Guyana chronicle e paper 02 18 2018

Free Inside

No. 105189

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2018

Price: $140

(VAT Inclusive)

Beefing up border patrols

… President declares Whitewater frontline community in defence of Guyana’s sovereignty … army sets up new patrol base after residents raise security concerns

PAGE

03

Children Mash down town!

PAGE

15

These children put on quite a show when the junior Mashramani Costume and Float Parade took to the streets on Saturday (Adrian Narine photo)

CGX production agreement a 53/47 split Former Attorney General Shahabuddeen passes on 08 PAGE

14

Fire flattens 10 Non Pareil factory

09

Onika Joseph is Calypso Monarch 2018 PAGE

PAGE

PAGE

2

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

18 victim-friendly police stations by year-end

THE Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) will facilitate the construction of 18 victim-friendly police stations which are slated to be completed by the end of 2018, Project Manager Clement Henry has said.

The project is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). These stations are being redesigned to address the capacity issues in responding to crime and violence within the country, which include physical violence against women.

Henry, in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), described

domestic violence as a “serious issue.”

It is within this context that the stations are being fashioned to include materials, equipment, and rooms that are convenient to reports and complaints against perpetrators. The modernisation of these stations is expected to foster an environment conducive to the efficient reporting system that caters specifically to victims. Henry claimed that the CSSP is currently procuring a consultancy firm to conduct a full diagnostic review in order to understand and resolve any and all issues victims have relating to reporting matters

and identifying perpetrators.

“We are designing the police stations in a user-friendly manner…we’ve noticed from the safe neighbourhood surveys that many times people are reluctant [to make reports] …sometimes they complain that when they make a report, particularly domestic vio-

lence reports, [that] there is not enough confidentiality in the way they have to make the report at the open enquiries desk.”

Plans are onstream to construct special rooms for domestic violence interviews as well as rooms for Identification Parades so that victims are not placed face-

to-face with and intimidated by perpetrators. Construction began on 12 police stations in the last quarter of 2017 and another six (6) are slated to commence by the second quarter of 2018. The Cane Grove Police Station is almost entirely completed, using the refurbished design and is currently awaiting

Intercom Systems. Construction of redesigned stations in Mibicuri, La Grange, Kwakwani, Mackenzie, Issano, and Annai are moving apace.

Among the six stations that are slated to commence construction this year are those located at Whim, Albion, and Springlands. (DPI)

CJIA departure operations relocated

THE Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) has announced that departing passengers will be relocated to the former Greeters Hall to facilitate the ongoing airport expansion project.

According to the CJIA in a press statement, this will take effect from Sunday, February 18, 2018, at approximately 14:00hrs to ensure Immigration and Security operations are smooth.

“It is apt to note that the project is progressing smoothly on schedule to the completion date and this is a planned stage of

A template of the CJIA Expansion Project the renovation works to ac- will still have the opportunity as it expands to better serve commodate the construction, to shop and browse in the them,” the airport said. while maintaining operations duty-free shops, which are Government said the of the existing terminal,” also located in the former CJIA expansion project CJIA noted.

Greeters Hall area. would be completed in the The Drop-off/Check-in Passengers will then pro- last quarter of 2018. process remains the same. ceed along another corridor The US$150 million However, passengers will be to the Departure Lounge area project was scheduled to guided along a corridor to be to await boarding. be completed within 32 processed by immigration “CJIA apologises for months of its commenceofficers, followed by security any inconvenience caused ment in 2013. However, screening. and appreciates the trav- that deadline was extended, After the mandatory se- elling public’s continued since the project has expecurity checks, passengers understanding and support rienced several delays.

3

Beefing up border patrols

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

… President declares Whitewater frontline community in defence of Guyana’s sovereignty

… army sets up new patrol base after residents raise security concerns PRESIDENT David Granger on Friday declared Whitewater, Barima-Waini (Region One) and other communities near Guyana’s border with Venezuela, frontline communities in the fight to ensure the country’s territorial integrity.

The Head of State was at the time speaking to residents following a briefing at the new patrol base, which was set up by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in the community on February 14, after the Regional Intelligence Committee reported in a letter to the Head of State some security concerns as a result of the current situation in Venezuela.

These reports were acted upon swiftly by the government and the base was set up in less than 72 hours. Guyana’s border with Venezuela is nearly 800 kilometres long and villages such as Whitewater, Baramita, Kaikan and Arau are all border communities, which the President described as Guyana’s guardians. “You’re like our guardian, you’re like our shield, you are in the frontline and let me tell you this, since Guyana became independent in 1966, 52 years ago, our western neighbour, Venezuela, has been claiming this very land that you’re living on. You all are not Venezu-

elans, you are Guyanese, but Venezuela has been claiming this land all the way up to the Essequibo River,” he said.

The commander-in-chief told residents that the borders between Venezuela and Guyana have already been decided and that the country is readying itself to defend its territory at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). “We know that nearly 120 years ago an International Tribunal decided where the boundaries should be between Venezuela and Guyana and we have been struggling for the last 52 years; and only last month, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) decided that this controversy would go to court and we would settle it. I am very sure Whitewater, that after this matter goes to court, you’ll be able to live in peace and that you will not have any more provocation,” he said to loud applause.

However, President Granger told residents that while there is an end to provocation in sight, all branches of government, along with the security forces and residents, must work together to defend and protect the country, noting that government will do everything in its power to ensure their safety. “We want to make sure that you are safe and I’m

here because I’m concerned about your safety. I’m here because I don’t want anybody to attack you; I don’t want anybody to hurt you; I don’t want crimes to be committed against you,” he said. The military presence is intended to neutralise any illegal activity and provide a 24-hour guard system to ensure maximum security.

Residents of Whitewater and surrounding villages are pleased with this development. One resident, recounting his own experience and reports of threats to his life, said that members of the Venezuelan criminal gang, ‘Syndicatos’, have been coming across the border with their weapons, threatening residents and burning their lands.

“The business people, who are living in Whitewater are not safe,” he said.

President Granger, who was accompanied by Chiefof-Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Patrick West, member of the National Security Committee Brigadier Bruce Lovell and Commander; ‘F’ Division, Senior Superintendent Ravindradat Budhram, called on the army, the police and the regional administration to continue to work closely together with the central government to ensure that

President David Granger being greeted by officials at Whitewater, Region One citizens of those frontline communities are safe.

CREATE CPGs Turning to the residents, he urged them to create Community Policing Groups (CPGs).

“The police and the army cannot be everywhere. We

want you to be able to protect your own community so…

I’ll ask the chairman [Regional Chairman] to sit down with the army, the police and the Toshao so that we can decide on how best we can help you to protect yourself… Every Guyanese must feel safe in his or her own country,”

the President said.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Mr Brentnol Ashley explained that not only is the region faced with threats from the ‘Syndicatos’, but it is also dealing with Guyanese who are See page 8

4

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

‘You have a right to public information’ –– President Granger tells South Rupununi residents at Radio Aishalton launch

PRESIDENT David Granger on Saturday said that it is the right of every Guyanese, regardless of their geographic location, to access public services, particularly public information, which will ensure that they are equipped to make informed choices and decisions and to have their voices heard.

The President was at the time delivering the featured address at the commissioning of Radio Aishalton in Aishal-

ton Village, South Rupununi, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine), where he also donated a quantity of sport gear to the South Rupununi District Council.

Before unveiling the plaque to officially mark the commissioning of the radio station, President Granger said that the day marks the opening of a new but important chapter in public information in Guyana and for the hinterland. The Head of State said that the consti-

tution of Guyana mandates that every Guyanese should be given the freedom of expression and as President, he will ensure that every citizen has a voice.

“Your government is concerned that as far as the delivery of public information services is concerned, just like public health and public education, you should not be wanting for public information and this radio station is going to assist not just in education alone, but President David Granger acknowledges Aishalton residents during his visit there on Saturday (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

The radio station that was commissioned at Aishalton on Saturday (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

in democracy in government. When I speak of public information, I speak of a public good. A public good is something that everyone can take away, but it will not diminish or deprive someone else and the radio station is a public good. Everyone can benefit and no one can lose.

You have a right to public information,” he said.

In the dissemination of public information, however, the President said that the message must be tailored to suit the audience. Where necessary, he said, the native languages of the target

areas should be used. The President also said that every individual hired to work at the radio station must exhibit a sense of responsibility and respect for professional ethics and integrity as he noted that the public information systems are not organs for the spreading of propaganda, but rather a medium for objective discourse and communication.

“You must be able to broadcast to the residents of the Rupununi in the languages of the Rupununi. In the north, you must be able to broadcast in Macushi, in the South you must be able to broadcast in Wapishana and

in the deep south, you must be able to broadcast in Wai Wai. People must be able to listen to programmes in their native languages. This radio station will uphold your freedom of expression, your right to freedom of expression. It will support the public interest to help residents to know what is happening in their communities. It will enable the democratic empowerment of citizens. Citizens who are informed are better able to make decisions. You are able to participate fully in the affairs of the community, because you know what other sections of the community are doing. It will promote social cohesion. This system of regional public radio stations will help to integrate Guyana more fully,” he said.

The President noted that the radio station is but one component in a larger vision of ensuring equal See page 5

Sunday February 18th, - 05:00 hrs Monday February 19th, - 05:00 hrs Tuesday February 20th, - 05:30 hrs

DATE: DATE: 26/11/2016 17/02/2018 26/11/2016 17/02/2017

O 12 05 11 03 14 06 18 10 19 19 2620 02 N 02

06 05 13 06

14 12

21 25 26 24

26/11/2016 17/02/2017

04 6

07 9

03 7

26/11/2016 17/02/2017

05 7

04 2

01 7

26/11/2016 17/02/2017 02 03

09 05

10 07

11 09 13 13 14 15

18 20

5

‘You have a right to public ...

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

From page 4

access to social and public services to all residents across the country, where each region has its own economic centres. Without these centres, the Head of State said, Guyana’s hinterland would remain underdeveloped.

“These towns… are meant to promote economic development and to ensure citizens’ access to public services. The policy of this government is that everything you need, education, National Insurance Scheme (NIS), banking, whatever you need must be provided within the region and radio is

here. Public health must be available through the health centres and hospitals. Public information now through this radio station and public security through the police stations and, in due course, this region will have its own police region. Every region must be able to provide citizenship services. All of these services have to be available in every region,” he said.

Village Toshao, Mr. Douglas Casimero, in his remarks, said that the community is pleased with the initiative and committed to working with the government to ensure that the President’s plan to

and indeed we are now going to bridge the gap between the coastland and the hinterland.

Aishalton welcomes this. I would like to say that we are with you, Your Excellency, on the road to development that will help us to realise our potential,” he said.

Regional Chairman Mr Brian Allicock echoed these sentiments, noting that it is a momentous day, not only for the village, but the region. “I am so proud to be here a part of this. This is a great method in which we can get things out to the communities and let them know what is happening.

I am happy for the youths in

said that information is key to development and the organisation is pleased to be playing its role in the provision of this service.

“Now you can hear live and direct, how your elected officials are doing in the nation’s capital and you can hear from your regional and local representatives. NCN has already started a process of change. We are rebranding and reforming radio and as a result of that, we are going online. We have television testing in various parts of the country and we hope to revitalise the creative sector in this land. The move-

tions system in Guyana was confined to the coastland.

Wanting to give every citizen the opportunity to hear and have their voices heard, they decided to embark on the project to put radio stations in the four towns, Mabaruma, Mahdia, Lethem and Bartica with the village of Aishalton now added.

It is commendable, he said, that the government has been able to improve access to information for almost 90 percent of the country through the radio stations in just under three years.

Meanwhile, the residents expressed their elation with the set-up of the radio station, noting that they can now feel more connected to the events and news from the coastland.

Ms. Rena LaRose, in an invited comment, said, “Having this radio is really exciting for me.

Before you had been sitting and wondering what to do, but this here has brought excitement and joy to my heart and our community where we can now have a way of learning. I think this would benefit the community a lot, the young people and

the children.”

Mr. Rudolph George, a resident of Aishalton, said that he is particularly pleased with the decision to involve youths from the villages in the work of the new radio station. He said that the initiative signals government’s commitment to inclusivity.

“We are very happy to get this radio station brought here, because we can now listen to the news from around the country and know what is happening. This is a great improvement for us and we can listen to our radio from our homes.

The persons who will be trained to work at the radio station are also great and we want to thank the government for this. We feel very proud about this because now we can listen to news, educational and religious programmes.

I feel that Deep South can be proud of this. Today I feel like we are not left behind but we are being uplifted,” Mr. George said.

(Ministry of the Presidency)

Bandits shoot, chop minibus driver President David Granger, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock and others in the studio of Radio Aishalton (Ministry of the Presidency photo) one of those services. Your government has a vision of providing strong regions.

Each region must have its own aerodromes, business districts, industrial centres, ports of entry, but most of all, it must have its own radio station to communicate with its residents… Every region must be able to provide public services. Public education must be available

bridge the developmental gap between the hinterland and the coastland is achieved.

“Today is a truly historical day for Aishalton and the other villages of South Rupununi. I thank you for Radio Aishalton. We would like to be treated as people with equal rights. I am really thankful and I am humbled.

Today the seat of government is at Aishalton. Thank you

this community, particularly with the involvement of them in the radio stations. I am so happy. I am happy that Region Nine has been given so much attention, so let us continue to work together to build our communities and Guyana,” he said.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Communications Network (NCN), Mr Enrico Woolford

ment of information is key to development. We must be informed before we can make informed decisions and choices. For years, there has been challenges with the flow of information. Radio Aishalton will seek to change that content model,” he said.

Coordinator Dr Rovin Deodat said that the new government, after taking office, realised that the communica-

A MINIBUS driver who was shot and chopped about his body by three men, two of whom had guns and the other a cutlass, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital in a stable condition.

Police said the incident occurred about 18:45hrs on Friday evening at Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Investigations revealed that the victim, Alfred Braithwaite,37,a minibus driver of South Vryheid’s Lust, ECD, was standing in front of the Superbet shop when the suspects approached and demanded money; he refused, and was shot in the right leg.

The victim further alleged that after being shot he rushed into his minibus #BVV 7712 which was nearby and secured himself, but was pursued by the suspects who damaged the windscreens and windows and inflicted a wound to the right side of his face and relieved him of $14,000.

The suspects were identified only as “Juvenile”, “Bang” and “Kevin”. They are being sought by the police.

6

Editorial

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

Our schools must remain safe spaces RECENT incidents -- home and abroad -- where the sanctuary of our children was disrupted, has to stop.

