Guyana Chronicle E-paper 01-30-2019

WEDNESDAY 30th January, 2019

No.105533

Significant strides 03 PAGE

… TI lauds Guyana for significant improvement in corruption fight

CANU makes cocaine, ganja bust in city 10

Cops deployed at city schools … in light of threats at Nations, shooting of director

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Commissioner of Police, Leslie James converses with an Education Ministry official outside of the ministry’s Brickdam office after the meeting. Also in photograph are: Assistant Commissioner and ‘A’ Division Commander Marlon Chapman and Senior Superintendent and Deputy Crime Chief Michael Kingston

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Significant strides

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

… TI lauds Guyana for significant improvement in corruption fight

GUYANA has been listed

by Transparency International as one of 20 countries that have significantly improved its rating in the fight against corruption in the past seven years, a feat which has been hailed as progressive since under the previous administration it was in the category as a corrupt country.

“In the last seven years, only 20 countries significantly improved their CPI scores, including Estonia, Senegal, Guyana and Côte D’Ivoire,” the 2018 Corruption Perception Index report stated. Guyana now stands with a score of 37 and is ranked at 93 out of the 180 countries. Last year Guyana scored 38 points and was ranked at 91, while in 2017 it scored 34. In 2015 when the coalition Government took office Guyana was ranked at 119 with a score of 29 while in 2014, 2013 and 2012 it scored 30, 27 and 28 respectively, which placed

it in the category of corrupt countries.

Meanwhile, TI said that with an average score of 44 for three consecutive years, the Americas region continues to fail in making any serious inroads against corruption. According to TI, despite the current administrations in Jamaica, the Bahamas and Barbados, which rose to power based on bold anti-corruption platforms, any visible improvements are still very limited.

It said in Jamaica, the Petrojam scandal, involving the country’s only state-owned oil company, shows that “nepotism, mismanagement of public funds and other forms of corruption are still well-rooted in the Caribbean”.

“Procurement and contract awarding are particularly problematic. In the Petrojam case, the company could not account for approximately US$40 million in income between 2013 to

2018,” TI added. It said in response, the National Integrity Action (NIA), is calling for the government to rectify these irregularities and prosecute public officials as soon possible.

Canada is consistently a top performer on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), with a score of 81 out of 100 on this year’s index.

The United States remains in second place below Canada, but dramatically drops four points since last year to earn a score of 71, its lowest score in seven years. The US hovers close to Uruguay in South America, with a score of 70, and Barbados in the Caribbean, with a score of 68. At the bottom of the index, Venezuela remains stuck at 18, reflecting systemic and persistent corruption across the country. Venezuela is followed by Haiti (20) and Nicaragua (25) to round out the region’s worst performers.

TI said that the Americas

region is witnessing a rise in some leaders and leadership styles that favour a number of tactics, including an undermining of free and independent media, especially when coverage challenges leaders’ messaging, a silencing and control of civil society and international organisations, an increase in voter suppression and disenfranchisement and an increase in anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, anti-indigenous and racist language.

“With many democratic institutions under threat across the globe – often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies – we need to do more to strengthen checks and balances and protect citizens’ rights,” said Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International. “Corruption chips away at democracy to produce a vicious cycle, where corruption undermines democratic institutions and, in turn, weak institutions are less able to

control corruption.”

The 2018 CPI draws on 13 surveys and expert assessments to measure public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, giving each a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). “Our research makes a clear link between having a healthy democracy and successfully fighting public sector corruption,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair of Transparency International.

“Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage.”

To make real progress against corruption and strengthen democracy around the world, Transparency International calls on all governments to strengthen the institutions responsible for maintaining checks and balances over political power, and

President David Granger ensure their ability to operate without intimidation, close the implementation gap between anti-corruption legislation, practice and enforcement and support civil society organisations which enhance political engagement and public oversight over government spending, particularly at the local level.

Cops deployed at city schools … in light of threats at Nations, shooting of director

By Leroy Smith AMID ongoing threats at the School of the Nations and the shooting of its director by unknown gunmen, the Guyana Police Force has deployed police officers to all city schools commencing from Tuesday, Education Minister, Nicolette Henry has confirmed.

The move came as a direct result of online threats which were leveled against School of the Nations, located on New Market and Main Streets, Georgetown.

The decision was arrived at following a meeting on Tuesday, which involved Minister Henry and key technical members of her staff as well as a high-level team from the Guyana Police Force. The police team was headed by Commissioner Leslie James, who was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Operations, Maxine Graham; Assistant Commissioner and ‘A’ Division Commander, Marlon Chapman, and Senior Superintendent and Deputy Crime Chief,

Michael Kingston. The meeting was held at the ministry’s Brickdam headquarters.

Following the meeting, James was approached by this newspaper for a comment but would not divulge the details of the meeting. He did say however, that the online threats were of grave concern to both the Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Education, hence the meeting. The commissioner did confirm that investigations are ongoing to determine the level of threat and where they are coming from, but asked that the investigators be allowed to work as they seek to bring closure to all that is happening. James said that the meeting with the minister was cordial and while he would not wish to speak much on it since it was called by the ministry, he did speak on the security aspects of things.

James indicated that security issues were addressed and that most of it had to do with concerns that the government,

Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry through the ministry of education, had. On the issue of the threats, the police chief said that they wish not to read into anything, but are treating the investigation seriously.

Meanwhile, Minister Henry told the Guyana Chronicle that the meeting with her team and the school, as well as police, was very necessary and that it focused on the safety, security and wellbeing

of all teachers and students at the school, and the need for the situation to be returned to normalcy in the fastest possible time.

“Both at the level of government and the Ministry of Education, we have requested support from the police force in terms of providing coverage of all secondary schools in Georgetown at this point in time and it’s neighbouring environs, because we would really like to prevent similar occurrences at this particular time. So, we do have police presence at schools beginning today (yesterday) and there are also patrols to ensure that the safety and security and wellbeing of the teachers and the students are maintained at this point in time,” Minister Henry told the Guyana Chronicle.

The ministry, according to Henry, also heard from the school about their measures and requested any ideas that they had, which they would like to see the ministry implement as part of assisting the process, while patrols around

the school by members of the Guyana Police Force was agreed upon.Nations Chief Executive Officer, Dr Dexter Phillips told Guyana Chronicle that following the implementation of a number of security measures, the school will reopen for evening and weekend classes today for the time being.

Over the last few days, School of the Nations has been receiving threats which came on the heels of the expulsion of a student from the school. There were reports which sought to link the expelled student to the threats which he has since denied.

The Director of the School, Brian O’Toole, was forced to call an emergency meeting with the parents and students last Sunday to assess the level of the threat and spoke of the measures the school was willing to employ to ensure that the children were safe.

However, after that meeting Sunday, Dr. O’Toole was shot in both hands after being ambushed as

he was about to head into his home. He had just returned from a dinner, according to his wife in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle newspaper. Following that incident, the person or persons making the threats then went to social media to claim responsibility for the attack, and pointed out that there were groups of persons who were involved in what is going on and they will continue.

There was then a threat to blow up the school and that also prompted a second meeting with the school and its partners, where they were again briefed on the school’s posture in light of the threats.

However, on Monday, that meeting failed to rest well with parents who felt that the school was not giving them enough information that would allow them to feel safe and as such, they pressured the school into keeping its doors closed until they can guarantee the safety of the students.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Brexit: MPs back May’s bid to change deal THE proposal - put forward by Tory MP Sir Graham Brady - had the support of the government and won by 16 votes.

Theresa May had urged MPs to vote in favour of it, to give her a mandate to return to Brussels and reopen negotiations in order to secure a “legally binding change”. But the EU has said it will not change the legal text agreed with the UK PM. MPs voted on a string of amendments to Mrs May’s plan to change the direction of Brexit.

Mrs May said that, after taking the votes into account and talking to the EU, her revised deal would be brought back to the Commons “as soon as possible” for a second “meaningful vote”. Another amendment, rejecting a no-deal Brexit, also won the support of Parliament on Tuesday, but

the vote was not binding meaning the date for exit remains 29 March.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said as a result of the message from MPs rejecting no deal, he would now meet the prime minister to discuss the next steps. He had previously refused to meet her unless she ruled out a no deal Brexit herself.

Five other amendments, including Labour MP Yvette Cooper’s bid to delay Brexit if Mrs May does not get her deal through Parliament, were defeated.

The controversial backstop element of Mrs May’s original plan is the insurance policy to prevent checks on goods and people returning to the Northern Ireland border, which some MPs fear could leave the UK tied to the EU’s rules indefinitely. It was one of the main reasons her Brexit deal was

voted down in Parliament by an historic margin earlier in January.

Mrs May hopes the support for Sir Graham’s amendment - which won by 317 votes to 301 - to look at alternatives gives her a stronger negotiating position with the EU. She told the Commons there was now a “substantial and sustainable” majority of MPs supporting leaving the EU with a deal, but admitted renegotiation “will not be easy”.

Mr Corbyn said: “Parliament has voted to remove the immediate threat of crashing out without a deal on 29 March. “After months of refusing to take the chaos of no deal off the table, the prime minister must now face the reality that no deal is not an option.”

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Westminster, Nigel Dodds, said it was a “significant night” and his MPs would work with the prime minister “to deliver the right deal for the United Kingdom”.

But the leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford, said that passing the amendment had seen the government “rip up the Good Friday Agreement” integral to the peace process

in Northern Ireland. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said the Commons had given the prime minister “contradictory instructions to have no deal but pursue a course of action that will lead to a no deal”.

Analysis

By BBC Political Correspondent Ben Wright Image copyright PA MPs had the chance to take more control over the Brexit process but didn’t.

After a torrid two weeks for the government, tonight brought some relief for its whips. Tory MPs cheered as the Dominic Grieve amendment was kicked out by a comfortable margin. It would have ensured six days of Parliamentary time for MPs to test the support of various Brexit scenarios.

The government benches delighted in the defeat of Yvette Cooper’s amendment too, which could have ensured a “no deal” Brexit was blocked.

However, in narrowly passing the Caroline Spelman/Jack Dromey amendment, MPs have said they do not want a “no deal” Brexit. The government is not compelled to comply, but the political point has been made. Theresa May has set herself a very high bar

in the days ahead: to secure legally binding changes to a withdrawal deal EU leaders insist is closed. The prime minister’s decision to return to the negotiation table was enough to swing her own Brexiteers behind the Downing Street-endorsed amendment by Sir Graham Brady. It called for “alternative arrangements” to the Irish backstop, but it’s not clear what those alternative arrangements might be.

The drama will now move quickly to Brussels and the government’s respite might be brief.

Speaking after the result, President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the withdrawal deal is “not open for re-negotiation” and “remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union”.

He said the EU would be willing to look at the political declaration again - the part of the deal that makes a pledge on the future relationship between the UK and the EU - and that the EU would “stand ready” to consider any “reasoned request” for an extension to the leave date of 29 March.

But he concluded: “We will continue our preparations

for all outcomes, including a no-deal scenario.” A statement from the Irish government said the withdrawal agreement is “a carefully negotiated compromise, which balances the UK position on customs and the single market with avoiding a hard border and protecting the integrity of the EU customs union and single market.”

What happens next?

The prime minister has invited Tory MP Caroline Spelman, Labour MP Jack Dromey and others who tabled amendments to prevent a no deal to discuss how to move forward and secure a deal for Brexit.

She also invited Mr Corbyn for talks and promised the government would “redouble its efforts to get a deal this House can support”. Mrs May has said she will speak to Brussels about changing the deal.

Her revised deal will return to the Commons to be voted on. But, if it is again rejected, the government will table an amendable motion for debate the following day. And if no new deal is agreed by Parliament by 13 February, she will make a statement and, again, table an amendable motion for debate the next day. (BBC)

Saturday 26, January, 2019

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07, 26, 18, 11, 21

6, 4, 4

9, 8, 2

02, 07, 08, 12, 17

25, January, 2019

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Venezuelans ‘under Maduro dictatorship’ - Juan Guaidó

Venezuela’s opposition leader has told the BBC that people are living in a “dictatorship”, and renewed his calls for fresh elections.

Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president last week.

While the US and others back him, President Nicolás Maduro has major allies too including Russia.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Tarek William Saab has ordered that Mr Guaidó be barred from leaving Venezuela and have his assets frozen.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Saab’s office said violent incidents and interference from foreign governments suggested “the commission of serious crimes that attack the constitutional order”. At least 40 people are believed to have died and hundreds have been arrested since 21 January, the UN says.

Protests have been growing since Mr Maduro began a second term as president this month.

He was elected last year during a controversial vote in which many opposition candidates were barred from running, or jailed. Venezuela has been struggling with a massive economic crisis.

Hyperinflation and shortages of essentials such as food and medicine have forced millions to flee the nation.

What has Mr Guaidó been saying?

Speaking to BBC Mundo in Caracas on Monday, he defended his claim to be interim leader.

Mr Guaidó said the Venezuelan constitution allowed him, as the head of the National Assembly, to take power when the president was considered to be illegitimate.

“My duty is to call for free elections because there

prosperity for our people.”

Mr Guaidó said the Maduro administration was “killing young poor people” in the streets. He has pledged to act as interim leader to oversee fresh elections. However, his declaration of leadership has divided the international community. Mr Guaidó has called for further demonstrations this week, after tens of thousands came out to protest against Mr Maduro last Wednesday.

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro

is an abuse of power and we live in a dictatorship,” Mr Guaidó said. He added: “In Venezuela, we either accept

domination, total oppression and torture... from Maduro’s regime, or we choose freedom, democracy and

How have outside powers responded?

