Guyana Chronicle 3-10-2019

10th March, 2019

Doctrine of necessity can be applied No.105572

–– says legal luminary, contends there is no 03&04 constitutional crisis PAGES

––three-month provision directory not mandatory, Attorney Maxwell Edwards PAGE

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Andyville gets electricity 14 after 20 years PAGE

Blow to 15 blackouts in Berbice PAGE

Iconic Indian Arrival Monument completed 13 PAGE

After some hiccups in construction, the iconic Indian Arrival Monument at T junction, Palmyra Village, Corentyne, Region Six has been completed and will soon be officially handed over to Guyana by the Government of India (Ministry of Public Infrastructure photo)

Porter 13 crushed by lorry PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Nonpareil fire leaves eight homeless EIGHT persons have been rendered homeless after a fire destroyed their home at Block 12, Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara on Saturday. Earl Brown and his family were left in shock after the inside of their house went up in flames early in the afternoon. His wife, who was home at the time, said the fire of unknown origin started at the back of the house. “I was trying to get the passport, but the fire start spreading and I had to pick up my children and run,” Mrs Brown said. Quick response from firefighters saved the exterior of the house, but most of what was inside was destroyed. The Browns occupied the home with their four children, while there were two persons oc-

The exterior of the building was saved by firefighters (Delano Williams photo)

The charred interior of the house (Delano Williams photo)

Mr Brown consoling his wife after their house was destroyed by fire (Delano Williams photo)

cupying a section at the back of the house, which was also destroyed in the blaze. Mrs. Brown said her family has been living on the property for more than two decades. The losses, she said, are tremendous. “I don’t know what to do now; this was my everything and now it’s all gone. I gotta go start over now,” she lamented. Mr Brown, who is a contractor, said a hard task lies ahead, but he hopes he will manage.

Doctrine of necessity

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

–– can be applied by the court, legal luminary says

–– contends there is no constitutional crisis

THE court, in keeping with the doctrine of necessity, has the powers to grant an extension to the constitutional deadline, one of Guyana’s leading legal minds said as he ruled out the notion that the country will erupt into a constitutional crisis if March 21 passes and the National Assembly does not grant an extension by a two-third majority. According to him, “like it or not, the court is in the driving seat” and will determine the way forward – it has the powers to do so. “The court will determine what happens if the time runs out or is about to run out. It will make that determination. No other organ in the state is capable of so doing… the court is the organ, the institution responsible for making that kind of determination,” he explained. The no-confidence motion brought against the government last December has triggered the need for early elections; however, not only is the matter engaging the attention of the Court of Appeal, the Guyana Elections Commission, the constitutional body responsible for holding elections, has indicated that it lacks the technical and financial capability to do so within the three month timeframe. Given the circumstances, the legal luminary said the court could depend on the doctrine of necessity, and grant an extension. “If it so happens that the court is in the process of resolving an issue or enquiring into an issue, and the time

stipulated in the Constitution has been overshot, then the court could rely on the doctrine of necessity and give such extensions as are required in the circumstances,” he further explained. NO PENDING CRISIS He said there is no constitutional crisis or pending crisis. The Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and its allies have been contending that once the National Assembly does not grant an extension for the holding of elections in accordance with Article 106(7) of the Constitution, the country will be plunged into a Constitutional crisis. But this is not the case, says the legal luminary. “The lawyers in Guyana can shout crisis, crisis, three million times, that doesn’t make it a crisis. The court makes the determination in situation like this, and if it is a case of necessity, the court will take such action as the necessity requires,” he said, while emphasising that there is not even a prospect of a crisis in Guyana. He said the court must be allowed to do its work. “We are in a position now where one organ of government, the court, is in the process of carrying out its functions according to the Constitution which includes interpretation and application of the Constitution. The court must be allowed to do its work as intended,” he told the Guyana Chronicle. The legal luminary stressed that no

one can force the court to rule on the matter within a particular period because there are procedures that ought to be followed. “At present before the court is the critical issue on whether the motion of no-confidence allegedly passed on 21st December, 2018, is it legitimate or not. My contention is, the court has to resolve that issue and the court will resolve it in its own time, expeditiously. Until the court has made a determination on that issue, everything has to come to a stop,” he said. However, he noted that the court also has extra judicial powers. “But it is an elementary rule of construction, especially of Constitutions that where the court is called upon to interpret provisions of a Constitution but the consequences of any such interpretation leads to an absurdity, the court is permitted and expected to be engaged in what is called interstitial articulation, that is framing whatever rules are required to put things on a secure and rational basis,” he explained. IMAGINARY He emphasised that there is no pending constitutional crisis. “There is no constitutional crisis except in the imaginations of one or another Charlatan, who at the end of the day, is incapable of giving a rational and consistent construction of the Constitution. As far as I am concerned, there

is no crisis,” he said. Contrary to the views expressed by the opposition and its allies, the distinguished Guyanese said government continues to act within the realm of the Constitution. “The administration has so far acted in compliance with the Constitution, if it did not, it would not have gotten support from the international community or from the diplomatic community in Guyana. The countries associated with the Guyana Government today are sticklers for the rule of law and they will not be entertaining any association with any country…. if in their own thinking it would be contrary to the rule of law,” he explained. He emphasised that the court as the interpreter of the Constitution is now in charge and will guide the country on the way forward. According to former Georgetown Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, a constitutional crisis occurred in Guyana in 1997 and surrounded the elections which culminated with the end of the Herdmanston Accord in 2001 and second, the subsequent voiding of those elections on the basis that they were unconstitutional. Another, he said, occurred in 2001 and revolved around the decision of Justice Claudette Singh in the Elections Petition Case of 1997. Justice Singh vitiated those elections, stating among other things that the Voter ID Card legislation at that time was unconstitutional.

Sarah-Ann Lynch is new US Ambassador to Guyana AMBASSADOR Lynch was sworn in at the State Department in Washington DC on March 1, 2019 and Guyana’s Ambassador to the USA, Dr. Riyad Insanally, attended the swearing-in ceremony. According to a release, Ambassador Lynch was sworn in by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, John J. Sullivan,

who, in his remarks, highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between Guyana and the United States. Ambassador Lynch, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has already arrived in Guyana. She brings with her over 25 years of experience with the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International

Development (USAID), having most recently served as acting Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean. Ambassador Lynch replaces Perry Holloway. The former diplomat has since taken up a position with mining firm, Guyana Goldfields Inc.

New U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, stands alongside a U.S. State Department official and Guyana’s Ambassador to the U.S., Dr Riyad Insanally (Guyana Embassy photo)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 10, 2019

Three-month provision directory not mandatory –– Attorney Maxwell Edwards contends By Svetlana Marshall THE three-month provision in the Constitution, which provides for early elections following a vote of No-Confidence against a government, is not mandatory but rather directory, Attorney-at-Law Maxwell Edwards has argued. Edwards, who is among attorneys representing Attorney General Basil Williams, established this position in his submissions to the Court of Appeal in the case, The Attorney General v The Speaker, Opposition Leader and APNU representation, which seeks to overturn the January 31 decision of the High Court. “It is our respectful submission that article 106(7)

can only be interpreted as directory since the government has no control over elections. It has to be read subject to articles 161, 161A; 161B; and 162 (1)(a) which give the Elections Commission exclusive remit with respect to the holding of elections,” Edwards stated in his submissions. According to him, only GECOM can determine when elections can be conducted having regard to its state of readiness. In laying the foundation for his argument, Edwards pointed to the case of Attorney General of Grenada v. The Grenada Bar Association [2000] in which Chief Justice Byron, as he then was, underscored the principle of looking at other

provisions of the Constitution in order to glean what the framers of the Constitution intended. “It is our respectful submission it could not be a proper interpretation that after the expiration of three months, there would be no sitting government and President and by implication, no one to run the state of Guyana. A purposive interpretation must be given to Article 106(7) to read that the President and the government continue in office and resign when a President is sworn in after an election,” he argued. Edwards, who is appearing in association with Solicitor General Nigel Hawke and Attorney Mayo Robertson, emphasised that the court is the guardian of the Constitution and has to interpret the Constitution in a purposive manner to avoid a constitutional crisis.

Sunday, March 10, 2019 5:30 & 7:00hrs

He said, in law, it is important for the Constitution to be interpreted as a whole, and failure to do such could result in error. “Interpreting a section or part of a Constitution in isolation will likely result in the Court not appreciating the impact that its interpretation may have in real life,” Edwards argued. It was pointed out that the Caribbean Court of Justice recently reiterated this rule in McEwan and others v Attorney General of Guyana [2019]. “Law and society are dynamic, not static. A Constitution must be read as a whole. Courts should be astute to avoid hindrances that would deter them from interpreting the Constitution in a manner faithful to its essence and its underlying spirit. If one part of the Constitution appears to run up against an individual fundamental right, then, in interpreting the Constitution as a whole, courts should place a premium on affording the citizen his/her

enjoyment of the fundamental right, unless there is some overriding public interest,” he stated while quoting the CCJ. Edwards said the Constitution is a radically different document that calls for a different and enlightened approach by the Court to its interpretation. BROAD, GENEROUS AND PURPOSIVE APPROACH “The nature of a Constitution requires that a broad, generous and purposive approach be adopted to ensure that its interpretation reflects the deeper inspiration and aspiration of the basic concepts on which the Constitution is founded. Respect must be paid to the language that is used and its context, by considering all relevant provisions bearing on the subject for interpretation as a whole, and to the traditions and usages which have given meaning to that language, in order to effect the objective of the Constitution. In order to do this, the court must have a sober and objective appraisal of the general canvas upon which the details of the constitutional picture are painted,” Edwards said while again quoting Justice Byron in the very case Attorney General of Grenada v The Grenada Bar Association. Edwards submitted that in interpreting sections

106(6) & (7), the learned Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire failed to consider the Constitution as a whole, regarded these articles as part of an ordinary statute, and thereby fell into error. He further submitted that section 20 (1) (b) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, Cap 2:01 requires that the learned trial judge should have ruled in the Appellant favour. “We submit that in its pith and substance, Resolution 101 abridges, subverts, impairs, dilutes or curtails the five (5) years term of office guaranteed by article 70 (3) of the Constitution and to that extent, Resolution 101 is contrary to the prohibitory provisions of section 20 (1) (b) and is void and cannot stand,” he put to the Court. The case, The Attorney General v The Speaker, Opposition Leader and APNU Representatives comes up on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at the Court of Appeal. The Chief Justice had upheld the decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, but the Government, through the Attorney General, is seeking to have it overruled.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, MArch 10, 2019

Region 10 RDC provides strike relief for RUSAL workers THE Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10 has stepped in to assist RUSAL workers who are on strike in Aroaima. According to a release, the matter was voted upon at the March statutory meeting, where all councillors unanimously posited that the workers should receive strike relief since most of those affected by RUSAL’s termination are from communities in Region 10. Donations of rice, sugar, flour, oil, milk, biscuits, peas

and other food-related materials are made available to the workers. Regional Chairman Renis Morian said the RUSAL situation is a sad one and the entire Region 10 feels for the affected workers. He, however, pledged, along with his RDC councillors, to stand firmly behind and weather the storm with them. “I will not allow under my watch, workers who are being taken advantage of and being blatantly disrespected, especially by a foreign com-

pany being allowed to go without our assistance. As the Regional Chairman of Region 10, it is my duty to lend whatever assistance that we can provide, as Linden is not only Region 10 and therefore Kwakwani also forms part of this region and together we will help,” he said, according to the release. Being very vocal at the meeting was Councillor Charles Sampson, who is also a veteran trade unionist. The release said that Sampson described the current set of

RUSAL managers as unfair and seem bent on dismissing anyone who attempts to challenge them with regards to wage and working conditions. He said it is clear that RUSAL has no respect for the labour laws of Guyana and government would have to make a determination as to how long they would allow RUSAL to continue disrespecting and breaking these labour laws. Over the next few days, the RDC will be monitoring

closely the situation. “What I would add is that we, the people of Region 10, have taken too much from RUSAL, as it is not the first time that they fired workers because they had strike, this occurred in 2007 as Councillor Charles Sampson had pointed out and they got away with it, but this time it’s a different story. What we would like government to do is allow us to deal with them because we have simple, straight forward strategies as no company, irrespective of how big or significant that company is, will be allowed any more to come into this region and feel that the peo-

ple of Region 10 can be taken advantage of as the RDC Region 10 will show them what we are capable of doing,” an evidently frustrated regional chairman said. Morian related that the RDC will continue to lend valuable assistance to the workers as they seek to have their issues addressed in an amicable manner. It is now close to one month RUSAL workers have been participating in strike action. They promise to do so until the company engages the entire union.

Five detained in CANU raid

FIVE persons, including a Venezuelan suspected of narcotics smuggling, were detained when Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) agents swooped down on a hotel and bar at the corners of Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown on Saturday. The agents removed a quantity of cannabis from the hotel during the search witnessed by the five men. After the discovery was made, the men were detained and escorted to an-

other location on the West Coast Demerara where one of the suspects resides. While searching that premises, the CANU agents discovered US$40,000 which they suspected might have been from the proceeds of narcotics operations. The Guyana chronicle was told that one of the men reportedly told the agents that he is a businessman and works as a boat operator, mostly in the interior.

The hotel and bar at the corners of Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown where the men were detained with narcotics

CANU has since confiscated the cash and

launched an investigation into the matter.