When parents send their children to school, it is intended for them to get an education in a safe and secure environment with their attendant rights ensured. News of another shooting, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida, United States of America (USA) has left 17 dead, others injured and hospitalised. The USA news outlets have described the incident as a massacre and one can only imagine the horror felt in the community, moreso those who suffered and have lost loved ones.

The anguish on the faces of the affected resonate and is without borders as the question on everyone’s lips is probably, “aren’t our schools safe or sacred anymore?”

According to the World Health Organisation, violence is “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation.”

At home, we too have had to deal with various instances of violence in the school environment. While thankfully not at the scope being witnessed in the USA, no stone must be left unturned to stamp it out here. News that a taxi service operator was placed before a city magistrate for allegedly selling methamphetamine -- known as ecstasy -- to an underage student of Queen’s College constitutes violence. This is a case of adult/child power relation, and the dire consequences borne with being in possession of an illegal substance and what its usage will wrought. This incident must be fully investigated and wherever culpability exists, the full brunt

of the law must be felt.

It is further said that the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit has discovered a drug ring in two city secondary schools. This is disturbing and highlights the dare by those who think such illicit practice must not only ensnare the young, but must infiltrate their sacred space.

There is more than enough distractions in the wider world, made more compound and complex with easy access to information, posing challenges to steer the young on a productive path that would lead to wholesome development as they grow older. The recognition of this does not ignore that each generation of young can recount stories of pushing the proverbial button during their school life, but where such is now bordering on threats to life and health, it cannot be dismissed or be treated with kid gloves.

The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” is premised on wisdom. It requires an entire community, from diverse backgrounds, to look out for and interact with our children to ensure that they grow in a safe environment.

Children cannot raise themselves and rely on the protection and prodding of well-meaning adults. This is a relationship that has to be fostered through mentorship, indigenous and national, where examples are set and teaching impart that will not only grant needed guidance of acceptable and un-acceptable conduct, but assurance that there is a shoulder to lean on in the time of need.

Children cannot parent themselves and there is a role for adults in their lives. This too should be thought in the home and respected in the wider society, even as there is education imparted -- in both environments -- to look out for those who seek to prey on them and violate their rights.

The Parent /Teacher Association may appreciate the need for greater partnership in the child’s holistic welfare. Teachers should, too, be allowed to play a more meaningful role in guiding disciplinary action equally as recognition is given to the child consistent with the principles outlined in the Rights of the Child.

Ours is a history where the teacher held great influence in the child’s life and in the community. Older generations can recount anecdotes of childhood experiences should a teacher report any act to a parent considered contrary to good behaviour. It is no secret that teachers have expressed concerns of feeling they are losing their influence in the classroom, and some are even hesitant to reprimand and guide, consistent with what our culture considers acceptable, for fear of retaliatory behaviour by parent or child. Similarly, teachers and adults have to be mindful of the adage that leadership by example still remains the most potent force to effect change and secure conformity.

Our children spend most of their waking hours and longest time in the calendar year in the school environment. School must not only be a place because of legal requirements, it must also be that of ensuring productive learning, interaction and safe sanctuary. Utmost in our thoughts must be the importance of preparing our children to explore a world that would equip them with the skills -education, life experiences and otherwise -- to make them functional adults, ready to take the reins of leadership and contribute to making the world a better place.

I agree with Bulkan in principle

Dear Editor,

IF the Guyana Chronicle’s article, “Calls grow for King’s removal” (15/02/2018), with regards to a recent correspondence from Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan to Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green, is accurate, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, I welcome the Minister’s wise counsel, and hope Her Worship acquiesce to giving the information the Minister has requested.

Editor, while I agree with our subject Minister in principle, my only reservation here would be that all the information necessary might not be forthcoming, especially since the very information being sought has the potential of indicting the

suppliers. I will not be brash to suggest culpability or complicity by any means on any individual.

But what would the reasonable man think?

Additionally, while I dare not impugn the noble office of the Minister or his wisdom on such matters, my own humble reading on such delicate issues suggests that no reasonable person would want to incriminate themselves; exposing oneself to an accusation or charge of crime, or bringing oneself in danger of a criminal prosecution.

As I have said before Local Government Elections 2016 and subsequently, there is a dire need for an independent, complete financial audit of City Hall. Information indicates that we the “new” Councillors inherited $180 million in our

city coffers, since that time to now, even with numerous financial injections from Central Government, City Hall records billion dollar debts currently with no end in sight.

The Auditor General’s Report to the National Assembly on the spending of funds of the Georgetown Restoration Programme left little to be desired of the Council’s financial and accounting system.

And with the $200 million earmarked for the city in the 2018 Budget, I am not confident the people of our beloved city will feel the full benefit if we put new wine in old wine skins.

Editor, I have offered before that we ought to sit down as a Council and construct a business plan for the city, but we need to know where we were, and where we are, before we

can know where were ought to be heading. We need, as is said colloquially, to “ketch our bearings”.

Having the right information, accurate information would be a good compass. And this city, with it latent potential to be a real international city, needs a better captain.

Let me be clear, at this point, I am NOT interested in the job as much as I am ready to exert more energy at the oars and chart a new course, with my fellow Councillors. The potential and promise of City Hall must become performance, must become reality.

That our Honorable Minister had to require “a complete list of all contracts, leases, sales, and any other transactions involving assets (real estate, equipment, etc.) under the control of council, between the

dates of assuming office in April 2016 to the present,” tells us of the gravity of the situation and locates for us where we are.

This is a crisis of administration and management. We have a crisis of leadership. When a billion dollar company is failing, the board does not fire all the workers, it fires the management and brings in new people to turn things around. It is time!

I believe in our government to understand the fierce urgency of the moment. The Town Clerk has disqualified himself, by his own actions, from playing any meaningful role in the city going forward. We MUST act.

Regards, Sherod Avery Duncan City Councillor

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

Facebook Marketplace launched in Guyana

ALMOST two years after its launch in the U.S., U.K. and Australia, Facebook Marketplace was launched this month in Guyana, according to Inspire Inc. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yog Mahadeo whose company was contracted to operate the service.

“We know people already use Facebook to buy and sell with people in their community. This activity started in Facebook Groups and has grown substantially over the past few years. In fact, more than 550 million people from all over the world visit Facebook buy and sell groups each month,” Mahadeo said.

He explained that the Marketplace is a new tab in the Facebook app that lets users buy and sell items in their communities. Guyanese will now be able to browse a customized feed of products for sale, post their own stuff for sale, and easily use the Messenger app to contact buyers and sellers.

Adding that Marketplace

is the outgrowth of Facebook groups, which already allow members to buy and

Inspire Inc. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yog Mahadeo sell online, the CEO said Guyanese already are well acquainted with Facebook’s potential for peer-to-peer shopping.

Mahadeo noted that Marketplace is building on the success of the groups’ buyand-sell feature. In doing so, it makes the peer-to-peer experience more user friendly.

“Marketplace appears as a blue icon resembling a

lemonade stand at the bottom of the Facebook app. [When you] click on the tab you’ll be able to see an inventory of items for sale that Facebook thinks you’ll be interested in. If you’re buying and selling through the groups, the app will probably have a better idea of what you like,” according to the Inspire Inc. CEO. Further, he said the company will help people trade safely on Marketplace by offering safety tips, privacy controls and easy to use reporting tools.

Adding that with Facebook groups, persons will be able to see the profile of people selling online; Mahadeo said Marketplace also allows you to view a person’s selling history.

Notably, he said the Marketplace search function is much more advanced. In addition to searching for a specific product, you can browse by category, view your recent searches and see trending items.

He further explained that perhaps the biggest

Georgetown City Council acted within the law

Dear Editor,

Please refer to letter which was published in the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, February14, 2018, captioned: Duncan signals no confidence motion against the Town Clerk.

At the statutory meeting held on Monday February 12, 2018. The Town Clerk Royston King informed the House that both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor were out of the jurisdiction and it was imperative that the Councillors select someone from among them to chair the day’s proceedings. Since this was in keeping with the Municipal and District Council Act Chapter 28:01, section 17:5.

After the announcement by the Town Clerk, Councillor Oscar Clarke moved a motion for Councillor Akeem Peter to be the chairman for that meeting. This was seconded by Councillor James Samuels. During that meeting a second motion was placed before the House by

Councillor Khame Sharma for Councillor Sherod Duncan to chair the meeting, but he subsequently declined.

As the meeting progressed, Sherod Duncan enquired if the Chairman of the meeting, Councillor Akeem Peter was accorded the amenities afforded to the Chair.

Akeem Peter noted that he did not qualify for such amenities; since, according to the law, the substantive Mayor would have to be away from the official position for at least seven days or more before such amenities can be granted to the person performing the duties of Mayor or acting in that capacity.

The Municipal and District Councils Act chapter 28:01 section 17:5 states that in the event of the Deputy Mayor or a councillor performing the functions of the office of Mayor for seven consecutive days or more, the Deputy Mayor or councillor, as the case may be, shall, during such period, have at his disposal, in lieu of the Mayor, the funds placed at

the disposal of the said office in the manner specified for payment of such funds.

The Council finds it rather strange and is peeved that Councillor Sherod Duncan suggested in his missive that the City’s Administration deliberately denied Councillor Akeem Peter privileges that were due to him.

The Georgetown City Council wants to make it categorically clear that it is guided by the Municipal and District Councils Acts Chapter 28:01. Firstly, Councillor Peter was nominated by way of motion placed before the house to chair the meeting of the Council for that day and secondly, even if Councillor Akeem Peter was performing the duties or acting in the capacity of Mayor, he would not have qualified for certain privileges because the seven days had not expired according to the Law. Yours sincerely, Debra Lewis Public Relations Officer

improvement is that Marketplace allows you to easily contact and haggle with buyers and sellers either through the tab itself or using Messenger. Your counterpart will get mes-

sage notifications even if they’re not your Facebook friend, which currently is not the case on Facebook groups.

He underscored that forcing users to trade on-

7

line using their Facebook profiles might go a long way toward ensuring safety.

Persons interested can visit https://www.facebook. com/marketplace/

8

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

Former Attorney General Shahabuddeen passes on PRESIDENT David Granger has extended heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Justice Mohamed Shahabuddeen who passed away on Saturday morning at age 87.

Justice Mohamed Shahabuddeen will be remembered for his distinguished service as an eminent Judge of the International Court of Justice, lawyer, public servant, politician and diplomat, the Ministry of the Presidency said in a release.

He was born on October 7, 1931. In 1953, he graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor of Law Degree. In 1958 he earned his Master of Law and in 1970 he earned his Doctor of Philosophy and in 1986 the title of Doctor of Law. Justice Mohamed Shahabuddeen began his public service as a Magistrate before joining

Dr Mohammed Shahabuddeen the Chamber of the Attorney General in 1959.

In 1962 he was appointed Solicitor General, a post he held with distinction until 1973 when

he was elevated to the position of Attorney General, serving in that capacity from 1978 to 1987. In 1983 he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Vice President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

From 1988 to 1997 he served as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Subsequently, he was judge and twice Vice President of the Yugoslavia Tribunal until 2009.

In addition, he has been an arbiter at the International Criminal Court, also in The Hague, since 1997, and the Centre for International Arbitration in Cairo, Egypt. In January 2009 he was chosen as a judge of the International Criminal Court.

Justice Mohamed Shahabuddeen authored several books, including “The Legal System of Guyana” (Georgetown, 1973); “Constitu-

tional Development in Guyana, 1621-1978” (Georgetown, 1978); “Nationalisation of Guyana Bauxite” (1981) and “From Plantocracy to Nationalisation” (1983).

In recognition of the distinction and eminence achieved by him in the service of Guyana at the regional and international levels and in the fields of law, diplomacy and politics, he was awarded by the Government of Guyana the Order of Excellence in 1988, the Order of Roraima in 1980 and the Cacique’s Crown of Honour in 1970.

President Granger has extended heartfelt sympathy to the children: Faud, Sieyf and Shalisa and other relatives and friends of the Honourable Justice Mohamed Shahabuddeen.

Beefing up border ...

From page 3

returning home as a result of the crisis in Venezuela through illegal ports of entry. He added that there are also instances where Venezuelan farmers and traders cross over into Guyana’s territory to sell their produce and other commodities.

“The intervention of regular patrols and [security] persons being there in those communities would help to alleviate some of the security concerns that residents themselves would have raised with us… In Whitewater for instance, the Toshao and Council would have reached out to the RDC with these concerns too. In addition to that, at the landing called Mora Landing, which is a very far distance of about

three hours walk back and forth, we were told that Venezuelans were setting up a fuel depot there, which is illegal, so the presence of our Joint Services on patrol in those far-flung areas is important,” the regional chairman said. Mr Ashley also called on residents to give their full cooperation to the GDF and other Joint Services ranks and urged them to be vigilant and to report promptly, any possible security threats.

The village of Whitewater has an area of over 74.8 kilometres. Residents of the community depend largely on farming, fishing, hunting and small entrepreneurial ventures for their livelihoods. (Ministry of the Presidency)

President David Granger addresses residents of Whitewater during a visit to the community on Friday

The President is garlanded by a student of the Whitewater community

President Granger walks through a crowd of students gathered to greet him

9

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

Diplomacy by other means

DURING the cold month of February, 2014, the Russian army is alleged to have sent troops into the Crimean peninsula, then part of Ukraine.

Soon after the peninsula was annexed by Russia and the world was stunned to find that the inviolability of borders, virtually unquestioned since the end of World War II, was suddenly up for debate. If the Russians could figure out a way to claim territory, might this prove a blueprint for aggression around the World?

Fast forward one year and having finally discovered oil, Guyana faced once more an aggressive Venezuelan declaration that the Essequibo region was rightfully theirs. Where there had been little serious belief Venezuela might be able to retake the region, Russian success in Crimea now made the issue much more nuanced. I will attempt to frame the seriousness of the threat by comparing it to that the Ukrainians faced, and relate how this has shaped and continues to shape national policy toward ExxonMobil.

Firstly, it is important to note that many of Guyana’s national security policy decisions stretch across administrations, so any criticisms of them primarily indicate the need for a broad national conversation about the way we approach defence. Currently, our approach is primarily diplomatic, and this has proven effective since independence, but that does not mean there aren’t military elements which shore up this defence.

That Russian military strength is overwhelming when compared to that of the Ukrainians needs little elaboration, and analogously Guyana’s military pales in comparison to that of Venezuela. While we have an estimated 3-4,000 active servicemen, Venezuela has over 100,000. Even further, they have about 400,000 militiamen in reserve, while the total sum of Guyanese with any level of military training residing locally cannot realistically be expected to number more than 50,000.