On Monday US National Security Adviser John Bolton announced sanctions against Venezuela’s stateowned oil firm PDVSA to ensure that President Maduro could “no longer loot the assets of the Venezuelan people”. He also hinted at possible military action, reiterating that “all options are on the table”. Mr Bolton

appeared at a news briefing with a notepad containing the words “5,000 troops to Colombia”, which borders Venezuela.

On Tuesday acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan declined to say whether the Pentagon was considering sending troops.

“I haven’t discussed that with Secretary Bolton,” he told reporters.

Also on Tuesday, the United States said it has handed control of Venezuela’s US bank accounts to Mr Guaidó. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the sanctions violated “all possible international norms” and “pledged to do everything to support the legitimate government of President Maduro”. In New York, Venezuelan ambassador to the UN Jorge Valero accused the US administration of preparing a “military invasion”. (BBC

U.S. warns of ‘serious consequences’ after Venezuela moves against Guaido CARACAS (Reuters) - The Trump administration warned of “serious consequences” after Venezuela’s government moved to freeze the bank accounts of self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido on Tuesday, while state-run oil company PDVSA sought to sidestep U.S. sanctions.

The sweeping sanctions on PDVSA, announced on Monday and aimed at curbing crude exports to the United States and driving President Nicolas Maduro from power, were the strongest measures yet against the 56-year-old former union leader who has overseen economic collapse and an exodus of millions of Venezuelans in recent years.

The measures triggered higher global oil prices, angry responses from China and Russia and the first serious moves against Guaido since he challenged Maduro’s claim on the presidency last week. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek Saab said he had asked the Supreme Court

to open a preliminary investigation into Guaido, accusing him of helping foreign countries to interfere in internal matters. He also asked the court to impose a travel ban on the 35-year-old leader and to freeze his bank accounts.

In response, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton warned of “serious consequences for those who attempt to subvert democracy and harm Guaido,” in a tweet that described Saab as the “illegitimate former Venezuelan Attorney General.”

The United States and several other countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state and denounced Maduro as a usurper. Maduro, sworn in on Jan. 10 for a second term after disputed elections last year, accuses Guaido of staging a U.S.-directed coup against him. Maduro is backed by a number of countries, including Russia.

Maduro’s inauguration sparked protests throughout Venezuela. Over 40 people

are believed to have been killed in political violence last week, including 26 shot by pro-government forces, five killed in house raids and 11 during looting, U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said on Tuesday.

He said more than 850 people were detained between Jan. 21 and Jan. 26, including 77 children, some as young as 12. Guaido said on Tuesday he did not underestimate the threat of imprisonment but did not believe it was “anything new.” Many opposition leaders have been imprisoned in the South American nation.

“We are here. We will keep acting and working to confront the humanitarian crisis,” Guaido told a news conference. Most experts believe the sanctions and other measures against Maduro will encourage him to step down only if he loses the support of the powerful military, which until now has been mostly loyal to the leftist ruling party founded by late

President Hugo Chavez.

Maduro appeared on a television broadcast from a military base on Tuesday, praising the soldiers’ loyalty.

As a lawmaker who heads the National Assembly, Guaido has immunity from prosecution unless ordered by a top court. However, the Supreme Court is loyal to Maduro and is expected to quickly open the investigation. The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it had certified Guaido’s authority to control certain assets held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or other U.S.-insured banks, including government and central bank accounts.

SIDESTEPPING SANCTIONS PDVSA responded to the sanctions by ordering customers with tankers waiting to load crude destined for the United States to prepay, according to sources. Such prepayment could be in violation of the sanctions, setting the stage for a standoff at the

ports.

PDVSA is also seeking to sidestep the sanctions by asking major buyers, including U.S. refiners, to renegotiate contracts, sources said.

The Kremlin condemned the sanctions as illegal interference, while China said they would lead to suffering for which Washington would bear responsibility. Both countries have lent billions of dollars to Venezuela and are concerned about new stress on debt payments.

International Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 rose over 2 percent on Tuesday in reaction. Venezuela is among the world’s largest heavy crude oil producers. [O/R] The new U.S. sanctions could cause problems for Venezuela when it comes to servicing its sovereign debt to Russia, which stands at $3.15 billion, Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak told reporters on Tuesday. In Geneva, senior U.S. and Venezuelan diplomats traded jibes at a

disarmament conference.

Venezuela’s ambassador, Jorge Valero, said the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was preparing a “military invasion” and questioned whether Washington had the moral authority to “impose a diktat” on Caracas.

Venezuela has sunk into economic and political turmoil under Maduro’s socialist government, with inflation seen rising to 10 million percent this year.

The loss of revenue from the United States, the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan crude, is sure to further hamper the government’s ability to import basic goods like food and medicine, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that has prompted more than 3 million people to leave the country in recent years. “Sanctions on Venezuela will lead to the deterioration of conditions of people’s lives,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a news briefing in Beijing.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Information for development

THE David Granger administration, by simply implementing the requirements of the constitution, continues to deliver on its promise of equal access to services to all Guyanese.

Article 146 (1) provides that, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions without interference; freedom to receive ideas and information without interference; and freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference.

Government, by keeping its word and giving effect to that constitutional mandate, continues to improve the quality of life of all citizens.

The ongoing establishment of hinterland radio stations is concrete evidence of that fact.

In 2015, Radio Paiwomak was the only indigenous radio station operating in Guyana.

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of that South Rupununi station in September of that year, President Granger said that government intends to improve the quality

of communication throughout the hinterland. He emphasised that, “Government knows the importance of radio, but wants to make sure that the national radio gets down to all communities.”

The president also revealed that government plans to activate more radio transmitters and stations, so that all citizens may have equal access to the media. The president has kept his word.

In May 2016, Radio Lethem went on the air in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, followed by Radio Mabaruma in June in Barima-Waini.

Radio Aishalton in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo began broadcasting in February 2017, and Radio Mahdia in Potaro-Siparuni, and Radio Bartica in Cuyuni-Mazaruni started operating in October and November respectively.

In April of last year, Radio Orealla switched on. Prior to the recent developments, the 113,000 Guyanese residing in Guyana’s interior had neither ready access to news and information, nor any easy way to market their products or share information within and

among their communities; many hinterland residents said that they felt as though they were not even a part of Guyana. Fortunately, that saddening state of affairs is now being corrected.

President Granger’s determination to improve all facets of the quality of life of all Guyanese has been demonstrated. His Excellency explained how radio service will contribute to that goal if it is used responsibly.

At the launch of Radio Aishalton, the President said, “You have a right to receive information in a form that is comprehensible to you. I looked at the man next to me while the national anthem was being sung in Wapishana and I looked at his lips to see if he was singing along.

I make no joke; yesterday I was at the village of Whitewater and a number of children could not go to school.

They are of the Warrau nation and they speak no English -the teachers speak no Warrau, so they are mutually unintelligible to one another. As President, I cannot have that; I have to solve the problem.

So, it means that here you must be able to broadcast to the residents of the Rupununi in the languages of the Rupununi of which I think there are three, if not four. In the north you must be able to broadcast in Macushi; in the south you must be able to broadcast in Wapishana and eventually, in the deep south, you must be able broadcast in Wai-Wai. “In other areas you may have to broadcast in Patamona and in other areas you may have to broadcast in English, but people must be able to listen to programmes in their native language and that is one of the challenges of our public radio system that we are creating. And this radio system too, apart from the practical and technical aspects of communications, must adopt the professional ethics of journalism, of radio broadcasting; that is, they must adhere to the standards of objectivity and social responsibility and they must avoid vulgarity.”

At the commissioning ceremony for Radio Bartica, President Granger made clear

that, “Public information means that it is serving the people. The people must know what is going on in their community to vote, or make decisions. They have a right to information; information must not be treated as some preserve of a small clique or group, or else the people will not be able to make informed decisions.”

The president noted that radio is an essential outlet for culture, language, education, and entertainment.

His Excellency reminded broadcasters that they have the responsibility to be “accurate and truthful.” He iterated that radio-presenters must always be aware of the importance of social cohesion because, “This is a work in progress and we have to continue believing and accepting and unless we work to make social cohesion a reality, it will slip by, and we [may] become divided.”

Radio has played a key role in Guyana’s developmental history. More senior Guyanese who lived in the city will fondly remember Radio Demerara, found-

ed in 1951, and the British Guiana Broadcasting Service (BGBS) established in 1958. After independence, the stations were acquired by government and the Guyana Broadcasting Service (GBS) was born. Eventually, the two stations were combined to become the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). Elders can attest to the fact that the availability of information via radio played a large part in coastal development and President Granger agrees; in his words, “Without information, there would be no development.”

It is, therefore, time that the hinterland be allowed to catch up.

Considering the diversity and beauty of indigenous culture, the introduction of hinterland radio stations is most welcome. As Guyanese, all citizens should have the ability, means, and opportunity to share their ideas, market their products, advertise their services, and exchange information. Everyone is entitled to the opportunity of a good life.

The LGC must put systems in place to recover stolen assets from City Hall

Dear Editor,

IN the Fables of Aesop, there is the story of how a bad King suddenly changed his behaviour and became a good one. Asked why, he relates a story about animals coming to bad ends when they try to do bad things.

Aha! The moral of this very interesting fable is that whoever does what he ought not to, receives what he does not want. In Georgetown, the story regarding our ‘King’ is considerably different. Unlike that King who made such an alteration in his conduct that he gained the name of “The Just,” with every- one blessing the felicity of his reign, ours instead decided to become more greedy, more ruthless and more immoral with the passage of time and would not have

stopped had it not been for the intervention of the Commission of Inquiry. He could not have been massively taken aback by hearing the words, ‘You’re Fired,’ as he must have known that was inevitable. Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit.

In his case, it was the other way around.

One can only conclude that it was he and other chaps at City Hall who authored the popular game, ‘Sea of Thieves.’

But firing the ‘King’ must be considered just a very small first step in addressing the looting of City Hall. The trail of theft cannot and must not be left just like that. The brazenness, the vengeance of the plundering; the boldness of the crime wave; and the audacity of the heist cannot be just swept over with a

mere firing. What has happened at City Hall over the last three years makes the Banco Central Burglary in Brazil, the Brink’s-MAT Robbery in London and the Central Bank of Iraq Robbery in Baghdad look like child’s play. Unlike the Bernie Madoff scandal, where few people outside of Wall Street had heard of Bernard Madoff before he confessed to his epic US $65 billion fraud in 2008, in this instance the ‘King’s’ activities were well known to many, some of whom in several instances conspired with him.

One can only hope that the others who were cited in the same report for dereliction of duty, incompetence, and conspiracy, and who are still at City Hall nonchalantly carrying out their tasks as though nothing has happened, would be dealt with summarily and condignly.

Dealing with one offender whilst allowing the others to continue with business as usual is material for a ‘Carry-On’ movie.

Just as importantly, a systematic and timely effort to see the return of the stolen assets of the council and the city must be urgently undertaken. The Local Government Commission must focus as well on putting in place the legal framework, institutional expertise, and the skills necessary to trace and return stolen assets from local authorities. This is the only way to develop the most effective tools to tackle and prevent the further theft of assets critical to the development of our cities and towns.

Regards Mark Roopan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

‘Immediate reaction disorder’ must be addressed

Dear Editor

IN his book ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow,’ Daniel Kahneman enumerates two systems, namely, System One which is fast, intuitive and emotional and System Two which is slower, more deliberative and more logical. Our behaviour falls under either of these systems.

We respond differently to the situations. Sometimes we react immediately and passionately. This behaviour is driven by several factors, such as upbringing, society, ego etc. The trigger is the child in u. Many peo-

ple suffer from this.

It could be called, ‘immediate reaction disorder’, where one acts purely on passion. The most likely consequences from immediate reaction disorder are negative and detrimental.

One has to move from child to parent in order to thrive positively and impact positive actions. We have to slow down and be calculative, while reacting to a situation. We have to be logical and reasonable to react in a certain manner. This cannot be taught or does not come with age, but it is the result of checking and rechecking

our behaviours to any given situation.

If one wants to improve in this regard, one has to try and change the behaviour pattern. There are people who react immediately to a situation and then regret the behaviour.

But if those people could first assess the consequences, their behaviour would be better. People who suffer from this disorder can be detrimental to others. Let us help people who suffer from this disorder.

Regards Jerri Dias

PPP says concerned about developments at School of the Nations

Dear Editor

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is concerned about the horrific developments affecting the School of the Nations and urges the coalition government to stop treating this matter in a ‘business as usual’ manner and take a more aggressive lead in addressing the situation. The safety of our children in schools must be of paramount importance.

This situation could have serious consequences for both the children at the school and the country at

large.

The party also expresses its sincerest condolences to the families of six-year-old, Corwin Edwards, six-yearold, Sherezer Mendonca; and three-year-old, Roshini Seegobin. The party notes that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has indicated that it is investigating the circumstances of the deaths and is also conducting an assessment of the medication administered to the children.

The party joins the call for an external investigation to also be done. Parents have certain

expectations when they place their children in the care of health care institutions and they deserve answers.

The PPP expresses too its condolences to the family and friends of Vanica Schultz, 15, who passed away under tragic circumstances. The incident underscores the need for greater vigilance so that support mechanisms can be in place and be accessible at times when our children are faced with difficult choices.