Teen loses teeth in alleged police brutality RASVILLE resident, Shamar Tanner, 19, is presently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital where he is likely to undergo surgery. The teen claimed on Friday, a group of policemen, while on patrol, ran him through several streets in downtown Georgetown and beat him about the body, including to the face with their firearms. According to the account of the young man, which was substantiated by vendors, the cops observed the man and pursued him and he tried to run away. However, he was cornered on Hick Street and the cops who were armed asked him a few questions before beating him with their firearm. The teen reportedly told his relatives that he was about to light a spiff (marijuana) when the cops on patrol appeared and caught him in the act. The young man reportedly tossed the item away and bolted but the police went after him. Speaking with his aunt at Meadow Bank, East Bank De-

merara on Saturday, the woman said that her nephew has lost approximately five teeth from the beating he received from the cops. He also suffered a fractured jaw and is being fed by straw. Today or Monday, the doctors will access the young man’s condition again and determine if he would require surgery to get back to normalcy. The police said while trying to catch the teen, someone threw a metal object in his di-

rection which struck him in the face causing him some serious injuries. However, the cops could not say if they managed to retrieve the ‘metal object’ they noticed that was thrown at the young man in the dark night. Efforts made to contact Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Commissioner of Police Leslie James and other top security officials on the matter proved futile.

The West Coast Demerara home where the US currency was found

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 10, 2019

Reducing inequalities

IN 2015, the nations of the world, under the auspices of the United Nations, pledged themselves to achieve 17 goals for Sustainable Development which would transform the world by 2030. These 17 goals have now become part of the developmental policies and aspirations of all modern and progressive nations, as well as most of the less developed. The first of these Sustainable Goals is the elimination of poverty. This recognition of the scourge of poverty and the desire to eliminate it has been part of Mankind’s heritage for thousands of years. All ancient religious faiths uncompromisingly taught that the poor must be taken care of, either by charity or by compassion, whereby one fully empathises with the lot of the poor and feels the pain of poverty, and as such is willing to give one’s all. Today, efforts by the State and secular organisations to eliminate poverty are not regarded as charity but as justice. Today, the entire corpus of human knowledge is being brought to bear on this goal of the elimination of poverty, and a detailed analysis of the social, political and economic action which could be taken in achieving this transformation is constantly being worked out, and most world leaders and economists

are confident that extreme poverty worldwide could be ended by 2030. In this quest, the main causes of poverty have been identified, and these include unemployment, social exclusion, a high vulnerability of certain populations to natural disasters and diseases, as well as other phenomena which prevent people from being productive. Having identified the causes of poverty, action could be systematically taken to engage or confront these causes and eventually minimise or eliminate them. The action of religious people, however, to deal with poverty by charity and compassion should never be discounted, since, for thousands of years, they have rendered aid to the poor and those in poverty by offering food, medical help, shelter and protection against harassment by stronger members of society and still do so today. Very often, large segments of society tend to feel that since they are socially and economically comfortable, the plight of the poor does not impinge on them, and that they should not be bothered with other people’s economic woes. Such an attitude is short-sighted and dangerous. The first reason why such an attitude is short-sighted is that it fails to take into account that the well-being of all humans is linked. This idea is

part of the core teaching of religion, and is succinctly described by the 16th Century English metaphysical poet, John Donne, who warned that when one hears the church bells tolling at a funeral, one should not ask “For whom the bells toll, since it tolls for thee since no man is an island”. Donne underlines that all men are connected to each other. The very practical economic and political reason why all should be concerned about the elimination of poverty is that growing inequality is detrimental to economic growth, and undermines social cohesion. This increases social and political tensions which inevitably results in instability and conflict, such as crime and violence in political and other spheres. The practical action which must be taken to address poverty rests on the tripod of Government, the Private Sector and the Education and Scientific community: Government could provide the environment where productive employment could be generated, and jobs are provided for the poor and marginalised. This would include the formulation of fiscal policies which could stimulate pro-poor growth and reduce poverty. The Private Sector is often called “the engine of growth”, and if this idea is fully assimilated by governmental authorities and the public, timely support and help would be

accorded the Private Sector so that it could contribute to poverty reduction. Economic opportunities could be promoted for the poor by focusing on those segments of the economy where the poor are most active, such as micro and small enterprises, and those operating in the informal sector. Some of these are already in place by this government, and initiatives like the small-business financing and economic livelihood programmes in the hinterland have been expanded and given fresh impetus. The Education and Scientific community could increase the awareness of the negative impacts of poverty on life and society. Such awareness would provide a platform on which successful social, economic and political action could operate. Scientific action could lead to the provision of safe drinking water for poorer communities, and the elimination of water-borne diseases. It could also reduce the health risks by promoting improved hygiene and sanitation. So far, we have been dealing with poverty elimination as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The action which has been prescribed, as expected, would be mainly the responsibility of the State, but ordinary folk have also taken traditional action in

dealing with their poverty. In Guyana, after Emancipation and during Indentureship, Guyanese folk had evolved their own ways of addressing poverty, and these half-forgotten ways are worthy of resuscitation. For example, such would include the sensible and economic way they dealt with a necessity such as food. People concentrated on consuming good nutritious locally-produced food which was not expensive. Kitchen gardens were common, and almost every family reared chickens and ducks, which provided them with their fried or curried chicken and eggs. People did not buy junk food, which is both unhealthy and expensive, and they avoided imported, canned or boxed food, since they always used the far less expensive local equivalents. For example, they would use the far less expensive corn flour porridge or conkey or corn-on-the-cob, instead of corn flakes. And the same pattern was employed in the use of clothes, home health care, the celebration of rites of passage and so on. These folk ways of dealing with poverty could well supplement the macro programmes of the Sustainable Development Goal of poverty elimination.

All for your guidance Mr Rohee –– So you won’t be tempted to mislead the nation yet again

Dear Editor,

THE Ministry of Public Telecommunications takes this opportunity to address the hypocritical attempt of former Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Rohee to mislead the nation, and more disingenuously, scare and dissuade citizens from using the government’s Online services. I refer here to the letters to the editor in the Kaieteur News (26th February 2019) and Stabroek News (28th February 2019) which falsely claim that the Government of Guyana has disbanded the National Cybersecurity

Incident Response Team (NCIRT). I wish to inform the general public that the NCIRT continues to execute its mandate under the Cybersecurity Division of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA). This includes issuing cybersecurity advisories, and responding to cybersecurity incidents within the Public Sector. The NCIRT can be contacted on Tel.: (592)231-6860, email: info@cirt. gy and through its website (https://cirt.gy). Further, Mr. Rohee’s claim that the former staffers of NCIRT were “Left jobless… [and] went off to

seek their fortunes where their skills were needed” is a blatant attempt at deceiving the nation and sowing seeds of discord. The truth of the matter is, Mr. Rohee’s “small, but highly qualified team of computer experts, engineers and programmers” comprised: 1 Head, 1 Engineer, and 1 Technician. The Head abandoned NCIRT by tendering her resignation with immediate effect when informed of its merger with the NDMA, while the Technician resigned from NCIRT a mere two months after the merger was effected. The Engineer remains on staff at the NDMA.

Permit me Editor, to enlighten Mr. Rohee and explain to readers the broader framework under which the NCIRT and cybersecurity operate within government. In recognition of the critical role that ICTs shall play in the development of our country, President Granger, in January 2016 established the Ministry of Public Telecommunications. This administration understood that a concerted approach was needed to leapfrog Guyana into the digital age after 23 years of wastage and mismanagement in the ICT sector. The latter is most notably evidenced in the failed over

US$5M Dense Wavelength Division Multiplex (DWDM) Project which involved the laying of fibre optic cable from Lethem to Georgetown, and the US$32M eGovernment network which remained un-utilised and rapidly deteriorating for two years. Thankfully, the eGovernment network was salvaged when this Coalition Government took office in 2015, however, the running of the fibre optic cable to Lethem was so badly conceived and executed that nothing could have been salvaged. The Ministry of Public Telecommunications is responsible for Internet gover-

nance, digital skills, digital promotion, digital entrepreneurship, e-government, posts and telecommunications, and ensuring cyber security. One of our first tasks was the harmonisation and rationalisation of government’s ICT investments and operations. Towards this end, a number of ICT initiatives undertaken by the previous administration were brought under the umbrella of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA). These were: The very NCIRT that Mr. Rohee claims is non-existent; One Laptop per Family TURN TO PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 10, 2019

Why so many non-functioning traffic lights? Dear Editor, FOR some time now, the traffic lights controlling the junction of the Rupert Craig Highway and Sheriff Street has not been working. This remains an extreme-

ly dangerous situation. Motorists travelling north on Sheriff Street and attempting to enter and cross the Rupert Craig Highway do so at the peril of their lives. There are other traffic lights on Sheriff Street that are not working for some

considerable time. For instance, at the crossing of Duncan and Sheriff Streets. There is also a traffic light which controls the crossing at the Railway Embankment Road and Ogle Airport Road, which is left permanently flashing. The

result is that anyone attempting to cross the Railway Embankment Road and the Ogle Airport Road, again, does so at the risk of their life. The Ogle Airport Road is the main road with appreciable traffic to and from the Eugene F. Correia International

All for your guidance ... (rebranded One Laptop per Teacher); and the eGovernment Project Unit. This merger with the NDMA was a deliberate decision on Government’s part to advance its eGovernment agenda. NDMA, created by an Act of Parliament in 1983, is mandated to, inter alia, see to the “establishment and maintenance of reliable communication linkages in the Public Sector in order to achieve optimal utilisation and deployment of computer resources.” In order to help cleanup the mess caused by the previous administration’s mismanagement, my Ministry recruited over 100 professionals including more than 70 ICT engineers and technicians and expended considerable effort and resources to: 1. Salvage and operationalise the eGovernment network. 2. Establish over 170 community ICT Hubs with free Internet access. 3. Provide Internet access to over 300 educational institutions (primary, secondary and tertiary). 4. Provide secure network connectivity and Internet access to over 120 government agencies. 5. Establish the Public Sector’s first IT Leadership Technical Working Group (TWG). Additionally, given our now expansive Online presence as a result of the Coalition Government’s hard work, we anticipated an increased number of threats to our ICT infrastructure. As such, we have taken several steps to mitigate and adequately respond to these threats whenever they occur. 1. Cybersecurity Governance: Establishment of a Cybersecurity technical working group in March

2017 aimed at creating and promoting GoG-relevant cyber security standards, policies, guidelines and best practices to the Ministries, Agencies, and any other relevant governmental bodies. The working group comprises representatives from 12 public sector agencies. 2. Cybersecurity Situational Awareness: Development of Government cybersecurity incident reporting system to provide resilient and secure mechanisms that enable Government Ministries and Agencies to report cybersecurity incidents. With this measure Government can now adequately assess and monitor Guyana’s cyber-threat landscape so that our available resources can be directed to effectively address cybersecurity issues.

3. Improving Government ICT Ecosystem Hygiene a. Continually issue cybersecurity tips and guidelines on NCIRT’s and NDMA’s website and social media platforms. b. Prepare and disseminate cybersecurity brochures in communities across Guyana. c. Implement web filtering policies to provide a safe Online environment for schools and students connected to the eGovernment network. d. Provide notification and guidelines to public sector entities to counter new and emergent cybersecurity threats and attacks. 4. Capacity Building: Leveraging our international and regional partnerships (International Telecommunications Union (ITU), LACNIC, OAS-CICTE, IDB, Governments of India, China, Israel, and the United States) to strengthen Guy-

ana’s Cybersecurity capabilities through multi-tiered training of over 60 persons in areas including: a. Type specific network security training b. Unified Threat Management c. Log Analysis d. Security Awareness e. Security Vulnerability Assessment f. Incident Response and Threat Intelligence g. Network Intrusion & Digital Forensics h. Reducing Cybercrime i. Cybersecurity Strategy & Leadership 5. Network and Cybersecurity Operations Centre: Establishment of our 24/7 cybersecurity and network operations centre to proactively monitor and respond to incidents on our network infrastructure and services. In these instances, the NCIRT team advises and when required, works closely with entities to effect remediation measures. 6. Investment in Cybersecurity Automation and Integration Tools and Services a. Acquired Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM) tools to collect, analyse, and correlate logs from our Unified Threat Management system to provide greater visibility and security alert information. b. Outsourced services to ensure proactive monitoring of Government’s online presence. Editor as you can see all of these investments reflect a comprehensive approach to Government’s cybersecurity management which is a far cry from the three-person team lauded in Mr. Rohee’s letter. It is clear that Mr. Rohee fails, through the insufficiency of the advice

provided to him, to understand the complexity of what is required in a modern cybersecurity architecture. With respect to the attack on GPL’s servers, I will say that in this connected world it is not a case of if one will be attacked, but rather when. In this scenario what matters is the preparedness for and response to such attacks. In closing I wish to

officers at Sheriff Street

Airport. At peak traffic hours in the morning, and in the afternoon, this light should be turned on to full operation. It’s noteworthy that as a result of the repairs being carried out on Sheriff Street, the Police Traffic Department has placed

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and crossing roads in the early morning hours, but only up to 9:00am. Regards Kit Nascimento

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draw a parallel between this and a similar attack which occurred on GWI’s infrastructure in January 2017. The investigations carried out indicated that the perpetrators in the GWI incident may have been assisted by staffers of GWI’s IT department, some of whom have close connections with high ranking members of the

Opposition. In this era of politically motivated cyberattacks nothing can be ruled out. Regards Cathy Hughes Minister of Public Telecommunications