These critical numbers mean that the only way Guyana can expect to repel

Venezuelan aggression on its own is through a massive, nationwide draft. Of course that our neighbours would let such an aggression pass is highly unlikely, and Colombia as an example has longstanding territorial disputes it would worry about if Venezuela seized Essequibo. Even further, as recently as this past week Brazil’s defence minister, Raul Jungmann, reaffirmed his country’s position that territorial borders remain constant on the continent.

So this is not to alarm, but to make it clear we cannot take national defence for granted, as I suspect the general public often has.

But a Crimea-style action is something totally new, and throws much traditional thinking into disarray. As an example, it is alleged the Russians did not wear any Russian army signs on their uniforms when they took the peninsula. This disguised an invasion as civil unrest, and thus sidestepped traditional responses like declaring war on the aggressing country. “What aggressor?” the World asked. “Who knows if those troops are Russian

soldiers or not?”

Further, whereas Saddam Hussein claimed the Iraqi army invaded Kuwait to restore order after a coup, which probably no one believed, the Russians were far more savvy. They claimed the Crimeans had decided to secede, forming a totally new country.

A referendum was held to legitimize this, and a pro-Russian leader took control of the new Republic of Crimea. Afterward, he just asked Russia to annex the territory, formally making it part of that country, and the Russians were only too happy to oblige. Could something like this happen in Guyana?

Our primary defence against something so duplicitous is the simple fact that no meaningful population of Venezuelans has ever lived here, so if a chunk of Region One were to secede, it’s hard to imagine Guyanese voting for independence and then annexation into Venezuela.

This was not at all the case on the peninsula, with a majority having Russian backgrounds of one type or another and strong pro-Russian sentiments.

What remains a worry, however, is that because there was such a mismatch between Russian and Ukrainian power, there was little the Ukrainians could do to disrupt this process before it got so out of control. Enter Exxon and the perpetual debate over the oil contract’s merits.

It has been related by the major parties that Exxon is important for national security but that relationship and how it has influenced our oil contract is often not clear.

While our laws do state Exxon should not normally hold more than 60 blocks versus their current allocation of 600, former President Bharrat Jagdeo has related former President Janet Jagan originally allowed such an allocation for national security reasons, per lawful additional provisions. What this did, firstly, is to ensure Exxon’s interests, and by extension those of the United States, were bound to Essequibo remaining Guyanese territory. This serves as the type of counter-balance that was lacking in Ukraine, stabilizing the situation.

On the other hand, how-

ever, such a large allocation going to Exxon has reduced Guyana’s bargaining power because we were unable to make Exxon compete with other prominent oil companies for a contract, which can only have yielded better returns. And so this is the compromise we have come to, due to the rising threat we face in Essequibo, and really equates to the hard choice of either mass conscription and massive military spending or maintaining strong ties with the United States.

The President’s laudable efforts to promote a diplomatic resolution to the dispute, the latest being that this has been referred to the International Court of Justice, are an attempt to further legally support our position.

This should help reduce our reliance on the United States’ power, but as with the Crimean peninsula, diplomacy is just not always an effective substitute for a strong military deterrent. After all, to paraphrase German military writer Carl Von Clausewitz, war is merely the continuation of diplomacy by other means.

other natural resources sectors.

A press release from the Ministry of Natural Resoures said that the other petroleum agreements will be released in the coming weeks and months in similar fashion.

The agreement sets out a one percent royalty to be paid out of government’s share of the production and a production-sharing arrangement of 53 per cent for the Government of Guyana and 47 per cent for the operator. The EEPGL PSA features a 50/50 production-sharing split after cost oil – or the monies spent by the investor in exploration -- is deducted. It also showed an improvement from the one per cent royalty paid by government to a two per cent royalty paid by the operator.

CGX Resources Inc, a Canadian oil and gas exploration company, holds three licences in the Guyana-Suriname Basin. Its offshore concessions include the Corentyne, Berbice and Demerara concessions and through ON Energy Inc, it holds an onshore concession.

CGX Resources Inc had in De-

cember 2017 announced new work commitments related to its Guyana exploration. Among them were the drilling of exploratory wells on all three offshore concessions between 2020 and 2023.

In June 2000, CGX was doing exploration work offshore Guyana when Suriname gunboats forced the jack-up drill rig from the Eagle 1 well location.

The matter was taken to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and on September 20, 2007, it ruled in favour of Guyana

CGX production agreement a 53/47 split

THE Government of Guyana on Saturday released the CGX Resources Inc Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed in 2013 by then President Donald Ramotar on behalf of Guyana and Dr Edris K. Dookie, on behalf of CGX Energy Inc. The PSA in its entirety, along with appendices, has been uploaded to the websites of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Information.

The release of this PSA comes nearly two months following the release of the PSA between ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production (EEPGL) in December 2017. The release of that agreement had followed months of agitation by civil society, the opposition and the free press, calling for the agreement to be made public in the interest of transparency and accountability.

At the time of the ExxonMobil contract release, a commitment was made to release not only all petroleum contracts, but also those in the

––in favour of government, contract shows

A map of CGX’s holdings

10

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

Fire flattens Non Pareil factory

LOCAL businessman Keith Moonasar is counting his losses after a fire of unknown origin razed his factory at Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, on Saturday.

Moonasar was in tears as he watched his factory go up in flames. “I was on the way to keep wake for my

brother who passed away recently, when I got a call that the building was on fire,” he said.

The factory, Supra International was a manufacturer and exporter of a wide range of furniture items. “Our main lines are: office furniture, kitchen cabinetry, outdoor patio furniture and bedroom

furniture,” he said.

He told reporters that by God’s grace his business was doing well and he had only recently received orders for furniture from the Ministry of the Presidency and numerous companies across the country.

“We got a whole set of furniture in there, some that

The flattened structure of Supra International that went up in flames on Saturday (Adrian Narine photo)

Firefighters putting out the fire that remained after the building was already destroyed (Adrian Narine photo)

Owner of Supra International, Keith Moonasar (centre) is consoled by friends and family were even supposed to be delivered tomorrow, but they all went up in flames,” he lamented.

The proprietor was shocked to know that his business that has been in existence since 1996 was completely destroyed in a matter of minutes.

Although he was not on the scene when the fire started, Moonasar said from his understanding, the managers of the business left around 3:00pm and had reported that everything was alright at the factory.

One of the managers, Kevin Gunsam, said that he

had to return at 3:30pm after receiving a call from the factory’s security guard, who said that smoke was emanating from the building.

Gunsam explained that when he arrived and opened the door, the fire was already intense, so they could not enter the building.

“When I was on my way back I called 911 but they reach till after 4:00pm so most of the building was already in flames,” he said.

Employees and even the owner were baffled as to how the fire started. Moonasar explained that the operations of the factory are powered by

a generator and the lights by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

He agreed that the combustible items such as fabric and wood were stored in the building, but said they were properly stored.

The businessman said this was not the first time there was a fire there. Moonasar told reporters that years ago there was a fire, which did not cause much damage to the facility.

Almost 50 workers are now unsure as to what the future holds, since their place of employment is no more.

11

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

Money Laundering and Trail-and-Rob: The current design of the banking sector facilitates crime

IT is now endemic, for more than two decades this nation has been plagued by a spate of ‘trail and rob’ following withdrawals from commercial banks. Many have lost their lives fetching around (literally) bags of money.

There are many theories why this form of criminal enterprise continues to flourish; public speculation and police investigations have pointed to several angles: there is a signalling mechanism between criminals and some bank employees; relatives, friends, employees or business partners with knowledge of the transaction may recruit criminals for a share of the bounty, or simply a random lay-in-wait. It is virtually impossible for the police to

protect every person who moves around with cash.

From news coverage, we may be misled into thinking that only those with large amounts of cash are robbed-far from truth. Quite a number of persons making small teller and ATM withdrawals are also being robbed; many suffer in silence away from the reporter’s pen.

Apart from giving personal awareness and safety tips, supported by efficient response mechanisms, even the best-equipped police forces around the world would be hard pressed to prevent this form of criminal enterprise.

For me, the chief culprit and accessory to this form of criminality is the banking sector itself. Why, despite all the advances in technology,

Guyana remains a cash-heavy society? I studied in Trinidad around 2000, I utilised a universal payment gateway called LINX, it is locally based and functions similarly to VISA and Mastercard. It facilitates inter-bank ATMs, Point of Sale and many other electronic transactions from common consoles. My research suggests that this was introduced to Trinidad sometime around 1993. Understandably, Guyana should be a few steps behind, but to be 25 years in deficit is simply mind-boggling. The banking sector has no excuses, the same technology used in advanced countries to facilitate such transactions has been available and in active use in Guyana for more than 20 years. The question is, why

AG’s Chambers disclaim knowledge of original documents in Keisha Chase case THE Attorney General’s Chambers has said that searches conducted by the police have confirmed that it does not have the original case file in its possession for the Police v Keisha Chase case.

When Magistrate Allan Wilson dismissed the death by dangerous driving charge filed against Attorney Keisha Chase late last month for an accident that occurred two years ago, it was reported that the absence of the original case file, which was expected to be produced by the Chambers, was one of the primary factors.

But the Attorney General’s Chambers denied the claim. “The police verified that after an examination of the file and statements, only copies of statements and not originals were attached to the pleadings in the Chambers of the Attorney General and further, no accident booklet was in our possession,” the Chambers stated.

It was made clear that the system that exists allows for only copies of police files to be sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers when there is a civil matter filed in the High Court in relation to a criminal charge and not the original. “The Chambers of the Attorney General do not conduct criminal prosecutions and as such, would have no useful purpose in uplifting or keeping in its possession the original files in these matters,” the Chambers emphasised.

“In the circumstances, we refute any assertion, implied or expressed, that we are in any way responsible or connected in any form

or manner for the disappearance of any statement or booklet in the matter of the Police v Keisha Chase,” the Chambers further added.

In chronicling the events that took place prior to the ruling, the Chambers pointed out that a High Court civil motion was filed in May of 2016 in relation to the matter of Police v Keisha Chase and conduct was then given to Prithima Kissoon the former Deputy Solicitor General on June 14, 2016.

“All pleadings were closed in the matter and submissions filed in the matter by Ms. Kissoon during August 2016. The matter was later given to Ms Noble, senior legal adviser, to attend a court sitting on the 30th August, 2016, where the matter was adjourned for decision. Mrs J. Edghill-Stuart was assigned the matter to go for the said decision in August 2017. On the 28th August, 2017, the decision was rendered. The Order Nisi was discharged,” the Chambers summarised.

It recalled that it was in the latter part of 2017 that a call was made to the Chambers asking for any documentation in respect of the matter and a file containing photocopied statements was found in Kissoon’s filing cabinet. That file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions immediately, the Chambers noted.

Subsequently, an officer called from the Director of Public Prosecutions asking for an additional documentation which was a booklet, however after extensive searches this was not found in the Chambers, the AG’s Chambers said.

hasn’t the sector improved this aspect of its business, despite so many post-withdrawal deaths over such a long period?

There is a paucity of forward-thinking managers in the sector-- to put it bluntly, Guyanese banking executives are backward and uncaring.

It is easier to declare billions of dollars in annual profits by levying Guyanese into the ground than to find practical solutions for a national problem that has caused so much blood to be running in the streets. There shouldn’t be concern about profit erosion, there is a lot of money to be made from implementing a monetary system with reduced cash. I am unshakeable in my belief that Guyana is heavily cas- based, because the banking sector wants it that way. The Bank of Guyana is also blameworthy: it is the entity most responsible for supervising and regulating the conduct of commercial banks and design of our monetary architecture.

I now come to money laundering. I am part of the wave of public opinion that Guyana remains a cash-based society, simply because a major section of

the top management of the commercial banking sector are involved in white-collar financial ‘giggery-puggery’ that helps to protect money launderers and enables financial racketeering. It is in their interest and of those who benefit from the system to leave the gates open. The nation cries out for an explanation as to why some administrators are in death-defiance of law-enforcement scrutiny and judicial edicts.

How do you explain, even though it is well known that about a quarter of the nation’s population live in addressless locations, dams and squatter settlements, not served by utilities or regular postal services, but the sector demands utility bills and postal envelopes as the only legitimate proof of address?

The poor who have little or no access to such resources are given the royal run around to establish accounts to temporarily hold salary pittances for a few hours after pay day.

Management of the banking sector know very well that any reasonable proof should fulfil legal and international obligations. Our voter-registration roll is among the

most robust in the world, the villages inspect the voters’ lists for unknowns, individual political parties do verifications, independent NGOs and observer missions scrutinise the process, the said list is back-ended by biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs and is subjected to review every three years; vehicle registrations; driver’s licences; court depositions and business registrations are all government- issued documents containing addresses.

In any modern state, any or all of the mentioned documents should constitute reasonable proof of address, but not in Guyana.

It is time we shift gears.

The technology to reduce cash transactions is available, we need a combination of public education, a finance architecture established through regulations and bankers’ reorientation along with complementary law-enforcement support.

This can be accomplished in less than a year; in the meantime, the fate of the next trail-and-rob victim is in the hands of those who manage the banking sector. It is time to stem the bloodshed.

12

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

No one is invincible

TO encourage persons to get involved in politics sees constant rejoinders of rejection and the statement, “politics is a dirty game.”

Yet it is politics, from which decisions flowed, that impact our lives from the womb to the tomb.

Wanting nothing to do with it will either make us zombies in our daily existence, or complicit participants to whatever treatment is being meted out to us. Being the beneficiary of positive actions

augurs well, but ill when adverse.

Politics is about people and their development. It is not meant to be a game nor be dirty, for whereas it is competitive by nature, driven by the aim to influence and retain power to execute an agenda, properly practised it can redound to the benefit of the people.

This requires an approach that sees obligation to treat the citizenry with respect by upholding their fundamental rights and freedoms in the management of the

affairs of state, irrespective of ethnicity, creed or class.

Rogues who use politics and the political parties to engage in inimical conduct are the ones that give this service-driven profession a bad name. Around the world politicians are found wanting and are being asked to account for their stewardships, and this is a good thing. It is necessary for me to cite examples of how they and the political parties hold on to the notion of invincibility that have informed a con-

tinuous abuse of the privilege given to them and the goodwill of citizens.

The most recent example is Jacob Zuma, former President of South Africa and former leader of the revered African National Congress (ANC). In managing the people’s business, he was constantly accused of discriminating in favour of friends and the well-connected at the expense of the ordinary folk who took the time, joined long lines to exercise the well-fought-for right to vote, that won him the presidency.