Regards People’s Progressive Party /Civic

The result of 23 years of PPP mismanagement of health service Dear Editor, I HAVE heard and written of shocking stories from the GPHC dating back to the PPP’s time in office. I think the PPP should take most of the blame for the problems that are happening in the health service.

They had 23 years to address them. They did not.

They politicised the GPHC and the medical council.

They politicised the entire health care system. The government should take the blame for not correcting and addressing the ills of the health service. Three and a half years are not enough to correct 23 years of mismanagement. Hopefully, if given another term in office, we may see tangible evidence of changes for the better for the long-suffering patients.

I have heard and written of coronary angiograms and stents being undertaken without cardiothoracic back-up by a doctor at the CHI who is not recognised as a specialist by the country where he did his fellowships. Dr. Madhu Singh of the Balwant Singh Hospital, aptly summed it up as playing Russian roulette with patients’ lives.

I have heard and written of renal transplants being undertaken without a recognised renal transplant

surgeon, without the basic facilities to monitor and manage the transplant kidney and without the facilities and skills to manage complications, if they arise during or after transplant of the kidney. I have heard and written about an emergency department that will be expanded to a trauma centre without a recognised emergency consultant or trauma consultant, with nurses without a clue of trauma medicine and with limited paramedic service. I have heard and written of the establishment of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) without a neonatal intensivist, where doctors are not just guessing and learning on the job, but are also totally incapable of doing competently, basic invasive medical procedures Now this. Vincristine, a potentially deadly chemotherapy drug being administered intrathecally. Mr. Editor, not with one patient, not with two patients, but with three patients who are now dead.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) strongly recommend that Vincristine should NOT be delivered to the patient at the same time with any medications intended for CNS administration (intrathecal). The reason is

simple. Mix-ups can occur and vincristine, which should only be given intravenously and is deadly if given intrathecally, can be accidentally mixed up with the intrathecal drug and given intrathecally.

I read in the printed media that the vincristine was being administered simultaneously with another chemotherapy, methotrexate.

Methotrexate can be given intrathecally. I suspect this is where the mix-up occurred.

The vincristine was mistaken for methotrexate and given intrathecally.

I also read that the junior doctor who administered these drugs was being supervised by a senior doctor. Was this senior doctor sleeping when these mistakes were repeated not once, not twice, but three times? I don’t think this senior doctor was sleeping. In my opinion this senior doctor did not know what he/she was about; hence, he/ she could not recognise the danger. He/she may be one of those calling him/herself specialist when he/she is not. Something the PPP should have addressed when in power for 23 years. Developing a non-political medical council and a non-political independent body to review credentials of doctors who return as “specialists.”

What is happening is not new. It was happening long

before Dr. Walter Ramsahoye was President of the Medical council. When Dr. Ramsahoye was fighting this battle I was in high school.

He fought tooth and nail to ensure that those returning to Guyana were actually specialists. A specialists’ register he wanted to establish. That battle he lost because the masqueraders outnumbered him. I have now taken up that battle. I have been writing about this for years. Like Dr. Ramsahoye, I was attacked. Dr. Mahendra Carpen of the Caribbean Heart Institute emailed my boss at Nottingham University Hospital complaining that I have been peddling misinformation, which is affecting his patients. My boss saw the letters and had no concerns since they were medically sound. They were based on facts and international standards and medical evidence established by Randomised Controlled Trials. Evidence Based Medicine, the term.

Dr. Carpen could not counter what I had written and continue to write, hence he tried to silence me. Dr. Carpen literally pleaded with my boss not to release his name and his email to me. My boss requested to know why. No answer was provided by Dr. Carpen. He went silent after his cowardly email, hence I was told and saw the email. I

remain fearless and continue to write, identifying myself, my workplace of contact, my email address and phone number, not requesting to be anonymous and prepared to defend what I write. A true medical soldier. Dr. Carpen was not the only one. Dr. Kishore Persaud, the socalled transplant surgeon at the GPHC would upload my letters to Facebook and he and like-minded persons would attack me. Why attack me? Just simply use the printed media to counter what I have written and continue to write. The fact is that they can’t and they hope I become scared and stop writing when they attack me. And I can provide many other instances of me being attacked, but I just continue to write.

All of them hiding behind the cloak of an incompetent and useless medical council.

The fact, Mr. Editor, is that this battle cannot be won if I am the only one involved in this campaign. I have provided advice on multiple occasions on how the government can review the credentials of doctors who return to Guyana and claim to be “specialists.” It is very simple, completely ignore what they have done. Guyana lacks the skills to assess this.

Simply request to see the certificate of completion of specialist training that they

should receive if they had completed specialist training.

Contact the institution to make sure the certificates are genuine. Without the certificates they are not specialist and will put patients’ lives at risk.

Last week three young angels died and thousands died before them. My mother died at tghe GPHC when I was eight years old leaving five orphans -- the youngest eight months -who were not guaranteed a daily meal. That’s why for me it is personal. Today is Oncology. Tomorrow may be Cardiology, Renal transplant,NICU or A&E. I pray it never happen, but it will happen if the problems I’ve highlighted are not addressed. I pray this should be number one priority of the government if re-elected. The PPP can’t, since nothing was done in 23 years, leaving me to conclude that they simply don’t have the know-how or simply wish not to fix the problem for political reasons.

Regards Dr. Mark Devonish MBBS MSc MRCP(UK) FRCP(Edin) Consultant Acute Medicine Nottingham University Hospital UK’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

GECOM puts attention on elections timeframe

THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has agreed to recommence progressive deliberations on a timeline for new General and Regional Elections, with the unanimous decision that optional timeframes will be provided.

The presentation on these timeframes is expected to be completed and presented to the commission on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, as both sides see the new agreement as progress towards a much-needed solution.

Coming out of GECOM’s statutory meeting on Tuesday, People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-nominated Commissioner, Bibi Shadick, updated the media on the decision.

“A decision was taken that the secretariat will prepare work plans giving timelines for the different options that were presented by the CEO,” Shadick stated.

“The Operation Sub-Committee will be provided with those and they will meet before Tuesday, February 5 – which is the next statutory day — so that they can report to the meeting on the next statutory day about all the possibilities. That is where we are.”

At the commission’s second meeting since the return of previously ill GECOM Chair Justice (ret’d) James

Patterson, the procedure saw several scenarios for possible elections being put forward by the GECOM Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

These included scenarios where elections would be held within a 90-day period; where the budgeted $3B house-to-house registration would take place prior to new elections and a few others.

COUNTER This was countered by government-appointed commissioners, who advocated house-to-house registration or, at a minimum, a claimsand objections-period for the cleansing of the list.

These are among the variations to be considered in the report of the Operation Sub-Committee, which will

Commissioners Vincent Alexander (left) and Desmond Trotman (Adrian Narine photo)

However, by the end of the meeting, the commissioners had encountered a deadlock expressing contrasting views to the media on, not only GECOM’s preparedness, but also on the best possible timeline for new elections.

PPP- nominated commissioners pressed for elections to be held by March and for simultaneous training exercises countrywide to speed up the process.

also present a timeframe of the shortest possible time for elections to be held and a compact proposal for houseto-house registration.

The committee is cochaired by Commissioner Sase Gunraj and Charles Corbin and includes Desmond Trotman and Robeson Benn as members.

“There is a kind of progress, but we need to see what the alternatives are that are presented to the Operation

Sub-Committee and the results of those discussions,” Shadick said.

Later, speaking with the media, Commissioner Vincent Alexander said the commission now looks forward to a more definitive presentation on what the options are by Tuesday, February 5.

He said that following that process, they will once

forward,” Alexander commented.

However, Benn believes that efforts are being made to intentionally delay the holding of elections.

He put forward that in all other cases when the question of elections arose, the commission was presented with work plans and schedules which indicated the time,

People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-nominated commissioners Bibi Shadick and Robeson Benn (Adrian Narine photo)

again have to meet with the chief whips of the government and opposition to update them and their leaders on the progress made.

MOVING FOWARD “Today’s meeting has provided a framework for a way forward. It’s not that we’ve said ‘nothing is happening’ or ‘nothing can happen’; we’ve established a framework which, hopefully, gives us the scope to move

activities and manpower required.

“This is the first occasion in which we have not been presented with the work plans and schedules with respect to that matter and that in itself is damning,” he contended.

However, Alexander argued that these situations were hindered by the chairman’s illness and the disagreements witnessed between the commissioners.

“GECOM’s Secretariat

Children’s Mash continues

“I CAN DO IT”- An emotional young performer from the Sophia Special Needs School performing a dramatic poem in the 14- 17 category

A young man from St. Joseph High performing his dramatic poem entitled “Proud 49 with El Dorado in Mind”

This young girl from St. Stanislaus College recites her poem on ‘De Times’

was handicapped by the fact that it had no directives and that in the first instance, this might have been occasioned by the absence of the chairman for a prolonged period and in the second instance, they still had no directives because of the stalemates among the commissioners,” he said. “So I would not hold the secretariat responsible for holding up anything,” he said.

Regarding the presence of a work plan, he said the secretariat had already compiled a work plan for 2019 but reiterated that, in the light of political developments, there was no directive to deliver a different work plan until last Tuesday (January 29) with the return of Patterson.

“The secretariat has been cautious because in the past, when the secretariat took initiatives, they were accused of acting outside of their remit; and so now that they’re cautious, they’re being accused of not taking [the] initiative.

So they’re caught in a bind,” Alexander said.

Responding to whether he believes progress is being made, he added: “From where we were in terms of the stalemate to now, yes [there’s progression]. We’ve re-opened for interaction and for resolution of the problems.”

(Photos by Adrian Narine)

“El Dorado is we own” being performed by a young boy in the 11-13 category from St. John’s College

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Women’s shelter, community centre for Linden of Region 10, to benefit from services that can identify health issues they are experiencing, rather than to wait until a health crisis emerges.

“I think one of the problems with Guyanese, is that we don’t go to the doctor unless we feel a pain or a strain, but with the U.S. Government and these consistent medical outreaches that have been occurring, persons are more aware of their health situations, and so to have such a project on the ground

Residents at a medical outreach in Linden on Sunday

By Vanessa Braithwaite THE US Army Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) and the Air Force’s New Horizon continue to lend support to the Linden community, in the form of medical outreaches and community development projects.

The two departments of the US Army have been collaborating with the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC), in providing much-needed assistance to the mining community.

Mayor of Linden Waneka Arrindell, only last week returned from the final planning conference in New Horizon, Arizona, where final discussions were held on the construction of a women’s shelter and community centre, at Blue Berry Hill and Amelia’s Ward. The conference, themed ‘Exercise New Horizon’ also included finalised plans for a massive two-week medical outreach, that will be held in Linden in the first week of July, at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre.

The designs of the buildings were revealed and construction is expected to commence in the first half of 2019. The women’s shelter will have several private rooms, a training room, kitchen, living room, common area and an infirmary.

The community centre will include a classroom, common area, kitchen, office and storage.

The shelter and community centres are needed in Linden, since statistics have shown that Linden has been ranked high in the area of domestic abuse, affecting both women and children. There was, however, no shelter to provide temporary protection for abused women and

their children, thus, heightening the result of them being killed. Most of these women, cannot even afford the transportation cost to Georgetown to benefit from such facilities that are available there.

Mayor of Linden Waneka Arindell has expressed her appreciation to the US Army, for making the facilities possible for the abused women and children in Linden, pointing out that it will also provide employment in the town. She is hoping, however, that the shelter will not only be used as a safe home, but as an empowerment centre, so that the abused women will not leave empty-handed as they entered, but will be financially, mentally and emotionally empowered.

EMPOWERMENT “We are going to be connected with the NGOs who will give us support, so the onus is on us as a municipality to see what the home will entail. Outside of being just a home, we want it to be a home and a training centre, so let’s say for example, you have women involved in empowerment sessions, cake making and teaching women trades if they don’t have,” Arindell related.

She is calling for collaboration from all stakeholders to make the project a success.

“Whenever the women leave there, they must leave there fully developed, they must be able to get into a job and, if the women are displaced with children they should be able to move back into a setting where they can be able to survive outside of that home.”

A location, though it was not revealed, has already been chosen. The home is expected to have maximum security, as well as a resident care-taker.

Arindell said that as a woman, she is overwhelmed of the benefits of the project.

“This is a wonderful initiative, I am pleased because I have seen some women who just need a place to get themselves settled, and to find who they are, and to be brought back into society.

This would encourage women to be able to speak out because there is something here to give that assistance, so I am happy to be a part of this and I hope the entire community comes on board,” Arindell said COMMUNAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES The two community centres will also serve as empowerment centres, where women and youths can engage in communal economic activities such as agro- processing. “The reason why the council would have chosen those two communities is because Amelia’s Ward is the largest growing community in the Caribbean, and Blue Berry Hill was chosen because of the distance from access to public,” Arindell revealed.

In 2017, Region 10 had been identified as the region with the highest general rate of child abuse, with Linden having the most recorded cases of abuse, with neglect being the highest form, followed by sexual abuse.

The New Horizon’s medical outreach in July will include general care clinics, such as women’s health, paediatrics, general medicine, internal medicine, dental care, optometry and physical therapy. Gynaecological surgeries will also be done at the Linden Hospital Complex LHC). Mayor Arrindell said that this is the perfect opportunity for Lindeners and by extension residents

Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell

for two straight weeks, we are encouraging the general public, from Kwakwani to Rockstone to access the services that are being offered.”

The HAP, on Sunday, also hosted a successful medical outreach at Wismar, Linden which saw over 200 Lindeners benefitting from medical services.

