Guyana chronicle 25 05 14

SUNDAY No. 103838

SUNDAY MAY 25, 2014

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

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Marriott investors named … Republic Bank confirms financing

An aerial view of the Marriott Hotel Guyana taken a few days ago (Photo compliments Roraima Airways)

CDB Board of Governors Meeting begins tomorrow

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President calls on Guyana-Cuba Association to strengthen relations Page 8 President Donald Ramotar is honoured by Chairman of the Guyana-Cuba Friendship Association, Howard Samaroo, for his long standing support of a Guyana-Cuba partnership

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

CDB Board of Governors Meeting begins tomorrow ON THE EVE of the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Board of Governors’ annual meeting, which is scheduled to

begin tomorrow, preparations are well underway.

This is according to Minister of Finance and the Bank’s current Governor, Dr.

Ashni Singh.

“Guyana is proud to be hosting this important annual meeting of the economic leadership of the Region,” Minister Singh said. “There is much expectation that this gathering provides the opportunity to confront some of the pressing economic challenges faced by the countries of the Caribbean.”

The Board of Gover-

nors is the highest policy making body of the CDB and meets once a year in one of the member countries to set the bank’s agenda and oversee its implementation.

The meeting will see economic leaders, Finance Ministers and some Prime Ministers, who also hold the portfolio of Finance Minister, from within the Region.

The meeting aims to facilitate the 27 member states to discuss issues confronting its members and to forge a plan for the coming year

to address those needs and concerns.

Another highlight of the meetings is the release of the Bank’s annual report which provides an overview of the Region’s economic development and sector performance. The Bank will also host a number of seminars to discuss a range of topics of relevance to the socio-economic development of the Region. Among the topics to be discussed are agriculture and climate change, public /private partnerships in the Caribbean, transitioning to

a green economy and mainstreaming multi-dimensional approach to poverty assessment.

Special guests of the meeting include representatives of multilateral financial institutions, development agencies, central banks, private banks and other stakeholders.

“The presence of these regional leaders should also be seen as an opportunity for us to showcase Guyana to the rest of the Caribbean,” said Minister Singh.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Marriott investors named

ATLANTIC Hotel Inc. (AHI) and Republic Bank Ltd have announced the completion of the financial arrangements by Republic Bank for a syndicated borrowing of US$27M in debt financing for AHI. This is for the construction of the Marriott operated hotel and the shell of an entertainment complex in Kingston, Georgetown.

Republic Bank, on behalf of its consortium of lenders, has received its approvals and the transaction is expected to be concluded shortly.

The principal investors in AHI (Marriott Hotel Guyana project and Entertainment Complex) are National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) and British Virgin Island (BVI) registered ACE Square Investments Ltd. ACE Square Investments Ltd. will acquire 67% of the equity of AHI for US$8M. As required under the Hotel Management Agreement between Marriott and AHI, Marriott has consented to the transfer of the controlling interest of AHI from NICIL to ACE Square Investments Ltd. Ace Square Management Ltd, affiliated company of ACE Square Investments Ltd., has been selected to operate the entertainment complex and secure the outfitting cost, estimated at a minimum of US$4M. Additionally, Ace Square Management Ltd

… Republic Bank confirms financing

will guarantee a minimum financial performance of the entertainment complex, consistent with the feasibility study conducted by HVS International (dated October 31, 2012).

Ace Square Management Ltd’s beneficial shareholders are the same as ACE Square Investments Ltd. The beneficial owners of the shares in ACE Square Investments Ltd., and the owners of the shares in ACE Square Investments Ltd., through a BVI registered holding company, Big Splendor Limited, are Hong Kong businessmen, Mr. Victor How Chung Chan, LLB (Hon.) and Mr. Xu Han, BSc, MBA, DBA. Mr. Victor Chan has diverse and substantial invest-

ment interests both in Hong Kong and China. He is an Executive Director of the REXLOT Group and is the single largest shareholder and Founder and Director of the REX Resources Group.

The REXLOT Group is the leading lottery system and distribution company in China and has extensive

operations in China’s lottery market, through its local subsidiaries and international joint ventures. The Group is listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of over HK$8 billion (app US$1.0 B).

The REX Resources Group is principally engaged

An aerial view of the Marriott Hotel Guyana taken a few days ago (Photo compliments Roraima Airways)

in gold, coal, rare earth and other metal, mining exploration and development, both in China and internationally.

Mr. Chan is also the leading investor and shareholder of China Gamma Group.

The Group is listed on the main board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a market capitalisation of over HK$600 million (app US$77 M). Mr. Chan founded REXCAPITAL Partners in 1994, a private investment group with over HK$1billion in financial investments.

M r. X u H a n i s a long-standing business associate of Mr. Chan and holds graduate degrees from prominent US and Hong Kong universities.

Additionally, Mr. Han has over 30 years of global experience in both, the public and private sectors, such as finance, gaming, and mining.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Gunman kills six in drive-by shooting in California college town (Reuters) - A GUNMAN killed six people in a driveby shooting in a southern California college town, spraying bullets from his car until it crashed and he was found dead inside, authorities said on Saturday.

Seven other people were wounded in what the Santa Barbara County sheriff described as a premeditated atrocity and the “work of a madman.”

The attack took place late on Friday in the town of Isla Vista near the campus of the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Witnesses reported seeing someone driving a black BMW through the streets

and shooting at people in Isla Vista, a beachside community where many college students live.

“We currently have seven people confirmed dead. That includes the suspect and six victims,” Santa Barbara Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference. He did not identify the suspect but said authorities were investigating a possible link with a threatening video made by a young man.

The sheriff said deputies twice exchanged fire with the suspected gunman before his vehicle crashed. He said the man died of a gunshot wound to the head but could not immediately say if he

was killed by deputies in the exchange of fire or died of a self-inflicted wound. It also was not known whether he was a UCSB student.

A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the scene, he said.

“It’s obviously the work of a madman,” Brown said.

“There’s going to be a lot more information that will come out that will give a clearer picture of just how disturbed this individual was.”

He said authorities were investigating a video posted on YouTube that appeared to be have been made by the suspect. “It would appear that is connected,” Brown said.

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The video shows a young man complaining bitterly and repeatedly of loneliness and rejection by women, and threatening a mass slaughter of college students and Isla Vista residents.

The sheriff said another news conference would be held on Saturday afternoon.

“POPPING NOISES” Robert Johnson, a 21-year-old UCSB student,

Police and emergency personnel at the scene of a drive-by shooting near the college campus of the University of California in Isla Vista, a neighborhood of Santa Barbara, California May 23, 2014. Credit: REUTERS/Daniel Slovinsky/ Daily Nexus

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said the car drove past him at a busy Isla Vista intersection and that he heard “popping noises” that he originally mistook for firecrackers or the car backfiring.

“Then the sound came again, and by that point it had pulled up in front of a convenience store deli, and someone in the car was firing into a crowd of about eight, 10 people that were gathered in front of the store,” he said.

“Everyone that was being fired upon, they all jumped and scrambled to run inside the store,” he said.

The car had darkly tinted windows and the occupant was not visible, Johnson said.

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Ramesh: Probe ganja video

Mixed reviews for PP at four years

(Trinidad Express) FORMER attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj Friday called on acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to immediately launch an investigation into a video showing a man who looks like a Government minister partying with ganja and women in a hotel room.

Sport Minister Anil Roberts has not confirmed or denied whether he was the man in the “ganja video” but blamed Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley for trying to bring him down.

The Government has defended Roberts, saying the video is a vicious attempt at character assassination.

Maharaj said the matter must be investigated as it highlights several illegal acts taking place.

He made the call as he addressed a mass demonstration at the Brian Lara Promenade yesterday.

“If the ordinary person smokes marijuana and he is jailed, a minister or any high public official cannot smoke marijuana and get away with it, that is also an offence,” Maharaj said.

“The commissioner of police has a duty to the population of Trinidad and Tobago to look at that video and based on that video whatever it is there can be no doubt whatsoever who that person looks like,” he said.

“An immediate police investigation must be conducted into that video, that video raises questions of human trafficking, prostitution, drug trafficking, possession of drugs, consuming of drugs,” Maharaj said.

CCN TV 6 on its 7 p.m. newscast Wednesday showed a video of a man who resembles a government minister rolling what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette in a hotel room. The video contained dialogue with the minister’s look alike speaking about the illegal substance and how to roll a joint.

On Thursday, the Communications Ministry issued a statement which described the video as a “vicious attempt at character assassination.”

The Minister has described the video as a plot emanating from the Opposition People’s National Movement.

(Trinidad Guardian) WHILE the PP Government believes it has done a lot in four years, political observers and some business groups have found them wanting in several areas. At today’s fourth anniversary rally at Mid Centre Mall, the administration, expecting a big crowd, will reveal plans for the next six years billed as a “National Recovery” thrust. This will be revealed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar and other speakers.

Asked about the pervading overview of the PP—a mixture of popularity for infrastructural delivery, threatened by unpopular perception of corruption and mismanagement—House Leader Roodal Moonilal said on Tuesday: “We’re heartened by the fact no one can bring credible evidence of any corruption or theft by government members unlike the previous PNM government. The society has generated mauvais langue and bacchanal involving talk of corruption, but we have little or no real evidence of that.

“Like any government we had challenges and mistakes, but in all, the Prime Minister has acted swiftly and decisively, including revoking ministerial appointments. She has the strength, where other leaders before her didn’t.” Moonilal said the Government had launched procurement legislation in the Parliament, an aid to good governance. “It would have been in place two years ago if the Opposition PNM had co-operated at committee stage and assisted passage,” he added.

“Among many other initiatives, we’ve reformed the parliamentary process to deepen accountability. From July, the new Standing Orders format will include systems for deep scrutiny and elicit information.” The PP’s achievements, Moonilal added, have been people-oriented. “At community level, we’ve had massive infrastructural development— drainage, roads, water, electricity—delivering things PNM administrations were elected to and failed despite 40 years.

“Among these, we have mega-construction projects including South’s teaching hospital, Couva Aquatic Centre, Children’s hospital, south UWI campus, oncology centre, fire and police stations, Grand Bazaar interchange, Pt Fortin highway extensions and the Children’s Life Fund, which

saved 92 youngsters.

