Guyana chronicle 24 03 14

GUYANA No. 103777

MONDAY MARCH 24, 2014

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

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Today is Budget Day Page

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FINANCE MINISTER, DR. ASHNI SINGH

Tourism sector is first casualty of 7 non-passage of AML/CFT Bill

Something for everyone, Singh says

Hundreds enjoy PPP/C Fun Day on State House lawns Page 2

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MINISTER OF TOURISM(ag), MR IRFAAN ALI

President Donald Ramotar checking out the games and food stalls and having light chatter with patrons.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Hundreds enjoy PPP/C Fun Day on State House lawns

President of Guyana, Mr Donald Ramotar being hugged by young Guyanese.

REMEMBERING Dr Cheddi Jagan

“I believe that my first charge is to raise my people from the mire of poverty in which, for too long, they have suffered. I have never made any secret of my views. I have been thrown out of office. I have been subjected to violence, indignity and jail. I am willing to face these things again, and gladly, in the fight to free my people and aid them.

Here I stand. Here I will stand until I die.”

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By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Annual Family Fun Day, in memory of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, hosted on the lawns of State House, Main Street, yesterday, saw hundreds of Guyanese turning out to celebrate and be part of the fun-filled event.

Ministers of Government also graced the event and were seen chatting with the patrons and having photo opportunities with them.

Addressing the gathering last evening, President Donald Ramotar urged patrons, while enjoying themselves, to take time to reflect on the memory of Dr. Jagan, who dedicated his life towards the development of Guyana for the benefit of the ordinary people. He pointed out that the late founding member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) made many sacrifices for the country and much of what has been achieved by the current administration is owed to the See page 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

–Today is Budget Day

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Something for everyone, Singh says

By Vanessa Narine

FINANCE Minister Dr. Ashni Singh will today present his third Budget in the 10th Parliament to the National Assembly.

Asked about the contents of the 2014 Budget, Singh yesterday said, “Budget 2014 includes a menu of measures that aims to guard, protect and build on our macro-economic stability.”

He stressed that a stable macro-economic environment is important as it relates to attracting investment, creating jobs and improving livelihoods of the people of Guyana.

Singh said, “Understandably, there is much public interest in the Budget, There are many perspectives from which one can view successive budgets.

“The big picture is all about stewardship of the economy and how the economy was managed.

“And the budget provides us the opportunity to report to the nation and the world at large on the performance of the economy over the last year and make projections as it relates to the performance of the economy in the coming year.

“It is no secret that the economy has performed well and this will be reflected in the Budget today, when it comes to dealing with key economic indicators.”

The Minister added that the mirco-economic performance, which is related to individual sectors and beneficiary groups, is another perspective from which the budget can be viewed.

“This perspective looks at how the interest of the Guyanese man and woman can benefit from the various polices; the single woman sending her children to school will look at what the education sector is al-

located, new home-owners will look at this particular area, and so on,” he said.

According to him, the Budget contains a number of policy initiatives, some ongoing and some new, that will be of interest to all Guyanese.

“We have been careful over the years to grow public expenditure to meet the de-

an “elections” Budget, considering calls from the Guyanese for a move to snap elections following the impasse over the non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill.

The Finance Minister did not comment on this directly.

“This budget has much that

is a forum for a struggle for political power…Guyanese have had enough of messing with their lives by their political predecessors.”

He made it clear that the people are tired of the ‘shenanigans’ coming from the combined Opposition and said the people’s disgust would be best demonstrated at the polls.

“The PPP/C remains the strongest political force in this country,” Rohee posited.

The General-Secretary stated that the best way to pay tribute to Dr. Cheddi Jagan is for all of his supporters to work “hard, ceaselessly, and indefatigably” to retake the majority in the National Assembly.

“The struggle continues,

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, far right, and senior Finance Ministry officials, yesterday, part of last minute discussions on Budget 2014 mands…not growing public expenditure at a rate that cannot be sustained….there an infinite demands on finite resources,” Singh said.

ELECTIONS BUDGET There has already been talk in the Opposition camp that the 2014 Budget will be

is in the interest of the people of Guyana,” Singh said.

The ruling party’s first public hints of snap elections came at the Cheddi Jagan memorial held at Babu John on March 9.

Addressing the ongoing political gridlock in the National Assembly, the General-Secretary of the party, Clement Rohee, said, “The Parliament

According to him, the Opposition’s “game plan” is clear for all to see and is one that will land Guyana into economic ruin.

He acknowledged that the party has made mistakes, but noted that the party is “bold and big” enough to admit to such errors and work to make up for them.

but victory is inevitable,” he said.

2013 PROVISIONS At the end of last year’s debates, the National Assembly approved an amended $177.4B Budget, which was presented under the theme ‘Overcoming Challenges To-

gether, Accelerating Gains for Guyana’.

However, there were several measures for different sections of the population, including mortgage relief, increase in pensions, and electricity subsidy for Linden, income tax reduction and property and individual tax reductions.

Government’s 2013 Budget was cut by a whopping $31.4B. Of the $208.8B estimates, $5.2B was slashed from the $10.2B allocated to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL); the entire allocation of $1,250.000B towards the Specialty Hospital Project was cut; the entire Transport Programme Allocation of $5.63B under the Ministry of Public Works was gutted ; the allocation for the Government Information Agency of $135.858M was reduced to $1; the National Communications Network’s allocation of $81.337M was also reduced to $1, and the Low Carbon Development Programme allocation of $20B was reduced to $1B. NO NEXUS During last year’s budget debates the joint Opposition outlined its ’11-point’ demands, which the Head of State, President Donald Ramotar rejected as “unrelated” to the Budget.

A reduction of the toll on the Berbice Bridge, which the President explained forms part of a private company, was part of the 11 demands made, while the others were matters Ramotar said would take time for implementation.

He maintained that there was no nexus between the See page 9

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

French satellite image also shows possible plane debris (Reuters) - FRENCH satellite images show “floating debris” in the southern Indian Ocean, Paris said on Sunday, which together with Chinese and Australian images of suspi-

cious objects in the same wide area have focused the search for a missing Malaysian jetliner in remote seas off Australia.

The new lead came as the international search for Ma-

laysia Airlines Flight MH370 entered its third week, with still no confirmed trace of the Boeing 777 that vanished with 239 people on board.

“This morning, Malaysia

received new satellite images from the French authorities showing potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor,” the Malaysian Transport Ministry said in a statement.

NATO says Russia has big force at Ukraine’s border, worries over Transdniestria (Reuters) - NATO’s top military commander said on Sunday that Russia had built up a large force on Ukraine’s eastern border and he was worried Moscow may be eyeing Moldova’s mainly Russian-speaking separatist Transdniestria region after annexing Crimea.

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, voiced concern about Moscow using a tactic of snap military exercises to prepare its forces for possible rapid incursions into a neighboring state, as it had done in the case of Ukraine’s Crimea region.

Russia launched a new military exercise, involving 8,500 artillery men, near Ukraine’s border 10 days ago.

Breedlove said the Russian tactic should lead the 28-nation Western military alliance to rethink the positioning and readiness of its forces in eastern Europe so that they were ready to counter Moscow’s moves.

“A snap exercise puts an incredible force at a border. The force that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is very, very sizeable and very, very ready,” he said, speaking at an event held by the German Marshall Fund, a thinktank.

“You cannot defend against that if you are not there to defend

“Malaysia immediately relayed these images to the Australian rescue co-ordination center.”

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott had said there was “increasing hope” of a breakthrough in the hunt for the plane on the strength of Chinese and Australian images of possible large debris.

The French Foreign Ministry said radar echoes from a sat-

hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on a scheduled flight to Beijing.

An international force resumed its search efforts on Sunday, zeroing in on two areas around where the earlier sightings were made in an effort to find the object identified by China and other small debris, including a wooden pallet, spotted by a search plane on Saturday.

against it. So I think we need to think about our allies, the positioning of our forces in the alliance and the readiness of those forces ... such that we can be there to defend against it if required, especially in the Baltics and other places.”

Ukraine is not a NATO member, but Moscow’s intervention in Crimea has caused alarm particularly in ex-Soviet republics in the Baltics, which are now members of NATO. NATO had tried to make Russia a partner but “now it is very clear that Russia is acting much more like an adversary than a partner,” Breedlove said.

He voiced concern that Russia could have Transdniestria in its sights after Crimea, saying that, in Russia’s view, the separatist region of Moldova was the “next place where Russian-speaking people may need to be incorporated.”

LINK-UP FEARS Some of the elements of the Crimea scenario are also present in Transdniestria, which lies on Ukraine’s western border but is just a few hundred kilometers (miles) from Crimea.

“There is absolutely sufficient (Russian) force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Transdniestria if the decision was made to do that and that is very worrisome,” Breedlove said.

In Moscow, Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said Russia was complying with international troop limits near the border with Ukraine, and international inspectors had conducted missions in the last month to check on Russian troop movements.

“We have nothing to hide there,” Antonov was quoted by the state RIA and Itar-Tass news agencies as saying.

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Leading Seaman Luke Horsburgh stands watch during his duty as Quartermaster on the bridge of the Australian Navy ship HMAS Success after it arrived in the search area for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force on March 23, 2014. ellite put the new debris finding about 2,300 km (1,430 miles) from Perth, without giving a direction or a date.

The debris in the Australian image was about 2,500 km southwest of Perth and the Chinese sighting, captured two days later, was around 120 km (75 miles) “south by west” of that.

“These elements have immediately been passed on to the Malaysian authorities,” the French ministry said in a statement. “France had decided to mobilize complementary satellite means to continue the search in the identified zone.”

Flight MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens early on March 8, less than an

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Nothing was found, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said in a statement. The search area was covered in early sea fog, particularly in the western areas, but conditions improved during the day.

“The search will resume tomorrow,” AMSA said. “Chinese military Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft and Japanese P-3C aircraft will join the search on Monday.”

China said the object it had seen on the satellite image was 22 meters long (74ft) and 13 meters (43ft) wide, floating in some of the most inhospitable sea territory on Earth.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

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Uruguay accepts US request to take five Guantanamo inmates Murders are down in Rio’s favelas, but residents accuse the police of using heavy-handed tactics

Rio de Janeiro to get federal troops to quell recent violence

(BBC News) THE government in Brazil says it will send federal troops to Rio de Janeiro to help deal with a spate of violent attacks targeting the city’s police.

The decision came after the governor of Rio de Janeiro state, Sergio Cabral, asked President Dilma Rousseff for government support ahead of the football

World Cup in June.

On Thursday, three police bases in the city were attacked by suspected gangs.

Four police officers have been killed since February in similar attacks.

The attacks on police in Brazil’s second largest city have heightened concerns about law and order ahead of the World

UWI doctors get bad rap from medical students

(Trinidad Guardian) A 2012 University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Quality Assurance Report has highlighted lack of proper training for UWI medical undergraduates, as well as faculty teachers not taking a genuine interest in shaping the students’ development. The issue is of interest since the death of Simeon, son of Quelly Ann Cottle and Emil Millington, on March 1, at the Mt Hope Maternity Hospital, led to the suspension of Dr Javed Chinnia.