One hundred spectacles were also distributed. This is the latest of a series of medical outreaches hosted

by HAP.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

CANU makes cocaine, ganja bust in city

FOLLOWING surveillance by agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit over a period of time, ranks on Tuesday made a sizeable bust of cocaine and marijuana at a home in St Stephens Street, Charlestown Georgetown.

The lawmen suspected that the drugs might have originated from Colombia. A man and woman were also arrested.

A parcel with some of the narcotics

According reports reaching the Guyana Chronicle, earlier on Tuesday some activity was observed at the premises and added to that, there was information which reached CANU, suggesting that the house was being used to store narcotics.

The ranks reportedly were able to monitor a pick-up transaction on Tuesday, but there have been no reports as to if the person who made that pick up was arrested by law enforcers from the narcotics agency. Deputy Head of the agency, Leslie Ramlall, confirmed that the house has been under the watch of the agency following intelligence received. He called on members of the public to keep the momentum up in informing the agency of any concrete or suspicious activities that may be taking place in their communities, and especially if they believe that those might be drug-related.

The operation was witnessed by a number of residents.

CANU agents seized cocaine and marijuana during the raid

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Three held in ganja raids POLICE in ‘A’ Division on Tuesday (January 29, 2019) during several intelligence-led operations in Timehri, East Bank Demerara, found a total of 882 grams of cannabis.

Three persons, inclusive of a female, have been arrested and are being processed for court.

The ganja found by police

Pedal cyclist knocked down on Mandela Avenue A PEDAL cyclist, who was on his way home, was struck down by a motorcyclist along the busy Mandela Avenue thoroughfare on Tuesday night.

According to reports, Marlon Abrams, who is said to be in his 50s, was heading to Sophia around 19:30hrs when the accident occurred.

An eyewitness told the Guyana Chronicle that the man was riding across the roadway from Meadowbrook Drive, when he collided with a motorcyclist who was

The man’s bicycle after the accident heading along Mandela Avenue.

The injured man sustained injuries to his head, hands and feet. A doctor who was passing by stopped to attend to him, while passersby rendered support. The man’s bicycle wheels were damaged, while the motorcyclist escaped unhurt.

Police subsequently arrived at the scene while an ambulance took the injured man to the hospital.

11

Estranged man threatens woman with ‘obeah’ then stabs her

TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD Unika Stewart of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara was up to late last evening receiving medical attention at a city hospital, after she was assaulted by the father of her children.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that the woman and the man had separated since last year, but they continue to have problems as he has been trying to get her to return to the home. However, the woman has reportedly hooked up with another gentleman, to show him that she was serious about moving on with her life.

Reports are that he too has picked up with someone else.

Things got sour on Tuesday when, it is alleged the woman visited the home of the man to remove a bed they once shared, and the former male partner refused to hand over the piece of furniture to her. He, reportedly, instead told the woman that he has taken her name, a photograph, a wig, and a shoe to an ‘obeah man’ at Mahaica, with the hopes that the `see-far man’ will help him to get back his lost love.

Such utterances immediately sent the woman into frenzy and she immediately telephoned the man’s aunt and asked to see and speak with her, to which the woman agreed. Shortly after, the man also called the same aunt and requested to see her also.

And, it was while the mother of three was at the man’s aunt recounting her side of the story, that he showed up and refuted her complaints which led to a scuffle.

The aunt related to the Guyana Chronicle said that she cautioned the two people and begged them to stop. The couple ceased their bickering and subsequently left.

The woman said as she was leaving, she overheard the woman telling the man not to go to the `obeah man’ and that she will return to their home, but he accused her of lying. Not long after, the aunt said that a man came to her and informed that her nephew, who is known as ‘Trini’, had hurt his reputed wife and that she as lying on the roadway. The woman said that she sent her daughter, who upon seeing the Stewart on the road, attempted to render

assistance to her.

Meanwhile, over at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where the injured woman was rushed, a sister related that the estranged man subsequently visited her home and had asked to see their mother.

She added that the man a huge sum of money in his hands and claimed when they enquired what he what, he reportedly told them that he wanted the woman to return home and that he was going to the `obeah man’ for her.

The man then left, but shortly after, the family received news that he went into hiding after he had cuffed, lashed and stabbed the woman on a street at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that after the couple had separated, they were still living together, and that the now hospitalised woman was encouraged by her mother to remove from the house, if indeed the two were not in a relationship.

Stewart to took her mother’s advice, left the house, and even went in search of a job to care for her three children.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

King mum on dismissal

GEORGETOWN Mayor Ubraj Narine on Monday officially informed the City Council of the Local Government Commission’s (LGC) correspondence to him of the summary dismissal of former Town Clerk Royston King.

Contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, King said that he is still studying the matter and as such, has no comments to offer. The mayor requested that Acting Town Clerk Sharon Harry read the

letter that was sent by the LGC Chairman Mortimer Mingo. The letter, in part, said King did not deny the allegations of gross misconduct.

The letter further said that the commission found King guilty after “careful examination” of a number of complaints that were made against him.

This newspaper understands that the City Council, through its Human Resources Management Committee,

will have to make a decision on the way forward. That committee reportedly deals with employment and all issues of recruitment.

The committee will have to make a recommendation to the Council, which will in turn be forwarded to the LGC. King was served with the dismissal letter last January 24 after “he did not respond verbally or in writing to the charges laid against him,” having appeared before the

LGC. When King appeared before the commission earlier in January, he had asked for an extension so his lawyer could be available to appear with him. However, when he subsequently appeared, he was without legal representation.

“Mr. King appeared before the commission in keeping with the letter where we asked him to appear to give him an opportunity to answer to the charges that were laid

against him coming out of the CoI. He did not answer to the charges either verbally or in writing. The commission took a unanimous decision of the commissioners who were present to have his services terminated with immediate effect from Wednesday last.

The letter has been served on him and I think yesterday [Thursday, January 24, 2019] he received the letter,” Mingo affirmed.

King was among a number of City Hall officials who were recommended to have disciplinary action taken against them, in a report emanating from the inquiry into the operations of City Hall that was conducted during the period September 24, 2018 and November 2, 2018.

The report was submitted on November 30. King had been on administrative leave since September 21, to facilitate the investigations of the CoI. The CoI was presided over by Chairman and sole commissioner Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard.

Other officers recom-

Former Town Clerk Royston King mended for disciplinary action include acting Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe; Internal Auditor Omodele Umojo-Newton; City Engineer Colvern Venture; HR Manager Paulette Braithwaite; Assistant City Engineer Rashid Kelman, and Sherry Jerrick.

Apart from the disciplinary action, there was also the recommendation for a forensic audit to be conducted by the Audit Office, and for criminal charges to be considered against officers.

Motorcyclist in WBD fatal accident flees scene

The abandoned motorcycle and the damaged pedal cycle after the accident.

THE rider of motor cycle CJ 5283 is being sought by the police, following a fatal hit-and-run accident involving an elderly pedal cyclist, at Nismes Public Road, West Bank Demerara, on Monday, January 28, 2019.

The motorcyclist, it is alleged, abandoned his bike and fled the scene, after knocking down Hubert Caesar, 70, of Lot 9596 Nismes Public Road, West Bank Demerara.

The police reported that the motorcycle and rider were proceeding south along the eastern carriageway of the road, at a fast rate of speed, when it struck down cyclist The septuagenarian was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital in an unconscious state and was pronounced dead on arrival.

The body is at the Ezekiel’s Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Survey to provide vital household stats

By Lisa Hamilton

THE Guyana Bureau of Statistics (GNBS) is advancing steadily in its objective to provide the latest information on Guyana’s living conditions within the economy.

This is being made possible through the conduct of a $158M-government funded Household Budget and Living Condition Survey.

As the country approaches ‘first oil’ in 2020, this information will be very useful to policymakers aiming to ensure that every Guyanese receives the economic benefits needed to live a comfortable life.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Deputy Chief Statistician at the Bureau, Ian Manifold, stated that the survey commenced in November and will conclude on October 2019.

“You’re going to have information there that the policymakers would be able to examine… especially persons’ standard of living; this is very important,” said Manifold.

In explaining the survey, he said that it will give a sense of a household’s total consumption and expenditures broken down in sufficient detail and characteristics such as the size and composition, degree of urbanisation, region and more.

“The whole idea of the household budget survey is for us to capture the seasonality as it relates to income, living standards and so on in Guyana. We want to have a look in terms of people’s expenditure and income in terms of their financial aspect of the household,” Manifold said, adding: “This information also provides us with a sense of their living standards.”

Household Budget Surveys (HBSs) are multi-purpose surveys which cater for a large number of uses and users.

The data collected involves a combination of one or more interviews and diaries or logs maintained by households and/or individuals, generally on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, the expenditure made by households to acquire goods and services is

recorded at the price actually paid, which includes indirect taxes (VAT and excise duties) borne by the purchaser.

“The survey has many, many purposes in the sense that we want to do some rebasing. We have our current basket of goods for the Consumer Price Index (CPI)and that was based on prices in 2006, so we want to update that basket; get a fresh basket of goods that could speak to the changes in prices over time in Guyana,” Manifold explained.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) can also be used to measure inflation in a country.

Other benefits of the survey include it being used as an input to building the national accounts for the purpose of measuring Household Final Consumption (HFC) at an aggregate level.

WIDE SAMPLE Delving into the details regarding how it will be conducted, the statistician noted that a sample of 6,000 households will be targeted, stretched across the 10 administrative regions.

“Those regions with greater population like Region Four, of course, we will visit more persons relative to Regions Seven and Eight.

But the idea is that we’re going to go across the country,” Manifold explained.

He also noted that the households will come from random villages and will be randomly selected, while the bureau has around 34 enumerators and some 12 supervisors on the project.

These facilitators utilise technology to input their information for faster conduct of the exercises and production of end results.

“All our surveys now are tablet-based, so you don’t have this situation where you collect the paper; the paper comes to the office and you have to code it; check for accuracy and then get another set of people to input it into the system and then have it checked for errors and all of these quality control issues.

So we ought to save a lot of time and get results out much quicker,” he stated.

Added to this, there will

be quarterly presentations and comparisons of the data collected.

However, Manifold said that although the survey has just begun, the bureau has already noticed the possibility of future challenges.

“We wanted to start very early; we were looking at 2020 as the election year because we wanted to make sure that we were way out

of the field by October and we’re not caught up in the election period. Unfortunately, we don’t have a choice because we started the survey and we’ll have to see how this plays out,” he explained.

“Historically, you don’t ever want to be conducting field work while an election is in process because what happens is that when we

come to your house, you may be exceptional to understand the difference between persons coming to ask you to vote as against people coming to do a survey. [But] it’s kind of cumbersome because if I’m leaning towards a particular party, I may see the survey as being biased for another party. Things like that.”

However, Manifold said

that the team views each survey activity as a learning process and is confident that with the experience garnered, they will be able to produce the much-needed information and on time.

“We’re very optimistic that we’re going to get our work done for the first quarter and then for the subsequent quarters,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Tax office opens at Mabaruma

By Svetlana Marshall

RESIDENTS of Barima-Waini (Region One) will no longer have to travel outside their region to access the services of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), now that a tax office has been opened in the town of Mabaruma.

The Integrated Regional Tax Office was

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan and Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia (centre of second row),are flanked by regional and local authorities, GRA officers and residents of the region, while standing in front of the new tax office

opened on Monday, January 28, 2019, by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in the presence of Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia; Region One (Barima-Waini) Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley; the Mayor of Mabaruma, Chris Phang; and other public officials.

Minister Jordan said that opening of the tax office meant that residents of Region One would no longer have to travel to Georgetown to conduct their business with the GRA. Delivering brief remarks, the GRA commissioner-general said the regional office had been on the agenda since 2016.

“In 2016 when I joined the GRA, I know for sure that we had planned to have an office here; so I sent up a team of persons to look into it and they came back and said all is okay, we should go,” Statia recalled.

However, finding a person to manage the regional office had proven to be a difficult task because of the geographical location of the region. “I eventually got Mr. Kadir and he came down here only to find that the facilities that were afforded GRA at the time were sadly lacking,” he said.

In January 2018, the commissioner-general led a team to Mabaruma, where they met with regional officials to discuss the importance of having a tax office in the town, and the need for a building to house the office temporarily.

According to Statia, the councillors, without hesitation identified a building following continuous consultation with the authority. The tax office will be temporarily housed in the building provided before relocating to a permanent location.

“The GRA will ensure that you get the services that you deserve and we hope you would contribute to the taxes as you earn,” he urged.

In expressing their appreciation, the regional and local officials pointed

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan out that establishment of the office there would encourage residents to be tax- compliant.

Mayor of Mabaruma, Chris Phang, said residents were now breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that they would no longer have to travel to the GRA headquarters in the city to access its services.

“We will achieve a great lot by collecting taxes,” he posited, while expressing optimism that government would be able to execute more developmental projects.

“Together we can transform the region, setting an example for the rest of the world to follow. With these words I am appealing not only to the residents of Mabaruma, but also to the rest of the region to take full advantage of the services being provided by the Guyana Revenue Authority,” Phang urged.

The regional chairman applauded the move by GRA as he too urged residents to capitalise on the services being offered at the facility. He said that, in the absence of a tax office in the region, many residents were exploited when they sought to have documents such as a TIN Certificate.