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 10, 2019

A more enlightened approach is needed

Dear Editor,

I AM one that follows what is happening on the international and more importantly the local front. I noticed on Thursday of this week the Ministry of Education announcing that robotics for all primary schools is almost a reality. I thought, Wow! Finally, we have a government and a Minister of Education that is serious about transforming and moving education forward, using Information Communication Technology (ICT). Editor, I said to myself, thank heavens that as a country we are willing to embrace modern technology to drive education. No sooner had those thoughts settled, than I saw

one Mr. Rickford Burke post on his Facebook page” “So, in an election cycle, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Guyana rolls out a Robotics component with a white man as instructor, when we have a Guyanese in the country currently teaching Robotics through STEM GUYANA. Utter foolishness! I support this coalition government and its vision for Guyana. But we need better, qualified, culturally aware people, competent people, visionaries, to implement the vision. This is unacceptable at many levels. Again, I wholeheartedly support this coalition government. But I can't support such nonsense! “Is Minister of Education Nicolette Henry Aware of

this?” Editor, I must admit I did not read the entire article emanating from the MoE regarding the robotics. And so I thought to myself, thank you Mr Usual Suspect for highlighting this. But, through it all, a still voice admonished me to read the article in its entirety and I did. Reading the article was extremely enlightening, and I asked myself the question: Did this individual and his followers read the article? From the outset, let me say this. For this individual to label the man who came here legitimately to potentially offer his services to this country, a ‘White Man’ was reprehensible, distasteful and is tantamount to racism. All right-thinking Guyanese

should speak out against this kind of language. Editor, let me return to the contents of the MoE’s article that seem to have upset so many persons. Firstly, it is clear in that article that the MoE has not rolled out the programme as was stated, so that part of the post is incorrect. It went on to say the man is an instructor for the MoE, from what I have read David Antar is the President of A+ Technologies and Solutions and he wanted to showcase what his company can offer via that demonstration. Nowhere in that article did I see a contract was awarded. In fact, the article was pellucid when it said the MoE is engaging ‘potential’ partners. With regards to the Guyanese teaching robotics through

STEM Guyana, I am sure like David Antar that Guyanese will have that time to showcase what he/she has to offer. I get the impression from the utterances of this individual and his crew that somehow the MoE should not look elsewhere apart from this Guyanese individual and STEM Guyana. That cannot be the approach of any responsible leader to sign off on such an approach. The introduction of Robotics and STEM in primary schools is bigger than one company or individual. I urge the MoE not to be bullied by these individuals and allow the tendering process to determine who is deserving of this contract. The MoE is embarking on a new initiative and therefore should not be

limited to interfacing with one individual or company whether they are Guyanese or otherwise. The Ministry must be allowed to do its work and not have individuals serving as ‘go-betweens’ for persons who have a self-serving interest in that project. Editor, where are we going as a country? How can people who are supposed to be educated behave in such a manner? They have clearly missed the most significant part which is for the first time Guyanese children will have robotics in their classroom. They can only see this ‘White man’ coming to take over the project. Regards Elizabeth Williams

GB&GWU remains resolute in call for arbitration Dear Editor IT is instructive the attempt being made by the government to resolve the impasse between the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI). The Russian management has demanded from the government that the media does not cover the issues and that the unions are not involved. This information was shared by Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally with the Stabroek News (8th March, “Ally signals arbitration for BCGI disputes”). The demand is preposterous, and speaks to the height of RUSAL’s effrontery!

What next! Will Russia want to determine who must be Guyana’s president, opposition leader, the leader of political parties, religious organisations, etc.? Citizens and workers need no more evidence of the contempt being shown for Guyana’s sovereignty by a foreign company hosted under our laws, expected to respect same, and abide by international good corporate practices. Instead, we bear witness to the intensifying of the contempt for the labour laws and constitutional rights of workers (Article 147), to now that of seeking to trample on Article 146 of the Constitution. Article 146 guarantees the right to freedom of expression, the shar-

ing of information and knowledge. This right protects citizens and the media in our day-to-day activities, and it’s utilisation is critical in seeking resolution to conflicts, including that of the present industrial impasse. The Russian management is seeking to prevent us from telling our stories, articulating our reality. This attitude is symptomatic of those not respecting that basic human rights and freedoms are universal and protected. As BCGI management seeks to deny the Government of Guyana and her people, Russia is spreading misinformation on the impasse and about Guyanese, via its Sputnik news agency. This misinformation is being utlised by international

media, such as the USA Bloomberg News, and even reported in at least one of our Online news outlets. Guyanese did not fight for freedom of expression to have it denied to us by those who know or care not for our historical struggles, achievements and development as a people. As this is being written, recall is made of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s February 28 press conference. At that conference, he was derisive of the government for allowing the media access to its meeting with BCGI and the unions, and on the ministry’s visit to Aroaima, a site of BCGI. Jagdeo has to be mindful that, as the Russians seek to deprive Guyanese freedom of expression and the unions the right

to association/solidarity on matters that affect workers across the board, his refusal to condemn BCGI’s growing contempt for the nation’s sovereignty is not perceived as consent. He is well aware silence is also a position. GB&GWU remains resolute in its call on the government to activate arbitration under the Labour Act (98:01) and consistent with the Collective Labour Agreement. Government has to be mindful that it has to show mettle in dealing with RUSAL lest it be accused of being incapable of. Regards Lincoln Lewis General Secretary, GB&GWU

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Zero-sum gamble and early elections

AFTER meeting Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on March 6, President Granger two days later met with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for a brief on its state of readiness to hold regional and general elections within the shortest possible time. On the day of the Government-Opposition talks, the second within a month, Guyana observed the 22nd death anniversary of Cheddi Jagan, the late President of Guyana. LEGAL CONTROVERSIES Though the December 21, 2018 no-confidence vote is still shrouded in legal controversies, the opposition is determined to take the perceived benefit from an event that is tattered with the messy cobwebs of suspected treachery. That benefit was to be new elections by March 21, which the opposition now reluctantly admits is “impracticable and impossible”. For many, not to have an election during Phagwah is itself a triumph of good over evil. The opposition has since decided to kick the new elections can down the next corner on the road, that is; by April 30, knowing that the Elections Commission is not ready to hold any such elections within that tight time-frame. So, at the meeting Wednesday last, the opposition leader insisted that President Granger should disrespect and discard the Elections Commission. He insisted that the President should unilaterally fix a date for elections, and GECOM would be required to toe the line. CREDIBLE ELECTIONS Jagdeo knows that the Constitution entrusts GECOM, not the President, with the power of holding elections, and that a key component of credible elections is a clean list of electors. The present list is padded with phantom names. At the same time, it excludes the names of youths who have now attained the age of 18, and could vote in any upcoming elections. His inexplicable obsession with disenfranchising young people makes his demand for early elections suspicious. Jagdeo does not want a fresh cycle of house-to-house registration of voters. Instead, he insists that GECOM be forced to do a shortened process of revision of the existing voters’ list. He wants the President, as a function of his constitutional responsibility, to dictate to GECOM what form the preparation for elections should take, and within a time-frame imposed by the President. He has conveniently refused to disclose the position he had assumed when, as President in 2006, he declared, in his own words: “The law says that GECOM shall define the form of verification of the list, or may decide on verification and will decide on what form it will take. Not the PPP, not the PNC, not any party – GECOM. That’s a constitutional body, independent, just like the courts”. OPPOSITION COMMISSIONERS At the March 8 meeting with GECOM, a faction of the Commission who described themselves as “opposition commissioners”, repeated the Jagdeo mantra for premature

elections, and even tried to submit a PPP work plan under which elections could be held by April 30. They insisted that GECOM has always held “credible” elections, unmindful that their party has challenged the “credible” results of the 2015 elections, the petition pending for hearing in court. They chose to forget that the opposition had initially boycotted sittings of the National Assembly in protest against alleged “rigged” elections. It must be clearly understood that the constitutional responsibility over the conduct of elections rests with the Elections Commission. The President would announce a date for these elections AFTER he is advised by GECOM, and after Parliament has appropriated adequate funds under a work plan for the administrative conduct of the elections. The usual format is that a date for elections is announced after the dissolution of parliament. It takes into account a timeframe for a qualifying date for electors, and for contesting parties to submit their list of candidates and their symbols, and for the printing of ballot papers. These clearly are unattainable by an April 30 deadline. But the opposition would, if it has to, push the time-frame a month at a time to simulate a crisis. As I noted before, for the Jagdeo-led PPP, early new elections is a final sortie to grab State power for access to anticipated oil wealth. RETURN TO DRAWING BOARD President Granger has noted the difference of opinions on the seven-member bi-partisan GECOM, which comprises three representatives each from the Opposition and the Government, and the independent Chairman. The President has quite properly advised that GECOM should go back to the drawing board and come up with a consensual work plan or programme, within which credible elections could be held in the shortest possible time. In the meantime, the door for dialogue should remain open. For Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who first received the presidency as a gift, the longer it takes to hold elections is a zero-sum gamble in which he sees only himself as winner, and everyone else a loser. The opposition would, therefore, leave no room for compromise. It would turn on the heat to drive the country into a political stalemate, which it would gleefully caricature as a “dictatorship”. It would invite foreign intervention, and court sanctions against Guyana. This hard line will be the rallying cry at today’s ritual at Babu John when the name of Cheddi Jagan would be invoked in support of an unrighteous crusade. Those who have betrayed Jagan’s legacy would take centre-stage. But the Cheddi Jagan with whom I was associated until his death, and in whose party I served for 50 years, would never be complicit in the politics of deception. He would never encourage the rascality of vote buying, crossing the floor and other acts of political immorality of which he has been a victim. He would never celebrate the removal of a lawfully-elected government through complicity, trickery and betrayal and other foul means, and claim premature elections as a victory.

UNHOLY ALLIANCE When Cheddi Jagan’s PPP won a plurality of votes at the 1964 elections, he felt, rightly, that he should have been invited to form the government. But the then opposition parties came together in what was seen as “an unholy alliance” and took the government from him. Cheddi lamented famously that his party was “cheated, not defeated”. Years later, Arthur Schlesinger, the aide to President John F. Kennedy, apologised, saying that “a grave

injustice” was done to Cheddi Jagan. Today, the nation should reflect on the fateful December 21, 2018 “unholy alliance” on the motion of no confidence in the lawfully-elected APNU+AFC Government, and the damage that has inflicted on the goal of national unity. It should also reflect on the legacy of incorruptibility of Cheddi Jagan, both as a guide and a warning against self-serving, zero-sum politics, at the expense of our nation’s well-being.

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Politics is the only art whose artists disown their masterpieces

SUCCESSIVE PPP/C governments have consistently been characterised by the masterpiece of showing complete disregard for the constitution. Today, these political artists have disowned this masterpiece and have transformed themselves into Guardians of the Constitution. He who once abused and trampled the constitution, now screams in anguish for the sake of the supreme law of the land; he who once denied local government elections for 22 years, now wails and weeps in the interest of elections; he who once engaged in the wanton abuse of power, now passionately

laments the case of democracy. The ultimate perfection of political hypocrisy is officially now on display and its nauseating presence is perplexing. The postulation of moral standards to which one’s behaviour does not conform, constitutes the definition of hypocrisy. This is displayed in the political realm, when leaders advocate for issues that they once completely ignored or executed decisions or policies in direct contradiction to those matters. In this unprecedented political climate, political hypocrisy deserves its fair share of analysis. In 1999, President Bharrat Jagdeo was sworn

in as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana against the backdrop of intense street protests against a highly corrupt election that propelled Mrs. Jagan, the PPP/C’s presidential candidate, to the presidency. Two years after his tenure began, the 1997 elections were vitiated and deemed fraudulent by Justice Claudette Singh. Questions arose about the legality of the PPP/C government between 19972001 and if it can continue to rule legitimately beyond the ruling. The Head of State at that time, Bharrat Jagdeo, declared: ‘It is business as usual.’ Fast forward to this day, in the

post-no confidence motion period, this former President is passionately advocating for strict adherence to the letter of the constitution without negotiation or due consideration. Political hypocrisy is revealed when opportunistic leaders seek refuge under moral arguments to achieve narrow political ends. The masterpiece no longer serves the artist’s interest, hence the complete volte-face. In 2006, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, made a passionate plea to all Guyanese via state media reporter, Mr.Cecil Griffith, about the independence of the

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Guyana Elections Commission. He stated: ‘We said to GECOM that the law says GECOM shall define the form of verification….and what form it will take…not the PNC, not the PPP, not any party…GECOM…that is a constitutional body, independent like the courts.’