“Crime is down 37 per cent. But crime remains among outstanding challenges. There’s aggressive work under Gary Griffith. Other outstanding work involves construction of homes in various areas and some legislation, particularly on crime,” On the loss of the MSJ and other PP fragmentation, Moonilal replied, “We’re having a very large crowd at our anniversary rally, where policies and programmes for the next six years will be revealed.”

On election strategy, Moonilal said, “No one reveals strategy. We’re aware of the state of play and happy Keith Rowley was re-elected. He’s a known quantity. “In St Joseph, the majority of voters, voted against him. In PNM recently, 80 per cent of the 81,500 registered votPrime Minister Kamla ers rejected him, since Persad-Bissessar their election turnout was 20 per cent, they said. So eight out of ten PNMites didn’t come out to support him. It’s devastating condemnation of a party and leader.

“That makes him captain of a PNM pirogue. Rowley is well advised to leave his captain’s hat for Carnival,” Moonilal added.

Observers, however, summarising the Government’s track record, reflected otherwise on what the PP may have failed with and needs to rectify. Former Public Service head Reginald Dumas said, “Credit-wise, they instituted improved systems for higher education and trade and did much infrastructure work. Debit-wise, they’re not very good at governance, leadership planning, public security and Caricom.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Editorial Guyana’s Independence and Dr. Jagan’s legacy Guyana IT IS quite appropriate, as Guyanese at home and abroad celebrate in varying fashion Guyana’s 48th anniversary of Independence from Britain, that there should also be some reflection on the life and times of the politician who has been most consistent and courageous in his struggles for nationhood – Dr. Cheddi B. Jagan.

And by a significant coincidence, the long-serving Prime Minister of a freely-elected government since October 1992, Mr. Samuel Hinds, has been doing his own personal assessment of the outstanding contributions by the late Guyanese President for “national unity and national development”. They are contributions that could be appreciated by the various segments of this nation -irrespective of political or cultural affinities.

As perhaps the best known leading member of the category of “civic” Guyanese nationals to have been identified and encouraged to become involved with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in the formation of the first freely elected government in 1992 -- after 24 years of documented rigged national elections -- the Prime Minister is well placed to make his assessment of Dr. Jagan’s legendary qualities as a politician committed to what’s best for Guyana -- “national unity and national development”.

Indeed, those were the Prime Minister’s twin focus when he recently delivered the ‘Annual Cheddi Jagan Lecture” at ‘The Cheddi Jagan Research Centre’. The building was once known as the ‘Red House’ in Kingston, where Dr Jagan and his dear life partner, Janet, lived while he served as Premier and she in varying cabinet roles.

Together, their names are indelibly inscribed in Guyana’s long and often tumultuous political struggles from colonialism to Independence and beyond Republican

status, both having served as Executive Presidents.

However, given space constraint in this editorial column, we shall focus today on just some highlights of Prime Minister Hinds’ moving, eloquent reflections on the contributions of Dr. Cheddi Jagan to Guyana’s “national unity and national development” These, the Prime Minister correctly noted, “are concerns of every nation at all times…”

His encapsulated assessments of the late President Jagan -- a founder and leader of the PPP until his death on March 6, 1997 -- included snapshots of “Cheddi’s early days”, as a student of Queen’s College, and on to his teaming up with the late PNC leader and subsequent President, Mr. Forbes Burnham, and including a comparatively short period of their dual involvement in the leadership structure of the PPP. Incidentally, while -- as history records -- to Forbes Burnham went the “Independence prize for which Cheddi Jagan had so valiantly and consistently fought in and out of office, there was that memorable and cherished political moment when the two national leaders warmly embraced at the National Park on the night of May 26, 1966, when the Golden Arrowhead replaced the Union Jack as the national flag.

Prime Minister Hinds’ reflections also pointed to what he recalled as Dr. Jagan’s contributions in “knitting together like a quilt a nation from six races” of ethnic groups, from “the split of the PPP in 1955” to his last days in the country to which he had so fully committed his life with or without political power.

Hinds discussed the political period when the then British Government chose to facilitate a change in government following the 1964 general election under the PR system. The coalition administration, as recalled, involved

the PNC and United Force, under Burnham’s leadership as Prime Minister.

That was, as Guyanese came to understand, the externally orchestrated political deal, rather than doing what was viewed as morally just and in accordance with constitutional precedents —request of Dr. Jagan, as leader of the majority party (PPP) and then still Premier, to head a new post-December 1964 coalition administration.

Against the backdrop of what he described as “a sorely testing time (1964-1992), with the PPP’s return to government following the first free and fair national elections since 1964, Mr. Hinds was to become President Jagan’s “civic” nominee as Prime Minister of the first PPP/Civic government, a position he has retained under changing administrations for some 21 years.

Education Ministry launches training programme for teachers of Portuguese - subject eventually to be taught in schools countrywide

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally UNDER the theme ‘Eliminating literacy, modernising education and strengthening tolerance’, the Ministry of Education has intensified efforts to

have Portuguese taught in schools countrywide.

The aim is to further develop the capacity of modern languages teachers within the education system, as the Education Ministry launched the ‘Training for Teachers of

Portuguese’ programme yesterday at The Theatre Guild.

Presenting an overview of the programme, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development), Ms. Doodmattie Singh reminded the gathering of the pioneering work

done by the ministry to establish Portuguese as a new modern language on the national curriculum when it initially launched the Portuguese curriculum last year in six schools.

She pointed out that an

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand during her address to the gathering at the Theatre Guild Playhouse

Students and teachers at the launch of Training for Teachers of Portuguese

additional 15 schools will now offer Portuguese when the new school year begins in September 2014. The initial six schools that formed part of the initial launch of Portuguese in Guyana were Queen’s College, The Bishops’ High, Saint Stanislaus College, Saint Roses High, Saint Joseph High and North Georgetown Secondary.

The additional 15 schools earmarked to carry Portuguese in 2014 are as follows: In Georgetown – Brickdam Secondary, Christ Church Secondary and Central High; Region #3 – Zeeburg Secondary and West Demerara Secondary; Region #4 – Hope Secondary, Annandale Sec-

ondary, President’s College and Diamond Secondary; Region #5 – Rosignol Secondary and Bygeval Secondary; Region #8 – Mahdia Secondary; Region #9 – St Ignatius Secondary; and Region #10 – Mackenzie High.

Ms. Singh explained that this new “Training for Teachers of Portuguese” programme forms part of the teacher professional development programme and will facilitate training of teachers from the schools identified in the delivery of the Portuguese curriculum.

The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) Please turn to page 15

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

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Hydar Ally’s eulogy to his beloved wife I extend heartfelt sympathy to Mr. Hydar Ally and his family.

I was deeply moved by his letter reflecting on his wife’s death and published

in the newspapers over the last few days.

I was so moved by this

eulogy to his beloved wife, that I decided to forego my column this week and in its

place I repeat the reflections penned by Mr. Ally on the passing of his dear wife.

KEITH BURROWES

THE GREATNESS OF SMALL THINGS SOMETIMES we take small things and little acts of kindness for granted, actions which can mean a whole lot to people, especially during times of distress and need.

These thoughts dawned upon me as I mourned the passing of my own wife a few days ago. My family and I were overwhelmed by the outpouring of grief and condolences by people from all walks of life, in particular, those who knew her both in terms of her professional and personal life. Scores of people turned up at her funeral service which was kept very simple at her own request.

Every individual leaves on his or her passing a kind of legacy which may, or may not, be very well articulated or defined depending on the person’s stature or prominence in society. Great leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Cheddi Jagan have left legacies that have impacted on the minds and consciousness of millions of

people at a global level.

Others, in their own quiet and simple ways have made their contributions at a local or community level but together they have, in one way or the other, helped to shape the thinking and consciousness of a countless number of people in ways sometimes they themselves may not be aware of. Many are what sociologists refer to as role models of reference groups to which people, in particular young people, aspire to be.

My wife, the late Bibi Yasmin Ally, was an embodiment of those principles and values. She spent her entire adult life in the teaching profession starting out in her teenage years as a pupil teacher and rising over the years, first as a trained teacher, then as a trained graduate teacher reaching the highest rank in the teaching profession as a Trained Graduate Headmistress before being promoted to ranks of the officer corps as District Education Officer.

During that period she

would have moulded the minds of thousands of children, many of whom today have risen to positions of prominence. Yet she always remained a humble and simple person who never looked forward to rewards except that which would come to her as a matter of course.

If there is one thing that she valued very highly, it is the enduring values of humility and simplicity. Because of the nature of her illness, she was aware of the inevitable and started to make preparations for her departure.

One such act was to dictate her funeral announcement in which, in her usual thoroughness as an experienced teacher, she inserted the names of all those who she felt was sufficiently close to her to be highlighted. Those included her husband, her two children and of course her two grandchildren, her relatives and friends.

She was careful enough not to mention designations in the death announcement.

Consistent with her philosophy of humility, designations

were not material enough for public consumption. Her own designation as a former District Education Officer and as Headmistress and teacher of the several schools in which she taught was not something she wanted to put in the public domain. Nor did she want to be known as the wife of a Permanent Secretary, or the mother of a son who represented the country at the IDB in Washington or the mother of a daughter who presided over two Magistrate courts at Vigilance and Cove and John on the East Coast of Demerara.

She was a believer in the Holy Koran and “instructed” that she be buried according to Muslim rites. She wanted to be buried as soon as possible after death and not to delay her burial by waiting on relatives who reside

overseas. Our son who was in Washington at the time barely managed to make it mere hours before her departure to her final resting place at the Ogle cemetery.

She placed a very high premium on public service and never stayed away from work unless it was impossible to so do. She worked up to the last day of her illness and had to be taken home from her office after it became clear to everyone at her workplace that she could not continue any more.

It is the small things in life that matter or what someone once referred to as the ‘greatness of small things’. I take this opportunity to convey my thanks to the several persons who attended her funeral service and who expressed words of comfort.

I wish in particular to thank His Excellency Pres-

ident, Donald Ramotar and First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar, Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Hinds, former President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, PPP General Secretary, Mr. Clement Rohee, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, the several Government Ministers and Senior Government Officials who showed up at the funeral and expressed words of comfort and condolences.