Ashley said that the region looks forward to working closely with the GRA, central government and its agencies to improve the lives of residents in the region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

CJIA expansion to accommodate 700,000 passengers –– Min Patterson

GUYANA is a decade ahead of schedule in its percentage of passengers that are expected to be serviced as a result of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project, according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.

grant an extension “In our opinion, we felt that the contractor did not have adequate resources coming on to the end to ensure that he meets his contractual obligations … So, there are penalties in the contract.

We are in the penalty phase, so it is the contractor’s obligation to finish

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Chief Executive Officer of the CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, in discussion during a tour of the facility recently.

“It is designed to accommodate 700,000 passengers, but we will hit that peak before the anticipated 2031,” the minister noted.

Last year, the highest passenger movement was recorded through the country’s main port of entry, CJIA. Between January 1 and December 31, 2018, according to the airport, 630,143 passengers were processed as compared to 592,053 in 2017.

Additionally, for the first time, arriving passengers represented a larger percentage of the total number. In fact, international passenger arrivals for 2018 was 325,800 or nine percent higher than 2017.

Patterson noted that the challenge is to expand services around the airport.

Meanwhile, the initial deadline of the CJIA Expansion Project was December 31st 2018, and, according to Minister Patterson, the government will hold the Chinese firm to this deadline, since government did not

the project,” Minister Patterson explained.

He said 92 percent of the work had been completed thus far.

“The contractor has submitted a revised schedule and he said he will be finished by March 31, 2019. We have noted that, and that is how we will proceed,” noted Minister Patterson.

It was noted that the penalties would include US$7,000 a day to a maximum of five per cent of the contract sum, of which US$8M remains.

Outstanding works to be completed include the south-west runway extension pavement works and sections of the Departure Terminal, namely immigration, security screening, and duty-free concession areas.

Meanwhile, of the 328 persons working on the project, 208 are Guyanese.

This represents 63 percent. The contract had an agreement of a minimum of 40 per cent Guyanese labour.

The new arrivals terminal at the Timehri airport

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Police probe man’s death in custody

THE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) will be conducting an investigation into the death of Kallicharran Sawak called “Danny”, who suffered injuries to his head while in custody at Sparendaam Police Station.

Sawack, of Lot 3 LBI, East Coast Demerara (ECD) died on

January 28, 2019 while a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH). An autopsy on his remains will be done today.

It is alleged that the 39-year-old LBI resident was beaten in the lock-ups, and due to the severity of the beating, the father of one was warded at hospital where he succumbed.

The police have launched an investigation into the man’s death.

According to relatives, Sawak was arrested on January 17, 2019 after he was misbehaving while heavily intoxicated and a report was made at the Beterverwagting Police Station.

The prisoner was

subsequently transferred to the Sparendaam Police Station, where he remained in custody while awaiting his time to be placed before the court.

Sawak was due to appear in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on January 22, but when the matter was called and he was not there it was put

aside. It was on the second calling of the case, that relatives were informed told by the magistrates that the prisoner had been hospitalised.

The man’s mother, Ramdai Sawak, 68, told this publication that when she visited the hospital her son was bleeding from his eyes and head. “He was not talking and his eyes were closed.

Ramdai Sawak

Dead: Kallicharran Sawak He was drunk when he was taken to the police station because he was behaving badly at home, and he broke

my window and he was locked up,” the mother said.

The woman said that the police told her that Sawak had been hitting his head against the wall, and that resulted in his injuries, a report she said she found hard to believe.

The woman is of the belief that her son, who was a welder and worked with a construction company, met his demise under questionable circumstances, and as such, she would like the relevant authorities to conduct a full investigation.

Guyhoc Park resident remanded to prison A 32-YEAR-OLD Guyhoc Park resident, on Wednesday, January 29, 2019 appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, charged for trafficking cannabis.

Richard Bailey pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that, on January 25, 2019, at Turning Point, East La Penitence, he had 220 grammes of cannaRichard Bailey bis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Bailey’s attorney Clyde Forde, made an application for bail on the grounds that his client had no knowledge or possession of the illicit substance, but police prosecutor Quinn Harris, opposed to Bailey being granted his pre-trial liberty.

Harris told the court that that the defendant was ‘caught’ with the cannabis in his haversack, and further stressed that at the time of the ‘bust’, Bailey had the haversack on his back.

The acting chief magistrate overruled the attorney’s application, and remanded Bailey to prison until February 25, 2019.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, January 28, 2019

Banks profits soar on Essequibo Coast BANKS DIH Airy Hall Branch, Region Two has again made a handsome profit and branch manager Premaul Ritney has been rewarded with the chairman’s award.

Addressing hundreds of shareholders and members of the business community at the company’s 63rdAnnual General Meeting (AGM) last Sunday, Chairman of Banks DIH, Clifford Reis, said the branch continues to

said for 2017, the physical sales were 842,049 units while in 2018, the branch sold 952,967 units, an increase of 13.2 per cent.

Notably, the branch had an increase in sales for Vita Malta, Guinness Stout, soft drinks, wine, bread, biscuits and ice-cream as compared to 2017.

“Other branches of Banks DIH are nowhere close to these sales and profit and I must commend the branch A section of the gathering at the Annual General Meeting at Airy Hall

Branch Manager Premaul Ritney with Chairman of Banks DIH, Clifford Reis at the Annual General Meeting in Essequibo on Sunday

earn massive profits despite various challenges.

“The profits are astonishing and I therefore would like to commend the Essequibo team for the job well done,” Reis said, to loud applause from the gathering.

Speaking on the branch’s performance for the financial year 2017-2018, the chairman said he is impressed with the profit earned.

In 2018, Banks generated $1,541,195,635 in revenues compared to $1,366,499,563 earned in 2017.

“Profit after tax for 2017 for the branch was $18,044,017 and in 2018 was $30,441,275, an actual increase of $12,397,558 or a 68.7 per cent increase,” Reis told the gathering.

Speaking on the number of units of products the branch sold, the chairman

manager for the excellent job done at the branch,” the chairman said.

The company is also looking at improving services in the region. Newl y - a p p o i n t e d M a n a g e r, Premaul Ritney, said he was happy with the team work of the company.

And on that note, he thanked all the customers and dealers for their commitment to Banks’ products over the year.

During the AGM, two primary schools were provided with a cheque for future development. Those schools were Arthville Primary from Wakenaam Island and Charity Primary from Region Two. The schools will use the money to further develop and enhance their school environment.

‘Time ripe for constitutional reform’

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

… PM says issue to be given greater priority

PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has said that constitutional reform will be given greater priority following concerns expressed by various members of the society and the Alliance For Change (AFC)

party.

On Saturday, the party hosted its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Umana Yana, and the full national executive of the party attended. At the meeting, the leadership evaluated the

party’s journey within the coalition over the last three and a half years and examined the path forward past the current political situation.

“It was a very important meeting of the AFC’s leadership,” the prime minister

stated. “I was asked to give an analysis of the political situation and, of course, I tried as best as I could to look at the situation now from all angles.”

The party leaders reflected on the December 21, 2018

occurrence in the National Assembly, whereby former party member Charrandass Persaud voted against the government in a no-confidence motion. “We are of the view that we have entered into uncharted waters and we have the constitutional situation that presents us not only with challenges, but with opportunities and those opportunities are of a very wide nature. [Such as] how do we move forward? How do we take our country forward with constitutional arrangements that will make our democracy safe and strong,” he explained.

“We recognised that our entire democracy was held hostage by a single person. It brought into our mind some very serious dimensions that if you have a political system where you hold office by a razor-thin majority, then you could have domestic parliamentary terrorists who sit and wait for an ideal opportunity. You could have political mercenaries who, with one vote, can bring an entire parliament down.”

The prime minister said that such acts can be self-motivated or, worse, influenced by foreign powers, which is why in the last few weeks he has contemplated long and carefully on the matter.

After photos of his phone conversations reached the media, Persaud had admitted that just days before his “conscience vote” to side with the opposition, he had advanced discussions on the purchase of US$1M in gold.

“I have been internalising in the last weeks, in fact, many of us in the party’s leadership, that we have the constitutional framework that makes our democracy very fragile. And so, without prejudice to what is taking place in the courts, we have now felt impelled to look at our constitution,” he said.

Upon entering office, Nagamootoo immediately set up a steering committee which would provide advice and a report on the establishment of a Constitutional Reform Commission.

However, this reform requires the support of at least two-thirds of the House and while the government is willing, Nagamootoo says that the opposition has been ambivalent with the process.

Nonetheless, he stated that the occurrence within

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo the National Assembly has brought to the fore the need for many issues within the constitution to be reviewed.

This includes the question of whether dual citizens can serve as Members of Parliament, or whether they need to have a period of resident qualification.

While indicating that he is not directly making the specific proposal, Nagamootoo said that these are matters -- now highlighted -- which can be settled once and for all by the government and opposition.

“You may want to know in your constitution that it is absolutely clear; there must be no doubt; there must be no uncertainty,” he said. “We have an article in the constitution, Article 180, that says that you can remove the President, but it requires procedures that involve [a] two-thirds majority of the National Assembly and then, at another state, three-fourths of the members of the National Assembly to remove a president. But here you have another article in the constitution that says you could bring the President down and his entire government on a simple majority of one vote of one side against the other,” he stated. AFC leaders have agreed, that along with pertinent issues such as the management of Guyana’s oil resources, constitutional reform will be given the required priority.

Nagamootoo said: “I believe that the AFC leaders have been dealing with this issue and we have come forward with strong recommendations that we should have constitutional reform as being at the top of our agenda.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

CARIFORUM DG implores consultation participants to propose practical outcomes

DIRECTOR General of CARIFORUM, Mr. Percival Marie, has implored participants at a regional consultation on a revised framework for dialogue among CARIFORUM, FCORs and OCTs, to propose practical outcomes that could be used to advise the political directorate.

He was speaking at the opening of the consultation which is being held at the Radisson Aquatic Resort in Barbados, 29-30 January 2019.

“This meeting must make pragmatic and practical proposals which would result in the establishment of the institutional framework of the platform that we think is required. This meeting must also establish the

Director General of CARIFORUM Mr. Percival Marie (right) and Chairman of the Consultation, Ms. Lisa Louis Philip listen keenly as Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation in Barbados, Mr. Luis Maia speaks during the opening of the consultation norms which would ensure Marie said the out- and the FCORS and Briteffective operation of the comes of the consultation ish and Dutch OCTs. He platform, its sustainability would be subject to fur- said additionally, that the and its viability,” Marie ther review from senior advice of regional organstated officials of CARIFORUM isations would be sought

before going into more intense sessions at the level of senior officials on the outcomes. This, he said, would serve as advice and inputs into a political-level dialogue. He further advised that discussions were underway to arrange for the political-level dialogue by the end of March.

Head of Cooperation from the European Union Delegation in Barbados, Mr. Luis Maia, also spoke at the opening of the consultation. He reminded officials that the EU had supported efforts to strengthen wider Caribbean cooperation since the 2005 Clovis Beauregard Conference.

“We are convinced that cooperation in this Region should be strengthened. It is a win-win situation for all countries and territories

concerned,” he said.

According to the EU representative, in a world with growing common challenges such as climate change and economic shocks and damage, the territories needed to come to together to maximise resources. He said it was through cooperation and dialogue that new ideas and synergies could be developed. He said he hoped this conference would achieve tangible results.

The consultation is being funded under the 10th EDF Regional Indicative Programme through a dedicated Technical Cooperation Facility (TCF) which, in part, aims to strengthen cooperation among CARIFORUM States, the FCORs and Caribbean OCTs.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

People across China busy preparing for upcoming Lunar New Year

Xinhua)--People select lunar new year decorations at a street market in Zhengding County of Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province, Jan. 27, 2019.

People across China are busy preparing for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Photo/Chen Qibao)

People select lunar new year goods at a street market in Zhengding County of Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province. (Photo/Chen Qibao)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Chinese economy powering ahead, fulfilling 2018 targets

(Xinhua)--IN the midst of a complex external environment, China’s economy ended 2018 on firm footing, with better quality and improved structure.

The world’s second-largest economy grew 6.6 percent year-on-year to reach 90.0309 trillion yuan (about 13.28 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2018, above the official target of around 6.5 percent, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed.

China is still and will long remain in an important period of strategic opportunity for development, and its fundamentals of long-term sound development do not and will not change, Ning Jizhe, head of the NBS, said at a press conference.

STABLE GROWTH While the 6.6-percent growth rate was lower than the 6.8-percent growth registered in 2017, it is still a relatively fast pace that pointed to resilience in the economy, analysts said.

The pace marked the fastest among the world’s top five economies, noted Ning, adding that China contributed to nearly 30 percent of the world’s economic growth and remained the largest contributor to global growth.

A closer look at the data showed some bright spots in the economy. Fixed-asset investment (FAI), for example, has seen a pick-up in recent months thanks partly to government measures to improve infrastructure.

FAI rose by 5.9 percent year-on-year in 2018, 0.5 percentage points faster than that recorded in the first three quarters, NBS data showed.

Ning noted that the demand for infrastructure investment is still high in areas including rural development and urban transport systems, as China still lags behind many developed countries in terms of infrastructure per capita.

“As we continue to implement policies this year, we can expect stronger investment data,” Ning said.

Resilience was also seen in the growing spending power of Chinese consumers.

Per-capita disposable income stood at 28,228 yuan in 2018, up 6.5 percent year-on-year in real terms.

Per-capiAa consumer spending increased 6.2 percent year-on-year in real terms, reaching 19,853 yuan in 2018. The increase was 0.8 percentage points faster than the previous year.