Repeated allegations of impropriety and misconduct were stoutly defended and his leadership position in the country and party could have only succeeded so long, because the elected members of the ANC stood in his defence. Zuma’s arrogance and alleged corrupt practices caused the ANC to lose major cities in the last elections because the black middle-class saw his conduct as repugnant and moved away from the party The time came when the party was forced to make a choice between cuddling corrupt leadership or maintaining political power. It has chosen the latter and Zuma was properly dealt with when allowed the choice to resign and save face, or suffer the ignominy of a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly supported by his own party.

He resigned on Wednesday. So powerful was he, he probably never thought he would have met such humiliation at the hands of those who had protected him over the years.

Zimbabwe currently mourns the death of Morgan Tsvangirai. He had accused Robert Mugabe of corruption, challenged him for the presidency, and was made prime minister in a unity government. In tasting political power, he began a process of abusing

the privilege to the point when at his wedding the motor vehicles used were top-of-the- line BMWs and Lamborghinis. This event was seen by the citizenry that all he wanted was political power to feather his nest. At the next election the electorate abandoned him.

Closer home, the Trinidad and Tobago People’s Partnership (PP) Government, led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, saw her several efforts to rid the administration of corrupt officials, but in the final analysis the electorate rejected the coalition. Persad-Bissessar was stunned, apparently driven by the notion that in taking action against some corrupt and undisciplined officials, the society would have granted her another term.

That coalition misread the tea leaves of society’s intolerance.

Patrick Manning, of the Peoples’ National Movement, suffered a humiliating defeat that saw the victory of the PP. This defeat was in large part to him picking fights with, or alienating members of his cabinet, party, supporters, and at times attacks on members of the trade union movement and civil society, who expressed dissimilar opinions to his.

It is instructive to note his targeted groups were depended on while in the Opposition and they helped influence the thinking of society that propelled him into office.

At home, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) never felt it would be in opposition -- and society was influenced to think so -- because of race-voting. This notion of invincibility ignored the people’s cries for good governance. Allegations of corruption were mocked or dismissed, laws were trampled with impunity, citizens were treated with contempt, the nation’s resources were abused and contracts designed not

with the prime objective of ensuring Guyana gets the best but the contractor(s), self and connected. When a battered and determined citizenry pulled the rug of arrogance from under the PPP/C’s feet in 2015 and put them in the opposition benches, rather than question what had led to their downfall they cried “rigged elections.”

What political parties and politicians are failing to grasp is that the privilege granted to govern does not confer a right to abuse citizens and the resources of the state.

To abuse the privilege granted by the people and expect that there will be immunity from accountability not only reduces politics to a dirty game, but making a fool of oneself.

Governments around the world -- be they coalition or unitary -- have had one or more terms.

What is however evident -- though often ignored due to arrogance -- is that removal from office is largely due to departure from commitments made in pre-elections campaigns. Citizens vote for parties based on these and the manifesto must always be seen as a contract with the people. When you violate this contract, you lose the people and it matters not whether they voted race for at the end of time government will be held accountable, based on its commitment.

Zuma was no ordinary politician given the role he played in toppling apartheid in South Africa. Neither was Mugabe, who led Zimbabwe into independence, but Mugabe was compelled last November to demit the presidency by members of his own party and government on allegations of impropriety.

If men of such historical repute are seen to have lost their way and are being held accountable for their actions, lesser politicians than they need to take note.

13

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

Notes on identity, ethnicity and race IDENTITY is complex; it is partly who we say we are and partly how others perceive us.

It is also a historical phenomenon that is sometimes determined by migrationforced and voluntary—and by groups bonding together in the face of extinction or threat to their honour.

Given Guyana’s historical evolution, multiple identities is a given, whether we as individuals choose to affirm them or not. Most people choose to affirm one of those most of the time.

There are different identities—Civic (Guyanese, Trinidadian, American, Pakistani, Nigerian); Cultural/Ethnic (African, Indian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Yoruba); Racial (Black, Brown, White, Yellow, Red)—to name three.

There are times when civic and ethnic identities are the same as in Japan and Portugal.

This is not the case in Guyana and most of [the other]countries in the world.

There can be no fusion of a single Civic and cultural identity in Guyana because we have several cultures. So, when we say we are Guyanese we are affirming part of our identity—we are saying we join with other people living in this geographical space with defined boundaries, a distinct constitution and sovereign government to construct a civic identity.

But we must make a distinction between affirming one of our multiple identities at any given time and the fact that we do have more than one identity. Affirming one’s civic identity, as most people do, is laudable. In fact, the use of the civic identity in an ethno-culturally and politically plural society is a strong affirmation of cross-ethnic commitment to making the civic space an all-inclusive one. But that does not mean that our other identities disappear. Being Guyanese does not erase our other identities; it is just that we choose to affirm our Guyanese identity.

For all our frustration with ethnic politics in Guyana, history did not start in 1992 or 1966 or 1953. The experiences of our various ethnic groups in Guyana have been different. They came under different circumstances and their lived experiences have generally been different. Their relationship with each other has been largely, though not exclusively, grounded in competition--sometimes conflictual competition. So, their collective construction of what Guyana is will vary.

We must come to terms with the uncomfortable reality that though individuals from our various ethnic groups refer to themselves as Guyanese, there is no common view of what that means—not politically, not culturally and, crucially, not on what Guyana’s history has been. As an aside, people usually raise the issue of where do Mixed people fit in the ethnic or racial scheme. Well, neither ethnicity nor race is biological.

Mixed people are part of the ethnicity they are socialized in. In the racial schema or “Color Code” there is no mixed color. The exception being Apartheid South Africa which created a racial group for mixed people called “Colored.”

Before 1966 we were not Guyanese. We were forced to be British, but most of our foreparents rejected that imposed identity. The used instead their ethnic Identities--the very ones we seem to have a problem with today. If Guyana goes off the map, as some countries do, one will have to affirm another identity. If, God forbids, Venezuela were to annex the two-thirds of Guyana, would those of us who choose to stay in the annexed section become Venezuelans? At the fall of the Berlin Wall, Soviets became Russians and Armenians and Ukrainians again. Later, Czechoslovakians became Czechs and Slovakians Being born in Guyana does not make us Guyanese

forever. Any political regime with the constitutional power can un-Guyanese us by changing the constitution to redefine who can be Guyanese. Our Guyanese identity is a privilege of the State.

The immigrant who was not born in Guyana, once he or she gets citizenship from the government, has equal rights and equal claim to Guyaneseness.

Indian indentured immigrants, in the face of and in competition with other ethnicities, developed a new cultural identity that cuts across caste and religious lines—what we now call Indian or Indo Guyanese.

It is the same with African immigrants who, out of their different tribal identities and in the face of slavery, created a new identity that we now call African Guyanese. Here is a case of people faced with oppression developing “Survival Ethnicities.”

Difference is part of human nature. It is actually a positive thing. It is when we attribute meaning to difference and then use power to actualize and normalize those meanings that difference becomes negative.

I am Buxtonion, African Guyanese, Guyanese, Caribbean and Black. They all contribute to who I am.

I draw strength from all of them. They are the building blocks of my identification with other human beings. I love being all of them. And I refuse to let any politician or Civil Society correctness bully me into denying or demeaning the gift of my ancestors which they crafted in the face of dehumanization.

I hold dearly to that gift as one of the tools to beat back and overcome modern day slavery.

Guyana is work in progress. We have to get to the point where we can all, in our differences, find sameness in the Guyanese experience. For all the negatives of difference, sameness, without acknowledgement of obvious differences, would always be suspect and ultimately transient. My own

view is that that has been one of the biggest barriers to a more robust and cohesive Guyanese Nationalism. Ironically, in trying to silence difference, we have widened it, thus making it easier for

politicians to exploit it for accumulation of power and the privilege that comes with that unfettered power.

More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his

YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www. guyanacaribbeanpolitics. com. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

14

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

Onika Joseph is Calypso Monarch 2018 --- King Perai, Diana Chapman among top performers

By Svetlana Marshall KROSS Color recording artiste Onika Joseph dethroned Diana Chapman to become the 2018 Adult Calypso Monarch after delivering a thrilling performance at the National Park with her Kaiso – “Woman is Boss.”

Undoubtedly, Joseph – a school teacher by profession – was one of the crowd’s favourites from the start of the Mashramani Adult Calypso Competition – an event organised by the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Banks DIH. The announcement of her name by the host and

popular radio entertainer Malcolm Ferreira drove the crowd “wild with excitement”, and Joseph did not disappoint the hundreds of calypso lovers when she took the stage in the final round of the competition last Friday.

Appearing under floodlights in a lily white outfit and a crown symbolising royalty, Joseph sang: “…

Look around we see women rising, leading from the front ain’t masquerading…magistrates, doctors and lawyers.

Simona, she in the government, she bing bang boomout in Parliament. Woman is boss. Yes, yes. Woman is boss. Oh, oh. Woman is boss, woman is boss.”

Her calypso not only rec-

Onika Joseph, the 2018 Adult Calypso Monarch, performing her hit “Woman is Boss” (Adrian Narine photo)

Fourth place winner T’Shanna Cort performing her kaiso “Secrets’ (Adrian Narine photo)

King Perai mimicking the marvel superhero character “The Green Hulk” as he sings “Dem frighten Green” (Adrian Narine photo)

ognised the key roles played by women in society, but spoke out against the ills of domestic violence and called on women to stand up against this crime.

Chapman – the 2017 Adult Calypso Monarch, however, did not go down without a fight as she and Manoel Ferreira called “King Perai” were among the top performers that kept the calypso lovers at the edge of their seats, and in many cases bursting into laughter as they skilfully tackled a number of social and political issues.

Diana Chapman and her back-up dancers performing “Something Coming” (Adrian Narine photo)

King Perai, who is no stranger to the competition, having been crowned the 2015 Adult Calypso Monarch, not only won the hearts of the people, but also those of the judges with his rendition “Deh Frighten Green” – to place second in this year’s competition. Chapman – a one-time Junior Calypso Monarch and Senior Calypso Monarch – came in third with her rendition of “Something Coming,” while T’Shanna Cort followed in fourth position with her kaiso, “Secrets”.

The late start and light periodic showers did not dampen the spirits of the hundreds of kaiso lovers who had converged at the National Park for the Mashramani Adult Calypso Competition Final and the 11 contestants along with the host – Malcolm Ferreira called “The Rasta Diplomat”, ensured that it was an event to remember.

Decked out in a long white nightgown, Dawn Edwards, who goes by the stage name “Lady ‘D”, emerged from a net to sing “I have a Dream,” but not before part of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a Dream” speech penetrated the sound system

Jovinsky Thorne aka “The Digital Assassin” performing at the National Park (Adrian Narine photo)

to set the tone for her kaiso as she opened the competition.

Alluding to a number of political issues that have faced Guyana in recent times, including the Presidential Third Term Ruling, the GECOM chairman list fiasco and the Parking Meter drama, Lady D said it is time for Guyana to shine. “…Guyanese use to run, but from all over people will come. I have a dream. The stone that the builders reject will become the elect. I have

a dream. I have a dream. I have a dream,” Lady D sang lustily.

Lady D was followed by Clifton Adolphus, commonly known as “Passion,” with his rendition, “Blaming Thing”.

Sporting a white and yellow suit, Passion lived up to his name as he passionately sang about the need for unity. “I blaming you, you blaming me, this is what going on in this sweet country…. We tired of Turn To Page 15 ►

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

Onika Joseph is...

From Page 14► the cuss down and bickering and we fed-up of the everyday blaming thing. What we need is love and unity, equal rights and justice for everybody, everyone must live comfortable and live free, what we want is stable communities,” Passion sang, as the crowd cheered along. But though his catchy lyrics appeared to have been well received, Passion like Lady D did not muster enough points to make it into the top four.

Jovinsky Thorne, called “The Digital Assassin”, whose performance of his tune “Calypso” reigned supreme at this year’s junior competition, found stiff competition in the senior league. But indisputably, the Junior Calypso Monarch was a favourite for the calypso fans as he cleverly addressed the origin and significance of calypso, while employing the original tactics to send underlying messages.

“A man and a woman in conversation, so I decide to also listen, when you came first it was really tight, I can never forget that Old Year’s Night…. It really don’t fix like it did before, now you want me to deal with it once more, she said Stanley let me tell you flat, it is not my fault it get so slack, I was on a diet and I get relieve, so I bring back my dress for you tek it in,” the youngster sang, much to the excitement of the audience. For some fans, the Digital Assassin had delivered what they considered to be a true calypso piece.

King Perai, like Thorne, had the crowd craving for more as he sang “Dem Frighten Green.” Mimicking the marvel superhero character “The Green Hulk,” King Perai told a story about the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the coalition government.

In his usual witty performance, King Perai roared as he sang “My friend Bharrat had a party and he invited me, I wanted to surprise him, so I got there early, $1000 was the gate fee, so I push my hand in meh pocket, tek out meh money, it was a brand new Granger, when the people see this they start to holler ‘Granger is danger, we don’t deal with five thousand dolla,’ they frighten green, they frighten Green. PPP/c they frighten green.” “… I had to go to a vendor to change meh $5000, I paid and I went in, went over to see what’s cooking, I ordered curry and roti, somebody said sorry sir, no curry, yuh mean it done already, no sir it still greeny, greeny.

We have pepperpot, cook up and metagee, but no curry to eat with your roti.”

King Perai was followed by Onika Joseph then Garfield Campbell with “Guyana Me Love, T’Shanna Cort with “Secrets”; Abigail James Nelson with her tune “No Ole Calypso”; Kenroy Fraser with the “Doctor of Doom; Roger Hinds with “Ah Grading Dem Bandits” and the last but certainly not the least, Diana Chapman.

Putting a new rhythm to calypso, Chapman ended the competition with a bang with her kaiso, “Something Coming”.

“Sometimes I use to cry how they use to treat we; when we visited our sista countries, put we on a bench and mek mock ah we, but now ah see something coming. Oil in we territory, creating job opportunities, building a better economy, all eyes now deh pun we, Venezuela extended de boundary, trying to stymie we prosperity, but we will overcome eventually. Oh yes, that’s what ah see coming,” she sang as she delivered a very energetic performance.

When the results were announced, Joseph emerged as the winner with 246 points, King Perai 237.5 points, Chapman 236 points and Cort with 235.5 points.

15

Children Mash down town!

A young girl enjoying the Children’s Mash parade from the sidelines (Vishani Ragobeer photo)

T

HE National Park was filled to capacity as locals came out in their numbers to feast their eyes on the variety of bands at this year’s Children Mashramani Costume and Float Parade.