My gratitude is extended also to the members of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, the Imam and members of the Ogle Jamaat, the Doobay Renal Centre, the doctors and staff of the Woodlands and Georgetown Public Hospital for the medical services rendered to her during her period of illness and to the numerous others who assisted in one form or another.

HYDAR ALLY

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

President calls on Guyana-Cuba Association to strengthen relations

By Vanessa Narine DECADES-long ties between Guyana and Cuba were cemented further with the official launch of the Guyana-Cuba Friendship Association last evening at a ceremony at the Cuban Embassy on High Street.

And Head of State Donald Ramotar urged the group to work toward the strengthening of relations between the two countries and be cognizant of the “real struggles” that underscored the forging of ties between them.

Delivering the feature address, the President recalled that Guyana and Cuba have a shared history that constitutes a struggle for national liberation and freedom, with Guyana being the first nation to express its support in a tangible way following the economic sanctions imposed on thatcountry by the United States of America.

He pointed out that when Guyana was facing difficult days, it was Cuba that lent its support by brokering trade, in particular for fuel.

However, according to him, the partnership between the countries has never been an easy one, as it was a relationship that was criticised by local political factions as well as the nation’s colonial masters in the years of pre-independence.

DIFFICULT CONDITIONS Ramotar referenced the Father of the Nation, the late

former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan and his role in fostering relations with Cuba, under very difficult conditions.

In his book, ‘The West on Trial: My Fight for Guyana's Freedom’, Dr. Jagan recalled how the United States did everything it could to prevent his country from getting too close to Fidel Castro, but ultimately failed.

He quoted from a March 22, 1964, article by U.S. newspaper columnist Drew Pearson: “The United States permitted Cuba to go Communist purely through default and diplomatic bungling. The problem now is to look ahead and make sure we don't make the same mistake again.”

According to him, that this is why President John F. Kennedy visited London in the summer of 1963, “Because of Kennedy's haunting worry that British Guiana would get its independence from England in July 1963, and set up another Communist government under the guidance of Fidel Castro.”

According to Dr. Jagan, if this happened just before the presidential election of 1964, and if at that time a Communist Guiana began seizing the Reynolds Metals aluminum operation and other American properties, Kennedy knew the “political effect” would be disastrous.

President Ramotar stressed that added to this there were many misconceptions about Cuba and the Cuban people being propagated by political factions, among other detractors.

From left, the Cuban Ambassador Julio Gonzalez and his wife, First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar and President Donald Ramotar

The awardees who were recognised for their support of ties between Guyana and Cuba He noted that the difficult situation is hard to conceive if one were to look at the thriving cooperation that constitutes partnership between the two countries.

“The benefits (of partnership with Cuba) are things that cannot be counted in dollars and cents,” the Head of State said.

President Donald Ramotar, right, with the Cuban Ambassador Julio Gonzalez, fourth from right, and well-wishers toasting to the continued prosperity of relations between Guyana and Cuba (Photos by Cullen Bess Nelson) POSITIONS OF SOLIDARITY The decision to make clear positions of solidarity when just causes warrant such, according to Ramotar, has been a constant feature in the policy of the ruling party, which expressed solidarity with the people of Cuba when it was an unpopular

thing to do.

“It was the right thing to do,” he said, adding that today the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is vindicated for having taken such a position.

This point was reiterated by the Cuban Ambassador, Julio Gonzalez, who said the solidarity expressed has been forged by the generations that preceded us.

He said, “Cubans consolidated the solidarity and internationalism present in the thoughts and actions of the Cuban people, as an intrinsic principle of our nation.

“Guyana did not agree with the expulsion of Cuba from the Organization of American States. This fact

Please turn to page 10

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Chronicle Weekend Roundup with Telesha Ramnarine MAY 19-24, 2014 Monday 19th

Craig woman reportedly killed by supernatural forces

A 43-year-old mother of five was found dead, face down in a drain at Craig, East Bank Demerara, where she resided.

Initial suggestions by relatives are that the woman, Marcelle Cummings, was killed by some supernatural force which had been troubling her.

Marcelle, who once worked as a conductress on a minibus that her brother owned, and more recently with a fishing trawler company, reportedly documented her life and the way she would meet her demise. When her body was discovered, the position she was in and the location were just as she had documented in the books. The books were found under her bed at her home at Lot 183 Third Street, Craig, East Bank Demerara.

Pensioner struck dead on East Coast Road by police vehicle

SIXTY–THREE–YEAR-OLD, Chanderpaul Sookdai of Bee Hive Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara was struck down by a car driven by a policeman, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Police investigations revealed that Sookdai was riding a bicycle at the time of the accident with the private motor car driven by a policeman, who is now under close arrest as investigations continue.

Sueria Manufacturing Inc. opens factory at Eccles

A US$2M candy factory has officially been opened at Eccles Industrial Site, East Bank Demerara, putting ‘Kaieteur’ candies in five fruit flavours and three varieties of mint on the local market.

President Donald Ramotar graced the occasion, and shared the sweets with Sueria’s CEO, Teshawna Lall, First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar, and Kaieteur News’ Publisher Glen Lall. The company, Sueria Manufacturing Inc., also produces peanuts, and will expand its operations to cater for plantain chips and chewing gum. The company is currently providing employment for more than 20 persons, and its planned expansion will eventually provide hundreds of jobs.

Although the factory is a 24-hour operation and is almost completely automated, there is still need for persons to man the machines. ********************************************* TUESDAY 20TH

Prison escapee shot dead by Police

THE Guyana Police Force has confirmed that escaped prisoner, 28-year-old Vickram Persaud, called ‘Lil John’, was shot dead “during an armed confrontation with the police” at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice.

The police said Persaud, of Doctor Dam in La Grange, West Bank Demerara, had earlier escaped from the lock-ups at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts, where he was waiting to attend court.

The police said an unlicensed .38 revolver has been recovered.

Persaud was charged with the murder of Tactical Services Unit (TSU) Constable Michael Cumberbatch in September last year. Keron Cummings, 26, of Sophia, and Randolph Marks, 20, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown had also escaped from the lock-ups at the same time.

24-yr-old mother dies three days after delivering baby in N/A

THE Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) is investigating the death of 24-year-old Marissa Lagoudoue, which occurred just under three days after she had delivered a baby boy at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo said an independent evaluation into the mother’s death is currently ongoing at the health institution. He also noted that several factors could have contributed to Lagoudoue’s demise.

At Lagoudoue’s 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam residence, a relative was observed feeding the newborn baby with a syringe.

His great aunt, Candace, has promised his dying mother that she would take care of the newborn and his four-year-old brother.

Troy Resources Ltd launches US$77M Karouni Gold Project

“GUYANA is well poised (for an economic take-off) because of its mineral wealth,” Chief Executive Officer of Troy Resources Limited-Guyana, Ken Nilsson, said as the company launched its US$77M Karouni Gold Project at the Omai Linden Stock Yard. He spoke of almost 600 job opportunities for Guyanese.

The company was established in 1987, and is a junior gold producer with operations in Australia, Mongolia, Northern Europe, Brazil and Argentina. The company has forged a proven record of fast-track mine development, low-cost operations, strategic acquisitions, and exploration discoveries.

Since its inception, Troy Resources Limited-Guyana has continued to look for opportunities to create value for its shareholders through focused exploration in Brazil and Argentina, and more recently with its acquisition of the Karouni project in Guyana.

********************************************* WEDNESDAY, 21ST

Schoolboy disappears along Siriki trail

FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD Charity Secondary School student, Ruel Fredericks has gone missing while walking along a trail at Siriki, in the Upper Pomeroon River.

Reports are that the teenager, who lives with his parents at New Haven Housing Scheme at Siriki, left home walking along a lonely trail in the interior to collect a bicycle from a relative some distance away, but he has not been seen since.

Mother of the missing teenager, Ms. Shavon Fredericks, said she believes that her son was strayed away by evil forces, and she is calling for prayers.

N/A man kills child mother, then attempts suicide

AN 18-year-old female was reportedly stabbed to death by her 48-year-old lover from whom she had separated for about a week, after they had been together for more than two years; and from a union with whom a child was conceived.

The child is now four months old.

Onicka Greaves was fatally stabbed by Robert Sandy, her former lover, who then attempted suicide by drinking a poisonous substance. However, he survived and was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Speaking with this publication, the murdered girl’s mother, Abiola Greaves, said that her daughter had ended the relationship with the man and had moved to Georgetown the same week, but he had been calling her and threatening that “something will happen” if she should go with someone else.

Guyana on track to host 44th Annual CDB Board of Governors meeting

ON MAY 28 and 29, Guyana will host the Annual Board of Governors’ Meeting of the Region’s premiere development institution and leader in economic and financial system, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Board of Governors, Dr. Ashni Singh, while speaking on the National Communications Network (NCN) on the issue of Guyana’s preparedness with regard to its hosting of the bank’s 44th Annual Board of Governors’ Meeting, said the country is on track to host the event.

He said planning and preparation for the meeting, which started some time ago, have intensified over recent days and weeks. ********************************************* THURSDAY, 22ND

Essequibo girl dies in suicide pact between teenage cousins in love

A SUICIDE pact between two cousins on the Essequibo Coast, who were said to be in love with each other, ended tragically when 13-year-old, Nishanna Persaud of Bush Lot Village succumbed after ingesting a poisonous substance about two weeks ago.

Persaud, a student of Cotton Field Secondary, and her 15-year-old cousin, Shiv Persaud, fell deeply in love, and decided to end their lives in a tragic manner after their parents had sternly objected to their love affair.

The two young lovers reportedly decided, on April 29th, to end their lives by suicide, and went to a deserted area some five miles aback of their village and drank a poisonous substance.

Shiv phoned his parents and told them that he and Nishanna had both consumed poison and were dying in the backdam.

Relatives rushed to the location and found them in a helpless condition. They were rushed to the Suddie Hospital and admitted. However Nishanna succumbed after fighting for her life for some two weeks, but Shiv was discharged from the hospital a few days ago.

Uitvlugt Estate staff down tools over colleagues’ dismissal

WORKERS of the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate are currently on strike to express displeasure and disagreement at the dismissal of some of their co-workers; but the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) says the workers were dismissed for serious misconduct in the execution of their duties.

