) matches

we have to play, but for the fans it is unbelievably big as a rivalry and I have felt that also with a lot of the players in the squad, but also especially with (assistant manager) Ryan Giggs.

“When he presented the analysis on City, I felt more tension with him. It was good to see. I have to analyse and prepare for all games in the same manner, but for the players and the fans it is different.”

Rooney, who has 11 derby goals to his name in 22 games, has missed United’s last three matches through suspension after being sent off against West Ham on September 27.

The late point earned

by Robin van Persie’s lastminute equaliser at home to Chelsea on Sunday took them into eighth place but a win would move them only one point behind their neighbours, who are currently third.

Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two in U.S. practice allocation of power units, and the talk before the race was that he would skip today’s qualifying to save the engine.

However, Red Bull principal Christian Horner assured the fans that the German, who was seventh fastest yesterday morning, would be appearing.

“We’ll certainly be taking part in qualifying,”

Lewis Hamilto

By Alan Baldwin AUSTIN, Texas - (Reuters) - Championship leader Lewis Hamilton laid down a marker yesterday after leading title rival team mate Nico Rosberg in a familiar Mercedes one-two in first practice for the U.S. Formula One Grand Prix.

The Briton, chasing his fifth win in a row and 10th of the season, lapped with a best time of one minute 39.941 seconds on a gusty but bright morning at the undulating Circuit of the Americas.

Rosberg was 0.292 seconds slower than the 2008 world champion with McLaren’s Jenson Button third fastest in a session of just 18 cars after Caterham and Marussia went into administration and failed to make the journey.

Hamilton leads Rosberg

by 17 points with 100 still to be won, thanks to double points in the Abu Dhabi finale, in the three races remaining.

Mercedes, who have already wrapped up the constructors’ title, can equal McLaren’s 1988 record - set

by Alain Prost and the late Ayrton Senna - of 10 onetwo finishes in a season in tomorrow’s race.

There were only 16 races back in those days, however, compared to the current 19.

Toro Rosso’s Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat, who graduates to the main Red Bull team next year in place of departing fourtime champion Sebastian Vettel, was fourth fastest ahead of Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen in the other McLaren.

Vettel is set to start tomorrow’s race from the pitlane after exceeding his

he told the BBC. “But we have to be very careful with our mileage; he has to get through three race weekends with this unit.”

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, still keeping everyone guessing about his future plans, was sixth fastest.

Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo, the only man other than the

from back page

“It will make the people feel happy to see some good cricket.”

The West Indies are scheduled to play three Tests, three T20 Internationals and five ODIs in South Africa, kicking off with the first Test at Centurion on December 17.

While he was reluctant to say West Indian cricket was in turmoil, Gayle did admit the current environment was far from ideal.

“I wouldn’t say this is a low point for West Indies cricket, we’ve had other issues in the past and

Mercedes drivers to have won this season, suffered a power unit problem that limited his track time and left him 17th.

Williams’ Brazilian reserve Felipe Nasr completed 19 laps in the car Valtteri Bottas will race tomorrow and was eighth fastest while Toro Rosso gave Dutch teenager Max Verstappen another session ahead of his race debut next year.

Verstappen was 10th fastest.

things were resolved.

“But it has been better, there’s no doubt about it.”

Gayle was hopeful the issues between players and the board would be sorted out soon.

“We’re just trying to get things resolved as quickly as possible and there are no hard feelings.”

The T20 specialist met with his Highveld Lions teammates ahead of their opening T20 franchise match against the Dolphins - part of a triple-header at the Wanderers tomorrow.

(WICRICNEWS)

The session ended with drivers trialling a new ‘virtual safety car’ system, being tested as a means of reducing speeds electronically across the field when yellow flags are waved without introducing the real vehicle.

The system is being looked at, following Frenchman Jules Bianchi’s horrific Japanese Grand Prix accident.

The Marussia driver remains critical in hospital a month on.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Guyana set to participate in nine disciplines at CAC games

By Tamica Garnett GUYANA will participate in nine of the 36 sporting disciplines at this year’s Central America and the Caribbean (CAC) Games, scheduled to run from November 14 to 30, in Veracruz, Mexico.

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) on Thursday at a press conference at Olympic House officially announced the full 50-man team of athletes and officials who will be representing Guyana in athletics, cycling,

squash, table tennis, swimming, judo, taekwondo, badminton, and hockey.

Chef-de-Mission for the team is Deion Nurse.