Thousands filled the stands at the annual spectacle and enjoyed the coming together of students and representatives from all 11 of Guyana’s educational districts, from the nursery to the secondary school level.

This year, the themes of the floats varied but aptly represented the facets of Guyana.

Region Two with their “From the farm to the pot” was one that touted the country’s

agricultural prowess while Region Six advanced “Rice ah we ting an still celebrating”. Region 10 on the other hand posited that this region is the “Future gateway” with their mineral resources.

Other floats sought to promote social discourse as they raised health issues, stressing healthy eating to prevent anemia; while few others illustrated that tourism could be a booming industry here. The Kingston Secondary took up the mantle to promote the green economy through recycling, though they were dressed extravagantly in gold and pink.

The little babies from the Smyth Street Nursery School sought to represent Guyana’s first people-the indigenous people--as they pranced around in their bright red and gold costumes. And the North Georgetown Primary School, presenting their costumes and float under the theme “Frolic in the Sun” had one of the most colourful displays.

Young revellers from the Open Doors Centre showed that their disabilities were no hindrance as they too joined in to “Celebrate Republic 48”.

Young revellers from the Open Doors Centre (Adrian Narine photo)

Announcer Travis Chase singled out one young boy from the all-golden District One band. The boy was showing off his dance moves as his float crossed the stage, but when he was the centre of attraction, he gyrated and feted and had the crowd screaming and up on their feet.

Out in the streets, along the mash route, the atmosphere was no different.

Recent rains threatened the parade -- puddles of water were seen along the route -- but it seemed as though even the sun could not miss the bright faces of the children mashing down the town.

And the people? They stood shoulder to shoulder, maybe even closer than that, as the floats passed on Lamaha Street.

There was no need for barricades (though, there were) since patrons made the route impenetrable.

For many it was not their first time marvelling at the children, but for Erwica (only name given), it was quite a memorable first time.

While catching the final glimpse of the floats from her vantage point at the corner of Thomas Lands and Albert Street, she highlighted to the Guyana Chronicle, “This is actually my first year”. She stood with her four children and other family members and was thoroughly enjoying the festivities.

North Georgetown Primary school’s ‘Frolic in the Sun’ (Adrian Narine photo)

The ‘From the farm to the pot’ float from Region Two (Adrian Narine photo)

Combat Anaemia! Young revellers sought to raise awareness about healthy eating habits (Vishani Ragobeer photo)

These young revellers broke out in a fervent dance routine as Jomo Primo’s popular tune ‘On the Road’ blasted along their route (Vishani Ragobeer photo)

16

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

Berbice Assizes…

Brothers testify in ‘scalping murder trial’

JUSTICE Sandil Kissoon commenced hearing the ‘scalping murder trial’, in which Hemwattie Abdulla called “Annie” and “Anese”, along with Seerojane Permaul known as “Surojnie” or “Usher”, are accused of unlawfully killing Abdool Shakeel Majid, a US citizen on April 26, 2012 at Number 63 beach, Corentyne, Berbice.

Majid, along with his wife of four months, Hemwattie Abdulla, had arrived in Guyana on April 22, 2012 with the intention of spending a two-week vacation.

But, five days later, the battered, lifeless body of Abdool Majid, whose scalp was missing, was found on the popular beach.

In the meanwhile, Abdulla had returned to the US, where she is a resident, and informed the deceased relatives that her husband was enjoying himself in Suriname and that he had urged her to return home, as her daughter had sustained a fractured arm.

The deceased brother, Abdul Hasseeb Majid, of Jamaica, Queens, USA, in his testimony before the mixed 12-member jury, recounted the last moment he saw his brother alive, and thereafter, the utterances of Hemwattie Abdulla, the number one accused, which caused him to make a missing person’s report at the New York City Police Department, before travelling to Guyana, where at his local address at Diamond Housing Scheme ,East Bank Demerara, he discovered his sibling’s

suitcase, clothing, and US passport, along with other personal documents.

Led in his evidence by Special Prosecutor Ganesh Hira, the 50-year-old witness said that on May 14, 2012, after making a missing person’s report at the US Embassy in Georgetown, and the Criminal Investigation Department at Eve Leary, he later got hold of an article in a local newspaper which revealed there was an unidentified body lying at the New Amsterdam Hospital morgue.

After travelling to the Berbice County on May 16, 2012, he identified the remains as that of his brother Abdool Shakeel Majid, to detectives, before taking several pictures, which he developed at a local photo studio. The photographs were given to the police, and subsequently the prosecutor, upon completion of his testimony at the preliminary inquiry.

On May 22, 2012, as police continued their investigations, a white gold and diamond ring was shown to the witness, who identified it as belonging to his dead brother. Subsequently, the remains of the deceased was interred on May 24, 2012 at Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara.

Further, the witness recalled that Hemwattie Abdool, in the presence of his now deceased brother, had revealed that she was pregnant. Subsequently, a wedding followed on December 3, 2011.

However, a child was never birthed. In 2007, the now deceased was a taxi driver

Truck driver killed in freak accident A TRUCK driver met his demise when the vehicle he was driving experienced mechanical problems and turned turtle on the 14 Miles Potaro Road on Friday.

Dead is Kevon Sauers, 30, of Kwakwani, Berbice River Front.

Reports indicate that the motor lorry, GSS 6366, attached to motor trailer TRR 5291, was driven by Sauers.

In the vehicle was porter Clifton Charles Rodriques.

It is reported that the men were transporting timber and, while descending a hill, the vehicle developed mechanical problems, resulting in the driver losing control.

The vehicle turned turtle and ended up on the left hand side of the road where the driver was pinned down, leaving him motionless.

Police visited the scene Saturday as investigations continue.

The motor lorry and trailer after the accident

in New York City, and had been involved in an accident, resulting in corrective surgeries and months of recuperation at home. He was awarded a hefty settlement.

Cross-examined by Defence Counsel Mursalene Bacchus, the witness said while he was aware that his brother’s wedding band was made by Zale’s Jewellery, he did not know the individual craftsman who designed the ring.

Further, the police did not conduct a voice recognition analysis with respect to his telephone conversations with the number one accused.

CONSUMING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Meanwhile, another sibling, Zaier Thomas testified to seeing his late brother and his wife--the number one accused--at his Greenwich Village home, were they consumed alcoholic beverages on April 23, 2012.

The couple, along with his brother-inlaw, had arrived in a rented car. Abdool Shakeel Abdul was the driver. During that visit, Hemwattie Abdulla said they were returning to Diamond, East Bank Demerara, before heading to Berbice.

On May 11, 2012, after receiving a telephone call, he contacted Hemwattie Abdulla, initially via telephone, and subsequently face-to-face, at Diamond Housing Scheme, where he enquired about the whereabouts of his older brother.

Abdulla related that she went to Suriname via backtrack to look for her husband, and after he was not found, a missing person’s advertisement was placed in a local newspaper and on television. Further, she claimed to have had ‘opened book’, and had learnt that he was very much alive.

After the witness requested that they return to Suriname to make searches, the accused said she had to hurriedly return to the US. The witness recalled never seeing his brother again except for when he assisted is bathing his body for burial on May 24, 2012. In response to questions by Bacchus, Counsel for Abdulla, the witness said he was never contacted by the police to give a statement, but he did so at the Central Police Station, following promptings by his brother Abdool Shakeel Majid.

In her testimony Beverly Majid, a sister-in-law, recalled that the number one accused and the now deceased were together for three years prior to the incident in 2012. The witness had shared a close relationship with Abdulla, who would visit her home thrice daily and would engage in telephone conversations repeatedly during a 24-hour period.

Subsequent to previous telephone calls, the accused, on her return to the US, visited her on April 28, 2012, and relayed what they had spoken on the phone of visits to Suriname, and that her [ the accused] brother had taken them via

the back track route, but she alone had returned. No reason was given for the visit to Suriname.

Following several visits and conversations, the witness revealed it was on May 8, 2012, that the accused said she was returning to Guyana to look for her husband. Five days later, during a telephone conversation, the accused reported that she had gone to Suriname where three dead bodies were shown to her, but none belonged to her missing husband.

The witness travelled to Guyana on May 22, 2012 on learning that her brother-in-law was murdered. Another witness, Zudesh Daniels alias “Ricky” under-cross examination by Bacchus and Nigel Hughes, attorney for the number two accused, responded that the Chinsammy’s car-wash where he was employed, would offer services to 15 cars per day.

No records were made of the registration numbers of the vehicles which sought services. He did not know the registration number PNN1208, for it was the police who gave him the information. The police, he said, told him the name of the East Indian man was Balwant Singh. He was not shown the man, nor the man of African descent who had accompanied him.

Neither did the police returned the car for him to identify. Meanwhile, hire car driver Shazad Ally, of Adelphi, East Canje, was hired by Balwant Singh called “Bally”, brother of Abdulla, to collect his arriving sister at the Cheddie Jagan International Airport during the month of May 2012.

CONVERSATION During the return trip to East Canje, the witness overheard Abdulla telling her brother that she would not be staying very long, as her husband had left for Suriname, and she wanted to know whether he was okay.

Meantime, Detective Sergeant Linden Forbes Sampson, who had to be seated in the well of the court , due to his inability to stand for long periods, in responding to questions under cross -examination by Defence Counsels Bacchus and Hughes, said the DNA samples taken from the hair and skull, along with swabbing’s from the mouth and body of the deceased, were handed over to Detective Superintendent Greeves at the Forensic Laboratory, but the specimens were never sent overseas for analysis, as there was a lack of funding.

Further, he confessed that the 12 air fresheners found plastic-wrapped in the trunk of motor car PNN 1208 , had what appeared to be blood stains, but the photographs which were admitted into evidence did not reflect same. The witnessed agreed too that the vehicle was not dusted for fingerprints. The trial continues on Monday, when the remaining police witnesses are expected to testify.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

17

Carjacking rings being dismantled -- by intelligence-driven operations -- crime chief

CRIME Chief Paul Williams has said that diligent detective work and the launch of timely raids have resulted in the smashing of at least three carjacking rings across the country.

“Coming into the latter quarter of 2017, somewhere in early November late October, there would have been several reports as it relates to carjacking issues. That of itself would have really created a serious level of concern for the nation and also the Guyana Police Force (GPF). In that regard, we

shortly.

“In some of our early breakthroughs, some of the vehicles were linked to armed robbery in Linden on Old Year’s Day; vehicles were linked to armed robbery on the East Coast in the vicinity of Better Hope area and vehicles were also linked to armed robberies somewhere on the Rupert Craig Highway, just in the vicinity of the Russian Embassy -where a person was robbed and a vehicle taken.”

According to Williams, citizens who have had their

This is one car which is suspected to have been stolen that was seized by the police two weeks ago

started as much as possible to obtain information which we processed and brought into Intelligence. That information is now giving us the fruits of our successes, in terms of the carjacking rings that are being broken,” he told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a recent interview According to Williams, recent operations on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara have resulted in more than a dozen persons being arrested and placed in police custody.

“Now we may have maybe about 15 persons countrywide in terms of our operations. However, ‘A’ Division would have gotten the most, because if you really follow the [reports] out of Soesdyke and Kuru Kuru, they would have had numerous persons.

We also now target some of the vehicles that are working as taxis to see if they are legitimate in terms of engine and chassis numbers.”

In addition, Williams said a number of the vehicles have been linked to other crimes across the country.

The crime chief pointed out that no charges have been laid, since the investigations are extensive and must include verification of registration and vehicles by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). He, however, expects charges will be instituted

vehicles stolen or hijacked in the past are asked to make contact with the police to ascertain ownership of those retrieved.

“We were able to retrieve a number of vehicles and a number of accessories; some of them still carrying the numbers of the vehicle on them. As a result of that, we want to open to the public and have [them] come in to check out those accessories and vehicles. There are some chassis too, so, let them come and check them out and see if there is anything in effect that can match the registration that they may still have in their possession for those vehicles that were being stolen or missing from them.”

MASTERMIND On Thursday, this newspaper reported that a Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown resident, who is suspected to be the mastermind behind the carjackings, is being sought by the Guyana Police Force.

Investigators last night swooped down on his premises and conducted a search during which, the ranks found a black Mazda Axela motor car with licence number PTT 2794, along with 12 certificates of registration for various vehicles, including some that were seized from the home of an ex-policeman who is currently in custody.

Crime Chief Paul Williams

A 52-year-old female was found at the residence and has been taken into custody.

The woman’s name was found on two of the seized vehicles registration. On Wednesday, two persons were arrested and four vehicles suspected to have been stolen were seized during a police operation at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

A party of cops commanded by a senior officer proceeded to a location at Yarrowkabra and found a black Toyota Premio, PMM 6979, which is suspected to have been stolen.

Shortly after, the police went to another location in Yarrowkabra and arrested a 39-year-old taxi driver on whose premises two ‘dirt’ bikes (a red and black Honda Tornado and a CRF Honda 150) suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, were found.

As the search continued, a 22-year-old taxi driver of Chand Sand Road, Timehri, was apparently alerted to the police’s operation and quickly handed over to the police at Timehri, a beige Toyoto Spacio motor car, PPP 82, which he alleged was given to him to work as taxi since last Thursday by a named individual.

That person is now in police custody, along with the taxi driver. The vehicles are lodged at the Brickdam Police Station as investigations continue.

Earlier this week, police ranks in ‘A’ Division conducted a 10-hour operation, which ended at 03:00hrs in the morning at Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway and six persons were arrested.

Two motorcars, along with a canter truck which is registered to a Barr Street, Kitty resident, loaded with the shell of a silver-coloured Toyota Spacio and a quantity of vehicle parts, suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, were also seized and lodged.

The suspects are report-

edly employed by an ex-policeman, who is in custody along with others assisting with the investigation.

On Friday last, a former policeman, a husband and wife and four women, were taken into custody following the discovery of several suspected stolen vehicles and parts at North Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara and Monument Hill, Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

It is believed that the vehicles might have been hijacked and stripped of their parts, which are being sold.

Police ranks from the Major Crimes Investigation Unit swooped down on the North Vryheid’s Lust premises occupied by a 29-year-old taxi driver and his 25-yearold wife and found several car mirrors with engraved licence plate numbers, doors, lights, wipers and other vehicle parts for Toyota Allion, Spacio and Premio motor cars.

As a result, the couple was taken into custody after

Several vehicle parts which the police seized two Fridays ago

the husband provided the police with conflicting stories as to why the suspected stolen vehicle parts were stockpiled at his residence.

Meanwhile, on the aforementioned day, the ex-policeman and four women were detained after police ranks in ‘A’ Division went to

a property at Monument Hill, Kuru Kururu, and conducted a search during which a quantity of vehicle parts and several vehicles suspected to be stolen or unlawfully obtained, were found.