GREATER VITALITY The economy also showed greater vitality last year as continued reforms reinvigorated traditional industries and expedited the development of new growth drivers ranging from high-tech manufacturing to Internet-based services.

The government pressed ahead with supply-side structural reform last year, making steady progress, Ning said.

Capacity-cut goals in saturated steel smelting and coal mining sectors were beaten, and the deleveraging also pushed forward steadily.

Reduction of taxes and fees nationwide totaled more than 1.3 trillion yuan, beating forecast. Housing inventories shrank and weak areas were improved.

Meanwhile, new growth drivers were on the rise.

Ning said manufacturing and services maintained rapid growth, citing surging sales in new energy vehicles, optical fibers and smart TVs. “Online retail growth surpassed 20 percent.”

Solid progress in economic upgrades and development in high-end manufacturing are reinforcing the country’s economic foundation, Cheng Shi with ICBC International said in a research note.

Monday’s data also showed consumption played an increasingly bigger role in the economy, contributing 76.2 percent of GDP growth, up significantly by 18.6 percentage points from a year ago.

“Services consumption kept booming. Both the number of domestic trips and tourism revenue went up more than 10 percent, and the movie box office revenue topped 60 billion yuan, up nearly 10 percent,” Ning said.

SOUND OUTLOOK Warning about a more complicated and tough external environment this year, Ning said China had the foundation, condition, confidence and capability to keep economic growth within a reasonable range.

Ning justified his judgment, citing favorable conditions for the country’s development, including opportunities brought by changes in global and domestic situation, a massive consumer market, rich resources and talent, development dividends unleashed by reforms and ample room for policy maneuver.

With a population of nearly 1.4 billion and an expanding middle-income

group that topped 400 million in 2017, consumption will remain a major driver of growth, while policies to increase resident income and improve quality of goods and services will further unleash its potential, Ning said.

By increasing imports, analysts said China would provide more benefits to the rest of the world. The country vowed to import 40 trillion

dollars worth of products and services in the next 15 years.

Measures will be unveiled to stabilize employment, the financial market, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment and expectations, and policy makers repeatedly stated that the country will not resort to massive economic stimulus.

This year’s macro-regulation will focus on count-

er-cyclical adjustments, and the country will implement proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, Ning said.

Although downward pressure will weigh on growth, the country’s GDP growth will stabilize this year, underpinned by the government’s supportive policies, said Lian Ping, chief economist with the Bank of

Communications.

With a long-term perspective to assess the country’s economic performance, Liu Shijin, an economist with the China Development Research Foundation, expects the economy to enter a stage of stable medium-speed growth in 2020, saying it would last for at least 10 years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Region 5 puts spotlight on mental health

THE Department of Public Health in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) is gearing itself for the provision of stig-

ma-free, mental health care services at the level of its 18 primary health care institutions.

The initial step was

taken two weeks ago with the launching of the SelfHarm Surveillance Programme within the region, Regional Health Officer

Dr. Desmond Nicholson disclosed last week.

Self-harming cases, he explained, are non-suicidal self- inflicted injuries as

distinct from completed suicides,which also will be closely monitored and reported to the Ministry of Health on a daily basis.

The Self-Harm Surveillance Programme is being supervised by the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health, which rolled out similar programmes in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Regions Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) in 2017.

The programme is part of Guyana’s National Health Action Plan 20152020.

Dr. Nicholson said that the establishment of the programme in Region Five, occurs against a backdrop of the region having inched up to second place in the number of self-harm cases and completed suicides reported in Guyana in the past year- Region Two being Number One and Region Seven listed at Number Two. “The reason for doing the surveillance is, that we want to catch these selfharm and potentially suicidal people early; these people who may have cut their wrists for example. We want to catch them early and help them before they go to that fatal step. We know of the emotional, psychological and the economic burdens that families face as a result of the untimely death of a family member to suicide, and we are duty bound to do something about that at the level where it matters mostthe community and primary health care level.”

Doctors, nurses and social workers within Region Five who are not psychiatrists, are to be trained in the use of the Mental Health GAP Action Programme (mhGAP), which will equip them with the lower-level psychiatric education for providing effective mental health care.

The Mental Health GAP Action Programme (mhGAP) is known to be effective in curing persons with mental disorders, such as depression, psy-

chosis, self-harm which can lead to suicide, epilepsy, dementia and stresses, that are due to use of substances etc!

With the initiative being pursued, persons who need treatment can get it right in their communities, in this case in Region Five, and then go on to lead very productive and useful lives thereafter, he said.

Dr. Nicholson said that the training of personnel within Region Five in mhGAP, will commence in February.

“Following the initial capacity building of these health care personnel, people in Region Five with mental health issues will be able to access services on an outpatient basis, and will no longer attract the stigma of having been referred to as someone who had to have been institutionalised in the National Psychiatric Centre.”

“They will be able to visit these primary care institutions just like a diabetic patient, hypertensive patient or any other chronic illness patient.”

There will be three training sessions for capacity building of the targeted personnel this year, and other plans include the provision of one shortstay bed at each of the two hospitals within the Region.

The Regional Administration of Region Five has pledged to provide the necessary psychotropic medications for patients.

Notwithstanding the mhGAP training of non-specialists, the Health Department of the region is hoping for the employment of a Resident Psychiatrist during the course of this year.

The department will also train school teachers on, how to identify a child who is having mental health distress.

Social workers will visit the homes of those at risk of self-harm and suicide, and the entire family will be assessed and follow-up actions taken.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Parliamentary committee to meet today … to discuss presence of armed men on premises during no-confidence debate

THE Parliamentary Management Committee (PMC) will meet today to deal mainly with security issues in and around the Public Building, a release from the Office of the Prime Minister said.

The PMC was summoned to meet last week, but the meeting was rescheduled after the parliamentary opposition Members of Parliament requested to be excused from the sitting, the

release added.

This bi-partisan committee comprises five MPs from each of the political blocs in the National Assembly, and is chaired by the Speaker.

The issue of security in the precincts of parliament was placed on the front burner, following claims that heavily armed persons associated with the opposition were on the premises during consideration of the no -confidence motion.

Two arrested after robbery of Corentyne businessman POLICE in `B’ Division have arrested two persons in connection with the robbery of a Corentyne businessman, during which two armed men invaded the home of the proprietor of Gabbar’s Halaal Chicken Outlet.

The duo carted off $235,000 in cash, two cellphones, a quantity of jewellery along with $80,000 from two employees. Doodnauth Teekapersaud called “Gabbar”, of Lot 13, Tain Public Road, East Berbice related that it was the fourth such incident within a short space of time.

In early December, the outlet was broken into and bandits then carted off $183,000 cash and several plucked chickens. On December 27th, the business place was again broken into and a quantity of chicken, sausages and a small sum of cash were stolen.

Additionally, over the course of the past two months, Teekapersaud was the victim of livestock theft and constant disturbances at his property. He recounted that on Saturday, he along with two of his employees, who reside with him, retired to bed at approximately 22:00hrs. However at around 01:30hrs he was awoken by the employees who indicated that there were noises coming from the zinc next to their bedroom window.

Doodnauth who sleeps in the hall, said that he armed himself with a cutlass and began hitting it against the wall in an effort to scare the men, but the bandits forced their way into the house via a window and then into the bedroom and secured the

Businessman Doodnauth Teekapersaud door. The businessman related that he attempted to push the door open from outside but was unsuccessful, so he and the two employees left the house and locked the main access door with the bandits inside.

However, by that time the men had already looted cash and valuables and escaped via the same window.

Teekapersaud said he ran downstairs and recognised one of the bandits as someone he had identified before, as being among the persons who had previously robbed him. The businessman said that quickly ran back into the house, as a gunshot was fired in his direction.

Teekapersaud related that of recent he has been a victim of constant attacks, due to an ongoing land battle that is currently before the courts.

One of the suspects in custody is said to be one of the persons before the court in relation to the same land dispute.

The men in custody are expected to be placed before the court on Wednesday.

This photo shows the empty opposition seats at the PMC’s aborted January 23 meeting

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Courts to give back to customers

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of Courts, the Courts Optical brand

will be maintaining the practice of rewarding customers for choosing to

shop with the brand.

To start off 2019, Courts Optical granted four

lucky customers the oncein-a-lifetime experience of receiving a free pair of

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019 spectacles every two years.

These customers would be able to benefit from free eye testing and a range of first-class services available at Courts Optical.

Also, the customers would be allowed to acquire new spectacles, free of cost.

The promotion was well received by all customers who shopped during the Christmas season and many expressed excitement about the opportunity to win the unbelievable offer. The lucky customers were chosen under the watchful eyes of

the external auditors and Internal Control Department Functionaries. Courts Optical is proud to be able to thank its customers in such a tangible manner.

The winners are Rosiene Thomas, Lilawattie Lochan, Marcia Grannum and Lorlene Layne-Price.

Presently, Courts Optical is the fastest growing optical brand in the Caribbean and the company looks forward to continuing to deliver exceptional service and leading the eye care revolution in Guyana.

Man allegedly nabbed with counterfeit notes granted bail A 23-YEAR-OLD technician of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was on Wednesday, January 29, 2019, charged for allegedly having $325,000 worth of counterfeit $5,000 notes in his possession.

Alston Pierce made an appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on January 26, 2019, at Stabroek Market, Georgetown, Pierce with intent to defraud, had in his possession a quantity of $5,000 bills, amounting to $325,000, knowing same to be counterfeit.

During an application for bail, Pierce’s attorney Eusi Anderson told the court that his client was the sole breadwinner for his family.

Police Prosecutor Corporal Adduni InAlston Pierce niss, told the court that Pierce was arrested with the counterfeit notes in his possession, during an intelligence-led operation by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF.) Inniss, who made no objection to Pierce being granted his pre-trial liberty, requested though that conditions be attached, as the police investigation into the matter is ongoing.

The acting chief magistrate released Pierce on $200,000 bail and adjourned the matter until February 18, 2019.

Pierce was also ordered to report to the Brickdam Police Station, every Wednesday, until the completion of the matter.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Guyana needs 22,000 health, education professionals by 2040 –– says latest IDB report

GUYANA will need approximately 18,000 teachers, 1,000 doctors and 3,000 nurses by the year 2040.

This is what “Education and Health: The sectors of the future?”, the second issue of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) series, “The future of work in Latin America and the Caribbean” says in its projection of the demand for social sector professionals in 24 countries in the region.

“Our study shows that, even in the framework of the fourth industrial revolution, we can expect the number of teachers, doctors and nurses in Latin America and the Caribbean to continue growing at great speed,” explains Marcelo Cabrol, manager of the IDB Social Sector.

“Our methodology allows us to know that, for example, a third of the teachers that will be needed in 15 years, and almost two thirds of the doctors and nurses, are people who have not yet begun their working life. Faced with this reality, the key is to ensure that these new professionals have the skills and training they need to be the teachers, doctors and nurses of the future,” says Cabrol.

The study’s projections are based on a series of variables specific to these sectors. In the case of education, the school-age population, school enrollment rates and the number of children per teacher are considered. For the health sector, the number of doctors is estimated with respect to the aging population that will exist in the coming decades, as well as the proportion of nurses for each doctor.

In addition to presenting projections for the future, the study “Education and health: The sectors of the future?” analyses the evolution of the employment of teachers, doctors, and nurses in Latin America and the Caribbean over the last four decades.

“These three occupations have been growing significantly in the region, but the most remarkable thing is that the jobs in education and health are, in comparison with other sectors, of good quality,” explains Marcelo Cabrol. Thus, the publication not only shows evidence that the income of teachers, doctors and nurses in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown significantly in recent years, but also that these professionals are more likely to receive a pension in old age than other professionals such as engineers, lawyers, journalists or accountants.

In addition, women represent the majority of social sector workers, and the gender wage gap is substantially lower in these occupations than in others.

“While, in our region, women with post-secondary education still earn on average 28 per cent less than men, in education and health this difference is around 10 per cent,” says Cabrol.

“Education and health: The sectors of the future?” is the second issue of the series “The Future of Work in Latin America and the Caribbean” with which the IDB seeks to enrich the discussion on how the region can take advantage of opportunities, and minimise risks that arise from this issue using an interactive format that incorporates audio, video and other resources. The series is available at https://www.iadb. org/futureofwork.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.

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Man City title hopes suffer huge blow at Newcastle MANCHESTER City’s Premier League title hopes suffered a huge blow as Newcastle came from a goal down to record a remarkable victory over the defending champions at St James’ Park.

Two defensive lapses cost Pep Guardiola’s side the chance to cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to one point. The Reds face Leicester at home on Wednesday.

City could not have got off to a better start when Sergio Aguero’s hooked home after

only 24 seconds.

The Argentine also had a goal disallowed soon after when referee Paul Tierney adjudged Kevin De Bruyne had delivered a free-kick before he gave him the signal.

The Belgian was booked as a consequence.

Guardiola’s side rarely troubled Magpies keeper Martin Dubravka thereafter, and Rafael Benitez’s men grew in belief.

The home support erupted in the 66th minute when Salomon Rondon instinctively fired in after connecting with

Isaac Hayden’s header from 12 yards out.

And the match turned on its head in the 80th min-

Pep Guardiola’s City have dropped more points this season than they did in the entirety of the 2017-18 title-winning campaign

ute when the Magpies were awarded a penalty after Fernandinho - overplaying at the back - fouled Sean Longstaff in the area after being robbed of possession.

Matt Ritchie waited more than two minutes as City keeper Ederson received treatment, before firing his spot-kick beyond the reach of the Brazilian.