The above-mentioned begs the question, how could there be a commitment to principles and positions with religious fervour and just in a few years, there is complete apostasy? The answer is laid bare in the caption above.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Understanding Energy

Onshore Development ACCORDING to recent statements from ExxonMobil, the estimated oil reserves in the Stabroek Block are now at least 5.5 billion barrels. The unprecedented series of 12 discoveries has stretched across open ocean more than 100 km offshore. But as Guyana edges closer to first-oil in 2020, signs of this rapid progress are increasingly easy to discern on land. Reports last week indicated that one of the world’s largest oil-and- gas contractors, Italy’s Saipem, will be ramping up work, both offshore and onshore, in preparation for the arrival of the Liza Destiny late in 2019. The Destiny is an FPSO, a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel built for producing oil in deep water. The highly specialised multi-billion-dollar vessel is currently in the late stages of construction in a Singaporean shipyard. To prepare for the Destiny’s arrival, Saipem is rapidly developing its Water Street support facility on the eastern bank of the Demerara River. The facility will support two of Saipem’s own vessels over the next several months. One vessel is a seismic survey ship, which will be used for further exploration activity. The other is a special ship designed to help install the complex deep-water pipe system that will connect the seafloor wells in the Liza development area to the Destiny at the ocean’s surface. This is called a “SURF” system, which stands for Subsea Umbilicals, Risers & Flowlines. It’s an integral part of oil production that connects the FPSO ship with a system of deep-water wells that produces oil and injects water and gas to enhance production volumes. The Saipem ships will require more than 700 crew members, working around the clock—that means that local businesses such as cafes, bars, and hotels are likely to experience “indirect economic benefits” of development. These benefits include the money that workers spend at local Guyanese businesses and

can be substantial enough to support new and existing businesses in the service industry. Saipem, along with other major contractors such as SBM and TechnipFMC, have been expanding their presence and workforce in Guyana. These companies provide a host of services to oil companies all over the world, from surveying the seafloor to drilling wells, staffing vessels, and providing technicians. Saipem told reporters last week that it plans to do a substantial amount of industrial fabrication here in Guyana, which will require local industrial capacity to meet the needs of the oil industry over the long term. Cost is a key factor for these companies; oil development in Guyana is predicted to last for decades, which can make it more cost-effective to invest in manufacturing capabilities here, rather than relying on imported materials and components. This process will help build capacity for more technical maintenance and engineering operations. One of the most promising things announced by Saipem to date is its partnership with the University of Guyana, which will train students to work on the Liza Phase One and Two projects. This is an initial step towards the University of Guyana becoming a hub for oil-and-gas education. Contractors are a major source of job opportunities and will be looking for employees with a broad swath of skill types, from painting and scaffolding to welding and blasting. Safety concerns mean that standards are extremely high in the offshore oil-and-gas industry, which makes training essential for workers looking to grab these kinds of roles. Representatives of Saipem’s welding and fabrication team have reportedly visited Guyana to evaluate the Government Technical Institute’s ability to supply welders and other technical professionals. They also explored opportunities for collaboration in training and capacity-building. All of this is good news

for Guyana’s potential to benefit from the oil industry for decades. While the revenues from Guyana’s share of the project will be a substantial contributor to

the economy, it is important to capture adjacent and indirect economic benefits that can help support local companies. Even more importantly

for the long term, contractors are beginning to promote the development of substantial industrial capacity right here in Guyana; facilitating the

development of training and skills to service that industrial potential will create opportunities for Guyanese far into the future.

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Free testing for glaucoma at GPHC IN observance of World Glaucoma Week 2019, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) will be conducting free glaucoma screening sessions. Persons will be given the opportunity to access the free screening during Glaucoma Week, observed from March 10 to 16. According to the GPHC, for the past eight years, the hospital has been offering an enhanced glaucoma service at its Eye Clinic. The hospital will be having daily glaucoma screening sessions during the week from Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15 from 12:00hrs to 14:00hrs at the GPHC Eye Clinic. The staff ophthalmologists will screen approximately 40 patients per day. Vision testing, eye pressure testing and eye nerve examination will be done. As patients arrive at the clinic, they will be required to register with the clerks and will then be given a slip for the screening process. Registration will be limited to the daily quotas. Eligible individuals for screening include all individuals who are 40 years or older; individuals below 40 years are invited only if you have the following risk factors: persons with relatives diagnosed with glaucoma; and persons already diagnosed with glaucoma. In collaboration with Medi Pharm Inc, the Department of Ophthalmology has also designed a glaucoma poster to spread awareness to the general public. These posters will be distributed countrywide and will encourage patients to have their eyes screened. “In Guyanese patients, open angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. Patients of Afro-Guyanese origin are more prone to develop open angle glaucoma and are more likely to have family members suffering from glaucoma. It has also been found that glaucoma in Afro-Guyanese patients is usually very severe and more difficult to treat,” the GPHC said. There are many ways to treat open angle glaucoma. Over the past years, hospital patients have been exposed to the common methods of treating glaucoma such as medications (eye-drops), laser procedures and glaucoma surgery. According to the main public hospital, a series of activities have been planned to observe World Glaucoma Week, pointing out that many people have glaucoma and they are unaware of it. Invisible glaucoma, the hospital said, acts silently by causing damage to the optic nerve (the eye nerve which allows us to see the world) without the patient having any notable symptoms. “Bit by bit over the years, this damage continues unknown to the patient, until almost the entire nerve is destroyed. This nerve damage (called glaucomatous optic neuropathy) is permanent and cannot be reversed,” said the GPHC. At that time, when the patient begins to start experiencing visual symptoms, they would already have had significant nerve damage. Once glaucoma is diagnosed early, treatment can be started early to prevent persons from becoming blind. Glaucoma can be controlled with treatment so that patients can enjoy comfortable vision throughout their life. The earlier the diagnosis, the less damage done and the more vision there is to save. At the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, the Department of Ophthalmology offers services for diagnosing and treating glaucoma. The hospital offers daily eye clinics on weekdays where patients can be given eye examinations for the detection of glaucoma. Patients, however, need to be referred to the hospital before they can obtain an appointment for any service. These referrals can be obtained from their general physicians. According to Head of Department and Glaucoma Specialist at the Georgetown Public Hospital, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, last year, in observance of World Glaucoma Week, some 238 patients were screened for glaucoma.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Porter crushed by lorry

By Vanessa Braithwaite

AN unidentified porter was killed on Saturday after he jumped off the back of a lorry in proximity to the Kara Kara Toll Station in Linden. The accident occurred around 12:45 hrs on the Kara Kara Public Road, Mackenzie, Linden. The man’s battered body was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor attached to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC). According to a police report, motor lorry GSS 1407, owned by Frank Hugh, was at the time driven by Floyd Rodney, 28, of Lot 121 Ogle Street, Triumph, East Coast Demerara. The lorry with trailer, TMM 2242 attached to it, was proceeding east along the northern side of the said road when

the porter jumped off. The report further noted that the porter jumped on the gas tank, which is situated on the left side front of the lorry, while it was still in motion. He seemed to have lost his grip, causing him to fall between the lorry and trailer, thus he was run over by the trailer. As a result of the collision, the porter received injuries about the body. Eyewitnesses related that they saw the man attempting to jump off the lorry and some suggested that he was jumping off to remove the barricade situated at the toll station, so as to avoid paying the toll. His body was seen spinning in the wheel of the lorry before being flung on the road. When this newspaper visited the scene, most of his

Iconic Indian Arrival Monument completed By Jeune Bailey Van Keric AFTER some hiccups in construction, the iconic Indian Arrival Monument has been completed and is expected to be officially handed over to Guyana by the Government of India. The monument at the T junction, Palmyra Village, Corentyne, Region Six, was built through funding from the Government of India. It is a tribute to the Indian indentured servants who arrived on these shores, then British Guiana, in 1838. The mounted bronze memorial consists of artistic sculpted metal, depicting the lives of Indians in their routine everyday life. Each of the figures carry something of importance - their jahaji bhandal (ship bundle) loaded with food, spices, herbs, clothing, jewellery, their gods, religious texts, drum, karaahi (cooking pan) taawa (flat circular metal for cooking roti), grass knives (scythe), cutlass and rice plants. The figures are presented in a straightforward realism with the human factor ever present. Guyanese sculptors, Philbert Gajadhar and Winslow Craig, designed the statues, which were then sent to India where a world-renowned artist was employed to cast the figures. Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, in a facebook comment, hailed the completion of the Arrival Monument a success and praised the ‘skilled workers for an amazing job’. Public Telecommunication Minister Cathy Hughes was also in awe. “Well done, David. You get things done. For the naysayers, talk is cheap and criticising is easy,” she said. Many were high in praise for the work done on the monument and others suggested a maintenance team be assembled to keep it in top shape. On May 5, 2015, during an Indian Arrival yearly pilgrimage at Plantation Highbury, East Bank Berbice, Indian High Commissioner Venkatachalam Mahalingam, announced the proposed erection of the monument which was greeted by loud applause from those present. He described the sculpted artistry as a fitting tribute to the ancestors who came to the then British Guiana.

bones seemed crushed and blood was gushing from his body as he lay face down. His body has been taken to the Wismar Hospital Mortuary. The driver was tested for alcohol consumption above the legal limit but the result proved negative. He is in police custody assisting with the investigation. This is the third accident in two days in Linden. The other two that occurred on Friday were not fatal.

The body of the unidentified man being taken away by undertakers

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Andyville gets electricity after 20 years By Vanessa Braithwaite

RESIDENTS of Andyville, Wismar, Linden, can now turn off their generators, their lamps and candles, as the community is now connected to the national grid. It was an expression of joy and satisfaction by Andyville residents on Saturday as their community received electricity for the first time. Through determination and optimism, they endured much, to finally see their community lit. The occasion was wit-

nessed by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and top regional officials, including Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira, Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell. In their speeches, the ministers pledged to complete the project since about four more cross streets have not yet received street lights. It was also related that the neighbouring community Prosville is next on the agenda to receive electricity.

The provision of electricity is just the beginning of all the good things that will be made available under this government and the residents were reminded that for them to continue to benefit in this regard, voting for the coalition government at the next elections is a must. Chairman of the Andyville Community Development Council (CDC), Michael Greene, was elated that after three years of pushing for electrification, it is now a dream come through for residents.

He thanked the government for fulfilling its commitment to provide electricity to the community, which had been in darkness for two decades. “I feel pleased to know that my government has come through; they made a commitment and they stood to their commitment. It was challenge fighting for it, but they still come through,� he said. Greene noted that other Linden residents would not understand what it is like, living in darkness for 20 years and now, electricity,

Chairman and Vice-chairman of the Andyville CDC Michael Greene and Monica Harris at the ceremony on Saturday is just a light switch away. The electricity-installation process was conducted by the Linden Electricity Company (LEI), through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. On Saturday however, it was handed over to the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited (LUSCSL), which is the company that manages electricity on the Wismar shore. The Public Infrastructure Ministry had initially appropriated $14M for the electrification project. In a previous meeting, Minister Patterson had promised to work collab-

oratively with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) to see the regularisation process for the community expedited. Andyville has over 300 residents. In 2017, they received three standpipes from the Guyana Water Authority (GWI) after CEO, Dr Van-West Charles visited the community. The absence of electricity in the community took a toll on the residents economically and socially. It also posed a great security threat to the community, since residents were in immense darkness at nights.

One of the main electricity posts in Andyville being switched on as regional officials look on

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Blow to blackouts in Berbice

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

–– GPL commissions US$8.5M power plant at Canefield

THE Guyana Power and Light company (GPL) on Friday dealt a blow to blackouts in Berbice with the commissioning of a US$ 8.5M power plant at Canefield, Berbice, Region Six. The new plant has the capacity to produce 5.5 megawatts of electricity and is part of the Demer-

completed 130,000 running hours. Even with the best maintenance, its reliable operation could not be guaranteed, said Project Manager of the utility, Linden Edwards. The new plant was first tested on September 19 and put in commercial operation on September 24.

become a world-class utility provider. In doing so, the company seeks to focus on service quality, reliability, access, efficiency, affordability of the service being provided and protection of the environment. Speaking of additional plans, the CEO noted that a further 10 to 15

The 5.5-MW generating station at Canefield, East Canje, Region Six

Public Infrastructure Ministers David Patterson and Annette Ferguson, along with GPL CEO Albert Gordon assisted in the cutting of the symbolic ribbon to commission the new plant on Friday ara/ Berbice interconnected system. The old 4.5 megawatts plant which was commissioned over 40 years ago was capable of producing 4.5 megawatts and had

GPL’s Chief Executive Officer Albert Gordon, explained that the investment is in keeping with the company’s mandate to support sustainable development and

The controls within the 5.5-MW power station

megawatts will be added to the Canefield plant within the next two years to cushion any negative effects, should the Sophia generation plant experience a shutdown. “New lines and sub-stations are to be developed in other areas while they are moving towards producing so-

lar and renewable energy within the next two years. Some 30 megawatts from the solar and a further10 megawatts generated from wind is also envisaged. Wakenaam, Bartica and Anna Regina are three areas which will benefit from solar power, Gordon said. Public Infrastruc-

ture Minister David Patterson, who also spoke at the commissioning, noted the importance for requisite studies to be done before commencement of projects, as he recalled challenges faced at the Vreed-en-Hoop station and the submarine cables.