Uitvlugt Estate workers say that as workers approach retirement age, GuySuCo routinely dismisses them for frivolous reasons.

One worker, who has been dismissed after more than 39 years in the industry’s employ, disclosed that he cannot comprehend the reason for his dismissal. He explained that an extremely dry crop season resulted in approximately 0.1 per cent of ten acres of cane not being adequately planted, and this caused his dismissal from GuySuCo.

Third prison escapee caught

THE third of four prisoners who escaped from the Georgetown Magistrates Courts Holding Cell on Monday was found hiding under a bed in a house on Freeman Street, East La Penitence in Georgetown.

Police received word about the development and rushed to the area, and the fugitive, 20-year-old Randolph Marks of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was handed over to them. ********************************************* FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2014

Mark ‘Polo’ wanted by CANU

THE Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) is requesting

information on the whereabouts of Mark ‘Polo’ of Cooper Street, Albouystown.

‘Polo’ is wanted in connection with narcotics found at the Ogle International Airport on Wednesday, May 21, 2014.

CANU can be contacted at telephone number 227-3507. A quantity of cocaine and marijuana was found in a suitcase of a Barbados-bound female passenger at the Ogle International Airport. The woman, said to be in police custody, is believed to be linked with ‘Polo’.

Workers of budget cut agencies feeling squeeze

THE imminent arrival of the salary date for this month in the Public Service has brought home, with stark clarity, the full impact of the 2014 Appropriation Act, which was passed in the National Assembly subsequent to the $37.4B Opposition-led cut from the $220B national budget.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, said the impact would no doubt take its toll on the livelihoods of the affected workers, particularly those at Office of the President and its subvention agencies.

Both the capital and current expenditure programmes for administrative services for the Office of the President were disapproved by the political Opposition in Parliament.

“The impact, were it to be felt, would essentially see us putting up the ‘For Rent’ or ‘For Sale’ sign, as there is no money in the kitty…nothing to support even the most routine activities of the Office of the President and the subvention agencies under the Office of the President,” Dr. Luncheon told reporters.

Missing Palmyra resident found dead in bed

THE remains of 63-year-old Sunny Clifford, called ‘Sonny,’ of Palmyra Village, East Canje, Berbice were discovered in an advanced state of decomposition at his residence ten days after he had last been seen by neighbours.

The bottles from which he may have taken his alcoholic beverages were also found on the foam mattress where his body lay when the Guyana Chronicle visited.

A relative, Nadira Persaud, recounted that her uncle, who lived alone, suffered from tuberculosis. “He did not work,” she said, “but sometimes he would stay away for two or three days, and then come back. So when I did not see him, I was not worried.”

His neighbours complained of an obnoxious stench. “I got my son,” Nadira said, “and he accompanied me. When we got in the house, he was lying on the mattress.”

Sonny has since been buried at Alness Village, where he spent his boyhood years. ********************************************* SATURDAY, 24TH

Bhojpuri Music and Cultural Troupe from India here

THE Bhojpuri Music and Cultural Troupe from India is here in time for the country’s Independence celebrations, and will treat the Guyanese people, compliments of the Guyanese and Indian Governments.

The visitors, led by playback singer Kalpana Patowary and her husband Parwaz Khan, arrived in the country with the rest of their team, comprising Saroj Mazumdar, Amar Nathram, Bijay Chouhan and Raja Das, all musicians.

The group will perform at the Indian Monument Gardens in Georgetown, at State House in New Amsterdam, and later at the Theatre Guild Playhouse in the City.

IDB seeking innovators from Guyana for community projects

THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is seeking proposals from Guyanese civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) to fund innovative community-based projects, starting from US$300,000 to a maximum of US$750,000.

According to a statement from the bank, project proposals should focus on highly innovative solutions that will solve community problems and support community-based development.

“CSOs and NGOs will have the opportunity to pitch and present their most innovative solutions to the IDB, and the winners will get the IDB’s support to incubate, develop, or scale up those solutions,” the bank stated.

Unemployed teen remanded after marijuana, cocaine bust

NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD, Anastasia Latoya Crawford of 29 Fort Street, Kingston was remanded to prison following a drug bust last Wednesday at Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara.

She pleaded not guilty to both charges, one of which said that on Wednesday, May 21, at Ogle International Airport, she had in her possession 5.574 kgs of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking.

Crawford also denied that on the same day she had 2.286 kg of cocaine to traffick.

According to the prosecutor, when questioned, the defendant said she had been offered US$15,000 by someone called Mark ‘Polo’ to transport the illegal substance to Barbados, and she had received an advance of G$50,000, with the remainder to be handed over on her arrival in the Caribbean island.

She will return to Sparendaam court on Tuesday.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

President calls on Guyana-Cuba ...

From page 8 was added to the fear of our neighbors of the North that, taking into account some investigations and documents of that time, motivated the Government of Kennedy to see Dr. Cheddi Jagan from the Cuban Revolution perspective.”

“The official registration of the Guyana-Cuba Friendship Association constitutes another assertionof the will of the people and government of Guyana to continue strengthening the fraternal and solidary relationships that have historically united our two countries. This is a fact that encourages and commits us all,” he said.

The Cuban Ambassador, as well as the President and General-Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, Ministers Jennifer Westford and Bheri Ramsaran and several others were awarded by the Guyana-Cuba Friendship Association for support of ties between the two countries.

CALLS Chairman of the Guyana-Cuba Friendship Association, Howard Samaroo, also made remarks at last evening’s event and as one of the first acts of the Association, he called for the end of the United States embargo on Cuba and the release of the remaining three of the ‘Cuban Five Heroes’, who are still imprisoned in the United States.

The ‘Cuban Five’ are five Cuban men who were in a U.S. prison, four serving life sentences and the fifth 75 years, after being wrongly convicted in the U.S. Federal Court in Miami, on June 8, 2001.

They are Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Anotonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez and their mission was to stop terrorism levelled against Cuba by anti-Cuban terrorist organisations.

The Cuban Five were arrested on September 12, 1998, and initially held in solitary confinement for 17 months in a Miami jail. The seven-month trial began in November, 2000 and they were convicted and sentenced to four life terms and 75 years in December, 2001.After seven years of imprisonment, the Cuban Five, on August 9, 2005, won what they termed an ‘unprecedented victory’ in an appeal; but this was subsequently overturned.

René González was released on October 7, 2011, and Fernando González was released on February 27, 2014. The three others remain in prison.

As it relates to the embargo, Samaroo made it clear that moves must be made to have a cessation of this policy of the United States.

While, Guyana’s position on the United States’ decades-old economic and financial embargo on Cuba remains unchanged, calling for an end to the economic sanctions, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) this year echoed a similar call.

The Chairman of the Guyana-Cuba Friendship Association noted to that the Association will focus on the social, cultural and education fronts as platforms to advance greater cooperation between the two countries.

Guyana and Cuba have enjoyed close collaboration in health, education, culture and sports since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in December 1972. In 1974, the first Friendship society between Cuba and Guyana was constituted; ten years later in 1984, appeared the Committee of Friendship and Solidarity Cuba- Guyana, and in October 2006 the Association of Friendship Guyana- Cuba was created but it was not officially registered.

A New ‘Longitude Prize’

By Gwynne Dyer VOTING begins this week to choose the problem that the winner of the Longitude Prize 2014 will have to solve – and win £10 million ($17 million). It’s a publicity gimmick, of course, but it may be very useful nevertheless. Especially because, unlike most of these prizes for innovation, it is meant to solve a problem that is of concern to all of humanity.

The DARPA Challenges are all about autonomous vehicles and robots, mostly with military applications.

The Ansari X Prize was for a low-cost reusable spacecraft capable of sub-orbital flight, and the follow-on Google Lunar X Prize is more of the same. Toys for the boys.

The $10 million Tricorder X Prize, announced in 2012, is a bit closer to the mark, as it would reward the development of an instant diagnostic device like the one used by Leonard “Bones” McCoy, the Chief Medical Officer in the original Star Trek series. But the Longitude 2014 Prize is the real deal.

It marks the 300th anniversary of the first Longitude Prize, when the British parliament offered £20,000 (a sum comparable to £10 million now) to anyone who could devise a method for

finding a ship’s position at sea. Latitude – its distance North or South of the equator – could easily be found by measuring the height of the Sun or the Pole Star above the horizon, but there was no good way of determining its East-West position: its longitude.

Instead, mariners relied on “dead reckoning”. They kept track of what courses they steered, how fast they were going, and for how long, and added it all together to come up with a rough estimate of how far they had traveled East or West. But they could not accurately calculate the effect of ocean currents and winds on their position, and the ships often tacked to and fro.

After an ocean crossing, navigators were often wrong about their ship’s position by hundred of kilometres (miles): landfall might occur with no warning, and quite possibly at night. Worldwide, hundreds of ships were being lost each year, and so in 1714 the Longitude Prize was created.

The solution was obvious in principle. You just set your clock at noon at your port of departure, note the time it reads when the sun is highest wherever you are, and the difference between noon on the clock and noon at your present position will tell you, your longitude. But

your clock must stay accurate during long sea voyages.

They had good pendulum clocks in the 18th century, but pendulums didn’t work very well on a rolling, pitching ship.

It took a long time to build a chronometer that stayed accurate enough (gaining or losing only a few seconds per month) to let mariners calculate their longitude to within one or two nautical miles, but by 1765 John Harrison, a clockmaker from Lincolnshire, had done the job.

He died a rich man, and he deserved his reward: thousands of ships were saved from shipwreck and hundreds of thousands of lives were spared in the century that followed.

The new Longitude Prize is all about saving human life (or improving it) on a very large scale. There are six “challenges” on the Longitude Committee’s list, and only one of them will be chosen for the prize. They are: Flight - How can we fly without damaging the environment?

Food - How can we ensure everyone has nutritious sustainable food?

Antibiotics - How can we prevent the rise of resistance to antibiotics?

Paralysis - How can we restore movement to those with paralysis?

Water - How can we ensure everyone has access to safe and clean water?

Dementia - How can we help people with dementia live independently for longer?

When you read the actual “job descriptions” of these challenges, it’s clear that some thought went into it. Consider the Antibiotics challenge, for example: “Clinicians often prescribe broad spectrum antibiotics to sick patients because doctors have to act quickly on imperfect information.