With 16 athletes and three officials, hockey will field the most athletes for one sport. Hockey will be participating in the women’s category. Officials for the team are coach Philip Fernandes, Devin Hooper and Peter DeGroot.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for hockey.

Our ladies have been succeeding to the point where

Chef-de-Mission for the Guyana team is Deion Nurse.

they are now ranked high enough to be easily included in this year’s team, and I’m excited about that,” Fernandes said at an interview yesterday.

On the team is Ashley De Groot who will also be participating in the squash segment.

Other squash players include Sunil Seth and Alexander Arjoon, both of whom had represented Guyana at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year, as well as Jason-Ray Khalil, fourtime junior Caribbean

champion Mary Funga-Fat and Ashley Khalil.

Coach for the team is Ramon Chan-A-Sue. The Athletics Association of Guyana has selected a four-man all-male team consisting of local sprint champion Winston George in addition to overseas-based Guyanese Stephan James, Adam Harris, and Jeremy Bascom. The coach for the team is Mark Scott.

Table tennis will also field a four-member team, this time with all girls Chelsea Edghill, Natalie

Cummings, Trenace Lowe, and Akecia Nedd, while the coach is Idi Lewis.

The two swimmers are Hannibal Gaskin and Brittany van Lange; the cyclists are Geron Williams and Raynauth Jeffrey’ the taekwondo athletes are Kenrick Lorrimer and Jibreel Malik.

For badminton the representing athletes are Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangru, while Judo will have a single athlete in Delroy Murphy who will be accompanied by coach Raoul Archer.

Jamaica, T&T to clash in Group A of CONCACAF tournament Trophy Stall National Junior Chess Qualifier starts today THE National Junior Chess Qualifier is scheduled to start today at the ECI Sports Club, Friendship, East Bank Demerara.

The tournament will be played according to the Swiss system and consists of seven rounds with a time control of 90 minutes per player. Registration starts at 13:30hrs.

The top seven players at the end of the tournament will move on to the National Junior Chess Championship at a later date.

There will also be a senior category for the veteran players matching the same number of rounds and time control.

Registration fee for both categories will be $1 000 for non-members and $500 for members.

Today’s tournament is sponsored by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market.

For more information, please contact Mr Ronuel Greenidge on 657-7543 or Mr Irshad Mohamed on 664-1650.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (CMC) – Powerhouses Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will go headto-head after they were drawn in Group A of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship here Thursday.

The young Reggae Boyz and Soca Warriors will be joined in Group A

by Aruba, Panama, United States and Guatemala, for the competition which kicks off January 9 here next year.

French-speaking Caribbean side Haiti will do battle in Group B which features giants and two-time defending champions Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Honduras and El Salvador.

Captain Horace Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, said he was expecting the country to stage a successful tournament.

“I am expecting the greatest ever Under-20 tournament and we know this one is going to be great,” said Burrell, also an

influential CONCACAF vice-president.

The group winners will automatically qualify for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand next year while the secondand third-placed teams from each group will enter the knockout round to determine the confederation’s two remaining World Cup berths.

All Group A matches will be hosted at the National Stadium in the country’s capital Kingston, along with the Montego Bay Sports Complex in the tourist resort city on the island’s north-west coast.

The Montego Bay Sports Complex will also host all Group B games along with the final phase of the tournament.

Hosts Jamaica and T&T will face each other on the opening day of the tournament, when they square off in the feature game of a triple-header.

On that same day, Aruba play Panama while United States take on Guatemala.

Jamaica’s Under-17 squad

Reggae Boyz eyeing FIFA Under-17 World Cup KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Buoyed by their success in the recent CONCACAF Under-17 Championship qualifiers, Jamaica now believe that with adequate preparation, they can qualify for next year’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile.

Jamaica played outstandingly in the qualifiers staged in Haiti last week, playing unbeaten to reach the final where they were outplayed by Haiti to lose 2-0.

However, head coach Andrew Edwards says the young Reggae Boyz possess enough quality to be one of the five CONCACAF teams to qualify for the global event.

“Now we turn our attention towards Honduras (2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship). Once we prepare well, we will compete for one of the five spaces,” Edwards told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper.

“We just need to broaden our talent pool, have more training camps, and get more practice matches for the players.”

Playing in Group B of the qualifiers,

Jamaica opened with a 4-0 drubbing of Martinique, followed up with a 3-2 victory over Martinique before brushing aside Cuba 3-0.

In the final, they conceded a goal on either side of halftime to lose to the Haitians.