A stepping stone for

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

–– say participants in Women in By Svetlana Marshall WHEN Leisa Gibson participated in the country’s first-ever Women in Business Expo in 2016, it was indeed a leap of faith. She had one product, a 4oz natural hair and scalp conditioner that she exhibited; but as the Founder and Publisher of Leaders in Heels, Kasia Gospos once said “Amazing things hap-

pen when women help other women.” It was not long after showcasing her product at the Women in Business Expo that Gibson started to reap the benefits of participating in the phenomenal venture. It had created a platform for her to promote her business –- Leisa Salon n Beauty Supplies, to network with other businesses and engage investors. And with a special push from

Marissa Jaisingh, owner of Trails and Treasures Décor, Balloons and more, knows how to strike the balance between work and parenthood, and at times, even gets the children to help out

Sonia Noel--the founder of the expo-- family and friends, Gibson watched her business expand rapidly over the past four years. This year when she joined the more than 50 exhibitors at the 2019 Women in Business Expo at the Pegasus Hotel, Gibson marketed not just one product, but more than five – a combination of natural hair and body-care products. “Today, we are featuring our natural hair and scalp conditioner – a natural product that replaces your Vaseline. It has no petroleum,” Gibson told the Pepperpot Magazine, as she held a 4oz container while pointing to the fact that it now comes in four sizes – 2oz, 4oz and 8oz. Added to that, she now manufactures several types of handmade soap. “We have honey and oats, activated charcoal and turmeric, turmeric by itself and activated charcoal by itself,” she detailed. All of her products are approved by the Food and Drugs Department, and with a licence to manufacture in hand, Gibson gets to sell her products at the Guyana Shop. To date, her products attract other customers in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. “Being a part of Women in Business Expo for the past four years has been great for us, we have seen growth and we thank God for Dr. Sonia

Proprietor of Scrubshub, Christine Profitt, enlightening a potential customer about professional uniforms and accessories she offers. She supplies imported Medical Scrubs, Lab Coats, Personal Protective Equipment and Educational Materials and Medical Supplies

Noel and the way she has been using her expertise to promote women in business,” Gibson testified. Debbie Argyle journeyed to the city from Mahaica to participate in the Women in Business Expo for a third time. In her words, she represents a “bunch of women” from the Mahaica Women’s Group who continue to use the expo as a platform to promote their scented candles and craft and reach new markets. Through the group, she and other women, empower other women – many of them single parents and cash crop farmers. “We teach them lifelong skills, and show them how those skills can make a daily living for them and their children,” Argyle explained. Every year since 2016, heir first participation, Argyle and her colleagues from the Mahaica Women’s Group look forward to the Women in Business Expo and the exposure it brings. “We were making the candles, but we weren’t getting the candles to sell. I went to visit Ms. Sonia, we came to the first expo in 2016 and we had a breakthrough. Right now we are supplying the Guyana Shop, and we have steady customers.” The team of women is now eyeing markets in the Caribbean and the U.S.

Proprietor of Harmony Inn, Carolyn Caesar Murray, is a woman with a vision. Every year she returns to Women in Business Expo to network and engage with investors and customers Proprietor of Harmony Inn, Carolyn Caesar Murray was a third-time participant at the expo. She and her husband offer well-furnished comfortable and luxurious rooms at affordable prices at three locations. The Hotel and Guest House Industry is a competitive one, but through the years, Murray has learnt to stay ahead of the game. “We compete in this satu-

rated market, I would say, based on quality and price,” Murray said. According to her, customers get value for their money and benefit from personalized services. “Ninety per cent of our customers are referral and that is testament to the good job that we are doing and the value for money we are offering. We continue to come up with innovative and

Professional psychologist-turned-Chef, Debbie Houston, is living her dream. She provides an array of food services at Glitzy Glamour Cakes, Culinary School and Event Planning

r progress

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

n Business Expo

Leisa Gibson showcasing her naturally-made hair and body products at Women in Business Expo 2019

Diana Dolphin, owner of Enchanted Gardens – Floral Arts, is a stay-at-home mom who has turned her hobby into a business. She specialises in children’s hair accessories creative ways to rise above our challenges,” the entrepreneur said. Pointing to the other exhibitors, Murray said manning a business is not a walk in the park; it is difficult but rewarding at the same time. The expo, she explained, better equip women for success. “It is thorough, why because it is not like you just come and put your stuff here.

There are events leading up to the expo where she (Sonia Noel) teaches you how to use technology to push your business, how to dress for success, how to market your brand, market your businesses so persons coming from different places. Some of these women have been here for the first year and they have had the opportunity to redefine their products,”

Murray explained. For young entrepreneur Diana Dolphin Trotman, the opportunity to network with business women from across Guyana and farther afield was indeed a blessing. “Being a part of this expo has opened my eyes to a lot of different things. Seeing the other women doing things makes me want to step up my game and do much more. The

Meet the outgoing Debbie Argyle. She and the women from Mahaica Women’s Group make scented candles and craft work. Their candles are now sold in the Guyana Shop

Hand-made products by Natasha David. She specialises in fashion design, making dolls out of any material, floral arrangements and hand-made accessories (Photos by Samuel Maughn) feedback and encouragement I got for them were just heartwarming and I am truly encouraged,” the 31-yearold proprietor of Enchanted Gardens – Floral Arts told the Pepperpot Magazine. Trotman specialises in children’s headbands, embroidery purses and home décor. Approximately three years ago, she turned her hobby into a business. Debbie Houston – the owner of Glitzy Glamour Cakes, Culinary School and Event Planning, was also among the exhibitors. The certified-psychologist- turned chef is living her passion. According to her, being the part of the expo was a major push. Houston said while she had a presence on social media, she was not reaching a lot of people, and the expo has opened a window of opportunity to extend her reach. “Actually, since yesterday I introduced the organic whole wheat bread which is strictly, no white flour, honey and molasses, and it started selling even I was setting up. Today, everything sold out,” she reported. The Scrubshub, Trails and Treasures, David Cre-

Miranda Bernard hails from St. Cuthbert’s Mission. A single-parent mother, Bernard uses the skills taught to her by her parents to make an array of straw products ative Designs and Anna Ultra Beauty Salon were among the other more than 50 exhibitors. Women in Business Expo was held on March 2nd and 3rd under the theme,

“Think equal, build smart; innovate for change.” It continues to be an impactful venture for Guyanese women from all walks of life.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Bulkan positively reviews Supenaam Waterfront Project

MINISTER of Communities Ronald Bulkan has lauded the work done so far on the Supenaam Water Development Project, Region Two. During a visit to the region on Friday, the minister, accompanied by Regional Executive Officer (REO) Denis Jaikarran and regional officials, inspected the works completed on the facility thus far. The multi-million dollar project being executed by the Public Infrastructure Ministry

is expected to be completed before year-end. Minister Bulkan, who was happy that the Supenaam Waterfront is being converted to a modern facility, promised to visit the site again before its commissioning. The minister was born in the Supenaam area and in his younger days he worked in the sawmills. He views the project as a transformational one. The river defence component of the project has been completed and vending units are

Work in progress on the Supenaam Waterfront Development Project

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan along with Regional Executive Officer Denis Jaikarran inspecting the Supenaam Waterfront Development Project

still under construction. The project is being executed to the tune of $88M and on completion, will boast a new passenger waiting area, paved parking areas, organised vending spaces with standardised shops, paved waterfront promenade with rails, shaded public seating and lighting. The project was considered by the Ministry of Communities after it recognised the importance of the Supenaam terminal to Guyana’s river transport link. Senior engineer from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure/Sea and River Defence Department, Jermaine Braithwaite, had noted the major elements of the project.

These include rehabilitation to the existing main road at Supenaam waterfront; construction of a new anchored steel sheet pile revetment (75m) and rehabilitation to existing SSP revetment; paved waterfront promenade with rails; shaded public seating with decorative lighting; construction of new passenger waiting/boating landing structure designed for mooring of multiple boats; organised vending spaces with standardised shops and seating provisions to be managed through RDC/ NDC; seating and sanitary facilities; improvements to amenities and facilities for waiting passengers; and parking spaces.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Building human-resource capacity –– University of Bedfordshire helping to close national human resource gaps

By Tajeram Mohabir CAPITALISING on Guyana’s thrust to develop its human resources, the University of Bedfordshire, UK, has introduced a number of graduate programmes geared at building local expertise, particularly in the area of business. These programmes include general Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), MBA (Marketing), MBA (Human Resource Management), MBA (Oil and Gas) and a Master’s in Education Leadership. They are being offered through Nations University, New Market Street, Georgetown. The MBA programmes were introduced in late 2017, and to date, some

and for the Armed Forces in the Labour Government. Rammell told the Guyana Chronicle that UoB seeks to deliver the best possible experience for international students. The aim, he said, is to transform lives, promote employability and engage in world-leading research. The University of Bedfordshire, which has campuses at Luton, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, boasts a proud heritage of delivering top-quality education, dating back to more than a century ago. It has a student population of some 20,000 from over 120 countries with education partners in China, the Middle East, Europe and South-East

UoB Vice-Chancellor Bill Rammell and Professor Helen Bailey on their recent visit to Guyana 137 students have been registered in the various degree programmes. Since the introduction, more than 25 students have successfully completed their studies and are eagerly waiting to graduate from the top UK university. Also, recently, ‘Nations’ has introduced a University of Bedfordshire (UoB) topup degree programme in Business Administration and is in discussion with the British school to introduce programmes at the doctoral level. UoB Vice-chancellor Bill Rammell, who was accompanied by Professor Helen Bailey, Executive Dean of Academic Partnership on a recent visit to Guyana, lauded the fledgling partnership with ‘Nations.’ He pointed out that one of the goals of the UoB is to widen access to higher education throughout the world. Rammell is a former British Member of Parliament (MP), who also served as Minister for Further and Higher Education and Minister in the Foreign Office

Asia. QUEEN’S PRIZE In 2013, UoB won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, the highest form of national recognition for universities in the UK, in recognition of its pioneering research. According to the university’s website, its research subjects range from organ donation to cyberstalking to smart city development to Parkinson’s disease and much more. Professor Bailey told the Guyana Chronicle that apart from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago also offers graduate programmes from the UoB and soon, St Lucia, another Caribbean country, would be following suit. She said the British university wants to have a deeper understanding of the people and culture of the Caribbean, as it is hoping to have a noticeable presence in this part of the world. Expansion of reach and deepening of cultural understanding of nations are an integral part of the UoB’s developmental agen-

da, which includes providing learners a quality international education in a multi-cultural learning environment. ‘Nations’ has also been in expansion drive. Currently, the western section of the school is being extended to accommodate 26 more classrooms. This aside, in recent

years, the school has partnered with top educational institutions to offer new programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Programmes offered at the top private school include MBAs, LLB, LLM, MA Education, BA (top up) Business Administration and a number of advanced

diplomas and certificates from various awarding bodies, including the University of London, the University of Cambridge, ACCA, the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Association of Business Executives (ABE). The UoB programmes offered through ‘Nations’ are available at very com-

petitive rates compared to universities in the U.S., UK and Europe. “Nowhere in the world can you study for an internationally recognised and accredited MBA for less than US$8, 000,” ‘Nations’ principal, Dr Brian O’ Toole had told the Guyana Chronicle in a recent interview.

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Seventh-day Adventists begin Ingathering today –– giving all aspects of humanitarian assistance to communities across Guyana By M Margaret Burke

FOR well over 50 years, the Seventh-day Adventist(SDA) church throughout the world has been meeting annually to execute its Ingathering services in the form of humanitarian assistance. Guyana is no exception and starting this Sunday, members of the church here will begin to get busy visiting and meeting with persons within the various communities to assist in whatever ways possible. The programme usually lasts for six

weeks. Community Services Director of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Guyana, Pastor Jumoul Sancho, who is also in charge of coordinating and mobilising the membership for the harvest ingathering, said that the programme is an outreach ministry with a difference. “It is the only outreach ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist church that engages the majority of the membership throughout the length and breadth of Guyana for such an extended period of time. For each of the 10 ad-

ministrative regions -- mainly on Sundays -- the members would usually go out to visit and pray for people in our community; we showcase the humanitarian work of the church; we leave Christian literature; we also find members of our own church that are not active, encourage bible study and much more,” he told the Guyana Chronicle. He stated that it is the only time of the year when the church gives the public an opportunity to contribute to humanitarian work – mainly financially.

In times past people gave food supplies, which still happens to an extent, because of the amount of food hampers that are given out by the church. THE URGE TO SERVE He explained that during the visits, members identify the situations, record them and then refer them to some of the professionals in the church, noting that all year round the church has various ministries and qualified persons who attend to the many

needs. “For example, people who may be facing mental issues; those who are suicidal; persons who are stricken by poverty; individuals who have marital situations and many more,” he mentioned. Pastor Sancho noted that all of these things are done continuously; however, during this time the members do not directly confront the issues in terms of treating them on the spot. One of the reasons, he said, is that the church has a wide cross-section of people going out into the communities and may not have the relevant professional skills at hand to deal with a given situation at the time. Therefore, instead of attempting to deal with a situation and aggravating it, the better thing is always to refer the matter to suitable individuals or offices within the church, who could adequately deal with it, he explained. He added that in the case of what may appear to be urgent matters, contact can always be made with the relevant competent authority in order to ensure that help is given where needed. RELEVANCE OF PROGRAMME “We have approximately 165 organised churches, but in total there are about 220 congregations distributed across the 10 administrative regions of Guyana. With each congregation being assigned a territory with the knowledge of the people living in their community, it is therefore much more organised when they go out to visit; they are able to pray, counsel, identify and record needs, distribute literature, and allow for personal opportunity for people to be able to contribute to the work that we do all year,” he explained. Pastor Sancho mentioned the programme that was done for last year and said that as a result of the contributions from the 2018 ingathering programme, the church was able to distribute over 7,000 food hampers; operate two lifeskill centres, thereby equipping community residents with vocational skills and at the same time giving school supplies to over 200 students; offer financial assistance to college and university students and also to persons in need of medical assistance; build and renovate nine homes for seniors and needy persons; and give disaster relief within communities, along with many more services to communities. The church, he said, believes that health is the right arm of its message, so there is a lot of screening and