The internal document compiled by the university’s Quality Assurance Unit outlined a host of problems undergraduate students at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FOMS) and the Department of Clinical Medical Science (DCMS) face at the hands of consultants and lecturers, while being trained at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. Some consultants at Mt Hope Maternity Hospital fall within the remit of UWI, while others fall under the regional health authority.

STUDENTS LEFT TO ROAM ON WARDS A copy of the report showed a need for the restructuring of the system as well as a need for adequate clinical training for undergraduate medical students. It spoke about the uneven undergraduate clinical teaching experience across the different sites with much of the teaching conducted by house officers and interns, who themselves were not supervised in their teaching by registrars or consultants.

“While examining clinical facilities they experienced a sit-

uation where three undergraduate students were teaching each other, at the bedside, of clinical history, taking a physical examination on an inpatient ward (not in CTU)—in the absence of any physician,” the report stated.

In some instances, students were left to roam on the wards picking up what they could and then presenting themselves for exams, while some did not show up for clinical training when scheduled, the report said. The review team said it received comments from the faculty and students that the training was geared primarily toward passing exams rather than “integrated thinking and clinical problem solving.” “Some faculty members noted that the students were not well equipped to enter internship as a result of this,” the report stated.

Students: Teachers do not have a genuine interest The report stated the issue of lack of training for young doctors was not new; it had been raised since 2004. It noted a substantial increase in undergraduate student intake without an increase in fulland part-time faculty.

Cup, which begins on 12 June.

Seven World Cup matches, including the final, will be played in Rio. Mr Cabral discussed the violence with President Rousseff in the capital, Brasilia, after Thursday’s unrest in the northern Rio favela, or shanty town, of Manguinhos.

Police vehicles were set on fire and the police unit’s commander was shot in the leg.

Rio’s authorities have been trying to rid the city’s favelas of drug dealers.

“It is clear that criminals want to weaken our policy of pacification and take back territories which were in criminal hands for decades,” Mr Cabral said ahead of his meeting.

“The state will not back down. The public may be sure we shall act,” the governor said.

The authorities in Brasilia did not give say how many federal troops would be sent to Rio or when they would be deployed.

Rio police have installed more than 30 bases in favelas in the past five years to drive out drug gangs.

Correspondents say murders have declined and the number of shootouts has dropped, but residents have often accused the police of using heavy-handed tactics.

The BBC’s Julia Carneiro in Rio says the recent deaths among the security forces have prompted some groups to express solidarity with police and their families.

Rio de Janeiro is to host South America’s first Olympic Games in 2016 as well as this year’s World Cup.

(BBC News) PRESIDENT Jose Mujica of Uruguay has said his country will take five prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba.

Mr Mujica said he had agreed to a request from President Barack Obama to take some of the detainees remaining at the controversial US military camp.

He added that the five inmates would be welcome to “work and stay with their families in Uruguay”.

President Obama has pledged to free all remaining inmates and close the camp.

There are 154 detainees remaining in the camp, most of them from Yemen.

‘THEY ARE WELCOME’ “The US president wants to solve this problem so he’s asking several countries to host them and I told him I will,” Mr Mujica told local media.

“They are welcome to come here.”

The US embassy in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, said Washington was “dealing with different countries in the region” and approached Mr Mujica because of his “leadership” in Latin America.

A former guerrilla member, the Uruguayan president spent nearly 15 years in prison during the military government of the 1970s and ‘80s in the South American country.

He said he had accepted the US request “for human rights reasons”.

President Obama has said the prison has damaged America’s standing in the world.

Transfers out of Guantanamo to third countries have increased in recent months.

But the US leader’s plan to close it has been thwarted in part by Congress.

In the past, the US raised concerns of possible mistreatment if the detainees were sent back to their home countries.

Guantanamo has been criticised by human rights groups.

Most of the inmates there have never been charged or tried for any crime.

The detention facility was opened by former US President George W Bush to hold terrorism suspects rounded up overseas following the 11 September 2001 attacks.

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EDITORIAL

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

GUYANA

Budget Day and Greenidge’s threats of ‘a nasty, bloody war’ FINANCE Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, will present Budget 2014 in the National Assembly today Monday, March 24, but the joint opposition has once again signalled its intention to cut the national estimates, ably crafted after stakeholder input by the Finance Minister and his capable team, some of whom are opposition supporters, despite a court ruling that such an action by the opposition is unconstitutional and falls out of their mandate.

Budget 2014 will be the eighth presented by Minister Singh, with his first presentation made in 2007 following his appointment as Minister of Finance in September of 2006.

A GINA feature defines a National Budget as ‘…the annual financial statement of the country, which sets out in very detailed terms the Government’s financial plans for the period prior to the next budget;’ and clarifies ‘Since it is imperative for the Government to have planned the implementation of several policies in the overall task of performing its functions to meet the objectives of socio-economic growth, it therefore means that careful planning and execution of development plans and projects have to be precise, given that very huge amounts of money would have been budgeted.’

Consultations with stakeholders from the private sector, labour unions and other groupings informed the compilation of the 2014 budget, which began in June 2013. However, despite repeated invitations to the APNU and the AFC, they opted to boycott the consultations, instead reverting to threats and intimidatory language, forewarning the lawless strangulation of funding for major developmental projects as occurred in 2012 and 2013.

Although, true to its Manifesto promises, this year’s budget by the PPP/C administration projects to continue to promote the PPP/C’s commitment to accelerate economic growth and social development; emphasize macroeconomic stability through the continued creation of investment opportunities; expand and upgrade physical infrastructure; improve the quality of social services and strengthen institutional and regulatory environments, among other life-enhancement initiatives, the joint opposition seems bent on a path to derail this nation’s progress that has been a sustained force from the inception of PPP/C accession

to Government.

Guyana’s strong economic performance of recent years has been the direct result of the responsible policy stance adopted, and the prudent and responsible choices exercised and decisions made over the years by the PPP/C Government. Over the past eight years, Guyana has experienced an unprecedented period of uninterrupted growth, standing out in its economic performance despite the crises that have enveloped economies in the Caribbean, and even developed countries internationally, during those years.

Despite the stalemate that has largely consumed the National Assembly within the last three years, Budget 2014 presents another opportunity for all parties to work together in the interest of the people of Guyana, an eventuality which has been ardently pursued by the Government, but which has been consistently rejected by the joint opposition.

A Partnership for National Unity’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, in a statement published by the Kaieteur News on March 17, 2014, under the headline “Despite distractions, Opposition remains focus(ed) on 2014 National Budget”, threatened “nasty or bloody war.” This is the Finance Minister of the PNC administration who ran this country’s economy underground and under whose watch no audits were done for the entire duration of his stint as Finance Minister; the Finance Minister who had no shame in announcing Guyana’s economy being bankrupted in his last budget presentation in Parliament. Today he arrogates to himself the right to dictate on the formulation of budgets prepared by a PPP/C administration, which has brought the economy that he ran to subterranean levels to a level of sound macro-economic footing, with consistent growth patterns, even as first-world economies crumble.

Shedding of Guyana’s blood and waging war on the Guyanese people has historically been the PNC’s perception of leadership.

Today they have been joined by other parties, including the WPA and AFC on this mission of taking Guyana backwards.

However, during an interview with GINA, Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill has condemned the statements attributed to Granger by Kaieteur News. He averred “It is regrettable that someone who has been elected to the National Assembly as a policy maker and as a legislator would even descend to such a level

without even seeing or hearing the budget, to predict that it would be a nasty bloody war….It is clear that Mr. Greenidge’s politics is fuelled by bitterness. He is a man that is responding to grudges, and he is not objective in his participation in the whole process.”

Minister Edgehill continued “You (Greenidge) are already predicting a nasty or bloody war; it means that nothing that is said in the National Assembly in the debate, or nothing that is said during the time of response to questions in the Committee of Supply, will satisfy him, because his position is already prejudiced, it’s already determined even before having the necessary information.”

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had written to the opposition parties inviting them to budget talks, but they did not take up the invitation. In the latter part of 2013, the ministry initiated talks with the Opposition on the 2014 Budget. On January 13 last, the minister again invited the opposition parties to Budget talks. None of these invitations were responded to; and even attempts by President Donald Ramotar to engage the opposition on the formulation of national policies, including the National Estimates, were all met with negativity and/or outright rejection.

But Government intends to pursue an unerring path to development, according to Bishop Edgehill, who pledged “We (Government) are not dismayed or disillusioned or discouraged by the constant attacks that have been waging on the developmental agenda of the PPP/C. We are determined that we will continue to march forward resolutely, embracing the people, embracing the realities of Guyana, and ensuring that Guyana is that prosperous nation that we are all dreaming about.”

Is Greenidge’s “nasty bloody war” a forewarning of mayhem again at Linden, or other PNC strongholds?

The position of this administration is that sugar is here to stay --Dr Leslie Ramsammy

By Vanessa Narine AGRICULTURE Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy contends that the Opposition is seemingly “clueless” when it comes to the operations of the sugar industry.

In an invited commentpertaining to what he dubbed “confusion being peddled by the Opposition in the last few weeks, Dr Ramsammy said: “First, Mr. Tony Vieira, at an official APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) media briefing, speaking as an expert in agriculture on behalf of APNU, proposed to replace sugar cane cultivation with tilapia production, which he claims will be a more profitable exercise than the production of sugar.

“Every media house in Guyana reported this story, and Mr. Vieira actually referred all the reporters to a website where this proposal is in writing. This is not my imagination, but this is what the news people actually reported.

“I also read and heard Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, the Leader of the AFC (Alliance For Change), giving unequivocal and unrestrained support to APNU’s position.

“The media houses in Guyana widely reported Mr. Ramjattan’s position. You cannot produce sugar from tilapia, so the proposal of replacing sugar cane with tilapia essentially means closing down the sugar industry. Mr. Vieira indeed had a long letter in the media, detailing his tilapia proposal.

“After I rejected this proposal, both APNU and AFC claimed that they never made proposals to replace sugar cane with tilapia. They claimed they made proposals for the transformation of the industry.”

ETHANOL PRODUCTION On the proposal of ethanol production, voiced by both APNU’s Carl Greenidgeand the AFC’s Moses Nagamootoo, the minister

explained that the now revised planfor the sugar industry, craftedby the combined Opposition,is to replace sugar with tilapia, or with ethanol, or with both tilapia and ethanol, but it is a misguided plan.

He said, “APNU and AFC, clearly overjoyed (by) the difficulties GuySuCo (the Guyana Sugar Corporation) is presently facing, are making wild proposals as solutions to GUYSUCO’s woes.I do concede that GuySuCo has several difficulties that they must address and find quick solutions (for). The Government and the Corporation are working to find a way forward, and we are confident that these difficulties will be reduced and overcome.”

The minister made it clear that there are plans for the production of ethanol in Guyana, within and outside of the sugar industry.He said, “We do see GuySuCo as a producer of ethanol in the near future, but as a by-product from excess molasses. It is for this reason that the prototype bio-ethanol plant was established at Albion Sugar Factory. It is the reason also (why) we are looking to introduce ethanol-blended fuel for automobiles in Guyana, creating an internal market for this important agro-fuel.