The items have been lodged at the Timehri Police Station.

18

Think SUCCESS in 2018

By Sherod Duncan

OPPORTUNITIES abound all around us. A few weeks before 2018 started, I began to think of how people could be successful in 2018 beyond making New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions, research tells us, have a high rate of failure.

I was looking for more tangible, pragmatic results.

I have been reaching out to

people in various fields for advice, people who inspire me. Their thoughts have been a source of motivation for me and I hope they will do the same for you as well.

Baroness Valarie Ann Amos, international public servant and politician, was absolutely correct when she wrote to me, people find their own routes to success. There is no one path, no secret formula or magic portions.

Everyone’s experience is dif-

ferent; and so are the choices needed to be made to get to that place where one feels successful.

Success then, is a “relative term”, as my friend Patricia Bacchus, CEO of Caribbean Container Inc., says. “It’s a very personal concept. So success for me might not be success for you, it all depends on what our goals are. And there is nothing too small that cannot be considered as a goal for suc-

cess. I know people tend to measure themselves against each other, or they have an iconic view of what success is, which largely entails financial rewards and fancy automobiles, but people need to realise that success can be found every day.”

For me, success is finding your strengths, the things that you love to do, that you find satisfaction in and doing them to the best of your ability. And time is limited.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

James Citrin and Richard Smith might be on to something. In their book, The Five Patterns of Extraordinary Careers, they point out soberly, that, “If you have been unable to migrate your career towards roles, that role play to your strengths and passions, enabling the kind of impact to attract the most important opportunities, then you may have lost your greatest opportunity for momentum.”

Vishnu Doerga, CEO of Action Coach, is one of the foremost leadership and business coaches in Guyana.

He has the belief that everyone is equal but different.

He is of the strong view that sometimes instead of looking up at the sky and asking God ‘why’, we should look inward, looking at the gifts that we are blessed with. He says, “I’m blessed with a good, strategic business mind. I can’t run or sing to save my life and there are many other things I cannot do well. We all must discover the gift(s) we have been blessed with.

If you want success choose to develop what God has given you.”

His advice is to seek, develop, and apply appropriate knowledge and abilities. He said, “Some people think knowledge is everything.

But having the knowledge of what something is and using that knowledge are two different things. The first thing you have to agree on with yourself is that you don’t know everything. Whenever I see people behaving as they do, I know they are limited.

If every day you learn by one percent in 50 days, you’ll be twice as good. There is no silver bullet, that magic tool that will save their lives. It doesn’t exist. Just focus on getting at least 1% better every day.”

Patricia, also, is of the view that part of our growth and success journey is to, “Be interested in your own company. I’ve always been very interested in my own company: I don’t like noise, or crowds. As I got older and began to consider what was really important to me and what I disliked, I became comfortable with my preferences. Even if you’re extroverted, you should still be comfortable in your own company. Tear away the

layers and understand your strengths and weaknesses.

And from understanding yourself better, I find you gain such an understanding of other people. Sometimes we hold our standards as applicable to everyone without allowing for differences. If you understand yourself better, you understand people better and you respect them.”

And I like as well what Tamika Henry, Curl Fete creator, encouragement is remain open minded. Tamika says, it’s important to, “Remain open minded to new ideas and innovations. And always be ready to recognise inspiration when it shows up.” Indeed, too many persons remain closed to new ideas and as a result, new opportunities elude them.

Businessman Terrence Campbell of CAMEX Restaurants advises us to invest now. He says, “It might be way too costly to do so after 2018”. “Let’s look at real estate - foreigners will pour in. Some are already buying. A lot of money will be circulating chasing existing stocks. Values will appreciate tremendously. Home values may triple”. We can apply, “invest now” to other areas of our lives...health, education, relationships etc.

I say look for your unique opportunities and invest.

I think entrepreneur and thinker Steve Jobs put it best when he said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Whatever your definition of success, and where ever you are on your journey, it is my hope that something here resonates with you and becomes part of the impetus that moves you forward to achieve your goals personally and professionally.

Let your potential become reality and I am certain Guyana will be a much better place.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 18, 2018

New $228M annex for Finance Ministry

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan and the team at the building site THE Ministry of Finance is set to construct a new multimillion-dollar annex at the site of the former sports club of the Guyana National Cooperative Bank (GNCB), on Winter Place and Croal Street in Georgetown.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Friday turned the sod at the location, in the presence of contractor Courtney Benn Contracting company.

The annex, which stands at a cost of approximately $228M, will house the ministry’s training room, a sports complex, a gym and the Camp Street valuation office.

Speaking at the simple ceremony on Friday, Minister Jordan said the annex has always been a project he wanted to take on board.

Following his appointment as finance minister, among his many plans was the modernisation of the ministry.

“This is a passion of mine because almost all my life I worked at the Ministry of Finance, with short periods at the State Planning Secretariat. I know the Ministry of Finance very well.”

According to Minister Jordan, the Finance Min-

istry should be the premier institution, and while his travels abroad have proven this to be true, the situation is not quite the same in Guyana. It was further explained that he decided to put in place the necessary human resources and systems to improve the conditions of the ministry.

The minister said with these developments, the workforce at the ministry has grown beyond the capacity of the building and the building is somewhat unsafe, structurally.

“You know it is unsafe because we have added more features to the existing building and we have added more buildings within the yard. We have added more electrical equipment in the building and we have not changed the wiring.”

Minister Jordan said construction of the annex is coming at an opportune time.

Echoing the minister’s sentiments, Finance Secretary Dr Hector Butts said the construction of the building is most welcomed, since it is something that the ministry has been pursuing for some time. The building is set to be completed by the end of this year. (DPI)

An artist’s impression of the new annex

19

Finance Minister Winston Jordan turns the sod for the new annex as Finance Secretary, Dr Hector Butts and Contractor Courtney Benn look on

20

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

21

22

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

South Africa Racing Tips Scottsville 08:35 hrs Asian Star 09:10 hrs Neptune’s Rain 09:45 hrs La Suerte De Matar 10:20 hrs Celtic Captain 10:55 hrs Brave Crusader

Irish Racing Tips Navan 08:50 hrs The Holy One 10:55 hrs Wings Like Arion 12:00 hrs Monbeg Notorious 12:30 hrs Lackaneen Leader 13:00 hrs Cemister

Engish Racing Tips Market Rasen 10:10 hrs Rouergate 10:45 hrs Pretty Reckless 11:15 hrs Solomon Grey 11:50 hrs Ozzy Thomas 12:20 hrs Norse Light 12:50 hrs The Last Bridge

Ffos Las 10:30 hrs Oxwich Bay 11:05 hrs Lord Bryan 11:35 hrs Holdbackriver 12:10 hrs Behind Time 12:40 hrs Way Of The World 13:10 hrs Wells De Lune

Thirty-one goals scored as Milo U-18 football continues

By Stephan Sookram

YESTERDAY presented a goal-scoring frenzy when action continued in the Milo Schools U-18 football tournament at the Ministry of Education ground.

Thirty-one goals were scored in three matches as the tournament went into day two of the second round with Sir Leon Lessons thrashing Cummings Lodge 10-1.

Zian Grey was the star of the Sir Leon Lessons’ show scoring in the 12th, 13th, 58th and 69th while Lennox Young’s double in the 57th and 59th added salt to the wound.

Single strikes by Slan Jones (20th), Teon Forde (30th), John McKenzie (55th) and Classom McClaren (60th) also accented the score line.

In the second game, Tyrone Khan was the man to watch, scoring more than a third of Masters Academy’s 15-0 rout of St George’s.

Khan had success in the 1st, 18th, 24th, 26th, 51st

and 60th. There were also braces by Jonathon Bart (29th and 57th), Calvin Peters (48th and 66th) and Carl Lynch (25th and 29th).

Elyajah Fraser’s 20th minute strike along with others from Isaiah Anderson (59th) and Shannon Samnauth (64th) took the tally to 15.

Pure Masters were also victorious on the day with a 5-1 drubbing of School of the Nations.

Lone strikes by Joel Murray (24th), Junior Williams (28th), Tyrese Ford (56th) and Brandon Solomon (59th) along with an own goal accounted for the five goals.

The consolation goal was scored by Marius Dalima in the 54th minute Matches continue today with Ann’s Grove Secondary challenging Vergenoegen Secondary, Christianburg Secondary playing Dolphin Secondary and Morgan Learning Centre facing Bishops’ High in the last game.

Games commence at noon.

Region Nine `Golden Girl’...

From Back Page the Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown.

With less than a month since being introduced to the sport, Rodney has won a close, but hard-fought three-rounder against the more experienced Abiola Jackman of Forgotten Youth Foundation in the middleweight category.

The two female pugilists will again match gloves this coming Sunday in one of 14 fights on the card. According to GBA president Steve Ninvalle both Rodney and Jackman have been improving their skills.

“Miss Jackman is being trained by Mr Sebert Blake, the man responsible for us having a silver medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games. He is dedicated, a disciplinarian and someone who has been turning out champions for years. He understands where they may have gone wrong last year and at the moment is putting on the finishing touches on a fighter who is expected to be well prepared,” Ninvalle said.

“On the other hand, Miss Rodney comes from a region of natural athletes. Her trainers are enthused by the fact that fitness is not a problem for the young fighter and many others from Region Nine. However, getting to the skill level of opponents on the coast will take some time as they have only just started,” Ninvalle added.

The Savannah Gym was formed last year after Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton sent coach Orland Rogers to Region Nine for a two-week stint.

The main event of the Patrick Ford Memorial Open will see Caribbean light welterweight champion Colin `Superman’ Lewis battle `Furious’ Nathan Ferrari of St Lucia in the main event.

The main supporting fight is a clash between Youth Commonwealth Games silver medallist `Lightning’ Keevin Allicock and Trinidadian bantamweight champion Christopher DeFreitas.

Tickets cost $1 000 for stands and $1 500 for ringside.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

23

Lukaku double sends Man United into FA Cup quarter-finals

By Neil Robinson LONDON, England (Reuters) - Romelu Lukaku extended his impressive FA Cup scoring record by netting twice in Manchester United’s 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town to earn Jose Mourinho’s side a quarter-final tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Belgian has scored in each of the three rounds United have played of this year’s competition and now has 11 goals from his past 10 FA Cup appearances and 21 in all competitions this season.

Lukaku’s first came after three minutes, and the striker scored again in the second half after United mounted a quick counter-attack against a side who beat them at the John Smith’s Stadium in the Premier League last October.

Yesterday’s fifth-round late kickoff also featured English football’s latest video-assisted referee (VAR) decision when United’s Juan Mata had a goal disallowed after being ruled fractionally offside be-

fore the interval.

“Yes, the decision went in our favour but this VAR for me kills the emotion of the game,” said Huddersfield manager David Wagner. “This is why I don’t like it but I am not the person who makes the decision.”

United’s midfielder Paul Pogba missed the game due to illness.

West Bromwich Albion’s tumultuous week took a final turn for the worse as they were knocked out by Southampton, whose 2-1 victory at the Hawthorns secured the visitors a quarter-final berth for the first time since 2005.

Defeat always seemed likely for West Brom, who are bottom of the Premier League and sacked their chairman and chief-executive on Tuesday.

They then had four senior players interviewed by Spanish police over the alleged theft of a taxi from outside a fast-food restaurant in Barcelona.

Two of those involved in the incident, Jonny Evans and Gareth Barry, both started

Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku applauds the fans as he is substituted off for Eric Bailly. (Action Images via Reuters/Jason)

against Southampton after issuing a public apology, although Evans was stripped of the captaincy by Albion manager Alan Pardew.

“I felt I needed to make a little bit of a statement about the events,” Pardew said.

“I was far from happy over them.”

Evans could do nothing to stop Southampton taking the lead through Wesley Hoedt on 11 minutes, with Dusan

Tadic adding the second after the interval.

Salomon Rondon quickly countered for West Brom but Southampton held on to record their second win at Albion in two weeks and earn a quarter-final at either Wigan Athletic or Manchester City, who play on Monday.

DEBUT GOALS END COVENTRY DREAM Brighton’s Jurgen Locadia

scored on his debut in the 3-1 win over Coventry City who, after knocking out Stoke City in the third round, failed in their attempt to make FA Cup history by becoming the first fourth-tier side to beat two top-flight teams in the same season.

There was never much chance of that with Brighton’s record-signing Locadia scoring with his first shot on target after 15 minutes and Leicester City loanee Leonardo Ulloa, who is in his second spell, with the Seagulls, rounding off the win after Connor Goldson netted his first goal in almost two years. Jonson Clarke-Harris scored Coventry’s consolation.

The last time Brighton were a top-flight team they reached the FA Cup final in 1983, but they lost to Manchester United - their opponents in next month’s quarter-final.

At Hillsborough, both managers bemoaned the replay after second-tier Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City shared a goalless draw, with Swansea’s Carlos Carvalhal

suggesting everyone would have been happy to play on to penalties.

“It’s a score nobody wants.

I also believe (that’s the case) for Sheffield Wednesday - the same one more game. Maybe in the future we can think that if the managers and referee agree after the first game we can go to penalties and we can finish the game today,” said Carvalhal who was given a warm reception on his return to the club he managed for two and a half years.

The replay is Swansea’s third in succession as they continue to juggle cup commitments with a Premier League survival battle that has become more difficult after impressive defender Alfie Mawson injured himself before kickoff and was subsequently seen wearing a knee brace.

The winner of the replay will host Rochdale or Tottenham Hotspur, who play today.

Leicester City will be home to Chelsea in the remaining quarter-final. All games will be played between March 16 and 19.

$16M and that’s not something we can just do.”

Mohamed will have Hansraj Singh as the vice-president once more with Azim Jaffar as secretary, Nirmal Sukhram as treasurer and the assistant secretary/assistant treasurer

is Azaad Hassan.

The club captain remains Sunil Singh with Joel Evans as technical adviser.

The committee members are Paul Jiwanram, Motilall Deodass, Haniff Mohamed, John Bennett and Kamal Seebarran.

GMR&SC re-elects Rameez Mohamed as president

… Increased focus on safety; more partnerships touted

GMR&SC boss contended, “It is for that reason, among others, that we are looking at new partnerships to complement the existing ones we have. A new strip will cost us in the region of

By Stephan Sookram THE 2018-2019 executive of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) will increase focus on safety and more partnerships to ensure the sport flourishes.

This is according to president Rameez Mohamed who began his second term last evening following his election at the body’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Thomas Lands.