Pastor Jumoul Sancho blood drives through the mobile unit of the church and the doctors and nurses of the church are mobilised to assist. Thus, free health screening and medical supplies at health fairs are regularly offered, since this is a major emphasis of the SDA church, he stated. He added that the church has “a strong emphasis on education,” within the communities that are visited, as well as for members of the church. He stressed that education is viewed by the SDA church as “another major aspect of the church” in assisting schools, universities; scholarship programmes; vocational training and in other forms. ENSURING CREDIBILITY Pastor Sancho stated that in order for members of the church to be able to go out into the communities to do the in-gathering campaign, an order is usually secured from the police for the six-week period. Therefore, members from the various communities can expect visits to their homes and communities only by who possess the relevant ‘official authorisation.’ A card that has a signature of the leader of the Caribbean Union level, as well as the pastor of the local congregation; wearing of a global youth day tee shirt or the SDA magazines, are all features that will help to identify members of the church, he said. “I must state that our church is a community-oriented church and this can be proven very easily. We do a lot of things for the community without charging for the services – weddings, funerals, prayers of any sort, recommendations, certify documents and many more – because we understand that the church exists to benefit the community.” He went on to explain that while the philosophy of the church is always to give to the community, they are also very willing to offer their services free of charge to people within the communities. Finally, he explained that the activities of the day will commence on Sunday; they pray and may have breakfast together, after which the members will begin their interactions with people within communities.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 10, 2019

Gender unity key to ‘Balance for Better’ ––Valerie Patterson-Yearwood By Naomi Marshall MINISTER within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood has called on both genders (male and female) to work together to create a Balance for Better. She made the appeal at an event to celebrate International Women’s Day hosted by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Linden branch on Friday. During the event, female employees were rewarded for their hard work. The minister also urged stakeholders to get rid of barriers and work together. “Today, I want to call upon all of us, that if we are going to have balance it will take each and every one of us, not only the women, not only the men but all of us to be involved in this process. We are better together,” she said. GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard VanWest Charles, said society has to embrace the approach of equality in order deal with the issue of domestic violence. He highlighted that GWI has embarked on an initiative with the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Communities, Finance, Education and Public Health, to correct the imbalance occurring in villages of Minister within the Minis- Region Nine. try of Communities with “We have seen the responsibility for Housing, difficulties of our young Valerie Patterson-Yearwood sisters, our older sisters, as they seek out water; as they embrace the impacts of climate change and that makes life a new reality for them. Many of these communities have wells which have begun to experience their own imbalance but it’s good to know that with the new technology, that we are now able to indicate with a good degree of certainty at what depth, what can be done,” West-Charles said. He added that the country must go forward with confidence in order to achieve balance. “Onward for a better balance. We can. We must and we will,” he said. Region 10 Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Maylene Stephens, congratulated GWI for hosting the event, pointing out that it gave the women of the company the recognition they deserved. He also noted the number of women in Guyana’s workforce. “At least 70 per cent of the workforce of the Regional Democratic Council comprises women and we have the 33 per cent participation in Parliament. This is the signal that our fledgling democracy is moving in the right direction and paying heed to the motion that our women are making their mark in the world of development,” the regional official added. The women were encouraged by Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, to pass their knowledge of equality on to the younger generation of girls so that they may not be subdued. “Women you are strong and no one is to tell you less. But let us teach our girls. Let us share with them, and of course it is not so that we could subdue men, but it is more so that we would not be subdued.” She called on the women to use their powers to make society a better place. “We are stronger than they thought. Our voices are the ones that will teach the changing world and so let us not pass up on the opportunity at this time, when the soil is right for us to expand, to excel and to create change. Let us use the powers that have been given to us to transform our town, our homes, our communities and in the end, we will transform the world,” she said.

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Jaguars beat ... Both overnight batsmen began on a positive note with Johnson cutting off-spinner Bryan Charles for three boundaries through backward point to eventually

FROM BACK PAGE reach his fourth fifty of the season, off just 77 balls, counting 11 fours. AT the other end, Chanderpaul, known for his usual endurance style got into the act, hitting Charles for an elegant straight boundary. The pair continued untroubled with the 31-year-old Johnson helping himself with a few more stylish boundaries, while 22-year-old Chanderpaul decided to play the supporting role. The visitors were forced to toil through most of the first session for just two wickets. Johnson, after facing 125 balls in just little over two hours at the crease, was leg-before to Charles while Christopher Barnwell was out, playing a careless shot off leg-spinner Imran Khan for 12 before Bramble sealed the win with a six. Scores in the match: T&T Red Force 120 and 206; Guyana Jaguars 165 and 163-4. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Romario Shepherd who had match figures of 8-124 was named man-of-the-match. He eventually ended the

Scoreboard RED FORCE 1st innings 120 JAGUARS 1st innings 165 RED FORCE 2nd innings 206 JAGUARS 2nd innings (target: 162 runs) (overnight 69 for two) T. Chanderpaul not out 43 C. Hemraj b Anderson 0 V. Singh c Pierre b St Clair 5 L. Johnson lbw b Charles 76 C. Barnwell c Phillip b Khan 12 A. Bramble not out 20 Extras: (b-1, lb-3, nb-3) 7 Total: (for four wickets; 53.4 overs) 163 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-12, 3-123, 4-136. Bowling: Phillip 12-3-21-1, St Clair 5-1-21-1, Smith 4-1-13-0, Charles 20.4-8-51-1, Khan 5-023-1, Webster 7-0-30-0.

tournament as the leading fast bowler with 37 wickets. After the match Johnson said, “It is good to win the game. The bowlers came out yesterday (Friday) and did well … statistically, we probably have won the title. The most points from my knowledge gained in a regional game is 21.6, which we achieved a couple years ago … so barring a miracle we basically would have won the title.”

Anthony rides away with Diamond Mineral Water title By Michelangelo Jacobus MICHAEL Anthony rode away with the feature 35lap Schoolboys & Invitational race of the 14th annual Diamond Mineral Water 11-race cycling meet yesterday, at the inner circuit of the National Park. Riding in brilliant sunshine and breezy conditions, Anthony gauged his race well to power down the homestretch and cross the finish line in one hour 18 minutes 48.89 seconds ahead of youngster Briton John. With over 20 starters, Anthony was part of an early breakaway and maintained his place at the head of the pack throughout the race and he finished with a bang to claim the title. John performed creditably for his second-place finish while Romello Crawford placed third with Junior Niles, Christopher Griffith and Andre Greene filling out the fourth, fifth and sixth spots in that exact order. Of the eight sprint prizes up on offer, Deeraj Garbarran nabbed three while Anthony copped two with Niles, John and Griffith claiming one apiece. Earlier in the Juveniles race, Sherwin Sampson came out on top with Shem-

aul Younge and Mark Lewis placing second and third respectively. Ian Jackson claimed first place in the Veterans Over50 race ahead of Kennard Lovell and Linden Blackman who finished second and third in that order. In the Veterans Under-50 race, Niles rode away with top honours while Jaikarran Sukhai and Nigel London had to settle for second and third respectively. The cyclists will now head to Berbice today for the second leg of the Cheddi Jagan Memorial 3-stage road race. The Georgetown-based cyclists will assemble in front of Freedom House, Robb Street at 05:00hrs for transportation to the starting-line at Freedom House in New Amsterdam. The cyclists will head to Number 55 Village and return to finish at Port Mourant. Alonzo Ambrose is the reigning champion in the senior category, stopping the clock in a time of two hours 11 minutes five seconds, while Junior Niles is the leader of the Veterans Under-50 division. Briton John is the current junior champion with Shanika Teixeira the female champion.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 10, 2019

Upgrade ARCCG into a first class facility, says Elroy Stephney

ARCCG main pavilion

Elroy Stephney THE Anna Regina Community Centre ground (ARCCG) is positioned in the heart of the township of Anna Regina and it is being managed by the Anna Regina Town Council. This gem remains the premier facility in Region Two for sporting and other recreational activities. Over the years, though, ARCCG has deteriorated. The main pavilion is in need of renovation or should be replaced woth a modern structure. There is a Centre which is not being utilised meaningfully even though it was once earmarked to cater for a canteen and sports bar. The unused building actually can be transformed into the players’ dressing-room with seating accommodation also for guests. A section of it can also facilitate training whenever there are unfavourable weather conditions. There is also the concrete basketball court which actually has been abandoned given its hazardous state. Lawn tennis and tapeball cricket were also practised there; but the surface is now

full of cracks and littered with debris. A scoreboard and a commentator’s booth were built, but they were seldom used and are now non-operational. While the ground has frequently hosted cultural and social events; providing a permanent stage on the ground has contributed to its gradual deterioration. It is within the parameters of the field and poses a threat to players. While there has been a conscious effort by the Council to ensure that the actual area remains playable, oftentimes footballers in particular can be seen trampling on the ground whether it’s the rainy season or it is water-logged. This has led to the pitch being damaged and in other cases an uneven field. Animals also intrude when there is no supervision Previously there was a grounds-man whose responsibility, among other duties, was to ensure the preservation of the facility and its security. It is a task that seems to no longer have merit. Incidentally, I have had tremendous memorable moments playing at ARCCG whether

it was cricket or football or being a spectator to quite a number of intriguing sporting events. Therefore, I am convinced that it can be transformed into a first-class facility with the thoughtful input of the relevant stakeholders including the government. While it remains an economic source of income for the Council through rental, I am hopeful that a management committee can be established to begin the process of consultation. ARCCG has the capacity and marketability to earn millions once there is an investment to upgrade its standards. Let the consultations begin so that a workable design can be conceptualised. Approach for funding can be derived from central government of even international donors or public and private partnerships. There has been a massive drive towards enhancement of sporting facilities in other parts of the country including the establishment of synthetic tracks in Linden and Berbice. Why not a similar approach for Essequibo? ARCCG is Region Two’s national symbol since the population gathers together in mass celebration whether it is an inter-county cricket match, a GFF league football game, national athletics or even chutney and soca singing that recently captivated the audience there. It must dawn upon the authorities that ARGGC should become a firstclass treasure which would

Australia's Smith, Warner will return stronger from bans - Warne

(REUTERS) - Australian batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner will come back stronger than ever from their 12-month bans and the latter will be the best player at the World Cup this year, former leg-spinner Shane Warne has said. Smith and Warner were banned by Cricket Australia (CA) for 12 months in March last year for their roles in the ball-tampering scandal in a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. Their bans end on March 28 and both players will be reintegrated into the national team after their participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in March and April.

“I think what you are going to see is a pretty quiet David Warner and Steve Smith. They are just going to try and let their bat do the talking and toe the line,” Warne told The Telegraph in an interview. “I think they will come back better than they were. They’re going to come out and destroy attacks and I back David Warner to be the player of the World Cup. “Warner overstepped the line a lot in his early career. He then changed into a more placid player but was then told by CA to be the enforcer and was doing what he was told.” Warne expects the duo to return with renewed vigour, like he did after his 12-month

ban for failing a drugs test in 2003. Warne was suspended for taking a banned diuretic and missed Australia’s World Cup-winning campaign as a result. “All I can go on is experience having a year off myself. The next four years were the best I ever had,” Warne, who took 708 wickets for Australia in 145 Test matches, added. “I was hungry for the game. My body and mind were fresh and it is amazing how excited you are to play again. “You get excited just going to the nets again because you had taken it for granted in the past.

inherently enhance our sporting and other capabilities, attract tourism, preserve our identity and promote the dynamic nature inro which the Region is being systematically developed.

ARCCG Centre

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Test cricket is still the preferred format for fans: MCC DESPITE the rising popularity of limited-over formats and the rise in viewership of Twenty20 Leagues, Test cricket still remains the preferred format for the fans, the MCC World Cricket Committee announced yesterday. MCC conducted a survey in more than 100 countries and found that over 86 per cent of fans placed Test cricket ahead of one-day or T20 cricket. The committee, after its annual meeting in Bengaluru, announced that more than 13 000 fans were contacted in the survey with the majority of them from England, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. One of the key factors resulting in the rise of popularity was the away-series wins by teams in the last year. New Zealand’s win against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, England’s win in Sri Lanka, India’s win in Australia and the Sri Lankan whitewash on South African soil have made for gripping viewing. “What we want to make sure is that Test cricket is a priority for every single country. I was staggered by the statistics - which is great that there is interest in there. I like that because I thought it wasn’t that popular,” Shane Warne, who was attending his first meeting after being elected last year, told Cricbuzz. “It’s now how we get the people to attend the games. It’s about how can we better the in-stadium experiences, the pricing of the tickets, how can we get the families involved - all those sorts of things. For India, maybe try Day-Night Tests here. In actual fact, the state of Test cricket is very healthy. There are a lot of people watching and the TV rights are going for a lot. There’s so much interest in Test cricket

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One of the key factors resulting in the rise of Test cricket is the away series win by teams in recent times. (Getty Images)

that it warms the heart.” Kumar Sangakkara felt the onus is now on the administrators to make use of the rising popularity and solidify the future of the format. “With superstars like Virat Kohli leading India to a first-ever Test series win in Australia and winning three ICC awards, including 2018 Cricketer-of-the-Year, there’s a real opportunity and responsibility - for us all to cement the future of our superb longer form,” he said. “And great Test series like the Windies’ win over England and Sri Lanka’s win in South Africa show there’s huge competition amongst the top countries at the moment and it makes for exciting competition. It is brilliant news fans are backing the great cricket being played the world over.” Mike Gatting, chairman of the committee, went on to praise the efforts of Kohli and Faf du Plessis in making Tests popular. “Having the support of stars such as Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis will encourage a whole new generation to follow Test cricket. Virat has expressed his commitment to maintaining the position of Test cricket at the top of the sport, while off the back of South Africa’s one-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka Faf insisted such matches demonstrate Test cricket is still the number one format,”