These methods put selective pressure on microbes to evolve resistance to antibiotics....

“The challenge...will be to create a cheap, accurate, rapid, and easy-to-use test for bacterial infections that will allow doctors and nurses all over the world to better target their treatments,

administering the right antibiotics at the right time.

Point-of-care test kits will allow more targeted use of antibiotics, and an overall reduction in mis-diagnosis and prescription. This will ensure that the antibiotics we have now will be effective for longer.”

So you could win this challenge with a working Tricorder – two Prizes for the price of one? – and the breakthrough idea need not even come from the medical field. As BBC Director-General Tony Hall said when the prize was announced: “There might be another modern-day John Harrison somewhere out there...and they may not even know that they're a scientist.”

It’s a kind of crowd-sourcing, and none the worse for that. The voting to decide which challenge gets the nod opened on 22 May on the BBC

BY GWYNNE DYER

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Horizon website, and closes on 25 June. Unfortunately, voting is restricted to British residents, but the Prize is open to everybody in the world. And maybe there are five other governments out there that would like to put up $10 or $20 million for a solution to one of the other five challenges.

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Gun-toting bandits relieve Lucky Dollar Mon Repos branch of $1M

POLICE in C Division are hunting for two gunmen who invaded the Lucky Dollar Furniture Store at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara just after 10:0hrs yesterday morning, held at gunpoint the cashier, staff and the few customers present, and relieved everyone of cash and other valuables.

Thereafter, one of the bandits scaled a fence to the back of the premises and made good his escape though a neighbour’s yard. The direction the other bandit took in his escape was not confirmed.

When this publication visited the furniture store after the robbery, the gates to the compound were closed, a security

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014 guard informed that the store was not doing business, and that the entity was closed for the day.

A senior company manager related to this publication that after the bandits had entered and robbed the employees, an alarm was raised, and that sent them scampering from the scene.

Investigators would confirm only that the incident had indeed taken place, and that the police are investigating the matter. Numerous efforts to contact one of the directors at Lucky Dollar for a comment on the robbery proved futile.

The gunmen reportedly made off with approximately one million dollars, according to information received.

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Education Ministry launches training programme ...

From page 6

will expand its teacher training in Portuguese as part of its modern language teacher training programme.

Remarks made by representatives of various educational institutions reiterated the necessity of Portuguese being taught in schools. One great example given was by Principal of CPCE, Ms. Viola Rowe, who explained that she had been given the chance to acquire her Master’s degree in Brazil, and because of her inability to speak or understand the language, she was made uncomfortable and passed up the opportunity.

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand expressed satisfaction that, after nine months, the ministry can be embarking on a programme of this magnitude, which further establishes Portuguese in schools across the country.

“We at the Ministry of Education are very conscious that we have a huge responsibility to make sure we meet the needs of Guyana today, as well as prepare our young people to meet the needs of Guyana tomorrow,” she said.

Ms. Manickchand highlighted the importance of Guyanese children being able to access and learn foreign languages, particularly Spanish and Portuguese, which significantly help in communicating and integrating with our immediate neighbours.

The minister emphasised that the launch of this programme is in line with the commitment that the ruling PPP/C Government made during its Election 2011 campaign, in which its manifesto unquestionably stated that within the next five years it will work at “Strengthening foreign language teaching, both in the school system, including at the primary school level, and for the public at large; with special emphasis being placed on Spanish and Portuguese, reflecting our country’s continental prospects”.

She said that the Government was fulfilling part of that promise by “preparing ourselves to introduce Portuguese all across this country”.

The minister further indicated that to enable parents and the country to be able to converse with our children, the ministry will be reaching out, through the Learning Channel, with specialised programmes to teach Portuguese in very creative and innovative ways.

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Mahila Man

By Ravin Singh

THE MAHILA MANDALEE, the women’s arm of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, yesterday, held its first women’s conference at the Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra, under the theme ‘Inspiring Change: Today’s Hindu Woman in Perspective’.

The one day event entailed a series of presentations and discussions, and group sessions addressed social issues facing Hindu women in Guyana. The open forum anticipates developing solutions to those challenges and charts its future course.

More specifically, the Mahila Mandalee attempted to focus and tackle challenges inherent in the 21st century.

One of the presentations, “Women in our scriptures: les-

Hundreds of women in attendance yesterday

The three founding members of the Mahila Mandalee after receiving their awards yesterday. From left: Chhandra Gajraj, Indranie Persaud and Savitri Balbahadur (Photos by Cullen Bess-Nelson)

First Lady, Deolatchmee Ramotar making her address to the gathering

The West Coast Demerara Praant Mahila Mandalee at the conference

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jen presentation at the conference yesterday. Seated ar Ramotar and Dr. Vindhya Persaud

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

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ndalee hosts inaugural conference sons to be learnt”, was aimed at reaffirming the teachings of scriptural role models. The Mandalee believes that in identifying modern day challenges of Hindu women, an examination of Hindu scriptures may draw a correlation between these role models, the challenges they faced and the solutions applied. As such, the example may serve as a guide by which Hindu women today can address issues they are faced with.

Additionally, a discussion on domestic violence was identified to be most fitting after the Mandalee realised that there is an alarmingly high rate of domestic violence in Guyana.

This specific discussion sought to highlight possible corrective and coping methods women should be aware of.

Present at the event was First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar, who expressed her support for the initiative which she saw as necessary for development in Guyana; and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, who commended the work of the Dharmic Sabha.

The Minister praised the exemplary work of the organisation over the last 40 years, not only in the promotion of their religion, but in their support of national culture, encouraging strong family values, intellectual and emotional empowerment and development of youth, and through other programmes to address social issues, poverty alleviation, and domestic and sexual violence in our society.

Minister Webster stressed the need for greater social support in combating social issues, especially with reference to women and children on whom the scourge of domestic, sexual and physical abuse and other social ills have had a negative

e during their performance

nnifer Webster during her re First Lady Deolatchmee

impact. As such, the minister posited that religion plays a crucial role in one’s life, as spiritual upliftment enables an individual to understand the importance of moral values, among other things.

“Religious bodies have always been a cornerstone for the empowerment and support of families and the less vulnerable within our society. They have also been a powerful source of nurturing women for their various roles in society. They are, therefore, a key contributor to ‘inspiring change’ by influencing behavioural patterns and attitudinal change in a person,” Webster noted, while assuring that she supports the view that women must be seen as agents of change for our country’s national development.

The Mandalee’s founding members Indranie Persaud, Chandra Gajraj and Savitri Balbahadur, developed a framework in which to address a range of issues facing Hindu women in the society.

The trio provided leadership in initiating and implementing a range of programmes and activities aimed at disseminating information and enabling competencies to confront challenges facing this population.

The Mandalee conducts programmes and activities for women aimed at enhancing livelihood and as avenues to express their creativity. Overall, their initiatives have been tailored to address the needs of women as they evolve. Classes were conducted in dressmaking, fabric painting, embroidering, floral arranging and Indian cookery. In the earlier years, classes in typewriting, shorthand and English were conducted. Programmes to develop the social, cultural, educational and religious awareness of Hindu women in our society are continually presented by members.

President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, also made a presentation on ‘the Hindu woman today and choices’.

The president must be acknowledged for her tireless efforts in impacting not only Guyanese women, but the population, in a positive way through humanitarian efforts. Only recently, the Dharmic Sabha, under the stewardship of Dr. Persaud, commissioned Bal Nivas, a centre for children who have been victims of abuse in Ankerville, Corentyne, Berbice.

The conference was conceptualised as a means of connecting women of varying ages, backgrounds and geographical locations to engage in the candid discussions aimed at inspiring and empowering Hindu women.

… Dharmic Sabha women’s arm looks at issues facing Hindu women

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Pacquaio v Mayweather will ...

From page 28 twice each year and he will next step into the ring on November 8, in all likelihood in Macau and probably against his old foe, Mexican Marquez, a four-division world champion.

“Marquez has not, as of yet, committed to the fight so we will be talking to him in the days ahead,” said Arum. “I am going to be over in Macau next week (for a fight) and I have invited Juan Manuel and his wife to come. I believe they will.”

Marquez, who knocked out Pacquiao the last time they met in December 2012, beat welterweight Mike Alvarado by unanimous decision in his most recent fight, last week.

Should Marquez decline the opportunity to take on Pacquiao for a fifth time, Arum said he would probably

then target Ruslan Provodnikov of Russia as the Filipino’s opponent in November.

When Pacquiao’s promotional agreement with Top Rank ends at the end of 2016, the Filipino southpaw will be 38 years old, the perfect time for him to end his glittering boxing career.

“That’s what we figured and that’s why we made it to the end of 2016,” said Arum. “Hopefully by that point he would have been elected to the Philippine senate and that’s very time consuming. That would be the signal for him to hang up his gloves.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Late Zamora goal sends 10-man QPR into Premier League (REUTERS) - Ten-man Queens Park Rangers snatched today.” a 90th-minute goal through substitute Bobby Zamora to clinch promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 win CYNICAL CHALLENGE against Derby County in the Championship playoff final Torrential rain greeted the players and ensured chancat Wembley yesterday. es were at a premium with Will Hughes’ penalty appeal After QPR were reduced to 10 men when Gary O’Neil for Derby the only notable incident in the first period. was sent off in the 60th minute, Derby laid siege to their The second half was more open and after QPR’s 20-goal opponents’ goal but could not find a way past a well-drilled striker Charlie Austin fired narrowly wide, the Hoops had defence in a match billed as the richest in world football. the experienced O’Neil dismissed for a cynical challenge With extra-time beckoning, Zamora curled a de- on Derby forward Johnny Russell as he bore down on goal. lightful finish into the corner of the net after a series of The tone for the rest of the game was set with Derby defensive errors by the Derby defence in the build-up dominating possession but Redknapp’s stubborn side - who to secure victory for QPR’s had finished one spot and five relieved manager Harry points behind third-placed Redknapp and chairman Derby in the final league Tony Fernandes. standings - refused to wilt Promotion is worth at least under pressure.