“While our approach is to address the difficulties, APNU and AFC, outside of recommending closure of the sugar industry, is proposing changing one product with another. This is not a solution to GUYSUCO’s problems. Indeed, the mere substitution of one product for another, using the same feedstock, will not solve the problem.

“Moreover, any switch to ethanol production will require massive investment for new infrastructure. In addition, the cost of production using sugar cane directly or sugar as feedstock for ethanol production will be prohibitive and not cost-effective.”

Ramsammy maintained that GuySuCo’s current approach of introducing ethanol as a by-product from sugar production is the most viable one and we will not be distracted by the misguided approach of our opponents.

He said, “I can quickly dismiss once again the proposal for replacing sugar cane cultivation with tilapia. No sound-minded Guyanese accept this proposal and most Guyanese reject it as a plan of a warped mind. In dismissing this proposal, I am reiterating the PPP/C’s position that sugar remains an important part of our economy long into the future.

“Nothing in our position means that ethanol production is not a part of Guyana’s development plan. Nothing in our position diminishes the significance of aqua-culture in the agriculture strategy. We already have almost 3,000 ha of aqua-culture farms in Guyana and we are improving production and establishing conditions for export of cultivated fish, including tilapia and tambacqui.”

MISGUIDED Ramsammy reiterated his position that APNU and the AFC are misguided,and he said their action demonstrates why, under the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the 1980s, the sugar industry was on the verge of collapse.

The Agriculture Minister said, “They are confused and are trying to promote confusion, trying to take advantage of the difficult circumstances that GuySuCo is presently in.

“The proposals by APNU and AFC disregard the welfare of sugar workers, and would have dire consequences for Guyana’s economy and social development.

“I therefore again unequivocally reject the proposals to either close down GuySuCoor substitute sugar with another product, be it tilapia or ethanol or any other product APNU and the AFC might want to recommend.”

He acknowledged that the Government is aware of the challenges and are working to address the problem areas.Ramsammy said, “We are aware that the factories outside of Skeldon (PLEASE SEE PAGE 9)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

The National Budget

- elevating lives and transforming the country (PART 2)

Continuing this sea-change in this very important sector has been the introduction of Information Communication Technology that has targeted over 3000 teachers for basic training. This technology is expected to be pivotal in education delivery, and has occasioned the construction of dozens of IT labs in 2013.

A key element in this sector’s revolution has been the socio-economic innovation of the National School Uniform Programme that benefits approximately 200,000 students annually; and the National School Feeding Programme that caters for 64,000 children at a cost of $1.1B, annually.

Today, Guyana is producing the top performers at regional examinations, CSEC.

HEALTH -EASIER ACCESS, MORE SERVICES

Health, which together with education, can be said to be the cornerstone of a nation’s socio-economic development, has seen monumental changes in virtually every area as pertained to its mission of delivery a better quality of health care to the nation.

As the recipient of the second largest slice of the annual estimates: 2011 -$14B; 2012 - $17B; and 2013 - $19.2B, the transformation of the national health sector can only be described as monumental. Primitive, collapsed, and non-existent infrastructure prior to 1992, has since been replaced by new hospitals in all the regions, inclusive of four state-of-the art diagnostic centres, strategically placed so as to alleviate the daily rush of persons on the central system; a new state-ofthe-art national laboratory; a national Ophthalmology hospital, upgrade to the National Psychiatric Hospital, and a new four hundred bed in-patient facility at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Among the newly introduced features at the latter are units for cardiac care, kidney transplant, treatment of burns, dialysis, and diabetic foot care. Also in operation at the central system, is a vastly improved Accident and Emergency department, where the accent is on deploying methodologies of emergency medicine in tending to those who seek medical assistance.

Central to this initiative is the utilisation of the triage system, that determines who is in need of immediate emergency medical treatment.

Other interventions with the purpose of delivering timely and qualitative health care to the nation include more trained medical doctors, and, a raft of post-graduate medical programmes in conjunction with North American medical institutions.

INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSFORMATION

The restoration of infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, has been a major aspect of the national development programme. This has become necessary, because of the four

-fold increase of vehicles on the country’s roads, which has resulted in severe congestion, impeding timely and safer travel in the process.

As one of the centre pieces of the national transformation now taking place, Guyana now boasts well paved roads, a modern four- lane highway from Diamond to Providence, on the East Bank of Demerara that is in the process of being extended, and another on the East Coast of Demerara that is being built from Better Hope to Golden Grove.

Other major works executed are the 34.5 kilometres of all-weather roads in the important farming belt of Black Bush Polder; kilometers of roads in the East and West Canje areas, and the proposed rehabilitation and improvement of the Sheriff Street to Mandela Avenue highway. Also upgrades to the 30.5 kilometre West Coast of Demerara Road from Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie, will soon begin to make the lives of those utilising that corridor, safer.

YOUTHS-OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR DEVELOPMENT

Creating opportunities has been a key plank in government’s socio-economic development programme. As would be expected, many of these programmes have been aimed at particularly early school leavers, and single parents.

The Board of Industrial Training Programme (BIT) administered and delivered through the NTPYE, has been a

revelation in the role that it has been playing in facilitating both these categories in providing skills that allow for employment opportunities, inclusive of self-employment. In excess of 1000 persons from both categories graduated from more than 21 occupational areas, in 2013.

Since the country’s youths are seen as very important to the growth and development plans of the country, Government has been investing in this segment of the population, preparing them to play their part in the development process. To this end, in excess of 2000 young people would have benefitted from training programmes, such as the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE), and the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) Programmes. There is also a similar programme for Hinterland youths and the President’s youth Award: Republic of Guyana.

A BETTER LIFE FOR THE ELDERLY

Even the elderly are catered for in the socio-economic plans of the PPP/C government. Successive Budgets have seen this category of citizens, mostly social assistance old age pensioners; receiving increases to their monthly sum, in order to meet their basic needs. For example, for 2013, their rate of pension increased by 25 percent. But this assistance was also extended to those who are customers of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), to be able to receive a subsidy to the ceiling of $20,000 per

annum, assistance for defraying their energy bills.

INVESTMENTS – CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE, CREATING JOBS

It is undisputable that investments, both foreign and local, have been playing a pivotal role in Guyana’s social and economic growth and development.

Despite the early challenges of social stability, government has continued to create an environment conducive to ensuring that Guyana is good for business. In promoting this objective, it has, through the years, created an enabling environment, with the Private Sector being recognised as the engine of growth. Traditional businesses have doubly expanded, with small scale and medium sized manufacturing and industrial concerns similarly growing. Of note is the gradually increasing numbers of large scale agricultural farming enterprises, other than rice, as well as other new industries such as auto marts, and mining stores, the latter due to the great increase in mining investments, both local and foreign.

Simply stated, investors have never had it so good in this country’s business climate.

The increase in construction in the number of malls, and other business intended structures, such as hotels in communities outside of the capital city, points to an investor confidence that has never been so high. In fact, the changing city skyline is emphatic evidence of a booming economy that now exists.

These investments, both

7

A GINA FEATURE local and foreign, have brought job opportunities for many Guyanese.

That the nation’s budgetary allocations have been well planned, national social and economic development programmes delivered by adequate funding that has been available, is undoubtedly due to the prudent management of the nation’s fiscal affairs and regulatory and institutional safeguards. Very significantly is that Guyana has not suffered from the in-

ternational economic crises. As a result of this, there were no cuts or reductions to the many social programmes that were mandated to improve the lives of citizens.

The examples, outlined, are undeniable truths of budgets that have continued to impact positively on the lives of thousands of Guyanese.

They are indeed, budgets that are about changing the lives of people.

Tourism sector is first casualty of non-passage of AML/CFT Bill

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally NON–PASSAGE of the Anti–Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill in the National Assembly has already begun to negatively affect the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority, among other tourism entities, according to Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali. “The AML/CFT Bill will affect everything. It does not take any intellectual capacity or any aspect of right thinking Guyanese to understand that the (bill) is a non-negotiable item,” he told a media conference Friday.

Minister Ali said the Bill should not be toyed with, echoing sentiments similar to his other colleagues in Government. “It is not a political tool, a social tool, or an economic tool; it is an international necessity that will destroy us if we don’t sign onto it. It has the potential of disrupting this sector tremendously, and any person who believes in tourism cannot believe in it without supporting the AML Bill,” the minister said.

As a result of the Bill’s non–passage in the National Assembly, Ali explained, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is now encountering difficulties paying for advertisements in the region.

“Because we can’t transfer money, we are having problems; much less tour operators. The tourism sector is feeling the heat of the political madness that the opposition is going on with,” he stated.

Ali explained that politicians have the responsibility to pass the Bill, since Guyanese from all walks of life have already indicated their support for its passage.

8

Housing Minister extends condolences to late parliamentarian’s survivors

HOUSING AND WATER MINISTER, MR IRFAAN ALI

MR IRFAAN ALI, substantive Minister of Housing and Water and acting Minister of Tourism, on Friday expressed sincerest condolences to the family and survivors of the late Deborah Backer on behalf of the ministries in his portfolio.

He said, “Since I assumed my role as a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly, I would have met Ms. Deborah Backer as a Parliamentarian, and before this as a technician. She has served our country (in) the National Assembly, and has done what all Guyanese are supposed to do: To give of our best towards the development of Guyana; and it is indeed a great loss. “...We at the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Housing & Water would like to express condolences to the family; the extended family, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); and to say to them our prayers and thoughts are with them at this time.”

Backer, former Parliamentarian of the political coalition, APNU) died Friday morning of cancer. She had been battling the disease since last year, and only recently resigned as Parliamentarian and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly in order to concentrate on her health issues.

APNU Leader, David Granger had said on her resignation that Backer’s absence was a great loss to the coalition, as she had been among the most brilliant minds within the APNU coalition. (Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Youthful killer gets chance of a lifetime Eddie to serve seven years for manslaughter

By George Barclay TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Eddie Andy Williams of West Coast, Demerara, was given the chance of his life last Thursday by Justice William Ramlal who sentenced him to seven years imprisonment for manslaughter, as relatives of the deceased asked the judge to deal with the accused leniently.

The judge took a number of mitigating circumstances into consideration when he sentenced the prisoner who could have been imprisoned for the rest of his life.

Williams, defended by Miss Oneka Archer Caulder had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jermaine Jones but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Miss Caulder delivered a stirring plea in mitigation.

Williams had a number of mitigating circumstances in his favour, including factors highlighted by the relatives of the deceased, an officer of the prisons, the report of the Probation Department, and a statement from the accused himself in open court, expressing his remorse at what had happened and asking for forgiveness from the relatives.

From the well of the court, the mother and aunt and another relative of the deceased, asked the judge to deal with the accused leniently, saying that they would not like him to be visited with a long term of imprisonment.

Prosecutrix Miss Natasha Backer said that a life had been lost and the prosecution would like to see a sentence that would serve as a deterrent to others.

According to the prosecution’s case, the accused had stabbed Jermaine Jones to death.

But the accused said that on the night in question, he simply acted in self-defence and it was never his intention to take a life. He was in bed when Jermaine, now deceased, turned up with a baseball bat and started to beat him with it and allegedly threatened to kill him.