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he stressed. “When you have high-profile leaders like Virat and Faf being part of hugely exciting series, it shows what Test cricket can be. It is easy to see why the format is viewed as the pinnacle of our sport and we want to see it future-proofed and that could include looking at more day/ night Tests, which we can see there is a big demand for, especially in Asia.” The committee has also put forward the recommendation for the use of one brand of ball across the globe in the ICC World Test Championship. While the Dukes ball is the preferred one in England and in the Caribbean, a lot of countries - including Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - prefer using the Kookaburra ball while the SG ball is used in India. Kohli, during India’s Test series in England, had suggested the Dukes ball was most suitable for the longest format. “The Dukes ball, I think, is the most suited ball for Test cricket. If there’s a situation I would vouch for that to be used all over the world because of the consistency of the ball and how the bowlers are in the game at any stage ... even the spinners, because the seam is so hard and upright,” he had said. “What we discussed was now that we have the ICC

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Test Championship, it should be fair for everyone. Let’s get all the balls - the Dukes, the Kookaburra, the SG ball - and work out what the best ball is. Our recommendation is that the same ball should be used in all the Test Championship matches starting with the Ashes later this year. Whatever ball that is,” Warne revealed. The members of the committee also threw their support behind the inclusion of women’s cricket - in the T20 format - in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. Suzie Bates, the former New Zealand captain, felt the move will bring in new fans and more opportunities for the players. “Multi-sport events like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics attract and inspire a different audience, so it’s an enormous opportunity for women’s cricket to win new fans, as well as being a chance for the Commonwealth Games to build on one of their core values - equality - and create more opportunities for female athletes,” she pointed out. “Having Women’s T20 at Birmingham 2022 would be a game-changer.” The last time cricket was played in the Commonwealth Games was in 1998 and the final decision of its inclusion is expected by September this year by the Commonwealth Games Federation. “It’s a hugely exciting time for women’s cricket after two great World Cups in two years and it’s up to the cricket world and Commonwealth Games Federation to build on that momentum and bring cricket into multi-sport games,” Warne said. “What’s more, including women’s T20 in the Commonwealth Games will demonstrate that the sport of cricket is inclusive, dynamic and with plenty of opportunities for growth.” (Cricbuzz)

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Gonsalves backs Skerritt, Shallow as `very good candidates’ for CWI leadership BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,(CMC) – Outspoken St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, has labelled Ricky Skerritt and Dr Kishore Shallow as “two very good candidates”, in reaction to news the duo will be contesting the top posts in Cricket West Indies (CWI) presidential elections later this month. Skerritt, a former Cabinet minister in St Kitts, will be seeking to topple incumbent CWI president Dave Cameron while Shallow, the president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association, will be up against Emmanuel Nathan for the vice-presidency. Gonsalves, the chairman of the CARICOM subcommittee on cricket, said Skerritt and Shallow were “modern Caribbean personalities steeped within our Caribbean civilisation”, and possessed the ideas to take West Indies cricket forward. “Well, (neither) I nor the people of the region have a vote. It’s an indirect election of a kind which ought to change. Even the people in cricket are saying this,” Gonsalves told CMC Sports. We are seeing two very good candidates in Mr Ricky Skerritt and Dr Kishore Shallow. Both of them are much steeped in cricket historically, they are concerned about the finances in cricket, cricket development, have a very good approach to people, engaging, listen and want to be on good terms with all the governments and fans.” He continued: “They have very progressive ideas on how West Indies cricket should move forward in the plan they have put out. These are serious people – modern Caribbean personalities, steeped within our Caribbean civilisation.” Skerritt and Shallow have advanced a 10-point Cricket First Plan which among other objectives, places renewed focus on cricket at the grassroots level, the modernisation of coaching education and enhancement of the current franchise system. They have also signalled their intention to improve transparency in CWI and rectify relations with players and regional fans. The duo have already gained support from the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and the

Ricky Skerritt

Leeward Islands Cricket Association, with 12 votes up for grabs at the March 24 elections in Jamaica. Each board has two votes. Gonsalves has been one of three Caribbean prime ministers, along with Grenada’s Dr Keith Mitchell and Trinidad and Tobago’s Dr. Keith Rowley, who have been critical of Cameron during his controversial tenure. Ahead of his bid for a second term back in 2015, Gonsalves slammed the Jamaican’s leadership of CWI as “extremely poor” and suggested he step down. However, Cameron went on to defeat legendary former West Indies fast bowler, Joel Garner, before securing a third straight term in 2017 when he was re-elected unopposed. The three prime ministers have called for specific governance change in West Indies cricket administration, in keeping with a CARICOM-commissioned Governance Review Report, which proposed a radical overhaul of the board structure. Their current push is to replicate the successful legal argument and case in India involving the Lodha Commission versus the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI), as to why sports organisations cannot be considered private bodies while conducting a public function. CWI is currently a private organisation registered in the British Virgin Islands and the Cameron-led body has consistently pushed back against government involvement in its affairs.

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Bartica Cycling Challenge

Trophy Stall on board inaugural event set for March 16 TROPHY Stall has continued to demonstrate its corporate and social responsibility in a tangible way and has agreed to be on board the inaugural Bartica Cycling Challenge, the first road race to be held there on Saturday March 16. On Friday at the entity’s Bourda Market location, manager Ramesh Sunich handed over the three trophies he had agreed to sponsor to Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, in the presence of Assistant Racing Secretary of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Joseph Britton. T h e o v e r a l l w i n n e r,

along with the top Female and Juvenile will ride away with the trophies. Mayor Marshall, passionate about the advancement of athletes across the sports spectrum in Bartica, expressed gratitude to Sunich for his partnership for the event which is being sponsored by the Bartica Town Council. “We are very pleased with your contribution to this event which, as you know, would be the first such race in Bartica. We are pulling out all the stops to ensure that the cyclists have a memorable time and fans are thrilled with the performances that we are told would be fan-

tastic.” Mayor Marshall also expressed appreciation to Guyana Cycling Federation for approaching them to bring off the day of racing which would, apart from the top riders from the nation competing, will feature persons from the town also having an opportunity to showcase their talent. Sunich said that he had no hesitation in being a partner for this historical event which will see the cream of the nation’s cyclists from Berbice, Linden and the City match pedals there for the first time. “Like the cyclists who

Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall (right) receives the main trophy from Trophy Stall manager Ramesh Sunich. GCF’s Joseph Britton (left) displays the trophies for Females and Juveniles.

will be the main focus, we at Trophy Stall also want to be a part of this historical event. We have always been supportive of athletes in every sport and therefore we had no hesitation in coming on board.” Britton, on behalf of the GCF, expressed thanks to

U.S. women’s fight for fairness puts World Cup in focus

By Philip O’Connor

(REUTERS) - While some sporting brands used International Women’s Day to launch their Women’s World Cup team kits, lawyers who represent the world-champion U.S. team were on their way to a California courthouse to file a landmark lawsuit that would rock the sport. Instructed by the 28 members of the women’s national team, they filed a suit accusing U.S. Soccer Federation of gender discrimination, alleging that it pays them less than their male counterparts. “As players, we deserved to be paid equally for our work, regardless of our gender,” star striker Alex Morgan said in a statement, but as she is well aware, deserving such treatment and actually getting it are two very different things. Female players in other countries have endured often humiliating public squabbles before, and the American lawsuit marks a new front in the battle for equality with the World Cup in France less than three months away. “They sacrifice their whole lives to play for their country, they’re together and play more games than the men’s team and they’ve been more successful,” Ireland striker Stephanie Roche told Reuters. “They are more like a club team in some ways, they play that many games. I think they have proved that they are equal, they have brought success and therefore have every right to demand equality,” she added. Roche, who scored a spectacular goal that was nominated for FIFA’s Puskas award in 2014 and ultimately came second to James Rodriguez, was part of the Irish team that revealed how female players were forced to change in toilets as they sought to resolve a dispute with the Football Association of Ireland. Such disputes are not new - Denmark’s dream of making it to the World Cup effectively died when they

Team United States pose for a photo before a game against Brazil in a She Believes Cup women’s soccer match, at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL, USA (Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports)

boycotted a 2017 game against Sweden during a dispute with their football association. That decision led to a points-deduction which cost them the chance of winning their qualifying group, and they lost a playoff to the Netherlands. BAD TIMING The timing of the American suit could have been better for world governing body FIFA, which launched the poster it will use to publicise the 24-nation tournament on the same day. The Zurich-based organisation also announced that it will hold its first Global Women’s Football Convention in Paris ahead of the World Cup which begins on June 7, but all this was overshadowed by the breaking news from the American camp. Winners of four Olympic gold medals and three of the seven World Cups that have been held to date, U.S. women’s team are ranked first in the world and have never been lower than second, while the American men are currently 25th. Their squad boasts some of the biggest and most marketable names

in the game such as Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd, and Ireland’s Roche, who plays for C.F. Florentina in Italy, says that she expects the Americans to remain steadfast. “It’s not something any team wants to have to deal with before a World Cup, but when a team is united by stuff like this I believe it can bring them together more off the pitch, and they can then bring that onto the pitch,” she explained. “Their players are all pros, so I’ve no doubt they will prepare well and be ready and focussed for the World Cup, hopefully with the backing of their federation.” Equality has long been an issue simmering in the women’s game, and it isn’t going to go away. Accepting the Diamond Ball for Sweden’s best female player in 2018 at a gala awards dinner, defender Nilla Fischer issued a clarion call to men to get behind the women’s game. “It’s time to get in the game because equality is something that benefits us all, but it’s something we have to do together,” Fischer said.

Mayor Marshall, Bartica Town Council and Mr Sunich for their collective efforts which would no doubt be appreciated by the cyclists. To date, well over 50 riders have stated they would be travelling to the Town of Bartica for next Saturday’s event. Over $400 000 in

cash prizes would be up for grabs in the senior, junior, juvenile, female and masters categories. Races for BMX riders in the 6-9 years, 9-12 years and open races for residents would also form part of the day’s activities.

David half-century highlights first day of UG vs Transport 2nd Division clash IN their Noble House Seafoods/Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) 2nd Division 2-day encounter, Transport Sports Club was leading UG (University of Guyana) by 28 runs at the end of the first day at the GNIC Ground. The day was highlighted by UG’s Ricardo David’s boundary laced half-century in their first innings. Transport won the toss and elected to bat; they compiled what seemed a below-par 186 before being bowled out. Their main contributor was A. Azeez who made a fighting 46 which included eight fours, he was supported by D. Allen who made 26 runs before he was dismissed. Bowling for UG, Godfrey Matthews took four wickets for 28 from 11 overs, Kierie Henry also took four wickets from his 8.3 overs while giving away 34 runs, they were well supported by Amos Sarwan who took two wickets for 35 off of nine overs. Chasing 186, UG were dismissed for 158; David’s 54 contained 10 fours before he was bowled by Shaun

UG’s Ricardo David scored an entertaining 54 to push his team to a fighting total.

Massiah who ended with figures of 2 for 12 runs off 9 overs. David’s only support came from Travis Fung who made 22 (4x4) while the rest of the team crumbled without resistance. Among the wicket takers for Transport were A. Mohabir who ended with 3 for 16 off 9 overs while A. Clarke took 2 for 41 off his six overs. Transport will begin their second innings today with a 28-run lead at the same venue in Woolford Avenue.

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Chase grabs five for 63 to put Thomas hundred keeps Hurricanes in Four-Day title hunt Pride on course for victory NORTH SOUND, Antigua, (CMC) – In-form veteran Devon Thomas stroked a sparkling less than runa-ball unbeaten hundred to fire Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an emphatic six-wicket win over Windward Islands Volcanoes here Saturday, and keep the hosts in with an outside chance of winning the Regional Four-Day Championship. Chasing 166 for victory on the third day of the affair at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Hurricanes found themselves against the ropes on 26 for four before Thomas unleashed a stroke-filled 117 not out – his sixth first class hundred – to deny the visitors further success. He put on 142 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with Terrance Warde who played responsibly for his unbeaten 38, ensuring the home side their sixth win of the campaign. Hurricanes provisionally

Devon Thomas … struck an unbeaten 117.

have 131.2 points – 23 points adrift of leaders Guyana Jaguars – but with an outstanding game remaining against Barbados Pride next week. Test pacer Alzarri Joseph had earlier added one to his overnight tally to finish with five for 66 as the visitors were dismissed for 226 after resuming the morning on 91 for five. Audy Alexander, in his first match of the season, top-scored with an unbeaten 50 off 72 balls with six fours while Alick Athanaze made

32 and Ray Jordan, 29. Wicketkeeper Denis Smith added just seven to his overnight eight before becoming Joseph’s fifth wicket of the innings but Alexander then anchored three small partnerships to push Volcanoes beyond the 200-run mark. He posted 36 for the seventh wicket with Athanaze, a crucial 58 for the eighth wicket with Jordan before adding 22 for the ninth with Sherman Lewis (5). Defending a modest target, Volcanoes hopes were

quickly raised when Test pacer Lewis (3-19) wrecked the top order in a lethal burst to leave Hurricanes in disarray. But Thomas, as he has done several times throughout the season, came to his side’s rescue. With half-centuries in his previous five outings, the right-hander dominated yet again in an innings lasting 105 balls, in just over 2-½ hours and which included 16 fours and four sixes. Coming to the crease in the second over at the fall of the first wicket, Thomas smashed the first ball he faced for four off pacer Josh Thomas and raced his to his half-century off 53 deliveries. He needed only a further 40 balls to reach three figures, storming into the 90s with a six off left-arm spinner Alexander in an over that leaked 14 runs, before hitting two consecutive boundaries in the same over to reach his landmark.