80 million pounds for QPR, The game looked to be who return to the top flight afheading for extra time when ter one season in the ChampiZamora took advantage of onship (second division) along a poor attempted clearance with champions Leicester City by defender Richard Keogh and second-placed Burnley inside the area as he kept his who went up automatically. cool to clinically steer the Following a lacklusball home from 10 metres to tre first half, Derby domdelight the Hoops fans. inated after the break but QPR will now hope they Steve McClaren’s usually can follow in the footsteps of free-scoring side were left to Queens Park Ranger’s Bobby Zamora (R) reacts the last three teams promoted rue their failure to get on the after their Championship play-off final soccer match to the Premier league via the scoresheet. against Derby County at Wembley Stadium in Lon- playoffs - Swansea City, West It was the second time don, yesterday. Credit: Reuters/Eddie Keogh Ham and Crystal Palace - all Zamora had scored the only of whom survived with regoal to clinch victory in a spectable mid-table finishes.

Championship playoff final having struck the winner for West QPR’s debts jumped to 177.1 million pounds for the year to Ham United against Preston North End in 2005.

May 2013 from about 91 million in the previous year according “I scored the winner for West Ham to get back in the to their accounts published in March after they splashed out on Premier League as well but this was equally important,” players so the promotion windfall will be welcomed by Fernandes. the well-travelled striker told Sky Sports. “It was a mas“The whole club has earned this moment,” chairman Fersive game and I’m so pleased for all of the lads. nandes said. “We’ve been hammered all season and attacked “To score the winner in the playoffs is a magnificent in the press but we never gave up. feeling. I never thought it would have happened again. We’ve “We kept moving with our academy and with our staworked hard all year, we really have. dium. We’ve got a good manager despite all that has been “We’ve got a great togetherness, after the said. It’s a very good feeling to be going up but the hard last playoff game (a 2-1 semi-final victory work starts here. over Wigan Athletic) we were never going to “It’s true I’m a bit of a richer man today but really die, we fight to the end and we did that again it’s a secondary emotion. I just wanted to win so badly.”

Nadal still the man to beat at the French Open

By Julien Pretot PARIS , (Reuters) - If this season’s records are supposed to provide an indication to the man who will be crowned ‘king of Roland Garros’, Rafa Nadal’s hopes of winning a record-extending ninth French Open title could be in jeopardy.

For the first time in a decade, the world number one lost three matches on red dirt in the build-up to the claycourt major and the Spaniard could have to beat all three conquerors - Nicolas Almagro, David Ferrer and Novak Djokovic - if he is to successfully defend his title on June 8.

Nadal also admitted to suffering jitters following his quarter-final exits at the Monte Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open, by Ferrer and Almagro respectively, and those results proved that Nadal was no longer the indestructible force that he once was on clay.

While the results have offered hope to his opponents, they are also aware that Roland Garros is another story for Nadal.

The muscular left-hander carries a spine-chilling 59-1 record into this year’s tournament, having lost his only match on the Parisian clay in 2009.

“I’m far behind Rafa and Novak. They are really above the other players,” Swiss third seed and Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka, who won the Monte

Carlo title, told a news conference.

“When they are really on the courts they are difficult to fight against.”

Djokovic, who beat Nadal in the Rome Masters final in three sets last week, believes a grand slam is a special occasion.

“It’s obviously different from the Rome tournament.

It’s a grand slam, a two-week long event, best-of-five (sets). Almost all of the players who are participating in the event have an extra motivation to perform well compared to the other events,” the Serbian second seed, who has never won the French Open, said.

Besides Djokovic, whom he could meet in the final, Nadal has a possible semi-final match against Wawrinka, the man who defeated him in the Australian Open final.

Everyone has been warned, however, that Nadal is feeling better after a patchy start to the claycourt season.

“The dynamic is positive, it’s true, so that’s always important for the confidence. I felt that in Rome I was able to play without that anxiety that I played with in the first two tournaments and some moments in Madrid, too,” Nadal explained.

Former world number one Roger Federer, who won the last of his record 17 grand slam titles at Wimbledon in 2012, believes he is in top shape.

Black Caps bracing for spin onslaught in Windies Tests CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, (CMC) – New Zealand left here yesterday for the Caribbean, bracing for a barrage of spin in their upcoming three-Test series.

Though having produced the finest fast bowlers in the history of the game, tracks in the West Indies have become slow and low, allowing spinners to dominate in recent times.

Pointing to the spin trio of Sunil Narine, Shane Shillingford and Sulieman Benn, Black Caps coach Mike Hesson said it was important his side prepared for the threat of a concentrated spin attack.

“All I can go by is recent history and it’s turned and bounced [in the Caribbean]. The wicket blocks are bare in photos we’ve seen, so that’s pretty much what we expect to get,” Hesson said.

“They’ve got three very good spinners and there’s a possibility they could play all three so we have to prepare for that. In their conditions they’re a completely different proposition than they were at home.”

New Zealand dominated West Indies when they hosted the Caribbean team last year, winning the three-Test series 2-0. Rain saved the Windies from certain defeat in the other game.

However, the Kiwis will be aware of their poor record on the road. In their last 12 Tests away from home over the past two years, they have won one just one and lost nine. They drew two – against minnows New Zealand Bangladesh. coach Mike Hesson The tourists will face a home side also going through their changes. Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has replaced Darren Sammy as captain while Chris Gayle is returning after an injury layoff along with fast bowler Kemar Roach.

Hesson, however, is under no illusions about the nature of the task ahead.

“We lost 2-0 last time over there [in 2012] and sides don’t win away from home too often, so we know it’s going to be incredibly tough. If we’re able to scrap out a Test series win that’d be a huge achievement,” he pointed out.

“We’re preparing as well as we can and those first 10 days are pretty crucial for us to adapt to conditions.”

New Zealand will play two warm-up matches in Jamaica prior to the first Test which bowls off at Sabina Park in Kingston on June 8.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Pacquaio v Mayweather will happen, says Bob Arum (REUTERS)-The prospect of a long awaited mega-bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao may have receded in recent years but promoter Bob Arum believes the fight will take place, most likely before the end of 2016. duel between the defence-minded Mayweather and the aggressive Pacquiao, the biggest drawcards of their generation, has long been savoured by boxing fans, if only to decide the mythical title of the world’s best pound-forpound fighter.

Filipino Pacquiao lost much of his appeal after successive defeats to American Timothy Bradley and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, prompting talk of his possible retirement, though he has since bounced back with two impressive wins.

“I think that fight will eventually happen,” Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, told Reuters. “We are certainly open to the fight happening and we are prepared to sit down with (the Mayweather team) at any time and work out terms.”

Five-division world champion Mayweather, who is known for his shrewd business acumen, had been

Floyd Mayweather Jr

Manny Pacquiao

expected to meet Pacquiao in 2010 until negotiations collapsed over the American’s demand for random drug testing.

Mayweather, who has hinted at illegal methods by often questioning how Pacquiao could have won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight classes, has since said he would not fight the Filipino as long as Arum is his promoter.

Veteran Arum, however, has his own theory about that.

“Frankly, it’s the same as it always was,” said the 82-year-old promoter, who has worked with giants of the ring such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran.

“The idea that Mayweather says, ‘Well, I’m not going to fight Pacquiao because Bob Arum is involved,’ is the latest is in a whole line of excuses.

“If you look at it from Mayweather’s standpoint, he has this unbelievable deal with Showtime (satellite television network), paying him all this money ... so he would probably figure, ‘I have three more fights under the Showtime contract’.”

Assuming that Mayweather wins those next three fights to improve his perfect record to 49-0 and conclude his Showtime deal, Arum has a strong feeling that the flamboyant American would then agree to a mega-fight with Pacquiao (56-5-2).

“He (Mayweather) would figure, ‘Why don’t I do those (three) fights for the easy money and then in 2016, with my 50th fight, I could beat the (49-0) record of (Rocky) Marciano by fighting Pacquiao’,” said Arum.

“That would be a huge fight, and I believe it will happen.”

Should that bout take place, it could well be the last fight of Pacquiao’s career as the Filipino agreed earlier this week to extend his promotional agreement with Arum’s Top Rank company until the end of 2016.

Between now and then, Pacquiao is likely to fight (Please see page 26)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

29

Yusuf smashes fastest fifty to power KKR to second THERE were 321 runs in 34.2 overs, and it was hard to say by the end of it if there had been more runs off the middle of the bat or its edges.

There were dropped catches, run-outs, run-outs arising from dropped catches, and, in the middle of all this, a mad dash to make up a net-run-rate deficit.

(Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 161 for 6 (Yusuf 72, Uthappa 41) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 160 for 7 (Dhawan 29, Sammy 29) by four wickets For most part, the match had been a comedy of errors, but by the time it ended, it was a genuine Twenty20 classic.

Kolkata Knight Riders needed to chase 161 to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad. They needed to do it in 15.2 overs to knock Chennai Super

Rajasthan Royals to battle it out for fourth today.

Sunrisers started the game with only a small chance of qualifying. Their selections - they left out Aaron Finch, and played Jason Holder and S Anirudha, neither of whom had played a match for them this season - and the general quality of their play only made it even more improbable. In the end, they were left needing to bowl Knight Riders out for 23 to overhaul Royals’ net run rate.

Knight Riders’ ask wasn’t that improbable, but it could be argued that they made it harder for themselves than it could have been on a pitch that offered the quicker bowlers bounce and seam movement. After they opted to bowl, their three seamers, particularly Morne Morkel, extracted plenty of both, but they also sprayed it around.

total as possible.

As they began their chase of 161, Gambhir and Robin Uthappa had to contend with some early help for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Steyn. They only scored seven off the first two overs, before they kicked into gear. Gambhir gave Bhuvneshwar the charge, Uthappa leaned into a couple of drives, and 13 came off the over.

It still looked difficult, though, and after Gambhir went, Uthappa and Manish Pandey ate up 17 balls in scoring 12 runs.

Knight Riders then lost both Uthappa and Ryan ten Doeschate in the same over, and second place looked out of question. Had Anirudha at wide long-on or Steyn at deep square leg held on when Yusuf launched balls more or less straight at them, it would have been all over.

They didn’t, though.

And so, Parvez Rasool

Yusuf Pathan struck the fastest IPL fifty, Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2014, Kolkata, May 24, 2014.

Kings off second place, and get two shots at reaching the final. When Yusuf Pathan walked in, they needed 106 from 47 balls.