The accused told Senior Probation and Social Services Officer I. King that despite his pleas that night begging Jermaine to stop beating him, he continued.

As he fell on his knees, he reportedly saw a knife on the floor and in desperation he picked it up and stabbed Jermaine on both legs and on the upper part of his body. It was only when he heard Jermaine’s cry to stop, he realized what he had done, and in fear he fled the house, the accused related to the Probation Officer.

In conclusion, the Probation Officer said that the accused grew up in an unstable family environment, moving between his parents from Georgetown to the West Coast of Demerara. Nonetheless, he has demonstrated good behaviour as was reported during investigations. He was denied a proper education due to his expulsion from school at the age of 14 years and due to his parents’ limited financial resources he was forced to remain at home and subsequently entered the workforce at a young age.

Based on observations, it seemed evident that the accused was being provoked by Jones over an extended period, which may have contributed to the tragic end. At the time of the committal of the offence, the accused was just 18-years-old.

The Probation Officer told the court it was unfortunate that Williams lost his temper on the night in question, resulting in a life being lost. The accused repeatedly expressed remorse for his action and pleaded with for leniency.

After passing sentence, the judge in addressing the prisoner advised him to walk the straight and narrow path and to take advantage of the opportunity as he might never get it again.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Something for everyone ...

From page 3 demands and the Opposition’s “assault” on the 2013 Budget.

Ramotar’s comments followed a closed door meeting last April with the Opposition parties over differences on the Budget.

He said, “(Those demands) had nothing to do with the Budget. In fact, at the beginning of the meetings we had, I asked what the nexus is and they said none.”

The President stressed last year that the Opposition’s stance on the Budget was disappointing.

Other Government officials expressed similar sentiments last year.

In giving an overall view of the 2013 National Budget debate, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh said he was both disappointed and concerned about the Opposition approved motions to cut several key transformational projects.

He said, “There were some disappointments…in particular the major disappointment was the imposition of the cut against the Low Carbon Development Strategy, the GRIF funded projects, which included the Amaila Falls Project, the Amerindian Development Fund Projects, the Amerindian Land Demarcation Projects, the Small Businesses and Micro-Enterprises Project – all of which are very important.

Singh noted that he was very concerned at the Opposition’s refusal to consider Government’s arguments in support of the affected projects and programmes.

He said, “I thought the explanations offered were imminently clear and I though the compelling merits of these projects would have influenced the Opposition in approving them. That was not to be.”

The Finance Minister opined then that the 2013 Budget remains a good menu of policies and interventions to take Guyana forward.

“None of the cuts were justified, it is very unfortunate that they persisted and perpetuated those cuts against the Guyanese people,” Singh said.

CJ RULING At the time of the massive budget cuts, the Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, ruled in favour of the Opposition on the basis that the National Assembly can amend the Budget by reducing expenditure.

While the Opposition was clearly elated, the Government resigned itself to respecting the Speaker’s ruling at the time.

In January, this year, the Chief Justice, Ian Chang, ruled that the National Assembly has no right to cut the national budget.

The Chief Justice handed down his decision in the High Court on January 29, with the Opposition planning to appeal the decision, citing errors in the ruling.

The Government of Guyana had taken the Opposition to court following the slashing of the 2012 National Budget by $20.8B claiming it was unconstitutional.

In the Preliminary Ruling given in June 2012, the CJ had ruled that the National Assembly had a role to either approve or disapprove of the National Estimate, not to cut them.

In January’s final ruling, the CJ maintained his sentiments made in the Preliminary Ruling.

“The Speaker unfortunately has ruled that the Standing Orders empower the Opposition to cut the Budget that the Chief Justice has ruled is wrong. The Standing Orders cannot overrule the Constitution of Guyana, they are not the law, they do not constitute a power, and therefore they cannot confer a power which does not exist in law,” Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, said.

He expressed the hope that this statement will guide treatment of the Budget for 2014 and onwards.

Pointing out that he was told that he was challenging the sovereignty of Parliamen when he filed the Budget 2012 court case, Minister Nandlall said that the ruling leaves him very pleased.

He said the Constitution confers upon the State the power and mechanisms to ensure that it maintains and enjoys that power.

In expressing their intent to appeal the ruling of the Chief Justice, the consensus from the combined Opposition is that the National Assembly has the power to make cuts to the national Budget, on the basis that the Parliamentary Standing Orders indicate so.

The Opposition has already indicated that they will proceed with cuts to the 2014 Budget, as is deemed fit.

Hundreds enjoy PPP/C Fun Day ...

From page 2

foundations he laid.

President Ramotar further stated: “The PPP/C Government has been loyal to the vision of Dr. Jagan which is to make life better for the ordinary people. That is why we have concentrated all of our energies on the social sector, building our educational foundation, because we are confident that once we have a strong and educated population we can take our country rapidly forward. We have also concentrated on health and our infrastructural development.”

The president also emphasized that citizens should not take for granted the things that the PPP/C has fought for and achieved, alluding to a time when persons had to line up and fight for basic necessities under the administration of the People’s National Congress (PNC), now the main block in the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

And on display were many photographs and other aspects of Dr. Jagan’s life and work, such as the many books he had authored.

Acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr Irfaan Ali with a young patron.

The large crowd paying attention to the words of President Donald Ramotar.

The position of this administration ...

From page 6 also require enhancement, yet the greatest part of our difficulties have been the reliable and adequate supply of feedstock for the factories.

“This is a matter that is presently engaging the Corporation, and we are confident that the difficulties with ensuring a reliable and adequate feedstock supply will be resolved in the coming months.

“In the meantime, we note with guarded optimism the improved production for the short period GuySuCo has operated in 2014.Production levels have surpassed 30,000 tons for the crop so far, and as long as the weather permits, GuySuCoshould be able to maintain a good production level.

“We commend the employees of GuySuCofor the efforts made so far in 2014. We assure them that we stand in solidarity with the sugar workers.”

Minister Ramsammy also stressed that the current Administration will build sugar to be stronger, not curtail or end sugar, as our colleagues in APNU and the AFC would like to see.”

VIABLE PLAN The minister said the GuySuCo 2020 plan remains a viable and sound one.

“We will continue to produce sugar, in bulk form and as packaged sugar, as our primary commodities. We will continue to be the supplier of molasses for use in the production of rum, and we have begun to test the use of molasses for the production of bio-ethanol as another value-added by-product out of the operation of GuySuCo,” Ramsammy said.

He explained that GuySuCo’s plan, while delayed in terms

of full implementation, has been to have an industry that focuses on the production of: * At least 450,000 tons of sugar by 2020 (this is a shift in the original date); * Packaged sugar with production target of about 50,000 tons by 2016, and a further increase by 2020; * Processed sugar by 2020; * Molasses for the production of rum and other commercial products.This is an ongoing mandate; and * Bio-Ethanol: this is the newest product in the value-added by-products of the sugar industry. A prototype plant has been established, and we see the production of bio-ethanol as an important by-product for the sugar industry by 2020.”

Ramsammy said, “APNU/PNC and AFC have taken a position to end sugar. Essentially, whether it is their proposal to replace sugar cane with tilapia or the proposal to produce ethanol instead of sugar, they have taken a position to end sugar production in Guyana.”

The minister stressed that the position of the current Administration is clear, and sugar is here to stay.

He said, “Sugar production, whether bulk, packaged or processed, will remain the main business of GuySuCo. Even with the present difficulties, we will remain focused as we continue to build the sugar industry. We will not replace sugar as the primary commodity produced by GuySuCo. “…we are confident that the goal of 450,000 tons of sugar is realistic, and that we will attain this goal before 2020. We recognize that producing 450,000 tons of sugar will mean that Skeldon factory will have to function better than it is today.”

Ramsammy added that GuySuCo and the sugar industry are important for Guyana’s continued economic and social improvement.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Crime Chief: Rondy Jagdeo knew he would be free

–as evidenced by CBR parked outside courthouse

By Leroy Smith THE FACT that murder accused, Rondy Jagdeo had a CBR motorcycle parked outside the Georgetown Magistrates Court on the day charges against him were dismissed due to the non-appearance of civilian witnesses is very alarming.

This is according to Crime Chief, Deputy Commissioner Seelall Persaud, who further opined that the businessman had to have had prior knowledge that he was not going back into police custody when he left for court that morning.

Rondy Jagdeo had been on remand for the murder of a close friend and associate, the biker, Kirk Davis, who had been shot, execution-style, while sitting in a vehicle outside a home in Eccles in 2013.

Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry threw out the murder case last Thursday after police witnesses continued to absent themselves from the proceedings.

The Crime Chief was asked last Friday about this embarrassment to the Guyana Police Force and the rationale behind the usage of state resources to conduct investigations, only to have cases -- especially high-profile ones -- thrown out whenever the police fail to do proper investigations, or refuse to show up and give evidence.

Persaud recalled that in this case, it was a civilian witness who had failed to

show up for court, and not the police. Asked about the mechanism available to the police to ensure that state witnesses, whether civilian or police, show up for court hearings, the Crime Chief said that at the level of the police, there is nothing that can be done when a witness fails to show up for court.

RONDY JAGDEO Rather, he said, it is the court which has to prompt action on the part of the police with respect to bringing witnesses to court.

He explained that the magistrate or the court would issue an arrest warrant for the witness, and the police would then act on that arrest warrant by going after the persons of interest to the court.

When that person is apprehended, he/she would be kept in police custody until the next court date.

Persaud said that without the warrant from the court, there is very little that the police can do; hence the need for the court to decide whether or not to issue a warrant for that person’s arrest, and that is done at the discretion of the magistrate.

He said that all the police can do is hope that persons who are expected to show up in court as witnesses honour their moral obligation and show up for court.

Persaud said he could not say why the court did not take a certain course of action with respect to ensuring that the witness was present for court.

He said it is possible for this murder case to be reopened on order from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The prosecutor in the matter would need to send a report to the DPP’s Chambers for advice to be forthcoming.

The Director of Public Prosecutions can cause action to be taken to reopen the case; the DPP could instruct the magistrate to reopen the preliminary inquiry, according to Mr Persaud.

However, he stayed very clear of giving his opinion on what decision the DPP would take, while pointing out that he is familiar with the fact that the DPP is a competent person, and is confident that she would act as she sees fitting.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Investment in forest conservation can support green economic growth AN ANNUAL investment of US$30B in tropical forest conservation can support green and sustainable economic growth, according to a new report.

And in Guyana, the report has strengthened the resolve of sector stakeholders to advance with efforts under the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

The report, released last week by the International Resource Panel (IRP) and the United Nations Collaborative Initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD) Programme, ‘Building Natural Capital: How REDD+ Can Support a Green Economy’, outlines how integrating REDD+ programmes into a Green Economy approach can conserve and even boost the economic and social benefits forests provide to human society.

Launched in 2008, the UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. It builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The Programme supports national REDD+ readiness efforts in 49 partner countries spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The International Resource Panel was established in 2007 to provide independent, coherent and authoritative scientific assessments on the sustainable use of natural resources, and the environmental impacts of resource use over the full life cycle. By providing up-to-date information and the best science available, the International Resource Panel contributes to a better understanding of how to decouple human development and economic growth from environmental degradation. UNEP hosts the secretariat for the panel.