Many will be looking at this scoreline in disbelief.

City had not lost to Newcastle in 22 league games, with the North East club having only collected three

points from a possible 66 against their opponents.

Guardiola’s side came to St James’ Park on the back on a 5-0 thrashing of Burnley in the FA Cup, and having put three goals past Huddersfield and Wolves in their previous two league encounters.

Nothing less than three points seemed likely and when Aguero fired City into the lead inside a minute, following a cross from Raheem Sterling, that became an apparent certainty.

But then City eased off the pedal. (BBC Sport)

Finally! GFC hold Police at bay to cop inaugural ‘STAG Revival’ Cup THE Georgetown Football Club (GFC) on Sunday night finally ended the long wait for a senior title as they managed to repel Police FC and hold on for a memorable 2-1 victory as the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) ‘STAG Revival’ Cup came to a head.

With $500 000 and bragging rights at stake, both finalists had a cautious approach to the game. However, as time went by GFC grew in stature and confidence, so it was no surprise that semi-final hero LaVaugh Inniss struck in the 34th minute to give GFC the lead.

Staunch defending from GFC held off Police for the

remainder of the first half. It was much of the same in the second half before GFC’s lead was extended in the 79th minute, courtesy of Rondell Peters.

However, Police went down fighting as Stephan Ramsey eventually found the back of the net in the 87th minute. But it was just a consolation, as GFC lifted the championship trophy and walked away with $500 000 cash.

The third-place play-off also ended with a similar scoreline as GT Panthers outplayed Elite League winners Fruta Conquerors. Carlos Duncan was the first to get his name on the scoresheet for GT Panthers in the 20th minute before

Fruta’s Dellon Williams equalised just before halftime.

Desmond Cotton was the eventual hero for GT Panthers after he struck in the 68th minute to seal the deal for his team.

The second-place winner Police pocketed $250 000, while third-place GT Panthers copped $150 000.

The Revival Cup was launched last year by GFA with support from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), to involve football clubs within the Georgetown area, resuscitating competitive spirit between the Georgetown clubs after an extended period.

GCC women, Hikers men cop top honours at Bounty/Antonio’s hockey tournament THE Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) 2019 season got off to a flying start on Sunday with the Bounty/Antonio’s Grille one-day tournament at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence with Hikers men and GBTI GCC women taking top honours in their respective categories.

The day’s play got un-

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derway at 09:00hrs with a total of 36 matches.

T h e w o m e n ’s f i nal between GCC and Wo o d p e c k e r H i c k ers went down to the wire. However, it was GCC’s Shebiki Baptiste’s fourth-minute field goal that copped the title for her side as no goals materialised.

Hikers came close but Leicester 09:10 hrs Clarendon Street 09:40 hrs Cloth Cap 10:10 hrs Mister Chow 10:40 hrs Townshend 11:00 hrs Roc D’Apsis 11:40 hrs Star Of Rory 12:10 hrs Bold Reason Wolverhampton 12:45 hrs King Oswald 13:15 hrs Markhan 13:45 hrs Your Band 14:15 hrs Alexis Carrington 14:45 hrs Brockley Rise 15:15 hrs New Rich 15:45 hrs Jermey’s Jet 16:15 hrs Counting Sheep

could not get past Julia Gouveia (guest player) who was awarded the female goalkeeper of the tournament.

The men’s final was a showdown between longstanding rivals Bounty GCC and Pepsi Hikers. It was nothing short of excitement with seven goals being scored between the two sides. Hikers’ Aroydy Branford opened Hikers’

account before Jamarj Assanah scored the first of his brace in the fifth minute to double their lead.

H o w e v e r, G C C ’s Kevin Spencer pulled a goal back in the eighth minute before Assanah completed his brace two minutes later. Hikers’ and national skipper Robert France added to the score card with a field goal in the 11th

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Wednesday, January 30, 2019)

COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) (1) (2)

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: Kraig Braithwaite-54 Tests 62 (WI vs ENG, Bourda, 1994)

(1)

(2)

TODAY’S QUIZ: How many Tests, ODIs and T20 Internationals are scheduled for England’s current tour of the Caribbean?

Which player made his Test debut in the first Test of the current WI/ENG series?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

minute which was good enough to make the late efforts of Kevin Spencer (17th minute) and substitute Philip Fernandes (19th minute) in vain as Hikers held on for the 4-3 win.

The most promising junior player award went to Abosaide Cadogan of GBTI GCC, while her team mate Ulrica Sutherland was awarded MVP of the competition.

The next big event on the GHB’s calendar is the tri-nation series in March, when both national teams travel to Canada in March.

That series will be followed by the Pan American Challenge Cup (dates are to be confirmed) which will see both national teams play for qualification to the Pan American Cup.

36

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

FIA trainer cites ‘great future for Caribbean

motor sport’

AHEAD of rounds three and four of the Caribbean Junior Karting Academy Trophy (CJKAT) at Bushy Park, Barbados this weekend (February 2-3), 14 young regional contenders have earned high praise from Dubai Grand Prix Clerk of the Course Ronan Morgan.

After heading the team of FIA-accredited Regional Training Providers (RTP) who tutored the youngsters last month, Morgan said: “They promise a great future for Caribbean motor sport.”

Morgan, his Dubai GP Deputy Clerk, kart racing expert Gordon Mellis, and former F1 driver Tommy Byrne conducted two days of classroom and on-track training, organised by the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) at the facility. Morgan said: “As a FIA RTP trainer, I’ve completed training in 26 different countries around the world. This was the most fulfilling event I’ve been involved with. We had an incredible audience of 14 really talented young karters from 10 to 15 years old, who were way beyond our expectations in their level of experience for such young people.

“What made it for us was that after two days of intensive training over many modules followed by two days of great wheel-to-wheel racing, we witnessed first-hand an incredible improvement as drivers and in general all-round learning.

“The lasting image I have was most of the young stars coming to us individually with no prompting, thanking us for what we taught them - great people, who promise a great future for Caribbean motor sport.”

Barbadian racers Calem Maloney and Adam Mallalieu are the early front-runners in the CJKAT, having won seven of the first weekend’s eight races. Jamaican 13-year-old Tommi Gore won the other race, while his compatriots Ryan Chisholm, also 13, and Zander Williams, 12, were podium finishers. Maloney has 158 points, leading Mallalieu by 14, with Chisholm (103), Gore (92) and Williams (80) completing the top five.

Looking back on his first experience racing the Vortex-engined Exprit OK-Junior kart, 12-year-old Maloney said: “I really enjoyed driving the OKJ. It handles better than the Easykart, although being small makes it challenging to manipulate the kart. One of my biggest challenges was trying to manage tyre wear and still go fast, especially in the longer finals. I am looking forward to rounds three and four and can hopefully maintain the lead.”

His closest challenger was 14-year-old Mallalieu, who had some previous experience of the OK-Junior karts, having been the first Caribbean driver to contest the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy in Europe last year.

He said: “Racing against the best from around the Caribbean is a lot of fun and a real challenge. I am one of the oldest, also bigger than the others, so I am over the minimum weight by 20 pounds.

That takes away the home field advantage that I would have had, and makes it even more of a challenge.

I am looking forward to the tight competition this weekend where I hope I can come out on top.”

Training sessions were also held last month with local senior officials and marshals, around 20 of each, about which Morgan added: “Normally when one trains officials in a well-established environment you often get ‘push back’ when you’re told ‘that’s not the way we do things here’.

“There was no such attitude from the great bunch of officials we met. All were focussed on trying to improve and to follow any advice we could give. Finally, I must mention the huge welcome, hospitality, warmth and friendliness extended to the three of us from everyone involved in Barbados. A big thanks to Andrew Mallalieu and BMF for grasping the initiative and driving this along.”

BMF president Mallalieu concluded: “I was extremely satisfied with the first weekend of CJAKT racing. The level of skill shown by the juniors was fantastic and above all of our expectations. Each of the eight races for the weekend was settled on the last lap; in fact the winner in two of the races was determined in the last corner.”

The Barbados Karting Association (BKA) season has been restructured, to ensure fairness in the Champion Driver title chase for those competing in the CJKAT. To give the 60cc Cadets additional exposure and provide for the 125cc Masters to participate in the two remaining weekends, the BMF has added races within the Academy programme.

These dates will now become the BMF Winter Cup, with three races per category each weekend.

The 2019 BKA Championship will now start on April 14, featuring four races for all the usual classes on each of the six dates, meaning that the total number of races will be the same as last year.

Caribbean Junior Karting Academy Trophy 2019

POINTS AFTER ROUND 2 (OF 6): ■ 1st Calem Maloney (BAR), 158 points

37

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

South Africa have lowered World Cup expectations, says du Plessis

By Nick Said CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa captain Faf du Plessis picked hosts England and 2011 champions India as the title favourites for this year’s Cricket World Cup and said his side will go into the tournament with lowered expectations, which could work to their advantage.

team are ranked fourth in the ODI standings, said yesterday.

“It is pretty clear that England and India are the two favourites.

“We are a young group and the guys are just excited about the opportunity.”

However, du Plessis is aware that South Africa will still have to deal with a lot of hype in the run-up and during the tournament as well as the

Faf du Plessis raises his bat after getting to fifty (Getty Images)

South Africa’s World Cup adventures have often ended in unfortunate circumstances, including falling foul of an unfair rain rule, misreading the Duckworth–Lewis run-rate requirement or comical run-outs at the death.

Four years ago they seemed to have one foot in the final until New Zealand pipped them in a thrilling semi-final by belting a six off the penultimate ball of the match.

Such results have led to South Africa being labelled ‘chokers’ at the 50-over event, and in turn has lowered their expectations for the 30 May to July 14 tournament.

“We will go with a little bit less pressure on us as a team in terms of the expectation of winning it,” du Plessis, whose

narrative of their past failures.

“We have gone to tournaments in the past where we have felt like we had the strongest team on paper, but cricket is not played on paper,” he said.

“When opponents look at us now, we are not the strongest team. But when a South Africa team goes to the World Cup, the chat in the media starts, even the opposition starts to chat!”

MENTAL CHALLENGE du Plessis believes managing the mental side will be key for his squad, which is expected to include 10 debutants.

“I remember going through the process of the previous World Cup (in 2015),” he said.

“Going through the hurt of putting in so much time and

FIA trainer cites ...

■ 2nd Adam Mallalieu (BAR), 144pts ■ 3rd Ryan Chisholm (JAM), 103pts ■ 4 t h To m m i G o r e (JAM), 92pts ■ 5th Zander Williams (JAM), 80pts ■ 6th Adam Marshall (BAR), 68pts ■ 7th Kayleigh Catwell (BAR), 58pts ■ 8th Rayden Persaud

From pg. 36

(GUY), 55pts ■ 9th Jeremy TenPow (GUY), 54.5pts ■ 10th Elan Rahaman (GUY), 53pts ■ 11th Nathan Rahaman (GUY), 45pts ■ 12th Colin Bradshaw (BAR), 35pts ■ 13th Paige Mendonca (GUY), 32pts ■ 14th Zachary Persaud (GUY), 25pt

energy into trying to win a trophy, and by the end you are absolutely shattered.

“Yes, all of us badly want to win a World Cup but for me as a captain, it is very

important to make sure that players don’t try to be supermen to win.

“I have felt like we have been guilty of that in the past ... and that expectation can (put) a

lot of weight on your shoulders.

“They just need to go there and be the best they can be.”

The World Cup will be played in a round-robin format with all 10 nations pitted

against each other in the first round and the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals.

South Africa open their campaign against England at The Oval on May 30.

38

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Barbados plans Wes Hall statue outside Kensington Oval

Australia hold the World T20 trophy aloft. (ICC/Getty)

Champions Australia to start T20 World Cup against India (REUTERS) - Australia will begin their Women’s Twenty20 World Cup title defence against India next year in a tournament the International Cricket Council (ICC) is hoping to conclude with a record attendance for a women’s sporting event.

The tournament will start on February 21 and culminate at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 8, which is also International Women’s Day. The ICC said the final presents a “groundbreaking opportunity” to surpass the current attendance record for a women’s fixture for any sport of 90 185, set at the 1999 women’s football World Cup final between the United States and China.

The MCG has a capacity in excess of 100 000 people, although the ICC is hoping to attract more than 92 000.

“Whenever we host an event in Australia we know we can guarantee the one billion cricket fans around the world a great show,” ICC chief executive David Richardson said.

“Outstanding venues: Noisy, passionate, knowledgeable fans. Exciting cricket. This is the perfect combination for a T20

World Cup.” Australia, who won their fourth T20 title last November, will meet India at the Sydney Showgrounds on February 21, followed by games against Sri Lanka, a qualifier and New Zealand in Group A. Group B features England and West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and the other yet-to-be-confirmed qualifying team.

For the first time, the women’s and men’s T20 World Cups will be held as standalone events in the same year, with the men’s tournament being staged from October 18 to November 15, with the final also at the MCG. “To hold two T20 World Cup finals at the world’s largest cricket stadium in front of 92 000 people with hundreds of millions more watching around the world is a particularly exciting prospect,” Richardson added.

The men’s tournament begins with a series of qualifying matches before Australia open the Super 12 section at the Sydney Cricket Ground against Pakistan on October 24, while India meet South Africa at Perth Stadium.

PLANS are being considered to add a statue of Wes Hall outside the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Hall, now aged 81, enjoyed an excellent career as a fast bowler with West Indies before becoming a respected administrator.