“We have been taking a lot of flak for an incident that occurred on Sunday.

I’m sure you all know the issue I’m speaking about but we as a committee are using it as an eye-opener for even more track safety for future events.”

“I’ll continue to say that if there had been zero safety measures then the situation would have been

Rameez Mohamed returns to the helm of the GMR&SC.

worse. The marshals and others must be praised for that. But at the same time, better can always be done.”

He noted that there are big plans in the pipeline for 2018-19, including a regional drag championship which they are looking to pull off midyear as well as several crucial upgrades to the South Dakota Circuit.

“In the interest of development, both of the sport and the facilities, we are looking at securing some more longterm partners. There are a few that we can now resume talks with (after the AGM) and look at possibilities.”

Quizzed about the much-anticipated launch pad for drag racing at the South Dakota Circuit, the

A section of the GMR&SC’s Annual General Meeting (GTRidez photos)

24

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

Livan, Pitt lead Henrietta United’s triumph over Mainstay All-Stars

By Elroy Stephney A LARGE and vociferous gathering witnessed quite an enthralling match in the latest round of the Essequibo Coast and Pomeroon Football Association-sponsored round-robin competition.

Playing on Thursday at the Anna Regina Community Centre (ARCC) ground, Henrietta United FC fought gallantly to register a 3-1 victory against Mainstay All-Stars. The game started off slowly as both teams played defensively, choosing to be safe instead of taking risks.

It was Henrietta United, though, whose superior ball possession and passing that made the difference between the two teams.

The shackles were then broken in the 38th minute when skipper Christopher

Sheldon Pitt (left) shares the moment with captain Christopher Livan.

Livan secured an accurate pass on the left wing and blasted his first of two goals from just outside the box. It was the only breakthrough as the tussle continued until halftime.

When play resumed, a more aggressive approach was taken by both teams.

Shots were then fired regularly to keep the goalkeepers busy. Some shots were also

spectacularly saved, much to the appreciation of the cheering spectators.

Then in the 65th minute the skilful and consistent Sheldon Pitt sent his team 2-nil up with a sweetly-timed long range shot that flew past the diving goalkeeper.

Not to be outdone, Mainstay All-Stars kept

their momentum flowing and were rewarded when Sherwin Williams netted in the 76th minute to keep his team’s chances alive for a come-from-behind win. The game thereon ebbed and flowed with both teams recording close chances.

However, it was the captain Christopher Livan again on the score sheet when he was fouled in the penalty box and the referee awarded a penalty shoot in the 84th minute. Scoring seemed inevitable as Livan tapped the ball into the far right of the net to record a double and seal his team’s 3-1 margin victory.

Meanwhile the competition will continue this weekend with Henrietta United facing Aurora FC at the ARCC ground in the lone fixture.

Short, Warner power Aussies to record run chase after Guptill ton AUCKLAND, New Zealand (Reuters) - D‘Arcy Short anchored a high-powered Australian batting order to produce the highest successful run chase in Twenty20 international cricket to beat New Zealand by five wickets in their tri-series clash at Eden Park on Friday.

Short, who started his innings with several edges and false shots that went for boundaries at the small ground, scored 76 from 44 balls as the Australians reached 245 for five with seven deliveries remaining.

The run chase eclipsed the 236 for six West Indies achieved in beating South Africa in Johannesburg in 2015.

New Zealand had scored 243 for six in their 20 overs after Martin Guptill (105) and Colin Munro (76) had produced a blistering 132run opening partnership in 10.4 overs.

Short and captain David Warner (59), however, put on 121 runs in 8.3 overs to

D’Arcy Short hit 76 from 44 balls.

give the visitors the ideal start before Glenn Maxwell, who scored 31 from 14 balls, and Aaron Finch (36 not out) ensured they got home.

Having won their previous three matches before Friday, Australia had al-

ready qualified for the final of the tri-series that also includes England, at the same ground on February 21.

New Zealand had been strong favourites to join them in the final at the innings break after Guptill and Munro scored at more

than 12 runs an over, exploiting the short boundaries down the ground.

Munro hit Andrew Tye for three successive sixes off the first three balls of the 11th over but was then undone by a cleverly-disguised slower delivery on the next and was caught at wide long on by Maxwell.

Guptill then picked up where Munro left off, reaching his second Twenty20 international century in 49 deliveries before Tye had him caught by Maxwell at deep midwicket to leave the hosts 212 for three in the 17th over.

Australia then dragged the New Zealand innings back with three wickets for four runs in six deliveries.

Ross Taylor hit two sixes in an 18-run final over from Tye to propel New Zealand to their equal-highest T20 score.

New Zealand face England in Hamilton today, with the hosts holding the advantage having won their game in Wellington on Tuesday by 12 runs.

Barcelona warm up for trip to Chelsea with win over Elbar

Luis Suarez is the second top scorer in La Liga, with 17 - three behind team-mate Lionel Messi

BARCELONA warmed up for Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Chelsea with a hard-fought win over Eibar to equal their best ever La Liga unbeaten run.

Ernesto Valverde did not rest anyone and Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba scored to take them 10 points clear at the top and 31 La Liga games unbeaten.

Barca led when Lionel Messi played in Suarez, who slotted home.

Both sides hit the woodwork, and Eibar had Fabian Orellana sent off, before Alba’s late clincher.

Orellana hit the crossbar from outside the box moments after Suarez rounded keeper Marko Dmitrovic to score the opener, and Messi

hit the post in the second half from Suarez’s lay-off.

January loan signing Orellana was shown a second yellow card for punching the ball away in anger.

Moments later manager Jose Luis Mendilibar was sent to the stands for an angry reaction to Suarez not being booked for kicking the ball away.

Seventh-placed Basque minnows Eibar deserved better - but Alba wrapped it up late on after Dmitrovic parried Messi’s effort.

Barcelona - who match their unbeaten run from 2010-11 under Pep Guardiola - are now 10 points above Atletico Madrid, who host Athletic Bilbao today.

(BBC Sport)

Sri Lanka pits T20 league against CPL SRI Lanka Cricket’s decision surrounding the dates of its Lankan Premier League (LPL) has put it in direct opposition with the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The competition has been set to run from August 18 to September 10, which is just days different from the run of the CPL. The CPL is set to go from August 8 to September 16.

The LPL will include six teams and will seek to attract a pool of international players from similar regions to that of the CPL. Sri Lanka Cricket is expected to try to lure players from New Zealand, Bangladesh and

Australia, since those are the teams likely to be free during the period.

Pakistan players, who played a big part in the CPL last season, will also be a target, though there is a tour of Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka Cricket may not have a choice but to compete with the CPL though, as they have to consider not just their busy international schedule, but also their monsoon seasons.

The board will be attempting to avoid a repeat of their previous attempt at hosting a regular domestic T20 event, after their 2012 SLPL collapsed after just one season.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

25

Volcanoes romp into Super50 semifinals to shatter Red Force hopes CAVE HILL, Barbados (CMC) – Resurgent Windward Islands Volcanoes picked the ideal moment to deliver their most convincing win of the Regional Super50, when they thrashed Hampshire by 136 runs to romp into the semi-finals and shatter Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s hopes.

Entering the Group A affair at 3Ws Oval needing to win while also securing a bonus point, Volcanoes produced a clinical performance behind Andre Fletcher’s maiden regional one-day hundred, to dominate the English county side and grab the five points required.

They ended their preliminary campaign level on 22 points with Red Force but sneaked into the final four by virtue of having more wins.

Three of the four semi-final places have now been determined with title-holders Barbados Pride already qualified from Group A and

Guyana Jaguars booking their spot from Group B on Friday night, following their win over Jamaica Scorpions in Antigua.

Volcanoes, who surprised Red Force by three wickets in their last match on Thursday, showed aggressive intent from the outset yesterday, piling up 293 all out off 50 overs.

The right-handed Fletcher top-scored with a brilliant 132 off 135 balls while the reliable opener Devon Smith, short of runs in the tournament, supported with 84 from 89 deliveries.

Together, they pulled Volcanoes out of trouble at 27 for three in the seventh over with a magnificent 155run, fourth-wicket stand.

Left-arm seamer Chris Wood shone in an outstanding spell, taking five for 38 while former Barbados and West Indies speedster, Fidel Edwards, kept up his wicket-taking form with four

Andre Fletcher (left) stroked a brilliant maiden regional one-day hundred in a massive partnership with Devon Smith (right). (File photo)

for 51.

In reply, Hampshire recovered from the loss of two cheap wickets to be well placed at 67 for two in the 15th over before left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge (424) and former West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford (3-45) crippled the innings, which ended in ruins at 157 in the 38th over.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Lewis McManus top-scored

GCB Female T20 tournament

Demerara beat defending champions Berbice by 15 runs DEMERARA disposed of defending champions Berbice by 15 runs in the only game possible yesterday, when play in this year’s Guyana Cricket Board’s female Under-19 T20 Inter-county tournament commenced at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

While the first game between the GCB’s President’s XI and Demerara was washed out without a ball being bowled, the original fixture saw a change in the second round.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Demerara openers Mandy Mangru and Cacey Charles added 123 which eventually set the platform for the convincing win.

Charles was run-out for an impressive 60 while Mangru made a stroke-filled unbeaten 41. The partnership took the hosts to 124-1 when their allotted 20 overs expired.

Berbice then endured a tough run chase, reaching 109-9. Only Shabeka Gajnabi (29) and Sheneta Grim-

Player-of-the-match Cacey Charles collects her trophy from Chairman of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) junior selectors, Nazimul Drepaul.

mond (24) offered any real resistance.

Yogeeta Ballkishun (327) caused the most damage.

She received support from Mangru (2-8) and Cherry

Ann Fraser (2-24).

The tournament concludes today with Demerara playing Berbice in the final round from 13:30hrs at Everest.

with 35, Sean Ervine got 34 while captain James Adams made 30.

Left-arm pacer Delorn Johnson bowled Joe Weatherley for 10 in the third over and Hodge trapped the other opener Thomas Alsop for one in the sixth over, to leave Hampshire on 24 for two.

Ervine and Adams staged the best stand of the innings with 43 for the third wicket but once five wickets tum-

bled for 49 runs, Hampshire failed to recover from 116 for seven in the 25th over.

Volcanoes had earlier experienced a similar rocky start after being sent in, crashing to 27 for three in the seventh over after the pacey Edwards knocked over Johnson Charles (6), Tyrone Theophile (1) and Kirk Edwards (1) in quick succession.

Fletcher arrived to join Smith and he dominated Hampshire’s bowling, driving Volcanoes towards the 200-run mark.

Fletcher smashed five fours and eight sixes, easing to his first fifty off 73 deliveries and three figures from a further 46 balls.

Smith, meanwhile, stroked 11 fours before perishing in the 35th over but Fletcher kept the innings going until he was ninth out in the 48th over, with Volcanoes nearing 300.

SCOREBOARD VOLCANOES innings D. Smith c Taylor b Weatherley 84 J. Charles c Alsop b Edwards 6 T. Theophile lbw b Edwards 1 K. Edwards c Hart b Edwards 1 A. Fletcher c Dickinson b Edwards 132 K. Hodge b Wood 17 K. Mayers b Wood 24 S. Shillingford c wkp.

McManus b Wood 0 D. Johnson c Dickinson b Wood 6 L. Edward not out 2 O. McCoy b Wood 6 Extras: (b-1, lb-1, w-11, nb-1) 14 Total: (all out, 48.4 overs) 293 Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-21, 3-27, 4-182, 5-212, 6-244, 7-246, 8-263, 9-286.

Bowling: Edwards 9-0-51-0, Wood 9.4-0-38-2, Taylor 10-0-37-0, Wheal 4-0-57-0, Weatherley 10-1-46-1, Hart 3-0-30-0, Ervine 3-0-32-0.

HAMPSHIRE innings J. Weatherley b Johnson 10 T. Alsop lbw b Hodge 1 J. Adams c Edward b Mayers 30 E. Ervine b Shillingford 34 L. McManus lbw b Hodge 35 C. Dickinsn b Shillingford 0 B. Taylor b Edward 5 A. Hart b Shillingford 11 C. Wood stp. Fletcher b Hodge 24 B. Wheal lbw b Hodge 0 F. Edwards not out 0 Extras: (b-1, lb-4, w-2) 7 Total: (all out, 37.4 overs) 157 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-24, 3-67, 4-83, 5-83, 6-92, 7-116, 8-150, 9-150.

Bowling: Johnson 4-0-20-1, Hodge 8.4-2-24-4, Mayers 5-0-15-1, Shillingford 10-0-45-3, Edward 10-0-48-1.

West Brom knocked out of FA Cup after week of woe

By Neil Robinson LONDON, England (Reuters) - West Bromwich Albion’s tumultuous week took a final turn for the worse as they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Southampton, whose 2-1 victory at the Hawthorns yesterday secured the visitors a quarter-final berth for the first time since 2005.

Defeat always seemed likely for West Brom, who are bottom of the Premier League and who sacked their chairman and chief-executive on Tuesday.

They then had four senior players interviewed by Spanish police over the alleged theft of a taxi from outside a fast-food restaurant in Barcelona.

Two of those involved in the incident, Jonny Evans and Gareth Barry, both started against Southampton after apologising for their part in the incident although Evans was stripped of the captaincy.

The Ulsterman could do nothing to stop Southampton taking the lead through Wesley Hoedt on 11 minutes, with Dusan Tadic adding the second after the interval.

Salomon Rondon quickly

countered for West Brom but Southampton held on to record their second win at Albion in two weeks.

Brighton’s Jurgen Locadia scored on his debut in the 3-1 win over Coventry City who, after knocking out Stoke City in the third round, failed in their attempt to make FA Cup history by becoming the first fourth-tier side to beat two top-flight teams in the same season.

There was never much chance of that with Brighton’s record-signing Locadia scoring with his first shot on target after 15 minutes and Leicester City loanee Leonardo Ulloa, who is in his second spell with the Seagulls, rounding off the win after Connor Goldson netted his first goal in almost two years.

Jonson Clarke-Harris scored Coventry’s consolation.

The last time Brighton were a top-flight team they reached the FA Cup final in 1983 and might fancy their chances of a repeat this season although manager Chris Hughton’s decision to make nine changes in his starting lineup suggests the competition which he twice won as a player is not a priority.

At Hillsborough, both

managers bemoaned the replay after second tier Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City shared a goalless draw, with Swansea’s Carlos Carvalhal suggesting everyone would have been happy to play on to penalties.

“It’s a score nobody wants. I also believe (that’s the case) for Sheffield Wednesday - the same one more game. Maybe in the future we can think that if the managers and referee agree after the first game we can go to penalties and we can finish the game today,” said Carvalhal who was given a warm reception on his return to the club he managed for two and a half years.