NEW REPORT The IPR report noted that an investment of US$30 billion per year — under seven per cent of the US$480B paid in annual global fossil fuel subsidies — in the REDD+ forest conservation initiative can accelerate the global transition to green and sustainable growth, and ensure the long-term wellbeing of tens of millions in developing countries, a new report released today said.

It also lays out recommendations to deliver the new integrated REDD+ and Green Economy approach, including better coordination, stronger private sector engagement, changes in fiscal incentive frameworks, greater focus on assisting policymakers to understand the role forests play in propping up economies, and equitable benefit sharing. The report stresses in particular the needs for a rights-based approach to ensure that benefits flow to the rural poor.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+) is the approach to cut greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation —estimated at up to 20 per cent of the global total — through payments for services. REDD+ is an expanded approach that includes the conservation and sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

Forests support the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people, with the value of ecosystem services from tropical forests estimated at an average of US $6,120 per hectare each year. Despite these economic gains, forest loss averaged 13 million hectares per year between 2000 and 2010, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This market and policy failure will undermine sustainable development by destroying the natural capital that supports so many economies.

The report argues that integration of REDD+ into all economic planning processes is essential, as deforestation and forest degradation are driven by consumption patterns in virtually every sector of the economy.

Green Economy innovations resulting from REDD+ have the potential to increase the resource efficiency of many of these sectors.

REDD+ is so far backed by a total of US $6.27 billion. However, an estimated US$30 billion is projected to be needed each year from 2020. The IRP report seeks to encourage delivery of this funding by demonstrating that REDD+ approaches can support economic development and increase long-term returns on investments.

The report shows how activities supported by REDD+ can be designed to increase income by boosting output on land under cultivation, developing new green industries, encouraging forest-based ecotourism, and increasing sustainable production of commodities for which demand is increasing. For example, a stimulus package in the sustainable management of forests could provide up to 16 million additional jobs globally. Whilst at the same time, restoring just 15 per cent of degraded forests can double household income in rural areas in developing countries, as an example from Tanzania

cited in the report shows.

It also points out that an increasing number of countries have Green Economy growth plans that clearly define the role of protecting forests and other natural capital.

TRUE VALUE OF FORESTS The UN-REDD — jointly implemented by the FAO, the UNDP and UNEP — supports REDD+ readiness efforts in 49 partner countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Achim Steiner, according to a recent media report, said, “The true value of forests comes to life when national and local decision making processes are directed towards natural capital investment, supporting livelihoods, and achieving sustainable economic growth.”

Created in 1972, UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Steiner said, “The ecosystem services provided by tropical forests are estimated at around US $6,120 per hectare per year.

Despite this clear macroeconomic case, the total yearly forest loss averages 13 million hectares per year – equivalent to the surface of a football field being destroyed every three seconds.”

According to him, REDD+ is a bold project that offers an opportunity for countries to pursue a more sustainable development pathway through the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of forests.

“We need to create the enabling conditions required for REDD+ to succeed -- from good governance and sustainable financial policies to equitable distribution of benefits. These enabling conditions are themselves the building blocks for an inclusive Green Economy,” Steiner said.

Head of the President’s Delivery Unit for Development Monitoring and Oversight, Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, echoed similar sentiments.

In a media report that included Steiner’s comments, he said, “REDD is an entry point to empower citizens as stewards for a more sustainable, equitable and economically viable Indonesia…through partnership, consultation, and collaboration, [we are] empowering Indonesia and Indonesians as owners and implementers.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Importance of youth to leadership hig

By Michelle Gonsalves

Party member Mr. Navin Chandrapaul lectures at the PYO ‘Night of Reflection’(Photos by Adrian Narine)

IN WHAT has been turned into an annual tradition, the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), youth arm of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), presented a ‘Night of Reflection’ to honour the life and times of late former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan (22 March 1918 – 6 March 1997).

The event was held last Wednesday evening at the former presidential residence, the Red House in Kingston, Georgetown, which currently houses the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.

Speaker Navin Chanderpaul stressed the importance of youth to leadership, showing how early political developments were spearheaded by young persons

with a vision for the country.

He noted that when Dr. Jagan returned to British Guiana in 1943, after pursuing studies in the United States, he was only 25 years old; and Chandrapal traced the origins of the PYO, which was established on September 6, 1956.

He noted that Dr. Jagan had a special place for youth, as he considered youth the ‘vanguard’ of the struggle for freedom, and he personally attended the congresses of the PYO. However, Chandrapal cautioned the youth that they must not view themselves as a solitary force, but must fit into the wider force.

HISTORY Dr. Jagan (22 March 1918 – 6 March 1997), who was born in

the rural Berbice village of Port Mourant, was first elected Chief Minister in 1953, and later became Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997. He is widely regarded in Guyana as the “Father of the Nation”.

The eldest of 11 children, Dr Jagan was born to parents who came from India to British Guiana as indentured labourers.

His family grew up in rural poverty, and had to work in the cane fields to support the family.

His father wanted to make sure his son attended school, and sent him to Queen’s College in the capital city of Georgetown, about 100 miles away, for the next three years.

After Dr Jagan graduated

from high school, finding a job almost became impossible, and his father decided to send him to the United States to study dentistry at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Jagan returned to British Guiana in October 1943, and was elected to the colonial legislative body, the Legislative Council, in November 1947 as an independent candidate from Central Demerara constituency.

On January 1, 1950, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was founded, with Dr. Jagan as its Leader; Forbes Burnham as its Chairman; and Dr. Jagan’s wife, the former Janet Rosenberg, as Secretary.

DR Jagan won in a colonially administered election in 1953, but was removed from power militarily by Britain. Dr. Jagan resigned

Third Year UG students host health fair --as part of earning degree

By Asif Hakim THE THIRD-year Social Work students of the Univer-

sity of Guyana (UG) is hosting a health fair at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara as part of their assignments in earn-

ing their degrees.

The fair will run for five (5) weeks, thus enabling members of the community to access free health services during that period.

The theme of the fair, which

attracted scores or residents of all age groups, is: “Keeping a healthy body, promoting nonviolence”. There were various booths set up all across the venue Saturday, including those set up by representatives from the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA); the National Aids Program Secretariat (NAPS); Guyana Red Cross Society; and by doctors and dentists.

Among the services offered during the health fair were dental care - extraction and filling - HIV testing, blood pressure tests, and TB testing. Serious injuries that cannot be handled at the fair would be referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

A volunteer dentist at work (Photos by Asif Hakim)

Third Year UG Social Work students making brief remarks at the Fair

At the GRPA booth

One of the coordinators of the health fair, Ms Teshia James, told the Guyana Chronicle that in efforts to host the event, the students decided to give back to citizens a pre-medical health care which consists of various testings and checkups. She urged citizens to take good care of their health, and to do regular body check-ups, since there are lots of diseases and other sicknesses which an unchecked body can contract. She noted that every individual must put their health first, because without proper health, there is very little that can be achieved.

The GRPA’s booth focused on contraceptive methods. The team also had the services of

the GRPA family planning organization on display. The GRPA has its youth clinic, which would be ongoing every last Friday of every month from 1-3pm, and that organization is urging the public to come out and participate in the clinic.

A package for young individuals, consisting of Body Mass Index [BMI], blood pressure and blood glucose information could be picked up at the GRPA office.

The National Aids Programme Secretariat was doing HIV testing and counseling; the Guyana Red Cross Society was teaching folks on how to use a first aid kit, and a dental booth was focusing on extraction, fillings and cleaning of teeth.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

13

ghlighted at PYO ‘Night of Reflection’ as British Guiana’s prime minister after 133 days in office. Britain suspended the constitution, and chose an interim government. From 1954 to 1957, Dr. Jagan’s movements were restricted to Georgetown.

After a PPP victory in the August 1961 election, Dr. Jagan became Chief Minister for a second time, serving for three years. In the De-

cember 1964 election, the PPP won a plurality of votes, but Burnham’s party, the People’s National Congress, and the conservative United Force were nevertheless invited to form the government.

After 28 years in opposition, Dr Jagan and the PPP won the October 5, 1992 election

with about 54% of the votes, and Dr. Jagan became President.

Dr. Jagan suffered a heart attack on 15 February 1997, and was taken to Georgetown Hospital before being flown by U.S. military aircraft to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., later that day. He underwent heart surgery there

and died in Washington on March 6, 1997.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Dr Jagan was also an important political author and speechwriter, and his publications include: Forbidden Free-

dom: The Story of British Guiana (Hansib, 1954), The West On Trial: My Fight for Guyana’s Freedom (Harpy, 1966), The Caribbean Revolution (1979), The Caribbean Whose Backyard (1984), Selected Speeches 1992-1994 (Hansib, 1995), The USA in South America (Hansib, 1998), A New Global Human

Order (Harpy, 1999) and Selected Correspondences 1953-1965 (Dido Press, 2004).

The ‘Night of Reflection’ was one of the daily activities that will be spread throughout the month of March to celebrate the life of Dr. Jagan and his late wife, Mrs Janet Jagan.

PYO members sing the Party Song at the ‘Night of Reflection’

Towards water, energy conservation...

GWI, GPL take students on Berbice tour

GUYANA Water Inc (GWI) and Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), in observance of World Water Day 2014 Friday, partnered and hosted a tour of Berbice facilities of the two public utilities.

It was part of their educational drive when they took 24 students from three different schools to visit the operations of both companies in the ‘Ancient County’.

The children were from Success Elementary and Monar Educational Institute in Georgetown and School of the Nations in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

They first visited GWI’s Water Treatment Plant in New Amsterdam, where they were guided around the sprawling premises by managers.

Mr. Keine Read, Assistant

Divisional Operations Manager, gave a step by step overview of the functions of the water treatment plant while, Mr. Jim Ramjug, Divisional Operations Manager, explained their work.

The visitors were also engaged in a questions and answers segment.

At the second location, the GPL Canefield Power Station,

Children at GWI’s Water Treatment facility in New Amsterdam, Berbice (Photos by Michel Outridge)

East Canje, the visitors were also guided around the various sections, having donned safety helmets.

They were presented tokens in the form of reading materials and work sheets from both companies and treated to lunch and snacks.

STIR AWARENESS GWI Public Relations Officer, Mr. Timothy Austin said they collaborated with GPL to make the event possible because they want to stir awareness in students. As such, the trip was

organised in an effort to educate children about conserving water and energy.

He said the tour would help the children to better understand water management because, at the plant, they spend $6M per month on production and distribution in Berbice, in which, one of three such water treatment plants serve that county.

On behalf of GPL, Public Relations Officer Shevion Sears-Murray highlighted the need for all to conserve electricity and emphasised the importance of the proper methods

of energy conservation.

She said although, it was the first such collaborative undertaking by the utility companies, they will continue such educational programmes for school children, in which more tours and workshops will be organised.

Several of the students said they were pleased to be a part of the outing as they learned a lot and will use the knowledge gained for the conservation of water and electricity in their homes and schools.