He was dropped before he had scored a run. He was dropped again when he was on 15. Neither was a difficult chance.

And then, out of nowhere, it all came together for him. Till today, Adam Gilchrist had held the record for the fastest IPL fifty. It had come off 17 balls.

When Yusuf mowed Dale Steyn over deep midwicket for the fifth six of his innings, he had reached 50 in 15 balls. He took 26 off that over - 4, 6, 6, 4, 4, 2. By the time Yusuf holed out for 72 off 22 balls, the equation had come down to less than a run a ball.

Knight Riders beat Sunrisers with 34 balls left to play. They beat Super Kings to second with a cushion of six balls.

The defeat knocked Sunrisers out of the tournament, leaving Mumbai Indians and

After Morkel had bowled David Warner with the second ball of the match, Shikhar Dhawan and Naman Ojha put on 64 in 46 balls.

Neither batsman looked convincing at the crease, and both interspersed boundary hits with plays-and-misses.

Dhawan had five fours in his 31-ball 29, but also 18 dot balls. All of Ojha’s 26 runs came in boundaries. His innings contained six scoring shots and 17 dots.

The remainder of Sunrisers’ innings was just as low on cricketing quality, and full of incident. There were two dropped catches, three run-outs, and the furrow on Gautam Gambhir’s brow grew wider and deeper with each top-edged slog that flew to the boundary.

Even before the match had begun, Knight Riders had known roughly that they were in for a 15-over chase.

A target of 131 would have required them to finish in 15.1 overs, a target of 201 in 15.3. It was up to them to keep Sunrisers to as low a

ended up conceding 22 off the only over he bowled.

Yusuf hit a big six over cow corner, edged a slog thickly to the third-man boundary, hit another six off Steyn’s palms, and found the longon ropes via a fumble from Jason Holder.

Two more sixes came off the next over, bowled by Karn Sharma. By now, Yusuf was hitting it cleanly, right out of the screws.

When Steyn began the 13th over, Knight Riders needed 45 off 20. Could he stop Yusuf? He couldn’t.

The first ball was clubbed back past him for four, the next two launched high and long for six. Steyn dug the next one in short, and Yusuf pulled him for four. Fifth ball, Yusuf slogged and edged another four past the keeper.

This was now Steyn’s most expensive over in the IPL. Steyn had applauded when AB de Villiers had launched an astonishing assault on him earlier in the season. Now, as the Eden Gardens became pure noise, his face froze into a pale, disbelieving grin. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Chastened Ronaldo hopes Brazil can deliver home triumph the late delivery of stadiums, three of which are still not ready.

“In 2007 when they decided that the World Cup would be in Brazil, President Lula signed everything and agreed to everything and then they get here and there’s this bureaucracy, total confusion and lateness,” Ronaldo told Reuters in an interview on Friday at his office in Sao Paulo.

“It’s a shame. I am embarrassed, this is my country and I love it and we shouldn’t be transmitting this image abroad,” he added.

“But we mustn’t forget that Brazil wasn’t perfect before the World Cup. It was the same or worse.”

The former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan striker is betting on Brazil to win Brazilian legend Ronaldo the competition, with took home World Cups Germany his second fawinners’ medals in 1994 vourite, followed closely

by Argentina and Spain. and 2002.

Brazil are on a rich on time and many of the run of form and have won 13 promised infrastructure of their last 14 encounters, projects such as airports, including the five games that bus lanes, and metro lines won them the Confederations have been either cancelled Cup last year. or scaled down.

Ronaldo, who as a memPRESSURE ber of the Local Organising SITUATION Committee is one of the most However, no side has visible backers of soccer’s ever won the World Cup a world governing body FIFA year after lifting the Confedand the Brazilian govern- erations trophy and there is ment, said Brazil has always also the little matter of presfaced problems of “corrup- sure. Local fans are desperate tion, embezzlement, over- for a home win and yet only charging” and he lamented six players in Luiz Felipe (REUTERS)-Embarrassed about his country’s inability to complete the promised infrastructure ahead of next month’s World Cup, Brazil great Ronaldo believes the hosts will get it right on the pitch and win the tournament for a record sixth time.

Brazil will stage the World Cup in June and July for the first time since 1950 and are favourites to lift the trophy at the Maracana stadium on July 13.

The hosts have struggled to build stadiums

Scolari’s 23-man squad have been to a World Cup before.

Ronaldo, 37, said the players were experienced enough for the big occasion and will be well prepared

by Scolari - the man who led Brazil to their last title triumph in 2002, with the help of two goals from Ronaldo himself in the final.

The first match against Croatia on June 12 could set the tone for the tournament, he said.

“The first game in the World Cup, in Brazil, the first match for many players, it is going to be very important and it could determine the team’s future,” he said.

“We see players that are 20 years old who’ve played with big clubs or with the national team for a year or two so I don’t think the lack of experience will determine the final result.

“It could be important at some moments of the match but I don’t think it will determine the result.”

FAIR WEATHER Ronaldo also dismissed concerns that South American teams will cope better with the tropical climes and noted that while humidity could be high in coastal and jungle cities, temperatures in some venues could drop to almost freezing in the southern hemisphere’s winter.

“In Europe they play in higher temperatures than here,” Ronaldo said.

“The games that could be controversial, for example 1 pm kick offs in Manaus, have been moved.

GASA begins outreach programme in Region 1 THE Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) has launched a six week outreach programme across Guyana.

Beginning yesterday, executives of the GASA will journey to various parts of the country in search of talented and potential swimming champions to represent the Golden Arrowhead in upcoming events.

President of GASA Ivan Persaud along with Head Coach Sean Baksh left yesterday for Moruca Region 1. Once in the community the executives will meet and make arrangements for the athletes to journey to the city for time trials in their respective age group category.

Time trials will be done at the National Aquatic

Centre, Liliendaal under the watchful eyes of GASA coaches. The athletes that

IVAN PERSAUD

were shortlisted from the 2013 Ministry of Education/Guyana Teachers’ Union National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and track and field championships will take part.

The outreaches will take place at weekends with the next stop being Corentyne

Berbice in Region 6 on the 7th and 8th June followed by Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara, Region three on the 21st and 22nd June.

The last lap of this phase will be in Bartica, Region 7 on the 5th and 6th July, 2014.

Meanwhile, The Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA) will be conducting a Level two (2) certification Clinic from 12th to 14th July, 2014 at the Guyana Olympic House in Kingston.

The clinic is free of charge and is opened to all level one (1) certified coaches and all persons interested in starting a career in coaching. For registration kindly contact the GASA’s Vice President Ms. Elke Rodrigues on mobile number 614-3602.

30

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

Trophy Stall on board for Everest Demerara centenary dominoes Cricket Board

THE Everest Cricket Club centenary dominoes tournament which also coincides with Guyana’s 48th Independence anniversary celebrations is set for today at the club’s pavilion, Camp Road, starting at noon.

The tournament is being staged as part of the club’s continuing year-round celebrations and caters for 18 teams and will be played on a two-round aggregate basis.

Trophy Stall, through its managing director Ramesh Sunich, is the proud sponsor of the first, second and third placed trophies and he’s expected to be on hand to present the prizes at the conclusion of the tournament.

The winning team will also receive $100 000, second $80 000 and third $60 000. Entrance fee per team is $15 000.

U-17 tourney bowls off on Tuesday

Natasha Lakhram of Trophy Stall hands over one of the trophies to president of Everest Cricket Club Stephen Lewis, while coordinator of the tournament Manniram Shew is at left.

Kieran Powell earmarked as future Windies Captain-Cameron BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - NEVISIAN batsman Kieran Powell has been touted as a future leader for the West Indies team by President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Dave Cameron.

Speaking on Sportsmax Zone on Monday (May 19), Cameron blasted former WICB CEO Ernest Hilaire’s comments, stating that the WICB practices “narrow nationalism” that led to the axing of Darren Sammy as Captain.

The St. Lucian said that as a result, insularity and “narrow nationalism”, continued to permeate West Indies cricket.

“I think in West Indies cricket we know what has to be done. What is needed is the will to make it happen and to stay

the course,” Hilaire said in an interview following the sacking of Darren Sammy as Test Captain.

Last Monday however, Cameron scrutinised the former CEO’s comments, stating that Nevisian Powell has been earmarked as a future captain of the regional side.

“Kieran Powell from Nevis is somebody we are looking at and I can say that publicly for the leadership of the team.

He has captained our ‘A’team...Nevis is probably the smallest island in the region and we have Kirk Edwards as well as another potential leader for the team.”

Last year Powell captained the West Indies ‘A’ team to victory over India ‘A’ team and is the current Leeward Islands Captain.

Smith helps ChennaiSuper Kings end three-match losing skid BANGALORE, India, May 24, CMC – West Indies stroke-maker Dwayne Smith helped playoff-bound Chennai Super Kings end their three-match losing skid, as they beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight wickets here Saturday.

Set 155 for victory away at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, CSK motored to their target with 14 deliveries left, with Smith getting away at the top with 34 off 17 balls.

He struck four fours and a six and put on 57 off 26 balls for the first wicket with South Africa’s Faf du Plessis who top scored with 54 not out.

Smith was looking in great touch when he was dismissed by West Indies teammate Ravi Rampaul, taken

at mid-wicket by Virat Kohli trying to reach the ropes again.

Rampaul, in only his second game of the series, picked up one for 21 from his two overs.

Du Plessis and captain MS Dhoni, who finished on 49 from 28 balls, then carried the innings with an explosive 75-run, unbroken stand for the third wicket.

Earlier, West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree finished wicket-less from his three overs which cost 29 runs, as RCB were held to 154 for six, after being sent in.

Playing without Windies opener Chris Gayle, RCB were inspired by Kohli who top scored with 73 from 49 balls.

THE Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-17 Inter-Association 50-Over Competition will bowl off this Tuesday.

The first round will see West Demerara and East B a n k b a t t l i n g a t t h e Wa l e s C o m m u n i t y C e n tre ground and Georgetown and East Coast competing at the Enmore Community Centre ground.

In the second round on Saturday, May 31, 2014, East Bank will clash with Georgetown at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, while East Coast will go up against West Demerara at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

And in the third and final round on Sunday, June 1, 2014, Georgetown will take on West Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, while East Bank will meet East Coast at the Demerara Cricket Club ground.