Swansea felt they had two strong shouts for a penalty while Swans keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt did well to save late on from Atdhe Nuhiu.

The replay is Swansea’s third in succession as they continue to juggle cup commitments with a Premier League survival battle that has become more difficult after impressive defender Alfie Mawson injured himself before kickoff and was subsequently seen wearing a knee brace.

26

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

Jaguars secure Super50 semifinal spot despite Walton ton ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Guyana Jaguars weathered a sparkling hundred from Chadwick Walton and four frustrating rain interruptions, to beat Jamaica Scorpions by four wickets and book their place in the final four of the Regional Super50.

Set a revised target of 212 following the last rain break at Coolidge Cricket Ground, the odds always favoured Jaguars especially after their frenetic start, and they got over the line with eight balls remaining in the day/night contest here Friday night.The victory took them top of Group B on 26 points from their full complement of matches, leaving Scorpions and English county Kent – second and third respectively – to tussle for the last remaining semi-final spot in the group.

Walton almost denied Jaguars with his second hundred in three days and his fourth overall at this level, when he hammered 104 from 111 deliveries, as Scorpions, opting to bat first reached a competitive 264 for eight off

their 50 overs.

Odean Smith blasted an unbeaten 32 from 19 balls batting at number 10 while opener Steven Taylor gathered a patient 32 and Brandon King, 29.

In reply, Jaguars were given a flying start by Chandrapaul Hemraj who propelled the innings with an audacious 80 from 65 deliveries.

All-rounder Chris Barnwell extended his excellent form with 56 while opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, in for his first match of the campaign, made 27.

The victory appeared much more straightforward with Hemraj and Barnwell in command but Peat Salmon’s intervention pulled things back for Scorpions, as the off-spinner picked up four for 28 from an excellent eightover spell.

Needing a victory to assure themselves of a place in the semi-finals, Jaguars showed great intent up front in their run chase with the left-handed opening pair of Hemraj and Chanderpaul

Opener Chandrapaul Hemraj celebrates his half-century against Scorpions on Friday night. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

putting on 68 off 54 deliveries.

Hemraj was superb, smashing six fours and five sixes in an entertaining innings while Chanderpaul supported in a 34-ball knock that included five boundaries.

Salmon’s belated introduction saw Scorpions hit back as Chanderpaul skewed a catch to a short third man and captain Leon Johnson (14) drove another to midoff.

On 81 for two in the 13th over, Jaguars then benefitted from an 86-run, third-wicket partnership between Hemraj and Barnwell that kept their

side ahead of the Duckworth/ Lewis par score.

Hemraj reached his half-century in the 17th over with a towering straight six off left-arm spinner Fabian Allen but fell to a brilliant diving catch by Trevon Griffith at backward point off Taylor’s off-spin in the 26th over.

Barnwell struck five fours and a pair of sixes and looked to be taking Jaguars to victory when he played across a straight, fullish one from Salmon and was lbw in the 35th over.

Another couple wickets

fell as Jaguars neared their target but the result was never really in doubt.

Walton had earlier lashed nine fours and three sixes while anchoring three half-century stands to put Scorpions in a relatively strong position.

The right-hander added 54 for the first wicket with Griffith (21), a further 74 with Taylor for the second wicket before putting on 61 for the fourth with King, after Taylor and Andre McCarthy (0) fell in successive deliveries to Jamaican leg-spinner Ramaal Lewis (2-36).

Walton eventually perished at the end of the 40th over when he played back to one from left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and was bowled off-stump.

His was one of five wickets to fall for 17 runs, leaving Scorpions tottering on 206 for eight in the 46th over. But Smith and Alwyn Williams added an exhilarating 58 from 25 balls in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand, to give their side a late thrust.

‘Jackie Chan’ scores on debut, but Western Tigers conquer Fruta … edge Den Amstel CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday February 18, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) It varies between 155.9g and 163g (5.5 and 5.75 ounces) (2) it varies between 22.4cm and 22.9cm (8.8125 and 9 inches) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who are the first two umpires to stand in a Test match?

(2) Who are the first two umpires to stand in an ODI game?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Andrew Murray Jr

Colin Nelson

GREGORY ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson scored on his debut for Fruta Conquerors, but Colin Nelson and Andrew Murray Jr rained on his parade, as the two guided Western Tigers to a 2-1 win over the Tucvillebased team on Friday evening, when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League returned to the Georgetown Football Club ground.

Also returning to their

winning ways were defending champions, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) who, in the opening game of the double-header, defeated Den Amstel 2-1.

The Western Tigers/Fruta Conquerors was one of the most anticipated encounters of the league, given the fact that both teams made some significant changes to their roster during the GFF’s transfer window, gathering some of the best local players.

Nelson had given Western Tigers the lead in the 42nd minute, and his goal meant that his side enjoyed a 1-0 cushion at the interval.

However, Richardson pulled one back for Fruta Conquerors upon the resumption of the half, much to the delight of the handful of Fruta Conquerors supporters. But Murray, who has been solid upfront for Western Tigers, scored the eventual game-winner in the 53rd minute.

In the opening game, Amumchi Benjamin netted twice (61st and 88th) to hand the ‘Army’ three points. Delon Lanferman was the lone goalscorer for Den Amstel.

Meanwhile, the league will continue today at the Buxton Community Centre ground from 14:00hrs. In the opening game, Cougars FC will attack Ann’s Grove and in game two, Victoria Kings will clash with the home side Buxton United from 16:00hrs.

SCOREBOARD SCORPIONS innings C. Walton b Permaul 105 T. Griffith c Barnwell b Wintz 21 S. Taylor c Wintz b Lewis 32 A. McCarthy c Hemraj b Lewis 0 B. King c Johnson b Adams 28 F. Allen stp. Bramble b Hemraj 9 G. Wallace run-out 0 P. Salmon b Hemraj 3 A. Williams not out 27 O. Smith not out 32 Extras: (lb-1, w-6) 7 Total: (8 wkts, 50 overs) 264 Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-128, 3-128, 4-189, 5-191, 6-193, 7-199, 8-206.

Bowling: Shepherd 9-0-67-0, Wintz 5-0-33-1, Rutherford 7-2-30-0, Permaul 10-2-33-1, Lewis 6-0-36-2, Adams 10-0-42-0, Hemraj 3-0-22-2.

JAGUARS innings (target: 212 off 40 overs) T. Chanderpaul c Williams b Salmon 27 C. Hemraj c Griffith b Taylor 80 L. Johnson c Smith b Salmon 5 C. Barnwell lbw b Salmon 56 R. Adams not out 19 A. Bramble c Wallace b Taylor 1 S. Rutherford c wkp. Walton b Salmon 1 R. Shepherd not out 6 Extras: (b-1, w-16) 18 Total: (6 wkts, 38.4 overs) 213 Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-81, 3-167, 4-188, 5-193, 6-195.

Bowling: Lamont 4-0-39-0, Williams 3-0-24-0, McCarthy 9-1-35-0, Salmon 8-1-28-4, Smith 4-0-28-0, Allen 3.4-039-0, Taylor 7-1-19-2.

50th Anniversary Karate tournament billed for March 4

Sensei Frank Woon-A-Tai

KARATEKAS of all ages will converge on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on March 4 to commemorate 50 years of martial arts greatness with a tournament.

The one-day event, dubbed the Woon-A-Tai Cup is in celebration of the Head of the International Karate Diagaku (IKD) and Guyana Karate College (GKC) Sensei Frank Woon-A-Tai. According to a release, those masters in attendance will be the Grandmaster himself, a 9th Dan, along with deputy Grandmaster Maureen Woon-A-Tai, an 8th Dan rank.

Master Bernice Hughes, along with Master Amir Khouri and Master Jeffrey Wong, is also set for exhibitions on the day.

All Shotokan forms are welcome including Kata, Kumite, Bunkai and Enbu.

The tournament will take place under IKD/ JKA/ISKF where there are one-point matches or a finishing blow delivered with speed, power, spirit and ki, without contact.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, February 18, 2018

27

BCB’s day of decision; crucial vote for president at NA Town Hall

… GCB prepared to work with whoever is at the helm - Bacchus

By Rajiv Bisnauth IT’S a day of decision for the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB). The election to decide who will lead the affairs of the BCB for the one-year term according to what is stipulated in the Cricket Administration Bill, will be held today during the staging of new elections at the New Amsterdam Town Hall from 11:00hrs.

Former president Dhierandranauth Somwaru and Director of Regional Health Services in Region Six, Jevaughn Stephens, are down to square off for the post of president, which is creating widespread interest in the cricketing fraternity.

Dubbed the most critical elections in the history of the board, today’s electoral process has been scheduled following a ruling delivered

by Justice Navindra Singh on December 18 last, where he mandated new elections.

Justice Singh’s ruling came after the result of the

Fizul Bacchus

October 8, 2017 elections was annulled by the Court.

However, the Court Order issued by Justice Singh indicated that an Agent of the Court will convene today’s meeting for the purpose of elections being held.

The Order further stated that the Agent shall verify the presence of the delegates/ representatives of the various clubs and associations from the lists approved by the court.

Such verified delegates/ representatives shall then vote for a Returning Officer

Former president Dhierandranauth Somwaru

Director of Regional Health Services in Region Six Jevaughn Stephens.

from among all the persons present in the room.

According to the Order, the Returning Officer shall then conduct the elections for the office-bearers of the Berbice Cricket Board.

Meanwhile, both candidates have expressed confidence ahead of today’s poll.

Somwaru, the former umpire, who was elected to office at the last troublesome elections, where he served for less than three months, has been campaigning on several issues that he believes

he has delivered during his short tenure.

These include the successful roll-out of Under-13, Under-15-17 and U-19 cricket tournaments, the packed

Forde to attend FIFA Executive Summit THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will participate in the second edition of the FIFA Executive Summit scheduled for Lagos, Nigeria on February 20, with president Wayne Forde set to attend.

According to the GFF, Forde will make a presentation on the impact of the FIFA Forward Programme on Guyana’s Football development, with the presentation highlighting the progress of the Providence Forward Programme and the efforts being made by the GFF to align its governance and compliance policies and strategies with that of FIFA. “For Guyana to be afforded an opportunity to showcase its programmes and strategies at such as global football forum is indeed remarkable and humbling.

I am very proud of the fraternity and the progress we have made as a Federation in the implementation of a solid development strategy, which has spawned this

GFF president Wayne Forde

opportunity. This truly is a proud moment for the football family,” Forde said in an invited comment before his departure.

According to a FIFA correspondence, among the key topics for discussion, as proposed by the Member Associations are: FIFA Forward Programme – Looking ahead to the next cycle; The Future of FIFA’s Youth, Women’s and Club Competitions; How to Improve the Transfer System and the International Match Calendar and FIFA’s

Priorities.

There will also be small group discussions “to give Member Associations an optimal platform to make their voice and ideas heard on FIFA’s strategic topics, which will shape the future of both FIFA as an organisation and football as a sport.”

The summit, aimed at strengthening dialogue/bridging the gap between FIFA and its Member Associations, will be attended by FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino; FIFA Council members, the FIFA Secretary General and representatives of the FIFA administration and Presidents/General Secretaries from Member Associations.

This is the second occasion that Forde will be presenting Guyana’s Development Strategy to the football world, the first being the youth development strategy at the XXXII Ordinary CONCACAF Congress held in Aruba in 2016.

first division season and the resuscitation of cricket in the Upper Corentyne area.

Stephens, meanwhile, believes his plans to move forward are superior to those of Somwaru.

Stephens, being in an administrative position, has shown that he has the capacity to lead and believes that at this point in time he is the more suitable candidate to lead Berbice cricket.

According to what is stipulated in the Cricket Administration Bill, three sub-associations, along with 11 first division clubs have voting rights during the elections .

The sub-associations are: West Berbice, Berbice River and Upper Corentyne, while the first division clubs are Blairmont, Police, Mt Sinai, Fort Canje, Guymine, Rose Hall Estate, Chesney, Albion, Port Mourant, Whim and Kildonan.

Each sub-association is entitled to four voting delegates while the clubs have two voting delegates each.

From all indications a 22-12 voting result is anticipated.

Meanwhile, acting president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Fizul Bacchus says the local governing body for the sport is prepared to work with whoever is elected at the helm of Berbice cricket.

Bacchus made the announcement yesterday, adding that the GCB has always lent its support to the development of the game in the Ancient County.

“The GCB is prepared to work with whoever is elected at the helm of Berbice’s cricket. The GCB’s support has been there over the years and it will continue, so whoever is elected on Sunday, we at the GCB will give that individual and his administration our fullest support,” the GCB boss pointed out.

Bacchus added, “The Court had ordered the elections ... the Judge issued a Court Order, so I hope that what is stipulated in that Order (Court) must be carried out. I just hope that the process is free and fair, and whoever is elected, the results will be accepted.”

BCB’s day of decision; crucial vote for president at NA Town Hall 27 PAGE

Josiah’s double assures Showstoppers of ‘West Side’ Guinness street football title

Showstoppers’ Marvin Josiah collects the winners’ trophy after the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Zone final on Friday evening.

Region Nine `Golden Girl’ for Patrick Ford Memorial Open THE Savannah Boxing Gym will be represented by its `Golden Girl’ Julicia Rodney when the first-ever Patrick Ford Memorial Open punches off at the National Gymnasium on February 25.

The 15-year-old Pride of Region Nine will be accompanied by fellow boxer Troy Nero and coach Trevor Austin when the Guyana Boxing Association/McDonald Promotion-organised event takes place.

Rodney sprang to prominence late last year when the GBA held its final Pepsi Michael Parris Under-16 competition at Turn to page 22

MARVIN Josiah scored twice on Friday evening to lead his Showstoppers side to an impressive 3-0 win over ESPN in the final of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ West Demerara/East Bank Demerara Zone in front of a packed Pouderoyen tarmac.

With $400 000 on the line, Josiah stroked in his goals in the 8th and 18th minute, while Dexroy Adams netted in the 21st minute for Showstoppers who retained their title won last year.

Meanwhile, in the third-place game, West Side edged Dream Team 2-0 with kicks from the penalty spot, after the two sides had ended their regulation and extra times deadlocked on 1.

Thirty-one goals scored as Milo U-18 football continues PAGE

22

Region Nine `Golden Girl’ Julicia Rodney

This Adrian Narine photo captures one of the 31 goals scored, as the Milo Schools Football competition continues in Georgetown.

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

SUNDAY FEBRUARY, 18, 2018