Schoolchildren on tour Friday at the GPL’s Canefield Power Station in Berbice

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Wounding victim loses eye, Labourer defendant on $100,000 bail on self-bail

FIFTY-YEAR-OLD Orlando Carrington, a mason of Lot 2966 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was on Friday ordered to post $100,000 bail on an unlawful wounding charge after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Particulars of the charge state that on February 8 last, at North Ruimveldt, Carrington unlawfully and maliciously wounded Lennox Williams with intent to disfigure or cause him grievous bodily harm.

Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, said the two men had a misunderstanding which led to a fight, and the defendant picked up a broken

bottle and stabbed the virtual complainant in his right eye.

The prosecutor said he did not receive any medical certificate pertaining to the injuries suffered by the victim, but Williams said he lost his right eye, and alleged that an officer who was present in court and another rank destroyed the medical certificate.

The injured man said he did not uplift the document from the doctor because a policeman had told him the police would do so.

Defence Counsel Patrice Henry requested that Carrington be admitted to bail in a reasonable sum, and the prosecutor did not object.

The case was put off to April 23 for report and fixture.

For Monday March 24, 2014 -11:00hrs For Tuesday March 25, 2014 -12:30hrs For Wednesday March 26, 2014 -13:30hrs

for assault, threatening behaviour

ANIL Ramchan, of Lot 132 Second Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown was released on his own recognisance when he faced threatening behaviour and assault charges on Friday in Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry’s court.

The 40-year-old labourer pleaded not guilty to both offences, one of which stated that on November 21, 2013, at Alexander Village, he unlawfully assaulted Amir Khan.

Particulars of the other charge state that on the same day, he made use of threatening behaviour to the same virtual complainant.

Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, claimed the facts were as charged, and the cases were transferred to Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond’s court for report and fixture on April 7.

Elderly businessman placed on selfbail, bonded to keep the peace CLAYTON Hinds was released on his own recognisance when he faced an assault charge before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

The 68-year-old businessman, of Lot 75 Section ‘A’, South Sophia, Greater Georgetown pleaded not guilty to unlawfully assaulting Robert Ferguson on Wednesday, March 19, at South Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, did not object to bail, and Defence Counsel Adrian Thompson requested that the defendant be granted self-bail.

Hinds has also been bonded to keep the peace pending the outcome of the case, which was transferred to Magistrate Chandan-Edmond for report and fixture on April 7.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Aries March 21 - April 19

Strange but interesting ideas will be bursting from your brain early today, but good luck getting any of them to become reality now. You are likely to deal with some unexpected eruptions from other people, which will definitely distract you. So don’t have expectations that are too high, today. You need to slow down anyway -- you’ve been going too fast for too long and it’s time to let other people take the lead. You might have the idea, but they have the energy and the resources necessary.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Today is a very good day to look into your future and try to identify possible pitfalls in your latest endeavour. Troubleshooting before the trouble begins is a smart habit to cultivate, so get started! It’s not that you are thinking negatively about your project, it’s just that you like to be prepared! Having an alternate plan (or two) will not only put your mind at ease, it will keep you at the head of the pack. So use your imagination to figure out what might go wrong.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

One of your newer friendships will hit a snag today, when a misunderstanding causes a confused conversation that could result in hurt feelings. But have no fear -- it’s hiccups like this that tend to strengthen a relationship, not break it apart. So take things as they come, and if you or the other person gets ticked off, talk about it! Not only will you get resolution quickly, but you might actually be laughing about it by the end of the day. You can’t fear conflict right now.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

If you are looking to expand a personal relationship or a business partnership, today might not be the best day for it. Instead, focus on creating a balance between your personal life and your professional life. One of them has been taking over the other, and things will start to fall apart soon unless you adjust your priorities. If you have been calling in sick when you’re not really sick, stop. And if you have forgotten your best friend’s name, call them immediately and make some plans.

Leo July 23 - August 22

Open your life to renewed relationships today. Let go of the past and give a second chance to a person you’ve been on the outs with lately. Put yourself in their place, listen to what they say and give them the benefit of the doubt. They have needs, and you should try to help them with them. Your generosity and compassion will not go unnoticed, and it will ensure that the two of you get things started on the right foot. A rewarding journey is sure to follow.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

Today, it’s time to hop off the career ladder and stop working so hard to move yourself upward! Ambition is a powerful and positive force, but it has been taking too much control over your life lately. You need to mix things up and remember what it’s like to have some good, clean fun. Get back in touch with one of your wackiest friends and schedule a night out soon. You need someone in your life right now who can get your mind off of work when you’re not at work!

Libra September 23 - October 22

You’ll be immensely entertained today when a voice of authority in your life reveals that they don’t know everything after all! In fact, in one particular area, you will be the expert while they will be the novice. Try not to lord this over them or make them feel silly -- after all, you want them on your side! Show them how knowledgeable you are, and thus how valuable you are to them! This is your chance to prove your worth in a big way. Things could start changing soon.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

It’s perfectly acceptable to rely on your network of friends and associates to connect you with the career opportunities you seek. But they will only send you down the same paths you’ve already been on -- isn’t it time to try something new for a while? Don’t be hesitant to go down a road that is unknown to you. If you want a change, why not make it a big change? If you are having the urge, that means you are ready for a major transition. Go explore something that excites you.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Just about anything you suggest, no matter how outlandish or odd it might seem, will be heartily received today -- you have an original mind, and people are loving what it’s coming up with! This puts you in an ideal position to lead your coworkers or your friends today.

Just don’t put too much pressure on yourself to come up with every single idea or option.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

Are you ready to make a big impact on someone else’s life, today? Good -- all you need to do is open your heart and be there for that person when they need you. It won’t take much -- a sweet smile, an extra handkerchief, a sympathetic shoulder to cry on. But the littlest gestures you make will create a positive outcome in the life of someone who could use a friend. And you don’t have to come up with words of encouragement, either. Listening is all you need to do.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Today, it’s time to take a larger view of your life and how your recent actions might have affected your path. You took a turn down a new road -- was it the right decision? Think about it and figure it out before you continue going any further. You need to be more reflective about your actions, and add some more discipline into your life. Hold yourself back from falling into temptations. Doing so will prepare you for something big that’s coming soon.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Whether you want to expand your social circle or your career network, you have friends in high places who can help make the connections you need! They won’t think you are using them if you call them up and ask them to make an introduction or two for you. In fact, they will love the opportunity to help you meet your goals! Just put yourself in their shoes -- wouldn’t it give you a thrill if you knew you had the power to make someone you care about happy?

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Bowlers earn Pakistan 16-run win over Australia

By Amlan Chakraborty MIRPUR, Bangladesh, (Reuters) - A lionhearted effort by Pakistan’s bowlers powered the 2009 champions to a 16run win over Australia in a high-scoring World Twenty20 match in Mirpur yesterday.

Chasing 192 to clinch the Group Two super 10 match, Australia were cruising at 126 for two in the 12th over before the Pakistan bowlers turned the match on its head.

Zulfiqar Babar, Umar Gul, Shahid Afridi and Bilawal Bhatti claimed two wickets each as Australia were all out for 175.

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell blasted six sixes in a sizzling 74 and featured in a century-plus stand with Aaron Finch (65) but their efforts proved in vain.

Australia lost quick wickets as David Warner and Shane Watson went in the first over before Maxwell came to the crease and set the stadium alight with some breathtaking power-hitting.

Finch played second fiddle and the duo’s dominance was in full display in the 12th over of the innings, sent down by a hapless Bhatti, which yielded 30 runs.

Kamran Akmal congratulates Umar Akmal on his fifty in Mirpur, yesterday.

But when Maxwell departed after 33 balls of swashbuckling entertainment it triggered a collapse Australia could not recover from.

“Two outstanding innings from Max and Finchy, that’s really good for us but from there you’d love to finish it off,” Australia captain George Bailey told reporters. “(It was) an outstanding

fightback from Max and Finchy to get ourselves back into the game after losing our two most destructive batters in the first over.

“For them to rebuild and get the momentum back and maybe to get the game to the stage where we should have won was outstanding.”

Umar Akmal fell six runs short of his maiden Twenty20

International century as his 54run blitz powered Pakistan to 191 for five.

Pakistan, who looked determined to shrug off Friday’s defeat to arch-rivals India, were 25-2 in the fifth over when Umar walked in to join brother Kamran Akmal (31) and they shared a 96-run partnership in 8.3 overs.

The 23-year-old Umar received a let-off as Brad Hogg, who at the age of 43 became the oldest cricketer to play a Twenty20 International, dropped him in the deep when he was on 22.

But the right-hander looked unstoppable as he hit four sixes and nine fours before falling in the first ball off the final over.

“It was the best knock of my career simply because we were under tremendous stress having lost our first match (to India),” said Umar, who passed fitness test earlier in the afternoon after struggling with a hamstring problem.

“It was very important to win this match. Team management backed me to go out and express myself with the bat and I played my natural game.

“It was good to have a partnership with brother, we were playing together after a while.”

T&T roll over tamely to give Barbados huge win BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Barbados crushed archrivals Trinidad and Tobago by an innings and 60 runs inside three days, to make a bold statement in the Regional Four-Day Championship here yesterday.

Spinners Ashley Nurse and Sulieman Benn shared eight wickets as T&T, resuming the day on 44 without loss in their second innings following on, were bundled out for 199, 40 minutes before tea on the penultimate day of their fourth round match at Kensington Oval.

Nurse claimed four for 64 and Benn, four for 66, as T&T lost ten wickets for 155 runs in just under two sessions, to surrender meekly.

Evin Lewis converted his overnight unbeaten 37 into a top score of 61 while captain Rayad Emrit got 30, Adrian Barath 26 and wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo, 25, but the first innings deficit of 359 proved too daunting.

Champion batsman Darren Bravo failed for the second time in the game, following up his first innings for with just 19.

The victory, set up by a first innings total of 479 for eight declared, handed Barbados 19 points while T&T walked away with just two.

Openers Lewis reached his second first class half-century as he and Barath extended their partnership to 66, before being separated. The left-handed Lewis was first to fall when he missed a forward defensive prod at Benn and was lbw, after facing 68 balls in 68 minutes, and striking nine

Jason Holder to backward point and three overs later, Barath followed to a catch at the wicket off Benn, after facing 107 balls in two hours and seven minutes at the crease.

When Jason Mohammed was caught at leg slip by Jonathan Carter off Nurse for two, T&T

SULIEMAN BENN fours and three sixes.

There was no sign of tragedy when Barath and Bravo added a further 38 for the second innings, to push T&T up to 104 for one in the second hour of play.

However, things fell apart quickly when Bravo cut seamer

were in strife at 114 for four, having lost three wickets for ten runs in the space of six overs.

Emrit and Katwaroo held up Barbados’s charge with a 40-run fifth wicket stand, which took T&T to lunch at 138 for four.