Jamaica will now contest next year’s CONCACAF Under-17 Championship, along with fellow Caribbean Football Union sides Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Cuba and Haiti.

The tournament will run from February 27 to March 14.

Edwards said Jamaica’s quality was evident in the recent tournament.

“We were above the other teams in the tournament. The quality disparity was clear in my view,” he pointed out.

“Haiti are not far from us in terms of quality. They had a bit more experience, having been training for two and a half years, while we were together for three months.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

2014 DIGICEL ‘GUYANA OPEN GOLF’

… This year’s tournament set to be biggest ALL THIS WEEK the Lusignan Golf Club was the hub of activity as every day scores of players converged on the ground to fine-tune their preparations for the third annual Digicel Guyana Open Tournament, scheduled for today and tomorrow at the Lusignan Golf Club, with today’s tee-off time being 07:00hrs.

The Guyana Open Golf Tournament is an invitation to players on the international scene, and golfers from Europe, North America, the Caribbean and South America will be involved, doing battle for the prestigious Digicel ‘Red Jacket’.

Recently, Guyana fielded golfers in the Suriname and Barbados Open respectively where they performed creditably and it is with this in mind that LGC president David Mohamad is excited with expectation of this weekend’s event.

“I expect some records to be broken as the competitive spirit of the players in

practice is so strong you can almost touch it! Sometimes, in the practice sessions this week, more golfers are on the field than even at some regular tournaments! The deep concentration that describes golfers play can only augur well for the Open,” said Mohammed.

Club captain Chatterpaul ‘Chen’ Deo added his bit by saying, “I anticipate that some of the great performances we saw over the last two months or so will not compare with the high quality of play likely to come forth this weekend. It will be a very exciting tournament. I think this will be one of the biggest tournaments the Club has ever had.”

The Guyana contenders for the different flights, who placed in the top three positions over the last month would be 0-9 Flight – Rishi Sukhram and Sunil Loutan (3 times), Avinash Persaud and Deosarran Sookram (2 times), Imran Khan and Vijay Deo (1 time).

In the 10-18 Flight – Kevin Budhram (2 times)

Flashback: Digicel’s General Manager Gregory Dean declares open the Guyana golf tournament in 2013. Next to him is Lusignan Golf Club president David Mohamad. and Bridgelall Harry, Sam Harry, Kishan Bacchus, capt ‘Chen’ Deo, Roy Cummings, Bholawram Deo and Mo-Shaffie (1 time).

In the 19-28 Flight - David Mohamad (3 times) Dr Philbert London, Mahendra Bhagwandin, Patanjalee Persaud,

(2 times) and Balgobin Ragnauth, Parmanand Persaud, and Kalyan Tiwari (1 time) and in the Ladies Flight – Christine Sukhram (3 times), Shanella Webster and Joaan Deo (2 times).

The groundsmen have done splendidly in preparing the ground

before this week so that in all the practice sessions there would be little interruption as the golfers get ready to rumble for the biggest prize in local history and the right to be called Digicel Guyana Open Golf Classic champion.

Red Force busy with preparation as Windies conflict rages PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Amidst the confusion engulfing West Indies cricket, Trinidad and Tobago are pressing ahead with preparation for the inaugural WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) which bowls off next month across the region.

At the centre of the chaos is the reduction in the earnings of West Indies players in order to fund the new format, a move that resulted in one-day players abandoning the recent tour of India.

However, with the players, their union WIPA, and the WICB still locked in talks of the contentious manner, T&T have been busy preparing for the newlook season. “(The team’s preparation) is rounding up pretty well. Players are gaining confidence and

what we are looking for at this point in time is three days of sunshine,” said T&T coach Gus Logie, in reference to the recent volatile weather.

He said there had been no communication with the Trinidad players who were part of the abandoned India tour.

“I believe they have other things on their minds at present and hopefully once that is resolved, we will then move from there,” Logie said.

T&T open their campaign against archrivals Barbados at Queen’s Park Oval, from November 14 to 17. Known as the Red Force, T&T will welcome Guyana and West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan to their ranks.

Sarwan was one of just two players snapped up by franchises outside of their home territory. Barbados all-rounder Raymon Reifer

Ramnaresh Sarwan has joined the T&T training setup. is the other player, picked up by Guyana.

The right-handed Sarwan, a veteran of 87 Tests and over 200 first class matches, arrived here on Thursday and will join the training camp which Logie said had gone well so far.