Wes Hall was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2015. (AFP)

He also served as a minister for tourism and sport in the Barbados government and qualified as an ordained minister. He remains hugely popular in Barbados and has a stand named after him and his opening partner, Charlie

Griffith, at the ground.

As a player, his career highlights include the first Test hat-trick by a West Indies player - against Pakistan in 1959 - and a leading part in a maiden series victory over Australia in 1964-65. He also bowled the final over in the tied-Test at Brisbane in 1961 and helped West Indies to victory over England in 1963. Desmond Haynes recently named him among his best-ever Barbados XI. There is already a statue of Garry Sobers on the approach to Kensington Oval. Originally unveiled in Wildey, a few kilometres outside of Bridgetown, in 2002, it was moved to the ground ahead of the World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007.

The plan is for the statue of Hall to complement that of Sobers, which has become something of a tourist attraction in its own right.

Hayden urges Harris to stay patient Australia PM urges Thailand not to extradite Bahraini player MATTHEW Hayden has urged Marcus Harris to put the cut shot away until after he reaches three figures in his innings and to play straighter for longer.

Harris has been one of Australia’s best finds of the summer, making starts in all but one of his eight innings, but he is yet to turn any of those scores into a century.

The left-hander was caught at point on 44 in Australia’s series-opening Test win over Sri Lanka in Brisbane, and has also been out trying to hit balls square from well outside off stump on three other occasions this summer.

Australia’s most prolific Test opener Hayden, a fellow left-hander who amassed 8 625 runs at the top of the order with 30 centuries, said Harris had to restrain himself for longer in order to thrive at Test level.

“I’ve been really impressed with Harris but I think he plays too square of the wicket for an opening batsman,” Hayden told AAP. “He needs to straighten his game up and play straight and bat for long periods of time. And be disciplined to the point of ‘I’m not going to play a cut shot until I’m on 120 or 130’.”

Hayden watched on

in Brisbane while helping raise over $50 000 for rural drought relief, but was again frustrated by Australia’s century drought this summer.

It’s a problem he believes that goes back to Sheffield Shield cricket, where less big scores are being made than in his era.

Every Australian batsman averaged between 20 and 40 in the series against India, while Australians have eight times been dismissed between 60 and 85 this summer - including Harris and Travis Head twice.

“It’s a mindset thing,” Hayden said.

“I used to find that in the 30s or 60s I was always vulnerable because at 30 you’re just starting to break through as an opening batsman, you’ve done all the hard work and you’re starting to feel the ball.

“And then at 60 you’re starting to get touch, so you start to explore what that looks like.

“But to get big runs you have to go ‘okay well I know I’m vulnerable here now, I’m going to work my way be it a time goal or partnership goal, I’m going to work my way through a stage of the game’.”

By Nick Mulvenney

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Asian soccer chiefs called on the Thai government to release footballer Hakeem Al Araibi as prosecutors in Bangkok on Tuesday acknowledged receipt of an extradition request from Bahrain.

Bahraini Araibi, who fled to Australia from his homeland in 2014 and was later granted asylum, was arrested in November in Bangkok on an Interpol notice issued at Bahrain’s request.

The Australian Prime Minister’s office confirmed that Morrison had written a letter to his Thai counterpart Prayuth Chan-ocha asking that Araibi be allowed to return home.

“The PM reminded the Thai prime minister that he is a refugee that has been given permanent residency, he should be released,” one source familiar with the details of the letter told Reuters.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also wrote to the Thai Prime Minister, a significant move because the regional governing body, which had been criticised for its silence on the case, is run by a leading Bahraini, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa.

Araibi was a vocal critic of Sheikh Salman, a member

of Bahrain’s ruling family and a cousin of the king, when the AFC President contested the FIFA presidential election in 2015.

Prayuth.

Araibi was convicted of vandalising a police station in Bahrain and sentenced to 10 years in prison in absentia. He

Hakeem Al Araibi was arrested on arrival at a Bangkok airport based on an Interpol notice issued at Bahrain's request. (PHOTO: REUTERS)

The AFC said on Saturday that Sheikh Salman had been recused from matters relating to West Asia 18 months ago to ensure there were no accusations of a conflict of interest and that Vice President Praful Patel would oversee the Araibi case.

“I hereby respectfully request Your Excellency to take the necessary steps to ensure that Mr AI Araibi is returned safely to Australia, where he has been granted refugee status, at the earliest possible opportunity,” Patel wrote to

denies wrongdoing.

FIFA APPEAL Thailand’s Foreign Ministry have been consistent in saying the case was a matter for their justice system to decide and on Tuesday reiterated that stance.

Chatchom Akapin, Director-General at the International Affairs Department, Office of Attorney General of Thailand told Reuters that an extradition request had been received from the Bahrain government.

“We have to see whether the Bahrain request falls in line with Thailand’s Extradition Act of 2008,” he said. “If it matches then we will make the request to the criminal court. It is the court who decides whether to sent Mr. Hakeem to Bahrain or not.”

Chatchom said that if the request did not fall in line with Thai extradition law then no request would be made to the court and Araibi would be released when his 60-day detention order expires on Feb. 5.

“The Extradition Act of 2008 stated clearly that for a country with no extradition treaty with Thailand, like Bahrain, we have to see various factors including their government request to determine whether it falls in line with our laws,” Chatchom said.

Bahrain has criticised “external interference” in Manama’s internal affairs and said Araibi can return to appeal against the sentence, noting that others arrested with Araibi who have done so have been acquitted.

Soccer’s world governing body FIFA also released a statement on Tuesday in which Secretary General Fatma Samoura called on the Thai and Bahraini authorities to ensure Araibi could “go back safely to Australia as a matter of urgency”.

39

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Hemraj, Reifer and Singh return to face Red Force

Brave Heart FC ‘Hemp Mash’ 5-a-side tournament set for this weekend THE stage is set for the Brave Heart Football Club ‘Hemp Mash’ five-a-side small goal tournament this weekend (February 2 and 3) at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School ground, Mandela Avenue. Match will begin at 14:00hrs both days.

Teams drawn from East and West Ruimveldt as well as North and South Ruimveldt will participate in the U-11, U-13 and U-15 categories respectively.

The tournament will be played in a roun-robin format which will be followed by the knock-out stage, two semi-finals and a final.

Games will be played in two 15-minute segments.

The organisers of the tournament revealed that the aim of the tournament is to encourage and promote the development of football among the youths within the communities of Ruimveldt, as well as to provide opportunities for male and female players to enjoy and participate in football at all levels.

Meanwhile, trophies, medals and other lucrative prizes will be at stake in the competition. Among the donors of prizes for the competition are Verman Bedesse (CEO of Bedessee Import Inc. USA), Guyana Hemp Industries and AH&L Kissoon.

The USA-based Bedessee recently donated a quantity of football bibs and footballs to Brave Heart FC and Eastveldt Football Club of East Ruimveldt.

After Barbados bruising, England ponder changes

By Simon Evans

The Guyana Jaguars team prior to departure for round six of the PCL tournament

CHANDRAPAUL Hemraj, Vishaul Singh and Raymon Reifer have all returned to the Guyana Jaguars setup for the sixth round of the Professional Cricket League (PCL).

The trio have returned from duties for the West Indies President’s XI against England in a warm-up game last week and will head to Trinidad where they play the hosts Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Devendra Bishoo, Trevon Griffith and Keon

Joseph are the men to make way for the return of the trio.

The full squad reads. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Raymon Reifer, Leon Johnson, 5. Vishaul Singh, Anthony Bramble, Christopher Barnwell, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford and Clinton Pestano Guyana suffered their first loss of the 2018/19 season in round five at the Guyana National Stadium via a two-wicket margin against Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

GFF/Pele Alumni ‘Frank Watson’ U-15 tournament to be launched today

(REUTERS) - A year in which England will host the World Cup and the Ashes started in the worst possible way with an emphatic 381-run defeat by West Indies in Barbados and they face major selection choices for the second Test in Antigua starting tomorrow.

For West Indies, led by one of the game’s most exciting talents in all-rounder Jason Holder, the contest at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium offers a chance to prove they are a team on the rise - capable of more than just occasional triumphs.

… to kick off on February 2

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with the Pele Alumni Inc., will launch the GFF/Pele Alumni ‘Frank Watson’ National U-15 Inter- Association Club Tournament today at 11:00hrs in the federation’s boardroom.

The four-day tournament is scheduled to begin on Saturday, February 2 at the GFF’s National Training Centre, Providence and will feature 10 teams in three clusters with the final set for February 16.

Other match days are set for February 2 (Cluster 1), February 3 (Cluster 2) and February 9 (Cluster 3) respectively. Match Day three is scheduled for the Anna Regina Community Centre ground, Essequibo.

Among those scheduled to give remarks at the launch are Pele Alumni Inc.’s Representative John Yates, GFF’s Technical Director Ian Greenwood and Youth Development Officer, Bryan Joseph.

Dartmouth Dominators – Essequibo/Pomeroon FA/GFF/Pele Alumni Frank Watson U-15 Winners (Kaiteur News photo)

England opener Keaton Jennings For all the focus on England’s decision to play two spinners and leave out experienced seamer Stuart Broad, the fact remains that England’s loss was caused by a shocking first-innings batting effort as they were skittled out for a paltry 77.

Concerns over England’s batting increased when parttime spinner Roston Chase took eight wickets in the second innings.

Questions are being asked of England’s left-handed opener Keaton Jennings who is struggling again after showing his capabilities with a century in Sri Lanka in November.

It would be a surprise, however, if England’s selectors decided to immediately jettison him for 32-year-old back-up Joe Denly; but Jennings will again be under pressure to show he merits that faith.

Jennings will need to show real toughness to rise to the challenge but that is a quality former skipper Michael Vaughan feels the team is lacking.

“They do not have the mental strength to fight through tough sessions by working hard and forcing bowlers into their third or fourth spells. They are fine when they bowl a team out or make a big score, batting first themselves, but poor when they are under a little bit of pressure,” Vaughan wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.

Vaughan pointed the finger firmly at Jennings and is worried he won’t be able to handle Holder’s pace attack.

“Keaton Jennings is a good player against spin but every time he faces pace I shut my eyes. He does not know where his off stump is and, as an opening batsman, that is your number one task,” he said.

Broad is likely to return to the attack but it is far from clear who will drop out and with Antigua possibly friendly to spin, Joe Root may still need to keep two slow bowlers.

The mood in the home camp is buoyant, after all there have only been two other occasions when the West Indies won a test by bigger margins by runs.

They defeated England by 425 runs in Manchester in 1976 and crushed Australia by 408 runs in Adelaide in 1980.

While the results of the Caribbean side remain well below the standards they once set, there are signs they may be turning the corner - the victory in Barbados was their eighth win in their last 21 Tests.

Those victories include two against England and Pakistan and one against Sri Lanka but Holder, now ranked as the world’s top Test all-rounder, knows there have been plenty of false dawns for his team.

“We’ve still got a long way to go. One Test match doesn’t make a summer,” he said.

“We’ve been in this position before, so lots of hard work must be done.”

Success will be “one-off” unless CWI governance changes: Page

35

Mitchell S T GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has warned that unless there is a change in the current administration of Cricket West Indies (CWI), instances like last weekend’s shock win over England in the opening Test will remain one-off occurrences.

Speaking in the wake of the Windies’ crushing 381-run victory inside four days at Kensington Oval, the veteran leader argued that sustained success on the field could only be achieved by proper leadership and management, and a governance system “that promotes the interests of the players”.

“We have seen West Indies perform well in a particular game in the past but as one who understands the game well, I know you cannot make a final judgement on the performance of a team by one game,” Mitchell said.

“As they say in areas of intellectual activity, maybe that’s a one-off. I don’t like one-off. I like it to be clear there’s a permanent change in attitude.”

He added: “As I have said over and over, unless the administration changes, I do not think we will see the kind of performance we need to.”

Mitchell is a former chairman of CARICOM’s Prime Ministerial subcommittee on cricket and has continued to lobby for governance reform in West Indies cricket.

During his tenure, he found himself at odds with the current Dave Cameron-led administration when he endorsed the CARICOM-commission Governance Report, which, among other recommendations, called

for the “imm e diate

dissolution” of the current board and the appointment of an interim board “whose structure and composition will be radically different from the now proven, obsolete governance framework.”

CWI dismissed the recommendation as “impractical” and an “unnecessary and intrusive demand”.

Mitchell agreed while there was an abundance of talent in the region, West Indies were suffering from a lack of leadership.

“I always believe we have the talent in the region; I never think we are short of talent,” he pointed out.

“Maybe we will not see a Gary Sobers or Brian Lara emerging, but we have the talent to ensure that we can extract the maximum performance, but it requires the leadership, management and governance system that promote the interests of the players and the unity of the region as a whole.

“I think that is the fundamental thing that is lacking and I hope we see a change in that regard.”

West Indies face England in the second Test of the three-match series starting tomorrow in Antigua.

Mia Mottley Prime Minister of Barbados congratulate Jason Holder (R) of West Indies for winning on day 4 of the 1st Test between West Indies and England at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, on January 26, 2019.

(Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP) (Photo credit should read RANDY BROOKS/AFP/ Getty Images)

Finally! GFC hold Police at bay to cop inaugural ‘STAG Revival’ Cup The GFC team pose after their victory over Police FC in the final of the GFA/STAG Revival Cup on Sunday night.

See story on Page 35

GCC women, Hikers men cop top honours at Bounty/Antonio’s hockey tournament 35

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019