Man City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer By Ian Chadband

LONDON (Reuters) - Raheem Sterling’s hat-trick in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Watford lifted the champions four points clear at the top of the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur’s challenge faltered again with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday. On a landmark day for England strikers, with Harry Kane scoring his 200th goal for clubs and country in Spurs’

defeat and Jamie Vardy notching his 100th and 101st for Leicester City in their 3-1 win over Fulham, Sterling took pride of place. City, still on course to lift four different trophies, took advantage of Sterling being awarded a contentious goal just after halftime before he struck a minute later and completed his treble in the space of 13 minutes. Gerard Deulofeu pulled one back within 17 seconds of being brought on as a sub-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday March 10, 2019) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL- Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 2256158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 43 times (2) WI 23 Today’s Quiz: (1) How many players have now represented the WI in ODIs against England? (2) When and where did the WI and ENG first play an ODI against each other at a neutral venue? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

stitute but Pep Guardiola’s men never looked threatened as they moved on to 74 points from 30 games, four clear of Liverpool, who host Burnley today. Sterling’s opening goal following a goalless first half was awarded after originally being ruled out for offside. A long discussion between referee Paul Tierney and his assistant saw the decision reversed with Sterling ruled to have been played onside by Watford’s Daryl Janmaat, whose challenge saw the ball ricochet off the striker’s leg into the net. Yet if the opener was debatable, there was no argument about the other two as Sterling made it 15 league goals for the season. “It’s a massive win,” Sterling told the BBC. “In my head, I am hoping and praying (that the first goal would be awarded). I was hoping my goal didn’t get cancelled out. We got it and it kick started our game.” England captain Kane’s first-half milestone was eclipsed as third-placed Spurs squandered a lead in a game they were dominating, prompt-

ing criticism of his players by manager Mauricio Pochettino. On an unhappy return to his old St Mary’s stamping ground, Pochettino, serving the first of a two-match touchline ban, could hardly credit how his side capitulated to two late goals in five minutes from Yan Valery and James Ward-Prowse. Now without a win in their last four league games, it left the Argentine fuming. “It is difficult to understand why we changed so much from the first half to the second. We did not take the second half seriously,” Pochettino said. Ward-Prowse’s stunning free-kick winner left Spurs on 61 points, 13 behind Man City and nine adrift of Liverpool. TOP-FOUR BATTLE The win also dented Spurs’ hopes in an ever-tighter top-four battle for Champions League places as they remain just three points ahead of nearest pursuers Manchester United, who play at fifth-placed Arsenal on Sunday. Southampton’s late turnaround earned them crucial points in the fight to avoid

Roston Chase

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Off-spinner Roston Chase’s five-wicket haul floored Jamaica Scorpions and left Barbados Pride with a modest victory target, in their 10th round match in the Regional Four-Day Championship here Saturday. The Test star claimed five for 63 as the hosts collapsed from 138 for two to 218 all out in their second innings at Sabina Park. Brandon King top-scored with 46, opener Garth Garvey got 37 and Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, 31, but the hosts lost their last eight wickets for 80 runs, with fast bowler Keon Harding also claiming four for 80. Set 158 for victory, Pride ended the day on five without loss, requiring a further 153 runs on Sunday’s final day to win the contest. The visitors had been earlier dismissed for 311 in their first innings after resuming the penultimate day on 233 for five. Left-hander Jonathan

relegation, just as Cardiff City were able to celebrate an equally important 2-0 win over West Ham United thanks to goals from Junior Hoilett and Victor Camarasa. Fellow strugglers Brighton & Hove Albion also had reason to cheer as a dazzling individual goal from Anthony Knockaert sealed their 2-1 win at fierce rivals Crystal Palace. Cardiff’s win was not enough to take the 18th-placed side out of the bottom three but they are only two points behind Burnley and Southampton (30 points) while Brighton joined Palace on 33. Newcastle United pushed clear of the struggling pack into 13th place with an astonishing comeback from two down at halftime to beat Everton 3-2, with a goal from Salo-

Carter missed out on his second century of the season when he perished for 91 after resuming on 68, while wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott hit 35 and Harding, 23. Carter and Walcott, the latter of whom started the day on 16, extended their sixth wicket stand to 83 before they were finally separated, when Walcott was lbw to veteran left-arm spinner Nikita Miller. Carter had faced 176 balls in just under four hours and counted 13 fours when he was bowled by rookie off-spinner Akim Frazer, with 10 runs added to the total at 284 for seven. Fast bowler Derval Green (3-35) and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller (3-63) grabbed three wickets apiece for Scorpions. Trailing by 61 on first innings, Scorpions lost Kennar Lewis cheaply for 11 with 28 runs on the board but King added 35 for the second wicket with Garvey before putting on 75 in a third wicket stand with Blackwood. King struck four fours and three sixes in a 45-ball cameo while Blackwood also played with abandon in a 45ball innings which included two fours and a six. Chase broke the stand when he bowled Blackwood and two balls later, trapped former Test batsman Assad Fudadin lbw without scoring, as Scorpions lost four quick wickets for 21 runs.

mon Rondon and a late double from Ayoze Perez, that earned them a fifth straight league win at St James’ Park. There seems, however, no hope for Fulham under caretaker manager Scott Parker, after their defeat at Leicester, whose own new boss Brendan Rodgers was grateful for Vardy’s late double. The brace ensured the England striker became the first player to achieve a three-figure tally of goals for the Foxes since Gary Lineker. Fulham are in 19th place on 17 points with their plight only topped by Huddersfield Town’s after the Terriers remained three points further adrift following their 2-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.

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Berbice Zone Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’

Defending champs Trafalgar win on opening night ON Friday night when the Berbice Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ began, the defending champions, Trafalgar, launched their title defence with a win as Lichfield, New Amsterdam [NA] Kings, Outsiders and East Bank Gunners also notched up victories. Playing at the NA Ferry Tarmac, a capacity crowd witnessed Trafalgar’s dismantling of Rose Hall as the reigning champs notched up a 6-2 win. Olvis Mitchell bagged a helmet-trick in the fifth and seventh minutes while he also scored a ‘Guinness Goal [any goal scored in the final three minutes of regulation and extra time counts as two] in the 19th minute. Meanwhile, Adrian Prince and Odari Miller netted a goal apiece in the ninth and 13th minutes, respectively. Shaquell Betson was the lone goalscorer for the losers, netting a Guinness Goal in the 18th minute.

Action in the Berbice Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’.

Meanwhile, Lichfield edged Canje 3-2 with Allan Garnett, Shelton George and Carlos Grant scoring in the third, eighth and 17th minutes. For Canje, John West netted a Guinness Goal in the 19th minute. Playing on home turf, NA Kings needled Fast-7 as Leonardo Adams found the back of the net in the 14th minute. Outsiders dispatched Goalers 3-0. Delroy Ferdinand netted a Guinness Goal

in the 20th minute with Derrick Taylor converting in the eighth minute. East Bank Gunners riddled Constab 2-0, with Mark Wronge and Joseph Giddings netting in the sixth and 11th minutes, respectively. In other games, NA Kings-B overcame Dam Boys 1-0, courtesy of Keon Williams in the fourth minute, while Hopetown pipped Black Sharks off the boot of Darren Douglas in the sixth minute. Twenties defeated Top

Form 2-0 on penalty kicks after regulation time saw the two tied at 0-0. The respective winners will now advance to the group round. Group A consists of Trafalgar, Hopetown, Lichfield and NA Kings B. Group B comprises NA Kings, East Bank Gunners, Outsiders and Twenties. The finals of the Berbice Zone will take place at the same venue next Saturday (March 16).

Milo U-18 Schools Football tournament

Lodge power past President’s College 2-0 LODGE Secondary overcame a spirited President’s College lineup, 2-0, as action in the Milo schools football tournament continued at the Ministry of Education ground. Playing in the last game of the day, the Lodge side won via a brace off the boot of Dorwin George (44th, 49th). In the opening game, it was a back-and-forth battle between South Ruimveldt and Annandale. Jamal Crum-Ewing opened the scoring for the South Ruimveldt side when he netted in the 12th and the score was not even until Jermome Harrigon’s 41st minute strike. For the first time this game, Annandale took the lead, through Tiquan Taylor in the 52nd but South brought the game back level with Joshua Milo scoring in

Part of the action in the Milo Schools Football tournament (Delano Williams photo)

the 59th. The other game of the day featured a drawn encounter between St Joseph High and Canje.

Today’s action opens with Bishops’ High facing Queen’s College from noon and St Stanislaus College opposing North Riumveldt

Secondary at 13:45hrs. The final match of the day will pit Marian Academy against St Mary’s Secondary.

DCC in total control against GDF in GCA first division cricket –– Everest, GNIC and GYO also take first day honours THE Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) continued from where they left off last season after humbling the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on the opening day of the 2019 GISE, Star Party Rental/Trophy Stall First Division two-day cricket competition. The DCC–GDF clash was one of four matches that started yesterday. The Everest Cricket Club, GNIC and GYO were also in control of their games against Police Sports Club, Transport Sports Club and the University of Guyana respectively. Although Everest surprised Police by taking a first innings lead in their clash, the day belonged to the defending champions. At the DCC ground, the home team were closing in on a victory after 29 wickets fell on the opening day; 19 of which belonged to the visitors. DCC won the toss and bowled, although Randy Lindore turned back the clock with some scintillating strokes, which included 11 fours and two sixes in his score of 69; his teammates failed to support and the Army men were bundled out for 110 in 26.4 overs as the home team’s left arm spinners led the charge. West Indies U-19 cricketer Ashmead Nedd took 4 for7, while fellow spinner Totaram Bishun supported with 3-22. DCC top order then lifted them with a whirlwind of strokes. Joshua Persaud and Raymond Perez put together a 110-run opening partnership, with the former hitting eight fours and five sixes in a score of 71, while Perez scored 32 (7x4s). The explosive Sachin Singh 43 (3x4s, 3x6s) also played a few stokes which helped the home team to 235, before they were bowled out in 39 overs. Lindore and Leon Andrews took four wickets each for GDF; but their team again fell to the DCC bowling attack and, by the close of play, were struggling on 154-9 in 25 overs, with a lead of 29, with just one wicket in hand. Kurt Lovell led the attack for the visitors with 53 (4x4s, 5x6s), while D. Waldron added 33 (2x4s, 3x6s). Medium pacer Carlton Jacques led DCC’s second

innings attack with 4-44, while Bishun continued his dominance with 3-23. At the Police ground, Everest are enjoying a first innings lead of 15 with four wickets in hand. Police won the toss and opted to bat first. Despite a half-century by Kemol Savory 52 (6x4s, 2x6s), the Lawmen were routed for 177 in 41.5 overs. Leg-spinner Amir Khan led the visitors’ attack with 4-43 from nine overs, while off-spinner Richie Looknauth supported with 3-56 from 16.9 overs. In reply, opener Ronaldo Renee (6x4s and 1x6) scored 52 and middle-order batsman, Bhaskar Yadram, supported with 43 to push Everest to 192-6 in 51 overs. Eon Rodrigues is leading the Lawmen’s bowling attack with three wickets. At the GDF ground, GYO are in control of the University of Guyana. UG won the toss and reached 138-9 declared (a player arrived late). Keon Roberts led the attack with 51 (5x4s). Off-spinner Darshan Persaud and left-arm spinner, Trevon France, grabbed three wickets each for GYO. The Woolford Avenue team replied with a blistering opening partnership of 142 between Christopher Deonarine, who hit nine fours and a six in a top score of 80, and Yudistir Persaud, who added 58 (7x4s, 1x6) which helped to push them to 250-5. Godfrey Thakurdin, who spun his way to two wickets in two balls, is leading the University team with three scalps. At the Malteenoes ground, GNIC are looking strong against the Transport Sports Club. Transport batted first and scored 158 in 56.4 overs, with Akeem Redman hitting 42 (7x4s). Teenager Dwain Dick led the attack for GNIC with 5-45 from 21.4 overs. GNIC replied with 1303 with Shawn DeSouza hitting eight fours and two sixes in a top-score of 77 unbeaten runs. He and David Dick (35) have so far added 116 unbeaten runs for the fourth wicket.

Jaguars beat Red Force inside three days to close in on fifth title

Leon Johnson acknowledges the support after reaching his fifty.

Guyana Jaguars and supporters after the game.

By Rajiv Bisnauth GUYANA Jaguars carved out a six-wicket win over Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in their final

game of the Regional Four-day season yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Jaguars entered the final round facing a must-win situation, and after

almost three days of competitive cricket, they managed a step closer to retaining the Headley/Weekes trophy, the symbol of West Indies first-class supremacy.

The win, Jaguars’ seventh for the season, has carried them to 154.2 points, a lead which will now depend on the result of the final game between their closest rival, Leeward Islands

Hurricanes and Barbados Pride, starting March 14. The Hurricanes beat the Windward Islands Volcanoes by six wickets in their ninth round fixture which ended in three days yesterday to move to 131.2 points. Technically, Hurricanes must gather 23 points out of the maximum 24 if they have any chance of winning the title –– a feat which is quite improbable. Starting the day with 93 short of the winning target, Jaguars prospered under little pressure from a dispirited opposition to reach 163-4 in an extended first session. Skipper Leon Johnson made an unruffled 76 and shared 111 for the third-wicket with Tagenarine Chanderpaul who, along with Anthony Bramble (20), was left unbeaten on 43 when the target was achieved. TURN TO PAGE

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Anthony rides away with Diamond Mineral Water title PAGE

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Michael Anthony reacts after crossing the finish line ahead of Briton John to cop the feature event of the 14th Annual Diamond Mineral Water 11-race meet. (Delano Williams photo)

The overall category winners and representatives of Diamond Mineral Water pose for a photo. (Delano Williams photo)

Berbice Zone Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’

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SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2019