“At the moment we are on track in terms of our technical work,” the former West Indies player and coach explained.

“The guys have been coming into the net sessions and we have the players in a programme basically from Tuesday to Thursday. The

guys are looking forward to another three-day game this weekend and we have Sarwan with us also so that is a plus.”

While Sarwan will be a huge boost to T&T’s batting, Logie said he was encouraged by the recent form of some of the younger

players.

He also said the return of fast bowler Shannon Gabriel would be a much needed fillip for the bowling department.

Right-armer Gabriel has been campaigning in Sri Lanka with West Indies A. “Evin (Lewis) has had two centuries so far. We have had a 90-odd from young Jeremy Solozano.

We have also had a fifty from Jason Mohammed and (Steven) Katwaroo and (Nicholas) Pooran as well,” Logie pointed out.

“The top order is looking okay and we are basically looking forward to something from (Adrian) Barath.”

He added: “In the bowling, we had Akeal (Hosein) who got eight wickets recently (and) that is a plus for us, and we are looking forward to Shannon Gabriel joining the team.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

GFSCA/GUYANA SOFTBALL CUP IV

Regal teams chalk up double victories … Persaud scores ton for East Coast Masters

By Calvin Roberts REIGNING Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company nationwide 10/10 champions Regal XI and Regal Masters chalked up back-to-back victories on yesterday’s opening day of action in this year’s Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) ‘Guyana Softball Cup IV which got under way at several venues in the City.

Playing at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground in sweltering heat yesterday morning, Regal XI disposed of a game New York All Star lineup, before journeying over to Police Sports Club ground where they recorded a nail-biting two-wicket victory over South Florida.

At the Muslim Youth Organisation ground where they played both of their matches, Regal Masters easily defeated East Coast Masters and Brooklyn Queen’s Legends, despite Jagdesh Persaud hitting an even century for the former.

At MYO, Regal Masters

won the toss and asked East Coast Masters to take first strike, following which they scored 164 for 4 off their 20 overs, with Jagdesh Persaud topscoring with his even 100 (10x6, 6x4) and received support from Fallim Mohammed who made 25 (2x4).

Raymond Harper took 2 for 21 for Regal Masters who scored 165 for 3 off 16.1 overs in reply with Eon Abel hitting an unbeaten 55 (4x6, 2x4), 35 not out from Jagdesh Bhoj with two sixes and a similar number of fours as they added 95 for the fourth wicket, while Harper contributed 20 and Persaud took 2 for 16.

In their second match of the day at the same venue, Regal Masters again won the toss and asked Brooklyn Queen’s Legends to bat first but were limited to 115 for 8, with G. Sukhai 20 and R. Seenarine 18 leading their batting.

Clyde Butts took 2 for 7 for Regal Masters, who in reply scored 121 for 3 off 12.3 overs, led by an unbeaten 60 (6x4, 4x6) from

Richard Latiff bats on the opening day of action.

Rudolph Barker and 25 (2x4, 1x6) from Abel, as the Brooklyn Queen’s Legends team suffered their second defeat of the day.

At MSC, New York All Stars batted first and were bowled out for 119, despite Wasim Haslim hitting five fours in his 27, while Anil Moonsammy 19 (2x6) and Nigel Greaves 16 offered support even as Fazal Rafiek took 4 for 14 and Suresh Budhu 2 for 38 for Regal XI. In their turn at the wicket,

Regal XI reached 120 for 3 off 17.2 overs, led by an unbeaten 38 from Chien Gittens and 32 not out from Sachin Singh, with both batsmen hitting four fours each, even as Bhola Prashad took 2 for 21 in a desperate effort for New York All Stars.

In their second game of the day which was contested at PSC on pitch number 3, Regal XI bowled out South Florida for 94 in 18.4 overs with only Anand Rooplall

16 (2x6) and Ramnarine Chattergoon 11 reaching double figures while extras contributed 37 to the visitors’ total.

Budhu took 3 for 8, Richard Latiff took 3 for 27 and Delroy Pereira 2 for 8 for Regal XI, who in their turn at the wicket struggled to 99 for 8 off 18.2 overs, with Latiff topscoring with 31 (2x4) while Rafiek and Safraz Esau both made 11, against the bowling of Dayanand Singh (2 for 19).

In their first match of the day that was played at the same venue, South Florida coasted past Parika Defenders with ease, bowling out their opponents for 93 in 18.1 overs and replying with 97 for 3 off 12.2 overs, thanks to Harrinarine Chattergoon’s 38 (4x4, 1x6) and 24 not out from Shailendra Ramnauth.