The teams are as follows: East Bank: Devon Singh, Akeem Hopkinson, Stephan December, Dextroy Williams, Sagar Hathiramani, Daniel Scott, Abdel Bacchus, Ronaldo Singh, Joel Ganesh, Mark Ramsammy, Bhojnarine Singh, Christopher Mclennon, Ershad Alli, Anthony Antonio, and Navindra Persaud. The Coach is Mr. Edwards and the Manager is Mohamed Khan.

West Demerara: Travis Persaud, Richie Looknauth, Kelvin Sewpersaud, Nicoli Reddy, Malcome Hubbard, Ewart Samuels, Looknauth Chinkoo, Neal Mclean, Keshram Seyhodan, Ronaldo Renee, Mark Jeffers, Vickram Talmakund, Ganesh Jitlall, and Mahesh Persaud. Mohamed Khan is the Manager and Coach.

East Coast: Vishwanath Ramlakhan, Ramnarine Chatura, Gavin Boodwah, Kedar Amsterdam, Bhaskar Yadram, Stephen Mangal, Shanerick DaSilva, Motilall Chatura, Akeem Hiles, Shaquille King, Madan Mohan, Kevinash Kumar, Suresh Jainarine, Afzal Rohoman, Rajpaul Gopaul. The Coach is Gavin Latchman Yadram and the Manager is Gavin Moriah.

Georgetown: Raymond Perez, Sherfane Rutherford, Darshan Persaud, Timothy McCalmont, Ronaldo Mohamed, Juddell McAlister, Samuel McKenzie, Xaviee Smith, Andrew Clifford, Stephon Campbell, Ashmead Nedd, Romaine Muniram, Shamar DeSouza, and Christopher Naipaul. The Manager is Gavin Nedd and the Coach is Clive Grimmond

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: 225-6158; 223-6055)

Answers to Wednesday’s quiz: Suresh Raina-CSK (51) 13 sixes

Today’s Quiz:

Who were the first champions of the IPL? Who is the first bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in an IPL game?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 25, 2014

31

GABF Inter-Association Championship..

Linden and Georgetown showdown tonight to decide champions Following a 58 – 50 point lost to Linden in their first game, Georgetown rebounded to hammer Berbice 116 – 42 in their second of the GABF Inter-Association Championship to set up what some are already calling a “classic in the making” tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Linden and Georgetown rivalry often brings out fans who share animosity which sometimes goes way beyond the game and tonight, with the city side already being down a game, basketball hungry fans are expected to flock the indoor

venue in their numbers.

In Game one, Linden depended heavily on their stifling defence and showed that they can also score – playing at both ends of the floor with their shooting guard Chris Williams and power forward Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts leading the charge.

Georgetown was simply outplayed in every department and were certainly overwhelmed by their Linden counterparts.

However, a rejuvenated Darcel Harris and Junior Hercules coached Georgetown side

Media XI, Umpires/ Scorers ready for showdown tomorrow AFTER weeks of training and verbal exchanges between the Media XI and the Georgetown Cricket Scorers and Umpires Association (GSCUA), it all boils down to action on the field tomorrow, when the two sides meet in a specially arranged T20 fixture at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda.

Both skippers, Calvin Roberts of the Media XI and GCU&SA’s Arleigh Rutherford, yesterday afternoon, boasted of their respective team’s readiness for the highly anticipated encounter, which will bowl off at 10:00hrs.

Roberts said his players are fully focused on the task ahead following intense training under the expertise of former FirstClass batsman and England ODI player, Monte Lynch, who, according to Roberts, was able to work on several areas with the players mainly batting and fielding drills.

According to the confident looking Roberts, the Media lads will be coming full throttle at the umpires and scorers, promising nothing less than a victory tomorrow, especially since several players within his team have been targeted by the opposition.

Rutherford echoed similar sentiments, adding that his players have been hard at training over the past two weeks, fine-tuning several aspects of their game. He highlighted, amongst others, that his team is a blend of solid batsmen, capable fast bowlers and quality spinners.

Admission to the venue is free and members of the public are invited to witness the game, which have received tangible support from Lifetime Realty, Trophy Stall, P&P Insurance Brokers, Western Union, Christopher Matthias, Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies.

In addition to the above, the Media XI wishes to express heartfelt thanks to the management of Georgetown Cricket Club for their tangible support in making the match a reality.

The Media squad reads: Calvin Roberts, John Ramsingh, Sean Devers, Daniel Singh, Ravi Persaud, Avenash Ramzan, Rajiv Bisnauth, Esaun Griffith, Duncan Saul, Clifton Ross, Ishaka Jackman, Kizan Brumell, Reuben Stoby and Keon Blade.

The GCS&UA reads: Delvin Austin, Ryan Banwarie, Shannon Crawford, Nigel Duguid, Zaheer Mohamed, Javed Persaud, Daniel Richmond, Trevor Ritney, Arleigh Rutherford, Colin Stuart, Mikoowanyah Yosef-Yisrael, Hortence Isaacs and Edward Bowen.

Whose will it be come tomorrow? Media XI skipper Calvin Roberts (right) and GCSUA skipper Arleigh Rutherford strike a pose with the winner’s trophy at the Georgetown Cricket Club’s Hall of Fame yesterday afternoon.

took the court against Berbice and reminded others that they had on their team, some of the country’s best players, even doing so without Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai who was rested after suffering a minor injury to his forearm in Linden.

Linden isn’t known for being a team that can score in bunches. In fact, their scoring are often scattered between a few players while the others concentrate on stifling their opponents defensively.

Williams can score in bunches, a shooter with sniper like aim who can also create his own shots and is also known to play physical in getting open.

For Roberts, his game is getting to the basket by any means but in their first game, his mid-range jumpers showed that the National forward has been working on his game and if he gets going, providing that Georgetown

tries to keep him out the paint, the city team would be in for a long night.

Alwin “Shaq” Wilson is not a scorer as well, but the bulky

AKEEM KANHAI power forward who represented Guyana under the late Phillip ‘One-Foot’ George as head coach, is a very intimidating figure for Linden in the paint.

But if Georgetown can replicate the performance they displayed against Berbice, then Linden and its supporters who are expected to

invade the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, can wave the white flag and surrender any hopes of them winning.

Behind point guard Travis Burnett game high 29 points, Georgetown seemed a threat scoring the way they are capable of, but if anyone was to really break down their game against Berbice, it would show that the team from the ancient county actually outrebounded the city men.

Rudy James and Royston Siland who were selected for Georgetown were absent due to work and injury respectively and at the time of this report, Chronicle Sport could not have gotten any confirmation about their availability for tonight’s game.

Georgetown would want to ask shooter Stephan Gillis to wake up from his slumber and play the way he is known for.

Gillis, a sharp shooter, probably

one of the best the country has to offer didn’t surface in the first game, and showed very little sign of actually doing so when they blew Berbice away.

Georgetown’s superior backcourt of Kanhai, Ryan Stephaney, Dominic Vincente, Dave Causeway and Shelroy Thomas would need to do better than they did in Game One to keep off Linden’s Keon Cameron and Williams at bay.

DWAYNE ROBERTS

Sport CHRONICLE

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

Real recover to beat Atletico and win 10th European cup

Real Madrid’s Marcelo celebrates after scoring a goal against Atletico Madrid during their Champions League final soccer match at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, yesterday.Credit: REUTERS/Sergio Perez

By Mike Collett LISBON ,(Reuters) - Real Madrid secured a 10th European Cup when they snatched a stoppage-time equaliser before extra-time goals by Gareth Bale, Marcelo and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty gave them a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final yesterday.

Atletico, who won the Spanish league title a week ago, looked set to complete a double after Diego Godin’s 36th-minute header, helped by a blunder from Real keeper Iker Casillas, put them in control of the first European final between teams from the same city.

Real Madrid’s captain Iker Casillas and team mates celebrate with the trophy after defeating Atletico Madrid in their Champions League final soccer match at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, yesterday.Credit: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Real attacked relentlessly in the second half at Lisbon's Stadium of Light but had to wait until the third minute of stoppage time for an equaliser when Sergio Ramos headed in powerfully from a corner.

Atletico looked a spent force in extra time and Real completed the comeback win when world record signing Bale head-

ed them into the lead in the 110th minute before Marcelo slammed in a late third.

Ronaldo, the Portugal captain playing in his own capital city, scored the fourth from the penalty spot to clinch an astonishing turnaround and a double of Champions League and King's Cup after Real could only finish third in La Liga.

Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale celebrates after he scored the equaliser goal against Atletico Madrid.

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"Incredible, what can I say? It was our aim from the start of the season," said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti. "It was difficult but I think we deserved it in the end."

Ramos added: "I think we are all heroes, it is a team effort and we can all now celebrate together. We have lived through a lot together and then we had to wait until the final minute to equalise.

Now Lisbon is our home."

"It is a reward for all the sacrifice and the fight we have shown over the years."

Atletico took the lead when their city rivals failed to clear a corner and they hooked the ball back into the box.

CASILLAS STRANDED Casillas, who came rushing out of his goal, was left stranded in no man's land as Godin beat him to the ball and headed towards goal. The keeper rushed back and attempted to scoop the ball out but it had already crossed the line.

It was a notable double for Godin who headed the goal in last week's 1-1 draw at Barcelona that secured Atletico's first league title since 1996.

Real then applied the pressure and it finally paid off when Ramos headed the equaliser to force extra time.

The first period of that ended without another goal, but Real finally took control of the game in the last 15 minutes when Bale headed them in front in the 110th minute before Marcelo fired home the third and Ronaldo scored from the spot.

"It was a sad moment, tragic when they got the 1-1," said Atletico midfielder Gabi. "They had few chances but they did better in extra time. We were very close but they were very strong.

Atletico defender Juanfran added: "We fought to the end but then Sergio caused problems with the goal. We will return. They won so they are the just winners but still we have won the league and got to the final of the Champions League."

Ronaldo's goal was his 17th of the campaign, an all-time record for the competition, and meant Ancelotti became only the second man after Bob Paisley of Liverpool to win three European Cups as a coach after the Italian's triumphs with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.

Black Caps bracing for spin onslaught in Windies Tests See story on page 27

SUNDAY, MAY 25, 2014