However, the floodgates opened in the second session

once Augustus was held at the wicket off Benn for 14. Emrit, who struck three fours and a six off just 34 balls, was held at cover by Omar Phillips off seamer Carlos Brathwaite at 158 for six, as T&T lost their last six wickets for 45 runs.

scoreboard

BARBADOS 1st Innings 479 T&T 1st Innings 120 T&T 2nd Innings (following-on) (overnight 44 without loss) A Barath c wkp Dowrich b Benn 26 E Lewis lbw b Benn 61 Darren Bravo c Phillips b Holder 19 J Mohammed c Carter b Nurse 2 J Augustus c wkp Dowrich b Nurse 14 R Emrit c Phillips b C Brathwaite 30 S Katwaroo c Benn b Nurse 25 D Cruikshank c Phillips b Benn 0 Y Cariah lbw b Nurse 1 I Khan c Nurse b Benn 11 S Gabriel not out 3 Extras (b5, nb2) 7 TOTAL (all out, 67.5 overs) 199 Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-104, 3-112, 4-114, 5-154, 6-158, 7-170, 8-184, 9-191, 10-199.

Bowling: Benn 30.5-13-66-4, Cummins 3-0-14-0, Nurse 19-464-4, Chase 1-0-1-0, Brathwaite 9-3-38-1, Holder 5-1-11-1.

Result: Barbados won by an innings and 160 runs.

Points: Barbados 19, T&T 2.

India ease past Windies ...

From back page

ers and fast bowlers, have done really well but there is still a long way to go in this tournament.”

CHARMED LIFE Put into bat, West Indies opener Chris Gayle appeared to live a charmed life as first Ravichandran Ashwin dropped him in the slips before he had scored and Yuvraj Singh then spilled a catch in the deep when the batsman was on 19.

The hard-hitting left-hander hit a couple of sixes but often struggled to find the meat of the bat. His innings ended on 34 after a mix-up with Marlon Samuels before the Indian spinners drove home the advantage.

Amit Mishra removed Samuels and Dwayne Bravo off successive deliveries to peg back the West Indies before fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja wrecked the middle order, claiming the next three wickets, including two in the final over.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said his side, packed with big-hitters, never got any momentum going.

“We did not respond well to their spinners,” Sammy said.

“Round one goes to India but we’ve a strong feeling that we’d meet again (in the tournament). We’re looking forward to that.

“I think credit must go to the opponent bowlers. (Bhuvneshwar) Kumar swung the ball in and out and he bowled good areas.

“They were bowling to the two most dangerous openers (Gayle and Dwayne Smith) in this game (but) they kept them quiet.

“There is no need to panic, it’s just one wrong. We’ve two more games left in the tournament and we back ourselves to win them,” added Sammy, whose team face hosts Bangladesh tomorrow.

Wins for national athletes on final...

From back page Club’s Kareem Punch who ran the race in a time of 22.40 seconds.

Though starting with seven competitors the race ended with six after Police Sports Club Arinze Chance pulled up just pass the first 100m of the race and collapsed on the field.

Clocking 2:26.20s Police Sports Club Kezra Murray won the girls under 18 800m, and Kwesi Blair won the race on the boys’ side twenty-two seconds faster.

Mercury Fast Laners’ Khadidja Ba who won the Shot Put throw on Saturday, also captured the discus throw after covering a distance of 21.54 metres.

The official athletes who have made the team are not expected to be released until this coming Wednesday, according to AAG president Aubrey Hutson.

Racing Tips ENGLISH Towcester 10:00 hrs Master Dee 10:30 hrs Riddlestown 11:00 hrs Mistral Reins 11:30 hrs Basford Ben 12:00 hrs Grand Article 12:30 hrs Speedy Bruere 13:00 hrs So Oscar

WOLVERHAMPTON 10:40 hrs Oasis Spirit 11:10 hrs Vhujon 11:40 hrs Hierarch 12:10 hrs Officer In Command 12:40 hrs Stoneham 13:10 hrs My Single Malt 13:40 hrs Dozy Joe

TAUNTON 10:20 hrs Stow 10:50 hrs Blue Buttons 11:20 hrs Massena 11:50 hrs Milosam 12:20 hrs August Hill 12:50 hrs Browns Brook 13:20 hrs Frontier Vic

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Flamingo Park 08:20 hrs Victoria Park 08:50 hrs Cheshire Cat 09:20 hrs Mountain Rush 09:50 hrs Desert Breeze 10:20 hrs Silken Sea

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Meusa plays unbeaten to win Hazlewood’s COURTS/ECI Engineering chess six puts NSW

WITH nine easy wins senior national chess champion, Wendell Meusa, played unbeaten and settled Anthony Drayton to second place position in the senior category of the COURTS/ECI Engineering One Day Blitz Tournament which was played on Saturday at the Main Street Branch of COURTS. The junior category of the competition went to Saeed Ali, whose six wins put him above second place finisher Davion Mars, while Christian Shivrattan took the third place position.

Former junior chess champion Anthony Drayton, who outgrew the junior category earlier this year, succumbed in his match against Meusa, suffering his only lost and ending with 8 wins.

Against Meusa, Drayton made a slight error in the opening, and Meusa seized the initiative and capitalised on the error to claim the match.

Third place position, for the senior category, went to Carlos Petterson who had six wins. Arnold Phang and Leslie Campbell with four points apiece rounded out the top five players, of the senior category.

Following the tournament, Meusa conceded that it was one of his easiest wins in a tournament to date.

“All of the matches were easily won, I had expected a little more competition,” Meusa said.

Already established as Guya n a ’s b e s t c h e s s p l a y er in the longer version of the game, Meusa is quickly proving himself a master of this shorter version of the game.

Last Saturday’s tournament handed Meusa his second consecutive blitz tournament this year, having prevailed unbeaten as well in the Trophy Stall Blitz held back in January. At that tournament, Drayton in his last tournament as a junior won the junior category.

The senior category featured 10 players playing in the round robin format. The tournament took the Swiss format with a time control of 5 minutes per player.

Following the end of the tournament the winners were presented with their prizes during a humble presentation ceremony

During the presentation, President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Irshad Mohamed, expresses his gratitude to the sponsors of the tournament -

Courts Guyana Limited and ECI Engineering, thanking them for their contribution to this tournament.

The presentation was at-

tended by Ricardo Semple, a representative from ECI Engineering and Dwayne Browne, a representative from courts.

on path toward title

By Brydon Coverdale

Senior champion Wendell Meusa, third from left (sitting) poses after the tournament with some of the other players and representatives from COURTS and ECI Engineeering

JOSH Hazlewood’s six-wicket haul kept New South Wales firmly in control of the Sheffield Shield final, despite Mitchell Marsh’s efforts to drag Western Australia back into the contest with an unbeaten 92.

By the close of the third day’s play, New South Wales were 2 for 46 in their second innings, with Steven Smith on 21 and Ben Rohrer on 24, and the 313-run advantage was a pleasing buffer for a side needing only to draw the match to lift the Shield.

(Scores: New South Wales 447 and 2 for 46 lead Western Australia 180 (M Marsh 92*, Hazlewood 6-50) by 313 runs).

Two wickets in the first two overs gave Western Australia a slight hope of running through the Blues and setting themselves a target, albeit

Sigurdsson winner caps superb Spurs fightback, Stoke crush Villa

By Mike Collett LONDON -(Reuters) - Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a stoppage-time winner after Christian Eriksen’s double as Tottenham Hotspur hit back from 2-0 down to beat Southampton 3-2 in the Premier League yesterday.

Sigurdsson converted Denmark midfielder Eriksen’s layoff to keep alive Spurs lingering hopes of a top-four finish.

They are fifth on 56 points, six behind fourth-placed Arsenal having played one more match.

“You have to find a way to win, it wasn’t free-flowing, it wasn’t fantastic football but at the end of the day you have to find a way to win,” Spurs manager Tim Sherwood told reporters.

“We have come back and on the back of two or three really poor results, we have shown character and that’s what I am looking for.”

In Sunday’s other match, Stoke City came from behind

to beat Aston Villa 4-1 at Villa Park to climb to 10th in the table on 37 points from 31 matches, one place and three points above their opponents.

The 10 goals scored on Sunday took the weekend’s tally to 42, the most in the Premier League since December 2012.

Southampton, boasting several young players vying for spots in World Cup squad, dominated the opening period with delightful one-touch football and mistakes from Spurs right back Kyle Naughton enabled them to take a 2-0 lead after 28 minutes.

Jay Rodriguez pounced on a loose ball after Naughton misjudged a clearance in the sunshine from goalkeeper Artur Boruc, placing a perfect angled shot wide of Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris for his

15th goal of the season.

Naughton’s next mistake, when he failed to clear on the edge of his own box, allowed Adam Lallana to plant the ball past Lloris for Southampton’s second.

England manager Roy Hodgson, watching in the stands, would have noted both goals from the squad hopefuls with interest.

CLOSE RANGE Another mistake, this time from Saints right back Nathaniel Clyne allowed Spurs back into the game four minutes later when he let a cross from Naughton under his studs allowing the ball to run on to Eriksen who slammed in from close range.

Within a minute of the restart Spurs were level when Roberto Soldado out-muscled defender Dejan Lovren before crossing for Eriksen to score

a hefty one, but Smith and Rohrer steadied after Jason Behrendorff trapped Ryan Carters lbw first ball and Nic Maddinson edged Ryan Duffield to second slip.

The innings began with the Warriors needing a cricketing miracle after only three of their batsmen reached double figures in their total of 180.

Most of the day was a grind for the players and spectators as Western Australia tried to recover from their overnight total of 4 for 15. That became 5 for 23 early in the day when the nightwatchman Duffield edged behind off Hazlewood but the Marsh brothers made life a little tougher for the New South Wales attack, although notably their occupation of the crease did not hurt the Blues significantly on the scorecard.

Western Australia needed victory to win the Sheffield Shield but Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh decided the best way forward was to build the runs slowly, and dot balls and maidens piled up during their 98-run partnership which took 43.5 overs.

The occasional half chance was all that was offered until Shaun Marsh, on 40, was lbw from his 161st delivery when Moises Henriques found some reverse swing.

Windwards chasing 254 for victory

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230)& CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 2256158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: Pakistan and Australia Australia and Sri Lanka Today’s Quiz: Where was the first ICC T/20 World Cup Tournament held?

Which country hosted the last?

How many matches are scheduled for the current ICC T/20 World Cup 2014?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

from point-blank range.

Sigurdsson, a halftime substitute for Moussa Dembele, completed the comeback with a fierce low drive.

“We were 2-0 up and were heavily punished for some mistakes, but we deserved more against a very good Tottenham side,” lamented Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino.

“Their second goal immediately after halftime changed the dynamics of the game completely and we need to deal with that sort of thing better.”

Belgium striker Christian Benteke put Villa in front after five minutes when he crashed the ball into the roof of the net after smart build-up play.

But Mark Hughes’s Stoke equalised after 26 minutes when Peter Odemwingie raced on to Peter Crouch’s headed knockdown and fired the ball past Brad Guzan.

Josh Hazlewood took a career-best 6 for 50.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Gylfi Sigurdsson (R) shoots to score a goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Southampton at White Hart Lane in London, England , yesterday.

(Credit: REUTERS/Andrew Winning)

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Windward Islands, chasing 254 for victory against Jamaica, reached 31 without loss at the close on the third day of their fourth round encounter in the Regional Four-Day Championship at Sabina Park here yesterday.