On pitch number one, Farm XI batted first against Petama Enterprise who bowled them out for 117 in 16.5 overs despite Lennox Marks’ 42 (4x6, 2x4) and 14 from Patrick Khan, who added 60 for the third wicket

from six overs.

Nandshyaam Boodhoo took 4 for 13, Ian Ivan 2 for 20 and Narine Raghunandan 2 for 27 for Petama Enterprise, who, in reply, scored 118 for 8 off 18.5 overs, thanks to Mohammed Khan Zamal (29) and an unbeaten 24 from Safraz Ally, while Vivian DaSilva (3 for 14), Avenash Sukdeo (3 for 30) and Shafeek Ishmael 92 for 20) kept things tight for Farm XI. On pitch number two, Karibee Boyz batted first against Cotton Field Wild Oats and scored an imposing 174 for 8 with J. Mohammed 60 (5x4, 3x6), Lalbachan Veerasammy 34 (4x6) and D. Harrilall 20 leading the batting.

R. Parsram and Ganesh Mangal took 2 wickets each for Cotton Field Wild Oats, who were restricted to 161 for 9 off their 20 overs, with Shanz Grovesnor 43 (3x4, 2x6) and Mangal 20 (2x6, 1x4) leading their batting even as Veerasammy took 4 for 19 and Latchman Balgobin 3 for 44 to hand Karibee Boyz the win by 13 runs.

Lara apologises for ’98 South Africa tour WEST Indian cricketer Brian Lara has extended a belated apology to the South African public for the 1998/99 tour debacle and his team’s weak performances in the ensuing Test series.

Lara was guest of honour at a banquet in Johannesburg this week to launch the Sports Heroes Walk against AIDS – an annual event where sports personalities join a walk through the provinces raising awareness and providing communities with the necessary tools to fight the AIDS epidemic.

“Before I say anything else, I want to apologise to South Africa,” the cricket legend said.

“Sixteen years ago I was the captain of the West Indies team which almost didn’t tour.

By the time we got here, we were already mentally destroyed. We robbed the South African players and public of a competitive Test series, which we lost 5-0.”

The team was holed up in a London hotel refusing to travel to South Africa over a pay dispute. Ali Bacher, managing director or the United Cricket Board at the time, flew to London to negotiate with the team but had in his armoury a secret weapon – a letter from then President Nelson Mandela imploring the players to go ahead with the tour, stressing the importance of their visit to the new democracy.

“In our minds, the tour was definitely off until we were handed the letter from Madiba.

How could we refuse him?

“So I’d like to share a little of the blame

Brian Lara with him. If he’d only written that letter one week earlier, the whole fiasco could have been avoided.”

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) now find itself in a similar situation after the players pulled out of their recent tour of India midway the series with one remaining ODI, a T20 International and three Test series still to play.

The same touring side is due to visit South African shores in December and Lara hoped matters would be settled before then.

“I believe it’s all down to communication.

I think the WICB doesn’t engage the players enough – in good times and bad — until it reaches boiling point.

“I’m very biased towards the players because I’ve been in that situation before and I know what it’s like. The West Indian public comes down heavily on the players because it always seems to be a money issue but that isn’t necessarily the case. Sometimes we just

want principle points to be addressed.

“We want to play cricket - we’re born to play cricket - but we want to be treated fairly.”

While he hoped the team would be competitive, he said realistically they would struggle against the Proteas.

“They’re playing against the better team but I’m hoping they put the negative things behind them.

“These guys are all professional and capable, and they will give it their best shot.

“The current team is good at the shorter version of the game. In the longer version, they’re still finding their feet and in Test cricket we are not there yet.”

He said the problems went far deeper than people realised and there was no infrastructure in place for the next generation of stars.

“We are capable of taking the best talent and making it look mediocre, while the rest of the world has mediocre talent and makes it look very good.

“If you look at the setup in South Africa, the players can take much of the credit but they have a good structure in place. You are able to find new talent and have in place what it takes to be successful.”

The left-handed batsman retired in 2007 and remained the only cricketer to have scored 100, 200, 300, 400 and a 500 in firstclass cricket.

His 400 not out is the highest individual Test score in the world and his 501 not

out for Warwickshire remains the highest individual first-class score.