Scores: JAMAICA 194 all out (Carlton Baugh Jr 56 not out, Nkrumah Bonner 38, Jermaine Blackwood 36; Shane Shillingford 4-61, Liam Sebastien 2-23, Delorn Johnson 2-41) and 275 (Carlton Baugh Jr 89 not out, Jermaine Blackwood 67, Nkrumah Bonner 34; Shane Shillingford 7-114) WINDWARD ISLANDS 216 for nine declared (Romel Currency 76 not out, Tyrone Theophile 73, Sunil Ambris 23; Jamie Merchant 2-21, Brian Buchanan 2-22, Nikita Miller 2-60) and 31 without loss.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 24, 2014

Cheddie Jagan Memorial Cycle Road race

WICB Director of Cricket, Richard Pybus

Pollydore wins third leg but Greaves takes overall title

Major changes made in regional cricket structure PORT- of- Spain, Trinidad - Contracted players in every territory. An extended first-class season starting in November.

These are some of the recommendations from the director of cricket Richard Pybus which were approved by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as part of the Board’s effort to professionalise the game at firstclass level.

Pybus, speaking at a WICB press conference at Hyatt Regency Trinidad in Port of Spain Saturday, said the WICB was looking for a full professionalisation of the game at first-class level, with each territorial board contracting 15 players for an extended season.

Pybus said the regional boards will be getting grant funding from the WICB to be able to roll out the teams as “proper professional entities”.

“The requirements of the WICB in the agreement with the territorial boards will be that each territory will contract 15 players with different pay scales. It will mean putting professional staff around the players,” Pybus added.

“It was a critical day in West Indies cricket bearing in mind that it has been very difficult historically for West Indian cricketers to be able to make a living without going overseas.

“I want to commend the Board for their courage of conviction to move the game forward in the region,” said Pybus.

He explained that with the new structure, there will be 90 contracted players in the region and from those, the regional selectors will choose 15 who will make up the West Indies A squad which will now be based and trained at the High Performance Centre.

“We want to make sure we are creating greater competition for spots in the West Indies international side,” he added.

WICB president Dave Cameron said the extended season will start in November this year and will see teams play each other on a home-and-away basis. The season will end in April next year.

He also noted that the regional 50-over competition will be extended and the changes will provide players with more opportunities to get experience, accumulate runs and wickets so they can stake a claim for a spot in the regional side.

“This will allow regional cricketers more opportunities to practise their trade and ensure they are in competitive mode

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for a longer season,” Cameron added.

The WICB also want to see better management and administration of the game at the territorial board level.

Cameron said the WICB has approved a decision to significantly restructure the management and operations of cricket which will impact how cricket is managed and administered at the territorial board level.

In a separate matter, Cameron also noted that the WICB currently has no outstanding matters with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) in court.

“You will remember a very major lawsuit against West Indies cricket somewhere in the region of US$20 million for restraint of trade.

Through discussions we have been able to negotiate away that threat and again we want to thank WIPA and the entire organisation for that,” Cameron added. (Trinidad Express article).

VETERAN cyclist Godfrey Pollydore won the third leg of the Dr. Cheddie Jagan Memorial Cycle Road Race which was staged on the Essequibo Coast yesterday, but 2013 top rider Alonzo Greaves won the overall title.

The 50-mile stage which started at Supenaam in Essequibo attracted 50 starters that were sent on their way by Regional Chairman Region 2 Parmanand Persaud.

From Supenaam, the cyclists journeyed to Charity before returning to the finish line at Anna Regina.

From the start, team United Bikers led by Albert Philander and supported by Orville Hinds established a small lead over the others but Team Coco led by Marlon `Fishy’ Williams along with Robin Persaud went in pursuit and connected.

As they rode through Reliance, Persaud led the field with Philander close behind, followed by Williams and Hinds.

The leaders at the time were approximately 30 seconds ahead of the chasing pack which in-

Godfrey Pollydore raises his hand in triumph winning the third leg of the Dr. Cheddie Jagan Memorial Cycle Road Race on the Essequibo Coast yesterday. Alonzo Greaves trails behind.. cluded Pollydore and Greaves who went into the third leg with 18 points from winning the second leg in Berbice and placing second in the second leg that was staged in West Demerara.

Yesterday, he earned a further eight points.

The leaders were subsequently wheeled in before reaching Charity and from there the lead kept changing guard until about one mile from the finish, but in the end it was Pollydore who breezed away from Greaves to win in two hours 10 minutes 24 seconds, seven minutes faster

GCANA continues pace-setting to garner financial resources SEVERAL members of the Guyana Cycling Association of North America (GCANA) met recently for their fourth annual reunion and fundraising dance at the Woodbine Ballroom, Brooklyn, New York, making it the premier event on the association’s calendar.

A large cross-section of Guyanese in the Diaspora attended, including present and former cycling stars, their families and fans. According to reports, the association has renewed its commitment towards raising the standard of cycling in Guyana and will continue utilising proceeds from these fundraising ventures towards this goal.

The GCANA steering committee in a release expressed their gratitude to everyone who assisted in making the event a memorable success.

Williams Caribbean Shipping, Caribbean Cargo DC, Woodbine Ballroom, Precious Group Family Daycare, DJ Colin and DJ Hanna also received special expressions of gratitude for their support.

Meanwhile, a source close to GCANA has disclosed that the association intends to have a Veterans (Masters) team compete in Guyana’s ‘Ride for Life’ Five-Stage Road Race which will be staged later this year.

Bruce Camacho, who won the Masters criterium and was second in the road race, along with Aubrey Gordon who placed third in his criterium race at last year’s Masters World Games in Turin, Italy, will spearhead the team.

In photo, from left, former Guyana cycling stars Dennis Phillips, Victor Rutherford, Terry Chee and Neville Hunte strike a pose at the Reunion and Fundraiser that was held recently at the Woodbine Ballroom in Brooklyn.

than last year’s winner Paul DeNobrega.

Raynauth Jeffrey placed third, while Hinds, Hamza Eastman and Persaud finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Pollydore won one prime prize, while Williams took three; Jefrey, DeNobrega, Junior Niles and Eastman won one each.

The junior category which was also contested over 50 miles was won by the in form Michael Anthony. Second was Akeem Arthur and third was Shaquile Agard.

The veterans, mountain Bikers and females’ categories started at Anna Regina after the juniors and open categories’ cyclists passed there, and Eon ‘Dumb Boy’ Jackson prevailed in the veterans’ category ahead of Wazim Hasnoo and Vibert Benjamin, respectively.

In the mountain bike category, Clive Jacobs won from Lemmon Dick and Ozia McAully, respectively.

Naiomi Singh was the lone female rider to contest that category and she completed the distance, while the oldest cyclist

to complete the course from Anna Regina return was 72-year old Anthony Farriah.

This is the seventh year that the race has been staged on the Essequibo Coast and it was the biggest turn out of cyclists to date.

Director of Sports Neil Kumar, race organiser Hassan Mohamed and chairman of the Dr. Cheddie Jagan’s memorial committee, Navin Chanderpal, all congratulated the participants saying that they were all winners.

Chanderpal reminded that Dr. Jagan had a love for sports, especially cycling, and was upbeat of making Guyanese health and fitness conscious..

Regional Chairman Persaud welcomed the cyclists to the Region stating that the race was part of a one month celebration in honour of the late President.

He said the leg was a success and noted that cycling in the Region is growing faster since the first race was held on the coast.

Persaud said he will be having discussions with Kumar and Mohamed to move the sport further in the Region.

Overall race winner of the Dr. Cheddie Jagan Memorial Cycle Race, Alonzo Greaves (right) accepts the winning trophy from Commemorative committee chairman Navin Chanderpal. (Sonel Nelson photos)

Sport CHRONICLE

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

India ease past Windies to inch closer to WT20 semis

Cheddie Jagan Memorial Cycle Road race

Pollydore wins third leg but Greaves takes overall title see story on page 23

By Amlan Chakraborty

Virat Kohli powers the ball through the off side during his innings of 54.

... Sammy says no need to panic

MIRPUR, Bangladesh, (Reuters) - India inched closer to a World Twenty20 semi-final spot after half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli secured a seven-wicket victory over holders West Indies in a super 10 stage match on Sunday.

The 2007 champions restricted their big-hitting West Indian opponents to a below-par 129 for seven on a slow track and returned to chase down the target with two balls to spare for their second successive victory.

India lost opener Shikhar Dhawan in the first over to a dubious leg before decision but Kohli (54) and Sharma (62 not out) featured in a 106-run second wicket partnership to take the game away from their opposition.

Kohli once again displayed a silken touch, scoring fluently to underline his growing stature as one of the most promising batsmen in the game, and he got good support from Sharma who batted until the end.

Needing five runs to win off 12 balls with eight wickets in hand, India’s approach to victory was rather slow but their win was never in doubt even after they lost a struggling Yuvraj Singh in the final over.

India, who beat 2009 champions Pakistan on Friday and take on qualifiers Bangladesh next Friday, top Group Two with four points.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was particularly happy that India’s previously misfiring bowling attack finally struck form.

“I’m really happy how the spinners are bowling,” Dhoni told reporters.

“Yes, there is a bit of help for them but at the same time you have to execute your plans well, especially when you’ve some of the big hitters in the opposition.

“I was really happy that our spinners, along with the part-timsee page 21

Wins for national athletes on final day of CARIFTA Games trials

By Tamica Garnett NATIONAL athletes Jason Yaw, Jevina Sampson, Cassie George and Kevain Abbensetts continued to shine as the Athletics Association of Guyana CARIFTA Games Trials got into its second, and final, day of competition, yesterday, at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

Competing in the Under- 18 category, Yaw won the boys’ 200m race, and George dominated the girls’ 3000m, but the day’s excitement peaked with Sampson’s meticulous win over Avon Samuels, Natricia Hooper and Tirana Mitchell in the girls 200m.

Sampson clocked a time of 25.30 seconds, finishing milliseconds ahead of Samuels, who had previously come out on top when she ran in the first heats of the race, Sampson had ran in heats two.

Though Mitchell was in for a possible third her 26.30 seconds end was not enough to surpass Hooper’s 26.00

Lindener, Cassie George makes her way to the finish line to claim her win in the girls’ under 18 3000m

seconds finish.

Hooper, however, still managed to finish the day with a first place win after winning the girls’ under 18 triple jump clearing a distance of 11.32 metres.

Following her easy 4:47.00s take of the 1500m the opening day of competition the Saturday before, it was another straightforward win for George in the 3000m, which she finished in a time of 10:44.50s way ahead of Running Brave’s Andrea Foster who clocked 11:22.60s.

After running 22.40 seconds to win his heats, Running Brave’s Yaw returned to govern the finals in a time of 21.80 seconds, settling his clubmate Dequan Vancooten’s 22.20 seconds run to second place. This follows Yaw’s notable win of the 100m dash the day before.

The CARIFTA Games bronze medalist had clocked a time of 49.40 seconds in that race on Saturday.

Abbensetts starred over in the boys’ under 20 category where he captured the 200m see page 21

CARIFTA bronze medalist, Jason Yaw comes in for first place in the boys’ Under 18 200m dash

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MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2013