Playing off a four handicap, Lara said he now travels with his golf bag instead of his cricket bag. He promotes tourism for Trinidad and Tobago and raises money for his foundation which he and his siblings set up to honour their parents.

“I also chair a cancer foundation in Trinidad and there is also a cancer treatment centre. I have no financial connection to it but what I do have is the ability to bring people who can’t afford it to the centre. It’s a good way to help Trinidad and Tobago.” (WICRICNEWS)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday November 01, 2014)

Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Clive Lloyd & Wayne Daniel (2) England, Leeds, 1973 Today’s Quiz: (1)Name the WI who have held the world record for the highest individual score in ODIs at various times?

(2) How many ODIs have been played in Guyana to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday NOVEMBER 1, 2014

GDF lights for upgrade THE lighting system at the Guyana Defence Force, Camp Ayanganna ground is to be upgraded. The announcement came from the Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony.

The minister recently told the army that the application for a grant to upgrade the lights has been approved.

The army in recent times has been making the ground available to the public.

The ground has a series of lights erected around the perimeter. The added lights will improve visibility at events after dark.

The application for the grant was put in through the Community Ground

Enhancement Programme.

The minister said that the $1.5M sought from government will be given to the army.

The monies are soon to be disbursed.

The funding will be awarded as part of a second phase of the programme according to the minister where $72M will be given out to grounds across the country.

The Guyana Police Force’s Eve Leary outfield will also now put in infrastructure for lights.

Some $2M has been earmarked for that.

‘That would not complete everything they want but we’ll start them off.’

COURTS Pee Wee Football tournament quarter-final action today

Part of the action last week in the COURTS Pee Wee Football tournament.

THE Petra-organised COURTS Pee Wee Football Tournament will continue today at the Banks DIH Thirst Park and is in its quarter-final stage.

Sixteen teams remain in the competition which allows the winners to boast being the best ‘football-playing’ primary school in Georgetown.

Defending champions St Pius Primary remain in the hunt to retain their title and will come up against F.E. Pollard Primary at 12:00hrs, which will be the highlight of the day’s eight matches.

The day’s activity will commence at 10:00hrs and matches will be played simultaneously on two pitches.

Semi-finals action is carded for November 8 and the final will be played on November 15 at the same venue See fixtures below:

The minister said when the first announcement was made under government’s $300M investment in grounds, there were few applicants. The number is now growing with applications from the interior areas - Regions 9, 7, 8 and 1 with a few from Region 4.

GDF LITES: Aw shot of the Camp Ayanganna ground with its floodlights on.

Sport CHRONICLE

GDF lights for upgrade See story on page 31

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

GFF Normalisation Committee commits to development ... to address pending request for year-end football tournaments ASAP

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalisation Committee held its first press conference yesterday at the Federation’s Georgetown Head Office and according to the group their aim is to work collectively for the benefit and development of the game.

Clinton Urling, the former Chairman of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, vice-president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Dr Karen Pilgrim, former squash player and executive Tariq Williams, Stewart May and Rabin Chandarpal were named by FIFA and CONCACAF as the Normalisation Committee responsible for football in Guyana.

The Fédération Internationale de Football

Association (FIFA) Head of Member Associations, Premo Cavaro, and CONCACAF’s Director of Legal Affairs, Marco Leal, announced on Tuesday, October 21 that a Normalisation Committee will run Guyana’s football until September 2015 which saw the Christopher Matthias-led Executive disbanded and will have no place in football.

Atop the long list of priorities for the fivemember committee, apart from managing the day-to-day activities of the country’s football will be to adopt the new constitution of the GFF; to amend the current one and to organise elections according the new constitution.

GFF Normalisation Committee (L-R) Tariq Williams, Dr Karen Pilgrim, Clinton Urling and Stuart May. Missing is Rabin Chandarpal.

Gayle: Hopefully things will be resolved for SA tour “FROM my point of view, hopefully things will be resolved and we can get a green light to go ahead and play against South Africa,” Gayle said yesterday in Johannesburg.

The West Indians pulled out of their recent tour of India midway the series with an ODI, T20 International and three Tests remaining.

“It’s just unfortunate where things are at the moment, but these things tend to happen in industries,” he said.

“Before I left the Caribbean, there was a meeting held between Dwayne Bravo and the board. I don’t know what the outcome was, and we’d love to see the cricket go on because that’s what we’re here for.

Turn to page 27

Sebert Blake

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Turn to page 25

Blake joins Three Star ranks

See story on page 25 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER1, 2014

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